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Milli-PEET enMilli-PEET: Species Species Catalog</STRONG><BR><BR>In the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 1758, Carl von Linné listed seven species of millipedes, all in the genus Julus. While we estimate that our planet may be home to over 80,000 millipede species, so far only about 12,000 species have been described. To promote rapid millipede species discovery and description, it is imperative to assemble a comprehensive species catalog of all existing nominal species.<BR><BR>Currently, we are working on such a global millipede species catalog. Initial millipede species lists were generated from the zoological record and the 'Iconography,' an index card catalog held in the Paris Museum. The Iconography was started by the renowned millipede expert, Henry-Wilfried Brölemann (1860-1933). Every species record is compared to its original description and the full bibliographic citation is attached to the species record.&nbsp;The Field Museum's fantastic library harbors approximately 90% of the required literature.&nbsp;The species records are managed in a relational database. We expect that the global species catalog will be completed by 2012.<BR><BR><br /> <img class="media-image" typeof="Image" src=" alt="" title="" /> <p 17 Feb 2012 21:00:38 +0000awestrich13941 at Specimens for Study Specimens for Study</STRONG><BR><BR>Many millipede collections harbor extensive unsorted and unidentified material.&nbsp;Few millipede collections are databased, and these impediments hamper the access to research material.&nbsp;The California Academy of Sciences and the Field Museum each house considerable millipede material from Madagascar. The material was brought together mainly through collecting efforts by Dr. Steven Goodman (Field Museum of Natural History) and Dr. Charles Griswold (California Academy of Sciences).&nbsp;Dr. Griswold's expeditions to Madagascar were funded by NSF-grant DEB-0072713: 'Terrestrial Arthropod Inventory of Madagascar' to Drs. C. E. Griswold and Dr. Brian Fisher (September 2000-August 2003).<BR><BR>Graduate student Thomas Wesener (Ruhr-University Bochum) sorted through all Madagascar millipede specimens housed at the California Academy of Sciences and the Field Museum, and prepared a list of the available material.&nbsp;His visit to the Field Museum and the California Academy of Sciences was funded by NSF PEET grant 97-12438 for P. Sierwald and W.A. Shear and by the California Academy of Sciences.<BR><BR>This list of materials is available as a downloadable PDF <A href=" " target="_blank">here</A>.<BR><BR>Please contact the following curators for a loan of our specimens:<BR>Field Museum of Natural History: <A href="&#109;&#97;&#105;&#108;&#116;&#111;&#58;&#112;&#115;&#105;&#101;&#114;&#119;&#97;&#108;&#100;&#64;&#102;&#105;&#101;&#108;&#100;&#109;&#117;&#115;&#117;&#101;&#109;&#46;&#111;&#114;&#103;">Dr. Petra Sierwald</A><BR>California Academy of Sciences: <A href="&#109;&#97;&#105;&#108;&#116;&#111;&#58;&#99;&#103;&#114;&#105;&#115;&#119;&#111;&#108;&#100;&#64;&#99;&#97;&#108;&#97;&#99;&#97;&#100;&#101;&#109;&#121;&#46;&#111;&#114;&#103;">Dr. Charles Griswold</A 22:28:04 +0000awestrich13926 at Millipede Systematics Systematics</STRONG><BR><BR>Millipedes (Diplopoda) are classified together with the centipedes (Chilopoda), the pauropods and the symphylans in the group Myriapoda.<BR><BR>The monophyly of the Myriapoda has long been debated.&nbsp;Several morphological characters, e.g., the position of the genital opening (anterior in Diplopoda, Pauropoda and Symphyla; posterior in Chilopoda), the number of mouth parts (two in Diplopoda and Pauropoda; three in Symphyla and Chilopoda) suggest conflicting relationships. Numerous new studies are underway, many of them employing molecular as well as morphological characters. Currently, arthropod relationships (e.g., the Pancrustacea hypothesis) are the main focus of many systematic studies.<BR><BR>The Pauropoda are so far the undisputed sistergroup to the Diplopoda, mainly supported by two shared characters, the gnathochilarium of the mouth parts and the legless first trunk segment, the collum. The 16 orders of millipedes remained remarkably stable (with the exception of conflicting classifications between parts of the Spirostreptida and Julida).&nbsp;Hoffman (1980, see <A href=" gives an excellent and detailed review of the classification history of the Diplopoda. For a recent overview see Sierwald &amp; Bond, 2007. <EM>Annual Review of Entomology </EM><STRONG>57</STRONG>, 401-420.<BR><BR>The following files contain cladograms representing currently used classifications.&nbsp;They are provided for information only and are not intended as new phylogenetic hypotheses.</P><br /> <OL><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Relationship overview: supraordinal clades</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Ordinal relationships of the Diplopoda (Enghoff 1981)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Ordinal cladogram of the Diplopoda, reflecting the classification used by Hoffman (1980)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Ordinal cladogram of the Diplopoda under the inclusion of the enigmatic order Siphoniulida (Sierwald et al., 2003)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Relationships within the Helminthomorpha as suggested by molecular data employed by<BR>Regier &amp; Shultz (2001)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Ordinal relationships inferred from a Bayesian analysis of nucleotides (Regier et al., 2005)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Ordinal relationships inferred from a parsimony analysis of amino acids, strict consensus (Regier et al., 2005)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Ordinal relationships in the Diplopoda and Chilopoda (Regier et al., 2005) based on morphological characters</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Tribal relationships within the Order Sphaerotheriida (Hoffman, 1976, 1980; Jeekel, 1974, Mauriès 2001, and Wesener &amp; Sierwald, 2005)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Tribal relationships of the Paradoxosomatidae and&nbsp;Polydesmida (Jeekel, 1968; Hoffman, 1980; Golovatch, 1984; Golovatch &amp; Enghoff, 1994)</STRONG></A></LI><br /> <LI><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Description and putative apomorphies of millipede clades</STRONG></A></LI></OL><br /> <P>A bibliography of this material is alsolabel 21:28:34 +0000awestrich13921 at BibliographyBibliography</STRONG><BR><BR>The attached bibliography represents a brief compilation of major works useful to millipede research; it is neither complete nor comprehensive. It will be updated at irregular intervals.<BR><BR>Currently, the following areas are covered in the bibliography:<BR><BR><STRONG>Catalogs, Checklists, Classifications, Ecology, Fossil Millipedes, Handbooks, Historical/Classical Works, Identification Keys, Phylogeny, Type Catalogs, Regional Faunas.</STRONG><BR><BR>A complete list of the Proceedings from the International Congresses of Myriapodology (1968 to 2002) is available at the end of the document, with appropriate citations included.<BR><BR>The bibliography&nbsp;is available as a downloadable PDF <A href="12:32 +0000awestrich13896 at FMNH TypeField Museum Type Catalog</STRONG><BR><BR>The Field Museum's Millipede Collection currently holds 376 type lots for 208 species.&nbsp;Types of the millipede orders Glomeridesmida (4 species), Sphaerotheriida (2 species), Polyzoniida (1 species), Platydesmida (7 species), Siphonophorida (8 species), Stemmiulida (10 species) Chordeumatida (17 species), Polydesmida (103 species), Spirobolida (33 species), Spirostreptida (19 species), and Julida (4 species) are represented.&nbsp;The collection contains type specimens of species described by the authors Bond &amp; Sierwald (3 species), Chamberlin (95 species), Golovatch (1 species), Golovatch, Vohland &amp; Hoffman (4 species), Hoffmann (8 species), Keeton (1 species), Loomis (85 species), Mauriès (2 species), Shear (4 species), Shear &amp; Leonard (1 species), Shelley (1 species), Vohland (1 species), and Wesener &amp; Sierwald (2 species).&nbsp;<EM>Amplinus fortinus</EM> Chamberlin, 1952 (Polydesmida: Aphelidesmidae) is identified as a nomen nudum.&nbsp;The millipede type material is separated from the main collection and vials are organized in jars by order. All lots are identified with a unique collection number. Specimen data are cataloged and maintained in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.&nbsp;The collection catalog is slated to be moved to a relational database (KE-EMu) to be&nbsp;available on-line within the next few years.<BR><BR>The species names are listed in the original combination as found in the publication of the species description. The family placement is updated to Shelley's (2003) annotated family-level classification. The following order names are abbreviated in the table: CH = Chordeumatida; GS = Glomeridesmida; JL = Julida;&nbsp;PL = Platydesmida;&nbsp;PS = Polydesmida; PZ = Polyzoniida; SB = Spirobolida; SI = Siphonophorida; SP = Sphaerotheriida; SS = Spirostreptida; ST = Stemmiulida.<BR><BR>Published in: Sierwald, P., Bond, J.E. &amp; G. T. Gurda. 2005. The millipede type specimens in the collections of the Field Museum of Natural History. <EM>Zootaxa</EM>, 1005, 64pp.<BR><BR>A guide to the Field Museum of Natural History Millipede Types is01:59 +0000awestrich13891 at Millipede Collections Collections</STRONG><BR><BR>A vast number of the species on our planet remain undiscovered. Biological specimen collections play a pivotal role in the discovery and description of new species. Such collections have maintained identified material of the known fauna and flora for more than two centuries. Furthermore, at least a good portion of the unknown flora and fauna can be found in the unsorted and unidentified backlog of specimen collections.&nbsp;For many taxonomically neglected groups, such as the Myriapoda (centipedes, millipedes, pauropods and symphylans), we do not even know where such useful specimen collections might be located.&nbsp;In 1972, the 2nd International Congress of Myriapodology recommended "that myriapodologists throughout the world…bring together the information needed for a world-list of collections in this field" (Kraus, 1974).<BR><BR>The following tables represent a catalog of the millipede collections of the world.&nbsp;The collections data were generated by sending questionnaires to well over 1,000 biological collection institutions in 143 countries.&nbsp;We identified 268 biological collection institutions harboring millipede collections in 54 countries. There are also several private collections, but we were unable to capture significant data on those. Most collections listed here as harboring millipede collections also house specimens of the remaining three myriapod groups, the centipedes, pauropods and symphylans, and accordingly, this catalog will be of use for researchers of these groups as well. Although the catalog focuses on collections of extant millipede material, a preliminary list of 43 collections containing fossil millipedes is included in the printed catalog.<BR><BR>The following tables are available as downloadable PDF files:<BR><BR><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Collections Table 1</STRONG></A><BR>Table 1 lists the 268 collections harboring millipede collections. Type holdings and approximate size of each collection (in number of specimen lots) are indicated. The catalog (see citation and&nbsp;original publication below) lists mailing addresses, name(s) of curatorial staff and e-mail addresses if available.&nbsp;Of the 268 millipede collections,&nbsp;9 collections house more than 20,000 specimen lots, 77 contain more than 1,000 specimen lots.<BR><BR><A href=" " target="_blank"><STRONG>Collections Table 2</STRONG></A><BR>Table 2 lists millipede species authors and the collections (by acronym) that house type material by that particular author. Type material was reported from 89 collections, with six collections harboring more than 1,000 type lots each.&nbsp;More than 21,400 type lots (including all type categories) were reported by the collections.&nbsp;Table 2 is certainly not complete. The data for this table were assembled from the returned questionnaires. The original taxonomic literature was not consulted. In some cases, the listed institutions may not actually house the type material of the author, but rather the voucher material.<BR><BR><A href=" target="_blank"><STRONG>Original Publication</STRONG></A><BR>Petra Sierwald and Abigail Julia Reft. 2004. The Millipede Collections of the World. <EM>Fieldiana</EM>, Zoology, New Series No. 103 (1532). 100 pages.<BR><BR>Updates to the list of millipede collections are available 22:13:11 +0000awestrich13886 at Taxonomy Taxonomy</STRONG><BR><BR>A hierarchical classification of a group is the key to our collective understanding of life on Earth. Since Linnaeus, the delineations of groups at various levels and their positions in the hierarchy are based on shared (morphological) similarities, some of which may be symplesiomorphies in today's view.&nbsp;Many groups, however, such as the orders in the class Diplopoda, have remained stable since their introduction. Ongoing systematic research on a group leads to a significant increase of described species. Descriptions of taxa are modified, and consequently, taxon names and ranks change. While such name changes are often somewhat naively decried as a "bad habit" in modern taxonomy, it is important to remember that these modifications&nbsp;represent badly needed progress in the systematics of the organisms in question.<BR><BR>Nevertheless, name changes do hamper access to the legacy data in the literature, especially for inexperienced taxonomists.&nbsp;For the purpose of clarification, we offer a set of six tables&nbsp;delineating the current classification of the Diplopoda (Shelley, 2003), as well as highlighting the contributions&nbsp;of Attems, Brölemann, Pocock and Silvestri (cited in the <A href=" current classification of the Diplopoda employs the following ranks:<BR><BR><STRONG>Class</STRONG> Diplopoda<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; <STRONG>Subclass</STRONG> Penicillata, Chilognatha<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <STRONG>Infraclass</STRONG> Pentazonia, Helminthomorpha<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <STRONG>Subterclass</STRONG> Colobognatha, Eugnatha<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <STRONG>Superorder</STRONG> Juliformia, Nematophora, MerochetOrder</STRONG>, indicated by the ending –ida, as in Spirobolorder</STRONG>, indicated by the ending –idea, as in ChordeumatInfraorder</STRONG>, Polydesmoides, Oniscodesmoides, only in the order PolydesmSuperfamily</STRONG>, indicated by the ending –oidea as in PolydesmoFamily</STRONG>, indicated by the ending –idae as in Glomeridaefamily</STRONG>, indicated by the ening –inae, as in ChelodesminaeTribe</STRONG>, indicated by the ending –ini as in Sphaerotheriini<BR><BR>The following tables are available as downloadable&nbsp;PDF files:<BR><BR><STRONG><A href=" " target="_blank">Table 1: Family-level classification of the Diplopoda</A><BR><BR><A href=" " target="_blank">Table 2: Supra-familial classification of the Diplopoda</A><BR><BR><A href=" " target="_blank">Table 3: Valid millipede families in alphabetical order</A><BR><BR><A href=" " target="_blank">Tables 4a, 4b: Supra-familial taxon names and their synonyms</A><BR><BR><A href=" " target="_blank">Tables 5a, 5b: Family synonyms</A><BR><BR><A href=" " target="_blank">Tables 6a, 6b: Synonyms of subfamilies and tribes</A></STRONG><BR><BR>Tables 1, 2 and 3 are based on Shelley's (2003) "revised, annotated family-level classification" (<EM>Arthropoda Selecta</EM>, 11(3), 187-207).&nbsp;Tables 4, 5 and 6 are based on Hoffman's (1980) <EM>Classification of the Diplopoda</EM> (Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Genève, 237pp).&nbsp;Tables 4, 5 and 6 are provided here for convenience and are not intended to suggest nomenclatorial actions. They do not contain complete synonymies, but merely list frequently used older taxon names and their current valid counterpart. In tables 4a, 5a, and 6a taxon names are arranged in alphabetical order of the currently used taxon names. In tables 4b, 5b, and 6b the taxa are arranged in alphabetical order of the synonyms 21:35:07 +0000awestrich13876 at Complete Genus ListingComplete Genus Listing</STRONG><BR><BR>Our planet sustains a magnificent diversity of life forms. Despite over two centuries of biological research, humans are far from even listing all the species living on Earth, much less comprehending integrative topics like their ecological interactions. Not only are many species in danger of extinction, human expertise is on the brink of extinction. One group that is threatened by both these dangers is the arthropod class Diplopoda. Efficient management and ease of retrieval of existing data will greatly enhance the speed with which we will be able to complete a global inventory of the Earth's biodiversity.<BR><BR>Comprehensive taxonomic catalogues of organisms are essential management tools for the discovery and analysis of biodiversity. The<EM> Nomenclator Generum Diplopodorum</EM>, edited by Petra Sierwald and co-authored by C. A. W. Jeekel, R. L. Hoffman, R. M. Shelley, P. Sierwald, S. B. Kiser &amp; S. I. Golovatch,&nbsp;is a complete listing of all genus-group names in the Diplopoda, described between 1758 and 1999, with full bibliographic data.<BR><BR>Citation of the online publication: Sierwald, Petra (ed.). 2006. <EM>Nomenclator Generum Diplopodorum</EM>, Version 2. A complete listing of all genus-group names in the class Diplopoda from 1758 through 1999.<BR><BR>This Excel file is available to download (1.04 MB): <A href=" ">MILLGEN</A><BR><BR><STRONG>References</STRONG><BR><BR><EM>Nomenclator Generum Diplopodorum</EM>, Version 2.0 is based on the literature listed below.<BR><BR>Enghoff, H. 1981. A cladistic analysis and classification of the millipede order Julida. <EM>Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung</EM>, <STRONG>19</STRONG>, 285-319.<BR><BR>Enghoff, H. 1984. A revision of the Nopoiulinae, with notes on the classification of blaniuliud millipedes. <EM>Senckenbergiana Biologica</EM>, <STRONG>64</STRONG>, 393-427.<BR><BR>Enghoff, H. 1990. A revised cladistic analysis and classification of the millipede order Julida. <EM>Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung<EM>,</EM></EM> <STRONG>29</STRONG>, 241-263.<BR><BR>Enghoff, H. 1995. A revision of the Paectophyllini and Calyptophyllini: millipedes of the Middle East (Diplopoda: Julida, Julidae).<EM> Journal of Natural History</EM>, <STRONG>29</STRONG>, 685-786.<BR><BR>Hoffman, R. L. 1980. <EM>Classification of the Diplopoda</EM>. Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Genève, 237pp.<BR><BR>Hoffman, R.L. 1990. Myriapoda 4, Polydesmida: Oxydesmidae. <EM>Das Tierreich</EM>, <STRONG>107</STRONG>, 512pp.<BR><BR>Hoffman, R.L. 2005. <EM>Monograph of the Gomphodesmidae, a family of African polydesmoid millipeds</EM>. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, 537pp.<BR><EM>New genera described in this work are not yet included in the Genus Catalog.</EM><BR><BR>Jeekel, C. A. W. 1971. <EM>Nomenclator generum et familiarum Diplopodorum: A list of the genus and family-group names in the Class Diplopoda from the 10th edition of Linnaeus, 1758, to the end of 1957</EM>. Monografieën van de Nederlandse Entomologische Vereniging, No 5, 412pp.<BR><BR>Krabbe, E. 1982. Systematik der Spirostreptidae (Diplopoda, Spirostreptomorpha). <EM>Abhandlungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg</EM>, (NF) <STRONG>24</STRONG>, 476pp.<BR><BR>Mauriès, J.-P. 1983. Myriapodes du Népal (Mission I. Löbl et A. Smetana 1981) I. Diplopodes Iuliformes (Julida, Cambalida et Spirostreptida): <EM>Nepalmatoiulus</EM> nov. subgen.&nbsp;<EM>Revue Suisse de Zoologie</EM>, <STRONG>90(1)</STRONG>, 127-138.<BR><BR>Mauriès, J.-P. 1970. Un nouveau blaniulide cavernicole du pays basque français. Éléments d'une nouvelle classification des diplopodes iulides (Myriapoda). <EM>Annales Speleologique</EM>, <STRONG>25</STRONG>, 711-719.<BR><BR>Mauriès J.-P.&amp; M.C. Vicente. 1976. Miriápodos de Baleares. Descripción de un nuevo diplopódo cavernícola y catálogo de miriápodos señalados en Baleares. <EM>Bolletino Societe Hist. Nat. Baleares</EM>, <STRONG>21</STRONG>, 33-46.<BR><BR>Read, H.J. 1990. The generic composition and relationships of the Cylindroiulini – a cladistic analysis (Diplopoda, Julida: Julidae). <EM>Entomological Scandinavica</EM>, <STRONG>21</STRONG>, 97-112.<BR><BR>Shear, W.A. 2000a. On the millipede family Heterochordeumatidae, with comments on the higher classification of the order Chordeumatida (Diplopoda).<EM> Invertebrate Taxonomy</EM>, <STRONG>14</STRONG>, 363-376.<BR><BR>Shelley, R.M. 2003. A revised, annotated, family-level classification of the Diplopoda. <EM>Arthropoda Selecta</EM>, <STRONG>11(3)</STRONG>, 187-207.<BR><BR>Shelley, R.M., P. Sierwald, S. B. Kiser &amp; S. I. Golovatch. 2000. <EM>Nomenclator generum et familiarum Diplopodorum II. A list of the genus and family-group names in the Class Diplopoda from 1958-1999</EM>. Pensoft Publishers, 167pp. Pensoft Series Faunistica No 20. ISBN 954-642-107-3.<BR><BR>The Excel spreadsheet contains all millipede genus-group names, with the type-species and complete bibliographic reference.&nbsp;For each genus, the complete higher classification is given.&nbsp;All journal names are fully spelled out.&nbsp;Some journals have changed names over time; the journal name given here is the one that was used at the time when a particular taxon was described. Genus names printed in bold are available names. Genus names with parentheses in the preceding field are currently considered subgenera. The subgenus status is noted only for genera described after 1958. Future updates will reflect the subgenus for all nominal genera, if applicable. The systematic placement of genera is taken from the literature cited above. The numbers of species given for many of the genera are primarily based on Hoffman, 1980.<BR><BR><STRONG>Explanations of Fields, Version 2.0 (2006)</STRONG><BR><BR><STRONG>Asterisk</STRONG>: indicates that a family-group name is based on the genus<BR><STRONG>Subgenus</STRONG>: the genus name is currently considered a subgenus<BR><STRONG><EM>Genus</EM></STRONG>: Genus Name<BR><STRONG>GenusAuthor</STRONG>: Author of the genus<BR><STRONG>GenusYear</STRONG>: Year of first description of the genus<BR><STRONG>GenusJournal</STRONG>: Journal name in which the genus was described<BR><STRONG>GenusVol</STRONG>: Volume number of journal<BR><STRONG>GenusPage</STRONG>: page number, where the first description of the genus appears<BR><STRONG>G</STRONG>: Grammatical gender of the genus name: M = masculine, F = feminine, N = neuter<BR><STRONG><EM>TypeSpecies</EM></STRONG>: Name of the type species (if the genus name is abbreviated with only one letter in this field, the type species was described in the genus it is still placed in)<BR><STRONG>TspAuthor</STRONG>: Author of the type species<BR><STRONG>TspYear</STRONG>: Year of the first description of the type species<BR><STRONG>TspJournal</STRONG>: Journal name in which the type species was described<BR><STRONG>TspVol</STRONG>: Volume number of journal<BR><STRONG>TspPage</STRONG>: page number, where the first description of the type species appears<BR><STRONG>Country</STRONG>: Country from which the type species was described<BR><STRONG>Designation</STRONG>: mode of typification of the genus, e.g., by original designation, monotypy or subsequent designation<BR><STRONG>#Species</STRONG>: estimated number of species presently included in the genus<BR><STRONG>Tribe</STRONG>: tribal placement of genus if applicable<BR><STRONG>Subfamily</STRONG>: subfamilial placement of tribe<BR><STRONG>Family</STRONG>: family placement of subfamily<BR><STRONG>Superfamily</STRONG>: suprafamilial placement of family<BR><STRONG>Suborder</STRONG>: subordinal placement<BR><STRONG>Order</STRONG>: ordinal placement<BR><BR><STRONG>Update History</STRONG><BR><BR>Version 1.0, released 1 September 2001, was based on Hoffman (1980), Jeekel (1971) and Shelley et al. (2000) alone. Version 1.0 did not contain tribal and subfamilial placement.<BR><BR><STRONG>Acknowledgements</STRONG><BR><BR>I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Jeekel for his permission to use the genus names listed in his 1971 catalogue electronically in order to make them available on the Internet. The Nederlandse Entomologische Vereniging also graciously gave its permission. Special thanks are also due to Dr. Hoffman, who gave permission to incorporate major components of his monumental work, Classification of the Diplopoda, into the online spreadsheet. The Museum d'Histoire Naturelle in Geneva supported this effort and had no objections to the transfer of the data into electronic form.<BR><BR>Whereas the Nomenclator II (Shelley et al, 2000) was generated as an electronic file, Jeekel's nomenclator was painstakingly typed in by several of my volunteers and proofread by summer intern Anton Antov. Julie Coan, Veronica Felix and Anton Antov accomplished most of the data-entry tasks. Volunteer Meyer Cornis assisted me greatly in the Field Museum's splendid library by locating the required volumes. The Field Museum's library staff helped cheerfully and patiently. Volunteer Victor Zubb did an outstanding job expanding many of the originally abbreviated journal names. M. Mauriès (Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris), Dr. Enghoff (Zoologisk Museum, Copenhagen) and Dr. Jörg Spelda (Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe) helped us tremendously through their reviews. As always, Dr. H. D. Cameron (University of Michigan), gave us much appreciated advice in linguistic matters.<BR><BR><STRONG>Your&nbsp;Feedback is Encouraged</STRONG><BR><BR>Please send your corrections and questions to <A href="mailto:psierwald@fieldmuseum.org?subject=Nomenclator">Petra Sierwald 23:34:56 +0000awestrich13856 at GlossaryGlossary of Terms</STRONG><BR><BR>Millipedes are complex creatures. Not only do they have numerous legs, but they also have many different sense organs,&nbsp;intricate mouth parts and complex organs for mating and sperm transfer.&nbsp;Every field of human interest develops its own lexicon.&nbsp;The lexicon consists of technical terms, which are often readily understood by enthusiasts and experts, but are not familiar to non-experts that might have interst in the field in question. The terminology employed to describe the features of a group of organisms develops and changes over time. Traditionally, terms were derived from the classical languages, Greek and Latin. This mode of derivation made such terms more readily understood by a&nbsp;global community of users, since biologists often received training in these languages.<BR><BR>However, the beginner often faces a bewildering array of complex and hard-to-pronounce terms.&nbsp;A list of terms and their definitions provides easy access to the specialized literature and will help to win over new friends, students and enthusiasts of millipede biology. Our forthcoming glossary is based on several sources as listed in the literature below. Look for a new and more complete glossary to be published on this site in the future.<BR><BR>A Glossary of Millipede Terms will be available as a downloadable PDF file in the fall of 2012.<BR><BR>Bibliography:<BR><BR>Blower, J. G. 1985. Millipedes. <EM>Synopsis of the British Fauna</EM> (New Series), No. 35. The Linnean Society of London, 242 pp.<BR><BR>Kevan, D.K. McE. &amp; Scudder, G.G.E. 1989. Myriapoda.<EM> Illustrated Keys to the Families of Terrestrial Arthropods of Canada</EM>. Biological Survey of Canada. Taxonomic Series No.1, 88 pp 21:05:33 +0000awestrich13846 at Teacher ResourcesTeacher Resources</STRONG><BR><BR>Millipedes are ecologically important creatures. Their foraging activity makes significant contributions to the nutrient cycling in forests. The extent of their impact is understudied and their biodiversity is poorly known. Some large-bodied millipedes are easy to keep as pets or classroom mascots and can aid in teaching about biodiversity and ecology in schools.<BR><BR>Plans are underway to develop lessons and teaching materials for various age groups. This page will also eventually feature a short summary on millipede husbandry.<BR><br /> <img class="media-image" height="242" width="393" typeof="Image" src=" alt="" title="" /> <p>Spirobolida, family Messicobolidae</P><br /> <HR></p> <p><P><BR>Four popular books can be used as a starting point to introduce millipedes into the classroom:<BR><BR>Levi, H.W &amp; L.R. Levi. 1990. <EM>Spiders and Their Kin.</EM> A Golden Guide. Golden press, New York, 160 pp.<BR><EM>There are several pages at the end of the book devoted to millipedes, centipedes and other terrestrial arthropods. For a long time, this was the only account of millipedes in the popular literature.</EM><BR><BR>McMonigle, Orin. 2005. <EM>Giant Millipedes: The Enthusiast's Handbook</EM>. Elytra &amp; Antenna, 44 pp.<BR><EM>Contains beautiful color photographs and useful&nbsp;information on raising various millipede species.</EM><BR><BR>Shelley, R.M. 1999. Centipedes and Millipedes with Emphasis on North American Fauna. <EM>The Kansas School Naturalist</EM>, 45 (3), 15 pp. Emporia State University.<BR><EM>An accurate systematic account of the different groups of millipedes and centipedes from one of the world's leading experts.</EM><BR><BR>Walls, J.G.&nbsp;1999. <EM>The Guide to Owning Millipedes and Centipedes</EM>. T.F.H. Publications, 64 pp.<BR><EM>Introduction to millipedes and millipede husbandry.</EM 20:44:30 +0000awestrich13841 at
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010 Cyclic Redundancy Check is a commonly used method for performing integrity checks on data. It is a simple hash function that provides assurance that data is not corrupted and is widely used in data communication and data storage applications. CRC is not suitable for protecting against intentional modification of data. It is a cryptographically weak algorithm and can easily be reversed. This article describes a simple algorithm to generate a four byte data sequence that can be added to a message to make the resulting CRC any value you want. CRC algorithm The mathematics behind CRC is described in many articles on the internet and I will not go into any details about the theory. The algorithm to calculate a 'reverse CRC' described here is based on the 32-bit polynomial, CRC-32-IEEE, most commonly used by standards bodies, but can easily be adapted to other CRC types. The algorithm described in this article uses a table driven CRC implementation. A CRC lookup table contains 256 pre-calculated values, derived from the CRC polynomial. When the CRC of a message is calculated, each byte in the message modifies a 32 bit hash: crc = (crc >> 8) ^ crc32Table_[*ptr++ ^ (crc & 0xff)]; One small thing to note is that the final CRC hash is the inverse of the calculated hash. A typical method to calculate CRC of a message or to append more data to a CRC would look something like: One of the properties of CRC is that you can find and append a four byte sequence to any message and get any desired resulting CRC hash. This means that a message can be patched with a four byte sequence in order to get any hash you want. Let us define our desired CRC as AABBCCDD where AA is the most significant byte and DD is the least significant byte. For each byte in the message, the CRC algorithm shifts the hash one byte to the right and xor it with a value from the lookup table. This means that in each step a new byte is added to the most significant byte in the hash, and in consecutive calculations the byte is shifted to less significant positions. This behavior can be used to quite easily create a sequence of bytes that will result in our desired CRC. The table below shows how the CRC algorithm transforms the hash into the desired CRC. The xx values are reminders of the CRC of the message preceding the patch bytes. Getting more into concrete details of the algorithm, we can easily see that the byte AA is the high byte of a CRC table lookup value xored with 0. The CRC table is called T in the following equations. AA = ( T[ i3 ] ^ 0 ) >> 24 What we need to achieve is to find the appropriate index i3 that makes this equation true. This can be rewritten as a Boolean expression ( AABBCCDD ^ T[ i3 ]) >> 24 == 0, where 0 <= i3 < 256 So the challenge is to find the index i3 that satisfies the expression and this shouldn't be a hard challenge for anyone with basic skills in programming. Although it is not really needed to spell out the whole hash, AABBCCDD, in the expression above, it allows us to simplify successive calculations. Moving forward to the second highest byte, we can unroll the CRC algorithm to get BB = ( ( ( BB1 ^ 0 ) >> 8 ) ^ T[ i3 ] ) >> 16 Where BB1 is calculated the same way as AA, i.e. BB1 = ( T[ i2 ] ^ 0 ) >> 24 Now we can create a Boolean expression for calculating the table index for the 3rd patch byte. By putting the equations together and rearrange the shifts a bit, we can see that the index of the table lookup for calculating BB1 needs to satisfy the Boolean expression So by finding the indexes of the table entries, it is possible to end up with the desired CRC. Solving these equations are easy, just do a reverse lookup on the CRC table. As you see, the first equation gets the table index for the last patch byte, and the value can be used to calculate the earlier table indexes. The code below shows the algorithm in practice. The calculated indexes are stored in the tableIdx array. Note that the desired CRC is inverted before starting the algorithm. The reason is that the CRC algorithm operates with inverted values as described in the beginning of the article. So far we haven't looked at either the CRC of the message we are patching, nor the actual values of the patch bytes. None of these values were needed to find the table indexes. The next step in the algorithm is to find the values that generate the indexes needed to produce the final desired CRC. This is done by starting the normal CRC algorithm from the end of the original message and appending the four patch bytes. In each step, we need to calculate the actual patch byte before calculating the CRC. Since we know what table index to expect, we simply need to make sure that crc32Table_[tableIdx] == crc32Table_[patch ^ (crc & 0xff)] for each patch byte. So with msgCrc being the CRC hash of the message, we get the following code to finally find the four patch bytes: Reverse CRC may be useful when a message needs to be modified but the CRC of the message cannot be changed. The message can then be patched as desired, and a four byte patch block will be inserted to correct changes in CRC. Other uses may include cases where you want to CRC any message but for some reason have constraints on what the generated CRC can be. I've seen cases where this actually was needed and the best solution was to add a patch to the message CRC to force the final CRC to be within a certain range. Source Code The complete source code of a CRC implementation that includes a method for finding a four byte patch for the reverse CRC, as well as some test cases can be found here. Monday, August 30, 2010 It is not too uncommon to find that the hardware you are given for a project does not meet your expectations and limits the design possibilities. Still you are required finish the job and produce a product that is acceptable for the customers. The limitations can come from insufficient processing power, memory constraints, lack of GPIO, bandwidth limitations, inaccurate sensors, and many other factors. This article talks about a quite specific issue that I encountered when developing my very first iPhone application. I've been using accelerometers at work for various purposes, and am quite familiar with their strengths and limitations so I figured I would do something fun with the accelerometer in the iPhone. I didn't want to spend a whole lot of time developing the application, but I wanted to create something that was pleasant and fun for the users. So I did a little bit of research and found that no one had done an application that measures the speed of a throw, in particular that of a baseball pitcher. This turned out to be untrue, but I understand now why there aren't any best selling iPhone apps measuring throwing motions. Measuring speed… …or not At first it sounds like a pretty simple deal, calculating the velocity of a fictitious ball thrown by the user. Just measure the acceleration of the iPhone device and integrate, then show the maximum speed to the user. Of course there is the problem that accelerometer readings include the gravitational force, but I thought that could easily be filtered out using a high pass filter, or better yet, combine the accelerometer readings with readings from the gyro available in the iPhone 4. What I forgot to think about, is that the accelerometer only measures acceleration forces up to three times the gravitational force. A throwing motion generates forces up to 10 times as much, so any acceleration readings would cap at 3G, and wouldn't be of much use for integrating to get speed. Another thing I didn't know about the iPhone, is that it is not easy for an application to do high resolution samples from the accelerometer, or any other sensor for that matter. It turns out that although the API's support high resolution timers, the operating system doesn't give your application unlimited access to the Processor. The operating system actually locks out the application for quite significant amounts of time, at least in the context of high frequency sampling. So although it theoretically would be easy to just poll the timer, and read accelerometer samples say every millisecond, it turned out to not work that well. So after a couple of depressing findings I was thinking if this was the end of my simple idea application. Since I had done all the graphics and coded the controls, I didn't want to let that all go to waste. So I came up with something that could be done to at least approximately measure the speed. After doing some tests and plotting the graphs of different accelerometer readings, I found that it was fairly easy to detect the duration of the throwing motion. The acceleration during the throwing motion was always greater than 3G so by checking the start and end time of when the accelerometer readings cap at 3G, I got a pretty good estimate of the duration of the throw. Then I estimated the length of the throwing motion to be around 0.5 meter. Then it is straight forward to estimate the acceleration using the equation s = v0t + at2/2. Some compensation for the actual twisting motion of the wrist had to be added, as well as for the fact that the acceleration is not linear. Calculating the speed using the approximated acceleration is then trivial. Spin Approximation Another thing I was hoping to include in the motion calculation was the amount of spin the user adds to the ball. The iPhone is obviously not a baseball, so techniques to add spin could not entirely mimic a real world scenario. But at least I was hoping to simulate it by calculating the rotational speed and then estimate the spin of the ball. This turned off course also out to be a hopeless task with the limitations of the accelerometer. So to work around the issues I set up a simple model, where the program checks the acceleration vector when the device is at rest just prior to the throwing motion as well as just after. By calculating the angle between the vectors, it is possible to make an approximation of how the hand was turned during the throw. This is obviously even less accurate than the speed approximation, but testing showed that it was more accurate than I first thought. Based on the change in angle, it is possible to estimate if the user put e.g. a top spin, clockwise or counter-clockwise spin in the throw. This can roughly be correlated to the different types of pitches in baseball, and even left and right handed pitching can be simulated. Conclusion Although the result is not as great as I was hoping for before I started the project, it turned out to not be too bad either. The biggest issue is that the approximations require the user to follow the models when performing the throwing motion. And if the user don't move the iPhone according to the model, the results may be quite arbitrary. The problem getting good high frequency samples are also affecting the result, and sometimes the output is not accurately reflecting the throw. Regardless of whether you like the end result or not, It was a pretty exciting challenge to get something reasonably accurate considering the pretty tough constraints of the iPhone accelerometer. Saturday, May 1, 2010 During the years, I've had the privilege to work with prototypes of processors still under development that sometimes existed only in a handful of copies in the world. My task has been to port operating systems to these new processors. Similar the processors, the accompanying tools were also early beta versions. As with most beta software, the compilers I used were somewhat buggy and they required a quite deep knowledge about the C language in order to debug issues introduced by incorrect compilations. Learning the ins and outs of the C language was something I really enjoyed and at the time I knew more or less the entire C language standard with all its weird behavior that are pretty unknown to most regular developers. In this article I'll try to describe some of the more interesting things I learned over the years. Shift Operator Oddities Many developers interested in the details of the C language know that shift operators don't always have an intuitive behavior. For example, shifting down a negative number may on some targets be a division while it isn't a division on others. This is called undefined behavior and the result of the operation depends on whether the CPU fills the high bits with the sign bit or not. Basically it is strongly recommended not to use shift operators on signed operands (unless you are absolutely sure you are only working with positive numbers, which you probably can't be). My favorite quirks on shift operators are on unsigned operands, for which shift operations generally work fine. Consider the following example and try to guess the output: The example is performing left and right shift on a byte and a word, and the amount shifted is bigger than the width of the type, in this case 9 for the byte and 33 for the word. The idea is to perform the same operation on two different types and highlight some artifacts. The example actually shows a couple of different quirks of the C language, and the result also dependent on the processor it is executing on. First off, the result of the shift operation is undefined if the right hand operand is greater or equal to the width of the left hand operand. This means that if the amount shifted is larger than 32 on a 32 bit type, the result depends on the compiler and the processor. Power PC and ARM processors typically yield the result 0 for both left and right shift of more than 32 bits, which is what most humans would think is logical. But most Intel processors since 80286 use only the low five bits in the right hand operand, so the expressions above are in reality shifting the integers only one bit. The second issue is that shift operations always promote the left hand operand to (16 or 32 bit) integer. Although it looks like the bytes in the example are shifted 9 bits which is more than a byte, it is not affected the undefined behavior described above. The reason is that the byte is promoted (i.e. converted) to an integer before the shift operation is executed, and 9 bits is of course a perfectly valid amount to shift an integer value without any side effects. The result of the small program is shown in the table below. As we are dealing with undefined behavior, I captured the results of the most common architectures to highlight the difference: Intel PPC & ARM c >> 9 0 0 i >> 33 1 0 c << 9 1024 1024 i << 33 4 0 More Shift Operator Confusion Shift operators also have another unexpected behavior. The shift operators work logically much like multiplications or divisions and most programmers would probably expect the same precedence as the multiplicative operators. That is, the expectation may be that shift operations are executed before additions. This is however a big mistake. The shift operators have in fact very low precedence, and most arithmetic operators including additive operators have higher precedence. This can easily lead to bugs for example: int i = a << 2 + 1; /* Calculate a * 4 + 1 */ But because of the weaker precedence of the shift operator, the expression above is actually equivalent to int i = a << (2 + 1); which is far from what the programmer intended. Bitwise Operator Mistakes Many developers that are programming embedded systems and applications that are close to hardware are well aware of the powers of bitwise operators and use them frequently. There is really nothing strange with these operators, but sometimes there are bugs caused by not understanding their behavior or just too speedy programming. The example below shows one case where the behavior isn't what the programmer intended, and it is quite well hidden: The function is nicely written, well commented, and the logic is straight forward. The developer designed it to test one bit at the time by masking other bits, and if the result is non-zero, the bit is set. So for example invoking the function like printBits(0x05); should ideally show that bit 0 and 2 is set and bit 1 is cleared. Somewhat surprising though is that the output is Bit 0 is set Bit 1 is set Bit 2 is set The reason is however quite simple. Most mistakes with bitwise operators are caused by not understanding the precedence rules. In this case the inequality operator has higher precedence than the bitwise AND operator. What this means is that the expressions in fact look like: if (val & (1 != 0)) A logical expression X != Y returns 0 if X and Y are equal and non zero if they are different. Most compilers always generate 1 as result if the test is true, which means that all if statements in the function turns out to be the same: if (val & 1) and basically test if bit 0 is set or cleared regardless of the numeric value, which wasn't at all what the developer had in mind when writing the function. Bitwise Not Operator The bitwise not is a unary operator that calculates the bitwise complement of the operand and is a handy operator when performing bitwise arithmetic. Below is an actual real life example on when the behavior may not be exactly as one would expect. The code sets the bitwise complement of two bytes into an integer: unsigned char a = 0x44; unsigned char b = 0x88; unsigned short val = (((~a) << 8) | (~b)); This looks like a safe operation, the code carefully left shifts one of the values to avoid overlap, and then OR the two bitwise complements into the integer. The expression is well parenthesized to ensure there are no precedence issues. The expected value is naturally 0xBB77, with the high 8 bits being the bitwise complement of variable a, and the low 8 bits being the bitwise complement of variable b. There is a small catch though; the developer writing this program overlooked that the bitwise complement operator performs integer promotion of the operand. In the example above, this means that the bitwise complement of 0x88 is not 0x77 as the developer assumed. The integer promotion is done prior to the operator being executed, and the result is actually 0xFFFFFF77. When OR-ing with the bitwise complement of the other byte, and after truncation to unsigned short, the resulting value turns out to be 0xFF77. Bizarre Promotions Some of the examples so far have shown unexpected consequences of automatic integer promotion. Sometimes these cause bugs that are quite hard to find. The following example shows a perfectly valid and commonly used test to see if an addition of two positive integers overflows. This function could for example be called with two large numbers, and the function would print "overflow", e.g. testOverflow(INT_MAX, INT_MAX); It is easy to think that this piece of code can be reused with different data types. Assume that someone needs to do the exact same test, but he is working with signed bytes instead. It may seem to be straightforward to just take the code and change the types: Considering the only change that was made was to change the type, the different output may be a bit confusing. But there is a very good reason for the behavior, and you guessed, it is spelled integer promotion, and the variables a and b are promoted to integer before the addition is executed, and thus the result is always greater or equal to the right hand operand in the comparison. More Bizarre Promotions Another example when the promotion rules play some tricks is shown below. Consider the code: signed char a = 127; printf("%d\n", (a + 1)); printf("%d\n", ++a); In this example it looks like both print statements would show the same output. Since the variable a is a signed character with the value 127, the natural expectation is that when adding one, the value would overflow and wrap around, and become -128. This is however only true for one of the statements. The ++ operator adds one to the operand and the result is stored in the operand. Since the variable is a char, the addition will overflow and give the result -128. The printf function takes an integer as argument, and the char value will be promoted to integer. Promoting a negative char value to integer, keeps the sign and value, and thus the output of the printf function will be -128. For the first statement the integer promotion works differently. The variable a is promoted to integer prior to executing the addition, which results in an integer addition 127 + 1, which equals 128. The result is already an integer so no further promotion is needed for the printf call, and the output is 128. Even More Bizarre Promotions Integer promotion can also be a problem in conditions. The following example illustrates this: signed char cs = -1; unsigned char cu = cs; signed int is = -1; unsigned int iu = is; if (is == iu) printf("equal\n"); else printf("not equal\n"); if (cs == cu) printf("equal\n"); else printf("not equal\n"); Again, we are comparing the behavior of the same operations made on an integer and on a byte type and as you may expect we get different result and the cause is not surprisingly integer promotion. The first if statement compares a signed and an unsigned version of the same integer value. Both operands are promoted to the biggest type larger or equal to int. In this case unsigned int is consider biggest and both operands are thus converted to unsigned int. The conversion is trivial, and since we assigned the variables to the same value the comparison will show the values are equal. More interesting is the second comparison. The same rules apply, both operands are promoted to the biggest type larger or equal to int. In this case both types are smaller than int, so both operands are promoted to int before the comparison is executed. Here comes the interesting part. The variable cs is a signed char with the value -1. Promoting it to integer preserves the sign and the resulting iteger is thus -1. The variable iu on the other hand has the value 255 (same binary representation) but promoting unsigned characters to int also preserves the sign, and the resulting integer will be 255. It is clear then that the test will show that the two values are not equal. Lexical Ambiguities The C language has many lexical and syntactical issues including case statements without breaks, if – else statements without brackets, and other weak constructions that allow for mistakes. There are however a couple of cases, where the language actually is ambiguous and you can write a statement that doesn't do what you expect. One of my favorites is shown the following example: The program is very straight forward with a a method, inverse, that is implemented as a macro and does just what it suppose to do, calculating the inverse of the input argument. The output is not as straight forward though. You would expect the two print statements to output the same value, 0.5, since the program is passing the value 2.0 to inverse in both cases. At least that what it looks like and the output is correct for the second statement. But the first statement outputs 1.0 (!). So did we exploit some weird floating point bug here or what is going on? Well, the answer may get clearer if we perform macro expansion on the first statement: printf("%.1f\n", 1.0/*d /* print inverse */ ); Maybe not entirely clear yet, we all know that the indirection has higher precedence than the division, so the program should fetch the first value of the array which is 2.0. The problem is however not at all related to any pointer indirection issues or floating point bugs. What happens here is that the division followed by the indirection is parsed as a multi-character token in the C language, in this case the start of a comment. As you know a comment ends with the */ token, and everything in between is treated as a comment and not code. So the division and the dividend are interpreted as part of a comment and are ignored. Fun with unary operators Although the following example is really not that weird and it's a perfectly valid and well specified C expression, I find it somewhat amusing. int i = 2 - - - - - - 2; printf("i = %d\n", i); Most programmers know that unary operators have higher precedence than additive operators which basically means that e.g. 2 + (-1) equals 1. Usually the unary operator is placed immediately before the operand, but this is not required by the language. Furthermore, the parentheses aren't needed either, because the unary operator has higher precedence than the additive operator. A more explicit version of the same expression would look like int i = 2 – (-(-(-(-(-2))))); and it is more clear that it is a subtraction of two values where the latter has a series of negations. The output of the small program would thus be 4. Conclusion I tried to show a couple of interesting cases where the C language may not be as clear and straight forward as it perhaps should be. These issues have resulted in many bugs and I think a stricter definition had helped a lot, but I'm sure there are good reasons for all the undefined and unintuitive behavior in the C language. The solution is rather simple; spend a lot of time to learn the specification. This may sound harsh, but I'm really happy that I was forced to learn it the hard way. I've had plenty of fun with the knowledge over the years and I know I share it with others that also had the privilege to dig deep into the language. Sunday, April 25, 2010 It is amazing to see how quick young children adopt computers, either for playing simple games with their parents, watch movies on YouTube or Skype with grandparents. I have a daughter that is three now and I first got her interested in computers when she was around two months old. At that time I was working on a computer game for an old console and I think what attracted her was the colorful big objects in the game and the square wave based music that sounded a bit like cheap toys. Later I bought an educational game collection with Sesame Street and my daughter got hooked to a basic Elmo game where he shows new photos every time she hits a key on the keyboard. I don't think she was more than nine months when she first started playing the game and the game doesn't really require much motor skills or intellectual skills, just banging the keyboard and a funny picture appears. At least it was a first successful attempt to interact with the computer. The game collection also contains games to learn how to use the mouse. Nowadays my daughter has certainly figured out that there is some connection between moving the mouse and getting things to happen on the computer screen. But she hasn't really successfully moved the mouse pointer to an object and clicked the buttons to get something to happen. She'll of course click the button since she's seen me do it and occasionally something happen, but she gives up pretty quick. A while back we went on a road trip and I brought my Nintendo DS to have another activity along the usual books, crayons, and toys. My daughter was just over two at the time. I brought two games, Mario Kart DS and a pony game for six to ten year old kids. It was quite interesting to watch how my daughter approached these games and what parts she was able to understand and play. Mario Kart DS is a rally game with a pretty intuitive interface, at least for older people, with a joypad for steering and buttons for acceleration and break. It didn't take long until my daughter was able to get the car moving back and forward and occasionally steering the car in one direction round and round. She didn't really master the steering although she understood that the joypad was an important part of keeping the car on the road. More interesting was to see her interact with the pony game. The game is like a Tamagotchi where the player needs to feed and pet a pony. The game is fully controlled by the stylus and the player uses drop down menus to open popup windows where she can pick different types of food to give the pony or to grab tools to clean and pet the pony. I was expecting that both using a stylus and accessing menus would be too hard for her so I started driving the game myself and just have her watch. But soon she wanted to play herself, and I was quite surprised that operating the menus using the stylus was no problem at all. I imagined that the idea of menus was too abstract, especially after seeing her not figuring out how to use a mouse at all. It seems like the biggest challenge with the mouse may not have been to understand what to do, but rather doing it. I guess it is hard to make any generic conclusions from observing one kid. But it was really interesting to see that navigating menus was no problem when the input device was something simple to use, like a stylus. I could imagine that a touchscreen would give the same easy input. It is also interesting to see her struggle so much with the mouse which is something most people take for granted. I'm looking forward to see other aspects of her computer interactions as she gets older although I probably won't be around to see her playing Nintendo wii in the retirement home... Saturday, April 24, 2010 A computer emulator is a program that imitates the functionality of another computer. This article discusses techniques primarily addressing needs of emulators that mimic old game consoles and computer systems. These emulators allow users to get close to the same look and feel of an old computer using a modern PC. Emulator running the game Metal Gear Computer emulation requires a fair amount of resources on the host computer. Early emulators had to implement several shortcuts to speed up the emulation in order to run games at normal speed on a PC. One common optimization was to break the emulated time into chunks that are small enough to not have a major impact to the appearance but large enough to allow optimizing the implementation of each emulated subsystem. These chunks of time were called cyclic tasks and they were often the length of a video scan line. On 80's computers, a video scan line is usually a few hundred CPU cycles. During each scan line cycle, the emulator is advancing the time by emulating the behavior of each subsystem independently of each other. This approach works pretty well and in many cases a user wouldn't be able to tell much difference between a real old system and the emulated system. But when looking more closely to the output of the emulated system, you would see several small graphical glitches where the wrong pixels are shown on the screen. The emulator will basically fail to update the screen accurately if any change to the graphics is made in the middle of a scan line. Even worse cases occur as well, when a game may rely on the synchronization between subsystems such as timing of status register changes. This may lead to a game or application to fail to run at all. Issues Some modern emulators try to address these issues and avoid artifacts caused by running subsystems independently for fixed relatively large chunks of time. The most obvious way to address this would perhaps be to advance the emulated time with one CPU cycle at the time and make sure all peripheral devices are updated each cycle. Although this is technically possible, it would require too much resource from the host computer and not even a modern PC would be able to emulate an 80's computer at normal speed. Another approach to handle synchronization between subsystems without artifacts and glitches is to keep the idea of executing each subsystem independently from each other as much as possible, but recognize the points in time when subsystems interact. The basic idea is to identify synchronization points where two subsystems interact and advance the emulated time of the subsystems independently to that point in time. There are several possible synchronization points: Writing to memory shared by subsystems (eg. Video RAM) Reading from memory mapped I/O Reading from and writing to I/O ports Interrupts All these synchronization points occur within the emulated system, but there is also some synchronization required between the emulated system and the host system, in particular: Video rendering Audio playback Solution An easy way to accommodate the need for dynamic synchronization points is to build the synchronization around a timeout service. The timeout service would allow subsystems to register timeouts at points in time when a subsystem will perform an operation that may affect other subsystems. For example a video system may set up a timeout to occur when the horizontal blank status bit is modified, or a DMA device could set up a timeout when the DMA transfer is complete. The timeout service will basically manage all scheduled timeouts and pick the timeout that is nearest into the future. The timeout service will then tell each subsystem that requires synchronization at that time to run their emulation forward to the point in time of the timeout. When the emulated time is advanced, the timeout service will pick the next timeout and repeat the operation. With most peripheral devices, the next synchronization point is well known, but in the main CPU, it may be harder to know when the CPU access a shared resource. The reason is of course that the CPU executes a program that has alternative flows that are not known ahead of time. In a single CPU system this is not really an issue. The CPU can be the first subsystem to run to the next synchronization point, and if it needs to access shared resources, it inserts a new synchronization point at the time of the interaction. The timeout service will then make sure all devices are synchronized before the CPU access the shared resource. Conclusion This approach is similar to the early emulators in the way that subsystems advance the emulated time independently. The big difference is that nowadays, a host computer is powerful enough to dynamically set these synchronization points instead of using few statically defined synchronization points. These and other techniques are used in the blueMSX emulator ( which is a cycle accurate emulator for Z80 based computer systems. Friday, February 26, 2010 There are many ways of stimulating the brain; cooking, reading, cross word puzzles, sudoku, etc. In addition, for a handful of nerds myself included, we can add writing small, obfuscated computer programs that hides the logic behind unreadable but artistically constructed source code. The International Obfuscated C Code Contest To facilitate the urge to develop these obscure programs there is of course a solution. The solution is a programming contest that encourages creative developers to show off their programming skills. The contest is known as the International Obfuscated C Code Contest and the entries are judged on how obfuscated they are and how novel the idea behind a program is. The goal is to write something clever and somewhat interesting in a small C language program that shadows the intent of the program. Developers use various techniques that typically are not used in normal software development, like abusing some of the C language constructs. The competition has strict rules on how much code an entry can have, and its frankly not much, only 2048 characters. A normal program would only be able to do a couple of very basic operations with these limitations, such as do some string management, or do some simple calculations. I've had the honor to win the competition three times and in this article I'll describe my favorite entry which I think also happens to be the easiest to explain. The entry really pushes the limits on the number of features that can be squeezed into 2kB of source code. It is a complete 3-D racing game with multiple tracks, hills, mountains, snow, opponent cars, different traction depending on weather conditions, and a status panel with lap time and speed. The game even includes high scores. The picture below show a screenshot of the game in action. Obfuscated rally game in action Technical challenges I will try to give some technical details that perhaps give an insight into how it was possible to include all features into only 2048 characters of C code. A lot of the obfuscation comes free by just fanatically optimize for source code size. The initial program with fairly readable logic and algorithms was about five times as big as the final version, while still using short variable names etc. It took several hundreds of hours to squeeze the code down to the size limits, and many techniques were used. The program uses many temporary variables; more or less all lower and upper case single letter variables are used. Some have multiple purposes, such as representing both a color and the length of a track. The C language have some operators that typically aren't used that much, but they provide a way to create complex expressions in a small amount of code. My favorite operators are the ? operator and the comma operator. In combination, these operators can be used to implement complicated logic that is both hard to read and very compact. Formatting is also an important aspect of an obfuscated program. Typically the C source code is indented to improve readability and to group logical blocks of code, but there are no strict rules on how to format a program. Most entries to IOCCC heavily abuses the flexibility of formatting, and so does this entry. By carefully formatting the source code, its possible do hide some of the algorithms and provide something quite impossible to understand. Conclusion It took quite some time to create the rally program, mainly because of the extreme optimization. But back to the opening statement of the article, it is just another way to stimulate the brain. Optimizing code is very much like solving sudoku or a crossword puzzle. It's a matter of find pieces of the code that can be expressed in less characters. The more optimized the program is, the harder it is to find additional optimizations. Towards the end of the development, I was able to reduce size with only a couple of characters an hour. But in the end it is a quite awarding feeling to reach a point where you proudly can submit the entry to the competition and wait for the judges response. Wednesday, February 10, 2010 This article describes a fast and portable memcpy implementation that can replace the standard library version of memcpy when higher performance is needed. This implementation has been used successfully in several project where performance needed a boost, including the iPod Linux port, the xHarbour Compiler, the pymat python-Matlab interface, the Inspire IRCd client, and various PSP games. The story began when a co-worker of mine made an implementation of memcpy that he was very proud of. His implementation was faster than many standardized C library routines found in the embedded market. When looking at his code, I found several places where improvements could be made. I made an implementation, which was quite a lot faster than my co-vorker's and this started a friendly competition to make the fastest portable C implementation of memcpy(). Both our implementations got better and better and looked more alike and finally we had an implementation that was very fast and that beats both the native library routines in Windows and Linux, especially when the memory to be copied is not aligned on a 32 bit boundary. The following paragraphs contain descriptions to some of the techniques used in the final implementation. 2. Mimic the CPU's Architecture One of the biggest advantages in the original implementation was that the C code was made to imitate the instruction sets on the target processor. My co-work discovered that different processors had different instructions for handling memory pointers. On a Motorola 68K processor the code *dst8++ = *src8++; that copies one byte from the address src8 to the address dst8 and increases both pointers, compiled into a single instruction: MOV.B (A0)+, (A2)+ This piece of code can be put into a while loop and will copy memory from the address src to the address dest: While this is pretty good for the Motorola processor, it is not very efficient on a PowerPC that does not have any instructions for post incrementing pointers. The PowerPC uses four instructions for the same task that only required one instruction on the Motorola processor. However, the PowerPC has a set of instructions to load and store data that utilize pre increment of pointers which means that the following code only results in two instructions when compiled on the PowerPC: *++dst8++ = *++src8; In order to use this construction, the pointers have to be decreased before the loop begins and the final code becomes: Unfortunately some processors have no instructions for either pre increment or post increment of pointers. This means that the pointer needs to be incremented manually. If the example above is compiled to an processor without pre and post increment instructions, the while loop would actually look something like: while(count--) { dst8[0] = src8[0]; ++dst8; ++src8; } There are luckily other ways of accessing memory. Some processors can read and write to memory at a fixed offset from a base pointer. This resulted in a third way of implementing the same task: Here the number of turns the loop has to be executed is half of what it was in the earlier examples and the pointers are only updated half as often. 3. Optimizing memory accesses In most systems, the CPU clock runs at much higher frequency than the speed of the memory bus. My first improvement to my co-worker's original was to read 32 bits at the time from the memory. It is of course possible to read larger chunks of data on some targets with wider data bus and wider data registers. The goal with the C implementation of memcpy() was to get portable code mainly for embedded systems. On such systems it is often expensive to use data types like double and some systems doesn't have a FPU (Floating Point Unit). By trying to read and write memory in 32 bit blocks as often as possible, the speed of the implementation is increased dramatically, especially when copying data that is not aligned on a 32-bit boundary. It is however quite tricky to do this. The accesses to memory need to be aligned on 32-bit addresses. The implementation needs two temporary variables that implement a 64-bit sliding window where the source data is kept temporary while being copied into the destination. The example below shows how this can be done when the destination buffer is aligned on a 32-bit address and the source buffer is 8 bits off the alignment: Another improvement is to make it easier for the compiler to generate code that utilizes the processors compare instructions in an efficient way. This means creating loops that terminates when a compare value is zero. The loop while(++i > count) often generates more complicated and inefficient code than while(count--) Another thing that makes the code more efficient is when the CPU's native loop instructions can be used. A compiler often generates better code for the loop above than for the following loop expression while(count -= 2) 5. Conclusion The techniques described here makes the C implementation of memcpy() a lot faster and in many cases faster than commercial ones. The implementation can probably be improved even more, especially by using wider data types when available. If the target and the compiler supports 64-bit arithmetic operations such as the shift operator, these techniques can be used to implement a 64-bit version as well. I tried to find a compiler with this support for SPARC but I didn't find one. If 64-bit operations can be made in one instruction, the implementation will be faster than the native Solaris memcpy() which is probably written in assembly. The version available for download in the end of the article, extends the algorithm to work on 64-bit architectures. For these architectures, a 64-bit data type is used instead of a 32-bit type and all the methods described in the article is applied to the bigger data type. 6. The complete source code The complete source code for a memcpy() implementation using all the tricks described in the article can be downloaded from About Me Daniel Vik is a software engineer specialized in embedded software architecture and design. He is currently a senior software engineer at Google Inc. Daniel holds a Master of Science Degree from Uppsala University with a major in Technology. His professional career includes platform design, device drivers, wireless networking and security, analytics, software and system architecture. In 2003, Daniel founded an open source project a multi system computer simulator targeting systems from the 80's and early 90's.
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like the divisions of the country itself, has two major influences: the Central Europe Central Europe Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe... an one, present in the central and northern parts of the country, as well as in Slavonia Slavonia Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia... , and the Mediterranean one, particularly present in the coastal regionsCroatian popular music is the popular music of Croatia.Prominent mainstream pop artists include: Danijela Martinović, Severina, Gibonni, Toni Cetinski and the patriotic band Thompson. Croatia is known for the specific Dalmatian sound performed at various festivals along the Adriatic coast with... . History of Music in Croatia The oldest preserved relics of musical culture in Croatia are sacral in nature and represented by Latin medieval liturgical chant manuscripts (approximately one hundred musical codices and fragments dating from the 11th do the 15th centuries have been preserved to date). They reveal a wealth of various influences and liturgical traditions that converged in this regionin Croatia brought about changes to the world of music. Interest in music began to spread outside of monastic and church walls with growing influence of new spiritual tendencies from Central European and particularly Italian cities. Humanists and philosophers promulgated new musical theories and aesthetic ideas: Federik Grisogono, Pavao Skalić Pavao Skalić Paul Skalich , also known as Stanislav Pavao Skalić or Paulus Scalichius de Lika, was an encyclopedist, Renaissance humanist, and adventurer born in Zagreb, Croatia, and who lived part of his life in Germany... Petar Hektorović was a Croatian writer.Hektorović was born and died in Stari Grad, Hvar. He was a poet and collector of Hvar's fishermen songs, and an important figure of the Renaissance period in Croatian literature...s (Li madrigali a quattro, et a cinque voci 1562), while his Motetti a cinque et a sei voci, (1564) are characterised by a lavish polyphonic structure under the influence of the Dutch school Dutch School (painting) The Dutch School were painters in the Netherlands from the early Renaissance to the Baroque. It includes Early Netherlandish and Dutch Renaissance artists active in the northern Low Countries and, later, Dutch Golden Age painting in the United Provinces.Many painters, sculptors and architects of... . Music and dance were a component part of theatrical expression (Mavro Vetranović Mavro Vetranovic Mavro Vetranović was a prolific Croatian writer and Benedictine friar from Dubrovnik.Born in Dubrovnik in 1482, he entered the Benedictine Order in 1507 on the island of Mljet, and after a period of education in Monte Cassino in Italy returned to Mljet as the abbot of the monastery... Marin Držić is considered the finest Croatian Renaissance playwright and prose writer.- Life :Born into a large and well to do family in Dubrovnik, Držić was trained and ordained as a priest — a calling very unsuitable for his rebel temperament... , Marin Benetović), while the function of music and sound effects was under the influence of Italian pastoralsmonody soon found their way into the domestic musical tradition, both sacral and secular. Tomaso Cecchini, from, who spent his entire working life (1603–44) as a choirmaster, organist and composer in, published his madrigals Armonici concetti, libro primo (1612) as the oldest Baroque collection written for the Croatian milieu. The collection Sacrae cantiones (Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... Marko Ivan Lukačić was a Croatian-born musician and composer of the Renaissance and early Baroque.-Biography:... from Šibenik is valuable testimony of sacral music that was performed in Split, and is generally speaking, one of the most significant monuments of old Croatian music altogether. The Franciscans and Paulists Paulists Paulists, or Paulines, is the name used for several Roman Catholic Orders and Congregations taken in honour and under the patronage of St. Paul the Hermitwas more lasting in church/sacral music, which was the musical form that was systematically nurtured in numerous monasteries (especially Franciscan ones) as well as in parish and cathedral churches. The preservation of music manuscripts and prints became widespread practice in the mid-18th century. Simple vocal-instrumental music for two voices with organ continuo was the form most frequently performed in churches; more prominent individuals active in the sphere of music could be found only in larger urban centres. They were mostlys and maestri di cappella, skilful composers who had small vocal and/or instrumental ensembles and who frequently acted as music teachers (private or in church schools). The gradual development of the middle class had as one of its consequences the corresponding secular organisation of musical life, particularly in the first decades of the 19th century, a period that saw the establishment of music ensembles, music societies (1827etc.) and music schools. In addition, public balls and other events were organised (music academies, theatre performances) with the participation of local and foreign musicians (fromBohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague... etc.) including the private collection of music materials for playing music at home. Music became a component part of various festivities, such as the arrival of important political personalities (the new governor or the Habsburg king Frances I, etc.), the feasts of patron saints (St. Blaise inetc.), for which so called art music was specifically composed, with the inclusion of popular elements (bourgeois dances, folk music of the peasantry). Many Italian and domestic musicians worked in Dubrovnik: in the cathedral choir and orchestra, in the duke's orchestra, at private and public festivities. An excellent early example of pre-classical symphony and chamber music was given by Luka Sorkočević Luka Sorkocevic, a nobleman educated in Rome, as well as his son Antun, a historian and diplomat. Ferdo Livadić was a Croatian composer.A leader of the 19th century Croatian national revival, Livadić wrote the tune for "Još Hrvatska ni propala", the anthem of the Illyrian movement... (1799–1879) wrote Notturno in F-sharp minor for piano as early as 1822, which is, along with John Field John Field (composer) John Field was an Irish pianist, composer, and teacher. He was born in Dublin into a musical family, and received his early education there. The Fields soon moved to London, where Field studied under Muzio Clementi... 's compositions under the same name, one of the earliest examples of that type of piano miniatures in general. In the course of the 1830s, as a reflection of such tendencies in Europe,emerged in Croatia which assigned not only to literature but to music as well a particular socio-political role: the forming and guarding of national awareness including the struggle against Hungarization and Germanization. Accordingly, in 1846 Josip Runjanin (1821–1878) put to music Antun Mihanović Antun MihanovicVatroslav Lisinski was a Croatian composer.Lisinski was born Ignaz Fuchs to a German Jewish family... (1819–1954) composed the first Croatian national opera Ljubav i zloba (Love and Malice), which premièredin 1846. Taking into consideration the presence of folk music, the aspirations of the Illyrians went far beyond the results achieved, something that is also continued in the work of Ivan Zajc Ivan Zajc Ivan Dragutin Stjepan Zajc or Ivan pl. Zajc , was a Croatian composer, conductor, director and teacher who for over forty years dominated Croatia's musical culture... (1832–1914) in the second half of the century. His masterpiece, the opera Nikola Šubić Zrinjski, ever since its opening night in Zagreb in 1876, had not lost in popularity, partly because its heroic patriotism functions as a symbol of Croatia's victory. Finally, owing to the founder of Croatian ethno-musicology and musical historiography, Franjo Kuhač Franjo Kuhac Franjo Ksaver Kuhač was a piano teacher, choral conductor, and comparative musicologist who studied Croatian folk music. Kuhač did a great deal of field work in this area, collecting and publishing 1,600 folk songs... (1834–1911), the systematic research of folklore evolved simultaneously with Zajc's endeavours. Finally it should be added that in Zajc's and Kuhač's era, major halls for musical performances and concerts were built: in Zagreb the building of the Croatian Music Institute (1876, 1895) with a concert hall, and the building of the Croatian National Theatre (1895), including the theatre buildings in(1907) where, along with the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, drama, opera and ballet performances are still played today. During the 19th century, other instrumentalists and singers won international recognition, for example, the violinist Franjo Krežma Franjo Krežma Franjo Krežma , also known as Franz Krezma in German-speaking countries, was a Croatian violinist and composer.... (1862–1881), singers, among which Ilma Murska (1834–1889), Matilda Mallinger (1847–1920) who sang at the opening night of Wagner Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas... mostly associated with the following: Ganga Ganga is a type of singing which is characterized by a lone singer singing one line of lyrics and then others joining in for what can be best described as a wail. It is a very passionate form of singing, which is one of the reasons it has been limited in popularity to small towns. Even though its a unique and autochthonous form of singing by Croats, it is very rare to hear this music on Croatian airwaves. However, several popular Croatian musicians have incorporated some ganga into their work. Only recently has ganga begun to address political issues, frequently adopting overtly nationalistic overtones and incorporating themes from the Croatian Homeland War. Although both men and women regularly perform ganga, it is extremely unusual for them to perform songs together. In the past, it was not unusual for both Catholic and Muslim men to perform ganga together. Klapasinging that first appeared in littoral Croatia during the middle of the 19th century. The word klapa is derived from a word in slang Italian spoken in Trieste at the time. It refers to "a group of people" and the singing style traces its roots to liturgical church singing. The motifs in general celebrate love, wine (grapes), country (homeland) and sea. The main elements of the music are harmony and melody, with rhythm very rarely being very important., and a bass. It is possible to double all the voices apart from the firstis a cappella music, on occasion it is possible to add a gentle Klapa singing has become increasingly popular in littoral Croatia. Many young people fromand sing it regularly when going out eating/drinking. This music has gained popularity among mainstream audiences in coastal regions of Croatia, with newer klapas formed by younger generations fusing klapa vocals with other music styles, such as klapa Libar's metal cover of "Pusti da ti leut svira" and the pop/klapa song "Kako ću joj reć' da varin" by klapa Dvd-a Žrnovnica Sv. Florijan, which won the Split Song Festival in 2010. Tamburicathat involves these and related string instruments. It became increasingly popular in the 1800s, and small bands began to form, paralleling similar developments in Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjectsUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... . The main themes of tamburitza songs are the common themes of love and happy village life. Tamburitza music is primarily associated with the northern, Pannonian part of the country. It is sometimes said that the first sextet of tambura players was formed by Pajo Kolarić Pajo Kolaric Pajo Kolarić was an early Croatian composer for tamburitza. Kolari formed the first amateur tamburitza orchestra in Osijek in 1847. He was a teacher of Mijo Majer.- External links :* 1847. Traditional tamburitza ensembles are still commonplace, but more professional groups have formed in the last few decades. These include Zlatni dukati Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburaši Najbolji Hrvatski Tamburaši is a Croatian tambura group. The group was formed in 1983 as Zlatni Dukati. After a tour of America organized by the Croatian Fraternal Union, the band started to compose more music about Croatia. This came to coincide with the Croatian War of Independence which brought... and Ex Panonia, the first such groups, Zdenac, Slavonske Lole, Berde Band and the modernized-influenced Gazde. The style of Tambura music played most often in the United States during the latter half of the 20th Century was not significantly different than the style played at the turn of the 19th Century. Free of the influences of pop music in Jugoslavia and the nascent, independent republics, and without large quantities of immigrants bringing new methods and styles, American-style Tambura music, and to a lesser extent, Canadian-style Tambura music stayed true to its roots. Today, the most prevalent forms of Tambura music are folk-pop combinations. Gusle The Gusle is a single-stringed musical instrument traditionally used in the Dinarides region of the Balkans .... music is played on this traditional string instrument. It is primarily rooted inwith emphasis on important historical or patriotic events. It is the traditional instrument of inlandAndrija Kačić Miošić was a Croatian poet and Franciscan monk.Born in Brist near Makarska, he became a Franciscan monk. He was educated in Zaostrog monastery and Buda... , a famous 18th century author, had also composed verses in form of the traditional folk poetry (deseterac, ten verses). His book Razgovor ugodni naroda slovinskog became Croatian folk Bible which inspired numerous gusle players ever since. As for contemporary gusle players in Croatia, one person that particularly stands out is Mile Krajina Mile Krajina Mile Krajina is a noted gusle player in Croatia, who sings traditional folk songs.Many of his songs are about his birthplace Oklaj in the Cetina region. He mentions reading the works of famous Croatian poet Andrija Kačić Miošić in primary school as an early influence for his poems and songs... . Krajina is a prolific folk poet and gusle player who gained cult status among somegroups. There are also several other prominent Croatian gusle players who often perform at various folk-festivals throughout Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Diple Diple is a traditional woodwind musical instrument in Croatian music. Sometimes called "Mih", "mjeh", "mjesina" or only "diple", it is played from Istria, Lika, over Dalmatia Islands and Coast to Herzegovina. "Mih" is made of tanned goat or sheep skin and consists of a "dulac" or "kanela" through which the air is blown and "diple" (chanter) on which it is played. Inside the "mih" on the chanter, two single-blade reeds are situated. Unlike bagpipes, "Mih" doesn't have a "trubanj" or "bordun" (drone). Although they are very similar, the "mih" from different parts of Croatia still differ in type of chanter, in the position of holes or in some tiny details (for example ornaments). violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.... Tamburica or Tamboura refers to any member of a family of long-necked lutes popular in Eastern and Southern Europe, particularly Croatia , Serbia and Hungary. It is also known in southern Slovenia and Burgenland The Tamburitza is the national Croatian instrument. It is the Croatian national string instrument. Although there is a rich pool of folk songs in this region, traditions are not being cherished and most zagorian folk music available is performed by amateur groups. This is also reflected in the quality of the music which is mostly reduced to happy up beat songs. The folk music of Međimurje, a small but distinct region in northernmost Croatia, with its melancholic and soothing tunes became the most popular form of folk to be used in the modern ethno pop-rock songs. Beside Cimbule and ViolBrass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin... orchestras which used to play an important role in cultural everyday life. On one hand, they were the foundation of every regional celebration or wedding but on the other hand they were also known for playing at funerals or funeral feasts. The sopile is an ancient traditional woodwind instrument of Croatia, similar to the oboe or shawm. It is used in the regions of Kvarner, Kastav, Vinodol, Island Krk, and Istria. Sopile are always played in pair so there are great and small or thin and fat sopila... make a distinctive regional sound. It is partially diatonic in nature following the unique Istrian scale Istrian scale The Istrian scale is a distinct hexatonic musical scale in the regions of Istria and Kvarner in Croatia. It is used in Istrian and Kvarnerian folk music. The scale could approximately be notated as: E-F-G-Ab-Bb-Cb- See also :* Music of CroatiaZlatne žice Slavonije is a music festival for both tambura and pop music held annually in Požega, Croatia. The modern festival has been held annually since 1990.The first music festival in Požega began in 1969 and was held annually until 1981.... (Golden strings of Slavonia), which has prompted musicians to compose new songs with far-reaching influences, recently including American bluegrass Bluegrass music Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music... PopThe music of Italy ranges across a broad spectrum of opera and instrumental classical music and a body of popular music drawn from both native and imported sources. Music has traditionally been one of the cultural markers of Italian national and ethnic identity and holds an important position in... , while including elements of the native traditional music. Croatian record companies produce a lot of material each year, if only to populate the numerous music festivals. Of special note is theA summer hit is a term in entertainment industry which refers to a title released and peaked in its popularity during summer and often later quickly faded away..Rick Lyman, a culture reporter for The New York Times, wrote:... Vice Vukov was a Croatian singer and politician.-Biography:During the 1960s, Vukov was one of the most popular singers in Yugoslavia, appearing at the Eurovision Song Contest 1963 with the song "Brodovi" and at the Eurovision Song Contest 1965 with the song "Čežnja".In the aftermath of the... Tereza Ana Kesovija is an internationally acclaimed Croatian singer, one of the most recognisable figures on the Balkan music scene, renowned for her wide vocal range and operatic style and one of the most important artists of the former Yugoslavia. She also had a very successful career in France... Gabi Novak is a Croatian pop and jazz singer. She became famous in the 1960s.Gabi was born to a Croatian father and a German mother.She is married to Arsen Dedić, a renowned singer-songwriter who also composed many of her songs.... Oliver Dragojević is one of the most popular Croatian pop singers. A native of Vela Luka from the island of Korčula, he emerged onto the music scene in the 1970s thanks to the popular Split Festival, one of several musical annual events which began in the former Yugoslavia and still is being held... Dorotea "Doris" Dragović is a Croatian singer-songwriter. She represented Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1986 with the song "Željo moja", finishing the 11th with 49 points, and Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 with the song "Marija Magdalena", finishing fourth with 118...Severina Vučković is a Croatian singer and actress. She is commonly referred to by her stage name Severina.- Music career :Severina's style can be described as pop with various folk and cabaret influences. As a child, she took smaller parts in theatre and opera productions in her native Split... Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni is a Croatian singer, musician and composer from Split.Born in a family with a strong musical tradition , Zlatan Stipišić, who later embraced the nickname Gibonni, began his career in 1980s with the heavy metal band Osmi putnik.Gibonni started his solo career in 1990s with... Thompson is a Croatian rock band. The group was founded by Marko Perković "Thompson", who is often identified with the band itself, "Thompson" being his stage name. Perković is the songwriter and lead vocalist... Anthony Cetinski is a Croatian pop singer.Today, he is one of the most popular male singers in Croatia and he is also popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro.-Biography:Dragan Lukić better known by his pseudonyms Lvky and Luky, is a Croatian singer, songwriter and music producer from Split.Luky became famous in late 1990s as a producer for various young artists from Split, including the renowned rap band The Beat Fleet , which he was also a member of; he produced... -Early career:Born in Zagreb to Kaja and Marko Šola, both whom hailed from Tomislavgrad, she studied sociology and Croatian culture before turning to show business. In 1998, she won the regional contest of Miss Croatia as Miss Istria and Kvarner.... and many others have captured the attention of the pop audience. Each of them have successfully blended various influences into their distinct music style. For example, Thompson's songs include traditional epic themes from the Dinaric regions Dinaric Alps The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro.... Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeastdue to the union of Yugoslavia that existed until the 1990s. Conversely, Bosnian singers like Dino Merlin Dino Merlin Edin Dervišhalidović , stage name Dino Merlin, , is a prominent Bosnian singer-songwriter and musician. He is a popular singer/songwriter in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is also popular in the other countries of the former Yugoslavia such as Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia and... and Serbian Đorđe Balašević have an audience in Croatia, as well as some others. More recently the Turbo folk - frowned upon by the establishment some music critics and social commentators - has been popular amongst some sections of Croatian youth. A general resentment to Turbo folk remains as it is not broadcast on state radio and TV. Where on private outlets it may be transmitted, it normally triggers a strong negative reaction from those not liking it. Some of the other Croatians who performed on the ESC include Danijel Popović, Put Put (band) Put is a Croatian pop band from Rijeka.It was selected from members of Putokazi, in order to appear at 1993 Eurovision Song Contest as the very first representative of independent Croatia, singing "Don't Ever Cry".... Boris Novković is a Croatian pop singer. Born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the former Yugoslavia, his interest in a musical career was cultivated by his family background, with a mother who taught music, and a father, Đorđe Novković, who was a leading Croatian songwriter and music manager... Claudia Beni is a pop music singer from Croatia.At the time when she first participated in Dora, the national finals for the Eurovision Song Contest, Claudia was only 12, but she was already an experienced band singer having performed all over Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and... . Rock There are several rather popular and long-lasting mainstream rock acts like Parni Valjak Parni Valjak Parni valjak 1975 is a Croatian and former Yugoslav rock band. They were one of the top acts of the former Yugoslav Rock scene, and currently one of the top rock-and-roll bands in Croatia.-Biography:Parni valjak was founded in 1975Crvena jabuka is a Sarajevo-based pop band that originated in 1985, and since then has remained very popular. They were also a part of the so called New Primitives movement that occurred in the 1980s in the Former Yugoslavia territory.... Atomsko sklonište is a Croatian and former Yugoslav hard rock band, formed in Pula in 1977. The band is known primarily for its strong anti-war lyrics.-1977-1987:... etc. They originated in the 1970s and 1980s, and for the better part of their career resorted to a more mellow, mainstream pop-rock sound. Of some note is also the Sarajevo school of pop rock Sarajevo school of pop rock The Sarajevo school of pop rock collectively refers to the popular music created between 1960 and 1991 by artists and bands native to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina .... which influenced many of these bands, and which also included singers like Željko Bebek Željko Bebek Želimir "Željko" Bebek is a popular Bosnian Croat singer most notable for being the lead vocalist of Bijelo dugme from 1974 to 1984.... who later worked in Croatia. However, Croatian New Wave (Novi Val) movement, which exploded in 1979/80 and lasted throughout the eighties, is considered by many to be the high watermark of Croatian rock music, both in terms of quality and commercial success. The most influential and popular bands of Novi val were Azra Azra Azra was a rock band from Zagreb that was popular across Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up were Mišo Hrnjak and Boris Leiner . The band is named after a verse from "Der Asra" by Heinrich Heine... A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effectsBuldožer was Yugoslav-Slovenian progressive rock band from 1970s and 1980s. They were one of the first bands in communist Yugoslavia that could be considered alternative, and forefathers of the Yugoslav New Wavewere a back-to-basics, garage-rock act stylistically influenced by bands like the Black Crowes,Let 3 is a modern rock band from Rijeka, Croatia formed in 1987. The band frontmen are Damir "Mrle" Martinović and Zoran "Prlja" Prodanović. The band is popular in Croatia and other former Yugoslav republics due to their original approach to rock music and their obscene live performances... KUD Idijoti is a punk-rock band from Pula, Croatia. The band was formed on February 2, 1981 and released their first album in 1986... are also prominent rock acts, popular both for their music and their interesting, often controversial, performances and stunts. Beginning in the late 1980s, folk-rock groups also sprouted across Croatia. The first is said to be Vještice, who combined Međimurje folk music with rock and set the stage for artists like Legen Legen Legen is a settlement in the Slovenj Gradec municipality in northern Slovenia. It lies in the valley of the Barbarski potok stream and the surrounding Pohorje hills to the east of Slovenj Gradec. The area was traditionally part of Styria... Dunja Knebl is an acoustic/folk singer from Croatia. She was born in Zagreb, Croatia, but also lived in the USA, Indonesia and Russia. After completing the studies of English and Russian she worked most of her life as a translator and language teacher and sang folk songs to her friends... . At the same time on the other side of Croatia, in Istria, a band called Gustafi Gustafi Gustafi are a Croatian folk rock band formed in Vodnjan, a small town in Istria, in 1980. The band was founded by Edi Maružin, Vlado Maružin, Čedomir Mošnja, Igor Arih and Livio Morosin and was originally called Gustaph y njegovi dobri duhovi... started playing their own strange amalgamate of rock and Istrian folk, but it took them more than a decade to reach the nationwide audience. The Bambi Molesters is a surf rock band from Sisak, Croatia. Since their formation in 1995 they have taken part in the revival of the 1960s surf genre and continue to contribute to its survival and further development with their music.... has in the past years gained sizeable international fame and are often touted as one of the best surf-rock acts in the world today. Father... have had success with their first album inspirita in countries like the UK, and have toured with bands like KornDance Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement... in Croatia was an offspring of the local pop music and more Western influences. It developed during the late 1980s and early 1990s, picking up on the trends such as euro disco Euro disco Euro disco is an all encompassing colloquial term used to describe a variety of European electronic dance music that first originated from disco in the 1970s; incorporating elements of pop, New Wave and rock into disco-like continuous dance atmosphereIvana Ranilović-Vrdoljak is a pop singer from Croatia. She is also known with her artist name Vanna.-Biography:... rose to prominence through the dance trio E.T., and the music of Vesna Pisarović Vesna Pisarovic Vesna Pisarović is a Croatian pop singer.Pisarović was born in Brčko, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia and grew up in Požega, Croatia, a part of the same country until she was 13... has a fair bit of dance beat. Although E.T. still operates, they've changed singers several times and lost in popularity. The band Colonia Colonia (music group) Colonia is a Croatian dance music band from Vinkovci, Croatia. They have released nine albums and over 27 singles to date with various songs and albums gaining platinum status... is perhaps the only one that rode the dance wave of the '90s and today is one of the most popular performers in Croatia. Rap The 1990s were marked by the emergence of Croatian rap music. The Ugly Leaders released the first ever Croatian Hip-Hop album, and gained a strong following in and around Rijeka. In 1991, the Croatian Liberation Front released two widely popular protest singles. The first rap band to gain widespread and lasting acclaim was The Beat Fleet The Beat Fleet The Beat Fleet, also known by initialism TBF, is a rap-rock band from Split, Croatia, founded in 1990. Members of the band are: Mladen Badovinac , Luka Barbić , Aleksandar Antić , Ognjen Pavlović , Nikša Mandalinić, , Janko Novoselić .The Beat Fleet are widely considered to be one of the, whose members took inspiration from harsh economic and social conditions of war-torn not that different from American inner cities. Their act was followed by multitude of artists and groupsBosnian may refer to:*Anything related to Bosnia or its inhabitants*Anything related to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina or its inhabitants* Bosnian language, a South Slavic language spoken mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina... rapper, signed on to a label in Zagreb. Recently a rapper known as Shorty Shorty (rapper) Shorty, born Dalibor Bartulović, is a Croatian rapper from Vinkovci. He released his debut album in 2004 under the name 1,68 and became famous with his two records Zeka and Dođi u Vinkovce.-Early life:... gained a lot of popularity by having songs with strong regional flavour of his nativealso burst into the scene featuring one of the few Croatian female rappers. Also the most popular rap/hip-hop group in Croatia is Connect. They are still very popular group all over the Balkan and Europe. Connect's biggest hits:"Jebena","Prijateljska ljubav","Nebo","Poziv doma","Kiki" and many others. Other The tendency to combine different elements also has a long presence in more classical music: the opera Ero s onoga svijeta Ero s onoga svijeta Ero s onoga svijeta is a comic opera in three acts by Jakov Gotovac, with a libretto by Milan Begović based on a folk tale... The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro.... peoples into a scholarly form and achieved great success. Classical Classical musicians and compositions by Croatian composers are generally not well known worldwide despite having produced an interesting contribution over many centuries. Influences of style were often taken from neighbouring influences.Antun Sorkočević , was a diplomat, writer, composer and member of Ragusan nobility . He was a good friend of Marko Bruerović.Sorkočević was born in Dubrovnik. His father was Luka Sorkočević. Like his father he was also composer... Ivan Mane Jarnović was a virtuoso violinist-composer of the 18th century whose family was of possibly Ragusan origin. He had a European career, performing in almost all major centres including Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, St Petersburg, Vienna, Stockholm, Basle, London, Dublin, amongst others... Anđelko Klobučar is a Croatian composer, organist and professor of music. He was awarded the 2002 Porin Lifetime Achievement Award. Klobučar is a full member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts since 1992.-Sources:*... Ivo Malec is a Croatian composer and music educator. One of the earliest Yugoslav composers to obtain high international regard, his works have been performed by symphony orchestras throughout Europe and North America. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts Zagreb and the Conservatoire de Paris,... Stjepan Šulek was a Croatian composer and conductor.- Biography :Born in Zagreb in 1914, Šulek began his music study very early by learning piano, violin, and composition. In 1936 he received his diploma from the Zagreb Academy of Music. Until 1952 Šulek was an active soloist who gave numerous... Ivo Josipović is a Croatian politician who has been President of Croatia since 2010. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communists of Croatia , and played a key role in the democratic transformation of this party as the author of the first statute of the SDP that replaced the... Ivan Božičević is a Croatian composer, pianist, organist and jazz musician.-Biography:Božičević was born in Belgrade. After initial piano studies, joins the composition class of A. Obradović at the Belgrade Faculty of Music. Graduates in 1984, earns a Master's degree in 1989... Dubravko Detoni is a composer, pianist and writer. Although active since the early 1970s he is almost unknown internationally.He was educated in Zagreb, Sienna, Warsaw and Darmstadt, and studied with John Cage in Paris... See also SFR Yugoslav pop and rock scene includes the pop and rock music of SFR Yugoslavia , including all their genres and sub-genres. The scene included the constituent republics: SR Slovenia, SR Croatia, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SR Montenegro, SR Macedonia and SR Serbia and its subunits: SAP Vojvodina... -Meaning:Music of Yugoslavia can mean:#Music of Kingdom of Yugoslavia .#Music of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which includes the music of its constituent republics: Socialist Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina,... Croatian art describes the visual arts in Croatia from medieval times to the present. In Early Middle Ages, Croatia was an important centre for art and architecture in south eastern Europe. There were many Croatian artists during the Medieval period, and the arts flourished during the Renaissance...
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I'm 18 and still in high school. I am fat, ugly, and suffer from extreme lack of confidence. I have never had a girlfriend. However, I find that I can get right on the cusp of a relationship, but I don't know how to initiate it. Do you have any ideas on how I could actually acquire a girlfriend? You're a writer. You no longer want to be a writer, you are a writer. Congrats, I promote you. Any girls here that don't think that's cool? This guy is a fucking writer. He is cooler than everyone here that isn't a writer. Those would be the ones that inspire me the most. I guess you might also mean who has inspired me most as a person, which would be my step-brother. He introduced me with nearly all of those inspirational heroes that I have. I would also list my Aunt Carol, who has dealt with the loss of a husband, her daughter's divorce, a second-son going to jail, and my crazy grandmother in the past year. On top of that she still works her terrible job with her abusive boss, so that she can send my cousin to college. My teacher-poet friend, my grandfather, and my Uncle Mike are also some of my heroes. Okay, so not necessarily on here... But make a list of all of the things you respect about those people. This now becomes a list of things you want to respect about yourself. Set specific benchmarks on things you can do to get closer to living up to your ideal. When I try to think of 5 coolest things about me, they're related to computer programming. (I'm a geek). Pretty sure most chicks don't find that too interesting. Hell, even some guys get intimidated. >_< Im twenty and I've have a few serious relationships, with guys who were captain of the water polo team to guys who were nationally ranked mixed martial arts fighters. The only one who mAnaged to break my heart was a computer geek that was two years younger than me, played no sports, and was a complete introvert. I still think about him all the time, I've never gotten over him. Give us girls some credit, we aren't all douches. Even though I'm an extrovert, I'd much rather date an introverted and intelligent computer guy than a big muscular extrovert See what I did there? I upvoted you because I think being a writer is awesome. And I'm a woman. You're also young and have your whole life to mold yourself into the person you want to be. So, have at it ;-) Cliche but you have your whole life ahead of you. I have plenty of fat friends that didn't get attention from girls but as they got older they started figuring themselves out which helped them build confidence and get girls. Your average 18 year old has no idea what he's doing. I was skinny and that didn't really help me. I didn't get my first kiss until my late 18. Don't just wait for it to happen though. Slowly start working on yourself. Focus on your writing, pick up an instrument, or start going out more. It takes time but it also takes work. Luckily you have plenty of time left! The obvious is obvious for a reason. Women are attracted to the most fun, social guy in the setting. Work, school, bar, concert... Most fun social guy gets the girl every time. SOIntroversion is not about shyness. An introvert is someone who recharges their mental energy in private. An extrovert is someone who feeds on social energy; someone who is energized and rewarded when they are around people. There's nothing stopping an introvert from being out-going, social, and the life of the party... but they'll just get tired of it after a while. That also means that "but I'm an introvert" is a poor excuse for sitting alone. I'm an introvert, my girlfriend is an introvert, and a lot of our friends are introverts (we're in theatre) but we throw parties every weekend. It's just that the introverts who show up usually all know each other quite well, so they are more comfortable sitting around and talking instead of wandering around meeting new people. The extroverts are up on the roof doing the Timewarp or some shit. This. I'm introverted - I need time away from social situations in order to recharge my mental batteries and start thinking straight. If I don't get my time like this I feel incredibly fatigued and have a tendency to get really rather short with people. For a living, however, I've recently worked as a supervisor in a face to face street fundraising company and now work as the promotions manager for a few clubs. Both of these require you to be highly social and charismatic to get the job done and I wouldn't be a where I was if I wasn't good at it. That's not to say I was always this way - when I was growing up I never had many friends outside of the Games Workshop I used to hang around in and was a bit of a shut in. I played a lot of computer games and didn't start dating until later on in my teens. I really started socialising after leaving school (as well as drinking and smoking pot) and have come out of my shell massively since then. All it takes is acclimatisation and practice. Not at all. Speaking to people - particularly striking up conversation with people you don't know - is a skill. Like all skills it's something you can work on and improve. But you won't improve it in the slightest by spending all day at home on reddit. The easiest way to start - particularly if you don't know what you'd talk about - is simple. Start with the person you're talking to's favourite subject. 80-90% of the time, that's themselves. Maybe they've got an unusual hobby, maybe they volunteer with the local firefighters in their free time. Who knows? You certainly won't unless you ask. And to add: The real key isn't to talk, but to ask questions and listen. The former ends up with you giving a tiresome monologue about your rabbit foot collection. The latter is you actually engaging authentically with another human. And don't worry: If you're actually listening attentively, you'll know which questions to ask. The best bit is that you can improve drastically pretty fast and you don't need to spend a fortune on fancy equipment to do it. There's a few books out there which can help - one of the best known is by Dale Carnegie, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" (though it's rather heavily focussed towards sales skills, arguably there's a fair degree of overlap. Nobody's going to buy something from someone they really don't like; nobody's going to jump into bed with someone they really don't like). But there's no substitute for real practise. Most nerds are super smart and curious by nature. Years of being the loser has led us here, to the internet. Here we can read and learn about all sorts of things and if anyone spends 25% of their time on Reddit reading the articles posted rather than just reading rage comics (which are anecdotal by design and useless except for as a shred of entertainment) they would have at least a small piece of information on just about any topic imaginable. From there it is easy, like SodaNim said, just keep asking questions and contributing your knowledge and asking general questions about the subject and before you know it you're having a conversation. The best piece of advice any dating coach can give someone is: If it doesn't feel right, it's probably never going to feel right. But also, listen to your friends. I don't know how many times I've seen my friends go after a girl who shows all the signs of attempting avoidance, just to get shot down in flames later. It is very difficult to ignore hormones and see into a situation objectively on your own so just ask for anyone's honest opinion. Then you run into the problem of some girls wanting to see a lot of effort, but if it's your first shot you likely won't end marrying her anyway so just forget the sappy romantic movie shit and move on. The less attached and more responsible you are for breaking off a 'mission' the better it will be for your psyche and confidence later. Yes, it is hard going from being a guy who doesn't get laid to a guy that does get laid. It's also hard going from being a civilian to a soldier, from being a hiker to being a mountain climber, from being a non-athlete to a pro football player... See where I'm going with this? You're a man. Men have crossed oceans, invented airplanes, landed on the moon, run marathons... You can do it. Probably myself before I decided to make a change. I probably went two or three years without being touched affectionately. I used to sit in the shower and hold myself and cry and pretend like the warm water was a hug. I had always been pretty cool and successful with girls, but gained some weight and got some depression. It really rattled my confidence bad for a long time. That sucked. It was a combination of things. I majored in Anth and started taking classes on human sexual evolution. One day the lightbulb kind of came on that some of this stuff applied to the bar scene. I also started dressing better, lost some weight, carried myself better.... Then I jumped on board with the whole PUA thing for a while and had some success there. I combined what I learned in both fields, and I like to think I transcended it a bit. There's a lot of good stuff there but I thought it was disingenuous. I just got out of a relationship a bit ago. I have two dates this week... One with a 6' cute blonde, the other with a really classy and sophisticated woman that just graduated from art school. what if you have done all of that (a lot, its been three years and a dozen potential new boyfriends) and you dont talk to the person or have any contact with them but still, embarrassingly, find yourself thinking about them / comparing every next guy to them? I've gone through this. It's hard and you wont move on right away. You can't be human without having those sappy feelings BUT you can't let yourself get stuck in this phase. You need to break all ties with her to get her out of your mind. DON"T TRY TO STAY FRIENDS WITH HER! I can't emphasize that enough. Delete her from Facebook, remove her number, and throw all the shit that reminds you of her in a box. The worst thing you can do is keep her on your mind. Start working on your hobbies and passions. If you don't really have any, find some that you always wanted to do. I started working out, swing dancing, and going to concerts more often. It always feels weird trying something new but stick to it. The first swing class I attended I felt clumsy and the first time I went to the gym I felt out of place, but you will feel more comfortable the more you go. Keeping yourself busy and working on hobbies will help build your confidence and will make people notice you more. Don't forget to go out with your friends and try just be social. It's hard to forget about her and pretend like she doesn't exist anymore but you need to work on it. She was a really important person to you, but in the end you will gladly toss that box filled with her memories in the trash. so I'm 23 with no boyfriend, and I've been told several times "you're pretty, thin, smart, but you're too intimidating" I try to be outgoing and social, but is that what's making me intimidating? I don't know how to curb it without playing dumb. Whatever you do, don't give in and play dumb. If you play dumb for too long, it's extremely difficult to jump back on the smart train once you start meeting men who are smart enough not to be intimidated by you. Perhaps you could work on your flirting skills with guys who may be a bit intimidated, but don't settle for someone who's intimidated by you when there are plenty of confident guys out there who won't be. Just let them know that your interested. Whenever I see a really pretty girl and then find out she's intelligent I always kind of assume that she is way out of my league. Don't sell yourself short by dumbing yourself down, just let guys know that you are interested. You can do this by making breaking and re-initiating eye contact at least three time during a conversation with a guy you are attracted to (these breaks should be short and look interested). Good luck :) Please please please don't dumb yourself down. What danielmasterson is doing is great, but you can sum it up with, "be yourself, just be a confident version of yourself." Understanding who you are and what makes you comfortable takes practice. Go on a bunch of first dates. Some will be blah, some will be good, some will be bad, and some will be unbelievably awesome. If you meet someone without being yourself, eventually everything will fall apart because you are who you are. If you just keep being yourself, you'll find someone that compliments you as a person, just as you compliment them. Seriously though, sex is great, but no relationship can last on great sex alone. I'm smart too but no one's ever called me intimidating, so I don't think that's it. I've watched Patti Stanger on Millionaire Matchmaker a few times (I know, I know... don't judge) and some of the problems women have when they're deemed "intimidating" is that they give off too much masculine energy. I balked at that idea, but it kind of makes sense. Despite the fact that relationship dynamics are changing such that men and women are more equals, it's still a weird concept to men if women are overly independent, are very assertive, and aggressive. Hope this helps? This is quite true. I fit the description of the OP quite well and the masculine energy thing can be an issue. I find that most guys have very little issue with a smart, pretty women as long as she is also feminine as all hell. However give them a girl who is in an almost entirely male field, changes her own oil and responds to problems the way a lot of guys would and it's a problem. The good news is this problem can be alleviated by dressing in a hyper feminine manner (for instance I get called dude a lot less if I am in a dress) and having at least one hobby or skill which is viewed as very feminine (I dance a lot and being a follow in a social dance helps with this). This makes it so that you can get past the initial barrier a lot of guys put up and then it works out great. (Note I am not telling the OP to change her whole personality, these are more just tactics to get past the first wall of intimidation then most guys that aren't tools will be all over her) Hold on for a second before you project too much, intimidating could mean a lot of things: -maybe she never listens when she has conversations and only talks about herself? This seems highly probably considering how conceited and shallow her statement was. -maybe she tries to challenge everything anyone says in a semi-hostile way? Aka always has to be the smartest in the room even if she's wrong. -maybe she never smiles or says kind things? -Maybe she comes on way too strong and it puts people off? -Maybe she is always putting people down without realizing it? -Maybe she just hears what she wants to hear? For example she says that people are always telling her she is "thin?" As a guy that seems like a weird compliment to tell someone, if that ever actually happened it seemed like something a guy would randomly say when they're put on the spot or just trying to get someone they have no interest in to get away from them. -Maybe she says incredibly dumb things all the time but acts like she's incredibly smart, so people just say that she's smart but really just want her to leave? Basically what I'm saying is that you cannot possibly diagnose her issues from a one-off statement. Intimidating doesn't necessarily mean smart and beautiful, it often means, self-absorbed, mean, inappropriately aggressive for the situation, socially unaware of others' feelings, etc. There is a huge difference between "dumbing down" and simply listening to and acknowledging others' thoughts and opinions as valid or at least worthwhile to hear. Perhaps my assessment is way off the mark too, however I'm just trying to give her a full range of possibilities on this one instead of blind support. Thanks for writing this up so I didn't have to. Everyone's telling this girl to ignore the statement, but you're right it's a possibility she's just an asshole and intimidating is a nicer way for people to tell her. I often find myself thinking "I don't have a girlfriend but I have someone who would be really pissed to hear me say that." Why can't I either take things as a light relationship or make the next step and just say I have a girlfriend? That's an interesting problem man. Nothing wrong with having a lighthearted relationship. Do you feel like you don't want to be locked down because something better might be around the corner? Honestly, it sounds like a quality problem. :) That's what I've always told myself and it's refreshing to hear it from someone else. The people I generally say this about are people I really like yet I always feel like something is holding me back (usually, they're not Jewish). Thanks for the AMA! I'm a 19 college student who is going to a community college who doesn't own a car or have a job and is living with his parents. Other than a prom date in high school I have never gone on date. Any tips for meeting new singles. (I also I live in the middle of nowhere outside a moderate sized town. ) Man I came here expecting to hear some bad advice cause no offense but most coaches are shit. But this guys is laying down some real knowledge. I think the girl advice could be better. Like give off ioi's more ect...but let's face it you probably dont help girls that often. Overall not bad advice. Honestly good logistics get you laid, bad logistics always prevent you from getting laid. Logistics is like 90% of the game. Thoughts on escalating super hard at the venue(getting her to blow you and bathroom lays) and retention rates? Currently in school (15 years old) I dont spend too much time worrying about how I do with girls and care more about my success and my future I work on my fitness so its more of a social thing. Is this is a problem or will girls come to successful people? Your fear comes from wanting something from someone. You get nervous approaching because you're trying to take something, which opens the door to rejection. Start focusing on what you want to give them. What value are you giving them by joining in a conversation? The obvious is obvious for a reason. Women are attracted to the most fun, social guy in the setting. Work, school, bar, concert... Most fun social guy gets the girl every time. SOHere is one for you. Are you saying there are no girls on the planet that are not attracted to the quote "The strong man / bad boy / good looking / douchebag / tribe leader". From a guys point of view, I know a lot of guys that like "introverted" girls. Can't this be true for women as well. Female, 30, straight, fat, virgin. Hooked up some in college, would have rather had a relationship. Still not interested in just going out and getting laid. Am terrified that even if I found someone interested in dating me (ha, slim chance of that) they'd not be interested in breaking me in. So I don't date, even though I want to. Advice? Honestly, guys are very visual. A very small minority of men like larger women, but if you're going to go that route you've really got to put yourself out there sexually which is going to be a problem for you as a virgin. I think you're picking up on that, and it's shaking your confidence. Your best bet might just be to lose the weight and get your confidence up. Head over to bodybuilding.com and go into the women's section and explain your situation. As far as being a virgin part, some guys might be put off by it, some guys might be into it and see you as a special delicate naive flower. I'm just not a publicly sexual person. I'm not all that good at being privately sexual, either, but haven't had a lot of practice. How people get from meeting to mating is like this strange language I never had the opportunity to learn. And I see people a hell of a lot fatter and uglier than I am in relationships, so it mystifies me. Right. But look at what you're saying and you'll see the problem. You're overweight, sexually inexperienced, low on confidence, and you don't understand how dating progresses to sex. What's the easiest thing on that list to fix? I think faking confidence can be done to a certain extent, it's like lying to your self. You just need to tell your self over and over again , "I can get girls , I can get girls . I am the center of attention " till eventually you can start believing it . This is just a trick people told me on how to "get" girls before I was good at it. Just always remember as Daniel says , you don't just go from getting not getting laid to getting laid , It's a process just start on your journey and you'll enjoy the both the journey and where you end up one day. My school is a really small school in Boston. Just moved here in September. How can I make friends and meet girls? There's no parties at my school and there's hardly any clubs to join. Talking about schoolwork with people only gets so far before the conversation drops dead. I don't think I'm a bad looking guy, I 'm 5' 11" and 145 lbs. Downside is I'm skinny and weak. Any advice? Should I try online dating? That's an awfully broad question man. First off, I'd say don't worry about being skinny. A lot of women love skinny men. It's more about low BF% than anything. Second, and I give this advice a lot on here, you've gotta be committed to being social. Boston is a very good town for meeting women. Once you turn 21, start getting after the bar scene and just commit to being the most social guy in the bar every night. Not at all. Just avoid standing there not doing anything. You should either be doing something cool (like talking to people) or on your way to do something cool. Don't be the guy that's just standing there looking sad. Depression is a legit medical issue. See a doctor. Seriously. Confidence and self esteem come from knowing you can do things. What do you take pride in? I will tell you that every paying customer I've ever had walked away and was able to do things they never dreamed of before. One of my students just got engaged a couple months ago after sewing a lot of wild oats. I suppose I define success as achieving the goal they came to you about. Perhaps dating, long-term relationship, getting laid, etc. I'll be honest. I'm a bit skeptical of some of your advice, especially when explaining how women think. But I can respect where you're coming from. The stereotypes of how women think never resonate with me, but I'm a woman who tends to find herself the lone woman in a field of men. So, it's not at all unusual for me to disagree with those things. I'm sure it is dead on for plenty of women out there. So, here's my question: What is/are the best method/s of meeting people to date? How do I easily weed out the ones not worth my time? There's nothing more awkward for me when I'm on a date and I realize the guy I'm talking to has a completely different level of aspirations than I do. (I'm trying to be nice and say that the guys are "beneath" me... I just really hate that phrase.) I'm a 28 year old woman from a large metropolitan area. I'm an economist/urban planner by trade and roller derby gal and dog lover by hobby. I'm also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and do some non-profit work. I refuse to meet men in bars. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks. =) Yeah, one thing I hate about this job is that I have to give advice based on the largest part of the bell curve, which obviously isn't applicable in all situations. Also, I don't talk about how women think on a logical level, I talk about the sub-conscious processes. The nice thing about being sentient beings is that we can overcome our baser instincts. You live in Seattle, I can tell. The best way to meet people is at parties and private social gatherings. Everyone there is at least a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend. Before you agree to a date, find out what their aspirations are. But the real problem might be that you're falling into this new(post 1980s) dating trap. Women are going to college, traveling, doing all this cool stuff professionally, and then they can't find eligible men of higher status. Since higher status is the #1 attraction trigger for women... let's just say it's lonely at the top. Men aren't as attracted to things like degrees and career success, so you may have priced yourself out of the dating market. Without actually interacting with you, it's tough to know if this is the case, but if it is you have two choices: up your game or lower your standards. just ask her our. She did the work for you, she likes YOU. You're the item she wants, supply and demand man. Go, ask her out for a date, somewhere fun. Don't play this cat and mouse bullshit game, where you try to be subtle about liking her also. If you found out she likes you, shes throwing out signals and big ones. So go... ask her out! So< Apparently I'm in the odd zone here, where I don't find hard to meet girls, but I always go for the girls that have plans to move. My last girlfriend was a backpacker and went back to canada. , The bird I'm kind of talking with constantly now is living in a different state for Uni (college to you yanks). She's coming back down for holidays and the like. But we're both just ignoring the fact that before she left we spent all the time we could together, and I deliberately didn't have sex with her because I knew it would make things complicated, and now we're talking and making plans anyway. What the fuck is wrong with me, please? Why do I do this to myself? I won't lie. I'm a big man, which I know automatically makes me unattractive to many many women; however, deep down inside I want to believe that it's not always the case. This thought is reinforced when I see slender women with men who are bigger and shorter than me. So is there something I'm doing wrong or are these just exceptional cases? I've seen you use the "I'm fat and I date models" line a couple of times now. Just wondering why you choose to use "I date models" as your example of success. Why not "I date smokin' hot, awesome women". Are "models" really the peak of what you are aiming for - female wise? If so, good for you, I guess, but you are totally missing out on many many other incredibly hot women who are not "models". But, honestly, the point I am trying to make is "I date models" kind of makes you sound douche-y. And you seem like a pretty nice guy so I thought i should give you the heads up. Men who are fat and or ugly always seem to want to go for the girls that won't have anything to do with them. Model types, trashy skank types, young, scantily clad. I know dudes and women that are fat and or ugly and are picky. That makes you a hypocrite as well. Looks are not everything. I have known a lot of attractive assholes and that makes you ugly. im already really social, semi nerdy, decent looking, dress well, tall, skinny but it doesnt bother me, and in college. Im not really big on the drinking or party scene. I hang out with plenty of girls but most of these girls tend to be super conservative since its a christian school. i feel like i have all your tools needed, and yet dont really get many ladies. Any practical advice that i can actually use and follow directly to find myself a woman? haha This guy is offering solid advice. I come from a similar background with probably more fatness, loneliness, depression, and less confidence. I am now extremely confident and am dating an extremely hot girl. Listen to him if you want your life to change completely. I was literally about to make an AMA about the same thing, beat me to it! I was told the other day "you should talk more; you're really funny." How do I just get better at talking to people? I've been working on it for a while by just not caring about what I say, and that surprisingly has seemed to work a little bit, but it seems really easy to offend people that way. So basically, I'm really good at saying things and being entertaining to talk to, but I don't know how to talk a lot (if it makes sense). I feel like I only say things that I know will be really well-received by the majority of the people I'm with, but I want to be able to have things to say in-between. Just normal conversation stuff. i do all of this. it isnt about that, its about i can walk into a group of girls and pretty much point at one and leave with her, but my friends cant. id like to clarify this is ALWAYS in a party atmosphere - bar club house party barmitsfa whatever. the girls will totally stick around and chat if i bring in a friend but i always end up sort of stealing the attention and if i leave them to their own devices SAP friend walks away with his balls tucked between his legs. not the best lookers, not the best talkers. they say " a wingman cant be better looking than the guy hes winging" but i think its MUCH better like that. i just need to figure out how to shift their attention from me to him. obviously if i have the intent of winging someone im not going to do any of the stuff you mentioned before -_- One of my wings is way way better looking than I am. It does make it harder. My game is tighter than his though... So it's very important that I fucking speak up when me and him go out. Sounds like your friend needs to be a little louder. Getting laid shouldn't be your focus man. It's a natural step in the progression of having an awesome life. In highschool that especially especially shouldn't be your focus (asking the impossible?) because it can cause more trouble than its worth. Your main and only focus should be setting up for college. Grades, fitness, become the most social guy in your class, learn to dress well and take good care of your clothes so you always look fresh, practice having strong eye contact and standing up straight, keep your hands out of your pockets, talk to everyone, talk to everyone, talk to everyone. Be the most social guy at your school. Sorry if I was too blunt, but i seriously need advice here. I'm usually quiet, and not very social. I'm a band geek lol. I am desperate for a relationship, but can't seem to find any girl who will even talk to me. It's not like i'm very bad looking... I just don't get it :\ Sorry it took me a bit to respond. Also, based on this... You need to fill your life dude. Women don't like needy. Women like a happy secure confident man who is already successful with women. You've got to build that from the ground up. Dress better, get healthier, be more social. You've got to get the basics down before you go to college. You'll thank me if you do. Speaking as a woman, this advice is legit. It's a lot of pressure to be the only important thing in someones' life. I'd prefer someone who is interesting and has a suite of things they enjoy. That way if either of us gets busy, the other has something else to keep them entertained. You have no idea how much work goes into two hours of actual teaching, what the overhead is, what the results are... I mean, I can only take 1 or 2 students per day max. There's at least an hour of prep time per hour of training, all custom. Travel time between class and field doesn't count, and that can be up to an hour... And then the field sessions usually run well over the hour I bill for. I talked to a matchmaking company the other day, they were trying to charge $1600 for 12 dates in a year. My students outperform that by at least double after 10 hours of training. Please don't frame your models with evolutionary psychology. As a working biologist the way you are throwing around terms is making me cringe. The term 'evolutionary psychology' is unfortunately used for both a real academic discipline as well as a pop culture psychology model that has little in common with real science. The serious academic discipline has enough trouble being taken seriously at the moment since it hasn't kept up with modern neuroscience: But the pop psychology version I see in this "men are from mars, women are from venus" crowd isn't taken seriously by anyone. Authors sell a lot of books with this as the frame, but it's making it harder for the real science to be taken seriously. I'm 16, male, and I had a crush on this girl last year who is widely considered to be the most attractive girl in her grade. I went somewhat overboard trying to get her to like me, and as a result she was a little creeped out. we are better friends now and she recently told me that she would have wanted to date me if I hadn't gone overboard with it. how do I prevent this from happening again? I've always wanted someone to kiss and cuddle. I meet guys who are attracted to me and I like it but if I'm starting to fall for them I start to behave like a weirdo or do shit I would never do. I have high expectations even if I know I'm not pretty(people say I am but I've learned to not trust in what they say). What else... After getting out of the infatuation I'm mostly like: "EWH, WAS I DRUNK ALL THAT TIME?" I have a friend from Australia(Poland here) and we're pretty close. It seems like he's perfect for me and I wish I could be with him but I panic inside that I will do something stupid or... or I will stop loving him. Without a real reason. I'm afraid he won't be the same when he will come here and I will hurt him (what will probably get him back into cigarettes and alcohol(maybe weed)). Never really been on a date or anything like that. Never been in a relationship(ha-ha). Kissing and stuff like that - with my best friend(a guy) who had and still has a girlfriend. I'm pretty complicated, you know? Here is something: The words a person says to initiate "mating". Now, when I have been with girls, it was normally crazy drunken fun and neither of us never really said anything since it was assumed what we would do when she gave me "the tour" of her apartment and we went straight to her bedroom. I have seen the talking move done so many times, but never asked them what they said. I am sure some people have seen this as well. The guy whispers something into the girl's ear and then they go off and do what they do. Naw, but I learned a lot from the PUA community. What you've got there is a community that's based on doing 'what works'. Lots of things get you laid, but not as many things get you laid by being true to yourself. Empty sex is fun but it doesn't make you happy. If it's a tech school, transfer to a state school. If it's a state school, start talking to every girl you see every day, and every guy that you think looks like a genuinely cool guy. Most social guy in college wins. This is TERRIBLE ADVICE. For the love of god man stay at your school. The comp sci guys seriously don't get laid till they are out of school and then the women look and go "Oh wait, you are the only guy in his twenties who actually has a stable job" Seriously I am a female comp-sci (22 just graduated in may) and am having issues dating any guys in my field as I cannot find anyone single. Please help me. I'm in high school, year 11. I am tearing myself apart over this girl that I don't talk to often and can't work up the courage to change that. I'm not ugly ...as far as I know (a few girls have taken interest in past year) but not the one I like. She's in a few of my classes is never really on facebook so that's almost out of the question. I want some advice on how to get closer to her and show her interest. I'm kind of introverted but i'm also fairly popular. she's taken what I assume is a little bit of interest in the last few weeks. I can't find an opportunity to approach her and when I get the chance I have no idea what to say to her, and I get super nervous. This doesn't really happen with any one else. So I'm a single 19 y/o gay male, the problem isn't so much sex as it is a relationship. Most of the guys I meet and go out with are just interested in constant fucking at every opportunity. Outside of sex or the possibility of sex they're emotionally distant and have no interest in anything like a relationship. I work out a bit and I can get guys in to bed but I can't find a boyfriend or anything more than that. This looks like it's geared towards men. What kinds of advice do you have for the ladies? I have no problem getting laid, but I unintentionally dumb down and turn a shade of red when I want something more meaningful (cough) than that. Forever alone and having casual sex in my swinging bachelorette pad is fine for now, but do you have any words of wisdom for the next step?
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JD, "Today we're going to be discussing a brief history of the Community of Christ, otherwise known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today we have with us John Hamer, who is going to be guiding us through this very important topic. John Hamer is the editor of John Whitmer Books, and the president-elect of the John Whitmer Historical Association. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, John Whitmer was founded 40 years ago by members of the Reorganized Church, now the Community of Christ. John Whitmer is like the Mormon History Association, except that it studies all the churches besides the LDS Church, the Community of Christ, the Strangites, the FLDS Church, and the like. John is a historian whose own research focuses on this topic. He co-edited a volume entitled Scattering of the Saints: Schism within Mormonism, is that right John?" JH, "That's right, yes." JD, "And he's currently working on a history of the Strangite Church. John is also a mapmaker, and he's produced maps for dozens of Mormon history books, including the first two volumes of the LDS Church's Joseph Smith Papers. John's ancestors joined the Mormon movement in 1833, seven generations ago, and he was raised LDS, but he was never endowed, did not serve a mission, and has not been a member as an adult. Nevertheless, he is an active participant in Mormon culture, both in the historian's community, and in the Bloggernacle where he is a columnist on By Common Consent. John Hamer, welcome to Mormon Stories Podcast." JH, "Thank you John, I'm so excited that you have restarted Mormon Stories. This has been such an important, I think, venue for people, and I know I've enjoyed them, and I know everyone is very excited that it's coming back." JD, "Oh, well thank you very much. It's my pleasure, and I'm honored to have you with us. So John, maybe I'll just set up a little bit of context on why I felt like this was such an important conversation to have, and to bring to the listening audience. I have to admit that for many, many years, I didn't think much of the Reorganized Church. As I was taught about the Reorganized Church in seminary, in high school, I kind of viewed them as the quiet little brother that didn't do much, that didn't have many talents, that kind of lost in whatever game he played, and was just kind of an insignificant annoyance, that was sort of to be ignored and pushed off to the margins. It wasn't until I started studying the history of the Reorganized Church, and specifically the transformation that the church went through in the [19]60's before I realized that the history of the Reorganized Church, or the Community of Christ is not only fascinating, it's not only extremely redemptive in my opinion, but it also seems to have many lessons of interest and even inspiration for the Utah branch, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I couldn't think of a better person to come on to talk about the Community of Christ other than maybe one of their top leaders, but you were one of the first people I contacted when I decided to bring Mormon Stories back. So thanks again for coming here to talk about it today." JH, "Yeah, well thanks much. I think that your impression is pretty common because I think that actually as I've done work on several of the different churches. I think that people are innately fascinated with Strangites and Cutlerites and all the ites, and they want to hear more, but for some reason the RLDS Church, which the Community of Christ as it is now called gets a bad rap and people aren't interested in it. But I just think that their history as you point out has been kind of remarkable, and this transformation. When I tell people who aren't inside the movement, when I go around and I'm talking to people about the work I do, and I say well we do a lot of work with the Community of Christ, and you probably haven't heard of them but you're very aware of the big Mormon Church with the guys who knock on your door and all that kind of thing, and you may be aware of the fundamentalists, the polygamists who are in the news in Texas after the raids and all that kind of thing, but there's also this liberal Mormon Church, it's the second largest Mormon Church, they're off in Missouri and they long ago gave women the priesthood, they have women apostles, and they may be about to start solemnizing gay marriage. They are really kind of at the forefront of where liberal denominations are going. People are pretty much shocked that any Mormons are out there." JD, "Yeah, well let's jump in a bit to their history, how does that sound?" JH, "Sure, of course, yeah." JD, "So let me set it up. So we sort of, I don't know if there's a better place to begin than the death of Joseph Smith. Is there any history relevant to the Reorganized Church/Community of Christ that sort of comes before the succession crisis, or is that the best place to start?" JH, "Well for the RLDS Church specifically before the succession crisis, there are precedents for who the leadership is. So Joseph when he dies, if Hyrum hadn't died with him, I think there's no doubt that Hyrum Smith would have been the successor. Hyrum Smith was the Assistant President of the Church, and people I think were aware that he would have taken over, but he of course died. He was martyred alongside his brother. So the only thing that you would say that might have happened beforehand were these various blessings that Joseph had given to his sons where he suggested like a Patriarchal blessing kind of thing where someday you'll be a prophet of the church kind of thing. So those blessings which we have much later witnesses. We don't have the actual text of any of those happening, but we have people recalling them, would have happened before his death. That was in the minds of a lot of early core leaders, and they definitely thought at some point or other one of Joseph Smith's sons, either his oldest son (he had four sons) including David Hyrum Smith who was born posthumously that he predicted would be a son that Emma would bear after he was dead. Or he predicted that he would be a son, and then after he died, she bore David Hyrum, and so people thought maybe one of them would be. Before that, I would say that's what happens beforehand. JD, "So, have you thought about—I mean this is just speculation, but I guess in the LDS Church there's such a clear planned out succession, we tend to sort of think back on history and extrapolate backwards the assumptions that we have at present. You would think that Joseph would have had some type of legal document where he would have been very clear that ok, the president of the Quorum of Twelve was going to succeed me, so it might be a little bit shocking for people to hear that maybe he intended his children, but maybe he intended Hyrum, maybe he intended James Strang, maybe he intended Sidney Rigdon. What's the prevailing sense of whether Joseph Smith just was promising this to a lot of people, or just didn't know, or God hadn't told him? Why the confusion? Why the uncertainty?" JH, "Well I think that he was actually busily saying all kinds of different things and so I don't think that there was anyone besides Hyrum. I don't think there was any clear path in terms of a successor. In terms of a legal document, there has been the legal document for the incorporation of the church that has been reviewed and found. That's in the Hancock County Court House in Illinois, and that legally for the property of the church and that sort of thing, that says that Joseph Smith's successors will be members of the First Presidency. So the people who are still in the First Presidency when he passed away, and that would have been Sidney Rigdon. But that isn't canonical, that would be civil law. In canon law would be scripture. What does scripture say? Scripture in fact doesn't say at all who will be the president after the president goes, and even if you go into say scriptural precedent from the Old Testament, or the Book of Mormon or New Testament, there's not an occasion where, say Moses dies and the next member of the Quorum of Twelve apostles then immediately succeeds Moses. Moses doesn't have apostles, that doesn't happen. Prophets don't work like that in either the Old Testament or Book of Mormon, and even in the New Testament, a lot people assume that Peter as the chief apostle takes over for Jesus, but in fact it could easily be read that James the brother of Jesus takes over because when Peter goes to Jerusalem, he actually submits to James' authority. So anyway, the argument was made there was modes of succession even in the New Testament. There are no scriptural precedents. Joseph didn't particularly name anybody, and there's no reason to imagine, there wasn't reason scripturally or any other reason to imagine that the president of the Quorum of the Twelve would take over upon his death." JD, "Did you say there was a civil or legal document specifying the First Presidency as the successors?" JH, "That would be the civil law, so in civil law, yes. The church was incorporated in the state of Illinois. That corporation had in its bylaws that Joseph's successors would be the First Presidency. So civilly, in the civil law frankly, in my judgment, just having read a whole bunch, the best successor in terms of an actual legal claim would have been Sidney Rigdon. And I can kind of say that because nobody really believes in Sidney Rigdon's claims much. There's one church that's descended from Sidney Rigdon's people and they also don't even really claim him too much. They're not big fans, so but anyway, I would say that Sidney probably had the best claim, but he wasn't the best leader. So that's where kind of things stood when Joseph died." JD, "What about the rumors that there was some letter, or some blessing or prayer on Joseph Smith III? Is there any truth to either of those, or is that speculation or just outright falsehood, or am I getting it wrong?" JH, "Well the letter, the actual document was a Hoffman forgery." JD, "Ok." JH, "So there was a Joseph Smith III blessing that appeared in the 1980s. It was a forgery. But you know, Hoffman—the reason why he was so successful was because he was a very astute student of Mormon history, and he would make stuff that made sense for Mormon history. I mean he would be a little off, and he wanted to kind of jab at Mormon claims and all those kind of things, and so he was attacking at the same time but he was also doing stuff that made sense. So people know that there's all kinds of people who attested to the fact that these blessings had occurred. I mean there's more than one occasion.  So one of them takes place in the upper story of the Red Brick Store in Nauvoo. Another one apparently took place or supposedly took place in the Liberty Jail. Joseph Smith III was apparently visiting his father and he gave him a special blessing that apostle Lyman Wight later attested to, so there were a couple occasions like that but there is no text. We don't know what it would have been about. I think we can imagine that there would have been a patriarchal style blessing where a father asserts that his son would someday fill his shoes, that kind of thing and people remembered that sort of thing. We don't know—that doesn't constitute a legal claim. In any event Joseph Smith III would have been, I think was 12 when his father was killed so it was completely impossible for him to succeed. Although several leaders said that well one day he would; in fact even Brigham Young said that to several of his followers according to some of the witnesses we have. " JD, "Ok, so one last question before we move on to Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon. Is there anything in LDS scripture today that specifies the succession? Like did that get added to the LDS Church at some point, the way that it happens now which is that the most senior apostle?" JH, "No, No." JD, "So that's just sort of like the cloture, the filibuster rule in the Senate. It's not really official, it's just kind of evolved into church policy." JH, "It's a practice, so there is nothing. In fact I would call it a ritual, which is the reason why when the president of the LDS church dies, the reason the First Presidency, is immediately dissolved, and the LDS Church makes a big point of that. So in other words, the counselors go back to the quorum, and now there's 14 apostles instead of just 12, is because they ritually, the LDS church is ritually delegitimizes Sidney Rigdon's claims. So what they're saying every single time there's a succession , they're saying Brigham Young was the successor, Sidney Rigdon had no claim. But there's no reason to imagine based on anything in the D&C or anything else that the First Presidency would dissolve when one of the members died, and indeed in the Community of Christ it doesn't dissolve. It simply, just what it does in the LDS Church, because that justifies the Brigham Young succession." JD, "Ok, great, so let's move on now to Joseph's martyrdom, and we're in Nauvoo. Joseph and Hyrum have been killed. What happens next?" "JH, "So everybody has been marshaled for Joseph Smith's presidential campaign, and I know that we don't ever really hardly emphasize this about Joseph Smith running for president in 1844, but that really was the number one thing that he was doing, and absolutely everybody who was anybody had been called on a mission, and they were out campaigning for Joseph Smith right when he is killed. And same thing, Sidney Rigdon, who is his vice presidential candidate on the ticket has to move to Pennsylvania because you can't both be from Illinois according to the U.S. Constitution, you have to be from two different states, the president and the vice president. So Sidney Rigdon moved back to Pennsylvania where he was originally from and so he's on the ticket as the vice president when Joseph gets assassinated, and everybody has to make his way back. On the way back, there's a couple options. So who's going to be the leader? Obviously it can't be Joseph Smith III, he's just a little kid. It's not going to be Emma or anybody in the—immediately after. You know, she's a woman, it's that kind of time period. Hyrum is dead. Samuel Smith also dies very soon. The only living Smith left therefore an adulthood male is William Smith who is by far the most unsteady Smith. People don't like William. He stays off in the east anyway because his wife is sick, so he's gone for an entire year. So outside of the family in the church structure, what's going to happen? The options are the First Presidency; essentially they've lost key members recently, so William Law has been, you know he's part of this whole reform movement that actually—he starts the Nauvoo Expositor, and he actually precipitates the entire martyrdom and everything like that that happens. So he is out of the church, but Sidney Rigdon is still there, so that's an option, Sidney Rigdon. The other two options then, the two leading quorums are the High Council, the Presiding High Council, and previously, earlier in Mormon history, the High Council had been very important ruling body, especially in Far West, especially in the Missouri period, just right before Nauvoo. So we always hear about how where when Joseph Smith was in prison in Missouri, Brigham Young, that's when he emerges, he leads the Saints out of Missouri and he moves them to Illinois, but he doesn't take control as leader of the apostles, he actually takes control as acting president of the High Council. The High Council then proceeds then to fill vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve. The High Council is the one that appoints people to take the place of Thomas Marsh, and the other apostles who have left or died. So it's— JD, "So there's no equivalent to the High Council today, right? I mean I don't even know how to conceptualize this?" JH, "So this doesn't exist really. So what's happened in the LDS Church which is when the apostles end up taking over, all of the other possible things get lessened. It's an all-apostle, all the time church now. But we have to understand that in the original church, for example even now, so right now you think of the First Presidency. Well, that's just three of the apostles, right? Well not in the early church. Joseph Smith and his counselors, none of those guys had ever been in the Twelve. That had nothing to do with the apostles. It was a completely separate quorum. So in the same way there' s this High Council. The equivalent now in the LDS Church is just Stake High Councils. So every stake has a High Council, and the Stake Presidency is in charge of that. But what we have in the Church as a whole in Missouri, and then also in Nauvoo is what is effectively a Presiding High Council, a High Council of General Authorities of the Church where the different stakes, well actually if they have a problem at their stake High Council, you can appeal your case, and it will go—it doesn't go to the apostles, it goes to the High Council of the Church in Nauvoo. So in other words, there's a presiding High Council that is over all the other high councils. The head of that is William Marks, who is the presiding Stake President of the church in Nauvoo, so Marks is another possibility. So then the other possibility of course is Brigham Young, another leading church member, the head of the Travelling High Council, the Council of the Twelve Apostles, who are in charge specifically of missionary work. So they are in charge of anywhere in the church that isn't a stake. If somebody is going to have a case in a branch, then they'll appeal it to the Twelve. So those are essentially what you have. You have the First Presidency, you have the High Council, and you have the Travelling High Council. So what happens is Emma and some of the people who agree with her, think that the head of the High Council should be the new head of the church, William Marks. But William Marks believes legally that Sidney Rigdon has the best claim, so he sides with Rigdon in the First Presidency as being the successor, so that essentially nullifies Marks' claim, because it puts it with Rigdon, so that's why it comes down to essentially Rigdon versus Young." JD, "Ok, was Brigham Young in town during the martyrdom, or was he out? JH, "No, he was out campaigning for president." JD, "How long did it take him to get back in town, to find out about the martyrdom and then come back?" JH, "Yeah, I'm terrible at dates." JD, "Oh, no. It's ok, it's ok, it's ok. Do you think it was a year, was it a month?" JH, "No, No. You know, whatever. They came back very quickly." JD, "Ok." JH, "Sidney Rigdon beat him back by a few days or whatever it was. He was there in town first." JD, "Ok." JH, "Sidney called a meeting to hopefully, what he tried to do was get himself named Guardian over the Church. So he wanted to lock in that he would be the successor. The apostles made it back in town in time, and it became a showdown meeting. And so that's where this meeting that we hear about where essentially the first major thing that happens where it is sometimes referred to as essentially Brigham Young is chosen to be the successor, but in fact what Brigham argues is, how can we have a successor? Joseph is in the grave, a martyr. We've just lost this martyr.  How can anyone replace Joseph? No one can replace Joseph. You no longer have a prophet, but you have apostles, and the apostles can as a whole, as a quorum can lead the church until such a time as Joseph returns or whatever happens next. People were ok with that, and they weren't ok with Sidney Rigdon being the Guardian. [Hamer chuckles] So essentially that's what happens." JD, "Had Sidney Rigdon lost some credibility with the saints over the Nauvoo period? JH, "Sure, yeah. Well Sidney Rigdon is routinely, I think we always talk about him as being, his having his status weakened, and having his status be on the outs, and all of those kinds of things. Part of the reason for that of course is that we don't write the history from Sidney Rigdon's perspective. We write the history from everybody else's perspective. Sidney didn't win, and so therefore, no one writes it about him. We should note, like I did, that he's the vice presidential candidate, so he is running with Joseph Smith in full fellowship. He's in the First Presidency still. That said, there are things where he is a little bit on the outs with Joseph. Specifically this is about what has become by that time in the Nauvoo Period, such a core practice and important doctrine which is polygamy. So Joseph and an inner group of members of the church are practicing plural marriages. They think it is absolutely important to salvation, and they are teaching that and practicing it, and Sidney Rigdon is a major opponent of that practice, and so there was a proposition I guess for Sidney Rigdon's daughter. Joseph proposed to marry her." JD, "Nancy. Nancy, right?" JH, "Nancy Rigdon. She was completely unwilling to be a part of that. She didn't want to be involved, and Sidney also condemned that, although he didn't do it publicly. So there was a sense still that Joseph had, obviously he was running with him for president. There was a sense that Sidney was willing to, even though he wasn't on board, he wasn't going to make a stink the way let's say William Law did, the way that William Law just absolutely refused and went public, and decided that there needed to be reforms in the church. Sidney was going to work with Joseph. But, that said, there are these competing factions. There are the pro-polygamy faction and the anti-polygamy faction within the leadership of the church in Nauvoo, and Sidney is definitely seen as the standard bearer for the people who are against polygamy. The problem for the people who are in favor of polygamy is that this would immediately discredit their families, or actually their activities so if your daughter, like my great, great, great, great grandparents whose daughter Nancy Mariah Winchester married—one of the young wives who married Joseph Smith. They on the one hand, in a positive sense feel sealed to the prophet for all eternity. This is an important thing that brings their family to the highest degree of glory. On the other hand, if it was to be rejected as a doctrine, suddenly this calls into question what she's been doing, you know she could be a shamed woman essentially in Victorian America, so in a way, life or death, or at least reputation and your entire family is at stake as to whether this doctrine is sanctified or whether it's rejected." JD, "What percentage of the membership in Nauvoo do you suspect knew about the polygamy?" JH, "It's a pretty open secret, so I think ever since Bennett, uh James Bennett, [Hamer said James, but he meant John C. Bennett] who had been mayor of Nauvoo and one of Joseph's very close friends and also involved in the polygamy, he had written an expose where he named names. He described the practices and things like that, so it's a big open secret. On the other hand, people could reject what Bennett had to say. He was an apostate. They decide, or they believe that that was just a bunch of humbug. But what ends up happening with the Expositor, everybody around the Mormons definitely believed the exposes, and they definitely said, ok this is a horrible thing that is happening. In Nauvoo, what the Expositor does, it doesn't tell people about polygamy outside, everybody outside already knows that this is happening. They already believe it. But because William Law is respected inside Nauvoo, it does I think tell the membership that it's something that's more credible, a more credible witness. I think people are aware of it. There is an inner circle that it has been taught to, it's probably only going to be I don't know probably maybe a hundred people, something like that, but it's the key leaders. It's everybody on the High Council, it's everybody in the Twelve, it's the Seventies, it's important people that know about this stuff." JD, "Ok, so Sidney did know about it, he just didn't approve of it." JH, "Absolutely, so he would be among the leadership who know and don't approve. That faction then would also include Emma, Joseph's legal widow obviously, and her family. They don't approve of it and they don't agree with it, and then also William Marks, who is the head of the High Council and also the Stake President of the church there." JD, "He did not approve." JH, "He also didn't approve." JD, "Ok, ok. So this post-martyrdom standoff, in some ways really was a polygamy versus anti-polygamy standoff?" JH, "Right. So if the wrong person ends up being the successor, you know, it's going to go one way or another, because this is a doctrine that is in contention." JD, "And that ends up informing the major tension between the LDS church and the reorganized Church for the next what 150 years I guess or 100 years or something?" JH, "Absolutely, so yeah." JD, "I read this Dialogue article, like I don't know, 10 years ago that basically challenged the common story, and I'm not trying to cast doubt into people's faith or testimonies at all, but it seemed like a pretty credible article that said the history, the story that we're all told about Brigham transforming into Joseph in some way, that historically there's some questions about that. Can you just tell us what the traditional narrative has been and why that isn't something necessarily to be taken at face value?" JH, "Sure. So yeah. ultimately when everybody, after the martyrdom everybody's out campaigning for Joseph for president, Sidney's off in Pittsburgh where he has to establish residency to be the vice-president, they all come back. There's a big showdown ultimately between Sidney Rigdon, who wants to be named Guardian of the Church, and Brigham Young, who doesn't want Sidney Rigdon to be named Guardian of the Church, as to what the direction is going to be. The way the traditional story goes, the LDS story goes that Brigham, when he stood up and he gave his speech, he appeared transfigured before the audience, and the audience saw him as Joseph, and so that told them that he should be the successor. So that's the traditional narrative as we have it now. There are a couple of problems with it as the traditional narrative. One, it doesn't date to the time period itself, so Brigham does end up being in charge of all of the Church's apparatus at Nauvoo including the Times and Seasons, and all those kinds of things and he is immediately in a big succession battle against Sidney Rigdon and some of the other successors who kind of emerge on the scene. They don't cite this in the Times and Seasons. They don't make an article about that this happened and this is proof of Brigham's claims or any such thing. In other words, they would have the ability to immediately write about that. They don't. Nobody writes about it. So the story doesn't exist at the time, or at least it is not written down by anybody or reported by anybody." JH, "In fact the problem with it is it doesn't precisely fit, in my opinion, the narrative of what happened. So in other words, if this miracle happened, if a lot of people did see it at the time, you might imagine that well they would ordain Brigham Young to be the successor, that they would make him president of the church. In fact he didn't argue to be made president of the church, he immediately takes control of the apparatus, but he's acting president as, what ends up happening is people place the Twelve in charge of the Church. So we don't have the reorganization of the Church where there's a new president and a new First Presidency in the LDS tradition until three years later in 1847 when they're off in Omaha, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. So instead they have this period of time where the Twelve are simply acting as the leaders in the meantime. So I think that another problem here is not only isn't there isn't any contemporary sourcing for this, but also that it doesn't really fit the narrative of what actually happened." JD, "Ok, gotcha. How do we suspect this narrative sprang forth then?" JH, "Well so at the time, this wouldn't have even been a helpful narrative, because like I said, the Twelve are in charge, not Brigham Young. But later obviously Brigham Young is in charge off in Utah. In the 1850s, especially in the early 1860s, what ends up happening is that Brigham Young who is now head of a new First Presidency, who is in charge of what is the last church standing, church organization standing, what ends up happening is that we might call a pretender to the throne arises so suddenly one of Joseph Smith's sons has become an adult, he has said that he's received a revelation that he should be prophet and leader of the church, and he has come as the president, he has been ordained president of a new organization of the church back in Illinois. So now that there is a pretender, now that there is somebody who is a threat to Brigham Young's control of the presidency, now they have to have new narratives that kind of talk about him as a sort of spiritual successor, it's not just good enough to say I'll lead this people until Joseph comes back or something like that, there's a need to say that there's a spiritual basis for this." JD, "And then someone tells a story in General Conference, it starts spreading around, and …" JH, "And everybody remembers it." JD, "And they're even people who we have records were on missions in foreign countries at the time of the alleged event between Sidney and Brigham who then end up writing in their journals that they were at the event and saw Brigham transformed even though we know from correspondence that they were in Europe…" JH, "In a way—that happens, yes. Some of the best, some of the nicest, a great narrative of it is written by somebody who definitely wasn't there, but on the other hand, that could be a trick of memory." JD, "Yeah, Yeah." JH, "I remember things that I was not there for, because I've heard the story told so many times I just remember it, and then I'm shocked to find out, well wait a second, I wasn't even there. So that definitely happens, sure." JD, "So again, I'm not alleging fraud, I don't intending that at all. That's just the way that the human memory works. We remember things like you said, that sometimes we didn't experience, or that we weren't there to experience. Ok, so let's go back. You know Brigham wins. I think it's important just to reiterate, as I understand it, Brigham didn't claim the title of prophet, and it wasn't until like David O. McKay that a president or prophet of the church allowed themselves to be called prophet. Is that right?" JH, "Right. I think that Mike Quinn brings that out in his Mormon Hierarchy series, so yes. It is my understanding of the way it works too. Essentially, there is this idea I think in the LDS tradition, all the way up until that time in the middle of the 20th century that there is the prophet, who is Joseph, and they'll call him the prophet. Then there is the president of the Church who is a prophet, a seer, and a revelator in the same way that all of the apostles or prophets are seers and revelators. They're all sustained as such. But, for example, there's a special way Mormons for example still today refer to Joseph. He is the prophet Joseph. We never ever would say the prophet George…" JD chuckles, "Right." JH, "…and be referring to George Albert Smith. You don't even know who I'm talking about when I say the prophet George. I mean there's just nothing—so there is a deference, and in fact that difference was more distinct in the LDS tradition, it was more distinct up until like you say the mid-20th century and now it's less distinct probably." JD, "Right, ok. So Brigham wins the share of the members, they go to Utah. Who stays behind, and how does it lead to the formation of the Reorganized Church?" JH, "So Brigham wins, he takes control of the church in Nauvoo, and so he has the headquarters apparatus, but we have to know that when, at the time of the martyrdom, if you take all the Mormons who had been baptized from the foundation of the church up until the martyrdom, the majority of the members are off in branches. They live all around, scattered all around the country, and there's a whole bunch up in Britain and in Europe. But most of the people who got baptized didn't gather to Nauvoo. It's only the very most committed people who end up gathering to Nauvoo. So there's a large number of people that are scattered all around in all the branches, and they don't immediately all become, what we now call Brighamites, or the LDS. They don't all affiliate. You  essentially have a church that has more than one center. So I like to make this analogy with the medieval Catholic Church, when it's in schism. So there's this moment you may know about where there's a pope in Rome, and then there's a pope in Avignon, in France, and it's this moment of schism. Nobody knows who the real pope is, is it in the pope in Avignon, or is it the pope in Rome? It's not that some people are Roman Catholic, and some people are Avignon Catholics, everybody's Catholic. It's all a church. It's not really separate yet, but there are different leaders and you may be affiliated with one or the other. And in the broader church outside of the headquarters, outside of Nauvoo, everybody in all of the branches everywhere doesn't necessarily know who they're affiliated with, and they might be affiliated with multiple people depending on who visited them last or what newspaper they happened to get. So very soon after, Brigham is in charge of the Church in Nauvoo, there emerge a couple of leaders. Sidney Rigdon is one. He organizes a new church headquarters in Pennsylvania. It has a newspaper and all those kind of things, church organization, it has twelve apostles. My great, great, great, great uncle, Benjamin Winchester ended up becoming one of Sidney Rigdon's apostles. At the same time there is another claimant, a guy named James Strang emerges and he has all sorts of claims that he makes to the same kinds of spiritual powers that Joseph had had. He finds plates, he translates the plates, they have witnesses. He has angelic ordination. There's all kinds of things, and people start to believe that he is the true successor, and he gets a remarkable array of important early Mormons who follow him, including most of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith's mother, and all kinds of others." JD, "So Martin Harris, and…" JH, "Martin Harris. So what ends up happening actually, the major showdown. There was that first major showdown that everybody's aware of, there's a second major showdown and that happens because there's constantly—there's people in Nauvoo, there's people in all the branches, and then the most important thing is there are the converts that are constantly being made in England. These guys are constantly making converts and they're coming to replace all the people that are leaving Mormonism. So there's a mission where James Strang sends Martin Harris and other Strangite missionaries to England. Martin Harris has his name on the Book of Mormon. He can say I'm one of the witnesses.  I knew Joseph Smith. I was one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. And the real prophet, and the real successor is James Strang, and he does that. But the problem with it is, is that Martin Harris as we know in Mormon history is such a wild guy who is so unsteady and unstable, that he impresses absolutely nobody in England. So the Twelve and Brigham Young absolutely wins, and the Strangite mission is a total fiasco, and so instead of sending them all to James Strang and his colonies in Wisconsin and in Michigan, all of the converts from England go to Utah, so that is the real victory and is why immediately the Utah church becomes so much larger than the other churches because they are the ones constantly getting fueled with new converts. It really shouldn't be a surprise to us, because the Twelve were in charge of missionary work, so they were the ones that were known. That was their other advantage. They have the core group in Nauvoo of the polygamy faction, but then they also have control over the missionary work." JD, "Gotcha, Gotcha. Ok a second standoff, Brigham wins again." JH, "Yes." JD, "Ok, so what happens to the remnants?" JH, "So then there are all these different organizations, that are everybody that's left, all these branches, everybody who doesn't go west, or people who go west and then they come back. That happens a lot. People who go west, they don't like Utah, they decide they do like California, so all the people in San Bernadino. There's all kinds of Mormons who aren't affiliated with Brigham Young. Essentially most of the leaders though, all kind of fall on hard times, the generation ends, they die a little earlier than Brigham Young. In the case of James Strang, he is martyred in exactly the same kind of way that Joseph Smith is. He is shot and killed and his church is scattered and driven away from Michigan in the same way that Mormons have been driven from Missouri. So those churches pretty well are in a state of collapse. And also the other thing that has happened is that most of those leaders including James Strang ultimately embrace polygamy, and so there's still this faction of Mormons, original Latter-day Saints, people from the very earliest times who just do not believe in polygamy, and they don't think that should be a part of it, and that includes of course Emma and her family who have stayed in Nauvoo. She doesn't want to go out west and become Brigham's wife, or whatever she'd have to do in one of the polygamy factions. So she stays. All of those people are still believers and they are still opponents of polygamy so these guys start to gather together their congregations. They also, some of them believe that Joseph's Smith's son would lead the church. So they come and they invite him to that occasion, and he'll say, look I'm not going to say I'm the prophet of the church unless I have a spiritual manifestation from God that tells me that I'm the prophet of the church. So he won't do it, and so they wait. Ultimately though he feels that he has that manifestation, so he believes he has a revelation from God that he should be the prophet of the church, so he comes forward and then 150 years ago this April 6, is the anniversary, he becomes the prophet and president of the Reorganized Church." JD, "So my math is bad. Is that 1859, or 1860?" JH, "1860, yep." JD, "Ok, so we have a new church and they call themselves the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?" JH, "The call themselves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So they don't call themselves the Reorganized Church. They claim the original name, initially, in fact for a long time. So you'll see actually when you look at old pictures of RLDS congregations, even in the 30's, 1930's they'll still say Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because they are very, that name was revealed by revelation as you know in 1838. So people had a very strong feeling for that name, and keeping that name. They ultimately added that word Reorganized to the name legally during the major anti-polygamy laws that came through the federal government when the federal government had its campaign to stamp out polygamy. So one of the laws dis-incorporated the LDS church and also seized all the property over a certain value. So because that law specified the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for legal reasons, they incorporated with a different name with the word Reorganized on the front of it in order to protect their property during that same anti-Mormon persecutions that the federal government had. So anyway, ultimately it was a convenient name, so it kind of stuck, but they always, always thought it was completely bulky to say Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." JD, "Right." JH, "They were always trying to change it all the way back.." JD, "Right." JH, "..if you look at the records. They finally did." JD, "Real quick. Did Joseph III write down his dream or vision, or give detail about what he experienced?" JH, "He did not reveal that. That's not one of the revelations that has been canonized in the RLDS/Community of Christ D&C. When he came to the conference April 6, 1860, I think his quote is 'I come by a power not my own.' He indicated that he had a spiritual manifestation that caused him to do it but I don't think that—there's nothing like a thus saith the Lord revelation." JD, "Right." JH, "He does dictate further revelations though that are canonized and part of the Community of Christ D&C." JD, "Are there any big names at that 1860 conference that we would recognize?" JH, "Well Emma." JD, "Right." JH, "Emma of course affiliates. William Marks is one of the big names who was there." JD, "ok" JH, "So Wiliam Marks had been the… JD, "High Council." JH, "Stake President in Nauvoo, and the Presiding High Council, and so he still has been a believing Mormon, he has looked for, you know whatever he considers to be the true Mormonism in all the wrong places as we say. He had been a Srangite, a Thompsonite, other kinds of things. But anyway, he was affiliated with that, and in fact he's probably the guy who gets Emma to be involved and probably there's a lot of reluctance on the part of both Joseph III and Emma, because their husband/father was killed for this, they had been driven out of their homes. There was all kinds of reasons why they were afraid of getting back involved in this kind of thing, but I think that William Marks, the fact that he was on board was probably helpful." JD, "Right, ok. So when they reorganized, did they form themselves in a way that was similar to the way that Joseph was running things, or different, or different from the way we're running things now? Was there a distinction to how they set things up?" JH, "Yeah, so one difference, they did set up more of the original church apparatus, so one thing that happens when the Twelve take over the Nauvoo church, suddenly it becomes kind of an apostolic church. So the First Presidency is no longer becomes its own an independent quorum, it becomes an extension of the apostles. Those are 15 apostles now, and it's the senior most apostle. The First Presidency in the Reorganized Church is simply its own separate quorum. It has nothing to do with the apostles. They have a Presiding High Council, just like in the original church. They have a Presiding Patriarch/Evangelist. In the early church you could use either word and we use the word Patriarch in the LDS Church, they use the word Evangelist in the Community of Christ. But anyway they have a presiding Evangelist eventually. They have one now still today, so there's a couple of differences like that in organization. In some cases, for example Bishops. In the early church Bishops were financial officers and that's the way it is in the Community of Christ. Pastors, that's a weird one. People think—LDS people are like 'pastors, those guys are protestants.' They have pastors.  But if you look at the articles of Faith, the Articles of Faith talk about the original jobs that people have, that are like the early church and one of those is we believe in prophets, I'm sorry in pastors, that's one of those on the list, so pastors is also something they have in the early church, in the Community of Christ." JD, "They still believe in the Book of Mormon, just like the LDS Church, right?" JH, "Absolutely." JD, "Did they just take the Book of Commandment, singular, Book of Commandment?" JH, "Book of Commandments." JD, "They accepted that?" JH, "No, the Doctrine and Covenants. So the Book of Commandments is the early version of the D&C and some of the churches don't believe—so there were significant changes to the revelations in Joseph Smith's lifetime. He felt that it was possible to do that presumably and so they did. So there were big changes. That offended some members in other churches, not the Community of Christ. The Temple Lot Church for example, they don't believe in the D&C, they do believe in the Book of Commandments, but that's not true in the Community of Christ. They use the D&C." JD, "The D&C." JH, "Yeah." JD, "Ok." JH, "Although we should note that the LDS D&C is substantially changed, so there was a whole bunch of different stuff that was added. It's Joseph Smith material, but it's like his letters and other things that got added to the D&C, so it wasn't in the original one and so the Community of Christ doesn't have that in theirs." JD, "Right, ok. So they get to keep Kirtland. Is that right?" JH, "So yes, essentially there's always members in Kirtland. Even when everybody leaves, there's still Mormons of some kind there. They had been members of different churches at certain points; the Strangites organized a stake there, and they had control of the Temple, there's other different little churches that are there, but ultimately, the people that are in Kirtland, the Mormons that are in Kirtland joined with the Reorganization and so it becomes the property of the RLDS Church, and yes, they are in Kirtland." JD, "Ok. At some point, they go to Independence, is that right? JH, "Right." JD, "Do they move there from Nauvoo?" JH, "Well the church is initially headquartered in Nauvoo, so that's where Joseph III continues to live. In kind of a great story, he is actually, so here his dad is assassinated by gentiles there. Yet people are so worried about theocracy, Joseph III ends up becoming a lawyer and actually gets elected Justice of the Peace by those same people. In other words, there's not a Mormon presence anymore. He actually has a nice reconciliation even with Thomas Sharp, who is one of the main anti-Mormon leaders. But anyway, they work on trying to get along with their neighbors, and they continue to be in Nauvoo. They end up leaving Nauvoo because by the time the railroads really become important, Nauvoo becomes just a little backwater. There's nothing you can ever do without a railroad, and there's no railroad, so they moved temporarily to a place called Plano, Illinois. They ultimately found a colony called Lamoni, in Iowa, named for the pacifist king in the Book of Mormon because they'd become interested in peace, and they want to emphasize that, so for that philosophy, they take that name and they found a colony in Iowa which becomes the headquarters of the church. Finally at the end of Joseph's life, he lives an awful long time, so he's living off all the way into the 20th century. In the 20th century, they move to Independence, they want to go back to the center place." JD, "So was it Joseph III who received a revelation that prophetic succession should go through the bloodline? When did that creep in?" JH, "There's no revelation to that effect. So they don't believe that. So essentially what the Community of Christ had always believed was that the prophet had the capacity to designate a successor, and it does say that in the D&C. There's a point in the D&C where it says if Joseph shall fall, he will have no powers save to name a successor. So they believe that the ordination, you know the claim was made anyway that there was a childhood ordination where he had ordained his son to be the successor. So then as prophet, Joseph III creates a much more, he does give a kind of a constitution of what should happen if he were to die. He also ordains a successor, so he ordains his son to be his successor, but it didn't have to be, and in fact there was another member of the First Presidency thought it should be him, and when it wasn't him, he actually broke away from the church. He was a Canadian and so he actually took most of the Canadian Church away with him, and there was a Canadian RLDS Church for a while that finally merged back in. But anyway, there was a possibility that it wouldn't be in the family, right from the start, but it was initially. So, it went from Joseph to Joseph III to his son, and then from his son it went to two of his son's brothers, so actually three of his sons in succession. Because Joseph III had lived so long, and had had kids way late in life, his son only died in the 1970s." JD, "Oh wow!" JH, "So there was actually a grandson of Joseph Smith Jr. still in charge of the church all the way until then. He retired because he was old…" JD, "Ok, wait, wait. We're in the [19]70s now right?" JH, "Yeah. JD, "Ok, let's pause, and let's come back to this ok? Sorry, I don't mean to cut you off." JH, "No, it's ok." JD, "So the defining difference between the two churches in the late 19th century was polygamy, is that right?" JH, "Yes." JD, "Ok, so talk about the tension between the two churches, and the affidavits, and sort of what was going on there that would make Brigham Young or whoever his successors were feel a little bit threatened by what was going on in Independence." JH, "So yes, there was this. The Reorganized church was essentially, almost entirely organized to fight polygamy. They just absolutely hated polygamy. Emma hated polygamy, and her sons hated polygamy. The members were more or all agreed. In fact, when they went out and sent a mission out to Salt Lake they were terrible missionaries, because essentially, the front page of their newspaper was essentially just a screed against polygamy, which is what everybody was doing. I mean that was your family. It wasn't easy to simply 'oh yea you guys are right. I guess polygamy is bad.' There was no way, even if you didn't like Brigham Young, there was not much you could do when you were already a polygamist. So anyway, they were very, very opposed to polygamy, and they would work with the federal government against polygamy." JD, "They were trying to come out to Utah to convert Mormons back to the RLDS church, right?" JH, "Right, yes," JD, "And that made Brigham feel, or whoever his successors were to feel threatened and a little bit nervous?" JH, "Sure, yeah, because a lot of people believed—I mean people still as we've kind of mentioned before, Joseph had a special place. There's no doubt about it. Joseph the prophet was different from other prophets, even Brigham Young, no matter how important Brigham Young had become. So here's his son, I mean some of his sons looked exactly like him. So the people remembered him. There were old-time members. They were moved by that, but ultimate the LDS Church actually did a fantastic job of not losing members to the RLDS Church. In part that was because the RLDS Church was terrible missionaries on this polygamy issue. They were more interested in condemning polygamy than actually bringing people into communion with themselves, and so that was definitely a problem. What did end up happening is that, so Brigham tapped Joseph Fielding Smith, or Joseph F. Smith? Which do you call it Joseph Fielding Smith, or Joseph F. Smith?" JD, "Joseph F. Smith. But really quick, weren't they running around telling people in Utah that Joseph never practiced polygamy, that that was all a lie?" JH, "Yes. Yes. " JD, "So that would be really troubling to the leaders of the LDS Church in Utah." JH, "You know, I don't that is was that troubling because they were wrong. [Hamer and Dehlin both chuckle] In other words, they were discrediting themselves in a way, because they believed, the sons were able to believe that either it didn't happen or ultimately Joseph III is a lawyer, as I mentioned, and lawyers actually make pretty terrible, anyway they have problems as historians because law, the law has a different standard of proof than history can. So his standard of proof was you have to give me a smoking gun. You know, until I have the smoking gun, where's the kids? Where's this? Where's a personal? Where's something I can have as actual legal evidence? I can still in my apologetic way deny that this happened, and I can try to make clear my father's good name and that kind of thing. So they were definitely going around and saying you know that it was something that Brigham Young and the apostles had made up and they were wrong. So in fact actually that discredited them, and that was actually, it helps the LDS leaders." JD, "But still it made Joseph F. Smith be appointed to collect affidavits, right?" JH, "He was definitely going around, and he would actually debate his cousins, so you know Joseph F. Smith is Hyrum's son, and Joseph III is Joseph Jr's, so they are first cousins. They just had a very negative relationship as a result of that. But then the LDS historians went around and just took all kinds of affidavits which are very helpful to us today, because it explains the entire early Nauvoo practice, we wouldn't otherwise really know about it, because it was pretty much kept secret in Nauvoo, but in order to discredit Joseph III and his claims that there was no Nauvoo polygamy, the LDS Church marshaled some very convincing evidence about the practice. We know about it based on that." JD, "So they would go to Joseph's former wives and say, were you married to Joseph Smith? Give me all the details. As I remember they would even say, were you married in all senses of the word as if to say, was there intimacy? Is that right?" JH, "You know, to the extent that you can talk about that kind of thing in Victorian times, they would do it. [Hamer chuckles] Yes, there would be those intimations that you would get, the impression that they were married in all senses of the word in that way. " JD, "So we're grateful for that history that got recorded." JH, "Absolutely." End of Part 1. Â I'll post part 2 shortly. Â I was fascinated to learn that Hyrum would have been the next leader, though as I think about it more, it makes sense. Â Any comments? Wow, I can't believe you went through and transcribed this entire interview. Thank you so much for doing this, MH! It was really cool for me to be able to revisit this conversation with John Dehlin via text. I realize how the story gets told a little differently (than I might have done in a lecture) because John's questions provide a different skeleton on which to hang the narrative than I might otherwise have produced.
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http://mormonheretic.org/2012/05/24/john-hamer-interview-part-1/
December Quote of the Month "…Chance people on the bridges peeping over the parapets into a nether sky of fog, with fog all round them, as if they were up in a balloon, and hanging in the misty clouds." ." — Charles Dickens, Bleak House, 1853 Significant Weather Events 1 December 2000, St. John's, Newfoundland: An early winter storm sweeps across eastern Newfoundland bringing nearly 56 cm (22 inches) of snow to St. John's. The snow and 90 km/h (56 mph) winds cut power to thousands. 1-2 December 1964, Maritime Provinces: Severe windstorm hits the Maritimes packing winds gusting to 160 km/h (100 mph). Three fishing vessels and 23 lives lost. Total damage due to high seas, wind and flooding estimated at over $1 million. 1-2 December 1962, Toronto, Ontario: Severe lakefront fog halts Grey Cup game between Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers with 9:22 left to play. Winnipeg wins the Fog Bowl the following day by a score of 28-27. 2 December 2007, Vancouver Island, British Columbia: More than 30,000 households are without power due to a heavy snowfall. Total accumulations along the eastern shoreline pile up to 52 centimetres (20.5 inches) in Campbell River, 44 centimetres (17.3 inches) in Comox and 32 centimetres (12.6 inches) in Shawnigan Lake. 3 December 1982, Southern Ontario: Record warm December day sees highs of 22.5°C (72.5°F) in Hamilton and 20°C (68°F) in Toronto. 3 December 2007, Pincher Creek, Alberta: Temperatures in Pincher Creek go on a fast rollercoaster ride this December day. At 2 PM, the temperature stood at -14°C (7°F), but in less than an hour, it had soared to the freezing mark 0°C (32°F). The "warmth" increased to 7°C (45°F) by 7:30 PM, then began a steep plunge to -13°C (9°F) less than 20 minutes later. 5 December 2009, Alberta: Albertans are digging out from a severe winter storm that dumps as much as 30 centimetres (12 inches) of snow on some parts of the province. Blizzard-like conditions create havoc on streets in Calgary and Edmonton 6-8 December 2003, Moncton, New Brunswick: A major Nor'easter snowstorm wallops regions of the Maritimes Moncton receives 61 cm (24 inches) of snow. Whipped by winds of up to 100 km/h (60 mph), the snow grounds planes and cuts power to thousands. 8 December 2010, Victoria, British Columbia: Heavy rain drench the British Columbia capital region with 29 and 34 millmetres (1.14-1.34 inches) of rain flooding streets and basements in low-lying areas. The rain is accompanied by winds of up to 50 km/h (30 mph). 8 December 2011, Southeastern Labrador: A very intense low pressure system crosses Southeastern Labrador bringing snow, freezing rain, and rain and high winds that gusted to 100 km/h (62 mph) in the Gander region. 7-8 December 2006, London, Ontario: London requires its first "snow day" in 25 years as over 40 cm (15.7 inches) of snow blanket the city in under 24 hours in a classic lake-effect snowburst. Unofficial observations report more than 65 cm (25.6 inches) in some areas of the city. 8-9 December 1913, Prince Rupert, British Columbia: Canada's rainiest city lives up to its reputation as heavy rains totally more than 100 mm (4 inches) cause mudslide and train derailments in the area. 10 December 1975, Halifax, Nova Scotia: A December deluge swamps Halifax with 98.8 mm (3.89 inches) of rain, the wettest December day to date. 11 December 1944, Toronto, Ontario: A major winter storm dumps 48 cm (18.9 inches) of snow on downtown Toronto, and gale-force winds pile it into huge drifts. A total of 57.2 cm (22.5 inches) falls over two days. 12 December 1946, Exeter, Ontario: The lastest tornado ever experienced in Ontario touchs down in the southwestern communities of Exeter. 13 December 1944, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories: Warmest December day on record when the daily high soars to 2.8 °C (37°F). 13-15 December 2010, New Brunswick: Intense winds damages buildings and knocks out power to thousands in the Maritimes, while heavy rain trigger localized flooding. In St. Stephen, New Brunswick, nearly 180 mm (7.09 inches) of rain has fallen, triggering localized flooding. Impressive rainfall in Fredericton NB, totalled more than 105 mm (4.13 inches). 14 December 2001, Southwestern British Columbia: A fierce wind storm blacks out 175,000 BC Hydro customers — the worst power failure in years. Winds observed at Vancouver International Airport reach 81 km/h (50 mph) and peak at 143 km/h (89 mph) on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. 14-15 December 2005, Montreal, Quebec: During morning rush hour, Montreal drivers see snow fall at the phenomenal rate of 8 cm (3.1 inches) an hour. Over a mere 11 hours, the city looks over a record-breaking 41 cm (16.1 inches) of snow. 15 December 1964, Southern Prairies: The "Great Blizzard" lashes the southern Prairie Provinces with heavy snow, 90 km/h (55 mph) winds and -34°C (-29°F) temperatures. Three people freeze to death and thousands of animals perish. 15 December 2006, Montreal, Quebec: An unusual thunder and lightning storm passes over Montreal as temperatures rise to a balmy and record 11.8°C (53°F). 15 December 2010, Laborador and Quebec: An extraordinarily strong high pressure with central barometric readings of 1068 mb (31.54 inches) is producing powerful and unseasonably mild easterly winds off the Atlantic into Labrador and Quebec, Canada. Temperatures there and in southern Greenland peak near 4.4 °C (40°F). Temperature reports from a ship on the North Atlantic within the high pressure's strong circulation show an air temperature of 15.6°C (60°F). 16 December 1933, Coastal British Columbia: A violent Pacific storm blows gale-force winds across the British Columbia coast. Accompanied by rain and snow, the storm knocks out electrical and telephone service to much of the region. In Vancouver, the storm tears down the trolley lines, temporarily disrupting service. 16-17 December 2010, Coral Harbour, Nunavut: Record warmth covers large portions of the eastern Canadian Arctic such as Kugaaruk Airport, Resolute Airport, Rowley Island and Shepherd Bay Island. New maximum temperature records are established at Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada with a reading of -1°C (30.2°F) and 3.3°C (38°F), respectively. 18 December 2000, St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay and Lac St. Jean regions, Quebec: Hurricane-force winds from an intense winter storm rips off roofs and siding and knocks out power to more than 180,000 homes. 19 December 1983, Coronation, Alberta: Coldest day in 99 years as thermometer falls to minus 41°C (minus 42°F). 19 December 2006, Vancouver, British Columbia: Vancouver's famous Stanley Park loses more than 1,000 trees, after a series of storms battered the West Coast with near-hurricane force winds. One fallen hemlock tree is estimated to be more than 200 years old. 21-29 December 1996, Victoria, British Columbia: Two major snowstorms dumps 124 cm (49 inches) on the city during the last week of 1996. However, Christmas Day is green. The 24-hour fall on the 29th of 64.5 cm (25 inches) completely shuts down the city for several days. 22 December 2005, Saanich, British Columbia: A freak winter lightning strike splinters a tree and knocks out power to 1800 customers in Greater Victoria. The resulting boom of thunder disrupts my afternoon nap, I thought something had exploded. 22 December 2008, The Maritimes: Hurricane-strength winds from a major winter storm lashing the Maritimes leaves about 30,000 homes and businesses without electricity in Nova Scotia, as well as some 8,000 power customers in New Brunswick and hundreds of others in PEI without power. The winter storm generates a 163 m/h (100 mph) wind gust in Cape Breton Island and storm surges along Newfoundland's south coast. 23 December 1884, Regina, Saskatchewan: Overnight temperatures plummets to down to minus 48.3°C (minus 55°F), the coldest December night on record. 23 December 2005, Saanich, British Columbia: Late afternoon lighting strikes knocks out power to 1800 customers in Saanich, just north of Victoria. The bolts knocked out traffic signals at a dozen major intersections during the afternoon rush hour. One bolt shorted out the transformer at the WalMart store, causing an evacuation. 23 December 2009, New Brunswick: While rain falls in northern New Brunswick, residents in the south are assurred of a White Christmas as St Léonard receives 21 cm (8.3 inches); Fredricton, 24 cm (9.4 inches); and Saint John 10 cm (4 inches) at the airport and 15 cm (6inches) near the city. 24 December 1986, Ottawa Valley, Ontario and SW Quebec: Severe ice storm hits the region on Christmas Eve, forcing many residents to barbecue their holiday turkey as power is lost for 25 percent of the residents. 30 mm (1.18 inches) of freezing rain accumulates over nearly 14 hours of precipitation. 24 December 2011, Saskatchewan: Areas of Saskatchewan experience the warmest Christmas Eve on record. Records fall in Regina, Saskatoon and Kindersley, with Saskatoon one of the warmest spots in the Prairies, reaching a high of 7°C (44.6°F) 24-25 December 2010, Mount Washington Alpine Resort, Vancouver Island, British Columbia: Mount Washington Alpine Resort staff are digging after a record snowfall, which began in earnest on Christmas Eve, leaving more than 3 meters, (10 feet) of fresh snow on the Vancouver Island site. Many cars are buried and have to be located before they are dug out. After the storm, the resort's snow depth measures 520 cm (205 inches), the deepest snowpack of any ski resort in the world at the time. 25 December 1973, Vancouver, British Columbia: Dreaming of a very wet Christmas? Vancouver receives 89.4 mm (3.51 inches) of rain. 25 December 1997, Edmonton, Alberta: Christmas Day temperature rises to 6.8°C (44°F) at noon, leaving area residents with the first brown Christmas in 100 years. 25 December 2003, Greenwood, Nova Scotia: No white Christmas in Nova Scotia as temperatures across the province rise to double digits. Greenwood leads the pack of daily record highs with a reading of 14.9°C (59°F). 27 December 2004, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island: A major nor'easter buries the Charlottetown area with as much as 54 cm (21.3 inches) of snow. The misery is compounded by winds gusting to 118 km/h (74 mph) causing white-out conditions and road closures. 27 December 1948, Resolute, Nunavut: Resolute's coldest December day as the temperature plunges to -46.1°C (-50.1°F) . 28 December 2007, Newfoundland and Labrador A major post-Christmas snowstorm strikes Newfoundland closing businesses and government offices and delaying or cancelling flights in St. John's. Generally more than 15 centimetres (6 inches) of snow. falls on the Avalon Peninsula, the Bonavista Peninsula, Clarenville and Terra Nova. Among the deepest accumulations are 42.2 cm (16.6 inches) at Bonavista, 34.5 cm (13.6 inches) at Terra Nova, 32 cm (12.7 inches) at St. John's, and 22.6 cm (8.9 inches) at Gander. 28 December 2011, Southwest British Columbia: Numerous high temperature records fall with North Cowichan on Vancouver Island the nation's warmest spot at 13.5°C (56.3°F). Records are also broken in Hope, Squamish, Comox, Powell River and Vancouver . 28-30 December 1942, Eastern Ontario: Ice covers trees telephone wires, and railway tracks "as thick as a person's wrist." In Ottawa, 50,000 walk to work for five days. 29 December 1933, Ontario: Ontario's coldest day on record as fourteen sites record their coldest-ever temperature, including Ottawa at -38.9°C (-38°F) and Algonquin Park at -45.0°C (-49°F). 29 December 1991, Terrace, British Columbia: Terrace records is 58th consecutive day of precipitation. The streak began on 2 November. 1 December 1987, Quillayute, Washington: The lowest air pressure recorded on land to date in the continental United States: 28.40 inches Hg (96.17 kPa). 1 December 2011, Seattle, Washington: Around midnight the barometric pressure peaked at Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 30.80 inches Hg (1043.4 mb/ hPa) --- only 1 mb short of the all-time high pressure record for Seattle. 1 December 2010, Southwestern States: Record cold strikes the US Southwest with readings in Nevada of -7°F (-21.7°C) at Spring Valley; -4°F (-20°C) at Ruth; and 2°F (-16.7°C) at Lund. The thermometer dipped to 15°F (-9.4°C) at Bowie Arizona, a new record low. 1-6 December 1913, Denver, Colorado: A six-day, front-range snowstorm dumps a record total of 45.7 inches (116 cm) on Denver, the most snow ever recorded in a single Denver snowstorm. 2 December 1896, Southeast States: An early season snow and ice storm strikes the southeastern US. It dumps 11 inches (28 cm) of snow on Charlotte North Carolina, and 6 inches (15 cm) at Atlanta, Georgia 2 December 1950, Southern Illinois: Three tornadoes swirl across Illinois counties of Bond, Macoupin and Madison; three die and 25 are injured. One death occurs in a car tossed 200 yards near Mt Olive. 2 December 1950, St Louis, Missouri: Severe thunderstorm produces extensive hail damage in St Louis, the $4 million damage price tag was the worst hailstorm on record to that date for the city. 2 December 2007, Seaside, Oregon: A giant Sitka spruce known as the "Klootchy Creek Giant" snaps nearly in half under stron winds. The tree, the largest, in Oregon, stood 200 feet (61 m) tall and wa estimated to be 500 to 750 years old, near the end of its life cycle. 2 December 2009, Lewistown, Pennsylvania: Weather is a likely factor in a freight train derailment in central Pennsylvania, near Lewistown. Twenty-eight of the train's 112 cars derail, spilling a significant amount of grain and polypropylene pellets Doppler radar suggests wind speeds of up to 65 mph (105 km/h) in the vicinity of the derailment 3 December 1926, Yuma, Arizona: Yuma records 1.10 inches (27.9 mm) of rain; by month's end it will be the wettest December of record. 5 December 1953, Vicksburg, Mississippi: A devastating tornado rips through Vicksburg causing the most damage since a 47-day shelling during the Civil War. It kills 38 persons, injures 270 others, and causes 25 million dollars in damage. 5 December 2007, Kahului, Hawaii: Kahului. located on Maui receives 1.32 inches (33.5 mm) of rain, breaking the daily maximum precipitation record for the date. 5 December 2007, Grand Forks, North Dakota:.The morning temperature at Grand Forks bottoms out at -19°F (-28.3°C) shattering the previous record low set in 1972. It is the third time in five days that Grand Forks has set a low temperature record. 5-7 December 2003, New York and New England: The greatest Nor'easter snowstorm in recent memory strikes New York and New England. In Central Park, New York City, the accumulation reaches 14 inches (35.6 cm). The greatest accumulation buries Pinkham Notch at Mount Washington in New Hampshire: 47 inches (119.4 cm). 5-7 December 2003, Providence, Rhode Island: Providence records its greatest single snowstorm on record with 17 inches (43.2 cm). 6 December 1970, Washington, DC: A windstorm topples the National Christmas Tree at the White House. 6 December 2010, Western Michigan: Snowfall in the Lake Michigan snow belt has topped a foot (30 cm) or more from 16 inches (40.6 cm) near Hamilton to15 inches (38.1 cm) just northeast of Holland ; and 12 inches (30.5 cm) in the Allegan and Logan areas. 6 December 2010, Valdez, Alaska: The barometric pressure reaches 30.57 inches Hg (1035.07 mb ), a new high-pressure record for the month of December at that station. 7 December 1989, Winfield, Kansas: A winter storm moving out of the Rockies dumps 7.5 inches (19 cm) of snow on Winfield. 7 December 2010, Florida: The combination of cold air advection and a dry air mass allows nighttime radiative cooling that resultsd in record low morning temperatures. These include 31°F (-0.6°C) at Vero Beach, 39°F (3.9°C) at Naples; and 43°F (6.1°C) at Miami Beach. 7-8 December 2006, Valentine, Nebraska: Valentine residents experience and 80 F degree (44.4 C degree) temperature rise over two days as the recorded low of -14°F (-25.6°C) Thursday morning is followed by a 66°F (18.9°C) high on Friday. 8 December 1938, La Mesa, California: Temperature reaches a high of 100°F (37.7°C). 8 December 2010, Syracuse, New York: For the third consecutive day, Syracuse sets a new record snowfall accumulation as persistent northwesterly flow across Lake Ontario brings heavy lake effect snows across central New York State. The 14.9 inches (37.8 cm) that fell shattered the day's previous record. The day is also now Syracuse's fourth snowiest December day on record. Dec. 30, 1997, holds the top spot with 18.6 inches. With this accumulation, Syracuse's four-day snow total has reached 43.2 inches(109.7 cm), which is just shy of the city's all-time four-day snowfall record. 9 December 1786, Morristown, New Jersey: A second major snowstorm in less than a week brings an additional 15 inches (38 cm) of snow on top of the 8 inches (20 cm) that fell on the previous two days, and the 18 inches (46 cm) which fell on the 4th and 5th. The week's snowfall totaled 41inches (194 cm). 9-10 December 1879, Chicago, Illinois: Chicago sets record highs for both 9 and 10 December, and they occur but minutes apart. During the late evening of the 9th, southerly winds bring warm air into the city. The thermometer peaks at 62°F (16.7°C) just before midnight and remains there into the wee hours of the 10th before a cold front brings colder temperatures that morning. 9 December 2010, Fort Yukon, Alaska: Fort Yukon's temperature "extremes" for the day report a high of -46°F (-43.3°C) with a low of -53°F (-47.2°C) 10 December 1699, Boston, Massachusetts: A severe ice storm hits the region, causing much damage to local orchards. 10 December 1919, Bend, Oregon: A new 24-hour snowfall record for the state is set when Bend records 28 inches (71.1 cm). 11 December 1989, California: Strong Santa Ana winds blow across southern and parts of central California. In Kern County they gust to 100 mph (160 km/h) near Grapevine. The high winds raise dust that reduces visibilities to near zero in the desert areas closing the major interstate highways east of Ontario. 11 December 2010, Yazoo City, Mississippi: Incredibly, residents of Yazoo City again find themselves under a tornado warning. The community was devastated by an EF-4 tornado in April, then hit by an EF-2 in November. National Weather Service spotters report tree damage just south of town. 12 December 1969, Des Moines to Kent, Washington: Forming as a waterspout over Puget Sound, south of Seattle, a tornado — the worst on record for western Washington — races five miles (8 km) from Des Moines to Kent. Reported as 50 to 200 yards (45-182 m) wide, the tornado injures one person and causes half a million dollars damage. 12 December 2010, Minneapolis, Minnesota: Snow buildup on the Metrodome roof caused the roof to collapse with damage to two of the Teflon panels prior to a scheduled Monday night football game between the Vikings and the New York Giants. However, blizzard conditions closed the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport thus diverting the plane carrying the New York Giants football team to Kansas City. The game was postponed and eventually played in Detroit, Michigan. 12-20 December 1967, Flagstaff, Arizona: A series of snow storms buries Flagstaff with 86.0 inches (218 cm) of snow. 13 December 1987, New Mexico: A major early winter storm dumps 25 inches (64 cm) of snow at Cedar Crest, New Mexico with up to three feet (90 cm) reported in the higher elevations. Winds of 75 mph, with gusts to 124 mph, buffet the region northeast of Albuquerque. 14 December 2010, Marion County, Oregon: A thunderstorm cell tracks across Marion County, Oregon, just south of Salem, and produces a rare and damaging twister of EF2 intensity around 11:30 am at Aumsville. Fifty buildings are reported damaged. The tornado knocks down trees and power lines, tossing debris onto nearby highways. 15 December 1839, Gloucester, Massachusetts: The first of eight major storms to hit eastern Massachusetts during the month devastates the harbor at Gloucester. Winds estimated as "whole gales" dismantle, drive ashore or push out to sea at least 50 vessels resulting in a death toll estimated around 50. 14-17 December 1945, Buffalo, New York: A relentless December snowstorm burys Buffalo under 36.6 inches (93 cm) of snow, with unofficial totals south of the city ranging up to 70 inches (178 cm). 16 December 1988, Fairbanks, Alaska: City reports freezing rain and record warm temperatures with the afternoon high of 41 °F (5°C). Maximum temperature was 43 F° (23.9C°) above normal. 16 December 2010, San Juan, Puerto Rico: San Juan registers the coolest December 15th afternoon in 112 years with a reading of 76 F° (24.4C°). 17 December 1884, Springfield, Illinois: Two inches of ice cover the ground in the Illinois capitol as a severe ice storm strikes central Illinois. The storm inflicts 21 million dollars damage along with much hardship. 18 December 1919, New York, New York: The Central Park temperature drops to one degree below zero F (minus 18.3C°), the earliest sub-zero temperature in the city on record. 19 December 1924, Yellowstone Park, Wyoming: The Riverside Ranger Station reports a low of 59 degrees below zero F (minus 50.6C°), a December record for the US. 19 December 2009, Washington DC: On the cusp of the winter solstice, a major snow storm dropped 15.7 inches (40 cm) of snow on Reagan National Airport outside Washington — the greatest single-day snowfall ever recorded there in December A snowball fight in Washington prompts a DC police officer to pull out his gun, according to the Washington Post. A group of people throwing snowballs, aimed one at a passing Hummer driven by an off-duty police detective. 19-20 December 2010, The Sierra Mountains: A large, moisture-laden Pacific storm known as a "Pineapple Express" brings huge snowfall to the Sierra Mountains. Snowfall reachs 51 inches (129.5 cm) at Mammoth Lakes in the California Sierras while 20 inches (50.8 cm) fell at Ketchum, Idaho and 15 inches (38.1 cm) at Truckee, California. Bodie California set a new daily snowfall record on the 19th with 21 inches (53.3 cm); as did Virginia City, Nevada with 10 inches (25.4 cm). Mammoth Lakes Alpine Meadows, Tahoe, California, and Mt. Rose, Nevada also joined the "50 inch (127 cm) club" As of early Sunday, an impressive 9 feet (2.74 metres) of snow has piled up on the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort summit. The total snowfall from the 17th to the 20th measures 162 inches (411 cm). 19-20 December 2011, Pietown, New Mexico: Pietown residents see 24 inches (61 cm) of snowfall bury the community. Several other sites in New Mexico receive at least 12 inches (30 cm). 20 December 1836, Central Illinois: A famous cold wave sweeps across central Illinois. The cold front with 70 mph (112 km/h) winds passes through at midday dropping the temperature from 40°F (4°C) to near zero (minus 18°C) in a matter of minutes. Many settlers reported frozen to death. Folklore tells of chickens frozen in their tracks and men frozen to saddles. Ice in streams reported six inches (15 cm) thick in a few hours. 21 December 1892, Portland Oregon: A record snowstorm strikes Portland. By the time it ends four days later, the city is buried under 27.5 inches (69.9 cm) of snow. 22 December 1989, Across America: Another intense pre-Christmas cold wave as 135 cities crack their record low temperature for the date, 35 set record December lows Kansas and Missouri are especially hit. In Kansas, Concordia and Goodland plummets to minus 26°F (minus 32.2°C) and minus 27°F (minus 32.8°C), respectively. Both establish all time record lows for the community. locations. In Kansas City, Missouri, the morning bottoms at minus 23°F (minus 30.6°C). 22 December 1989, Cutbank, Montana: A rapid temperature rise brought by chinook winds spikes the temperature in Cutbank by 74 F° (41.1 C°). After a shivering morning low of minus 34 the afternoon high is a relatively balmy 40°F above zero (4.4°C). 22 December 2005, Southern Illinois: A fast moving snowstorm across the Midwest and Ohio Valley becomes the most significant snowstorm on record for southern sections of Illinois. Snowfall records are set at Carbondale (12 inches (30 cm)), McLeansboro (14 inches (36 cm)), and Carmi (18 inches (46 cm)). 22 December 2008, Wisconsin: Most of Wisconsin shivers as temperatures fell to below zero Fahrenheit (-18°C) with even colder windchill temperatures. The only parts of the state with above zero readings are in cities along Lake Michigan. The low temperatures hit -13°F (-25°C) in Hayward and -12°F (24.4°C) in La Crosse. . 24 December 1983, Chicago, Illinois: Even Santa's reindeer needed toques as the daytime high only reached -11°F (-23.9°C) this Christmas Eve. It ties with 18 January 1993 for the coldest high temperature ever experienced in the Windy City. Christmas Day would only reach -5°F (-20.6°C) 24-25 December 2004, Victoria, Texas: Victoria residents awake to their first white Christmas in 86 years when south Texas receives a rare blanket of snow that reachs 13 inches (33 cm) deep in the region. 24-25 December 2009, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: How would Will have commented on this? An amazing 14.1 inches of snow buries Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, breaknig the previous record of 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) which fell on Christmas Eve back in 1914. This snowfall also is the greatest snowfall ever measured in 24 hours at this location. 24-25 December 2010, Eastern and Southern States: A major winter storm dropped a White Christmas on many areas of the United States east of the Mississippi. On Christmas Day alone, 110 new daily snowfall records are set. Chicago sees its snowiest Christmas Eve in 13 years as area totals top 3 inches (7.6 cm). Columbia, South Carolina had its first significant Christmas snow since weather records began in 1887.Among the snowfall records set in the South are Ashville NC, 6.5 inches (16.5 cm); Huntsville AL, 4.5 inches (11.4 cm); Lambert MS, 2.2 inches (5.6 cm); Athens GA, 2.0 inches (5.1 cm); Tupelo MS, 1.4 inches (3.6 cm); and Atlanta GA, 1.2 inches (3.0 cm). Atlanta's snow is the first measurable accumulation on Christmas Day since 1881. 25 December 1988, Las Vegas, Nevada: A massive winter storm produces a white Christmas in Las Vegas for the first time of record. 25 December 2004, New Orleans, Louisiana: Residents of the Big Easy are astonished to see snow falling steadily on Christmas Day, the first Christmas snow in half a century and the first snowfall in 15 years in the city. New Orleans' transit system halts all buses and streetcars due to the sleet, icy streets and rail tracks. 25-27 December 1987, Oklahoma: Ice Storm coats a swath of Oklahoma from near Duncan through Norman to Tulsa with up to 2 inches (5 cm) of ice. Many areas are without power for a week or more. 26 December 2001, Buffalo, New York: The official snow total for the five-day, lake-effect storm, which struck the Buffalo area beginning Christmas Eve, is officially reported as 81.5 inches (207 cm), according to the US National Weather Service. At least four deaths are blamed on the weather and over $10 million are needed for clean-up. 26 December 2010, The Nation: The US average snow coverage in the contiguous states on Christmas Day is usually between 25 and 35 percent. However, this year, the total was 50.2 percent as a major winter storm crossed the South and Southeast States. The percentage increased to 52.9 percent on the 26th as the storm moved up the East Coast. According to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center, 46 of the 50 states reported snowfall and/or snow cover within their borders on Christmas Day, and this includes Hawaii, Georgia and Alabama. 27 December 1988, Mississippi: A dozen tornadoes rage across Mississippi between early afternoon and sunrise the following day. One at Harperville destroys five chicken homes killing thousands of chickens. 27 December 2010, High Springs, Florida: High Springs ties its coldest high temperature record of 38 °F (3.3°C) ever, in any month.. 28 December 1996, Pacific Northwest: The same storm that buries southern Vancouver Island ruins the holiday period for many in Oregon and Washington as well. Freezing rain and snow across western Washington and Oregon strand travelers and cut power to over 300,000 homes. Parts of western Washington receives over 15 inches (38 cm) of snow while over 2 inches (50 mm) of freezing rain crust 8 inches (20 cm) of snow in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. 28 December 2004, Los Angeles, California: Los Angeles receives 5.55 inches (141 mm) of rain, the most on record for any December day and the third wettest day since records began in 1877. 29 December 2006, Albuquerque, New Mexico: Albequerque, breaks its all-time 24-hour snowfall record with 10.5 inches (26.7 cm) of snow. The accumulation lifted their monthly total to 14.8 inches (37.6 cm), breaking their all-time monthly snowfall record as well. The record would be short-lived as another 15.6 inches (39.6 cm) of snow would fall there on the 31st. 30 December 2003, Las Vegas, Nevada: For the first time in five years, sections of Las Vegas receive an inch or two (3-5 cm) of snow on cars, roads, sidewalks and trees, while snow flurries fell on downtown and the legendary Strip. 31 December 2010, Plains and Mississippi Valley States: The National Severe Storms Center confirms 47 tornado reports and 26 confirmed tornadoes, including six tornadoes having an EF-3 Fujita rating, strike across Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi on New Years Eve, causing at least six fatalities. For More Extreme Weather Events, Order This Relevant Book Chosen by The Weather Doctor 1 December 1990, Mobara, Japan: An F4 tornado strikes this coastal city leaving 100 injured and over 1000 homes destroyed. 1 December 2010, Western Europe: A mammoth winter storm blasting a wide swath of Europe drops significant snowfalls that close many major airports. Parts of Italy have reported over 76 cm (30 inches) of snow on the ground. Germany has areas with over 63.5 (25 inches) of snow on the ground. Northern Britain and France have over 25.4 cm (10 inches).. In Lyon, France, around 30 centimetres (12 inches) has fallen. Two thousands traffic accidents have been linked to the weather in Germany. 3 December 2007, Sydney, Australia: Heavy rainfall triggers flash floods across Sydney. In less than half an hour, areas of western Sydney receive as much as 21 mm (0.8 inches) of rain. 3 December 2009, Moscow, Russia: Moscow experiences the warmest December day in recorded history. Muscovites walk without their fur coats as the temperature rose to 10°C (50°F). 4 December 1953, The Netherlands: The hottest December day on record in The Netherlands when temperatures reach 17.8°C (64°F) in Buchten. 4 December 2006, Alexandria, Egypt: Aymen Ibrahem, an astronomer at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina rushes outside during a rainstorm in hopes of photograph a rainbow. Instead he found a rare funnel cloud in the sky. It is unknown whether the funnel cloud touched down as a tornado. 4 to 9 December 1952, London, England:Killer Smog settles on London. 3,500-4,000 die, mostly children and the elderly, from acute bronchitis caused by the smog. 4 to 6 December 1962, London, England: London experiences its worst spell of fog since the aforementioned Killer Smog of 1952. 5 December 1999, Denmark: Fierce winter storm, the worst storm in Denmark this century, with winds of up to 179 km/h (109 mph) batters Denmark leaving six people dead and many injured. Damage estimated at more than one billion crowns ($US134.5 million). Sea level rises more than 5 meters (16.5 feet) above normal on the Danish west coast. 1-7 December 2010, United Kingdom: The first week of December 2010 is the coldest opening week of December in central England since 1879 with temperatures plunging to -15°C (5°F) . Elsewhere in the UK, temperatures have dived as low as -20.6°C (-5°F) in the Scottish Highlands and to nearly -17.8°C (0.6°F) ) in northern England and Wales. 8 December 2002, Guam: Super Typhoon Pongsona crosses Guam as one of the worst typhoons to ever strike the island. It gains super-typhoon status with maximum sustained winds of 240 km/hr (150 mph). Tiyan records 500 mm (19.67 inches) of rain, a new record for daily rainfall during December. 8 December 2010, Genil River, Spain: Torrential rains triggered heavy floods in Spain killing at least one person and forcing hundreds to flee their homes. The Genil river burst its banks in Andalucia and flooded the Seville town of Ecija. 8 December 2010, Tomar, Portugal: A tornado lashes Tomar and other central cities, leaving a trail of destruction and injuring at least 30 people. Most of the wounded are children at a local nursery school where the roof collapsed. 8 December 2010, Panama: The Panama Canal has been closed for the third time in its history due to flooding rain. A nearly stationary area of low pressure drops 111.5 mm (4.39 inches) of rain on Tocumen, Panama, in 24 hours. 8 December 2011, Scotland: Hurricane-force gusts rake Scotland as a major wintry storm, locally dubbed Hurricane Bawbag, moves across the British Isles. Wind speeds top 168 km/h (105 mph) at Tulloch Bridge in Inverness, northern Scotland with gusts to 264 km/h (165 mph) on Cairngorm, a mountain in central Scotland. 9 December 2002, Tokyo, Japan: Snow causes havoc in Tokyo. For the first time in more than a decade, snow falls in December. Although it totals less than 3 cm (1 inch), 208 people are injure in accidents blamed on the snow. 9 December 2002, Novorosisk, Russia: Severe icing conditions and wind gusts of up to 180 km/h (112 mph) cause two Russian naval vessels to freeze over, list and then sink in this southern Black Sea port. The crews of the patrol boat and exploration craft are safely evacuated. 11 December 2008, Rome, Italy: A rainstorm deluges Rome with nearly 102 mm (4 inches) over areas of Rome in a eight-hourperiod. Flash floods caused by the downpour inundate streets, homes, and businesses in Rome, forcing the city to declare a state of emergency. 11 December 2010, Greece: A sudden cold front sweeps across Greece, bringing the first winter snow.falls and causing temperatures to plummeted after a relatively mild start to the monthTemperatures drop to 2°C (35.6°F) in Athens and -8°C (17.6°F) in northern Greece. Snowfall and cold heavy winds are reported across the country. 11 December 2010, Israel and Palestine: Israelis and Palestinians wake to their first winter storm, which came unusually late this year. Temperatures drop to 4°C (39°F) in the Safed area, and waves in the Mediterranean sea reach a record 8.5 meters (28 feet). In Tel Aviv, shoreline restaurants are heavily damaged by wind, losing furniture and windows. 11-12 December 2007, Dominican Republic: Tropical Storm Olga dumps heavy rain across the Dominican Republic. The rapid accumulation of water in the Tavera Dam, forced officials, fearing a dam collapse would flood Santiago the nation's second-largest city, to make the drastic decision to release the water from the dam into the Yaque del Norte River and thus inundating seven towns. The flooding affected more than 34,000 people, killed 20 people and damaged nearly 7,000 homes. 12 December 2007, Damascus, Syria: Schools and stores close as snow hits Syria for the first time in two years. Snow covers the Syrian capital of Damascus closing schools, stores and many companies. The Syrian Weather Agency says this was the first time Damascus has seen this type of snowfall in 25 years. 13 December 1941, Peru: A glacial lake high in the Peruvian Cordillera Blanca Mountains bursts its banks, triggering a flood that kills an estimated 5,000 people. 13 December 1997, Northern Mexico: A rare cold snap and snowstorm struck northern Mexico, leaving 12 people dead and the area paralyzed. The city of Guadalajara reported snow for the first time since 1881. Chihuahua residents see temperatures plunge to -15 °C (5 °F). 15-16 December 2009, Mallorca: Heavy rain falling on the island over two days cause roads to close and force 120 people to evacuate their flooded homes. The heavy downpours may have caused the upper floors of a closed hotel to collapse, killing four workers. 15-17 December 2011, France and Germany: A severe winter storm, dubbed Joachim, blasts France and Germany with gale-force winds as high as 130km/h (81 mph), torrential rain and some snow. The storm severely disrupts transportation, sending a cargo ship, the 109-metre TK Bremen aground off Brittany. 15-23 December 2003, United Kingdom: Cold, snowy weather across parts of the United Kingdom are deemed responsible for as many as 2,500 deaths. 16 December 2010, Cuba: Record breaking cold weather engulfs Cuba in all 41 Cuban departments with the coldest reading in Colon, 160 kilometres (100 miles) east of Havana, where a low of 1.9°C (35°F) occurred overnight. The Meteorological Institute of Cuba confinrmed 31 new minimum temperature records for December across the country with 22 being records for the month of December and 9 being the coldest day ever recorded. 16 December 2010, Australia: Hail and lightning storms make news across the Land Down Under. In western Sydney, golf ball-sized hailstorms dents cars and creates holes in roofs, leaving some houses without electricity. Southeast Queensland is also hit by hailstorms with winds up to 90 km/h (56 mph) in some areas. In New South Wales a golfer is struck and killed by lightning, while two others are injured. 16-17 December 1997, Guam: Typhoon Paka deluges Guam with nearly 535 mm (21 inches) of rain observed at Tiyan before instrumentation failed 2 hours before Paka's eye passed to the south. Unofficial sources at Andersen Air Force Base believe that wind gusts may have reached 380 kph (236.7 mph) during the height of the storm. 17 December 2001, Greece and Turkey: Snow, gale-force winds and heavy rain sweep across Greece and Turkey. Two days of heavy snowfall and temperatures as low as -10 °C (14 °F) force closure of all northern Greek airports and all schools in northwestern Greece. 120 people are trapped on a train in Northern Greece halted by 2 metres (6.6 ft) of snow. 17 December 2010, Rome, Italy: Dropping temperature turn many Roman fountains and statues into ice to the delight of locals and tourists. 17 December 2010, Italy: The biggest snowfall since 1985 buries Florence. At Prato in Tuscany, 37.9 cm (11 inches) of snow falls in just 8 hours. Thousands of drivers are stuck in long traffic jams on the highway between Florence and Bologna. Airports in Florence and Pisa close due to snow and bad visibility. The storm will eventually leave as much as 60 cm (24 inches) in areas along the Adriatic Coast. 18 December 2009, Ayacucho, Peru: Heavy rainfall in the Peruvian Andes produces flooding and landslides in the city of Ayacucho. At least 9 people die as a torrent of mud sweeping through the city destroys dozens of homes and businesses. 19 December 2001, Tosontsengel, Mongolia: A new world's record high sea-level pressure may have been established in the northwest Mongolia city of Tosontsengel, about 680 km (420 miles) west of the Mongolian capital of Ulanbataar. At 2 am local time, the sea-level pressure registered 1085.6 mb (32.06 inches Hg). The reading, as far as I know, has not been certified as breaking the old mark set 31 December 1968. 19-23 December 2002, Beijing, China: Beijing experiences its longest string of snow days in 53 years, five consecutive days. 20-25 December 2005, Japan: Heavy snowfall in December reaches near record levels. In the western prefecture of Fukui, more than 200 cm (78 inches) of snow accumulates. Snow-related power outages hit 650,000 homes and businesses in the northern prefecture of Niigata. On the 25th, an express train derails in northern Japan due to the snow. Six fatalities are blamed on the severe winter weather. 21 December 2006, London, England: Fog that brought visibility to as low as 115 metres (377 ft) causes the cancellation of hundreds of flights at London's Heathrow Airport for a fourth successive day disrupting the plans of holiday travelers. Visiblilites below 1000 m (0.6 mile) are generally considered disruptive for flights. 21 December 2011, Roebourne, Australia: The Western Australia town of Roebourne swelters under heat that reaches 49.4°C (121 °F), the state's hottest December day on record and just shy of the national record for December. 22 December 2002, Teresopolis, Brazil: Heavy rains produce flash flooding in this mountain city about 90 km (56 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro. A resulting mudslide is responsible for 9 deaths and 50 injuries. 22 December 2003, Yorkshire, England: As much as 30 cm (12 inches) of snow accumulate across the Yorkshire Moors. 22 December 2009, Cerkhoyansk, Russia: Cerkhoyansk reaches a high of only -46.7°C (-52°F). 24 December 1962, Glasgow, Scotland: A band of precipitation over northern Scotland turns to snow, giving Glasgow its first white Christmas since 1938. 24-25 December 1927, Findon, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Christmas Eve Blizzard buries the region. Driven by gale winds, the deep and drifting snow cuts off Findon. One hundred men are employed to remove the great snowfall from roads. 24-25 December 2010, Paris, France: Around 5000 holiday travelers are stranded overnight in Charles DeGaulle Airport by snow and ice that grounds 400 flights. The added 5 cm (2 inches) of snow to the 60 cm (2 ft) of snow on one terminal roof sparks concerns over its safety and nearly 2000 are evacuated. 25 December 2010, Cairns, Australia: Cyclone Tasha slashes through Cairns in the northern Australian state of Queensland with flooding and winds of 100 km/hr (62.14 miles) causing damage to buildings. A 24-hr total of 320 mm (12.6 inches) of rain has fallen in the region. South of Mackay, the deluge damages railroad tracks which causes a coal train to jump the tracks. 25 December 2011, Amundsen-Scott Base, Antarctica: Christmas Day is typically white at the South Pole, but the temperature soars to a record high of -13.6°C (7.5 °F). 25-26 December 1927, United Kingdom: Worst Christmas Blizzard in a century buries the UK. While most of the country experienced snow, the south suffers from the brunt of the storm with drifts in places to 4.5 m (15 feet) or more. Many roads are blocked with stranded vehicles. 25-26 December 2010, Moscow, Russia: Icy rains shut down Moscow's largest airport for nearly 15 hours. , The 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) of ice. coats roads with ice and leaves more tthan 200,000 people and 14 hospitals without electricity. 25-30 December 2002, Tuvalu and Solomon Islands, South Pacific Ocean: With maximum sustained winds near 290 km/hr (155 knots or 180 mph), Tropical Cyclone Zoe slams the island nation of Tuvalu on the 25th, striking the Temotu Province, with widespread damage reported on the islands of Tikopia, Anuta and Fataka. The storm then moves on to the southeastern Solomon Islands during the 28th-30th. 26 December 1924, Baghdad, Iraq: Snow falls for the first time since 1916 and temperature drops to low of -13.3 °C (8 °F) 26 December 2007, Perth, Australia: Perth, the capital of Western Australia, had experienced its hottest Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on record, but it was not until the 26th that Perth experienced its hottest December day when temperatures reached 44.2°C (111.6°F) 26-27 December 2006 Israel: After snowstorms hit the Golan Heights, the Galilee and Hebron on the 26th, the following morning snow falls in the Negev desert and the central hills and Jerusalem. Hundreds of Beduins are injured when several tents collapse near the Lehavim Junction due to the stormy weather. 27 December 2001 South China Sea: Typhoon Vamei forms in the South China Sea, about 100 miles north of the Equator. Vamei is the first recorded tropical cyclone to develop within 1.5 degrees of latitude (or about 167 km/104 miles) of the equator. 27 December 2002 Reykjavik, Iceland: An extended warm spell ends with the month's first frost. The first 25 days average 5 C deg (9 F deg) above the long-term average. 27 December 2004 Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Around 127 mm (5 inch) of rain waters this desert emirate where rain rarely falls. Local police reported 500 traffic accidents in 24 hours, including one fatality, as a result of a three-day rainy period. 27 December 2010 Freeport, The Bahamas: Freeport residents shiver as the morning temperature drops to 4.4 °C (40°F), one degree lower than during last January's historic cold outbreak. 28 December 1879, Tayside, England: 74 lives are lost when a passenger train plunges from the track as the middle section of the Tay Bridge collapses into the Tay Estuary. The failure of the bridge is believed to have been caused by two or three waterspouts which were sighted close to the bridge immediately before the accident. 28 December 1919, Off Cape Comorin, India: The S.S. War Hermit observes a waterspout south of Cape Comorin forming under a cumulonimbus. At cloud base, the spout is measured at 1400 m (4600 ft) tall by sextant, one of the highest waterspouts on record. The spout lasts 13 minutes. 28 December 2010 Buenos Aries, Argentina: Heat wave grips Buenos Aires with temperatures around 36°C (97°F) with high humidity as an intense stream of hot air flows from southern Brazil and Paraguay into Buenos Aires Province and northern Patagonia. 28-29 December 2004, United Arab Emirates: Snow falls on the United Arab Emirates for the first time ever recorded, leaving a white blanket over the Al-Jees mountains of Ras al-Khaimah. Temperatures there drop to as low as -5°C (23°F). 29-30 December 1962, England and Wales: A blizzard over south-west England and South Wales forms snowdrifts six metres (20 ft) deep. Roads and railways are blocked, cutting off some villages for several days. 30 December 1995, Altnaharra, Highland, Scotland : The temperature plunges to a frigid -27.2°C (-17°F), The United Kingdom's coldest December night on record. 30-31 December 1960, Tsukayama, Japan : A massive accumulation of snow 173 cm (68.2 inches) buries the Japanese city of Tsukayama Tsukayama is located in the coastal mountains inland from the Sea of Japan along Honshu's west coast and subject to major sea-effect snowfalls. 29-31 December 1992, North Island, New Zealand: The former Tropical Cyclone Fergus, moves over the North Island bringing torrential rain, widespread flooding and landslides to exposed northern districts. The highest measured rainfall occurs in the Thames-Coromandel district: 425 mm (16.7 inches). 31 December 2001, Kingdom of Tonga: In the waning hours of the year Vava and Niuatoputapu, Tonga are hit by Tropical Storm Waka cutting communication lines for several hours. Buildings, trees, and crops sustain damage but no injuries reported. 31 December 2010, Queensland, Australia: Flooding over half of Queensland's 715,305 square miles, an area larger than France and Germany combined, has affected over 200,000 people. Residents are stocking up on food or evacuating their homes as rising rivers inundated or isolated 22 towns in the state. The flooding resulted from relentless rains, which began last week caused swollen rivers to overflow. 31 December 2010, Victoria and South Australia, Australia: Temperatures soar to over 40°C (54.6°F) in the states of Victoria and South Australia as residents experience the hottest New Year's Eve in a century. The dry heat causes authorities to continue catastrophic fire warnings in South Australia, a stark contrast to the situation in Queensland. ? December 1851 Western tip of Sicily: Two tornadoes crossed the western tip of the island of Sicily, killing over 500 people. December 1890 Westminster, London, Engalnd: Dark Days: No sunshine is reported Westminster, London during the whole month. December 2010 Sweden: The brutal cold and snowy December 2010 across much of Europe brought monthly mean temperatures in the southern region Götaland and eastern Svealand, Sweden to the coldest seen in over a century. In Karlstad, the departure from normal was more than 18 C degrees (32 F deg) The Weather Doctor's Amazing Weather Facts During the Great London Smog of 1952, the observed visibility at London's Heathrow Airport remained below 10 metres (30 ft) for nearly 48 consecutive hours.
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July 30 is the 211th day of the year (212th 30 154 days remaining until the end of the year. Contents Events 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras during his fourth voyage. Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. 1608 - At Ticonderoga (now Crown Point, New York), Samuel de Champlain shoots and kills two Iroquois chiefs. Fort Ticonderoga is a large Eighteenth-century Fort built at a strategically important narrows in Lake Champlain where a short traverse gives accessCrown Point is a Town in Essex County, New York, USA. The population was 2119 at the 2000 censusSamuel de Champlain (c 1575 - 25 December 1635) &quotThe Father of New France &quot was a French navigator geographer cartographerThe Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the &quotLeague of Peace and Power&quot the &quotFive Nations&quot the &quotSix Nations&quot or the &quotPeople of the Longhouse This was to set the tone for French-Iroquois relations for the next one hundred years. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.1619 - In Jamestown, Virginia, the first representative assembly in the Americas, the House of Burgesses, convenes for the first time. Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected lower house in the legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in 1629 - An earthquake in Naples, Italy kills 10,000 people. Naples1729 - Baltimore, Maryland is founded. Year 1729 ( MDCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common 1733 - First Freemasons lodge opened in what will become the United States. Year 1733 ( MDCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or aThe United States of America —commonly referred to as the 1811 - Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, leader of the Mexican insurgency, executed by the Spanish in Chihuahua, Mexico.Chihuahua is the name of both a state in Mexico and that state's capital cityThe United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. 1825 - Malden Island discovered. Year 1825 ( MDCCCXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a CommonMalden Island ( sometimes called Independence Island in the nineteenth century is a low arid uninhabited island in the central Pacific Ocean, about in area 1863 - Indian Wars: Chief Pocatello of the Shoshone tribe signs the Treaty of Box Elder, promising to stop harassing the emigrant trails in southern Idaho and northern Utah. Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonChief Pocatello (1815&ndashOctober 1884 was a leader of Shoshoni, a Native American people in western North America.The Shoshone ( or) are a Native American tribe with three large divisions the Northern the Western and the EasternThe State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America.The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. 1864 - American Civil War: Battle of the Crater - Union forces attempt to break Confederate lines by exploding a large bomb under their trenches Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg.The United States of America —commonly referred to as theThe Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 1866 - New Orleans's Democratic government ordered police to raid an integrated Republican Party meeting, killing 40 people and injuring 150. Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common 1871 - The Staten Island Ferry Westfield's boiler explodes, killing over 85 people. Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonThe Staten Island Ferry is a passenger Ferry service operated by the New York City Department of Transportation that runs between Manhattan and Staten 1930 - In Montevideo, Uruguay win the first Football World Cup. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football 1932 - Olympic Games: The Games of the X Olympiad open in Los Angeles, California. Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar.The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter gamesThe 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West 1932 - Walt Disney'sFlowers and Trees, the first Academy Award winning cartoon and first cartoon short to use Technicolor, premieres. Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter Flowers and Trees is a 1932 Silly Symphonies cartoon produced by Walt Disney, directed by Burt Gillett, and releasedThe Academy Award for Animated Short Film is an award which has been given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of the Academy Awards every yearTechnicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation 1945 - World War II: Japanese submarine I-58 sinks the USS Indianapolis (CA-35), killing 883 seamenI-58 was a Japanese B3 type submarine in World War II She was built in September 7, 1944 at Yokosuka, JapanService before World War II Indianapolis was laid down on March 31 1930 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp 1953 - Rikidōzan holds a ceremony announcing the establishment of the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.better known as Rikidōzan ( Japanese: 力道山 Korean: 역도산 November 14, 1924 - December 15, 1963)Do not confuse this promotion with Riki Chōshū 's Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion which was spelled &quotJapan Puroresu&quot (ジャパンプロレス instead 1954 - Elvis Presley makes his debut as a public performer. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) 1956 - A Joint resolution of the U.S. Congress is signed by PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower, authorizing "In God We Trust" as the U.S. national motto. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.In the United States Congress, a joint resolution is a legislative measure that requires approval by the Senate and the House and is presentedThe United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses In God We Trust is the official National motto of the United States and the UThe United States of America —commonly referred to as theA motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group 1965 - US PresidentLyndon B. Johnson signs the Social Security Act of 1965 into law, establishing Medicare and Medicaid. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar.The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States byThe Social Security Act of 1965 resulted in the passing of two bills Medicare and Medicaid.This article refers to Medicare, a United States health insurance programMedicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources 1969 - Vietnam War: US PresidentRichard M. Nixon makes an unscheduled visit to South Vietnam and meets with PresidentNguyen Van Thieu and with U.S. military commanders. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar.The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for footballThe 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup was held in England from 11 July to 30 JulyYear President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by&quotRVN&quot redirects here RVN is also the former callsign of a TV station in Wagga Wagga New South Wales AustraliaPresident is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries.Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, ( April 5, 1923 &ndash September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam.The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 1971 - Apollo program: Apollo 15 Mission - David Scott and James Irwin on Apollo Lunar Module module, Falcon, land with first Lunar Rover on the moon. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.David Randolph Scott (born June 6, 1932) a former NASA astronaut was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963James Benson Irwin ( March 17, 1930 &ndash August 8, 1991) was an American astronautA falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco.The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV or lunar rover was a type of surface exploration rover used on the Moon during the Apollo program. 1971 - An All Nippon AirwaysBoeing 727 and a Japanese Air ForceF-86 collide over Morioka, Japan killing 162. also known as or ANA, is an airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William EWikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layoutis the capital city of Iwate prefecture Japan. As of 2003 the city has an estimated Population of 287672 and the density of 588For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. 1974 - Watergate Scandal: US PresidentRichard M. Nixon releases subpoenaed White House recordings after being ordered to do so by the United States Supreme Court. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar.The Watergate scandals were a series of Political scandals during the presidency of Richard Nixon that resulted in the Indictment of several of Nixon'sThe President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States bySee also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. 1975 - Jimmy Hoffa disappears from the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, at about 2:30 p. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.James Riddle (&quotJimmy&quot Hoffa ( February 14, 1913 - disappeared July 30, 1975, exactMachus Red Fox was a restaurant on Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Township Michigan.Bloomfield Hills is a City in Oakland County of the US state of Michigan, northwest of Detroit (18 miles from downtown Detroit m. He is never seen or heard from again. 1990 - The first Saturn automobile rolls off the assembly line. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)Saturn is a division of the General Motors Corporation and a brand of Automobiles It was established on January 7, 1985. 1997 - Eighteen lives are lost in the Thredbo Landslide in New South Wales, Australia. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendarThe Thredbo landslide was a catastrophic Landslide that occurred at the village and ski resort of Thredbo, New South Wales, Australia.For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. 2002 - The accountinglaw referred to as "The Sarbanes Oxley Act" was signed into law by United StatesPresidentGeorge W. Bush. Accountancy or accounting is the measurement statement or provision of assurance about financial information primarily used by Lenders managers, Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and societyThe Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 ( also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 and commonly called SOX or SarboxA signature (from Latin signare, &quot Sign &quot is a handwritten (and sometimes stylized depiction of someone's name nickname or even a simpleLaw is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and societyThe United States of America —commonly referred to as thePresident is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries.George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. 2003 - In Mexico, the last 'old style' Volkswagen Beetle rolls off the assembly line. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called 'Käfer' is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker VolkswagenAn assembly line is a Manufacturing process in which parts (usually Interchangeable parts) are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned 2006 - World's longest running music show Top of the Pops broadcast for the last time on BBC Two. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, was a long-running British music chart Television programme, made and broadcast The show had aired for 42 years. 2006 - At least 28 Lebanese civilians, including 16 children, were killed when Israel Air Force attacked a building in Qana in what is called the Second Qana massacre 2006 Qana airstrike was an attack by the Israel Air Force (IAF on a three-story building in the small community of al-Khuraybah near the South Lebanese village 2007 - John Brumby becomes Premier of Victoria following the resignation of Steve Bracks. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.John Mansfield Brumby (born 21 April 1953 Australian Labor Party politician is the 45th Premier of Victoria, assuming office on 30 July 2007 after the resignationStephen Philip Bracks (better known as Steve Bracks (born 15 October, 1954) is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria Births 1511 - Giorgio Vasari, Italian painter and architect (d. Giorgio Vasari ( 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian painter and Architect, who is today famous 1574) 1641 - Regnier de Graaf, Dutch physician and anatomist (d. Regnier de Graaf ( July 30, 1641 – August 17, 1673) was a Dutch Physician and anatomist who made key discoveries 1673) 1751 - Maria Anna Mozart, Austrian musician (d. Year 1751 ( MDCCLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart ( July 30, 1751 – October 29, 1829) nicknamed &quot Nannerl &quot was a famous musician in1829) 1763 - Samuel Rogers, English author (d. For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will displayYear 1763 ( MDCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or aSamuel Rogers ( 30 July 1763 - 18 December 1855) was an English Poet.1855) 1818 - Emily Brontë, English novelist (d. Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common yearYear 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a CommonEmily Jane Brontë (ˈbrɒnti ( July 30, 1818 – December 19, 1848) was a British Novelist and Poet, now best1848) 1825 - Chaim Aronson, inventor and academic (d. Year CommonChaim Aronson ( July 30, 1825 - April 22, 1893) was a Lithuanian Jew: inventor and academic who lived in Tsarist Russia1893) 1855 - Georg Wilhelm von Siemens, German industrialist (d. Year 1893 ( MDCCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonYear 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common yearGeorg Wilhelm von Siemens ( July 30, 1855, Berlin &ndash October 14, 1919, Arosa Switzerland) was a German 1919) 1857 - Thorstein Veblen, American economist (d. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonClick here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display theThorstein Bunde Veblen (born Tosten Bunde Veblen July 30, 1857 &ndash August 3, 1929) was a Norwegian-American sociologist1929) 1859 - Henry Simpson Lunn, English humanitarian (d. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonSir Henry Simpson Lunn ( 30 July 1859 – 18 March 1939) English humanitarian and religious leader1939) 1863 - Henry Ford, American industrialist (d. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonHenry Ford ( July 30, 1863 &ndash April 7, 1947) was the American founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of1947) 1872 - Princess Clémentine of Belgium (d. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1872 ( MDCCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year1955) 1881 - Smedley Butler, American Marine general (d. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonSmedley Darlington Butler (July 30 1881 &ndash June 21 1940 Nicknamed &quot The Fighting Quaker &quot and &quot Old Gimlet Eye &quot was a Major1940) 1889 - Vladimir Zworykin, Russian physicist (d. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonVladimir Kozmich Zworykin (Владимир Козьмич Зворыкин ( July 30, 1889 - July 29, 1982) was a Russian-American 1982) 1890 - Casey Stengel, American baseball manager (d. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar)Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonCharles Dillon &quotCasey&quot Stengel ( July 30, 1890 - September 29, 1975) nicknamed &quotThe Old Professor&quot was an American1975) 1893 - Fatima Jinnah, PakistaniMother of the Nation (d. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1893 ( MDCCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonFatima Jinnah ( Urdu:) ( July 30, 1893 — July 8, 1967) was the sister of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East andPater Patriae (plural Patres Patriae) also seen as Parens Patriae, is a Latin Honorific meaning &quot Father1967) 1895 - Wanda Hawley, American actress (d. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar.Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common yearWanda Hawley (aka Wanda Petit ( July 30, 1895 - March 18, 1963) was a veteran of the silent screen films era1963) 1898 - Henry Moore, English sculptor (d. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonHenry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986 was an English artist and sculptor.1986) 1899 - Gerald Moore, English pianist (d. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar)Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonGerald Moore CBE (30 July 1899 &ndash 13 March 1987 was an English pianist best known for accompanying many famous singers in the performance and recording1987) 1901 - Alfred Lépine, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar)Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year startingAlfred Pierre &quotPit&quot Lépine ( July 30, 1901 – August 2, 1955) was a Canadian Ice hockey forward 1955) 1904 - Salvador Novo, Mexican writer (d. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting onSalvador Novo López ( 30 July 1904 &ndash 13 January 1974) was a Mexican Writer, poet, Playwright 1974) 1909 - C. Northcote Parkinson, English historian (d. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar.Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year startingCyril Northcote Parkinson was a British naval historian and author of some sixty books the most famous of which was his bestseller Parkinson's Law 1993) 1910 - Edgar de Evia, American photographer (d. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar)Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year startingEdgar Domingo Evia y Joutard, known professionally as Edgar de Evia ( July 30, 1910 – February 10, 2003) was a Mexican2003) 1914 - Lord Killanin, Irish IOC presidentMichael Morris 3rd Baron Killanin, MBE, TD ( 30 July 1914 &ndash 25 April 1999) was an Irish journalist, author1999) 1916 - Dick Wilson, American actor (d. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar)Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap yearDick Wilson, born Riccardo DiGuglielmo (30 July 1916 &ndash 19 November 2007 was a British -born American Character actor who played the role2007) 1921 - Grant Johannesen, American pianistBerniece Inez Gladys Baker (born July 30, 1919 (89 in Venice California) is famous for being the half-sister of Marilyn Monroe.Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson, June 1 1926 &ndash August 5 1962 baptized NormaYear 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendarGrant Johannesen ( July 30, 1921 &ndash March 27, 2005) was an American Concert pianist.2005) 1925 - Alexander Trocchi, Scottish writer (d. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.Henry W Bloch (b July 30, 1922) is the co-founder and (since 2000 and the Bloch Building a major addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.H&R Block ( is a Tax preparation company in the United States claiming more than 22 million customers worldwide with offices in Canada Australia and the United KingdomYear 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Alexander Whitelaw Robertson Trocchi (30 July 1925 - 15 April 1984 was a Scottish novelist1984) 1927 - Victor Wong, American actor (d. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar)Jacques Sernas, Jurgis Šernas sometimes billed as Jack Sernas, born 30 July 1925, in Kaunas, Lithuania is a Lithuanian-born Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American Popular music.The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American Popular music.Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Victor Wong ( July 30, 1927 &ndash September 12, 2001) ( Chinese: 黃[[wikt 自|自]] 強; Pinyin:2001) 1928 - Joe Nuxhall, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Eunice Muñoz, OSE, GCIH (born 1928-07-30) is a Portuguese actressJoseph Henry Nuxhall ( July 30 1928 &ndash November 15 2007) was an American left-handed Pitcher in Major League Baseball2007) 1935 - Ted Rogers, English comedian and game show host (d. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Sid and Marty Krofft are a sibling team of prolific television producers who were influential in children's television and variety show programs particularly throughout the 1970s and earlyYear 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.This article concerns the actor For the actor/director see Edward Burns.Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Allan Huber &quotBud&quot Selig Jr (born July 30, 1934 in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is the Commissioner of Major League Baseball and hasThe Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball.46 - Neil Bonnett, American race car driver (d. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.George &quotBuddy&quot Guy (born July 30, 1936) is a five-time Grammy Award-winning American Blues and rock GuitaristThe Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expressionThe Infanta Doña Pilar of Spain Duchess of Badajoz (Doña María del Pilar Alfonsa Juana Victoria Luisa Ignaciade Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón-Dos SiciliasYear 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Hervé de Charette (born July 30, 1938) is a conservative French politicianYear 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Peter Bogdanovich ( Serbian Cyrillic: Петар Богдановић Latin: Petar Bogdanović (born July 30, 1939, is an AmericanEleanor Smeal (born July 30 1939 in Ashtabula, Ohio) is a Feminist activist political analyst lobbyist and grassroots organizerYear 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Patricia Nell Scott Schroeder popularly known as Pat Schroeder (born July 30, 1940) American politician, was a Democratic Sir Clive Marles Sinclair (born July 30, 1940) is a well-known British Entrepreneur and Inventor of the world's firstYear 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Henri-François Gautrin (born July 30, 1943 in Béthune France) is a Quebec Politician, Teacher and Physician Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendarDavid Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto Saxophonist.Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Lawrence Neil Bonnett ( July 30, 1946 - February 11, 1994) was a NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over1994) 1947 - Jonathan Mann, AIDS activist (d. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar)Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.William Atherton Knight II (born July 30, 1947) is an American Film, stage and Television Actor.Dr Jonathan Mann ( July 30, 1947 - September 2, 1998) was a former head of the World Health Organization 's global AIDS 1998) Deaths 1540 - Robert Barnes, English churchman (martyred) (b. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the state government whose responsibilities include making annual &quotState of the State&quot addressesYear 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Jean Reno (born July 30, 1948) is a French Actor. Working in both French and English he has appeared not only in numerous successful HollywoodYear 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Duck Baker (born Richard R Baker IV, July 30, 1949, in Washington DYear 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Frank Stallone Jr (born July 30, 1950) is an American Actor and Singer / Guitarist, the brother of Sylvester StalloneYear 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar)Ken Olin (born July 30, 1954) is an American Actor, director and producer.Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Delta Ramona Leah Burke (born July 30 1956, in Orlando Florida) is an American Television and Film actress Real &quotBuddy&quot Cloutier (born July 30, 1956 in Saint-Émile Quebec) is a retired Canadian Ice hockey winger, mostAnita Faye Hill (born) is a professor of social policy law and women's studies at Brandeis University at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management andYear 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar)Clinton Merrick Hurdle (born July 30, 1957 in Big Rapids Michigan) is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball and the currentNery Alberto Pumpido (born July 30, 1957 in Monje Santa Fe) is a football coach and former Goalkeeper who playedChristopher Miller (born July 30, 1957) better known by the Stage name Rat Scabies, is aThe Damned are an English band formed in London in 1976 notable for being the first Punk rock band from England to release a single (&quot New Rose &quot anYear 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Kate Bush (born Catherine Bush on 30 July 1958 is an English singer songwriter musician and Record producer.Neal McCoy (born Hubert Neal McGaughey Jr, July 30, 1958 in Jacksonville Texas) is an American country Singer Francis Morgan Oyodélé Thompson CBE (born July 30, 1958 in Worcester Park) known commonly as Daley Thompson, is a former Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American award-winning Actor of screen and stage, as well as Richard Stuart Linklater (born July 30, 1960) is an Academy Award -nominated American Film director and Screenwriter Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Alton Brown (born July 30 1962 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is an American food personality cinematographer author aircraft pilot andHarry Jay Feaster (born 30 July 1962 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) was an American National Hockey League executiveYear 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Lisa Diane Marie Kudrow (born July 30 1963 is an Emmy Award - and SAG -winning American actress, best known for her roles as Phoebe BuffayChristopher Paul Mullin (born July 30 1963) is a retired American Basketball player and the current General manager of theYear 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar.Vivica Anjanetta Fox (born July 30, 1964) is an American actressJürgen Klinsmann (born July 30, 1964 in Göppingen) is a German football manager and former football player who played for severalAlek Keshishian (b 30 July 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon) is an Armenian-American film directorYear 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendarThe Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional Rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane Queensland.Warrington is a professional Rugby league club in the town of Warrington, Cheshire in England.Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Robert Korzeniowski (born July 30, 1968 in Lubaczów, Poland) is a former Polish racewalker.Sean Anthony Moore is the Writer, Drummer / Percussionist and sometime Trumpet player of the Welsh Manic Street Preachers (often known colloquially as the &quot Manics &quot or &quot MSP &quot are a Welsh rock band consisting of JamesYear 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Simon Baker (born 30 July 1969 is an Australian Film and Television Actor.Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Christopher Jonathan James Nolan (born July 30 1970 is a Film director, writer and producer.Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.Michael Thomas &quotTom&quot Green (born July 30, 1971) is a Canadian Actor, Rapper, Writer, Comedian Christine Joan Taylor (born July 30 1971 is an American actress and wife of Ben Stiller.Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.Sagi Kalev ( born July 30 1971 in Tel Aviv) is an Israeli fitness model, Bodybuilding title-holder and Nutritionist who lives in Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar.Markus Näslund (born July 30 1973 is a Swedish professional Ice hockey player with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League.Sonu Nigam or Sonu Niigaam (सोनु निगम born July 30, 1973 in Faridabad, Haryana, India) is an Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar.Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30 1974 is an American Actress. Her Hollywood film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire SlayerRadostin Prodanov Kishishev (Радостин Кишишев born 30 July 1974) is a Bulgarian footballer, currently playing for LeicesterJason Thorpe Robinson OBE (born 30 July 1974 in Leeds, West Yorkshire) is a former English international Rugby union and Rugby leagueYear 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Graham Nicholls (born July 30[[ 975]] is a British Installation artist, activist and speakerCherie Priest (born 30 July 1975) is an American novelist who best known for her debut novel Four and Twenty Blackbirds, which was published in 2003Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displaysJaime Elizabeth Pressly (born July 30, 1977) is an American Golden Globe Award -nominated Emmy Award -winning Actress Ian David Karslake Watkins (born July 30, 1977 in Pontypridd, Wales) is the Lead singer, and also one of the founding membersLostprophets (lɒstˈprɒfɪts are a Welsh rock band formed in 1997.This is a List of contestants who have appeared on the American television series The Amazing Race.Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar)Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermudez (born July 30, 1979 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican professional Basketball Amateur wins (6 1996 Ulster Boys Championship 1999 Irish Youths Championship 2000 Irish Amateur Close Championship Irish Youths ChampionshipShow Luo ( born July 30, 1979) also known as Alan Luo or Show, is a Taiwanese Singer, host, DancerYear 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar)James Michael &quotJimmy&quot Anderson (born 30 July 1982 in Burnley Lancashire) is an international English Cricketer He plays First-class Amateur wins 1995 English Boys Stroke Play Championship McGregor Trophy 1997 St Andrews Links Trophy 1998 Peter McEvoy Trophy Sara Anzanello (born July 30 1980) is an Italian Volleyball player in the middle hitter-blocker roleChuck Thomas (born July 30, 1980 in Birmingham, England) is an English television presenter and producerYear 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Nicholas &quotNicky&quot Patrick Hayden (born July 30, 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky) also known as The Kentucky Kid is an Juan Smith (born 30 July 1981 in Bloemfontein, South Africa) is a South African Rugby union footballerYear 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar)Yvonne Strahovski (born July 30, 1982) is an Australian Actress from Maroubra, a suburb of Sydney.Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar)Sean Dillon (born July 30, 1983 in Dublin) is an Irish professional footballer who currently plays as a right-back Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar)Gabrielle &quotChristian&quot Horchler (born on July 30 1984) is an American Actress.Kevin Lee Pittsnogle Jr (born July 30, 1984 in Martinsburg West Virginia) Power Forward / Center of the Albuquerque ThunderbirdsYear 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar)Daniel Fredheim-Holm (born July 30, 1985) is a striker in the Norwegian football club Vålerenga.Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar)Elise Estrada (born July 30, 1987 in Marikina City, Philippines) is a Canadian pop singer from Vancouver.See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.Nava Yuvaraj Hridayendra was born at 1249 pm in the Narayanhity Royal Palace in Kathmandu the son of Crown Prince Paras and Crown PrincessEvents By Place Byzantine Empire Tiberius II Constantine succeeds Justin II as Byzantine Emperor.Jacobus Baradaeus or James Baradaeus (other spellings of his surname include Al Baradai Burdoho Burdeono Burdeana or Burdeaya also Phaselita or Zanzalus was ordainedDeaths February — Khosrau I, king of Persia Pope Benedict I Theodric, king of Bernicia Pope Benedict I was Pope from June 2, 575 to July 30, 579. Benedict was the son of a man named Bonifacius and was calledThe Blessed Thomas Abel (or Abell) (c 1497 &ndash 30 July, 1540) was an English Priest who was Martyred Robert Barnes may refer to Robert Barnes (martyr Bootsie Barnes, real name Robert Barnes jazz musician Robert Barnes (cricketer 1495) 1683 - Maria Theresa of Spain, queen of Louis XIV of France (b. Maria Theresa of Spain (Marie Thérèse ( September 10, 1638 &ndash July 30, 1683) was the Queen consort of FranceEarly years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent 1638) 1718 - William Penn, English founder of the Province of Pennsylvania (b. Year 1718 ( MDCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or aWilliam Penn ( October 14, 1644 – July 30, 1718) was founder and &quotAbsolute Proprietor&quot of the Province of Pennsylvania, 1644) 1771 - Thomas Gray, English poet and letter-writer (b. Year 1771 ( MDCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Thomas Gray ( December 26, 1716 – July 30, 1771) was an English Poet, classical scholar and professor at Cambridge1716) 1811 - Miguel Hidalgo, Mexican patriot and Independence leader (b. Year 1716 ( MDCCXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or aThe Mexican War of Independence (1810 - 1821 was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and Spanish colonial authorities which started on September 16 1810 1753) 1875 - George Pickett, American Confederate general (b. Year 1875 ( MDCCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonGeorge Edward Pickett ( January 16, January 25 or January 28, 1825 &ndash July 30, 1875) was a career U1825) 1898 - Otto von Bismarck, 1st Chancellor of the German Empire (b. Year 1825 ( MDCCCXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a CommonYear 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonOtto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen Duke of Lauenburg Prince of Bismarck ( April 1, 1815 July 30, 1898)The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (KanzlerThe German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification1815) 1900 - Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (b. Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common yearYear 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar Alfred Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Alfred Ernest Albert 6 August 1844 &ndash 30 July 1900 was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha reigning between 1893 and 19001844) 1912 - Emperor Meiji, Japanese emperor (bThe (3 November 1852 — 30 July 1912 or Meiji the Great was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession reigning from 3 February1852) 1918 - Joyce Kilmer, American poet (b. Year 1852 ( MDCCCLII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap yearYear 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonAlfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6 1886 &ndash July 30 1918 was an American Journalist, poet literary critic, Lecturer,and editor.1886) 1930 - Joan Gamper, Swiss-Catalan businessman and founder of FC Barcelona (b. Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonYear 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Joan Gamper (born Winterthur, Switzerland, November 22 1877, died July 30 1930, Switzerland) also known as1877) 1947 - Joseph Cook, 6th Prime Minister of Australia (b. Year 1877 ( MDCCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonYear 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.For the actor Joe Cook see Joe Cook (actor. Sir Joseph Cook, GCMG (7 December 1860 &ndash 30 July 1947 was an AustralianThe Prime Minister of Australia is the Head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General.1860) 1965 - Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Japanese author (b. Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year startingYear 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar.was a Japanese author, one of the major writers of modern Japanese literature, and perhaps the most popular Japanese novelist after Natsume Sōseki 1886) 1970 - George Szell, Hungarian conductor (b. Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonYear 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> George Szell (ˈsɛl ( June 7, 1897 &ndash July1897) 1971 - Kenneth Slessor, Australian poet (b. Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a CommonYear 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.Kenneth Adolf Slessor ( March 27, 1901 – June 30, 1971) was an Australian poet and journalist1901) 1982 - Roberta Pedon, American glamour modelRoberta Pedon was the Stage name of a big-bust American Glamour model who appeared in men's magazines in the 1970s1954) 1983 - Howard Dietz, American lyricist (b. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar)Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar)Howard Dietz ( September 8, 1896 – July 30, 1983) was an American Publicist, Lyricist, and Librettist1896) 1983 - Lynn Fontanne, English actress (b. Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap yearLynn Fontanne ( December 6 1887 – July 30 1983) was a British -born actress who was a major stage star in the United States for over1887) 1985 - Julia Hall Bowman Robinson, American mathematician (b. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonYear 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar)Julia Hall Bowman Robinson ( December 8, 1919 – July 30, 1985) was an American Mathematician, born in St1919) 1989 - Lane Frost, American bull rider (b. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonYear 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar)Lane Frost ( October 12, 1963 in La Junta Colorado &ndash July 30, 1989 in Cheyenne Wyoming) was a professional bull1963) 1992 - Joe Shuster, Canadian comic book artist (b. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar)Joseph &quotJoe&quot Shuster (July 10 1914 - July 30 1992 was a Canadian -born American Comic book Artist best known for co-creating the DC Comics1914) 1992 - Brenda Marshall, American actress (b. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common yearBrenda Marshall ( September 29 1915 &ndash July 30 1992) was an American cinema actress.1915) 1996 - Claudette Colbert, American actress (b. Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common yearYear 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar)Claudette Colbert ( IPA: /koʊlˈbɛɹ/ ( September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was a French -born American stage1903) 1997 - Bảo Đại, Emperor of Vietnam (b. Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year startingYear 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendarBảo Đại ( Hán tự: vi-nom [[wikt保 保]][[wikt大 大]] Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thụy 22 October 1913 &ndash 30 July 1997 Below is a list of Vietnamese monarchs. Some declared themselves kings ( vua / vương) or emperors ( hoàng đế)1913) 1998 - Buffalo Bob Smith, American television host (Howdy Doody) (b. Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonYear 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)Buffalo Bob Smith (born Robert Emil Schmidt ( November 27, 1917 – July 30, 1998) was the host of the popular children's show Howdy Doody was a children's television program (with a decidedly frontier/western theme although other themes also colored the show1917) 2004 - Andre Noble, Canadian actor (b. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year&quotMMIV&quot redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see &quot Baron von Bullshit Rides Again &quotAndré Clarence Noble ( February 21, 1979 &ndash July 30, 2004) was a Canadian television and film actor1979) 2005 - Ray Cunningham, American baseball player (b. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar)Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Raymond Lee Cunningham ( January 17 1905 &ndash July 30 2005) was an American Third baseman in Major League Baseball1905) 2005 - John Garang, Vice President of Sudan (b. Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year startingDr John Garang de Mabior ( June 23, 1945 – July 30, 2005) was First Vice President Sudan and former leader of the1945) 2005 - Anthony Walker, English hate crime murder victim (b. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendarThe murder of Anthony Walker ( 21 February 1987 - 30 July 2005) refers to the killing of a British student of African descent from Huyton1987) 2006 - Anthony Galla-Rini, American accordionist (b. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar)Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.Anthony Galla-Rini ( 18 January 1904 &ndash 30 July 2006) was a celebrated American Accordionist arranger composer conductor1904) 2006 - Al Balding, Canadian golfer (b. Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting onAllan George &quotAl&quot Balding ( April 29, 1924 &ndash July 30 2006) was a Canadian Professional golfer best known1924) 2006 - Murray Bookchin, American libertarian socialist (b. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Murray Bookchin ( January 14, 1921 – July 30, 2006) was an American libertarian socialist, political and social1921) 2007 - Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian film director (b. Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendarYear 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.Michelangelo Antonioni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI ( September 29 1912 &ndash July 30 2007) was an Italian Modernist1912) 2007 - Teoctist, Ex-Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church (b. Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year startingTeoctist, born Toader Arăpaşu ( February 7, 1915 &ndash July 30, 2007) was the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox1915) 2007 - Ingmar Bergman, Swedish stage and film director (b. Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common yearErnst Ingmar Bergman ( pronounced) (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007 was a nine-time Academy Award -nominated Swedish film, stage 1918) 2007 - Bill Walsh, American football coach (b. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a CommonWilliam Ernest &quotBill&quot Walsh ( November 30 1931 &ndash July 30 2007) was an American head football coach of the1931) Holidays and observances Vanuatu - Independence Day (formerly Anglo-French condominium of the New Hebrides). Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu ( French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu) is an IslandAn Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the Anniversary of a Nation 's assumption of independent Statehood, usually after ceasing External links Saints Abdon and Sennen, variously written in early calendars and Martyrologies Abdo Abdus, and Sennes Sennis Zennen, are recognized by the Saint Peter Chrysologus ( for &quotgolden-worded&quot) (c380&ndashcDoctor of the Church ( Latin doctor, teacher from Latin docere, to teach is a title given by a variety of Christian Churches to individualsFor other Saints Ursus see Saint Ursus. Saint Ursus (Ours of Auxerre (dThe bishopric of Auxerre is a former French Roman Catholic diocese now a Titular see.
eng
e4a4208e-4777-4018-ae7a-98de89ff0e3d
http://citizendia.org/July_30
Lab Rat Exploring the life and times of bacteriaSat, 11 May 2013 11:30:15 +0000enhourly1Butterfly watch: multi-generational migrations 11 May 2013 11:30:15 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]> trip, from the tropics of Africa to the Arctic circle, takes place over six generations. Each butterfly is following the migration path, not of its parents, but of its great-great-great-great-grandparents. Until fairly recently, it wasn't known exactly how these butterflies migrated. They appeared in the UK around spring-time and then promptly vanished in the autumn. In order to track them a project was set up in 2009, involving systematic surveys, observation through citizen science projects, and the use of high altitude insect-monitoring radars. What they found was that when the Painted Lady migrated back down south, the butterflies travel at incredibly high altitudes, up to 500m up. By using favourable winds, they can reach speeds of up to 30mph, which for a butterfly is fairly zooming along. They'd never been seen previously because people weren't monitoring butterflies at such high altitudes. Butterflies such as Red Admirals were seen and recorded travelling southwards, but the Painted Ladies were so high up they were able to vanish unnoticed. Painted Ladies aren't the only butterflies that carry out these multi-generational migrations. The most famous migrating butterflies are probably the Monarch butterflies in America, which takes four generations to migrate from Canada and Mexico. Once again, these butterflies aren't using memories, or even passed on knowledge of the migration routes to find their way. Each generation must work it out alone with the help of genetics and instinct. I find these multi-generational migrations truly fascinating; the idea that these tiny little creatures, with brains approximately the size of a pin-head, are capible of following migratory patterns laid down many generations ago. It's like a butterfly generation-spaceship, with each individual seeing only a small fraction of the distance and scenery of the full journey. ]]> to eat your host: Pathways for nutrition in Salmonella 06 May 2013 18:28:59 +0000S.E. Gould]]> lack of usable nutrients. In the soil, nutrients can be found and exploited, but within a living organism they are being used and locked away by the host cells. In order to eat, therefore, the internal bacteria must find ways of stealing and sequestering nutrients from the infected cells. A recent paper from, PLoS Pathogens (reference 1) shows how Salmonella infecting rat cells manage to find enough nutrients to grow and develop. In order to explore what pathways the bacteria could use to intake nutrients, the researchers used both computational and in vitro experiments to look at proteins and genes suitable for metabolism. What they found was that following an infection the Salmonella was able to mobilise a large section of its genome in order to carry out metabolic reactions. Rather than just concentrating on using one particular metabolite from the host cell (i.e having lots of pathways to metabolise glucose) the Salmonella was able to exploit a diverse range of host molecules, without preferring one to the other. Adding either glucose or mannitol to established Salmonella colonies caused an increase in growth. Figure A below shows a schematic of the nutrients being added to the cells, while figure B shows the results. The more CFU (colony forming units) found, the more growth was seen: Further experiments, combined with the computational data, indicated that the Salmonella bacteria use a wide range of chemically diverse nutrients inside the host cell in order to grow; including different lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids, nucleosides, and various pro-vitamins. This does mean that the Salmonella requires a large number of genes to deal with nutrition, but on the plus side, once it gets into the cell it's far more likely to grow and survive with any small amount of food it can scavenge. Why does Salmonella require such a large range of different metabolic pathways while other intracellular bacteria (including E.coli) are happier to rely on far few? One potential explanation given in the paper is due to the conditions in which Salmonella lives inside the host cell. In order to protect itself from attacks from the cells defence system, the bacteria stays safely wrapped up in a vacuole inside the cell. While this does stop the cell destroying it, it may make it harder for the bacteria to cannibalise available nutrients, meaning it has to have the capacity to utilise whatever it can get hold of. — For more details on how Salmonella invades the host cell, along with a great animation, go here. ]]> Rat has a baby on board! 20 Apr 2013 16:34:41 +0000S.E. Gould has been a while since I've last posted. Usually I try not to give excuses for lateness, but this time I do have a very good one. I'm currently 15 and a half weeks pregnant! In the UK there is a fairly good and well thought-out system to make sure pregnant women get all [...] ]]>It has been a while since I've last posted. Usually I try not to give excuses for lateness, but this time I do have a very good one. I'm currently 15 and a half weeks pregnant! In the UK there is a fairly good and well thought-out system to make sure pregnant women get all the necessary checks and scans. The first scan is usually at 12 weeks, once the fetus has developed far enough to actually resemble something human. For me and my husband however, there were a combination of factors (uncertainty about conception date, unfortunate bleeding) that meant we ended up with three scans before the 12-week mark giving us a nice little progression of how the fetus was developing and allowing us to bore people with baby photos before we even had a baby. So I thought I'd share. First scan: 7 weeks As it's not immediately obvious what's going on in the scan, I have circled the developing embryo in yellow. At this stage, even the most excited and generous interpretation of the scan can't make out much more than a fuzzy grey blob. The dark area surrounding the blob is my womb, and the fuzzy little speech-bubble off to the right is the yolk sac, which nourishes the embryo for the first few weeks. The most exciting thing was that even at this early stage it had a heartbeat! We could just about see one area of the fuzzy grey blob turning from lighter to darker at a pretty rapid pace. First NHS Scan: Week 9 As the first scan we'd got was private, the NHS still didn't know how far developed our little embryo was, so our first official scan was a bit early. This scan is a lot easier to read, but once again I've circled the important bit in yellow, and the black area surrounding it is the womb. At this stage, the embryo has something that's a bit like a head on the left hand side and you can just about make out four little stumpy blobs pushing up from the main body. These were little pod-like proto-arms and legs and it was easier to make them out in the scan because they were moving! The poddy-arms were wriggling around and the embryo as a whole was rolling back and forward. The official scan: Week 12 Despite the fact that we now knew for certain there was something in there, and that it seemed reasonably happy, the official scan was still a pretty exciting thing. After 12 weeks most of the major organs have developed, the embryo officially becomes a fetus, the likelihood of miscarriage goes right down and, most excitingly, you're allowed to tell everyone about the pregnancy. By the third scan, the fetus is looking less like a pod-creature from Mars and recognizably human. The head is on the left and arms and legs can be seen sticking up out of the body. We thought the previous scan had showed a fairly active young thing but in this one the fetus was all over the place; rolling around, waving its arms and legs, and doing cartwheels in my womb. It's still too early to tell if it's male or female, that exciting bit of news will be revealed at the next scan. So how will the baby affect the blog? I do want to keep a bacterial and biochemical focus, but there may be the odd baby post as scans or exciting information come in. Probably the biggest change is that I'll be dropping down from four posts a month to two/three just to give myself a bit more time and breathing space. Now the first trimester is over and I am once again capable of basic functions like eating and remaining awake, I do want to get back into regular blogging! So more items of bacterial interest will be coming soon… ]]> Carnival of Evolution: World Travel Edition! 01 Feb 2013 13:00:14 +0000S.E. Gould to the 56th edition of the Carnival of Evolution. I [...] ]]>Welcome to the 56th edition of the Carnival of Evolution. I wonderful bloggers, so go take a look! Journey Start: Europe I'm based in the UK, so will start the journey as close to home as possible. At The Mermaid's Tale Anne Buchanan explores Robert MacFarlane's description of Scua off the coast of Scotland, and how their behaviour may have evolved, as well as a post on the 100th anniversary of the famous "Piltdown Man" hoax from a gravel pit in the sound of England. There are some thoughts and comments on Gilbert White's review of the natural history of Selbourne at Evolving Thoughts along with views on his use of the word 'instinct' to describe natural behaviour. Moving down through Europe, from a conference in Venice, Italy, comes a discussion about the great wrinkled finger debate from a paper by Stephen J. Gould (no relation). Heading out to Sweden, we have research from the University of Uppsala on the genetic changes that turn a wolf into a dog. In a subject very dear to my heart, researchers have also found that the European diamondback moth has evolved resistance to several insecticides and may provide exciting information about how insects adapt to their host plants. Middle East and Africa Before heading into Africa, there's time to take just a brief stop-off into the Atlantic Ocean, to do some whale-watching, and ponder what size whales should be in a post from NeuroDojo. On the mainland of Africa, we can go back in time to the Middle Permian era, where gigantic reptiles roamed over the earth including the gorgonopsid, a reptile with some mammal-like characteristics in a post from the wonderful Fins to Feet blog. Slightly further forward in time from that, Kathy Orlinsky wonders about the climbing abilities of ancient hominins. Asia Heading out into Asia the Beijing Normal University gives us the first piece of microbiological research featured in this carnival looking at how bacteria cope with phage and antibiotic challenges. The post author (guest poster Dr. Levi Morran) confirms his view of what I've always suspected; the apocalypse will be bacterial. Australasia Not strictly set in Australia, but over at The Loom Carl Zimmer talks about the origin of venom and why it is that some animals can be so deadly. I've always associated dangerous and poisonous animals with Australia myself, but of course they exist all over the world. From the Isthmus of Panama up to the final continent of this round-the-world trip: North America. In Utah we find two researchers coming up with some rather … interesting explanations as to the origins of fists, which T. Ryan Gregory dissects while cautioning about Just So stories. From the sunny Bahamas comes a story of adaptive radiation of some very beautiful fish by Noah Matton. At the BEACON centre in Michigan State University some more bacterial reserach is being carried out, student Mike Wiser is working on a long-term bacterial growth study, looking at bacterial evolution and mutation through hundreds and thousands of generations. There's also a post about the work of Niles Eldredge in using networks rather than trees to create phylogenetic diagrams. Back Home Again Just because I've been around the world doesn't mean I've seen everything there is to see; there are still plenty more marvels out there and not all of them revolve around animals, or even science. Marc Cadotte has a book review of Edmund Russell's Evolutionary History which examines how humans have shaped the evolutionary landscape, while David Morrison has a truly epic post discussing the false analogies between anthrology and biology, which concludes that the genotype model is not always the best model to apply to non-biological disciplines. And finally, there's some more bacterial stuff waiting for me, a podcast interview of Dr. White discussing the bacteria H. ducreyi and cultural evolution. That brings an end to this edition of the Carnival of Evolution. If you'd like to see more, please visit the carnival on facebook, follow it on twitter and visit the blog which contains all the old editions. If you're writing your own blog posts with an evolutionary theme, please go submit them for the next issue, which will be out on the 1st of March. ]]> bacteria that use cholesterol to get into cells. 27 Jan 2013 22:02:45 +0000S.E. Gould]]> line up to form the cell membrane. Cholesterol is another lipid molecule, which fits in between the phosopholipids and can influence the membranes permeability and fluidity. Diagram of the membrane that surrounds human cells. The two layers of phospholipids can be seen (blue and while spheres with the lipid tails pointing inwards) studded with bright red proteins. The yellow blobs within the phospholipid layer are cholesterol. Image from the National Institute of Standards and Tchnology - link below There are two ways cells can get hold of the cholesterol needed for the membranes, by using food sources containing low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or by synthesising it within the cell. Defects in the cholesterol synthesis pathway can increase the likelihood of the cell breaking down through apoptosis or due to oxidative stress. Around 20-25% of the cell membrane is made up of cholesterol in mammalian cells. Despite the above diagram, the phosolipid molecules are not rigidly stuck in place within the cell membrane, as long as they keep the phosphate facing outwards and the tails inwards both they and the steroids can travel around the membrane. This means that some areas will gather clumps of cholesterol, known as lipid rafts, which play important roles in cell signalling, membrane shape, and of course, bacterial invasion. Many bacteria target these lipid rafts when looking for places to attach onto human cells, and they act as the first point of cellular invasion. Researchers found that limiting the amount of cholesterol in the mammalian cell membrane (by blocking the internal cholesterol synthesis pathway) led to far less effective invasion of bacteria and bacterial toxins. The diagram below shows an electron micrograph of mouse tissue, in the one on the left the cells cannot make cholesterol and in the one on the right the cells have normal cholesterol-making activity. Little black arrows show where the toxins produced by the cholera bacteria have been taken up by the cells. Scale bar = 500 nm. Image from reference 1. Only 9% of −cholesterol cells contained 10 or more toxin-containing vacuoles, compared to 80% of the +cholesterol cells. Repeating the assay shown above with different bacterial strains revealed that the bacteria C. burnetii also require cholesterol to enter the cells, while Salmonella typhimurium and Chlamydia trachomatis enter both cholesterol and non-cholesterol containing cells at the same rate. While lipid rafts are required for cell entry by some bacteria, it seems that others do not seem to rely on them. (A). The number of internalized C. trachomatis was unchanged between −cholesterol and +cholesterol calls. In contrast, internalization of C. burnetii was decreased by 87% (p = 0.0009) in −cholesterol calls. (B). Wild type S. Typhimurium and a mutant without the Salmonella toxins invaded −cholesterol and +cholesterol cells with equal efficiency. Image from reference 1. The researchers suggest that as well as affecting bacterial cell attachment to the cell surface, the cholesterol may also be vital for the uptake of certain bacteria and their internal transport. It may therefore be possible that the cholesterol is not only important for helping bacteria enter the cells, but also for their further growth and development inside the host cell. The particularly interesting thing about this research was the method used to remove cholesterol from the cells. Because it is such an important membrane component, chemical methods tend to drastically alter the shape of the cells which causes more problems for bacteria trying to get in. For this paper, the researchers instead targeted the cholesterol synthesis pathway, removing the final enzyme. This system therefore allows a cholesterol-free environment to be explored without causing any significant changes to the cell membrane integrity. ]]> sugar from carbon dioxide: The Calvin Cycle 20 Jan 2013 18:48:34 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>The the name is a little unfashionable nowadays. It's politer to refer to it as the Calvin–Benson-Bassham cycle or the reductive pentose phosphate cycle, but with all due apologies to Misters Benson and Bassham, the Calvin Cycle is quicker to write. A simple outline of the process of photosynthesis, showing the light reactions and the Calvin cycle. By Daniel Mayer, credit link below. Turning carbon dioxide into sugar may sound fairly magical, but it becomes a more conceivable when you consider that both carbon dioxide (CO2) and glucose (C6H12O6) contain roughly the same sort of elements. The Calvin cycle just adds on all the extra elements required. Having said that, the 'just' is still a fairly major task, requiring different enzymes all working in the correct order. The carbon dioxide molecules diffuse into the cells through small holes in the underside of the leaf. The first enzyme that picks them up is called Rubisco. Despite sounding like a small corporate venture, Rubisco is actually one of the most important enzymes in the world. Without Rubisco, plants would not be able to make sugars, which means that animals would not be able to survive on plants. Rubisco catalysis the connection of the small molecule ribulose-1.5-bisphosphate phosphate (RuBP) to carbon dioxide – therefore fixing the inorganic CO2 as an organic molecule. RuBP contains 5 carbons as well as oxygen, hydrogen and phosphate and it bonds to the CO2 to create a 6 carbon molecule. This promptly splits into two small 3 carbon molecules as shown in the reaction scheme below: These two 3 carbon molecules then go through a series of reduction stages, during which they react with the ATP (energy molecule) and NADPH (reducing molecule) that were produced during the light reactions of photosynthesis. Even though the Calvin cycle doesn't require any light itself, it is completely reliant on molecules created by the light-reactions. This stage creates two molecules of the 3-carbon "glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate" – which can be turned into useful plant sugars by further reactions. In order to continue running the Calvin cycle, and the reason that it is a cycle rather than just a process, the Rubisco must be recycled in order to go and pick up new carbon dioxide molecules. To do this also requires molecules of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate – which are modified and then joined together to re-form the RuBP. The final result of all this is that for every 3 rounds of the cycle three molecules of RuBP go in, 3 RuBP come out, and one new glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate is made. When put like that it might seem like a lot of effort for very little, in reality it's a very stable and important cycle. As the components of the cycle are all recycled, the Rubisco can just keep picking up carbon dioxide and shooting out sugars, turning an inorganic gas into an energy molecule useful for life. Featured Image by Jon Sullivan. More of his awesome photos can be found here. The first draft of this was incorrectly posted too early and contained some of my place-holder notation and Unchecked Mathematics. Apologies to all who followed a broken link, and thanks to the commentators for alerting me to the issue (it slipped my mind that I'd set it to publish). ]]> Little Molecules 13 Jan 2013 16:35:05 +0000S.E. Gould]]> into, or in the general direction of, human cells. A recent paper in PLoS Pathogens took a look at some of these toxic molecules produced by C. difficile, a human pathogen that infects the human colon and is showing worrying levels of antibiotic resistance. The rod shaped Clostridium difficile bacteria, image from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. C. difficile produces two main toxic molecules, labelled TcdA and TcdB. These toxins lead to fluid secretion, inflammation, and colonic tissue damage associated with the bacterial infection. Both of the toxins get into human cells and disrupt the internal structure, causing them to look round and blobby under a microscope. Both toxins are capable of activating apoptosis – the internal pathway used by cells to kill themselves, however some studies have shown that when cells were exposed to high concentrations of TcdB they tended to just destroy themselves (necrosis) without using the apoptotic pathway. Normal cells on the left, cells treated with TcdB in the middle showing the rounded phenotype. Cells treated with high concentrations of TcdB on the right showing necrosis (cell death). Image from reference. Before it is sent out of the bacterial cell to cause its damage, the TcdB molecule is processed inside the cell. This processing releases the catalytic effector part of the TcdB molecule which can then damage the host cell. By knocking out the genes responsible for this processing, the researchers were able to create TcdB mutants – unprocessed forms of the TcdB. They then tested both the normal wild-type and the unprocessed TcdB to see what affect they had on human cells (using both standard HeLa cells, and cells derived from the human colon). Surprisingly, both forms of TcdB were able to kill the human cells. This suggests that the internal processing is not required for TcdB necrosis. Graph showing cell viability at increasing concentrations of TcdB for five different unprocessed mutants and wild type. Image from reference. The researchers suggest that while low concentrations of TcdB have a "cytopathic effect" i.e they damage the cells leading to apoptosis, high concentrations of TcdB lead to a "cytotoxic effect" killing the cells off without causing the controlled cell death of apoptosis. Having shown the effects in culture the researchers then explored whether the same effect would be seen in actual tissues, using pig colon tissue. No significant difference was shown between the wild-type and unprocessed mutant; in the case of this toxin, internal processing is not required to cause cell damage. Although the results might seem negative when put in those terms, it's very important for pathology research to explore the effects of cell toxins, and to rule out areas where future research would not be useful for revealing anti-bacterial therapies. In this case, any antibiotic that targets the processing of TcdB would not be of use for therapy, although it would prevent the molecule being processed it would not stop the bacteria from causing damage. ]]> all biofilms are equal: The hyper-biofilm of P. aeruginosa 06 Jan 2013 15:08:20 +0000S.E. Gould]]>December turned out to be a rather hectic month for several reasons, so I decided to take a break from blogging. Now the holidays are over, I will back to regular blogging for 2013! In a previous post I wrote about how two-component systems evolved in bacteria while dying out in animals, so for this week I thought I'd give a recent example of work on a two-component system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa is a dangerous human pathogen that is particularly notorious for forming biofilms – a large bacterial city, consisting of lots of bacteria all held together within a sticky mess. P. Aeruginosa from wikimedia commons. P. aeruginosa has a large number of two-component systems, many of which are involved in managing the transition from the free-floating planktonic state to the colony-based community lifestyles of the biofilm. In particular the researchers were looking at a system labelled "PprAB" where PprA is the sensor (which recieves the input) and PprB is the reciever (which creates the output by turning on certain genes). Activating this PprAB system switches the bacteria from free-living single cells to a large multi-cellular biofilm. PprB activation is also associated with increased susceptibility to antibiotics and reduced virulence. As most biofilms are incredibly antibiotic resistant and usually increase virulence, the researchers decided to take a closer look at the PprAB system and what it was activating. In order to do this, the researchers used a mutant strain of the bacteria labelled PprBK which constantly expressed PprB. They compared the growth of this strain to a normal wild type bacteria labelled PAO1. They found that the cells constantly expressing PprB (the PprBK strain) formed biofilms a lot faster than the wild type,with cells clumping together after just one day: Biofilm formation after one day - wild-type cells on the left, PprB expressing cells on the right, which are already starting to clump! Image from the reference. They also tested the virulence of the two strains in human HeLa cells using an LDH release assay. The more LDH is released, the more the human cells are damaged and dying. The graph below shows the effects of both strains on cell death over the course of three hours, with the wild-type PAO1 far more virulent and leading to more cell death: Another observation that the researchers made was that this biofilm is more susceptible to the antibiotic tobramycin. Several of the genes that the PprAB system activates are used to increase the permeability of the cell membrane (to allow signal molecules in so all the cells can talk to each other and form a biofilm at the same time) and to change the composition of the cell matrix. it looks like trying to form a biofilm quickly makes each cell more permeable, allowing antibiotic molecules easier access inside. The speed of biofilm formation may also be related to the loss of virulence - rather than forming a coordinated attack, the cells are just trying to build a city as quickly as possible. ]]> makes things acid: The pH scale 03 Dec 2012 22:10:42 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>I with pH7 being completely neutral, i.e water. Anything with a very low pH is acidic, which substances with a high pH are alkaline. It wasn't until later that I found out what the pH scale actually meant, and when I did, it blew my mind completely. I'd always assumed that it either stood for two words or was named after someone. I did sometimes wonder why it was written like that (small p, capital H), but never enough to seriously ask about it. For starters, that H isn't a H. The reason it's capitalised is because it's the symbol for hydrogen. The p isn't a p either, it's a letter used as a shorthand for a mathematical operation. To be specific, the operation "-log10″. What I'd been assuming were the letters pH was actually a scientific formula, -log10 of the concentration of hydrogen ions: pH = – log10[H+] With that in mind, the pH scale made a lot more sense as a measure of acidity. Acids have a few different definitions, but overall they are substances that can generate hydrogen ions when in a solution. pH is a way of showing how many hydrogen ions they release without having to count up all the ions. pH also has no units, which is very useful for people like me who find units confusing. In order to be acidic then, a substance must contain hydrogen, in a form that can be released into water. Substances such as CH4 (methane) are not acidic as all four hydrogens are bound very tightly to the carbon and are not going anywhere. CH4 has a neutral pH, around 7. On the other hand, substances such as hydrochloric acid, HCl, are held together by polar ionic bonds and when placed into water the hydrogen will break away to form hydrogen ions, making the liquid acidic. HCl therefore has a very low pH and is a very strong acid. Weak acids, with pH 5 or 6 are slightly more complex. These are formed when a compound can release hydrogen ions, but only very weakly. Examples are often organic compounds, which while they have many hydrogens in their chemical structure, very few of these can break away in solution. Acetic acid (HC2H3O2) is a weak acid, as only the hydrogen at the front of the equation that can dissociate, and it is not hugely energetically favourable for it to do so. The pH scale, with a list of substances at each pH. Acids at the top, bases at the bottom. Image credit below. I do like the fact that "pH" has an actual chemical and mathematical meaning, rather than just being a random set of letters. Although the mathematics of acidity can get a little complex the further into chemistry you go, the -log10[H+] is still the major definition of both acidity and alkalinity. ]]> the animals lost their sensors 25 Nov 2012 10:23:15 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]> relies on just two components; a sensor and a responder. The sensor picks up the signal, communicates this to the responder, which then causes the effect. The components of the two-component signalling system. Picture (c) me. The picture above shows this process happening. The 'communication' of the message from the sensor to the responder, as shown by the coloured arrows, is carried out by transferring phosphate molecules. The signal interacting with the sensor causes the sensor to autophosphorylate (phosphorylate itself) and then pass the phosphate molecule onto the responder to trigger the response. The letters "H" and "D" are the actual amino-acids being phosphorylated; Histadine and Aspartate. Although Two-Component Systems (TCS) are found in all three superkingdoms of life (archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes) they are suspiciously absent from the animal kingdom. Plants have them, as do fungi and several protazoa, but they just aren't present in animals. For this reason they've been looked into as potential antibiotic targets as knocking out the Two-Component Systems of most bacteria is fatal. Why don't animals use TCS? To answer this you have to start looking at the evolution of the system itself, because despite being nominally present in eukaryotes such as plants and fungi, TCS are used very differently. Bacteria use TCS for sensing a wide variety of signals; stress, metabolism, nutrient regulation, chemotaxis, pathogen-host interactions etc. In eukaryotes on the other hand they are used sparingly; for ethylene responses and photosensitivity in plants and osmoregulation in fungi and slime moulds. Bacteria (especially soil bacteria which have a lot of environment to sense) can contain up to 50 TCS although many internal parasite bacteria contain a lot fewer. The maximum number found in archaea is around 20 and they are even scarer in eukaryotes with only one in bakers yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae – one sensor kinase and three response regulators). None have yet been found in any animal genomes, or in the protist genomes as far as I know (although it is possible recent protist research may have unearthed a few) Comparing the TCS genes of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes leads to the interesting conclusion that the bacterial and eukaryotic systems are far more closely related than the archaeal, and in fact are thought to be monophyletic (all evolved from a single common ancestor). In contrast, the archaeal TCS appear to be polyphyletic (several ancestors) and some archaea lack TCS entirely. It's therefore thought that TCS originated in bacteria and spread by horizontal gene transfer to both archaea and eukaryotes. As horizontal gene transfer relies on DNA moving from one species to another, no further transfer to eukaryotes could occur after they developed larger cells with a nuclear membrane. In eukaryotes very little further diversification took place, whereas the bacterial TCS diversified widely, and occasionally passed new systems back to the archaea. I've tried to show this in the diagram below: The passage of genes for two-component-systems through the three superkingdoms of life The diagram above attempts to show the movement of the TCS genes through the three superkingdoms of life. Red arrows show the horizontal transfer (straight arrows) and gene duplication (curved arrows) of TCS genes. No horizontal gene transfer can take place in eukaryotes after the nuclear membrane (well….it can do but is very, very rare) although gene duplication may still have occurred. The eukaryotic superkingdom appears not to have contained very many of these TCS genes to start with, and the animal kingdom may just have lost the very few it possessed. This makes sense from the point of view of cellular control because while TCS are very useful in bacteria with their small genome and independent lifestyles, it's less clear how useful they are in eukaryotes as a whole. Introducing a membrane around the nucleus makes it harder for proteins to get in and bind to the DNA, and in a large complicated cell it's harder for a simple two-component system to sense what's going on. Added to which, cells inside a multicellular organism don't really need to sense what's going on, they get told what's going on by the surrounding cells and circulating hormones. Whatever the reason though it is clear that despite this system being vital for bacteria it isn't used widely, or most likely at all, in animals. Research into this would be particularly useful against opportunistic pathogens which tend to have a large selection of two-component systems to allow them to adapt to different lifestyles depending on the conditions of their immediate environment. ]]> on you crazy diamond: why humans are carbon-based lifeforms 11 Nov 2012 18:29:51 +0000S.E. Gould posts in the Chemistry series: Hydrogen-bonds, van der Waals forces, metallic bonding, ionic bonds Everything on earth is made up of combinations of different elements – all of which can be found on the periodic table. Considering that the periodic table contains 118 elements it seems a pity that organic life tends to feature [...] Everything on earth is made up of combinations of different elements – all of which can be found on the periodic table. Considering that the periodic table contains 118 elements it seems a pity that organic life tends to feature only five or six of those elements in any vast quantities. The main one being carbon. As well as being the main element in organic matter, carbon atoms are the only element in both graphite and diamond. Image credit below. It would be impossible for life on earth to exist without carbon. Carbon is the main component of sugars, proteins, fats, DNA, muscle tissue, pretty much everything in your body. The reason carbon is so special is down to the electron configuration of the individual atoms. Electrons exist in concentric 'shells' around the central nucleus and carbon has four electrons in its outermost shell. As the most stable thing for an atom to have is eight electrons, this means that each carbon can form four bonds with surrounding atoms. Carbon forming four bonds with four hydrogen atoms. Each bond in the above molecule is formed by the sharing of two electrons; one from the carbon and one from the hydrogen. The ability to form four bonds isn't restricted to carbon though, it's a property of every atom with four outer electrons, including silicon, tin and lead. What's special about carbon, and the reason that silicon-based lifeforms are restricted to science fiction (and lead-based lifeforms are hardly ever mentioned) is that it can form double-bonds which share more than one electron with another atom, as shown below: Each carbon has formed four bonds (four lines coming out of each C) but two of the bonds are with the same molecule. Why is carbon able to do this while silicon can't? Although the bonds are all drawn as straight lines in the diagram above, in real life not all bonds are equal. The double bond consists of two different types of bond. Each bond is made up of two electron orbitals (one from each atom) which have overlapped. The easiest way to think of an orbital without getting into some serious physics is as a blurry sort of zone in which a fast-moving electron is most likely to be whizzing about. When two orbitals overlap, you have double the space which two electrons can whiz around in. The single bond is formed by two circular orbitals overlapping and surrounding both atoms: Two spherical orbitals overlap and share electrons and electron-space. The carbon nucleus is in the centre of each sphere. The second bond is formed slightly differently. The electrons that form these bonds are not in a spherical orbital around the nucleus, they are in oval-shaped orbitals that protrude above and below the nucleus. When they overlap the bond forms above and below the first bond, as shown in the diagram: The first bond is shown by the line surrounded by the fuzzy green plane. Image credit below So why can carbon and not silicon manage this double-bond trick? The answer lies in the size. Carbon is the smallest of all the atoms with four outermost electrons, which means that the electrons in the above-and-below orbitals are close enough to overlap and form that second bond. For silicon however, there are more electron orbitals in the way, the entire atom is bigger, and it is almost impossible for the outer orbitals to get close enough to form a double bond. This is why carbon dioxide is is a small gaseous molecule consisting of two oxygens both forming a double bond with a single carbon while silicon dioxide is a massive behemoth of a molecule made of huge numbers of alternating oxygen and silicon atoms and is more commonly known as sand. Silicon dioxide (sand) on the left, carbon dioxide on the right You can just about get silicon-silicon double bonds if you try hard, but they are fairly unstable and will take any chance they can to loose that double-bond in favour of forming another single one. Carbon-carbon double bonds on the other hand form naturally and easily, and are crucial for every living organism on earth. If there were to be silicon-based lifeforms, the sheer chemistry of their atoms means that they would have to be built along very different lines to life on earth. ]]> to milk a pigeon 04 Nov 2012 13:20:07 +0000S.E. Gould]]> of both the immune system and the baby's microbiotica – the bacteria that develop in its gut and stomach. Although milk is exclusively a mammalian production, some birds, such as pigeons, penguins and flamingos, produce a milk-like substance which provides similar benefits to their young. Both female and the male pigeons produce it in their crop, and like mammalian milk production is controlled by the hormone prolactin. It contains protein (60%), fat (32–36%), carbohydrate (1–3%), minerals (calcium, potassium, sodium and phosphorus), IgA antibodies (important for the immune system) and assorted non-pathogenic bacteria. Two pigeons in the UK. Photo by Mr SG from wikimedia commons (credit link below) In order to explore the benefits of pigeon milk on the young, researchers fed the milk to baby chickens to see how they benefited from it. They found that after 7 days, the milk-fed chickens were around 12.5% heavier than the non-milk-fed control group and were also expressing different genes in the gut associated lyphoid tissue (where the immune system and the gut come into contact). Milk fed chickens had a much greater expression of the immunoglobulin IgA than the non milk fed, as shown in the graph below: Differences in IgA expresion in the pigeon milk chickens "PM-fed" and the control group. Image from reference 1 below. *p=0.033 As well as affecting the immune system, feeding pigeon milk to the chickens also changed the composition of bacteria within the chicken cecum (a part of the gut). Pigeon milk fed chickens had a much greater bacterial diversity, at both phylum and genus levels. Unsurprisingly, milk fed chickens contained bacteria found within the pigeon milk (originally produced to go inside little pigeons) although not all of the bacteria present in pigeon milk had managed to survive in the chickens. The reason chickens were used for this experiment rather than pigeons (which would seem more natural) is that pigeon milk contains so many benefits required by baby pigeons that they end up dead or very sickly if you try to bring them up without it. The fact that pigeon milk provides significant growth advantages for chickens is also interesting for the farming industries. Nobody is particularly fussed about making bigger pigeons, but bigger chickens can lead to more money, although the current lack of formula pigeon-milk means that this is not a viable strategy for chicken farming. ]]> changing microflora of bacteria in the lungs 28 Oct 2012 14:12:35 +0000S.E. Gould]]> involved in respiratory research I was rather excited to find a PLoS One paper that looked at how the population of lung bacteria changes in respiratory disease. The respiratory disease in question is COPD, which stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. It's caused primarily by smoke getting into the lungs, from tobacco or industrial processes, and leads to narrowed airways and overproduction of mucus. It's not really curable, although many medications exist to help people live with it, and to slow down the progression of the disease. Healthy lung and a lung with COPD - from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, credit below. In order to explore which bacteria were present in healthy smokers, COPD patients, and people who had never smoked, researchers used massively parallel pyrosequencing. This technique allows the bacteria to be identified by their DNA without the need for producing bacterial cultures, so even 'unculturable' bacteria can be identified. In the smokers, never-smoked, and patients with mild COPD a far wider range of bacterial diversity was found than in patients with severe COPD who tended to have a much smaller number of different bacterial species. There were no specific bacterial species common for each group, the major difference appeared to be in diversity. The most commonly found bacteria in the healthy subjects included Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Prevotella and Fusobacterium which the researchers suggested may make up a core lung microbiome. As a secondary analysis, the researchers also looked at bacterial populations in very specific areas of the lung, and found that there was no homology of bacterial species throughout the whole lung. In some cases one small microenvironment in the lung could be exclusively populated by one form of bacteria. Samples from different places in the lungs could therefore result in a very different view of the bacterial microflora in the lungs. Although this research is fascinating, it is important to note that despite differences seen the microflora cannot be used as a diagnostic for COPD as there were no exclusive differences seen in this small sample size between diseased and healthy lung flora. The small patches of different microflora may suggest areas that are more prone to developing COPD and other respiratory diseases, in the same way that patches of different skin bacterial flora can be more prone to dermatitis and skin diseases. ]]> that work together to cause infection 21 Oct 2012 13:17:18 +0000S.E. Gould]]>I'm on holiday at the moment, so this post is adapted from the archives. It was originally posted at my old blog over on Field of Science. mess around with the genes until they make what you want. But what I'm really enjoying exploring at the moment is more ecological bacteriology; how bacteria interact with their environment, how they respond to changes to stresses and, most importantly, to other bacteria. I've covered how natural throat bacteria can help destroy dangerous pathogens such as MRSA Staph aureus so in this post I'm going to look at almost the opposite; how some bacteria can give each other a helping hand in order to infect humans. Campylobacter jejuni is a bacteria that I feel a special affinity for because I've worked with it, back in my first ever summer project. Unfortunately it's not a very nice bacteria and can lead to bad stomach illnesses with some rare but quite threatening complications. It's found in chicken meat and cheese as it is perfectly capible of surviving happily in animals without causing them any diseases. One of the problems with working with Campylobacter jejuni (henceforth shortened to C. jejuni) is that it's very fussy about the amount of oxygen it's in. C. jejuni is microaerophilic, which means it needs oxygen, but only small amounts,. If you give it too much all the cells will die. This problem was solved in my old lab by using tightly sealed containers and special packs of … stuff … which were put inside the containers to create the right conditions. This raises an important question; if the bacteria have to be coddled and protected just to culture on a plate in the lab then how on earth do they survive and grow on the surface of chicken meat? A recent study (reference below) found that the C. jejuni were being aided by surrounding bacteria. The picture below shows both C. jejuni and a bacteria called Pseudomonas putida in close interaction, with long fibre-like structures connecting them. No one seems to be really sure what the fibre-like structures are, they may be being used for chemical communication, or they may just be keeping the bacteria in close physical contact. The C. jejuni is the more slender and slightly spiral shaped bacterium in the centre, the others are Putida. Image from the reference. Both bacteria were identified as being in close contact, as well as being seen together under the microscope. Further experiments were done to show that the P. putida was required for C. jejuni survival – a range of different C. jejuni strains were grown in both the presence and absence of the supporting P. putida to see how long they could survive in completely aerobic conditions. The results are almost hilarious, without the help of the P. putida bacteria the Campylobacter just die, really quickly: Image taken from the reference below Figure A (top) shows the C. jejuni with P. putida grown as well, Figure B (beneath) shows the C. jejuni grown alone. The graphs show the count of living cells over time, and it's clear that without the help of P. putida the C. jejuni dies much quicker. Interestingly it was found that the interaction between particular strains of both C. jejuni and P. putida was fairly specific as well. As you can see in the graph above, only three of the C. jejuni strains have survived past 50 hours with the help of this particular P. putida, although they surive longer than with no help at all. As P. putida are aerobic, the most likely explanation for how they are helping is that they create a microenvironment of decreased oxygen within their immediate surroundings. This is the kind of environment that it is thought C. jejuni will naturally migrate to. It's interesting to consider that this might be less of a mutual helping relationship and more of a seriously exploitative one, with the C. jejuni swarming as quickly as possible towards the environment created by the P. putida and then wrapping them all up in a sticky mesh to stop them moving away. This special relationship is not applicable for all C. jejuni, in other environments such as in humans and in chicken poo the C. jejuni exist fine on their own, but in the highly aerobic environment of the meat surface they rely on other bacteria to survive. The implications for treatment of bacteria are intreguing (especially for antibiotic resistant strains of C. jejuni) but this is another reminder that despite laboratory conditions bacteria do not just exist in isolation. They inhabit a whole tiny world, with challenges of its own, surrounded by other bacteria that change their environment both for better and for worse. ]]> bacteria with copper 14 Oct 2012 13:48:55 +0000S.E. Gould]]> loose a few electrons here and there. By holding and releasing electrons they can take place in redox reactions, which are used to produce energy for the cell. Copper can cycle between two different ionic forms: Cu+ and Cu2+. Its most important use is as an electron carrier for the process of creating the energy-rich molecule ATP. Although it is vital to the cell in small amounts, in large quantities it can become toxic. By 'large quantities' we are talking about greater than one atom per cell, so anyone suggesting that consuming or being close to large quantities of copper is beneficial for your health is probably wrong. Copper mineral. Consumption not recommended. Image credit below. Large amounts of copper are toxic for pretty much all living cells, which can be exploited by the human immune system to fight off invading bacteria. When macrophages (the white blood cells that surround and break down invading bacteria) are activated and engulf a bacteria they start to accumulate copper ions inside the cell, in particular in the part of the cell that has just engulfed the bacteria. As a response, many bacteria have increased resistance to copper ions, and those that have lost this resistance are more susceptible to being broken down by the macrophages. While large amounts of copper are indeed bad for your cells, inadequate copper levels can compromise the immune system and make people more likely to suffer from bacterial infection. As bacterial cells are much smaller and more compact than human cells, they tend to keep all their copper-containing enzymes very close to the cell membrane, to prevent them causing unwanted redox reactions inside the cell. When presented with elevated copper levels, the bacteria can turn on a group of genes which produce proteins capable of shuttling copper out of the cell. These are the copper resistance genes. As a large number of pathogenic bacteria contain these copper-resistant genes, and as there are very few copper-containing enzymes in bacteria, it is likely that an excess rather than a deficit of copper is a problem for bacteria inside the human body. If you do feel you need more copper in your life, these are the foods you should be eating! From the Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, credit below. The use of copper as a strategy against bacteria may have important clinical implications. While using copper as a therapeutic strategy would be potentially dangerous for the host, targeting bacterial copper resistance may provide help for the macrophages and immune system cells to clear the bacteria naturally. Developing a way to compromise the bacteria by reducing their copper resistance could also be used along with antibiotic therapy in order to increase the effectiveness of the antibiotic. ]]> How bacteria get into your bladder 07 Oct 2012 08:35:18 +0000S.E. Gould]]> school didn't give any lessons related to sexual health) and nobody had even suggested it as an illness possibility. And then I had an episode and found out that not only do most women have it at least once in their lives, getting it around three times a year is apparently perfectly normal. Suddenly there was this new and unexpected level to the world. For those who have not yet entered the matrix, cystitis is a bacterial urinary tract or bladder infection. The main symptoms are a strong and desperate desire to pee coupled with pee that feels like burning acid, which is not a happy combination. If left for too long, eventually you start to pee blood which is completely terrifying the first time it happens. It tends to occur when bacteria from the outside world make their way into the urethra (the little pipe where pee comes out) and given that women have far shorter urethras than men, it can happen to them fairly frequently. Nobody is quite sure what leads to an attack, or why some people get it far more often than others, but anecdotal evidence suggests a strong correlation with sexual activity, personal hygiene, and/or dehydration. This is your bladder on cystitis. The purple dots are the white blood cells that cause inflammation. Image credit below. There isn't a huge amount of research on cystitis, which is why going to the doctor tends to result in not much more than vague murmurings about cranberries, loose underwear and drinking plenty of water. (As an aside, it wasn't until my third attack that I was given the only piece of really useful anti-cystitis advice I've ever received: pee after sex). So I'm always interested in new papers that come out discussing it. In particular there's a really interesting paper in PLoS Pathogens at the moment (reference below) detailing the life cycle of the bacteria that cause cystitis. The most common bacterial cause of cystitis is E. coli, because there tends to be quite a lot of it hanging around on the body. Because of this, the body usually has quite an efficient innate immune response that keeps the bacteria from getting anywhere near the tissues or bloodstream, but for some reason in cystitis this response simple isn't effective. This may be genetic factors in some women, for others there are clear physical reasons (such as a strangely formed urinary tract, or a problem with the kidneys) and is definitely helped by the fact that the bladder is a sort of water reservoir, where bacteria can settle down and flourish. Bacterial colonies on the surface of a hot spring. Generally bacteria like bodies of warm water. Credit link below. The first challenge the bacteria face is getting up the urinary tract in the first place. True, it's fairly short in women, but it's still a piece of human tissue protected with white-blood cells and with a regular streams of water running through it. Pathogenic bacteria have a wide range of adhesive molecules and other binding agents, which, when they bind to a surface, cause the bacterium to change from a floating blob to a blob capable of crawling along a surface. The particular E. coli associated with cystitis has a whole host of other molecules to help with binding to urinary tract tissue, although it is not yet clear which are directly associated with the infection in humans (research has been done mainly on mice). The E. coli is also able to bind and sense urine, and uses the rush of urine flow as a signal to cling tightly to the tissue where it's attached. Once they get into the bladder, the E. coli are then internalised by the host-cells in order to destroy them. While most of the bacteria will be killed in this way, others actually start to form little biofilm-like clusters inside the cells. This highly organised little bacterial city is surrounded by a sticky mess of proteins and sugars, which protect it from the cell trying to kill it. Remains of a Staphylococcus infection from a catheter. The stringy gooey bits between the spherical bacteria are the remains of the biofilm that would have surrounded the entire colony. Image credit below This is where the story starts turning into horror sci-fi. Remember this is all happening inside a human bladder. The biofilm starts to take over the cell it's growing in, engulfing the nucleus and filling the cytoplasm. It gets so large that the cell actually starts to bulge inwards, into the bladder space. This large bulging cell then starts to extrude bacterial filaments that grow outwards from the surface, latch onto surrounding cells, and start infecting them as well. Not only are the bacteria starting to take over the cells in the bladder, they also suppress the answering human immune system by suppressing the production of cytokines (small immune system signalling molecules) and encouraging the production of IDO, a molecule which tells the immune system that enough cytokines have been produced and they don't need to make any more. By breaking down communication channels within the immune system, the bacteria can evade attack. The problem with the outer tissue layer of the bladder though, is that it's continually being shed through exfoiliation, which makes it a rather unsafe place to have a bacterial colony. For longer lasting survival, the bacteria can burrow down to the underlying basal epithelium and surround themselves with a protective network of actin molecules. These bacteria are resistant to antibiotic attack, and can simply lie dormant for several months. The mechanisms by which it stays like this, or by which it initiates recurrent cystitis, are still a mystery. One of the main problems with recurrent cystitis, from the point of view of the sufferer, is that each bout of infection leaves the tissues inflamed and, even after healing, more likely to succumb to an infection again. Like asthma, diabetes, and various other long-term diseases and symptoms, it's not something that can be cured, it's something that has to be lived with. If you do suffer from cystitis, the internet contains many sources of advice, all of which tend to list the same sort of things. The methods I've found most work for me are: peeing after sex, drinking 4/5 pints of water a day and taking bicarbonate of soda if I start to feel twinges. Despite what they tell you, there is no real evidence for the cranberries. Reference:Jorgensen I, Seed PC (2012) How to Make It in the Urinary Tract: A Tutorial by Escherichia coli. PLoS Pathog 8(10): e1002907. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1002907 ]]> Post: Flesh-eating bacteria 23 Sep 2012 12:33:33 +0000S.E. Gould having a bit of a break this weekend catching up with my Dads-in-law. I'm pleased to present a guest post from Andy Wang who works as a Microbiology Research Associate at Emeryville Pharmaceutical Services. Flesh Eating Bacteria Can Infect Anyone – What You Should Know What is it? Necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh eating [...] ]]>I'm having a bit of a break this weekend catching up with my Dads-in-law. I'm pleased to present a guest post from Andy Wang who works as a Microbiology Research Associate at Emeryville Pharmaceutical Services. Flesh Eating Bacteria Can Infect Anyone – What You Should Know What is it? Necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh eating bacteria, infects various layers of the skin. In most cases, an immunocompromised individual, such as a smoker, drug addict, diabetic, or cancer patient is most vulnerable, although healthy individuals are also susceptible. A recent surge of media coverage for this disease has brought about widespread awareness – and here are some things you should know. The causal agent can be one of many infectious bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Clostridum perfringens, or Aeromonas hydrophila. These organisms can be part of normal human skin microflora or found in common settings such as a freshwater environment. Entry through just a small or even non-apparent cut may be enough to induce inflammation and subsequently, tissue necrosis. A common misconception comes from the name "flesh eating bacteria" itself, as the bacteria isn't actually damaging the tissue, rather the toxins they leave behind. If left untreated, the toxins eventually spread to the rest of the body and can cause death through sepsis. It's not uncommon for victims to undergo amputations in order to prevent systemic spread of the bacteria. How do I treat and prevent it? The most effective preventative measure would be to thoroughly wash your wound. Antibiotics are effective for treatment, but most doctors and victims don't think twice about a minor cut and begin a regimen soon enough. It is only when the victim experiences excruciating pain from the infection when physicians begin to realize it is flesh eating bacteria, at which point it may be too late. Antibiotics would rid the bacteria from the body, but they do little to eliminate the toxins left behind, which continue to produce devastating effects. NeutroPhase, a new wound cleanser recently cleared by the FDA, was used by Dr. John Crew and his nurses Randell Varilla and Thomas Allandale Rocas III, when one of his patients, Lori Madsen, fell and scraped her elbow. Dr. Crew overheard the screams of Ms. Madsen and after reviewing her symptoms, decided to use NeutroPhase in combination with negative pressure wound therapy. Ms. Madsen was discharged from the hospital within a few weeks. The wound cleanser is a solution of pure hypochlorous acid, the same compound released during oxidative burst when white blood cells engulf foreign particles as part of the body's immune response system. The product has recently been approved for treatment of chronic non-healing wounds such as venous, pressure, stasis, and diabetic foot ulcers as well as post-surgical and burn wounds. ]]> new antibiotic compounds: Dual-targeting inhibitors 17 Sep 2012 14:23:09 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>A inhibitors that target both the action of DNA-gyrase and DNA-topoisomerase IV, both of which are vital for DNA replication. If the bacterial DNA is unable to replicate, then the bacteria cannot produce offspring and the infection cannot take hold. The research isolated a range of interesting compounds, labelled GP-1 to GP-12. These compounds were tested for their ability to kill the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomalia, a naturally occurring tropical/sub-tropical bacteria. Time-kill assays were performed, measuring how many bacteria both compounds killed over time, and showing a decrease in the number of bacteria after 24 hours treatment with the compounds. They also tested the compounds in mice infected with the B. pseudomalia strains, looking at the number of bacteria found in the spleen and lungs following treatment. To get a further picture of how these compounds were carrying out their antibiotic activity, the company also carried out research on the pharmokinetics of the drug, i.e how it works within a body. In order to discover how stable the compounds were (i.e whether they just break down inside a body) they were incubated with animal or human liver microsomes and appropriate co-factors at 37 degrees C for up to 60 min. To study the behaviour of the compounds within a body, plasma and tissue were collected from animals treated with the drug compounds, to see where they ended up, and how they behaved in the blood. The results showed compatible binding to blood proteins in both mice and human samples, which is important as it means that further mouse research is more likely to produce results relevant for humans. The drug dispersed well throughout the body, particularly appearing in the liver and kidneys (not surprising as they tend to excrete antibiotics) and only minimal amounts appearing briefly in the brain, which is also good. The final part of the research involved testing the drugs ability to destroy pathogens in mouse models. The researchers tested the response of GP1-8 on two important clinical strains; S. pneumoniae (a Gram positive bacteria) and E. coli (a Gram negative bacteria). Excitingly, the results showed that infections from both Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria could be cleared – infections ranging from bacteria in the lung (in the case of S. pneumoniae) and in the kidneys and thigh muscle (in the case of E. coli). There's plenty more research to be done before these compounds start moving into actual clinical trials, but it is interesting to see the potential for new broad-spectrum antibiotics – i.e compounds that can attack a range of bacteria rather than just a few isolated species. The great thing about industrial research is that with the money and infrastructure behind the research, there is the potential for interesting compounds to be shunted through to clinical trials very efficiently, resulting in the eventual production of new pharmaceutical products. — Thanks to Trius Therapeutics for letting me have a sneaky peak at their posters and research. Further details of their research can be found here. Please note that I am not in any way economically affiliated with this company. ]]> Buenos Aires: Synthetic bacterial communities 09 Sep 2012 10:23:53 +0000S.E. Gould year, the iGEM competition encourages undergraduates from all over the world to create synthetic bacterial machines by organising modular pieces of genome. This is a guest post from the iGEM team in Buenos Aires about the competition and their project. We are happy to be presented as the first team from Argentina to participate [...] ]]>Each year, the iGEM competition encourages undergraduates from all over the world to create synthetic bacterial machines by organising modular pieces of genome. This is a guest post from the iGEM team in Buenos Aires about the competition and their project. We are happy to be presented as the first team from Argentina to participate it the iGEM competition. As the first of many teams to come we have a huge responsibility and getting started was a hard job: we had to start the lab from scratch, make connections and look for sponsors most of whom had never heard about the competition. But we did it all with great confidence and we've found a lot of support from scientists working in Synthetic Biology and former iGEM teams. Fortunately, we got support from several organizations, including our university, UNU-Biolac and Argentina's Science, Innovation and Production Department (MINCYT), which supported us both with funding and trust. Image from iGEM Team Buenos Aires In April 2012, our university held the first Latin American EMBO Global Exchange Lecture Course which at the same time was the first Latin American gathering of people interested in Synthetic Biology. Here, students from the region were invited to learn and share their thoughts. We had lecturers from invited speakers, including several of the first iGEM founders. The response was amazing, the university received students coming from Mexico to Chile and the outcomes were fabulous: Latin America is a growing region and a great promise for this upcoming discipline. We are certain that many local problems can be solved through Synthetic Biology. Furthermore, the free exchange of knowledge and technology, which are the basis of the competition, are invaluable. In this spirit, we translated the concept of community build up into our project, where we aimed to create a community of microorganisms, in which each member is in a defined and stable proportion. If we succeed, this could be used as a standard tool in lab and industry, defining a new layer of modularity. The design of the system is based on a "Synthetic symbiosis", in which each member of the community produces and secretes aminoacids the other members need to survive. By regulating the amount of aminoacid secreted, we could in principle control the proportions of each strain. The coculture of strains with His and Trp auxotrophies. Image from iGEM Team Buenos Aires Our goal is to be able to control the proportion of each strain in the coculture, just as species interactions are naturally balanced in ecosystems and we used a biobrick (shown in the image below) in order to control the export of Trp. The Trojan is a class of peptide with translocating properties that would be capable of carrying the signal (His or Trp) across the plasma membrane for secretion and into the plasma membrane of the target cell (namely, the other strain). The Biobrick designed by the iGEM Buenos Aires team Possible applications of our project are endless: food industry, optimization of bioreactors, bioremediation and alternative energy source generation, among others. It would also become a very useful tool for academia and medicine studies since it would allow, for example, the study of biopathways by isolating the different steps in different strains or the study of the interaction of gene products that would otherwise not fit into a single organism. And more, the innovation of our proposal is that we are introducing a new level of modularity since our main unit is the actual engineered organism and our system is the whole community. As part of our human practices, we have related to Garage Lab, a group of Argentinian social entrepreneurs that are keen on technology and informatics. Together we plan on using the heavy metals detectors that can be constructed with the iGEM kit for the assessment of the Rio de la Plata pollution, a big environmental problem here in Buenos Aires. Work will continue after the Jamborees – this is just the start! ]]> bacteria that make insects eat their own brains 02 Sep 2012 14:44:18 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>As these bacteria often make the host ill, or less fit, or sometimes dead, the longer they live with their host, overall, the less they damage it. After all, it's no help to the bacteria if their home drops down dead right after they've moved in. A great example of this appeared in PLoS Pathogens this month (reference 1), concerning the bacteria Wolbachia. These bacteria infect insects and other arthropods and are much beloved of journalists (well, compared to other insect bacteria at least) because one of their effects is to stop insects producing male offspring (so only female survive to pass on the bacterial genome), which gives journalists the opportunity to write silly headlines. An electon micrograph of an insect cell, with three Wolbachia bacteria inside (the large circular blobs with white lines surrounding them). Image from reference 2. As well as passing from females onto their offspring, Wolbachia can also be transmitted horizontally, that is between insects in the same generation. In its normal host the Wolbachia is not hugely damaging (apart from removing all males from the population) but when transmitted to a new species it causes various unpleasant nervous system complications, often leading to death. Clearly, the bacteria are more virulent when they encounter a new species. However when the bacterial infection was closely examined, it was found that infected individuals of both species contained the same number of bacteria. It wasn't just that the new species couldn't respond to the infection, it was in fact the way they responded that was doing the damage. As it turns out, the reason Wolbachia are more dangerous in new species isn't because the bacteria go wild in the unexplored territory, rather it's because the new host doesn't know how to deal with them. The insects that are used to dealing with the presence of the bacteria have developed ways to contain the infection, or just tolerate it. New species however, tend to panic, particularly as the bacteria tend to congregate in the gonads (sex organs) and the central nervous system, which even insects understand are bad places to have bacteria. As the bacteria are found inside cells, the best way for an insect immune system to get rid of them, is by destroying the cells that house the bacteria. Which, as previously mentioned, are mainly the gonads and the central nervous system. When the Wolbachia get into a new species, the first response of the insect is to quickly and efficiently destroy any cells which have bacteria inside them. As a consequence the unfortunate insect basically destroys its own brain, leading to various unpleasant symptoms and death. The carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus. Many species of Camponotus are infected with Wolbachia. Image from reference 3 Even in insects, the immune system is vital to defend animals from bacterial, fungal, and viral attacks. However it's fascinating to see the cases where the immune system (even 'primitave' immune systems that consist of nothing more than infected cells quickly being removed) can lead to issues by over-reacting to a threat. The best response to the Wolbachia is for the insects to learn to deal with it, rather than to attempt to launch counter-attacks which can be damaging for the animal as a whole. ]]> RNA fragments control bacterial infections 26 Aug 2012 09:28:22 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>There be removed, then RNA is little buts of paper containing copies of pages that are spread around for people to read. The differences between RNA (left) and DNA (right). RNA is also found as a double helix, a triple helix and a strange looped thing. Image from wikimedia commons, credit link below. Given its power to act as an intermediary between DNA and protiens, which are two of the most important macromolecules within the cell, RNA has a huge number of jobs to do. One of those jobs is to regulate which parts of the DNA are making proteins. Not all of the DNA in the cell is being used all the time, and small pieces of RNA have the ability to show the cell which parts of the DNA need to be working at any one time. In the case of the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, the small RNAs can turn on the parts of the DNA required to make the bacteria virulent. It seems that the bacteria uses very specific RNA fragments to turn on different genes at different stages in its virulence cycle. At each stage, a specific set of small RNAs will be produced in order to control gene expression. A recent paper from PLoS Pathogens (reference below) carried out three sets of experiments to show this. Firstly, they sequenced the entire genome of the Streptococcus in order to find the sections that looked similar to other bacterial small RNAs. Once identified (they found around 89!) they specifically removed the ability of the cells to make the some of the small RNAs to see the effect that had on bacterial virulence. Finally, they looked for the targets of these RNAs, to find out which parts of the DNA expression they were actually affecting. Streptococcus pneumoniae from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Image Library (PHIL), with identification number #262. Credit link below. To explore the effect of removing the small RNA sections they looked at a measurement called the "competitive index" which involved infecting mice with both the wild-type and mutated bacteria (bacteria without the small RNAs) and seeing how well they compared when in competition with each other. A competitive index of one means that equal amounts of wild-type and mutant bacteria were found, less than one means that more wild-type bacteria were found and greater than one means that more of the mutated bacteria were found. As expected, in almost all individual cases the mutants performed worse than the wild-type in infection, some performing significantly badly. Results from reference 1 below The graph above shows the effect of removing certain sRNA from bacteria infecting the blood. Each point represents a single individual, with the lines showing the average of the strain. The scale is logarithmic, which means that while strain F5 was around 5 times worse than the wild-type on average, strain R12 was over 100 times worse. What's also interesting is that one individual with the F5 mutation performed better than the wild type, although two of them also performed much, much worse. The paper explored the fate of mutations on virulence in the nose/throat area and the lung, with mutants performing worse in all cases. Finding the target sites of the small RNAs was more complex, as each one appeared to both up-regulate (turn on the production) and down-regulate a large number of proteins. To explore this, the researchers carried out Northern Blots, which leave a stain for every protein produced inside the cell, for both the mutants and the wild type and then compared the similarities and differences. The graph below shows the huge differences in proteins controlled, and suggests that each small RNA has a large number of effects within the cell, controlling a range of responses including DNA repair, synthesis of nucleotides, and virulence. The number of upregulated and downregulated proteins found for each mutation. Image from the reference below Using RNA to send important messages to the genome is an advantageous strategy for bacteria, as it uses less energy than creating proteins to do the job, and requires less DNA to store the information. RNAs can either be very specific, or focus on multiple targets, allowing them to have very defined roles in controlling large genetic changes, such as the onset of bacterial virulence. The main task the researchers have now, is to work out the precise function of all these RNAs, and which genes they tweak to create the pathogenic bacterial cell. ]]> Watch: The Wall Butterfly 21 Aug 2012 14:36:04 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>I've whenever I see them. Which hasn't been very often this summer, as the huge amounts of rain haven't been good for butterflies. One of the ones I was most proud of spotting over the weekend, was the Wall butterfly, Lasiommata megera, which is getting rather rare in England. Along the south coast of Dorset I saw a good three of them, as well as large numbers of Gatekeepers, which were everywhere. I found that the most recognisable feature about these butterflies was the large dark band across the top wing. My first thought was that it was a fritillary, because I've never seen a fritillary before, but no fritillaries have the round circular spots. This butterfly has a pattern that seems halfway between a fritillary and a gatekeeper, making it recognisable as a wall butterfly. Those dark bands aren't just for show. Only the males have them (the females just have lighter bands, I don't think I saw any females) and they are scent bands, used to attract mates. It's fairly easy to see as all the wall butterflies I saw seemed determined to pose on the gravel path, wings outstretched. Unlike the white butterflies (which just do not keep still) these ones were happy to sit with their wings open while I thumbed desperately through my field guide to work out what they were, getting distracted by pictures of fritillaries. A silver washed fritillary. All fritillaries have a similar sort of pattern but they do not have the dark black bands or the eye-spots of the wall butterfly. Photo by Zeynel Cebeci via wikimeida commons, credit link below. Despite the ones I saw on the south coast, the wall butterfly is still rare in Britain. It's found most easily around the coast of England and Wales and a few spots in Ireland. The butterfly is found most often around May and June, with a slight dip in numbers in July and then again around August-October time. Eggs are laid over the winter. The butterfly prefers hot and sunny conditions, so it was lucky there was a heat-wave this weekend! I also saw a peacock butterfly, a speckled wood and a marbled white, all of which were beautiful but slightly less rare. There were also several whites of some variety, but they wouldn't stop moving long enough for me to identify exactly which kind of whites they were. I was really hoping to see some blues along the coast, but a lot of them are even rarer and a lot harder to distinguish. ]]> that steal genes from bacteria 12 Aug 2012 07:50:13 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>In for as I studied polyketides for my degree project. Several antibiotics are polyketides, so they are useful things for bacteria to have. Polyketides don't just exist in bacteria, they are also present in plants, fungi, protists and even some animals. They are most commonly found in organisms that are sharing mutualistic relationships, such as colonies of sponges, and the symbiotic bacteria of insects. This may be due to their usefulness as a signalling molecule. In particular lichenised fungi, i.e fungi sharing a relationship with algae or green-bacteria (cyanobacteria) contained a large number of polyketides. When examined closer however, it was found that only 10% of these were related to plant polyketides, the rest were more unique. As polyketides are modular genes, it is relatively easy to evolve new ones. Accidental duplication of sections of the genomes can add in a bunch of new modules, which can then diversify to new and exciting purposes. If one gene adds a -COOH group, and another adds a -CH3, duplication of those genes means that your molecule suddenly has two -COOH groups and two -CH3 groups and a bunch of new properties as a molecule. While many of the new fungal polyketides will have evolved within the fungi, it is also strongly suggested that a group of them originally came from bacteria. The genes for making polyketides are very close to genes called "mobile elements", bits of DNA that are particularly good at jumping in and out of cells. Also the codons (the code by while DNA is turned into protiens) of the polyketides genes more closely resemble those of bacteria than of other fungi or plants. A tree in Sicily covered in different types of lichen, credit below For anyone interested in taxonomy there are some interesting clade diagrams in the paper (reference below). What they seem to show is that a group of polyketide genes from bacteria were picked up by the fungi, and the evolved within it to form new groups of polyketides unique to lichenised fungi. These genes are not in all types of lichenised fungi, suggesting that they have been lost from species where they are not needed. As polyketide genes tend to be quite large and bulky (at least for bacteria, it might not matter so much inside the larger eukaryote genomes!) it does make sense that they would be quietly dropped if found not to be useful. It's not unlikely for fungi to be stealing bits of the bacterial genome either. Fungi and bacteria occupy many of the same niches in nature and can live in very close semi-mutualistic partnerships. There's even fossil evidence to suggest ancient lichen-like organisms formed by a symbiotic interaction between fungi and cyanobacteria. While it is tempting to think that the fungi took the polyketide genes from the cyanobacteria they were next to, the genes seem to be more similar to those of soil bacteria rather than cyanobacteria. Like any other organism though, lichen do not exist as isolated entities but surrounded by soil, dirt, parasites, other fungi and other bacteria. Which will include a healthy dollop of soil bacteria in close proximity to the fungi, certainly close enough to be swapping genes around. As an overall picture therefore, it looks like the fungi picked up a group of very useful signalling and defence molecules from soil bacteria. Within the fungi, these genes then continued to evolve and develop, to form a fungal-specific and very useful little group of genes. ]]> Communities: The plant roots that collect bacteria 05 Aug 2012 12:28:29 +0000S.E. Gould [...] ]]>The also have to work around giant complexes of tree roots throughout the soil. These tree roots aren't just static objects to be built around though, they take an active part in both influencing and shaping the microbial communities around them. A fluorescent micrograph capturing the presence of bacteria (shown as green) on the surface of an emerging Arabidopsis lateral root (plant nuclei shown in blue). Image created by Sarah Lebeis and reposted here with permission. Credit below. As an (ex)-biochemist I'm used to the idea of studying plant-microbe interactions by taking one plant and one microbe and seeing what chemicals they produce, so I was fascinated by recent research from the University of North Carolina that looked at entire microbial ecosystems. The researchers went outside, collected two types of soil from different locations and grew samples of the plant Arabidopsis in each one. They then collected soil that had grown around the roots and looked at the bacterial species within that soil, as well as the bacterial species growing within the root itself. Collaboration with a NextGen sequencing team (the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute) allowed them to identify the different bacterial species present. They found that a subset of all the bacteria in the soil were found clustered around the roots, while an even smaller subset were allowed inside. Looking for similarities between the bacteria from each plant revealed a core microbiome, a set of specific bacterial species that the plant was attracting from the soil towards itself. Arabidopsis thaliana - the plant most commonly used by plant-scientists. Credit below. It was also found, however, that as well as this core microbiome, the pattern of bacteria that the plant recruited varied depending on the type of soil. Dr Dangl, the lead researcher, suggested that this might be for nutritional reasons – plants often use bacteria to help provide their nutritional requirements and in different soil types different bacteria may be more useful. This points to a fascinating interaction between the plants and the bacteria, a secret underground community of mutual benefit. This interaction isn't just a highly interesting story, it also has huge potential for further research. Arabidopsis is relatively easy to genetically manipulate, removing certain genes from the plant and seeing how long these interactions last could start to show how these interactions form. Dr Dangl comes from a background of working with plant immune systems so another potentially interesting area is how the plant distinguishes between the bacteria that it wants to keep in and around its roots, and those it wants to get rid of. As plants collect bacteria for nutritional reasons it might also be possible to tweak those interactions to support plant growth in nutrient-poor soils. By manipulating the plant microbiome rather than the plant itself there is the potential to promote growth and development in areas where plants may find it difficult to thrive. ]]> origin of breathing: how bacteria learnt to use oxygen 29 Jul 2012 18:00:56 +0000S.E. Gould Participating in this cross-network blogging festival is nature.com's Soapbox Science blog, Scitable's Student [...] ]]>Thursday The first signs of life on earth appeared about 4.5 Ga (1 Ga is an American billion, ie. 109 years) ago. It's not yet completely certain exactly how this life arose; hot volcanic mineral springs have been suggested, as have the more traditional lightning-struck primordial soups and (rather wonderfully) radioactive beaches. At any rate something happened which lead to a little membrane-bound ball with internal nucleic acids which, crucially, could replicate… I've never been convinced by the lightening explanation myself, but it would have been a wonderfully dramatic moment! And then it was all over really, bar the evolution. The atmosphere back then was very different, little oxygen and an abundance of carbon dioxide with plenty of methane being released into the atmosphere once the first life forms started eking out an entropy-defying existence. In order to get energy to power cellular processes you need to set up redox pathways, which involve cycles of electron donors and acceptors. The main electron donors around at the time were H2, H2S and CH4 and the main acceptor probably nitrogenous. Water, the electron donor used for photosynthesis, was around in abundance, but none of the little proto-life-blobs quite had the energy required to split it (or the physical proteins required back then either) so it mostly stayed unused. Carbon dioxide levels went down, methane levels went up and the planet warmed up a little due to global warming. Things stayed like that for a billion years or so (1 Ga) and then something quite special happened, something that would have mindblowingly devastating affects on the life surrounding it. Photosynthesis. The process by which carbon dioxide is fixed into usable sugars by the splitting of a water molecule. The process of photosynthesis produces oxygen, which is highly dangerous for cells; it can screw up the internal redox potential, create dangerous free-radicals and precipitate ions out into soluble forms. This means that from the point of view of every other organism the newly-evolved photosynthetic blobs were floating around spewing toxic gas into the atmosphere. Floating green blobs of DEATH. Image from wikimedia commons. The arrival of this new resource (oxygen) lead to a change in the way organisms respired as well. Up until what is sometimes called the Great Oxidation Event most respiration was anoxic, probably similar to anaerobic respiration, or fermentation, in anaerobic bacteria around today. This process, while enough t0 keep life going, is around sixteen times less efficient than aerobic respiration. The proto-bacteria that managed to use the oxygen would therefore have gained a major energy boost. This energy boost allowed the oxygen-using bacteria to go forth and multiply, leaving the anoxic bacteria clinging to the few environmental niches where no oxygen could penetrate. Some of these oxygen-using bacteria were swallowed up by larger cells who then used them as specialised intracellular breathing compartments. The bacteria became mitochondria, and the cells with mitochondria grew bigger and formed more intracellular compartments. They became eukaryotic cells, the kind of cells that all multicellular animals are made from. So even now, when you breath, it's ancient bacteria inside your cells that process the oxygen. The only part of the human cell that does oxidative-respiration is the mitochondria. Sure, the human part of the cell can produce small amounts of energy in the cytoplasm, but then the whole process is shuttled into the mitochondria in order to get the massive oxygen energy boost. One biochemical trick that evolved around two billion years ago to take advantage of oxygen is still being used for respiration by all multicellular life on earth.
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Pingu comes out of his igloo and sees Pingo, on his skis, nearby. Pingu gets his own skis, goes to meet Pingo, and they agree to have a cross-country skiing race. As they are very evenly matched, it soon gets competitive, and Pingu tries to slow up Pingo by putting his ski-stick between Pingo's legs. Pingo does the splits and stops, but soon gets going again and quickly catches up with Pingu. They come up to another rather older cross-country skier who is travelling more slowly and, as they go past him one to each side, Pingu surprises the other skier by shouting into his ear. The older skier is understandably none too pleased, shouting angrily and waving his stick at Pingu and Pingo as they race off ahead. Both Pingu and Pingo think this is rather funny! A little while later Pingu and Pingo start arguing again, and Pingu repeats his trick with the ski-stick. This time Pingo falls over and is somewhat annoyed, while Pingu stops and has a good laugh. Pingo makes a snowball and throws it at Pingu, knocking Pingu backwards off his skis. As Pingu gets up, the older skier comes past, stops, waves his ski-stick and tells off Pingu and Pingo. Pingu mockingly mimics the older skier, and then he and Pingo start off on their race again. Again they go past the older skier, but this time downhill where they're all travelling faster. After various evasive manoeuvres by all three, Pingu ends up crashing into the older skier, falling over and breaking a ski. The older skier tells Pingu it was all Pingu's fault, and starts to ski away. Pingu starts to cry, and the older skier takes pity on him and turns back. He then kindly helps Pingu get home by giving Pingu a ride on the back of his skis to the starting point of the race, where Pingo is waiting to flag them in! Robby goes to Pingu's home to ask him to come out and play, which Pingu thinks is a good idea. They go off with the sledge and slide down a slope. At the bottom they narrowly miss Father, who is on his motorised sledge. Father then tows them to the art museum, which is where he is going to deliver a large package. While Father and the curator of the museum unload the package, Pingu and Robby go over to a sculpture that is in the form of a ring on top of a block. Pingu does a circus trick and Robby becomes a blue ball. After briefly wondering what it is meant to be, they then have some fun jumping through the ring. They then wander across to a tumbledown igloo, which has a somewhat skewed picture hanging on the wall. Pingu straightens it up. At this point the curator arrives and tells them off for messing about with the exhibits, and they go. The picture then slips back into the crooked position and, after a couple of attempts by the curator to straighten it, to his annoyance it falls off the wall. A final attempt by the curator to get the picture straight, by hanging it from a nail he hammers into the wall, ends up with the wall collapsing on top of him, to the amusement of Robby and Pingu. Pingu and Robby then spot a sculpture made of little blocks balanced on a larger block. Robby taps the sculpture, and it falls apart! They decide to rebuild it and it ends up looking like a rabbit, but is rather wobbly. Robby finds a stick, which Pingu uses to prop the sculpture up. Father then calls out that he is going, Pingu and Robby rush to get on the sledge, and they leave. The curator then spots the "rabbit" sculpture, removes the stick and the sculpture falls apart again. Once more the curator ends up less than happy! Features Pingu, Robby, Father and the Curator of the Museum. Father is cooking dinner, and Pingu and Pinga are laying the table – except that Pingu is juggling the beakers and Pinga is enjoying watching the act! Father then comes out of the kitchen, and tells them to hurry up and finish off laying the table. After Pingu finishes up he reads a book, while Pinga prepares the chairs. There is a knock on the door - Grandfather has arrived. After greeting the children Grandfather gives them each a lollipop to suck. Father comes and greets Grandfather, and then takes the lollipops away from the children and puts them away, much to their disgust. Grandfather and the children then sit down at the table, and while they are waiting for the food Grandfather amuses them with a trick, making a flower disappear and then finding it again behind Pinga's head. Father then appears with the fish part of the main course; Pingu grabs the biggest fish (his fish) much to Pinga's dismay. Father brings the vegetables, lectures Pinga that she should not have the biggest fish and gives her the little fish. They all finish off their fish, and they are forced to eat their greens, which they don't like. Grandfather tries to feed Pinga hers, but she refuses and shoves the bowl to Grandfather, who reluctantly finishes them off. Pingu then also shoves his bowl of greens to Grandfather, who eats those as well! Father then brings out a large chocolate cake for pudding and dishes out portions all round. The children tuck in but Grandfather is too full to eat his. Pingu and Pinga then each take a second slice, and so does Father. However, Grandfather doesn't want to eat his. Father wants to know why, and he finds out that Grandfather has ate all of Pingu and Pinga's greens. Father tells off the children for spoilng Grandfather's appetite by refusing to eat their greens and making him eat all of them. By then Pingu has finished his second slice of cake so he snaps at Father, and he takes Grandfather's unwanted slice and tucks it, finishing up the cake. While Father eats his angrily, Pingu and Pinga snuggle with Grandfather. Pingu is on his way home with his sledge when he sees a poster showing a tropical paradise. He is excited, and when he gets home goes into the shed. A lot of sawing and banging is heard. This catches the attention of Pinga, who is playing nearby, and she goes to listen at the door. Pingu tells her to go away. Pingu goes back into the shed to finish off the changes he is making to his sledge – he has put on a deck, and a mast for a sail. He finishes off by putting a small barrel on the sledge. He then raids the igloo for food, taking a fish and a loaf of bread, which he puts into the barrel. He leaves the shed and Pinga goes in, and is surprised to see what Pingu has been doing. She attempts to get into the barrel, but with both her and Pingu's food supplies it's too full. To make room she takes out the food and hides it in a nearby box, and gets into the barrel. Pingu then returns with a cloth that he puts on top of the barrel and sets off, pushing the sledge. After a while he's a bit tired and peckish, so he stops for a rest and a snack. He takes the cloth off the barrel, and is surprised when the barrel jumps about. Pingu is then annoyed when Pinga pops up out of the barrel, and even more annoyed when he discovers that the food he put in the barrel is not there! Pinga then produces a couple of lollipops from her satchel that they eat. They continue on the long journey and stop when they reach another poster. Pinga cries because she is hungry and wants to go home, so Pingu consoles her and they set off home, arriving as it's getting dark and the stars begin to come out. They go into the igloo and rapturously greet Mother, who has just finished baking a chocolate cake and seems blissfully unaware of their adventure, and they all sit down to eat. Pingu wakes, gets up sleepily, goes to the toilet, and is about to go back to bed when he notices that Pinga is already up, and realises he should be too. He decides that he'll go back to bed anyway, and snuggles down again. Mother calls to him to get up, but all he does is go completely under the blanket. Pinga leaves for the nursery with Father, and Mother calls again to Pingu to get up, as it's getting late. When nothing seems to be happening she goes to see what Pingu is doing. When Mother asks Pingu why he hasn't got up he says he's not feeling very well. Mother feels his forehead, and goes to get the thermometer. Pingu chortles to himself. Mother brings back the thermometer and a hot drink, puts the thermometer into Pingu's mouth, and goes away again. Pingu takes the thermometer out, puts it into the hot drink to get the temperature up and then puts it back into his mouth. Mother comes back, sees that Pingu apparently has a temperature and calls the doctor. The doctor rushes over, Mother shows him the thermometer and he examines Pingu. The doctor ponders for a moment, and then calls Mother out of the room to consult. Mother is worried, but the Doctor reassures her that there's nothing much wrong! Pingu goes over to the door and looks through the keyhole to find out what is going on, and sees the doctor pull a large syringe out of his bag. Pingu is rather worried by what this might mean, and when Mother and the Doctor return to the bedroom Pingu is nowhere to be seen as he has hidden under the bed. Mother and the Doctor go to the bathroom to see if Pingu is there, and Pingu takes the opportunity to sneak out of the bedroom. Mother spots him, and the doctor explains that the syringe was just a way of getting him to admit that he's fine, so they both let Pingu go. He grabs his satchel and rushes off to school, getting there just as the bell rings for the first lesson. Pingu has a pad of paper, and goes over to the shed to look around. In an old wooden container he finds a box of paints, brushes, etc. which is just what he's looking for. He loads them onto his sledge, finds an easel and artist's cap in an old barrel, loads the easel on to the sledge, puts the cap on his head and sets off out. After a while he comes across an interesting ice formation but, after examining it carefully from an artists perspective, decides it's not quite right and continues on his way. He finds a block of ice that will do, sets up his easel, measures up and starts painting. He has completed a painting when Robby appears from behind the ice, pulls up a convenient block and strikes a pose! Pingu paints Robby, and has just about finished when Robby starts messing about and not holding the pose. Robby then strikes a new pose and Pingu starts afresh, but it is not long before Robby starts messing about again, which gets Pingu rather annoyed. Robby poses yet again. Pingu paints a "sad" Robby, but as he admires his third Robby painting a blob of red paint lands on the paper, which makes the face on the picture move, and change from "sad" to "surprised", to Pingu's astonishment; Robby has abandoned posing and has found the tubes of paint! Pingu then has a paint-fight with Robby, which ends with both of them laughing and a lot of paint on the ice. Pingu then packs up and they leave together. What they don't realise is that the mess of paint left behind on the ice is a work of art in itself! Pingu's neighbour comes out of the igloo, puts out a piece of washing to dry and goes back inside. Pingu happens to walk past, and as he does so the washing falls off the line. This worries him, so he picks it up and rings the doorbell to tell the neighbour what has happened. The neighbour takes the washing, hangs it up again and rewards Pingu for his kindness by giving him some biscuits. Pingu then meets Pingo, who sees Pingu finishing a biscuit and asks if he can have one. Pingu gives him the bag, but it is empty! Pingu explains how he got the biscuits, and shows Pingo where. To Pingu's horror, Pingo pulls the washing off the line and rings the bell on the igloo. When the neighbour opens the door, Pingo tells the same tale, expecting the same reward. The neighbour realizes what is going on, and shuts the door in Pingo's face. Pingo and Pingu then play a couple of tricks on the neighbour, both involving ringing the doorbell and then running away, and the neighbour gets very annoyed. Another penguin then comes to deliver a parcel, rings the doorbell and, when the door is opened, is soaked by a bucket of water thrown by the neighbour! The neighbour apologizes, but the other penguin is very angry, then slams the parcel into the hands of the neighbour and stalks off angrily. The parcel then starts to leak (an indication that there was a liquid of sorts in the parcel), then the neighbour throws it to the ground, kicks the bucket away and goes back indoors, slamming the door. Then the washing drops to the ground again, so Pingu hangs it back up and both he and Pingo walk quietly away! Pingu is outside the igloo splitting wood for the fire. Pingo comes by, carrying a ball, and asks Pingu if he'd like to come and play. Pingu goes in to ask Mother, who is ironing, if this would be okay. He is angrily denied and Pingu starts to argue. Eventually, Pingu goes back outside and tells Pingo the answer. Pingo goes off, and Pingu angrily goes back to chopping wood. After a while, Pingu goes to ask Mother, who has finished ironing, again, when he is still denied, he starts to argue some more. Pingu angrily leaves, sticking his tongue outside the igloo to his Mother, and starts moving the wood he's cut into the igloo, stacking it by the fire. Pingu goes back out for another load of wood and brings it inside. But he decides that he'd rather go and play, and sneaks off. He meets up with Pingo, who is trying to sink balls into a makeshift basketball hoop, supposedly a barrel, and Pingu joins in. Mother comes and fetches Pingu back, and stands over him while he loads more wood and takes it to the igloo. Mother follows, shutting the door behind her. Pingu angrily strews the wood all over the floor, hurting his foot in the process. Mother is not sympathetic, so Pingu angrily kicks the table, breaking a fruit bowl and hurting his other foot even more. Mother becomes very furious: (she had enough for slapping Pingu in the face) and tries to punish him, but he gets terrified, bursts into tears, and runs into his bedroom in a terrified way and slams the door, leaving Mother stricken with remorse and feeling ashamed of herself, so she sits in a chair to calm down. Later, Mother, Father and Pinga sit down to dinner, but Pingu isn't there. When Father asks where he is, Mother glumly explains to him what has happened. Father, annoyed, goes to find Pingu, but there's no sign of him in the bedroom and the window is open. They all go outside to look for Pingu, but can't find him. They sit down to their meal again, Mother and Father still can't eat as they are worried. Then Pinga has an idea and goes to look in the wardrobe, where they find Pingu fast asleep in there! Pingu soon wakes up and Mother hugs him and they both make up. Pingo is fishing, and Pingu meets up with him by the water. Pingu spots a bottle bobbing up and down in the water, and throws snowballs into the water to float the bottle to the shore. He smashes the bottle, and finds a mysterious map inside. This shows a route from the water into the hills, with a big "X" at the end point. Pingu and Pingo follow the route, which is quite hazardous in parts, to a boarded up cave. Pingu goes into the cave and discovers a padlocked chest. He brings it out and breaks into it, but he and Pingo are both disappointed to find that the chest is empty except for a shell. They then have a difference of opinion over who gets what, as they both want the chest; Pingo eventually takes the chest and Pingu the shell. When Pingu gets home with the shell Pinga is quite keen to have it, but Pingu won't give it to her. Mother comes over and he gives it to her, but Pinga tries to grab it and it falls to the floor, breaking open. They're all surprised to see a pearl drop out and roll across the floor. Pinga rushes to get it and gives it to Pingu, and they're all pleased at their good fortune. Pingu and Pinga are in the igloo, trying to decide what record to play. Pingu chooses a record and puts it on the record player, but before he can set it playing Pinga points out that Mother has fallen asleep in her chair. They take the record player outside, but as it's not plugged in it won't play. Pingu spots a wind turbine fan on the top of a nearby igloo and has an idea – he'll build one to power the record player himself. He goes into the shed and finds an old broken one on the floor, which he soon mends. He takes it outside and fixes it onto the roof of the igloo, banging it into place. The noise startles Mother awake, but only briefly. Pingu and Pinga connect the turbine to the record player, but are disappointed when nothing happens – there's no wind! They try turning the record by hand, but this doesn't work either. Their Father then arrives on his motorised sledge, parking it near the record player. He gets out and removes the battery to check, then looks at the sledge's motor. Pingu, who is sadly wondering what to do next, spots the battery and has an idea. He disconnects it from the sledge, connects it up to the record player and switches on. It works! He and Pinga are delighted but Father is surprised! The music wakes Mother and she goes outside to find out what is happening. Father explains, and they all end up dancing. Mother goes out, leaving Pingu and Pinga alone at home. They make themselves a makeshift house indoors, using the chairs as walls with a blanket on top as the roof. They take some toys and cushions into the makeshift house, but it collapses on them, much to Pingu's annoyance. They then have an argument, and Pinga throws a cushion at Pingu, hitting him on the head. Pingu chases Pinga around the room, and throws the cushion back at Pinga. He misses, but hits a vase on the sideboard. The vase falls off the sideboard and shatters on the floor. They then realise that their parents are due back shortly, and rush to tidy everything up. Pingu wraps the pieces of the vase in a cloth and puts it in the cupboard, and tells Pinga not to say anything. Father then arrives with a bunch of flowers for Mother, and is surprised when he can't find the vase. Pingu and Pinga deny any knowledge of the vase's whereabouts, but Father becomes worried after he finds a piece on the floor! To Pingu's dismay, Pinga tells Father what happened and shows him the bag where the pieces of the vase are hidden. Father looks furiously at Pingu, who bursts into tears. Father spots a jar on the dresser and puts it onto the table with the flowers in it, which cheers everyone up. Mother then arrives back and is rather pleased with the flowers, but Pingu is still dismayed when Pinga tells her everything that has happened. Pingu and Pingi are on their way to school on Pingu's sledge, when they hit a bump and fall off. Pingo comes past on his scooter, has a good laugh at their predicament and continues on his way. Later at school someone in the class throws a screwed up piece of paper into the air. It hits Pingu on the head and bounces off as Pingi notices. Pingu realizes who threw the paper when Pingo chortles, and throws a screwed up piece of paper from his own exercise book back at Pingo. Pingo picks up the piece of paper thrown by Pingu, straightens it out, makes a paper plane and throws it into the air. It hits the teacher on the back of the head. The teacher asks the class who it was, and Pingo says that it was Pingu. Pingu can't explain away why the paper the plane is made from is from his exercise book, and gets sent to stand in the corner. Pingu then spots Pingo's scooter and plans revenge. He sneaks over and unscrews the nut that secures the front wheel on the scooter. He throws the wheel-nut away and sneaks back into the corner. When school finishes, Pingu is just leaving when he sees Pingo offering Pingi a go on his scooter. She only gets a short distance before the front wheel comes off the scooter and she falls off. Pingu goes over to Pingi, while Pingo wonders what has happened to his scooter and how he's going to get home. Pingu is just about to leave with Pingi and although he feels amused at first, he feels some remorse, so the front of the scooter is propped on to the back of the sledge and, with Pingu and Pingi on the sledge and Pingo on the scooter, they ride off together. Pingu has been out with Pingi, and kisses her goodbye. Pingg spots them and, while Pingu is waving to Pingi as she walks away, throws a snowball at Pingu which hits him on the back of the head. Pingg is amused; Pingu is annoyed. Pingu throws a snowball back that Pingg avoids. After again being hit on the head by a snowball thrown by Pingg, Pingu chases him home, throwing several snowballs at him on the way, but none of the snowballs hit their target. Pingu and Pingg end up with Pingu on the wooden bridge over the water in front of Pingg's igloo, exchanging words with Pingg who is by the front door. Pingu is still annoyed, but then has an idea. He goes home, gets a saw, returns and cuts partway through the bridge. He then stands at the edge of the bridge and taunts Pingg, who comes out of the igloo and shouts back. Just then Grandfather comes to use the bridge, and starts across. Pingu tries to stop him crossing by going onto the bridge and shouting, and jumping up and down. The bridge breaks as Pingu had planned but he, rather than Pingg, ends up in the water! Pingu is rescued, but is completely frozen in a block of ice. Once home Mother, aided by Pinga, and a lot of hot-water bottles, thaws him out. Pinga then laughs at him. Pingu is looking after a neighbour's egg, which is on a padded sledge outside the neighbour's igloo, while she and Mother go out. It doesn't take long before he starts to get restless. Then Pingo arrives, and Pingu abandons looking after the egg in favour of a game of ball with Pingo. A little while later, when Pingu goes past the sledge to recover an over-hit ball, he notices with dismay that the egg has gone. He and Pingo can't find the egg nearby and go off in search of it, with Pingu pulling the sledge. They spot it going into another neighbour's igloo while this neighbour, who has tufts on her head, is distracted hanging out the washing. The other neighbour also has an egg, which is on a cot in the igloo. The run-away egg jumps onto the cot, knocking the other neighbours egg off onto the floor. Pingu and Pingo sneak into the igloo and recover the egg that's on the floor, thinking it's the one they've been chasing, and Pingu returns with the egg to the original neighbours igloo. This neighbour has returned home by the time that Pingu gets back, and she rewards him for looking after her egg with a lollipop. The egg that Pingu has returned then cracks open, and a baby penguin is born. The original neighbour is initially happy, but then sees that it's not her baby as it has a yellow beak and a tuft on its head. She's angry with Pingu, and takes the lollipop away. Pingu then realises what has happened, explains, and he and the neighbour go to the other neighbours house, where the other egg has now hatched. The babies are united with their correct mothers, everyone is happy and Pingu gets the lollipop back. Pingu meets Pingo, who is playing with his new clockwork car. Pingo winds up the car and sets it going. The car runs into a block and Pingu goes to rescue it, but Pingo won't let him touch it. Pingo winds the car up and again sets it going, chuckling away as it goes round and round. Pingu, who wants to have a go himself, sticks out his foot as the car comes past him so that the car hits it and crashes. Pingu then goes off, leaving a somewhat annoyed Pingo. Pingo sets his car going again, but the car only goes a short distance and then breaks apart. Meanwhile, Pingu has hurried home and found his piggy bank, but all that's in it is a button. He sadly goes out and walks away. He goes past Grandfather, who asks him why he's so sad. Pingu explains, and Grandfather takes him to the stall that's selling the cars and buys him one. Just after they've gone Mother goes past the stall and is also sold a car. Pingu goes off happily, and his way takes him past Pingo, who is looking sadly at his broken car. Pingu has a good laugh at Pingo's bad luck, and then sets his own car going. When it stops Pingo wants a go but Pingu won't let him. Pingu then starts his car again, but it stops almost immediately. Pingu gives it a good kick to get it going. It slides away and breaks, much like Pingo's did, which greatly amuses Pingo and annoys Pingu. Pingu goes home, tossing the broken car away. When he arrives, Mother says she's got a surprise for him, and brings out the toy car she's bought. Pingu makes an shocked face, comes and takes it, and angrily tosses it into the trash bin, where it breaks apart in the same way as the others! He then goes and plays with his wooden bricks. Pingu is out walking when he comes across Pingo, who is brandishing a sword and making mock attacks. Pingo explains that he is acting like the character he's found in a comic book, and shows it to Pingu. Pingu takes the comic book home to read and tosses it down onto a chair. It lands open at a picture of a superhero in a red cape (similar to Superman) fighting a helicopter. Pingu finds a red blanket in the wardrobe, puts it on as a cape, and acts out the fantasy by beating up the room. Pinga hears the noise and comes in. She finds a book on the floor that has fallen open at a picture of a princess and decides to play at this. Pingu, meanwhile, is still playing at being a superhero, getting more and more boisterous. The game ends when he falls off the table onto the floor and hurts his foot. Pingu is taken to the doctor by motorized sledge ambulance, accompanied by Mother and Pinga. Already waiting to be seen are Pingg, with a hurt foot and Pingo, who has hurt his arm and broken his sword. While they are all waiting Pinga explains what was also in the book, to the amusement of them all. Pingu, Pingo and Pongi decide to have a fishing competition. When they arrive where they're gong to fish they first have to cut holes in the ice. Pingu and Pingo do theirs quickly and start fishing, Pongi struggles to get the saw into the ice. Robby then pops up out of Pingu's hole, and they all have a laugh at Pongi's efforts. Robby then helps by cutting out the hole from underneath. Pongi then breaks his rod and has to repair it. Once they've all managed to get fishing nothing very much happens for a while and they have difficult in staying awake. Then a fish jumps out of Pongi's hole and drops back into the water. Pingu tells Pongi that he wants to swap holes with him, which Pongi does reluctantly. After a while another fish jumps, this time from Pingu's original hole. Pingu swaps with Pongi again, and manages to catch a small fish that he shows off to the others. Then Pongi gets a bite, and it takes all three of them working together to drag the huge fish out of the water. On the way home Pingu and Pingo push the large fish, with Pongi on top, up an incline and pause for breath. They start thinking about the feast they're going to have on the huge fish. Pongi sees this and slides off down the slope on the other side, and away, much to Pingu and Pingo's consternation. Pingu comes in from playing with his ball and sees a letter on the table. The letter is sealed, and has nothing written on the envelope. He wonders what it might be about but leaves it and has a snack. He is about to go out again when curiosity gets the better of him, so he returns to the letter, opens it and is about to look at the contents when he hears someone coming. He quickly hides the letter, just before Pinga and Mother enter. Mother notices the letter is no longer on the table, and asks Pingu if he knows where it is. Pingu says he doesn't, so Mother and Pinga search everywhere for it. Mother then asks Pingu again if he knows about it, and this time he owns up to having opened it and gives it to Mother. It was for Pingu all along, and is an invitation to a party. Pinga shows Pingu her own invitation that she'd already opened. Pingu then notices that the party is today, and it's now the time that it's almost time to start, so they have to rush to get there, and they make it just in time before it started. Pingu is on a walk when he comes across Pingo and Robby playing badminton. He wants to join in, but they won't let him. He mopes off to a nearby block of ice, where he finds a basket of fish. He's about to look closer but Pingo tells him to leave it alone. Then Pingo hits the shuttlecock very high, and it lands on top of the ice block. Pingu goes up to the top of the block to get the shuttlecock but won't return it except in exchange for their basket of fish. Pingo and Robby decide to play a trick on Pingu, so Robby gets a crab that they put under the fish before letting Pingu have the basket. Pingu puts his hand in the basket and is bitten by the crab, which holds on. Pingu is so startled he falls off the block of ice, and the crab makes good its escape. Robby is sympathetic about Pingu's hurt hand, but then goes onto the top of the ice-block with Pingo and he and Pingo eat all of the fish except one. They then feel sorry for Pingu and take him the last fish, which he eats. Robby then gives Pingu his racket to use, and all three of them then play together happily. On his way home from school Pingu passes a lottery ticket seller, and watches a man as he has a go. The man doesn't win, and goes off angrily. Pingu is about to leave when the ticket seller points out the prizes; a car, an igloo and first prize, a box of fish. Pingu is now keen to have a go, but has only a small fish, so he tries to pay with it. The ticket seller angrily refuses and Pingu trudges off. The ticket seller, who is very poor, then relents and calls Pingu back, and gives him a ticket in exchange for the fish. To his delight, he wins a prize and rushes home to tell Mother. She realises that Pingu has won the fish, and phones up to have it delivered. When it arrives Pingu and Mother are very pleased, but then Pingu thinks that rather than keep it themselves it would be better to give it to the ticket seller. Pingu takes the fish to the ticket seller, who is very happy to accept. As Pingu is leaving the ticket seller calls Pingu back and gives him a talisman as a thank-you. Pingu is delighted, and goes excitedly home. Mother is ironing, but is distracted when a pot on the stove comes to the boil. Pingu sneaks out of the bedroom, takes a newly ironed sheet and returns to the bedroom without being seen. He draws a ghostly shape on the sheet and puts it over his head. He then jumps out of the bedroom right in front of Pinga, giving her quite a scare. Pinga dashs, crying, squealing, and squeaking. over to Mother to be comforted. Pingu laughs at her. Mother is not so amused, particularly when she spots what Pingu has done to her clean and newly ironed sheet, and Pingu is sent to bed. Later, Pingu is awake and alone in the dark bedroom, as Pinga is snuggled up in bed with Mother and Father, when the wind gets up. As well as the wind whistling round the igloo, Pingu can hear lots of odd noises coming from outside. The bedroom window suddenly bangs open and Pingu sees a strange shape moving around nearby! Is it a ghost? By now he is very frightened and hides under the blankets. Then a light shines under the door, he hears strange footsteps and there is also a mysterious shadow. Pingu cries out and is heard by Father, who has been having a late snack. Father goes into the bedroom and turns on the light, and then sees that the window is open and shuts it. Pingu tells him about everything he's seen and heard. Father tries to reassure him, and tells him that the strange moving shape was just the towel blowing in the wind from the open window. Pingu is not convinced and is still frightened, so he's allowed to join Mother and Father, with Pinga, in his parent's bed. A postcard is delivered which Pinga picks up. On it is a picture of a Hawaii beach fringed with palms. On the beach is a dancer who is wearing a garland made with pretty flowers, and a drummer. Pinga shows the card to Pingu, and says that she wants a garland of pretty flowers. Pingu is not sure that he can do anything about it, but Pinga points out Mothers lovely pot of flowers. Pingu goes over to the pot, takes off all the flowers, and makes Pinga a garland with them. He then takes off all the leaves and uses them to mimic the palm trees. Finally he empties the pot, throwing the soil and stem aside, and turns it upside down. He uses the upside down pot with a pan from the stove, which makes a good sound when banged with a spoon, to make a drum. He then plays the drum he's made while Pinga dances. Mother then arrives home and at first enjoys what she finds them doing, but passes out when she sees what has happened to her plant. Pingu and Pinga rush over to her and are wondering what to do when Father arrives home. They seat Mother in a chair, and Pingu and Pinga explains to Father what they have done, and why. Father goes to the florist and gets a replacement pot of flowers for Mother, who is delighted when she revives and sees them. Mother and Father then enjoy a repeat performance given by Pinga and Pingu. Pingu and Robby are sledging when they come across what appears to be the tail of a large fish sticking out of the ice, and anticipate a good meal. Pingu tries to pull it out of the ice, and gets annoyed when it won't budge. Eventually they dig it out, still encased in ice, and take it home. Pingu stokes up the fire in the stove to melt the ice on their fish, while Robby gets the frying pan. The frying pan is put on top of the stove to warm up, and together Pingu and Robby lay the table in anticipation of a feast. A little while later all the ice has melted, and then they realise that what they've found is not a fish and, disappointingly, it's not edible. Grandfather then comes to visit, and decides to call the curator of the museum to come and take a look at it. It turns out to be the missing figurehead of a boat on display at the museum, and the curator is very pleased that they've found it. Pingu, Robby and Grandfather accompany the curator when he takes the figurehead back to the museum, where a reception party is waiting, and Pingu and Robby have their photograph taken. Mother sends Pingu to the bakers to get some bread. He is just leaving when he sees the jam biscuits. He notices that the baker's wife is distracted talking to another penguin and takes one of the biscuits. On the way home he starts eating it, but conceals it when a stranger walks past. He is still eating it when he gets home so he hides it behind his back. Mother eventually asks him what he is hiding and after Pingu tries to hide it, she demands to know what he has, so Pingu is forced to own up and Mother takes him back to the bakers to apologize, much to his dismay! Once there, Pingu is too unhappy to apologize and turns away. The baker comes outside and hears about what has happened and decides that as a punishment, Pingu should help him clean the chimney of the bakery, to which Pingu accepts. Pingu is sent onto the roof of the bakery to free the chimney brush, which has got stuck because the rope is tangled. Pingu untangles it, but unfortunately is still holding on to the rope when the baker tugs on the other end, and Pingu gets pulled down the chimney. As a thank-you the baker gives Pingu a cake in a bag, and he rushes home to show Mother. Mother is pleased and she and Pingu go into the bathroom to wash up. Pinga lookes curiously in the bathroom where they are washing up. But when Pingu and Mother come out, much to Pingu's dismay, they find Pinga eating Pingu's cake! Mother decides not to help him or let him make her apologize and bring it back, Pingu shouts at her in an attempt to get it back but Pinga still continues eating it. Pingu is not happy and tells her off. Pingu is building a tower with wooden blocks when Pinga comes along and picks up her ball, which is nearby. Pingu's tower falls down and Pinga laughs. In revenge, Pingu takes Pinga's ball and won't let her have it back. Pinga wants it, and chases him round the igloo. Pingu then puts the ball up on to a high shelf out of Pinga's reach and goes out to play. He meets up with three of his friends, who are skating. After playing he goes home, and is annoyed to find that the ball is not where he'd left it. He asks Pinga if she knows where it is, but she says she doesn't. He then asks Mother, who is ironing, but she also says she doesn't know where it is. He looks around the igloo, but doesn't find it, so he goes to look outside. A stranger walks by, pulling a sledge laden with boxes. The sledge bumps on a small block of ice, the lid on one of the boxes bounces up and Pingu sees what he thinks is the ball in the box. He confronts the stranger, who invites him to look in all the boxes. It was actually a Piggy Bank. The ball isn't there, and Pingu apologizes to the stranger and trudges home. The family sit down to tea, but Pingu is still worrying about where the ball has gone and doesn't want his. He goes into the bedroom and finds the ball under the blanket on Pinga's bed, where she had hidden it! Pinga goes to the bedroom and sees what's going on and laughs, but she becomes dismayed when she finds out what he's going to do with it. Pinga chases Pingu around the house to get the ball back, while Pingu gets happy that he found the ball, to Mother and Father's amusement!
eng
eef66c09-5d50-46e3-ae88-cefa341b1f5f
http://trakt.tv/show/pingu/season/3
Oh boy, that report is well above my ability to comprehend it but I'll give you my understanding on the ability of CO2 to add to the greenhouse effect. From the extensive reading that I've done, the Earth is about at maximum levels of CO2 for it to have any effect. Adding more CO2 won't do diddly squat (gosh I can be polite when I have to be...) to the temperature and we're not going to burn up in a fire ball! CO2's effect on the atmosphere goes up in a logarithmic fashion rather than a linear one. If you put a piece of black cotton fabric over a window it will block out (let's say) 90% of the light. If you put another piece of fabric over the same window it will block out another 1% of the light. Another piece of the same fabric will block out another 0.35% etc etc etc. Adding more CO2 is like adding another another piece of black fabric. It won't do much at all. There is a huge rise in the effect of CO2 from about 200ppm (don't quote me on this) to about 320ppm(?) but after that there is very little effect. If CO2 had a linear effect on temperatures and the greenhouse effect, for every ppm we put into the atmosphere there would be a corresponding rise in greenhouse effect. There isn't. As far as I know that is universally accepted even by the alarmist side of the argument but it's not that well known in the general community or at least the people I talk with. What I don't understand is why the graphs displaying CO2 and temperatures over the ages aren't explained to all and sundry. Since time immemorial CO2 has risen in the ice cores AFTER the temperature. On average this occurs about 800 years after the temperature rise. CO2 then falls about 800 years AFTER the temperature falls. Part of the CO2 rise we're experiencing now is the release of CO2 from the oceans 800 years (roughly) after the Medieval Warming Period. Somehow that is never explained properly, the graphs are separated and it appears that the CO2 rise comes before the temp. rise.. but it doesn't. 90% or more (depending which source you read) of the CO2 in the atmosphere comes from totally natural sources in and on the Earth. Let's not forget that the greatest greenhouse gas of all is water vapour which contributes (depending on the material you read) anywhere from 85-93% of the greenhouse effect. I don't see anyone screaming that we need to remove water from the planet Here's a nice blog in which a geology professor emeritus has graphs of the temps the Earth has lived through over the last 10,000 years. We have a long way to go before we reach the heights of the various warming periods. I think we'll be ok.. Lovely job there, it filled in quite a lot of the gaps and although the missionary site (created to convert skeptics believe it or not) says it's rubbish then again I think quite a few older studies made before the climate became a political issue say the same thing, meaning it was probably established science that had to be set aside for the bigger picture (see my quote for evidence). I also read for the second time this week that glaciers are so hard to melt it needs centuries above zero before they do, and then a few degrees above it as the threshold to do so is higher than simple melting point due to the latent heat. That would mean (also pretty established old science) that expecting glaciers to melt from a rise which frankly hasn't happened yet within the century is taking us all for fools. It is more likely glaciers are melting since we left the little ice age and if they are doing so now it is because of a warming which took place hundreds of years ago. As for the CO2 the paper (ie linear) equation has a doubling from 260ppm to 560ppm (currently 390 or so) to 1C. The rest would be due to positive feedback from cloud and water vapour. Except as CO2 hasn't risen rapidly for most of measurable history (although when it did it reached the thousands, but that's another story entirely) the mechanisms are simply unknown as totally outside our experience to consider. The best computer models can't factor in future effects yet to happen if they can't tell how CO2 molecules will displace water and clouds and at what levels. Many scenarios would have CO2 replacing water vapour right now, as measured by NASA's own AQUA satellite, where it counts, replacing a powerful greenhouse gas with a much weaker one. And although I am not quite up to measuring the actual rise since 1860 or so when they started measuring 260ppm, the rough 0.7C from 260-390 would point to around 1.4C if linear, slightly above but well within the paper formula. Except that doesn't take into account natural changes such as the powerful Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the much less known effects of solar changes. When I saw the argument in the latest BBC anti-skeptic programme tonight that regardless of the skeptics there isn't a single piece of evidence the simple formula of adding CO2 causing probably dangerous global warming means they don't come here at least. The people I am beginning to work with online include two geologists and just this week a climate scientist who makes a living through his own forecasts rather than being paid whatever the outcome as universities are. They won't be sacked if in 10 or 20 years their projections prove as phoney as pools tipsters, as besides everyone forgetting about them long beforehand (most predictions are forgotten within days if set further ahead) the margins for error are so wide they are not meant to be predictions but simply the best they can do at the moment, which quite frankly has little if any value interesting to me that global warming alarmists sometimes use ad hom attacks to play the man, not the science. Calling someone who disagrees with you a Holocaust denier or GM food advocate isn't a valid viewpoint in my opinion. I don't deny the holocaust and I dislike GM foods for more than one reason. When it comes to the CAGW debate I look for the truth. I don't like being lied to. So many of the things that are espoused as proof of CAGW are misnomers or in some cases, lies. I find that distressing. Science should be about the truth not fudging the truth in order to manipulate opinions for one reason or other. _________________________ I could give up chocolate but I'm no quitter! It is interesting to me that a lot of the people who doubt the scientists on climate change are fully supportive of the science to do with GM foods. As the enthusiasts on the site I regularly visit ask me the whole time, has that been peer reviewed? Seriously, each person has views on individual issues. Outside actual political views which are purely someone's opinion and not really right or wrong, scientific issues can be controversial as unlike something like law which is man made and hard to get wrong as a result (my own original field) science is a constant learning process, and over the centuries many pet theories were proved very wrong when better ways of measurement came along. Logic is king though, and when the case for man made warming is presented to anyone with a basic grasp of science, logic and evidence it doesn't add up for me at least. As for GM, smoking, peak oil etc they have absolutely no place in discussing a single issue which is totally unconnected guess the point I was trying to make was that people pick the science they believe and that decision is often coloured by their beliefs and politics etc. I am a bit wary of GM because it is promoted by a corporation trying to make billions of dollars and most of the research has been done by those companies. IMHO the evidence for climate change being caused by human actions is overwhelming. I have seen the many thousands of scientists in the relevant field who agree and among the hundreds of peer reviewed studies done, not one is in disagreement. With tens of thousands of pages written by scientists, of course there are going to be some mistakes and over enthusiastic people who do the wrong thing. But it is a big stretch to use this to deny the massive amount of evidence. I have seen interviews and speeches by these scientist and they very easily answer the complaints from the deniers. To claim that these scientists didn't take into account solar flares is just insulting. There is also the conspiracy that they are all just using it to get funding. It would have to be the most successful conspiracy in history without a single whistleblower. If you want to follow the money look who is to lose trillions if coal and oil are wound back. These companies also own the media companies and continually talk down climate change whereas scientists believe the science was accepted 20 years ago. The big problem is everyone besides the climatologists is an outsider. The small cabal who you claim is the majority of scientists is simply the trust they have in their colleagues who can supply the figures on paper and then imply certain events are a result of them does not make them insiders, they are just more informed outsiders than everyone else. Conspiracies have a standard format and in the end nearly all are blown, normally after those who benefit are long gone along with our money. Size is not important as human nature is such that however many people realise they either can make a positive profit through leading, or far worse and accounting for the vast majority avoid a loss by following will make many apparently ethical and balanced professionals simply keep a low profile as their own profession including them would end up looking very bad if they decided to speak out. Except many do speak out when no longer or never employed by universities or governments. Whatever the latest studies that claim yet more weather is my fault and yours once you delve deeply into them they are not what they seem, but mere supposition, mainly as our temperatures are little or no higher now than they should have been (although I'm really not sure it's possible to know in advance the way a world temperature graph would go naturally as the cycles are far too general to be predicted that closely) following the recovery from the last small ice age. Add to that the finance and politics involved, separately, the finance being covered in great detail already and something which had already made Enron (ie a very large conspiracy quite officially blown apart over time) go down for fraud and reinvented as carbon trading. The politics is more the followers than leaders, accounting for the lion's share of supporters. These are the vocal left, the anti globalists/capitalists active since the middle of the 20th century in one form or another, always on the fringes of western democracy who now find the most plausible scenario to create a true collectivist society by withdrawing individual rights and freedoms to the world problem. Car driving has long been a symbol of the radical left's beef with freedom and individuality, and now they can loudly shout to the world to get out of their cars and onto public transport and bikes to save the planet. What a passport to power that is for them, after half a century marching through the streets being beaten up by police to finally be on the side of the conventional political side at last. I still haven't a clue why anyone would want to be against individual freedom, maybe if they lost theirs then they wouldn't any longer, but it is a popular view now and one which has finally got a world issue to begin to put their idea of paradise into action, and my own and most others of the other place downstairs. I may not understand why they want such a ghastly fate to uncivilise the western world but I don't understand vandals or bombers much but there is no shortage of them either. Bottom line global warming appeals to those unscrupulous enough at the top (compare the tip of the iceberg UK politicians done for fiddling their expenses this year) to milk any opportunity for what it's worth, the silent majority squeezed in the middle who don't agree but are too scared to speak out, and the rebels who want to dismantle capitalism who for the first time see the seeds being planted by governments around the world. If that's not a formula for maintaining it then nothing is. Edited by satguru (Thu Feb 17 201110:05 satguru for a very well reasoned and articulate argument. I am on the opposite side to most of what you say - as I am a radical left greenie. However it is good to understand the thinking behind those who think differently and it helps me to think a bit more about my own beliefs. I do believe in more public transport and I think high speed trains are the future even to the extent of bridging the Bering Strait (this is being seriously looked at)and having the world connected by it as air travel is going to become very expensive and difficult with oil running short. I also believe in individual freedom and hope electric cars remain an option for those who want more of it. I don' believe our future is a choice between capitalism and communism but a capitalism with a heart. I would rather have government voted in by us making decisions for me than a market controlled by CEO 's who's only goal is profit and do not take into account any of their effects on society. As for climate change, the main thing that convinces me is the short time scale of the change and the radical weather events already happened and predicted by the scientists. I do not think people are capable of making sacrifices needed to have any effect. I think we are going to either spend money to fix these disasters and help those who are starving or dying of thirst...OR we spend it on armies to steal the resources including water and food that are left. Looking beyond the next election cycle let alone to 50 years is beyond us, especially in this "gotta have it now" generation. I can also understand your suspicion of closed shop thinking where anyone who challenges the status quo is an outsider. I guess the world as the centre of the universe type thing in the old days and more recently 2 Australian scientists proved Ulcers were caused by a bacteria in the gut and could be fixed with anti biotics. They were ridiculed for years. I would say though, that with scientific studies being more rigid in the last hundred years and peer reviewed studies etc. this kind of thing is becoming rarer. With all of the discoveries in those years it is hard to find many that have been later blown apart. I do understand your suspicion but in this case I disagree and with the more information I gleen the more convinced I am that human caused climate change is happening. Thanks Glenn, and just shows people can disagree on something fundamental but be nice about it and accept the other's point of view whether or not they agree as well. As far as the evidence is concerned, looking for trouble is guaranteed to find it. My equation for the climate is that had there been no rise in CO2 firstly there would have been no additional recording and searching for extreme weather events, and secondly if there had been a reason they would gradually have got closer to finding it slowly and carefully instead of rashly jumping to conclusions (I've heard it said on the radio by one who admitted it from the inside as 'They couldn't think of any other reason...') as they were worried there may be a danger to the earth, but simply said we don't know what's causing it and can settle down and look at every single possible cause (solar and lunar effects, delayed ocean release etc) until clues arise and we start to put a picture together. But once it was CO2> man all other avenues were closed, locked and bolted and anyone with equal qualifications to themselves who suggested them were rejected out of hand. It has sadly also showed up some dirty dealings at a very high level. Mistakes are normal, covering them up is dishonesty and the ones I referred to by the IPCC and NASA had been brought to their attention years earlier and they simply carried on hoping no one would mention it publicly, but in fact both did become known and it was only then they did anything about it. If it was trial and error we could all accept it but this was the same as finding someone else's property by chance and not giving it back till someone found you had it. That is as much theft (UK Theft Act) as having taken it yourself. And like a partner who cheats, once your lords and masters let you down it's very hard to have trust in them in any area, and would suggest a divorce by kicking them all out worldwide and starting again with new ones where appropriate. I no longer trust our lot anyhowSomeone is locked in a room for a few weeks. During this time it is noticed the temperature rises and falls a bit, especially falling at night time. One night this person lights a candle, and leaves it burning overnight. On waking up the temperature is noticeably hotter than usual. Here's a bit of the data at the core of some basic suppositions which I have never seen the proof of: Ice core data that indicates a level of atmospheric acidity through the ages. None have proven that ice sitting under a ton of pressure, at -5C for 25,000 years doesn't change its ph level under those conditions (wouldn't a lightning strike in the vicinity alter the noted ph levels of the ice? In 10,000 years there must have been strikes). There is no book in the world that has proven that ph levels can be relied on for any period of time longer than 100 yrs. My sense is that ph (acidity) is a function of electrical and ion potential in a material. We do know that electron availability is effected by outside pressures and temperatures, So why has no one linked that to long term effects on ice samples? Not to mention that most of these cores are taken at the ice caps of the planet which have the Earth's magnetosphere dumping wave after wave of aurora particles into those very samples. No, I do not think any measure of electrical record in ice samples is reliable in the long term by the very nature and environment of the beast. Edited by mehaul (Fri Feb 18 201102:51Good stuff mehaul, it's way out of my field so can't judge it at all but does tell me how hard these sort of measurements are to make both past and present, and dare I say impossible and dangerous for the future. Dangerous as policies are made (eg diverting cash from flood defences in Australia and salt for snow in the UK just before floods and two record winters) based purely on some maven who's able to map current weather conditions reasonably well by setting up programs so is trusted to project them into the future. Bear in mind no equipment was ever made for more than a 60 day forecast until this became an issue, and the IPCC say even models a decade ago were woefully inadequate. This after Kyoto had been set up based on what was freely admitted years later to be primitive compared to the present day, yet at the time it was 'cutting edge' and committed countries across the planet to divert funds as a result. Mugaboo, your candle in the room simplifies the reality as well as the governments try to. Of course in a lab double CO2 and the temperature rises by a degree. Light a candle in a room (ie a closed system just like a greenhouse), and the calculations can be measured after the event by microdegrees. Except the candle generates heat directly while CO2 retains it, and not evenly but at 8% of all wavelengths at a reducing rate until saturated. Therefore the insulating falls with concentration while heating effects are constant with energy released by any constant source. Do the equivalent on a planetary level and you're literally playing with fire (in the form of the sun) and every other major and minor influence such as the ocean currents and oscillations, jet streams, atmospheric saturation levels, solar and lunar effects, volcanoes, not to mention the natural forces which produce a sharp rise before an ice age every so many thousand years, eight are recorded on an almost identical pattern of a few small waves followed by a big one around about a million year period (or more? I haven't got it with me but the pattern is what counts). Trying to compare a simple lab experiment with the atmosphere is what got the world embroiled in this possible delusion in the first place. It is not reasonable to try and simplify such a complex system, one of the most complex we know of, which gave rise to chaos theory, as if it can be compared. That's what's got coal power stations banned in the EU and will hold us to ransom to sharks worldwide trying to flog us far worse alternatives just as one example. That includes solar and wind which cost around 8 times more per kilowatt and forced upon us by legal fiat. Meanwhile CO2 has gone up over 40% since 1850 and the temperature is up 0.7', which tells us there has been no feedback as if there had the rise would have been well over that and that is all we really know. Edited by satguru (Fri Feb 18 201109:28After finding and adding isolated examples here one by one I have just discovered someone has done all the work for me. What is now clear is that as climate figures were obscure and irrelevant prior to now then no one actually knew or cared (as they quite rightly didn't need to) so whatever has been presented to them since has been assumed to be genuine. Lord Monckton has both proved beyond any doubt that the current release of records has deliberately wiped out the medieval warm period, akin to pretending there was no Battle of Hastings or Great Fire of London, and provided so many accredited studies showing basically every single plank of Al Gore's argument is pure bunkum, that if the media gave this equal attention to the official view the whole issue would be gone in a few months. Lord Monckton has been criticised for not being a scientist, but he has a postgraduate qualification in journalism, and quite capable of gathering data from scientists and allowing the readers to draw their own conclusions. That's called investigative journalism and requires no more science qualifications than being a detective. Even if you're convinced the other side is right then the main point here is there is another side and it won't ever go away and must be taken into account"No supercomputer,however powerful, is able to prove definitively a simplistic hypothesis that says the greenhouse effect is responsible for warming... The models are tuned to assume a high climate sensitivity, so a high climate sensitivity is what they find." Syun-Ichi Akasofu 2008 "In climate research and modeling, we should recognize that we are dealing with a coupled non-linear chaotic system, and therefore that the long-term prediction of future climate states is not possible." IPCC (2001) Wow, up till now UN and similar predictions have all been placed beyond our lifespans so impossible to confirm or deny, ie worthless. But this one is a clanger of such proportions, based on the same underlying figures, they have truly outdone themselves. They predicted 50 million climate refugees by 2010, mainly from the Caribbean, and as of 2011 there is not a single report of one person moving for reasons of the climate. The sea level remains rising around 9 inches a century as it has for as long as I remember records showing on average, and if they insist on extrapolating computer models into greater and greater tangents then sooner or later their junk science will finally catch up with them Article and analysis Now this whopper was based on the same hockey stick forward projection and associated computer generated results (drought, floods, fire, brimstone, you know) and can safely say not a single other prediction made from about 1980 since has even come close to beginning let alone completing. The positive feedback, meant to increase the official 1C increase in temperature by doubling CO2 never manifested either as the state at around a 50% increase is consistent with the 1C total. Unless feedback kicks in later on (there isn't much time to go now) one can logically assume using the principle of intertia (things continuing as they are) and extrapolation it was only in the same computer generated imagination as the refugees, rising sea levels and basically every single other thing they scared the children with. But governments worldwide still carry on as if CO2 is the devil and they do everything they can to charge people more for producing the same amount (as we have no choice the increase is constant despite massive taxation) and using machinery to try and generate electricity you'd expect to see Robinson Crusoe trying to build on a desert island as he wanted to charge his mobile phone. I'd think rubbing two sticks together would have to be better than a windmill or solar panel, the cost to power ratio is many times greater than conventional and much of the time they don't work at all and need the generators to kick in. Big fail all round I thinkAnyone in doubt that the climate is not actually doing anything unusual needs to look at the latest figures here, not supplied by an independent scientist open to accusations of inaccuracy for whatever reasons that are given, but an official US supplier of data, the University of Colorado. sea level figures Sea level is the simplest and easiest criterion to measure. It has risen for the last 22,000 years and the original fast pace following a small ice age has naturally reduced to almost zero, something the IPCC prefer not to draw attention to as once people see in fact the rise is grinding to a steady halt they'll naturally wonder how this is possible if the far harder to measure average world temperature has indeed increased. In fact the best stories spun by Al Gore and friends talk about the same imaginary 'climate refugees', the 10 million a year fleeing from inundated low lying land and new deserts to safer ground, which actually never happened in the allotted time to 2010. The inches a century which it has risen at since time immemorial is not just continuing but consistent with the lower diagram, is on a logarithmic curve tending to zero. The actual sea level rise has now been falling since 2007, so rather than measure the consistently rising CO2 which appears to grow independent of both all the vast taxes to charge people more to create it, and the worthless alternatives which spend most of the time gathering dust at costs of billions (I have some of the accounts in an article, a normal business would have collapsed after the first year but these are subsidised by tax revenue) the actual scary stuff they want us all to think is happening to make us vote in their taxes (as we all have across the western world) just ain't real. If the sea is slowing down the rise then both the melting land ice and thermal expansion, the equal causes of it, can't be increasing and must actually be reducing in speed. Global temperature is not a reliable figure at all as it varies from place to place and time to time, so as much of the world is not measured they can select particular 'representative samples', but many are on airstrips and city centres which do not reflect the true temperature as heated by buildings and vehicles. Also when calculating temperature they start mixing and matching the quite different land, sea and air temperatures, and if they get the selection just right can make it show pretty much any direction they choose. Not so for sea levels. You can measure them with floats or satellites, and although they vary across the planet the time and location changes are a small fraction of temperature, and can only be measured in one place, ie the surface. As they are so much harder to select and play around with (although still possible) the actual data they produce is the most valuable of all as it is far less open to 'interpretation' (which should not be possible at all when making vitally accurate measurements) but pretty much speaks for itself. As the website only presents data, and not any underlying explanations, unless the IPCC or similar choose to answer the question no one will ask them, why is the sea level rise still falling when you say it should be growing, we can only apply the rules of physics as we know them and try and work it out ourselves. I'd be interested to know if there are any besides the obvious 'the temperature can't be rising' one, but remain prepared to be surprisedThe commonest question I hear on this subject is 'Why would there be a conspiracy?'. In fact most people know the answer already (it's hardly exactly hidden) but don't think it's possible. I just came across this direct quote which I'd say speaks for itselfFor the first known time this conspiracy has now gone on the national media, as I rang Talk Sport radio last night and blew the gaff on the whole thing. Good news on top is it's been podcast, I'm from 1.24.55 to 1.38 which is split onto the second half hour section. There's a small (literally) problem with that one, world average temperatures have only gone up 0.8C since 1850. The sort of consequences you're referring to would need well over 2C and even then could not be automatically assigned to mankind. And as the sea level isn't rising as much as it was before (centuries before) that also implies strongly temperatures are rising more slowly as well. And although you seem to think I'm talking to myself this thread has already received over 10,000 views. It's more like a blog, few comment but many read. Also, why is it you haven't explained the quotes from the Club of Rome, Gorbachev and Ottmar Edenhofer? They have openly admitted this is the case, but you are the first person here to overlook it so am interested to know why. Edited by satguru (Sat Jun 11 201105:17 mhenson. I have to say that I wouldn't have dared to start a thread on any subject, especially such a controversial one, until I'd thoroughly done my homework. As you pointed out, whichever way you arrange the figures they don't add up. But because 'those in authority' (especially the untouchable and perfect PhD's) have told us something, god forbid one or more of us dare to question it. In fact it isn't quite as simple as that. There are many, many PhD's who do not agree with this at all, but as the media barely mention them of course as they only persist in reporting the ones who do (and what do politicians actually know more than we do- they are advised by the same PhD's as everyone else) the overall impression is global warming is real and man made. But they left out one major element. In 1990 when Al Gore and Mikhail Gorbachev made their speeches about combatting dangerous global warming, as well as the IPCC claiming a 1.5C rise by 2010 (it was 0.1C), nobody had access to the main data via the internet then but they now do. So now we have all the shorter term predictions made in the 90s in, (not one happened) and overt admission over a 20 year period it was set up to control and collect funds, the prevailing impression has not been changed to fit. And the obsession with weather watching we never had before means although the IPCC have both warned against using examples of short term and local weather for both sides, and stated they cannot yet assign a single event to global warming, 'bad weather equals global warming' if you are looking for it, despite the official warnings, and if you try and challenge it you get cut down. The facts speak for themselves, I just wish people who don't like what I say would go out and follow up the leads themselves. It's all out there am currently in shock, a major plank of global warming has just been instantly dismantled, an expert has just testified in a court of law, presumably under oath, ..."That means that while the bear has healthy populations now ..." Yes, after Al Gore, Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth, George Monbiot etc etc have all used the decline in polar bears as a trademark of the warming case, this has all been wiped out in seconds in an obscure US court. Full report To my knowledge this is the first time an official spokesperson has openly admitted a previous gospel to be wrong, and rather than come from either an independent expert or a skeptic where it would have simply been swatted away like an annoying mosquito, this was part of a case advocating man made warming, and the point was made as part of a statement trying to claim the population was heading for a decline. Now whatever the claims besides the stars and planets mankind and science within it cannot see the future. It can guess tomorrow's weather to a varying degree, next week's sometimes and the latest tests showed anything beyond that was no better than using a chimpanzee (it was on the BBC radio news and couldn't note the details). But as the foundation of AGW is computerised projections (although history explains the results of both warmer climates in Roman times and plenty of time with no sea ice at all, yet polar bears survived it) although I'm amazed they were allowed in a court as do not have the status of evidence, by attempting to present it as such they clearly and unequivocably stated that polar bear populations are indeed healthy, as skeptics and many naturalists have been trying to say for years. Had someone not drawn my attention to this in the chat boards it may well have slipped under the radar altogether and not been noticed by anyone, but I am hoping it will now spread like wildfire as it's pretty well an official confession and needs to be known about as widely as possible. Edited by satguru (Fri Jul 01 201107:35 Here is a report on the disappearing arctic ice and how it is and will affect our Polar Bear population. The Polar Bear does not only live at the North Pole , Satguru, you must be thinking of Santa Claus. Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, is the Polar Bear Capital of the World, and it lies 2,156 kilometres or 1,347 Miles from the North Pole. I am not a fan of David Suzuki, or any other Scientist on either "Side" of the Global Warming debate. I am of the opinion that the havoc that mankind has imposed on Mother Nature , especially over the past 120 years, cannot help but change our oceans, our land, and our atmosphere. I do my little part to recycle, reduce, re use and hopefully extend the life of our Earth . You see there is always common ground, and looking after the environment is one, and commonsense to do so. My only issue there is that not only is CO2 not my idea of a problem, less of all the climate, it has hijacked the whole movement, and even though all you describe is what everyone should do (but doesn't, mainly in the corporate field as clean costs money) nowadays every single statement adds the climate to it. This is not just irrelevant to what used to be a wish to look after our surroundings, but plain wrong. You do not recycle, save energy or avoid pollution for the climate, but because you should do so for its own sake. If people continue to merge an unproven theory with the good stuff we are all heading down the toilet. Money for other projects is already being wasted on windfarms which barely generate a thing and need a 90% (from the latests UK figures) backup, and vast amounts spent on climate research which is shifting it from worthier projects which may have helped people right now with known problems. The money spent could already have drained all the swamps harbouring malaria mosquitos, and every single penny spent on the climate is a penny not spent on other research or projects. That is a massive cost to prevent something we'll never know about as even the worst Jonahs out there don't expect much to be noticed within our own lifetimes. That's not a business budget but an open vein. As for your study it has skated over the hidden point in your last article, that despite Al Gore's film and every claim made generally since, it was stated, under oath I presume, in a court of law, that the polar bear population is currently healthy. That is all we know, period. No one, not even (especially) David Suzuki, Rajendra Pachauri, Al Gore or any of their friends, has a crystal ball. And polar ice can only exist at the poles so what else were you referring to? If Manitoba is ice free and therefore not polar then doesn't it show my point they can live with or without ice? And if it does (I have no idea) then anywhere covered in polar ice at any time of the year is polar. The Arctic Circle is the official line and that comes a long way south of the pole. And finally the sort of random general (unless you are a scientist) comment that if we have imposed havoc it must change the climate is how we got in this state in the first place- Al Gore was not qualified to judge and my own diagram shows him pretty well at the source of this theory, not any official ones. He got his inspiration from his lecturer (science was a minor of his arts degree and a subject he did not excel in) Roger Revelle, who later discounted it as incorrect. If you look into the area deeply you begin to see many elements that should not be there, and if rotten in parts is not a good sign about the whole. These are either dismissed, overlooked or more generally not even known by most who believe the conventional idea, especially the poor children in the UK who had An Inconvenient Truth on the national school syllabus and we're now stuck with a whole generation of Al Gores. They aren't expected to check what their teachers tell them and none of the material I've exposed on this thread (in a legal trial would at least raise reasonable doubts) is included as balance. That is pure political indoctrination and whatever the pundits and mavens tell you and me, those are no more than guesses and are not even worth considering by anyone as proved no more accurate than random. You didn't accept the list I posted in the chat boards but as it contains hundreds you would need a lot of work to show most of them were actually correct as you tried with the first few. So basically please try and separate the environment and the climate. Blurring the two has caused what I see as the downfall of world government (only Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic openly disagree with the theory so no means an exaggeration) as so many people can't see the difference between the two any more and everything in their lives is focussed on how much damn CO2 it emits. That is an illness and an obsession and will gain nothing in the long or short run. China however accept global warming as real, but have the sense to carry on their CO2 emissions as they have acknowledged the costs of cutting it (which the UK bear more than anywhere else as we are committed to the highest reductions I know of) are far greater than the benefits from high production and cheap power. And if only I could live another 100 years and see it did absolutely no harm to the climate at all. Edited by satguru (Sat Jul 02 201108:00, very interesting. The few in the media who challenge man-made warming have claimed for years that the world surface temperature stopped rising in 1998. Anyone daring to quote this has been called every possible known insult and a few new ones, and now after 13 years a study from no less than the universities of Harvard, Boston and Turkuu in Finland have admitted it. By looking for a reason there has been no warming since 1998 (no more than a silly random guess torn apart by all their well-qualified peers such as Judith Curry within minutes of publication) their irrelevant conclusion Chinese power stations have emitted enough SO2 to cancel the CO2 effect (yes, for the entire planet), they simply said "The reason... there has been no warming from 1998 to 2008..." Well after being called a baby killer myself (it's amazing the levels people fall to when challenged with an intellectual argument that disputes their beliefs) having waited since this all began within a single week we've both had an official admission polar bears are still thriving, and now, amazingly, we were actually correct all along that temperatures stopped rising since 1998. That of course also means all those 'adjusted' graphs I've shown examples of were not the good ones as they claimed, but the clear raw data which agreed whoever measured it anywhere. And the main reason I spread these stories online is you won't see them anywhere else besides a few newspapers who are already preaching to the converted. But it's ironic that these two will be interpreted as 'although nothing's happened yet' it's going to very very soon!. Yes, and the cheque's in the post... But it's on record now and official, from their side, and no one can ever call me a liar again for claiming it. PS- all I can say is wow- 1000 scientists now question man made warming, complete with full quotes- even James Lovelock (one of the original band of leaders) turns out to have turned, and if Jesus had done the same thing then surely people would have listened, but no. Even I wasn't expecting this one- climate change is now officially a business! The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, managed by Peter Dunscombe, who not coincidentally also manages the closely connected BBC's pension fund (are you beginning to see a picture forming here?), has now raised climate change to an international management fund. So in a simple sentence, if climate change laws continue, they win, if they stop they lose the lot. Who said it isn't all about the money? The BBC have a charter for impartiality, which they broke years ago when they took on the work for Globe International to spread the word on climate change, thus blocking all the many studies which cast doubt on it. I have no idea who can report breach of charter let alone who to, but no one has despite being reported recently in the Daily Telegraph. If I could and didn't cost anything I would do it personally simply as I have enough legal experience to present a reasonable case and the time to do so. Now they are openly associating with the very business they are promoting then it is pretty much like insurance companies setting fire to their own premises to make a profit on the insurance. If you promote a cause while posing (figuratively and legally) as an independent which you also invest in there are many legal terms for that, and I'll let others suggest them for me for a change now seems the NASA satellites have at last confirmed what was obvious from 100 years of temperatures, there is no measurable positive cloud feedback from rising CO2, meaning the very small rise since 1850 does indeed indicate it can't add more heat than it traps through evaporating more sea to become clouds, which do the lion's share (95%) of keeping the planet 33C higher than space. We'd all be dead without it. CO2 is responsible for 1C, doubling would have added 1C more with no feedback, and being 50% higher than 1850 already has not produced any more than 0.5C as the temperature was already rising. The IPCC predictions factored in up to 6C by 2100, putting a safe level at 2C which will itself now be hard to manage at the current rate. I am a realist, I abhor predictions in open systems as they can't be made and never should be, whether climate, economics or crystal balls (ours excepted). Sometimes you just have to wait and see. And as claimed by many scientists including Philip Stott who is so talented the BBC use him as a resident science expert, you can't have a greenhouse effect in an open system, as only glass can trap heat and not gas. This affirms the very basic theory and means unlike the stories in the media CO2 simply lets most of the heat through. The spectral absorption spectrum is so small anyway (meaning it only responds to infra red radiation in a few frequencies, a small fraction of the total) that it could rise in far greater amounts and still reach its saturation limit soon afterwards becoming unable to affect temperatures at all beyond a certain point they don't yet know but is clearly being approached already. This is the first and doubtless only time the green climate movement have given me a laugh. We may be destroyed by aliens as we're emitting too much CO2. The added cream on the cake is that it's actually been reported by what's considered by themselves (not me mind you) as a serious newspaper. If people thought they were before a good many won't from now! I reckon a few fence-sitters may actually be pushed off it after this classic too, which can only help world sanity. "Aliens may destroy humanity to protect other civilisations, say scientists Rising greenhouse emissions could tip off aliens that we are a rapidly expanding threat, warns a report" Logic is as good a tutor for any subject as long as you know enough to follow the basics. So recently it occurred to me what if the temperature had risen exactly the same amount as in the highest estimated hockey stick graph (there were two, the lower one was discarded for 'watering down the message' as I just discovered) but CO2 had not? The other side of the same coin had just surfaced, what if CO2 increased and the temperature did not? Well that turned out to be a lot closer to reality than my ideal scenario. Mann's diagram relied heavily on tree ring data, which is probably the most marginal possible method possible and argued by some too vague to be used at all. It turns out the logic won as guess what, increased CO2 alone causes some trees to grow more (who'd have thought it?) so when you measure wider rings you are both measuring temperature plus growth solely from increased CO2 (I haven't tracked down the likely proportions, but appears to be pretty similar), so actually doubling the apparent temperature by attributing 100% of the growth to increased temperature when in fact a good deal was later shown to be due to increased CO2 alone. This also has been borne out in standard practice of increasing CO2 in market gardening to 2000ppm to raise growth and tested in two separate university experiments in the last couple of years somewhere in rural England by memory. All they now need is a study to tease out the genuine amount of growth distributed between CO2 and temperature increases and adjust all the existing graphs accordingly. And if so, would they replace them at the IPCC? "Experimental work has strongly demonstrated the positive response of photosynthesis and plant water use efficiency to increasing CO2 concentration [ e.g. Strain and Cure 1985; Bazzaz 1990; Mooney et al 1991; Idso 1992; Korner and Arnone 1992; Norby et al 1992; Polley et a 1993; Wullscheger et al 1995)] and the negative response of stomatal conductance of plant leaves [Woodward 1987; Beerling and Woodward 1993; van de water et al 1994]. For example, by studying a number of C3 and C4 species, Polley et al 1993 showed that both plant water use efficiency and biomass increased with increasing ambient CO2 concentration. This led to the idea that CO2 fertilization may be evaluated by measuring plant water use efficiency."
eng
9163bebc-e1a4-4165-b1ff-ee7ce5194f96
http://www.funtrivia.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/596885/Re_Alaskan_ice_ignores_global_
Contents All our external perception presupposes, firstly, an activity of the mind which is checked and which we call sensation; secondly, an activity of the mind which gives to this felt sensation an infinitely divisible extension and which we call contemplation; and, thirdly, an activity of the mind which objectivates the thus extended sensation and asserts it to be an external thing, and which we call thinking. The essence of all science consists in this: that we proceed from something sensuously perceived to its supersensuous ground. It is precisely so with philosophy. Philosophy starts from the perception of knowledge through the inner sense and proceeds to its ground. In the present series of lectures we shall be busied with the first part of this science, with the phenomenon. It is this phenomenon which we propose systematically to observe, and it will be my duty to guide your observation. It is true that to observe knowledge means also to represent it not in its immediate living Being, but in only the picture of this Being. It will be my duty to guide you in the sketching of this picture, to separate what is to be separated, and call your attention to what is important. It will be necessary very often to appeal to a special artistical arrangement in order that consciousness should reply to the very same question we propose to it; and thus the merely natural observation will change into an artificially constructed experiment. The general and major parts, into which this our observation may separate, cannot be fixed at the very beginning, but can be determined only by continued investigation. Until then it will be sufficient to imagine our course of lectures divided firstly into a chapter: Concerning the Facts of Consciousness in the Perception of External Objects. The expression, external objects, is used here just as common sense uses it, that is, objects, which are perceived by us as external to us, in space. Our problem now is, to analyze the to us all well-known fact of this perception in general and according to its several components. I maintain—and request you all to look into your own consciousness and see whether you do not find it likewise—that in this fact are contained. A. An Affection of the External Sense; characterized by the following terms of language: red, clear-sounding, bitter, cold, &c. The possibility of such an affection presupposes an external sense. It is, for instance, impossible that a blind man should be affected by colors. But it is also to be observed, that this affection itself is a limitation of the general sense to be affected in this particular manner. For instance: "I perceive this flower to be red" means simply, that my seeing in general, and particularly my seeing of this color, is limited by that particular seeing of a color which the habit of language designates as red. B. An Extension in Space.—And I maintain, and request you to verify and recognize, that these two parts, the Sensible and Extension, completely exhaust the essence of an external object. 1. I assert that extension is by no means a sensation, but utterly different from it. To perceive this clearly, I beg you to undertake the following consideration. Red, for instance, is an altogether simple sensation, and to objectivate it, as it were, from out of our mind, a mere mathematical point would be sufficient. Now, what is it that impels and justifies you to spread out this simple and self-same remaining sensation of red over a large space, which is precisely so large and no larger, and upon which this red color is perhaps closely limited by an adjoining other color? 2. What, then, is extension, since it is evidently not sensation? It cannot be easy to answer this question, since it has been answered wrongly and in the most various manner until the present age, and since it was chiefly the correct answering of this question (through Kant) which led philosophy upon the right track.[1] In order to find the right answer in your own self, please assist me in the following artificial experiment, this being the first place where we need one: I ask you, whether that body perceived by you is divisible infinitely, or whether such an attempted and continued divisibility would finally find somewhere a limit where it could not be pursued any further? I foresee that you will not be able to reply otherwise than that the body is most truly divisible infinitely. This reply is, indeed, everywhere made by common sense when left to itself; and if any philosopher answers differently, it is done not through his natural understanding left to itself, but through previously made false presuppositions and lies, which compel him to make such a different answer. I ask further: Does, then, this infinitely divisible object put itself forth as also determined and completed, and even as included within another infinity? You cannot reply otherwise than: Yes. Hence you contemplate and assert extension to involve a completed and determined infinity; that is, you unite in extension infinity and totality into a fused and concrete unity. Please make this very important conception still clearer to you by another one, which states the same thing and only emphasizes still more the point at issue. You draw a line from A to B. I ask you: Is not this line divisible infinitely? In going from A to B, did you not, therefore, actually complete an infinite way? Yes. Is it not necessary to assume that in going from any possible point which you may choose in the line A—B to any other possible point, you will meet the same infinity, so that you cannot absolutely go from one point to another without actually realizing that infinity? Hence you must acknowledge that that which seems to the conception utterly impossible and contradictory is actually realized in the contemplation of space. 3. I ask furthermore, how and where is now the infinite divisibility of the body? Have you actually divided infinitely, and experienced the infinite divisibility through the success of your attempt? By no means! You assert merely, that you could divide the body infinitely; and thus your assertion, first of all, does state not anything concerning the body itself, but merely something concerning your own faculty; whilst, secondly, this assertion has by no means been corroborated by experience, but grounds itself, if it is true, altogether upon the immediate self-contemplation of that faculty in its inner essence, as an infinite faculty testifying of itself. Now this infinite faculty is actually contemplated, and is seized and encircled by our glance and placed before it as determined, and hence as the completion and totality of this infinity. In short, if the faculty is to be contemplated as it is, it must be contemplated as infinite, for it is infinite. If it is to be contemplated, it must be fixed and gathered together, for it is the essence of contemplation to fix. And thus the self-contemplation of the faculty must necessarily become a gathering together of infinity. Hence, as the last result of our present investigation we have this: Extension in space is nothing but the self-contemplation of the contemplating mind as an infinite faculty. C. Let us now gather together what has been made known to us by our undertaken analysis of external perception. It involved, firstly, an affection of the external sense; and since this external sense belongs altogether to the contemplations, and is limited in and to them, it is clear that the contemplating faculty can perceive such an affection or limitation only in and to itself. Hence, in regard to this part, the external perception is a self-contemplation of a determined limitation or affection of the external sense. It involved, secondly, extension, which has clearly shown itself to be a self-contemplation of the contemplating faculty. Hence, external perception, so far as we have as yet been able to learn, goes never beyond the sphere of the contemplating faculty; and it is very easily to be comprehended from the previous analysis how the contemplating faculty, in its state of external perception, is able to say: I feel myself thus and thus limited, although in the same undivided contemplation I behold at the same time my infinite faculty. But it is not at all to be comprehended, how the contemplating faculty can go beyond this mere perception and say: There exists outside of me, and altogether independently of me, something which is extended in space, and constituted thus or thus. It is evident now that our analysis of external perception has not yet been closed, and that one of its chief essentials is still lacking. The immediate fact here is precisely, that the mind goes beyond or out of contemplation, or externalizes; now such a going out from or beyond immediate contemplation and externalizing we have have always called Thinking (which is a mere word-designation to enable us to express ourselves more concisely without always adding the description of the conception). Hence we express the above fact thus: in immediate connection with what we have recognized in all external perception as contemplating, we moreover think; and it is precisely through this thinking, and through the inseparable union of this thinking with the before mentioned contemplation into a closely-joined life-moment of the contemplating faculty, that that which before was in that faculty becomes now something external, an object. Remarks. I. The proposition, that the object—for there is only one object, since the asserted existence of something external and independent of us, which constitutes the real character of an object, belongs to all objects in the same manner—is neither felt in sensation, nor beheld in contemplation, but altogether and solely thought, is as important as it has never yet been recognized. We have assisted the insight into it in a very easy manner by showing that the sensation as well as the extension in space are altogether matters of self-consciousness; and that hence if the human mind proceeds beyond this self-consciousness and transcends it by a new kind of knowledge, this latter kind of knowledge is an entirely other one and worthy to be designated by another name, for which name we propose that of Thinking. For thinking is precisely the expression used for a going beyond and out of mere self-consciousness, and we particularly request every one to comprehend this distinction. But that there really is involved such a going beyond even in the mere external perception is an immediate fact, since we do really assume a Something independent of us and existing outside of us, instead of the simple perception of a limitation of our external sense, &c., which alone we perceive,—a fact which each one may verify in his own consciousness. II. Here already it appears clearly that consciousness is not a mere dead and passive mirror of external objects, but in itself living and productive. Imagine a quiet sheet of water wherein the trees and plants of the shore mirror themselves, and give to this sheet of water even the power to behold the pictures imaged in it and to become conscious of them; and it is easy enough to understand how the water can arise to a consciousness of an image or shadow in it; but it is by no means explained how the water can ever get out of these pictures, and go beyond and externalize them to the real trees and plants on the shore whereof they are pictures. It is thus with our consciousness. To explain how we get an affection of our external sense, and a power to contemplate our faculty, belongs to the sphere of pure philosophy, or the Science of Knowledge, and hence should not be undertaken in a review of the facts of consciousness. That inner self-contemplation we here accept as an existing fact. But we are bound to explain how this self-contemplation can pretend to be a contemplation of objects existing by themselves and altogether beyond the sphere of the contemplating faculty; and in order to comprehend this as a fact, we must moreover assume an inner life of that self-contemplation which goes out of and beyond itself: Thinking. Now what does this thinking really achieve in external perception? Simply that it furnishes the form, the form of objective existence. Hence in the object we must distinguish two chief components, arising from different sources; firstly, the objective form, which originates through thinking, and, secondly, that which the object is in itself, and which originates from the self-contemplation of the contemplating faculty;—the material quality of the object arising from a limitation of the external sense and its extension from a contemplation of our own infinite faculty. The first is the form of the object, the second its matter. It is, moreover, to be remarked in regard to the form of thinking, that thinking is a positing, and a positing in opposition to another; hence an op-positing, and that, therefore, all opposition arises immediately and purely from thinking, and is produced by thinking. So much concerning thinking in general, in so far as its nature can be made clear here. Let us now answer the question to what particular kind the here discovered thinking may belong. I say, it is not a thinking arising in consequence of another thinking, but an absolute and in-and-upon-itself-reposing thinking. I will not say that it is the original thinking—though it may be, but surrounded with a certain hull—but it is surely the first thinking within the sphere of the facts of thinking; precisely as external perception generally, whereof this thinking is an inseparable component, is also the first consciousness, preceded by none other. Hence it is not proper to say, in the ordinary sense of the word, "I" (signifying an individual, which ordinary use of language we here do not wish to deviate from, remaining, as we do, within the region of facts), that it is I who think in this thinking, since it will be shown hereafter that it is only through a reflection concerning this thinking that the "I" arrives at a consciousness of itself; but we must say, the thinking, itself, as an independent life, thinks from out and through itself and is this objectivating thinking. And now let us gather together the whole external perception, whereof we have examined the component parts. It is, in general, a consciousness which is not made through any free principle with considerateness and in accordance with any beforehand determined conception, but which is made through itself: a peculiar and independently upon-itself-reposing life of consciousness. I say an independent and upon-itself-reposing life; for the being and life of consciousness are altogether lost in the described determinations and do not extend further, although it is quite possible that the same life may in a future reflection go beyond the before described determinations, may extend its life and add new determinations of it. But this thus-in-itself lost consciousness, which forms a completely closed spiritual life-moment by itself, is not simple, as we have already stated, but rather composed of two chief ingredients, thinking and self-contemplation; whereof the latter again separates into two utterly distinct components. And these two—or, if you choose, three—components are melted together so inseparably and into one, that the one cannot occur without the other, and that consciousness is formed only through the synthetical union of the three. The contemplating faculty cannot contemplate its infinite faculty without feeling at the same time its external sense limited in a certain manner; and immediately with this consciousness of its own condition there connects a thinking, intimately united with that consciousness to one life-moment; whereby that which before was in us for our contemplation now becomes a body externally existing and endowed with a certain sensible quality. Again, on the other hand: objective thinking cannot occur unless there is a contemplation, since all thinking is a going beyond, an externalizing, which, of course, presupposes an internal from which to go beyond, or to externalize. All our internal perception presupposes, firstly, an activity of the mind whereby it can free itself from its condition of external perception, and hence posit itself both as a knowing of itself as knowledge (that is, of a limitedness of itself through external perception), and as a knowing of itself as a creative principle (that is, of a power in itself to free itself from that limitedness), which activity of the mind is called intellectual contemplation; and, secondly, an activity of the mind whereby it objectivates this its own power and posits it as an independently existing thing, which activity is called intellectual thinking. A. Having thus analyzed the facts of consciousness in external perception, it seems that we might now, without further preliminaries, proceed to an analysis of internal perception, or reflection, as our second chapter. But since, as it partly is known already and partly is evident at the first glance, this reflection or internal perception is a condition altogether different from—nay, in part, utterly opposed to—that of external perception, it may seem curious to many how such opposite determinations are possible in one and the same consciousness; and hence, before going further, we first ought to answer this question: how is it possible for the life of consciousness to proceed from one of its conditions to its opposite; or, how is it possible for us at all to proceed from our first to a second chapter? To solve this question, let us consider together, and let me beg you to find in your own minds true the following: 1. I assert that knowledge in its inner form and essence is the being of freedom. What freedom is, I assume to be known to you. Now, of this freedom I assert that it exists absolutely; not, as some one might suppose at the first view, as a quality of some other in-itself-existing substance and inherent in the same, but as an altogether independent being or existence, and that this independent and peculiar being of freedom is knowledge. I assert that this independent being of freedom places itself before itself as knowledge; and that whoever wants to comprehend knowledge in its essence, must think it as such a being of freedom. Explanatory.—Here already we get a glimpse of an altogether other, higher, and more spiritual being than common materialistic understanding is capable of thinking. That understanding can very well join something like freedom to a substance as its background, which substance, if closely examined, is however always of a material nature; but finds it very hard, nay, if it has been kept on the wrong track for a considerable time, altogether impossible to arise to a comprehension of an independent existence of freedom. To prove such a pure being of pure freedom is a matter belonging to the Science of Knowledge; at present I only ask you to consider such a thought as a possible, problematic thinking. Nevertheless, it can be made clear even here, in immediate contemplation, that knowledge may be actually and in fact such a being and expression of freedom. For in my knowledge of the actual object outside of me, how is the object related tome as the knowing? Evidently thus: its being and qualities are not mine, and I am free from both, floating above and altogether indifferent in regard to them. 2. In every determined knowledge, that general freedom which exists, and exists as certainly as a knowledge in general is, is limited in some particular manner. In every determined knowledge there is a duplicity melted into a oneness: freedom, which makes it a knowledge; and a certain limitation or canceling of this freedom, which makes it a determined knowledge. 3. All change and all alteration of the determinations of the one general knowledge (or of the one general freedom) must, therefore, consist in either the making loose of latent freedom, or the making latent of loose freedom. 4. But further: since this freedom is to be nothing but freedom and knowledge generally, nothing but the being of absolute freedom, such a making latent or loose of freedom can be achieved solely through, freedom itself. Freedom itself is the principle of all its possible determinations; for if we were to assume an outside ground of those determinations, freedom would not be freedom. 5. If freedom is in any respect latent or chained down, it is in the same respect not loose or free, and vice versa; and thus it becomes comprehensible, how various moments of the one universal knowledge must dirempt as altogether opposite to each other. 6. Thus we arrive at the idea of a certain limiting and freeing, or of a Fivefoldness together with an Infinity in consciousness. B. 1. Let us now apply these principles, first of all in general, to reflection. In external perception, the altogether simple consciousness—which in no manner rises above itself, or reflects upon itself and the life whereof is therefore not in the least more developed than is necessary to constitute it consciousness—is confined to a determined imaging of its sensation. That freedom which it needs, to bear but the form of knowledge, it receives through the objectivating thinking, which lifts consciousness, though confined to a determined imaging, at least beyond its mere being and frees it therefrom. Hence, in this simple consciousness confined and liberated freedom are united. Consciousness is confined to imaging, but liberated from being, which being is for that very reason transferred to an external object; and hence our knowledge begins necessarily with the consciousness of an external object; for it could not begin lower and yet remain knowledge. In this simple consciousness there is freedom merely of being; and this is the lowest and last grade of freedom. 2. Now knowledge is to rise beyond this determined confinedness of external perception through reflection. It was confined to imaging, and hence must make itself free and indifferent in regard to this imaging, just as in external perception it was free and indifferent in regard to being. Through the being of a determined freedom there always arises a determined knowing. Here we have freedom from imaging; hence there must arise a knowing of the image as image; whereas in external perception there occurred a knowing merely of the thing. Here it becomes quite clear, as I said before, that a determined consciousness is the being of a determined freedom. For that, in relation to which freedom is free, is always the object of this determined consciousness. Thus in external perception there was freedom solely in regard to being; and hence arose a consciousness of being, and altogether nothing more. In reflection there is freedom in regard to the imaging, and hence to the above consciousness of being there is joined now the consciousness of imaging. In external perception consciousness said simply: the thing is. But in reflection the newly-arisen consciousness says: there is also an image, a representation of the thing. Moreover, since this consciousness is the realized freedom of imaging, knowledge in respect to itself says: I can image or represent that object or not, as I choose. 3. We have here various new creations: Firstly, there is as the ground of this newly-arisen consciousness of the image a real self-liberating, a self-liberating on the part of the life of knowledge itself. The determined consciousness, here of the image as the being of a determined freedom, is nothing but the result of the tearing itself loose from its chains on the part of free life, is simply the result of this determined higher life-development on the part of freedom itself. That standing and permanent being of freedom, which now is consciousness, is absolutely created through freedom. Hence this act appears even in consciousness as a gathering together and an exertion. Secondly, there arises here the knowledge of an image as something altogether new. Did not, then, that external perception which preceded the reflection also contain an image, or not? If the life of consciousness is altogether free, as we have seen it to be, that external perception could surely have entered it only through its own freedom, and thus it seems that the image in external perception must also be always recognized as an image created by freedom. How to think such a thought we here lack even expression. But so much we can say, that the image of external perception could not have been created by a freedom of actual knowledge, since actual knowledge presupposes it as its starting-point, and that hence it is proper to say: external perception did contain not an image but a thing. But this is merely preliminary. Let us now enter upon a more profound description of the freedom, arisen through this new life-development, in its relation to the image. In external perception we had, firstly, a limitation of the external sense through a determined quality; for instance, of a red color. Hence the freedom opposed to it, the liberation from that confinedness, must consist in a power to freely produce such images of qualities; for instance, an image of not only a red color, but also a yellow color, &c.: a free power of imaging, a power of imagination in regard to sensuous qualities. But since an image of a quality is not possible without a previous actual affection through the external sense, and since a good supply is necessary for a free oppositing of many such images, it follows that life must have existed in a condition of mere perception for some length of time in order to be able to rise to such a freedom of imagination. In external perception we had, secondly, a contemplation of extension, and a contemplation of the thing perceived which was confined precisely to this figure, this size, and this location in universal space. Hence the liberation from this sort of confinedness must consist in this, that the imagination, though always confined to extension in general, has a powder to freely imagine figure, size, and location. External perception involved, finally, an objectivating thinking. This, while remaining, on the whole, the same—namely, in that the product of imagination is also objectivated or externalized—must be changed so (the limitation of the external sense in general having vanished) that it is posited as the thinking of an object not actual and in fact existing, but merely imagined and freely thought. Thus the freedom of imagination is actually a real liberation of spiritual life. For, while we wake, our external sense is still determined and affected by that power which as yet is to us unknown; and it is only imagination which lifts us above this affection through the senses, and makes us capable of withdrawing ourselves from its influences by withdrawing our perception and surrendering ourselves exclusively to the productions of the imagination, thus freely creating an entirely different sequence of time, which has no connection whatever with the time-sequence' of sensuous development. In children, during the first years of their lives, this power of abstracting from sensuous impressions doubtless does not exist, and hence also not the power of free imagination. In grown-up persons the strength of this power of abstraction has various grades, according to the standard of their spiritual development. Archimedes was not disturbed in his geometrical constructions by the tumult of a conquered city; but it is a different question whether he would not have been disturbed had a stroke of lightning flashed down near him. C. Let us now investigate this still more profoundly by rising from the determined external characteristics of this new freedom to its inner form. 1. In external perception the life of knowledge has causality through its mere being; and, moreover, a determined causality, since causality in general is nothing real, but a mere thought. It is through this having causality that that life of knowledge (the Ego) rises above the object (the non-Ego); for it is not like the object, a dead, permanent being, but a living producing. But in its moments of perception it is confined to this condition of having causality, and, since it cannot generally be confined, it is confined in those moments to a determined causality. 2. The second development of that life, or of the Ego, liberates itself from this confinedness, signifies therefore: the Ego, or life, rises beyond this, having causality through its mere existence, and hence checks this immediate outpouring of its life. But it certainly cannot thereby annihilate all its life. What, then, is it that remains? Evidently a principle which is not a cause through its immediate existence, but which can become such a cause only through the free activity that has arisen through this very new life-development itself. In short, it becomes a principle which, as such, has its separate independent existence, whereas at the first it had existence only as an actual causality. It has, in fact, put its causality, which on the first stage of consciousness was not in its power, now under its newly developed control. Instead of having as at first a simple existence, it has now attained a double one: a second new being which floats freely over that first simple one; a being which, as its freedom may choose, can be either a permanent self-determined principle, or an unchecked flow of causality. 3. All being of a determined freedom results in a determined knowledge; hence, now that life has made itself a principle, there arises necessarily an immediate consciousness of itself as such a principle. Can this new consciousness be closer characterized? It certainly has freed itself from a knowledge to which it at first was confined, a knowledge of the object; and through this freeing there has arisen for it a new knowledge, a knowledge of knowledge. But in the same undivided life-moment there has arisen for it a knowledge of itself as a principle, and thus the knowledge of a principle joins together with the knowledge of knowledge into a substantial body of knowledge, a knowing one who is one and the same with the principle; in short, an Ego. I, the knowing, am at the same time the principle which has been liberated from immediate causality. The consciousness, I, starts from a reflection of knowledge and proceeds to that knowledge as a principle; and both become one through their inseparable union in the condition of reflection. 4. Now this Ego, thus first created through the free development of life and entering consciousness, can either remain in this checkedness of its life-development, or surrender itself unto a free constructing of the power of imagination, or surrender itself to external perception. 5. The question now is: whether at this stage of life external perception is in its inner form precisely as it was previously or not. I maintain that it is not precisely so, and everything depends upon getting an insight into this distinction. a. Through this new development a total change and alteration in the life of consciousness has occurred. Previously this life had causality through its mere being, but now it has no such causality at all; only through its own free act can anything arise in it. It never can even sink back to that previous condition after once having risen above it. b. Nevertheless the essence of external perception consists precisely in this, that consciousness has causality through its mere being. How, then, can a consciousness, which is no longer a causality, through its mere being perceive externally? c. Because, although it is no longer confined to that first condition, it can voluntarily surrender itself to it. It can make itself to be a consciousness which has causality through its mere being. Such a making or surrendering is well known to every person under the name of Attention. The first being, which always remains but does not absorb the being of consciousness, has been joined by a second being which controls the first one. This second being can never be annihilated, but may well surrender itself voluntarily to the first one. An Illustration.—The perception of a plant by a child before the development of its self-consciousness is distinguished from the attention given by the natural philosopher to the same plant in this manner: the child, if awake, cannot help but see this plant if it falls within its range of vision, since its consciousness is altogether incapable of entertaining another series of observations. But the natural philosopher, even if the plant falls within his sphere of vision, may either see or not see it, as he chooses; for he may fill up the same time of his life with other thoughts. If he chooses to see and observe it, he does so by a free act, and perhaps even by an exertion to tear himself away from his other free thoughts, collecting himself for the purpose of observation: all of which does not occur in the child's mind, since to the child diversion is not possible, as it does not yet possess the diverting power: imagination. Moreover, the child is forced to accept the appearance of the plant as it may chance to present itself, observing particularly parts, which are prominent, by reason of their strength of expression or unusualness, leaving perhaps unnoticed other parts that are not so prominent; whereas the natural philosopher may guide his observation by a certain order, dwelling upon certain parts until he is quite conscious that he has seen them correctly, &c.;—in short, his observation owes its existence as well as its direction to considerate freedom, whilst in the child both the existence and the direction of its observation result from the child's present standpoint of sensuous development. 6. Remarks.—a. I have described external perception as a condition wherein consciousness has causality through its mere existence, and the new character added to it by reflection as a power to check that outflowing of causality, and constitute life a principle through a possible free deed. As an illustration of the first condition, I have pointed to the child in the first moments of its life. In grown-up men such condition should never arise again, nor ever be observed by him in himself. But there does arise a similar condition, in a certain sick state of the mind, which belongs to the province of psychology, and hence does not interest us here as such, but which we may also make use of as an illustration. Namely: a person may accustom himself, particularly if impelled by violent passions, to a free and aimless imagining (or constructing through free imagination as described above) to such an extent that this flow of his imagination begins to flow without any free act of his, altogether of itself, and that thus his sick condition begins to have causality in his imagination through its mere existence, just like the natural condition of the child in its early perception. If a sickness of this kind begins to get such a deep root as to render altogether impossible, in the checking of that flow, a direction of attention to external perception, and an oppositing of external perception to that flow of imagining: it is called Insanity. Now if such a person were to receive sufficient power forever to check that free flow of his imagination, he would then have himself a free principle in regard to that independent and all-devouring power of imagination; just as, in our first description, consciousness rose from its first stage, and made itself a free principle in regard to the independent external perception, which devoured all its being. b. One more remark on the distinction of free attention from that external perception which forces itself upon the mind. For the latter it is necessary that consciousness should have causality through its mere being. This causality it retains evermore, and it is cancelled by no freedom. The flow of external perception continues to flow even for the free person, since he also keeps his senses open. It is only upon his consciousness that that causality has no immediate influence; the flow, however it flows, does not take hold of his consciousness necessarily. If it is to take hold of it he must voluntarily surrender himself to it; he must voluntarily put his consciousness into that state of having immediate causality. If you call external perception x, then in the condition of that perception, x is the centre beginning and end of that whole consciousness; it cannot not be. But in the condition of attention this x has been all through penetrated with freedom; its existence as well as its duration is product of freedom. D. Let us now approach an analysis of consciousness as it is in reflection, which we could not possibly undertake before. It has two components: 1. Contemplation.—This has been described before as an immediate consciousness of selfhood, of its condition as well as of its faculty. But now we describe it with still greater exactness as follows: contemplation is that kind of knowledge which results immediately from the being of freedom. But in this description we have also a double contemplation, the component parts whereof are just as distinct as they were found to be in the former case: firstly, a contemplation of the condition, and, secondly-, a contemplation of the faculty. a. The contemplation of the condition may be expressed as a knowledge of knowledge; a knowledge of a confinedness or limitation of the internal sense through the perception of a determined external object, precisely as the external sense was in external perception limited by the object itself. b. The contemplation of the faculty may be expressed as a knowledge of a principle, beyond all causality. This contemplation or knowledge is (just as we found extension to be in external perception) a contemplation of the faculty of knowledge. But there is this distinction, that whereas in external perception the infinite faculty realized itself actually' and had causality, that is, an actual infinity, which was pressed together to a totality only through the form of contemplation, here the principle generally, without any act or causality, is contemplated in its merely possible infinity. Let me ask now: is this consciousness of a principle actually a contemplation? If we look at its form we cannot but answer yes, since it is the immediate expression of freedom which lifts itself above causality by its mere being; but if we look at the substance, we might fall into doubt. For a principle is an activity that extends beyond each of its possible causalities. Here, therefore, appears a going beyond all possible causalities (which are mere phenomena) as the true characteristic of thinking. We must, therefore, say that, in the contemplation of a principle, the characteristics of contemplation and thinking intimately penetrate each other. 2. Thinking.—This has also been described before as an externalizing, and manifests itself here as asserting: "I. am; I exist independently—independently even of my knowing myself—now and forever. It is true that I also contemplate myself; but I do not get existence through this contemplation, nor shall I cease to have existence if this contemplation withdraws its breath, for I have an independent and on-itself reposing existence." Hence there is here a going beyond all possible contemplation, and this going beyond constitutes the real character of thinking. Just as in external perception consciousness did not say, as it ought to have said on the basis of contemplation alone: "I behold such and such," but said, "Such and such a thing is"; so in the present reflection consciousness does not say, "I behold such and such a principle," but, rather, "Such and such a principle is." Now these two or three—as you choose—components of reflection unite here together, just as in external perception, to an organic unity and inseparability. Hence the first named component takes also part in the effect of thinking, and there enters thus into the complete and actual consciousness not only a mere knowledge of knowledge, but moreover an independent being of such a knowledge; hence a knowing mind as the independent bearer of knowledge in all knowledge—at least, in all knowledge of external objects. It is quite evident that this knowing mind is the same in all knowledge which it originates through freedom. Again: since the principle and the knowing mind get their being through the same one thinking, it is quite evident that this being is also the same; and thus the thought of the Ego is made complete. Let us ask here, even as above: what sort of thinking is that thinking we have just described? The thinking of the external object was an absolutely unconditioned thinking, a thinking which has existence just as soon as consciousness has existence. But the present thinking is a thinking conditioned by free reflection; hence a second thinking, and probably the second in order. Furthermore: we observed, in regard to the first thinking, that it would not be proper at all to say: I think this thinking and by means of it the object; but rather: the universal and independent thinking itself thinks the object. So likewise here. The thinking which occurs here first thinks the Ego and gives it its being. For surely the Ego cannot well think before it is, and generate its generator! Hence the Ego is, precisely like the external object, the product of universal thinking, and is given to itself through this thinking just as the external object is given through it. Hence also I cannot say properly: It is I, the free Ego, who represent this object—for whatsoever in my representation I intermix with my freedom is not objective;—but rather: I am free simply to direct my attention to this object, or to abstract from it. This is highly important. For, as I assert (and you doubtless have convinced yourselves of the correctness of my assertion by your own observation and contemplation), the Ego—as we for the present call it, and as the ordinary use of language calls it, apart from the Science of Knowledge—posits neither the external object nor itself; but both the external object and itself are posited through the universal and absolute thinking, and this thinking gives to the Ego not only the object but also itself. The free productions of its imagination, the Ego, perhaps, may posit itself. Nevertheless the science of Knowledge has hitherto been generally understood as asserting the very reverse of what I have just now stated. Now it is certainly true that the Science of Knowledge has said, and will ever say, and says to yon now, that the Ego posits absolutely itself as well as in itself the object. But in saying this it does not speak at all of the empirical Ego, but of an Ego which is altogether concealed to ordinary eyes, cannot be found at all within the sphere of facts, and can be recognized only by a rising to the fundamental ground. But this only the Science of Knowledge can justify. Remarks. 1. This is the proper place to state more definitely the peculiar nature of thinking. I have said before that thinking adds no new ingredient whatever to contemplation, but merely gives it another form; elevating it above its flowing, phenomenal nature, and changing it into an independent being. It is thus in the immediate act of original thinking; and the result thereof is, therefore, also independent and permanent, since that thinking is a development and progression of independent life. Now let us suppose that this result of thinking—i.e. the objective being which thinking adds to the object of contemplation—is analyzed just as it is found after that original act of thinking, and we shall find in it a twofoldness, i.e. firstly, a being which has or carries certain qualities, and, secondly, those qualities themselves. And now I would ask anyone to tell me what that being, substance, or bearer of the qualities (accidences) is in-and-for-itself, or whether he has a single word wherewith to characterize it as such being, or whether, if he casts aside this merely formal being, he retains anything else than the qualities. Hence that being or substance (the thing per se) is nothing at all in itself, but is merely the accidences in the form of thinking. That bearer is nothing but the eternal being-born by the eternal and universal thinking of the accidences. Now let us suppose further, that I start with my thinking from the substance, and characterize it (as I cannot well do otherwise) through its qualities: how, then, do I name it in relation to that which, considered as a mere quality, I name simply blue, round, &c. I suppose I name it a blue thing, a round thing, &c., and cannot well name it otherwise. Let us now apply this to the just considered case, wherein knowledge is changed through thinking in reflection into a knowing one. "To know" is a general flowing quality, and expresses an accidental characteristic precisely like blue, round, &c. Now thinking takes hold of this accidentality and raises it into the form of independent being. How, then, must we name that which is discovered in analytical consciousness as the result of such a thinking, and how will it be named by the natural use of language if left to itself? Evidently not a knowledge, but a knowing one, since through thinking there has arisen a substance, and a permanent, firm bearer of all knowledge. 2. It is to be observed, moreover, that we have now discovered two utterly distinct acts of thinking as facts of consciousness. For, we either retain the qualities, simply forming them through thinking, and this is a thinking according to the form of substantiality, wherein we have a substance with its accidences; or we proceed altogether beyond the accidences and do not retain them at all, in which case we think a principle, or ground, or the relation of causality. Through the first mentioned manner of thinking we have now obtained two substances; firstly, the object of external perception, and, secondly, the Ego as a knowing substance. The second manner of thinking occurs only in an absolute synthesis of thinking, as we have seen, in which synthesis that thinking, or the Ego, is changed through the first link of thinking into a substance, and through the second link into a principle. Let us finally observe, that the object of external perception can never become ground or principle, as the Ego is, and as we have explained it to be, but only a cause through its mere existence, as will appear hereafter. So far as the Ego is concerned, there is here a twofold relation. In regard to external perception the Ego is purely substance, and by no means principle or ground. The Ego is principle or ground solely in relation to the productions of its inner freedom, and it is only through its being thus a principle that it becomes also the substance of the knowing of these productions. This distinction will be very important hereafter. We have seen how through the discovery of freedom in reflection a power of imagination has sprung up. This power of imagination may, as we have seen, be applied to the reproduction of external perception, since it has already under its control all those elements that belong to such a reproduction; and it will be all the more proper here to consider imagination only as such a power of reproduction, since altogether free creations by its means appear as yet to be without end or meaning. In speaking of this reproduction we speak by no means of any new development of life, as we did in the case of reflection; for all the conditions of the possibility of such a reproduction are already furnished by reflection. 1. Consider this: such a reproduction is absolutely possible by virtue of the realized reflection. This possibility is standing, immanent in life, ever-present. How, then, does actuality distinguish itself from this possibility, and how am I ever to be impelled— always having possibility within my grasp—to add to it actuality? I answer: that possibility can consist at the utmost in a rule which is altogether a matter of thinking, whereas an actual fact under this rule would produce a contemplation. Hence possibility and actuality are here related to each other like free thinking and contemplation. 2. What, then, will be the presupposed rule of such a reproduction? External perception was a determined limitation of the external sense and the contemplation of space. The rule must be, therefore, a direction of the power of imagination to produce by its own activity an image of just that very same limitation. In the first instance, the limitation comes of itself without freedom. In the present instance, the power of imagination extends itself over the whole region of external sense and space, and is to give itself that determined limitation within this region. The fundamental condition of this free limitation is this, that the power of imagination should overlook the whole region, and have it well separated into classes and kinds,—for instance, the whole of the external sense into the five chief senses, and each of these again according to the chief distinctions of its limitations;—and the whole of the contemplation of space according to the possible limitations of figures, so that it may easily conform to a desired limitation according to a determined rule. The former, the classification, is necessary, so that nothing may be passed unnoticed; the second, a sharp distinction amongst the various determinations of the same sense, is necessary, in order that we may not fill up the image by that which is undetermined and confused instead of that which is strictly determined in perception. This latter distinction requires an acuteness of the senses with reference to sensuous qualities, which, it is true, is partly a natural gift; but which can also be voluntarily acquired by very strenuous attention, without which, after all, the mere natural gift is of no use. 3. This is the inner substance of the rule. But which, amongst the many qualities of perception, is the power of imagination to behold, in the image? Here we arrive at the external substance of the rule: the power of imagination is to be guided by the prototype of external perception. But how can it be so, since the external sense is not affected? for if it were, we should be speaking of a state of attention and not of reproduction. Evidently the power of imagination must be able to reawaken perception in its determined parts. By directing its attention to the important point imagination must be able to reproduce absolutely this point if it so chooses, and to reproduce it exactly as it was in the previous perception. Thus we arrive at another causality of imagination, through its mere being, than the one described above as occurring in a diseased condition of the Ego. And so it is in fact, as everyone can discover by observing himself. But this new causality stands under certain conditions of freedom, since it is dependent not only upon the above described attention, and upon a proficiency in this sort of reproduction on the part of imagination—a proficiency that can be acquired only gradually—but furthermore upon the fact, that the point, which is to be reproduced, must have been clearly and vividly perceived at first. Nor must this reawakening of a single sensual part—which in our representation is something altogether new—be mistaken for the reproduction of the whole image through freedom; for whereas in the latter instance freedom furnishes the whole act of construction, it in the former furnishes only attention: in the latter there are two elements, the whole sphere of that which is to be determined and that as which it is to be determined; whereas in the former there is only a single element, which manifests itself without any free act of volition, just as it did in sensuous perception. 4. This described attention, therefore, observes for the sake of reproduction and according to the rules thereof. Supervision it already has, voluntarily checking itself everywhere, bringing the observed matter under its proper classification, and determining the qualitative through its limits. Thus it becomes quite clear what that freedom and considerateness is, of which I said before that it pervades attention. Thus, for instance, you now attend to my lecture with a view to reproducing it. This reproduction will occur all the more easily and happily if you attend to it at once according to a rule of future reproduction; that is, if you not only seize what I say, but, particularly, seize it in the same order in which I say it and observe why I say it in this particular order, attending well to the transitions I make and the reasons why I make them; in short, if you get possession not only of the contents of my lecture, but also of the rule according to which I produce it. 5. It is now also clear how immediate perception is distinguished from its mere image in reproduction. The latter is always accompanied by the consciousness of self-activity, and there arises in it not a single trait whereof the Ego would not be compelled to say, I make it; whereas actual perception is always accompanied by the consciousness of compulsion and confinedness. 6. Reproduction is, therefore, a self-limitation of the power of imagination within its whole sphere according to the prescription of a limitation of the external sense. The rule of this limitation is the conception of that object of external perception which is to be reproduced. Give me a conception of a—to me unknown—object, signifies: give me the rule according to which I can construe it in free thinking. Hence arises the very correct logical rule of definition, that it should furnish both the genus—the general sphere of the power of imagination—and the differentia specifica—that part to which imagination is to confine itself within that general sphere. We here learn also what logic holds to be thinking; namely, the free constructing according to such a rule. The science of Logic, therefore, begins within the sphere of the already acquired free imagination and ignores the real basis of all consciousness. Logic holds that to think is the same as to imagine something, and—since there is not even a prototype of external perception as a guidance—to imagine something voluntarily; and this is, in fact, a conception of thinking which has become current amongst the whole philosophizing public, but which utterly prevents it from entering the sphere of true philosophy: a proper example as to what the over-estimation of logic and its position at the head of philosophical education, or even as philosophy itself, have effected. 7. Does there occur here in consciousness something absolutely a priori and altogether new? I say, certainly. For whence does knowledge obtain its maxim to follow such and no other rule in reproduction? Evidently only out of itself, and moreover from its now more closely determined power to reproduce only through a limitation. Hence knowledge here and by virtue of this contemplation gives unto itself the qualitative law of reproduction. 8. The aim of reproduction is to get possession of the world of external perception independently itself. The source of this world has now been placed within the control of our freedom, to let it flow or check it as we may choose. Thus every science—for instance, natural science—possesses its whole world as its property, and must so possess it, in order to be able to subject at any moment each part thereof to its investigation. Thus we must make also our own world, the inner world of consciousness, our free property, and we are just now, in the present course of lectures, engaged upon this task, without however being able as yet to give an account of our proceeding, precisely because we are still engaged in the task. 9. Remarks.—I add the following pragmatical remarks: It is advisable to put the parts of such free constructions—particularly if these constructions are extensive—into a permanent and fixed form; for imagination, left to itself, flows, hurries, and gets confused easily. Imagination should, therefore, be tied down and brought under a supervision. In free thinking such a fixed form is writing. If the thinking was not close, this is more easily observed when writing it down or examining it after it has been written down; moreover, that which has been thus approved and secured from oblivion by its fixed form, gives a solid basis for further progress. In my opinion, a thorough and exhaustive thinking is not well possible otherwise than pen in hand. The fixed form for reproduction through sight is drawing. The reproduction of a visible object must, firstly, seize the figure of that object with those innumerable and often imperceptible transitions from one shape into the other that we so often observe in objects of nature, while the drawing of the figure will testify as to the correct seizing and reproducing. The reproduction must, secondly, reproduce the size of the object. In regard to the reproduction of the figure, we have an artificial assistant in reconstructing; for the science of geometry includes all possible figures, and hence every possible limitation in nature can be reduced to a geometrical figure. In regard to the size, we have no such assistant; it must be reawakened altogether by the above-described causality of imagination; but the power of attention can practice itself in this gift of reawakening. The result of such a practice is called a good eye for proportions and distances, and its attainment is to be proved by the drawing. So far as the correct seizing and reproducing of color in a visible object is concerned, it seems to me that this branch of the business is as yet altogether a matter of chance, and that hitherto no artificial means have been discovered to develop it. The Ego has been posited absolutely through thinking; it exists absolutely independent of its own self-contemplation, and exists thus as free principle in the manner in which we have determined this conception above. I add now: a principle is necessarily infinite. For if it ever ceased to be principle, and after any possible series of manifestations were finally to vanish altogether in some last one, it would not have been absolutely posited as principle, nor would being principle have constituted its real essence; it would have been simply the conditioned principle for such a determined series of manifestations. In making this additional assertion, what sort of an insight do I produce in you? I reply that it is an insight created by an analysis of the given conception of a principle, and that we have found the conception of a principle to involve another conception. That is, if I—as I may or may not do—take hold of the conception of infinity, and, relating it to that of a principle, try to unite both in thinking, I discover that I not only can thus unite them, but must unite them. But infinity is rather a contemplation. Hence the proper expression in our case will be this: the conception of a principle—if that principle is not only thought but also contemplated, which may or may not be done—necessarily involves the law, that it can be contemplated only as an infinite principle. This is the fundamental law of analytical thinking, although an a priori law, which we here mention for the sake of logic which lacks it. This infinite principle it is our present problem through our imagination to picture in its actual state of manifesting itself. It can be principle altogether only my relation to itself—since there exists nothing outside of it—and in relation to itself only as a development or confining of freedom, since it is not capable of any other determination. We have already spoken before of a development and confinedness of a freedom through which alone the various fundamental forms of consciousness can arise, but had then good reasons to suppose that this sort of development had its determined terminus a quo and ad quem, and that it formed a circumscribed sphere, and that, therefore, the principle was finite in relation to it. But now we speak of a development through an infinite principle; hence we may expect that freedom must here be thought by us under another determination; and these two different spheres must on no account be taken the one for the other until we shall be able to give their characteristic difference. These manifestations of the principle absolutely exclude each other, and it is absolutely impossible that if the one occurs, any other one should occur. Hence if a new manifestation is to occur, the previous one must first have been annihilated and canceled; they can follow only in succession. The annihilation of the one which is, is the condition of the possibility of the being of the other; and hence the former is first, and the second one succeeds. Thus that which remains always one and the same, proceeds through a series of successive changes, or through a time. This series never has an end, for the principle can become a principle infinitely. Thus we arrive at an infinite time. This one-and-the-same remaining has only one dimension, for it is itself an infinite succession of reciprocally excluding contents. The contents are not themselves the moments of time, for as parts of the one and same time they are altogether equal, but they make it possible to distinguish something in time. That which bears time, and forms its point of unity is the principle; the contents of the time and the points of disjunction are the manifestations of that principle. Now what did our problem propose to picture? Evidently merely the principle in its actual state of being a principle, but our problem did not at all propose to picture time. The picture of time came of itself and joined itself of its own accord to that picture of the principle as soon as we tried to form the latter. Hence we mast express it thus: time is a law of that picturing which we are trying to discover, and its peculiar character as such law is this, that it does not confine and enchain us unseen and unconsciously—as the laws of thinking very often do—but that, while it binds us, it also represents itself to us in an image or picture. We must, therefore, furthermore try to explain this consciousness of time which enters our mind of its own accord. Whenever freedom elevates itself actually and in fact over any limitation wherein it was previously confined, there arises a consciousness as the immediate being of this new-arisen freedom. This is a proposition which we have established above and from which we have drawn many conclusions already. Let us now apply this proposition to the present instance. Our problem was to construct that principle by means of free imagination. Now, in doing this, imagination has already risen above its state of actually being such a principle; and hence the life of consciousness is, during that constructing, surrendered neither to its lower condition of being a principle, nor to a contemplation of the manifestations of that principle. Now this unsurrendered condition of life—which has arisen by means of the free act whereby consciousness determined itself to construct the principle—represents itself in a consciousness which, as the immediate expression of an inner condition, must appear as a given (not free) consciousness. This representation, or the immediate contemplation of the pure principle absolutely as such, is what is called time. Illustration.—Do we by a free act produce time or not? We do not produce it by a conscious freedom of imagination as we produce, for instance, the required picture of the principle; but we do produce the ground of the contemplation of time, which ground is our arising beyond the condition of actually being principle by means of our imagination. At least, this is all the answer we can now give to that/question; the final and decisive answer will appear only in the Science of Knowledge. B. In the foregoing we have deduced merely the pure form of time, empty of all appearance; and this happened because our problem of a free thinking led us out of the natural progress of consciousness. But whatever reasons we may have had thus to proceed in the development of our subject, we must now turn back to its natural connection and show how consciousness arrives at an actual time. We put the question thus: is consciousness really compelled—of course, through some sort of a connection, since it can never be absolutely compelled—to place any of its results within time, as it certainly was compelled to place the objects of its external perception in space; or, is it indeed compelled by a peculiar synthesis to think any of its results as inseparable of a determined part of universal time and as tilling up this determined part? To explain: it might very well be possible to say, that consciousness develops itself in time, and cannot develop itself otherwise; i.e. for a supposed observer outside of consciousness, who thinks its unity and watches the changes of its conditions, and yet be also possible that the thus observed consciousness for itself were altogether merged with its whole essence into every point of its condition—which condition would appear to the observer as a time moment. In which case the then observed consciousness would for itself be altogether disjointed and new in every moment of its existence; and each of these its moments would appear to it as a peculiar, in-itself-complete world, utterly unconnected with any other moment. Such a consciousness would have neither time nor time-moments. Now if this is not to be thus, consciousness or the Ego must immediately in every such condition grasp it as the necessary part of a whole; must be compelled to connect immediately with the consciousness of the part the consciousness of the whole; must find it impossible to remain in the part, and impelled to proceed from it to the whole. But this whole, which embraces everything, is knowledge. Hence the Ego must be compelled to grasp or comprehend those other parts of the whole as also knowledge, though a different knowledge; that is, as the different knowledges of the one knowledge, which always remains the same; whereby, indeed, the Ego lapses into the contemplation of time, which we have described above. But how is the Ego to arrive at such a necessity to proceed beyond the part? Evidently thus: it must be impossible for the Ego to comprehend the part as existing—the thinking of the part as existing must be impossible and involve a contradiction—unless it connects this existence of the part to that of another part, which, however, cannot coexist with the first part at the same time; in short, unless the given- part is necessarily conditioned through another part. The conception of conditionedness has already been explained, and will be explained with still greater precision as we advance. Remark, now, that this conception of conditionedness, which is here added, gives a new and more determined character to the whole previously described series of time-moments. For, whereas at first the different results of the principle merely excluded each other, so that if the one was to enter, the other one had to be annihilated—their place in the series being, however, utterly indifferent, and it being quite as well possible that b should precede a as that a should precede b—they now not merely exclude, but moreover condition each other; thus assigning to each moment its separate place or position in the series. It is no longer, as at first, a general before and after, but a determined before and after. The conditioning must precede the conditioned. Hence if the mind dwells upon this conditionedness of the parts of the time, it is driven to think the condition as the necessarily preceding, and from the thinking of this condition perhaps again to the thinking of its condition as the necessarily preceding, &c. &c.; that is, it may rise from a given c to a preceding b, and from that to a preceding a. Thus there arises the consciousness of an Ego, as that which remains one and the self-same in all the changes of its conditions, and with it the necessary requirement of an actual time in order to unite the contradiction in actuality. Now, if these changing conditions were merely external perceptions for the individual who experiences them, then that consciousness of an Ego would be simply the consciousness of an Ego as an intelligence, or as a knowing Ego, but not of an Ego as a principle; and in this intelligence, or knowing Ego—since in its existence it is dependent upon the givenness of outer objects—having no guarantees of infinity and self-sufficiency, the time arising for it would not be infinite, but simply indefinite. But if these observed changes of conditions consist of free imagining and thinking, then that one Ego which arises in consciousness is expressly considered as a principle, and its time is an actual, and in truth infinite time. Now we are here thinking the Ego not as merely a knowing power or intelligence, but as a practical power or principle, and hence we proceed further thus: what does it mean when we say, that the manifold utterances or manifestations of the principle are conditioned through each other, those manifestations—as the mere outflow of the freedom of the principle—having in themselves no independent existence whatever which might enable them to have peculiar determinations as the things of external perception have, and thus whatever we assert of them is in truth asserted of the principle from which they flow? It clearly means this: the principle is conditioned in regard to its utterances, its self-development is confined to a determined sequence of series of those manifestations or utterances, a sequence that here continues infinitely. It can arrive at a certain end, y—however clear it may think it and propose it to itself as its end—in actuality only by proceeding in a certain sequence through a, b, c, d, &c. But whence arises this knowledge of the conditionedness of the Ego? Evidently, since it expresses a limitation of the principle in relation to its power in actuality, from the self-contemplation of its power. And thus the above promised definite description of the conception of conditionedness has become possible. That conception is founded upon the immediate self-contemplation of the faculty of the principle in its state of confinedness to an a priori determined sequence of moments in its development in actuality. This conception will, therefore, make it possible with apodictical certainty to draw a conclusion from a given part of time as to what must have preceded that time—although that preceding has not been experienced in actual life—and thus to restore the past with sure accuracy by means of grounds. Thus it will also be possible in the same manner to draw conclusions from the same given time as to what will follow, and thus to make present the future; of course, under the presupposition that everything will happen properly,—that is, that the principle will use its entire faculty, and limit itself by nothing except the absolute law of its self-development. I ask you now: is this thus perceived series of moments perfectly ordered, each link having in it its determined position, from which it cannot move, and therefore its firmly determined moment in known time? Doubtless you must answer: Yes. I ask again: at which time in universal time does this whole known time occur? has it also its determined position in that universal time? Doubtless you will have to answer, No; that known time floats in an altogether undetermined position in the infinite time, which is empty at both of its ends.[2] C. Appendix concerning the power of Recollection.—We desire to speak of this power in general, and more specially at this place, as it excellently illustrates what we have said about time. The power of recollection is, first of all, essentially different from the above described power to generate the contents of time absolutely a priori either of the past or of the future. For whereas the latter power asserts merely, that a certain content of time was necessary in the past, or will be necessary in the future, regardless as to whether such content has been actually experienced in life, and indeed without any reference to actuality whatever, the power of recollection asserts that a certain state or condition in the past has actually been, and been experienced. Now, upon what is this power of recollection grounded? I answer: just like that former power, upon a relation of conditionedness; but with this difference, that whereas that former power is conditioned by a relation simply of the absolute possibility of the occurrence, the present power is conditioned by the given actuality of the occurrence. In the present given moment I do something within my consciousness; and I observe that I do this by means of a new rejection which rises above the actual doing. Then I ask, under what subjective condition of the occurred development of my faculty could I do so? I find, under this or that condition. Hence this condition must have already been filled by me with some actual deed, whilst it is at the same time represented to be as actual by the immediate causality of imagination. Perhaps this condition is again conditioned in the same factical manner by a necessary previous condition, which is represented to me in the same manner as actual, &c. Thus I am enabled to develop from the one given moment of my life conditions of my past life as having actually occurred; that is, to recollect them. For instance: let the given moment of my life be an attention,—for in the case of the pure and simple external perception, as described above, recollection does not take place at all, since no freedom occurs in it. Now in this attention the particular is reduced to the general, and the species to the genus. As soon as I become conscious of it, the question arises: how did I arrive at my knowledge of this general and this genus? Evidently in some previous representation, which must therefore have been thus or thus, and which is represented to the thereby excited higher attention through the immediate causality of imagination as actual, that is, as having previously occurred. Or let the present moment be a construction by means of free imagination. This surely needs a material quality, taken from the external sense. But this quality must at some time have been given to me through an external perception. Then I can develop this external perception in the above described manner from this construction. Or, finally, the present moment contains a free thinking. This occurs in accordance with some law of thinking known to me already, and which, therefore, I must have learned at some previous time. This previous state of my mind, however, I can again develop in my recollection in the above described manner. Hence: 1. The power of recollection is the free power of imagination as a faculty of reproduction, in the manner in which we have described that faculty before. 2. The power of recollection is a power which is altogether free, stands under the control of the will and reason, and is susceptible of further culture by means of practice and rules of art. 3. The law and thread which guides this power of imagination, and by means whereof that power assigns to the reproduced conditions their determined position in time, is—Conditionedness. 4. That power which causes the reproduced condition to appear not as a necessary one—as above, where only thinking was busy—but as an actually experienced condition of life, is the immediate causality -power of imagination, which, joining attention—as to whether the condition has been actually experienced or not—gives to the power of recollection its peculiar character. 5. The power of recollection is not an accidental phenomenon of consciousness which should be left to the science of psychology under the name of memory, but it is a necessary and inseparable component of consciousness, and belongs to such a representation of the one and absolute consciousness as we are establishing in these present Facts of Consciousness, and which must be grounded with the whole of consciousness in the general Science of Knowledge. Without this power or faculty the whole of consciousness would be sundered into separate and utterly disconnected moments, as we have described it above, and would never even get to be a consciousness of the Ego as the permanent substrate in the change of the conditions. 6. We may, therefore, establish the following proposition: in each last condition or state of consciousness the whole previous life of that consciousness is the conditioning; hence it is quite possible to develop the latter, in a regressus from each conditioned moment to the conditioning, from the former. That this proposition does not show itself to be true in actual perception in our power of recollection, arises from this: that if we are to recollect anything done by us, as thus done, we must do it from the first with consciousness and considerateness so as to become conscious at the Same time of the law of our procedure. Thus all that part Of our lifetime which, belonging to our earlier years, made itself out of itself by our own immediate causality of imagination, as well as that which in mature life made itself through that same causality (through genius), does not come within the sphere of possible recollection, although in the latter case it may be well possible to recollect external circumstances. We may, therefore, venture upon the following general remarks respecting the power of recollection: a. The condition of all recollecting is, that we should become clearly conscious of our freedom at that very moment which we wish to recollect, since it is only to this procedure that the thinking according to the law of conditionedness can connect; in short, that at that very moment we should ask ourselves: how do I come to do this, and how is it possible for me to do it? b. The clearer, freer, and more under its own control, consciousness is in general, the more ready and powerful will be its power of recollection. The true principle of a science of mnemonics is the proposition: sapere aude. c. In whatever branch of knowledge consciousness is most practised and accomplished, the power of recollection is also strongest. The practised philosopher, for instance, will find it very easy to restore the links of a series of thoughts, and to recollect the connections and the transitions of his argument; whereas he may have a very weak power of recollection for dates and names, since the worlds of dates and names are to him without any connection of thinking. In order to be able to recollect them, he would have to discover another source of connection. d. Finally, the strengthening of our power of recollection requires a diligent practice of that power, by which practice alone we can acquire the art of developing the series of links quickly and without hesitation. This, then, is the true power of recollection; a power which each one possesses in the same manner, and which each one can raise to a ready art in his mind by his own freedom. A particular favoritism of nature, talent, or genius, or whatever it may be called, has no influence upon it. What, then, do people mean when they speak of good and bad memories, &c., and make psychological investigations into the nature of this very same power? Can we make no use at all of their teachings? Let us see. We will say nothing about their investigations as to the retention of images in our senses, which merely exhibit their coarse materialism. It is not the images themselves that are retained, but we retain the imaging, the development of our power of imaging, and we cannot help but retain that, since it has become a component of our own self. This power or faculty we analyze, and it is on the occasion of this analysis that the images are again reconstructed. Hence it is in this development of his faculty that man carries along his whole lived time. But then it has excited their attention that we often—when we indolently leave our mind to itself—hit upon the notion of something that is past. This, however, tends only to show what manner of men they were to whom this fact has appeared so remarkable. A free and able man has no room for notions in his consciousness, but gives unto his consciousness direction and contents with perfect freedom so long as he wakes and has power. Nevertheless we ought to explain the nature of these notions and their relation to memory. The explanation is this: such a notion is the immediate causality of the power of imagination— which cannot be inactive even though its free master rests—all through itself, and is here, more specially, the reproduction of an actually experienced condition of life; but with this distinction from free recollection, that in the present instance the immediate causality of imagination is not in a reciprocity with free and considerate attention, but proceeds its own way by itself. In short, it is the very same power of imagination which also produces dreams. Such a psychological memory is acquired only when we dream with open eyes. There is only one sort of this immediate causality of imagination which deserves a more honorable mention, namely, the reproduction through the eye, because it fills a vacancy left open by the free power of recollecting according to the law of conditionedness. For we more readily remember names, dates,—nay, whole speeches—when we have written them down, or read them in print, since then the immediate causality of imagination comes to the assistance of free attention with an image of the written or printed character of the names, dates, &c. I should advise every one diligently to cultivate this sort of imagination for the sake of recollecting, wherever the mere connection of conditions is not sufficient. ↑The necessity of translating Anschauung by Contemplation instead of Intuition is here again clearly illustrated. Fichte says in so many words, that up to Kant's time people really did suppose that the faculty of contemplation was a faculty of intuition, and that Kant made the discovery that it was an entirely different faculty, a synthetical beholding, and by no means an analytical intuiting or conceiving. No English-thinking person will therefore ever understand either Kant or Fichte unless he translates Anschauung by contemplation or an equivalent term (beholding, &c.); just as no German reader will understand Kant or Fichte who does not take Anschauung to mean a faculty altogether different from the faculty of conception. ↑Note of Translator.—To the believers in a creation of the world out of nothing, and the dabblers in the metaphysics of physical science who think they can solve the problem of creation—which is no problem at all since the whole matter is an absurdity—I would recommend an energetic study of this latter proposition: that it is utterly of no importance into what part of universal time you place known time; a proposition that Leibnitz, in his controversy with Clark, used effectually not only in regard to time but also to space.
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http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Facts_of_Consciousness/Part_1
A cooler planet by design Many of us get frustrated with the slow pace of international action on climate change. But powerless as we feel, we can still make a difference by rethinking the way we design our lives. Design is rarely considered when talking about climate change, yet is a significant factor in the economic activities… From hot property to unwanted waste: it's time to rethink the way we design, produce and reuse new products. Obsolete computer image from Many of us get frustrated with the slow pace of international action on climate change. But powerless as we feel, we can still make a difference by rethinking the way we design our lives. Design is rarely considered when talking about climate change, yet is a significant factor in the economic activities and political decisions that are driving emissions higher. The World Bank's Turn Down the Heat report warns of the consequences of global temperatures rising by an average of four degrees Celcius by the end of this century. Let us be clear about one thing – the prospect of a four-degree rise is a conservative prediction. Many equally reasonable scientists believe it is likely we will face more dangerous changes than that, sooner than we think. This is where designers and their employers, as well as consumers, have to share responsibility for dealing with climate change. From handmade to mass production For most of the past two centuries, design has been the handmaiden to industry. Whether design has been framed as an applied art, an artisan craft guild tradition, or an industrial art, the purpose of design in an industrial context has been to encourage consumer choice and purchasing. Public policy and education policy embraced this tradition in 1837 in the United Kingdom, when what is now the Royal College of Art was established as the Government School of Design. This concept entered the public mind with the Great Exhibition of 1851. In Germany, the birth of the Bauhaus in 1919 was a key moment. In the United States, industrial design education began at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in the 1930s. In all these places, the role of design was to encourage better-designed products for increased sales. More people wanting more Between 1900 and 1950, world population grew from just over one and a half billion people to nearly two and a half billion. In the next half century the population more than doubled, and today it stands at nearly seven billion. Along the way, something else happened: the world's wealthy economies shifted from production to consumption, and much of the world's productive capacity shifted to meet demand. The design profession had a key role in making products desirable. At a time when production was the key to prosperity and growth – and while economic growth was seen as the road out of poverty, this made sense. Back then, the world had enough environmental resources, or "carrying capacity", to cope with our extra demand to permit growth. In 1950, 70% of the world's people lived in rural areas, and it wasn't until 2008 that more people lived in cities than in rural areas. A wealthy and growing middle class in North America and Europe powered global economic growth, while much of the world got by on far less. Growing pains Today, the problem is that the world economy is growing, and many of the seven billion people now alive want the lifestyle that was possible for half a billion in 1950. By the 1960s, a handful of future-oriented designers understood the problem. Buckminster Fuller studied the balance between global resources, population and opportunities. He came to the view that the world could support the full population of the time at a high level of comfort, based on comprehensive recycling and reuse of materials in an economy oriented toward values other than consumption. At the same time, Victor Papanek began to ask why designers were making so many shabby products, focusing on style while wasting resources. Designers such as Ezio Manzini, Anna Meroni, Tony Fry, and Jurgen Faust now continue the tradition, with encouragement from economists such as Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Lab, while economists such as Jeffrey Sachs look for solutions to sustainable development. Built to last The answer is simple. While we live in a world that requires economic growth, we do not recognise that economic growth requires sustainable development. Rather than sell new products repeatedly to the same few wealthy consumers, we could achieve a different kind of growth by selling better and more durable products to larger groups of people. The world requires a return to a productive ethos for economic growth linked to the reduced resource consumption that will make the world sustainable. This may be a challenge, but designers can play their part in change by accepting their responsibilities for ethical engagement. If the World Bank predictions are correct, we have less than half a century left and every year remaining in this half century counts. I would like to believe that designers are prepared to move from consumption to sustainable development. The alternative is unimaginablyThe answer is simple. While we live in a world that requires economic growth, we do not recognise that economic growth requires sustainable development." Capitalist economics require economic growth. The world doesn't. I like to believe that economists, politicians, journalists, academics and other public intellectuals will take the lead in a dialogue about the urgent need to overturn the fundamentals of capitalist economics. The alternative is unimaginably worse. "...the tensions between 'green growth' and the 'steady state' continue to battle it out as the main models of an environmentally responsible economy. As the UN's Rio summit approaches, the question of whether economic growth can be reconciled with environmental constraints remains an open one."… but plucking figures out of the air; for sure there is no basis for a "conservative prediction" that this 4°C rise will ever occur. There is no reason to believe their number. More credible sources say that the temperature rise (if any!) is more likely to be closer to 0.3°C. All talk of temperature rise is based on emissions of carbon dioxide gas. There is no scientifically valid reason to believe that CO2 emissions will have any but the most minor (if any) effect on temperature. The world stopped warming 16 years ago and could well be headed into a prolonged period of cooling if decreased solar activity continues. Other fears are equally fictional; sea level rise, for example, will probably be much the same as in the past couple of centuries, around 8 inches (20 cm) per century. By all means make a case for better design if you wish, but do not try to tie such a case in with fictional "climate change". These attempts to tie every aspect of life to a mythical "global warming crisis" becomes a laugh after a while. Anthony, what the world requires is a negative rate of population growth (at least for a while). It doesn't matter what standard of living we and the developing countries aspire to, at some point the carrying capacity of the Earth WILL be exceeded. Capitalism, communism, whatever is largely irrelevant in the long term. One system may reach the limits of that carrying capacity before the other(s) but in the end, the outcome will still be the same - a world largely bereft of accessible resources and flooded by the by-products of the use of those same resources.… for decades in any country that has had a growing population.The cohort of young people born before the policy takes effect still haven't reached reproductive age and even at one child each,they still contribute more to the population. To achieve negative population growth now we would need tohave a world-wide policy of only a fraction of a childper couple.In effect only one couple in 2 or on couple in 3 are allowed to have children at all. I count that as 15 people whose needs are met through the labour of only 5 of them. And the only way to alleviate that would be to reduce thenumber of those 8 - the great grand parents.Not just a high minimum retirement age. Also a compulsory maximum dying age! But without population policies this draconian or more so, wedon'tget negative population rates for a very long time. To even level population of at zero growth - 2 children per couple - still takes several generations. Then the support ratio looks like this: This is what a world of starvation, disease, war and civilisation collapse will look like.Mother Nature always has an aswer to this sort of problem. She dispatches her loyal lieutenants to sort out the problem. There are 4 of them and they ride horses! To quote David Suzuki: Perpetual growth cannot exist in a finite world. It really is time that we addressed our flawed economic model. I remember my undergrad economics lecturer's response to my question about the growth model underlying our economy. I asked "We don't have infinite resources in the world, so how can we continue to have growth?", he replied "Technology will provide the next growth step."… and you can't beat it' argument) is also simplistic. Maybe the point this article makes is that we haven't really turned the full potential power of design onto the problem. It's naive to get all excited about 'win/win' and glib slogans like that, but really intelligent design can produce some almost-miraculous results. As someone working at the practical end of the problem, the great challenge I often run into is finding solid whole-of-life comparative impact data when trying to evaluate alternative products or processes. While most of the kinds of practical problems I wrestle with are perfectly soluble with a bit of expert analytical work, that work is often fairly complex, sometimes contentious (check out the books-versus-kindle debate as a great ilustration) and generally beyond the resources or skills of most of us. But, if we were more able to trust that designers had already wrestled with these problems and built optimal solutions - i.e. minimal material use, last-destructive manufacturing processes, highest percentage of recycled materials possible used, maximum rechclability at end of life, those kinds of issues - it would make life a whole lot better, easier and more sustainable for all of us. Felix - fair enough, what you say. It's just that I reckon that the urgency of the situation is so far greater than this article allows. The idea that good design builds in ecological values is excellent and you are correct to emphasise the way that this allows consumers of goods and services to not have to struggle with the eco-economics. However, realistically, do you think we have that much time available for such things to flow through? Anthony - not really, but then again, I doubt we'll be able to stop the juggernaut in time so anything that reduces damage is probably still worth pursuing. Then again, I have to concede, there is always the danger of 'premature closure' - i.e. thinking that because you've bought 'green' products (which is worth doing) that you've actually fixed the problem (which you obviously haven't) - it's the reason I'm no fan of Earth Hour as I think it reduces the valency of the motivation to act, through an illusion of action, without really achieving anything. So I have to agree it's far from being clear. Maybe the right view is to presume that we will simply have to move to a far lower impact, essentially 'steady state' economy one way or another, but that any genuine design improvements that we can achieve now are likely to stand us in good stead in both the transition and the final new economy. Every reasonable person would prefer to purchase durable and functional products built with designs that emphasize long life… Every reasonable person would prefer to purchase durable and functional products built with designs that emphasize long life demand, impulse purchasing and conspicuous consumption while giving token lip service to consumer value and low environmental impact. The $64,000 question is how to convert the present set of perverse and dysfunctional incentives to ones that more accurately meet the real needs of society and minimizing the environmental impacts. How can industry realign it's priorities to best harmonize with these goals without damaging profitability, the quest for which is the dominant driver of the current system? If you could buy one cell phone or laptop and just install upgrades as technology evolves, consumers and the planet would benefit but whole industries would collapse. We need to develop and road- test a new paradigm, but doing so without causing massive economic hardship will not be easy. Our whole culture revolves around wasteful unnecessary consumption and changing it will be the work of a generation. We should be working out the details of a post capitalist economy that preserves as much as possible the incentive structures of the work ethic and the profit motive while eliminating the irrational flaws and weaknesses these have led to. John, you are dead right when you say "Our whole culture revolves around wasteful unnecessary consumption", but I question your assertion "and changing it will be the work of a generation." The profit motive lies deep in our genes and I doubt a single generation will do much to budge it. Judging by historical precedent, the only way such a fundamental change is going to occur is through collapse of the old system, not through planned and thoughtful tweaks. That collapse might come from losing a war to a power with a different paradigm, but our current situation suggests the collapse will only come when our global, profit-seeking civilisation becomes unsustainable on our warmer world. John, as noted above, I think it's about 95% certain that you're dead right (there's always a small possibility that capitalism could pull a few rabbits out of the hat, starting with cold fusion, but even then there would have to be an awful lot of rabbits in the hat, I must admit!). I guess I was just trying to indicate that, however we go, there is a genuine role for design, as suggested in the article and one we should be looking much harder at making use of - however constrained our future will be (and I'm unable to imagine how it won't be and, by the way, not necessarily particularly troubled by some material constraints) one o fthe best ways to get the greatest bang from whatever bucks we have will be cleve rdesign, based on sound sustainability analysis. "Let us be clear about one thing - the prospect of a four degree rise is a conservative prediction". Well the non-intensive global temperature anomaly will have to get a shake on won't it? Is the UK Met office aware of this? They seem to agree that there has been no increase in the non-intensive global temperature anomaly over the last 15 years and what's worse they predict that there won't be any over the next 5 years. "Dave Britton (10:48:21) : We agree with Mr Rose that there has been only a very small amount of warming in the 21st Century. As stated in our response, this is 0.05 degrees Celsius since 1997 equivalent to 0.03 degrees Celsius per decade." . That 0.03 per decade is NOT outside natural variation. Howsabout Germany? European Climate Institute: "Climate In Germany Has Been Cooling For 15 Years"! I made a new year's resolution not to comment on The Converstion in 2013. The author puts that consumption would fall if designers designed better and more durable products. From the perspective that a durable product lasts longer, I agree to some extent. An excellent example being a well built public building. Sadly, it does not follow that a well designed house will reduce consumption. Australians are fanatics when it comes to new homes, new kitchens and renovations. In my childhood, the kitchen that was built in the house remained the same forever. Now, it is expected to change kitchens every 10 years.The new kitchens are much better designed now than in my childhood, however that fact does not stop us ripping out perfectly good, but dated 90's kitchen to install the latest Caeserstone benchtops. From the perspective that well designed products can or will reduce consumer spending, I feel the opposite is the case. The once humble shampoo bottle graphically illustrates how design, far from calming consumption, encourages it. Up until the 1980's plastic bottles were simple, cylindrical affairs. Creating a complex plastic bottle entailed designers translating paper artwork into clay models that were then traced and hand draw. Highly skilled tool and diemakers then spent months interpreting the drawings and machining and hand engraving the plastic die. The process was massively expensive. Then along came industrial design software such as Solidworks which allows the designer to design complex shapes then 'print' a full size bottle on a 3D printer. Once approved, the software creates a file which is fed into a CNC machining centre to create the plastic mold. What took months in the 20th century now takes days. In the 20th century, a plastic container might remain on the shelves for several years. Now, the major hair product companies update their containers monthly. Sadly, us consumers are now conditioned to believe that products packaged in a plain cylindrical plastic bottles are generic or cheap. In summary, it is hard to see how designers can set out to change the culture of us humans. In fact, I feel that designers reflect the society they are immersed in. One day, when we suck the last hydrocarbon out of old mother earth and we can make no more plastic bottles or fly to Europe for our holiday using JetA1 fuel, we will return to more durable products like spears and knives. Until then, enjoy your next shampoo. Built-in obsolescence needs to be banned. We can build long life items. For ever evolving computer technology, replaceable parts in an existing frame-work would help. On an individual basis, I purchase re-furbished equipment where possible and do not desire the latest gizmo. We do not face an impossible situation, however, what is required is collaboration, cooperation and long-term planning - anathema to capitalism which is why resistance to genuine economics and sustainable practice is so vociferously opposed. Dianna, I am wondering (this is not a rhetorical question) whether, in the long term, it is better to keep plugging away with my 1997 Pajero and continue to maintain or buy a new Mazda3 and change it every 5 -7 years. Which alternative is the best from an environmental perspective? John, I believe the evidence is that, assuming your old car is still running reasonably well, you're better to squeeze the maximum life you reasonably can out of it and only when it really is dead (and you've turned the embodied emissions in its materials and manufacture into the maximum amount of practical mobility possible) you buy the 'greenest' option available at the time. But I'm sure that the issue is really more complex than this crude rule of thumb and can vary a lot from case to case (how bad is your old car, how much better would the new car you choose really be, what are the effective 'payback' periods, etc.). Look we have women on ourLook we have women on ourGreed is GOOD and our PONZI schemed governments as epitomised by the dopey Federal and state government clients we have in Australia (World's #1 best PONZI pyramid) are better. By the time worthy men realise there they have become slaves to OUR economic visions there will be wars over OIL shortages and NOT climate change to rectify the above lies. But men will be too busy DYING at the war fronts to be able to do anything . WEALTH and all the best looking women will be consolidated into the right hands, as it should be, and with war. So be afraid of a heating planet. Be very afraid. And work and spend harder in your FEARs. Make the pot BIGGER for the WInners in this economic gameplan! Ha Ha Ha! Oh, and under the American NEW-Slave policy our Butlers will ensure that anyone who speaks the tyranny of licencing women to have one child per lifetime will be, pillioried and the eliminated forthwith. We don't want no stinkin' REAL solutions that will undo our carefully crafted plans for humanity. No, Not this close to fruition. Most western countries have negative growth rates that are supplemented by immigration. It's quite obvious that couples would choose less children in our society as we have no incentive to have large amounts of children as developing countries do. But is there any point trying to be rational when there are people dishing out male-enslavemeant conspiracy theories? To ban "built-in obsolescence" we would need to define it. Banning is not an effective means of addressing a problem unless you can make very clear what you mean. John Phillip, your question is imponderable without any data on usage patterns. Is the embodied energy of the new car less than the extra fuel you would burn by travelling the same distances in your old car? In buying a new "economical" car, you may be enticed to travelling much more than you do in your old vehicle, and so negate any envisaged savings in fuel use (the Jeavons effect). If you are seeking to reduce the environmental impact of your driving, driving less is more effective than replacing a car. It is esy to come up with a definition that will suffice in a cafe conversation. The challenge is to define the problem in a way that allows a good chance of prosecuting people who can afford the best of defence lawyers. If something, such as a computer, is being produced for a market that is changing rapidly through rapid development of the science and technology behind its production and use, does it make sense to design it to last 20 years (and so require more resource input)? It doesn't actually help to point out that much advancement in consumer-market computers is driven by online games and pornography. Attempts to ban those have been fruitless or even counter-productive and they will continue to drive change. It is not that we are powerless against design for obsolescence, but simple bans are not likely to be of any use at all. Good points John, although I believe the Jevons effect with buying a new car isn't that great generally - most people are already doing all the miles they need and simply coppping the expense in fuel, etc. These days, I think recreational driving is not that common. There once was a frog at the river's edge. Along came a beautiful lady being nudged toward the frog by a man in Uncle Sam drag. The woman said to the frog "Can you take me across the river?" The frog was wary but the woman continued "When we get to the other side there are reeds and other things and I can show you how to make them into more energy efficient and costeffective swimming aids that will solve climate change" The Frog was a PhD in Physics and knew that the second Law of Thermodynamics prohibited such nonsense, but he was beguiled by her perfume and agreed. The woman got on his back and off they went. Half way across the woman began to squeeze his neck and he started to drown. "Why are you killing me, and when I am helping you, he cried" "Because I am liberated and because I CAN" came the reply. Seeing this, the man in Uncle Sam drag turned to his wife and said, "We got another one Martha!" I too was deeply disappointed in this article. For a start it not only had nothing new to say but was based on a number of flawed assumptions - most of which have been commented on others. My question is - what has happened to the idea of dematerialisation in design? This was quite fashionable in the 1990s with books such as Factor 4 or the more ambitious Factor 10. However no mention here (except for a bit of name dropping) of how design can help transform existing unsustainable production and consumption practices through reducing or removing the need for products in the first place. A problem for me with Factor 4 was the concentration on individual action, more than collective. If we could reduce our own consumption by 80% we would still have less direct impact than by influencing 200 people to cut their consumption by 0.5%. If that helps 200 people feel a little empowered to make a diffrence, we start to build the political pressure that politicians need to feel assured of before they make decisions they may already know to be right. (Most of us are expecting politicians to lead us out of crisis but politicians follow public opinion, they almost never lead it) There was also an obsession, in Factor 4, with super cars and nothing about making bicycling or walking more practical at a community or wider level, for instance. Although the essential notion of dematrialisation of design is valid, the idea was presented in a context that was so tightly bound by US middleclass values that the ideas were essentially locked out of many people's thinking.… blitzing Coventry, It's also good to see Grant, I think, raising the old turd about "temps not changing in 15 years" -- wasn't it 16 last time around, Grant? I like these posts because it gives a chance for others too not only see why they're wrong, but what the facts are. Grant apparently is unaware of how solar activity cycles over decades, how orbital cycles change our climate over millennia, or even how mundane things like ocean cycles, volcanism and, oh yes, greenhouse-gas increases change climate. Yes, Grant, we were scheduled to begin cooling toward another ice age -- oops, fixed that, eh? ;] This article, however, still falls short on overall issues and their realtive importance. Warming is indeed ongoing, as are sea rise & ice losses. But quoting: "...the World Bank predictions are correct, we have less than half a century left" shows misunderstanding, both at the WB and in the quoter's mind. Climate change, sea rise, ice loss, etc. are peanuts compared to ocean acidification, which in just several decades has been moved half way toward shut down of Nordic fisheries are already seeing threats. The facts that ~40% of all CO2 emitted by mankind is now dissolved in the seas, lowering their pH, and even stopping all combustion today will not stop further movement from air to sea, might bring pause for thought. The effects of our comfortable ignorance of basic atmospheric air & ocean chemistry is now showing Arrhenius' warnings over 100 years ago to be far short of actual consequences -- that Nobel chemist wrote Before oil Age. So, we've exceeded even his estimates by huge factor, as well as exceeding the natural Carbon Cycle's ability to absorb & recycle what we've been burning. An article like this should start with grand human achievements like swamping the Carbon Cycle by a factor greater than 30 in only 200 years; of acidifying Earth's oceans to lower pH than seen in ~300 million years, and raising CO2 and temps faster by about 100x than has occurred at any time in the last 230 million years (when America & Euro-Africa separated). On sustainable, if a new car had to be kept for at least five years, and only more fuel efficient cars, built to last longer could be imported things could change quite quickly. An example is the Citroen 2 CV, went into production just after WII, production ceased not so many years ago. (I cannot remember just when). The Ami 8, the station wagon version, returned an average 52 miles per gallon, when loaded and driven hard. The Volkswagen was produced over a long period, certainly for over ten years. The Citroen 'Godess' or 'D' series was in production for some twenty years, and could easily have been updated asit more than matched anything around when production stopped. ( Returned around 33 miles per gallon when driven hard) The mini, another long term model. What has to be counteracted is the advertising to update, the financing of new vehicles and a government policy of restricting access to new vehicles, and outright banning of non efficient vesicles. This could be done by rating all personal transport vehicles against the latest, most efficient vehicles available, and increasing tax rates against those at the lower end of efficiency. Tax could also be calculated on weight, size, and fuel economy. Parking could be made increasingly difficult, and expensive for big vehicles. I am not actually convinced that vehicle design will save anything, I believeit has to go far further than that! Peter, I forgot one of our cars -- my 1st, which is on the road again with new seat cushions, etc. -- 1961 Austin Healey Sprite. It's saved enough fuel in its 51 years of use to run one of our old Jags for a decade. Of course each of those Jags represents storage of about 5000lbs of iron & aluminum fabrication energy. ;] It, like the VW, illustrates the regimen that car companies used to apply before computer-aided design tools -- use standard parts for different models. The Sprite's BMC A series engine was the sued later for the Mini, had been used earlier for the Morris Minor, taxis, etc. The rear axle & brakes were used across manufacturers & models as well. The Brits & Euro folks had to make small, efficient, easily-maintained cars to offset the high fuel taxation. Nowadays each manufacturer and each model differs in even the most basic parts -- try to replace a headlamp for $2 today. ;] Oh, and our Sprite is now worth 5x what it cost (if we paint it)! Alex; I had to laugh, the Sprite is worth 5x what you paid for it, if you paint it! That it saved you heaps on gas, I have no doubt at all! You are quite correct, parts were used across a range, in type and over time, and upon the economy of British/European vehicles. Australia, like NZ, was poorly served by the US path of 'yank tanks'! A point about the Citroen Goddess/D. The Goddess, ID something, hit the market in 1955. In 1966 front guards changed to have 'eyes' for the headlights, with swivelling driving lights, and the 'headlights' were self levelling, over bumps, etc. the 1966 also switched to a short stroke motor, and the suspension fluid switched from vegetable to mineral. From then until production ceased, any changes — always for an improvement — were able to be fitted to the older model vehicles and production of the older version of the part ceased. Peter, thanks for triggering the Citroen memory -- had a friend with one who loved it. Note that The Mentalist, if you get that show down there, has one. By the way, we really enjoy Rake up here, when we can find it. Aussies can't all be so self-destructive as he, right? ;] The Sprite has a great advantage in that Brit parts are now made all over the world and can be gotten easily in places likeWhen they did break down, they were far easier to service and repair than the average English or European car. I say that from a history of having owned and worked on a great many Mini Minors: another design that was an excellent fit for the conditions of urban Australia three decades later. Cutting the resouce and energy use of transport is not simply a matter of fuel use per kilometre. The big US cars of the 1930s in Autralia used far more fuel per kilometre but they carried more people on the average journey, so the fuel use per passenger kilometre was not as different as it may seem. The cars were more repairable, so you didn't have cars written off for matters as trivial as minor panel damage, and many parts were repaired that would now be replaced. After WW2 US automotive went a different way but there were very sound reasons why Australian car production followed the US path in the first place. We do need to reduce car use but the responsibility is with us. We face conditions that were inconceivable when transport choices ere made in the 1920s and 30s, and we should nit be trying to lessen our own esponsibility by blaming our ancestors.Alex, I wonder where you get your information. The oceans ae ALKALINE (pH greater than 7.0- around 8.15 from memory). Adding CO2 to the oceans doesn't automatically push the water toward acidity- there is a chain of reactions that prevent acidification. And then there is BUFFERING by the many chemicals that are dissolved in sea water. That alone guarantees that the oceans will always remain alkaline. Another factor that you have neglected is the solubility of gases in a liquid. If a saturated liquid warms, some of the gas is forced out. According to AGW, the oceans would warm.....they aren't, actually.....but assuming that they did, then CO2 would be forced out. Nice, neat, solution to a problem that does not actually exist. Ken, sorry that this doesn't really relate to design, but you can see that there are a lot of mistaken ideas about "climate" that have to be taken into consideration.… defind as to render something acid or alkali. And any de- form is simply the opposite ofthat. There actually is no single word in the English language to describe the process/act of changing the pH of something in one direction or another but without changing it enough to cross the Acid/Alkali boundary (7.0) So if I were to lower the pH of something from 8.5 to 8.4 then in aliteral sense I am not acidifying it because it isnot becoming acid. I am notreally de-alkalinising it because it is already alkali and remains that wy. There is no English word to describe this. So what name is appropriate to describe a process that lowers the pH of the ocean, moving it in the acid direction, but doesn't actually take it over the threshold? 'Ocean mumblemumblemumble'? Then again one could go with the common usage in English of constructing new words, or giving existing words new meanings when no existing word fits adequately. In which case the likely newmeaning one would apply would probably be... ... Ocean Acidification. Then again we could consider... ... Well then again we could consider the whole process an absurd exercise in pedantry and linguistic hair-splitting, An exercise that can only cause it's practioner to look foolish for their rather petty need to big-note themselves.…: When Omega is greater than 1, pecipitation of Calcium Carbonate can occur. When Omega is less than 1, Calcium Carbonate can't precipitate out and actually starts to dissolve And the buffering chemistry you describe means that as CO2 is added to the ocean, the value of Omega for the ocean drops. And the direct result of this is that small marine creatures that form (precipitate) shells from Calcium Carbonate find it harder and harder to form shells or even prevent them from dissolving. And this is already happening. In regions of the ocean where the value of Omega has changed enough and is approaching 1, more andmore creatures are being seen with damaged shells. In fact this can even be seen in the fossil record. Fossils of the same species that look healthy when they are from a benign era show massive shell damage from era's when Ocean Acidification events have occurred in the past. So I think Alex's (and most other peoples) concerns about Ocean Acidifciation being a problem are pretty well founded - for the very reasons you have given.… are in opposition. And when you do the math - it's pretty straightforward - for the oceans and rising CO2 levels in the air, it's the rising CO2 levels that predominate. So as long as we keep adding CO2, to the atmosphere, it won't out-gas from the oceans because of rising temperatues.Rather rising temperatures will reduce somewhat the amount of CO2 that the oceans absorb, although that is affected by other factorsaswell, particularly how much mixing in the ocean influenceswhat the concentration of CO2 in the ocean right at the surface is. The oceans are warming just as much as ever. If you want to claim otherwise, you need to put up some evidence for that. And just a littlehint Ian. Citing just the data for 0-700 meters isn't 'the oceans'. If you aren't using the data for 0-2000 meters, you aren't looking at the oceans. Anyone can Google ocean acidification, or read the scientific literature, if they have access. pH values on average are lowest they've been in ~300,000,000 years. Changes we've made in a few decades can't be followed by many life forms evolved for pre-industrial conditions. Quite right, Alex. Saying the ocean is acidifying is the same as saying water in the kettle that started at 1°C and is now at 3°C is warming, even though it is not yet what we would call warm. Saying it should be referred to as 'less cold' is just obfuscation. Saying acidification should be referred to as "less alkaline" is similarly playing semantics. In fact, I have also seen people smarter then me use the term 'basic', rather than 'alkaline', so the semantic games can be played ad nauseum. reproductive activity. And it takes time fort his to work it's way through the system. A 'one child but later in life' policy would be somewhat more effective than just a 'one child… reproductive activity. And it takes time fort his to work it's way through the system. A 'one child but later in life' policy would be somewhat more effective than just a 'one child policy' The point of all this is that there is no ethical way we can get population down fast enough for that to make much of a contribution to solving humanities converging crises any time in the next 50 years. Towards the end of the century, and into the 22nd century population decline will be our main goal, the biggest tool we have in the toolbox.. It just can't help us much in the shorter term. So the great challenge humanity faces is how to keep our civilisation intact. How to meet the needs of so many people so wecan all have decent lives within the rapidly narrowing constraints and capacities of the world around us. Though there are many threats, the ones that shouldbe focussing our energies the most are those that impact on food supply & food security. We in the West have forgotten the deep impact of famine. Famine destroys civilisations. It unravels their social structures, their infrastructure, their very civility and decency. And most importantly for our current situation; it unravels the very capacities in society that allow us to feed the population we already have. If things start to fray at the edges, if the infrastructure - physical, intellectual and moral - of our society frays then manufacturing and delivery of fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides becomes less reliable. Spare parts and fuel for the pumps that drive our agriculture start to be un available. The national and international security that allows the transfer of food around the world in a (at least moderately) equitable manner breaks down.The education levels in our societies drop and with that the capacity tokeep holding things together. The many inter-relationship betweeen food-supply and social capacity and cohesiveness is THE problem. Everything else are just the symptoms. So, is it too hard? Dunno. It certainly is bloody hard. That isn't a call to give up because then this becomes certain. But the hardness of our situation means we need to utterly focus our attention on which answers deliver the maximum benefit, the maximum return in solving the problem. That means facing some really hard, hard facts. - Huge numbers of species are certain to go extinct. - Human society is going to go through a period of history where the only issue is pure survival. For the rest of this century, perhaps well into the next. For our children & grand-children, their lives will be a hard grind,the likes of which we in the West can't comprehend. - The psychological impacts of this will be huge. If civilisation survives, the 21st century will stand out as the hardest in human history.Graven into our collective psyche the way the Flood myth has been. Glenn, you are right on the mark when you say "there is no ethical way we can get population down fast enough for that to make much of a contribution to solving humanities converging crises any time in the next 50 years". It is the convergence of multiple crises which is likely to overwhelm our society and wreck what we in the developed West call 'civilisation'. - It's the only one we have. - If it falls, another may not be able to rise again. With the collapse of a civilisation comes absolutely massive loss of knowledge.But with most of the easily getable resources already used by us, a future human society may not have the knowledge needed to get access to the resources to recover.They may be trapped in a low resource/low knowledge trap. - For all our failings, we can and do learn. It just needs a regular application of a bit of 2 by 4 to the head. Just enough to knock the sense in.Not so much it kills us. The positive that I take from this is that if we do pull through, the learning curve we will have climbed to do so will be so high that we will be a wholely different people. Would that be the same World Bank that is spending billions of pounds subsidising new coal-fired power stations in developing countries despite claiming that burning fossil fuels exposes the poor to catastrophic climate change. Mark, if you stuck a 35mm slide in your ear and opened your mouth in the direction of a blank wall, we could all actually enjoy the show. I have indeed read the World Bank report, whch was completed by the independent and competent Potsdam Institute. Regardless of the debatable integrity of the organisation that commissioned it (the World Bank) it remains a credible and useful document. That is why your attempy to discredit the report by discrediting the commissioning body is irrational. Then again, you do seem to enjoy the irrational, don't you? I wonder what a psychologist would make of: "Then again, murdering poor people for population control, as discussed above in the opine, would be part of your KPI's as an "environmental manager." when I've never commented in any way about poulation control. But this really takes the cake for hysteria: "You will be glad to know your environmental pogrom has already begun" This article is consistent with others that go to great lengths to avoid the obvious. It is a little unusual in that it includes the discredited term "sustainable development", which is a contradiction in terms. In simple terms, human impacts are the product of population growth and consumption. Neither are sustainable, and are together catastrophic. Essentially the approach is; - we have this problem of too many people using to many resources, both of which are sacrosanct. Hmmmmm, what can we do that excludes both of these, but makes it appear that we are taking action? Nicely written! The picture does say it all isn't it? Products now are having shorter and shorter product lives, which makes them cheap, great for the consumers, but really bad for the planet. People discard so much now I think the world would eventually run out of place for the storage of all that junk! Some undeveloped squatters of India and Indonesia have consumer items like mobile phones floating right in their rivers! These rivers become a storage of all sorts of chemicals that the products give out as they decay, thus polluting the water. This pollution will eventually get into the ocean and into our very home in Australia. A sad consequence, of which, I have no immediate solution for.
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First for breaking news and analysis: Compelling world news stories from NBC News journalists. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Turkish far-left group claims responsibility for US Embassy attackTypical and expected political potty talk. A terrorist is a terrorist, no matter what they have convinced themselves is their excuse. Trying to smear the other half of the politcal spectrum because a few terrorists use the term "left" or "right" is childish and dishonest. AND YOU KNOW IT. Leftist, hmmmm.....You mean they still exist? It is a little odd, though. This is not usually the M.O. of this sort of leftist. They are generally not the suicide types. Usually one of this particular ideology relies on winning over the masses and going for a revolution by the masses even if led by a revolutionary party. I cannot say for certain, but I will put this thought out here anyway. What if it was an Al Kaida attack, but they don't want us to know (such seems to be the trend lately, to pretend they don't exist). What if this "group" were made up. Just sayin. I have been around Marxist Leninists, Maoists and so on. Suicide is not their mentality. Empress I'm with you. The only reason we have so much news coming out of Turkey right now is because lots of Western Journalists are stationed out of Turkey because of the conflict in Syria. Normally Turkey would keep all this bad news from ever hitting the airwaves. And I think you are also correct about far left groups not being suicide bombers. That is Al Qaeda or any extreme Islamic group. The Turks just don't want to admit to that. That accusation came out of the Turkish government before the smoke cleared from the building. We all know that is most likely bull. I'm hoping the FBI really investigates the bombing and not gloss over the BS the Turks feed them. but Reuters said his sentence was postponed because he became sick during a hunger strike. He was never imprisoned again. I think that about sums up why he was able to commit a terrorist act. It never fails to boggle my mind that the Govt always knows everything about the terror groups right down to who the members are and where they operate from, yet they seem able to routinely move about and commit acts of terror. I suppose it's not PC to go about kicking their ass without 'due process'. Lord knows we would NEVER want to not give criminals their rights. More proof that once you have these nutty kinds of extremists in jail, you never let them free. We've recently killed off a few guys who enjoyed a stay in Gitmo who were released because of their good behavior who only went right back to their occupation of trying to murder Americans. Starting Monday the Republicans will call for hearings and begin blaming John Kerry for this embassy attack, isn't that how it works these days, time and tax payer dollars pissed away by Republican ideologues just so they can make a political point that pleases the far left nut bags........... How anyone can justify the actions of today's Republican Party is a total mystery. Judging from some of the posts I've read here today it's obvious that the Fox News loving fanatics on the extreme right want to see America fail....... Extremists of any color are, by definition, no longer functioning as reality based beings. If you examine the belief process and the actions, the extreme right and the extreme left complete the circle by bumping into one another. You see, the actual goal is to force others to live within your ideology, to stifle dissent and to eliminate opposition. So how is the extreme left any different than the extreme right? Ideology is a circle. The starting point is dead center. From there you tend right or you tend left, but if you go far enough, you meet on the other side of the circle, so deep into your extremism that there is no true difference from one to the other. In the sixties, the left wing blew up draft offices. Today, the right wing blows up abortion clinics. It's all the same, people who want to force the rest of us to adopt their twisted views. Terrorists are emboldened by a lack of response by the US to attacks. Such as the African Embassies, USS Cole, Benghazi, etc. Meanwhile the US has pulled major intelligence and military assets out of the Middle East. Our unsavory sources of information are getting more money from our enemies than from us for intel. As a result, attacks like these will continue on US properties and assets. Now all we need is a guy like Hagel running our DOD. My sugestion, stay home, don't visit any country in the Middle East. Even Europe could be dangerous for Americans. "Ecevit Sanli" stated- "Murderer America! You will not run away from people's rage," the statement read, warning Erdogan that he was also a target. Well, if i understand the News article correctly, "Ecevit" is now "Dust Particles" if you were to add a bit of water... He would be "Mud". which is Fitting, because if he had not commited the Cowardly Act of Suicide Bombing... his Narrow Little Hiney would MOST DEFINITELY still be MUD ! Because The TRUTH IS - "Murderer America" Does NOT RUN AWAY "from people's rage" OR Cowardice, nor will we continue to TOLERATE those who - chant, and pray for the DEATH of Anyone who does not BOW DOWN to you SLOW WITTED, BACKWARDS, Psychotic Religious Extremist ... NO SIR !, in fact... i do believe you are lucky to be dead already... Because we WILL be Heading your Direction Eventually... COUNT ON IT... Another nimrod who only gets his news from Faux! Thsi admin has killed mor Al Queda leaders than anyone before them and you make a stupid statement like thi and we are supposed tp take you seriously? Get a life. Maybe some of you "geniuses" on the Right can explain to us why a Leftist group would want to attack the US HUH? You limp-wristed Leftist Libbies hate America. You'll support anyone that will reduce our great Republic into your delusional social and economic justice nonsense. You'd even sell out to violent Islamic extremists to create your Liberal/Progressive nanny-state utopia. You have no shame for your cowardice or ambition to reform our government to what it was intended to be. Unfortunately most of you mindless miscreants think it will somehow benefit you. Doesn't it bother you that the POTUS only wants you to be middle-class? AnaBanana and Empress, Ditto. I agree with the both of you. The Media is lying. It is not some leftist but Al Qaeda as usual. The left usually protests peaceably. If they choose violence they have two approaches to get their aims. 1, they choose targeted hits with some sort of timed device or remote control detonation device. They try to live to fight another day. They try to pick a target that the world of leftist workers would sympathize with like a Big Bank, Oil or other capitalist exploiter. They try to pick a target to gain world support. Not one to anger people. Of course they could make mistakes but the point here is not so much their chosen targets but how they operate, though choice of target does help to expose the perpetrator. 2, The leftists favorite way of fighting is "Protracted Guerrilla Warfare". This form of fighting is not suicide based because again you live to fight another day In Guerrilla war the idea is to LAST as long as possible to gain support. You want the masses to side with you. An Embassy is a lousy target for a leftists because it automatically kicks out any adherents from the attacked country. A leftists likes to choose capitalists establishments because they are international by nature and people from any country can sympathize with the leftist group just by virtue of being poor. Once you attack a nation state you alienate ALL the people of that nation state. This is how the leftist thinks. I know this from experience. I don't know why other countries would want to attack us after all we just want to spread some good old fashioned Democracy and freedom with all the trimmings like a Central Bank and laying the foundation for permanent military bases to defend the freedoms of Exxon Mobil and British Petroleum. Maybe they are tired of American training Syrian rebels in the southeastern Turkish city of Hakkari. Our military budget outspends all other countries combined. We have military bases in more foreign countries than all other countries combined. Since the demise of the Soviet Union, the United States has dominated the global arms market. We are the sales leader by far with 55% of global arms exports, quadruple the share of its closest competitor. We are arming Al Qaeda in Libya and Syria to destabilize the Middle East. We force countries to arm themselves against the "terrorist" organizations that we arm. Maybe the Turkish people are tired of use training Syrian rebels in the southeastern Turkish city of Hakkari. Our military will be in 35 African countries by the early part of 2014. The United States government has made hundreds of Drone attacks against countriesthat never attacked the United States. We are Using Drone strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Uganda, Sudan and only God knows where else. We are the only country to use Nuclear Weapons on another country! We have bombed over 65 countries and have been at war for 217 of our short 236 year history as a country. Trust Verify; You're right!! But we have to fight to keep Avenues open so big business can make money. That's why we have help over throw so many elected presidents and replaced them with Dictators. It's all about big business,Let CEO's go fight!!! Your lack of understanding about the war on terrorism is only exceeded by the extent to which you have fallen for the liberal media and a POTUS who never accomplished anything other than getting elected. The only reason the drone program has been successful was because the previous administration rebuilt the military and intelligence infrastructure that the Clinton Administration dismantled. And now those infrastructures are being dismantled again as we pull assets out of the Middle East and can't respond effectively to Benghazi and other terrorists acts. I am in favor of killing terrorists through the drone program, but the POTUS is just following Bush, whom he criticized for torturing terrorists, while he just executes them. Again, execution is good, bit all the POTUS does is use it for politics. Keep waiving the Obama flag. You are very politically oriented, not much on reality. Scuba Steve,,,,,,,,,,, Big Daddy, you don't think calling the far left the right wing is desperate SPIN to say the least? bow2me - I'd say that compared to the opening comment, "Far-left group? The DNC has a branch office in Turkey? Who Knew?", it was understandable. The Democratic Party does not stand for or associate itself with such attacks. To suggest otherwise is beyond "SPIN", it idiotic right-wing propaganda, which judging by the number of vote-up responses it drew, apparently finds a lot of listening ears. The Republicans probably thought there was no need for any additional security funding. After all, President Obama's policies have completely reversed public opinion of the US in the Muslim world. Yep, they really love us now! "The stench of hypocrisy that hangs over this city today emanates from this room," Ackerman said. "I've listened to my colleagues talk about the President of the United States and others in the administration using [the] terms 'deliberate', 'lies', 'unmitigated gall', 'malfeasance,' which is malicious and knowing evil-doing, 'disgust', 'coverups'."Obama is the POTUS now. He has been in office over four years. These ongoing terrorist attacks are happening on his watch. It is his job to prevent them and they continue to happen. The accountability lies with him and his administration. It is his job to prevent them and they continue to happen. The accountability lies with him and his administration. So idiot you think in a war we can kill and main as many of the oppositions leaders including the head guy and never be attacked? What a fool you and you ilk are. We are at war with these people and the very idea that we will never suffer a casuality is as dumb as gym shoes on a chicke hawk. You trolls can do better if you get better writers. Benghazi happened because our hands were tied by an emerging government who did not have the means to do their part in protecting an embassy. Wheneverthis happens (a riot) it is the responsibility of the nation to keep the grounds of foreign embassy or counsulates protected. The reason this happened was becus the shakey government ther could not or would not do so. All you childish whining about this only aids Al queada. Is the GOP hoping for funding for the next elction to come from them. Seems so since your whining only aids them! The events are unfortunately tragic and simliar to Benghazi, we will likely never find out the truth of what happened. Maybe some nutcake made a movie that irked ohter people enough to commit this attack. That being said, this is Obama's watch. Bread, whatever was going on in Benghazi, the Obama admin was not honest with the American people (again) It is his job to prevent them and they continue to happen. The accountability lies with him and his administration. If that's the case every president in my lifetime has been a failure with Bush the biggest for 9-11. Carter had the hostages, Clinton the Cole and Reagan 299 marines dead in Lebanon. There have also been embassy attacks under every president since Carter. little red commie wanna be bitches...............bring it on, that guy in the pic looked like he would shoot himself before anybody else, hell, at least brandish something that will do some damage like an AK47 not some pu$$y skorpion machine pistol. losers. These people are real d...heads. They kill other people for their own gratification, not for a cause. Calling America "the murderer of the world" is absolute bollocks, I'm glad this guy blew himself up but he should have gone somewhere on his own and done it so that he didnt kill an innocent who had nothing to do with his lunatic ravings. I'm British and have endured the IRA bombings of my homeland over my lifetime and they were the same, criminals who were in it for the money. This guy and many others are in it for their megalomania judging by the pic of him, what a f----g wimp he was, my 10 year old grandson has bigger arm than him. Up to me I'd smote heads and kill them all, waste of space the lot of them. Trouble is, had this been a republican in office as President, this would have made the news. Now it doesn't trouble any democrats anymore. Can we be anymore complacent about the embassies? This really is the President's fault. This is where he should be putting in the spending and not on another welfare program. For you to blame the Republicans because they want to cut spending is a cop out. Maybe the President's priorities are out of order? Another thing, tell the President to stop sending aid to these countries and put it towards our embassies instead. They should be discharged from NATO because they have terrorists in their country? I guess the US should be discharged from NATO too, since we have had terrorist attacks carried out by homegrown nutbags. Point us to a news story that says that other than faux news. Al googled it and only came up with a bunch of blogs and second hand info on it. His statement apparently was (if you believe the blogs which I do not) in retaliation for an alleged attack on Syria by Israel. The real question is whether the Islamist Turk Govenment will be able to control the extremists in their country, or whether they are encouraging the extremism. Their government had taken multiple acts to gut the military and avoid another military coup - as the military has had to step in every time an elected Islamist government tries to go fundamental and impose sharia law. Trying to keep the government secular is hard when the populace is told how to vote by their imams. Discharge Turkey from NATO? LOL. Turks can easily go and form an alliance with Russia, China, Iran and it won't make a difference to Turkey, but it will make a huge difference to the US and the NATO. Just look where they sit on the world map. WHAT??? Doesn't the DHKP-C know that Obama is a comrade? Why would the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front attack us now that we have a Communist, Fascist, Marxist Socialist in the White House? Alright Mensa candidate (look it up because I'm sure you don't know what Mensa is), tell me ONE thing that Obama has done to justify your absolutely stupid remark?? Mike, I really, really wish that you would make up your mind. The fascists killed communists. They are at opposite ends of the spectrum. If you don't understand terminology, don't use it. No one can be a communist, socialist, marxist, fascist. That's an oxymoron. Please read a few political science textbooks and figure out what the hell you're talking about. MiKe076: Why are democrats first to use Racist crap when they are losing an argument? It's obvious to anyone here that you are not a member of Mensa yourself. Democrats are secret racists. Everyone knows that. That's why it always comes out in their speech even when it has nothing to do with the conversation. This never would have happened if we a a REAL American in the White House like Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney would have already issued the orders to attack Turkey, Iran, Syria and anyone else in that area that talked funny. Attack Turkey for what? Because they have a leftist terrorist group committing terrorist acts on their soil? Nobody asked to attack Oklahoma after Timothy McVeigh, or to attack the various midwest states for the crackpot militias operating within their borders. We need to wake up and realize why all these disparate terrorist groups (leftists, muslim, nationalists, etc) hate the US, it is because of our overly aggressive and self-centered foreign policy. Granted, some of it is just perception, and we do plenty of good around the world (that doesn't get the press), but we also stick our noses into sovereign nations that we have no business meddling in. Romney was correct about Mali in the debates And the Democrats tore into him for it. Remember. Yes anyone can get these same intelligence insights with a subscription service to Stratfor as Romney did. The French were already sending drones into the area during the Presidential debates so there was no secret as to what was going on. Mali is not Afghanistan or never will be. I do agree though that if Romney was President we would have boots on the ground in Mali and going door to door kicking Malinese butt. Attack Turkey for what? Because they have a leftist terrorist group committing terrorist acts on their soil? Nobody asked to attack Oklahoma after Timothy McVeigh, Thank you! Man aren't you people tired yet? I'm going to pretend you're being facetious Eli, I don't know how many times you've been deployed, if you've EVER been deployed, but the rest of us are tired and need a break. So everyone that wants to start attacking whoever strikes your fancy that day, please do the rest of them a favor and sign right up. Maybe you didn't know it morgan, but those that got their news from sources other then Fox knew it. We were aware of bush's unfunded tax cuts, his unfunded Medicare pharmacy plan and his unfunded wars, all of which added to the debt. With the Arab Spring, came a great deal of hope that there would be a change towards more moderation, and opportunity for greater participation on the part of women in public life, and in economic life in the Middle East. But instead, we've seen in nation after nation, a number of disturbing events. Of course we see in Syria, 30,000 civilians having been killed by the military there. We see in -- in Libya, an attack apparently by, I think we know now, by terrorists of some kind against -- against our people there, four people dead. Our hearts and -- and minds go out to them. Mali has been taken over, the northern part of Mali by Al Qaeda type individuals. Romney knew this because of regular intelligence briefings he was receiving from the Obama Administration. This was not news he uncovered by himself. The evolving situation in Mali was well known in Washington D.C. So, what has this to do with a leftist, suicide bombing in Turkey, Bow2me? Nothing? He wasn't right about anything. There was Muslim violence in Mali and most of the middle east and north Africa before Romney ever thought of running for president. Predicting it would continue didn't take a Ouija board and doesn't mean he'd have responded any differently or better than Obama. The terrorists are now fighting for who gets the most donations? Unless the organization can prove it's effective, no more monies for you. Economics is what drives the organization not beliefs. The people who belong are uneducated and easily manipulated by their leaders. Yeah, it's the Republicans fault for all the President's overspending, not to mention he just decided to let millions of illegal immigrants stay in the country when already people are out of work. How much is that going to matter when your taxes are raised to cover them too? No excuse for this terrorist act; however, it reflects the belief that our country's militancy has been rejected across the political spectrum. How to regain our credibility sans military over reach is the challenge. We have the resources, physically and mentally, to be a world leader but have neglected persuasion and sound role modeling as our mantra. You are absolutly correct. I suggest it is mostly because America has been totally leaderless for the last 4 years, and the next 4 don't look too good either, unless and until Obama is impeached--- a possibility that seems more realistic with each passing day! Selecting fools and clowns to replace the rats that are jumping off the sinking Obama ship-of-state will do nothing to strengthen his position, and the blunders they are sure to make will only hasten Obama's demise! Oh well---- America was totally leaderless when GWB was president. Get your facts straight. Were you like Rip Van Winkle and asleep for 20 years (at least from 200-2008)? Time to wake up and drink some coffee. What a stupid statement you made. says farideh. That would be a huge contradiction! That intolerant religion would make Marx and Lenin turn over in their graves. Islam would be the ultimate opium of the people! And the way they treat women as an underclass goes against anything a Marxist would believe. "Turkey goes out of their way to claim they have no Muslim extremists" You, like so many others in America do not have any idea of the political nature of Turkey or any eastern society. The things we se in our politics are not relevant to them. Their Far Right is Islamic Extremist, the True believers who only want the laws of the Koran...period. Their far Left is Totally, real life communist that are born from the influences of the Soviet Union. The dynamics of the population is dominated in the most part from the spread of the Muslim population during and after the Ottoman Empire. The Turks migrated into an area so large that it would be difficult to explain. They were controlling territory from Russia, Eastern Europe, through Africa, and Persia, through Greece. If you look at the map and the history of these territories after WW1 where the Ottoman Empire was dissolved, the remaining populations remained in these territories. In the picture of the bomber, notice the sickle and hammer flag. The Socialist are on the march in the world wherever they can find a foot hold. Between the Socialist, and the Muslims the world is in a large hurt. Forget about Fascism because they are too easy to recognize and thus easy to destroy. But Muslims use Religion to gain strength and Communism uses socio-ecomomic weakness to gain strength. It makes me sick to my stomach to read these post where the Democrats or the Republicans are blamed for such actions. These people in the East and Middle East are raised on the blood shed of others. Our children are punished for a playground skuffle and the children raised in these places might kill their first human before the age of 10. Life has no value, there is only the cause they believe in. I recently read a book on modern Turkey where the authors commented that their guide boasted that he was employed by the government as a Torturer/Interrogator. The comment was to show that the guide considered the job as normal as if he were assigned to answer the phone. It was his job and to have a job was enough. All you have to do is to ask yourself why someone would do these things, and then research, or ask someone well read for an opinion in order to get enough information to satisfy your question. Turkey has had such a difficult time trying to develop democracy because of the two powerful extremes in their politics. Democrats and Republicans? They are like "Soda Pop Kids" compared to these extremes of Communism and Radical Muslims. You can apply this model to all the Countries in the Middle East as well because they have the same Radicals vying for power. The poor people caught in the middle are the victims. Syria is a good Example since its government was supported by china and Russia prior to the revolution. Who are the Revolutionaries? They are an assorted group, but you can rest assured the Brotherhood are there and will jump into the driver's seat as soon as the Communist are out. And another little terror group gets recognized . Thanks to this, there will be more. The radicals only want publicity, and they get it every time. If I was in charge of the news, it would say that a terrorist attacked the embassy, and two people died. Done, nothing else, no pictures of radicals posing with there bombs or guns, nothing. being anonymous is a terrible thing, so they wont do it again if it doesn't work. If they want war, then they'll get it eventually, if you like seeing people get punished get off here and go join the military, they are getting short handed. The United States is the largest weapons dealer on the international market and is known as the "Merchant of Death" in the rest of the world. Though a signer of international treaties it refuses to submit to the jurdiction of the World Court in the Hague or deport former Vice President Dick Cheney on the interpol warrant against him. With the continuous wars America has pursued in foreign countries and the millions of innocent civilians who have been murdered in those wars, it is no wonder those countries call the U.S. a terrorist nation. This guy was just giving us a taste of our own medicine. Wow! People's Park, too bad he died in the explotion, now you will never be able to go lick this terrorist's a$$ like you really wanted to. You really love the Middle East don't you? Why don't you just give up your citizenship and move over there and dig you own s%#*ter since you like them so much. Where do you Moron's come from? Then it would make a difference what this guy stood for. So is he a Marxist-Leninist or a Muslim? If he is a Marxist, then the priority would be to fight against capitalism, which is everywhere not just the U.S. What about the capitalists in his own country? Should he not be concerned first with those as opposed to a foreign country? Another thing, is he identifying with or fighting along side Muslims? If so, that is inappropriate for a Marxist Leninist, as that religion is reactionary and oppressive. I remember back when 9-11 happened. I was pretty Marxist myself and more-so then. On one hand, I was no lover of the Trade Towers, that bastion of capitalist exploitation. Should I have been sad to see that thing blow up? But then, the details of the motives of the terrorist hijackers came out. They did not attack that target because it was capitalist, they attacked it because it was The United States, as in the national entity. Mohammed Attah had some long rambling note about how infidel we were and big sinners because we did not believe in his religion. We were not funde enough in his way of thinking. This was a group of religious nuts. Hey, that makes a big difference! So I certainly hope the Marxists over there have not hooked up with these reactionary religious whackos. There is no common ground with a religion that oppresses women and has people groveling before some vindictive deity. A Marxist would see a religious dominated society as oppressive, exploitative, and putting forth a nonsensical myth as fact. A Marxist-Leninist would want to do away with such a religion and liberate everyone from it. A Marxist Leninist would consider that religion more the enemy than a country over the sea like the U.S. I agree with you jock59801. It's precisely why they weren't sure about the Benghazi attack . No one took credit right away, and it was done in a different way than the organized terrorists do things. This attack was a much more open, for publicity, atttack. Yes, it wasn't a suicide bomber in Benghazi. I'm sure a fairer distribution of wealth and power would reduce the general rates of terrorism, but when it comes to people who have already decided to become terrorists there really isn't anything we can do besides squash them. Hey Blow me, Mittens lost, get over it. You will have your chance again to vote for your favorite loser in four years. Maybe you would prefere that gun toting scumbag from Texas as you President. I'ts up to you in four years. Meanwhiles, live with it jackass. Jock, I've noticed most people who believe in distribution of wealth are usually lounging about in the daytime rather than working. Why is that? It was so before all the jobs left america. Its even more so now. There was wealth to be had, it just took effort. Far Left or Far Right are both very violent because they use violence to force their beliefs upon a group of people the same way that rapists force theirselves on their victim. The ultimate goal is make the person or group believe something about the person so that the person can receive gifts and money along with more supporters as the fear level of the extremist grows through a community with the ultimate goal of placing the person at the center of their violence so that they will not be subjected to such violence while those around her or him are placed in the way of such attacks designed to destroy the delusional and paranoid person. While those die protecting such a person the person at the center lives in luxury and wealth because she of he has given meaning to something. Cause and effect. "failed president" is a rather funny term to use on the guy that just got reelected while your "failed candidate" got his butt kicked. The majority of Americans actually support the President's foreign policy, a fact you conveniently overlook. Failure is declaring war against a sovereign country while claiming they have weapons of mass destruction (they didn't) and terrorist training camps (weren't there) and represent a threat to the region. They had already been defanged and represented a controlling element against Iran. Now that we have rendered the Iraquis impotent, Iran is free to dominate the region and threaten anyone it chooses to threaten. Good move. We destabilized a balance of power that kept Iran in check. We attacked the wrong freaking country! All so the Shrub could play Rambo. Hillsarwe and all the rest seem to think memorizing 20 terrorist "cell" names to bounce around gives them some kind of credibility. Truth is, each little bunch of 4 or 5 loonies hanging out at the coffee shop ready to bomb some innocent people give themselves names... Its stupid. Just go hunt them down and wipe em out. Too much over analyzing to make it look as though you know what you are doing to the public. First rule in an ambush.... Do something! Hey watch it Bob M. you cant get on Hillary anymore ..she is gone my man! try looking at who keeps cutting the funding for our security at overseas embassies and you will see who is really to blame...the GOP! he11 The GOP stripped the funding out of this last extension transaction (for the second time) AGAIN after the democrats put it back in this last negotiation...and all the while they are grilling the Dems...they got some nerve. All the GOP care about is their campaign finding and getting back in power...they dont care about anyone or anything but that! When are all you righties gonna realise that they will sell you to the highest bidder to get what they want..they dont give a squat about you or your ideals..they will say and do anything to get to their goal...world domination and turning us all into their little slaves. They got you all so brainwashed its pathetic. Do any of you think the government gives a crap about any of us? WAKE UP and think about it. Do you really think they practice what they preach?? They are all a bunch of used car salemen..no offense to used car salemen. They all pretend to give a darn about our well being...seriously?? They dont care about any of us little minions..we are specks on the wall to them. They only care about us when they want our vote. Benghazi had funding so do not give me this BS the GOP stripped funding. The government funding is baseline funding so when any politician says their funding has been cut it was cut from a projected budget. Regardless, Mr Carney, Ms Clinton, and the President are now saying after the election that any bombing on an embassy is "an act of terror, a terrorist attack." Where was that definition on September 12, 2012? This could of been a result of a video. Why even give argument to the GOP cut all the funding for security. Hillsarewe was in charge, Hillsarewe had the necessary information to make requests needed to provide safety, If someone was providing not enough funding then Hillsarewe definately had a mouthpiece to call them on the carpet to provide needed funding. Do you honestly think that the GOP would have said "no, we aint providing the funding you went public in requesting and if people get murdered under your watch because of it, we'll just feel bad"? No. There are tons of parts of the State Department budget, all are appointed after requests by the SOS. Hillsarwe wanted a nicer plane, and more staff around her, and more administrators... so SHE hacked and undercut the security budget. Get it right people, and use some common sense. That is why the Dems are not pushing this point, and deflecting to the "who cares now, they are all dead" approach as they always do. What are the Republicans going to bitch about? Obama has won the debt ceiling debate, he's winning the immigration and gun debates, the deficit is coming down, stock market booming, home sales booming, jobs still being created every month since he took office. The Republicans have nothing left but the crying and whining. 2014 is looking great for another SHELLACKING by the Democrats and Hillary already has 1/4 billion in donations for her run in 2016. It is not looking great for the Democrats it's looking FANTASTIC. Unemployment has actually gone back UP (now at 7.9%), we have close to the very lowest labor participation rate in the workforce we've had in thirty years, we have more people on welfare and food stamps than ever before, our long term debt is outpacing our deplorably stagnant GDP as Obama added more debt in three years than Bush did in eight and you think our economy is doing great just because the stock market is doing well and because investors taking advantage of cheap house prices are causing a slight uptick in home values? Even the msnbc Obama-worshippers are saying the real estate market isn't doing that great because it's not built on the foundation of the first-time buyers necessary for a good market because of all the people sitting on the sidelines...and why are they all sitting on the sidelines? Yup, even they admit it, it's because the unemployment and the economy still sucks. It's amazing how so many people can see an utterly failed economy for four years and convince themselves how wonderful it is. Jax. It must suck to live in your spot of the world. Everything that I said is true where I live. Housing prices are through the roof and sellers are getting multiple offers! Every lot that has been vacate for YEARS is being excavated and new homes or condos are being built and this is throughout the city. I live in California and as the saying goes....as goes California so goes the rest of the country. The freeways are once again packed with commuters who are obviously working. Tech and Bio jobs cannot be filled because we do not have enough qualified candidates - mainly engineers, to fill them. Oh, and before you go there, Gov.Brown has balanced the California budget for the first time in who knows how long and the state will soon have a surplus and this was done with a Super Democrat Majority controlled state government. Coopster, your weak anecdotal experience doesn't apply to the rest of the country, no matter how hard you try. STEM jobs (science, tech, engineering, math) have gone unfilled for years now throughout our country. I should know, the company I'm at still can't find a good DBA after more than a year of searching, and offering a nice six digit salary. We just don't have the qualified people to fill these types of positions, even in this horrible economy...but that doesn't change the FACT that unemployment remains stagnatingly high and in fact, just went back up to 7.9%. Just because you live in an area that's seeing housing starts, doesn't mean it's holding true everywhere else. There has been an uptick, but it's not nearly enough to be in a normal, let alone good, housing inventory balance/price appreciation market. You obviously want to ignore the video I linked to where the msnbc Obama worshippers are saying the foundation of the housing market still isn't strengthened enough by first-time buyers and that they're sitting on the sidelines because the economy sucks....you know...throughout the country as a whole, not just your little happy place in CA. You can brag about CA all you want, but with four cities filing for bankruptcy and unemployment around 10% (third highest in the nation, bravo!) and a projected deficit of $1.9 billion this year (even as part of all the fluffed up numbers the libs keep promoting there) it sounds like you're happy to see success in all the failure surrounding you in your state....no wonder you think this failure of an Obama economy is so great, CA is the epitome of liberal failure drowning in red ink. JAK. This is why we need Obama's Immigration reform which includes a green card visa provision. Americans are simply not interested in Math and Science which is part of the reason our economy is stagnant. I think this is the real economy with unemployment hovering around 8% for the unforseeable future. The Republicans asked for a smaller government and guess what? Obama is delivering and that is also part of the unemployment numbers and its only going to get higher when we finally cut big chunks of waste in the Defense department. If Haliburton has to lay off more employees, who cares? They have been at the government teet far too long. The other reason unemployment has gone up is we no longer manufacture anything. This has been going on for the last 25 years or more. The folks with these blue collar jobs are the folks who are not getting jobs because they no longer have the skills necessary for the 21st Century. And you ask why more and more people are on food stamps? The Republicans do not want a middle class and slowly but surely you and your ilk will get it but please, don't bitch about blue collar workers looking for a handout. Careful what you ask for.. Coopster, you have a hard time staying on topics you introduce, huh? YOU were bragging about how great the economy is, and when I pointed out to you that it actually isn't, you changed the topic to "oh yeah, well where I live in CA it's doing great, and CA is doing great, and there are lots of tech jobs available!" When I pointed out how lots of tech jobs have always been available, in good times and in bad, and how CA's economy actually sucks with its higher than national unemployment rate and cities going bankrupt, you now change the discussion on how Obama has to let more illegals into the country to fill high tech jobs and how we don't manufacture anything any more. Then you say "oh we have more people on food stamps and welfare because the repubs don't want a middle class"...without making any correlation between the two. Welfare and food stamps AREN'T middle class and NO party should want lots of people on welfare and food stamps like Obama does...a large economy dependent on those benefits means the economy is doing something wrong...as our swelling number of recipients shows. Where did I even mention any "blue collar people looking for a handout?" I'm sure instead of answering my statements regarding these new unrelated points that you yourself introduce, you'll now bring something else into the discussion, but watching liberal whiners (redundant, I know) flee from topics they can't defend is a favorite past time of mine...so please, change the subjects again... JAK. While I sympathize with you that you lost your job, it has no effect on me. California is booming and we still are the 9th (ninth) largest economy in the world. You Republicans love to worry about California, all I am saying is you don't have to. We are doing just fine. Where did I say that we need to let illegals in to our country? You have low comprehension skills or perhaps you cannot read. Go back and read what I said about working visa's (which requires an application - a LEGAL document) produced by US Immigration. Yes, 8% unemployment is nothing to write home about but it effects the very people that most Republicans could care less about, you know, the 47% (middle class). So, when a Republican rants and raves about high unemployment numbers I laugh it off because it is not out of concern but more faux rage + it is exactly what your party has asked for. What is really sad is 90% of your party does not realize that Republican policies hurt them directly because Rush Limbaugh and Fox News have told those that listen to them that it is all the Democrats and especially "the black Presidents" fault. Lemmings. Coopster, more subject-changing...what a surprise! Where, genius, did you glean from any of my posts that I lost my job? I'm doing very well in IT here but thanks for looking like a total idiot with your assumptions. And I don't care about CA at all, you can have it, I was just explaining to you that your economy, with its third highest unemployment rate of the country and cities going bankrupt is the type of failure you liberals love because, like usual, you can't seem to keep track of topics YOU bring up...get it, yet? YOU brought up CA and how "great" it's doing, not me. Let me know if you're still lost. I love it..."ranting and raving about unemployment." Yeah, it really is a tiny and insignificant statistic, huh? And the democrats are sooooooo much the party of the common man, since you're changing the subject...yet again, that 7 of the 10 richest members of congress are democrats. And yet another shocker...the "faux news" and "Rush" retorts and the "black president" tantrum...the screams of all liberals who can't substantiate any of their talking points and need to deflect from our failing economy and the "leader" who's been "presiding" over it the last four years. Because, obviously, when a republican talks about unemployment, it's "faux rage" but when democrats talk about it, they're taking it seriously....which is why it's never been below 7.8% since Obama's been president. Good thing he's taking it seriously!! The republicans are now a party of angry and old white men. The token hispanics and african americans just not going to do it. The tea party extremists have shot their load so to speak. They have alienated (PO'd) just about every voting bloc in the country. You think its bad now? Wait till the elections in two years. Talk about screwing yourself! BTW, John McCain used to be a friend of Chuck Hagel. Just glad this angry old man ain't my friend. LOL. Alan Fischer, illegals are not allowed to get food stamps or medicaid or anything on your list that goes on and on. Where I live, whites are the majority in the mediums and corners asking for money to drink and a hand out so your comment is all bull@!$%# in my part of the woods.. Go figure! I do admire your hate for Mexicans however. Not! Viknat, when the tax payer provides farm subsidies that's SOCIALISM. When farm produce is trucked down tax payer built roads that's SOCIALISM. There're other SOCIALIST programs like the USDA and the ICC that affect food producers.
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With ConvictionSpeaking truth and standing up for love, justice and mercy worldwide. Advocacy Back in October 2012, two of my dearest guys in my life travelled to Uganda to document the first graduating class of the Timothy Girls School. It was there that they met Monica- a strong, intelligent and soft spoken girl with tenacious ambition. I think back to when I was graduating high school…I did not have to face the same social challenges that Monica does. Yet she is bravely pioneering into the future as a young educated woman, determined to raise the social status of all women in her country. From Malala inPakistan to Monica in Uganda, girls are rising up from rural classrooms and taking their place on the world stage…history is being made all around us. Phillipians 1: 9-11 So Every year God gives me a word or a theme that often defines the journey that He takes me on that year and many of the lessons that I learn that year. October 11, 2012- The first ever International Day of the Girl to advocate for the rights of girls and celebrate the possibilities can that be realized when girls are empowered. All across the world celebrations are taking place, from Dundas Square, Toronto to the Empire State Building in NYC- cities, billboards and hearts are glowing pink to acknowledge the need for girls rights worldwide. And it couldn't have come at a better time. As the world turns pink in recognition, 14 year old Malala Yousufzai currently lies unconscious in a hospital bed after being shot in the head and neck by the Taliban while she was trying to board a school bus to sit on the floor and receive an education in Pakistan. Clearly, knowledge is power and education shapes countries. As NY Times Journalist and Co-Author of the amazing book Half the Sky , Nicholas Kristof said in his recent article: Can you imagine what the world would look like when girls were educated, empowered, listen to, valued, invested in and given their rightful places alongside their male peers? Oh the possibilities! The world has never seen that before! As Martin Luther King Jr. bravely once said…"I have a dream". Let us pray for the brave little hero, Malala Yousufzai. She has a long road ahead of her, even if she recovers from this assassination attempt. The Taliban have promised to kill her, if she continues to speak out about education and Malala, in turn, had recently announced that one day she would like to pursue a leadership role in politics. I pray that she, and many other girls like her, get the opportunity to. Let's stand beside our sisters and make this happen. I believe in the possibilities! Okay…here's the big announcement that I have been holding on for the past week! I have attached the official press release below. I choose the pageants that I am associated with very carefully. I have been asked to compete in many different pageants but I've only been involved in two because I felt that the other pageants focused too much on physical beauty and did not take into account the inner character of the individual. After getting to know the Miss World Canada organization I am convinced that our core values and vision are the same. I believe in the synergy and collaboration of like-minded individuals who are working to accomplish the same goals. Together we become a movement of people who believe in something greater. It would be an absolute honour to be the Ambassador for Canada at the Miss World pageant in China this summer, an absolute honour to have your support and amazing to continue this journey with you as the movement for justice and freedom rises up all around the world! For Immediate ReleaseApril 8, 2012Teng aims to take her fight against slavery to the global stageLangley, B.C. – Abolitionist Tara Teng aims to take her fight against exploitation and slavery to the global stage by joining the Miss World Canada pageant which takes place on Sunday, May 13 at 7 p.m. at the RiverRock Casino. Having held previous provincial and national tiltles, Teng has had the privilege and opportunity to speak across Canada and internationally engaging people to be active in ending human trafficking. Teng believes being a contestant for Miss World Canada is a natural step because of their focus on humanitarian efforts and theme of "beauty with a purpose". "Canada needs to strongly empower women in society to be leaders and Miss World Canada matches my passion to see this happen," Teng says. Teng emphasizes that her entry into Miss World Canada is focused on inspiring action to end human exploitation and preventing violence against women. Teng encourages people to learn more about the vision of Miss World Canada by going to their website at "Convictions must be lived out and I hope my action and efforts to date will demonstrate to the judges that I am a worthy contestant due to the core Canadian values of freedom and equality," Teng says. Miss World® Canada is on the search for the next Ambassador of Canada, and potentially the next Ambassador of the world! Miss World® Canada works on empowering women to help build lifelong skills in in key areas which in turn will open their doors to the future. Teng is thrilled that Miss World Canada will be raising funds for Variety-The Children's Charity . Teng is honoured at the opportunities she has had to influence young women and the fight to see every person worldwide treated with the enormous value they deserve. Teng is asking you to go to the Miss World Canada to vote for her as the People's Choice Award. "No matter the outcome of this pageant I will continue fighting to see exploitation end in my generation," concluded Teng. If you've watched the movie "Taken" then you may imagine what it feels like for a parent to have their child taken from them, sold into human trafficking and the desperate desire to do everything in their power to get their child back. Today I share my blog with Glendene Grant, a close friend and the mother of Jessie Foster. Jessie is a human trafficking victim from Kamloops, BC who went missing 6 years ago today. She was lured into prostitution by a trafficker who posed as a boyfriend. He brought her to Las Vegas on a "vacation" and while she was there, he sold her to a pimp. She has been missing ever since. Glendene's message: "In than 8 hours from this writing it will be 6 LONG YEARS since I got a call that scared the crap out of me. I thought it was Jessie (the area code on the call display was Las Vegas 702) and it sounded like someone calling – then in the 2nd & 3rd calls, SCREAMING for help. Within 24 hours from this writing we knew something was drastically wrong and before long we knew she was missing. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, OUR LIVES HAVE NEVER BEEN THE SAME. Jessie-Bessie, we love you so much and miss you more than we could have ever imagined but we have not lost hope we will find you and we have not forgot you, not even for a minute. You are on our minds ALL THE TIME. JESSIE, YOU ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. PEOPLE ARE SO MUCH MORE AWARE OF THIS CRIME BECAUSE OF THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED TO YOU. YOU HAVE CHANGED LIVES AND YOU HAVE SAVED LIVES AND WE CANNOT WAIT FOR YOU TO COME HOME. You have family members to meet . . . your little sisters are both mommies and family members who have left us and we need to have you back with us where you belong. On Monday, March 26 2012, the Ontario Court of Appeal released their ruling on a landmark prostitution case that will have huge implications on the future of prostitution, sex trafficking and violence against women in our society. To read more of the details, please follow this link. The battle is not over. "It now remains open to Parliament to respond with new legislation that complies with the requirements of the Charter." (Quote from the March 26 Court Document) We are calling on all Canadians who share this belief to stand together in solidarity with those who have been exploited and demand that the Nordic Model for prostitution be adopted by Canada's Parliament. The time to act is now. We have a short window of opportunity to empower women and rise up to defend their safety and freedom. A year ago today, we were drenched by rain and marching through the streets to Langley alongside 300+ other freedom fighters to declare that we will not tolerate the exploitation of human beings! It's amazing to look back over the last year and see how much has happened since then! Thanks to everyone who walked with us on that day and everyone who has continued to fight for freedom every day since then! Let us keep growing the movement and never back down until true freedom has been achieved for every person. I pretend to be really tough but I know that I'm not as strong as I'd like to be. (I don't think I'm fooling anyone either). I got a real wakeup call when I lived in Guatemala for part of the summer two years ago and realized that I'm not tough enough to be a Guatemalan woman. When it comes to the work that women do around the world and the struggles that they face… I am essentially the "1%". I am part of the privileged few that get to enjoy the freedoms, respect and rights that all women deserve. With International Women's day happening this week, March 8th, I am reminded again of how far we've come, how far we have yet to go and how much respect women around the world deserve for all that they do. Please watch this short video, appreciate all the hard work that women do around the world and take the time to appreciate the women around you and send respect/support to the many women worldwide who stilldon't receive the same rights and freedoms that we all deserve. Some people call them hookers…prostitutes…whores… or sex trade workers. I cringe every time I hear any of these terms to describe women in prostitution because no matter what term is used, it never brings justice or dignity to the individual being sold. Studies around the world consistently show that the overwhelming majority of women in prostitution desperately want out right now but see no possible exit opportunities. The correlation between sex trafficking and prostitution is so strong that it is virtually impossible to separate the two. Not only is prostitution controlled by pimps and organized crime, the average entry age into prostitution around the world is between 12-14 years old. This is not a lifestyle choice for these young girls; they have been trafficked into the global sex trade for the purpose of making huge lucrative profits for their pimps, trafficker and "owners". "The girl is the new drug," declares Sergeant Detective Kelley O'Connell of the Boston Police Department's Human Trafficking Unit, vocalizing the global crisis that makes young women the most popular commodity to buy and sell internationally. With this kind of knowledge, there is no possible way that I can label prostituted and trafficked women as common hookers, whores and prostitutes…I doubt that those terms even exist in reality. Sisters While in Korea, I heard a beautiful description of the precious lives trapped in the sex trade. Yesterday some of the workers at a aftercare shelter for victims of human trafficking, described their work with the "sisters" in Korea's illegal red light districts. I asked one of my new Korean friends to elaborate more on her heart for the Korean sisters who have been caught in the vicious cycle of sex trafficking: "Growing up as the eldest child, I did not have an older sister. So every opportunity I got when I met an older female Korean friend or acquaintance I would call them "older sister" in Korean. There was a sense of security and familiarity when I used that term. An older sister was someone who would stand up for you if you were in trouble. Someone you could rely on and trust. Someone you could share secrets with, laugh and cry with, and just be yourself with. You can't replace the power or bond or security of sisterhood. There is a deep history of survival in Korea. Koreans use their pride and unity to help one another, encourage each other, and stand back up on their feet. Even Koreans who have immigrated to other countries, they immediately connect with other Koreans who have immigrated, because there is safety and support with "their" people. I see the older generation in Korea, in workplaces or marketplaces. Their cheerful and familiar banter. Especially the women, the sisterhood. They watch either others' backs, they help the person next to them, and make sacrifices for one another. It's ironic that even with this beautiful idea of unity, strength, and support, there is a selective process about it. With so many people in denial of what is happening right in their own backyards, it is not a surprise that many of the women who are victims of trafficking are excluded from this unifying term, "sister". The vulnerable and weak are now estranged from calling on a "sister" for help from the rest of society and not by their own choice. They are helpless and in need, but they do not have any one to call their "sister", to back them up and stand up for them. They are being ignored and blamed for things not completely in their control. Where did that love, pride, and unity go? Where did the outstretched hand go? Where did the sisterhood go for these victims? Why are they excluded? This is the time when they need us the most. They need us to stand up for them… to fight back against the school bully, the mean girl, the bad boss, the pimp, the johns and fight against the idea that they are okay with the multiple and daily violations of their bodies, minds, and souls. Where are the brothers and sisters who will stand up to restore our lost sisters?" –Estella J. Kang in Seoul, South Korea. Powerful and beautiful words. I am praying that we will all view one another as brothers and sisters of the world. May we never shun, ignore or abandon our sisters who have been sold and exploited in the sex industry. When heroes become villains… Remember the days when comic book heroes heard the silent cries of distressed damsels and rushed in to save the day with strength and bravery? Average citizens, women and children could live without fear because there was always a noble hero nearby to swoop in and save the day! In Seoul, South Korea, there is a very popular comic book by the artist Kim Sung Mo entitled, "Yong Ju Gol". Yet unlike the Marvel comic books that boast the adventures of timeless heroes such as Superman and the Justice League, Yong Ju Gol has published over 180 episodes of comics depicting the sexual exploitation, abuse and even murder of young women in the country's oldest and most popular red light district… which is also named "Yong Ju Gol". Even though prostitution is illegal in South Korea, Yong Ju Gol maintains its popularity and allure due to the popular comic book that shares its name with and describes many of the events that take place there on a daily basis. What is even more surprising is that this comic book, named after a red light district, is not only the most popular comic book in all of area but until recently was sold in popular book stores and read by young children! The red light district, Yong Ju Gol was first established to service the local American military base during the Korean War and has since become the most popular destination for Korean men to visit for paid sexual services. It has grown 3x its original size since it was established in the 1950s and, with over 36,300 square meters, the majority of Korea's trafficked women end up here. While visiting a local human trafficking shelter, I learned that most Korean women are lured into sex trafficking at the young age of 13 or 14 years old, similarly to the situation in Canada. These young girls are often enticed by the promises of money and start working in drinking rooms or kissing rooms, only to find themselves later forced into exploitive situations and under the control of a pimp throughout the 45 Korean red light districts, just like Yong Ju Gol. Once in the Yong Ju Gol, women work an average of 10 hours a day, experiencing high levels of post traumatic stress disorder due to the intense physical, verbal and sexual abuse that they often suffer from the many johns who pay money to their pimps. Much of this violence is perpetuated through the publications of the extremely violent comic book. I wanted to know for myself if this comic book was actually as bad as I had heard and unfortunately, I didn't have to spend a lot of time looking through the comics to see a drawing of a naked Korean woman falling out of a building as she was thrown through an broken glass window, hurled at the street below. With this popular comic book being so readily available to all the youth of Korea, this kind of violent behaviour towards prostituted women is normalized and viewed as acceptable. It was most disappointing to realize that Yong Ju Gol District is over an hour away from Seoul and far past any residential areas. It's only surrounding landscape is rice fields…and yet Korean men drive intentionally, for hours, to visit Yong Ju Gol and abuse Korean women. The comic book artist (left) with a map of the Yong Ju Gol District (right), depicted in each comic book so that readers may visit the real life locations of the comic book's events. Some may say that "boys will be boys" and that "prostitution is the world's oldest profession" but I do not settle for either of these excuses. The measure of a man is not to buy sex from, rape, physically assault or murder women and girls. Men have been entrusted with a greater physical strength so that they may use that power to empower others, not to overpower others. I'm calling out for heroes to answer the silent cries of the exploited and abused Korean women within the Yong Ju Gol District and all other red light districts within Korea! We each have been given the responsibility to be heroes, not villians. To protect and defend those who are weaker than us, not to enslave others. Calling men and women to form a new Justice League and put an end to the abuse, human rights violations, rape and murder that exist in the streets of Yong Ju Gol and all similar neighbourhoods worldwide. Calling all true heroes to rise up, defend dignity and triumph over injustice! Yesterday morning I spoke at LifeWomen at Relate Church in Surrey, BC. It was an incredible, deep and powerful morning of speaking truth, dispelling fears, stepping out in faith and fighting for freedom. Life may be hard and it may feel like there is darkness shadowing the world but we are determined to add to the beauty and be part of God's epic love-story to save the world! After the service I spoke with one woman, in particular, whose story really resonated with me. Meet Annette Reilly. This bright-eyed, free-spirited woman, rockin an adorable pixie-cut, was overflowing with excitement, joy and anticipation of greater things to come! Upon meeting her, I had no idea that she was about to start chemotherapy for cancer the next day….today. Today, as she starts her chemotherapy, I want to direct your attention to the convictions of her heart. She has heard many times about human trafficking and is "tired of being a spectator". She is choosing not to make any more excuses and not allow anything to stop her from standing up for the 27 Million enslaved today. Even as she starts her chemotherapy today, she is thinking of the countless individuals who have it far worse than she does and she is "choosing to take the energy that she does have and commit it to helping others in this world who are suffering." Wow. She is standing on her convictions, adding to the beauty and reclaiming a disease that was designed to bring her down and instead, she is using this experience to lift others out of slavery. I am inspired by her determination to not allow any excuses to hold her back from becoming the person that she was born to be! I encourage you to read her resolutions in her own words HERE. What is holding you back from joining the movement to re-abolish slavery in the world today? I can't even put into words what I am feeling right now. I've been sitting here staring at this page… trying to find the right words to express the revolution rising with my heart. INDIFFERENCE IS NOT AN OPTION Do Something Now nails it in their trailer for Passion 2012…. we cannot afford to allow our desire for personal comfort stand in the way of freedom for 27+Million people worldwide. WE ARE THE REASON WHY THEY ARE IN SLAVERY If there was not a demand for slave-made products and services then there would be no supply. WE are the ones holding innocent people captive. WE drive the demand for "affordable" clothing, coffee beans, rice, tea, cell phones, computers, diamonds, pornography and prostitution. WE are the ones to blame and WE need to be the ones to answer the call to action! The time is NOW. The bell has been ringing for centuries but we were too consumed in ourselves to hear. I refuse to be a bystander. I have been given freedom…now it is my turn to fight for the freedom of others. Over the last three years fighting full-time for freedom, I have been told by numerous people and countless radio interviewers and newspaper journalists that I am overly ambitious or naive. So WHAT?! I believe in a big God who is capable of big things! The "impossible" is irrelevant. The future is changed by people who dare to dream in a better way. The world is changed by people who refuse to accept that status quo when they know that something greater is possible! Do you BELIEVE that slavery will end? Then LIVE like you mean it! I will show you my faith by what I do (James 2:18). Actions speak louder than words and once you truly believe in something, it changes the way that you live every aspect of your life! I'm don't want to live lukewarm, "half-ass" or less than God has for me. I want to live WITH CONVICTION and make my faith evident by the way I live each day. If we want to "make a difference" then we need to be ready to sacrifice it all, live on the edge and join the love revolution of shameless idealists who live with conviction and challenge the status quo, for a world of freedom and radiance! It's that time of year again! The trees, mountains and sidewalks are covered in a white dusting of snow, sparkling lights drape over our houses, the malls are filled with the sounds of Michael Buble's new Christmas album while Starbucks is handing out drinks in the signature holiday red cups! Yes, festive cheer and Christmas spirit is most certainly in the air! This Christmas, let's remember the real reason why we celebrate. True love came to earth, took the most lowly of positions and began a mission to set us free from the oppressions of this world. Without this, there would be no reason to celebrate. So let us allow the essence of Christmas to permeate the very centre of who we are. This year, let's give gifts to our loved ones that spread love and freedom to others around the world. These gifts aren't sparkly or glitzy and don't have newest cutting edge technology but they shine with a radiance that is beyond compare! Here is my Christmas list of gift ideas for you and your loved ones and the world. Freedom Tea – This is a unique rooibos blend that I created in partnership with Aromatica Teas in Chilliwack, BC. Green rooibos, red rooibos, lemon myrtle, lemon verbena, and lemongrass, with just a hint of vanilla.. Intense lemon taste in a caffeine free, high antioxidant base. What could be better? Only one thing: proceeds from this tea are donated to International Justice Mission Canada to fight human trafficking internationally. The "Act Justly" bag from FreeSet. Freeset is a fair trade business offering employment to women trapped in Kolkata's sex trade. They make quality jute bags and organic cotton t-shirts, but our business is freedom. Freeset would like to see the 10,000 sex workers in their neighborhood empowered with the choice of leaving a profession they never chose in the first place. The Freedom Scarf. Available in four different styles the soft hand-woven accessories are made by a group of women from vulnerable communities in Delhi, India. These scarves help make a huge difference to these local artisan communities by boosting their economy and providing sustainable employment. The Freedom Scarf is available through the Not for Sale store. Jewelry from Rahab Ministries Thailand. I visited with Rahab Ministries while I was in Bangkok, Thailand earlier this year and was blow away by the beauty of the women that I met there! Their radiance far outshines the beauty of the jewelry they make because they know what it means the live in true freedom. When your purchase jewelry from Rahab Ministries, you are showing the women that they are valuable. I have two necklaces from Rahab and I wear them all the time! I am certain that you and your loved ones will be as happy with your purchases as I am! New to the World Vision Gift Guide this year is a suggested gift of $75 to help a sexually exploited child.Over one million children — most of them girls — are exploited in the global sex trade. Your gift will help bring hope and healing through World Vision trauma centers where children receive safe shelter, medical care, counseling, vocational training and when possible, reintegration into safe and loving homes. Please, I can't stress how important this is. You can offer your love and support here. And finally, if you really want to make a lasting impact this Christmas and show true love and give freedom. Then I can't think of anything greater than making a long term commitment to provide healthcare, education and support to a child. This is prevention of modern day slavery! Please, I can't think of a better way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. A child is waiting for you here. MERRY CHRISTMAS! I was only a year old when it happened. I didn't learn about it until much later and even today I cannot even imagine what it would have felt like— not knowing if you were going to live or die. On December 6, 1989 a lone gunman entered into a polytechnique school, separated the women from the men, terrorized the female students for 45 minutes before cornering the women, shooting 14 and then killing himself. For the 14 victims of the Montreal Massacre, their only crime was that they were born female and studying to enter in to the profession of their choice. This was the world that I was born into. Yesterday was the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Today the most horrific human rights abuses and the greatest challenge of our time is the violence against women that is normalized and silent throughout our world. Last Thursday I spoke at a school-wide assembly at Rideau District High School in Elgin. The assembly was focused on ending violence against women and encouraging each student to treat one another with the dignity and respect that they all deserve as people. They polled 50 of the female students in the halls and asked them if they had ever been called disrespectful or derogatory names to their faces. 45 of the 50 students said yes. There is an idea in our Canadian schools that women are less capable than men, less intelligent than men or less valuable than men and in our Canadian high schools….its treated as a joke! 22 years ago today, that attitude fostered outrageous violence that claimed the lives of 14 young women who only wanted to be valued, contributing members of Canadian society. This is why I fight to end human trafficking. Human trafficking has been defined as a form of violent against women. 80% of all human trafficking victims are female and 50% are under the age of 18 years old. My world shook upside down when, five years ago, I found out that a neighbour of mine, from Walnut Grove, Langley- a suburb of Vancouver, had lost a daughter to human trafficking. Their fourteen year old daughter was stolen from them, lured into prostitution by a trafficker who posed as a boyfriend. I do not believe that people were made for the purposes of cheap labour or cheap sex. We hold inherent value that is so much greater than that. And that is at the heart of ending human trafficking and ending violence against women. We must continue to work together. Ending Human Trafficking, ending violence against women and ending sexual exploitation are more important than partisan lines. Fighting human trafficking is not a calling or a passion, it is the duty and responsibility of every Canadian and every human being on the planet. It is not charity, or doing good in order to "give back", it is defending dignity, valuing human life… it is justice and it is all our responsibility. As long as violence against women remains, as long as I have to fear to walk back to my car at night, as long as women are still being sold as commodities on street corners, in penthouses in massage parlous… as long as young girls are told that their value is placed in how they look, we will not be the Canada that we aspire to be, that we are capable of being and that we were born to be. Today Canada has the opportunity to be a beacon of light to the rest of the world. From coast, to coast, to coast- this is our land, this is our home and we cannot tolerate violence against women, we will not tolerate the exploitation of human lives, Not in our cities, not in our country, not in our world! People are not to be bought and sold! We are more than that. You are more than that. The fourteen women who lost their lives 22 years ago are more than that. The hundreds of Canadian women who have gone missing or murdered are more than that. The thousands women and children who are bought and sold within Canadian borders are more than that. We must be the true North, strong and free. I don't know how to describe family without sounding cheesy. Maybe that's the great thing about family- they'll take me and my cheesiness… and love me anyway. That's the beautiful thing about family: Love…unconditional, annoying, messy, fulfilling, "in-your-face" love. I wouldn't be who I am today without that kind of love. It is this love that has moulded me, shaped me, scolded me, empowered me, made me laugh until my insides hurt and helped me discover who I was born to be. That's real love. Powerful love. The kind of true love that each of us long for, strive for and were made for. Familes are the building block to bring life into the world. A home is the place where that life is nurtured and shared. The good times, the bad times, the laughter and pain…family was made because it is not good for any of us to be alone. Children are precious gifts that are entrusted to families so that they will receive the mentorship, protection and encouragement that they need to thrive. Yet the average age of a human trafficking victim is 12-14 years old. Youth in Canada are incredibly suseptible to exploitation and in many ways, the family has failed them. From sex trafficking to forced labour, human trafficking is happening in Canadian cities everywhere. Most victims of human trafficking fall prey to traffickers due to a lack of education, poverty, drug addiction, history of domestic violence, sexual abuse, low socio-economic status and low self-esteem. Most exploited youth have never experienced a family- they've been discarded by their family, abused by their family or even forced into exploitive situations by their family. They need a safe place to call home, a family to belong to, a reason to care, a place of unconditional acceptance and most of all, a place where people believe in them and value them. Galations 4:7 declares to those who have chosen to live their lives according to God's plan for them: "So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." In the context of human trafficking, also known as modern day slavery, I find this scripture incredibly beautiful. God takes the ones that the world has used, abused and discarded and makes them part of His Royal Family. I cannot comprehend the grace that He pours out to us and it leaves me in awe every day. I want all youth in Canada to know their value and their worth. They are not commodities to be bought and sold. They are fiercely loved and created for purpose. The time has come for them to come home so that they will receive the mentorship, protection and encouragement that they need to thrive. So that they can be lifted up with the understanding that they have been created to bring new life into the world and glorify their Father in Heaven. With Conviction, Tara Teng- Member of the "Coming Home" Family Find out more information on how to support the "Coming Home" Community here. ** This is my friend, Guillermo. He is a future coffee farmer who lives in Guatemala. He is 13 years old. Have you ever thought about where your products come from? Who grows the food you eat, makes the clothes you wear, mines the stones and minerals for your jewelry, harvests the cocoa in your chocolate, roasts your coffee beans, puts together your electronics and is involved in extracting the raw resources and works on the production of the products that you use when you open your fridge, closet, drawer or drive your car? I recently did an online assessment of the products that I use and discovered, based on the raw material in the products that I own, I have 28 slaves working for me. I am talking about literal slavery- not just sweatshops, in which men, women and children are forced into providing labour, against their will, for their owners who control every aspect of their lives from when the slaves sleep, eat, and work. Many human trafficking slaves are also victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. Human trafficking victims can be slaves in their own country and to experience human trafficking does not mean that you have been transported against your will across an international border. It means that you are being forced to provide labour, services or organs and failure to provide these services will result in harm to yourself or your loved ones. So how have you been involved, either directly or indirectly, in the enslavement of people around the world? Our privileged demand for cheaper and more convenient products has created a market where it is profitable to traffick and enslave humans. Want to know how many slaves work for YOU? Take the quiz at and then your consumer power to demand that major corporations and popular brands eliminate forced labour in their products, ensuring that trafficking in humans is something that is no longer profitable. ** If you want to support Guillermo and his family of independent coffee farmers… please visit to purchase some of the BEST Guatemalan coffee you've ever had! Been in Ottawa for over 2 weeks now…I get to live in a historic mansion with awesome people, be challenged in my classes on ethics and leadership, serve my country, dedicate my time to combating human trafficking and protecting the most vulnerable in Canada, learn from an incredible mentor (Joy Smith) and work in a building that has been named "Justice"….wow, I am so blessed! As great as all these things are, what is even more important than any of these things is that I get to be a DOT. What is a dot, you may ask? Let me explain. Remember those awesome childhood games that you parents gave you for long car rides and road trips? Or maybe when they knew you'd be sitting in a waiting room with you somewhere and they needed to keep you entertained? Well, I was always a big fan of those games…especially the game "Connect the Dots". It wasn't just a car ride game for me. It was genuinely a favourite past-time of mine! I even went as far as "connecting the dots" that had formed on my legs after a long camping trip full of mosquito bites. (This is not my leg…someone ELSE found the need to tattoo a "Connect the Dots" game to their leg…suddenly my mosquito bite dot-game doesn't seem so bad.) Weird childhood habits aside…Connecting the Dots was always a fun game. When you first looked at the page, nothing makes sense, it's only a bunch of jumbled chaotic dots, covering a page in the same way that stars cluster across the sky. But as you look a little closer and start drawing lines between the dots, connecting them, a beautiful image emerges from the chaos and reveals the purpose of each dot and why it was placed in the location that it was placed. The whole unit would unravel if even one dot was out of place. I believe that nothing in life happens by chance: We are all created for a unique purpose, calling and destiny. Sometimes we cannot see our purpose and things in our lives may happen that we do not understand. Yet, one day, we will stand back and see the big picture, why things happened the way they did… and when this happens we will find ourselves in a unique place and be able to connect with the other dots around us to form a beautiful image, a work of art, a master piece: something far greater than any of us could ever be on our own. This is why it is imperative that we must come together. It's time to rally the troops, gather the gang, call a family meeting and bring everyone together. Human Trafficking is a major reality in the world and it is happening to men, women and children in Canada and worldwide. It is slavery and it must be stopped. Permanently. Last weekend I was asked to be an honourary guest and speaker at the Toronto segment of the cross-Canada Freedom Relay. A young but powerful NGO, Free-Them , spear-headed the event in T-Dot and brought together all the freedom fighters in the region. Law Enforcement, Front-line anti-human trafficking workers, politicians, survivors and hundreds of passionate individuals joined together for one day and one purpose: to walk side-by-side as we declared that we will work together, support the movement to end modern-day slavery and we will not back down from the fight until freedom for every enslaved individual has been gained. On the same day, MP Joy Smith and Free-Them announced that they would be starting a new campaign: "PROUD TO BE A DOT". You see, together, WE are the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking. Don't get my wrong…I still desperately want the Canadian Federal Government to design and implement a National Action Plan (I humbly suggest one by the name of "Connecting the Dots"), but I also want to acknowledge that we will be most effective when we are ALL engaged in the battle to end human trafficking. In the same way that every body part has a job that works together with each other body part for perfect unity and efficiency, the Dots are meant to be lined up and working together. There are some thing that law enforcement does that I cannot do. There are ways that a 10-year old child can inspire a community that a 50-year old might not, because they are the same age of many human trafficking victims. There are ways that health care providers, fire fighters, teachers, "cable guys and neighbours can be the eyes and ears in their communities, working to both prevent and intervene human trafficking. Furthermore, as concerned Canadian citizens who want to see human trafficking end and freedom reign, we have the incredible responsibility to work with our government and our leaders, to help them do what is needed to end human trafficking and protect the most vulnerable in our society. We are each a dot…a piece of the puzzle… the solution to ending human trafficking. Wow. Connecting the Dots….can you imagine what we can achieve together? Are you starting to get a sense of how beautiful this movement really is? Yes, unity is a beautiful thing. As we took to the streets, hundreds of round, purple balloons began lifting towards the sky. The streets were lined with bouncing dots, energetically waving in the air as we shouted for freedom. The atmosphere was electrifying. It is a beautiful thing when the "Dots" come together. The future is altered when the dots come together. I am PROUD TO BE A DOT. I am proud to do my part in ending human trafficking and protecting the vulnerable. I am proud to stand next to all the other dots across Canada, knowing that I am placed exactly where I need to be. I am proud to add my voice to the freedom cry that is rising up all around the world. I am proud to do whatever needs to be done so that freedom is achieved and slavery, in all its forms, is eradicated forever. Join us…let's be "Dots" together! For freedom! With Conviction, Tara Teng Miss Canada 2011 and a proud "Dot" in the fight to end human trafficking. It is currently early Thursday morning…1:09AM (EST). I'm sitting on a couch, across from a century old fireplace in a beautiful historic mansion that was built in 1909. I have just completed my first week living in the Nation's Capital of Ottawa and I love it here. I am a new student for the Fall 2011 class at the Laurentian Leadership Centre and tomorrow afternoon I will begin my internship for MP Joy Smith at her office on Parliament Hill. At this early hour, as with any hour of the day, Facebook asks me the same question that it does every time I visit the networking site…"What's on your mind?". After spending 9 days in Canada's capital city, located just blocks away from some of the most influential offices, departments and individuals in our country, and living in a mansion that is literally holding the namesake of leadership, there is one central thing on my mind…"Leadership: what is it and how do we do it?" On Tuesday night I stumbled across a Twitter Chat and Hashtag…#LeadfromWithin. There I found many like-minded individuals who we seeking to answer the same question of leadership that I was/am. "Leaders know that greatness is cultivated in their private life and made public through the storms of life. #leadfromwithin" It gave me a lot to think about. The next morning when I woke up and started class (at 8:30am…what a time!), we began a discussion about "what makes a good leader?". Here were some of our answers: Charisma Vision Delegation Motivate Inspire Integrity Persuasive Strategic/ tactical Understand followers Ability to connect and relate with followers Perseverance Overcome failure Listen well Sense of humor Discretion Takes responsibility Ability to unite Deal with conflict Role models Character Wisdom Courage Humility Loyalty to their friends Thick skin to deal with being a leader Big picture thinking Decisive Makes the right choices even when they are tough choices Brands their image Knowledge of a process Take advice Adaptable Team-builder People-reader I know, we spend thousands of dollars each year to discuss such topics…but truly, what does it mean to be a good leader, and perhaps more importantly, how do I implement this into my own life? I am living here, at the Laurentian Leadership Centre for the next 3 months…trying to discover and experience the answer to this question. I do not know what the future holds. I do not know how I will handle it. I know that I am standing on the edge of something greater…looking down at the plunge I am about to take… I know that the "status quo" does not work and that something must be done. I know that every fibre of my being wants to learn how to effectively combat human trafficking. I know that I want to stand for justice, whatever the cost. I know that I have a lot to learn. I know that it is time to leave my comfort zone. I know that at the end of the day I want to be able to say, with full conviction, that I did my job to the best of my abilities and I did not compromise for anything. I know that I want to look back and see that I stayed true to my Calling, remembering why I was fighting and who I was fighting for. It is humbling to think that someone, somewhere in an office at Trinity Western University thought that I am, or at least one day could be, a leader. So here I am now…for the next 3 months…living in the central city of power, leadership, influence and decision making in Canada…trying to discover what that means. I am excited to see how my passions, convictions and past life experience will converge with the future that is set before me. It's an exciting and terrifying time to be in. There are many more thoughts that I could write down at this moment….but I have class early in the morning again, and I think its about time that I be a responsible student and lead my body to bed. Don't ever think that you are too small to make an impact or too young to change the world. 15-year old Anna Demian- my teammate and fellow abolitionist is part of the "Ignite the Road to Justice" tour that is travelling across Canada from August 15-September 4th. She isn't waiting until she's older to start making a difference; she's using her voice for justice right now! She is proving by her actions that all you need is a heart to end human trafficking and the commitment to do whatever it takes to see the job through. Well done, Anna! I am so proud of you and thrilled to stand with you in the fight to end human trafficking! VANCOUVER, BC- Miss Canada Tara Teng is calling upon BC Solicitor General Shirley Bond to review and set the record straight on the status of funding for the BC Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP). "OCTIP plays a critical role in combating human trafficking in BC and we want to know whether Minister Bond is committed to this office, " says Teng. "Human trafficking is a serious problem in Canada and combating it needs everyone's involvement." says anti-human trafficking activist and current Miss Canada 2011, Tara Teng. This statement comes just days after the B.C. Government quietly reduced funding to B.C. Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP). Until just recently, the B.C. Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP) provided assistance to victims of Human Trafficking through a 24/7 support hotline, victim services, training for front-line responders and raising public awareness. These services were critical for both foreign and Canadian victims of Human Trafficking. "It is crucial that the B.C. Government does everything possible to ensure that vulnerable people are protected from exploitation." Says Teng. Teng emphasizes that we need clarification so that the work of this important office continues to stay strong. Teng has been active in fighting human trafficking for a number of years and regularly speaks out publicity on the crisis, hoping to raise awareness of human trafficking. "It's a long, uphill battle but I am encouraged because everywhere I look there are concerned citizens standing up and getting serious about ending human exploitation. We will not tolerate this any longer- not in our cities, our nation or our world! We want the B.C. Government to take this seriously, because we do!"
eng
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http://tarateng.wordpress.com/category/advocacy/
Jamette Carnival and Afro-Caribbean Influences on the Work of Jean Rhys by Cynthia Davis Cynthia Davis is associate professor of English at Barry University in Miami, where she teaches African-American and Caribbean literature. She coauthored with Verner Mitchell, Where the Wild Grape Grows: Selected Writings, 1930-1950, a critical biography of African-American writer Dorothy West, and has published essays in both fields. 1 Most art critics would agree that since the Universal Exhibition of 1900 in Paris, African aesthetics have profoundly influenced twentieth century sculpture and painting. Literary critics have paid less attention to ways in which West African culture and rhetorical patterns have shaped twentieth century writing. A case in point is the Dominican writer Jean Rhys (1890-1979) who has been located within the discursive spaces of formalism and feminism and, in the case of Wide Sargasso Sea, postcolonialism. Aside from Caribbeanists who, as Kamau Brathwaite points out in "A Post-Cautionary Tale," bat Rhys back and forth as "The Helen of Our Wars," critical response to Rhys' work usually privileges its European modernism and concern with form over its Caribbean cultural context. Even though Ford Madox Ford trumpets her Antillean origin in the introduction to her first book, The Left Bank and Other Stories (1927), critics of Rhys' first four novels rarely mention her West Indian identity. Such an oversight is puzzling, considering that every text, European setting notwithstanding, includes such identifiable Afrocentric elements as parody, satire, masquerade, hybridity, heteroglossia, and the rhetorical technique of call-and-response. Critics who do acknowledge the culture of the Black Atlantic in all of Rhys' work include Kenneth Ramchand and Elaine Savory. Ramchand contextualizes her style, "essentially image and rhythm," as part of the Negritude movement of the 1930's (Ramchand 134), while Savory contends that Rhys' texts "conduct important conversations between gender, national, racial and class positions" (198). Janette Martin further asserts that Afrocentric spirituality provides all of Rhys' protagonists with an "alternative epistemology" (5), "to transcend or, more important, to transgress conventional modes of knowing and behaving" (4). It is surprising that even after the publication of her specifically West Indian novel, Wide Sargasso Sea (1966), A. Alvarez hailed her as "the best living English novelist," and Carole Angier, her British biographer, never visited Dominica as part of her research. Annette Gilson, however, maintains that Rhys' Afrocentric identity is always present in her European texts, albeit coded and manifested as presence-as-absence (654). 2 Like Picasso and Modigliani, to whose art she alluded in her novels, Jean Rhys drew on African sources, mediated in her case through the culture of her Dominican homeland. Just as visual artists learned, from West African masks and sacred artifacts, to streamline and stylize form, so Rhys borrowed cultural and oral tropes from the Yoruba and other West African peoples. These cultural markers had crossed the Atlantic with the slave ships and evolved into the trickster tales, ghost stories, obeah spells, talismans, satirical calypso songs and carnival street performances of Dominica and the other Caribbean islands. In privileging Afro-Caribbean orality, heteroglossia, hybridity, and satire, Rhys stands as a foremother to Anglophone writers such as Olive Senior, Michelle Cliff, Rambai Espinet, Jamaica Kincaid, Pauline Melville, Velma Pollard, Erna Brodber, and Opal Palmer Adisa. Like the Martinican novelist Mayotte Capecia (Lucette Combette), Rhys writes against the racist travelogues of "local colorists" like Lafcadio Hearn and subverts the stereotype of the guiablesse (female demon) in both West Indian and European sites (Carter 446). Rhys' protagonists, like Capecia's, have been dismissed as apolitical and Eurocentric when in fact the reverse is true. Rhys' interrogation of power relations across racial, sexual and economic lines is subversive, and she approaches her subject in the indirect, elliptical style of Afrocentric social criticism. 3 This paper contextualizes Rhys within Afro-Dominican culture and argues that the texts set in Paris and London are deeply informed by the culture, specifically by the rhetorical device of call-and-response and by the persona of the female carnival street performer, or jamette. Jamette is Trinidadian Creole, from the French diametre, the name given to the working class women who took part in carnival (Liverpool 3). The term is used in a broader sense here to include the transgressive, parodic style of the Dominican female street performers of Rhys' childhood. I would argue that for Rhys, the jamette signifies an opposition to the legal and cultural "limitations … that seek to close women and to enclose [them] 'safely'" (Fayad 451). Rhetorically, Rhys uses Afrocentric "forms of verbal artistry such as calypso that require economy and highly developed verbal play [and] permit a depth of signification without many words" (Savory 153). Rhys thus indirectly interrogates colonial and metropolitan power structures. In combining modernism and African aesthetics with the hybridity and heteroglossia of her own background, she shapes the satirical tone and parodic structure of her work. 4 It is not surprising that Jean Rhys was drawn to subversive Afrocentric orality. She was born on a predominately African island at the height of the British Empire; her father was a Welsh physician and her mother, a Lockhart, came from an old Creole family. Rhys, who began writing at an early age, was also musical; she played the piano and sang traditional West Indian melodies: folk songs like "Brown Girl in the Ring" and "Roseau Town;" French Creole ballads; and carnival songs like "Charlie Lulu" (Jean Rhys Collection [Series I, Box 5, Folder 13] Department of Special Collections, McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). Since there was constant musical exchange between Dominica and Trinidad, some of the tunes she learned as a child may well have been of Yoruba origin, brought to Trinidad by indentured Africans between 1841 and 1867 (Rohlehr 16). Fluent in Dominica's French patois, she translated carnival songs for her disapproving English relatives, and soon grasped the heteroglossic implications of nation language. The British administrators in Dominica, as in Trinidad, "nurtured a mistrust of the [Afro-]Franco-Catholic element … [and] had settled on a policy of systematically anglicizing the island, both with respect to language and population" (Rohlehr 51). Rhys was aware of the politics of pronunciation and knew that accent denoted class: "Now that I've spoken you can hear that I'm an … English gentlewoman. I have my doubts about you. Speak up and I'll place you at once" (Rhys, Voyage 35). Deprecated throughout her life for her West Indian accent, Rhys trained herself to speak in a whisper. However, her "acute memory of West Indian speech" served her well as she composed the "remarkable and convincing dialogue" in Wide Sargasso Sea and stories like "Let Them Call It Jazz" (Savory 166). In her seventies she recorded Afro-French lullabies and Houdini's (Edgar Leon Sinclair) 1926 calypso "Woman Sweeter Than Man" in a flawless Dominican accent (Jean Rhys Collection [Series I, Box 2, Folder 3] Department of Special Collections, McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). 5 In addition to her musical interests, Rhys was knowledgeable about Afrocentric folklore: witches, ghosts, shape-shifters, tricksters, soucriants, and zombies. She researched Voudou and left copious notes on Baron Samedi and other Haitian deities (Jean Rhys Collection [Series I, Box 4, Folder 15] Department of Special Collections, McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). Rhys often mentioned obeah in her correspondence and claimed she could cast spells. She "enjoyed alluding to herself as a witch, especially when she thought others so imaged her;" in fact, her neighbors in the remote Devon village of Cheriton Fitzpaine accused her of witchcraft more than once (Savory 110; Rhys, Letters 248). In later years, Rhys used trickster skills to avoid intrusive fans and importunate interviewers. When a reporter in possession of a batch of Rhys' book reviews appeared for an interview, Rhys appropriated the reviews before rushing her out, whispering "Merde, dearie, that's what they say for good luck"(Litherland 1).Rhys' "malicious grin" made the reporter think of "voodoo … of little dolls with pins … (of) shades of Martinique" (1). Rhys was aware of the Afrocentric power of names: "I have a thing about names … they are very important indeed" (Letters 170). She often changed hers, either because she hoped a new "identity" would improve her luck, or for self-protection. In Voyage, Anna Morgan is teased about her West Indian heritage and retorts: "[m]y real name isn't Morgan and I'll never tell you my real name … Everything that I tell you about myself is a lie" (78). Dissimulation, witchcraft and shape-shifting appear frequently in Rhys' work: the black cat in "Kikimora," either a familiar or a shape-shifting spirit, suddenly attacks a patronizing male guest (Short Stories 331-334). Rhys' meek, passive protagonists are deeply angry women who fantasize about changing into animals: "one day the fierce wolf that walks by my side will spring on you and rip your abominable guts out"(Good Morning Midnight 375). Rhys' interest in shape-shifting and tricksters may have been inspired by the Dominicans who transformed themselves through the elaborate masks and costumes of the road march and sang carnival songs of picong (provocation) and mepris (scorn). Satire, as an approach to musical expression, had survived the Middle Passage and blended with Catholic ritual to create a uniquely Dominican cultural synthesis. Rhys was aware, however, that calypso songs and carnival performances were not simply entertainment, but were modes of resistance to an unjust and exploitative system. 6 The only eyewitness accounts of African celebrations in the Caribbean are filtered through a voyeuristic European gaze although, as Jean D'Costa and Barbara Lalla point out, "even in … travelogues written by white visitors survive echoes of the voices of those who, having neither quill nor printing press, left the mark of their exile upon the minds of white observers" (8). Jamaica, Trinidad, Dominica, St. Lucia, and the Virgin Islands all developed unique approaches to holiday performance, and although the Jamaican Set Girls and the Trinidadian jamettes represent different cultural phenomena, they shared a common parodic and subversive response to social and economic repression. In 1687, Sloane described holiday dances or "plays" in Jamaica that involved costumes, props, and "great activity and strength of body in keeping time" (Long 384). In all of the islands, the role of women is well documented. Even before the advent of the jamettes, entrepreneurial women had hosted public parties and fetes. One woman in pre-Emancipation Trinidad "gave dances and made a great deal of money by them; she paid for everything—supper, liquor and music; and each negro paid half a dollar for admission" (Rohlehr 13). In the Virgin Islands, the Bamboula queen composed extemporaneous verses to which the other dancers sang a chorus in call-and-response style (Rohlehr 25). In Jamaica, during Christmas week, the Set Girls danced through the streets of Kingston. They wore elegant frocks trimmed with red or blue and sang satirical, topical songs (Lewis 56). Another witness of the Jamaican festivities reported that, the creole negro girls of the towns … dressed with much taste … Their gowns are of the finest muslin with pink or blue satin spencers … gold necklaces, ear-rings and other expensive trinkets shine to advantage on their jet black skins (Stewart 273). The Queen at the head of the procession "eclipse[s] all the rest in the splendor of her dress" (274). Similarly, the St. Lucian La Rose Society featured Queens "with bright coloured head dresses, sparkling with jewelry (who) sang in cadences (with) dangerous gracefulness" (Rohlehr 33). 7 There was always a subversive undercurrent to these performances, which sometimes masked slave uprisings. Between 1649 and 1833, one third of the seventy documented slave revolts in the Caribbean occurred at holiday time (Dirks 168). By the turn of the century, the harsh conditions of the urban poor had perforce altered the "stateliness, subtle eroticism and decorum" of the early nineteenth century street performances (Rohlehr 33). In fact, Rhys' eyewitness account of Dominican carnival women is remarkably similar to newspaper descriptions of Trinidadian Jamette Carnival (Liverpool 3). By Rhys' time, the colonial press had become sufficiently discomfited by the subversive nature of these masked female performers to complain that, the obscenities, the bawdy language and gestures of the women in streets have been pushed to a degree of wantonness which … cannot be tolerated. The young girls will become the curse of the country if these yearly saturnalia are allowed to continue" (Rohlehr 31). Undeterred, the Dominican carnival women, in "whiteface," wearing "masks made of close meshed wire covering the whole face and tied at the back of the head—the handkerchief that went over the back of the head hid the strings and over the slits for the eyes mild blue eyes" and "little red heart-shaped mouths" (Rhys, Voyage 113), continued to parody and lampoon powerful colonial interests. 8 In Rhys' Dominica in the early 1900's, political and economic power was vested in the British civil servants who administered the country, in the Catholic Church, and in the privileged proprietor-class, which included both whites and people of color. The island had bounced between French and British control until 1782 when a decisive naval battle determined its status as a British possession. French patois remained the language of the folk and is still spoken by some older, rural Dominicans (Honeychurch 2005). The "mulatto" or colored elite of Dominica had challenged white hegemony more successfully than on any other Caribbean island according to Lennox Honeychurch (Honeychurch 1984). People of color, predominantly Catholic and of Afro-French descent, controlled the outspoken local press, as Rhys shows in stories "Again the Antilles," "Fishy Waters," and "Pioneers, O Pioneers." In the former story, Papa Dom, the editor of the fictional Dominica Herald, "was against the Government, against the English, against the Island's being a Crown Colony" (Rhys, Short Stories 39). Rhys' father was satirized by the editor of the real Dominica Dial for his "conviviality," his constant bridge playing, and the suspicion that he had parlayed his assignment to a remote medical district into a more lucrative one in the capital (Savory 6). Although racial discrimination in Dominican politics had been illegal since 1831 (photographs of the House of Assembly in Rhys' time show a representative number of delegates of color), tensions were evident between the Afro-French planters and the British administrators. Rhys interrogates Dominica's complex hierarchy of race and class in "Pioneers, O Pioneers." "The black women were barefooted, wore gaily striped turbans and highwaisted dresses" (Rhys, Short Stories 275), while Afro-French Madame Menzies maintained the dignity of her old-fashioned riding habit, and British Mr. Ramage lived out an imperialist fantasy in his "tropical kit, white suit, red cummerbund, solar topee" (276). These different perspectives are linked through the consciousness of the young protagonist who rejects the reductive, hegemonic vision of colonial society. 9 Between the uneasy alliance of Afro-French and British interests and the black working class, there stretched a wide divide. Slavery had been abolished officially since 1834 but the former bondsmen and women were only marginally better off in the 1900's. A mercantilist economy discouraged local industry and tied the people to subsistence farming and domestic service. The poor possessed little mobility and had minimal recourse to the courts. Christophene, the obeah woman in Wide Sargasso Sea, is clearly based on Anne Truitt, the Rhys family's cook who was arrested and accused of practicing obeah by Governor Hesketh Bell. Truitt's photograph is among Bell's papers at Cambridge University; the Governor seems to have photographed many of his female prisoners (Honeychurch 2005). Truitt's low opinion of British justice has undoubtedly come down to us in the words of her fictional counterpart: "No more slavery! She had to laugh! 'These new ones have Letter of the Law. Same thing. They got magistrate. They got fine. They got jail house and chain gang'" (Rhys, Sargasso 471). Through Christophene, Rhys interrogates a legal system that defines obeah and other aspects of African spirituality as evil and illegal. 10 In the absence of a just legal solution in Dominica, such as land reform, carnival and calypso provided a sanctioned outlet for resistance. Caribbean calypso, as Rohlehr points out, derives "from an older West African tradition of social commentary, in which praise, blame or derision were conveyed in song" (1). African music "often served the purpose of social control … leaders of society recognized the value of such satirical songs in which the ordinary person was given the privilege of unburdening his mind … in a controlled context" (2). Stylistically, the old Yoruba songs, "whether sacred or secular, indicate a source of that satire-cum-boast tradition within the calypso" ( Rohlehr 17). Rhys would have heard topical songs of "praise, blame, picong, ridicule, improvisation; and the themes of women and love-intrigue" (Rohlehr 2), all structured in call-and-response or litany form, "which consisted of a couplet in recitative form and a chorus" (Rohlehr 2). Although both Rhys and her cousin Emily Lockhart wrote calypsos in nation language, including one by Lockhart about "the gold Sargasso Sea" that provided the title of Rhys' novel, actual participation in carnival was limited to the black working class (Jean Rhys Collection [Series II, Box 1, Folder 2], Department of Special Collections, McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). The proprietary class, people of color and whites, watched from behind louvered windows as masked and costumed revelers composed extemporaneous verses and chorused responses to percussion and string bands. Rhys recalls that: In the afternoon, from four to six, the singing, dancing mobs thronged the streets. I used to hang out of an upstairs window and watch … Dancing, swaying people, dressed in every colour of the rainbow … the women-masks were powdered and scented. You could see the powder like bloom on the dark skin of their necks and arms … (the dancers) passed under the window, singing, headed by three musicians—a man with a concertina, another with a triangle, and a third with a "shak-shak" … I used to think, "Imagine being able to do that—to dance along the street in the sun … dressed in red or yellow, to concertina music; and to sing and shout your defiance …" ("Lost Island" 10). 11 While Dominicans may not have used the term jamette to describe carnival performers, Rhys would have been familiar with the word since it appeared in the Antillean newspapers to which her father subscribed, as well as in repressive legislation and in references to official documents such as R.G. C. Hamilton's 1881 report to the Secretary of State for the Colonies on Trinidad's Canboulay Riots (Liverpool 21). Because some of the African dances that survived the Middle Passage were fertility-oriented, the carnival performances that Rhys observed included movements that were routinely banned by European colonizers who "had brought to the New World, a horrendous history of anti-feminism" (Roehler 4), of witch-hunts and misogyny. The language used by the colonial press to describe the moves of the transgressive jamettes anticipates that expressed by characters in Rhys' texts, who object to both black carnival dancers in Dominica and to solitary women of all races in European cities. In Voyage, an English aunt, watching the dancers, repeats angrily, "It ought to be stopped … it's not a decent and respectable way to go on" (113). Through the trope of masking, Rhys specifically connects her protagonists with the jamettes. In Good Morning Midnight, Sasha's face is "a tormented mask" that she can "remove and hang on a nail" (370). Wandering through Paris, she wonders whether she should place over her face "a tall hat with a green feather, hang a veil over the lot, and walk about the dark streets merrily … Singing defiantly 'You don't like me, but I don't like you either' … Singing 'one more river to cross, that's Jordan, Jordan'" (370). Sasha's defiance and her reference to an African-American spiritual reveal an Afrocentric epistemology. Writing in the persona of a jamette, Rhys rejects the hypocrisy and oppression of European belief systems: They had their feet well on your necks; and they paid you barely enough to live on and then called you "lazy devil" … for not doing more work; and imagined that you envied them, their pale faces and their pursed-up mouths, half-cruel, half-sanctimonious, and the stiffly-wooden gestures of their bodies. And, after all, they could only look on at you leaping in the sun and envy you ("Lost Island" 10). 12 Rhys' Afrocentric belief system may be grounded in her own ambiguous ethnicity. "Who's white?" the Rhysian father expostulates whenever the question of people's "colored blood" on Dominica comes up, "damn few!" (Rhys, "The Day They Burned the Books," Short Stories 156). While Rhys' father may have warned his family that the racial identity of all West Indians was suspect, he may also have encouraged his daughter to embrace her mixed heritage. Gilson writes that in the metropolis "she was subject to disparagement reserved by the English for West Indian colonials whose racial identity was suspect and whose social position was questionable at best" (636). In 1959, Francis Wyndham reported on the BBC that Rhys was "Welsh and Scottish." She immediately wrote: "I am not a Scot at all. My father was Welsh … my mother's family was Creole … As far as I know I am white but I have no country really …" (Rhys, Letters 172; my italics). Her great-grandfather Lockhart had married a "pretty Cuban countess … with dark curls and an intelligent face," who never fully assimilated the language and mores of the British plantocracy. Lockhart was "jealous and suspicious not only of other men but of her possible attempts to get in touch with Catholicism again" (Rhys, Smile Please 26). In "Elsa" the narrator suspects that she is of mixed race: "my grandfather and his beautiful Spanish wife. Spanish. I wonder …" (Jean Rhys Collection [Series I, Box, 1, Folder 1a] McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). While one must be careful of conflating excessively, as Angier does, Rhys' fiction and her history, Aunt Hester's insinuations to Anna in Voyage that her mother is racially mixed and that her father was pressured into the marriage may be grounded in Rees Williams' family history. Rhys recalls that Aunt Clarice, the "real" Hester, made similar remarks. Clarice claimed that her brother was "continually brooding over his exile in a small Caribbean island … 'Poor Willy,' she would say meaningfully, 'poor, poor Willy'" (Rhys, Smile Please 55). 13 Although Rhys was considered white in Dominica, English people, including her biographer, routinely questioned her race. Adrian Allinson, a painter for whom Rhys once modeled and on whom she in turn based Marston in "Till September, Petronella," criticized her "drawling" West Indian voice and suggested that she was of mixed race (Dorothy Miller Richardson Collection [Series II, Box 1, Folder 11] McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). Ford Madox Ford and his common-law wife Stella Bowen both claimed that Rhys was passing for white (Angier 656), and described her as such in their books. Bowen justified her complicity in "l'affaire Ford" by othering Rhys as "savage" and "cannibal," while asserting her own "superior" Anglo-Saxon values (Thomas 4). The sinister Lola Porter (read "Ella Lenglet," Rhys' name at the time) in Ford's turgid potboiler When the Wicked Man (1931)is modeled on Rhys. Lola is a Creole from the West Indies and, like Rhys, is tall and thin. Lola has a "soft, stealthy voice" and "gipsy blood" (Ford 157). She is "a seductive blackamoor"(249); her breath "pours in and out of her large nostrils"(Ford 183). Lola frequents Harlem nightclubs, is an expert on "Negro music," and tells "fantastic and horrible details of obi and the voodoo practices of the coloured people of her childhood home" (Ford 175). The scenes in which Lola alternates between kissing the protagonist's hands "continuously, as if she had been a slave" (162) and threatening him with death by obeah (259), are very similar to Rhys' description of Marya's behavior toward Heidler (Ford) in Quartet. A milder version of Rhys inspires another character in Ford's novel. Henrietta Faulkner Felise is an American, of Spanish descent. Henrietta is from the "Deep South" ("Missouri or Tennessee" as Ford puts it) and has "a slightly dusky accent" (Ford 78). Like Rhys, Henrietta has an unusual intonation and the protagonist "experience(s) a singular revulsion … at her voice" (78). Henrietta is ostensibly white but Ford makes a Carib/cannibal association with her necklace of pink coral, her sharp little white teeth, her "very full and pouted lips," high cheek bones, and "extremely large-pupilled eyes" (78). Like Rhys, both Lola and Henrietta are expert horsewomen and "spent their childhood on horseback"(Ford 183). Lola, dressed in riding clothes, inspires lurid dominatrix fantasies in the hapless protagonist. Although Rhys and Ford both said their novels, Quartet and When the Wicked Man, were not autobiographical, there are remarkable similarities in the racial othering of the Lola/Marya/Henrietta characters. 14 Rhys makes the women in her texts functionally white but codes them as nonwhite, and gives them her own experiences. Anna's classmates call her "the Hottentot" (Voyage 7) and her landlady objects to her "drawly voice"(18); in "Overture and Beginners Please," the narrator's schoolmates refer to her as "West Indies" and demand she translate the lyrics of "coon songs" (Rhys, Short Stories 316). Marya in Quartet has a "strange little Kalmuk face:" broad-cheekboned, with "wide nostrils" and "thick lips" (199). Julia's Brazilian mother in After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie is, like Rhys' own mother, dark with high cheekbones and long black hair. The functionally white Heather in Tigers are Better Looking, betrays her Caribbean origin when she pronounces her name "Hedda" (Rhys, Short Stories 181). "Her language/enunciation defines her as Other;" a would-be suitor sees her as "disdainful, debonair and with a touch of the tarbrush too, or I'm much mistaken … Why is it that she isn't white?—Now why?" (Gregg 171; Short Stories 181). In "The Blue Bird" the callous narrator notes "a lovely creature" sitting alone in a café, "her face framed by a silver turban" from which "wisps of wooly hair" denote her race (Short Stories 60). In "Let Them Call it Jazz," Selina, a "fair coloured woman" from the West Indies is provoked into assault and sent to Holloway Prison (Short Stories 158) just as Rhys was incarcerated for the same charge in 1949. 15 Through her writing Rhys reassembles the fragmented elements of her Afrocentric identity. She draws a parallel between the street performance of the transgressive jamette and the solitary urban woman, both of whom assert their right to move in public spaces. Heteroglossia and calypso infuse her texts: she grasps calypso's coda of resistance; the interplay of multiple voices; the condensed and telescoped imagery; the rhetorical devices of satire and call-and-response; and the themes of betrayal, exploitation, and oppression. Rhys understands calypso's technical structure and the strictly prescribed form belied by an apparent improvisational quality. In 1964, she sent a friend a calypso and implied that she had just dashed it off explaining, "a real calypso is done on the spot … words and music. The audience judges who's best;" yet her papers contain several carefully worked out drafts of the same tune (Letters 281; Jean Rhys Collection [Series I, Box 3, Folder 8] Department of Special Collections, McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). She differentiates between the authentic voices of Emily Lockhart and respected calypsonians like Attila the Hun (Raymond Quevedo) and Houdini (Edgar Leon Sinclair) and the "ersatz," commercialized music promoted by "foreigners like Noel Coward and Katherine Dunham who always (get) it wrong" (Rhys, Letters 108). Like the calypso composer, she shapes her controversial material elliptically, creating dramatic tension through patterns of call and response. 16 According to Rohlehr, African call-and-response is an important element in the structure of calypso. "The tendency of the Yoruba to repeat the first lines of their songs … is still evident in the stanza structure of calypsos today" (17). Proponents of calypso in the early twentieth century "viewed the Call-and-Response calypso as being of Yoruba origin and encouraged singers … to retain the form" (18). Within this pattern, either the leader calls out a line and the group repeats it exactly, or the leader sings a couplet to which the group responds with a chorus, as demonstrated in Lord Caresser's (Rufus Callender) 1938 lyric about Trinidadians mining gold in Guyana: Call: I left America to go down Demerara Response: No surrender Call: On the Mazaruni River I was a gold digger Response: No surrender Call: When I am in the jungle the lions tremble. Response: No surrender Call: An old-time flunkser and a sweetie vendor Call: No surrender (Rohlehr 146). 17 Rhys uses call-and response when she opposes the voice of a repressive, misogynistic society against the solitary urban women. Between the 1860's and World War I, Britain passed a number of laws related to the Contagious Diseases and Defence of the Realm Acts. Such legislation purported to control prostitution and venereal disease, but in fact discouraged the presence of single women in public; due to this sexualized stigma, "respectable" women married and accepted confinement in the home. According to William Harris, Assistant Commissioner of Police in late nineteenth century London, "any woman who goes to places of public resort, and is known to go with different men, although not a common streetwalker" should be considered a prostitute (Emery 96; my italics). This label was dispensed freely, as female promiscuity was assumed to be inherent: a London policeman in 1882 argued that "in every large town without exception, where a woman has a chance of this course and runs no danger of serious loss or inconvenience … she will embrace it" (Emery 96-97). As Rhys knew from her own work experience, these laws ignored the fact that women barely earned subsistence wages in legitimate occupations. In 1911 women constituted less than 28% of the labor force, and 66% worked in manufacturing or personal service (Emery 92). During World War I, when clerical jobs became available, Rhys was one of the women who earned one-third the salary paid to men in the same jobs (92). Her earlier jobs, as a chorus girl and artist's model, were not only poorly paid but were considered forms of prostitution. When the Rhysian woman rejects these options and still insists on the right to be out of doors in cafes, streets, taxis, and restaurants, she threatens social stability and inspires an angry chorus from former lovers, landladies, employers, and strangers. Anna mentions that she met her lover "at Southsea," and his friends chorus sly innuendo about loose women "on the pier at Southsea" (Rhys, Voyage 53). When she is abandoned, the pillars of society gloat over her plight. "What about what's-her-name? She got on, didn't she? Get on or get out, they say … everybody says 'Get on' … Everybody says the man's bound to get tired" (Rhys, Voyage 46). In Quartet, Marya imagines both parts of the call-and-response: "What's the matter with you? … Why are you like this … Pull yourself together! … No self-control … that's what's the matter with me … No training" (190). Marya provokes a hostile response simply by her unprotected state: "As she walked she was certain that every woman she passed was mocking her gleefully and every man was mocking her contemptuously" (211). In Good Morning Midnight, Sasha continually intercepts comments by "them" on her sexualized solitude. Even inanimate objects join the ironic chorus, as when she returns to a Paris hotel where, as a much younger woman, she had lived with her lover: "'Quite like old times,' the room says. 'Yes? No?'" (347). 18 Not all call-and response is oppositional. Sometimes Rhys creates call-and-response when minor characters repeat the protagonists' concerns and reflect their values. Rhys thus avoids the reified or voyeuristic stance of the omniscient narrator, and maintains the moral relativism of her modernist universe. Since exile, isolation and marginalization are major themes in Rhys' work, the "respondents" in the European novels are often racially marginalized "others," specifically Jews and Arabs. Miss DeSolla in Quartet is triply marginalized as a Jewish, female artist. Although she considers Marya "pathetic," the pathos of DeSolla's situation as a struggling female painter, the butt of Anglo-Saxon humor, underscores Marya's vulnerability. In her bleak studio, DeSolla like Marya exhibits a "hunger for the softness and warmth of life" (Quartet 122). Similarly, in Good Morning Midnight, Sasha's marginalized status and iconoclastic philosophy are echoed first by Serge, the Russian Jewish painter from whom she purchases a Soutine-like canvas, and later, by Rene, the gigolo, may be an Arab. Serge, like Miss DeSolla, is poor but generous; he places an "African" mask (that he has carved himself) over his face and dances to a Martinican Beguine in order to distract Sasha from sadness: ("Pourquoi etes-vous si triste?") (Midnight 371); Serge's compassion, his ironic humor, his Afrocentric sensibility, and his authentic values respond to Sasha's "call" for connection. Rene's lack of nationality links him to Sasha whose own citizenship is suspect: "the patron tells me he wants to see my passport … Nationality … that's what has puzzled him" (Midnight 350). Sasha cannot identify Rene's accent; he describes himself as a mauvais garcon, a roughneck; he claims to have escaped from the Foreign Legion in North Africa. Although he echoes Sasha's desire for a relationship of authenticity and acceptance, their call-and-response does not result in communication or connection. 19 The abortive relationship between Sasha and Rene is prefigured at the beginning of the novel when she overhears someone singing "Sombre Dimanche" (Gloomy Sunday), a popular song that establishes the year as 1937. Rhys achieves a variation on call-and-response when lines from popular songs comment on the action, much as calypsonians sample and reference each other's work. "Important textual reference to songs is a Rhys hallmark," according to Savory (168). Rhys both establishes the period and implicates the British upper classes in the impending First World War in "Till September, Petronella" through references to "La Reve Passe" and other songs associated with aristocratic English regiments (Rhys, Short Stories 125). Instead of describing Anna's exile from the Caribbean, Rhys contrasts a harsh, Cockney tune with West Indian folk-songs that express her loneliness: "Adieu, sweetheart, adieu"(Voyage 19) and "Connais-tu le pays ou fleurit l'oranger?" (Do you know the country where the orange trees flower?) (Voyage 100). In Good Morning Midnight, Rhys comments on the hypocritical double standard of morality, when Sasha finds herself "walking to the music of L'Arlesienne" (396). Daudet's naturalistic drama, for which Bizet composed the music, concerns an engagement broken up by the man's family because the young woman has "a past," a situation applicable to all Rhys protagonists. Rhys knows Paris geography and has carefully worked out Sasha's route so when she hears Bizet's music, she is close to the Odeon Theatre where L'Arlesienne had its premier in 1872 (396). 20 In addition to adopting the calypsonian rhetorical pattern of call and response, Rhys explored the genre's thematic concern with exile and power relationships. Ford attributes to her Dominican background, her "terrifying insight and a terrific—an almost lurid!—passion for stating the case of the underdog" (Left Bank 24). Like the calypsonian, Rhys chooses cryptic language and double-entendre because her texts challenge powerful interests. Both Rhys and C.L. R. James reference the 1933 calypso sung in duet by Attila the Hun and Roaring Lion, "Doggie Doggie Look a Bone," to critique the economic exploitation of women and the commodification of sex (Quevedo 46-47). Rhys uses it in the radio script of Voyage in the Dark and James associates it with the nurse in Minty Alley who is both exploited by men and abusive toward her child. Economic exile also begets abuse of power; just as Callender sings about Trinidadians forced to migrate to the gold mines of Guyana, so Rhys writes stories and calypsos about West Indian women working in London. The patois words of Tired Song describe an exhausted woman; another tune, also in patois, notes the lack of trees in the urban landscape and deplores the spiritual aridity of Western culture: "They don't hear no rivers running / They ain't got no ease" (Jean Rhys Collection [Series I, Box 3, Folder 9] McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa). Both songs prefigure the protagonist of "Let Them Call It Jazz" whose original calypso is commercialized and distorted on the radio. 21 Perhaps because her protagonists are so marginalized, Rhys' work has been described as morbid and depressing. Such critics miss her sly deflation of pomposity and her perfect comic timing. In fact, writes Elaine Savory: "Rhys' humour can be understood better if viewed through the lens of Caribbean humour which is so often political, full of word-play, skeptical of institutions and power, and essentially survivalist" (109). Her fragile women are resilient tricksters who mock and outsmart their oppressors. In "Till September, Petronella," a man boasts about his amorous skills: "I know what women like … They like a bit of loving, that's what they like, isn't it? They like it dressed up sometimes--and sometimes not, it all depends. You have to know and I know. I just know" (Rhys, Short Stories 141). Petronella's ironic response—"You've nothing more to learn, have you?"—goes over his head (141). Like the Caribs in "Temps Perdi," Rhys' women speak a different language from men (Rhys, Short Stories 256). In After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie, Rhys employs two Afrocentric tropes, the trickster and the zombie. Loe maintains that Rhys knew all about zombification, and that her "allusions to zombies (are) an important narrative patterning" (35). Julia, Mr. Mackenzie's discarded lover, keeps appearing in the wet Paris streets. It is twilight, "the hour between dog and wolf" (Mackenzie 343), a time of shifting shapes and prowling spirits. Julia's face is pale with "black specks in the corners of her eyes" (240) … and deep, bluish circles under (them) (343). She walks "slowly, aimlessly, her head down" (343). Approaching the man as a zombie, Julia plays on his guilt; then swiftly she shifts shape and manipulates the startled Mackenzie into lending her a lot of money (343). Like Anansy, the trickster spider of Jamaican folklore, Rhys' women must turn weakness to advantage in a predatory world. Given their marginalized status, they realize that "cunning, rather than overt male / female confrontation is the preferred strategy" for getting what they want (Cooper 48). 22 The abuse of power, the exploitation of the weak, and "disillusionment at the colonial, patriarchal lexicon of ideas that pass for universal truths" are central themes of Rhys' oeuvre (Thomas 100). The texts link two subversive and marginalized groups: the Afro-Caribbean jamette and her experience of misogyny, racialized motilities of the body, and legal restriction; and the single, urban woman of any race who encounters a similar hostility, sexualized stereotyping and legal deterrents to her mobility. In exposing relations of sexual commodification and economic oppression, Rhys challenges powerful social forces which, as she knew from her own experience, deal severely with those who destabilize the social order. As an artist wishing to interrogate controversial issues of gender, race, and class, Rhys calls upon her cultural heritage and utilizes Afrocentric rhetorical and stylistic strategies of parody, satire, and masquerade. Since "linear European narrative cannot register plausibly her own experiences and those of her characters" (Thomas 100), Rhys creates a multiplicity of voices and perspectives through heteroglossia and call-and-response. The Rhysian woman always rejects a "single compartmentalizing vision in favor of one that opens up the realms of possibility"(Fayad 451). Rhys, through her exiled and marginalized characters, through the psychological fragmentation of their personalities, and through their deconstructed narratives and minimalist milieu, creates the quintessentially modernist text. Her protagonists, though temporally and geographically removed from carnival, are yet informed by an Afrocentric aesthetic of resistance, survival and celebration. Works Cited Alvarez, A. "The Best Living English Novelist." New York Times Book Review 17 March 1974: 6-7.
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http://anthurium.miami.edu/volume_3/issue_2/davis-jamette.htm
or Note : I'm not exaggerating in any way it is actually that bad. Ive lived in Cluj and Timisoara for couple of years and this guy is not joking. Id feel sorry for my foreign classmates that were East-indian and Africans because they would always be hassled by the Roma people. Interesting. I spoke with a Romanian girl who told me that it could even be difficult for her to find hosts (she was backpacking/couchsurfing) throughout Europe, because people would assume that she was a Gypsie (Romanian = Roma). I live in Bucharest too, only that I am from California. I had only a vague understanding of the idea of gypsies from myths in America... I can confirm your every statement. They also like to provoke fights by walking down the center of the road in other neighborhoods with swords. I just saw on ProTV or something about the Ferrari that was set on fire from a rival gypsy gang or whatever, fucking brilliantly retarded people. Well if we are going this route , there are axes too , in the times they can't afford swords I suppose. I guess the general idea is that they like to go after you with what ever menacing weapon they ave at hand. I'm Roma but was born and raised in the UK. The behaviour you describe above is nothing like anything I've ever experienced and I've certainly never behaved like that. In fact, I work at McDerps two mornings a week, and it's me that gets to clean up the urine and vomit left behind by the locals who go out and get obliterated every weekend. I can only assume that Roma on the continent are an entirely different kettle of fish to some of us in the UK. To be fair, my Dad married a Gorja, and we grew up in a house for the most part, but we were always taught that yes, we are of a different race, but we're British Citizens, and have the responsibilities and rights that go with that. It was in the UK where in the first time in my life saw Roma people who were generally likeable, it was a couple eating at a McDonalds and making jokes with the cashiers and everybody really lightening the mood up. Like stand-up comedians. Absolutely adorable people. It was so shocking different because I was so used to seeing Roma faces only when knotted like a fist with a constant expression of aggression, that I could hardly accept that they are what they are even though the clothes made it obvious. Indeed there is a huge difference. If you grew up in a house, then you're not who people are thinking of when they say "gypsy". I know you are culturally Roma, and I am not trying to take that away from you, but you are an entirely different kind of person from the itinerant Roma. Not to say that they are necessarily all dicks either, just some of them. I have no idea what fraction. There are two kinds of Gypsies in Germany. The recent ones and the old ones. The old ones have been here for decades. Sent their children to school and everything. No problem whatsoever (I suppose that's the kind of family you're coming from). But in recent years, you see a lot more people begging aggressive. They come to you with a sign like "Hi, I've got no money and have to feed my children. I'm Roma" with pictures of their children. If you give them money, they'll tell every gypsy around and they won't leave you alone until you give them money (there's been a report about that on TV where they've filmed the whole situation from above. It was organised begging). Then the stealing. It's not that present in Germany since the police is a lot faster than in eastern Europe but its still common. Never seen big gypsy villages since camping in the wild is illegal in Germany. But the absolutely worst part is (and that's very common in Poland) that they send their children on the street to beg. It's school time and the child is sitting in the street because their parents refuse to educate them in schools. Fortunately, that's illegal in Germany so it might not be as common as in Poland. I think the UK has a more hidden gypsy society as well so the stuff you hear from eastern Europe is not that obvious in the UK. And you wonder why Madonna gets booed on stage. But you know what? It's gonna be all right in the end as more and more of them are moving to the United States. My wife works for the court system in the north east. She used to have 1-2 cases per week concerning gypsies, now she has about 4. This is in a period of 8 months. In just a few years their population will explode. ...And people are worried about the zombie apocalypse ;-) Also their weird traditions of marrying 12 year old children toghether and when i say marrying i mean those old types of arranged marriages where the grooms parents buy the bride from her parents. Romania got a lot of flak for allowing that cultural tradition of theirs that suddenly wasn't cultural anymore but child abuse. Yah there is that too. It is illegal in Romania as age of consent is 16 but they still do it. Many never actually marry in any kind of legal form. Also many don't have any kind of Identity Card to speak of. I once saw an older gypsy woman making a younger gypsy woman, her niece, think she was 2 years older that she thought. The younger one didn't have any form of ID, like in never had any, and the older one asked her how did she now how old she was, the young one said 19 and the older one started saying that no, she was 21... It al ended with the young one convinced she was older and the old one saying, "no, your 19, that's why ID is useful" Kids marry young, but I've never been to a gypsy wedding of a twelve year old, 17-18 is pretty common though. Arranged marriages in the typical meaning is wrong too. Sure parents might engineer kids to meet and encourage them to get together, but never forced to marry against their will, and never, ever 'buy' the bride. Croatian here, lived with them all my life. Non balkan-folks, and especially non-european folks can't really comprehend that these aren't your romantic Disney Gyptians, nor your Name Of the Wind Gyptians. An overwhelming amount (I dare say 99%) are from slums, actively deny their children education, and make a living out of begging and theft. If you see a woman with a child begging for change, it's better to just ignore them, since most of the money is being collected for the clan leader, to buy a new villa in the middle of the slum, unused, just to show off his status. The baby is also often heavily sedated to prevent it from crying. Even worse are girls who beg for change with casts. If the bosses find out that there is more income with disabled beggars, they break their limbs and send them to the ER. Their favourite past time is vandalizing the city facades and public transport, and beating people up. The police can't do shit because most of them are underage, and street justice doesn't work, as you may expect the clan to find you afterwards and murder you and your family. I blame the culture and the upbringing, because in the current situation, even if there was a gyptian kid that is sent to public school (highly unlikely, and no girls), they would get beaten up by the non-gyptian kids. Speaking of which, a teacher friend was telling me the story of a gyptian kid in her class (elementary school!) who is groping her, calling her names, telling her to suck his dick, etc. The teacher can't do anything, since she had a "visit" by his 10 older brothers after smacking him once while he was groping her. Visits to the principal are useless, and expelling him would only pass the problem on to someone else. And worst of all, they are proud of this way of living. It's a very difficult problem to solve, and the only solution I see is forced integration into society, if need by forcibly taking their kids away from the cespool which is their culture. if need by forcibly taking their kids away from the cespool which is their culture. | Lol. You know we tried that here in Australia a few decades ago with our own version of the Gypsies. It worked for the children who were taken , but didn't for those who weren't (shock horror). However still to this day Australians are called racists , and criticized for the governments of the past who did this (we are talking over 50 years ago mind you). If you really believe in these kinds of action , be prepared for the neo-liberal hate to flow towards your nations. There was a sizable group of them near my hometown. They arrived in New Hampshire from somewhere in Europe about 15 years ago. They have caused nothing but trouble for the entire surrounding area. At one point they were responsible for just about every petty crime in the town. The majority of the men and their sons were responsible for this. The women were actually very nice and easy to talk to. There was some sketchy stuff going on "within the family," if you catch my drift. Several of them died in their late teens and twenties of freak illness and mental breakdowns. Overall the whole situation in their little compound was extremely weird. Edit: I did a little research and found that the groups in my area came from Greece and Turkey. That's quite interesting...I didn't think they traveled by plane. Are there any articles about this in the local press? Could you link to something/how were they portrayed in the media? Also, you said, 'was.' Did they move on or move back to Europe? and have you heard of any others in North America? I also wonder how a large group was able to get visas at the same time. Sorry for so many questions. This is from a nearby town. They are from the same family. This is more recent; I'm still trying to find the article from my towns newspaper. Here is a link I found about the paving company that one of the men owned. As far as I know, the whole family is still in small pockets all over New Hampshire. There are many gypsy groups all over the US; I've heard of several groups of Irish Travelers in the area as well. They literally bought an entire side of a neighborhood and turned it into something you'd see out of the middle ages. A few houses with tents, trailers and farm animals roaming freely. The Police did what they could. If they stayed within their compound they didn't bother them. When you saw them somewhere else, chances are there was a cop not far behind. Their children were in the school system. The girls were very smart and had great grades; (maybe this was their way to get into college and out in the society). The boys were idiots. All they did was fight and steal. I don't ever remember seeing them go to class. The adults really never left their neighborhood. I never saw them working anywhere else. They may have done some automotive work. I also vaguely remember some of them working in the paving and cement industry. The surrounding community was not happy. The amount of petty crime in that area skyrocketed. I heard that there was a petition to run them out at one point The problem isn't that they have no place in society. The problem is that they refuse to cooperate with society. Their culture has evolved to encourage this refusal as a survival mechanism. Until somewhere around 1960, that probably worked for them. It doesn't anymore and they refuse to admit it and they have a bunch of uninformed outsiders with rainbow complexes fanning their flames for them. oh my god.. this perfectly describes my current ethnology professor. we spent a good portion of one class using the Roma as an example of ethnocentrism. the next day, we had to watch a film by her husband, a documentarian, about a group of Roma living outside Paris. despite it's obviously intended goal of dispelling myths about the Roma, it literally confirmed everything about Roma that the French have told me. the highlight of the film, for me, was when the Gendarmes came, not to break up the camp, but to take away the children because their parents were prostituting them. then, at the end, when the class brought this up, my professor simply said, "to the Roma, the family is a business, and everybody has to contribute to the profit in whatever way possible." a few months ago, a friend told me that I'm not a very good anthropologist if I don't subscribe to the "rainbow creed". I'm inclined to say that he's right. diversity is great and all, but there does exist a gold standard for human behavior that everyone, regardless of culture or region, living in comfort (ie not a state of emergency) should follow. and certainly one tenant of it among many is that you can't force your children into sexual servitude. Well, I think that as an antropologist you have to remain neutral in your studies, but as a person you are morally obliged to take a stance in certain situations. Antropology is about understanding and to best understand one has to have an open mind, the research should be free of political activism and opinions or it is loses its scietific value. This is a cap that one should be able to take on and off, however. You know what I mean? Your comment struck a cord with me. My grandfather was the result of a 13 year old Roma girl being sold out to prostitution. Whenever people talk about the Roma they always sugar coat it and do the whole "rainbow creed" thing. The reality of the Roma however is a lot different. Literally everyone in my grandfather's family except for himself died before the age of 40 because of gang violence alcoholism or similar ways. I really wish that the Roma would change, they have given us a lot of great music but their culture is just so fucked up. to the Roma, the family is a business, and everybody has to contribute to the profit in whatever way possible." Yap there is a video on American TV, aired probably 5 or 7 years ago about such a case in Paris. They showed the dad sending off his little 9 year old son on "a family business" by opening the door to the customer's Mercedes, pushing the kid in and telling the "customer" Remember, don't put it in the butt, he's too small! Mouth ok. Butt -- no.. Maybe your professor is just oblivious, but it is more likely that she is deliberately keeping her feelings out of her work. Studying culture without bias doesn't mean being neutral until you really think something is bad. Where the villain is a super flamboyant gay and every time he's about to get caught or whatever, he just shouts "Homophobe! Homophobe!" at the Hero until the torches and pitchforks show up. And it works because the rainbow complex is that powerful. This is a misconception, sadly present even among some actual anthropologists. Cultural relativism when it comes to anthropology (and other social sciences) is strictly descriptive and scientific matter. This cultural relativism cannot be used to argue that cultures are equal/superior/inferior, as such moral value judgements are outside the scope of science. One doesn't exclude the other. There is no universal truth. But there are principles specific to individuals. To go the godwin's way: the nazis liked to burn jews (and roma). It's part of their culture. Do I accept that culture ? Of course not. Is their culture wrong ? Fundamentally, no. It's their way of life. Relatively to my principles, yes, it is wrong. Agree with you on this, but I would be careful not to make a jump from concluding that some aspects of a culture are better to the blanket, unqualified statement that an entire culture is better or broadly superior to another. Some aspects are so egregious and so barbaric that their broad acceptance by a culture makes other aspects of that culture secondary. Stoning a woman to death for having consensual sex with the wrong man, or throwing acid in her face for disobeying her husband, for example, are objectively wrong. There is no way for civilized people to claim otherwise. A culture that broadly accepts that kind of behavior, or worse, writes it into its laws, is an inferior one. Fine, but to say it can change in the future doesn't excuse its actions in the present. If colonial American culture accepted those things, then a culture that granted women equal rights, and which did not kill women for adultery, would have been superior to colonial American culture at that time. Their culture has evolved to encourage this refusal as a survival mechanism. Until somewhere around 1960, that probably worked for them. It doesn't anymore... I would question how well it has actually "worked for them" as a "survival mechanism.": "Because Eastern European Romani communities were less organised than Jewish communities, Porajmos was not well documented. Estimates of the death toll of Romanies in World War II range from 220,000 to 1,500,000.[2] According to Ian Hancock, director of the Program of Romani Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, there also existed a trend to downplay the actual figures. He surmised that almost the entire Romani population was killed in Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.[3] Rudolph Rummel, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii who spent his career assembling data on collective violence by governments towards their people (for which he coined the term democide), estimated that 258,000 must have been killed in Nazi Germany,[4] 36,000 in Romania under Ion Antonescu[5] and 27,000 in Ustashe Croatia.[6] "Slavery (Romanian: robie) existed on the territory of present-day Romania from before the founding of the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia in 13th–14th century, until it was abolished in stages during the 1840s and 1850s. Most of the slaves were of Roma (Gypsy) ethnicity." In Germany most executive officers in the office for Zigeunerfragen (Roma & Sinti and Gypsy questions) were the ones being responsible for the Porajmos. In fact the one leading the murder of Estonian Roma & Sinti worked in post Germany till he left the bureau due to age (he retired in 1967). What is awful is that he even was of the older ones, thus even in the 70ies there were heads of those offices filled with war criminals. In Nazi-Germany the Roma & Sinti got murdered and deported, those being deported were stateless and couldn't get reparations or victim rents (or a cleaned record that is). So if we want to look at the time were they weren't discriminated like this in public anymore we have to look at the mid 80ies as starting point. The first generation which we can look at which got closer to a normal life is this of the ones being about thirty and less right now. You don't think that the events of 1939-1945 would have had anything to do with the divide between the Roma and modern European society? On some levels it is a perfectly rational response to drop further out of society, and to form a deep barrier of mistrust. Especially with many countries doing little to acknowledge the fact that they shipped most of their Roma off to death camps, with far less remorse than they felt when handing over Jews. Or alternatively, countries ran their own Roma specific extermination camps, independent of the Nazis. Many scholars go as far as saying that the term 'Holocaust' only refers to the killing of the Jews, as they were 'uniquely' targeted for their ethnicity. It was on TV last night. I had forgotten all about the mech suit with the alienware technology. Catches all the bullets in mid-air and blasts them back at the gang, before opening up a can of alien whoop-ass! Great movie. "I did not have sex with a fukkin prawn!" I lived with Romani people for two weeks this summer. i stayed at a mahalla in kosovo and the people are generally very friendly. I guess the problem is, that on the one hand, a lot of romani still clench to their traditions (and those are sometimes really bad) and at the same time, most of the general popluation does not give the ones not being traditional a chance to change. i mean, i know two kinds of roma. the ones that are in all the bigger european cities and that beg and try to steal your shit.. well fuck, those are just criminals and deserve their treatment, because yeah, they are fucking thieves. at the same time, everybody falling for the very bad tricks they have, deserves to lose his money. i mean, if you get robbed in berlin, you really did something awfully wrong, or are plainly naive. the other kind of roma are the caring, loving people i met in kosovo. the social outcasts, who, because they really have nowehere to turn, just look out for each other. the general population would never hire them, so why would they try to get into "the system"? of course, they send their kids to beg in the streets, but mainly because there is simply no chance to survive without them and the kids will only be harassed at school. so education does not really happen that often. this is also a big thing why they are so much into their own tradition. the only way of life they know where they can live in peace. i don't want to take sides, i just never understood how the easter european people really can hate the romani so much that they are not even considered humans, at the same time, i don't really feel sorry for the romani, because they have a lot of decisive power themselves. if you get rid of all the bad things in your tradition, you still might keep your roots, but you can become an integrated part of society. so, each side actually deserves what they get. the general population deserves the criminal roma, because they make them outcasts and don't give them a chance to survive. and the roma deserve being the poor outcasts, because they rarely show any effort to change their stance. The people i lived with were amazing. dirt-poor, but beautiful human beings and very proud. not of their heritage, but of their house, their garden, their lives. i almost died there because of an infection (fucking virus something that i must have picked up) and the guy driving me to the hospital could not really afford the gas. i had to force my money onto him, because he was too proud. i had to tell him, that this money was part for the gas that I used, part of a thank you for saving my life and part of my contribution to the community-like thing we lived in. explaining to him, that i earned his monthly wage on half a day at work would not have helped, so i kept that to myself. edit: at the same time, i didn't know it needed a study to prove where the roma came from. i thought this was common knowledge. Tsyganye suck. I grew up around them -- crafty fuckers. You had to watch yourself around them because the dudes straight rob you and the women grab your hand and try to tell your fortune while their rat kids clean out pockets. Most tsyganyes around us lived in a big community and some were wealthy supposedly by selling flowers. Some of their kids went to school with me. Bad students, but very clever. One of them started a stolen goods network in school and paid kids for stolen rugs, car batteries and such. I grew up fearing and respecting them, but staying as far away as possible. There is no possible business a normal man needs to conduct with tsyganyes. If only they used their powers for good. But no seriously if they invested half of the energy that goes into social misconduct in actually trying to do something good with their lives people wouldn't be so angry with them. And there are blissfully ignorant canadians willing to accept them all in to our country and are angry at the current government for trying to slow the flow. Media can't even report a bad thing about them or they will be labled as racist. You just hope you don't end up renting to one of them, then you are in real trouble. The problem is that people who aren't used to being near Roma, like Americans, perceive what you just said as racist. BUT IT'S NOT. People, they really are that bad. If you don't believe me, live in Europe for a while, and then see what it's like. Gypsies are truly terrible people. You should be more specific. I live in Europe (Austria) and the only gypsies I came across left it at setting up camp in a parking lot for a few weeks and left a lot of garbage behind when they moved on. Still problematic, but not anywhere near scum of the earth territory. Also there is at least one village of reasonably well integrated Roma in Austria. At least the only thing I ever heard of them is Franz Fuchs blowing four of them up and subsequent interviews and reports showed them living in perfectly normal conditions. You guys really shouldn't pretend all Roma are that bad. Because that, unlike critising their scumbag subculture Igstoian described, actually is racism. You really make it easy for the cultural relativists to pretend there is no problem with them and it's all just white people being racist. You're right, I should've specified. I'm from Romania, and I love my country more than anything else in the world, but that place is infested with Roma. From what I've seen in Western Europe, they actually weren't that bad. But in Eastern/somewhat central Europe, they're as bad as they come, and maybe that is a bit of a generalization, but at this point, I don't care. My experience with gypsies has been so bad in the past that I can't help but automatically associate them with bad behavior. I'm Spanish, for my experience our gypsies are a bad, but not near as much as yours, they've been coming here for years now and people are just really fed up about them. It's a shame because a lot of people assume that Romania only has gipsies and now hate the country. Also I've encountered a lot of non gypsy Romanians that hate them with a passion because they have become the international face of their country. Institutionalized poverty does strange, sad things to people. I have heard people say almost the exact same things about black people in the United States. The root cause is the same in both cases: generations of piled-up hopelessness and a majority population which is deeply distrustful of them. it's been shown that people's satisfaction with their standard of living is less related to their actual wealth, and more related to how their level compares with their neighbor's/social group's wealth. So basically, yes. The divide between them and "normal" citizens is what makes them so angry. As a person living in a gypsy infested country, I assure you, there's no resemblance to what happened to black people in the U.S. The gypsies are given all the chances they need to educate themselves and contribute positively to society, yet they refuse them time and time again, because it's easier to steal a wallet now or swindle some poor soul, than spend 10-20 years learning shit and then actually working (BTW, education and school supplies are completely free here). The problem is not with them individually, but their culture as a whole. Their values are completely reversed from ours and are deeply entrenched in their collective consciousness. Their culture has no value whatsoever and should be eradicated and they should have to be forced to adopt the culture and the laws of the country they leech upon. The Russians made a bunch of them live in specially made apartment buildings years ago. Instead of settling down, they tore out all the pipes and wires and sold them for scrap, then they cut holes in the floor of their apartments and used them for toilets. After the complexes became liter biohazards they all ran away. Their culture should be eradicated doesn't mean they should be killed or harmed. Copypasta: A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing, because I can't understand the European situation from my POV, but the US did this exact thing quite easily with American Indians. They set up mandatory boarding schools for all children, taking them away from their parents and immersing them in the English language & customs for several years. Once you do that for a generation or 2, making sure of course that when the students graduate, they get decent low-wage jobs and housing (to show them that integrating has made them better off than their parents), eventually they will stop speaking their own language in the home and be unable to communicate their traditions etc. (Since American Indian culture was actually quite rich and varied and beautiful, plus not harmful to the people in any way, this was a HUGE tragedy which I do not condone at all btw) Nowadays you can't do this sort of things, although I suspect that in a couple of decades Europeans will have had enough and a line will be drawn. I have a problem with Americans in this threads making comparisons with their own experiences with black people and American Indians. Each of these problems is unique in its own way. If you're interested here's my perspective: gypsies were cast away a long time ago from their country and began roaming west in the general direction of Europe here they continued to roam, living a nomadic life, at the edge of society, living by offering services to said society (entertainment and some crafts) or in other cases just by stealing until the locals chased them away this lasted until in the 20th century when this kind of lifestyle was no longer possible gypsies now had to live inside the society and not at its edge, yet they were not equipped or willing to do that the society needs that all its members to adhere to a certain set of values, yet gypsies stick to their own values their values are not similar or complementary to the values you and I might have. They are quite opposite the society values work and formal education, gypsies value getting by and spoken traditions we like our settled lives - we value property and safety, they are nomads they don't give a crap about our property, or our rules, they see us weak because we follow those rules. They don't understand that a society needs rules and people obeying them to get anywhere. They don't want to get anywhere. they live in the present, if they are OK now, screw the future they don't build, they just use what others have built They are parasites that embrace and cherish their condition. We live in times when people are educated to be accepting of their peers and their differences and a lot of West Europeans do that wholeheartedly. I'm East European myself and I have a somewhat exterior perspective of Western Europe and what I see is some nice people who are being taken advantage of. They build houses, the gypsies strip them down and sell them for parts. They give money to the pour, the gypsies take their money, turn their backs and laugh at how stupid the man that gave them money is. They try to educate them, the gypsies don't go to school and cry that they are discriminated against so that they don't have to work. These are the people you Americans are defending. They are just assholes gaming the system while screaming discrimination and racism at the top of their lungsI have heard this same excuse whenever you talk about underachievement by Blacks or Native Americans (and now Romas). To an extent I think it is an overcompensation by Westerners for what happened in history - so you blame the past, rather than the culture of these people - for their current socioeconomic status, as a form of perpetual apology for what was done a long time agoYou of course realize that to immigrate from Asia to US/Western countries in the first place you have to either be extraordinarily smart or wealthy, right? My parents were immigrants from Asia, and their friends who were not able to immigrate to the US were the bad portions of the populations there. Asian immigrants in the US are basically the brain and wealth drain of Asian countries, so it's not a fair comparison. to immigrate from Asia to US/Western countries in the first place you have to either be extraordinarily smart or wealthy, right?They still cannot be compared to african immigrants because african immigrants had their family structure destroyed over and over again. Such disruption does strange things to society. tl;dr blacks had their families torn apart again and again over century or two, which is something very few other demographies have had to endure for such a long time.Dude, have you been to California? Asians fare way worse there than in most places of the US because their families are the families of poor immigrants while most other asians are in families of wealthy or genius immigrants. In California, Chinese gangs and Chinese poverty are much higher than any other place in the world, precisely because of the poor status of the immigrants who made up that population. Also, those same people aren't being turned away from Harvard. It's the uber-wealthy, genius Asians who are being turned away from Harvard. You are also falsely equating Chinese immigrants from the railroad years to any Chinese immigrants who immigrated decades later as wealthy, intelligent immigrants (remember that the Chinese Exclusion Act halted Chinese immigration for decades. When it was repealed, immigrants from China needed to be extremely smart or extremely wealthy). In short, you are proving my point. Chinese immigrants from the turn of the century did not fare well. Violence and poverty was high among asians in California at the time. Only now do we see a different trend, and that's because Asian immigrants now must be wealthy and/or smart. Look at African immigrants vs African-Americans, and you'll see what I'm talking about. It's the immigrant from overseas thing that makes a difference. You have some valid points but black people were FORCED here, those asians came and traveled 5,000 miles to make it here, they had the desire and will to make it. Black people have always been here, so you could imagine they dont have the immigrants work ethic. Native Americas were dispossessed and killed. Hell there are hardly any more of them. Plus a lot of those asians are rich. You have to be fucking rich to move here from over there. There are some refugees but guess what here in Orange County we have lots of asian "thugs" and gangs who are exactly the same as black thugs and gangs. Murder, roberry etc. Really? last time I checked indentured (read slaves) Asian workers built a shit ton of railroads after slavery was "abolished" yet no one seemed to notice til years later. And there are still some (like you) that pretend it did not happen at all. Reading your other comments as well, you are just making excuses for poor achievement by blacks. Institutionalized discrimination was removed about 40 to 50 years ago. There are a shit-ton of government programs giving you a good shot at achieving a successful life - from minority scholarships to colleges to affirmative actions programs for Federal jobs. And yet the Blacks remain in the lowest socioeconomic tier in the US. Listen, I am not in any way down-playing the discrimination that happened three generations ago, or the horror of slavery 200 years ago. But I feel that too often, this is used as a veil intentionally obscuring any real discussion on the causes of underachievement by Blacks. In my opinion, the core problem is cultural rather than historical. A culture which mocks those who try to study hard or work hard (that ni**a is acting white!) is going to have a hard time making any real progress generation after generation. Blaming the past while ignoring the real current causes is not going to bring any solutions to this either. I don't accept claims that every oppressed people are the same unless you provide me with evidence either way on a given equivalence. Who is to say that the Roma are in the exact same situation as blacks were? I don't know about the Roma, I have some familiarity with the history of black people in this country, yet even if there are some similarities between the discourse on either, I can't say whether it's the same thing. Edit: And that also summarizes why I shouldn't get involved in Roma threads on Reddit... I don't know and there's no mileage for me as an American to find out, except being called a racist or calling other people racists.. you are not denied opportunities because of how you look, universities in Romania have scholarships for Roma people and they are welcomed by other students and not discriminated against, and there are people who left they're roma "culture" behind. no one gives a shit about the color of your skin, but when you smell of piss and shit yeah .. I guess people tend to "deny" you opportunities ... they did steal it, or stole stuff to buy it ! it's not an assumption, it's a sure thing Well, in Russia, Roma is real headache if we start talking about drugs - they are fucking insane drug dealers, not all Roma, but big part of their population involved in drug business, and it's looks like they absolutely have no moral, absolutely - stabbing, pocketing, e.t.c. "Stuck in the past" is not such a terrible thing, considering most fads will eventually pass without much of an impact. There is no such thing as "progress" in music, just creative individuals (in every era) and changing fads. I would say they are similar to the Native Americans more than black Americans. There was lots of talk about Native Americans being forced to assimilate into American culture or being forced to leave/killed. This led to many Native American being stuck on small reservations turning to crime and drink. Funny you should say they remind you of blacks. When I read this comment: They are horrible human beings , rude , loud , proud of their lack of education , back stabbing , thieving , and again proud of these things , incredibly discriminating towards women , very racist and aggressive toward others ( far more then others are to them ) I instantly thought of white conservatives. Not blacks, not at all. NOTE: I was born into a family of poor, white conservatives, so I've got some firsthand experience here. Also, oddly enough, the other side of my family is biracial, so I grew up with white kin and black kin. The Roma's sound very 'Merican to me. I don't hate any race , the concept of judging someone based on that is incredibly repulsive. What I do hate are stupid people what ever race they are. When I say gypsy I don't refer only to the Rroma but also to any other person , no matter the race , that adheres to this LIFE STYLE. Did you ever stop to think, that maybe the feelings you are expressing right now, valid as they are, may be pressed upon these people whether or not they adhere to this life style? Maybe you don't, maybe you harbor all this and still manage to treat every one as a new person until they disprove you, but think about how many people don't. Think about how many people look at a Roma and just assume that they are like the rest. Hell I have a hard time not doing it myself. Don't you think, if everywhere you turned you knew most people had already made up their minds about you the moment they saw you, that maybe you'd eventually want to stick with the only population that will accept you? So you turn back to the people that accept you, and you accept the life style that's evolved to survive among this treatment, and you say fuck you to the society that forced you into this by defecating in it's streets, and so the cycle continues. Personally I make it my prerogative to treat every new person the same way until proven wrong. That's why I'm insisting on the fact that Rroma doesn't have to mean a gypsy life style. People need to learn to differentiate race from culture/life style. Thank you. As a Roma who has never been exposed to the culture, I really wish people were more specific in their tirades. You're the first one I've seen in these threads to actually make the distinction. I don't hate any race , the concept of judging someone based on that is incredibly repulsive. What I do hate are stupid people what ever race they are. When I say nigger I don't refer only to black people but also to any other person , no matter the race , that adheres to this LIFE STYLE. That's a skin colour issue. The Roma are not visually recognisable from any other mediterranean culture and the only way they are differetiated in society is by their actions. So instead of someone who is judged on skin colour, you have someone who displays traits that are immediately recognisable as assosciated with an ethnic group renowned throughout Europe for crimes ranging from petty theft to sex trafficking. It's all well and good to give everyone a fair chance, unless you are putting yourself in a position to be on the receiving end of some unpleasant crime. Dealing with the gypsies it's wise to be wary and give trust when it's earned. no, some people assume that any person of a given race is subhuman and deserving of scorn. having an open mind about a person of any race or condition they cannot control until they prove themselves unworthy of respect is an appropriate way to navigate life. trash of any color is still trash. I live in Portland, Oregon. There is a very large Gypsy Romano population in east Portland. I've worked retail for 8 years and the several clans of families are notorious for showing up in the store with a bunch of children who eat and drink merchendise. The parents/young adults don't steal that much but scam like crazy, changing sale price tags, or asking for favors. Most if not all of the women can't read which is insane. The men try to haggle. I had just built a 24 long section of Plush animals when a Gypsy man I knew all too well asked to speak with me in private. He had a proposal: he would buy all my Plush animals for 75% off right then and there. Taking them 'off my hands.' I asked him if he knew of business work but did not wait for a reply. If I gave him all my plush animals that I just received and merchendised I would have nothing for my loyal customers to buy. The entire aisle would be empty and look like I was going out of business and look like shit. I just paid $5,000 for the animals and would likely sell 90% of them collecting $12,000 and netting $7,000. If I sold him the animals at 75% right then and there I would lose $3,750 in one transaction. He thought I was playing hardball and came back with 60% off. Fuckkkkkkk! The same guy's brother was arrested for tax fraud (they owned several used car dealerships in poor areas of Portland. The FBI found $1.2 million under the floorboards of their house hidden in socks. I grew up in a Latvian village, where about 10% of population are gypsies - one of them was in my class until grade 4, when his parents yanked him out of there. They move from one derelict house to another, and in more than 15 years I've heard maybe two unsubstantiated rumours about them causing any harm. They didn't mix with us, but we greeted each other when we met. In the few years I lived in the capital, I witnessed gypsies stealing from people twice. The general impression was a lot worse as well. I suspect their upbringing/culture doesn't mix well with city life. The most difficult part of not being racist for me is trying not to abhor gypsies. I lived for almost 10 years in a Romanian city (Iasi) uptown neighborhood packed with gypsy families and that was the most terrifying period of my life. Those years changed me forever. I saw unspeakable brutalities and the most cynical attitudes a human being could ever hold. I even suspect myself of getting evil and brutal out of that experience. The gypsy community was quite united in their solidarity against the Romanian population, they were literally running that place in spite of the fact they were like 3:1 outnumbered. But the streets used to belong to them thoroughly. Many Romanians used to just wish to get safely in their apartments after work or school, by briskly passing through their own neighborhood. I saw murders and rapes, while being only 14. There were some industrial high-schools near our residential area and the young gypsies' daily fun was to go there and beat students or holdup girls for rape and even for keeping them for weeks in their homes for cooking and sexual abuse. The stories I know would make a whole horror novel or a blockbuster movie. They sometimes used to gather in dozens to attack foreign students hostels or even apartments where they suspected there had been living vulnerable girls. Their take on the Romanian community was very low, they used to consider the Romanians just victims of their escapades, just fillers for their lifestyle. Were there good guys among gypsies, by my knowledge? Yes. One. Nevertheless he was killed, stabbed with a small pocket knife in his neck, while in his teen years. And he had been a good guy just for not involving in beatings and savagery. After 1989 when the borders to Western Europe got passable, the atmosphere there became slightly more relaxed because all the loose cannons started to make long journeys to Germany for stealing and pillaging. Within several years, the former tough guys from the neighborhood became rich and less violent. The young gypsies took their example and emigrated to the West for making easy money in the grand European capital cities. Now, you guys have them and have to cope with them and their kids, and their kids' kids. From time to time I keep posing to myself this huge puzzle: how to make them good citizens. The answer is faraway I guess. So.... apparently, you've just fabricated some bullshit story for shits and giggles? Is this how you interact with people in the real world, too? What are people supposed to do in discussion forums online - just assume that everyone is some uber-cynical and endlessly (pointlessly) ironic 4-chan-style troll? I never understood why someone would want to do this, and how it could be remotely satisfying ("I went online and pretended to be serious and sincere about something - and people actually believed me!! LMFAO!!"). WTF? [For any latecomer/stragglers reading this, lgstoian posted the comment above in the ImGoingToHellForThis subreddit - well, here's the full quote of the comment, in case he deletes that, as well: " or Note : I'm not exaggerating in any way it is actually that bad." He has since deleted that post of this comment in the other subreddit ( but a review of fatsherlockholmes' comments showed that it was posted there, under the name lgstoian, and titled: "How to piss of [sic] everyone off and get upvoted. Laughed so hard. I'm a terrible person. :))" Speaking for myself, I wasn't "pissed off" but some of his eliminationist language (that clearly had some similarities with Nazis, who did begin to attempt to wipe them out) was disturbing, such as "These people have no place in society." Combined with "they don't deserve a break anymore" who knows what is being suggested. I notice that it did "inspire" fatsherlockholmes to reply with the also-Mengelesque comment "to be fair [!??], (eastern european / balkan) gypsies really are the worst vaguely humanoid forms i've ever encountered" ] The issue is that these people aren't as discriminated against as you imagine. They have no restrictions , they have the same citizenship as everyone else , same rights , same access to education ( actually even more as all colleges and high-schools offer them special admittance to encourage education ) , there are no job restrictions and many of them aren't even close to being poor. They are just bad people who don't want to be part of society as their own culture encourages high levels of aggression and disrespect towards everyone else. And again I'm not talking about a race here but about a life style. Many gypsies today can be totally unrelated by blood to actual Rroma. Why? Because the black population in the US could not possibly hide. I have known some Roma that went "legit" (a captain in the Finnish military), and I had no god damn idea that they were Roma until someone commented on it and he mentioned it himself. If you could easily avoid racism by avoiding certain behaviours, then the problem really isn't one of race - it's one of behaviour. Black people in the US never had the luxurious option of just not showing up as black when going to a job interview - something the Roma have, and have pretty much always had. TIL: Never want to see Europeans talking about racist Americans ever again. No, you're just one of the fucking idiots that equate criticism of negative cultural aspects as racism. And that attitude is the reason why we can't have sensible debates on issues such as immigration. There's always one smarmy fuck desperate to accuse somebody else of racism without the grounds to do so. Oh please they aren't trying to embrace anything . I'm tired of people who didn't have to interact with them and have mo idea what kind of people they are trying to defend them. Live with them a day and come back to me after. Trust me I tried to understand them. I'm from Romania and live in a big town, so I hope you'll not be tired of me too... I don't know about other European countries, but in Romania there's a profound hatred against gypsies. There was a poll in 2005 where about 95% answered "Yes" to the question: "Do you want the gypsy ethnicity removed from society?". Also about 90% were pro death-penalty and 87% wanted a law that will make criticism of christian orthodoxy church illegal (just fun facts). In Romania there are estimated to be a 2 to 3 million of gypsies (estimated because there are a lot without IDs). From Police statistics and some independent reports, the crime rate among gypsies is estimated to be 20%-30%. Which is very high, but expected due to poverty and lack of education, not to mention exclusion and pure hatred of the population. There are a lot of gypsies who are integrated in society, but are afraid to be open about their ethnicity. Those who do, are automatically excluded...I've seen this in school as well as in my current workplace. Even if they worked hard and proven themselves as honest, decent, hardworking people they are called gypsies (not by their names), treated like crap and excluded from any social interaction. So, if this is not racism...I really don't know how to call it. I even understand the reason why most people are prone to be racist towards gypsies. The crime rate is higher and the nomads are easy to spot in public, so if you see 20 gypsies in a day, you'll probably hear that the city is full of them :) Yes, those who commit crimes are easy to spot and the smell and display can make you cringe, but they are nowhere near 98% that someone said here. It amazes me that some think that Roma people are not integrated because they didn't want to. Never mind the fact they have been shunned for centuries in Europe, have been subject to genocide and institutionalized discrimination and, even today, to prejudice. Lots of them are successful members of society but then again, it's easier to spot the rotten apples. And the fact that their socioeconomic situation in most European countries is far from good doesn't help either. Others in the same situation (high-poverty urban environment) commit the same crimes but it's the Roma we notice because of the prejudice and racism. And it's the same thing that has happened with black people in America, even though Europeans like to think that it's not the same, because gypsies are really that bad. Where do you live? What do you know about gypsies? Where is the last time you were in an area with a lot of gypsies ? To me, a romanian living in the 5th district of Bucharest, what you're doing is offensive. You don't live here, you don't know how it is. But you still have the typical western cockiness to think that you actually know better because some asshole with a degree told you so. I don't go around commenting about shit I'm not familiar with. I don't squeeze myself in discussions that I don't know anything about. Because that action would be first of all idiotic, and second of all rude. When I was younger I always thought the "gitanos" were bad, but I've realised that there is nothing wrong with them genetically. Reading some of these comments here makes me worried about how racist most Europeans are. For a continent so liberal it is surprisingly racist and pro-genocidal O.o I think the difference is that the Jewish people, while not integrating, were generally productive citizens with an internal culture of progress and education. Where, it's come to my knowledge after speaking with Europeans over Reddit, that the Gypsies by and large carry a degenerate culture of entitlement and crime. After looking into it myself I couldn't find much to refute it. It's true, the Gypsies seem to be widely degenerate to the areas they occupy. This wouldn't be a problem if they did not stick among their own race and perpetuate the problem. Where, it's come to my knowledge after speaking with Europeans over Reddit Lol. No but really, I just googled for Fark gypsy on a whim and it's the same stuff. Maybe not every gypsy is bad, but the amount of bad that one can be is truly, truly ridiculous. There's horror stories worse than seen here. Oh, and this comment: This thread has it all, man. Torture/Murder porn, pictures of hot chicks, accusations of racism and scathing rebuttals, some hollering about the liberals... it's great! Also there is a picture of a sprinkler. Yup. And when people think of the Holocaust, they think of the Jews. Never mind the fact that Roma and Gypsies were way up the top of Hitler's shit list. Forget the fact that he killed off loads of them too. I think your experience as a gypsy is probably very different to what a lot of europeans experience. And by that I mean that the far more visible and notable face of gypsy culture is the massive squats, the robbing, pickpocketing and drug dealing. I understand Gypsies are people too and there will always be good and bad, but do you feel the most visible facet of gypsy culture to most people is that of thieves and drug dealers? As for whose fault that visibility is, maybe it's the media, maybe it's human nature to only notice other races when they cross you, or maybe it's that many gypsies in your situation would not openly identify as a gypsy to avoid discrimination? Does fear of discrimination maybe cause a lot of gypsies to hide their heritage, and in doing so, hide from the world that gypsies can be successful? Romas were mistreated in India. To escape they migrated to Europe. After which they were promptly enslaved for centuries. When they were finally emancipated, they weren't allowed to own property. They were then subjected to ethnic cleansing, hangings and branding. They then migrated to Poland and Russia, where they could live in relative peace....but Hitler invaded and went genocidal on them. The problem is the whole way they live is entirely dependent on the society that hosts them. Society is built as a mutually beneficial arrangement. Currently travellers don't fit into this model. They take without giving. They choose to live like this. They choose to live in a way that has a net negative value to the societies that host them. Of course people will be pissed off with this arrangement. Every European nation has systems to allow these people to integrate. It just doesn't happen often enough.
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http://www.np.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/148aj5/european_roma_descended_from_indian_untouchables/c7auime
This week I set out to test the idea that commercially successful middle-grade fantasies stick fairly closely to a certain plot structure. If that turns out to be the case, I also want to learn how closely they stick to the structure. In other words, what's the range of variation? My reason for doing this is simple. I'm a writer, and plot structure is my Achilles' heel. Test readers and other writers tell me I'm good at creating engaging characters. I've learned to put these characters in peril, my action scenes are healthy enough to pass muster, and dialogue is my greatest strength. However, something's still lacking. Two of the nine people who have read my middle-grade fantasy did so quickly and enjoyed it. The rest are slogging through as a favor to me. They find it easy to put the story down for weeks or even months, and some never pick it back up. So what gives? How is my work different from the world of writers who successfully engage a large number of readers? It took me a month of intensive work to figure it out. I talked with my test readers and with other writers. I bought a one-month subscription to Writer's Digest online tutorials and listened to as many tutorials as I could. I searched the Web for advice and started reading and reviewing one middle-grade fantasy a week to learn more about the genre. Gradually the mist has cleared, and even I–not the brightest porch light on the block–can now see the crux of the problem is structure. My plotting deviates from traditional plotting, and not just by a little. It lives in a galaxy far, far away. I'm not saying everyone has to stick to traditional structure to succeed, mind you, but I figure the folks who successfully color outside the lines probably know where those lines are. I don't. It's clear that I need to get a better grip on plotting. Unfortunately, most descriptions of story structure frustrate me. I just don't get them. I can generally follow the writer or speaker until they've explained what an inciting incident is. After that, they lose me. The rest either sounds like magic (too vague) or rocket science (too complex). Finally, though, I found a description I understand, although I had to read it several times before I even comprehended the basics. The description is by thriller writer Larry Brooks, and you can find it here, on his website. In brief, as I understand it, the structure goes something like this: 0%, page one: a hook that gets you interested. Could be an intriguing voice, mysterious or otherwise fascinating bit of information, humor, or action big or small. Something promising, anyway. In the section that follows, you learn about the hero's status quo, their story to this point, and what they have to lose. You get some foreshadowing of things to come. 20%, inciting incident (also called plot point one): A change in the hero's status quo caused by the antagonist, be it a storm, bad guy, or whatever. The hero's circumstances shift and s/he now has a need, quest, or goal but doesn't yet know how to take effective action. If the hero tries to take action, s/he's thwarted by an inner demon or demons. 35%(ish): a reminder of the serious nature of the antagonist. 50%, midpoint: Reader, hero, or both get information that changes their understanding of what's happening. The hero can now be proactive rather than reactive. 60%(ish): another reminder of the serious nature of the antagonist. 75%, plot point two: Hero gets final information needed to fully succeed. No new information or characters after this point. This structure isn't universally accepted as the gold standard, but because I more or less get it, I decided to use it as my baseline. That is, I'll map out the structure of the middle-grade fantasies I've reviewed on this blog to date and compare them with this structure to see whether, how much, and in what ways they deviate. If nothing else, I figure this will give me a better grasp of this specific way of structuring plot, which by golly is more know-how than I have now. The next step will be to come up with a nice, trite plot of my own and see if I can actually put the technique into practice. Knowing me, it'll take a try or two . . . or twelve. I've structure-mapped one book so far: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. As usual, it took me donkey's years, but I've learned a lot. The Lightning Thief deviated from the baseline plot structure, but not by much. For one thing, the writer included all the basic structural elements, and for another, each element appeared in the correct order and in approximately the place it should be. The biggest deviation was the length of the second third of the book–the part between the midpoint (when the hero starts being proactive) and the second plot point (when the hero gets the last bit of information needed to complete the quest). This section was twice as long as is standard according to the baseline structure. Mr. Riordan seems to have realized this and gives the reader two reminders of the terrible nature of the antagonist during the section instead of the standard one. I also learned something else: I read too fast and miss stuff. During this second, slower reading of this book for structure, I found I'd missed a ton of humor in this book. I bet the book's target audience, reading at less than warp speed, would not miss this humor. I will now revise my review of The Lightning Thief to give the humor a much higher mark than I originally did. I'll keep dissecting the structure of middle-grade fantasies and I'll keep you posted about what I find. If I manage to do this with a nice, large sample of books, eventually I might even be able to check whether a book's Amazon.com sales ranking is higher if it sticks closer to the formula–another of my hypotheses. By the way, a couple of weeks ago I promised to write a list of middle-grade fantasy subgenres, and I haven't forgotten that promise. It's going to take longer than I thought, though, because I haven't read widely enough to have a good grasp of the wide range of middle-grade fantasy that's out there–everything from mermaids to steampunk. I'll keep reading, though, and I'll keep blogging. Thirteen-year-old Mississippi "Mibs" Beaumont, two of her siblings, and two friends stow away on a Bible-delivery bus so Mibs can use a newly discovered secret talent—her savvy—to save her father, who lies critically injured in a hospital ninety miles away. The bus has to make a few stops en route, though, and Mibs, her fellow stowaways, and even the driver, find friendship, love, and understanding along the way. Let me say it up front: Savvy is a fantastic book. Don't miss it. It's set in Bible-belt Nebraska and Kansas and loosely inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The characters are fantastic; they make the story. Kid-o-meter ratings (1 = lowest or least, 5 = highest or most) 1. This book made me laugh out loud: 2. I didn't laugh out loud, but there's plenty of low-key humor in this wonderfully enjoyable book. 2. This book has good action: 4. The action in Savvy doesn't consist of epic battles, but the splash-battle at the pool, the disagreements among friends, the fight at a diner, and several storms caused by one of the main characters will be more than enough to keep you reading long into the night. 3. This book is suspenseful: 5. You'll be so busy wondering what will happen in the next scene that once in a while you might forget to worry about what will happen to the main character, her friends, and her family—especially her dad—in the long run. Then you'll remember what's at stake and start reading faster to get to the end. Once you're finished with the book, you'll read it all over again because it's just so good. 4. The ending does not disappoint: 5. I won't tell you more because I don't want to give anything away. 5. I cared a lot about these characters: 5. I have never read a fantasy book with characters I cared about more than the ones in this book. If you are fan of Meg and Charles Wallace from A Wrinkle in Time or Claudia and Jamie Kinkaid From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, read this book. I think you'll like Mibs, her brother Fish, and the other main characters as much as you liked Meg, Charles, Claudia, and Jamie. Kids' questions 1. How old is the main character? At the beginning of the book, she's about to turn 13. 2. Is there a group of friends I can imagine I'm part of? Yes, a great group of friends. 3. Is this a series or just one book? This is a stand-alone book, but there's another book, Scumble, about one of Mibs' cousins. The events in that Scumble take place 9 years after the ones in Savvy. 4. Does it get off to a good start? Yes. The book doesn't have big action on the first page, but it has what writers call a hook—something that makes you want to keep reading to learn more. The hook in Savvy is first-class. If you're not super-curious to keep reading after page one, I'll be a monkey's uncle. 5. Is there at least one nice grownup? Yes. There are many nice grownups, from Mibs' mom, dad, and grandfather to Lester, a down-on-his luck Bible salesman, and Lill, a waitress who falls in love with Lester. There are also a few grownups you might call half-nice and two really unpleasant ones. There's a sad homeless man, too. 6. Does is get mushy? Is there L-O-V-E? There is love, and when my son was ten I think he would have described it as a little mushy. Mibs gets her first kiss and Lester gives Lill a big kiss (the kids are embarrassed and look the other way). Sixteen-year-old Roberta has a crush on one of Mibs' brothers and manages to touch his hand near the end of the book. None of these kisses or crushes is romance novel-y, though. In other words, they're not the kind you'd find in a love story for teenagers or grownups. Parents, I don't think any of these romantic moments are inappropriate for kids. Adults' questions 1. What's the major source of suspense? The one that pulls the reader through from beginning to end is the fate of Mibs' father. The day before Mibs' 13th birthday—just a few pages into the book—Mibs' father is in a serious car accident (offstage) and is taken to the intensive care unit of a Salina, Kansas, hospital, ninety miles away from the family home in Hebron, Nebraska. All members of Mibs' family have a special inherited ability, a savvy, which becomes apparent on their 13th birthday. An important source of suspense early in the book is what Mibs' special power will be. Even after it appears, the nature of Mibs' savvy isn't clear-cut, so there's more suspense while Mibs and the readers figure out what it actually is. Your middle-grade reader will also wonder what on earth will happen to Mibs and the other main characters who stow away in a Bible-delivery bus so Mibs can go to Salina to save her father. There are many other sources of suspense, too; for instance: will the kids, who are at loggerheads with each other in the beginning, learn to get along? Will Mibs and her 14-year-old brother Fish ever tell the other kids about their savvies? How will the other kids react if and when Mibs and Fish tell? Can the kids trick Lester and Lill into thinking they've called their parents? Should they try? Will Lill lose her job at the diner? Will Lester ever learn to sell Bibles? Will Lester and Lill get in trouble for helping the kids? Can Mibs help her father? If so, how? 2. Which classic fantasy elements does this book contain? Inherited special powers. Fish can cause storms, Grandpa can create new land, Mibs' mom can do things perfectly on the first try, Mibs' deceased grandmother could capture songs in glass jars, and so on. 3. What's the book's take on tolerance and empathy? Tolerance is not an overt theme, but the book is full of empathetic characters, especially Mibs, who is really a lovely, likable kid. Her friend and sort-of boyfriend-to-be, Will Junior, is no bad guy either. For instance, Mibs, backed up by Will, helps a homeless man, or at least tries. Will Junior sticks by Mibs through thick and thin, as does her older brother Fish. Samson, Mibs' little brother, seems to be able to calm people with his touch, and he's generous in giving this help. 4. Is there profanity or violence? There's no profanity, but there is some mild violence. At one point, Fish gets mad and punches Will Junior, who remains calm and doesn't punch back. Fish has a hard time controlling his savvy (causing storms), and wreaks havoc a couple of times in the book. There's a cruel restaurant manager, the Great and Powerful Ozzie, who fires Lill in front of a group of people, brandishing a pie knife and saying really mean things about her. Near the end of the book, the kids hold down a bad guy—well, a really nasty woman—so Mibs can use her savvy to figure out where the woman has hidden the missing Samson. 5. How about mature themes or dark creatures? There are no dark creatures in this book. The savvies are described as genetic traits rather than supernatural powers, so there is no dark or light magic, either. The two themes in the book that to my mind are "grown-up," romantic love and homelessness, were handled in a way I think was fine for middle-grade readers. Lester and Lill fall in love and kiss, but the kiss is described in a way appropriate to a middle-grade book. The meeting between Mibs, Will Junior, and a homeless, sleeping alcoholic outside a diner is moving. The writer takes pains to explain that it's a potentially dangerous situation, so you needn't worry that your kids will approach sleeping alcoholics without caution after reading this book. The writer handles the scene and its sequel well. The kids' friends are never far away, should the kids need help, but help is very far away for the homeless man. 6. What's the take on religion and/or God in this book? The characters in the book are Christians. One is the rebellious daughter of a minister and the other is grandson of that same minister. The kids stow away on the bus of a Bible salesman after he stops at the parish hall, where the haranguing minister and his officious wife are throwing a birthday party for the reluctant Mibs. As far as I remember, God and religion are never explicit topics of discussion, but God comes up multiple times in Mibs' internal thoughts. She says a quick silent thank-you to God in one scene, for instance, and in another, she hopes He'll understand her choices better than the minister's wife did. The book doesn't proselytize, so I don't think it will be offensive to people who aren't Christians. What's more, I don't think most readers will feel that the book portrays the Christian characters as unrealistically saintly. Although many of the characters are extremely kind-hearted and decent, they're not angles. For example, the minister's wife seems to think she's intervening to help Mibs' family in time of need, but she's actually interfering in their lives in a high-handed and insensitive way. When Lill is fired, Lester commits petty larceny, snatching a banana cream pie from her boss and absconding with it. The children elaborately scam Lill into believing they phoned their parents from a motel and that it's OK for Lester and Lill to give them a ride to the hospital in Kansas. 7. What about politics and government? No political issues in the book as far as I can tell. 8. Any gender issues whack you in the eye? No. On the positive side, I noticed that the female characters were strong and capable. On second thought, though, it's possible that some readers will take umbrage at the perfection of Mibs' mom. She's a homemaker who is perfectly nurturing, perfectly patient, and perfectly tolerant, possibly because of her savvy, which is to be really good at things. She also seems to be perfectly balanced and content with her life until her husband is injured and her kids run away on the Bible bus, whereupon she becomes lovingly worried. But perhaps I only think that this character might get under people's skin because I'm envious. I'd like to be perfectly good, perfectly balanced, and perfectly content, and perfectly loving, but I am most certainly am none of those things. 9. Any other important themes or issues crop up that you might want to discuss with your child? The hard road to friendship. You might want to talk about the trials and tribulations the kids face on their road to friendship with each other. The homeless alcoholic. It would probably be good to talk about the homeless man, who is an alcoholic and has given up on life. The family's economic situation at the end of the book. I have to bring this up, even though it may not be something you want to talk about with your kids. It bothered me that at the end of the book, Mibs' family had no apparent source of income and yet seemed to be doing just fine, economically. This fazed me, but for all I know, some or even most kids might accept it without a second thought. I guess you could explain it away by saying this is a fantasy. Or maybe grandpa, whose savvy is making land, made some extra acres and the family sold them off. Or maybe in her first draft, the writer mentioned how the family was getting by, but her editor told her to take it out because it wasn't necessary to explain that kind of thing in a fantasy. 10. Is the book especially challenging to read? No, this is a well-written book by a writer with a distinctive and confident voice. I read the first two paragraphs critically, then relaxed and let the driving to the author because I trusted that she knew where she was going and how to get there. 11. How's the writing? What's the writer's major strength? What's the writer's Achilles heel? The writing is excellent. This writer has a distinctive voice; she even makes up her own words. She's confident and dexterous from the very first sentence, good at description and dialogue, and knows when to show and when to tell. What's more, she deftly weaves a story of personal growth and changing from a child to a teen into a fantasy-adventure, and that must be anything but easy to do. Writing this book must have been hard work, but the writer makes it seem effortless. If she has an Achilles' heel, it's not the writing, but rather a few choices that rendered it momentarily hard for me, as an adult, to suspend my disbelief. For example, no one in the book has a cell phone (perhaps the book is set in the past?), the family thrives at end of book without apparent income, Lill doesn't seem angry after she learns the kids have played a very nasty trick on her, and Lester and Lill don't get into hot water for driving runaway kids across Nebraska and Kansas. 12. Might some people be upset by the spelling or grammar? No, they were just fine. One of many well-known characters with a missing parent. Image, from Wikipedia, is in the public domain. Does it seem to you that most heroes of middle-grade fantasies have parents who are missing or dead? It's not just your imagination. It's a real phenomenon with a longstanding history that's as old as fairy tales—maybe even older. There are a number of good reasons for getting parents out of the way in middle-grade fantasy. The first is simple. Main characters in fantasies need to go on dangerous quests and adventures, and at the end of the road, they must face their antagonists alone. Your average parent's goal of protecting his or her kids from harm is diametrically opposed to your average storyteller's goal of putting those very same kids in harm's way. For instance, if mom is so worried about stranger danger that she won't let eleven-year-old Betsy Bravington walk two blocks to ballet school, you can bet your brass tutu she's not gonna let Betsy cross the Sitherous Sea to slay Malwar the Malevolent, a dragon who gouges out people's eyeballs, spears them with toothpicks, and uses them to stir his breakfast martinis. Betsy's especially grounded if Moms finds out that the plan to get to Malwar involves a homemade raft, two 500-year-old dwarves with questionable personal hygiene, and a cute teenage elf who wears a diamond stud in his nose and keeps fifteen daggers hidden on his person. Second, orphaning your hero opens up a treasure chest of opportunities for internal conflict. Betsy's sad her mom's dead, see, and even worse, they parted in anger that last day. Betsy actually used the F word because Moms wouldn't let her wear meat-colored Lady Gaga eye shadow to Anita Smithson's twelfth birthday party. Just after Betsy stomped off to the yellow walk-in closet that is her sanctum sanctorum, Moms set off for the strip mall. At the mall, Veronica Vanitas dropped the Poison of Periset into Moms' spirulina smoothie so she (Veronica) could sneak into the Bravington's McMansion, snitch the Nail Polish of Power, kidnap Betsy's little sister Belinda, and deliver the feisty eight-year-old to Malwar the Dragon in exchange for the Earrings that Eliminate Eyelid Droop. Third, killing off the parents equals instant room for character growth. Just to pick one obvious thing, Betsy could learn that contrary to what she thought at the beginning of the story, Anita Smithson's opinion of eye shadow is not as important to her as the safety of her little sister. She could discover that if she doesn't look deeper inside herself than her Burberry outerwear, she could easily start rolling down that slippery slope to Veronica-land. On the other hand, if she can just keep her vanity in check, she can enjoy the Nail Polish of Power and save Belinda, too. Fourth, there's the sympathy/empathy factor. Even readers who haven't experienced deep loss like the death of a parent have experienced loss and loneliness of some kind, so it's easy to imagine yourself in the shoes of the orphaned main character. As a writer, you want readers to sympathize with your hero, especially if she has some not-so-likable traits, as Betsy does at the outset of our hypothetical story. In a stunning move that may well parallel the apparent worldwide drop in violence (see Steven Pinker's book, The Better Angels of Our Nature), more and more middle-grade fantasy writers are moving away from classic murder to disappearance and abduction. The missing parents in the Sisters Grimm series are a good example. They vanished into thin air one day, the only clue a red hand print on the dashboard of their abandoned car. Parents that are not dead but merely AWOL free up the main character for adventure and excite readers' sympathy. They also give writers the opportunity to inject extra action and conflict into plot and subplot, because when Mom and Dad are missing, the kids want to find them. For example, if Veronica Vanitas doesn't poison Moms' smoothie, but uses the Calamitous Cuticle Scissors of Cathor to give Moms a haircut that sends her spinning into another realm, then Betsy can star in a trilogy. Finding, saving, and reconciling with Moms can be the goal that Betsy and her writer aim for at the end of Book 3. Neat, huh? Or Moms could become like Obi-Wan Kenobi and the parents in the Kane Chronicles, influencing events in Betsy's books from afar even if she (Moms) can never escape from the Parallel World of Prada or the Blissful Bay of Balenciaga. Some writers open Door Number Three and create parents who are too busy, too wrapped up in their work or life or whatnot, to pay attention to what the kids are up to. This is what Terry Pratchett does in his Wee Free Menbooks. A cool variation on this theme is to make it seem like the hero's parents are oblivious and neglectful, whereas in reality the parents know all about what's going on and are keeping an eye on the kid the whole time. This is what happens in Jonathan Safran Foer's novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Just to be safe I better warn you that although Foer's book stars a nine-year-old, it's not a middle-grade novel. I highly recommend it for adults, however. Whew. That was fun. Next time: a run-down of middle-grade fantasy's many subgenres. Hansel and Gretel run away from the parents who have betrayed them, only to suffer and struggle through a series of dark and violent adventures that will later become Grimm's fairy tales. As they live through the stories, the children grow up, coming to terms with the unfairness of the world and with the accidental and purposeful cruelty in themselves and in others. Theme: ". . . in life, it is in the darkest zones one finds the brightest beauty and the most luminous wisdom." Kid-o-meter ratings (1 = lowest or least, 5 = highest or most) 1. This book made me laugh out loud: 1. No belly laughs here; this is serious stuff. It's a fairytale for real. There are murdering parents, two serial killers (including a cannibal), many deaths, a soul sold to the Devil, and a trip to Hell. The writer warns you in the beginning about the violence, cruelty, blood, and gore. Throughout the book, he stops the story every now and then to tell you what's coming, which should help you make it through if you're a sensitive person. He tells you when you get to the sad part, for example, and explains that things will get better, although "not quite yet." The writer does have a sense of humor and a sense of irony, and some parts of some scenes may make you smile, so I have given it a 1 rather than a zero. Don't expect to chuckle your way through this book, though. 2. This book has good action: 5. The story is a series of fairy tales, each one a chapter, stacked one after the other to make a novel. There's violent action (and a message) in every chapter, and a larger story and message span the length of the book. Each individual tale matches or exceeds the original Grimm's tale in darkness and violence, and if you've read the originals, you'll know this is saying something. All the stories involve one or both of the siblings, and the unsettling effect of the book intensifies as story piles on story and the children's circumstances go from bad to worse until one of them is literally in Hell. 3. This book is suspenseful: 5. It's suspenseful even if you know the original fairytales, because the author retells a number of Grimm's original fairy tales as the adventures of Hansel and Gretel, who have run away from home after their father tries to kill them. In fact, their father actually does kill them, but they come back to life. You'll have to read the book to see how. 4. The ending does not disappoint: 5. Excellent, clever ending, that wraps the whole plot up neatly. This writer is one smart cookie. I am truly surprised that this book didn't win a serious literary award. Or maybe it did. I will have to check the writer's website after I finish writing this review. Anyway, if it didn't, it should have. 5. I cared a lot about what happened to these characters: 4. It's important for readers NOT to care about these characters one hundred percent flat out, because if we did, we might not make it through the book. Fortunately, the writer uses an old-fashioned fairy tale narrator's voice to put some distance between us and Hansel and Gretel. That way there's a little insulation between us and the raw horror and heartbreak while reading, like the protection firefighters get when they wear those special suits in burning buildings. Kid questions 1. How old is the main character? The writer never says how old these two characters are, but they're not teenagers yet. My guess is somewhere between eight and twelve. 2. Is there a group of friends I can imagine I'm part of? No, but there is a brother-and-sister team. 3. Is this a series or just one book? Something in between a series and an individual book. I just checked Amazon.com and see that the author has written another book. It's about Jack and Jill and I expect it's just as bloody as this one. 4. Does it get off to a fast start? Fast enough. There's a nice hook in the beginning to reel you in so you are patient through the next few pages of background information you have to read before the first heads are chopped off. 5. Is there at least one nice grownup? Gretel meets a nice widow at one point, who takes Gretel in and tries to protect her. However, even the nice widow can't stop bad stuff from happening to Gretel, because Gretel disobeys the widow, goes straight into the dark wood, and lands smack dab in the trap of a serial killer. In this book, when the grownups don't actually cause the kids trouble, the kids go out and find the trouble for themselves. 6. Does it get mushy? Is there L-O-V-E? There is no mush, but at one point, Gretel develops a crush. She doesn't pick a nice guy, and when she goes to visit him, she barely escapes with her life. Adult's questions 1. What's the major source of suspense? You'll wonder how Hansel will come back to life after being killed a second time, whether and how Gretel will escape the serial killer who rips girl's souls from their bodies and eats the corpses for supper, and how Hansel will escape from Hell. You'll wonder a lot of other things, too, but most of all, you'll wonder how the writer will bring it all to a satisfying conclusion. (I think he succeeds, and it's a surprisingly happy ending, too.) 2. Which classic fantasy elements does the book contain? All the traditional fairytale elements, including the extreme bloody violence. 3. What's the book's take on tolerance and empathy? The book doesn't deal with tolerance and empathy, exactly. It's about Hansel and Gretel's journey toward coming to terms with the gigantic imperfections of their parents, other grownups . . . and themselves. Don't be misled into thinking the book is about a journey towards forgiveness, though. Instead, it's about learning to living with what they and others have done and how they move on from there. In a nutshell, you could say it's about growing up the hard way, and I guess there really is no other way to grow up. No matter how gentle your upbringing or nice the circumstances, you're always going to get smacked upside the head by life somehow. There's just no stopping it. 4. Is there profanity or violence? I don't remember any profanity, but there's violence from the foundation to the attic in this story—everything from cannibalistic serial killers to sinners tortured by Demons in Hell, where the Devil has an easy chair made of human skin. My suggestion is to read this book yourself before reading it to your kids. If my son were still a middle-grade reader, I would have read the book out loud to him or at least tested the beginning on him to see how he took it. That way, we could stop if he wanted and discuss stuff that bothered him or that he didn't understand. One of the reasons I'd feel OK about reading this book to my son, though, is that he would have a context for the books because we read Andrew Lang's fairy books together—well, I read them and he listened—from the time my son was about eight. Perhaps I should note that although he is now a teenager, my son was definitely affected by the stories in Andrew Lang's books. He still shakes his head over the one in which everyone just died in the end. Every child and every parent is different, though. The omniscient narrator point of view gives the readers some much-needed emotional distance from the story, but there are still some scenes in which the narrator drops into close third person, and these hit you in Technicolor and Dolby Surround. They might be tough for an impressionable person, especially a very young one. An example is the scene in which Gretel, in hiding, watches a handsome young man on whom she has a crush drag a girl down the stairs into his basement by her hair. As the girl struggles, he shoves his hand down her throat, rips out her soul and cages it, chops the girl's corpse into pieces (the blade falls graphically), and order his mother (whom he has shackled to the stove) to cook the dead girl for dinner. You get the idea. 5. How about mature themes? The whole book has a mature theme: growing up and coming to terms with the unfairness of the world and the accidental and purposeful cruelties of strangers and those close to you, especially your parents. There is also a point about spotting evil like "where's Waldo": seeing things for what they really are, of seeing and dealing with the evil that sometimes lives beside us, and perhaps even inside those two whom we are closest. Has the author handled these mature themes in a way appropriate to middle-grade readers? I'm not sure. If I got this book for my middle grader, I'd want to be along for the journey. I'd read it out loud to him or her. But that's just me. 6. Dark creatures? They abound. Readers will meet demons and the Devil, sinners great and small, murderous parents, a cannibalistic warlock, and a slimy evil mini-dragon that lives inside a character, possessing him and turning him into a monster that murderers swathes of people. 7. What's the take on religion and/or God in the book? God doesn't manifest in the book, but his opposite number is present in force. Hell is a real place where sinners (and some relative innocents, like Hansel) are punished in vats of boiling something-or-other by demons. Hansel must outwit the Devil to escape from Hell. 8. What about politics and government? Hansel and Gretel live in a monarchy, and their father is the king of one of the kingdoms. I don't think the monarchy in this book is one you could discuss as a form of national government. On the other hand, you could talk about it as a symbol for the power structure in a family. And you could discuss how what happens in the Kingdom of Grimm's monarchy mirrors what happens in families as children grow up and balances of power shift. 9. Any gender issues whack you in the eye? Well sort of. Hansel and Gretel fall victim to gender-specific kinds of foolish behavior they must overcome to continue on their journey through the world. Hansel becomes a terrible, monstrous, environmentally destructive hunter, and Gretel falls in love with the wrong man, to put it mildly. I liked these aspects of book, but some readers might think the writer is gender-stereotyping. 10. Any other important themes or issues crop up that you might want to discuss with your child? I think you will want to discuss every single individual chapter in this book with your child, or even with your teenager. In other words, there are too many important themes in this book for me to take them up in this review: abuse of the environment children who rebel against authority figures the flawed nature of every authority figure the question of whether people can reform the question of whether and how people who commit horrible offenses against other people are or are not punished for what they do and more–at least one theme per chapter. 11. Is the book especially challenging to read, and if so, why? The language in the book isn't especially challenging, but the content of the book is quite challenging. 12. How's the writing? Solid. I think this writer will win awards, if he hasn't already. 13. Might some people be upset by the spelling or grammar? No, but perhaps by the violence. It's truthy violence, though: stuff that really happens but is taken to a fairy tale level to make it more easily readable, digestible, and discussable for those of us who prefer to handle the world's burning hot awfulness with the allegorical oven mitts of Once Upon a Time. Two parentless sisters move in with their grandmother and discover their family has a secret job: policing a rural New York town that's really a ghetto-prison for fairy-tale creatures. When a giant climbs down a verboten beanstalk and kidnaps their grandmother, the sisters must figure out who's behind the plot so they can save their grandmother . . . and the town. Theme: Friends come in the most unexpected guises. So do foes. Be careful who you trust, but do trust. Kid-o-meter ratings (1 = lowest or least, 5 = highest or most) 1. This book made me laugh out loud: 4. The book starts out seriously, but gets funnier as you read. I would have read this book for one character alone—a character called Puck who appears around the middle of the book. Once he horns in on the two-girl team, the slapstick really gets rolling and rounds out the other funny elements (like the names of some of the characters). The only funnier middle-grade fantasies I've read are the ones by Terry Pratchett, and he came to middle-grade writing with a whole bunch of experience writing other books. I look forward to reading Michael Buckley's next books, because I figure that with more experience, he'll get even funnier. 2. This book has good action: 3. There is enough action, but the writer could have done a better job of showing action rather than telling you about it, especially early in the book. For example, a telling sentence such as "Tony leaped up and rushed at Mr. Canis again, only to feel the same painful results" would have been more effective as something like "Tony leaped up and rushed at Mr. Canis again, swinging his iron bar. Mr. Canis dodged left and the bar flew past, missing him. Tony crashed to pavement, dropping the bar and scraping his hands and knees on the hard concrete." 3. This book is suspenseful: 3. If you have read a lot of fairy tales and are observant, you might figure out some of the mysteries before the girls do, although I don't think you'll guess what's in the forbidden locked room on the second floor of Granny's house. There's a neat detective-story twist toward the end of the book, and most readers will probably find it surprising . . . but surprising isn't quite the same as suspenseful. The town is menaced by a master criminal whose identity is not revealed, and it's clear the girls are destined to tangle with this character later books. I am pretty darn sure I know the identity of this mysterious individual, but I'm a grownup and a writer, and I've have read a ton of fairy tales. See if you can guess, too. 4. The ending does not disappoint: 5. I enjoyed this ending. By the end of the book, the girls solve the mystery. They change as a result of their experiences during the story, their relationship with each other changes, and one of the major problems in their lives is resolved. Some loose ends are left hanging on purpose so the girls have plenty of stuff left to do in the next books. A great scene near the end makes it clear that one of my favorite characters will play a bigger role in future books in the series. 5. I cared a lot about what happened to these characters: 5. Yes. Really liked the Sisters Grimm. A lot. Kids' questions 1. How old is the main character? Sabrina Grimm is almost 12. Her sister, Daphne, is 7. 2. Is there a group of friends I can imagine I'm part of? Yes, the two sisters are a really good team and their Grandma's dog Elvis, a Great Dane, is like a third member of the group. When Puck shows up, the trio becomes a foursome and the group gets even better. 3. Is this a series or just one book? I'm happy to say it's a series. 4. Does it get off to a fast start? The author has used an old trick to get you hooked. He put an action scene from late in the book at the very beginning. I think the trick works well. The first chapter, which starts right after that action scene, isn't action-packed, but it's really interesting and will keep you reading. This is one of those books where the characters will grab you as much as the action. For example, you will probably wish you had a little sister like Daphne. (I did.) 5. Is there at least one nice grownup? Yup. Several. There are several mean ones, too. 6. Does is get mushy? Is there L-O-V-E? Nope. Adults' questions 1. What's the major source of suspense? This is a fairy-tale fantasy-mystery: a new genre that works really well in the hands of this writer. There are several sources of suspense in the book: Were the girls really abandoned by their parents? If not, what happened to Mom and Dad? Is the woman they meet at the beginning of the book really their grandmother? Who is the mysterious Mr. Canus? Who let the giant loose in Ferryport Landing and why? Will the girls save their grandmother from the giant? Once your kids catch on to the fact that almost everyone the sisters meet in Ferryport Landing is a fairytale character in disguise who's living under an assumed name, they'll also have the fun of guessing who's who. As an adult, you'll wonder why kindly Grandma Grimm left the kids to fend for themselves a year before coming forward to claim them. It's hard to believe she'd do this, and the reason she waited is not explained in the book. 2. Which classic fairytale elements does this book contain? Missing parents, for one. Missing or dead parents—or perhaps it's more accurate to say orphaned or abandoned children—are such a pervasive component of fantasies that I've decided my next non-review blog post will include a table showing the fate of parents in all the books I've reviewed so far. Other people have written plenty of pages about why writers get parents out of the way in fantasies, so I don't think I'll go into that topic in depth, but I'll go out on the Web and find some of the best analyses so I can give you those links. The Sisters Grimm also contains tons of fairytale and fantasy creatures, from the Tin Woodsman to the magic mirror to the odious Prince Charming and all the wives who ever divorced him (Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and I forget who else). There are a zillion magical items—from beanstalk beans to silver slippers—and there's a dark forest, classically located right smack behind Grandma's house. There are monsters, or at least there's one kind of monsters: giants. 3. What's the book's take on tolerance and empathy? The concepts of tolerance and intolerance are never discussed outright, but they underlie the book. If the Grimms ever figure out how to safely break the spell keeping the fairytale creatures imprisoned in the town, the world will have to tolerate the creatures, and the creatures will have to live in the midst of a majority population that's very different from them in many ways. Perhaps the issues of tolerance and intolerance will come to the fore more in future books in this series. 4. Is there profanity or violence? There's no profanity. There is violence. For example, you see a giant stomp on a house when three thugs are inside. It's not clear, however, if the three thugs are magical creatures or not, and it's also not clear whether or not magical creatures can be killed. On the one hand, all three little pigs are running around, alive and well. On the other, a major magical item gets pulverized in the course of the book. So can magical creatures be destroyed in the world of this series? Your guess is as good as mine at this point. The only violence I thought an eight or nine-year-old reader might find disturbing was when the bad guy injures Elvis the Great Dane near the end of the book. You don't witness the attack, though, and the writer makes sure the reader knows that the dog will be OK. I would have let my son read this book from whenever he was capable of reading it, which in his case would have been about age nine. I would have read it out loud to him earlier than that. 5. How about mature themes or dark creatures? a. Mean foster parents and a cruel case worker. At the beginning of the book, the children, whose parents have disappeared, have been shuttled from one awful foster family to another for about a year, and their case worker is real thus-and-so. Sabrina, the older sister, has spent the entire time protecting her younger sister, but also bossing Daphne around and not listening to her. Sabrina has understandable problems with trust, and learns to trust her grandmother and respect her sister's wishes and strengths over the course of the book. This is a mature theme, but it's handled in a way I think is fine for middle-grade readers. On the other hand, if you are a foster parent, someone who knows a foster family—or even if you are one of the thousands of decent, caring, respectful caseworkers out there—you might take offense at the stereotypical depictions of foster parents and caseworkers. You might want to talk with your kids about foster families and case workers: are all of them as mean as the ones in the book? b. Giants and witches. The giants in the book are unintelligent monsters. There are witches working in law enforcement. They are employed by Prince Charming, the mayor of the town. 6. What's the take on religion and/or God in the book? There is no mention of religion or God in the book, and no such themes flowing around under the surface, either, as far as I could tell. 7. How about politics? Ferryport Landing, NY is a lovely little microcosm of early 21st century American politics, which makes this book awfully fun reading for a grownup. None of the characters represents an actual politician, but you could argue that they represent streams of political thought and/or caricatures of types of politicians/employers. The narcissistic traditionalist Prince Charming is mayor of the town, and it's clear he wants to make it into his own kingdom, but he's an elected leader. He intimidates some fairytale creatures into doing his bidding—especially those he employs—but he doesn't intimidate all of them, a situation that will probably be familiar to many adult readers from their own working lives. Charming has some law-and-order and taxation headaches, and his authority is questioned by a number of citizens, including the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland and the mysterious terrorist insurgency leader The Red Hand (note the color—I doubt it's an accident). Others, such as Puck the trickster king, have apparently been sniffing libertarian pixie dust. They ignore the Prince and do their own thing. You might want to talk with your children about the political agendas in Ferryport Landing. Which of the creatures do you/they sympathize with? What do you think of their various political plans, and why do you feel this way? 8. Any gender issues whack you in the eye? This book is full of strong and highly awesome female characters. Puck, a boy who has been 11 years old for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years, comes onstage about halfway through the book. He makes a number of idiotic sexist remarks to Sabrina when they first meet and she gives him the what-for. It quickly becomes clear that Puck has a sensitive ego, and Daphne, who has a great deal of emotional intelligence, tries to convince Sabrina to let Puck think he's in charge. It's hard to tell if the writer is trying to portray Puck as having a sensitive male ego or if Puck's simply jealous of the girls for other reasons and is sensitive because of that. I lean toward the latter, but it might be both. These scenes would make a great topic for discussion with your kids. 9. Any other important themes or issues crop up that you might want to discuss with your child? Yes, the ghettoization of minority populations, especially as perpetrated by Germans. The Sisters Grimm is in large part about the fairytale creatures that one of the (German) Grimm brothers persuaded to move to a small, rural town in New York during the 1700s. The idea was that the town would serve as a sanctuary from growing conflicts between fairytale creatures and the non-enchanted majority population in places such as . . . wait for it . . . Germany (but also elsewhere). However, the town soon became a fairytale-ghetto/prison with the Grimm family as guards. A spell was cast, and no fairytale creature can leave the town until the last Grimm dies. In a neat twist, very, very few of the fairytale creatures are dangerous, and some who were dangerous in their original stories have changed their ways. Even the giants pose no threat as long as the cops keep the magic beans out of circulation. In other words, there's apparently no reason for the fairy tale creatures to be imprisoned . . . other than that some of them are powerful, and all of them are different from the majority population. As you may have guessed, an eerie, Warsaw-Ghetto vibe lurks under the often-humorous surface of this book. The author recognizes this, although he never uses the word "ghetto" and never refers to the Second World War or 20th century European history. He does, however, let his two main characters feel the wrongness of the situation in the town and the awkwardness (to put it mildly) of their family's role multiple times throughout the book. This is not a heavy book in any obvious way, and your child will almost certainly breeze right by this theme without plumbing its depths. On the other hand, I think it's a good idea to notice, and you might want to talk about it. Why are the fairyland creatures imprisoned in the town? Are they really dangerous? Was it OK to imprison the creatures? Is it OK to keep them in prison now that all the magic beans, fairy godmother wands and other magical items are locked way in protective custody? 10. Is the book especially challenging to read, and if so, why? No, I think an eight or nine-year-old should be able to read this book. 11. How's the writing? Solid. The writer has a flair for comedy but needs to work on showing rather than telling in action sequences. He did a better job of "showing" in the final action sequences, which left me wondering if he used "telling" on purpose in the beginning to save words, or perhaps as a riff on traditional fairy-tale style. 12. Might some people be upset by the spelling or grammar? No, no odd spelling or bad grammar here.
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http://www.kimberlylynkane.com/2012/12/
Tag Archives: Fórsa Óglaigh Uladh (Ulster Volunteer Force) Post navigation Joint footpatrol of British UDA terrorists and British Army soldiers, British Occupied North of Ireland, 1970s Throughout the late 20th century and into the early 21st century the Ulster Volunteer Force or UVF was one of the largest British terrorist organisations on the island of Ireland. From its establishment in 1965 to its cessation of attacks in 2007 the grouping was responsible for thousands of acts of major and minor terrorism. Indeed the forty year war which blighted the north-east of Ireland under the euphemistic title of "the Troubles" began in 1966 with a series of gun and bomb attacks by the UVF that left several people dead, including a 74 year old grandmother and an 18 year old teenager. Margaret Thatcher touring the British Occupied North of Ireland in 1981 wearing a beret of the UDR, an infamous British Army militia responsible for scores of terrorist attacks during the 1970s, '80s and '90s From the early 1970s onwards the British military and intelligence services organised, trained, armed and financed all the main British terrorist factions in Ireland including the UVF. However, despite the fact that they supposedly fought as part of Britain's counter-insurgency war against Irish Republicanism the British terror gangs rarely targeted other combatants. Tellingly some 86% of the UVF's victims were members of the civilian population: Irish men, women and children. "As Margaret Thatcher is laid to rest we thought it appropriate to publish two documents we found in the British National Archives. Both have been published before in the chapter we contributed on Loyalist [British terrorist] infiltration of the UDR. The first document contains the minutes of a meeting between the then head of the Conservative opposition in 1975 (Margaret Thatcher) and the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, just weeks after the Miami Showband Massacre involving members of the UDR. At page 3 the following fascinating admission is made: the Secretary of State said…. 'Unfortunately there were certain elements in the police who were very close to the UVF, and who were prepared to hand over information, for example, to Mr Paisley. The Army's judgement was that the UDR was heavily infiltrated by extremist Protestants, and that in a crisis situation they could not be relied on to be loyal.' Let no-one claim that the levels of collusion between the RUC, UDR and Loyalist paramilitaries was not known at the highest levels of the British Government and opposition. The second document also concerns the UVF only by this stage, 1979, Thatcher is the Prime Minister. In a hand written note she urged mention of the'Volunteer Ulster Defence Regiment (? Is that the name)'. Her officials clearly had difficulty reading her handwriting and the typed version of her comment reads. (viii) The Prime Minister would also like to see some reference to the valiant work being carried by the Ulster Volunteer Force. Apparently neither she not her officials were fully cognisant of the difference between the UDR, the largest regiment in the British Army, and the UVF, a Loyalist paramilitary group. On this point at least she found herself in agreement with the [Irish] Nationalist/ Republican community." Indeed. The British government acknowledges the infiltration of the RUC and the UDR by the British terror factions in Ireland, London, 1975 British prime minister Margaret Thatcher confuses the UVF, a British terrorist group in Ireland, with the UDR, a British Army militia in Ireland, 1979 BritishWhat can one say about a parade held to commemorate the early 20th century armed rebellion by the British ethnic minority on the island of Ireland against the clear and democratic wishes of the majority of the country's inhabitants for some form of independence, whether limited Home Rule within the so-called United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Dominion Rule within the British Empire or a sovereign Irish Republic separate from both? Over 80-85% of the Irish people desired a new constitutional arrangement with Britain, with far greater autonomy for Ireland. Judging by later electoral results, both national and local, its likely that at least 60% of the population of the island favoured complete independence in the form of a republic. Yet 15-20% of the population, through violence and the threat of violence, attempted to thwart any and all political moves away from a regime of British colonial rule. And why? Because they regarded themselves as Ireland's British colonial elite, in their minds the God-given rightful rulers of the island of Ireland. Superior in language, culture, religion and ethnicity. Superior in race. Because they and their ancestors were British, and the natives Irish. And still it goes on. Orange Order bands and similar echoing their Lambeg drums down the narrow streets of Ireland proclaiming the superiority, the greatness, of those who follow them. Warning the inferior natives, the lowly indigenous, to bide their place, to bow and scrape and give thanks for the British civilization that permits their continued existence. Beating drums instead of burning crosses, orange sashes instead of white hoods, screaming bandsmen instead of howling lynchmobs. Nick Griffin, British far right BNP leader, and his Fenian Bastards tweet Meanwhile the supporters of the British murder gangs, the terrorists who began decades of renewed conflict in response to a rising civil rights movement from the "natives" during the mid and late 1960s, had their day too selling UDA, UFF and UVF merchandise to the eager crowds of law-abiding Unionists. British terrorist merchandise for sale, the Ulster Covenant centenary rally 2012 – finance a gunman near you (Photo: Squinter) Ah yes, British and Unionist anti-democrats, fascists, racists, colonial supremacists and terrorists. A day worthy of celebration. Joint footpatrol of British UDA terrorists and British Army soldiers, British Occupied North of Ireland, 1970s The Seeds Of The Northern War We've seen a lot of outraged (and outrageous) speeches in recent days from politicians representing the British Unionist minority in the north-east of Ireland demanding an "apology" from the government of Ireland for its alleged role in fostering the divisions in the Irish Republican Army in the late 1960s that led to the establishment of the breakaway Provisional Army Council in December of 1969. Some Unionists claim that the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) was the direct result of Irish government policies in relation to the growing conflict in the British Occupied North of Ireland and an attempt to arm and direct a growing anti-British insurgency in the period from 1969 to 1970. In fact, of course, the conflict began many years earlier in 1966 when attacks by British terrorist gangs on Irish communities across the northern part of Ireland led to several deaths and injuries, and the destruction of property north and south of the border. The oldest victim was 74 year old Matilda Gould, a Protestant grandmother murdered by "mistake", while the youngest was Peter Ward, an 18 year old teenage boy gunned down with two others. The violence was the work of the Ulster Volunteer Force or UVF which was led by several ex-members of the British Armed Forces who had earlier been active with a local anti-Irish and anti-Catholic vigilante group founded in 1956 called the Ulster Protestant Association. That organisation's most famous member was the Reverend Ian Paisley, a firebrand fundamentalist preacher who founded his own Christian sect, the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, in 1951. One unexpected side-effect of this intermittent Unionist reign of terror was the burgeoning Civil Rights movement by Roman Catholics opposed to the apartheid-state of "Northern Ireland" established by the British through the partition of the island of Ireland in the 1920s (the movement itself drew inspiration from contemporary organisations in White-ruled South Africa and the southern United States). In the form of "Northern Ireland" the British colony in Ireland had been shrunk down to a microcosm of itself but with all the worse aspect of British colonial rule in the country given renewed impetus as the British Unionist and mainly Protestant population attempted to sustain their position as an unassailable colonial elite. Under continuous one-party Unionist rule the north-eastern part of the country became synonymous with a police state, a dictatorial regime hiding behind a paper-thin façade of gerrymandered democracy and selective rule of law. By the late 1960s and early 1970s this quasi-colony of Britain perched on the edge of Europe could no longer be sustained – or defended. The Unionist regime at Stormont implemented draconian measure after measure to smash the Civil Rights organisations, principally through the actions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (the RUC, a paramilitary police force drawn exclusively from the Unionist population) and various related armed militias, official and unofficial. The latter were more numerous, including the Ulster Volunteer Force and other shadowy groups whose record of state-sponsored terrorism on behalf of the Unionist statelet in Ireland and of Britain itself was unparalleled in post-WWII European history until the ferocity of the Balkan wars in the 1990s. It is in this context that we must place the ideological and policy divisions of the Irish Republican movement in Ireland during the 1960s and early '70s and the emergence of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (or more correctly simply the Irish Republican Army) as the prime insurgent force opposing the continued British Occupation. The IRA, "Provisionals" or "Provos", were in the beginning little more than a community self-defence force, protecting the Irish civilian population of the North of Ireland from attacks by the Unionist and British state during the suppression of the Civil Rights' movement. Ill-armed, ill-equipped, lacking in organisation and training, a loose group of serving and former IRA Volunteers formed the core of the organisation. Many were aged veterans, whose military careers dated to the 1940s or '50s. Around them coalesced others, mostly raw recruits, teenagers doing the unthinkable and defying the Stormont regime and the community it represented after decades of servility. What little support came from "the south", be it governmental or personal, was barely sufficient to meet the ongoing crisis. As Unionist mobs, with the connivance or encouragement of Stormont ministers and the RUC paramilitary police, swept through Nationalists communities implementing the old tactic of "pogrom" (what today is better known as "ethnic cleansing"), thousands fled across the border into temporary refugee camps set up by the Irish government and Red Cross. In Belfast and elsewhere entire streets went up in flames, the perpetrators often being serving police officers or local members of the British military. It is hardly surprising then that the government of Ireland, with a constitutional, legal and moral duty to protect its citizens, did what it could to help the hundreds of thousands of Irish citizens trapped in the collective dictatorship of "Northern Ireland". Despite the clams of Unionists, and their fellow travellers in Britain, it is clear that there was no attempt by Dublin to organise an armed resistance to the British Occupation or to force a British withdrawal by military means. Instead such direct efforts as were made were entirely aimed towards the self-defence of besieged Irish communities – and at a time when the British forces of law and order in the North of Ireland were on a murderous rampage throughout the region. Even the deployment of the British Armed Forces did little to halt this orgy of Unionist destruction. As quickly became apparent to all, the British Army was there to defend the last remnants of the British colony in Ireland in whatever form it took – not to keep the peace or oversee its reform. Within weeks of deployment the British military were on the attack, terrorising the Irish populace alongside the existing British Unionist organs of terror, be they the RUC or UVF. Nothing had changed. Instead of peaceful progress towards mutual agreement between both communities in the North of Ireland and between the two nations of Ireland and Britain, what occurred was a reigniting of the Irish War of Independence in the north-east of the country and Britain's counter-insurgency response. It was a return to the default setting for the British in Ireland: defend the British colony and the British colonists at all costs. Peter Robinson caught on camera in late 1984 during a visit to the Israel-Lebanon border with an automatic assault rifle The Formation Of The Ulster Resistance In this historic setting must be placed the actions of British Unionist politicians in the 1980s when the governments of Ireland and Britain, in the aftermath of the Hunger Strikes and the growing political power of the Irish insurgency (and the reluctant realisation by the British that their war in Ireland could not be won), signed an international treaty to normalise relations between both states and facilitate progress towards a peaceful political settlement in the North. The Anglo-Irish Agreement of November 15th 1985 saw Britain tacitly secede a portion of its sovereignty over "Northern Ireland" to Ireland by accepting Irish input into its administration as the "guarantor" of the Irish populace of the region. From then on Irish civil servants would have an advisory role in the North of Ireland through various inter-governmental bodies and a permanent secretariat based outside Belfast. This attempt by both governments to lay the groundwork for eventual peace caused outrage amongst the local British Unionist population which responded with a year-long series of political and violent protests and a renewed campaign of murder by the British terror gangs. At this time the frayed relationship that had developed over the previous decade between the RUC paramilitary police and Unionist terrorist groups was patched up and given a new momentum, as both reflected the opposition within their community to the Anglo-Irish détente. Similarly Britain's Intelligence services, principally the Security Service (better known by the acronym MI5) and its various military equivalents stepped up their support for Unionist terrorist organisations as many within the British state expressed outrage at the perceived "surrender" to Irish Nationalism. On the 10th of November 1986 many of these forces of opposition came together in the Ulster Hall in Belfast where 3000 delegates attended a by-invite-only meeting. Amongst those organising the gathering were the leaders of the Democratic Unionist Party (or DUP) including the Reverend Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson and Reverend Ivan Foster (who were all members or clergymen of Paisley's self-styled Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster). Paisley and Foster had been founders in 1981 of a previous Unionist militia, the Third Force, and Foster had a long history as a pastoral figure in the Free Presbyterian congregation, presiding at the funerals of several slain Unionist terrorists who belonged to it. Peter Robinson had earlier in the year established his militant credentials when on the 7th of August 1986 he led 500 members of the Third Force in an invasion of the small Irish village of Clontibret in County Monaghan, across the border. During the incursion, which terrified the inhabitants, the local station of the Gardaí (the unarmed, Irish civilian police service) was attacked, two Gardaí were surrounded and badly beaten, and a military parade was held on the main street. The invasion was only repulsed when Garda reinforcements arrived, the gangs fleeing back across the border during which a number of shots were fired. These actions made Robinson a hero in Unionist circles and he remained a central figure in militant Unionism in the years that were to follow. Another leading attendee in the Ulster Hall was Alan Wright, the Chairman of the Ulster Clubs, a quasi-paramilitary organisation founded in November 1985 that shared considerable cross-membership with the Third Force. During the meeting a new organisation was unveiled by Ian Paisley, the Ulster Resistance, a paramilitary army to oppose the Anglo-Irish Agreement and any further attempts to resolve the northern conflict through negotiations between both governments and communities. Paisley and his deputy, Peter Robinson, were later photographed in the distinctive Ulster Resistance red berets, and Robinson in camouflage fatigues as well. The Ulster Resistance quickly subsumed other previous groupings, including the Third Force and Ulster Clubs, forming itself into nine battalions, and established informal links with the existing British terrorist organisations in Ireland, principally the banned Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the then still legal Ulster Defence Association or UDA (this large grouping used the title of the Ulster Freedom Fighters or UFF for its terrorist attacks, which led to repeated calls for its banning by the International community which the British government steadfastly refused until August of 1992 – after 22 years of terrorism). Peter Robinson leads Ulster Resistance militants in a rally, British Occupied North of Ireland, 1987, including Noel Little, UDA terrorist and arms smuggler Arms Smuggling From Lebanon In June of 1987 the UVF staged an armed robbery at the Northern Bank in Portadown which netted the organisation in excess of 300,000 pounds sterling. The money was then added to funds gathered by the UDA and Ulster Resistance from various criminal activities and donations from Unionist businessmen and community leaders to purchase arms from a black-market weapons-dealer in the Middle East which arrived at Belfast docks in December 1987 in crates marked as containing ceramic tiles after a long sea voyage from the Lebanon. Though the exact quantity and types of weapons imported are unknown sources give the following lower estimates: Over 200 Czech-made VZ.58 automatic assault rifles 94 Browning 9mm automatic pistols 12 or more RPG-7 anti-armour rocket launchers and between 60 – 150 warheads 400 – 500 RGD-5 fragmentation grenades Over 30,000 rounds of assorted ammunition The masterminds behind this arms smuggling operation were not the leaders of the British terrorist movements in Ireland. Instead the inspiration and drive came from Brian Nelson, a former British soldier turned senior UDA terrorist who was also an agent acting on behalf of the Force Research Unit, a secret group operating within the British Army's Intelligence Corps. Co-operating with the Security Service (MI5) both organisations wished to derail the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the increasingly friendly relations between Dublin and London by strengthening the counter-insurgency campaign of their Unionist paramilitary proxies. The Czech-made VZ.58 automatic assault rifle imported by British Intelligence to arm British terrorists in Ireland Through Nelson it was the Security Service that had put the UDA in contact with arms-smuggling networks in the Middle East, which up to then had been quite beyond their capabilities (and ever since). These included organising meetings between the UDA and the Apartheid-era South African National Intelligence Service (NIS) and its associate in the region, the American-born arms-dealer Douglas Berndhart, who also worked for the South African arms industry. Berndhart organised the supply of the weapons for the Unionists through a Lebanese gunrunner named Joe Fawzi, the arms coming from PLO stocks that had been captured by the Lebanese Christian Phalangist militias when Palestinian guerrillas had been expelled from south Lebanon in 1982 following the Israeli invasion. Berndhart was in close contact with the Israeli intelligence services, whose allies were the Christian militias, at a time when South Africa and Israel regularly traded arms technologies and security information. In fact much of the smuggled weapons had been sold on to South Africa by the Israelis for use in its border wars with its African neighbours. This has led to the obvious conclusion that the Israelis must have given the go-ahead for the shipments despite deteriorating relations between the two countries at a governmental level in the late '80s. The munitions imported from Lebanon were transported to a rural location between Armagh and Portadown to be stored and later distributed to the UVF, UFF and Ulster Resistance. On the 8th of January 1988 part of the UDA's share was unexpectedly intercepted by a Royal Ulster Constabulary checkpoint during transport from Portadown to Belfast in a convoy of three cars. 61 assault rifles, 30 handguns, 150 grenades and over 11,000 rounds of ammunition were seized and three UDA men arrested. Davy Payne, the UDA's North Belfast leader and another former British soldier (a paratrooper), was later sentenced to 19 years in prison and the two others to 14 years each. An Ulster Resistance member, Noel Little, a former British Army soldier (in the notorious Ulster Defence Regiment or UDR) and the Armagh chairman of the Ulster Clubs was arrested in connection with the find but later released without charge. Subsequently rumours circulated in Unionist terror circles that the three car-loads of weapons had been "sacrificed" in order to allow larger consignments to get through, a deliberate act of misdirection to distract those RUC factions who disagreed with the rearming of Unionist paramilitary gangs. Others pointed towards long-standing rivalries within the British Intelligence community over government policy in Ireland, and the possibility that the British Secret Intelligence Service (commonly known as MI6) had leaked what they knew of the smuggling operation to contacts within the RUC. Certainly it later emerged that the British navy had been tracking the smuggling vessel in the Mediterranean but had somehow mysteriously "lost" it en route to Ireland in circumstances that have never been explained. In February of 1988 another part of the UDA's weapons store was uncovered in North Belfast with the recovery of an RPG7 rocket launcher and 26 warheads, 38 assault rifles, 15 handguns, 100 grenades and an unprecedented 40,000 rounds of ammunition by the RUC. The Ulster Resistance's share of the munitions was discovered in November of that year by RUC searches at a number of locations in County Armagh. In a large haul of military equipment the RUC found an RPG7 rocket launcher and 5 warheads, 3 assault rifles, an automatic pistol, 10 grenades, 12,000 rounds of ammunition, combat uniforms and other items including Ulster Resistance berets and badges. Unexpectedly components of a British-made Javelin surface-to-air missile (SAM) were also found. These had been stolen in October from the Short Brothers factory in Belfast where they were produced and which had an entirely Unionist workforce. The parts consisted of a detailed model of the missile's aiming system facilitating copying by competitors. It quickly emerged that the technology had been stolen by Ulster Resistance activists as part of the "payment" to South Africa for the supply of weapons and ammunition to the Unionist terror gangs. At this time the South Africans were under an international arms embargo over the issue of Apartheid and White Minority rule which had led the country to developing its own indigenous arms industry in the guise of the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) which had very close ties to similar companies in Israel. Dick Wright, an employee of Armscor, was an uncle of Alan Wright, the leader of the Ulster Clubs and a co-founder with Ian Paisley of the Ulster Resistance. He had met the leadership of the UDA in east Belfast during a visit home to Ireland in 1985 and made an offer of arms from South Africa in return for money or British missile technology from the Shorts armaments factory in Belfast. The UDA boss John McMichael instructed Brian Nelson to travel to South Africa in 1985 where he was taken to a warehouse in Johannesburg filled with weaponry that could be supplied to the UDA in return for it's co-operation in smuggling out of the North of Ireland British munitions' technology for the Apartheid regime. A second two-week trip by Nelson in June of 1987, following the fund-raising bank robbery, sealed the deal. During it Unionists agreed to use their own money to part-pay for the initial purchase and smuggling of the arms, with stolen missile parts or blueprints paying for the rest. The South Africans agreed to sell the first round of armaments at less than half-price, with an agreement to supply more weapons for free and up to one million pounds sterling to fund an intensified British terrorist campaign in Ireland if all went as planned. Due to the persistent work of dedicated journalists and lawyers it later emerged, incredibly, that the British Ministry of Defence had paid for Nelson's South African trips at the request of British Military Intelligence. During 1988 a technical officer at the South African embassy in Paris, which was now "handling" the UDA and Ulster Resistance contacts, arranged for three Unionist terrorists to receive arms training in France, including the use of the RPG-7 anti-armour rocket-launchers. During the course of renewed negotiations the South Africans offered to pay several million pounds sterling for access to the newest and most advanced British missile system, Starstreak, as well as more weapons. At least 50,000 pounds was handed over as a down-payment on this. In early April of 1989 parts of a Blowpipe missile went missing and another was stolen from a British Army base in Newtownards. Subsequently three members of the UDA, Noel Little, previously arrested in connection with the 1987 importation of arms (and photographed with Peter Robinson in Ulster Resistance uniform), James King (like Little a member of Paisley's Free Presbyterian Church and DUP party) and Samuel Quinn, a British Army sergeant and weapons' instructor at the Newtownards military base, were arrested at the Hilton Hotel in Paris on the 21st of April 1989 along with a diplomat from South Africa, Daniel Storm, and the agent and arms dealer, Douglas Bernhart, by the then French security service DST. French police recovered various missile parts, most of which seemed to be non-functioning. The three Unionists were charged with arms trafficking and associating with criminals involved in terrorist activities, while several South African embassy officials were expelled by the French authorities. In October 1991 after more than two years on remand the three were convicted though they received suspended sentences and fines following representations on their behalf by British Intelligence officials to their French counterparts. In September of 1989 a 33 year old man from Poyntzpass and a 35 year old man from Tandragee were jailed for storing and moving weapons and explosives on behalf of the Ulster Resistance. In January 1990 a 32 year old former British Army soldier (another ex-UDR militiaman) from Richill was jailed for 12 years for possessing Ulster Resistance arms and explosives. Shortly afterwards, as the political pressure mounted on the DUP, Ian Paisley issued a statement claiming that his party had severed links with the Ulster Resistance in 1987, news that took many observers by surprise. Ian Paisley in an Ulster Resistance beret at a rally, British Occupied North of Ireland, 1987 What is known is that the South Africans were also using the Unionist terror gangs in Ireland and Britain to target European-based anti-Apartheid activists in return for military equipment and funds. With their strong links to far right racist and Neo-Nazi groups in Britain, as well as the British state itself, the UDA and UVF were perfect allies for the South African regime. Additionally throughout the 1950s, '60s, '80s and 1990s much of the British Unionist minority in Ireland had remained politically supportive of the White Minority governments in Zimbabwe and South Africa, seeing parallels with their own status in Ireland. Certainly all the main Unionist parties opposed economic and military sanctions against South Africa, including the international boycott, and championed various campaigns defending the Apartheid regime. The significant ex-pat Unionist population in the country, some of whom served in the government or security forces, also created a strong basis for a mutual alliance. By the early 1980s the South African Intelligence services were also aware of the close relationship between Sinn Féin and the African National Congress (or ANC). In the late 1970s the ANC's leadership had instructed activists living in Ireland to request Sinn Féin's help in contacting the Irish Republican Army, seeking military assistance and advice. Eventually it was arranged for two field commanders of the guerilla organisation Umkhonto we Sizwe (better known as MK) to travel to Dublin where they received two weeks of intensive military training from the IRA in a secret camp. These men travelled back to South Africa where they crossed over the border into Angola to impart their skills to new and existing MK fighters. In the latter half of 1979 senior members of MK suggested an idea that would eventually become one of the highest profile operations in the struggle against White Minority rule. The plan was to sabotage the massive oil refinery run by the company Sasol which was vital to the economic existence of the Apartheid state. Unsure of the best way to go about such an elaborate attack MK again requested IRA assistance and in 1980 two munitions experts travelled from Ireland to Sasolburg in the ironically named Free State Province to reconnoitre the site. In June of that year the attack took place and though the regime immediately issued statements claiming the resulting damage was minimal few believed it, providing an enormous propaganda boost to both MK and the ANC. It is not unreasonable to suggest that a fear of continued IRA assistance to MK and the ANC was one of the reasons why the South Africans reached out to the British terror gangs in Ireland. The possibility of causing chaos in the North of Ireland was probably one hoped outcome of the alliance with the UDA-UVF-UR axis, as well as striking back at the anti-Apartheid campaign in Europe. This latter result can be seen in the attempted assassination of the South African-born Queen's University lecturer, Dr Adrian Guelke. The 44-year-old academic was shot in the back, after UDA gunmen burst into his South Belfast home at around 4.30am on September 4th, 1991. The lecturer was an outspoken critic of the Apartheid dictatorship and it was later revealed that South African military intelligence had used details from a leaked RUC Special Branch file to make him a target for Unionist terrorists. The file had been supplied by the South African agent, Leon Flores, who flew to Belfast via London in the autumn of 1991, contacted the UDA, and provided its south Belfast brigade with the RUC intelligence report. There are also rumours of Unionist involvement in the assassination of Dulcie September, a well known anti-Apartheid campaigner and ANC member, murdered by an unknown gunman outside the ANC offices in Paris on the 29th of March 1988. An apology is certainly due in relation to the decades of politically-motivated pain and suffering the people of Ireland have endured. But it is the leaders of British Unionism in Ireland who need to make it. And their allies in Britain. Recent photo of Ulster Resistance terrorists, one armed with a stripped-down British Army issued SA80 assault rifle A few days ago I reported on the attempted murder in East Belfast of an 18 year old Irish teenager, James Turley, by a frenzied mob led by known members of the UVF, the second largest British terrorist group in Ireland. Turley and several other youths were attacked by the group while working on a movie set in the area and after being chased through the streets the teenager was caught by the gang (apparently with the help of a local resident who offered seeming sanctuary to the terrified young man only to allow his pursuers to catch up with him), beaten and left for dead in a wheelie bin. Incredibly, rather than condemning this racist attack outright, several political representatives of the British separatist minority in the north-east of Ireland, which fosters the UVF terror gangs, have offered what can only be described as a series of "qualified" condemnations. These have ranged from statements implying that James Turley and the other teenage boys provoked the assaults by working on a film set in a "Loyalist area" (where no one with an Irish identity or citizenship is welcome), to comments that the injuries received by the youths were minor and the incident was "blown out of proportion". The website Slugger O'Toole carries more on this story, including some of the nastiest and most insidious commentary you're likely to see outside of a British nationalist pub crowd. While in recent months the main focus of the national and international news media has been on the actions of Resistance Republicans, various terrorist groups belonging to the British separatist minority in Ireland have continued to operate a low-intensity conflict that rarely makes the headlines. The South Belfast News or SBN (via the Belfast Media Group) carries a report detailing the latest attack by the British militants in the north-eastern part of the country with the attempted murder of an Irish teenager, James Turley: "Loyalist paramilitaries [ethnic British terrorists] were behind the vicious attack on a Catholic teenager working on a film set in South Belfast this week, the SBN can reveal. UVF thugs embarked on the brutal assault on an 18-year-old film extra in the Village last Friday (January 6), after discovering Catholic teenagers from the Short Strand were working on the film. Since the vicious attack, which saw the teenager badly beaten, placed in a wheelie bin and left for dead, local UVF men have visited a local community centre which hosted the film crew to warn them not to bring anyone else into the area "without their permission". The paramilitary group also ordered community workers not to speak to the press about the attack, saying "there would be consequences" if they disobeyed. The crew, which was filming for a number of days for the movie The Good Man starring The Wire actor Aiden Gillen, were in and around Frenchpark Street and Ebor Street on the day of the attack. They had been using the nearby Windsor Women's Centre as a base of operations while continuing to film around the Village. However around 3.50pm, a group of loyalists confronted the crew, hurling sectarian insults and threats. As the crew went to drive off, 18-year-old James Turley was caught by the mob who beat him severely before placing him in a wheelie bin. The vicious assault only stopped when his attackers thought he was dead." Do not expect see this story being reported or followed-up in most of the Irish, British or global news media. It doesn't match the agreed narrative of life in the "new" North of Ireland. And it certainly doesn't match the British government's insistence that the British terrorist organisations in the north-east of Ireland are on "ceasefire". An insistence that grows ever more hollow with each passing week.During a Far Right gathering British and German Neo-Nazis show their support for the UDA – UFF, the largest British state-sponsored terrorist group in Ireland, 2009 Interesting review in the Belfast Telegraph of Mathew Collins' book, Hate, which charts his journey through Britain's nationalist and Neo-Nazi movements, including the decades old links to the British separatist minority in Ireland. Journalist Henry McDonald writes: 'Recalling his days selling race-hate literature in London's East End, Matthew Collins says: "We took the traditional Brick Lane Sunday drink with the BNP that day, watching strippers and eating a selection of mussels and whelks off the bar." All they would have needed was a Cockney-style sing-song of Horst Wessel Lied and Deutschland Uber Alles around the old Joanna and that would have topped off a perfect National Socialist Sabbath for Matthew and his comrades. There are, however, more sinister segments of the book and they include his relationship with Ulster loyalists who had latched onto the NF and other neo-Nazi organisations in Britain. Of these the most prominent is Eddie Whicker, a UDA member from Belfast who became somewhat of a personality on the London far right scene at the time Collins was an active fascist. Whicker was one of the most militant of the extreme right street thugs taking on leftists, some of whom marched in pro-IRA rallies in the UK capital and other British cities. There can be no doubting the connections established from the early 1970s onwards between the NF, BNP and the more extreme Combat 18 to the two main loyalist paramilitary organisations. On a political and, dare one say social level, the disparate British far right were the only supporters of the Ulster loyalist cause in Britain. Apart from their traditional allies in Scotland, particularly within the Orange Order and the Rangers football team's support base, loyalism's allies were few and far between. While loyalists across the sea could feel very much at home in parts of Scotland's central belt or the Ayrshire coast, your average working class Ulster Protestant would feel a greater sense of isolation in English cities, particularly the multi-cultural/racial conurbations. As Collins attests to in his book, the NF and other rival organisations at least provided a home for an Ulster loyalist away from home but still in touch with the cause. There were a number of gun running plots such as the one involving Frank Portinari, an English UDA member of Italian Catholic extract in direct touch with 'C' Company and a friend of the UDA killer John White. Charlie Sergeant, for instance, crops up several times in Collins' book as a prominent Combat 18 thug and strong supporter of Ulster loyalists. Yet after Sergeant was tried and convicted of stabbing a rival neo-Nazi to death it transpired he was also a police informant whose work included spying on any potential loyalist arms smuggling operations in the south-east of England. The Ulster Volunteer Force did, of course, meet with the extreme neo-Nazi Belgian VMO in the early 1980s. The Flemish fascists were fascinated with the home-made engineering skills of Ulster loyalists who were manufacturing their own sub-machine guns. In return, the VMO promised to hand over plastic explosives, as long as the UVF attacked a Jewish target in Belfast. On a propaganda level the activities of a handful of loyalists in England like Whicker was undoubtedly damaging. It only projected and solidified the notion that the average loyalist was as much a bone-headed, shaven, beery-breathed bigot as their neo-Nazi buddies smashing up Brick Lane. Observers of the far right will point to the career of Johnny Adair, who started his politico-paramilitary career in the NF.' Despite some attempts to downplay the links between the British terrorist organisations operating in Ireland and the far right in Britain there can be little doubt that Neo-Nazi groups like the National Front, Combat 18, the BNP and others provided a political, social and financial milieu in Britain in which Unionist terrorists could move. The financial aspects of this support was to become particularly crucial in the late 1980s when the British terrorist groupings in the North found it necessary to look beyond the clandestine funding of the British state and became heavily involved in what is now described as narco-terrorism. The UDA, UVF and LVF became the dominant force in the drugs trade in the North of Ireland at this time, effectively controlling all smuggling, distribution and sales, and in the process amassing vast fortunes for some leading members. Nick Greger, a leading British fascist, poses with the infamous Johnny Adair, a former senior British terrorist with the UDA-UFF terror group The social and organisational ties with the British extreme right was crucial in the earliest years of this new criminal exercise especially in Scotland and northern England. It also helped Unionist terrorists forge ties with the intelligence services of Apartheid-era South Africa which eventually led to the pariah state supplying the British extremists in Ireland with substantial quantities of arms. The British Far Right movement, the EDL, displays a flag showing their support for the British Neo-Nazi terrorist group Combat-18 and the UFF terror gangs in Ireland The full history of British Far Right links to British Unionism in Ireland were described in a 2002 issue of 'No Quarter', the magazine of the group Anti-Fascist Action: 'Links between Unionists/Loyalists in the North and British Fascists go back over 80 years. As far back as the 1920s the 'British Fascisti' set up a group in Co. Down which led a pogrom against Catholics and in the 1930s members of the Glasgow fascist gang the 'Billy Boys' visited Belfast to take part in sectarian rioting during the 12th of July weekend. However this article will focus on links in recent years. The convicted UDA terrorist Johnny Adair, recently released from Maghaberry Jail, is a man with a background even more sinister than that of the average death squad commander. In 1994 Adair pleaded guilty to 'directing terrorism' and was sentenced to 16 years, serving only five until he was released under the Good Friday Agreement. In an interview he admitted to being the loyalist known as 'Mad Dog' and boasted of being involved in the sectarian murders of 20 Catholics. While in jail Adair forged close links with Billy Wright, leader of the LVF, and the UDA carried out sectarian murders of Catholics to avenge Wright's death in 1997. Adair and Wright were also linked by their prominent involvement in drug dealing in the North. But Adair, who rose to leadership in the Belfast UDA/UFF in the early 1990s, has a far longer political pedigree. Belfast National Front 1980s In the mid 1980′s there were about 200 National Front supporters in Belfast, one of them the young Johnny Adair. In September 1983 a National Front March took place in Belfast, attended by about 100 fascist skinheads. Prominent in the parade was Johnny Adair, along with his sidekick Sam McCrory. This march became known as the 'gluesniffers march', because many of the skinheads were drunk on cider and openly sniffing glue from plastic bags as they paraded from the city centre to the Shankill chanting anti-Black and anti-Republican slogans. In April 1983 a group of young Loyalist skinheads from a gang called 'NF Skinz' killed a homeless alcoholic on the Lower Shankill. Patrick Barkey, a Catholic, died after being beaten unconscious and hit on the head with a concrete block. Three skinheads, William Madine, Clifford Bickerstaff and Albert Martin were charged with murder. Madine and Bickerstaff pleaded guilty to manslaughter and got two years and eleven months at a young offenders centre. Martin was found guilty of GBH and got a 12 month suspended sentence. Press reports stated that the skinheads were provided with character references by [unnamed] Belfast Unionist politicians. The Belfast NF broke up anti-racist and punk gigs in the city. The NF was active around football and sold their publications at Northern Ireland games at Windsor Park. The NF youth paper 'Bulldog' published a 'league of louts' – detailing the most racist fans – Linfield and Coleraine featured regularly. In January 1998 Mo Mowlam visited the Maze prison to meet the leaders of the loyalist prisoners. The UDA/UFF leaders in the Maze were Adair and Sam McCrory, both from the Shankill Road. At the time of Mowlam's jail visit the media reported that McCrory has 'White Power' and 'Skins' tattoos on his right hand. Investigations by Anti-Fascist Action revealed that in the early 1980s both 'Skelly' McCrory and Adair played in a Belfast Nazi skinhead band called 'Offensive Weapon'. This band played a few gigs on the Nazi skinhead circuit in Britain in the mid 80s. In August 1998 the Irish News printed a photograph of Adair and McCrory on the 'gluesniffers' NF March in Belfast in September 1983. With them was Donald Hodgen, another skinhead who also became a UDA member and later a prominent activist in the now defunct Ulster Democratic Party. Nearly twenty years later the 30 to 40 young skinheads who led the National Front branch in Belfast in the 1980s now form the core of Adair's 'C Company' of the UFF. They moved on to more serious sectarian violence but never left behind their 'white power' beliefs. From a small gang of teenage thugs they turned themselves into so-called 'defenders of the people', which involved murdering scores of innocent Catholics. In 2000 they tore their community apart in a savage feud with the rival UVF. They are a classic example of what happens if fascism is not forcefully opposed when it first appears. The early 1990s, when Adair was leader of the UDA/UFF on the Shankill, marked a period of increased contact between Northern loyalists and Fascists in Britain as close links developed between the UDA and London based Fascists. Eddie Whicker and Frank Portinari were both 'UDA Organisers' in Britain. Portinari was jailed in 1993 for gun running to the UDA. Portanari was involved in C18 in the 1990s but now heads a pro-UDA group in London called the British Ulster Alliance. Charlie Sargeant, the former leader of Combat 18 now serving life in England for the murder of a fellow fascist, often boasted of his personal friendship with Johnny Adair. In the mid 1990s C18′s control of the Blood and Honour 'music' network allowed them to put on several gigs in the North. 'Blood and Honour' magazine boasted of Welsh band Celtic Warrior's visit to Belfast and published photographs of Loyalist bandsmen playing alongside them at a 'White Christmas' gig on the Lower Shankill Road. 'Blood and Honour' magazine also printed photographs of two UDA prisoners in Long Kesh, who sent greetings to C18 and said that they were 'dedicated to keeping Ulster British and white' and the loyalists' prison journal 'Warrior' also published pro-C18 articles. C18/LVF and Portadown The annual attempt by the Orange Order to march down the Garvaghy Road, and the 12th weekend generally, has become a point of pilgrimage as English fascists from different groups visit the North to link up with their loyalist friends. In July 1999 Combat 18 brought 25 supporters from Britain to Portadown. Combat 18 members attended at the unveiling of a memorial to Billy Wright and he is also idolised on C18 websites. On July 11th 1999 a 'Blood and Honour' gig was held in a social club in Portadown. The English fascist bands 'Razors Edge', 'Chingford Attack' and 'No Remorse' played alongside loyalist flute bands. According to a C18 report on the event: 'A spokeswoman for the Loyalist Volunteer Force, who hosted the gig, took the stage and thanked Combat 18 officially for the support shown to her organisation and its prisoners of war both in C18 publications and financially. All the profits from the gig were donated to the LVF Prisoners' Fund and links between C18 and the LVF were strengthened on the evening'. C18 members also attended the Orange march in Portadown and the demonstration at Drumcree on July 12th. In July 2000 another C18 delegation attended the Drumcree march. The fascists, from Bolton, Burnley and Preston in the North of England, stayed with LVF members in Portadown's Corcrain and Brownstown estates. A TV documentary showed a prominent Orangeman from Portadown, Ivan Hewitt, displaying his 'Blood and Honour', 'SS' and other Nazi tattoos. David Jones, leader of the Orange Order in Portadown, claimed that he did not know Hewitt. British Nationalism In Ireland – Racism And Sectarianism As The Orange Order Identifies With The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) – One Reflection Of British Anti-Irishness 'Free Johnny Adair' In September 2000 a group of UDA supporters and English fascists, including convicted loyalist gun runners Terry Blackham and Frank Portinari, took part in a National Front protest in Downing Street demanding the release of Johnny Adair. A similar protest took place in January 2001. At the funeral of Steven McKeag, a major drug dealer, on the Shankill in September 2000 a large wreath was carried which read 'C18′. McKeag, who had died accidentally from drink and drugs, was the notorious UFF gunman nicknamed 'Top Gun'. He was known to be personally responsible for at least a dozen sectarian murders. He had been a teenage member of the NF and Adair's right hand man, taking over command of the Shankill UDA when Adair was jailed in 1994. Greysteel Killer and C18 In July 2000 Stephen Irwin, a Loyalist convicted of the murder of seven people in a UDA attack on the Rising Sun bar in Greysteel, Co Derry at Hallowe'en 1993, was released from the Maze. It was Irwin who shouted 'Trick or Treat' before he opened fire. Just four months after his release Irwin attended a C18 'Remembrance Day' event in London and was photographed shouting slogans and giving the Nazi salute. While in prison Irwin had corresponded with other fascists and sent out pictures of himself for their publications. The LVF The Loyalist Volunteer Force website has the following ad in its merchandise section 'Our best item by far yet is the Billy Wright CD Which has been produced by Blood & Honour Combat 18 & has been largely in demand, the CD consists of many songs by prominent Blood & Honour bands with songs dedicated to the Loyalist cause'. There have been revelations in recent years of strong links between the LVF and Nazis in the North West of Britain. These include C18 members and supporters within the British Army. In May 1999 C18 members distributed leaflets at Blackburn's football ground attacking Rosemary Nelson, the human rights solicitor murdered by Loyalists. Ian Thompson, a former soldier of the Royal Irish Regiment, was the LVF's main linkman with Combat 18, he organised the visits of British Fascists to Portadown. He was arrested in March 2000 on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Rosemary Nelson. The RUC found the personal details of Combat 18 leaders and scores of Nazi music CDs in his home in Hamiltonsbawn, Co Armagh. In 2001 Thompson was sentenced to 9 years for arms offences. The internet guestbooks of many fascist groups contain support messages for the UDA, LVF, Orange Volunteers, Red Hand Defenders, etc. A support group called the 'Loyalist Prisoners Welfare Association' holds fundraisers and events in Britain. The second leader of the LVF, Mark 'Swinger' Fulton, was found dead in his cell in Maghaberry prison in June 2002. A post mortem showed he had committed suicide. Within hours fascist websites carried tributes to him, including one from C18 which stated. "Mark Fulton. Rest in peace comrade, you were a loyal soldier and brave warrior in our struggle for freedom. You will never be forgotten. Valahalla will welcome such a great man with open arms! condolences sent from all C18 units worldwide! 14/88″. National Front In July 2000 the 'White Nationalist Report', a National Front newsletter, printed a report and picture of NF members selling their literature in the Sandy Row Rangers Supporters Club. The photo included Terry Blackham, their 'National Activities Organiser', who runs the NF anti-refugee campaigns in England. In 1994 Blackham was jailed for 4 years for attempting to smuggle sub-machine guns, a grenade launcher and 2,000 rounds of ammunition to the UDA in East Belfast. British National Party The British National Party [BNP] has also been active in the North in recent years. It sells a magazine called 'True Brit' at Orange rallies and at Linfield and Glentoran matches. It is based mainly around Newtonabbey and has also been involved in intimidation of Catholics in Kilkeel, Co Down. In December 1998 it held a wreath laying ceremony at the grave of George Seawright, the DUP politician best known for saying that 'Catholics should be incinerated'. His brother, David Seawright, has been active in both the NF and the UVF in Scotland. The Ulster BNP plans to run in South Belfast in the next general election in the North and say it's platform will be a return of the death penalty and an end to 'bogus asylum seekers flooding over the border into Ulster'. Andrew McAlorie has recently reappeared as a BNP spokeperson in the North. McAlorie, a teacher, was last heard of in 1986 when as NI treasurer of the National Front he was jailed for two years for his involvement in the petrol bombing of RUC homes during the 'Ulster Says No' campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Ulster Independence Movement The UIM is a one man band led by David Kerr, formerly prominent in the Ulster National Front in the 1980s. The UIM supports the policy of the 'Third Way', an ideology that supposedly rejects both communism and capitalism. 'Third Way' is connected to the 'International Third Position' in Britain, a somewhat contradictory position as ITP leadership consists of traditionalist Catholics. The UIM also professes support for far right groups in America and sells pro-Confederate merchandise on its website. It also produces a magazine called 'Ulster Nation'. David Kerr ran as the 'Ulster Third Way' candidate both the General and local elections in June 2001. Describing himself as a 'non-sectarian radical Ulster nationalist', he gathered a less than spectacular 116 votes in West Belfast and a magnificent 28 in the council elections. His campaign may not have been helped by his stated policy of support for free over the counter sales of heroin and cocaine. Conclusion The political, paramilitary and criminal links between Loyalism and Fascism should be no surprise, given that both ideologies are based on extreme right wing supremacist ideas. The regular exposure of such links lead to denials or tepid condemnation by loyalist politicians, but no serious attempt to end them.' Right Wing Norwegian Mass Murderer Anders Breivik, Who Has Links To British Neo-Nazi And Terrorist Groupings The links between British Neo-Nazis and the British separatist minority in Ireland coalesce around one of the most notorious assassinations in the history of the conflict, the killing of lawyer Rosemary Nelson. As the Guardian reported in 2000: 'The names, addresses and telephone numbers of members of the neo-Nazi group Combat 18 have been passed to detectives investigating the murder of the Northern Ireland solicitor Rosemary Nelson. Details of Combat 18′s links with the Loyalist Volunteer Force – the organisation which placed the bomb under Nelson's car – were found during a search of the home of Ian Thompson, a loyalist who has been charged with an offence connected to the solicitor's murder. Thompson was arrested at his home in Hamilton's Bawn, a Protestant village outside Armagh city, more than a fortnight ago. Senior RUC detectives said police in England planned to arrest and question several Combat 18 activists about their links with Ulster loyalists. Along with the personal details of Combat 18 members, including their leader Bill Browning, a former British soldier from south London, the RUC found scores of race-hate CDs. The CDs of racist skinhead bands were being sold to raise money in Britain for the LVF. Browning has a conviction for assaulting a gay man and another for distributing race hate material. Thompson, also a former British soldier who served in the locally recruited Royal Irish Regiment, was the LVF's main link with Combat 18. He went to Wigan for an event organised by Combat 18 in 1998 which almost degenerated into a war between rival factions of the fascist group. Members from North-East England protested at Thompson's plan to take over an LVF-aligned flute band to play at the function. The North-East branch of Combat 18, organised principally around a core of Sunderland soccer hooligans, supports the largest loyalist paramilitary force, the Ulster Defence Association. When they learnt that an LVF-allied band was to play, they threatened to disrupt the social. The invitation to the band was quietly dropped. The investigation into Combat 18′s connections to the LVF will focus on a nucleus of English fascists based in North-West England, particularly a group in Bolton. They include a tattooist who comes to Northern Ireland regularly to engrave the image of murdered LVF founder Billy Wright on to local loyalists. It was Thompson who invited Browning along with 24 other neo-Nazis to Northern Ireland last summer for the loyalist marching season. While the Combat 18 delegation were staying in Portadown, the LVF's Mid-Ulster stronghold, members of the neo-Nazi group attacked a Chinese family living in the town's staunchly loyalist Corcrain estate. One of the UDA's English members, who was arrested on arms charges in the early Nineties, was Frank Portanari. Now out of jail, Portanari heads a pro-loyalist campaign group in London called the British/Ulster Alliance.' BNP Politicians Giving Nazi Salutes At British War Memorial, Britain The power and influence of the British terrorist organisations in Ireland has fallen considerably since their heyday at the height of the conflict when they were the cutting edge of Britain's counter-insurgency war. Many have been abandoned by their old masters in the British state (or been turned upon). Yet, through renewed links to Neo-Nazi and fascist groups in Britain, they continue to exist and indeed may be on something of a comeback. Racist And Neo-Nazi Propoganda Of The British Minority In Ireland, 2004 remainTheThe alphabet soup of British-state militias in Ireland in the 1970s, '80s and '90s – the UDR (now the RIR) and the RUC (now the PSNI) The award-winning investigative website, The Detail, carries a lengthy report on British terrorism in Ireland, focusing on the activities of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). Established in January 1970 as an infantry unit of the British Army the UDR acted as an armed militia of the British Unionist minority in Ireland until it was partially disbanded in 1992 through an amalgamation with another unit forming the new Royal Irish Regiment or RIR (this has been widely interpreted in retrospect as one of the reconciliatory gestures on behalf of the British government towards Irish nationalists and republicans in the lead-up to the Peace Process of the 1990s). 'The British army has been accused of a 'cover up' after it was disclosed that it has withheld evidence for more than three decades revealing that UDR units were being used to finance and support the UVF in Belfast, with at least 70 soldiers on one base linked to the loyalist terror group. The Detail website can reveal top secret government papers which disclose that the UDR's Belfast battalion was heavily infiltrated by the UVF in the late 1970s. • Army chiefs feared that 70 soldiers in one UDR unit were linked to the UVF in west Belfast, including one member of the notorious Shankill Butcher gang; • One UDR unit was suspected of siphoning-off £47,000 to the UVF while UDR equipment was regularly stolen from another unit to support the loyalist terror group; • UVF members were regularly allowed to socialise at the UDR's Girdwood barracks social club; • Army chiefs considered secretly testing firing UDR soldiers' weapons to check whether they had been used in sectarian murders; • The collusion investigation was then suspended after a senior UDR officer claimed it was damaging morale within the regiment.' Amongst the finer points is the following: 'Investigators found that some soldiers were also `borrowing' army weapons to carry out criminal activities. "There appears to have been theft of stores over a considerable period…There are indications that equipment stolen has been passed to the UVF. "Control of accounting and key security (including armoury keys) has been poor." Investigators concluded: "The general impression gained is that, `D' and `G' Coys are the supply and financial support elements for local paramilitary organisations."' However though British Army chiefs had no problem with British soldiers carrying out terrorist attacks they apparently drew the line at 'ordinary' criminal activities, as they launched a cover-up: '…the British army took a deliberate decision to hide the fact that the UDR's Belfast battalion had been so heavily infiltrated by the UVF. Minutes of a meeting at British army headquarters in Lisburn in February 1978 discussed a "defensive press brief" linked to the massive security breaches. "It would be desirable to avoid mention of the security investigation into UDR soldiers' possible involvement with paramilitary organisations. "No such restraint need be felt about the investigation into the fraud, and the SIB (Serious Investigation Branch) investigation should be used as far as possible to cover the security investigation."' The Loyalist Murderers – the British UDR militia and Britain's state-sponsored terrorism in Ireland Among the more shocking revelations are the links between the British Army and the notorious British terrorist gang 'the Shankill Butchers': 'The late 1970s were some of the worst years of the Troubles, with the UVF's notorious Shankill Butcher gang responsible for a sectarian murder campaign, which included the abduction, torture and brutally murder of 10 Catholics in north and west Belfast. The RUC's failure to apprehend the killers for 19 months lead to many within the nationalist community claiming that the Butcher gang was being protected from prosecution. In 1979 loyalist Edward McIlwaine was jailed for 15 years for kidnapping and wounding the gang's last Catholic victim. It was only disclosed years later that McIlwaine had led a double life as a UDR soldier and Shankill Butcher. McIlwaine had joined `10' UDR in 1974, but within months had also become a trusted member of the Butcher gang. The UDR soldier's double life lasted for three years until he was finally arrested in June 1977 and charged with the kidnapping and brutal assault on Gerard McLaverty. He remained a UDR soldier until August 1977, when it was claimed he had been discharged for `poor attendance'.' Among the many innocent Irish citizens murdered in the most grotesque ways possible by the gang was 33 year old Rosaleen O'Kane, as described in this BBC report: 'The burnt body of Rosaleen O'Kane was discovered in her Belfast home almost 30 years ago. Her body had been stripped and set alight. Miss O'Kane's family said police had told them of a possible link with the Shankill Butchers to her killing. The gang was a group of sadistic loyalist killers who conducted a sectarian reign of terror against Catholics in Belfast between 1976 and 1978. It was led by Lennie Murphy and killed at least 10 people. Many of the Shankill Butchers' victims were Catholic men, abducted in a taxi as they walked home from pubs in the city centre. The gang got its name from the butchers' knives used to torture and kill its victims whose mutilated bodies were later dumped in loyalist parts of the city.' This is not the first time that the close links between the British state and British terrorism in Ireland have been examined. In fact it has been one of the constants of the Northern conflict, though rarely have the British or Irish media establishments given acts of state-sponsored terrorism by Britain the prominence they deserved. The fact that it took a Belfast-based journalism site to highlight these latest revelations, revelations ignored by the news media of two nations, shows yet again how little has changed – in peace or war. Joint footpatrol of British UDA terrorists and British Army soldiers, British Occupied North of Ireland, 1970s It has been reported that at least 100 British Unionist rioters were involved in overnight clashes in the contested town of Portadown, as they attempted to attack the homes of the local Irish Nationalist community. Using the excuse of the removal of British flags by local families with the agreement of the PSNI (the paramilitary police force) in an effort to ease communal tensions, British militants gathered in the area, armed with petrol bombs and other improvised weapons, and proceeded to attack both the PSNI and Irish civilian families. According to UTV: 'Officers came under sustained attack from paint bombs, petrol bombs and other missiles – sledge hammers were also used to damage armoured PSNI vehicles. A total of 19 plastic baton rounds were fired during the trouble which continued into the early hours of the morning. No police and no members of the public were injured. It is believed social network sites and mobile phones were used to gather people from outside the area for what was originally planned to be a peaceful protest by residents over the removal of loyalist flags. As the violence continued into the night, police advised motorists to avoid the Corcrain and Ballyoran areas, Obins Drive, Union Street and surrounding areas. Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd said loyalists tried to attack nationalist homes during the disorder. "What is known is that around 100 loyalists attacked police and attempted to attack nationalist homes in the Portadown area over several hours," he said. "I would appeal for calm to return to the streets of Portadown. I'm in no doubt that the vast majority of people, whether they are from the unionist or nationalist community want to see an end to this trouble. They want to see order restored and they want to be able to get on with their lives." Police have come under attack across parts of Northern Ireland in the past week. Rioting already broke out in Portadown on Wednesday night, this time in the Garvaghy Road area. In the early hours of Tuesday morning two police officers were injured after trouble also erupted in the Craigwell Avenue and Obin Street areas of the town.' In something of an irony, the homes in the Irish Nationalist district of the town attacked by Unionists were in fact occupied by foreign nationals, as the Guardian notes: 'Immigrant families from East Timor fled a Catholic area of Northern Ireland on Friday night when loyalist rioters tried to attack nationalist homes, a Sinn Fein councillor said today. "Around 100 loyalists attacked police who prevented them attacking nationalist homes," said John O'Dowd, who is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The families from East Timor packed their bags and ran from their homes in Portadown, Co Armagh on Friday night, when the area was engulfed in violence, he said. For several hours, police were attacked by people armed with petrol bombs, bricks, bottles, fireworks and other missiles in the latest violence surrounding the high point of the loyalist marching season.' The recent trouble in the North of Ireland also witnessed similar attacks on migrants most of whom tend to live in ethnically mixed or Irish Nationalist communities.Well, apologies to all those who've contacted me over the last few days in relation to the street clashes in and around the 'Glorious Twelfth' marches staged by the Orange Order, the British Protestant fundamentalist organisation in Ireland, 'celebrating' British colonial power in Ireland. Thanks to everyone for all the updates but as you can imagine it has been quiet busy, but will post your stories here as and when I can. Each July 12th we witness the British ethnic minority in Ireland, mainly in the northern part of the country, marching in quasi-military parades (frequently involving British paramilitary-based bands) marking the presence and ascendancy of British rule in the north-east of the island (though originally over all of the island). This year we have witnessed exceptionally bad violence in what has always been a violence-prone part of the political calendar. So what have the press reported? In the Guardian it is 'militant Republicans' blamed for the violence: 'North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds has blamed "militant republicans" opposed to the peace process for organising a sustained riot in the Ardoyne area' This echoes the recent claims made in the BBC's prime news and current affairs show, Newsnight, which implied that the series of assaults by British terrorist gangs on Irish civilian enclaves in Belfast and elsewhere, were the fault of 'Dissident Republicans' whose attacks on the British Forces and other targets had created a 'reaction' in Unionist militant circles. Which more or less repeats what happened in the earliest days of the Long War of 1969-1996 when British journalists blamed all violence on Irish Republicans, excusing or explaining way the murder and mayhem carried out by Unionist gangs as 'reactionary'. So nothing's changed then and nothing has been learned. The British media will always side with the British minority in Ireland, and with a few honourable exceptions, justify the violence of the latter – when they deem it worthy of reporting at all. But the Guardian goes on: 'Police officers came under attack for the second night running, with petrol bombs and missiles thrown by youths from Ardoyne. There were also pockets of trouble elsewhere, with two cars hijacked and burned in the nationalist Market area of central Belfast. A riot in Derry's Bogside led to seven arrests, including that of a 14-year-old boy. …Several police officers were injured, as well as a press photographer who was hit with a plastic baton round. Police fired dozens of plastic bullets at rioters and repeatedly deployed water cannon after coming under attack from a crowd of up to 200 people. The rioters also set fire to water cannon with petrol bombs. The attackers kept up a constant barrage of stones, bottles and other missiles for several hours once a controversial Orange Order parade had passed the Ardoyne shops shortly after 7pm on Tuesday night.' Notably while the collateral shooting of a photographer by a suspected Dissident Republican member in the attacks on the Nationalist enclave of the Short Strand received much British media attention (the intended target was nearby police officers) the shooting of photographer with a 'plastic baton round' (or bullet to you and me) by the PSNI paramilitary police has hardly been reported. Again, the British media siding with the British forces – regular or irregular. So what to make of it all, this renewed communal conflict in a time of 'peace'? Despite the promise of the Belfast Agreement, with its power-sharing regional assembly and authority in the North of Ireland between the Irish and British communities and cross-border bodies between Ireland north and south, the basic cause of the conflict never went away – the British presence in Ireland. That presence can be taken at its widest meaning, Britain's continued colonial claim of sovereignty over part of the island of Ireland, or at its narrowest, the presence of a significant British ethnic minority on the island who form a local majority in the area the British claim as their own: the North of Ireland. As the 12th of July parades aptly display that British minority is still unable to reconcile itself both to its historic and geographic positions: a small ethno-national minority, in the main descended from British colonial settlers, in a country that is not Britain or British. The British Unionist population continues to behave as if this was still pre-independence Ireland, a colonial possession within the so-called United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, where they were the holders of all power and privilege – as befits a colonial elite – surrounded by a sea of hostile 'natives'. There are of course some who try to present the conflict in the North of Ireland as a non-colonial paradigm, but rather as some sort of aberrant religious-based quarrel, a hangover of medieval politics, but this is to display a complete (and probably wilful) ignorance of the situation. The struggle in Ireland in terms of politics and communal conflict is no different from that in any other colonial or post-colonial nation or region around the globe. Just because it is Europe and the 'natives' have white skin does not make it any less a clash of colonist versus colonised, albeit one three centuries in the making. It is only by addressing the fundamentals of the conflict that a permanent end can be brought to that conflict. And that can only occur when Britain withdraws its active political, economic and military support for the British settler minority in Ireland and places their future within the context of the nation of Ireland: where it inevitably, and rightly, belongs. East Belfast's Nationalist enclave of the Short Strand has come under attack again from British Unionist mobs. Two weeks ago Unionist gangs several hundred strong were led by UVF terrorists in a series of assaults against the Nationalist minority in the area, which left three wounded by gunfire, dozens injured and widescale damage to local homes and businesses. Now, following the 'mini-Twelfth' parade in the city by the Orange Order, the British and Protestant fundamentalist organisation, Irish families find themselves under siege again. The Guardian reports: 'Homes in the Catholic Short Strand district were attacked shortly before 11pm, just a few hours after an Orange Order parade passed by the area. Riot police had to be moved back into the interface between the Short Strand and nearby loyalist districts following an incursion into Mount Pottinger Road by more than a dozen loyalists. The situation had been under control in part due to the presence of former IRA and Sinn Féin figures who, along with the police, had attempted to keep the peace on the sectarian fault-line. But the trouble escalated later when a group of young loyalists beat up a local man on Mountpottinger Road and attacked a number of houses in the Short Strand.' liberalfull Incredible news today that an official investigation into the Loughinisland Massacre has concluded that there was no collusion or co-operation between Unionist terrorists and the Royal Ulster Constabulary or RUC, the disbanded former paramilitary police force in the North of Ireland. The 1994 attack on a local, rural pub in County Down resulted in the murder of six Irish civilians, including an 87 year old man, by gunmen from the British terrorist group the UVF. Since the killings speculation has been rife that RUC officers in the area covered up for and protected the terrorists. It has also been suggested the some members of the RUC were aware of the imminent attack before hand and allowed it to go ahead. The report by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has concluded that, though vital physical evidence related to the crime was mishandled or destroyed and that no proper investigation was made into related Unionist terrorist activities in the region, there was no act of 'collusion' between the RUC and the UVF. However, it said there is 'insufficient' evidence of collusion between the group behind the attack and the security forces.' The Irish Times points out some of the failures in the original RUC investigation highlighted in the report including: 'Records were missing. The car used by the UVF was improperly destroyed 10 months after the attack after lying outside a police station exposed to the elements. Police failed to investigate properly the link between the Loughinisland shootings and other terrorist attacks. Failures in the management of the murder incident room in the early stages and in the management of the computer system used by the investigation may also have resulted in the loss of evidential opportunities.' That the Ombudsman's can claim, in the context of the conflict in the North of Ireland and the notorious record of the RUC, that there was no collusion between the official and unofficial arms of Britain's counter-insurgency war in Ireland is beyond belief. British paramilitary police in Ireland co-operating with British paramilitary terrorists in Ireland? Same old story, same old conflict. Journalist Fionola Meredith in the Guardian on some of the background to the UVF-led Unionist attacks on the Nationalist Short Strand enclave in East Belfast over the last two nights. In her opinion (echoed by others) the recent appearances of new Unionist paramiltary wall murals, banners and flags in parts of the city show that: 'the skirmishes just down the road are not random or arbitrary outbreaks of inexplicable violence, as they may appear to outside observers, but the product of an increasingly visible loyalist rage. The appearance of tame-looking loyalist elder statesmen during Queen Elizabeth's recent visit to the Republic gives no sense of the reality on the streets of inner east Belfast, where attacking their Catholic neighbours is a way for blood-hungry young loyalists to gain status and rank in the notoriously volatile command structure of paramilitary organisations.' Furthermore, 'It's true that there is a palpable sense of discontent in loyalist communities, a kind of resentful longing for the old days of pride and primacy. Yet that's rather too glib. It implies that mounting orchestrated and unprovoked attacks on Catholic neighbourhoods is in some way an inevitable outworking of loyalist victimhood – an argument that conveniently allows the perpetrators off the hook.' As I pointed out here, there is far more to this story than the lazy, glib soundbites that some in the mainstream media in Ireland or beyond are trotting out. Reaching for the well-worn clichés of 'sectarianism' and 'tribalism' is to fundamentally misrepresent what has happened in Belfast and to obscure the underlying causes of the conflict in the first place. We are watching the final death spasms of Britain's colonial adventures in Ireland and it is only by viewing the conflict in that light that one can begin to understand where we are now – and where we may be going. The PSNI paramilitary police in the North of Ireland believe injuries suffered by the Press Association photographer Niall Carson, who was shot in the leg while covering the UVF attacks in Belfast last night, may have been the result of collateral fire, and that the intended target was PSNI officers.
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Opposition to Mormonism began before the first Latter Day Saint church was established in 1830 and continues to the present day. The most vocal and strident opposition occurred during the 19th century, particularly during the Utah War of the 1850s, and in the second half of the century when the practice of polygamy in Utah was widely considered by the U.S. Republican Party as one of the "twin relics of barbarism" along with slavery.[1] Modern-day opposition generally takes the form of websites offering alternative views about Mormonism or non-violent protest at large Latter-day Saint gatherings such as the church's semi-annual General Conference, outside of Latter-day Saint pageants, or at events surrounding the construction of new LDS temples. Opponents generally allege that the church's claims to divine origin are false, or that it is non-Christian, or that it is a religion based on fraud or deceit on the part of its past and present leaders. The term "anti-Mormon" first appears in the historical record in 1833 by the Louisville (Kentucky) Daily Herald in an article, "The Mormons and the Anti-Mormons" (the article was also the first known to label believers in the Book of Mormon as "Mormons").[2] In 1841, it was revealed that an Anti-Mormon Almanac would be published. On August 16 of that year, the Latter Day Saint Times and Seasons reported the Mormons' confidence that although the Anti-Mormon Almanac was designed by "Satan and his emissaries" to flood the world with "lies and evil reports", still "we are assured that in the providence of God they will ultimately tend to the glory of God--the spread of truth and the good of the church".[3] The anti-Mormon newspaper certainly was not the first of its kind; Mormonism had been criticized strongly by dozens of publications since its inception, most notably by Eber D. Howe's 1834 book Mormonism Unvailed. The Latter Day Saints initially labeled such publications "anti-Christian",[4] but the publication of the Almanac and the subsequent formation of an "Anti-Mormon Party" in Illinois heralded a shift in terminology. "Anti-Mormon" became, on the lips of the church's critics, a proud and politically charged self-designation.[5] Today, the term is primarily used as a descriptor for persons and publications that oppose the LDS Church, although its precise scope has been the subject of some debate. It is used by some to describe anything perceived as critical of the LDS Church,[6] whereas others reserve it for critical persons or publications who enlist dishonest or inflammatory rhetoric.[7] Siding with the latter, less-inclusive understanding of the term, Latter-day Saint scholar William O. Nelson suggests in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism that the term includes "any hostile or polemic opposition to Mormonism or to the Latter-day Saints, such as maligning the founding prophet, his successors, or the doctrines or practices of the Church. Though sometimes well intended, anti-Mormon publications have often taken the form of invective, falsehood, demeaning caricature, prejudice, and legal harassment, leading to both verbal and physical assault."[8] Many of those who have been labeled "anti-Mormon" object to the designation, arguing that the term implies that disagreement or criticism of Mormonism stems from some inherent "anti-Mormon" prejudice, rather than being part of a legitimate factual or religious debate.[9] Eric Johnson, for example, makes a distinction between "personal animosity and intellectual dialogue". Johnson insists that he is motivated by "love and compassion for Mormons", and that while he "[might] plead guilty to being against Mormonism", he finds the suggestion that he is anti-Mormon "both offensive and inaccurate."[10] Stephen Cannon elaborates, It is also helpful to know that Mormons are a group of people united around a belief system. Therefore, to be "anti-Mormon" is to be against people. Christians who desire to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Mormons are never to come against people of any stripe. Yes, evangelical Christians do have strong disagreements with Mormonism, but the argument is with a belief system and not a people. The LDS people are no better or no worse than any other group of people. Any dispute is to be a disagreement with the "ism", not the "Mormon".[11] James White, meanwhile, rejects the term because of a lack of reciprocal terminology. He wrote to one LDS apologist, "If you will identify yourself as an anti-Baptist, I'll let you call me an anti-Mormon."[12] Even some members of the church who write negatively about it, especially those who call into question its divine nature, have had their writings labeled anti-Mormon. Ex-Mormons who write about the church are likewise frequently labeled anti-Mormon, even when their writings are not inflammatory in nature.[13] The debate on who is "anti-Mormon" frequently arises in Mormon discussions of authors and sources.[14] Stephen Cannon has argued that use of the label is a "campaign by Latter-day Saints to disavow the facts presented by simply labeling the source as 'anti-Mormon'".[11] Critics of the term also claim that the LDS Church frames the context of persecution in order to cultivate a persecution complex,[15] or that Mormon authors promote the ideal of a promised heavenly reward for enduring persecution for one's beliefs.[16] Mormons often respond to these accusations by questioning whether critics like Johnson and Cannon really have Mormons' best interests at heart. For Brigham Young University's 100 Hour Board, the "anti-Mormon" label serves the purpose of warning Latter-day Saints away from individuals who espouse "hatred and bigotry". It is better, says the Board, for a confused Saint to "talk to someone... that (1) has your best interests at heart, and (2) actually understands what the Church teaches."[17] Those individuals and groups who challenge Mormonism, particularly those who approach the challenge from an evangelical Christian perspective, would generally sustain that they do, in fact, have the best interest of the Mormon at heart;[18] and for the most part can legitimately claim to understand what the church teaches, since many challengers of Mormonism come from an LDS background. In addition, they often declare that highly-charged words such as "hatred" and "bigotry" are employed to an excessive degree to describe any challenge to a truth claim, and often cite this reactionary response as part of the so-called Mormon "persecution complex." "As for the persecution complex," writes Jeff Lindsay, "some of us may make too big a deal of our past and of current misunderstandings". "There has been a difference in the way Mormons have been treated in the past. There has been genuine persecution, though we are grateful in these days that overt violence against us has generally ceased. We are grateful for this time of increased understanding and civility, and hope that it will last. But rhetoric against Latter-day Saints has hardly died down, and real anti-Mormons - often professional ones - work hard to stir up anger. I urge all of us to resist such religious bigotry. It is not inspired of God."[19] 1851 lithograph of Smith's body about to be mutilated (Library of Congress). Mormonism, or the Latter Day Saint movement, arose in western New York, the area where its founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., was raised, during a period of religious revival in the early 19th century. Joseph Smith claimed to have many visions involving God, Jesus and angelic Native American prophets. These claims were often not received well by those in the community, as evident in the following excerpt from Joseph Smith's account of LDS Church history: [...] one of the Methodist preachers [...] treated my communication [...] with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them. I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects -- all united to persecute me.[20] While the claims of a divine call often received a cold shoulder, the eventual publication of the Book of Mormon,[21] and the official organization of the Church of Christ in 1830 were met with increased opposition on various fronts. Title page of one of the earliest anti-Mormon publications, E. D. Howe's Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of that Singular Imposition and Delusion, from its Rise to the Present Time (1834), which claimed that the Book of Mormon was written by Solomon Spalding. In New York and Pennsylvania, anti-Mormon behavior dealt mainly with issues including whether or not Smith actually had the gold plates, if those plates belonged to the people, rather than Smith, if Smith ever really had (theological) visions, Smith's treasure-digging episodes, and accusations of occult practices.[22] In Missouri, once the gathering place of the Latter Day Saints, Mormons tended to vote as a bloc, wielding "considerable political and economic influence," often unseating local political leadership and earning long-lasting enmity in the sometimes hard-drinking, hard-living frontier communities.[23] These differences culminated in hostilities and the eventual issuing of an executive order (since called the Extermination Order) by Missouri governorLilburn Boggs declaring Extermination Order was not formally rescinded until 1976. In 1847 Mormons established a community hundreds of miles away in the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. Beginning in 1849, every Federally appointed official left Utah under duress. In 1857 President Buchanan concluded that the Mormons in the territory were rebelling against the United States. In response, President Buchanan sent one-third of the USA's standing army to Utah in 1857 in what is known as the Utah War. In 2007, the movie September Dawn portrayed Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders ordering the massacre of non-Mormon travelers passing through Utah, fearing they were the first in a wave of settlers to the territory. Though the LDS Church issued no comment on the film, Latter-day Saint members and several historical scholars protested these depictions, arguing that the film makers took "great leaps of historical revisionism."[citation needed] Approximately 120 immigrants from Arkansas were murdered at Mountain Meadows in Southwestern Utah on 11 September 1857, after having surrendered to a body of Nauvoo Legion militiamen. Much of this anti-Mormon sentiment was expressed in publications during the early part of LDS Church history. In his 2005 biography of Joseph Smith, Richard Lyman Bushman cites four 1838 pamphlets as anti-Mormon: Mormonism Exposed by Sunderland, Mormonism Exposed by Bacheler, Antidote to Mormonism by M'Chesney, and Exposure of Mormonism by Livesey.[26] The first was the work of Origen Bacheler, who had no direct contact with the body of Mormons, and contained the contents of a debate between the author and Parley Pratt, with Pratt's side omitted. Bushman describes the author's rhetoric as indistinguishable from that uttered by "scores of other polemicists of his time," providing a glimpse into the kind of material considered anti-Mormon. The pamphlet described Joseph Smith as a "blockhead," a "juggling, money-digging, fortune-telling impostor" and, along with the Book of Mormon witnesses, as "perhaps the most infamous liars and impostors that ever breathed. ... By their deception and lies, they swindle them out of their property, disturb social order and the public peace, excite a spirit of ferocity and murder, and lead multitudes astray on the subject in which, of all others, they have the deepest interest." He voiced outrage at "the miscreants who are battening on the ignorance and credulity of those upon whom they can successfully play off this imposture." He described the Book of Mormon as, "the most gross, the most ridiculous, the most imbecile, the most contemptible concern, that was ever attempted to be palmed off upon society as a revelation." He believed the religion "can be viewed in no other light than that of monstrous public nuisances, that ought forthwith to be abated" and that the Mormons were "the most vile, the most impudent, the most impious, knot of charlatans and cheat with which any community was ever disgraced and cursed."[27]Antidote to Mormonism describes Mormons as "miserable enemies of both God and man - engines of death and hell." He described combat with them as being "desperate, the battle is one of extermination."[28] Bushman describes the characteristics of these anti-Mormon materials as sensationalizing actuality:[29] The critics' writings largely controlled the reading public's image of [Joseph Smith] for the next century, with unfortunate results for biographers. The sharp caricature of "Joe Smith" as fraud and con man blotted out the actual person. He was a combination of knave and blockhead. No one had to explain what motives drove him. He was a fixed type, the confidence man, well known in the literature of antebellum America. Americans knew all about these insidious scoundrels who undermined social order and ruined the lives of their unsuspecting victims. Joseph Smith became the worst of the type - a religious fraud who preyed upon the sacred yearnings of the human soul. Arthur Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet (1889), the novel in which the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance, includes a very biased description of the Mormon migration westwards and the foundation of Salt Lake City. Mormons are presented as very violent and intolerant, systematically terrorizing their neighbors and forcing polygamous marriage on non-Mormon girls against their will (comparing Mormon practices to the well-known theme of European girls being forcibly taken to Muslim harems). Later in his career, Conan Doyle apologized to the Mormons for his lurid account of them as being steeped in kidnapping, murder and enslavement. During a 1923 tour of the United States, Doyle was invited to speak at the LDS Church's Salt Lake Tabernacle; while some individual Mormons expressed their bitterness, in general the atmosphere was warm and friendly far beyond the famous author's best expectations, and in later writings he presented Mormons in a very positive light.[30] The most vehement opposition to the LDS Church comes from individuals or groups associated with the Christian countercult movement, which is mostly an Evangelical Christian phenomenon. Daniel C. Peterson and Massimo Introvigne have identified two major streams of modern anti-Mormon thought. The first is "traditional anti-Mormonism", typified by Rev. Wesley Walters, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, and (to a certain extent) self-proclaimed "Bible Answer Man" and "cult expert" Walter Martin. Anti-Mormons in this category, "anxious to be taken seriously by at least a portion of the scholarly community," generally try to explain Mormonism in naturalistic terms. They appeal to "Joseph Smith's environment and his (wicked or pathological) character, perhaps assisted by a co-conspirator or two", as a sufficient explanation for Mormon origins.[31] Of the second category Introvigne tells us, "New Age anti-Mormonism", according to Peterson, "is quite different. It admits the presence of supernatural events in the founding events of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is quite willing to acknowledge continuous supernatural influence in the life of the Church today." However, "unlike faithful Latter-day Saints, New Age anti-Mormons see the supernatural agents involved in the founding and progress of the Church as demonic, occultic, diabolical, luciferian."[32] This "New Age anti-Mormon" grouping includes Ed Decker, Loftes Tryk, James R. Spencer and many others. According to Introvigne, New Age anti-Mormonism emerged in the 1980s largely as a result of the rise of Third-wave Pentecostalism and its emphasis on spiritual warfare.[33] Traditional anti-Mormons, according to Peterson, are those who "are content to argue that Mormonism is untrue" and "incompatible with the Bible."[34] While some may believe that Satan was indirectly involved in the founding of the LDS Church, they place little emphasis on his role. For them, naturalistic and historical explanations are always preferable to supernatural ones.[35] Among the most prominent of the traditional anti-Mormons are Jerald and Sandra Tanner. Both former members of the LDS Church, the Tanners converted to Evangelical Protestantism and in 1964 founded the Modern Microfilm Company to "document problems with the claims of Mormonism and to compare LDS doctrines with Christianity." In 1983 they turned their company into a non-profit organization and renamed it the Utah Lighthouse Ministry.[36] The Tanners' work has included "publishing [reprints of] many hard-to-find Mormon historical documents" and "[debating] virtually every significant topic in Mormonism".[37] During their prolific career they have published more than two hundred items on a variety of social, doctrinal, and historical issues. Despite the high caliber of some of their work,[38] the Tanners have been criticized on a number of points: notably for the vitrolic tone of some of their more polemical pieces, their resistance to change, and their unauthorized publication of several copyrighted documents.[39] In recent years, the apologists' wrath toward the Tanners has somewhat subsided. In their study of anti-Mormon "word games", for example, Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks have nothing negative to say about them. Instead, they enlist them as allies against New Age anti-Mormons like Ed Decker, whose fabrications the Tanners have denounced on more than one occasion.[40] Perhaps the most controversial of the traditional anti-Mormons, however, was Walter Martin. Martin saw Mormons as deceivers who "pose as Christians". He called them "anti-Christian" and "a cult infiltration" and said they secretly harbor a "deep contempt for Christians". He further accused them of being egomaniacs and "cultists".[41] Martin left as his legacy the Christian Research Institute, which has taken a slightly more moderate position.[42] New Age anti-Mormons have generated considerably more controversy than the previous category. The most prominent of their number, Ed Decker, is the producer of The God Makers and The God Makers II, as well as being the author of the books by the same name. The God Makers has attracted criticism not only from Latter-day Saints,[43] but from traditional anti-Mormons as well.[44] The film is generally considered acerbic and misleading, and has even provoked bomb threats against LDS meetinghouses and death threats against members.[45] In other publications Decker has asserted that the source of Mormonism is Satan and that the spires on the LDS temple "represent an upside down nail, pointing defiantly toward heaven--as if to impale the Lord Jesus anew when he comes in the clouds of glory!"[46] Furthermore, Decker sees Mormonism as a Satanic political conspiracy with roots in Hinduism and Baal worship.[47] When Decker was denounced by Jerald and Sandra Tanner, he went so far as to accuse them of being in the pay of the LDS Church and even of being "demonized" themselves. Decker and his associates offered to exorcise the Tanners' demons, and expressed great sadness when they refused.[48] The Christian writer William Schnoebelen asserted that "the marks on the Mormon Temple garments 'are held together by a subtle occult web of sexual energy which is activated by pressure from the two highest grips in the LDS Temple endowment.'"[35] Tom Kellie similarly insisted that "the wives of Mormon apostles were compelled to submit to a special sexual type of operation."[49] Other New Age anti-Mormons have called Mormons "pagans" and Mormonism "a fountain of slime".[47] Protesters have been visible as "street preachers" at LDS General Conferences, outside of LDS pageants, and temples. At the recently-constructed Sacramento temple, for example, protesters dispersed pamphlets to visitors who came to take a guided tour. They also held up signs directing people to websites critical of the LDS Church.[50] Notably, protesters also made an appearance at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.[51] One group that actively organizes peaceful protests, a non-profit organization called Mormonism Research Ministry, insists that its activities are not "anti-Mormon". Our goal at MRM is not to be antagonistic. In fact, whenever a representative of MRM speaks publicly on this subject, we often emphasize how Christians should reflect a Christ-like attitude when sharing their faith. We must be firm in our convictions but compassionate and patient as well. ...It is true that, just as some Mormons want nothing more than to ridicule and insult those with whom they disagree, some Christians have done the same. This is wrong and always will be wrong.[10] Some other individuals have been seen throwing copies of the Book of Mormon on the ground, stepping on them, and portray using temple garments, which LDS hold sacred, as toilet tissue, and other similarly offensive actions.[52] However, nearly every evangelical ministry, including those that actively challenge truth claims of Mormonism, vehemently condemns this sort of offensive and belligerent behavior, and further object to being placed in the same category as those few who engage in such behavior.[18] As a result of organized protests at Mormon events, a number of Latter-day Saints, and even non-Mormons, have begun to counter-demonstrate at events (by singing hymns, for example).[53] Tangible acts of violence against Latter-day Saints are considerably less common in the United States today than they were in the 19th century. The first significant violent persecution occurred in the early 1830s in Missouri. Mormons tended to vote as a bloc there, wielding "considerable political and economic influence," often unseating local political leadership and earning long-lasting enmity in the frontier communities.[54] These differences culminated in the Missouri Mormon War and the eventual issuing of an executive order (since called the extermination order within the LDS community) by Missouri governorLilburn Boggs, which declared that extermination order was not formally rescinded until 1976. Even after Mormons established a community hundreds of miles away in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, anti-Mormon activists in Utah Territory convinced U.S. President James Buchanan that the Mormons in the territory were rebelling against the United States; critics pointed to the Mountain Meadows massacre and plural marriage as signs of the rebellion. In response, President Buchanan sent one-third of the American standing army in 1857 to Utah in what is known as the Utah War. More recent persecution against Mormons in the U.S. has occasionally taken the shape of acts of vandalism against church property (see Protests against Proposition 8 supporters).[55] At an LDS Church building in Orangevale, Sacramento County, vandals spray painted "No on 8" and "No on Prop 8" on the front sign and sidewalk.[56] An affiliate group of the radical Trans/Queer organization Bash Back!, claims credit for pouring glue into the locks of an LDS Church building and spray painting on its walls. An internet posting signed by Bash Back!'s Olympia chapter said: "The Mormon church ... needs to be confronted, attacked, subverted and destroyed."[57] According to the Chicago Tribune, the acts of vandalism against the LDS Church appear to be in retaliation for support of Proposition 8.[57] Police reported that nine church buildings were also damaged in Utah that month.[58][59] The Anti-Defamation League released a statement condemning the "defacement and destruction of property."[60] In Latin America, however, hatred of Mormons has often taken on a much deadlier form. In May 1989, members of a terrorist organization called the Zarate Willka Armed Forces of Liberation murdered two Mormon missionaries in La Paz, Bolivia. Another Bolivian terrorist group, the Tupac Katari Guerrilla Army, claimed responsibility for two attacks against Mormon chapels. The Latauro Youth Movement in Chile conducted 27 small-scale bombings against LDS meetinghouses in 1992.[66] The MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base lists 149 individual attacks that have been carried out against Mormon targets in Latin America since 1983.[67] It also lists a 2001 chapel-bombing in Croatia.[68] Although a position on anti-Mormonism is not part of the official doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it has been mentioned specifically in a number of General Conference talks made by church General Authorities and Apostles. Marvin J. Ashton, speaking as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, began a fall 1982 conference by relating an experience he had with a protester outside of Temple Square. He went on to declare "[t]o the world, and especially to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" that "there is no time for contention." He then quoted Robert Frost in his prescribed response to anti-Mormonism: The poet Robert Frost once defined education as "the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence." Probably we will never be free of those who are openly anti-Mormon. Therefore, we encourage all our members to refuse to become anti-anti-Mormon. In the wise words of old, can we "live and let live"?[69] Carlos E. Asay of the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy spoke in the fall 1981 conference concerning opposition to the LDS Church. He describes "Lucifer" as the source of at least some anti-Mormon and apostate groups, relates an experience of a Mormon convert being excommunicated and encourages the avoidance of "those who would tear down your faith": Since the spring of 1820, Lucifer has led a relentless attack against the Latter-day Saints and their leaders. A parade of anti-Christs, anti-Mormons, and apostate groups have appeared on the scene. Many are still among us and have released new floods of lies and false accusations. These faith-killers and testimony-thieves use personal contacts, the printed word, electronic media, and other means of communication to sow doubts and to disturb the peace of true believers. Two months ago we received a tender letter from a bishop. He informed us that he had been involved in an excommunication of a recent convert. The new convert had fallen under the influence of a very dedicated apostate who was successful in destroying the convert's testimony. It seems that, to discredit Joseph Smith and subsequent prophets, the apostate cited changes made in Church publications over the years. The approach used by the apostate is common among those who are more interested in shadows than in light. Their logic, if followed, would have them burning the New Testament because Luke's account of the gospel is not exactly like Matthew's or because the book of Acts reports two differing versions of Paul's vision on the road to Damascus. (See Acts 9:1–9 and Acts 22:4–11.) Belief in modern prophets and continuous revelation is absent in the lives of many apostates. They would pin their hopes for salvation upon things other than those related to living prophets and living faith. ... Avoid those who would tear down your faith. Faith-killers are to be shunned. The seeds which they plant in the minds and hearts of men grow like cancer and eat away the Spirit.[70] Gordon B. Hinckley, former President of the LDS Church, related a story in the fall 1997 conference in which he read from the letter of an ex-Mormon who left the church at the urging of his fiancée, whom the letter-writer indicates is anti-Mormon. Hinckley describes the situation in the letter as a "terrible tragedy" and states that he "believe[s] the writer still has a testimony of this work. That testimony has been with him since the time he was baptized, but he has felt neglected and of no consequence to anyone."[71] A passage from an early Mormon epistle addresses a claimed tendency of ex-Mormons to criticize the church of which they are no longer a part: [A]postates after turning from the faith of Christ ... have sooner or later fallen into the snares of the wicked one, and have been left destitute of the Spirit of God, to manifest their wickedness in the eyes of multitudes. From apostates the faithful have received the severest persecutions ... "When once that light which was in them is taken from them, they become as much darkened as they were previously enlightened, and then, no marvel, if all their power should be enlisted against the truth," and they, Judas like, seek the destruction of those who were their greatest benefactors.[72] In 1985, Vaughn J. Featherstone, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church addressed students at the church-owned Brigham Young University, calling anti-Mormon material "theological pornography that is damaging to the spirit," stating that "none of it is worth casting an eye upon. Do not read the anti-Mormon materials. That is not the way you resolve questions about the truthfulness of the restored gospel."[73] Mormon apologetics and members vary both in their perception of criticism and opposition, as well as what they see as falling under the umbrella of anti-Mormonism. Hugh Nibley, the author of voluminous works in response to books deemed anti-Mormon, including a chapter on how to write an anti-Mormon book,[74] explained why he thinks ex-Mormons criticize the church: Apostates usually become sometimes feverishly active, determined to prove to the world and themselves that it is a fraud after all. What is that to them? Apparently it is everything—it will not let them alone. At the other end of the scale are those who hold no rancor and even retain a sentimental affection for the Church—they just don't believe the gospel. I know quite a few of them. But how many of them can leave it alone? It haunts them all the days of their life. No one who has ever had a testimony ever forgets or denies that he once did have it—that it was something that really happened to him. Even for such people who do not have it anymore, a testimony cannot be reduced to an illusion.[75] Jeff Lindsay, a Latter-day Saint apologist defines an anti-Mormon as "only the activists who attack the Church in a way intended to generate misunderstanding, fear, and shock ... [someone who] strives to stir up anger toward the Church and relies on misinformation or half-truths, ... especially when they do it for a living" and specifies, "[t]here is plenty of room for decent people to disagree with us. Most Protestants and Catholics who disagree with us are not 'anti-Mormons' but simply people of another denomination." He claims that, "Those of other faiths who disagree with us and engage in civil discourse with us about their differences are usually not 'anti-Mormons' but perhaps simply critics or just adherents of a different faith."[76] In response to the question "What tactics do anti-Mormons use?", Lindsay writes: Some pastors and ministers who might consider themselves as anti-Mormons are sincere in their differences with LDS theology and write intelligently and honestly about their views. They can differ without distorting the truth and can be respectful and kind in their discussions. I guess that intelligent and honest writing doesn't sell well, because the vast majority of popular writing against the Church is ugly, deceptive, and inflammatory. This is the stuff that I tend to call "anti-Mormon."[77] Davis Bitton presented criteria on how to identify anti-Mormon material in a 2004 paper published for the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) entitled, "Spotting an Anti-Mormon Book." He specifies inaccuracy, telling Mormons what they believe, strong preference for negative information, always showing "the church, its leaders, its people, and its beliefs in the worst possible light," participating in anti-Mormon activities, denouncing the church, engaging in "behavior defiantly contrary to church standards," unjustly claiming to be a Latter-day Saint, and indulging in "snide, disrespectful, cruel comments about the Saints and those they sustain as prophets" as characteristics of anti-Mormon books and authors. Additionally, he singles out publishers such as the Utah Gospel Mission and the Utah Lighthouse Ministry as being "anti-Mormon, at least in intent."[78] In another FARMS review, this time of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology by Brent Lee Metcalfe, Bitton reveals more of his thoughts on the subject: I am not entirely comfortable with labeling this an anti-Mormon work, for I don't see hatred of the Church and a determination to destroy as the prime motive behind it. On the other hand, whatever the intention of individual authors, the label is not entirely misapplied either. In any case, one thing is sure: the compilation will be exploited by the Mormon-haters.[79] Others consider the definition of anti-Mormonism rather fundamentally: those in opposition to or against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While not including those who simply believe differently, it includes those who are actively engaged in opposing the LDS Church. Thus, a person's intelligence, honesty, qualification or accreditation do not make them anti-Mormon. Anti-Mormon arguments are those in opposition to the claims and institutional aims of the LDS Church, and anti-Mormons are those who spend a significant amount of time opposing the church via such arguments or otherwise.[80] Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that since the church is sanctioned by God, Satan and his followers will seek to destroy it, with some even seeing this opposition as evidence that the LDS Church has divine origins. Some avoid anti-Mormon material, while others analyze and criticize it, such as William J. Hamblin, who addresses anti-Mormon attacks on the geography and archeology of the Book of Mormon in "Basic Methodological Problems with the Anti-Mormon Approach to the Geography and Archaeology of the Book of Mormon."[81] Other prominent LDS members note that the opposition from anti-Mormonism can actually be beneficial. As Hugh Nibley expressed it, "We need more anti-Mormon books. They keep us on our toes."[82]Michael R. Ash of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) dissected this viewpoint in "The Impact of Mormon Critics on LDS Scholarship," concluding that the accusations of critics are helpful in encouraging and stimulating further research.[83]Orson Pratt also seemed to invite criticism when he said: Convince us of our errors of doctrine, if we have any, by reason, by logical arguments, or by the word of God, and we will be ever grateful for the information, and you will ever have the pleasing reflection that you have been instruments in the hands of God of redeeming your fellow beings from the darkness which you may see enveloping their minds.[84] I am now convinced that we... have often seriously misrepresented the beliefs and practices of the Mormon community. Indeed, let me state it bluntly to the LDS folks here this evening: we have sinned against you. The God of the Scriptures makes it clear that it is a terrible thing to bear false witness against our neighbors, and we have been guilty of that sort of transgression in things we have said about you. We have told you what you believe without making a sincere effort first of all to ask you what you believe...Indeed, we have even on occasion demonized you, weaving conspiracy theories about what the LDS community is 'really' trying to accomplish in the world.[85] Mouw is not the only Christian calling for moderation. Similar pleas have been issued by David Rowe,[86] Carl Mosser, Francis J. Beckwith, Paul Owen,[87] Craig Blomberg,[88] and others. Some church and parachurch groups have also made efforts to repair relations with the Mormons. In the 1980s, Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority "took some small steps toward Evangelical-Mormon cooperation for a shared social, political, and ethical agenda".[89] More recently, a Pentecostal congregation in Provo, Utah held a public ceremony of repentance for its negative attitudes and actions toward the Latter-day Saint community.[90] In 2001 the organization Standing Together, based in Lehi, UT, was founded by a Baptist minister for the purpose of "building bridges of relationship and dialogue with... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."[91] Standing Together hosts public seminars in which Evangelical scholar Greg Johnson and LDS scholar Robert Millet "communicate how they have maintained their friendship and at the same time discussed candidly their theological differences and concerns for one another."[92] However, Standing Together is most recognized for their activities at General Conference, where they literally stand together, taking up space to deny its use by those who come to be disruptive influences. Some traditional Christian churches and ministries, however, have expressed varying degrees of concern about the movement to abandon what they consider to be valid and cogent challenges to Mormon doctrine and teaching for the sake of "peaceful co-existence," and yet at the same time do not wish to be categorized with the fringe Christian elements that seek to be openly disruptive and antagonistic toward the LDS community.[18] "I find it preposterous that in 2011 we're debating whether or not a man is qualified or worthy of your vote based on whether or not his religion ... is a disqualifying provision," Biden told an audience at the University of Pittsburgh. "It is not. It is embarrassing and we should be ashamed, anyone who thinks that way," he said in a long response to a student's question about how his own religious faith affected his philosophy of government.[94] ^"1856 Republican Platform". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-15. "Resolve: That the Constitution confers upon Congress sovereign powers over the Territories of the United States for their government; and that in the exercise of this power, it is both the right and the imperative duty of Congress to prohibit in the Territories those twin relics of barbarism--Polygamy, and Slavery." ^"Jerald is a brilliant analyst of detail, with an almost uncanny ability to spot textual inconsistencies which call for explanation. His analysis showing that a pamphlet attributed to Oliver Cowdery was, in fact, a clever forgery, is only one example of research and analysis that would do credit to any professional historian." Foster, Lawrence (1984) "Career Apostates: Reflections on the Works of Jerald and Sandra Tanner", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 17 (2), 47. ^According to Michael Griffith, "Even as anti-Mormon books go, THE GODMAKERS is one of the worst, most inaccurate attacks on Mormonism ever written." Michael T. Griffith. "Another Look at The Godmakers". ourworld.cs.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-24.. Says Introvigne, "the second book and film are worse than the first: they include an explicit call to hatred and intolerance that has been denounced as such by a number of Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish organizations." Introvigne, p. 154. ^His writings were described by Carl Mosser in Saints Alive in Jesus: Ed Decker - The Godmakers as follows: "Decker is infamous for the mistakes he makes describing Mormon doctrine, the sensationalist claims he has made about Mormon rituals and leaders, and the generally uncharitable attitude with which he conducts his ministry. Most Mormons are inoculated against anything with Decker's name on it. I think it is foolish to give Decker's materials to Mormons and unwise to give them to Christians to read. The Mormon will be repulsed and hardened, the Christian misinformed." "Saints Alive in Jesus: Ed Decker - The Godmakers". ApologeticsIndex.org. Archived from the original on 30 May 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-01. ^Smith, Joseph F. (1834-7). Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. p. 66. Although sometimes mistaken for a direct quote from Joseph Smith, this passage occurs in the book as part of "Excerpts from an Epistle of the Elders of the Church in Kirtland to Their Brethren Abroad", edited by Oliver Cowdery and F. G. Williams as published in The Morning and the Evening Star.
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Think Green! Please consider the environment before printing this webpage. Quantitative Reasoning Quantitative Reasoning courses are intended for first-year and sophomore students. Approved substitute courses are available for other students still needing to satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning component of the MAP. FALL 2010 V55.0101 Quantitative Reasoning: Math Patterns in Nature Prof. Hanhart (Mathematics) Examines the role of mathematics as the language of science through case studies selected from the natural sciences and economics. Topics include the scale of things in the natural world; the art of making estimates; cross-cultural views of knowledge about the natural world; growth laws, including the growth of money and the concept of "constant dollars"; radioactivity and its role in unraveling the history of the earth and solar system; the notion of randomness and basic ideas from statistics; scaling laws and why things are the size they are; the cosmic distance ladder; and the meaning of "infinity." This calculator-based course is designed to help you use mathematics with some confidence in applications. FALL 2010 V55.0105 Quantitative Reasoning: Elementary Statistics Prof. Hanhart (Mathematics)FALL 2010 V55.0107 Quantitative Reasoning: Probability, Statistics & Decision-Making Prof. Hanhart (Mathematics) This course examines the role in mathematics in making ``correct'' probability, game theory, division strategies, and optimization. FALL 2010 V55.0109 Quantitative Reasoning: Math & Computations Using Python Prof. Marateck (Computer Science) This course teaches key mathematical concepts using the new Python programming language. The first part of the course teaches students how to use the basic features of Python: operations with numbers and strings, variables, Boolean probability. Students use Python to explore the mathematical concepts in labs and homework assignments. No prior knowledge of programming is required. SPRING 2011 V55.0101 Quantitative Reasoning: Math Patterns in Nature Prof. Hanhart (Mathematics) syllabus Examines the role of mathematics as the language of science through case studies selected from the natural and social sciences. Topics include growth laws, including the growth of money and the concept of "constant dollars"; radioactivity and its role in unraveling the history of the earth and solar system; the notion of randomness and basic ideas from probability and statistics; scaling principles and trigonometry and its role in determining measurements from antiquity to today. This calculator-based course is designed to help you use mathematics with some confidence in applications. SPRING 2011 V55.0105 Quantitative Reasoning: Elementary Statistics Prof. Kalaycioglu (Mathematics) syllabusSPRING 2011 V55.0107 Quantitative Reasoning: Probability, Statistics & Decision-Making Prof. Hanhart (Mathematics) syllabus This course examines the role in mathematics in making ``correct'' decisions. Special attention is devoted to quantifying the notions of "correct,'' "fair,'' and "best'' and using these ideas to establish optimal decisions and algorithms to problems of incomplete information and uncertain outcomes. The mathematical tools used include a selection of topics in statistics, probability, optimization, and geometric growth. Spring 2011 V55.0109 Quantitative Reasoning: Math & Computations Using Python Prof. Marateck (Computer Science) syllabus This course teaches key mathematical concepts using the new Python programming language. The first part of the course teaches students how to use the basic features of Python: operations with numbers and strings, variables, Boolean logic, control structures, loops and functions. The second part of the course focuses on the phenomena of growth and decay: geometric progressions, compound interest, exponentials and logarithms. The third part of the course introduces three key mathematical concepts: trigonometry, counting problems and probability. Students use Python to explore the mathematical concepts in labs and homework assignments. No prior knowledge of programming is required. Natural Science I The prerequisite for all Natural Science I courses is completion of or exemption from Quantitative Reasoning, or completion of an approved substitute course. FALL 2010 V55.0203 Natural Science I: Energy and the Environment Prof. Jordan (MAPFALL 2010 evaluate environmental issues and make informed decisions about them. FALL 2010 V55.0205 Natural Science I: Exploration of Light and Color Prof. Stroke (Physics) syllabus Color science is an interdisciplinary endeavor that incorporates both the physics and the perception of light and color. It provides an understanding of visual effects that dramatically enhances our appreciation of what we see. The study of color, light, and optics has applications to photography, art, natural phenomena, and technology. We also study the eye as both an optical and an image processing instrument. Topics include how color is classified and measured (colorimetry), how light is produced, how atoms and molecules affect light, how the human retina detects light, and how lenses are used in cameras. FALL 2010 V55.0209 Natural Science I: Quarks to Cosmos Prof. Gabadadze (Physics) syllabus Modern science has provided us with some understanding of age-old fundamental questions, while at the same time opening up many new areas of investigation. How old is the Universe? How did galaxies, stars, and planets form? What are the fundamental constituents of matter and how do they combine to form the contents of the Universe? The course will cover measurements and chains of scientific reasoning that have allowed us to reconstruct the Big Bang by measuring little wisps of light reaching the Earth, to learn about sub-atomic particles by use of many-mile long machines, and to combine the two to understand the Universe as a whole from the sub-atomic particles of which it is composed. FALL 2010 V55.0214 Natural Science I: How Things Work Prof. SteinFALL 2010 V55.0214 Natural Science I: How Things Work Prof. AdlerSPRING 2011 V55.0203 Natural Science I: Energy and the Environment Prof. Jerschow (Chemistry) syllabus Explores the scientific foundations of current environmental issues and the impact of this knowledge on public policy. One goal is to examine several topics of pressing importance and lively debate in our society—e Relevant topics include the structure of atoms and molecules, the interaction of light with matter, energy relationships in chemical reactions, and the properties of acids and bases. Throughout, we also examine how scientific studies of the environment are connected to political, economic, and policy concerns. SPRING 2011 V55.0204 Natural Science I: Einstein's Universe Prof. Schucking (Physics) syllabus Addresses the science and life of Einstein in the context of 20th-century physics, beginning with 19th-century ideas about light, space, and time in order to understand why Einstein's work was so innovative. Einstein's most influential ideas are contained in his theories of special relativity, which reformulated conceptions of space and time, and general relativity, which extended these ideas to gravitation. Both these theories are explored quantitatively, together with wide-ranging applications of these ideas, from the nuclear energy which powers the sun to black holes and the big bang theory of the birth of the universe. SPRING 2011 V55.0214 Natural Science I: How Things Work Prof. Stroke We explore for0214 Natural Science I: How Things Work Prof. GrierNatural Science II The prerequisite for all Natural Science II courses is completion of or exemption from Quantitative Reasoning, or completion of an approved substitute course. The completion of Natural Science I is recommended prior to taking Natural Science II. FALL 2010 V55.0303 Natural Science II: Human Genetics Prof. Rockman (Biology) syllabus We are currently witnessing a revolution in human genetics, where the ability to scrutinize and manipulate DNA has allowed scientists to gain unprecedented insights into the role of heredity. Beginning with an overview of the principles of inheritance such as cell division and Mendelian genetics, we explore the foundations and frontiers of modern human genetics, with an emphasis on understanding and evaluating new discoveries. Descending to the molecular level, we investigate how genetic information is encoded in DNA and how mutations affect gene function. These molecular foundations are used to explore the science and social impact of genetic technology, including topics such as genetic testing, genetically modified foods, DNA fingerprinting, and the Human Genome Project. Laboratory projects emphasize the diverse methods that scientists employ to study heredity. FALL 2010 V55.0306 Natural Science II: Brain and Behavior Prof. SuzukiFALL 2010 V55.0309 Natural Science II: The Body - How It Works Prof. Goldberg (Chemistry) syllabus The human body is a complex system of mutually interdependent molecules, cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. We examine the human body with the goal of understanding how physiological systems operate at these varying levels. Examples include the circulation of blood, the function of our muscles, the utilization of oxygen in respiration, and how our immune system detects and fights foreign invaders. Disturbing the delicate balance of these systems can produce various human diseases, which will also be examined throughout the course. Laboratory work provides firsthand experience with studying molecular processes, cell structures, and physiological systems. FALL 2010FALL 2010 V55.0313 Natural Science II: The Brain: A User's Guide Prof. Azmitia (Biology) syllabus The Human Brain is the most complex organ. Despite the central position it has in nearly every aspect of our daily lives, it remains to many a mystery. How does it work? How can we care for it? How long will it function? This MAP course is designed to provide answers to these questions, and many more at an academic level accessible to the non-scientist student, and of interest to the scientist with little exposure to neuroscience. The aims of the course are to provide the student with a firm foundation in what the brain looks like and what each of the parts do. To accomplish this, we will learn about the functions of the cortex in higher learning and memory, as well as discuss the basic work of the brainstem in regulating the internal environment of the body. The importance of nutrition on neurotransmitter synthesis, the function of sleep on memory and why we need so much of it, and the effects of alcohol and drugs on brain harmony and the meaning of addiction will be some of the points covered in this course. We will look at brain development and the special needs of children, as well as brain aging and illness and the difficulty of helping. The laboratories are designed to provide hands-on experience in exploring the structure of the brain as well as learning how to measure brain functioning. We will provide specially prepared slides so the student can recognize a neuron and differentiate a dendrite from an axon. The molecular shape of neurotransmitter will be covered, as well as learning how to measure alcohol and determining its levels in your body. It is expected that by the end of the course, the student will be familiar with the biological basis of brain structure and function, and not only be able to detect how a normal brain works, but also how to help keep it healthy. SPRING 2011 V55.0305 Natural Science II: Human Origins Prof. Bailey (Anthropology) syllabus An introduction to the approaches and methods scientists use to investigate the origins and evolutionary history of our own species. This interdisciplinary study synthesizes research from a number of different areas of science. Topics include reconstructing evolutionary relationships using molecular and morphological data, the mitochondrial Eve hypothesis, ancient DNA, human variation and natural selection, the use of stable isotopes to reconstruct dietary behavior in prehistoric humans, the Neandertal enigma, the importance of studies of chimpanzees for understanding human behavior, and the 6-million-year-old fossil evidence for human evolution. SPRING 2011 V55.0306 Natural Science II: Brain and Behavior Prof. HawkenSPRING 2011SPRING 2011 V55.0311 Natural Science II: Lessons from the Biosphere Prof. Volk (Biology) syllabus Provides a foundation of knowledge about how Earth's biosphere works. This includes the biggest ideas and findings about biology on the global scale-the scale in which we live. Such knowledge is especially crucial today because we humans are perturbing so many systems within the biosphere. We explore four main topics: (1) Evolution of Life: How did life come to be what it is today? (2) Life's Diversity: What is life today on the global scale? (3) Cycles of Matter: How do life and the non-living environment interact? (4) The Human Guild: How are humans changing the biosphere and how might we consider our future within the biosphere? Laboratory experiments are complemented by an exploration at the American Museum of Natural History. SPRING 2011 V55.0314 Natural Science II: Genomes and Diversity Prof. Siegal (Biology) syllabus Millions of species of animals, plants and microbes inhabit our planet. Genomics, the study of all the genes in an organism, is providing new insights into this amazing diversity of life on Earth. We begin with the fundamentals of DNA, genes and genomes. We then explore microbial diversity, with an emphasis on how genomics can reveal many aspects of organisms, from their ancient history to their physiological and ecological habits. We follow with examinations of animal and plant diversity, focusing on domesticated species, such as dogs and tomatoes, as examples of how genomic methods can be used to identify genes that underlie new or otherwise interesting traits. Genomics has also transformed the study of human diversity and human disease. We examine the use of DNA to trace human ancestry, as well as the use of genomics as a diagnostic tool in medicine. With the powerful new technologies to study genomes has come an increased power to manipulate them. We conclude by considering the societal implications of this ability to alter the genomes of crop plants, livestock and potentially humans. Texts and Ideas Note: Previously listed as Conversations of the West Fall 2010 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics - Animal Humans Prof. Lezra (Comparative Literature) syllabus "One might go so far as to define man as a creature that has failed in its effort to keep its animalness…" So writes the German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk. What sort of animal were we? Where, how, and by whom has the line between the human and the animal been drawn? With what consequences for our "human" understanding of the world? Of concepts like the "soul," "society," politics, the family? Is the line between the human and the animal drawn differently in different genres--in literary works, theological treatises, natural histories, paintings, films? We come at these questions from different angles, following them from antiquity to early modern responses to these questions, and in essays by contemporary philosophers and advocates. Readings: Genesis, Numbers, Euripides' Bacchae, Plato's Phaedrus, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Apuleius' Golden Ass, Marie de France' Bisclavret, Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, Montaigne's "Apology in Defense of Raymond Sebond, Machiavelli's Prince, H. G. Wells's Island of Dr. Moreau and Island of Lost Souls, Derrida's "The Animal that therefore I am," selections from Boccaccio, Peter Singer, Giorgio Agamben, Donna Haraway. Fall 2010 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics - Spectatorship—Ethics, Politics, Aesthetics Prof. Harries (English) syllabus Are you responsible for what you see? Sometimes? Never? Always? How do you decide? Why do works of art so often represent suffering? Does art allow us to witness suffering without having to take responsibility for that suffering? What happens when we witness real suffering as though it were art? We consider crucial texts on spectatorship from Plato to the present, how various thinkers and artists have approached these and other questions, and how looking from a distance has informed thinking about aesthetics, ethics, and politics. Throughout our discussions of these readings, we ask what it means that thinkers insist that looking has power: power to produce various emotions from desire to sympathy, or power to produce social and even political bonds. These thinkers will, in turn, challenge us to think about the function of images in the present. Readings and films: Plato's Republic, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Shakespeare's King Lear, Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, Rousseau's Letter to M. d'Alembert on the Theatre, Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy, selections from Freud, Beckett's Endgame, Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr., Hitchcock's Rear Window. FALL 2010 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics-- The Deliberating Citizen Prof. Connolly (Classics) syllabus What do we need to function as citizens of a democracy--capacities of reason, imagination, or eloquence? Skills in analyzing public discourse or habits of historical memory? Is belief in God required, or particular emotional tendencies or sympathies? What kind of humanistic values, if any, can and should a democracy promote? We examine these questions on the assumption that intensive close reading (and listening, in Mozart's case) promotes the habits of engaged, articulate talking and writing that are the bedrock of civic education. Music of Mozart and readings from Plato, Thucydides, Vergil, Shakespeare, Rousseau, Kant, Adam Smith, John Dewey, Hannah Arendt. FALL 2010 V55.0402 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the Renaissance Prof. Bolduc (French) syllabus Explores how books give shape, meaning, and purpose to the world and human experience. As it reinterprets the Greek and Roman legacy, the Renaissance faces crucial epistemological shifts triggered by new discoveries that call to mind our own struggles: making sense of a world in constant flux where truths are not only put into question but also lead to bloodshed. Grouped under four main themes--epic and the human experience, tales of beginnings and ends, battles for truth, writings of the self--we consider the purpose of this conversation between writers of different epochs and its relevance for understanding our own culture. Reading: Vergil's Aeneid, Cervantes' Don Quixote, Hesiod's Theogony, selections from Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, Machiavelli's Prince, Navarre's Heptameron, Sophocles' Antigone, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Plato's Symposium, Augustine's Confessions, selections from Montaigne's Essays. FALL 2010FALL 2010 V55.0403 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the Enlightenment Prof. Garrett (Philosophy) syllabus All animals live, but only human beings consider how to live; and only reflective human beings deliberate among different ways to decide how to live. Should one look for guidance to tradition, to religion, to the state, to nature, to feeling, to reason? Versions of this question were raised and addressed repeatedly and with urgency in both Antiquity and the Enlightenment. We examine some of the most important and influential attempts to answer it and some of the dialogue that such attempts have had with one another. Readings include Hebrew and Christian scriptures, Greek tragedy and philosophy, Spinoza, Locke, Rousseau, Hume, Kant, Wollstonecraft. FALL 2010 V55.0404 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the 19th Century Prof. Ulfers (German) syllabus A conversation between two paradigms informing Western culture: the dominant, optimistic one, revolving around notions of historical progress toward absolute knowledge and utopian visions of the world and society; and the subterranean, pessimistic one, which looks on the former as a human construct or fiction that must come to naught. Readings: works from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, Plato, and Sophocles; Augustine's Confessions; selections from Darwin; Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto; Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy; Freud's Interpretation of Dreams; Kafka's Metamorphosis; Mann's Death in Venice. FALL 2010 V55.0404 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the 19th Century Prof. Corradi (Sociology) syllabus A guide to the intellectual heritage distinctive to the West, with special attention to the nature of the person, freedom, rationality, democracy, and the social order. The works we study continue to shape the way people understand themselves and the world. They are 'classic' in the sense that they have not finished saying what they have to say. We situate them in historical context, looking for ways in which later authors responded to themes introduced by earlier ones. From the particularity of the West, these themes show a vocation for universality. Readings include: Genesis, Exodus, Luke, Corinthians; Sophocles' Oedipus and Antigone; Plato's Apology and Republic; Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics; Pericles' Funeral Oration; Epictetus' Discourses; Augustine's Confessions; Tocqueville's Democracy in America; Mill's On Liberty; Darwin's Origins of the Species; Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto; Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling; Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality; Weber's Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism; Lincoln's Gettysburg Address; Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents. FALL 2010 V55.0404 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the 19th Century Prof. Calhoun (Sociology) syllabus A guide to the intellectual heritage distinctive to the West, with special attention to the nature of the person, faith, ethics, and the social order. The works we study continue to shape the way people understand themselves and the world. We situate them in historical context, looking for ways in which later authors responded to themes introduced by earlier ones. Readings include: Genesis, Exodus, Luke, 1 Corinthians; Sophocles' Oedipus; Plato's Apology and Crito; Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics; Epictetus' Discourses; Augustine's Confessions; Shelley's Frankenstein; Tocqueville's Democracy in America; Mill's On Liberty; Marx and Engels' The Communist Manifesto; Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling; Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality; Weber's Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism; and Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. FALL 2010 V55.0412 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the Renaissance - Writing Intensive Prof. Gerety (Collegiate Professor) syllabus What is the soul? Is it the conscious self or something more? Does our identity persist beyond death? What is the relation between the soul and good and evil? Some say that Socrates 'discovered' the human soul, but the idea that we have souls that outlast our bodies is as old as humanity. Our understanding of the nature of our souls often dictates the way we feel we should live. We will explore ideas from Homer and Heraclitus through Socrates himself and then on to Sophocles, Plato, Aristotle, the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament (including the Gnostics), Augustine, and Vergil. We look for the elements that make up personal identity and value in the ancient world, both religious and secular, and see how much these change from Homer's world to that of Augustine and the Roman Empire. We then turn to Dante, who provides a bridge to some of the great thinkers and artists of the Renaissance--most notably Shakespeare and DaVinci but also Montaigne and Villon. In all of these, the permanence and even presence of our souls seem more uncertain, more threatened by death and obliteration, than in Plato or Paul, and this threat reaches our morality and values as well. In this way, the Renaissance marks the beginning of the world in which all of us must now find our way. Note: Offered in conjunction with selected sections of V40.0100, Writing the Essay. Note: Offered in conjunction with selected sections of V40.0100, Writing the Essay. SPRING 2011 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics: Justice and Injustice in Biblical Narrative and Western Thought Prof. Weiler (Law) syllabus Issue of justice and injustice and other normative concerns. Each week pairs a core reading from the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament with another work in the Western tradition to explore a broad range of complex normative issues. Often God will be "on trial:" Was the Deluge genocide? Is Abraham guilty of attempted murder and child abuse? Was Jesus guilty as charged? Was Socrates? The themes are all of relevance to contemporary issues: communal responsibility vs. individual autonomy, ecological crisis, ethics vs. religion, freedom of speech and thought, genocide, rule of law and civil disobedience, the Other, punishment and retribution, religious intolerance, sanctity of human life, sex and gender. The course will be taught at the Law School in Law School style—rigourous but academically and intellectually rewarding. Primary readings include: Aristophanes' Clouds; Plato's Apology; Xenophon's Apology; Sophocles' Antigone; selections from Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Aristotle, Maimonides, Aquinas, Luther, Kant, Kierkegaard, Mill, Thoreau, Kafka, Camus. SPRING 2011 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics: Free Will in Western Thought Prof. Krabbenhoft (Spanish and Portuguese) syllabus The freedom of the human will has been a foundational premise of Western civilization from the early centuries of the Christian era to the present, and yet it has been questioned and even rejected by some of the most influential thinkers of the modern period. We look at the sources of the modern debate in passages from the Hebrew Bible and Greek philosophy, in key texts by Augustine, Luther, and Erasmus, and in the shift toward a deontological view in Kant, Schopenhauer, and nineteenth-century materialism. From this historical overview we move to contemporary theories of freedom and determinism, as well as a discussion of the intersection of neuroscience and the philosophy of free will, and read a number of literary texts in the light of theory: Sophocles' Philoctetes, Tirso de Molina's Trickster of Seville, Tolstoy's Death of Ivan Ilyich, and Stanislaw Lem's Fiasco. SPRING 2011 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics: Literature in Wonderland Prof. Momma (English) syllabus How to Play with Language: We use language every day, and yet we do not seem to know exactly how it works. Communicating with others through language sometimes feels like playing a game. But does this mean we have only one language game to play, or that we follow only one set of rules all the time? Just like Alice, who was constantly frustrated by the logic of the inhabitants of Wonderland, we are often baffled by difficulties in communicating even the simplest idea. We explore issues on language that may be raised by reading literary and philosophical texts written by "language-conscious" authors: Is language the only way to communicate? Do we know anything about the origin of language? Do grammar and rhetoric help us communicate well or persuade others? Do etymology and the history of English tell us anything new about the language we know already? Do our minds work exactly the same way regardless of the language we speak? How do we do things with words? Readings: Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, Plato's Cratylus, Aristotle's Poetics, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Beowulf, Chaucer's House of Fame, Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener, Borges' Library of Babel, Achebe's Things Fall Apart. SPRING 2011 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics: Freedom and Oppression Prof. Kunhardt (History) syllabus Examines the human quest for freedom—freedom from slavery, from sexual oppression, and from the shackling of the mind—as these three came to a crisis in nineteenth century America. We begin with a critical reading of formative biblical texts and ideas; touch down on the passionate thought-world of the American founders; and culminate in a close look at mid-nineteenth century reform efforts, and the ideas of freedom that animated them. Exploring the dawn of biblical humanism, the embrace of the secular, and efforts to widen the circles of inclusion, we pay particular attention to the writings of Abraham Lincoln and his generation, as he and others, both allies and critics, worked to eradicate slavery from American society. Why did the Bible condone slavery, helping Americans justify continuing the practice? In what ways are competing ideas of freedom to be judged? How is the idea of freedom related to that of human equality? Readings: Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, Matthew, Luke; and works by Paine, Jefferson, Madison, Garrison, Douglass, Sumner, Stanton, Anthony, Rose, Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Parker, Mill, Ingersoll, Lincoln. SPRING 2011 V55.0400 Texts and Ideas: Topics: Mortal and Immortal Questions Professor Mitsis (Classics) syllabus A wide-ranging selection of works that have framed in memorable, though often contradictory, ways some basic questions about the nature of religion, the successes and failures of rational argument, the justification of social and political obligations, the benefits and dangers of technology and scientific knowledge, and the value of emotions and our attachments to others. Throughout the semester, students have the opportunity to become more practiced in formulating moral, political, and aesthetic arguments and in what used to be characterized as the proper use of one's solitude, that is, examining what it means to be a human being faced with death--or, perhaps, worse, faced with eternal life. Readings: Homer, Sophocles, Euripides, Thucydides, Plato, Epicureans, Stoics, Hebrew and Christian scripture, Augustine, Teresa of Avila, Hume, d'Holbach, Rousseau, Mill, Marx, Tolstoy, Freud, Proust. SPRING 2011SPRING 2011 V55.0403 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the Enlightenment Prof. Rubenstein (Hebrew & Judaic Studies) syllabus Beginning with the collision of the "Judeo-Christian" and Hellenistic traditions and their encounter in the Christian Scriptures and Augustine, we see Enlightenment thinkers grapple with the fusion of these traditions they had inherited, subjecting both to serious criticism and revising them as a new tradition—science and technology—rises to prominence. Reading from the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, Sophocles, Plato, Augustine, Montesquieu, Pope, Voltaire, and Rousseau. SPRING 2011 V55.0403 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the Enlightenment Prof. Deneys-Tunney (French) syllabus The Enlightenment was a Europe-wide movement, which concerned all aspects of culture of the time: philosophy and literature, the arts (painting, music, architecture), as well as politics and society as a whole. The Enlightenment defined itself as a new birth, a subversive movement that would free mankind of all its prejudices--philosophical, religious, political, sexual, racial. In doing so, the Enlightenment appears today to be indeed the beginning of our modernity, as it invented key concepts that define or frame our contemporary representations of ourselves and the world around us: the concept of the subject or subjectivity, of nature, of origins, of equality, of critical philosophy and democracy, of pleasure, of sexuality, of happiness. It is a unique moment in history, where philosophy aims not only at interpreting the world but also at changing it to make it a better place for mankind. It culminates at the end of the 18th century in France with the French Revolution, which declared for the first time in human history that all men are born free and equal. Readings: Genesis, Plato's Symposium and Phedrus, Epicurus' Maxims and letters, Descartes' Discourse on Method, Rousseau's Discourse on Inequality and Rêveries, Diderot's Indiscreet Jewels and Jacques the Fatalist, Voltaire's Candide and Zadig, Marivaux's Dispute and Double Unfaithfulness, Kant's "What is Enlightenment?" SPRING 2011 V55.0404 Texts and Ideas: Antiquity and the 19th Century Prof. Ertman (Sociology) syllabus Explores the ancient foundations of traditional Western culture by examining the political and social institutions, religious beliefs, and value systems of the Israelites, Greeks, Romans, and early Christians; then turns to the radical challenges to this traditional culture, in the areas of the economy, politics, religion, and morality, that arose over the course of the 19th century, challenges that continue to reverberate to this day. Readings: Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Luke, Acts, Romans; Thucydides' Peloponnesian War; Plato's Apology and Symposium; Vergil's Aeneid; Augustine's Confessions; Smith's Wealth of Nations; Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto; Mill's On Liberty; Darwin's Origin of Species; Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality; Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents. Cultures and Contexts Note: Previously listed as World Cultures FALL 2010 V55.0502 Cultures and Contexts: Islamic Societies Prof. Chelkowski (Middle Eastern & Islamic Societies) syllabus Examines the common base and regional variations of Islamic societies. An "Islamic society" is here understood as one that shares, either as operative present or as historical past, that common religious base called Islam. For Muslims, Islam is not simply a set of beliefs or observances but also includes a history; its study is thus by nature historical, topical, and regional. Here our particular focus is on the society of Shi'i Muslims. Shi'ism has been neglected in the last 200 years of the Western study of Islam, and only since the 1978–79 Islamic Revolution in Iran has it received attention in the West. Now, with American forces in Iraq, Shi'ism is suddenly one of the main topics of interest for the news media. The Shi'is of Iraq are the majority—some 60%—of the population, but historically they have been deprived of power in the government and of access to the political and economic life of the country. FALL 2010 V55.0505 Cultures and Contexts: Africa Prof. Gomez (History) syllabus Major issues and questions relating to Africa's development from early to contemporary times, approached through its literature. While not a formal study of the history of Africa, establishes the historical context for understanding the literary texts in the periods in which they are embedded. Examined regionally and over time are questions concerning the relationship of the production of literature to centers of power, the meaning of literature in societies espousing orality, the problematics of sustaining both content and intent upon the conversion of oral literature into written form, the specific and at times parochial uses of literature, the interplay of gender and voice, and the politics of translation into European modalities. FALL 2010 V55.0506 Cultures and Contexts: Chinese and Japanese Traditions Prof. Roberts (East Asian Studies) syllabus Essential aspects of Asian culture—Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Shintoism—studied through careful reading of major works of philosophy and literature. A roughly equal division between Chinese and Japanese works is meant to give a basic understanding of the broad similarities and the less obvious, but all-important, differences among the cultures of Confucian Asia. One reading is a Vietnamese adaptation of a Chinese legend. The last two readings, modern novellas from Japan and China, show the reaction of the traditional cultures to the Western invasions. FALL 2010 V55.0509 Cultures and Contexts: Caribbean Prof. Khan (Anthropology) syllabus Examines the impact of the Caribbean's long colonial history from the perspective of its diverse populations, through race, class, culture, gender, and sexuality. Known for its beauty, cultural vitality, and mix of peoples, cultures, and languages, the Caribbean is where today's global economy began, some 500 years ago. Its sugar economy and history of slave labor and colonialism made it the site of massive transplantations of peoples and cultures from Africa for more than four centuries and from Asia since the mid-19th century, and of a sizable influx of peoples from Europe all along. Readings examine the history of the region's differing forms of colonialism; the present postcolonial economic and political structures; anthropological material on family and community life, religious beliefs and practices, gender roles and ideologies; and ways in which national, community, and group identities are expressed today. FALL 2010 V55.0514 Cultures and Contexts: Ancient Israel Prof. D. Fleming (Hebrew & Judaic Studies) syllabus The people of the Hebrew Bible understood themselves to be united as an ancient tribe called Israel, a name that lay behind even the eventual state. Working backward from the fullest early definition of Israel, when the Hebrew Bible was taking final form, toward the time of older origins, we push back in time, using the Bible as the primary point of reference, while examining various independent evidence. Writing projects focus mainly on interpretation of biblical texts. Fall 2010 V55.0515 Cultures and Contexts: Latin America Prof. Abercrombie (Anthropology) syllabus Spanish, African, and Amerindian Sources of Latin American Identities. Explores the emergence of contemporary Latin America through the past and present doings of its persons and their representations, religious manifestations, song, dance, and literature. Through in-depth treatment of selected cases, and via the perspectives of history, anthropology, and cultural criticism, focusing on texts but also film, dance, music, and performance, the aims is both to uncover the roots of Latin-Americanness (and of global modernity) in the historical confluence of Europe, Africa, and America, and to discover how those roots are continually remade as each generation strives to rise from the ashes of its forebears. Case studies include the samba schools and Candomble religion in Brazilian carnival, the role of Vodou in the Haitian revolution and in New York City, the Mexican burlesques of death in the Day of the Dead, and "Indian" saints whose processions are associated with rites to underworld beings as well as to national integration. At base, we seek to answer more fundamental questions: What does it mean to have an identity, Latin American or Gringo, White, Black, Indian, or Mixed? How are the collectivities called nations, ethnicities, races, and classes brought into being and sustained? How is the vanished past resuscitated to serve the needs of the present? What does it mean to be Latin American in the age of so-called globalization? Includes frank and explicit discussion of race, sex, and religion. FALL 2010 V55.0534 Cultures and Contexts: The Black Atlantic Prof. Morgan (Social and Cultural Analysis) syllabus A range of intersecting questions concerning the African Diaspora and what it produces: What does the trans-Atlantic slave trade create in the early modern and modern world? How is our understanding of trade, culture, capitalism, justice, race, gender, and work shaped by the histories of dispersal that characterize the Atlantic World? What aspects of culture, politics, identity, and social formations are illuminated when we think critically about the African Diaspora and the forces that propel it? FALL 2010 V55.0537 Cultures and Contexts: Modern Israel Prof. Zweig (Hebrew & Judaic Studies) syllabus Modern Israel—Society and Culture: Despite its small size and population, Israel is a diverse, dynamic, and complex society. To understand its ethnic, religious, and political divisions, the different ethnic origins of the Jewish population over the last 150 years will be examined, and the growing role of the Arab population (approaching 20%) in Israeli society will be discussed. The special role of religion in the secular state, the development of Hebrew speaking culture, the political system, the settlement movement and the peace movement, gender issues, and the role of the army in everyday life are all addressed, concluding with a survey of the debate on whether Israel is a Jewish state or a state of all its citizens. Although the controversial issues that keep Israel in the headlines are touched on, the focus is the character of Israeli society and the impact on everyday life of living in the international limelight. FALL 2010 V55.0539 Cultures and Contexts: Asian Pacific American Cultures Prof. Tu (Social and Cultural Analysis) syllabus Major issues in the historical and contemporary experiences of Asian Pacific Americans, including migration, modernization, racial formation, community-building, and political mobilization, among others. Asian Pacific America encompasses a complex, diverse, and rapidly changing population of people. As an expression/reflection of their cultural identities, historical conditions, and political efforts, we pay particular attention to Asian Americans' use of cultural productions-films, literature, art, media, and popular culture. Fall 2010 V55.0541 Cultures and Contexts: New World Encounters Prof. Lane (Spanish & Portuguese) syllabus What was America before it was called America? How did indigenous cultures understand and document their first encounters with Europeans? We focus on peoples, events, and cultural expressions associated with the conquest and colonization of the Americas, concentrating on three key areas: central Mexico, home to a several pre-Columbian societies, most notably the Aztec Empire, and later the seat of Spanish power in northern Latin America (the Viceroyalty of New Spain); the central Andes, home of the Incas and later the site of Spanish power in southern Latin America (the Viceroyalty of Peru); and finally, early plantation societies of the Caribbean, where the violent history of enslaved Africans in the new world unfolded. On one hand, we explore how those subjugated by conquest and colonialism interpreted, resisted, and recorded their experience. On the other, we ask what new cultural forms emerged from these violent encounters, and consider their role in the foundation of "Latin American" cultures. Readings balance a range of primary documents and art created during the "age of encounter," including maps, letters, paintings, and testimonials, along with historical and theoretical texts. FALL 2010 V55.0545 Cultures and Contexts: Egypt of the Pharaohs Prof. Morris (ISAWFALL 2010 V55.0546 Cultures and Contexts: Global Asia Prof. Ludden (History) syllabus Explores the expansive transformation of Asian cultures from ancient times to the present, focusing on networks of mobility, interaction, social order, and exchange that form the particularity of Asian cultures through entanglements with others. Beginning in the days of Alexander the Great and the formation of the Afro-Eurasian ecumene, follows tracts of Buddhist, Confucian, Hindu, and Muslim expansion; then turns to the age of early modern landed empires, Ottoman-Safavid-Mughal-Ming/Ching, and their interactions with seaborne European expansion. Studies truly global formations of culture in the flow of goods, ideas, and people among world regions, during the age of modern empires and nationalism, including the rise of the nation as a cultural norm, capitalism in Asia, and Japanese expansion around the Pacific rim. Concludes by considering cultural change attending globalization since the 1950s, focusing on entanglements of Asian cultures with the globalizing culture of the market, consumerism, and wage labor, and transnational labor migration as well as Asian cultural spaces in and around New York City, including our nearby Chinatown. SPRING 2011 V55.0505 Cultures and Contexts: Africa Prof. Hull (History) syllabus Focuses on several major African cultures that influenced each other's development from the pre-colonial through the postcolonial eras. These multi-dimensional cultures are examined through a variety of films, primary and secondary sources, and museum artifacts, with emphasis on concepts of cultural identity and interchange, modernization, and cosmopolitanism. Africa is examined not only within the context of indigenous cultures but within the context of the world at large. In this vein, we weigh the contributions African cultures made to each other but also to the wider world. SPRING 2011 V55.0505 Cultures and Contexts: Africa Prof. Beidelman (Anthropology) syllabus Key concepts for understanding sub-Saharan African cultures and societies, and ways of thinking critically and consulting sources sensibly when studying non-Western cultures. Topics include: problems in the interpretation of African literature and history, gender issues, the question of whether African thought and values constitute a unique system of thinking, the impact of the slave trade and colonialism on African societies and culture, and the difficulties of and means for translating and interpreting the system of thought and behavior in an African traditional society into terms meaningful to Westerners. Among the readings are novels, current philosophical theory, and feminist interpretations of black and white accounts of African societies. SPRING 2011 V55.0507 Cultures and Contexts: Japan Prof. Solt (History) syllabus Postwar Japan, 1945 to Present. An inquiry into Japan's social, political, and economic transformation since World War II. Examines the role of the Cold War, the U.S. Occupation, the "Peace" Constitution, the symbolic monarchy, the economic "miracle," corporate structure, the gendering of labor, and the legacy of war in shaping the history of postwar Japan. An underlying theme is the connection between political economy and culture. As such, we focus on the geopolitical and economic structures underpinning the visible transformations in everyday life and try to connect these transformations in Japanese history to broader themes in global history. SPRING 2011 V55.0510 Cultures and Contexts: Russia—between East and West Prof. Borenstein (Russian & Slavic Studies)syllabus What is Russia? What does it mean to be "Russian"? These questions have troubled Russians for centuries. Certainly, most nations engage in such soul-searching at one time or another; but Russia, thanks to special historical circumstances, has been obsessed with the problem of its own identity. Central to this concern is an issue that would appear to be more geographical than cultural: Is Russia a part of Europe (the West), or of Asia (the East)? Or, is it some hybrid that must find its own unique destiny? As we trace the development of this problem throughout Russia's history, we also become acquainted with the major characteristics and achievements of Russian culture, from its very beginnings to the present day. SPRING 2011 V55.0512 Cultures and Contexts: China Prof. Button (East Asian Studies) syllabus However one might choose to define the nature of human being, no one is ever merely human. Apart from whatever common essence we may be said to share, we are always also a combination of racial, ethnic, national, and gender differences. Over the course of several millennia Chinese culture has produced different conceptions of human being. We explore the variety of ways those conceptions have changed over time. Central to our inquiry is the question of how contending visions of the human are expressed and contested in different kinds of philosophical and literary texts, as well as artistic works in other media, including visual culture and film. Our guiding focus is on how ideas about human being in China have shaped gender roles and relations, the discourses of spirituality and the supernatural, as well as modern problems of race, nationalism, and revolution. SPRING 2011 V55.0516 Cultures and Contexts: India Prof. Ganti (Anthropology) syllabus Utilizing a variety of sources—novels, films, and academic scholarship—students are introduced to the history, culture, society, and politics of modern India. Home to one billion people, eight major religions, twenty official languages (with hundreds of dialects), histories spanning several millenia, and a tremendous variety of customs, traditions, and ways of life, India is almost iconic for its diversity. We examine the challenges posed by such diversity as well as how this diversity has been understood, represented, and managed, both historically and contemporarily. SPRING 2011 V55.0529 Cultures and Contexts: Contemporary Latino Cultures Prof. Rosaldo and Prof. Gaytan (Social and Cultural Analysis) syllabus Addresses immigration, social movements, figures of resistance, testimonials, identities, popular culture, and language. Using an interdisciplinary approach that draws on readings from imaginative literature to social science, we explore Latino communities in the United States and the issues that divide and unite them. SPRING 2011 V55.0533 Cultures and Contexts: Iran Prof. Chelkowski (Middle Eastern & Islamic Societies) syllabus From Ancient Persia to Contemporary Iran: For 2500 years, the culture and civilization of Iran, (known in the West prior to World War II as Persia), has survived innumerable attacks and vicissitudes, which swept away many other cultures, languages, and nations. The first empire in human history to be multiracial, multicultural, and multi-religious, based on tolerance, expanded ultimately to encompass all the lands from the Hindu Kush to North Africa. Emphasizing the growth of ancient Iranian culture--particularly art, architecture, literature, and their influence--we investigate the traditional myths and religions of ancient Iran, the rebirth of Iranian self-consciousness, the establishment of Shi'i Islam as the state religion, and the conflict of the vision and mysticism of traditional Iranian culture with that of the West. We survey the political organization of the Empire, Alexander the Great's conquest of Iran and its aftermath, and the impact of the Arab-Islamic conquest. We examine the rebirth of Iranian self-consciousness after World War II, and the transformation of the country during the Islamic Revolution. SPRING 2011 V55.0545 Cultures and Contexts: Egypt of the Pharaohs Prof. Roth (Hebrew and Judaic StudiesSPRING 2011 V55.0549 Cultures and Contexts: Multinational Britain Prof. Ortolano (History) syllabus Introduces students to the peoples, cultures, and histories of the British Isles. Today home to a pair of European states, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, this grouping of islands off the northwestern coast of Europe has historically been home to an astonishing variety of peoples, kingdoms, religions, nations, and states. Rather than collapsing this diversity into a study of the English people or the British state, we think about the United Kingdom as a multinational formation, produced through the experience of repeated invasions, encounters, and migrations. Our ultimate goals are twofold: to learn about the peoples of the British Isles, and to use this knowledge to think critically about claims regarding national characteristics, ethnic stability, or cultural homogeneity--in Britain, and beyond. Expressive Culture FALL 2010 V55.0722 Expressive Culture: Images - Architecture in New York Field Study Prof. Broderick (Art History) syllabus New York's rich architectural heritage offers a unique opportunity for firsthand consideration of the concepts and styles of modern urban architecture, as well as its social, financial, and cultural contexts. Meets once a week for an extended period combining on-campus lectures with group excursions to prominent buildings. Attention is given both to individual buildings as examples of 19th- and 20th-century architecture and to phenomena such as the development of the skyscraper and the adaptation of older buildings to new uses0751 Expressive Culture: Television Prof. Polan (Cinema Studies) syllabus The Twilight Zone and Expressive Culture of the 1950s and 1960s. According to cliché, the 1950s in America were a period of conformity and consensus, but it is clear that there were many signs of discontent with and within the image of cheerful homogeneity. For example, at the end of the decade, the television program The Twilight Zone, showed everyday life as a source of paranoia in which ordinary existence revealed its frightening underside. Then, as the nation engaged with the New Frontier of the Kennedy 1960s, the show used science fiction to represent dreams as American nightmares. We look at The Twilight Zone in terms of its expressive rendition of 1950s and 1960s America. Along the way, we examine the shift in American television from East Coast production of liberal drama to West Coast production of escapism and entertainment and will situate Rod Serling's career within that shift. We also examine other renditions of paranoia (and symbolic resolutions of it) across the popular culture and politics of the moment. Most broadly, we attempt to examine the medium of popular television as an expressive cultural form which enlightened liberals like Serling tried to use as a mode of moral and aesthetic uplift. Critical methods that might help us understand the potentials of television as expressive culture are emphasized. SPRING 2011 V55.0721 Expressive Culture: Images - Painting and Sculpture in New York Field Study Prof. Broderick (Art History) syllabus New York's public art collections contain important examples of painting and sculpture from almost every phase of the past, as well as some of the world's foremost works of contemporary art. Meets once a week for an extended period combining on-campus lectures with group excursions to the museums or other locations where these works are exhibited. Spring 2011 V55.0730 Expressive Cultures: Sounds Prof. Zayaruzny investigateSpring 2011 V55.0730 Expressive Cultures: Sounds Prof. MuellerSPRING 2011 V55.0750 Expressive Culture: Film Prof. Simon (Cinema Studies) syllabus American narrative films, produced primarily during the period 1965-75, considered as an innovative cycle of filmmaking in dialogue with significant historical, political, and cultural transformations in American society. Examines developments in film genre during this period especially in relation to political and cultural change. Narrative innovations are emphasized, with special attention to the specificity of film form and style (e.g., editing, mise-en-scène, sound). Provides an introduction to the methods and principles of film analysis as well as dealing with this period of filmmaking in depth. Includes films by Kubrick, Coppola, Altman, and Scorsese. Study Abroad at NYU Global Sites Spring 2011 V55.9549 Cultures and Contexts: Multinational Britain Prof. Woods (NYU in London) syllabus The idea of British national identity has been built around a sense of united statehood within the confines of the four nations comprising the United Kingdom, ruling overseas territories. As such, it conveyed a sense of a multi-national empire ruled by monarchs, but developing over time into a benign, democratic, constitutional monarchy, generally through peaceful, not revolutionary change. The British have seen themselves historically as freedom-loving, independent, industrial, tolerant, Protestant and individualistic. These myths of national image have been forged partly through conflict with other nations over many centuries and reflect a nationalistic pride in military success and the maintenance of the largest empire the world has ever seen. Changes since 1945 have seen the collapse of that empire, membership in the European Union, large-scale immigration, changing gender politics, and the devolution of power to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. This has inevitably led to major challenges to traditional British views of their national identity. Includes fieldtrips to key sites. Spring 2011 V55.9505 Cultures and Contexts: Africa Prof. Adams (NYU in Ghana) syllabus African culture through autobiography. Texts consist of chronological life histories and memoirs, e. g., by writers of aristocratic birth and those of peasant birth, by individuals accomplished in the arts and others in the sciences, by Nobel laureates and by political leaders, by women and by men. Each narrative provides an intimate acquaintance with the traditions, aspirations, challenges, and strategies from the writer's own society. Collectively they provide the skeleton of a usefully subjective narrative of modern African history. The depicted lives include an 18th-century enslaved Nigerian child, who, ultimately, as a free man, would become a respected abolitionist; the U.S.-educated leader of Africa's first nation to gain independence from colonialism; the passionate Kenyan crusader for the preservation of Africa's environment as the source of its self-development; and the physically and morally courageous exemplar of the battle that overthrew South African apartheid. Spring 2011 V55.9544 Cultures and Contexts: Spain—At the Crossroads of Europe, North Africa, and America Prof. Galban (NYU in Madrid) syllabus Analyzes the ways in which historical, geopolitical, cultural, artistic, and popular views function to constitute and continuously transform a national culture. Concentrates on epistemological constructions of Spain—the idea of Spain—that emerge from competing external and internal perspectives. Students examine how this national culture is constructed, first analyzing Spain from North African perspectives through Sephardic nostalgic poetry and the Hispano-Arabic literary traditions. The American perspective pits notions of Spanish imperial power and grandeur against the Black Legend, a term that Protestant circles in Europe and the United States promoted to attack the legitimacy of Spain's New World empire. A final focus on European views analyzes the depiction of Spain as the embodiment of German and French Romantic ideals beginning at the end of the 17th century and the reemergence of the same notion during the Spanish Civil War (1933–36). Throughout, students examine principal textual and visual images that contribute to the historical and contemporary construction of a national culture that emerged at geographic and cultural crossroads. Spring 2011 V55.9547 Cultures and Contexts: Multicultural France Prof. Epstein (NYU in Paris) syllabus France and the U.S. have a habit of looking at one another as anti-models when it comes to discussions of assimilation and difference, "race," identity, community, and diversity. We explore this comparison as a productive means for re-considering these terms. Why is the notion of "ethnic community" so problematic in France? Why do Americans insist on the "homogeneity" of the French nation, even as, at various points throughout modern French history, France has received more immigrants to its shores than the United States? Through readings, film screenings, and site visits we study the movements and encounters that have made Paris a rich, and sometimes controversial, site of cultural exchange. Topics include contemporary polemics on questions such as headscarves, the banlieue, the new Paris museums of immigration and "primitive" art, affirmative action and discrimination positive, historic expressions of exoticism, négritude, and anti-colonialism. Occasional case studies drawn from the American context help provide a comparative framework for these ideas. Spring 2011 V55.9548 Cultures and Contexts: Prague—In the Heart of Central Europe Prof. Mucha (NYU in Prague) syllabus The concept of Central Europe is somewhat elusive and it is difficult to define it by geographical or political categories. Often characterized simply as a space on the edge between the West and East, many scholars see a distinct Central European culture based on historical, social, and cultural characteristics shared by the countries of this geopolitical entity, the result of complicated historical, political, ethnic, cultural, artistic, and religious interactions throughout more then thousand years of history. Identified as having been one of the world's richest sources of creative talent and thought between the 17th and 20th centuries, Central Europe was represented by many distinguished figures, such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Kant, Goethe, and Hegel; later followed by Kafka, Rilke, Freud, Mendel, and Dvorak, to mention at least some. We explore characteristics of Central Europe primarily from the perspective of Prague and its cultural history, which is so typical and almost archetypal for this region. Students study geopolitical characteristics and various phenomena that co-create the idea of Central Europe. Taking advantage of Prague, students examine primary sources and artifacts (literature, music, art, film) in their contexts and environment. Spring 2011 V55.9537 Cultures and Contexts: Modern Israel Prof. Emmerich (NYU in Tel Aviv) syllabus Explores various aspects of the production of everydayness in Israel as it is manifested in different sites: the arts, the leisure industry, and the spatio-temporal arrangements of daily routines and practices. Given its unique geo-political circumstances and its symbolic position, Israel attracts much media coverage as well as more scholarly treatment of the Israeli-Arab or Israeli-Palestinian conflict. More often than not, Israel is portrayed through the lens of high politics or treated as an exotic anomaly. Whether popular or academic in its orientation, the study of Israeli society has thus tended to neglect everyday life in Israel. We consider aspects of Israeli politics and culture; visit art exhibitions, music venues, and the cinema; and observe street life in Tel Aviv (day and night). Spring 2011 V55.9730 Expressive Cultures: Sounds Prof. Cusick (NYU in Florence
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http://map.cas.nyu.edu/page/1011courses
I often find myself in the enviable position of teaching Equine Science to people who don't like science. I used to do the same thing in Biology–I asked for non-majors. Yes, I know, that's not typical. Most professors dislike teaching students who are there because they have to be. In fact, they love to hand off their sections of non-majors to people like me. As a teacher, one who has been called to the profession, I thrive on turning the tide of indifference, and I love a challenge. Sure, I have to work harder, but the reward is great. Picture a room full of early twenty-somethings–some football players, some dance majors, some creative writing majors–and all you hear is Yosemite Sam's voice (OOOoooooooo, ah HATES Science!). I face the potentially hostile mob with confidence. They only think they hate science. They are going to love science! I rub my hands together. If I had a mustache, I'd twirl it. I have you now, my pretties. What is the source of this confidence? It's my job to convey information, even if these students aren't receptive to that. Well, I have a secret weapon. As with nearly all students, they love a good story, and I tell good stories. Stories have been used by teachers since ancient times. Fables, parables–many forms of literature–are among the most effective ways of capturing the attention of a group of listeners and driving home a point. Stories don't just teach, they inspire. They bring many emotions into play. We might forget the marathon note-taking sessions filled with long streams of facts and minutiae, but we probably won't forget the real-life story in which the information is illustrated and applied. Stories break up the tedium of a long lecture. They allow the students to relax, listen, and learn. When I was teaching Biology, I regaled my science-hating non-majors with stories like "The time I got chased by a bison," or "The time the graduate students brought back a deer skull to the lab and a million flies hatched out of it over the weekend," or "The time I found the silver-haired bat at the base of the science building and kept him alive in a little box in my fridge all winter." When things get dull, I can liven them up with tales of the Vampire Catfish, or the dreaded Guinea Worm, or the best way to deal with a Grizzly Bear attack as opposed to a Black Bear attack (it's really important to know the difference). It's the cure for the dreaded "infodump," because it brings the facts to life. This is particularly important when teaching non-science majors, as they will look for any excuse to let their attention wander. No one's attention wanders during the discussion of the dreaded Guinea Worm, which then leads deftly into an examination of the evolutionary impact of parasitism. I never underestimate the value of entertainment in learning–the more gruesome, the better. Stories, especially true-life ones, provide the context for the facts and minutiae. Science courses are usually presented in a lecture format due to the very high level of content and the need for memorization of that content, but that content is much less meaningful without context. A student might have an excellent memory, but what good is the ability to recall information without the ability to apply and interpret that information? The student with full recall may ace the exam, but the one who understands the context will perform far better in the long run. Putting the information in context enhances critical thinking and problem solving, and it helps the students in acquiring a personal/professional philosophy. It's the context that brings ethics into the mix.Think about the parables again. Now that I am blessed with the opportunity to teach Equine Science, my story-telling has been ramped up by an order of magnitude, because the stories are taken from my own real experiences. I've been hip-deep in hippology for more years than my students have been alive; probably more than a few of their mothers have been alive. I've lived an interesting life, and I've paid attention. I have the knowledge to fully appreciate the context and implications of my experiences, and I can weave that knowledge into tales that illustrate many of the phenomena I'm describing–tales the students won't soon forget. They don't just get a story–they feel the emotion behind it. Sometimes I'm outraged, sometimes melancholy or regretful, and sometimes filled with pride or good humor. Some of the tales are rip-snorting adventures, others are tragic, and still others bring a wry smile and a shake of the head. In my opinion, students should laugh out loud at least three times during a fifty-minute lecture, y'know? They learn what I want them to, and might not even realize they're doing it. Here's an example: "Road founder, or concussive laminitis, is caused by repetitive work at speed on concussive surfaces. It results in severe inflammation of the laminae which may suffer blood deprivation, known as ischemia, and subsequent tissue death. This is likely to result in either rotation or sinking of the bony column. If not properly managed, it can lead to permanent, irreversible damage." The students dutifully copy this information in their notebooks. One of them asks how to spell "ischemia." Now, let's look at this another way. I can tell the story of a friend of mine: "Like me, Phil was an endurance rider, but our philosophies were somewhat different. Phil would ride right over you if you got in front of him. He was one of the most competitive, reckless riders I ever knew, and sometimes it got him in trouble. I recall one incident in which he stampeded up a particularly steep, horrific hill in hock-deep mud (the rest of us had more sense), his horse mired down near the top, went over backwards, and slid down all the way–on top of Phil–but today I have to tell you about the best horse Phil ever had. Rebel was one of those horses who would give everything–and then a little bit more. He was strong, beautiful, affectionate, and he put up with Phil through thick and thin. Phil adored him, and they were well on their way to placing in the top ten in the Midwest region. We were doing a piddly little twenty-five mile ride in Illinois; it wouldn't even count toward mileage awards. Phil had set the course record in a mad dash the year before, and he wanted to break it. The trail was hard-packed clay and limestone, as it was a drought year, but Phil didn't take this into account. He went off like the mad bat he was, pushing Rebel to his limit and beyond in an effort to break his own record. Rebel began to pull up after about ten miles. He tried to tell Phil he was hurting, but Phil didn't hear. Rebel toughed it out through the whole course, but didn't even finish in the top ten (though he still finished ahead of me). He did not pass the final vet check–his heart rate was uncomfortably high." I look at my students–I see the expressions on their faces. They know the implications of a high standing heart rate, because I have taught them. Now I'm certain they've learned it, because their faces tell me. This story will not end well, and they have foreseen the outcome already. I will now finish the story and confirm that their prediction is correct. "An hour later, Rebel's heart rate was still high. Phil thought it was "the heat." It wasn't. Rebel was in pain–a lot of pain. He went down shortly after, his feet on fire. He had torn the laminae so badly that he would never recover. It was one of the worst cases of road founder I'd ever seen. Rebel did not survive the experience. Phil managed to get him back on his feet and into the trailer (I still shudder to think of the agony he was in on the long, long ride to the vet clinic), but there was nothing anyone could do. Rebel was humanely destroyed, and so was Phil. At last he realized the folly of recklessness–of putting winning before welfare. He never rode again. For the rest of his life, whenever anyone brought up Rebel, I saw the haunted look on Phil's face. If I ever need a reminder to put the welfare of my horse before the outcome of the competition, the guilt and pain in his eyes is all I need recall." By this time, the students are solemn. They knew this end was coming, but it's hard for them to hear. In their faces I see grief, empathy, disgust, and resolve. I'll never let that happen. I will listen to my horse and pay attention to the signs of discomfort and distress. I will not be like Phil. This is a goal I cannot achieve by merely relating information–information that anyone can find in a book or on a website. This level of learning comes though sharing experiences. It's the depth of those experiences that makes me the teacher I am–experiences that have taken a lifetime to accumulate. I don't just share knowledge, I share my life. We often go to great lengths to update and remain current with the information in our field of study–as we must. We keep developing as scholars so that our students can benefit from our efforts and receive quality instruction. Our knowledge base is essential–it's the platform that supports our teaching. But it's our life experiences that set us apart–they bring the lesson home. This is, in my opinion, the last great argument for face-to-face classroom teaching. The computer screen has far more difficulty relating personal experience, conveying emotional impact, assessing whether the message is "getting through." In fact, in our present state of technological development, it cannot do any of those things well. While my computer might disagree, arguing that it had a few harrowing personal experiences at the last Book Expo it attended with me, it has never been chased by wild emus, nor has it learned that one should be the first rider past the ostrich farm on the morning of the hundred-mile race. It cannot compete with my fifty years of hard-won equestrian battles. We don't just "talk the talk." In an applied field like Equine Studies, this is what makes us worthy of respect. This is what our students remember. This is what makes us better teachers as we gain experience. I have been privileged, even honored, to have been able to share my life with so many students. If I want to be a better teacher, I must continue to live it…and share it. Not many people know that the Alterra books actually sprang from the desire to develop and explore the villain. Yes…the villain. Gorgon has always been my favorite character to write, and he is also the most difficult. It's not so hard to put myself in the place of a "good" character. I can usually understand what motivates a protagonist, but it's a lot bigger stretch to imagine what goes on in the mind of a creature driven by hate, consumed by dark emotions, who derives pleasure from causing suffering to others. Despite what some of my students may tell you, that's NOT my usual m.o. I get to know my characters very well in the course of a novel or two, and I want them all to be compelling, but I wanted Gorgon to be outstanding. I wanted my readers to be thinking about him long after they closed the cover on the last book in the trilogy. So, how does one create a particularly effective villain? At the risk of "spoiling" the experience for those who have yet to read Elfhunter, Fire-heart, and Ravenshade, I'll share a few thoughts on my favorite bad guy. Everyone here who has had the pleasure of a good read knows the value of a multi-dimensional antagonist. We remember the villains who have delighted us–Richard III, Randall Flagg, Lord Voldemort–and try to discern what it is that makes them memorable. The mindless, evil "Dark Lord" bores me. I want my villains to be complex, I want to understand what drives them, and I want them to be relatable, if not sympathetic. Thoroughly nasty, but with glimmers of humanity. At first, Gorgon Elfhunter appears to be a mindless monstrosity–we don't even know what kind of being he is. But as the story progresses, we peel him like an onion. We learn of his origins, and speculate on what drives him to be as he is. We try, at least on some level, to understand him. Once in a while we almost feel empathy–usually right before he does something really nasty and we change our minds. (Jeez! I can't believe I almost LIKED you for a second!) A good villain should make you mad. Really mad. The best villains are full of surprises. They're unpredictable, adding to our suspense as we wonder what they're up to. And they threaten our favorite heroes/heroines effectively enough that some of us will turn to the last page to find out which side prevails. (I would not suggest doing that unless there's a dog–I always have to know if the dog makes it.) A great villain is heartless, but may have a soft spot for something–some Achilles' heel. If the protagonists are lucky, they'll figure this out and exploit it. Meanwhile, we readers can keep turning pages hoping the secret will be discovered. (Princess! You need peanut butter! Peanut butter is his Kryptonite! He'll fold like a cheap suit! Oh, my gosh! Dude! That guy has a soft spot for kittens…and your sister!) Some of the best and most memorable villains are petty–they don't threaten world domination, they just torture small animals and helpless children. Stephen King is especially good at those. They're effective, in my opinion, because we've all met at least one heartless, bullying snake-in-the-grass, maybe in fifth grade. They are the ones whose eventual downfall and comeuppance I can't WAIT to witness. I don't even care about the heroes any more–I just want to see that slimy b**tard get his! Gollum is a wonderful villain–he's SO annoying that I wanted him to vanish in a cloud of sulfurous vapor, never to return. I have often wondered what the inspiration was for that particular character. Brilliant. In case anyone is wondering what inspired Gorgon, I wanted to explore a character who had been born into a world with very few choices. Utterly rejected, driven by hatred, convinced that love is a weakness, Gorgon has always reminded me of the doomed souls in our own world who believe that the act of killing gives purpose to their lives. I wanted to try to understand such motivations. At times it was difficult. Gorgon is an odd mixture of personalities–at times vulnerable, insecure, and filled with doubt, and at times utterly vicious, inexorable, unstoppable. There is a kind of wistfulness in him at times, countered by a profound stubbornness and an undeniably perverted fascination with pain. An interesting villain should be pitted against an interesting heroine. Gaelen fills the bill–she's like Captain Ahab chasing Moby Dick. It's fun to see how Gorgon's attitude toward her changes as the story unfolds. The relationship that develops between them may be unholy, but it's a grand device for revealing their inmost thoughts and emotions–what drives them to be as they are. Both characters evolve as they tumble through the story together–each trying to put an end to the other. Who will prevail? Can either succeed in defeating the other without losing his/her very nature? Will that b**tard ever get his comeuppance? If you decide to purchase Elfhunter, I hope you'll stay through the entire trilogy. That's the only way you'll know for sure. ]]> few thoughts on World-building 13 Mar 2013 13:14:53 +0000C. S. Marks write in the world of "what if?" The proper name these days is "speculative fiction," encompassing fantasy, science fiction, horror, paranormal, and…probably a few others I don't even know about. It's a blast, and I love it, but it's a challenge sometimes. All fiction requires a certain amount of scene-setting and imagination, but placing the reader in my own version of "what if?" requires actual world-building. I've noticed that some authors do this better than others. I used to consider world-building secondary to character development, but I have since learned otherwise. The world is the foundation on which the story rests–it's the framework through which the characters move and act. You have to have a believable, solid, intriguing stage to set them on. In my humble opinion, the best fantasy worlds provide that solid, believable underpinning without overshadowing the characters or the story. I dislike books in which the author seems to be trying to "one-up" the rest of us by making his/her world so rich, so fantastic, so uber-complicated, that we get lost, and not in a good way. The best imaginative transitions are seamless, as though I not only received a permanent visa to the author's world, but I didn't even have to stand in line to get it. I can go there whenever I feel like turning pages, and feel as though I belong. And I don't have to work too hard at it. This is not so with all readers–some like to be shocked and amazed with over-the-top, wildly imaginative worlds that stretch their sensibilities to the limit. They have no way of explaining how various phenomena came to be, and they don't care. They agree to suspend disbelief. This may be, to some extent, a product of our video-game culture, where stuff just happens "because it can." OK. I suppose you could call me stodgy (and you'd be right!) but I enjoy worlds that I can actually believe in. I believed in Middle-earth, for example. When I was twelve, I dreamed of going there. Tolkien is the undisputed master of world-building–he got it right–and as far as I'm concerned, he'll never be equalled. It's a rare author who has his skill-set, not to mention the amount of time required. So, what about us lesser beings? We have skill-sets of our own, and, in my opinion, we should capitalize on them. Every author has experiences, abilities, and special insights he/she can apply in world-building. And we should have at least a basic grasp of the laws of physics and chemistry…we live by them every day. They are part of our "tool kit", too. After all, we're building something here, hopefully something our readers will deem worth reading. What tools do we have available? –The Laws of Physics and Chemistry Your readers live by them–it's harder for them to relate to a world in which those laws are violated/ignored too often. Even "magic" should be well-established, if not actually explicable. –Your Own Experiences I can describe ecosystems, habitats, and weather better than those who have lived their lives indoors, because I was a field biologist who spent countless hours in wild places in all weathers. Any part of the story involving horses is likely to be well conceived because I have spent thousands of hours on the back of a horse in all terrain, etc. –The Lessons of History If your characters are human, and behave as humans behave, modeling your fantasy society on an actual one will help you be consistent. Readers are often better at spotting inconsistencies than writers are. Nothing jars me out of a fantasy world faster than a writer whose world-building contradicts itself. –Other Works of Fiction There. I said it. Writers are also readers, and we cannot help but be influenced by books that captured our own imaginations. We should not strive to emulate them, as we need to carve out our own place, but we certainly can learn from them. Knowledge rarely comes upon us spontaneously–it is conveyed by those who have gone before. I could probably cite influences from Dickens, Homer, and others, in addition to the obvious influence of Professor T. OK, so our tool kit is getting there. Now, what do we do with it? –A World Needs a History! The best world-builders have fleshed out the history of their worlds, though they may not share it all with readers. History is something we draw upon in our own world–it gives us context. If your fantasy characters have no context, they are incomplete. It's difficult for them to move forward when they have nothing behind them. Some writers simply take a period from our own history (War of the Roses) and convert it into fantasy. –Cosmologies and Belief Systems These are also helpful to give the characters context and to help them be three-dimensional. They also help the reader identify with them. Stories often turn on spiritual beliefs, just as in our world. These can be some of the most intriguing, yet tricky, aspects of world-building. –Climate, Geography, and Natural Phenomena Fleshing out these details can be important to help put the reader (and the characters) in the scene. Remember–they should make sense and be consistent. I cheat–my world is earth-like. It's modeled after parts of North America. –The Bestiary The world should be populated with critters, and you can decide what they are, where they live, what they do, and what to call them. I have a few opinions on this, as I am a biologist. The critters should be able to exist in the environment you have placed them in. In fact, it's a big plus if you can explain how each creature evolved within that environment. You don't (and shouldn't) have to explain this to your readers, but you should understand it yourself. I pride myself on this in Alterra–yes, we have a dragon, but it's a dragon adapted specifically for life in a severe environment. I've never seen another like it. Real creatures from our own world provide excellent inspiration for believable fantasy creatures. –Magic Systems I am in no way qualified to comment on these. Alterra is not a very magical world, and any supernatural phenomena are innate, not learned. There are some primordial, powerful beings whose powers are not well understood, and that's ok–some things should remain mysterious. Your magic system may be simple or it may be complex, but, as with everything else, it must be consistent! And please, please do not use it for convenience. I despise deus ex magica with the heat of a thousand suns. I have just realized that I could write many, many pages of stuff on world-building, as it is a very complex topic, but I don't think that's what anyone had in mind here. So I'll close with a bit of advice: Make your world believable in any way you can, short of boring us with unnecessary details. The world is important, but is still secondary to the story and the characters who bring that story to life. Challenge your readers and delight their imaginations, sure–but keep it "real." You want them to not only acquire that permanent visa, but to use it year after year, to pass it to their children and grandchildren. That requires a memorable, consistent, yet fanciful world for your characters to roam–a world where we can watch your story unfold, and feel as though we've LIVED it. ]]> Customer Reviews Exist and How We, as Authors, Should Respond to Them: 23 Feb 2013 14:48:34 +0000C. S. Marks 2005, I've been dealing with the question of reviews. I was a new author back then, and I sweated and fretted every review that came in. Y'know something? I still do, though not as much as I did back then. The reviews came slowly–still do–maybe one every few weeks if I'm lucky. I struggled at first, not knowing how, or if, I should respond. Should I thank the reviewer? Should I answer questions posed in reviews (when is next release date, and so on)? I certainly knew better than to take issue with a reviewer publicly, even then. (I responded to a bad review only once. It was my first one-star, and it indicated that the reviewer was so dissatisfied that I offered to refund his purchase price. I was SO naive back then!) Now I am most fortunate to have a publicist who looks at the reviews for me. But even before that most wondrous happening, I had stopped looking at my reviews. There are no doubt many on Amazon and Goodreads that I've never seen. It's better that way, at least for me. It wouldn't have been a good idea in the beginning, as I learned heaps from the reviewers' comments. Not all customer reviews are created equal, mind you…but some are incredibly helpful, especially when considered as a group. When the same criticism appears multiple times, you know there's something there. You learn from it. I've seen enough reviews to know what's "right" with my books, and what's "wrong" with my books, which is why I'm relatively comfy with not looking at reviews any more. But helping the author to be a better writer is not why reviews exist. I love a good review–it makes my day! There are some (usually 3-5 stars) that I treasure. Negative reviews hurt, and I have my share of legitimate ones, but they must be taken in stride. Then there are those meant to deliberately hurt/sabotage/damage the book, and those…well, words fail me on those. I've gotten them, too. Making the author feel good (or bad) is not why customer reviews exist, either. Customer reviews exist to help customers–in this case, readers–find products they will appreciate and enjoy. They are meant to aid folks in spending their money wisely, avoiding products that are unlikely to satisfy. They are not meant to falsely promote an inferior product, nor to squelch competition. They should never be written to deceive. They should be relatively unbiased, honest, and voluntary–neither coerced nor compensated. And how should authors respond to them? In my opinion, we shouldn't. I used to thank reviewers and answer their questions, but I don't now (though I am sorely tempted, because I DO appreciate the time, effort, and consideration that the review represents). But customer communities, in my opinion, should be free of any suggestion that authors may be lurking, ready to pounce. There should be no whiff of neediness or desperation. Readers should be allowed to express their opinions without interference from me–even if that interference is positive. And as for taking issue with, arguing with, or castigating a reviewer–ummm, just DON'T DO IT. Seriously. Don't. Nothing says "amateur" like a writer railing against a critic–even if that critic is a "troll". I know it's hard. I once had my own troll…a self-published author who decided to bash not only my books, but several other authors at the same time. I must confess I was both hurt and bewildered by the attacks, but I didn't respond. If I had responded, it would have branded me as an amateur. If I had responded, it would have brought satisfaction and renewed energy to my attacker. I'm so glad I didn't. Not every one-star is a troll. I have plenty of honest negative reviews. And, y'know what? So does every other "real" author on the planet! Perhaps we should be like Pinocchio–when we get enough legitimate negatives, we'll be a "real boy". We should embrace all reviews–good and bad–because we're lucky to have them. We're fortunate that our readers take the time to share their opinions with other customers, because that's why customer reviews exist. May the good outnumber the bad, and the stars shine brightly on your work. Best of luck! ]]> Another Sign of the Impending Apocalypse… 16 Feb 2013 13:17:04 +0000C. S. Marks of us have grown up with classic, poetic descriptions of the "end times". Everything from the Bible to John MIlton–the apocalypse, hell, the end of days–and all seem to include the horrors of the time. Brimstone, disease, famine, eternal flames, war…yeah, the Horsemen are coming, and they're coming for us. Many people believe that the end times are upon us, though I haven't seen anyone walking around the city streets wearing a sandwich board saying "the End is NEAR!" lately. There's plenty of evidence that the "horsemen" are alive and well–our world is rife with famine, war, pestilence, and death–but I'm actually thinking that they have hired a "support staff" of lesser horsemen. I see the signs in less obvious places. On Valentine's Day, my devoted husband (who is one of the gentlest, most loving souls I have ever had the underserved good fortune to meet), went to a local (name of grocery store) store to purchase, among other things, a dozen roses for me. (Name of grocery store) has gorgeous roses at relatively reasonable prices, and, although I always tell him I don't need flowers, he can't resist. So far, the story is not remarkable–a man goes to buy flowers for his wife on Valentine's Day. It's what happened in the checkout lane that amazes me. As the clerk is scanning the purchase, he raises an eyebrow at the roses, then he looks my husband in the eye and proceeds to make the following contemptuous comments: "You know that these flowers are already DYING, don't you?" "That certainly is a lot of money to spend on dying flowers, isn't it?" "(Name of grocery store) sure makes a lot of money on these flowers." "Must be nice to have the cash to blow on dying flowers." Now, while he's doing this, the unfortunates who are sacking groceries are getting a little red in the face, flashing uncomfortable looks at one another. Little did they know that they would be sacking groceries for the Fifth Horseman–you know, "Rudeness", or, as he is known in the ancient Babylonian tongue, "Absurdity". I can just imagine what he would have done with my grocery cart. "You do know that those vegetables are not organic, don't you?" "You DO realize that migrant workers might have been used to pick those vegetables, right?" "You know that meat is DEAD, right?" "Must be nice to be able to afford all that hormone-injected meat from abused cattle. (Name of grocery store) sure makes a lot of money on that meat." Never mind that we are checking out expecting a courteous "Thank you for shopping here". Never mind that we are NOT expecting a berating from an employee who casts aspersions on our choice of Valentine's gifts. Never mind that we are not expecting that employee to cast aspersions on the employer who pays his salary. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! Had it been me, and not my gentle husband, there would have been consequences. I tend not to let such things pass, probably because I am responsible for educating people. Trust me–this fellow needed a little schooling. But as I think about it, the Horseman of Rude probably wouldn't have learned much. After all, he was only doing his job–not having gained the maturity to realize that the world would be much better off without the benefit of his opinion. I (mostly) knew better by the time I was ten (well, at least I knew better than to say this sort of thing to a teacher, a supervisor, or a customer!). Maybe that misplaced righteous indignation and smug disapproval can be harnessed for the greater good; we can hope it evolves into something more useful. But when discourtesy and unwarranted self-importance rise to this level, we can only surmise that the End is Near. It seems that the barriers of inhibition and restraint that keep us "civilized" are disappearing at an alarming rate.The Aztecs might have gotten the date wrong, but don't be surprised if we wake up some morning in the not-too-distant future to find the shadowy specters galloping toward us–followed closely by the ancillary support staff. Among them we will see "Absurdity", galloping on his argyle steed the color of green neon, raising high his cell phone, his orange Bozo-the-Clown wig rippling menacingly in the avenging wind. ]]> Your Whining! 13 Feb 2013 22:10:32 +0000C. S. Marks are some of the most innovative, indomitable, intrepid risk-takers the world has ever seen. They overcome all challenges, or they go down fighting. They battle against the odds. They respond to detractors either with a defiant "Oh, YEAH? Well, I'll show you. I'll come back next year ten times better," or with a thoughtful "Yeah…I deserved that. I'll come back ten times better." So, when in the heck did we, as a nation, turn into such a bunch of thin-skinned, whiny crybabies? Seriously. I see it every day. It seems we can't abide being disagreed with, we cannot take criticism in any form, we scream and yell and whine about absolutely every negative happening in our lives, no matter how minor. Any obstacle gets in our way, and we act like we're dying. Why did this happen? Is there any way to reverse this rather disturbing trend? I have no real insight into this problem, but I have long wondered whether a lack of real hardship, combined with an overabundance of comfort, praise, and leisure, has weakened us. Challenges don't have to be overcome any more. We not only tolerate mediocrity, we celebrate it. Self-respect, always better when earned, is now "bestowed". Writers are some of the worst offenders. Now that the barriers to publishing have fallen, we can put our work out on the market, which means we have endorsed its quality as being sales-worthy. Often, we have not had to face rejection of any kind before we publish, and are shocked, amazed, and affronted when readers give their sometimes-less-than-charitable opinions. There have been some real beauties on Amazon and Goodreads lately, throwing veritable hissy-fits, kicking their writer-feet and claiming they are being bullied by readers and reviewers. I am actually very sensitive, which is one of my more detestable qualities. I hate to see a bad review, though not as much as I used to. I suppose I'm allowed to be sensitive (I do hope so, as I haven't managed to "cure" myself of it despite all efforts), but what I'm NOT allowed to do is react in an unprofessional, uncivilized, un-grown-up manner. If I DO react that way, I must face the consequences. It's ok to react to criticism. It's ok even to dislike it (saying "Thank you, sir, may I have another?" is not required). But hissy-fits are best kept private. My spouse, my publicist, my poor friends, my beleaguered "drafts" folder–all may receive the wondrous by-products of my sensitivity. Will I react in public? Ummm…heck, no! I wish I could talk some sense into some of my colleagues. They don't stop at private rantings and mass consumption of ice cream. They threaten legal action, they whine about defamation and damages. They rally their fellow "damaged and defamed" writers in an attempt to crusade against what they believe is unfair criticism. Then, some of them get mean. The response of the reviewers and readers is predictable–they get hostile. They rally into groups of their own, and they get mean, too. Their tolerance for writer misbehavior goes into the negative range (below zero). Things escalate beyond where they should be on both sides of the line. It would be nice if reviewers would learn to express their criticism constructively–sure. But I grew up in an era when sarcasm and wit were common tools in the reviewer's arsenal. Sarcasm, which is usually perceived as "bullying" these days, can be a very effective tool in conveying a reviewer's opinion. Now, it seems, we must make excuses for every shortcoming we find. The writers certainly will–everything from lack of funding for editing services to…well, let's just leave it at that. I don't review books any more. If I write a good one, I may be accused of being in league with the author. If I write a bad one, I may be attacked by the author. And Amazon has taken the step of disallowing author reviews of others in the same genre. Why was this step taken? Because some authors were attacking their competitors. Ye gods. Man, are these "first-world problems", or WHAT! Disease, starvation, ignorance, homelessness, heartlessness…where does "criticism" fall on the scale of hardship? When did we forget how to say: "You know…you're right. I shall overcome this obstacle and improve. The next offering will be better." When did we substitute "How dare you interfere with my delusional dreams?" We did that when we allowed the delusions to substitute for the reality of honest achievement. What's the future of America? Indomitable, intrepid, and innovative? Melodramatic, sniveling, and vindictive? I shudder to think. It might be helpful, when we are tempted to throw a tantrum on an online forum in response to a bad review, to pause and consider that people have real problems, that they face terrible choices and hardships every day, and that our ridiculous squeaking will only serve to damage our reputations. To do that, we must take ourselves away from our delusions and admit that we are not, in fact, the point around which the universe revolves. ]]> Memory of the Great Ones… 20 Jan 2013 17:57:09 +0000C. S. Marks been a bad year for memories. Two of my beloved horses, who had gone into happy retirements, passed away in 2012. If you're an equiphile, you understand. There are only so many great horses in the world, and if we're lucky, one might cross our paths. I have been lucky enough to own many good horses. In fact, I still own some today, but the "great ones" have now left me. It's not all bad, because my goals have changed. I no longer compete in the grueling sport of endurance (so called because your legs feel like gruel afterwards), and I ride now for pleasure, preferring long ambles in the forest, preferably in the company of friends. A great horse is probably wasted on me–I sent my last potentially great one up to Ohio to live with a younger, fitter fellow who has yet to feel the icy grip of middle age (jeez…melodramatic much?). Point is, my snot-rocket days are probably over. When someone dies, we sometimes shut down for a while. Memories prove painful at first, as they do now for me. The recollection of untold hours spent conquering untold miles through some of the most beautiful country on God's earth, knowing that the horse and I would take care of each other, makes me sad. I don't know why, really, as these past events won't happen again even should my lovelies have lived forever (which I wish they could). I suppose the finality of death has brought that reality home. Over the next few weeks, I'd like to share several examples of how great these wonderful horses were–how much they enriched my life. If you are an equiphile and have a story to share, please do! I'll post it. We don't–we can't–sing their praises enough. Let's begin with the tale of the Kettle Moraine ride in Wisconsin. It was a hundred-mile, fairly easy course (with a few exceptions), that provided two unforgettable memories. One was the gallop through the L-O-N-G flat stretch through a beautiful grassland. The moon was up, the sky a deep purple shading to black, and the ground mist lent an otherworldly quality to the sight of two white Arabians moving in relative silence, side-by-side, tails in the air. I had never felt freer than in that moment–moving in perfect synchrony with this patient-yet-spirited creature who had so willingly allowed me to share it with her. The ride went on and on, the ground falling back beneath our feet, and my friend and I never wanted it to end. The other memorable moment came later, after several additional hours of effort. We had slowed to a walk through the pitch-black of a pine forest. I could barely see my hand in front of my face, but I could make out the pair of white ears moving steadily back and forth in rhythm as my patient mare made her way resolutely toward the finish line, which was still about eight miles away. I knew she wouldn't fail me, and that was a great comfort. An undetermined number of minutes later, I was shocked to realize that I had actually fallen asleep on her back! I had been dreaming of sunny trails, ducking under low-hanging branches, trotting along happily. Now all I saw was that same pair of ears, still moving in the same rhythm, as if to say: "go back to sleep. I'll get you there". And she did. If you're lucky, you have a horse like that once in a lifetime.
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Ha haa. I had a friend at school whose family were naturists. I wonder what he'd think of this thread! pk014b7161 18-10-2008, 18:59 the topic was about about an 8 year old boy having to go on his own into a mens changing room shortcrust 18-10-2008, 19:00 the topic was about about an 8 year old boy having to go on his own into a mens changing room Things change. Alien 18-10-2008, 19:01 Young boys in men's changing rooms - not a good idea Spose your right...the young lad may come away with an inferiority complex. Suffragette1 18-10-2008, 19:03 Another aspect to all of this is that I wouldn't want my son, when having his first sexual encounters, expecting all women to have neatly shaven/clean shaven/Brazilianed pubic areas and spherical, augmented breasts, which after all given that once he starts acquiring porn and accessing it is what he'll be exposed to. cressida 18-10-2008, 19:04 Spose your right...the young lad may come away with an inferiority complex. Oh my mistake I thought this was a serious topic Grandad.Malky 18-10-2008, 19:05 the topic was about about an 8 year old boy having to go on his own into a mens changing roomSuffragette1 18-10-2008, 19:07shortcrust 18-10-2008, 19:08 Oh my mistake I thought this was a serious topic Have you read this thread? How could you ever think this is a serious topic?! Alien 18-10-2008, 19:08 Imagine all those girls wondering around on beaches exposing their bits and Dad with his hands over the childs eyes? Note: Dad has his hands over the childs eyes...not his of course. :suspect: shortcrust 18-10-2008, 19:09According to one poster, if a man is dressed in flashy clothes in the middle of the day he should be avoided. You see it's tricky, but there are clues!:D Alien 18-10-2008, 19:11Actually...that's a good point...don't they have CRB checks? Alien 18-10-2008, 19:14 Oh my mistake I thought this was a serious topic It is a serious topic...I just replied to your post which didn't seem serious....well it didn't seem anything really as you didn't explain what you meant. pk014b7161 18-10-2008, 19:15 so what some of you are saying you would let your 8 year old go on his own into a changing room onslow 18-10-2008, 19:21 Your choice - fine. But why the absurb implications (whaich you appeared to applaud H da Fella for) that anyone who doesn't share your olf fashioned attitude is some kind of pervert or paedophile? Perhaps you'd like to rethink that attitude. It makes me laugh that we feel the need to answer such musings but we do. I think people with such repressed behaviour is often indicative of their own suppressed thoughts just in case they act upon them. Grandad.Malky 18-10-2008, 19:24I am glad you but the smileys in, I was beginning to worry about your post. I can only recall an incident as a kid when I went to the pictures and was turned away because it was a parental guidance film and you had to be with an adult, shock horror:o a couple in the queue said I could go in with them, I wasn't abused and I am still here to tell the tale. Halibut 18-10-2008, 19:36 Young boys in men's changing rooms - not a good idea Why not Cressida? Halibut 18-10-2008, 19:47Alien 18-10-2008, 19:50'd like to know too...I've asked that without a decent reply. Imodium 18-10-2008, 19:51 I wouldn't want my son, when having his first sexual encounters, expecting all women to have neatly shaven/clean shaven/Brazilianed pubic areas and spherical, augmented breasts, .Some aren't? :gag: Better he sees some tidiness than the new forest gone wild hirsuit style. Halibut 18-10-2008, 19:53 Some aren't? :gag: Better he sees some tidiness than the new forest gone wild hirsuit style. Just in case anyone suggest that you are merely a troll, can you come up with any reasonable explanation for why that might be so? Grandad.Malky 18-10-2008, 19:57 Some aren't? :gag: Better he sees some tidiness than the new forest gone wild hirsuit style. Not bad for a first post.:suspect: onslow 18-10-2008, 19:58 I bathed with both parents as a child, I also went into changing rooms at my local swimming pool and changed in and out of my trunks and had a shower too. It brought this thread around to make me conscious of the fact I did that as a kid and still do to date. It was never an issue then like it isn't now. I see kids changing their clothes but it just doesn't register in me one bit. That is what people do in changing rooms. Pritt Stick 18-10-2008, 20:05 other blokes - we suddenly all turned into old maids. Lol. Suffragette1 18-10-2008, 20:09 Some aren't? :gag: Better he sees some tidiness than the new forest gone wild hirsuit style. Do you trim yours then? Suffragette1 18-10-2008, 20:14 have no idea. Should women also hide their breasts when breasfeeding a baby in front of an older sibling? max 18-10-2008, 20:15 other blokes - we suddenly all turned into old maids. Lol. Having all turned into old maids did you decamp to the ladies' changing room? :D Mathom 18-10-2008, 20:53 Of course it's illegal not to...doesn't mean I have to agree with the law. What i'm trying to understand is your distaste for the human body? You use lots of expletives to describe it. You never mention once the natural beauty of it. We raise our kids in the same way as we as repressed adults do who have body issues and we're sooooooooo surprised that when they get on in years they're well and truly fupped up. Is it so surprising that our kids grow up repressed because they walk around with mummy and daddy's blinkers on. If your kids don't go to sleep at night do you threaten them with the boogie man? I was actually asking you why there is a law requiring people to wear things such as trunks when going swimming? Maybe because most people do not want to see naked people in public.I also do not like seeing trollopy teen girls wandering round on a Saturday afternoon with their thongs on show or these youths who play pocket billiards with themselves constantly. It's a question of respect. Mathom 18-10-2008, 21:12 It makes me laugh that we feel the need to answer such musings but we do. I think people with such repressed behaviour is often indicative of their own suppressed thoughts just in case they act upon them.Halibut 19-10-2008, 00:23 You sound about a hundred and three. onslow 19-10-2008, 01:11testosterone or not. I haven't a clue Mathom. All I can say is that I have never had a problem changing in front of kids before. If that makes me weird then so be it. onewheeldave 19-10-2008, 04:27Cyclone 19-10-2008, 10:01 well here you go,my answer to your trolling, the general consensus on here from normal parents is.....no...i wouldnt let an 8 year old loose along strangers in a changing room, thats probably because they care for their kids and have deep seated views on kids bieng alone with men whom the parents dont know, now,if you want to let your son at that age loose amongst strangers,and it appears you would,then you run the risk of harm to your child,but it seems you are willing to gamble with that, or do you agree with children bieng in the same room as unknown strangers because you have some hidden agenda, by your defence to throw a child into a room of naked strangers i can only surmise that you are not in agreement with the normal,everyday parents who mind their children and look out for them as best they can, to put it bluntly, any man wanting young kids in a changing room without the mother is very ,very suspect..would you not agree ? Cyclone 19-10-2008, 10:05 but i have never appeared naked in front of my children and im sure they grew up better for it, c You think your children grew up 'better' because you hid yourself from them. They probably grew up thinking that their body was something to be ashamed of, or wondering what exactly you were hiding from them. Cyclone 19-10-2008, 10:12Whereas the people getting changed in a changing room, in a gym or pool, they're clearly not 'innocently naked' and were getting naked just on the off chance that they could warp a young childs mind (how that warping occurs no one has explained yet, but I'll go with you on it for the sake of this point). So, just explain again why it wouldn't be 'innocent' or normal to be naked in the changing room? Mathom 19-10-2008, 10:14Halibut 19-10-2008, 10:18We're getting circular here - can you try and explain please what possible harm can befall a child simply through seeing a naked adult? No-one has yet been able to do so. Cyclone 19-10-2008, 10:22 The same people who get irate about photographers are probably the ones worrying about all the horrible nakedness in the changing rooms and showers. The question isn't whether it's okay to walk around naked in front of children, it's whether it's normal to be naked in a changing room, and the answer is a resounding yes. Once that's settled it's pretty obvious that children (or anyone) going into that environment will see some nakedness. It's not a big deal, there's nothing unusual about being naked in that environment, trying to shield children from it will either make them think that it's wrong or just give them the idea that the body is something to hide. If you're going to avoid the kind of places where it happens then you're going to have to never go swimming again, or to the gym, or to any leisure facility. Does that not suggest to you that it might be your attitude to nakedness that's unusual? Alien 19-10-2008, 10:40 I think this has nothing to do with nakedness but a defence of a hard line stance knowing that to admit would be an admission that the child isn't really the issue...the adult and it's warped outdated sense of priority is the issue. Hell! We wouldn't want to see that challenged...would we! Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 11:07 We're getting circular here - can you try and explain please what possible harm can befall a child simply through seeing a naked adult? No-one has yet been able to do so. Because it does them no harm whatsoever. And soon enough they're all going to be herded together naked in changing rooms and showers at secondary school, so they'd better get used to nudity. Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 11:08 Why is everyone confusing nudity with sex? I think it's good for kids to grow up without associating the 2 together, which is the way I grew up. depoix 19-10-2008, 11:17Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 11:25Why is nudity synonymous with sex? Halibut 19-10-2008, 11:25 let me try to make it easier for you..homosexuality = sex with the same gender.ok?with me so far ? Yep, Ok so far..... now,an 8 year old boy in a locker room with naked men = have you figured it out yet ? No. Struggling to see what the problem is so far - unless you're implying that all naked men are predatory paedophiles - and you surely can't be suggesting that - it's absurd. tell me,do you and halibut work as a team ?or is just coincidence you both happened along on the same thread at the very same time ? Entirely coincidental. now,the whole stance on here is this, there are those with morals that believe a very young child in it's formative years should not be exposed to strangers who are naked... Why do they believe this - still waiting for someone to explain. Why do you think its immoral for a child to see a naked man? Alien 19-10-2008, 11:27 Why is everyone confusing nudity with sex? I think it's good for kids to grow up without associating the 2 together, which is the way I grew up. Their not confusing it...they actually believe that nudity and sex are the same word, just spelt differently.:confused: Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 11:28 Their not confusing it...they actually believe that nudity and sex are the same word, just spelt differently.:confused: It is just ridiculous, I cannot see why people have a problem with this. Do you want your kids to grow up seeing anyone with a bit of flesh on display in a sexual light? It's madness.:confused: onewheeldave 19-10-2008, 11:32??? Most people aren't nearly as obsessed with photos of their children as you seem to think. Many people familiar with the realities of the CRB system, realise that it has gone so far wrong that it's actually having a negative effect on child protection. It's just a small (but very vocal) minority of 'peado-obsessives' who want to harrass any photographer who points their camera at a public space which could contain children, or want every adult CRB checked. Most people are just normal- they look at a child and just see a child- IMO, it's the peado-obsessives themselves, who have got the problem- they obviously look at a child and see something altogether more sinister. Alien 19-10-2008, 11:39Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 11:42I agree, I mean that's guaranteed to make them feel uncomfortable. Next thing we'll be putting frilly covers on table legs.:rolleyes: Ms Macbeth 19-10-2008, 13:50 I've just read this thread. :wow: My kids were young in the 70s and my OH and I never worried about being in the nude around them. I also used to take my children to a swimming club when they were young, and my son preferred to use the male changing rooms from quite an early age rather than come in with me and his sister. He never came out and told me that anyone was behaving inappropriately, or that he was worried by being in there alone. Have things changed so much? Or does the media fuel people's paranoia about paedophilia? Childhood is an innocent time, and I didn't want to make my kids feel there was anything dirty or sexual about naked bodies. They seem to have survived ok. ;) Mathom 19-10-2008, 13:58 Because it does them no harm whatsoever. And soon enough they're all going to be herded together naked in changing rooms and showers at secondary school, so they'd better get used to nudity. I'm not naive. I've read enough "men's literature" to know that passing glances in the locker room and showers is something which goes on. Icgksheff 19-10-2008, 14:09 ........... and I'm sure nobody on here is. ........... Now. That is naive. Halibut 19-10-2008, 14:14 IfHow would the scenario you describe be damaging to the child? Sorry if that's an uncomfortable thought to deal with. It's not a particularly uncomfortable idea since it would exist only in the head of the person who's imagining it occurring i.e. you - it just seems rather unlikely. I get the impression that everyone's falling over themselves to justify their own behaviour as entirely natural, which it probably is, but there are other people in there too. They might not have such good intentions. It's naive to think otherwise. I think it's equally naive to imagine that there's any more risk in your child using a public changing room at the pool or the gym than there is anywhere else. Mathom 19-10-2008, 14:25 Now. That is naive. I would hope not, anyway ;) How would the scenario you describe be damaging to the child? All they need to do is catch the child's eye and wink and it would be upsetting for them. It's not particularly uncomfortable idea - it just seems rather unlikelyI think it's equally naive to imagine that there's any more risk in your child using a public changing room at the pool or the gym than there is anywhere else. Where else? People do tend to be clothed elsewhere. ;) Halibut 19-10-2008, 14:36 All they need to do is catch the child's eye and wink and it would be upsetting for them. Most children don't carry around the burden of being sexually aware or living in a paranoid state where every other adult is a pervert out to harm them. Why would a child perceive a wink as threatening? You must move in some interesting circles. Are these gay men we're talking about? If they go there for that, then why wouldn't a weirdo go there to take up this great opportunity for a spot of exhbitionism. How would you spot one of these exhibitionists in a room full of naked men? If you flash your bits in a public bog you can get done for it. The gym changing room is the last refuge for the chap who likes to show off his chap. Again, in an environment where it's the norm to see naked bodies, how can you tell who the exhibitionist is? Unless they're behaving in an overtly sexual manner in which case they'd rightly be reported and asked to desist. Where else? People do tend to be clothed elsewhere. ;) Like I said - almost anywhere. If you were wanting to indulge in sexualised behaviour with a child would you want to do so in a public changing room. I think not. Grandad.Malky 19-10-2008, 14:45 Mathom you have a one warped sense of perspective, lets hope you haven't passed it on to your kids. onslow 19-10-2008, 14:46 I would hope not, anyway ;) All they need to do is catch the child's eye and wink and it would be upsetting for themWhere else? People do tend to be clothed elsewhere. ;) OMG. You are obsessed man. Where do all these thoughts in your head come from? its only a public changing room for goodness sake. :rolleyes: Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 15:46 Perhaps we should also revert back to same sex swimming sessions and adopt the Victorian style bathing costumes too, even better wetsuits, but not tight of course. And beaches should all be screened off, with family only sections.:rolleyes: dynamick 19-10-2008, 15:46 Mathom - you've got a serious problem there my friend - your obsession that just about anyone who goes naked in a changing room is a pervert in some way or another. I take offence at that to be honest.....I go to the gym on a regular basis, I shower after I've worked out because I don't like to stink of sweat. You really do need to have a word with yourself mate and stop these ludicrous statements and quite worrying opinions that you hold. You'll end up spoiling your child's childhood if you make them as repressed as you obviously are. I led what some may consider to be a sheltered life - to most people I had what was classed as an idylic childhood. The fact that I was abused and it all got hushed up at the time and I was told to "get over it"....well that's another story all together, but with your small mindedness and out dated opinions, I'll wait for the insinuation that those that get abused always turn into abusers.....so THAT must be why I have a naked shower at the gym!!!:rolleyes: Get a life! Mick :rant: depoix 19-10-2008, 17:39 Yep, Ok so far..... No. Struggling to see what the problem is so far - unless you're implying that all naked men are predatory paedophiles - and you surely can't be suggesting that - it's absurd. ?no not at all,only you and cyclone seem to be promoting young lads going into a shower with strangersCyclone 19-10-2008, 17:50 And I expect he'll want it, since you've taught him that being naked is a bad thing. I'm not naive. I've read enough "men's literature" to know that passing glances in the locker room and showers is something which goes on. You're not naive, you're outright paranoid. IAnd who would do what, hang around in changing rooms just hoping that a child might come in unaccompanied and that every other adult in the room would ignore their strange behaviour. You're seriously paranoidNo one is uncomfortable except you and depoix who seem to have a huge problem with people being naked in changing rooms and children of whatever age using the appropriate room. Did either of you ever say what age you did think it was okay, or would they still be going into the ladies changing room a day before their 16th birthday (or 18th maybe, who knows). Cyclone 19-10-2008, 17:56 no not at all,only you and cyclone seem to be promoting young lads going into a shower with strangers I'm not promoting anything. I'm arguing that a) being naked when getting changed in a changing room is perfectly normal and that b) at some point children should start using the correct changing room. If you go back and find my first post on the thread I said that the precise age was all a matter of opinion, but there is definitely a point when a boy should stop going into the womans changing room, that's more of an issue I believe than any paranoids dreamt up potential threat in the correct changing room. So what age will you stop making a boy/young man change in a room full of naked strangers who are women This is not about morality, if you think that it is then you're very confused. I've never seen anyone cavort in a changing room, have you?,The rest of the forum have, there are only two of you supporting the side of the discussion where nakedness is wrong in changing rooms and young men should be forced to get changed with women. Halibut 19-10-2008, 17:57Can you explain why you think it's immoral for a child to see a naked adult? SHsheff 19-10-2008, 18:02nick2 19-10-2008, 18:03 now,an 8 year old boy in a locker room with naked men = have you figured it out yet ? All the men instantly become pedophiles ? All the men become gay ? All the men become gay pedophiles ? Halibut 19-10-2008, 18:04There's nothing shameful about naked human beings. depoix 19-10-2008, 18:06 Can you explain why you think it's immoral for a child to see a naked adult? your one line dodging and evasion and trying to pass on the context of the posts is becoming tedious,perhaps the social services or even the police would be better replying to some of the posts on here,they may find them interesting to say the least nick2 19-10-2008, 18:06Isn't that because most women are totally hung-up about their bodies whereas most men arn't ? SHsheff 19-10-2008, 18:07 There's nothing shameful about naked human beings.max 19-10-2008, 18:16 Well I've just come back from a competition where we all showered afterwards and I wouldn't say there was any flaunting. People took their clothes off, went to the showers with or without their towels, dried themselves after showering nude in front of other men and got dressed. It was normal behaviour for a changing room. I could understand if those with hangups about male nudity were complaining about exercising in the nude. That would be rude and unnatural. But hang on. The original meaning of the word gymnasium comes from the Greek gumnasion, from gumnazein, to exercise naked. I blame the Vicorians for the prurient attitudes of today. Cyclone 19-10-2008, 18:17 your one line dodging and evasion and trying to pass on the context of the posts is becoming tedious,perhaps the social services or even the police would be better replying to some of the posts on here,they may find them interesting to say the least You are unbelievable. Why don't you go ahead and call the police, they can do you for wasting their time. Cyclone 19-10-2008, 18:19depoix 19-10-2008, 18:23 You are unbelievable. Why don't you go ahead and call the police, they can do you for wasting their time.i doubt it,after all ,dont they say it's better for them to know and turn up than for them not to know,and then have to to turn up when something happens? SHsheff 19-10-2008, 18:24I was just asking. Evidently, it's quite different in the men's changing rooms. Thanks for the enlightenment. Halibut 19-10-2008, 18:26 So, Halibut - are you saying that you walk naked in front of your children??I tend not to these days - they're of an age where they'd rather not see their old man in the buff. When they were younger I'd not be bothered in the slightest - nor would they. And, (if you do) do you expect the same of them? They like a bit of privacy; I respect that. Mathom 19-10-2008, 18:29 Throw all the insults you like at me, I don't really care. Come on, chuck a bit more of your Viz Comic "Modern Parents" style rubbish, I can take it. I have worked in the education sector and with children all my working life and I KNOW how perverts operate, I have taught children who were abused and I have spoken to their abusers, and communal changing rooms are risky places. They are about the only places where they can indulge themselves. Sorry, bury your heads in the sand, but it's true. While you are busily trying to avoid looking like you are checking out someone else's tackle, they will take this godsend of an opportunity to catch the eye of your child. As for being so overly defensive, some of you worry me a hell of a lot. What is there to be so defensive about? Why throw insults at someone who knows what can happen and who does not agree with your naivety? All I wish to do is to protect my child and follow my own rules - I refuse to accept permissive rules if they are not appropriate, no matter how many Modern Parents try to impose them on me with a load of airy fairy hollocks dragged from the back of the Grauniad about 'repression' (yeah, riiiight, I'm the 'repressed' one, you don't know the half of it :hihi:). Fine by me. Carry on taking the risks if it's so utterly vital to you that your children see strangers' genitals! When it's me who's concerned it's about my taste and manners, but when it comes to kids, it's not about their morality but about their safety. Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 18:31SHsheff 19-10-2008, 18:32I've been a member of Virgin, hence my comments. My son is 14, hence my comments. SHsheff 19-10-2008, 18:33 I tend not to these days - they're of an age where they'd rather not see their old man in the buff. When they were younger I'd not be bothered in the slightest - nor would they. They like a bit of privacy; I respect that. Which was my point. :) Cyclone 19-10-2008, 18:39Cyclone 19-10-2008, 18:40 I've been a member of Virgin, hence my comments. My son is 14, hence my comments. Presumably he uses the male changing room? What age did he start doing that? Has he ever come out and said that someone was behaving strangely? Mathom 19-10-2008, 18:44 mortally embarrassing. No matter how much your parents stripped off. But you DO say things to your mates and snigger about it later. A couple of lads at our school had naturist parents and even to this day their parents, both solicitors back then, are still known as Hairy Scrote Bags and Vinegar Tits. What's even worse, everyone's parents called them that too and laughed about it. depoix 19-10-2008, 18:47how about stalking,or grooming, i'll go with mathom on this, iv'e stated my case, the rest is up to the other posters to decide, but at least i walk away knowing my morals are intact, please yourself cyclone and halibut,keep your views, they arn't the same as mine and others but at least we have all shown our true colours Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 18:47 I've been a member of Virgin, hence my comments. My son is 14, hence my comments. Sorry, you've lost me there, you said most women don't wander around naked, whereas my experience of Virgin is quite the reverse. Your son is 14 now, however you stated: My son hasn't seen me naked for many many years, not since he was a tot. Somehow, it would feel wrong. I have no need to thrust nakedness onto him. I think a degree of dignity is appropriate. Obviously at 14, a lad would not want to see his mother naked and vice versa and I agree there comes a point when it is no longer appropriate. However, you said since 'a tot' which to me means a toddler, so it implied that since toddlerhood you'd felt it inappropriate for him to see you naked. Hecate 19-10-2008, 18:48Mathom 19-10-2008, 18:50Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 18:52Quite, why should men and women scuttle around like rabbits caught in the headlights for fear of their naked, in between getting dressed, state being misconstrued by someone whose kid happens to be in there? Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 18:54Well the private gyms to provide family changing areas, I don't know about the council run ones though. I'm now paranoid as I wink and grin at a lot of little kiddies when I'm out and about, does that make me some child predator? max 19-10-2008, 18:55 These places should provide family changing areas, and the risk might go down. The biggest risk to children is in the family environment. Surely an argument against having family areas, wouldn't you agree. Mathom 19-10-2008, 18:58 I'm now paranoid as I wink and grin at a lot of little kiddies when I'm out and about, does that make me some child predator? A woman dressed and on the street winking and smiling at your child is a bit different to some hairy arsed bloke standing with his legs spread while he dries his goolies and winking at your child? Mathom 19-10-2008, 18:59 The biggest risk to children is in the family environment. Surely an argument against having family areas, wouldn't you agree. Wouldn't you agree that's a fine Straw Man? Not buying, sorry. ;) Suffragette1 19-10-2008, 19:28 A woman dressed and on the street winking and smiling at your child is a bit different to some hairy arsed bloke standing with his legs spread while he dries his goolies and winking at your child?dynamick 19-10-2008, 19:41soonSuffragette1 19-10-2008, 20:00soonShocking isn't it? :loopy: Mathom 19-10-2008, 20:21 Don't be silly dynamick - nice bit of hyperbole though.Halibut 19-10-2008, 21:20 Don't be silly dynamick - nice bit of hyperbole thoughSo drying yourself after a shower is sexualised behaviour as well now is it? Jeez........... Mathom 19-10-2008, 21:33 So drying yourself after a shower is sexualised behaviour as well now is it? Jeez........... While winking at kiddies? Give it a rest - if you're that naive about body language then I'm beginning to wonder if you've ever actually managed to father any children. ;) scoop 19-10-2008, 21:35 Glamrock 19-10-2008, 23:34 So drying yourself after a shower is sexualised behaviour as well now is it? Jeez........... So you would be quite happy to let your kids go naked in changing rooms with the likes of Mr Gadd and others with the same inclination? *_ash_* 20-10-2008, 01:29 I was going to post right after your original post Scoop, but couldn't be bothered. Just as well, I'd have got myself involved in 13 pages of arguments that could be done in 10 minutes in real life[time]. So I'll just comment on this post, the second part of which relates to my original thought. (which I doubt you'll like)Firstly, I would bypass most of the silly posts about that ^^My bold.. This was obvious in the first post, but what struck me is not this, it was that an 8 year old would also be worried.Cyclone 20-10-2008, 06:22What's up, this question too difficult to answer, or is it just that you'll look silly when you say nine? Halibut 20-10-2008, 06:27Why indeed? Unless they'd been infected with their parents peculiar notions about nudity being something dreadful to be avoided at all costs - or their 'paedogeddon'-style paranoia..... nick2 20-10-2008, 07:16 mortally embarrassing. No matter how much your parents stripped off. I think we are getting to the root of your problem here. Mathom 20-10-2008, 07:32 I think we are getting to the root of your problem here. No. It's any child. Including those of naturists etc. They find it embarrassing and a bit vile. They know it's not normal to parade about in the buff, and it hasn't been normal since we left the caves. pk014b7161 20-10-2008, 07:50 i think eight years old is too young to be going into changing rooms on their own i wouldn,t let one go to public tiolets on their own max 20-10-2008, 08:02 i think eight years old is too young to be going into changing rooms on their own i wouldn,t let one go to public tiolets on their own So what age would you consider it OK for children to be going into changing rooms for their own sex? How old do you think it OK for boys/girls to be in changing rooms for the opposite sex? Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 08:07 i think eight years old is too young to be going into changing rooms on their own i wouldn,t let one go to public tiolets on their own Really? And what would you do if the boy refused point blank to use the ladies or the female changing facilities, as my son did aged 8? pk014b7161 20-10-2008, 08:11the snowman 20-10-2008, 08:27 Aah right, well maybe they were occupied or something at the time. There's more than a couple on the ladies' changing rooms. There is a family room in the Mens too. Its on the left as you walk through. max 20-10-2008, 08:37What age isn't too young then? Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 08:45 There is a family room in the Mens too. Its on the left as you walk through. I seem to recall that there were some girls in there, so he refused to go in.:rolleyes: the snowman 20-10-2008, 09:02 I seem to recall that there were some girls in there, so he refused to go in.:rolleyes: Fair enough, Girls whisper and don't like football :hihi: I do find the kids cute with those Daffy Duck towels with hoods on them. Not seen them before I joined at Virgin Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 09:14 Fair enough, Girls whisper and don't like football :hihi: I do find the kids cute with those Daffy Duck towels with hoods on them. Not seen them before I joined at Virgin Be careful how you look at the now, someone may yell paedo.:rolleyes: Mathom 20-10-2008, 09:25 Be careful how you look at the now, someone may yell paedo.:rolleyes:the snowman 20-10-2008, 09:27 Be careful how you look at the now, someone may yell paedo.:rolleyes: And they probably will :rolleyes: Which would make all parents paedo's as parents always see their kids as cute. nick2 20-10-2008, 09:27What a role model you are being. Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 09:28Mathom 20-10-2008, 09:35 What a role model you are being. I couldn't give a fig. My child, my rules. I don't go as far as most parents. So much as cast a glance at most people's babies in their prams and they look at you like they will eat your brains if you dare do that again, but I don't mind people even chugging his cheeks. But look at his arris while he's changing and I will sort you out. nick2 20-10-2008, 09:35I fear for any random grannies saying hello to his kids, seeing a granny getting beat-up must be quite traumatic for a kid. nick2 20-10-2008, 09:37 But look at his arris while he's changing and I will sort you out. It might be best to keep him indoors until he is an adult, you're a bit obsessed. Mathom 20-10-2008, 09:43 It might be best to keep him indoors until he is an adult, you're a bit obsessed.the snowman 20-10-2008, 09:45When they are wearing these towels with hoods you can only see their face, hands, anckles and feet. It's not the same as watching a kid changing. And if you tried to give me some shoe leather you'd find your shoes somewhere not too pretty. :rant: nick2 20-10-2008, 09:47 And if you tried to give me some shoe leather you'd find your shoes somewhere not too pretty. :rant: dad fight ! Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 09:48In which case, in order to avoid false accusations and preserve your sense of righteousness, I suggest that you always get changed in a cubicle. Mathom 20-10-2008, 09:52 dad fight ! Not exactly ;) Though you really don't want to go there when I am riled... the snowman 20-10-2008, 10:00 dad fight ! I'm not a Dad yet pk014b7161 20-10-2008, 10:03max 20-10-2008, 10:04How old is old enough for a child to go into a changing room on their own? Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 10:06 I'm not a Dad yet Nor is Mathom, she's a woman. pk014b7161 20-10-2008, 10:09 How old is old enough for a child to go into a changing room on their own? in my opinion about 10 -11 years old the snowman 20-10-2008, 10:10 Nor is Mathom, she's a woman. Ah, thats funny. :hihi: However I'd never be violent against a woman so take back what I said. Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 10:10 in my opinion about 10 -11 years old So, they must continue to go swimming or whatever, with the parent of the same sex (provided they have one of the same sex) so they can use the same changing facilties? the snowman 20-10-2008, 10:15 So, they must continue to go swimming or whatever, with the parent of the same sex (provided they have one of the same sex) so they can use the same changing facilties? Thats a good point, what if a single Mum has a little boy. I think we should let them change in the Mens too :hihi: Mathom 20-10-2008, 10:34 So, they must continue to go swimming or whatever, with the parent of the same sex (provided they have one of the same sex) so they can use the same changing facilties? The problem could be easily solved if they just had proper changing rooms! Including big ones for families who want to help their kids get dressed or for wheelchair users and so on. robS35 20-10-2008, 11:11 have more than likely done that for themselves with their posts and other posters can form their own opinions for themselves now,i'm off out, enjoy your day.depoix Ive figured out what your saying which basically is that all gay men or even just all men are pedophiles. So it that what you really think, leave an 8 year old boy in the male chainging room and chances are he is going to get abused. onewheeldave 20-10-2008, 11:29Mathom 20-10-2008, 11:35JFKvsNixon 20-10-2008, 11:50nick2 20-10-2008, 11:53 God knows why people who use gymnasia think they are immune from the same laws that apply to everyone else? What laws are people in gyms breaking ? (apart from the unwritten law that fat people shouldn't wear lycra) Mathom 20-10-2008, 11:56Mathom 20-10-2008, 12:01 What laws are people in gyms breaking ? (apart from the unwritten law that fat people shouldn't wear lycra) That to some, it's somehow not only OK but a fabulously healthy thing to look at naked children when in a changing room, maybe? The kind of things being repeated here only reinforces the fact that leisure centre changing rooms are one of the last public refuges for people with dodgy intent. I can see why everyone is getting upset because they are thinking "Oh, but I'm not like that!". Well, you may very well not be, but it doesn't change the fact that some people are, and you are changing your kecks in a room where they are. nick2 20-10-2008, 12:02 Somehow I think that the police would be more concerned with the fact that you had been gawping at a small boy getting dressed. Before giving you a good kicking round the cells later.nick2 20-10-2008, 12:04 That to some, it's somehow not only OK but a fabulously healthy thing to look at naked children when in a changing room, maybe? No-one has said that, it might be what you've read into it, but it's not what anyone has said. nick2 20-10-2008, 12:06 The kind of things being repeated here only reinforces the fact that leisure centre changing rooms are one of the last public refuges for people with dodgy intent. And thats just laughable. Zomoniac 20-10-2008, 12:07 Cancelled. Mathom 20-10-2008, 12:08Which is why cubicles are the way to go for family users. And that is the issue here. Have those and there is no issue except for adults and they can sort themselves out if they think someone's being weird. JFKvsNixon 20-10-2008, 12:08Really? You never mentioned anyone gawping at you kid you said: If someone looked at my son getting changed for swimming I would probably march them right out of there and apply some shoe leather to their jacksie. So, when I am busy trying to get my child and myself changed and I accidently "look" at your child, would you really come up to me and my child whilst we are both undressed and then proceed to try to pull and push me around? And after behaving in such a manner do you really think that the police would accept your defence of "he looked at my child"? I think that the police are going to be more interested in your actions rather than your baseless allegations. Mathom 20-10-2008, 12:09 And thats just laughable. No it isn't. Everyone is in a state of denial about it. Face facts. nick2 20-10-2008, 12:10You have some very odd ideas, hopefully you're not passing them on to your kids who will probably never leave the house after you've finished scaring them to death. Suffragette1 20-10-2008, 12:11 Mathom, you may as well just adopt Michael Jackson's approach and shroud your kids in a veil, lest anyone so much as glance at them. Paedos can be anywhere and many will get their rocks off even looking at a kid they find appealing, clothed or not. You're skirting dangerous close to the Islamic philosophy of covering up in order to protect oneself from unwelcome gazes.
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http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-409124-p-2.html
"AI" redirects here. For other uses, see Ai (disambiguation). For other uses, see Artificial intelligence (disambiguation). TOPIO, a humanoid robot, played ping pong at Tokyo International Robot Exhibition (IREX) 2009.1 Artificial intelligence (AI) is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents"2 where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chances of success.3 John McCarthy, who coined the term in 1956,4 defines it as "the science and engineering of making intelligent machines."5 The field was founded on the claim that a central property of humans, intelligence—the sapience of Homo sapiens—can be so precisely described that it can be simulated by a machine.6 This raises philosophical issues about the nature of the mind and the ethics of creating artificial beings, issues which have been addressed by myth, fiction and philosophy since antiquity.7 Artificial intelligence has been the subject of optimism,8 but has also suffered setbacks9 and, today, has become an essential part of the technology industry, providing the heavy lifting for many of the most difficult problems in computer science.10 AI research is highly technical and specialized, deeply divided into subfields that often fail to communicate with each other.11 Subfields have grown up around particular institutions, the work of individual researchers, the solution of specific problems, longstanding differences of opinion about how AI should be done and the application of widely differing tools. The central problems of AI include such traits as reasoning, knowledge, planning, learning, communication, perception and the ability to move and manipulate objects.12 General intelligence (or "strong AI") is still among the field's long term goals.13 Contents 1 History 2 Problems 2.1 Deduction, reasoning, problem solving 2.2 Knowledge representation 2.3 Planning 2.4 Learning 2.5 Natural language processing 2.6 Motion and manipulation 2.7 Perception 2.8 Social intelligence 2.9 Creativity 2.10 General intelligence 3 Approaches 3.1 Cybernetics and brain simulation 3.2 Symbolic 3.3 Sub-symbolic 3.4 Statistical 3.5 Integrating the approaches 4 Tools 4.1 Search and optimization 4.2 Logic 4.3 Probabilistic methods for uncertain reasoning 4.4 Classifiers and statistical learning methods 4.5 Neural networks 4.6 Control theory 4.7 Languages 5 Evaluating progress 6 Applications 6.1 Competitions and prizes 6.2 Platforms 7 Philosophy 8 Prediction 9 See also 10 References 10.1 Notes 10.2 AI textbooks 10.3 History of AI 10.4 Other sources 11 Further reading 12 External links // History Main articles: History of artificial intelligence and Timeline of artificial intelligence Thinking machines and artificial beings appear in Greek myths, such as Talos of Crete, the bronze robot of Hephaestus and Pygmalion's Galatea.14 Human likenesses believed to have intelligence were built in every major civilization: animated cult images were worshipped in Egypt and Greece15 and humanoid automatons were built by Yan Shi, Hero of Alexandria and Al-Jazari.16 It was also widely believed that artificial beings had been created by Jābir ibn Hayyān, Judah Loew and Paracelsus.17 By the 19th and 20th centuries, artificial beings had become a common feature in fiction, as in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or Karel Čapek's R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots).18 Pamela McCorduck argues that all of these are examples of an ancient urge, as she describes it, "to forge the gods".7 Stories of these creatures and their fates discuss many of the same hopes, fears and ethical concerns that are presented by artificial intelligence. Mechanical or "formal" reasoning has been developed by philosophers and mathematicians since antiquity. The study of logic led directly to the invention of the programmable digital electronic computer, based on the work of mathematician Alan Turing and others. Turing's theory of computation suggested that a machine, by shuffling symbols as simple as "0" and "1", could simulate any conceivable act of mathematical deduction.1920 This, along with recent discoveries in neurology, information theory and cybernetics, inspired a small group of researchers to begin to seriously consider the possibility of building an electronic brain.21 The field of AI research was founded at a conference on the campus of Dartmouth College in the summer of 1956.22 The attendees, including John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Allen Newell and Herbert Simon, became the leaders of AI research for many decades.23 They and their students wrote programs that were, to most people, simply astonishing:24 computers were solving word problems in algebra, proving logical theorems and speaking English.25 By the middle of the 1960s, research in the U.S. was heavily funded by the Department of Defense26 and laboratories had been established around the world.27 AI's founders were profoundly optimistic about the future of the new field: Herbert Simon predicted that "machines will be capable, within twenty years, of doing any work a man can do" and Marvin Minsky agreed, writing that "within a generation ... the problem of creating 'artificial intelligence' will substantially be solved".28 They had failed to recognize the difficulty of some of the problems they faced.29 In 1974, in response to the criticism of England's Sir James Lighthill and ongoing pressure from Congress to fund more productive projects, the U.S. and British governments cut off all undirected, exploratory research in AI. The next few years, when funding for projects was hard to find, would later be called an "AI winter".30 In the early 1980s, AI research was revived by the commercial success of expert systems,31 a form of AI program that simulated the knowledge and analytical skills of one or more human experts. By 1985 the market for AI had reached over a billion dollars. At the same time, Japan's fifth generation computer project inspired the U.S and British governments to restore funding for academic research in the field.32 However, beginning with the collapse of the Lisp Machine market in 1987, AI once again fell into disrepute, and a second, longer lasting AI winter began.33 In the 1990s and early 21st century, AI achieved its greatest successes, albeit somewhat behind the scenes. Artificial intelligence is used for logistics, data mining, medical diagnosis and many other areas throughout the technology industry.10 The success was due to several factors: the increasing computational power of computers (see Moore's law), a greater emphasis on solving specific subproblems, the creation of new ties between AI and other fields working on similar problems, and a new commitment by researchers to solid mathematical methods and rigorous scientific standards.34 Problems The general problem of simulating (or creating) intelligence has been broken down into a number of specific sub-problems. These consist of particular traits or capabilities that researchers would like an intelligent system to display. The traits described below have received the most attention.12 Deduction, reasoning, problem solving Early AI researchers developed algorithms that imitated the step-by-step reasoning that humans were often assumed to use when they solve puzzles, play board games or make logical deductions.35 By the late 1980s and '90s, AI research had also developed highly successful methods for dealing with uncertain or incomplete information, employing concepts from probability and economics.36 For difficult problems, most of these algorithms can require enormous computational resources — most experience a "combinatorial explosion": the amount of memory or computer time required becomes astronomical when the problem goes beyond a certain size. The search for more efficient problem solving algorithms is a high priority for AI research.37 Human beings solve most of their problems using fast, intuitive judgments rather than the conscious, step-by-step deduction that early AI research was able to model.38 AI has made some progress at imitating this kind of "sub-symbolic" problem solving: embodied agent approaches emphasize the importance of sensorimotor skills to higher reasoning; neural net research attempts to simulate the structures inside human and animal brains that give rise to this skill. Knowledge representation Main articles: Knowledge representation and Commonsense knowledge Knowledge representation39 and knowledge engineering40 are central to AI research. Many of the problems machines are expected to solve will require extensive knowledge about the world. Among the things that AI needs to represent are: objects, properties, categories and relations between objects;41 situations, events, states and time;42 causes and effects;43 knowledge about knowledge (what we know about what other people know);44 and many other, less well researched domains. A complete representation of "what exists" is an ontology (borrowing a word from traditional philosophy), of which the most general are called upper ontologies.45 Among the most difficult problems in knowledge representation are: Default reasoning and the qualification problem Many of the things people know take the form of "working assumptions." For example, if a bird comes up in conversation, people typically picture an animal that is fist sized, sings, and flies. None of these things are true about all birds. John McCarthy identified this problem in 196946 as the qualification problem: for any commonsense rule that AI researchers care to represent, there tend to be a huge number of exceptions. Almost nothing is simply true or false in the way that abstract logic requires. AI research has explored a number of solutions to this problem.47 The breadth of commonsense knowledge The number of atomic facts that the average person knows is astronomical. Research projects that attempt to build a complete knowledge base of commonsense knowledge (e.g., Cyc) require enormous amounts of laborious ontological engineering — they must be built, by hand, one complicated concept at a time.48 A major goal is to have the computer understand enough concepts to be able to learn by reading from sources like the internet, and thus be able to add to its own ontology.citation needed The subsymbolic form of some commonsense knowledge Much of what people know is not represented as "facts" or "statements" that they could express verbally. For example, a chess master will avoid a particular chess position because it "feels too exposed"49 or an art critic can take one look at a statue and instantly realize that it is a fake.50 These are intuitions or tendencies that are represented in the brain non-consciously and sub-symbolically.51 Knowledge like this informs, supports and provides a context for symbolic, conscious knowledge. As with the related problem of sub-symbolic reasoning, it is hoped that situated AI or computational intelligence will provide ways to represent this kind of knowledge.51 Planning Main article: Automated planning and scheduling Intelligent agents must be able to set goals and achieve them.52 They need a way to visualize the future (they must have a representation of the state of the world and be able to make predictions about how their actions will change it) and be able to make choices that maximize the utility (or "value") of the available choices.53 In classical planning problems, the agent can assume that it is the only thing acting on the world and it can be certain what the consequences of its actions may be.54 However, if this is not true, it must periodically check if the world matches its predictions and it must change its plan as this becomes necessary, requiring the agent to reason under uncertainty.55 Multi-agent planning uses the cooperation and competition of many agents to achieve a given goal. Emergent behavior such as this is used by evolutionary algorithms and swarm intelligence.56 Learning Main article: Machine learning Machine learning57 has been central to AI research from the beginning.58 Unsupervised learning is the ability to find patterns in a stream of input. Supervised learning includes both classification and numerical regression. Classification is used to determine what category something belongs in, after seeing a number of examples of things from several categories. Regression takes a set of numerical input/output examples and attempts to discover a continuous function that would generate the outputs from the inputs. In reinforcement learning59 the agent is rewarded for good responses and punished for bad ones. These can be analyzed in terms of decision theory, using concepts like utility. The mathematical analysis of machine learning algorithms and their performance is a branch of theoretical computer science known as computational learning theory.60 Natural language processing ASIMO uses sensors and intelligent algorithms to avoid obstacles and navigate stairs. Main article: Natural language processing Natural language processing61 gives machines the ability to read and understand the languages that humans speak. Many researchers hope that a sufficiently powerful natural language processing system would be able to acquire knowledge on its own, by reading the existing text available over the internet. Some straightforward applications of natural language processing include information retrieval (or text mining) and machine translation.62 Motion and manipulation Main article: Robotics The field of robotics63 is closely related to AI. Intelligence is required for robots to be able to handle such tasks as object manipulation64 and navigation, with sub-problems of localization (knowing where you are), mapping (learning what is around you) and motion planning (figuring out how to get there).65 Perception Main articles: Machine perception, Computer vision, and Speech recognition Machine perception66 is the ability to use input from sensors (such as cameras, microphones, sonar and others more exotic) to deduce aspects of the world. Computer vision67 is the ability to analyze visual input. A few selected subproblems are speech recognition,68 facial recognition and object recognition.69 Social intelligence Main article: Affective computing Kismet, a robot with rudimentary social skills Emotion and social skills70 play two roles for an intelligent agent. First, it must be able to predict the actions of others, by understanding their motives and emotional states. (This involves elements of game theory, decision theory, as well as the ability to model human emotions and the perceptual skills to detect emotions.) Also, for good human-computer interaction, an intelligent machine also needs to display emotions. At the very least it must appear polite and sensitive to the humans it interacts with. At best, it should have normal emotions itself. Creativity Main article: Computational creativity A sub-field of AI addresses creativity both theoretically (from a philosophical and psychological perspective) and practically (via specific implementations of systems that generate outputs that can be considered creative, or systems that identify and assess creativity). A related area of computational research is Artificial Intuition and Artificial Imagination.citation needed General intelligence Main articles: Strong AI and AI-complete Most researchers hope that their work will eventually be incorporated into a machine with general intelligence (known as strong AI), combining all the skills above and exceeding human abilities at most or all of them.13 A few believe that anthropomorphic features like artificial consciousness or an artificial brain may be required for such a project.7172 Many of the problems above are considered AI-complete: to solve one problem, you must solve them all. For example, even a straightforward, specific task like machine translation requires that the machine follow the author's argument (reason), know what is being talked about (knowledge), and faithfully reproduce the author's intention (social intelligence). Machine translation, therefore, is believed to be AI-complete: it may require strong AI to be done as well as humans can do it.73 Approaches There is no established unifying theory or paradigm that guides AI research. Researchers disagree about many issues.74 A few of the most long standing questions that have remained unanswered are these: should artificial intelligence simulate natural intelligence, by studying psychology or neurology? Or is human biology as irrelevant to AI research as bird biology is to aeronautical engineering?75 Can intelligent behavior be described using simple, elegant principles (such as logic or optimization)? Or does it necessarily require solving a large number of completely unrelated problems?76 Can intelligence be reproduced using high-level symbols, similar to words and ideas? Or does it require "sub-symbolic" processing?77 Cybernetics and brain simulation Main articles: Cybernetics and Computational neuroscience There is currently no consensus on how closely the brain should be simulated. In the 1940s and 1950s, a number of researchers explored the connection between neurology, information theory, and cybernetics. Some of them built machines that used electronic networks to exhibit rudimentary intelligence, such as W. Grey Walter's turtles and the Johns Hopkins Beast. Many of these researchers gathered for meetings of the Teleological Society at Princeton University and the Ratio Club in England.21 By 1960, this approach was largely abandoned, although elements of it would be revived in the 1980s. Symbolic Main article: GOFAI When access to digital computers became possible in the middle 1950s, AI research began to explore the possibility that human intelligence could be reduced to symbol manipulation. The research was centered in three institutions: CMU, Stanford and MIT, and each one developed its own style of research. John Haugeland named these approaches to AI "good old fashioned AI" or "GOFAI".78 Cognitive simulation Economist Herbert Simon and Allen Newell studied human problem solving skills and attempted to formalize them, and their work laid the foundations of the field of artificial intelligence, as well as cognitive science, operations research and management science. Their research team used the results of psychological experiments to develop programs that simulated the techniques that people used to solve problems. This tradition, centered at Carnegie Mellon University would eventually culminate in the development of the Soar architecture in the middle 80s.7980 Logic based Unlike Newell and Simon, John McCarthy felt that machines did not need to simulate human thought, but should instead try to find the essence of abstract reasoning and problem solving, regardless of whether people used the same algorithms.75 His laboratory at Stanford (SAIL) focused on using formal logic to solve a wide variety of problems, including knowledge representation, planning and learning.81 Logic was also focus of the work at the University of Edinburgh and elsewhere in Europe which led to the development of the programming language Prolog and the science of logic programming.82 "Anti-logic" or "scruffy" Researchers at MIT (such as Marvin Minsky and Seymour Papert)83 found that solving difficult problems in vision and natural language processing required ad-hoc solutions – they argued that there was no simple and general principle (like logic) that would capture all the aspects of intelligent behavior. Roger Schank described their "anti-logic" approaches as "scruffy" (as opposed to the "neat" paradigms at CMU and Stanford).76 Commonsense knowledge bases (such as Doug Lenat's Cyc) are an example of "scruffy" AI, since they must be built by hand, one complicated concept at a time.84 Knowledge based When computers with large memories became available around 1970, researchers from all three traditions began to build knowledge into AI applications.85 This "knowledge revolution" led to the development and deployment of expert systems (introduced by Edward Feigenbaum), the first truly successful form of AI software.31 The knowledge revolution was also driven by the realization that enormous amounts of knowledge would be required by many simple AI applications. Sub-symbolic During the 1960s, symbolic approaches had achieved great success at simulating high-level thinking in small demonstration programs. Approaches based on cybernetics or neural networks were abandoned or pushed into the background.86 By the 1980s, however, progress in symbolic AI seemed to stall and many believed that symbolic systems would never be able to imitate all the processes of human cognition, especially perception, robotics, learning and pattern recognition. A number of researchers began to look into "sub-symbolic" approaches to specific AI problems.77 Bottom-up, embodied, situated, behavior-based or nouvelle AI Researchers from the related field of robotics, such as Rodney Brooks, rejected symbolic AI and focused on the basic engineering problems that would allow robots to move and survive.87 Their work revived the non-symbolic viewpoint of the early cybernetics researchers of the 50s and reintroduced the use of control theory in AI. This coincided with the development of the embodied mind thesis in the related field of cognitive science: the idea that aspects of the body (such as movement, perception and visualization) are required for higher intelligence. Computational Intelligence Interest in neural networks and "connectionism" was revived by David Rumelhart and others in the middle 1980s.88 These and other sub-symbolic approaches, such as fuzzy systems and evolutionary computation, are now studied collectively by the emerging discipline of computational intelligence.89 Statistical In the 1990s, AI researchers developed sophisticated mathematical tools to solve specific subproblems. These tools are truly scientific, in the sense that their results are both measurable and verifiable, and they have been responsible for many of AI's recent successes. The shared mathematical language has also permitted a high level of collaboration with more established fields (like mathematics, economics or operations research). Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig describe this movement as nothing less than a "revolution" and "the victory of the neats."34 Integrating the approaches Intelligent agent paradigm An intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions which maximizes its chances of success. The simplest intelligent agents are programs that solve specific problems. The most complicated intelligent agents are rational, thinking humans.90 The paradigm gives researchers license to study isolated problems and find solutions that are both verifiable and useful, without agreeing on one single approach. An agent that solves a specific problem can use any approach that works — some agents are symbolic and logical, some are sub-symbolic neural networks and others may use new approaches. The paradigm also gives researchers a common language to communicate with other fields—such as decision theory and economics—that also use concepts of abstract agents. The intelligent agent paradigm became widely accepted during the 1990s.91 Agent architectures and cognitive architectures Researchers have designed systems to build intelligent systems out of interacting intelligent agents in a multi-agent system.92 A system with both symbolic and sub-symbolic components is a hybrid intelligent system, and the study of such systems is artificial intelligence systems integration. A hierarchical control system provides a bridge between sub-symbolic AI at its lowest, reactive levels and traditional symbolic AI at its highest levels, where relaxed time constraints permit planning and world modelling.93 Rodney Brooks' subsumption architecture was an early proposal for such a hierarchical system.94 Tools In the course of 50 years of research, AI has developed a large number of tools to solve the most difficult problems in computer science. A few of the most general of these methods are discussed below. Search and optimization Main articles: Search algorithm, Optimization (mathematics), and Evolutionary computation Many problems in AI can be solved in theory by intelligently searching through many possible solutions:95 Reasoning can be reduced to performing a search. For example, logical proof can be viewed as searching for a path that leads from premises to conclusions, where each step is the application of an inference rule.96 Planning algorithms search through trees of goals and subgoals, attempting to find a path to a target goal, a process called means-ends analysis.97 Robotics algorithms for moving limbs and grasping objects use local searches in configuration space.64 Many learning algorithms use search algorithms based on optimization. Simple exhaustive searches98 are rarely sufficient for most real world problems: the search space (the number of places to search) quickly grows to astronomical numbers. The result is a search that is too slow or never completes. The solution, for many problems, is to use "heuristics" or "rules of thumb" that eliminate choices that are unlikely to lead to the goal (called "pruning the search tree"). Heuristics supply the program with a "best guess" for what path the solution lies on.99 A very different kind of search came to prominence in the 1990s, based on the mathematical theory of optimization. For many problems, it is possible to begin the search with some form of a guess and then refine the guess incrementally until no more refinements can be made. These algorithms can be visualized as blind hill climbing: we begin the search at a random point on the landscape, and then, by jumps or steps, we keep moving our guess uphill, until we reach the top. Other optimization algorithms are simulated annealing, beam search and random optimization.100 Evolutionary computation uses a form of optimization search. For example, they may begin with a population of organisms (the guesses) and then allow them to mutate and recombine, selecting only the fittest to survive each generation (refining the guesses). Forms of evolutionary computation include swarm intelligence algorithms (such as ant colony or particle swarm optimization)101 and evolutionary algorithms (such as genetic algorithms and genetic programming).102 Logic Main articles: Logic programming and Automated reasoning Logic103 is used for knowledge representation and problem solving, but it can be applied to other problems as well. For example, the satplan algorithm uses logic for planning104 and inductive logic programming is a method for learning.105 Several different forms of logic are used in AI research. Propositional or sentential logic106 is the logic of statements which can be true or false. First-order logic107 also allows the use of quantifiers and predicates, and can express facts about objects, their properties, and their relations with each other. Fuzzy logic,108 is a version of first-order logic which allows the truth of a statement to be represented as a value between 0 and 1, rather than simply True (1) or False (0). Fuzzy systems can be used for uncertain reasoning and have been widely used in modern industrial and consumer product control systems. Subjective logic109 models uncertainty in a different and more explicit manner than fuzzy-logic: a given binomial opinion satisfies belief + disbelief + uncertainty = 1 within a Beta distribution. By this method, ignorance can be distinguished from probabilistic statements that an agent makes with high confidence. Default logics, non-monotonic logics and circumscription47 are forms of logic designed to help with default reasoning and the qualification problem. Several extensions of logic have been designed to handle specific domains of knowledge, such as: description logics;41 situation calculus, event calculus and fluent calculus (for representing events and time);42 causal calculus;43 belief calculus; and modal logics.44 Probabilistic methods for uncertain reasoning Main articles: Bayesian network, Hidden Markov model, Kalman filter, Decision theory, and Utility theory Many problems in AI (in reasoning, planning, learning, perception and robotics) require the agent to operate with incomplete or uncertain information. AI researchers have devised a number of powerful tools to solve these problems using methods from probability theory and economics.110 Bayesian networks111 are a very general tool that can be used for a large number of problems: reasoning (using the Bayesian inference algorithm),112 learning (using the expectation-maximization algorithm),113 planning (using decision networks)114 and perception (using dynamic Bayesian networks).115 Probabilistic algorithms can also be used for filtering, prediction, smoothing and finding explanations for streams of data, helping perception systems to analyze processes that occur over time (e.g., hidden Markov models or Kalman filters).115 A key concept from the science of economics is "utility": a measure of how valuable something is to an intelligent agent. Precise mathematical tools have been developed that analyze how an agent can make choices and plan, using decision theory, decision analysis,116 information value theory.53 These tools include models such as Markov decision processes,117 dynamic decision networks,115 game theory and mechanism design.118 Classifiers and statistical learning methods Main articles: Classifier (mathematics), Statistical classification, and Machine learning The simplest AI applications can be divided into two types: classifiers ("if shiny then diamond") and controllers ("if shiny then pick up"). Controllers do however also classify conditions before inferring actions, and therefore classification forms a central part of many AI systems. Classifiers are functions that use pattern matching to determine a closest match. They can be tuned according to examples, making them very attractive for use in AI. These examples are known as observations or patterns. In supervised learning, each pattern belongs to a certain predefined class. A class can be seen as a decision that has to be made. All the observations combined with their class labels are known as a data set. When a new observation is received, that observation is classified based on previous experience.119 A classifier can be trained in various ways; there are many statistical and machine learning approaches. The most widely used classifiers are the neural network,120 kernel methods such as the support vector machine,121 k-nearest neighbor algorithm,122 Gaussian mixture model,123 naive Bayes classifier,124 and decision tree.125 The performance of these classifiers have been compared over a wide range of tasks. Classifier performance depends greatly on the characteristics of the data to be classified. There is no single classifier that works best on all given problems; this is also referred to as the "no free lunch" theorem. Determining a suitable classifier for a given problem is still more an art than science.126 Neural networks Main articles: Neural networks and Connectionism A neural network is an interconnected group of nodes, akin to the vast network of neurons in the human brain. The study of artificial neural networks120 began in the decade before the field AI research was founded, in the work of Walter Pitts and Warren McCullough. Other important early researchers were Frank Rosenblatt, who invented the perceptron and Paul Werbos who developed the backpropagation algorithm.127 The main categories of networks are acyclic or feedforward neural networks (where the signal passes in only one direction) and recurrent neural networks (which allow feedback). Among the most popular feedforward networks are perceptrons, multi-layer perceptrons and radial basis networks.128 Among recurrent networks, the most famous is the Hopfield net, a form of attractor network, which was first described by John Hopfield in 1982.129 Neural networks can be applied to the problem of intelligent control (for robotics) or learning, using such techniques as Hebbian learning and competitive learning.130 Jeff Hawkins argues that research in neural networks has stalled because it has failed to model the essential properties of the neocortex, and has suggested a model (Hierarchical Temporal Memory) that is loosely based on neurological research.131 Control theory Main article: Intelligent control Control theory, the grandchild of cybernetics, has many important applications, especially in robotics.132 Languages Main article: List of programming languages for artificial intelligence AI researchers have developed several specialized languages for AI research, including Lisp133 and Prolog.134 Evaluating progress Main article: Progress in artificial intelligence In 1950, Alan Turing proposed a general procedure to test the intelligence of an agent now known as the Turing test. This procedure allows almost all the major problems of artificial intelligence to be tested. However, it is a very difficult challenge and at present all agents fail.135 Artificial intelligence can also be evaluated on specific problems such as small problems in chemistry, hand-writing recognition and game-playing. Such tests have been termed subject matter expert Turing tests. Smaller problems provide more achievable goals and there are an ever-increasing number of positive results.136 The broad classes of outcome for an AI test are: (1) Optimal: it is not possible to perform better. (2) Strong super-human: performs better than all humans. (3) Super-human: performs better than most humans. (4) Sub-human: performs worse than most humans.citation needed For example, performance at draughts is optimal,137 performance at chess is super-human and nearing strong super-human (see Computer Chess#Computers versus humans) and performance at many everyday tasks (such as recognizing a face or crossing a room without bumping into something) is sub-human. A quite different approach measures machine intelligence through tests which are developed from mathematical definitions of intelligence. Examples of these kinds of tests start in the late nineties devising intelligence tests using notions from Kolmogorov Complexity and data compression.138 Two major advantages of mathematical definitions are their applicability to nonhuman intelligences and their absence of a requirement for human testers. Applications This section requires expansion. See the talk page. Main article: Applications of artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence techniques are pervasive and are too numerous to list. Frequently, when a technique reaches mainstream use, it is no longer considered artificial intelligence; this phenomenon is described as the AI effect.139 Competitions and prizes Main article: Competitions and prizes in artificial intelligence There are a number of competitions and prizes to promote research in artificial intelligence. The main areas promoted are: general machine intelligence, conversational behavior, data-mining, driverless cars, robot soccer and games. Platforms A platform (or "computing platform")is defined as "some sort of hardware architecture or software framework (including application frameworks), that allows software to run." As Rodney Brooks 140 pointed out many years ago, it is not just the artificial intelligence software that defines the AI features of the platform, but rather the actual platform itself that affects the AI that results, i.e., we need to be working out AI problems on real world platforms rather than in isolation. A wide variety of platforms has allowed different aspects of AI to develop, ranging from expert systems, albeit PC-based but still an entire real-world system to various robot platforms such as the widely available Roomba with open interface.141 Philosophy Main article: Philosophy of artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence, by claiming to be able to recreate the capabilities of the human mind, is both a challenge and an inspiration for philosophy. Are there limits to how intelligent machines can be? Is there an essential difference between human intelligence and artificial intelligence? Can a machine have a mind and consciousness? A few of the most influential answers to these questions are given below.142 Philosophy of AI. All of these positions below are mentioned in standard discussions of the subject, such as: Turing's "polite convention" If a machine acts as intelligently as a human being, then it is as intelligent as a human being. Alan Turing theorized that, ultimately, we can only judge the intelligence of a machine based on its behavior. This theory forms the basis of the Turing test.135 The Dartmouth proposal "Every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it." This assertion was printed in the proposal for the Dartmouth Conference of 1956, and represents the position of most working AI researchers.143 Newell and Simon's physical symbol system hypothesis "A physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means of general intelligent action." Newell and Simon argue that intelligences consists of formal operations on symbols.144 Hubert Dreyfus argued that, on the contrary, human expertise depends on unconscious instinct rather than conscious symbol manipulation and on having a "feel" for the situation rather than explicit symbolic knowledge. (See Dreyfus' critique of AI.)145146 Gödel's incompleteness theorem A formal system (such as a computer program) can not prove all true statements. Roger Penrose is among those who claim that Gödel's theorem limits what machines can do. (See The Emperor's New Mind.)147148 Searle's strong AI hypothesis "The appropriately programmed computer with the right inputs and outputs would thereby have a mind in exactly the same sense human beings have minds."149 John Searle counters this assertion with his Chinese room argument, which asks us to look inside the computer and try to find where the "mind" might be.150 The artificial brain argument The brain can be simulated. Hans Moravec, Ray Kurzweil and others have argued that it is technologically feasible to copy the brain directly into hardware and software, and that such a simulation will be essentially identical to the original.72 Prediction Main articles: Artificial intelligence in fiction, Ethics of artificial intelligence, Transhumanism, and Technological singularity Artifcial Intelligence is a common topic in both science fiction and projections about the future of technology and society. The existence of an artificial intelligence that rivals human intelligence raises difficult ethical issues, and the potential power of the technology inspires both hopes and fears. In fiction, Artificial Intelligence has appeared fulfilling many roles, including a servant (R2D2 in Star Wars), a law enforcer (K.I.T.T. "Knight Rider"), a comrade (Lt. Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation), a conqueror/overlord (The Matrix), a dictator (With Folded Hands), an assassin (Terminator), a sentient race (Battlestar Galactica/Transformers), an extension to human abilities (Ghost in the Shell) and the savior of the human race (R. Daneel Olivaw in the Asimov's Robot Series). Mary Shelley's Frankenstein151 considers a key issue in the ethics of artificial intelligence: if a machine can be created that has intelligence, could it also feel? If it can feel, does it have the same rights as a human? The idea also appears in modern science fiction, including the films I Robot, Blade Runner and A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, in which humanoid machines have the ability to feel human emotions. This issue, now known as "robot rights", is currently being considered by, for example, California's Institute for the Future,152 although many critics believe that the discussion is premature.153 Andrew Kennedy, in his musing on the evolution of the human personality,154 considered that artificial intelligences or 'new minds' are likely to have severe personality disorders, and identifies four particular types that are likely to arise: the autistic, the collector, the ecstatic, and the victim. He suggests that they will need humans because of our superior understanding of personality and the role of the unconscious. Martin Ford155 and others156 argue that specialized artificial intelligence applications, robotics and other forms of automation will ultimately result in significant unemployment as machines begin to match and exceed the capability of workers to perform most routine and repetitive jobs. Ford predicts that many knowledge-based occupations—and in particular entry level jobs—will be increasingly susceptible to automation via expert systems and other AI-enhanced applications. AI-based applications may also be used to amplify the capabilities of low-wage offshore workers, making it more feasible to outsource knowledge work. Evidence to support this contention may be found in the fact that real wages for new college graduates have been flat or even declining since 2000.157 Joseph Weizenbaum158 wrote that AI applications can not, by definition, successfully simulate genuine human empathy and that the use of AI technology in fields such as customer service or psychotherapy159 was deeply misguided. Weizenbaum was also bothered that AI researchers (and some philosophers) were willing to view the human mind as nothing more than a computer program (a position now known as computationalism). To Weizenbaum these points suggest that AI research devalues human life. Many futurists believe that artificial intelligence will ultimately transcend the limits of progress. Ray Kurzweil has used Moore's law (which describes the relentless exponential improvement in digital technology) to calculate that desktop computers will have the same processing power as human brains by the year 2029. He also predicts that by 2045 artificial intelligence will reach a point where it is able to improve itself at a rate that far exceeds anything conceivable in the past, a scenario that science fiction writer Vernor Vinge named the "technological singularity".160 Robot designer Hans Moravec, cyberneticist Kevin Warwick and inventor Ray Kurzweil have predicted that humans and machines will merge in the future into cyborgs that are more capable and powerful than either.160 This idea, called transhumanism, which has roots in Aldous Huxley and Robert Ettinger, has been illustrated in fiction as well, for example in the manga Ghost in the Shell and the science-fiction series Dune. Edward Fredkin argues that "artificial intelligence is the next stage in evolution,"161 an idea first proposed by Samuel Butler's "Darwin among the Machines" (1863), and expanded upon by George Dyson in his book of the same name in 1998. Pamela McCorduck writes that all these scenarios are expressions of the ancient human desire to, as she calls it, "forge the gods".7 See also AI portal Mind and Brain portal Main article: Outline of artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence in fiction Artificial Intelligence (journal) Artificial intelligence (video games) Cognitive sciences Friendly artificial intelligence List of basic artificial intelligence topics List of AI researchers List of important AI publications List of AI projects List of emerging technologies List of scientific journals Philosophy of mind Technological singularity Never-Ending Language Learning References Notes ^ TOPIO: "A Ping-Pong-Playing Terminator". Popular Science. "Best robot 2009". ^ Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, p. 1 (who use the term "computational intelligence" as a synonym for artificial intelligence). Other textbooks that define AI this way include Nilsson (1998), and Russell & Norvig (2003) (who prefer the term "rational agent") and write "The whole-agent view is now widely accepted in the field" (Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 55) These textbooks are the most widely used in academic AI. See Textbooks at AI topics ^ This definition, in terms of goals, actions, perception and environment, is due to Russell & Norvig (2003). Other definitions also include knowledge and learning as additional criteria. ^ Although there is some controversy on this point (see Crevier 1993, p. 50), McCarthy states unequivocally "I came up with the term" in a c|net interview. (See Getting Machines to Think Like Us.) ^ See John McCarthy, What is Artificial Intelligence? ^ See the Dartmouth proposal, under Philosophy, below. ^ a b c This is a central idea of Pamela McCorduck's Machines That Think. She writes: "I like to think of artificial intelligence as the scientific apotheosis of a venerable cultural tradition." (McCorduck 2004, p. 34) "Artificial intelligence in one form or another is an idea that has pervaded Western intellectual history, a dream in urgent need of being realized." (McCorduck 2004, p. xviii) "Our history is full of attempts—nutty, eerie, comical, earnest, legendary and real—to make artificial intelligences, to reproduce what is the essential us—bypassing the ordinary means. Back and forth between myth and reality, our imaginations supplying what our workshops couldn't, we have engaged for a long time in this odd form of self-reproduction." (McCorduck 2004, p. 3) She traces the desire back to its Hellenistic roots and calls it the urge to "forge the Gods." (McCorduck 2004, pp. 340–400) ^ The optimism referred to includes the predictions of early AI researchers (see optimism in the history of AI) as well as the ideas of modern transhumanists such as Ray Kurzweil. ^ The "setbacks" referred to include the ALPAC report of 1966, the abandonment of perceptrons in 1970, the the Lighthill Report of 1973 and the collapse of the lisp machine market in 1987. ^ a b AI applications widely used behind the scenes: Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 28 Kurzweil 2005, p. 265 NRC 1999, pp. 216–222 ^ Pamela McCorduck (2004, pp. 424) writes of "the rough shattering of AI in subfields—vision, natural language, decision theory, genetic algorithms, robotics ... and these with own sub-subfield—that would hardly have anything to say to each other." ^ a b This list of intelligent traits is based on the topics covered by the major AI textbooks, including: Russell & Norvig 2003 Luger & Stubblefield 2004 Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998 Nilsson 1998 ^ a b General intelligence (strong AI) is discussed in popular introductions to AI: Kurzweil 1999 and Kurzweil 2005 ^ AI in myth: McCorduck 2004, pp. 4–5 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 939 ^ Cult images as artificial intelligence: Crevier (1993, p. 1) (statue of Amun) McCorduck (2004, pp. 6–9) These were the first machines to be believed to have true intelligence and consciousness. Hermes Trismegistus expressed the common belief that with these statues, craftsman had reproduced "the true nature of the gods", their sensus and spiritus. McCorduck makes the connection between sacred automatons and Mosaic law (developed around the same time), which expressly forbids the worship of robots (McCorduck 2004, pp. 6–9) ^ Humanoid automata: Yan Shi: Needham 1986, p. 53 Hero of Alexandria: McCorduck 2004, p. 6 Al-Jazari: "A Thirteenth Century Programmable Robot". Shef.ac.uk. Retrieved 2009-04-25. Wolfgang von Kempelen: McCorduck 2004, p. 17 ^ Artificial beings: Jābir ibn Hayyān's Takwin: O'Connor, Kathleen Malone (1994). The alchemical creation of life (takwin) and other concepts of Genesis in medieval Islam. University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2007-01-10. Judah Loew's Golem: McCorduck 2004, pp. 15–16 Buchanan 2005, p. 50 Paracelsus' Homunculus: McCorduck 2004, pp. 13–14 ^ AI in early science fiction. McCorduck 2004, pp. 17–25 ^ This insight, that digital computers can simulate any process of formal reasoning, is known as the Church-Turing thesis. ^ Formal reasoning: Berlinski, David (2000). The Advent of the Algorithm. Harcourt Books. ISBN 0-15-601391-6. OCLC 46890682. ^ a b AI's immediate precursors: McCorduck 2004, pp. 51–107 Crevier 1993, pp. 27–32 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 15, 940 Moravec 1988, p. 3 See also Cybernetics and early neural networks (in History of artificial intelligence). Among the researchers who laid the foundations of AI were Alan Turing, John Von Neumann, Norbert Weiner, Claude Shannon, Warren McCullough, Walter Pitts and Donald Hebb. ^ Dartmouth conference: McCorduck 2004, pp. 111–136 Crevier 1993, pp. 47–49, who writes "the conference is generally recognized as the official birthdate of the new science." Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 17, who call the conference "the birth of artificial intelligence." NRC 1999, pp. 200–201 ^ Hegemony of the Dartmouth conference attendees: Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 17, who write "for the next 20 years the field would be dominated by these people and their students." McCorduck 2004, pp. 129–130 ^ Russell and Norvig write "it was astonishing whenever a computer did anything kind of smartish." Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 18 ^ "Golden years" of AI (successful symbolic reasoning programs 1956-1973): McCorduck 2004, pp. 243–252 Crevier 1993, pp. 52–107 Moravec 1988, p. 9 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 18–21 The programs described are Daniel Bobrow's STUDENT, Newell and Simon's Logic Theorist and Terry Winograd's SHRDLU. ^ DARPA pours money into undirected pure research into AI during the 1960s: McCorduck 2004, pp. 131 Crevier 1993, pp. 51, 64–65 NRC 1999, pp. 204–205 ^ AI in England: Howe 1994 ^ Optimism of early AI: Herbert Simon quote: Simon 1965, p. 96 quoted in Crevier 1993, p. 109. Marvin Minsky quote: Minsky 1967, p. 2 quoted in Crevier 1993, p. 109. ^ See The problems (in History of artificial intelligence) ^ First AI Winter, Mansfield Amendment, Lighthill report Crevier 1993, pp. 115–117 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 22 NRC 1999, pp. 212–213 Howe 1994 ^ a b Expert systems: ACM 1998, I.2.1, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 22−24 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 227–331, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 17.4 McCorduck 2004, pp. 327–335, 434–435 Crevier 1993, pp. 145–62, 197−203 ^ Boom of the 1980s: rise of expert systems, Fifth Generation Project, Alvey, MCC, SCI: McCorduck 2004, pp. 426–441 Crevier 1993, pp. 161–162,197–203, 211, 240 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 24 NRC 1999, pp. 210–211 ^ Second AI winter: McCorduck 2004, pp. 430–435 Crevier 1993, pp. 209–210 NRC 1999, pp. 214–216 ^ a b Formal methods are now preferred ("Victory of the neats"): Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 25–26 McCorduck 2004, pp. 486–487 ^ Problem solving, puzzle solving, game playing and deduction: Russell & Norvig 2003, chpt. 3-9, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, chpt. 2,3,7,9, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, chpt. 3,4,6,8, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 7-12 ^ Uncertain reasoning: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 452–644, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 345–395, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 333–381, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 19 ^ Intractability and efficiency and the combinatorial explosion: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 9, 21–22 ^ Psychological evidence of sub-symbolic reasoning: Wason & Shapiro (1966) showed that people do poorly on completely abstract problems, but if the problem is restated to allow the use of intuitive social intelligence, performance dramatically improves. (See Wason selection task) Kahnemann, Slovik & Tversky (1982) have shown that people are terrible at elementary problems that involve uncertain reasoning. (See list of cognitive biases for several examples). Lakoff & Núñez (2000) have controversially argued that even our skills at mathematics depend on knowledge and skills that come from "the body", i.e. sensorimotor and perceptual skills. (See Where Mathematics Comes From) ^ Knowledge representation: ACM 1998, I.2.4, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 320–363, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 23–46, 69–81, 169–196, 235–277, 281–298, 319–345, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 227–243, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 18 ^ Knowledge engineering: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 260–266, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 199–233, Nilsson 1998, chpt. ~17.1-17.4 ^ a b Representing categories and relations: Semantic networks, description logics, inheritance (including frames and scripts): Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 349–354, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 174–177, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 248–258, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 18.3 ^ a b Representing events and time:Situation calculus, event calculus, fluent calculus (including solving the frame problem): Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 328–341, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 281–298, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 18.2 ^ a b Causal calculus: Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 335–337 ^ a b Representing knowledge about knowledge: Belief calculus, modal logics: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 341–344, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 275–277 ^ Ontology: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 320–328 ^ McCarthy & Hayes 1969. While McCarthy was primarily concerned with issues in the logical representation of actions, Russell & Norvig 2003 apply the term to the more general issue of default reasoning in the vast network of assumptions underlying all our commonsense knowledge. ^ a b Default reasoning and default logic, non-monotonic logics, circumscription, closed world assumption, abduction (Poole et al. places abduction under "default reasoning". Luger et al. places this under "uncertain reasoning"): Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 354–360, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 248–256, 323–335, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 335–363, Nilsson 1998, ~18.3.3 ^ Breadth of commonsense knowledge: Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 21, Crevier 1993, pp. 113–114, Moravec 1988, p. 13, Lenat & Guha 1989 (Introduction) ^ Dreyfus & Dreyfus 1986 ^ Gladwell 2005 ^ a b Expert knowledge as embodied intuition: Dreyfus & Dreyfus 1986 (Hubert Dreyfus is a philosopher and critic of AI who was among the first to argue that most useful human knowledge was encoded sub-symbolically. See Dreyfus' critique of AI) Gladwell 2005 (Gladwell's Blink is a popular introduction to sub-symbolic reasoning and knowledge.) Hawkins & Blakeslee 2005 (Hawkins argues that sub-symbolic knowledge should be the primary focus of AI research.) ^ Planning: ACM 1998, ~I.2.8, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 375–459, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 281–316, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 314–329, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 10.1-2, 22 ^ a b Information value theory: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 600–604 ^ Classical planning: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 375–430, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 281–315, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 314–329, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 10.1-2, 22 ^ Planning and acting in non-deterministic domains: conditional planning, execution monitoring, replanning and continuous planning: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 430–449 ^ Multi-agent planning and emergent behavior: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 449–455 ^ Learning: ACM 1998, I.2.6, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 649–788, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 397–438, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 385–542, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 3.3 , 10.3, 17.5, 20 ^ Alan Turing discussed the centrality of learning as early as 1950, in his classic paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence. (Turing 1950) ^ Reinforcement learning: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 763–788 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 442–449 ^citation needed ^ Natural language processing: ACM 1998, I.2.7 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 790–831 Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 91–104 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 591–632 ^ Applications of natural language processing, including information retrieval (i.e. text mining) and machine translation: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 840–857, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 623–630 ^ Robotics: ACM 1998, I.2.9, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 901–942, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 443–460 ^ a b Moving and configuration space: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 916–932 ^ Robotic mapping (localization, etc): Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 908–915 ^ Machine perception: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 537–581, 863–898 Nilsson 1998, ~chpt. 6 ^ Computer vision: ACM 1998, I.2.10 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 863–898 Nilsson 1998, chpt. 6 ^ Speech recognition: ACM 1998, ~I.2.7 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 568–578 ^ Object recognition: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 885–892 ^ Emotion and affective computing: Minsky 2007 Picard 1997 ^ Gerald Edelman, Igor Aleksander and others have both argued that artificial consciousness is required for strong AI. (Aleksander 1995; Edelman 2007) ^ a b Artificial brain arguments: AI requires a simulation of the operation of the human brain Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 957 Crevier 1993, pp. 271 and 279 A few of the people who make some form of the argument: Moravec 1988 Kurzweil 2005, p. 262 Hawkins & Blakeslee 2004 The most extreme form of this argument (the brain replacement scenario) was put forward by Clark Glymour in the mid-70s and was touched on by Zenon Pylyshyn and John Searle in 1980. ^ AI complete: Shapiro 1992, p. 9 ^ Nils Nilsson writes: "Simply put, there is wide disagreement in the field about what AI is all about" (Nilsson 1983, p. 10). ^ a b Biological intelligence vs. intelligence in general: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 2–3, who make the analogy with aeronautical engineering. McCorduck 2004, pp. 100–101, who writes that there are "two major branches of artificial intelligence: one aimed at producing intelligent behavior regardless of how it was accomplioshed, and the other aimed at modeling intelligent processes found in nature, particularly human ones." Kolata 1982, a paper in Science, which describes McCathy's indifference to biological models. Kolata quotes McCarthy as writing: "This is AI, so we don't care if it's psychologically real"[1]. McCarthy recently reiterated his position at the AI@50 conference where he said "Artificial intelligence is not, by definition, simulation of human intelligence" (Maker 2006). ^ a b Neats vs. scruffies: McCorduck 2004, pp. 421–424, 486–489 Crevier 1993, pp. 168 Nilsson 1983, pp. 10–11 ^ a b Symbolic vs. sub-symbolic AI: Nilsson (1998, p. 7), who uses the term "sub-symbolic". ^ Haugeland 1985, pp. 112–117 ^ Cognitive simulation, Newell and Simon, AI at CMU (then called Carnegie Tech): McCorduck 2004, pp. 139–179, 245–250, 322–323 (EPAM) Crevier 1993, pp. 145–149 ^ Soar (history): McCorduck 2004, pp. 450–451 Crevier 1993, pp. 258–263 ^ McCarthy and AI research at SAIL and SRI: McCorduck 2004, pp. 251–259 Crevier 1993 ^ AI research at Edinburgh and in France, birth of Prolog: Crevier 1993, pp. 193–196 Howe 1994 ^ AI at MIT under Marvin Minsky in the 1960s : McCorduck 2004, pp. 259–305 Crevier 1993, pp. 83–102, 163–176 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 19 ^ Cyc: McCorduck 2004, p. 489, who calls it "a determinedly scruffy enterprise" Crevier 1993, pp. 239−243 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 363−365 Lenat & Guha 1989 ^ Knowledge revolution: McCorduck 2004, pp. 266–276, 298–300, 314, 421 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 22–23 ^ The most dramatic case of sub-symbolic AI being pushed into the background was the devastating critique of perceptrons by Marvin Minsky and Seymour Papert in 1969. See History of AI, AI winter, or Frank Rosenblatt. ^ Embodied approaches to AI: McCorduck 2004, pp. 454–462 Brooks 1990 Moravec 1988 ^ Revival of connectionism: Crevier 1993, pp. 214–215 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 25 ^ Computational intelligence IEEE Computational Intelligence Society ^ The intelligent agent paradigm: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 27, 32–58, 968–972, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 7–21, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 235–240 ^ "The whole-agent view is now widely accepted in the field" Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 55 ^ Agent architectures, hybrid intelligent systems: Russell & Norvig (2003, pp. 27, 932, 970–972) Nilsson (1998, chpt. 25) ^ Hierarchical control system: Albus, J. S. 4-D/RCS reference model architecture for unmanned ground vehicles. In G Gerhart, R Gunderson, and C Shoemaker, editors, Proceedings of the SPIE AeroSense Session on Unmanned Ground Vehicle Technology, volume 3693, pages 11—20 ^ Subsumption architecturecitation needed ^ Search algorithms: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 59–189 Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 113–163 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 79–164, 193–219 Nilsson 1998, chpt. 7-12 ^ Forward chaining, backward chaining, Horn clauses, and logical deduction as search: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 217–225, 280–294 Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. ~46–52 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 62–73 Nilsson 1998, chpt. 4.2, 7.2 ^ State space search and planning: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 382–387 Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 298–305 Nilsson 1998, chpt. 10.1-2 ^ Uninformed searches (breadth first search, depth first search and general state space search): Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 59–93 Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 113–132 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 79–121 Nilsson 1998, chpt. 8 ^ Heuristic or informed searches (e.g., greedy best first and A*): Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 94–109, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. pp. 132–147, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 133–150, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 9 ^ Optimization searches: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 110–116,120–129 Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 56–163 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 127–133 ^ Artificial life and society based learning: Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 530–541 ^ Genetic programming and genetic algorithms: Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 509–530, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 4.2. Holland, John H. (1975). Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0262581116. Koza, John R. (1992). Genetic Programming. MIT Press. ISBN 0262111705. Poli, R., Langdon, W. B., McPhee, N. F. (2008). A Field Guide to Genetic Programming. Lulu.com, freely available from ISBN 978-1-4092-0073-4. ^ Logic: ACM 1998, ~I.2.3, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 194–310, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 35–77, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 13-16 ^ Satplan: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 402–407, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 300–301, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 21 ^ Explanation based learning, relevance based learning, inductive logic programming, case based reasoning: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 678–710, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 414–416, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. ~422–442, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 10.3, 17.5 ^ Propositional logic: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 204–233, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 45–50 Nilsson 1998, chpt. 13 ^ First-order logic and features such as equality: ACM 1998, ~I.2.4, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 240–310, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 268–275, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 50–62, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 15 ^ Fuzzy logic: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 526–527 ^ Subjective logic: CITATION IN PROGRESS.citation needed ^ Stochastic methods for uncertain reasoning: ACM 1998, ~I.2.3, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 462–644, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 345–395, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 165–191, 333–381, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 19 ^ Bayesian networks: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 492–523, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 361–381, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. ~182–190, ~363–379, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 19.3-4 ^ Bayesian inference algorithm: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 504–519, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 361–381, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. ~363–379, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 19.4 & 7 ^ Bayesian learning and the expectation-maximization algorithm: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 712–724, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 424–433, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 20 ^ Bayesian decision theory snd Bayesian decision networks: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 597–600 ^ a b c Stochastic temporal models: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 537–581 Dynamic Bayesian networks: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 551–557 Hidden Markov model: (Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 549–551) Kalman filters: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 551–557 ^ decision theory and decision analysis: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 584–597, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 381–394 ^ Markov decision processes and dynamic decision networks: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 613–631 ^ Game theory and mechanism design: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 631–643 ^ Statistical learning methods and classifiers: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 712–754, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 453–541 ^ a b Neural networks and connectionism: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 736–748, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 408–414, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 453–505, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 3 ^ Kernel methods: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 749–752 ^ K-nearest neighbor algorithm: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 733–736 ^ Gaussian mixture model: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 725–727 ^ Naive Bayes classifier: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 718 ^ Decision tree: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 653–664, Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 403–408, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 408–417 ^ Classifier performance: van der Walt & Bernard 2006 ^ Backpropagation: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 744–748, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 467–474, Nilsson 1998, chpt. 3.3 ^ Feedforward neural networks, perceptrons radial basis networks: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 739–748, 758 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 458–467 ^ Recurrent neural networks, Hopfield nets: Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 758 Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 474–505 ^ Competitive learning, Hebbian coincidence learning, Hopfield networks and attractor networks: Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 474–505 ^ Hierarchical temporal memory: Hawkins & Blakeslee 2004 ^ Control theory: ACM 1998, ~I.2.8, Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 926–932 ^ Lisp: Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 723–821 Crevier 1993, pp. 59–62, Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 18 ^ Prolog: Poole, Mackworth & Goebel 1998, pp. 477–491, Luger & Stubblefield 2004, pp. 641–676, 575–581 ^ a b The Turing test: Turing's original publication: Turing 1950 Historical influence and philosophical implications: Haugeland 1985, pp. 6–9 Crevier 1993, p. 24 McCorduck 2004, pp. 70–71 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 2–3 and 948 ^ Subject matter expert Turing test: CITATION IN PROGRESS.citation needed ^ Game AI: CITATION IN PROGRESS.citation needed ^ Mathematical definitions of intelligence: Jose Hernandez-Orallo (2000). "Beyond the Turing Test". Journal of Logic, Language and Information 9 (4): 447–466. doi:10.1023/A:1008367325700. Retrieved 2009-07-21. D L Dowe and A R Hajek (1997). "A computational extension to the Turing Test". Proceedings of the 4th Conference of the Australasian Cognitive Science jSociety. Retrieved 2009-07-21. J Hernandez-Orallo and D L Dowe (2010). "Measuring Universal Intelligence: Towards an Anytime Intelligence Test". Artificial Intelligence Journal. Retrieved 2010-10-01. ^ "AI set to exceed human brain power" (web article). CNN.com. 2006-07-26. Retrieved 2008-02-26. ^ Brooks, R.A., "How to build complete creatures rather than isolated cognitive simulators," in K. VanLehn (ed.), Architectures for Intelligence, pp. 225-239, Lawrence Erlbaum Assosiates, Hillsdale, NJ, 1991. ^ ^ Philosophy of AI. All of these positions in this section are mentioned in standard discussions of the subject, such as: Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 947–960 Fearn 2007, pp. 38–55 ^ Dartmouth proposal: McCarthy et al. 1955 (the original proposal) Crevier 1993, p. 49 (historical significance) ^ The physical symbol systems hypothesis: Newell & Simon 1976, p. 116 McCorduck 2004, p. 153 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 18 ^ Dreyfus criticized the necessary condition of the physical symbol system hypothesis, which he called the "psychological assumption": "The mind can be viewed as a device operating on bits of information according to formal rules". (Dreyfus 1992, p. 156) ^ Dreyfus' critique of artificial intelligence: Dreyfus 1972, Dreyfus & Dreyfus 1986 Crevier 1993, pp. 120–132 McCorduck 2004, pp. 211–239 Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 950–952, ^ This is a paraphrase of the relevant implication of Gödel's theorems. ^ The Mathematical Objection: Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 949 McCorduck 2004, pp. 448–449 Making the Mathematical Objection: Lucas 1961, Penrose 1989. Refuting Mathematical Objection: Turing 1950 under "(2) The Mathematical Objection" Hofstadter 1979, Background: Gödel 1931, Church 1936, Kleene 1935, Turing 1937 ^ This version is from Searle (1999), and is also quoted in Dennett 1991, p. 435. Searle's original formulation was "The appropriately programmed computer really is a mind, in the sense that computers given the right programs can be literally said to understand and have other cognitive states." (Searle 1980, p. 1). Strong AI is defined similarly by Russell & Norvig (2003, p. 947): "The assertion that machines could possibly act intelligently (or, perhaps better, act as if they were intelligent) is called the 'weak AI' hypothesis by philosophers, and the assertion that machines that do so are actually thinking (as opposed to simulating thinking) is called the 'strong AI' hypothesis." ^ Searle's Chinese Room argument: Searle 1980. Searle's original presentation of the thought experiment. Searle 1991. Searle 1999. Russell & Norvig 2003, pp. 958–960 McCorduck 2004, pp. 443–445 Crevier 1993, pp. 269–271 ^ McCorduck (2004, p. 190-25) discusses Frankenstein and identifies the key ethical issues as scientific hubris and the suffering of the monster, i.e. robot rights. ^ Robot rights: Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 964 Robots could demand legal rights ^ See the Times Online, Human rights for robots? We're getting carried away ^ Kennedy, Andrew (2009), 'Who is human anyway?', pp=221–234, "Essential Personalities, and why humans found love, adapted to monogamy and became better parents", Gravity Publishing, UK, ISBN 978-0-9544831-4-2 ^ Ford, Martin, The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future, Acculant Publishing, 2009, ISBN 978-1-4486-5981-4, ^ Russell & Norvig (2003, pp. 960–961) ^ "Earnings of Young College Grads vs College Costs" ^ Joseph Weizenbaum's critique of AI: Weizenbaum 1976 Crevier 1993, pp. 132−144 McCorduck 2004, pp. 356–373 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 961 Weizenbaum (the AI researcher who developed the first chatterbot program, ELIZA) argued in 1976 that the misuse of artificial intelligence has the potential to devalue human life. ^ In the early 70s, Kenneth Colby presented a version of Weizenbaum's ELIZA known as DOCTOR which he promoted as a serious therapeutic tool. ^ a b Singularity, transhumanism: Kurzweil 2005 Russell & Norvig 2003, p. 963 ^ Quoted in McCorduck (2004, p. 401) AI textbooks Luger, George; Stubblefield, William (2004). Artificial Intelligence: Structures and Strategies for Complex Problem Solving (5th ed.). The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc.. ISBN 0-8053-4780-1. Nilsson, Nils (1998). Artificial Intelligence: A New Synthesis. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. ISBN 978-1-55860-467-4. Russell, Stuart J.; Norvig, Peter (2003), Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (2nd ed.), Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-790395-2, Poole, David; Mackworth, Alan; Goebel, Randy (1998). Computational Intelligence: A Logical Approach. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195102703. Winston, Patrick Henry (1984). Artificial Intelligence. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0201082594. History of AI Crevier, Daniel (1993), AI: The Tumultuous Search for Artificial Intelligence, New York, NY: BasicBooks, ISBN 0-465-02997-3 McCorduck, Pamela (2004), Machines Who Think (2nd ed.), Natick, MA: A. K. Peters, Ltd., ISBN 1-56881-205-1, Other sources "ACM Computing Classification System: Artificial intelligence". ACM. 1998. Retrieved 2007-08-30. Aleksander, Igor (1995). Artificial Neuroconsciousness: An Update. IWANN. Archived from the original on 1997-03-02. BibTex Internet Archive Brooks, Rodney (1990). "Elephants Don't Play Chess" (PDF). Robotics and Autonomous Systems 6: 3–15. doi:10.1016/S0921-8890(05)80025-9. Retrieved 2007-08-30. . Buchanan, Bruce G. (Winter 2005). "A (Very) Brief History of Artificial Intelligence" (PDF). AI Magazine: 53–60. Retrieved 2007-08-30. Dennett, Daniel (1991). Consciousness Explained. The Penguin Press. ISBN 0-7139-9037-6. Dreyfus, Hubert (1972). What Computers Can't Do. New York: MIT Press. ISBN 0060110821. Dreyfus, Hubert (1979). What Computers Still Can't Do. New York: MIT Press. ISBN 0262041340. Dreyfus, Hubert; Dreyfus, Stuart (1986). Mind over Machine: The Power of Human Intuition and Expertise in the Era of the Computer. Oxford, UK: Blackwell. ISBN 0029080606. Dreyfus, Hubert (1992). What Computers Still Can't Do. New York: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-54067-3. Edelman, Gerald (23 November 2007). "Gerald Edelman - Neural Darwinism and Brain-based Devices". Talking Robots. Fearn, Nicholas (2007). The Latest Answers to the Oldest Questions: A Philosophical Adventure with the World's Greatest Thinkers. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0802118399. Forster, Dion (2006). "Self validating consciousness in strong artificial intelligence: An African theological contribution.". Pretoria: University of South Africa. Gladwell, Malcolm (2005). Blink. New York: Little, Brown and Co.. ISBN 0-316-17232-4. Haugeland, John (1985). Artificial Intelligence: The Very Idea. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-08153-9. Hawkins, Jeff; Blakeslee, Sandra (2004). On Intelligence. New York, NY: Owl Books. ISBN 0-8050-7853-3. Hofstadter, Douglas (1979). Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. New York, NY: Vintage Books. ISBN 0394745027. Howe, J. (November 1994). "Artificial Intelligence at Edinburgh University: a Perspective". . Kahneman, Daniel; Slovic, D.; Tversky, Amos (1982). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521284147. Kolata, G. (1982). "How can computers get common sense?". Science 217 (217): 1237–1238. doi:10.1126/science.217.4566.1237. PMID 17837639. Kurzweil, Ray (1999). The Age of Spiritual Machines. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-670-88217-8. Kurzweil, Ray (2005). The Singularity is Near. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-670-03384-7. Lakoff, George (1987). Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About the Mind. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-46804-6. Lakoff, George; Núñez, Rafael E. (2000). Where Mathematics Comes From: How the Embodied Mind Brings Mathematics into Being. Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-03771-2. . Lenat, Douglas; Guha, R. V. (1989). Building Large Knowledge-Based Systems. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0201517523. Lighthill, Professor Sir James (1973). "Artificial Intelligence: A General Survey". Artificial Intelligence: a paper symposium. Science Research Council. Lucas, John (1961). "Minds, Machines and Gödel". In Anderson, A.R.. Minds and Machines. Maker, Meg Houston (2006). "AI@50: AI Past, Present, Future". Dartmouth College. Retrieved 16 October 2008. McCarthy, John; Minsky, Marvin; Rochester, Nathan; Shannon, Claude (1955). "A Proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence". . McCarthy, John; Hayes, P. J. (1969). "Some philosophical problems from the standpoint of artificial intelligence". Machine Intelligence 4: 463–502. Minsky, Marvin (1967). Computation: Finite and Infinite Machines. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0131654497. Minsky, Marvin (2006). The Emotion Machine. New York, NY: Simon & Schusterl. ISBN 0-7432-7663-9. Moravec, Hans (1976). "The Role of Raw Power in Intelligence". Moravec, Hans (1988). Mind Children. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674576160. NRC, (United States National Research Council) (1999). "Developments in Artificial Intelligence". Funding a Revolution: Government Support for Computing Research. National Academy Press. Needham, Joseph (1986). Science and Civilization in China: Volume 2. Caves Books Ltd.. Newell, Allen; Simon, H. A. (1963). "GPS: A Program that Simulates Human Thought". In Feigenbaum, E.A.; Feldman, J.. Computers and Thought. New York: McGraw-Hill. Newell, Allen; Simon, H. A. (1976). "Computer Science as Empirical Inquiry: Symbols and Search". Communications of the ACM. 19. . Nilsson, Nils (1983), "Artificial Intelligence Prepares for 2001", AI Magazine 1 (1), , Presidential Address to the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Searle, John (1980). "Minds, Brains and Programs". Behavioral and Brain Sciences 3 (3): 417–457. doi:10.1017/S0140525X00005756. Searle, John (1999). Mind, language and society. New York, NY: Basic Books. ISBN 0465045219. OCLC 43689264 231867665 43689264. Serenko, Alexander; Detlor, Brian (2004). "Intelligent agents as innovations". AI and Society 18 (4): 364–381. doi:10.1007/s00146-004-0310-5. Serenko, Alexander; Ruhi, Umar; Cocosila, Mihail (2007). "Unplanned effects of intelligent agents on Internet use: Social Informatics approach". AI and Society 21 (1-2): 141–166. doi:10.1007/s00146-006-0051-8. Shapiro, Stuart C. (1992). "Artificial Intelligence". In Shapiro, Stuart C.. Encyclopedia of Artificial Intelligence (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley. pp. 54–57. ISBN 0471503061. Simon, H. A. (1965). The Shape of Automation for Men and Management. New York: Harper & Row. Turing, Alan (October 1950), "Computing Machinery and Intelligence", Mind LIX (236): 433–460, doi:10.1093/mind/LIX.236.433, ISSN 0026-4423, retrieved 2008-08-18 . van der Walt, Christiaan; Bernard, Etienne (2006). "Data characteristics that determine classifier performance" (PDF). Retrieved 5 August 2009. Wason, P. C.; Shapiro, D. (1966). "Reasoning". In Foss, B. M.. New horizons in psychology. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Weizenbaum, Joseph (1976). Computer Power and Human Reason. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman & Company. ISBN 0716704641. Further reading Boden, Margaret, Mind As Machine, Oxford University Press, 2006 Johnston, John (2008) "The Allure of Machinic Life: Cybernetics, Artificial Life, and the New AI", MIT Press Myers, Courtney Boyd ed. (2009). The AI Report. Forbes June 2009 Serenko, Alexander (2010). The development of an AI journal ranking based on the revealed preference approach. Journal of Informetrics 4(4): 447-459. Sun, R. & Bookman, L. (eds.), Computational Architectures: Integrating Neural and Symbolic Processes. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Needham, MA. 1994. External links Find more about Artificial IntelligenceWhat Is AI? — An introduction to artificial intelligence by AI founder John McCarthy. Logic and Artificial Intelligence entry by Richmond Thomason in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy AI at the Open Directory Project GPAI - An open project for everyone come together to develop AI under GPL and Creative Commons. AI Topics — A large directory of links and other resources maintained by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, the leading organization of academic AI researchers. Artificial Intelligence Discussion groupchat mind Related articles Metaphysics · Philosophy of artificial intelligence · Philosophy of information · Philosophy of perception · Philosophy of self Concepts in mind Abstract object · Artificial intelligence · Chinese room · Cognition · Concept · Concept and object · Consciousness · Idea · Identity · Ingenuity · Intelligence · Intentionality · Introspection · Intuition · Language of thought · Materialism · Mental event · Mental image · Mental process · Mental property · Mental representation · Mind · Mind-body dichotomy · Pain · Problem of other minds · Propositional attitude · Qualia · Tabula rasa · Understanding · more… Theories of mind Behaviourism · Biological naturalism · Dualism · Eliminative materialism · Emergent materialism · Epiphenomenalism · Functionalism · Identity theory · Interactionism · Materialism · Mind-body problem · Monism · Naïve realism · Neutral monism · Phenomenalism · Phenomenology (Existential phenomenology) · Physicalism · Pragmatism · Property dualism · Representational theory of mind · Solipsism · Substance dualism Philosophers of mind J. L. Austin · Alexander Bain · Henri Bergson · Krishna Chandra Bhattacharya · C. D. Broad · Daniel Dennett · Dharmakirti · Donald Davidson · René Descartes · Alvin Goldman · Martin Heidegger · Edmund Husserl · William James · Søren Kierkegaard · Gottfried Leibniz · Maurice Merleau-Ponty · Marvin Minsky · G. E. Moore · Thomas Nagel · Karl Popper · Richard Rorty · Gilbert Ryle · John Searle · Baruch Spinoza · Alan Turing · Vasubandhu · Ludwig Wittgenstein · Zhuangzi · more… Portal · Category · Task Force · Discussion How do you increase your IQ Well first you need to know the answer to What is IQ Once you understand what IQ is you will understand that IQ is not really what you know It is more like Artificial intelligence based on Darwin's idea There are too few ethicists contemplating scenarios of a future populated by out-of-control, "differently sentient'' beings — a job science fiction writers have been doing for generations. The future of SEO and how it will affect content producers On the hunt for universal intelligence How do you use a scientific method to measure the intelligence of a human being, an animal, a machine or an extra-terrestrial? So far this has not been possible, but a team of Spanish and Australian researchers have taken a first step towards this by presenting the foundations to be used as a basis for this method in the journal Artificial Intelligence, and have also put forward a new ... On the hunt for universal intelligence How do you use a scientific method to measure the intelligence of a human being, an animal, a machine or an extra-terrestrial? So far this has not been possible, but researchers have taken a first step towards this by presenting the foundations to be used as a basis for this method, and have also put forward a new intelligence test. 'Jeopardy!' declares Google superior to Bing 'Jeopardy!" is turning into the gold standard for testing artificial intelligence. In two weeks, the game show will air a much-hyped man-vs-machine challenge, pitting "Jeopardy!" champs Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter against Watson, IBM's latest computer, to determine whether flesh or silicon will reign supreme. Now, computer expert Stephen...
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Post navigation [Editor's note: We usually try to limit article lengths to 5-7 pages, and when a piece is longer, we will usually serialize it. But then, there are some articles that have to be read at one sitting...preferably printed, preferably on a lazy Sunday morning. This article by Aklilu Zere--all 26 pages, all of the nearly 13,000 words-- is one of them. Enjoy, and see you in the comments section.] ________________________________________________________________________________________ "Suffering is by no means a privilege, a sign of nobility, a reminder of God. Suffering is a fierce, bestial thing, commonplace, uncalled for, natural as air. It is intangible; no one can grasp it or fight against it; it dwells in time / is the same thing as time; if it comes in fits and starts, that is only so as to leave the sufferer more defenseless during the moments that follow, those long moments when one relives the last bout of torture and waits for the next." Cesare Pavese Quotes The Name Before the Italian invasion and imminent capture of Eritrea the highland had many names but local historians always disagreed on those names. Some historians said the name was Mereb Milash, "This side of river Mereb", a river that now divides Eritrea and Ethiopia. Others said the name was Midri Hamasien, "the land of the Hams". The Italians did not bother to consult the people when they named their colony, Eritrea, though to their credit they named the new capital city they intended to build, and eventually did splendidly, Asmara, a word taken from the four villages that existed in that area when the Italians arrived. The villages were collectively known as Arbate Asmara. The Italians took the name Eritrea from the Bible [some say from the Greeks], the biblical name of the Red Sea. Its effect on the monks and the women was immediate: they liked and adored the name and did not waste time using it. In the highland if the monks and the women did not mind, every one else would not mind. The problem was with the sounding of the name. The pronunciation came in all varieties and forms of sounds: Eltra, Eritra, Elitrea; Eritrea; Ertra. But people didn't mind, they just said what came to their mouth and said it proudly. It was unconscious, so no shame was attached with the sounding of what they said. The monks liked the name Eritrea because it was in the Bible and referred to the very important event they preached and cherished: the crossing of the Jews through the middle of the Red Sea led by Moses to Mount Sinai and to freedom from slavery. Arms Length Acceptance At the beginning it was not the look of the Italians that bothered the monks and thus the women. In Eritrea there were Eritreans with very pale skin, pale faces, straight noses, thin lips and soft hairs so the white skin was not absolutely something new or strange. So was the hair. The language was also not a concern for the Monks and the women who literally believed in the story of the tower of Babel, that God gave people different tongues. It was also good for the monks who did not want any rapport between the Italians and the people, because they knew direct communication always leads to understanding that leads to tolerance and eventually influence. No communication meant every one kept his own values. In a nutshell, it was the religion of the Italians that bothered the monks: the Italians were Christians but not "real" Christians. Out of many the two fundamental values the monks wanted the people to watch out were the dietary rules and the printed (revised) Bible. In due faith diligence the Monks dictated their followers not to eat anything the Italians touched or handed, even in time of scarcity, and not to touch any printed Bible lest they face excommunication exactly as they did with the Swedish missionaries. Special warning was also handed specifically to the women concerning sugar, sweets and bleached wheat flour which the people call fino. The Monks said the Italians might use the power of sweets and bleached flour to woo first little kids and then eventually the women. The monks knew the women were the pillars of the faith. A convinced woman was an iron curtain. But they also knew women fight for survival. What would the women do if draught or locusts destroyed their yields and the Italians offered something? Would they say no and forgo survival? Or would they succumb to their survival instinct and diminish their faith? The monks were wise and creative. Like they allowed the woman to have coffee, sensing the hardy highland woman had her share of weaknesses, they also allowed her to take flour from the Italians but only if she was in dire need. But to the surprise of the monks and more to the Italians she refused to touch the flour and instead she asked for grain to grind herself which the Italians happily provided. As for the sugar, against the advice of the monks, the woman did not refuse the opportunity to take if the Italians offered and started using it to sweeten her bitter coffee. The monks were not worried with the flour or sugar, for they knew they were harmless. Their biggest worry was the Italians might use those as baits for conversion or worse influence new eating habits that transgressed the Church rules. So when the woman stuck with her faith and values albeit using sugar, the monks celebrated like nothing before and their trust towards the woman was cemented forever. The men were not of too much concern for the monks because they knew men would err, but would eventually come back to their faith, the faith of the woman that raised them in her back and her lap. Italian Attitude To Women Italians of now and Italians of then, loved and respected women. Though they came as colonizers, they never went out of their way to harm or upset the women. Actually the Italians found the women of Eritrea resembled their mothers back home in character and behavior. Those few Eritrean girls who were hired as maids, quickly adapted to their new surrounding and to the amazement of the Italians quickly mastered the language and were also quick learners to any task showed and assigned to them but initially they would not touch the Italian food; would not sleep in the house and the only things they willingly took if given were sugar, soap and fabric. There were three things the Italians brought that made the hardy woman always remember and remain grateful to them: the flour mill, soap, and shoes. The introduction of the mill signified her emancipation from manual grinding, a tedious, painful and non-ending back breaker. Because manual grinding was time consuming, the mill also freed up time for her to rest or do tasks that otherwise was set aside due to scarcity of time. Soap not only made cleaning clothes easier but also for the first time it enabled her to look after herself. As for the shoe, she took it as something that came from heaven like Manna to save her from that dreadful thorn of curse. The women used to use Shibti as detergent, a very fine white seed from a plant that grew along side streams. But due to its scarcity and seasonal availability she could not use it through out the year. When the Italians introduced soap which they call "sapone" the women took the word literally and called it Samna. Everything that cleans became samna, even the powdered detergent called Omo became a universal detergent and not a brand name. Until today the woman, whether in Eritrea or abroad calls any detergent Omo. That was how she was attached to it. Women of the highland loved white fabric, and would die for it if it was emblazoned with flowers. They had special word for it: tsada mdru ms inbaba. Knowing this, the Italians started importing fabrics so the women could buy them for clothes. Until recently, the first item a bride-to-be orders her groom-to-be is a white fabric with flower design. Italian Character For the Italians, Eritrea was their first colony. So as soon as the colony was established many civilian Italians, some volunteering, some adventurous and some who were forced because of their political tendencies came to Eritrea. All of those civilians had some kind of skill they brought with them from Italy and immediately ventured working in their field of expertise. Italians are compulsive and sentimental people. If given the opportunity, they prefer to stay in their home country until death. If not, they would emulate everything they know to their new surroundings; in other words, they recreate little Italy everywhere they go. If they did this as immigrants, imagine what they did as colonizers. Mutual "Mellow Disdain": A Working Relationship Comparing to the British, French, Spanish or Portuguese colonizers, the Italians were naïve and inexperienced when it came to colonizing. As soon as they declared Eritrea their colony, the Italians started transforming the landscape emulating their homeland. They poured their skills and hearts with no reservation because they thought their stay was forever. They built villas, roads, rail ways, bridges and tunnels, not only artistically, aesthetically and architecturally beautiful but also durable that still stands. The Italians did this by using their renowned architectural engineering acumen and using the best ingredients which the highland is abounds with: granite stone. As colonizers, every Eritrean labor was free to the Italians. At that time the attitude of the Italians towards the inhabitants could best be described as mellow disdain. But to their credit, to who ever showed willingness to learn, they trained and mentored as if their own kin. The disdain was mutual. The inhabitants disdained the Italians; some say mainly due to the unfinished open waste management system that bisects the city in half and rendered it smelly and dirty looking. The area was called Mai-bela because there was a stream that runs through it. (The good woman in my house says she would have absolved Nsu had he utilized the slave labor to build waste management system in all cities and towns of Eritrea). Despite their meager resource, rugged surroundings and history of isolation the people were stoic, intelligent, curious, dexterous, and easily trainable. They were also gifted with high memory retention and good common sense. To the astonishment of the Italian colonizers, in no time, many Eritreans became masons, brick layers, carpenters, mechanics, machinists, drivers, train engineers and chefs. They excelled in any field that required dexterity and imagination. As for the Italian language, any Eritrean who came in contact with an Italian for any given time, left understanding and comfortably speaking the language just like those who learned to cook Italian foods became good at cooking Italian recipes. In the nineteen twenties, Mussolini started banishing avant-garde Italian artists and architects to Eritrea as means of punishment. Those Italian rebels took Eritrea as blank canvas and started to experiment their ideas with astounding results, especially in the field of architecture and fashion designs. Because those artists were enemies to Mussolini, not only did they openly interact with the inhabitants but some even married the hardy but pretty Eritrean maid and in defiance to the Fascist racist ideology openly and willingly trained local apprentices. The Eritrean apprentices did not disappoint. They paid back for their fortunes by building magnificent churches and mosques in the villages and made the Monks, The Sheiks and the women happy and proud. Those who apprenticed under Italian tailors started tailoring garments for the inhabitants, mainly the women, and for the first time the women started wearing beautiful designed and custom tailored white dresses, which at first dismayed the monks, but eventually relented for they knew superficial look had nothing to do with the strong heart and strong belief of the woman. The Hardy Kebessa Woman – Diet The monks were right. The sugar, the mill, the soap and tailored dresses had no effect on the woman's values and beliefs. Yes, they made her look beautiful, clean and rested, but in what mattered, she stuck to her tradition. She continued drinking coffee brewed in her own hand crafted clay pot that she called Jebena and not in metal pots like the Italians and unlike the Italians, she drank her coffee black even though she could have added cow's or goat's milk. If she did not have sugar, almost always, she used salt or drank it black. She avoided touching or using the Italian flour. Even though she heard mouthwatering talks about pasta, she avoided it like it was worm, the warm that caused pain in her children's stomach. As for pork meat, what she called Siga Hasema, the only time she used it was when she fed a piece of salami to her kids because it was believed it protected them from evil spirits. Industrialization Among the Italian colonizers there were individuals with business acumen, who looked forward rather than their state quo condition and as business minded individuals race, skin color or class status of the inhabitants was immaterial to them. Also deep in their heart they knew the Fascist regime in Italy was going to be defeated. Many of the Italians in Eritrea whether soldiers or civilians, had already made up their mind to stay in Eritrea, no mater what the fate of their mother country became. Some Italian entrepreneurs had positive appreciation of their colonized Eritreans. They had observed the character, work ethic and easy adoptability of the people and had determined that transformation was imminent. They were also impressed with the behavior, discipline and directness of the women, which closely resembled that of their mothers. They observed that even though the woman would not compromise on her faith and village values, she was open to modernization. Without delay, Italian business men started opening myriad of businesses that catered the immediate and future needs of the inhabitants and those Italians who were adamant to stay in Eritrea. What started with the introduction of grain mills and importing soaps to help the plight of the woman spread to actual manufacturing it locally. Signore Baratolo opened textile factory and started churning white fabrics with myriad flowery designs mostly inspired by the local women; Signore Moliniery opened marble shop, some for export and some for local usage and found laborers happily working with the familiar stone; Signore Bini opened shoe factory, which became the most profitable of all the companies and also got mouthful blessings from everyone but more from the woman; the Luigi family opened soap factory and they always remained in the head and heart of the woman; the Fenili family opened winery, though the locals never got use to wines but at least city men found an alternative to the boring local beverage they called Swa [if a Swa or aptly to say tsray is good they called it Chianti- a fine Italian wine); an unknown family opened cigarette factory, which was cursed by the monks, but to no avail; Signore Mario opened candle and match factory and got hearty blessing from the monks and the women; Signore Denadai started banana and orange plantation mostly for export to the newly rich Arab countries; the Melotti family started beer company and were not disappointed despite the monk's and the urban woman's outrage; the V. Costa family opened machinery shop and to their amazement many of their apprentices became expert machinists and coach builders and in no time local made buses started roaming the roadways; the Salinas family started salt manufacturing company for export because the woman would not touch manufactured salt. She just continued buying salt delivered by camels; the Alfa family opened bread and cake factory; the Merenghi family opened glass manufacturing company because the land was rich in silica, soda and lime. Culture Clash There were two companies that drew the most scrutiny and attention and later violent reactions from the monks. One was Incode, a meat company, owned by the hated Giovanni brothers and the other was Salumificio Torinese, salami and Cheese Company. The Giovanni brothers opened a slaughter house and hired local people for the task. The laborers were harassed and threatened by the monks until finally out of fear they hid their face so no one could identify them. They became nameless and faceless in their own homeland and would not tell even their immediate family what they did for living. They were big and muscular probably chosen for their physical attributes but also could be due to the meat they consumed. It was told the Giovanni brothers did not mind the butchers eat as much meat as they wanted as long as it was done discretely within the slaughter house perimeter because they were weary and afraid of the monks. Every one run away from the meat packers if saw them during distributing meat to the Italian owned groceries called negozio. They could see cows' blood splattered all over their large leather aprons, hats and even their faces. Children were told the butchers were child eaters and were advised to run away as fast as their skinny legs could handle. The butchers knew they were not liked by their own people but it was not secret their masters treated them well. So despite their treatment by the people they remained faithful to their job albeit unknown and unrecognized by their own kind. Salumificio Torinese was a company owned by group of people so no one could point finger to an individual owner. Its main products were pork meat and pork products like sausages, salami bacon and cheese. It had its own pig slaughter house located in the central bus station called Shuk by the inhabitants. For unknown reasons, the wall facing the bus station has big glass windows easy to see through. One could easily see from near or far the initial slaughtering process that comprised pushing the pig through a slippery incline to a boiling pool of water. What passers by saw was a splash of water and steam but it was what they heard that pierced their heart: a haunting scream of death followed by silence. Women who witnessed this would hold their head and lament "Iwiy, Iwiy, intay geratom iya izom rugumat", followed by "akedimom ke zeiy ketliwa" which meant " what did the pig did to them, those rascals, at least they could have killed it before pushing it to the pool of boiling water". For the monks, the open display of the abominable process of slaughtering the pig (to begin with- unclean animal) was a sign of arrogance and cruelty to animals and in itself was sufficient for their people to avoid pork so they did not have to elaborate like they did with the beef company. Little Italy Not to be left behind, some urbane Italian business men opened movie theaters and named them after their favorite memories: Cinema Impero; Cinema Roma, Cinema Dante, Cinema Capitol, Cinema Croce Rosa, Cinema Odeon and Cinema Hamasien for the locals. The Monks and women were terrified with the concept and spearheaded Crusade that ended in stalemate. The remaining urbane Italian business men opened hotels and inns and named them with names that signified their homesickness: Albergo Ciao; Albergo Italia and many more. Still others endowed with entertainment disposition opened bars and cafes and named them after region they left behind: Ristorante Capri; Bar Torino; Bar Corso; Bar Royale and many more. Not to be left behind, the Roman Catholic Church with all its glory and authority started building magnificent churches and named them after its favorite saints: Cathedrale Santa Maria; Chiesa San Francesco; Chiesa San Antonio and many more. The Delay Of The Colonization Project Italians, though naïve when it came to colonizing, were not outright benevolent to the people of Eritrea. They could best be described as confused colonizers. Eritrea was a launching pad for their further ambitions: to colonize Ethiopia, Somalia, and Libya. But they found the Eritrean landscape overwhelmingly similar to where they came from and for moment were taken aback and delayed their mission. Their innate character of building artistic things temporarily clouded their colonial aim. As soon as they claimed the territory, unlike the British or the French, brought their cream de la cream experts and with no expense to spare, started transforming the land to look like Italy. Because they were in a rush they were not treating the local laborers as colonized people or slaves but as semi-Sicilians. Mind you, the leaders starting from the Generals to administrators were Northern Italians and as per their request many Sicilians were rounded up in Italy and sent to Eritrea to labor along side the inhabitants. The Hardy Kebessa Woman – Buses The Introduction of buses and trains was mixed blessing to the monks and the woman. They were comfortable and time saving, no doubt about that, but the woman took time to adapt because she was not sure whether riding on buses or trains violated her faith. The monks were also ambivalent to riding on buses or trains for they abhor easy life or any luxury. Finally the monks decided not to ride themselves but allowed the woman to ride. No one knew why they decided to allow the woman to ride but some say it was based on past history and practicality: you give small you receive big. The monks knew the woman was curious and likely to fall victim to her curiosity. So rather than let her fall into temptation, if they allowed her to ride, they will gain her trust foe ever. When the monks declared riding was innocuous so admissible, all women could not wait to ride and as soon as they got opportunity, many did. But they paid the price. As soon as the bus or train started moving, the earth and trees around them started moving at a speed that eventually disturbed their humble and unaccustomed brain and created disequilibrium with unsavory results: vomiting and headaches. Not all women suffered from motion sickness, but at that time no one knew it was motion sickness. Those who suffered the sickness started blaming themselves for committing sin by riding on bus or train. Those who didn't get the sickness suffered from anxiety of anticipation to the sickness. The Monks had no answer and they were not ready to recant the rule they sanctioned that allowed the woman to ride. It was chaotic and in chaos myths were born. Many blamed the Italians and said "They brought the bus and the train to kill us". But this was refuted because they saw the Italians themselves ride on their own buses and trains without getting sick. Some blamed the smoking drivers and said "while he was smoking, he let Satan drive the bus". But to their dismay the myth was refuted because even if the driver did not smoke some women still got sick. Some mythical solutions were also born. The most popular was "close your eyes while riding", and "never to eat eggs" (as if they have the luxury to indulge in eggs), to which many tried but failed to avoid the inevitable. Some said the smell of lemon could cure motion sickness, so every woman brought lemon before the ride. To their surprise the lemon scent combined with the cigarette smoke exasperated their condition. Others said, riding on empty stomach was the solution. To begin with, those women did not eat much, but to alleviate their anxiety they rode in an absolutely empty stomach. Some got better, others worse. Those who were affected worse reverted back to their old life style: walking on foot, no matter how far or how tiring. Some persisted by saying "Ane Do kab kusto yhamik iye", meaning "I am not weaker than so and so" and despite their sickness continued riding and eventually got better. Time and experience teach and as time passed the sickness was taken as affliction that affected few and those affected were pitied but not discriminated. Apartheid & War After thirty years of living together as strangers, one cosmopolitan the other rural peasant (because the Italians never mastered the art of colonizing thus did not act or behave as colonizers) the Italians changed abruptly because a new decree of apartheid was decreed by the fascist regime in Italy. The decree was lengthy, detailed, and cruel and encompassed every facets of life of the inhabitants. The first people affected by the directive were the conscripts and the laborers. At the beginning the Italians had their soldiers, all Italians and mostly from the south, and were not keen to conscript Eritreans. They had Eritrean laborers who worked in the military camps as cooks and cleaners but none in the army. The laborers always told good things about their treatment when working for the Italians and complaints were rare. The Italians liked the laborers because the laborers worked hard, were honest and direct and above all had mastered the Italian language and habits in no time that greatly amused and pleased the Italians. When the Italians, thinking they were as smart and courageous as their Roman ancestors, went alone to invade Ethiopia they paid high price in defeat and bore historical embarrassment. They became the first European nation to be defeated by an African nation. They learned their lesson well and immediately started conscripting Eritreans for military services. The numbers were unknown but they managed to conscript and train enough locals for the second invasion. They found the locals not only eager to learn but also fast learners and courageous. In no time the conscripts learnt to handle armaments, listen and follow instructions and other military requirements. To the delight of the Italians, on their second trial they were easily able to successfully invade Ethiopia and put the country under their control. The locals contributed not only their life but also excellent knowledge of the land due to similarity of landscape and were mostly the ones who were deployed at the front. They also spoke the Italian language fluently. Coincidentally it was during the second invasion that apartheid was decreed and the Generals did not waste time enacting it in the army as their civilian counterparts did with the local population at large. So during the second invasion of Ethiopia the local conscripts were segregated from the Italian army personnel not only physically but also were treated as undesirables and supplied with meager rations and old armaments. Whereas during the first invasion the Eritreans who were hired as laborers to serve in the army as cooks and cleaners had only good things to say about the Italians, many of the conscripts felt betrayed and for the first time started to see the Italians not as harmless strangers but as dangerous foreigners. Many conscripts fled from their assignment and many joined the Ethiopian rebels and played key roles in liberating Ethiopia from Italian rule. Many of those who ran away returned to their villages and became rebels and started inflicting harm to the Italians. Even those who stayed as conscripts daringly started confronting the Italian officers and demanded equal treatment. If refused they took violent actions. One of the stupid rules of segregation was to serve the conscripts tea or other beverages in recycled soup cans and not glass or ceramic cups. For some reason this offended the conscripts more than anything else. Many conscripts took the hot beverage served in recycled soup cans and splashed it to the face of any Italian they encountered. Those who were caught were summarily hanged or shot. Many Italian soldiers' heads were also cracked some even died by stones thrown at night or in hiding. Seeing such daring rebellion, the Generals amended the decree and started treating the few remaining conscripts in dignity and deference. But it was too late and in five years the whole Italian army was defeated and all surrendered to the British led army. One favorite say of those conscripts was "Italians may be good lovers and eaters but were not good soldiers". In the City, what most upset the locals was their restriction not to walk through the main thoroughfare which the locals call Combishtato, a beautiful and super modern Boulevard. The decree stated that only whites could use the thoroughfare. Many locals did not care and started walking in defiance but paid the price in imprisonment and torture. For the first time the people started to see the Italians as enemy. Many Italians were unhappy about the apartheid but were helpless opposing it openly. Some Italians secretly joined the local resistance and played big roles in weakening the system. Apartheid was short lived in Eritrea and was soon forgotten as soon as the British defeated the Italians. Many locals felt pity to the defeated Italians and never harassed those who chose to stay in Eritrea. And not only did many Italians stayed, some even returned back from Italy to live in the land and people of their used-to-be colony, Eritrea. The Hardy Kebessa Woman – The Maid After living with European strangers for quite a while change was inevitable to Eritreans. What was reserved and preserved in isolation for generations started to show signs of budding. The first visible change happened to the least likely entity, the woman, and to be precise the maid. The change was likely due to close relationship with the Italian households she served. The monks already predicted that would happen so they were closely monitoring the maid's faith, her behavior and her activities by themselves and through others like how often did she attended church? Did she strictly follow the fasting rules? Did she refuse to participate in the eating habits of the household she serviced? Did she cover herself decently? Did she maintain regular contact with her mother and her village church and many more? In those respect she did not disappoint. She even exhibited more conservative attitude toward her faith and traditions. Of course, she mastered the Italian language so she started inserting Italian word here and then when she talked with her own kin. Of course, she gained weight and looked plumb. Of course, she looked extremely clean and she was sometimes seen with her long polished nails and painted lips. Even her wardrobe changed. She started wearing clothes given to her by the Italian woman she honestly served and people were amused to see one of their own clad in Italian clothes. The clothes were fancy but not flagrant for the Italian woman of that era was herself conservatively dressed. The shoe was another thing. The people started wondering how she could walk on those shoes. But she did. Of course, she was awkward at first more to do with shyness rather than the style of the shoe, but through repetition she was able to overcome shyness and also perfected cat walking in high heeled shoes. The Italians loved her for she was honest, direct, easy learner with excellent memory retention but above all what impressed them was her strong belief in her faith and tradition. They might have tested her if she was to be trusted. What they did not know was her mother and the village women incessantly taught her not to touch what was not her's (Zeinatki Aitelili). Also she was taught not to take what was offered to her (SK ilki zihabuki aitkebeli). The Italians knew a normal mortal person especially who grew in scarcity could easily succumb to the smell and taste of Italian foods or other goodies but not she. To help her preserve her beautiful and white teeth they offered her brush and tooth paste but like to everything that she was not sure of she declined the offer (until recently the majority of Eritreans believe tooth paste is made from pork products) and stuck to her twig which she used as brush and tooth paste in one called mewetz. The highlanders preferred a twig from a lemon tree or olive tree. They break a pencil size twig and chew at the end of it until it bristles and then brush their teeth with it. The fluid in the branch acts as antiseptic that killed germs in their mouth and also kept their beautiful teeth white and their breath fresh. The Italians, thinking they were more advanced than her and her people, would not use what she used even though they suffered with dental problems more than her. But in recognition and reward to her admirable behavior they planted lemon and olive trees in the city and everywhere in the highland so that she in particular and her people in general would have easy access and availability. She learned and excelled in Italian cooking but would not eat it. She even experimented to spice their food and they liked it. Where as before their pasta and lasagnas tasted bland, she added the local spiced ground red pepper they call Berbere and some other spices and made them palatial and tasteful. Every time she made new menu, a mixture of both cultures, they just gorged it and talked about it. But above all what the Italians liked about her was her extraordinary cleanliness, discipline and honesty. She did not forget what her Mother and village women taught her when she was growing up. Her memory retention came from the incessant advice she got from her mother in never to forge what she learnt lest she embarrass her family and village. The incessant training from the women was always followed by a knock to the shoulder (a knock to the head is reserved for the hard headed boys) if she forgot. The tool her mother used to discipline her was a wooden spatula she called Mekhos and in rare situations raw hide called Miran. So if the girl forgot to put exact amount of salt, she got a knock on her shoulders. She was also trained on myriad of etiquette on how to sit; how to stand; how to sleep; how to talk; how to use the shawl; how to make fire, and many hundreds more. All the training made her malleable, trainable, creative, innovative and confident. She was also lucky not to be coward. In that hardy place cowards did not last long. She was trained equal to the boys, not to be coward; not to be afraid to say the right things; to be ready to defend her-self in case of danger, natural or human. While growing she was not scared of hyenas for she was charged with looking after the family goats; she was not scared of snakes for she was trained how to incapacitate a snake. She was as good as the boys in using stone for defensive or offensive purposes. It did not take the Italian families long to know her daring character. If she said no it meant no. One unique trait of Eritrean woman was she does not repeat. She said what she wanted to say once and that was it. No one could nudge or convince her to change what she said. The Italians really respected and admired her. No Eritrean maid was treated as servant but a member of the household, half credit to the Italians but half credit to the maid because at no circumstances would she consider herself an inferior being. She became a legend and her legend grew because the news of her character travelled all over Italy and there any one who could afford wanted one. Later in the late fifties and sixties even the newly rich Arabs wanted her service and compensated her handsomely. Where as the Italians wanted her to be maid and baby sitter, the Arab kings, emirates, and princes wanted her to beautify, train and mentor their wives and daughters. She was also beautiful and warm-hearted. One thing that worried the monks was she occasionally let her hair loose, not braided. She had long, shiny, smooth, soft virgin hair. When her hair was liberated from bondage, and she started oiling it with Italian made hair pomade it just grew longer and looked richer. For the monks, loose hair was too much and they started applying indirect pressure through her mother and village women and finally relented with a twist. The Italian woman taught her some hairstyles that involve simple braids and when she did applied it to her hair it was accepted as a compromise by her mother, the village women and even the monks were not adamant. The monks always compromised with the woman because they know her heart. The maid also started revolutionizing the local cooking. By then her knowledge of ingredients have expanded, because those Italians who employed her knowing her dietary restrictions helped her expand safe ingredients she could use. She started to sparingly add sugar to make Himbasha; instead of spiced butter (zitekelese tesmi) she started using olive oil; she also added exotic spices to make the powdered chickpeas they call Shuro and it never tasted bland again. Her biggest contribution was in helping building new churches in the cities she dwelled. All cities were newly built by Italians. Before Italy, Eritrea was a land of villages. Every time they built a city or town, the Italians built their own churches, Catholic churches. The maid could not attend Catholic Churches so she was forced to walk long distance to the nearest village to attend church services which were held daily. She was always tired, even though she could not say it for she was told by her mother never to say dekhime. The solution came from all the laborers and maids who lived in one city. They approached the monks and proposed their idea of helping to build churches. This idea was double blessing for the monks and encouraged them to proceed. The laborers and maids raised enough money and because by then there were good local builders, the churches were built in no time. Every one was proud and happy but especially the women and the monks. What elated them was the church was built with local stone; by a local hand; with money raised by the laborers and the maid who trusted and was trusted by the eternal monks. Priests and deacons were allocated by the monks to run the churches. Every village had its saint and the village church was named after the saint. But because the maids came from different villages they asked the monks to name the churches which they happily did. The maids consulted the monks for naming a saint in order to avoid conflict among themselves. Women of the highland abhor conflicts and competition among themselves. All women in that hardy place were raised not to compete against one another. They united and made miracles happen. With meager resource and hardy place mere survival was miracle in itself. Unity devoid of competition also made the women strong with meaningful power. But they never abused their collective power. They only utilized it to enhance the survival of the village and their church. The Eritrean Man At the same period and just like the maid, the men who labored under the Italians also started exhibiting changes. Those men were the gardeners, the cleaners, the cooks, the guards, the drivers, the train engineers, the masons, the mechanics, the brick layers, the repairmen and the conscripts. Most of the changes were on personal habits but most remained true to their faith and tradition. Unlike the maids the laborers were not treated kindly or with respect. They were exploited. No matter how good, intelligent, easily trainable they were, their efforts and achievements were most of the time ignored by their Italian masters. For the first time in their life the men started to feel inferior and weak. Once a man left his village and start living in towns and cities he was exposed to competition with other men. He felt he was caged and manacled because he was living in congested quarters and not in open landscape like in his village or his land. Fighting against other men became habitual. Some men started to drink heavily; some others developed smoking habits. Once the man sinned, he felt his betrayal to his mother and village and succumbed more towards destructive behaviors. Some men started betraying their wives and beating them and their kids, unknown and unheard of behavior. The monks condemned the behavior to no avail. Beating and cheating their wives became contagious and which started with few spread to many. Only the threat of excommunication and threat from the woman's family cooled the habit. Many reformed because the acts and the actors were shamed. The village woman was not very fertile. This was due to scarcity but mostly due to her strong belief in abstinence. Circumstances changed in the cities and towns. The availability of better food and health services combined with less work to the woman but above all because her power was diluted and her opinions rejected (her "No" fell into deaf ears of the man) resulted in her having many children against her wishes and belief in abstinence, which in turn created chasm between her and the breadwinner, the husband. Where as in the village both men and women toiled, with the man's tasks being seasonal, short and limited but hers throughout the year, long and unlimited, there was a recognition of her efforts and she was given respect and freedom to decide and manage her family, the village and her church. In the cities and towns, except the maids, it was the man who was the sole provider for the household and started taking advantage of his newly acquired power to belittle and denigrate the woman. He totally forgot where he originated and his tradition and started emulating the colonizers power over him to his wife and kids. He wronged her mistakenly because no matter what he did to her she silently soaked it but continued the tradition and faith she learnt from her mother and village women. Physically and mentally the highland woman was stronger than the man but she never abused her strength. No matter how he abused her, she hid the abuse from her kids and raised them the way she was taught to raise kids. The Hardy Kebessa Woman – City Life She was not passive. With the neighboring women she established close knit community that resembled a village and continued the tradition she learnt when growing. She visited her village many times a year sometimes to her family and her village people other times during weddings, funerals or visiting the sick. So she did not feel alienated. The biggest event for her visit was the pilgrimage, Ngdet, done once every year to her village church. She prepared for that day months before and it was a day that her whole family went together. She initially hated the city because she felt captive living in close quarters with people she did not grew with and the lack of privacy especially during call of nature. The small brick house caused claustrophobic reactions she never knew she had. The tin roofs kept her awoke during nights when it rains or when the pigeons performed their singing and dancing rituals. She felt suffocated in summer during unrelenting heat. She felt naked and helpless if strong wind carried away the tin roofs. She developed phobias against things made of metal which she named zingo. Out of all those inconveniences there was one practice that almost drove her crazy: shutting the doors of her house. In the city, people shut their doors and she had to follow suit because she heard scary tales. No one shut their doors in the village. Only an abandoned house remained shut or houses belonging to dead owners. To shut a door in the village was a sign of wickedness. But all those were temporary setbacks. Due to phobias caused by the tin roof she avoided using anything made of metal and stuck with her clay pots. The clay also reminded her of her connectedness to earth and her village. Against the maid's highly recommended aluminum coffee maker, she adamantly stuck with her own hand made clay products: Jebena ; mogogo;tsahli and many more. There were two things she did not mind in the city: water and wood for fire. Tap water liberated her from that grueling daily task of fetching water in her back. She also had to no more to fetch wood. Of all the tasks the woman performed while growing up none can compare with the dread of fetching water. Water was scarce commodity in the highland. The only source of water was a flowing stream that all surrounding villages use and was always at the bottom of valleys and far from the villages. It involved descending and ascending steep and ragged hills that involved careful negotiating dangerous and hazardous rough tracks, very difficult task even without a load. She used clay jar she made herself called Utro. She fetched water once daily either at down or in late afternoons. She always joined other women when fetching water because loads feel lighter if the mind was distracted by laughter, Tsehak; songs, Derfi and chats, Zereba with others. She won't fetch water at other times especially at dark or mid day due to superstitions that stipulated those hours for the fairies. She was not scared of fairies but she believed in fairness, so she left those restricted times for their share of use. She was taught to have water at all times because in that land somebody, be strangers, kids or others will ask for cup of water. She might had felt sad if she was asked for bread and said she did not have but to say she did not have water made her felt sinned. She never believed that tap water won't dry like the seasonal stream she knew, so she stored tap water in her clay jar she brought from the village. Continuing the tradition she filled the clay jar daily, either at down or late afternoons from the tap, leaving the other times for the fairies. For her, even the tap water should be fairly shared with the fairies. At first she was surprised no one asked for a cup of water in the city, which with time she got used to but she never stopped storing water because she was a firm believer that nothing on earth can last forever and one day a stranger or a kid would ask her for a cup of water. The other grueling task she performed when growing was fetching wood for fire. Fetching wood was communal affair for the women who also made sure the village girls accompany them. And all collected pieces of solid and heavier dry woods for the women to carry and dry branches for the girls and when finished they walk home in line, one following the other, hunching their back under the load; their knees squeaking while climbing the hills but ignored the pain by singing, whispering and praying until they reached home. They did fetch wood collectively to distract their minds so their body won't notice the burden in their back. But now in the city she did not have to do it because it was easily available with money. She was ambivalent at first because she missed the communal interaction and also missed the smell and look of the very woods she grew with and collected but with time she got used to buying it. The men of the village never helped the women in fetching water and rarely for fire wood. For the highland man, fetching water and wood was strictly a woman's job. He might pass by her while she struggled under the heavy load but he would say nothing like he would say nothing to a donkey laden with burden. While enjoying the woman's fruit of burden the highland man did not even try to come up with solutions that could ease her tasks. She would have loved it if he shared with her in her tasks but she did not blame him for not doing it as if all the tasks she did were the results of the sins of Eve that she was part of. She literally believed that as a descendant of Eve it was justified for her to pay the price for conspiring with the serpent to trick Adam. To ease her isolation in the city she established economic associations with other women in her city community whereby every month all members contributed money and they took turn receiving the sum. They call it Ukub. With other women who originated from her village and neighboring villages she also established religious association in a name of a saint whereby the members took turn to host party on the day of the saint. And they called it mahber. They prayed, they chatted, and they drank coffee and ate himabasha. She still had tremendous energy but fewer tasks in the city but by keeping herself active she maintained her tradition without loosing faith in her womanhood. Through her undying will and efforts her neighborhood in the city took the shape and form of her village, where responsibilities of raising children became collective rather than household. She could leave her children behind in the neighborhood without worry even for weeks if she had to go due to urgent matters in her village. The women in the city neighborhoods took care of the children and the husband in her absence because the same thing could happen to everyone. In the cities and towns there were women who came from all across Eritrea, all but the maid and factory workers, came married to city men or were already married before and joined their husbands in the cities. The Hardy Kebessa Woman Meets The Lowland Woman Whereas before the women were separated by mountain chains that bisected the land into highland plateau, eastern lowland and western lowland now thanks to roads, bridges and railway systems built by the Italians the women were able to meet and see one another for the first time in their life. Even though it was their first time to know and see one another closely, it did not take long time to build good relationship and understanding and in short time became comfortable with one another. All the women looked alike mainly due to common ancestry and all displayed strong characters and conservative adherence to their faiths and values. The only superficial difference was the cross tattoo in the highlander's woman forehead and piercing in the lowlander's woman nose. Both women had beautiful hairs braided in slight different styles. The highlander woman braided her hair strictly from front to back while the lowlander woman braided her hair in all directions and also decorated her braided hair with colorful beads. Both braiding were stylistic and beautiful. The lowland woman was a bit more stylish in her clothes because she had easy access to varieties of fabrics from across the sea where trading was very active. Every one liked the highland woman for she was stoic, honest and direct. Every one wanted to help and teach her too. To those things that did not violate her faith and values she quickly learned. She hated copying what she saw but was eager and curious to learn. The highland woman never made efforts to learn the Italian language. Deep in her mind and heart she believed their presence was temporary and she did not entertain in temporary and passing things. She preferred long lasting things. But when she met the woman from the lowlands she was eager to learn her dialect and other values from her as she was prepared and willing to teach her own dialect and other values. In short time, the highland woman who went to the lowland cities and towns learned the local dialect. What helped her was her uncluttered mind and clean heart. She was also free from all biases which made it easier for whoever was willing to teach her. The lowland woman was bright, clean, dexterous, extremely beautiful with pretty white teeth (Tseba zimesil sna), humble, honest but shy nonetheless in short time she was also able to speak the highland dialect. Once they formed the rapport they started teaching one another and learning from each other things they knew were safe for their core values and beliefs. The highland woman introduced the lowland woman to coffee and the ceremony surrounding its preparation and the lowland woman loved it. In no time she was addicted to coffee. She grew up with bread and milk. When her virgin body tasted coffee it won't let go. She did not mind, for drinking coffee also brought her closer with other women. But above all it was not Haram according to the Koran and it did not affect her values and faith. With time she experimented spicing the coffee for she was familiar with many spices that were unknown to the highland woman and the highland women would not wait to be invited for her coffee. The lowland woman introduced the highland woman with Hina and Ilam, Henna for revitalizing her rough hands and chopped nails, Ilam for revitalizing her cracked feet; two herbs the highland woman never knew existed but badly needed. She venerated the Henna and Ilam just as she venerated the soap and the shoe introduced by the Italians. The lowland woman also introduced the highland woman with perfumes and healthy sweet herbal beverage called Abaeke. Even though the highland woman found the beverage too sweet to her taste thus unpalatable, she prepared it anyway when she invited the lowland woman to Christian weddings. As for the perfume, no highland man can rest if he did not buy perfume for his good woman and it was the widely used compensation object for reconciliation especially if the man was at fault. The Highlander Man Meets The Lowlander Man While both the women, women who were separated by rugged and jagged landscape and who were born to two religions could easily form lasting and respectful relationship, the men were unable to replicate what the women did. Both the lowland and highland city men were alike physically, mentally and emotionally. They were honest, hardworking, stoic but naïve and fragile. Both developed suspicions and fear they never had before probably the result of exploitation by the Italians. Both learned the Italian language for they believed the Italians will stay forever. Both started combing their hair mimicking the Italians and started using inordinate amount of pomades and hair oils. The worst was both started abusing and belittling their wives. Both frequented bars and other institutions and started neglecting their families. Unlike the women, they introduced one another destructive habits and behaviors. The highland man introduced the lowland man to alcoholic drinks while the lowland man introduced the highland man to tobaccos. Their virgin body soon got hooked to those substances and some of their bizarre behaviors could have been the result of addiction to those foreign substances. Both men disrespected one another's values and faith and slowly a chasm was created in their relationship. But the chasm was shallow and easy to rectify thanks to the women who forcefully filled the gap by preserving and practicing their values through good times and rough times. Had those men not been shamed and exposed of their behavior their relationships could have ended in violence and divisions. Eritrea is a very small country with very small population. At any given time and place there is somebody who knows you. Those men who took the wrong values could not hide. The first to know were their wives, who gave chances for reform before telling the councilors or the elders called Shimagle; then the best man, and finally the monks and sheiks. The monks and sheiks were not passive if they saw or detected transgression by any member of their religion. A monk or a sheik did not have to know you personally to chastise you. He did not even have to know what your religion was and like the women, the monks and the sheiks were honest, direct and daring. Because those who fell to the new bad habits were fragile it did not took long for many of them to reform. They were not strong to live isolated from their families, mosques, churches and villages. To the erring highlander man, the attack came in all shapes and from all angles. The highland woman would threaten to leave him and to expose him to the shimagles (wahs mer-a), the best man (arki riisi), his mother and his entire village people, because smoking and getting drunk with alcohol violated her core values. So if the first threat did not move him she would expose him to the monks. The monks only knew yes or no to their demands and would not hesitate to excommunicate the culprit on the spot. To those who accepted their fault strict punishment was prescribed that included cleansing the sinned body with cold water (Mai Chelot) The lowland woman was married to her cousin as dictated by her culture and sanctioned by her religion and tradition. Drinking alcohol violated her faith and her core values. Her threat was real and immediate. She only had to tell her uncle who would not hesitate to come armed with sword to confront his erring son. Thanks to the hardy women who used hardy tactics many men were able to rehabilitate and regain their original self and were embraced back to the society. The hardy woman never forgot what she learned. She made sure her sons and neighboring boys never repeat the mistakes done by some errant men. She tightened her grip vise-like and raised her kids with more discipline than she was exposed to when growing up in her village. As consequence, city and town neighborhoods resembled villages. Neighborhood relationships became carbon copy of village relationships to the extent that marrying your neighbor in a city or town was taken as incest. It was a victory to the hardy woman, a victory not bestowed but earned. Her fame shot high up the sky. She became the beacon and role model. Stay At Home And Working Woman The woman kept herself informed by exchanging news and rumors with women of her neighborhood because even in the city she continued the tradition of not drinking coffee alone. Unlike in the villages, the city woman acquired habit of drinking coffee more than once a day and shared it with different women every time she prepared coffee. For her, coffee was not mere beverage. It was ceremony that involved many intricate stages and hours to execute. So to be invited for coffee ceremony was to be involved in discussion forums. Comparing to the men, the women were ahead in every facets of news that concerned not only their interest but also the interest of her nation. The difference between the woman and the maid was the degree of personal freedoms. Both upheld the village tradition well. Both strengthened their faith and church well. Both were well informed. Both became more conservative in their attitude. Both remained direct, honest and faithful. Both dressed well but like their upbringing indulged less. Both adored the church and never left it alone. But the maid was free like the village woman more than the city woman. Where as the maid displayed courage, a trait she learnt while growing, the city woman displayed fear. The city woman felt oppressed and limited in her freedom and she started developing fear. The maid strengthened her position by numbers because many girls started working in factories. Signor Baratolo, the textile factory owner, hired exclusively women for his factory and those women acquired the character and attitude of the maid. The made became their de facto role model and leader. Actually the factory workers were the first industrial workers in Africa. Baratolo hired them because of what he saw and admired in his maid and the female workers did not disappoint him. They learnt the process quick and were very productive and hard working. They worked in shifts, Monday to Saturday because they said no to working on Sunday. In no time, the factory became so profitable, the plant was expanded and more girls were hired. At one time the number of the maids and factory workers was equal to the number of home staying women. Those working women and the stay at home women complemented and relied on each other for support and advice. Both were strong in faith and values, the same values that sustained their village and church. The mothers continued raising community children with their faith and values while the working woman continued solidifying her faith and values by rejecting temptations and worldly gratifications. Those who teach learn and those who learn teach. The maid and the stay at home woman were reciprocating and complementing each other in areas of their strengths, expertise and domains of skills. The maid taught the woman new food ingredients and new cooking methods which the stay at home woman happily followed and started using cooking oil instead spiced butter. The stay at home woman braided the maid's hair in traditional style in case the maid was visited by family or she wanted visit her family and village. The maid introduced new hair braiding styles she learnt from the Italians and though the stay at home woman would not use those styles on herself, she did it on her daughters and neighboring girls. The stay at home woman received the maid on weekends with both arm stretched and showered her with her favorite traditional food and coffee which the maid missed badly during the weekdays. The maid supplied news, local and foreign she heard in the Italian houses from radios and newspapers to the stay at home woman, and in no time the stay at home woman became enlightened in local and world affairs. The stay at home woman supplied the maid with village news and gossips in the highland and city neighborhoods and spared the maid from surprises and helped her feel rooted and attached. It took the stay at home woman time to use hair oil that was recommended by the maid because the stay at home woman thought if she use oil she would betray her mother who taught her to use butter which she called Likay and nothing else. But to the stay at home woman's credit she used it on her daughters' hairs long before using it on herself. The maid introduced pasta to the stay at home woman which at first strongly rejected but the maid being an inventive person mixed the pasta with the woman's souse and the stay at home woman liked it and spread the idea first to her neighborhood and then to all the city neighborhoods. But before trying pasta she assured the monks of pasta's nature and ingredients and they accepted her argument with condition: to not spread the idea to the villages and only to use macaroni. For every success there was also a failure. The maid, in a rush of excitement, also tried to introduce lasagna but the stay at home swore she would not touch it because she knew before hand the monks who rejected spaghetti would outright condemn lasagna. The teacher student teacher relationship reached its zenith when the maid begged to be the godmother of the stay at home woman's daughter and the woman happily accepted the offer after consulting the monks on the issue. The monks' positive answer was a confirmation to the maid's unshakable faith and values. It was not easy for the maid to pass the strict test laid by the monks given her situation, situation filled with temptations and isolations. But she passed and surpassed the test and was allowed to become a godmother. The highlander Tewahdo believed the first person you meet after death is your godmother or godfather and that was why they put high premiums when choosing one or contemplating on an offer to those who wanted to become one. The stay at home woman reciprocated the goodwill by pointing to the maid of a good man to be considered for future husband which after hesitations and contemplations the maid happily accepted. The maid and the factory worker were admired and envied for their belief and adherence to strict abstinence. The Italians first and then the British, the Ethiopians and for some time, American GIs were astonished at those women's morality and strength of character. The Highland Man And The Italian The Italian rulers were not kind to the Eritrean men. They disrespected them and exploited them not that those men were any different than the maid when it came to honesty, directness, intelligence, effort or learning and doing things but I guess the Italians wrongly interpreted the men's benign behavior and cooperation as sign of timidity and submission. How wrong they were. The highland man was the product of the village women, women who collectively raised the man to be honest, respectful and kind to strangers and never to form opinion on others before facts. So the man did as he was taught to do. He showed kindness and cooperation towards the strangers, because he never knew strangers who harm. He learned the Italian language in short time, took direction from Italians and performed the task following their instructions and many times even made them better which facilitated the Italians' plan to be completed in short time. The highland laborer paid price with his life, his health, his safety and his loneliness to build roads, railways, houses and forts not an easy task in that rugged and jagged landscape. It was painful for the man to be away for long from his village and mother because he was his mother's son and village product more than his father's son. Had he been his father's son he would have never became subservient to the Italians because the highland man abhors burden of any kind like every men elsewhere on the planet. There was strength in his weakness, strength of character hidden deep beneath patience, patience the size of his mother's and village women but he was also fragile if separated from his mother and his village. Eventually he turned the patience he inherited from his mother and village women combined with the hard but structured and disciplined labor under the Italians into resilience. He became the most resilient man in the African continent. It took Eritreans time to realize and identify the nature and tricks of their colonizers. But within the wasted time many developed harmful habits with disastrous results. Alcohol was the main culprit. Many started dying of new unheard diseases like kidney disease, ulcer and liver cirrhosis. Many also started bizarre behaviors of disrespecting women, elders, monks and even children. Many started calling their children "the sons of a woman", a slight to tradition and power of the woman. Ironically it was the woman who raised him properly so he would not be called "the son of a woman", a shame to the father for only good boys were their father's son. Seeing those behaviors, drove the woman to be defensive but rather than fall into despair she became unusually aggressive, disciplinarian and overprotective towards her sons so they would not regenerate the new obscene behaviors and attitudes that threatened her core values and traditional power. All city women joined by the maids, the factory working women and the monks fought hard to obliterate the new threat. They called the new threat cancer (Menshiro) and in many instances they won. To those who beat women, ironically they called them feminine (anstay), poo (har-i), cowards (jejawi) and added kab sebeiti ziharm gda ntilan zeyharm, meaning "rather that beat a woman, why he didn't hit an Italian?" Sometimes the neighborhood women spoke in audible whisper while he was walking by nrsu wedi sebeiti ndeku deki sebeiti yblom, meaning "he is himself the son of a woman, not his kids." Other times the women say ms asebut zeibeas kab ms sebeitu, meaning rather than fighting with his wife why didn't he fight against men. The Hardy Kebessa Woman – Marital Relations Those women who married good and respectable men warned their husbands not to socialize or associate with the bad men by saying trah imo mstom tsiukat yraika, gedifeka dekey hize adei k keid iye meaning "if I see you socialize with the bad men I will leave you and take my kids to my village", a not easily said threat. If the hardy woman said something it was deemed done. The first line of defense for the woman came from the best man in her wedding. The best man would badger and cajole the husband to reform. The best man also used threat of breaking his friendship with the man, a serious threat not easily taken by any man of the highland. If the best man's efforts failed then the task of pressuring the man went to the three counselors called "Shimagles", three independent men chosen during the wedding in the woman's home and tasked with responsibility of watch dogging over the life of the marriage between the bride and the groom. The villagers in unity also did their turn by threatening to punish the man with penalty both religious and monetary compensations while the monks invoked the threat of excommunications. It was too much for many and many reformed. Some who reformed said ms izien men ywaga, meaning "who can win against women?" Some who half heartedly reformed said kab ms sebeiti mchkchak, mismaa yahish, meaning "it is better to listen than fight with a woman". At last the city woman was rewarded, a reward earned not just given. Her sons and daughters came even closer to her personally and under her tight but fair influence, an influence the result of progress, change and enlightenment due to her much improved and refined mode of handling. She also applied some of the mentoring she received from the maid and events she observed herself. To the dismay of the men, she started raising her kids just like "deki talian", Italian kids. The men grumbled and said Sedidom yabiyu alewe, meaning the kids are growing without rules, a say that didn't swayed or scared the woman at all because it was a white lie. City Boys, City Girls And The Hardy Mother The boys grew up confused but not the girls. The confusion with the boys was understandable. The father left everything to do with raising the children to the woman. He was always away from his family mainly due to work and the rest due to emotional detachment. He forgot that his sons needed to learn manhood from him, but to his credit, deep in his heart, the man trusted the woman was capable to fill the role in his absence because the woman who married was not different than the woman who raised him. He also assisted the woman if she asked for his help. He would say "listen to your mom, if you want to avoid my punishment" in a stern, serious, calculated and menacing voice. Just like in the villages, the boys and girls in the cities and towns started growing up molded by their mother and women in the neighborhood. They knew they had a father. They saw him at home. They knew he loved and cared about them. They also knew he would ask their mom about them. They knew he would blindly support her arguments and concerns. They knew he would not hesitate to perform corporal punishment if their mother delivered a verdict of negative assessment on them. He was reactive and wanted to finish the task quick. Even though he grew up barely punished, he took punishing his children as his privilege and sign of power. He grew up as an individual and a member of the village but now he considered his children as his ownership. He saw them as burden and annoyance. If he brought them gifts, mostly clothing, he would first ask them to kiss his knees and they better oblige. To sooth his ego they kissed his knee before and after. If he forgot to buy them gifts they reminded him by saying "Dad I will kiss your knees if you buy me gift" to which he would reply "did your mother coach you to do that?" The dread felt by the boys was not hypothetical. They had witnessed it in their own home and in the neighborhood. They had seen the actual punishment while delivered in real time to one of the boys they knew or did not know. But if the man was happy and ready to punish his erring boy, he would never lay his hands on his daughter no matter how his wife pleaded. Disciplining a girl was an exclusive task of the woman because he firmly believed that his daughter would neither forgive nor forget him if he disciplined her. The hardy woman was always patient. She was never a reactive person partly due to her keenness and directness. She saw, she talked. Experience and hard upbringing also taught her not to be spontaneous. Hysteria was not part of her nature. To call that woman hysteric was tantamount to defiling her reputation. She gave early warning if she detected misbehaviors in her children. She would repeat and also escalate the warnings to threats of "I will tell your father if you continue misbehaving". Those who heed her warning saved their thin skin and scrawny bones but those who ignored her warning were given away to the man who because of time and irritation would efficiently bring them in line. The woman was not happy every time she had to tell her husband to discipline her children because he did not come up with alternative reinforcement methods other than using force. Every time he lifted his hands she had to say "do not harm my child", and if he ignored her she would snatch the child from him. If she let him beat the child and if the child cries, if not her, the neighboring women would interfere. Intervening was cardinal social obligation. If one encountered fighting parties, one could not be a neutral onlooker lest one be shamed for not trying to stop the fighting. Gender was not an issue for intervention. If the fighting parties were men, a woman can intervene. It was also a cardinal rule that those who fight stop if an outsider to their quarrel intervenes. Let alone injuring even ignoring the plight of a neutral person was considered taboo and sign of weakness. Besides the women, the boys and girls in the city or town neighborhoods had other practical role models. As in the villages in which hierarchy was based on age, city boys and girls followed and respected the older boys and girls in their neighborhoods. The older boys and girls also took their responsibilities and duties in the neighborhoods seriously and diligently. Most of them came to the city or town already grownup. They were shaped in the villages so their reputation was not questioned. They were the first defense against undesirable habits and behaviors. They would not hesitate to discipline and if they did, no one would question their actions and intentions. Afraid of the extreme consequence from the man; the constant badgering from the woman and the ever present eyes and ears of the grown ups, city boys and girls had no choice but to conform and behave. In most cases one could not differentiate their behavior and attitudes from their counter parts in the villages. They became direct, honest, shy and daring. One of those boys, known by the name Zerai Deres, was taken by the Italians to Rome under the guise of education to join other captives from other Italian colonies for display during anniversary of Fascist party. He was typical Eritrean highlander who came to the city with his mother and siblings to join his father like many others. In Rome, in that particular day, the Italian guards draped him in what they considered was African dress and also supplied him with spear and shield. When he realized what they were going to do he explained to them that in his homeland Eritrea people did not carry spear but sword. They consented and brought him sword. They took him and the other captives to a piazza where crowd had gathered and asked him to dance in African rhythms. Instead of dancing he came closer to the guards and to the horror of the crowd, who came to witness glory and greatness of Il Duce, beheaded seven of the guards. The remaining guards subdued him and remanded him to a prison where he was summarily hanged with no delay by the orders of Il Duce himself. Until now he is revered and remembered by all Eritreans as the first son of all women. "The truth is that while men, in our society, are encouraged to have strong egos and to function in competitive, aggressive, intellectualized modes that may indeed cause them pain, for most women the ego is like a fragile African Violet, grown in secret from a seed, carefully nursed and fertilized and sheltered from too much sun." Starhawk Quotes
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http://awate.com/what-italian-colonialism-did-to-my-people-of-eritrean-kebessa/
How Copyright Is Holding Back The Creative Class from the we're-all-the-creative-class dept While not enough people recognize it, the real oneYou seem to be missing a qualifier. You say that, "thanks to new technologies, creating content is exceptionally easy". And by and large, with computers and audio gear and camcorders and all of the other bells and whistles of the modern age, that's true. I maintain, however, that it's hard to create GOOD content, and exceptionally difficult to great GREAT content. Yes, we're drowning in "content". BAD content. Listen to any number of garage bands, and you'll see why they still play mostly in their garages. Most YouTube videos have all the creativity of a prat-fall, and definitely fit into the "watch once and forget" category. And 99% of all of the web sites and Facebook and MySpace pages are, relatively speaking, tasteless, boring, regurgitated crap. (An extension of Sturgeon's Law.) Much has been made of how great The Dark Knight was this summer, and that's true. But it's exceptional in large part BECAUSE it was exceptional. Sites like TechDirt say that "all theaters and studios have to do is make great movies" and people will go see them. But you seem to forget that all too often making a great ANYTHING is heartbreakingly difficult. Who, after all, starts out wanting to create something bad, to have their project fail, and have their investment in time and money wasted? I do believe that, as you say, there's "no scarcity of inspiration". But while there's no shortage of ideas, being able to actually translate that inspiration into something truely worth reading, watching, or hearing is a rare gift indeed. Re: You seem to be missing a qualifier. I'd say you're wrong, frankly. It does not take money or investment to create good content. It may take some time and effort to create a polished effort, but that does not equal "good". Yes, most content out there is bad, but that's no different to how things have been in the past. Have you listened to half the crap that passed as "punk" or "metal" back in the 70s? Most people trying to make music then were not Iron Maiden or the Sex Pistols either. Money != the different between "bad", "good" and "great". The one and only thing that's different now is exposure. Because you can now be exposed to bad home-made content as easily as you can to good professional content, that does not mean that the amateur stuff is no good, nor that copyright is helping any investment. Mike Oldfield created Tubular Bells on his own in a studio, as Fatboy Slim created many of his hit singles alone in his basement studio. Some of the greatest cinema ever made was made for less than the minimum $5m budget of most movies nowadays, even in adjusted dollars. "And 99% of all of the web sites and Facebook and MySpace pages are, relatively speaking, tasteless, boring, regurgitated crap." As is 99% of the "professional" stuff that appears. The problem is that the current copyright laws hold back the 1% of the web sites/MySpace stuff that are actually good, in favour of the 99% of crap coming from the studios. When they're doing badly, the "professionals" hide behind copyright law and blame piracy for their failing, despite the fact that it's poor quality merchandise. Re: Re: You seem to be missing a qualifier. "It does not take money or investment to create good content. It may take some time and effort..."Creating ANYTHING worthwhile takes time and effort. And to invest that time and effort you must have the ability and resources to do so. "The problem is that the current copyright laws hold back the 1% of the web sites/MySpace stuff that are actually good.." How? If it's good, creative, original content, then how does copyright hold it back? "Mike Oldfield created Tubular Bells on his own in a studio ... Some of the greatest cinema ever made..." You seem to be missing a qualifier.Mmhmm. And most authors today, how do they do that? Most first time authors don't have any support already, so it's not as if that scenario would change at all. But if they're successful, the next book can get paid for (in fact, that's exactly how most of book publishing works today -- with "advances"). Why that changes without copyright, you haven't explained. Creating ANYTHING worthwhile takes time and effort. And to invest that time and effort you must have the ability and resources to do so. Yes, but nothing in that says you need an artificial monopoly to get those resources, so I'm not sure why you keep insisting you do. We've had this discussion before (just last week, as I recall). How? If it's good, creative, original content, then how does copyright hold it back? . Re: You seem to be missing a qualifier. "Mmhmm. And most authors today, how do they do that? Most first time authors don't have any support already, so it's not as if that scenario would change at all. But if they're successful, the next book can get paid for (in fact, that's exactly how most of book publishing works today -- with "advances"). Why that changes without copyright, you haven't explained."Now here's where you change the subject and babble about how true fans will but the "official" version. True, some will, but not all. WhatTo go back to the post you were responding to, yes, most books take a year to write, but most first time authors take much longer because they have to balance that with the day job. If they produce good books, there becomes a demand for their product, still, the vast majority of working writers don't get rich doing it. By having copyright protection and not having to compete with knock-offs of their own products, they are more likely to turn a profit, and to do so early in their career. Copyright does more then encourage creation. It makes continued creation possible. Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: You seem to be missing a qualifier.Ah, so you chose a poor business model. Why should everyone else suffer for your mistakes? Now here's where you change the subject and babble about how true fans will but the "official" version. True, some will, but not all. Who cares if some don't? You know millions of people watch BMW commercials every day. Some buy BMWs, but not all. Yet BMW doesn't accuse those people of "stealing." Put in place a business model where it doesn't matter if some don't pay for the legit version, and stop worrying. Focus on those who *will* pay and you'll be fine. WhatYou are assuming that you don't put in place a business model that affords you a way to make more money. You assume only what's lost and not what's gained. To go back to the post you were responding to, yes, most books take a year to write, but most first time authors take much longer because they have to balance that with the day job. Indeed. How does that change with or without copyright? If they produce good books, there becomes a demand for their product, still, the vast majority of working writers don't get rich doing it. Indeed. So why are you complaining when we suggest business models that will allow more to make a living from writing? By having copyright protection and not having to compete with knock-offs of their own products, they are more likely to turn a profit, and to do so early in their career. Heh, and you were just complaining that the current system doesn't pay them enough. Now suddenly it's great? Bizarre. Copyright does more then encourage creation. It makes continued creation possible. You haven't explained why that also doesn't happen without copyright. We've already shown that you can make money without copyright -- and we've shown examples of how authors have ignored copyright to get more attention and sell more. Copyright law is but one pillar of the ideology that holds that distribution is a creative act and hence that unauthorized redistribution is "stealing." Copyright is designed to punish counterfeiters by giving a creator the right to sue unauthorized publishers or distributors. But today redistribution is not in itself counterfeit. The argument for copyright has evolved from a legitimate concern that someone might profit by distributing works that belong to others; to the religious belief that unauthorized copies represent a form of theft. Copyright law has become one of the many modes of control of the masses and isn't anymore about protecting creators. It now represents an attitude that justifies mega corporate ownership of everything, because copyrights can be bought by the highest bidder. Just as commerce law justifies the government withholding of goods and resources in order to maintain market prices, copyright law justifies the withholding of creative works to maintain the celebrity worship paradigm. We need our gods and our guns and our bullets or else society will crumble. Well that system has become poison to the very people who make it work and it will crumble too by its own cancerous workings. Society will move on, give or take a few billion people or a world war or two. Too bad humans were too stupid to revolt against their masters before Armageddon happened. Re: creative class "It may be holding back neanderthals of the creative class who want to make money therefrom." Wow, Douglas, I'm guessing you've created nothing worth paying for. Some people want to make a living so they can continue to create. I don't know if you know this, but creating music, movies, and books takes a lot of time (maybe not for bad garage bands or bad 2 minute youtube movies). By being able to make a profit from the work, the artist can justify the investment of time and money into the project. Copyright respects authorship and treats it as property Earlier: "...The government felt that there was a market failure, where not enough "content" would be produced without a limited monopoly, and thus, copyright was born...back in the day when creating content wasn't easy...You pretty much had to go through a professional process..." No, "back in the day" you pretty much had to be ROYALTY, not "professional", in order to reap any benefits from your authorship, thus copyright for authors was born. There have been authors galore throughout history, nothing has changed that. Copyright is about a society respecting authorship through it's constitution and laws, not "to provide an incentive for the creation of more content".The original draft of the Declaration of Independence went: live, liberty and pursuit of property. Not: there is a market failure, not enough "content" is being produced without a limited monopoly, and thus, we declare copyright. You're confusing copyright, which is respect for the property value of authorship, and licensing the bifurcation of the free public airwaves, which is distribution. If anything, the expansion of the free public airwaves to include instant and accurate digital copying and instant world wide distribution via the Internet, copyright is more at risk, not lessGo ahead, copy and distribute my work, populate your copy-cat web pages with my authorship, but pay me. That's copyright, and it is needed stronger now more than ever. Earlier: "...when creations are restricted it is the creator who suffers more because his creation won't find its full and true public, its spark finds no kindling, and the fire dies..." Huh? On what planet have you been hiding? Have Oh, that bothers you? And you don't want to create your own content because ...? You are your own worst enemy, argument wise. Nothing proves your points wrong as well as you do yourself: Earlier: "...let..." .. and that attention is called respect for our authorship and respect for authorship is called copyright. I'm sorry and sad that you think you live in a world where there is a creative class and the rest of us are suppressed, but if there be anything like that, it's called the monopoly of the publishing world and the corporate (second class) citizen having enough money to persuade legal authorities to favor them instead of individual (fist class) citizens. That is the problem, and taking away copyright won't kill communication monopolies, it will only kill communication autonomies. I will never share another picture on the web again if I can't reap the benefits of my authorship, I will only sell them at local art fairs. Earlier: "... copyrights can be bought by the highest bidder..." No. Copyrights can be SOLD TO the highest bidder. The difference is in respect for the authorship of property, and that's where copyright protects the individual. Earlier: "... copyright law justifies the withholding of creative works to maintain the celebrity worship paradigm..."Earlier" ... humans were too stupid to revolt against their masters ..." Is this a religious reference, calling on the US to be religion free? Earlier: "... Copyright is not holding back the creative class. It may be holding back Neanderthals of the creative class who want to make money there from. Some of us do not worry. We create...." Can someone help me understand what a creative class is and where I may find it? Are we talking about the movie studios or YouTube? Re: Copyright respects authorship and treats it as property There's much in your comment that makes a degree of sense, or would if you hadn't started off with the blatant myth that copyright treats authorship as property. What copyright was intended to do in the US, as it was in England, is to provide an income for authors for a limited period of time by granting a monopoly on who could distribute it. That was done, as has been mentioned to death here, to encourage authors. (The same is true of copyright in England post Queen Anne.) Nor does copyright have diddly squat to do with censorship or the rights of a sovereign state to do as it basically wishes. Governments conveniently excuse themselves from actually having to respect copyrights or patents for a laundry list of reasons. OK...all that stated. What has been said is that people wrote before copyright and will continue to write once the current copyright regime dies a well deserved death. The giants will still emerge and still earn money, lots of it, from their work as they always have. There will be plenty of trash around, as there is now. And a lot of middle ground stuff which is the growing part now. As the article states copyright is intended for a world in which communication of the written work is a one to many proposition. (This includes software by the way.) And it works fine for that. Problem is that the rise of the Internet has put paid to that model as the only form of communication. What we have now is many to many, as the article states and the current model of copyright written with the one to many model in mind, is no longer helpful it is, in fact, a hinderance. Everyone, potentially, is a creator and publisher and distributor these days. End runs around copyright have come along like Creative Commons and reciprocal software licenseing like the GPL but they are still end runs. Large and influencial businesses built on the one to many concept feel, rightly, threatened and are lashing out at those "fool enough" to promote the many to many model often with the arrogant and untrue claim of protecting creators. The very way we commuincate is changing and copyright law either has to return to its roots as a protector of creators rather than distributors and keep the grant of monopoly as short as is prossible for the sake of the creator and not a distributor or it will rapidly fall into even more disrepute than it's in now. The sure and certain hint that this is happening is the increasing attempts at criminalizing what is, in essence, a civil matter. Even more outstanding is that advocates of this method appear in courts claiming they don't actually have to prove a "crime" actually happened just the suspicions that it "sorta, kinda, mighta" happened and that the accused "sorta, mighta, kinda" did it. Big business replaces monarchy, your term, but even more a new monarchy that rules by divine right of size in the marketplace. Just as dangerous, I submit. Copyright is not a grant of property and never has been. It's a grant of protection of income to promote creativity for a limited time. The term intellectual property is a fraud -- period full stop. (That should get MLS's attention though recall he makes an income from that fraudulant terminology.) Re: Copyright respects authorship and treats it as property No, "back in the day" you pretty much had to be ROYALTY, not "professional", in order to reap any benefits from your authorship, thus copyright for authors was born. Did you miss the part where I was talking about *post* copyright. Yes, apparently you did. There have been authors galore throughout history, nothing has changed that. Copyright is about a society respecting authorship through it's constitution and laws, not "to provide an incentive for the creation of more content". No. I'm sorry but you are simply wrong. Copyright has never been about respecting authorship. It has always been an incentive system for the creation of more content. Check up on your history.Copyright was not considered a property right at the time (that was only much, much later). To the framers it was a monopoly right granted for the purpose of incentivizing more content. Not: there is a market failure, not enough "content" is being produced without a limited monopoly, and thus, we declare copyright. Uh, seriously. Go read your historyYour incentive is to make use of all the other business models that your competitors are also using. Notice how we're seeing more and more bands making money while embracing file sharing? What's their incentive? How about those other business models. Laziness and a failure to adopt a new business model is no excuse. Pretending there are no other incentives is pure willful blindness on your part. Go ahead, copy and distribute my work, populate your copy-cat web pages with my authorship, but pay me. That's copyright, and it is needed stronger now more than ever. Mmhmm. Until your competitors all embrace these other business models and no one is willing to pay you because you're clinging to an ancient obsolete business model. Huh? On what planet have you been hiding? I didn't say that quote, Jeff Jarvis did. But, he's right. Have No, what Jeff is recognizing is that true creativity is built on the backs of those who came before. Or are you suggesting that your creativity does not owe a debt of gratitude to those who came before you? Do you pay them each time you create something? Then you are a hypocrite. And you don't want to create your own content because ...? Huh? Which part of this being about creating more content did you not get? Or are you so elitist that you think building content on top of what others have done isn't actually content? If so, then you are way too far gone. .. and that attention is called respect for our authorship and respect for authorship is called copyright. Please, please please learn your history. Copyright has never been about respect of authorship. You are confusing plagiarism with copyright. It's a common mistake, but it doesn't help your argument, since it's wrong. I'm sorry and sad that you think you live in a world where there is a creative class and the rest of us are suppressed Um, dude, go back and READ before you spew. The point I made was the exact opposite of that. Everyone is the creative class. That was the point. In your rush to yell in anger, not only have you got your facts and history wrong, you didn't even see what the post was about. Nice work. That takes talent. I will never share another picture on the web again if I can't reap the benefits of my authorship, I will only sell them at local art fairs. Good luck with that business model. When your competitors are all putting their content online and making a lot more money than you, perhaps you'll reconsider.Again, you are responding to a comment by Jeff Jarvis, not me (apparently reading comprehension is not your forte). But the fact that copyright is being used to stop all sorts of new music from being made is a pretty good example. Can someone help me understand what a creative class is and where I may find it? Are we talking about the movie studios or YouTube? Again, try a little reading comprehension. The point is that there isn't a creative class. Re: Re: Copyright respects authorship and treats it as property "Copyright was not considered a property right at the time (that was only much, much later). To the framers it was a monopoly right granted for the purpose of incentivizing more content." To the Framers there was no copyright. The constitution did not recognise copyright. The Framers recognised the natural, exclusive rights of authors and inventors, and considered that the state should have the power to secure these rights for limited times, e.g. the lifetime of the author/inventor. The Framers couldn't possibly recognise a privilege of copyright since such a statute would have to arrive after the constitution - it couldn't occur before it. The constitution can only recognise what precedes it, i.e. natural rights. It cannot paradoxically recognise the legislation that was based upon itself or claimed sanction from it. So, the constitution could not recognise copyright. Copyright claims constitutional sanction, because copyright clearly helps secure exclusive rights. Unfortunately, copyright does more than this by granting an exclusive reproduction privilege to published works, i.e. a monopoly over reproduction. Published works lie outside of an author's exclusive right, so any extension is an unsanctioned privilege for however long a term it is granted. The Framers specifically expressed their abhorrence for monopolies, so copyright clearly exceeds constitutional remit. So, Mike, whilst some of the Framers may have lived to see the first copyright law become enacted (3 years after the Constitution in 1790), it is not copyright that the Constitution sanctioned, but the securing of exclusive rights. The US Copyright was heavily influenced by the Statue of Anne (which didn't recognise a reproduction monopoly as a natural right - hence the need to legislate such a privilege - and had no qualms about granting such mercantile privileges, indeed was quite familiar and comfortable with them). So, 3 years after the Framers agreed that monopolies were to be deprecated, good old George Washington rubber stamps copyright - the most egregious monopoly ever invented. All they had to do was to re-interpret 'exclusive right' to include control over works even after those works had clearly been released by their author from his natural exclusive control. Re: Re: Re: Copyright respects authorship and treats it as property Something tells me that Crosbie Fitch is not a Constitutional scholar. Otherwise he would not make such a baseless assertion. Disagree with the law all you like, Crosbie, but copyright law is inherently tied to the Constitution via Article I, Section 8 Clause 8. You have no authority to back your proclamation and a ton of authority contradicting it. Copyright is not and has never been intended as a "property right". It's sole purpose was to offer a brief period of renumeration for a creator so they might have a reasonable chance to profit from their work to encourage "advancements in the arts" which would soon be available after the copyrights expiration. Extended copyrights as we have today is theft, theft from the advancement of man in general in favor of profits for the few. I don't quite follow the logic here Since it is so much easier to publish content these days in the past (as a self-published book, downloads from a web site, or audio CD-ROM), and the tools for creating content are fairly inexpensive and easy to use as well, then we shouldn't need to abandon laws prohibiting the pirating of copyrighted materials, should we? If millions of ordinary folks are able to create stuff that's just as good as the "pros", well they are free to release them into the public domain and distribute them via YouTube, or from their own web sites.Re: I don't quite follow the logic hereBecause everyone over 30 grew up watching Star Wars and listening to Led Zeppelin. It's part of our common shared culture (popular culture yes, but culture none-the-less). Referencing and building on previous creative works has always happened. West Side Story is a musical version of Romeo and Juliet (which in turn is based on an older Italian play which was based on a much older Greek play). Childish Criminals Happy Birthday To You was copyrighted in 1893, more than 100 years ago. Thanks to increasing terms on copyright that song is still under copyright protection today. I don't think people want copyright law gone or abolished. It's rather easy to see by that example how we are not building a public interest, rather a private one. I should think that logical individuals would see an economic problem having to pay for work that was completed over 100 years ago, and repaying for it every time it is used. It's a nice welfare system if you're on the receiving end, but we don't pay people for work they did over 100 years ago. Teachers, Architects, Lawn Maintenance... the list is nearly endless. I don't believe in a system that tilts favor toward a 'content owner' so that they may make some small contribution and sit back and collect on it for over 100 years. The value of that song should have been realized in the first decade or two and allowed to become part of the public domain. When you think about it, that song is now benefiting people who were not even conceived when it was created. Is that how we pay people in America ? If so, I am due several delinquent checks. If you disagree, my advice would be to start cutting checks. Time Warner owns Happy Birthday today, so why not contact them and ask how much you owe for singing that tune to your children and friends. Each time, each year, and while you're at it, donate to RIAA for all the songs you get to 'pirate' off the airwaves too. We wouldn't want a starving artist to go without food tonight. Nor 100 years from today. Re: Re: Childish Criminals If you do it in an restaurant — and if the restaurant hasn't already worked out a deal with ASCAP — you may be engaging in copyright infringement. How Can I Help Stop Infringement? The best way to stop infringement is to tell the authorities and the owners so that they can follow up and arrange for a license and for royalties to be paid. Licenses for Happy Birthday are controlled by ASCAP. While monetary royalties will be negligible for a single restaurant performance, it is the principle that is at stake. If you have seen someone singing Happy Birthday in a restaurant, a park, or at a school, you should tell ASCAP so that they can arrange for a license. If you are an offender, you should apologize and offer to pay whatever is due — a nickel, a quarter, a dollar — whatever ASCAP demands. There is an overwhelming amount of copyright infringement of Happy Birthday. Let's right the balance and tell ASCAP about every one of these violations! ermRe: erm stupid I would argue that I don't want copyright gone or abolished, rather, I'd like it relaxed. To grant an individual or corporation a monopoly for the life of their existence Plus 70 years is certainly egregious. Again, if it does make sense, then let's start paying our teachers, architects... in the same manner. Suddenly it won't make sense anymore. Re: ermHow is it "losing" money if they put in place business models where they use the "ripped off" content as promotion that pushes them towards a business model that makes them more money? Copyrights Copyrights by Robert Anselmo at August 9, 2008, 11:53 amEveryone is generally aware that the creative work product includes entertainment material such as stories, movies, music, etc. It also includes the costly and creative work done when creating software. Because "Copyright Pirates" taking another work product without permission and/or compensation, copyright laws need to be strengthened. Maybe a solution is to have a two -tier system of copyright laws; one tier for creative work product as it currently exists while the other tier is a modified copyright law to allow mass communication within certain narrow media channels so that communications can occur without violation. The problem is that someone will try to take another's creative work product and say that it is "mass communications" and therefore they can freely use it. Re: Copyrights Well, it's nice that you believe that, but that's untrue. The purpose was to encourage the creation of more content. And, it's rather wrong and elitist to suggest that someone else building on the works of another is stealing. After all, in your own creative endeavors you are also building on the works of others. Because "Copyright Pirates" taking another work product without permission and/or compensation, copyright laws need to be strengthened. Nope, try again. That's only because some businesses have made the mistake of making their business model reliant on an obsolete system. Those who have learned to embrace the free promotion of their work by fans, and who have put in place business models that take advantage of that are doing great. Technology has been increasing exponentially faster than the policy and laws can keep up. Since we're going through a transformation into a purely digital (or electronic) media age, "counterfeits" do not actually need to exist. Since they are the original copies of many of the materials. I would go as far as to argue that if you create a electronic copy of something, you must assume that it already has been distributed to infinity. Why? Because it can be distributed as many times as you may or may not like. I think this inability to control it is quite frightening to large organiztions. Furthermore, I would go as far as to blame them if they made the original file. I would say its like throwing dollars into the air and then demanding the police arrest whoever grabs those dollars. Back to policy and law. These large organizations are fighting a Machaivelli-style battle in a Sun Tzu front. In essence, it is the Fourth Generation Warfare of online activity. Except their war is already lost by the vastness of cyberspace and neglect (or possibly ignorance?) to the expansion of technology. Ultimately the laws are going to change. And the laws aren't going to change in their favor. The only people I see really whining about these things are the lawyer-based organizations of the recording industry, motion picture industry and publishing industry. I don't think they can handle the fact that people are getting information and entertainment for free (and legal) anymore. I hope more entertainers, artists, authors, etc. go independant and offer their work for free. Not so much for my benefit but to stick it to these for-profit based groups. Last, I think this term 'piracy' is extremely ridiculous and laughable. I guess, I'll remember to sue anyone that copies my images onto their hard drive and call them 'pirates'. If I leave my newspaper in a coffee shop and someone else takes it an hour later, is that stealing? The RIAA could learn a thing or two from the textbook publishing industry. However, I find it particularly very strange that none of these cases or stories have ever made it mainstream or public knowledge... They successfully sued a college student at Georgia Tech for copyright infringement with a judgment about $210,000 and $100,000 in attorney fees. This was only after he telephoned the plaintiff's attorneys to discuss a amicable settlement and, according to court documents, disclose his personal bank statements, etc. All this was over sending out portable document format (PDF) files. … The defendant is being sued for allegedly distributing two (that's 2) instructor solution manuals as stated in the complaint. Only Pearson and John Wiley are itemized with the 2 allegedly distributed files. So why is Thomson and McGraw-Hill listed in the lawsuit? The defendant, a college student in Missouri, is being sued for allegedly distributing homework assignments and foreign edition textbooks of 19 texts. Wow, so lesson learned, you can't distribute your homework without the expressed written permission of the publishers I guess. Actually, that could be reasoning for not turning in your homework on time. All of these lawsuits are from last year (September 2007). There's many, many more but going over all of them would take too long. Plus to read them you need access to LexusNexus and other legal website access. It seems to me that these are filed quite systematic. I find it very strange and unusual that a large majority of these lawsuits are filed by one attorney. Furthermore, I find it equally strange that they are all filed in the Southern District of New York. Unlike the Recording Industry, who sends it to the defendant's state of residence with counsel in that state, this is not the case. Since the publishers are concerned about people photocopying 'their' stuff and distributing it electronically why are they making their materials exclusively electronic? Why are they filing lawsuits on the basis of this? Also, popular McGraw-Hill text (named in a previous lawsuit against students) resource says this right next to the copyright "The contents of, or parts thereof, may be reproduced for use with [textbook name] provided such reproductions bear copyright notice and may be reproduced in any form for any other purpose without permission of the publisher... Isn't it funny how none of these stories truly make it mainstream or to public knowledge? A kid with a judgement larger than the RIAA lawsuit doesn't even make a bleep. With about 50 lawsuits filed in the last year, and settlements (according to court documents and an enforcement agent) of up to "five figures", or specified in one court case that settlements are between $700 - $70,000. Paul Newman put it best in Cool Hand Luke, "Wish you'd stop bein' so good to me, Captain." Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? I can't figure out what each of us believes anymore, so I have no idea where the arguments are come from or are going to. I think there is much confusion about non-copyright issues, such as a creative class, publishing monopolies, the US FBI and US Customs pursuing copyright infringement of commercial products prompted by those publishing monopolies, the fear of theft from the public if an author holds or withholds their own copyright works, the fear of drying up the culture if copyright is maintained, expanded, reduced, or repealed (hey, let's do all four - hahaha). There's hatred of copyright because it is connected with historical monarchies, and respect for copyright because it is a revolutionary declaration (US and French to be specific) that all people have rights once only tendered to a sovereign. There's the perpetual confusion of patents, trademarks, and copyrights in the minds of authors, intellectual property holders, lawyers, and the general public, let alone in the minds of the government (US executive, judiciary, legislative branches, what to other governments do?). Great that Creative Commons was mentioned, which quickly empowers anyone, especially the common author of digital works, to specify their preference for copy rights and wrongs of their work (intellectual property, personal property, even if respected as singularly owned for a brief period, but universally respected as property nonetheless). Hardly mentioned are international treaties. == I summarize for me: AllYou can disagree, but please, tell us what you prefer as society's way of implementing and respecting authorship and copyright to control copies of one's authored works therein. Thanks. Re: Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? "I can't figure out what each of us believes anymore, so I have no idea where the arguments are come from or are going to." An honest observation that I wish others would openly acknowledge as well. Perhaps then a debate could take place where reason rules and emotion is relegated to the sidelines. As a lawyer intimately familiar with copyright law at all levels (philosophical underpinnings, history, implementation by law, variations on an international level, treaties, etc.), I first took a look at this site in April or so to try and gain an understanding of how others view copyright law. For example, the attitudes concerning P2P were truly perplexing. I would like to think I am now better informed, but the truth of the matter is that this is far from the case. The "it's theft...no it's not", "it's property...no it's not", "I am being held back in my creativity because of copyright law...no you aren't", and other similar diagreements seem to be to overlook (or perhaps disingenuously ignore) a more fundamental question. Are (which for purposes of law have been characterized as "property". Professer Epstein at the University of Chicago several years ago published a paper entitled "Liberty versus Property" that delves into many of these issues. I would find it quite reassuring for a debate on the merits/demerits of current copyright law to take place with his comments foremost in the minds of those on both sides of the issue. The same can be said for the work of Professor Mossoff. To understand an issue one must be prepared to seriously entertain the views of those who what devoted their professional careers to carefully studying all sides of of an issue. Copyright is no exceptionRe: Re: Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? An honest observation that I wish others would openly acknowledge as well. Perhaps then a debate could take place where reason rules and emotion is relegated to the sidelines. Funny that you say this MLS. Because every time we use logic on you concerning copyright, you come back with an emotional argument about how we're all a bunch of immoral kids with no respect. When you learn to grow up yourself and debate logically with reason instead of emotion, then we'll take you seriously when you demand the same of us. Are Ah, MLS, we've discussed this to death. Why do you assume (falsely, again) that that "class" needs to seek profit via a gov't granted monopoly? They don't. Stop pretending they do and maybe we can stop having this silly debate every day. But, alas, you'll return to your "emotional" argument about morality. It's tiresome. To understand an issue one must be prepared to seriously entertain the views of those who what devoted their professional careers to carefully studying all sides of of an issue. Copyright is no exception. And yet, when we presented you with some such scholars, without even reading what they had written, you called them "nutty." You do this sort of thing frequently. When people disagree with you, they're immoral and nutty -- and when called on your double standards, you play innocent, and claim you're just trying to "understand." Uh huh. We understand hypocrisy just fineWe discuss these "nuances" all the time -- and somehow, whenever we point out that these nuances do little to counter the overall argument, you resort to your usual double standards and name calling or other childish behavior. Re: Re: Re: Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? Perhaps if you read the entire comment you would understand what it is I am trying to say. If you take the time to read the work of Messrs. Epstein and Mossoff (among many others who explore the concepts of law associated with the term "property") you may better appreciate my references to "liberty" and "property". Likewise, if you read the comment in its entirety you will discover it was made in response to a post by Mr. Mohanon, who was generally commenting on the the positions proferred by many of the people posting comments on this subject in this and other threads. Like him I find many of these positions very confusing and not at all clear. In a post above I ask why a person used the plural "we" instead of the singular "I". Since you do the same perhaps you may wish to explain why this is so. As I stated on several prior occassions, I do have substantial concerns over the scholarship of those upon whose work you rely upon as evidence of the opinions you express. This is so because in each instance I have studied their work and I was immediately struck by the inadequacy of many of their initial assumptions, not to mention their reliance on raw numbers without any attempt to look behind those numbers. Merely by way of a single example, some of them have pointed to Italy and the number of drug compies existing pre and post enactement of patent laws. In my view raw numbers are essentially meaningless without further analysis. For example, what was the nature of the products manufactured by each such companies pre and post patent? Were mergers taken into account in calculating the raw number post-patent? Was there a change in R&D investment pre and post patent? Was there an increase/decrease in revenue pre and post patent? Etc., etc. Let me reiterate. If at any time you have [a] question(s) about any of my comments, please feel free to ask for clarification. Re: Re: Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? By "monopolies" I presume you mean any grant by a sovereign government of a "right" to a specific member/group of the public. In the context of patent and copyright law this would embrace the 5 rights conferred under patents and the 6 rights conferred under copyright. In the context of other sovereign grants I presume this would similarly extend to the allocation of the broadcast spectrum, oil drilling grants, tree harvesting grants, land grants via land patents, mineral exploration grants, restricted licenses for hunting animals, etc. It is noteworthy that in all of these latter examples select individuals are enabled to exploit various resources to the exclusion of the public at large. Like authors and inventors, the holders of these various grants will naturally expend considerable time and effort to try and secure the resource. Like authors and inventors, no guarantee is provided from such grants that the time and effort will yield anything of value, but if perchance the time and effort pans out such that something of value is obtained, then they are positioned to exclusively exploit the fruits of their labor. Given the general tenor of remarks by those opposed to the concept of patent and copyright grants because they represent monopolies, then I presume that the same logic applies with respect to all other forms of government grants of the type as generally noted above. Let me take this one step further. It seems that many here seem to believe that somehow "property" and "law" are separate and distinct concepts. May I be so bold as to suggest they are not, for without the arm of the law being available for enforcing property rights the entire concept of property fails within those societies that eschew the notion that "might is right" and "self-help" should be the order of the day. Re: Re: Re: Re: Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? "We don't think..." "We think..." I am not at all clear on why you have chosen to use the plural "we" in lieu of the singular "I". "...monopolies privileges infringing on private property rights." Please try and overlook my ignorance, but I am at a loss trying to understand the point you are making. For example, if I were to recieve a patent covering an improved method for manufacturing a "flex circuit board", what private property right would I be infringing by virtue of having received a patent? Obviously, I may very well infringe the rights of one or more persons who hold patents on prior methods associated with the manufacture of "flex circuit boards", but since you have stated your opinion that such pre-existing patents are not rightfully characterized as private property, then precisely what do you consider to be private property rights that I would be infringing? The very same thing can be said for other government grants of the type I noted above that do not involve either patent or copyright law. Here in Florida the state each year holds a lottery and issues a limited number or alligator hunting licenses authorizing each license holder to "harvest" about two alligators. Each hunter has been granted a very limited government authorization that is denied to every other member of the public. These other members of the public can look at gators, but they cannot hunt them and profit from an unlicensed "harvest". Since wild animals, so called animals "Feræ naturæ, are by law incapable of being considered "property" unless and until captured, and since only those with a duly issued license are authorized by law to attempt such capture, what possible private property right is at stake and infringed by the issuance of these very few hunting licenses? Re: Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? AllSure. But if that means that your competitors all clean your clock by embracing business models that don't rely on such draconian control, you'll change your tune pretty quickly (except, by then it'll probably be too late).No one denies that authored works have value (who suggested that?!?). What we're saying is why do you get a complete monopoly over the work, when a much greater creativity could spring from freeing it up -- and that in doing so you could also derive much greater value from it as well. And the comment about slave labor is totally meaningless. No one is saying work for nothing. They're saying choose a better business model. You can disagree, but please, tell us what you prefer as society's way of implementing and respecting authorship and copyright to control copies of one's authored works therein. Thanks. What's control got to do with it? We're talking about expanding creativity while putting in place better business models for creators. If there's more creativity out there and you're able to make more money from it, I think you should find that to be plenty of "respect." Re: Okay, what was it again that each of us believes is appropriate for Copyright law? Respect me as owner of my authored works throughout my life and the life of my first assignee. Throughout your life and the life of your first assignee? Why, in the name of God, should your rights last so long? What did your fist assignee do to deserve protection? Please explain why you think your "work" should be protected for such an extreme length of time? Doesn't the Constitution say specifically "limited time?" Another reason why copyright is good! I have a bunch of examples as to how copyrighting can be good. Because it is the best way to illustrate it, I will do this by example. Harry Potter was a pretty good series of books/movies. The characters were fun, the plot fairly compelling, and the story was unique and original. It was not immediately as popular as you see today, but took some time and effort to develop a following. After the popularity of the series was out of control, suddenly every book and TV show had something to do with schools for witches and wizards (most were pretty much garbage). But you still knew the original by the characters and the names of the creatures and the school. I had heard, even, that in Japan the copyright was violated and they had written in junk such as Harry and Hermione having sex. For a moment, "we're all the creative class dept.", imagine your most favorite creations being perverted like that. Also imagine you are the audience of that creation. Imagine how confused you could become by all the "Harry Potter" look-alike books that are really not up to your standards. (Do you really believe that people will not try to copy your creation to get money? Striking while the iron is hot?) Now your livelihood is put at stake because someone has in effect stolen your creation. Would it be worth putting years of effort creating something like that if, as it becomes popular, someone could just come in and ruin the whole concept. Poisoning the well for people to read the stories in the future. You know, creativity is more than spewing out crap. It is coming up with new and original ideas. Real creativity is singular, it is not something that can really be copied. Have you noticed how few really different movies there are? The movie makers have even gone to reworking old ideas. You really only get a few truly original movie ideas in a decade. Being really creative is hard. I can't do it. When I try, I find I am just rehashing someone else's idea. I am not sure how far you are talking about restricting copyrights, maybe some restrictions would be good. But another of my list of reason copyrights (and patents) can be good is the benefit to the consumer. Thoughts are free.... "One way to get there is to question the copyright myth. Copying isn't theft, and it isn't piracy. It's what we did for millenia until the invention of copyright, and we can do it again, if we don't hobble ourselves with the antiquated remnants of a censorship system from the sixteenth century." a few points Hi Mike "But if they're successful, the next book can get paid for (in fact, that's exactly how most of book publishing works today -- with "advances"). Why that changes without copyright, you haven't explained." No publishing house would pay an author advance money if they are not going to be assured the exclusive right to publish that work. Why do you keep insisting that this is not a problem? Surely you know how the industry works. If a dozen or more different publishers can put out my book without having to pay me, won't it eat into my sales? Why do you naively assume that won't be the case? And more importantly, why should I, as a publisher, be expected to allow another publisher to compete with me using the same work for which I have paid an author advance money, spent more on marketing, tied up distribution? Publishers are more than willing to compete with each other in wooing readers for their offerings, but exclusivity of content is key. What you are suggesting is a lose-lose business model - the publisher and the author both stand to lose. "." Oh, so there's no original content? If that were the case, every author should be getting his ass sued by publishing companies since they are all infringing on someone else's copyrighted work. Strange that isn't happening. And could you please explain how so much quality content was produced in the past 100 years despite copyright "limiting how it can all be done"? think it's because self-publishing is often not an option, marketing and publicity require a lot of financial muscle, distribution is a pain, printing runs require a lot of upfront investment. Why do you stubbornly refuse to address the issues?Re: a few points No publishing house would pay an author advance money if they are not going to be assured the exclusive right to publish that work. Really? Why do you keep insisting that this is not a problem? Because there's evidence that it's not a problem. They will still pay for the rights. . Yet, W.W. Norton still made out like a bandit by being first, where it dominated sales. And even after others entered the market, the W.W. Norton version was the leading seller -- even though it was MORE EXPENSIVE than the other publishers. So, you're simply wrong. Publishers would still pay for the initial rights. I know because they have despite your false claim that they wouldn't. And they'll continue to do so as they put in place even better business models that won't be as easy to copy. . . I don't have a problem with that. If you want to cling to a bad business model, that's your problem. . . ?. As for the answer, more and more authors ARE adopting it. We've pointed out a bunch, in fact. But it takes time for these ideas to permeate, because many are used to the myth that copyright is necessary and rely on that crutch. So you get folks like yourself who, despite having this explained to them at length, prefer to put on blinders. So these things take time. But as the point of this post showed, copyright IS actually harming some of those business models by LIMITING what people can do with content. .. typical "No publishing house would pay an author advance money if they are not going to be assured the exclusive right to publish that work. Really?" What kind of an answer is that? Can you give me a plain answer why a publishing house will want to give an author a huge advance, knowing fully well they will have no exclusive right to that work? "Why do you keep insisting that this is not a problem? Because there's evidence that it's not a problem. They will still pay for the rights.""." You claim to know how the industry works but keep coming up with this same example. Can you do better and point out another example, like a fiction author who has followed this lead?"So, you're simply wrong. Publishers would still pay for the initial rights. I know because they have despite your false claim that they wouldn't."I am talking about individual authors who stand to lose, not a government putting out a report which example you use to claim a trend. I don't see any trend. "And they'll continue to do so as they put in place even better business models that won't be as easy to copy." Handwaving alert! What business models are you talking about? "." Where? Where's the evidence to disprove my assumption? Please correct me and dispel my ignorance (no, not the Norton story again please). "." How will "someone else" do so and "reap the rewards" when it's clearly a losing proposition to do so? And"I don't have a problem with that. If you want to cling to a bad business model, that's your problem." No one realy wants copyright to go away, except you and your acolytes. "."".""?"".""As for the answer, more and more authors ARE adopting it. We've pointed out a bunch, in fact." As I said again, please spare the time and effort to dispel my ignorance by pointing out at least a few. "But it takes time for these ideas to permeate, because many are used to the myth that copyright is necessary and rely on that crutch." Oh...you are already contradicting yourself. "So you get folks like yourself who, despite having this explained to them at length, prefer to put on blinders. So these things take time." You have not explained anything. All you keep saying is that this model will work, but when people ask uncomfortable questions, you keep parroting the same lines. "But as the point of this post showed, copyright IS actually harming some of those business models by LIMITING what people can do with content." Who are these "people" and whose "content" are you talking about? What is stopping people from creating original content? "." Where have you addressed it? You merely keep saying "aahh this is an awesome model, more and more people are adopting, it's the future," when clearly nothing of that sort to assume any significance. "." Great! As always, classsic Mike Masnick tactic: use one example and pronounce it as a trend. Why can't you point to a handful of fiction authors and their publishers who are following this trend, Mike? "According to you, that's impossible. Oops."Re: typical Hi cram, Small point, as I haven't had a chance to read all of the comments. You said: "As for the Norton report, surely you know how riled other publishers because the government did exactly what you are railing against: it gave Norton an unfair advantage by granting them the rights to publish what everyone knew was a sureshot." [emphasis mine, of course] Without getting into the specifics of this situation, that seems to be the whole general point being made. Even you recognize that it was an advantage for a publisher to get it first even though they didn't have the exclusive rights. Why would any publisher agree to publish a scenario like this? Because it's an advantage. Also, you initially described this as a "lose-lose business model." Showing a counterexample isn't an attempt to pronounce a trend based on a single example, it's an attempt to show an counterexample. If you say it's not possible, a counterexample is a good way to show that it is possible. And one last thing. You can't just pick apart Mike's responses and pretend like he's not answering you. It makes trying to follow the discussion thread really annoying, because it's as if you're just looking for ways to pretend he's avoiding the issues when he's not. When Mike just says "Really?", you don't honestly think that was his answer, do you? The rest of the answer is broken up throughout the rest of the comment. It's called inline replying. Attacking every one of Mike's inline comments as if it were an answer in and of itself doesn't prove anything. It just confuses the discussion and makes it more difficult to follow. Re: Re: typical Attacking every one of Mike's inline comments as if it were an answer in and of itself doesn't prove anything. It just confuses the discussion and makes it more difficult to follow. Then blame the originator: Mike does this practice all the time. Cram is merely mirroring it. I agree that the inline replying is annoying and tends to make the discussion more difficult to follow, but it's hard to fairly criticize one party for doing so when the other party is equally guilty of the same practice. Re: Re: Re: typical I wasn't trying to say that inline responses are hard to follow, I prefer them! But you have to break things down logically, you can't just reply to comments taken clearly out of context (e.g. "Really?"). Re: typical Ditto. This is my last response on the subject. I'm coming to the conclusion that you are purposely missing the point. I don't see any other way you could state the things you state. What kind of an answer is that? Can you give me a plain answer why a publishing house will want to give an author a huge advance, knowing fully well they will have no exclusive right to that work? I did. I gave two examples. Norton and Random House, both gave the gov't an "advance" knowing full well they had no exclusive right to that work, and it worked out great. Why do you think those examples don't count.Cram, YOU were the one who said NO PUBLISHERS would ever follow this model. I gave you examples of two. I did not say it was a trend, I merely pointed out that in the absence of copyright you were WRONG in saying that NO PUBLISHERS would adopt this model. The examples of Norton and Random House prove that you are wrong. In these cases, where copyright is absent, they still did pay. The fact that others haven't followed that lead wasn't even up for discussion, because in those cases copyright does exist. YOU claimed that NO PUBLISHERS would do this if there were no copyright. So the proper response, which I did, was to show you the cases where NO COPYRIGHT exists, that publishers DID in fact still pay for the rights to books. In other words, you're wrong. And when caught as wrong, you ignored what you had said (no publishers!) and pretended that I had said something I had not (this is a big trend!). No, you said that IF there were no copyright THEN NO PUBLISHER would pay upfront. So I looked at situations where there was no copyright, and proved your statement false. You can admit you're wrong. You claim to know how the industry works but keep coming up with this same example. Can you do better and point out another example, like a fiction author who has followed this lead? What's with the artificial condition? You were the one who said without copyright no one would pay for the rights.Huh? Norton paid for the rights. What "unfair advantage" is that? That's called selling the initial publication rights. That's perfectly fair. The point is that this proves that you don't need copyright to make it worthwhile for a publisher to publish. You were the one who insisted it was impossible. You are wrong. It's time you admitted it. Ugh. You aren't serious, are you? YOU said WITHOUT COPYRIGHT. So I looked at situations WITHOUT COPYRIGHT. Of course others aren't following this exact lead, because those are situations where THEY DO HAVE COPYRIGHT. My point, which you totally ignore, because you simply don't want to see it, is that without copyright, business models here still work. There's proof. You are denying it. Where? Where's the evidence to disprove my assumption? Please correct me and dispel my ignorance (no, not the Norton story again please). I repeat: you said "NO PUBLISHER." I gave you two examples. To disprove a negative, you just need one example. You're wrong. It's time for you to admit it (and apologize). How will "someone else" do so and "reap the rewards" when it's clearly a losing proposition to do so? Neither Norton nor Random House found it a losing proposition. Why do you insist it must be? AndIf all the other good content out there is being sold for much less, and then you come out with an expensive HP book, then, no, you won't make a killing. Welcome to the world of competition. Take a look at some competitive markets that are disrupted by much cheaper and equally good "open" solutions. Have you talked to any publishing folks lately? They're all freaking out about changes to the market for books. You might want to attend O'Reilly's Tools of Change conference which shows just how freaked out publishers are. That's good, though. Many of them are starting to embrace these theories, and are finding that it works well for their bottom line. Then, the old school publishers will find themselves needing to change as well. Such is the life of competition.Well, isn't that special? Who made you God and said you get to decide what's the "best" business model? How do you know it's the "best"? What if there's something better? And given the experiences of authors giving away their books leading to greater sales, I think that many are finding better business models every day. But, according to you, YOU are the grand poobah of business models who gets to determine what's "best." Unfortunately for you and your ego, it's actually the market that gets to determine what's best. And right now, the market is unfortunately blocked by gov't monopolies and regulations.Please reread the post, and maybe learn something.And yet you present no evidence of those "problems" other than easily proven false statements like NO PUBLISHERS would pay for the rights to a book without copyright. Yet when proven wrong (time and time again) you then change the story and pretend rather than saying NO PUBLISHERS would pay for the rights, that you actually said that there's no trend of publishers moving in that direction. But you didn't say that. You said NO PUBLISHERS, and you've been proven wrong. It's time for you to at least admit that.No, the question is why do you insist that everyone plays by the rules of giving these artists a monopoly on their rights, and not letting anyone do any work on top of their work? Why should one small group of the population (this fake "creative class") get to limit the rights of everyone else? I'm not trying to get everyone to play by "my rules." I'm trying to level the playing field, so that people recognize there isn't a special class of people who gets to limit the rights of everyone else. And, yes, obviously, the public domain and copyright *can* co-exist, but every bit of copyright HARMS the public domain in limiting what can be done with the works under copyright. That was the point of the post, which you clearly missed. As I said again, please spare the time and effort to dispel my ignorance by pointing out at least a few. Cory Doctorow, Paulo Coehlo, Charles Sheehan-Miles. Oh...you are already contradicting yourself. How am I contradicting myself? Because I've said that some authors are adopting this, but not all publishers have rushed to it immediately, under some unknown timeline that the god of all book business models cram decides is the right timeframe? Spare me. You have not explained anything. All you keep saying is that this model will work, but when people ask uncomfortable questions, you keep parroting the same lines. It's not parroting the same lines. It's explaining to you why you're wrong. Which you refuse to accept. Who are these "people" and whose "content" are you talking about? What is stopping people from creating original content? Read the post again and maybe you'll actually learn something. People enforcing copyright to stop others from creating new original works on top of that copyrighted content. That is what we're talking about. Where have you addressed it? You merely keep saying "aahh this is an awesome model, more and more people are adopting, it's the future," when clearly nothing of that sort to assume any significance. You are confusing two separate things (yet again). You were the one who claimed that no such business model was possible. I proved you wrong. Then you insisted that no one was adopting this at all. I proved you wrong again. But then you are mixing things up by pretending that I said that everyone is adopting this already. I said no such thing. Great! As always, classsic Mike Masnick tactic: use one example and pronounce it as a trend. No, I did not pronounce it as a trend. I was merely proving YOU wrong, because you insisted that NO PUBLISHERS (meaning NONE, ZERO, ZILCH, NADA) would EVER adopt such a model. To prove such a negative wrong, you just need ONE example. I gave two. You can apologize for being wrong now.Seriously, cram, until you understand basic logic, I can't see any point in continuing this discussion. So the rules of logic, according to the god-of-all-book-business-models, cram, is that until such an author as one you names adopts this business model, it's impossible for that business model to exist? Design a WebSite for a Lawyer Have you ever tried to design a web site for a lawyer Cram ? I have and I don't think I've ever had conversations with more "can't" in it. Everything I tried to pitch to them came back with some form of concern over copyright or trademarks. Ultimately leading to objection. In the end, to this day, they do not have a web site. The ONLY reason I can think of, is fear of lawsuits. I would hate to live in their world, but we all do. Books + Copywrite Vs. Other Things You two are debating copywrite on books. Most people are debating it on other things; like music and movies. Try taking it in the light of music. Should somebody who creates something five minutes long get to profit for it for 100+ years? Rewording: How some author's Copyright practices are Holding Back Their own Creativity Maybe the opening title should be reworded: Rewording: How some author's Copyright practices are Holding Back Their own Creativity Okay, thanks everyone for valuable and vigorous, productive and provocative contributions. Great that we can keep these discussions of Copyright so active. I'm thrilled that there is real interest in a subject that is so critically important to my own relationship with my society. I think I get a couple of things: Mike, I think you believe in a new way of marketing authored and copyable works. You Your; and problem here. I think may of us get confused between patents, copyrights, trademarks, campaign and advertising slogans, designs, original ideas, and, of course, creative marketing and business models that cut new paths across our experience and challenge us to not rely on previous methods. But, only 3 of these are law - patent, copyright, and trademark - and the others are personal choices, whim, and have nothing to do with law. It You seem to admit they are unrelated, so what do you care if some authors choose alternate societal relationships to your ideas? EvenTo others, regarding "extreme" amounts of time for copyrights - that's one way of assessing differing preferences. I think anything less than my lifetime and the life of my first assignee is "extremely" short, and you may think that anything more than (... um, you don't specify ...) is "extremely" long. Could you specify without adjectives what specific "limit" you prefer? Regardless, the US Constitution suggests "for a limited time" and Shakespeare's time is up, so I guess that's "limited", and we can all have at it. After the limited time I prefer, please feel free to copy my stuff without prior permission or royalties - that is, after my lifetime and my first assignee's lifetime. Regardless, at least by 400 years from now, I'm confident my interests will have expired with me. "Securing" rights does not mean granting them, as all people inalienably have all the rights to begin with. The government has no rights, and therefore has no rights to give. The people have all the rights, and empower our self-governance with certain powers derived from the people. "Securing" rights means protecting them (not granting them in the first place). We already have copyright as an inalienable part of our creation of our own artifact. In the late 1800s, in the early days of photography, the US Supreme court recognized that photographers have authorship and copyright immediately in the creation of even the latent image (at the time, the undeveloped negative - no development, printing, nor publishing needed). All the government is doing is securing those rights -- protecting those innate, unalienable, rights, authorship copyrights. A copyright registration with the Library of Congress does not give us copyrights. We already have authorship copyrights before registration. A copyright registration gives us a professional witness in court in a prima facie case against infringers. Neither the US Constitution nor subsequent Amendments nor laws give us any rights - we already have all the rights. The US Constitution and Amendments and laws circumscribe the powers of government who protect or prohibit expression of rights in certain circumstances (exceeding the speed limit on public roads, protecting a peace march, and so on). Let's not forget how this thing called constitutional democracy works. Okay, constitutional republican capitalist democracy. Okay, ... anyone wanna add some adjectives here? My fingers are getting' tired! ;-) Oh, point me to the place where this is written and is the model by which all property law, especially intellectual property law is governed, please! Earlier: "... given the experiences of authors giving away their books leading to greater sales, I think that many are finding better business models every day ..." unless you propose a welfare state where all authors are paid directly by the state as the 9/11 commission was, an then all author's written products are given away or sold to the highest first bidder. Of course, once published and the fist copy hits the public, no one needs to bid again since they can just freely copy, and the flow of capital in exchange for intellectual property content value never again returns to the originator or author of the intellectual property He is giving it away to consumers to download free, and encouraging them to buy collector's editions with real cover art and supplemental artifacts not available in download. He is doing well, but he is totally dependent on our society's support and respect for authorship copyright as shown in the US Constitution, Amendments, Laws, and the Court decisions and opinions - oh, and international copyright treaties, too. He's just picking and choosing which copyrights to pursue and which to abandon. He's happy with direct downloads form him. He's not happy with competitors selling his work without permission and without paying him royalties. Earlier: "... right now, the market is unfortunately blocked by gov't monopolies and regulations ..." Oh? Do tell. What government monopoly? The one that paid for and gave away the 9/11 report as public domain? Oh, there isn't one. What regulation? The one prohibiting anyone from publishing without claiming copyright or taking advantage of Creative Commons copyright contract examples? Oh, there isn't one. I'm lost to identify any "gov't monopolies and regulations" blocking my marketing of my authored intellectual property. In fact, it's the non-governmental free market vendors who both empower, and yet at the same time provide insurmountable challenges to my creative sharing. I can't get Time Warner on the phone, but Lulu will publish my stuff on demand tomorrow. Gotta love this free marketplace and all the choices I have! And al lof it, Time Warner, Lulu, and myself, are backed by strong government support of respect for my authorship copyright. I'm lookin' good today! And maybe, just maybe, I may successfully stick my finger into the stream of royalties flowing out there on the Internet that O Might be able to retire on. That is, if my intellectual property offering is valued. Gosh, I hope enough people like my stuff to buy some of it. And I'm so happy the government has provided a platform of protection I can call on if I want to against anyone trying to rip me off! Earlier: "... All content is based on earlier works ..." Not mine, and even if it were, it certainly is not based on anyone's extant copyright. And even if it were, I could simply ask for permission to copy. Nothing is standing in my way creating new work, certainly not "gov't monopolies and regulations". Do you know of any, and can you name any, authors who are inhibited by "gov't monopolies and regulations"? Earlier: "... everyone plays by the rules of giving these artists a monopoly on their rights ..." There's no problem here. What's the problem here? Earlier: "... not letting anyone do any work on top of their work? ..." There's no problem here. The courts can resolve trivial issues where unauthorized copies are considered "fair use" and are not under the control of the author's copyright anyway. Yet, where the author's copyright is extant, what's the problem with asking permission, or, god forbid, creating one's own new works! Isn't that your whole read on the US Constitution wording?: Earlier: "... The government felt that there was a market failure, where not enough "content" would be produced without a limited monopoly, and thus, copyright was born ... back in the day when creating content wasn't easy ... You pretty much had to go through a professional process ..."? You want new content? Then why are you harping on rehashed content as the reason to abandon societal and government support for respect for author copyrights? Which way do you want it - new work, or rehashed work? Today, there's both, unhindered by anything but societal and government support for respect for author copyrights in the otherwise free marketplace of ideas and capital. Have at it, and play nice -- play fair -- respect others as you would have them respect you. Don't plagiarize, and pay what another author asks if you copy. Earlier: "... You two are debating copyrwrite on books ..." No, we are debating copyrights. "Copy writing" is writing advertising copy. However, I appreciate our typos, misspellings, and even the YELLING going on here, and, by now, I usually just read past it looking for the real content. We all have greater and lesser resources. I end up writing in a word processor, spell check, miss "from" versus "form" typos, then publish, and go, "Doh!" -- too late, I missed my own typos. I appreciate others would like a nice, perfectly edited read, but I suggest that that ain't gonna happen in the heat of blog replies! Earlier: "... Should somebody who creates something five minutes long get to profit for it for 100+ years? ..." If they deserve it, yes. But, we're not talking about profit, we're talking about respect for authorship copyrights, and I believe that denying a living person within our society control over and benefits from their work is theft, and society should strive to prevent that by one member over another, and to support all it's members intact. If someone wants that author's content 100 years from now (what, they were 1 year old when they authored that 5 minute piece?), then pay for it, or make their own creative burst to compete. The logic here escapes me. People keep saying that the more value something has, the less the author should get. Aside from being the inverse of marketing experience, is there a basis in law that suggests societal and governmental support for individual's rights are to be inversely proportional to the value of those rights? The more something has proven it's worth, the less the creator should be able to control it and reap benefits from it? Huh? Oh, and I love the example of not being able to build a satisfactory web site for a lawyer - hahahah. ROTF-LOL! I also had to fire my lawyer customer mid project just to get the dang thing completed. Lawyers tend to hammer away at anything that they believe could cause them a liability, and they have no awareness of marketing and advertising as investments regardless of certain affordable risks. As John Wanamaker, considered the father of modern advertising, once said, "Half of all advertising money is wasted. We just don't know which half." Lawyers hate that, and become immobilized by trying to come up with the perfect presentation as if they had one and only one chance before a judge to prove their case. Advertising is a hit-and-miss broadcast universe that is anathema to lawyers to completely and successfully persuade and convince each and every judge and jury member they come across, one at a time, no exceptions. The example says more about an uninitiated person's fear of the unknowns of advertising than it does about copyright. Anyway, thanks again and again, everyone, for this great discussion. Keep it up. More, please. Vote early, and often! Re: Rewording: How some author's Copyright practices are Holding Back Their own Creativity Oh? Do tell. What government monopoly? Maybe a more accurate term is "government granted monopoly," which is what copyright is. All the government is doing is securing those rights -- protecting those innate, unalienable, rights, authorship copyrights. This is not the American view on copyright. The constitution says, The Congress shall have Power... To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries. These are not natural rights. It's optional for Congress to implement them It's for a limited time -- nothing says that it has to be greater than the life of the author, and the original 14 years of copyright in the US certainly wasn't The purpose is "to promote the progress of science and the useful arts", not "to give authors and inventors what is rightfully theirs" or something. It says "the" exclusive right, not "their" exclusive right. It's an incentive to create more art If these rights are innate and unalienable, why is it optional for Congress to secure them? And why only for a limited time? Mike linked to an earlier article on the real purpose of copyright in the post. Could you specify without adjectives what specific "limit" you prefer? Given that the purpose of copyright is to create an incentive for the creation of works, the limit should logically be linked with that incentive. What sort of limit is reasonable to "promote progress of science and the useful arts?" The law of diminishing returns also kicks in. What's the real difference between 20 and 50 years in terms of the incentive to create? At some point, the trade off (of not getting works into the public domain) no longer becomes worth it. Will there be any shortage of works if people don't retain the rights after they're dead? I'd be willing to bet money that there won't be. "All content is based on earlier works ..." Not mine, and even if it were, it certainly is not based on anyone's extant copyright. So you've never taken a photograph of something which someone else has created? You've never tried to learn from or mimic the styles of other photographers? Not all of these cases are copyright infringement, but it's a myth that our creativity comes entirely from within. We are all influenced by those around us. Re: Rewording: How some author's Copyright practices are Holding Back Their own Creativity Mike, I think you believe in a new way of marketing authored and copyable works. Almost, but not quite. I actually think this is really the same old way of marketing, it's just a better understanding of what you're actually selling. You Good summary. YourAlternative suggestion? Learn how to embrace these things to your advantage: That means recognizing the difference between infinite and scarce goods, and how to use infinite goods to make scarce goods more valuable.The response to your question about what's to be "done" about is to simply position yourself to take advantage of it. Those who straightup plagiarize your works open themselves up to having their reputations damaged -- but they also help promote you. Look for ways to use that to your advantage. Um, that was the WHOLE POINT. Cram indicated that publishers would never pay for rights to works without copyright. So I pointed out how that was not true. Do you see how you've twisted that around? You say that I can't use an example of a business model working in absense of copyright because there actually isn't a copyright in that examples. That's the whole point. Of course there isn't copyright on that document, but there was a business model that still worked. and, actually, it's not a trademark issue. You should read some of the background. Trademark does allow some designers to prevent direct knockoffs that purport to be the designer brand, but not other copies. Fashion designers are pushing for *COPYRIGHT* (yes, copyright) to be added to fashion design. But studies have shown that it's actually the lack of copyright (yes, copyright) that has helped the industry flourish by making it much more innovative, since designers have to keep innovating. Plus, those that do knockoffs (completely legally, not violating trademarks) help make the original designs MORE VALUABLE by getting them more widely known and promoting the design itself. But there's tremendous cache in owning an original, so it actually boosts how much the designers can make. Plus, it pushes them to keep designing new stuff, rather than resting on their laurels. In other words, it functions quite well without copyright, entirely separate from the trademark issue. It Because, as this post highlighted (I thought), those models are being held back by those who cling to copyright. They're preventing others from doing more. That's a problem. EvenActually, while some might try to establish such contractual relationships, as others flourish without them, they won't last. We already have copyright as an inalienable part of our creation of our own artifact. Actually, no. Copyright was considered a very limited monopoly grant from the gov't. Not "an inalienable part of creation". Neither the US Constitution nor subsequent Amendments nor laws give us any rights - we already have all the rights. You recognize Thomas Jefferson disagrees with you: "St." Oh, point me to the place where this is written and is the model by which all property law, especially intellectual property law is governed, please! James Madison: "." Thomas Jefferson: ". . . other nations have thought these monopolies produce more embarrassment than advantage to society; and it may be observed that the nations which refuse monopolies of invention, are as fruitful as England in new and useful devices."That's simply untrue. It is not "the only way" they get paid. They can put in place better business models to get paid. That was the example I gave with the 9/11 report. It was still worthwhile for Norton to buy the rights, because they still made money. So authors could still sell those same rights. And if the book is huge success, the rights for their NEXT book will go for much more I think you're missing the point. The point is that publishers were still willing to pay HUGE royalties, even though there was no copyright. So the same would apply to authors as well Actually, he's using a creative commons license that does let others give the music away. And the point is that even if he weren't, the business models he's adopting don't change if others do give it away or even sell their own copies... Because the value is in Trent himself (getting "official" versions, signed and numbered versions, concert tickets, etc). None of those are harmed by others publishing his stuff. He is doing well, but he is totally dependent on our society's support and respect for authorship copyright as shown in the US Constitution How is it totally dependent on copyright? He's selling the UNIQUE versions that come signed or numbered from him directly. That doesn't rely on copyright. He sells concert tickets. That doesn't rely on copyright. Oh? Do tell. What government monopoly? Copyright. And I'm so happy the government has provided a platform of protection I can call on if I want to against anyone trying to rip me off! But if that protection limits the value of your content (i.e., others can't do much to make your content more valuable, thus limiting the value to them as well), then it's HURTING the value of your work. And why do you view others making your work more valuable as ripping you off? Earlier: "... All content is based on earlier works ..." Not mine Have you never taken a photo of something made by someone else? And your photographic style isn't influenced by anyone else? Do you pay royalties to the guy who built the buildings you photograph? How about the people who taught you photography? Why don't you pay them a royalty everytime you make money on a photo? You want new content? Then why are you harping on rehashed content Not rehashed. Built on the works of those who came before. Just like your work. Just like anyone's work. We're all better for standing on the shoulders of giants. I believe that denying a living person within our society control over and benefits from their work is theft, Who's denying a person control over their works? If you build a chair and sell it, do you have control over what a person does with that chair afterwards? Of course not. So why do you insist on control over your works after you sell them as well? People keep saying that the more value something has, the less the author should get. Not at all. The more value something has, the more they can make from it if they put in place good business models -- which don't rely on copyright. The more something has proven it's worth, the less the creator should be able to control it and reap benefits from it? Yes, because the less they control it, the MORE VALUABLE it becomes, meaning that there are MORE opportunities for them to reap the benefit from it. I wonder where the call to disenfranchise authors comes from, and the call to empower copyists? INo one seems able to succinctly answer: what limits do you prefer? "... The Congress shall have Power ... To secur[ing] for limited Times to Authors ... the exclusive Right to their respective Writings ..." Re: Hi other Blaise, I wonder where the call to disenfranchise authors comes from, and the call to empower copyists?... II ask again, have you never build off the work of others? Do you ever take photographs of things that other people have made? It's natural to build off the works of others, to "stand on the shoulders of giants." Mere copyists won't have anything new to offer the world, but there's a lot to be offered from those would can add something new or original, something transformative. I forget if it was in this thread or another, but take West Side Story as an example, based on Romeo and Juliet, based on an earlier Italian play, based on a Greek play... Derivative works are not just mere copies. There's such a thing as transformative use. See Garfield Minus Garfield for a recent example, or Girl Talk. And who's trying to take power away from authors? We're trying to show them that there's an opportunity to grow their market and develop stronger business models that will thrive in a digital age. That would be helping authors. "Ah, so you chose a poor business model. Why should everyone else suffer for your mistakes?" No. This isn't just a business model issue. It's the reality of how many people read books. You can go on about business models as long as you want, but you can't make everyone read books. Some people just don't. But that doesn't mean we should get rid of books. Just because a business model doesn't make everyone rich, doesn't mean it isn't the best possible business model for that product. "Who cares if some don't? You know millions of people watch BMW commercials every day. Some buy BMWs, but not all. Yet BMW doesn't accuse those people of "stealing."" I see this is the point where you make your standard, unrelated example. If other companies put out cars that were an exact copy of BMWs, then you'd have a point. no one is complaining about competing with other products, they just don't want to compete with THEIR OWN PRODUCT. "Indeed. How does that change with or without copyright?" It doesn't. What changes is, if the author makes a profit on the first book, they can devote much more time and money to the creation of the second one. "Indeed. So why are you complaining when we suggest business models that will allow more to make a living from writing?" Sorry Mike, it's two different issues. "You haven't explained why that also doesn't happen without copyright. We've already shown that you can make money without copyright -- and we've shown examples of how authors have ignored copyright to get more attention and sell more. put the right business model in place and copyright doesn't matter." No, you haven't. You shown how it works on a microlevel. And your modern examples do not work because in many of those cases the works still benefit from copyright, ie, just because someone gives away the digital product, doesn't mean that other companies have the right to print the physical product. Re: No. This isn't just a business model issue. It's the reality of how many people read books. Huh? How does the reality change things? It's still a business model issue. If you don't recognize that, then I'm afraid I can't help you. You can go on about business models as long as you want, but you can't make everyone read books. Who said that we would? We're talking about a variety of business models. That means more than just getting everyone to read books. But if you honestly think that the entire market for your books has been reached and you can't do any more to penetrate a larger market, then you'd be the first such author I've ever met. But that doesn't mean we should get rid of books. My goodness?!? Who said anything about getting rid of books. Not me. Just because a business model doesn't make everyone rich, doesn't mean it isn't the best possible business model for that product. And when did I say that? You keep putting words in my mouth of awful things you're hoping I said but most certainly did not say. Who said any business model makes everyone rich? Not I. But a different business model could support more authors by allowing them to make a good living. How do I know? Basic economics. Look at any market where you remove such artificial restrictions and you see much greater opportunities emerge and a larger number of people able to make a living. Those who insist books are somehow "different" are wrong. There's never been a market that doesn't follow basic economics. I see this is the point where you make your standard, unrelated example. It's not unrelated at all. You claimed that some will use your works without paying. And I pointed out that there are business models where that's not considered a bad thing. If you don't see the connection, don't blame us. Try rereading and rethinking. no one is complaining about competing with other products, they just don't want to compete with THEIR OWN PRODUCT. If they're competing with their own product, then they don't understand their market properly. You always have products you can offer that no one can directly copy. That's the point. You choose to ignore them. Your loss (literally). Read the original post again to understand why copyright is holding back your market. You are correct that it's your choice, but it's one that damages the market for your works. No, you haven't. You shown how it works on a microlevel. Hmm. I've shown how it works at a microlevel with examples, and then people complain that I haven't shown how it works at a macrolevel. So then I present economic evidence showing how it works at a macrolevel and people complain that I haven't given any examples of how it works at a microlevel. I have shown both. It's not my fault that you apparently can't hold both concepts in your mind at once. And your modern examples do not work because in many of those cases the works still benefit from copyright My goodness. So I give an example where copyright doesn't exist at all and people in the thread jump on me saying the example doesn't count because copyright doesn't exist in those cases. Then I give examples where copyright does exist and you claim that it doesn't count because copyright does exist in those cases. Do you not realize that the combination of all these factors proves the point? You don't need copyright and the business models work. How hard is it to combine these two ideas... oh right, some folks can only keep one concept in their mind at once. I give up. Enjoy your business model while it lasts. I'll focus on helping those who want to be helped. I can't even begin to respond to each of your responses, because you continue to change the point and twist my words.And no, there's not always other products someone can offer. Talk to the average novelist. There's usually not a lot else a novelist can offer. But I suspect you know all this, and the flaws in your theory, but can't admit them because you're playing for your techdirt audience. So be it. Re:You assume, incorrectly, that all dollars currently allocated to entertainment are the full amount that can be. I would think that the history of the GROWING dollar spend on entertainment would be pretty convincing evidence against that, but... apparently not? And no, there's not always other products someone can offer. Talk to the average novelist. There's usually not a lot else a novelist can offer. Trust me, there is ALWAYS other products that someone can offer. Including novelists. Paulo Coehlo, Jonathan Lethem, Charles Sheehan-Miles and Cory Doctorow are all novelists who have figured out ways to profit without relying on copyright. Any novelist can do the same. But I suspect you know all this, and the flaws in your theory, but can't admit them because you're playing for your techdirt audience. So be it. Huh? "Playing to my Techdirt audience"? I don't understand. Why would I do that if I were wrong. I say what I believe in based on EVIDENCE and if I were wrong and there were such huge flaws then people would point them out -- with corresponding EVIDENCE. So far, you have not done so. You have merely confused what I said. Fair enough. That suggests I need to do a better job explaining what I'm saying, but it doesn't mean I'm wrong. Re: Re: Sorry for the delay in this comment, but I didn't have the time too go look back on your "evidence" until now. I found this post from you on a previous copyright conversation: "Again, as I wrote above, that's not actually true. Even when identical versions were published of the 9/11 report, it was still the publisher that got it out first who received the bulk of the sales. On top of that, there is the reputation issue, which is likely to keep the scenario you described in check. If a big publisher does that regularly, it would get a bad reputation in the market, and people would learn to stay away from them. That publisher has all the incentive in the world to actually reward the author, as it means that when he or she writes the next book, they may be more likely to team up with that publisher to release the initial copies (which, as we noted, is where the bulk of the revenue lies)." The problems with this statement can be pointed out in much of your evidence. First, the 9/11 report had so much news coverage, and so many people were waiting for it, that to use it as a typical example is dishonest. Secondly, depending on the type of book and the amount published, stating that the initial copies is where the bulk of the revenue lies is false. This is true in some cases, but certainly not all. Many books see their most significant sales in the second printing (I know this from experience). The other problem is that you say what you say based on a theory. True, it may work in theory, but that doesn't always translate to it actually working. To quote Homer J. Simpson, "Communism works in theory...in theory
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What's Wrong With AD&D? (AD&D is a registered trademark of TSR/Wizards of the Coast, and no challenge to their trademark is intended - indeed, who'd WANT it?) This is a listing of the illogical rules, inconsistent setting flaws, and other reasons to not play AD&D. This page ONLY covers AD&D 1st and 2nd Editions, and Hackmaster to some extent. I don't want to waste the money and time on doing a similar page for D+D3. If you want to, that's fine, and I'll be happy to link to it. If you'd like to try some alternative games that are free, see the free games section. I used to ask about complaints, but I don't care what you think anymore. I've received hundreds of messages about this page, mostly 20-page diatribes in ALL UPPERCASE with incomprehensible grammar and spelling errors, written with all the good grace of a religious believer whose fucked-up cult has been criticized in public for the first time. Your complaints have already been laughed at and dismissed with the Top 10 Excuses list. If you'd like to contribute to it in a positive manner, send me email. By Mark Damon Hughes, 98Nov18 So why do we do this? Why do we tell AD&D players about better games when they have a little fun playing their game? No, it's not because we're assholes [0], nor because we hate TSR (I, for one, have bought a *LOT* of TSR modules and sourcebooks, and will continue to do so). We do it because we don't like seeing other people use substandard systems, when better ones are available and often cost less or are even free. We do it because we'd like to have sourcebooks that describe things better than AD&D's system permits. We do it because we've seen the alternatives, and found that the alternatives are more fun. If AD&D was replaced with a modern game system tomorrow, we'd stop bitching about it. Until then, we stand up and try to make people's lives a little bit better. By Dr. Erin D. Smale, 2002Aug02 1. Why are multi-classed demi-human magic-users permitted to wear metal armour but human magic-users are not? Obviously for game balance, but that's a flaw in the system and not something that could ever be satisfactorily explained within the context of the game. I've heard the excuse that metal interferes with magic. Fine. How does one enchant armour or weapons? How is possible, then, for offensive spells to damage targets "protected" by metal armour themselves? Why can't a magic-user wear leather armour? I've heard that wearing armour restricts the spell-caster's ability to execute a spell's somatic components. Fine again--what about spells that do not require somatic components? Nevermind that--why are elves more adept at somatic components in armour than humans? Is it because they're more dextrous (as evidenced by their DEX modifier)? No, it can't be that, becuase non-elven multi-class magic-users who don't get a DEX bonus can cast magic spells in armour, too. I've heard that demi-humans are more adept at the magical arts, so they have--as a race, mind you--somehow divined the secrets of overcoming the esoteric "restrictions" imposed by wearing armour. <Sigh> This is blatantly false, for if it were true, demi-human magic-users would be able to rise to a level equal to or greater than their human counterparts. Which brings me to my second item: 2. Why are demi-humans restricted in level advancement? Again, the real answer is game balance, but it doesn't make any sense in the campaign world. I don't have my books in front of me, but IIRC, most demi-human races are longer-lived than humans. Would it not follow that they have more time to hone their skills in their chosen career? As a race, is it not reasonable to assume that they have a more advanced storehouse of knowledge. If elves are as magical as tales (and the MM) say, why can't they get beyond 10th-level in the magic-user career? If the level cap is 20, and a human's normal lifespan is 120, we can conservatively assume a maximum of one experience level per five years (given that the PC begins his adventuring career at the late age of 20). If a high elf's lifespan is 2000, and he is limited to 10th-level, then advancement creeps to the preposterous ratio of one level every 167 years (assuming that the elf begins his career at the age of 333--the same relative age as our human example). Yet we "know" elves are better at magic, because they're allowed to cast spells in armour. Right? But maybe not, because: 3. Why can multi-class demi-human magic-users wear armour but single-class demi-human magic-users can't? Game balance? I don't even think so, because the rule actually favours the munchkin in that the multi-class magic-user--with more class abilities--gets a better deal than the single-class magic-user. And both with the same magic-user level cap. This just doesn't make sense. Period. And while we're on the subject: 4. How are other multi-class character abilities justified in contrast to their single-class restrictions? For example, a multi-class fighter/thief can perform thieving abilities in better-than-leather armour. A multi-class cleric/fighter can use All weapons. What of the cleric/fighter/magic-user "powerhouse"? It can't be an issue of game balance because these multi-class combinations actually overpower their single-classed counterparts in terms of the game rules. In terms of a campaign's internal consistency, there's no reason *not* to be multi-classed. Why? Well, according to those who whine when I bring up this issue, game balance *is* achieved by making multi-class characters divide their earned experience by the number of classes possessed. Now, if memory serves, a fighter needs 2,001 XP to advance from 1st- to 2nd-level; a magic-user needs 2,501 for same. So, for a fighter/magic-user, the character must acually earn 4,502 XP to reach 2nd level. Well, by that time, the single-class fighter is only 3rd-level, and the single-class magic-user is still 2nd-level. Game balance? How about lazy mechanics instead? And the progression just gets worse as levels increase. So my fighter/magic-user is one fighting level below your single-class fighter--I can cast spells. Can you? My AC is just as good as yours. My weapon proficiency/specialisation is just as good as yours. My saving throws are better. Because I'm a demi-human, I have ability score mods and special racial abilities--does your single-class human have those? No, it doesn't. And even if your PC is a single-classed demi-human of the same race, I can still cast spells. In armour. Remember? Among the numerous problems with the AD&D system, the multi-class rules seem jarringly contrived. For what? Game balance? The above shows how even game balance suffers. Heavy-handed rules that exacerbate the "problems" they were designed to correct. By Mark Damon Hughes, 2002May28 The psycho emailed me again (but hypocritically demanded "DO NOT mail back to me, if you do I will delete the message," - so I'll mock the psycho in public instead) with a bunch of his usual hate-filled, defensive, incoherent, badly-spelled gibberish, which ended thus (his 3rd-grade spelling and misuse of "your" gave me a good laugh): With that said, I leave you to continue wasting time out of your day on = a wab page with a hits list in the double didgits. If you stopped and = took a good look around you would discover that noone realy cares what = you have to say, and if they do it's because your wrong. Normally, I'd just delete it - it was HTML mail, so it got routed directly to my spam folder, but I found it when I was cleaning that out. However, it's interesting that he mentions my hits, because I was just checking my web usage for the month so far. Two things to note first: 1) the "users" stat is fairly bogus - it counts unique IP addresses, which means many dialups like AOL are counted just once - my guesstimate is 20000 real users, averaging 2 pages per visit. And 2) no, the totals below do not include hits from my IP address, even if I *was* insane enough to hit refresh that often, which I'm not. This is the 12th most popular page I have. But frankly, I'm disappointed - it should be even MORE widespread! I want this page on banner ads! On bus sides! Shouted from soapboxes in the park! Get to it, people! Not that popularity would make it better, but I want even more people to read it and maybe even contribute. (links to contrary pages that aren't just "You're Mean!" messages) (or, Why I Hate All You Hairless Monkeys) By Mark Damon Hughes, 2002Jan09 On a regular basis for the last 3+ years since I started this page, I have received various complaints of "You're mean!", rants, death threats, and other kinds of nastiness from D+D fans. Not a one of them has proven wrong, explained, or fixed any of the problems on this page, they're all filled with excuses and venom. (As if I don't get enough of that in my sex life.) This page has two purposes. One is explained in the Manifesto. The other is that I got tired of reposting the same arguments - I wanted new arguments. For that, I had to have someplace to record what has gone before, so I can just say "Go here. Now that you've read that, ..." But no, the D+D fans don't see it that way. I'm apparently a threat to their way of life, sapping and impurifying their precious bodily fluids by having this web page. I'm not talking here about the more-or-less normal ones who just play it (either because that's all they want or because they don't know about better games); unfortunately, they don't send me email. I'm talking about the hardcore religious zealots. What amazes me is the number of D+D freaks who exist, and are amazed and astounded that anyone would not be exactly like them, and especially that we'd dare to express ourselves in public. It's like they're 1950s American middle-class white christians suddenly transported to the modern world, surrounded by atheists, pagans, cultists, and members of every religion in the world; people of every race miscegenating; gays, lesbians, transvestites, and drug users out in the open; confronted with genetic engineering, quantum physics, and cryptography. Their eyes glaze over, their brains seize up, and they start foaming at the mouth like revivals in Warren Ellis's Transmetropolitan - they can't handle the fact that there might be more to the world than their trivial little game. As for threats, or praise for how amazingly brave and/or insanely suicidal I am, what of it? Do you think there are going to be gangs of sickly, undernourished/overnourished, greasy D+D players coming by to pelt me with dice for it? Fuck that. The day I knuckle under, join the herdthinkers, and refuse to speak my mind on a subject, I'll go into politics. Not to mention, you know, that my nickname is Kamikaze for a reason. If I can take my enemy out with me, I will do so. I am almost universally lambasted by them for not instantly converting to their position, but they never budge one smegging inch, never acknowledge a single point on the page with "Oh, that's a good point". That's standard operating procedure for kooks. With a different background, they'd be writing books on how the Templars come from the lost continent of Atlantis. One psycho has even put up a web page of an email argument I had with him (I was bored and he seemed sane at first, okay?). No logical argument, just ad hominem attacks. <sigh> In the immortal words of Spider Jerusalem, "If you loved me, you'd all kill yourselves today." Every single one of them repeats #2 and #3 from Top 10 Excuses by saying "But D+D is the most popular game! Everyone I know loves it! What's wrong with you?". One more time for the hard of thinking: Popularity does not equal quality. Popularity is based on marketing. Successful marketing does not make something good. Another stock response is that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Bollocks. I've read D+D, played it for years. Studied it and done mathematical analysis. And it's nonsense. It's an accumulation of random rules thrown together, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. And the final one repeated over and over is that it's a role-playing game (I guess the implication is that the rules and what's in the books therefore doesn't matter, but I can't be sure, as none of them ever explain what their point is). D+D, all editions, are all about combat. That's what you get 99% of your experience for. That's what all the classes are about. That's what all the monsters (the name itself is a dead giveaway) are for - they even stripped out the ecology and cultural notes on the monsters in D+D3, and put in more damned combat notes. There's almost nothing in any edition of D+D that's about anything but combat. Worst of all, there are no personality or background systems - new characters are these formless blobs who crawl out of chargen with 6 stats, a race, class, and alignment. D+D is just an upgraded version of Chainmail, AD&D was a further upgraded version, and D+D3 is pure hack-and-slash, and nothing but. But if you don't want to try better systems, if you're happy just doing hack-and-slash, well, fine. But stop mailing me these 500-line messages saying "You're mean!", or I'll shoot you with a bowel disrupter set to "Prolapse" and then sell your little brother to Dahmer's Restaurant. By Björn Paulsen, 2000Jul31 Q: Despite these superficial faults (that can be rectified by adding to the engine, btw), there isn't really anything wrong with the basics, is there? A: Yes there is. AD&D is battle-oriented. It revolves around combat, melee, the casting of fireballs and the killing of orcs who are Chaotic Nasty beings. Players starting the game with a group of Level 1 monks (without weapons) who all specialize in diplomacy will soon find out that there really is no way to improve their skills. Quite simply you *have* to kill other creatures to learn anything at all. Q: Why is this a bad thing? A: Because it doesn't reflect reality OR heroic fantasy. One doesn't become a hero by slaughtering hundreds of opponents. A hero is someone who puts himself between the innocent and danger, without intentions of profit. Take a weapons' school, for example. Train under a weapons master in most systems and you get better at swordplay. The same situation in AD&D will either give you nothing at all, or it will cause all of your abilities to improve. Quite simply, it is a silly system that should best be buried. By Kevin Mowery, 2000Apr30 Since hit points represent not only the ability to sustain physical damage but also the ability to avoid damage, luck, and the grace of the gods, the Constitution bonus table provides a problem. Fighters get better bonuses to hit points for their constitution than any other class, in addition to an already higher hit die. A fighter with an 18 Con is lucker and more agile than a thief with 18 Con, and has better divine favor than a cleric with 18 Con. The flip side to this is that a high Dex grants an Armor Class bonus. All classes get the same bonus, so there is nothing to balance the benefit fighters get over everyone else for a high Con. Also, since a "miss" actually means that no hits landed that caused damage, not that the attacker was beating the air for a full minute, a high Dex could (should?) be interpreted as giving characters a better ability to shrug off damage! The to-hit bonus for a high Strength only supports this idea: the nimbleness and dexterity of a person doesn't affect their ability to handle a sword. Only strength matters; the problem isn't being able to hit but being able to hit hard enough to cause damage. The assumption, then, is that an attacker always hits, just maybe not hard enough to cause damage. By Mark Green, 2000Feb16 Believe it or not, this came from the rec.games.frp.dnd newsgroup - quite sad that the best fodder against the game comes from its own players. What exactly does a saving throw represent? A magical failure? Whim of the gods? In practice, it's hard to have it represent anything without running into problems. The rulebook explicitly states that a save against a fireball results in the PC falling prone or somehow dodging to minimise damage. The questions then immediately arise: - Since at least some of their hit points represented their potential for dodging also, what's the difference between dodging because of your saving throw and dodging because of your hit points? - Is there a modifier to saving throw based on the terrain you're in, and how easy it'll be to find cover? Why should a wizard, normally a weak class at combat and similar tactics, be able to do this better than others? Can he decide "I'm going to act like I'm making a save against a fireball" in order to dodge incoming arrows, flaming oil, or similar? Or does he have to (cue *ridiculous* moment) fireball himself and hope to save in order to gain this miraculous power to efficiently dodge? - If you're lying prone ANYWAY, do you automatically save? Some people responded that the wizard casting the fireball would aim at your prone form and counter the effect, yet if that were the case, fireballs usually have radius to spare - why don't all wizards target their fireballs to centre on the floor? Does it then become impossible to save by falling prone? And this only applies to a save against a fireball spell. Yet that "Save vs. spell" category seems to encompass much more, including (for example) mental willpower. Why should mental willpower and dodging ability be measured on the same statistic? By Mark Green, 2000Feb16 Many recent RP games base themselves very strongly on what the characters can or cannot *do*, as opposed to AD&D, which bases it very strongly on what the characters will or will not have happen to them (saves = whether things will affect you; to-hit = whether you will be successful in combat, etc.) The theory behind this is that the AD&D systems tell you what the final consequence was, and you can then fill in the details however you like to role-play your character, and that's the reason why the systems are abstract. So, in the fireball save, perhaps your character did dodge. Perhaps they were just so rock-hard they stood there and took the fireball without taking major damage. Perhaps they just stood there and seemed to be less affected than others and who knows why.. wizards are mysterious that way. Now, this could have quite a lot of potential. It almost touches on the extremely neat rule in Feng Shui which states that you can do as many fancy tricks and things as you like in pursuit of a consequence, and if there was an easier (but duller) way you could have gotten it, the hard fancy way will be no harder on the dice roll than the easy dull way. The problem is that AD&D leaves too much open, and then has to break its own rules of abstraction. See my other example about harmful-touch creatures and abstract hit points, for example. You can't fill in the details any more; the game has forced a circumstance on you which says you were physically struck, in a way that later fails to make sense within the abstraction. The counting-coup example was another, where your ability to work within the abstraction would have to be denied. The abstraction is far *too* liberal to work. Furthermore, it's the kind of abstraction in which you can only fill in the details *AFTER* the final consequence is established. Suppose that in the fireball example above, the wizard's player announces "Well, I stand there; my ambient magical power may save me." Then the wizard had *failed* his save. Fair enough, he was wrong.. but this is a wizard, who has devoted his life to researching magic. Wouldn't a wizard in that situation want to learn to improve his ambient power? Practice using it to shield himself? Or perhaps learn if there's something special about this fireball that it failed this time whereas others have succeeded (which OOC happened due to a lucky run on the dice on previous fireballs)? In order to explain why your wizard wouldn't do these things, none of which the system can deal with (because they were all based on an explanation of an abstract result), you have to reach out and use the OOC knowledge that it was only because he failed a save that it didn't work and therefore he presumably just forgets it (recall that this is a person who has devoted his life to attaining mastery of magic). Either that or wait until AFTER the dice are rolled and THEN announce what the wizard would have tried to do that failed. This could well be a cause of the classic AD&D munchkinism problem - the players feel that what their characters actually do doesn't make a difference, because 90% of it tends to boil down to retroactively explaining the results of dice rolls, so the only goal is to make the die rolls as easy to make as possible. If it doesn't boil down to this, then the pre-roll explanations have to be as generic as possible, because it'll be impossible to make an explanation in advance that doesn't risk generating huge extra volumes of nonsystem stuff or things that don't work inside the system (as with the wizard above). Forcing people to make generic explanations is guaranteed 100% to kill roleplaying stone dead. By Mark Green, 2000Jan29 Although it is accepted that some of the hit points represent dodging or luck, a character is required to save against the effect of poison or suffer level draining whenever a monster with poison or drain capability lowers the character's hit points! Why is this the case? Both injecting poison and administering a draining touch require physical contact; how does the system know that the hit points deducted weren't ones representing dodging? It becomes even more comic when you consider the implications. A warrior against one of these creatures would be explicitly trying to dodge, and (presumably) would therefore want to ensure that hit points expended would be dodging ones rather than physical ones. However, since the touches evidently do work, all hit points are physical ones, meaning the ones left afterwards must be mostly dodging ones: witness the fighter who walks over to the creature with a dangerous touch, lets it beat on him, defeats it, and then (battered and bruised from all the physical damage) continues to dodge at maximum potential versus the next safe creature.. By Mark Green, 2000Jan29 One thing about AD&D is that it tends to be very limited in allowing for character backgrounds that make any sort of sense whatsoever. Wizards are especially bad for this. We are supposedly asked to assume that wizards are admitted to teaching colleges, where they spend years being introduced to the rudiments of magic.. and then, having mastered a 1st level spell, are thrown out and told to learn magic by.. uhh.. hanging around a lot with people who are killing things, and obtaining scrolls by theft or grave robbery. So who are the instructors at this college? Other 1st level mages? Or do all these mages get taught at college, leave, go adventuring for years until they're high level, and then immediately come BACK to the college to be a teacher - with the restriction that they won't teach any higher than 1st level!? By Mark Green, 2000Jan29 Evil characters tend to be high-level. The high-level evil wizard is a favourite villain for AD&D. Which begs the question: how did he/she *get* to be high-level? By fighting monsters and recovering treasure? That would imply they were *good* at some point, and only turned evil later on. By killing innocent people? Nope, you get no experience for that. By studying and plotting? Nope, no points for that either. By doing evil deeds and defeating those who came to punish them for doing so? Try even so much as robbing a shop and a 20th+ level fighter will be after you from nowhere - are you telling me that the evil character actually *defeated* one while he was 1st level? By Mark Green, 2000Jan29 In at least one game I played, it was ruled that you recieved experience points equal to the GP value of any treasure you obtained - but that the GP value was only established when you sold the item (since, after all, the value is nothing more than what you got on the market). This meant that a more charismatic seller would lead to a higher value - and therefore meant you learnt more in the process of acquiring the treasure. This lead to the plot to conspire with a merchant: obtain a pebble from a dungeon, have the merchant buy it for 10 Million gold (it is now *obviously* treasure, since it was found in a dungeon and was worth 10 Million gold), and then buy it back from the merchant for the same 10 Million. Neither person loses any money, but both of you have sold treasure for 10M, meaning that you both gain 10M experience points - you're now a considerably better warrior or mage, and the merchant.. well, he's a level 11+ merchant, which can presumably mean he'll get better deals from his suppliers.. By Mark Damon Hughes, 99Oct04 In response to my mention that I like and play Palladium Fantasy 2nd Ed, "Steve" (no email address given) asks: "Mark, why are you being so hard on the AD&D rule system when Palladium Fantasy is all so similiar." The differences between AD&D and Palladium are vast. The similarities are all superficial. "Hitpoints in AD&D~SDC in palladium" Palladium's "hit points" actually represent physical damage to the character, and when you take HP damage you roll to see what the actual effect of the damage is. SDC represents the "flesh wounds" of highly heroic genres, without doing the abstract "luck/grace of the gods/fighting ability/etc." that AD&D's HP do. AD&D HP are completely useless for determining the actual effect of a wound. Palladium also has critical hits, after-effects of damage, and being knocked into a coma is life-threatening even if you recover. Palladium has skills, and has had for 20 years, in which you continue to improve your old skills throughout your life and slowly learn new ones. AD&D has a badly-tacked-on "non-weapon" proficiency system, ~10 years old, that depends far too much on the stat, and makes skill improvement a waste of NWP slots (+5% to one skill every 3-4 levels is just ridiculous). Palladium does have "occupational character classes" (OCCs), but they don't restrict skills greatly, and it's trivial to change OCCs in mid-game if you want to change your professional focus. Go ahead, try teaching your AD&D Fighter character how to move silently (guess they never heard of human special forces in AD&D-land). Yes, "Both systems use a roll to hit and a roll to damage"... But so does almost every game in the world. EVERY GAME IS AD&D by your definition. Palladium also uses opposed strike/parry/dodge rolls, so the defender has some say in his own life, and more accurately simulating real combat. "AD&D has random character generation as opposed to a point system and so does Palladium." Yep. But so do many other games - Basic Role-Play (Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, etc.) is the most common one. And Palladium is a lot more like BRP than AD&D - both Palladium and BRP have 3d6-based stats that can go much higher, both have percentile skills, most strains of BRP have equivalents to the OCC, with starting packages of skills, and both use hit points. Palladium also has levels and experience (shared by, for instance, Rolemaster), but it doesn't reward combat in a never-ending point escalation; instead, you get minimal rewards for defeating enemies, equal awards for AVOIDING VIOLENCE, and relatively huge awards for good ideas and role-playing. Even if you never plan to play it, go read the Palladium experience section. I can't justify levels for anyone if they don't like levels. I find that levels prevent characters from loading up on just one skill, which is a common munchkin approach in XP-distribution systems, but even if you don't like levels, they DO appear in other games, and are a valid solution to a real problem. Palladium also covers multiple genres, and does them accurately to the literature. AD&D does one genre (fantasy), and it looks NOTHING like any non-AD&D fantasy literature (except for the magic system stolen from Jack Vance's worst books), only its own perverse bastard universe. Note that the above comments have little or nothing to do with Rifts. Instead, I'm talking about Palladium's fantasy RPG and their other RPG lines, which are at worst partially compatible with Rifts (with a lot of effort), and at best completely incompatible due to the differing power levels and mechanics. All of Palladium's other lines are much lower-powered than Rifts and take mature approaches to their setting. Also, all of Palladium's lines, including Rifts, are tuned at least somewhat for each game's genre. Rifts is an introductory game for adolescent male powergamers, with all that implies; it has a combat-happy genre, Mega-Damage, Dragon and Demi-God PCs, and bigger guns and more powerful alien races (and little else) in each of the several dozen supplements it has now. I hear reports of people playing it in a moderate and mature manner, but I have trouble picturing it. Palladium Fantasy 2nd Ed. is mid-power heroic fantasy, around the level of power in Fritz Leiber's novels or most of the fantasy novels on the market, and it does that level of fantasy quite well. PF 1st Ed. was much lower-powered and grittier, but that really didn't accurately represent a large segment of the fantasy market. PF also has around 12 large, detailed, and serious world books currently. Nightbane is a high-powered but well-balanced horror game about playing something very much like Clive Barker's Nightbreed; "monsters" who are trying to defend themselves from a world of hostile humans, and at the same time protect that world from invading forces that are even more terrifying. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is based on the original graphic novels, not the kiddie TV show, and can range from cinematic martial-arts action to very serious philosophical material. With the After the Bomb supplements, it also becomes a non-magical post-holocaust game with a heavy emphasis on the subjects of racism and slavery. Much of the AtB material was absorbed into Rifts, but the originals are superior. Heroes Unlimited 2nd Ed. is a low-powered superhero system (as in Watchmen or early X-Men/New Mutants), and it makes a good base for a wide number of modern games. Beyond the Supernatural is a modern-day horror/ghostbuster game, including options from psychic investigators at the medium-power level down to "victim" characters in B-movie horror settings. Systems Failure is a campy action-adventure spoof of survivalists, millenialism, and the Y2K hysteria. Even if you never play it, it's side-splittingly funny. I'll stop shilling for Palladium Books now, as they are perhaps an acquired taste, and the Rifts fans generally are as obnoxious and retarded as they first appear (I'm on the Palladium Mailing List - I know what I speak of here), but don't judge everything by the Rifts crapola. By Mark Damon Hughes, 99Mar06 Chris Seamans wrote in message <7basui$joq@netaxs.com>... >The guidelines are there. It took me a few seconds after I dragged the DMs >Guide out. .... >Quick reasoning would say that the chance for anybody to perform a thief >skill is equal to the base score listed on PHB table 26. Ah, so now here's YET ANOTHER house-rule mechanism someone derived from the AD&D lack-of-mechanics. This is why task systems are defined in good games - so there's a standard resolution. AD&D doesn't have one, and doesn't use the closest thing to one it has (attribute rolls)... Another gamer says he'd use a Wisdom check on the defender's part (giving on average a 50% chance of success for non-thieves, which will often be significantly better than a Thief's own special ability), while you say they get the thief base chance (before adding points), which is, what, 10-20%? Compare for a moment to Rolemaster (a system 10 years older than AD&D2). Assume that only Thieves and Rangers are allowed to (nay, REQUIRED to) take the actual Stalk & Hide skill, just like AD&D. Everyone else could STILL make an AG/SD roll at -25 for default skill use... Meanwhile, over in the REAL Rolemaster where anyone can learn S&H at varying costs in development points, some people will pass on it and have to make AG/SD rolls at -25, while others will learn it and have the same odds as a Thief, if they have the same stats and number of ranks. Even if you cripple a real game system with rigid classes, you can't produce a bogosity as nasty as AD&D! Or consider a fairer challenge: Palladium Fantasy, also 10 years older than AD&D2... Those who don't take Prowl have no chance of moving quietly. But I don't know of any OCC that forbids you to have Prowl, and even if one did, it's trivial to switch class over to Thief or Mercenary Fighter for a few levels (it only costs 2 levels of experience to learn a Man of Arms OCC - you can do that training in 4-8 sessions) and then switch back. So even against a fairly primitive system, which predates AD&D2 by a decade, during which time the entire rest of the industry has moved forward, AD&D can't even compete. Even SYNNIBARR permits all characters to learn stealth skills (and a few hundred other skills listed in 6-point font). Actually, I think it's on the standard skills list learned by all graduates of the Adventurer's Guild (along with basket-weaving). (No, I'm not joking about any of that. But even Synnibarr is better...) Ah, AD&D. Astounding. Simply astounding... That anyone would still be playing it. Walker, Blake (CAP, CFS), 99Feb16 If HP represents luck, dodging, favor of the gods, actual toughness, damage resistance, etc., then why can all this be cured with a few simple Cure Light Wounds spells? Is the "favor of the gods" so easily bestowed by first level clerics? Can an uninjured gambler receive a few Cure Light Wounds before entering the casino to better his odds? If Cure Light Wounds really affects all of these things, rather than just restoring damaged flesh and bone, then why can't it be cast before the combat to bolster the combatant's luck, dodging, favor of the gods, actual toughness, damage resistance, etc.? If things like luck or favor of the gods are part of HP, then why are rogues and clerics penalized with respect to common ordinary warriors? By Michael T. Richter, 99Jan12 Q: Why do abstract "to hit" rolls and hit points cause problems? I use them all the time and don't have problems. A: It is an inadequate model. The only way not to have problems with them is to deliberately avoid the situations that cause trouble. This restricts your role-playing options for no good reason. The actual problem is poor interaction between the halves. "To hit" in AD&D-speak means "to hit causing damage". It is assumed that you may have hit a dozen times in the combat round, but none of them were enough to cause damage. Thus having "missed" doesn't necessarily mean that you didn't connect. It just means you didn't connect sufficiently to cause damage. On the other side of the equation, "Hitting" in AD&D-speak doesn't even necessarily mean "connected". Since hit points are abstractions which represent everything from actual bodily damage capacity, skill and experience at evading attack as well as luck, favour of the gods, etc. having actually "hit" something in AD&D-speak doesn't tell you whether you connected or not. What kinds of role-playing options does this problem eliminate? The historical "counting coup" method of warfare used by various native tribes would be a classic example. If you wanted to make a society which did warfare using counting coup, you could not do so with AD&D rules. In counting coup, after all, the elimination of an enemy is done solely by touching. Not "hitting to cause damage", but just plain, light physical contact. Since it is impossible to determine whether any given "to hit" roll actually resulted in physical contact, it is impossible to determine whether coup was successfully counted or not. In the end, you're stuck with either not putting in this interesting society or with creating a large set of rules (which probably don't interact well with the existing ones) to introduce this society. In the first case your enjoyment is restricted for no good reason. In the second case you've spent money for AD&D that doesn't even give you basic guidance on simple issues like this -- unlike most games made since AD&D. By Carl Perkins, 98Nov20 [AD&D 2nd Ed has a class construction system in the DMG. This would in theory solve one of the main complaints, the rigid classes. Unfortunately, it suffers from some flaws... -Mark] Cost penalty to make second level for a character class created with the class creation rules matching existing classes. It is expressed as the percentage increase in the cost compared to the original class. Note that the class creation system is rather short, inexact, and incomplete - for example, there are two categories for getting priest spells, "all spheres" or "a single sphere". The problem with this is that there is no class that get all the spheres since even the cleric class doesn't get three of them. There is also no class that only gets one sphere - the paladin gets four. If you count four spheres as getting the "single sphere" option four times it turns out that you have just paid for all spheres since the single sphere is a +2 and all spheres is a +8. It says that the DM should use his judgement and it means it since without that it is impossible to use. Likewise it says that it is impossible to duplicate the existing classes, and boy does it mean that too (as you can see above). Also note that I have left off the additional +1 cost modifier for "can use magic items for an existing class" since I was making the class itself. I also did not asses any added cost for proficiency slots which would make the difference even larger. I applied the "non-human limited to level [X]" modifiers as an approximation, using the one that was closest to the actual limits. I ignored the classes' gaining followers and such at high levels, figuring it was a generic "all classes get this" kind of thing although the Paladin doesn't. You might be able to reduce the multiplier for them for this, although I was somewhat fast and loose in counting the Paladin's special abilities anyway, so they are probably actually worse off than it indicates up above - they violate the class creation rules anyway since they have three abilities delayed until levels after first (undead turning, cleric spells, and their mount) and you are only allowed two. The Fighter class would be closer but their weapon specialization ability falls under the dreaded "other" modifier type - it is dreaded because it is a +3, which is higher than any other abilities other than the two unrestricted spell use abilities for clerical and wizard spells. If that were reduced to a +2 then they would only have a 10% penalty, and if it were counted as a +1 (which is probably too low, considering that it gives you a +1 to hit, +2 damage, and an extra attack every second round when using your specialized weapon type) they would have no penalty. Were you to calculate the costs yourself, you might well come up with figures different from mine - they could easily end up with the penalty being several percent higher, particularly for the Paladin. By Michael T. Richter, 98Nov18 Q: What's so hard about making a Conan-like fighter who can fight, hide in shadows and move quietly? Just use the Player's Option: Skills & Powers book! That gives rules for fighters with the ability to move silently, among other things. A: It is this kind of foolishness that really drives me up the wall! I once had an argument with a UNIX weenie back when OS/2 was first introduced. I was a big fan of this new "lightweight threading" concept. The UNIX weenie said "why would you ever want to do that?" I explained why and got every excuse in the book as to why it was bad. As time went by, threading libraries became commonplace (though, of course, by no means standardized!) in UNIX-land. At this point this same UNIX weenie was suddenly singing the praises of lightweight threading and how all you had to do was download this library, tinker with its configuration until you got it working on your particular brand of UNIX, and then you had all these magical benefits of lightweight threading (the very same benefits that he dismissed only a few months before as dangerous). My answer to this UNIX weenie back then was "why would I want to go through the time and trouble of mucking around with poorly documented, poorly conceived and poorly executed add-on libraries when OS/2 has very good threading and synchronization primitives built right in?" My answer to this AD&D question and its variants is: Why would I want to go through the time and expense of mucking around with a poorly conceived and poorly executed AD&D add-on when almost every other game available supports the options this add-on supports and *more* (usually, if not always, in a superior fashion!) as part of the core rules? a) The religious order to which you belong has declared them enemies of your gods. b) Those damned orcs are killing peasants in the outlying areas of your lord's fief and you've been tasked to stop them. The beauty of these over "kill them because they're chaotic evil" is that you can find all sorts of wonderful role-playing opportunities. For example, here are some possibilities (again among dozens of them): a) It turns out that orcs are no more evil and godsless (sic) than your religious fighting order is. In fact, when you get captured because of a botched attack the orcs treat you quite humanely -- and significantly better than orcs get treated by your fellows when captured. You witness the orcs worshipping the same deities you do; they are by no means without guidance from the gods. You begin to question whether the declaration of enmity was made for reasons of truth or reasons of politics. b) The orcs would like nothing better than to stay away from civilized lands. They can't stand the sight of humans and don't really feel like dying. The problem is that Some Other Problem is driving them away from their proper hunting grounds. Because you don't have intractable "they're evil so we kill them" issues without alignments, you have many more role-playing possibilities without them. Q: Planescape was built around alignments and is really cool. What's the problem? A: The problem is that Planescape was built around the game mechanism, not the other way around. EVERYBODY *has* to have alignments in their gaming universes when playing AD&D. Alignments weren't added as a setting-specific game mechanism because it made for a cool gaming universe. Alignments were there for no good reason and somebody came up with a setting that used them. There's a big difference between these. In short, Planescape may be a cool setting, but this isn't a good reason to have alignments in the core rules. Q: Alignment penalties aren't game setting penalties. They're representations of the nervous breakdowns and traumas of having done something against one's nature. What's wrong with this? A: The penalty penalizes good role-playing. How many brilliant works of drama can you think of that were based upon somebody recognizing the error of their ways and turning to the One True Way? (Or, alternatively, how many can you think of where somebody essentially good becomes vicious and mean because of a great tragedy?) In either case, the AD&D rules penalize the good drama. Fall and redemption are two themes, often combined, which show up all over the place, subtly or not so subtly, in dramatic literature. Yet AD&D's mechanics discourage players from doing any such drama because they'll get penalized for it. Parody RPGs with a very simple and pleasant system. Despite being parodies, they're quite usable as serious games. Both "Fairies!" (based on medieval faerie folk and knights) and "Ice Queens and Ugly Ducklings!" (based on the stories of Hans Christian Anderson) are fantasy (though maybe a different kind of fantasy than some of you are used to |+)). Plus, you can use elements of the other games to expand your campaign. I like 'em a lot. A very comprehensive, detailed, and exhaustive fantasy RPG (potentially multi-genre, as it has higher-tech skills and equipment, too). There's also a fair amount of software for character and equipment building. Quest FAQ An easy and professional free game, for fantasy and SF. TGTA has complete skill, magic, miracle, psionics, rules, handles ancient, modern, and science fiction combat, has a good bestiary, and a unique system based on special cards (you print them out yourself onto cardstock - see his Frequently Asked Question). While I'm not a huge fan of GURPS, fantasy is the genre it was originally designed for, and that it sucks least in. It still wastes nine pages out of 32 on advantages and disads instead of having a more generic (and shorter) mechanic, while shorting you on skills and magic, has no psionics rules, and it suffers from the same balance problems as the full version of GURPS. That said, it is free, and it's better than AD&D. Better alternatives are available for FREE!!! by Joshua Macy For any rule you're talking about, the rule isn't bad because: 10. Most characters wouldn't want to do/be X, so it makes sense that no characters can. 9. It's fantasy; it's not supposed to make sense. 8. It's just being true to some unspecified source material. 7. You can pretend it's more detailed than it is. 6. You can buy Player's Option book X, which fixes it. 5. The game designers didn't mean for you to apply it as written. 4. Every other system has bad rules, too. 3. The system sells better than any other system. 2. Lots of people have fun playing the game. by Mark Damon Hughes Almost all of the AD&D worlds have essentially identical settings: same races, same magic items, same magic system, same spells, same core monsters, just different names on the map and a few new critters. Even the least standard stuff (Ravenloft, Masque of the Red Death, and Dark Sun) is still very very similar to other AD&D settings, just presented as horror (though they're closer to monster movies than real horror in actual practice) or apocalyptic (but Dark Sun still has the same races and magic, with only a few spiky bits pasted onto things). by Mark Damon Hughes AD&D is not true to its genre. Here's what I mean by that: All games intend to simulate something - whether it's reality or a literary genre or a specific book or a described setting. Good games accomplish this by having mechanics that match the setting's reality level, and allow you to create accurate representations of the characters from the source material, and allow those characters to perform the actions they did in the source. AD&D is based on several sources - combat is meant to be reminiscent of Conan, magic of Jack Vance's Dying Earth stories, thieves and thieves' guilds from Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser stories, the races and many of the creatures are taken from Tolkien, and still more creatures are from Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions, and the alignment system is meant to represent the forces of Law and Chaos from Michael Moorcock's Elric stories. One would then expect to be able to simulate some hybrid of these classic fantasy genres... But AD&D fails them miserably. It is impossible to produce Conan, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, or many other heroes in AD&D - because they have both fighting and thieving skills, and magic in the Mouser's case, and humans are forbidden to multiclass. Dual-classing isn't accurate, since they clearly used all of their skills evenly. Nor do the rules simulate fantasy literature combats - in all of the source literature, the characters are no less vulnerable to a sword than anyone else - they're just usually smart enough or fast enough to not get in front of a moving sword. AD&D conflates physical damage, dodging, and luck into "hit points", which worked fine in the original Chainmail wargame, but in an RPG you need to know if you actually hit or not (AD&D's "to hit" actually only determines if you've reduced the enemy's hit points, but all but the last few or one hit point represent dodging or luck), or whether your armor or weapon parry or dodging was responsible for saving your hide, or how severe a wound is. Even MUCH simpler systems than AD&D can do this, let alone complex, detailed systems. Worse, AD&D's combat is BORING. Roll to hit, roll damage, mark off a few more hit points, repeat. You have nothing but some numbers that could represent any combination of combat factors, and you have no way to decide which they are. AD&D is just a terrible simulation of heroic fantasy combat. As for the magic, not only was the memorization system used only in a few books which were far from being Vance's best work, the most powerful "mages" in them only had a handful of spells. It looks nothing at all like the magic of any other literature, and yet they continue to use exactly the same system in all of their game worlds. On p28 [of the DMG1] it says that magic armour is 50% of the weight of normal armour of the same type and allows movement at the next higher rate. On p164 it says that magical armour should be considered (effectively) weightless and does not reduce movement.
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The flag of Venezuela dates from 1811, the beginning of that nation's struggle for independenceThe current Coat of arms of Venezuela was primarily approved by the Congress on April 18, 1836, undergoing small modifications through historyGloria al Bravo Pueblo ( Glory to the Brave People) was adopted as Venezuela 's National anthem by President Antonio Guzmán Blanco on The Demographics of Venezuela are the condition and overview of Venezuela 's peoplesCaracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela.An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territoryA national language is a Language (or language variant, ie Dialect) which has some connection - de facto or de jure - withA demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature__FORCETOC__ For the Vice President of the United States, their roles and other information see Vice President of the United States.Ramón Alonso Carrizales Rengifo is a Venezuelan politician and the current Vice-President of VenezuelaGran Colombia ( Spanish for Great Colombia) is a name used today for the Republic of Colombia of the period 1819-1831Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the FranksFor the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will displayEvents 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar 32[3] 30 2/km² (173rd) 77/sq mi 44. List^ The "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" has been the full official title since the adoption of the new Constitution of 1999, when the state was renamed in honor of Simón Bolívar . bolívar fuerte (plural bolívares fuertes ISO 4217 code VEF locally abbreviated as BsISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies establishedUTC-430 is a time offset used only for Venezuela. Venezuela (VST— Venezuelan Standard Time) A countryThis is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E|||}The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the current Constitution of Venezuela.Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios y Blanco,Venezuelan or commonly known as Simón Bolívar ( July 24, 1783 &ndash ^ The Constitution also recognizes all indigenous languages spoken in the country. Indigenous languages of the Americas (or Amerindian Languages are spoken by indigenous peoples from the southern tip of South America to Alaska and ^ Area totals include only Venezuelan-administered territory. ^ On 1 January2008 a new bolivar, the bolívar fuerte (ISO 4217 code VEF), worth 1,000 VEB, was introducedVenezuela (pronounced /ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə/, Spanish pronunciation:[beneˈswela]), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America. Bolivarianism is a set of political doctrines that enjoys currency in parts of South America, especially Venezuela.South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands located off the Venezuelan coastline in the Caribbean Sea. For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western Hemisphere The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela possesses borders with Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west|utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America.Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados, Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Leeward Antilles lie just north, off the Venezuelan coastGrenada (grɪˈneɪdə is an Island nation that includes the southern Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea.Saint Lucia (ˌseɪnt ˈluːʃɪə is an Island nation in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean.Barbados ( Portuguese word for bearded-ones, bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz -dɒs situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent Island nation CuraAruba is a -long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, north of the Paraguaná Peninsula, Falcón State, VenezuelaSaint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles chain of the Caribbean Sea.Leeward Antilles are a chain of Islands in the Caribbean – specifically the southerly islands of the Lesser Antilles (and in turn the Antilles Falling within the tropics, Venezuela sits close to the equA former Spanish colony, which has been an independent republic since 1821, Venezuela holds territorial disputes with Guyana, largely concerning the Essequibo area, and with Colombia concerning the Gulf of Venezuela. The Spanish Empire (Imperio Español was one of the largest Empires in history and one of the first Global empires In the 15th and 16th centuriesGuayana Esequiba is the territory of Guyana claimed by Venezuela.Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America.The Gulf of Venezuela or gulf of Coquivacoa is a gulf of the Caribbean Sea bounded by the Venezuelan states of Zulia and Falcón In 1895, after the dispute over the Guyana border flared up, it was submitted to a neutral commission, which in 1899 decided it mostly in Guyana's favour. [1] Today, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is known widely for its petroleum industry, the environmental diversity of its territory, and its natural features. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, litBiodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. Venezuela is considered to be among the world's 17 most biodiverse countries. The megadiverse countries are a group of countries that harbor the majority of the earth's species and are therefore considered extremely Biodiverse.[2] Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America;[3][4] the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north, especially in the capital Caracas which is also the largest city. Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela. Other major cities include Maracaibo, Valencia, Maracay, Barquisimeto, Ciudad Guayana and the popular tourist city of Mérida. Maracaibo is the second-largest city in Venezuela after the national capital Caracas and is the capital of Zulia stateValencia is the capital city of Carabobo State, and the third largest city of Venezuela.Maracay is a city in central Venezuela and is the capital and most important city of the Aragua State.Barquisimeto is the capital city of the State of Lara located in west central Venezuela, halfway between Caracas and Maracaibo on the TurbioCiudad Guayana (Guayana City is a City in Bolívar State, Venezuela.Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida es la capital del municipio Libertador y del estado Mérida y una de las principales localidades de los Venezuela is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The fauna of Venezuela consists of a huge variety of unique Animals some 23% of reptilian and 50% of Amphibian species that inhabit the country are The following is a list of National Parks in Venezuela: Canaima National Park Cerro Saroche National Park Chorro Contents Etymology A palafito, similar to those seen by Amerigo Vespucci. A palafito is an Amerindian stilt village or dwelling erected on bodies of water The name "Venezuela" is believed to have originated from the cartographerAmerigo Vespucci who, along with Alonso de Ojeda, led a 1499 naval expedition along the northwestern coast's Gulf of Venezuela. The Explorer and Cartographer Amerigo Vespucci ( March 9, 1454 - February 22, 1512) was the first person to demonstrateAlonso de Ojeda (c 1465 &ndash 1515 was a Spanish explorer born of noble parentage in Cuenca.The Gulf of Venezuela or gulf of Coquivacoa is a gulf of the Caribbean Sea bounded by the Venezuelan states of Zulia and Falcón On reaching the Guajira Peninsula, the crew observed villages (palafitos) that the people had built over the water. Guajira Peninsula (Peninsula de La Guajira is a Peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean sea.A palafito is an Amerindian stilt village or dwelling erected on bodies of water This reminded Vespucci of the city of Venice (Italian: Venezia), so he named the region "Venezuola",[5] meaning "little Venice" in Italian. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of theItalian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. In Spanish, the suffix-zuela is used as a diminutive term (e. In Grammar, a suffix (also postfix, ending) is an Affix which is placed at the end of a wordA diminutive is a formation of a Word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning smallness of the object or quality named encapsulation intimacy or endearment g. , plaza / plazuela, cazo / cazuela); thus, the term's original sense would have been that of a "little Venice". The German colonization of the Americas consisted of failed attempts to settle Venezuela ( Klein-Venedig in German) St[6] Martín Fernández de Enciso, a member of the Vespucci and Ojeda's crew, states in his work Summa de Geografía that the indigenous population they found were called "Veneciuela", suggesting that the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from a native word. Martín Fernández de Enciso (c 1470 - 1528 was a navigator and geographer who was instrumental in colonising the Isthmus of Darien.[7] The Vespucci story, however, remains the most popular and accepted version of the origin of the country's name. In English, the word Venezuela is pronounced as IPA: /ˌvɛnɨzˈweɪlə/. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Venezuelan Spanish is IPA: [beneˈswela]. Venezuelan Spanish is a Dialect of the Spanish language spoken in Venezuela. History Human habitation of Venezuela is estimated to have commenced at least 15,000 years ago from which period leaf-shaped flaketools, together with chopping and plano-convexscraping implements, have been found exposed on the high riverine terraces of the Rio Pedregal in western Venezuela. This is the History of Venezuela. See also the History of South America and the History of present-day nations and states.In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis.A broader definition of a tool is an entity used to interface between two or more domains that facilitates more effective action of one domain upon the otherCHOP is the acronym for a Chemotherapy regimen used in the treatment of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.[8]Late Pleistocene hunting artifacts, including spear tips, have been found at a similar series of sites in northwestern Venezuela known as "El Jobo"; according to radiocarbon dating, these date from 13,000 to 7,000 BC. The Late Pleistocene (also known as Upper Pleistocene or the Tarantian) is a stage of the Pleistocene Epoch.This is an article about a particle accelerator For uses of spear, see Spear or Spear (disambiguation.Radiocarbon dating is a Radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring Radioisotope Carbon-14 (14C to determine the age of [9] In the 16th century, when the Spanish colonization of Venezuela began, indigenous peoples such as the Mariches, themselves descendants of the Caribs, were systematically killed. The Spanish colonization of the Americas was Spain 's conquest settlement and rule over much of the Western hemisphere.For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States.Mariche is the name of a former native Venezuelan Tribe. Not much information from them as a tribe has survived to the present dayCariban languages Carib, Island Carib or Kalinago people after whom the Caribbean Sea was named live in the Lesser Antilles islands Indian caciques (leaders) such as Guaicaipuro and Tamanaco attempted to resist Spanish incursions, but were ultimately subdued; Tamanaco himself, by order of Caracas' founder Diego de Losada, was also put to death. Cacique or Cazique (female form Cacica) from the Taíno word for the Pre-Columbian tribal chiefs or leaders, of the Taino Guaicaipuro, (circa 1530 &ndash 1568 was a native (indigenous Venezuelan chief of both the Teques and Caracas tribesTamanaco, was a native Venezuelan chief who as leader of the Mariches and Quiriquires tribes led during part of the XVI century the resistance againstDiego de Losada (b in Rionegro del Puente, Zamora, Spain in 1511--1569 was the founder of Santiago de León de Caracas, the capital of [10] Venezuela was first colonized by Spain in 1522, when it hosted the Spanish Empire's first permanent South American settlement in what is now Cumaná. Martín Tovar y Tovar ( February 10 1827 &mdash December 17 1902) was one of the most important and high-profile Venezuelan paintersSee Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialismThe Spanish Empire (Imperio Español was one of the largest Empires in history and one of the first Global empires In the 15th and 16th centuriesCumaná (305000 inhabitants is the capital of Venezuela 's Sucre State. Originally part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, most of Venezuela eventually became part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada; portions of eastern Venezuela were incorporated into New Andalusia. Created in 1542 the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruledThe Viceroyalty of New Granada (Virreinato de la Nueva Granada was the name given on May 27, 1717 to a Spanish colonial jurisdiction in northern South AmericaThe name New Andalusia ( Spanish: Nueva Andalucía) refers to two separate regions of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. After a series of unsuccessful uprisings, Venezuela—under the leadership of Francisco de Miranda, a Venezuelan marshal involved in the French Revolution—declared independence on 5 July1811. Sebastián Francisco de Miranda y Rodríguez ( Caracas, March 28, 1750 – in prison El Arsenal de la Carraca, Cadiz, The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an By means of the signing of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence on July 5, 1811, Venezuelans of the time took the decision supported by several politicians This began the Venezuelan War of Independence. The Venezuelan War of Independence was the war fought for the emancipation of what is today Venezuela, between 1811 and 1823 However, a devastating earthquake that struck Caracas in 1812, together with the rebellion of the Venezuelan llaneros, helped bring down the first Venezuelan republic. A Llanero or the Llaneros is the name given to Venezuelan and Colombian Cowboys and means &quotplainsmenThe First Republic of Venezuela ( Primera República de Venezuela in Spanish) is the term used by historians to refer to the first period of the Venezuelan War[11] A second Venezuelan republic, proclaimed on 7 August1813, lasted several months before being crushed as well. The Second Republic of Venezuela ( Segunda República de Venezuela in Spanish) is the term used by historians for the reestablished Venezuelan Republic declaredEvents 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great.Year 1813 ( MDCCCXIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Sovereignty was only attained after Simón Bolívar, known as El Libertador ("The Liberator") and aided by Alexandre Petion of Haiti,José Antonio Páez and Antonio José de Sucre, won the Battle of Carabobo on 24 June1821. Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios y Blanco,Venezuelan or commonly known as Simón Bolívar ( July 24, 1783 &ndashAlexandre Sabès Pétion ( April 2, 1770 &ndash March 29, 1818) was President of the southern Republic of Haiti from 1806 untilJosé Antonio Páez ( June 13, 1790 - May 6, 1873) was General in Chief of the army fighting Spain during the VenezuelanAntonio José de Sucre y Alcalá ( February 3 1795 &ndash June 4 1830) was a South American independence leaderThe Battle of Carabobo, 24 June 1821 was fought between independence fighters led by Simón Bolívar, and the Royalist forces led by Spanish Field Marshal MiguelEvents 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes placeYear 1821 ( MDCCCXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common yearJosé Prudencio Padilla and Rafael Urdaneta's victory in the Battle of Lake Maracaibo on 24 July1823 helped seal Venezuelan independence. Admiral José Prudencio Padilla (Born 19 March, 1784 in Riohacha, Colombia[http //wwwRafael José Urdaneta y Faría ( Maracaibo, Venezuela, October 24, 1788 &ndash Paris, France, August 23 The Battle of Lake Maracaibo was fought on July 24 1823 in Venezuela 's Lake Maracaibo between Almirante ( Admiral) JoséEvents 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily.Year 1823 ( MDCCCXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common New Granada's congress gave Bolívar control of the Granadian army; leading it, he liberated several countries and founded Gran Colombia. Gran Colombia ( Spanish for Great Colombia) is a name used today for the Republic of Colombia of the period 1819-1831 Sucre, who won many battles for Bolívar, went on to liberate Ecuador, and later become the second president of Bolivia. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Venezuela remained part of Gran Colombia until 1830, when a rebellion led by Páez allowed the proclamation of a new Republic of Venezuela; Páez became its first president. Much of Venezuela's nineteenth century history was characterized by political turmoil and dictatorial rule. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar A dictator is an Authoritarian ruler (eg Absolutist or autocratic) who assumes sole and absolute power without hereditary ascension such as an Absolute[12] During first half of the 20th century, caudillos (military strongmen) continued to dominate, though they generally allowed for mild social reforms and promoted economic growth. Caudillo is a Spanish ( caudilho in Portuguese word usually used to designate &quota political-military leader at the head of an authoritarian power Following the death of Juan Vicente Gómez in 1935 and the demise of caudillismo (authoritarian rule), pro-democracy movements eventually forced the military to withdraw from direct involvement in national politics in 1958. Juan Vicente Gómez ( July 24, 1857 - December 17, 1935) was a military general and the ruler of Venezuela from 1908 until his Since that year, Venezuela has had a series of democratically elected governments. [13] The discovery of massive oil deposits, totaling some 400 million barrels, during World War I prompted an economic boom that lasted into the 1980s; by 1935, Venezuela's per capita GDP was Latin America's highest,[14]. An oil field is a region with an abundance of Oil wells extracting Petroleum (crude oil from below groundWorld War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All After WWII the globalization and heavy immigration from Southern Europe (mainly from Spain, Italy, Portugal) and poorer Latin American countries markedly diversified Venezuelan society. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, includingGlobalization (or globalisation) in its literal sense is the process of transformation of local or regional phenomena into global onesSpain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.Italo-Venezuelans are the Venezuelan citizens of Italian descent.Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The huge public spending and accumulation of internal and external debts by the government and private sector during the Petrodollar years of the 1970s and early 80s, followed by the collapse of oil prices during the 1980s, crippled the Venezuelan economy. The 1980s oil glut was a surplus of crude oil caused by falling demand following the 1973 and 1979 energy crises. As the government devalued the currency in order to face its mounting local and non-local financial obligations, Venezuelans' real standard of living fell dramatically. A number of failed economic policies and increasing corruption in government and society at large, has led to rising poverty and crime and worsening social indicators and increasing political instability,[15] resulting in two major coup attempts in 1992. The Venezuelan coup attempts of 1992 were an abortive Coup d'état led by Hugo Chávez in February 1992 and a second attempted coup in November 1992 directed by In the February 1992 coup, Hugo Chávez, a former paratrooper, attempted to overthrow the government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez as anger grew against the President's economic austerity measures. Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (ˈuɰo rafaˈel ˈtʃaβ̞es ˈfɾias (born July 28 1954 is the current President of Venezuela.Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez (born October 27, 1922) best known as CAP, was President of Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again Chávez was unsuccessful and landed in jail. In November of that year, another unsuccessful coup attempt occurred, organized by other revolutionary groups in the Venezuelan Armed Forces and those that remained from Chávez's previous attempt. [16] In 1998, Hugo Chávez (who led the first unsuccessful coup in 1992) was elected president as a reaction against the established political parties and the corruption and inequalities their policies created. He remains president today. Since coming to power, Chávez has attracted some controversy through his reforms of the Constitution, the implementation of his "Bolivarian Revolution", and in 2002 (though now a democratically elected president) Chávez was temporarily ousted from power by right-wing elements in the army and the business sector. The "Bolivarian Revolution" refers to a mass social movement and political process in Venezuela. Government The Venezuelan president is elected by a vote,"But chavez won because he cheated in the elections adding votes for him", with direct and universal suffrage, and functions as both head of state and head of government. ||} Politics of Venezuela takes place in a framework of a federal Republic, whereby the President of Venezuela is both Head of state and ||-||} Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->The President of Venezuela (PresidenteUniversal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote toHead of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-stateThis article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The term of office is six years, and a president may be re-elected to a single consecutive term. The president appoints the vice-president and decides the size and composition of the cabinet and makes appointments to it with the involvement of the legislature. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The president can ask the legislature to reconsider portions of laws he finds objectionable, but a simple parliamentary majority can diminish these objections. The unicameral Venezuelan parliament is the National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamberTalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A&nbsp parliament is a Legislature, especially in those|||}The National Assembly ( Asamblea Nacional) is the current legislative branch of the Venezuelan government Its 167 deputies, of which three are reserved for indigenous people, serve five-year terms and may be re-elected for a maximum of two additional terms. They are elected by popular vote through a combination of party lists and single member constituencies. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, whose magistrates are elected by parliament for a single twelve-year term. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or StateThe Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Tribunal Supremo de Justicia is the highest Court of law in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and is the head of the judicial The National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, or CNE) is in charge of electoral processes; it is formed by five main directors elected by the National Assembly. The National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral or CNE, is the institution in charge of all electoral processes that take place in Venezuela. Politics There are currently two major blocs of political parties in Venezuela: the leftist United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and its major allies Fatherland for All (PPT), and the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV); and A New Era (UNT) together with its allied parties Project Venezuela, Justice First, Movement for Socialism (Venezuela) and others. ||} Politics of Venezuela takes place in a framework of a federal Republic, whereby the President of Venezuela is both Head of state and ||-||} Political parties in Venezuela lists political parties in Venezuela.The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela PSUV) is a left wing political party in Venezuela that is in the processFatherland for All ( Patria Para Todos, PPT) is a Left-wing Political party in Venezuela.The Communist Party of Venezuela (in Spanish: Partido Comunista de Venezuela, PCV is a Marxist-Leninist political party and the oldest continuouslyA New Era (UNT Un Nuevo Tiempo) is a Political party of Social democracy in Venezuela.Project Venezuela (in Spanish Proyecto Venezuela) is a Political party in Venezuela.Justice First Movement ( Movimiento Primero Justicia) is a Political party in Venezuela.The Movement for Socialism ( Spanish: Movimiento al Socialismo or MAS) is a social-democratic Political party in Venezuela Following the fall of Marcos Pérez Jiménez in 1958, Venezuelan politics was dominated by the center-right Christian democraticCOPEI and the center-left social democraticDemocratic Action (AD) parties; this two-party system was formalized by the puntofijismo arrangement. Marcos Pérez Jiménez ( April 25, 1914 &ndash September 20, 2001) was a soldier and President of Venezuela from 1952Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian (and often specifically Catholic) principles to public policyCopei &ndash Social Christian Party of Venezuela ( Copei Partido Social Cristiano de Venezuela) is a Political party in Venezuela.Social democracy is a Political ideology of the left and centre-leftDemocratic Action ( Spanish: Acción Democrática abbreviated as AD is a Venezuelan Social democratic Political party.A two-party system is a form of Party system where two major Political parties dominate voting in nearly all Elections at everyPuntofijismo was a formal arrangement arrived at between representatives of Venezuela 's three main political parties in 1958 Acción Democrática, COPEI However, this system has been sidelined following the initial 1998 election of current president Hugo Chávez, which started the Bolivarian Revolution. In the December 6, 1998 Venezuelan presidential election, Hugo Chávez was elected to his first term as President of Venezuela withHugo Rafael Chávez Frías (ˈuɰo rafaˈel ˈtʃaβ̞es ˈfɾias (born July 28 1954 is the current President of Venezuela. The voting age in Venezuela is 18 and older. Voting is not compulsory. Compulsory voting requires electors to Vote in Elections or attend a polling place on voting day[17] Most of the political opposition boycotted the 2005 parliamentary election. Venezuela held a parliamentary election on 4 December 2005. The following elected posts were filled 167 deputies to the National Assembly Consequently, the MVR-led bloc secured all 167 seats in the National Assembly. Then, the MVR voted to dissolve itself in favor of joining the proposed United Socialist Party of Venezuela, while Chávez requested that MVR-allied parties merge themselves into it as well. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela PSUV) is a left wing political party in Venezuela that is in the process The National Assembly has twice voted to grant Chávez the ability rule by decree in several broadly defined areas, once in 2000 and again in 2007. Rule by decree is a style of governance allowing quick unchallenged creation of law by a single person or group and is used primarily by Dictators and Absolute monarchs This power has been granted to previous administrations as well. [18][19][20] Public health Infant mortality in Venezuela stood at 16 deaths per 1,000 births in 2004, much lower than the South American average (by comparison, the U. Access Access to improved water supply and sanitation remains low by regional standards despite substantial oil revenuesInfant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births S. stands at 5 deaths per 1,000 births in 2006). [21][22][23] Child malnutrition (defined as stunting or wasting in children under age five) stands at 17%; Delta Amacuro and Amazonas have the nation's highest rates. Malnutrition is a general term for a medical condition caused by an improper or insufficient diet.[24] According to the United Nations, 32% of Venezuelans lack adequate sanitation, primarily those living in rural areas. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security[25] Diseases ranging from typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis D are present in the country26] Only 3% of sewage is treated; most major cities lack treatment facilities. [27] 17% of Venezuelans lack access to potable water. [28] Travelers to Venezuela are advised to obtain vaccinations for a variety of diseases including typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis D29] In a cholera epidemic of contemporary times in the Orinoco Delta, Venezuela's political leaders were accused of racial profiling of their own indigenous people to deflect blame from the country's institutions, thereby aggravating the epidemic. ORiNOCO is the brand name that was used for a family of wireless networking solutions by Proxim (previously Lucent)Racial profiling is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or[30] As had previous administrations, the government is attempting to create a national universal health care system that is free of charge. The current vehicle for this idea is Misión Barrio Adentro. Mission Barrio Adentro ( English: &quot Mission Into the Neighborhood &quot is a Bolivarian national Social welfare program established[31] Foreign relations Soil from Venezuela and four other countries—Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru—liberated by the Venezuelan leader Simón Bolívar is buried at the Parque de las Cinco Repúblicas in Mérida. Venezuela 's declared priorities in the international arena are Respect for Human rights; The right of all people to self-determinationSimón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios y Blanco,Venezuelan or commonly known as Simón Bolívar ( July 24, 1783 &ndashSantiago de los Caballeros de Mérida es la capital del municipio Libertador y del estado Mérida y una de las principales localidades de los Throughout most of the 20th century, Venezuela maintained friendly relations with most Latin American and Western nations. Relations between Venezuela and the United States worsened in 2002, when the U. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the S. government helped to instigate the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt and recognized the short-lived unconstitutional regime of Pedro Carmona. The Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002 was a failed Coup d'état on April 11, 2002 that lasted only 47 hours whereby the head of state PresidentPedro Francisco Carmona Estanga (born 1941 in Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela) is a former Venezuelan trade organization leader who was briefly declared Correspondingly, ties to various leftist-led Latin American and Middle Eastern countries not allied to the U. S. have strengthened. Venezuela seeks alternative hemispheric integration via such proposals as the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas trade proposal and the newly launched pan-Latin American television networkteleSUR. The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West The Bolivarian Alternative for the People of Our America ( Spanish: Alternativa Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América or ALBA - which also means 'dawn' inA television network is a distribution network for Television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many Television stationsLa Nueva Televisora del Sur ( Spanish for &quotThe New Television Station of the South&quot named teleSUR, is a pan- Latin American terrestrial Venezuela was a proponent of OAS's decision to adopt its Anti-Corruption Convention, and is actively working in the Mercosur trade bloc to push increased trade and energy integration. The Organization of American States ( OAS, or as it is known in the three other official languages OEA) is an International organization, headquarteredRole and potential Some South Americans see Mercosur as giving the capability to combine resources to balance the activities of other global economic powers especially the North Globally, it seeks a "multi-polar" world based on strengthened ties among Third World countries. Polarity in international relations is a description of the distribution of power within the international systemThird World is a name given to nations that are generally considered to be underdeveloped economically Military Venezuela's national armed forces include roughly 100,000 personnel spread through four service branches: the Ground Forces, the Navy (including the Marine Corps), the Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2008, the National Armed Forces of Venezuela (FAN Fuerza Armada Nacional is roughly 100000 individuals in four service branches--the Army Navy (includingThe Army of Venezuela is a professional armed body of Venezuela.The Navy of Venezuela, officially Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela (Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela is categorized as a &quotmodernMarines (from the English adjective marine, meaning of the sea, from Latin language mare, meaning sea via French adjective The Air Force of Venezuela, since 2006 Aviación Militar Venezolana (previously Fuerza Aérea Venezolana, FAV) is a professional armed body designed toThe Venezuelan National Guard, Officially the Armed Forces of Cooperation (espFuerzas Armadas de Cooperación is one of the four components of the National Armed Forces As of 2008, a further 600,000 soldiers were incorporated into a new branch, known as the Armed Reserve; these troops bear more semblance to a militia than the older branches. The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary Citizens to provide defense emergency law enforcement or Paramilitary service The President of Venezuela is the commander-in-chief of the national armed forces. ||-||} Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->The President of Venezuela (PresidenteA commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces Subdivisions Venezuela is divided into twenty-three states (Estados), a capital district (distrito capital) corresponding to the city of Caracas, the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias Federales, a special territory), and Guayana Esequiba (claimed in a border dispute with Guyana). Venezuela is divided into 23 states (estados, 1 Capital District (Distrito Capital and the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias FederalesVenezuela 's states capital district and federal dependencies have been grouped into administrative regions since a 1969 decree on regionalizationThe Capital District (Distrito Capital of Venezuela is a Federal district corresponding to the Capital Caracas.Guayana Esequiba is the territory of Guyana claimed by Venezuela. Venezuela is further subdivided into 335 municipalities (municipios); these are subdivided into over one thousand parishes (parroquias). A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, orA parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches The states are grouped into nine administrative regions. (regiones administrativas), which were established by presidential decree. Historically, Venezuela has also claimed Essequibo River is the longest River in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon.[32] Geography Monte Roraima, a tepui in Canaima National Park in southeastern Venezuela. Estado Amazonas is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedPuerto Ayacucho is the capital and largest city of Amazonas state in Venezuela.Anzoátegui State (In Spanish: Estado Anzoátegui) is one of the 23 component states of Venezuela, located in the northeastern region ofBarcelona is the capital of Anzoátegui State, Venezuela. Founded in 1671, Barcelona together with Puerto La Cruz, Lecheria Estado Apure is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedFor other similarly names places see San Fernando. San Fernando de Apure is a City in Apure State, Venezuela.Other use Aragua de Maturín and Aragua River. Estado Aragua is located in the north-central region of Maracay is a city in central Venezuela and is the capital and most important city of the Aragua State.Estado Barinas is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedAlternative use Barinas (state Barinas is a City in West central Venezuela.Bolivar State (Estado Bolívar is one of the 23 states ( estados) into which Venezuela is dividedCiudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela 's southeastern Bolivar State.Carabobo is one of the 23 states ( Estados ' of Venezuela, located in the north of the country about 2 hours by car from Caracas.Valencia is the capital city of Carabobo State, and the third largest city of Venezuela.Estado Cojedes is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedSan Carlos is the capital of the Venezuelan state of Cojedes.Estado Delta Amacuro is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedTucupita (Lat 90325N Long 620259W is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Delta Amacuro.&quotGuárico&quot redirects here see also Guárico River. Estado Guárico is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into whichSan Juan de los Morros is the Capital of the Guarico state and capital of the Juan Germán Roscio municipality and is a town located in central VenezuelaEstado Lara is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedBarquisimeto is the capital city of the State of Lara located in west central Venezuela, halfway between Caracas and Maracaibo on the TurbioEstado Mérida is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedSantiago de los Caballeros de Mérida es la capital del municipio Libertador y del estado Mérida y una de las principales localidades de losEstado Miranda is one of the 23 states ( ''estados'') into which Venezuela is dividedLos Teques is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Miranda.Maturín is the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas. The city has a population of 500000 people according to the 2006 censusNueva Esparta (New Sparta is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' of Venezuela.La Asunción is a city in Venezuela. The capital of Nueva Esparta state it lies on the Isla Margarita in the Caribbean Sea, off the SouthEstado Portuguesa is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedGuanare is the Capital city of Portuguesa State, Venezuela. It is where la Virgen de Coromoto is said to have appeared to a Coromoto IndianEstado Sucre is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedCumaná (305000 inhabitants is the capital of Venezuela 's Sucre State.San Cristóbal, is the Capital city of the Venezuelan state of Táchira.Estado Trujillo is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is dividedTrujillo is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Trujillo.Estado Vargas is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' of Venezuela.La Güaira is the capital of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief portSan Felipe is the capital of the Venezuelan state of Yaracuy.Estado Zulia is one of Venezuela 's 23 states ''(estados''. The state capital is Maracaibo.Maracaibo is the second-largest city in Venezuela after the national capital Caracas and is the capital of Zulia stateThe Federal Dependencies of Venezuela ( Spanish Dependencias Federales) encompass all of Venezuela 's off shore islands in the Caribbean Sea andVenezuela is a country in Northern South America, and part of Caribbean South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North AtlanticMount Roraima (also known as Roraima Tepui, or Cerro Roraima in Spanish Monte Roraima in Portuguese marks the border between Venezuela Canaima National Park (Parque Nacional Canaima is a 30000 km² park in south-eastern Venezuela that borders Brazil and Guyana. The park lies atop the Guiana Shield; its Precambrian geological formations rank among the world's oldest Venezuela's mainland rests on the South American Plate; With 2,800 kilometres (1,740 mi) of coastline, Venezuela is home to a wide variety of landscapes. The South American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering the Continent of South America and extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The extreme northeastern extensions of the Andes reach into Venezuela's northwest and continue along the northern Caribbean coast. The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America.For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western HemispherePico Bolívar, the nation's highest point at 4,979 metres (16,335 ft), lies in this region. The Pico Bolívar is the highest mountain in Venezuela, at 4981 meters The country's center is characterized by the llanos, extensive plains that stretch from the Colombian border in the far west to the Orinoco Riverdelta in the east. Los Llanos redirect here for the Chilean region see Los Llanos Chile Los Llanos (meaning the flat plains is a vast Tropical grasslandORiNOCO is the brand name that was used for a family of wireless networking solutions by Proxim (previously Lucent)A delta is a Landform where the mouth of a River flows into an Ocean, Sea, Estuary, Lake or another river To the south, the dissected Guiana Highlands is home to the northern fringes of the Amazon Basin and Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall. Not to be confused with Angel Falls (Maine. Angel Falls (indigenous name Churun Merú or Kerepakupai merú) is the world's highestA waterfall is usually a geological formation resulting from water often in the form of a Stream, flowing over an Erosion -resistant rock The Orinoco, with its rich alluvial soils, binds the largest and most important river system of the country; it originates in one of the largest watersheds in Latin America. Alluvium (from the Latin, alluvius, from alluere, &quotto wash against&quot is Soil or Sediments deposited by a river or other runningA drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, The Caroní and the Apure are other major rivers. The Caroní River is a major river of the Orinoco basin in South America, having its source in South Eastern Venezuela, in the Guiana HighlandsThe Apure River is a river of western Venezuela, formed by the confluence of the Sarare and Uribante near Guasdualito in Venezuela at. Pico Bolívar in the northwestern state of Mérida. The Pico Bolívar is the highest mountain in Venezuela, at 4981 meters The country can be further divided into ten geographical areas, some corresponding to climatic and biogeographical regions. In the north are the Venezuelan Andes and the Coro region, a mountainous tract in the northwest, is home to several sierras and valleys. The Coro region is the hilly and semi-mountainous area in northwest Venezuela, north of the Mérida Andes and east of the Maracaibo Basin, extending north East of it are lowlands abutting Lake Maracaibo and the Gulf of Venezuela The Central Range runs parallel to the coast and includes the hills surrounding Caracas; the Eastern Range, separated from the Central Range by the Gulf of Cariaco, covers all of Sucre and northern Monagas. Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela.The Cariaco Basin lies off the north central coast of Venezuela and forms the Gulf of Cariaco.Estado Sucre is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is divided The Llanos region comprises a third of the country's area north of the Orinoco River. Los Llanos redirect here for the Chilean region see Los Llanos Chile Los Llanos (meaning the flat plains is a vast Tropical grassland South of it lies the Guiana Shield, a massive two billion year old Precambrian geological formation featuring tepuis, mysterious table-like mountains A Tepui (or Tepuy) (ˈtɛpˌwi is a table-top mountain ( Mesa) found only in the Guayana highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela The Insular Region includes all of Venezuela's island possessions: Nueva Esparta and the various Federal Dependencies. The Insular Region is one of the ten traditional geographical regions of Venezuela; it comprises all of the nation's islands and is formed by Nueva Esparta andAn island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significantNueva Esparta (New Sparta is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' of Venezuela.The Federal Dependencies of Venezuela ( Spanish Dependencias Federales) encompass all of Venezuela 's off shore islands in the Caribbean Sea and The Deltaic System, which forms a triangle covering Delta Amacuro, projects northeast into the Atlantic Ocean. The Orinoco Delta, also known as the Deltaic System ( Sistema Deltaico) is a vast River delta of the Orinoco River, located in eastern VenezuelaEstado Delta Amacuro is one of the 23 states ''(estados'' into which Venezuela is divided Though Venezuela is entirely situated in the tropics, its climate varies substantially; it varies from that of humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 28 °C (82 °F), to glaciers and highlands (the páramos) with an average yearly temperature of 8 °C (46 °F). Annual rainfall varies between 430 millimetres (17 in) in the semiarid portions of the northwest to 1,000 millimetres (39 in) in the Orinoco Delta of the far east. Most precipitation falls between May and November (the rainy season or "winter"); the drier and hotter remainder of the year is known as "summer", though temperature variation throughout the year is not as pronounced as at temperate latitudes. [12] Flora and fauna The araguaney (Tabebuia chrysantha), Venezuela's national tree. The fauna of Venezuela consists of a huge variety of unique Animals some 23% of reptilian and 50% of Amphibian species that inhabit the country are The flora of Venezuela consists of a huge variety of unique Plants around 38% of the estimated 21000 species of plants found in the country are endemic to VenezuelaThe national symbols of Venezuela are the flag, the coat of arms, and the national anthem.This is a list of the bird species recorded in Venezuela. The avifauna of Venezuela includes a total of 1417 species of which 48 are endemic, 6 have been introducedTabebuia is a Neotropical Genus of about 100 Species in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. Venezuela lies within the Neotropic ecozone; large portions of the country were originally covered by moist broadleaf forests. In Biogeography, Neotropic or Neotropical refers to one of the world's eight terrestrial Ecozones This ecozone includes South and Central America theTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF also known as tropical moist forests, are a Tropical and Subtropical Forest One of seventeen megadiverse countries and among the top twenty countries in terms of endemism, some 38% of the over 21,000 plant species are unique to the country; 23% of reptilian and 50% of amphibian species are also endemic. The megadiverse countries are a group of countries that harbor the majority of the earth's species and are therefore considered extremely Biodiverse.Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere33] Venezuela hosts significant biodiversity across habitats ranging from xeric scrublands in the extreme northwest to coastal mangrove forests in the northeast. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth.Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics.[12] Its cloud forests and lowland rainforests are particularly rich, for example hosting over 25,000 species of orchids. A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally Tropical or Subtropical evergreen Montane moist forest characterized by aRainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches These include the flor de mayo orchid (Cattleya mossiae), the national flower. The golden silk orb-weaver is among the more common of Venezuela's arthropods. &quotNephila&quot redirects here In Aramaic culture the term Nephila specifically referred to the constellation and myth of Orion.Arthropods are Animals belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda (from Greek ἄρθρον arthron, &quot Joint &quot Venezuela's national tree is the araguaney, whose characteristic lushness after the rainy season led novelist Rómulo Gallegos to name it «[l]a primavera de oro de los araguaneyes» ("the golden spring of the araguaneyes"). Tabebuia chrysantha ( Araguaney or Yellow Ipê) known as cañaguate in northern Colombia as tajibo inRómulo Gallegos Freire ( August 2 1884 &ndash April 7 1969) was a Venezuelan Novelist and Politician. Notable mammals include the giant anteater, jaguar, and the capybara, the world's largest rodent. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest Species of Anteater.The jaguar (Panthera onca,, or—especially in British English — is a New World Mammal of the Felidae family and one ofCapybara ( Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) also known as capibara, chigüire in Venezuela chigüiro, carpincho Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must More than half of Venezuelan avian and mammalian species are found in the Amazonian forests south of the Orinoco. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The Amazon Rainforest (Brazilian Portuguese: Floresta Amazônica or Amazônia; Spanish: Selva Amazónica or Amazonía [34]Manatees, Botoriver dolphins, and Orinoco crocodiles, which reach up to 7 metres (23 ft) in length, are notable aquatic species. Manatees ( family Trichechidae, Genus Trichechus) are large fully aquatic Marine mammals sometimes known as seaRiver dolphins are four living species of Dolphin which reside in freshwater rivers and Estuaries.The Orinoco Crocodile, Crocodylus intermedius, is a Critically endangered Crocodile found in freshwater in northern South America, in particular Venezuela also hosts a huge number of bird species, a total of 1,417, 48 of which are endemic. Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere[35] Important birds include ibises, ospreys, kingfishers, and the yellow-orange turpial, the national bird. The ibises (pronounced /ˈaɪbɪsɪz/ are a group of long-legged wading Birds in the family Threskiornithidae.The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus, also called Sea Hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating Bird of prey.Kingfishers are small bright colored Birds of the three families Alcedinidae ( River kingfishers, Halcyonidae ( Tree kingfishers, and Cerylidae ( WaterThe Troupial or Trupial, also known as Icterus icterus is the national bird of Venezuela and one of about 25 or so species of &quotNew World Orioles&quot In recent decades, logging, mining, shifting cultivation, development, and other human activities have posed a major threat to Venezuela's wildlife; between 1990 and 2000, 0. For methods see Slash and burn Shifting cultivation is an Agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily then abandoned 40% of forest cover was cleared annually. [33] In response, federal protections for critical habitat were implemented; for example, 20% to 33% of forested land is protected. [34] Venezuela is currently home to a biosphere reserve that is part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves; five wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention. A biosphere reserve is an international Conservation designation given by UNESCO under its Programme onThe World Network of Biosphere Reserves was established at the International Conference on Biosphere Reserves in Seville in 1995.The Ramsar Convention is an international Treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of Wetlands i[36] In 2003, 70% of the nation's land was under conservation management in over 200 protected areas, including 43 national parks. [37] Economy The 20 Venezuelan bolívar fuerte banknote featuring a portrait of Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi. The economy of Venezuela is based in large part on oil. The petroleum sector dominates the economy accounting for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% ofThe bolívar fuerte (plural bolívares fuertes ISO 4217 code VEF locally abbreviated as BsMaría Luisa Cáceres Díaz de Arismendi ( September 25, 1799 – June 28, 1866) was a heroine of the Venezuelan War of Independence The petroleum sector dominates Venezuela's mixed economy, accounting for roughly a third of GDP, around 80% of exports, and more than half of government revenues. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, litA mixed economy is an Economic system that incorporates aspects of more than one economic system The country's main petroleum deposits are located around and beneath Lake Maracaibo, the Gulf of Venezuela, and in the Orinoco River basin, where the country's largest reserve is located Demographics Since 1926, Venezuelan Census does not contain information about ethnicity so only rough estimates are available. The Demographics of Venezuela are the condition and overview of Venezuela 's peoplesThere are at least 40 languages around Venezuela, but Spanish is the language spoken by the majority of Venezuelans Some 70% of the population are Mestizo, defined as a mixture of any other races; another 20% are unmixed caucasians, mostly of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German descent. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in LatinItalo-Venezuelans are the Venezuelan citizens of Italian descent.The Portuguese people (os Portugueses literally the Portuguese) are the Ethnic group or Nation native to the country of Portugal, in the westThe German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as Other important groups include Afro-Venezuelans, though their numbers are unclear due to poor census data. [38]Asians, predominantly Lebanese, Arab , Chinese and Turkish descent, make up a small percentage of the population. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose bindingThe term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including HongThe Turkish people (Türk Halkı also known as &quot Turks &quot ( Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a First language Only about 5% of Venezuelans are Indigenous. [39] These groups were joined by sponsored migrants from throughout Europe and neighboring parts of South America by the mid-20th century economic boom. About 85% of the population live in urban areas in northern Venezuela; 73% live less than 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the coastline. [40] Though almost half of Venezuela's land area lies south of the Orinoco, only 5% of Venezuelans live there. The national and official language is Spanish; 31 indigenous languages are also spoken, including Guajibo, Pemon, Warao, Wayuu, and the various Yanomaman languages. Guahibo, the native language of the Guahibo people, is a Guahiban language that is spoken by about 23006 people in Colombia and additional 8428 in &quotPemon&quot redirects here For the Wasp Genus, see Pemon (wasp The Warao are an indigenous people inhabiting northeastern Venezuela and western Guyana.Wayuu language Wayuu (also Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro) is an Amerindian ethnic group of the La Guajira PeninsulaYanomaman (also Yanomam, Yanomáman, Yamomámi, Yanomamana, Shamatari, Shirianan) is a small Language family 83% of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. Culture Venezuela's heritage, art, and culture have been heavily influenced by its Latin American context. The Culture of Venezuela is product of a very rich and diverse set of cultural traditionsRacial and Cultural Identity There are two classes in Venezuela as it pertains to race and cultural identityOne of the many popular representations of the Virgin Mary in Venezuela.Maracaibo is the second-largest city in Venezuela after the national capital Caracas and is the capital of Zulia stateRacial and Cultural Identity There are two classes in Venezuela as it pertains to race and cultural identityArt refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual These elements extend to its historic buildings, architecture,[41] art,[42] landscape, boundaries, and monuments. Venezuelan culture has been shaped by indigenous, Spanish and African influences. The Culture of Venezuela is product of a very rich and diverse set of cultural traditionsThe term Indigenous Peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any Ethnic group who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest historical Before this period, indigenous culture was expressed in art (petroglyphs), crafts, architecture (shabonos), and social organization. Petroglyphs are Images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising pecking carving and abradingA craft is a Skill, especially involving practical arts. It may refer to a Trade or particular artA shabono (also xapono or yano) is a hut used by the Yanomami Amerindians of extreme southern Venezuela and extreme northern Aboriginal culture was subsequently assimilated by Spaniards; over the years, the hybrid culture had diversified by region. Venezuelan art was initially dominated by religious motifs, but began emphasizing historical and heroic representations in the late 19th century, a move led by Martín Tovar y Tovar. Venezuela 's Museums and galleries are well on the way to forming a new discourse in which the public can experience and interactMartín Tovar y Tovar ( February 10 1827 &mdash December 17 1902) was one of the most important and high-profile Venezuelan paintersModernism took over in the 20th century. Modernism describes an array of Cultural movements rooted in the changes in Western society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Notable Venezuelan artists include Arturo Michelena, Cristóbal Rojas, Armando Reverón, Manuel Cabré, the kinetic artistsJesús-Rafael Soto and Carlos Cruz-Diez. Artists Martín Tovar y Tovar (1827–1902 Cristóbal Rojas (1857–1890 Arturo Michelena (1863–1898 Arturo Michelena ( June 16, 1863 - July 29, 1898) was a Venezuelan painter born in Valencia, Carabobo StateCristóbal Rojas ( Cúa, Miranda, 15 December 1857 &mdash Caracas, 8 November 1890) was one of the most importantArmando Julio Reverón ( Caracas May 10, 1889 &ndash Caracas, September 18, 1954) was the most important ModernistManuel Cabré ( 25 January 1890 &ndash 26 February 1984) was a noted Venezuelan painter.Kinetic art is art that contains moving parts or depends on motion for its effectJesús Rafael Soto ( June 5, 1923 - January 14, 2005) was a Venezuelan artistCarlos Cruz-Díez (born August 17, 1923 in Caracas) is a Venezuelan kinetic and Op artist He is a well-known international Venezuelan literature originated soon after the Spanish conquest of the mostly pre-literate indigenous societies; it was dominated by Spanish influences. Venezuelan literature can be traced to pre-Hispanic times with the myths and Oral literature that formed the cosmogonic view of the world that indigenous people hadThe Spanish colonization of the Americas was Spain 's conquest settlement and rule over much of the Western hemisphere.The culture of Spain is an Iberian culture marked by the period of Roman influences Following the rise of political literature during the War of Independence, Venezuelan Romanticism, notably expounded by Juan Vicente González, emerged as the first important genre in the region. Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Although mainly focused on narrative writing, Venezuelan literature was advanced by poets such as Andrés Eloy Blanco and Fermín Toro. A narrative or story is a construct created in a suitable format (written spoken poetry prose images song Theater, or Dance) that describes a sequence of Andrés Eloy Blanco Meaño ( Cumaná, Sucre state, Venezuela, August 6, 1897 - Mexico City, Mexico, Major writers and novelists include Rómulo Gallegos, Teresa de la Parra, Arturo Uslar Pietri, Adriano González León, Miguel Otero Silva, and Mariano Picón Salas. Rómulo Gallegos Freire ( August 2 1884 &ndash April 7 1969) was a Venezuelan Novelist and Politician.Teresa de la Parra ( October 5, 1889 – April 23, 1936) was a Venezuelan novelistArturo Uslar Pietri ( May 16, 1906 – February 26, 2001) was one of the most prominent Venezuelan figures of the twentieth centuryAdriano González León ( Valera, Trujillo State, 1931 - Caracas, January 12, 2008) was a Venezuelan writer who is known in hisMiguel Otero Silva ( October 26, 1908 - August 28, 1985) was a Venezuelan writer journalist Humorist and PoliticianMariano Picón Salas, an influential Venezuelan diplomatic cultural critic and writer of the 20th century was born in Mérida ( Mérida State) on The great poet and humanist Andrés Bello was also an educator and intellectual. Andrés de Jesús María y José Bello López (b Caracas, Venezuela, d Others, such as Laureano Vallenilla Lanz and José Gil Fortoul, contributed to Venezuelan Positivism. Laureano Vallenilla Lanz (born November 10, 1870; died November 16, 1936) was a Venezuelan intellectual and Sociologist.Positivism is the Philosophy that the only authentic knowledge is knowledge that is based on actual sense experience The Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex in Caracas. The joropo, as depicted in a 1912 drawing by Eloy Palacios. Eloy Palacios, ( June 27, 1847 - December 12, 1919) was a Venezuelan artist sculptor and painter Carlos Raúl Villanueva was the most important Venezuelan architect of the modern era; he designed the Central University of Venezuela, (a World Heritage Site) and its Aula Magna. Carlos Raúl Villanueva ( London May 30, 1900 - Caracas August 16, 1975) was the most prominent Venezuelan The Central University of Venezuela (or Universidad Central de Venezuela in Spanish) is a premier public University of Venezuela locatedA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Other notable architectural works include the Capitol, the Baralt Theatre, the Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex, and the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge. The Baralt Theater * ( Teatro Baralt) is an important cultural complex located in Maracaibo, Venezuela.The Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex ( Complejo Cultural Teresa Carreño) or more commonly the Teresa Carreño Theater ( Teatro Teresa Carreño) is oneThe General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge is located at the outlet Lake Maracaibo, in western Venezuela. Indigenous musical styles of Venezuela are exemplified by the groups Un Solo Pueblo and Serenata Guayanesa. Several styles of traditional Venezuelan music, such as salsa and merengue are common to its CaribbeanSerenata Guayanesa is a vocal and instrumental quartet playing typical Venezuelan Folk music. The national musical instrument is the cuatro. Typical musical styles and pieces mainly emerged in and around the llanos region, including Alma Llanera (by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and Rafael Bolivar Coronado), Florentino y el Diablo (by Alberto Arvelo Torrealba), Concierto en la Llanura by Juan Vicente Torrealba, and Caballo Viejo (by Simón Díaz). Alma Llanera is a popular Joropo song composed by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and lyrics of Rafael Bolívar Coronado.Pedro Elías Gutiérrez ( La Guaira, March 14 1870 &ndash Macuto, May 31 1954) was a Venezuelan MusicianRafael Bolívar Coronado was born in Villa de Cura ( Aragua) Venezuela, on June 6, 1884.Alberto Arvelo Torrealba ( Barinas, Venezuela, September 4 1905 - Caracas, March 28 1971) was a VenezuelanJuan Vicente Torrealba Pérez (born February 20, 1917) in Caracas, Venezuela, is a Venezuelan Harpist and ComposerCaballo Viejo is a Venezuelan Folk song written and performed by Simón Díaz, which appears on the 1980 album Caballo ViejoSimón Díaz (born August 8, 1928) is a celebrated Singer and Composer of Venezuelan music whose work is regarded as one of the most important The Zulian gaita is also a popular style, generally performed during Christmas. The Gaita is the name of a Venezuelan folk Music from Maracaibo, Zulia state The national dance is the joropo. The Joropo is a Musical style resembling the waltz, and an accompanying Dance, having African and European influencesTeresa Carreño was a world-famous 19th century piano virtuosa. María Teresa Carreño García de Sena ( December 22 1853 - June 12 1917) was a Venezuelan pianist singer composer and conductor In the last years, Classical Music has had great performances. The Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra has realized excellent presentations in many European theaters and has received honors of the public. Baseball is Venezuela's most popular sport, although football (soccer), spearheaded by the Venezuela national football team, is gaining influence. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players eachAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely consideredThe Venezuela national football team is the national football team of Venezuela and is controlled by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. Famous Venezuelan baseball players include Luis Aparicio (inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame), David (Dave) Concepción, Oswaldo (Ozzie) Guillén (current White Sox manager, World Series champion in 2005), Cubs Ace Carlos Zambrano, Freddy Garcia, Andrés Galarraga, Omar Vizquel (an eleven-time Gold Glove winner), Luis Sojo, Miguel Cabrera, Bobby Abreu, Félix Hernández, Magglio Ordóñez, Ugueth Urbina, Víctor Martínez, Rafael Betancourt, and Johan Santana (a two-time unanimously selected Cy Young Award winner). Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934) is a former Shortstop in Professional baseball and a member of the Baseball Hall ofDavid Ismael Concepción Benitez (born June 17, 1948) better known as Dave Concepción, is a former Shortstop in Major League BaseballOswaldo José Guillén Barrios (born January 20, 1964 in Ocumare del Tuy, Miranda State, Venezuela) well known as Ozzie GuillénCarlos Alberto Zambrano (born June 1 1981 in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela) popularly known as &quotBig Z&quot or &quotEl Toro&quot, is a right-handedFreddy Antonio García (born October 6, 1976 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Starting pitcher in Major League BaseballAndrés José Padovani Galarraga (ˌɡæləˌɹɑɡə in English and /ɡalaˈraɡa/ in Spanish) (born June 18, 1961 in Caracas VenezuelaOmar Enrique Vizquel Gonzalez (born April 24, 1967 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball Shortstop playingLuis Beltrán Sojo (ˈsoʊhoʊ SOE-ho) (born January 3, 1966 in Petare Miranda State, Venezuela) is a former Major League BaseballJosé Miguel Torres Cabrera (born April 18 1983 in Maracay, Aragua State, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball First baseman Bob Kelly &quotBobby&quot Abreu /aˈbreʲu/ (nicknamed El Comedulce) (born March 11 1974 in Turmero Aragua State, Venezuela) is a Major LeagueFélix Abraham Hernández (born April 8, 1986 in Valencia Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball Starting pitcher for the Magglio Jose Ordóñez (ɔrˈdoʊnjɛz &quotor-DOH-nyez&quot in English is a Major League Baseball Right fielder and right-handed batter born on January 28Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal (uˈgɛt urˈbinə (born ( February 15, 1974 in Caracas Venezuela) is a former Relief pitcher in MajorVíctor Jesús Martínez (born December 23, 1978 in Ciudad Bolívar, Bolívar, Venezuela) is a switch-hitting Rafael José Betancourt (born April 29, 1975 in Cumaná, Sucre State, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball For the Dominican -born Major League Baseball player born Johan Santana see Ervin Santana.In Baseball, the Cy Young Award is an honor given annually to the best Pitcher in Major League Baseball (one each for American and National The World Values Survey has consistently shown Venezuelans to be among the happiest people in the world, with 55% of those questioned saying they were "very happy". The World Values Survey is an ongoing academic project by Social scientists to assess the state of sociocultural moral religious and political values of different Cultures[43] ^South America. EncartaANNEX TABLES (pdf). World Urbanization Prospects: The 1999 Revision. United NationsAlcaldía del Hatillo: Historia(Spanish). Universidad Nueva EspartacCountry Profile: Venezuela. Library of Congress (Federal Research Division)Venezuela. The World Factbook. CIA (2007-03-08). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motionFrom 1935 to 1958 Venezuela was ruled by military strongmen who promoted the oil industry and encouraged modernization and allowed for some social reforms. Popularly elected governments have held sway since 1959. " ^Profile: Hugo Chavez^Compulsory voting around the world. The Guardian (4 July2005). The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group.El tema: Historia democrática venezolana. Globovisión (2006-11-28). Globovisión is a 24-hour television news network in Venezuela.Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. EventsRamón José Velásquez Mújica. Centro de Investigación de Relaciones Internacionales y desarrollo (2006-09-21). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic KnightsPopulation, Health, and Human Well-Being FAO. Venezuela. Accessed 20 September2006. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France.Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^ Unicef. Venezuela UNICEFSafe Drinking WaterHealth Care for All: Venezuela's Health Missions at WorkEL ACUERDO DE GINEBRA DEL 17 FEB 1966. Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores. Retrieved on 2007-12-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican(Spanish) ^ abVenezuela: Overview. Global Forest Watch . ^ Lepage, Denis. Checklist of birds of Venezuela. Bird Checklists of the World. AvibaseBiodiversity and Protected AreasAfro-Venezuelans and the Struggle to End RacismIndigenous Peoples in VenezuelaCoastal and Marine EcosystemsHappiness Statistics By Country. Nationmaster. comWikiMapia has one or more wiki satellite maps of VenezuelaGoogle Maps (for a time named Google Local) is a free Web mapping service application and technology provided by Google that powers many map-based servicesWikiMapia is an online Map and Satellite imaging resource that combines Google Maps with a Wiki system allowing users to add information
eng
b0ac1ff2-44b4-4297-b10f-f3c64edb63bc
http://www.citizendia.org/Venezuela
> First, please let me apologize for the delay in responding. As you can see, I > am a few weeks behind in my mail. > Secondly, Laura, I have visited your site several times and have found it > very useful - Thank you. > > With regard to struggling readers, I have worked with them in grades K > through 8. It is very challenging and rewarding work. I have found that reviewing > how to select the right text, strategies while reading, etc., can be done over > and over with little success without getting the students finding an interest > in reading. There are few level high interest books available from different > publishers and distributors. For example, > Pearson Learning has books that would be for upper elementary to middle > school on a 1st to 3rd grade reading levels.(Novels, classics, etc.) > Hampton Brown has content books for ELL students but could be used by others. > I saw a book geared for 7th grade Holocaust study at an early 1st grade > reading level. > I hope this is of some help. > Karen ++++++++++ > I am needing several books where I can model/scaffold students to use = > visual information and the text to infer the deeper meaning of the text. = > > > So far, I have decided to begin inferencing using comics from the = > newspaper and making my thinking visible (charting it) while the = > students watch. I am planning on having my kids talk about what they = > noticed me doing and making a chart of that to help them understand = > inferencing. Later this week or early next week I'd like to move into a = > simple story. I think the story Two Bad Ants will be one of the first = > books I use. Does anyone know of other books that would be good to teach = > inferencing using visual information and the text? I'd really = > appreciate your help. > > Teresa ++++++++++ > Reply to: To Teresa > Try the book The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg > Teresa /AR wrote: > >I am needing several books where I can model/scaffold students to use = > >visual information and the text to infer=A0the deeper meaning of the text.= > =A0 =A0So far, I=A0have = > >decided to=A0begin inferencing using comics from the newspaper and making = > my = > >thinking visible (charting it) while the students watch.=A0 I am planning = > on having = > >my kids talk about what they=A0noticed me doing and making a chart of = > that to help = > >them understand inferencing.=A0 Later this week or early next week I'd = > like to = > >move into a simple story.=A0I think the story=A0Two Bad Ants will = > be=A0one of the first = > >books I use. Does anyone know of other books that would be good to teach = > >inferencing using visual information and the text?=A0 I'd really = > appreciate your help.=A0Teresa ++++++++++ > > > From: Vlearnserv@aol.com > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 09:26:39 EDT > Subject: [mosaic] Plagiarism detecting software > > Plagiarism has become an issue in the writing of my middle school students. > Is there software that schools use to detect this? (Something easier/more > accurate than just doing a Google search of selected text.) > But, it does make for a good lesson in voice! > > V. Blackmore > PVRS ++++++++++ > Lori, The Princess Test was written by Gail Carson Levine, the author of > Ella Enchanted. It's short-only 90 pages- and funny. I actually picked > it up around the time you talked about I Was a Rat. Lorelei is the > daughter of a blacksmith and his wife Gussie and she is extremely picky. > Everything needs to be just so. When Gussie dies and Sam has to go to > another town to work, Sam hires Trudy to take care of Lorelei because > Lorelei is such a klutz that she can't take care of herself without > getting injured. For example, when Lorelei tries to wash the dishes, she > ends up with a severe skin rash that takes Trudy months to heal. Not to > mention that Lorelei must have only satin bandages, special cream, etc., > etc. As I said earlier, it's a takeoff on the Princess and the Pea, so > there's a test, a prince, and a happy ending. > This is not the deepest plot in the world, but it's a very pleasurable, > quick read. There are some great themes that run throughout, the > characters are typical fairy tale types, so we had a great deal of schema > for them, could infer and predict with confidence and I loved to read it > too. We laughed a lot and it's if someone missed school and a chapter or > two, they begged to be able to read to catach up. That's the best > recommendation I can give, I guess. -Judy +++++++++ > > From: MissWalsh1@aol.com > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 12:54:51 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Sara Holbrook poems/synthesis/REALLY LONG > > In a message dated 4/9/2004 5:55:57 PM Central Standard Time, > mehitzel@cox.net writes: > Ginger started us off by sharing the poem entitled, The Storm That Was. She > did a shared reading with the class and then worked through it with them line > by line, talking about our thinking about the poem and recognizing and > pointing out when our thinking about and understanding of the poem was changing. All > of this was documented on the overhead. This is the one piece I didn't bring > home with me, so I can't share in more detail right now. After this, we gave > out copies of numerous of the other poems to individuals. Three or four > students had a copy of the same poem, but I wanted them to work individually at > first. I kind of went back and forth about how to form these groups. I thought > about putting students who were more proficient at thinking strategically > together with ones who struggled, but eventually decided to form groups with > members who were at a similar level of thinking. I did this because I wanted my > less proficient students to have to push themselves to work toward an > understanding rather than let someone else do the thinking for them. The degree of > difficulty of the poems varied a bit and so I tried to give each group a poem > that would stretch them. Anyway, I first had the students work with their copy > of the poem individually, marking their thinking in the margins. Ginger and I > moved among the students, asking leading questions and trying to prompt them > to go deeper in their thinking. All of the students were on task and engaged > with the poems. This was the end of the first part of the lesson. Then, that > afternoon, the students met in their groups to share their thinking. > Last fall, a group of teachers from my district went to observe GInger's > classroom, and this was the lesson we saw. I was very impressed, and while I had > read Mosaic once before, I did not apply the strategies in my own room until > after I saw Ginger's kids. She is quite a wonderful teacher. > > Leah 2nd ++++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] Inferring using visual info/text > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 13:46:05 -0400 > From: <semartin@clayton.k12.ga.us> > > I used most of the books recommended in Strategies that Work to teach > inferencing, but the two best lessons I had used Tight Times and See the > Ocean. Tight Times has more useful visual clues but also equally > useful text. See the Ocean has more textual clues, and as you read > it, you will understand why. > > Thanks for all the other suggestions sent. I am adding them to my list > of books to use in minilessons! > > Shannon Betts > +++++++++ > There was a story on ASCD's eletter about software at > You could try that. > Cece/LC/GA +++++++++ > > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 14:35:05 -0700 > From: CArol Lau <cllc@comcast.net> > Subject: [mosaic] [Fwd: Fw: You should all feel good about yourself] > > THESE ARE TOO GOOD NOT TO PASS ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):) > Subject: Fw: You should all feel good about yourself > > > B rain Cramps > > > > Question: If you could live forever, would you and why? Answer:"I would not > > live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were > > supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot > > live forever, which is why I would not live forever," > > -- Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss U.S.A. contest. > > > > `````````````````````````````````` > > "Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the > > world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like > > that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff." > > -- Mariah Carey, singer > > ````````````````````````````````````````` > > "Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important > > part of your life," > > -- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become Spokesperson for > > the Federal Anti-smoking Campaign. > > ````````````````````````````````````````````````` > > "I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body," > > -- Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky Basketball Forward. > > ````````````````````````````````````````````` > > "Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime > > rates in > > the country," > > -- Marion Barry, Mayor of Washington, D.C. > > ````````````````````````````` > > "I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. > > We are the President." > > -- Hillary Clinton commenting on the release of subpoenaed documents. > > ```````````````````````````````````````````````````` > > "That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a > > jackass, and I'm just the one to do it," > > -- A U.S. congressional candidate in Texas. > > ```````````````````````````` > > "Half this game is ninety percent mental." > > -- Danny Ozark, manager of Philadelphia Phillies > > `````````````````````````````````` > > "It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the > > impurities in our air and water that are doing it." > > -- former U.S. Vice President Al Gore > > ``````````````````` > > > > " It's no exaggeration to say that the undecideds could go one way > > or another" > > -- George W. Bush, U.S. President > > `````````````````````` > > "I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix." > > -- former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle > > `````````` > > > > "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we > > need?" > > -- former president of American Motors, Lee Iacocca > > ``````````` > > "I was provided with additional input that was radically different > > from the > > truth. I assisted in furthering that version." > > -- Colonel Oliver North, from his Iran-Contra testimony. > > ````````````````````````````````````````` > > "The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a > > guy like > > Norman Einstein." > > -- Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst. > > ```````````````````````````````````````````` > > "We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain > > types of > > people." > > -- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor. > > ````````````````````````````````` > > "If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." > > -- former U.S.. President Bill Clinton, > > `````````````````` > > "We are ready for an unforeseen event that may or may not occur." > > -- former U.S. Vice President Al Gore > > `````````` > > "Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas." > > -- Keppel Enderbery > > ``````````````` > > "Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992, because we > > received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may > > reapply if there is a change in your circumstances." > > -- State Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina > > ```````````````````````````````````````````` > > "If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night > > as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the > > night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be > > a record." > > -- Mark S. Fowler, former Federal Communications Commission Chairman > > ```````````````````````` > > > > ...Feeling smarter yet? Send it on to your other brilliant > > friends, as I am doing. +++++++++++ > I am just back from spring break. I told the kids about the list serv and the > book, The Tale of Despereaux. My kids are really excited! Yesterday, before I > began reading, I wrote the book blurb on the board and put the cover up on > the board too. I asked them to predict, and to think of 3 questions that they > had. We read the first three chapters. I told them that someone in my on-line > discussion group said to notice darkness and light, so I began a chart about it. > One of my students said that the light could be his soul. ( I was so > excited!) Today, using the excuse of making up for an absent student, I wrote down the > names of the first 3 chapters and we took a few review notes. We then read > the next two chapters. One of my boys wanted to know where he could buy the > book! > Suzanne/NY/3rd +++++++++++ > > From: SuzTeacher@aol.com > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 18:36:40 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Inferring using visual info/text to Teresa > What about wordless books? ++++++++++ > > From: SuzTeacher@aol.com > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 18:44:19 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Sara Holbrook poems/synthesis > > I was so happy to get all of the e-mails about the Sara Holbrook poems! What > a great way to start my first week back from vacation. In "The Storm That > Was," there are quite a few students determined to make the poem be about an > actual weather storm. They are so funny -- yet they too are thinking, as they try > to refute my attempts at making them see "the emotional storm." > > As in Ginger's plans - I distributed the other poems and had the students > work individually and then in groups. What fascinating conversations! I haven't > yet read over their responses but the talk was amazing! > > Suzanne/NY/3rd Grade ++++++++++ > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 17:30:25 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Despereaux Poetry > > The format for my poetry project this week is to write a photo poem - two > lines give the basic description, followed by 3 or more lines expanding the > description. I thought you'd be interested in these three poems. They are > based on the students' visualizations during my reading, over time. > > I was impressed. Remember, they are *2nd* graders. The middle child spoke > not one word of English when she entered by class in August of > 2002. Today, you'd never know she wasn't a native born speaker. The last > boy has trouble verbalizing in English. His Spanish and English trip over > each other. The first child is a native English speaker, but she also > speaks Spanish. I loved their word choices. =) > > It's quiet, the only things you'll hear are rats. > Rats' claws screeching on the walls > And water dripping on the floor. > It smells like blood > And the trash of people's skeletons, > And rats and little skeletons, too, of mice. > You hear sounds of people yelling in the dark. > There's no light, > Just dark, so get used to it or else. > > Crystal > ---------- > Disgusting place where rats can scratch the walls > And drag their tails over dust and blood. > Awful smells being made by rats > and no place for anyone to be. > That's the way the awful dungeon smells > And it never will be a nice place for anyone to be. > > Liliana > > > ---------- > Down in the dark dungeon, you will be scared. > You will hear a scrabbling. > You will be so frightened, > And you will be screaming in the dark dungeon. > A little girl named Miggery Sow is trapped in the dark world. > She is screaming every place and every thing. > > Luis > > If you want to read more poems from many classrooms and grade levels, you > will find the URL after my name. We are about half-way through the > project, beginning week 4 of 6 this week. > > The other thing that was fun for me today was listening behind some of my > girls who were critiqueing some third grade writing posted in a > window. The conversation about one piece went something like this: > > "Look at this story. It says it's about the mom, but here is Andrew. How > did Andrew get into this story?" child one > > "Yeah, and look at this period. That's not a sentence. Why does it have a > period. It doesn't make sense." child two > > I was jazzed that they've absorbed so much that I hoped I was teaching > about writing! Sometimes you *do* learn good things when you are evesdropping! > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ +++++++++++ > > From: "Carrie Becker" <pigsrock@hotmail.com> > Subject: [mosaic] demonstration lesson-poetry > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 20:51:40 -0400 => > Hi-- > > Next week I am doing a 40-minute demonstration lesson in a 6th grade Engl= > ish/Language Arts classroom about poetry as part of an interview process.= > The students have had no work this year with poetry and I have little ex= > perience with end of the year 6th graders so I'm wondering if you can hel= > p me out! > > I want to do something interactive with the students to get them discussi= > ng...I thought about starting with a general discussion about their perce= > ptions/feelings about poetry--maybe recording those on chart paper. From = > there I have little direction...found poems, visualizing, I wonder poems,= > etc. I'll probably start with some modeling and lead into an individual/= > paired activity. I'd love to bring the strategies into it as well, but I'= > m not sure what kind of experience they've had with those either. > > Do you have any suggestions for poems to use with this age? I teach fifth= > grade right now, but I know sixth graders are much different! > > Any thoughts, suggestions, and comments would be appreciated! > Thanks! > --Carrie :) +++++++++++ > Dave was having trouble sending this to the list so he asked me to forward > it for him. > Ginger > moderator > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dave Middlebrook" <dmiddlebrook@comcast.net> > To: <mosaic@u46teachers.org>; > Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 5:37 PM > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Inferring using visual info/text > > This is not an answer to Teresa's question. It's more of an offshoot, > inspired by her question. > > Two comments about information and inferencing. One regarding visual > information. The other regarding other kinds of information which are often > overlooked. > > I'll start with overlooked information: Books offer a surprising amount of > information that is neither visual nor text-languaged based. Here's a fun > game that will get your students thinking more broadly about the information > provided by texts, and how that information can be used to draw inferences: > > 1. Have ready, but out of sight of your students, some or all of the > following: One or more phone books, coffee table books, paperback novels, > dictionaries, textbooks, encyclopedia volumes, kids' picture books, > almanacs, magazines, catalogs, CD-ROMs (a blank one, or one of those AOL > discs you keep getting in the mail will serve just fine. Don't use a "good" > disc because it is going to be handled quite a bit), floppy discs, audio > tapes, and video tapes. You can have more than one of some of these items. > Make sure you have one item for every student in the class. > 2. Have all of the students in your class stand around a large table (round > or square; the shape doesn't matter) or a row of desks pushed together. No > chairs. You want them lined up around the edge of the table, as if they > were getting ready to sit down for dinner. > 3. Blindfold all of the students. Make sure the blindfolds are good ones -- > not easily slipped askew to allow for peeking. Reinforce the importance of > not peeking by explaining to them that the moment they peek, they will ruin > the fun for themselves. > 4. Tell your students to listen and try to figure out what is happening. > Tell them that until you tell them otherwise, they should not talk. > 5. Walk around the table, and in front of each blindfolded student, drop a > text onto the table so that it lands more or less where a placemat for a > table setting would be. You want the sound of each text hitting the table > to be clear to the students. Play it up a bit. Let the heavy texts hit > with a bang! Fan the pages! Spin the CD-ROM like a penny! Shake the audio > cassette! If necessary (it will be), remind your students that they are not > to talk until you tell them to. > 6. Stand back and tell your still-blindfolded students to pick up what you > just put in front of them. Tell them to handle the object and decide what > it is. > 7. Give them a minute or so, and then have them pass the object to the right > (still blindfolded, still no talking). > 8. Have them repeat this until the object they first had is back in their > hands. > 9. Still blindfolded, have them each explain what it is that they have in > their hands. Remind them about inferences. Ask them to support their > inferences with hard evidence. > 10. Remove the blindfolds. Let them examine their object again, and then > repeat the process of passing objects to the right. Back to no talking. > 11. Ask them if it's possible to judge a book from it's cover! Ask them to > explain. > 12. If they need prompting (not likely), ask them what other information was > available to them when they had the blindfolds on. Loosen things up a bit > about the talking -- encourage them to shift to a more conversational frame > of mind. > 13. If they need further prompting (not likely), ask them specifically about > the following: The sound they first heard when you dropped each object on > the table, and what they could feel with their hands: weight, size, shape, > thickness, paper quality (thickness, smoothness, etc.), binding, page-tabs > (for some dictionaries), and texture of the cover. > 14. They may need prompting for this: Ask them about smell. If any of them > did smell the objects while they were blindfolded, ask them to talk about > that. Then have everyone smell the objects and pass them around. This > sounds weird, but you'll be pleased by the reaction. It never fails. > You'll see the lightbulbs going off! > 15. Ask them what this has to do with reading. Don't let this question go > until you feel you've really beaten the horse dead. This really goes to the > question of metacognition: reading as comprehending, rather than reading as > decoding. > > That's the game. I hope you have as much fun with it as I have had! > > Now, about visual information: It isn't limited to pictures. Typography is > often a rich source of information. Typography is more than just > typestyles. It includes structural elements (headings, footnotes, etc.), > inline cues (bold, italics, underlining, punctuation, etc.), the use of > space and the arrangement of the elements on the page. Typography is often > hard to comprehend in texts presented as paged media (books, computer > screens) because you can't see it all at one time. It is, in contrast, easy > beyond belief to comprehend the typography in texts presented in scroll > form. So when you're working with your students on visual information, > please don't forget the typography. There's always more there than meets > the eye. You'll see it all in a scroll. More information about using > scrolls and typography can be found on The Textmapping Project web site. > Here's a link to get you started: > > > If you try the blindfold game, let me know how it worked! > > Dave Middlebrook > The Textmapping Project > A resource for teachers improving reading comprehension skills instruction. > | Please share this site with your > colleagues! ++++++++++ > > From: SuzTeacher@aol.com > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 20:56:52 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] demonstration lesson-poetry for Carrie > > Use Sara Holbrook!!!!! Her poems are on the tools page, and her books are > listed on her website. +++++++++ > > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 19:40:11 -0700 (PDT) > From: Karrie Marden <tkkmarden03@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] demonstration lesson-poetry > > Try Regie Routman. She has good books for teaching poetry to all different ages. +++++++++ > > From: "ginger/rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net> > Subject: [mosaic] an email from Sara Holbrook > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 21:44:23 -0500 > I wrote to Sara Holbrook and told her we are using her poems in our rooms. > This is the email I got back from her just now. > > Ginger > moderator > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "sara holbrook" <sara@saraholbrook.com> > To: "ginger/rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net> > Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 9:26 PM > Subject: your poems > > > > Ginger, > > > > Hi there! I'm responding from Vancouver and feeling rather far from > > home. Good to hear from you and that you are putting my poems to good > > use--AGAIN! > > > I so appreciate hearing from you and all your good work with students. > > It reminds me again how important poetry discussions are with kids so > > that they learn how to use and perhaps more importantly how to > > understand figurative language. > > > > thanks so much for writing, > > sara. +++++++++ > > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 19:49:00 -0700 (PDT) > From: Karrie Marden <tkkmarden03@yahoo.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Class Management and Noise > > Hi. I'm a first year 1st grade teacher who is really trying to implement the whole Mosaic / Debbie Miller philosophy. While I believe that students truly have to discuss and talk to learn, I struggle with the amount of noise! Sometimes I feel that I can't get through a story because so many kids are busy commenting on the story, making ?s, connections, predictions based on what we are reading, that I forget what we were even reading about! What is the noise level like in some of your rooms? How do you handle the class management aspect of encouraging kids to vocalize their thinking, yet helping 1st graders know when it's appropriate to do so? And when is it appropriate to do so??? Help!! Karrie ++++++++ > > From: "Martha Hitzel" <mehitzel@cox.net> > Subject: RE: [mosaic] demonstration lesson-poetry > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 20:59:53 -0700 > > Carrie - I'm not sure if you're wanting to model reading and > interpreting poetry or writing poetry. I did sensory imaging poems with > my 4th and 5th graders and they came out really excellent. I shared two > I had written myself, one about Rehoboth, Delaware and the other about > an island we visit in Canada each summer. I don't have them here, I'm > pretty sure I posted one of them a few months ago. Anyway, I just wrote > about the different sensory images I had in my mind when I thought of > that place. I could share one of mine and maybe one or two of my > students if you are interested. I'd have to bring them home from school > tomorrow. > > The other sensory imaging type of poem I've done with my class is > modeled on the poems in Hailstones and Halibut Bones. Are you familiar > with this book? It is a collection of color poems and incorporates all > of the different senses. I share the one about the color brown with my > kids and then we talk about all the sensory images that come to our > minds when we think of the color brown. We talk about how based on our > personal schema those images will vary from one person to another. > Again, if you're interested I could post one or two examples. > > Anyway, I'm not sure if this is even what you had in mind, but if it is > let me know. > > What are you interviewing for? > > Martha/4/5/az ++++++++ > > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 21:43:51 -0700 > From: Peggy George <pgeorge@mac.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Plagiarism sites > Hi Vicki, > Here are some of the links I have saved for detecting plagiarism. Maybe > you'll find something here that will work for you. > Peggy > ---------- > FREE DETECTION > The following are sites which are "free". Some may require > registration, but there is no charge. They offer tips, instructions, > and links to sites which either filter or are a source of plagiarism. > You will also see here several sites offering free software which you > can download and use to scan your own students' work. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > CopyCatch: < > Text analysis service based in the United Kingdom for teachers to > encourage integrity of student work in a technological environment. > Students also have access to software which allows them to check their > own work. > > detectaCopias > < > Spanish language service with downloadable software for comparing texts. > > Glatt Plagiarism Services, Inc. < > This site offers a free self-detect test for students to check their own > material for plagiarism. > > Jplag > < > German based service specializing in programming code, but also > accommodates plain text documents. For teachers only! You must > register to use. > > The Plagiarism Resource Site > < > Free software for download developed by Professor Louis A. Bloomfield to > detect similarities between texts turned in by his physics students. > Very effective at identifying similar phrases in works being compared. > Several versions available for download. > > Plagiserve > < > A free service (just register) "designed to assist educators in > detecting academic dishonesty. It is a powerful tool that verifies the > originality of papers by using the latest Internet-based technology." > Offers 24-hour turn around. > > Turn it In (charge for this service--couldn't find the price > listed--says to request a quote and provides a link) > > At the heart of our plagiarism prevention system are our customized > Originality Reports. Originality Reports are exact duplicates of > submitted papers, except that any text either copied or paraphrased > appears underlined, color-coded, and linked to its original source. All > work submitted to Turnitin is checked against three databases of content: > > ----------------------- > Using Search Engines. Using one of these search engines you can enter a > phrase or short paragraph (in quotes) and search the web. This > technique is similar to using a free detection service except it > searches across the web at large. > > All The Web > > Google > > ---------------- > Here are a couple of recent emails on the topic of determining in a > student's work has been plagiarized. > > Actually, you are both right. Some of the time. > Google, with its larger database and more sophisticated search > algorithm, is most effective at finding the stuff that is on the open > net (though of course, if the kid is a jeeves fan, then results might > popup sooner there). > > However, what happens when the kid is plagiarizing from paid > subscription databases like Ebsco, Gale, ProQuest, Grolier Encyclopedia, > etc? Unless the paper happens to be online, Google won't catch it. > However, the chances that an encyclopedia article was plagiarized and > then sent to turnitin, et al, is pretty high. And even then, it may be > better to search the library resources (databases) to find the original > piece. > > Of course, we ARE spending time modeling resource evaluation, > notetaking, citation, and the difference between reciting from a source > and using a source to develop our own thinking, right? > > Robert Eiffert, Media Specialist > Pacific Middle School > Evergreen SD, Vancouver Washington > beiffert@egreen.wednet.edu > robert@crypticmachinery.net > ------- > In terms of plagiarism, I've found Google to be the most effective. > You *know* what student writing is like and if you have the least > suspicion, all you have to do is type a semi-unique four word string in > quotation marks and google will find it. Of course, however, students > must be taught what plagiarism is to begin with ... I'm always amazed at > how many are amazed that you can't just 'cut and paste' things from the > internet. > ---------------- > Plagiarism has become an issue in the writing of my middle school > students. Is there software that schools use to detect this? (Something > easier/more accurate than just doing a Google search of selected text.) > But, it does make for a good lesson in voice! > > V. Blackmore +++++++++ > > From: "Donna Baker" <baker@sprint.ca> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Class Management and Noise > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 06:17:06 -0400 > > Thanks to Ginger, I have been trying the "Turn and Talk" technique for = > the last few weeks with my rowdy and unmanageable class of 5th graders. = > I team teach 50 kids, so it is sometimes hard to get that homey feeling. = > Yesterday I read "Barefoot" with 1/2 of the class and used turn and = > talk for the first time with them. I was amazed at how cooperative they = > were, and at the complexity of thought, they were asking questions and = > inferring, and connecting, all without prompting. We are not getting = > this level in written responses. Bottom line was - they loved it. My = > only guideline to them at the beginning was that when I said "and stop" = > they would turn back to me. With few exceptions they did. I also asked = > them to share their "group thinking". Every group wanted to share. It = > was wonderful. > > Try it....you'll be amazed. > > Donna +++++++++ > > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 04:47:17 -0700 (PDT) > From: Yvonne Greene <myvonnegreene@yahoo.com> > Subject: [mosaic] [MOT] chapter 2 reflections > Hello everyone, > > I feel a bit late, but I wanted to process the chapters slowly. I will add my initial thoughts then read everyone else's. Forgive me if I repeat. > > This is my second journey through MOT. The first time I read it as a teacher. Now I am trying to read it as a reader and apply what I am learning to my own reading. I now hear my thinking voice more as I read, I still have a long way on this journey. > > If you compare and contrast her classroom with yours, as a learning environment, what do you notice? > My room is a resource room. Students come and go constantly. I do not know how I would manage a room that is set up like hers, although I think Debbie Miller does an incredible job of entering the learners world. She sees her class through her students eyes. > > Would her learning environment work for you? > I am still trying to answer this question. I don't know how to make it work for me. I do know from seeing a portion of her video that the walls are so visually stimulating my students with ADD and Autism would never focus on the learning at hand because they would be distracted by wall decorations. > > How important is the physical plant in which our children learn each day? > I believe equally as important as the physical surroundings is the atmosphere the teacher creates. Do the children feel safe enough to share and take risks? If so, then I am helping them learn and think for themselves. > > > Chapter 2 is basically a history lesson about reading instruction. If it helped you to have it included in the book, please explain how. Is it important? > One of the important things for me was the chart that overviews the strategies. This served as a checklist for me to review and say, I'm great on schema, but need to work on themes. > > What was the single most important idea in this chapter? > I like the quote on page 28 "I always like to tell readers after a conference something that is important to know about becoming a reader." > > Why do you find it so important? > In my rush to work with every student, I often don't reflect on the little things that may make a difference to the child's self-confidence as a reader. > > The authors indicate that a reading workshop setting is most conducive to teaching the strategies. Do you agree or disagree? What does the term "reading workshop" mean to you? What components are needed to set up a workshop with your students? What is the teachers responsibility, and what are the students' responsibilities? > HELP! This concept was the hardest for me! I have 18 students from K-3rd in the room for an hour of reading instruction in resource daily. I have 18 different needs and I am supposed to help get them all on grade level and thinking. How can I do this? I can't meet with each group daily and do a read aloud as well. The read aloud time I do is the most successful time of the day. > > > Mind Journeys > I liked the mental image this provokes. If we are teaching students to visualize and synthesize then each and every thing we read should help us on a journey. It gives me a peaceful yet powerful idea of what reading really is. The wisdom of children is amazing! > > Thanks for the time you took to read this long and rambling message! > Yvonne Greene +++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] a forward from Dave M. > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 07:51:03 -0400 > From: <semartin@clayton.k12.ga.us> > Reading about this game reminds me of Charades! We played it in our > class when I first introduced inferences. I modeled the first few, > but then the students took over. We either acted out a book title or > a character. The "audience" of the rest of the students had to guess > the answer by making inferences based on our actions and mimes. A > good activity to show them that inferences are combining the use of > clues with background knowledge to make a conclusion. +++++++++ > I'm currently facilitating a MOT study cadre and this week's discussions > were responses after reading CHs 3 & 4. However, they wanted to talk more > about how to schedule reader's workshop into what their reading series has > them doing (they love the reading series). We went to Appendix 2 and > looked at the sample formats but they were still frustrated. I'm going to > share the Reader's Workshop format from Springfield, IL's website so they > can see how other districts are responding to transitioning into Reader's > Workshop. I've also told them about this listserve and said I'd ask you > all for some feedback too. > > Soooo.....How are you and/or other teachers you work with scheduling your > reading time each week? If you use a reading series as a resource, how do > you select which components to use and which to punt? > > They are also interested to know if teachers working at low-socioeconomic > minority schools have noticed better test scores since they've implemented > Reader's Workshop. They are, like many other teachers, concerned about > making sure they cover the standards so students do well on the state test > and aren't sure at this point how the strategies are used to do this. > > I've offered my input to them but they'd like to hear from other teachers > too.. > > Thanks! > Michele Gr 3-5 Reading Coach/FL ++++++++ > > Date: 14 Apr 04 08:14:25 -0500 > From: Jen Schoeberl <jen.Schoeberl@sjsd.k12.mo.us> > Subject: [mosaic] Teacher Questions > Reply to: Teacher Questions > I use Reader's Workshop in the following format: > 9:45-11:00 four days a week > 9:45-10:15 Word Study > 10:15-10:30 Mini Lesson > 10:30-10:50 Ind. Reading & I conference individually or I pull a guided = > reading group based on a few kids struggling with the same concept....or = > kids reading the same book because of interest....I usually do not pull = > groups just because they are on the same level. I usually only pull = > groups one day a week and they change each week > 10:50-11:00 Share out....share what they read and how they responded, = > share what they tried in their reading based on the mini lesson, etc. +++++++++++ > This is what I'm talking about! Thank you for saying it much more = > eloquently. Who is preparing teachers to meet the needs of the kids who = > don't understand the foundation of reading -- the alphabetic code or = > whatever all the various reading specialists in the world want to call = > it? > Kids have to have this in order to read fluently and they have to read = > fluently to get meaning. But all I ever see in the way of professional = > development is the meaning stuff. I understand that it isn't "reading" = > unless kids understand what the author is trying to say, but as you so = > profoundly point out "all those 'get the meaning strategies' don't work = > when your seventh graders don't know how to read yet." And this is = > where we are failing, in my opinion. Maybe, teachers need to use their = > "VOICE" to let our teacher prep programs know they are not preparing = > teachers to meet the needs of kids. When we don't know how to teach = > reading -- and I mean all of us -- we are failing kids. In this society = > at this time in history, when we send kids out into the world unable to = > read proficiently, we are, in large part, sealing their fate. They are = > very likely going to have a difficult time getting and keeping a job. = > Their children will probably suffer the same struggles. Teachers face = > the most difficult of responsibilities. It is too much to ask of = > someone who may or may not have the skills to deal with it. The other = > part is this. If colleges and universities are not going to teach us, = > local school districts need to step up to the plate. Otherwise, we need = > to learn it on our own and that takes resources we oftentimes do not = > have. > > Vicki Myers > Special Education Consultant > College of Education > 205 London Hall > Columbia, MO 65211 > > Phone (573) 882-5104 > Fax (573) 884-5622 > E-Mail myersvic@missouri.edu +++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 11:18:54 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading backgrounds-Long > > In a message dated 4/14/2004 10:53:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > MyersVic@missouri.edu writes: > > > When we don't know how to teach reading -- and I mean all of us -- we are > > failing kids > > Vicki, > > I graduated from an undergrad program just two years ago, so my experience is > recent. There was basically no preparation for actually teaching a child how > to read. We didn't talk about reading strategies, and the fact that they > need to be taught in an explicit manner. We concentrated on "whole language" and > cute culminating activities. (This might be fine if everyone already knows > how to read.) > > I absolutely love reading, however, I have found this to be the hardest > subject to teach. I teach fourth grade and my students, except for a few, all read > below grade level. Maybe with students who are fluent, it wouldn't be so > frustrating, but it is to the point where I really dislike teaching reading. > Because of this group I have come to understand that I must teach the students > the strategies if they are to become successful, this never occurred to me! > > I just taught a great lesson last week and my assistant principal happen to > observe me that day. I combined two strategies that I learned at the Closing > the Achievement Gap conference, one called probable passage and one called Link > It. Both were used with reading selections that were about two pages in > length. Probable passage involved the teacher preselecting about 7 words from the > passage that could fit into the following categories-character, plot, > setting, problem or unknown words. Before reading the selection students chose which > category they thought the words belonged in, and then wrote them on the > paper-little text boxes were provided for each category. Link it involved writing > everything we knew about the topic-in this case whales-prior to reading the > story. Students listed everything they knew individually, and then shared with > a neighbor. I then asked each std. to tell me one thing they had written and > I wrote it on chart paper. Then they talked amongst themselves to find out > what each other had written. > Then we started reading the passage, one paragraph at a time. As we read we > stopped to decide if we had read any words that we had placed in categories, > if so, we decided if we had put them in the correct category and if not what > category should they be in. Additionally as we read we decided on the most > important information within the passage, and we recorded that on the chart paper > and on the students paper. (This is meant to help them understand how to take > notes.) After we read the passage, we discussed what a knowledge level > question was, etc. Each student had a handout with question stems based on the > different levels of the taxonomy. As a group they had to choose one question stem > and make up a question about the passage, as well as the answer. They shared > these with the class, and then we began looking at the questions that came > with the story. > > It was an excellent lesson and something that I will continue to do. The > students were really engaged, and my assistant principal just loved it. > > Rosie ++++++++++ > > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 11:26:57 -0400 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading backgrounds > From: "Michele Balars" <balarsm@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us> > My fellow reading coach here has, until now, been a special ed. teacher. > She got her master's degree in reading on her own. She and I have > discussed teacher prep, especially in ESE programs and she says that the > major emphasis is on behavior management (in her view) since most IEP's > focus on behaviour issues rather than academics. The ESE teachers I've > been coaching at gr 3-5 are not interested in learning how to teach > reading, rather , they'd like me to just come in, assess the students for > them and tell them what to do that they aren't already doing. Is this the > prevailing attitude amound ESE teachers, or are the teachers I'm working > with still living in the dark ages? > > Michele Balars > Reading Coach +++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] Reading backgrounds > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 11:01:46 -0500 > From: "Myers, Vicki L." <MyersVic@missouri.edu> > Your answer surprises me in some ways. In Missouri, IEPs are very = > academically oriented. Behavior is addressed to some extent, but not in = > that many IEPs (mostly for Emotionally Disturbed or more challenging MR = > kids). The bulk of kids here are found eligible as LD in reading, = > written expression, and/or math so those are the specific areas their = > IEPs address. Reading issues are the worst because it is difficult to = > remediate if you don't know how to do that. The best way, of course, is = > to provide support for those kids early, but schools don't often do it. = > We have one elementary school in our region in which the principal keeps = > track of children who come to kindergarten with poor skills in any area. = > She provides for intensive tutoring in those low areas all the way = > through until they are up to grade or age level. Their referrals for = > special ed are way down and their state achievement test scores have = > risen significantly every year for the past 5 years. It is pretty = > awesome+ > > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 17:00:55 -0400 > From: "PJ Morrow" <pmorrow@spart7.k12.sc.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] [MOT] 2 teacher preparation > I agree that teacher preparation is pretty "spotty" out there, but one > thing I have noticed about the truly quality teacher preparation > programs - - the professors who are teaching in the effective programs > are managing to stay connected to real classrooms. They are going into > classrooms consistently to collect field notes and to practice for > themselves whatever they plan to teach their undergraduates about. They > are making videos of themselves teaching, quality teaching that they are > observing, and themselves "coaching" teachers. In other words, they > have a feel for what really works well in classrooms because they try > out the strategies, structures, etc. before they pass them on to their > preservice teachers. This goes along with the quote on p 21 of MOT - - > "We reminded ourselves that during the time we had worked together at > the PEC, everything we felt was worth doing in classrooms we had first > tested on ourselves..." > > PJ > 4,5,6 & Lit Coach > P.S. Has anyone else read the article "Coaches, Controversy, Consensus" > that begins on page 1 of the April/May issue of Reading Today? ++++++++ > > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 17:44:41 -0600 > From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading backgrounds > As a primary teacher with many special needs students, I do not find my children > have behavior goals but goals related to isolated, disconnected skills without an > awareness of what the whole picture is or should look like. > > Lori +++++++++ > > From: SuzTeacher@aol.com > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 20:08:36 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Class Management and Noise Response to Karrie > > Karrie, > You are the boss. > You decide how many ideas to listen to. > You decide when it is a talkative/sharing time and when it is a teacher-talk > time. > > Sometimes I tell the students that I will take only 8 ideas, or I will only > ask for volunteers for 1 minute. Also, asking the children to turn and talk -- > turn to a friend or a partner, and share your idea. > Also - tell them that if they don't get a chance to share their ideas, that > they can write it down. Maybe you could post these responses so everyone can > still share. > Suzanne NY 3rd Grade +++++++++ > > From: "Beth Neiderman" <beth.neiderman@verizon.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading backgrounds > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 20:03:23 -0400 > I teach in an inclusive first/second grade classroom, and 8 out of my 23 > students are classified with special needs. We write goals for guided > reading and comprehension strategies (along with other scademic goals) right > into their IEP's. For some of the children, behavioral goals (such as > appropriate listening behaviors during read alouds, participation during > discussion groups, etc.) are also written in, depending on the > classification and level of support needed for participation. > Beth in NJ +++++++++ > PJ - As one of those university types that is teaching reading classes > to both undergrads and graduate students, I appreciate the vote of > confidence in what many of us are trying to do. The university as an > entity certainly has many of the problems that school districts do with > sustaining cutting edge effective education for all. However, I know > many professors who are working continually in schools and supporting > both preservice and inservice teachers. Sometime the job is quite > challenging with preservice teachers who have had few experiences with > teaching and find research and theoretical foundations a bit abstract. > And yet we know that beginning teachers underlying philosophical view of > learning will determine how they teach. My university has five reading > courses that every education major must take. One is titled > "Phonological and Orthographic Features of Language" which deals in > depth with word identification problems. I think teachers need to > choose the university that they attend and the classes they take with > great care. There are some fine offerings out there. Maybe an > interview with the Reading Department chair would be advised before > starting at a university to understand its program and plan for > preparing teachers for 21st Century classrooms. In some states a > special education certification is only granted as a master's degree > after many essentials such as the teaching of reading are learned at the > undergraduate level. JGasser ++++++++++ > > From: CuriousNMB@aol.com > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 20:34:01 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Class Management and Noise > > Knee to Knee and Eye to Eye By Ardis or Ardith (not sure)Cole is a book on > conversation. This has helped in teaching kids the rules of conversation. Try it. > donna in SC ++++++++++ > I am a 7th and 8th grade remedial reading teacher and am planning to start a > mystery unit. I have very reluctant readers and teaching anything is a > challenge. Most of them are in danger of failing the year in many subjects > and I wanted to end the year on a high note with something a little more > fun. > Any suggestions???? > Thanks, > Bridget > 7/8 reading +++++++++ > > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 18:26:26 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: [mosaic] mosaic message > I was reminded today, as I hole-punched and filed in a notebook many things > printed out about strategies, that Deb Smith posted a wonderful book list, > by strategy, or Ginger posted Deb's list, on the Tools page. If you are > looking for specific book titles to go with strategies, you might want to > take a look. > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 21:54:27 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] [MOT] 2 teacher preparation > > In a message dated 4/14/2004 8:32:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > jggasser@swbell.net writes: > > > In some states a > > special education certification is only granted as a master's degree > > after many essentials such as the teaching of reading are learned at the > > undergraduate level. JGasser > > > That is very interesting, I was not aware of this. I do know that the > University of North Carolina at Charlotte, will not accept you to do their Master's > program unless you had two years of teaching completed. > > Rosie ++++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 21:58:47 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Class Management and Noise Response to Karrie > > In a message dated 4/14/2004 8:40:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > SuzTeacher@aol.com writes: > > > Karrie, > > You are the boss. > > You decide how many ideas to listen to. > > You decide when it is a talkative/sharing time and when it is a > > teacher-talk time. > > > > Sometimes I tell the students that I will take only 8 ideas, or I will only > > ask for volunteers for 1 minute. Also, asking the children to turn and talk > > -- turn to a friend or a partner, and share your idea. > > Also - tell them that if they don't get a chance to share their ideas, > > that they can write it down. Maybe you could post these responses so everyone > > can still share. > > Suzanne NY 3rd Grade > > > > I find this discussion interesting. I am a second year teacher, and at time > have felt that I am expected to have a quiet classroom. As I have gained > confidence, especially in my teaching abilities, I have allowed my students more > conversation. I think students need to engage in talk, to help them sort out > their ideas, etc., and also because they are children! > > I think each teacher needs to decide for themselves how much talking they can > handle in their own classroom. I don't mind it as long as it is about the > subject at hand, and I am able to reel them back in quickly. > > I also award them "talk time" after a lesson, this helps keep them focused > during my presentation. > > Rosie ++++++++++ > > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 18:06:56 -0800 > From: Dan & Nicole <packers@ak.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Mystery Unit > *I am a 7th and 8th grade remedial reading teacher and am planning to start > a > > mystery unit. > > The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is a lot of fun--it can be a little > confusing, but there are plenty of ways to keep things straight. I think it > is approx. written at a 5th grade level. I used it at the beginning of the > year with my 6th graders and they LOVED it and still talk about how fun it > was to try and figure things out. The higher level readers were constantly > trying to predict and none of them ever figured it out, it was great! > > Nicole > 6th grade, Alaska +++++++++ > > From: "ginger/rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net> > Subject: [mosaic] Retention vs. Social Promotion for PJ > Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 23:05:30 -0500 > Judy S. asked me to forward this to the list. > Ginger > moderator > ----------------------- > > This came as a part of an e-newsletter that comes to my work, and I > thought was > > interesting. Please post it if you think it warrants that. Thanks. Judy > S > > > Here's some info pertinent to the question about retention. > > appeared in the Spring 2004 Dyslexia E-Newsletter from Bright Solutions > for > > Dyslexia > > Retention > > Retention Doesn't Help > > Grade retention does NOT improve academic performance. > > As Senator Paul Wellstone stated: > > "The bad effects of retention have been clearly established. Study after > > study shows that retention leads to poorer academic performance, higher > dropout > > rates, increased behavioral problems, low self-esteem, and higher rates of > > criminal activity and suicide. Research on high school dropouts indicates > that > > students who do not graduate are more likely to be unemployed or hold > positions > > with little or no career advancement, earn lower wages, and be on public > > assistance." > > The National Association of School Psychologists says: > > "Through many years of research, the practice of retaining children has > been > > shown to be ineffective in meeting the needs of children who are > academically > > delayed." > > The American Federation of Teachers says: > > "Social promotion and grade retention are mechanical responses to an > > educational problem. The scandal is how little attention they give to > preventing > > failure in the first place." > > The U.S. Department of Education says: > > "Neither social promotion nor retention is appropriate for students who do > > not meet high academic standards." > > The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) says: > > "The weight of the evidence of literally hundreds of studies shows that > > retaining children does NOT produce higher achievement." > > For links to these studies, go to: > > > > Research shows that these are a few of the devastating effects of > retention: > > Most children do NOT catch up when held back > > Retention is one of the most powerful predictors of high school dropout > > Sixth grade students ranked grade retention as the most stressful life > event > > -- even MORE stressful than losing a parent or going blind! > > Studies of academic achievement and socio-emotional adjustment between > > retained students and similarly under-achieving but promoted peers, > reported in 19 > > studies during the 1990's, yielded significant negative effects of grade > > retention across all areas of achievement and socio-emotional impact. > (Jimerson, > > 2001) > > For links to these studies, go to: > > > > > > Social Promotion Doesn't Work > > If retention is so harmful, what will happen if you send a struggling > fourth > > grader on to fifth grade? > > That child will struggle even more. > > As an American Federation of Teachers position paper states: > > "The harm of social promotion is compounded for children who make a slow > > start in school. If we promote elementary school students who have not > learned to > > read, saying they will "catch up," they are likely to fall more and more > > behind until, by the time they reach middle school, catching up is nearly > > impossible. Will they feel good about themselves when they sit in class, > as sophomores > > or juniors, unable to follow what is going on? If they hang around long > enough > > to get a high school diploma, have they any hope of getting a permanent > job > > that pays a decent wage? We are not doing these students a favor by > passing > > them, even if they have not learned the work; we are cheating them." > > "Social promotion and grade retention are mechanical responses to an educa > > tional problem. The scandal is how little attention they give to > preventing > > failure in the first place." > > American Teachers Federation President Sandra Feldman in her article, Two > > Wrong Solutions > > > > "Neither social promotion nor retention is appropriate for students who do > > not meet high academic standards." > > U.S. Department of Education, in a 85-page report entitled Ending Social > > Promotion > > > > "Neither repeating a grade nor merely moving on to the next grade provides > > students with the supports they need to improve academic and social > skills." > > National Association of School Psychologists, Position Statement on > Retention > > and Social Promotion > > +++++++++++ > > From: "Donna Baker" <baker@sprint.ca> > Subject: [mosaic] April Contest > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 05:54:17 -0400 > > The following people are eligible for tomorrow's drawing for a set of = > full colour strategy posters: > > Martha Hitzel > D. Green > Kim Sheffield > Wendy Howk > Beth > Deb Smith > Susan Nixon > P.J. Morrow > Deborah Devine > Lori Jackson > Kathy/Iowa > > There is still time to get your lessons in for this mid month drawing. = > Winner will be announced on Friday. The final draw will be on April = > 30th. Get your lesson ideas in! > Donna Baker +++++++++++ >> > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 07:54:38 -0400 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Class Management and Noise Response to Karrie > From: "Michele Balars" <balarsm@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us> > mosaic@u46teachers.org writes: > >Sometimes I tell the students that I will take only 8 ideas, or I will > >only ask for volunteers for 1 minute. Also, asking the children to turn > >and talk -- turn to a friend or a partner, and share your idea. > > Also - tell them that if they don't get a chance to share their ideas, > >that they can write it down. > This same discussion came up with some of my teachers and I suggested they > use one of the student response sheets (T-chart) posted with the Listserve > Tools. One student inparticular feels a "burning need" to voice his > connection with almost every sentence :-) > > Michele > Reading Coach ++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 07:58:50 -0400 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading backgrounds > From: "Michele Balars" <balarsm@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us> > I think I need to forward that email to DOE in FL! They've recently > mandated 3rd gr retention for students not scoring high enough on the > state test and who don't have a "good cause" for exemption (the "good > cause" is previous retention K-2 or are ESL and haven't previously used up > their ESL exemption). The mandate also doesn't keep kids (from what I can > tell) from repeating 3rd grade more than once! > > Michele Balars > Reading Coach ++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 08:36:38 -0400 > Subject: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > From: "Michele Balars" <balarsm@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us> > Another topic of heated debate in my district (and elsewhere I'm sure) is > the focus of the Accellerated Reader program (you all may have even had > this discussion before I joined the listserve). I'm finding schools here > who use AR as their core reading program (and thus base grades on > students' points), as weekly school-wide awards broadcast during the > school news show, and where teachers are even referring to their > independent reading time as "AR Time". The literacy committee at my > school has been trying to find a way to move the total focus away from AR > and into more of a "Literacy Award" program where students would earn > "literacy points" for a variety of quality literature response, not just > the AR points. The problem the teachers on the committee are struggling > with however, is choosing a system that wouldn't add more work for > teachers (all they do now is submit a weekly sheet with students' points > to an aide who organizes the prizes that will be awarded to students that > week). The teachers seem to feel that too much work on the part of the > teachers would make teachers resentful and thus more reluctant to > encourage their students to participate --- and of course that means (to > them) the students would stop reading... > > Anyone out there have a plan that's working and more total literacy > based???? > > Michele Balars > Reading Coach +++++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 08:09:55 -0500 > From: "Myers, Vicki L." <MyersVic@missouri.edu> > We have found in this state that state-wide achievement test scores are = > significantly low in schools relying heavily on AR programs. Recalling = > details of a story or book is at the bottom of Bloom's Taxonomy. If = > "reading" is getting meaning, I would say you have an argument right = > there. Why would you be using a "literacy" program that isn't testing = > reading? It is testing visual memory. We remember books we have = > discussed and applied to real life and those are the books from which we = > learn important life lessons. We don't remember fluff books that we = > took with us on an airplane or to the beach to keep our minds busy for = > short periods of time. That's what your AR program is basically doing. = > And, oh yeah, I guess it is helping them (maybe) increase fluency since = > they are trying to whiz through as many as possible to get more points++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] [MOT] 2 teacher preparation > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 08:25:03 -0500 > From: "Myers, Vicki L." <MyersVic@missouri.edu> > mosaic@u46teachers.org writes: > >We have found in this state that state-wide achievement test scores are > >significantly low in schools relying heavily on AR programs. Recalling > >details of a story or book is at the bottom of Bloom's Taxonomy. If > >"reading" is getting meaning, I would say you have an argument right > >there. Why would you be using a "literacy" program that isn't testing > >reading? It is testing visual memory. We remember books we have > >discussed and applied to real life and those are the books from which we > >learn important life lessons. We don't remember fluff books that we took > >with us on an airplane or to the beach to keep our minds busy for short > >periods of time. That's what your AR program is basically doing. And, > >oh yeah, I guess it is helping them (maybe) increase fluency since they > >are trying to whiz through as many as possible to get more points. > You've hit it exactly right Vicki! But no one seems to want to drop it > anyway. I guess they feel it's easier to manage than adding something > that would mean more work and less hard data (the reports are easy data, > albiet not reliable data). It has come up at our reading coach meeting > numerous times - - trying to get the schools to stop focusing so much on > it --- but it hasn't helped the problem. That's why I (as chair of our > literacy committee) have tried to do something that would gradually move > the incentive program idea into at least including other options for > earning points for awards than just those AR tests. I'm hoping there are > other schools out there who have had to address this same issue and have > found a way to do it more successfully than we have. I might get better > buy-in if I had some successful alternative programs or ideas to share. > > Michele Balars > Reading Coach ++++++++++ > > Date: 15 Apr 04 09:36:39 -0500 > From: Jennifer Halter <Jennifer.Halter@sjsd.k12.mo.us> > Subject: [mosaic] > > Hello. My name is Jennifer Halter and I'm an elementary librarian working = > at Hall School in Missouri. We serve grades K-6. I have read Mosaic Of = > Thought, and try to include the comprehension skills in my lessons. If = > any librarian/teacher has any great ideas for me about incorporating this > book, or any library matter, please let me know. Thanks!-Jennifer > > Jennifer Halter > Librarian > Hall Accelerated School ++++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] Mystery Unit > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 11:31:39 -0400 > From: "Robins Maureen" <MRobins2@nycboe.net> > A mystery study is fun indeed. One of our seventh grade classes did the = > "Ramp Up" (part of America's Choice) mystery unit. There all the = > students read Wanted! by caroline Cooney and an assortment of toher = > books including the non fiction Finger Prints and Talking Bones. I must = > confess that my seventh graders didn't care for Wanted! and we are going = > to use The Westing Game next time. But the seventh graders loved = > mysteries by Joan Lowry Nixon. If that level is too high, try the = > mystery series by Lawrence Yep and of course nancy drew and the hardy = > boys. There are the A to Z mysteries. Oh, yes, the kids loved the Sammy = > Keys by Wendelin Van Draanen. I also used "Ghostwriter" from the PBS = > show -- I had both book and video tapes. If you can get your hands on = > the video tapes that would be superb. They also wrote their own = > mysteries. In elementary schools here while they are studying the genre = > of mystery (Cam Jansen, The Boxcar series, Nancy Drew and the Hardy = > Boys) they are writing "edge of your seat" stories.=20 > > My stuff is at school but if you need any other resources (and there's a = > lot!) feel free to e-mail. > > Maureen Robins > Literacy Coach > NYC ++++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 12:48:39 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Mystery Unit > > In a message dated 4/15/2004 10:12:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > evansjrdon@sbcglobal.net writes: > > > Bridgette, > > > > A book I've used several times is Holes. (Before the movie came out.) The > > plot is complex, but captivating. > > > > Totally agree, this is an awesome book. > > Rosie +++++++++++ > > From: VRCOOPER@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 12:59:05 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > > I totally disagree with AR used as a grade for students. We use Reading > Certification Levels, as recommended by Renaissance, and it works beautifully. > Students are gradually moving to higher level reading, and longer novels, on their > own, to reach a new level. This is NOT work for the teacher, but the students > want to become the Next Level. > Vicki ++++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:18:56 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > > In a message dated 4/15/2004 1:00:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > VRCOOPER@aol.com writes: > > > I totally disagree with AR used as a grade for students. We use Reading > > Certification Levels, as recommended by Renaissance, and it works beautifully. > > Students are gradually moving to higher level reading, and longer novels, on > > their own, to reach a new level. This is NOT work for the teacher, but the > > students want to become the Next Level. > > Vicki > > > > We have AR at our school, and I really dislike it. My students are > struggling readers, and will only read a book that has an AR test with it. While I > sometimes read a book that someone wants to take a test on, I can't do that for > every book. Only reading a book that is AR sends the message that we only read > to take a test. UGH! > > Many of my students choose books based on the number of points, not the > reading level or even if it is something that might be interested in. Some > teachers incorporate AR points into the reading grade and some don't. As far as I > know there is no set guidelines for this. Each teacher makes their own > decision. > > I wish I didn't have to use it, but it is required at my school that the kids > participate. > > Rosie ++++++++++ > > From: VRCOOPER@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:31:22 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > > It sounds like these schools and teachers are NOT using the correct Reading > Renaissance principals and guidelines, but making up their own. AR is a > wonderful instrument to encourage students to read, and read on their level > successfully, and to maybe find out they LOVE reading if they can be successful with > it. At my school, students were making a total mockery of AR until last year. We > implemented all the program, correctly, and it is working beautifully. > Students love it. Parents love it. Teachers love it. Principal loves it. Teachers > are the ones that like it the least, because they MIGHT have to do something > extra, like see what kids are reading, and making sure they are being successful. > NO child will love to read if they can't read the material. It is > frustrating, and they will soon have the "I Hate to Read" attitude. Eighty per cent of > our students are below grade leve, but we have seen huge strides. We are > fortunate to have ALL of our books on AR. ++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 12:48:01 -0500 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > From: carol carlson <carlsonca@dist102.k12.il.us> > > I am sorry, but I disagree with you. I think using the strategies asks > MORE of teachers, not less. If you ask students to respond after > teaching them the strategies, students are much more likely to be > engaged and interacting with text. When I took several AR tests, the > only items tested were literal. AR is actually easier on teachers > because they don't have to conference individually with students, don't > have to read lengthly responses and don't have to get to know their > students. AR helps teachers and students find appropriate levels, but I > don't know how it helps children choose appropriate books. I much > prefer to help students choose books, teach them to really "think" and > interact with text. > As previously mentioned, using AR teachers kids that reading is test > taking. What about the enjoyment of reading for it's own sake; what > about hearing teachers who love reading talking about their own reading? > Also, one third grade student read Tangerine as an AR book. There was > no discussion about the dark issues in this book. This is not an > appropriate book for a third grader to read without some discussion > with a teacher or parent. But the librarian said it was okay because it > was at the child's AR level! > I wish my own children had had teachers like the ones on this list who > make reading a fun, interactive and thoughtful. We need good reading > teachers, not AR. > Carol +++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 14:41:35 -0400 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > From: "Michele Balars" <balarsm@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us> > > mosaic@u46teachers.org writes: > >I totally disagree with AR used as a grade for students. We use Reading > >Certification Levels, as recommended by Renaissance, and it works > >beautifully. Students are gradually moving to higher level reading, and > >longer novels, on their own, to reach a new level. This is NOT work for > >the teacher, but the students want to become the Next Level. > >Vicki > The students are progressing to the next levels too but it seems your > schools don't pay attention to the points awarded for taking the tests. > Teachers here don't seem to think the kids would develop enough intrinsic > motivation with just moving to the next level - - not as prestigious as > getting points and getting awards on the school news show each week. I'm > not advocating, just telling you what they say to me. > > Michele Balars > Reading Coach +++++++++ > > From: DnnllySs@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 14:51:29 EDT > Subject: [mosaic] re Mystery Unit > > Hello All > We are on Spring Break there in the Windy City but I've come here to Fort > Bragg, > NC The Dogwood trees are in bloom and gorgeous ooh I walked onto my > families'deck and lo' and behold the tallest trees and others had beautiful leaves > just blooming such joy to create an unit and serene ,too > > During the day I have finally gotten to really read and enjoy this listserv. > > Thank you so much Ginger,Rosie,Laura your emails keep me reflecting and > having the courage to work with my children as absolutely no one uses MOT in my > building. > I'm lurking on the MOT Discussion Group /each time I read> its magic for me > and my students so thanks :)for this new opportunity and to all who share > their demonstrations and reflections This is a colorful and powerful site > > I read about The Westing Game is the reading level too too high for a read > loud with 4th graders? Also, Im asking for colleagues to suggest several > mystery series I can use my students love videos and it is hard for me to keep > their attention for very long therefore I transition frequently within reading > workshop > I cant wait to hear of your choices Thank you in advance > > Have a Puurrfect Week:) > > Susan Donnelly CPS Rdg ResTchr 3-8 ++++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:11:25 -0700 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs-long > From: Carolyn Booth <boothres@mac.com> > > Michele ~ In our middle school, sixth-graders participate in the AR > program, so by the time seventh-grade teachers receive these students > into their classes, students are ready for a new reading program. > Language Arts teachers in seventh-grade offer several aspects within > their reading program: 1) students may read anything they like within > their reading range (determined the first month of school using the > STAR program); 2) students booktalk (verb) every book read with their > teacher during independent reading time in class; 3) students maintain > an active bookmark during the reading of their book. > > The independent reading program within my own classroom consists of > reading 15-20 minutes three days per week, Monday, Wednesday, and > Friday. During this time, students independently read a book of their > own selection, yet one that they have checked in with me. I keep a > binder for each class, with one page for each student, wherein I record > the book students have indicated they will read, and wherein students > may check how many pages they have read so far each trimester. > Sometimes students start a book, yet decide not to finish it, so they > need to check in with me the new book they've found. Students are > responsible to read 600 pages per trimester (12 weeks). > > Students sign up for a booktalk by recording their name on a pad of > paper indicating they are ready for a booktalk. They are ready when > they have finished reading their book and filled out a booktalk sheet > created especially with our reading program in mind. While the booktalk > sheet asks only several questions related to literary elements, > students' main purpose is to share an excerpt from the book that shows > excellent writing and growth in the main character. Booktalks take > several minutes per student, depending on how often the student shares > and how much time the teacher needs to spend with each student. At the > beginning of the year, more time is spent with each student, to > determine strengths and weaknesses within students' reading abilities. > Some students read so many books (ten per trimester) that I simply have > them read aloud the chosen excerpt and file the booktalk sheet into the > binder, perusing it briefly. > > While I have not implemented the active bookmark personally, several > teachers prefer it to the booktalk sheet. Although more time is spent > with individual students than the AR program, I feel strongly that I > need to know how well my students read, determined only by hearing them > read and hearing students respond to specific questions. > > As a Language Arts teacher, I feel it would be irresponsible on my part > to never hear a student read aloud and truly know the reading strengths > and weaknesses of each student. It is incredibly sad that teachers > don't feel they have time to listen to their students read. Based upon > this personal information, I can then guide the reading program to > address students' needs. > > Carolyn Booth ~ WA > 7th-grade LA/SS/PE/Health +++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:25:58 Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:26:29 From: SuzTeacher@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 16:59:54 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs AR response to Michele > > In my school, we have AR on our networked computers, so one person can > download the entire school's report. We have established point clubs with small > prizes - 10, 20, 30...90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200 point clubs. Many of our > teachers don't do anything to promote the program. I encourage the kids to read 1 or > 2 AR books per month. I use their scores to support my findings in the area of > reading comprehension. I don't take much stock - the questions are basic > recall questions. > > Good Luck to you! > Suzanne/NY/3rd Grade +++++++++ > > From: Mwalshct@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 17:25:43 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Mystery Unit > > You might try the Mystery Festival put out by Gems. It combines reading, > writing, and science. you start by setting up a crime scene. At each session > the students take on different roles (criminalist, detective, forensic > scientist, prosecutor). This should stir interest as well as some background in > mystery. > > Mary +++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 15:06:20 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Writing Instruction Opportunity with Despereaux > Writing is actually the first love of my life, so writing instruction is > high on my list of things to think about when I'm reading. Today we were > reading chapter 34, I think it is, Down to the Dungeon, or something similar. > > The first paragraph is a run-on sentence! You know all those ands we try > to keep children from using? They're in there! It occurred to me > immediately that Kate DiCamillo had a purpose for doing that, so I closed > the book with my finger to hold the page and asked my students why they > thought she might have done it. Typically, their answers were things like, > "She didn't notice," or "She doesn't know not to do that." I love how > they equate themselves with published authors. =) > > We discussed it for a while, and then I brought the discussion around to my > idea. They are going down the steps. Down the golden steps from the > princess' bedroom, down and down and down. Then down the dungeon steps. I > commented that I thought she did it on purpose, since she's an excellent > writer and I think she has to know what she's doing, to give us a feeling > of the never-endingness of the steps going down. The best part of the > discussion was that, while some were willing to come around to my way of > thinking, others weren't. They felt equal enough in this discussion to > stick with their own opinions, which had *some* basis. =) > > We also discussed the fact that in the Reader-aside, the author says, > "We've talked about the heart of Despereaux and the heart of Roscuro and > the heart of Miggery Sow...." In our class, we've *had* that discussion, > but she didn't come right out and give us too much information in the > book. I pointed out that this comment was an indication that she had > written for us as an audience and that she knew the kind of audience her > book would attract. > > Then the discussion of the Princess Pea's heart! In this instance, the > author actually gives us a lot of information. We talked about what > dappled meant. A boy had just checked out a book about Dalmatians, so we > used that as an example of dappled. Then we tried to figure out, from > author comments, just how much of her heart was light and how much > dark. If it says her heart is dark with sorrow, is that the same as dark > with evil? Is it evil to hate someone, when they've actually done you a > terrible wrong? How can she have empathy for Mig? Great discussion! > > So what does this have to do with writing? We discussed the author's use > of something that is not normally done, the run-on sentence, to produce a > particular effect. We compared it to some things Cynthia Rylant has done > in some of her stories. We wondered if an author had a good purpose if it > is okay to break the rules. > > BTW, I have seen *so* many instances of word choice in my students' writing > that definitely reflects the vocabulary they are learning in this > book. However, my favorite was this one. > > "The monster trucks were chiaroscuro colored." =) > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 18:14:36 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Writing Instruction Opportunity with Despereaux > > This was one of the books I tried to buy at the bookstore! None to be had. > > They ordered me one. > > Rosie +++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 15:23:40 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Availability of Despereaux > At 03:14 PM 4/15/2004, you wrote: > >This was one of the books I tried to buy at the bookstore! None to be had. > > > >They ordered me one. > > Very popular! Students tell me they are lucky to find it at the public > library, instead of having to wait for a copy. I guess that goes along > with being a Newberry book, but maybe it also has to do with so many of us > using it and spreading it like honey before our *ant* children. =) > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++++ > > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 17:50:52 -0500 > From: Shannon Winkler <swinkler@mail.nixa.k12.mo.us> > Subject: [mosaic] question for anyone teaching in a small group (Title I--remedial > I am new to the listserve and I am wondering if anyone out there, who is > working in a Title I Reading classroom (small group--pull out with > struggling readers), is teaching reading in this way. If so, I am > wondering if it works as well for you in that setting as it does for > teachers in the regular classroom. I am assuming that it does, but I would > love to hear from anyone about this--are you able plan your instruction in > ways that are similar to what regular classroom teachers are doing (think > alouds, modeling, gradually releasing responsibility, etc., etc.)? > > My reason for asking is...teaching reading is my passion and I have been > thinking about moving from the regular classroom to working with children > in this type of setting (Title I--small group). After reading Debbie > Miller's book I began teaching reading this way last year in my 1st grade > classroom and have continued to do so this year as a 3rd grade teacher. I > LOVE IT! It has been so great to watch my students begin to use the > thinking strategies on their own that proficient readers use, and become > engaged in thoughtful conversations with one another about what they are > reading. I can't imagine teaching reading any other way now! Basically, > I love the reading "atmosphere" that is created for students of all > abilities in the regular classroom through this way of teaching. I would > love to know if there are teachers out there who are also using it just as > successfully with their struggling readers in "small group" settings, > before I make a change and leave my classroom! > > I would appreciate any of your insights! > > Thank you! > Shannon -- 3rd Grade ++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 16:21:16 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Availability of Despereaux > At 03:47 PM 4/15/2004, you wrote: > >I don't even know what the book is about! Just heard everyone talk about > >it so decided to buy it. > > You have a wonderful treat in store for you! It's a 4-part chapter book, > weaving the lives of a rat, a mouse, a serving girl and a princess > together. It has all the classics - laughter, tears, cheers and > boos. I've heard it referred to as a fairy tale, but I think it is much > more than the usual fairy tale. It's an allegory of good vs. evil. It's > told in the old Victorian style, where the author has little asides to the > reader. You could use it to teach any comprehension strategy and any of > the 6 traits. > > Beyond all that, it's a good story and a good read. =) I think those of > us who have really "done" it with our classes will be living in the book > for quite a while after the last page has been turned, and so will our > students. It's one of those books that comes along so rarely and has a > tremendous impact on our lives and our thinking. > > Nah, I don't like it much. =) > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ +++++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] Mystery Unit > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 19:36:54 -0400 > From: "Robins Maureen" <MRobins2@nycboe.net> > > Holes is indeed a marvelous book. But it is really a "Mystery?" I mean = > it has mysterious elements and it is suspenseful but if you are really = > exploring the genre of mystery, perhaps other choices that are = > unequivocally of the genre might be the best books to use as a model.=20 > > Maureen Robins ++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 16:54:29 -0700 > From: "Colleen Mussetter" <cmusset@mlsd.org> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Availability of Despereaux > It is in the Troll/Schlastic book order this month. Colleen +++++++++++ > Thank all of you for your responses. My responses are starred... > >In my school, we have AR on our networked computers, so one person can > >download the entire school's report. We have established point clubs with > >small prizes - 10, 20, 30...90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200 point clubs. Many > >of our teachers don't do anything to promote the program. I encourage the > >kids to read 1 or 2 AR books per month. I use their scores to support my > >findings in the area of reading comprehension. I don't take much stock - > >the questions are basic recall questions. > ** This is exactly how the program works at my school but the teachers > here don't use the information for anything at all more than awarding the > prizes when students have achieved the required points. They keep track of > the levels only superficially - - one 3rd gr teacher last year had 2 > students who's actual reading achievement had them placed in the > after-school tutoring program but who managed to have reached a 7th gr AR > level (the teacher didn't realize this until I pointed it out to her). I > will say that the levels help guide teachers with their DRA assessments, > but nothing more. The district hasn't offered the opportunity to attend > Renaisance training in a long time, but I know there are other components > that can be of better benefit if used. > > I really appreciate the detailed description of your classroom program > Carol. I will save your information for future personal reference as well > as share it with my teachers here. I may be moving into teaching reading > or coaching at a MS next year :-) > > Michele Balars > Reading Coach +++++++++ > > From: Lamma55@aol.com > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 20:43:22 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] question for anyone teaching in a small group (Title I--remedial... > > I am a former reading recovery teacher, now working as a Title I teacher. I > service grades K-3, inclusion model. I have had considerable professional > development (Reading Recovery, Developing Literacy First, First Steps, Steps to > Guided Reading, Mosaic and Strategies that Work Study groups, etc). To answer > your question, YES, I do teach for reading strategies utilizing all the > wonderful things I have learned from Marie Clay, Ellen Keene, Stephanie Harvey, > Debbie Miller, Sharan Taberski, etc. This includes lessons that make use of a > variety of instructional practices ( shared reading, guided reading, read alouds, > interactive writing, etc).We do lots of reading in leveled text ( fiction and > nonfiction), lots of reading response, lots of group constructed anchor > charts, lots of text and strategy mapping, lots of poetry charts, Instruction is > carefully planned, scaffolded according to ongoing assessement, and careful to > touch upon the five components of reading instruction as described in Put > Reading First ( phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and > comprehension). This job is not always easy, as you have to remember, that some classroom > teachers are not comfortable with another teacher in their room. Turf issue > aside, daily Title I small group instruction that is in line with best > practices enables struggling readers to develop and internalize those reading > strategies that often escape them in traditional classroom reading instruction. I > cant say enough about the power of small group reading strategy instruction, and > if I had my way, all children,not just Title I children would benefit from > this model. A typical lesson could include reading a familiar book from their > book bag, a quick poem on enlarged text or on paper, reading of a new book, > and some sort of reading response or writing extension. Phonemic awareness or > phonics is addressed in a variety of areas which could include a minilesson, > taking words apart in reading, or constructing words while writing. If you love > to teach reading utilizing all the wonderful things we have learned from the > likes of Marie Clay, Sharon Taberski, Lucy Calkins, Ellin Keene, Stephanie > Harvey, Irene Fountas, Gay Su Pinnell and Richard Allington, please know that you > CAN in the Title I small group model. The best part is that for those kids > you dont accelerate in one year, you have them again the following year, which > is like looping... only in Title I, so you really get a jump on them. Also, > working K-3 keeps you focused on not only short range goals, but long range as > well. Its great! Hope this helps! > > Title I in MA ++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 23:59:17 -0400 (GMT-04:00) > From: continod@earthlink.net > Subject: [mosaic] Retention > Hi, I have been lurking for a while and I am so impressed by the level of discussion. This is my first year teaching strategies. Last year I as in 2nd grade and we did a study group on Reading With Meaning. I requested to go back to 1st grade because I was blown away by Debbie Miller. She is unbelievable and started me on a search to learn as much as possible about teaching the strategies. I was very fortunate to see and hear Ellin this fall along with another first grade teacher and our Literacy teacher. I have much to learn but this has truly energized a teacher of 17 years and what my students have accomplished with my tentative attempts to teach all this is just amazing. There is no way to count the AHA moments I have had this year. > > As far as retention goes, I am firmly against it! I retained my own son (now 26) in K and think it was a mistake. He has turned out fine and is happy, educated, and employed, but the retention had no effect on his learning. The problems he experienced and the difficulties he had were unchanged by the retention. I believe he would have made the same progress if I had sent him on. We had our grade level retention meeting with our administrators this week and it is like playing GOD! In Florida, there is mandatory retention for any third grader who scores Level 1 on FCAT (state assessment). So if I retain a struggling child in first and he continues to struggle he would be retained a second time in third. The research on that says a double retainee has a 85% chance of dropping out. > > I taught a multiage 1-2 for three years until we got new administration and had no support for the program and a lot of professional jealousy. I believe those struggling first graders made the best improvement of any students I ever taught. School districts have a way of missing the little things that make a big difference and they die for lack of support. > > Sorry for rambling. I am most impressed by all of you! > > Denise Contino +++++++++++ > > Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 21:20:20 -0700 (PDT) > From: DONALD EVANS JR <evansjrdon@sbcglobal.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > > Regarding AR and the measurements (data) it provides: > > I was in business for 15 years or so before becoming a teacher, and one saying that I found very useful and applicable in many disciplines, including teaching is this: "If you measure me in strange ways, don't be surprised if I start behaving strangely." > > >>From the student's perspective, with AR, and in many other ways, we are measuring them in strange ways. And should we be surprised if they act strangely? > > Another saying is this, "Be careful what you measure, because it will improve." > > And finally, "Major in the majors." > > Fostering creative, growing, life-long learners and thinking people is difficult work. If our measurements are not helping us measure the factors that are going to lead us there, maybe we're measuring the wrong things. > > As a special educator (8th grade RSP) I often write IEP goals for reading and writing. I usually only write reading comprehension goals, because I believe that's my most important measure for reading. But I also keep in the forefront of my mind that my student's must become lovers of reading or they'll never catch up or reach their full potential. > > The writing goals I write are about more surface things such as punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and word usage. (Plus number of paragraphs.) When I talk to parents about the writing goals I tell them, "I write these goals not because they are the most important parts of writing: it's just they are the easiest to measure. But what I aim for in my program is creating students who discover the authentic uses of writing, a sense of voice, audience, purpose, and the like. Things more important about writing, but things more to measure." Most parents understand and agree. > > Just some thoughts. > > Don Evans > 8th grade RSP > Whittier, CA ++++++++++ > > From: SKosmoski@aol.com > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 05:10:55 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs > > Rosie-- > The AR program has a blank disc on which you can record tests that have been > written by your students. It is time consuming. But, I have found it creates > an ownership in the program that does not exist if you only use ridiculously > expensive "company made" tests. Every book is an AR book and every student is an > author of an AR test. > Mary Anne ++++++++++++ > > From: MAMASWIRLZ@aol.com > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 06:23:39 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Retention vs. Social Promotion for PJ > > In a message dated 4/15/04 5:09:36 AM, balarsm@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us writes: > > >I think I need to forward that email to DOE in FL! They've recently > mandated 3rd gr retention for students not scoring high enough on the state test and > who don't have a "good cause" for exemption< > > This is similar to our situation in New York City. Thanks for the great > research you have "armed" us with. > > Naomi +++++++++++ > > From: "Donna Baker" <baker@sprint.ca> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] April Contest Winner > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 06:24:55 -0400 > CONGRATULATIONS to Susan Nixon who is the lucky winner of the MOSAIC = > lesson contest. Susan wins a full color set of strategy posters. One = > final lucky winner will be announced at the end of the month, so keep = > posting. > > Donna Baker +++++++++++++ > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 08:34:49 -0400 > From: "Belinda Snow" <SNOWBB@spart5.k12.sc.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] question for anyone teaching in a small group > As a frequent reader of this list, but not-so-frequent contributor, I > have REALLY enjoyed the discussion of "Despereaux," as I have been > reading it to my fourth graders. The discussion has helped with my > discussions greatly, and the students have loved the book. My only > question is this....What is next, after Despereaux? What would be a > good book to share for the end of the year. I'm looking for > suggestions that will motivate a very unmotivated group of readers, > easy to follow, but keeps their interest. Any suggestions? +++++++++++ > > From: "Chris Preston" <Christine.Preston@verizon.net> > Subject: [mosaic] great read alouds > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 06:55:52 -0700 > > My favorite read alouds for my 4-5 combo are The True Confessions of = > Charlotte Doyle, Walk Two Moons, Holes, Because of Winn Dixie, Queen of = > Sheba. I am reading The Tale of Desperaux when we arrive back from = > break. My daughter read After Hamelin and I was a Rat and loved them = > almost as much as Desperaux. Chris ++++++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 10:18:20 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] After Despereaux > > In a message dated 4/16/2004 9:22:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > abeljhootman@MDECA.ORG writes: > > > Any suggestions > Have you read Because of Winn Dixie, by the same author? > > Rosie ++++++++++ > > From: RR1981@aol.com > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 10:19:26 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] great read alouds > > In a message dated 4/16/2004 9:56:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > Christine.Preston@verizon.net writes: > > > Walk Two Moons > > I really liked this book, however, when I read it last year, my students had > a hard time keeping the story straight. > > Rosie ++++++++++++ > > From: "Chris Preston" <Christine.Preston@verizon.net> > Subject: [mosaic] Walk Two Moons > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 07:25:46 -0700 > > One thing we did for this read aloud was to have a U.S. map with the = > states clearly marked in front of us every time I read. I used a Sharpie = > to mark all the places they stopped. I do not have well traveled = > students. Most of my kids have never left southern California. They have = > been to the beach and they have been to Disneyland. That's it. This = > helped them see the route that the character traveled with her = > grandparents.Yes, we read Because of Winn Dixie. Another series that my = > students have liked in years past is The Orphan Train series. I think = > the first one is called A Family Apart. Chris ++++++++++++ > > From: Jane Martellino <jmartellino@cox.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] great read alouds > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 10:47:29 -0400 > > I would consider AVI's Crispin or Sharon Creech's Ruby Holler. Some of our students have also loved Pictures of Hollis Woods by Giff. > As with all the comments on Depseraux, we have been circulating all of our copies of it since I first introduced it in Sept. It's so great to see the enthusiasm! > Jane ++++++++++ > > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 10:44:27 -0500 > From: "Marla Barrick" <MARLA@ccisd.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] question for anyone teaching in a small group > Yes, I am a Title I reading teacher (Target Reading) for 5th & 6th = > graders. Mine is a supplemental program for struggling readers who have = > failed the state (TAKS) test in previous years. > > I am new to the position this year, creating my own curriculum using MOT, = > STW, RWM, K2K and many suggestions from the website. > > I also use TAKS practice from time to time and integrate other content = > area materials as needed.... based on student or other content area = > teacher requests. > > My students, their parents, my principal and my colleagues are THRILLED = > with the program I've created. Success level is high and still increasing.= > ... state testing in 2 weeks. I am very optimistic. 50% of my kids passed = > the benchmark and exited in January. (I monitor, but don't pull them out.) = > I got 30 new students to fill those slots. My largest class is 6 kids.=20 > > In case you can't tell, I love it! This has been the best change I've ever = > made. (I used to teach music education Pre-K thru 4th gr.) It is thrilling = > to see these middle grade students excelling and gaining confidence. > > This listserv is absolutely the best tool I've got! I buy professional = > books that are recommended or discussed online.... then share w/ everyone = > I know! > > Hope this info. helps, or at least encourages you.... the small group = > (pull out) setting makes this evironment even more 'intimate' and safe for = > the kids. If you have the chance... I'd go for it! > > :-) Marla, TX (gr. 5-6, Target Reading) > TARGET Reading Teacher, Customer Care Team > C. R. Clements Intermediate > 254-547-2235 ++++++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] Availability of Despereaux/ appropriate for 1st graders > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 12:10:47 -0400 > From: "Mauntler, Margaret" <Mauntler-M@TROY.K12.OH.US> > I have been following the posts with great interest and I would love to = > try it with my first graders. How long will it take to read and discuss? = > ( I would want to be sure I can finish it before June.) > > Marge Mauntler > first grade > Ohio +++++++++++++ > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 12:19:07 -0400 > From: Margaret Modjeski <mmodjesk@pasco.k12.fl.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] question for anyone teaching in a small group > Maria, > > I have been working with struggling readers for 11 years. I have > been in the middle school for three years. 80% of my students from > our last school year made gains on our state assessment. I expect > that or more this year. It is an amazing and challenging job we > have, but so rewarding. Many of my students have become hooked on > reading. My goals of course are to have them successful on our > assessment, in their content area classes, but most of all I want > them to be lifelong readers. I try to purchase books that they will > enjoy and be able to read with success. You have made a great career > change. > > Margaret > > P.S.-I read aloud every day to each group. I think this modeling of > good books has really impacted my students. ++++++++++ > > Date: 16 Apr 04 11:12:15 -0500 > From: Jen Schoeberl <jen.Schoeberl@sjsd.k12.mo.us> > Subject: [mosaic] To Margaret Mauntler > Reply to: To Margaret Mauntler = > I would think that you should be able to finish it by June, you may have = > to towards the end read twice a day.... I also think first graders would = > love it because it is a fairy tale > Mauntler, Margaret wrote: > >I have been following the posts with great interest and I would love to = > try = > >it with my first graders. How long will it take to read and discuss? ( I = > would = > >want to be sure I can finish it before June.) > > > >Marge Mauntler = > >first grade = > >Ohio +++++++++++ > > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 13:21:45 -0400 > From: Drmarinaccio@aol.com > Subject: Re: [mosaic] question for anyone teaching in a small group (Title I--remedialreading) classroom > I am a professor who just received notice that their proposal for providing NCLB supplemental education services was accepted by the state. The next step in this process is to present our proposal to the schools and the parents in the schools. Is anyone out there in a school that provides SES? If so what are the most urgent needs that tutors can supply to your students? I have my own ideas since I was a Title I teacher for years. However, I would like to hear from Title I teachers who are currently in the classroom. From, Dr M. ++++++++++++ > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 12:12:38 -0500 > From: "Cammy Goucher" <cgouche@neosho.k12.mo.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] great read alouds > > One of my all time favorites is Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of NIMH. Very > rich in imagery... plot development... text to self...adventure... > courage... survival... mystery... animal habitat study... discussion on > animal experimentation... community... fantasy........ > > Cammy Goucher > Benton/South ESL ++++++++++ > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 12:56:00 -0500 > From: "Cammy Goucher" <cgouche@neosho.k12.mo.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] great read alouds > > Someone mentioned Pictures of Hollis Woods. This is a very deep book. > I did an activity called "book bits' with it that was very effective as > a pre-reading activity. > > Here is how it went: > I went through the story and selected sentences that were (I felt) > important to the telling of the story. I typed these on strips of > paper. I showed the students the title and cover of the book and told > them that we would be reading it. I passed out a sentence strip to each > student for them to read. Then they got into groups of two or three and > read their strips to each other, discussed them, and tried to make some > connections. They had a couple of minutes to do this. Then they > mingled to another group and repeated the process. This continued until > everyone had heard everyone else sentences. Last, we as a group > discussed what we had learned and tried to create an idea of what the > story is about. We were a little off-base, but it gave the students > great incentive to listen to the story and check their thinking. > > Cammy ++++++++++ > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 14:32:35 -0400 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] great read alouds > From: "Michele Balars" <balarsm@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us> > At 03:06 PM 4/15/2004, you wrote: > >Writing is actually the first love of my life, so writing instruction is > >high on my list of things to think about when I'm reading. Today we were > >reading chapter 34, I think it is, Down to the Dungeon, or something similar. > > Chapter 38, sorry! We are going along so fast, I can't even keep up with > the chapter numbers! > > Of course, they want to go faster! > > The next chapter, for Monday, is entitled "Forgiveness." We had quite a > time predicting who would need forgiveness and who would grant it, and for > what. I was quite taken with the depth of their thinking! They came up > with some I hadn't thought of. We decided that anyone in the book, really, > could need forgiveness for something. Then they took it a step farther and > thought maybe all of us could use it for something. =) I did have quite a > few who really do think it's Despereaux, since he's going to the king. Or > rather, the king who needs it, because he considered D. an enemy, simply > because he's a relative of the rat. > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++ > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 16:26:35 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] great read alouds > > >I really liked this book, however, when I read it last year, my students > >had a hard time keeping the story straight. > > I haven't read it in a while, but is there a way to chart it, events or > characters, or some part of the story line, to help them keep it > straight? Or perhaps map the journey and keep a journal of the events and > responses to the story? > > The timeline we've been doing with D. has really helped us. And that's our > final math TERC unit this year - timelines! =) > > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++++ > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 16:33:02 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] great read alouds > At 10:12 AM 4/16/2004, you wrote: > >One of my all time favorites is Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of NIMH. > > Mine, too. I plan to do it next year with my students - might even be our > first book of the year. They're coming back to me for third grade, and I > think we can link a lot of things back to our schema developed during > Despereaux. =) And great Venn diagrams! > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++ > >Someone mentioned Pictures of Hollis Woods. This is a very deep book. > >I did an activity called "book bits' with it that was very effective as > >a pre-reading activity. > > That's a great activity. I did the "ten important sentences" idea a lot in > first grade to help my struggling readers with comprehension, and it was > always helpful. This is a great version for chapter books - I'm thinking > you had about 25-30 sentences? > > Another good pre-reading activity that addresses the same concept is what I > call KWL Vocabulary. The inventor of it calls it a Predictogram: > > This is called a Predictogram. I believe it was developed by Camille > Blachowicz of the National-Louis University in Evanston, Illinois > ============================================================================ = > _Wanted: Best Friend_ by A. M. Monson > (Scott Foresman, Grade 2, Volume 1) > > Directions: Look at the selection tilte above and the following list of > words and phrases to write sentences making predictions about who and what > might be in this story. > > sometimes either toward > across checkers dumped all the pretzels > best Otter bumpy > duffel bag > Cat munchies steady the > wobbling lamp > Mouse disappeared plopped > into his big stuffed chair > > Quote: "If Mouse had a phone, I would call and invite him back." > > Characters: _______________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > Problem: _________________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > Events: __________________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > Outcome: _________________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > Mystery Words or Phrases: ____________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________ > > **************************************************************************** *** > When I used this with my early second graders, I did make the questions > complete sentences, rather than the phrases used on this Predictogram. It > made it easier for my little ones. > > So the questions you could substitute were: > > 1. What part do the characters play in the story? > 2. Where do you think the story takes place? > 3. What do you think the problem might be in this story? > 4. What do you think happens in the story? > 5. What do you think the sentence means? > 6. What words or phrases did you not use? Why didn't you use them? > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ +++++++++++ > Carolyn, > I am a 7/8 Language arts teacher. I have some questions about your program. > How long are your class periods? Do you meet everyday? I guess I'm assuming > you do. Is your class a reading class only? If it includes writing how does > that fit in? I'm always looking for ways to make the program better and could > use ideas and suggestions. > > Thanks > Deb Sturdevant > 7/8 LA > Mitchell SD +++++++++++ > My first grade class this year is a particularly > active, impulsive group as a whole. I've struggled > with it all year and I'm not sure if it's just the > combination of kids' personalities, or the fact that > we're 60% Latino/a and it's a cultural thing, or if > it's something I'm doing. I've taught for 13 years, > tho, and this is the "interrupting-est", wiggliest > class I've ever had. > > Anyway, state testing is coming up in a week, and I > know it's going to be hard for them to sit still in > desks for 2 straight hours for 3 days. There are some > breaks built in for stretching, etc., but I wondered > if any of you have tried any sort of relaxation > techniques with your kids that really help them focus > and concentrate and become less wiggly. If so, could > you please share? > > Thanks in advance, > Heather Wall ++++++++++ > > From: "Mary Jo Wentz" <wingspan@powerweb.net> > Subject: RE: [mosaic] question for anyone teaching in a small group (Title I--remedialreading) classroom > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 22:16:15 -0500 > Marla writes: "I am very optimistic. 50% of my kids passed the > benchmark and exited in January. (I monitor, but don't pull them out.) > I got 30 new students to fill those slots. My largest class is 6 kids. > . . the small group (pull out) setting makes this environment even > more 'intimate' and safe for the kids." > > I don't understand . . . Do you do pull-outs or not? And if so, are > the students from self-contained classrooms? What are they missing > in the classroom when you pull them out (if you do). And if not, what > and how are you monitoring? > > MJ/also Title 1 ++++++++++ > > Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 23:58:04 -0400 > From: "PJ Morrow" <pmorrow@spart7.k12.sc.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] To Teresa > Chris van allsburg seems to be THE AUTHOR for modeling visual > information and text. My suggestion is another book by this author, BAD > DAY AT RIVER BEND. I thought I was a noticing person, but it was awhile > before I caught on. I thought somebody's kid had been scribbling on the > pages of the library book with a crayon!!! > PJ > 4,5,6 & Lit Coach ++++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 09:32:10 -0700 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] relaxation techniqes? > From: jane weinstein <janewein@gwi.net> > > I don't have any links to get more information but our special ed. > teachers use brain gym activities. These are based on OT principles. > Any type of physical game will help, something simple like the Hokey > Pokey > gets them away from the desks and moving. +++++++++ > > From: "Jim and Cindy Dunlap" <jcdunlap1@mchsi.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] relaxation techniqes? > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 09:03:32 -0500 > I have been using Brain Gym more this year. It does have a calming effect > on the kids. some even do the hook-ups when hey come in from recess on > their own :) Look for something that talks about crossing the midline and > you get an even added brain benefit of using both sides of the brain. This > is the site for Brain Gym: I am excited that > our staff is going to be trained in some of the strategies of Jean Blaydes > Madigan. She talks about action based learning. This is her web site: > She has a similar > philosophy as Brain Gym. > Cindy +++++++++++ > From: "Linda Tompkins" <lbtompkins@worldnet.att.net> > Subject: [mosaic] Five components of Reading > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:18:11 -0400 > > I have to do a presentation to our faculty on the five components of = > reading. My principal wants it to be fun and interesting. Does anyone = > have any ideas? > > Linda Tompkins/3/Fl ++++++++++++ > From: SDCTeacher@aol.com > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:32:38 EDT > Subject: [mosaic] MOT Chap. 2 > > Moving on to Chapter 2: Mind Journey > > Here are some things to think about. > > At the start of the chapter is a visit to Debbie Miller's classroom in Denver > in the late 1990's. If you compare and contrast her classroom with yours, as > a learning environment, what do you notice? Would her learning environment > work for you? How important is the physical plant in which our children learn > each day? > What I notice about Debbie's room is that everything in it makes it > accessible to the children for the purpose of reading. I am in the process of > decluttering my own room, purging files from university days ala those "reading > activities" boxes Ellin mentions, getting rid of furniture that's really not being > used, etc. I'm also making lists of what I have lacking that is really needed. > For example, mystery books, more quality non-fiction, etc. I have loads of > fiction. Debbie gets me excited about the possibilities for my own room. I am > already making plans for how I can work on my room this summer when I have a > little time. > > As you read the teacher experiences recorded and descriptions of students > taught, what seemed familiar, as if an echo of your own experience? What seemed > totally foreign? > What I noticed about the students mentioned in this book is that even at a > young age they know what they should be looking for, and they are being > reflective. My students have become fairly proficient in making connections while > they read, and it is a joy to hear them open up at different times of the day to > share how they are making a connection that is helping them understand what is > going on in the classroom. What is still foreign to me is Reader's Workshop. > We have four novels a year that we are required to teach. I give the > students independent reading time as well, but not every day, and not nearly as much > time as I would like. Figuring out the entire system of conferencing with > students, guided reading, shared reading, etc. is still occupying a lot of my > thoughts. > > Chapter 2 is basically a history lesson about reading instruction. If it > helped you to have it included in the book, please explain how. Is it important? > I wrote myself notes all over the chapter, so I know that it was important to > me. It helped me to reflect back, to activate my schema for what used to be, > and to recognize a key problem my students often have when they enter my > room. They often don't know how to take time to think, and even if they have > thought about the text deeply, they often don't have confidence in themselves to > take risks with that thinking. My students are in the 5th grade, and they have > been so used to their teachers and parents feeding them the "correct" thinking > for them that they are trained to wait passively until they are told what to > think and when to think it. Chris Trovani mentions in her book that older > students don't read books deeply, they just wait for their teachers to explain > them. I want to start making a conscious effort to break this pattern. I want > to give the students confidence in their own abilities to think, so that they > won't settle for letting others think for them. It doesn't mean that they > won't listen to others or won't honor the thinking that adults or other students > have. It simply means that they will understand how important it is to honor > their own thinking as well as the thoughts of others. > > As you read the chapter, and the discussion of how concerned teachers were > about what reading instruction should take the place of what was being thrown > out, what was your reaction? As they described their reading and discussions > among themselves, what did it parallel in your life? > I agreed. There was nothing solid enough to inform us of how to teach reading > when we threw out the basals. Using strategies makes sense in teaching > students how to comprehend. Now it's just a matter of getting good at it! > > What was the single most important idea in this chapter? Why do you find it > so important? > pg. 26 "Before Debbie had struggled with the question of teaching reading > comprehension, mini lesson weren't this deliberate. The differences between only > talking about books and talking about the thinking processes a proficient > reader uses to understand them are subtle but key and Debbie had made the > transition." This is important because this is also the transition that I need to > make. I'm on the right path, but I have such a long way to go. > > The authors indicate that a reading workshop setting is most conducive to > teaching the strategies. Do you agree or disagree? What does the term "reading > workshop" mean to you? What components are needed to set up a workshop with > your students? What is the teachers responsibility, and what are the students' > responsibilities? > This is a hard one for me since I have a required curriculum of four novels. > Reading workshop to me means a "mini lesson", which after reading so many > posts on this website about modeling and gradual release of responsibility, I no > longer believe has to be a magical "15 minutes" in length; practice time, > either in groups or pairs; practice time, alone, with books on the student's > independent level; conferencing to hear students "thinking"; and response time, > either by way of writing, sharing, etc. Question though, what about the low > readers who need extra one on one, or small group time? Should I have guided > reading some days, and conferencing on others? > > Why is the title of the chapter "Mind Journeys?" What are the mind journeys > you are currently taking with your students? > I feel as if they have a teacher who is trying to figure out the map, key, > and legend herself! My students and I are learning together. I see the > importance of being able to take these strategies and apply them to myself as a > reader so that I know what I'm talking about when I try to get them to think about > their own thinking. > > Quote from p. 28: > > "If reading is about mind journeys, teaching reading is about > outfitting the travelers, modeling how to use the map, demonstrating the key and > the legend, supporting the travelers as they lose their way and take > circuitous routes, until, ultimately, it's the child and the map together and they > are off on their own." > > Reflecting on the discussions on the list recently about metaphors, what > exactly are the authors saying that reading is? > I think they are trying to say that reading begins with words, continues with > the search to understand those words, and ends when the reader can do > something with that understanding that he could not do before. > > Sherry/5/AR 13:24:21 -0400 > Hi > I teach 8th grade reading and have discovered a "problem" with think alouds > that I need help with. I have used think alouds a lot since we've started > reading Twelfth Night. I figured with the Elizabethan language, they would > need the help...but I have had many of my kids complain that I'm > interrupting the flow and they don't need the help which I thought I was > giving. Now usually I stop with the thinking alouds after the first 3 acts > and lessen my "interruptions" (as they are putting it) until I don't say a > thing during the final act, but I've had so many enjoying the play, they > want me to stop. Trouble is I still have many who don't get it. When do I > release the responsibility? I don't want to interrupt the enjoyment of > those who get it, but I feel the need to help the ones who don't. Of > course, this isn't anything new, but any ideas? > Bill ++++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 10:36:11 -0700 (PDT) > From: Michele Hollingsworth <mholli4350@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Walk Two Moons > I think Walk Two Moons and Because of Winn Dixie are > two great books to read in a year. YOu can make so > many connections between the characters and the > feelings they are both experiencing through > abandonment of their moms. Each story weaves > different paths and both end with surprising outcomes. > When I read Winn Dixie my students were so > disappointed that her mom never came back. This led > to a discussion about life and its possibilities and > the overall theme of the story. Both characters have > to learn to move on without their moms and come to > realize how important everyone else around them is > them! > Michele > 4/5 English Language Arts +++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 10:50:48 -0700 (PDT) > From: Nora Abboreno <nabboreno@sbcglobal.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Five components of Reading > We started a presentation on the five components with a jigsaw puzzle cut out of tag board. We included two extra pieces that wouldn't fit and were not part of the five components. This was part of our first presentation of the components so our goal was vocabulary recognition. > > We followed up with a brief explanation and exercise in each one of the components using mostly adult material with student applications. We read a short article on guided reading (one of our focuses) and did a comprehension activity suitable for any grade. Then we did "Poetry for Two" with two groups for fluency. For vocabulary we had the teachers extend the word 'work'. (ie. workhorse, homework, etc.) They worked in small groups and the winning group got to do a victory dance. We hit a roadblock on Phonemic Awareness as an adult activity, but we did do some rhyiming and replacement, using Michael Heggerty's format. Finally, for phonics we did a making words with anagrams for holidays. Our early primary teachers use Fountas and Pinnell so we focused on an activity our third grade teachers could use. > Of course we had door prizes that went with the components - resources etc. > Nora Abboreno ++++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:24:45 -0700 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs-long > From: Carolyn Booth <boothres@mac.com> > Dear Deb ~ I teach both Language Arts and Social Studies one after the > other to one group of students in the morning, then another group in > the afternoon. Therefore, I see those students for two 55-minute > periods per day. While the first class is not reading only, but is a > Language Arts class , I do emphasize our reading program during the > Language Arts section, incorporating much of our writing the remainder > of Language Arts class and Social Studies class. Our seventh-grade > curriculum requires students to write persuasive and expository essays, > which I can more easily integrate with the Social Studies curriculum. > > When I first read your question about fitting writing into my program, > I realized that I needed to think about it for awhile. First, my > undergraduate degree is elementary education (K-8) with a minor in > reading. That probably explains my emphasis on reading. Second, > seventh-grade writing involves much less narrative than students have > experienced in the past, yet we do spend time writing. Looking ahead to > eighth-grade and high school, much of students' writing encompasses > social studies and history. Beginning in eighth-grade, students are > expected to read primary-source documents and write essays about them, > after formulating a thesis first. So my writing program basically > introduces students to the type of writing that students will be > expected to do well within just a few years. > > I would love to hear a description of your program as well. Thank you! > > Carolyn Booth ~ WA > 7th-grade LA/SS/PE/Health ++++++++++ > > From: cdkuchis@telusplanet.net > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 12:39:46 -0600 > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Problem with Thinking Alouds > Hi, Bill, > > When you teach junior high language arts, you will get this sort of > response. It is the natural outcome of being in a society where > children accept messages from the media from a very young age > without thinking about them or making choices about them. Most > TV programs and movies these students watch are entirely plot- > driven, with shallow characters and no depth. Many of the books > which were very popular when they were reading a lot of books in > elementary are formula-type books. If they have never been > exposed to any better literature, or if they have approached it from > a "what happens next" point of view, they do not expect or want to > get anything more from a piece of literature than a story line. Most > questions they have been asked so far deal primarily with the story > line or character and setting details, since that is the kind of test > items which are easiest to write and mark. When I taught grade > nines using this method (as outlined in MOT), I got exactly the > same response from my students. I tried to involve them by asking > them questions about their own life experiences. I kept on going in > spite of their complaints, and then the complaints began to die > down, since they thought they were futile. Some students in the > class, of course, never really "got it", but a majority did by the end > of the book. Your own observations tell you that the students need > this, since they really don't know what's going on. I think it's > particularly difficult with an older class, since they seem to think > they know exactly what school should be like, and are not hesitant > to tell the teacher exactly what they want. They then expect to get > this. Occasionally, you have to pull rank and tell them that you get > to make the instructional decisions based on what they need, > since that's what you went to university for all those years to learn > how to do. Since you have observed that the majority of the class > are not getting it, you can quite rightly point out to them that their > way did not work, so you're going to go back to your way, and that > they will have to be patient to see how it works out. I had them > write down a plot line as we went along, updating it at the end of > each chapter. This gives them a visual, and if they really want to > follow the plot, it's much simpler for them to look at an outline than > go through the whole book again. They will also, at this age, > expect not to have to read anything more than once, so this may > be a way to deal with their "I can't follow the story line" anxiety. > > Since this is Shakespeare, and the language will be very difficult for > them, you must interrupt and explain many things, because it is so > beyond their experience. You may, if they object to your thinking > aloud, go in some detail over a small portion and then re-read it. > Knowing students of this age, I will guess that they will not want to > re-read it and drop their "I'm enjoying it so much I don't want you to > interrupt it" line. If not, then re-reading is a good part of the > strategy. > > Anyway, good luck, stick with it. At the end you will feel vindicated > that this is a good method for them, and they may be pleasantly > surprised at how much they do understand in the end. My class > was very weak and they understood more, giving more thoughtful, > deeper answers for the unit test at the end of the study, than a > stronger class the year before doing that "answer the questions at > the end of each chapter" type of novel study. If you have had them > write some things down in an organized manner, they will have > proof that they did a study, and they will have information in a more > succinct, understandable form than going through the book again. > > Good luck. It's always a challenge, but worth it! > > Cecelia > Jr/Sr. High School > Alberta, Canada 15:48:44 -0400 > I've noticed a difference in grade levels with MOT and other strategies. > When you read about Debbie Miller's class, most are within the same reading > range, but when you are dealing with middle school students the range can be > from 1st and 2nd grades up to 11th and 12th. It's a little frustrating > trying to meet a middle where everyone can achieve some level of success. I > have many who just get the story and some of the jokes, while I also have > many who understand the layers of meaning and some of the wordplay (and even > some of the really dirty jokes!). MOT has opened many doors towards > teaching reading comprehension, but I'm finding many of those doors open to > more doors.... > Bill ++++++++++ > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 13:04:41 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Problem with Thinking Alouds - Despereaux example > > >Trouble is I still have many who don't get it. When do I release the > >responsibility? I don't want to interrupt the enjoyment of those who get > >it, but I feel the need to help the ones who don't. Of > >course, this isn't anything new, but any ideas? > > I haven't taught this age group, but I have been mother to two boys, and > have heard all the excuses. =) > > I'm wondering if you could do this in cooperative groups, heterogenously > formed, and make it clear that everyone in the group is responsible for > everyone else understanding the play. Understanding needs to be defined, > of course, and I would make it clear that it is *my* definition of > understanding, comprehension, that is in force. Release of responsibility > doesn't have to be to individuals yet. > > Another thing I wondered is if they understand the purpose of the > think-alouds. Can they chart their own thinking? Perhaps letting them > know that when you have evidence that everyone is a good reader (by MOT > standards) that you won't have to think aloud about those things any longer. > > I have found with second graders, who are very open to jumping in to my > thinking aloud, my t-a often becomes a discussion as they share their > thoughts. Are your students sharing their ideas when you "interrupt" to > think? Sometimes I'm modeling not just the think-aloud topic, but also the > fact that it was necessary to re-read in order to answer a question I had, > and the fact that when I was away from the story, I was still thinking > about the story. > > For instance, when I start on Monday with Despereaux, I'll probably start > something like this, "You know, I was thinking about Despereaux all > weekend. I really wanted to take the book home and finish it, but I > didn't. I was wondering who will be forgiven in this chapter that's titled > "Forgiveness." I was also wondering who will be offering forgiveness. I > wondered if there were any clues I missed in the last chapter. " > > Then I'll open the book and do a review of the chapter read Friday, (I do > this every day, btw, just review where we ended the day before - and it > often involves a re-reading of some part.) ending with the fact that > Despereaux is going to see the king, and reviewing what their last meeting > was like. In fact, I will go back to that last meeting, way back at the > beginning of the book, and re-read some of the king's words. I'll tell the > students that I want to be sure I remember exactly what went on at that > first meeting. > > Because the first time we read it, we didn't have the knowledge we have > now, there are going to be some changes in our understanding. When the > King said something to Pea about remembering their history with rats, we > didn't know that a rat, Roscuro, would inadvertently cause the death of the > queen. Now we do know that. We didn't understand completely what the king > meant about mice being enemies because they were related to the rat > enemies. Now we can understand a little better. What we know now changes > what we think when we re-read that part. Then I'll invite speculation on > what's going to happen in this new chapter. > > I'll probably say something like, "Well, that supports what I was thinking > this weekend. If I were Despereaux, I would be a little worried about > meeting the King. I wonder what makes him go look for someone who > obviously hates him." The students will, no doubt, be able to tell me it's > his worry about the Princess Pea, that his love is stronger than any fear > he might feel. Or they may point out that Despereaux didn't seem to be > afraid of the king the last time. I might point out that Princess Pea was > in the room last time, and now she's missing. What will happen if he > blames Despereaux? Finally, we will read the chapter. > > It sounds as if that's a lot, but it will only take about 5 minutes. I > don't pre-mark the book for the part I'm going to re-visit. I wouldn't do > that in real life. I want them to see me looking back to find the part I > want to re-read. > > I wouldn't feel too guilty about interrupting the flow. After all, if they > are *that* interested, they can read it on their own time. =) > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 13:12:35 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Thinking Alouds - cooperative learning - Laura > > >I've noticed a difference in grade levels with MOT and other strategies. > >When you read about Debbie Miller's class, most are within the same reading > >range, but when you are dealing with middle school students the range can be > >from 1st and 2nd grades up to 11th and 12th. > > While it is certainly true that there are more levels, even at primary they > aren't all the same, or even close. The problems are the same, just more > pronounced, more extreme at your level of teaching. And definitely > frustrating. That's what I like about cooperative learning. > > Laura can speak more knowledgably to your level, but one of my favorite > activities is numbered heads together. The students are in groups and each > group has a 1, 2, 3, 4. While we are doing whatever activity it is, they > work together to be sure everyone understands, has the same knowledge and > answers. They do not know which group or which person in that group I will > call upon to talk. Laura, can you expand that, how it might work with > older students? > > >It's a little frustrating trying to meet a middle where everyone can > >achieve some level of success. > > And the problem is that in the middle, everyone *won't* meet with > success. That's why the scaffolding built into cooperative learning is so > important. It does level the field somewhat. > > If it's any comfort to you, Harry Wong used the example of teaching > Shakespeare in a presentation at my school district, probably 12-15 years > ago. He asked if we should not teach it because not everyone would be able > to read it. His answer was that we *should* teach it (or whatever other > content we are struggling to present) because one child would take away a > thimbleful, another child would take away a glassful, and someone else > would get an aquariumful. (Is that a word? =) The point is that everyone > gets *something,* and that's more than they would have gotten if you hadn't > taught it. > > >MOT has opened many doors towards teaching reading comprehension, but I'm > >finding many of those doors open to more doors.... > > And isn't that the exciting part? =) In terms of changing teaching, MOT > offers many pathways to pursue, all leading in what I like to think of as > the right direction. > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ +++++++++ > > From: "Linda Tompkins" <lbtompkins@worldnet.att.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Five components of Reading > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 16:32:20 -0400 > > This sounds cool. I would love to hear from anyone else with any other = > ideas they have. > Linda Tompkins/3/Fl ++++++++ > From: JATShaw@aol.com > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 16:45:02 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Reading Incentive Programs-long > > I just had an interesting encounter at a children's bookstore (small, > non-chain) where I'd gone to try and find something appealing for an adult > new-reader. Anyhow we got to talking, and she mentioned how frustrating it was to try > to help customers who were shopping for kids who were involved in AR programs. > (or the kids themselves) There was no interest in non-AR books and she felt > these kids choose books based on their point value, which sometimes means that > young kids are reading books way above their experience base. (Her comments > went right along with what's been posted here.) She's also supporting the > "Turn off TV week." Yeah! ++++++++++ > > Subject: RE: [mosaic] Problem with Thinking Alouds > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 17:54:38 -0400 > From: "Robins Maureen" <MRobins2@nycboe.net> > I have had a similar issue in many of my classes who depend on lots of = > shared reading. They come to depend on the reading as a read aloud. They = > love to be read to adn why not? The point is that when you're doing a = > shared reading it's not for the purpose of a read aloud -- that in your = > thinking aloud you are alerting them to a strategy they can use to = > understand or deepen their understanding of what you're reading -- the = > purpose of thinking aloud was to make our own thinking visible about how = > we navigate text and deepen our understanding. The independent reading = > time that follows the shared reading should be a time when kids are = > practicing this strategy on their own and with support from teachers = > through confering or strategy lessons. So, you can think aloud about = > three times perhaps in a section but if your goal is to teach them a = > strategy, then that's they way it ought to be. Just my two cents. > > maureen robins ++++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 16:17:17 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: [mosaic] MOT - the book discussion 2 > A big thank you to all the teachers who are taking the time to read and > respond to the MOT discussion questions. I know we are all busy, but I > find that reading your responses helps clarify my thinking, too, so I'm > enjoying reading your thoughts, as well as thinking my own. > > >At the start of the chapter is a visit to Debbie Miller's classroom in > >Denver in the late 1990's. If you compare and contrast her classroom with > >yours, as a learning environment, what do you notice? Would her learning > >environment work for you? How important is the physical plant in which > >our children learn each day? > > I was fortunate in my choice of university, and in the time I went to > school. I was an older woman attending classes with 20 and 21-year-old > students in the early 1970s, at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. Kean > has always been a teacher's college, the first in the country, and had a > wonderful assortment of professors, some of whom taught at prestigious NY > universities as well as at our little school. They brought many ideas to > our classroom which were not generally being discussed in education > training across the country. Because of that, I felt a familiarity with > Debbie Miller's environment. It sounded very much like what we tried to > achieve in our on-campus elementary school. > > In my own classrooms, I've never gotten there! I've always had large > numbers of children, and low amounts of space, with one exceptional year > where I only had 18 students. 6th graders, but still. I believe her > environment looks very different from mine, but I hope that the activities > and purposes achieved are similar. I believe that children must be > comfortable, mentally and physically, in an environment, in order to learn. > > >As you read the teacher experiences recorded and descriptions of students > >taught, what seemed familiar, as if an echo of your own experience? What > >seemed totally foreign? > > I felt familiar with both kinds of classrooms, the out-of-a-box kind, and > the ... looser kind. For years, we did use the basal T.E. as our > instruction manual, and we thought it was our curriculum, as well. Now > things have changed. In Arizona, and many other states, the curriculum is > the state standards, and we have to make adaptations of, and additions to, > materials to meet those standards. > > For years, I wouldn't teach first grade. I saw wonderful first grade > teachers taking children from non-reading to reading and I didn't think I > knew how to do that. It seemed some kind of magic took place, and I didn't > have the magic words in my possession. That was the only area in which I > felt inadequate to the teaching task. When I read the experiences going on > in Debbie's classroom, I could relate to her saying, "I'm not teaching > these kids how to read." > > Once they could figure out the words, I thought I did a fair job of helping > the acquire meaning, but I wasn't even sure how I did that - it seemed that > my enthusiasm for reading and books was the determining factor. I still > think that it is a factor, but now I know more about what goes into it > besides enthusiasm. > > The one thing I still find difficult is bring a *real* classroom full of > children to the point where Debbie has taken her children. I think the > only way I've been able to do this is by looping. It takes so much time > for children to learn the procedures, and to follow the procedures. Not > having to repeat all that training, because of looping with the same > students, has really made it possible for me to get to a place where I'm > happier with how things move along, and the behavior of children during > various activities. > > I still don't think I could do it over and over with children in first > grade. I'd be so frustrated because I would just get them where I wanted > them and hand them over to another teacher! =) > > The one totally foreign thing to me was that Debbie's children addressed > her by her first name. I'm too old-fashioned for that, in the > classroom. I am not there to be a friend, though I sometimes am. I'm > there to be a teacher. It's been something of a reward to students in the > past, that as they left my room, we could then have a different > relationship - that of friends who use first names together. Definitely my > age and upbringing showing, I'm sure. =) > > >Chapter 2 is basically a history lesson about reading instruction. If it > >helped you to have it included in the book, please explain how. Is it > >important? > > I think it's always important to know where we have been, in order to > prevent making the same mistakes. There were a lot of things that > *sounded* good in that history of reading, but we know it didn't take all > the children where they needed to be. With NCLB, we are supposed to take > *all* of them, not just the ones who can figure it out on their > own. Having a record of what's been tried, and how well it did or didn't > work, is very useful. There are parts of what we've always done that we > don't have to throw out in order to achieve our comprehension goals. > > >As you read the chapter, and the discussion of how concerned teachers were > >about what reading instruction should take the place of what was being > >thrown out, what was your reaction? As they described their reading and > >discussions among themselves, what did it parallel in your life? > > My favorite part of the whole explanation of discussion groups, was when > they realized that they were discussing books and supporting one another in > ways that they wanted their children to act. In many classes over the > years, I have asked myself about new instruction, "How does this apply to > me?" I follow that understanding by, "How can I make this happen for my > students?" When they came to this realization, I was right there with them! > > >What was the single most important idea in this chapter? Why do you find > >it so important? > > Even though I asked the question, I find it difficult to choose just one > thing! Maybe it's that, following Debbie Miller and the other teachers > through their instructional changes, life-changing experiences, really, > showed that it doesn't matter how long you've been teaching, or what or how > you've done it in the past, you can incorporate better ways of doing things > into your instruction. It's never too late to improve! > > Along with that, change is a difficult thing to achieve. It's so easy, in > a stressful moment, to revert to what we've always done, or the way we > learned. Knowing that others have those same difficulties makes it a > little easier. Teachers *don't* have to have all the answers, and they > *don't* have to have them right this minute. Teaching is a journey, too. > > >The authors indicate that a reading workshop setting is most conducive to > >teaching the strategies. Do you agree or disagree? What does the term > >"reading workshop" mean to you? What components are needed to set up a > >workshop with your students? What is the teachers responsibility, and > >what are the students' responsibilities? > > This was a bit of a tough one for me, too. I don't do what is described in > the book as reading workshop. I do all the components of the workshop, at > different times, every day, but I don't have that same atmosphere of > "workshop" that is described. Perhaps part of the reason is that I don't > see a way to do it, how to do it. Something is missing in my thinking > about it. > > In my view, students have to take much more responsibility for their > learning than in a traditional setting. This is what we want, so the > workshop seems a good way to get that to happen. They have to think > while they read in order to participate in discussions of the kind we > have. They have to dig deeper than 'what are the elements of the story,' > or they will be lost during discussions. They need to have something to > contribute to a discussion, not just set answers. > > My students don't sit in rows, waiting for me to tell them what to > think. We're a long way from that, and in fact, they often tell *me* what > to think. I believe we have a give and take environment where we discuss > books, and writing, because I don't see a way to talk about one without the > other, rather than having students suffer my interrogations about > reading. That's my responsibility, to set things up so that students have > the tools for discussion, know how to use the tools, and have the > opportunity to use them. > > >Why is the title of the chapter "Mind Journeys?" What are the mind > >journeys you are currently taking with your students? > > It seemed that everyone in the book was having a mind journey - a trip from > where they used to be to someplace new! As I read it, I seemed to be going > on a mind journey, as well. What isn't working that I need to throw > out? I'm still using the basal (not the teacher's edition, just the book > for students) because we have some wonderful stories in it, not abridged, > and it provides everyone with the same text. Is that what I need to be > doing? Other teachers in my school are not using them, but using small > leveled books for group reading every day. I don't do that. How does what > I do and what they do fit into what the book is describing? And on and on > it goes! Sometimes, I even find an answer. =) > > Everyone has seen my posts about Despereaux. My feeling is that my > students are going on mind journeys with this book. I think that what is > happening is that I am in an optimal instructional mode at this point in my > career (oh, good, wait 28 years to be an effective teacher!), a book has > come along that provides an opportunity to practice all that I want my > students to know, also at that optimal moment. Finally, my students, after > two years of strategy instruction, are at the point of being able to do all > of this, or almost at that point, so that wonderful learning and teaching > is passing between them and me. This is the ultimately satisfying mind > journey. > > >Reflecting on the discussions on the list recently about metaphors, what > >exactly are the authors saying that reading is? > > It's that whole journey we take together. Teachers have a lot of the > information and strategies necessary to become good readers, and a > classroom full of students ready, to one degree or another, to embark on a > journey of meaning. Reading, then, becomes more than word-calling, more > than answering questions at the end of the story. It becomes a way to > construct meaning, for the story or article, and, even more, for our lives. > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++ > > From: "Wendy Goldfein" <wendy@wendygoldfein.com> > Subject: [mosaic] Thanks for Despereaux notes > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 20:09:15 -0400 > Although I have not posted since joining this listserve several weeks ago, I > have been so appreciative of the ideas and reflections that this group has > shared. > The thread on The Tale of Despereaux has been wonderful. It was serendipity > that I began the novel with my sixth graders at about the same time the > discussion here began. My sixth graders love the book, beg me to read it and > beg me not to stop. When I pause at the end of a chapter, they now have a > carefully orchestrated wail that rises throughout the room in hopes of > persuading me to keep going : ). So many of the ideas that you have shared > have provided me with discussion points. The three poems that were shared on > darkness last week were a big hit with them and they proceeded to write some > very good poems on light using figurative language to contrast with what > they heard. > One of my students has a pet rat that she brought to school....quite the > character and so friendly as he rode around on my shoulder....they often > share how hard it is to now imagine a rat as evil. > Hence...a great discussion on how important it is not to label a group as > bad...that everyone needs to be judged as individuals. Those are the kind of > connections and " oh wows" that make reading aloud a great book so exciting! > Thank you again to everyone for sharing so much on this listserve. > Wendy +++++++++++ "My sixth graders love the book, beg me to read it > and beg me not to stop. When I pause at the end of a chapter, they now > have a carefully orchestrated wail that rises throughout the room in hopes > of persuading me to keep going." > I echo these words regarding my 3rd graders and <u>Because of Winn-Dixie</u>. > This is my second year reading it aloud and my kids this year have had > exactly the same reactions and feelings towards the book as they did last > year. I have enough copies for all of them to follow along and they gather > their chairs all around me real close and we read after lunch. Right now > though we've slowed down our reading. I shared with them how when I'm getting > close to the end of a book I love, I put it down and leave it alone, intentionally > slowly down because I don't want it to be over. So they agree and think > it's a wonderful idea, until we come to the end of a chapter. Then the > "<i>carefully orchestrated wail rises throughout the room in hopes of persuading > me to keep going". </i>I love this book so much it doesn't take too much > wailing. The discussions and thinking and sharing that the book promotes > are incredible. Kate DiCamillo is truly a gifted author. I really hate > the thoughts of a movie being released. Carroll/3/MD +++++++++++ > Greetings! This week we are looking at Chapter 3, What Lies Beneath > > My first introduction to Sandra Cisneros was through reading the beginning > of Chapter 3. I loved the word choice immediately, and have since read > several of her pieces, always rich in vocabulary. I think I could more > easily comprehend what was a little confusing to the author, because I've > been there, or at least close by, where Salvador lived. > > In the author thinking after the quote, I loved the idea of a presenter who > wanted teachers to experience what their children do. This is the position > in which I like to find myself - understanding from the point of view of a > learner. I firmly believe that teachers should not ask students to do > things they haven't done themselves. So I identified with the authors > right away, and with those who would be in their audiences. > > As I read of her struggles to comprehend, and in front of an audience, I > could also identify with the author's embarrassment. Like the author, I > love how my own understanding of a piece of text may grow and stretch, > based on things my children say about it. This is a carry-over of > understanding, a stretching from chapter 2 into the new chapter. Nicely > written transition! > > Some things to think about in chapter 3: > > 1) What were your thoughts on Salvador, and after reading the Cisneros piece? > > 2) Quote: p. 33 - "The point," I pulled them back together, "is > engagement. The point is that you knew whether or not you understood." ... > "My concern," I told them, is that many children are not so engaged as they > read. They don't know when they're comprehending." > > Going from this quote, why is it important to understand how comprehension > happens? How does being aware of our own use of strategies help us teach > our children? Is it a pre-requisite for teaching reading to our children? > > 3) When you read about Sharon Sherman-Messinger's experience in her > classroom, what were your thoughts? How are her children like, or unlike, > your own? > > 4) Is reading a passive activity? Why or why not? > > 5) Quote: p. 37 - "When thinking about our students, we need to ask > whether they are aware enough of their thinking during reading to solve > problems they may encounter and enhance their comprehension as they read." > > How can we find out? How can we instruct in such a way that they do become > aware, and use the strategies? What can we do, what do you do, to > introduce and reinforce the notion of monitoring one's reading? > > 6) Sharon teaches a strategy for up to 8 weeks. Is that enough? Is it > too much? How can we be sure we've spent enough time on a strategy? > > 7) Sharon looked up at the lights of her classroom, a signal that should > would think out loud. Describe the signal that tells your children you are > about to think outloud. Why is a signal important? > > 8) Going back to the chapter title, what is it that lies beneath? > > Answer when ready. > > Susan Nixon > 2nd Grade Teacher > Phoenix, AZ ++++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 18:13:32 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Thanks for Despereaux notes > At 05:09 PM 4/17/2004, you wrote: > >The three poems that were shared on darkness last week were a big hit with > >them and they proceeded to write some very good poems on light using > >figurative language to contrast with what they heard. > > I would dearly love to be able to share some of those with my students, who > were the authors of the original ones. > > Hugs, > Susan, in Phoenix +++++++++++ > > From: "Carol Carlson" <carlsonca@dist102.k12.il.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Problem with Thinking Alouds > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 20:47:37 -0500 > > I have worked with grade levels from K through 8th. What I find > interesting is that at all grade levels, each teacher thinks they have the > most diversity in reading ranges. ALL grades have diversity in reading > levels. If you think haven't taught first grade, think of students who come > into your classroom--some have in K, some have not; some have been read to > extensively by their parents, some don't know how to hold a book; some know > how print works, some don't; some can actually read simple books, some > can't, and some can read connected text. > But the same parellels are apparent at upper grades. Some students read at > grade level, some two to three below, and some at two or three above. Some > are really gifted and can't benefit from regular instruction. > My point is, no matter which grade level we teach, it is HARD! Walk in the > shoes of another grade level's teacher before we say that "most are reading > in the same range". > I'm sorry but as a staff developer, I hear so often from teachers the lament > "My grade level is the hardest." I think they are all hard, just different. > And itsn't it wonderful that there are different teachers who want to work > with the different grades. As a former junior high teacher, I wouldn't want > to work in first grade and so admire those who do. But many of those in > first grade tell me the same thing. > Carol +++++++++ > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 19:35:27 -0700 (PDT) > From: Nora Abboreno <nabboreno@sbcglobal.net> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Five components of Reading > > We used a book named: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by P. Fleischman. The teachers worked in groups rather than pairs just to demonstrate how repeated readings helped fluency. After they practiced the fluency exercise we did have them take a grade level poem and divide it into parts. > Michael Heggerty, Ed.D. has published a phonemic awareness curriculum that he used in a first grade classroom. (Phonemic Awareness: The Skills That They Need to Help Them Succeed!) I think he was a first grade teacher for over 20 years. The curriculum uses the nine PA skills in a ten minute lesson. You could use any PA activity. One of our teachers sings "I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas . . . " I think that is on a tape by Raffi. > I also remembered the reference for the working with words after sending the first email - it was Tim Rasinski's format. Unfortunately I don't have the exact name of the book since we are home on break. The book has several reproducible lessons and forms. +++++++++++++ > > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 22:39:00 -0400 > From: "PJ Morrow" <pmorrow@spart7.k12.sc.us> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] relaxation techniqes? > Heather, one of our really great second grade teachers, who is now our > Reading First K-3 Literacy Coach, swears by Yoga. She has always begun > from the beginning of the year with them the stretching, meditation, > positions, etc. and she does it before and after any stressful > situation. I've seen it work wonders.... and she had the most active > inattentive group in our school last year. > PJ ++++++++++ > > From: Renee Goularte <phoenixone@mindspring.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] relaxation techniqes? > Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 19:58:41 -0700 > I just had a similar, but different, experience in a bookstore. I was > sitting on the floor in the children's dept systematically going through > the new read alouds when a mother and a daughter came in with the book > list of AR books that were "approved" for the little girl to read. > > The mother went down the list and diligently tried to interest the > daughter in one after another of the books. Meanwhile, the little girl, > about 9 and clearly an avid reader, kept bringing books to her mom with > comments like, "This one looks really good, can I have it, Mom?" "Look > at this one! Can we get it, Mom?" > Mom's reply, "Put that one back, honey, we can only get the books on > this list." > > In short order the mother sent her child to reshelve When Marian Sang, > Letting Swift River Go, The story of Mdm Curie, A Single Shard (now > there's an interesting read aloud), My Man Blue, a book of poetry - a > gift of watermelon pickle, about six different Magic Tree House books, > The Night the Titanic Sank, and Mummies Made in Egypt. > > I don't remember the titles of the two books they finally bought, but I > do have a clear visual of small slumped shoulders, a small face wearing > a digusted facial expression, and a small face split by several huge > yawns... > PJ > 4,5,6 & Lit Coach ++++++++++ > > From: Drmarinaccio@aol.com > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 07:46:04 EDT > Subject: Re: [mosaic] Title I...urgent need > > > In response tot he most urgent needs assessment for Title classroom > teachers....I appreciate your taking the time to refresh my memory of when I was in the > classroom. Thank You, Dr. Philomena Marinaccio ++++++++++ 11:46:45 -0400 > I realize that all states have their own state standards, so ignore this if > it doesn't affect you. But I know we have MANY Michigan teachers and > communication of which websites are currently holding the benchmarks and > curriculum isn't always on the tips of our tongues. deb > > > > DRAFT FORM STILL > > Many teachers are complaining that they don't represent balanced literacy > because they are too skill driven. They are a work in progress. Many > teachers worked on them, then 4 people revised them so the teachers are hurt > (rightly so) feeling that their time and energy is being ignored. > > Look at your own grade level. Do you see developmental issues? > > > I am concerned with K and 1st especially. But I also think it has the > POTENTIAL to be a good document. > > deb ++++++++++ > > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 08:52:20 -0700 (PDT) > From: Bev Allen <mrsallen1@yahoo.com> > Subject: RE: [mosaic] here are the newest MICHIGAN English Language Arts Standards > Deb, > First, I'm afraid the link didn't work. And it is my understanding that these are no longer in draft form, but that they have been approved as of March 30. I heard quite a bit about them at the MRA Conference a few weeks ago and am heading to Oakland Schools tomorrow for another session on them. > Bev/3rd/MI ++++++++++++ 12:23:29 -0400 > > The link must be down today, but this is the link because I ran the entire > document last night. It is 70 pages long for grades K-8. Thanks for > clarifying that these are the NEW standards and benchmarks. I still was > hearing they were in draft form. deb +++++++++++ > > From: "Deb Smith" <debfourblocks@comcast.net> > Subject: [mosaic] > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 15:26:46 -0400 > Site working now > > Michigan Benchmarks and Curriculum > > deb > ++++++++++++ > > From: "Martha Hitzel" <mehitzel@cox.net> > Subject: [mosaic] poetry sharing > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:50:38 -0700 > > Hello, everyone! I mentioned sometime last week that I would try to > post some of my students' poetry this weekend. I got the idea from > Fountas and Pinnel of doing a poetry workshop as a regular part of my > writing workshop instead of waiting and just doing a poetry unit. We > try to do poetry workshop every other Friday. I also try to tie what we > do in poetry workshop to the reading strategy we're studying. So, here > are just a few examples. I'd love to hear ideas that others have or > have used to integrate poetry and the strategies. > > Questioning - I Wonder poems > > I Wonder > By Ashlyn > > I wonder what it would be like to > be a dog? > Would I like what I ate? > Would I like my bed and > family? > I wonder. > > I wonder if my parents will find > a house > Will I like the house they find? > Will I get my own room? > Can I get a dog? A pool? > I wonder. > > I wonder what I will decide > to be when I grow up? > Will I be a singer? > A dancer? > A movie star? > I wonder. > > I wonder what the world > would be like if it had no end? > Would I feel happy or sad? > Would I want to die or stay? > I wonder. > > > I Wonder > By Jessie > > I wonder how the birds just know how to sing and fly? > How the streams know how to flow in the right direction > to the oceans? > Do they know where they're headed or what they will see along the way? > Do they know how precious they are? That what they are keeps > everyone and everything alive? > I wonder, could the wild animals answer our questions if we > took the time to ask, listen, and understand? > I wonder? > Will we ever learn to fly on gold and silver wings while > we think up a wonderful dream? > I wonder will the stars change their colors as we gaze in awe? > Do the stars get burnt out of wishes and take a nap for centuries > until they fall? > When they fall, do they change to dreams and fly into a sleeping > child's mind? > I wonder? > > > Sensory Imaging - simile poems > > My Sister > By Brice > > She is as pretty as a magical > flower. > She's bossy like a manager on a > day with no business. > When she is mad she sounds > like a lion's roar. > She is as impatient as a hungry > dog. > She is silent like a mouse > when she wants to be. > She's as sneaky as a thief. > She is my sister, Jacqui. > > > Christy > By Jess > > She is as soft as silk. > > She rumbles like angry thunder, > as I rub under her chin. > > When I'm playing with her, > she jumps up like a dog who likes to do tricks. > > She is as fast as lightning. > > When she is sleeping > she looks like a catipillar in a cocoon. > > Her nose is as wet as a washrag. > > She is my cat, Christy. > > > Sensory Imaging - A person or place I love (My kids did some of their > best poetry writing with this topic) > > The Mountains > By Garrett > > I hear all the crickets making a > chirping noise when I'm hiking in the woods. > I hear a deer grunt when I'm blowing > into a grunt tube. I hear a raindrop > go drip-drop on my tarp. > > I see birds fly back and forth whenever > they hear a gunshot. I see trees that are > green as paint in a jar. I see turkeys go > to their homes with their cute babies in > a flock. > > I touch the stiff bark of trees when > I'm playing Hide-and-Go-Seek. I feel what > the birds feel when they die. I feel sad > when it rains and the animals don't have > anything to protect themselves. > > I taste hot cocoa when it's freezing > outside and I feel the cocoa dripping > down my chin. I taste hot dogs and I > feel mustard and ketchup running down > into my stomach. I taste soft, squishy > marshmellows when I roast them and I > see the red hot flames glow in my eyes. > > I feel like I have two homes when I'm > in the mountains because I get homesick > both ways. I feel like the beautiful > sunlight that shines in my eye. It reminds > me of my mom. I feel like I never want > to leave from the mountains. It's like they > are my home. > > > My Home > By Michaela > > My home is a place I love to be. > It is the place that makes me feel > welcome. > Home is the sound of my mom's voice calling > me on the intercom. > It's the noise I hear of the pots and pans as > my mom is making dinner. > It is the smell of sugar cookies when my > mom burns her favorite candle. > I taste the hot cocoa that warms me > when I'm cold. > I see my mom making me warm, hot soup when > I'm sick. > I sit on my burgandy couch where my > mother hugs me and I feel safe and tight > like I will never be forgotten. > > I took the idea from Lori and Susan and used photographs from Arizona > Highways magazines for inspiration for poetry. > > The Purple Clouds > By Michaela and Hannah > > The purple clouds are powdery > like snow that just fell out of the sky. > It looks like someone threw flour on a > blue background. > I see animals that look like they just ran > a stampede. The clouds look like cotton balls. > I see a dolphin and an igloo. > I see a minature brown cabin with > spots of blue and purple. I see trees that > look like a crowd of people in the city. > There is a cabin and a sled on a mountain. > When I look at this picture, I feel comfortable. > > A Dream Place > By Tessa and Ashlyn > > Winter's come and summer's gone. > The sky has darkened. The lush purple > sky reflects hot pink in its light. > The hot pink becomes a frozen > blue in the piercing cold night. > The black shadow of birds wisp > throught the mist of the night. > The sun has gone. It is now night. > The birds are taking their coldest > flight. You can hear the soft breeze > meet the beating of their wings. > This place is of a dream. > > And, finally, we used the book Hailstones and Halibut Bones, for > inspiration for color poems. The only thing I would caution about these > poems is that most of my kids repeated Red is or Yellow is over and over > and over. The poems in the book aren't written this way and my model > one wasn't and we talked about it, but most of them still used this > repetitive format. > > Green > By Dylan > > Green is the color of > grass on the ground. > Green is the color of jealousy. > Green tastes like yummy pickles > and sour grapes. > Green is the color of rushing > waters in a river. > Green is the color of moss on a tree. > Green is the color of a slippery > snake. > Green is the color of apples. > Green is the color of vines on a tree. > > What is Yellow? > By Marcus > > Yellow is the sun shining on the glass. > Yellow is a sunflower. > Yellow is a favorite color of someone I know. > Yellow smells like a dandelion on a hot summer day. > Yellow is happiness in everyone's heart. > Yellow is gold and money. > Yellow is the tip of the sun, gleaming on > the street where everyone is playing. > Yellow is a sunset. > Yellow is a happy face. > Yellow is corn growing with the crops, > Yellow lemons growing in a tree, > with lemonade sitting on the table. > Yellow makes almost everybody happy. > Yellow is pencils writing math homework. > Yellow is a golden crayon and a rubber ducky. > Yellow is the happiest color in the world. > Yellow is a halo above an angel's head. > > > So, that's all I have. I love doing poetry as a more regular part of > our writing and I see my children using descriptive language in all of > their writing much more, I believe, because of this. We are doing Love > That Dog right now and will be working at some free verse poetry these > last few weeks of school. I'd love to hear what others have done with > this book. > > Thanks! > Martha/4/5/az +++++++++++++ > > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 14:14:32 -0700 (PDT) > From: Julie <sisjulie1@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] poetry sharing > I love the idea of Poetry Workshop as described in > Fontas and Pinel's book. I wanted to try that this > year, but never got off the ground. Julie +++++++++++ > > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 14:19:51 -0700 (PDT) > From: Julie <sisjulie1@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] > I enjoyed reading the Michigan grade level > expectations I am from Missouri and I found them to > be similar to ours. (I teach 4th so that is what I > read.) > > > I also read your math standards. What math series or > textbooks do you use? This is my first year using > Investigations. It really requires the children to > think and problem solve. I was curious if anyone else > used it. I know this is not a math board, but I feel > like so much of what I want to accomplish as a teacher > involves teaching my students to think and > problem-solve in all curricular areas. > > Julie ++++++++++++ > > From: "Martha Hitzel" <mehitzel@cox.net> > Subject: RE: [mosaic] poetry sharing > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 14:23:01 -0700 > > Juli - So far this year, I have written my own model of the type of poem > we would be doing each time. It seems to me that having my model helps > some of them get started and past staring at the blank page. I think it > also makes the poetry writing seem like something they can do. If Mrs. > Hitzel can write that, I can do it, too. What I've seen is that by > giving them some structure to follow, they feel more free to experiment > with their own ideas and use of language. Growing up, all I remember > being asked to write was free verse poetry and I would just sit there > and stare at the page without ideas. I thought I hated poetry. It is > late in the year. I can't believe how fast it has gone. But, we are > going to focus on free verse this last quarter. I'm going to try some > of the ideas in Georgia Heard's book (I'm drawing a total blank right > now as to the name). Often my kids don't get the poem done the day it > is introduced. I'm multiage and many of my 5th graders leave for > band/music soon after I've finished the lesson. They just work on it > during writers' workshop the next day or two. I've also seen numerous > of my students explore poetry writing during their free choice writers' > workshop time. > > I've heard of four blocks, but don't know anything about it. > > Martha/4/5/az +++++++++++ > > From: "ginger/rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net> > Subject: [mosaic] an interesting idea > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 17:09:06 -0500 > This was from a college professor. I've asked for her permission to post it > so you all can read it. > Ginger > moderator > ------------------------------------------ > You are more than welcome to post my description of what my class does. > They love the assignment and all feel they have become better readers > themselves because of their reading and discussion of Mosaic. I am a > college professor who uses Mosaic of Thought for my grad level students who > discuss the chapters two at a time in the book club format. > > They then are paired with two inner-city fluent fifth grade readers and all > three read the same chapter book. My grad students become their e-mentors > and model the mosaic comprehension strategies based on the chapter book they > are reading using email. The children love it and not only improve their > reading ability but also their writing and computer skills. My classes last > for 8 weeks - enough time for one book. The last night of class the > children and my students meet for a party for an hour or so where they give > the two kids a book for future reading. It is an inexpensive way to work > with children who get little literacy help at home and the school we have > partnered with is thrilled to have us. > > My next idea is to use this format over the summer with teachers and parents > as the ementors to keep the kids reading. The Ionia, MI school district is > going to try to set it up this summer with the help of one of my reading > interns. It sounds exciting to me. I would be glad to answer any questions > that you might get regarding this idea. The reading consultant from the > Grand Rapids school and myself hope to present this idea next year at the > MRA conference in Grand Rapids. > > Thank you for providing this teacher talk site with marvelous ideas for > helping children learn to "dig deeper" into their reading adventures. > Luthene Chappell > Luthene@msn.com +++++++++++++ > > Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 16:55:27 -0700 > From: Susan Nixon <Susan@DesertSkyOne.com> > Subject: Re: [mosaic] poetry sharing > Reply-To: mosaic@u46teachers.org > >Do any of you use 4 Block for reading and writing? > > I do all 4 blocks. Hugs, Susan, in Phoenix ++++++++++++
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Billy Graham Center Archives Collection 186 - Marion Douglas Hursh. T2 Transcript. This is a complete and accurate transcript of an oral history interview of Dr. Marion Douglas Hursh (Collection 186, T2) in the Archives of the Billy Graham Center. No spoken words which were recorded were omitted, except for any non-English phrases which could not be understood by the transcribers. If the transcriber was not completely sure of having gotten what the speaker said, "[?]" was inserted after the word or phrase in question. If the speech was inaudible or indistinguishable, "[unclear]" was inserted. Grunts and verbal hesitations such as "ah" or "um" were usually omitted. The interviewer would interject "Um-hmm" or Un-huh" frequently, but these were usually not transcribed. Readers should remember that this is a transcript of spoken English, which follows a different rhythm and rule( ) Words in parentheses are asides made by the speaker. [ ] Words in brackets are comments made by the transcriber. This transcription was made by Janyce H. Nasgowitz and W. Gregory Thompson and was completed in February 1994. WILSON: This is Tuesday, the twenty-ninth of June, 1982. We are at the Billy Graham Center Archives with Dr. M. Douglas Hursh, a former missionary to Nigeria and we're going to continue our visits with him on his experiences there. Dr. Hursh, the...one of the things that I wanted to ask you that we didn't get quite discussed last fall is how...how the Kano Eye Hospital came about in the first place. For one thing, why specifically an eye hospital? Why not just a general hospital? HURSH: All right. [Clears throat.] It really goes back to our first doctor, Doctor Stirritt [Andrew Park Stirrett; 1865-1948] who was [hits microphone] forty some years old when he went out there and by 1940 or '41, why he was in his eighties. But he had a great burden for the Moslem North and, from the day he arrived, that was his goal, to reach Kano with the Gospel. He preached daily in the market place in Jos, but the Hausa people were a great burden. They were always on his heart. And he, I would say, influenced me in some regard, but perhaps the most was Dr. Helser. And he, too, realized that if we're ever going to get any place in the Moslem North, it would be through medicine. So we did accept the offer that the government gave us to open...to take over, I should say, their provincial leprosaria [sic, leprosariums]. Their doctors, war time, left and they couldn't get any to come back, and didn't know whether they ever would because they weren't happy there in the first place. So, one by one, they asked us to take over the...each settlement, leprosarium, in the province. And we took over the three northern provinces in the, oh, I would say, '39...'38, '39 period. And [clears throat] those doctors...then we had at that time a doctor for each place. By the time we arrived in 1942, they had served their four years, and they were ready to go home. Well now that...that was the beginning. But there was a...those places were out in the bush. They were not in the centers, not in the cities. And the only way we were going to reach the city people was with something special that the government was not providing. They had a general hospital there, they had a separate hospital for the Europeans. Their general hospital was a...a large one, four hundred, four hundred fifty beds. So their was no opportunity there. But there was one need that was not being met, and that was for something to be done for the people with eye diseases. That was what prompted Dr. Helser to write that chapter in his book, The Glory of the Impossible, about the sixty-eight thousand blind in Nigeria for whom nothing was being done. That, of course, was what aroused my interest first, after having previous contact with Dr. Stirritt. But we found that if we could get an eye hospital in Kano, why, that would break the ice. Turned out that we couldn't have it inside the city walls. As a matter of fact, there was great opposition from the beginning, even though it was needed, for the simple fact that it was going to be a Christian operation. But money was being raised in the meantime, and one of the largest gifts came from England, a thousand pounds as I remember, which in those days would be five thousand dollars, by a member of Parliament. WILSON: A Christian? HURSH: Yes, oh yes. And...I've even forgotten his name now, but after a cou...a couple of years, he wondered why there was no eye hospital, why his money wasn't being put to use. And so he made a few inquiries, and found out where the trouble was, and it was the Moslem Emir who opposed it. So he put a little pressure on and it wasn't long before [laughs] the British government said, "You may have one, but it cannot be in the city." They offered us...[pauses] well, no, I'll take that back. They said, "It must be in the city." And we're the ones who said no because we knew that we would not have control of it then, because no white people spent the night inside the walls...the walls of Kano. Those were...you could be there and minister in the daytime but, even in their own hospital, it was all na...nationals at night. WILSON: Now, that was by law? HURSH: No, that was just their custom. WILSON: Custom.... HURSH: Yeah. I mean, they could call the shots because they were pretty much...the British were there, we might say [laughs] by their leave and they didn't like to upset them. So we said, "No, we can't do that. We must be near the new town that was called Savandri [? Phonetic approximation] or New Town, which actually was made up of Nigerians who had come from the South. Ibos, Yorubas, people who were providing the know-how to run the government. So that took some time before that went through. Finally...they finally got the plot right on our own area there, which was just a block from the town, and things moved along then, in spite of the fact that the Emir was still opposed. Well, we had the opening, the dedication, in January of '43. He was there, but it was a command performance. He was told to appear. WILSON: Told by whom? HURSH: By the resident, who would be the...comparable to a governor, you see, of a state. WILSON: Oh, the British.... HURSH: The British. Yeah. And you could tell very easily that he wasn't happy, he wasn't pleased. [Both laugh.] WILSON: Did he ever come around at all? HURSH: Oh no, no, never did, but he...some of his court did and...not in the first couple of years, in fact, maybe not even in the first four years. But soo...I think about the time we went back for the second term, his son had become Emir. He had died and he...his mother had cataracts, so he came to see me. He wanted me to operate her and I did. And the reason was that, in the meantime, we had established a reputation, you see, and that was our breakthrough as far as the palace was concerned. From that time on the ladies could go and visit her and the other wives...the other wives...this was his mother, and it really opened up the place as far as visitation was concerned. Now, a little later on when he needed cataract surgery, he had no choice. The British were still in power and they sent him to England [laughs]. WILSON: Why? HURSH: He would rath...he would rather have come to us. But, no, they didn't want us to get the prestige that we would get from operating the Emir of the province. WILSON: [Unclear.] HURSH: That's my interpretation [laughs]. And the funny part about it is or the ironic part about it is that, when he came back, he didn't have the greatest result. WILSON: Huh. HURSH: And so he was a bit unhappy. I took a look at him and I said, "Well, at least we can help you out with better glasses," which we did. And he was happy because he saw reasonably well then. And there again that was another breakthrough, because he would come in periodically, maybe once or twice...once a month, say, to have his glasses adjusted [laughs]. They were heavy, you know, cataract lenses... WILSON: Uh-huh. HURSH: So, we were friendly from then on. WILSON: Now, are you saying then that...that the Emir was somewhat of a puppet of the British government? HURSH: [Begins before Wilson is through speaking.] Oh yes, yes. He did what they said as far as major policy was concerned. Now, as far as controlling the people is concerned, native law and that sort of thing, why, he had a free hand. I mean, he...but the major decisions they made, at least until the latter years, late '50s, and began to have to let them have their way because they knew independence was coming. WILSON: Well, this hooks on very nicely to another thing I wanted to ask you and so we may as well talk about it now. When independence came in 1960, did it have a great deal of effect on the day-to-day life of northern Nigeria? HURSH: Well, there was a bit of a turmoil before that in 1957.... WILSON: Okay. We'll back up then.... HURSH: [laughs] The...the southerners wanted independence and the northerners didn't, because they weren't ready for it. They comprised two-thirds of the population practically.... WILSON: Now "they," the southerners? HURSH: No, the northerners did. WILSON: Northerners, okay.... HURSH: But they had less than one-third of the influence. And they just realized that they weren't ready for independence. And it would mean that the southerners would take over the jobs that were vacated by the British and they would be second class citizens. So we had a riot and.... WILSON: In Kano? HURSH: In Kano, yes, and other cities in the North, but it was chiefly over this matter of pol...it was political, no question about it. And they started out by badmouthing the Emir, these southerners, and that they couldn't take so they just let them have the sword. And we had a bit of repairing to do. [Wilson whistles.] It was a little touchy because we had to take care of both sides, [laughs] and we never...you had to get one out of the operating room before you could get the other in, you see. Well, that...that meant that when it finally came, the northerners were very careful to see that they weren't pushed aside. I mean, they...they would put an eighth grader into a job rather than to let a high school graduate from the South take it, see. Well, that didn't really make the government run exactly smoothly. But that was the way it was and if...if you went to the post office and you got somebody who didn't know what he was doing, why, that was to be expected. That didn't wreak havoc as much as the telephone system...the [laughs] communication system. That was...that became hopeless. WILSON: What happened in that regard? HURSH: Well, gradually they began to be able to figure out what to do. But there was always a big problem of repairs. You...you'd never...you'd never be sure you're going to get through from the North to the South. You wanted to call Lagos, you might wait hours or even days. The ironic part as far as other facilities are concerned.... Take, for instance, the railroads. They had all been run by southerners, and particularly Ibos, and they killed off all the Ibo railroad engineers and then they wondered why there weren't any trains after that [both laugh]. WILSON: Right. [laughs] What...in terms of the mission itself, did it make a whole lot of difference to the mission who was in power? HURSH: In a...in a way, because we felt more free now to...we didn't feel hamstrung by people telling us we couldn't do what we knew the nationals didn't care whether we did or not. In other words, if it...if they were satisfied, why that was all that was necessary. We didn't have to please anybody else. WILSON: What comes under the heading of what the nationals didn't care about? HURSH: Well, for instance, our preaching. They...they said, "If somebody wants to listen to you, let them listen. They can make their own decision." They didn't mind our preaching by the roadside that had been stopped more than once by the British, 'cause they thought we were upsetting the apple cart. Well, we weren't. And it turned out that we were more welcome than we realized, and there was never any problem. We were never stopped. We knew better than to do the ridiculous, which would be going to preach in front of a mosque or something like that. But there was no...none of this restriction about preaching in the open, you know. You were supposed to be able to talk to only somebody who invited you to do so, maybe invited you into his home to do so. Well, that was for the birds because these people wanted to hear. HURSH: No. Well, they thought that the quieter things were, the less you disturb the people for any reason, the easier they would be to govern. And they didn't want religion coming in there as just one more thing to cause unrest [bumps microphone]. They'd rather leave things as they were, maintain that status quo. And it so happened...I believe...there's no question about it, but they would assign their officers a Moslem area who were pro-Moslem. In other words, you never saw what you might call an out-and-out Christian amongst the...these Britishers. They might go to church occasionally, on special occasions, but there's nobody that would come to our services, for instance, like, oh, people from the army and that sort. Why, they enjoyed coming to a...a non-conformist service unless they were very, very strict Anglican, you see. And even...after the British were gone, they even invited us to come and speak in their...their Anglican church. I had a service once a month on Sunday night and I don...I don't believe that would've happened before. Of course, I was there only two years after independence. We left in 1962. WILSON: Well, would...after the British left, was it still an Anglican Church? HURSH: Oh, yes. However, they had a...a...an African Anglican Church as well as a European one. They [unclear].... WILSON: Kind of like the American Episcopal? HURSH: Yeah, yeah, right. WILSON: Okay. So just.... HURSH: They were called the Church Missionary Society, CMS. I would say [bumps microphone] the British part...British Church was [bumps microphone] the high church and the African church was low church, if I understand the two. Yeah. WILSON: Well, now, your mentioning of CMS brings up an interesting question, which is, was the British government more lenient on British missionaries? HURSH: Well, they didn't try to work in the Moslem North, so I...I don't know. WILSON: Oh, okay. HURSH: They were in the South, most of them. They had...would have these churches in all of the larger cities of the North, but they would be for southerners. They weren't for Hausas, they weren't for the Moslems, you see. And so, of course, they wouldn't have any restrictions on them in the lower half of the country. WILSON: Okay. Now, I also wanted to ask you, in terms of talking about the...the hospital in general, any particular reason for Kano per se, the...being in this location? HURSH: [Begins before Wilson is through speaking] Yes. It was the largest...largest city in the North, a hundred thousand inside the walls at that time and Kano province was the most populous. There were about four million in Kano province and one million within a radius of twenty-five miles. So you not only had the population density there, but you had the...the blind density. There were three thousand blind in Kano and about sixty-eight thousand in the whole country. So this was the logical place to have it, and also being a center that can be reached by railroad or...from the South, one railroad to the Northeast. But then these people actually couldn't afford to travel by train anyway. If they got there, it was usually walking, and it took them months. WILSON: Did you actually have people that took months to get there? HURSH: Oh, sure. Yeah. From...all the way from the Sudan. WILSON: Tell me a little bit...now, can you remember a specific...? HURSH: I remember one...one person particularly, because he happened to be hunting for the hospital. He had somebody leading him, of course. And he went to the office. They sent him to the office first and then on to the hospital, which was just a block away. And Dr. Helser happened to meet him and said, "Where are you from?" And he found out: from the Sudan. And he said, "Oh, you want the Eye Hospital." And he says, "Yes." And he says, "I've been on the way since such and such a time." See, it was last rainy season or whatever it was, and he figured out it was somewhere between six and eight months [laughs, Wilson whistles]. He might have gotten a ride on a donkey or a camel now and then, or.... He didn't have money to ride on a lorry or a truck, as we call them, so the bulk of it was walking. WILSON: Now, could he still see? HURSH: I can't remember this particular case. WILSON: How...do you remember how he heard about the hospital? HURSH: That we alw...we tried to find out, and it was through pilgrims. You see, they would leave Kano and go to Mecca [Mekkah, Saudi Arabia, birth place of Muhammad, holy place of pilgrimage for Muslims] and, in those days, it was almost as hard for them because they didn't fly like they do...did later on, see. They could sa...save up, say, a life time of savings and...and go maybe by train as far as Maidugure, which was two hundred, three hundred miles towards the East. And then they would start out by truck, but those would only go so far. So they had to find some means to get...some of them would take a year to get to Mecca and take a year to get back. And in the course, of course, they would...many...much of the time they would be on foot. And this...as far as we could tell, why there was plenty of chance for him to have contacted these pilgrims, you see. Now, Cairo [Egypt] was probably no further away, but at least some of them came our way. [laughs] And they came from other directions. We've had quite a few come from Liberia. Well, they've [bumps microphone] heard about us through our radio station there, you see. And they might have had an eye doctor there or they might not. They were...they came and went as [pauses] outsiders, you know, Europeans usually. We never had one there. And so we began to get an occasional one from Liberia, for cataract surgery, maybe a government official, something like that. And, of course, they'd come from the North, from the desert, and as far south, I can remember, as the Island of Fernando Poo, which is down there off...below Nigeria. So I figured out at one particular day we'd had somebody from all four directions outside the country that had gotten there. There was really no place else for them to go [pauses] in those early days. Later on, of course, the British rounded up their own optholmologists, most of them Nigerians that were trained in England, and they came back and then they opened an eye hospital in Kaduna, about a 150 miles south of us. They tried to establish a ward, eye ward in Kano [Hospital], but people wouldn't go there [laughs] when they could come to our place. WILSON: I'd like for you to talk a little about just the real early days of getting the thing going. I...I've always wondered how a doctor spends his first couple of weeks in practice anyway. HURSH: Waiting for the first patient [laughs]. WILSON: Yeah, exactly. HURSH: Well, we wondered ourselves because...of course, people would see it in the process of building for three or four months, and knew what it was, and yet we didn't go out and do any advertising. So, actually, our first patients came from our dispensaries. We had half a dozen dispensaries perhaps within thirty to fifty miles. WILSON: The leprosaria [sic, leprosariums]? HURSH: No, apart from the leprosaria [sic, leprosariums]. We had in the meantime gotten nurses in these stations... WILSON: Oh, okay. HURSH: ...and they were...they were.... WILSON: They were referred to you? HURSH: Yeah. We had morning clinic, and I even made the rounds on these two or three times a year, and selected cases that I could help, you see, so they wouldn't send [them] in needlessly. At the same time I tried to train the nurses to be selective, and tell what they could help and what they couldn't. Well, we started out. I can't even remember the first few days, but I know we had a couple dozen and thought that was fair for a start, for a beginning. And we wondered when we'd get our first surgical case, because that was the acid test, if they're willing to be operated, and I think a week or ten days went by before we did. And then as soon as you had one guy leave who could see, why, he was all the advertisement we needed. Especially if he'd been brought there by a little grandson who's leading him with a stick, you know, and then, as they left, why they left the stick. So we had quite a collection [of sticks] before long that we could use for firewood if we wanted to [laughs]. WILSON: If only you'd been Catholic, you could've put them at the foot of a statue [laughs]. HURSH: Yeah. And the same thing was true about women. We were told that we [train noise] wouldn't get any women to come because they wouldn't be allowed to, and that we were very foolish to make equal facilities for women as we did men. Well, it wasn't long before we had more women than we had men, for the simple fact that they all had trichoma and they all were so handicapped and.... Well, they weren't blind, but they were the next thing to it with their scarred corneas. But they weren't able to be of any use to their husbands anymore. They couldn't cook, they couldn't take care of the household, why...so they sent them over to us to see what we could do for them, and that was the beginning for the women. HURSH: Well, higher than that in Mediterranean countries, a lot of them [unclear as Wilson begins to speak].... WILSON: I mean, specifically women as opposed to men, or just.... HURSH: No. Women more than men, for the fact probably that they're more confined, they're more in the house, even some of their cooking is done inside, and so there was the added fact of smoke irritation, but [clears throat] the thing I think is much responsible as any was their eye shadow that they used. They all have their antimony pots and.... WILSON: Now, had their what pots? HURSH: Antimony, yeah, a pot of chemical called...called antimony, which is used for the eye shadow. WILSON: Oh, it's a color, okay. HURSH: Yeah, and they would maybe pass these around. Well, that would pass the disease around. And this can be conveyed by flies, of course, and all the babies would have flies sitting on their eyes drinking. And the men were outdoors more, farmers and so forth, and so we had twice as many women as men with trichoma, especially when it went to the point where they needed lid surgery. WILSON: Now, is that a more common disease in underdeveloped countries? HURSH: Yes. Filth [laughs] would tend to augment it. I mean...I say filth, I mean just [claps hands] not bothering to wash their hands and face or touching themselves and so forth. There's not that much water to spare for daily cleansing. They have to keep it and use it for their ablutions for their prayers. [Laughs] But some of these other countries where they are, shall we say, farther advanced in the Mediterranean are...even in Europe, the incidents of trichoma declined as the cleanliness rose, you see. That same thing was true in our country. It was largely mostly Indians for years and years, and then you got it into the lower class sociologically, shall we say, [bumps microphone] particularly through the South and Southwest. And so when they began to realize that it was a problem, when I...about the time I was training, why then they began to do some public health propaganda, [bumps microphone] you see, until I imagine it's pretty well wiped out in this country now, like smallpox. WILSON: Well, we're always glad for another disease to be gone [laughs]. HURSH: Yes. WILSON: I wanted to al...ask you, you mentioned about some of the Muslim rights and all th.... Now, your ministry was mainly to Muslim people, correct, not...not to pagan? HURSH: No, we...in our area, there are very few pagans [microphone noise]. We're about ninety-five percent Moslem. Now, we might have pagans coming up from the mid...middle belt, where they were mostly, so we ministered to both, of course. But [clears throat] we...well, as you went farther...the farther south you went, the less percentage of Moslems there were. And when you got down to the costal areas, why there would maybe be only twenty-five percent. Course, fifty percent were probably nominal Christians. WILSON: Well, is it...in your estimation, is it easier to work with a pagan, simply because they...Christ doesn't mean anything to them? HURSH: Yes, I would say yes because we...our churches, our big churches, were developed first in pagan areas, you see. Actually, take two areas in particular, Kagoro [Northern provinces, central Nigeria] and...and Kaltungo [?], they actually were mostly cannibals, headhunters. Maybe I shouldn't call them cannibals. They were called headhunters. The British warned us, "And you're...we're not responsible for you. If you want to go in there, why you're...you're going at your own risk," you see. But there wasn't any risk [laughs]. We were accepted and that's where the work began. WILSON: Now, you're talking about the turn of the century? HURSH: Yeah. WILSON: Okay. What I...I just wondered if.... HURSH: [Begins talking before Wilson is through speaking.] No, later than that as far as the Kagoro [?] and their contemporaries. More like in the teens in Kogoro [?], and early 20s in Kaltungo [?]. WILSON: You're...I don't know if it's fair to ask you for a percentage rate or anything, but.... Well, I could ask you this. Were [bumps microphone] you generally satisfied with the response that you got to the message of Christianity? HURSH: Yes, because, after all [clears throat], we expected opposition, and we knew it wasn't going to be easy, so that when they came by ones and twos, why it was very encouraging. Especially as you saw the changed lives, and saw how they wanted to witness to their own people; how a wife [would] be very burdened for her husband. And it was usually the women who would accept first. And so they would be...make us welcome to come to their compound or little [claps hands] dwelling place, whether it was in the city or out in the outskirts, and the husbands never stopped us, but seldom would they hang around and listen. But you'd have plenty of women and children. So the...the men...actually the beginnings when the men came were the blind in our own hospital, people that we couldn't help, that were beyond help that we invited to stay and learn to read in our blind school. And, of course, [clears throat] as they read nothing but Scriptures day after day, why, one after another usually in the course of three, four, five months were saved. And then they became our evangelists. WILSON: Although blind? HURSH: Oh, yes. They would go out...they...they would be the ones that I would take out on Sunday mornings with their braille book, and no problem at all getting a crowd because here was somebody reading. They knew they were blind, it was obvious, and somebody reading with their hands, something they couldn't do with their eyes. And they [were] very curious, very interested. WILSON: What would a blind person in Kano do to support himself? HURSH: Beg. It was no problem because part of the Moslem religion was [bumps microphone] alms, of course. And they were always by the roadside and likewise the lepers. There was one particular man in Kano who was the wealthiest man around, and everybody knew that on a Friday he could receive a shilling from this one source, you see. Well, a shilling would keep him for days, you see, in those days. WILSON: So they all lined up? HURSH: Yeah. And that [laughs] was three thousand of them in Kano [both laugh]. WILSON: Now was he a...a Muslim, a native? HURSH: Oh yes, oh yes. He and I became very friendly because I helped him out with his eyes and then I...he'd come to me with all his other ailments. And he was getting old then and he was probably sixty-five, seventy and that's old for them. And I knew he wouldn't be around very many years, so I welcomed this contact because it helped us, as I say, to get established. He had four sons who took over his four areas of business. They were actually monopolies, and, of course, they in turn became very wealthy. But he didn't have any time for the gospel. No, he wasn't...he'd stop me as soon as I would start. "You're my friend. Leave it at that." WILSON: No joke? [Hursh laughs.] Huh. So what would you talk about with him? HURSH: His...his ailments [both laugh]. WILSON: Well, that stands to reason [both laugh]. HURSH: No, we didn't discuss weather, [laughs] or politics, or religion. But he...he'd invite me to his house, or he'd come to our hospital, or whatever, and I was always welcome. I was always a little bit curious because I'd heard stories, you know. Where did he get all these shillings? Well, he said he had an old dry well that was full of them. He just dumped them in there as fast as he got them [laughs] and he had no problem. He didn't...he didn't worry the banks or bother the banks. WILSON: Now, was that true? HURSH: I don't know. I never saw the well [both laugh]. It...it was very true that he was worth a million pounds. That would be five million dollars. He controlled the cola nut business, the trains who brought the cola nuts up once a week, a trainload. WILSON: The...the what? HURSH: The cola nut. That's the nut that they chew like a betel nut, you see. WILSON: Oh, okay. HURSH: It wasn't native. It had to come from Ghana, or somewhere else on the coast. And then back on that train would go a load of cattle to be slaughtered in the South, because they couldn't raise cattle in the South, you see. Tsetse fly area. So those were two...two of his businesses. And then he had [bumps microphone] a ground nut monopoly (that's peanuts) and the other one was lorries, trucks...trucking system. So he did all right. WILSON: I guess. Now, last fall when...when we talked, you mentioned a fellow who had reported the...being aware of the presence of Satan, and a dealing that he had had with the government, something to that effect. Do you remember talking about that? HURSH: You're not talking about the man who was couching that I got into trouble by reporting him? WILSON: No. Let's see here [shuffles notes]. It was [more shuffling]...now I saw it here just today. An encounter with Muslims from India and a conference with governmental authorities and a sense of Satans' presence. Well, that was you. HURSH: [Begins to speak before Wilson is through speaking.] Oh, oh, yeah, yeah. Well, I was...I was thinking about Nigeria. And this...this...this was a Moslem missionary, yes, that they had sent over to Nigeria from India [clears throat]. He was from a movement called the Amadea [?] movement, which is strict following the Koran. And they felt that they...the Nigerian Moslems were very lax, and, well, it wasn't anything surprising, I mean, you could.... They didn't drink, but they didn't mind smoking. A lot of them smoked. I never saw any drinking. But [clears throat] they...well, they just thought they weren't aggressive enough. They should be out there evangelizing these pagans instead of letting us do it. And so he tried...came and tried to talk to the patients one Sunday afternoon in the ward...the mens' ward. I came along and asked him what he was doing and he said he was with this church. He was visiting. Well, I...it didn't take me any time to realize what he was up to, and I realized also that I had something bigger than I could handle [laughs]. Finally I said, "I'll...you've no permission to preach in here," I said (I didn't use the word preach). Why, I said, "You'll have to see our superintendent, Dr. Helser." So we went over to his house. It was three, four o'clock Sunday afternoon, and Dr. Helser was one that you had trouble getting a word in edgewise with. Well, he had trouble getting a word in with this guy [laughs]. And he just commanded the conversation, and the thing that amazed me was that he quoted Scripture, Old Testament Scripture, of course, and out of context and so forth and so on, but trying to prove his point that we were way off base and he had the truth. Of course, you couldn't bring Christ into it. But he just gave you an eerie feeling. I mean, just piercing black eyes, and you felt like you wanted to get out of the room. It...it's uncomfortable [laughs]. WILSON: Well, now... HURSH: I...I...I felt that it was Satanic, and I said something to Dr. Helser afterwards, and he said, "I felt the same way" [laughs]. WILSON: Well, I've been...I've been told by missionaries that Satan is much more active overtly in countries where knowledge of the gospel is slight. Did you...did you feel that from time to time when you were in Nigeria? HURSH: Well, I think we got that more in the early days, and especially in pagan areas. There was so much definite satanic...even satanic worship, you know, and such fear that these things could be more readily noticed, I would say, by those early pioneers, those early missionaries, particularly somebody like Tommy Titcomb [?] who can tell you stories that you can't believe. And I would say in the North, we came across it in...in our patients who would almost become irrational, and they would...particularly some of the women who we had operated, and their eyes were covered and so forth. And they would start, in their own language, of course, start talking in a way tha...you see, they never stopped, just go on and on and that's very unusual for them. They literally don't talk that much, not when they're out in the open at least. And more than once I had people that I knew had had no contact with white people before, talking to me in English, not even knowing what they were saying. And that gives you a funny feeling. So, [laughs] as far as.... WILSON: Absolute English? I mean.... HURSH: Asking me questions and answering questions in English. WILSON: And they didn't know what they were saying? HURSH: No. So I would call the church elders. This is early days but we had some Nigerian Christians then, and called them over and...and they said, "Oh, this is the devil, this is evil spirits, no question about it." So they...I've had psychiatrists trying to tell me, explain it away, you know, in various, sundry psychoses, but these people could be normal the next day, you know. This might go on for an hour or two, and we'd have these folks come over and pray with them and invoke Christ's power over Satan, and they would quiet down. I can't say we never gave them a sedative to help them, but [laughs] the next day they could be perfectly normal. And we'd start talking to them about it, what...what happened. "Oh, I have the spirits that come every so often. I...I know they're coming. I know when they're going to come and take possession of my body." We call them demons, but they'd call them the eskoki [?], which are the spirits. They don't use the word Satan but.... WILSON: Do they believe in Satan? HURSH: Oh, yes. They...I say...oh, yes. I know some of them do. But they're pretty much all...all spirits are evil spirits. There isn't anything else, you see, and that's what they're fear...afraid of. And [bumps microphone] make them do things that they don't want to do. I mean, they can't control themselves or their body; throw themselves into the fire, for instance. Practically everybody that gets burned, it's because their spirits cast them into the fire. WILSON: Now, how do they explain possession of their bodies? HURSH: Well, it's just a matter of course. They've...they've known it all their lives. They've always known somebody who was plagued this way. Now, it's not all of them. It just seems to be certain ones that are picked out, or selected, for some reason [laughs]. I don't know why. But it's sort of, oh, well, anything you do is excusable, they're not responsible. I mean they can't help what they're doing. WILSON: Do you think they use that as a crutch sometimes? HURSH: Could be. WILSON: But, on the whole, you were convinced of the genuineness of what they said? HURSH: Oh, yes. Oh, I...well, I...this person started...I started...oh, I know what I was going...I was talking to some of the others in English, you see, and this patient repeated word for word what I had said. And I said, "Well, how'd she do that?" And he said, "Well, the spirits...." I said, "She doesn't know any English." "No, but she can talk any language that they want her to know." And that's what their response was. WILSON: Good land. HURSH: It gives you a rather eerie feeling. WILSON: Yeah [pauses]. I wanted to ask you about the SIM church in Kano. Did the church begin as simply the...the meeting place of the missionaries and grow from there, or...? HURSH: Yeah. It started on their front veranda, you see. The missionaries would gather on Sunday and have a service. There were only half a dozen of them to start with. And, of course, they would have some of their own personal boys who...who would be invited, and maybe they'd come and maybe they wouldn't. But it grew gradually over several years until they had a stone church there when we arrived. And these stones had been on the property. They were in a big pile of them in one corner, and that had been the hiding place for thieves. They would use them as a [laughs] barricade or something. I don't know how they did it. They weren't caves. They were just big piles of stone. Well, they built a church out of it and I would say it was a good...good high church, all stone. But it would seat probably a 150, 200, so it must have been about thirty by sixty [feet], something like that. And then as some of the southerners became acquainted with us, who were already Christians, why, of course that was their place of worship. There was no other place for them to go. The other Protestant missions were not there. The Catholics were there ahead of us, but the other Prot...they had no other Protestant churches and so we...it wasn't long there until we had, plus the converts of our own...until that 150, 200 was full. So then they put on two additions, one on each side, which maybe added a couple hundred more...well, no, a hundred more, and that was still about as big as the church was in our day. Now it got to where we used to have two services, one Hausa, one in English in the evening. Then the next thing you knew, we had two in Hausa in the morning, and one in English in the evening. Well, that was true up until about the time we left in '62, and then in the last twenty years, they've built four more churches, or at least three more and the last one is just being completed, over in the...in the town itself, not in the city, but over in the area of the New Town where.... It wasn't like a...it was a no man's land. It was surrounded by people, houses, dwellings. And then they began to have a tribal affair. They would have one for the Ibos, one for the Yorubas, because then they could conduct their own services in their own languages as well as in English. Otherwise, it'd have been in English. Well, then it came time to enlarge the Hausa one and they were building one over across the road when we were there last ten years ago. And I would say...it wasn't finished, but I would say it would seat five or six hundred, you know. And what do you know, but now that's not big enough and they're building one actually on our land, our...what was our land, compound, which seats two thousand. And doing it all on their own. Oh, this is nothing to do with any outside source of funds at all. And now all of these are...are filled now. WILSON: Well, this is another thing that I wanted to ask you about. I know you folks weren't in Nigeria when...when all this took place, but you obviously followed it... HURSH: Oh. yeah. WILSON ...somewhat closely, and...and you live in Sebring [FL] where you are first to hear anything that happens. What...I guess I want to...to hear some of your observations on...on why the change took place and, you know, the politics of it, and.... HURSH: That was our goal, of course, in the beginning, to be able to take the indigenous pattern when it was possible and, of course, it began first of all by them taking over the...the preaching. Even in our day, we had national pastors. In other words, if a missionary spoke, it would be only on a Mond...on a Sunday night in English, you see, because there weren't so many that spoke English in those days. We'd take our turns and have the evening service. But the morning services were all done by the nationals. They were products of our...not our seminary, because that was English, you see, but of our Bible schools, you know, to our vernacular Bible schools. And some of these best ones were even those who had gone through our blind school, and they.... WILSON: Blind preachers. HURSH: Terrific preachers, yeah. And they didn't stay there as local pastors, but they would be called in to preach occasionally. And, of course, they had what they called district councils. They were various...this was their own setup, though there was somebody, a leader in each district. Maybe he was the pastor of the church. He probably was. And then they would have their annual or semiannual conferences and they'd all come together. Well, that's when we would hear some of these others that had gone through the blind school. One of them particularly was outstanding. And then, from there, in our day, there was not...they were not taking over the finances. I mean, they just didn't realize that that was part of the [laughs] program, but they did realize that they were responsible for evangelizing their own people and sending out...and forming the Evangelical Missionary Society, which is the missionary society for ECWA. And they went out [in] couples, man and wife. He would be a Bible school graduate and she would have had some Bible training. And they would go out wherever there was an opening, wherever there was a need, particularly if there'd been some contact there in the past and we knew there were at least one or two Christians there, you see. And they were...were expected, really, to support themselves [bumps microphone]. They were to get land and they would raise [bumps microphone] their crops [bumps microphone] and pretty much live at a existence level. And then it began to...they began to realize that this was really the [bumps microphone] churches' responsibility and they began taking up offerings, particularly a...a thanksgiving offering. They didn't call it by that name, but it happened to come along at the end of harvest time, harvest offering, I guess it was called. Most of the people didn't bring money. They brought grain or they brought anything else of value and that augmented what these missionaries had, you see. Well, they got to where they were even going outside of Nigeria, going across the border to Niger, French country, and got to be from twenty or thirty couples to two hundred or now about three hundred couples. And now ther...money is no problem. They just...you wouldn't believe how they give. And you wonder where they get it. WILSON: Yeah. HURSH: But [chuckles], of course, their wages are way up compared to what they were. The cost of living is triple, or more than that. Probably ten times from when we were there. But, they...they don't mess around when they take an offering. And this in.... I happened to be reading something recently, not in our area, on the plateau which is really pagan area. Before we went in there three years ago for the agricultural program, put up a feed mill, and a poultry project, and a fertilization program, you know...fertilizer program, excuse me, why they said the local church in this one place, their annual missionary offering is what it was, was something like fourteen hundred dollars. Well, that sounds like a fair amount of money, you know, because there was nothing like that in our day. In the course of three years, it didn't double or triple. It multiplied ten times. [Wilson whistles.] Can you imagine that? They just have money to do what they want. For instance, this church that they're building in Kano, they're...money is not the problem. It's just getting the building materials, the cement and so forth. So they're really behind it with their financing and there's money, as I mentioned. I mean, they don't have envelopes and put it in every Sunday. WILSON: But it does come? HURSH: Yeah, especially with their special offerings. WILSON: Well, one of the things I wanted to ask you about was the...the transition, when...when SIM... WILSON: Yeah. I'd like to hear the story [?][bumps microphone, both talk at once, unclear]. HURSH: Yeah. It got to the point...this was after our day...as it has in practically every other African country, maybe elsewhere, too, where the missionary was only there at the invitation of the national. In other words, the...the missionary is not even recognized as such. ECWA is the owner of the property, and all is in their name, even our Eye Hospital or anything else that's there, belongs to the church and we had no choice, just turnover on such-and-such a date. This was not too long ago, five or six years ago, I guess. WILSON: But, now, just a minute. SIM never legally owned anything? HURSH: Well, yea...it leased the property it was on and you don't own the property. You don't own the clan...the land. A national can own land but a white person can't. And so, actually, it was a good enough lease, a ninety-nine year lease or something like that [laughs], forty-nine or ninety-nine, I don't know which. But anytime they wanted, they could've said, "Leave the country," you see. So when it became evident that...well, it's not different for business. Any business out there had to be majority owned by a national or they didn't stay, whether they were Syrian or whatever. And...in other words, they were going to run their country any way they wanted to. WILSON: You can hardly fault them on that. HURSH: No. [Wilson laughs.] And it presents problems, but you just have to expect them, and.... WILSON: Well, now was this the...the Nigerian Christians that were pushing this or the Nigerian... HURSH: No. The Nigerian government... WILSON: ...government? HURSH: ...government, you see. Of course, the Christians would take their clue from that. They...they don't mind being top dog any more than anybody else. WILSON: [Laughs.] Right. Well, how...how did that set with...? HURSH: Well, it set all right with a good many. There were a few that just couldn't take it, and they had no choice. I mean, you're there and they know right away if...if you agree or you're fiddling with their program. And if you oppose it, why that's your last tour of duty, I mean, you won't get back. You're blackballed. But we generally realized that that's what we...actually what we were aiming for all along, and so if it came sooner than we expected, why, so be it. WILSON: Has it worked? HURSH: Yeah. Oh, yes. Yup. They have very good leadership. These fellows are trained, a lot of them in this country. Our secretary...our secretary...the secretary of ECWA has his master's from Wheaton here, Seymond Ryan [?] and have some good men from other places like Dallas, and so forth, that are very well trained, I mean, any number of Doctors of Theology, and so forth, that cou...could teach in any seminary. WILSON: Now, what, then, is SIM's role? HURSH: Advisor. Now they keep reminding us, insisting that, "Now [claps hands] you have a role here. You...you tell us [pauses] what we're doing wrong, where we...where we can improve and how we can do something better, [train noise] differently," but it's still advice and they can take it or leave it as they please. And the biggest role, I would say, right now is in teaching and not just in our own Bible schools. We have only one or two there. They have plenty of nationals for that and the seminary likewise, two seminaries now. But in teaching in the government schools. And that's just wide open and we have, oh, I don't know, between thirty-five and a hundred, perhaps, out of our five hundred that are teaching in government schools. These are secondary schools, and the Bible is a required course. Now, I say a required course. If you're not a Moslem, you have to either study the Koran or you study the Bible, one or the other. You...they're not encouraging any proselytizing by any means, but there again, there are so many Christians now that in many cases the schools are more than half Christian. And so they're starting this actually in the grade schools, secondary...I mean primary schools, oh, I'd say, oh, along about the third, fourth, or fifth grade, something like that. And there they usually have nationals. Very few missionaries. Most of the missionaries are teaching in the secondary schools. And they have...they can make their own curriculum, they have to pass an exam or repeat. That's required and, well, as I say, it's wide open. We don't have enough teachers. We're trying to teach nationals now, although...or to get them on the level to where they can go into the secondary school. Of course, they have to have good English. It's all done in English. And eventually, why, we'll...again we'll work ourselves out of a job. But as of now, we could put twice as many in if we had them. There are people doing that, one of our doctors, who is writing up a curriculum because he didn't have any medical job to do. He had been the medical secretary. Now it was taken over by a Nigerian, so he wasn't needed anymore. He has...was a man who had made the liaison [?] with the government, you see, on this and that, so that was...he was a Wheaton College fellow, E. J. Cummins [from the Wheaton College Alumni Directory: Dr. Erwin J. Cummins. '39 ?]. He just came home. He just retired now. For the past two years he's been writing Sunday school curriculum. HURSH: Well, the present doctor, the one who took my place, is white. Now I suppose you'd have to call him the medical superintendent. And he has an Indian lady and he has two Nigerian ophthalmologists, always at least two, sometimes three, who are, you might say, residents. They come in there for training, really, and then if they pan out there then the government will send them to England to be further qualified. And then, if we liked them, we can have them back. Now, "if we liked them" means that they're the caliber of Christian that we want, etcetera. And...otherwise, well, the government will keep them, but we get first choice. And some of them have done very well. WILSON: Now, what you just said there brought up another question in my mind. In your day there, did you try to have your staff be Christian? HURSH: We tried to hire Christians to start with. Now, there were...there were ver...very few registered nurses who were Moslems anyway, and when they began...we didn't have registered nurses to start with. Later on, as the Christian hospitals turned out these nurses, why, they'd come to us and then we'd given them their eye training. So that anybody who was in a place of any authority at all was a Christian. I mean, we didn't...we didn't dare put a Moslem in...in apart from, say, menial tasks. There, of course, we had to. WILSON: Had to because...? HURSH: Why, we couldn't get anyone else to do it [laughs]. WILSON: Oh. Okay. HURSH: Well, we didn't have to as far as the government was concerned. They never.... WILSON: Okey-doke. You had mentioned the registered nurses and that they were, by and large, Christians or...or non-Muslim anyway. Was that because of the Muslim place for women? HURSH: Not necessarily. We felt that, if we were going to be effective, we couldn't have somebody in there undermining our work. And, after all, it was recognized as a Christian hospital and we wouldn't expect Moslems to have anything to do with running it. WILSON: What...what I meant was...I...I thought that you said that there weren't any Muslim registered nurses anyway. HURSH: Oh, no. No. There were, but they were in government hospitals. They...they had a nursing program. They turned out registered nurses. As a matter of fact, the first two we got had to go through their program, and that's how they got their RNs. WILSON: Good land. HURSH: Yeah. But they were ours and they worked for us for years, and so we knew what they were and we knew they were capable. But there was no other way that we could...could get them through the nursing program, well, at least not as fast. They...they sort of got an accelerated program and I think they both got through in one year, and passed their exams. Now they're retired, as old as I am, almost [laughs]. WILSON: Huh. Well, that was basically...we've covered everything on my list of what I wanted to ask you concerning your...your career over there. Do you have any general parting shots of.... HURSH: Well.... WILSON: I didn't go through the experiences, so I don't.... There...I'm sure there's a lot of things locked up in your mind that I haven't tapped because I haven't known the proper question to ask. HURSH: Oh, yeah. Well, I felt that [clears throat, bumps microphone] it was the Lord's calling for me. It was my life's work and I wouldn't have been happy doing anything else. Well, got to the point where it got too much, especially when I had to do leprosy work too. Why, then I began to question once in a while if I really [both chuckle]...if this is where I belonged. But when we got the help and we weren't worked to death, why, it was always a bright outlook, and especially as the work became more productive spiritually, you could see where it had been worthwhile. And in the last twenty years since I've been there, why, there have been so many changes. Of course, I was there last on a short-term basis ten years ago. And I realized then that it was no longer for me, because, in the first place, I wasn't willing to take second place. I...I was...wasn't ever willing for anybody to tell me what I could and I couldn't do. WILSON: Anybody in particular, or just anybody, period? HURSH: Well, no, really, any nonmedical person telling me how to run my hospital. And I used to be able to tell them off. I said, "I'll do it the way I want to, or I won't do it." Well, you couldn't do that anymore, you see. I mean, you were no longer your own boss. And if they said, "You do so and so," you do so and so or you don't stay. Well, that happened immediately after independence, really, because the British doctors who stayed didn't stay very long, because they...they soon found out that they didn't get the...the best positions. They got shoved out in the bush hospitals and...and they did the scut [?] work, and even though they were well trained. Well, that hasn't happened in our hospital. Now, there have been other mission hospitals that the government has taken over, you see. And if the doctor stayed there, why he took orders from them, from a...an official who was nonmedical, you see. WILSON: An administrator. HURSH: Yeah. Right. And that didn't pan out too well, either, because it wasn't too long before they were begging us to take these hospitals back, because they...they [laughs] just went.... WILSON: Couldn't make a go of it. HURSH: Oh, yes. They just went into the ground. I mean, after all, if...if you can't hold on to your property, if it walks off every day, well, how can you run a hospital? [Laughs.] They didn't even have sheets. Well, some of the missions did take them back and some didn't. But we've taken a couple of ours back. Evangel Hospital in Jos was one of them. And the owners [?] realize now that if we want these things to amount to anything, we'd better let them run them the way they want to, see. Now the only problem is the church telling us what to do, see, and making some very, what we might say, unwise decisions. For instance, we had a nurse in the Eye Hospital who was...had been to England and received her training to be a...what they call a matron. In other words, a teacher of nurses, and so that was what she was doing, but the church thought that she was needed up at another hospital up in the middle of the desert, just because they didn't have enough nurses. So they picked her and sent her up there. Well, she can't teach them anything and so she's just back...not using her capacity. And that's happened more than once. I mean, they can shift you around and put you where they want to without perhaps thinking twice, "Is this a wise move?" WILSON: That's interesting. HURSH: But another thing I realized was that I couldn't put in twelve, fourteen-hour days anymore. [Laughs.] WILSON: Yeah, we all come to that point, but some earlier than others. HURSH: In our [unclear] pretty good. You might complain about it here at home, but over there it looked mighty good. So I...finally at the end of my three-month period, when I'd had two days off out of the three months, and they weren't...(I'm including Sundays. These weren't Sundays, they were Moslim holidays, so we couldn't operate the hospital), why, I said, "Well, this is my last trip." I said, "I...I can't keep your pace." They said, "Well, you used to be the slave driver, so now you can't take it. Sorry." [Laughs.] WILSON: Now this was what, '72, your last trip over there? HURSH: Yeah. WILSON: Have you been back since? HURSH: No. WILSON: Do you hope to? HURSH: Well, I don't know. I don't have any particular desire because I'm just afraid I'll be disappointed. [Pauses.] I'll be happy to see them...the spiritual end of it, you know, the churches. It'd be great to on [in?] a Sunday morning service like that. But when I look...when I look at the operation of the hospital [pauses, microphone noise].... WILSON: Sorry about that. HURSH: Yeah. Shall I just go on? WILSON: Yeah. HURSH: So when I look at the operation of the hospital, I know I couldn't take it because.... Not too long ago, they had a nurses strike, see, and they were...what they're striking for, I don't know. They make two or three times as much money as the missionary does, or the American doctor for instance, and so what they wanted, I don't know. I have no idea. But in my day when they started talking about union...unionizing, I just says, "Forget it," and the guy who'd come there to organize it, why I could order him off the place. I said, "We don't need any union." I said, "We'll give them whatever you could give them, and it isn't going to cost them anything," [laughs] "and besides they had no desire to join your union." Well, then they talked to him a while, and they found out that was true. But now, of course, you've got these agitators that come around and make everybody unhappy and I don't know what their selling point is, but they struck. Well, I...I'd close up shop. [Laughs.] If they want to cut their noses off, let them do it. WILSON: Well, that's a message that more than just Nigeria could heed. [Hursh laughs and agrees.] One thing that you said a little bit ago, something I had not realized. You said that you worked in the leprosaria. Was that specifically eye or was it just [unclear as Hursh begins to speak]...? HURSH: No. No, I was the...I was the medical officer responsible for three of these places... WILSON: That was it, huh? HURSH: ...yeah. And one was handy, only nine miles away, so I'd go out there every week, on Thursdays or whatever, and examine the cases...new cases and other...the ones that were possibly ready for discharge, and do any minor surgery that needed to be done. If it was eye surgery, we'd do it out there. Well, the next one was a 110 miles away, so I went there quarterly, and the other one was 330 miles away, so I went there yearly. Well, I didn't really satisfy the government, but we just told them that's the best we could do. WILSON: Sure. HURSH: And when you stop to think it takes you more than a day to get there. In the early days, 330 miles was a twelve hour day. And, of course, in later days we'd go on the plane in a couple of hours. My wife mentions that in some of the letters, about how I've gone to a leprosarium. WILSON: Well, the...did you have any training for treating that in the States? HURSH: No. No, I'd never seen a leper as far as I knew, or a victim of Hansen's Disease, until my first furlough, and then I went down to...to the leprosarium at Carville, you see, in Louisiana, and got a little peek into what I was supposed to know [laughs] after four years. And then when I went back, I didn't...my work took precedence, and so I didn't have time for that and they gradually got other doctors to. And after the war, they could get them back, you see. But...and it changed so rapidly, with the introduction of the new drugs, you know. Actually you could begin to see some results in selfone treatment instead of chaulmogra oil, and so forth. So then you didn't have to have everybody in the settlement. They...they became hospitals for surgery or special...especially if it was something requiring reconstructive hand or foot surgery, they would go there for that purpose. Otherwise they could get their medicine in leprosy clinics which we'd have...our villages would have. And they only had to come once a week and get their tablets and...and do the same things that they were in the sanitarium...leprosarium. So those now are pretty well put in the past. WILSON: No more such thing as a leper colony anymore? HURSH: Not that we have. We have one up in French territory and one in Nigeria, and that's it; two of them. But otherwise...well in the first place, we didn't have doctors. Dr. Cummings used to go around and make the rounds and do his orthopedic corrective work and managed to keep up. But then the last term or two, why he hasn't even done that. Not that it doesn't need to be done but [pauses]...oh, of course the government is taking over some of that. They have orthopedic hospitals of their own now. WILSON: When you were treating at the leprosaria [sic, leprosariums], were you not afraid of catching it? HURSH: No, because we were aware of...well, we knew which cases were infectious and which were not. Most of them were not...they're not cases where...[which] were deformed and they were there because they didn't have hands or feet to take care of themselves, you know. And we knew that they were not infectious. Well, now you get the other type of leprosy, the lepromatous type, with nodules all over their face and coughing and sneezing, why you could just see the...the saliva spray out all over you. Well, we tried to avoid those. But we never had anyone working with the disease who caught it, because they [claps hands] were careful with their contacts. They knew when they were...had to wash their hands and so forth. So out of the six, eight, or ten, I don't even remember now, of our missionaries who have leprosy, they were all people who had no contact with...with leprosy. It was through their help or in the marketplace or whatever. WILSON: Oh, they...they caught it secondhand? HURSH: Yeah, because they weren't aware that they were in contact with it. WILSON: Did you ever lose a missionary to leprosy? HURSH: No, they always got treatment early enough. They don't die from leprosy, they die from other things. WILSON: [Laughs] You mean lepers do? HURSH: Yeah, yeah. I mean pneumonia will take them, or anemia will take them, or [pauses] something else. They're anesthetic [lose feeling in their body] and they lose their limbs for that reason, but let's see...well, it's some other disease that takes them. WILSON: Well, sir, I thank you very much. HURSH: You're very welcome. I hope I don't have any too big...big mistakes this time that have to be corrected. [Laughs.]
eng
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http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/trans/186t02.htm
Flex-Fuel Humans This is a guest post by Tom Murphy. Tom is an associate professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego. This post originally appeared on Tom's blog Do the Math. If you're one of those humans who actually eats food, like I am, then a non-negligible part of your energy allocation goes into food production. As an approximate rule-of-thumb, each kilocalorie ingested by Americans consumes 10 kilocalories of fossil fuel energy to plant, fertilize, harvest, transport, and prepare. The energy investment can easily exceed a person's household energy usage—as is the case for me. But much like household energy, we control what we stick in our mouths, and can make energy-conscious choices that result in substantial reductions of energy consumption. I now call myself a flexitarian, a term acknowledging that my body is a flex-fuel vehicle, but also that I need not be rigid about my food choices in order to still make a substantial impact on the energy front. . The lesson is not to walk less, but to change that 10:1 ratio for the better by eating more smartly. Once upon a time, we put less than one kilocalorie of energy into food production per kilocalorie obtained (or else we and our draft animals would have starved to death). So the 10:1 ratio is not at all inescapable, and depends strongly on the foods we choose to eat. My Flex Transition Several years back, I engaged in a broad spectrum of energy reduction strategies. I had learned enough to know that our energy future was not likely to follow an ever-growing trajectory. The back-side of the fossil fuel age could bring with it challenges unimagined by our many-generation boom society. Technology can play an important role over the long term. But tech solutions generally do not hold a candle to voluntary reduction when it comes to having enormous short-term impacts. I was curious to know how life would be if I reduced energy use by something like a factor-of-two across-the-board. As a result, I not only have the personal satisfaction of knowing that it can be done without drastic changes in lifestyle, but I am also much better-prepared to adapt to a world where energy reduction may not be as much a choice as an imposition foisted on us by failing supply. I had heard from multiple sources that eating meat carried a large energy tax, amounting to as much as 8× for beef, 5× for pork, and something like 2× for chicken and fish. I have not been able to track down this original source, but the sentiment was almost certainly correct if not the numerical factors. In any case, I switched to a primarily meat-free diet. That's not to say I don't enjoy eating meat products. I personally have no ethical problems with eating meat, and still enjoy meat on special occasions or even by accident. I imagine many vegetarians feel sullied when a piece of beef slips into their otherwise vegetarian burrito. Not me. Meat treat! Accidental/unexpected bits of bacon happen surprisingly often, but do not go unappreciated. When I go to someone's house for dinner, I'll happily eat whatever is being served. On holidays I enjoy the traditional fare: Thanksgiving turkey (for which I am thankful), July 4th hot dog or hamburger, etc. And sometimes it can be hard to hew to the plan when traveling, so sometimes I switch over to meat when that's the only reasonable option. My approach is to not let my no-meat preferences become an undue impediment to myself or to others. When I have control over the situation, and have good vegetarian options available (almost always), I'll go meatless. Otherwise I'll go with the flow. One trick I've learned in meat-centric restaurants is that I can often order a few side dishes that result in generous portions at a lower price than a "normal" meal. Being semi-quantitative about it, although based on questionable numbers, I figured that maybe I got a quarter of my food energy from meat, which probably averaged 4× the energy impact of vegetarian fare. Playing this game, let's say that 75 units of energy went into my 75% vegetable-based diet, and another 100 units for the 25% meat portion. Going full-veggie would require 100 units rather than 175. So roughly speaking, I figured I was having about a factor-of-two impact. The occasional meat treat might constitute 1% of my dietary intake, and at 4× the impact, this turns 100 units of energy into 103 (99% vegetarian plus 4×1% meat). Not a big deal for the occasional deviation. I have to admit that I have never been a big fan of vegetables themselves. But somehow I really like being a flexitarian. It feels like a responsible choice, and between pasta, bread, rice, beans, cereals, dairy products, and nuts, I do not spend my days feeling deprived of good things to eat. An alternate approach of moderation is to use meat as an accent, or garnish in a meal—constituting a very small portion of the caloric value. An Aside About Protein Somewhere along the way, our culture developed something of a fixation on protein. It's not as important to a healthy diet as many assume. In fact, read The China Study for a fascinating and compelling story recounting mountains of evidence to the contrary—especially exposing the deleterious effects of animal protein. It's not hard to get plenty of protein from plant matter. You don't really even have to be vigilant—rice and beans will do you well. Unless you're a body builder or actively increasing muscle mass, maintaining your physique requires just 10% of your calories in protein form. Billions test the idea daily, without shriveling up from lack of protein. Other Considerations Energy is not the only component to the story, even though it's the one I focus on here. Livestock practices in the U.S. have become ever-more industrialized, packing animals into giant feedlots, raising chickens too top-heavy to walk properly, and feeding grains to naturally grass-eating cows resulting in chronic stomach pain. Genetic engineering, waste pools, rampant antibiotics, heavy water use, and wholly unnatural lives of animals all make the modern meat industry a twisted enterprise. Although it's not a primary motivation for me, I am relieved to bear less personal responsibility for this mode of feeding ourselves. Digging Deeper: Energetics of Food Choices Eventually, I felt I should learn more about the impacts my choices were having. Was I fooling myself? Was I making poor choices based on erroneous information? How reliable were these 8×, 5×, etc. factors? I was pretty sure that my diet was at least going in the right direction with regard to energy, but should I fine-tune it based on more solid analysis? I ran across a fascinating work by Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin that consolidates a variety of research inputs into an assessment of the energy requirements of various diets. Much of the data comes from a book edited by Pimentel and Pimentel called Food, Energy, and Society, which has seen editions in 1996, 2005, and 2008. First, a few numbers to lay the groundwork. Excluding exports, the U.S. produces 3774 kcal of food energy per person in the U.S. Not all of this is eaten: 2100 kcal is a more typical diet. Yes, food is wasted in the U.S. The total share of national energy devoted to food production, distribution, and preparation ranges from 10% to 17%, depending on what is included in the summation (see Heller, DoE, and Horrigan references in the Eshel & Martin work referenced above, and this USDA report). Ignoring the household portion (refrigeration, cooking), food tends to end up consuming around 11% of our energy inputs. Using the handy—if not alarming—number that each American's total energy share zips by at a rate of 10,000 W, this means 240 kWh/day is expended per person, so that food comes out to about 27 kWh/day per person in the U.S. Meanwhile, we typically metabolize 2100 kcal/day, which turns into 2.44 kWh/day. There's our 10:1 ratio: put in 27 kWh of energy, eat 2.44 kWh in exchange. (We can also get to 10:1 quickly by realizing that 11% of 10,000 W is 1100 W, while the human metabolism runs at about 100 W.) Now for the magic part. What is the output-to-input energy ratio for producing various types of food? The following table is excerpted from the Eshel & Martin paper, much of which derives from the Pimentel & Pimentel work. One caution: don't take these numbers as absolutely authoritative. I suspect the uncertainties are quite large, but they nonetheless convey a general sense. Even if the uncertainties are sizable, the obvious trend is that plants and grains tend to produce more energy than is contained in the fossil fuel inputs. These numbers are for U.S. production practices, and tend to be larger by factors of two or three when manual techniques are employed. How can eggs cost more energy than the whole chicken? Well, how long must a chicken live and be fed before it produces the equivalent of its edible body weight in eggs? Apparently longer than it needs to live and be fed to find its way to the frying pan. Having laid some groundwork, we can now have some fun imagining various diet scenarios and computing the production energy of each set of choices. Let's use an energy factor of 2 as representative of plant-based food. Obviously then, a strict vegan (no animal products) can get by with only 1.2 kWh of fossil fuel investment to produce a day's worth of food (2.4 kWh)—becoming 2.2 kWh if we allow the typical U.S. ratio of produced/consumed food. At present, we're only talking about production and processing—later we'll address other required energy inputs for distribution, refrigeration, preparation, etc. Meanwhile, the typical American diet has a weighted energy expenditure of 0.72/2.0 (plant) + 0.115/0.206 (milk) + 0.09/0.05 (red meat) + 0.05/0.181 (chicken) + 0.015/0.112 (eggs) + 0.01/0.05 (fish), amounting to 3.3 times as much fossil energy as food energy. In case you are confused about where these numbers come from, the dietary fraction of any particular intake is in the numerator of each term (e.g., 11.5% from milk/dairy), and the factor of energy output/input is in the denominator (sometimes approximating a mix of inputs from the table). The vegan calculation by the same method is 1.0/2.0 (100% of food from plants, at a 2:1 output:input ratio), for a factor of 0.5×. So from a pure production point of view, the vegan uses one-sixth the energy resources that the typical American does to grow/raise food. What about someone like me who has not given up dairy/eggs? I'm not replacing all of the normal 28% animal product with dairy/eggs: I make up a good deal of the difference via grains, etc. Let's say that I am 15% dairy and 2% eggs, just for the sake of getting some numbers down. My math looks like 0.83/2.0 (plant) + 0.15/0.206 (dairy) + 0.02/0.112 (eggs) for a production energy requirement of 1.3 times the fossil fuel input. So I'm not below the magic 1:1, but more than a factor of two less than the typical diet. I would drop to 1.15× if giving up eggs, or all the way to 0.5× if I dropped all animal products. The Rest of the Energy There is more to the food energy story than production and processing alone. We also have transportation (actually not that large), packaging, refrigeration, retail operations, and preparation. If the average American diet uses a production energy input that is 3.3 times the metabolic energy output of the food, and total energy inputs amount to ten times the metabolic energy, then production/processing accounts for one-third of the total expenditure. We'll call the non-production aspects "overhead," and assess this at 6.7 times the metabolic energy, so that the average American diet—consuming 3.3 times the metabolic energy for production—adds to the familiar 10× total. If the overhead costs are the same for all types of food, then the vegan diet comes to 0.5× for production, plus 6.7× for overhead, in the end only managing to shave 30% off the energy requirements of the average American diet. But this is likely not true. Vegan-friendly foods, for example, tend to require less packaging (see produce section of grocery store), and less refrigeration (grains, etc.). If we make a crude guess that vegan diets require half the energy in the overhead sectors, the net effect is 0.5× for production, plus 3.3× for overhead, amounting to about 40% as much energy going into food delivery as for the typical diet. It's just a rough guess, but it looks like roughly a factor-of-two in any case. The sort of diet I'm on (allowing eggs and dairy) will likely fall in between vegan and average American on the energy overhead front. If my diet requires 75% of the overhead that a typical diet would, then I'm at 1.3× for production, plus 5× for overhead. In this case, my diet choices result in 63% of the energy that the average American consumes. Given that I tend to waste little food, perhaps I am operating below 60% on the energy scale. I am less sure of the food being wasted on my account before it ever makes it to my hands: otherwise I would claim a bigger share of savings in this sector—after all, using 2100 out of every 3774 kcal corresponds to a 44% waste. The Net Effect & Perspective Put in more familiar terms, we saw before that the food enterprise in the U.S. consumes 27 kWh/day per person—turning into about 75 kWh per household. Compare this to American household average daily consumption of 30 kWh of electricity (typically demanding ~90 kWh of thermal energy in power plants), 37 kWh of natural gas consumption, and 2.9 gallons of gasoline amounting to 105 kWh. Dietary choices can obviously have a sizable effect on our total energy budget. As with many such adaptations, it is easy to make the claim that the change is too inconsequential to make a difference: that if the U.S. spends 10–15% on food practices, no game-changers are possible on the food front. "So I'll keep eating beef, thank you very much." In truth, our energy use is diverse, so game changers are only possible in across-the-board reduction strategies. In other Do the Math posts, I have described cuts to our household energy amounting to about 20 kWh/day in natural gas, about 8 kWh/day in utility electricity (becomes > 20 kWh/day in source energy), and comparable cuts in gasoline use. Add to this the savings from two people each consuming 60% of the average 27 kWh of food energy, and our household saves another 22 kWh of energy per day. Clearly, our dietary choices represent a substantial component of our total energy reduction strategy. Operating at about 60% of the typical food-energy allocation isn't quite the factor-of two cut that I typically like to achieve, but it's still pretty significant (and may in fact reach 50% given the large uncertainties in my crude calculation). I could go the vegan route and be more assured of making a factor-of-two difference, but this feels too restrictive given prevalent choices in today's society. Plus, I have the unfortunate pleasure of being essentially a vegetarian who doesn't actually like vegetables very much. It's not as dire as it sounds: bread, beans, rice, pasta, polenta, etc. form the foundation of my diet, and I don't struggle through life yearning for better. Flexitarian Reflections I try to strike a balance: mindfulness without rigidity; disciplined minus judgment; sacrifice without dismal deprivation; flexibility without wanton rationalization. The main idea is what a nerd-type might call establishing a low duty-cycle for eating energy-intensive foods. If 2% of my meals share the profile of an average American diet (about right for my habits), then my computed 63% energy impact turns into a trivially-different 64%. At one normal American diet day per week (14% duty-cycle), it would turn into a 68% impact. I like the "Meatless Monday" movement, but would like the inverted situation of "Meat Treat Monday" even more. The numbers sketched above indicate that big reductions are not seriously jeopardized by the occasional allowance. The biggest impact stems from changing the "normal" behavior. Even though the numbers are a little fuzzy, the approximate magnitude (and direction) of the impact is obvious enough. This is an evolving process for me. I would like to take a deeper look at the numbers, if I get the chance. I certainly no longer view tuna and chicken as equivalent. I may need to evaluate whether or not to drop eggs (small impact, given the small share of my diet), or whether to cut back on dairy products. Should I get some chickens and feed them scraps to get my eggs for "free"—in the process learning what it really means/takes to enjoy eggs? We're growing vegetables this year. Should we expand this operation and try to get a greater fraction of our diet from home-grown food (assisted by my rainwater catchment system)? I want to have a greater awareness of the energy cost of my food, and take a greater responsibility for the choices I make. A growing number of people are doing the same, and it will be very interesting to see where the movement leads. It's an interesting idea presented here. Unfortunately, some of the options Tom presents are just not healthy for humans. After learning about the paleo diet because I wanted to lose some weight, I have immersed myself in the research to see if the new field of Ancestral Health ( could be substantiated and found that their recommendations made for the healthiest diet for humans. Some people can get away with eating items not on the diet but often not for very long before it catches up to them. For most of us it means a constant (losing) battle to keep the weight off year after year. The paleo diet presumes that 10,000 years, the advent of the neolithic period and agriculture, has not allowed the human species to adapt fully to the foods it is now primarily eating. What we eat now disrupts the insulin and leptin signaling (in simple terms insulin pushes sugar into fat cells, leptin tells the brain that it has enough fat and more food is not required). The paleo diet recommends: all meats (preferably grass-fed) and especially organ meats all fish some nuts and vegetables, including a few tubers here and there plenty of saturated fat no grains of any sort, or starches from rice (depending on individual tolerance) I am preparing a special supplement to the UnCrash Course that discusses what the healthiest diet is and have concluded that — by far — it is one that avoids carbohydrates (unless from fibrous and colorful vegetables) and one that especially avoids grains and refined sugar. Grains, it turns out are causing massive intestinal damage worldwide, are being investigated for causing cognitive disfunction (in the minimum foggy thinking but all the way to ADHD and schizophrenia), and more — in addition to making us fat via bread and pasta. Sugar is being increasingly linked to Alzheimer's, another disease that is rapidly increasing in prevalence. Before I begin, let's start with the likeliest reason we are getting so fat as a country (the U.S.) and globally. Notice the sudden rise in obesity approx. mid-way through the 80's (grey bars). Notice how it is tracking carbohydrate intake. Hypothesis: we are getting fatter because we are eating more carbohydrates and we now know how they disrupt insulin and leptin signaling. The result is that even a few carbohydrates have a magnified effect on the body. Why did we start eating more carbs? Because we were told to. In 1977 the first dietary guidelines for the U.S. were issued. Despite strenuous objections that declaring saturated fat as the cause of heart disease was unproven, the guidelines (written by Senate staffers, btw) were issued nonetheless. We went on the low-fat craze and, almost 40 years later, we are reaping the damage. We aren't getting fat and dying in droves from CHD and other diseases of civilization because we are suddenly more sedentary after 1977. It's because we have replaced healthy fat with carbohydrates, particularly refined ones like sugar and wheat flour. It's fine to be a flex fuel person, but make sure you are eating plenty of fat and adequate animal protein (very high nutrient density). Fat and protein have higher satiety indexes so you will stop eating sooner and will not crave food two hours after your last meal, which is what subsisting on carbohydrates does to most people. Low carbohydrate diets always either best or equal other diets when placed in clinical trials. See this presentation by the Stanford School of Medicine for just one of many examples, in which low carb diets were compared with low fat diets. Out of 311 eleven participants for over a year, the women on low carb diets lost the most weight and improved every marker for health (triglycerides, etc.) more than any of the other diets. Oh, and the China Study has two really big problems with it: 1. It is an observational study, thus is has no causal information in it. Campbell made completely unfounded conclusions from his data. All he should have done is generate hypotheses then get funding for proper (randomized, clinical) studies to test them. Now that we have these studies (40 years too late, alas) his conclusions are failing left and right. What is happening here with meat is exactly what happened with hormone replacement therapy a decade ago. Observational studies indicated that hormone replacement lowered women's risks for a variety of diseases. When two large clinical trials were made, the exact opposite was discovered. Do not make decisions on observational studies, they will more often than not guide you in the wrong direction. Never forget that correlation does not equal causation — and the China Study is all correlation. For those interested in what the latest data shows about cholesterol, study this graph from WHO data: You'll notice that there is no (as in none at all) correlation between high cholesterol and CHD. As our medical establishment falters (along with other societal structures), eating meat and fat and healthy fibrous vegetables is your best bet to avoiding the doctor. Avoid carbohydrates unless they are fibrous vegetables. Carbohydrates are tasty (I love my thin crust pizza just like the next person) but they aren't necessary for human functioning (there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate, unlike protein and fat). It will take about three weeks for your body to turn back into a fat-burning machine from being a sugar-burning machine but you will help your body avoid the onslaught of civilizational diseases that is engulfing the world. Interesting, though I don't think paleos had much access to saturated fats - grass fed ruminants, especially those who have to run for their lives daily, don't have much fat on them. Certainly simple carbohydrates at anything other than miniscule levels are unhealthy. However, complex carbohydrates tend to be absorbed slowly, so the grain -> fat connection you refer to above is not applicable to whole grains (in reasonable quantities). Hunter-gatherers did have access to saturated fat. It is contained with the meat itself plus in various parts of the animal. There is also evidence from current HG groups that they would go after the fattest animals. Fat was so highly prized that our own local indigenous cultures had wars over pemmican ( From the abstract: Our analysis showed that whenever and wherever it was ecologically possible, hunter-gatherers consumed high amounts (45–65% of energy) of animal food. Most (73%) of the worldwide hunter-gatherer societies derived > 50% (≥ 56–65% of energy) of their subsistence from animal foods, whereas only 14% of these societies derived >50% (≥ 56–65% of energy) of their subsistence from gathered plant foods. This high reliance on animal-based foods coupled with the relatively low carbohydrate content of wild plant foods produces universally characteristic macronutrient consumption ratios in which protein is elevated (19–35% of energy) at the expense of carbohydrates (22–40% of energy). Also, whole grains are not sufficiently different from simple carbs to warrant special dispensation, as they have now. They are comprised of starch, which is a polymer of glucose molecules. In the case of wheat flours, the breaking down of starch into glucose begins in the mouth and is finished rather quickly in the gut. In other words, after a few reactions, it is sugar (glucose). Here is the glucose molecule: Here is the molecule for amylose, one of the starches in wheat: You'll notice that starch is, in fact, sugar. It's actually a little worse. The glycemic index for whole wheat bread is 71 or 77, depending on whose database you use. Sugar is 65. Most people get their "whole grains" in the form of "whole wheat bread" and this is clearly making matters much, much worse. As for other grains, using the University of Sydney's database ( an oatmeal muffin is 65 (same as table sugar) and instant oatmeal is 83. Steal cut oats are still 57, still considered "high glycemic." Which grains are you referring to that are digested so slowly in their whole form? whole grains and other slowly digested carbohydrates smooth out the peaks and troughs of blood sugar and insulin. They also deliver much-needed fiber, unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients. There are many very healthy grain choices, such as rolled oats (as the basis of Muesli,for example), barley (glycemic index of 22), wheat bread made with 75% cracked wheat kernels has a glycemic index of 48, With regard to the 1977 guidelines you mention, I assume they are the Dietary Goals for the United States by the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs. They didn't distinguish between simple and complex carbohydrates, however, and simple carbohydrates put on pounds in fat. Highly processed complex carbohydrates are often stripped of their complex status. Beans are also a low glycemic way to obtain protein and combine well with grains to form complete proteins. First off, it's good to see that HMS has moderated their stance on fat. They still aren't fully sold on saturated fat yet, but it's a start. Let's not miss the role of fibre in moderating both fat and carbohydrate absorbtion rates. whole grains and other slowly digested carbohydrates smooth out the peaks and troughs of blood sugar and insulin. As for fiber, the GI takes that into account because it measures the blood sugar response of the body after ingesting the food. Again, using numbers from the University of Sydney database: 1a. "Porridge, made from rolled oats": GI of 58 (virtually indistinguishable from table sugar at 65) 1b. "Traditional rolled oats": GI of 57 (again, no different from table sugar) 1c. "Muesli" (three different entries) range from 64 to 86 — all high. So oats are out. Barley varies from 22 (intact kernel) to 66 (rolled, ie. husked and crushed). Thus, if we soak the barley or cook it perhaps it's not so bad from a sugar perspective. Adding the cracked wheat seems to make bread a bit better, too, but not great. Certainly would make a diabetic do more work monitoring their insulin than if they just had a steak and some veggies. In any case, the vast majority of carbohydrates that people eat aren't intact barley and cracked wheat bread. Most people are eating pasta, white and "whole wheat" bread, corn flakes, muesli (not low GI, unless you know something I missed) and so on. The result is that, over time, they are exhausting their islet cells and disrupting their insulin and leptin signaling. The obesity epidemic as largely caused by this widespread disruption of this signaling, I assert. But there is even a bit more to the story of wheat. From the author of Wheat BellyI think an important concept that is just now being introduced is the idea of carbohydrate intolerance. Given a normal distribution, some people are very intolerant and are born unable to eat much carbohydrate without it going straight to fat; others will have no trouble for their entire life and seem to be able to eat any slice of pizza within their gaze. Most of us are somewhere in the middle and the more we eat the more intolerant we become. The constant spikes of blood sugar that come from carbohydrates, over time, exhaust our insulin and leptin machinery. That's why it can take decades before someone becomes diabetic. The problem is getting worse with every meal that contains non-fibrous carbohydrates like potatoes and (almost all) grains. Currently, 25 million people in the U.S. have diabetes and another 79 million are pre-diabetic. In other words, if they keep eating the carbs, they are going to become diabetic. Dr. Ron Rosedale ( makes the case that, since every carbohydrate causes glycation and thus is toxic to the human body, there is no safe amount. It sounds like an extreme position to take but the chemistry seems to bear this out. Paul Jaminet acknowledges that carbohydrates are toxic but argues that there seems to be a threshold above which the problems occur, specifically above 140mg/dl. In other words, the poison is in the dose. Rosedale then points to studies that show that the ill effects of glycation occur much lower than at 140mg/dl. I'm persuaded by Rosedale and think he is probably correct on the science but that Jaminet's position, that some carbohydrates that come from so-called "safe starches" (sweet potatoes, potatoes, rice, tar row, plantains and a few others) can be tolerated by some people. I know people who can't touch a "safe starch" or they gain weight again. In the case of carbohydrates, it seems to be a matter of making a determination of how much damage one wants to perform. Personally, I think the benefits of fibrous vegetables and the occasional glass (or two) of wine are worth it. I haven't yet experimented with a safe starch now that I am ketoadapted (i.e. I run primarily off fat; I eat less than 50g of carbs per day, all in fresh vegetables, and perhaps 100g of protein). But I want to keep off the weight I lost so pizza and bread are still off the menu! And sugar, oi, don't get me started, I'll let Dr. Lustig's now famous lecture do that: Sugar: The Bitter Truth You need to identify the specifics of the processed foods you mention. For example, unsweetened Muesli only has a glycemic index of 46, with oatmeal at 49. The Muesli we make is basically oatmeal with added milk and nuts. Don't simply use sources that tend to support your thesis, as that leaves you vulnerable to confirmation bias. it's good to see that HMS has moderated their stance on fat. They still aren't fully sold on saturated fat yet, but it's a start. They have been a proponent of healthy fats for decades (never embraced the 'low fat' craze). And they've been critical of the USDA Food Pyramid. I mention exercise elsewhere and have started to go to bed earlier and let myself get adequate sleep by waking up without an alarm clock. I also have made my bedroom extremely dark. I've probably made other changes I can't remember at the moment. I just read the the HMS page and it is MUCH better than what we've been generally told. I think they will modify their stance on grains once they incorporate the latest on them but eating according to their recommendations is already 100x better than the conventional wisdom. However, they also make the mistake between whole grains and intact grains that you make. Sorry, to be precise I am referring to Ornish, Oz, Esselstyn, Campbell (many people use him as a reference not to eat meat), McDougall, etc. To a one they all claim meat and saturated fat are bad for people. To their credit, they also have people remove refined carbohydrates from their diet. They then confuse their diet's success on removing meat when in fact it was the removal of carbohydrates. People would do even better if they cut out the grains (i.e. sugar/starch) they are eating, with the possible exception of some rice and some tubers. If the are already suffering from metabolic syndrome, hands down the most effective diet is the low carbohydrate one. In a sense, the doctors above actually prescribe a form of low carb diet because they very smartly advise people to stop eating at least refined carbs. Oh my ... all this brings up the never-ending battle of the carbs, here I have to agree w/ Aangel as the carbs are insidious. You eat as much of them as you can and you are still hungry. They make you hungry and sleepy (and fat). This means no (less) beer, no crackers or bread, no pasta, no cornstarch or flour, no rice or potatoes. No grass seed, in other words. A big prob besides dietary monotony (I refuse to eat meat) the issue becomes where does one get food that is not ruined by farm chemicals. antibiotics, hormones, run-off toxins, parasites and disease pathogens, radiation ... all of which are found in abundance (maybe not radiation) in both fish and meat? I used to know a chef in a New York restaurant and she complained bitterly that the food service companies -- that provide meat and fish to all the best restaurants in the city -- could not deliver food that wasn't defective (with a lot of rejects). And ... the situation becomes worse as the 'farm' is a machine 1000 miles away with zero-accountability. That's more healthy than what the paleo diet recommends, which is to prepare and eat foods as close to their natural state as possible i.e. no processed foods at all? Are you positive that he isn't working for the Processed Food Association of America? For once I am glad I don't watch TV, that looks like a list for the masses that will get someone a lot of braowie points for the big box stores and not for the farmer's around him. As a Chef myself I pick foods and eat them that day or prepare them for long term storage over a few picking days. We don't eat a lot of beef, but we do have chicken, and I like pork, so I buy pork products outside of the main food buying scope of the household. But half the food I eat never even gets a chance to get inside some days, I eat sometimes like a bird. Lots of things from lots of different plants, or maybe that is a Goat, or a bear. The other day the salad had fresh greens, rose petals, tender radish seed pods, some off the tree mulberries, and a few other things from the store that we don't have growing or aren't in season yet, like peppers and avocado, I think I'd need a big greenhouse to grow them here. ( goes to look up the info on that, thinks of where to put up a big greenhouse yet again. ). My dad had a heart scare a few weeks ago and has started really watching his diet, but at 76 and generally healthy too, he has a shorter walk than some people. Me I eat what I eat, I do watch the sugar's or limit them, but I am on the low blood sugar side of hte scale and always have been. Maybe it is that I like the tarter fruits and like to eat off the trees as they ripen up and aren't fat and juicy and sweet yet. Or that I eat so many different things that I can't really list them all and they mostly aren't bought in stores, but grow in my wilderness off a city lot( yes we still grow grass but it is filled with all sorts of so called weeds that most people would faint at the thought of it being called a grassy lawn. ) I did not get to grow chinese cabbage as I am fond of kimchi and eat it like a meal, mild not hot thanks. But cabbage, and all the other cole crops never seem to make it into people's discussions these days, or gourds and melons and squashes, which are big in the african/asian diets. It stems back again to the fact that everything seems to be listed around endo-european diets, heavy on the wheat, oats, and nothing like the seed crops that aren't grains, not all seeds are bad for you, and not all grains are made the same way. Industrialized food is still industrialized food, even if you have been growing it for 25 to 50 years, more than a handfull of things to eat. Maybe the challenge should be eat 3 new plants a week, eat from 200 to 300 plants a year and that does not count herbs and spices. We were just talking that the people of the hunter gatherer groups eat a lot of things, but we only listed what we have seen on the TV shows or video's, we don't know what all they ate, and likely unless you know a few of them or have lived with them, you wouldn't know all the plants they ate. There are a dozen "Weeds" in my personal diet that anyone else wouldn't even have in their's unless they ate like I do, I don't hunt, I do let other's kill my cows and pigs and fish for me, but I gather a lot of things that just aren't on the store shelves and likely aren't even listed outside of botany books. I have sampled things that people wouldn't even touch much less eat, you should go hiking with me sometime and get into the " Ohhh look I haven't seen one of those in a while, ( picks leaf off and eats it, or berry ). Someone askes me what it was and I tell them I don't know, but it is good for this and that and tastes like this and that and could be... and the list goes like that, I do try to keep a journal, but I know a lot of plants by sight and not be name." The Joke amoung some of my friends is that I wouldn't be the one starving even in a snow storm, as I know where to get food even then. But for the people that have to get their foods from store shelves, pick whole fresh produce as much as possible and eat as many things as you can handle, try new fruits and veggies as often as possible and learn what you local area grows in the wild and go from there. If you have a space with a window, try growing things in small pots and look at growing in a local area's garden spot, saving water as much as you can from the sky to water it. and go from there. I'm about to start my waffles.. the flour presoaked overnight in (local) yogurt to predigest the Phytates in the flour, local Butter, Milk and Eggs. And Local Syrup, of course, drawn from the 5 gal jug in an undisclosed subterranean location.. It's funny, we generally acknowledge that we have widely varied cultures and ecosystems and body-types, but these diets keep trying to find Silver Bullet answers to what you should and shouldn't eat. Life as omnivores, I guess.. the constant battle between Simplicity and Complexity. Well, out of that lot of [redacted] the following are the only ones that have a chance of getting on my list Shrimp Vinegar EVOO Coffee He can keep the rest. The next gringo that asks where the instant meals or TV dinners are is going to be given an Avocado and a Jitomate then left to figure out what comes next. Fat was so highly prized that our own local indigenous cultures had wars over pemmican To me, that's an indication that fat was scarce. Just as the sweet tooth that most people have was evolved to spur people to take advantage of fruit when it was available (and noting that until relatively recently, individual pieces of fruit were much smaller than today). Finally, I'd like to know how the researchers got the idea that so much meat was eaten when we were evolving as hunter-gatherers. Certainly we were omnivores, but I suspect that the balance was more towards gathering of plants than hunting of animals. It's the sexual division of labour - women did the gathering while men did the hunting and my instincts tell me the women did most of the work. Seasonal scarcity was the norm for most of our ancestry, and forced fasting as well, to some degree. Early humans weren't endowed with three 'balanced' meals per day. When a kill was available (often remnants of a predator's kill), I'm sure that humans gorged the same way lions did, on leftovers, bone marrow, etc.. They may not see meat and fat again for days or weeks. I'm curious how feast and famine, eating what was available when available, affected our bodys' nutritional utilization. We no longer eat in season as much. Did seasonal constraints purge our bodies of fats, free radicals, and other possibly detrimental substances aquired during times of plenty? Our feeding patterns have changed dramatically, especially since the adoption of agriculture. For one thing, humans who were unable to store away some fat likely died during the famine periods and we are left with the machinery from those who survived. If the migration out of Africa was just a couple thousand people at best we were on thin ice for a while, for sure. And then we travelled far enough north that animals would have had to be our prime source of calories because of snow on the ground during winter. As someone else mentioned, animals were the storehouses for calories during the winter. We then just had to hunt them...and very likely we were pretty good hunters so when we were close to a herd I think we ate rather well. How did moving to a colder climate, and the ability to store food for longer periods, especially meat, affect us? A change not unlike the advent of agriculture, being able to preserve foods for weeks or months. Then there's fire; smoking and drying. Did early humans on the African savannah have this technology? For extremes of successful human diet start out with the northern coastal peoples. Nothing like a whale (or any other sea mammal) for a bit of fat and permafrost for a year round meat locker. Then look at diets of the indigenous peoples as you travel south region by region. One thing that will impress anyone is that humans are amazingly adaptable flex fuel machines. And we are great rationalizers--I feel much better about the local source of my diet after reading this post, much less worry about all that distance most of my food is shipped. Why? 600,000 barrels a day of crude oil passes within a quarter mile of my porch every day. The way the numbers gel few Americans eat any more local than that?-) Consider the yam of the genus Dioscorea. Pantropic distribution, unknown domestication date, with domestication apparently native across Africa, Latin America and Asia. If we assume that agriculture evolved out of paleolithic forest-gardening and tending patches of trees or bushes in open prarie, could the yam, which can be stored for up to 6 months, have played a role in paleolithic man's diet at least during eras of food scarcity? Certainly, tuber-eating was common in all our primate ancestors, as evidenced by the Sagittal crest, the necessary anchor for the massive jaw muscles needed by tuber-munching arboreal primates. Why would hunter-gatherers have suddenly abandoned this food-source? I think we do our ancestors a disservice in assuming that they only ate what was visible with their eyes. Grain cultivation. If we assume that the typical anthropological story that our arboreal ancestors were forced into the open grasslands by some climatic shift that destroyed our native forests, it's likely that we would have encountered wild grains. Are we certain that early man, who was familiar with the value of seed and nut, did not utilize these grass seeds in some capacity? Consider that grains native to Africa: millet, teff, and sorghum, are easily made into a kind of porridge simply by extended soaking in water; it would not have been necessary to go through the process of cultivation, threshing, winnowing, grinding, mixing, and baking. All you would need is a little pounding between a few rocks and a good long soak. I posit that, just as our paleolithic ancestors probably practiced forest-gardening of berry and vegetable practices, they may have done the same with grassy fields of wild grains. Something for consideration. I think we're so domesticated that we underestimate the ability of paleolithic man to scratch together a meal, or figure out which foods store better than meat, fruits, and veggies. And keep in mind that many cultures have been vegetarian or near-vegetarian for a very long time. Think of Buddhist and Christian monastic traditions. Most serfs and peasants in every society had very little meat in their diet, and in the East at least essentially no dairy, either. I'm not saying that these folks were all the epitome of health, but they didn't all either whither away or blow up like the blimp man, either. I have been something like a flexitarian most of my life. I do have weight issues, but I chalk that up more to my sedentary lifestyle and love of beer than to grains in general. I do think that unprocessed, whole grains are a good way to go, though outside of rice I don't often follow my own advise here. I do recommend whole oat groats soaked over night then boiled briefly, as a very nice breakfast food. I do think that it is a good idea for those who do eat a lot of meat to go grass fed. The high corn diet and CAFO conditions are bad for all involved--personal health, cow well being, the local environment, the planet, the farmer, probably even the economy. Note that the study aangel cited said that traditional societies at high levels of animal protein whenever it was available. The next question is how often was it available. We now have very fatty meat and other sources of calories available to us all the time. Meanwhile, our traditions of cutting back on various foods versus special times (Lent, Ramadan...) have been eroded by our consume-lots-of-everything-all-the-time culture. It is impossible to replicate the paleo-situation, and in any case, we have doubtless been changed genetically by our grain-eating habits over the past few thousand years. I would never condemn people for eating grain-fed, wild and self-raised meats. I hope we can agree that, whatever else people eat, they should avoid industrial meat for all sorts of reasons. No human being was born into a world without cooking. Our digestive system and behavioural technology is optimised in many ways for the handling of starch. Including the saliva in our mouth which prepares food for digestion in a fairly unique intestinal system that benefits from the break down of starch from cooking.. it is VERY likely Homo erectus cooked. An "animal" we evolved from? I am completely unsold on the paleo-diet theories which are built around some ideal mythical menu. Our success even pre the Neolithic revolution is in great part based on the adaptability that cooking offers..this is not to say that to much of this or that food has detrimental effects, but remember we are talking about a threshold of survival and perhaps population expansion. Some practices may curtail health but are offset by their advantages. Which is why pseudo arguments that start with observations on the negative impact of various foods as the only consideration leave me rolling my eyes this also raise the question of our original EROI of greater than 1:1.. how much of Palaeolithic diet was subsidised by burning wood? I suspect it may be surprisingly high even if the EROI of Palaeolithic diet was greater than 1:1 Good points. And interesting reminder about wood for cooking. Since dry wood has about the same energy content as carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), we can just compare the weight of wood to the weight of food. In this context, it is easy to believe that wood energy is at least comparable to food energy. So yes, this could reduce the ratio to less than 1:1. If we take cooking out of the story today, the 1:10 goes to something like 1:8 or 1:9. So the fact remains that the production of food once had to be greater than 1: for survival, but is now way off in the other direction. Burnt wood was a major soil input in Amazon region agriculture for thousands of years if I recall. How does that figure in to the energy out/in ratio? At the very least it freed up time by reducing the foraging range. Does energy saved by living in a shelter constructed of plant material and absorbing some heat from a fire alter the ratio necessary--I'm not clear on that? Of course there is no reason to believe we will totally lose the ability to gather energy other than food energy in the future, 1:1 not going to be necessary though 1:10 is likely a bit steep. No doubt some things will have to change as fossil fuel becomes more and more dear. I'm not banking of cheap satellite solar coming to the rescue. We aren't moose (who by the way can have a long season where their food gives them less than the 1:1 ratio and can suffer dramatically for that). We have the ability grab energy from elsewhere and put it into our food system. If the food we produce frees up enough time by being energy dense (in a time/space sort of way) we can spend more time (and more space) gathering other energy to put into our food. Better than 1:1 is required for our whole energy gathering system of which food is only a part. Yes the firewood is a big factor. Definitely not >1:1 when you count that. That's a great point about energy allowing for cheap/dense food, and lack of energy affecting food/energy ratio. I always tell people that cheap energy will get them cheap water and cheap food; not so much the other ways around. And that's why I'm in the energy business. Can someone convert kwh's to calories for me? A 240 watt solar panel sitting in CenCal will produce 385 kwh/yr of electricity. How much food is that? How many calories? What's the annual cost for those calories over say 30 years if it cost you $250 today for the panel? And as well as your PV>Calories consideration, we might look at the energy implications of Solar Cooking, which offers a new Energy balance for food prep, given the inputs of common surplus materials like Glass and Mirrors that can be carried to your home once, effectively, and can facilitate the heating of countless meals. (as well as warming your washwater and your living spaces, too.) I think I was thinking about the 10 calories of FF in every calorie of our food, and how this was another way to show the value of solar PV: We're looking at 9 million calorie equivalents produced over 30 years... with only the FF required to produce the 1 solar panel! Interesting discussion Andre. IThe reason agronomically for this possible shift has to do with the potential for low-energy meat and horticultural production systems. Low energy input meat systems require perennial pastures that may take as much energy to establish a field of corn or wheat, but persist without many inputs for several years to decades capturing solar energy year-round, not just for a growing season. So the net energy may be very good when amortized over many years, and labor inputs may be fairly low too (think kids herding sheep). This is an area extensive way to make meat, but no more so than growing grains to make meat. Now the nifty thing about perennial pasture is that it sequesters soil organic matter, which is much more than carbon. All living beings need 20 essential minerals and all dead organic matter contains these elements. When soil organic matter is high it is like having a large bank account balance. Annual crops draw down the principle by using up the minerals in the account. If we do this draw down with grains we deplete large areas rapidly--essentially what America has done to praire soils (long-term studies showed that for the first few decades the native soils needed no inputs to get constant outputs of wheat, for example). But if we instead focus on horticultural crops we are going to cultivate much smaller areas and this would be more amenable to higher labor inputs. Grains are fantastic to feed large populations, ship calories anywhere, and store calories without much spoilage risk. But they are very soil intensive to produce. About one-third of the energy input to on-farm grain production is for fertilizers, tractor work the other third, and pesticides, seeds, irrigation, etc. the remainder. If we do keep growing a lot of grains, which I expect we will do for a long time now as they are needed with today's population levels, we will do well to reduce the area devoted to them substantially and build the soil fertility using pasture in rotation. Hi, Jason, I was wondering if you were going to chime in here. Nice to see you :-) Your points about perennial pastures are excellent. It appears to be more costly to feed cattle grains. We have in the last few decades preferred "grain finished" cattle because it, well, makes them fat. The intramuscular fat that we call marbling is directly due to their grain consumption. A friend of my GF's bought a cow and had to make every decision as it was raised around its health and upbringing. He was asked if he wanted it grain finished for three months and he agreed, because he wanted the extra fat. It raised the price of the cow by several hundred dollars. So, anecdotally, growing grain then feeding it to cows is more expensive than pasture raising them. I can't attest to that in a CAFO operation where economies of scale might mitigate or even eliminate that cost difference. Haven't looked into it. In any case, our food system needs to get away from CAFOs, the meat is not what we were evolved to eat (omega 3/omega 6 imbalance, hormone injections, etc.). I totally agree with the comments on pasture fed livestock. Something missed in the conversation is that much of the pasture land used is low to no quality for tillage. You get out in the western US, you have 'range' fed livestock, which utilizes the natural plants and grasses and is 100% non tillable under any circumstance. Then the last issue with livestock is that tend to produce high quality 'fertilizer' that can be added back to the areas that are tillable (or left to enhance the pasture land). It takes much more plant matter over longer time to create the same benefits to the soil as manure. I think as we get closer to the coming era of scarcity, ignoring animal based or animal associated food sources is just plain silly. This is certainly true of some Eastern Kansas grassland with which I am familiar. There are energy requirements related to fencing, water, trucking cattle etc. Being a city boy I have no clue as to the relative magnitude of these inputs. IHi Jason, good to see you commenting here! I happen to like a spicy pigmy goat shish kabob with couscous and tabouli salad as much as the next guy... though my gut, (pun intended) tells me that we should be looking at some non traditional, (at least for our culture) alternatives to protein production as well. Just curious, what is your opinion regarding the possibility of raising insects for food? To me it seems like a no brainer as far as space requirements, cost, energy, water and nutrient inputs are concerned. Do you think that the 'ICK' factor would be too much of a cultural barrier for J6PK? I've heard an alternative theory to the carb v. fat argument that many of the diseases of civilization are rooted more in wheat flour and added sugar. The argument goes something to the affect that wheat flour, specifically gluten, triggers autoimmune inflammatory responses in ALL humans, not just Ceoliacs, when gliadin is liberated. The sugar is pretty much as you describe, it shifts our metabolism into a different "gear". Anecdotally speaking, we keep no wheat products in the house on account of my wife, who is mildly Ceoliac (no anaphylaxis, just GI distress). We've replaced our once wheat-heavy grain consumption with a grain base composed entirely of brown rice, whole corn grits, and quinoa. We both lost weight as a result, making no other changes and engaging in no additional exercise, though we generally tend to also use more steamed green vegetables, root veggies, legumes, and leafy greens as filler, where in the past we would use bread. I should add that it's really hard not to eat wheat because most of the center-of-store stuff, the processed foods, contain wheat gluten masquerading as "modified food starch." Can't even have Rice-A-Roni because, curiously enough, theres more in there than just rice and seasoning. Prior to this, eight years ago I lost 30 pounds just by quitting my sweet tooth. I still can't keep sweets in the house or else I eat them at a totally irrational pace, but there it is. So here's my point: I tend to agree that the paleo-diet is probably healthier in general, but it's also difficult for us urban dwellers not to have to eat some grains. I also think about rice and corn-eating cultures, which tended to be much healthier until sugars and processed foods made their way into the diet (along with more meat-eating, but, as you pointed out, this doesn't seem to correlate). So what are your thoughts on the premise that it isn't so much grains per se that are responsible for the diseases of civilization, but the heavy dependence on wheat and white sugar specifically? I've heard an alternative theory to the carb v. fat argument that many of the diseases of civilization are rooted more in wheat flour and added sugar. That's actually the same thing. When we took fat out of various processed foods, it had to get replaced with sugar or it became tasteless. Millions of people think no-fat and low-fat yogurt is healthy for them...couldn't be further from the truth because of the added fructose. A single serving of yogurt might have no fat but often has 30 grams of sugar. When we stopped eating the chicken skin (fat) we need something to fill us up so we ate bread or pasta. We were told to get 60% of our calories from carbohydrates. Now, it's possible that some grains (see my other post comparing various grains) have a lower glycemic index — but not many and the second they are processed in any way (even just rolling) they become high GI foods. And, to be entirely strict about it, most fibrous vegetables, which are carbohydrates, are fine for unlimited consumption. "A single serving of yogurt might have no fat but often has 30 grams of sugar." One 12 oz. Coca-Cola has 39 grams of HFCS. Years ago, when I found out that my son was drinking four or more Cokes per day, I took out our digital scale and had him shovel on 156 grams of sugar. The pile was huge. He kept saying it couldn't be right. We added in another 100 or so grams to show what was in some other junk he was eating (mostly at school), just to make the point. Try it sometime; a real eye opener. I admit that I still haven't eliminated a few grams of processed sugar from my morning coffee; bad on me... ...and a pork filet without some salt in the gravy just ain't right, but who wants to live forever ;-/ Whole intact grains slow down absorption but any amount of processing that I've investigated raises their GI significantly. Most people do not eat intact grains. They think that "whole grains," which contain the bran, are healthy and even you seem to be confusing "whole wheat" with "intact wheat." We haven't even begun to talk about gluten, gliadin, phytic acid, lectins or any of the other protection mechanisms that wheat uses so that it isn't eaten by hungry insects and animals. The reason we removed the bran is because it isn't healthy for humans — that's where the anti nutrients are located in wheat. I'd love to entertain this topic, but you haven't provided a reference to a single peer reviewed medical research paper (the 9000 you alluded to are all over the map and the Wiki did not mention wheat). Whole intact grains slow down absorption but any amount of processing that I've investigated raises their GI significantly. Processing wheat into flour raises its GI. Rolling oats raises its GI. Why do you need a peer-reviewed paper for that? Just look at the GI database. I'm talking about the difference between "intact" and "whole" — they are not the same thing. Allowing a grain to remain "whole" simply means not removing the bran. That may in fact slightly reduce the absorption rate but that's not the factor that makes the most difference. Whether we process the wheat makes the most difference. That's why "whole wheat bread" has a GI of 71 or 77 and your partially cracked wheat bread has a lower GI. The term "whole" is confusing to people. "Whole" wheat bread is, in the form most people eat it, not nearly as good as "intact" wheat — but neither are great because the bran contains the antinutrients wheat uses to defend itself (namely phytic acid but there are others; see previous posts). No, I believe it is you who aren't understanding. I'm the one drawing the distinction between intact and refined grains. You said any amount of processing raises the GI significantly, but provide nothing to support your claim. I certainly did, turning intact wheat into flour raises its GI and rolling oats raises its GI. In fact, you made the point first that intact ("cracked") wheat has a lower GI than whole wheat flour. in both cases, the processing makes digestion easier and thus the starch is accessed more quickly. I have no doubt that eating the whole wheat grain (if that were remotely digestible) would have a lower GI than eating it cracked for exactly the same reason. This is a bit surreal. Are you truly arguing that refining doesn't help our digestive system access the starch in grains more easily (one of the exact purposes of refining them in the first place, by the way)? Or am I missing something? No I haven't. But you keep reading it that way and I'm not sure why. Rolling, for instance, does not turn oats into flour and I never said it did. Can you please point out where I say rolling turns oats into flour? There aren't GI numbers for whole groats/intact wheat at glycemicindex.com (perhaps because they are inedible to humans with no adulteration?) but doesn't it stand to reason that the more intact the grain the harder it will be to digest? Why ever would the number in A above be higher than the number in C? Dietary Fiber consists of nondigestible carbohydrates and lignin that are intrinsic and intact in plants. Functional Fiber consists of isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans. Total Fiber is the sum of Dietary Fiber and Functional Fiber. Fibers have different properties that result in different physiological effects. For example, viscous fibers may delay the gastric emptying of ingested foods into the small intestine, resulting in a sensation of fullness, which may contribute to weight control. Delayed gastric emptying may also reduce postprandial blood glucose concentrations and potentially have a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity. Viscous fibers can interfere with the absorption of dietary fat and cholesterol, as well as with the enterohepatic recirculation of cholesterol and bile acids, which may result in reduced blood cholesterol concentrations. Consumption of Dietary and certain Functional Fibers, particularly those that are poorly fermented, is known to improve fecal bulk and laxation and ameliorate constipation. The relationship of fiber intake to colon cancer is the subject of ongoing investigation and is currently unresolved. An Adequate Intake (AI) for Total Fiber in foods is set at 38 and 25 g/d for young men and women, respectively, based on the intake level observed to protect against coronary heart disease. Millions of people think no-fat and low-fat yogurt is healthy for them...couldn't be further from the truth because of the added fructose. A single serving of yogurt might have no fat but often has 30 grams of sugar. Yes, yes, yes! This is the real "health" problem facing most Westerners today, especially Americans. The idea that dietary fat is "bad" and carbs (grains) are "good" is so thoroughly ingrained in the collective consciousness, it will be VERY hard to dislodge it. And then you get to contend with pro-carb Atkins-hating fanatics like Dean Ornish and the food industry itself (high-carb highly refined junk foods are *enormously* profitable). The fog of disinformation can be an immensely hard to penetrate, and the inertia of public attitudes extremely hard to move. @aangel I tend to be suspect about food science because it's not lab based and does not operate under controlled conditions, much of it is based on human reporting, conjectures and surveys which tend to conflict each other all the time. It's also evolving and yet to be established. Okinawans consume a lot of rice, at least a lot compared to past hunter gatherers but still have a very long lifespan. Same with some of the other blue zone areas in the world. I think it's as much about the lifestyle, environment and genes as it is about food. To just say that you should eat this and not take into account other factors would sound arrogant and misleading. In my own country vegetarianism has been practiced for thousands of years and people who do it also live long lives so there's some evidence right there that it's not 'necessary' to eat meat. There is a difference between "subsisting" and "thriving" and before you think I am claiming that all Indians subsist, I'm not. But I am looking for the optimal human diet in which a person maintains their weight with no effort, avoids diseases of civilization, has healthy bones and muscles and doesn't have to get hungry every two hours like most sugar burners have to. I believe the science and my personal experience point to the paleo diet. Some people for sure will be able to get by on other diets and, depending on their genetic makeup and their epigenetic programming, might even thrive. However, on the whole, the manner we are eating in the West and our ideas of cholesterol and fat are very poor and are causing an explosion in the diseases of civilization. Well vegetarians don't subsist, vegetarians belong to the top tier of society here because as logic would say, people who subsist have little choice in food. They eat whatever they can get their hands on. By the same logic vegetarians are also the ones who get least amount of exercise but far more compared to what the modern lifestyle provides for. Some people for sure will be able to get by on other diets and, depending on their genetic makeup and their epigenetic programming, might even thrive. This is what I was looking for, caveats are important in science. You should put them when you make suggestions. I am sure that paleo diet is advantageous but it may not apply to everybody. Edit : IMO we need a more disciplined approach to diet science. It should span all continents and encompass all kinds of diet from all cultures, I have seen many 'studies' which just take take the food habits of people living north of the tropics and extrapolate it to everyone else. That is not hard 'science'. So claiming it as one would be incorrect. As a kid I had candy everytime the holiday made it available, and that was generally the only time there was much candy in the house. Easter, christmas and holloween were the big days as there were those stuffed bags of candy that we'd get. I was able to make the candy last for weeks months in fact once when the holloween crop was rather large, I had candy left over still when it rolled around again. Most of the hoard was just the hard candies as they were the hardest to eat in my style of eating candy. My favorite were vanilla tootsie rolls and bit of honeys. You can roll them into a string and pinch off bits of them and eat one piece of candy in about 12 hours, taking just a tiny bit every so often and never letting yourself get any until the 15 to 20 minutes were up. Strangly enough that is how I still eat candy, it is almost always just a nibble, never a whole anything, and it lasts for hours or days. My dad has candy in the house, in jars, ( the same jars he uses for nuts and bolts and other mechanical things, used peanut butter jars, mostly low fat Jif jars, he has hundreds of them, We even have a glass and metal lidded Jif jar from the dawn of time. But the candy is bought and takes months to get eaten, it is not a snack, but a treat or something when somewhere our sugar gets low and we are thinking about it, but even now I still roll the bit of honey into little bits and eat it over the course of an hour or so, even when I could just bite and chew and it'd be gone, as I could get it anytime I wanted. I just don't want it. The last time I ate bread was 3 days ago, I have several bread recipes I like to bake, but the heat in the summer time wastes the cool of the house, so I don't do them that often and even though it is spring, here abouts it is feeling like summer. Somewhere in the dawn of time, my genes got hit with a dose of save the good things till last, I do it with almost any set in front of me meal, the best bite is always the last one. I do it so much so that I don't even think of it, unless someone askes why I have been sorting my food the way I do. Picky eaters maybe, but I eat loads of kinds of foods, as some of my other posts today have mentioned. Some times we have to work at changing our own habits in such a way as to make seem like we are forcing ourselves to change, other times it seems less like a force, and more like we were heading that way and just got sidetracked. If not having candy in the house works, then so be it, somewhere along the way we should be teaching folks these good habits and stemming the bad ones from the gene pool. Or else maybe we let the bad habits just kill off all the bad genes and hope for the best in the long run. But we never know what genes that were good that might die with the bad habits, so going that route is a bit of a hit or miss kind of game. I have a story about how some one has to start the whole human race all over again, but with only one male human as the template, and I am still working on the genetic issues of the fictional part of the story tied into the real issues of facts, wanting the story to have a feel of science along with the fiction, without getting too technical and putting to many people to sleep reading it. One thing I know is that today, we just do not know enough about ourselves, and what all ours genes and other pieces parts do for us, to randomly go mucking about with things. But we are in the middle of the biggest uncontroled experiment known to mankind, and we had best be watching out for things to sneak up on us. We talk about carry capacity of the planet and our ability to feed the worlds population here on TOD. Well I would posit that we are not able to FEED the planet right now. We can keep the population alive but far from healthy and what rancher would calculate CC based on how many sickly, unhealthy units he can force into a given area? It might be great for the healthcare industry but it seems like a sick joke to me. That said I do believe we can include some grains and legumes in the diet we just need to ferment them make them more user friendly. This can be as simple as soaking for a bit in vinegar. This hits on a critical point. At some level it doesn't matter much what the paleo diet might have been. We have 7 billion people on the planet now. We have no means to adapt such a population to a paleo diet. The hunting stock is all but disappeared. Even if we turned out the cows to rangeland, etc., I don' think we would be able to support 7 billion people on a meat-rich diet. Our ability to switch to grains (and grain-fed livestock) has been key in expanding our population to today's levels. Perhaps it was a big mistake to go so far down the grains road. But the question for us to address isn't so much: "what are humans ideally adapted to eat," but "given the state of the world today, how do we plot a path forward—especially in light of energy scarcity." The answer to this question is to lower the energy investment in food, which is tilted toward meat. Forget about optimizing diet for the human animal. That ship has sailed—at least for now. Maybe someday we can stabilize into a perfect diet feeding all the (likely fewer) people on the planet. For today, it seems prudent to focus on energy first, and worry about the perfect balance later. Well, that's a valid point of view, but I for one have no intention of going on statins, or gaining back the weight I lost, getting diabetes or pre-diabetes or suffering from early dementia because I'm eating grains and sugar. I've cleaned up my diet and am doing "to failure" resistance training once per week and am looking into crossfit next. The real truth is that we are in gross overshoot anyway and have to get down to under 1 billion people pronto. Any tweaking you may want to do is just that — tweaking — until that is addressed. And, we might just find that free range animals, as Jason points out, are energetically the best bet, anyway. Once we are down a couple billion people, we should have lots of extra open space for the remainder to move to the healthiest diet. In the meantime, I will make sure that the community I will live in has access to meat and fat. You are of course free to do whatever your conscience tells you given this pretty dire predicament. What might not get spoken of is the deaths needed to get to the 1 billion to 2 billion mark of population. Think of it another way. We are given 25 years to drop 5 billion people, if the drop is even, and steady we will shed, 547,000 people everyday for a solid 25 years. That does not take into account any births during that time. So in 2037 there will be 2 billion people on earth, but everyone buried at least 3 people each during the last 25 years. We are at this point that we have to really think about what we are saying when we tell people that we have to reduce population or else!! The scope never seems to sink in unless you start plugging in the numbers. And even though we have a heavy industrial food supply chain and have fished all the big stocks of fish out of the world's oceans and other things, we have many ways to feed ourselves, that aren't the way we are doing it now. But can still sustain us, if we were to change habits of living like kings in the land of plenty, and burning down the feeding systems like there is no tomorrow. The news is full of killings and death and if you start to add them up, you get no where the amounts you have to get to, to have 5 billion less people on earth in say 25 years. Now the solutions we have, and the energy we get from the sun and the resources we have that aren't turned into dust and can be resorted into usable things again, as nothing is burnt up and wasted on Earth, just moved to a different form, IE Plastic waste to a deep seavent and turned into gases in a volcano burp. We have done a lot of damage to say the least, but advocating radical population decreases isn't our only solution!!! We got ourselves in this mess and we can, and literally have too, get ourselves out of it, unless you want to Call on God to help us, or the nearest firey rock from the outer solar system to come wipe out 2,000 million so we can start from ashes for a few thousand years. Food Forests have a way of being more than just hobby ideas, and neato thinking that might help 2 billion people live well. They could with a lot of work on our parts, feed the people we have living today and in a sensible way we could reduce our population, without killing off in whatever method that will work out in the wash no less than 547,000 people everyday for 25 years. Have we gotten so far in the doom and gloom that we can't see other solutions to this puzzle? Nothing is easy, getting up when you want to sleep in is not easy, but thinking that you can make enough right answers so that 7 billion people working together in a form that isn't always stressed that their next meal is only going to get to them via a box with UM lettering on it, might help you get up in the morning. And go get some more work done on ideas that help people and how they see the world about them. I don't trust the elected officals to do this, I don't think most systems that we have on earth, really want this to happen. It would mean to many people out of their control, living without fear and without worry about the food and the hands that now control their lives. Control is the thing we are talking about, to many simple minded control freaks want what is best for themselves and not what is best for the most people. Not something that is easy on the ears of the world leaders, even the ones that really want the same things that I want, might not be willing to take the risk of doing this, as it won't be good for their 20 minutes of fame today, and might get them shot tomorrow by the next guy that wants to be world leader/king/despot. It is one of the things that others on this Forum have best hopes to have happen, and even though we might not be as smart as yeast, we can still make the dish we live in, and throw away the old one we just stepped out of, unlike those yeast cells that had to die because they didn't have thumbs. We aren't going to get there easy, but I refuse to think that it will take the death of 5 billion people just to be sustainable. There is over 190 million Square miles of earth surface, albeit 70% of that is water and about 10% of the land is to high or to cold to live on. But we have within our means the ability to live just about anywhere we like on the rest of the surface and even above it and below it. Why can't we see that there is plenty of room, where we could make things grow and eat things from our small plots of space and still have plenty of wild lands full of the widest range of animals and plants as still live on the planet currently?? For more than 30 years I have wondered why roof tops were bare and were not filled with plants and animals, all of living in hobbit holes as it were if you looked down from above, you'd see green and green and couldn't find the houses people lived in. Why do we need 200 million Cars in the USA? Why did we ever think we had to have an acre of green turf grass as the yards, and seas and seas of paved roads and parking lots as far as the eye could see? WE got ourselves here, but we can get ourselves back out again, unless we really just want to crawl in the holes and die. Not something I am willing to do just yet thanks, but no thanks, I will try to help as many people see that they can still live on earth and get along, and not have to live like they have been for 50 years. There are things we can do to go a different path from here to the Future. "This hits on a critical point. At some level it doesn't matter much what the paleo diet might have been. We have 7 billion people on the planet now. We have no means to adapt such a population to a paleo diet. " I've pretty much given up on the other 7 billion... What matters and what I can control are two different things. I agree that it's soon going to be impossible to provide all living humans anything close to a balanced diet, much less a healthy hunter/gatherer menu. That said, I stopped paying much attention to what everyone else is doing; how they aquire and utilize energy, food, etc. makes little sense to me. I suggest others position themselves similarly; watch things unfold from the cheap seats. "The hunting stock is all but disappeared.. " Gosh, I woke up to 14 fat deer in the front yard this morning, only part of the local herd. Needs to be culled a bit, actually, and the turkeys and cottontails are everywhere this year. Blackberries, dandilions, wild onions, ramps, all in abundance. I guess it depends on one's point of view (location is everything), and things will surely change, even here. Turn off the drive thru and see how long those deer last, and rabbits, turkeys, squirrels, etc. I don't think you'd agree that the wild animal population is sufficient for us to switch onto a hunting scheme for food—even if there are local populations of fat deer. Turn off the drive thru and see how long those deer last, and rabbits, turkeys, squirrels, etc. I have a hunch the denizens of the drive thru world will starve to death right there in the drive through lanes. OK, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration... But seriously do you really think they will have the wherewithal to get out of their SUVs and hike out to someplace where there are still a few fat deer left, shoot and dress the deer and then eat it? Most people can't walk 3 miles to the supermarket. More likely the people like Ghung who already live out there, know about the deer first hand and know how to kill and properly dress them will probably have first dibs. Who knows by then they will even have an extra solar powered freezer to store the meat in. No doubt, but sustaining the billions is a different point from the statement, "the hunting stock is all but disappeared". Certainly this is true for many species like the bison, but estimates are that the N. American deer population exceeds that of the pre-Columbian period, as alluded to by Ghung's post. I guess that's true for several other species, like Canadian geese. We have many Canada Geese as well, but I hear they're a bit stringy and tough. Ours don't migrate, so maybe they're plump and tastey. I'll be glad to share them with the golfers poachers when the time comes, especially if they'll help in the garden. They're also welcome to shoot the groundhogs. I've heard they taste like possum pork, at least that's what the poodles tell me. All fun aside, as I mentioned above, I expect folks will have fewer selections from the menu and will be back to the human norm; eating what's available and in season. It'll likely be a nutrtional improvement for many, at least for a while.. For 7 billion of us? Not a chance. I have no idea what countries that import most of their food will do; better have something important to trade, and reduce their numbers dramatically. This has the makings of the mother of all bottlenecks. Storm comin'. BTW: Take care of your teeth. I had a crown come off earlier and the dog just ate it (ISYN). Not sure what to do :-0 I had a crown come off earlier and the dog just ate it (ISYN). Not sure what to do :-0 As a bush doctor, my suggestion is to retrieve it from the dog,(you figure out how...) sterilize it and purchase some temporary dental adhesive from the drugstore and put it back on yourself. Either that or take a vacation and visit a dentist in the Dominican Republic! I did this myself about 10 years ago and the crown is still there. Umm not the part about the dog >;^) I'm sorry Ghung, not to minimize your misfortune but I just can't stop laughing! It gets worse. I figure it's at least a $400 dollar crown (2nd molar), it's raining, and she (the bitch) is so well trained, she'll die before she poops goes indoors. I would have to kennel her for days. That said: Keeping one's teeth functional will be a huge advantage as food selections become constrained. Soup and gruell may be your only choices, or worms... And yes, some starches (very few) as long as they aren't processed at all seem to be tolerated by many people. But I know people that can't tolerate any starch. That's where individual testing comes in. I was over 100 lbs overweight myself before I was introduced to the Atkins diet (a precursor to the "Paleo" diet). I was amazed at how well it actually worked. All those foods we have been told are "bad" by the FDA and AMA for 35 years (meat, butter, eggs, vegetable oils) turn out to be amazingly well suited to helping us to keep trim by telling our brains we are full (leptin signaling) and preventing insulin spikes. All those foods they have told us are "bad" (sugar, HFCS, grains, carbs, bread, pasta, etc.) cause massive insulin spikes and disrupt leptin from sending the 'full' signal to our brains. Unfortunately, to get this information to the general public, you first have to combat the fog of disinformation out there as well as quite a few virulent Atkins-haters, like Dean Ornish (who advises President Obama among many other influential government officials). The level of visceral hatred out there among professional dietary "experts" for even the *idea* of a low-carg high protein diet is astonishing. No Aangel, you have it all wrong. Carbohydrates do not cause people to get fat, refined carbohydrates cause people to get fat. Complex carbohydrates are the healthiest of foods (fruits and vegetables) as well as grains, but nonrefined grains. But the healthiest way to eat these foods is raw. For the grains, you need to sprout them. In fact, sprouts are the superfoods. Sorry, meat is just not healthy for people, for a variety of reasons. They are a lot better if you eat them raw when you don't oxidize the cholesterol - which causes heart disease. In today's world, all meat has high concentrations of toxics such as mercury in fish and dioxin in all meat (including that found on the North and South Pole), which is a potent T-cell inhibitor. I have not reviewed the actual studies conducted by The China Study, but the lab studies were sufficient to indicate the cancer promoting qualities of animal protein, including dairy. The Seventh Day Adventists diet studies also highlight the disease causing qualities of meat. Meat can be eaten in very small quantities and not cause much disease. I've included more than enough information on this page to make my case, including drawing distinctions between various grains. Read carefully and you'll see that there is some overlap with what you are saying. The exceptions are that I think you are unaware of the problems with modern wheat and are still stuck in the "meat is unhealthy" paradigm. Yes, there are toxins in the fish, so some limitation on that is valid if one eats the larger species that tend to accumulate them. Aangel explained the difference between high-fiber vegetables and high-carb grains, but also presented evidence indicating that some (but not all) complex carbs are metabolized like sugar in the body. And as you say, anything --even grains-- are healthiest in their raw, unprocessed form. Re: "meat", well that's a pretty broad category --everything from wild grouse you hunt yourself to factory bred, hormone pumped, corn and offal-fed beef. Lots of protein is plenty healthy, others not as much. Regardless, Aangel's point is that carbs and sugar have basically gotten a free pass for the last 35 years, while meat & dietary fat has been turned into the enemy. Which is wrong and very counterproductive to people's health (but not to Monsanto's profit margins). Sugar is not bad for you, in fact, sugar is healthy for you. Howover, when we consume virtually only high fructose corn syrup as part of a refined food diet, it is bad. Sugar forms part of the chain of molecules on the cell wall of white blood cells which allow the white blood cells to detect pathogens and cancer. Sugar is important in our diets to allow the immune system to work effectively, particularly natural killer cells which is natures way to combat cancer. Only fruits and vegetables have the variety of sugars in them which allow the immune system to function as it was designed. People on a high meat diet have an excess of omega 6 fatty acids which also compromises the immune system and promotes cancer growth. Sugar is bad when it is concentrated, particularly without a lot of fiber in the diet which tempers its absorption and leads to spikes in blood sugar. Meat protein reduces endurance. Studies have shown that people on a vegetarian diet have more endurance than people on a meat diet. Vegetables are loaded with phytochemicals which reduce all forms of disease - meat has none. Finally, raw fruits and vegetables have "life force," which one can sense when consuming them. You don't need to rely on coffee when on a raw food vegetarian diet. The life force is particularly noticably when one is consuming sprouted foods. An excellent book which highlights proper diet, low in the consumption of meat, is Concious Eating by Gabriel Cousins. Dr. Lustig's message is that sugar is bad because fructose is bad (being glucose + fructose). The carbohydrates in grains do not metabolize the same as sugar because they are comprised of almost exclusively glucose. If you however contend that whole grains are bad for you based on something besides how the carbs within are directly metabolized (such as gluten issues), I am more amenable to that idea. My wife can no longer eat wheat, and so I now eat somewhat less (but more rice and other more weird grains). Now we are rehashing ground that has already been covered. But, in a nutshell, wheat flour in particular has an extremely high glycemic index (a slice of whole wheat bread has a GI of 71 or 77, depending on the database). The starch contained in that bread breaks down very quickly into sugar, causing a high sugar spike (hence the high GI). and corresponding values for pasta are lower still. And certain foods eaten at the same time (e.g. olive oil on pasta or wine with dinner) will lower it even more due to slowed absorption from the intestine. Glycemic index is a single metric pertaining to an acute condition which may or may not have relevance long-term for people who are not diabetic. In light of Dr. Lustig's work, it is interesting to see many books on GI state that sugar (sucrose) isn't all that bad because it has a moderate GI. Of course not, since almost half by weight is fructose. But that really isn't a good thing after all. Anyway, thanks for bringing this up, as I think it is important and interesting. But I think you have prematurely wrapped your mind around a limited part of the picture. The value I see for whole wheat bread is 69, not materially different from the 71 value I cite. What are you referring to? Also, pasta depending on how it's cooked can have lower or higher GI values...but what some people miss is that it's still sugar going through the system. A lower GI just means that the body doesn't have to react quite so quickly but its overall throughput of insulin will still be the same. A bowl of pasta is still a bowl of sugar once it gets to the gut. I do happen to think that we are living through a nutrition paradigm shift, so I am challenging lots of cherished beliefs that people thought were beyond reasonable doubt, like the meat-saturated fat-cholesterol-CHD hypothesis and that "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie." I didn't even address statins, which have many terrible side effects and people are taking them because they think that 60% of their diet should be sugar. It's really quite crazy if you stand back and reflect a moment. Many doctors came to this new science because they said to themselves, "Well, if this person is diabetic, I shouldn't be telling them to eat sugar no matter what the (old) food pyramid says." (The bottom layer of the old food pyramid was all grains. BTW, the food pyramid was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not the Surgeon General's office. Big difference and might explain a lot.) Once the doctors see how effective low carb diets are, they investigate and see that other professionals thought the same thing. I also think I'm reasonably nuanced within this new paradigm i.e. I acknowledge the difference between types of carbs, how they are processed, and I address why some cultures seem to be ok with rice and (some) tubers. I'm open to what you think I'm missing. What am I missing and what evidence do you think is missing that I haven't presented? (And I'm glad you got value out of the discussion...I know there are people reading this who, if they take action, will get off their insulin injections, save themselves from early dementia and lower their risk of all sorts of other diseases.) I moved towards a higher fat diet - but fat from olive oil, avocados and fish/shrimp/crawfish - for reasons of satiety. Very little meat in my diet (1 lb of chicken/turkey per month ?) and limited fish servings. *LOTS* of vegetables & beans and a fair amount of brown rice and some potatoes (mainly sweet, some white I accept that there are different metabolism pathways for fat & sugars/starches and "we" are grossly overusing the insulin dependent one. However, I am less sure that the balance has to be swung 90+% the other way. Particularly in the morning when glucose is naturally depleted. consider eating as one of the primal joys of life - along with laughing, sex, friendship and appreciating beauty. Any changes need to fit into what I enjoy - and any "diet" has to be sustainable for decades. I "evolve" changes that I enjoy, trying out shifts in eating patterns to see what I like - and how I feel, and not radical changes. For example, I found that I wanted more fat in my diet for satiety and well being - so I use olive oil liberally and eat 4 to 5 avocados/week. And OTOH, Bacon & fried eggs for breakfast appalls me. Particularly the bacon & fried part. Soft boiled eggs (I buy the high Omega 3 type) are an occasional snack or even desert for me, with a few drops of hot sauce to bring out the flavor. Weight loss comes not from diet, but more exercise. More exercise is an undoubtedly good thing - and more motivation to exercise is also good. So I will add a bit more fat (mainly good fat, mono-saturated) to my diet, and reduce starches on the margin and evolve from there. I eat vegetables more or less randomly, and in large volumes. Add some more oil when preparing them and shift the balance some. But okra will remain !! wasn't referring to the fiber. That has a whole other set of issues ( The anitnutrients are in the bran. Living things generally do not want to be consumed by other living things. To avoid said consumption, living things employ various self defense mechanisms. ... Plants, though, are passive organisms without the ability to move, think, and react (for the most part). They must employ different tactics to ensure propagation, and they Grains lead to a whole host of trouble for people. The article enumerates some of them, including accelerating leptin resistance. Without clear leptin signaling, we over eat. Add the exorphins wheat also contains (causing an addition-like effect) that are released during processing and you'll see quickly that it's not a good food for us to ingest. They have nothing we can't get from other foods that we were eating before agriculture. Weight loss comes not from diet, but more exercise. I strongly, strongly disagree. That's another prevalent myth. 90% of weight loss is from diet. Stop disrupting the insulin and leptin signaling and people will naturally return to their genetic fat "set point" — without any sort of calorie restriction. People on Atkins or Paleo or Low-carb diets are told to "eat until full". They don't have to count calories to lose the weight. Exercise, rather than restricting my diet, is how I lose weight. Eating is a primal joy to me :-) Walking to a more distant grocery store today - 1.5 miles. (Back with 21 lbs of food, 0.9 mile, I caught a rare Sunday bus for one leg). Guzzled over a quart of unsweetened sun tea when I got home :-0 Your influence - I bought two bananas instead of the 4 or 5 I would have otherwise, I bought 1% fat milk instead of 0% and see how my consumption & satiety varies, and 2 lb of sharp cheddar cheese for occasional snacks (this will last me for a while - sharp & extra sharp cheddar have the lowest sugar of any cheese I think). As I said, I evolve my diet slowly. Great news...as always, do your research and come to your own conclusions. It's a whole new world that's (re-)opening up. Just remember that your body has two fuels it runs on. Many people seem to think it's only carbohydrates when that's just not true. Nonsense. Go show me the RCT's that demonstrate that. And please make sure they don't count a meat meal as "pizza with pepperoni" on top. Or do what the last one did that I read: it included 80 grams of fiber. Fiber isn't digested but they still counted it in their calculations. I'm not normally suspicious but since no one I know eats 80 grams of fiber a day it seemed almost rigged to make the high carb diet look good. You're trapped in the "fat is bad for you" paradigm. Trans fats are but saturated fat has been demonized for no good reason. The initial science seemed to indicate it was a problem but we now know it isn't. As I've already pointed out, the body has TWO fuel systems. And the fat we store is SATURATED FAT. Well, your comment didn't make sense as written. And trans fats do not derive from saturated fats, but rather from unsaturated fats which have been partially hydrogenated. Unless the hydrogenation goes to completion (a fully saturated hydrocarbon), the catalyst will do some non-selective dehydrogenation. Andi> yessiree! I'm not going to figure the gallons of oil burned per fish either. Our household is limited to 35 red salmon personal use dipnet caught fish per season and we catch and use somewhat less than that. A few fillets frozen in water (by sealing a 1 quart freezer bag under water-a method my family prefers to vacuum packing) makes a fine meal in April even though we caught the fish in July. It is a bit of drive to get to the Kasilov and Kenai rivers from our house--but the whole outing, which includes camping on the beach with a mob of fisherman, is one of the summer high points--and has been for thousands of years up here...even back when the 1:1 energy out/in ratio Tom refers to was a bare minimum. Chasing and being chased back and forth over the mudflats by the cold North Pacific tide is real exercise. I chose physically demanding livelihoods (commercial fishing, logging, construction) all my life in part because I like burn energy and then to eat and in part because I hate working indoors any length of time. The transition to sort of retired at this point is a bit tricky to navigate on that point, especially after cross country ski season ends (about ten days ago), but I live on a rocky hill so there are always nearby outdoor activity options. Seems a critical part of the 'paleo thing' was hunting and scavenging the meat and gathering the rest of the fare--the exercise part!!! And I do miss my Montana deer hunting right out the back door, just haven't wanted to deal with a thousand pounds of moose at once up here. Your approach is my favored one Alan--there has to be fun in it if possible. Many of the arguments here from the key post on down are tainted by religious fervor which puts me into the barely skim reading mode. I won't be too hard on Tom as this key post taken with his 'do the math' post on human 'mileage' were readable and informative, but the 1:1 ratio he refers to as 'magic' has to be extended to include the whole of societies energy gathering activities not simply applied to the procuring food portion. Participating in food - connecting with it in some way - adds a different level and more meaning to it. No doubt, that goes for other basics as well. Sad to say I've always been a weak gardiner, but I'm a builder and have built a couple of my own homes. I believe having such a major part of my life--it's were we keep and cook the food ?-)--designed by my own mind and built by my own hands has added a great deal to my personal well being. It's pretty simple. The red salmon are six pounds give or take in the round so we cut the fillets in half and put three pieces into a 1 quart zip lock bag. Put a clean basin of cold water in the kitchen sink. Fill the bag containing the fish from the tap then submerge it in the basin. Carefully work any air bubbles out and seal the bag while it is still submerged. It is cold on the hands, gloves could help but they would make getting a good air free seal a bit trickier. Change the basin water periodically if you are doing a lot--when two or three families get working together it can be quite an operation. Dry the sealed bags and seperate each layer of bags in the freezer with a thin piece of cardboard--makes for nice uniform bags. Once frozen you can remove the cardboard and stack the bags tightly. It's best if the frozen bags don't get jostled around much as damage will allow air in an shorten their freezer life. Low and behold we have one package left. I thought we used freezer bags but it looks to be a plain old 'smart seal.' Salmon paties on the horizon, yum! Thanks, I wasn't sure if you had water in the bag or just used it to squeeze the air out, that clarifies it. I may try it for some things. I use zip locks for things like chilli con carne and stews. It is easy to squeeze the liquid, closing the seal except for a small gap at one end, to eliminate air then freeze flat for good stacking and fast defrosting. You seem to keep saying that, but it is not true. A bowl of "sugar" is a bowl of the disaccharide comprised of glucose and fructose. As per Dr. Lustig, the fructose causes big problems in the body. The glucose? Its presence is natural in your bloodstream. It's your brain's primary fuel. Too high a level causes a multitude of problems and might eventually kill you. Too little will kill you. But sugar (sucrose) only has a lower glycemic index because half of it is dead weight as far as increasing blood glucose level (it is instead converted directly into fat). You seem to be arguing both that low glycemic carbs are better because they are absorbed and broken down more slowly, resulting in a lower blood glucose spike, but nevertheless still bad because every glucose is a bad glucose, "wearing out your islets". The result is that, over time, they are exhausting their islet cells and disrupting their insulin and leptin signaling. The obesity epidemic as largely caused by this widespread disruption of this signaling, I assert. The trend is rather increased increased insulin resistance and type-II diabetes, as opposed to exhausted islet cells, being potentially related to too much sugar consumption. And the problem is fructose, not glucose: It's true that pasta and table sugar are not exactly the same thing — but they are both still considered sugars. Glucose, the constituent of starch, is a sugar. It may not have the extra fructose attached to it but that's not necessary. We often say, "what's the glucose level?" when referring to the blood sugar level — because that's what's in our blood and in starch. Place a wheat cracker on your tongue and leave it there for your saliva to do its job. In a while it will start to taste sweet. There is a debate right now about which is worse: the spikes in blood sugar or the overall amount of sugar moving through the system. But both are bad, just in different ways. So, yes, the spikes and overall quantity are both important. Dr. Rosedale puts it this way. "Your overall health is in large part determined by how much sugar vs. fat you burn over your lifetime." In other words, the more sugar you burn, the more likely you are to damage your bodily systems. And recall that the human blood contains about only 80 calories or about a teaspoon of sugar in the entire volume of blood. That's miniscule. It doesn't matter as much in this case that some amount of it is supposed to be there. What we are doing is inundating our bodies with sugar in its various forms. Insulin responds because the sugar levels must be brought down quickly before too much damage occurs. The range of acceptable sugar in the blood is very narrow. Don't get too attached to Lustig's view of fructose in one sense: fructose is certainly a notch worse than glucose but glucose in sudden spurts or in large quantities is still bad, too. And yes, I could have specifically said "insulin resistance" to be clearer...that's to what I was referring when I wrote "disrupting their insulin and leptin signaling." Well, I'll try to stay less attached to fructose if you try to stay less attached to glucose. It comes down to which doctor you believe more (although the recent research seems to support fructose as a much worse actor). But here is what settles it for me: When you consume glucose, 80% of it is allowed to go directly to the cells in your body where, after insulin unlocks the door, it feeds into the Krebs cycle to make ATP for the cell (same as for fat). Of the 20% which hits the liver, some is metabolized as above, and the excess is turned into glycogen. All good. When you consume fructose, ALL OF IT is metabolized by the liver - and the results aren't pretty. This is not a subtle distinction. Aside from humans, many critters eat all or mostly starches - and not because the government told them to. It's one thing to argue that eating meat in high proportions is natural. It is quite another to argue that eating carbohydrates is unnatural when the body seems designed to do it. I believe that human digestion achieves the ability to process a lot of different foods with many compromises, and weaknesses are exposed when you eat too much of one thing - or if you eat much differently than what your genetic heritage has settled into. And remember also that, from a genetic standpoint, all that really matters is you surviving long enough to procreate. There isn't a lot of genetic pressure from something that gives you diabetes or heart disease at age 60. But fructose seems to be in another class altogether: something which does much harm and only provides transient benefit (taste). The plants which produced the fruit benefit, since animals are induced to eat it and spread the seeds around. And now, the food industry takes advantage of that as well. And circling back to Dr. Murphy, there is no way that even a billion people are going to be able to subsist solely on grass-fed livestock; the energy and water needs are just too high. So even if current strains of wheat etc. have problems, we better find something similar that doesn't have those problems. Your view is quite common. However, glucose is not the benign molecule you assert it is for weight management — it is after all contributing to the diabetes epidemic, it's not just fructose doing all the damage. Again, it's the throughput of all sugar that over time interferes with insulin and leptin signaling. Sure, fructose is measurably worse but don't make the mistake that you can eat all the glucose you want. If you happen to be one of those genetically gifted individuals you can get away with it, possibly even for decades, but there is evidence that it catches up to all of us eventually. All digestible carbohydrates are broken down to simple sugars in the intestines. The sugar is absorbed into the blood, raising the blood glucose. This increases the production of the hormone insulin. And insulin is our fat storing hormone. Insulin is produced in the pancreas (pictured to the right). In large amounts insulin prevents fat burning and stores surplus nutrients in the fat cells. After some time (a few hours or less) this may result in a shortage of nutrients in the blood, creating feelings of hunger and cravings for something sweet. Usually at that point people eat some more. That starts the process again, a vicious cycle leading to weight gain. A low intake of carbohydrates gives you a lower and more stable blood glucose, and lower amounts of insulin. This increases the release of fat from your fat stores and increases the fat burning. This usually gives fat loss, especially around the tummy in abdominally obese individuals. Weight loss without hunger LCHF makes it easier for the body to use its fat stores, as their release is no longer blocked by high insulin levels. This may be a reason why intake of fat gives a longer feeling of satiety than carbohydrates. Caloric intake usually drops in studies when the participants eat all they want on a low carb diet. So, no counting or weighing of the food is required. You can forget about the calories and trust your feelings of hunger and satiety. Most people don't need to count or weigh their food any more than they need to count their breathing. If you don´t believe it, just try a couple of weeks and see for yourself. I recommend scrolling down and watching his talk at last year's Ancestral Health Symposium. Dr. Rosedale is even more assertive about the ill effects of glucose and I think he's right on the money, biochemically speaking. Any sugar causes glycation; more sugar equals more glycation. Also, start investigating what excessive glucose does to cognitive function and you may be surprised. That's an entire area I've just mentioned in passing in this conversation. You seemed very concerned about blood sugar, probably due to its potential to cause diabetes. Here is an article which states the relationship between eating meat, even relatively small amounts of meat, and diabetes. You clearly have gathered the information that you need to justify your diet, however, you need to open your eyes to all the facts. Do you by chance work for the meat industry? That would explain your very heavy bias... I know the Lustig piece very well as I am a toxicologist. Fructose is unhealthy because it is in EVERYTHING processed, especially soda drinks. He points out that eating fruit is OK because of the fiber which is contained in the fruit, thus eat the whole fruit, do not drink fruit juices. However, one should balance fruit consumption with vegetable consumption so that one is not overeating sugars and neglecting the phytochemicals contained in vegetables. I noticed that you passed right over the fact that meat contains large concentrations of dioxin which suppresses T-cell function. Apparently you have no answer for that one.... How about Mad Cow disease? If I were eating meat and lived in the US, I would be very concerned about the impact of prions (the protein that causes mad cow disease) on brain function. In the US, we only test about 0.1% of the cows for Mad Cow disease - we have no idea whether we are being exposed to prions or not. Pasture-fed may reduce your exposure to dioxin compared to an animal which is fed rendered feed, you are still being exposed to large quantities (large, not because of the dose, but because of your exposure relative to the health effects) of dioxin. When dioxin is formed by combusion, it lands on everything, including plants. When we eat plants, we are exposed to the dioxin which has contaminated the plant. However, when we eat meat, we are exposed to all the dioxin that the cow or other animal ingested over its entire life. Dioxin levels are about an order of magnitude higher in meat than in plant food, hence the reason why in meat-eaters the body burden of dioxin exceeds the levels that cause health effects in humans. By consuming a lot of meat, you are making your body a toxic waste dump. You run the postpeakliving web site and you are arguing for a meat-based diet? This makes no sense since meat consumes more energy to produce compare to plants, and takes up a lot more land. Of course, land will be more scarce as the decline in fossil fuels will be offset by renewable fuels which will compete with the same land. Unless if your are wealthy, most people will be priced out of a meat-based diet. Why are you advocating for something which is in direct contradiction to the future??? This seems like backward thinking. Let's try not to boil everyone's argument down to stereotypes, eh? (Even the English seem to have gotten beyond boiling EVERYTHING they eat.. there IS a little hope! Oops, another stereotype!! Shanda!) Meat plays an important role, I would argue, and apparently so does AA. Pasture-raised animals certainly ARE vulnerable to pollution, but they also can be very Low-Energy food supplies, that are in permanent fresh storage as long as they are alive and healthy.. and they can help you to restore a healthy grassland that works with a complementary range of animals and plants. Where Dioxin is the problem, let's make sure we're keeping our sights aimed at the source at least as much as the vectors. That stuff is in all of us now. Sorry.. that's a bizarre set of correlations, as it pointed towards the parallel stereotypes, that Red Meat Eaters were more likely to smoke, be sedentary and make poor dietary choices. You REALLY have ask which of these are the subset of one of the others? The Closing line about French Fries was the clincher. If this is all predicated on the assumption of 'Red Meat' being Bacon and Burgers.. then are we also to assume they are eating Rolls, Bread and Bagels with these foods pretty much to a meal? How about Orange Juice, Syrup, Jelly and Cake? There is another finding lately tying Phthalates with elder-onset diabetes, which could be very easily incriminating the wrappings, plastic plates, Containers food is nuked in.. all these things being simply Ubiquitous in the American Food Pallette today. The fats in meat are going to be great carriers of many of the toxins that we've poured out over our landscape, no less than the fats in our own bodies have been soaking up these poisons, and the fats in fish, and in all other oils. BUT, if you can keep your body and your Cow's body well-nourished and operating optimally, then our filtering and immune systems at least have the chance to clean out the junk as much as possible. One of the greatest harms of all the JUNK food is the shortcuts in the ingredients, packaging, preserving and processing that help these foods challenge our bodies' basic functioning even further, so we and our feed animals and plants all are increasingly immune-deficient. As far as BSE, this points to the need to get out of not only the industrial Big Beef Supplies, but also as many of the other Industrial Big Food systems as well. I have far less to be worried about with the Grass-fed Local meats we buy up here, and these farmers can't hide behind a conglomerate if they sell poor product to us. It's those big faceless cross-country deals that are making us so sick and them so rich. So I have also done a reasonably large amount of digging into both the paleo diet and low-carb diets, and my conclusions are not quite the same as yours. First, these diets are not the same. The data you use to justify the paleo diet has more to do with justifying a low carb diet. For instance, here are some differences: Some key differences between low-carb and paleo: - most nuts are fantastic, high protein, low carb (chesnuts are not low carb though, for instance of a counterexample) - some vegetables are fantastic, low carb, high nutritional value, plenty of fiber - low-carb (specifically low-GI) grains are not that bad - many fruits are awful due to water soluble simple sugars (apples, oranges, peaches, etc) Really, the low-carb argument is that it all boils down to glycemic index, and our ancient diet is irrelevant. The paleo diet has more to do with the extent of food processing. Thus, the low-carb argument allows for a vegan diet that is perfectly healthy. For instance, a diet primarily fed by: But if you look at what Paleo has to say about it, quinoa, eggs, cheese, and domesticated nuts would all be eliminated. Why? They don't seem to have an answer that is not purely anthropological (instead of nutritional). In my experience, the paleo community very much considers itself low-carb PLUS it is committed to "just eating real food." The difference — again, in my experience with the people I track and here in San Francisco — is that when someone uses the word paleo, they are implicitly also indicating low carb. The big discussion right now is about so-called "safe starches." These would raise carbohydrate intake somewhat but generally even that would rarely bring someone to the level of carbs many people eat regularly (300g and up — and sometimes almost all calories consumed in a day). Here again is Mark Sisson's graph. He very much advocates paleo/primal eating and within the following carb intake guidelines. He is pretty representative of, again, the people who I track. But the world is a big place and there are definitely people who draw the distinction you are pointing to. And here is Mark's food pyramid: As for dairy and lentils and so on, the science behind them is very much discussed. In the case of diary the protein casein is often not tolerated well, lactose isn't tolerated by many people and milk and yogurts (but not pure cream) have lots of carbs making insulin control difficult. It's definitely a grey area. I like occasional cheese and cream in my coffee but other people don't have any dairy at all. As for lentils, being a legume, they may not spike insulin quickly but they still contribute to the overall throughput of sugar going through the body. I am going to jump in at the top of the thread for what at this late date it will be worth. We have forgotten more food that we used to eat than we know about, Today's diet is literally the one that is limited not the diets of the past. Millets are not even mentioned in most of the talk about grains given below/above. They are a dry country crop, mostly in africa and though they aren't as high in protien as wheat, they grow where wheat does not, and produce a lot of seed, but aren't limited to just being eaten, as they also are used in alcoholic drinks. On my blog findable by hunting for "BioWebscape Designs" on your search engines, I just today/yesterday made a post mentioning the fact that humans today don't eat nearly the numbers of edibles that were available to people 200 years ago in other parts of the world. Something of a food desert appears in our food chain these days and we think it is full of food, when really it is not. When we only eat maybe 12 different varities of potato, and there are over 3,000 that were cultivated in the Andes before the europeans got there. ( it was the example I had handy and know the most about, information was gotten out of an old article in a National Geographic. ) We fool ourselves all the time this way, and it seems this way in the posts on this thread that we are only looking at the limited things that we wee today on the grocery store shelf or even in the better farmer's markets, which get into truck farming and old world and old school foods that the people farming want to grow to sell to like minded taste buds. We don't eat a lot of foods mainly because they don't fit well into our industrial food plans, they have to be eaten within days of being picked or stored in ways that we have mostly forgotten or never even knew about. I am also a Chef, I really love to try new foods and cook things without knowing what I have till I try it. I make my own recipes up and though I have 20 to 50 cookbooks in my library I don't follow them, I like the cooking information more than the recipes, oh and don't forget the pictures, always cool things that never much look like that when you make them at home, unless you try really hard, or luck out with a slice of slight of hand, a good sharp knife helps with that one. I have been looking into the things that I can grow on my own 1/6th of an acre things that aren't normally thought of for my region, but that would make my little hunk of land very productive, and I plan to only use the water from the sky as a method of doing that, so that if the years ahead get harsher than they were in the past I have something to gain by knowing how to use only the sky water and not the tap water that some people would be using if they were trying the same thing. I will admit that last year we ran out of sky water even though I had stored about 350 gallons of it while it was raining good, but 3 months with out much rain did a big hit on the stored water bit and my dad started using tap water. Best laid plans that fail only mean you need to plan better next time and take into account the extremes we will see in the future. Not all my goals can be done in one year or in 5, as I don't have total control over the land. I'd want to put in several water features and have chickens and other critters that even though some of the laws around here allow chickens the water features might have set backs on. But I can tell you just from the experience of growing food on this land for over 30 years off and on, the 1/6th an acre can give me all the food I can eat, so 1/6th of an acre in the center of arkansas in a small city without using tap water, ( I only collect water off one side of a big shed, and about 20 feet of the house, I could if I had the storage have all the water I would ever need here, just don't have the storage yet. ) be just fine. Seed saving and trading and plants that span as many food needs as possible, stretch our possibilites further than the grocery stores or industrial food production lead you to believe. Others have done it, and if I can and hone my ideas into a better plan and action, then the world of energy wasteful food production can be changed and we don't have to live the lifes we seem to have gotten ourselves into these days. There will still be trade even if everything comes in by sailing ships and draft animals, even if some of them ride bikes and call themselves local traders/farmers/tinkers. The farmer of today is hooked on a losing battle in the monoculture his bankers and industrial world seems to tell him is the only way to go about growing food and that is just plain wrong, and though it will be a hard road to get from where we are to where we could be, standing here looking at gloom and doom and sighing just won't get you and those that come after you to a better part of the world. It will not be easy and even though I can see the end result and know that it can be done, likely several billion people will be in for a big let down as our systems as we know them slowly fail all around us. Only people that can see the future with bright eyes will want to hang on for the ride I guess. Though you are all welcome to join along the way and see if things can be better than they could be if we continue things as usual. Charles, Biowebscape Designs, a way to live better today, looking into the future. Your chart which shows no apparent association between cholesterol levels and heart disease is only a population based statistics. I find it hilarious that you chastise the China Study which used very sound observational studies to show the link between eating meat and developing cancer, yet you poo poo the relationship between cholesterol and heart disease based on a chart based on population data. I think that this qualifies you as a hypocrit - again a very strong bias.... Here is an outstanding study (10 year progressive observational study), which shows very high odds ratio between higher blood cholesterol levels and increased mortality from heart disease. In the very outstanding Framingham study (which followed the town of Framingham, MA for many, many years), no person with a blood cholesterol level above 140 was ever attributed to having died from a heart attack. But what causes heart disease is not choleserol consumption, but oxidized cholesterol (see Russian lab study using rabbits back in the early 70s). Thus, if you WERE to consume meat, then ONLY consume it in very small quantities and consume meat which is the least processed and therefore the least exposed to air (such as ground beef, or egg noodles), and prepared at the lowest temperatures (stews of whole beef is a LOT better than BBQ, pan frying, jerky...). Observational studies can do one thing reasonably well: they can disprove hypotheses. That's because if I want to test the proposition "all sheep are white" all I need to do is find a black sheep and I've done my job disproving the assertion. But I can enumerate every sheep on the planet (or think I did) and still not prove that all sheep are white because there is still a chance I just haven't found the black sheep. Similarly, there is no way with observational studies to prove causation. But they can disprove causation, in this case the hypothesis that cholesterol causes heart disease. Hell, that graph demonstrates that there is not even a correlation between cholesterol and heart disease. The internet is full of explanations of how we got to this place but it all started with Taube's excellent scientific sleuthing in Good Calories, Bad Calories. I suggest that you read it. Or don't. You can keep chasing the non-existent fat-cholesteral-CHD hypothesis if you'd like but other people are seeing the evidence that I've presented and are moving on. As for the China Study, it's a royal mess. For one thing, Campbell's meat correlation disappears once you take out the data for Tuoli County. They did not eat regularly like he observed; they were trying to impress him so they increased their meat consumption. The links I've provided show plenty of other errors he made. Last, the randomized controlled studies, including the 27 studies and 10,000 people that the Cochrane Collaboration used for their highly rigorous meta study, show no absolutely no correlation between meat eating and CHD or mortality. Neither did the other two metastudies. And the Surgeon General's office gave up after taking 11 years and spending hundreds of millions of dollars. You may not be convinced that there's nothing there, but I and many others are ready to learn what's actually happening (I've posted the link several times) that causes heart disease. It's not meat. It's not saturated fat. I think the person who gets it right in most respects is Dr. Rosedale in that he recognizes the basic science best: But at this level now you're talking about "who is righter" among a group who is saying that carbohydrates are the cause of the problems we are seeing, not fat. Every one of them will tell you that a low carbohydrate diet is healthiest and that if you replace the carbs with (saturated and monounsaturated) fat, you will lose weight and improve all your health markers. And within the fats discussion is also the question of the effects of Rancidification in otherwise 'approved' cooking oils. In my house, we have been eating more things with butter and (local, healthy) bacon fat, lard, whole milk, cheeses, etc.. and also use good olive oil, but we don't keep any of the heat-processed seed oils in our kitchen any more, or very very few, because of the likelihood of oxidation and the cell-damage and systemic inflammation it causes. (My LDL and overall Chol. numbers are consistent, and not rising after 3 to 4 years of this type of diet. TotChol./HDL Ratio 4.9, for those who think that is a significant number.. I don't. ) Sorry for no link, but I have seen reports of Autopsies looking at MI (Heart Attack) corpses, and the fat content in the blocked arteries was NOT from saturated animal fats, but from rancidified vegetable oils, AMMENDED by the body's cholesterol, which works I believe as a Healing, Scabbing and Tissue growth agent in compromised Tissues. (Aangel, I looked at the Lipoprotien article you linked.. adding it to my spotty biochemical knowledgebase, thanks.) Make sure the next blood panel you get measures the LDL particle pattern. See Gary Taube's panel for how that will look. If you have lots of small, dense LDL particles, the damage caused by inflammation (from carbs) will "trap" the small particles while the large buoyant ones will float by. The result is a buildup of plaque. Yes, these particles contain cholesterol which is why researchers went down the "cholesterol causes heart disease" path for so long. But the cholesterol "is at the scene of the crime" but it's not the criminal. It's the small, dense LDL particles that are committing the crime. Protein and natural fats do not cause inflammation, or at least much, much less of it. It's interesting that his biggest quibble is Lustig saying that ethanol is a carbohydrate. Should this taint his message? I've been doing some reading in Rosedale's book, and got to the part where he discusses polyunsaturated fats: The downside of all polyunsaturated fats is that they are unstable, that is, the are easily oxidized, which can promote the formation of potentially toxic chemicals called free radicals. ... If you eat a diet high in polyunsaturated fat, you may end up loading your body with free radicals To a chemist, this would be rather surprising. A free radical, one of the most reactive beasts around, is somehow going to survive long enough to make it into your mouth, across your tongue, through your stomach, into your intestine, deesterified, transported, resterified, making it to your cells. Sorry. The instability problem of polyunsaturates is rather one of taste: oxidation of the double bond (with a possible transitory formation of free radicals) can lead to the formation of aldehydes with unpleasant odor and taste. Beyond that, one should take note that -- although you have elsewhere said: And the fat we store is SATURATED FAT. that actually your body stores energy as more than 55% UNSATURATED FAT (excluding the glycogen) with a fair amount of polyunsaturates as well. Do seed oils have more of the latter? Sure. Is that a problem? I don't know, but it is probably not going to be as simple as matching the composition of fatty acids in your diet with that in your body. And if that were the case, you probably wouldn't want to cook with lard or tallow, as those are rather enhanced in the saturates relative to your waist. I'm all for tossing out the CW on fat vs. carbs, and I'll probably cut way back on sugar and carbs overall because of this discussion, but it's best to remain a skeptic and keep learning. ...What's wrong with vegetable oils? The main problem is that polyunsaturated oils contain long-chain fatty acids, which are extremely fragile and unstable. "The unsaturated oils in some cooked foods become rancid in just a few hours even when refrigerated," says Peat, "and that's responsible for the stale taste of leftover foods. Eating slightly stale food with polyunsaturated oils isn't more harmful than eating the same oils when fresh, since the oils will oxidize at a much higher rate once they are in the body. As soon as a polyunsaturated vegetable oil enters the body, it is exposed to temperatures high enough to cause its toxic decomposition, especially when combined with a continuous supply of oxygen and catalysts such as iron." Even if you stop eating them, polyunsaturated fatty acids remain stored in tissue, only to be released during times of stress or fasting—including the middle of the night, when one is asleep. Although PUFAs damage every part of the body, the endocrine system, especially the thyroid, is particularly vulnerable. A slow metabolism, low energy, and sluggish thyroid often accompany the consumption of vegetable oils. .." (This Author cites source as "Ray Peat, Ph.D., a physiologist who has studied hormones and dietary fats since 1968" ) "While the nutritional content of cooking oils is usually considered, the rancidity of oils is actually of greater importance. Whenever an oil is heated, it undergoes a partial or complete chemical breakdown, which leads to it becoming somewhat rancid. This heat-induced process transforms formerly healthy oils into dangerous oils, which are most often carcinogens. This happens regardless of their original nutrient content. Each oil has a smoke point, which is the point at which the nutritional content of an oil begins to rapidly degrade. The smoke point is when oils become undisputedly harmful, and when they begin emitting smoke (which is more toxic). Every time an oil is reused, its smoke point temperature is lowered, which is one of the reasons why eating at restaurants should be discouraged. Canola oil is the worst choice, because it becomes toxic long before it reaches its smoke point. This is information that has been somewhat obscured from public view, so we are outraged about the situation with canola, and its wide scale promotion by Whole Food's Market. It is also worth noting that Whole Food's Market promotes hormone-destroying soy as well. The high rates of lung cancer in China are due in large part to the use of canola oil and rapeseed oil, despite a low cigarette smoking rate. If you plan on cooking with canola oil and breathing its fumes, then it would be healthier to smoke several cigars instead. 'Vegetable oil' once referred to corn oil, but now it usually refers to soybean or canola oil; so beware when you see "vegetable oil" on a label. Those blurbs are packed with so much misinformation, it just boggles the mind. The high rates of lung cancer in China are due in large part to the use of canola oil and rapeseed oil, despite a low cigarette smoking rate. The writer has obviously never eaten in or been to China. Or had a coherent thought. If you look at what various oils and fats are made of, you will find that they are all remarkably similar (C16 or C18 with 0-3 double bonds). More than half of the fatty acids in oils/fats have one double bond (monounsaturated). And ones with 2 and 3 are required in your diet. The differences between various fats and oils are of relative proportion. There is no "smoking gun" in vegetable oils which you can point to and say "aha, this one will kill you". Don't rely on "The Scream Online" or "Healthwyze" for food chemistry enlightenment or nutritional guidance. And if that were the case, you probably wouldn't want to cook with lard or tallow, as those are rather enhanced in the saturates relative to your waist. Again, that's the current "anti-fat" paradigm talking with no scientific evidence to back it up. Lard and tallow are perfectly fine for human consumption and are in fact best for human consumption if you want to reduce your fat around the waist: Generally, it's not the fat per se that allows you to lose around the waist. It's simply that when you eat a healthy diet high in healthy fats you will lose weight. Since the body preferentially stores fat around the abdomen (particularly for males), that's also the first place for it to go. (Note: I do not endorse the site that hosts the above article. The Mercola site is not responding and the above site has a copy of the article I wanted.) Keep inquiring with skepticism; I'm confident that the more research you perform the more you will see that the conventional wisdom (low fat, high carb and vegetable oils instead of animal fat) is exactly backwards. Stop pointing to various writings on the web and calling it "evidence". Start looking for actual scientists who are publishing real research. Agreed, it is time consuming. But those insisting upon building up a new paradigm based on what they assume the paleo diet was need to build more than just a tidy story. Metabolism is a hugely complex mess of competing interactions involving nutrients and enzymes. My "tallow and lard" point was only that you can't justify eating it based on the mistaken assumption that our bodies store energy as primarily saturated fat - because it isn't true. I am not arguing in favor of the low-fat high-carb paradigm. I'm not arguing that saturated fat is bad, or that high carb is good. Your paradigm seems to be "all carbs are the same (bad), whereas there are good fats (animal) and bad fats (vegetable).I'm just suggesting that you check into what the various fats and oils are actually comprised of. Tell me which fatty acids are good and which are bad, and point to actual data which backs that up. This is interesting: Fat build-up is determined by the balance between lipogenesis and lipolysis/fatty acid oxidation. In the past few years, our understanding of the nutritional, hormonal and particularly transcriptional regulation of lipogenesis has expanded greatly. Lipogenesis is stimulated by a high carbohydrate diet, whereas it is inhibited by polyunsaturated fatty acids and by fasting. These effects are partly mediated by hormones, which inhibit (growth hormone, leptin) or stimulate (insulin) lipogenesis. Low fat high carb is probably wrong, but that doesn't justify swinging to a new extreme. If I don't have the papers handy, I'm not necessarily going to go searching for you, I've spent already enough time on this post. Those "writings" aren't evidence but they do a credible job of introducing the basic ideas and give a decent balance of detail...now it's up to you to go deeper as you like to learn what I've learned when reading the papers. Good work, Tom - the numbers seem reasonable, with the obvious +/- ranges as qualifiers. One wonders what the energy cost of grass-fed beef/lamb watered with windmills (or streams) is compared to grain fed beef where water is drawn from a deep aquifer. Ditto on the energy required to grow garden vegetables fertilized from a composting toilet. And pastured pork and chicken, especially when insect lures are used to draw insects into the chicken enclosure (I employ both Japanese Beetle and Stink bug traps in my chicken tractor). Some pastured pork farmers fatten their hogs on acorns in the fall, though I realize that is not applicable everywhere. Had been growing our own small grains here, but that's too attractive to deer and mice in this Lyme infested area. I didn't see tree nuts on the list. We have Chestnuts, Filberts, English Walnuts, Northern Pecans, and Heartnuts. I mulch them with 'fertilizer' and straw from the barn where our grass-fed sheep sleep. Ditto on the energy required to grow garden vegetables fertilized from a composting toilet. Yes, I was surprised to see how energy-intensive tomatoes were. I'd like to see a break-down of the components contributing to the 0.6 factor, compared to other vegetables. My immediate thought on seeing the Energy In/Energy Out table was that it was a brilliant argument for home-grown tomatoes. Although, from my experience, you get a lot fewer pests when you grow a bit of everything. Our sheep follow-up as we seem to be set up much the same, just on the other coast. A cougar took most of our Katahdin brood stock. Cougar shot but they are proliferating in our area. I have concluded that chicken meat and layer production is a far easier source of protein with our salmon (eaten twice per week). I am reevaluating the sheep and lamb option due to predators (we have wolves, too). Might try the grass fed beef option, but unless you have a herd, you can get pretty attached to livestock singles. Looking at local grain to augment huge potato crop + veggies, but would cut off an arm before we quit eating home made bread. Sounds like you may need a couple of LGDs. Anatolian Shephards work well in pairs, with one investigating while the other stays with the flock/herd. Coyotes in these parts will split up, with one group drawing off a single Maremma/GreatPyrenees/etc while the other group sneaks around to make a kill. A cougar is larger and deadlier, but Anatolians have been used to keep them away. Komondor are large and fierce with a heavy coat that acts protects from bites and claw swipes. The white coat allows the dog to mingle unnoticed among the sheep while allowing the shepherd to see him at night (so as not to shoot it during a fight, if the shepherd is around). I didn't see tree nuts on the list. We have Chestnuts, Filberts, English Walnuts, Northern Pecans, and Heartnuts. Sounds like you grow all the same nut trees I do. In my woods I also have some hickories and black walnuts that produce some very good nuts, although the squirrels get most of the nuts on my best shellbark tree. Don't forget acorns. I have some white and bur oak trees that produce some really sweet ones and require minimal leaching. As to the sheep, what type do you raise? I've been looking into hair sheep to raise for meat. We are going with Finnsheep, as they are easy to keep (small, docile, and friendly), prolific (triplets, quads, quints), have much better than average wool, and deliver a lean, delicious carcass. Plus, they are gaining popularity, and breeders are getting top dollar. I am curious about sweet acorns. Sweet acorns are rare, don't come true from seed, and take decades before bearing fruit. I am interested in cultivating/domesticating sweet acorns but I've never actually met anyone who knew where one grew. I would like to know if you can graft an acorn to produce sweet acorns like you can graft an apple to produce Granny Smiths. Could I prevail upon you, oh wise and hansom internet stranger, to graft a sweet acorn branch onto another tree and see what results? If you do would you please send me an email it's my username at yahoo dot com. I was very lucky to have some sweet acorn oaks on my property when I bought it. I also have been planting hybrid oaks that are producers of good sweetb acorn harvests and produce quite fast for an oak. Oikos tree crops, ,is one of the best sites for for "sweet" acorn oak varieties, and they do sell scion wood for grafting. Northern nut growers association also lists various nurseries such as Rhoras, , which carry "sweet" acorn producing oaks. It's an interesting discussion, in that, the vast majority of humans that ever lived didn't have much choice in what they ate. That the Inuit lived for thousands of years eating mostly fish and seal blubber has little to do with equatorial tribes who ate fish, breadfruit and papaya. Humans have always eaten what was available. I expect that that's where we're headed. This discussion is an artifact of an age of choice; likely a blip on our timeline. As most of our ancestors did, we'll be more focused on obtaining the most calories while expending the least. EROEI applys over time, even to human nutrition. 1. steer people into diets that avoid the diseases of civilization. These appear to be the traditional diets high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. If you are doing a lot of manual labor, like all the Chinese were a few decades ago, rice will get burned up quickly and should not cause long-term problems. But if your day isn't hard labor, most people will find their health deteriorate the more carbs they eat, especially simple and "complex" carbohydrates. Very complex carbs are better. 2. peopleThe last 2.6 million years we have evolved to eat nutrient dense meat with a few tubers and occasional fruit when it was in season. Deviations from this diet should be viewed suspiciously. Generally, eat 0.7 grams of protein per kg of lean weight (muscle weight; calculate here: Any more than that can't be used and will be converted to glucose. Protein is the only one of the three macronutrients that the body can't easily store between meals. So split up your protein evenly through the day. Eat more protein if working hard or building muscle via resistance training. Then eat 150 grams or less of carbohydrates, more on days you are intensely exercising. Some people need to restrict to 100g not to gain weight. 50g or less will start ketoadapting your body even more quickly, but even 150g of carbs will begin to reform metabolic pathways to turn you into a fat burner instead of a sugar burner. Of course, if you want to lose weight, you want to become a fat burner. The rest fill up with fat. Cook with butter, coconut oil, ghee and olive oil but avoid trans fats and industrial oils. I save my bacon fat and use it to cook up subsequent meals (just like my grandmother used to do). The majority of people will find the markers for their health will all improve when they leave the conventional diet that recommends 55% carbohydrates and supposedly "hearth healthy grains" (they are the exact opposite). The key is not to worry about the fat. Here is what the Cochrane Collaboration metastudy, the platinum standard for metastudies, found. After analyzing the 27 studies that met their stringent criteria (they accept only really well designed studies): no significant effect on total mortality or cardiovascular mortality was found between the intervention and control groups. (emphasis added) From 1988 to 1999, after 11 years and hundreds of millions of dollars, the U.S. Surgeon General's office gave up looking for evidence that saturated fat caused heart disease. Here is a good way to look at it: Many, many conventional dietitians would strongly disagree with the above graph but I think the science supports it. They will tell you to eat six times a day, which is necessary as a sugar burner because glucose is burned preferentially by the body...but then you crash. Much better to be a fat burner. I sometimes have to remind myself to eat lunch because my morning breakfast allows me to work so long before hunger appears. That's the upper bound for carbs, in my opinion, and they should all be nutrient-dense vegetables. Personally, I'm at 75% fat by calories but people need to understand the science and make their own choices. You will not get certain nutrients from the wheat, but meat more than makes up for them. I basically agree but would make one small correction: The key is not to worry about natural forms of fat. Trans-fats (hydrogentated fats) are a different matter entirely. Those do not easily metabolize and are as unhealthy (or worse) for you than sugar. I went to a couple of lectures by Gary Null and followed him on television when he was on PBS, who arguably is the most scientifically educated nutritionist of our time. He compiled the results of over 11,000 peer review studies which links nutrition/supplements and health. Early on when he was doing this work, he compiled summaries of the peer review studies that he had reviewed into a summary book entitled "The Clinicians Handbook to Natural Healing." Based on what he learned he regularly counseled people on their diets, and he conducted antiaging studies. One of the studies which he conducted put balding people on raw food, vegan diets and monitored the regrowth of new hair, and published the results. The diets that people left behind to regrow their hair include the type of diet that you are advocating. Perhaps anticdotal, but when he was being aired on NPR to raise money for NPR by selling his books, there were many testimonials by people who reported remarkable improvements in health by adopting vegan diets rich in fruits and vegetables. During one of his lectures, he reported that when he told people that he needs to cut his hair every week (because it was growing about 1/4 inch per day), people were sceptical. So he cut all his hair off and about two months later, his hair had regrown to the point that his hair was almost down to his shoulders. Gary consumes a very rich diet in fruits and vegetables - he reported that he consumes the equivalent of 130 pounds per day of raw fruits and vegetables, their fresh juices and powders from fresh juices. The reason why his hair grows back so quickly is that he is consuming a tremendous amount of nutrition, which includes phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals - not empty calories. Your diet rich in fats is comprised of empty calories. Fats contain a lot of calories, but not much else. Yes we need a small amount of essential fatty acids every day, but after that, we should concentrate on nutrient-dense foods, which are fruits and vegetables, and especially sprouts of vegetables and grains - the superfoods. Sorry, your diet does not cut it. I agree with everything that you said about avoiding refined carbohydrates. But where you fail is lumping the healthiest of foods, complex carbohydrates in with them. What you are advocating for is trading one unhealthy diet with another (meat and fat diet, with only a small amount of vegetables). What people need to be doing is consuming a lot more fruits and vegetables and sprouted vegetables and grains. This is certainly my experience. I have a friend who eats a meat based diet. His remarks about me is that I am the only person he knows who has a proceeding hairline. Of course, my hair is not "proceeding," but probably all the males he knows in his age group have receeding hairlines. He also comments that I don't have any grey hair. Of course I do, but many people in our age group are mostly grey, while I am mostly nongrey. Gary Null is an extreme example. He was in his 60s, and he had only a few grey hairs (he does not dye his hair). He eats such a healthy diet, that his aging process is progressing a lot, lot slower than the average American. I don't think that it is as simple as you present it, there is countless study to show that saturated fats are unhealthy. 1st of all, this story of paleo-diet is a joke, what do we know about the diet our ancestors from the ice age? as said above, the meat they were eating was extremely lean, because wild animals are not fat. 2nd it is absolutely wrong that hunter gatherers were not eating carbs or grains, they were eating roots, tubercles, fruits, sweet grass en grains that you can find in mother nature, and probably more than meat because meat is not that easy to get. What was the life expectancy of a gatherer hunter ? 30 years at best so all of the diseases associated with bad diet habit didn't have the time to develop anyway. So stating that gatherer hunters had the perfect diet is just not true. Last but not least all carbs are not equal, fast carbs like fructose or sucrose are bad but slowly digested carbs like brown rice or hard wheat don't produce overshoot of sugar in our blood. The problem of our life time is not carbs, it is the excess of empty calories from processed food compounded with lack of exercise including carbs and particularly fast sugar but also saturated fats. Also if you do a bit of research you will find that the body cannot burn efficiently fat tissues without carb. I am cyclist you know and if I burn all my glucose, my ability to produce effort drops considerably if I run on fat only, when you run on fat only you can only produce 60% of the power that you can develop when you run on carbs and fat. All the fuss about the Atkin diet went away by itself because it was not supported by facts. As for vegan, in the Indian subcontinent half a billion people are vegan, and the life expectancy is comparable to life expectancy of more developed country so your argument doesn't hold much water. I don't think there is any health benefit in removing all meat from your diet but I don't think there is any problem in doing it contrary to what you assert. I don't think that it is as simple as you present it, there is countless study to show that saturated fats are unhealthy. There are countless observational studies that link saturated fat to CHD. However, clinical studies uniformly see low carb diets as the best performing. (See the Stanford study, above.) As for saturated fats being unhealthy, then why did the Cochrane Collaboration meta study (that looked only at clinical studies) I mentioned above find no link at all after examining 27 experiments? Observational studies are just data gathering. They are good for generating a hypothesis. Then one needs to perform an experiment; that's a randomized clinical study. Your meat study is a perfect example. IIRC, they divided the data into quintiles according to the amount of meat eaten. The second through fourth quintile actually showed that eating meat improved every health marker. Then the last quintile showed the opposite. But who was also in the in the last quintile? Smokers, people who exercised irregularly and people with high stress. The ones who ate the least meat already thought it was bad and also tended to be "health conscious people" who didn't smoke, exercised and went to the doctor sooner when faced with an illness. That's why these studies are barely worth the paper they are printed on. They aren't randomized. The researchers say that they can tease out causes by applying corrections but the reality is that observational studies contain no causal information — at all. Heck, they can't even organize the data properly. If a person eats anything with meat on it, including pizza, they classify that meal as meat. The ones who ate the least meat already thought it was bad and also tended to be "health conscious people" who didn't smoke, exercised and went to the doctor sooner when faced with an illness. ? And the basis of you claim for this is ... ? You guessed? And on observational vs. clinical studies, gathering empirical data about dietary habits and their results are hardly "are barely worth the paper they are printed on". You seem to be mimicking these pro-meat/fat bloggers. The Denise Minger you referred to has no background in health besides "I typically spend about seven hours a day reading and writing about nutrition". So your request for clinical studies seems to be a ruse to cover up for the very low amount of real medical expertise in this fad. True clinical studies are extremely expensive when trying to assess.actual long term health impacts from radical dietary changes. Let me when your people have actually acquired anything near what Dr. Agatston has acquired directly. According to Dr. Lindeberg, "This means that the scientific foundation of todays low fat dietary advice has fallen. The reasons today are mainly political and economical, combined with old-fashioned prestige and inertia." Weight loss Here are some randomized controlled trials (RCT) that demonstrate significantly more weight loss on low-carb diets: No, the healthy participant bias is a big problem for all these studies. You're not familiar with it? The researchers try to correct for it but that's impossible. You are making assumptions and providing your own anecdotal guess, especially where the data interferes with your hypothesis. I have no idea who Dr. Agatston is A cardiologist who ran clinical studies with a dietician on his heart patients for decades. He wrote the book "The South Beach Diet". I have no doubt that low carb diets can have people lose weight - I was on one myself and understand the basics. What I don't follow is that a high saturated fat diet is healthy in the long run. And the long list of studies you have presented did not touch on that subject from a clinical perspective. You are making assumptions and providing your own anecdotal guess, especially where the data interferes with your hypothesis. No, this is a well understood feature of these sorts of studies. Just because you have never heard of it doesn't make it a figment of my imagination. The healthy user bias is a bias that can damage the validity of epidemiologic studies testing the efficacy of particular therapies or interventions. Specifically, it is a sampling bias: the kind of subjects that voluntarily enroll in a clinical trial and actually follow the experimental regimen are not representative of the general population. They can be expected to on average be healthier as they are concerned for their health and are predisposed to follow medical advice, both factors that would aid one's health. In a sense, being healthy/active about one's health is a precondition for becoming a subject of the study, an effect that can appear under other conditions such as studying particular groups of workers (ie. someone in ill-health is unlikely to have a job as manual laborer). I have no doubt that low carb diets can have people lose weight - I was on one myself and understand the basics. At last, something we agree on! What I don't follow is that a high saturated fat diet is healthy in the long run. And the long list of studies you have presented did not touch on that subject from a clinical perspective. That's correct. The individual RCTs focused on weight loss, but the metastudies demonstrated that there was no evidence — none — that saturated fat increased mortality. It would be great to run a clinical trial for twenty years but no one but God has the money to do that. So we work with the biochemistry, which we now know better than ever, and run RCTs as long as possible Both of those tell us that we made a huge mistake. Much of Sweden seems to be moving to the LCHF (low carbohydrate high fat) diet, with the help of Dr. Stefan Lindeberg, so as they progress we should have long-term data soon. At some point the RCTs get too expensive to run more than a few years. So you study the diets in the short term and put in the effort to understanding the science of why animal fat is perfectly fine for humans. Both have been done. No evidence that animal fat is harmful (just observational studies, which aren't evidence). And people's health improves the most when they start eating them when compared to every other diet. There are no long term RCTs for low fat diets, either. Eating low (animal) fat is a fad diet that started forty years ago and is starting to wane because this high carb, low fat diet is killing us. If you want to find people who are healthy eating meat and fat over the long term, just look at virtually any hunter-gatherer that hasn't been introduced to sugar and grains. The Inuit, the Masai of Africa, the indigenous people of North America, etc. As Cordain shows in his work, very few HG societies subsist primarily on plant matter. Account after account by researchers tells us how healthy there were, with extremely rare instances of obesity (the occasional genetic abberation), perfect teeth (no cavities and no need to remove molars) and no instances of dementia. One researcher took Austalian aboriginals back to the bush to eat and live for six months as they used to and their bodies lost the weight they had gained and their general health improved. Here are the accounts of one researcher who did excellent work in this area: Again, you fall back on observational studies, though you deride them as a whole because most don't support your hypothesis. And you seem to separate all diets into , and the paleo diet. In actuality, there are many diets that are low (or at least modest) carb, lean protein, and good fats (i.e, other than saturated). You've avoided discussing these completely, though they are the diets that are the most widely followed now. Considering what is being talked about (what diet will promote health & longevity, compared to what will promote ill health and early death), the stakes are pretty high. Therefore, what we need is a proper radomised controlled trial to settle the argument. That means: 1. It needs to be designed in a way that both the advocates of a low-carb diet and the advocates of a low-fat diet agree will test the comparative merits of their theories; 2. It needs to be independently funded, so that the drug and food companies don't get their dirty hands on it; and 3. It needs to be large enough, and run for long enough, to ensure that the results are beyond doubt. This adds up to the need for public funding - and it could be done through international arrangements, so as to spread the burden of the cost, while simultaneously looking for regional effects. What's wrong with the ones that have already been done that I listed? I haven't checked but I'm sure some if to all meet your requirements. In any case, people will say (like Will did), even after a three year RCT that conclusively shows that the HFLC (high fat, low carb) diet is the optimal diet for humans that "eating that much saturated fat isn't healthy over the long term and it's too dangerous to try." This is despite the numerous cultures that live exactly with this sort of diet (Inuit, Masai, etc.) and the balance of evidence indicates that most HG groups before agriculture lived this way for millions of years. What I'm talking about is something that will shift the entire medical profession except the shills and the cranks. For that, the big guns on both sides of the debate in the medical and dietary fraternity need to have buy-in, and that means getting them in on the ground floor with the trial design and then running it big enough & long enough for the results to be unambiguous. If that means running it for 20 years, then that's what you do - though you'd publish interim data every couple of years along the way. But I think, for myself, I'll chase up a couple of the studies that Aangel listed so I can make up my own mind. No, but given the amount that governments around the world spend on their health budgets, $300m would be peanuts if that's what it took finally to get dietary advice right. You'll never get the cranks to agree (even with each other), but at the moment there is genuine disagreement amongst real scientists. The amount of money that could be saved, and the benefit to human health, from the entire medical profession finally being able to say "OK, we've sorted it out and this is what a healthy diet looks like" would be vastly more than $300m - annually. And, to labour vital point, as essential aspect is that both camps are fully involved in the trial design, so they know in advance that they can have confidence in the result. Oh, and Bill Gates has a few quid up his sleeve for spending on worthy projects. Maybe he can run the ruler over the concept. Hi aangel can you quote where you got your information "The last 2.6 million years we have evolved to eat nutrient dense meat with a few tubers and occasional fruit when it was in season." At least in my part of the world(asia), in the past red and white meat are a luxury for only a few times a year and most of the food are vegetables, brown rice, sweet potato and occasionally some fish. So i am doubtful if your claim is true at least for my part of the world. Moreover, there is a reason why the western lifestyle is not that suitable for vegetarian or vegan because the pasta and pizza and other refined products contain too much sugar and salt which counter any good benefits from switching to vegetarian or vegan. Moreover, exercise is a critical component for a vegetarian to maintain a healthy lifestyle and i highly doubt many of the so called ex-vegans really go to exercise. There are a reason why monks that combine exercise and vegetarian lifestyle can live a long life. Most importantly, in an energy scare society, what i foresee at least for asia is a revert back to the ancient days with more people back to agriculture thus needing more carbo and eating meat only a luxury for the rich. There is simply too many people and too few productive land to support both meat and vegetable/rice/wheat production even with improvement in agricultual yields. There are some people who argue that humans are not naturally meat eaters but I think the evidence is quite clear that we are omnivorous. My understanding is something like: - from 4 to 2.6 million years ago we were frugavores and scavengers - from 2.6 million years until about 100,000 years ago we were hunter gatherers - from 100,000 to now we used fire to cook These numbers are in dispute but are likely not too far off. As for your part of the world, there are many confounding variables to consider. Generally, if a populace performs manual labor, it can get away with eating more rice and tubers — to a point. Then, once wheat flour and refined sugar are introduced, fatness increases dramatically. But in that amount of time or shorter, most Europeans and some others grew to be lactose tolerant into maturity, Tibetans became able to thrive on much smaller amounts of oxygen than their lowland cousins and forebearers, skin pigment of many groups has shifted as they moved further from or closer to the equator, and I'm sure there are many other major and minor genetic adaptations that I don't know about or can't come up with off the top of my head right now (but I invite others to pitch in). I have to assume that we have also made some accommodation to grain eating during that period, also. That doesn't mean, by any stretch, that modern American industrial diet is remotely healthy--it ain't. I have to assume that we have also made some accommodation to grain eating during that period, also. Perhaps but I haven't come across it yet. Our blood sugar has the equivalent of a teaspoon of sugar in the entire volume (about 80 calories) and it must stay within a very narrow range. It's possible that our guts, which currently are being damaged intensively by wheat, have changed in that period but it's hard to see a significant change in how we handle blood sugar. Not impossible, I'd imagine. Cholesterol and his doctor be damned; gotta eat meat. As I touched on above, I expect that an optimum diet varies somewhat with racial and ethnic ancestory. It'll be interesting to see how recently introduced delicacies such as KFC and McDonalds affect the Chinese over time. Hopefully they'll fair better than westerners :-0 The recent green revolution has brought into play many unknowns: How many necessary minerals and micro-nutrients are no longer available in our diets due to overfarming and processing? We've been trying to eat more wild stuff at home, including game (primarily venison and wild pork), I like to even add wild starches, such as cat tail tubers, to recipes; they ain't your daddy's potatoes. Comparing the factory farmed foods of today to what was available to our ancient ancestors likely isn't useful. The wild blackberrys we harvest have a very different flavour than store bought, as does the wild pork we trap (raised on acorns, roots and such). Even the genetics of these foods are likely very different. Studies show that free range eggs, especially from non-commercial breeds, are much higher in beneficial fatty acids, etc., and grass fed meats have been mentioned, above. While whole/multigrain breads are certainly better than Wonderbread, one wonders about the source and genetics of these whole grains, if they even compare to the wild grains of the past, nutritionally. I don't think whole/multigrain bread is better than wonder bread — it seems to be a tradeoff. By including the bran the bread is now packed with anti-nutrients. And it's still a shot of sugar with a glycemic index above 70. The best treatment of grains I've found so far is Primal Body Primal Mind. It discusses the intestinal and cognitive impacts of grain very thoroughly. Got to the part where JHK is talking about cholesterol. He is correct. Cholesterol is not the enemy we have been told it was. Personally, I've decided that the whole cholesterol theory has failed after 40 years of testing on humans. (So did the U.S. Surgeon General, as it happens.) Kendrick treats it best: JHK also notes that human health dramatically decreased when we started eating grains at the advent of agriculture (worse teeth, smaller bone structure). JHK also notes that human health dramatically decreased when we started eating grains at the advent of agriculture (worse teeth, smaller bone structure). However that may have been more to do with "why" we changed to an agricultural lifestyle. Also I wouldn't expect the first agriculture systems to be particularly brilliant. The hunter gatherer diet sounds interesting but i'd say cleaning up your diet in general and cutting out fast food and sugar is going to do far more than any specific diet plan based on evolution. I've seen too many evolution "just so" stories to get too excited. PeopleI completely disagree. Though I am a meat eater and so is my ethnic community there are many around me who are lacto-vegetarians and have been so for thousands of years. Nothing wrong with their health, they suffer no special diseases and have no unusual afflictions. What? Surely you are not seriously suggesting fewer of those brightly lit supermarket aisles with shiny stainless steel and glass vertical freezers, stocked with frozen pizza and ice cream are you?! Next thing you know you will be disparaging the entire concept of economic growth... There have been previous TOD discussions of the 1971 book Diet for a Small Planet by Francis Moore Lappe and her friends' book, Recipes for a Small Planet. Energy requirements for beef, chicken and bean/corn combinations were outlined in 1971. Lappe emphasized complementary proteins but later partially backed away from a somewhat extreme position on essential amino acids. She also had an interesting feud with Garrett Hardin and his followers. She continues to write, speak and garner controversy. A microbrewer commissioned a study ( that found open beer coolers in stores were the largest energy consumers in the whole process, with glass making a close second. That won't change at today's energy prices, but will at much higher prices. I suspect the miles driven by the consumer to buy food or eat out are another large bundle of low-hanging fruit. Add in things like more efficient drying of crops and the factor of two improvement is easy. The comment about eating more carbohydrates is why Americans are now more obese that in 1977 also suffers from correlation does not imply causality. There are many other issues. For one, Americans basically do not exercise! They sit on their butts all day, and complain about walking an extra 100 feet to the entrance of a fast food restaurant, so they sit in cars in the drive-thru. They also eat too many calories for their gross lack of output. The laws of thermodynamic and physics applies to humans too. Eat more calories that you expend and you gain weight in the form of stored fat. East less, you lose weight of stored fat. Somehow everyone seems to forget this fact! Also, look at where all the carbohydrate calories come from; high fructose corn syrup (IE soft drink), which contain no protein, fat or anything else useful. Whereas whole grain breads contain significant fat and protein, and some breads are like 20% protein and 20% fat or more. The problem is not just grains in general; it's what is done with them to produce the final food product. Personally, back in Feb 1992, I was at 175 lbs and well over 20% body fat. I dropped to 138 by Dec 1992, by actually getting off my butt and exercising! And I slowly cut out more and more of the meat, dairy, and other high fat foods. In the next 2 years I gained weight to 148 lbs (muscle mass) but lower my body fat down to 4% training for a mountaineering expedition by doing lots of bicycling, rock climbing, back packing and caving. Now 20 years later following a high carbohydrate diet, mostly plant based, I'm running around 150 to 155 lbs, fit, healthy and I'm bicycling farther than ever before. I figured out last 2 years (thanks to using a hub based power meter on the bicycles) that I'm expending an extra 1000 Kcals a day just for all the bicycling I do. That's certainly overkill for general aerobic fitness, but it's what I enjoy doing. And I've known for decades too that by eating mostly plant based food (and also not wasting it), I use far less fossil fuel input for my food than an average American. Ultimately with the inevitable decline in fossil fuels, we will not be able to argue about whether diets high in plant based food is healthy or not, we simply will be forced to eat more and more of it, because otherwise we will stave! Willie Hunt PS The OP should have included the wasted food in the calculation of reduction from the 10:1 ratio. Cutting all the waste yields a 46% reduction in fossil fuel input. Obviously not obtainable, but we could do far better. It's not just the lack of exercise that is making the world fat. I'm glad you were successful with your weight loss with exercise but for most people that doesn't work because they don't change their diet sufficiently. And if they do, exercise has the nasty habit of working up an appetite. I perfectly understand thermodynamics but that's not the only thing going on here. We now have the science of what's happening biochemically. As I said, all carbohydrates, including HFCS, as you point out, will over time mess up the insulin and leptin signaling. In the case of leptin, which is secreted by fat and some other organs (but primarily by fat), when the brain no longer gets the signal that the body has enough fat, it maintains an appetite and the person eats too much. That extra energy goes into fat and and we become obese. We have to put that extra energy somewhere. We have nowhere to put it except in fat. The liver can store only about 100g of glycogen ( The muscles generally won't take any unless they have recently exercised and thus become glycogen depleted. But they store about 400g or 1600 calories when full. The blood carries another 80 calories (not much, we must maintain a very tight blood sugar level). Watch the Stanford video then do your own research. Low carbohydrate diets are much healthier than other diets (and I don't mean diet just in the sense of a temporary phase to lose weight). And if you are overweight, you will lose weight using calorie restriction or some other diets but they aren't, in my view, sustainable long term. When we eat what we are designed to eat (meat and fat with occasional carbs), our weight stays even without effort (assuming you haven't already damaged your metabolic system beyond the repairable point). I've seen this human powered vs. electric or gasoline powered debate over and over. And every time the authors fail to see that if you exercise much more by bicycle, you will not be eating the same mix of foods that a sedentary person would eat. Thus the 10:1 fossil fuel input to food calorie ratio is not valid for comparison. Ideally you would compare ONLY the additional food and its makeup compared with electric or gasoline power. The basal food is not relevant in using human muscles as heat engines, because humans must eat a certain amount just to survive regardless of work output. I can tell you with all the research and personal experience I have over 2 decades that when you commute 4000 mile a year on a bicycle, you will eat a LOT more carbohydrates, and these will most certainly come from grains. And many of these grains are on the EROEI scale of near or more than unit (meaning that there is more energy in the grains than the fossil fuel input to produce them; oats came in at 5:1, soy 4:1, wheat 2:1). Even if that additional human food input requires about parity in system fossil fuel input, then you can see that a human on a bicycle is amazingly efficient. A typical cyclist moving at 15 to 18 MPH average speeds uses approximate 100 KiloJoule per mile compare with a Prius using 3 MegaJoules per mile. That's a 30 to 1 ratio! And if you use oats at 5:1 EROEI in the human engine, then you have a 150:1 ratio of miles traveled per fossil fuel input Joule compared with a Prius. At car would have to over 6750 miles per gallon to beat that! +1 The only people who pile on after an exercise are people who aren't used to regular workouts. They are like, Oh! I walked 2 km's today so let me eat a double cheese burger to replenish that. The human body is very efficient at movement and once people take to regular workouts they are surprised at how much mileage they can get out of their regular food. I did not say that lack of exercise is the only reason American are fat. However, the lack of exercise causes many other problems which cannot be fixed with diet or drugs. Poor insulin response is a direct result of being badly out of aerobic shape. Humans did not survive 100,000 years by sitting on their butts day in and day out. They were hunter gatherers, and we guess they had to exercise about 2 hours a day just to feed themselves. If they did not exercise, they got real hungry, because the food did not come to them. Instead they had to walk, run, dig, climb to get to fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, etc. Hunting certainly was a challenge without guns. How much work do you think it takes to hunt down game with a spear? Have you ever chased down a chicken in the wild and killed it with your bare hands? Carbohydrates directly do not mess up insulin response. Excess carbohydrate intake and lack of aerobic training is the problem. Even a totally sedentary human needs some carbohydrate intake for optimum muscle and brain function. The brain uses glycogen all the time and actually quite a bit of it. Starved for glycogen the brain cognitive functions are impaired. Muscles use a mix of fats and carbohydrates, with the mix being roughly half fats during light exercise (walking) and too 100% carbohydrates at VO2 max (maximum possible cardio vascular uptake of oxygen ) and above the anaerobic threshold (sprinting). Thus the more and harder you exercise, the more carbohydrate intake you need for performance. For the aerobically fit person, the carbohydrate intake need is substantial. And for the ultra endurance athlete, the carbohydrate intake is mind boggling to us now, because nearly all of us are totally out of shape. BTW, our pre-historic ancestors were all ultra endurance athletes by today's standards. Yet, these people have / had very healthy lives to ripe old ages. Carbohydrates are not the enemy, but they do need to be eaten as needed. There are many, many people who exercise their pettuties off and still gain weight or at least fail to lose it. Carbohydrates are the source of this phenomenon. When they cut out the carbohydrates, their bodies begin to change into fat burners away from being a sugar burner. As long as the body is given sugar to burn, it will preferentially do so. But when reducing dietary sugar the body must up-regulate its fat oxidation mechanisms. In other words, to obtain the energy the body needs, the body start metabolizing it's own fat and that's how we lose fat. An extreme example is the fellow who lost 275 lbs by not eating for a full year: IMHO no lifestyle choice factors are enough to explain the difference between fat suburban America and skinny Europe. I have spent time in both places and I think there must be something happening that we aren't adequately understanding yet. Maybe it's something about the American food supply that is beyond the choices individual people make. Maybe it's epigenetics. Maybe something else. But IMHO it is definitely something. I have seen too much junkfood being consumed in too many areas of Europe where people still have half the body mass of the average midwestern American town. I see too many Americans living totally pedestrian lifestyles in places like NYC who still remain fat. I see Europeans walking more in daily life, but it's not a whole lot more IMHO. (You couldn't take a fat American, add that difference in exercise level, and come back in a few years to find him shaped like the European.) I also see a fair number of Americans exercising HARD year after year and still not getting thin. Go to Europe and you just don't see many people daily exercising for its own sake like you do in the USA. You don't see gyms all over the place. You don't see people out in the public areas jogging & biking almost every day of the year. Etc. Only after spending time outside the USA did I appreciate that for as fat as we are, we are also individually busting our asses a lot harder to fight it than the fat American stereotype reflects. Yeah I know a lot of Americans don't exercise at all, but a lot of them also do too. I have gradually become convinced that for some reason modern-day Americans are not getting the same "return on investment" that Europeans are getting when we attempt to clean up our lifestyles and get thinner. IMHO some other factor is at work. My guess is something in the American food supply. Maybe the fact that it's ridiculously heavy on corn product usage. Furthermore, the extreme level of obesity in the more obese Americans is something hard to explain IMHO. It's way too normal to see Americans weighing 250+ lbs for lifestyle choices to be the only factor. I understand how people can gradually get to that point through years of bad habits, but I am not satisfied that it normally happens so often in the USA and so much more rarely in most other places. (BTW: weight management has never been a major problem for me personally so I don't think that is affecting my perceptions too much. I'm six feet tall, 170 lbs, living in midwestern American suburbia.) Aangel, you don't have a clue. I have studied about diets for over 30 years now. I have both visited and stayed at places which place people on raw food diets (fruits and vegetables, with a preponderance of sprouts) and have heard the stories how these raw foods (vegan) have allowed people to beat cancer and reverse heart disease that they acquired by eating meat-based diets. These places reverse blood sugar anomolies and get people off of insulin within two weeks. I eat almost perhaps 60% of my calories as raw fruits and vegetables (two smoothies per day, one vegetable and one fruit, no dairy), and I eat some cooked rice as well. I very rarely eat refined carbohydrates and I eat fish perhaps once per month, but no red meat, no pork and no chicken. I do not eat any dairy, except very rarely. I am VERY healthy. I do exercise including weightlifting, running and biking. However, when I am injured and cannot exercise, I lose weight, not gain weight. I need to exercise to maintain my muscle mass and my body weight. I do supplement my vegetable and fruit smoothies with a small amount of vegetable protein, but only because I exercise regularly. One can use iridology to find out the health of individuals. Iridology studies the quality of the colored part of the eyes. After I transitioned to a vegan diet, it took a while for my eyes to improve, but they improved immensely. When I started out, the iridologest stated that it looked like someone had cobbled me together with spare parts, as my eyes were filled with potholes. Now my eyes are outstanding as my the "spokes" of my eyes are parallel with almost no aberations. If you had the grains that are swept away with the straw and stalks, land on the ground and don't make it to the grain tank on a combine, one could retire after one growing season. From Alberta to Texas, Ohio to California, it is staggering the amount that doesn't make it to the elevator then to the millers. You have to adjust the settings on a combine to reduce the number of bushels per acre that are lost. 3 to 4 bushels per acre out the back end of the machine adds up fast. There are corn and bean combines and there are small grain combines. In the old days, farmers would dump the grain on the ground if the truck wasn't there to load and keep on going. When it's time to harvest, you go from 8 am to 2 am daily. As far as food being wasted, you will lose 1000 lbs of tomatoes for each 500 lbs harvested for market. Waste is rampant if you want to eat. $4.00 per lb for organic fresh tomatoes is right in line for prices. Price out San Marzanos in a can. The critters in the wild always get first pick, so humans always are second in line. Deer, voles, raccoons, geese, ducks, pheasant, blackbirds, etc. are there to eat you out of house and home. Three or four high powered rifle shots at a thousand geese in your barley field does the trick. An elderly woman who immigrated from the former Soviet Union walked into a grocery store here, looked at all of the food on the shelves and began to cry. In Australia some US originated fast food franchises have kilojoule counters on the display menu. They state the average adult daily allowance is 8,700 kJ which is 8.7 MJ = 8.7/3.6 = 2.42 kwh thermal. I think looming shortages of farm diesel and NPK fertiliser will make grain fed meat too expensive. Same goes for more direct grain based foods such as bread. There is no way you can farm millions of hectares of prairie or rangeland with horse driven equipment and using compost for fertiliser. Ironically some grass fed beef may have a niche as it requires less tending of the land. I think future food has to come from root and legume crops grown in raised beds close to the cities using human waste for nutrients. With this in mind I've been experimenting with bean burgers, temaya and felafel type meat substitutes. I can't say I've got the perfect recipe yet. I've blown out the motor on an electric blender so ironically I think a meat grinder might be the way to go. I aim to cook a delicious meal with legume burgers, potatoes and green veg, all home grown and cooked on a wood fire using twigs from a nearby tree. Ideally this meal should taste good enough to want it 2-3 times a week. I'm working on it. Living in a country that has been dependent on food imports for over a century (and my parents went through strict food rationing during and after the second world war) the issue going forward is going to be making the most food available from the agricultural land we have, since we will have both far less fossil fuel inputs into food production, and much less money to pay for expensive imports. We currently import about 40% of our food by value, somewhat less by calorific value. We have good fertile land in the south, in the north and west we have higher ground, thin, uneven soils with low fertility, mostly open grassland good only for sheep or goat grazing. The east has wide flat land, rich peat based soil, ideal for grains and roots. However, this is largely fenland drained two centuries ago, and this peat has been effectively mined (land levels have fallen by 5 -10 metres in some areas) and fertility will be gone in a decade or two. Our coastal waters have been overfished for centuries, and now fish is largely farmed, or comes from distant oceans. Over the last 30-40 years food production has been driven by European policy , which was initially to industrialise and maximise production with large subsidies. This lead to huge food surplices and degraded landscape and massive loss of wildlife habitat. Recent policy has been to reinstate habit loss as far as possible, and to cut pollution from over-application of fertilisers, weedkiller, etc. Farming now is a high tech and energy intensive process, there are very few professional farmers, average age 58 (or higher?) but a lot of the grunt work of harvesting vegetables and fruit is performed by cheap imported Eastern European labour. The last decade has seen a steady decline in pig, beef and dairy production. The subsidies have largely gone, and production is now market based. Food inflation in the UK is much higher than the official inflation figures, as food becomes once more a larger part of people's disposable income. It is still very low by world standards! Farmers as a whole are well aware of ever rising energy costs and the need provide a larger fraction of the UK food supply. Many are even PO aware. The question is whether to become more intensive and mechanised, or to move back to lower fossil inputs, and building up the fertility of the land through organic methods on much smaller scales. It is a question of using the method most appropriate to the local conditions. Animal welfare regulations are much stricter than in the US, making meat more expensive, but inflicting less suffering on the animals. Lamb has become much less popular in recent decades, and much of our production is exported. The public in general have low awareness of our food insecurity and even less of how to eat healthily or lower down the energy intensity scale. Food production is now largely dictated by the supermarket chains (Tesco, Sainsbury, etc.) who are ruthless in driving down prices and importing the cheapest food their customers will buy. The customers are easily swayed on animal welfare issues by pressure groups, so middle class customers have effectively driven out methods like genetically modified foods ( even when there is little sceintific evidence to back the fears). The name Monsanto is equated with the devil, even among intelligent, educated biochemists I count as my friends. I have been vegetarian for about 15 years. I am healthy, but my biggest weakness is sugar. It is almost impossible to avoid in an urban, processed food diet, and whilst I do eat as much whole grain food and nuts and beans as is practical in my lifestyle, the overwhelming majority of food provided by the local supermarkets is over processed and sugar laden. Obesity is a well known issue and rapidly approaching US levels, but diabetes from too much sugar and processed carbohydrates is rapidly catching up as the disease de jour. I sometimes wonder how we would manage now if we were forced to eat only what Britain alone could produce, but using modern technology. I expect that, even allowing for the increase in population of around fifeen millon since the war, we would survive, and far more healthily. However, if we had to rely on animals and natural fertilizers, pesticides and rotation systems for production, as were still common during the war, and also not have access to other contemporary methods of processing and preservation; then I would imagine we'd go hungry. We came close at times during the war and during the first world war, without rationing, there was real hunger. I always lose weight on holidays, which I take in southern Europe and north Africa, because I don't eat bread much, and have no milk, sweets, or 'treats'(except gallons of sweet mint tea), just delicious smallish but satisfying meals at regular times, with nothing in between. And I walk a lot. There's a message in there somewhere. Arnold Ehret---a name from out of the past. Was on the "Arnold Ehret Mucusless-Diet Healing System" diet for over a year around 1970. Combined with meditation and fasting as a spiritual discipline. Seemed to work well in a location (Southern California) that had year round access to fresh produce. Hey wardpierce, thanks for for adding a reality check based on science and a little biochemistry to this entire discussion. For the record my BMI is about 20.9 and I don't eat poorly. Right now I had a large cheese pizza with my son and am sipping a nice Malbec... My Krebs cycles are doing just fine tks! Citric acid cycle From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The citric acid cycle — also known as the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle), the Krebs cycle, or the Szent-Györgyi–Krebs cycle[1][2] — is a series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidization of acetate derived from carbohydrates, fats and proteins into carbon dioxide and water. In addition, the cycle provides precursors[which?] for the biosynthesis of compounds including certain amino acids as well as the reducing agent NADH that is used in numerous biochemical reactions. Its central importance to many biochemical pathways suggests that it was one of the earliest established components of cellular metabolism and may have originated abiogenically.[3] The name of this metabolic pathway is derived from citric acid (a type of tricarboxylic acid) that is first consumed and then regenerated by this sequence of reactions to complete the cycle. In addition, the cycle consumes acetate in the form of acetyl-CoA, reduces NAD+ to NADH, and produces carbon dioxide. The NADH generated by the TCA cycle is fed into the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. The net result of these two closely linked pathways is the oxidation of nutrients to produce energy in the form of ATP. Emphasis mine, btw to say that a bowl of pasta is equivalent to a bowl of refined sugar just doesn't pass scientific muster, sorry! I think you hit on a really good general axiom to live by for those of us lacking discipline: "An alternate approach of moderation is to use meat as an accent, or garnish in a meal constituting a very small portion of the caloric value." Apart from just learning to cook rather than heat a slab of meat and serve it up with a carb, there are also lower-energy alternatives in general. For example, I've replaced cow milk in my diet with almond milk for this reason, as well as a desire to lower my cholesterol intake. We pay a fairly high price for the free-to-roam, local chickens we get from the farmers' market, but damn if they aren't the most chicken-est chicken you've ever roasted! I swear they're actually more filling. We also eat lots of fish, much of it also locally caught; being from Louisiana, I like to cook with a lot of crawfish and often just use this as both meat and flavoring in a meal otherwise mostly vegetables, brown rice or quinoa and millet are pretty much my bread since my wife is ceoliac, and we reserve the right to have a Sunday lamb roast and rehash it in our weekday meals. I think in the American reckoning we tend not to think of it as a meal unless there's a gigantic hunk of meat that makes up the majority of the meal. It's complete overkill and, frankly, it's culinarily lazy. Which brings me to my next point: spice. It's a bit of common wisdom in the Delta that if you eat spicy foods, you eat less, and nobody here was surprised when scientific research supported the notion that spicier foods are more satisfying, even if they aren't as energy-dense as other meals. I think the important thing to do is just reconsider how you classify a meal. When I think of all my comfort-food favorites; jambalaya, red beans and rice, stir-fried anything, etouffees, okra gumbo, I start to realize that they're really just poverty food. Meat is a garnish in them and the beans, vegetables, and spices are the real stars: done right they're all served up screaming hot with loads of rice! I really don't have a point to all this other than to say that I think if others really want to do as you say, moderate rather than phase-out, then it would serve them well to consider the dishes their grandma made: a lot of her cooking was probably built around stretching out a little bit of meat to feed the whole family. '.' Surely you didn't mean to write that? Surely you understand that the average American's food intake is almost completely divorced from his or her activity level. That he or she is going to eat those ding dongs and ho ho's whether he or she is sitting in front of the TV all day long or if he or she is walking to the store. A certain level of food intake is required simply to sustain life. And although it is true that you burn calories by being active, the data would suggest that you are simply more fit if you are active not that you consume significantly more food. Therefore suggesting that the fossil fuel that is necessary for the production of that food is now the source of one's transportation if he or she were to forgo the car and instead walk is a seriously flawed argument. It's not so much an argument as a realisation that there is an entire and deleterous food system supporting us, and life changes that look large to us will sometimes have only small positive, or even negative effects when evaluated within those systems. Still wrong. If you were going to eat the food anyway, and now you don't drive the car, you really have saved the gas that the car was going to burn. I appreciate the focus on wringing the waste out of the food distribution system and looking towards lower impact diets. But still, that point has little or no merit in my view. People are all different, but I never gain weight no matter what I eat, and on days that I bike to work (about 2 days per week in the warmer half of the year, 9 somewhat hilly miles each way, with electric assist), I find that I need to bring two sandwiches. Depending on how what is in the extra sandwich was grown and processed, that may use more fossil fuels than I directly saved by not driving. But I do it anyway, for a number of reasons. Exercise is good for me. Food _could_ be grown in less energy-intensive ways. And the gasoline to fuel the car is only the tip of the true cost of driving: there is the making of the cars, road building and maintenance, wars in the middle east... Similar calculations for biking (at this post) indicate that biking is likely in the clear: 130 miles per gallon of fossil fuel inputs. This is under standard American diet. Could you wreck it by loading up your sandwiches with extra-energy-intensive stuff? Maybe, but it would be hard to make it worse than driving on the fossil fuel front. You may want to read the referenced post. I calculate the amount of food energy for the marginal activity of walking: above and beyond the base metabolism. Are there side benefits? Sure. Do people who tend to walk and exercise likely also exercise more control of their food intake? Likely. So it may be hard to tease out the energy cost from profiles of people. That's where physics comes in, which can tell you how much additional energy it takes to walk. The surprising answer is that it takes a gallon of fossil fuel to provide the American with enough food energy to walk 34 miles. Would I still think it's worth walking to the store? Sure. Lots of other benefits involved. But on the narrow question of energy, I certainly meant what I said. My number is for the average American diet, under aggregate energy practices in the food industry. Part of my thrust is that it is in our control to change our habits/inputs—along the lines you suggest. Hunter-gatherers use effectively zero fossil fuel input to support their diets, so could claim arbitrarily large MPG, when the G is interpreted as gallons of fossil fuel. There is certainly nothing hard and fast about 34 MPG(FF) for walking. It's just where America is today, sadly. It's all about assumptions. I would suggest a little field work. Go to your nearest Hungry Heffer all you can eat buffet and watch who eats what. The size and shape of the patrons who load up plate after plate of energy intensive agraproducts. Then watch how they get home. Invariably they will waddle into a large vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine. It isn't the leaner patrons who might have cycled in or walked who seem to consume the most. Again, in the real world there doesn't seem to be any correlation between physical activity and consumption. Similarly those who are concerned about health exercise etc are more likely to also be concerned about nutrition and locally grown foods etc. I just think the argument is too clever by half. It is an academic exercise that sounds reasonable on the surface but it doesn't hold water. Not when measured against the way real people actually behave. What if you just say half the people get 17 MPG and the other half get 51 MPG? That's more like the real world. The staggering variance may plot out as bimodal. Half the people drive SUV's, half the people drive Prii. Half the people eat fried chicken and donuts, the other half eat tofu and sprouts. On Sunday, half the people sit and watch football, the other half go for a hike. As pointed out above, it's all about assumptions- or more precisely about the model. When the sticker on a new sedan's window says '34mpg', the derisively-labeled 'consumer' can be expected to believe it more or less, and may of course make relevant decisions based on Kahneman's famous availability heuristic- invoking that 34mpg sticker. The arithmetic may be right in Tom Murphy's post, but the mathematical model is unfortunately inadequate. At least half of the energy expended in a vehicle's lifetime including a ~150-200K mile road life, was expended before it ever hit the dealer showroom. Sedans don't grow on trees. Furthermore, the amount of energy consumed and wasted providing asphalt and storage/parking for automobiles, the costs to society of large police highway and road patrolling services, emergency services to deal with the violence wrought by automobiles, the time wasted in traffic in automobiles, distances needlessly traveled, wars fought to extract/steal/provide raw materials for autos, health and lives lost, permanent damage to the necessary conditions for, you know, life's existence (the ecosystem and climate) and on and on, in no particular order. For detailed evaluations of these costs, see sources such as 'Asphalt Nation', UC Press by Jane Holtz Kay, 'Fighting Traffic', MIT Press, by Peter Norton, and 'Stop Signs', Femwood Publishing, by Mugyenyi/Engler, and of course 'Collapse' by Jared Diamond (though this last book does not address automobiles directly, the relevance is all there), and several other books dealing with embodied energy (like Odum) etc. A more simple hypothetical to consider, in light of the original thought experiment, is urban sprawl and traffic engineering. Just think, for example, that if one is to walk, how much farther it is to get to one's local grocery store because one must first saunter to the closest 'pedestrian crossing bridge' or whatever, traversing the four-lane highway dividing the neighborhood in half... Bottom line is, the embodied energy of the vehicle and its attendant infrastructure must be accounted for, before we make dangerous statements equating walking to driving. This is especially important given Dr. Murphy's credibility as a physicist. A veryy good point you make is that if our cities were largey car free, everything would be much closer together. Sadly, I can just imagine the pedestrian/bike haters who would resist the restructuring of our cities by picking this largely meaningless comparison of walking vs sedan out of the air. No doubt a fun, mathematical exercise but probably dangerous taken out of the entire, complicated context. Truly there is a larger context to consider. There are loads of other ways we could have designed our society for a lower energy footprint (fewer cars, roads, etc.). But we didn't. Hopefully we turn in that direction. Given that there is a car already in the driveway, a road connecting to the grocery store, a parking lot there, etc., then the marginal energy cost of driving vs. walking is not the no-brainer it should be (it should be the case that walking is better than driving). I use this absurdity as a way to highlight the craziness of our 10:1 energy-in:energy-eat performance. Change that just by a factor of two, and cars can't touch walking, even in this limited, marginal basis. So speaking of context, be careful not to take my walking/driving comparison too far out of context: the alarming result does not mean that I advocate cars over walking! I would rather that we design our world so that walking becomes a clear winner over getting in a car for a trip to the store, and part of that is producing food with less fossil fuel input. I should also point out that biking is well in the clear, always coming out better than driving, even in the limited, marginal context and given the unfortunate 10:1 food predicament. Tom, sorry to quibble but I feel this is important, especially given your growing readership, and the relative weight of your statements due to the salient nature of your posts up to this point. Not everyone is going to read the statement in question the way you intend, obviously, but the stakes in this particular case are rather high because this culture is currently embattled over the very issue of automobile domination. Qualifying the thought experiment by employing only the marginal energy consumed in walking does not eliminate the inadequacy of the mental-model used here, to compare walking to driving. In fact, the model is inconsistent. If your whole point is to quantify the hidden sea of energy inputs behind the foods people eat- to supply themselves with energy to get to the grocery store on foot- then you must also address the hidden ocean of energy behind the production, marketing, social provision for, acquisition of, and ecological damage (impedance of ultimate supply of food) by the automobile, before you can make anything close to an accurate comparison of the two transportation modes.* After all, if we're going to 'assume there's a car in every driveway', why not assume there's already food in every cupboard, and on every grocery store shelf (only requiring the added effort of hungrily stuffing one's face?), or fertile soil on every piece of arable land there ever was (prior to paving or browning of course), etc? *This is not the same as accounting for the cost of the birth, rearing, and raising of the human being (and their feet) who is choosing either means of transport, as I think we can all agree the human is the 'given' in this experiment. Very good points, and I find it odd that I should spend time defending the "drive" solution at all, since that strikes me as a perverse outcome. It's easy enough to get lost in the weeds of complexity here, considering that we would also have to account for the equipment and infrastructure (including the same roads) for food. Perhaps a more productive path would be to acknowledge that the scale at which we use and depend on energy has gotten out of hand, and we should deliberately reign in those activities wherever possible. In other words, we need to think AND rather than OR. Rather than ask whether to walk OR drive to the store, perhaps we should consider walking AND eating a lower-energy-intensive diet AND de-emphasizing travel by car (and all the associated embodied energies), etc. Confronting energy scarcity will no doubt involve a huge series of changes, given the diverse nature of energy usage in our society. Simple either/or choices will be rare. Across-the-board changes are more likely needed. have to account for the equipment and infrastructure (including the same roads) for food Single lane, bi-directional roads could deliver the food required - and other essential services (fire trucks, ambulances, moving vans, etc.) One lane (and some places to pull over) is all that is required for essential transportation. The rest of the infrastructure is optional. Another issue is that it is beneficial to exercise daily which provides health benefits in addition to helping one keep one's weight down. Walking or running or biking to the store is a twofer; you need to do it anyway and in many cases people drive their auto to the store or work and drive their auto to the gym. If you drive to the store and then exercise separately, you are using the fuel to drive plus the food to run your body. If you get your exercise by walking or biking to the store or work, you will just incur the marginal energy costs once. Of course there are other energy costs that have not been considered such as the energy costs associated with additional medical costs incurred because of the diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Looking at the situation holistically in terms of one's total energy consumption, it may be that the walking vs sedan comparison is misleading in terms of what is the least energy intensive form of getting around. I don't think we have even scratched the surface here in fully examining the energy impacts, including the reductions in embodied energy savings from a society where the auto was the alternative form of transport vs walking/biking/running. Plus the full marginal maintenance costs of driving to the store have not been considered. Buy blueberries in season in bulk (5 lb cartons) and fill freezer section of refrigerator with 20 lb or so (plus gorge during season) and stretch out till 1 month before new blueberries. Farmer is about 60 miles away. Local honey (5 miles away in Lower Algiers from 89 y/o). Shrimp and fish filets from local fisherman. He fishes inshore swamps in Orleans & St. Bernand Parishes. He helped fish out Lake Pontchartrain during BP spill (many fishermen went there then - we knew it was too much fishing, but it was the only clean area). He fishes an area that most commercial fishermen avoid - small boats required, local knowledge too. One man operation. He still avoids areas that got oil during BP spill. He puts his catch into a holding pond. The afternoon before the market, his wife goes out and nets enough to filet for the market the next morning. I eat perhaps three to five roughly four ounce filets/week and shrimp zero to twice/week on average. His shrimp are never sorted - you get the sizes that came in the net. Often $3/lb for regular customers. I also eat boiled crawfish - but I let someone else boil them (larger pots are more energy efficient :-P $2.19/lb on last batch. And occasionally oysters - on the half shell, or prepared in a variety of ways (charbroiled is my favorite). In an otherwise pretty healthy lifestyle, I was gaining weight. Too much. When I was a couple of pounds away from morbid obesity - I called a halt. Too many negatives down that road ! And I have learned to cook better at home. Just substitute olive oil for lard in the recipe and it still tastes pretty good :-) And I decided to devote more time to mitigating Peak Oil and less to making $$$, so some limitations there as well. I still eat out - but not as much. Best Hopes for Fine Dining - and corner grocery stores - in New Orleans :-) Alan PS: I have an energy efficient refrigerator at home. A kWh or two to freeze blueberries, but to keep them cold, no marginal energy cost. Perhaps a saving - less cold air out when I open the freezer door. I guess that I do open the door more often. I tend to defrost in my refrigerator. With blueberries, I might take out a pint and defrost and consume a few at a time. I don't have a link for you but various authors address that point and it's not the loss of meat. And, I trust the Cochrane Collaboration — their work is the best in the world. They looked at clinical studies not observational ones: Finally, in 2001, the Cochrane Collaboration sought to answer the low-fat diet question once and for all when it published a systematic review of the world's best quality trials that had randomly assigned healthy adults to go on a "reduced or modified dietary fat" diet or continue eating as usual. The 27 trials that met the predetermined high-quality criteria had a combined total of about 10,000 participants. The trials lasted an average of three years. The Cochrane reviewers found that the low-fat or cholesterol-lowering diets had no effect on longevity and "no significant effect on cardiovascular events." People say to eat less meat because it isn't healthy because they think that fat, particularly saturated fat, is bad for humans. If that were true, both the Cochrane Collaboration, the U.S. Surgeon General and the Stanford Study (among many others) would have found some evidence for this. In fact, they find no evidence or even the opposite. Meat is bad for you was scared up in part by a researcher (Campbell, see the China Study) who would have been accurate if he simply made some hypotheses and left it at that. Instead, he drew completely unfounded conclusions from observations rather than experiments. Personally I don't trust any study made in US on food, even when made by high reputation hospital or university, all of them are sponsored by big food industry. According to these studies taking vitamin supplement is good for you, the truth is that taking vitamin supplement does absolutely no good to you it is even the opposite and it has been demonstrated by several large scale studies in Europe, still in US they stick to the same idea based on US studies that vitamin supplement are good for you, guess why ? Same story for the meat, the meat industry is so powerful in US that I doubt that any university or hospital if they find negative result will dare to publish it. the problem is that you take an over simplifying view on the topic, so your opinion is totally biased. The problem of overweight in US is due to excess of calories compounded with lack of exercise, period! a calorie is a calorie no matter if it comes from sugar, protein or fat excess of red meat consumption has bad effects on your life expectancy but we don't know why the idea that carbs are the evil is just as ridiculous as to say that meat is the evil The problem of overweight in US is due to excess of calories compounded with lack of exercise, period! a calorie is a calorie no matter if it comes from sugar, protein or fat Incorrect. I suggest that you learn the latest biochemistry that deals with insulin and leptin signaling. I've given you plenty of places to look. Here is another one for you: excess of red meat consumption has bad effects on your life expectancy but we don't know why Complete nonsense. Find me a well-designed clinical trial that demonstrates this. I've presented an abundance of evidence that the meat scare is completely unfounded, from the Cochrane Collaboration to the U.S. Surgeon General to the Stanford trial. There are many many more. The diet-cholesterol hypothesis has failed and is incorrect. Now the pharmaceutical companies want to start people on statins even sooner because they are operating in the wrong paradigm. There is no "French Paradox" (which might as well be called the French-Spanish-Italian-Swiss Paradox) when the proper paradigm is used. Understand that cholesterol has been incorrectly blamed for CHD and the paradox goes way. See the graph from the WHO data I included up top. There is no correlation between cholesterol levels and CHD — none whatsoever. the idea that carbs are the evil is just as ridiculous as to say that meat is the evil I never said that all carbs are evil — please don't put words in my mouth. I said: sugar and (almost all) grains, especially processed grains mess up the insulin and leptin signaling in the human body starch is, absolutely and unequivocally, sugar people fall on a spectrum for carbohydrate intolerance and over time, in general, we become more intolerant. This is simply another way of saying that Type 2 diabetes take time to manifest because each meal high in the "bad" carbohydrates damages the human body some people can tolerate some tubers, plantains and some rice, depending on other factors and their genetic makeup, without seeing terrible ill effects, at least in the short and medium term carbohydrates from fibrous, colorful vegetables can be eaten in unlimited quantities as long as essential fats and proteins are taken care of A few items with this: 1. The sugar in vegetables releases *really* slowly so the danger of a glucose spike is small (non-starchy veggies). 2. It's hard to get that much sugar from vegetables (again, non-starchy) without eating a bushel-full at a time 3. I agree with Jaminet that there is a some amount of damage that is acceptable to get the nutrients from veggies. No the theory is very solid. Rice, if everything else is done correctly, seems to be much better than other grains when eaten in small quantities by someone who is still insulin and leptin sensitive, even every day. When eaten by someone in our culture who has damaged their metabolism, it isn't so benign. White rice is a significant part of the Japanese diet, much like the aforementioned pasta is for Italians. White rice is of course very starchy and not very nutritious by itself. However, this isn't the only thing they eat, however, and just like the Italian pasta example, it by itself does not prove that the Japanese eat a "high carb" diet relative to Americans. Before drawing any broad conclusions, we need to look at *everything* they are eating and how much vs. countries with relatively high rates of obesity and diabetes (like the U.S.), what % of their daily calories are sugar/refined carbs, what% are proteins, fats, vegetables, fruit, other...? A single seed of its patriarch, wheat, can punch holes in gut linings with ease, and cousin oat has managed to obtain official recognition as being good for the heart even as it doses you with gluten. As healthy whole grains, they hide their armaments in plain sight; they cloak their puny bodies in the very poisons for which they are lauded and applauded. We Primals have got a heated feud going with the family as a whole, but should we paint all its members with the same brush? If you really believe (and highlight) the pseudo-science penned by this guy, then your skepticism dial is set at "1". You bring alot of good material to the discussion, and find myself agreeing with most all. Grains achieved their predominance in human diets primarily due to storage and keeping qualities. They truly are, and have been, the currency of nations. Grain supplies have long defined winners and losers. In a post on energy, one of the most important aspects has been neglected. From just beyond our paleo-lithic diet, should that ever be defined, to todays agribusiness, farming is first and foremost mining. Not mining of the type we associate today, but mining none the less. And perhaps some of the most efficient, in terms of percent target material returned vs disturbed. The extraction is done by plants, livestock provide the least energy means of securing the minerals and nutrients. As you show, it's the form we're adapted to. I meant to write more on grass fed livestock, on watching those nutrients return to the barn each evening, of the labor saved in not growing or moving feed, of the labor/energy in haying, and ways to reduce it, and pasture based systems and rotational grazing, but a monster toothache is just destroying thoughts. One where it's no longer a tooth that hurts, it's the side of your face. Oh, those carbs. You've only referenced studies that looked at low fat diets (e.g, replacing all fats with food like white flour pasta), not diets that simply lowered meat consumption. Replacement of protein with legumes, and replacement of saturated fats with unprocessed mono-saturated and essential fatty acids is something different altogether. It is clear that you are completely sold on the paleo diet. I was once completely sold on the South Beach diet, and am still favoring it along with related ones. There is far more clinical research available that supports this diet than the Paleo diet, by the way, so while enthusiasm can be a good thing, one must be on one's guard not to become entrenched with only one possible solution when superior solutions likely exist. I understand being wary. I think the difference this time is that we have a conceptual framework that makes sense to me. Research on Ancestral Health provides a good test when considering new information. Does it make sense that meat is bad for humans given that the our DNA has adapted to it over millions of years? That doesn't make sense to me and the science is now in. Could animal fat possibly be bad since our bodies are designed to store it (portable energy storage during famines or even just overnight)? Again, doesn't make sense to me. The science indicates to me that industrial seed oils are terrible but animals fats are good. Is it possible that we have not yet adapted to the newer foods (i.e. grains) since we've had only 100 generations since their introduction? I would say yes. It doesn't mean that they are completely indigestible or that we'll drop dead eating them. It just means that we haven't fully adapted to them and there are significant side effects to eating them over time. Ultimately, I recommend that people JERF — Just Eat Real Food. Cut out the processed food, eat plenty of fibrous vegetables, moderate amounts of pastured animals and lots of animal fat. The current recommendation from the American Diabetic Association that diabetics eat plenty of "healthy whole grains" is killing people. Why on earth would we feed sugar to people that have deranged sugar metabolisms? It makes absolutely no sense. This is the power of a paradigm in action. And here is the American Heart Association: "Eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. High levels of blood cholesterol increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Be aware, too, that many foods high in saturated fats are also high in cholesterol – which raises your blood cholesterol even higher." Where to start with that? Do we start with the idea that after forty years the evidence shows no correlation between cholesterol and increased mortality? (See the WHO graph I posted and the Cochrane Collaboration metastudy.) Do we discuss that cholesterol is a vital hormone and doesn't even change according to dietary intake anyway? (The body manufactures it to be sure there is always enough.) There is a reason an egg has so much cholesterol — it is a fundamental building block for the proper development of a growing chick. Same for us. It's really astonishing how we've gotten to this place, but there you have it. Yes, there was likely gorging and fasting from a meat perspective, but that's exactly why our fat stores were created. What you are pointing out helps make the case that we do not need to eat constantly (i.e. six times a day) just to keep our energy up. Once you've converted your system (back) to being fat burning, missed meals are no big deal (from experience). Background Red meat consumption has been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases. However, its relationship with mortality remains uncertain. Methods We Results We Conclusions Red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of total, CVD, and cancer mortality. Substitution of other healthy protein sources for red meat is associated with a lower mortality risk. It means absolutely nothing because observational studies contain no causal information -- at all. This is despite what the researchers will tell you. But you are asking us to read what persons "who read and write health topics 7 hours a day" try to tell us, and watch youtube videos about science. There is no way a reasoning person is going to discard numerous, disciplined, extensive studies for what some person with a keyboard decides to write about that day. And just because a study that shows that some low fat diets didn't work the way they were promised doesn't that high fat diets are healthy for you. Even the Atkins groups backed off of recommending high levels of saturated fats, choosing to allow them only "when balanced with mono and poly-unsaturated fats in a controlled carbohydrate dietary environment". Less than 1/3 of the fats they recommend in the Induction Period are saturated, and the percentage drops after that. To many play loose and fast with references to studies, and too many people are persuaded of scams or false promises; You are fooling yourself. You have provided no evidence whatsoever which withstands the scientific rigor to which you claim. All you have provided here is a theory which makes sense to you. That doesn't make it solid. Choosing people at random and having them do one or the other isn't sufficient for drug testing, due to the placebo effect and more. People know what they are eating (e.g. eat normal or "low fat"), and it is certainly the case that people will not act independently based on that knowledge. "I'm on a low fat diet? Well, I guess I can have a bit more". I'm not totally dismissive of the role that excessive carbohydrates may play in screwing up things, or the idea that fat is as bad as has been assumed. But the data ain't all in. Genetic factors? Activity levels? Right now, we have enough for an infomercial and a lot of books. But that is all. This study, putting it simply, means that a lot of bad science gets done in the area of nutritional research. There are a number of well done critiques of this study is one and several others are there for the googling. I've become more and more amazed at how the food paradigm that we have currently in the US has become so imbedded in popular consciousness seeing how mis-informed it is. I understand that. But I have no credentials and, apparently, neither do you — but you seem to want to discount evidence from just certain people who have no credentials. In this case it's by a person who did top notch statistical analysis of Campbell's raw data. Yes, she went back to the raw data and took months doing it. She loves statistics and studied it in college. She discovered all sorts of errors by Campbell, including the astonishing one that he continued to include the Tuoli County data, thus skewing all the numbers, despite being later told that they were eating as though it were a feast to impress him. When I lived with some indigenous tribes in the Amazon. I was surprised that they didn't eat any vegtables at all. There diet consisted of Manioc a native root crop similar to potatoes. Plantains a type of green Banana that is cooked and eaten. Whatever animals they could kill exept for prohibited animals. The prohibited animals varied from tribe to tribe. They all ate white nosed pecaries and monkeys to variuse extents. The pigs and Tapir was very much saught after because they had fat and more meat than a monkey. I was in a Huarani village when a Tapir was brought in. The carcase was devided between the hunters and immediately cut up and cooked. They didn't clean out the intestines but ate the intestines with the last meal of the tapir still inside. They just took it out of the stomach and put it on the grill. (The grill was made from large pipes and rebar from an oil drilling site. There are no stones in this part of the Amazon) The indigenous diet consisted of starches manioc and plantains, meat and as much fruit as they could collect. Some of the fruit was high in fats like the Ungharawa, and Chonta palms the fruit of which had a high oil content. The Unghrawa fruits all year and the Chonta all fruit at once in April - March. When the Chonta fruits they had a month long party and run around smearing orange chonta oil on everyone. Chonta is a palm tree with eight inch long needle thin thorns all over the trunk. They evolved the thorns to keep from getting pushed over by Mastadons. The Mastastadons are gone but the chonta palm still has spines. Anyway the chonta looks like a persimon in a big grape cluster weiging 20 lbs. They are boiled and taste like sweet potatoes with a hint of peppermint. Each Chonta Palm can produce over a half dozen 20 lbs clusters. When the chonta was fruiting it was eaten almost exlusively. It seems that your tribe was pretty typical of HGs. To be sure, there is a lot of regional variation (see Cordain's work). Some tribes won't have tropical fruit and make do without it. Others seem to eat just small game and not the larger, others have only meat and fat (the Inuit) and live long healthy lives — until they are introduced to sugar and grains. I think it's a fair bet to say that we've eaten meat for very, very long and that we are designed to work best with it and fat and the occasional carbohydrate. More carbohydrates are tolerable if more manual labor is involved. But it's interesting the experiments that are going on now with completely fat burners. See Dr. Peter Attia who is exclusively a fat burner and his athletic performance seems to be just fine: By the end of this series, should you choose to internalize this content (and pick up a few homework assignments along the way), you will understand the field of lipidology and advanced lipid testing better than 95% of physicians in the United States. I am not being hyperbolic. Lipoproteins clog arteries, not cholesterol. Cholesterol is "at the scene of the crime" (has to be, it's such a vital hormone) but it does not cause the crime. The evidence is in and it does not support the cholesterol hypothesis, otherwise, as noted below, the 50% of people getting heart attacks wouldn't have normal cholesterol, would they? I know it's difficult and goes against everything you've been told for decades but the cholesterol hypothesis has failed. Study this graph again: There is absolutely no correlation between cholesterol levels and cardiovascular heart disease — none. The populations with high cholesterol, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, etc. have some of the lowest rates of CHD. In contrast, modern day Australian aboriginals have the lowest cholesterol and have the highest rates of CHD of any population I've seen in the world. By extension, red meat is not the killer you've been told it is. That hypothesis has failed, too. Time to move on and start looking at what is really happening. If you want to know what causes heart disease, start learning about inflammation. Here's something to start you off: Lipoproteins – The Real Cause of Heart Disease Over 50% of people with "normal cholesterol" still develop heart attacks. Why? Lipoproteins, not cholesterol, cause heart disease. Lipoproteins are the carriers that transport cholesterol through the blood. Some lipoproteins cause cholesterol to penetrate the artery wall more easily, causing the artery to clog. These lipoprotein plaques become inflamed and rupture, causing a heart attack. Lipoproteins come in different sizes and types. Three types of lipoproteins carry cholesterol: HDL (high density lipoproteins) LDL (low density lipoproteins) VLDL (very low density lipoproteins) HDL particles, especially large ones, are considered the good cholesterol, or lipoprotein. They help clean out the artery wall, reverse the blockages and carry cholesterol back to the liver. The liver then places the cholesterol into the bile, and it flushes out with the bowel movement. Large HDL particles are your arteries vacuum cleaner. If all of your HDL particles are small, it is a sign that your artery vacuum cleaner is not working. Therefore, your artery continues to build up plaque and becomes more diseased. Read the whole post because it does a good job explaining what's happening. Next, you haven't proved your assertion that meat is unhealthy for humans. You just keep repeating it. I've given you clinical trials and the biochemistry and other evidence why that's false. So go crazy trying to prove it. The U.S. Surgeon General took 11 years and hundreds of millions of dollars and gave up. You should to, because it's not true. Last, I haven't answered you directly about Japan but I have several times to other people: people with undamaged metabolisms, who perform a lot of manual labor and who have other environmental or dietary factors going for them can tolerate increased carbohydrate consumption, in particular if they eat rice. Wheat and other grains are mostly damaging, especially if they are refined, which is how most people in the world eat them. (In the form of bread, pasta, cake, etc.) We evolved as omnivores, and most of us have only added grain recently, with questionable results. The problem is we cannot feed 7 billion people without ecologically and nutritionally devestating results. I do not have an answer. Exactly. We can spend our lifetime trying to figure out how to feed 7 billion people, to no avail. In my view (not the truth, but a valid point of view) is that it's an impossible task we have set for ourselves. We are already in overshoot. Let's get down to under 1 billion and then we have some flexibility but even a couple billion less will help, most likely. Right now nothing will work and this will become clear over the next few decades. Well again you bias against wheat is not supported by fact, the chineses of the north mainly eat wheat and they have a longer life expectancy that the chinese of the south who eat rice. And the Japanese don't do a lot of manual work. This is all very interesting, providing you have the means to pay for all this stuff. (or the property to grow it on) For most of the population of most of the world (the US included), the fuel embodiment of food is utterly meaningless. All that matters is: money available, price per pound, and calories per pound. A. "John has one dollar. He is homeless, so he can't get Food Stamps because only people with a physical address can get government assistance. If John wraps up in a blanket and stays very still, he can survive from one day to the next on 1200 calories. There is a Walmart nearby. Here are John's options: 1200 calories ramen- 60 cents 1200 calories factory meat-pink slime hot dogs- 72 cents 1200 calories potatoes- 1 dollar 1200 calories broccoli- 17 dollars What should John do?" B. "John has a small child to feed also. He still only has one dollar. The options are the same. Now what should he do?" This is how it works for most of the 7 billion people on this planet. We eat lots of factory meat around here, including a large fraction of pink slime. Hurray for pink slime! I love pink slime, tasteeeeey! Now last year I spent some time with my cousins in the Philippines. I ate mainly fish, rice and various stewed veggie dishes in the burbs of Manila. A household of 8 people in one house with two employed people. Most of the day to day expenses covered by them and the goodies provided by the overseas family. In a small agricultural town inland I had fish, coconut, goat, mango ect.. Mostly unprocessed except for condensed milk for coffee. I did not overeat and we had to walk a lot of places. I think it evened out - with more physical activity I could eat dense foods in smaller portions. I just hope our future is somewhere in that kind of lifestyle. Yes, unfortunately everyone practicing a "Paleo" or "Atkins" style diet is basically out of the question for a planet with 7+ billion inhabitants. One with 500 million or less = do-able. oh, and reducing the population to sustainable levels also solves or mitigates many other massive, intractable problems: pollution, deforestation, anthropogenic extinctions, energy/water scarcity, starvation, wars over dwindling resources, etc. Do you think a population of 500 million is enough of a population to maintain a level of civilization that can have specialized crews who are able to clean up melted down nuclear reactors and clean up the mess that will be caused by all that spent fuel which should have been kept cool an isolated for the next 100,000 years? The future could have a very hostile environment not very conducive to specialized diets, they might be lucky to have some nonradioactive roots and tubers... Knowing that pasta consumption in Italy, by itself, is higher than anywhere else is interesting but hardly conclusive. What % of their total daily caloric intake is pasta vs. everything else? Do they also consume massive quantities of sugar, HFCS, and processed junk food like most Americans? Do Italians also eat *other* foods that might offset/mitigate the negative effects of carbohydrate-rich pasta (sausages, cheese, etc.)? Actually, they have a point that you cannot ignore so blithely. Italians DO eat large amounts of pasta. Since is has a like glycemic ratio to sugar, as pointed out earlier, one doesnt' need to ask if they also eat sugar, since you said carbs are the problem. And offsetting carbs with meat or cheeses means that carbs are ok. Your argument has so many holes in it you should consider abandoning ship. I guess I didn't make my point very clear. If Italians eat "a lot" of pasta relative to other people, but that pasta still does not add up to a significant % of their overall daily diet, it's still irrelevant. 5% may be enough to make them "world's #1 pasta eaters", and yet pasta would still only represent a small fraction of their daily caloric intake. We need to know more about their overall diet before drawing conclusions. Now... if it's soomething like 50% of their total calories *and* they are not suffering from relatively high levels of obesity/diabetes, then you may have a point. Reading that link, it seems that ItaliansI haven't studied Italy closely so I'm not sure I can give you a definitive answer other than they eat a lot of saturated fat (rich cheeses in particular) and fatty sausage, which as I've shown in the WHO data, protects their heart. This is why I said the "French" Paradox should be called the "French-Italian-Spanish-Swiss" Paradox — they all eat rich foods and have better health markers than we do. We skimp on animal fats, load up on carbohydrates to a greater degree and suffer more CHD and other diseases. However, they are suffering from terrible problems with wheat gluten, with estimates of 3 million being intolerant and no longer able to eat wheat. So even if the cheese is protecting then, the gluten in wheat is getting them. Do your own digging for numbers since you're the one interested in Italy. You haven't provided evidence that they eat a high carb diet. All you've done is shown that they eat more of one particular food type than anyone else. So? A big slab of cheese can easily sway the numbers. ItaliansItalians do NOT have a "high carb diet", especially not as compared to Americans, unless you consider 3-7% "high". Thats only their pasta intake though, you will have to check their other sources of carbs. They probably do eat less carbs than americans, but that's because americans have a generally crappy and unbalanced diet and carbs are cheap. I'm holding to a "balanced diet and exercise" rather than any specific diet-plan until i see better research. Diets are too high in fads for me ;) That's fine if your diet is working for you including effortless weight maintenance because the body adjusts naturally to its fat "set point." That's what happens when people stop messing up their insulin and leptin machinery with excessive carbs. Just ponder for a moment the notion that, given how we have eaten for the last couple million years, it is the current low fat diet that is, in fact, the fad diet. If by "low fat" you mean "high sugar but a little label telling you it's low fat" then i agree with you. I think we are all talking cross purposes here but generally agree. My main gist is that there is too much sugar and excessive carbs in our diet (Something blindingly obvious). Once you reduce carbs to a sensible level and lose the unnatural obsession with sugar, any tweaking via some special diet is probably going to have a very minor effect unless you have a particular problem with certain foods. I certainly think going from excessive carbs to excessive fat is not going to do anyone any good, but I doubt you believe that either. Well, there certainly are some people who still think there is evidence against meat because they believe the observational studies that "link" meat consumption to colon cancer, or heart disease or, apparently, poor athletic performance, according to someone else who just posted. I've done my best to show that the evidence isn't there for any of those assertions and in fact the opposite is true. As for: I certainly think going from excessive carbs to excessive fat is not going to do anyone any good, but I doubt you believe that either. That's your (unfounded) fear of animal fat drilled into you for several decades speaking. I eat approx. 75% saturated fat (bacon fat, coconut oil, butter, etc.) every day to maintain my weight. I lost the weight using traditional calorie restriction (and was hungry all the time) along with cutting out refined carbohydrates. Humans have two fuel sources. For immediate needs we rely on glucose and thus store it directly in our muscles. This is for fight or flight responses. But there isn't that much fuel there, less than a day's worth with medium activity (including in the liver). The second fuel source is fat that we store on our body for medium and long term use. Most people have been eating so many carbohydrates their whole life that their metabolic pathways are tuned ("upregulated") for sugar burning. Removing excessive sugar from the diet will down-regulate sugar burning and up-regulate fat burning. This is exactly what happens, in part, when we lose weight. The body doesn't have enough of its usual fuel (sugar) to operate so it starts oxidizing fat and we lose fat around our belly, etc. Most people go back to the high-sugar (i.e. carbohydrate) diet after losing their weight and that turns the metabolic machinery back to sugar burning. Plus they continue to mess up their insulin and leptin signaling by eating too many carbs, which increases fat creation unnaturally and prevents sufficient leptin to be acknowledged. Leptin tells the brain to stop eating. In both cases, insulin and leptin have to "yell louder and louder" to get their job done. This is similar in effect to how the body responds to addictive substances in that over time more of the substance is required to get the high. (But it's a completely different mechanism.) In the meantime, we keep getting fatter. Yes, some cultures can eat relatively high carbohydrates when other factors are at play (see: — but that's not us anymore. Only a few genetically "gifted" people in our culture can eat that diet and not gain weight over the long term. Most of us gain weight year after year after year insidiously and think it's "just natural to gain weight as we get older." Some of us fight it by running ever more miles (which I did) trying to keep the weight down but to no avail. The reason is because of what we're doing with insulin and leptin by eating more than just non-fibrous vegetable carbohydrates, which have low quantities of fast-digesting sugar and lots of fiber. Ultimately, I believe fat is the better fuel source for humans and that's why I've ketoadapted myself. At the beginning, during the adaption phase, I was peeing ketones (tested using ketostix) but not anymore because my body uses them for fuel. By the way, it is incorrect when people say that "carbohydrates are necessary." These people are in the grip of the carbohydrate paradigm currently prevalent. By all means, eat a few more carbs when working hard or exercising but to keep the weight off effortlessly, turn your body into a fat burning machine and eat what we were designed to eat. Stop messing up your insulin and leptin machinery by cutting out the carbs. And for lord's sake, if you are diabetic, stop eating "heart healthy whole grains" — that sugar is killing you. Most patients who do stop eating carbs come off their insulin injections, as long as they haven't damaged their machinery beyond the point of no return. Not really, my diet horrifies most people. It's more to do with the general concept that a calorie is (generally) a calorie so swapping one calorie for another won't change the underlying problem that people take in more calories than they need. Is that 75% of your calories coming from saturated fat or some other 75%, it's a little unclear as written so i thought i'd check? and are you now eating less calories than you were before but feeling fuller? Most of that 75% is saturated fat (butter, ghee, coconut oil, bacon fat, fat in red meat, chicken skin). Some of it is monounsaturated, like in olive oil, avocados, macadamia nuts and fish like sardines. I've thrown away all the industrial oil I had in the pantry (canola, safflower, etc.) and cook with ghee, butter, olive oil and coconut oil. I haven't kept a food log for a while but my suspicion is that I am eating less calories. This is one of the big debates in the paleo community right now: aren't we eating less calories and that's what's having us lose (or maintain) our weight rather than all that stuff about insulin and leptin? I think that both are true. I used to get hungry rather quickly after eating a bowl of sugar, er, cereal in the morning. With an omelet or fried eggs and ham or bacon I often have to remind myself to eat when lunchtime arrives. Protein and fat provide much higher satiety than carbohydrates. I eat less protein than does Gary Taubes but otherwise we are similar: eat three eggs with cheese, bacon and sausage for breakfast every morning, typically a couple of cheeseburgers (no bun) or a roast chicken for lunch, and more often than not, a ribeye or New York steak (grass fed) for dinner, usually in the neighborhood of a pound of meat. I cook with butter and, occasionally, olive oil (the sausages). My snacks run to cheese and almonds. So lots of fat and saturated fat and very little carbohydrates. A deadly diet, according to Dr. Oz. Without further ado, here are my numbers... His lab panel is excellent (click for larger view): Notice that he got the blood panel that measures the size of his LDL particles and he is well inside Pattern A, which are the large, fluffy particles. These do not form arterial plaque. I haven't done mine recently but I expect them to be equally excellent. You can already see one big difference: Americans consume twice as much the amount of sugars as Italians. But Italians consume one third more cereals then Americans. Meat, interestingly, is at the same level. Some trends (not this are only three data points as FAOSTAT does not allow to download more than one year at a time) Some food for thought! Italy is moving towards an American diet (and we [I'm Italian] ARE getting fatter, and the increased consumption of animal products and abandoment of the Mediterranean diet is being blamed), while America is moving towards an Italian diet! Note that "vegetal products" includes oils and sugar. Actual fruit and vegetables is a fraction of that. Final data points: Kcal consumption per capita 1961 1980 2007 Italy 2956 3598 3646 USA 2881 3188 3749 Increasing food intake. Coupled with increased sedentariety, how wonder how much of the fattening is explained by this? Thanks for doing that legwork, though there just isn't enough detail to draw more than tentative hypotheses (and hypotheses are all that is possible with this sort of data). Also, the FAOSTAT food balance sheets have noted problems that make them unsuitable for serious nutrition work. They are a starting point and that's all. That being said, the consumption of sugar, if it is accurate in their data gathering, is definitely a big red flag. Sugar seems to mess up the metabolism the worst of any kind of carbohydrate (well, flour is right up there, but we know that's just sugar (starch) in powdered form). Thanks for the research. Too bad there's no historical break-down on "vegetal products" (oils and sugar), as it would probably reveal an increase in sugar intake, as you say. I would agree that a 23% increase in caloric intake + sedentary lifestyle is also a big factor in Italian obesity, just as it is in the U.S. However, as aangel has tried to explain, not all calories are created equally --sugar and refined carbs produce a very different insulin/leptin response in the body and are metabolized differently. So, while eating too much and not exercising is clearly bad for you too, the *type* of calories we eat also greatly matters. Both factors are important, but the American public in general is not being given the right information to do anything positive about the sugar/carb problem. Do you think a population of 500 million is enough of a population to maintain a level of civilization that can have specialized crews who are able to clean up melted down nuclear reactors and clean up the mess... Yes, however with a population that low, there's a lot less need to use fission power. Renewables + FFs for whatever renewables can't do as easily (plane fuel) might be all we need. I also think it's a mistake to assume that technology and population levels are directly related. Let's not forget that the world's population did not pass 500 million until the 16th century, and that much of today's 7+ billion still live under conditions that resemble the 16th century. Only the 1 billion or so citizens of First World nations really inhabit a truly "high tech" world. So, just because the population falls to 16th century levels doesn't mean that we all have to revert to 16th century technology. How many people does it take to maintain the Library of Congress? How many does it take to maintain a digital library? Not really that many. Melt-downs are a lot less likely with Gen-IV MSR designs (passively self-shutdown w/out power). There's also no technical reason why said Gen-IV MSRs cannot "burn" long-lived highly radioactive waste from Gen I-III LWRs. However, even if we never disposed of the existing waste like that, burying it in remote desert locations would not pose much of a problem --aside from the politics of NIMBYism. Yucca Mountain, had it not been shut down by the NIMBYs could have easily handled the accumulated wastes of the entire U.S. with room to spare. Maybe instead of relying on dubious and contradictory studies we should consider trusting our logical brain. All animals are designed to consume a certain foods- you can simply look at the body design of a cheetah and parrot and determine what they are designed to eat- this is not rocket science really. We have become so lost in studies that we lose faith in common sense. Humans are in no way shaped to consume meat. We are ultimate fruit eaters. Our legs take us from tree to bush. Our color vision and binocular depth perception are excellent for locating colorful fruits from a distance and reaching for them with our wondrous grasping hands (sorry, we don't have claws!). Our climbing legs and hands get us high in the tree. The inside of out body also reveals what our bodies are optimized for. Our teeth are flat- perfect for grinding plant matter- not latching onto a running deer (which we couldn't catch anyway).We cannot eat raw meat well- that by itself should be a warning. Our stomachs are not high acid tanks for dissolving parasitic infested flesh like vultures but are optimized for fruit and vegetable digestion. In fact, we get diarrhea very easily from bad meat. Our energy hungry brains developed to crave the sweetness that only fruits provide. Yes, we also love the fats in nuts- which we can split with our hands (and a rock). Psychologically we are not natural meat eaters either. Babies and children do not have the instinct to bite the neck of a live animal the way a puppy or kitten does. I do not look at a pig and want to bite it (but a leopard does). We usually crave meat only after it is salted or sweetened with sauce, etc. (you don't have to do this to an apple!) We recoil at actually killing an animal and can be haunted by the screams it makes (so we hire others to do this). The fact that our intelligence and omnivore ability has allowed us to broaden our palette doesn't mean we are eating what is best for us. Our brain development is more recent than the development of the rest of our body. Our brains allow us to eat many foods but our bodies are still designed primarily for fruit- both brain and body did not change at the same speed. Nature evolves what is most important for survival the fastest. The weight loss argument is not strong either. The rise of meat eating in America correlates with the rise in obesity. Any food can make you fat. The world is full of fat meat eaters- losing weight only has to do with calories. You can lose yourself in study after study and pull out very technical sounding stuff and still be wrong. A fact may be true in itself but wrong when applied to a situation. I am not impressed with chemical bonds, etc. To paraphrase Disraeli: "there are lies, damn lies, and dietary studies". That fact that so many studies and "experts" contradict each other inclines me to fall back on basic sense and a general knowledge of evolutionary body design. Eat the way you look like you were designed to eat. Trust your own logic- not convoluted data. If we were not psychologically meat eaters, then the smell of cooking meats would not interest us. Squeemishness doesn't last long when you are hungry. The rise in obesity matches the rise in tv, cars, sugar intake, mega churches ...whatever you want. You will notice that the availablity of meat in other countries is just as prevalent, yet they have not turned out anywhere nearly as bad on the obesity scale. Dust Jacket from Gluttons and Libertines Examines "shibboleths about food and sex, feeding time and mating habits, insect-eating and cannibalism, incest, alcohol and narcotics, the use of clothing, the pursuit of gentility, human meanness and animal aggressiveness, the problem of being a crackpot, a phony or a square" Also, the Woolly Mammoths were chomped on by humankind until they couldn't be found anymore, be it weather related, too tough to call; I dunno. It was a day to rue for our ancestors. Time to move on going west, as they say. An Orangutan enjoyed lunch every day for a few days with a soldier deployed in Vietnam, an offering from the grunt. One day, the orangutan wanted all of his lunch, which the soldier refused to consent, but after the orangutan slapped the snot out of him, he relented. "We recoil at actually killing an animal and can be haunted by the screams it makes (so we hire others to do this). Just because eating meat may be a learned behavior doesn't mean humans haven't been doing it for over a million years. Chances are, we wouldn't be us if we hadn't begun to eat more meat: This idea — called the Expensive Tissue Hypothesis (ETH) in Aiello's co-authored 1992 paper — argues that around 1.5 million years ago early humans began to eat more meat, a compact, high-energy source of calories that does not require a large intestinal system. A second seminal idea posited by Aiello and another colleague is that increased brain size meant higher reproductive costs for females — who, over time, compensated in part by increasing in size at a greater rate than males of the genus Homo. (Homo erectus females had a 64 percent larger body mass than earlier hominids; males of the species — though still larger than females — were larger than their earlier male counterparts by only 45 percent.)... ...But for whatever reason, she said, "encephalization" — the tendency of some species to evolve larger brains — is the third stage that led humans to civilization. (One earlier stage is bipedalism. The oldest is "terrestriality," the movement of early hominids from canopied forests — rich in lower-calorie foods — to savannahs, where small game, carrion, and insects supplemented a plant-based diet.)... As for hiring someone else to do it, big kills were made by large predators and scavenged by humans; let someone else do the hard work. Plenty of examples of this in nature. And, much as chimps make tools to fish termites out of mounds, I'm sure our ancestors did the same thing, or used sticks to dig up and bop small rodents. No need for claws or fangs. We have omnivores' teeth and rocks to throw; fire to pre-digest. Clearly our digestive system is not designed to eat raw food or contaminated food or raw meat or grass, but we are not fruit eater either. Fruit can not provide the proteins we need and that our body cannot synthesized, so we are not fruits eaters. We come from ancestors that had a diet like chimps today (chimps mainly eat leaves but they never miss an opportunity to add fruits, nuts or even meat in their diet) Our digestive system evolved because we incorporated regular meat in our diet but also we started to cook, eating meat we lost the ability to synthesized all the proteins we need, cooking we lost our ability to digest cellulose. I was always struck by the fact that Apes can digest cellulose when we, human, cannot. Cellulose are sugars that are strongly interlocked and then hard to break down, you need the right bacteria to do that. We also cannot digest starch without cooking it, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't eat starch, sugars have always been part of our diet, and that is why our muscles are so efficient at running on it, when they are not using fat or protein, therefore it is utterly stupid to say that we shouldn't eat any sugar. As human our diet is quite complex compared to other animals, we need to eat daily proteins that need to associate different variety of grain or vegetable, we lost our ability to digest cellulose that is so abundant in nature, we need to cook our meat and starch but then we still need to eat raw fruits or vegetable because the cooking destroy vitamins C. Quite complicated indeed. Now this idea that you necessarily need to eat meat to be healthy is absolutely ridiculous, and wrong, there is hundred of millions of people who live without eating any meat at all and they are perfectly healthy. Also when I read that japanese can eat rice only because they exercise more than US people. They certainly drive less but they have also a sedentary life, the key is that they eat less and that their diet is very low in fat especially animal fat, so they don't have heart disease, yet they eat plenty of carbs every day... as for feeding 7 billions people, the answer is plain and simple: eat less meat because it is not necessary, and eat less because we eat much more than we need in the sedentary lifestyle that is our. Careful eating is required to avoid meat and still get all required nutrients. Even then it's very difficult to avoid "vegetarian brain fog." One fellow put it this way: "Many vegetarians believe their diet makes them feel 'spiritual', when in fact their feeling of detachment is often a symptom of brain fog brought on by their diet or other factors." I assert that a bit of animal protein, packed with nutrients that it is, is very beneficial to humans. That's likely why Cordain found meat-eating prevalent among HGs. Also: Researchers have long known that a strict vegetarian diet -- one that excludes all animal products -- can lead to vitamin B-12 deficiency, and possibly heart disease. Now, new research suggests that even those who follow a more lenient vegetarian diet are also at risk. In the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, German researchers tracked 174 apparently healthy people living in Germany and the Netherlands. They found that 92% of the vegans they studied -- those who ate the strictest vegetarian diet, which shuns all animal products, including milk and eggs -- had vitamin B12 deficiency. But two in three people who followed a vegetarian diet that included milk and eggs as their only animal foods also were deficient. Only 5% of those who consumed meats had vitamin B12 deficiency. "As the number of vegetarians is increasing worldwide, we have special concerns about some health aspects of this diet," lead researcher Wolfgang Herrmann, MD, PhD, tells WebMD. "We have a particular concern over vitamin B12 status being regularly monitored in vegetarians -- most importantly, in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children of vegetarian mothers and on macrobiotic diets, elderly vegetarians, and people who already have atherosclerosis." In my view — regardless of how many people are currently subsisting on suboptimal diets — mothers should always eat meat because it is even more important that they have adequate nutrients, not just B12. Sorry, the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of humans being designed to eat meat and the evidence, including radioisotope testing of human bones, shows that we have eaten meat for millions of years. No it is not, we neither have the dentition nor the short intestine of carnivorous species, we also don't have the acid to kill the bacteria that often infest meat that species like cats or dogs can eat. The fact that we find evidence in the bones of our ancestor that they where eating meat doesn't prove that it was their main food neither it proves that it was the best food for them. It is not because meat happens to contains necessary nutrients for us that in turns all it contains is good for us. Asides the autopsy of Otsi this Hunter gatherer whose frozen corpse was found in the snow of austria a few years ago, showed that he had big problem of arteries, he was killed violently but would have died anyway from his arteries problem. The food they found in his stomach and his bags was animal fat... There are anthropological studies where the transition from hunter-gatherer to agricultural society was able to be studied and the hunter-gatherer remains showed more robust health, including taller people, stronger bones, etc. Not to say the early h&g people didn't have their problems. I just finished reading 'Anasazi America' which describes in some detail the agricultural society created by the Anasazi in Southwestern US. The people living on the periphery of the main agricultural areas, who still had access to viable hunting grounds, and had more meat in their diets were healthier and more robust than their 'vegan' counterparts who subsisted entirely on the corn, squash and other vegetables and grains that they grew. Edit: It is disappointing, but not entirely surprising, to see the 'argument from authority' emerging here. If someone has objections to a non-lettered person providing an analysis of a particular study, let's hear the specifics. It is a real cop-out to use the ad-hominem of 'this person is not a certified expert therefore their analysis and opinion has no weight.' The subject of 'Diseases of Civilization' strikes very close to home for me because 4 years ago I developed Parkinson's Disease symptoms. I'm lucky that the standard Levadopa/Carbidopa treatment is very effective. I have also noticed a big improvement by consuming 4 to 6 tablespoons of coconut oil a day (look up 'ketogenic diet') and about a teaspoon of mucuna pruriens (kaunch). Fortunately, I have a neurologist who is up on the literature and open minded enough to encourage my experimentation. If I waited for the 'experts' in the field to recommend treatments outside the strict medical paradigm, I'd be a lot worse off. Ultimately, I'll eat whatever I damn well please and trust my own research over taking some 'expert' opinion on the subject. But the big problem is that the official government recommendations actually make it hard to eat what I consider a healthy diet. If someone has a child and wishes to keep them from eating too much sugar, good luck! It is ubiquitous and easily available and almost impossible to avoid. And try getting say dairy products that are not 'reduced fat' and so on. I could rant for pages about this issue but I just want to say thanks to aangel for bringing up the argument and supporting data. The problem of having a vegan diet in south and north america is that there were growing corn and not wheat, corn is very poor in protein compared to wheat and yes contains too much fast sugar. The problem of early farmers is that they were growing only one kind of crops so their diet was not diversified enough, in contrats hunter gatherer ad a more diversified diet because asides of lean meat they were eating nut, roots, grain from wild cereals, tubes, seafood, fruits, berries, leafy grass etc.. If I recall correctly, a major source of oil and protein for the early Anasazi was pine nuts. I presume that those at the periphery would continue to have more access to this source, as well as wild meat, while others ate grain. (Of course, at the very end, they seem to have turned on each other for a protein source.) That may be true, but what Aangel and some others are saying is that some foods give your brain signals that "this is enough" (e.g. fats) and some don't (e.g. wheat). This then affects how much you eat and thus how many calories you consume. For myself, I'm wondering. I think I'll have to read up some more. Science is a brilliant thing, but sometimes it takes a very long time to come up with the right answer and have everybody accept it. "...it takes a very long time to come up with the right answer and have everybody accept it." Maybe the only right answer is that there is no 'right' answer, though it's clear that some of the more passionate here will disagree. I'll agree that there are some 'wrong' answers (HFCS, etc.), but most of these are easy to spot. Since nutrition boils down to chemistry, there are likely infinite possibilities, humans will try as many of these combinations as they can, and time will tell which work and which don't. I expect that modern medicine slows this process, since it alters the results of this ongoing experiment on an ever-changing test subject. I've covered all this in my comments. There is no French Paradox once you use the correct paradigm, which is that there is no link between cholesterol, saturated fat and CHD. The reason the French (and Spanish, and Italians, and Swiss, and...) have some of the world's lowest rates of CHD and the highest levels of cholesterol is because cholesterol has been incorrectly fingered as the problem. You don't seem to be getting this so I'll keep showing the World Health Organization data until you do: aangel- It may well be that there is no correlation between cholesterol and heart disease, but I respectfully submit that you can't possibly draw that conclusion from your graph. First, it would be helpful if you would cite your data source. Second, with the exception of Aboriginals (I don't know whether that refers to Australia or elsewhere) and Russia, the numbers shown are all European. The graph says nothing about Africans, Americans (in the broadest sense), most Asians, or most Australasians. Third, the numbers shown are averages for each of the separate populations. They don't say anything about the relationship between cholesterol and death rate from CHD within populations, each of which has its own dietary, genetic and other factors. Fourth, by (literally) connecting the dots, you've shown the two sets of values as if they belonged to continuous functions when they do not (they do not even have an implicit order); there is no 'x-axis' on your graph. Plotting each population's death rate vs. cholesterol level on a scatter plot would show any correlation, or lack of it. If cholesterol were really the cause of heart disease, there wouldn't be such strong evidence against it. The population with the lowest cholesterol has the worst rates of CHD and, as everyone has been scratching their heads over for decades, those populations with the highlight cholesterol have the lowest rates of CHD. People are performing mental gymnastics to make their cholesterol theory fit with this data when the obvious answer is that the theory is wrong. We now know precisely why researchers were led down the path of thinking cholesterol was the problem and we now also know (or know better) what is really going on. So we have both theory and observation consistent with each other. Recent experiments point that the signal to tell you enough is enough is given by "proteins". During many years we thought that the signal was given by "Lipids", but in fact lipids do exactly the opposite, according to the same studies. The more fat you put in your food, the more you eat, fat is a stimulant to eat more and that is why we put so much fat in our cooking. All modern diets for loosing weight incorporate more proteins to help people control their appetite. Tom - Interesting article, and interesting comments to read. I wonder also if you should also include in your food/energy density analysis the production and distribution of protein available to humans in our ecosystem. Your energy efficiency calculations are based upon typical standards of our food on table at present yet we admit energy come from all sorts of production profiles. As a budget for humanity we need to consider conversion of protein from forms not palatable or digestible for us. Also food produced from lands that are too salty, rocky or arid for agriculture yet have photosynthetic capacity. Meat scores well in these two categories and by not using meat that is ecologically produces removes this protein from our collective diet. Visiting a friend in Arizona I was treated to steaks cooked on a grill from a range reared steer. It was tough as nails and took long time just to chew down a few bites. This is error in cooking method and as a slow cooked roast would have made better bowl of chili or a taco I appreciate the lively conversation on diet and health going on here. It gives me much to ruminate on (pun intended). I would like to point out, though, that like many health markers, the relationship to individual habits such as diet, exercise, sleep, exposure to chemicals, and wealth are very difficult to tease out, perhaps as indicated by the back-and-forth between the references linked. Based on what I've looked at recently, I would say that diet can only help so much at improving health markers. Socioeconomic inequality seems to be the most widespread determinant of health outcomes, at least those parochially considered to be "of affluence" (heart disease, post-adolescent mortality, cancer, diabetes, etc.). The thesis here is that stratified societies tend to increase the chronic stress levels of its members, save for those at the very top who have the fewest barriers to autonomy or goal-seeking. To bring the topic back to the thread, I would consider the debate on diet to be less important than a debate on how to structure societies to focus on community priorities rather than personal satisfaction. The shift towards less energy-intensive foods in a world of increasing energy scarcity would be a HUGE part of that discussion. Brave of you to bring the discussion back to the original topic. I thought I was having a bad dream. I agree with your final point. We can be sure that we won't give up eating in the future. To the extent that energy becomes more difficult (scarce, expensive), it will be useful to understand which foods require a lot of energy and which don't. Prices may well do the work for us, but if we first appreciate the problem, then maybe we'll put some food systems in place that are deliberately low-energy and more sustainable. I for one would rather not rely on the market to tell me what to do and when: let's anticipate the trouble spots and adapt ahead of time... I have chosen to focus less on the fossil fuel energy content by type of food, and more on the FF energy content of packaging and transportation of food. However, the FF energy to grow much of my food is minimal. The gasoline for the outboard to catch wild fish & shrimp. Half the crawfish on the market are a second crop with rice - the other half are wild caught. Honey from a few miles away. A bit of driving from hive cluster to hive cluster (all within a couple of miles of his home) and a half dozen miles to market. Buying brown rice from the farmer in 25 lb sacks. Grown about 45 miles away. I am sure he uses FF to grow his rice. But is rice an energy intensive crop ? My guess is not. The blueberry farmer is buying a mechanical harvester this year, after paying workers for years to pick them. A few gallons to run through the fields. On the diet side, I eat a fairly high fat diet at home - but the two largest sources of fat are olive oil (close to a liter/month) and 4 or 5 avocados/week. Olive trees do not require much FF to grow, and minimal to harvest & press. Packaging in 3 liter bottles is not too bad. Ocean transport for high energy density food is not much FF/liter of olive oil. Avocados may get a bit of fertilizer (I do NOT know) but harvesting takes minimal energy. And then trucking from Mexico or California to New Orleans (we grow some avocados here - but not the Hass type I like). Some energy there that I would like to see shifted to electrified rail. I add some northern water frozen fish (all cold water fish have higher fat content than Gulf fish) to my diet (Gulf fish Saturday (day of F&F market), Sunday and usually Monday. I either drive to the Tuesday Farmer's & Fishers Market or eat frozen pollock, flounder, cod the rest of the week). This frozen fish is MUCH higher in FF input, but .... Fresh local vegetables in season, frozen the rest of the year (canned tomatoes) or trucked in fresh from different climate zones. Cook at home, but try and use energy efficient means of doing so. Cook portions for several meals at once - use microwave where appropriate, etc. After all, the topic here is "flex-fuel humans" who are evolved to derive food from many sources. It seems to me that the farther away from dietary balance that we get, the more uncertain the results. Economic contraction will require adjustments of the dietary as well as the population balance, but as a species we are designed to take such changes in stride. People have been eating grains, vegetables, meat and dairy in their modern forms and in various established regional patterns for at least a thousand years. Obesity in the US was not a cultural issue until high-fructose corn syrup was developed in the 1980's. There has been little general concern about celiac disease or gluten intolerance outside of the past few decades. Is it just that we weren't previously paying attention or lacked the medical knowledge, or are there some very specific short-term conditions that have changed? The problem of AAngel is that for him all carbs are equally bad, he makes no difference between fast carb like sucrose or fructose that go straight from you stomach to your blood and slow digested carbs like bulgour, brown rice, complete bread that takes 4 hours to be digested. That is the failure of his shaky theory Me too. This is the last diet and nutrition thread I can take for six months. Human diet has been observed, scientifically observed, for 2500 years. Carbs vs fats is still up in the air? I shrug at the whole "science" of nutrition, which is obviously in complete disarray. In terms of foods requiring the least energy, pasture based livestock has to be up at the top. Some of the difficulty is regional, even site, variation based on climate. Local temp and ppt patterns, esp snow depth, confound alot of plans. Two other of note are a preponderance of livestock bred to gain on feed, and rely on antibiotics for resistance to parasites and disease. Historical estimates put the American bison at 50-60 million, with present day US cattle populations at 92 million. We are not off too far, esp considering present cattle range vs historical bison vs present cropland. Though I don't advocate bison. Present day whitetail deer pops are ~18 million, up from historical 3-4 million, and tho a browser, it gives an idea of what may be achieved with niche browsing and grazing. Pasture based systems will not feed the present world population, but then most agree it can't be sustained anyway. I can't help but think that a change in status and recognition away from dollars amassed can shift priorities from an individual to more community based goals. Even today we see the motivation for work comes from title as much as salary. A teacher is/was respected, a professor more so, irrespective of pay. During my freshman year at Baylor Medical School 1951-2 I took biochemistry and physiology. Biochemistry was mostly nutrition. We were taught that weight change depended on calories in vs calories out. Calories for water, indigestible fiber, carbohydrate, protein, alcohol and fat were given as 0, 0, 4, 4, 7 and 9. (fiber might actually be slightly negative). There was a theory that protein had a slightly higher satiety value. Protein sparing effect was also taught. Pathology was the main course the sophomore year. We covered among other things deficiency diseases and diabetes. Medicine rotations the junior and senior years included obesity and hypertension. Metabolic pathways such as the Krebs cycle were difficult to learn. Specializing in radiology I had no reason to keep up with nutrition except for my own personal reasons. I did wonder if barium sulfate could be used for dieting. I have suspected that there is far too much junk science in this field but have no expertise. Over the years I have noted that many primary care physicians stress maintaining a proper weight. Orthopedic specialists are concerned about the damage to joints. Some physicians tend to be discouraged by the recidivism. I have been moderately successful on low fat, high fiber artificial sweetener diets with low calorie vegetables and some gym visits. I briefly took phen-fen. It worked. If I let go I might easily exceed 300 pounds. If you have an auto that can travel 32 miles and use one gallon of gas, one mile distance traveled will consume 4 ounces of gasoline. (The energy to build the car has already been expended, so it doesn't count.) That has a cost of about 15 cents at 5 dollars per gallon. Your drive to the grocery store and back has a cost of 30 cents for the fuelJust a better world with a car. BTW, you couldn't use water to add to your radiator from a trough that was reserved for horses to drink back in the early days of the automobile. Superstitions arise from nowhere. Running down a chicken, grabbing its feet, chopping off the head and let it bounce around on the ground for a few minutes, dip the poor dead chicken into boiling water, pluck it, then dress it out is a better way; beats buying chicken at the grocery store. Probably what the happened for the last 100,000 years because that is what can be done. Hard to eat a piece of chicken after butchering a 100 of them all day, everything smells like feathers, blood and guts all over your hands, stuff like that. Wait to have some the next dayThe equation assumes that you're living on the minumum calorie allocation and already get all the exercise you need. We know that, in industrialised societies, neither assumption holds. In reality, the walk will burn off some of the excess calories from what you've eaten that day or the day before (thus helping your weight) and the exercise will improve your fitness. Further, there is the finding that moderate exercise actually helps to suppress appetite. So your next meal will be a little smaller and that also will help with your weight. Just a better world with a car. Perhaps it's better for the individual driver involved, if everything else stays the same. But that car makes the world worse for everyone else in it, and to a greater extent than it improves it for the driver. Overall, cars are a blight on society and will have to be abolished in due course. It can't be done overnight, because the public transport systems aren't in place, but the price of oil will one day do the job anyway. Longtime reader with a new username here (lost my old password after changing email addresses): This is a fascinating discussion and one that seems, at this stage in our history and development, impossible to resolve. As many have already noted here, reality will probably resolve our eating dilemma for us sooner or later. It is a strange comment on our times, as Michael Pollan said in his book ("The Omnivore's Dilemma"), that we even have to have a complicated discussion on how to eat. Most people throughout history didn't have that luxury, that's for sure. The bottom line in the discussion here seems to be: Do we eat for sustainability (ie, low-energy), which we probably need to do from a societal perspective, or do we eat the way humans were evolved to eat, which is undoubtedly the most healthful for us from an individual perspective? Ten thousand years ago, this wasn't a problem, because the answer to both questions was the same. Today? Not so much. I agree with JoulesBurn's point of view, but have recently also come to the conclusion that paleo is probably smartest for personal health, so I like a lot of where aangel is coming from too. In light of that, here are the things I've found myself thinking about: Eating paleo based on an industrial agriculture/livestock system isn't sustainable because of the energy requirements alone to produce that much meat protein daily for 7 billion people. Eating paleo today is most likely also unhealthy (and not at all paleo) for us personally because of all the pharmaceuticals and chemicals that are pumped into that system. (Just look at the results of the most recent study of what's been found in US poultry -- -- which includes the active ingredients of Tylenol, Viagra and Prozac, along with arsenic) Eating paleo today also supports horrendous cruelty to animals on an industrial scale, something I prefer to have as little as possible to do with (yes, I'm a vegetarian -- mostly for this and the previous two reasons above -- though I've eaten my share of hamburgers, chicken and ribs in the past). Even wild-caught meat/fish seems a poor choice from a health perspective today. While I gave up beef, pork and poultry years ago, I continued to eat fish and shellfish occasionally, especially fresh fish caught in the Gulf of Mexico (which I live near) ... until the latest revelations about wide-scale deformities being found in Gulf-caught sealife ( Even vegetarian paleo seems a pale version of real paleo, considering industrially raised and (often) genetically modified produce has been found to contain fewer nutrients than organic/heirloom varieties. It really is, as Pollan called it, a dilemma ... and one that those of us with the resources to afford decent amounts of food are lucky to have. Inevitably, though, I believe future energy, climate and other trends will have a lot more to say about how we eat. There are too many of us Capitas, and we use too much per capita humans can exclusively eat meat, the inuit did so humans can exclusively eat starches, or vegetables we can run down and kill by hand most small ungulates some of us are lactose intolerant some of us are gluten intolerant Known Unknowns: humans eat meat because all the megafauna have gone (mammoth, mastodon, diprotodon, moa) there are lots of butchering marks on 'fossil' carcasses Humans don't lap water therefore are not carnivores. we have short intestines so we are carnivores we have molars so we are herbivores we have canines so we are carnivores we have scalp hair, subcutaneous fat & no hair; and can swim at birth so we are aquatic we are bipedal for better reach in the trees we are bipedal & have scalp hair for better cooling when hunting in the tropics we have grasping feet so we are arboreal The Paleolithic diet was guaranteed to give you a healthy life until age 30 if you were not eaten by a hip-hop-opotomus The longest lived modern people tend to eat lots of rice & fish & oils Unknown Unknowns: There was a massive increase in obesity around 1980. this correlates with: the use of HFCS the popularization of the PC radios and air conditioning in automobiles paving of secondary roads options and day trading the popularization of jogging hydrogenization of oils MTV GMO's ------------ Metabolic studies in the 1950's (I am still awe-inspired) showed we need carbohydrates to metabolize fats, but other than that can digest pretty much anything. and of course that there are many ways to screw up insulin production to cause diabetes. Frankly, it is the last two bits of science that give me the most useful information. Obviously humans have been surviving for a while on every conceivable edible or not (cycads, cheeky yams) item. Also obviously we are living longer than ever despite the industrialized crap we are eating. Once the mud is lower than the top of my boots I'm planning on going outside and planting Emmer & Red Fife & Potatoes & tomatoes eg. whatever I can grow in this climate, so I can decide what poisons I'm applying & eating. Yes, some things are not metabolically perfect, but at least I will know exactly how much Round-Up is on them; and how much BT and Vancomycin are being produced. There are two fat (in spring?) deer, a moose & 6 Canada geese standing looking at me right now. I know there is a lot of food there but I don't have the stomach to kill them when I don't have to. I admire those who do. I least admire those who go to the grocery store & buy packaged meat; with all the tastiness but none of the screaming and blood and that disturbing non-scientific change in their big brown (/little beady goose) eyes when they die. Which makes me a "vegetarian" (Dene word meaning 'crappy hunter'). And having a nut allergy certainly eliminates a lot on these "healthy diet" lists. I'm also a ways from anything that might be called 'overpopulated'. So maybe that gives me a little more freedom than most. So what's a guy to do? I figgur: Grow your own plants, kill your own meat, import a bit of spice, sugar and oil if it doesn't grow locally. And enjoy all the benefits of fuel while it's here - I suspect we'll miss it when it's gone. New customers will readily jump in and consume the oil that you manage to spare. This approach is useless in my view. The system will change only when it is forced to do so by lack of fossil fuels. Increase your resilience by growing as much of your food as possible. (It is to increase resilience and not to reduce fossil fuel usage). And then party like it's 1999. The sooner this thing collapses the betterWhere ideas are concerned, America can be counted on to do one of two things: take a good idea and run it completely into the ground, or take a bad idea and run it completely into the ground."
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State Sovereignty Movements Gaining Support Not since the rebellion in America was quashed in 1865 with the surrender of Robert E. Lee to Ulysses S. Grant has so much attention been paid to state sovereignty as is being paid today. More than 35 states have passed or are considering state sovereignty amendments, according to the Tenth Amendment Center. Just before leaving office, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin signed a bill declaring that state's sovereignty, joining Tennessee Gov. Phil Bresdesen in that regard. States are finally becoming fed up with the increasingly dangerous non-Constitutional overreach of the Federal Government, and State Legislatures are working to stop it. Unfortunately, many of today's voting-age Americans have never even read the U.S. Constitution. Apparently, most civics classes in public schools today dwell on other things. So far too many people have no clue how far their government has overreached and taken away their liberty. But here's the truth: the Constitution gives the three branches of government certain enumerated powers. Those not enumerated are reserved to the states, and to the people. The 10th Amendment describes it: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, or prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Yet despite that, since the Southern states were prohibited from removing themselves from an alliance that no longer worked in their favor—an alliance they entered into voluntarily—the U.S. government has grown increasingly more powerful. It could do so because the last remaining restraints on its power—the option that states had to leave the union—had been eliminated. Here's what has transpired since: During reconstruction the Republican Party centralized government, subsidized railroads, raised taxes on Southern property and businesses—then confiscated the property when taxes couldn't be paid—and established an education system that taught a revisionist history of the run-up to and causes of the war (and the government-run education system continues this today). Congress also continued the first income tax—an unconstitutional act—that had been implemented by Pres. Abraham Lincoln. In 1917 Congress established the Federal Reserve, a non-Constitutional entity with the power to control the U.S. money supply. In the 1930s, in response to The Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt pushed through New Deal provisions that further empowered the Federal Government while enriching certain constituencies. And now, in response to the global financial crisis, first President George W. Bush then President Barack Obama pushed through extra-constitutional spending bills. Obama then compounded the problems by nationalizing the financial and automobile markets; an action, again, that benefitted certain constituencies. And now the Federal Government is proposing an even further overreach by attempting to enact legislation to cap carbon dioxide emissions and tax energy companies that exceed arbitrarily set limits of the element, and to restrict your access to adequate healthcare. It seems from the mood of many in our country we may have reached a tipping point as a result of these latest actions. Radio talk shows are alive with voices proposing—demanding even—that America return to the Constitutional roots. Protests denouncing the growing government are increasing in frequency and support. Unfortunately, many in America still don't understand what all the hubbub is about. So, to help them understand, here are 10 talking points from the Tenth Amendment Center: The People created the federal government to be their agent for certain enumerated purposes only. The Constitutional ratifying structure was created so it would be clear that it was the People, and not the States, that were doing the ratifying. The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the Federal Government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States. The rest is to be handled by the State Governments, or locally, by the people themselves. The Constitution does not include a congressional power to override state laws. It does not give the judicial branch unlimited jurisdiction over all matters. It does not provide Congress with the power to legislate over everything. This is verified by the simple fact that attempts to make these principles part of the Constitution were soundly rejected by its signers. If the Congress had been intended to carry out anything they claim would promote the "general welfare," what would be the point of listing its specific powers in Article I, Section 8, since these would've already been covered? Each one of these proposals was soundly defeated. In fact, Madison made many more attempts to authorize a national veto over state laws, and these were repeatedly defeated as well. The Tenth Amendment was adopted after the Constitutional ratification process to emphasize the fact that the states remained individual and unique sovereignties; that they were empowered in areas that the Constitution did not delegate to the Federal Government. With this in mind, any Federal attempt to legislate beyond the Constitutional limits of Congress' authority is a(n) usurpation of state sovereignty—and unconstitutional. Tragically, the Tenth Amendment has become almost a nullity at this point in our history, but there are a great many reasons to bring it to the forefront. Most importantly, though, we must keep in mind that the Founders envisioned a loose confederation of states—not a one-size-fits-all solution for everything that could arise. Why? The simple answer lies in the fact that they had just escaped the tyranny of a king who thought he knew best how to govern everything—including local colonies from across an ocean. Governments and political leaders are best held accountable to the will of the people when government is local. Second, the people of a state know what is best for them; they do not need bureaucrats, potentially thousands of miles away, governing their lives. Think about it. If Hitler had ruled just Berlin and Stalin had ruled just Moscow, the whole world might be a different place today. A constitution which does not provide strict limits is just the thing any government would be thrilled to have, for, as Lord Acton once said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." We agree with historian Kevin Gutzman, who has said that those who would give us a "living" Constitution are actually giving us a dead one, since such a thing is completely unable to protect us against the encroachments of government power. If you want to first halt then reverse the tide of government overreach, pass these points around to your friends and send them to your state and U.S. representatives comment does not appear, it is likely because it violates the above policy or contains links or language typical of spam. We reserve the right to remove comments at our discretion. Do you not understand that the HOLY SPIRIT is taking this nation apart. We have rejected GOD, and now we are beginning to see the fruit of our actions. No man is powerful enough to save this nation. Our only HOPE is in GOD and only the Christians get to Vote. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (New International Version) " If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." We can yield to the Holy Spirit or we can be destroyed. The choice is ours. American Citizen George, it's not the Holy Spirit who is tearing this country apart, it's Satan, the Father of Lies. The Holy Spirit is Life. No Spirit, no Life. The Holy Spirit guides us in right ways if we look to him/her. Melody Tell me again, why do we need a federal government? Take the money away from the federal government and withhold taxes and lets see what happens to Congress and the Senate. I would like to see what would happen if every person in the Republican party refused to pay their taxes to the federal government…. do you think they would listen? Do you think they would read the constitution? State taxes yes, federal, no. Local taxes, yes. Federal taxes, no. Government is only as powerful when we as citizens give our power away. Palin has it right… smaller government. I only want my government to protect our borders, and prevent war…. nothing else. We, in our communities should be involved with running our schools and paying for the needs of our area. DaveH Sorry Melody, Nice sentiment but it won't work. They would just sell debt (probably to the Federal Reserve) and continue on. Our taxes would then come in the form of inflation. The only viable course is to throw all the Big-Government-advocating rascals out of office. It's not hard to find out who they are. Just look at their voting record on various bills and you can see if they stand for Big-Government or Limited-Government. Of course, at present, that is almost all of them. mabel Jim Edmundson, I can't believe that I have finally found someone who feels exactly the same as me. We have to wake up and take our country back. We are very close to facism. Why couldn't so many people see? Dale Foolpatrol your answer is incorrect. Teachers dues are not private money. Dues are paid with tax revenue. Government employees checks are paid with tax revenue (or national debt), deductions from their checks just reduces the amount of tax revenue they take (or debt they add). No matter how you look at it or want to twist it, DUES ARE PAID WITH TAX REVENUE DOLLARS TAKEN FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR (or added to the national debt). Other issues: BO was not elected by the people. Your vote does not count. BO was elected by the electoral delegates, feeding their own agenda, without representation for you the voter. Go back and look and you will see that many delegates jumped ship, voting against the will of the voters they are suppose to represent. On every issue just follow the money and when you discover who stands to profit you will then know the truth. Don't go blindly forward… START ASKING QUESTIONS! Dale Joseph Dale, First, I must apoligize to Joseph. I didn't realize there were two of us on here. Any further comments from me shall be from "JosephW." Second, Dale, you are absolutely correct in "follow the money." While I doubt that that Foolpatrol and his ilk shall ever be capable of seeing this truth, I pray to God that my sensible, rational, fellow Americans will awaken to the fact that is no longer which "party", or which "side" you belong to, but, because of both "sides of the federal government become a matter of those who have and those who have not. Off the backs of the American taxpayers for generations to come, the "spreading of the wealth" will be no more than a lavish banquet set in trying to appease this government's insatiable appetite of money. Our government is morally and Constitutionally wrong!! JosephW Smilee Dale on August 10th, 2009 at 2:27 pm: Boy are you a nut case! Once the money becomes the property of the teacher it is no longer tax revenue but private property, therefore, how the teacher spends the money it is not tax revenue being spent. The union dues is paid by private sector monies, you are just flat wrong. DaveH Smilee, Your point is valid, but do you have to resort to name-calling? It sure doesn't make people want to listen to you. Don He makes more sense than what other people have to say, so I'm listening. Man that guy, Mark, is a real hater. Sorry Dave about my name-calling. ely (Helen Post number one) Well I am a CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN and think the DEMOCRAT S ARE A BUNCH OF HYPORCRITES. So then we agree? – What am I talking about? – Its like this; as soon as the Real Democrats and Real Republicans in America realize we are on the same team, the sooner we can go back to our real debates. Yes, you heard that right. "We are on the same team", and I only wish we can have those days of Real Democrats and Real Republicans again. For you see there are not many of them left. That is in government! Once "We the People" from both sides accept that all our leaders, form both sides of the isle are now part of this elitist group called "Progressives" the sooner we will be free to be a Democrat or a Republican again. Yes, they may call themselves Democrats and Republicans, but in reality they are not! If they were true Democrats or true Republicans they would listen to the Liberal leaning, and the Conservative leaning people, respectively. No the reality is that these "Progressive elitists" reside in both party's, and share the same goals that do not include us. Their true goals do not include the Real American Democrats, nor do they include the Real American Republicans, as well as all third party people. Once the truth is exposed, and is truly understood for what it is by "We the People", the sooner we can heal our nation, for the real Americans from both sides (and most Third Party's') really do love America, and we both long mostly for the same things that the "progressive movement" wishes to destroy. These" Progressive elitists" also realize the easiest way to their goals are to keep "We the People" preoccupied, and in the dark and as far from the truth as possible. And their biggest weapon against us, is to keep us fighting with each other so as to create a smoke screen in which they can do there dirty work in the light of day. Ask yourselves: What dose our current and, our most recent government administrations find as the biggest threat to America? My answer is; they fear a "Real" UNITED States of America, which is run by, and for the "People" of this nation! steven jeffries I agree and Support You also Salute You Joseph Great post Tom and a few others, thanks… (Follow the money, remember!?!) I'd like to point out a few things, God willing… First off, lets ALL pray to God Almighty for several needs to be miraculously provided for; A.) the 'gift discernment and truth' for all who would have it, i.e.; the 'mind of Christ', B.) The 'gift of repentance', so that we can all 'repent of our sins', both personally and nationally (obviously, as required, not pushing guilt on anyone!) C.) the 'gift of exposing corruption and evil' i.e.; 'discernment and truth' in action, D.) the 'gift of cleaning up the corruption and evil' in a Godly way, i.e.; Godly men and women all across our Republic bringing Glory to God, wiping out the 'corruption and evil' in favor of the God's liberating truth E.) and then the 'gift of restoration' of our Republic…! Secondly, I voted (and encouraged others to…) for the Constitutional Candidates BECAUSE it was the right thing to do, PERIOD…! I literally could NOT care about everyone else's votes because I have to live with my own conscience, and I can sleep at night in regards to that because I Voted for the BEST Candidate available, no matter what 'his chances of winning' were, etc…! Thirdly, Remember this: NO one has to honor or obey the UNCONSTITUTIONAL 'laws' that have been passed (state or federal!) as long as the U.S. CONSTITUTION is still in force, it's a matter of 'free will', one has the choice to obey God and His commands, or to obey man and his (wicked and evil) corrupt ways, it's that simple…! gem Heyes From all the responses here, one can see how Americans lost this nation. Our forefathers had special interests, different religions, various financial concerns and political philosophies but they managed to work together to free themselves and their families from what was then the super power on earth. Then, though it took them 10 years of hard work, they created and left us a constitution to protect us from tyranny. Our apathy and petty bickering over which political party has lied, cheated & stolen the most from "We the People" has only helped these clever con artists usurp more power. If "The People" want their power back, eliminate the IRS. Simply spread the word to everyone to change their dependents to 9 or 10 on their tax forms. They will pay in less taxes next year. In April 2011 do not pay any income taxes. Simply write " we the people have eliminated the internal revenue system". The government can try to collect, but police, etc…are citizens too. Organize, people!!! Co-operate!! Stop fighting each other. Stop foreign aide & supporting illegal aliens and stop paying taxes to a federal government far away. Reorganize on State levels where we can control corruption easier. JoAnne Johnson GEM HEYES RIGHT ON, FINALLY A SUGGESTION THAT MAKES SENSE. NOT ONLY IS THE FED A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION BUT SO TOO IS THE IRS. CONGRESS HAS GIVEN THEM POWERS ABOVE AND BEYONED OUR CONSTITUTION AS TO SEARCH AND CEASURE LAWS AND PRIVATE COURTS. THEY HAVE ENSLAVED THE WORKERS OF THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. THEY ARE INCORPORATED IN DELAWARE, NO TAXES FOR THEM, AND THEIR BY-LAWS ONLY AFFORDED THEM THE POWER TO HELP FILL OUT FORMS AND TO AID IN HELPING CITIZENS IN FILING THEIR TAXES. THESE ARE STILL THEIR BY-LAWS TODAY. ALL THIS BICKERING OVER DEMS AND REPS IS NONSENSE. A VERY GOOD QUOTE I CAME ACROSS GOES LIKE THIS "DEMOCRACY IS TWO WOLVES AND A LAMB VOTING ON WHAT TO HAVE FOR LUNCH." BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. NEITHER PARTY HAS THE INTEREST OF "WE THE PEOPLE" IN MIND, NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL. FOLLOW THAT WITH THE FOLLOWING QUOTE: "THE INSIDE OPERATION OF CONGRESS…THE DEALS, THE COMPROMISES, THE SELLING OUT, THE CO-OPTING, THE UNPRIINCIPLED MANIPULATION, THE SELF-SERVING CAREER-BUILDING…IS A STORY OF SUCH MONUMENTAL DECADENCE THAT I BELIEVE IF PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT IT THEY WILL DEMAND AN END TO IT." BELLA ABZUG WE MUST STOP THIS BICKERING AMONG OUTSELVES AND START TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE OF "DEFEND THE CONSTITUION". THAT IN ITSELF HAS BEEN BROKEN BY A VAST MAJORITY OF POLITICIANS IN MY LIFETIME AND IT IS EVEN BEING PERPETUATED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY ALLOWING THIS TO GO FORWARD. "WE THE PEOPLE ARE THE RIGHTFUL MASTERS OF BOTH CONGRESS AND THE COURTS, NOT TO OVERTHROW THE CONSTITUTION, BUT TO OVERTHROW THE MEN OF PERVERT THE CONSTITUTION." ABRAHAM LINCOLN. "A GOVERNMENT BIG ENOUGH TO SUPPLY EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE…THE COURSE OF HISTORY SHOWS THAT AS A GOVERNMENT GROWS, LIBERTY DECREASES." THOMAS JEFFERSON Don I don't think Lincoln said, "to overthrow the men of pervert the constitution." I JoAnne Johnson MY GOD, WITH ALL THE MISPELLED WORDS IN THESE BLOGS, YOU CAN PICK OUT ONE! "OR" WAS THE WORD, MAKE YOU FEEL ANY BETTER. AS TO THE WOMAN WITH THE HIGHWAY, ROAD TAXES, THAT IS MATCHING MONEY WITH THE STATES. THERE WAS A TIME IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE, WHEN THE STATES HAD THE POWER ALL THIS WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE CITIZENS OF THE STATES. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS SITE AND THE NONSENSE THAT IS BEING WRITTEN. HOW WILL WE EVER SOLVE PROBLEMS WHEN WE ARE ALL BICKERING OVER NONSENSE? OUR NATION HAS GOTTEN MEAN AND NASTY AND IT IS ALSO DESTROYING US. NOT JUST OUR GOVERNMENT, BUT US. INCREDIBLE!! Don If you want everyone stop paying taxes, is everyone going to stop using the highways that my taxes have paid for? Probably not. brad schuber Hear! hear! If only every state would confine the federal government to its constitutionally ordained powers. But, how can we halt taxes? By letting them tax us without restraint, they can get away with everything. How can we restrain them, and limit their overreach? How can we keep them from making us co-owners of banks, and automobile companies? How can we stop Barak and congress from all their unconstitutional mischief? Jim Silver Brad Schuber asks excellent questions. I wish I knew some answers. DaveH Brad, It can be accomplished, but first the citizens need to agree on the goal. That is the major problem. And you can see by all the disagreement on this board that it isn't going to be an easy task. The legislators have the power to change it all. But they aren't going to do that willingly unless we let them know their jobs are at stake. First we need to come to agreement about what we want them to change. Mike I find it sad that in this once great nation the people can not address a critical problem without injecting religion, bias, racism, personal attacks. It is true that our educational system has failed us. History not learned will repeat itself over and over as it has done so many times. If we as a people learned what the constitution was about and why it is written the way it is and what the writers were striving for, we wouldn't be arguing we would be united and focused on putting our government back on track. We can't and we won't because we have gone the way of the Romans and are in to ourselves and can't grasp what is going to happen to us as a nation. Jim Edmundson, Sr. To continue; this is for all Democheats and Republicants. I just read, 'NONE DARE CALL IT CONSPIRACY' BY GARY ALLEN AND LARRY ABRAHAM. It was written during the Vietnam war but 90% of it could apply to what is going on today. If you haven't read the book, I suggest you do and than maybe you can re-direct your attack on those who actually run the world. Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, etc, all were just Democrat or Republican puppets representing their party in costume only As Nikita Khrushcev said, "I once said, "We will bury you," and I got into trouble with it. Of course we will not bury you with a shovel. Your own working class will bury you". "The press is our chief ideological weapon." Last but not least. "We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism." HELLO! END OF QUOTES. What America needs to do is to vote out ALL incumbents, vote in term limits and make Congress and the Senate accountable to 'WE THE PEOPLE' to whom they seem to have forgotten. And to the unqualified Narcissistic Obama and his Czars, if that isn't socialism I don't know what is. Talk about unqualified, Obama does not have a clue, so he appointed a complete corrupt cabinet, headed by Queen Pelosi and Prince Reid, to make decisions he did not know how to make. Told them to come up with a STIMULUS PACKAGE AND A HEALTHCARE PACKAGE and he would sign it. Talk about unqualified, he makes Sara Palin look like the most qualified candidate for President ever. VOTE ON PACKAGES THAT WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE NATION AND NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO READ THEM……………UNIMAGINABLE. That is like taking out a loan from a corrupt bank without reading the small print and the banker saying, 'TRUST ME, YOU DON'T NEED TO READ IT, I'LL WATCH YOUR BACK'. Sure he will. Wake up people before it is 'HEIL OBAMA', or 'PRAISE OBAMA THE MESSIAH' Go to GOOGLE and type in 'OBAMAS CIRCLE OF FRIENDS' and it will scare the hell out of you. Quotes from Dr. Sam Vaknin, an Israel Phychologist; who has written extensively about narcissism. 'narcissism' noun. exaggerated self-admiration; exaggerated self-love Dr. Vaknin States "I must confess I was impressed by Sen. Barack Obama from the first time I saw him. At first I was excited to see a black candidate. He looked youthful, spoke well, appeared to be confident – Barack When you are a victim of a cult of personality, you don't know it until it is too late. One determining factor in the development of NPD is childhood abuse. His parents went through a divorce when he was an infant (two years old). Obama saw his father only once again, before he died in a car accident. Then his mother remarried and Obama had to relocate to Indonesia, "Dreams from My Father".…they′s. Obama will set the clock back decades…America is the bastion of freedom. The peace of the world depends on the strength of America, and its weakness translates into the triumph of terrorism and victory of rogue nations. It There is no insanity greater than electing a pathological narcissist as president. END QUOTES: Those of you who voted for Obama are getting exactly what you voted for and unfortunately you are bringing down the rest of America with you. Dolly Jim Edmundson, Sr.: I cannot believe what you wrote, BECAUSE I have thought of this man the same as you. It makes me smile to know I have not been the only one who thinks of this man in that way. I am not a writer and do not have the "smarts" to write such a great letter. Again, I want to thank you very much. I have not been able to understand why all the people that have such trust in this man, can do it. I have watched and listened to him from the beginning of this campaign. He had the smile and looks to sway people that had no idea what he was really saying. I seemed to "read between the lines" so the saying goes, and could see exactly, in my opinion, what direction he wanted our country to go.. However, there were so many people that believed what he was promising, I almost began to wonder if I were right. It only took a few more of his "words" to convince me I was correct in what I had thought. It may take a while longer for those who had believed to wake up to the fact that he was making promises, knowing he could or would not keep. My wish is that they wake up before we become a socialist country and that leads to a commumist country. If they knew or would learn what happens to those kind of countries, maybe they would realize what is happening to us. Jim E. Thanks Dolly, It amazes me that this administrations actions, whether it is against the law, against the United States Constitution or morally wrong, they do it anyway. With Obamas resume, he couldn't even get a job in Civil Service or any Law Enforcement agency and yet he is President of the United States. What a country we live in. His supporters are just like sheep, being led to the slaughter. Didn't that happen in WWII? rod james Dolly & Jim, Call it socialist or communist but right now America has been likened to a Fascist State in that it seems as if Corporatism is the order of the day with less real individual freedom every day. The constitution is being replaced by anti terrorism laws when drafted allow the attack of the US forces against their own people. Jim, Obamas and the past Republicans supporters are both being led down the same path like sheep to slaughter. All should read who financed Hitler and you will see it is the same people, organizations and buisnesses that are playing the same games with peoples lives. A good example is George Bush Sr. and his father in law being on the board of directors of the Union Bank of New York which was the US branch of Tyssen Bank (The Nazis Bank). This bank was shut down during the war for trading with the enemy and the German branch people prosecuted at Nuremburg. The US people went on to War profiteering in different other wars one still going on. Jim E. Rod James, You can't read very well can you. If you read my entire blog you must have missed the part about the 'INSIDERS' who run the World Every President since 1917 were puppets to the 'INSIDERS' with the exception of President Reagan and Senator Barry Goldwater. WHY, YOU MAY ASK? Simply because they couldn't be bought off like all the rest and cared more about 'WE THE PEOPLE', than we the individual 'INSIDERS' Don You never mentioned Bush as being a pathological narcissist. It cost us over 4,500 loyal service men and women, and the lives of around 700,000 Iraqis. Jim E. To Don: Nah! You're right, all President Bush did was keep all of our butts safe for 9-years and you forgot to put the blame on him for the Kennedy and Lincolns assasinations, the attack on Pearl Harbor and Vietnam. It is a shame that one american military life should be lost on foreign soil but take a look at these statistics. I am old enough to remember them well and all of these wars were started by a Democrat President, with the exception of Desert Storm & Iraq. MILITARY LIVES LOST IN WWII: 2,303,320 IWO JIMA – 6,891 GUADACANAL – 1,592 NORMANDY – 1,465 TO NAME A FEW BATTLES KOREA – 54,229 VIETNAM – 58,228 DESERT STORM – 156 IRAQ – 4,327 I AM AN NAVY VETERAN, SO DON, YOU SHOULD GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES EVERY NIGHT AND THANK THE MILITARY, FOR IT IS THE MILITARY AND JESUS CHRIST WHO DIED FOR YOU AND ME, NOT THE PITIFUL POLITICIANS. The 'INSIDERS' have funded both sides of every war we have had, not caring about our Military men and women. They just care about lining their pockets with money and their ego with power. IT IS TIME WE VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBANTS AND GET A FRESH NEW BUNCH IN AND IMPOSE TERM LIMITS. Don We did not have a "Christian " right to invade Iraq. Innocent children were being killed. Statistics as presented doesn't make if correct. You can justify this with your Lord. You do not invade a country that was not harmful to us. Bush kept us safe for 9 years? Tell that to the 3,000 dead people in NY. What was Bush saying before 9/11? He was bragging about his vacation time. He said he was going to break Reagan's record. Expain to me how that is being hard at work trying to keep us safe? david THANK YOU JIM E it has been and always will be a military mans desire to not have to go to war or a conflict but i for one have always believed and still stand by it, i would go and fight anywhere in the world just so i would not have to fight in my own back yard and point of interest look at how many died in 9-11 that where not military but family and friends and children is that war or terriorists retired USA Jim E. To Don. Do you think for one minute that Osama Bin Laden decided to bomb the Twin Towers after Bush was in office? If you do, you are dumber than a post. Clinton had Bin Laden in his grasp but would have rather chased Lewinsky around the oval office desk than do his Presidential duty. Every member of the Democratic party backed Bush on invading Iraq until the question of them having WMD was in doubt and than they turntailed like the lying bunch of hindsite cowards they are. What about the 100′s of thousands of his own people Sadam had executed. He needed to be taken out. Did he have anything to do with 9-11 probably not but than Hitler had nothing to do with Pearl Harbor either, he just killed 7-million Jews. Get your facts straight and quit blaming Bush for everything that is wrong with the United States. Sure, maybe he started this stimulus fiasco but Oduma could have stopped it. Instead of adding an additional 3-4 trillion dollars, he could have reversed the plan and given every United State LEGAL VOTER $100,000.00. Think maybe that would have stimulated the country? If we would have spent One Million Dollars a day since the birth of Christ, it would be less than the trillions of dollar debt Oduma has saddled our children and grandchildren with. THINK ABOUT IT, THIS CLOWN HAS AN AGENDA AND BY THE TIME PEOPLE LIKE YOU REALIZE IT, YOUR LIFE WILL NO LONGER BE WORTH SPIT, BUT THAN THAT IS YOUR RIGHT TO BE WRONG. AS LONG AS THIS ADMINISTRATION IS IN POWER, THERE WILL BE NO MORE 'WE THE PEOPLE'. IF THEY SUCCEDE, YOUR 1ST AND 2ND AMENDMENTS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY AND THEN START YOUR JOURNEY TO OBLIVION. Jim E. Hey David, You bet 9-11 was terrorism at its fullest definition but we can't call it terrrorism, according to Queen Pelosi and we have to give the rat feces terrorist their 'Maranda Rights'. TORTURE? Those scumbag cowards were embarrased and humiliated at worst. I think Pelosi has had so many face lifts that her face is tighter than a trampoline and that has shrunk her brain, if in fact she ever had one. As I said earlier, go to GOOGLE and type in 'Obamas circle of friends' and then tell me he is a patriot and caring leader of America. It looks like you didn't finish your blog but I assume you are a retired military man and if you are, GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Don Yes, but he did it under Bush's watch, because he didn't spend any time on anything before the attack. He lied about going to Iraq, and congress believed in those lies and had a good man like Powell to support it. This is probably a reason why he quit the adminstration even though he never said it. Clinton could have taked Laden, but he knew the Republicans wouldn't support him on it, so he didn't try. Bush could have taken Laden, but he was more interested in oil. Bush could have gone after many rutless tyrants in Africa, but they didn't have as much oil. Bush was the best recruiter for recruitting terriost. They might hit us again, and you will blame Obama. In this situation, one can say that they organize during Bush era. Get your facts straight and quit blaming Obama for everything wrong with the United States. Jim E. DON, NO WHERE IN MY BLOG DID I BLAME ODUMA FOR ALL THAT IS WRONG IN AMERICA. HOWEVER, BEING THE MENTAL MIDGET THAT YOU ARE, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO BANTER WITH A FOOL, END OF CONVERSATION. rod james Jim E, I can read perfectly well but I appologize as I missed your excellent blog about the insiders and was looking at your reply to Dolly. I agree with what you are saying and as I said people have to start looking at all sources of information about these important topics of finance, politics, terrorism, religion etc. I wish every American would check out US architects organization for the TRUTH ABOUT 911 @ AEtruth911.org and decide who the worst terrorists are. GOD BLESS AND SAVE AMERICA!! Actsman1 Jim Edmundson Sr. You are speaking the truth and have given much food for thought. I am a former teacher and never belonged to the NEA. It is corrupt and I didn't want my name attached. Our only hope is LOTS OF PRAYER and I have been doing much of it for our country and citizens. The best to each of you on here. All of this is prophesied of in scripture whether many like it or not. Whether you believe it or not makes no difference. It is still the truth and will prevail. These are serious times for serious decisions. Wade Might I suggest that before you decide to be in favor of any gov't policy you ask yourself, Who has the most to gain from this? If the answer is gov't,large corps, or your rep him or her self.. You need to vote against that policy no matter what party it is proposed by. We all need to look at the voting records of our elected officials. If they are not in line with YOUR principles, then vote that elected official out of office. I might also suggest that there is very little difference in the two major parties any more. Irresponsible spending and the shreading of our constitution has been going on since the days of Nixon,and before…The democratic and republican parties are two wings of the same bird flying in the wrong direction. Sound money policies, fiscal responsibilty, self reliance and independance are what this country needs large doses of right now. We all need to educate ourselvs and stand a vigilant watch over our elected officials, when they go against your principles STAND UP AND BE HEARD. WHEN THE GO WITH YOUR PRINSIPLES ALSO STAND UP AND BE HEARD.wHEN ALL THE OTHERS START SEEING THAT WE ONLY GET ANGERY WHEN WERE NOT LISTENED TO THEY WILL ALL START TO FALL IN LINE. Just look at the way they have been acting as of late. they are all Obama,Ried , and Peolsi's sheep. These town hall meetings have got them shaken up WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE. BE A PATRIOT! DONOT LET THEM TAKE OUR FREEDOMS WITHOUT A FIGHT….. THIS IS THE VERY LEAST THAT WE OWE OUR PARENTS OUR FOREFATHERS ,AND OUR COUNTRY!!! Tom Panik "Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil…" – Thomas Paine In this war between good and evil, "we the people" will no longer allow violations of the Constitution and the destruction of our individual freedom from tyrants. The latest socialist scheme to seize power is health care. Health care is a personal responsibility as are the other necessities of life. The federal government has no legal authority under the Constitution to regulate or control health care. There are many ways to make the finest health care system in the world more cost effective and efficient, but the solution is not dictates from anti-American socialists. This health care legislation is not law, but a crime. A tyranny to seize power and constructed in the dead of the night by the evil intentions of domestic and foreign enemies. The current crises to address are government generated ponzi schemes of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid with unfunded liabilities close to $100 trillion. We don't need another government criminal operation to screw the people (or program to kill senior citizens), especially senior citizens like me that have paid into these programs all their lives. Many in government have no allegiance to the Constitution, the people, their oath or America. We need to recognize that politicians disloyal to our Constitution and the people are criminals and not legitimate law makers. To restore our Constitutional Republic, an immediate CITIZEN'S RECALL of all socialists from government would be a logical next step. David So what you're saying is that we should have no Government health care whatsoever. Hmmm… Ok. Let's eliminate Medicare and Medicaid. Let's eliminate Social Security. That would also eliminate two of the biggest drains on our National budget. Let me ask you something: Have you had to go to the hospital? Have you ever had your insurance policy cancelled because of 'too many draws on your policy.' Have you had insurance denied because of "pre-existing conditions"? What about Americans that just can't afford insurance for whatever reason? Can you afford $250/month or more for a hospitaization plan that barely pays for basic care, not even counting surgery or other extensive treatments? Who's the victim here? We all are, not just the poor; not just the wealthy; if we don't have insurance, we can't even get IN to the hospital unless it's a life-or-death emergency! Try it sometime. Go to the hospital and try to check in. When they ask for your insurance card, tell them you don't have one. Tell me how they respond. But this article is about Constitutional limitations. Exactly how much of the Constitution is being followed today? I'll tell you; exactly as much as you permit it to have. If a politician says something you want to support, even if its unconstitutional, you'll support it. How do you think some of the things we see today ever happened in the first place? How do we limit it? By challenging the constitutionality of a given law with the Supreme Court; that's why we have it. don spence MOST PEOPLE WITHOUT INSURANCE IS A CHOICE THEY MAKE. AS A RETIRED PEACEOFFICE I DEALT WITH A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY CANNOT AFFORD INSURANCE.. IT IS AMAZING THAT THEY CAN AFFORD $5-6 PACK CIGARETTES 2 OR THREE A DAY AND PLENTY OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALL THE TIME BUT CAN'T AFFORD INSURANCE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY ARE TWO LAZY TO WORK FOR WHAT THEY NEED BUT DEPEND ON SOMEONE ELSE TO GIVE IT TO THEM. ChuckL David, You said …"So what you're saying is that we should have no Government health care whatsoever. Hmmm… Ok. Let's eliminate Medicare and Medicaid. Let's eliminate Social Security. That would also eliminate two of the biggest drains on our National budget." That's a great idea and it should be implemented. All of these programs should be implemented by the states, if they wish to have them. The federal portion of Medicare, and Medicaid should be phased out as the programs are converted to state programs. Social Security should be means tested and the IRA programs should have contribution limits raised to not less than the FICA tax limits. Social Security payments should be made equal to minimum wage. No more, No less. By matching the FICA taxes and putting them into an IRA based on mutual funds most Americans who started working in their 20s would be able to retire below the age of 65 and live very well while their retirement funds continue to grow. You can work it out on a spreadsheet, if you will make conservative assumptions. The means test if set at minimum wage and reduced S.S. Payments by $1.00 for every $2.00 above minimum wage would eliminate most S.S. Payments. Proper incorporation of cost reduction into insurance costs and tort reform would make insurance affordable even to those on an IRA. David " All of these programs should be implemented by the states, if they wish to have them. The federal portion of Medicare, and Medicaid should be phased out as the programs are converted to state programs. " So what you're suggesting is that the States should go socialist. The whole argument against this Federal Health Plan is that we're turning this county into a Socialist Republic rather than a Democratic one. By offering any kind of Government Sponsored health or retirement plan, we are offering a Socialist solution to a problem that shouldn't even exist. Why was Medicare/Medicaid started? Because older people couldn't afford to pay for their health care and medicines any more. Why was Social Security started? Because older people couldn't afford to live any more. Most of this started with the original Depression in 1929-37. Some of this started in the '50s and '60s. You listen to the complaints now and all you hear is "Don't mess with my Medicare!" Guess what? Medicare is a Federal insurance program. My point is that the people at fault here are a combination of the insurance companies, the medical industry, and the litigious people who abuse both of the above. If hospital costs weren't so high, our insurance costs wouldn't be so high. If doctors weren't sued almost into bankruptcy, they wouldn't need litigation insurance to protect them, driving costs higher. It's become a vicious circle that's literally driving health care into bankruptcy. Want to stop the cycle? Eliminate ALL fraudulent/frivolous litigation. Civil lawsuits are a drain on state and federal finances. Civil lawsuits saturate the courts that could be better used for criminal trials. Civil lawsuits embolden the recipients and copycats to find a way to steal more victims' money. American Citizen Social Security and Medicare are funded by taxes. Don't you read your paystub? We paid into SS all our working lives and now you want to take it away from us? it's true, SS just lets you survive, you need some kind of supplement such as an investment program. Or a huge Savings Account. And Medicare is not free. We pay almost $500 a month in premiums for Part B, Supplement for what Medicare doesn't pay and then may still have to pay something to the doctor and/or hospital if they don't write it off. Martin Social Security wouldn't be a big drain on us if it hadn't been stolen and used for everything else under the sun. Social Security Trust Fund my butt. American Citizen Instead of fixing just what needs to be fixed in the insurance industry, the Feds want to take over the whole shebang. Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security would not be in trouble if all were taken out of the General fund and truly put into a lockbox. Congress constantly raids these programs for their pet projects. it owes billions to Social Security. Bureaucrats make the rules of the programs Congress puts through. That's what's so scary about them wanting to take over our Health Care System. We don't have a health care problem, we have an insurance problem. We get the best health care in the world. It's the unintended consequences of the program that are so scary. I truly believe those arrogant Congress persons from the President on down think "we the people" are stupid. Yes, Medicare is a federal insurance program, emphasis on insurance. It is not free. Between my husband and myself, we pay over $500 a month in premiums for Part B, Supplement Insurance and the drug plan. Plus, Medicare only pays 80% of the charges, supplement pays 80% of what's left. Whatever Medicare does not approve, the supplement will not pay on either. So, either the doctors and hospitals write off the remainders or bill the patient. It's not free, folks. President Obama said today he would like for everyone to be on Medicare. That's what you could expect. David You just hit the nail on the head. It's the Insurance system that needs to be fixed, and President Obama is trying to fix it the best way he can; by creating a competitor who will insure the 'uninsurable.' He's said many time that it's not going to be free, but that the Government will insure those the insurance companies won't insure, for whatever reason. Of course, just like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, if it can be abused, it will be abused. Smilee American Citizen Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 7:56 pm Premium for part B is $96.40 or $192.80 for the two of you and must drug plans are about $30 unless you buy a plan that pays for the plan that covers the donut hole and deductible then it can go to about $150.00, people do not buy this unless they have serious health problems requiring a lot of medicine. So I do not know how you get to $500.00 a month and you say you also have supplement ins but do not say what it costs. There are 12 plans to pick from unless you have bought into an advantage plan but it does not sound if you have. I do know that private plans for the individual before 65 cost almost $600.00 a month because that is what it cost me until I qualified for Medicare, now Plan B, D and the supplement cost me $300.00 a month and I pay nothing except premiums, and 10% of prescriptions after the annual deductible. Be interested in knowing the full story of your coverages and their costs. melinda All three of my sons purchase their own private insurance…my oldest pays $74 a month and pays $20 for an office visit, $10 for prescriptions and they covered both of the surgeries his arm at 95%. I don't have information about my middle sons insurance, but he does get discounts because he is in the Army Reserves. My youngest son pays $129 a month but his insurance includes dental and eye care. His co-pay is also $20 and his insurance has done an excellent job covering all the medical treatments he has received so far…he has a narrowing in the center of his esophagus and requires on going treatment for pain, bloodwork and supplements so help him keep his weight up. There ARE about 5-7 million American's who make too much money to qualify for any government programs and too little to afford private insurance. There are good ways to make sure these people are covered WITHOUT ruining the excellent care the rest of America receives and without bankrupting our country! David No argument. The problem is: how do we do it? We can't rely on the Insurance companies to do it on their own, they're out to make as much money as they can; they don't like having to pay out more than any given client has paid in. If they can find a way out of paying, they will. They have become notorious for cancelling coverage when it becomes evident that there will be more and more expensive treatments in the future. Even now, if you have what they call a Pre-Existing Condition, they will refuse to cover it unless you pay a higher premium. ex. A Cancer patient goes into remission. Years later the Cancer returns. Insurance? Sorry… pre-existing condition. We won't cover that. Smilee melinda Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 8:17 pm I have to assume that the premiums you quote are their share of the premium and the balance is paid by their employer and if not you neglected to give their annual deductible and annual out of pocket maximums as no one sells insurance for the dollar amounts you quote something is fishy in your story. Susan That is the conundrum. Once a government program is established it is virtually impossible to get rid of it. For example the income tax that was established to pay the WWI war debt morphed into the monstrosity that now exists. It was supposed to go away when the debt was paid! DaveH David, What has happened to the people in this country? In 230 years we have gone from a nation of rugged pioneers (who would have been ecstatic to have our health care) to a nation of cry-babies who expect someone else to provide them with the good life. American Citizen If the government is having trouble funding Medicare, Medicaid and the drug plan, how do you think it's going to be able to fund that so-called healthcare program? Medicare is already in trouble and Obama said he would take 294 billion out of it to help fund his program. As someone said, rob Peter to pay Paul. Plus, taxes would go up for everybody, whether you like it or not. I also believe I heard Obama say you would have to pay a premium and there would be co-pays besides. It won't be free. I has to be paid for somehow. David Nobody said it would be free. As I remember, President Obama said this would be an insurance policy, beside and in competition with the commercial insurance companies. This would honestly be funded by the insurance premiums themselves once you got past the initial setup costs. If this is true, then it is perfectly possible that it could end up earning a profit for the government, eventually even covering Medicare and Medicaid as well. In other words, it's not that likely that it would raise our taxes, but instead conceivably lower them. keith from your inset pic,are you a furr faggot? Don As I understand it, it would only effect about 20 million people. Douglas Hvistendahl Look into the Constitution party. When all the other candidates are bad (too often), we vote for them. Denny Folks… it is hard to read posts that have so many misspelled words and grammatical errors. If you could, please create your post in an application that can check your spelling and grammar. Don Denny, how does one do that? Really. I agree with you, but don't know how to go about it, or does it take too much time to explain? Thanks Denny Hey Don… depends a bit on whether you're running a Mac or PC, but essentially all you would do is create your post in a word processing application such as Word. Once you have completed the post, find the spell-check tool in the application and select it to check your document. Most word processing applications will provide you with suggested spellings and grammatical corrections. Once you have completed the process, then select all of the text in your post and copy it to this site or wherever you are posting a comment and voila! you've done it! There are minor variations you will find between a Mac, a PC or a Linux machine. However, they are all quite similar and usually have a help index built in that will step you through the process of building a document, spell checking it as well as how to copy/paste text. Hope this helps? Don Thanks. I can't spell, but did marry a spelling bee champ. She won't check anything in this crazy blog site. American Citizen Get a Mac, it shows you if you misspelled a word immediately. The spellcheck is automatic. Lavada We all need to join together to threaten the sponsers of the 'State Media' now in control in these United States. If we join together and tell them if they continue to sponser a media that is taking away our freedoms by telling half-truths, and lies. We will not buy their product. It is true that the ratings have fallen somewhat. People are starting to see that the truth is not in the News anymore. Our freedom is a very precious thing. We must act to save it! Jim There is no state media. They tried ti with Fox News for 8 years and see where that got us. Idiotic statements from Hannity and Beck, people who know what's going on but tell you made up stories. That's called lying. DaveH Talk about misinformation. Wow. If it wasn't for FoxNews we wouldn't know about the "Tea Parties" and the Town Hall goings-on or many other such things that the major media doesn't want the citizens to know about.. We would know about Cindy Sheehan and her very small group of war-protestors who got immense media coverage on the other networks. Foxnews certainly doesn't speak for me, but they are a lot more honest than the other propaganda-spewing News stations. For instance, the Libertarian Party has been around for at least 30 years and how many of their representatives have been allowed to say their piece on the major media channels? They are afraid of Libertarians because Libertarians believe in free markets. That means that the owners of the major media would be more subject to upstart competitors who may knock them off their million-dollar a year jobs. It's also why they are attacking FoxNews so hard. They are losing viewers and listeners to FoxNews because anyone who listens carefully to both soon figures out that FoxNews gives a more unbiased treatment of the news. What is the attraction to this board for you liberal freedom-haters? Are you Acorn members, SEIU members, or some other associated gang whose goal is to disrupt communication amongst freedom-lovers? Jim Liberal Freedom Haters? Where do you people get that? The word "liberal" means free. We all knew about the Tea Parties and the town hall meetings from other than Fox News. However we didn't have the Fox News "Journalists" putting their spin on it. To say it wasn't there means you weren't watchig TV except for Fox News, so whatever was really happening was kept from, you. Or distorted. Also, we always hear about the Libertarian party and what they stand for. For one, we have Bill Maher and there are others. I see them all the time, where are you? Actually, the party that is really disciminated against is the Flat Earth party. Now, that's a travesty. So many good ideas and obviously true. You're going to tell me that the ground isn't flat? You're going to tell me it's actually curved, well look buddy I can see that it's flat so there. Also the vampires, they don't get any coverage in the news. Freedom Haters? And what's this fetish with ACORN? You people have the strangest obsessions. I come to this blog because I don't need to have people tell me what to believe, I want to see what people are thinking. And what I see here is distortion, downright lies and demented racism and bigotry. That's not freedom loving, that's evil. DaveH Bill Maher states that he is Libertarian, but anyone can say that. He is not anywhere near what the Libertarian Party stands for. If you see Libertarians all the time, then you would know that Bill Maher is not a Libertarian. Libertarians stand for Free Markets, Limited Government, and the concept that Government has no business protecting us from ourselves. You can go to and see for yourself what they stand for. I'm talking about political liberals who stand for Big Government. Find me one who doesn't support the Nanny State. Big Government doesn't give freedom, Big Government takes freedom away. ACORN is under investigation in 14 states for voter fraud. Gee, I guess I just have this fetish that votes should be honestly cast and counted. The Liberal press have done nothing but fawn all over Obama, except sometimes when he does something so unpopular that they have no choice but to cover it in a negative fashion.. Norm Dave Libertarian my ass. Your a right wing Rush Limbaugh puppet. DaveH Norm, You don't know me. I don't even listen to Rush. I am a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. Translation: a Libertarian. We believe in the principles that were established by our forefathers which made this the great country that it became (and which we are now losing). That is individual responsibility and limited government and free markets. Oscar Goldman Hannity and Beck lie? Oh not those guys. LOL American Citizen The state run media are those who support those in power no matter what they say or do. You don't get the full truth from them. You have it backwards. DaveH For the liberal Obama-lover who will soon populate this board, think about this: The Obama administration lent money to GM (taxpayer money) and then proceeded to use this as an excuse to take over GM, aid the unions, and screw the bondholders. Do you for one moment think they won't do this same thing to your personal health choices if they can get a national health care system passed? Government aid almost always comes attached with strings. Wake up and be wary! Magnon Yep, and the government is so good at running things. Take a look at The U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak, Medicare, Medicaid and the NIH. Hell's bells, a few years ago they got involved in a takeover of the famous (or infamous) Chicken Ranch in Nevada. Ran it completely into the ground. Pretty telling when you think about it. If the government cannot properly operate a whorehouse, how do you expect them to run banks, General Motors, or a health care program??? s c You're so right. Everything the government touches will implodes. They get away with their dictatorial ways because they have legions of hypnotized believers who worship promises and hate those who demand results. By the way, America's true #1 whorehouse – Congress – is the only thing they run with consistency. That doesn't mean they do it right. They learned long ago that forcing people to choose between two bad ideas gives them control. What they want now is a nation of prostituted zombies who will rely on government for everything. That's how they really define 'choice.' Anything that makes them happy they see as 'good' or 'enlightened.' Let them try to deny it, Magnon. Their track record is documented. Billy Wells If everyone was honest we wouldn't need Government regulations. But because their are and will always be dishonest people we need the government to make laws. They are doing what they were hired to do. rod james Its quite a problem to try and decide who is best to run the country government or free enterpeise when there are so many bad examples of both today. What we have today is a hybrid of ex bankers or buisness men that take care of who lobbys the most cash American Citizen At least with free enterprise, we can choose to participate or not. With government, we have no choice. Norm dave Should GM, Chrysler, IGA, BAC, etc. been allowed to fail? I despise the bailouts, not because of the necessary government actions, but for the arrogance and incompetence of the priviledged ruling class who failed at their obscenly paid jobs. These bastards are still collecting bonuses when they should be in prison with the rest of thr riff-raff in this country. DaveH Norm, Yes, they should have been allowed to fail. It is wrong that the companies who did the right things should have to continue to compete against the companies that did the wrong things. And it is very wrong that the taxpayers have to foot the bill for these same failures. I submit (although don't advocate) that it would have been better to give the bailout money to the employees or depositors or whoever else suffered at the hands of these losers, than to give it to the companies. Let those companies go out of existence like the dead-wood they are. Norm DaveH Letting them fail would have been my choice in theory. But in practice it would have destroyed everyone. Biting off your nose to spite your face is the height of stupitidy. DaveH Norm, "stupitidy"? That's funny Norm. Maybe you should use spell-check on your name calling. You apparently didn't read my comment that the bailout money could have been distributed amongst the victims of the poorly managed companies, instead of keeping the incompetent officers afloat. Oscar Goldman Did you see the news today? The new Chevy Volt gets like 240 MPG! Yes Chevy, a GM product, If they were not bailed out this car might never get produced yet it will soon be on the market. Once the technology is out they will refine it and perect it, others will use it and we could change the whole world. debra You drive the damn thing …I`m 6ft tall..and I can`t get my legs in there. DeBra Billy Wells debra How do you know if you can fit in it? They didn't it get it on the market yet. What a knuckle head. You're so busy watching Glenn Beck and Fox news you don't pay attention to news. GM just annouced . They expect to get on the market next year. It looks to be the size of a chevy malibu. That not a tiny car. The real news is GM and American company made a break through with battery technology. Things can only get better from there. But you wanted GM to go under. Kind of makes you feel foolish. Or do you like spending $4 a gallon for gas? American Citizen It would never work for us as my husband has had strokes and needs a bigger car just to be able to get in it. We drive a 1996 Chrysler Concord. I love it. We get probably 20 miles a gallon in city driving and close to 28 highway. Those new cars just do not work for everybody. Billy Wells American Citizen & debra this is what is wrong with people like you. You are so afraid to change anything that you miss out. If our world was full of people like you we would still be in the stone age. You have your mind made up about something as simple as a car. It's too small, it won't work for us. No kind of excitment about the technoligy involved or that it's coming from an American company. No just negitive remarks. Why so bitter? Why so down on EVERYTHING. Life is not that bad. It's exciting. The Chevy Volt may not work for you. I probably wouldn't get one either. But it's a starting point. It won't be perfect, it won't solve all of our problems, but it's a start. You people are nothing but a joke! American Citizen Norm, you're finally making sense. The government gave them all that money and still allowed them those obscene bonuses for driving a company into the ground. Now they want to give us a healthcare bill that is about everything but health care. Government rarely does anything well. I have a daughter who works in a nursing home and she said they can no longer afford to take Medicaid patients. The nursing home in which she works is a first class operation. Part of it is for assisted living and the other part for those who need nursing care. She works in the nursing care part. The biggest problem they have is keeping good workers. She is a nurse and is assistant administrator in that part of the building. She has to fill in whenever they are short of nurses or aides. The government plans never pay the full cost of what it takes to take care of a patient. There needs to be reform, but not the way Obama and Congress want to do it. Norm American Citizen I have a relative in a nursing home also. It costs in excess of $100k/yr to keep her there. She is paying this out of her life savings. If she lives long enough, she too will be on government welfare – Medicaid. You and I pay for medicaid! What are the alternatives? We need more, not less, government intervention. Pouring money into a system that is run by highly paid private sector individuals, without any control of how it is spent, is ludicrous. The goverenment is large enough to control the cost of materials and medicines. In fact, if the homes were managed like VA hospitals, even the personnel costs could be managed. I go into this place and see waste and inefficiency everywhere. GP Reply to fool patrol: Because of the NRA people like you can make STUPID STATEMENTS! Reply to GP The NRA is one of the few organizations upholding our constitutional right to bear arms to protect ourselves. Remember that when you find your self defenseless!!!! GP That is exactly why I am a life member! Tim I you concerned about your 2nd Amendment right you should hook up senate bill sb2099 or HR45 if you haven't yet done so. One step closer to confiscation, an unarmed man is a subject DaveH Another organization supporting our 2nd Amendment rights is I think they are actually, dollar for dollar, a much more effective organization than the NRA. Bob I have read the Constitution may times and was educated in the 50s and early 60s when we learned what being an American meant. My children were educted in the public school and university systems. They know less about what our nation's history and the founding fathers than I did when I was 12 years of age. America has dumbed our youth down on more than just math and science. I am a social and economic conservative and am appalled at what is going on in America today. The Democrats in Congress and the White House are power hungry and have no consideration for what the people want when over 40% of Americas say they are conservative and less than 30% say they are liberal. How did we get ourselves in such a mess? The truth is that the good people in America have allowed the evil people to brain wash them through proven propaganda techiques thus accepting what they say as truth. One thing I learned as a child is to seek truth and not accept any politic figure at his word. I have found that the degree of dishonesty for most politicans is over 80% and most Americans know that and elect such people of low integrity to be their leaders. Remember politicians thrive on power and at the federal level they consider themselves as having have absolute power when their party is in control, as the Democrats are today. As an independent I owe loyalty to no party. I ask myself what is best for the majority of Americans first. The cap and trade bill and any nation health plan are not godd for America unless we hate the Constitution. Since 1994 I have seen the DNC propaganda machine in action to demonize the Repubilcan Party. I am also ashamed that most American's have allowed themselves to be lead down the liberal path to destruction the DNC has laid out for it. America must wake up to the truth and stop defending a party, but put America, not the Party, first! Oscar Goldman Maybe you kida are just lazy and don't want to learn. Or maybe you are the lazy one and don't want to work with you kids. I don't know because I don't know you. I went to public school is the 70′s and 80′s and although I may not best the smartest person I think the system did OK. Learning is something you have to want to do. No one can force a kid to learn. But the parents have to take a active role too. You can't just sit back and do nothing and then blame the school system. I think now a days parents care more about the sports their kids play than what they really learn. I blame parents and not the schools. American Citizen Here, Oscar, I agree with you. I worked with our school system here in both the public and private schools. Because the parents of private school children had a vested interest, that is, having to pay for the child's education out of their own pockets, the children buckled down and learned. Too many parents of children in the public school system don't take an interest in what their children are learning. I never had a problem with a child in the private school, in fact, parents would call me about a concern I had with the child, such as maybe the child needed glasses. We sent a progress report home to the parents every six weeks. I still to this day receive thank you's from parents because the child went from struggling to read to be an honor role student. I watched our local newspaper who report the honor rolls of each school every report card time. It made me so proud to see names of students I had tutored on the list. Sadly, I've been retired so long now that all the children I had have graduated and gone on to either college or the workplace. I neglected to say I worked with children from kindergarten through 4th grade. I thoroughly enjoyed my job and still miss it. Maybe if education were not so free, things would be different. Parents of public school children complain because they have to pay the book bill. They should have some vested interest in their children's education. Richard Our so-called educational system has failed us. Why focus on Science and Math when our children are not being taught their duties as citizens and as leaders of the free world. Science and Math are great if we want to produce Scientists and Mathematicians and Engineers. But why do we need those occupations at all if we don't have a solid foothold on the solid ground of knowing our duties and responsibilities as citiznes and fighting for those core principles every day. Ever since the 60′s we have poured literally trillions out of our treasury in order to "properly educate" our children and what has been the result? A population and an entire country that is more divided and polarized than at any time since the civil war. Taking our country back, means first and foremost taking our educational system back from the beaurocrats and so-called "educators" so that our children have at least a basic understanding of our history and know of all the blood and treasury that's been sacrificed to keep our enemies FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC from destroying us from within by cunningly changing OUR NATION'S TRUE PRIORITIES! DaveH I agree Richard. I think our forefathers would have crapped if they knew someday our educational system would be run by the government. Oscar Goldman Did you go to private school? DaveH Yes, I went to Catholic school for 9 years, until my parents could no longer afford it. It seems that it is against the separation of church and state for private schools to get government (read taxpayer) money. Yet during all those years that me and my siblings went to private schools, my parents were paying taxes so that other kids could go to public schools, as well as paying tuition so we could go to private school. For Smilee who probably will call me a liar, as stated in my previous posts I am now an atheist. Billy Wells Ummmmmmm, private school means private. No Government money. Duhhhhhhh. Are you upset that your school didn't get government money? Kind of sounds that way. But if it did it would no longer be private. Yes, I pay taxes too to send kids to school but I don't have any kids of my own. If we all had to pay for basic education there would be even more uneducated people here. Mark Nope, Im a victim of the public school system. Billy Wells Mark, Why do you think you're a victim of the public school system? No body can force you to learn. If you were too lazy to want to learn that is your own fault. You can't blame the school for you being stupid. GP Richard, Remember that according to the NEA, 2+2=5—The answer is wrong, but they feel good about themselves. Norm Richard Scientists and Mathematicians and Engineers are what made America great, not trying to rule the world. Our educational system has problems, but good students seem to do just fine. I think the main problem with our kids is their parents. Discipline and respect for people in authority must be taught in the home and enforced in the schools. The second problem is that not all men are created equal. All kids aren't going to be great athletes nor are they going to be college material. Mark Norm, you hit the nail on the head. Discipline in home and school are now gone. In our day, when I did stupid or disrespectful stuff in school, I got paddled, and they would call home, and Id get it again when I got home. Now the schools cant discipline the students, and the students know it, and they run the teachers. You cant bother calling home, because the parents, well over half of them, they dont care and tell the school to mind their own business and stay out of their family business. Gangs are prevalent in schools, and kids are more worried about getting beat up, or who they are going to beat up, than they are about getting an education, and the school isnt allowed to discipline those who are interferring with the ones who would like to get an education. When discipline left the school and the family, things started escalating downhill. Barbara What is little known is the western states, when joining the United States, had all of their public lands taken away. The western states had their public lands confiscated into public FEDERAL lands. The eastern states have their public lands. They have very little if any federal lands. The western states do not have the same equal rights as the eastern states. We lost our states rights when we joined the United States. Mark And now the Western lands are being quickly taken over by Mexico, without firing a shot, due to no border controls along California, Texas and Arizona, as we just let the illegals run in, and now they are mayors and councilman and pass laws to benefit more and more of it. Anyone been to Southern California lately? Walk down the street. English is a second language there. This is all due to liberal policies and political correctness. Norm Seems to me that GW Bush and John Mccain were big fans of making illegals legal. But maybe you can blame that on Obama too. With all the relocated US companies in Mexico, soon we'll see migration going south. In fact, it's already started. debra Norm….Obama has said he wants to make the ones that are here citizens with full benefits..and wants to do it within the years end. This is on film many times not just a news story. It`s him. DeBra….oh oh…..the single payor thing too. Norm Debra That will never happen whether Obama wants it or not. Mark Relocated U.S. companies in Mexico, thank Bill Clinton for bringing NAFTA in to the fold. Another fact. Norm Mark NAFTA's path to congressional consideration has been a long and difficult one. First advanced as an idea by Ronald Reagan in his presidential campaign of 1980, and promoted in the mid-1980s by The Heritage Foundation, negotiations for a free trade zone among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico did not get underway until proposed by Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari in 1990. Although Salinas's original proposal was for a bilateral U.S.-Mexican agreement, Canada soon requested participation to safeguard its gains from the 1988 U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. Following diplomatic negotiations between the three nations, the leaders met in San Antonio, Texas, on December 17, 1992, to sign NAFTA. U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas, each responsible for spearheading and promoting the agreement, ceremonially signed it. Oscar Goldman Oh Bull CHARLIE QUIN MAY GOD , CONTINUE TO BLESS AMERICA — A Former Teacher There is no such thing as a conservative democrat it is a contradiction in terms. We do not need a teachers union, we do not need unions. We need to impeach the idiot in the white house before he ruins this country. IMPEACH – IMPEACH – IMPEACH. BEFORE HE RUINS THIS COUNTRY. Also a former teacher AMEN!!!!!!!! Jim It's hard to have the current president impeached with a Democratic majority in power…. Mark I would like him gone, but we cant impeach him yet. The smart thing to do is to vote out all his cronies in 2010 and limit his power, then get rid of him and his left wing liberal pacifist appeasing constitution hating ilk in 2012. Oscar Goldman Why do you think he deserves to be impeached? debra Oscar…there you are. Who are you and where did you come from? You responded to something i wrote about Thomas Jefferson and welfare and you wrote a long note about Sarah Palin. I`m confused..please explain. I think you may be a spy for Obama and have infiltrated our computers??LOL DeBra Mark I dont. This is in reference to people keep saying impeach him, but he hasnt done any impeachable offenses. Thats what I meant. Oscar Goldman It just hit me, I know why you all don't trust Obama. The last President we had seemed OK in the begining but now we realize what his true aggenda was. (Mainly to kill Muslims and make his oil buddies extremely wealthy). So you are are thinking if he Bush could be so dishonest Obama must be too. Almost makes sense. Guilt by association. debra Oscar..we don`t trust Obama because of the people he has surrounded himself with. Also he has said so many things in the past that now he is trying to denie. People like Ezeikal Emanuel,Cass sustern,Peter..I forgot his last name ,appointment of czars -a communnist,. He does not see himself as just the president of the US..he wants to be the leader of the world. For him to go to the middleeast and europe and say we are not a christian nation,call us arrogant. We should have seen the truth when we found out about Rev.wright…you can not sit in a church for 20yrs,listen to that hate and come a christian,not to mention a hatred of white people. Debra Mark I think you and your war for oil buddies missed the boat. I dont see Bush and Cheney in office anymore, and I never saw any money for oil. So going on you and your boys premises, I guess this means Barack and his ilk are conducting a war for oil. See how stupid this sounds. Actually, I would be all for taking their oil until all this is paid for, then let them resume control. I would find that to be fair, but someone, somewhere would condemn what ever admin, expecially the republicans, for conducting a war for oil. It never was about that, and you know it. If it was, we'd had the oil by now. And no, I for one do not trust him, because of too many associations with bad people, and not enough is known about the guy. And Ive still never heard any plans other than to print money around the clock and give it to companies that dont deserve it. Ive seen escalation of government and creation of more social agencies for us to pay for with tax dollars, and I dont like that. Sorry, I take care of myself, always have, always will, and I dont want the government to even attempt to take care of me, let alone useing my money to take care of others who refuse to grow up into adults and learn the responsibilities of life in taking care of them selves. If you continually give handouts, people will continually stand there with their hand out, and will never advance from where they are at. The government becomes their "crutch" to never get better, and thats a big problem. There are a lot, and I mean a lot of 20 to 30 year old able bodied guys out there, that have no motivation to work, when they are given government stipends every week. And I and other working people get to pay for it. I got a problem with that, as should every working American. So someone who wants to not only continue this enabling, but expand it, no, I dont trust them. Billy Wells Debra, Sound like you watch way too much Glenn Beck. You are as paranoid as he is. Rev Wright is an ass no doubt. But please tell me more about what Obama has lied about. Please. I want to see his quotes and proof to back it up. When did he say he wants to rule the world? I think you have him confussed with Dick Cheney. American Citizen Mr. Goldman, have you forgotten 9/11? We were not attacked by Venezuela or New Zealanders or any country, but by terrorists. How do we know Obama lies? Check on what he said during the campaign and what he says now. Every time he opens his mouth, he says something that's not true. He's gone back on so many promises, why should we trust him? I don't even listen to him anymore. Billy Wells What has Obama lied about? Don't just me he lied, prove it to me. I want to see his quotes from his campaign and what he says now. A perfect world would be free of Muslims? Is that also the case? Mr. Bush wanted to invade Iraq while he was still governor of Texas. Billy Wells American Citizen You are 100% correct with your statement above! We were not attacked on 9/11 by Venezuela or New Zealanders or any country, but by terrorists. That is correct. And President Bush did the right thing going after those terrorist in Afganistan. However Iraq did NOT attack us, and they had no connections to Bin Ladin. But that was the idea that we were told and we believed. Bush / Cheney wanted to invade Iraq so badly they made sure to make up intelligence to make their case. They did it quite well too. Dick Cheney is a very intelligent man. Thousands of Americans died or have life altering wounds because of his selfishness. Thousands more innocent Iraqi people died because of it. Not all Muslim people are bad or evil. Most just want to live their life with there family and friends the same as you and I. And if you actually start to study Islam you will see that at it's core it's not much different than Christianity. They believe in the same God, and in Jesus. They just don't accept Jesus as their savior. They believe that Jesus was a prophit. and their savior is yet to come just as we believe Jesus to return some day. Or at least that's how I understand it from my very, very limited research on it. Foolpatrol Bush, the idiot we should have impeached is gone. He is no longer subject to impeachment. We can still prosecute him, try him for treason and war crimes by a jury of his peers, convict and execute him! Let's do it! Neither is what he did in Irag and people actually died and hurt there because of him. Martin What good is impeachment….we did it to Clinton the dog and still didn't get rid of him. May have been a higher power involved and saved us from that moron Algore. Norm Clinton had a little problem with his lower anatomy but he did balance the federal budget for several years. The economy in the mid to late ninties was excellent with full employment and a real chance to pay down debt. Then came GW Bush. Enormous deficits even in 04-07, which were decent years for the economy. Billy Wells Yeah, Clinton lied about haveing sex in the oval office. Oh My! The Rebulicans at the time were just waiting to impeach him. But Bush lied about WMD in Iraq, Thousands of young Americans died, Thousands more wounded for life, and still Thousands more Iraqi people died. So many deaths because of a lie. Most of us believed it because at the time we had no reason to mistrust the President. But it was all made. No WMD were ever found in Iraq. We spent billions there on war and killing and few cared. No we have a new President who wants to spend money on Americans and take care of our own and all you here is how he is destroying America. He's a killer because he believes abortion should remain legal. But yet Bush sent thousands of young people to their death and no one thinks twice about it. Who is the real killer? Eric Fool, given your numerous comments on here, I'd have to guess you are apparently not wrapped too tight and probably not socially accepted among normal people. Convict and execute Bush?? Do you hear yourself?? Have all the pretty girls rejected you throughout life and you just don't understand why they don't like a "smart" stud like you? Reading your posts has painted a fairly clear picture of you. And Norm, the Republican Congress balanced the budget in the Clinton years. I'll agree that Bush didn't help our economic situation at all with the nation building in Iraq, the prescription drug plan and the MASSIVE spending he did in violation of free market principles "in order to save the free market," but let's not pretend Clinton was economically responsible. He had a Republican Congress that kept him in check for about 6 years. Giving Clinton credit for the economy is like giving him credit for welfare reform, which he vetoed until the numbers stacked up to override his veto – so he signed the reform out of political expediency (aka: cowardice). He didn't actually want to reform welfare; he wanted to expand it. As for our "leaders," I voted for Bush twice – what were the other options, Gore and Kerry?? Gore is nuts and Kerry is a prissy dufus. I'm disgusted with both parties right now, but more importantly I'm actually alarmed at what the radicals in the Democrat Party are trying to do. I agree healthcare needs some reforming, but have you read that healthcare bill??? That's not about healthcare; it's about control – and that is scary!! Same with cap and trade. There is no environmental emergency right now, and I doubt there will be one in my lifetime. If there's such an emergency, why aren't we blasting Russia, China, India and many other nations about their carbon footprints? Instead, Barry Suerto (aka: Barack Obama) is apologizing to the world for all of Americans faults while he runs this country into the ground so it can be "rebuilt" the way he and his ilk want it – just like Cuba. debra And PLEASE add to Clinton NAFTA is the reason we do not have jobs in the US today!! They all went overseas where they pay employees .15cents hr as opposed to unions requiring $20.to$60. dollars an hr. Yep Ol Clinton just opened the door and said free trade is great fellas..don`t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. If he had delt with Bin Laden when he had the chance, and there was many times,then 9/11 would not have happened. He just did`nt have the stomach for it. So Bush had to deal with it. Billy also balanced the budget with huge Medicare cuts..which never got much news coverage,,kinda like now..Debra Billy Wells NAFTA North American Free Trade Act. Some jobs went to Mexico because of it. Just wait til you spring the north American Union and the Amero on us that GW Bush started to put in place. bazdmeg Can't we have to extradite him first from kuwait, where he's restarted Arbusto Oil, with Bin Ladins money..again! david ONCE again FOOLPATROL you show little knowledge of the things that America believes in and has kept us safe has the US soil been attacked since 9-11 know why because we are over there i am a veteran of the first gulf war and we should not have stopped then but kept going but because we are a nation of rules and want to follow th UN it has costed us dearly and to setthe record straight we DID find WMD"S in '91 and was tracking them outside of Iraq when told by the UN to back off Mark Unbelievable. For you to say that, proves that you have the brain that God gave an icecube. What a sad sack. I guess you didnt like being safe. Idiot. Nan Norm Where did you get that from cnn news He hid the real debt he cut back our military he did not give veterans any better benefits the list goes on ,and on and on . all he did was rob from peter to pay paul Eric ditto for what Nan said. Clinton floated loads of debt so he would have money to spend during his presidency because it didn't come due until he was out of office and he could blame the mess on his successor. Again, let's not pretend Clinton was a bastion of fiscal discipline. He borrowed money and just gutted the very military that he loathed and dodged. Although he was pretty fond of the military when he used it to attack Iraq the day before his impeachment hearings began. Talk about a war crime!! Where was all the talk from the leftwing about war crimes on that abuse of power and illegal act of war?? And what about bombing Sudan on Aug. 20, 1998, just before and during Monica Lewinsky's grand jury testimony?? If committing an act of war just to change the media headlines to save embarassment is not a war crime, then what is??? So again, let's not re-write Clinton's legacy on here. He was a disgrace … and he had more serious flaws than not being able to keep his pony in the barn!! Norm nan/eric No Bush hid the real debt. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were mainly paid for by hidden money sources. He never vetoed a spending bill for the 6 years that the Republicans controlled Congress. He cut taxes during a time of war?? He supported an unfunded prescription drug bill for seniors. He also was at the helm when the economy almost collapsed. Now Limbaugh and the hate mongers are blaming everything on Obama and the Democrats for Bush's mess. Oscar Goldman Yes, I agree Norm, If in 2 years things are bad we can blame Obama, But honestly the man hasn't done much of anything yet. The stim was passed, Republicans say it isn't working because the world didn't change the next day, but to quote their hero, GW Bush, "It's hard work" It's not going to get fixed over night. The cash for clunkers is actually working, however if you pat attention to right wing media, especially Dick Moron, I mean Morris, it isn't working. We are supporting Japan. Guess he doesn't count all those hard working Americans making Japanese cars here in the US not to mention all the support staff at the dealers around the country. I guess Toyota only hires Japanese Citizens since Mr Morris says we are supporting Japan. The whole thing is this. Republicans are mad because the not olny lost the White House they lost Congress. (That's what happens when you're old and washed up and want only to go to war). If Obama succeeds in getting things passed like health care and the economy bounces back and health care actually works and people find out there is no death pannel and they have more money in their pocket, Obama is going to be a hero. He will win reelection in 2012 and the Democrats will keep control of congress. The main goal here is to make sure Obama and the Democrat Contoled congress fail. They have to make things look bad. They need the economy to be bad, they need to keep healthcare from passing. This is the thoughts of the Republican party. They can't win the elections based on their ideas, they don't have any. All they know how to do is kill muslims. So they have to make Obama look bad. It's really quite sad because they are playing games with our lives. To them it's just a game of which party controls the Government. They had a bone head President, and even wosre Vice President and rather than do something about it they all just became yes men. Now they are mad because they are paying the price. So it doesn't matter what is best for the American people at all, it is how can we get control back. That is the bottom line. And as you see if you watch news other than Fox news, they will resort to any tatic they can to make you think Obama = bad. Mark Actually Norm, if your interested in facts, more people were working under Bush than under any president in history, including Clinton. The stock market rose higher under Bush than Clinton. Unemployment was lower under Bush than Clinton. Things didnt start going bad until his last year and a half, and you and I and business all know why. They knew the Democrats stood a good chance of winning, and that if they did, new larger tax bills were coming, as they always do during a democratic administration. I mean, Clinton did have the largest tax hikes ever during an administration you know. So business slowed down, holding on to cash for taxes, and the fears were confirmed when Obama won the election. Now it has gone to the worse ten fold, and it will continue that way until 2012, and thats just the way it is. I dont want it to, but it is what it is. Dont blame Bush. Blame change change change. And the Bush tax cuts are going to expire in 2010, and you know the democrats will kill them. Thats going to cost a lot more people to get laid off or terminated. Its all fact. Not opinion, not agenda, its all fact. I cannot change what was, and I cant change what the current admin is going to do, but they are an open playbook, and they will expire the tax cuts, and they will raise taxes no matter how much he gets on TV and says he wont. Bush 1 said that, and raised them, and it cost him re-election. Same thing here. American Citizen When you say the drug plan was unfunded, that's technically not true. Medicare pays for most of it, we seniors the rest. I just got a bill for over $1,000 for 90 tiny pills I take because of breast cancer. I hit the donut hole after six months and have to pay the rest myself. The problem with the drug plan is the deal with the insurance companies. Instead of dealing with the pharmaceuticals directly and getting the drugs for a good deal, Congress just had to get the insurance industry involved. That makes the drug costs even higher because the middleman has to be paid. There may not have had to be a donut hole if Medicare dealt directly with the drug companies. Norm American Citizen When I say unfunded I mean not funded by new monies specifically procurred for that function. This would be new taxes or reallocation of funds from existing programs (which would have to be cut or reduced). Bush only increased the burden on social security. This is understandable since he wanted to privatize ss. Privatization in England and Chile, incidently, have been disasters. Skippy Carr American Citizen, You keep making the case for healthcare reform. The medicare bill that was passed by Republicans under George Bush was a bad bill because of the donut hole. It was pasted in the weeeeeee hours of the morning. They could not get support for the bill in Congress so the vote was actually postponed until they could twist enough arms to push it through. The insurance companies are out to make a buck. That is their job, that is why they exist. The government is not out to make money but to provide a service. The government can operate at a loss and still do it's service. The insurance companies can't operate at a loss. That is why they are spend millions and millions of dollars on false advertising to get people like you scared and angry. Their bottom line is going to be affected if a government program is put into place. The insurance companies own many in Congress, mostly Republicans, but also some Demacrats, that is why with the medicare donut hole there was no deal struck between the drug companies and medicare. The insurance companies do way too of job at bribing Congress. Now, wouldn't it be nice if you had some sort of coverage for that medication you take that is costing you $1,000 for 90 little pills? You are being cheated by the current system yet you try to defend it. It's not right, you pay for coverage but yet you still have to pay for your medication. I feel for you. DaveH Would you guys quit fighting about who created the debt? Our problem isn't who created it, rather it is who can we elect to reduce it. While we are all fighting it is growing dramatically. We need to ignore the major media and research candidates on our own to find the ones who really want to reduce the size of government. That includes the election of both our president and the congressmen. And we need to look at acceptable 3rd parties. I've heard the media caution us many times that Congress wouldn't be able to get anything done if there were more than 2 parties. And that would be a bad thing, why? My choice as many of you know is the Libertarian Party: Mark This would only work Dave, if the libertarian party were thick enough to win house and senate seats also, because both the republicans and democrats would not play ball and make them look good, so now you would have 3 parties trying to screw the other party at the expense of the country. Only way it would work is if they landed enough seats to have the numbers to truly get things done. DaveH Mark, They will only become numerous enough if people start voting for them. Let me ask you something. Which way is really throwing away your vote? 1) You vote for a party which represents your core beliefs but does not get enough votes to win for a while (accumulation period). 2) You vote for a party which is the lesser of two evils and thus will never achieve what you'd like to see. And screwing other parties isn't what Libertarians are about. They just want Limited Government and the freedom of choice and personal responsibility that comes with Limited Government They will never get enough seats if people don't start voting for them. These things take time. And yes, it would be an uphill battle, because the media and the people in power don't want to give that power up. I don't know what kind of work you do, but if you worked in any kind of groups during your life, you have probably seen how your manager tries to grow his group or division. That is the same way with the people in power, they like to keep growing their divisions. They won't give that power up easily. But if you love freedom and the prosperity that it brings like I do, then you will be up to the job. Mark Norm is a lefty. They pretty much make stuff up to make themselves feel good, since everytime they get a guy in office, bad things happen, so they have to tell lies to cover up their inadequacies. Norm Mark You do have a unique prospective on the world. For the record, March 2001 was the start of Bush recession 1 which ended 10 years of econimic growth. It lasted until 2003. 2004-07 were good years, but they were based on a a vibrant housing market. Unfortunatly, this was caused by artificially low interest rates, lower taxes, and banks lending on the speculation that homes woud increase in value forever by double diget rates. The bubble broke in July 2008. Hence Bush recession 2. You righties love to replay the 2001 blame game. Having successfully perpetuated the myth that President Bush "inherited a recession" from Bill Clinton., your mouthpieces from Rush Limbaugh to Fred Barnes are now blaming Obama for the Bush 2 recession (literally within hours of his election). But as a quick glance at the data shows, across virtually every economic indicator from GDP, unemployment and consumer confidence to home prices, foreclosures and manufacturing output, ownership for this economic calamity squarely belongs to George W. Bush. Mark No Norm, you are in error. Actually, Bush had the highest amount of people ever working in this country at one time, the highest stock market numbers, and the lowest unemployment, and you and I know that all changed when the mere fear of the democrats winning the election came about, and when they won, the fears were confirmed and business came to a screeching halt, as everyone with any brain power at all, knows they are going to need the cash to pay the higher taxes. You and I both know the Bush tax cuts are ending in 2010 and the dems are going to kill them. This is a fact. Even though Barack said no new taxes, well, when they kill these tax breaks, new taxes are coming, and business's are not dumb, they knew they were coming, so they stopped spending money and expanding and hiring, and that is the fact. Just look at see, this is the fact. More will lose their jobs and get laid off when the new tax bills are levied on these business's, no doubt about it. All these things coming down are a result of the knowledge of the democrat tax monsters coming in to, and being in power, no ifs ands or butts about it. If you dont know that by now, your blind brother. To further prove my point, watch what happens to the economy in 2012, maybe a little before it, maybe even after the 2010 elections. If enough dems get voted out, business will pick up. When 2012 elections finish them off, business will once again get rolling and be expanding and growing, like it was when Bush was in office. It only slowed when everyone knew he was going out, and the dems were coming in. It happened, its a fact, and everyone knows it. You cant change history, just look at the facts. The numbers were excellent once he worked us out of Clinton recession. They dipped bad when he was leaving and everyone knew the democrat tax monsters were coming in. Thats a fact, and the numbers prove it. And they will again in 2012. Get over yourself, and pay attention to the facts. Norm Mark Yes, as I've stated above, Bush had good years economically from 04-07. I personally did quite well in the stock market. I watch stocks very intently. Things started to waiver in the fall of 07. I know because I did a lot of stock trading and ultimately managed to avoid getting clobbered like many others in the months that followed. I also was working (just retired) for a large company, whose name you would recognize, and It wasn't Obama that caused their stock to fall to less than half it's peak value. It was falling sales, primarly in their automotive sector. The reason for low economic activity was the panic caused by the bank failures, and the domino collapse the rippled throughout the entire US and indeed the world. The collapse was due to the housing crisis. If the banks were properly regulated it would never have happened. People with no money, and in many cases no means of making money, were given loans based on rising home prices. But home prices were rising because people were given money to buy them and to trade up to larger ones. It was like a dog chasing his tail. Also the Federal reserve (Greenspan) kept interest rates too low for too long. It was liking adding gasoline to a fire. Your idea that business feared Obama is BS. Businesses are only concerned with the bottom line usually after the fact. You goverment haters give the private sector much more credit than they deserve. I worked for private companys for over 40 years and I know how they think. rod james Looking at history most presidents should have been impeached for the good of America. The handful that were not but assassinated were doing what was best for the majority of the population which went against the establishment or the minority of the population. s c Those who want a 'living' Constitution hate freedom. Recognize them. Call them progressives, fascists, communists or socialists. Some cloak themselves in religion. They have many names. All of them worship evil and power. A 'living' Constitution will not endure because it has been programmed by evil people to enslave its citizens. A 'living' Constitution has no moral compass. The Constitution was not created by people who achieved 'perfection.' Those Founding Fathers gave us the best government the modern world has ever known. Slowly, America turned its back on the Constitution. America let its 'leaders' re-interpret the Constitution. As a result, America suffers from a moral disease that is older than recorded history. Haven't we suffered enough at the hands of evil people? America, you will give your children and their children freedom or slavery. Choose. You can make that decision only once. Susan The founding fathers fought against a living constitution. What a living constitution is, is a document that can mean what ever the current power holder wants it to mean to fit what ever they wish to do. Is that not what King George was doing to the Magna Carta [constitution of the British Empire]? Smilee Susan Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 10:27 am Then why then did they put in an article with the means to amend it so we could change it when needed and we have done so 27 times since the founding fathers ratified the original. It seem to me if you can change it, it cannot be dead and therefore must be alive, the last amendment was in 1992, an amendment either adds to , subtracts from or changes what the original was, Twenty seven times this has happened and none of these changes where done by the founding fathers. The current constitution is no longer a product completely done by our founding fathers and it was never their intent that it should be. If the meaning of the constitution can be changed then I think it can safely be said it is alive and kicking and I am not sure you know what you mean when you say it is not a living constitution. Susan They recognized that they were human and would not be able to predict the future and that they could err. But they hedged very closely the ability to change it. To change it the country needs: 1. to propose the need, 2. to pass it through congress, and 3. to ratify it needs the approval of a super majority of the sovereign states to approve it. This is a lengthy and cumbersome process that builds in a cooling off period to assess the real need for a change. You'll notice that the majority of the amendments passed prior to the states numbering 30. DaveH No, Smiley, the first ten (bill of rights) were enacted within 4 years of the Constitution. So, I think we could safely say that the first ten amendments were done by our "founding fathers". To compare the amendments to a "living document" which generally denotes the concept of "Judicial Activism" is a stretch. It is quite a long process to add an amendment to the constitution, and it is done by elected officials, not appointed officials. It requires 2/3 of each the house and the senate, and 3/4 of the states to ratify each amendment. Smilee DaveH says: August 11, 2009 at 4:38 pm No, Davy It was the original constitution that was done by the constitutional congress and they are referred to as the founding fathers and the first ten amendments was done pursuant to Article 4 of the constitution then in law and did not have any judges involved in the process. Just how the hell do you have judicial activism without any judges. as you said it was by elected officials and not judges. "Living document" simply means it can be changed when change is deemed to be needed and this has been done 27 times the last being in 1992 a hell of long cry from the founding father and they intended it to be anything else as they were a aware that changing circumstances and times may require change and they knew full well needed changes could come along that they could not at their time envision, your post convicts you of being quite ignorant if you look at the real facts. DaveH Excellent post SC (as usual). Norm s.c. Does s.c. mean your from South Carolina? Just wondering. steven jeffries brother it slavery started at birth that slavery is debt Margie If the teacher who is a conservative democrat would please read the platform of the democratic party, she would quickly realize there is no such thing as a conservative, christian democrat. It goes against everything in our Constitution, including life, liberty and ownership of property (pursuit of happiness). Wake up teachers and get out of the NEA – you're being brain-washed. Foolpatrol Why is there no such thing, because you say so? And anyone who dares to profess Christ and doesn't walk in lock step with you must be wrong because you have a lock on the faith? Here's a little lesson for you Marg, there are many Christian Democrats, some conservative. Their beliefs come right from the Bible, the inspired word of God, and is in line with our founding documents or the corrected versions of those documents. Racial Justice • Christianity requires us to strive to end discrimination and ensure that all races enjoy an equal opportunity to make the most of their God-given potential. • Culture powerfully shapes who we are. Christ calls us to value one another's differences, not just tolerate them. • Each generation of Americans has been transformed by the contributions made by immigrants. A Christian immigration policy should honor those contributions while affirming our common humanity. Economic Justice • The budget is a moral document. It defines the set of values that govern us as a nation. • Christ calls all nations to promote the common good by giving a hand-up to those who are in need. Indeed, all nations will ultimately be judged on how they treat the most vulnerable members of society (Matthew 25:31-45). • A Christian worldview calls us to put the lowly first and humble the mighty. Creation Care • We are called, as Christians, to be faithful stewards of God's creation — the land, the air, the water, the atmosphere, and the other creatures with which we inhabit the earth. • Global warming uniquely threatens God's creation and, indeed, life itself. There can be no excuse for delay; the time for action is now. • Our government's lack of action has contributed not only to the degradation of God's creation, but also to our dependence on Middle East oil, the decline of local and family farming, and the exacerbation of poverty. Religion and the Law • The Constitution's first amendment requires freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Our government must neither silence nor coerce religious expression. • Keeping the government out of organized religion is meant to strengthen the practice of religion, not weaken it. • Jesus recognized the distinction between religion and government when he said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Mark 12:13-17; Matthew 22:15-22 and Luke 20:20-26) Family and Culture • Strong families require a society that looks after the common good and promotes economic opportunity instead of leaving families to fend for themselves. • Almost everyone agrees on the need for reducing the number of abortions, including most of those who believe abortion should be legal. Reduction and prevention should be the focus of our nation's abortion policy. • Homosexuality is and will remain a controversial subject in the Christian community. But gays should not be scapegoats for the numerous serious threats that American families and children face. War & Peace • Christianity calls nations to work together to promote the common good throughout the world. • Christians must take seriously Jesus' call to love one another, including the stranger and even our enemies. This means that military force should only be used as a last resort to defend ourselves or the human rights of others. • Americans who want to be part of God's "city on a hill" (Matthew 5:14) must demand that our nation restore its moral standing in the world. • The war in Iraq fails all of the above tests: nations aren't working together, force wasn't a last resort, and the U.S. has lost its moral standing in the world. FaithfulDemocrats.Com. DaveH Man-Made Global Warming is nothing more than a liberal fabrication to enable further growth of Big Government. There are so many books out there that refute the so-called science of Global Warming. You need to get educated on that subject instead of buying into the liberal propaganda. In the late 70s, early 80s the liberals were coming up with all sort of schemes to save us from the energy crisis (caused by government regulation). They were pushing Unsightly Wind Generators, alternative fuels such as ethanol, and other uneconomical schemes. Of course, these uneconomical approaches weren't adopted in a free market environment. So, I believe they jumped on the Global Warming bandwagon to force their alternative energy ideas on an unwilling public. Al Gore, one of the prime movers of the Global Warming, stands to get rich from his alternative energy investments if Cap and Trade is passed. Richard Thank you! Thanks for your great effort of showing us what Christ actually stood for and in which senses Christianity is equally Democratic and Republican. The great truths uttered by Christ have become so distorted and perverted by the "modern" transators and interpreters, better know as the "clergy", that they have largely succeeded in pulling us down into the the same darkness and ignorance they find themselves in. Thanks again for reminding us of the eternal values and principles taught us ONLY BY CHRIST'S WORDS THEMSELVES not those confused "modern thinking" people who apparently believe Christ's Wisdom can be got through their heads only but all too often forget about their hearts. Martin Right on brother about global warming…or as they like to call it…climate change. Just a money and power grab. Just like everything else in DC. Ronnie Elliott Right on ! Plus the HUGE Chemical Companies & Liquor companies along with Tobacco companies & others back the Laws to make Hemp Illegal in the USA when it was Better than all the stuff they sell ! Hemp is one of the best crops any country can produce.It gives Better fiber,and 4 times more Pulp than wood or cotton,Yet by making it Illegal they stopped American Farmers & killed off a lot of Jobs & Americas Future !Then the chemicals they use to make pulp and to grow cotton are all BAD ! which they in turn dump in our water supply !They cut down Millions of trees that we need for our world!Polute our air with More Carbon from the Gas & Diesel products that are also full of poisons !Which in the Mean time WE are made to pay tax to support this FALSE FLAG !War on drugs,which is A FRAUD !Look at it and See Who Profits Most ? Has it worked with the 18 Billion a year they put into it of OUR Tax Money? NO !!! Do they ever catch the real People behind the Drugs comming into the USA The Drug Cartel??NO Then they are building these Huge Prisons and giving the little guy More time so the Big Companies can make more off the inprisonment & slavery of them!Who PEOFITS MOST? Michelle If you look at the Democrat's platform, you will clearly see that they support a so-called "woman's right to choose" abortion. If you are a Christian, you will recall many scripture verses that make it clear God is pro-life, including "Thou shalt not kill" as one of the 10 Commandments. rod james Someone! EVERYONE!! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! Stop bickering about what is and isn't! Conquer and divide has been used by these same forces for centuries while we the people send off our brave sons and daughters to slaughter only make these same one to two percent of the population richer.Take THE FED! Print real federal money! Regulate banking and Wall Street!Outlaw lobbying politicians!Start looking for other points of view as opposed to the half truths, distortions and outright lies that are Spun in the dailies and TV. FIGHT FOR AMERICA before it is gone and only remembered as "The American Dream " Smilee Michelle says: August 10, 2009 at 11:21 am The original language the bible was written in reads in translation as "Thou shalt not murder" some translations today you the word kill but this distorts its real meaning. Murder is the ultimate expression of hatred and has to be present in killing to be in violation of this commandment. There are justifiable reasons to kill and we also have many man made laws that do not make it a crime in this country, self defense, soldiers in war etc. This could be true in some abortions as well. Democrats in their platform support a woman's right to choose but that is not the same as advocating abortion. We feel God should deal with this complicated issue as it deals with two people one of whom is still a part of the other and dependent on it's mother for life and because of this complexity we feel man is not equipped to determine if it is murder or justifiable killing and therefore best left up to God to determine. besides making a man made law only gives man the right to punish those they perceive as murders and does not prevent it form happening. The supreme court weather you like it or not has for reasons of privacy says the constitution also does not prohibit it or in any way deals with it per sae but it is the prerogative of the woman. Roger Very Clever. Jesus also said to give unto Ceaser, …. and give unto your father…. A very Specific reference to keep separate politics and faith. Faith should drive a persons core belief system. But, an illegal alien is an illegal alien. The Church however, should care for him. Be very careful. ChuckL Foolpatrol, You gave your agenda away with "…and is in line with our founding documents or the corrected versions of those documents. " Who did the correcting, Marx? Or Lenin? Or Obama? ChuckL Foolpatrol, You have said a lot that is correct, but your interpretation is in most cases wrong. When the government takes your property, you no longer have the capability to be charitable. The dependence on middle eastern oil was not caused by actions other than those of the Democrat Environmentalist who prevented us from using our own oil. You are correct on the interpretation of the First Amendment, but you fail miserably on the war in Iraq. We came to the assistance of teh Kuwaitis in regaining their country for them and signed a cease fire in which Saddam Hussein agreed to unfettered inspection of Iraq in a search for weapons of mass destruction. When Saddam Hussein terminated the inspections, he voided the cease fire and justified restarting the fighting. We tried for years, The Bill Clinton years, without result. Had Saddam Hussein not violated his own agreement for a cease fire, there would have been no resumption. Oscar Goldman Sounds like a good story except inspectors were actually in Iraq before we starting bombing if memory serves me. Yes Saadam did chase them out a few times but he also let them back in and said repeatedly he di not have any weapons of mass destruction. GW on the hand had plenty. Earlw I believe the 1st amendment reads: Congress shall make NO LAW regarding the establishment of religion……..This means neither pro or con…Although from context it does appear that America was founded as a christian nation. The commonly held belief that there is a separation of church and state is found nowhere in the document. Citizen Why is it when most people quote the 1st amendment they only use the first part? The second part is just as important if not more so then the first. The 1st amendment read Congress shall make NO LAW respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The first part address the Government forming a National Government run religion and therefore being able to control the pubic as they did in Europe. The second part seams to mean that no laws can be made to stop the free exercise of religion. It does not say that you can't have religious signs, symbols, and prays in public places or Government buildings. Marian to Jeffrey Brower Your post was very good. I am a retired history teacher 78 yrs who taught the Declaration of Independence to my 7th graders and the Constitution to my 8th graders. That was in the late 50′s and early 60′s. So many Americans know NOTHING and DON'T try to find out. It is VERY SAD! Please, any of those who post messages' read the Constitution that is so generously posted and REFRAIN FROM SCURRILOUS WORDS TO OTHERS! If you are indeed Christian, remember that Christ gave his life for the salvation of EVERY soul SO YOU ARE SINING when you are unkind to ANYONE whether you agree or not! Norm I have ever thought religion a concern purely between our God and our consciences, for which we were accountable to Him, and not to the priests." –Thomas Jefferson to Mrs. M. Harrison Smith, 1816. ME 15:60 "Our Constitution… has not left the religion of its citizens under the power of its public functionaries, were it possible that any of these should consider a conquest over the consciences of men either attainable or applicable to any desirable purpose." –Thomas Jefferson: Reply to New London Methodists, 1809. ME 16:332 "In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own." –Thomas Jefferson to Horatio G. Spafford, 1814. ME 14:119 "[When] the [Virginia] bill for establishing religious freedom… –Thomas Jefferson: Autobiography, 1821. ME 1:67 Joseph Liberal BS at it's best! What a litany of pure poop. Creation Care, "We are called, as Christians, to be stewards of God's creation — the land, the air, the water, the atmosphere and the other creatures with which we inhabit the earth." If your "stewardship" includes the unborn babies slaughtered each year just leave me a shovel and a pair of hip waders. Or am I confusing that with your Democratic hypocritical hype under the heading of Family and Culture: "Almost everyone agrees for the need of reducing the number of abortions." Which is it you two talking moron? No wonder you didn't want to give your name. I think it's Barrack Hussein Obama. Oscar Goldman You can make abortion illegal, but you won't stop it. We made murder in general illegal yet people all over the US are murdered every day. We made certain drugs illegal but we still have people taking and selling them. We made steeling illegal but a lot of people get a lot of money by steeling from us. (Look at Madeoff) If you want to stop abortion you can't simply make it illegal. Those that want it will get it, those that provide it will make a fourtune by providing it illegally. Look ho much a thug drug dealer can make selling cocain and pot. Think how much a skilled doctor will be able to make once you outlaw abortion. If you want to stop it you first must find out why people are getting abortions. Dr Tiller performed over 60,000 abortions. That's alot! But why did so many women choose to do that? Who were they, what was there reason? These are questions you have to ask. Then once you find out the answers to these questions you have to educate the ladies to make sure they don't get pregnant in the first place. The women have to be responsible because it is their body that everything takes place in and generally men just want to get their pecker wet. So you can't just stand there and shout out STOP ABORTION. You got to find out the reasons behind it. You anti abortion people are lazy. You want to just stand around and hold your signs or let someone kill the abortion doctor for you, but you don't really want to take steps to actually stop it. You're lazy and don't really want to get involved. Yes if you get involved you might actually have to talk to someone evil that wants to have an abortion or someone that already had one. I do have a question. If Dr. Tiller did over 60,000 abortions, that means that there were over 60,000 unwanted children. If the mother didn't want that child, who would pay for it if it was born? Who would pay to feed it, clothe it and send it to school. Now multiply that by 60,000. That's a lot of Money! Who would end up paying the bill? I don't want to hear about foster homes and such because those my friends are nothing but socialism. and you are all set against that. Public money being spent to take care of an unwanted kid. Even if the mother keeps the kid but ends up on wellfare, the state is flipping the bill. But you all want to do away with social programs like wellfare, medicare, food stamps, and everything else that will keep that baby alive. So unless you are willing to adopt all those unwanted children and not take any government money for them, you better stop and think. Because on the one hand you say stop abortion, and on the other you say stop socialist programs that will take care of that child if it is unwanted. Of course there is another option for the mother, she can always just toss the kid in a dumpster somewhere, problem solved. No kid, no abortion, no problem. Think about it. debra This is to Oscar Goldman……Oscar who are you?? Are you a govenment spy? Why is it we can not reply back to you? OSCAR? come on tell us who you are..DeBra Billy Wells debra Feeling a little paronoid there? Oscar Goldman is a actually President Obama spying on what you crazy bloggers write and laughing all the time about how warped you all are. LOL Smilee UNBELIEVABLE!!! Jim Foolpatrol, You sure do like to put your own interpretation as to what Christians are supposed to do for all who need our help. But God never said that people are required constantly to feed, cloth and maintain all who are poor! God requires that we are responsible for our own needs. When Adam and Eve were removed from the garden of Eden, God said that they must earn their way by the sweat of their brow. Now, I ask you, how much sweat is being required of the government supported poor who constantly abuse the privilege of welfare. Also, how many children are being born just so that they can receive medicaid support until they are grown. Is this the just and appropriate way to use a large amount of tax payer money. If you think this is right, then you are bigger fool the most. Foolpatrol Defend the poor and the fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and the needy. PSALM 82:3. What you do for the least of them you do unto me. The poor you will have with you ALWAYS! I don't see any cut off points, do you? And of course I'm not referring to slackers but people disadvantaged due to circumtsances beyond their control. The purpose of Medicaid is basic medical coverage only. If you believe that people are having children to take them a doctor or hospital, I suggest that you consider seeing a doctor. Or, put the Meth pipe down! Pat Right On The bible says if you don't work you don't eat! Smilee It did but they are not Jesus's words debra Foolproof…..I bet you like to talk to yourself because you think you are so smart. I think they call it delusions of granduer. James Foolpatrol, I took exception to your "The Constitution's first amendment requires freedom of religion, not freedom from religion," (the first part of your first entry under "Religion and the Law"). The First Amendment starts with "Congress shall make no law respecting…religion," its sole purpose is to preclude federal law on the subject. That is, it does not require 'freedom of religion,' if it did, Congress would be constitutionally bound to make law defining what 'freedom of religion' means, and enforce that within the states – the precise thing the amendment was designed to prevent. david FOOLPATROL it is so refreshing to know that you read the bible and care to quote from it i have just one problem , who annointed you to say what the bible says and does not say i think you may need to read the whole book and not just parts you want in order to justfy your point of view bcause there is a warth side of God he did tell the nation of Isral what to do about it's enemies sometimes they obey the Lord and other times they did not and suffered for it so it will be with any nation that does not follow and obey the Lord an doh there is not just 10 commandments as people think there are but much more and what God said he would destroy back then still applies today Smilee Are your suggesting he post the whole bible here??, how do you know he has not read it all and even maybe more than once and then picked the applicable passages to make his point here relevant. Can you understand this?????? Mark Thank you. Well said. Billy Wells Margie Please post the Democratic platform here for all of to read. I would like to read it, but to be honest I'm too lazy to look it up myself. So since you know where to find it and have read it already please be so kind as to copy and paste it into a blog so that I and other can read it. I am an ex school teacher who has observed over the past fifteen years or so, the dumbing down of our students and here, we are. Looking at evil right in the face. Literally it is in our face as we speak. As a Christian woman , a mom, and a grand mom, I am appalled at what our country has become. Nothing but a bunch of liberal fools, bureaucrats running our govt and taking advantage of my tax dollars. God help our country WAKE UP. I am FOR ALL AMERICANS. I AM A CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT. THE REPUBLICANS ARE A BUNCH OF HYPORCRITES.. I am a proud American woman who sees our country going down the tubes if we do not all UNITE and pull together.. Ed How true. Carol Garrett Dear Helen: Does it mean if the states are under the 10th amendment, the people there won't have to have that ungodly health care system they are trying to put on us? Please let me know because I live near the border of a state & would run there if this is the case. Thanks. Billy Wells since you brought up the health care issue, I was wondering what is wrong with it? What is Washington trying to force on us? Do I have to be afraid? I've heard something like a death pannel? Where do you get your info so I can see it too. Lorrie Billy this comes from the Constitution of the United States. This is how our country began. The freedom that we have or had is why immigrants want to come to United States. Many are coming to escape over reaching and oppressive Governments. Loe' you must be very young or you would know what will happen. DaveH Billy, According to one site it is currently 1018 pages long. Here is a link to see the entire bill: ( You will have to cut and paste in the address field of your browser as this blog cannot handle underscores in the link. Keep in mind that the 2nd Amendment is only one sentence long and I'm sure you're aware of the many different interpretations of that law. Imagine the amount of court time this bill is going to see. The lawyers will be happy. john garrison The problum is the united states is a corporation, so is the federal reserve. corp are there own person. seperate and not controled by the people, but by managers. a corp is only responsible for its self. so are cityes, countys, all under marityne law. to fix this problum we must turn to land law or the law of the land. this is Gods law and makes people equal, and God is supreme.God's law is simple and fair to all. Mark The problem with the proposed government run health care bill like the one proposed in the House bill, 88.1 million people will see their employer sponsored health plan completely disappear. And even if you have private insurance, and kept it, they would have to conform to new federal benefit standards, and these so called upgrades will undoubtedly cost you more. For more info, go to and click on "Top 10 reasons why obamacare is wrong for America". It pretty much spells it out in black and white english. Loe' YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT… eric Yea a conservative democrat like Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, or Henry Waxman. Those dems, if given the chance will totally allow the destruction of our once great country, Wake up don't be a fool……. Mark Dont even put the word "conservative" on the same page with the name Nancy Pelosi. That woman is a twit. FD A "Conservative Democrat" that is an oxymoron, as is a "Republican hypocrite". Neither political party is worth a damn. They have been working together for decades to bring us where we are today. You being an educator, or so claimed, should have the insight of this nations history. That being said, you are aware that one party has been more involved with equality of the races, less government control and standing strong on the founding principle of this nation. While the other party has done and continue to this day, the opposite. Bob Peterson there is no such thing as a conservative democrat. Who do you think is ruinning the country? How can repub. be hypocrites? The democrats have benn ruining the educational system since LBJ. they were in charge. I moved to cal. in 1969. We use to have a great educational system. It has been trashed by democrats. I am a real conservative. We don't need any teachers unions, we don't need the NEA, CTA or any other organization to screw up the kids anymore than they already are. No more tenure. Start using capibility instead. Barry I have always thought that teachers should pass a minimum test on the subject they teach. Do away with union that allow tenured teachers to become lazy. We Americans have put up with the way things have become. I have noticed good (new) teachers never invited back due to tenure and,Oh! Yes, different political views. Now we have Obama and Crew as a result. s c Barry, a teacher's main concern is in teaching content area (math, science, English, biology, etc.). Passing a test does not guarantee you'll get a good teacher. Some people might believe a union teacher is 'better' because 'they went to a better school.' They didn't go to a better school. I wish unions did have schools. They would have put themselves out-of-business decades ago. They are driven by MONEY and POWER. Union teachers are self-made puppets. The net result is an expensive, inferior education. What do we have to show for all those years and wasted trillions? America has been hosed! Union teachers are proud of their 'efforts.' Look at what they've done to our schools. They use the same 'pride' that Lenin used in Bolshevik Russia. My advice is to HOMESCHOOL, and bypass teacher unions and politicians and their braindead 'followers' who want a piece of paper – not a solid education. It's no accident that when a college/university recruiter looks for academic talent (scholarships), they look for homeschooled students FIRST. That's no accident. Teacher unions should be in large population centers, where they can promote their nation-destroying methods. The rest of the country will get an education. It will take time, but the end result will be parents who finally see what a union teacher is worth to American education, and their wrath will put an end to wealth-destroying social engineering doled out in the name of 'education.' Foolpatrol So, we don't need the NEA, but we need the NRA? Put the meth pipe down! Paul Foolpatrol – Get a reality check!!! the NEA is funded with PUBLIC money – our tax dollars – and the NRA is funded with private money – those who donate their own money!!! Where is your real name??? Why are YOU hiding??? Foolpatrol Teachers pay dues to Teachers' Unions just like members pay dues to the NRA. That makes both entities supported by private dollars. I'd suggest learning the facts before disseminating misinformation. What's my real name? Why does it matter? Are you going to shoot me for having and daring to voice a different opinion? As far as you're concerned, I merely patrol fools and provide accurate information. Try not to remain in the Fool category for your entire life! Jud Wulff Fool, I know I'm late to the game, but, your facts are not so accurate. Teachers are COMPELLED to have funds automatically withdrawn from them for purposes which they as individuals have NO CONTROL. Whereas as a MEMBER of the NRA, I give so as to have my voice heard SPECIFICALLY on issues which I DEEM TO BE OF IMPORTANCE. I could say, "Go back to school", but that wouldn't help. Remember this, when they destroy the Constitution, they will first and foremost come after your guns. They don't like disent. And they don't like slaves having guns. ChuckL Foolpatrol The NRA protects the Second Amendment of the Constitution. This is the one that gives us the power to enforce all of the other items in the "Bill of Rights" The NEA promotes propaganda about the history of the country and requires that learning is by rote rather than by query. Their agenda is taught as fact and logical thinking is prohibited. And they avoid all discussion of the Constitution. 'Nuff Said. Bob Peterson The NRA is not a union. Its voluntary. I chose to be a member of the CRPA . Which is in Kalifornia. Foolpatrol No, the NRA is not a union. Nonetheless, like unions, specifically, Teachers' Unions, it is supported by membership dues and seeks to advance the interests of its members. All unions start as voluntary entities. Potential members vote unions in or out! eyeswideopen The sound of intelligence in the dark nite. Brian Rawls It seems you never give up on creating chaos. sherry Excuse me, What do you think keeps America free ! steven jeffries So Fool I gather That 2nd amendment should be scrapped Too perhaps You can tell me Who said this [if we had to go by the Constitution we couldn't pass any Bills ] Martin These unions seem to almost be cult-like. The liberals also are that way. Just follow the old party line. Don't bother to read the bill. We wrote it …it must be OK. melinda When the NEA is funded by private funds it will be on the same footing as the NRA. Those who do not want to support the NRA do not have to, but those who do not support the NEA are FORCED to do so through taxation! Tom Are you an idiot? Statements like the one you have made are what make senisble people wonder if you're the one hitting "the pipe", as you say. What a poor comparison – teachers unions vs. 2nd Amendment? Get a clue – and do us all a favor by not more posting and not making an even bigger ass of yourself. Billy Wells Yes, we need the NRA to keep us free. We need to keep guns in the hands of people like Scott Roeder so they can kill people like Dr. Tiller. and keep us all safe from the Government. But who is going to keep us safe from people like Scott Roeder? DaveH Billy, That's what we have courts for. To determine if an act was a criminal offense, or a matter of self-defense. The first act of most dictators is to take away weapons from the citizens. Why? Obviously, the people don't stand much of a chance to take back their country if they are unarmed. I know – that can't happen here. Of course not, our Government is composed only of good people. Dream on. As far as keeping us safe. There are no guarantees. If someone wants to kill you, a simple wire around your neck can snuff your life. The only possible ways to give you your best chance of safety come from you and you only. I choose to be armed, even though I could take 90% of people with my bare hands (that is, if they aren't armed). I can't even imagine how defenseless many woman must feel, especially if they don't have access to a weapon. Christian Patriot We need weapons to protect ourselves from our own government, and I mean military-grade weapons, otherwise, as you would see Gun Controlled countries become slave owning countries, even as we are about to do so now, gun registration becomes gun controlled and gunless. See You Tube, "The History of Gun Control" in six parts and get an education my friend. I don't need any politician telling me how to contract my health insurance, take a involuntary vaccine, protect me by a crooked cop, attack me by own sons in the military or the UN German contingent from NLE09. If you can't see this, you need to go to a private school and get a real education. Mark We do not need the NEA. For what? How does it benefit mankind? Not at all. We need the NRA. For What? Ill tell you what. Give a guy a gun and he will stop that shooter at the Universtity shooting everyone, or at the high school shooting everyone. Give me God and guns, and you keep the "change". The Insurgent (formerly: FRW) I agree with you Bob. I have never seen a "conservative" democRAT in my entire life. DemocRATS known as the followers of the Communist manifesto and if we look after their actions; there we go! Uncontrolled immigration, abortion, exporting American jobs, infiltrating our education system with Marxist "ideology" and so on. DemocRATS support homosexual "marriages", gun-control, raising taxes, open borders and now NOBama's DeathCare Plan with the devastating effects for the unborn and the old. I can't see one "conservative" idea among DemocRATic issues. While it's true that some Republicans are hypocrites, the stigma for the DemocRATS is overwhelmingly tend to that direction. I see both parties became the similar and behind the scenes, I think there's an attempt to "melt" them together and make the United States a SovietGulagUnio-type one-party dictatorship. rod james Wake up Americans! It doesn't matter what party you follow (they are under control of certain powerful people) the bickering amongst the two parties is the "side show" that IS POLITICS and keeps Americans from the getting to the truth of what is really happening. The US has been hijacked by people who do not have the best interest of the majority in mind. "We the people" and "By the people for the people" now means little in this day of politician/buisness man (eg:Cheney) or politician/banker (Guittner-Summers) and their lobbyist friends. It's time for America to take back their country and stronger individual states is a a good thing. eric Well guess what your now president the great Obama sued the banks, and forced them to make loans to sub-prime or otherwise homeless people, with the heads of the Banking commisions, ranking members. You know their names, Barny Frank, and his good buddy, who never did anything wrong or questionable, with all his power. Look up his connection with the former head of Countrywide, and the sweetheart, or near free major jumbo loan deal he got. Oh yea, we can trust him. What else do you want to do put Satan in complete control, or have we already done that………. Loe' THANK YOU FOR SPELLING IT OUT FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT. DaveH Helen, Have you looked into the Libertarian Party? They believe in personal freedom, free markets and limited government. I believe they embody the best of both major Parties. To see their party platform pick the Our Party tab and then Platform from the drop down list. Norm DaveH There you go again pushing the Libertarian Party. They stand about as much of a chance of winning an election as Ralph Nader's Green Party or Ross Perot's Independent Party. Ron Paul makes some sense, but he is out of the main stream of US thought. Even he was elected as a Republican. I suspect most Libertarians are closet ultra conservative Republicans at heart anyway. DaveH Norm, You are obviously one of ultra-liberals who is afraid of any kind of freedom that will stop you (through the government) from helping yourself to someone else's money. Mark Norm, I was born and raised democrat, and now have been a republican for 10 years, and I would gladly shift to the libertarian party if they could only get some more bonifide participants. I dont want the guy in the "lets smoke it" shirt running for governor. I want to see some normal guys and gals in there. Im tired of the dems and repubs doing whatever they can to make the other guy look bad, and the American public they are paid to represent becomes an after thought. Im sick of it. I have seen the democrats attack attack attack constantly, and finally in the last two years the republicans finally started fighting back, and they get lambasted for it. They have to fight back, I understand, but it seems anymore that is all they both do, and Im one American that is sick of it and looking for an outlet of change, and Im willing to try the libertarian party, if they can just bring me some good candidates. Ron Paul has some good points, but in all the debates he came off as being like the little kid that complains to the teachers about getting picked on on the playground. He didnt represent himself well, he came off as a whiner, and this is from a guy who is more than willing to listen intently for a different avenue to travel. Smilee DaveH Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 10:39 am Have not looked at their platform in years, thanks for the referral, I now know they have become as radical as republicans. I used to consider myself one of them years ago until I came to my senses and realized to be a member was to be a member of a cause that could never win and to be a part of the real world I no longer supported them and moved on. But now I see they have become extremists and I suppose that is why you are attracted to them. DaveH Smilee, Funny that you say that, as I was just discussing political ideas with my son about similar things. Of course I wouldn't expect anything else from you. So, I am an extremist for expecting the politicians to uphold the Constitution that they swear to unhold? Funny. Of course you support them in that lie (promising something they have no intention of fulfilling) because as I have said before, you want something for nothing, so the Democrats are the correct party for you. That posting was for people who believe in the commandment "Thou shalt not steal", and in other moral codes that help us treat our fellow human being respectfully. In your world, the people who worked and took risks to achieve wealth are Greedy and Materialistic. But the people who want to take away their property (and money is property) are not Greedy and Materialistic. You have amazing powers of rationalization. Nan Dave Now I know what is wrong with our country. Do you or any one else really believe that garbage of yours. You are a democrat face it You do not believe in the constitution you want some thing for nothing and you expect every one ows you something. What do you think that obama will do with people like you when he is done with you. all I have left to say is GOD BLESS AMERICA. DaveH Nan, Do you have a reading disability or are you on some kind of drugs? Where did you come up with your interpretation of my politics? Mark Smilee, are you referring to the libertarians as extremists? Ive recently started looking into them, and I havent seen that, other than in the past theyve had the guys that wanted to legalize pot and drugs, and just not what I would call worthy candidates, but extremists, Im not sure about that. Ron Paul didnt do it for me, even though he has some good points, he didnt make a very good impression on me. I do feel that we need some new outlet, as like Ive said before, I was born and raised democrat, and voted for them until I reached 40. I was because I was born and raised that way, and my parents told me that the democrats represented the working man, and the republicans represented the rich guys, and I believed it because my mom and dad raised me that way. But when I turned 40, I quit drinking, quit smoking pot, quit womanizing and doing all the destructive things Id did all my life, and gave my life to Jesus. I actually started paying attention to this politics stuff, and allthough I have to say in reality both sides of all the politcal aisles are full of crooks and corruption, the republican party holds today more closer my ideals of life, family, God and country, than do the democrats, who closely hold so many things that are in direct violation of Gods word, that I cant vote for them. But like I said, both sides have bad bad stuff going on, and now all they do is want to stand around and blame Bush, blame Obama, point the finger, and say look what he did, and Im sick of it. Im looking for a new avenue in politics, but it hasnt arrived yet. Id like to see a Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Evan Bayh, Ron Paul Jr., and some others form a new party, and distance themselves from both the current policies of their current parties, and start an American party where the politician actually represents the American people. Jim Edmundson, Sr. To helen smith owen. You said and I quote, "Nothing but a bunch of liberal fools, bureaucrats running our govt and taking advantage of my tax dollars. I am FOR ALL AMERICANS. I AM A CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT. THE REPUBLICANS ARE A BUNCH OF HYPORCRITES", end quote. Calling yourself a Conservative Democrat is the biggest oxymoron I have ever heard. That is like calling yourself an athiest christian. Than you call Republicans Hypocrites. I just looked in the dictionary under hyprcrites and lo' and behold, there was your picture. Calling yourself a Conservative Democheat is like calling ethnic people born in America, an African American, Italian American, Irish American. IF YOU WERE BORN IN AMERICA YOU ARE AN AMERICAN, GET USED TO IT, GET OVER IT AND LIVE WITH IT. The Blacks born in America who call themselves African American are doing more to divide racial relations than anyone. Can you even point out Africa on the map? This goes for all ethnic races, not just the blacks. You are probably a proponent of gun control too. Blaming guns for killing people is like blaming spoons for making Rosie O'Donnel fat or blaming the enviroment in Hollywood for making Liberal Hollywood celebrities stupid. I do agree that 'United we stand – Divided we fall'. Make up your mind and take a stand or stay on the fence and look and sound like a fool. Ron Jim, I like your view. You make very good sense and explain these things in a understandable manner. Being a little kinder in your manner of correcting people will take you a long way. Jim E. Ron, I agree but sometimes you have to get their attention, like slapping them upside the head to wake them up. carmen butler amen brother Paula Jim, when asked what race I am, I simply check 'other' and write in HUMAN. That's what we are. It's time to remove the barriers of we the people really are. Thank you for your comments. Mark The republicans have indeed fallen from what they once were, but if you continue to vote democrat, you will quicken the demise of this country. They are immoral baby killing gay elevating, God eliminating, Christian prohibiting left wing liberals. thats it. Norm Mark Run Sarah Palin in 2012 and Republicans are finito. Linda C Norm Confused Americans Voted Obama In– Now the country is FINITO DaveH I'm not Republican obviously, but why are you liberals so afraid of Sarah? I don't know much about her, other than the entrenched politicians are afraid of her, like they were afraid of Ronald Reagon. It's kind of comical to me, because it is a well known fact that the more exposure someone gets, the better their chances of gaining political office. You liberals are just giving Sarah free publicity. But then, I haven't known too many bright liberals. Smilee DaveH Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pm I do not know why you feel liberals are afraid of her, all the liberals I know think she is the biggest joke played on the voters in a century or more. I voted twice for Reagan and in hind site which is 20/20 I now realize it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life time, but to give him credit Sarah is no Reagan, what an insult that is to him. Exposure works both ways, if she is the joke we think she is exposure of her works to the democrats advantage. My guess is by time 2012 comes around the republicans will distance themselves from her as well and realize she would be a loser for them Ellie Yeah, the liberal scumbag media will see that Palin is never elected…they have made it their lot in life to destroy her and her family Billy Wells Come on man! Sarah Palin is lucky if she can even dress herself in the morning let alone be President. Even if she is elected she will just quit after a year or so when things get to be too hard for her. She's a quitter and a loser. She should stay in Alaska and keep her mouth shut. Billy Wells Linda C, Disgusted Americans voted Obama in. They were tired of the Rublican do nothing yes men rule in Washington. If the Republicans would have done a good job they would still be in the Majority. Think about it. Duhhhhhhhhhh! DaveH Yes, The Republicans have not been much better than the Democrats. Both have grown the size of government dramatically. But at the next presidential elections pay attention. See how the major media don't give 3rd parties a chance to get into the debates. See how the major media give lots of attention to the most liberal of the Republican primary candidates, then once they have gotten their man into the Republican nomination, they drop him like a hot potato. That is because they want the most pro-Big-Government candidates they can get. The major media is making our political choices for us. Of course, they don't want anyone who promotes capitalism, because in a truly free-enterprise system the media moguls would possibly/probably lose their high-paid positions to someone else. There is little doubt in my mind that government will keep growing and keep taking away our personal choices and our money until our country collapses. But at least I won't have to live with the guilt that I helped create that situation. Billy Wells DavidH Who pays the salaries of the media? It's the sponsors they get. The sponsors pay for time to advertise their product on a TV network or magazine or whatever. That is how Broadcasting networks make their money. The advertisers get their money from selling their goods. This is capitolism. So to say the media is against capitolism is just stupid. That's how they get their money. If they were getting it from the government then I could understand. But if they end capitolism they cut off their own pay check. DaveH Billy, No, not stupid at all. I guess a better way to put it would have been to say they are against free enterprise. The media moguls like their big paychecks. They don't want a free market because then they would be subject to greater competition. Their advertisers, by way of the big expense of commercials are almost always big companies who also would prefer less competition. I guess a good example would be the way Bill Gates turned a small time garage business into a hugely successful competitor against the giant IBM. You can bet that wouldn't have been so easy in these times with all the myriad regulations on business which make it difficult for small startups. With the government regulating the marketplace, those companies that learn to be good sycophants can prevail over the others. In a free enterprise environment, they would instead have to produce the better product or better service or fall prey to their competition. DaveH Billy, If you are really interested there are many publications that explain the benefits of the free marketplace (which we don't have currently). One is "In Defense of Free Capital Markets" by David F DeRosa. Also Reason.org is a good place to find free market concepts. Norm DaveH Two points: 1. There really is competition between networks, albeit relativly friendly, for sponsers and popularity. Popularity is judged by ratings pollssuch as Nielson. Shows that aren't watched enough are dropped fairly quickly. I might add that the Fox Network is no different than the others. Hate radio operates in the same way as well. 2. Bill Gates was never in competetion with IBM. Gates sold the DOS operating system(software) to to IBM (a hardware company) when IBM got into the personal computer business. Incidently IBM had a better alternative called CPM, but failed to negotiate a a deal for it. Bill later went on to form Microsoft, a strictly software company, and sold DOS and Windows to all computer makers who were interested. Norm DaveH In the above post, I stated that IBM was a hardware company. Actually, they do produce application and specialized software for their large mainframe computers as well. Microsoft produces PC software and has never had a competetive product. Apologize for the sloppyness above as well. Skippy Carr I'm afraid of Sarah because she's just smart enough to get fool people into electing her, but not nearly smart enough to be President. Eileen Barayasarra SKIPPY! THAT IS EXACTLY WHO WE HAVE NOW!! DUUUUH! Tim If you appalled at what our country has become, then you should think a more deeply and serach for the truth, salt and light,as christian you should know this Principle. The demacratic platform and christianity go together like oil and water Smilee Tim Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 11:13 am So do the constitution and Christianity, that's why the founders separated the two and made sure the two did not have a chance of combining. Separation of Church and State, is a great thing for both Nan Tim you had better read the constitution again you have no Idea what you are talking about. Why do you think our country is in the shape that it is in, BECAUSE we have turned our back on god and you people" elected" the devil himself. homer Tim, I am NOT going to say you are ignorant but I would like to ask you to consider this, first the words "sepatation" Chuch" or state" do NOt appear in the constitution! Now the other thing is where did the saying separation of church and state come from? Well in 1824 I believe, the Danbury baptists wrote Thomas Jefferson and ask him the facts regarding the rumor that there was a church being made a state church. Well, Mr Jeffersons answer is that letter. He said that there was a "one way wall of separtation, between church and state. (notice you never here the "ONE WAY" in that separation…..statement. Mr Jefferson also said that "Christians were preferred for our polititions, and they were.! Its just that the govt could not run the church but the people in a church could run the govt. Not you have the facts!!!! First Jefferson was not one of the authors of the constitution, second, the first amendment may not use the word separation but that does not mean it does not mean that, that word has become the word of choice to describe it. Its true meaning has been developed by rulings of the Supreme Court in some of their rulings and it is they that give it its legal meaning not any letter that is not part of the law and is nothing but his opinion but I guess you feel your interpretation is the correct one even if the court does not agree with you and that is what you, Homer and Nan seem to understand, Nan interprets the constitution by using the bible and not the constitution which she obviously does not understand and you Homer look for it meaning elsewhere as well, No, you did not give me the facts what you gave me is your opinion and you did not get it from the supreme court rulings and they are the true meaning of separation of church and this letter has no legal standing in this issue. Just to give you one example from several is the court's rulings is no prayers in public schools, the reason given is the first amendment separates church from state, that sir is the facts weather you like it or not is irreverent it is still the constitutional interpretation of separation of church and state by the courts. The two of you should reread the constitution and try to understand the real meaning of it and you both would be better off if you did not inject you own meaning of it as both of your meanings are totally wrong. THAT IS THE FACTS!! Tim I beg your pardon if you miss understood my comment I was not referring to the separation of church and State. I'm very aware of why our founders put this in place and I'm in total agreement with there wisdom I was merely referring to the typical immoral agenda of the democratic party such as pro choose, pro gay rights an so on. These things certainly do not display Christian values. And further more "NAN" I have not turned my back on God and THIS PERSON DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE DEVIL!!!!!!! Don A liberal can be spotted every time they talk, because all that comes out is ignorance.All liberals say there is a separation of church and state, but in reality the constitution does not say that anywhere. The only thing it says on that subject is in the 1st. amendment quote " Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" unquote. That shouldn't be too hard to understand. The government cannot force or deny any religion to anyone. That does not say religion has no place in government. One of the reasons they left Great Britain was for religious freedom. Most of them were christians and that's why we have a constitution. This country was founded on christianity. I challenge you to show me anywhere in the constitution a separation of church and state. Smilee Don Reply: August 11th, 2009 at 12:47 am Don You seem to have a hard time comprehending what I really said. It is not liberals that have said there is a separation of church and state it is the Supreme Court in its rulings that have made that clear and you apparently are so arrogant that you think you can interpret the constitution better than they, what you fail to understand is you position is irreverent as the courts have rendered it so by their rulings. I do not have to show you, the Supreme Court has done that but as usual you conservatives who seem to think you are smarter that any expert and deal with all their mistakes by blaming them on some one else as they are so irresponsible and are unable to admit the error of their ways. One example: The court ruled that pray in public schools and some public places is unconstitutional because there is a separation of church and state, therefore when you are in a place owned by everyone you cannot force your religion on the rest of the public that may or may not agree with your beliefs. Liberals for the most part respect others beliefs on this, conservatives through are hell bent on forcing themselves on others by demanding this special privilege and the courts still say, NO, NOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH!! DaveH Smilee, Apparently Don can interpret the 1st Amendment better than the Supreme Court can. It is in plain English. And it says simply "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or preventing the free exercise thereof". The key word here is "Congress". What you are citing are cases of Judicial Activism which we are going to see more of now that Sotomayor has been approved. If you were correct and they were interpreting only the letter of the law (in this case the constitution) then there would rarely be 5-4 decisions. When in fact, 5-4 decisions are very common (51 in the last 3 years). Apparently, only 5 of the 9 justices are well-versed on the Constitution. Smilee DaveH Reply: August 11th, 2009 at 2:50 pm You are entitled to your opinion, however it and Don's are irrelevant as it is the Supreme Court's that has meaning yours and Don's does not. Unless you are a lawyer you probably are incapable of understanding anyway other than in the simple amateur way you present your opinion, these opinions where not made in the last three years. You may think they are activist judges but most attorneys will not agree with you. It sounds to me what you want is activist judges that will interpret it your way instead of by the constitution. Sorry you really are not capable of understanding it and whining because you can not have your way. It is apparent it is far far to deep for your simple mind. Billy Wells Yes, those darn Gays. Who do they think they are? They have no rights under American Laws. They are not one of us. They are a threat to my way of life. Next thing you know we will all have to be gay. Now isn't that just a stupid reaction but that's how you all act. Didn't Jesus teach us to love everyone? But yet you so called Christians seem to find plenty of people to hate. You are not fooling God. He knows how hatefull you all are. eric How simple you are. Do you remember Sodom and Gamorea. Well whoever was in charge, damn sure a judgement on them. Or maybe that was just a farrie tale, from the Old Testament. Enough about that, put the most Liberal rabid justices on our Supreme Court, need names, T Marshel, R Gensburg, former chief lawyer of the ACLU, anti american Communist org. And let's not forget Stephens, he claims he's a communist and proud of it. Yea put those dicks in charge of Constitutation and see what happens. Billy Wells Eric, I don't remember Sodom and Gamorea. I'm not that old. But judging from how you act and how barbarick you are you must be that old. Sodom and Gamorea. may or may not be true. It could have very well been a made up story by people just like you that are looking for ways and justification to hate people that are different or that you don't agree with. I would like to know how a gay person affects your rights? Billy Wells Eric, So far Obama has gotten 1 person appointed to the supreme court. How many did GW Bush get appointed? Roger The problem is this – Partisan politics. We need to put aside the Democrat verses the Republicans, the us against them mentality. It is how they keep themselves in power. The arguments should be about words. What is right and what is wrong. Listen to the language and the meaning of the language. The first thing I look for in an argument is this, are they using fear, or any emotion to justify a position? If so, LOOK very closely. We are all Americans, we need to unify to correct what is wrong. This nations strength is founded in the principal of opportunity. People from nations all over the world came here for the opportunity to improve ones life. They did not come because we guaranteed it. We provided only the OPPORTUNITY, that if you worked hard and coontributed to our society, you would improve your life. We have devolved into the land of free stuff. Free medical treatment, welfare, housing, food stamps, etc., etc.. The irony in this, it is these very programs that are destroying our nations ability to create wealth, becasue we are allowing the Federal governement to confiscate our wealth. We allow it because they prey on our EMOTIONS. Stand up, Stand Proud, Stand Loud and let us take back our nation from the thieves. You can recognize them, whether they are democrat or republican, because they spend your money for your own good. That is Wrong! It is yours. Lyle I wholeheartedly agree. There is a growing number of folks who believe (including myself who read the book some years ago called "No One Dares Call It A conspiracy") that neither party really has full control over our government. It was suggested by this same book and now many other folks that the "fed" which is a privately owned corporation controls our banks also has a strong strangle hold on both parties. If this is true, and it does seam quite feasible, then the two parties are allowed to fight over god, abortion, health care, the environment, the weather and on and on and on until the people become completely numb with apathy. However the outcome, life goes on as usual and things get steadily worse because it doesn't matter that much which party wins the government is still under the same control. The biggest story of the century is going mostly unreported and ignored by the very same folks that we depend on to keep us abreast of events that matter to us. And for why? Is it because they fear ridicule? or is because they are owned by the same who would perpetrate the demise of this grand country? I was involved with the campaign for Ross Perot and watched very carefully how he was finally defeated. It took the work of a team of experts to find out how to push Ross's buttons and that is how he blew the race to the white house. It has been said that we will never have another chance to run a third party with any degree of success again. I think that this is wrong minded and a defeatist attitude and I think that the time has come that the people will find a way to vote the two party system out of office. A good start would be for the voting public to decide that no matter who runs for either of the two parties, that they will only vote for a confirmed third party candidate no matter what their name is. This would probably induce more qualified folks to run on a third party ticket. The only concern would be keeping the fed from putting up their own shill and this is another good reason to make the fed transparent and open up their books. steven jeffries was That book written in 1971? bazdmeg Lyle Great book, read it myself and one of several along same lines, you're also dead on regarding FED, which may possibly be the ONLY outfit in the world that has not been subjected to an AUDIT that is meaningful and thorough. Sorry the it's not the only one, add to it the "gold reserves" at fort knox, which has fought for decades to quash and idea of an audit of what it contains, and rightly so since it's EMPTY for the most part, the gold is gone, and by the way it's none of anyone's business, but the FED's. eric The problem is, now money and power control everything. We now have orgs like Seiu, Accorn, Apollo, funded by the most un-american of them all, who wants the very collapse of the USA eric Well here's the deal. You have orgs like Seiu, accorn, and apollo, funded by a man that is driving the country to collapse. He tried the same thing in Europe , and was kicked out. George Soros might be Satan. ;He makes another billion betting and causing the demise of the USA. He's good at it, he did the same thing in France, and then England. He made his 1′st power move, turning in his friends and family to the Nazi's in WW2, swearing he was not a Jew, but Catholic. And most people think Bernie Madoff was a bastard Jew……. Our Native Medical Services from the Territory has been Governed thru The Bureau of Indian Affairs. Since Statehood, Alaska Medical Coverage is Managed through Indian Public Health [IPH] and Public Health Svc [PHS]. This Medical Service IS STILL GOVERNED and SUBSIDIZED or Supported Financially BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & the State OF Alaska!!" It's government healthcare, STUPID! GOVERNMENT! melindaIt's all relative, isn't it? Many poor families who don't have access to basic preventative care and diagnostic tests to detect life threatening conditions believe that some coverage is better than none. The Insurgent (formerly: FRW) FOOLpatrol, it's time to patrol yourself again. The NEA is a hte-group corrupting children (and teachers) minds, while the NRA is a constitutional right defender citizen group. The NEA is endorsed and supported by huge government money while the NRA gets only hate and slandering from the government. Being on the Left is not necessary to be fool. But many of your kind tend to be, simply bc the socialist-marxist "ideas" have no real basics, only leninist hatred. And looks like this country had – finally! – enough from it.debra Foolproof…you must not be on the same page the rest of us are on. What are you reading…or should I say who are you talking to? debra Roger you are so right! It was Thomas Jefferson who said "when a government takes from those who are willing to work,and give it to those who are not willing to work,..then democracy ceases to exist". And this is where we find ourselves now. We can not continue to support able bodied people just because they have babies out of wedlock. Now we have illegals that take our taxes too,without ever paying into the system. 40% of the population. The rest of us go to work every day to support them. It has to stop. Oscar Goldman Debra Gov. Palin knows all about the death panels as she is quilty of them. Please read the article below. Palin's Health Care Priorities and Alaska's Daughter 07/15/2009 Today, Lisa Demer of the Anchorage Daily News has broken a story that adds another scandal to the growing list of scandals that have plagued this administration, and shines the light on Alaska's very own health care crisis. Demer's story centers on the horrendous condition of the Alaska's state programs that are designed to help its most vulnerable citizens, the elderly and disabled. The situation is so bad the federal government has forbidden the state to sign up new people until the state makes necessary improvements. [snip] The moratorium is expected to last four or five months. State officials estimate about 1,000 Alaskans will be affected No other state in the nation is under such a moratorium, according to a spokeswoman for the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. There are currently eight lawsuits pending against the state which also rang alarm bells on the federal level. Doctors and other health care providers wrote to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid with concerns that the state wasn't responsive. Some alleged that the lack of state controls "has resulted in the death(s) of the active clients," the federal review said. While the people served are frail and suffer from chronic health issues, the state never investigated to determine if any failure in service contributed to the deaths, the federal review found. "Thus, if someone passed away because a (personal care assistant) did not show up, for example, there was no indication this would have been reported or investigated," the report said. The state plans to start doing fatality reviews. The state plans to start doing fatality reviews? So, it would appear, since we are the only state where the situation is bad enough to require federal intervention that the administration has had its mind on other things. We know, of course, that the governor has been busy with her farewell tour, flying all over the state and signing bills and doing little shout outs and quotes of the day on her twitter account, and getting ready to become a full-time celebrity. But what about health? What have been, and what currently are the administrations top priorities on matters of health and human services? It's obviously not the care and well-being of our vulnerable seniors, so what is it? The administration is spending an awful lot of time on the upcoming ballot initiative that will address parental notice and consent for anyone under the age of 18 who is seeking to terminate a pregnancy. Here is the initiative language with recent changes in language underlined. parental20involvement20initiative1 Two years ago, the Alaska Supreme Court on a 3-2 ruling said that a parental consent law was unconstitutional because it transferred the right to make such an important decision to a parent or a judge. They also stated that a parental notification law, however, might be constitutional. Although she stated she'd like to take this on personally, Palin, under the advice of her attorney, took a step backThere go those critics again, demanding ethics. And there goes the governor again, not quite understanding the first amendment, or the ethics act. Planned Parenthood, recognizing that a girl who doesn't want to tell her parents she's pregnant, or fill out paperwork to get time off from school to go stand before a judge in superior court and convince him or her that she is mature and intelligent enough to make decisions about her own reproductive health, might just take the situation in to her own hands. Girls researching self-induced abortion on the Internet could find all kinds of bad advice, said Clover Simon, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood. In the week prior to Sarah Palin's hurried announcement that she'd be stepping down as the governor of the state, a new scandal was brewing on the horizon. It didn't get as much publicity as some of the other numerous Palin scandals, in part because everyone became preoccupied with her resignation. The fact that a frightened teen who doesn't want to become a parent might do what others have done and just try to Google her way out of her predicament may have crossed the mind of Beverly Wooley, the state's public health director, who was scheduled to appear before the legislature on this issue. She stated, earlier this month that she was forced out of her position, largely due to differences between her and the governor on the parental involvement issue. Wooley said she also intended to answer questions from legislators and said she would rely on data, not anyone's personal beliefs. Whether she personally agreed with the governor is beside the point, Wooley said. She intended to refer to studies from states that already had passed similar legislation, she said. Some of the research shows that, with parental involvement requirements, girls tend to get abortions later in their pregnancy, which is riskier and more expensive, she said. Other research shows fewer girls get abortions, which abortion foes like Palin likely would applaud. And while Palin says she "will not hesitate to speak up in support of Alaska's daughers," her concern does not seem to extend to Alaska's daughters whose parents are literally dying from neglect because of budget cuts and mismanagement. The "culture of life" seems to have an expiration date that our seniors have passed. And left out are Alaska's daughters who will choose not to talk to their parents, and take matters in to their own hands rather than submit to the emotional stress, embarrassment and legal wranglings of convincing a judge that they were abused, or the victim of incest, or just not ready to be a parent. By all indications Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, who is set to take the helm of state on July 26th will have his work cut out for him. His predecessor has left him quite a mess. Where will his priorities lie? Norm Sarah is probably a nice person. She kind of reminds of EllieMay Clampett of the old Beverley Hillbillies TV show (circa 1960′s for you newbies). I agree she's a hypocrite and intellegence isn't one of her strong suits. On Friday she blurted out her first hysterical hyperbole since quitting her job. Distilling the entire 1,000-page health care reform proposal into two syllables, "evil," she warned her 700,000 Facebook friends that if health care reform comes from this administration, it would mean government-decreed death sentences for disabled children and old folks. Be afraid. Be very afraid. The scenario she paints would indeed be evil, but it's just bad fiction. There is no truth to it. President Obama addressed this directly saying, "Nobody is going to be forcing you to make a set of decisions on end-of-life care based on some bureaucratic law in Washington." And factcheck.org has also denied these false euthanasia claims. Martin Norm…So President Obama addressed this directly…duh….and you believed him? That is exactly why this doof is in the White House. Too many people took him at his word. HE IS A LIAR! He and his ilk will say anything to get their way. Stop drinking the kool aid. Geez why won't this country WAKE UP! American Citizen Norm, you are a fool if you believe Obama. Because this bill is not specific, the bureaucrats will make the rules. Congress proposes, bureaucrats disposes. If anyone reading the bill can come to those conclusions, so can the bureaucrats. Anything not specifically in the bill can be taken to any length. Why should we see a doctor 5 times a year to discuss end of life issues. We've already done that with a lawyer and written our wills, both probate and living. The details of this bill have not been written, only the proposals. The devil is in the details. Oscar Goldman Martin and American Citizen, Where do you get your information? Please share it with us. See Norm, this is the kind of people that the insurance companies are counting on. Just like these two. Not very bright but very Gullible and easily controled by the media like Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck. The amazing thing is that these same people are probably the first ones to shout don't take my medicare away and sign up for unemployment if they lose their job. Now think about it, If government really wanted to kill you off when you hit a certain age wouldn't they have been doing it by now? I mean we've had medicare since the 60′s. Why do we spend so much on medicare to keep our elderly living if the goal is to kill them off. You really got to stop watching Fox News and get all the facts folks. Billy Wells Roger, I agree with you somewhat. The programs you talk about are draining our wealth away. But the programs were made with good intensions. We have had social programs working well for a long time. Social Security and Medicare. People shout they don't want government healthcare but then shout to leave their medicare alone. Duhhhhhhhhh. The problem is free loaders. Welfare has become a way of life for so many. Programs like that need to be revised. We reward people for not working. I have know some single mothers who have applied for welfare. They were told to quit their job and then they could receive benifits. Now that's just wrong. My friends only wanted a little extra help not full time hand outs. But so many will jump right in and say oh boy free money and be than happy to quit a job in order to get money for nothing. This is what is wrong with America. There is no desire to work hard to earn things. Everything is how much can get and how little do I have to do to get it. This is also true of business owners. Rather than work hard to build a company to earn money they would rather buy one only to break it up and sell the pieces and make money. What happened to our great inventors such as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Alexandra Graham Bell? We don't have people like that in America. Greed has consumed us. It has taken over our lives. What can I get and how little do I have to do to get it? Drug dealers can make millions simply by selling illegal drugs, then go and collect a welfare check on top of it. These are the things that are wrong. The programs were designed to help and keep people from living on the streets. But it's greed and laziness that have destroyed them. DaveH Billy, Remember "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". I'm not religious, but I think that it makes sense. The problem lies in the fact that we can't expect someone (politician or bureaucrat) who is not even related to us, to care about us like we care about ourselves. If we don't care enough about ourselves to stay in school, get good grades, seek good employment, work hard, etc., then can we realistically expect someone else to take care of us? The more middle-men we employ (government) the more money is going to be wasted. Our forefathers set up a great system of individual responsibility and limited government and we have let it go. Claude This is what you get for wanting a change and voting for Obama. Billy Wells And please tell me, how would the other guy have handled it? In true Republican fashion he would have ignored it. Martin Helen…This is my opinion….I don't believe that you can truely be a Christian and be a democrat. If you believe in their platform…it kinda puts you on one side or the other. Good or evil….pick one. IRAQI WAR VETERAN I agree 100%. You cannot be saved and condone the millions of babies being murdered through your parties stance. Did you know Obama voted in favor of a bill which allowed doctors to set a baby aside to die, of it escaped an abortionist's intentions!! This is a member of a party you support… and call yourself a christian Helen? I encourage you to do more research on your democratic leaders. Dan Healy Foolpatrol melinda Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 7:59 pm Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 8:17 pmYou also can't be saved and allow 46 Million Americans to go without basic healthcare and lifesaving treatment! Foolpatrol Pick one? We already did on November 4, 2008. We picked the side committed to work to reducing the number unintended pregnancies thereby reducing the number of abortions! We picked the side committed to providing basic healthcare to all Americans so that born human beings can be free from unnecessary pain and suffering! We picked a side that values the born as well as the unborn! We picked a side that understands that womens' healthcare decisions are between God, women and doctors! Smilee Martin Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 6:25 pm AND IRAQI WAR VETERAN Reply: August 10th, 2009 at 7:19 pm Martin & IRAQ WAR VETERAN Sorry to disappoint you but I'm both a Christian and a Democrat, the fact you are incapable of understanding this does not make you assessment correct. Democrat platform favors pro choice with abortion they do not condone abortion, That is we believe that God not man should deal with this issue as it is beyond mans ability to do so due to the fact of the many different medical conditions that can go with this issue and it is better left between God and the woman and not the government and the woman. After all, all man can do when they make a law against something is to gain the right to punish the perpetrators we are comfortable with leaving that to God and trust him to do the right thing. DaveH Smiley, Don't tell anyone, but I agree with you on this point. It is the woman's body at risk. Only she should be making that decision. I do think, however, that our argument becomes much muddier when the baby is viable outside the womb. At some point that fetus becomes a citizen and therefore eligible to be protected from death at the hands of others. I personally think the baby is better off dead than to be raised by people who don't want him/her. Of course, if there are adoptive parents waiting in the wings and there is no birth risk to the mother, then why would the mother want an abortion? I do have a free-market solution to this dilemma (wait a minute, I'm getting on my protective armor). Why not allow the parent to sell their baby instead of aborting it? For many women that would offset the risk of death during birthing. Personally, I would rather be raised by a family that wanted me enough to pay for me than to be raised by a family that was forced to keep me. Don First, there are 2 Dons on this sight. Second, Palin has it that when a girl gets raped in Alaska, she has to pay for her own rape kit out of her own pocket. Shouldn't we have empathy and include a rape kit, but I shouldn't be asking guys anymore than we should be asking guys about abortions? Norm Martin Your assumption that Christian = good is pure conjecture. While left wing Democrats live on fantasy island, I think their motives are generally good. It's the extremist right wing (born again and again) Republicans that can approach the level of evil. Billy Wells Martin, Your reply to Helen, All I can say is, OMG! That is just Bull! You are probably the one that is truely not a Christian because you hate Democrats, you hate Gays, You hate Muslims, you hate anyone that doesn't share your warped thoughts. Democrats generally care about everyday people. They want to help people succeed and thus the programs of Welfare and Social Security and Medicare. Republicans on the other hand step back and say fend for yourself because we don't care what happens as long as the rich folks keep getting richer to keep our bribes coming in. A Democrat can't be Christian. I just love you so called born agains. I think you'll be surprised some day. Martin Hey Billy boy…sounds to me like you are the hater. I didn't say I was a Christian or a republican or born again or white or any other thing. I said in my opinion you can't be a Christian and a democrat (really believing in the democrat platform). I think you are thinking of the democrats of yesteryear not the Nancy Pelosis and Harry Reids of this evil bunch of b**tards. Billy Wells What is the Democrat platform? If you're going to bring it up explain to me what it is. Do tell me. So you're telling me that in this nation where most people claim to be Christian that all those that are registered Democrat are not Christians? So my next door neighbor is not Christian? The person that works next to me is not Christian? FDR was not a Christian? JFK, another one, not a Christian? And tell me, what exactly makes Nancy Polisi and Harry Reid, and me not Christian? Tell me I'd like to know. David H Thank you for the link, however you didn't see anything that says or makes me think evil. Let's see a few you might like, Combat terrorism Secure the Homeland Win in Afganistan Good jobs with good pay Consumer protection Fiscal Responsiblity Prevent Iran from aquiring nuclear weapons Stronger Cyber Security Expand the armed forces Rebuild the military for 21st century Tasks Do right by our veterans Lift burdons on our troops and their families Lead in Asia and the list goes on and on. Yes, these are all very evil programs and there's no way anyone that believes in these ideas could ever be a Christian. Or am I missing something? Leslie Isn't the term, conservative democrate an oximoron first of all? Our children are slipping because of teachers who don't know how, or don't care enough to bring the best out of our children.. My father retired at 45 from an very good executive possition and became a teacher. He had so much respect for them until he became one himself. You see he really did wand to educate our young people. In fact he paid for the wedding of one of his students that got pregnant if you graduated. She did and he did!. For those teachers out there that go that extra mile, God bless you, for the ones in it for the 9 months and summers off……we really don't need you. The government is taking over everthing. Are we going to let them take over our education…What happened to teaching Geography, Social Study's American History etc.! Most kids don't even know where Iran or Iraq is!!!! As for Obama, well, my Mama taught me," If you can't say something nice say nothing at all" homer Ms Owen, you said you were a teacher, and you said you were a conservative democrat and then you said republicans are hypocrits.I am not sure what kind of teacher you were but may I call your attention to the "words" and to the republic for which it stands' Now the "republic" we speak of is in fact the U.S.A. A republican form of govt is a govt in which that nation is a nation w/a govt that is based upon "GOD"S" never changing word" and yet a democracy is a govt based upon peoples rights, which we all know, change constantly.So When you call republicans Hypocrits you had better look at a form of govt that is based upon change and then remember that the bible says that we are to not be given to anyone given to change, incliding the man who ran on a platform based upon change! Thanks for listening. Bruce Foolpatrol Exhibit A Republican Hypocracy Palin Pulls another Palin!reprinted from ADN comments James Helen, if memory serves the subject here is about the constitutional limits of the federal government's power. Certain powers were delegated to it in Article I, Section 8, and beyond that the national government has no power. Then to assure that the feds would not misconstrue their powers, to include rights, the people added the Bill of Rights. This bill of don'ts starts with "Congress shall make no law respecting…" five rights. Then "the right to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" etc. The 9th Amendment says this restrictive theme on federal power applies to all rights, whether enumerated therein or not, and the 10th Amendment reminds Congress that powers not delegated to them in the Constitution are reserved to the States, or to the people. Congress gets around that by offering states and people monetary handouts, with strings attached which then obligates the recipient to kowtow to the feds. It's a Ponzi scheme supreme, the feds tax the people then offer some of it back, if the recipient willl submit to federal regulation. If schools accept federal 'free lunches' they submit to federal control over what is taught. If one college student accepts federal tuition aid, that college must then obey federal race rules. Etc. bazdmeg Well put James, thats exacly it. free money money money, it can buy votes, states, friendships, and all else. The federal goverment has for decades did'nt have the backing for even 10% of fed IOU's/,tokens /coupons or whatever they wish to call "money" or the US "dollar", so they just crank up the presses and print billions of paper to pass off as "money" This enables them to get away with what they got away with, by simply adding a few million or a few hundred million to demands for extra "powers" or "control" to the majority of lily livered state "officials" PATHETIC !! BUT it"s a great PONZI that enables everyone for awhile to get free things and live beyond their means. Try Googling "Silent weapons for Quiet Wars" it's an eye opening how to for the control of a Nation . DaveH James, Well said. And therein lies the problem. I think 90% of the people in this country would have a fit if they knew all the pies that the Federal Government has its fingers in. As I have said before, I fully expect this country (due to lack-of-knowledge and greed on the voters part) to continue to witness an ever-expanding government until it totally collapses. Once that happens, there is little hope for most of us, as the usual case after a collapse is some form of dictatorship. I seriously hope I am wrong on this prediction. Oscar Goldman What kind of car do you drive? That may seem like a dumb question, but do you look for a car that is safe? One with airbags and seat belts and such? Do you know that these safty features are mandated by the Government? Yup, they make sure the cars out on the road today have certain safty features in them to keep you safe. What about the FDA, think back to your history classes about the meat packing plants in the 1920′s. How bad conditions were then. Rumors of fingers and stuff being ground into meat. You know thanks to government regulations and unions we don't have to worry as much about the meat we eat and the fdrugs we take. Now way back when the constitution was written they didn't even think of suck issues. If you got sick, you died, or maybe not if you were lucky. In the Victorian days they gave you cocain if you got sick. Made you feel better, but didn't cure anything. Yes the Government has it's had in most things in our lives, that is true. But you have to admit most of it works out for the general population of the country. DaveH Oscar, I drive safely. That is the most important thing of all. All the safety features in the world can't replace that. This may sound funny to you, but I used to buy the World Almanac every 5 years to check and see if all the safety mandates were saving lives. But I gave that up with 1997 being the last year, because I had to cut my expenses (having a hard time due to illness) so I gave up on the quest. So, maybe things have changed since then. But from 1982 (about the time seat belts became mandatory) to 1997 there was no statistically significant change in the number of automobile deaths per 100000 people in this country. Now, for sure, maybe this is because people are driving more recklessly because they think they are safer. Whatever the case, we have lost freedom for little if any gain in safety. Are you aware of the number of children whose have been decapitated by airbags? Oh, I know, they should be in the back seat in car carriers. But then what happens when the side airbags are mandatory? Do they ride in the trunk? I have seen many mothers talking to the children in the backseat while they are driving (and not watching the road in the process). This is safer? And it's interesting that a man could sue a lawn-mower manufacturer who had no control over the man's stupid action because he picked up a rotary mower to trim his hedge and lost some fingers. But the mothers and fathers couldn't sue the government which actually ordered air-bags in cars when their children were decapitated. And they represent us? Give me a break. Yes, our intrusive government is doing something beneficial for me. I am so sick of being treated like a subject that I now am not afraid of death. Thank you Liberals. No, I don't have to admit it works for the general population. As neither you nor I know that answer. All I know is that I've lost about $1,000 to thieves during my life, and about $400,000 to the government during that same period. Gee, let me weigh the benefits. And if the Constitution is outdated, as Smilee so aptly argued, we can change it. Meanwhile, until that happens, you and your ilk are breaking the law. James Dave, I think 90% of the people in this country are having fits the media just isn't reporting it. Tea Parties are on the increase, but they aren't throwing British tea into Boston Harbor, they are complaining about federal misuse of its powers – whether they realize that or not. The problem is most Americans don't know we are a Republic (Art. IV, Sec. 4), they believe we are a Democracy where the federal government has power to do whatever the most people want, and the feds love it. First comes Democracy, then Socialism, then add police power and we have Communism. FDR started us on that path and Obama will complete it. david well well things are really out of hand and a lot is misunderstood for one you can not be a true democrat and a christian the reason is democrats believe in all that is against God and for you SMILEE go back and read the constitution the courts made the ruling because they themselves do not even understand the constitution or our forfathers beliefs for your information the constitution was founded and wrote from the book of DEUTERONOMY so i would say to you our forfathers are rolling over in their graves with what we have become. I nation that turns it's back on God will be destroyed unless it turns from it's evil ways and America right not does not care about God or there fellow brother it does not matter what race we are we are all AMERICANS and if you do not believe in it then our forfathers work of leaving England to worship as a free nation was in vain and if you do not believe in the road map that God has put forth for us to follow as a nation then i surely will pray for you and that is to all others that think we do not need pray or God in our lives. I am not forcing anyone to believe as i do but do not take away my rights as a christian as you have already done. Pray is school did not hurt the school or students or saying the pledge to our flag i would bet you that over 50% of the people and even students today can not even say the pledge to the flag and i for one that is a veteran of this great nation is heart torn because of the lack of respect our nation has for itself WAKE UP AMERICA AND TURN FROM YOU EVIL WAYS AND GOD WILL SURLY BLESS THIS NATION AGAIN Smilee david I respect your opinions and that is all your post is comprised of as it is totally devoid of any facts therefore I still conclude you are dead wrong and are driven by your biases and not reality. Dickie Helen, All my children are grown now, So I called my children to see if their children had a teacher named Helen, And think's to GOD they don't,I was so releved, Because if you were as smart as you think you are, You would have tryed to read this crap, Your Hussein obama along with pelosi,reid,murthar, & franks, Just apart of the scoundrel's,That is in the BIG HOUSE, But I guess you think GOD is for abortion,Or want's your politician to help you die,Or just give you the cheap meds,You don't have to believe me,Just READ! it for yourself, BE SMART, And not so DAMN ARROGANT, STOP WATCHING THE GOVERMENT OWN MEDIA,Because the MASS.-TENN, State run health-care has FELL,And why the goverment thugs will BE own a different health-care plan, Ask your great leader,You are no more than a puppet,And a failure as a teacher,So why don't you look for yourself, Or are you scard you might learn something.I do pray to GOD for people like you, So maybe you will open your eye's, And not alli. James Dickie, if Helen were smart, why would she have tried to read 'crap'? (Tried is spelled with an "i".) Dolores I agree that America has changed; however, if we didn't have the Federal Government intervening in major things, Afro-Americans would still be slaves, schools would still be segregated, job opportunity wouldn't prevail, Sonia wouldn't have stood a chance of being a Supreme Court Judge, Barack O'Bama would haave been assassinated while campaigning as the Conservatives Republicans still want him dead, and, there's news media people like you that want him out of office. America has become a hated nation across the world due to the Bush Administration and their policies and the Republican Party is a party of professionnal Klu Klux Klansmen. This country was left in a horrible financial status and because the president hasn't been able to give White America instant jobs that were taken by the Republican Party, there's hatred for him. We went to war and took millions of dollars to support Bush's war that should have been used to support Americans at home. Saddam was a tyrant, but, he kept Iran under control. We now have to worry about Iran becoming a Nuclear Terrorist Country and America being its prime target. We support Israel, and well we should, but, Israel is a terror over in the Middle East and America supports everything it does, even when they have been wrong for killing children and elders just as the terrorists have been wrong for killing Israel's children and elders. Let's be fair and just when we speak of the Constitution and realize that we haven't adhered to it either or we wouldn't have had the trouble we have in our states. The southern states are still hate mongers as a whole against everyone that's not White and some of the mid-west are just as bad. We still have a long ways to go and I'm glad that the Federal Government has reign over the states or everyone but the white Male and his female would be in a slave's position. I'm a Christian, a born-again Christian and I see the real truth. We are a nation that kills their unborn infants, gives drugs to the ones we consider undesirable to watch them kill off each other so we can sit back and be judgmental. Sundays are the most segregated day of the week. We all go our individual churches and most of the so called Conservative Religions assent to the implications of a God, but, don't really believe he's a God for all of mankind. We have the most violent, sexually exploited shows on television, and our news media thrives on the violence that overcomes America. We have all kinds of religions in this country based on religious freeedom, with Christianity being constantly attacked and all other forms being considered okay or right. We don't follow the concept of Innocent until proven guilty; we're just the opposite, guilty until we can find a good mouth-piece that can lie for us even if we're guilty. We are a part of Bush Senior's New World Order and we didn't have any choice in getting involved as it was thrust upon us. The bad thing is that most Americans as a whole hve no real idea of what that is including myself. We try to live off our past reputation as a world leader. If you know anything about the Bible, you will find that America is probably destroyed in the Book of Revelation becuse she is described as the whore who sits between two waters. It hurts me to see and know all of these horrible things about this country as God made this country a country of multiple colors to show the rest of the world that all of his mankind can and are living together as brothers. We are all of the Human Race and of one blood in Christ Jesus, but, you better believe there's an element of Conservatives that will kill rather than have that as being a part of them. If Jesus were to come to this earth today, He would be killed again by this group as they believe in traditions and not reality. Traditions have their place but Godliness is more important. Tell the Racial Hatreds that; especially FOX CABLE NEWS that espuses hatred all day every day. Their commentators are Evil Personified. jbird Wow, Dolores, it's difficult to know where to begin responding to your rant. I don't know where you get your information, but you need to broaden your education. You are so misguided it seems you must spend all day watching CNN. I will address this mischaracterization: I'm 50 years old and have lived in Alabama all my life. We are not the racist hate-mongers you describe. Were there race problems and segregation and church bombings in the 60s? Absolutely. It was a dark time in our history. However, I and people my age and younger were young children or not even yet born when those things happened. We had nothing to do with it. Those who did are now dead or totally irrelevant. We live in communities with people of all colors. People of color attend our churches, some of our neighbors are interracial couples. We work with and for people of all nationalities. The south isn't any different from the rest of America (except for long lingering stereotypes that define those who believe them as bigots against southerners because they have no basis in fact). We love God, love our families, love, respect and help our neighbors. And we love our country. However, some of us understand what the Constitution says and why and how it was written and believe the government should follow it. When we see it overreach we get angry and we support candidates who say they want to reign it in. I'd love for you to come to Alabama and see what a beautiful place it is, and how strangers on the street greet you with a smile and say "Hi, how's it going." How men open doors and stand aside for women. How our children say yes sir and yes ma'am. After you've visited I think you'd have a little different idea about the South. In the interest of brevity I'll save a response to the rest of your nonsense for another day. Ronnie Elliott Well as a teacher YOU should been keeping up with all the other wrons that have been going on in USA for the last 90 yrs as well.Of Course they dont show all that we have to get on the internet and Turn their Paid for Media off,We all need to be Screamming Conspiracy & Treason!When a President gives our country over to any other political agenda such as socialist,fascist,communist,then to me that is an act of Treason which I can see that several have over the past 90 years and been getting away with it because of the Ones behind the scenes,that pull these little puppets strings! They are in fact the MONEY CHANGERS of the World ,Like the whold list of them in the presidents cabinet all in the Bilderberg Group,The Trilateral Commision,the CFR,All with the Federal Reserves ,World banking Cartel and the Central Bank,United Nations members (not all ) They have this One World Goverment & Currency Plan they want to put in,Which means their will be no more Constitution of the UNITED STATES !They are trying to make ammendments to the Tenth ammendment also so the states cann't refuse !So all that are Involved in this PLOT to Overthrow our goverment by controling our Economy and Bankrupting it,and putting all these ILLEGAL LAWS & ACTS in need to be Tried for TREASON TO AMERICA ! Which is ALL of us that are still Defending our Constitution ! We all Pledged alegence to that Flag and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands !We didn't make any Pledges to the Goverment that We CREATED !Well except in the constitution where we LIMIT their ability to Expand & break laws !So Yes we all do need to UNITE AND DO IT in a PEACABLE matter as we can,Howeveer when it comes down to it Remember what OUR country has always done WE FIGHT till the Death to defend it !Don't let these RICH SNOBS scare us ! they are really all a bunch of panzies hiding in the shadows and hopeing they can use their Puppets to sway us along with their PAID FOR MEDIA,using Brainwashing and doing it with using our Reptilian brain function !So always stay away from Media that is behind these people and not for the PUBLIC !For Real Americans! Because they are all part of the ONE WORLD GOVERMENT PLAN ! YELL LOUD AND PROUD ! tell every one and get emails to our Congress Demand Action or we the PEOPLE WILL March on the Front lawn and FIRE the Bunch of them and all that are in this TREASON & Conspiring to KILL & STEAL from the Whole World ! TRUTH JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY .TOGETHER WE STAND UNITED AGAINST all that Tread on our RIGHTS & Constitution !Both Foriegn & domestic !I swore and Oath as a Marine & I will stand behind it till My death !They aren't standing behind the same Oath the Swore to when taking office !!! They have begun to think they are GODS & we are their SERVANTS !RICH SNOBS is all they really are and their numbers are few Compared to OURS !they just want US to think they can make us do it their way or they will IMPLODE our Economy !Well They cann't If they are in PRISONS ! SO DEMAND JUSTICE & Stiffer penalities for TREASON !For Conspiracy & Theif of Our Economy !Our Gold & Silver !Demand they Seize the Records of the Federal Reserve Bank !Find those trillions and Who got the Payoffs & then Lock them all up !!!!! Tina "I am FOR ALL AMERICANS. I AM A CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT. THE REPUBLICANS ARE A BUNCH OF HYPORCRITES.." Dear Helen, are you trying to say that only Republicans are hypocrites? It seems to me that the Democrats should not throw stones when they live in glass houses. The sitting Democratic Congress are some of the biggest hypocrites I have ever heard in my 57 years of life. That is not to say that the Republicans are any better. They all need to stop the spin cycles and listen to what the people want. I don't know who will be in control of Congress when elections come around, but I do know that the Democrats are really messing up right now and "We the People" are angry. We all have had enough of the dual hypocrisies. The change we expected is not a bunch of self serving hypocrites that are using of constitution for toilet paper. Nor did we expect the change to include socialism as a way of life. All Americans must get off their duffs and take back the control before it is too late for us all. Absolute power corrupts absolutely! ashforkdan arizona How is it that they all know how many illegals are here but there isn't any problem with the border. lets round them up and make them build the fence. if they know how many mexicans crossed then i would really like to know how many hamas / yemens/ pakastanies/ chineese /north koreans /afganies /iragies you get the picture all of his broes have been crossing every day but nothing is being said about the sleeper cells there the real problem its only a matter of national security and they refuse to reconize it for what reason maybe they need another attack on US soil so they can take more of your rights away all that is needed to declare marshal law is an attack again and congress will be dimissed for a period of six months and barry becomes a dictator and makes all the rules that he cant pass now
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http://personalliberty.com/2009/08/10/state-sovereignty-movements-gaining-support/
LIFE HISTORY Published by the Smithsonian Institution between the 1920s and the 1950s, the Bent life history series of monographs provide an often colorful description of the birds of North America. Arthur Cleveland Bent was the lead author for the series. The Bent series is a great resource and often includes quotes from early American Ornithologists, including Audubon, Townsend, Wilson, Sutton and many others. Bent Life History for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird - the common name and sub-species reflect the nomenclature in use at the time the description was written. RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD ARCHILOCHUS COLUBRIS (Linnaeus) HABITS CONTRIBUTED BY WINSOR MARRETT TYLER The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only species of hummingbird that enters the eastern two-thirds of the United States. A minute spritelike bird, scarcely bigger than a good-sized insect, it is white below and burnished, sparkling green on the back. The adult male has a gorgeous flaming throat, which, when the sun strikes it, flashes back a deep, glowing orange or red. The hummingbird moves its wings with such extraordinary rapidity that it seems to be moving through the air between two wisps of mist. Its buzzing wings hold it steady in the air. We see it poised before a flower, most often alone, its body motionless, its tail swaying, as firmly fixed in space as if it were standing on a perch. We see it dart adroitly from one blossom to another, and another: an inch away, six feet away: pausing exactly in front of each one, probing it with its beak, starting and stopping with a jerk, almost, turning at any angle with a sudden twist; or it may shoot off and away, bounding along at full speed. A remarkable power, unbirdlike, more like an overgrown bee. Spring: In spring the ruby-throated hummingbird leaves its tropical or semitropical winter quarters and presses northward, keeping pace as the season advances with the opening of its favorite flowers. The bird's preference for some of these is so marked that it seems oftentimes to regulate its migration so as to arrive on the very day of their blossoming. For example, Austin Paul Smith (1915), writing of the Boston Mountains, Ark., says: "The arrival of the 'rubythroat' and the blossoming of the dwarf buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) were found to be coincident. For it is upon the flowers of this shrub that the ruby-throat finds most of its subsistence for the first two weeks after arrival." At the start of the northward journey many of the tiny birds fly over a wide stretch of the Gulf of Mexico on their way to the southernmost States. They cross these dangerous waters with little concern, apparently, for W. E. D. Scott (1890) speaks of seeing them "at considerable distance from land" while he was fishing off the Dry Tortugas. "One morning" he says, "I counted six pass by the boat. * * * At such times their flight was direct and very rapid. and all were going in a northerly direction. They flew about twenty-five feet above the water and did not appear in any way fatigued, nor show any desire to alight on the boat, as small birds crossing the water so frequently do." Even in the Southern States hummingbirds run the danger of late, killing frosts. "Didymus" (1891) tells thus of the calamity that overcame them in Florida. "It was a warm winter and the early opening of spring brought out the flowers and started myriads of these little creatures on their journey toward the north. Then came that blighting frost—which they could stand, but the 'death of the flowers' was too much for them and they were picked up dead and dying everywhere. They came in unusual numbers and seemed to be nearly all males. After the frost but few were seen. * * * On the other hand, Charles B. Floyd (1937) describes an occasion in which some hummingbirds withstood prolonged low temperature and even snow: The following observations with Hummingbirds * * * made in the Laurentian Mountains of Canada during the last two weeks of May, 1936, are of interest. * * * On May 20th the temperature in the early morning was 22 degrees Fahrenheit above zero after a snowfall during the night of six inches. This snow did not completely melt until late in the afternoon. The temperature the following night was 28 degrees above zero. Early on the following morning the temperature was again 22 degrees. Ice formed in water-pails and a cold wind blew all day. * * * During the morning of May 20th the ground and trees were covered with six inches of heavy, wet snow. I spent several hours paddling along the lake-shore on which our camp was located, observing the hummingbirds and warblers that came there to feed. * * * All these appeared sluggish with the cold, and the Hummingbirds fluttered about on the underside of the snow-covered leaves, which were about half-developed, apparently capturing minute insects (probably aphids), on which they fed, occasionally dropping to the logs that floated along the shore to secure something so small that I could not determine what it was they were eating. * * ** All the birds permitted so close an approach that I could not use field-glasses during these observations. The last day of my stay the Hummingbirds were observed in their usual feeding places and apparently survived the cold weather unharmed. Usually in Spring we meet hummingbirds singly, or at most two or three together, but once in a while we come upon a gathering of migrating birds—almost always of one sex—collected sometimes in a single favored tree. About noon on May 22, 1936, I came upon such a gathering. The birds were in a good-sized red home-chestnut tree in full flower. They must have numbered more than a dozen, perhaps twice this number. As I came near the tree there burst out a long series of short, sharp, high, jerky notes, the pitch rising and falling, the volume increasing and decreasing. The individual notes bad a squeaky quality suggested by the letters sk, but in spite of this I was reminded of the house wren's chatter. By direct comparison, however, the wren's voice was much more mellow, and the delivery more indolent, if one may use the word in reference to that sprightly bird. Looking in among the branches, I could see here and there two or three birds flying about, making darts at each other. Sometimes a bird or two birds, one chasing the other, flew out and, after flying around the tree a little way, shot in among the branches again. The tree seemed swarming with hummingbirds. Soon the activity calmed down, and the birds perched motionless on small branches, here and there. The sound quieted also, but rose again energetically when the birds resumed their activity. They probed the blossoms, evidently feeding, but for the most part seemed interested in one another—playfully, or with little hostility. Once I saw two birds fly straight up in the air, close together like mating bees or a swallow feeding its young on the wing, strike at each other, I think, then turn and dive head-downward into the tree. Again a bird flies out from the tree at an approaching bird, utters zzzt-zzz, and drives it off. The notes varied a good deal. Sometimes a note was so fine, high, and drawn out that it was only a hiss; generally they were very short and clearly cut, either single or double; sometimes they took on a rhythmic form and were repeated over and over, for example, z, z, z, z, z, z, zzt, the last note emphasized; and often they came in a long series: single, double, and triple notes all intermixed like a telegraph instrument in action. It was difficult, owing to their activity among the dense branches, to see the birds clearly, and impossible to count them accurately, but I believe that most, if not all, of them were males, their throats in the dark shadow of the branches appearing black. On the 24th there were fewer birds in the tree—the petals were falling to the ground: and on the 25th only two or three remained. Jane L. Hine (1894) reports a similar gathering of female birds. She says: "About nine o'clock one spring morning, when lilacs were in bloom, we discovered that the old lilac bush by the well was 'swarming' with Hummingbirds: just come; we knew they were not there a few minutes before. There are five large lilacs on our premises and those of a near neighbor. On investigation I found four of these bushes alive, as it were, with Hummers—all females. The fifth bush, a Persian, they did not favor." From these observations, and several more in the literature, we may infer that the sexes do not as a rule migrate together, and according to the opinion of many observers the males always precede the females. Courtship: In his courtship display the male rubythroat makes use of his marvelous proficiency in flight as well as of the brilliantly glowing feathers of his throat. As we watch him performing such flights as are described below, swinging back and forth along the arc of a wide circle, we get the impression of a bird upheld by a swaying wire; his swings are so accurate and precise that they suggest a geometric figure drawn in the air rather than the flight of a bird. Carl W. Schlag (1930), speaking of the courtship flight, says: It is comparable to the strutting actions of various species of birds. It is performed several times daily during the breeding season. While the female is quietly feeding from flower to flower, the male will go through this performance, calculated no doubt to impress her more fully with all his charms. Rising up about eight or ten feet above and five or six to one side of her, he will suddenly swoop down, wings and tail outspread, right at her, passing within a few inches of her, the wings and tail making a terrific buzz for a bird so small. Passing her, he rises to an equal height on the opposite side, and turning comes down again in the same way, describing an inverted arc, with that surprisingly loud buzz just as he gets nearest to her. He keeps up this continuous swooping, as I term It, as long as half a minute, at times; at the conclusion of which he usually flies to some near-by perch and rests. During this performance the female feeds quietly at the same cluster of blossoms, not moving any distance away, and sometimes resting on a flower-stalk until he is through. Mrs. Charles W. Meicher, of Homosassa Springs, Fla., describes a flight that, from its formal, regular character, was probably a variant of the usual courtship display, although there was no dipping—the bird progressing on a level line back and forth—and although Mrs. Meicher did not see a female bird in the vicinity. She writes to Mr. Bent: "Instead of the circular flight he flew in a straight line. Facing the north, he hovered, then moved eastward about 3 feet, then hovered, then moved eastward again for the same distance, continuing thus until he had covered perhaps 25 feet. Then, still facing north, he moved toward the west in the same manner, back to his starting point. I saw him cover the distance four times, twice east and twice west. The fact that he seemed to move sideways makes this a fantastic story, but I think that I have seen the birds that come to our feeders move in almost every direction. "My attention was first attracted to this flight by the regularity of a humming sound out in the garden. There was a hum, then a second's pause, then another hum, each humming and each pause being of equal length. The humming was made, of course, while he hovered, and lasted perhaps three or four seconds. The pause was very short, just the time it took him to move 3 or 4 feet. The sounds of humming and twittering were so different from usual that I went to the door expecting to see some sort of flight that was out of the ordinary. "Another performance we witnessed lasted two or three minutes. A male and a female were flying up and down. They were facing each other with tails spread, and there was much twittering. They covered a distance of 5 or 6 feet, and their flight was almost vertical. When he was at the top of his flight she was at the bottom of hers, and when she was at the top he was at the bottom. They were about 2½ feet apart. There was no thrusting at each other until, at the last, they came together for an instant on the windowsill. I was too far away to see if the contact was friendly." Charles L. Whittle (1937) presents a full account of the actions of a male hummingbird during several weeks before egg-laying time—nine days of watching for a mate, weeks of courtship after she arrived, and after the culmination of his wooing, the almost immediate cessation of display. The bird came to his station in Peterboro, N. H., on May 21 "and began a long vigil lasting until May both, believed to be a search for a female." He continues: This vigil took place from three observation posts overlooking a circular garden, one on an aerial, one on a dead branch of an elm, and a third on a dead twig at the top of an apple tree, all these perches being from fifteen to twenty feet from the ground. For the major portion of each day he occupied these perches, moving from one to another, and while perching he continually moved his head from side to side through an arc of 60--70 degrees. One cannot well escape the conclusion that he was searching for a female, since the habit was immediately discontinued upon the arrival of a female at the station on May both. Now, for a period of about a month, his attention was devoted to the female and consisted of the usual zooming before her whenever she appeared. * * * On July 2nd a male and a female were seen facing each other in the air about eight or ten inches apart, ascending and descending vertically to a height of about ten feet, and occasionally dropping to the ground for a moment. At other times their flights were more or less spiral in character, and such exhibitions were frequent up to July 7th, when Mrs. Whittle observed a pair drop to the ground beside our driveway, where copulation took place. From this time on the males were seen zooming only occasionally, and vertical flights ceased entirely after the first week in July. * * * Mating, in the ordinary sense of the word, that is, pairing off well in advance of nest-building and continuing during nidification and raising of the young birds, as far as any evidence observable at this station is concerned, appears not to take place. No preference for a male on the part of a female is indicated until just prior to egg-laying, a period seemingly of three or four days. I have found no evidence that a male's interest in a female one day is manifested towards the same female the following day. All the pretty ways common among many species of mated pairs, often lasting two months at least, are entirely lacking among Hummingbirds. The male appears to be a free lance whose intimate interest in the female is confined to the short period just before and during egg-laying. Nesting: The hummingbird's nest, "a model of artistic workmanship," Torrey (1892) calls it, is a little compact mass about an inch deep and an inch across, firm in 'texture, lined with soft plant down, and covered over on the outside with tiny bits of lichen. It is commonly saddled on a limb, usually a small, down-sloping one, often near, and sometimes directly over, water. Wilson (1831) aptly describes the nest when viewed from below as "a mere mossy knot, or accidental protuberance." Aretas A. Saunders (1936), who made an extensive study of the hummingbird in New York State, describes the situation of the nest thus: In Allegany Park, the nesting site seems to be always along a brook valley, and in most cases the nest is on a limb that overhangs the brook. Eight nests that I have seen in Allegany Park were on limbs less than an Inch in diameter, and one was on a limb a little more than a quarter of an inch through. The limb, in my experience, always slants a little downward from the tree. It is never so high in the tree that it is not sheltered above by other limbs or leafy branches. * * * I do not suppose that the proximity of the brook has any particular significance in the Humming Bird's nesting except that its favorite flowers grow along the brook and the stream affords an open space. * * * The [small] size of the limb and its downward slant seem to be aids in protection against possible tree-climbing enemies * * * The protection from above Is possibly to screen the nest from flying enemies, but chiefly to protect it against heavy storms * * * Various kinds of trees are used for nesting, but in Allegany Park the majority of nests found have been in Hornbeams. Of the 11 nests I have observed, and one other reported to me, six were in Hornbeams, two in Yellow Birch, and one each in Sugar Maple, Red Maple and Beech. I have seen nests in Hemlocks in other regions * * * The nests found have ranged from five to 18 feet from the ground or water, all but two of them being actually over water. Saunders (1936) also points out that "the distribution of Humming Birds in Quaker Run valley is governed primarily by the occurrence of Bee Balm, Monarda didyma, the flower upon which they depend chiefly for nectar at the beginning of their breeding season in this region." Bendire (1895) states that the height of the nest varies "from 6 to 50 feet high, usually from 10 to 20 feet from the ground." Of the nest itself Saunders (1936) says: The nesting materials are of four kinds, bud scales, plant down, lichens and spider silk * * *. The bud scales make up the bulk of the nest, but by the time it is finished they are entirely covered by the lichens and plant down. * * * Lichens * * * are put on the outside before the plant down is put in. The lining, in one case at least, was not put into the nest at all until some days after the eggs were laid and incubation begun. The bird continues adding lining material to the nest after the young are hatched, in one case gathering Fireweed down and taking it to the nest when the young were two weeks old. The plants from which down is gathered in Allegany Park are Fireweed, Canada Thistle, Orange Hawkweed and Rattlesnake Root. Possibly others such as Milkweed and various Composites are used also, but the Fireweed seems to be the most commonly used lining material. The bird gathers thistle down that is flying about in the air, hut in the case of Fireweed gathers it directly from the plant * * * I have never seen the Hummingbird gathering or working with the spider silk which holds the nest together and fastens it to its limb. The fastening of the nest to the limb is probably an early step in the nest building. But the spider silk is an important Item, and in one nest I have seen, was run out and wrapped along two or three twigs that branched out from the point where the nest was fastened, to a distance of 15 Inches. A. Dawes DuBois, in a letter to Mr. Bent, describing the behavior of a female bird while weaving her nest, says: "I stationed myself close to the nest (which was 12 feet from the ground) and watched the bird come and go. She always flew off in the same direction and sometimes was away for five minutes or more. On returning with a tiny tuft of down in her bill, she alighted at once upon the nest and began to tuck the material into its walls on the inner side, using her delicate bill like a needle; then she vigorously worked her body up and down, and round-about thereby enlarging and shaping the cavity. Afterward she tucked or adjusted more securely the lichens on the outside. The male bird was not seen at any time." E. Wheeler (1922) says that "the behavior of the female will invariably betray her home. It is easier still to locate the 'house' if the birds are building * * * for the birds keep their territory pretty well cleared of intruding visitors. On one occasion the female Ruby-throat left her nest repeatedly to torment a family of Carolina Wrens, and to pay her respects to a Tufted Titmouse. Otherwise I think I should have never located the tiny nest situated 50 feet above ground, and so thoroughly concealed from view." In the experience of almost all observers the female parent builds the nest and rears the young unaided by her mate. Bradford Torrey (1892) long ago called attention to this habit in two delightful essays, and Saunders (1936) states in corroboration that "male Humming Birds do not seem to stay in the Quaker Run valley through the nesting season. They are rarely if ever seen after the middle of August." It is very rare to find any deviation from this habit; hence the following is a very exceptional observation, and it may be that the male's attendance at this nest was merely perfunctory. W. A. Welter (1985), speaking of a nest found in Kentucky, says: The entire nest, with the exception of bits of lichens that were added later, was built in one day. It is interesting to note that both birds, male and female, worked on this nest that first day. The male evidently was doing his share of the work. This seems to be an unusual circumstance, as ordinarily the male is supposed to scorn such menial duties. * * * It would seem that the time consumed in nest building diminishes as the season progresses. Perhaps haste is necessary in order that the potential young may be completely developed by the time of fall migration. This need for haste may also have been the stimulant which caused the male in the last case to assist in nidification. Bendire (1895) says: "I believe two broods are frequently raised in a season, occasionally three perhaps, as fresh eggs have been found as late as August 7. An old nest is sometimes occupied for several seasons and remodeled each year; and should the nest and eggs be taken or destroyed, a second and occasionally even a third and fourth attempt at nesting is made within about a week, and sometimes these subsequent nests are built in the same tree again, or in others close by." Eggs: [AUTHOR'S NOTE: Like other hummingbirds, the rubythroat regularly lays two eggs; I have no record of more or fewer. An interval of one day is said by Bendire (1895) to occur between the laying of the two eggs; he says also that the eggs are often laid before the nest is completed. The eggs are pure dead white without gloss and usually elliptical-oval in shape, though occasionally approaching elliptical-ovate, with one end slightly more pointed than the other. The measurements of 52 eggs average 12.9 by 8.5 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 14.5 by 9.1, 11.5 by 8.2, and 12.7 by 7.8 millimeters.] Young: Bradford Torrey (1892) describing the young hummingbirds newly hatched from eggs no bigger than a pea, says: "Two lifeless-looking things lay in the bottom of the nest, their heads tucked out of sight, and their bodies almost or quite naked, except for a line of grayish down along the middle of the back." Isabella McC. Lemmon (1901) speaks of the young birds as "dark slate-color, with a little yellowish fuzz on the bodies, exceedingly thin necks, three cornered heads and short yellow bills," and of birds slightly older, Brewster (1890) says: "Their bills were perhaps a quarter of an inch long, wide at the base, and in general shape not unlike the bill of a Dendroica, but more depressed." Bendire (1895) states that the young "are born blind, and do not open their eyes until they are about a week old." These minute, naked, helpless bits of life grow, as Bendire (1895) says, "amazingly fast, and when about ten days old they are about as large as their parents." Torrey (1892), however, speaks of the brood which he watched closely until after they left the nest, as developing more slowly. He says: "Though at least eleven days old, the tiny birds * * * were still far from filling the cup." He describes thus the behavior of die parent as she brooded her young a few days after they had hatched: "It was noticeable that, while sitting upon the young, she kept up an almost incessant motion, as if seeking to warm them, or perhaps to develop their muscles by a kind of massage treatment. A measure of such hitchings and fidgetings might have meant nothing more than an attempt to secure for herself a comfortable seat; but when they were persisted in for fifteen minutes together, it was difficult not to believe that she had some different end in view. Possibly, as human infants get exercise by dandling on the mother's knee, the baby hummingbird gets his by this parental kneading process." Torrey's birds were hatched on June 30. "On the 12th [of July]," he writes, "just after the little ones had been fed, one of them got his wings for the first time above the wall of the nest, and fluttered them with much spirit." On July 19 the first young bird left the nest. Mr. Torrey continues: I was standing on the wall with my glass leveled upon the nest, when I saw him exercising his wings. The action was little more pronounced than had been noticed at intervals during the last three or four days, except that he was more decidedly on his feet. Suddenly, without making use of the rim of the nest, as I should have expected him to do, he was in the air, hovering in the prettiest fashion, and in a moment more had alighted on a leafless twig slightly above the level of the nest, and perhaps a yard from it * * * [Soon] the youngster was again on the wing. It was wonderful how much at home he seemed: poising, hacking, soaring, and alighting with all the ease and grace of an old hand. Illustrating the activity which precedes the flight from the nest, Mr. Torrey says of the other young bird: "He grew more and more restless; as my companion—a learned man—expressed it, he began to 'ramp around.' Once he actually mounted the rim of the nest, a thing which his more precocious brother had never been seen to do, * * * exercising his wings till they made a cloud about him." C. J. Pennock, in a letter to Mr. Bent, describes a young bird "standing erect on the rim of the nest moving his wings slowly—so slowly that I could see the wings distinctly: then rapidly again." Of the length of time the young birds remain in the nest Forbush (1927) says that it "has been given by different writers as from 6 to 18 days. It may be possible that in the south or during a hot wave in the north, when the female can safely leave her young without danger of chilling them, that she may procure enough food for them to develop wings to the flight stage in a short time; but my New England records of this period run from 14 to 28 days." During this long period of time the young are fed by regurgitation. Torrey (1892) gives a vivid description of the operation, viewed from close at hand: "The feeding process, which I had been so desirous to see, was of a sort to make the spectator shiver. The mother, standing on the edge of the nest, with her tail braced against its side, like a woodpecker or a creeper, took a rigidly erect position, and craned her neck until her bill was in a perpendicular line above the short, wide-open, upraised beak of the little one, who, it must be remembered, was at this time hardly bigger than a humble-bee. Then she thrust her bill for its full length down into his throat, a frightful looking act, followed by a series of murderous gesticulations, which fairly made one observer's blood run cold." When the young bird grew larger, and its beak longer, the parent's beak, Mr. Torrey says, "was thrust into his mouth at right angles," and later, after the young had left the nest, she sometimes passed food directly from her beak to the young bird. "If she found a choice collection of spiders, for instance, she brought them in her throat (as cedar-birds carry cherries), to save trips; if she had only one or two, she retained them between her mandibles." Carl W. Schlag (1930) says: "In cleaning the nest the hummingbird placed the droppings of the young in a line on the same branch, just above the nest." Dr. Arthur A. Allen (1930) states that during the first few days after hatching the female feeds the young by merely inserting her tongue into the nestlings' throats and squirting them full of nectar and tiny insects. Burns (1915) gives the period of incubation as 14 days. Wilbur F. Smith (1920), however, says of a closely watched nest: "On June 2 * * * the first egg was laid, and, after an interval of a day, the second was laid * * *. The young hatched on June 15, after eleven days' incubation, during which time the nest was built higher." Plumages: [AUTHOR'S NOTE: The young hummingbird is hatched naked, but pinfeathers soon appear, and the young bird is practically fully grown and fully feathered in the juvenal plumage before it leaves the nest. The sexes are unlike in the juvenal plumage. The young male closely resembles the adult female, with the white tips on the three outer tail feathers; but the feathers of the upper parts are narrowly edged with grayish buff, the throat is marked with narrow dusky streaks, and the sides and flanks are strongly tinged with brownish buff. The young female is like the young male but lacks the dusky streaks on the throat. Young males begin to acquire one or more ruby feathers on the throat in August and September, but no great progress in this direction is made before they leave for the south, and the adult plumage is assumed before they return in the spring. Dickey and van Rossem (1938) say: "In February and March both adults and young go through a complete molt, and at this time the young males acquire the red throat of maturity. Most individuals have completed this molt by the first week in March."] Food: The hummingbird is popularly regarded solely as a sipper of nectar, as it buzzes from flower to flower; as one who might say with Ariel, "Where the bee sucks, there suck I"; but when it comes down to the examination of stomach contents, it is proved that a considerable part of the bird's food consists of insects, chiefly those that come to the flowers the hummingbird visits. Frederic A. Lucas (1893), after examining the contents of 29 stomachs of several species of hummingbirds, comes to the following conclusion: It would seem to be safe to assume that the main food of Hummingbirds Is small Insects, mainly diptera and hymenoptera. Homoptera are usually present, and small spiders form an important article of food, while hemiptera and coleoptera are now and then found. The small size of the Insects may be Inferred from the fact that one stomach contained remains of not less than fifty Individuals, probably more. Most of the insects found occur in or about flowers, and my own views agree with those of Mr. Clute, that it Is usually insects, and not honey, that attract Hummingbirds to flowers * * *. In view, however, of the testimony cited at the beginning of this paper, it would seem unquestionable that Hummingbirds do to some extent feed on the nectar of flowers and the sap of trees * * *. I am much inclined to believe with Dr. Shufeldt that Hummingbirds first visited flowers for insects and that the taste for sweets has been incidentally acquired. This taste for sweets is very well known to the many observers who have supplied hummingbirds with sugar and water placed about their gardens in artificial flowers. Miss Althea R. Sherman (1913), for example, who has experimented in feeding hummingbirds during seven summers, estimated that a single bird consumed "two teaspoonfuls of sugar daily." Hummingbirds also avail themselves of the sap flowing from holes drilled by sapsuckers. In the article quoted under the yellow-bellied sapsucker, Frank Bolles (1894) speaks of the hummingbirds as constant and numerous visitors to the sapsucker's "orchards." Prof. 0. A. Stevens writes to Mr. Bent from Fargo, N. Dak., as follows: "About the earliest flower that the hummingbirds visit here is Ribes odoratum, cultivated from the Missouri River region. The next one, and the one where I always watch for them about May 20: 25, is Caragana arborescens, an introduced shrub that is much planted here. A little later the native Aquilegia canadensis and Lonicera dioica are available. On a specimen of the latter some of the flowers drooped to the ground, and, as I watched the bird at them, he rested on the ground for a few moments while he probed several flowers. Early in fall the cannas and gladioli are, of course, their favorites. The most natural summer flower seems to be the native Impatiens, and I believe that the hummingbirds' nesting grounds are closely associated with these plants." Caroline G. Soule (1900) speaks of the activities of a male hummingbird about a bed of nasturtiums. She writes: "Most of his time was spent in slashing off the spurs of the nasturtiums to get at their nectar. We had hardly one perfect nasturtium flower all summer long, owing to his attacks." Wilson (1831) charmingly notes his experience with the hummingbird as a flycatcher thus: "I have seen the humming bird, for half an hour at a time, darting at those little groups of insects that dance in the air in a fine summer evening, retiring to an adjoining twig to rest, and renewing the attack with a dexterity that sets all our other flycatchers at defiance." Behavior: The ruby-throated hummingbird gives the impression of being a nervous, high-strung, irritable little bird. It often resents the presence of other species of birds, however innocent their design may be. It is intolerant also to members of its own species to such a degree that, as a rule, the more hummingbirds there are together, the more excited and hostile they become. I once saw a hummingbird attack a chimney swift—a strange bird to arouse the hummer's venom. My notes say: "August 2, 1909. This evening I saw Greek meet Greek—a hummingbird chasing a swift. The birds flew overhead rapidly, well above the treetops, the hummingbird a little behind and above. I saw it make a dive at the swift, who avoided the attack by a spurt that carried him well in advance. The hummingbird soon overtook his enemy and made a second swoop down toward him. By this time the birds were so far away that I lost sight of them." Toward man, however, hummingbirds are usually complaisant, almost to the point of tameness. There are many instances recorded of their being attracted, sometimes in large numbers, to gardens where tubes of sugar and water are put out for their entertainment. One of the most successful of these feeding stations is the garden of the late Mrs. Laurence J. 'Webster in Holderness, N. H. Here, for many years, Mrs. Webster studied the birds and provided them with such a bountiful supply of food that, apparently, all the hummingbirds in the vicinity resorted to her garden throughout the summer. She told me that she came to recognize some of the individual birds and, in a few instances, noticed that certain birds would take a long flight, always in the same direction, when they left her garden, and would not return for a long time—evidently visitors from a considerable distance—whereas other birds were in and out of the garden all day. She accustomed the birds to associate the sound of her voice with the presence of food and often called them to a vial she held in her hand by whistling the "phoebe" note of the chickadee. Her garden on August 5, 1937, when Mr. Bent and I visited her, was whirring with hummingbirds—at least 40, we thought. Mrs. Webster covered the scattered feeding tubes and, seated at an open window beside Mr. Bent, who held a filled tube in his hand, gave the chickadee call. A bird came up out of the garden, poised a moment, then alighted on Mr. Bent's finger. All day a deep hum sounds through her garden, rising or falling in intensity as birds come together or feed from the vials undisturbed, alone. At dusk, as one by one the birds leave the garden, the pitch of the whirring wings lowers, gradually dying down to a dull, tranquil sound, until "at twilight's hush" the last bird has gone. It was in this garden that the motion pictures, described below, were taken. The remarkable flight of the hummingbird, during which the wings move so rapidly that they are practically invisible, has attracted a great deal of interest and conjecture. Some observers maintained that the birds sometimes fly backward when leaving a flower—Bradford Torrey, for example, seemed to have had no doubt on the subject (see above); other observers, however, objected on mechanical grounds that no bird can fly backward. It remained for motion photography to settle the question. That the hummingbird does fly backward has been definitely proved, and the manner in which backward flight is accomplished has been demonstrated by means of motion pictures taken in 1936 by a new application of photography. Dr. Harold E. Edgerton took advantage of the intermittent flashes in a low-pressure tube in which the flashes occur for 1/100,000 of a second with a period of darkness between them lasting 1/500 of a second. He used a constantly moving film, geared so that a new bit of film came opposite the lens of the camera at each flash, and thus secured about 540 pictures a second. Pictures of hummingbirds in flight taken in this way, when thrown on a screen, apparently reduce the speed of the birds' wing beats to that of a leisurely flying gull and make it possible to study the flight of the bird in detail. Dr. Charles H. Blake examined with great care the films taken of hummingbirds in flight and found that the birds beat their wings 55 times (completed strokes) a second when hovering, 61 a second when backing, and as rapidly as 75 a second when progressing straightaway. Probably this last figure would be found to increase as the bird gained speed, if the camera could keep the bird in focus. Dr. Blake calculated that, during hovering, the wing tips moved at the rate of 20 miles an hour, and he also learned that the bird is in flight before it leaves its perch (the takeoff took 0.07 second) and pulls the perch after it a little way, a phenomenon that Mrs. Webster had suspected from feeling the birds leave her hand. Dr. Blake kindly explained to me the mechanism of backward flying thus: In backing away from a flower or feeding tube the hummingbird stands almost vertically in the air with its tail pointing downward and a little forward. In this pose its wings beat horizontally, and what would be the downward half of each complete wing stroke if the bird's long axis were parallel to the ground forces the air forward, away from the bird's breast in its upright position, and drives the bird backward. Then, on the return half-stroke, the whole wing is rotated at the shoulder joint so that its upper surface strikes the air, and, driving it downward, balances the pull of gravity. Dr. Blake also points out that the distribution of weight in the hummingbird's wing is evidently favorable to a very low inertia upon which the quick reversal of motion depends, the weight being concentrated close to the body by reason of the short, heavy humerus. The following quotation shows the high rate of speed the hummingbird may attain by the lightning like strokes of its wings. H. A. Allard (1934), who was making a fast trip by auto out of Washington, D. C., says: "Not far out of Warrenton we had settled down to a speed of fifty miles per hour on highway 211, when a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) suddenly paralleled our course along the side of the roadway as if deliberately racing with us. It actually passed us for a short distance keeping straight with our course, then swerved away. Its speed appeared to be somewhere between 55 - 60 miles per hour." Hummingbirds have been seen so frequently hovering before the brilliant red flowers in our gardens—trumpet vines clambering over the porch, salvias gleaming scarlet in the flower beds—that it has been assumed the birds have a preference for the color red. However, the extensive investigations of Andrew L. Pickens (1930) bring out the fact that it is the brightness of color: its conspicuousness against the background—that draws the hummingbird to a flower. He says: It is easy to perceive that Hummingbirds prefer the Intensity of color shades rather than the paleness of color hues * * * [But] the question Is one that cannot be decided by mere rule of spectrum or pigments. There is so to speak a relativity of colors. * * * Red being the complement of green is the most conspicuous color that a flower can show. * * * Orange, while not so brilliant, is more showy in deeply shaded swamps and woods than is red * * * Green flowers are too inconspicuous among foliage. In certain contrasting desert backgrounds, or on the sere dry-season prairies It should have value. Thus, while no green Hummingbird flowers are known in the East, Nicotiana paniculata one of the greenest large flowers I know, is much frequented in the west during the dry season at least * * * Complete lists [of flowers] would probably show red, the sharpest contrast to green, a favorite everywhere, with orange in some favor in tree-shaded regions and a neglected color like green rising in sun-browned territory. Experiments made by Miss Althea II. Sherman (1913) to test the "supposedly erroneous theory which had been published to the effect that Hummingbirds show a preference for red flowers" indicated conclusively that hummingbirds visited the bottles she placed about her garden if they contained syrup, whether or not they simulated a flower in shape or color. The birds associated even an untrimmed bottle with food, just as they soon came to recognize Miss Sherman herself as a supplier of food. Speaking of pollination Saunders (1936) says that the bee balm "is the most important Humming Bird flower in Allegany Park. The anthers and stigma brush the crown of the Humming Bird's head as the bird probes the flower. The pollen is bright yellow, so that most summer Humming Birds appear to have yellow crowns." Pickens (1927) points out in detail an interesting adaptation, insuring cross fertilization by the hummingbird, in the flower of Macranthera lecantei. He says: "Of all the forms that I have studied this is the most exclusively Hummingbird flower, and I recall seeing no other honey-gatherers in its vicinity." Voice: The notes that come from the hummingbird's tiny throat are high pitched and have a petulant quality, reflecting the bird's irritable nature. Sometimes the notes are angry-sounding, mouselike squeals; sometimes they are run into a nervous, fretful chattering, always very sharp and clear, though by no means loud, and delivered in a jerky, excited manner. A lone hummingbird is usually silent, except for the buzzing of its wings, but when several birds are together they often become very voluble and quarrelsome and jerk out their notes, now arranged in emphatic phrases, squealing and chattering back and forth as if they were carrying on an animated controversy in a jabbering language. Sometimes a single bird approaches another one poised before a. flower and disputes its right to the place. Both then express their mutual hostility by beginning to jabber, and after a dart at each other and a fight, or at least a whirling about in the air, the winner of the encounter returns quietly to the flower. Thus when we stand close to a company of hummingbirds we hear the sound of their voices rising and falling in irregular waves—anger or resentment mounting up again and again and, in between, a short truce, marked by the peace of humming wings. The pitch of the notes is invariably high, but it varies a good deal. Sometimes a note rises almost to a piercing whistle, and often the tone suggests the steely voice of the chimney swift. In the phrases the notes are arranged in many ways; usually both squeals and short chips are combined, but either may be given alone, and the pitch of either one may run upward or downward. The short notes, when uttered alone are generally in series, repeated without change over and over, coming in twos, threes, or more again and again, the last note of each series commonly accented sharply. When the squeals and chattering are interspersed they often fall into a very pleasing rhythm. For example, a form often given when one bird or another is a single sharp note followed by a long, descending chatter. The chief characteristics of the hummingbird's voice are the sharply cut, emphatic enunciation and the attenuated quality. Mary Pierson Allen (1908), speaking of a fledgling hummingbird that she fed with sweetened water, says: "He had his mother's zip zip, which meant flowers or happiness, and a plaintive baby peet, peet, when he wanted food." Field marks: Audubon (1842) states: "If comparison might enable you, kind reader, to form some tolerably accurate idea of their peculiar mode of flight, and their appearance when on wing, I would say, that were both objects of the same colour, a large sphinx or moth, when moving from one flower to another, and in a direct line, comes nearer the Hummingbird in aspect than any other object with which I am acquainted." It is true that the ruby-throated hummingbird bears not the slightest resemblance to any other bird occurring in the Eastern and Middle United States. It is sometimes mistaken, however, for the hawk moths, which hover about flowers in the manner of a hummingbird. The adult male differs from the female and the immature bird in possessing a highly colored throat, which gleams in the sunlight like a glowing coal, oftentimes nearer coppery brass than true ruby. The male's tail is plainly forked and is not marked by the white spots that distinguish the rounded tail of the female and the young bird. Enemies: In addition to the dangers of migration, notably the occurrence of frost when the hummingbird overruns the advance of spring, there are other hazards, chiefly of an accidental nature, imperiling the life of the bird. Ralph E. Danforth (1921) speaks of a bird caught in "a pendulous mass of cobweb" from which he freed it with some difficulty, and Bradford Torrey (1903) relates what he calls "a pretty story" told to him by an observer whom he describes as "a Seeing man." The man, hearing "the familiar, squeaking notes of a hummer, and thinking that their persistency must be occasioned by some unusual trouble, went out to investigate. Sure enough, there hung the bird in a spider's web attached to a rosebush, while the owner of the web, a big yellow-and-brown, pot-bellied, bloodthirsty rascal, was turning its victim over and over, winding the web about it. Wings and legs were already fast, so that all the bird could do was to cry for help. And help had come. The man at once killed the spider, and then, little by little, for it was an operation of no small delicacy, unwound the mesh in which the bird was entangled." Joseph Janiec sends the following story to Mr. Bent: "While I was wandering through a large hollow one June afternoon, my attention was attracted to the unusual waving of a pasture thistle. No air was stirring, and my curiosity prompted me to ascertain the cause of the movements. As I approached the thistle I noticed what I at first supposed to be a large dragonfly impaled on the prickly purple flower; closer examination, however, revealed a male ruby-throated hummingbird stuck to the flower, his wings not being involved in the contact but his stomach feathers adhering to the prickly, pointed stamens. Cutting off the flower, I carried it and the bird home and carefully removed the bird. Although it lost a few feathers in the operation, the little bird flew away unharmed." There is a surprising record from California telling of the capture of an unidentified species of hummingbird by a fish. Mary E. Lockwood (1922) says, quoting from a letter: "We were seated by the lotus-pool when a hummingbird flew and hovered over the pool. Suddenly a bass jumped from the water and swallowed the hummingbird." I shot a female Eastern Pigeon Hawk (Falco columbarius columbarius) on April 16, 1937, at Grand Isle, off the coast of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Upon examination of its stomach contents, I was surprised to find the ideatiflable remains of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Later, on a visit to Washington, D. C., I discussed the matter with Mr. Clarence Cottam, Director of the Food Habits Division of the Bureau of Biological Survey. With his permission and the assistance of Mr. Robert McClanahan of the Food Habits offices, I went through the extensive records of that division and fond that no species of hummingbird had ever heretofore been recorded from any bird stomach. L. T. S. Norris-Elye writes to Mr. Bent: "During the summer of 1934, James Ashdown, Jr., and his mother were walking in the woods at Kenora, Ontario, and heard a continuous rattling. Investigation showed it to be a male ruby-throated hummingbird on the ground, with a huge dragonfly on the bird's back; it had seized the bird by the neck. They drove the dragonfly away, picked up the bird, and held it in the palm of the hand for several minutes, after which it flew away. "We have had instances of frogs capturing and swallowing rubythroats, one at Gull Harbor and one at Gimli, Lake Winnipeg. The Gimli case was observed by my friend Hugh Moncrieff, who captured the frog (leopard) and bad some boys cut it open and recover the bird, while lie took some good motion pictures of the operation." Fall: Taverner and Swales (1907) describe vividly a great concourse of migrating hummingbirds on Point Pelee, Ontario, Canada: The first three days of September in 1906 were notable for the vast numbers of Hummers present. In certain low slashings in the open woods were luxuriant growths of Jewel Weed (Impatiens sp.?) standing nearly shoulder high and so dense that to enter it one had to force his way through. It was simply spangled with blossoms, and all about and over it hovered and darted hundreds of Hummingbirds. From some little distance, as we approached such clomps, we were aware of innumerable little twitterings that followed each other so rapidly as to scarce be separable, one from another, and so fine, sharp, and high in pitch that it took a little effort to realize that it was real sound and not imagination or a ringing in the ears. Underlying this was a low hum that arose from the vibrations of many little wings. Approaching closer, the pugnacious little mites were all about us, chasing each other over the smooth rounded surface of the jewel weed or darting angrily at us from this side or that, with furious chatterings that made one instinctively cover the eyes, or involuntarily flinch at the expected impact of their sharp, rapier-like, little bills. * * * All these birds were juveniles. * * * Keays noted that in 1901 the Hummingbird was the only species that did not turn back when, in migrating out the Point, it reached the end. We verified this many times. The final end of the Point stretches out for a couple of hundred rods, in the form of a long, low, more or less winding and attenuated sand spit. Stationed about half way out on this, it was most amusing to watch the little mites come buzzing over the last half of the red-cedar bushes and then drop down towards the ground and, without pause or hesitation, follow every winding of the ever-changing sand to its extreme end, and then, with a sudden and resolute turn, square away for Pelee Island, just visible on the horizon. Dr. Jones was stationed on the opposite islands from August 26 to September 2, 1905, and makes the following statement as to the movements of the species over the waters of the lake: "Hummingbirds were passing during the daylight, and all those noted were flying very low. In fact they dropped down between the waves for protection from the wind, which was quartering, or at right angles to their line of flight and seemed to disturb them. I noticed that in the strong westerly wind, all birds headed southwest, but always drifted south." I remember seeing, in Lexington, Mass., on two or three occasions in September, a single hummingbird, a dozen feet from the ground, bounding past me through open country, undulating in long, low waves as it held a rapid course toward the southwest—the line of migration in autumn through eastern Massachusetts. And again in May I once saw a lone bird steering due north, or a little east of north, flying, straight as an arrow, not 2 feet above the grass blades. Spring migration: Early dates of spring arrival are: Alabama: Autaugaville, March 29; Long Island, April 13. Georgia: Savannah, March 15; Atlanta, April 3. North Carolina: Raleigh, April 11; Weaverville, April 17. Virginia: Variety Mills, April 10. District of Columbia: Washington, April 16. Maryland: Mardela Springs, April 20. Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, April 16. New York: Ballston Spa, April 20; Buffalo, May 2. Connecticut: Jewett City, May 5. Massachusetts: Pittsfield, May 6; Boston, May 8. Vermont: Wells River, April 24; St. Johnsbury, May 8. New Hampshire: Hanover, May 10. Maine: Portland, May 9. Nova Scotia: Pictou, May 7; Wolfville, May 15. New Brunswick: St. John, May 17; Chatham, May 20. Quebec: Quebec City, April 25; Montreal, May 9. Mississippi: Biloxi, March 3. Louisiana: New Orleans, March 7. Arkansas: Helena, March 24; Delight, April 4. Tennessee: Chattanooga, April 5. Kentucky: Eubank, April 13. Missouri: St. Louis, April 5. Illinois-Odin, April 27; Chicago, May 7. Indiana: Fort Wayne, April 14. Ohio: Oberlin, April 12; Youngstown, May 6. Michigan: Detroit, April 28; Sault Ste. Marie, May 21. Ontario: Toronto, April 12; Ottawa, May 5. Iowa: National, May 7; Sioux City, May 17. Wisconsin: Madison, May 4. Minnesota: Minneapolis, May 1; Lanesboro, May 9. Texas: Brownsville, March 18; Gainesville, April 5. Kansas: Onaga, May 15. North Dakota: Fargo, May 16. Manitoba: Pilot Mound, May 16; Aweme, May 17. Saskatchewan: Indian Head, May 24. Fall migration: L ate dates of fall departure are: Manitoba: Aweme, September 12. Minnesota: Minneapolis, September 24; Lanesboro, October 8. Wisconsin: Madison, September 20. Iowa: National, October 4; Keokuk, October 23. Missouri: Concordia, October 12; St. Louis, October 25. Ontario: Toronto, September 29; Ottawa, October 16. Michigan: Detroit, October 7. Ohio-Youngstown, September 24; Oberlin, September 29. Indiana: Fort Wayne, October 9. Illinois: Rantoul, October 6; Chicago, October 13. Kentucky: Eubank, October 1. Tennessee-Athens, October 28. Arkansas: Helena, October 8; Delight, October 15. Louisiana: New Orleans, November 1. Texas: Bonham, October 18; Brownsville, November 5. Quebec: Montreal, September 17. Prince Edward Island: North River, September 5. New Brunswick: St. John, September 17. Maine-Phillips, September 16; Portland, September 24. New Hampshire: Durham, September 25. Vermont, Wells River, September 16; St. Johnsbury, September 30. Massachusetts: Amherst, September 16; Boston, September 21. Connecticut: Hartford, September 27. New York: New York City, September 26; Rochester, October 1. New Jersey: Morristown, September 29. Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, October 12. Renovo, October 15. District of Columbia: Washington, October 20. North Carolina: Raleigh, October 7; Weaverville, October 15. Georgia: Atlanta, October 18. Although the Biological Survey does not advocate the banding of hummingbirds, several have been successfully marked and a few have been recaptured at banding stations in Maine and Massachusetts in subsequent seasons. Casual records: Among the records of occurrence of the rubythroated hummingbird outside its normal range, the following may be cited: A male was obtained at Casa Blanca, near Habana, Cuba, on April 4, 1937. and it is probable the species occurs in the western part of this island with fair regularity. To the north it was recorded on August 15, 1901, at Ellis Bay and on July 18, 1898, at English Bay, Anticosti Island; it was reported as seen at Grande Greve on July 6, 1919, and at Gasp~ Basin, Quebec, on August 21, 1924; a specimen was obtained at Davis Inlet, Labrador, on July 17, 1882; one was seen at Red Deer River, Manitoba, on August 16, 1881; the Hudson's Bay agent at Lac La Ronge, Saskatchewan, has reported the species as of casual occurrence in his flower garden; and the United States National Museum has a mummified specimen picked up by a native on the beach at Klukatauck, near St. Michael, Alaska, probably during 1925. Egg dates: Florida: 23 records, March 25 to June 15; 12 records, May 10 to 20, indicating the height of the season. Michigan: 8 records, June 1 to July 17. New York: 30 records, May 23 to July 4; 15 records, June 13 to 26. North Carolina: 25 records, May 2 to June 20; 13 seconds, May 11 to June 4.
eng
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http://www.birdzilla.com/birds/Ruby-throated-Hummingbird/bent_life_history.html
The American Spectator The data doesn't support Obama's proposal, but his party won't waver in its commitment to the mythology of left-wing class struggle. Real median household income in the United States has fallen more than 8 percent since Barack Obama was first sworn in as president, and has even fallen during the course of the Obama "recovery." That, of course, is the fault of George W. Bush, John Boehner, rich people, and ATM machines. Fortunately, President Obama and his economic advisors have come up with a solution to this problem: force businesses to pay their employees more. The president talks a lot about public/private partnerships, like he did during his state of the union address. What he means is compelling businesses to become partners in the Welfare State. Through Obamacare, he and his Democratic allies have mandated that it is the responsibility of businesses to provide their employees Obama-approved insurance, which must include all the bureaucrats' favorite bells and whistles, like free contraceptives (not having free contraceptives, after all, is tantamount to "denying women access to birth control"). With that accomplishment under his belt, he has now come forth with a perennial favorite of the Democratic Party, raising the minimum wage. Already hit hard by the impending costs of the Obamacare mandates, industries with large low-wage workforces, such as food service, janitorial, landscape maintenance, and low-end retail, are now facing the possibility of a 24 percent rise in the minimum wage, from the current $7.25 per hour to $9 per hour. This could, it would seem, bust many a company's labor budget. But not to fret. According to the president, this will be good for business because "it would mean customers with more money in their pockets." Anyone who has followed politics for more than three days knows that politicians are prone to making some of the dumbest comments that supposedly highly educated people can make. This is one of them. It's not a new one, of course; Democrats make it every time they argue for an increase in the minimum wage, as do a variety of liberal commentators. But that doesn't make it any less of an embarrassment for anyone with a shred of intellectual integrity. Where, an inquiring mind might ask, will the money come from that the president says will fill the pockets of customers? It comes from the pockets of the business owners or from the businesses' other customers, who now have to pay higher prices. So how does moving the money from one pocket to another help the economy? The short answer is, it doesn't. This is not complicated stuff. So why does simple economics (and logic) befuddle so many liberal policymakers and commentators? Liberals are naturally drawn to the Keynesian notion that spending is good and savings are bad, and they apply it rather indiscriminately. The middle-income people who bear the brunt of minimum wage increases, however, do not have impressive savings rates. The argument that it benefits the economy to shift a few dollars out of some people's savings accounts (dollars that would go toward future expenditures: houses, or cars, or college educations) and into the hands of poorer people who are more likely to spend those dollars immediately is bad economics. But the real reason many support an increase in the minimum wage is not that they think it will help the economy. They support it for ideological reasons; it is another way to redistribute wealth. John Cassidy, writing for the New Yorker in a piece entitled "The Case for a Higher Minimum Wage," put it quite clearly: "In the current political environment, there is little chance of pushing through another hike in income-support programs. Raising the minimum wage pushes the burden onto corporations and consumers." Translation: Corporations (and partnerships and sole proprietors) and consumers should be forced by government to pay more for goods and services so that wealth can be transferred to low-wage workers. Again, in the mind of President Obama, and his supporters like Mr. Cassidy, government should use its coercive powers to compel businesses and their customers to be extensions of the Welfare State. Those on the left brush aside the argument that increasing the minimum wage decreases employment opportunities for lower skilled workers. They point to the fact that the unemployment rate decreased during President Clinton's second term despite a two-part increase in the minimum wage in 1996 and 1997. They also point to studies such as one from the Keystone Research Center, which concluded that Clinton's minimum wage hikes had a "small and statistically insignificant" effect on job losses. So a supposed economic law — that if you increase the price of something (all other things being equal) you decrease the demand — must be all wet, the creation of old fuddy-duddy economists who can't understand the new liberal world order. (On the other hand, though, liberals are all for raising taxes on gasoline and cigarettes, because raising the price of those items will reduce demand for them). If the economy is growing at a decent clip, as it usually does (the last four years notwithstanding), a small increase in the minimum wage may very well not be a big enough counterweight to cause a reduction in low-wage employment. But that hardly means that the effect wasn't a reduction from what it otherwise would have been. A study by the Employment Policy Institute, for instance, showed that despite the overall rise in employment, employment for teenagers — who largely make at or near minimum wage — actually fell in the year after the initial Clinton minimum wage increase in October 1996. And most studies of previous rate hikes (such as 1990-1991) show clear evidence of job losses. One reason why some have found the data from 1996-1997 more ambiguous is that the minimum wage lagged behind inflation and real wage growth. Thus, the relatively modest 1996-1997 rises pushed the minimum wage above the fair market value of fewer workers than in the past. Likewise, the rise to $5.85/hr. in 2007 (still a year of good employment growth) only represented a 13.6 percent increase from the still-in-effect 1997 level of $5.15, well below the increase in the consumer price index for that period. But the 1997 increase was only the first phase of a multi-year increase that took the minimum wage up another 24 percent, to $7.25 by July 2009. I have not seen any studies suggesting that this further increase was benign in its effects on low-wage employment. Certainly, the raw data is not encouraging. Whereas the number of employed people in the U.S. fell by about 4.6 percent from July 2008 to July 2010, for teenage workers (a reasonable proxy for minimum wage workers), employment fell by a whopping 21 percent. The hike proposed by President Obama represents a further increase of 24 percent from the $7.25 level set in July 2009, even though the consumer price index has only risen 6.6 percent. This would put the federal minimum wage even substantially higher than most elevated state minimum wages, such as California ($8.00/hr.) and Illinois ($8.25/hr.). The effects on employment, therefore, would not likely be as ambiguous as in 1996-97 or 2007. Furthermore, Obama has proposed indexing the minimum wage to inflation, thus locking in its deleterious effects on employment. An official with an Atlanta area Sheet Metal Workers Union local was recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal complaining that a certain provision of Obamacare would result in an increase in the price of union labor of between $0.50 and $1 an hour. Why is he concerned about that? Because he doesn't live in the sheltered halls of government, liberal think tanks, or the New Yorker, but rather in the real world. He understands that higher union labor costs mean fewer union jobs. One reason the Left has a difficult time accepting that raising the minimum wage reduces low-wage employment is an imbedded belief that most employers exploit low-wage workers to make big profits. Forcing up the price a little won't cause employers to bat an eye, the logic goes. To quote again from John Cassidy: "With the decline of trade unions and the spread of aggressive management techniques, low-paid workers now have little bargaining power and few legal protections. Only the government can ensure that they receive a living wage." This comes not from a study of reality but is the product of an ideologically constructed worldview. I don't know what a "living wage" means, and I doubt Mr. Cassidy can be precise on that matter (though San Francisco has legislated it as $10.55 an hour). But Mr. Cassidy's meaning is clear: Without government intervention, most businesses will exploit their low-skilled workers and not pay them what they deserve. Mr. Cassidy's argument is short on facts, and that's because the facts tell a dramatically different story. In the labor market, wage increases are driven by productivity — by experience, training, and other factors. People who started working at the minimum wage one or two years ago have very likely already achieved wage increases through the workings of the market, not by government decree. For instance, if low-wage workers were really dependent on action by the government to obtain wage increases, the number of workers earning the minimum wage would have steadily risen during the period 1981 to 1990 when the minimum wage did not increase (thanks to Ronald Reagan). What occurred, however, was dramatically different from what Mr. Cassidy would have us believe. The number of Americans earning the minimum wage fell by 50 percent. Despite nine years' worth of new entrants in the job market, the number of minimum wage workers fell by some 4 million. A similar 10-year hiatus in minimum wage increases took place between 1997 and 2007 and showed remarkably similar results. In 1997, 4.75 million Americans were earning at or below the minimum wage (6.7% of the hourly paid workforce). In 2006, the number had fallen to about 1.7 million (or 2.2% of the workforce). If low-wage workers are dependent on government to protect them from exploitative employers, then how did this happen? The fact is the labor market in this country, even for low-skilled workers, is pretty efficient. We have a president, however, who feels much more at home crafting policy using as his prism the mythology of left-wing class struggle than the reality of free market economics. And that's why his presidency has been an economic disaster. Photo: UPI About the Author Brandon Crocker is the chief financial officer of a commercial real estate development and management company in San Diego. Robbins Mitchell| 2.19.13 @ 6:37AM Well,when you've lived off the taxpayers for most of your working life in one form or another,and all the people that work for you have as well,you are just naturally going to be living in la la land and when you suffer from invincible ignorance like Barokeydoke does,you are going to be impervious to market realities...I can't wait for all his sycophants to start blaming Bush is this goes through and the jobless rate climbs to 10% as a result Stephie| 2.19.13 @ 7:14AM huh? Trolls are out early this morning. You consider spending us into oblivion "cleaning up a mess?" Why are more people not working then? Making me pay an uneducated person more for menial work will only cause me to let them go. I'll do it myself and save the money. Minimum wage was meant for teenagers and those new to the job market until they got educated and on to a well paying job that they could live off of. But wait, those have all gone to China and India due to democrats. Again, thanks to all of you dolts that voted for this idiot. TLP| 2.19.13 @ 1:30PM Arnie| 2.19.13 @ 7:36AM Hmmm, not sure what you are talking about Stephie. Before the stimulus even started to be dolled out to the states, the unemployment rate was somewhere around 9.0-9.5%. The unemployment rate now has been hovering around 7.8-7.9%, the same as when Bush left office. The difference being, when Obama inherited Bush's economy, the economy was hemorraging millions of jobs per month. That's not happening now. As for the participation rate, yes, it is lower, but surely you know that part of this is because many baby boomers are retiring. Kwan| 2.19.13 @ 9:19AM Awnie da Leftist Dumkoph is back and surprise, surprise he's making dumber statements today than the totally dumb statements he made when he was last posting comments. Obama and the left are desperate to reclaim the House in 2014 so they'll promise anything and everything to low-IQ morons like Awnie and being the dumb sucker that he is he'll lap it up. Leftists live in an alternative universe where reality is whatever the Party says it is. In the alternative leftist universe Obama has the country marching on the road to Leftist Valhalla. In reality Obama and his party have the country progressing in reverse to the days of the 1930's Great Depression. loulou| 2.19.13 @ 11:19AM TLP| 2.19.13 @ 1:19PM He's attacking the 1% as we speak, at an Exclusive Yacht/Golf Club in South Florida, surrounded by his Millionaire/Billionaire Friends. He just gave Facebook a big Corporate Welfare Kiss on the Ass, with the help of a lot of Creative Accounting by his IRS lackeys. Just like he did for Google. Just like he does with his Union Scumbags. Just like he does for that other Scumbag, down in Cornhole State. You know him. He's the Obama Buddy that's making MILLION$, hauling all that Oil from Cananda, down to the Gulf on His Trains, because "The Magic Negro" (Hat Tip - LA Times) keeps refusing to let a Pipeline, and the Thousands of Jobs it will create, be built. markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 11:24AM Seek| 2.19.13 @ 12:10PM Could this decline be the result of a growing number of people, rather than being unable to find work, simply find it advantageous not to work? The aggressive expansion of the food stamp and Medicaid programs attest to this possibility. Grzmlyk| 2.19.13 @ 8:14AM That's right, Arnie! Heck, don't just hire the people you need! That would be selfish. Hire everybody within a 50-mile radius of your business! Pay them all $100,000 a year! Bingo! Aggregate demand! You are BRILLIANT! And if you have no money to pay those people, just print it! Duh! What the heck do we have a Fed for, anyway? You DO read your Krugman, don't you? Like all good cogs in the Totalitarian Army of Diversity, Social Justice, Economic Justice, Gender Confusion, Institutionalized Hatred, Corruption, Vengeance and Plundering the Treasury Till We've Gorged Ourselves on Other People's Money. Never, ever let utter ignorance sway you from your ideology, Arnie. Reality never, ever has to penetrate your NPR-and-Rachel Maddow-spun cocoon (until, of course, it does, but then again you couldn't spell "cat" if we spotted you the "c" and the "t, " so don't throw away that "Bush Lied, People Died Tee Shirt just yet). Of course, YOU have no skin in the game, so it's really all just feel-good stuff for you. Because you CARE. Very easy to care with other people's money, is it not? Psssst. I have a perpetual motion machine I can sell you. It's only $500 today. Contact me, ok? Arnie| 2.19.13 @ 8:31AM Grzmlyk, this is why you an idiot. You think the government should behave in the same way an average consumer behaves, or how a small business behaves. And actually there are many large corporations that could pay their workers a dollar an hour more, but instead choose to give their top management multi-million dollar bonuses. But if the government did behave like an average consumer or small business, then its policies would be pro-cyclical, not anti-cyclical, therefore, making the downturns even worse, and even harder to rise out of. So explain to me you brilliant idiot how the government, practicing austerity, is supposed to make an economy rebound? Come on, this is a huge Republican talking point...You should know it well. Anyway, it's clear you have the mental skills of a 5 year old, so I don't expect you to reply with a semi-coherent answer. Grzmlyk| 2.19.13 @ 8:38AM TLP| 2.19.13 @ 1:39PM Grzmlyk| 2.19.13 @ 8:47AM Just out of curiosity, do you think what you write makes you look smart? Generalities and regurgitated talking points and threadbare dogma? What you wrote reveals a moron who knows NOTHING about how businesses are run. Weird how that Transgendered Badminton Studies degree you've been slouching toward for the last seven years hasn't taught you squat about the causal universe - the one useful human beings live in. You think business owners are all rich and greedy and just sitting on piles of money. That's not how it works, fool. 80% of the businesses in this country are SMALL mom-and-pop operations. Which means that 80% ofpeople in this country are EMPLOYED by small mom-and-pop operations. The guy who owns the Seven/Eleven is NOT sitting on piles of money - he's trying to keep his prices low enough to keep customers while still paying more for the stuff that's delivered to him because your God believes fuel prices should be high and businesses can just absorb the higher costCJW| 2.19.13 @ 11:00AM Arniepurp/Purparnie "How does the government, pract'icing austerity as any cutting jobs and wages, supposed to make an economy rebound?" Well, since the gov is broke and has to borrow 40 cents of every dollar, the gov has to cut expenses. There are many jobs in the gov that could be eliminated, not just at the Defense Dept as you suggest. You could abolish the Energy and Education Dept and nobody would know, except the employees laid off. The employees laid off will find other jobs preferably in the productive private employment. The layoffs will hurt the laid off employees but will help the economy in the long term by reducing the deficit, which will reduce interest payments, and re-direct the employees to private employment. The fed gov is similar to an inefficient company that has to be supported by ever increasing borrowing to stay in business. A private company will eventually file for bankruptcy to reorganize or go out of businsess. The gov can keep borrowing money and raising taxes but eventually it will destroy the economy. The gov must cust spending which means employees will be laid off. The gov is not exempt from the laws of economics. You cannot stay in business by borrowing increasing amounts of money so you reach a point where all the revenues go to pay the interest on the debt. The purpose of gov is not to be the employer of last resort for persons who cannot find a job. markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 11:26AM Al Adab| 2.19.13 @ 11:57AM Minimum wage math never makes sense. If I have five guys flipping burgers for me at $4.00 an hour and all of a sudden the wage is mandated to $5.00 an hour I have a choice. I can cut back to four employees or I can raise the price of my burger to cover the increased cost. Perhaps I could do both, but most likely I will have four employees instead of five. Sorry. Add to that a mandate to provide health care to full time employees and tell me if you will, how I can stay in business and be competitive? Will the public really pay $15.00 for a one dollar burger? Arnie| 2.19.13 @ 12:17PM Or the owner/boss could actually make the payments, but just have less in profit for him/herself Al Adab. That might mean they drive a Infiniti instead of a top of the line Benz, but they'll be ok. :-) CJW| 2.19.13 @ 1:10PM Arniepurp Or you could borrow money, start a business,and then pay your employees whatever you want, instead of you taking the profits, if any given your level of economic smarts. Lead by example. Start a business, recognize the union, pay high wages, pensions, vacations, health insurance, sick days, holidays, double time on holidays and Sundays. Then come back here and lecture. Al Adab| 2.19.13 @ 1:32PM W: Apparently Arnie thinks that the owners pay themselves before they pay the employees. That has not been real world or my experience. How many times have owners done without a paycheck in order to meet payroll? How many only recoup their investment when the business sells? Such is in fact the nature of the beast, but trying to be rational with Arnie, Purp or other true believers is simply a waste of time and effort. markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 3:59PM Exactly! Businesspeople shouldn't be working to take care of themselves and their families! They should be working to take care of other people! They should take all the risks and get no reward! Brilliant! Grzmlyk| 2.19.13 @ 2:14PM This is why morons who know nothing about businesses shouldn't run businesses. I know how to cure cancer: Do tons of research, isolate the problem, make it available to everybody! Voila! Isn't running the world simple when you're a moron? How many minimum wage people do you think Goldman Sachs employs who would benefit from an extra $1 an hour? Know why no tellers exist at Bank of America anymore? Because year after year, banks have been told to pay their low-skill employees just one dollar more. Than another dollar more. Then another dollar more. And you have payroll taxes and health care insurance costs, of course, and suddenly, that 19 year old off the street who isn't worth $8 an hour to you is costing you $20 an hour. That's why there are no tellers anymore. But you people NEVER look at the actual consequenes of your actions; just your hyper-sensitive, childish view of "what's fair." So now run the numbers for me. Go ahead, hot shot. I want you to make a list of the portion of, say, ExxonMobil's employees make minimum wage, and give me a rundown of what it would cost. What's that you say? you have NO IDEA how these businesses are actually run? Of course you don't. You are an IDIOT. Why do you think YOU'RE not running a business? Because you'd be OUT of business in two minutes if you undertook to run a lemonade stand. mzk| 2.27.13 @ 10:32AM PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 12:19PM I find this whole argument from Grzmlyk not very well thought out. Let's start with the welfare check disgust. Oppose raising the minimum wage and then when the FREE MARKET raises wages beyond it, look the other way as illegals flood the nation doing the kind of work that the "know skills or experience" kid used to do. The illegal only does the work as long as they are ineligible for welfare and even then, sometimes they are able to double dip. So the taxpayer winds up footing the bill for the "cheap" labor. Last summer, the pool boys and girls in our area were almost all entirely from Eastern Europe. They did a great job. In the past, that would have been work done by local kids looking for extra money. I talked to the kids and they told me they paid above-average price for plane tickets ($1300 round trip) AND they had to pay $500 a month rent for their crash pad AND they even paid to rent a bicycle to get back and forth to work (+food and utilities). They made decent money compared to back home, but it was tragic that most of it was wasted. It's a strange culture we live in where halloween candy is x-rayed and people are terrified of their kids walking to school alone but simultaneously, they allow an undocumented illegal criminal to look after their infants. Amazing. KennesawJack| 2.19.13 @ 1:08PM PK, normally I find your posts thoughtful, to a large degree, but not this one. What do you mean, when talking about the money they earned, that "most of it was wasted"? They spent money on airfare, ergo the airline, its employees, its shareholders, the people who build airplanes and engines etc., etc., etc. benefited.They spent money on their apartment, ergo their landlord benefited as did his/her employees. They spent money to rent bicycles, ergo the rental company owner, his employees, the folks who made the bikes, the folks who sold the bikes to the rental company owner, etc., etc., etc. all benefited. All of this plus these eastern European kids (most, I suspect from Ukraine and Russia) went home with some earned money, they got a summer job experience like few other, they were exposed to good, old-fashioned American capitalism and they got to see, first hand, the quality of life in your neighbood, which I suspect, if you need pool boys, etc. ain't exactly slumming it. I can't find a damned thing wrong with this picture. markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 4:02PM CJW| 2.19.13 @ 1:20PM KJack About ten years ago we spent a week at the Outer Banks. Most of the employees at the supermarkets and restaurants were from eastern Europe, South Africa, and Russia. I spoke to some,and they all were having a great time. At the Jersey shore, one restaurant had employees from Brazil. The Wildwood and Ocean City boardwalk stores and restaurants all have Russian/eastern Europe employees. It is a great opportunity for them to work, earn money, improve their English. If it was not worth it financially they would not do it. KennesawJack| 2.19.13 @ 3:06PM We vacation at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware each summer and most of the kids that work at the various stands on the Boardwalk and also at the hotel are from the Ukraine and Russia. I speak Russian so have had some really great conversations with them. To a person, and most are girls, they love the experience and you would be surprised at how many talk, somewhat wistfully I might add, about emigrating to the States for college and then becoming citizens. It is ALWAYS an uplifting experience for me. Grzmlyk| 2.19.13 @ 2:17PM TLP| 2.19.13 @ 5:42PM merlin| 2.19.13 @ 9:26AM Arnie, being a brilliant idiot myself, I'll attempt to answer your question. Listen carefully. What does the government produce with the money it extracts from producers? If the money is left with the producers, what will they produce? If you answered "Nothing" and "Something the consumer wants" you are correct. And with the money that the auster government does not take the producer may be able to hire more producing workers. Net gain to the economy. If your non-auster government takes the money, and gives it to a non-producer and/or hampers production by regulation, what has the economy gained? Production is Wealth. Arnie| 2.19.13 @ 9:33AM "And with the money that the auster government does not take the producer may be able to hire more producing workers." Merlin, this did not happen. The money was borrowed, don't you guys complain about this all the time? And, in fact taxes were lowered with the stimulus. So you are not accurately describing the situation here. So again, How does the government, practicing austerity as any cutting jobs and wages, supposed to make an economy rebound (during an economic downturn)? TLP| 2.19.13 @ 10:38AM Yeah Merlin. How stupid are you? Everybody knows that, after Running up $6 Trillion in New Debt, Adding a Million New Regulations, Hiring Thousands of New Government Unionized Workers, Forcing Job Killing Healthcare Mandates on Businesses, Pissing Away $900 Billion in Stimulus/Slush Fund Money, and you haven't moved One Inch farther forward from where you started FOUR YEARS AGO, in fact you're starting to Backwards? PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 12:50PM Twofer lesbians were laid off of state desk jobs and now their sperm bank produced daughters have to make do without... organic food and eat NORMALLY GROWN FOOD. The horrors! Hahahaha! In answer to your question Arnie, most government workers are largely highly paid welfare recipients. Here's the plan to make austerity "work": When the office chair warming government bureaucrat hits the Real World of production, they suddenly start to see what makes a real economy work and might not favor massive immigration anymore and this will result in less crime, welfare, etc. to make the rest of the country similar to the white suburbs that they used to commute to from their inner city government jobs. It removes the isolation of the leftist government worker from the real world. CJW| 2.19.13 @ 6:27PM KennesawJack| 2.19.13 @ 7:02PM Tim, I haven't been to the museum. We drive up from Georgia and haven't gone further north than Rehoboth. We're planning on going there again this summer but it depends on our oldest son's schedule. Probably a 90% chance we'll be at the beach, though. They're building an air museum at Dobbins Air Base about 10 miles from my house so I've been dropping by there to watch progress. They, too, have a 141. I flew in one of those from Karachi, Pakistan westward to Saigon. Great plane. TLP| 2.19.13 @ 9:14AM Solo| 2.19.13 @ 10:53AM Arnie....please identify the Bush policy or policies which precipitated this "economic disaster". The seeds for this disaster were planted by the democrats during the Carter Administration (and then fertilized liberally by the Clintonistas) in the form of the Community Re-investment Act (CRA). Forcing lenders to make bad or marginal loans in the name of "Social Justice"---and doing so during a Real Estate Boom--- was never going to end well. The real danger of what was taking place was obscured by the "sugar-coating" placed on these loans by "laundering" them through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; Quasi-Governmental agencies also invented and jealously defended by democrats (in particular, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd who deliberately torpedoed every attempt to audit those institutions). The Bush Administration made no less than 11 attempts over 8 years to conduct an audit of Fannie and Freddie and each time was blocked by one or both of these feckless bastards...who then, the poop having hit the fan, quickly got the Hell out of Dodge. The Financial institutions holding these toxic assets did what they had to do in order to mitigate the damage done through this coercion by government. Had the CRA never existed...had the Clintonistas not gone on a Jihad to expand its toxic influence, the economic collapse would have never happened....George Bush or no George Bush. Grzmlyk| 2.19.13 @ 7:49AM But you miss the point, Appleby - cutting off one end of the blanket and sewing it to the other doesn't make it longer, but it employers seamstresses! it's a JOBS program! Never mind that no value has been created! Those evil, greedy blanket manufacturers only refused to cut off one end of the blanket and sew it to the other end because they didn't care about the little guy. What's that you say? Cutting off one end of the blanket and sewing it to the other would raise the blanket manufacturer's cost of producing blankets? Well, again, that's greed - perhaps the blanket manufacturer doesn't have to live in such a big teepee. Besides, the tribal council need only collect more wampum from the braves and the squaws and bail out the blanket manufacturer if he's a friend of the chief. Everybody wins! Is this a great reservation or what? PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 12:36PM Regarding DST. Here's a thought: Why don't more employers implement flexible 5 day work week schedules to deal with rough commutes and maximize use of office space? Have workers come in on Saturday or even Sunday and take off on a particular day (such as Monday or Friday) and reduce time spent in traffic. Oh, wait, that brings up another fun point: Why not suggest getting rid of the pesky 40 hour week and make us into a 3rd world Dickenson capitalist candyland? Let's have a 6 day workweek with 10 hours a day for the businesses that can get away with it (as many are doing so with the influx of H1B's willing to work such schedules on an unofficial basis.) Yes, Obama and the leftists are usually full of crap and either slushing benefits to government union workers or their croneys but their points are still resonating with the public that Republicans need to vote for them nonetheless. Because capitalists have acted badly in the past and present, the populace distrusts them. Don't blame socialism for that. JD| 2.19.13 @ 1:18PM "capitalists have acted badly in the past and present" What is a "capitalist"? You people use it as a dirty word, but what does it mean? Capitalism isn't a policy. It isn't an ideal. It is a force. It exists, inevitably, regardless of your belief in it. The real world is not a cartoon where the character runs off the cliff but doesn't fall until he looks down, because gravity and physics are realities that exist regardless of your awareness of them. So too markets, market forces, and "capitalism". This "bad behavior" you complain about - what caused it? Oh, I know - "greed and evil", right? The eternally convenient answer! Hogwash. Everyone has, and should have, self-interest. The question is what went wrong when self-interest leads to "bad behavior". You people have your answer for that, too: lack of "regulation". Hogwash, again. Self-interest's natural path shouldn't be harmful to others. If government does only what it's actual job is - defending rights (by making the violation of others' rights cost more than it benefits) - then informed self-interest should not lead to "bad behavior". Yet it often DOES. Why? Because government is not doing what it should or, more often, is doing something it SHOULDN'T be doing! PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 1:36PM In answer to your question, I mean by capitalist private company owners and managers. Note I didn't say all capitalists had acted badly but a great many of them had and gave the word a bad name. Don't blame the messenger. And regarding "force": Well, we can view capitalism as you probably define it as a small element in a greater universe including politics, race, and government power. Government becoming bigger is like a "dark energy". If you worship raw force, wouldn't it behoove you to become a Democrat voting socialist? Join the winners, Luke! I have nothing against self-interest. Heck, I had an argument with a commie/leftist friend who bashed me as a problem for not allowing the left to throw me under the bus due to my race and gender for his cause. Yet, now you do the same accusing me of greed while worshiping crony capitalists who get tax breaks and donate money to the left and import illegals and H1B's who will vote Democrat. In my opinion, both sides are useful idiots. The devil is in the details. So government should defend "rights" as you seem them and that's it. The problem is that term is now almost laughable. JD| 2.19.13 @ 1:54PM I don't even know what you just said. It was a combination of utter failure to grasp my point, childish sarcasm, treating evil Leftism ("crony capitalism") as if it were right-wing, and then dismissing my beliefs as not workable not because they wouldn't work, but because you don't think America would ever implement them. markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 4:04PM markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 4:08PM Except government bureacrats, of course. They are all altruistic servants of the people who want nothing but the best for us and make all kinds of sacrifices. Why many of them are at work from 9 to 5 every day (except weekends, federal holidays, sick days and vacation days) and don't retire until they are 50. Government bureacrats are the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human beings I've ever known in my life. They are the true saints. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 9:18PM I know many government bureaucrats who are in bed with crony capitalists. They brag about their ability to set up bids with favored companies and later get their relatives (or even themselves) choice high end positions in these companies when they hit retirement age. The problem, Markenoff, is that crony capitalism and socialism fascism tend to mesh together and I love to tell my douchbag leftist friends this and watch their face light up in horror while the right appears in denial about it. "Well, if capitalists then seek favorable regulations and tax breaks via lobbying, it's not REAL capitalism so that doesn't count! In the ideal utopian world, capitalism works perfectly. Now why don't people want to vote for us while we talk about outsourcing and H1B's?" JD| 2.19.13 @ 1:25PM The fact is that the "flexible week" you propose is a bad idea for most businesses, which need their workers to be in the office at the same time. Also, many workers would rather have "weekends" off than chaotic schedules. But of course, you weren't serious, that was just your lead-in to the old "we'll all be slaves of business if not for benevolent government!" Never mind the reality that there is no "us" and "them" of employees and employers - we're all frequently both as we both pay and receive money constantly. "Customer" and "employer" are synonyms; the latter simply refers to one who buys the product known as "labor". There is competition for labor just as there is competition for other products. But the economy is global now (an inevitable evolution), and the fact is that there are people willing to work longer for less than we are, because the alternative for them is even worse. Leftists "combat" this with foolishness that makes everyone but the direct beneficiaries worse off. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 1:43PM I'm reminded of a scene in The Godfather where Michael, before he becomes a monster mafioso, joins the military out of ideology while Sonny calls him a sucker. Why risk his life for others? By the same token, if we're going for every-man-for-himself then why bother caring about the USA? So illegals can come and work for cheap, go on welfare, and then vote Democrat and piss on the American flag. That's CAPITALISM and "free market" thinking: Do whatever you can to make a buck no matter what. Sadly, the left doesn't oppose this. They LOVE it when capitalists sell them the rope to hang them with. Si Gringo, we'll cut your lawn for cheaper than that GREEDY teenager is asking for 14 bucks an hour. Do you know where the welfare office is? Also, how do you print a utility bill so I can go vote? Hahahaha! Yeah, FREE MARKET at work. Don't ask me or my kids to volunteer to fight in the middle east unless a fair market wage is paid. Hey, quick question: if illegals and H1B's are fair free-market game, how about bootleg DVD's from China and the recent espionage bust where China lifted billions in trade secrets? Someone wants to do it cheaper. It's a lot cheaper to use a flash drive than to invent it themselves. Looks like some of the rich white guys are going to have to leave the country club to make room for their Chinese masters... JD| 2.19.13 @ 1:51PM I stated that government has a job - defending rights, but you couldn't argue against me honestly, so you ignored that statement and pretended that I'm an anarchist who supports theft. And then you pretended that I wouldn't eliminate the welfare that your Mexican stereotype would claim. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 9:12PM Yes, JD, you said the government should defend "rights" as you defined them just as the Wise Latina also defines them. If you want to play that game, the left and she will win. Yeah yeah yeah, if someone disagrees with you then he's a 'leftist' and wrong and should agree he's wrong or else he's dishonest. Sheesh, I get that kind of thinking from leftists. It's quite dispiriting to hear that working and middle class just wanting to protect their interests against some of the ruthless business owners out there don't have a voice. They'd probably want to go vote Republican more often, but you are so smart and superior that you seem to not need them. So you win. Or at least here on this forum. Elections, another story. Pecos Pete| 2.19.13 @ 7:04AM Increasing the minimum wage will simply cause businesses to raise prices. Increasing the minimum wage will force a general rise in all wages, not just at the minimum wage level, all wages will ratchet upward. All prices will rise accordingly. H Y P E R I N F L A T I O N is riding the rails on the train bearing down on the economy. TLP| 2.19.13 @ 9:49AM I don't think that Companies can afford to Raise Prices. Their gonna Shed Costs. This is ANOTHER example of Market Forces vs. Forced Markets and Unintended Consequences. Except that......I don't think these inevitable Consequences are Unintended at all. Dictatorship 101: Get rid of the Middle Class. The Rich are easy to Control, because they have everything, and they'll do whatever they're told to, if it means keeping their stuff. The Poor are easy to control. Because they have nothing, and they'll do whatever they're told to, if it means getting free stuff. He's already controlling the Means of Production via his EPA, the NLRB, his Energy Department, IRS. Interior Department, and his Blacks Only Justice Department. (Standard and Poor's) He owns more Blacks, now, than all of the Plantation Owners in the Olde South, put together. And, he's fixing to buy himself a buncha Browns, before the next Election rolls around. He's got Warren Buffett and Jeffery Immelt lying at the foot of his bed, and he just gave Facebook Boy over a Billion $ Incentive to toe the line, and Kiss his Royal Ass. This is the beginning of the American Great Awakening, which will be followed by a Great Purge, a Great Famine, a Great number of dissidents in Forced Work Camps, and a Great number of People's heads, with a bullet in the back of them. By then, $9 a Month will be something a person Dreams about, but dare not Speak of. Pecos Pete| 2.19.13 @ 1:39PM Tim: A minimum rate increase of 24% accompanied by the ratchet effect on pre-increase rates will far exceed the ability of any company to cut enough costs. Yes, I agree, virtually all businesses will try to cut costs to offset wage increases, but at 24% plus the ratchet effect, businesses would have to raise prices. Minimum wage increases are a prime cause of inflation and, of course, printing money is another prime cause. Many manufacturers and service organizations increased their costs of labor beyond the point of being able to cut costs and declared bankruptcy (e.g., steel industry), moved to other countries for lower wage costs (e.g., GE, furniture and clothing), or asked the feds for a bailout (e.g., USPS, GM). And I agree with you that King O and his merry band of czars are working diligently to bankrupt the USA in order to create chaos which brings on martial law and the need to use their 2 billion rounds of ammunition to control riots in urban centers (e.g., Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.). TLP| 2.19.13 @ 2:17PM Pecos Pete| 2.19.13 @ 7:22PM Von Mises Jr| 2.19.13 @ 7:32AM The reason politicians offer up phony baloney rhethoric is that they realize many people do not understand Bastiat's "That Which is Seen and That Which is Not Seen." Bastiat lived from 1801 to 1850 and wrote several seminal works including "The Law" and "The Broken Window Fallacy." To clarify Mr Crocker's article, Public Private Partnerships was origially called fascism and then crony capitalism. The fallacy of low-income people spending money that wealthier people would save is disproved by the economic concept of "Capital Formation." A simple way to understand this is that one skilled operator with a backhoe or bulldozer earning $50 per hour can move more dirt that 5 guys with shovels making $10 per hour by many times over. The capital investment translates to productivity. But for liberal elitist, it is easy to lie to those that do not read economics. That is why they don't teach it except in college and only to Business Majors typically teaching Keynesian or Classical Economic that is the former with graphs and equations. Grzmlyk| 2.19.13 @ 8:04AM It's all about aggregate demand! I propose we raise the minimum wage to $100 an hour. Think of the demand that would create just like magic! I know Purp (who, as he has claimed, owns his own business), pays his cashier $95,000 a year. Which I think is an insult, but it IS more than the current minimum wage. And purp simply curtails his own greed so that he can pay ALL his employees upwards of six figures. Now THAT'S CARING. Of course the only business Purp owns is meth manufacture and distribution, which tends to skirt things like laws and taxes. I had to laugh at the reference to the Broken Window Fallacy. For liberals, that which is not seen does not exist, and that which is not above the fold in the NY Times REALLY doesn't exist. We will see the result of this economics as ever-increasing numbers of doctors under Obamacare will be driven out of business due to price controls - which will mean we will have to enslave an entire generation of people and force them to practice medicine. Won't THAT be fun. Socialism: Misery for all (except the ruling elite)!Von Mises Jr| 2.19.13 @ 10:48AMMike G| 2.19.13 @ 8:58AM I think the Federal minimum wage should be tied to inflation. That said, let's see what it should be according to our historical calculation. It began in 1938 at $.25 (twenty-five cents). If we plug that in to any inflation calculator, it tells us that $.25 in 1938, is worth $4.07. That means that not only should the minimum wage be less than what it currently is, it is also responsible for driving up inflation! JD| 2.19.13 @ 12:35PM c. j. acworth| 2.19.13 @ 9:02AM I don't believe Obama gives a damn about the economics of the minimum wage. Like everything he does, proposing an increase is just to give him something with which to distract America from his serial incompetence and beat the Stupid Party over the head through his auxillaries in the press. Russel| 2.19.13 @ 10:07AM Pelosi and Reid are simply socialist idiots while I give O'Bummer more credit . This may be a ' distraction ' , but I see it as yet another attack on business - yet another blow from government forcing business' further into the corner . And he will use it against the Pubs yet again , who'll vote for their country . He gets a toofer this time . Ps to anyone : how did government get into the wage dept . ? . It seems to me prob . about the first where the feds began making private enterprise THEIR business . lost| 2.19.13 @ 10:08AM You all are looking at this wrong. I think not only should there be a minimum wage there should be a maximum wage of $12. Just think, the cost of everything will go down, no more big salaries to pay and the disparity between those who can and those who will not/can not will be much smaller. See its simple. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 11:56AM JD| 2.19.13 @ 12:35PM Your side (you are a Leftist, no matter what you claim) makes arguments that do not include any reason to cap movement in your directions. There is nothing to stop YOU from taking your ideas to absurdity, so analyzing as such is completely valid. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 12:45PM And one can go the other way as well: If regulations are so bad, why not eliminate all environment regulations and just let companies dump toxic waste into lakes? Or make children work in the coal mines again? Or if abortion is so bad, why not make rape victims give birth or outlaw all women of breeding age from being allowed to drink alcohol for concerns of harming the fetus? What's funny about the latter argument-of-extreme abortion arguments is that the right themselves made them and blew two senate seats. It's one thing when your opponent makes them but when you shoot yourselves in the foot. But sure, if being a leftist means having a concern other abortion, gay marriage, and keeping tax rates on the rich low then congrats, most people are "leftists". No need for Obama to steal the election when the thin orphan gruel of conservatism has so little to offer nearly everyone. I'm a representative of the proletariat white men that the left has discarded but the right can't seem to get out of bed to vote to win elections. Disregard what I say, if you like. Good luck with getting hispanics and lesbians to vote conservative though! TLP| 2.19.13 @ 2:40PM "The thin orphan gruel of conservatism has so little to offer anyone"? How about a Job? Is that Small Potatoes to you? How many Jobs would be created Today, if we got rid of Golden Boy's Illegal Drilling Moratorium, and his Refusal to allow the Keystone Pipeline to be built? How many Jobs were Destroyed when President Solyndra shut down all those Coal Fired Plants? How many Shovel Ready Infrastructure Jobs would have been Created, if he had actually used that $900 Billion Stimulus Money for Shovel Ready Infrastructure Jobs, instead of giving it to the States to keep their Public Employee Unions, on the Job, and still Paying Dues Money to Democrat Political Campaigns? How many Jobs would be created if Obama's Soviet Style Government Healthcare wasn't hanging over the heads of Corporations? The Orphan Gruel looks like a Thanksgiving Dinner at The Plaza Hotel, compared to the $9 an Hour Minimum Wage Jobs that President Let'em Die in Benghazi is offering, doesn't it. That's how we get Hispanics and Lesbians to Vote for Us, even though it's you're belief that they'd rather sit on their Asses, and live off a Handout. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 9:01PM One of the reasons why Romney lost was that Obama blasted Bain Capital bashing ads and "outsourcing" over and over again. If there is a decent high paying job, you can bet that Republicans will want an democrat-voting H1B to come in to do the work at 10% off (and to meet a diversity quota.) Indeed, if jobs are the one thing that Republicans can do well, it would behoove them to not become poster girls and boys for outsourcing and H1B's as Carly Fiorina did when she burned HP into the ground and took off in a gold brick filled private jet. Sure, you have a point about the rising boat and energy, blah blah blah and I agree but still: thin gruel. I'm not an oil roughneck. Thanks anyway. Fiscal| 2.19.13 @ 10:46AM While I'm not a proponent of the minimum wage, per se, the argument made by Crocker is not intellectually honest. The original purpose of a minimum wage was to make welfare payments lower. It accomplishes this by moving people who make a minimum wage from the welfare rolls. I have yet to see an honest, intellectual analysis of the total cost of this transfer mechanism. Anecdotal analyses as presented here are misleading and play more into ideology then the truth. We have a long term decline in wages because of two major factors -- business globalization and information technology. Business globalization causes us to compete with low wage countries like China and Vietnam. Information technology enables senior executives to make more centralized decisions making the bottom level jobs much more labor intensive and much less thinking. These trends will continue and lower level workers will increasingly compete with new technologies in fields like robotics. The decision on minimum wage needs to be done through total economic analysis that lowers the total cost of government and not on overly simplistic exercises like the one above or simplistic ideological ones. Those who are truly fiscal conservatives need to demand non-ideological analyses. Yeah, less fun, but certainly more filling. JD| 2.19.13 @ 12:33PM Fiscal, In no way have you debunked the article's points. In fact, you've supported them. If the purpose of the minimum wage was to make welfare payments lower, how will reducing the number of low wage jobs, as raising the minimum wage does, help? It will put MORE people on government assistance! You accuse the article of being "overly simplistic." How? Moreover, you embrace the liberal tactic of demanding a summary analysis of exact money saved or lost by a certain policy change, when the entire essence of conservatism is that the economy is too complex, with too many players, for any central authority to comprehend and manage it all. That being the case, we know that we cannot predict "exactly what would happen" if a policy were different. It is Leftists who make such demands. They tell us that we can change nothing unless we first tell them exactly how it will play out, while for themselves they say "we have to pass the bill to see what's in it!" We know the truth - that one can only do analysis using empirical evidence in hindsight. We do not share the ego of the Leftist, which lets him think that he can predict the future well enough to improve upon free market behavior. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 11:26AM Folks, didn't we just have this argument a week ago? I'll put on my Trotsky beard and make these observations: 1) The same economic folly of paying minimum wage workers more to spend more and "stimulate the economy" makes about as much sense as these same businesses saving money by hiring illegals and then the illegals going on welfare and robbing the customers. (Why don't you hit an illegal riding a bike? It may be YOUR bike!) 2) Wages are already so low due to illegals that the minimum wage raise is moot. 3) The effect of raising the minimum wage on end prices for customers is minimal due to other factors such as overpriced real estate and material expenses. 4) Ergo, a "free market" capitalist economy would dictate that employers should pay LEGAL workers MORE than a minimum wage but where do we hear the outrage here? Oh, wait, F those workers and instead run on outlawing abortion for rape victims. That'll get those proles out to vote Republican! JD| 2.19.13 @ 12:20PM PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 12:29PM Very well JD. Let's review: 1) Do you DENY that illegals are not effectively subsidized labor for unscrupulous employers via welfare and crime that the taxpayers and community must bear the brunt of? 2) Do you deny that illegals usually work for more than a minimum wage even for many redstate regions? Do you think the guys hanging out at homedepot are willing to cut grass for less than 10 bucks an hour? 3) Do you deny that minimum wages are a small factor for most businesses such as restaurants and hotels with other operating expenses? 4) Do you deny that a free market economy, without illegals and unnecessary H1B's and outsourcing would raise wages BEYOND the minimum wage? If what I just said is all the opposite of the truth, please enlighten me. Deny all four points. Go ahead. I'm waiting. JD| 2.19.13 @ 1:38PM Funny. Your new list of four points is different from the first one. I wonder if you even realize that... anyway, I'll address the new foursome. 1. What makes illegals "subsidized"? The fact that employing them doesn't require an employer to pay the costs our government imposes for hiring low-producing citizens? Do you honestly think that I'm going to accept those government-imposed costs as an inevitable reality? Honestly? If you do, you're a fool. Leftists have their governments artificially impose costs, then act as though those costs are inevitable "market forces". Their stupidity is that they expect us to accept it! The only problems with "illegals" are 1) we don't have a secure border 2) they're a net drain on society BECAUSE we have social welfare. We can fix both problems, at which point people should hire whoever's most cost-effective for them, regardless of nationality. 2. This is basically the opposite of your first #2, so I agree with it. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 1:55PM Lessee: In both cases for number 1 I mentioned welfare. I do agree that my number 2's appear contradictory. It seems like you're obsessed with shooting the messenger. Anyways, in answer to your question I have said so several times. Simply ignoring the nose on your face doesn't make it go away. If employers take advantage of the welfare system as an incentive for illegals to come and work for cheap for a small period of time to then dump the costs on the taxpayer, that's a subsidy. Saying you disagree with the subsidy doesn't make it go away. You can't worship free market capitalism while turning around and ignoring it going to bed with leftist fascists. I view the secure border as a red herring. It's like arguing with a burglar robbing your house that you should have locked your door better. The capitalists paid for future welfare state leftists to come here. Deal with it. Own it! 2) Although the points appear contradictory, they aren't. Illegals are not subject to minimum wage laws by definition, yes? Yet, simultaneously many of them insist upon working for greater than the MW anyway. In either case, the minimum wage is moot. It appears complex, but I think you can get it. In any case, quibbling over the difference between my first list and then me restating it doesn't mean that it's wrong by definition because you disagree with it. It appears I'm grinding sacred cows here. I get denial a lot from people when I do that. JD| 2.19.13 @ 2:06PM Really? That's your grand point? That when government creates a perverse incentive, we're to blame the people who follow it? Then where's your rage towards people who choose to not work and live on welfare when they could be working! Again, the word "free" in "free market" isn't superfluous. There is a difference between "market" and "free market". "Markets" are an inevitable reality. "Free" markets are those not manipulated by governments stepping outside their mandates to defend rights. You use the terms interchangeably to blame "free markets" for the consequences of anti-free policies. You are wrong to do this. By definition the "free market" cannot "go to bed with Leftist fascists" because Leftist fascism's introduction is the opposite of freedom. Of course the minimum wage doesn't impact those whose market value is above it, unless it forces them to pay for it somewhere, but any argument that the minimum wage is below the level of making a difference is an argument AGAINST having the minimum wage, not FOR it. As for "quibbling", your lists differed in many ways, and the reversal of #2 was only one example of how the second list was less false. You pulled a bait-and-switch, and now you have the gall to attack me for calling you on it! PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 2:27PM So now you want a grand point. Whatever happened to your claim that my points were all "opposite to the truth?" You have yet to demonstrate one is wrong. Of course, you try to cast blame towards the leftists for capitalists taking advantage of illegal immigrant and the welfare state and even lobbying to continue the arrangement. Hmmm, sounds a lot like Obama blaming GW Bush, right? Socialism is perfect except that evil capitalists screwed things up. Howz that logic for you? Hmmm? I can see you stomping your widdle feet right now in anger: "That slippery jerk! How dare he say things I disagree with! I want a forum where we lose elections and agree with other people here about how we're good and the other side is bad and we're always right!" And if that suits you, enjoy it because you're probably going to have that go on for a while until a few rich country club elitists get hanged outside the city walls and their daughters sold into slavery. Maybe then they'll care about their electorate. Anyways, hmmm, that would seem to be the grand point wouldn't it? I have to get back to work for our capitalist/fascist system so I'll address the rest of your points later (I promise. Well, as much as a CEO does to the workers and shareholders! :-) Pleasure on my side discussing this with you. I don't think you'll agree but I judge people by what they do. If someone comes back, they must be satisfied. JD| 2.19.13 @ 3:08PM What I want in a forum is to test my ideas against the best that the other side can offer and to improve, if I find reason to. Unfortunately, in recent years I have found no one who can comprehend my beliefs but those who agree with them. The rest lie and use straw men. Never do I face genuine criticism, for my "opponent" always demonstrates comprehension error. Often that error seems willful. Of course I blame Leftists for the consequences of their perverse incentives, including the lobbying for more of the same. What logical person wouldn't? You keep using the term "capitalists", even though I have already explained that the term is meaningless. What you're trying to do is to imply that it's "conservatives" playing ball, even though the definition of "conservative" precludes that. When socialists complain that human nature screws them up, they complain about an unchangeable reality. They might as well be trying to fly by flapping their arms, and complaining about gravity! When conservatives complain that Leftism screws up society, we complain about something entirely optional and changeable. Yet you try to equate the two complaints! Your posts require me to "accept" that my ideology supports Leftism, even though that is definitionally untrue. JD| 2.19.13 @ 3:52PM "Of course, you try to cast blame towards the leftists for capitalists taking advantage of illegal immigrant and the welfare state and even lobbying to continue the arrangement. " The proper response to this is "DUH!" You use the word "capitalists" instead of "people" to try to blame us for it, but "people" is the proper word in that context. And do we blame the Left for creating an environment where people take advantage of the welfare state and lobby for its preservation and expansion? OF COURSE! How can you possibly have thought otherwise! That was Jefferson's point when he cautioned against a state where people can vote themselves other people's money! What insanity leads you to think that the state can "legalize" and support such behavior, and yet it is not the fault of the state when people act as it requests that they act? PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 5:48PM But it's not just the state but the capitalists themselves selling the rope to hang themselves, so to speak. If capitalists wind up degenerating into democrat fascist cronies, then that's not the fault of the left. It's a flaw with capitalism itself. If you think about it, modern leftism is partly a product of capitalist cronyism. I tell my leftist friends too that they'll never get a socialist/marxist paradise since it too degenerates into oligarchy social and economic fascism. Obamacare? That's not socialism but fascism with crony companies getting to pig out on taxpayer dollars. Hilarious. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 5:50PM It's funny that you make excuses for capitalists selling out society by using welfare state subsidies and then shriek at the notion of, gasp, paying working class people a little more so they can work and not go on welfare. Then you're enraged when they wind up doing that. How DARE someone care about their own self interests? Who do they think they are? Capitalists? If you're going to overlook Captain CEO riding on his private jet while hiring illegals to piss on the American flag and vote Democrat, why do you not respect someone working hard to bring you a nice meal and pay their taxes and maybe wanting a buck or two more? Is that so hard? Especially when you're more likely to get loyalty from working class folks than from corporate cronies who are as likely to donate money to the Democrats! JD| 2.19.13 @ 2:13PM Like others on this site (Jack London comes to mind), you love straw men. You think that "the Right" is hypocritical whenever a rich person participates in Leftist fascism. You think that if anyone claims to belong to the Right and does something wrong, "the Right" is guilty. Or if someone claims to be "conservative" and voices support for a Leftist ideal, then the Right "supports" it. Absurd, on all counts. Ideals are self-defining. If a person claims an ideal, then violates it, it is not the ideal that has changed; only the person. When a self-proclaimed "conservative" embraces a Leftist idea (know anything about that?), it is only the person who is a hypocrite, not "conservatism." And also, if you and your wife disagree on which house to buy, then after you buy her choice (see what I did there?), must you refuse to live in it or pay for it? Of course not. Yet Leftists call conservatives "hypocrites" for claiming Social Security benefits after spending their lives paying into it. Or in your case, for following perverse incentives even as we oppose their existence. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 5:44PM The problem with being an anarchist or even free marketeer is that when you preach your dinner guests should be on "the honor system", it doesn't help your cause if the first thing they do is crap on the kitchen floor and steal your cutlerly. If capitalists act badly, it's going to make your cause for free markets all that much harder. Just saying. In the case of perverse incentives, I was referring to companies hiring ILLEGALS. You know, breaking the LAW? And then these illegals then turn around and unsurprisingly stab their capitalist masters in the back. It's not just a matter of hypocrisy but STUPIDITY and a failure of the "free market". If they can't restrain themselves from shooting themselves in the foot, that's hardly the left's fault. Even if the left puts a bottle of whiskey that says "drink me" on it, they weren't forced to drink it. In the meantime, these working class people are the ones most likely to vote conservative but you care little about them and that's why your agenda loses elections. Again, just saying. JD| 2.19.13 @ 7:18PM Ok, you are proving too dishonest to continue debating. This is about the fifth time you've intentionally disregarded the difference between my position on government and anarchy. It is also at least the fifth time you've used the term "free market" to refer to a market perversely manipulated by Leftism. Like all Leftists, you, out of supreme arrogance, claim to know which choices are best for millions of people better than they do. And you claim that responding to perverse incentives is the fault of the victim, not the creator of the incentives. You say we should not drink your hypothetical whiskey, but that is not the choice. You act as though we should simply decline your free lunch. The actual choice is to pay all of Leftism's costs while receiving the minor benefits it gives in return, or to pay those same costs and receive nothing. Millions of Americans cannot afford to pay, then receive nothing, so they take your deal. That is what we mean when we say that Leftists want everyone dependent on government! We care about working people, and unlike you, we do not think that "caring" is all that matters. Overall, we do not lie despicably about nearly all things, particularly the motives of our rivals and the nature of our policies. That you do lie, and are so good at it, is why we lose elections. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 8:57PM JD, you're such a victim. Boo hoo, you believe in free markets the ability for people to do the right thing but simultaneously, you claim that capitalists can't help themselves and will act badly with the slightest "perverse" incentive (perverse used twice) because it's all the leftist's fault. Later, you argue that leftists play the blame game but not you! No. If a business fails, it must be due to government. Yep. Because of leftists. And losing elections? Well, not your side's fault either since you're just so darn good and wonderful and right. Yeah, sounds like you're so much more enabled than, say, a welfare mother. In the meantime, when I had offered that in leau of being unable to eliminate the perverse incentive of welfare to instead maybe pay a low wage worker a few dollars more to transform them into useful, conservative workers, you threw that idea out faster than, er, pretty fast! Nope, can't have THAT much compromise. But on the other hand, can't judge capitalists for hiring illegals who go on welfare and then vote Democrat. That's ok. You're just so fair and blameless. JD| 2.19.13 @ 1:40PM 3. Like most Left-wing weasels, you're slippery. You threw the word "most" in there to make your statement technically true, even though the argument you derive from the statement requires the "most" to be "always". Of course raising minimum wage won't kill "most" minimum wage jobs. No one suggested otherwise. But it will kill a sizable number of them. And every cent increase in wages will come from somewhere, and many times that cost will not be worth it. How can I say this with confidence? Because I know, most certainly, that every penny paid as a result of government mandate that would not have otherwise been paid is a deviation from market rates, which are the product of the intelligence of the people actually involved in transactions. Government ham-handedness is never wiser than that. You certainly don't make any such argument - you just say "the poor guy has more, and it probably cost the employer a Bentley". "Facts" pulled from your posterior. 4. There is nothing "free" about artificially restricting the employee pool. Your question is a contradiction. As for what wages will be, under any circumstances, the answer is that people will only be paid anything at all if their work is worth more to the employer than the wage. For those whose work is worth little, the wage will be little. If that means it's below your arbitrary threshold, then that's what it will be. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 2:15PM I don't need it to be always. I agree that some businesses that are entirely labor driven by minimum wage serfs will see a significant impact from a raise. That's assuming they're paying minimum wage to start, of course. I wasn't being slippery but rather open. If I hadn't said anything about such exceptions, you'd have jumped me. Sorry if I don't make it easy for you! And your claim that "no one suggested" that most minimum wages wouldn't be lost because of raising the wage increase is untrue. There are at least two posts here are of the "why not raise the minimum wage to 100 bucks and hour? NOBODY will have work!!!! In any case, that has nothing to do with what I said in point three which is that minimum wage labor is largely just a portion of overall operating costs for most businesses and this reduces the net negative effect on the employer. I see you didn't disprove my point even though you tried to dismiss it before. Nice try at a distraction though. You then have the audacity to say: "There is nothing "free" about artificially restricting the employee pool." in regards to illegal immigration driving down wages. And you wonder why the right loses elections. Did you think about what you wrote? Ok fine. Open up the borders to save a few bucks. Don't cry to me about them voting Democrat though. Free market at work! JD| 2.19.13 @ 2:50PM The suggestion that minimum wage increases won't reduce employment requires you to say that NO business will feel their financial impact. If you allow that some businesses will feel the impact, you allow that some people will suffer. There's no getting around this, but you're still trying to have it both ways. Pointing out that the "logic" you use to support increasing the wage does not break down if the minimum is raised infinitely is one criticism. That even a moderate increase will cause SOME job losses is another criticism. Making one of these criticisms does not preclude the other. You harp on how forced wage increases are just a "portion" of operating costs as though that debunks me, but it debunks YOU. Many employers are low-margin. It doesn't take much to push them into insolvency. You have not proven that these losses will be outnumbered by benefits, nor do you try. You seem to think that you win the argument if you merely state that you won't lose it catastrophically. And you accuse me of using distractions! As for your last paragraph, I correctly applied the definition of "free market", and correctly took you to task for getting it wrong. You ignored that context and tried to take me to task for supporting unlimited open borders. I support a secure border, but I do not support immigration restrictions provided that we eliminate social welfare. Social welfare's existence is anti-freedom in many ways, one of which being that it requires immigration restriction. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 4:39PM "The suggestion that minimum wage increases won't reduce employment requires you to say that NO business will feel their financial impact." For someone who lectures about free market economies, you really don't think these things out. Even net employment increases often have negagive effects for some while positive for most. One business may prosper while another business fails but add net employment. Requiring that NO company feel any financial impact sounds rather laughable to a free marketeer, doesn't it? You wrote: "Pointing out that the "logic" you use to support increasing the wage does not break down if the minimum is raised infinitely is one criticism." Is this a referral to the raise the minimum wage to $100 and see what happens logic? Later, you had written: "so you ignored that statement and pretended that I'm an anarchist who supports theft. " Which appears to be that you what's good for the goose is apparantly not good for the gander. You should be allowed to take things to an extreme and ask others to defend them but it shouldn't be applied to yourself. And then you gripe endlessly over "strawmen". My "harp" on a "portion" of operating costs somehow disproves me only works if margins are low and your free market business is on the brink of collapse anyway. (That's what: "It doesn't take much to push them into insolvency." means) Again, you don't think things through. You're blustering. JD| 2.19.13 @ 5:38PM What is the cap on how high the minimum wage should be raised? Nothing in your argument suggests that there should be a cap. The logic you use does not provide one. My logic, on the other hand, DOES allow for a cap on how much government I will remove - I'll remove that which does not serve government's purpose of protecting rights (BTW, a "right" is something that must be protected, not provided, and can be violated only actively, not passively). The reason I can take your argument "to the extreme" is that your argument does not preclude it. Mine does. And again (talking to a wall, here...), the argument against minimum wage hikes is that it eliminates jobs that don't earn enough for the employer to support the wage. You attempt to refute this argument by saying that "most" businesses will be able to pay the higher wage. That is not a counter-argument. That is merely a focusing on the businesses to which the original argument does not apply. But the original argument never claimed to apply to all businesses. It only claimed to apply to a significant amount. You have not countered the argument, and you cannot. Minimum wage laws do not make anyone's labor more valuable, nor do they create wealth, nor do they address any of the underlying realities that lead to "low" wages. They clumsily treat a symptom, not a cause, and they do so with many negative side effects, namely, the elimination of work which doesn't earn the wage. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 6:02PM Now you want to play a semantic game. Your limit to your paradigm is that a right can be violated only actively, not passively. But this is about as legitimate as the Wise Latinas rationalizations for racial preferences not being racist. Again, how do you rationalize not, say, allowing companies to dump poison into groundwater? How much poison is "too much" poison? There's always poision in stuff as you know and the EPA often exceeds their mandate. Quite frankly, there's a lot to respond to and you can quibble about this if it pleases you but asking me to justify a $100 minimum wage is hilarious when you've said "strawman" here about a dozen times. Can't you at least prove the things I said in my list were untrue as you claimed first instead of just arguing against them? That would be a good start! JD| 2.19.13 @ 7:10PM I did not ask you to justify a $100 minimum wage. That would be asking the impossible. I have stated, repeatedly, that your rationale for having a minimum wage, and for raising it, supports raising it infinitely. I have asked you to explain how your rationale does not extend infinitely, since you claim it does not, but you don't seem to understand the question. That you quibble with the definition of a right shows your absurdity, as the definition is about as basic as common sense gets. But Leftists the world over have sought to discard the definition, and common sense in general, to create new "rights" to get things for nothing, which require others to give things for nothing. Ayn Rand rightly called that slavery. Leftism at its root has long required the redefinition of words and of basic truths. You defend your redefinitions by accusing me of doing it when I state truth. This is your only recourse. How you went from the definition of a right to Sotomayor, I'll never know. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 8:15PM One could say the same of any regulation (that it can be raised to an absurdity) such as, say, reducing EPA regulations would imply that it should be ok to dump poisons into public groundwater systems without limit or the opposite, that it's not ok to dump ANYTHING. So what? What you're now engaging in is an argument of abstraction. Don't deny the nose on your face but now make me define what a nose is. Have fun with that. loulou| 2.19.13 @ 11:28AM It doesn't matter what the minimum wage is. The parasites still get more money being wards of the government. It doesn't pay them to work. Why work when you still can have your flatscreens, obamaphones, steak and lobster, etc? markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 11:42AM If you increase the minimum wage by a dollar an hour the actual cash cost to the employer is more like $1.07 when you consider the employer's share of social security. So the employee must now be $1.07 an hour more productive in order for it to be worth the employer's while to keep them on the payroll. But the employee only gets $.93 of theat $1.07 once their share of social security is taken out. Liberal math, produce $1.07 more but get only $.93. Better solution: make anyone making up to 110% of the minimum wage exempt from the employee's portion of social security. Immediate wage increase without costing the employer more. Most of those making wages that low are never going to see a return from their forced social security investments anyway. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 11:48AM Already done Markenoff: Illegal immigrants. Employers don't pay their social security at all (at least unless the illegal engages in identity fraud with the OK of the ethical capitalist employer.) "So the employee must now be $1.07 an hour more productive in order for it to be worth the employer's while to keep them on the payroll." I should have added: 5) Employers now routinely layoff workers not because they "need" to but rather to make the workers more "productive" regardless of the minimum wage. Either the workers make do, or they don't (cut corners) which is ok with the CEO since they often have gotten their bonuses and moved on and let the shareholders, customers, and employees deal with the fallout. markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 4:16PM So let's build the wall. That's a shovel ready project. Somehow you assume that every business owner is just itching to hire illegal. Maybe you hire them to watch your kids, mow your lawn, clean your pool, or if your a Democrat politician, polish your knob but I prefer to hire those in America legally and I am more than happy to have our government build a wall on the southern border and start rounding up those here illegally. If we can put a man on the moon...but that was just a TV studio, right? JD| 2.19.13 @ 7:49PM Largely true, but even the removal of those rights won't stop the criminal from coming here to prey on our relative expectation of security. There are two problems - the burdening of the welfare state and the influx of criminality. Your solution fixes only one. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 10:44PM And your solution (which appears to be allow anyone who claims to want to work for low wages) doesn't solve either. Criminals can simply claim to want to work for slave wages and enter the country and then go loose. As wages deflate and even if you got welfare abolished, you'd just have a standard third world hellhole of starving people on the streets who feel it's better than the starving streets of the place they left and even further criminality. But your capitalist buddies would be making an extra buck or two so who cares? You would most likely no longer be in the middle class and would also be lucky to have a hut and a right to crap on the street. Control of citizenship and rights to collective assets are essential to a nation's prosperity. It's why nations were formed to begin with! Yet capitalists think that if you flood a nation with refugees you'll have prosperity because you can get a busboy for half price. Also, look at those great unregulated (or cronies looking the other way) factories where they dump the PCB's in the drinking water. Why can't we get that here? (Ok, soon enough... soon enough...) PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 11:55AM Romney was hit hard in battleground states such as PA and OH over "Bain capital" and with good cause: Not being aggressive enough about illegals and also H1B's and outsourcing meaning that "free market" capitalism and even free trade is a joke. Other countries can impose tariffs and quotas and the states will import poison cat food and baby formula and the Republicans say nothing about it. In addition, the right did nothing about race and gender quotas even as they needed white males to show up in PA and OH to vote for Romney. It's not that Romney was the party of NO. I think that many Pennsylvanians and Ohioans probably wondered if he even had anything to run on. In that vacuum, the right gaffes over denying rape victims abortions and that filled the void. Seek| 2.19.13 @ 12:14PM The GOP needs a Pat Buchanan or Tom Tancredo-style economic populist with the guts to speak out against mass immigration from the Third World and affirmative action. Go easy on the old-time religion, and emphasize racial replacement as the animating trait of the Democratic Party and cheap-labor business advocates within the GOP. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 12:24PM Ralph Gizzip| 2.19.13 @ 12:50PM Why stop at $9 / hr? Why not raise the minimum wage to $20 / hr or even $50 / hr? Nevermind the businesses that will close because they can't pay the wage, it's the principle of the thing. "We've raised the minimum wage to $50 / hr! It's for the children!" What's that you say? Setting a minimum wage like that doesn't make sense? You're right. Setting a minimum wage at any level does not make sense. If a business can't get labor at some arbitrary rate they'll have to increase the rate until they do. That's a market force doing what it's supposed to do. It sets the exchange rate for supply and demand. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 1:07PM PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 1:28PM Folks, I took a deep breath and thought for a second and came up with this: Here's a missed opportunity for the right to gain and get out votes from their primary electorate: working and lower middle class people that more than anymore resent the welfare state paying people not to work while they sweep floors for 10 bucks an hour. Arguing against the minimum wage is perceived as a slap in the face to them. Do you really want to slap these folks in the face? Having worked in these jobs in the past (until I wised up and decided it wasn't worth it), I see that employers often treat these workers with a lack of respect even as the work is valuable and can't just be "eliminated" to save 2 bucks an hour. My wife worked as a waitress and they tried to get her to come in for 34 hours just short of full time benefits. They wanted her to do cleaning work in the back of the restaurant while being paid the waitress minimum of $3.50 (no tips.) They called her when she was supposed to be going to classes crying they didn't have shift coverage. I told her: F' em. Not her problem that they don't have enough part-timers or pay for full time coverage. The free market goes both ways: If they couldn't stay in business with proper staffing, let 'em fold. And the restaurant did after she left. Say what you like about the Dems, but they at least recognize the value of a person's vote. JD| 2.19.13 @ 1:46PM Why does it make sense for employers to give employees 34-hour weeks? Because the government attached a huge cost to that 35th hour! Why do they struggle with shift coverage? Because the government makes hiring more expensive, and workers at that level are unreliable. You have the audacity to call what killed that restaurant "free market", but it was anything but. There is a "market", but it is far from "free". Government pioneered the paying for of health care with "insurance" and the association of said "insurance" with a job, then used the tax code to coerce the entire country to follow suit. Now you blame the horrible consequences on the victims. Of course we of the Right talk about the insanity of the welfare state paying more to not work than to work. But Leftists respond not by cutting the pay to not work, but by trying to legislate increases in the pay to work. And you are one of them. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 2:45PM JD, you really don't think this through: You complain that low paid workers are unreliable. Whose fault is that? You just said that it was cheaper to hire part timers. So hire more part timers then. This wasn't any fault of government but poor planning on their part. Not all business problems are due to government. Regarding the 35th hour and full time. Whether the government mandated that or not, trying to get my wife to come in for 34 hours and deny her the benefit didn't encourage her to feel any sympathy for the employer. A free market goes both ways you know. Perhaps... if this employer respected their workers more they'd still be in business. The customers noticed too. Because the waitresses also had to bus tables and were understaffed, the tables were filthy (it was an UNOS) It gave them a bad reputation. My wife found a business model in that the fewer tables she waitressed, the more money in tips she got. So she took fewer tables. On a philosophical level you demanded before, if a "free market" is "whatever the hell you can get away with that you don't get thrown in jail for", then illegals coming in and working for capitalists and then going on welfare and voting Democrat and hanging those same capitalists from the side of the city while selling the daughters into slavery IS a "free market", isn't it? Don't expect me to save their skins though. I don't vote, or fight, for free. JD| 2.19.13 @ 2:58PM I have stated repeatedly that it is government's role to defend rights. Being dishonest, you seem incapable of acknowledging that. When I advocate a free market, you call me an anarchist. If I talk about government's defense of rights, you'll call me a totalitarian. Because your ideals know no logical limits, you seem unable to deal with mine, which do. It is government that makes it cheaper to hire a collection of part-timers than to use full-timers. Exclusively government. You simply stated, out of ideological need, that it is not so, but it is. You say that employers must "respect" employees more by jumping through all the Left's hoops for them, but doing so would raise their costs well beyond what would drive them out of business. They had no choice but to try to make do with the collection of part-timers because Leftism forced it on them. Then Leftism blamed anyone but itself for the resulting failure. And that, more than anything, is what modern Leftism is about - making sure that others always get the blame. "Not all business problems are due to government." - straw man. Of course they're not. We must analyze specific instances to see what causes failure. In this case, your own words tell me how government screwed that restaurant. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 5:34PM I never "simply stated" that it's "not so" that government makes it cheaper to hire a collection of part-timers than full timers. On the contrary, I strongly implied that the company while trying to get my wife to work an almost full time shift without offering her the government benefits is why she insisted they not raise her hours to that limit. When they tried again, she left. Why should she work hours she didn't want to when the company wasn't paying? More on this later. The unreliable people stayed on because the company wanted to save money. How is it government's fault that the workers they paid the minimum to were unreliable and they understaffed? You conclude it's the goverment's fault that the restaurant went under yet there is no evidence whatsoever they ran out of money due to hiring full timers with more benefits since they didn't. They could have hired more part-timers but didn't. Again, not government's fault. My words give no indication on how the government screwed the restaurant. They paid low, provided lousy service, and didn't staff properly. Where is your defense of rights when you want full time workers with no incentive other than for the restauranteers happiness? Why should reliable people work full time for the same wages and benefits as part-timers? Hmmm? I laughed as you said leftists blame others yet here you are crying that the restaurant must not be at fault. JD| 2.19.13 @ 5:48PM Your ideology prevents you from grasping a simple point, such that you make statements that I have already refuted in the post you're replying to. The government makes hiring full-time workers more expensive. Thus the restaurant has two choices: 1. Hire full-time workers anyway; go bankrupt because payroll is higher than revenue. 2. Hire part-time workers and try to make it work. You keep insisting that they could have made #1 work if they really wanted to. This is how Leftists work. Without crunching any numbers, or even having a clue what numbers are, they simply insist that "greedy evil capitalists" could "make it work" if they simply wanted to. I did not suggest that the restaurant tried #1 and failed, as you accuse me of doing. I said, quite clearly, that #1 was off the table because of government, and so they failed trying #2. But being dishonest as a Leftist, you act as though the decision to go with #2 makes it entirely their fault and government can't be blamed for taking #1 off the table! The free market, if it existed here, would have allowed full-time workers with less pay than what government mandates, but still better compensation than part-time work offers. In so doing it might have found a middle-ground between unreliable staff and inability to meet payroll. But Leftism precludes such common sense. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 6:28PM Pardon me, but could you please show where I keep "insisting" that the restaurant could have made hiring full time workers with benefits work if they really wanted to? I know I'm the only one who writes strawman here, but I would love to know where I said that. Thanks. Your claim is now that the primary reason the company went under is that they couldn't offer slightly better compensation than part-time work to get full timers. Yet, there was a middle ground: They could have offered my wife more money for her hours to work 34 hours. Yes? They didn't offer. Yes? There was a middle ground and they didn't take it. Care to grasp for more straws? The main problem for this company and your agenda is that the free market allowed my wife to leave along with other reliable workers because they didn't pay market wages. You claimed that I was strawmanning you (again, prove where I "insisted" above thanks) that you assume government is the culprit when it appears that this company was just run bad. They had waitresses bussing tables and the tables were dirty. They understaffed the part-timers and this affected quality of service that gave the restaurant a bad rep. They were bringing in money, FYI. At least until they got a bad reputation. Did it ever occur to you that sometimes companies can be greedy and lose out? It does happen. JD| 2.19.13 @ 6:57PM Incompetence causes failures at least as much as greed, and those two are not the same. As for your claim that I put words in your mouth, your responses speak for themselves. I kept saying that government made hiring full-timers too expensive, and you kept saying "no, it's not government's fault". The fact is that there are drawbacks to hiring part-timers at any wage (even unaffordably high wages), and government prevents businesses from dodging those drawbacks by making full-timers unaffordable. You proposed a senseless "middle ground" the same way Leftists always propose senseless "options" for the victims of their policies. Perhaps, in some instance, more reliability might have been had by paying part-timers more, but until this most recent post is the first time you've even claimed that a market wage for a part-timer wasn't being paid. Your delay in mentioning this makes me doubt its truth. My guess is that in fact it WAS a market wage; you just don't like how low a market wage was. But you want a new, higher wage, which you'll call "market wage" because you don't think words have meanings, and you propose that people simply pay it out of their vast "greed" reserves. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 8:39PM That's what "You keep insisting that they could have made #1 work if they really wanted to." means. So now your interpretation of what you think I said is the same as me "insisting"something. Sheesh. Your wife must be SO happy. She wouldn't need to nag you at all! You'd imagine it for her! So now you're playing games with pretending that I am somehow dishonest because I didn't mention the option of paying part-timers more until recently. What have you been smoking? I've talked endlessly about the option to offer more pay. From 4:58PM "Why should my wife have been overly reliable when the firm wasn't going to offer her more pay?" Your red-herring of me "hiding" a fair market value of the offer (or not) doesn't make sense since Capitalism and Free Markets would have allowed the employer to easily hire someone else and avoid destruction at the hands of the Government, yes? PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 4:58PM Many workers are low paid and reliable and to generalize about them like that. Wow. Some of them are uneducated, or perhaps they don't have better options at the time, or a number of reasons. But sure, let's go with that claim of cause and effect for a moment. The workers DESERVE the low wages because they are unreliable, yes? But again, why should this have been my wife's problem that they hired unreliable workers at low pay and wanted her to work their shifts? Why should my wife have been overly reliable when the firm wasn't going to offer her more pay? Again, is this a two way relationship or what? In addition, if they wanted more reliable labor they could have paid more for it. Whatever direction of cause and effect you buy into, the company had it's problems because they didn't pay to make them go away. Whose fault is that? JD| 2.19.13 @ 6:00PM They couldn't have paid more it, because contrary to your dogma, their owner wasn't a billionaire with 17 yachts. Their taxes, regulatory obligations, and benefit obligations forced them to either pay what they did and try to get by or close shop without a fight. You'll tell me I can't prove that, but in doing so you'll require me to believe your story, which involves the owner having plenty of spare cash. Why do you think I'd be inclined to take your word for it when you won't take mine? Mine at least makes sense - closing surely cost the owners more than paying better wages would have. There must have been a reason they didn't pay more to stave off closure. What could that reason have been? You can't say "greed and evil" when "greed and evil" would have led them to want to stay open! PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 6:37PM I never said anything about 17 yachts. Waaah! You're making a strawman! Waaaah! You're so unfair! Waaah! Ok, seriously though, let's look at the logistics: They could have hired more part-timers. Without benefits, this was possible without the "poor" company going broke. They didn't either because they couldn't attract quality labor in the FREE MARKET or they just didn't bother. Either way, it's not the government's fault. Your claim that they couldn't get full timers without offering benefits assumes that they could have attracted quality labor. That's just what it is, an assumption. What _I_ know or at least from my wife is they were jerks in how they treated labor and didn't build a relationship of trust with their employees which wouldn't have helped to retain quality staff. If you want to call me a liar, sure. Who knows? Maybe I made the whole thing up! JD| 2.19.13 @ 7:02PM You are indeed making things up. You assume they could have hired more workers without going broke. You call it a "free" market even when it's not free, for reasons I keep stating - taxes, regulations, hiring rules, benefits rules. And that IS government's fault. Then you complain about MY assumptions, which are common sense. Even if these people really were "jerks" (which might just be your label for people who don't pay what you think they should pay), the fact remains that many businesses that deserve to succeed end up failing because of Left-wing interventions, and that is what we were talking about to begin with. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 7:23PM JD, you're simultaneously claiming that the government's rules and benefits requiring benefits for full time workers is why they tried to get my wife to work 34 hours part-time and then complain they went broke because they couldn't hire full time workers without giving benefits. If reliable workers will willing to work close to full time without benefits, why didn't my wife take the deal? When I pointed out how the company had treated the workers badly or had money but chose not to hire, you then chose to cover your eyes and play "see no evil" and claim I can't prove it so who cares. OK, fine. In the end, if they wind up getting a bad reputation and customers don't want to go anymore, all the government regulations in the world are not to blame. JD| 2.19.13 @ 7:58PM Leftism wins elections precisely because it manages to convince dupes that its negative consequences are other peoples' fault. You're telling me to just ignore that. Of course that's what you want! Your first sentence in that post is a long, incomprehensible run-on (second time you've done that). I say that not out of disagreement - it's honestly incomprehensible. I have said, quite clearly, that government's rules prevent hiring employees full-time with compensation greater than part-time compensation but less than what government mandates for full-timers. I know there are many waitresses who would work more hours even at their current part-time pay rates, but cannot due to the law. Fewer employees working more hours tend to be more invested in their jobs and thus more reliable. You act as though you win this argument by proving that anything but government bore any guilt at all. You don't. However, I do win this argument by proving that government bears any guilt at all. That is because the terms of the argument are your claim that government isn't doing harm. You attempt to put words in my mouth - the claim that private individuals never screw up. This has never been any conservative's claim, but it is perhaps the Left's favorite straw man. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 10:27PM JD, as I said before, if the issue was"halfway" of offering greater pay for full time but less than that mandated by law, then the option exists to go for 34 hours and just offer more compensation for that rather than try to sneak it in as they did with my wife. In addition, as you complained about minimum wage laws hurting workers because of the opportunities lost, then why would you want to argue that the employer should pay MORE than that if these laws making him pay that much are hurting him from getting reliable, but cheap labor? Hmmm? Why were there few takers for the 34 hour deal? In addition, something to keep in mind is that I already had benefits from my employer and my wife might have considered simply waiving the medical plan since she already had one. Plenty of people do. Did you ever think about that? Regarding not understanding my sentence. I agree and that was why I represented your point as that runoff sentence. You've put so many contradictory claims as to why the business failed and it must be the fault of the state that it doesn't make sense. I can't even argue against it with you because I have to clarify what I actually said while you cry about strawmen. markenoff| 2.19.13 @ 4:23PM Hey now, Obama killed Osama bin Laden! Don't you know those SEALs were all just huddled in a corner weeping and quivering until Obama slapped them around, ordered them onto that helicopter and personally led them into the compound whre he shot Osama between the eyes before rushing back for a campaign fundraiser? Obama has nothing but respect and love for the military, especially the corpsemen. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 4:42PM I hate to defend Obama on this, truly, but he did order the military to go into another nation's territory without permission and conduct a raid. It was not an easy call. I personally think he should have called the Pakistani president personally and asked for permission to go into their airpace and conduct a raid (don't give too many details) but again, his call not mine. I'm curious, Markenoff, what do you think? Would you have done it the same way (shoot first and then call and explain and happened?) JD| 2.19.13 @ 5:55PM It is widely believed that the Pakistani government quietly supported bin Laden. They would have approved the raid, but warned bin Laden to not be there. Also, they would have demanded billions in "aid" in exchange for permission. Such is the lunacy of asking permission to defend oneself. But don't credit Obama much. This was all arranged without his involvement, and he was only summoned to a room where a large group had assembled to say "we're ready to pull the trigger, and we put a LOT of work into this!" At that point, saying yes was easier than saying no. PolishKnight| 2.19.13 @ 6:42PM JD, for someone who claims I was slippery you love to rationalize things and act like it's the same as the issue going away. The USA invaded another country's sovereign territory without a declaration of war. It's just something to consider also if they want to retain that country's support in the future as "allies" if the rational for that action is that they're Bin Laden's buddies anyway. 1ConservativeUSA| 2.19.13 @ 3:59PM Dimitry_Aleksandrovich| 2.19.13 @ 4:27PM The working class doesn't need Barrack Obama. All we need is organizing and solidarity and we'll be able to make our own demands for wages and benefits. What Obama is doing is handing out fresh bread to the peasants. It's an elitist notion that we the working class need well intentioned liberals to meet our needs because we can't take care of ourselves. What we need is to reinvigorate the American Labor Movement and regain enough power and political clout that it will be the Republicans or Democrats who need us not the other way around. I have always disagreed with fellow trade unionists who believe that "we need" a Barrack Obama or Nancy Pelosi to do our bidding. If working class Americans rediscover the power of collective bargaining and use it to gain chips in the political game then we can do our own bidding free of the Democratic Party. I've always resented elitist liberals who believe that they are the ones who truly represent the working class when they have never been working class. NeilBJ| 2.20.13 @ 5:28PM The minimum wage does not force employers to pay more. It makes it illegal to pay someone less than the minimum wage. In other words it prevents people who are otherwise willing and able to work from obtaining a
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Sunday, February 28, 2010 Does biology and genetics decide whether a person has a good memory? Or is the brain a muscle that can be exercised and strengthened so that it can hold more information? "For many centuries it was felt that mind-brain with its memory component was like a muscle — if you exercised it enough, it became bigger, healthier, and more efficient [cf. chapter three]. When I was young, most college-bound high school students were forced to study Latin. They were told that this study was good exercise for their brains and memories. With enough study of Latin, they would be able to learn practical disciplines more efficiently. Today, the analogy of memory and muscle causes chuckles of amusement at the innocence and simplicity of former educational and psychological theory. Today, most students of cognitive psychology believe that memory is physically determined. Individual differences allow for some small improvement, but generally a good memory remains good and a poor memory remains poor. Not much hope for the learning disabled here.However, some modern researchers feel that memory can improve dramatically with training. " In my mind it seems more practical to assume that we are born with good memory or poor memory, but regardless of that I would like to believe that the mind can be improved with continuous work and effort. Which party is actually right about this I am not sure? Click here for the full article Saturday, February 27, 2010 real, as in did they really exist? or are they just made up in your head and you just assume that they are real? as far as i know, up till now, i never questioned my memories being false. i automatically thought that what ever memories that i have, that they did really happen, but there are such things called false memory syndrome. even if this doesn't seem plausible, it is possible because our memories do get distorted over a period of time. like in our reading, and through the experiment that Schmolck performed, memories are not as vivid after a long period of time, and especially after about 32 months, the vivid memories that we seem to recall may be made up by our own mind behind our backs. but unlike the flashbulb memory, the false memory syndrome (a term created by Peter J. Freyd) describes an alleged condition in which a person's identity and relationships are affected by memories which are factually incorrect but are strongly believed. for example, in the article that i read a women who went through an alcoholic family, two divorces and numerous other unfortunate situations in her life, she checked herself into a treatment center. there, she was put through numerous drugs that "clouded her mind" she also went through several intensive therapy sessions where she concluded that she has been sexually abused and because of that it lead to series of unfortunate events. this was not true,but it was due to the false memory syndrome. at the end of the article, i havent really grasped the idea WHY this happens to us All my childhood I grew up with my Bubby (Great grandmother) who developed Alzheimer's when I was about twelve years old. Since then I have always valued my memories, and pressured myself to remember every single important thing or piece of information (doesn't always happen) I continuously write everything down and keep journals so I can look back and remember my memories. It is pretty obvious I am afraid I will develop Alzheimer's. So is bad memory just bad memory or something more? How do you know when you have Alzheimer's? On the website there is a list of "signs" of Alzheimer's. One of the signs is forgetting how to use ordinary objects such as a pencil (I suppose forgetting how to use a pencil is more than bad memory). But then there are the things like forgetting to lock the door, shut off the oven or close the windows, all of which are things I and everyone else is very capable of forgetting. Can we stop Alzheimer's? Do slight signs of Alzheimer's show in young age? No fear, because at the end it assures me that everyone forgets some things, and it doesn't mean you have Alzheimer's :) . At they say that early onset Alzheimer's can develop at the age of 30 t0 40 but it is very very uncommon, it can also develop at the age of 65 and older. Unfortunately Alzheimer's is said to run in families, so genetic testing is available. The article I read examined the issue of repressed memories. Considering the readings for this week, there seems to be a lot of support for the author's theory that many so-called "repressed" memories recall an incident that may have never, in fact, actually happened. The article summarizes a study done on a mother and her two sons. They were described an event that never actually happened to them as if it was something that they simply didn't remember. Specifically, that one of the sons was lost at the mall and returned to the mother through the kindness of a stranger. While this memory never existed in any of their minds prior to this, because it never happened, they were all able to be fully convinced that the event occured. What I think is most interesting is not simply that they were convinced that it happened, but their minds began to develop additional supporting memories of details. For example, that the man who returned the son to the mother had a beard and was wearing red suspenders. The seeming randomness of these details is fascinating. Furthermore, they all agreed on the same details. What does this mean? Maybe that they all shared, subconciously, memories of a similar man? Where did their minds pull this information from? Everyone has those disagreements with friends about how a specific story went or how a situation unfolded: who said and did what, with whom, where? Like anyone else, I've been at least somewhat convinced that my memory of the event was incorrect by the intensity of another person who really recalled the event vividly. But like the imaginary bearded man in red suspenders, how accurate are any of these supposedly vivid details? The author put the study in a more serious context, questioning the validity of the often sexually abusive in nature repressed memories that come up when people undergo psychoanalysis. I'd be interested to see how much more of a push it would have taken to, as the author suggests, convince the mother and her two sons that while the son was in custody of the bearded man, he had been in some way molested. If they can seemingly pull memories of this event out of thin air, how much more of a stretch would it have been to add another more serious event? It may even be easier to convince them of this because of the reputation of memories of traumatic events, especially from childhood, to be repressed. Do you think someone could convince you that something that you walked into the conversation thinking never occurred actually happened? Tuesday, February 23, 2010 After the reading on depth perception, I decided to do some further research on how the mind work when it comes to depth perception relating to drawing and observations. Below is a quote taken from and article written by Boris Rauschenbach, called Perspective Pictures and Visual Perception. "This geometrical scheme of the non-distorted visual perception of a room demonstrates why a distortion-free system for the representation of visual perception is impossible. By strictly following visual perception in the representation of different objects (here the floor, the walls, etc.), the artist is forced to overlap images or to 'break up' the picture; the resulting image cannot be regarded as an accurate representation of visual perception. In the same way, if a three-dimensional model of our visual perception of a room is flattened on the plane, the model will break up and sections will overlap. " The author explores different models of perception and concludes that the "Renaissance perspective" we all had to master freshman year drawing class, cannot set the aesthetic standard for a 'correct' perspective because it is only one of the possible variants. The article is interesting and is worth a quick read! (Only a few pages!) Read Here. Vision is perhaps mankind's most evolutionally developed and complex sense and thus gets a lot of attention. It is by far the most important sense for our survival and our ability to function in society. Smell, however, is a much less emphasized area of research. This study looks at body odor and its relevance to physical attraction. A few conclusions were reached that testify to smell's importance and the intricacy of the somewhat subconscious workings of our olfactory senses, however inferior they may be to other animals. Firstly, the factor of odor is capable of overriding visual attractiveness in the scenario of sexual attraction. A person with perfect facial features can be deemed undesirable if the odor is too much. On the other hand, androstadienone, a kind of pheromone, can stimulate interest. Thus, as humans we are not nearly as visual as we thought. In fact, our evolutionary path probably has been dictated by our smell (who we chose as mates, who we passed our DNA on to, etc.) The other crucial findings are that we find the smells that don't reminds us of our own to be more attractive. Family members prefer (relatively) the BO of people outside of their family. This can be interpreted as incest avoidance- people don't want to breed with those that are in their immediate genetic range. It would be interesting to know whether other animals use smell in a similar way. Knowing that we have far fewer olfactory nerves than, say, a dog, would we as humans be a more incestuous species than others? Could this mean that it is only a matter of time until all the incest breeds disease that wipes us all out? have you ever been seen a child hypnotized by a TV? glassy eyed, open mouthed, and in his or her own world. maybe it's just my 9 and 5 year old cousins that allow themselves to become so detached. shouting their names repeatedly will sometimes give no response at all. stepping between them and the tv will only make them snake around the obstruction or cause them to become awkwardly frustrated. as stated in the reading, "we are continuously filtering all this available input and using only a small percentage of it". Children are plugging themselves in to some form of two dimensional entertainment at early and earlier ages, for longer periods of time. an average child could wake up, watch tv as he or she eats breakfast, zone out with a psp and an ipod on the way to school, and spend the rest of the day jumping from computer to iphone to television, to psp, to things i'm not even aware of. and as people grow up with growing levels of two dimensional stimuli surrounding them at all times, what is happening to their depth perception? The reading mentions a scene from the movie Airplane, in which the viewer is tricked into thinking a telephone set in the foreground is of average size, until an actor answers the phone that is actually 3 feet across. tricks like these, as well as using miniature props or sets filmed up close to fool the viewer into thinking the objects are all natural size, would be very easy to spot in real life. but people now spend seemingly equal if not more amounts of time starring blankly at 2D screens, as they would looking through real 3 dimensional life. like the Bambuti Pygmies lack of depth perception, due to lack of open spaces, will people begin to lose their ability to distinguish between pixilated realistic depth and the real world? This week I watch a video of a study, piloting free fall experiments to explore time warping during high adrenaline situation. Dr Eagleman, the conductor of the study posts some intriguing questions. How does adrenaline effects our perception of time itself? can the human mind actually slow time down? adrenalne soups up our muscles and nervous system, but Dr. Eagleman wants to know if it also speeds up the brain and the amount of information it can take in from the senses. After the test subject took the plunge, they were asked to gauge how long they felt the fall itself lasted(by using a stopwatch). The majority believed the fall to have lasted nearly twice as long than it actually did. Is this perception a survival mechanism we have to speed our brain up, and perceive time in "slow motion" giving us the ability to make the best decision/response necessary for survival in life threatening situations? I think that there has to be some truth to this idea of time perception, based on my own experiences as well as this study. But, I am skeptical as to the ability of the rest of our motor skills to respond in a similar way. I mean, i suppose there are those stories of someone having moments of super strength in dire situations, but it is an aspect that is not addressed in this study. If you are going to post the question, like Dr. Eagleman does, of can the human mind slow down time(with adrenaline) in order to respond faster? than the question that must be posed is, how will they respond? how fast will the response take? Have you ever looked up in the sky and thought that a cloud resembled something else like a face, or an animal? Perhaps a dragon? Well here, these 2 professors try to understand what is happening when you see that cloud that looks like something else. I came across this podcast from 2 lecturers, Nigel Hault and Ian Walker, from Bath Spa University and University of Bath, UK. In their podcast, they explain perception and attention and what it means through top-down/bottom-up processing. One of their students questioned why she thought clouds looked like faces and no one else saw it. They begin by explaining how and why our mind tries to make sense of things that we perceive as something else. One of them mentions how Aristotle breaks down perception into a two stage process: 1) working out what is around you and 2) using that information to do things. Through a person's experience, hopes, and expectations, our minds turn objects into other things we can pay attention to and make sense of. So in the case of the cloud faces, she tried to make sense of it through her reflection of something she thought of previously or experienced lately. Also, sometimes when you do expect or hope for something, your mind is already concentrating on that object and so your mind seeks that specific object and so you visualize what you seek to see. Ink block tests are used as a way to tell what's in a person's mind. These images are of just ambiguous shapes, kind of like clouds. How the person perceives these images can determine what a person is thinking and/or what a person is suffering from. It is a curious thing I think that we should perceive the way we do, maybe if perception is a matter of evolution, either nature or nurture, the way humans do it specifically is why we've become, for a lack of a better term, civilized. Granted we really can't account for what other animals are processing, but every animal, including us seems to do it very specifically. Dogs for example, because of their noses, they smell through time in a way that hard for us to even grasp. New smells come as old ones fade, they're aways processing whats in the next wind, as well as the fact they have a higher retinal count, meaning they process more in a second than we can. The whole article is here. Even animals like raccoons, they have hands so sensitive that they are said to be able to actually map items and understand them dimensionally only with their hands. But what of us, we don't smell the future and we can't see with our hands, but I think the difference is what we can do, our ability to shut things out, to prioritize and process selectively, that's our strength. In the way we've built our world, we would likely lose it if all information held the same weight, right now my upstairs neighbor's dog is going wild on the wood floor, but that is almost irrelevant compared to finishing this sentence. Jill Bolte Taylor is a brain researcher who makes her living by trying to understand everything about how the brain works. She studies how the brain perceives the world around us also how the brains of people with severe mental illness are different that people with normal brain activity. This TED talk is especially interesting because she recounts the events of one specific morning when she woke up with a hemorrhage in the left side of her brain. She talks about how the two halves of the brain are completely different in their functions and that they have different personalities. The right side is all about the here and now and the energy all around us and the connections that we share. The left side thinks linearly and methodically and thinks about the past and future. The left hemisphere thinks in language. It is the side that tells us that we are individuals and disconnects us from the energy that surrounds us. This is the side that she lost when she had her stroke. She woke up with a pounding headache and her consciousness began to shift away from her normal perception of reality. She began to feel everything slow way down and shes focused on her internal functions. She noticed that she couldn't define the boundaries of her body because the molecules of her body blended with the molecules of the world around her. The left brain chatter totally shut off. She talks about the emotional peacefulness that she felt. The entire time her brain is switching back and forth between conscious thought and "La La Land." During this process she distinctly remembers thinking "I'm having a stroke, this is so cool. How many brain scientists get to study their brains from the inside?" After she recovered from her stroke she talks to audiences all over about how you are able to control the perceptions of your own mind and how it took this stroke of insight to discover the possibilities. A while ago back in high school, my psychology teacher had us watch a video of students passing a basketball. There were two teams, one team wearing white, and the other team wearing black. The teacher asked us to count the number of times the white team had passed the ball. During the video a person in a gorilla costume walked though the scene pounded his chest and left. After the short clip was over, my teacher asked us if anyone had noticed the gorilla. To my suprise there were a number of students who weren't able to see the gorilla untill the teacher replayed the video and didn't give us a "task" such as counting the number of times the white players pass the ball. At there is a video of Bob Davies, who speaks about perception and the limits of human observation. He goes on the talk about how we, as humans functioning in this soceity, get so "bogged" down with things like the economy, that we aren't living to our full potential. Could this video test be more of personality quiz? Determining which people don't let things cloud their reality? Irregardless, this video has a strong connection to everyday life. For example when you have a relationship with another person, whether it be a romantic relationship or just friends, and something goes wrong and you're in a fight over something they did to you, all of your thoughts towards them will be negative, and everything they do will only remind you of their wrong doings, and it will be hard for you to judge them on the fact that they might actually not be such a bad person. These thoughts conclude that people only pay attention to what they want and their perceptions can be interuppted by opinions, causing everyone's reality to differ. Monday, February 22, 2010 They say time flies when your having fun, but a study in the journal Psychological Science they found when one perceives time to go faster they had fun. Subjects were tested listening to a recording, one ground for around five minutes, the other around twenty minutes, both being told the recording was ten minutes. The results were the five minute group had more fun than the twenty minute group. After reading this I can't say I am quite convinced. What if you are doing something you genuinely enjoy and time does not seem to "fly"? Does this mean you did no have fun? I'll agree that when time moves fast things seem to be more enjoyable, but not in every case. And how does this compare to how we perceive memories where time seemed to stop? I feel like time flew regardless of a good or bad event most of the time when regarding a past memory. Perhaps I just have a bad memory. Doing the Hock reading on the subway made sensory organization an extremely relevant topic for discussion. Hock asserts that "We are continuously filtering all this available input and using only a small percentage of it. If your sensory filtering mechanisms were suddenly to fail, the world would become so intensely confusing that you would be overwhelmed, and probably you would not be able to survive it" (Hock 34). Clearly our sensory filters develop through our environment and our experiences, but how much does their functionality depend on the nature of our environment and experiences? For instance, does someone from a small town in Iowa develop a sensory filtering mechanism as sophisticated as that of a subway-riding Manhattanite? Probably not. And if what Hock asserts is true, then as the world continues to urbanize, those who cannot filter through the constant noise will die out. But would this really be survival of the fittest, or survival of the most callous? Perhaps it's because I'm a Midwestern girl, but they idea of such advanced and yet involuntarily sensory filtering disturbs me. This concept could not be more relevant for us going to school in New York City where you can literally tune out the pleas of a homeless person on the subway by turning up the volume on your iPod. Is the harshness associated with New Yorkers due to their skilled ability to filter through sensory input? It took me twice as long to do the Hock reading on the subway than it would've had I done it in the quiet of my bedroom. Clearly, my sensory filter isn't quite up to the New York standard. And to tell you the truth, I hope it never will be. Sunday, February 21, 2010 We've all heard of synesthesia that causes individuals to see green when they think of a certain number, etc. This is called grapheme-color synesthesia. There is also a form of synesthesia that relates sounds to colors, tone-color synesthesia. In fact, the article mentions that Kandinsky was thought to be this kind of synesthesate and "tried to create the 'visual equivalents of symphonies' in his paintings". The article also describes a recently identified form of synesthesia, hearing-motion synesthesia. This was identified by Melissa Saenz and Christof Koch when one of Saenz's visitors mentioned he could hear a screensaver on her lab computer. The screensaver was a pattern of moving dots. Upon exposing several hundred others to the screensaver, three people replied saying that they could also hear it. To confirm, Saenz and Koch required the individuals to identify similar rhythmic patterns in visual flashes and auditory beeps. It went on to describe that non-synesthesates are typically better at judging auditory patterns than visual ones, but hearing-motion synesthesates should be at an advantage when presented with visual sequences because they can both hear and see the pattern. One of the most interesting points of the article to me is the statement that synesthesia isn't really as rare as we all think of it to be. In fact, research suggests that 1 of every 100 people could have some kind of synesthesia. You can take Saenz and Koch's test online here: Also interesting, the article mentioned mirror-touch synesthesia, identified in 2005, wherein one experiences the tactile sensations of another person that is being touched. ever wonder why all your attention concentrates on one item in a department store (for instance the marc jacobs watch that you have been eyeing down) or your significant other in a crowded room, as if there is no one else in the room besides you two? well, its because we all have a brain - a brain with neurons in the visual cortex which views the world through "receptive" fields. This is the small portion of the visual field each individual neurons that see and respond to. Whenever a stimulus falls within the receptive fields, the cell produces a volley of electrical spikes known as action potentials which coveys information about the stimulus in the receptive field. The strength of the signals are not the only reason why our brain choses to pay strict attention to one thing or another, but it is considered one of the biggest. Our brain has the ability to suppress the neuron's response which keeps us from responding to everything all the time. Sundberg, PH.D, a former graduate student in Reynold's lab, and now a postdoctoral researcher at Yale University performed a series of experiments which she placed on stimulus in the receptive field and another in the surround. She found that directing attention to the center stimulus supported the neuron from the suppressive effects of the stimulus in the surround. This is our brain's way of keeping out the clutter. The brain uses the receptive field surround actively to separate what is important, and interesting to us and not. Saturday, February 20, 2010 The topic of perception cannot be passed without someone mentioning hallucinations. A recent addict to Ted Talks, I watched an interesting one in which Oliver Sacks conveniently linked a few things we have been discussing in class that go along with perception. If you aren't familiar with Sacks I would advise you to look him up because you probably have heard of his work, seeing as he is an incredibly well-known neuroscientist and author. (Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, An Anthropologist on Mars, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, etc.) As defined in this week's reading, the human brain organizes overwhelming amounts of sensory data into units that yield form and meaning; a.k.a., perception. Levels of consciousness and states of awareness alter perception. Contrary to imagination, Sacks explains that hallucinations come from the outside world and tend to mimic perception. Sacks gave several examples of patients he encountered with Charles Bonnett Syndrome, a condition that causes individuals who are visually impaired to have hallucinations. Usually, these people are of old age and are losing their vision as opposed to being blind from a young age. It occurs because the visual parts of the brain are receiving less and less visual sensory data so it sort of overcompensates, becoming hyper-active and thus producing complex visual hallucinations. To learn that 10% of visually impaired people experience hallucinations was completely unknown to me. Even more surprising, only 1% of these individuals acknowledge them. Why would people fail to explain that they are having these experiences? Sacks said that in many cases they are scared and unaware that they are actually experiencing a medical condition. It seems to me that this happens all the time. People will consider themselves crazy and others will write them off as psychotic rather than looking at their experiences from a medical or psychological standpoint. A few other interesting points of the talk revolved around the types of hallucinations and what causes them. Visual hallucinations range from geometric, where an individual will see abstract colors and shapes, to very elaborate sorts of hallucinations where it is very common for people to see faces and cartoons. As Sacks was explaining this, I couldn't stop wondering why this would occur. He soon said that there is a tiny part of the brain that is responsible for recognition of teeth and eyes, and it is hyper-active when someone is experiencing a visual hallucination. Similarly, there is a part that senses cartoons, buildings, landscapes, etc. So one question that I had that Sacks failed to mention is...WHY IS THERE A PART OF OUR BRAIN THAT IS PROGRAMMED TO SENSE CARTOONS? Cartoons have been around for what, 80 years? Did this part of the brain adapt with the onset of such a visual feature? I'm not sure if I am diving too far off the deep end of neuroscience right now but the Sacks really sparked some fascinating questions. I always wondered about subconsciousness and how it relates to perception. I've always been a pretty perceptive person by nature with the ability to multitask and successfully have my attention paid to a few different things at the same time. I actually think better and am more successful when I, i.e. write a paper and listen to music at the same time. However, I do know a few people that aren't able to i.e. read a book and watch a TV at the same time. While surfing the web for an article on this subject, I came across this article that tells about the results of recent studies which suggest that people are able to learn without actually paying attention. Although slightly different, it does remind me of times I'm able to sing along to a song and drive at the same time, or my ability to pay attention to what's happening in a movie while writing a great paper at the same time. The studies in this article reveals the results of individuals being subjected to read letters flashing on a screen while dots danced in the background. Some dots slide in one direction, and when the amount was increased, the participants who had a month of such exposure did much better at judging the direction in which the dots were traveling than individuals who hadn't gone through previous testing had. This article is very interesting because it proves that even when you're not focused or aren't paying full attention to something, your subconscious is usually still very aware of what's happening around you, and this is beyond your control. Even if it's not your main focus, your mind is still able to recognize, pay attention to and perceive multiple things at once. Although this is different than multitasking, they are both very similar when it comes to attention, perception and cognitive memory. These studies do rise a few questions in my head. I wonder, when our subconscious is able to pay attention to events happening in the background of their main focus, does this mean they are drawn to the events in some sort of way ? In this case, is our brain telling us it's important to pay attention to our surroundings, perhaps more than whatever we're trying to focus on ? Is our ability to "keep tabs" on our surroundings a sign of our true inner desires or represent what our subconscious thinks we should be paying attention to ?If an individual is completely aware of what's happening in their surroundings, does this mean their main focus isn't enough to keep their attention ? Or does this mean some people just get easily distracted for one reason or another ? These studies make me wonder - what about those individuals who are just easily distracted in general ? For those who aren't able to pay attention to their surroundings while focusing one main thing, or for those who aren't able to multitask well .. does this mean that their brain's aren't as advanced as those who are successfully aware of multiple things at once ? Or does this mean that they are actually have more self-control and are more equipped with the ability to focus one on thing without being distracted by other things ? This also makes me wonder about which is more important. Is it more important to be able to "keep tabs" on everything happening around you, or is it more important to be able to focus completely on one thing without being subconsciously distracted ? This article was very interesting, but it definitely makes me want to do more research on this topic as well as its relationship with cognitive memory. Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Tuesday, February 16, 2010 "Conlang, or constructed language, is a language who's phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary have been consciously devised by an individual or group, instead of having evolved naturally." "Most constructed languages can be broadly divided into: Engineered Languages, Auxiliary languages, and Artistic Languages" When Steven Pinker began talking about the origins of language and specific words, the validity of new words, and their chances of becoming immortalized in the grammar of society i began to think of one of my favorite hobbies and modes or facets of creativity. i'm very into making up words using common sounds and letter combinations. GH GHT ING KN PN UE CHE are a few examples of letter combinations that yield extremely pleasant and sometimes puzzling sounds and foundations for words. once ive created a plausible sounding word, it is simmple to asign meaning to it. partruse, conveignche, chlatte, freigne, ghnoische, whats important in these words is sound and an actually word that they may be relatable to. my love for made up words started when i was in 8th grade and was subjected to aptitude tests as a result of my attention span, energy, and a few other unimportant qualities. In one of the tests the hippie doctor asked me to read some words for him. they started of with words like chair and house moving onto multi-syllable words, but then he had me read words that werent words. i thought it was exciting. like a bit of a challenge. when experienced readers read over a page, they dont sound out words, they see the grouping of letter and identify them as a word instead of a group of sounds. we've all seen the paragraph that rearranges the letters in the words, leaving the first and last as they should be, and we can all read it. make up words. if you cant read em, you might be dumb. schunneghettente. Following class last week I decided to look up color studies. While i had a hard time finding the language barrier of vast amounts of names for colors vs. light and dark, I did find an article linking color to emotion. The article is mainly about children and how they associate feelings with colors and how commonly in children's institutions there is a use of primary colors that children often associate with. The common and obvious colors and meanings are yellow-happy, green-glad, red-mad and blue-sad. Professionals feel it is important for children to connect to their emotions and an easy way to do this is through color. Also when relating to children it is important to enter their realm of thinking, which is also easily done via color. I think that color is a very primal and cross cultural field, easy for everyone to understand and universal, thus making it a natural segway to a child's inner mind. The article leaves me with a few questions. How are more complex colors viewed in a child's mind? are more complex colors also universal in feeling? When it comes to therapy how could one depend on a study like this with patients who are young? And the cultures where they only have light and dark in their vocabulary, how does this relate to them? this weeks reading was about the amount of hand gestures blind people use, in comparison to people who can see, and the use of "segmenting strategies" when giving directions or describing paths frequently traveled. Well, I suppose its interesting to see the numbers on a nicely organized graph, and the quoted material talking about how "optic flow provides information about the locus of bodily movement in relation to the large-scale spacial layout" is very interesting, but, (i don't want to sound immature, but) who cares? the lack of hand gestures to go along with a blind persons speech could be attributed to a couple of different reasons. It would seem (to me) the most logical reason being that because of the deprivation of site, the sense our culture relies upon most, blind people must use their other senses and human attributes to make up for their lack of site. When a blind fold is put on a person with functioning eye sight, the first thing they will do, before taking a single step, they will put up both hands in front of them to act as feelers or bumpers. After a life time of blindness, people would be accustomed using their senses in a slightly different manner and have a different perception of their own body than that of a person using site to perceive the world. this isn't very interesting. no ma'am, this isn't a very interesting study at all.//// If there was to be a universal language what would it be? Could it possibly be english? "English can be at least understood almost everywhere among scholars and educated people, as it is the world media language, and the language of cinema, TV, pop music and the computer world. All over the planet people know many English words, their pronunciation and meaning. The causes for this universality are very well known and understandable. English first began to spread during the 16th century with British Empire and was strongly reinforced in 20th by USA world domination in economic, political and military aspects and by the huge influence of American movies." It seems possible that for the sake of global communications the worlds leaders would all learn the same language, and it is also possible that the language chosen would be english. However it does not seem likely that countries would forfeit their native language on the smaller scale of the general public, because language provides an identity and a history for the people that share it. As a continuation from last class, I was just thinking how much our native language(s) do play an essential role in not just communication from one to another, but also in determining our cultural and behavioral aspects. I'm Filipino and both my parents are from the Philippines. My father speaks our foreign tongue, but since my mother grew up here and learned to speak English more often then our language, she lost her accent as well as her knowledge in that language. As a result, we speak English to one other at home. I wish I knew how to speak Tagalog (our language), because now I feel like I missed out in an important part of my culture. And generations after me, they probably won't even know what our national language is because they'll all be speaking English. It's sad to know that part of our culture, maybe the most important part of it, might not be saved in time. A topic I also wanted to touch upon was more relative to this week's reading. There are several ways to go about communication, verbal and hand motion go hand in hand. Have you ever tried playing the game, Taboo? The whole object of the game is to try and describe the word given to you without using the words also listed on the card as well as not using any type of hand gestures to give away the answer. It's kind of hard to not use hand gestures to help us get our point across. In the second article I found, it explains why we use our hands while we speak. Sometimes, it helps us explain ourselves from a distance, where voices are hard to hear. Also, it can help us to explain something better and with enthusiasm when lecturing or talking to a large audience. One of the more interesting aspects of gesturing is it can help us figure out words we can't find when we're in that "tip of the tongue" experience. The study in the articles explains how a groups of people were to describe the cartoon Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. Some were able to speak freely, others had their arms strapped down. When describing something spatial, the participants who had their arms strapped down had a harder time describing and a slow time speaking about the event. To conclude, mental images in the mind are placed but words to describe and translate that thought takes more time to gather. Thus, hand gestures help to get that idea across. But since the people who's arms were tied down, they had to only use words to describe what they were trying to say and thus, the slower time to respond. As you can see, we use our entire body to help transmit information from one to another, not just our words. Monday, February 15, 2010 Why is English one of the most widely spoken languages in the world? It is because English is an easy language. About three weeks ago, a study was performed which declared that languages adapt in the same way biological organisms do, contrary to traditional ways of thinking that consider language to be based on "random change and historical drift." The first large-scale analysis was conducted, where the grammatical properties of more than 2,000 languages were compared to their environmental factors. It was found that languages with the largest global spreads and amount of speakers had the most simple grammar structures. Languages become easier out of social necessity, it seems. Migration or colonization have forced individuals to learn certain languages. If the language is too complicated, adults cannot process it and pass it on to future generations. The conductors of this study put it simply; "Just as very distantly related organisms converge on evolutionary strategies in particular niches, languages may adapt to the social environments in which they are learned and used." The article brings forth many questions. There will always be complex languages, but will they become easier and adapt in the same way social evolution has always made things adapt? Will languages with simpler linguistic properties become even easier and more accommodating to adults who must learn them? The study refers to locations that have very complex language systems, like West Africa. Why are these languages to complicated to begin with? Where does the nature of their grammar come from? As native English speakers, we must entertain the idea of where we stand intellectually, given that our language is considered to be amongst the easiest. Personally, I have never given any thought to this notion. What does it mean to recognize that places we consider, in many cases, to be "primitive" actually operate on a complex linguistic system? Of course, there is an entire spectrum of language that can be analyzed and interpreted and this article did not address many points. Still, it put a lot into perspective. I do believe that language is one of the biggest reasons on why the world is so traditionally diverse. There would be many positives and negative effects on the world if the human race spoke one, or just a handful of the same language. Firstly, this would tremendously effect each culture in their traditions and way of life. Yes, there can still be different cultures even if they all speak the same language, but I do not feel the cultures would be nearly as separate from each other as they are now. A huge reason in why every culture is so different is because of the fact there is a language-barrier, separating and isolating them from those who don't speak or understand their language. It's almost like not being allowed to be part of a club because the language difference and inability to understand and follow the club's lifestyle. Leaving the human race to be grouped off and not able to be a whole because of the many different ways of life and traditions between cultures. The fact that languages are so quickly becoming more and more distinct of course leaves us with the wonder about what will eventually happen. Will the extremely traditional / religious / culturally based groups of humans really stand for this ? Would they back down and learn another language just to fit in with society ? Not only do I believe there is an extreme amount of individuals who would never do so, but I also think the positives or this conversion ride hand in hand with the negatives. I believe this article is lacking on explaining some negative and positive outcomes this may have. With this, I believe the negatives are hardly acknowledged, and it's a bit naive and bias in believing it's mostly a positive change. The author of this article Roy F. Baurmeister explains "Maybe we should celebrate the disappearance of obscure languages. Wouldn't there be considerable positive value if everyone in the world spoke the same language? Imagine how easy it would be to communicate with everyone else." I do believe he may be right in this aspect, but I also believe the negatives of language distinction is almost equal to these positives. Considering every human being acts and feels differently about every given thing, and being certain things hold certain value and meaning to every individual, I do believe language holds a different meaning to each and every person. A lot of cultures take extreme value in their language and it greatly influences their way of life. Therefore, if everyone spoke one language, populations that take such pride in their tongue may really not like this idea, and in return may rebel against this idea of mass unification. To many, this could be the same as being stripped of your pride and what you stand for. Not everyone believes tying the entire world together in such a way is a wonderful idea. And i truly believe that no matter what, the human race will always find negatives, and try and rebel and do things that individualize themselves. I believe if it's seen negative by many cultures then extreme measures may be taken by them, denying this the best they can. With this, the distinction of languages can not only cause a great loss of ancient tradition, but for those who convert, they can endure severe consequences of betrayal. For those who choose a new type of lifestyle as well as enduring major cultural changes.. will they be punished for doing so ? Will this be viewed as backstabbing and in ways be seen as being sacreligious ? What do you think would happen to the world if everyone understood everyone else ? I also think A LOT of political issues would come of this, and it would greatly effect sales considering some ways people are tricked into paying more than they need to is a result of language-barriers. Would people then try to come up with other ways to individualize themselves ? Would people then create different, secret ways to communicate other than languages ? Will peoples values, traditions and heritages become less important or non-existant ? Could this create things like gangs and family break-ups ? Or would the positives win .. and this world may actually succeed better and have less racism, and everyone can for once be viewed and treated as equals ? Sunday, February 14, 2010 After reading Iverson's bland reading about gesture and speech the only thing idea that really stood out to me was the idea of "segmented strategy". Segmented strategy is what the blind in the experiment used to move about the course. They used subdivisions to break up the course and make the path more familiar and easier to follow. This strategy was rarely used by the children who were blindfolded. Thinking further I realized just how much this segmented strategy is used in our daily lives. We are constantly categorizing and dividing information we take in. Since many of us are going into communication design fields after Pratt, I thought I'd share some advertising strategies fueled by this idea of "segmented strategy". I found this article about marketing that actually claimed segmentation is the the key to winning the customer over. For advertisers the first thing you need to do is really classify who your target audiences are, and segment them into various groups. Companies also use segmentation to prioritize new development efforts and customize marking programs to be most effective to their consumer's needs and wants. Saturday, February 13, 2010 I read an article off written by Paul Graham. He talks about why we lie to kids, which kids we tell the truth to, and the subjects that lead us into lying or "bending the truth." Some of the topics he talks about are protection, sex, drugs, innocence, death, identity, authority, school, peace and detox. Have you ever been around a young child, who isn't yours and they ask you a provocative question? For a second you're shocked then you gather your thoughts, do you answer the question correctly, make up an answer, or tell the child to ask their parents at a later time? The pressure of answering a provocative question to a child is huge, with their minds not yet fully developed any bit of shocking information can imprint their little minds for a lifetime, and the imprint is not always positive. But on the contrary which is better, keeping your children protected and therefore leading to an age of shock when they realize the truth or just telling them the truth right off the bat? Grahm goes on to discuss the question, what lies are really "lies". For example when you bring your new born baby home and place them in a nice quiet room with a perfect temperature a calming color, which is completely opposite of real life which includes loud noises, rude people, and completely dirty colors due to liter and overuse...is keeping your baby in a protected environment lying to them? Should we be more like transcendentalists, act through tough love and let our children learn from experience? So then at what age do you give them a sense of reality? What reality do you reveal first? Do we have as much control over our children as we think? Can protection be viewed as abuse? Well first, as a continuation of what we were talking about at the end of class last week...I looked at a few different articles about whether or not smoking cigarettes could possibly lower your I.Q. The consensus seems to be that it is possible, but oddly most of the studies I found that were talked about researched the affect of smoking on alcoholics' brains. I thought this was a little strange because the titles of the articles were about smoking, not alcoholism. In any case, the general idea seemed to be that alcoholism affects your I.Q., and smoking on top of that (like apparently 50-80% of alcoholics) is only further diminishing it. Not really shocking. This article talked about the story of a football player who beat all the odds, from getting injured to getting replaced over and over again, to end up with a successful sports career despite it all. It describes the player's, Kurt Warner's, ability to ignore the negative evidence against him "anchoring", or "confirmation bias". These anchors are determinations or biases we develop that cause us to, when recieving information, keep only what supports or confirms our biases and throw the rest out without a second thought. I thought this was an interesting idea, having never considered it an issue of bias or even necessarily a negative thing before. Isn't that just confidence? Maybe it's over-confidence. The article toyed with the idea that perhaps while we normally consider "over-confidence" to be a negative thing, it can obviously have some strong positive effects, as in Kurt Warner's case. He states that his determination came from the fact that he just never felt emotionally that he wasn't as good as the players replacing him or that he didn't belong. The author of the article explains numerous pieces of evidence that suggest that Warner was not, in fact, as good as the other players. The author goes on to use this situation as a microcosm for the place of cognitive psychology in our world, saying "...cognitive psychology is an excellent tool for modeling the brain, and an occasionally wildly inefective tool for modeling reality." Do you agree with this? I feel that there is maybe some truth to it, but would not state it as strongly as the author, as he seems to insinuate that cog psych is therefore irrelevant to reality, which I disagree with. It is, however, interesting that what concepts work in a technical study of the brain may not always pan out in reality. Thursday, February 11, 2010 The article titled The cognitive psychology of circumstantial evidence enlightened me to the fact that cognitive psychology and how it is related to a verdict by a jury in a court case. The article discusses the fact that circumstantial evidence(evidence that indirectly proves a fact, i.e. a forensic scientist who testifies that ballistics proves the defendant's firearm killed the victim) is less convincing to a jury then Direct evidence(an eyewitness of the shooting). But studies have shown that more than 58% of the time eyewitness identifications are mistake. Whereas 1% of DNA matches turn out to be false. So why is it common for many jurors to gravitate towards direct evidence over circumstantial evidence? The article suggest that it is due to the idea that jurors simply do not understand circumstantial evidence and thus routinely underestimate its effect on the objective probability of the defendant's guilt. How a circumstantial case can be acquitted by a jury even though they find the evidence to be strong enough to convict. one theory presented is that jurors cannot wrap their heads around circumstantial evidence, therefore they tend to subconsciously hold it on a lower pedestal when deliberating. I think that the rule of "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" is one that a jury must always keep in mind when coming to a decision. In a way to disregard the Warren Harding error discussed in this weeks reading. To try to think like Bob Gollemb, the car salesman. To not acquit a case on the basis of their ability to imagine a scenario in which the defendant is factually innocent, when there is probable mechanical calculations. I feel maimonides(jewish philosopher) had a great insight to the dilema: volunteers in the study. volunteers in the study. Tuesday, February 09, 2010 Visual illusions can be a metaphor for rationality. When an illusion is proven to just be a trick, your intuition fools you in a repeatable predictable way and there is no way around it. Vision is the best thing that Humans can do. We have been evolutionarily designed to use our sight. If illusions can trick our best sense then it is not hard to imagine that if we are making mistakes in something we are so good at then what are the chances that we dont make mistakes in other areas that we are not as good at? Things that we dont have an evolutionary reason to do with no specialized part of the brain like vision has and something we dont spend many hours of the day doing. We may make many more mistakes and not even realize that we are making them. Cognitive illusions are harder to demonstrate than visual illusions. For an example, organ donor percentage in European countries can be seperated into two groups, countries that have a very high percentage of donors and countries with very low percentages of organ donors. When asked some thought it had something to do with cultural issues or it had to do with how much the people cared about society or maybe that it was about religion. However, the graph shows countries that are thought to be very simple but demonstrate different behaviors. It turns out it actually has to do with the forms that the people must fill out at the DMV. The forms in the countries with low numbers of donors have a choice that says "check the box below if you want to participate in the organ donor program." What happens is people dont check the box so they dont join. The countries that have a lot of donors have a form that says, "Check the box below if you dont want to participate in the organ donor program." When people get this they dont check but they do join. This means that even though we feel like we make all the decisions in our lives ourselves, many of our decisions are nit residing within us. The person that designed the form will have a huge influence in what you will do. You might think that if you were to encounter one of those forms that you would change your behavior but you have such a feeling that you are in control of your own behaviors that it is very hard to believe that we actually have an illusion of making a decision. Some may think that this happens because it's something no one really cares about and it's after you're dead so it doesn't effect you, but in reality its exactly the opposite. It is because we care and it is such a complex desicion that we dont know what do do so we leave the box blank and we pick whatever it is that was chosen for us. This is also examined when making decisions of different kinds. For example the choice between an all expence paid trip to Rome or and all expence paid trip to Paris. They are both different but it is difficult to choose. Then if you introduce a choice that is inferior to one of the other choices it is much easier. If you have the choice between an all expence paid trip to Paris and two seperate trips to rome except one of the trips does not include coffee with breakfast then the trip that does include coffee with breakfast suddenly becomes the superior choice and even begins to look more superior to paris. It is the same with physical attraction. An experient was done where a group of people were asked to pick between two faces to take on a date but half of the group was given those same two faces with a third face that was similar to one of the other faces but slightly uglier. This was to see whether the uglier version would work in favor of the more attractive person and it was true. This is usually how people pick someone to take bar hopping. They choose someone that looks similar to them but a little uglier. When we build physical things we understand our limitations and we buld around them. when it comes to the mental world such as designing things like healthcare, retirement and the stock markets we forget our limitations. If we understand our cognitive limitations in the same way we understand our physical limitations we could design a better world. Pinker States, "It is really puzzling for the science of the mind why, when an unpleasant event befalls us--we slice out thumb along with the bagel or knock a glass of beer into our lap--the topic of conversation turns abruptly to sexuality, excretion, or religion." I really enjoyed this part of the reading, because it points to a taboo area of language that is not typically acknowledge or discussed, and therefore it is sometimes is overlooked as being inconsequential to the world we live in but the excerpt bellow states otherwise: "Virtually all people swear, and people swear pretty consistently throughout their lifetime — from the moment they can speak to the day they die. Swearing is almost a universal constant in most people's lives. Research, according to Jay, has shown we swear on average from 0.3% to 0.7% of the time — a tiny but significant percentage of our overall speech (frequently-used personal pronouns occur at approximately 1.0% rate in speech). Swearing is more common than you might think. But personality research suggests that people who swear more, not surprisingly, score higher on traits such as extraversion, dominance, hostility and Type A personalities. Swearing is not just for the uneducated or people of a lower socioeconomic class — it knows no social boundaries in its expression. Swearing is a natural part of human speech development. We learn which words are taboo and which words are not through our normal childhood development." The article I came across in the New York Times entitled "Language as a Blunt Tool of the Digital Age" addressed several concepts that I'm sure we all are aware of. Unfortunately, it seems that the "art" of speaking in the American culture has nearly diminished. Word usage is rarely taken seriously. In regards to linguistics, we value practicality to complement our fast-paced methods of communicating. Text messaging, blogging, emailing, twittering, etc. in many cases force us to use less words. What does this do to the way we interpret what is being said? Since a desired intent can not come across because of word limitations, the meaning is therefore altered. I think many problems arise from this which are probably more substantial than what is recognized. Entire thought patterns are disrupted by misinterpretations. Our processing of other information has drastically changed. Our intake of information from the vastness of the World Wide Web differs greatly from the way in which we obtain information by reading a book. The article's author classified it as a"power-skimming, link-hopping and window-toggling" kind of reading. So there is, in my opinion, much reason for the sorts anxiety about language that exist and have been experienced in the past. Language is being undermined by other factors besides technology, like business and globalization. The article made an interesting point about business language. Companies use terms like "levering up" and finding "synergy" to avoid the reality of the situation. Pinker stated in The Stuff of Thought that reality is a separate representation to each and every individual. What kind of reality formulates when someone is told that their company is "right-sizing" as opposed to someone telling them they're fired? The article also relates to Pinker's ideas of using these kinds of alternate words and phrases. There is a veil that is placed over things when their true intent or implication is desired to be hidden. However, quick psychology is used by individuals to infer the the real intent. It is compelling to consider language in the rapidly shifting, ever-advancing world that we live in. The question of where we are heading in terms of articulating ourselves and experiencing value of language is definitely something to think about. Going downhill? Most likely. Monday, February 08, 2010 The excerpt from Pinker got me particularly interested in the role of semantics within politics. Obama's presidency, as well as his presidential campaign, has been full of semantic obstacles. Barack Hussien Obama, though American-born and an openly practicing Christian, has been scrutinized for the Arab connotations of his name. Despite the facts, a disturbing number of people have rallied around the idea that his name indicates that he is either a Muslim, a terrorist or both. Public approval of policies also depends heavily on strategic semantics. For instance, the appointment of government "Czars" started under Ronald Reagan's presidency. Czars have no actual power and only serve as advisers for different efforts (such as drugs or the auto industry). Despite the fact Czars in the US government have nothing in common with the positions of power held by the Czars of Russia's past, conservative extremists have manipulated the connotations of the word to frame the Obama administration as communist or totalitarian. Just as we have implicit associations with people, we have them with the words and names we use and hear everyday. Strangely enough, I feel a lot less guilty about stereotyping a word than I do another human being, even if the fundamental principles are more or less the same. If anyone's interested, this video is an entertaining look at how ignorance and semantics can be a lethal combination. Skip to 4:22 seconds in. I came across this article titled "Study Suggests 'We' Words Strengthen Marriages" in the New York Times from last week. It marries the Gladwell topic we discussed last week with the language topic we are blogging about this week. Last week we talked about how Gladwell claimed to be able to determine the future of a couple's relationship through some interviews, down to a very specific measurement. This article, while it doesn't discuss Gladwell specifically, delves into the idea of diagnosing the disease of the couple through the symptoms they present interacting with one another. Specifically, the symptoms they display in their use of language. The article narrowed it down to one thing: what pronoun did each person use? If they each used "me" or "I", the prognosis was not good. However, using "we" or "us" signified a sense of unity and understanding between the two, and maybe they'd make it after all. Similar to the studies we talked about last week, other things were measured, as well, including heart rate and blood pressure. This helped to determine percieved stress levels of each indivdual. Each interview lasted only 15 minutes, and again as in the studies we talked about last week, were based around a point of contention between the two people. I considered the fact that this is a fairly easy to recognize symptom of a troubled relationship...for example, in an unhappy relationship, aren't you likely to realize you're saying "me" instead of "us"? And if you don't wish to be percieved as being a part of an unsuccessful relationship, you would maybe adjust your language accordingly, right? ***** So what came first: the chicken or the egg? Does saying "we" make a happier couple, or does only a happier couple use "we"? My initial reaction is that although the latter seems more likely, does that mean using "we" when you might really want to say "me" wouldn't have an effect? Wouldn't small, subtle signs of unity and understanding subconsciously create these feelings? Psychologist Doreen Arcus disagrees, stating: "A practical test of the power of pronouns, she said, would be to instruct people ''feeling deeper conflict to use more `we,' and if you change the way they speak, does it alleviate the conflict? Language that does not reflect behavioral realities won't fool anyone for long.'' Maybe she's right...but I still wonder if it couldn't have at least a small positive effect, like positive energy. Is everyone overthinking the value of a couple pronouns? Does saying "me" mean you're not thinking about "us"? Or is it just a natural way to speaking evolving from decades of thinking "me" as a single person? One man in the article says, "I still have a tough time saying `we' versus `me' in many realms of our relationship. It was `me' for 26 years of my life." Furthermore, insisting on "we" seems to paint a narrow picture of marriage. Some people live more independently from one another than other couples, but that does not necessarily make them less successful, happy, or likely to stay together in the long run. Still, a sudden shift from "us" to "me" could clearly be a negative indicator in the relationship, of course. The relationship is clearly changing if you're thinking about "your" plans and not "our" plans.
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Category Archives: Uncategorized I think it's safe to say most of us would agree being "strong" is a good thing. Being strong, physically or emotionally, is generally a desirable trait. It makes sense then, that when most of us train, we're training to increase our strength. For most people, they associate training to be strong with resistance training (i.e. lifting weights). However, being "strong" extends beyond the power of our muscles. Perhaps not as obvious, but we also train to become stronger when we perform cardiovascular exercise (i.e. running sprints). When we have a strong cardiovascular system we have a heightened endurance, a healthy heart and lungs, and the ability to perform long bouts of work without keeling over in complete exhaustion. Or in other words, we're moving into "sexy strong" territory. Sexy Strong vs. Fat Strong Unfortunately, a disproportionate number of people aren't training for a well-rounded body of strength, or what I'll refer to as "sexy strong". Sexy strong is a body with not only impressive muscular strength, but a low-level of body fat, great flexibility, a tremendous endurance, and healthy and well-functioning internal organs and vital signs. On the flip side, there's something I like to call "fat strong". Someone like either of the two guys pictured below would be what I'd consider fat strong. Yeah, they can bench a small car…but can they touch their toes? From a muscular standpoint these guys are obscenely strong, there's no doubt about that. But that's where the impressiveness of their abilities ends. They've got high levels of body fat, low levels of flexibility, and I'm guessing a poorly trained cardiovascular system, which leaves them at great risk for heart disease as they age. The idea of becoming a big, bulky, block of muscle is what most women fear more than death, public speaking, or being locked in a box full of snakes with laser beams attached to their heads. This is the reason so many women shy away from lifting weights…let alone weights heavy enough to make a difference. Of course, being fat strong doesn't have to be like the example illustrated above. Fat strong could be that girl on the treadmill who does tons of cardio but still has a layer of exercise resistant body fat because she refuses to pick up a weight and actually get her metabolism moving. You don't need to be built like a tank to be fat strong. A disproportionate level of fitness or only placing a focus on one element of your health is all it takes. Surrounded by Hordes of Skinny People It's time to realize that developing real muscular strength doesn't have to be associated with getting gigantic. Here's a real-life example which served as the motivation for today's post…. A couple of weeks ago I went to an indoor rock climbing gym with a buddy who climbs. After making our way to the wall and giving it a go, I realized just how difficult rock climbing really is. A short while later, as I was sitting on the mats tending to my blistered and bloody hands, I took notice of some of the people around me. All of them…..literally, ALL OF THEM were skinny, yet incredibly defined. These skinny people were scaling up the wall like monkeys, pulling off climbs I could only dream about making. These same people were rocking out two finger pull ups on a climbing board on the other side of the gym. I was surrounded by dozens of skinny guys and girls, with seemingly not much muscle, but strength that was almost beyond imagination. What's the moral of the story? Training to become strong and turning into a big, bulky, neckless wonder doesn't need to go hand in hand. You can become strong..very, very strong, without giving up your physique. I'm not going to call him sexy strong…….let's just say he's really fit. This is what you need to remind yourself the next time you're afraid of picking up a weight because you think you're going to instantly morph into Ray Lewis. Getting that big takes work; it takes a lot of eating. If you're not eating for super size, you're not going to have to worry about turning into a giant. On the other side of the spectrum we have the people who only focus on lifting weights and forget another important aspect of sexy strong; building a strong cardiovascular system. When you focus on bulking up and forget about the rest of your fitness, you're putting yourself on the fast track to becoming a giant mound of muscle, incapable of much else besides being able to lift heavy objects in linear fashion. No functionality, no practicality, just strong for the sake of being strong. How to Get Sexy Strong So if you're looking for a well-rounded and healthy body, inside and out, it's vital to focus your efforts on becoming sexy strong. Take a well-rounded approach to your fitness and don't neglect any one of the three pillars of your health. These pillars include: Good cardiovascular endurance High percentage of lean muscle mass and functional strength Great joint range of motion and flexibility So what do you do? How do you achieve sexy strong and avoid the pitfalls of fat strong? Simply put, use a fitness routine that encompasses a wide range of fitness discipline and training methodologies. This is something I've employed here at Share It Fitness, as well as with my real-world clients. I call it Body Diversity Training, and I truly believe it's the best and most effective way to build an incredibly fit and healthy body. Training in this manner would mean using a variety of different cardiovascular workouts, varying your strength exercises, and including elements of yoga, pilates, and other fitness disciplines to ensure a well-rounded level of fitness. So wherever you're starting out, you have a choice to make – doesn't matter if you're beginning your fitness journey 80 lbs overweight or you're already at 12% body fat and looking to take things to another level. Making the conscious decision to be sexy strong is the best decision you can possibly make. Train all three pillars of your health and your reward will be a great body and health for years to come. Another month in 2013 down….Happy April and Happy Friday! Enjoy your weekly free workout mix! We're switching from House to a little Hip Hop this week from The Hood Internet. Shoot us a Tweet if you use it! Enjoy! everyone themselvesIf you thought our first treadmill interval workout was tough…just wait… It's baaack. The follow-up to our now infamous first treadmill interval workout is here, and it's badder than ever. It's been almost a year since our first treadmill interval workout hit the press but we heard you all loud and clear since then. Hard didn't even begin to describe it. Brutal? Getting closer. The original was just plain ridiculous. It took many months of conditioning for some to even make it through the entire thing. But you know what? Those of you who stuck with it and made it an integral part of your training, realized just how good this workout was. This realization made itself known in the form of tight tummies, round butts, and a lean, toned appearance. We got to thinking, it's about time we put together a proper follow-up. After all, who can't appreciate the simplicity of an entire workout consisting of just a treadmill. No running around the gym, giving evil eyes to anyone who looks like they're about to grab that exercise ball you're just 3 reps away from running over to use. Just you and a treadmill. We're sticking to similar goals here; massive calorie burn (>800), dramatically increased EPOC, boosted metabolism, and a great 1-2 day a week workout that can quite easily slide right in with the rest of your current fitness plan. There's a little twist this time however… A Little Twist… To really push things into higher gear, we're going to do a little work in between some of our intervals. This time, we're combining explosive plyometric movements with the treadmill work, to deliver one of the most intense lower body workouts you've ever seen. The combination of sprinting and jumping is going to do wonders for helping you build lean, shapely muscle across your lower body, while also ensuring your heart rate stays high, and your energy systems are depleted. By pushing yourself so far from your normal resting state, your body is going to have to work extra hard to bring you back to that pre-psycho workout state. This is where EPOC comes along and helps you continue to burn calories well after you leave the gym. Real quickly, EPOC refers to the number of calories it takes to get your body back to that pre-exercise state. The further from that pre-exercise state you are, the more energy (calories) it's going to take to get you back there. As I mentioned last time, the speeds are suggested guidelines. Of course many of you won't be able to run this fast at first..or even after a while. That's okay. The speeds I've listed are appropriate for an experienced exerciser with well-established endurance. 42:10-44:00 – Turn around and shuffle, leading with the opposite foot. 44:10-50:00 – Lower speed to 3.5 mph run/jog backwards 50:10-60:00 – Increase incline to 15%, run/jog at 4mph Coil up like a spring and EXPLODE during the plyo portion of this workout… That's it – all done. Looking back at this workout, let's check out what we're doing here. We're putting you through some hiit sprinting for distance, which I always find to be a bit more challenging than going for time. Next, we're hitting your body with a fast side shuffle – something it surely isn't used to. We keep mixing things up with different movements and speeds before we get into the real wildcard - 10 minutes of back-to-back plyometric circuits. Your legs are going to be jelly by this point, but keep going and make a conscious effort to EXPLODE through each plyo movement. We'll finish things up with a little more shuffling, backwards running, and finally, burning things out with a strenuous 4mph hike at 15 degree elevation. This treadmill interval workout is going to absolutely destroy your legs. You'll probably have some serious soreness after this, so be sure to give yourself adequate rest before going back at it. Remember, this workout is designed to max out your fat burning potential, improve your endurance, and help build picture-perfect lower body muscle. When you need to step things up a notch, want a real kick in the pants, or really want to start making progress, give this treadmill interval workout. Just remember to thank us as soon as you're finished cursing us. There are few things in life that compare to the level of frustration one with an inability to lose weight will experience. And I'm not talking about people who skip the gym, eat junk food, and go on bi-monthly diets. Sorry to say it, but if this sounds like you, you've got no one to blame but yourself. Right now, I'm talking about the people who have a pretty good idea of how to lose weight, eat cleanly, go to the gym, and STILL can't drop the excess body fat. You've heard it over and over again; fitness is simple. But despite your best efforts, fitness is anything but simple and understandably so. How can fitness be called simple when you do what you're told and still don't look how you know you should? Read on as we look at what even the most disciplined individuals can do to speed up their fat burning potential and finally achieve the body they so badly deserve. Are you really doing everything you can? The majority of people who come to me and tell me they're doing everything perfectly, but still can't lose weight, almost always have a little bit of, shall we say, "mis-remembering", going on.. Are you REALLY doing everything you should be doing? Until you are certain of this, you can't claim you are unable to lose weight like "everyone else". Some often overlooked things you should be mindful of: Sugar intake. How much sugar are you taking in each day? Each cup of coffee or banana really will add up. Meals out. How often are you really eating food cooked by someone else? Sugar, fat, etc. are all hidden in restaurant meals. Missed workouts. A missed workout here or there doesn't seem like much, but they add up quickly. Workout schedule. How long are you actually at the gym? Going 6 days a week but for 20-minutes a session isn't as much work as it seems. Alcohol habit. Even if it's only on the weekends, how much are you drinking? These empty calories can wreak havoc on an otherwise picture perfect health plan. Late night eating. Are you eating late at night? Even worse, are you eating late at night after you've been drinking? Workout intensity and variety. There is no such thing as "the perfect workout"…but there are damn hard workouts. Are your workouts on par with the "lucky people" who don't have excess weight to lose. If you're sitting around wondering how to lose weight faster or why you can't seem to lose weight at all, I'd take a look at the above bullet points. These seven factors are almost always what's throwing a wrench into the equation. One small (but habitual) slip up can be enough to throw your metabolism out of whack, slow down your calorie burning potential, and leave your body in a constant state of "average". How to Lose Weight and Burn More Fat When Nothing is Working Let's pretend you've passed that checklist above. EVERYTHING is spot on and you're just not making any progress. Most often, simply turning up the heat on your workout is going to help get you over the hump. Whether you're stuck on a damn plateau or your body simply burns fat at a slower rate than other people, increasing the intensity of your workout plan is an almost guaranteed way to increase your caloric burn (and improve your body). When we work out alone, as most of us do, it becomes way too easy to fall into a rut, or simply half-ass some of our workouts. If you're leaving the gym and not feeling exhausted, it's no wonder your progress is slowing down. You've GOT to push yourself hard. If you think you've been working out at max effort for a while now, I've got a little test for you. Give this treadmill interval workout a try to see how you stack up. So how ya feelin' after an hour of that treadmill interval? If you're absolutely exhausted, then good, that's how you're supposed to feel after a workout. Not able to make it through the whole thing? Now you see what a real cardio workout should be like. Got through it no problem? Ask yourself if you feel this way after most of your workouts. The moral of the story is, the fittest and healthiest people are those who have found out how to push themselves. Do whatever it takes, but be your own personal drill sergeant. Get yourself to go faster, do another rep, and stay a little longer in the gym. Putting in an extra 15 minutes may not seem like much, but if you're used to doing an hour, that's an extra 25% of work everyday. What if you were burning 25% more calories everyday….that would add up in a hurry wouldn't it? Stop Comparing The one thing you absolutely must realize is no two people are created alike (identical twins notwithstanding). Just because workouts X, Y, Z and the _____ diet work for Joe, doesn't mean they're going to work for you. Yes, it's true that some people can eat what they want, workout half as long as you do, and have a body that just blows yours away. Genetics certainly plays a role, but it's not a foregone conclusion as to what you can or can't achieve. You've got to understand that some people simply have to work harder than others. Your body may "want" to keep that fat around your stomach, and if you're going to lose it, you're going to have to put in more minutes doing cardio, or lifting weights, or whatever the case may be. The point is, don't compare your personal workouts to another person and assume because they work for them they will automatically work for you. Prepare to push yourself harder, longer, and faster if necessary to reach your goals. At the end of the day, you've also got to understand that while a lot of your health and physique is under your control, some of it is not. Not everyone has the genetic makeup to bench press 500 pounds. Every woman doesn't have a Victoria's Secret model body hiding inside of her. The happiest and most successful people are the one's who realize what they've been given and do everything in their power to improve upon it. Like this article? Well then LIKE US on Facebook so you'll never miss our daily fit tips, recipes, or workouts to keep you feeling fine, fit, and fabulous. Before we even begin to look at today's workout plan, let's first take a look at some of the most common problems people are facing. Take a good look below and see which most closely resembles you. "I'm fat, I need to lose weight!" Okay so you've got an easy 30+ pounds to lose. Maybe you don't have much fitness experience, or maybe you do (in a distant past), that's irrelevant. You need to increase your caloric burning potential, give your metabolism a jump start, and focus on improving your diet. "I've got muscle, but I can't get RIPPED!" So like it or not, you can't get ripped because you've got too much fat. When you burn away that layer of fat covering your muscles, you'll become ripped, toned, cut….whatever you want to call it. You need to increase your cardiovascular work to burn away that fat, while continuing to focus on strength training so you don't lose your hard fought muscle in the process. Following a diet that suits your training is essential. "I'm a lean, mean, BEAST….but I'm stuck on this damn plateau!" You're fit, everyone in the gym knows your fit, but being an A personality, you can't help but want to push yourself to new heights. You still enviously look at the "more fit" people in the gym and wonder how you get to that level. You've been mixing your workouts for a while now, but you still can't get over that plateau you're stuck on. A plan that uses advanced training concepts and a variety of fitness disciplines is in order. "I'm not fat, I'm not skinny…I'm just average…and I'm sick of it!" You aren't overweight, but you certainly aren't getting compliments on your physique either. You likely have soft, weak muscles and an average build. Your endurance isn't great; you get winded walking a flight of stairs for God's sake. You're looking for a total fitness overhaul; you want the skinny waist, you want the muscular definition, and you want that healthy glow. A balanced cross-training plan utilizing a variety of fitness methods will help you break out of that old "average" body and into something you can be proud of. "I'm a dude but I fit into my girlfriends jeans…and no, I'm not emo" So you're a guy and you're looking to add some muscle to that frail frame? Would your physique make a high-fashion model jelaous? You've likely tried working out in spurts, here and there over the years, but never realized much success. It seems no matter what you do, you can't develop any musculature. You going to require a plan that focuses on utilizing advanced resistance methods, combined with explosive plyometrics for muscle growth and heart health. A "growth" diet is essential if the above quote describes you. The answer (the oh so awesome and amazing answer) to all of the above is a body + weight workout plan. No, not a bodyweight workout plan, but a body + weight workout plan. We're not talking about giving you a series of bodyweight exercises (think: push ups, mountain climbers, crunches) and calling it a day. We're talking about pairing compound bodyweight exercises with challenging weighted exercises in a circuit style format to deliver maximum results in a hurry. First, The Body…. The "body" component here, is derived from plyometric, body weight exercises that are designed to build lean, explosive muscle, while jacking your heart rate to maximize your caloric burn. Think about that…two birds one stone. Not only are you going to improve your muscular endurance and physique, you're going to shed calories and fat in the process. As an added, and awesome bonus, this high-intensity manner of training will do wonders for your metabolism, thereby helping you torch calories at an increased rate all day long. You're 60 minute jog on the treadmill could never do that. You burn calories by increasing heart rate. You could do that by jogging, swimming, biking, etc. But as I always stress, long bouts of steady state cardio are simply inefficient for the overwhelming majority of exercisers. First, it's going to eat up your muscle mass, leaving you with a soft, frail, and weak body. Second, because your muscle mass is being used for energy, the layer of fat covering your body is going to be reduced at a snail's pace. You want an "average" body like we mentioned above? Well, then long bouts of steady-state cardio is the choice for you. Assuming you don't…keep reading. Next, the Weight… The next component of this workout plan is the weighted resistance training. We're jumping back and forth between high-intensity body weight training, and big, powerful, explosive lifts. We're not going for dinky dumbbell curls….or tricep kickbacks. We're looking for a total body overhaul here and little isolation exercises aren't going to get it done. As we quickly shift from an explosive body weight exercise to pumping iron, we're going to exponentially build upon the caloric burn rate set in motion by the high-intensity body weight stu8ff. The result is a deadly combination of fat burning and muscle building glory. By utilizing heavy weights and lower rep cycles, we're going to force our body to go into overdrive. This overdrive is going to spike our EPOC and resulting metabolism. This double-shot action will do wonders for our overall caloric burn well after the workout has ended. Now, for all of you out there who are worried this increased caloric burn will make building muscle a bit too difficult…don't worry. We're also using a variety of lift/rest sequences to keep your body guessing. There is no standard 30/60/etc second rest during this workout. Depending on the exercise that precedes it, the rest time is going to vary. You'll have just enough rest to recuperate, but not enough to feel as though you're 100% fresh. This balanced attack is the key to making success with this workout plan. The Body + Weight Workout Plan When broken down into simplest form, this body + weight workout plan is actually a psuedo complex circuit with metabolic conditioning and HIIT elements. This Frankenstein of workout plan delivers awesomely quick results, and most importantly, is easily tweaked for nearly any body type. It doesn't matter where you fall; whether you're 30 pounds overweight or rail thin and wanting to bulk up. When paired with an appropriate diet, this type of training will blow everything else out of the water. To make things easy, as you'll notice, each sequence groups exercises with other similar exercises. What this means is, you won't be running from the bench press, to the cable machine, to the free weight section to complete a full sequence. All exercises in a sequence can be performed and completed in one little area. Some sequences require a barbell, some a dumbbell, others use cables, etc. Just get everything you need from the start and you won't waste any time switching between exercises. As I mentioned above, we're going for big, heavy, compound lifts here. I'm suggesting 6-8 reps per exercise. To make the most of these 6-8 repetitions, you'll want a weight that makes completing the 7th rep difficult, and then 8th nearly impossible (without losing form of course). If you're breezing through these 6-8 reps, you've GOT to bump the weight. The secret to this workout plan lies in its ability to shock your system by switching between fast-paced cardio and heavy lifts. This combo is essential if you want to make gains using this system. For each complete workout, choose FOUR of the seven sequences listed below. Since we're repeating each sequence three times, each workout will feature 12 mini-circuits. Depending on sequences chosen, you should be looking at total workouts that take NO MORE than 35-45 minutes. This workout plan will get you in and out of the gym in a hurry, and leave you feeling (and looking) fitter and healthier than you have in years. Vary the sequences you choose each workout, along with their order. Aim to complete the Body + Weight workout plan 4-5 days a week. Be sure to hit each sequence at least once a week. As your training abilities and fitness level increases, you'll want to find ways to continually push yourself. As you progress with this plan, aim to include an extra round per sequence, increase weights used, and complete more total reps during timed body weight exercises. A lot of making progress in the gym has to do a lot with what's going on between your ears. If you can find a way to push harder, faster, and stronger, you'll be rewarded with gains that last a lifetime. If you've got any questions about this workout plan, please feel free to leave a comment below and I'll be happy to get back to you. Also, be sure to subscribe to the blog so you'll be notified when additional sequences are added to increase the variety of this plan. Until then, get your mind and body right, and train like your life depends on it. BIG BIG news here at Share It Fitness! The complete revamp of our website and concept is almost complete! We've gained lots of amazing comments, suggestions and ideas during our 4 month Beta period and all that has paid huge dividends. We have a few very exciting programs upcoming, but one of the big ones for trainers that we are announcing today is our FitAnywhere platform. FitAnywhere Concept If you are familiar with Share It Fitness and have been following our blog and website for the last 18 months, you know we really do believe being fit and living a healthy lifestyle is not a complicated concept! It merely takes some dedication, moderation, and access to top-quality fitness instruction and information! Unfortunately, it's no secret that there is an obesity epidemic in America, which is largely the result of lack of that top-quality fitness instruction and information that we mentioned above. People inherently want to be healthy, look great and FEEL amazing! Without a basic understanding of how to achieve these, though, the curve of obesity and a sedentary/unhealthy lifestyle rises sharply. At Share It Fitness, we have been creating engaging workout plans, killer exercise videos, healthy recipes, and healthy lifestyle guidance for almost three years now. We don't believe in miracle diets, fad workouts or repetitive DVDs that have you performing the same group of workouts endlessly. Giving people another alternative is where the concept of our website took shape. We wanted to make top-quality fitness instruction ACCESSIBLE, DIVERSE and AFFORDABLE to ANYONE! Utilizing OnDemand video classes that end users can view from the privacy of their living room at a rate under 10 dollars a month allows even the most intrepid beginner access to TRY fitness and see that it's not as intimidating as they may think! There are several sites out there that offer OnDemand video workouts, but unfortunately the extent of their workouts come from just a few internal trainers. A quick search of YouTube shows the multitudes of trainer styles, methods and mantras out there, and we want to not only make those accessible in an easily navigable index for end users, but also provide trainers a way to monetize their methods, doing exactly what they already do. All you need is a video camera! How Does FitAnywhere Work? Fit Anywhere is simple. From your personal administration page you can add a picture, bio information, upload video workouts you've created and start promoting your channel to your current clients, facebook friends, twitter followers, blog subscribers and beyond! Your channel costs each subscriber only $8/month or $80/year (you keep $5 or $50 respectively for each subscriber!) and gives them full access to your premium videos. We require every channel provider to offer at least 2 free classes of at least 25 minutes in order to not only advertise and promote themselves (these free videos can be shared via social media), but also grows our free library of videos that makes video instruction absolutely free to those without the means to subscribe! The number of subscribe-only videos you add on a regular basis is up to you, but obviously new videos equal incentive for subscriber loyalty! What's In It For Me? Added income – At $5/subscriber, there is huge income potential. Many trainers that run blogs have thousands of subscribers…imagine being able to recruit those loyal subscribers for a low monthly fee to access classes that you probably already offer for free! Value add for current clients – With the ability to offer coupon codes to your current clients, you can offer subscription to your channel for free or at a discounted price! Offer classes to your on-the-go clients while traveling, or assign homework for days that you aren't meeting with them in person! Potential to recruit new local clients – With a full details page on your channel, you can publish your location, hours, and provide visitors to your channel with your contact information. If a potential client lives in your local area, what better marketing than trying your "product"? We allow all of our providers to post guest content on our blog (with a link to their channel page) which receives hundreds of thousands of unique visitors a month. Okay I'm Sold!! What Do I Do Next? You, as a potential Share It Fitness ambassador and content provider contact us using the contact form below. A representative from our team will reach out to you and have you send your fitness resume to us. While that is being reviewed, record a sample workout and post on Youtube (no more than 10 minutes please!). If we feel you have the camera presence and background to be successful on our site, you will be provided a channel administration platform on our site. A few requirements: You must have a camera that can record in HD. If you live in or can travel to the San Diego, CA area, arrangements CAN be made to film you by the Share It Fitness production crew. If you need recommendations on great cameras, we can make recommendations for ones around $300. Record a sample workout class no more than ten minutes, post to Youtube, and send us the link There are several great free video editing programs out there, and learning them takes a few hours, but it's time very well spent as this is a great skill for any fitness professional to have in today's evolving fitness industry! There are of course much more advanced video editing programs, and as your subscription base grows, you'll want to up the quality of your videos! We're here to support you, and as your user base grows, we'll help you grow with them! We have a video production team on call to support all providers! Two recommendations for starters: Once you are accepted as a provider, we will send you some links for free online classes that will give you the basics for video editing so you can constantly improve your offerings! But let's not get ahead of ourselves…send us your resume and post your video as soon as possible! We can't wait to work with you, and make Share It Fitness the epicenter of accessible, diverse fitness instruction! Secure Your Place Today!! Only the first 100 trainers selected will get lifetime hosting for free! There are two kinds of issues most of us face. On one hand, there are issues which we cannot change, like our height or genetic makeup, or who our parents are. On the other side, there are issues that we absolutely can change with enough effort, time, and committment. Becoming a doctor, losing 60 pounds, and overcoming a disability are all examples of obstacles that are possible for us to overcome. The great thing for the vast majority of you reading this is most of your goals are 100% attainable. I don't know about you, but personally, I rest much easier when I know I control my own destiny. When overcoming an obstacle is directly correlated to how much time and effort I put in, I feel much more at ease. It's the things I cannot change no matter how much effort I put in that bother me. So, let's first recognize that your goals are attainable, and your success or failure is completely determined by you and only you. Despite the fact we control our own success or failure, the overwhelming majority of fitness goals are never met; a sad but true fact. Have you ever wondered why this is? Millions of people are desperately trying to lose weight. Millions are trying to eat healthier. Every day there are literally hundreds of thousands of people exactly like you attempting to achieve very similar goals. Close to 90% will never get there. Why? Before we get into that, let's look at the other side of the spectrum. I'm sure you've noticed those people whom everything seems to come easy to. The ones with the booming businesses, rock hard abs, and Maserati in the driveway. What do these people have that everyone else doesn't? Why are they so successful and able to seemingly breeze through life? Well, this is where there is one thing that is outside our control. As you know, each of us has a different genetic make up. Some people are genetically wired to be excessively driven, motivated, and committed. Every heard of type-A personalities? These are those type of people. Of course there are varying degrees of drive inside each of us, but those who achieve things so easily are highly likely to have been wired this way. Now, that's not to say a less driven wiring system in your brain will prevent you from achieving your goals. You simply have to work harder to achieve than the people mentioned above. Nine times out of then, when a person doesn't achieve their goals it's because they didn't take the extra steps necessary to succeed. Remember, unless you're one of those type-A, extremely driven, and innately full of motivation, these steps are key. When these steps are ignored or only partially taken, we fail to achieve our goals. No accountability. You've absolutely got to find a way to hold yourself accountable. Whether it's a friend, support group, or another creative way to stay accountable, you have to find a way. When you aren't held accountable, not pushing the ball forward every day doesn't really matter. No patience. Most of us humans are impatient by nature. We want things done yesterday. By developing a long-term vision, you will understand reaching some goals won't be accomplished in a few days, weeks, or even years in some cases. By not stressing about not making fast enough progress you'll allow yourself to continually inch closer to achieving your goal. No committment. This one goes without saying; if you lack committment you're going to fall off the wagon and never reach your goal. So how do you find committment when it's lacking? Try to build emotional bonds to your goal. Put your heart into your actions, and decide WHY achieving this goal is important to you. Is achieving this goal more important than being a quitter? If so, you'll slowly develop a level of committment required to make progress. Excuses. There are a million excuses not to do things. Stop making them. When you don't want to take an action that will inch you closer to your goal, accept it for what it is. You're lazy, uncommitted, fill in the blank. When you start owning up to your lack of effort instead of hiding it behind an excuse, you'll notice your efforts gradually improve. Bad habits. We all have them, but those of us who can consciously recognize them are the ones who are able to change them. Be honest with yourself; recognize bad habits for what they are and work to change them. Bad habits have ruined many a goal. Whether it's not studying enough or late night snacking, bad habits are a sure-fire way to make sure you never get to where you want. Call them out, shine light on them, and they'll slowly start fading into your past. There are of course hundreds of reasons we don't achieve our goals, but these are what I consider to be the core five obstacles to making long-term success. Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to change everything at once. Slowly work on these five common issues and you'll find your abilities to reach goals will improve. Goal setting is an important part of making great fitness successes. Learn to set smart goals, persevere, and over time you'll be simply amazed at what you are able to do wanting UpsDon't let massive amounts of contradicting in the fitness industry slow you down... The Problem With The Fitness Industry What's one of your biggest gripes with the fitness industry? If you're like most people, it's the almost constant state of contradiction from experts and so-called experts alike. These days, it's almost impossible to take anything as a given. One day coffee is bad for you, the next it fights cancer. Sometimes it's good to do your cardio before you lift weights, other times it's better to split them up. Depending on who you ask, the best way to burn fat is high-intensity cardio, others will say long and slow is the best way. This back-and-forth, no concrete answers makes things very difficult for people who haven't spent a lifetime studying health and fitness; i.e. your average Joe or Jane. If you're like me, you really appreciate having fact-based, scientific answers or at least reason to believe something. Going off and doing something on a whim, or without any basis is hard for me to do. It becomes especially hard to do when it takes a lot of time and effort. How disheartening would it be to find out the six-day a week program you've been on has been doing little more than wasting your time. When it comes to fitness, I fully realize people want to maximize their time and effort; we're simply too busy for anything else. So, how to reconcile the plethora of contradicting fitness information while maintaining our sanity AND learning how to take the best advice to achieve our goals? It's actually not as hard as you might imagine… Exercise Less, Lose More Weight Lets take a look at a recent study featured on the homepage of CNN.com. A new Danish, university study produce some intriguing results. In short, researchers examined several groups of individuals. Those who didn't exercise, those who were put on a 30 minute a day exercise plan, and those on a 60 minute a day exercise plan. Participant weights and other health markers were taken before the study commenced. After 13 weeks, researchers compared the weight and other markers against the pre-study numbers. Astonishingly, the group exercising 30 minutes per day had a much larger weight loss than the 60 minute per day group. Not surprisingly, the group that didn't exercise was nowhere near as successful as the former two groups. For a full review of the study, click here. Now, there's been a lot of chatter about the results of this study. On social media outlets and blogs everywhere, the findings are being twisted and contorted in a variety of ways. Some people out there are saying with absolute certainty that less exercise is better for weight loss goals. Fitness plans are being created as I type this that jump on the "less is more" bandwagon. People are being fed information based on this ONE study. This is exactly how contradicting and confusion can quickly overtake a person searching for quality fitness information. Consider Your Source First off, there's nothing wrong with this study. It was a simple, well-designed, and ethically performed exercise study. We have no reason to assume the integrity of this study or researchers have been compromised. They accurately stated their findings while acknowledging possible reasons for the outcome, as well as potential flaws that could have contributed to the results. They did everything good researchers should be doing. The problem lies in the sources who take this studies or studies like this, and put their own spin on them. How many times have you read an article on a blog or social media site and wondered how they formed their opinion. Often times sources aren't listed, so you are left to take whatever the author has said at face value. At the very least, some sort of detailed explanation of reasoning should be given. When sources aren't listed and/or sound reasoning for the author's belief isn't given, alarms should start going off. The fitness world is rife with unfounded statements and advice. Often times these bits of advice are crafted to sway you towards a particular product, workout plan, or supplement; understand this. Your job is to start discerning the good authority figures from the bad, and in turn, you should begin developing a better sense of what is fact and what isn't. Find Sources that Speak to YOU Something else to consider; fitness isn't an exact science. No matter what some people will tell you, there isn't one road that leads to your goals. What works for one individual or group of people may very well not work for another. By recognizing this, you can start to see why there are so many different opinions on the same topics in the fitness world. What works best for high-performance athletes may not work for body builders. What works for body builders may not work for your average business professional or student who only has 3-4 hours a week to work out. The best way to find trusted and reliable sources on the web is to find those who target you and/or people like you. If you're a twenty-something female, who works out from home and the gym 3-4 times a week, bodybuilding.com probably isn't going to be for you. Start to follow a few blogs that have a style and tone that reflects you and your lifestyle, and over time you will begin to see a trend in their postings. If they are worth their salt, they should also be delivering high-quality advice and workouts that bring about noticeable changes. It may take time, but you should be able to find sources that you trust and are geared towards you in a relatively short time. Breath, Relax…It's going to be OK Above all else, don't get overwhelmed by the massive amount of information out there. In reality, most of the information is paraphrased anyways; the ideas are the same. You need to get beyond the re-write copy and find out quality sources. Admittedly, it's pretty hard to find a source that pumps out original content on a regular basis. It's even harder to find a source that pumps out QUALITY, original content on a regular basis. Nonetheless, seek these sources out; they're out there. Doing a search for "how to get a six-pack" will produce tens of millions of results. The bulk of this is the same information repeated in a different way, with a different product for sale at the bottom of the page. Ignore the mountain of salesy, gimmicky, and unfounded fitness tips. Dig a little deeper and sure enough, you'll find a quality blog you can relate to. The worst thing you can do is get so overwhelmed by all of this information and simply stop searching. Far too often, people give up, or just take some haphazard advice because the search for quality information has become too much of a burden. Don't be one of these people…perserve and you will be rewarded. Take Aways Seek out information backed by studies and/or well thought out logic. Question unfounded opinions and advice. Keep all studies in context. One lone study doesn't prove or disprove anything. Look for studies that have replicated the same results time and time again. Additionally, consider the sample size whenever analyzing a study. Understand fitness isn't an exact science; find sources who speak to you and your goals. What works very well for one person may not work very well for another. Most copy on the web are the same basic ideas, paraphrased another way, selling a different product. Seek out blogs and sources that produce regular, high-quality content, geared towards you and your lifestyle. Don't become overwhelmed. The worst thing you can do is stop seeking out quality information and advice because of all the crap that is out there. There are loads of great fitness resources out there, you've just got to find them. The Share It Fitness Way At Share It Fitness, we aim to deliver only original, quality, fact-based information for all of our users. Our workouts and information target the busy student or working professional not looking to run a two and a half hour marathon, but simply wanting to drop some pounds, improve their physique, and lead a healthier life. If this sounds like it describes you, consider subscribing to the blog so you don't miss any of our great content, but also check out our premium site, ShareItFitness.com. Here you'll find hundreds of OnDemand fitness classes ready to be streamed to your phone, tablet, computer, or TV. These full-length classes are just like the DVD programs or real-life group fitness classes you may be taking…with the added benefit of being able to take them anywhere, anytime. Best of all, we're still offering free beta memberships for a little while longer, so come give us a shot.
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BRIEF HISTORY OF CHESHIRE CO., NEW HAMPSHIRE The province of New Hampshire was divided into five counties in 1771. One of these was named Cheshire, deriving its name from a county in the west of England, celebrated for its manufacture of cheese; hence, the name originally. Keene and Charlestown were made the shire-towns. July 5, 1827, the county was divided, the northern portion taking the name of Sullivan County. This division left Cheshire County with its present limits. It is situated in the southwestern part of the State, bounded on the north by Sullivan County, east by Hillsborough County, south by the State of Massachusetts, and west by the west bank of the Connecticut River. It contains twenty-three towns, eight of which were incorporated in the reign of George II.--namely Chesterfield, Hinsdale, Keene, Richmond, Swanzey, Walpole, Westmoreland and Winchester, -- ten in the reign of George III--namely Alstead, Dublin, Fitzwilliam, Gilsum, Jaffrey, Marlow, Nelson, Rindge, Surry, Stoddard, -- and five under the government of New Hampshire--namely, Harrisville, Marlborough, Roxbury, Sullivan and Troy. In the census of 1880 there were 2836 farms. In 1827 Keene became the shire-town (county seat) of Cheshire County. The Inferior Court met here first in October 1771 and the Superior Court in 1772. The early settlers of Cheshire County came from the south along the Connecticut River. This area was originally the home of the "Squakheag" tribe of Native Americans, who remained here until about 1720. Brief History: Alstead (called Newton) was settled in 1735 as one in a line of nine forts intended to protect southwestern New Hampshire from Indian attacks. Incorporated as Alstead in 1763, it was named for Johann Henrich Alsted, who compiled an early encyclopedia that was popular at Harvard College. In 1781 its residents voted to become a part of Vermont, only to return to New Hampshire's rule the following year.New Hampshire's first paper mill was established here in 1793 by Ephraim and Elisha Kingsbury at Cold River. TOMBSTONES: John PRATT was born about 1741 and resided in Walpole, NH . He died 11 Feb 1814 and was buried in Old Cemetery, Main St., Walpole. John married Mary MARCH. | Mary MARCH was born 27 Jul 1778 and resided in Walpole, NH She was buried 3 in Old Cemetery, Main St., Walpole. Mary married John PRATT. History: Established in 1735, this town was the site of Fort #1, one of the line of forts bordering the Connecticut River, which was later known as Fort Dummer. The incorporation of the town took place in 1752 as Chesterfield, after Phillip Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield. Chesterfield includes the village of Spofford, and Spofford Lake. Harlan Fiske Stone, a chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1872-1946), was born in Chesterfield. FIRST METHODIST MEETING PLACE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE marker in Chesterfield NH - In 1772, "the people called Methodist" held their first religious meeting in this state on the James Robertson farm, 1.2 miles north of here, on Christian Street, with Philip Embury as the preacher. On June 20, 1803, Francis Asbury spoke here using as his text: "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." CHIEF JUSTICE HARLAN FISKE STONE marker - Born October 11, 1872, in a modest cottage 1.7 miles west of here on Horseshoe Road. Stone graduated from Amherst College and Columbia Law School, returning to the latter as Dean, 1910-1924. Attorney General of the United States in President Coolidge's Cabinet, he was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court in 1924, and Chief Justice in 1941, serving until his death April 22, 1946. A teacher, lawyer, judge and judicial craftsman of the highest order, he held the affection and respect of the lawyers of the nation. Located on NH 63, at its intersection with the Old Chesterfield Road in the village of Chesterfield. History: First granted in 1749 as Monadnock, the town was incorporated in 1771 as Dublin. Also called Number 3, it was one of a group of eight towns in the area settled by Scot-Irish colonists. The name of the town originates from Dublin, Ireland. The town of Dublin NH is home to Yankee Publishing, Inc. (who publish Yankee Magazine and the Old Farmer's Almanac). Online Book: The History of Dublin NH; section from History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire - D. Hamilton Hurd, 1886 Online Book: The history of Dublin, N.H. : containing the address by Charles Mason, and the proceedings at the centennial celebration, June 17, 1852, with a register of families - Dublin (N.H.), Published by the Town of Dublin NH, 1920 History: Originally settled as Monadnock No. 4, one of eight towns settled by Scot-Irish colonists. The town was named for William, fourth Earl of Fitzwilliam, and cousin to Governor Benning Wentworth. An early grantee in Fitzwilliam was Matthew Thornton, signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Hampshire. Fitzwilliam claims one of the earliest granite quarries in New Hampshire and is home to Rhododendron State Park. Villages and Place Names: Bowkerville, Fitzwilliam Depot, Rockwood, State Line BRIGADIER-GENERAL JAMES REED (1722-1807) marker - This veteran Captain of the French and Indian War, born in Woburn, Mass., settled here about 1765 as an original proprietor of Monadnock No. 4, now Fitzwilliam. After the Battle of Lexington, he recruited several companies to form the Third New Hampshire Regiment which aided General Stark at the Battle of Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War. He was commissioned a Brigadier-General following the siege of Boston and his engagement at the Battle of Ticonderoga. History: Gilsum was originally granted, under the name of Boyle (named after Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington and famous architect. Burlington, Vermont), to Joseph Osgood and his associates, December 30, 1752. No settlements were made under this grant, through fear of the Indians, until so late a date that the charter was forfeited. In March 1761, Benjamin Bellows bought from Rebecca Blanchard, widow of Joseph Blanchard, of Dunstable MA, the "Rights he had in Boyle..." This deed conveyed twenty-six rights. Joseph Blanchard purchased additional rights to the area from Theodore Atkinson of Portsmouth. He then sold some of these shares in 1761 to Samuel Gilbert, Esq., Josiah Kilburn, Thomas Sumner, Jonathan Smith and Joseph Mack, all of Connecticut, who in turn, sold some of their shares. In January 24, 1763 Thomas Sumner, on hehalf of the proprietors, petitioned Gov. Benning Wentworth for a new charter of the town, which was granted and the name changed to Gilsum on 13 July 1763. Reportedly the name "Gilsum" was given in settlement of a dispute as to whether the town should be named "Gilbert" or Sumner" after the respective proprietors, choosing "Gilsum" as a compromise. History & Genealogy: Gilsum, N.H. - TXT --Geography, geology and description of the town of Gilsum NH; origin of the name, early town boundary changes, 1880 population and town description, early physicians, early merchants and manufactories, the first settlement and first settlers, churches, early town officers, residents participating in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War (War of the Rebellion); Brief biographies of early and later settlers including: William Banks, Dr. Messer Carmon, Ezra Carpenter, John Guillow, John C. Guillow, Aaron Hammond, Dr. G. W. Hammon, Amherst Hayward, Nahum O. Hayward, Thomas Howard, Roswell Hubbard, George C. Hubbard, Charles Franklin Kinsbury, James M. Mark, Luther Mark, George W. Newman, Dudley Smith. History: First settled in 1760, the town was once part of Hancock, Dublin, Roxbury, Nelson, and Marlborough. It became a mill center when the Harris family built of one of the first woolen mills in New England. Up to 1830 the town was known as Twitchellville, after Abel Twitchell, whose daughter had married into the Harris family. When the business name was changed to Cheshire Mills, the town incorporated as Harrisville by Milan Harris in honor of his family. It was originally laid out on the line between Nelson and Dublin, on lot thirteen, range ten, of the latter town. This lot was first settled in 1774 by Abel Twitchel, who built a grist-mill and a saw-mill, immediately after settling, both under one roof. At an early date, also, Jason Harris built a blacksmith and trip-hammer shop. Pottersville was a hamlet located in the southwestern part of the town, its name derived from the extensive potteries that once thrived there. East Harrisville was another hamlet located in the southeastern part of the town. Villages and Place Names: Twitchellville, Pottersville, East Harrisville, Chesham, Eastview Station History: Hinsdale originally contained the township of Vernon (VT), on the opposite side of the Connecticut River. 21 October 1802 Hinsdale Vermont's name was changed to Vernon. The land was granted by Massachusetts at a very early period, but an exact time is difficult to determine because of changes in land governance between Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. Reportedly the land was purchased of native Indians and granted by the province of Massachusetts Bay...confirmed to the original proprietors of the town 3 Sept 1753 (New Hampshire charter of the township). Hinsdale was named for Colonel Ebenezer Hinsdale. Colonel Hinsdale was from a prominent family in Deerfield, and he was once chaplain of Fort Dummer, an important trading post on the Connecticut River. He later enlisted as an officer, and then established the trading post at Fort Hinsdale, reportedly at his own expense. HINSDALE'S AUTO PIONEER marker - In the Holman and Merriman Machine Shop opposite this location, George A. Long of Northfield (Mass.) in 1875 built a steam-propelled four wheel automobile with a fifth wheel for steering. This vehicle, fired by hardwood charcoal, had a bicycle-type frame, ordinary wooden wheels, solid rear axle and could maintain 30 miles per hour, roads permitting. This early inventor patented and built another automobile, propelled by gasoline, now in the Smithsonian Institution. Located on the edge of a parking lot on the south side of NH 119, about .2 mile east of its junction with northbound NH 63. History: First granted in 1736 to soldiers from Rowley, Massachusetts, returning from the war in Canada, the town was known as Rowley-Canada. In 1749 the town was re-chartered as Monadnock Number 2, sometimes called Middle Monadnock or Middletown. It was one of the first towns established under the New Hampshire proprietors' purchase of undivided lands under the Masonian claim. The town was regranted in 1767, and incorporated in 1773 as Jaffrey, in honor of George Jaffrey, member of a prominent Portsmouth family. George Jaffrey's son was a life trustee of Dartmouth College, and designer of the official college seal. Hannah Davis-Amos Fortune marker in Jaffrey - Buried behind Jaffrey's colonial Meeting House nearby are "Aunt" Hannah Davis, 1784-1863, resourceful and beloved spinster who made, trademarked, and sold this country's first wooden bandboxes; and Amos Fortune, 1710-1801, African-born slave who purchased his freedom, established a tannery and left funds for the Jaffrey church and schools. Located in Jaffrey Center, on the south side of NH 124, about 2 miles east of its junction with US 202. History: First granted in 1735 as Upper Ashuelot to soldiers in the wars against Canada, and intended to be a fort town. Establishment of the Massachusetts-New Hampshire boundary in 1753 made it one of the largest towns in New England. Under regrant by the New Hampshire governor, the town was named Keene, in honor of Sir Benjamin Keene of England, an associate of Governor Wentworth in the Spanish West Indies trade. Keene was incorporated as a city in 1873, and is home to Keene State College. KEENE GLASS INDUSTRY marker - The first of two famous Keene glass factories was established near this site in 1814 and produced window glass for the New England area until 1853. Another glass works (1815-1842), 1.5 miles southeast of here on Marlboro Street, made bottles and flasks now known as "Keene Glass" and prized today by museums and collectors. Located on the east side of Washington Street at Fuller Park. HAMPSHIRE POTTERY marker - About 150 feet north of here stood the famous Hampshire Pottery Works, founded by James Scolly Taft for the manufacture of earthenware. In 1878 Majolica ware was a major product, followed in 1883 by the addition of useful and decorative art objects and souvenir pieces. With the introduction in 1904 of the famous "mat glaze," Hampshire Pottery was recognized as a leader in its field. Located in front of the Keene Public Works Office Building on Lower Main Street. History: Marlborough was first granted in 1752 as Monadnock Number 5, one of the fort towns first known only by number. The town was at one time called Oxford, then New Marlborough, but was incorporated as Marlborough. Many of the settlers were from Marlborough, Massachusetts, which had been named for John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, in the late 1600's. History: First named Addison, after Joseph Addison, Secretary of State for England, who signed the appointment papers making John Wentworth Lieutenant Governor of New Hampshire under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts in 1717. As a result of the French War, few original grantees settled there, and the town was regranted in 1761 as Marlow, in honor of Christopher Marlowe, the famed author and playwright. History: One of the original border towns, Nelson was first known as Monadnock Number 6. In 1767, it was renamed Packersfield after Thomas Packer, one of the grantees, who was high sheriff of Portsmouth. It kept that name until 1814, when it was renamed in honor of Lord Horatio Nelson, who died on board the British ship Victory in the war against Napoleon. Nelson includes the village of Munsonville. Online Book: The History of Nelson NH; section from History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire - D. Hamilton Hurd, 1886 Online Book: Celebration by the town of Nelson - Nelson picnic association, Nelson, N.H.August 15, 1917, Sketch of the Early History of the Town, Names and Records of the Pioneer Settlers of Packerfiels which had part in the War of the Revolution 1775-1783, and Program of Anniversary Exercises. Photograph: Simon Goodell Griffin, b. born August 9, 1824 in Nelson, Cheshire Co. NH and died January 14, 1902 in Keene NH; m1) Ursula Harris; m2) Margaret Lamson; In 1860 he was a law student in Concord NH; In June 1861 Simon Goodell Griffin was appointed captain in the 2nd New Hampshire, and fought at 1st Bull Run. In 1862 he was made colonel and saw duty at 2nd Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Vicksburg. Griffin was appointed brigadier general of volunteers in 1864 and fought at Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Crater, and Appomattox. He became major general of the U.S. volunteers in April 1865. [see town history & genealogy above for more about his family] PLAINFIELD AND OTHER TOWNS FORMERLY IN CHESHIRE COUNTY... In the US Census from 1790 to 1820, Plainfield and several other towns (see list below) can be found under CHESHIRE COUNTY. Starting in 1830 look for these townships under SULLIVAN COUNTY. June 23, 1826, the NH Legislature created a new county, named Sullivan County, after General John Sullivan, one of New Hampshire's most distinguished Revolutionary partriots and soldiers. This new county was comprised of Acworth, Charlestown, Claremont, Cornish, Croydon, Grantham, Goshen, Lempster, Langdon, Newport, Plainfield, Sunapee, Springfield, Unity and Washington (in all 15 towns). Special NOTE: Prior to 1830, census records for SUNAPEE NH will be located as the town of WENDELL in CHESHIRE COUNTY. History: First granted to soldiers returning from the war in Canada, this town was named Sylvester Canada, in honor of Captain Joseph Sylvester. When New Hampshire because a separate province, Sylvester Canada was reincorporated as Richmond, in honor of the governor's English friend, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond, a staunch advocate of colonial independence. Hosea Ballou (1771-1852) was the most influential of the preachers in the second generation of the Universalist movement. His book, A Treatise on Atonement, radically altered the thinking of his colleagues in the ministry and their congregations. He resided in Richmond NH. [from archive] History: Granted to soldiers from Rowley, Massachusetts, returning from the war in Canada, the town was known as Rowley-Canada. In 1749, the town was renamed Monadnock Number 1, or South Monadnock. It was incorporated as Rindge in 1768, in honor of Captain Daniel Rindge, one of the original grant holders. Rindge is the home of Franklin Pierce College, and the Cathedral of the Pines, a multi-denominational outdoor chapel. SECOND RINDGE MEETING HOUSE marker - This Meeting House was an outgrowth of the time when Proprietors of the town were responsible for the encouragement of religion. It was built in 1796 when church and state were intertwined. Until 1819, regardless of denomination and belief, residents were considered members of this parish and their tax money supported the minister. In 1839 the town became owner of this edifice and the church society its tenant and this arrangement remains today. This building of simple colonial architecture still embraces some of the religious and civil affairs of this community and stands as a monument to pure democracy. Located on the Main Street in Rindge Center, off the west side of US 202 and south of NH 119 History: Roxbury was once a part of Monadnock Number 5, one of the settlements reserved for soldiers of the French wars. Monadnock Number 5 became Marlborough, and in 1812, a group of citizens successfully petitioned for incorporation as a separate town. It was named Roxbury after their old village, now part of Boston. Villages and Place Names: Monadnock Number 5, Marlborough, Roxbury Center History & Genealogy: Roxbury, N.H. -- TXT -- Geography and geology of Roxbury, NH; early town history including officers appointed at the first town meeting; population and description in 1880; schools; churches; early physicians and pastors; early merchants and businesses; biographies of early settlers and prominent citizens including: John Nims, Ebenezer ims, David Nims, Zadoc Nims, Asahel Nims, Capt. Eliakim Nims, Matthew Nims, and many other members of the NIMS family; Gideon Phillips, Richard Phillilps, Deacon Reuben Phillips, and other members of the Phillips family; Nathan Nye, Gardner Nye, Eli Clark, Henry C. Clark, Quincey E. Clark, and other members of the Clark family, Solomon Kingbury, Elbridge Kingsbury, Josiah Woodward, and other members of the Woodward family. Online Book: The History of Roxbury NH; section from History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire - D. Hamilton Hurd, 1886 Joseph Ames - born in the small town of Roxbury in 1816, the son of Robert and Sarah Ames. Young Ames received his early education in Roxbury's district schools. He showed artistic ability at a young age and began portrait painting early in life. Ames attained some success as a painter in New Hampshire and soon moved to Boston where he opened a studio. He quickly earned a favorable reputation, painting portraits of several well known citizens. He was entirely self taught in his profession. A portrait and genre painter, Joseph Ames worked in Boston from 1841 to 1847 and then went to Italy where he painted a portrait of Pope Piux IX. On his return, he worked primarily in Boston for several decades. By 1870, he was in Baltimore and then in New York where he died in 1872. The Joseph Ames portrait, of Abraham Lincoln, painted in 1865, was the last portrait of Lincoln done from life. Link #2 to another biography History: First granted in 1752, this town was originally known as Monadnock Number 7. It briefly held the name Limerick before being incorporated as Stoddard in 1774, in honor of Colonel Sampson Stoddard. Colonel Stoddard was appointed to survey southwestern New Hampshire by the colonial government, receiving several land grants for the service. Between 1840 and 1873, Stoddard was a center of glass manufacturing, home to four glass factories whose products are much prized today. STONE ARCH BRIDGE Marker in Stoddard NH - This twin arch structure, built without mortar and sustained solely by expert shaping of its archstones, is typical of a unique style of bridge construction employed primarily in the Contoocook River Valley in the first half of the Nineteenth Century. These bridges are a significant part of our American architectural heritage. Located on the south side of NH 9, in a roadside rest area about .1 mile west of the the Antrim-Stoddard town line. STODDARD GLASS Marker in Stoddard NH - Glassmaking in this town covered the years 1842-1873. Nearby stood the South Stoddard Glass Works founded by Foster in 1842. A second works was erected in 1846 at Mill Village two miles north. In its day, a major industry of the State, Stoddard glass products are now highly prized by collectors. Located on NH 9, about .1 mile west of its junction with NH 123. History: Carved out of portions of Gilsum, Stoddard, Nelson, and Keene, this town was named in honor of General John Sullivan, a Revolutionary War hero. General Sullivan served as a member of the Continental Congress, Adjutant General to Washington, and Major General of the Northern Army. He was elected President of New Hampshire in 1786, and the town of Sullivan was created the following year. History: Chartered in 1769 from a part of Westmoreland, the town was named for Charles Howard, Earl of Surrey, Duke of Norfolk, and hereditary Earl Marshal of England. The county of Surrey in England was known for manufacture of pleasure carriages called surreys, introduced to America in 1872. Surry is an excellent geological area, containing quantities of quartz bearing veins of gold, silver, copper, and lead. SURRY MOUNTAIN GOLD MINE and LILY POND marker - To the east rises Surry Mountain, stretching four miles north and south. For many years, mines yielding small amounts of mica, copper, lead, silver and gold were operated along the ridge. In the saddle of the mountain, slightly north of the village, there is a Lily Pond, some 750 feet above the valley meadows. Often called a freak of nature, Lily Pond has been measured to be 80 feet deep in places. Located in Surry village, just east of NH 12-A, in front of the town library. History: First granted in 1733 as Lower Ashuelot, this town was one of the fort towns established by Governor Belcher of Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1753, and named Swanzey at the suggestion of Governor Brenton of Rhode Island. The governor was a large land owner in Brenton's Farm, now Litchfield, and Swansea, Massachusetts, named for Swansea in Wales. DENMAN THOMPSON marker in Swanzey - A famous theatrical trouper who lived and died in West Swanzey. He gained a national reputation by his portrayal of the character, "Joshua Whitcomb," the New Hampshire farmer on a trip to Boston. From this he subsequently evolved "The Old Homestead," a play of long runs before enthusiastic audiences. Located in a small triangular plot at the junction of NH 32 and West Swanzey Road, opposite Monadnock Regional High School. Bridges Inn at Whitcomb House (circa 1792) 27 Main Street, West Swanzey, NH 03469, Located 5 Miles South of Keene, 603-357-6624, This historic "Old Mansion" (as it was first called) was built by Richard Stratton, the wealthy owner of a cotton and woolen mill in the village of Swanzey. Each of the six bedrooms have private baths and are named for the six covered bridges of Cheshire County. Inn of the Tartan Fox (circa 1832) 350 Old Holmestead Highway, Swanzey, NH; The original owners were Benjamin and Abbie Meade and the property came to be known as Meademere. Their daughter Annie married Perley Safford on Christmas day in 1905. Perley and Annie had two children, Franklin and Norma. Perley Safford was an avid horse trainer as well as the inventor of SAFFORD COLIC CURE which he sold on a regular circuit from Keene NH to Maine and Boston MA during the summers for ten dollars a week. History: Troy was separated from Marlborough in 1815, and included parts of Fitzwilliam, Swanzey, and Richmond. A prominent citizen and friend of Governor John Taylor Gilman, Captain Benjamin Mann of Mason, suggested the name Troy. His daughter Betsy was married to Samuel Wilson, famous as Uncle Sam, and at that time a resident of Troy, New York. At least seven members to Wilson's family were living in the town at the time, thus securing the name. History: Settled as early as 1736 as Great Falls or Lunenburg, this town was not granted by New Hampshire until 1752, when it was named Bellowstown. Colonel Benjamin Bellows, for whom Bellows Falls, Vermont, was named, built a large fort at Walpole for defense against Indian attack. In 1761 the grant was renewed, and the town was renamed Walpole, in honor of Sir Robert Walpole, first Prime Minister of England. Online Book: The History of Walpole NH; section from History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire - D. Hamilton Hurd, 1886 Online Book: Walpole as it was and as it is : containing the complete civil history of the town from 1749 to 1879, together with a history of all the church organizations; also, a history of one hundred and fifty families that settled in the town previous to 1820, with biographical sketches of a large number of its prominent citizens, and also, a census of the town taken April 1, 1878 - Aldrich, George, 1888 FIRST CONNECTICUT RIVER BRIDGE marker in Walpole NH - The first bridge across this river was built approximately 1/4 mile north of this location in 1785 by Col. Enoch Hale. This toll bridge, replaced in 1840, was recognized in the 18th century as one of America's outstanding bridges because of its unique engineering style. Its replacement was made a free bridge in 1904. Located on the west side of NH 12, north of its junction with NH 123 and about .3 mile south of the present Vilas Bridge. History & Photographs: The Walpole Inn, built by Col Benjamin Bellows in the 1760's Drewsville Mansion, history & photographs of this building, stick style architecture, in Walpole NH, built circa 1880 on the site of a hotel which burned that year. According to a newspaper account, the architect of the structure was William P. Wentworth of Boston. The house was built for Bolivar and Sarah Lathrop Lovell on the site of Mrs. Lovell's father's house. Her father was Hope Lathrop Walpole Academy - Walpole Academy, completed in 1831, is a generally well-preserved example of a nineteenth century New England academy in the Greek Revival style. In all likelihood it was designed and built by a local master builder of some competence, Aaron Prentiss Howland (1801-1867). Built in the form of a three-bay Greek prostyle temple with portico, the Academy has an overhanging triangular pediment with modillion cornice, in which is centered a semi-circular louvered fan with shaped surround and keystone. History: Once known as Great Meadows, this town was established in 1735 as Number 2 in the line of Connecticut River fort towns designed to protect the colonies from Indian attack. When New Hampshire became an independent province, it was granted to settlers as Westmoreland, named for John Fane, seventh Earl of Westmoreland. The meetinghouse in Westmoreland, built in 1762, has a Paul Revere bell. Villages and Place Names: East Westmoreland, Parkhill, Gilboa, Westmoreland Depot History & Genealogy: Westmoreland, N.H. --TXT file -- includes the geography and geology of Westmoreland NH; early history of the town; list of the town's proprietors and early settlers; early businesses and manufactures, schools, churches, early "firsts" and unusual weather; early lawyers (with their bios) early town officers of Westmoreland; A description of Westmoreland in 1880-84; description of villages; description of early cemeteries, Residents who partipated in wars (French & Indian, American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War); biographies and genealogies of early families and prominent citizens including: William Aiken, Ichabod Albee, Abisa Albee and family; Caleb Aldrich, Capt. George Aldrich (Aldridge), Allen Aldrich and family, Ephraim Amidon, Nathaniel Amidon and family, Nathan Godfrey Babbitt, Larkin Barker, Col. Tileston A. Barker, Benjamin Barker, Capt. Frank T. Barker and family; Willard Bill Sr. (gr grson of Samuel Bill), Caleb Briggs and family including Lemuel Briggs, Amasa Briggs, Oliver Leonard Briggs, Zenas Britton, William B. Britton and family, SilasBrown Jr., George S. Brown and family, Erasmus Buffum, Joseph Buffum and family, David Buffum, Haskell Buffum, Henry Burt and family including Samuel Burt, Hiram Burt, Willard Burt et al, the Chamberlain family including MANY descendants of John & Eunice (Edson) Chamberlain, including STEARNS family members; Charles B. Chase Jr. and family, Samuel Chickering and family; Asa Cole and many descendants of the COLE family in this area and elsewhere, including Capt. Theodore Cole; Jonathan Cole, Sherebiah Cowdery, John Cowdery and family; William Daggett, son of Phineas Daggett and family; Dr. George F. Dunbar; Thomas Dunham and family including Josiah Dunham; Steward Estey [Esty] and family, Henry Esty [sic Estey], Colonel Nat Fisk and family, Nathan Franklin and Family, French family (detailed) including David, Abijah and Jotham; Dr. Noah Fuller, and family including Josiah, Joseph, and Col. Levi Fuller; Christopher Fuller; Edwin J. Goodnow, Jonathan Goodnow and family; Ambrose C. Higgins, Egbert C and Edgar K. Horton; William Hutchins and family including Otis; Frank Jarvis, Artemus Knight; Luther Knight; Henry Leach son of Isaac and family; George W. Nims, son of Roswell and family; Josiah Noyes and family including Dr. Josiah Noyes, Augustus Noyes, and others; David W. Patten and family including John and family, Daniel; George W. Perry, son of Dr. William Perry and family; Sylvester Powers and familiy; Abiatha Lambert Shaw and family; Barnabas Shelley and family; Dr. Barton Simmons son of Edward and family; Israel Stowell son of Reuben and family; Albert Thompson (Tompson) and family including Nathaniel; Levi B. Ware, son of Erastus and family; Erasmus Wellington and family; Shubael White and family including Moses White, Cornelius White, Calvin White, and others; Isaac K. White; Edmund Wilcox and family. Mention of many others not included in this list. PARK HILL MEETING HOUSE marker - This church, built on the northeast corner of Cole Cemetery in 1762, was moved in sections by ox cart in 1779 to this location, then known as Federal Hill. A steeple with a bell cast by the Paul Revere Foundry was added in 1826. This edifice is recognized as one of the most beautiful churches in New England. Located on the north side of NH 63 in the Park Hill section of Westmoreland, directly in front of the Meeting House History: Originally named Arlington, in honor of Charles Fitzroy, Earl of Arlington, this town was one of those established in 1733 as protection for the Massachusetts border at the Connecticut River. After becoming part of the New Hampshire province in 1741, the town was granted to Colonel Josiah Willard, commander of Fort Dummer. Following the wars, it was incorporated as Winchester, for Charles Paulet, Marquis of Winchester, third Duke of Bolton, and constable of the Tower of London. Online Book: The Winchester centennial, 1803-1903 : historical sketch of the Universalist profession of belief : adopted at Winchester, N.H., September 22, 1803, with the addresses and sermons at the commemorative services held in Winchester, Rome City, Ind., and Washington, D.C., September and October, 1903.
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Biography: SACAGAWEA - Reunited & Saved During the corps of discovery's darkest hour, Sacagawea found her long lost brother and led Lewis & Clark across the Rockies. Rated: 4.6 Duration: 99 seconds Video type: YouTube Hosted by: on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:13:26 PST SACAGAWEA - Heroine of the Louis and Clark Journey SACAGAWEA - Heroine of the Louis and Clark Journey The most important expedition in US History might have failed but for the heroism f this teenage girl. She was an expectant mother, but she ... Rated: -1 Duration: 4086 seconds Video type: YouTube Hosted by: on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:19:32 PDT SimpSons - Moe SACAGAWEA Coins The Sacagawea dollar is a United States dollar coin which has been minted every year since 2000. The coin was first suggested as a replacement for ... Rated: -1 Duration: 11 seconds Video type: YouTube Hosted by: on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:50:38 PDT SACAGAWEA Sunrise SACAGAWEA Sunrise As the Earth travels around the Sun in its orbit, the north-south position of the Sun changes over the course of the year due to the changing ... Rated: 4.3333335 Duration: 139 seconds Video type: YouTube Hosted by: on Mon, 22 Jan 2007 19:46:19 PST more about SACAGAWEA in http en wikipedia org wiki SACAGAWEA SACAGAWEA Facts and Biography Summary of SACAGAWEA He was the son of Native American SACAGAWEA and her French-Canadian ... He was the son of Native American SACAGAWEA and her French-Canadian ... National Geographic Photo: Lewis & Clark Film--SACAGAWEA National Geographic Photo: Lewis & Clark Film--SACAGAWEAI pulled a tooth! I pulled a tooth! I pulled a tooth! A true "iron lady" -- the wonderful SACAGAWEA statue A true "iron lady" -- the wonderful SACAGAWEA statue A true "iron lady" -- the wonderful Sacagawea statue DSC_0158 DSC_0158 DSC_0158SACAGAWEA SACAGAWEA Sacagawea Display Rental by Evo Exhibits Display Rental by Evo Exhibits Display Rental by Evo Exhibits Rental Display Booth by Evo Exhibits Rental Display Booth by Evo Exhibits Rental Display Booth by Evo Exhibits SACAGAWEA SACAGAWEA Sacagawea Ilchee ("Moon Girl") Ilchee ("Moon Girl") Ilchee ("Moon Girl") SACAGAWEA: Scenic Artistry SACAGAWEA: Scenic Artistry Sacagawea: Scenic Artistry SACAGAWEA, reborn?? SACAGAWEA, reborn?? Sacagawea, reborn?? SACAGAWEA SACAGAWEA Sacagawea "Historic Wax" Figures "Come To Life" "Historic Wax" Figures "Come To Life" From Sacagawea to Teddy Roosevelt and Walt Disney. St. Charles Teacher Mrs. Freiburger says, "We research a famous American, which ties us in with our American history in our fifth grade class. And then they do their oral presentation as a one to two ... GAO Provides Updated Analysis on Replacing $1 Bills with $1 Coins GAO Provides Updated Analysis on Replacing $1 Bills with $1 Coins During this time, the United States has introduced the Sacagawea Dollar, Presidential Dollar, and revamped the first series to become the Native American Dollar. The $1 coins from each series were allowed to co-circulate with $1 bills, ... La Jolla Playhouse sings 'The Ballad of Juan José' La Jolla Playhouse sings 'The Ballad of Juan José' One moment he's in the presence of Lewis & Clark and a bespectacled Sacagawea (he calls her "Saca-chihuahua"). The next moment he's looking down the barrel of a hapless Ku Klux Klansman's gun. Juan Jose's dreaming transports him to a Japanese ... Included in the cache, the bank said, are more than 12000 rare presidential or Sacagawea dollar coins with missing edge markings; other collector-quality gold and silver coins; and bullion, according to court papers. Officials at First State Depository ... This week's letters (02/14/12) This week's letters (02/14/12) The 2000-D Sacagawea dollar, the more popular coin, has a burnished finish. Either coin outside the original Mint capsule loses its identity as there were also 519 million Sacagawea 2000-D and 9.2 million 2000 American Eagle business strikes. 1. Big plans laid out for Duffy's port's proposal for the pond would provide the essential ... Hidden History: The Ballad of Juan José jazzy radio ... Tri-City volunteers count the homeless two park ... St. Louis Catholic School Hosts 'Wax Museum' St. Louis Catholic School Hosts 'Wax Museum' When the sticker was pressed, the still-as-statues students came to life, telling about the lives of characters including presidents Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy, Helen Keller, Sacagawea, Yankees captain Derek Jeter, Saint Padre Pio and even Osama ... The ten-dollar founding father does Brussels The ten-dollar founding father does Brussels What I'd like to see happen is for European politicians to talk a whole lot more about Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and, heck, maybe Betsy Ross and Sacagawea for good measure. It's fun to hear "James Madison" pronounced with a ... This week's letters (02/21/12) This week's letters (02/21/12) Sacagawea was a good start. I truly love Numismatic News' editorial sections. It is the best to be found anywhere. You print interesting, controversial letters that other publications do not dare. It's controversy that is the lifeblood of the hobby. Slave Assisted Explorers Lewis, Clark In Trek Across America Slave Assisted Explorers Lewis, Clark In Trek Across America All I ever knew about was Sacagawea. I guess native americans were more important than black people. Guess they had to decide which one they wanted to immortalize in history books and the black man got axed. As usual. Yep exactly Willis! 2012 Native American $1 Coin Image Released 2012 Native American $1 Coin Image Released Created by Glenda Goodacre, it depicts a young Sacagawea who accompanied Lewis and Clark in their expedition from the East to the Pacific Coast of the United States. A release date for the new dollar has not yet been announced by the US Mint. Lewis and Clark Coinage and Currency Set Included Wide Array of Items Lewis and Clark Coinage and Currency Set Included Wide Array of Items The United States Mint coins included in the set were the two 2004 Jefferson Nickels issued under the Westward Journey series, with reverse designs featuring the Peace Medal and Keelboat, one 2004-D Sacagawea Dollar, and one uncirculated version of the ... Sacagawea : Latest News, Information, Answers and Websites 2000 P SACAGAWEA - Coin Community Forum Earlier I opened a roll from the U.S.Mint of Sacagawea coins I had been saving for a rainy day. They were all 2000 P. I think I have 3 more rolls, unopened. Started looking at them and found 15 of them had a couple die cracks and multiple ... Lewis and Clark . Inside the Corps . The Corps . SACAGAWEA | PBS Biography of the Shoshone woman who helped Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition. A Trip Through American History With Culture Clash Lewis and Clark? Sacagawea. But more importantly, he meets people in the margins of American history. Jackie Robinson who we all know, but also the Emma tills, and theres the folks in west Texas and people that he meets in the margins of ... Will uncirculated rolled SACAGAWEA gold dollars be valuable in the future? I currently have 2 uncirculated sealed rolls of the first year of mint Sacagawea dollars never opened and uncirculated. I was given a role for each of my 2 sons. I am expecting a 3rd child the first of the year, and was wondering if i should acquire a 3rd roll to make it fair to all my children and was wondering if they were ever going to be worth more than face value, since they are still rolled and uncirculated. Are they worth the investment? Answer: They are not going to be a great investment, but then again they are not going down in value. this is an eBay listing 4 of the coins sold for $6, a slight profit. If you had your funds in Freddie Mac of Fannie Mae what would be the result??? I prefer coin investing over bank deposits any day. If you invest a few hundred dollars each year on mint rolls you will find the portfolio increasing in value each year. Category: Investing UNBELIEVABLE HOLIDAY TALES; Was That You, Santa? BEFORE the lie, a confession: My involvement with Christmas stockings approaches a fetish. As a child I was fixed on my own, filled always by my mother. Eighteen when I was born, and unequal to the burden of motherhood, she had given me to her parents to raise. She became a kind of weekend and holiday apparition. Still, there were a few maternal - Kathryn Harrisons most recent book is While They Slept: An Inquiry into the Murder of a Family. - By KATHRYN HARRISON How were you taught to pronouce SACAGAWEA and what is the proper way? I was taught in California schools to say Sack-a-ja-wee-uh. But my wife from North Dakota (where Sacagawea was also from) was taught Si-cok-a-wee-uh. Thanks for your help Answer: Most historians and linguistic experts have gone on record saying that the correct pronunciation is Sah-cah' gah-we-ah (as it was written in the journals by Lewis and Clark who tended to write things down phonetically. Additionally, Sacagawea is not a Shoshone name, but was given to her by the Hidatsa nation after she was captured. Category: Other - Education SACAGAWEA dollar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Sacagawea dollar (also known as the "golden dollar") is a United States dollar coin that has been minted every year since 2000. These coins have a copper core ... NATIONAL BRIEFING | COINS; Its All About the Monroes - United States Mint announces that designs for next four coins in its decade-long series of one-dollar coins featuring American presidents will be James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren; Drawing (S) - By MATTHEW HEALEY PBS - THE WEST - SACAGAWEA Biography of the teen-age Shoshone interpreter and guide. SACAGAWEA Dec 16, 1998 ... Who was Sacagawea? Who has she become? These questions are central to understanding Sacagawea, in her own right, in the context of the ... SACAGAWEA — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts Sacagawea was a Shoshone Indian woman who traveled with the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the Dakotas to the Pacific Northwest. Bring back SACAGAWEA coin The Feb. 8 letter from Darv Jemming of Thermopolis ("Dollar coins save money") brought back memories of my boyhood in Casper. Casper was a unique place in that businesses gave silver dollars for change in their daily transactions. Visitors would ... Quilt Inspiration: A Tribute to SACAGAWEA The Kansas City Star's gorgeous Block of the Month for 2012 honors the American heroine, Sacagawea, the only woman to travel with Lewis and Clark's expedition. The young mother, who carried her infant son on her back ... SACAGAWEA???????????? when was she born when did she die Answer: (c. 1787 – December 20, 1812; Category: History Big plans laid out for Duffys ports proposal for the pond would provide the ... Would You Be Able to Handle a Switch to the $1 Coin? While we still have both forms of currency, the Sacagawea or Susan B. Anthony, or whoever is on the coin at this point, that coin is just an inconvenience so long as we still have the Washington. So if Capitol Hill is serious about fiscal ... What did SACAGAWEA do to become famous and what did she accomplish? What did Sacagawea do to become famous and what did she accomplish? Answer:Sacagawea is historically famous because she was the primary guide for the Lewis and Clark expedition which was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1804. Without her those two guys would have been seriously lost. She knew the best routes to take that eventually led them all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Check out the sources below. They should help. This is an important part of American history because the lands of the Louisiana Purchase would later become future states of the union. Category: History SACAGAWEA: From Captive To Expedition Interpreter To Legend Sacagaweas role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition using quotes from the Expedition Journals and historical photos. ON PAR; Carrying the Bag Is Just the Beginning GLADSTONE, N.J. -- Caddying for the L.P.G.A. star Brittany Lincicome on Wednesday, I suddenly felt nervous and jumpy near the 14th green, as if the responsibility of the job had finally hit me. It wasnt about choosing the right club to hit or helping read a worrisome birdie putt. No, I was certain I had lost two of Lincicomes club head covers. - By BILL PENNINGTON SACAGAWEA? Im reading this Historical Fiction novel for a history prodject. I cant find anything on the internet about it so i think it was just made up. The thing im working on is to find out what was true and what is false. So far EVERYTHING in the book is true. Therefore this must be made up because otherwise why would it be fiction. So the question is Did Sacagawea fall in love with Clark even though she was married? Answer: I know that either Clark or Rogers (I forget which) served as guardian for Sacagawea's children, Lucy and Jean Baptiste, after her death. But there is no proof of the romance. Category: History SACAGAWEA: Biography from Answers.com Library > Miscellaneous > Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Shoshone Indian guide who led the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804 – 06). Having been captured by Hidatsa ... CRITICAL SHOPPER; A Bright Future In Shades LIKE pens and umbrellas, I usually buy sunglasses in the $20-or-less range because I know I will lose or destroy them. The last pair I had were plastic shades from a farmacia in Mexico. I sat on them, they cracked, the end. I went to Selima Optique, the eclectic eyewear outfitter with a corner store on Wooster and Broome Streets, with the idea that - Selima Optique, SoHo eyeglass store, has large selection of vintage and new frames in variety of styles; photos (M) - By Mike Albo Native SACAGAWEA | Age Wave Implications US Coins Native Sacagawea. Are you Looking For Native Sacagawea? Check Out These Amazing Deals: US Auctions, Australian Auctions, Austrian Auctions, Belgian Auctions, Canadian Auctions, French Auctions, German Auctions ... Why do you think SACAGAWEA did not stay with the Shoshone once she reunited with them? Why do you think Sacagawea did not stay with the Shoshone once she reunited with them? Answer: She was married to Toussaint Charbonneau and had a child with him. Sacajawea was dedicated to the relationship. There is a theory that she was not of the Shoshone tribe, but of the Hidatsa tribe. Category: History What could I call my SACAGAWEA research paper? I wrote a really good research paper about Sacagawea but I cant think of a good title. I would like for the title to ask a question, but any ideas will be appreciated! Thanks so much... Answer: Could Lewis and Clark have succeeded without Sacajawea? Category: History Lewis and Clark . Inside the Corps . The Corps . SACAGAWEA | PBS In 1800, when she was about 12 years old, Sacagawea was kidnapped by a war party of Hidatsa Indians -- enemies of her people, the Shoshones. She was taken from her ... SACAGAWEA - Sacajawea - Guide to the West The real history of Sacagawea (Sacajawea), guide on the Lewis and Clark expedition. The Shoshone Indian woman now on the U.S. dollar coin is often considered ... Dollar Coin of John Adams Is to Be Released Today The second design in the presidential one-dollar coin series, featuring John Adams, is to be released today by the United States Mint. A public event next Tuesday in Quincy, Mass., Adamss hometown, will feature an actor dressed as Adams as well as descendants of him. According to the director of the Mint, Edmund C. Moy, the Federal Reserve has - United States Mint will release second design in presidential one-dollar coin series, featuring John Adams; Federal Reserve orders more than 190 million of new coins (M) - By MATTHEW HEALEY "Historic Wax" Figures "Come To Life" Everybody whos anybody was there. From Sacagawea to Teddy Roosevelt and Walt Disney. The assignment? St. Charles Teacher Mrs. Freiburger says, "We research a famous American, which ties us in with our American history in our fifth grade class. And then ... SACAGAWEA Sacagawea was kidnapped in 1800, which would have made her about 13 years old, by the Hidatsa tribe, and some sourses believe, was kept as a slave. SACAGAWEA Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com Biography.com casts a light on Sacagawea, Shoshone interpreter, and the only female member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. SACAGAWEA - New World Encyclopedia Sacagawea (Sakakawea, Sacajawea, Sacajewea; (c. 1787 – December 20, 1812 or April 9, 1884) was a Native American woman of the Shoshone tribe who accompanied the ... When was SACAGAWEA born and when did she die? I really need to know when Sacagawea was born and when she died. Answer:Sacagawea (Sakakawea, Sacajawea, Sacajewea) (c. 1788 – December 20, 1812; see below for other theories about her death) was a Shoshone woman who accompanied the Corps of Discovery with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in their exploration of the Western United States, traveling thousands of miles from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean between 1804 and 1806. She was nicknamed Janey by Clark. Early life Sacagawea was born to the Agaidika ("Salmon Eater") tribe of Shoshone between Kenney Creek and Agency Creek, near what is now the city of Tendoy in Lemhi County, Idaho.[2] However, when she was about twelve years old, she and several other girls were kidnapped by a group of Hidatsa in a battle that resulted in the death of four Shoshone men, four women and several boys.[3] She was then taken to their village near the present-day Washburn, North Dakota, and was raised in their culture. At the age of about thirteen, Sacagawea was taken as a wife by Toussaint Charbonneau, a French trapper living in the Hidatsa village, who had also taken another young Shoshone named Otter Woman as a wife. Charbonneau is said to have either purchased both wives from the Hidatsa, or to have won Sacagawea while gambling. Later life and death Charbonneau and Sacagawea spent three years among the Hidatsa after the expedition, before accepting William Clark's invitation to settle in St. Louis, Missouri in 1809. They entrusted Jean-Baptiste's education to Clark, who enrolled the young man in the Saint Louis Academy boarding school. Sacagawea gave birth to a daughter, Squanto Lisette or Lizette, sometime after 1810. According to Bonnie "Spirit Wind-Walker" Butterfield, historical documents suggest Sacagawea died in 1812: "An 1811 journal entry made by Henry Brackenridge, a fur dealer at Fort Manuel Lisa Trading Post on the Missouri River, stated that both Sacagawea and Charbonneau were living at the fort. He recorded that Sacagawea "…had become sickly and longed to revisit her native country." The following year, John Luttig, a clerk at Fort Manuel Lisa recorded in his journal on December 20, 1812, that "…the wife of Charbonneau, a Snake Squaw [the common term used to denote Shoshone Indians], died of putrid fever." He went on to say that she was "aged about 25 years. She left a fine infant girl".[7] Documents held by Clark show that her son Baptiste had already been entrusted by Charbonneau into Clark's care for a boarding school education, at Clark's insistence (Jackson, 1962)."[8] A few months later, fifteen men were killed in an Indian attack on Fort Lisa, located at the mouth of the Bighorn River.[7] John Luttig and Sacagawea's young daughter were among the survivors. Some say Toussaint Charbonneau was killed at this time; others say he signed over formal custody of his son to Clark in 1813. As further proof that Sacagawea died at this time, Butterfield says: "An adoption document made in the Orphans Court Records in St. Louis, Missouri states that "On August 11, 1813, William Clark became the guardian of "Tousant Charbonneau, a boy about ten years, and Lizette Charbonneau, a girl about one year old." For a Missouri State Court at the time, to designate a child as orphaned and to allow an adoption, both parents had to be confirmed dead in court papers. "The last recorded document citing Sacagawea's existence appears in William Clark's original notes written between 1825-1826. He lists the names of each of the expedition members and their last known whereabouts. For Sacagawea he writes: "Se car ja we au- Dead" (Jackson, 1962)."[8] It is not believed that Lizette survived childhood, as there is no later record of her among Clark's papers. Category: History Has anyone seen a SACAGAWEA coin with the reverse side printed upside down or otherways? I caught a brief story on a show called Secrets of the US Mints about Sacagawea coins minted with the Eagle facing in different directions or upside on the back (reverse) side of the coin. I havent seen this news ANYWHERE on the Internet and would like to know if there are coins out there like this. Please send me links to articles or ways to get a copy of this episode. The Discovery Channel hasnt been very helpful! Answer: U.S. coins are minted in coin rotation. That is if you take a coin and flip it over bottom to top the reverse is then upright also. In Canada they use medal rotation that is if you turn the coin over from right to left or left to right the reverse goes the same way and is upright. If you turn a U.S. coin from left to right the reverse is upside down. I have not hear of any Sac dollars that have a rotated reverse that is off more than just a few degrees. Dies in high speed coining presses can become lose and move but usually only a little. Back in the old days they could move a lot but pins these days stop that. there has been no articles in Coin World or Numismatic News-Weekly coin magazines about what you say. I am sorry but some of the so-called education channels get things wrong. Most of the secrets of the mint happened before the 1940's, they pulled a lot of things back in the 1800's. Category: Hobbies & Crafts IMA Hero: SACAGAWEA HH Sacagawea was a hero -- read about her life, the times in which she lived, and... Newly Released Its rough going for the female characters in this months sampling of new fiction. A daughter is sold while her mother sleeps; a woman is kicked around by her lover; a girl goes missing; a young woman is framed for murder; and another lives off the land. Not your typical beach reading. THE END OF EVERYTHING By Megan Abbott 246 pages. Reagan - By SUSANNAH MEADOWS How much would a mint condition SACAGAWEA coin from 2001 be worth? I have a $1 Sacagawea coin and it is never been touched, and it is in a solid plastic case that is impossible to open. I wanted to know how much it would be worth. Answer: The value is going to depend on a couple of things. The first is that not all uncirculated coins are created equal. After a coin is minted, it's dumped in a hopper with a bunch of other coins, they go through a counting machine and are dumped back into a hopper, then dumped in big bags. Then the bags are loaded onto a truck and driven to a bank, and from there they might be transferred to other banks before being rolled and sent to your bank. All that time, the coins are banging into each other, and acquiring what are called "bag marks". The fewer of those a coin has, the more it's worth. The other possibility is that you have what is called a "proof" coin. These are specially minted for collectors, and are handled much more gently. A proof is easy to distinguish--the "fields" of the coin will be like a mirror, and the design parts of the coin will look "frosty". Also, proof coins are made in San Francisco, so they will have an "S" mintmark under the date. If you've got an uncirculated coin, it could be worth anywhere between about $2 and $20, depending on the condition. If you've got a proof, it's probably worth $15-$30. Category: Hobbies & Crafts ... SACAGAWEA Dollar is it legal tender in the US? just want to know if the Sacagawea Dollar is legal tender, or would they be refused in a shop. Answer: The Sacagawea Dollar is minted by the US government and is legal tender. A shop *could* choose to refuse it, just as they could refuse to accept dimes, $100 bills or any other denomination. But there is no reason to think that it would in most cases. Most cash register tills do no have a tray space for dollar coins, so I can imagine that they would refuse to accept 200 Sacagewea dollars to settle a hotel bill, for example. But ordinarily, it should be fine. Category: Economics CHILDRENS BOOKS; Bookshelf: America THE CROSSING By Donna Jo Napoli. Illustrated by Jim Madsen. 40 pp. Atheneum. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Napoli brings a new real-life character, Jean Baptiste, the son of Sacagawea, into the popular tale of Lewis and Clarks transcontinental journey. Sacagawea was pregnant when the expedition began, but this book picks up mid-journey, with - By PAMELA PAUL SACAGAWEA Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com ... Biography.com casts a light on Sacagawea, Shoshone interpreter, and the only female member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Support Enzis efforts to get rid of the dollar bill Okay, maybe presidents weren't the most popular images for the new gold dollars. I still like my Sacagawea dollars. Let's think about images everyone admires, maybe great sports heroes or writers or scientists. I remember watching a young ... How much would a 2000 SACAGAWEA gold dollar be worth today? I have two 2000 Sacagawea gold dollar coins, and I was told that since they were discontinued, theyre worth more than a dollar, but I cant find theyre value online. Does anyone know? Answer: There were several hundred million 2000 dated Sacajawea dollar coins produced - so many, in fact, that most of them haven't entered circulation yet. There simply isn't enough demand for them. There is actually talk about discontinuing the Presidential series dollar coins because there is already such a huge surplus of 'golden' dollar coins sitting in vaults, unwanted. Thus, it is unlikely that your Sac dollars will ever be worth more than face value. By the way, Sacajawea dollars are still being produced (in very limited quantities, for the collector market). You can order 2011 dated Sac dollars by the roll from the US Mint web site. Category: Other - Business & Finance Elemeno Pea" at South Coast Rep, Culture Clash in La Jolla & LA Sacagawea, Jackie Robinson and Bob Dylan. If it's anything like their previous efforts, we can be sure the social commentary—and the humor—is razor-sharp. Call LJP at 858-550-1010 or KDT at 213-628-2772 for tix. News flash: Longtime Laguna Beach ... Every Day Is Special: February 11, 2012 - Birth of SACAGAWEA's ... Sacagawea gave birth to little Jean Baptiste Charbonneau on this date in 1805. One of the other Indian interpreters helped out by "administering" crushed rattlesnake rattles to speed the delivery. (I have no idea how or where ... Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail - SACAGAWEA (U.S. National ... Imagine yourself a teenager – just 16 or 17 years old. Could you lead visitors through your old neighborhood, a place you had last seen as a child of 11 or 12? One-Dollar Coins New Look Will Feature Indian Farming the three sisters of Native American agricultural tradition -- will appear on the nations one-dollar coins next year, in a design to be announced Friday by the United States Mint. By the dictates of an act that Congress passed last year, the reverse side of the gold-colored Sacagawea dollars will bear a new design each year starting in 2009, - By MATTHEW HEALEY SACAGAWEA: From Captive To Expedition Interpreter To Legend Sacagawea's role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition using quotes from the Expedition Journals and historical photos. surf: karmic voyager: SACAGAWEA ( for Jodi Geren) Sacagawea ( for Jodi Geren). you were the compass,. guiding us towards happiness. even though i was afraid. of your gravity. the heavy brightness of mother bear. fighting darkness in the heavens. stars at night showing the ... SACAGAWEA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sacagawea (c. 1788 – December 20, 1812; see below for other theories about her death) was a Lemhi Shoshone woman, who accompanied the Lewis and ... What is the value of a One Dollar SACAGAWEA coin from 2000? Hi, Ive got a gold looking One Dollar Coin with the eagle on the front and Sacagawea on the back. Its from 2000 and has a small P on it. Anyone know how much its worth? Answer: 1 dollar. Category: Hobbies & Crafts ~ SACAGAWEA ~ Sacagawea, a Shoshone Indian woman. Lead the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Pacific Ocean as a guide and interpreter. PBS - THE WEST - SACAGAWEA Sacagawea (c. 1790-1812 or 1884) A near-legendary figure in the history of the American West for her indispensible role on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Sacagawea ... ... What do I do with this 4 oz 2000 SACAGAWEA gold plated silver proof? I have a year 2000 4oz .999 silver 24k gold plated Sacagawea coin. What is the value and is there anywhere I can sell this thing for anywhere close to or over $100? I have the Certificate of Authenticity and the case it came in and its in mint condition.its 3.5inch diameter. Answer: It has a very fine layer of gold on top that is at best worth a dollar or two. It is not a coin but a medal and is not a U.S. mint item but from a private mint. It is only worth the value of the silver in it minus a percentage so the dealer can make a profit when it is melted. They are a hard sell to a coin collector for they are not a coin but a gimmick. You will not get the $100 unless silver goes back up. This is not the time to sell silver but to buy it, for silver has come way down. Sorry about the bad news, silver is a little over $11 an ounce the last time I checked. Category: Hobbies & Crafts Inside The Times: November 28, 2008 International U.N. SAYS TALIBAN IS STOCKPILING Opium to Ensure Income The United Nations said that Afghanistan had produced so much opium in recent years that the Taliban were cutting poppy cultivation and stockpiling raw opium in an effort to support prices and preserve a major source of financing for the insurgency. A report showed that poppy Included in the cache, the bank said, are more than 12,000 rare presidential or Sacagawea dollar coins with missing edge markings; other collector-quality gold and silver coins; and bullion, according to court papers. Officials at First State ... SACAGAWEA - ThinkQuest Have you seen the new US one-dollar coin? It features a picture of the Native American woman Sacagawea, but many people ... SACAGAWEA: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article Sacagawea (also Sakakawea, Sacajawea; see below); (c. 1788 – December 20, 1812; see below for other theories about her death) was a Lemhi Shoshone make up outlet SACAGAWEA - Kvoll shoes Manufacturer - China Fashi Biography Childhood Sacagawea to become into an Agaidika (Salmon Eater) tribe of Lemhi Shoshone between Kenney Creek and Agency Creek about 20 min from the present-day Salmon in Lemhi County, Idaho. In 1800, when she ... SACAGAWEA - Christian College | Bethel University Minnesota Who was Sacagawea? Who has she become? These questions are central to understanding Sacagawea, in her own right, in the context of the nineteenth century, and in ... How much should I sell 49 SACAGAWEA coins for on ebay? Ok, I have 49 Sacagawea coins. They are in circulated condition. They look pretty good not to old or dull looking. I was just wondering how much you think I should sell these for. I was thinkning at least $49, to meet what they are worth. But I dont know. I want to get more for them. At least a hundred dollars, what do you think? Answer: I honestly doubt you could sell them for more than $49. I can just go to my bank and pick them up. Try and sell them, though, you never know. Just put a reserve of $49 on them and you'll be covered. good luck Category: Other - Business & Finance SACAGAWEA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sacagawea (also Sakakawea, Sacajawea); (c. 1788 – December 20, 1812; see below for other theories about her death) was a Lemhi Shoshone woman, who accompanied the ... Classroom Clips--Elvin Hill Elementary School Fourth-graders took a sci­ence field trip to the Shelby County Water Festival. Third-graders went to see "Sacagawea" at the Birming­ham Childrens Theater. > The school received thank-you notes from men and women serving in the military who ... New York City dancer Selena Coburn joins the Cascade Quartet for a pair of performances, Sunday and Tuesday She joined the quartet several times after, including dancing the role of Sacagawea to violinist Pary Papoulis Cruzatte in "A Tremendous Journey, the Lewis and Clark Ballet." Coburns teachers in Great Falls included Nancy Meeter Owens ... When did SACAGAWEA join lewis and clark for there expedition? When did Sacagawea help them on there expedition Answer: When they built Fort Mandan in North Dakota they realized one of the French trappers wives there could speak English. She wasn't raped, her husband wasnt killed. She joined the Corps of Discovery as an interpreter and they left the fort, she gave birth to her son on the expedition and died many years later back with her original tribe the Shoshone. Category: Other - Politics & Government Folk tales and catalysts to wake young minds As Lewis and Clark explore the far reaches of civilization, thanks to Sacagawea they will also learn a thing or two about their Native American neighbors at the same time. Celebrate the spirit of adventure as wagon trains and '49ers vie for a ... Harry Jackson, 87, Artist of American West Harry Jackson, a Marine combat artist who turned his back on a promising career as an Abstract Expressionist painter to become a prominent realist artist known for his paintings and bronze sculptures of cowboys and Indians, died on Monday in Sheridan, Wyo. He was 87 and lived in Cody, Wyo., and Camaiore, Italy. His death was confirmed by his son - By WILLIAM GRIM
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The Warsaw Uprising (Powstanie Warszawskie) was a World War II struggle by the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa) to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. The Uprising began on August 1, 1944, as part of a nationwide rebellion, Operation Tempest. It was intended to last for only a few days until the Soviet Army would reach the city. The Soviet advance stopped short, however, while Polish resistance against the German forces continued for 63 days (until October 2). The Uprising began at a crucial juncture as the Soviet Army was approaching Warsaw. The Uprising's chief objective was to drive the German occupiers from the city, helping with the larger fight against the Axis. Secondary political objectives were to liberate Warsaw before the Red Army arrived, so as to underscore Polish sovereignty, and to undo the Allied division of Central Europe into spheres of influence. Polish authorities were to reappear in liberated Warsaw and challenge the Soviet puppet government that was to rule Poland. By September 16, 1944, Soviet forces had reached a point a few hundred metres from the city, across the Vistula River, but they made no further headway during the Uprising leading to allegations that Joseph Stalin had wanted the insurrection to fail. Polish losses amounted to 18,000 soldiers killed and 25,000 wounded, in addition to between 120,000 and 200,000 civilian deaths, mostly from mass murders conducted by retreating German troops. German casualties totalled over 17,000 soldiers killed and over 9,000 wounded. During the urban combat approximately 25% of Warsaw's buildings were destroyed. Following the surrender of Polish forces on October 2, German troops systematically burned the city block by block. Together with earlier damage suffered in 1939 and during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943), over 85% of the city had been destroyed. By January 1945, when the Soviets finally entered the city, Warsaw had practically ceased to exist. Eve of battle " If not for Warsaw in the General Government, we wouldn't have 4/5 of our current problems on that territory. Warsaw was and will be the centre of chaos and a place from which opposition spreads throughout the rest of the country. The Warsaw Uprising, or at least some form of insurrection in Poland, had been planned long in advance. From its inception, the Home Army was planning a national uprising against the German forces. Initial plans created by the Polish government-in-exile in 1942 assumed that the Allied invasion of Europe would lead to the withdrawal of considerable German forces from the Eastern Front for the defence of the Third Reich. The Home Army would act to prevent troop transfer to the west and to allow the British and American forces to seize Germany by breaking all communication links with the majority of the German forces massed in the Soviet Union. Polish flag with " anchor" device. The Home Army's initial plans for a national uprising, Operation Tempest, which would link up with Western Allies forces, changed in 1943 when the situation on the Eastern Front made it apparent that the Red Army, rather than the Western Allies, would force the Germans from Poland. By 1943 it was clear that the allied invasion of Europe would not come in time, and that in all probability the Red Army would reach the pre-war borders of Poland before the invasion could make notable headway. In February 1943, General Stefan Rowecki amended the plan. The Uprising was to be started in three phases, the first being in the East (with main centres of resistance in Lwów and Wilno), before the advancing Red Army. The second part was to include armed struggle in the belt between the Curzon Line and the Vistula river, while the third phase was to be a nationwide uprising throughout Poland. Warsaw was chosen, partially, because of its status as a pre-war capital and partly because it was assumed that the Germans would wish to hold onto the city for as long as possible, as a tool for morale boosting, and as a base for communications, supply, and troop movements. The Polish government-in-exile carried out frantic diplomatic efforts to gain support from their allies prior to the start of battle. However the Allies support for the Polish resistance was not high on the priority list. The Polish government in London asked the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Foreign Office several times for an allied mission to be sent to Poland; since such missions had already been dispatched to all other resistance movements in Europe, such as Albania, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Yugoslavia. However, the Polish pleas were not heeded until December 1944. Rowecki, early 1930s. For the Soviets, this represented more of a hindrance than a help. Polish-Soviet relations were broken off on April 25, 1943 as a result of the Katyn massacre and Soviet partisans often clashed with Polish partisans. It became obvious that the advancing Red Army might not come to Poland as a liberator but rather, as General Stefan Grot-Rowecki put it, as "our Allies' ally." On November 26, 1943, the Polish government-in-exile issued an instruction to the effect that if diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union were not resumed before the Soviet entry into Poland, Home Army forces were to remain underground pending further decisions. However, the Home Army commander took a different approach, and on November 30, 1943, the final version of the plan, which became known as Operation Tempest, was devised. Although doubts existed about the military wisdom of a major uprising, planning continued nonetheless. The situation came to a head on 13 July as Operation Bagration, the Soviet offensive, crossed the old Polish border. At this point the Poles had to make a decision: either initiate the uprising in the current difficult political situation and risk problems with Soviet support, or fail to rebel and face Soviet propaganda describing Armia Krajowa as collaborators and ineffective cowards. The plan was intended both as a political manifestation of the influence of Polish Government in Exile and as a direct operation against German occupiers. The fear was that in the aftermath of the war the Allies would ignore the legal London-based government. It was clear both that Poland would be 'liberated' by the Red Army, and that the Soviet Union did not recognise the Government-in-Exile. The urgency for this decision increased as it became clear that after any successful Polish-Soviet co-operation in the liberation of various towns (for example, in the Operation Ostra Brama), the Soviet NKVD units who followed behind would either shoot or arrest most Polish officers and those Polish soldiers who could not or would not join the Soviet controlled forces. Following a flood of reports from the eastern territories about forced demilitarisation, trials and execution of Home Army soldiers by the Soviets, on 21 July 1944 the High Command of the Home Army decided to expand the scope of Operation Tempest to include Warsaw itself. The date for the Warsaw Uprising was set as 1 August. On 25 July the Polish government in exile in London approved the planned uprising in Warsaw. In the early summer of 1944, German planning required Warsaw to serve as the defensive centre of the area and to be held at all costs. The Germans had fortifications constructed and built up their forces in the area. This process slowed after the failed July 20 Plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, but by late July 1944, German forces had almost reached their full strength again. On July 27, the head of the General Government, Hans Frank, called for 100,000 Polish men between the ages of 17–65 to present themselves at several designated meeting places in Warsaw the following day, as part of the plan which envisaged the Poles constructing fortifications for the Wehrmacht in and around the city. The Home Army viewed this move as an attempt to neutralise the underground forces, and the underground urged Warsaw inhabitants to ignore it. Fearing German reprisals following the ignored order, and believing that time was of the essence, General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski ordered full mobilisation of Home Army forces in the Warsaw area on 1 August 1944. This mobilization decision had some key ramifications for the Soviet Union. Stalin decried for not being officially consulted on the uprising and thus suspected subterfuge from his Western allies. In retrospect, both sides were jockeying for regional political alignment, with the Polish Home Army's desire for a pro-Western Polish government and the Soviet's intention of establishing a Polish Communist regime. The official Soviet propaganda line tried to portray the Polish underground as "waiting with their arms at ease" and not fighting the common enemy. As the Soviet forces approached Warsaw in June and July 1944, Soviet radio stations demanded a full national uprising in Warsaw to cut the communication lines of German units still on the right bank of the Vistula; just two days prior to the uprising, Soviet-controlled radio Kosciuszko had called for the Polish people to rise in arms. On July 29 , 1944, the first Soviet armoured units reached the outskirts of Warsaw, but were counter-attacked by German 39th Panzer Corps, comprising 4th Panzer Division, 5th SS Panzer Division, 19th Panzer Division, and the Hermann Goering Panzer Division. By 10 August, in the ensuing battle of Radzymin, the Germans had enveloped and inflicted heavy casualties on the Soviet 3rd Tank Corps at Wołomin, 15 kilometres outside Warsaw. Opposing forces Batalion Zośka soldiers in Wola during Warsaw Uprising Polish insurgent, wearing armband in the national colours, at a Warsaw Uprising barricade. He is using the Polish submachine gun Błyskawica. Locations of barricades marked on a prewar map of Warsaw. Statue of Mały Powstaniec ( The Little Insurgent), just outside Warsaw's medieval city walls, commemorates the child soldiers that fought in the Warsaw Uprising. The boy wears a captured German helmet with Polish national colours. Honour guard of Polish Boy Scouts. Poles The Home Army forces of the Warsaw District numbered about 45,000 soldiers, of which 23,000 were equipped and combat-ready; about 2,500 further soldiers came from the ranks of other formations like the far-right Narodowe Siły Zbrojne and the communist Armia Ludowa. Most of them had trained for several years in partisan and urban guerrilla warfare, but lacked experience in prolonged daylight fighting. The forces lacked equipment, especially since the Home Army had shuttled weapons and men to the east of the city before the decision on 21 July to include Warsaw in Operation Tempest. A number of other partisan groups also subordinated themselves to Home Army command for the uprising. Many volunteers, including some Jews freed from the concentration camp in the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto, joined during the fighting. General Antoni Chruściel, codename 'Monter', commanded the Polish forces in Warsaw. Initially he divided his forces into eight areas: Area I ( Śródmieście, Old Town) Area II ( Żoliborz, Marymont, Bielany) Area III ( Wola) Area IV ( Ochota) Area V ( Mokotów) Area VI (Praga) Area VII ( Powiat Warszawski) Zgrupowanie Kedywu Komendy Głównej On September 20 a re-organisation of this structure took place to align with the structure of Polish forces fighting with the Western Allies. The entire force, renamed the Warsaw Home Army Corps (Warszawski Korpus Armii Krajowej) and commanded by General Antoni Chruściel (Monter), formed into three infantry divisions. As of August 1 their military supplies consisted of: 1,000 rifles 1,700 pistols 300 machine pistols 60 submachine guns 7 machine guns (medium or light, such as the MG 42) 35 anti-tank guns and anti-tank rifles (including several PIATs) 25,000 hand grenades (mainly of the 'stick' variety). In the course of the fighting the Poles obtained further supplies through airdrops and by capture from the enemy (including several armoured vehicles). Also, the insurgents' workshops worked busily throughout the uprising, producing 300 automatic pistols, 150 flame-throwers, 40,000 grenades, a number of mortars, and even an armoured car ( Kubuś). Germans In late July the German units stationed in and around Warsaw were divided into three categories. The first - and the most numerous - was the garrison of Warsaw. As of July 31, 1944, it numbered some 11,000 troops under General Rainer Stahel. These forces included: Approximately 5,000 regular troops 4,000 Luftwaffe personnel (1,000 at Okęcie airport, 700 at Bielany, 1,000 in Boernerowo, 300 at Służewiec and 1,000 in anti-air artillery posts throughout the city These well-equipped German forces had been prepared for the defence of the city's key positions for many months. Several hundred concrete bunkers and barbed wire lines protected the buildings and areas occupied by the Germans. Apart from the garrison itself, there were numerous units stationed on both banks of the Vistula or moving through the city in both directions. These comprised some 15,000 to 16,000 Wehrmacht soldiers. Also, at least 90,000 additional German troops were available from occupation forces in the surrounding area. The second category was formed by police and SS under Col. Paul Otto Geibel, numbering initially 5,710 men. These included three Schutzpolizei battalions (1,000 men) and two Sauferkaserne SS battalions (1,000 men), as well as reserve companies (300 men), an SA battalion (400 men), military police, Ordnungspolizei, Sicherheitspolizei, training units and many smaller units up to 400 men strong. The third category was formed by various sentry and guard units, altogether some 3,500 men strong. Among them were detachments of the Bahnschutz (rail guard), Werkschutz (factory guard) and a transport protection battalion. In the course of the uprising the German side received reinforcements on a daily basis. As of August 23, 1944, the German units directly involved with fighting in Warsaw included: The rising W-hour After days of hesitation, at 17:30 on July 31st, the Polish headquarters scheduled "W-hour" (from the Polish wybuch, "outbreak"), the moment of the start of the uprising, for 17:00 of the following day. The decision proved to be a costly strategic mistake as the under-equipped Polish forces were prepared for a series of coordinated surprise night attacks and the daylight exposed them to German machine gun fire. Although a large number of the partisan units were already mobilized and waiting at assembly points throughout the city, the mobilization of thousands of young men and women was hard to conceal and fighting started in advance of "W-hour", notably in the boroughs of Żoliborz, Mokotów and Czerniaków, around Napoleon Square, in the vicinity of the Hale Mirowskie and Plac Kercelego marketplaces, and at Okopowa street. Until "W-hour" these incidents were not generally perceived as part of a larger plan. However, at around 16:00, SS-Standartenfuhrer Paul Otto Geibel, chief of police and SS in the Warsaw District, received a warning about the uprising from an anonymous 'lieutenant of the Luftwaffe', who had in turn been warned about it by a Polish woman. He alerted the units under his command, which thus were prepared for the assault at 17:00. This drastically reduced the element of surprise for the insurgents. On the other hand, while the Germans had been considering the possibility of an uprising, they had no operational plans to meet such an occurrence. Under these circumstances the coordinated attacks on the German outposts and garrisons were largely successful. The first two days were crucial in establishing the battlefield for the rest of the fight. Most successes were achieved in the city centre ( Śródmieście) and the old town ( Stare Miasto) and the nearby boroughs of Wola, where most objectives were captured, although several major German strongholds remained, and in some areas of Wola Poles sustained heavy losses that forced them to retreat early on. In other areas such as Mokotów the attackers almost completely failed to secure any of their objectives and controlled only the residential areas. In Praga, on the eastern bank of the Vistula river, the concentration of German forces was so high that the Poles fighting there were quickly forced back into hiding. Most crucially, the fighters in different areas failed to link up, either with each other or with areas outside Warsaw, leaving each section of the city isolated from the others. After the first hours of fighting many units adopted a more defensive strategy while the civilian population started erecting barricades throughout the city. Despite all the problems, by August 4 most of the city lay in Polish hands. Poles erected barricades, such as this one on Napoleon Square, throughout Warsaw, making it difficult for German infantry and tanks to operate. In background: captured Hetzer tank destroyer. First four days The uprising was intended to last a few days until Soviet forces arrived; however, this never happened, and the Polish forces had to fight with little outside assistance. The results of the first two days of fighting in different parts of the city were as follows: Area I (city centre and the Old Town): Units captured most of their assigned territory, but failed to capture areas where there were strong German pockets of resistance (the Warsaw University buildings, PAST skyscraper, or the headquarters of the German garrison in the Saxon Palace). They thus failed to create a central stronghold and secure communication links to other areas. The main failures were in not establishing a secure land connection with the northern area of Żoliborz through the northern railway line and the Cytadela fortress, as well as not capturing the bridges over the Vistula. The forces mobilized in the city centre also failed to capture the German-only area near the Szucha avenue. Area II (Żoliborz, Marymont, Bielany): Units here failed to secure the most important military targets in the area of Żoliborz. Many units retreated outside of the city, into the forests. Although most of the area was captured, the soldiers of Colonel Żywiciel failed to capture the Cytadela fortress area and break through German defences at Warszawa Gdańska railway station. Area III ( Wola): Units here initially succeeded in securing most of the territory, but sustained heavy losses (up to 30%). Some units retreated into the forests, while others retreated to the eastern part of the area. In the northern part of Wola the soldiers of Colonel Radosław managed to capture the German barracks, the German supply depot at Stawki Street, and the flanking position at the Jewish cemetery. Area IV ( Ochota): The units mobilized in this area did not capture either the territory or the military targets (the Gęsiówka concentration camp, SS and Sipo barracks located in former Students' House on Narutowicz Square). After suffering heavy casualties most of the forces of the Armia Krajowa retreated to the forests west of Warsaw. Only two small units of approximately 200 to 300 men under Lieut. Gustaw remained in the area and managed to create strong pockets of resistance. They were later reinforced by units from the city centre. Elite units of the KeDyw managed to secure most of the northern part of the area and captured all of the military targets there. However, they were soon tied down by German tactical counter-attacks from the south and west. Area V ( Mokotów): The situation in this area was very serious from the start of the hostilities. The partisans were to capture the heavily-defended and fortified so-called Police Area (Dzielnica policyjna) on Rakowiecka Street. They were also to establish a connection with the city centre through open terrain at the former airfield of Pole Mokotowskie. As both of the areas were heavily fortified and could be approached only through open terrain, the assaults failed. Some units retreated into the forests, while others managed to capture parts of Dolny Mokotów, which was, however, severed from most communications routes to other areas. Area VI ( Praga): The Uprising was also started on the right bank of the Vistula. The main task of the Area VI (Obwód VI) was to seize the bridges on the river and secure the bridgeheads until the arrival of the Red Army. It was clear that, since the location was far worse than that of the other areas, there was no chance of any help from the outside. After some minor initial successes, the forces of Lt.Col. Antoni Żurowski were badly outnumbered by the German forces concentrated there. The fights were halted, and the Home Army forces located in the Praga area were forced back into the underground. After the Soviets finally reached the right bank of the Vistula on September 10, the officers proposed recreating the pre-war 36th Academic Legion Infantry Regiment; however, they were all arrested by the NKVD and sent to Russia for interrogation. Area VII ( Powiat warszawski): this area consisted of territories outside Warsaw city limits. Actions here mostly failed to capture their targets. An additional area within the Polish command structure was formed by the units of the Kedyw (Directorate of Sabotage and Diversion), an elite formation that was to guard the headquarters and was to be used as an armed ambulance, thrown into the battle in the most endangered areas. These units secured parts of Śródmieście and Wola; along with the units of Area I, they were the most successful during the first few hours. Among the most notable primary targets that were not taken during the opening stages of the uprising were the airfields of Okęcie and Pole Mokotowskie, as well as the PAST sky-scraper overlooking the city centre and the Warszawa Gdańska guarding the passage between the centre and the northern borough of Żoliborz. Wola massacre The Uprising reached its apogee on August 4 when the Home Army soldiers managed to establish front lines in the westernmost boroughs of Wola and Ochota. However, the moment of greatest gains was also the moment at which the German army stopped its retreat westwards and began receiving reinforcements. On the same day SS General Erich von dem Bach was appointed commander of all the forces employed against the Uprising, and began to counter-attack with the aim of linking up with the remaining German pockets and then cutting off the Uprising from the Vistula river. Among the units to arrive at the city at that time were forces of Oskar Dirlewanger, Willy Schmidt and Heinz Reinefarth. Postwar mass graves of civilians killed in the Wola massacre. On August 5 the three German groups started their advance westward along Wolska and Górczewska streets toward the main East-West communication line of Aleje Jerozolimskie Avenue. Their advance was halted, but the Reinefarth and Dirlewanger regiments began carrying out Heinrich Himmler's orders: behind the lines, special SS, police and Wehrmacht groups went from house to house, shooting the inhabitants and burning their bodies. By August 8, some 40,000 civilians had been killed in Wola alone, though some estimates cite numbers as high as 100,000. Kaminski. The aim of this policy was to crush the will to fight and put the uprising to an end without having to commit to heavy city fighting. Until mid-September, the Germans shot all captured insurgents on the spot. The main perpetrators were Oskar Dirlewanger and Bronislav Kaminski, who committed the cruelest atrocities. After von dem Bach arrived in Warsaw (August 7), it became clear that atrocities only stiffened the resistance and that some political solution should be found, considering the small forces at the disposal of the German commander. The aim was to gain a significant victory to show the Home Army the futility of further fighting and induce them to surrender. This did not succeed, but from the end of September, some of the captured Polish soldiers were treated as POWs. Stalemate " This is the fiercest of our battles since the start of the war. It compares to the street battles of Stalingrad – SS chief Heinrich Himmler to other German generals on 21 September 1944. " Despite the loss of Wola, the Polish resistance stiffened. Zośka and Wacek battalions managed to capture the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto and liberate the Gęsiówka concentration camp, freeing about 350 Jews. The area became one of the main communication links between the insurgents fighting in Wola and those defending the Old Town. On August 7 German forces were strengthened by the arrival of tanks with civilians being used as human shields. After two days of heavy fighting they managed to bisect Wola and reach the Bankowy Square. However, by then the net of barricades, street fortifications and tank obstacles was already well-prepared and both sides reached a stalemate, with heavy house-to-house fighting. Between August 9 and August 18 pitched battles raged around the Old Town and nearby Bankowy Square, with successful attacks by the Germans and counter-attacks from the Poles. Once again, the Germans used demoralizing tactics: targeted attacks against clearly marked hospitals (reminiscent of Luftwaffe attacks against hospitals in September, 1939). German tactics hinged on bombardment through the use of heavy artillery (including the Schwerer Gustav super-heavy mortar) and tactical bombers, against which the Poles were unable to effectively defend, as they lacked anti-aircraft artillery weapons. Although the Battle of Stalingrad had already shown the danger which a city can pose to armies which fight within it and the importance of local support, the Warsaw Uprising was probably the first demonstration that in an urban terrain, a vastly under-equipped force supported by the civilian population can hold its own against better-equipped professional soldiers— though at the cost of considerable sacrifices on the part of the city's residents. Siege Polish-controlled area after the fall of the Old Town, around September 10th The Old Town was held until the end of August when diminished supplies made further defence impossible. On September 2 the defenders of the Old Town withdrew through the sewers, which at this time were becoming a major means of communication between different parts of the Uprising. More than 5,300 men and women were evacuated in this way. The Warsaw sewer system (map) was used to move insurgent forces, unseen, between the Old Town and the Downtown (Śródmieście) and Żoliborz districts. The Soviet army captured Eastern Warsaw and arrived on the eastern bank of the Vistula in mid-September. When they finally reached the right bank of the Vistula on September 10, the officers of the Home Army units stationed there proposed recreating the pre-war 36th 'Academic Legion' infantry regiment; however, the NKVD arrested them all and sent them to the Soviet Union.. Soviet attacks on 4th SS Panzer Corps east of Warsaw were renewed on August 26, and forced the Germans to retreat into Praga, and then across the Vistula. The Soviet army included the 1st Polish Army (1 Armia Wojska Polskiego), and some of them landed in the Czerniaków and Powiśle areas and made contacts with Home Army forces. Their initiative was however not supported by the Soviet High Command. With inadequate artillery, air support, and numbers, the landing troops sustained heavy casualties and were forced to retreat. After the failure of repeated attempts by the 1st Polish Army to link up with the insurgents, the Soviets limited their assistance to sporadic artillery and air support. Plans for a river crossing were suspended "for at least 4 months", since operations against the five panzer divisions on 9th Army's order of battle were problematic at that point, and the commander of the 1st Polish Army, General Zygmunt Berling, who ordered the crossing of the Vistula by his units, was relieved of his duties by his Soviet superiors. From this point on, the Warsaw Uprising can be seen as a one-sided war of attrition or, alternatively, as a fight for acceptable terms of surrender. Fighting ended on 2 October when the Polish forces were finally forced to capitulate. Life behind the lines Polish Boy Scouts fighting in the Warsaw Uprising In 1939 Warsaw had roughly 1,350,000 inhabitants. Over a million were still living in the city at the start of the Uprising. In Polish-controlled territory, during the first weeks of the Uprising, people tried to recreate the normal day-to-day life of their free country. Cultural life was vibrant, both among the soldiers and civilian population, with theatres, post offices, newspapers and similar activities. Boys and girls of the Polish Scouts acted as couriers for an underground postal service, risking their lives daily to transmit any information that might help their people. Near the end of the Uprising, lack of food, medicine, overcrowding and indiscriminate German air and artillery assault on the city made the civilian situation more and more desperate. Food shortages As the Uprising was supposed to be relieved by the Soviets in a matter of days, the Polish underground did not predict food shortages would be a problem. However, as the fighting dragged on, the inhabitants of the city faced hunger and starvation. Soon horses, dogs and cats disappeared from the city's streets. The situation was improved by the Home Army units who captured several German army depots and started distribution of food through the net of public eateries. A major break-through took place on August 6, when the Polish units recaptured the Haberbusch i Schiele brewery complex at Ceglana Street. From that time on the Varsovians lived mostly on barley from the brewery's warehouses. Every day up to several thousand people organized into cargo teams reported to the brewery for bags of barley and then distributed them in the city centre. The barley was then ground in coffee grinders and boiled with water to form a so-called spit-soup ( Polish: pluj-zupa). The "Sowiński" Battalion managed to hold the brewery until the end of the fighting. Another serious problem for civilians and soldiers alike was a shortage of water. By mid-August most of the water conduits were either out of order or filled with corpses. In addition, the main water pumping station remained in German hands. To prevent the spread of epidemics and provide the people with water, the authorities ordered all janitors to supervise the construction of water wells in the backyards of every house. On September 21 the Germans blew up the remaining pumping stations at Koszykowa street and after that the public wells were the only source of potable water in the besieged city. By the end of September, the City Centre district had more than 90 functioning wells. Lack of outside support According to many historians, a major cause of this was the almost complete lack of outside support and the late arrival of the support which did arrive. The only support operation which ran continuously for the duration of the Uprising were night supply drops by long-range planes of the Royal Air Force, other British Commonwealth air forces, and units of the Polish Air Force, which had to use distant airfields in Italy and so had very limited effect. Western Allies Monument to Allied airmen lost over Warsaw. Limited support in terms of airdrops came from the Western allies; particularly the Royal Air Force, in which a number of Polish, Australian, Canadian and South African pilots flew, made 223 sorties and lost 34 aircraft. However the effect of these airdrops was mostly psychological, as they delivered much smaller number of supplies than was needed by the insurgents, and many air drops landed outside insurgent-controlled territory. American support was also limited. After Stalin's objections to supporting the uprising, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegrammed U.S President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 25 and proposed sending planes in defiance of Stalin, to "see what happens". Unwilling to upset Stalin before the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt replied on August 26 with: I do not consider it advantageous to the long-range general war prospect for me to join you in the proposed message to Uncle Joe. Also of significant note was the existence of an American airbase at Poltava in Ukraine, from which an airdrop was made during the "Frantic Mission" in mid-September. However, this action infuriated Stalin, who immediately forbade all Allied presence in Soviet airspace. Thus all but one Allied airdrops had to be carried out from faraway Brindisi in Italy. Airdrops " There was no difficulty in finding Warsaw. It was visible from 100 kilometres away. The city was in flames and with so many huge fires burning, it was almost impossible to pick up the target marker flares. -William Fairly, a South African pilot, from an interview in 1982 " From August 4 the Western Allies begun supporting the Warsaw Uprising with airdrops of munitions and other supplies. Initially the air raids were carried out mostly by the 1568th Polish Flight of the Polish Air Force stationed in Bari and Brindisi in Italy, flying B-24 Liberator, Handley Page Halifax and Douglas C-47 Dakota planes. Later on, at the insistence of the Polish government-in-exile, they were joined by the Liberators of 2 Wing - 31 and 34 Squadrons of the South African Air Force based at Foggia in Southern Italy, and Halifaxes, flown by 148 and 178 Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. The drops by British, Polish and South African forces continued to September 21. The total weight of allied drops vary according to source (104 tons to 230 tons or 239 tons), over 200 flights were made. The Soviet Union did not give permission to the Allies for use of its airports for those supply operations and thus the planes were forced to use bases in the United Kingdom and Italy which reduced their carrying weight and number of sorties. The Allies' specific request for the use of landing strips made on 20 August was denied by Stalin on 22 August (he referred to the insurgents as 'a handful of criminals' and stated that the uprising was inspired by 'enemies of the Soviet Union'). Thus by denying landing rights to Allied aircraft on Soviet-controlled territory the Soviets vastly limited effectivness of Allied assistance to the Uprising, and even fired at and shot down a number of Allied airplanes which carried supplies from Italy and strayed into Soviet-controlled airspace. After Stalin's objections to support for the uprising, Churchill telegrammed Roosevelt on August 25 and proposed sending planes in defiance of Stalin and to 'see what happens'. Roosevelt replied on August 26: 'I do not consider it advantageous to the long-range general war prospect for me to join you in the proposed message to Uncle Joe'. Finally on September 18 the Soviets allowed one USAAF flight of 107 B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 3 division Eighth Air Force to re-fuel and reload at Soviet airfields used in Operation Frantic, but it was too little too late. USAAF 107 bombers (and 1000 airman) dropped 100 tons of supplies (only 20 was recovered by the insurgent due to wide spread). The planes then landed in Soviet-held territory, and on their return flight to Foggia and then back to England the B-17's bombed the rail yards in Budapest, Hungary. Although German air defence over the Warsaw area itself was almost non-existent about 12% of the 296 planes taking part in the operations were lost because they had to fly 1,600 km out over heavily defended enemy territory and then back over the same route (112 out of 637 Polish and 133 out of 735 British and South African airman were shot down). Most of the drops were made during night, at no more than 100–300 feet altitude, and poor accuracy left many parachuted packages stranded behind German-controlled territory (only about 50 tones of supplies, less than 50% delivered, was recovered by the insurgents). From September 14 to 28 on the Soviets began their own airdrop raids with supplies, and dropped about 55 tons in total. The drops continued until September 28. Since the Soviet airmen did not equip the containers with parachutes the majority of recovered packages were damaged. Soviet stance " Contrary to our expectations, the enemy has halted all of their offensive actions alongside the entire front of the 9th Army. - from operations journal of German 9th Army on 16 August 1944 " The role of the Red Army during the Warsaw Uprising remains controversial and is still disputed by some historians. One of the reasons given as to why the Warsaw uprising failed, was the failure of the Soviet Red Army to aid the Resistance. The Uprising started when the Red Army appeared on the city's doorstep, and the Poles in Warsaw were counting on Soviet aid coming in a matter of days. This basic scenario of an uprising against the Germans launched a few days before the arrival of Allied forces played out successfully in a number of European capitals, notably Paris and Prague. However, the Red Army did not extend effective aid to the desperate city despite standing less than 10 km from Warsaw's city centre for about 40 days, and then moving even closer to the right bank of the Vistula river a few hundred meters away from the main battle of the uprising during its last two weeks. Some Western historians, as well as the official line of the Communist regime in Poland before 1989, claimed that the Red Army, exhausted by its long advance on its way to Warsaw, lacked sufficient fighting power to overcome the German forces around Warsaw and extend effective aid to the Uprising. However, it is also speculated that Stalin did not want to aid the Home Army, made up of likely opponents of the Soviet regime in Poland after the war. The Red Army, which was ordered to halt and therefore positioned just a short distance away on the right bank of the Vistula, was ordered not to link up with or in any way assist the Resistance forces. Post-war political considerations and malice by Stalin are seen as the reason for the Red Army's failure to act. It is possible that Stalin ordered his forces to halt right before entering the city so that the Home Army would not succeed. Had the Home Army triumphed, the Polish government-in-exile in London would have increased their political and moral legitimacy to reinstate a government of its own, rather than accept a Soviet regime. By halting the Red Army's advance, Stalin guaranteed the destruction of Polish resistance (which would undoubtedly also have resisted Soviet occupation), that it would be the Soviets who "liberated" Warsaw, and that Soviet influence would prevail over Poland. This explanation appears to be strengthened by the fact that, at times during the uprising the NKVD was actively arresting Home Army forces in the East of Warsaw and that a large proportion of RAF losses were caused by Soviet anti-aircraft fire. This reinforces the claim the Soviet forces deliberately blocked the Western Allies from providing support to the Polish forces to support their desire to have Warsaw and any independent-minded Polish forces destroyed before their arrival. An alternative explanation is that, regardless of Stalin's political intentions, the Red Army was simply exhausted and hence unable to extend effective support to the Uprising which began too early and so the nearby Soviet forces were not ready to support. The Soviet military indeed gave a shortage of fuel as the reason why they could not advance. In support of this thesis, it is often claimed that since the opening of Operation Bagration many of Red Army units had covered several hundred miles in a far-ranging offensive, and their advance elements were at the very end of their logistical tether. This, coupled with the presence of several fresh SS and Panzer divisions around Warsaw which administered a sharp reverse to the Soviet 2nd Tank Army in the final days of July, was, according to this view, sufficient to stop the Red Army in its tracks on the Warsaw front. However, it must be kept in mind that the units which reached Warsaw in late July 1944 were not part of Bagration, but instead advanced from Western Ukraine as part of the Lublin-Brest Operation, covering a much smaller distance. Those units were in fact able to operate quite effectively against German forces to the south and north of Warsaw during August and September, successfully securing bridgeheads over the Vistula and Narew rivers in those sectors. Given that Soviet success, the apparent inactivity on the most direct route of approach towards Warsaw, through the suburb of Praga, lasting through August and the first half of September, is to say the least puzzling. Furthermore, once the Soviet forces seized Praga in mid-September 1944, only poorly supported units of the inexperienced 1st Polish Army were assigned to attempt the crossing of the river Vistula to aid the insurgents. Those crossings failed to establish a durable foothold on the left bank of the river, and caused considerable casualties among the Polish units involved. It is an open question whether an earlier Soviet effort using more experienced units with adequate support would have been able to reach and cross the Vistula in the Warsaw sector, and provide timely and effective support to the Polish units fighting in the main part of the city. The continued difficulty in accessing the Soviet documents of the time presently located in the Russian archives makes it difficult for historians to answer this question with any degree of certainty. The Red Army reached the outskirts of Warsaw in the final days of July, 1944. The Soviet units belonged to the 1st Belorussian Front, participating in the Lublin-Brest Operation, between the Lvov-Sandomierz Operation on its left and Operation Bagration on its right. These two operations were colossal defeats for the German army and completely destroyed a large number of German formations. As a consequence, the Germans at this time were desperately trying to put together a new force to hold the line of the Vistula river, the last major river barrier between the Red Army and Germany proper, rushing in units in various stages of readiness from all over Europe. These units included a few high quality panzer and SS divisions pulled from their refits, but also many infantry units of poor quality. Nonetheless there were 4–5 Panzer Divisions in the 46th Panzer Corps and 4th SS Panzer Corps on the order of battle of German 9th Army holding positions east of Warsaw. In the end, however, in terms of combat power this scratch force was considerably inferior to what the Soviets had available. On the other hand, after their long advances in June and July the Soviet suffered from the usual difficulties with supply accompanying any long-range Soviet offensive that has advanced far beyond its starting line. Capturing the city of Warsaw would be advantageous for the Soviets if its infrastructure was intact. However, it was not essential, as the Soviets already seized a series of convenient bridgeheads to the south of Warsaw, and were concentrating on defending them against vigorous German counter-attacks. The Red Army was also gearing for a major thrust into the Balkans through Romania at around this time and a large proportion of Soviet resources was being sent in that direction. In the initial battle of Radzymin Soviet advance armoured units of the 2nd Tank Army suffered a major defeat which prevented them from taking Warsaw from the march. It was the presence of Soviet tanks in nearby Wołomin that sealed the decision of the Home Army leaders in Warsaw to launch the uprising. As a result of the battle, the Soviet tank army was pushed out of Wołomin to the east of Warsaw and pushed back about 10 km. However, the defeat did not change the fact of the overwhelming Soviet superiority over the Germans in the sector. On August 1, only several hours prior to the outbreak of the Uprising, the Soviet advance was halted by a direct order from the Kremlin. Soon afterwards the Soviet tank units stopped to receive any oil from their depots. By then the Soviets knew of the planned outbreak from their agents in Warsaw and, more importantly, from the Polish prime minister Stanisław Mikołajczyk, who informed them of the Polish plans the day before. The Soviets retained their positions to the south-east of Warsaw along the Vistula river, barely 10 km away from the city centre, at the outskirts of the Warsaw right bank suburb Praga. The Poles fighting in the Uprising were counting that the Soviet forces would seize Praga in a matter of days and then be in a position to have Red Army units cross to the left bank where the main battle of the Uprising was occurring and come to its aid. However, on that line along the outskirts of Praga, on the most direct route of advance towards Warsaw, the Soviets stopped their advance and the front line did not move for the next 45 days. The sector was held by the understrength German 73rd infantry division, destroyed many times on the Eastern Front and recently reconstituted. The division, though weak, did not experience significant Soviet pressure during that period. At the same time, the Red Army was fighting intense battles to the south of Warsaw, to seize and maintain bridgeheads over the Vistula river, and to the north, to gain bridgeheads over the river Narew. It was on those sectors that the best panzer and armored divisions that the Germans had were fighting. Despite that, both of these objectives have been mostly secured by early September. Finally, on September 11, the Soviet 47th army began its advance into Praga. The resistance by the German 73rd division was weak and collapsed quickly, with the Soviets gaining control of the suburb by September 14. With the taking of Praga, the Soviet forces were now directly across the river from the Uprising fighting in left-bank Warsaw. If the Soviets had reached this stage in early August, the crossing of the river would have been easy, as the Poles then held considerable stretches of the riverfront. By mid-September a series of German attacks have reduced the Poles to holding one narrow stretch of the riverbank, in the district of Czerniakow. Nevertheless, the Soviets now made an attempt to aid the Uprising, but not by using Red Army units. Berling's landings Zygmunt Berling. The limited landings by the 1st Polish Army represented the only external force which arrived to physically support the uprising; and even they were curtailed by the Soviet High Command. In the Praga area Polish units under command of General Zygmunt Berling (thus sometimes known as 'berlingowcy' - 'the Berling men'), the 1st Polish Army (1 Armia Wojska Polskiego) were in position. On the night of 14/15th of September three patrols from landed on the shore of Czerniaków and Powiśle areas and made contacts with Home Army forces. Under heavy German fire only small elements of main units made it ashore (I and III battalions of 9th infantry regiment, 3rd Infantry Division). The Germans intensified their attacks on the Home Army positions near the river to prevent any further landings, which could seriously compromise their line of defense, but weren't able to make any significant advances for several days, while Polish forces held those vital positions in preparation for new expected wave of Soviet landings. Polish units from the eastern shore attempted several more landings, and from 15 to 23 September sustained heavy losses (including destruction of all landing boats and most of other river crossing equipment). Red Army support was negligible. Shortly after the Berling landings, the Soviets decide to postpone all plans for a river crossing in Warsaw "for at least 4 months" and soon afterwards general Berling was relieved of his command. On the night of September 19, after no further attempts from the other side of the river were made and the promised evacuation of wounded did not take place, Home Army soldiers and landed elements of Wojsko Polskie were forced to begin a retreat from their positions on the bank of the river. Out of approximately 3,000 men who made it ashore only around 900 made it back to the eastern shores of Vistula, approximately 600 of them seriously wounded. Berling's Polish Army losses in the attempt to aid the Warsaw Uprising were 5,660 killed, missing or wounded. Aftermath Capitulation " The 9th Army has crushed the final resistance in the southern Vistula circle. The insurgents fought to the very last bullet. —from the German report on 23 September (T 4924/44) " Graves of a Hungarian honvéd captain and 6 of his men who fell, fighting on the Polish side. On October 2 General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski signed the capitulation order of the remaining Polish forces (Warszawski Korpus Armii Krajowej or Home Army Warsaw Corps) at the German headquarters in the presence of General von dem Bach. All fighting ceases by 1800 that day. According to the capitulation agreement, the Wehrmacht promised to treat Home Army soldiers in accordance with the Geneva Convention, and to treat the civilian population humanely. The next day the Germans began to disarm the Home Army soldiers. They later sent 15,000 of them to prisoner of war camps in various parts of Germany. Between 5,000–6,000 insurgents decided to blend into the civilian population hoping to continue the fight later. The entire Warsaw civilian population was expelled from the city and sent to a transit camp Durchgangslager 121 in Pruszków. Out of 350,000–550,000 civilians who passed through the camp, 90,000 were sent to labour camps in the Reich, 60,000 were shipped to death and concentration camps ( Ravensbruck, Auschwitz, Mauthausen, others), while the rest were transported to various locations in the General Government and released. City's destruction " The city must completely disappear from the surface of the earth and serve only as a transport station for the Wehrmacht. No stone can remain standing. Every building must be razed to its foundation. SS chief Heinrich Himmler, October 17, SS officers conference Warsaw has to be pacified, that is, razed to the ground. Adolf Hitler, 1944 " After the remaining population had been expelled, the Germans started the destruction of the remains of the city. Special groups of German engineers were dispatched throughout the city in order to burn and demolish the remaining buildings. According to German plans, after the war Warsaw was to be turned into nothing more but a military transit station, or even a lake. The demolition squads used flame-throwers and explosives to methodically destroy house after house. They paid special attention to historical monuments, Polish national archives and places of interest: nothing was to be left of what used to be a city. Bank Polski in 2004, bearing the scars of the Uprising. The lighter-colored bricks were added during the building's reconstruction after 2003. By January 1945 85% of the buildings were destroyed: 25% as a result of the Uprising, 35% as a result of systematic German actions after the uprising, the rest as a result of the earlier Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (15%) and other combat including the September 1939 campaign (10%). Material losses were estimated at 10,455 buildings, 923 historical buildings (94 percent), 25 churches, 14 libraries including the National Library, 81 primary schools, 64 high schools, University of Warsaw and Warsaw University of Technology, and most of the historical monuments. Almost a million inhabitants lost all of their possessions. The exact amount of losses of private and public property as well as pieces of art, monuments of science and culture is unknown but considered enormous. Studies done in the late 1940s estimated total damage at about $30 billion US dollars. In 2004 President of Warsaw Lech Kaczyński, now President of Poland, established a historical commission to estimate material losses that were inflicted upon the city by German authorities. The commission estimated the losses on at least US$31.5 billion in 2004 value. Those estimates where later raised to US$45 billion 2004 US dollars and in 2005, to $54.6 billion. Casualties The exact number of casualties on both sides is unknown to this day, various estimates the casualties were made, falling into roughly similar ranges. Overall Polish casualties are estimated at 200,000, mostly civilian. Both Polish and German military personnel losses are estimated at under 20,000. After the war After the Uprising, one grave was left in the streets of Warsaw. Due to a lack of cooperation and often the active aggressive moves on the part of the Soviets and several other factors, the Warsaw Uprising and Operation Tempest failed in their primary goal: to free part of the Polish territories so that a government loyal to the Polish government-in-exile could be established there instead of a Soviet puppet state. There is no consensus among historians as to whether that was ever possible, or whether those operations had any other lasting effect. Some argue that without Operation Tempest and the Warsaw Uprising, Poland would have ended as a Soviet republic, a fate definitely worse than that of an "independent" puppet state, and thus the Operation succeeded at least partially in being a political demonstration to the Soviets and Western Allies. In addition, the Warsaw Uprising compelled the Soviets to stop their offensive in Poland to let the Germans suppress the uprising. Some historians speculate that if they had not stopped their march, they would have occupied all of Germany rather than just the eastern section. Warsaw was liberated from the Nazis on 17 January 1945 by the Red Army and the 1st army of Ludowe Wojsko Polskie during the Vistula-Oder Offensive. Most soldiers of the Home Army (including those who took part in the Warsaw Uprising) were persecuted after the war: captured by the NKVD or UB political police, interrogated and imprisoned, awaiting trials on various charges. Many of them were sent to Gulags, executed or just "disappeared". In addition, members of the Polish Air Force flying supplies to the Home Army, were likewise persecuted after the war and many others "disappeared" after their return to Poland. Once word got back to the Polish flyers still in England, many decided not to return to Poland. Many insurgents, captured by the Germans and sent to POW camps in Germany were later liberated by British, American and Polish forces and remained in the West. Among those were the leaders of the uprising: Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski and Antoni Chruściel (in London and the United States, respectively). Factual knowledge of the Warsaw Uprising, inconvenient to Stalin, was twisted by propaganda of the People's Republic of Poland, which stressed the failings of the Home Army and the Polish government-in-exile, and forbade all criticism of the Red Army or the political goals of Soviet strategy. Until the late sixties the very name of the Home Army was censored, and most films and novels covering the 1944 Uprising were either banned or modified so that the name of the Home Army did not appear. Further, the official propaganda of both communist Poland and the USSR suggested that the Home Army was some sort of a group of right-wing collaborators with Nazi Germany. From 1956 on, the image of the Warsaw Uprising in Polish propaganda was changed a little bit to underline that the soldiers were indeed brave, while the officers were treacherous and the commanders were characterised by disregard of the losses. The first serious publications on the topic were not issued until the late eighties. In Warsaw no monument to the Home Army could be built until 1989. Instead, efforts of the Soviet-backed Armia Ludowa were glorified and exaggerated. Warsaw monument to the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising. In the West, the story of the Polish fight for Warsaw with little support was an embarrassment, as was the shock of Home Army soldiers as Western Allies recognised the Soviet controlled pro-Communist regime installed by Stalin; as a result, the story was not publicised for many years. The courage of soldiers and civilians involved in the Warsaw Uprising, and its betrayal by the Soviet Union, contributed to keeping anti-Soviet sentiment in Poland at a high level throughout the Cold War. Memories of the Uprising helped to inspire the Polish labour movement Solidarity, which led a peaceful opposition movement against the Communist government during the 1980s, leading to the downfall of that government in 1989 and the emergence of democratic political representation. After fall of communism in 1989, the censorship of the facts of the Uprising ceased, and 1 August has now become a celebrated anniversary. On 1 August 1994, Poland held a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Uprising. Germany and Russia were invited to the ceremony, although there was opposition to Russia's invitation. Moreover, a joke making the rounds suggested that "Yeltsin should be given a pair of binoculars so he can observe the ceremony from across the Vistula river." On July 31, 2004, a Warsaw Uprising Museum opened in Warsaw. Research into the Warsaw Uprising has been boosted since the 1990s, particularly due to abolition of censorship and opening of state archives in Poland, however research into the lack of support of the Warsaw Uprising is (according to historians such as Norman Davies)is still very difficult due to lack of access to archives in both UK and Russia. For records related to the period, currently both the United Kingdom archives and Russian archives (where the majority of Soviet archives are kept) remain mostly closed to the public. Further complicating the matter is the United Kingdom's claim that they accidentally destroyed the archives of the Polish Government in Exile.
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Studies By 8. Genesis 17 – 25:18 (Abraham -- Part 2) A Chronological Daily BibleStudy of the Old Testament 7-Day Sectionswith a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a PracticalDailyApplication Week 8 Sunday (Genesis 17) The Sign of the Covenant 17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am the sovereign God. Walk before me and be blameless. 17:2 Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants." 17:3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God said to him, 17:4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 17:5 No longer will your name be Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham because I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. 17:6 I will make you extremely fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. 17:7 I will confirm my covenant as a perpetual covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 17:8 I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing – to you and your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be their God." 17:9 Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 17:10 This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. 17:11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder of the covenant between me and you. 17:12 Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants. 17:13 They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder. 17:14 Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement." 17:15 Then God said to Abraham, "As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; Sarah will be her name. 17:16 I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. Kings of countries will come from her!" 17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, "Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" 17:18 Abraham said to God, "O that Ishmael might live before you!" 17:19 God said, "No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant for his descendants after him. 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation. 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year." 17:22 When he finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. 17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) and circumcised them on that very same day, just as God had told him to do. 17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised; 17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. 17:26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day. 17:27 All the men of his household, whether born in his household or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him. Prayer Lord, I wish to walk before you blameless and to be a fruitful part of Your perfect plan in this world. While the whole notion of adult circumcision makes us wince, and the nature of such a primitive and legalistic/performance-based relationship contrary to our Christian reality of a grace-based relationship, we do want to be mindful that there is a 'spiritual circumcision' that takes place when we accept Your Lordship of our lives. Lord, may I never be found laughing in doubt at any of Your prophesies, You always keep Your word and nothing You promise is absurd. Lord, find me grateful that rather than occasional moments when You come to be near to me You are always with me through Your Holy Spirit. May I be as faithful in following Your instructions as was Abraham, no matter the cost. Scripture In Perspective The Lord God systematically and incrementally communicated the details of His covenant to Abram. He communicated His decision to re-name Abram to Abraham in order to clarify His 'ownership' of Abraham and his descendants. The Lord again affirmed His commitment to make Abraham "fruitful", to raise up great leaders from his descendants, to give to them a large territory, and to be their God. God described to Abraham His system to bring the men in Abraham's extended family and community to an awareness of the high-level of commitment they were making to His covenant – adult circumcision. He instructed Abraham that newly born boys must also be circumcised. He extended the circumcision requirements to every male in "the camp". He informed Abraham that He was also asserting "lordship/ownership" of Sarai and that He had renamed her, Sarah. He instructed Abraham to inform Sarah that she would bear a child from Abraham and that child would be the first in a line to include kings of countries (and The King), Abraham, bowing in submission laughed at the very notion that an elderly couple like he and Sarah could have a child – his laughter was sorrowful rather than derisive. Abraham plead for God to fulfill His promise through Ishmael. The Lord corrected Abraham's error and instructed him to name the son, to be born of Abraham and Sarai - Isaac. He advised Abraham that the birth will be in one year's time. He notified Abraham that He would confirm His covenant directly with Isaac. He also informed Abraham that He has already declared that He would bless Ishmael because of Abraham, making his descendants many and powerful, eventually gathered into a large nation. Interestingly He declares that Ishmael will be the father of twelve princes. When the Lord God completed His instruction of Abraham He departed. Abraham immediately obeyed God's instruction and had every male circumcised. The circumcision included Abraham (99 years old) and Ishmael (13). Interact With The Text Consider Observe Abram's response to the presence of God "Abram bowed down with his face to the ground ..." The Holy Spirit of God dwells within us, do we "bow down" before His presence through lives lived in humble submission? Is it not amazing that despite Abram and Sarai's rebellion, which had just created the tribe of Ishmael, the Lord still comes to Abram to continue the revelation of His covenant? In the primitive medical conditions this would have been dangerous and debilitating of the men limiting their capacity to defend the community or to work. Abraham still failed to fully appreciate Who God was and therefore doubted His capacity to literally fulfill His prophesy. The Lord did not choose to confront Abraham angrily, despite his rebellion via Hagar, and his doubts about His promise. There were no hospitals as we know them, little in the way of sanitation, and every male was circumcised – creating a military vulnerability while they recovered. Discuss Compare the severity of the physical pain and significance of the social impact associated with the Abrahamic covenant to that which we experience for our public declaration of faith in the generally Christian-friendly West, as well as parts of the rest of the world. When have you doubted one of God's promises could really come to you? When have you known that you deserved God's anger and Hand of discipline yet He has withheld both. Since He knows your heart was His restraint due to your repentance? Abraham was apparently held in extraordinary high-regard as there is no report of rebellion against this extreme requirement for all of the men. Reflect What must it have meant to Abram, now Abraham, to hear the Lord God declare of his descendants "I will be their God." The instructions of God, detailed later, would specify the 8th week of life for baby boys to be circumcised. Modern research has uncovered the fact that the 8th week is when Vitamin K spikes in the child – Vitamin K is a clotting agent which would have prevented them from excessive bleeding. Abraham is focused on himself, through the eyes of the world seeing himself and Sarah as impossible vessels for God's fulfilled prophesy, and the he places God in a man-sized 'box'. Prior to the coming of the indwelling Holy Spirit those who worshiped God generally only knew His presence occasionally whereas NT believers have His presence continually. Abraham never asked for an exemption based on his age and was circumcised along with Ishmael, humbly submitting as leader and son for all to know that it was the required thing to do and that he was willing to model obedience even in very difficult things. Share When has your realization that the Holy Spirit in you is the Lord God present with you caused to you pause in reverent awe – and moved you to live more righteously before Him? What do you know of cultures where a public confession of faith represents a major physical and/or sociological risk and sacrifice? When have you doubted your suitability for God's promise and, perhaps unintentionally, then doubted God's capacity to do as He has promised in and through you? When has God had to confront you in some way to correct your wrong thinking? When has God made a sacrificial claim on your life? Did you obey despite the cost? Faith In Action Pray Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of the covenant God has made with you in Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you mindful of the 'circumcision of your heart' which God asks of you, as described by the apostle Paul in the NT as a parallel to that experienced by Abraham and his community. Ask the Holy Spirit to extinguish any smoldering fire of doubt which the enemy has started in you. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you frequently every day of His presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to find you a willing partner in learning to be the first to sacrifice and a positive role model of obedience to God – even in the hard things. Act Prayerfully seek a place in your life where you have not experienced a 'circumcision of the heart', that is, a place where your loyalty remains in the world rather than in Christ. Agree to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to walk through the challenging process of surrendering that part of your life to the Lordship of Christ – no matter the cost. Prayerfully seek out a new or stuck believer and share this text and discussion with them, encouraging them to discover anew the awe of the presence of God within. Prayerfully ponder the most challenging or difficult promise God has made to you. [His promises to His children are all in His Word.] Honestly list the doubts you have, both of yourself as fit to be the vessel of His promise, and if you really understood correctly His amazing promise. Ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that your faith would be expanded to accept God at His Word. I agree to be intentional about beginning my every day with a conversation with the Holy Spirit of God through prayer, to pause and do so during the day, and to be at least as faithful in this as an adherent to Islam is in his ot her daily pauses for worship. Be Specific ________________________________________________ Monday (Genesis 18) Three Special Visitors 18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. 18:3 He said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. 18:4 Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get a bit of food so that you may refresh yourselves since you have passed by your servant's home. After that you may be on your way." "All right," they replied, "you may do as you say." 18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, Quick! Take three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread. 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. 18:8 Abraham then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them. They ate while he was standing near them under a tree. 18:9 Then they asked him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He replied, "There, in the tent." 18:10 One of them said, "I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.) 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?" 18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child when I am old?' 18:14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son." 18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. But the Lord said, "No! You did laugh." Abraham Pleads for Sodom 18:16 When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 18:17 Then the Lord said, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18:18 After all, Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him." 18:20 So the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 18:21 that I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know." 18:22 The two men turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord. 18:23 Abraham approached and said, "Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?" 18:26 So the Lord replied, "If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake." 18:27 Then Abraham asked, "Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord (although I am but dust and ashes), 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy the whole city because five are lacking?" He replied, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." 18:29 Abraham spoke to him again, "What if forty are found there?" He replied, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty." 18:30 Then Abraham said, "May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak! What if thirty are found there?" He replied, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." 18:31 Abraham said, "Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty." 18:32 Finally Abraham said, "May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten." 18:33 The Lord went on his way when he had finished speaking to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. Prayer Lord, may I recognize You and rush to worship and to serve You. May I be mature enough so that even when Your promises seem impossible I will trust You, and even when caught doubting I will not lie but will confess and ask that my faith be increased. May I be as sensitive as Abraham for the righteous hidden among the multitudes of the unrighteous. Scripture In Perspective The three "men" are clearly "heavenly" in origin: Abraham ran to them, something unusual for a man, especially of his age. Abraham addressed at least one as "Lord". Abraham bowed in submission. Abraham pleaded to be permitted to provide foot washing, food, and a shady place for rest. Abraham had Sarah and his servants prepare "fine" bread and a "fine" calf – the best for his very special guests. He then stood apart from them, as a servant from his master, as they ate. The heavenly visitors announced again, in the most specific and unambiguous language, the Lord God's plan for Sarah's pregnancy. Sarah was bitter and hopeless as she was post-menopausal. (From the experience- based perspective of the world she was no longer able to become pregnant and to bear a child, so she laughed when they made their announcement.) The Lord challenged Abraham about Sarah's doubts, at which moment Sarah – frightened that the Lord was aware of her lack of faith – denied lying. The Lord corrected her with the truth while He steadfastly declared His intention to return when it was time for the child to be born. As Abraham was "... still standing before the Lord" God announced that He intended to bring a terrible judgment upon Sodom. Abraham challenged the Lord God to reconsider the destruction of Sodom and He agreed – of course knowing that Abraham's condition of righteous men could not be met. Interact With The Text Consider Abraham was a powerful and wealthy man in that part of the world, he had only previously shown such deference to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17-20). Meanwhile, Sarah's eyes were on her imperfect flesh and not on her perfect Lord. Later, Abraham was so concerned for the righteous in Sodom that he was willing to challenge the Lord God several times to consider withholding His hand of judgment. Discuss Despite the history of the Lord's faithfulness and power Sarah failed to trust. Why? Reflect Abraham had a sense of fatherly responsibility for the people in the region, even Sodom – whom he had previously rescued from an invading army, perhaps even more-so because his nephew Lot lived there. Share When have you recognized a special gift in someone and rather than competing with them for attention or distracting them from their task you have humbly served them? When have you struggled to see things through God's eyes instead of the limited vision of the world? When have you pleaded with God to withhold His hand of judgment upon a parent for the sake of a child or a spouse for the sake of their mate or some other unrighteous person for the sake of a righteous one who might be harmed? Faith In Action Pray Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to a small group of people, perhaps students at a college or other school or employees in a workplace, who are surrounded by people immersed in sin and who need support. Act Today I agree to communicate a word of encouragement to those whom the Holy Spirit has directed me and to pray for protection for them. Be Specific _____________________________________________ Tuesday (Genesis 19) The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah 19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while Lot was sitting in the city's gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground. 19:2 He said, "Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant's house. Stay the night and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning." "No," they replied, "we'll spend the night in the town square." 19:3 But he urged them persistently, so they turned aside with him and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them, including bread baked without yeast, and they ate. 19:4 Before they could lie down to sleep, all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. 19:5 They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!" 19:6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 19:7 He said, "No, my brothers! Don't act so wickedly! 19:819:9 "19:10 So the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house as they shut the door. 19:11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, with blindness. The men outside wore themselves out trying to find the door. 19:12 Then the two visitors said to Lot, "Who else do you have here? Do you have any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city? Get them out of this place 19:13 because we are about to destroy it. The outcry against this place is so great before the Lord that he has sent us to destroy it." 19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. He said, "Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. 19:15 At dawn the angels hurried Lot along, saying, "Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!" 19:16 When Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them. They led them away and placed them outside the city. 19:17 When they had brought them outside, they said, "Run for your lives! Don't look behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!" 19:18 But Lot said to them, "No, please, Lord! 19:19 Your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because this disaster will overtake me and I'll die. 19:20 Look, this town over here is close enough to escape to, and it's just a little one. Let me go there. It's just a little place, isn't it? Then I'll survive." 19:21 "Very well," he replied, "I will grant this request too and will not overthrow the town you mentioned. 19:22 Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there." (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.) 19:23 The sun had just risen over the land as Lot reached Zoar. 19:24 Then the Lord rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. 19:25 So he overthrew those cities and all that region, including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation that grew from the ground. 19:26 But Lot's wife looked back longingly and was turned into a pillar of salt. 19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 He looked out toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region. As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace. 19:29 So when God destroyed the cities of the region, God honored Abraham's request. He removed Lot from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed the cities Lot had lived in. 19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 19:31 Later the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby to have sexual relations with us, according to the way of all the world. 19:32 Come, let's make our father drunk with wine so we can have sexual relations with him and preserve our family line through our father." 19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, and the older daughter came and had sexual relations with her father. But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 19:34 So in the morning the older daughter said to the younger, "Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let's make him drunk again tonight. Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father." 19:35 So they made their father drunk that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 19:36 In this way both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today. 19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. Prayer Lord, may I treat fellow believers with the same sacrificial courtesy and bravery as Lot. Lord, when You tell me to "Get going!" may I be as Lot and obey immediately. Lord, please do not find me so impatient that in my desperation I do things my own way instead of trusting You. Lord, teach me to trust in You so that the enemy cannot use fear to manipulate me. Scripture In Perspective The two beings mentioned previously arrived in Sodom to destroy the city and they find Lot at the city gates – generally the place of the religious "elders". Lot, like Moses, recognized them as of-God and he bowed to them – insisting that they dine and spend the night in the comfort and safety of his home. The crazed men of Sodom attacked Lot's home, demanding the visitors for their homosexual pleasures. Lot realized that if he could not persuade the mob to leave they would break down his door and take his guests – who according to ancient custom he was duty-bound to protect by any means necessary – so he stepped outside of his house to confront them at mortal risk to his own life. Since the men were crazed with sex and would probably have raped and murdered everyone in Lot's household he offered his virgin daughters so as to protect the "men" (angels) of-God, his highest responsibility (in his mind). The men refused as they were so mad with homosexual lust, having long-ago given themselves over to unbridled sin, reject his offer and shoved him aside to attack the door. The "angels" reached out, pulled Lot to safety, then blinded the men so they were unable to find the door – though they tried throughout the night – exhausting themselves from the effort. Just as the Lord God had done with Noah, He extended His blessing for the one to his closest relatives by instructing Lot to gather-up his "... sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city". Lot's "son-in-laws", men who were engaged to his daughters, refused to take him seriously and refused to leave. [Note: According to Old Testament tradition, when a couple were engaged they were considered all-but-married – with the exception of their wedding night consummation. This remained true even until the time of Joseph and Mary in the New Testament.] When it was dawn and time to actually leave the angels rushed Lot and his family out of the city; even Lot hesitated as he was leaving everything of worldly value behind, so the angels compassionately took his hand and led him out. Seeing the distance from the city to the mountains Lot asked to be permitted to take refuge in a nearby village, Zoar, which the angels granted. The members of Lot's group were warned by the angel to not look back at the city. As the Lord God obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife looked back at the city with longing in her heart for that sinful place, this was in direct disobedience to the instruction of the angel and thus she was turned to a pillar of salt. When Abraham awoke he went and stood in the place where the Lord had taken him to show him the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which He intended to obliterate – and Abraham saw their ruins – he was also aware that God had honored his request to spare his nephew Lot. Lot fled Zoar for a cave in the mountains as he feared that the people may have blamed him for God's destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his daughters were isolated from other people as they had for some reason not chosen to seek out Abraham. Lot's daughters has lost their husbands-to-be in the destruction of Sodom were desperate to bear children so that the tradition of biological descendants might continue. Since their father was the only available male they decided to get him so drunk that he would not know that they had sex with him, and they did so. Their descendants from those two acts of incest were the Ammonites and Moabites. Interact With The Text Consider Lot welcomed the angels into his home, practicing what is in the New Testament described by the Apostle Paul as the gift of hospitality, and accepting responsibility for their well-being – including to the point of everything over which he had authority – even his family and his own life. Lot made a foolish and selfish choice to settle near Sodom and Gomorrah, then Abraham had to rescue him from the raiding armies, and again had to ask God to spare him from His wrath upon those evil cities. Zoar, to which Lot had initially fled Sodom, was the only community spared God's wrath because God had promised Abraham He would protect Lot; however Lot feared that the people there would blame him for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot never gave a thought to using the wrath of God as a teachable moment to share God with them as his relationship with God was a very shallow one in contrast to that of Abraham. If we are fearful what others may think then we have made of them idols with more power than the God Who created all that exists. Discuss Lot knew that these men/angels would not be safe I the city square, where they had said they'd be willing to spend the night, and they – being of-God, knew also the danger into which Lot was placing himself by taking them in for the night. God clearly had a timetable in mind for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah but took the time to offer safety to Lot and his family. In keeping with His provision for free will, the son-in-laws were allowed to decide to stay and Lot's wife was allowed to be disobedient once outside of the city and suffer the mortal consequences. Fear of being unable to flee to the mountains in time before the destruction of Sodom caused Lot to ask to stop in Zoar instead, fear of persecution in Zoar caused Lot to flee to a cave in the mountains, fear kept Lot and his daughters from leaving the cave in search of Abraham, and fear caused Lot's daughters to turn to incest in order to have children. What sort of fear-driven caves have you known others to live in? Reflect Imagine the horror of Lot when he realized that the mob of men would certainly break down his door and do whatever they desired with the occupants and his heartsick decision to sacrifice his virgin daughters to the mob in hopes of saving at least some of the occupants – especially the men/angels he had given his solemn oath to protect at any cost. [Note: Lot was not trying to protect himself, when he went outside he had already made it clear that he was willing to place himself in harm's way to protect his guests. He quickly discovered that he had no power to protect anyone from the mob.] Lot, knowing that God was about to destroy Sodom still hesitated in leaving. Lot's wife did worse, she looked back longing for the city of sin, just as we sometimes long for things we have left behind – and should never long to return to. Lot had a long pattern of poor choices because he did not rely upon God, as did Abraham, and now he had passed his poor judgment on to his daughters. Because Lot was motivated by fear he created the circumstances which led to the unfortunate choices of his daughters. Share When have you been confronted with a lose-lose proposition when every choice seemed equally unpleasant, your integrity was on the line, and the only best-choice apparent to you was a sacrifice that would surely break your heart? What choice did you make and what happened? When has God led you away from people and places that embodied a culture of sin and you struggled to leave and to not long to return? When has fear caused you to make a choice which upon reflection was clearly not what God would have wanted, and upon reflection one which patience would have made unnecessary as God had already made plans to meet your true needs. When have you been fearful but have overcome and acted and/or spoken boldly about the Lord? Faith In Action Pray Ask the Holy Spirit to make you mindful of the Lord God's call upon your life, and everything in it, as sacrificed at the moment of true salvation to Him in its entirety and to chastise you whenever you long for what He has rescued you from – the way of destruction and pollution that is sin. Ask for confidence and patience in the face of challenges and to remind you that New Testament Christians were not given "a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7) Act Today I will prayerfully contemplate the things in my life for which I would sacrifice greatly, I will share with a fellow believer which of them are Biblical-priorities and which are worldly, and then I will ask for prayer in-agreement that my priorities become God's. I will prayerfully search my heart for one or more people or places from my past for which I sometimes long, they may be bondage to 'idols' like possessions or title or wealth, wrong relationships, addictive substances, or irresponsibly chasing after adrenaline rush after adrenaline rush. I will commit to the Holy Spirit to partner in purging the lie that those things have any part of my walk with Christ. I will prayerfully seek out a brother or a sister who is struggling to break free of their fear and I will encourage them with prayer. Be Specific _________________________________________________ Wednesday (Genesis 20 – 21:8) Abraham and Abimelech 20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident in Gerar, 20:2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. 20:3 But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else's wife." 20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, "Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 20:5 Did Abraham not say to me, "She is my sister." And she herself said, "He is my brother." I have done this with a clear conscience and with innocent hands!" 20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, "Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man's wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don't give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you." 20:8 Early in the morning Abimelech summoned all his servants. When he told them about all these things, they were terrified. 20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done!" 20:10 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, "What prompted you to do this thing?" 20:11 Abraham replied, "Because I thought, "Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife." 20:12 What's more, she is indeed my sister, my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter. She became my wife. 20:13 When God made me wander from my father's house, I told her, "This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: Every place we go, say about me, "He is my brother."" 20:14 So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 20:15 Then Abimelech said, "Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please." 20:16 To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your "brother." This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you." 20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 20:18 For the Lord had caused infertility to strike every woman in the household of Abimelech because he took Sarah, Abraham's wife. The Birth of Isaac 21:1 The Lord visited Sarah just as he had said he would and did for Sarah what he had promised. 21:2 So Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 21:3 Abraham named his son – whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac. 21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. 21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.) 21:6 Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." 21:7 She went on to say, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!" 21:8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Prayer Lord, even though You often intervene without my awareness to prevent my fear-driven foolishness from harming myself and/or others, I long to be a better witness by being a more trusting child of God. May I never forget Your faithfulness to Abraham and Sarah, despite their repeated lack of faithfulness to You, and be encouraged that Your love overcomes my weaknesses. Scripture In Perspective For the second time Abraham causes a foreign leader to fall into trouble with the Lord God because he (Abraham) lied about his relationship with Sarah, again saying that she was his sister (conveniently leaving out that she was his half-sister and his wife). Abraham's excuse was fear that "Abimelech, king of Gera" would kill him and take his wife, who even at 90 must have been quite a beautiful woman, instead of trusting the Lord to protect him and his wife. God intervenes to prevent permanent harm from coming to anyone - but Abraham's reputation has been harmed in that region. Abimelech rightfully challenges Abraham's integrity and wisdom. Once again the Lord God was faithful in protecting Abraham and those close to him despite Abraham's lack of faith in God's protection in the first case. God kept His promise to Abraham despite Abraham's repeated failure to trust God with his provision of a son and his protection as he traveled. Interact With The Text Consider Give the history Abraham should never have feared as the Lord God had always protected him and those close to him. When God makes a promise He always keeps it. Discuss Setting up others to fail before the Lord is a terrible thing to do. When you read a Bible story like this do you find it encouraging? Reflect As beautiful as she may have been at her age she was clearly not of childbearing age, absent a miracle of God, so what would have been Abimelech's attraction? Her obvious wealth? What sort of testimony do you suppose Abraham and Sarah had of the Lord's integrity and His power after the birth of Isaac? Share When have you made a choice that was wrong before God and that created a situation where someone else was placed at-risk of harm? When has He used you to demonstrate His integrity and power despite your doubts and wandering off of the path He had laid out for you? Faith In Action Pray Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a decision you have made which places others at risk, either through your poor role model, or through an action you have taken. (Perhaps a woman dressing provocatively, a single man flirting with a married woman, a student cheating in school and encouraging others to do so as well, someone downloading games, software, or videos illegally and sharing that with others.) Ask Him to more-firmly direct you on God's path, to chastise you when you doubt, and to remind you of the many ways He has affirmed His integrity and power in your life. Act I will prayerfully seek-out something that I do, or perhaps fail to do, that makes me a poor witness – or worse – a co-conspirator with the enemy to set someone else up to fail. I will repent of that and immediately partner with the Holy Spirit to purge that from my life. I will ask a fellow believer who knows me well to assist me in making a short list of the many ways that the Lord has affirmed His integrity and power in my life and we will celebrate together His faithfulness. Be Specific ________________________________________________ Thursday (Genesis 21:9-34) 21:9 But Sarah noticed the son of Hagar the Egyptian – the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham – mocking. 21:10 So she said to Abraham, "Banish that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!" 21:11 Sarah's demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son. 21:12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not be upset about the boy or your slave wife. Do all that Sarah is telling you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 21:13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too." 21:14 Early in the morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, and sent her away. So she went wandering aimlessly through the wilderness of Beer Sheba. 21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved the child under one of the shrubs. 21:16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot away; for she thought, "I refuse to watch the child die." So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably. 21:17 But God heard the boy's voice. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Don't be afraid, for God has heard the boy's voice right where he is crying. 21:18 Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation." 21:19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink. 21:20 God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21:21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt. 21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do. 21:23 Now swear to me right here in God's name that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. Show me, and the land where you are staying, the same loyalty that I have shown you." 21:24 Abraham said, "I swear to do this." 21:25 But Abraham lodged a complaint against Abimelech concerning a well that Abimelech's servants had seized. 21:26 "I do not know who has done this thing," Abimelech replied. "Moreover, you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today." 21:27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. 21:28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 21:29 Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?" 21:30 He replied, "You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof that I dug this well." 21:31 That is why he named that place Beer Sheba, because the two of them swore an oath there. 21:32 So they made a treaty at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned to the land of the Philistines. 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, the eternal God. 21:34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time. Prayer Lord, Sarah was selfish and vindictive like the world. May I look first to You so that I have Your heart toward others rather than the heart of my fallen-flesh. Scripture In Perspective Sarah was selfish for her child, not wanting Ishmael to appear to be a co-heir with Isaac, or even worse to appear to be superior as the first-born of Abraham - so she demanded that Abraham banish him. Abraham was reluctant but the Lord God cared for Ishmael as He had promised. Hagar did not understand and presumed that Ishmael would die in the wilderness. The Lord God blessed him with talents and a wife. Abimelech, the local ruler whom Abraham had placed in harms-way by lying about his relationship with Sarah, sought a peaceful agreement that Abraham would not deceive him again. A dispute about the ownership of a well led Abraham to make a special effort to demonstrate his integrity, given the awkward history, as to his ownership of the well. After the matter of the well had been resolved Abraham made a point of planting a Tamarisk tree at the site. [The NET translator's notes explain that this was an evidence of his intent to stay a while and of his expectation that water would continue to be available, as a provision of God.] Abraham also made a point of worshiping the Lord as he had done previously. Interact With The Text Consider Sarah carried-forward her animosity toward Hagar and took it out on her son. Abraham had earned the distrust of Abimelech; as a result, not only did Abimelech bring the commander of his army but Abraham found it necessary to give seven ewe lambs to enhance his damaged credibility to support his assertion that he had dug the disputed well. Discuss Is it unusual to hold on to fear and jealousy, transferring it from one family member to another? Is it not easier to establish and maintain credibility than to restore it once lost? Reflect The Lord God remained faithful to Hagar and Ishmael because of His promise to Abraham. He allowed Sarah's poor choices to exacerbate and to initiate an estrangement of Ishmael's from the rest of his family as He had prophesied prior to his [Ishmael's] birth. While Abimelech feared the God of Abraham he appeared to have little respect for, or trust of, Abraham. Abraham's testimony was harmed. Share When have you been the perpetrator or victim of the persecution of multiple family members even though only one member may have done anything to cause conflict with others? How did that work out? When have you made a bad first-impression and later struggled to rebuild your standing? Faith In Action Pray Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to bear-up under injustice, or to refuse to be a party to injustice, but rather to trust the Lord God to handle things. Ask Him to keep you constantly mindful that you belong God and that your every word and deed reflects upon His power in your life. Act Prayerfully discern a place where you have been victimized by injustice, or where you have mistreated another improperly, and make a commitment to the Holy Spirit to put God right in the middle to bring peace. Prayerfully consider your day-to-day walk and look for a place where you may be acting in a manner that does not well-represent the ethics of God. It may be a choice you are making in the workplace to enhance sales or to improve your standing for a promotion, it may be related to a hobby or sports, it may be in a romantic relationship (or in the pursuit of one), it may be in political discourse, or in some other area. Repent of the choice that you have identified as unworthy of God and make a new one that is. Share the experience with a fellow believer as an example that they may also choose to follow, or as a testimony to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Be Specific _____________________________________________ Friday (Genesis 22 - 23) The Sacrifice of Isaac 22:1 Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am!" Abraham replied. 22:2 God said, "Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac – and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you." 22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about. 22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of the place in the distance. 22:5 So he said to his servants, "You two stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go up there. We will worship and then return to you." 22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father?" "What is it, my son?" he replied. "Here is the fire and the wood," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 22:8 "God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son," Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together. 22:9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 22:10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter his son. 22:11 But the Lord's angel called to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am!" he answered. 22:12 "Do not harm the boy!" the angel said. "Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me." 22:13 Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place "The Lord provides." It is said to this day, "In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made." 22:15 The Lord's angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16 and said, ""I solemnly swear by my own name," decrees the Lord, "that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants."" 22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed. 22:20 After these things Abraham was told, "Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." 22:23 (Now Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abrahamfs brother Nahor. 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children – Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah. The Death of Sarah 23:1 Sarah lived 127 years. 23:2 Then she died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and said to the sons of Heth, 23:4 "I am a temporary settler among you. Grant me ownership of a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead." 23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 23:6 "Listen, sir, you are a mighty prince among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you from burying your dead." 23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, the sons of Heth. 23:8 Then he said to them, "If you agree that I may bury my dead, then hear me out. Ask Ephron the son of Zohar 23:9 if he will sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly for the full price, so that I may own it as a burial site." 23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite replied to Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate of his city – 23:11 "No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell you both the field and the cave that is in it. In the presence of my people I sell it to you. Bury your dead." 23:12 Abraham bowed before the local people 23:13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, "Hear me, if you will. I pay to you the price of the field. Take it from me so that I may bury my dead there." 23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 23:15 "Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead." 23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron's price and weighed out for him the price that Ephron had quoted in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. 23:17 So Abraham secured Ephron's field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron's city. 23:19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 23:20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site from the sons of Heth. Prayer Lord, may I be found as obedient as Abraham where I know Your clear direction, not arguing with You but acting from trust knowing that You never change and Your promises are always kept. May I be always-grateful that You provided the sacrifice for my salvation. May we mourn briefly, bury our dead, and move on with our lives like Abraham rather than allow this evidence of the Fall to be used by the enemy to neutralize us. Scripture In Perspective The Lord God came to Abraham with a test of his obedience. Abraham had strong feelings of protectiveness about Ishmael and even stronger ones about Isaac, those feelings could have drifted into a form of idolatry. The Lord instructed Abraham to offer Isaac to Him as a sacrifice, a "burnt offering" Abraham followed the Lord God's instructions obediently, offering no recorded objections. When Abraham was questioned by Isaac as to the missing sacrificial animal Abraham explained that the Lord would provide one. Abraham faithfully prepared to sacrifice his son and an angel from the Lord God stopped him. The Lord provided a "ram in the thicket" as the necessary sacrifice and Issac was spared. The Lord God explained that Abraham's obedience demonstrated his "fear of God" and therefore justified countless descendants and blessings. Sarah lived to be 127 years of age and then died. Abraham mourned then arranged her burial. Abraham negotiated a purchase (paying 30 pieces of silver, the same as Judas would later be paid to betray Jesus) with local landowners who demonstrated a great deal of respect for him, using the term "prince" to describe his status among men. The text then listed the next generations descended from Abraham. Interact With The Text Consider The Lord God came to Abraham with a test. It was not a temptation, but Abraham could have turned it into one had he doubted God and tried to go his own way, as he had with Hagar and twice lying about Sarah. Although Abraham had been told by God that Isaac would be the next generation which would lead to countless descendants he still obeyed God's instructions. God never contradicts Himself, even though there are times from out human perspective we think He has. Despite all of the travel, being twice kidnapped, the stress of Hagar and Ishmael, and the travails of carrying and birthing Isaac as an elderly woman, Sarah lived to be 127 years of age. Discuss Sometimes God asks us to prove our willingness to place that which we value most in this world at His feet, He does not necessarily intend to take it from us, but He needs us to be genuine in our willingness to let go if He asks. Is it not difficult to walk in faith when sometimes the future is not only uncertain but terrifying? There is no mention of an extremely lengthy time of mourning nor of an excessively lavish funeral - despite his significant wealth Abraham appears to have remained a man of simple lifestyle. Reflect Abraham had acted based on the fear of man instead of trust in God on several prior occasions, God herein tests him at an extremely difficult level to clarify that Abraham had finally matured to where God was first in all things. Just as God provided the sacrifice to save Isaac He provided Jesus as the sacrifice to save us. Abraham seems to have earned the respect of his neighbors after a rough beginning. Share When has God led you to a place where He has asked you to let go of something you valued greatly? Did you say yes to Him in word and deed? What did you learn from that experience? When have you been confronted with a test of your faith and God has provided in an unexpected way? When have you started out on the wrong foot yet though a consistent effort to demonstrate caring for and integrity in dealing with others earned their respect and trust? Faith In Action Pray Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any place where you are placing someone or some thing in the world ahead of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you that God is always faithful and He never asks you to do anything unless He has already gone on ahead and provided what you need. Ask the Holy Spirit to find you teachable as He leads you along the way to earning the right to be heard for Christ. Act I will prayerfully seek out someone or some thing in this world that I exclude from God's Lordship. Perhaps it is a relationship that He seeks to end or to modify, a position or title that is distorting my priorities, something I own or of which I am envious which belongs to another but that absorbs too much of my time and attention – taken away from God and/or family, etc. I will repent (turn away from) that by offering to surrender it entirely to God. If He gives it back or if He takes it that must be OK with me. Be Specific _____________________________________________ Saturday (Genesis 24 - 25) The Wife for Isaac 24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one in his household who was in charge of everything he had, "Put your hand under my thigh 24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives to find a wife for my son Isaac." 24:5 The servant asked him, "What if the woman is not willing to come back with me to this land? Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?" 24:6 "Be careful never to take my son back there!" Abraham told him. 24:7 "The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and the land of my relatives, promised me with a solemn oath, 'To your descendants I will give this land.' He will send his angel before you so that you may find a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, you will be free from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!" 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. 24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. He journeyed to the region of Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city. It was evening, the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, and the daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, 'Please lower your jar so I may drink.' May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, 'Drink, and I'll give your camels water too.' In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master." 24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor). 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham's servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug." 24:18 "Drink, my lord," she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want." 24:20 She quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine if the Lord had made his journey successful or not. 24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels and gave them to her. 24:23 "Whose daughter are you?" he asked. "Tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" 24:24 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. 24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed," she added, "and room for you to spend the night." 24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying "Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master! The Lord has led me to the house of my master's relatives!" 24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother's household all about these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister's wrists and the nose ring and heard his sister Rebekah say, "This is what the man said to me," he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, "Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! Why are you standing out here when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?" 24:32 So Abraham's servant went to the house and unloaded the camels. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 24:33 When food was served, he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I want to say." "Tell us," Laban said. 24:34 "I am the servant of Abraham," he began. 24:35 "The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master's wife Sarah bore a son to him when she was old, and my master has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, 'You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find a wife for my son.' 24:39 But I said to my master, 'What if the woman does not want to go with me?' 24:40 He answered, 'The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father's family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.' 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, 'O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, may events unfold as follows: 24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. When the young woman goes out to draw water, I'll say, "Give me a little water to drink from your jug." 24:44 Then she will reply to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too." May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master's son.' 24:45 "Before I finished praying in my heart, along came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll give your camels water too.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.' I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way." 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "This is the Lord's doing. Our wishes are of no concern. 24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master's son, just as the Lord has decided." 24:52 When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. When they got up in the morning, he said, "Let me leave now so I can return to my master." 24:55 But Rebekah's brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go." 24:56 But he said to them, "Don't detain me – the Lord has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return to my master." 24:57 Then they said, "We'll call the girl and find out what she wants to do." 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" She replied, "I want to go." 24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham's servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: "Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands! May your descendants possess the strongholds of their enemies." 24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with the man. So Abraham's servant took Rebekah and left. 24:62 Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 24:63 He went out to relax in the field in the early evening. Then he looked up and saw that there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked Abraham's servant, "Who is that man walking in the field toward us?" "That is my master," the servant replied. So she took her veil and covered herself. 24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent. He took her as his wife and loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. The Death of Abraham 25:1 Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah. 25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac. 25:7 Abraham lived a total of 175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. He joined his ancestors. 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi. The Sons of Ishmael 25:12 This is the account of Abraham's son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. 25:13 These are the names of Ishmael's sons, by their names according to their records: Nebaioth (Ishmael's firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes according to their clans. 25:17 Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. 25:18 His descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next to Egypt all the way to Asshur. They settled away from all their relatives. Jacob and Esau 25:19 This is the account of Isaac, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. 25:21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled inside her, and she said, "If it is going to be like this, I'm not so sure I want to be pregnant!" So she asked the Lord, 25:23 and the Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from within you. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." 25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish all over, like a hairy garment, so they named him Esau. 25:26 When his brother came out with his hand clutching Esau's heel, they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born. 25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, "Feed me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I'm starving!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) 25:31 But Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 25:32 "Look," said Esau, "I'm about to die! What use is the birthright to me?" 25:33 But Jacob said, "Swear an oath to me now." So Esau swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. So Esau despised his birthright. Prayer Lord, may I be moved to stop in amazement and to praise You for the way that You go on ahead, preparing the way for those who seek Your will. Lord, may I be found sensitive enough to Your working in my life, and as obedient as well, that like Laban and Bethuel I may confidently and humbly declare "This is the Lord's doing. Our wishes are of no concern." Lord, may I have the commitment of Rebekah to follow where You lead, to trust You, and not to procrastinate. Lord, may You grant long life to those who serve You faithfully, to fulfill Your loving plan that more may know and grow in You. Lord, may Your faithfulness lead us to greater trust in You. Lord, we often fail to understand Your workings in this world, when You allow things to happen as a result of the Fall and when You have intervened. But we always trust You. Lord, I long to never despise the new birthright You gave to me when I joined Your eternal family through Jesus. Scripture In Perspective Hagar, a single-parent following her banishment, found Ishmael a wife. Abraham then sought a wife for Isaac prior to his death. The NET translator's notes explain that instructing the servant to "Put your hand under my thigh ..." was known as a "patriarchal oath" related to the continuation of the family. Abraham instructed his servant to get Isaac a wife from a distant relative, not from a foreign tribe, and to not bring Isaac to their lands. The servant prayed a type of fleece to be certain that it was the Lord God Who had identified the woman He had prepared to be the wife of Isaac – his fleece was immediately answered. Rebekah ran to tell her family of the visiting servant then her brother Laban returned with her to greet him and to encourage him to come to their home. The servant refused their request to dine with them until he shares the story of the purpose of his visit and what had transpired between he and Rebekah. Rebekah's father Bethuel and her brother Laban immediately recognize God's hand in the story and immediately acknowledge that His will must be done. Abraham's servant first worshiped the Lord God, then presented the gifts Abraham had sent, dined and slept, and then in the morning made known his plan to return to Abraham and Isaac with Rebekah. Rebekah's family expressed their desire for a little more time with her but Abraham's servant implored them to not delay his return. They consulted with Rebekah who agreed to leave immediately. It was apparently acceptable for Rebekah to travel without her veil but when meeting her betrothed, Isaac, f or the first time she felt it necessary to veil her face from him. Isaac received the report of the servant, married Rebekah, and she filled an empty place in his life that had been left by his mother Sarah's death. After the death of Sarah Abraham remarried, and somewhere along the way he also inexplicably acquired several concubines, with whom he had several children. Before he died Abraham provided for the children he fathered with his concubines then sent them away, presumably to not become a distraction to Isaac. Abraham left everything to Isaac and given Isaac's maturity it may be presumed that he was expected to provide for the children his second wife Keturah bore Abraham. Abraham lived to be 175 years old and was buried with Sarah. Isaac received the blessing of God via Abraham and took his place in the divinely established lineage of Jesus through Mary. Ishmael lived to be 137 years old and fathered twelve sons who then multiplied into twelve "clans". [The text notes that they "settled away from all their relatives." which was the practice beginning with Ishmael.] Isaac, like his father Abraham, suffered with infertility. The Bible does not tell us if the weakness was in Isaac or Rebekah or both. Isaac asks God to given them a child and God answers his prayer. Twenty years after Isaac married Rebekah, when he was 60, they had twin children. The children struggled in the womb and came out looking very different, first Esau, then Jacob. God's prophesy unfolded as Esau and Jacob grew and the parents chose favorites, Issac favored Esau because he enjoyed fresh game and Rebekah favored Jacob for his more-even temperament and more-settled lifestyle. Esau's tendency was to live from the flesh, and moment-to-moment, he arrived home hungry and demanded some of the fresh stew that Jacob had just made. Jacob, seeing an opportunity, challenged the impetuous Esau to sell him his first-born birthright in exchange for the stew. Esau thoughtlessly agreed. The result of this seemingly childish interaction was that the second-born now could claim the unique rights of the first-born as Esau had rejected that gift of God, one that would have placed him in the line of succession to Jesus. Interact With The Text Consider Abraham was concerned that Isaac not be confused by other faiths, thus he insisted that his wife come from a relative, just as the New Testament teaches that a believer must never marry a non-believer. Rebekah was a strong young woman as she pumped many containers of water for multiple camels, she also was confident, generous, and hospitable. Ware mostly unfamiliar with the ancient cultural tradition of parents finding spouses for their children; however, notice that Rebekah was granted a great deal of input to the decision, even in ancient times. The lifespan of man had decreased rapidly from the early times of hundreds of years so that Abraham's 175 years of life, without any reports of frailty or sickness. God was faithful but Abraham and Sarah were not, the result – via Hagar – was a child from Abraham whom God in keeping His word was integrity-bound to bless. Since there is a lot of common genetic material between Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah it is difficult to discern if any specific individual carried the reproductive weakness, nor does the text tell us that. What the text does share is that God once again made an infertile couple fertile. It is unlikely that Esau was truly "starving"; more likely he was hungry and carelessly lived in that moment without regard to the long-term consequences of his choices. Discuss The servant was careful to make God the definer of truth by asking Him to make known how he might fulfill his mission. How may we be as careful about our decisions? Abraham's servant placed his mission first, even before eating after a long journey. Are we as God-first in our daily walk? How difficult must it have been for Rebekah to agree to leave all that she knew to travel a great distance to marry a man she had never met, even with the assurance that it was God's will? Isaac became the patriarch of a significant tribe. What are the positive and negative elements of the role model he saw in Abraham? God allows the consequences of Abraham and Sarah's foolishness to be experienced by the entirety of mankind as a testament to the importance of obedience and trust. Have you experienced, or been close to a pregnant woman who experienced, a difficult pregnancy with twins during which it seemed that they were struggling with one-another? Have you ever heard of such a thing? The birthright of a Christian comes through Jesus the Christ, although we cannot really "sell" our birthright, in what ways do we "despise" it in the choices we sometimes make? Reflect The Lord God had attended, in advance, to every detail in order to answer Abraham's prayer. Abraham's distant family had been well-taught as they were all sensitive to the working of the Lord and ready to humbly submit to His will. Perhaps Abraham's was anxious to return quickly due to concerns as to Abraham's health, or perhaps because the longer the delay the more opportunity the enemy might have to create trouble, the text is silent on those details. God's prophesy for Isaac was an impressive one, the prayer of blessing of Abraham upon Isaac must have been a powerful moment. When we take the promises of God and distort them the consequences can be dire. The infertility, the nature of Esau and Jacob's relationship as one of conflict – beginning in the womb, and the radical difference in appearance at birth all may be the consequence of sin which God allows to play itself out. Or might one of more of them may be the result of God's intervention. The text is silent. Perhaps Jacob had been looking for an opportunity to trick his brother and saw an opening, or perhaps it was merely quick – though devious – thinking. While Genesis 25:23 prophesied that "... the older would serve the younger" it did not specify how that would come to be. The text does not tell us if either boy had been informed of that prophesy. Share When have you known what God wanted in general but were uncertain of the details? What was your conversation with God as you proceeded step by step? When has God asked you to sacrifice the comfortable and familiar to follow His lead? What did you decide and what was the result? When have you wondered if God had intervened or if circumstances were merely the result of "the world" and God was watching and waiting to see how you reacted, including if you invited Him into those circumstances? When have you been tempted by a desire of your flesh to "despise" your standing as a child of God in favor of momentary gain or pleasure? Faith In Action Pray Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how He is leading you right now. Ask Him to enhance your sensitivity to God's working, to give you the courage and discernment of Rebekah. Ask Him to make you sensitive to the way that even small acts of disobedience or rebellion demonstrate a type of "despising" of your birthright as born-again in Christ. Act I will pause in my busyness to pray. I agree to be prayerfully-alert to God moving around me and when I discern His activity I commit to partner with the Holy Spirit in whatever He asks of me. I now commit to pray for the leader, or leadership team, of the fellowship where I serve and worship and to do whatever I can to support them as they serve the fellowship that God has called them to. I will pray especially that they will be faithful to God in all of their duties. I will prayerfully review my life for evidence of a place where I am living from my own wisdom and I will consider what potential trouble that could lead to. I will prayerfully review the past week of my life, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and identify at least one place where I diminish the value of my identity in Christ in order to be at peace with the world or to please my flesh. I agree to repent of that and to make a special effort to honor my birthright rather than to despise it
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http://bible.org/seriespage/8-genesis-17-%e2%80%93-2518-abraham-2
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee began weighing evidence Wednesday on whether dye additives in food affects behavior in children. The panel listened to testimony from doctors and scientists who contend that studies, although small in many cases, do show that some kids begin to show signs of hyperactivity once they are exposed to certain dye mixtures. The question is, should the FDA committee urge the agency to strengthen its regulation of these ingredients? According to the experts who testified, European companies already are dropping dyes including Blue #1, Yellow #5, Green #3 and others and substituting natural dyes for them. But the United States still allows artificial dyes, mostly for aesthetic reasons, not for taste. "Why are these dyes in these foods anyway?" asked Michael Jacobsen, executive director of the Center for Science and the Public Interest, a watchdog group on nutrition and food safety. "I would push for having them taken out completely. But if that can't be done, why not warn the public and parents that these dyes could have some effects?" The idea that dyes in food causes ADHD was first noted in Why Your Child is Hyperactive, a book written by Dr. Benjamin Feingold in 1975. The eating style described in the book became known as the Feingold Diet. He found if you eliminated artificial food dyes and additives in American diets, cases of hyperactivity in children, later defined as ADHD, would decline. But reviews of the data found that the correlation between dyes and hyperactivity were inconsistent. Although numerous data have been collected on food dyes and hyperactivity in kids over the past decade, critics say the design of the studies has been weak. They note many of the studies were performed on small groups– many involved no more than 25 children. They also noted that much of the observation data (how the child acted) was reported by parents and not by clinicians. And they pointed out that most of the dyes tested were combined into a dye mixture and not tested individually. The most recent studies to bring food dyes and ADHD back to the public eye was a 2007 project conducted by researchers at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. It showed that artificial food dyes along with sodium benzoate (a white crystalline salt used as a food preservative) increased ADHD symptoms in both hyperactive and non-hyperactive children. That study was followed up by another paper in 2010 by the same researchers who looked at the connection between food dyes, ADHD and histamine, a chemical that's produced in the brain when the body is having an allergic reaction. "We found mixtures of certain artificial colors together with sodium benzoate preservative in the diet increased the average level of hyperactivity in 3 and 8/9 year old children in the general population," Dr. Jim Stevenson, a professor at the School of Psychology at the University of Southampton, and lead author of the study, testified Wednesday. "We found mixtures of certain artificial colors together with sodium benzoate preservative in the diet increased the average level of hyperactivity in 3 and 8/9 year old children in the general population." Yet, it was noted that when the Southampton data were unveiled to the European Food Standards Authority, a European version of the FDA, the EFSA found the evidence weak. But some groups in the United States say the findings are another reason that dyes should go. A recent report issued by CSPI looked at data from a number of studies related to artificial food dyes. Jacobsen argued to the board Wednesday that artificial food dyes are not safe for humans and can be connected to numerous health problems, including ADHD allergies, even cancer "The average child consumes approximately 121 milligrams of artificial dyes a day," Jacobsen asserted. "That's a lot. And dye in food is used twice as much as it was in the 1970s. These are noted scientific effects. There are other factors that could affect child behavior, but if we can take out food dyes as a factor, why not?" No action was taken Wednesday. Public and industry testimony will take place on Thursday. The advisory committee is expected to make its recommendation Thursday afternoon. Although the committee only makes recommendations to the FDA, the agency usually follows those recommendations. We recommend From around the web soundoff(120 Responses) So, the studies were flawed because they were too small and lacked objective measurement. "But opponents of food dyes say that doesn't matter." Sounds just like the anti-vaccination crowd, doesn't it? Oh, and they call themselves "the Center for Science and the Public Interest" when they make statements like: '"The average child consumes approximately 121 milligrams of artificial dyes a day," Jacobsen asserted. "That's a lot. And dye in food is used twice as much as it was in the 1970s. These are noted scientific effects. ,there are other factors that could affect child behavior, but if we can take out food dyes as a factor, why not?"' Exactly. There will always be a crowd of alarmists led by brain-dead celebutards like Jenny McCarthy to promote panic. The result is Darwinian when stupid people's children die. They do not then pass on stupid genes. I agree with the other poster- the harm in removing dyes is no where near the harm in ending vaccination. We need well designed, double blind studies of these artificial dyes and hyperactivity. It shouldn't be to difficult- put a moderately sized group of kids with ADHD on a dye free diet, give one group of kids a placebo, dose the other kids with a certain dye (about equal to the amount you'd get from food in a normal diet), and see what happens. my younger brother has ADD, and after my mother heard about Red #40 being a possible link to hyperactivity, we took him off of it. The improvement was astounding, though we still ended up placing him on medication later on. I myself tried cutting back on Red #40, and noticed a change in my concentration at school as well. I'd say it works well, for both ADD and ADHD children as well as people without the attention deficit disorders. I was a hyperactive child and my doctor immediately suggested that food dyes might be the cause. My parents cut red and yellow food dyes out of my diet, and voila! Success. This was almost 30 years ago. I wouldn't trust a government funded organization, because we all know the government is in large part controlled by corporations. I would trust independent doctors who have seen the evidence for themselves. I am living proof that food dyes CAN cause hyperactivity in children. so the studies were flawed since its already obvious and shown that ADHD is hereditary................. ALTHOUGH.... I do remember my mom teaching us to bake and how I would watch that lil droplette of dye drip into the cupcake batter and being over joyed how it would spread throughout the batter and change its color.... never thinking... OH MY GOD THIS IS CAUSING ME TO BE HYPER ACTIVE...... those death drops of dye were causing it! As a parent of a child with Asperger's Syndrome along with ADHD I can tell you that I am not an alarmist. I am a concerned parent who is willing to try anything to help my child. The Feingold diet restricting food dyes has shown a remarkable improvement in my daughter's focus and behavior. So you can bash and call me an alarmist all you want, but I've seen the proof with my own eyes that the food dyes cause a negative impact on my child. Do you think I am going to feed her junk with this dye in it knowing what it does to her simply because some higher authority deems the evidence weak?!? Of course not. But then again the people who refuse to consider the possibility that something might be harmful are just as ridiculous as those who think everything is harmful. You go ahead and keep feeding that mess to your kids if you want to, but I've seen enough EVIDENCE in my own household of the effects; my kids do not eat or drink this any longer. Instead of bashing, why don't you take just one week and avoid everything with artificial dyes in it and see for yourself what the impact is? Are you afraid you might be wrong? It seems like our modern diet is more like a chemical slurry than actual food. If it's not needed for anything (unlike a vaccine) why put it in there? If your 'food product' looks like a grey lump after all the processing maybe it isn't really fit for consumption – no need to disguise it with petroleum based colors, just dump it. I have had first hand experience with dyes effecting my grandson. Luckily my daughter in law researched her sons behvior problem & as soon as she took him off the dyes he improved. You could actually see the change in him 10 to 15 min after consumng something with dye added. Lucky she didn't just take him to a Dr. & get behavior drugs! He is in kindergarden now and just got selected for student of the month! Grampa Don You are a liar or an idiot. Does the boy eat cake or any frosting any time of year? Do you color eggs on Easter? Eat ANY candy? Use shampoo or conditioner? Any soap at all? Seriously, you have internet access, do some reading. You make it sound like she was intentionally dosing the kid or something. Out of curiosity, what products were removed and what were they replaced with? One thing to keep in mind is that the colored products are usually the ones with higher sugar content. Did she replace soda and juice with real fruit or something? That would make far more sense than the dyes as far as behavior. Donald! I 100% agree with your observations. I have fraternal twins. The boy appears to have more sensitivity to the RED and YELLOW. Some BLUEs will get him to. Cheap red jello seems to do the worsk. Red Pop and cheap red kool-aid knock-offs launched him His sister not so much. And here is what we did. The juice pouches, we give him the ones with more red, goes ADHD. To those saying ITS THE SUGAR, nope, we buy THE SAME BRAND that sells no-color versions, and no launching. Same sugar content. Their diets are pretty stable and can be normalized out of the observations. Correlation may not mean causation, but observation and change in outcomes are all that matters when you have a 5 year old loosing his mind. There are lots of ways around food dyes–in terms of your statements: you can make your own birthday cakes and homemade icings (from scratch–imagine that) don't have any artificial coloring, and you can use homemade food dyes (made from vegetables). Candy is an easy one to avoid (Just say no). And one more thing-there are are plenty of hypo-allergenic shampoos with no dyes. First, nobility in using a real name. I agree Mr. Ainsworth. My daughter was born with red dye sensitivity. Anything that touched her skin red turned it inflammed, fiery red and her behavior changed. My 9 yr old son was 5x more oppositional and very impulsive and unable to concentrate with high doses of dyes. When children have ADD, for those educated parents have concluded and done their own trial and errors determined the child should have LITTLE dyes and add OMEGA 3's and other healthy nutrients. I have studied mercury (ethyl vs. methyl, respectively in shots vs. fish) and it mirrors lead period. My daughter convulses and my neice and nephew both "got" Autism after their 18 mos shots – period. America has 9 banned ingredients in skin care (i.e., shampoos, baby wash and lotions) vs. European's 1300+ and on the FDA's list in America....Lead and Asbestos are on that list. Aw, but that's not bad says the nematodes that travel in many of the internet blogs and reveal nothing. IGNORE PARASITES and don't feed into their arguements....let'em starve! I have a daughter with the same sensitivity. While all dyes seem to affect her behavior to varying degrees, I refer to the whole phenomenon as a "Red40 High." I don't get the opposition to warning labels: parents who are concerned can avoid the foods with dyes and parents who don't care can ignore them. The problem is that the dyes are everywhere, which I discovered when I tried to take a baking shortcut and buy frosting – white frosting has yellow dye in it! Please...give me labels. I have been dealing with various problems from artificial coloring and flavoring for several years. All four of my kids have some form of intolerance as well. One of them has moderate to severe intolerances even after reaching the age of 20. For those of us who have lived through the struggles of finding food that our kids can tolerate while being surrounded with foods that have lists of ingredients that are a mile long and so many names to learn that contain the artificial ingredients they cannot tolerate, it is not a matter of determining if this is the cause, it is a matter of wanting a better alternative for those who suffer through this. The food industry has increased the amount of natural products so much in the last five years. I pray that it continues. I am just sad for those families who haven't figured out what is causing the ill effects in their kids. Not all ADHD and other behavior conditions can be improved by this. However, it is certain that MANY kids would be helped by the government taking action and improving the supply of food and especially antibiotics without artificial dyes and flavorings. Also, doctors need to get on board with this and educate families about how to do elimination diets to rule out food intolerances before the kids are on so many antibiotics because of adverse affects of food intolerances. Our doctors were great and supportive. I have heard of many that are not. @ Suzanne: Sorry, I don't take the word of a dumbbell who can't spell simple words like "argument" or "niece". Show me your degree in biology, or your medical license, dear. Otherwise, you're just another dolt on the internet. I totally agree with you. My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 4. I never gave him sodas nor did I give him sweets. This was easy as he never really liked these types of foods. Before any of you tell me that all he needed was good parenting. His school and day care where having such a hard time with him , that they where both about to expell him. I could not stand the thought of him being on drugs. So, I excluded all sugars from his diet, he never got any caffeine and of course there was no change. Then one day he was being very passive ( I thought he was coming down with something) he asked for some cheezi its. We gave it to him and within 15 minutes he was like a caged animal. I took note and started keeping trackof his behavior changes and it all seemed to come from anything that had yellow or red dye. The problem is, it is in everything. It is in pedialite, toothpaste and waffles. It is nearly impossible to avoid. As for Charles who claims you are a liar and an idiot! Only someone with the same callibur of the name he is calling would start calling names over an issue such a s this. Charles Gilman: How dare you call him a liar?!? Your audacity is amazing. We've seen results within just 2 days of our daughter not consuming any food or drink with artificial dyes in it. Do you think that all of us parents who have tried this with our children and have success are liars? Fine. But realize that to keep the blinkers on your eyes while calling others idiots is just small minded to the extreme. it's more sad and disgusting that people say ignorant things without facts on anything and spread FEAR into other ignorant people.... eventually they end up drowning people to see if they are a witch or not... etc etc etc.... FACT: Eliminating artificial dyes from our family's diet has improved focus for our entire family, aside from improving our daughter's focus and behavior. I don't really care one flip if you believe me or not. But I am not so narrow minded as to not try things for myself before calling others liars. Why don't YOU try it for yourself? I guess it is just too easy to be armchair quarterback and spout off nonsense instead of being disciplined and taking action to see for yourself. Just ignore these comments supporting food dye – nobody in their right mind who wasn't benefiting financially from their use would argue in favor of them. No doubt he's been paid to post these comments. So why would you feed a kid awful fake colored food (or should I say awful colored fake food) in the first place? These usually have no nutritional value anyway. Less of the dyed colored crap and probably less obesity, too. Parents are the ones buying this stuff and feeding it to their kids. If it didn't sell, I doubt that "food" would be colored bright orange or other colors. Do you really need the FDA to tell you lots of dyes in food are probably not a good idea and probably not indicative of a good food product? There's lots of crap on the shelves in food stores-doesn't mean you have to spend your money on it and shove it in your face or feed it to your kid. a lot of it is cost. you can buy nutritionally void foods on the cheap. highly processed foods with some nutrional value come next. If you have a very low income it hard to go to whole foods and spend $5/lb on tomatoes when that same $5 will get you cheap romas, ramen, and cheap kool-aide at the dollar stores. That's a speicous arguement. for $5.00 you can get a lot of potatoes, you don't have to buy tomatoes. You can also get a ton of pasta for that price, add onions or a few other cheaper vegetables and have a simple prima vera. Price per ounce for processed and colored foods is usually higher than the basics due to all the processing and coloring! Of course there are expensive cuts of meats and expensive veggies, but you don't have to buy them, buty the cheapaer ones. When we were kids (ca. 1960s), my mom made a vat of soup (cheap chicken parts, celery, carrots, onions, either potatoes or pasta), and we lived on that for a week. Had no choice-no money. We did that all through the winter. Healthiest, cheapest stuff. You say kids today won't eat it? They are not hungry enough!! @Jodi – ADHD isn't cancer. It isn't a physical ailment that you can just come down w/ one day. It is a neurological condition that you are either born with or not. In fact, most people who are diagnosed have to have shown symptoms before the age of 8 to officially be diagnosed with having ADHD. Even adults often have to back-track their lists of symptoms to legitimately be diagnosed. It's ignorant articles like this that feed the mass opinion that ADHD is a simple ailment you can get by eating the wrong things. Yes, the symptoms of ADHD may be exacerbated by artificial foods, but I'm pretty sure symptoms of many other conditions can be effected just the same. Hyperactivity is also a symptom of Bi-Polar disorder... does that mean that artificial color also causes Bi-Polar? ADHD isn't caused by food dyes but it definitely without a doubt is FACT that the artificial food dyes exacerbates hyperactivity and lack of focus in SOME people. We've tested this with our own family and have proven this to be the case. To all of the naysayers, try it yourself because discounting it. I really don't see why so many people are too lazy to try things for themselves. Seriously. How hard is it to avoid artificial dyes for just one week? Maybe if you feed your kids a ton of crap to begin with, then sure. But put down the kool aid and fruit loops and eat real food for a week. I promise you have nothing to lose and will be amazed by the results. But if you just don't care about your health or your kid's health, then go ahead and keep on stuffing yourself full of it. ok< this is simple so im going to type it slowly... most foods heavily colored with artificial dyes are high in sugar or high fructose corn syrup content. the dyes arent making your child hyperactive, the sugar is. rather than nagging an industry that ISN'T responsible for your child's health, why don't you, the parent, feed your child less crap? I have first hand experience with colors effecting behavior, and trying to eat a "coloring" free diet. They are putting colors in canned vegetables, soups, frozen foods, bread, and lots of other foods that make up a healthy diet. Yes, many of the "bad foods" have colors too, but colors are abundent in what should be healthy foods too. Why is it that I have to buy special brands of chicken broth or make my own because of the artificial flavoring and additives that bother my kids? It isn't all about sweets. It is in juices, meats, macaroni and cheese, etc... And fyi.... Red 40 is the number two cause of aggression behind sugar. It may not be number one, but number two is certainly bad enough. We do not feed our child crap. But at times when he is at school, day care or a birthday party. If you are not there to monitor eveyrthing that is put into their mouth it is going to happen. At school the teacher had a Halloween party and of course gave out candy corn. The day care who gave him caramel covered popcorn only to find out, oh yeah there is yellow dye in the caramel. You tell them not to give him anything that is processed and they just look at you like you are being over dramatic. So i am teaching my son who is now old enough and aware of his problem that if it is not natural do not eat it! This is working but sometimes something slips past the radar. Like the time he ate waffles at grandma's. You can believe grandma wont feed him frozen waffles anymore! Would you call a dinner of salmon and rice crap??? Well, guess what? Unless you are buying plain old bagged rice, (not seasoned rice mixes) there is a very high chance of it containing dyes. And unless you are buying wild caught salmon, your nice pink farmed salmon has dyes in it. Farmed salmon isn't naturally pink like the wild salmon. So your argument of HFCS and sugar causing all of the focus and behavior problems instead of the dyes just doesn't fly. Instead of spouting off on a topic that you have not tested for yourself, why don't you actually be productive and TRY IT for yourself? Your comments will actually have something to back it up with then. I've tried it so my statements carry the FACTS that have been proven in our household. Your statements are just opinions based upon....well, nothing. please someone look up brominated vegetable oil it is in orange drinks, gatorade, stc, it has been outlawed in 100 other countries, we are allowing them to kill us with all the junk that is in our food, I have to read lables due to all the things that can trigger allergies, even in medicines Gatorade shouldn't be consumed anyway. it is better for you to drink water when you are dehydrated. most people get enough salts in their body from the food they eat. there is no real reason to drink Gatorade even if you play a sport. Plus if you think about it you are drinking flavored sweat which is kind of gross to begin with. It is well know that if a person is allergic to asprin and the NSAID's , they are usually allergic to yellow dye #5, which is in so much food that isn't even yellow. I am allergic and have reactions that include hives, and lip swelling and trouble breathing within minutes of consuming yellow #5 – I have to read all the labels – I can't even find pickles due to the dye! It should be removed from the market place, I only know about yellow Dye #5, but can assume that many of the dyes can cause problems. "The%." Should something really be banned because of 0.12% of the population? It is already required to be listed as an ingredient so you may avoid it. Working solely with this population, I can say that this is totally true...some kids are more sensitive to dyes than others...some have an outright allergy...other kids it doesn't seem to bother them. More testing needs to be done, but Europe is always ahead of us on this type of stuff. Our school has to have allergen free holiday parties...that includes dyes. Unfortunately, we've all learned the hard way what happens when these rules are broken and it usually results in a wasted school day. Food dyes don't CAUSE ADHD, it just seems to exacerbate the symptoms. I agree that it doesn't cause ADHD. Just like a person gets hives when their body reacts to something, others are not allergic, but intolerant. The reactions may not be directly life-threatening, but indirectly very dangerous. Intolerant affects can be life-altering. Students can go through school with altercation after altercation of trouble just because they don't realize what they are eating is affecting their thought processes and behavior. It certainly isn't the cause for all behavior problems, but if you have seen someone with a reaction firsthand, like I have, it seems so helpless to think that society wouldn't want to put food out there that is without ARTIFICIAL stuff in it ( REAL FOOD) and at the same time help these kids who don't have parents who will ever notice what is causing the cycle of bad behavior, etc.... It is not always easy to make the connection of the food with the problem. Totally agree that this can't cause ADHD! Stories like this (and the ignorance therein) are why so many legitimate ADHD cases used to go undiagnosed, while other diagnoses were handed out like artificially-colored candy simple b/c a child had too much energy. It's also stories like this that fuel the ignorant idea that ADHD isn't "real" and that it's just simple hyperactive tendencies. After having dealt with it myself for over 2 decades, I know it's a lot more than food-related and hyperactivity. I can tell u without doubt, dye causes behavior problems in SOME individuals. I find it offensive you assume I feed my child "crap". A lot of products, like yogurt for example, has dye added. Its not a necessary ingredient and should be ommited ASAP. Read about dyes and related cancers and you will start looking for dye-free foods. I perfer my Thyroid CA free,thank you! I would prefer that artificial coloring be used sparingly in foods and only when natural food-based coloring agents can not be used. I was happy that Ben and Jerry's used natural food-based coloring for it's red velvet cake flavored ice cream. I know people who are allergic to some of these artificial dyes. Don't we have enough chemicals in our foods and environment already? Who knows how they all interact? It baffles me that people are so against the restriction of these type of things in food! If there is even a slight chance that these could be harmful to our children why would any of us be ok with it being in our food. Stop being a guinea pig and allowing this poison in our food. If the food would only look different and taste the same whats the big deal with removing it. We are exposed to so many chemicals every day when is there going to be tighter restrictions. Start reading the ingredients in the products that we use and eat. WE ARE ALLOWING OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN TO BE POISONED. You would have to blind old the children to know if the excitabilty is being caused by ingesting the dye or just reaction to seeing it. Bright colors cause excitement thatms why they paint playgrounds brightly. they need to do the study on blind children. saying that you can't find food without dyes is assanine and leads me to believe that you have never gone grocery shopping. organic brands have none and most suprmarkets have in-house organic brands priced the same as the regular brands. i read labels- all of them and i don't think i have ever seen dye in pickles. if you could not create it on a farm don't eat it. cardboard is not food. food coloring is not food. - –don't eat things that aren't food- that's bumper sticker for ya if my son eats any thing with red dye he turns into an absolute nightmare. 1 swedish fish will spin him out of control for 3 days, its horrible. however, my daughter can have all red dye she wants and it does not affect her at all. Its amazing. There is a direct correlation between dyes and hyperactivity in children and adults. My daughter began as a young tot having adverse reaction to red dye especially. Hyper, angry, impulsive, out of control. NO DYE – NO BAD BEHAVIOUR. period. end of sentence. If you don't believe, you are going to continue to have problems with your ciildren. In most cases they don't need the ADD and ADHD meds at all. It is SIMPLE. Use your brains and common sense people! I have being saying this for years and it aint just colours its preservative to I grew up with many a adhd kid and in every case there parents would just feed them absolute junk food and I came to this conclusion over ten years ago and I aint no scientist and I am only 27 years of age and have 3 gorgeous kids that behave them selves so what im saying is you dont need to be a rocket scientist to work it out! Oddly enough, England has long recognized that food coloring additives can trigger behavior problems in young children. Twenty-odd years ago my nephew was diagnosed with allergies to a number of such additives. Once those were removed from his diet (and they were in every soft drink targeted at children) his behavior calmed down tremendously. The difference was amazing. That it should be open to question in the US is puzzling – usually the US spots problems before the rest of the world does. I guess it's another example of corporations weilding their considerable influence on American life... Sow seeds of doubt, throw in a few posts casting aspersions about the studies, suggest links to the silliness over vaccines and thiomersal, and you can delay for decades any useful action to combat the crap people are fed here. Can you say excess sodium? Trans fats? High fructose corn syrup? I agree with you 100%. And sadly enough, it works. Too many people think that those of us who have seen firsthand what the dyes do to our children are liars or alarmists. You'd think that they would at least try it for themselves instead of believing everything they read? I didn't immediately believe the Feingold propaganda without doing more research, talking with our pediatrician and then eventually we tried it for ourselves. I think so many people are just used to being led around instead of actually taking action to help themselves. I know for a fact, with close observation from my child's teacher and doctor, that artificial food additives, including the dyes affect my childrens health... for us hyperactivity wasn't the pressing issue, my child loses attention and concentration which greatly affected his success at school, I had to eliminate everything chemical, dyes, art flavors, art preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, msg, hidden msg, etc... why is it so hard for some people to believe there is a real connection between what we put into our bodies and how our mind/body reacts? Since when does consuming food made partially of petroleum-derived ingredients seem so benign? It is a sin that companies are allowed to put anything other then real food ingredients into our food, period. As far as the studies go, I think the biggest experiment currently going on is with all of our children. Someday will we all look back and finally see how we were living was hurting our health and well being? I am thankful everyday that we were able to realize that such a fundamental basic need was the underlying cause for our childrens behaviors, they simply needed to eat real pure food. Ever since my kids became chemical-free, all concentration problems disappeared within a week, and our asthma and allergy issues became nonexistent. My advice to people is do not wait for the FDA to tell you its dangerous, alot of these decisions come down to money with the wrong people making the decisions. We can all choose to stop buying chemical food and advocate for our own families. What a gift we can give our kids by providing them a basic essential need for a healthy life. How you spend your money dictates what will be made. I don't buy anything with artificial colors and flavors. So I am not supporting it. If you worry about your health you can do the same thing too. If enough people stop buying it the manufacturers will stop making it. Don't rely on the FDA. It's your health so take the time to make your own decision and act accordingly. That's great for you, and I would love to be an organic household for lots of reasons. The issue is, we are a fixed income family, and live in a very small town. Organic can be found, but it definately isn't the same price as "cheap food". In larger cities you have different brands of organic to choose from, and the stores buy it in bulk, therefore it keeps the prices down and more affordable. I wish people would understand when you are feeding an entire family on a budget it isn't all that easy to make the switch. Red dye #40 gives me a bad, bad headache and makes my son noticeably cranky. Even if a small number of kids are sensitive to any one food dye, so many candies and cereals come in "rainbow" colors that you're bound to end up with a sizeable number of cranky kids who eat the stuff. How did these artificial dyes creep into our food supply ? We have food that are naturally colorful such as the bright pink beetroot, the yellow turmeric, the purple blueberry, etc. Why not utilize them and give the farmers who grow them more market opportunities. I have a 5 year old with ADHD, ODD and Dyspraxia. I have two older children without any of these issues. I do NOT believe that ARTIFICIAL food coloring causes ADHD however, in our experience it does cause extreme behavioral problems FOR OUR CHILD, not every child. Consuming artificial food coloring causes a THREE DAY REACTION in our son during which he cannot control his emotions, temper or concentration. It is horrible for us as a family as well as for him. I could give you many examples but won't bore you with that. I do not buy junk food. I do not buy fruit snacks. I do not buy cereals marketed to children. SUGAR IS NOT THE ISSUE! My children eat a ton of fruit and healthy food with of course the occasional treat. These behavioral problems occur as a result of ingesting food coloring. What I do not understand is why is food coloring necessary anyway? I cannot by Martin's potato/wheat bread because it contains yellow dye. Why does bread need yellow dye? Does it make the bread look more "potatoey"? I cannot buy (or make on my own) any pudding besides Kozy Shack due to the presence of food coloring. Why does chocolate pudding need red food dye? Why do marshmallows need blue food dye? It just doesn't seem necessary to me. I also don't understand why anyone would argue that food coloring SHOULD be allowed in our food. Why do we need it? To convince ourselves that Hawaiian punch really is a fruit drink? I completely agree with you. Since when did white food need food coloring? The very definition of white is the ABSENCE of reflected color! As for the potato bread... when i think of potatoes again i think white. Just makes no sense to me. This is one of the most idiotic stories ever. Just because something may or may not cause a child to act out or be hyperactive, it does NOT mean that it has caused ADHD. ADHD can't be picked up like salmonella. It's something that, despite what you eat, you either have or don't. I get so sick of hearing that just because a kid acts hyper they have ADHD. I was diagnosed 20 years ago. I'm not really hyper (nor was I as a kid, most of the time), but everyday is still a struggle in an ADHD-ignorant world. ADHD is SO much more than just a kid acting hyper. I swear, the lack of knowledge on this disorder is so frustrating. No wonder most people seem to think it's not even a real disorder... ADHD is basically a mis-wiring of the brain. Yes, hyperactivity is a symptom, but it's one of MANY symptoms. In fact, I think most of the undiagnosed cases go undiagnosed for years because people assume that simply ADHD = hyper (and vice versa), but never consider that it's a lot more complicated than that. Yes, food additives do have an impact on children's health and well-being. And yes, maybe continued exposure could cause long term issues. However, these effects can be reversed by simply not feeding your children artificial junk. Legitimate ADHD cannot be reversed by changing your kid's diet. If coffee gives me energy and keeps me awake, does that mean I suffer from a serious form of insomnia? No, it means that my body is reacting to a substance... simple as that. My daughter had severe cramping, diarrhea and eczema. Eventaully found removing dyes from food AND personal products to clear it up. At 5 years old we tried dyes again. Everything reappeared. Dyes are in your medications, personal care products and WAY more foods than most of you posters realize. Yes many foods without high sugar can have multiple dyes(even "clear" isn't always clear it's Blue #1) It's expensive, time consuming (baking from scratch), and frustrating but I have a healthly girl and it's worth it. I ask all those who support artificial dyes to really ask themselves why they do. They are not necessary and potentially harmful. Removing them truly hurts no consumers. Why must you insult and attack those who question for the sake of safety. Even for the safety of you and yours. It's one thing to avoid feeding your child food with artificial colors, but as you say, even the medicine has Red 40 and others and artificial sweeteners ...what is the alternative to medicines like Children's Tylenol and Pediacare??? Back in the day, the immediately effective cure of choice for hyperactivity and acting out was a couple of swats on the backside with a paddle. Gotta be cheaper to administer than the pharmacy that American kids are offered these days. I suspect that you have never dealt with a child who will NOT respond to appropriate discipline. Not every case of out of control children is due to bad parenting. My son had a major issue with dye (especially red, but also blue). In our case, no disciple was effective until we removed the CAUSE – food additives using the Feingold Program mentioned in the article. We don't say that people who are high or drunk simply need more "discipline" to behave better. When someone is sensitive to additives they are literally not in control of themselves. I don't think that food coloring should be a matter of choice. These are substances for which there are reasonable, risk free alternatives and they have NO benefit to the public. Even if only one out of twenty kids could be helped by banning these additives, think how much money our already stretched thin public schools could be saving on discipline and learning issue management! About the vaccine thing: This is in no way comparable (my kids have all been vaccinated). There is NO risk to public safety from banning dyes in our food. The only downside if for manufacturers who would have to use an alternative or (gasp!) nothing at all. Im sure there are individuals that have sensitivity to dyes just like there are people that are senitivity to a vast collection of other materials. It is a trend to go all natural so what it the correct answer. Easy. if you dont want to have dyes in your product dont buy them. It really is not necessary for a dye. I would rather have natural dyes in products but its still my choice to buy or not to buy in most cases. Im sure someday we will all go back to those crazy days of products that have natural stuff in them say like "Real sugar" in my coke. Imagine that. Hintofgray > Really, excuse the spelling errors and lack of proofreading at that late hour, however you missed the point and focused on a ridiculous thing to pick at. I hate those that pretend to be intellectual snobs and spew "WHERE did you get your degree (Mr. Einstein)?", so for the sake of argument – dyes and syrups are unnecessarily added and there is usually a natural alternative to producing a similar result. Therefore, I would pay (as I do at Whole Foods and the like) more money to buy or make from scratch foods that are a catalyst for problematic behaviors. Ancient Brit and several others above bulls eyed the point – SOME react, as others do not. We all carry cancer cells and even though not all of us get it (and may be exposed similarly) because of our DNA makeup. Why I am explaining this, because there are some folks just unfolding some of the onion peel and not gone through all that many of us had. It's okay to have a difference of opinion, but don't condemn those that put forth theirs...rather, give factual reasoning to those that are able to hypothesize. My mother in law reminded me of this. Uncle gives my daughter "natural" dried strawberry. Surprise ingredient Red #40. Reaction in daughter ensues. Quick get the antihistamine... "Nooooooo .. not that one it has Red #40 in it". Grab the one from my purse. I repeat myself I know but the dyes are in more places than many realize. Clear isn't always clear sometimes it's Blue #1 because everyone read WIKIPEDIA...WHY CONSULT THE USP on CHEMICALS? OR even the MERCK INDEX? LD 50? WHat the LD for RED 40? ANYONE–I FEEL BAD FOR EVERYONE's KIDS, hopefully they will take a bunch of LSD or LSA from infected rye bread (like ALL YOUR ANCESTORS DID-before Food Processing was invented) and you will see, your kids are fine. I doubt you would read the study Sonia...you don't read medical journals-I can tell...You don't get PERMANENT SYMPTOMS, or ADHD from eating Cheetos? Ok...Your kidneys flush out the drugs and they are in your urine... You must have gotten your PharmD from Community College...Drugs are given in dose forms, mg/serving, or the serving sixe you see on the back of your label...drugs are only work for a certain period of time...if Red 40 is an API, that causes ADHD, maybe a MEDICINAL CHEMIST can develop a new drug based on your pathetic information...Much like Snake Venom gave us Hypertension Medicine-eat NON CHEMIST!! Go to Pharmacology school (not Pharmacy) take a coated red pill, and call me in the morning. Just a thought, but when arguing for the removal of dyes when evidence is already weak, wouldn't it be beneficial to spell-check and reread a post before actually posting it? The grammatical error legitimately made some parts of this blog hard to read, not to mention it is relatively discrediting on an already uncertain subject. Just sayin'. There are some companies interested in keeping kids healthy. WooHoo Foods is one of them. They have an all natural snack called Gudernoobs that come in 4 varieties – perfect for kids lunchboxes. Plus they have omega-3s! Just because YOUR kids don't have the dye sensitivity doesn't mean it is BS. My daughter does have the sensitivity and we've seen the results firsthand after removing the dyes from her diet. Who said that ALL kids with ADHA experience this reaction anyway? I recall reading that SOME kids have the reaction. If yours don't, then good for them. I'm glad they can keep swigging their uber healthy red Kool Aid with no ill effects. But to say that because your kids don't react that way means that it is impossible for other kids to react that way is really the BS in your statement. It's also nice to know that your children have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that ALL children in the entire world have ADHD symptoms because they were born with it and the fact that they wig out after eating certain dyes is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Thank you very much, wizard behind the curtain. I will give my kids junk food again and just say tough it out, you were born with it. Personally I have been typing balancing a sleeping child on and off today. I have never followed comments before and I'm surprised by the negative personal attacks. Especially when it's important to discuss should we be adding color to things just because we can? Removing food dyes would not create a disaster as did the reduction in vaccination rates from alarmist groups. In fact, removing food dyes would make food less attractive and may help solve the obesity crisis! Why not go back to natural? I've found food dyes actually make food taste worse, dampening the natural flavors-but they also, in myself, trigger lupus flares and crohn's attacks and that's not okay! Children are not the only ones suffering from the proliferation of chemicals in the food chain. The situation is entirely man-made and would only improve the lot of humans if it were stopped. There are other, more normal, ways to live than to pump up the volume in foods. But it all boils down to what companies are allowed to market and what people will buy the most of. Then we blame the consumer for his health problems. Put candy in the cage of a lab rat and see if he has enough "will power" to stop eating it. This is going to no good place, but how do you stop it? Only the FDA has the power to rein it in, and I say it's high time they took that responsibility seriously. I can feed my child anything that is neon blue colored, and watch him go off like a rocket within 5 minutes. His teachers tried to force us to feed him poison (ritalin), but we refused and finally found the blue issue. Don't discard this as a joke. Our children deserve better. The vaccinations are also detrimental, but an almost necessary evil. Artificial Food coloring DOES cause ADD symptoms to go haywire! I repeat, artificial Food coloring DOES cause ADD symptoms to go haywire! Not all food colorings though, in particular with my findings, FD&C Yellow #5 and FD&C Yellow #6. My source you might ask? Myself since I have an obnoxiously protruding case of ADD, and yes I have been diagnosed with it. I was diagnosed at the age of 8 if I can remember correctly, I am now 19 where my symptoms are less hyperactive and deal more with attention. I have been realizing that every time I eat something processed, like potato chips or mountain dew, my symptoms become unmanageable! At first I thought it was a sugar high but that wasn't the case since I would even have these symptoms from seasoned salt, which only contained salt, MSG, seasoning, and Yellow #5 dye! My medication, Adderall, isn't even strong enough when my symptoms become this hectic. However, when I, for example, drink or eat foods without the dyes Yellow #5 & Yellow #6, there is no problem at all! Then I began a controlled experiment on myself and a friend who also has ADD to see if I wasn't the only one. Four glasses of water, two each for us, two cups with 5 ml of Yellow food dye, from the grocery store, and the other two with 5 ml of Blue food dye. We drank our cups with the Blue food dye, and had no side effects. Then later, we drank the cups with the yellow food dye, and oh my god, we felt like we were mentally insane, we could not focus on anything, we couldn't even talk to each other since it dealt with concentrating! Please, if someone has ADD or ADHD and is reading this, could you relate to the severity of these symptoms? (This took me a few hours to type due to the coincidental fact that I was drinking a red bull, which I unknowingly knew had yellow dye at the time, and I was forced to come back when the side effects wore off to finish it.) I just had a recent experience that leaves me to believe there is a connection. Last month my adhd was so bad that all I could do was stare out into space all day, I even had an increase in my meds and it wasn't helping. I thought to myself what changed in my routine and only think logical is I started drinking a new soda... I eventually researched and came to the conclusion it was the artificial coloring blue 1. Since cutting it out I feel loads better and even my depression is improving. I'm extremely impressed along with your writing talents and also with the format to your weblog. Is this a paid subject or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice high quality writing, it is uncommon to peer a great blog
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How to help your children if they are being bullied at school Bullying at Primary School is about everything that I learned when my daughter was bullied at school and gives tips and strategies to use when dealing with the school and you are trying to get help for your child. I hope your children are never bullied, but if they are then perhaps our experience will help you. Further down the page there's also links to other resources, including the organisations that helped me. There's also a page that has a link to the Bully Diary that I kept - it makes for painful reading. Once they got to Year 6, my children would make the short walk home from school unaccompanied. It was all part of me "letting go", allowing them to take more responsibility and feel more grown up. The first thing I always ask them when they arrive home is "How was your day" and in those days I would mentally keep my fingers crossed for a positive response. What I really meant was "Was everything OK?", which if I am completely honest could be translated into "Were you bullied?" Both my girls suffered bullying at their first school. For the older one it was over three agonising years but thankfully things settled down during her final year. For her younger sister it started in Year 5, but thankfully it was resolved before things got really out of hand. Every parent who has had to deal with this will know the hell that the whole family can go through when a child is made unhappy at school due to the manipulative and controlling actions of a bully. No matter how much research I undertake and how many stories I read, I will always find it hard to understand how one child can become so powerful and cause so much trouble. Isn't it the adults who should control the playground - not the children? Bullying Help There's two aspects to dealing with bullying. The first is to deal with what is actually happening to your child. They are being bullied and you want it to stop. However, you also need to try to help your child learn life skills so that if it starts, then they themselves can be pro-active in stopping it before it gets worse. Teaching children assertiveness is tough. One of the greatest barriers to assertiveness is fear of the consequences, but if you can teach your child to not be worried about the consequences then you are well on the way to ensuring that your child will not be bullied again. I am not talking about them being rude or violent, I am talking about them not worrying about what the Bully may think or what they may do next. This book gives tips and stategies so you can help your child become more pro-active in solving their problems with bullying. Bullying Poem Written for Anti-Bullying Week An anti-bullying poem. This poem was released as part of a poetry anthology published for Anti-Bullying week 2005. Anti-Bullying week 2006 is 20th-24th November. Reproduced with permission by Read the article: Signs to look for These are the main signs for Under 12s who are being subjected to bullying at school Your child may use every excuse under the sun to try to hide that she is being bullied. Look out for any of the following: not wanting to go to school feeling ill in the mornings beginning to do less well in their school work becoming withdrawn, starting to stammer, lacking confidence becoming distressed and anxious, stopping eating having trouble getting to sleep at night crying themselves to sleep, having nightmares possessions go missing asking for money or starting to steal (to pay the bully) 'loses' their pocket money refusing to talk about what's wrong having unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches beginning to bully other children, siblings becoming aggressive and unreasonable personality changes, not being themselves giving improbable excuses for any of the above What to do if you think your child is being bullied at school Bullying help for your child If you are worried that your child is being bullied but are not sure, ask him or her directly and whatever you do, DO NOT agree to keep it secret, no matter how tearful or distressed your child becomes. Targets are often terrified that if they "tell" or if their parents go in to school and complain, then it will make the situation worse. In an ideal world, all teachers will immediately accept what you say when you go in and report that your child is being bullied. They will confront the bully, the bully will agree to modify their behaviour and that will be an end to it. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, you end up with a situation where the school has to try to work out exactly what is happening and this will include deciding which child is telling the truth and which child is lying. The school will generally act very quickly if any witnesses come forward to report what is going on, but often it is not as simple as that. In many cases the bully has so much power and influence that the "bystanders" (more about them later), will not speak out for fear that they may become the next target. So to further complicate the already very distressing situation, often a child's closest friends won't stand up for them, compounding the target's low self esteem and further eroding their confidence. To make matters worse, the parents of the bully may refuse to accept or even believe what is happening and will not co-operate with the school's attempts to resolve the situation. Bullying Help for other kinds of Bullying Gay Bullying and Cyberbullying If your concerns relate to Bullying incidents outside of school, then these links may help you. They take you to other articles I have written about Bullying of gay people and cyber bullying. However, in the UK, even if bullying incidents happen between pupils outside of school, but they involve pupils from the same school, then the school should take responsibility to resolve the situation. Types of Bullying: Gay Bullying A friend, who has a son who is gay, sent me a link for the It Gets Better Project website, which helps young Gays who are being bullied. She asked me if, bec... What Is Cyberbullying? What is Cyberbullying and how can you make sure that you or your children do not become victims? This page will explain the different types of cyberbullying ... An Anti Bullying Film Made by Kids for Kids I love this Video because it is children standing up for children who have or are being bullied. How to complain about bullying at school How do you go about it? Six steps to start with 1. Put all complaints and concerns in writing No matter how confident you are about how well you think your school will handle the matter if you report a bullying incident, you should ALWAYS follow up any verbal complaint with a written one, even if nothing like this has happened to your child before. Make sure the letter is clearly dated. This will ensure that everyone is clear about when the first incident happened and the nature of the incident. If the incidents continue, carry on with the letters. Keeping a proper record is crucial (however, see 3. below) and everyone should be clear about exactly when it started and how long it has been going on. 2. Don't assume that a sympathetic teacher, who you like, is the best person to deal with the situation Not all teachers are experienced with or good at dealing with bullying. If the bullying at school continues write to the Head and ask for a meeting. 3. Keep a record of EVERYTHING Keep a diary (Link goes to a page that links to my Bullying Diary, but you can also download a simple Bullying Diary Template) Log incidents, using time, date and location Keep emails, letters and make meeting notes Make sure you get written responses to all letters After a meeting write to the Head to confirm your understanding of what was discussed, any agreements made, strategies the school said they would use or action they will take 4. If the incidents continue and there is no resolution, ask to see your child's school record Make sure that ALL correspondence you have exchanged with the school about the problems your child is having is on the record. You may need to use this as evidence if you need to refer the matter either to the School Governors, the Education Department or the relevant authority depending on your country of residence 5. If you need to report bullying, then ask to see the School's Anti Bullying Policy By law all UK schools have to have an Anti-Bullying Policy and by law it has to be implemented. In the USA more and more states require schools to have them. Read your school's policy thoroughly. Make it clear to the school that you expect them to deal with any incidents as set down and defined by the policy. Look at phrases used in the policy to define bullying and the action the school states will be taken and use these phrases in your letter. 6. Research bullying (see Links below) before you go to any meetings at the school Make sure you are clear in your own mind about which incidents are actually bullying, as defined by the school's anti bullying policy. Then do 7. What adults have said about bullying at school If you are feeling worn out by all this and are not sure if you have the energy or confidence to go through with this then have a look at these quotes from the Guestbook "No one who hasn't lived through bullying can truly understand the pain and the effect it has on the child and on the whole family." "This is a tragic problem I too was bullied at high school and my life was hell for several years." "My older son was bullied in school for a long time and it can affect so many things about them." "I just wish I had help like this when I was bullied!" More action you can take to protect your child from bullying at school How to stop childhood bullying 7. If you believe your child is being bullied, ask the Head whether s/he agrees that bullying is taking place In any meetings with the school, always have a copy of the school's Anti-Bullying Policy with you. Use that as the basis of the discussion and refer to it as necessary. Discuss which of the bully's actions are covered by the policy and ask what action the school will take in order that the policy will be implemented. Although the school may insist that some of the bully's actions may not be punishable (such as trying to entice friends away etc), these actions do lead to hurt and upset - which is not allowed in any anti-bullying policy. The phrasing may be different but the underlying meanings are the same. Insist that the bully be told that their behaviour is leading to hurt and upset - or whatever phrase is used in your school's anti-bullying policy. So that once the bully has been told, if they choose to continue, THEN the behaviour may definitely be defined as bullying and the school would have no choice but to deal with it as such. 8. If your child used to be happy at school and no longer is, ask the school to consider why Our daughter has always been intelligent and articulate. Until the bullying really took hold, she was very "sparkly" and enthusiastic at school, which she enjoyed. We asked the staff to consider why she changed and why she hated school so much. 9. Question the school's strategies for dealing with bullying If your child has been bullied for any period of time and there appears to be no resolution, it's obvious that any strategies the school is implementing just ain't working! They may have worked for other cases but it does not guarantee that they will work for your child. Do not be afraid to say this and challenge the strategies being used. Question the use of "circle time" to resolve issues. According to Kidscape circle time will usually only resolve matters where bullying is unusual in a school. In schools where it happens regularly, asking a target to talk about how they feel in front of everyone in a group discussion seldom works. All it does is give the bully a buzz about the hurt she is causing and increases her feelings of power. 10. If your child becomes ill due to bullying, ask your Doctor to write a letter to the school This letter will also go on the school record and may strengthen your case if you have to take further action. 11. Don't assume ANYTHING! Do not assume that all staff working with your child know exactly what has been going on. This includes teachers covering absence, new staff etc. Do not assume that the school agrees with you that your child is being bullied Do not assume that the teachers you like are the best people to deal with the problem Do not assume that all staff will automatically follow the anti bullying policy Do not assume that all bullying incidents are logged Do not assume that all staff understand the anti bullying policy Do not assume that all staff have had adequate induction or training about the anti bullying policy 12. No matter how exhausted or disheartened you become.......do not give up! Does Bullying Run in Families? Why do children bully? Could it be because they are being bullied at home? Is your child a Bystander? They can help put an end to the bullying at school if they have the confidence to do it! Apart from the distress, frustration and often feeling utterly powerless when you are trying to help a child who is being bullied, what I also find hard to accept is how other key individuals are often not encouraged to face up to their part in what is happening. Neither are they persuaded to help put an end to the situation. The problem seems to be that they are fully aware of what is going on but they don't know what to do about it. This is exacerbated because those trying to resolve the problem can focus all their attention on the bully and the target. If you become aware your child is being bullied then it won't be long before you go marching in to see the class teacher. If it is your child who is doing the bullying then it won't be long before you are summoned to see the Class Teacher or the Head. But I wonder how many schools ask to see parents because their child is a "Bystander"? By doing nothing Bystanders can make bullying at school worse "the mechanisms which maintain the problem, but also the keys for preventing and intervening in it, often lie within the peer group." She breaks down the role of the Bystander into the following categories: Assistants - who actively join in the attack Reinforcers - who give positive feedback to the bully, perhaps by smiling or laughing Outsiders - who stay back, stay quiet and unwittingly condone the bullying behaviour Defenders - who try to intervene to stop the bullying or comfort the target So which role would you choose for your child? Many children become "Outsiders" and for the Target, that can be the hardest to bear. We all like to think that when we are in trouble our friends will step in and help us. If they don't we feel abandoned. But we have to again remind ourselves that these are primary school aged children! "research with children and young people confirms that most disapprove of bullying and sympathise with its victims. It has also been found that when they are Bystanders, about half take the role of 'Outsiders'. Yet where peers do intervene, they can be effective in preventing the victimisation in 50-75% of instances." Some work was done with my eldest daughter's class to help the children understand the difference between passive, assertive and aggressive and to try to give them the confidence to stand up to anyone who was bullying and not join in. That, together with the support of parents plus the fact that some of her classmates were maturing into intelligent, confident girls who empathised with my daughter, eventually helped put a stop to what was going on. Similar work went on with my youngest daughter's class as friendship issues started to develop. A combination of the work that the school did with the class plus the girls naturally maturing, helped put an end to the problems that were verging on bullying. But, part of the key to getting something done is to make sure the Teachers are aware of what is going on. As has been said to me by teachers many times - how they can deal with a problem if they are blissfully unaware that there is one? Who exactly are the Bystanders? They are often reluctant participants in school bullying "They are the supporting cast who aid and abet the bully through acts of omission and commission. They can stand idly by or look away, or they can actively encourage the bully or join in and become one of a bunch of bullies". Standing idly by or looking away may seem like a sensible course of action to a 9 or 10 year old. It is even difficult for older children to feel they should do something. Can you blame them for being so frightened that if they do not collude with and condone the bully, then they may become the next target? Indeed my eldest daughter became the next target when she stood up for a child who was being excluded. The matter was not resolved properly, i.e. the bully got away with it and then turned her attention to my daughter. This undoubtedly reinforced her friends' fears that if they stood up for her then they ran the risk of being the next to suffer. They abdicate control to the Bully. However, as Barbara Coloroso points out, the cost to the Bystander can be a loss of self respect and confidence. Most children know full well that what is happening is wrong and they realise that they themselves are being controlled. But we are talking about children of primary school age. It is the adults who have to take the lead in helping the children to resolve these issues. Children will give all sorts of excuses as to why they will not stand up for someone who is being bullied. They will say that: the bully is "my friend"; "its not my problem"; that the victim is not their friend; that they would rather be part of the 'in group' than defend the victim; that there is nothing they can do about it; that they don't want to be a snitch; that they are afraid that they will "be next" if they do anything. They plead with you not to do anything because they are terrified that if you do then they definitely will "be next". Where does your child fit in to all of this? So what do you do when you realise that your child is a Bystander? Please do something! Most of us like to think that we have "nice" children. How many times do we hear ourselves saying: "My little Harry/Sally is no angel but basically s/he is a good kid?" While I would not accuse every child of having the potential to be an out and out bully, I think that if we are completely honest most of us have children who have the potential to be a Bystander. It came as a complete shock to me when, prior to her own problems starting, I found out from my eldest daughter, that she had become involved in a group that was making life pretty miserable for one of her closest friends. My daughter was tearful and ashamed as she confessed that she had been so horrible and I now realise that she had become a "Reinforcer". I felt dreadful but we faced up to it and over the next few days we talked about the situation. We discussed how sometimes you have to be very brave and not let someone else have so much control over you that you do things that are wrong and that you become someone that you yourself don't like. She wrote her friend a letter of apology and when I ran into his Mum at the local supermarket I immediately told her how sorry I was about what had happened and we talked it through. Too many parents these days either will not accept what their child is capable of doing or, if they do realise, they just do not know what to do and would rather brush it under the carpet in the hope that it will just go away. And how many parents, even when they do know what is going on, just don't want to get involved? How many parents reinforce the message that it is better to be a Bystander than a Defender? Important Information! The poem is Copyrighted Please note that the following poem is Copyrighted and cannot be reproduced or used without the written permission of aj2008. If you wish to use this poem then please email aj2008, using the Contact Me link on this page giving your name, contact details and information about how you would like to use the poem and when. This information should include a link to any websites or blogs, or the address of any location e.g a school, where the poem will be read or used. Bullying at school A poem written by my daughter, when she was 11 In the playground There's a little girl Sitting in a dark corner. She's all alone. Earlier, an older girl, much older Came and said horrible things to the little girl. "Oh, you are stupid and ugly!" she said. It hurt the little girl, It pained her. Help your child to be a Defender NOT a Bystander! Remember - Bystanders make bullying at school worse So what can you do to make sure your child has the confidence to be a Defender? Encourage your child to empathise with the target Ask them to imagine what it would be like if it was happening to them. Help your child to understand that there is a difference between 'snitching' (trying to get someone else in trouble) and 'reporting' (protecting someone who is being or may be harmed). Offer to go with your child to the teacher or Head if they decide to report what is going on Point out that there is safety in numbers and encourage your child to try to persuade his/her friends to join together to protect the target. Explain that bullying can cause real emotional and physical harm, which can be long lasting Teach your child that being friends with bullies is not what you want them to do. Point out that despite what they may think, the Bullies are not popular - the only reason they appear to have lots of friends is because others are frightened of them. They are worried that if they are not part of their "group", "gang" or "crowd" then they themselves will be bullied. Children copy the behaviours they see at home Make sure that you behave in a way that you want copied! Make your child understand that no one should be allowed to force them to behave in a way they do not want to Make it absolutely clear that they, and only they, are responsible for their behaviour and that everything they do is a choice. In a GMTV Webchat on Bullying on 06 February 2006 (link no longer available) Barbara Coloroso said: "Remember there are 3 characters in this horrific tragedy - The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander. We ignore bullying at our children's expense. We must pay attention, get involved and never ever look away. Indifference is lethal." Indifference IS lethal! As long as people are indifferent, bullying at school will continue Indifference IS lethal! Try to imagine what it must be like for a child to be so isolated from their friends that they don't want to go to school. In some cases it makes them ill. My eldest daughter missed six weeks of school in one term because she was so unwell. I'll say it again - this is primary/elementary school age children we are talking about here. It is up to the grown ups to show them the way and help transform our Bystanders into Defenders. They cannot do it on their own! In the UK 44% of young people who take their own lives do so because of Bullying Still wondering whether to do anything? Quotes from children who have suffered bullying at school An amazingly perceptive statement from a very upset 10 year old: "The less they do, the more she gets away with." "I'm so scared to go to school tomorrow." "It's the fear of going home from school or going to school where a lot of the bullying does take place." More help with childhood bullying These websites do a lot to help stop bullying at school Here are some of the websites I have used to get information to help my family. Love Our Children USA is the national nonprofit leader that honors, respects and protects children. Working to break the cycle of violence against children, it has become the 'go-to' prevention organization for all forms of violence and neglect against children in the U.S. The statistics on this video about bullying in the UK are shocking This years anti-bullying week is the 17th to the 21st November. --------------------------------------------- Hi, I made this video to McFly's 'She Falls Asleep' for Anti-Bulling Week, 19-23rd 2007. I will show it to each year group in my school and I hope that it raises awareness. Hope you like it, feel free to show it to your school/pupils/friends/family to make sure it raises awareness of what a huge issue this is. Persuading your child to tell you what is happening You can't stop bullying at school unless the school is told what is going on It is crucial that your children are able to tell you and their teachers what is happening so that they can get the help they need. When young people hear stories about other people who have been bullied, they realise they are not alone. It is very important that they understand that anyone can be the victim of bullying and that IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT. Help them realise that many people who have been bullied as children have overcome what happened to them and become very successful adults. If you were bullied as a child, or a family member or friend experienced bullying at school, tell your children about it. Telling them true stories is often the best way to lead young people into telling you their story without being embarrassed. Tell them about famous people who have been bullied. These include Michael Phelps, Winona Ryder, Bill Gates, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, David Beckham, Sir Albert Einstein and Daryl Hannah. Megan Fox suffered bullying at school Celebrities share their experience of bullying Transformers star Megan Fox was bullied at school because she admitted that she wanted to be an actress. She said: "One girl came to school on Halloween in a black leather catsuit and everyone thought she was cat woman. She answered, 'No I am Megan Fox.' She was making fun of me." Christian Bale, the star of 'Batman Begins' says his life was made a living-hell by other pupils jealous of his acting career. He received fantastic reviews for his starring role in "Empire of the Sun", directed by Steven Spielberg and when he went back to school, other boys bullied him because of the extra attention he began receiving from girls. He said: "Girls were all over me but the boys just wanted to fight me." The actress Kate Winslet was tormented at school because of her weight. She said: "I became shy because I was overweight. At 16 I was 13 stone and was called "Blubber". It was pathetic and childish, but girls are so catty. It lasted for about two years. Eventually, I must have told my mother, and she took it up with the teachers." Michael Phelps, the swimmer, was bullied for having a lisp and big ears. He had to cope with having his ears flicked, mocking about his tall, gangly form and his baseball cap would be thrown out of the school bus window. All because he was a swimmer rather than a footballer. Sir Ranulph Fiennes, polar explorer, was bullied at Eton. He said: "I was a good-looking boy, and it was the norm for any boy considered good looking to be wolf-whistled at. The other boys would sit on their window ledges above the school dormitory, whistling and shouting names at me. Such remorseless nastiness squeezed every last trace of self-confidence from me. At one point, I stood on Windsor Bridge and contemplated throwing myself off." Pixie Lott - Get Weak Beat Bullying Anti Bullying Week Campaign Pixie Lott wrote the lyrics to Get Weak when she was just 15 and in November 2010 she donated the song to support The Big March being organised by UK anti-bullying website Beat Bullying Pixie Lott has released 'Get Weak' exclusively in the UK for Beatbullying. There are a limited number of free downloads available at beatbullying.org. The video has been made especially for the track and in support of Beatbullying's Big March campaign - you can join the online March on Facebook or Twitter or go to the campaign website at What it is like to suffer from Asperger's Syndrome and be bullied Thank you Eelkat for sharing Research into bullying at school January 2009 Research published by the Universities of Warwick and Hertfordshire, in the UK, has concluded that girls targetted by bullies at Primary School are two and a half times more likely to remain victims than boys. Girls directly being victimised at six years old were significantly more likely to still be targetted at age ten. The research also discovered that the methods of bullying change as children grow older. It starts with direct victimisation such as physical bullying and threats but gradully evolves into spreading malicious rumours and the withdrawal of friendships. The research team was led by Professor of Developmental Psychology Dieter Wolke. 663 children aged from six to nine were interviewed about their bullying experiences and then they completed a follow up questionnaire when they were aged ten or 11. Professor Wolke said: These findings indicate that even at an early age some victims of bullying remain victims over a long period of time. The development and implementation of intervention programmes that help victims to escape further victimisation in primary school are called for. Bullying Headlines Bullying is always in the news 29 March 2009 The Guardian Newspaper reported that boys deliberately "dumb down" to avoid being bullied at school according to Becky Francis, Professor of Education at Roehampton University, who carried out a study of academically gifted 12 and 13 year-olds in nine state secondary schools. 03 April 2009 Coronation Street, the longest running "soap" on UK TV, with a viewing audience of 9m and 10m per episode, has introduced a storyline about one of the boys being bullied at school. 30 September 2009 Megan Fox admits she was bullied at school. See the full article at The Inquistr 03 November 2009 X Factor Twins John and Edward admit they were bullied so badly at school that they had to leave. They were ostracised at £12,000-a-year King's Hospital - one of Ireland's most prestigious schools - for their clean-cut image and love of cheesy pop music. See the full article at The Sunday Mirror. November 2010 Pixie Lott announced as the Beat Bullying Ambassador and donates her anti bullying anthem 'Get Weak,' penned about the pressures of bullying, to raise awareness of the world's first global online protest campaign The Big March launched by charity Beatbullying. Bullying News Current bullying headlines Children and Parenting Group on Squidoo Some excellent pages on family issues The Children and Parenting Group on Squidoo is a collection of pages covering various topics relating to children, parenting and family issues. All are outstanding. And Finally....... Bullying is a complicated problem The whole subject of bullying is so complicated that many books have been written and much research continues to be done. However, along with many others, I believe that it is on the increase and much of it is to do with the way so many people are bringing up their children. See my page Does Bullying Run in Families? I see families accepting what I consider to be horrible behaviour towards each other as "normal". I see young children being mercilessly teased and bullied by their older siblings, (while the parents ignore it) and then repeating that very same behaviour amongst their peer group at school. I see parents shouting and swearing at their children and then they wonder why their child shows no one any respect. I see parents refusing to support their children's schools' efforts to improve behaviour. I have even heard of parents taking their children home rather than allow the child to be kept in at break as a punishment. Worse than all of this though is the utter feeling of helplessness, when you realise that your child is being targetted and no matter what you say or try to do, it just goes on and on and on. I don't agree with taking a child out of school or changing schools because they are being bullied, because I believe that if you don't solve the problem then it will follow them. I know of a child whose parents moved her to another school because of bullying. The bullying started up at the new school. They decided to move their child to a private school and after the place had been reserved and the fees had been paid, they found out to their horror that one of the bullies was moving to the same school! However, I must confess I came within an inch of refusing to send my eldest daughter to her school, when it became obvious that she was becoming quite ill with the stress of everything that was happening to her. And if I am honest, it was making me ill too. I always said that even if I had the money I would never take my children out of the state education system and put them into a private school, but for a time if I'd had the money, I would seriously have considered it. What I would say though, is that no matter how upset and angry you feel inside, it is important that you stay as calm as you can and research your rights and how you should handle the school. Even if you are in the right, if you become abusive then the school will become defensive and nothing will get resolved. It is so hard though, because at the end of the day you just want it to stop. Hopefully bullying at school is a thing of the past for my daughter Updates 2012 My beautiful girl is now in senior school and she is flying! The change in her once the bullying stopped has been remarkable. She goes to school with a smile and she comes home with a smile. I have got my Sparky back. If you are an adult who is being bullied in the workplace..... Seth Godin, the founder of Squidoo has some very good advice for adults who are being bullied at work. You can read it on his blog: This is such an important lens! I don't have any children, but I have an interest in this topic. I was bullied quite a bit as a child, and it changed the way I react to situations and confrontation even today. My "fight or flight" reaction kicks in much faster than it should at times, and fundamentally it resulted in way too much of the emotion "fear" than anyone should ever have to face. And the shame and low self-esteem that result... wow... it's taken a lifetime of work to get to where I can hold my head up and mean it when I say "I'm great. I like myself. I'm the bomb-diggity." Well, maybe I don't say it just like that... lol But thank you for being a part of positive change. It means a lot. Hi AJ, I came across your lens by accident, and then spent the next 2 hours, and days, feasting on your content about bullying. As a mother of 3 boys, your lenses made me realize that sometimes I can be a bully myself to my kids, without knowing it. I shared the same feeling with my husband ... and together we vowed to be always conscious of our actions. Thank you for leaving such an honest comment. I know what you mean - you think that you are just having a bit of fun and then your child does not see it that way and may get tearful. I have 4 children and I have had to learn that 2 of them will think you are laughing with them and the other 2 will think you are laughing AT them. What a fantastic resource. I have worn both the parent and teacher hat, and was also a target of bullying at school and in the workplace (more than once). It seems that our school grounds and workplaces have become toxic places where very few make a stand or even know how to. I applaud you! Hi, Thank you for all the information. I am an infant teacher trying hard to change the staff at my schools 'rose tinted glasses' attitude that bullying doesn't happen in infant school. There seems to be loads of resources available for primary schools but no many resources specifically available for infants. My first step is to get the staff on board and show them of examples of bullying which might occur typically in infant schools and train them how to deal with bulling incidents. Can you suggest anything? I already ensure the values of the school promote an ethos of good behaviour where pupils treat one another and the school staff with respect and have a clear behaviour which I hope contributes to an anti - bullying culture but I haven't planned anything to educate bystanders so I will include this into our PSHE education ASAP. Although, I think it is worrying that I am having to search to find resources to train the staff I hope you find it refreshing to know that the importance of anti-bullying is high on the agenda at the schools in my area. Thank you But as for finding resources to heklp with infants, this is really hard. I do include some links on the page and you may like to check out the Kidscape site. They actually do workshops with children who are bullied, so they may have some resources to help you. Another site, for which I write articles from time to time is so you may get some ideas from there. The thing is with infant school is that I find children of this age can often pick up messages when they are asked to "imagine how they would feel if......" and then you could talk about all the different things that kids do to each other that are actually bullying. One example: "how would you feel if someone else was making up stories about you that are not true" and then get them to work out if it is not happening to them, why they should not stand by and watch if it is happening to someone else. I am not a teacher, so you would know best how to go about this, but as a Mum I took this approach with my daughter, when she stood by as a few other kids picked on one of her friends. But it is not just teaching the children to not be a bystander, it is also giving them the personal skills to have the confidence to be assertive. So perhaps the first thing you should look at trying to teach in PSHE is the true meaning of assertiveness and how to go about being assertive? And to do that then one important factor is looking at the barriers to being assertive - which of course is fear of the reaction from others when we ARE assertive. And in kids one of their biggest fear is to be excluded by their friends, which is why they find it easier to be bystanders in the first place. The whole thing goes around in circles, doesn't it? But perhaps if you break the whole issue down into the different components of bullying and how to deal with it, then you may find it easier to dig up the resources? My son was bullied because he was taller than the others and a gentle giant. The bullying started in his nursery - incredible as that sounds it's absolutely true. This was the best primary school in our part of London! In the end we decided on a Rudolf Steiner school which is out of London, where he has been very happy - thanks goodness. My wife and I are both inner London high school teachers and we can sadly report that the bullying is worse than in video above of 2007. The bullying comes from the very to, the establishment. Once a headteacher told us in a staff meeting "the education authority kick me, I kick you and you kick the kids" - Nobody really knows how to deal with bullies in the UK - it's a real problem. Thanks for this lens it's full of brilliant advice and it will help many desperate parents. Thank you. To find Teachers in the UK, such as yourself, who are prepared to admit that the problem of bullying in our schools is dreadful AND getting worse is encouraging indeed. If all the Teachers at my Daughter's school had been as honest as you, and had not buried their heads in the sand, then my Daughter need not have suffered as she did. Our biggest problem was the lack of understanding and the application of the School's anti-bullying policy, which was not consistent across ALL the staff. Not just Teachers but Classroom Assistants and Lunchtime Playground Assistants. There was no joined up thinking and not enough reporting between all the different people responsible for the children and even when as a parent you are persistent and insistant that something be done, you are made to feel that you are over-reacting and just one additional problem that the staff have top deal with. Thankfully, it is different at the Senior School - a huge school but it is not the numbers that make dealing with bullying difficult. If you have a Head Teacher and Staff who all implement a zero tolerance to bullying then you have more chance of dealing with it.
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If you had any idea how much more power I could have over you as a woman from making an enemy of religion, rather than using religion, you would not make that comment. Pay attention to your daughter's dating mistakes. Was it the religious men that screwed her over the most hardcore? Be honest. The men who stole her away and messed up her life, got her into drugs, sleeping around, 90% of the time are liberals. Especially in the Seattle area, who told her what she wanted to hear. If you had any idea the power invovled with telling someone you are freeing them against a force, you wouldn't make that statement. You know the difference between a religious man and a non-religious? The religious man knows someone else makes the rules. The non-religious makes his own. This is just a fact. Fear the man who comes up claiming to free you, so long as you take up a fight with someone else. Trust me, having been raised as a man, I have seen how often women in particular fall for the being freed routine, and become slaves to some moron for years at a time. You'll take that as being sexist, but it's not. Liberal men figured this out ages ago. @%@% her, tell her what she wants to hear, leave her. Religious men, well, they are assholes too, but typically they actually say what they think. And I'll take the upfront asshole over the one who isn't. So the Bishops, Priests, Pastors and other religious leaders who have committed pedophilia, adultery, homosexuality, drug use, etc. are the upfront a$$holes to which you are referring? It does not matter if you are religious or not, you either respect others or you do not, period. The assholes of which I am referring are the ones involved in every day dating. They were not references to pedophilia. And you would do well to note: Pedohpilia as I have stated is wrong, period. A study in 1998 showed in 6 months 224 valid cases of teacher student were reported, primarilly women on men. A majority were let go, with on having been a 13 year old boy, with a 43 year old woman, which they said the boy was just "satisfying his sexual needs". How's that for bias? Last year there were only about 8.5 incidences considered valid in the catholic church. I might add, the studies show that between 7-10% of students in school experience some sort of inappropriate sexual behavior. The only reason we know this? It was part of a mandatory study added to the "no child left behind act". Something that forced the government and schools to live up to a certain "standard". Some of you have said here that the government or schooling has a lower standard of churches. What a joke guys. February 20, 2013 at 3:32 pm bobsays: Like or Dislike: 4 13 And I should note Ron since it flew over your head: I am agnostic, let me say that again I am agnostic, Let me say that again: I am agnostic. Ok, moving on: The power of someone who tries to state they are freeing you from religion (especially around seattle) it the moving force behind so many bad people, it far outweighs the power of someone telling you "oh what you're doing is wrong!" boo hoo! I don't care if an idiot tells me I need to have a higher standard (even if they are so stupid to be a hypocrite, like some christians are, see I'm insulting both extremes friend) I care if someone uses some sob story about how I'm chained up by religion to influence my actions, sleep with me, or unite me against religion, or buy my vote. And for you as a younger male (I can tell) to state you have not seen this sob story of people saying the old "mmmaaannn, religion is just a matter of opinion, it's holding ya back man, it's opressive!" (to some degree) while this same man goes from woman, to woman, to woman, to woman, to woman, to woman, means you are not a well versed young man. It's literally a pick up style. Tell the woman society has been against her, religion holds her down, get her away from the church which tells her to wait until marriage, and bam, you get laid. I see much more bad on the side of people who fight against religion, than those who fight for it. I don't necessarilly like either. And as I said: It's about the actual effects. Respect is respect, you're correct. Reality is also reality. If you're going to label religions (without evidence) then you should be willing to acknowledge how those who fight against religion fight against religion, and manipulate in that route. After all, we are against all tyranny right? There is tyranny outside the church right? Have you fallen for the non religious bad person's method of making you watch for one side, blind siding you to their errors? That's how those type work. Again: This is not to say ALL non-religious folk do this, I AM AGNOSTIC. Would I be insulting myself? There's bad in all. I don't discrimin-hate when it comes to saying something is hateful. February 21, 2013 at 8:48 am Captain Planetsays: Like or Dislike: 11 3 Ron, I won't read Bob anymore for exactly your last statement. He doesn't respect others. He's a bully, calls people names all of the time, tries to belittle them with words like "moron", "stupid", and "idiot". He acts as though he is king of the Insurance Journal sandbox and what he says goes. Quite frankly, I have no time for bullies. And, from my experience, if you ignore them, they go away. And, if they don't go away, at least you aren't involved with them, so problem solved. Yes, Bob keeps taking handfuls of sand and attempts to throw them at me. But, I'm on the opposite end of the playground and he doesn't have the arm to reach me. He also thinks W Bush is an above average President. So, should you decide to engage him, take what he says with a grain of…we'll stick with the analogy, sand. February 21, 2013 at 12:37 pm bobsays: Like or Dislike: 4 10 Captain: Your belittling comments are the other side of the coin. You actually believe Bush is a below average president. I'll use that for your credibility as well, but add, "with absolutely no evidence, no laws that he passed or removed that harmed the economy as proof". The "it's common sense" argument doesn't work, and will result in me calling you an idiot. Explain yourself. Idiot. :) Further: You spoke without facts on rape and molestation, and were wrong, while stating how horrible the church was. How do you not define that as bullying and bigotry? February 21, 2013 at 2:03 pm FFAsays: Like or Dislike: 4 6 True on that Bob. Two low life deadbeats pulled that over my daughter. Now, she is the most unfit mother I know. Try and steer her out of the getho and she goes in even deeper. Does that mean Viagra will also be outlawed since that makes a man want to have sex and create children? This religious way of keeping woman under the thumb has got to stop. All this, from an institution that turns their heads for years regarding sexual abuse of minors by their priests. I find organized religions need to stick with Faith rather than esotaric beliefs. When the church steps up and helps all the unwed mothers and pays for them for Health care, school and buys food and clothing,legal fees towards the unwed father to get them to help pay as well, maybe then they could decide and make woman have a child and not allow them to have any relief from an unwanted pregnancy. They should be the ones paying for them, not all of us taxpayers. That is the dumbest thing I have read in a long time. Besides the Church is against premarital sex too. So if you were not having sex outside of marriage, you wouldn't be having children. You don't have to agree with the Church but why should the government be involved in their beliefs? If you don't agree with the teaching of the Church, don't work for them. I think that's pretty simple. But the government needs to butt out of religion. Religion is not dominating women, the Church itself did not turn a blind eye to rape and sexual abuse, people did, and regarding this B.S. of religion keeping women under a thumb you're just plain wrong. Under the same theory of thinking, wouldn't the church dispute paying for the medical care of any child conceived out of wedlock, and any medical expenses of someone who is gay??? And for that matter, if the Catholic church beleives that all of it's employees are devout then I would think that they should have no problem including the coverage under their plan as they can't have any reason to beleive that their employees would use the coverage. In the end I think there are much better uses for the bishop's time than fighting birth control. DW, Most of the Catholics I know do not follow the teachings very closely. After all, you just go to confession and the Priest tells you to say 3 Hail Mary's and all is forgiven. I do believe they have the right to run their various businesses/hospitals the way they want and government should butt out of their business. If they don't want to offer birth control on their policies, they shouldn't be forced to. More to the point: People are businesses. If I run a business, and I say I'm not paying for your birth control because I don't believe in it, I as a person am having my rights violated by paying for your birth control. Get over it Shirley. If I make a multi-billion dollar company, I get to say how I run it. If you want birth control, pay the $25 dollars, or go work somewhere else. The church is not a business. Every aspect the church runs is in: Hospitals. In the 1960′s if you taxed them, people would have died. All in the name of taking away their "power" right? Psychology clinics: The largest in the world I might add. This isn't an opinion. It's a fact. They do more non-profit psychological assistance, more free services, than any organization in the world. So now that should be harder for them right? Rape and alcohol rehibilitation: Same as the psychology. Grow up Shirley. There is more wrong with the government than religion. Yet you follow like a sheep to Obama, and join on his bandwagon of power. February 20, 2013 at 9:58 am Agentsays: Like or Dislike: 5 8 Planet, I will tell you a true story about how screwed up our health system is. In our area, we have a Catholic owned hospital that handle most of the births of new babies. If the parents want to not have any more kids and decide to tie the mothers tubes, they have to transfer to the county hospital next door and get another doctor to do that. They then transfer back and are discharged from the Catholic hospital. Not exactly an efficient use of healthcare dollars, is it? I am not sure why Catholics are Democratic voters since the Democrats are the ones who are messing them over. Don't they have to transfer hospitals because the Catholic hospital doesn't do sterilizations? I know CHI hospitals don't do any kind of sterilizations, so some of their hospitals don't even have labor/delivery services. Out of line. The church does worry about their priests. There is nothing in the church condoning rape. And I find it insulting that you would blame rape on a religion and not people who rape. Side comment: There are more occurences per 1000 in our schooling system than in the religious system. Is the government causing the rapes? I'm sure some people in the government wouldn't turn in a rapist in those scenarios, but they don't do that with the government's ok. And neither to the priests. My mother was raped, so was my uncle, so was my sister. None of those men were involved in the Church. This labeling of religion is out of line. Again: I'm not sure if I believe in a God, but I definitely don't believe in bigotry, and you my friend are actively taking place in a gossip style in your arrogance, that is the same as saying, oh man, those black churches, they totally don't monitor their rapists. It is no different. You cannot label a group in religion, you cannot label a color in religion, without it being exactly the same. You're part of the problem in this world, and there are far too many of you fake open minded cacks in the liberal crowd that try to pretend they aren't bigoted, the whole world is, while they label religion, label an enemy, and go to war. I don't need you fighting against the name of religion. I don't need the religious cacks fighting in the name of religion. Learn to balance your crap out. Bob, I see you are having a lively discussion with our Progressive bloggers. Judging from your comments to some of them, you basically handed them their heads. They make such a big deal out of an insurance policy paying for birth control. If women really want to take the pill, they can get it inexpensively. Adding the benefit will only increase the cost and probably more per month than the pill is costing. They certainly made some idiotic comments and you sent them packing. I'm actually the agnostic who wants to believe but can't. And I would never call say such things of this magnitude. It's so bigoted, these people are people. I am shocked that people are ok with being so bigoted against fellow man and jusifying it. Are we really talking about liberals here? I mean really, aren't they supposed to be about unification? Not this tar. I imagine in another world I would have been liberal, if it was truly a force to move us out of bigotry. Bob, It is amazing how many denominations and churches we have, all interpreting the bible in different ways. The Catholic Church has some very odd ways about them. Perhaps one of the things that give them trouble is celibacy of the priests and nuns. Most other religions allow a pastor to marry. Maybe they wouldn't have so many sexual abuse issues if a Priest was allowed to have a wife. Getting back to the subject of this article, I do believe businesses or charities providing Health Insurance to employees should have the right to determine what benefits they offer, not what the government mandates they do. February 21, 2013 at 12:30 pm bobsays: Like or Dislike: 4 7 Agent, I would agree with you, but the Catholic priests do not have more problems with rape and molestations… See my link below. It's rather surprising that with over 1 billion atendees, that there have only been roughly 2,500 verified cases over the course of 1950 to the early 2000′s. 4% of priests as opposed to 6-10% of all atendees in college is substantial. We aren't talking about 6-10% of professors. That would be a much smaller number. We are talking 6-10% of atendees. 10% of over 1 billion would be over 100 million in the Catholic church! Consider that for a moment when considering how strikingly low the occurence rate is for child molestation and rape is in the church! Very sad to see. The church again abdicates its primary doctrinal responsibility of social justice and instead chooses to further degrade its public image by aligning itself with a political subset of one of the two faces of the American monopoly political party. To what benefit? The U.S. Catholic bishops again sully Benedict's reputation. His final homily hinted at the true reason for his resignation, namely his failure to enact a legacy of positive reform. The stopping power of self-interested church bureaucrats proved to be too strong, and so we see the Church continue down its unfortunate path of vitriol, divisive antiquated rhetoric and the flashy corruption of the JPII papacy. The Vatican Bank will not be taken off of the money laundering blacklist anytime soon, it seems… Birth control pills are also used as medication for women/girls suffering from excessive menstrual symptoms such as cramps, irregular cycles, and other discomforts. The church is basically saying that any of their female employees who need hormones cannot get them in this form. That is intentionally withholding care, and relatively inexpensive care at that. Do they also prohibit certain antibiotics, such as ones used to treat venereal diseases? Maybe they want to prohibit coverage for pelvic exams and pregnancy tests for unwed females, and exclude vaccinations for cervical cancer, because then they can just deny support of any consequences of sexual relations, other than childbirth and treatment of infertility. In order to mitigate risk, the Catholic Church should be more concerned about better risk management of its pedophile priests that have resulted in billions of dollars paid. In addition, it has ruined the lives of countless number of innocent children. More rapes in classrooms than in the church. That's a fact. Their risk management is superior. Stop with the bigotry. People ruined the lives of countless children. Frauds in religion, not frauds due to religion. Learn the difference. This is not an over exaggeration: Beliefs like yours due lead to wars, people who are willing to fight and die one religion to another. Why do some Muslims want to kill us? Well, this is why. They think it's ok to hate and label an entity. Not a person. And they fight that entity. Hate sin, not the sinner, if you are religious. If you are not, hate the person who comitted the act. That simple. If he loved hockey would you go blame hockey? There is nothing in church that taught the person or encouraged the person to rape. Stop with the association gig. Bob, The biggest reason the Catholic Church has had $ billions in judgements agsinst it is due to their handling of reported abuses by Priests. Instead of reporting them to the police and firing them, they transfer them. Every time I have heard any report of a teacher engaging in any inappropriate manner with students, they have been immediatley suspended pending an investigation and reported to the police. If it turns out the report was true, they are fired and go to trial. That is the difference. The church does have a program to rehibilitate priests. Priests are only transferred if they are going into a rehbilitation program. If they don't, they are removed. The rate of occurence of 8.5 in a year as compared to 225 in 6 months shows it works. Let's talk numbers not tar. Further to the point: It is not church policy to not turn incidents into police. That is members of the church who are stupid. Regardless: Whether or not they turn someone into the government is pretty irrelavent to me. Sounds harsh, but the fact is, if the priests superiors know about the rape, the child's parents know about the rape. If that is the case, then the parents are the ones who should be reporting the rape to the authorities. Should the priests go against the wishes of the parents? You are suggesting the priests somehow all know and the parents don't. That is not a possibility. Priests don't talk about confessions. If you're mad that the child confessed to another priest and that priest actually respected the child's wishes to not go to someone else, then how dare you go against the child's wishes. So let's go by "real" scenarios, something that is a matter of methodology, of which you suck. Let's say scenario one: A child confesses to a priest. They clearly don't want to be going to the police or are not ready. The a priest who didn't do the raping knows. The priest would be violating the child to go to the authorities. I'm barring the fact that he would also be going against the religion, because I know you don't care. Scenario two: The priest is approached, with other leaders, and is told about it. If this happens/happened (the only way superiors can know about the rape, the superiors you say are shuttling people around and aren't turning in the case) then the parents were a part of it, and if not, the child doesn't want them to be. If at that point the authorities were not contacted, either the child, the parents, or both didn't want to contact the authorities. So then, you want to violate one or both of them right? In which scenario are the priests violating the child, or hiding it and somehow know but are going against the wishes of the child or children by not going to authorities? It's an impossibility, but you're too stupid to see that. Think with your brain not your emotions. Rape is a strong subject, I've had 3 people in my family raped, more molested. I know it's a bad thing. But you can't blame the catholic church. It's stupid. And it's bigoted. And you know it. Interesting how you all have put it. "Stay out of the bedroom." "They should be more worried about priests and kids." Tax exempt status and running hospitals and so much more. What you need to look at is what has the Catholic Church in the United States actually done? They have created this themselves. A majority of the Catholic Bishops and priests voted Democratic. I am told they voted this way because of the "humanitarian" issues. However, when you decide to go down a road you also choose to take on on the obstacles which are on this road, one of which being the birth control matter. I have asked numerous priests and nuns how they could actually vote Democratic when so much of what this party is for is what is against the Catholic Church, i.e. same sex marriage, abortion, birth control and so much more. I have been told it is because of how they help the down and out. I can't believe this. I have told so many of them you have to vote the proper way to get what you want and not hope you can pick and choose. This so called president and his puppet masters know what they want and it is against the Catholic Church and its teaching. So, don't fault them for what they are complaining about, it is their own doing. Now, I am saying this as a former Catholic of over 43 years, now I'am Episcopalin and much happier, so I have known how the Catholic Church runs; say one thing and do another and then complain when it does not go the way you want. I guess this is why so many are leaving the Catholic Church at this time. Also, you should know, the newer Catholics in the United States are mostly the Hispanics and the like and all they want are the handouts. Interesting how so many of you have taken the birth control issue and turned it into how priests are pedophiles. Why not look at the real issue. I made a comment and it was given 12 dislikes. I guess the truth hurts. It is so easy to take one issue and instead of putting the arguments towards it, you turn the other way and start something different. If we have religious freedom in this country, the people who work for any of the Diocese, Parish, Hospitals or Charities of the Catholic Church say they do not want to do something because of the Church's teaching then we should allow it. To say the Catholic Church is the only one to have pedophiles within it is wrong. Since the Catholic Church has a hierchy or structure to it, the reporting is there. If you look at the mollestations that happen in smaller Church's with no structure the numbers are much greater. So, don't be a politician and not answer the question, say what you feel about the subject. beyert1 says: If you look at the mollestations that happen in smaller Church's with no structure the numbers are much greater. I say – source required. I worked in the church niche for over a decade and only saw a handful of sexual misconduct claims and we handled all denominations as well as non-denominational houses of worship. The Catholic Church usurps that in a given morning (okay, hyperbole there) and then harbors those spineless scums of existence. Yes, that's exactly what a pedophile is. Oh, and one more thing, Ron is the smartest man in the room! Every time I read something from you, I think, "You'Ron'to something." Ba-dum chish! Just looked it up, quoted it in my last post, one of the most recent years studied had 8.5 verified cases. Your confusion is in that between 1950 to 1980 there was a spike, and then everyone basically unraveled ALL cases at the same time. Even that was only in the hundreds, possibly thousands. Divide out by 1950 to 2013, equals 63 years, even at 2,000 = 31 occurences per year. Besides which: Provide the number of people raped. You can't just state he needs a source to believe what he believes, while you can just assume based on your extremely limited experience. While I know you will question the source, (it's a catholic church who posted it) They teamed up with a criminal justice, referenced below. Here are the results of the study: "In 2002 the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops commissioned an independent study to address growing concerns about child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the United States. The Conference enlisted the Jon Jay College of Criminal Justice to conduct this study examining rates and characteristics of the sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. This study presents the best and most objective data on this phenomenon. The researchers found that a total of 10,667 individuals had made allegations of child sexual abuse against 4,392 Catholic priests between 1950 and 2002, and that most such acts took place between 1960 and 1984. The 4,392 priests made up 4% of all Catholic priests in the 14 Dioceses/ Eparchies in the United States. Another key difference found in the study is that a little less that half of the priests (1881) were found to be subject to unsubstantiated allegations. An unsubstantiated allegation was defined as "an allegation that was proven to be untruthful and fabricated" as a result of a criminal investigation. This rate of false accusations is much higher than found in the general population. Additionally, 23% of the priests who were accused of abuse were identified as suffering from behavioral or psychological problems ranging from alcohol and substance abuse to depression and a past history of coercive sex, although most never received treatment for these problems. This would suggest that helping priests with their mental health issues would be an important part of future prevention efforts." In other words, since 1950, 2,511 valid cases. Moreover, 4% of priests. This is lower than the 7-10% of molestations and rapes in schools. 2,511 divided by 63 is about 39 priests who are rapists a year. You came by the miracle of running into a third of them? Liar. Pardon the anger, nothing in this article you have provided is a factual, provable, number. So the justice who worked with us here must have clearly totally failed in his studies? These priets have managed to silence 99 out of 100 people who were raped or molested? The numbers I gave are numbers. Less than 3,000 confirmed cases out of over 1 billion atendees. You suggest that 1/7th of the population has been somehow owned, and I somehow never saw any signs of this despite having seen people who were raped in the cathoic church? The numbers don't lie: Numbers over 100 times occurence wise higher outside the catholic church. In order for there to be a cover up 99 out of 100 cases would have to have the Church actively involved to cover it up. There was no cover up in any of the 3 circumstances I mentioned. More importantly: ALL THOSE PEOPLE HAVE THE CHOICE TO GO TO THE AUTHORITIES. You think that ONE random, dumbass newspaper, has it right? Huffington post would have jumped on this with MSNBC and CNN if it were even far fetched. The fact that they won't touch it shows plenty on it's own. More importantly: SHUT THE FU@%@ UP. This is an insulting read, but more importantly, it doesn't have ANY evidence in the study. NONE. ZIPPO. And you just used it, like a pawn, a sheep, to say "oh! This person says this!" Well child, some people say a lot of things. I tend to trust a Justice working with a church. That's two sides of the coin working together. And I tend to trust it when it does a study with numbers, including the cases that were dropped. And the stastics on Childhood education rape, at 6-10% from CBS. I'm avoiding the people you don' listen to, even though you never question their methodology like a proper debator, you try to mar the source: Note that also they state that 422,000 people in California will have an incidence by graduation. Note that since 1950 there have been over 2,000 valid cases. Note that 1/5 people are catholic. This means out of 1 billion church attendees, 2,000 were molested. 422,000 in just California will have abuse as part of the schooling system. This whole issue has gotten completely out of hand, in my eyes at least. I think we need to go back to the basics and realize that church and state need to be separated as they have been in the past. I am Catholic, but not everyone in America is. Obama's reforms are simply just trying to give people the option to use these contraceptives if they see it necessary. Most people who use these are most likely not religious. We are living in a free country, therefore people should be allowed to take legal pills as they please. As for Plan B (the morning after pill), it is NOT an abortion pill. Plan B simply stops an egg from being fertilized. There was never any fetus created, never a sperm and egg connected. Therefore, no child is being harmed. Rachel, I agree with you partially. This all comes down to a government dictating what a business or charity should offer on a health plan. If we still have a free country, any business should be able to offer what they want to employees. If the employee doesn't like what is offered, find a job that does. The employer should not be forced to offer something that is against their beliefs. I definitely agree with what you're saying here. It is up to the company how they want to run their business. However, it is unfair for someone to have to go out and look for a completely new job just because they do not agree with the employer's religious beliefs. Rachel, Non Religious business dont want it because they dont want their cost to go up. No one in my group is of child bearing years and yet I have to pay for "Free" Birth Controll. So, I have two questions for you – 1) Do you really believe this will be free? 2) Do you recall anyone in the entire US asking oBama to make Birth Controll Free? 3) Do you see anything wrong with it being subject to copay just like every other meds – the way it used to be? (Ok, three questions) FFA, to answer your questions… 1. I'm not arguing whether it will be free or not, I am arguing that a business should offer birth control as part of its health plans for employees who seek to use birth control whether the leader sees it religiously right or not. 2. Again, I'm not arguing whether it will be free or not. I don't care about that issue at this time. 3. Yet again. February 22, 2013 at 1:26 pm FFAsays: Like or Dislike: 0 3 Rachael, I got taxxed down to the poverty level last year. First time since I got out of High School I brought home that little amount of money. Now My CPA is telling me I have to include my Health Premiums the company paid on my W2. Business is booming again this year so I will be back above Poverty Level until my increase for Health Care hits again next year. If cost is not an issue for you right now, it will be. oBama needs to be stopped by what ever means possible. That SOB wants to penalize the small business man right out of business. If its the Church doing it, then so be it. February 21, 2013 at 12:04 pm Don't Call Me Shirleysays: Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 17 4 With that line of thinking, a company could use "beliefs" as an excuse for anything. No bloos transfusions. No medical coverage at all, because the Lord shall heal everyone. This whole controversy isn't really about religious liberty. It's about power. The church is trying to regain it, throwing their weight around. They got the President to partially cave, now they want more. More power. Let's talk in facts. Not what someone can do. The government "could" take over health care and deny the elderly coverage *insert your laughs here and notable denial* but when it comes to religion, you bet, it's completely realistic to say they will let people die from blood tranfusions! See the bias? Birth control is cheap, birth control can be bought, and putting it on insurance raises the cost of the pill. It's not worth it. We aren't putting advil onto insurance, we should not be putting on birth control, in order to spark a power war between the government and religion. You're right that it's about power, so why is Obama choosing birth control, and oh let's say not something is extreme as divorce when it comes to the Catholic church? People are damaged there quite badly. Why isn't he passing a law that blood transfusions cannot be denied? Easy answer: Birth control is an easier way of destroying his enemies. I see what you're saying. Because one religious man at the top of a company says no birth control, so many other doors are opened. This would become very, very messy. This whole new introduction of business issues related to the church are just bringing church and state together even more. For so long, our country has functioned successfully, keeping the two separated. Now is not the time for their reunion. That is exactly the point DCMS! Remember the Amish and alike who do no believe in insurance? Are you going to force the Amish to have insurance or pay a penalty??? This goes to the very fundamental idea of separation of church and state. The State has crossed the line. I'm not sure one way or the other, but I think they may actually have some type of partial exemption, when it comes to whether or not individuals have to buy insurance. Probably not on the employer end. February 21, 2013 at 12:54 pm bobsays: Like or Dislike: 5 6 Obama's reforms are simply taking a low cost prescription, and is raising the cost. People are allowed to take pills as they please. The option already exists. Obama is not creating the option. The pill is cheap, anyone can take it. The simple way of wording it: You're lying to yourself if you aren't seeing what this really is. Birth control is affordable, it is accessable. Obama wants you to think exactly what you just said: That no one can get this birth control, and it's all insurance and businesses fault! As such, he's making it a part of insurance, (raising it's costs, and I might add feeding more dollars into insurance, sounds like cronyism to me). The guy is misleading you. So if the Catholic Church and Republicans did not bring up the issue his plan would have been foiled. Now I see who is smarter between Obama and his opposition. February 21, 2013 at 6:30 pm bobsays: Like or Dislike: 2 5 "So if the Catholic Church and Republicans did not bring up the issue his plan would have been foiled. Now I see who is smarter between Obama and his opposition." Are you joking me? It's not smart, it's called playing dirty. More to the point: Your actual comment back, is that it's religion's fault for fighting back? A tyrant just pushed them into a position where they either are violated, are do what he wants, he knew it, and twisted it to businesses and religion, as opposed to funding directly from the government, which as I said people do NOT agree with, and you say "that's just smart!" No. It's called tyrant. Backing your opponents into corners to force what you want is tyranny. It is wrong. And I can see now you must have been involved in the clicks, the group, the dominators. Exactly why I'm not democrat. The issue isn't of importance. If you're doing it just to push someone around, you shouldn't be in office. Being a smart manipulator doesn't make you a good man, a good politician, or right. Bush got us to war with Iraq. Pretty smart huh? 90% of the public agreed with Iraq at one time, and far above 2/3rds of congress. Smart dem there policics there Ron! So smart! God, why didn't I get it before? *smacks head* the democrats were totally fooled by some fancy foot work so IRAQ WAS GREAT!!! ~ Love, sarcasm. February 21, 2013 at 6:31 pm bobsays: Like or Dislike: 2 5 Please note: I actually am using sarcasm from what I'm sure your point of view it to do with Iraq. I don't believe that what I layed out happened that way. But in order for you to hate Iraq, which you probably do, that's the way you must think it went down. So man, that Bush guy must have been right, right? If it's right for one president in your eyes, it should be right for another. It's called being "unbiased". Know how to do it? February 21, 2013 at 6:35 pm FFAsays: Like or Dislike: 1 5 Ron Said – "But making it available at no additional cost might". In what part of the world do you live in where you get more for nothing? I want to move there. I was assuming you understood basic economiccs as you are somewhere in the insurance world. February 21, 2013 at 4:21 pm bobsays: Like or Dislike: 5 6 Ron: As a side comment: It's not necesarilly that I'm so smart. With the religious comments I actually have experience on the matter, and was raised catholic. I'm one of the ones who actually became agnostic due to Catholicism. So I'm no friend of the Catholic church. I just don't like the unmerrited attacks. As an example: I don't like their stance on divorce. Though, if you look into catechisms divorce is possible in many cases through anulement, but most of the times if you do that you basically can't get married again. I don't like that. People can mess up, why so to the code? With confession and the way rapes come out, it's just something I've seen as well. Note that I said 3 people in my family were raped. Note that I said I was raised catholic. Note that I also said I've seent his play out, but more importantly I know the church well enough to know that priests don't share confessions, so thus I know the only way priests can know about a rape, and know that if they know and authorities haven't been contacted, it is because the victim or their parents isn't ready for authorities. Then moving on to the issues with birth control, this one is just common sense. Divisive politics are the best type. But most importantly: Again, it's not intelligence, it's that I have no allegience. The only reason I refuse to vote democratic, is more or less the following things: Cutting reimbursements and payments to doctors, rather than cutting benefits themselves to the tune of over $700 billion dollars, then stating they didn't cut anything through accounting methods. It's dishonest. When a third of your $700 billion cuts come from cuts to "provider reimbursements" provisions from that provider (medical supplies) will have over $200 billion dollars less of purchasing power. When you take out $200 billion dollars from doctor reimbursements, doctors and hospitals will have $200 billion less to spend on treatment. Then they go and make an add of Paul Ryan pushing a granny off a cliff. Come on Ron, tell me that happens on the right. Abortion: The public is against public funding of contraceptives. Always have been. But now that he made an enemy of the church, and said the business is paying for it (why are we making things individual versus business? People own businesses, they are still people, and we don't get to suddenly take away their rights as soon as they make a business) suddenly it's being paid for and it's ok. Potato, potato. He basically changed the how, made a war, and put in place something dishonestly. QE: He claimed that letting the housing market bottom out would harm the middle class. The middle class, if they were told, that housing costs are being inflated by the government currently, would not be ok with it. He tried to state that raising incomes and lowering unemployment would offset the increase in costs of housing. Anyone with a brain knows incomes would have either have had to sky rocket by over 20% all these years, or housing costs would have to go down in half, for people to afford houses. Passing QE would not help. Letting the market bottom out, as Romney put it, was the thing to do. Lower housing costs is good. He needs to say it. Taxes: He makes it rich versus poor, and that's not ok. Abortion: Religions versus people. Not ok. Corporate tax rates: Green energy, versus oil energy, versus government preferred companies. This is cronyism. Accuses the republicans as being for big profit companies when they lower taxes for ALL corporations. When it comes to cronyism, that is not cronyism. He does it on purpose, and actively engages in cronyism. Moreover, says that corporations should not be considered people. When Romney said they were people, people actually called him a corporate mother @#%@#%er. Divisive politics again. Corporations are people, but regardless, divisive politics, and hypocrite politics at the same time. Republicans did not do this during their 1995-2006 majority. Republicans did not say they would help the middle class, by increasing the cost of health insurance, and then forcing everyone to buy it. Right now, it's not allegience, it's just that voting democrat currently is supporting a power that needs to get toppled over. If the next republicans need to be toppled over, fine, so be it. But this current administration has to go. Transference of money does not work, while raising the cost of that money. The middle class is paying for the mark up, and the $25. It's not "free". And ANY person can afford $25 a month. It's the hard costs we want to get off their back. You're insane if you're actually making the debate that $25 would just add back to dem 'there economy! No. It won't. And having their living costs covered to the degree that it is, is exactly why we have to tax the middle class so much. The upper 1% cannot pay for healthcare, education, welfare, unemployment, and social security for the whole population. It is impossible. And when you tax the middle class more, their life is harder, no matter how much you "give back" through programs. That when you pay for someone's way through life, provided they don't have a good job, and they have kids, where is the motivation to go to college to get the better job? Let's say you want to be a pre-school teacher. There are about a million of those jobs. 2 year degree: what…$20,000-$40,000 of cost? You now make $30,000 a year. You were responsible. You didn't have kids. Now a single mother, living like an idiot, who isn't going to college, working at minimum wage in Washington. A lot of key democrats things there. This will also show why minimum wages are bad in some cases. Not all. So she makes about $10 an hour. This is $20,000 a year. Even with one child she gets back more in taxes than she puts in. My new hire: She received a tax check back of $5,500 DOLLARS. She also gets asssistance with insurance, she also gets food stamps, and some living assistance. Let's say $200 food stamps, $200 living assistance (way too low) and insurance for free more or less ($500 a month) So now, she makes about $18,000 total bring in income. She gets $10,800 in assistance. at the $30,000 here's the kicker: That teacher gets half her insurance paid for usually. So she pays $2,500. Her income is now $27,500. She pays an effective tax rate of around 15% including payroll tax and medicare. Her income is now $23,375. She pays that $200 and $200. Her income is now $18,575. Now she's $20,000 to $40,000 in debt to student loans, and she makes as much as someone who didn't have to bust their ass in college, and she doesn't get assistance, which means you subtract even more from that $18,575. They are equal at best. The $30,000 in my opinion has it harder, and has less benefits. So then the question: WHY DO IT? And I kid you not, this is a huge problem in Washington. People don't do it. They don't want to. They want their free birth control. They want to get pregnant, have a few kids, get some assistance, and work at Gap kids, and never go to school. Or if they do they want it all paid for. This issue is more than helping the poor, it's about keeping them motivated and giving reason to become part of the responisble middle class. Just got a call from one of my clients. One of her employers is cutting her hours from 35 to 29 to avoid Obama care. This is a major employer and I'll lay money down they are in your town or close to it. This will cover thousands of people. So, now the employer has to go out on a hiring spree to cover all the hours. This is how oBama Creates jobs – by creating underemployment. Now, she has to go out and find a thrid Part Time job to make ends meet. Hi FFA. It is now coming to pass on everything we have been warning about. Planet and his cohorts think everything is wonderful and we should just follow Obama over the cliff like the lemmings. This law is the biggest job killer ever passed into law. Companies nationwide are laying off people or cutting their hours to avoid disaster since the costs will be doubling under this "Affordable Care Act". Rate increases continue unabated because the carriers know they have to pick up all the PreX's coming in. Younger people used to have good rates for Health coverage and they will notice a big increase to pay for all these sick people coming in. Since the young people know they cannot be denied, they will opt to pay the tax until they get sick and then go to the exchange to get their illness covered. We will end up with a bunch of sick people covered (adverse selection) at very high rates. So much with the theory of large numbers controlling the cost. This could all have been prevented by creating high risk pools in the states to cover the PreX's at a fraction of the cost Obamacare will have. Instead, everyone will have a sorry plan of one size fits all and we can get treatment from a PA or Nurse Practitioner after waiting in a long line. Our country already has a doctor shortage and thousands more will close their practice before long. I have my feet on the ground daily and see it daily. My client is struggling to make ends meet and its only going to get worse for her. Should she pay her mortgage or medical insurance???? This is a major chain in the home improvement market that is a major national employer that pays well over min wage. Its only going to spark another Mortgage Crises. In other news, two more IL politicians entered guilty pleas in federal court yesterday. Two more Il Politicians heading to club fed. Tarahout, IN? Brooks, WI? Or Colorado with Gov Rod? Maybe he can piece his political network back togeather behind bars? FFA, Planet would advise your client to apply for a subsidy from HHS to pay her medical insurance. That is why it is called the Affordable Care Act, right? If you can't pay it, ask Sebelius for the money. I am sure she will cut all that red tape and get it out right away kind of like FEMA did with the Sandy victims. How did that work out for them? Well, hes got his nice cushy job paying him $250K a year. Its unfortunate I am stuck in IL. I am stuck here because I dont want a divorce. I have been advised, once again by my accountant, to get out. Maybe Iowa is a good option for her. Where else does someone not think that $250K is not that much??? February 22, 2013 at 1:44 pm jwsays: Like or Dislike: 4 1 Please don't disparage the Physician's Assistants and Nurse Practitioners. For many routine office visits, they are quite capable. In some areas of the country, they are the only medical providers available. I don't disparage PA's or Nurse Practioners since I have a daughter who is a PA. They are fine for exams, treating minor illnesses and can prescribe medicine, however if I am really sick, I don't want a PA trying to figure out what is wrong and you shouldn't either. That is what doctors are for and they will be in shorter supply in the near future.
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http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2013/02/18/281662.htm/?comments
Good luck in advance to my opponent, and I'll be happy to clarify anything as I've set up my case like a real Lincoln-Douglas debate. Albert Einstein once said, "If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." It is because I agree with Albert Einstein that I stand in firm affirmation of the resolution, which states: Resolved: Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system. To clarify, I offer the following definitions. Retribution- punishment that is justly deserved Rehabilitation- This is the approach to justice which focuses on helping criminals see the error of their ways and once again making them productive members of society Ought- used to express moral obligation My value today will be Utilitarianism, which is defined as the principle that all actions are right if they are useful for the benefit of the society. My value criterion in today"s debate will be societal welfare, which is the well being of the society. My job as the affirmative, judge, is to prove to you that the criminal justice system ought to value rehabilitation over retribution. And it"s as simple as this: by rehabilitating people we are saving lives and bettering our society. I will further prove my affirmative stance with three contentions. Contention One: Rehabilitation can help our community. Chip Corwin, The New York Times, December 2, 2012. "But first, we need to stop using punishment as a principal justification for lengthy prison terms and, instead, reserve prison for those who pose a grave risk to public safety. Punishment, where productive, could still be employed through sanctions and local supervision of graduated intensity. But instead of going to prison, low-risk offenders should stay in the community. This emphasis on results over retribution would bring many benefits. Not only would it help redeem America's image abroad, but it would also help restore many communities that have come to regard prison as a rite of passage. Also, offenders not in prison are better able to pay restitution to victims." People today just don"t see prison as a threat anymore. Instead of tearing people away from their families for one drug offence, maybe we should focus on getting them ready to function well in society. While at the same time, opening up prisons to people who actually need to be there. Not only would it help our society, it would make it safer. Contention Two: Retribution has strong negative effects on children and families. Kim Gilhuly, The New York Times, December 2, 2012. "Perhaps the most harmful result of needlessly incarcerating low-risk, nonviolent offenders is what it does to families, especially children. More than one-third of children with a parent in prison drop out of school. Youth whose parents go to prison are seven times more likely to be convicted of a crime as adults. But data can't measure the pain of families torn apart by harsh sentences that are ineffective, unhealthy and unfair. Most of these people need treatment, not punishment. Prison doesn't treat their problems, doesn't make communities safer and rips apart innocent families whose wounds may not heal for generations." Why hurt one person, one family, when we can help an entire community. Retribution is not effective anymore. "According to the Minnesota House of Representatives, it costs approximately $32,700 of taxpayer money every year for each inmate in our state"s prison system. There are around 9,000 inmates in the prison system in Minnesota. So let"s do the math. These figures add up to about $294,300,000 each year, just in one state! Providing treatment outside of jail is more cost-effective. It costs about $2,000 to $7,000 per person. Drug treatment inside jail or prison costs $24 more per day than basic costs of incarceration. The Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) program is being used in Brooklyn, New York. The average cost of putting someone in the program is $32,974, compared to the $64,338 needed to send him or her to prison for 25 months, or the average prison sentence for drug offenders. This program cuts the cost to the community by half!" One common misconception about rehab is it costs too much. But what we need to realize is keeping someone in prison is way more. Our tax dollars are going towards food and boarding for a prisoner when they could be going towards making them better and helping the offender. As I stated earlier judge, my job is to show that our criminal justice system ought to value rehabilitation over retribution, and I"ve done just that. Not only is it morally right and good for society, it"s much cheaper than prison. Retribution, in many cases, is dealt unfairly. In our justice system, people sometimes don"t have equal treatment in the courts. If you have more money, you have a better lawyer, and you have a lighter sentence. There is simply nothing good about retribution. Instead of punishing one person for a mistake, lets prepare for a life in society, helping the community. It is for these reasons and many more I respectfully ask for an affirmative ballot in today"s debate. Thank you for coming to tonight's debate. I accepted this debate because the instigator's opening was very articulate, well-written, and clear, which are my favourite aspects of anything I read. Also, I thought I might have something to contribute to this subject. My opponent expressed an intention to defend the claim that "Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system." As such, she is assuming the burden of proof and placing none on me. Although ordinarily in a debate, I would try my best to defeat my opponent's arguments, in this case, I'm genuinely interested in arriving at the truth. If my opponent convinces me of her point of view, I will concede and gladly hand the victory to her. Utilitarianism in principle Pro defines utilitarianism as "the principle that all actions are right if they are useful for the benefit of the society." Ever since utilitarianism was first thought of and given a name, it has come under attack, and the attacks usually take the form of coming up with obvious counter-examples. One only needs to come up with some scenario in which an action would benefit society but still be obviously wrong. For example, it may benefit society to kill an innocent man, but it wouldn't for that reason be right. So Pro needs to give us a robust defense of utilitarianism against such counter-examples before her argument can go through. I'll give her one counter-example to defend against. It would benefit society if all old people who are living off of social security and medicare were put to sleep. Health care is the biggest burden on the federal government with most recipients being elderly people.[1] Putting those people to sleep would be a huge relief to tax-payers, and it would go a long way in rescuing the country from the impending doom from a growing debt and increased taxes. Yet it's clearly wrong to kill people just because they are a burden on society. Utilitarianism in practice Even if we use utilitarian principles to determine our justice system, Pro needs to show that rehabilitation works. How successful are rehabilitation programs? How would we even measure such a thing? Suppose somebody commits a crime and goes to prison. After undergoing some rehabilitation program, he re-enters society and never commits the crime again. You might be tempted to say the rehabilitation worked, but you can't know that since you don't know that he would've committed the crime if he had not gone through the program. He might not have committed the crime anyway. Some people are repeat offenders and some are not, so it's going to be difficult to determine whether rehabilitation programs work or not. Fairness Pro defined retribution as "punishment that is justly deserved." The problem with putting more emphasis on rehabilitation rather than retribution is that it's not fair. Some people would get more punishment than they deserve while others would get less. The reason is because the length of stay or the severity of the conditions of imprisonment would be determined by what it takes to rehabilitate a person rather than what they deserve. Suppose, for example, that in general it took longer to rehabilitate people who smoke marijuana than to rehabilitate people who commit rape. If we emphasized rehabilitation over retribution, then marijuana smokers would get longer sentences than rapists. But rape is clearly a more serious crime than smoking marijuana. It would be unfair to give a marijuana smoker a longer sentence than a rapist just because it takes longer to rehabilitate a marijuana smoker. The 8th amendment to the Constitution protects against cruel and unusual punishment. Depending on what it actually took to rehabilitate somebody, the punishment inflicted on a person could easiliy be cruel and unusual in light of the crime they are guilty of. The severity of the punishment should be proportional to the severity of the crime. That is fair. It's also the definition of retribution. Pro's contentions All of Pro's contentions presuppose utilitarianism--a presupposition which I have already challenged. But if we grant utilitarianism for the sake of argument, her contentions still seem to be problematic. 1. Rehabilitation can help our community Pro quotes an article from the New York Times, but the article doesn't say anything about rehabilitation. Rather, it argues that long prison sentences should be reserved for people who are dangerous to society. The purpose of prison, according to this article, is neither retribution nor rehabilitation, but simply protecting society from dangerous people by locking them up. 2. Retribuation has strong negative effects on children and families This is true in some cases, although the article she quotes doesn't support her contention. The article points out correlations between parents going to prison and children dropping out of school, but correlation is not causation. It could be there's a correlation just because of the kind of families these people are a part of. Trashy people are more likely to drop out of school and commit crimes, so trashiness could be the cause of both. Granted, it is unfair for children to have to suffer because of the crimes of their parents, but it is unfair of the parents to have put their kids in that situation. It isn't unfair of the government. In fact, giving criminals what they deserve is the very definition of fairness. And in many cases, putting parents in prison actually protects the children. That is especially the case when the parent is going to prison for murdering the mother or molesting the children. 3. Rehabilitation is more cost effective Pro quotes an article saying that it's more cost effective to send a drug user to rehab than to prison. The weakness in this contention is that it takes ones specific crime and attempts to extrapolate to all crimes. The resolution of the debate is that rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in general, not just for the specific crime of drug use. Rehabilitation may work in the case of drug use because people on drugs want to get off. But we can't extrapolate that to all crimes. Muder, theft, robbery, fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, pedophilia, rape, domestic violence, etc. cannot be fixed by rehabilitation in the same way drug addiction can, and prison is more effective at protecting society from these types of criminals than rehabilitation. Conclusion We mustn't think that it's either retribution or rehabilitation. We can have both. The question is which should be emphasized. Retribution is based on the moral principles of fairness, blame, culpability, and desert. Pro needs to undermine these moral principles and defend utilitarianism. First off, I would like to thank my opponent for accepting this debate. And for offering an excellent rebuttal to my case. To attack my value of Utilitarianism, the Con side has said there are cases where an action may be good for society, but is still obviously wrong. He was even kind enough to give me an example. Killing off elderly people would be a relief to tax-payers and help get the country out of debt. And I will agree that killing off people on social security would do these things. However, in the long run, is it really good for the society? What about all the families that are now grieving? And now that all these taxes are no longer needed, who's to say the government won't take this opportunity to implement new taxes? Also, the cost of a proper funeral and burial and other expenses that go into a death are a lot for one family to deal with. So sure, overall, taxes decrease. But families are in debt still and a community is left grieving. Therefore, this example is not good for society and is obviously wrong. If my opponent can give me another example I may take his argument about my value into account. The Con also says I have not provided an example where rehabilitation has worked. I have here a card which gives a specific example of rehabilitation. Denmark's Prison System Rupert Taylor, July 27th, 2009 "The Danish justice system is based on rehabilitation rather than punishment. Writing in The New Statesman (September 4, 2006) Nick Pearce reported that Denmark "does all it can to keep people out of jail, and once there, to prepare them for life back in the community. Its sentences are short, but its re-offending rates far lower. In Denmark, prison appears to work for the right reasons. The average Danish prison sentence is 6.2 months, with just two percent of Danish prisoners spending more than two years in jail. The hardliners of the lock-"em-up-and-throw-away-the-key school scoff at Denmark"s lenient approach to criminal justice. However, it seems to work. On July 2, 2003 Dan Damon reported for BBC News that, "While 55 percent of British prisoners will re-offend and come back to jail, in Denmark the re-offending rate is just 27 percent." So, as we can see here, Denmark has been using rehabilitation for quite some time and it seems to be doing the job. I think after seeing the statistics, it's not that hard to see if this system works. And as for my opponents argument about rapists and marijuana smokers, in my first contention it says that people who commit violent crimes and are a threat to society should be locked up. Therefore, this argument is invalid. The Con also goes on to say that the 8th amendment prevents cruel and unusual punishment. And while I do not want this to turn into an argument about what punishment is acceptable, I will say that the 8th amendment is not effective in protecting against harsh punishments. For example, many will argue that the death penalty is cruel and unusual. Yet it's allowed in some states. We cannot rely on the 8th amendment for protection. To attack my contention one, my opponent says that the purpose of prison, according to the article, is just to protect society by locking dangerous people up. However, in my card, it says "Punishment, where productive, could still be employed through sanctions and local supervision of graduated intensity." Is this not a form of rehabilitation? It goes on to say, "But instead of going to prison, low-risk offenders should stay in the community. This emphasis on results over retribution would bring many benefits." The "results" being rehabilitation. As for my contention two, he says that the article never states that locking people up is a direct cause of the negative effects listed. Yet the first line says "Perhaps the most harmful result of needlessly incarcerating low-risk, nonviolent offenders is what it does to families, especially children." I would like to point out the word "result." Another word for result could be effect. And what is to blame for an effect? A cause. Now on to my third contention. The major attack is that I only focus on one crime, in one state. However, we can assume things aren't much different elsewhere in the country. He goes on to say "Rehabilitation may work in the case of drug use because people on drugs want to get off." The idea that someone on drugs wants to quit is laughable and quite frankly, very naive. While it's a beautiful concept, drugs are addictive. Most people on drugs are hooked. I'll get a bit personal here and say my uncle has been on heavy drugs for the past 20 years. And now no one in the family speaks to him and we have no clue where he is because he ran off to a drug house and chose drugs over his family. I highly doubt he's going to jump at the chance to fix himself. And as for the major crimes listed, as I said earlier, harsher crimes will be handled differently then a drug charge. My opponent says this debate is a question of whether retribution or rehabilitation should be emphasized. And I think it's safe to say that with a rehabilitation policy, people get what they deserve, we are helping the society, and we are saving the country money. I used utilitarianism as a value because I love how simple and effective it is. Everything is right if it helps the greater good. And quite frankly, if something truly helps the greater good, it is right. And rehabilitation does just that. Since Pro's case for rehabilitation over retribution presupposes utilitarianism, Pro needed to give a defense of utilitarianism. That is, she needed to explain to us why we should think it's true. She still hasn't done that. All she has done so far is respond to an objection I raised. It's not enough to respond to objections to utilitarianism. She needs to defend its truth. In her response to my counter-example, she agreed with me that killing off old dependent people would relieve tax payers and help get the country out of debt. But she thinks the benefits are outweighed by the harms and that killing those people would still be wrong on utilitarian principles. So let's look at her reasons. She gives three reasons: (1) killing off old people will leave families grieving, (2) the government may come up with a reason for new taxes, and (3) funerals are expensive. With regard to 1 and 2, these old people are going to die anyway. The whole reason a lot of them are using up tax money is precisely because they're on their death beds. They're being treated for terminal illnesses. So 1 and 2 don't make any difference. With regard to 2, that is speculative. In any event, if the government comes up with some other way to spend money so that the debt and high taxes continue, surely that money will go to something with more ultilitarian value than prolonging the lives of people who are a drain on society. Besides that, 2 could be turned against Pro. She argues rehabilitation against retribution on the basis that rehabilitation is cheaper. It's a smaller burden on tax payers. I could answer just like her and say that if we save tax payers money by not sending people to prison, the government will just think of something else to spend the money on. Does rehabilitation work Pro quotes a source (without a good citation) saying that in Demark, rehabilitation seems to work because the re-offending rate is lower in Denmark than in England. I grant that rehabilitation sometimes works. As I said in the last round, it doesn't have to be rehabilitation or retribution. We can have both. So saying that rehabilitation works is not enough to say that rehabilitation should be emphasized over retribution. Fairness Pro seemed to not understand my argument from fairness. i argued that retribution should be emphasized over rehabilitation because it's more fair. Under retribution, people get what they deserve. More sever crimes merit more sever punishment (usually in the form of longer sentences). But with rehabilitation, it doesn't matter how serious the crime is. What matters is what it takes to rehabilitate somebody. If a rapist can be rehabilitated more quickly and easily than a marajuana smoker, then a marijuana smoker will have a longer sentence, which is unfair. Pro responds by saying that people who are dangerous to society can be locked up, which is irrelevant to my point. Pro also misunderstood my argument from the 8th amendment. I argued that the purpose of the amendment was to protect people from cruel and unusual punishment, which means that the punishment should fit the crime. It assumes retribution. But rehabilitation can undermine the 8th amendment because the severity of the punishment/treatment would have to be proportional to whatever it took to rehabilitate the person rather than proportional to the severity of the crime. Her response is that we can't rely on the 8th amendment since some people get cruel and unusual punishment anyway (e.g. the death penalty). But that is irrelevant to my point. Pro's contentions 1. Rehabilitation can help our community. I pointed out that the article she quoted said nothing about rehabilitation, but only mentioned keeping people in prison to keep the public safe. She didn't bother to defend that quote or explain how she got rehabilitation out of it. Instead, she refers to her "card" as saying, "This emphasis on results over retribution would bring many benefits." I have no idea what's she's quoting or whether it's a reliable source. It sounds like the source, whatever it is, is just restating Pro's opinion. It's not offering an argument for it. 2. Retribuation has strong negative effects on children and families I said that the article quote didn't show causation; it only showed correlation. Pro responded by re-quoting the first line, which uses the word "result." However, my argument isn't that the article never claims causation. They surely do in the first line just as Pro said. Rather, I pointed out that the article failed to show causation. In the evidence produced in support of the first sentence in the article, all they showed was correlation. My claim is that the author of the article made an unwarranted inference by assuming causation where there is only correlation. 3. Rehabilitation is more cost effective Pro basically gives no response to my argument here. While she had quoted an article saying that drug rehabilitation works, I responded by saying the fact that drug rehabilitation works doesn't mean rehabilitation works for other crimes. I suggested that drug rehabilitation works because the parties are willing. Her response, amazingly enough, was to say that people on drugs are not willing. But that leaves her third contention undefended. She hasn't made a case for why we should think other crimes could be rehabilitated as effectively as drug crimes. She even says that the harsher crimes I listed would be handled differently than drug crimes, which seems to me to concede my point. Conclusion I recommended retribution in the name of fairness--people get what they deserve. Pro claims that under rehabilitation, people also get what they deserve. But "desert" doesn't really fit in with utiltarianism. There's nothing about rehabilitation that entails that people get what they deserve. If she advocates a program where people get what they deserve, then she is advocating retribution because that's what retribution is--giving people what they deserve. To start, I'd like to go over my value a bit better since the Con seems to think I haven't defended it enough. I chose utilitarianism because as I stated earlier, I like it's simplicity. If it helps society, it is good and morally acceptable. In my original case I say my job as the Pro is to prove that the criminal justice system ought to value rehabilitation over retribution. By rehabilitating people, we are creating a better society, which is why I chose utilitarianism as my value. As for the elderly people example, my opponent basically says old people are a drain on society anyways, so let's put our tax dollars to something better. But if we're going to be simple-minded and say old people are a "drain on society" it's only fair that I be simple-minded and say that taxes are taxes and no U.S. citizen is going to want to pay any kind of tax. This elderly people example is an unrealistic and a very simple way of looking at things. I stick by my original argument which is, the cons outweigh the pros in this scenario so it isn't a good example in regards to utilitarianism. I would like to apologize for my poor citation on the Denmark evidence. I was a bit rushed. While the Con is arguing we can have both, I am saying we need rehabilitation and retribution is ineffective. And I feel like I've offered enough evidence to prove that not only does rehabilitation work, it is better than retribution. The Con says I misunderstood his fairness argument. However, I fully understood it. Perhaps he didn't understand my arguments about other crimes. My opponent continually goes back to the argument that punishment won't be dealt fairly and harsh crimes like rape will be let off easy. Again I will say, criminals such as murderers and sexual offenders will be put in prison as a safety precaution. For drug-related crimes and things like traffic offenses, rehabilitation should offered. What the Con fails to see is retribution is just too much in some cases. If your 22 and get caught drinking and driving late one night, you get put in jail for the evening and that stays on your record for quite a while. That is unfair. On the opposite end of the spectrum, maybe two 19 year old's murder someone and get caught. One could get the best lawyer around and get 6 months in jail. While the other can't afford a good attorney and winds up with 25 to life in a maximum security prison. Retribution is unfair. As for the 8th amendment argument, I suppose I don't fully understand what the Con is trying to say. However, rehabilitation does not undermine the 8th amendment. Rehabilitation will serve as a better alternative to jail time and people who really deserve to be out of society will be. I fail to see how this undermines the 8th amendment. I apologize. In my attack against the Con for my contention one I mentioned a "card." Perhaps my opponent is unfamiliar with debate terminology. By card, I meant my contention one. My debate coach is a bit old school and refers to them as such. So if you refer back to my contention one, you will see I offered a quote from my evidence. It is not simply my opinion. I'm sorry for the confusion. The Con stands by his argument that there is only correlation in my contention two. Yet that evidence offers specific statistics, stating more then one-third of children with a parent in prison drop out of school. The cause of the drop out rate is clearly the parent in prison. I believe it's pretty clear the causes are obvious. For my third contention, please refer to my other attack in which I clearly stated the types of crimes that would be receiving rehabilitation. I am not at all conceding with my opponent. I've made it clear I am very anti-retribution. In conclusion, I'd like to point out I made it very clear why retribution is unfair and rehabilitation is fair and effective. People will be safe and they will get what they deserve. Someone with one DWI shouldn't have to be severely punished. It didn't come out until the last round, but Pro's argument for rehabilitation is circular. She has been arguing for rehabilitation by appealing to utilitarian morals. But why does she subscribe to utilitarian morals? In her own words: "By rehabilitating people, we are creating a better society, which is why I chose utilitarianism as my value." So she chooses utilitarian values because rehabilitating people creates a better society, and she thinks rehabilitation is better than retribution because of her utilitarian values. It is hard to come up with a more clear example of circular reasoning. The only non-circular defense she gives for utilitarianism is its simplicity. But this is no defense. How does it follow that because utilitarianism is simple that it's therefore true? And I would question whether it really is simple. It sounds simple until you actually try to apply it to real world decisions. Then you've got to weigh utilities, which can be highly subjective. That's not to mention the difficulty of predicting the short term and long term consequences of a course of action. Pro's only response to my elderly people counter-example to utilitarianism is that it's "simple-minded" and "unrealistic." But the fact of the matter is, there are old people who are a drain on society. I'm not saying that I personally would want to kill them. As I said in the first round, that would obviously be wrong. What I'm saying is that it follows from utilitarianism that there are innocent people we ought to kill for the good of society. That's precisely what's wrong with utilitarianism! There are many without close family who we could kill without causing any (or many people) grief, too. They don't need funerals. We can just have them cremated, which is cheaper than paying their medical expenses. Pro is being a bit inconsistent in this debate. In the first round, she defined retribution as "punishment that is justly deserved." Giving people what they deserve is the very meaning of fairness. Yet she claims that (1) under rehabilitation, people get what they deserve, and (2) retribution is unfair. I agree with her that sometimes people are given punishments that they don't deserve. That is the basis upon which she says retribution is unfair, but that is contrary to how she defined retribution since she defined it as giving people the punishment they deserve. When people get a punishment that goes beyond what they deserve, that isn't retribution. That's going beyond retribution, and I don't think either one of us is advocating that. Pro still seems to misunderstand my argument from fairness. She says, "My opponent continually goes back to the argument that punishment won't be dealt fairly and harsh crimes like rape will be let off easy." My concern isn't that harsh crimes like rape will be let off easy. My concern is that under rehabilitation, the punishment does not have to fit the crime. I used rape and drug abuse as hypothetical examples to illustrate my point. If the primary focus is on rehabilitation rather than retribution, then the length of imprisonment, punishment, sentence, or whatever is done to the person will depend on the psychology of the person and how long it takes or what measures it takes to rehabilitate the person rather than on what the person deserves. If (emphasis on the 'if) it happens that some severe crime, like rape, is easier to rehabilitate than some lesser crime, like drug abuse, then the person guilty of drug use will suffer more severely than the person who commited rape, which is unfair. Fairness dictates that the punishment fit the crime. And that is precisely the purpose of the 8th amendment. A cruel and unusual punishment is a punishment that does not fit the crime but rather goes beyond it. I misunderstood what Pro meant by "cards." Apparently, she was just quoting what she had originally quoted in the first round in support of rehabilitation. My objection stands. The quote says nothing about rehabilitation. Pro emphasizes the use of the word "results," but the benefits it mentions are not the rehabilitation of the person, but redemption of America's image abroad, restoration of communities who regard prison as a rite of passage (whatever that means), and the enablement of offenders to pay restitution to their victims. Even if this quote mentioned retribution, it's just an opinion piece. It doesn't offer an argument. Sending dangerous criminals to prison is not rehabilitation; it's protection. Pro seems to be all for that. She said, "Again I will say, criminals such as murderers and sexual offenders will be put in prison as a safety precaution." She apparently only advocates rehabilitation for lesser crimes, like drug abuse and traffic offenses. But remember the resolution of the debate: "Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system." That resolution is more general and sweeping than, "Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in cases of miner crimes, like drug abuse and traffic violations." Pro was unable to defend her second contention. After I pointed out that her quote only showed a correlation between parents going to prison and their kids dropping out of school, and even offering an alternate explanation than one causing the other, her only response is to use the words "clear" and "pretty clear" in regard to causation. That's not an argument. That's only an expression of Pro's conviction. The quote she offered as evidence did not show causation, and neither did Pro. They only showed correlation and asserted causation. Adding the word "clearly" to what you already said before doesn't advance your argument. Pro claims that she is "very anti-retribution," but then turns around in the next paragraph and says under rehabilitation, people will "get what they deserve." This is an inconsistency since giving people what they deserve is how she defined retribution in the first round. If she is all for people getting what they deserve, then she is all for retribution since that's what retribution means. If she is not all for people getting what they deserve, then she has not adequately responded to my fairness objection. Either way, Pro has not carried her burden of proof in this debate. I said at the beginning of this debate that I'd concede if Pro convinced me, but she hasn't. Thank you for coming to tonight's debate. Thank you for reading it. Thank you to my opponent. You should use societal welfare as your value and utilitarianism as your value criterion because you can achieve utilitarianism, but societal welfare is just a means through which you can achieve utlitarianism. You'd be surprised to find out that I either did really badly during that debate, or mediocre (two judges didn't disclose). I either went 1-5 with my only win coming from an absentee ballot, 2-4, or 3-3. I kind of think that my judges were biased against me for some reason, as when they would give us critiques, they only really were speaking poorly of my case. That being the only thing that they would say, I didn't feel that great leaving. I improved my Speaker points from the last debate, I'm sure. The last one, my opponent (in the last round) and I were close to fighting in the CX. We were yelling at each other, and the judge had to get us to stop. She even changed her paradigms after that round. The next round I had a bye, so I watched my partner (I know, I'm in LD but my debate team has 2 Novice-LDs and an Open-LD) had a round with the same judge. It was hilarious! Anyway, I digress. My LD partner advanced to the Quarter-Finals in the debate I was in today, but lost there. Meh, whatever. Honestly, in my last round of the day (of which I lost), I really should have won. I bogged down one of my three and two of my opponents three contentions down, and shut them out of the round. (I was on Aff). They neglected to mention their third, which I pointed out. I made a decent attempt to shoot down their Value/Criterion (Justice/Proportionalism). I backed up my Value/Criterion (S. Wellbeing/Util) well, and still had a functional 2nd and 3rd contention (I rebutted my opponents attacks). I really don't know, that judge must have been watching a different debate. And thank you Lil_bit. BTW are you an active Open LD Debater on this topic? Pro should have used her value criterion, societal welfare, in response to the value attack, because killing seniors would not uphold societal welfare, on balance, since protecting the lives in the society outweighs economic growth. Not to mention, many seniors are productive and taxpaying. For contentions one and two, seemingly obvious links should be explicitly stated! e.g. Parentless children turn to crime themselves because they lack love, go to gangs... clich" links work (though probably not suffice). Fairness issue: she could have used the old cross-ex. tactic: Why does fairness matter? If people are healed and society is better, the value is upheld. Societal welfare and changed lives outweigh the abstract concept of "equality" or "justice." She also should have capitalized on her equality argument (richer folk get lesser sentences). For the above two points though, she needs to change her Retribution definition. Lil" Bit, hope you see this and good luck! Going to Berkeley? You define utilitarianism as doing the most good for the most amount of people. I defined it as something is right as long as it helps society. So under your definition, I can see why it would be a better criterion. Well done. As for the Kantianism argument, you did good by saying it isn't valid. And you seem to have a great case. Since he didn't attack anything else, I'm sure you won that round. For a novice, you have really good, strong arguments. I'm impressed. Neg. case Value+Criterion: Since "ought" indicates an evaluation of moral obligations, the clear value for the round is morality. Observe that the state is the actor in the resolution, and so we are concerned in particular with the moral obligations of the state. The criterion for the state fulfilling its moral obligations is respecting the moral worth of its citizens. There are two reasons for this: 1.The state is an organization of individuals that acts on behalf of the community generally. It is justified in doing so because the moral worth of the citizens demands that the state act benevolently towards them. The state cannot undermine its own justification for acting by disrespecting the moral worth of citizens, the very moral worth that it exists to serve. 2.Any state action must ultimately be carried out by individuals employed by the government. Those individuals have personal moral obligations not to disrespect the moral worth of others, as this shows disrespect for the foundation of their own moral value and cannot be consistent with a moral action. Therefore, my criterion functions as an absolute moral constraint on state action. We cannot affirm unless rehabilitative approaches to criminal justice can be shown to respect the moral worth of all citizens. Please advise. Also, tell me if you need me to post any more of the case. Thanks. Lil_bit, I am actually currently at a debate tournament. Utilitarianism has come up quite often here, and is the criterion for my value of Societal Well-being (I try to not go like everyone else, but S. Wellbeing=S. Welfare in reality) for my aff. case. I figure that by providing the most amount of good for the greatest amount of people would provide societal well-being/welfare (S.W.). To have a good society, you need to provide a good environment, and by providing the greatest good for said environment/community/society, you can do this using Util. Now it is entirely possible to have Util as a value if it works for the topic, or the criterion works to support the valued utilitarianism, but you would need a topic something like: The U.S. government ought create a law stipulating that people must act to the common good for others and themselves (More of a policy case, and you will probably never find one like it). You could say, I value Util under some crazy criterion like instilling Buddhism, or something more normal like respecting moral worth, and how others should feel inclined to help the weak. Question: Last round, my opponent said that my criterion followed a principle of Kantianism and said that it is invalid. He said under K.ism, if an angry armed man goes to your house and demands that you bring them someone from said house, that you must bring them. I said that this attack could not be valid as the Kantianistic approach was in reference to the state, and not an individual level. I'll post what my Criterion was in another comment. Keep in mind, I was on Neg. and I was debating Morality under respecting moral worth, on the exact same topic of your debate. (Also note, he did not attack any of my contentions, nor my criteria directly. He just claimed them invalid with no real warrant or impact). Dale.G, perhaps I can offer a sufficient answer. Rehabilitation, as it is presented in this topic, would be an alternative for minor offenders in jail. There is no jail and rehabilitation. Someone who is "in jail forever" obviously committed a more serious crime and wouldn't even be offered rehabilitation due to the risk involved. litfuse55, I was a bit harsh. I apologize. It seems we were taught two different things. Yet you still failed to prove how utilitarianism supports societal welfare. So no, I haven't agreed with you. All I'm saying is, maybe you should take into account what a 3rd year debater is saying. Especially since everything I told you comes from a national qualifier and you're only a novice. But if you can prove to me that utilitarianism makes a better criterion, please do so. I'd admire you for supporting such an off statement and offering a decent case with such a criterion. Reasons for voting decision: With respect to Utilitarianism, Pro agrees it's wrong to euthanize senior citizens, but Con showed that logically followed from that value system, and Pro could not successfully rebut that. This puts that choice of value system as a measuring stick for evaluating policies in question. With respect to rehabilitation vs. restribution, Pro speaks out about unfair punishment, which is not retribution as Pro defined it. Con points out that rehabilitation-based punishment may be unusual and unfair, for example if a minor crime requires longer/harder rehabilitation than a major crime (rape vs. drug use). Overall, while Pro makes a compelling case that there is room for reform within the criminal justice system, and that rehabilitation should be part of that system, he has not met the burden of proof for showing that valuing rehabilitation over retribution is the answer. I thus vote for Con. Kudos for a good effort on both sides.
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http://www.debate.org/debates/Rehabilitation-ought-to-be-valued-above-retribution-in-the-United-States-criminal-justice-system/2/
LECTURE VII: THE GROWTH OF COLLECTIVISM THE GROWTH OF COLLECTIVISM Lecture VII.With the passing of the Reform Act began the reign of liberalism, and the utilitarianism of common sense acquired, in appearance at least, despotic power, but this appearance was to a certain extent delusive. At the moment of the Benthamite triumph there were to be found thinkers who, while insisting on the need for thorough-going reforms, denied the moral authority of individualism and denounced the dogma of laissez faire. This vital difference between two opposed schools of thought had more than a merely speculative interest. It determined men's way of looking at by far the most pressing social problem of the day. The fifteen years from 1830 to 1845, which may well be termed the era of the Reform Act, were among the most critical in the history of England. The time was out of joint. The misery and discontent of city artisans and village labourers were past dispute. No Act of Parliament could remove at a stroke the wretchedness and pauperism created by the old poor law. The true cure contained in the new poor law of 1834, with its drastic severity, its curtailment of outdoor relief, and its detested Bastilles, increased for the moment the sufferings of the poorest amongst the poor, and excited intense popular resentment. The wages earned by labourers in the country were miserably low. The horrors connected with factory life were patent. Widespread was the discontent of the whole body of wage-earners. It is recorded in a series of state trials for sedition, for conspiracy, or for treason, extending from 1832 to 1843.1 There was rick-burning2 by labourers in the country, there were acts of violence by trade unionists in the towns. The demand for the People's Charter was the sign of a social condition which portended revolution. To us who know that several points of the People's Charter have passed into law without causing social or political disturbance, the thought may occur that Chartism loomed too large in the eyes of contemporaries. But the men of 1832 understood the time in which they lived. The cry for the Charter told of bitter class hatreds and of widespread dissatisfaction with the whole constitution of society. Men who have known England only during the years of prosperity and of general goodwill which have followed the repeal of the corn laws, can hardly realise the urgency with which the "state of England question" thrust itself upon the attention of the public between 1832 and 1840. It was a terrible question enough; it was nothing else than the inquiry, how, if at all, was it possible to alleviate the miseries and remove the discontent of the working classes? The reply of utilitarian Liberals was in substance clear. The policy of wisdom was, they insisted, to make the nation, as the Reform Act was intended to do, master of its own destiny. Hence, it was argued, would follow the removal of every definite abuse and the repeal of every unjust law, and especially of any law which pressed unfairly and hardly upon the poor. This being done, law, it was assumed rather than stated, could do no more; for the ultimate cure of social diseases we must trust to general good-will, and above all to individual energy and self-help. Nowhere is this doctrine better expressed than in the refutation by Sydney Smith of the argument familiar to the toryism of 1830, that the Reform Bill would bring no benefit to the hewer of wood and drawer of water. "What good," says Sydney Smith in 1830, "to the hewer of wood and the drawer of water? How is he benefited, if Old Sarum is abolished, and Birmingham members created? But if you ask this question of Reform, you must ask it of a great number of other great measures. How is he benefited by Catholic Emancipation, by the repeal of the Corporation and Test Act, by the Revolution of 1688, by any great political change, by a good government? In the first place, if many are benefited, and the lower orders are not injured, this alone is reason enough for the change. But the hewer of wood and the drawer of water are benefited by Reform. Reform will produce economy and investigation; there will be fewer jobs, and a less lavish expenditure; wars will not be persevered in for years after the people are tired of them; taxes will be taken off the poor and laid upon the rich; demotic habits will be more common in a country where the rich are forced to court the poor for political power; cruel and oppressive punishments (such as those for night-poaching) will be abolished. If you steal a pheasant you will be punished as you ought to be, but not sent away from your wife and children for seven years. Tobacco will be 2d. per lb. cheaper. Candles will fall in price. These last results of an improved government will be felt. We do not pretend to abolish poverty, or to prevent wretchedness; but if peace, economy, and justice are the results of Reform, a number of small benefits, or rather of benefits which appear small to us, but not to them, will accrue to millions of the people; and the connection between the existence of John Russell, and the reduced price of bread and cheese, will be as clear as it has been the object of his honest, wise, and useful life to make it. "Don't be led away by such nonsense; all things are dearer under a bad government, and cheaper under a good one. The real question they ask you is, What difference can any change of government make to you? They want to keep the bees from buzzing and stinging, in order that they may rob the hive in peace."1 Every one of these predictions has been fulfilled almost to the letter. Turn now for illustrations of the protest against the dominant individualism of the day to the language of three men of genius who agreed in nothing but in their common distrust of laissez faire, and in their conviction that some great exertion of the authority of the State was needed for the cure of the diseases which afflicted the commonwealth. "Moral evils," writes Southey (1829), "are of [man's] own making; and undoubtedly the greater part of them may be prevented, though it is only in Paraguay (the most imperfect of Utopias) that any attempt at prevention has been carried into effect."1 And this prevention was, in Southey's judgment, to be effected by the moral authority of the Church and the action of the State. "This neglect," writes Dr. Arnold (1838), namely, to provide a proper position in the State for the manufacturing population, "is encouraged by one of the falsest maxims which ever pandered to human selfishness under the name of political wisdom—I mean the maxim that civil society ought to leave its members alone, each to look after their several interests, provided they do not employ direct fraud or force against their neighbour. That is, knowing full well that these are not equal in natural powers,—and that still less have they ever within historical memory started with equal artificial advantages; knowing, also, that power of every sort has a tendency to increase itself, we stand by and let this most unequal race take its own course, forgetting that the very name of society implies that it shall not be a mere race, but that its object is to provide for the common good of all, by restraining the power of the strong and protecting the helplessness of the weak."1 "That the arrangements," writes Carlyle in 1839, of good and ill success in this perplexed scramble of a world, which a blind goddess was always thought to preside over, are in fact the work of a seeing goddess or god, and require only not to be meddled with: what stretch of heroic faculty or inspiration of genius was needed to teach one that? To button your pockets and stand still is no complex recipe. Laissez faire, laissez passer! Whatever goes on, ought it not to go on. . . . Such at bottom seems to be the chief social principle, if principle it have, which the Poor Law Amendment Act has the merit of courageously asserting, in opposition to many things. A chief social principle which this present writer, for one, will by no manner of means believe in, but pronounce at all fit times to be false, heretical, and damnable, if ever aught was."1 Between 1830 and 1840 the issue between individualists and collectivists was fairly joined. Can the systematic extension of individual freedom and the removal of every kind of oppression so stimulate individual energy and self-help as to cure (in so far as they are curable by legislation) the evils which bring ruin on a commonwealth? To this inquiry the enlightened opinion of 1832, which for some thirty or forty years, if not for more, governed the action of Parliament, gave, in spite of protests from a small body of thinkers backed more or less by the sympathy of the working classes, an unhesitating and affirmative answer. To the same inquiry English legislative opinion has from about 1870 onwards given a doubtful, if not a negative, reply. My purpose in this lecture is to explain a revolution of social or political belief which forms a remarkable phenomenon in the annals of opinion. This explanation in reality is nothing else than an attempted analysis of the conditions or causes which have favoured the growth of collectivism, or, if the matter be looked at from the other side, have undermined the authority of Benthamite liberalism.1 A current explanation lies ready to hand. Under the Parliamentary Reform Acts 1867-1884 the constitution of England has been transformed into a democracy, and this revolution, it is argued, completely explains the increasing influence of socialism. The many must always be the poor, and the poor are by nature socialists. Where you have democracy there you will find socialism. This reasoning, as already pointed out,1 is essentially fallacious. Democracy cannot be identified with any one kind of legislative opinion. The government of England is far less democratic than is the government of the United States, but the legislation of Congress is less socialistic than the legislation of the Imperial Parliament. Nor in England are laws tending towards socialism due to the political downfall of the wealthy classes. Under a democratic constitution they retain much substantial power—they determine in many ways the policy of the country. The rich have but feebly resisted, even if they have not furthered, collectivist legislation. The advance of democracy cannot afford the main explanation of the predominance of legislative collectivism. The true explanation is to be found, not in the changed form of the constitution, but in conditions of which the advance of democracy is indeed one, but whereof the most important had been in operation before the Reform Act of 1867 came into force. These conditions, which constantly co-operated, may be conveniently brought under the following heads: Tory Philanthropy and the Factory Movement2 —the Changed Attitude after 1848 of the Working Classes — the Modification of Economic Beliefs—the Characteristics of Modern Commerce—the Introduction of Household Suffrage. Tory Philanthropy and the Factory Movement The age of individualism was emphatically the era of humanitarianism—it was the philanthropy of the day which, in the midst of the agitation for parliamentary reform, would not suffer the wrongs of the negroes to be forgotten. Now at the very time when the country was moved to passionate indignation at the horrors of West Indian slavery, public attention was suddenly directed, by the publication of Richard Oastler's Slavery in Yorkshire, to oppression, not in the West Indies, but in Yorkshire—to the bondage, not of negroes, but of English children. The horrors denounced by Oastler were of precisely the kind which most outraged the humanitarianism of the day. His appeal to the English public went home; it was the true beginning of the factory movement.1 That movement was in truth the fruit of humanitarianism. The earliest Factory Act belongs to an age (1802) when English statesmen had hardly heard of socialism. The strength of Oastler's appeal was public indignation at the physical sufferings brought, as it was believed, by the greed of manufacturers upon helpless infants. That English children were held in bondage, that to perform their task-work they were compelled under cruel punishment to walk as much as twenty miles a day, that their day's work lasted for from twelve to sixteen hours, were the facts or allegations which aroused the pity and the wrath of the nation. The vehemence of popular indignation had in its origin nothing to do with socialistic theories. The factory movement was in full accordance with the traditional principle of the common law that all persons below twenty-one had a claim to special protection. Nor was there anything in the early factory movement which was opposed either to Benthamism or to the doctrines of the most rigid political economy. Individualists of every school were only too keenly alive to the danger that the sinister interest of a class should work evil to the weak and helpless. They almost identified power with despotism. In 1836 Cobden was not only willing, but ready to exclude absolutely from labour in a cotton mill any child below the age of thirteen. "As McCull."1 Nor need Cobden have hesitated to appeal to McCulloch. This economist had already in 1833 thus expressed his sympathy with Lord Ashley's2 philanthropic efforts:— "I hope your Factory Bill will prosper, and I am glad it is in such good hands. Had I a seat in the House it should assuredly have my vote. A notion is entertained that political economists are, in all cases, enemies to all sorts of interference, but I assure you I am not one of those who entertain such an opinion. I would not interfere between adults and masters; but it is absurd to contend that children have the power to judge for themselves as to such a matter. I look upon the facts disclosed in the late Report as most disgraceful to the nation; and I confess that, until I read it, I could not have conceived it possible that such enormities were committed. Perhaps you have seen the late work of M. Cousin, who was sent by the French Government to report on the state of education in Germany. It is well worth your Lordship's attention. In Prussia, and most other German States, all persons are obliged to send their children to school from the age of seven to thirteen or fourteen years, and the education given to them is excellent; as much superior to anything to be had in this country as it is possible to conceive. This is the sort of interference that we ought gradually to adopt. If your Bill has any defect, it is not by the too great limitation, but by the too great extension of the hours of labour."1 Macaulay was at no time of his life fascinated by the ideals or tolerant of the weaknesses of socialism, yet under the influence of humanitarianism, as of common sense, he made by far the best defence delivered in Parliament2 of the Ten Hours Bill. Southey, anticipator though he was of socialistic ideas, denounced the employment of children in factories on the simple ground of humanity. "There is one thing," he writes to Lord Ashley, "connected with these accursed factories which I have long intended to expose, and that is, the way in which Sunday Schools have been subservient to the merciless love of gain. The manufacturers know that a cry would be raised against them if their little white slaves received no instruction; and so they have converted Sunday into a schoolday, with what effect may be seen in the evidences! "Thousands of thousands will bless you for taking up the cause of these poor children. I do not believe that anything more inhuman than the system has ever disgraced human nature in any age or country. Was I not right in saying that Moloch is a more merciful friend1 than Mammon? Death in the brazen arms of the Carthaginian idol was mercy to the slow waste of life in the factories."2 Humanitarianism, then, was the parent, if socialism was the offspring, of the factory movement, and that movement from the first came under the guidance of Tories. With this movement will be for ever identified the names of Southey, Oastler, Sadler, and above all of Lord Shaftesbury. The character and the career of these leaders is the best illustration of the intimate connection between the attack on the iniquities of the factory system and toryism. Southey (1774-1843) was in 1830 a Tory of the Tories. His whole career is paradoxical. He had once been a Jacobin, he had never been a Whig. He understood revolutionary enthusiasm; he had no desire for moderate reform or appreciation of its benefits. The foundation of his political creed was belief in the advantages to be derived from the free employment of the influence of the Church and the resources of the State for the benefit of the poor. This creed made it easy for the philanthropic Jacobin of 1794 to develop into the humanitarian Tory of 1830. It was natural for Whigs to see in Southey a weather-cock which, having turned rusty, had set up for a sign-post; it was equally natural that in Southey's own mind the essential identity of his sentiment in youth and in old age should conceal from him the apparent transformation of his political principles. His fame in his own day rested on his position as a man of letters. Even his friends could not have thought him a powerful reasoner; they must have expected that though his writings might be long remembered for their literary merits, he would never exert any memorable influence as a social reformer. But it is now manifest that while Southey's literary reputation has declined, his ideas on social questions exerted a permanent influence. He was a Carlyle without Carlyle's rhetorical genius and rough humour, but also without Carlyle's cynical contempt for humanitarianism. He was essentially a philanthropist. He is to us the prophetic precursor of modern collectivism. To his own generation he was the preacher of Tory philanthropy. The text on which he preached with the utmost vehemence was the duty of abolishing the cruelties of factory life. Oastler (1789-1861) was a demagogue, but he was also a Churchman, a Tory, and a Protectionist. He hated the new poor law partly for the hardship it inflicted upon the poor, partly because he foresaw it would lead to the repeal of the corn laws, and believed that it would be fatal to the influence of the Church and of the landowners. A certain unity is given to the demagogic career of this "Factory king" by his denunciation of the whole system of factory labour. To him is due both the enthusiasm which ultimately carried the Ten Hours Bill and the gross exaggeration which identified the sufferings of children in English factories with the abominations of West Indian slavery, and thus excited the legitimate indignation even of manufacturers who were also philanthropists. Michael Sadler (1780-1835) was born a member of the Church of England. Brought up in Tory principles, he remained throughout life a fervent Tory. He opposed Catholic Emancipation and Parliamentary reform. In 1823 the wrong done to children in factories enlisted his keenest sympathy. He was already interested in economical and social questions, and became not only the leader, but the theorist of the factory movement. As a sort of Christian and Tory socialist he attacked, though without any true grasp of political economy, the individualism which underlay the teaching of economists such as Ricardo. He thus introduced into the factory movement ideas which pointed towards socialism. Sadler's public career represents dramatically the collision between Whig liberalism and Tory philanthropy. Twice he came into conflict with Macaulay, and twice he suffered defeat. In 1830 Sadler's ignorant and illogical attacks on Malthusianism involved him in a literary duel with the eloquent Whig reviewer. Party spirit ran high. Sadler's reasoning was full of flaws, and he suffered a disastrous argumentative overthrow; his critic did not care to consider whether inaccurately stated dogmas might not contain some element of neglected truth. In 1832 Sadler, who had sat in Parliament for a rotten borough abolished by the Reform Act, was a candidate for the representation of the newly created constituency of Leeds. His opponent was again Macaulay, and their second encounter ended in Sadler's defeat. This conclusion of the conflict was appropriate; it was fitting that the brilliant representative of liberalism should share the general triumph of individualism. It was also fitting that the representative of expiring toryism and as yet unrecognised collectivism, should suffer a repulse. That the humanitarian Whig and the Tory philanthropist, who were really at one on the necessity of protecting overworked children from ill usage, should in 1832 have understood one another was an impossibility. At the bottom of the literary and of the political battle lay the difference which divides liberalism from socialism. Sadler's electoral defeat had one result of immense importance. It passed the leadership of the factory movement, then summed up in the demand for the Ten Hours Bill, into the hands of its most famous leader. Lord Shaftesbury was the ideal Tory humanitarian. To him we may apply Cowper's well-known line which eulogises or satirises a peer who lent dignity to the early evangelical revival as— One who wears a coronet, and prays. In spirit Lord Shaftesbury always "wore a coronet"; he was, in the words of an American observer, the "complete beau-ideal of aristocracy." He inherited, together with the virtues, at least one of the faults often belonging to high lineage, he lacked all play of intellect or of fancy; he possessed neither subtlety nor versatility. At the foundation of his character lay moral and intellectual rigidity. Though an Oxford First Class man, he was in no way affected by the training which left indelible traces upon the minds, one might say upon the very natures of Cardinal Newman, Dr. Arnold, and Gladstone. If Lord Shaftesbury's collegiate career were at some future time to be inferred from his tastes and from his opinions, the obvious surmise of an historical inquirer would be that his Lordship graduated at Cambridge and never missed a sermon of Simeon's. In his purely political opinions he was all of a piece; he exhibits the stiffness of a Tory as rigid and thorough-going as could be a man of much sound sense and of a very sensitive conscience. He opposed Catholic Emancipation, and voted at last for the Catholic Relief Bill only when Peel's surrender made the concession of political rights to Roman Catholics a necessity. He came into Parliament as a protectionist, and when he saw that protection must be given up, resigned a seat which he had gained as an opponent of free trade. During his later life he placed much confidence in Palmerston, but when that most aristocratic of Liberal Premiers perceived what Bagehot has termed "the inestimable and unprecedented opportunity" of reforming the House of Lords without agitation, Lord Shaftesbury pronounced the proposal to create life peers to be as pernicious as it was specious, and foreboded that it would end in making the House of Lords like the American Senate. Ignorance, very characteristic of an English nobleman, was in this instance—not at all a solitary one—as remarkable as prejudice; for in 1857 to have given the House of Lords the position then held by the American Senate would have made the peers the most powerful body in the State. Lord Shaftesbury opposed throughout his career everything which he deemed a concession to Papal claims or to the High Church movement. But if he was an ardent Protestant, he was in theological matters intolerant of free thought1 and of free discussion. Opposition to the results of Biblical criticism led him indeed into a curious alliance with Pusey. Lord Shaftesbury, however, was primarily neither a politician nor a theologian, but a religious humanitarian. As he believed, and, as his critics, to whatever school they belong, may well believe also, it was implicit faith in a definite religious creed which compelled him to devote his life to philanthropic labours. One singularity at any rate of his career, and a singularity which for the purpose of these lectures proves to be of great importance, is that his defects no less than his virtues contributed to the success, and still more to the wide-reaching results of his work. Lord Shaftesbury formed no social theories. He never consciously advocated any measures which in his eyes savoured of socialism, a creed which he seemingly connected with infidelity.1 At the same time he did not understand, as did Macaulay, the grounds on which factory legislation might be defended by men who distrusted all socialistic experiments. From Southey he had imbibed that opposition to laissez faire which is characteristic of every collectivist, and which falls in with the natural desire of an ardent philanthropist to save from immediate suffering any class of persons who are unable completely to protect themselves against oppression, and to do this by the means which lie nearest to hand, without deeply considering whether action which gives immediate relief to sufferers, e.g. women overworked in factories, may not possibly in the end produce evils of untold magnitude. Lord Shaftesbury, in short, was in practice, though not in theory, the apostle of governmental interference, and this, in part at least, because his intellectual limitations prevented him from realising the difficulty of reconciling paternal government with respect for individual freedom. Here we see how his very deficiencies increased his influence. They gained for him the support of two classes who do not in England often act together. The artisans were glad to follow a leader who shared their faith in the benefits to be derived from extending the authority of the State, and who with them felt no love whatever, to use the mildest terms, for manufacturers or mill-owners. If his latent and unconscious socialism conciliated working men, his position and his defects enlisted for him the support of members of the middle-class who would never have followed a demagogue or a democrat. He was born heir to an English peerage—he became an English peer; he was a rigid Tory—he was not a theorist; he was a Low Churchman, he was the friend of Dissenters; he detested Roman Catholicism, Republicanism, socialism, and infidelity. How could any good and benevolent man belonging to the middle class fail in the middle of the nineteenth century to feel that his lordship was the safest of guides? Here and there a cold-blooded critic might note that the principles on which Lord Shaftesbury unconsciously acted were of wider application than the philanthropist perceived. A story is told, which may possibly be true, that Lord Melbourne introduced Lord Ashley—as he then was—to the young Queen as "the greatest Jacobin in your Majesty's dominions." The tale, if true, illustrates the keen insight of the easygoing Whig premier. But not one among Lord Shaftesbury's middle-class followers would have seen the true point of the joke. "No one goes so far as the man who doesn't know where he is going." This dictum, attributed to Cromwell, holds good both of men and of parties. The chief of the Tory philanthropists and his followers were not revolutionists, but they entered on a path which might well lead towards social revolution, and of which, apparently, they perceived neither the direction nor the goal. However this may be, the factory movement came from the first under the patronage and the guidance of Tories. The factory movement gave rise to a parliamentary conflict between individualism and collectivism. With the details of the agitation for the Ten Hours Bill which was not brought to a final close till 1850, with the various Acts passed in the course thereof, and with the ups and downs of the conflict between the opponents and the advocates of the Bill, we are not here concerned. The point here to be insisted upon is that the demand for the Ten Hours Act gave rise to a bitter conflict of which, owing to the circumstances of the day, the true character was concealed from the combatants. Everything was complicated by the accident that the agitation for the repeal of the corn laws covered nearly the same years as the early factory movement; repeal was obtained but one year before the Ten Hours Bill passed into law. In both contests Tories and protectionists were ranged against Radicals and free traders. As regards free trade the Tories played the unpopular part; they opposed the will of the people, and were liable to the charge (often grossly unjust) of starving the poor in order to raise the rents of landowners. The free traders meanwhile stood forward as friends of the people. Nor were the free trade orators in their attacks on protectionists careful to distinguish between economical heterodoxy and moral selfishness. In the battle over the Factory Bill the parts were reversed. Reasoners who insisted upon the indirect evils of State intervention were deemed heartless logicians smitten with a fatuous faith in the dismal science, and mill-owners, believed to wring huge profits out of the toil of overworked children, were placed on a level with slave-owners who refused to put an end to the tyranny from which they drew no small gain. Nor in popular estimation did the radicalism of the cotton lords do them any good. They looked like politicians who, after posing as the assertors of the rights of the people, had first by the new poor law deprived labourers of much-needed relief, and then in the name of laissez faire were claiming the right to overwork the children of artisans; the liberalism of such men might seem to add to cruelty a touch of hypocrisy. The Tory philanthropists, on the other hand, gained popularity, and even ordinary Tories stood forth in a more or less favourable light. They were honest gentlemen who had no liking for the new poor law, and who felt for the pangs of children and women held in bondage by greedy mill-owners. Who can wonder that Tories enjoyed the new sense of popularity, or that their leaders were not blind to the advantages of the situation? Disraeli, no doubt, honestly detested cruelties perpetrated in factories; but the author of Sybil knew well that his novel was a splendid party pamphlet fitted to show that the Tories were the true friends of the working-classes. On both sides there was nothing but misunderstanding and recrimination. If in the eyes of the Tory philanthropists their opponents seemed to be oppressors deficient in the ordinary feelings of humanity, to mill-owners and economists the promoters of the Ten Hours Bill were protectionists, who, under the cloak of philanthropy, tried to revive for their own advantage delusions exposed by the Anti-corn Law League, and who patronised socialism in order to revenge the overthrow of protection; their benevolence was at best stupidity, and at the worst hypocrisy supported by calumny.1 If any one deems this description of animosities which have passed away an exaggeration, let him compare the sort of anathema pronounced by Lord Shaftesbury on the men who came not to his aid in the war against oppression with Bright's denunciation of the cant which, as he believed, had carried, and of the injustice which had been wrought by, the Ten Hours Act. "I had," wrote Lord Shaftesbury in his private diary, "to break every political connection, to encounter a most formidable array of capitalists, mill-owners, doctrinaires, and men who, by natural impulse, hate all 'humanity-mongers.' They easily influence the ignorant, the timid, and the indifferent; and my strength lay at first . . . among the Radicals, the Irishmen, and a few sincere Whigs and Conservatives. Peel was hostile, though, in his cunning, he concealed the full extent of his hostility until he took the reins of office, and then he opposed me, not with decision only, but malevolence, threatening, he and Graham, to break up his administration, and 'retire into private life' unless the House of Commons rescinded the vote it had given in favour of my Ten Hours Bill. The Tory country gentlemen reversed their votes; but, in 1847, indignant with Peel on the ground of corn law repeal, they returned to the cause of the factory children. . . . "In very few instances did any mill-owner appear on the platform with me; in still fewer the ministers of any religious denomination. . . . "O'Connell was a sneering and bitter opponent. Gladstone ever voted in resistance to my efforts; and Brougham played the doctrinaire in the House of Lords. "Bright was ever my most malignant opponent. Cobden, though bitterly hostile, was better than Bright. He abstained from opposition on the Collieries Bill, and gave positive support on the Calico Print-works Bill. "Gladstone1 is on a level with the rest; he gave no support to the Ten Hours Bill; he voted with Sir R. Peel to rescind the famous division in favour of it. He was the only member who endeavoured to delay the Bill which delivered women and children from mines and pits; and never did he say a word on behalf of the factory children, until, when defending slavery in the West Indies, he taunted Buxton with indifference to the slavery in England! "Lord Brougham was among my most heated opponents. He spoke strongly against the Bill in 1847. "Miss Martineau also gave her voice and strength in resistance to the measure."1 "Why are we mill-owners," was Bright's retort, "to be selected as subjects of interference? Why is a Scotchman to be sent to see how I work my people, while the farmer, and the carpenter, and the builder, and the tailor is left to the ordinary responsibilities of law and public opinion? Are we worse educated than they are? Are our people less intelligent, more ready to submit to oppression, or more easy to manage? It was proposed the other day to force us to spend millions in boxing off our machinery. We have in our mills about a thousand work-people. In fifteen years we have had five accidents. We have three carters. In the same space of time two of them have been killed. I have no doubt that in agricultural employments accidents are a hundred times more frequent in proportion to the numbers employed, than those which occur in factories. But we are unpopular, we are envied, we are supposed to be rich, we are Radicals, and Whigs and Tories combine to gain popularity by calumniating us and robbing us. I have advised my partners, if this machinery Bill passes, to set the example of turning the key on the doors of our mills, and to throw on the legislators the responsibility of feeding the millions whom they will not allow us to employ with a profit."2 Such was the language used by men, each of whom was a Christian and a gentleman, each of whom was a staunch friend of the people, and each of whom was incapable of conscious slander or malignity; it was used, be it noted, not in the heat of conflict, but after the fight for the Ten Hours Bill had been won and lost. All this invective was unjust. Bright was not a Legree; Peel was not a Bounderby, nor Gladstone a Gradgrind; Lord Shaftesbury was no political Pecksniff. The leading opponents, no less than the leading supporters of the factory movement, were men of high public spirit and undoubted humanity. What is the explanation of their antagonism? Lord Shaftesbury's list of opponents supplies the answer. They were all of them individualists, whilst the Tory philanthropists were, though they knew it not, the leaders of a reaction; the factory movement was the battle-field of collectivism against individualism, and on that field Benthamite liberalism suffered its earliest and severest defeat. The bitterness of the conflict was probably increased by the consciousness of both of the parties to it that their own case had in it an element of weakness. Experience has proved that neither party was entirely in the right. The Ten Hours Act has not ruined British industry, and has put an end to much suffering. So far the policy of Lord Shaftesbury has been justified, and the resistance of the manufacturers has been condemned by experience. But the Ten Hours Act has tended towards socialism, and contains within it the germs of an unlimited revolution, of which no man can as yet weigh with confidence the benefits against the evils; and this revolution was one which Lord Shaftesbury did not intend to favour, and to the possibility whereof he was absolutely blind. Bright and his associates were far more keen sighted than the Tory philanthropists. The factory movement introduced socialistic enactments into the law of England and gave prestige and authority to the ideas of collectivism. The existing labour code,1 which consolidates a whole line of Factory Acts, is the most notable achievement of English socialism.2 The assertion, therefore, that the factory movement of which these Acts were the outcome, fostered the growth of socialism and gave authority to the ideas of collectivism, appears at first sight to involve the absurdity of putting the cart before the horse, and of treating legislation, which resulted from a particular state of opinion, as the cause of the state of opinion whence it sprung. But to a student who has grasped the true relation between law and opinion,3 this apparent absurdity becomes an obvious truism. To him the history of the factory movement is of itself sufficient proof that laws may be the creators of legislative opinion. The effect, indeed, of the factory legislation embodied in the Ten Hours Act4 and the enactments which led up to it, may appear at first sight to be nothing more than the protection from overwork of children, young persons, and women1 employed in a limited number of manufactories. But this legislation had in reality far wider results. It recognised the principle that the regulation of public labour is the concern of the State and laid the basis for a whole system of governmental inspection and control. It fixed the hours of labour in the factories to which it applied for every woman,2 whatever her age, and conferred upon her a protection, as well as imposed upon her a disability which is absolutely unknown to the common law of England, and is directly opposed to the fundamental assumptions of individualism. This factory legislation fixed, though not in so many words nor in all cases immediately, the normal day of work for all persons of whatever age or sex employed in the factories to which it extended. It applied, indeed, in the first instance only to a limited number of factories; but it contained principles of the widest scope, which were applicable and which were certain to be ultimately applied in the most general way to every kind of labour of which the public can take cognizance. It assuredly, therefore, has introduced socialistic enactments into the English labour law. But the factory legislation of 1848-50 did at once, or very nearly at once, far more than this. At the time when the repeal of the corn laws gave in the sphere of commerce what seemed to be a crowning victory to individualism, and when the prosperity following on free trade stimulated to the utmost in almost every department of life the faith in and the practice of laissez faire, the success of the Factory Acts gave authority, not only in the world of labour, but in many other spheres of life, to beliefs which, if not exactly socialistic, yet certainly tended towards socialism or collectivism. Changed Attitude of the Working Classes On the 10th April 1848 the Chartists fought their last fight, and suffered a crushing and final defeat.1 The advocates of the Charter (who might, at this period, be identified with the artisans of the towns) abandoned chartism, and either gave up all interest in public affairs, or devoted their efforts to movements of which the object was not political, but social. Of these the chief was trade unionism. This change of attitude told in more ways than one on the course of opinion. The abandonment of the Charter was a distinct step away from democratic Benthamism; an increased interest in trade unionism was a step in the direction of collectivism. Trade unionism, which means collective bargaining, and involves practical restrictions on individual freedom of contract, could find no favour in the eyes of Liberals who belonged to the school of Bentham.1 The most liberal judges had, as we have seen, under the influence of Benthamite ideas, interpreted the Combination Act of 18252 —in accordance, no doubt, with the real intention of Parliament—so as to put a check, not only upon all physical violence, but upon any so-called moral pressure which curtailed the right of an individual master to purchase, or of an individual workman to sell, labour upon such terms as might suit the contracting parties. To this view of the law trade unionists offered strenuous resistance. If some of them had at one time accepted the doctrine of laissez faire, they interpreted this dogma as allowing the right of combination for any purpose, which would not be in the strictest sense unlawful, if pursued by an individual acting without concert with others. They maintained that trade unions, even though they aimed at the restraint of trade, should be treated as lawful societies, and that unionists were morally, and ought to be legally, entitled, as long as they made no use of physical violence or the threat thereof, to bring the severest moral pressure to bear upon the action, and thus restrain the freedom of any workman, who might be inclined to follow his own interest in defiance of union rules intended to promote the interest of all the workmen engaged in a particular trade. Here we have the essential conflict between individualism and collectivism. The changed attitude of the working men facilitated the alliance between the artisans and men of the middle class who, on whatever ground, dissented from Benthamite liberalism. Chartism had been discredited by the fact that some Chartists sought to attain their ends by the employment or menace of physical force.1 Trade unionism had during its "revolutionary period" been linked with chartism, and had by acts of violence, and by the use of threatening language, secret oaths, and all the paraphernalia of revolution and conspiracy, excited the opposition of all persons who valued the maintenance of law and order.2 But between 1848 and 1868 unionism came under the guidance of capable, and, from their own point of view, moderate leaders. The abandonment, therefore, of the Charter, combined with the changed character of unionism, made it possible for men who were opposed to all violence or revolution to enter into an alliance with the artisans, or at any rate to sympathise with their policy. When Young England came under the guidance of Mr. Disraeli, Tories could afford at times to exhibit sentimental friendliness towards workmen engaged in conflict with manufacturers, whose mills offended the æsthetic taste, and whose radicalism shook the political authority of benevolent aristocrats.1 Among young men, again, who though not Tories, dissented from the social and economic dogmas of utilitarianism, working men found lawyers willing and able to suggest changes in the law of the land fitted for the attainment of the ends aimed at by unionists.2 Modification in Economic and Social Beliefs From somewhere about the middle of the nineteenth century (1840-1854) the unsystematic socialism of the artisans began, though it must be admitted in the most indirect way, to mingle with, and to influence and be influenced by, the opinions of thinkers or writers who adhered to very different schools, and though they were mostly opposed to utilitarianism, belonged in some instances to the Benthamite school. It is no accident that Carlyle's Latter Day Pamphlets (1849-1850), filled with denunciations of laissez faire, the Tracts on Christian Socialism (1850), which turned men's hearts towards the duties of Christians as the members of society, Kingsley's Alton Locke (1850), which to many contemporaries seemed to preach rank socialism, Mrs. Gaskell's Mary Barton (1848), which painted sympathetically the position of workmen conducting a strike, and thereby earned the bitter censure of W. R. Greg, the representative of economists and mill-owners—all belonged to the years 1848-1850. It is no accident that at about the same time,1 Comtism, with its distrust of political economy,2 began to exert authority in England, and obtained disciples among men who interested themselves deeply in the welfare of the working classes. If Alton Locke, with its feeble and uninteresting tailor poet, and the Latter Day Pamphlets, with their bluster and bombast, redeemed here and there by flashes of insight, are in 1905 less readable than a volume of old sermons, the welcome which these books received is of deep import, for it displays a widespread distrust in the dominant liberalism of the day, and was a sure sign of a then approaching revolution in public opinion. Most significant of all was the publication in 1848 of Mill's Political Economy; the very title of this celebrated book—Principles of Political Economy, with someof their Applications to Social Philosophy—has a special meaning. The treatise is an attempt by the intellectual leader of the Benthamite school to bring accepted economic doctrines into harmony with the aspirations of the best men among the working classes.1 It is to-day, at any rate, perfectly clear that from 1848 onwards an alteration becomes perceptible in the intellectual and moral atmosphere of England. A change we can now see was taking place in the current of opinion, and a change which was the more important, because it influenced mainly the then rising generation, and therefore was certain to tell upon the opinion of twenty or thirty years later—that is, of 1870 or 1880. Nor can we now doubt that this revolution of thought tended in the direction of socialism. Characteristics of Modern Commerce The extension of trade and commerce is bound up with faith in unlimited competition, but it has, nevertheless, since the middle of the nineteenth century, shaken that confidence in the omnipotence of individual effort and self-help which was the very essence of the liberalism that ruled England during the existence of the middle class Parliament created by the first Reform Act. For combination has gradually become the soul of modern commercial systems. One trade after another has passed from the management of private persons into the hands of corporate bodies created by the State. This revolution may be traced in every volume of the statute-book which has appeared during the last seventy years or more, and especially in the long line of Railway Companies Acts passed since 1823,1 and in the Joint Stock Companies Acts passed from 1856 to 1862. This legislation was favoured and promoted by Liberals,2 but the revolution of which it is the sign has nevertheless tended to diminish, in appearance at least, the importance of individual action, and has given room, and supplied arguments for State intervention in matters of business with which in England the State used to have little or no concern. What, too, is of primary importance, this revolution has accustomed the public to constant interference, for the real or supposed benefit of the country, with the property rights of private persons. The truth of these statements may be shown by a comparison between the position of a coach-owner in 1830 as a carrier of passengers and goods, with the position in 1905 of our great modern carrier, a railway company. The coach-owner set up his business at his own will and carried it on, broadly speaking,3 on his own terms; he possessed no legal monopoly, he asked for no legal privileges; he needed no Act of Parliament which should authorise him to take the property of others on terms of compulsory purchase, or generally to interfere with the property rights of his neighbours. If his concern prospered his success was attributable to his own resources and sagacity, and enforced the homely lesson that wealth is the reward of a man's own talent and energy. There was nothing in the business of a coach-owner which even suggested the expediency of the Government undertaking the duties of carriers. A railway company, on the other hand, is the creature of the State. It owes its existence to an Act of Parliament. It carries on business on terms more or less prescribed by Parliament. It could not in practice lay down a mile of its railway, unless it were empowered to interfere with the property right of others, and above all, to take from landowners, under a system of compulsory purchase, land which the owners may deem worth much more than the price which they are compelled to take, or which they may be unwilling to sell at any price whatever. The success of a railway company is the triumph, not of individual, but of corporate energy, and directs popular attention to the advantages of collective rather than of individual action. The fact, moreover, that a business such as that of a railway company, the due transaction whereof is of the highest importance to the nation, must under the conditions of modern life be managed by a large corporation, affords an argument1 —as to the force whereof there may be a wide difference of opinion—in favour of the control or even the management of railways by the State. But the line of reasoning which may be urged in favour of the State management of railways applies to many other concerns,1 for a railway company is after all only one among many corporations which carry on business, and business in which the nation has a vital interest, in virtue of powers and privileges conferred upon them by Act of Parliament. The modern development then of corporate trade has in more ways than one fostered the growth of collectivist ideas. It has lessened the importance of the individual trader. It has transformed the abstract principle that all property, and especially property in land, belongs in a sense to the nation, into a practical maxim on which Parliament acts every year with the approval of the country. It constantly suggests the conclusion that every large business may become a monopoly, and that trades which are monopolies may wisely be brought under the management of the State. The characteristics of modern commerce, looked at from this point of view, make for socialism. Introduction of Household Suffrage, 1868-1884 From about the middle of the nineteenth century conditions unfavourable to the despotic authority of individualism operated by degrees on the opinion of wide classes, and especially of the artisans. But these conditions did not greatly modify legislative opinion, and therefore produced little effect on actual legislation till 1868.1 Though the Metropolitan Commons Act, 1866,2 which marks a reaction against the policy, ardently favoured by Bentham, of converting common land into private property, and one or two other isolated enactments, may be taken as a sign of approaching change even in law-making opinion, still by far the greater part of the reforms,—such, for example, as the Common Law Procedure Acts, 1851-1862, or the Companies Acts, 1856-1862,—passed between 1850 and 1868 are in harmony with Benthamite doctrine. The reason why the spirit of legislation remained on the whole unaltered was that till the Reform Act of 18673 Parliament still represented the middle classes who were in the main guided by the Benthamism of common sense. "In this country, . . . " writes Mill in 1861, "what are called the working classes may be considered as excluded from all direct participation in the government. I do not believe that the classes who do participate in it, have in general any intention of sacrificing the working classes to themselves. They once had that intention; witness the persevering attempts so long made to keep down wages by law. But in the present day their ordinary disposition is the very opposite: they willingly make considerable sacrifices, especially of their pecuniary interest, for the benefit of the working classes, and err rather by too lavish and indiscriminating beneficence; nor do I believe that any rulers in history have been actuated by a more sincere desire to do their duty towards the poorer portion of their countrymen. Yet does Parliament, or almost any of the members composing it, ever for an instant look at any question with the eyes of a working man? When a subject arises in which the labourers, as such, have an interest, is it regarded from any point of view but that of the employers of labour? I do not say that the working man's view of these questions is in general nearer to truth than the other; but it is sometimes quite as near, and in any case it ought to be respectfully listened to, instead of being, as it is, not merely turned away from, but ignored. On the question of strikes, for instance, it is doubtful if there is so much as one among the leading members of either House who is not firmly convinced that the reason of the matter is unqualifiedly on the side of the masters, and that the men's view of it is simply absurd. Those who have studied the question know well how far this is from being the case; and in how different, and how infinitely less superficial a manner the point would have to be argued if the parties who strike were able to make themselves heard in Parliament."1 These words, though they refer to trade unionism, admit of a much wider application; they describe the attitude of a Legislature which, sharing the convictions of the middle classes, looked with little favour upon ideas entertained by wage-earners whose voice was scarcely heard in parliamentary debates. Even when Mill wrote, however, a change in the constitution of Parliament was near at hand. The year 1865 brought to an end the War of Secession. This event opens a new era. During the nineteen years which followed, democracy, under the modified form of household suffrage, was established throughout the United Kingdom. First the artisans of the towns, and later the country labourers, were admitted to the parliamentary franchise. The details of these transactions belong to constitutional history. Here we note only their connection with, and their effect upon, legislative opinion. Two points are specially noticeable. The first is that the laws establishing democratic government were themselves the fruit of opinion produced by and in turn influencing public events. Progress towards democracy was in England immensely stimulated by the victory of the Northern States of America. The conflict between North and South was recognised as a contest between democracy and oligarchy; each had submitted to the ordeal of battle, and democracy came out the victor. This triumph increased the strength of democratic faith; it also, owing to the special circumstances of the day, added weight to the claim of English working men for admission to the full rights of citizens. The artisans had stood by the North, the landowners and the wealthy classes had as a body given moral support to the South. Popular sympathy or sagacity had, it might be argued, proved more far-sighted than educated conservatism, whilst the patience with which the Lancashire "hands" endured the sufferings arising from the cotton famine gained for them general respect. The current argument, too, that the workmen of England could not be denied votes which would soon be conceded to the negroes of the United States, though weak as logic, was irresistible as rhetoric. At the very moment when the moral authority of the artisans was thus increased they had, under the guidance of able counsellors, resumed their interest in politics, and especially in the reform of Parliament.1 Their return to the political arena was no revival of Chartism. The old Chartists were dead or forgotten. In 1866-1867 the People's Charter and its six points were never mentioned. Little was heard of universal suffrage, nothing of republicanism. Toryism also came once more into strange, but not accidental, alliance with democracy; the Reform Act of 1867 was carried, not by a Liberal, but by a so-called Conservative ministry. Of the manœuvres, or diplomacy, or of the real or alleged sacrifices of principle, by which this result was attained, nothing need here be said. Even if the very harshest view possible were to be taken of the process by which Disraeli "educated" the Conservatives, the one matter which for the present purpose deserves consideration is the nature of that education, and its connection with the current of public opinion. The lesson which Disraeli taught his party was the possibility, which he had long perceived, of an alliance between the Tories and English wage-earners; and the true basis of this alliance was their common dissent from individualistic liberalism. It was no accident that Disraeli and his pupils were far less alarmed at the power which might, under a democratic Reform Bill, fall into the hands of the residuum than was John Bright; or that the last and by far the most effective opponent of any attempt to alter the settlement of 1832 was Robert Lowe, who, from the general tenor of his opinions and the character of his intellect, might be termed the last of the genuine Benthamites.1 What in any case is certain is that the changes in the constitution of the House of Commons, begun by the Act of 1867 and completed by the Act of 1884, were strictly the result of a peculiar condition of opinion, and especially of the belief on the part of Tories, whether well or ill founded, that constitutional changes would in practice produce no revolutionary effect, but would diminish the influence of liberalism. The second point is that the democratic movement of 1866-1884 was, if from one point of view more moderate, from another more far reaching than the Chartist movement 1838-1848. The Chartists claimed universal suffrage; they demanded a share of political power as one of the natural rights of man; the artisans who resumed political agitation in 1866-1867, on the other hand, demanded household, not universal suffrage; they demanded electoral rights, not as one of the rights of man, but as a means for obtaining legislation (such, for example, as a modification of the combination laws), in accordance with the desires of trade unionists. Looked at from the political side, therefore, the moderation of the new democracy contrasts conspicuously with the revolutionary spirit of chartism. But if the two movements be looked at from the social side the comparison presents a different aspect. The avowed wish for social change on the part of the new democracy stands in marked contrast with the desire for merely political change represented by chartism. The same contrast becomes even more marked if we compare, not the Chartists and the later democrats, but the Reform movement of 1832 with the Reform movement of 1866-1884. The great Reform Act was carried by and for the benefit of the middle classes.1 It was the work of men who desired to change the constitution of Parliament because they wished for legislation in conformity with the principles of individualism.2 The Reform Acts, 1867-1884, were carried in deference to the wishes and by the support of the working classes, who desired, though in a vague and indefinite manner, laws which might promote the attainment of the ideals of socialism or collectivism. Note, too, that whilst the reformers of 1832 possessed a programme of legislative reform created by the genius and designed to carry out the principles of Bentham, the new democracy came into power under the influence of vague aspirations and unprovided with any definite plan of legislation. If we substitute the word "desires" for "passions," we may apply to the working classes of England in 1868 the language applied by Tocqueville to the working classes of France in 1848:— These aspirations may, to use the expression of another French writer, be described as Le Socialisme sans doctrines,2 or a wish for socialistic laws without the conscious adoption of socialistic theory. Here, as elsewhere, law and speculation, action and thought react upon one another.3 One example of such interaction may be seen in the writings and speeches of H. Fawcett. He was himself an economist and individualist after the school, not of Senior or M'Culloch, but of John Mill. His essays published in 1872—that is within five years after the Reform Act, 1867—show that a writer, who criticised socialism in a moderate and not unsympathetic manner, felt that he was struggling against the sentiment of the time. When six years later, in 1878, Fawcett protested with vigour against restrictions imposed by the Factory Acts on the liberty of women, he is clearly the brave defender of a lost cause. In 1885 appeared the Radical Programme. It celebrated the complete establishment of the new democracy; it demanded reforms in the direction of socialism. These reforms, it is assumed, will sound the death-knell of the laissez faire system. Democracy is to advance, and "the goal towards which the advance will probably be made at an accelerated pace, is that in the direction of which the legislation of the last quarter of a century has been tending—the intervention, in other words, of the State on behalf of the weak against the strong, in the interests of labour against capital, of want and suffering against luxury and ease."1 Under this programme free education — that is, education at the expense, not of the parent, but of the nation—"cottage farms and yeomanry holdings," also in some form or other to be provided at the cost of the nation, the complete reversal of the Benthamite policy embodied in the Inclosure Act 1845, the provision by the use of the resources of the State of good houses in towns for the poor, and a graduated income-tax, as well as a considerable extension of the right of the State to take for the public use the land of individuals at the lowest market price, are advantages offered or promised to the electorate. No one can doubt the direction in which the current of legislative opinion was in 1885 assumed to be flowing by the Radical leaders; they believed it—and no one can say that their belief was erroneous—to be completely turned in the direction of collectivism. If to any student the conditions referred to in this lecture appear, even when co-operating, insufficient to account for a remarkable revolution in legislative opinion, such doubts may be lessened by one reflection: The beneficial effect of State intervention, especially in the form of legislation, is direct, immediate, and, so to speak, visible, whilst its evil effects are gradual and indirect, and lie out of sight. If a law imposes a penalty on a shipowner who sends a vessel to sea before he has obtained a Board of Trade certificate of its seaworthiness, it is probable that few ships will set out on their voyage without a certificate, and it is possible that, for the moment, the number of ships which go to sea unfit to meet a storm may be diminished. These good results of State intervention are easily noticeable. That the same law may make a shipowner, who has obtained a certificate, negligent in seeing that his ship is really seaworthy, and that the certificate will in practice bar any action for real negligence, are evil results of legislation which are indirect and escape notice. Nor in this instance, or in similar cases, do most people keep in mind that State inspectors may be incompetent, careless, or even occasionally corrupt, and that public confidence in inspection, which must be imperfect, tends to make the very class of persons whom it is meant to protect negligent in taking due measures for their own protection; few are those who realise the undeniable truth that State help kills self-help. Hence the majority of mankind must almost of necessity look with undue favour upon governmental intervention. This natural bias can be counteracted only by the existence, in a given society, as in England between 1830 and 1860, of a presumption or prejudice in favour of individual liberty—that is, of laissez faire. The mere decline, therefore, of faith in self-help—and that such a decline has taken place is certain—is of itself sufficient to account for the growth of legislation tending towards socialism. This consideration goes far to explain the peculiar development of English law during the later part of the nineteenth century. [1 ]Southey's Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society, i. p. 110. "If there be," writes Macaulay, "in [Mr. Southey's] political system any leading principle, any one error which diverges more widely and variously than any other, it is that of which his theory about national works is a ramification. He conceives that the business of the magistrate is not merely to see that the persons and property of the people are secure from attack, but that he ought to be a jack-of-all-trades,—architect, engineer, schoolmaster, merchant, theologian, a Lady Bountiful in every parish, a Paul Pry in every house, spying, eaves-dropping, relieving, admonishing, spending our money for us, and choosing our opinions for us. His principle is, if we understand it rightly, that no man can do anything so well for himself as his rulers, be they who they may, can do it for him, and that a government approaches nearer and nearer to perfection, in proportion as it interferes more and more with the habits and notions of individuals. "He seems to be fully convinced that it is in the power of government to relieve all the distresses under which the lower orders labour."—Macaulay, Critical, etc. Essays (1870 ed.), p. 110. A reader of to-day finds it difficult to justify fully the strength of Macaulay's attack by citations from the Colloquies. But the Whig critic, who had the whole of Southey's writings before his mind, instinctively felt the opposition between Southey's whole view of society and the liberalism of 1832. This opposition is admitted by Southey's modern admirers, and by them considered his title to fame as a social reformer. "He looked forward to a time when, the great struggle respecting property over—for this struggle he saw looming not far off—public opinion will no more tolerate the extreme of poverty in a large class of the people than it now tolerates slavery in Europe; when the aggregation of land in the hands of great owners must cease, when that community of lands, which Owen of Lanark would too soon anticipate, might actually be realised."—Dowden, Southey, p. 154. "The view of social evils to which Southey . . . gave expression, often in anticipation of Mr. Ruskin, was in many respects deeper and truer than that of his optimistic critic [Macaulay]."—Dictionary of National Biography, vol. liii. p. 288. Compare Thomas Hodgskin (1787-1869), par E. Halévy, for a combination of anarchism (based on ultra-individualism) with something like collectivism. [1 ]Benthamite reformers have never had a perfectly fair chance of bringing their policy to a successful issue. Some of their proposals have never been carried into effect; outdoor relief, for example, has never been abolished. The realisation of some of them has been so delayed as to lose more than half its beneficial effect. If the first reformed Parliament had been able to establish free trade simultaneously with the enactment of the new poor law, and given to Dissenters in 1832 as complete political equality as they possess at the present day; if it had in reality opened to Roman Catholics in 1832 all careers as completely as they are open to them in 1905; if O'Connell had been first made Irish Attorney-General and then placed on the Bench; if the tithe war which harassed Ireland till 1838 had been terminated in 1834—is it not at least possible that a rapid increase in material prosperity and a sense of relief from oppression might have produced a general sentiment of social unity, which would have shown that the principles of individualism fitly met the wants of the time? Our habit of delaying reforms has its occasional advantages; these advantages are, however, much exaggerated. Sir Thomas Snagge, in his admirable Evolution of the County Court, thus writes of the County Court Act, 1846: "Its provisions were the outcome of nearly twenty years of resolute parliamentary effort, met by opposition no less persistent. Such struggles are wont to end, as this did, in a compromise. It was the old story of all sound English reform: hasty change was successfully withstood, and gradual evolution was happily accomplished." Can our esteemed author seriously maintain that opposition generated by partisanship brought a single compensation for the practical denial of justice to the poor during a period of twenty years? However this may be, the disadvantages of delay are often tremendous. It keeps alive irritation which constantly robs improvement itself of almost the whole of its legitimate benefit. [1 ]Morley, Life of Cobden, i. pp. 464, 465, Appendix. It is to be regretted that Cobden's idea did not bear fruit. There might have been some advantage in trying the experiment whether the complete protection of children might not have been found compatible with the minimum of interference with the management of factories. [2 ]Afterwards known to the present generation as Lord Shaftesbury, and for the sake of convenience generally so described in these Lectures. [2 ]Hodder, i. pp. 156, 157. Southey to Lord Ashley, 7th Feb. 1833. Coleridge was one of those who (1802) took an interest in the factory children. He writes to a lawyer to know " 'if there is not some law prohibiting, or limiting, or regulating the employment either of children or adults, or both, in the white lead manufactory? . . . Can your furnish us with any other instances in which the Legislature has directly, or by immediate consequence, interfered with what is ironically called "Free Labour"? (i.e.dared to prohibit soul murder and infanticide on the part of the rich, and self-slaughter on that of the poor!)' The letter also alludes to circulars drawn up by S.T.C. in favour of Sir Robert Peel's Bill. It would be interesting to know if any of these circulars are in existence."—Hutchins and Harrison, History of Factory Legislation, p. 29 (n.). [1 ]He was strongly opposed to the revision of the authorised version of the Bible.—Hodder, Shaftesbury, iii. p. 258. [1 ]He writes to a socialistic ally: "You have been represented to me as a socialist and an advocate of principles that I regard with terror and abhorrence; and you will therefore readily believe the pleasure with which I observed the spirit and language of your letter. I could not but apply to you the words of that Book whose expressions you have borrowed, and say, as was said to Ananias of Saul, 'Behold, he prayeth.' I deeply rejoice in this, because I respect your talents, I admire your zeal, and I hope to find in you a true and faithful ally in these great and final efforts for the moral, social, and religious welfare of the working people."—Hodder, Life of Lord Shaftesbury, vol. i. pp. 407, 408. Conf. pp. 322, 323. [4 ]The Act must be taken together with the enactments leading up to it. There appears to be some little confusion in the use of the term the Ten Hours Act. The statute most properly known by that name is 10 & 11 Vict. c. 29, passed in 1847 and coming into full force in 1848. But this statute was liable to evasion, and was rendered effective by an Act (13 & 14 Vict. c. 54) which received the Royal assent on July 26, 1850. This later Act seems to be sometimes treated as the Ten Hours Act. The general effect of the law on the passing of this Act has been thus stated in popular language:— "It reduced the legal working day for all young persons and women, to the time between six in the morning and six in the evening, with one and a half hours for meals. This permitted ten and a half hours' work on five days in the week; on Saturdays no protected person was to work after two. Such was the main feature of 13 & 14 Vict. c. 54, which has, since 1850, regulated the normal day in English factories."—Hodder, Life of Lord Shaftesbury, ii. p. 202. It will be observed that it made the time of labour on Saturdays less than ten hours, and on the five other working days of the week not ten hours, but ten hours and a half. [1 ]The definition of the ages of these protected persons has varied under different Acts. Under the present law "child" means any person under the age of thirteen, or in some cases under fourteen; "young person" means any person (not being a child) under eighteen; "woman" means any woman of the age of eighteen and upwards. See Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, s. 156. [1 ]In 1848 popular leaders and their opponents were the victims of a delusion fostered by the traditions of the French Revolution. Insurgents, it was supposed, were able to defeat disciplined troops. This notion rested in the main upon the successes achieved during the great Revolution, and again in 1830 and 1848, by the mob of Paris. No idea which has obtained general currency was ever less justified by fact. The belief in the mysterious force of popular enthusiasm was nothing better than a superstition. On no one occasion during the whole revolutionary history of France from 1789 up to the present day, have disciplined troops, when properly led, been defeated by insurgents. Nor has the army shown any special disposition to join the people. On this matter the events of 1848 and 1871 are decisive. In June 1848 the insurgents had every advantage, they had been arming for weeks, they fought with great enthusiasm, and they fought behind well-constructed barricades. Their opponents were to a great extent National Guards and the Garde Mobile, raised from the poorer classes of Paris, on whose absolute fidelity it was difficult to count. Yet the forces of insurrection were vanquished. In 1871 the troops employed by the Government were many of them men who had been vanquished in war. Among the defenders of the Commune there were many trained soldiers. Victory remained with the army. [2 ]The repeal of the corn laws, though the triumph of liberalism, had one indirect effect not looked for by philosophic Radicals. The repeal so completely removed the root of bitterness which had created animosity and distrust between the different classes of the community, that, like the abandonment of chartism by the artisans, it promoted the growth of goodwill, and therefore the formation of an alliance between all persons who, to whatever class or party they belonged, had common proclivities towards socialism. [1 ]The year in which was passed the Act under which was constructed the Stockton and Darlington Railway. See Annual Register, 1823, p. 241. [2 ]Here, as in other cases, a law favouring the power of combination has of necessity a twofold, and in a certain sense a contradictory effect. The Companies Acts, introducing the principle of partnerships with limited liability, create an extension of individual freedom. But the same Acts, in so far as they transfer the management of business from the hands of private persons into the hands of corporate bodies, substitute combined for individual action. [1 ]"Whatever," writes Mill, "if left to spontaneous agency, can only be done by joint-stock associations, will often be as well, and sometimes better done, as far as the actual work is concerned, by the State. Government management is, indeed, proverbially jobbing, careless, and ineffective, but so likewise has generally been joint-stock management. . . . The defects . . . of government management do not seem to be necessarily much greater, if greater at all, than those of management by joint stock."—Mill, Political Economy, ch. xi. s. xi. p. 580. [1 ]See Leonard Darwin, Municipal Trade, for a careful examination of the cases in which a trade may or may not be carried on with advantage by the State, and remember that the State takes a part in trade as much when it acts through local bodies as when it acts through the central government. [1 ]The passing of the Ten Hours Act, and subsequent Acts passed prior to 1868 which extend its operation, afford an apparent but not a real exception to this statement. See pp. 220-232, ante. [1 ]John Austin was as much opposed to any further advance towards democracy as was Lowe. See Austin's pamphlet on Reform (1859). Note, too, that, if John Mill assented to a democratic Reform Bill, he desired every advance in the democratic direction to be accompanied by checks which he fancied would protect the rights of minorities. [2 ]Compare the language of Sydney Smith, cited, p. 213, ante, and the Benthamite programme of parliamentary reform, and of the ends to be attained thereby set forth in an article published by George Grote in 1831.
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http://oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=1683&chapter=9595&layout=html&Itemid=27
(Video: an intro that precedes the movies of Max Hardcore; no nudity or sexual acts in this embedded video above). A US District Court in Florida has sentenced "extreme shock porn" gonzo director and distributor Max Hardcore, aka Paul F. Little, to four years in prison over obscenity charges. Writing for Salon, Glenn Greenwald wrote that he believes the verdict is a blow to first amendment rights: "So, to recap, in the Land of the Free: if you're an adult who produces a film using other consenting adults, for the entertainment of still other consenting adults, which merely depicts fictional acts of humiliation and degradation, the DOJ will prosecute you and send you to prison for years. The claim that no real pain was inflicted will be rejected; mere humiliation is enough to make you a criminal. But if government officials actually subject helpless detainees in their custody to extreme mental abuse, degradation, humiliation and even mock executions long considered "torture" in the entire civilized world, the DOJ will argue that they have acted with perfect legality and, just to be sure, Congress will hand them retroactive immunity for their conduct. That's how we prioritize criminality and arrange our value system." The hometown Tampa, FL paper where Little was convicted wrote about the case in a condemning tone: His pornographic persona, Max Hardcore, is all swagger and sadism - forcing women in his movies to do things that can't be described in a family newspaper. But in federal court today, as he faced a federal prison sentence, Paul F. Little trembled and begged a woman for mercy. "It just seems a very high price to pay, I think," Little told U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew, "and I ask you to understand how much I've suffered." Why was Little, aka Hardcore, convicted in Florida, when the offending material was produced elsewhere and distributed in many places, even overseas? IANAL, but as I understand it: producers are subject to obscenity charges in any state the material can be downloaded when local standards deem the material to be obscene. The landmark Supreme Court case of Hustler Magazine v. Falwell is informative background reading. But the most authoritative voice I have read on the Max Hardcore case is that of Susannah Breslin, whose work I've blogged here many times. If you read one piece on this story, read hers. Unlike most (perhaps all) of the voices you'll read on this topic, she's actually spent time on the kind of porn sets where "shock producers" like Hardcore preside, and she's watched more of his work than I could ever stomach. I can't speak for her, but I think the point of this powerful essay she's just published is this: the story is complicated. If we're going to talk about the big, abstract, meta issues -- and we should -- we owe it to the human beings involved to observe the human story, up close, with all the ugly details. Stories like this aren't easy or binary, and deserve complex, respectful treatment. We send reporters to Baghdad for in-depth reporting about the war; reporters covering this story would do well to understand this reality up close and personal, unromanticized. From Breslin's piece: In Max Hardcore movies--"Anal Agony," "Hardcore Schoolgirls," "Max! Don't F**k Up My Mommy!"--women are verbally and physically degraded in an unprecedented myriad of ways. They are choked, slapped, throat-****ed, penetrated with fists, given enemas, pile-driven, urinated upon, vomited upon, and in some instances instructed to drink from glasses the money shots that have been delivered into their rectums. Most of the time, Little as Hardcore is the perpetrator of these acts. Not infrequently, his scenes are fraught with pedophilia themes, beginning when he stumbles upon his subjects in playgrounds, where they sit alone, in pigtails, talking baby-talk, and sucking on lollipops. Mostly, the sex scenes end with his latest costar a mess and Hardcore triumphant. Even for the most jaded porn watcher, Little's ouevre is over the top. Watching Little's work is less like watching a porn movie than it is akin to witnessing a vivisection. On the screen, Hardcore bends over the female bodies before him, sometimes with speculum in hand, as if attempting to get at something within her at which he can never quite get, and so to which he is doomed to return, his methods more and more hardcore. In Porn Valley, Little is something of a pariah. The larger, more mainstream-oriented and consumer-friendly adult production companies like Vivid Video and Wicked Pictures pride themselves on turning out adult content that plays by the rules, thereby, they hope, protecting the industry from legal persecution. In contrast, Little and company, other producers believe, put the entire industry at risk by creating content more likely to be targeted in obscenity indictments. (See: The Cambria List.) In 2005, the Bush administration launched its so-called "War on Porn," forming the Obscenity Prosecution Task Force, a Department of Justice outfit dedicated to pursuing obscenity prosecutions, and the FBI began recruiting for a "porn squad," otherwise known as the Adult Obscenity Squad, focused on "manufacturers and purveyors" of pornography. In late 2005, federal agents raided Little's offices in Altadena, California, but it wasn't until early 2007 that his indictment was unsealed. As it turned out, OPTF Director Brent Ward had found getting US Attorneys to pursue obscenity prosecutions wasn't easy. Consequently, US Attorneys who preferred dedicating their resources to crimes other than obscenity in districts more likely to win the administration obscenity convictions were eliminated. Late last year, the OPTF's first trial began in Phoenix, Arizona, pitting the US government against a producer of bukkake videos, but the result was an embarrassment, the pornographer slipping out of the government's hands in the courtroom. When it came to Little, prosecutors were gunning for a win. Finally, three years after the OPTF was formed, the Feds got their man. UPDATE: Susannah Breslin has added a new update post with critical responses to her essay, and first-person testimonies related to this story from folks who grew up in or spent time in the "world" at issue. Really interesting read. Go have a look. Excerpt from one reader response: Greenwald's entire point in discussing the farcical proceedings that convicted Little is that they specifically selected a venue for prosecution best suited to clearing that first hurdle: 'Even though he lived and worked in California, the Bush DOJ dragged him to Tampa, Florida in order to try him under Tampa's "community standards," on the theory that his website used servers physically based in Central Florida and some of the films were sent to Tampa customers who purchased them.' And that's no legal standard at all - that's the whim of men, and most specifically men with a very particular kind of agenda regarding any and all public expressions or discussions of sex and sexuality - repulsive or otherwise. I think that the way to address this is not by a rigged judicial process but by passing better obscenity laws that have in mind as their first principles not moral scolding but the protection of porn performers, and that clearly lay down what is accepted and what is not rather than leaving those judgments to the whim of a given prosecutor. More at Boing Boing I saw that documentary on Channel 4 in the UK on first broadcast: it was extremely uncomfortable viewing. Also unusual in that the documentary maker was so upset and affected by what he was recording that his voice could be heard in the background of the segment with "Max Hardcore" persuading Felicity, the new porn actress & subject of the film, that she didn't have to continue and could walk away. Little came across as an evil, bullying, misogynistic psychopath & that film footage should have been enough to see him charged long ago. Absolutely no sympathy for him, his first amendment rights be damned & hope he rots. toastyghost The irony being the subject of violent, barely consensual sex for the next four years surely must not be lost on him. cycle23 Just came here to say I've watched quite a few of his films. What grosses me out the most is watching anal sex. Please ban all anal sex. Cpt. Tim "may that guy and the likes rot in jail." absolutely, but let it be for a crime. Brandon AbellGraham Kendall Like a number of previous contributors, I have seen a couple of Max's films, or at least part of them and have not found the content to my taste. Nevertheless, this does not mean that some far-right evangelical groups should be empowered to pursue this man in this way and with the support of so-called democratic law, merely to satisfy their own bigotted ends. I have written and had published a number of erotic novels under the name 'Kendal Grahame'. All were published legally and sold well in the UK and abroad. This was despite the fact that they were hidden on 'top shelves' in bookstores whilst books depicting war, violence, horror etc were cearly available to all ages on much lower shelves. Enough of this hypocracy please! pduggie "Then how did culture emerge before the very concept of authority was invented? " Huh? Pack animals have Alpha males. That's WAY before culture. Takuan is it probable that of all the persons used in these films, at least one was taken advantage of in the worst way? One? Is it possible? Cpt. Tim also i'm still waiting on noens list of books to burn. seriously. there has to be some books you want to burn, or at least ban the publication of. zuzu(You know, one of the major objectives of human action on the Internet was so that people could form self-selecting communities instead of being lumped together by proximity or authority.) anyone else see the irony in the "dirty jobs" promo at the top of the page? LOL, sometimes there's a downside to using AdBlock. Great observation though. zuzu When I beat them and sell the films, first amendment voluptuaries will come rushing to my defense! This argument works on me insofar as why prostitution is still criminalized. To quote George Carlin, "selling is legal, fucking is legal, so why is selling fucking illegal?" Having sex for money on film is legal, but sex for money sans camera still isn't. Why? If you can rent your body for other forms of manual labor, I see no justifiable reason to exclude sex. (And I doubt that few if any of us reading BoingBoing are so puritanical that they can honestly say they've never had sex with someone in exchange for some form of compensation.) Now, as far as beating your farmhands… if they consensually agree, then sure. That's their choice. The flip-side of that is, that they have the right to quit at any time regardless of contract (thus precluding indentured servitude as a euphemism for slavery). And the flip-side of that is that you have the right to fire them at any time. SamF Wow, Noen. Seriously. Wow. What is obscene to one is fine to another, it is a subjective analysis of the material.1) So you're saying that what's offensive to one person is offensive to everyone? And that if it's not offensive to me, there's something wrong with me? Because last I checked, there are many people in the world who consider oral sex offensive. Or kissing in public. Or sex where you can actually see your partner. Or sex for anything but conception of a child. Is there something wrong with me then that I don't find anything offensive about any of those? How about when a man spanks his wife and they both enjoy it? Should they both go to jail? 2) Not to get off subject, but where have libertarian "free market" economics failed? If you put 27 regulations on a market and then take 2 or 3 away, that's hardly a free market. When deregulation fails it is usually because the deregulation is arbitrary and half-assed. Not because it has created a free market and that market collapses. If you want to start comparing political ideals, let's see how well censorship works in China. Not because I don't like it, because it is harmful. I'm also in favor of limiting TV violence for the same reasons, it causes real harm. Source? Some correlating evidence? Maybe people didn't hurt each other before TV? Do you only watch good wholesome family TV and movies? No violence? No sex? No alcohol? No swearing? Or, like the rest of us, do you choose which of those you think are suitable for you to watch, and which you would rather not? If the latter, you are self-censoring. You are behaving like a rational adult. Like most of us. It's when you start trying to define what everyone should be able to do that we have a problem. If you don't like Terminator, does that mean I can't get my Summer Glau fix every week? Who decides? On what basis? YOU decide. On the basis of what YOU want to watch. Every time you choose to watch something or not. As do the people who watch Max Hardcore. If someone has chosen to watch a woman being degraded, and they get off on that, then maybe there is something wrong with them. But I guarantee you that it wasn't Max Hardcore who made them that way. While we're making sourceless claims, I can claim that every time someone watches Max Harcore pee on a woman, it keeps that person from going out and peeing on someone themselves. Max Hardcore is a hero! (note: That's sarcasm. I don't like the stuff either. So I CHOOSE not to watch it.) I advocate balance in all things. This porn, this man, is out of balance. I reject it. That's the most intelligent thing you've said. YOU reject it. Good for you. And if everyone thought like you, there'd be no market for his movies and he would dry up and go away. Unfortunately, some people do like them. And they give him money, so that he can keep making them. And women keep signing up to be in them. But in each case, they're consenting adults who have made the rational decision that "I value money more than my dignity" or whatever rationalization they make for themselves. Maybe they even enjoy it. Maybe they're broken. I don't know. What I do know, though, it that so long as all of the people involved are consenting, it's none of my business. As soon as he tries to forcibly show that stuff to kids (or even unwitting adults), or recruit people who are unable to legally consent, I say nail his ass. Until then, I still live in America and I'll defend his freedom to have consensual sex in whatever manner he chooses. abb3w aeon:Little came across as an evil, bullying, misogynistic psychopath & that film footage should have been enough to see him charged long ago. If I remember correctly, "Max Hardcore" was one of a couple actor/producers who Melissa-Ashley (aka Anne Howe) complained in interviews of not recognizing the "safe word" during a shoot. If true (as my memory might well be wrong), he deserves whatever punishment he gets, if not for the reason he's receiving it. Unfortunately, it's easier to get an obscenity conviction from a jury than to for assault or rape of a porn actress during production. Guy Budziak I don't have the time or patience to read all the previous comments (And there are many), but being somewhat familiar with Little AKA Max and his repellent handiwork, I can't help but wonder if whether or not he might find himself on the receiving end once he's in prison of the same sort of hanky-panky he's been perpetrating in his videos, that is, degradation and humiliation. The guy looks like a demented criminal type. Whether he is or not is for legal minds to figure out. Anonymous Listen, just cause this stuff gets you off you don't need to defend it. Anyone who has seen any of his stuff (I won't refer to it as work) knows he is taking advantage of these girls and their situations. Most of them undoubtedly are incredibly regretful and ashamed of their participation. He is a real sadist…nothing pretend about it. He is a bully and essentially a rapist of young women. I take pleasure in knowing what he will experience in prison and he will now be on the receiving end. A. This will shortly be disenvowelled, but what is BoingBoing becoming? Is BoingBoing a place where limits are placed upon others' freedom for the sake of comfort and convenience, where personal squabbles are buried and rewritten, and above all, all sorts of censorship are rationalized and subversively promoted? Xeni Jardin @A: No, calm down. It's a place where people blow off hot air on the discussion boards. That's how things go on the internet. You show me where Boing Boing (not commenters) said or did any of the things you charge, and I'll fax you a cookie. But yeah: no. Untwist thy knickers. Ugly Canuck If this material is only available online, then by what rationale is the public criminal law even involved? It's private, and it involves consenting adults, and you won't be exposed to it unless you actually take active steps to see it. There's no harm here sufficient to ground the Criminal Law even getting involved, no public display of nudity or lewdness, no behavior depicted that is not legal for adults in private to engage in, no harm done except – and this "harm" is only such in a manner of speaking, not in actuality – to the "moral sensibilities" of those who would beat their chests in public and say "Listen to me! This disgusts me! Look at how moral I am!". It's tasteless, but so is Hustler Magazine, and many political ads….a waste of State Resources, to go after "liberals", to get votes from "conservatives". Far better to spend the money spent on the "Porn Squad" on battered woman's shelters and income support to those who might otherwise have to engage in this for the $$. This "law" really has the same basis and rationale as those that would ban inter-racial marriage. mikelotus I will buy his movies even though I find them boring and download them tonight in order to support him financially. The only abomination here is that he was prosecuted by these bible toters in the Bush administration. This goes away in January. Why does this stuff not cause a problem in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Japan, etc.? Compared to the porn produced there, this stuff is pretty mild actually. Anyone offended here needs to go look for the real "good stuff" out there. Kaviar anyone? Brandon Abell @49: Who decides what *any* crime is? It's all necessarily arbitrary. Saying that you can't classify everything infallibly as "wrong" in everybody's eyes doesn't mean that everybody has free reign on whatever they feel like doing. When something is demonstrably harmful without any reasonable amount of redeeming value, it's not that extreme to say there should be at least some sort of limit on it. zuzu Absolutely no sympathy for him, his first amendment rights be damned …yes, that's how it starts. The first time any man's freedom is trodden on we're all damaged. That being said, in Canada depictions of the degradation of women (as determined by the Judiciary, often Ladies) are banned. Even play-acted degradation. I don't think there's been any causal link established between watching such stuff and subsequent Criminal violence towards women, but I'm not against this Law, for reasons similar to the reasons for which I also support censorship of Hate Speech. Which might have lessened the US rush to invade Iraq, had the USA similar laws – lots of hatred expressed for Muslims by by commentators in the American media back then, IMO, urging aggressive War. Anonymous Waivers: if I sign a waiver saying that I agree to have sex, and then, later, in the middle of it, as it starts to get violent, I say "No", Is it rape? Or does a waiver take away all rights? Cpt. Tim #120, yeah. i don't see anything particularly censory in the article itself, and the discussion here has been heated, but largely polite. Skimming this i don't see any disemvowelings. zuzu is it probable that of all the persons used in these films, at least one was taken advantage of in the worst way? One? Is it possible? Where's the uproar over people who were "tricked" into accepting the job of executioner in states that have the death penalty? Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator So far my favorite comment is Cpt. Tim @12. Judging a work of fiction on the basis of the acts it simulates puts you on very shaky ground. As he puts it — and this is a great example — "should furry porn be banned because the animals the people are representing lack the ability to consent?" If the basis for legality is whether or not the viewer thinks the actions are factual rather than fictional, you've left solid ground behind you. Readings are profoundly idiosyncratic, and cannot be constrained by art or intent. Noen: Films do not give us what we desire, they teach us how to desire. If that were true, no one would ever be a kinky deviate, because the vast majority of the desire we see in films is a stylized version of mainstream straight. Few watchers notice the feet and shoes in films. A small percentage of watchers experience feet and shoes in them as luminous, numinous, erogenous, and intensely fascinating. Millions of kids watch Sleeping Beauty. Only a few of them get to the bit where the witch-queen Maleficent goes all Dark Phoenix on the Prince, and swoonily vow that they want to be exactly like her when they grow up. Homosexuals and lesbians experience the same constant flood of heterosexual plots and images that straights do. We all grow up watching the same anthropomorphic animal cartoons that furries do. That's some strange kind of teaching going on there. I'll grant that some things are learned. Corsets, bustiers, garters, stockings, and high heels all date back back to the same period as the first mass-produced cheap color photographic repro, which enshrined them as the standard signifiers they've been ever since. (Oddly, the titillating signifiers for "little girl" — short trapezoidal ruffled dresses, hatless curls and pigtails, white or pastel stockings, black patent-leather Mary Jane flats — date from the 1930s.) Another argument for learned behavior is the existence of kinks for recent inventions. Where were the rubber and latex enthusiasts before those material existed? Where were the furries before the invention of plush toys? Where did the bound foot fetish go when feet ceased to be bound? Still, a person doesn't remember "learning" a sexual response. At most, they remember moments at which they recognized in themself a response to something they hadn't previously realized was sexual. MDH: Prohibition teaches us how to desire. I'll grant that "hot" and "transgressive" have a significant amount of overlap. Elizabethans had a thing for bared arms, and Victorians had one for ankles. I think it's a limited effect, though. If prohibition was primarily what taught us how to desire, kink would be a lot weirder than it is, and no one would be straight. Me, I figure that what movies do for sex is suggest possibilities that may not have occurred to us, tell us what's okay and what isn't, and give us a storehouse of images to draw on. Max Hardcore's movies aren't socially objectionable because they appeal to prurient interests, as PDuggie has suggested. First, all functional pornography appeals to prurient interests. That's its defining characteristic. Second, Max Hardcore's movies aren't appealing to that many viewers, even ones who'd happily watch dominance/submission storylines that were presented in a less crude and nasty fashion. What I dislike most about them is their message about what's allowable. Max Hardcore creates the impression of non-consensuality. That's a known kink, and he's playing to it more realistically than most porn of that kind. That's disturbing. I dislike it a great deal. Furthermore, if it's anything other than an illusion, it's illegal. I'll nevertheless defend his right to create that illusion, if that's what it is. Basically, I agree with Cpt. Tim, Wareagle, and Ignatz: if anything should have gotten a criminal investigation, it was what went on during filming, not what got shown on the screen. Brandon Abell @34: No, there isn't a magic switch that gets flipped when you turn 18; but since we don't have a reliable, objective device for measuring a youngster's maturity, social awareness, and empowerment, we have to draw the line at an age. Eighteen is where we've decided to draw it. Arguments could be made for drawing it earlier, but that's a question of engineering and implementation. PDuggie @47, what the bleep is a "first amendment voluptuary"? Can you please describe what you mean there? Because the concept strikes me as thoroughly bizarre. Ill Lich @59: I don't want to ban anything, but I sure wish this kind of thing didn't exist. Amen and amen. It's repulsive, and it teaches the wrong lessons to some very wrong people. I really don't give a damn about Max Hardcore's travails. I do care about it as a potential precedent. TheHowl @181: Winner of thread. A well-spoken response with attention to detail, and articulating a case of the real issues, rather than knee-jerk 'I don't like this guy!' emotional ranting. Including the (correct) view that while Paul Little is a smarmy little piece of shit in a cowboy hat, the case he was convicted under has a wide-reaching scope that affects us all. I just hope that those upholding his conviction on this board never get their own 1st Amendment rights shut down because the government decided to slip'n'slide on this slope, with the ignorantly happy consent of those to be punished in the future. otto117 /"Not infrequently, [Max Hardcore] scenes are fraught with pedophilia themes, beginning when he stumbles upon his subjects in playgrounds, where they sit alone, in pigtails, talking baby-talk, and sucking on lollipops. "/ "Not infrequently" means? Well, it makes no difference anyway. Anyone who has the slightest interest in underage girls wouldn't be interested in Max. They're too busy watching videos of Maria Isabel, which are far more erotic than anything in Hardcore's films. You people who trade in kiddieporn paranoia should really get over it. You will NEVER be able to censor enough material to stop people from fantasizing. (That goes for images of girls over AND under 18.) ill lich I don't want to ban anything, but I sure wish this kind of thing didn't exist. Defending the 1st amendment sometimes means defending a creep, and Max Hardcore is undeniably a creep, and yet I can't bring myself to defend him. Max Hardcore reminds me of Deniro's "Max Cady" from the remake of "Cape Fear"– maybe he hasn't broken any laws, but everything he did is still wrong, there's an underlying sinister-ness about it all; he hasn't committed pedophila or rape, but that is pretty much his intent. I hate to infer intent, but in this case it's pretty obvious. But then there are plenty of films that portray murder. . . and I have no problem defending them. Which brings me to what a friend said about "The Blair Witch Project"– it didn't scare him because he knew it wasn't real, despite their attempts to make it seem real. There's something "too real" about Max Hardcore movies, I mean, they are obviously real, and not just the vomit or sex, but the degradation too. Like others here I can't believe the actresses were 100% consenting– they are portraying being abused too well, if it was an act then they should be doing serious drama with that talent. Maybe Mr. Little will claim it's a form of "method acting", but I'm not buying it. Is this verdict part of the slippery slope or not? Time will tell. Maybe it won't hurt the rest of the porn industry– what Max Hardcore does is not the same as what Vivid (et al) do; he has more in common with "snuff" films than erotica. fightcopyright Hello Xeni, There are hundreds of posts in this thread, and I don't know if you have time to read them all… I'm begging you not to defend this man. Free speech has nothing to do with this. There have to be boundaries, there always have been. This is just another kind of snuff. No one dies, but poor helpless people trade their humanity for money. Consent has nothing to do with it. I'm a research scientist… everything you do with a human subject has to pass IRB. One of the specific guidelines is that you can't offer participants too much money to participate in a study. Why? Because money is power, and it's easy to take advantage of people who are powerless. These poor girls "consent" because Max buys their humanity. I admire your work, and your courage, and your desire to expose injustice. But Xeni, how is Max's business different from an exploitative corporation victimizing its workers in Africa or Asia? It's worse… much worse. These girls need help, and Max deserves to be in prison. David noen Samf Logic is not an ideology. A or NOT A is a simple logical statement. It is a semantic system that structures reality, that's ideology. You can't get from axiomatic systems to maths without making assumptions. Picking and choosing among alternatives in order to get the results you want isn't what I think of as an absolute foundation. Math is a language we created to describe our experience. It is not Nature's own language. Nature as such doesn't exist. My shirt is black, or it's NOT black. I either am free, or I'm NOT free. More Hegel! This black or white thinking of yours is like poison. I'll offer the words of Nobel Laureat Milton Friedman He didn't get that prize in economics that's for sure. We are in a global recession and on the verge of complete economic collapse thanks to Miltie's neoliberalism project. The duty of philosophy is to ask questions such as "What does it mean to be free?" Not are we free or not. It ought not play metaphysical games of absolute truth. It asks a simpler more humble question. "What do you mean when you say this is true?" And if freedom is the absence of coercion then no one is truly free. Takuan I fear you misapprehend me. There is no justice in this life save what we make ourselves. The law is an industry and business and takes no notice of justice. If one person was victimized – and I believe that certainly true – then justice is served by the four year sentence. However accidentally. zuzuI'm seriously opposed to the collectivism of which you speak. It is an anathema to me, and I've resented all attempts towards me of it my entire life.External to me. How do we arrive at a social consensus? By doing what we are doing now, talking, arguing (presenting rational arguments for or against a proposition) and ultimately by voting, by participating in democracy. I don't give a fig about your "consensus", or democracy for that matter. I'm capable of minding my own business and can't see why everyone else can't do likewise. However all human societies centralize power, authority, one way or another. Other systems do not work. The iron law of oligarchy is a problem to be dealt with, not something to be condoned or accepted. And in fact, the spontaneous order of genuine Free Trade does provide a completely distributed ad hoc and leaderless way (i.e. the market) to coordinate human activity. It seems that Friedrich Nietzsche was correct in his tremendous forecasting of sociobiological evolution. As it has slowly dawned on humanity that, now that God is Dead, "Nothing is true, so everything is permitted." and some people just can't cope. So you get people trying to revert to other collective truths, which gave us the political religion of worshipping statehood… which gave us the Nazis, and Communism, and Truman's Americanism, and even now the resurgent rise in nationalism in the United States, Russia, and China. You also have the "clinging to religion" and the rise of fundamentalism, regardless of religion (e.g. Christianity and Islam), as well as the various mixtures of the two that the Neo-Cons ala Leo Strauss have promulgated (in declaring the "failure" of liberalism, or what perhaps would more accurately be described, as you have, as libertarianism — i.e. classical liberalism). But likewise, I generally agree with Nietzsche, in that this retrograde behaviors must be eschewed in favor of confronting the Outside Context Problem and decide for ourselves exactly what we as individuals will make of ourselves. (Though I also suspect this includes all strains of transhumanism, whether singulatarian, extropian, or otherwise.) zuzuNonsense. I consent to harm all the time… by the dentist's drill, by the surgeon's blade. Turns out I prefer that kind of controlled harm to the alternatives. "Harm" is entirely subjective, because it depends on an individual's preferred condition of property. And there are plenty of people in this world who prefer to be choked, spanked, cut, and beaten, in the same personal situations as most everyone has sex or masturbates. Brandon Abell @57 – No, I never receive compensation. Perhaps I am the most efficient charity operation in existence. :-) You're getting *way* too hung up on "consent." Having the "right" to do something isn't the same as having the ability to do something. You don't think a lot of those girls in those movies probably want to stop but are so afraid from being so thoroughly abused at point that they "consent" by staying silent out of fear? Is that real consent? Are battered women in abusive relationships consenting to that abuse? Do you really want to go down that road? Euryale David (Fightcopyright @ 123) and others, I don't see anyone here defending the asshole, or arguing that he shouldn't be locked up. I see people saying that we should instead be locking him up for committing actual crimes. An obscenity law is, in itself, an obscenity. Prosecute him for his rapes and abuses–yes, please do that–not for videotaping it. Stupendousman Noen, "Ah but it does harm you, just as America torturing goat herders in Afghanistan harms you. Just as the constant drum of violence in the media that debases your culture harms you' This may be hard for you to believe but you have no idea how I, in particular, think. You seem pretty similar to the neocons you rail against. "Do you think there should be no limits at all?" That which directly harms another person should be actionable, everything else is permissible. By direct I mean a punch in the face, theft, assault, etc. Anonymous I love Max Hardcore. I'll defend him. Why does everyone who thinks hes deserves jail here have to make the fantastical assumption, against all indications otherwise, that the woman hes boning haven't actually consented? For someone to claim that a persons will isn't a valid indicator of their intentions is abusing them more than Max when hes pissing on them. THATs offensive. That hundreds of women have consented to the sex acts to the degree of finding Max, flying/driving in to meet him, get set up in costume, bring ID and sign legal documents, be supervised my managerrs and agent, get paid handsomely, then carry out the sex on camera-just to have others say they "must not" have consented is absurd. The calling card of tyrants is that they insist they know whats good for you, better than you. I know agirl who was offered a scene with Max, she declined over the dollar amount. Must have beeen her true non-consent due to a sense of decency, right? mikelotus What everyone seems to forget is that I can go on the internet a watch much worse made in Germany, Japan, Denmark, etc. The US Government's sensibilities do not have any impact on this. FoetusNail Fresh flesh, slingin' down your street. Fresh flesh, won't you eat my meat? Fresh flesh, oozin' through the slime, Fresh flesh, and the city's mine! Fresh flesh! [x2] Under the subway ditch, Shoot down some old bitch! With nothin' else to do, I just might you. If you get in my way, I cut your leg off, pay! Drop you off downtown, watch you crawl around! Fresh flesh! Fresh flesh! I wanna fuck you to death, I don't wanna smell your breath. Piss on your warm embrace! I just wanna cum in your face! I don't care if you're dead, and I don't care if you're erect! I don't care if you're all cut up – blood on your dress! Fresh flesh! Fresh flesh! Anonymous You should check out "Graphic Sexual Horror – The Documentary" it tells the story of Insex.com that was shut down through the use of the Ant-Terrorist Patriot Act. empirechick @ 54 Duncitstrue Much of the work of defending porn is done by the Free Speech Coalition, a trade organization of the adult industry. I work for an adult retailer, and we decided several years ago to not carry Max Hardcore's products. We sincerely believe in his right to make them and for consenting adults to watch them, but we also believe in our right to keep our doors open by not facing lawsuits from the government for selling them. zuzu I have to watch Videodrome and go have a calm down now… FoetusNail In this dirty old part of the city, where the sun refused to shine people tell me there ain't no use in tryin'. My girl you're so young and pretty, And one thing I know is true, You'll be dead before your time is due! We gotta get out of this place If it's the last thing we ever do We gotta get out of this place 'cause girl, there's a better life for me and you deckard68 I'd have been for an investigation over whether his contracts with the models were legitimate. I.e., the attorney general could have contacted as many of the models as he could find, learn whether any felt they'd been misled, and he could have created a civil suit to win additional compensation for the models. But a criminal case with no actual victim named, either real or even theoretical? Jail time rather than damages that could have gone to a good cause? gk Am I getting something wrong here ? 1. the DoJ is going after porn (extreme porn, that is) and has nailed this guy on obscenity charges (by current US law, this guy's production is obscene) – BUT we believe they are going after free speech and do not believe that obscenity is the point. 2. that Max Hardcore guy replies by calling his production a work of personal expression, as "speech", as in "free speech"… – AND we take this for granted and debate about free speech rights. I don't buy it. This is not speech, this the video recording of ugly fantasies that seek satisfaction in degrading *other* people (strictly women). It is factual, almost documentary, made possible by the fact that _PAYING_ adults for anything, makes that thing _legal_. This is abusing law, just as MH abuse of the first amendment for his defense. So please, I love to hear you all debate about freedom, but not for somebody that is actually using you for the negation of freedom. Brandon Abell @62: If you actually want something, it's not harm. If it's doing something beneficial for you, it's not harm. You didn't answer my point about malpractice — if you're correct in your analysis, there would be no such thing. zikzak I think what's confusing people is that there are two "enemies" here: a misogynistic, censorious, fundamentalist government, and a misogynistic, sociopathic rapist porn producer. "Max Hardcore" is a rapist, straight up. There are multiple personal accounts of actresses urgently asking to end the shoot they're in, and being ignored – effectively coerced to continue. Yes, most of the actresses involved consented to everything, but "Max Hardcore" has clearly demonstrated his willingness to ignore questions of consent in his shoots. However, the government is equally, if not more misogynist for its role. Rather than advocate for the women who were raped and brutalized by him, they completely ignore their plight and focus on the more politically advantageous and constitutionally questionable censorship case. This is Saudi Arabia-style opposition to porn: it reveals no concern whatsoever for the real women who are abused in its creation, only a concern for enforcing a restrictive moral code. Rob Studies have long shown that TV violence causes real harm. [citation needed] Anonymous There were some fantastic responses here on this article. The only reason I read it, other than the fact that I have seriously strong beliefs about our first amendment rights, was that I have stumbled up Max Hardcore's work before, and its extremely prevalent. Yes its disgusting. But I have seen ALMOST as bad, in person. I've had girls ask me to run a knife along their skin in an effort to increase eroticism. Did I do it? No. But I could have. They obviously had deeper issues. But the bottom line is this: Those women WANTED that degradation. Had he gotten them high, and then received consent, we would have seen law suits left and right, long before this guy walked into a court room. He would already be locked up. They consented. These aren't people with mental disabilities, these are people (women, and him) who ENJOY this stuff. Other than walking and smelling funny for a few days, no harm was done. The harm was already done by some other factor in their lives. Its YOUR freedoms being trampled, not this guys right to make vile movies. XELA QuinacridoneRose I am so fucking sick of the 'free speech' card being played. I have the feeling when our founding fathers wrote the constitution, they had something in mind along the lines of being able to speak out against the government or simply have an opinion without fear of being punished, not glorifying shitting on, pissing on, butchering, raping and degrading women. You should consider yourselves lucky that you have the luxury to watch another human being tortured and degraded, because it's your 'right.' "Ah but it does harm you, just as America torturing goat herders in Afghanistan harms you. Just as the constant drum of violence in the media that debases your culture harms you." thank you, Noen. This being said though, I don't think it should be censored. Humanity is a stupid, stupid child. Telling a stupid child not to do something only makes him want to do it more. He has to really and truly hurt himself and learn the ramifications of his actions for himself and others before the problem can really be solved. Now, I am going to go watch the guy beatboxing on the jaw harp, to remind myself that sometimes humans do beautiful things too. noen Zuzu re: limits and boundaries Who decides? Why can't people decide for themselveswhy not let these boundaries be determined by internal social consent, rather than by external authorityHow do we arrive at a social consensus? By doing what we are doing now, talking, arguing (presenting rational arguments for or against a proposition) and ultimately by voting, by participating in democracy. However all human societies centralize power, authority, one way or another. Other systems do not work. And NO, there must be NO LIMITS on what can be communicated…In this particular case we have the technology of the cheap efficient distribution of information colliding with the basest of human nature. I claim that this kind of pornography degrades us as surely as it does those who masturbate to it. In the past the damage would have been restricted to a small segment of society but with the explosion of the internet the power to do real harm has increased exponentially. re: Al Capone & tax evasion. The ends justify the means, eh? Sometimes yes, if that's all you have. I'm a pragmatist, not an idealist, god save us from ideologues, like this next one: Decius YouIf strippers are just expressing their right to free speech in the way they see fit aren't those who throw bricks and bags of urine at the police also expressing their thoughts? And the police who beat them in return? If actions are thoughts made external, like, you know, pole dancing or flying planes into buildings, and if all thoughts must be absolutely free, then all acts must be freely allowed, no? This is a recipe for chaos. The truth is that there is a dialectic between the absolute expression of free speech and complete censorship. Neither extreme is desirable. (talking to Stagliano) "Answer me something. How do you account for the emphasis, not just in your . . . work but in the industry in general, how do you account for the truly incredible emphasis on anal sex?" After a minimal shrug and a minimal pause Stagliano said, "Pussies are bullshit." Now John was being obedient to the dictionary definition of "bullshit" which is nonsense intended to deceive. With vaginal, Stagliano elaborated – well, here you have some chick chirruping away. And the genuinely discerning viewer (jack-knifed over his flying fist) has got to be thinking: Is this for real? Or is it just bullshit? With anal, on the other hand, the actress is obliged to produce a different order of response: more guttural, more animal. As Stagliano quaintly puts it, "Her personality comes out." He goes on: "You want guys who can fuck really good and make the girls look more . . . virile." Virile of course, means manly; but once again Stagliano is using the King's English. You want the girls to show you "their testosterone" Almost charming, isn't it ? Read on, there's a bit of evidence also about MH habits. abb3w Zuzu:I'm not interested in your society. Leave me the hell alone. I choose with whom I interact with on a person-by-person basis. You're to some degree correct about societies being constructed bottom-up via consent; however, there is also an element of imposition, in that if you do wish to interact in a particular fashion with someone, there is an inherent requirement of achieving mutual consent to the nature of such interaction. Such emergent properties are just as real as the solidity from the atoms of a block of ice. (Or, at different temperatures, fluidity or vaporeality.) Society exists as a set of mutually understood guidelines of limits and allowability on action and interaction. To the extent you wish to interact with other people in a normal fashion, you should put forth efforts to try and preserve this degree of "society". While it's possible to act analogous to a parasite and benefit from the efforts of others to maintain the society, imitation of this tactic resulting in in increased parasitism leads to greater and greater stress on the host, usually leading to its demise. This, from an evolutionary stance, is undesirable. From an economic standpoint, the additional negotiations between societies to address potential dispute resolution (at whatever point such potential is clear) act as an uncertain surcharge to individual transactions. As long as the net costs of maintaining membership in society are lower than those from inter-individual transactions, society facilitates efficient trade and is worth having. If nothing else, all humans must be a member of at least one society: that containing just their own self. So, anytime you interact with someone, you either must form a new shared society, or interact as separate societies. And the default conflict resolution method between such rests on Ultima Ratio Regnum. For those that might question whether this is indeed about rape and not really about the 1st amendment at all(although I know many of you want to discuss the 1st amendment– fair enough), please read the list of Max's nastiest scenes linked on Breslin's blog It is about the 1st amendment. Absolutely. Pure and simple. Because despite the fact of all of the scenes that are available, the charges that were brought against him were about distributing obscenity across state lines. Not only did the government create a specific task force to combat "obscenity", but they had to actively seek a jurisdiction that would even put him on trial. Why? Because most judges know that "obscenity" is a bullshit charge. There are people committing ACTUAL rapes out there, not just depicted ones. But the government is wasting the time and money of the American people and the judicial system to try to prosecute people for made-up crimes. What happens from here? The government has now gotten a conviction of one person transporting porn from one state to another, just based on the feelings of 12 of the people in that state. Now they can find someone who is not as bad as Max Hardcore, but maybe has done one or two of the same things and say "see? This is the same. Put this guy in jail, too". And it continues from there until they can prosecute anyone who points a camera at two people having sex, because there's some community somewhere that doesn't like that. I really hope that this case gets overturned at a higher level. Our forefathers probably didn't have Max Hardcore in mind when they wrote our constitution. But then I don't think they had any specific person in mind when they wrote it. They had all of us in mind. They knew that if one person were given the power to tell another person what to think, say, or do in their own home, that none of us could ever truly be considered free. greyscale People who simply dismiss Max Hardcore as a "piece of shit" who needs to be "fucked in the ass in prison" help to shed light on some the deep dark roots of this issue. There are people whose sexualities sometimes encompass humiliation, domination, and *gasp* ugliness. Many commenting cannot wrap their minds around the fact that there are people (and yes sometimes women) who choose to swim in these murky waters. Yakuza mobsters holding performers at gunpoint? That sounds like a scene straight out of Lynch's "Lost Highway"- tantalizing, but its the exception, not the rule, I'm guessing. There was a notable interview with porn star Belladonna where she cried and expressed vulnerability during a challenging mainstream interview. Weeks later she is back in her subculture element, proclaiming that anyone who truly knows her knows that she loves performing, etc. This might suggest that some highly sexual people have fluid, changing concepts of self. It is not "cut and dried", it is "alive and complex". This is an extremely hard thing to empathize with when someone's sexuality is more rigid or conventional (nice and clean) in structure. Belladonna is a "gonzo/hardcore" performer and she will soon host a high-profile awards ceremony at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. She is gaining mainstream credibility, even as she makes videos featuring rough anal insertions and urination. I think the reason people (men usually) choose "hardcore" entertainment is because increasingly, their personal lives become devoid of not only sexual contact, but regular gratifying physical contact like hugs and even handholding. The hardcore acts crack the armor these people create to defend themselves against a mutually antagonistic world. I personally don't find satisfaction in a MH production,(so maybe there's hope for me). but I can see how some people in zero-touch tolerance professions (clergy, politics, education) could ultimately end up getting into this "shit". markfrei Have any of you ever actually met someone that does this kind of work? Are you so certain that this stuff is non-consensual? Because my own experience working in this field points to the contrary. Takuan if I import tribesman from the most remote,undeveloped places and indenture them into servitude at appalling terms "of their own free will" with agreements they can't begin to understand, is that OK? Whereas a comic book artist makes no victim beyond his pen and soiled paper. The porn film industry at this nadir is inevitably about uneven power. The consumers of the product are just as likely to be consuming it for "practice" as they to be sublimating. NotLukeakaCindi I am really interested in your article and all your commenters have to say as I have a personal interest in this case. I am a writer in the adult industry and when people are convicted on obscenity for making an X movie, it can change the whole dynamic for what is filmed and how it is filmed in the X rated world. I have some stories about this on my blog also. But there, most of the opinions and stories are written by people involved in the adult industry. It's interesting to read the different take on the topic. Good job! NL aka Cindi zuzu If it's doing something beneficial for you, it's not harm. You didn't answer my point about malpractice — if you're correct in your analysis, there would be no such thing. I'm in favor of torts and arbitrated dispute resolution over unilateral laws and judicial rulings. Val At last! It's been years since they have tried to get this bastard! It disgusts me that people are trying to defend this guy. I suppose most of you have not attempted to watch one of his movies. He doesn't film the humiliation of a character, he films the humiliation of the actresses themselves. The distress is real in many cases: just read a few interviews with actresses who have worked with him and how many only finished the filming because they were scared shitless. Brianna Banks even quit porn for a while, after her 8 hour ordeal with Max Hardcore. No doubt doubt some less Read the details of the physical injuries he has caused. A small glimpse can be caught in the documentary "Hardcore" that Channel 4 in the UK did, the subject of the documentary is only saved from rape because the documentary crew intervened. They couldn't build a good sexual abuse case and went for a different charge. Whilst I don't agree with censorship and I have a good amount of porn, this is different. Consent of a prostitute afraid of her pimp and consent of a porn actress coerced into some of this stuff is no different. How can anyone of you be so disrespectful of human dignity to call this consent or defend this guy? Or are you doing it without knowing the facts? Freedom of Speech? Does that apply to what is effectively snuff movies? Anonymous oh my god, this issue is so titillating, i could not resist commenting. I was porn surfing tonight and stumbled upon a max hardcore video of a girl being forced to give felatio and who then vomited on the penis then was immediatley penetrated by said penis. I could not believe the disgusting perversions before me so I checked out another of his works just to be sure. In this one he slaps a young girl hard in the face and tells her all she is is a f**k hole and she begins to cry, like, really cry. at that moment i wanted to wrap a blanket around the tiny girl and carry her home to feed her soup and cookies. I wanted to cut off that man's penis and poke his eyes out with it. would any of you been aroused by that? probably. Of all the pseudo intellectual babel and battle of the brain bullsh*t that is happening here, i feel like we have really lost sight of the deeper issues. i understand fetishes and i get that people are turned on by different things. But what is happening in those videos is not right. Those girls are being abused. Turning 18 does not mean you are suddenly mentally prepared to do hardcore porn, or go to war. turning 21 does mean you are ready to drink alcohol responsibly. turning 30 does not mean you are ready to raise a family and settle down. nor is it true that young people dont know what love is. no one can mandate how we mature or when we are really ready to take on the many hurdles life presents us. thus, we have a duty to each other, as a society, to set not so much limits, as precedents. Max hardcore feeds off the sickness that is rampant among us. we suffer from a horrific deficiency of respect for each other and ourselves, of love and consideration for other human beings and operate with a self serving agenda that ignores the atrocities we commit upon each other in order to have our own needs met. by arguing on the side of degradation and violence we compromise ourselves. can you really say that we gain anything by the purveying of such acts? rape and murder have been around forever, but should we stand for the glorification of these acts? by making them more mainstream or accessible does that strengthen our society and satiate healthy appetites? honestly, there is something fundamentally wrong with a society in which this type of smut is in demand. we should strive for health and equality and prosperity. i question the reasons why i myself am sometimes attracted to this kind of stuff and i see it as a problem i'd like to be rid of. i will never stop watching porn, but i pray to god to grant me a world where one day all bare busted women are smiling or at the very least, i can watch with the comfort of knowing that at anytime they can yell cut. and at the end of their days, they are not going to look back at what they have done with shame and disgrace but with contentment. and last but not least i pray that my son and daughter grow up believing that the freedom of speech is not synonyms with allowing the objectification and abuse of others. mikelotus Countries with the highest amount of hard core porn available tend to have the lowest amount of sexual oriented crime. Rampant A lot of these comments are thoughtful (and mostly correct) in decrying it. The only part I disagree with is that it is repugnant. It might be repugnant to most, but someone (even if just "Max Hardcore" it yet remains legitimate) or multiple people out there enjoy viewing these forms of pornography. I am not even worried about where the line becomes drawn, as I highly doubt there is going to be an excursion against other forms of "unusual" pornography or, say, a news stories about autoerotic asphyxiation deaths being struck down. What I am concerned about is that this is a violation of thought and our enjoyment of thought and their legitimate, consensual expression. No matter how anathema it may be to most, or even the consenting actor, 'strapped for cash' or whatever may cause her to do something repugnant to her, it is legitimate. Even if they are simulating pedophilia, it is not actual pedophilia. If it were, then by our legal system, he would rightfully be indicted. I do not care about the first amendment or not – I care about common sense protection of rights. Now, if one does want to make it an issue of this opening the door for offending rights more often in the future, then it does set a terrible precedent for allowing that to happen, with the obvious first loss being any pornography with any harmful acts at all. I am sure some actors love being in these types of films; mayhap ones not as brutalizing as Max Hardcore, as the man seems intent on producing porn to satisfy his own childish misogynistic desires, and not to encourage any legitimate BDSM type of relationship. There are many much more well structured types that no one would particularly think are wrong, but this would open up the door for any of them to be marginalized. It would even technically allow for any forms with this type of speech in a misogynistic vein to be banned, I would think. I believe, however, that this is simply not a line that will be abused because first amendment outcries almost always gain sympathy in the nation. The only reason that might not hold true here is your typical conformist mental tykes in this nation's aversion to admitting they have any fetishes at all and that any fetishes are shocking and terrible. Also, no, I do not need to watch any of this stuff by "Max Hardcore", as it would be hard to fathom this being that vastly different from swap.avi, which is perfectly humorous. Kibble I have two brief comments to make. The first is that, entirely apart from the legal issue, on which I won't comment, I find this kind of material deeply disturbing, and I worry very much about anyone who wants to make it, and anyone who wants to watch it. Some will call me a prude or worse, but I worry anyway. The second is that I must now stop visiting boingboing. The picture of the girl accompanying this story is so far over the line that I find it hard to believe it was posted. I don't return to sites that spring those kinds of photographs on me. Takuan having seen the range of human variability in desire and the range of human folly and baseness of character,BXRWXR But I poop from there! Greender If you don't like Max Hardcore work fight it, criticize it, but don't make it a crime, because it is not. I hope that you all enjoy the dystopia you are constructing letting your goverment get away with all those mistakes, wars, torture, you name it. I can only hope all that control and loss of liberty doesn't spread to other countries. liquado "Not infrequently, [Max Hardcore] scenes are fraught with pedophilia themes, beginning when he stumbles upon his subjects in playgrounds, where they sit alone, in pigtails, talking baby-talk, and sucking on lollipops. " I appreciate your mention of Susannah Breslin's post in here, Xeni, because it tempers the rallying "First Amendment" call — and rightly so, imho. I believe quite strongly in freedom of speech and expression, but I also believe in protection of minors. Yes, there's lots of "teen sex" pr0n out there, using young-looking 18-20-year-olds, but I really have issues with stuff that's explicitly engaging and titillating to those with sexual proclivities for relationships with children, as it sounds like Little's materials attempt to do. In my book, it's not a moral law — it's protection for those who don't wield the emotional development to engage in a hugely unequal power balance relationship. This falls under the statute of protecting children from those individuals, by unequivocally restricting access to materials that encourage that behaviour. Little's filmwork sounds to be as much about power imbalance and control as it is about sexuality. As much as I struggle with agreeing to anything "anti-obscenity," I tend to think this is the right call. A difficult one, to be sure, but I think unfortunately necessary. zuzu Which brings us back to the point that by criminalizing these presumably consensual acts as "obscene", they are driven further "underground" where help for legitimate cases of rape etc. will not be available. What won't you do? What's too far for you? The answer to that question speaks volumes about you. I'm enthusiastic for this line of inquiry. To paraphrase Nietzsche, all philosophy is autobiographical. The actresses Max Hardcore employ know exactly what they're getting themselves into. Even if they don't, I am positive that his reputation precedes him. People are forgetting that all the actresses LEGALLY agree to all the acts that are performed on them. Not only that, if some people feel that Max Hardcore takes advantage of barely legal women, do you people not understand that there are THOUSANDS of other porn producers that they could work with, without being pissed on. Who is this law protecting? Nobody; it makes some people feel better about some pervert going away and some people mad about the First Amendment being "trampled" on. Actresses will still gladly sign up for degradation and people will still certainly enjoy it. MichelleMcCormack Why did you guys do this story? At least, why did you go so in depth? What is creative model for this site? What do you expect me to do about this situation? Do you think that deseminating this story, in detail, will change things? And if so, what makes you think readers of Boing Boing are the activist audience you need for that to happen. I am so pissed off right now that I suffered through that, and I am still suffering. Don't you think you are now part of the problem, Boing Boing? zuzu So, according to this government, acting in porn is out, but torture is ok? I guess the G-men don't want anyone muscling in on their abuse and humiliation racket. Dizbuster One word: Florida. Same state that fucked over artist Mike Diana over 10 years ago. He wrote a comic called (I think) Boiled Angel that was filled with a lot of transgressive images. I can't remember if he was jailed, but get this–he was forbidden by law to DRAW anymore. He was persecuted merely for his imagination. We aren't talking about physical acts like this sicko Max Hardcore. I am not sure what Diana's situation is now. Google him, but be warned, the comics are pretty fucked up. Sister Y Whilst I don't agree with censorship and I have a good amount of porn, this is different. But they can (and will) use that same law to go after the non-rapists who made your porn. It was documentary on the UK's Channel 4 several years back. In that (and it's a pretty even handed film), Max Hardcore comes out of it looking like a psychopathic rapist. If what happened in that documentary is representative of Little's behaviour to his other "stars", why is the US DoJ going after him with a freedom of speech case? The guy is scum, why not leave the First Amendment out of this? It looks like they could just as easily be nailing him on rape charges? The bigger picture here is that the Republicans are trying to drive a wedge in. The next prosecution will be against something slightly less shocking and then a lesser one after that. It's the standard model for rolling back your freedoms. Takuan I do not use "obscene" as a shield or sword. There is a simple judgment of the equality of power, not a value judgment of the worth of any behavior. noen SamF @ 88 So you're saying that what's offensive to one person is offensive to everyone? No, please read what I said. INot to get off subject, but where have libertarian "free market" economics failed? "So, what I want to argue here is that, among other things, the economic chaos that we're seeing right now on Wall Street and on Main Street and in Washington stems from many factors, of course, but among them are the ideas of Milton Friedman and many of his colleagues and students from this school. Ideas have consequences." Neoliberalism = Milton Friedman = Libertarianism. The utopian illusion that has been promulgated by the above has collapsed. The Real has once again asserted itself, it always does. re: TV violence Source? Some correlating evidence? Studies have long shown that TV violence causes real harm. I am aware that there are counter studies. I give them as much credence as I do studies from tobacco corporations showing cigs are good for you. The real problem is that people don't like the implications of all this. It means we might have to grow out of our adolescence and become adults. Choosing some things in moderation and eschewing others. So instead people react in hysteria attacking everything but the argument. re: his films are a commodity and markets should be free some people do like them. And they give him money, so that he can keep making them. And women keep signing up to be in them. Reading the thread there is a fair amount of doubt about how much consent there really is. So yes, it is our business. His actresses probably aren't aware of what they are getting into. He drugs them and abuses them in many ways. Arezuzu This falls under the statute of protecting children from those individuals, by unequivocally restricting access to materials that encourage that behaviour. Has this ever been proven as a causal relationship? Little's filmwork sounds to be as much about power imbalance and control as it is about sexuality. I'm quite upset by many of the comments made here by boingboing readers. I've not seen any of Max Hardcore's films but I am familiar with many of the arguments made by posters here, especially the 'I don't support censorship but….' Ones. These are the ones always levied at sex workers. That working as a sex worker is always wrong and women should not do it. When women who ARE sex workers want to do it they are told that are opinions count for nothing. Apparently sex workers can't consent freely because they are coerced by men, or addicted to drugs, or living in poverty. What they mean is women are too stupid to know there own minds and should do what they are told. Sure there is some exploitation in the sex industry but the same can be said in any field. And it may surprise you that many people enjoy hardcore humiliation and pain during sex. There are far more subs in the BDSM world than doms. The women who performed in these films are adults. Saying that they do not have the capacity to truly consent to perform is an insult and far worse than censorship. You are lessoning their worth as human beings. SamF Such emergent properties are just as real as the solidity from the atoms of a block of ice. (Or, at different temperatures, fluidity or vaporeality.) Yes, but one atom in a block of ice doesn't care how atoms at the other end of the block interact. It individually negotiates its interaction with each atom that it comes in contact with. And yes, societies and governments are the natural evolution of millions of individual inter-personal negotiations occurring, and the expediency of having a readily-available and agreed-upon conflict resolution mechanism (although I disagree that war is the default resolution mechanism). The problem is that in the sort of scale that we have with humanity, it becomes impossible (or at the least highly impractical) to form every possible society and group everyone by their preference of agreed-upon resolution guidelines (i.e. laws, government, etc.) In theory, this means that we should collectively agree to the minimum required collective guidelines, and work out the rest for ourselves individually. Unfortunately, there are 2 groups of individuals who enable our current society to get as convoluted as it has. There are the lazy who say "I don't want to have to decide everything for myself, I'll let society/government handle it", and there are the power-hungry who say "I not only want to decide what's right for me, but for everyone else". The first group enables the second group, and together they form a majority which shapes our society. Those few of us saying "I want to have the responsibility of my own choices" are either ignored or shouted down by the rest. And even if we were to want to undertake the difficult feat of uprooting our families and joining a society of like-minded members, we look around to find not that, as you said, "the net costs of maintaining membership in society are lower than those from inter-individual transactions", but that the cost of changing societies is greater than the freedoms we would gain, as most other societies are either largely like ours, or worse. SamF I can't comment specifically on Xeni's motive or reasons for posting this story, but if I had to guess, I would say that there were probably several reasons. One would be to spark a dialog about freedom of expression and how far it extends and what it protects. Which has obviously worked. Another reason might be that BoingBoing has always advocated individual freedom. DRM, copyright, freedom of speech, freedom from oppression. And this is very much a first amendment freedoms issue. BoingBoing is a directory of wonderful things. That's what it says under the name of the site. Now, a picture of a girl with lipstick smeared like clown makeup on her face, and bodily fluids on her, may not be a wonderful thing. But our individual freedom of speech and expression is. And if we just sit back and let people get put in jail for obscenity – not rape, not torture, not crimes agains the women themselves – but obscenity…a crime against the sensibilities of people who hadn't even seen the videos until they were in that courtroom…when we start allowing that to happen without challenging it or even voicing opposition, then we complacently allow the government to take away our freedoms. Our expression. Our rights to decide what "pleasure" means to us. We give them the implicit ability to take wonderful things away from us. So, thanks Xeni for posting this. Xeni Jardin @SamF is correct about my motivation for posting the story. Michelle, if you find this post upsetting, please skip to the next item, which may be more to your sensibilities. Anonymous How are these movies different from something like the "Saw" movies? As long as they take place between consenting adults, I don't really see the harm. scottydel Paul belongs in jail. If it's truly "consenting" adults, then take away the money. The girls probably get paid more than they otherwise would in the industry. It's the paycheck that brings them there. They are all young, dumb, insecure, and I'm guessing don't come from a solid family who loved them since they were in diapers. I wonder how the adult industry would turn out if it was all done for non-profit? pduggie Oh yes, the government is hypocritical. They should enforce *all* the laws, those against obscenity (see the Frontline special on how the Clinton justice department decided never to prosecute it, even though it wins in court 99% of the time) and those against torture aeon #107 SAMF: "There is a reason that the rights listed in the Declaration of Independence are called inalienable." I know it's difficult for citizens of the US to conceive of this, but your Declaration of Independence is actually wrong on that point. There is no such thing as an inalienable right. Rights are societal constructs made by people who believed things would be better if they existed and persuaded others to go along with it. Personally I think they were correct, but I'm not so naive as to think that if society changes it's collective thinking then those "inalienable rights" can't just as easily disappear. I wouldn't argue against the existence of a societal agreement of "rights", but they are in truth aspirations and nothing more. Incidentally, neither does the US government itself believe Declaration of Independence rights are inalienable – they only apply to US citizens physically on US soil, ie. on the right side of Customs and Immigration… miss girl I'm not a huge fan of Max Hardcore, but I LOVE watching him ramble on. He's hilarious – his voice, his wording, everything! I hope this blows over. Anonymous I have seem some of Max's work and it is enough to make anyone go puke. He fails to do what porn film are meant to do. Instead he put to much emphasis on making himself look like a child molester. Besides, his member is smaller than average, take away the kiddie porn talk and you got nothing. Anonymous Censorship is wrong. If you want to prosecute this scum for what he's done to the women, that's one thing. Then you can subpoena the unedited footage and look it up and down to find a crime. But don't start closing in on an industry and locking up these guys for putting out videos. After too long you'll be coming after more mainstream stuff, and by then it'll be too late. I ask everyone who values our freedom to join in the outrage. crayonbeamchrisjoel Id like to know who JAILS those that Jailed Max ? no one thats who…. Fortunately his body of work is out there in video form and THAT is something his jailers cant take away from those that enjoy hardcore porn. Unless of course THEY start breaking down doors and jailing those of us that posses his movies. Again who jails the real criminals here no one, as they keep getting away with whatever they want…. kilranian @151: Exactly. noen Val They couldn't build a good sexual abuse case and went for a different charge. Exactly. How can anyone of you be so disrespectful of human dignity to call this consent or defend this guy? Ideology destroys human dignity every time. The operative ideology for some here is free speech absolutism. Decius There is an obvious distinction between speech and action. There is? Well then by all means write your legal opinion and collect your prize! The same is true in a number of other cases, like libel, slander, harrasment, trafficing in credit card numbers or child pornography or stolen copyrighted materials. In each of these cases there is a specific harm associated with the speech Oh dear! What happened to that bright line of yours? That people have a "fundamental right to think and to express those thoughts in whatever way they see fit". It's spreading out and getting all fuzzy and stuff. You see, there is always going to be this gap between your ideology (free speech absolutism) and the Real. When you're talking about obscenity you are talking about strictly criminalizing the expression of an idea, not an action or a tangental harm that is the product of the speech I've been pretty consistently arguing that as a pragmatic matter if you can't get this guy by showing intent, it's really hard to do ya know, then you use what legal tools you have. The analogy here with the Mafia and RICO leaps to mind. That this A-hole caused real harm to people who very likely didn't consent, who were taken advantage of and brutally abused, should be obvious to all by now. I've also tried to argue, somewhat less successfully perhaps, that material of this nature harms us all. Just trying to get past the emotional hijacking and make basic concepts clear has been difficult. Cpt Tim if you think there ARE limits, obviously there are books that should be put on the bonfire in your opinion. Do you mean physical books? Probably not. That's a bit of a canard though. Information? Yeah, highly classified top secret (and non political) information really shouldn't be widely published or known by everyone. This administration has gone way too far in the other direction though. Samf re: a defense that this is just BDSM Sorry, noway would this jerk last a second in any well run dungeon. This isn't BDSM. No, they evolved because I can't possibly produce all of the goods and services that myself and my family require to live. Communal life predates agriculture. Virtually all mammals live in some sort of community. For humans it's been the tribe and more recently other higher forms of organization. Absolutely false. You either believe that I have the right to my own freedom of choice, or you don't. There's no grey area. Ummmm, sure. Bald assertion is not an argument. You have presented no reasons to justify your ideology. I have given plenty of reasons in opposition. You've already stated your position. You're against freedom. You're opposed to individuality. You don't believe that human beings should be able to live their lives separate from their community. No, I'm not against freedom and I have a feeling that what I mean by freedom isn't what you mean. I'm not opposed to individuality, I just have a different conception than you do. I don't think the self stops at my skin. Finally, I don't think it's even possible to live separate from one's community. Zuzu I'm seriously opposed to the collectivism of which you speak. It is an anathema to me, and I've resented all attempts towards me of it my entire life. That's nice. How's your share of AIG comrade? Also, is that a strong tone of Hobbesonian social theory I'm hearing? Let go of your crutches, be healed and walk free! I'm capable of minding my own business and can't see why everyone else can't do likewise. Ah well that is the problem isn't it? Other people, what to do about them? On the internet though one can pretend that all others are just reflections of one's precious self. It never lasts though. The iron law of oligarchy is a problem to be dealt with, not something to be condoned or accepted. You aren't arguing, you're just pointing (linking) and gesturing. And just how is it that "iron laws" have exceptions to them as discussed in the link? now that God is Dead, "Nothing is true, so everything is permitted." It was Dostoevsky and these days it's more like "god is dead, therefore everything is prohibited." People believe more than ever today and the social imperative is against dangerous excess. We are encouraged to consume coffee without caffeine. Get TiVo, TV without commercials. Those who truly indulge in their enjoyment, chain smokers, junkies, are social pariahs. The absence of Law universalizes prohibition. in fact, the spontaneous order of genuine Free Trade does provide a completely distributed ad hoc and leaderless way (i.e. the market) to coordinate human activity. Still trying to sell that BS? The UK just nationalized it's entire banking system. The US should follow suit if we want to survive. The whole system is falling down around your ears and you're still cheerleading? I have to watch Videodrome and go have a calm down now… I don't understand this, I really don't. I'm calm as can be here. Why all the fuss? FoetusNail The bloggers, in my opinion, have a deep concern for freedom and the abuse of power that currently threatens us all. They also, it would appear, understand that even this piece of shit has rights. If the government had prosecuted Little, as others have mentioned, for criminal acts of abuse or assault, then the bloggers, would probably applaud his conviction. I would bet my case buck, they are just as disgusted by this type of porn as most of us. However, as the post and comments state, the DoJ purposely found a time and place to convict him on interstate obscenity charges. As BB also crosses state lines, they understand the threat this poses to online freedom of speech. Furthermore, the governments actions are made all the more suspect in light of the abuses suffered by detainees all over the world. Obviously, this is not about the heinous nature of Little's video's, but about opening the door to restricting the interent. Kobo I am not sure Breslin's piece is authoritative at all. Sure, she gets the description down but where is the prescription? I just see her attempting to dismiss the opinion of Greenwald without offering any thoughts of her own. Of course her own feelings are easily implied by the rest of the piece, but where is the solution or anything? I have viewed many clips of Little's work to understand the full impact of this sickness. I also am familiar with the Dworkins and MacKinnons of the world, and I agree with much of their analysis. What I disagree with is the legal ramifications. I fully believe the work that Little produces is an abomination and something that must be addressed and fought. But certainly NOT legally. Obscenity laws have no place in a free and open society. Greenwald is 100% right in his legal analysis of the situation. We need education, open discussion, an examination of the realities of porn and its repercussions, etc. We do not need to bring draconian laws and courts to settle this in a backwards manner. ill lich #151 SAMF It is about the 1st amendment. Absolutely. Pure and simple. My point is that it didn't need to be about the 1st amendment, the justice department made it about rights and censorship when they could have just charged the guy with rape (or maybe I assume too much, perhaps all those women who regret working with Max Hardcore were unwilling to press charges, or just thought that because they had been paid, a rape charge was off the table). Nevertheless, we all agree that there are limits to the 1st amendment: it is not constitutionally protected speech to openly call for the assassination of a public official. The fear we all have is that of unfettered censorship, the slippery slope that leads from banning one piece of violent porn, to banning all porn, to banning "Ulysses" and "Naked Lunch", to banning political speech. That is a valid fear, obviously. But sometimes I think the slippery slope leads in the opposite direction too; defending It's a weird netherworld of vague definitions of what constitutes "rape." There are no such vagaries regarding murder– I can't sign a waiver allowing a director to actually kill me during filming; I will be dead, he will be prosecuted, the damning evidence is on his own film. The definition of "rape" can be made malleable, and Max Hardcore figured out how to take advantage of that. There was a time in my life when I would have defended all porn, however repugnant, simply on 1st amendment principles. The fact that I reached a limit when confronted with Max Hardcore does not mean I am suddenly in favor of banning James Joyce as well. Anonymous Um … actually, if you want something it's still harm. I used to like having my girlfriend cut strips into my arms. Illegal over here, but we both enjoyed it so we both did it. The scars are pretty damning evidence of harm though. I don't think anyone's going to argue that this bloke's a nice guy, but what it boils down to is a fight between consent and censorship. And, since this clearly hasn't been made clearly enough for some people, forced consent is not consent. It doesn't count. And there is noone here, I'd be willing to bet, who would not support his being sent to gaol if such coercion could be proven. If you're going to imprison someone, it should be for a real crime and proven to be such, not some bollocks created by disapproving concerned citizens so they don't have to look at the weird people next door. noen "You're a hypocrite! Therefore I can do anything I want." Films do not give us what we desire, they teach us how to desire. As such, filth like this truly is obscene and I have no problem making it illegal. The Lizardman Hardcore's actors are obviously not children, they mostly wouldn't qualify for the faux teen / barely legal market. This has as much to do with kiddie porn as full grown men wearing diapers and being tended to in cribs by fetish nannies – which would be absolutely nothing. Ruling and sentence are a travesty. Hardcore is offensive and no one should hesitate to call him and his work unpalatable if that is their opinion but he is not a criminal and putting him in jail protects no one and serves no good interest. Glandmaster Volenti non fit injuria. I had to stop reading the comments (despite the fact that some are insightful and engaging) as the thought lawyers and mental hygienists out there have me chewing my desk so I apologise if I am covering old ground. quantax This is a highly concerning excursion of the government into the affairs of consenting adults. While the material in question seems rather disgusting and something I'd find difficult to watch, my revulsion is completely immaterial to the fact that the actors within signed release forms and were fully cognizant of what they were making. Barring actual illegality such as pedophilia (not the simulated version of dressing a 18+ year old in pigtails), there is no reason for the government to be wasting valuable resources going after the producers of this supposedly obscene material. Obscenity is a word that has no true definition in the rule of law. What is obscene to one is fine to another, it is a subjective analysis of the material. What qualifies this judge to remove a human's freedom for 4 years over their personal thoughts on what is obscene? With all the problems pressing our society, such as high dropout rates, a dismal economy, a drug war that seems to have neither and end nor any impact, jailing Max Hardcore will not have a single effect upon any of this except to intimidate those who would produce more such material. 3des I have no use for Max Hardcore or this genre of porn. Free speech or not, what he does is violent, despicable, and in extreme poor taste to all but the most deviant of sub-humans shamefully crawling the planet. I hope he will now have the opportunity to be a recipient of his vile acts in his new home. Bye bye scum bag. SamF The pragmatic reality is that if you have to show real intent to cause harm you end up with a broken legal system. True. You don't have to prove intent. You can prove negligence. But before there's even a legal issue, there needs to be someone who has had something wrong done to them. A breach of contract. An assault. A death. An actual instance of harm. A crime. Some mumbo jumbo about how "the people" are harmed by this is something I'd expect out of China. Not a free country, where I'm mature enough to decide on my own if I'm harmed by this or not (hint: I didn't participate in or watch any of the videos, so I wasn't.) If sex is legal and having children is legal then why isn't having sex with children legal? Seriously, I have to doubt whether you read what you type before you hit "post". The obvious answer is that kids aren't old enough to consent. If you should reasonably have known that the person signing the contract was impaired, it would void the contract. The standard for due diligence in the porn industry is very high. I believe it varies by state, but regardless, it's very hard to prove except in extreme cases. And even if the person was drunk when signing the contract, you'd have to prove that they were still beyond comprehension while filming. The contract would say something like "you agree to do all this stuff, and I agree to pay you X dollars." If you sober up and say "no, I don't want to do all this stuff", the other person can't legally force you to do it. They can just withhold payment, or sue for compensation if they've already paid you. Antinouszuzu I then say "No, we need limits, there need to be boundaries". Who decides? Why can't people decide for themselves?I think it was Stafford Beer… I might be wrong on that… who pointed out the danger in misapplication of analogizing one complex system with another (particularly cellular biology to sociology). That said, why not let these boundaries be determined by internal social consent, rather than by external authority? Particularly since social control causes the atrophy of self-control. And NO, there must be NO LIMITS on what can be communicated via television, radio, film, online, or via any other medium of information exchange. I didn't bat an eye at the dissemination of the "Anarchists' Cookbook" or the detailed plans for constructing a fission bomb were shared online in the mid-90s. (I even volunteered for the PGP internationalization project.) Because possessing the knowledge is irrelevant next to the choice of people whether (and in what circumstances) to build or exercise that knowledge in the physical world. There's no problem with my neighbor stockpiling rocket launchers; there is a problem with my neighbor stabbing people with pencils. decius @NOEN Not sure if that was a troll. Of course, I never said that all actions are thoughts made external. You just burned a straw man. There is an obvious distinction between speech and action. I don't think all actions should be legal. I think all speech should be legal. Some left wing protesters do have a problem understanding the difference. Groups protesting the WTO and G8 summits have in the past intentionally attempted to block access to roads or prevent politicians from reaching a meeting, while simultaneously claiming to be simply exercising their right to freedom of speech. This is disingenuous and I don't take it seriously. When the police arrest these people for blocking roads, or as you put it, for "throwing bricks or bags of urine." They are arresting them for their action and not for the expression associated with the action. The same is true in a number of other cases, like libel, slander, harrasment, trafficing in credit card numbers or child pornography or stolen copyrighted materials. In each of these cases there is a specific harm associated with the speech, a harm to someone's reputation or their privacy or their intellectual property rights, which is really what is criminalized in these cases. When you're talking about obscenity you are talking about strictly criminalizing the expression of an idea, not an action or a tangental harm that is the product of the speech, but the very idea itself, based on the notion that it is harmful in and of itself and that people who come into contact with it cannot help but be depraved or corrupted by it. I reject that idea. I think that I can come into contact with depraved ideas and not be corrupted by them, and I don't want the government protecting me from other's depravity. The idea that I get to decide for myself what I think is depraved is a basic intellectual freedom that I think is important. Based on your previous posts I can see that you don't. Takuan consent implies capacity. capacity is clearly not always there. Cpt. Tim #1, i share your basic sentiment, but just a devils advocate type question (watered down from the actual subject at hand) should furry porn be banned because the animals the people are representing lack the ability to consent? Personally i hate max hardcores stuff, and i wonder how just how consensual some of it is. I care far more about the possibility that girls are really being bullied than i care about what is being simulated. I'd rather it be a consenting adult with pigtails and a lollypop than a hesitant adult bullied into the industry or supporting a drug addiction and doing plain tame non-fetish porn. Once you take the fight away from "is it consenting?" to "what is being simulated?", then you open the door to banning all sorts of other media for similar obscenities. There are a lot of books you could try to ban on similar grounds under the argument that reading something could give someone ideas or spur them to do something similar. ophite I'm amazed that no one else here appears to see it. Takuan in a world filled with uninvited, undeserved injustice and suffering I will first look upon with my finite resource those trying to make it better, rather than those who, at best, would hold a line established by martyrs to freedom and human rights. I am exceptionally happy this miserable asshole has been put behind bars. I have mixed feelings about the use of obscenity laws to do it. On the other hand, with the US rape conviction rate estimated around 20%, and report rate estimates at 16%, what – really – is the likelihood a successful prosecution from an adult industry acress who had agreed to work for this slime? And what would it do to her career? They got Al Capone for tax evasion – maybe sometimes that's just how it works. It occurs to me that my language may be a problem. So let me shift the frame to a more pragmatic one. Perhaps there is no absolute basis from which one can say that TV violence or violent, degrading porn can be said to cause "harm". From a purely abstract sense it is neither here nor there whether these things are harmful or their opposites are edifying. The question is really a matter of what kind of society do we want to be? "As you think, so shall you become." We all make choices in our lives and those choices determine who we are. There is a reason that America is perceived by the rest of the world as a violent society. We have chosen to be violent, our culture is drenched in it. If we really wish to be a different kind of society then we need to make different choices. It's as simple as that. Films do not give us what we desire, they teach us how to desire. As such, filth like this truly is obscene and I have no problem making it illegal. Noen, please explain how your position does not amount to favoring thoughtcrime. zuzu They got Al Capone for tax evasion – maybe sometimes that's just how it works. The ends justify the means, eh? Glandmaster consent implies capacity. capacity is clearly not always there. Deal with that semantic spook and get back to us and, dare I risk the pun, consensual reality ;) Takuan I reject your reality and substitute my own Cpt. Tim #11 its not thought crime, just media crime, so lets stoke the bonfires, i'll donate my copy of american psycho, because we all know that after reading it, practically everyone went out and nailed a hooker to the floor and cut off her lips with a razor blade. oh.. wait. olmsteader With all the injustice in the world, I can't believe the keystrokes wasted on this turd of a man. So they nailed him! So what, he was a douche of all douches. How about we talk about the Leonard Peltiers of the world instead? aeon #91 Zuzu is quite correct that unwillingness (like my own) to defend a nasty piece of work like Paul F Little is 'how it [erosion of civil liberties] starts'. But with individual rights come responsibilities to your neighbours and the society that grants you those rights. Rights are only there as long as your fellow citizens agree that you should have them. If you abuse your rights then they can take them away in the same way that they granted them, just by making it so. Surely the argument should be with the Max Hardcore's of the the world who are so irresponsible that they make freedom of speech hard to defend and persuade people to restrict it in response? Belac What many people have said is true. Max Hardcore's stuff would be evil and illegal if he was forcing the actors to participate–but so would other, less extreme porn. The extremeness doesn't make it more wrong, except that it makes it more likely/plausible that he is forcing them. It does, however, make it more disgusting and revolting. For the record, I've seen some. It was so over-the-top that I couldn't believe they weren't formally consenting, although I would be very surprised if they weren't drugged or otherwise abused beforehand. It fell into the uncanny valley, where only people playing out a scripted role could do something like that. Not arousing, somewhat revolting, very unsettling. Kieran O'Neill I agree with most of the posters here. The material is repugnant, but unless the actors themselves are being exploited, it shouldn't be banned. SamF IAbsolutely. I agree 100%. REAL harm. Actual provable harm. Fortunately in this country, you have to convince a jury that there HAS been harm, rather than the other way around. Otherwise, every time someone created a post hoc ergo propter hoc link between one person's act and another person's crime, the first person would have to go to jail for the second person's actions. He drugs them and abuses them in many ways. If that's true, then prosecute him on THAT. If he's truly raping these women. If he's truly doing things to them that they have not agreed to and have asked him to stop doing, then stick him away in Federal "pound-me-in-the-ass" prison for a long time. And if someone watches his videos and decides that it'd be a good idea to imitate them and does something along those lines to a woman against her will, lock that person up too. The problem I have is when you put a causal relationship between "someone made a disgusting video" and "someone else committed a crime." Even if that person watched that video. Even if the acts they carried out were similar to those in the video. It was solely the responsibility of the person committing the crime to "pull the trigger" as it were. I don't doubt that Max Hardcore is a despicable brute. And I honestly hope that some of his actresses press charges and he goes away for a long time on REAL charges of REAL harm. But every time you put someone away for something that one group of people says is "obscene", you open the door to lock all of us up for one reason or another. Are you going to advance that tiresome and fallacious argument that prostitutes are really just free entrepreneurs cast out by society and wouldn't it be wonderful if we made prostitution legal? Fallacious how? What about strippers? How about women who pose in a bikini to sell cars? The fact that they recieve money for their services (services that they willingly offer, and charge an agreed-upon rate for) means that, by definition they are entrepreneurs. All consensual sex is a negotiated transaction. Some times the negotiations are unspoken and non-specific. Other times they are explicitly agreed to and very specific. Why is it that becuase the explicit agreement involves the exchange of money, it's suddenly wrong? To paraphrase the Carlin quote from above, if selling is legal and sex is legal, why isn't selling sex legal? Cpt. Tim #133 Antinous that betrays a pretty strong ignorance of how the porn industry actually works. or a certain gullibility on your part in regards to what they're showing happening and what actually happens.. Antinous Tim, I know about a dozen people in the porn industry. Business models vary greatly. FoetusNailSamF There is no such thing as an inalienable right. So, how do you take away someone's right to life? You can take their life. But you can't take away their right to it. Incidentally, neither does the US government itself believe Declaration of Independence rights are inalienable – they only apply to US citizens physically on US soil, ie. on the right side of Customs and Immigration… First off, I'll definitely agree that the US government has been infringing our (and others) rights. It doesn't make it moral, though. it wasn't right when the slave owners did it hundreds of years ago, and it's not right now. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, just because I have the right to liberty doesn't mean I have liberty. If someone is able to exercise force against me then they can use that force to try to influence my decisions. They can even imprison me if I don't go along with what they say. But that doesn't remove my right to be free. There's nobody in the world who can claim the right to possess me and force me to do anything against my will. They may possess that ability. But it doesn't make it right. decius @OPHITE I agree with you. I haven't seen these films and it doesn't sound like I want to, but if people really were abused by this guy, then there is a need for the state to step in. However, there are right ways and wrong ways to regulate that and an obscenity conviction is the wrong way. Its not as if they dusted off obscenity law specifically to get this guy. This is part of an overarching federal program to renew obscenity prosecutions across the board. Anonymous @#1: The human brain is fully capable of distinguishing fantasy from reality. Just like people that engage in bondage are not more likely to forcibly tie up and rape people, and people that play violent games and watch violent movies are not more likely to commit serial murders, people that watch women dressed up to look like they're under 18 having sex are not more likely to go out and rape real children. I know that "think of the children" is a convenient excuse for destroying civil liberties, but it's a really bad one, and the sooner it dies the sooner we can (hopefully) have a little more sanity in the world. DCE I suspect sales and viewership of Hardcore's "work" will increase dramatically given his arrest and media exposure. By attempting to censor his expression (foul though it may be), the court has promoted it better than Max ever could have. It's the sense of taboo and wrongdoing that allow people like Hardcore to flourish. If the court really wanted to suppress them, they might consider removing all barriers to their free expression. That which is readily available and commonplace becomes far less interesting… zuzu First they came for the Hardcore pornographers, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Hardcore pornographer. (No pun intended! :p ) Cpt. Tim "To the extent you wish to interact with other people in a normal fashion, you should put forth efforts to try and preserve this degree of "society"." "No, please read what I said. I built my argument on two things: 1) There need to be limits to what is allowed." and to some people this degree of society are the outdated sodomy laws. I'm interested noen in what books you think should be burned? SamF They got Al Capone for tax evasion – maybe sometimes that's just how it works. But that's not how it should work. William Blackstone said it's "better that ten guilty persons escape, than that one innocent suffer". Franklin thought it should be 100. There's plenty of discussion about the idea. How many guilty men is it permissible to allow to escape so that one innocent person does not suffer? What about the other way around? Would you go to jail if it meant that one criminal would be imprisoned? Would you do it if two, or ten, or 50 guilty people were imprisoned? How many people would you want to see locked up before you allowed yourself to be locked up as well? Sure it'd be easy to say "I'd go to jail if it meant that 100 murderers and rapists were off the streets and kept my family safe." But would you say "I'd go to jail for my porn tastes, if it meant that 10 Max Hardcores also went to prison". Would you go to jail for having a glass of beer if it meant that dozens of brewers went to jail? That's what prohibition did. The same prohibition that gave rise to Al Capone, and eventually led to him being imprisoned for something completely unrelated to prohibition. Would Capone have still been a criminal if prohibition didn't make him a criminal? Probably. But who knows for sure. All I know is that the government has history of creating criminals out of whole cloth. When is it going to be you or me who has to go to jail because the government decides that our personal activities are now crimes? markfrei #71 Lucien Perhaps more concerning is that this will have a chilling effect on the more responsible content producers. This will not make this market go away. Instead it means that the producers that are doing things right will shy away, leaving the market open to the scumbags (and yes, you can make this material in a way that is good for the performers and for the audience) . @noenPeople are going to have a wide range of opinions on this but my feelings are pretty-much the same as that Glenn Greenwald quotation. How can you have the balls to prosecute consensually filmed acts when you're in another country torturing people against their will, without any humane oversight or human rights? I'm probably already on a list for questioning the absolute power and authority of the US government. Who am I to question its divine and God-driven actions? TheHowl Ahh, refreshing. I just love people who make arguments starting with 'I'm all for free speech, buuuuut….' Makes it so easy to figure who's worth listening to. AntinousophiteIs Boing Boing a filmed depiction of an actual felony? Does it promote and sell filmed depictions of felonious conduct? The creation of a Max Hardcore film necessarily involves criminal conduct, in a manner almost identical to the creation of child pornography. Max Hardcore is what (for instance) Catherine MacKinnon believes pornography to be; her arguments, which are inapplicable in almost every other case, are applicable in this one. The fact that the government relied on conventional anti-child porn jurisprudence (which relies heavily on the "filmed depiction of a crime) in this case, rather than spinning fresh legal arguments out of nowhere, leads me to believe that this it does not create a wildly extensible doctrine until this is appealed to the Supreme Court The fact that the Democrats are going to have control of the Justice Department at that point leads me to believe that this is not going to hurt anyone but the serial rapists among us. FoetusNail Just ask the old jews or the young blacks of L.A., About their lives when the police have their way. Living in fear of the knock at the door, The barking of orders as jackboots hit the floor. Smashing your head for only one reason, It's not the same as theirs; You're the animal in season. Cpt. Tim noen, i can process what you're saying, and i understand it. What i don't understand that if you think there ARE limits, obviously there are books that should be put on the bonfire in your opinion. I'm asking you to put your money were your mouth is and name some. So we get an idea of YOUR limits. How about american psycho? Burn worthy? WarEagle all you have to do is watch a few small slices of Hardcore's movies and you can quickly see that many time the "actresses" appear under the influence of something, in a daze, and lots of times crying. Who knows, maybe they really can just simulate things that well, but i think #10 hit in on the head in saying that while they may have signed away their "consent", the true motives could be drug related or desperation etc.. This isn't enough in my book to jail Hardcore, but perhaps he could be more closely watched and regulated to ensure the subjects of his twisted movies truly are of proper mind when they are giving consent. SamF Surely the argument should be with the Max Hardcore's of the the world who are so irresponsible that they make freedom of speech hard to defend and persuade people to restrict it in response? So…restric free speech in SOME cases so they don't get restricted in other cases? That is yet another very slipperly slope. Rights are only there as long as your fellow citizens agree that you should have them. If you abuse your rights then they can take them away in the same way that they granted them, just by making it so. There is a reason that the rights listed in the Declaration of Independence are called inalienable. It means specifically that they CAN'T be taken away arbitrarily. The key to your sentence, then, is "if you ABUSE your rights". Consensual sex between two people is an issue between those two people. YOU don't give me the right to have sex with my wife, or to decide what kind of sex we can have. If I do something to violate HER rights, then SHE can have me prosecuted and jailed. Not you. And if Max Hardcore has done things to his actresses that they did not agree to, and he has raped them, or even if he has broken his contract with them, then they can file a lawsuit against him (and should). In this case, though, the state of Florida said "we don't like what we see here" and has put him in jail. Maybe part of the problem is that he has a good lawyer who has written his contracts so that he can get away with just about anything. And that's very unfortunate. I would urge everyone to have a lawyer look over any contract you are going to sign, ESPECIALLY one so important that your dignity and your life are tied up in it. Also, there are contract terms that, even though agreed to, won't stand up in court. So if someone wants to perouse his standard contracts and sue him on that basis, great. Go for it. But unfortunately, the ugly side of being free to enter into individual negotiations between two people is that if one person is not vigilant about the agreements they enter into, they could end up in a losing proposition. THAT is the responsibility that comes with individual rights. The responsibility to make sure that YOU are vigilant in YOUR dealings. Not to cry foul when you don't like the product of some other contract that you are not a part of. SamFYou have no idea. :D But I think you're missing the essence of what I'm saying. They legally cannot force you to do it. In those online porn videos, the girl knows exactly what she's getting into before she does it. She knows she will be having sex. She knows that it will be filmed. She knows that it will be put on the internet. Even if the waiver is presented afterward, they can't force her to sign it, and they can't show the footage unless she does sign it (Ok, they can, but both are criminal acts). In fact, in most cases, the waiver is signed before any filming goes on. They just pretend like it wasn't planned from the start. I'm not naiive enough to think this is always the case. But as you said, "The standard for due diligence in the porn industry is very high." Anonymous i agree that he shouldn't have gotten four years in prison for directing porn, if not real harm was done during the recording sessions. that is the question. if they haven't made any effort to know the answer to that, then it's quite weird. maybe they have i don't know. but having watched a lot of porn myself, i totally agree that the business should be more controlled and the actors more protected. especially the women in porn often seem to be in a very non-safe situation, having little ability to shield themselves. Daemon Anything that is legal to do, should be legal to film and distribute. And whether you like it or not, it's perfectly legal to perform a consensual pretend-rape with an adult woman who is pretending to be a little girl. Disturbing as hell to me and most other people… but legal. Honestly, I don't really see this as being that much differant thant the Saw series – which I will also never watch, for much the same reasons. #7 – If you need movies to teach you how to desire, something has gone seriously wrong… Anonymous I'm curious that so many people seem to have "come across" his films by accident, and all seem to have found it disgusting! You have to be searching in the darker side of the Web to find his movies, and I'll be honest enough to admit that I really don't find any of it objectionable; certainly not to the point of illegality! I hate to rain on the parade of the censorious, moral majority, but some girls do actually enjoy the treatment that people like Max mete out. That thought may be unpalatable, but it doesn't make it less true. The formative years of these girls lives have led them to a sexuality that most would find extreme, but just because their pleasure appears dependent on being abused and humiliated, makes it no less valid than that of the average man or woman who only ever indulges in missionary position sex. Merely because some people can't envisage getting their kicks in such a fashion, shouldn't be enough to imprison the man responsible for fulfilling their needs. The girls involved often appear in similarly themed pornography, so I would deduce that a pattern of behaviour is evident here. I can't understand why anyone would wish to be whipped for sexual gratification, but I'm tolerant enough to realise that human sexuality is a vast spectrum of tastes, and that no two people are identical in their erotic make-up. Who am I to say that mine is more valid than yours? Sex for humans is more psychological than physical, so if a girl is aroused by the concept of being abused in ways such as being urinated or ejaculated on, and myriad other indignities then maybe, just maybe, we should allow her that freedom. And if people find it so disgusting, don't watch it! It doesn't take long to work out the gist of his movies if you do happen to "stumble across" one, and seeing as Max was prosecuted for being obscene, if nobody watched, there could be no offence, in both senses of the word! I've often wondered why so many beautiful women would allow themselves to be degraded by some rather unpleasant people. I imagine that many times poverty, drug addiction or poor education are driving factors. What I think is obscene is that so many young women are poor, drug addicted and often badly educated in a country as wealthy as the US. If, as was not shown in court, the girls involved were unwilling participants in what would be tantamount to filming rape, then he is guilty of a crime. However, the prison term given was under arcane, ambiguous obscenity laws; laws which are by their very nature subjective. A slippery slope of precedents being set is a dangerous place to stand, because upon whose moral judgement are we to be tried? Ultimately, freedom of expression is under threat, and not just for the likes of Max who many find odious, but for us all. If we allow government agencies to pick on any individual for thought crimes, you could be next! N.B. Dropping bombs on people is obscene and inexcusable. Dropping bodily fluids on people may not be your cup of tea, but please don't call it obscene. Lauren O I think obscenity laws are bullshit, and generally I am the kind of person who thinks misogynistic porn should be criticized rather than censored, but I am having a hard time drumming up any sympathy for a man who actively spreads blatant misogyny. I have spent a lot of time arguing against the Dworkin/MacKinnon school of thought, but cases like these really make me reconsider my stance. I have a hard time believing the actresses are really and truly consenting. I have a hard time believing people would do this if they didn't have dire economic concerns. I know it is hard to draw a line between what is objectionable but ultimately acceptable and what is not at all acceptable, but I know which side of the line this kind of porn falls on. The photo of that woman with the smeared lipstick is literally making me sick to my stomach. I can't finish my breakfast. ill lich #129 CRAYONBEAMHold on, I think they aren't truly consenting NOT because of their gender, but because something in their eyes and faces and body language says so. Look at the photo of the girl above– is she enjoying this sexual experience? There are plenty of porn movies where you could look at the women in them and say unequivocally that they are clearly enjoying the experience, including many bondage/domination films. Max Hardcore films are another story altogether. Maybe they are actually just very good actresses, and this is all part of their craft, but I doubt it. As someone on Susanna Breslin's blog commented "These are not fictional portrayals of sexual torture and humiliation. They're really doin' it!" That's part of what porn is all about– it's not simulated sex like in a Hollywood movie with no penetration and sheets covering all the "action", it's SEX, and I'm fine with that, but I can no more defend Max Hardcore than I could defend pay-per-view live torture of suspected terrorists (and to digress, I bet there would be a huge market for that in the US). As many have noted here, this may not really be a 1st amendment issue at all, and the way the Bush DOJ went about trying this as an obscenity case implies either a certain ignorance, or a some ulterior intent. russ3llr @zuzu "The ends justify the means, eh?" Hmmm. Maybe. Some ends do justify some means. Maybe more that the law's a blunt instrument. A lot of people are put away for crimes less or different than those the prosecutors believe they've committed; legal prosecution's complicated and I get the impression sometimes you settle for what you can get. And NO, there must be NO LIMITS on what can be communicated via television, radio, film, online, or via any other medium of information exchange.(I'm aware that the above are two different arguments – I'm not trying to be weasel-y, both points seemed important) /@zuzu My first instinct is that censorship is bad, and that's where I started the article from. My second is that depicting the degradation of women for simple prurience (there's already a "literary merit" provision in the obscenity laws) is bad – That one's open to argument from the BDSM crowd. Then finally there's the implication that there was actual forced degradation, if not real rape, in the making of these films (@Lucien, @ill lich). That's just fucking evil. So I have mixed feelings about using obscenity laws to prosecute the guy, and even more mixed about weighting the dice by cherry-picking the state to prosecute in. But I'm glad the asshole is going to jail. russ3llr @deciusThankyou for a cogent, polite response to my point. It is clear that I am on the other side of your "bright line". I disagree, I think, on the slipperiness of the slope. I am someone who would hope to be able to make it "politically untenable to expand the scope of censorship any further" earlier rather than later but that is, and has to be, a public discourse. I hope that makes me a realist rather than a hypocrite. ophite Incidentally, the modern remains of obscenity laws are similar to the post-Lawrence remains of sodomy laws: they are unconstitutional unless applied in a manner that's otherwise constitutional. In several states with pre-MPC criminal codes (like Idaho and the South), prosecutors regularly use sodomy charges as a plea-only charge, or as an adjunct charge to another sexual assault charge. This works, of course, because 'nonconsensual sodomy' forms an exception to 'it is unconstitutional to criminalize consensual sodomy' in the same way that 'filmed depictions of a criminal act' forms an exception to 'it is unconstitutional to criminalize speech.' VICTOR JIMENEZ How hypocrite can get the US gob without looking just plain stupid? If it´s a movie with consenting adult and marketed to adults WHY it should be banned? Because some feel that they dont like THAT kind of porn? There is a great line in Goethe´s Faust that resumes it all: "We to chaste ears it seems must not pronounce What, nathless, the chaste heart cannot renounce." SamFActually it does need to imply that the pornographers (or their agents) drugged them against their will. The law doesn't recognize self-impairment due to drugs or alcohol as an excuse to void a legal contract. If you spike someone's drink with the intent to impair them, you are guilty of assault. If they just drink so heavily that they don't read the fine print, they are guilty of irresponsible behavior. And again, there ARE things that won't stand up in ANY contract (like if I sign a contract that allows you to kill me, you still can't kill me). So, for the final time before I head out for the night, I am all for the prosecution of Max Hardcore on charges of actual wrongdoing against any of his actresses or anyone else for that matter. But to prosecute someone for DEPICTING a crime, without actually committing a crime, is just crumbling away at the edges of freedom. Antinous The law doesn't recognize self-impairment due to drugs or alcohol as an excuse to void a legal contract. Yes it does. If you should reasonably have known that the person signing the contract was impaired, it would void the contract. The standard for due diligence in the porn industry is very high. FoetusNail My first post @45, IMNSHO, says it all. Despicable pieces of shit like Little, bring out the fascist in me. S'pose I should add, AND THAT IS PRECISELY why they went after Little. abb3w Those on both sides of whether rights are inalienable are overlooking they implicitly assume answers to a prior question that I've spent over two years meticulously considering and come up unable to give clearly, simply, and without circularity. (Not to mention millenia of philosophers unable to do better than Rand's horsefeathers….) What is meant by a "right", please? js7a I've got mixed feelings about the conviction for the ridiculous filth. But four years? That's more than the average time served for all violent crimes, where someone is actually hurt. Four months would have had the deterrent effect that the neocons were going for here. If you actually bother reading and comprehending the arguments instead of jumping on you high, emotional horses, you will see that no one on here is defending or remotely justifying what this guy is doing. To just blindly state this without even acknowledging the full range of arguments is insulting. Most people who 'defend' this guy are concerned that he only got his just desserts on obscenity charges, and rightly so. Yes, we do realize it takes him off the streets for a while; but it also takes the focus away from the people you are claiming to protect: the porn actresses. They are still out there, getting junk all over their faces (only by someone other than Max, perhaps better, perhaps worse). Only, you won't see it. This is not justice or respect for the actresses, do not kid yourself. Obscenity laws are meant to protect the PUBLIC (a.k.a YOU) from disturbing, ugly material. Again, it DOES NOT make these situations disappear. The message sent by this verdict isn't that we respect all women and that porn actresses should be viewed as real people and protected against coercion. The message is 'EEEW! This is ugly and it makes clean, decent people cry! Make it all go away!' That is what censorship does: Making bad things less visible so you can imagine they are actually gone. Censorship doesn't save people, it fools them. You are right, VAL: Prostitutes are no different. And the only reason prostitution is illegal is NOT because we care about women. It's because most of us hate to think and see that some people resort to it; because WE wouldn't. Nooo! We're WAY too proper and healthy and well-adjusted. So we BAN it, as if it makes it all better; for the women, for children… So prostitutes still exist out there, but they are driven in dark alleys, in bad neighbourhoods; they have no protection against rape and abuse because the 'good' people banned them as members of society. If we do the same thing with porn workers, we will drive them into the same, dangerous corner. The fact that someone like Max Hardcore can get arrested for 'obscenity' means that others will follow, including porn actresses. They will be increasignly treated like filthy, deranged people with no credibility or sense. Hardcore porn will still be distributed, you can bet on it, only underground where no control or monitoring will be done. Just like prostitutes, porn actress will still conduct their business, only in even more dire circumstances. In lieu of pointing fingers, wringing our hands and weeping like Madonnas, we could acknowledge that there are situations out there that we don't like but CAN'T ignore thanks to the cover of censorship. We could accept the sex industry (even the one that features kinky practices we don't approve of) as legitimate and allow for safety features, inspections, easier access to legal and judicial aid in the case of abuse, etc… But NO: Instead, sex workers can take comfort in knowing that there are people out there who really, really care for their dignity and safety and are ready to embrace them as people as soon as they get out their weird, disgusting, sad lifestyle. And while I'm at it, I see you were criticized several times in this thread; but THANK YOU XENI for not being afraid to bring up serious, disturbing topics to the table. I would bet that you were probably troubled by this story and perhaps shaken in your beliefs on censorship, hence why you brought it up. Boing Boing often instigate debates and I think it is interesting to see how many people back off from their principles (or from the table) the minute issues get ugly. Even if it raises the blood pressure a bit, I appreciate that BB treats it's readers like adults and allow them to debate on a wide range of topics. Stupendousman "Films do not give us what we desire, they teach us how to desire. As such, filth like this truly is obscene and I have no problem making it illegal. " Wow, talk about a fragile mind. I don't watch this stuff but it doesn't harm me. It doesn't harm you either. What I find filthy and obscene is people like you who want to go around dictating what and how others' should think. Anonymous To begin with, I can't believe Greenwald wrote his opinion without even viewing any of Hardcore's material. Perhaps it's a lawyer's desire to avoid an emotional reaction, but one should at least be familiar with the content one writes about. That being said, this is a phony controversy. The so-called "degradation" and "humiliation" that takes place in Hardcore's films is consensual, compensated, and probably even desired by the recipient as a peak experience. Hardcore's practices are well-known in the industry, and it is highly unlikely that the participants were unaware of what they were about to engage in, performers are paid by what they are willing to do. Can the same be said for the humiliation and degradation experienced by people in their day to day lives, which is mostly experienced as involuntary, undesired, and certainly not compensated? What about depictions of violence, real and imagined? From the history of the species, one can easily tell that these acts preceded the images of them. Yet, Breslin would have us believe that the images train us how to act. Hardcore is supposed to be indoctrinating us to degrade people. Yet, one would be hard-pressed to engage in the acts Hardcore depicts without express consent all around. Imagine trying to piss or vomit on someone you picked up at a bar without their consent. You would proably wind up in jail, or get the crap kicked out of you by them or their friends at a later date. Imagine trying to force someone you picked up at the bar to vomit or piss on you. In all probability, they would probably not oblige you. This whole controversy stems from a phony, romanticized version of sexuality that eschews the more primal or experimental outliers. Maybe the "sensitive" "story-line" pornos will be next. None of these issues were touched upon by the so-called authorities. Sekino The real problem is that people don't like the implications of all this. It means we might have to grow out of our adolescence and become adults. Choosing some things in moderation and eschewing others.See, that sounds like a complete contradiction to me. How are we supposed to 'grow out of our adolescence and become adults' while demanding a nanny state to make decisions for grown adults? AreNo. I, for one, don't view prostitution as 'free entrepreneurs'. However, I do think YOU are hoping for a fantasy world by wanting to shove situations and behaviours YOU find too ugly and disturbing to discuss with a cool head and real facts under the carpet. You seriously think that will make them all go away? It's been DONE. The illusion is to think that by marginalizing and further criminalizing the sex trade, we are helping women (and/or people… But from what I see, people are more upset when women are on the receiving end). You think the women who got puked on in Hardcore's movies are suddenly working in an ice cream store because he got sacked for 'obscenity'?? Whatever issue they had that compelled (or coerced) them to participate is still around now. They'll just move along, finding other gigs, possibly just as bad but perhaps less high-profile, whether it is because they have to feed a habit, a child OR because they like the money. Until we ask THEM, we don't know squat. I rather have prostitutes and porn stars being legitimized and kept in view so we CAN monitor for actual crimes. Because they are NOT illusions. They might not be a pretty, decent part of you little righteous world, but, oh well; if making them disappear makes you actually sleep better, carry on. One of the best ways to boost a publication's sales is to get it censored. Boiled Angel is a perfect example. "My publisher is selling more copies than ever," says creator Michael Diana. "Now they have them in stores." Twenty-five-year-old Diana holds the honor of being the first cartoonist in America to be convicted on obscenity charges. His comic book, Boiled Angel, graphically depicts serial slayings, date rapes, and priests engaged in pedophilia. Government officials in Florida, offended by the comic book, set up a sting operation in 1992 to get Diana. An undercover agent, posing as a fan, ordered Boiled Angel through the mail. It took the agents two years to send Diana a summons to appear in court on charges of publishing, distributing, and advertising obscene materials. The trial was held in Pinellas County during March 1994. The prosecution hired a crack team of expert witnesses to present its case. Two were professors from Eckerd College who claimed that Boiled Angel was void of artistic or literary merit. Expert psychologist Sidney Merin testified that Boiled Angel appealed to "deviant groups," including the "fringe element," the "bizarrely unstable," and "those who have a libertine bent in their thinking." The jury deliberated for two hours and returned a guilty verdict. Meanwhile, Diana spent three nights in jail in the Pinellas County's maximum-security unit awaiting sentencing. He received three years' probation, was ordered to perform 1,248 hours of community service, pay a US$3,000 fine, complete a psychology evaluation at his own expense, and take a course in journalism ethics, also at his own expense. But the shocker was Judge Walter Fullerton's decree forbidding Diana from drawing anything, even for his own personal use, that the judge might consider obscene. The case is on appeal. In June, Diana paid the court US$3,000 (given to him by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which is funding his defense and his appeal) to postpone his probation until after the appeal. Diana was pretty bummed, especially about the community service part of the sentence. "I don't like working for free," he said, but added: "The notoriety was worth the hassle." And the court's attempt to keep him from drawing whatever he wanted was useless, Diana says. "I kept my drawings hidden, anyway." Seriously, what is the problem here? Why does this guy have to go to jail if it was between consenting adults? If there was an issue of consent, then sure, but just because the porn is too filthy for your taste doesn't mean someone needs jail time. Are we still puritans? WTF? It wasn't even a snuff film. If you don't like it, don't watch it. It's not hard to avoid. I find mayonnaise revolting so I avoid it. No one's making you watch it. noen Cpt. Tim i'm still waiting on noens list of books to burn.What happens with issues like this is that someone usually says "Everyone should be FREEEEE!! Let's all just do whatever we want, however we want to. No rules! No laws!" Or only one law, "Do unto others…" I then say "No, we need limits, there need to be boundaries". It is my perception then that people tend to react 180 degrees to that. "You want to take away ALL our freedoms!" And so there tends to be a ping ponging between extremes. It's very frustrating, I often feel as though I'm not being heard and sometimes I'm less than polite, sorry about that. SamF there needs to be someone who has had something wrong done to them. A breach of contract. An assault. A death. An actual instance of harm. A crime. Those aren't the only laws we have. We have obscenity laws along with other laws that deal with social issues. Do drugs hurt no one but the user? We have the right to decide what kind of society we want to live in. We have the right to set limits, to say "no, you can't do that". I happen to believe that a culture in which drugs are legal, prostitution is legal, snuff porn were legal and so on, would be a very dysfunctional society. mumbo jumbo about how "the people" are harmed by this is something I'd expect out of China. I'm a democratic socialist, I believe in a mixed economy. I believe that the cult of the Self is a creation of corporate America. All the better to sell you eight different flavors of crap. Re: Sex workers What I can't help but hear is "Women should be treated like children and the mentally incompetent and not allowed to sign contracts and make decisions on their own." Non sequitur. I does not follow that saying the poor or disadvantaged are unable to make the same free choices others can is the same as saying they should not be allowed to make contracts. Zuzu this is a classic debate about natural rights What do you say? I'm uninterested in what wikipedia has to say. What is your argument? FoetusNail Ophite, I hope you are right and wish I had your knowledge and confidence in the system. zuzuFree speech is only for speech you disagree with. Even Stalin supported Free speech for speech he agreed with. This isn't enough in my book to jail Hardcore, but perhaps he could be more closely watched and regulated to ensure the subjects of his twisted movies truly are of proper mind when they are giving consent. I think your aversion to Max's work is pushing you into a dangerous black/white camp. The problem with Dworkin/MacKinnon (in many cases) is not their analysis and description, but their PRESCRIPTION. You can agree with parts of things while finding a lot of it objectionable, ya know? :P I definitely find Max Hardcores' work to be sick, degrading, and an abomination. It should be fought against. Where I disagree with Dworkin/MacKinnon is HOW and WHERE you fight against it. Obscenity laws, courts, criminal sentencing, etc. is NOT where you go. Just like it is not where you go for drugs or many other crimes. What drives this work? What drives people to consent? To take part? What in their background? What economic reasons? Etc. This is where the Dworkin school of thought, among others, provides plenty of insight. But all of that insight must be pulled together in a rational and reasonable manner to provide a genuine argument and strategy to fight this scourgeAnyway It's not that this guy makes it, it's that people are demanding it. That's what we need to be concerned about, rather than merely the expression of the attitude. Because, as someone else has pointed out, we're now engaged in an obscenity war that is analogous (and would be about as successful as) our war on drugs. And we know stopping the product won't stem the demand at all. gk I had prepared a long post to basically say : so many good advocates for such a bad cause, and then I read the Independent article mentioned above… read it and make your mind up, we are not talking about freedom, we are talking about legalized, merchandized violence using people that are in dire need of money and consideration. may that guy and the likes rot in jail. ill lich For those that might question whether this is indeed about rape and not really about the 1st amendment at all (although I know many of you want to discuss the 1st amendment– fair enough), please read the list of Max's nastiest scenes linked on Breslin's blog, although many are little more than urination (oy vey. . . mere urination, it hurts to say it), there are several where even the most forgiving of us would admit that the definition of rape has been met, as the women are clearly saying "no" or "stop" on camera and he ignores them or says "I don't care." Example from the list: "Bubble Butts 17 (1993) -Pamela Dee; In 1992, Little sent performer Pamela Dee to the emergency room at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank "after she suffered vaginal hemorrhaging during a taping," writes Nick Ravo in the 2/98 ICON magazine. Dee, a writer in Reno, Nevada told Ravo that Paul came up behind her and, without warning, rammed his fist into her vagina. "I never heard of anything like that done to anyone before. I felt ripped open. He also said he would pay my medical bills, but he never did. He could kill someone – he should be behind bars. But no one in the industry criticizes him because he makes a lot of money. He really screwed me up." – Lukeford.com" Jerril #17/#20, Wareagle: I think you're mistaking bad acting for "under the influence of something/in a daze". You don't have evidence of anything. At best, you have something that might be enough to encourage an investigation of the productions – but really, do you think this administration wouldn't be ALL OVER the chance that some of the actresses were really raped? They could tar the entire porn industry with the same "rapist" brush if they could do that. I think the fact that they HAVEN'T indicates it's been investigated, and discarded because the actresses really did consent. Whiteops @neon: "Bullshit. This typically libertarian critique is based on an ignorant understanding of human sexuality. Just as we have seen the abject failure of libertarian "free market" economics, we can also see the failure of libertarian ideas in the general culture." That is interesting, as Canada is a free market economy (mostly) and we are doing pretty well. I would avoid calling bullshit on things that you don't understand, such as calling down a platform of ideals due to the perception of failure on a single point within that ideal set. By your logic you should make robbery legal because the Republicans think it is wrong, and well look at what they did to the economy… That is a pretty basic fallacy in logic. But don't get me wrong, I still hate the Republicans, I was just trying to make a point. And if you were just trolling, well, you got me. Also more on topic, I disagree that this is even bad for society, if you look at these stats you may notice that the coloration between media control over pornography and actual instances of rape per capita are practically non existent. Denmark and Germany are at about the same level as Thailand, and the control over pornographic material is rather divergent in policy for those nations. I feel that the law should not interfere in matters where there is no direct victim, and in this case you would be hard pressed to find one I think. Bill Albertson You know, it is ironic that some folks on this site were totally up in arms over some Imam or Mullah trying to force women to cover everything but a single eye, and then folks gotta have a major freakout over whether some other women consenting to be filmed while taking part in some nasty BDSM/fetish play are being obscene. Um, do women have the right to make these decisions on what to do in their free time, or don't they? Or is it only on Imam day, or do we trade off between readers' opinions on different days? Who really has the right to tell adult women what to do consensually? Oh, yeah, the women themselves do. Quit trying to stand up for them. They are big people, they know what they are doing, and they chose to do it on their terms with some older guy in a cowboy hat. You think the DA in this case didn't track down every single actress and try to induce them to testify against him? Nobody with an axe to grind? Nobody looking for a payday saying "Ah wuz so abusehd!"? No? DA's do check out that sort of thing, you know. And if they can't find some means of positive inducement, they are pretty good at using negative inducements as well. But the DA couldn't even dredge up some kind of other crime like prostitution or possession vs the actresses to compel any kind of testimony against him -much less threats of using CPS vs their families, etc. No, all the DA could get was obscenity in a completely different part of the country. Keep that in mind when deciding who is being exploited here. And, yes, there are plenty of women and men who do stuff like this all the time. They usually don't film it though. Try doing some street level AIDS education and find out what some people do for kicks before you start judging everyone by your personal metric, is all I've got to say. A couple of years doing that really opened my eyes up to what people do consensually. SamF Noen, please don't change my words around. I said that BDSM was another form of consensual sex that many people find obscene, which could be prosecuted under obscenity laws. Bald assertion is not an argument. You have presented no reasons to justify your ideology. Logic is not an ideology. A or NOT A is a simple logical statement. My shirt is black, or it's NOT black. I either am free, or I'm NOT free. Grey is NOT black. Mostly free is NOT free. I suppose my own words would be inadequate in describing freedom to you, so I'll offer the words of Nobel Laureat Milton Friedman: The essence of political freedom is the absence of coercion of one man by his fellow men. I'll let you read the wikipedia article on Political Freedom, if you want to see what Friedrich Hayek says about what freedom is NOT. wylkyn I know that a lot of people have a hard time believing that actresses would do this of their own free will. But what you and I find objectionable (and I do find his work disgusting) other people might view as just funny. I know that might be shocking, but hey…lots of various opinions out there other than yours. Is yours the "right" one? I don't get the impression that porn actors and actresses spend a whole lot of time agonizing over what is misogynistic. I imagine the thought process is probably something along the lines of, "You'll pay me $1000 to be barfed on? Pffftt…no problem!" As for the talent required to act dazed and out of it…that's not exactly the most challenging emotion to realistically portray. It sounds to me as if some of you are looking for reasons to be okay with this verdict. I would be interested if the prosecution asked any of his actresses if they felt abused or degraded. I'm guessing that they didn't. This was a trial about obscenity, after all. Who is the victim here? Anonymous Is anything obscene? That's the question that needs to be answered honestly before any other conversation can continue. Is there anything that is beyond the bounds of decent behavior. It's interesting to note that even Max Hardcore said that there are some things beyond the bounds of decency. If you watch/listen to his interview on Howard Stern prior to the obscenity trial, he says that "throwing a girl off a cliff after having sex with her" is too far. He wouldn't do it. What won't you do? What's too far for you? The answer to that question speaks volumes about you. Anonymous what's the male/female split on opinions here? e_to_the_m I've watched several clips from Little's work and it makes me physically ill every time. His work is hateful and exploitive and I don't understand how any person could watch it and feel aroused. I think it's disgusting and repugnant and would be happier if I'd never seen it. It makes me sad that my little girl is growing up in a world where this type of film can make money. That being said, I have to agree with Kobo (#6). Just because I, and others, are horrified by this man's work does not mean it should be illegal. I kind of wish it did, but it doesn't. Anonymous Not to trump the thoughtful analysis, here, but– ME: 15-year-old rape victim Dad, cops, doctors, etc: "Your life is over!" ME: (lungs still working) "um, really? How long will I live?" Sure, rape and sexual coercion suck, and can be traumatic forever. I find murder, however, (a much bigger fear during a stranger-attack) far worse! Yet modern western censorship condemns a naked butt while celebrating wholesale violence including heartless murder and fountains of blood and guts… I just don't get it! If we can critically examine murder in all its subtlety, surely we can do the same for sex, no matter how deplorable most of us (including me) find his content. After all, lots of people like Dexter, CSI, and similar — doesn't mean they do anything even slightly nasty ever. Sekino @ FNC: Anyway Thank youI couldn't agree more. Funny that while I vehemently defend the necessity (NOT as much a right) to keep freedom and transparency of expression, I would personally never submit myself to watching Hostel or Saw because I know it would be a highly negative experience (Same reason I've never watched A Clockwork Orange; even if it is a classic). But it is a decison I make for myself because I know myself. And if the truth is that a LOT of people sit and eat popcorn while watching these, then who am I to deny it… Brandon Abell Taking advantage of the mentally ill, and this guy's crap does that on many levels, should be a crime. You don't even need to get into the obscenity argument. I am also split between amusement and horror that some people here seem to think there's some magical switch that gets flipped 18 years after you leave your mother's body that suddenly turns something that should be a crime into something that shouldn't. Consumers of Little's "work" are most certainly in the realm of pedophilia. Saying it is something different just because these are "consenting adults" is like saying that many/most fans of Ultimate Fighting aren't watching it for the violence, just because the participants are "consenting adults." Crash! Bang! anyone struck by the irony of the "dirty jobs" promo at the top of the page? Catmother I will admit I haven't read this comment thread in its entirety, but I did at least ctrl+f'd to make sure I am contributing something new: brief, telling excerpts on Max Hardcore from David Foster Wallace's essay "Big Red Son." The 15th Annual AVN Awards are actually split over two consecutive nights, a tactic that Max H. [Hardcore] thought the legit Oscars would do well to emulate: "Get all the bullshit out of the way the first night — best packaging, marketing, best gay, shit like that. Who wants to sit through that shit?" Good old Max Hardcore, for instance, is a total psychopath — that's part of his on-screen Gonzo persona — but so is the real Max/Paul Steiner [Little]. You'd almost have to have been there in that suite. Max sits holding court in his hat and pointy boots, looking at once magisterial and mindless, while his red-suited acolytes laugh on cue [...] but the Premiere photographer, who is no actor, does such a poor job of disguising his repulsion at Max's self-regard that the atmosphere of the whole suite gets stilted and complexly hostile, and the rest of the interview is kind of a fizzle-yield, and overall Dick Filth [a composite adult industry journalist that may or may not have been Generation Kill author Evan Wright] said that we failed, in his phrase, to "penetrate the core of the essence of what it is to be Max Hardcore." Here at the footnote to this is where it gets interesting: (Apparent pun accidental … although one of your corresps. [i.e. Wallace in a weird "1st person plural" conceit he keeps up for the whole length of the essay.], on receiving Filth's overall review in the fleeing taxi, responded that surely we had penetrated as far into the core of Max as any sentient organism could ever want to penetrate. Filth's subsequent rebuttal, which consisted mainly of a long string of unsubstantiatable Max Hardcore stories, is, for basic legal reasons, here omitted.) I add this mainly because it's nice to hear what a dearly departed author has said about this guy, but also because (despite the obvious concerns for 1st Amendment precedent) it's worth entering further hearsay of this man's pariah status in the adult film world. This being the internet and all. Someone hunt down Evan Wright's take on this! zuzu Finally Then what's professional boxing? or Ultimate Fighting Championship? or American football, even? How is it assault if you consent to someone paddling you, but not assault if you consent to someone drilling into your teeth or cutting you with a scalpel? This stuff is obscene. All porn is. I think drawing a line is pointless, stupid, and impossible. But drawing a line about what is or is not "porn" isn't pointless? OnThe problem with USC 2257, in addition to its Sarbanes-Oxley like bureaucratic pointlessness, is that it stigmatizes actors who work in pornography. Child pornography (i.e. using actors under the age of 18) was already illegal (c.f. the Traci Lords scandal). L33tminion If anything is obscene, this dude's work is. Of course, I'm sure some will argue that nothing is obscene or that obscenity shouldn't be a crime, but I think they made the right call on this one. noen kuanes Please think before you post some of things you do. You have some of the most ill-informed opinions on human nature, sociology, politics, etc. My opinions are highly informed, they just aren't yours. I mean, read that stuff out loud to yourself. Do you realize how nonsensical this stuff is? "…our beliefs and our very identities are easily shifted and mutated." Beliefs, opinions, attitudes are routinely manipulated by our social net. The people around us, media, advertisements, religious dogma, government propaganda, all of these contribute to how we perceive ourselves. They even determine how we perceive reality, literally. It is my argument that because we are not the rational monads some would have us believe, that we are deeply embedded in our social group, that we should therefore be careful about the kinds of media we permit within society. I'm not against all porn, just this particular pornographer and his work. "Films do not give us what we desire, they teach us how to desire." I do not make idle statements. The full quote is from Slavoj Zizek's "The Pervert's Guide To Cinema": "Cinema is the ultimate pervert art. It doesn't give you what you desire – it tells you how to desire"How can this be? Who I am, my desires, my needs, even my thoughts, are hard coded into my brain. Not so. The World is not simply what it is. We tell the world. Change the narrative and you change the world, within limits of course. Stupendousman I don't watch this stuff but it doesn't harm me. Ah but it does harm you, just as America torturing goat herders in Afghanistan harms you. Just as the constant drum of violence in the media that debases your culture harms you. obscene is people like you who want to go around dictating what and how others' should think. I'm not dictating anything to anyone. I'm suggesting that there exists a dialectic between absolute free speech and censorship. You on the other hand are mired in binary, everything is all black or all white, stinkin' thinkin'. Free your mind from your binary chains. So what should we limit about you? I have all kinds of limits placed on me here and in real life. Do you think there should be no limits at all? I doubt that. Well then, if there must be limits in order to have a functional self or society then where should we place them? Shouldn't we talk about that? Isn't that what we are doing now? I think this particular pornographer and his work is beyond the pale and should be banned. I don't have a problem with most run of the mill porn, though I suppose I wouldn't know, I don't watch seek it out so what do I know. I advocate balance in all things. This porn, this man, is out of balance. I reject it. Not because I don't like it, because it is harmful. I'm also in favor of limiting TV violence for the same reasons, it causes real harm. Re: the hypocrisy of prosecuting consensual acts when engaged in torture. As I thought I made clear, the hypocrisy of those in authority is no excuse for material that causes harm. That the police abuse their authority is no excuse to throw bricks at them. That is a childish, adolescent response. Your criticism is based on a false view of human nature. People are not rational monads. We are social, so much so that our beliefs and our very identities are easily shifted and mutated. Propaganda works, advertisements work, they create demand where none existed before. The Self is not located in your head, it is spread around in your social net. That is why we were able to take detainees and virtually wipe their minds clean and install in them new beliefs, a new identity. People need limits, societies need limits. That's what culture is. Otherwise you're just a troop of monkeys shitting on each other. noen Stupendousman @ 93 That which directly harms another person should be actionable, everything else is permissible. Yes, that is one ideology. I'm not convinced such a world would be a desirable place to live in. Furthermore, no one actually lives this way. If it were true then there would be no need at all for rules and moderators online. But we find that we do need such rules. Therefore your proposition is false. This is what I mean by fantasy, an ideology that structures reality, but there is a gap. People don't actually live this way but maintain the fantasy for psychological reasons. Eventually the illusion cannot be held, reality intrudes and the structure collapses. How much better then to avoid all that and just deal with problems straight off? SamF @ 104 you have to convince a jury that there HAS been harm The pragmatic reality is that if you have to show real intent to cause harm you end up with a broken legal system. Besides, I think the videos themselves are evidence of harm done to the body politic. It was solely the responsibility of the person committing the crime to "pull the trigger" as it were. I've already said that I don't accept that we are rational actors utterly alone, adrift in society. What you have said makes sense only within the ideology that the Self is utterly unique and individual and separate from society. That doesn't mean that I have gone all the way to the other extreme, that we are legion, come join us. There is a dialectic. Exactly where along that dialectic is best is up for discussion. Why is it that becuase the explicit agreement involves the exchange of money, it's suddenly wrong? To paraphrase the Carlin quote from above, if selling is legal and sex is legal, why isn't selling sex legal? If sex is legal and having children is legal then why isn't having sex with children legal? George Carlin is a comedian not a philosopher but the short answer is "because it is degrading to you and to society". TheSamF My point is that it didn't need to be about the 1st amendment, the justice department made it about rights and censorship when they could have just charged the guy with rape Exactly. That's exactly the problem. Rape is a crime. If he has raped someone, then put him in jail for that. But this case is not about rape. It's about him selling videos of things that he did to women with their consent. Another good example. If he has done some provable harm to the people that work for him, then by all means, arrest, prosecute, and incarcerate him. I'd love to see that trial. This trial was not about that. This trial was about whether the images in his videos were suitable for you or I to view. And I won't have someone else making that decision for me. I have already long ago made the conscious choice that his type of pornography is not enticing to me. I've already censored him in my house and in my mind. And all adults should be free to do the same. It's not about whether we should actually see these images or not. It's about whether we should have the freedom to consciously choose to see them. If the actual acts that he performs are crimes, then prosecute him for those. But the DOJ consciously chose to make this not about rape or abuse, but about censorship. It disgusts me that people are trying to defend this guy. I suppose most of you have not attempted to watch one of his movies. I won't speak for everyone else, but as for myself, I am not defending "this guy". I'm defending a right. An idea. If we say that "this guy" should go to jail for distributing "this type" of pornography, then you can substitute any name and any type of porn into those quotes. You could say that "Hugh Heffner" should go to jail for distributing "tasteful softcore" pornography. I'm not defending "this guy". I am, in essence, defending myself. And you. And anyone else out there who might be doing something that "the collective" may decide is "obscene" or "tasetless" or "morally unsound". defending Exactly the point here. There IS a clear difference between killing someone vs. having rough sex with them. There IS a clear difference between having sex with someone incapable of entering into a legal contract vs. having sex with someone who's signed a contract to consent to certain sexual acts. The important distinction is that my rights end where yours begin. I may have the right to want to see someone bleed. I do NOT have the right to make you bleed just to satisfy my desire. But I CAN express that desire to you, and if you say "I kind of like pain actually. So if you hurt me a little, we will both get something out of it." That's the whole idea of the BDSM scene. Shall we lock them all up? How far do we go there? Do I go to jail too because my wife likes it when I spank her now and thenNo, they evolved because I can't possibly produce all of the goods and services that myself and my family require to live. So I go to my neighbor who raises chickens and offer him some of my wheat in exchange. And I go to a neighor who makes clothes and offer to help him repair his house. But if my two neighbors find out that my wife was sick, but she got better all on her own, does that give them the right to come burn her as a witch? This "we get to pass judgement on you and decide your fate" mentality is exactly the kind of thing that led to the witch trials, and book burnings, and all sorts of other nasty "colectivist" activitiesAbsolutely false. You either believe that I have the right to my own freedom of choice, or you don't. There's no grey area. As soon as you say "we'll all decide together", you're taking away my right to decide for myself. Even if it's just sometimes. You've already stated your position. You're against freedom. You're opposed to individuality. You don't believe that human beings should be able to live their lives separate from their community. I won't mention some of the "great leaders" of history who thought the same way for fear of having this thread Godwin'd. And comparing a stripper (someone who willingly sells a service to people who willingly come seeking that service and offer an exchange of money for that service) to a rioter throwing a bag of urine (an act of physical assault committed against someone against their will) is a leap of the utmost willful ignorance. It is this type of logical fallacy that "collectivists" have to resort to in order to attempt to restrict individual liberty. But it is a treason of the mind to accept these falacies as fact and give your freedom up for the illusion of safety and security. Anonymous My god, our freedom of speech is being so infringed upon it's unbelievable! Let me just say, "First they came for the deepthroat gag and sh!t and p!ss porn producers, I said nothing…." ;-) buddy66 I've followed this thread for a few days with a high degree of interest generated not by the subject or its broader implications, but by the quality of the exchanges between participants. It's as heavy a discussion as I've come across on bb, with a minimum of tomfoolery and silliness. Bravo to all! FTW, however, it is NOEN. She knows more about cultural anthropology than the rest of you put together. You dismissed or ignored the importance of what she calls "the social net." I only wish she had elaborated. Anonymous If they prosecuted Paul Little on behalf of some his former performers because he really didn't coerce them then that would be one thing. They didn't. Because this DoJ that defends torture doesn't really care about that. This in a dangerous encroachment upon first amendment rights. I was shocked, disturbed and more than a little frightened when I found out about this. ophite Sekino: A lot of capital letters does not make a good argument. There are effective, legitimate ways in which to discourage the sexual exploitation of women: define the harm; find the victim; write the law. Traditional sexual exploitation jurisprudence thinks that (for instance) prostitution somehow harms the society by tempting men to become johns. This is a crock of shit. By and large, the person harmed is the prostitute: many turn their money over to pimps; all have no legal recourse when abused by their johns. Decriminalize prostitution. Brutally discourage pimps. Decriminalize acting in a pornographic film. Brutally discourage directors whose stock-in-trade is filmed rape. This drives the people actually harming people underground while depriving them of their main source of control over their victims. It's not rocket science. Cpt. Tim the bottom line should always fall on what is actually happening. and not what is being depicted. media of all forms depicts a variety of crimes. A good previous example is torture porn. In fact a few violent movie directors have been investigated in the past because the authorities couldn't believe what they were seeing were just special effects. but they were just effects and acting, and when that was bore out, all charges were dropped. they were investigated in regards to what actually happened. Not some law about what is moral or immoral to simulate. W. James Au Thanks for bringing up Breslin's reporting, Xeni, Max Hardcore's stuff is truly disturbing. I don't think it would pass the "California" definition of obscenity in even the most liberal region of the country. (Actually, given Hardcore's utter hatred of women, it's probably more offensive in, say, San Francisco or Cambridge, than anywhere else.) I'm a First Amendment absolutist, but it was still nice to see Hardcore weeping like a pathetic little bitch in front of a female judge. Cpt. Tim "I have a hard time believing the actresses are really and truly consenting. " Me too, there is a distinct difference between his porn and other "rough" porn. Ashley blue does a lot of rough porn but i rarely feel like she's anything but into it. I think rather than looking into what was being shown, they should have looked into what actually happened. Interviewed the actresses extensively. If they ever said no and things went bad and they were offered more money or coerced at all. buying someone out doesn't equal consent. lowestfi If it's a case of rape, then it should be tried as rape. Censoring disgusting videos eats away at our rights and covers up the true problem. If this guy is a rapist, the people in the video probably need therapy of some sort. Throwing this guy in jail under obscenity charges doesn't help anything. Takuan there's a difference? MaxIsKing what tastes better an apple or an orange? well… that would be a matter of opinion, the same goes for what is obscene. using and interpreting the law to force your personal political ideals on to other people is obscene. making people out to be monsters and trying to ruin their life just because you dont like what they are doing is obscene. sentencing a person to 4 years in jail as part of a pathetic attempt to make an example of them and scare off other would be producers goes beyond obscene, its bordering on a dictatorship. For fuck sake! Are they really going to suggest that max put his girls though more pain than mike tyson did to his opponents? Hell no! But I dont see boxing being made illegal. Ignatz I think the sticking point here is the apparent consensuality of the acts being performed. Little's work shows him as a predator, going out and finding little girls to humiliate. The performers do not appear to be engaging in something consensual. He's creating elaborate rape fantasies. The acts themselves are shocking, but not too far removed from what Ashley Blue or Audrey Hollander might do in one of their videos. The difference is that Ashley Blue and Audrey Hollander come across as actively enjoying the acts, while Little's actresses do not. Little has been accused of getting his actresses drunk or stoned before shoots, and before getting them to sign the consent forms. I think there should be more investigation into how sober these young women were when they agreed to work with him. Nothing wrong with BDSM, rape fantasy, etc., but it's gotta be consensual. Provably so, if necessary. desiredusername One part of the post says 4 years and another says 46 months. Which is it? "Adult film director Max Hardcore sentenced to 4 years in prison on obscenity charges" anyone else see the irony in the "dirty jobs" promo at the top of the page? desiredusername I'm an idiot. Xeni Jardin @desiredusername, all is forgiven. pduggie " What is obscene to one is fine to another, it is a subjective analysis of the material." I doubt that. Obscene is that which appeals to a prurient interest. Some people may be fine with their prurient interest, but that doesn't make it not prurient. People who like to see this stuff are horrible people. full stop. Brandon Abell @36: Just to clarify your logic, what if Little's videos were sold as "instructional" videos? Would those be ok? If not, then what makes that substantively different enough than what he is doing now to make that a crime and these not? What I'm getting at is that "consent" (which is a much more nebulous topic than you give it credit for) isn't really at issue here. kuanes @NOEN – For the past 12 to 14 months, I've seen most of your comments here on BoingBoing, so I'll consider myself something of an expert on your doublespeak: Please think before you post some of things you do. You have some of the most ill-informed opinions on human nature, sociology, politics, etc. "…our beliefs and our very identities are easily shifted and mutated." "Films do not give us what we desire, they teach us how to desire." I mean, read that stuff out loud to yourself. Do you realize how nonsensical this stuff is? I'm not trying to flame you, but I grow weary of your self-aggrandizing, self-righteous drivel that you seem to post on a consistent basis. In regards to this BB article, the very ability for you to spout fabrications and non sequiturs in the comments is employed by Max Hardcore. He makes a statement with his films (no matter how repugnant he may be to you) just as you make statements like "The Self is not located in your head, it is spread around in your social net." Sheesh. desiredusername Thank you, Xeni. SamF The creation of a Max Hardcore film necessarily involves criminal conduct, What criminal conduct? And if there was, why wasn't he tried for that? That's exactly the important issue in this case. That whatever this guy actually DID or did NOT do, what he was charged with was "knowingly use[ing] an interactive computer service … in and affecting interstate commerce for the purpose of selling and distributing an obscene matter" ( It wasn't for performing any of the depicted acts, or even for filming them. It was for selling the videos. THAT is what is wrong in this picture. Hell, from the Salon article, one of the quotes was: "The person that was involved in the conduct sat [in court] with a smile on her face and wrote your honor a letter saying, 'Judge, this was a beautiful part of my life.'" Did they pay her off? Coerce her? Is she a broken and sick individual? I don't know. All I know is that he wasn't put on trial for any actual criminal conduct, and as soon as they start using a vague concept like "obscenity" to convict people, we're all potential targets. Anonymous No no no. Max Hardcore is a piece of sh*t and some decent people took him out. Although we love to glorify our elaborate system of laws, the real world does not run on the lines of the constitution. You play with fire you get burned. Simple as that. zuzu I am also split between amusement and horror that some people here seem to think there's some magical switch that gets flipped 18 years after you leave your mother's body that suddenly turns something that should be a crime into something that shouldn't. But if anything, it's the relatively new social construction of "adolescence" which has extended "childhood" past the age of puberty to 18 years. I agree there's no magic switch at 18, also including for drinking alcohol, or smoking, or driving, or flying an airplane, or gun ownership, or voting. Citing "pedophilia" (or more accurately "ephebophilia" perhaps conflates the real issue: consent. How can the degree of ability of consent be detected? I think by focusing on the problem of determining consent can both legitimate sex work and youth rights be reconciled. desiredusername Exactly..what is the difference? They are both two overly agressive sociopathic men. Only I don't think they can convict Francis of Obsenity…. yet. pduggie "I suspect sales and viewership of Hardcore's "work" will increase dramatically given his arrest and media exposure. By attempting to censor his expression (foul though it may be), the court has promoted it better than Max ever could have." No! No! It will have a chilling effect! Thing of all the other Hardcores of the world who will not make their disgusting films. That's the true loss. Takuan what is the purpose of his films? Who buys them? Who watches them? Why? FoetusNail Despicable pieces of shit like Little, bring out the fascist in me. Despicable hypocrits like those populating the DoJ, leave me disgusted and embarrassed. Please, please bring on the sleepy-headed kittens. Anonymous It's always OK to do to women what you would never agree to do to any other class of person. If you think it's right, just insert "black person" into every sentence instead of "woman" or "girl." Suddenly, it's a hate crime, which is what this man's work is, plain and simple. I hope he's raped in prison, repeatedly. Lauren OOh wow, this is exciting. I've been called a feminist cunt and PC thought police, but I have not yet been called a misogynist. An Internet first! Let me elaborate. First of all, there is a coercion factor. Women are more susceptible to economic coercion than men, having fewer economic options than men do. This is especially true for poor women. A woman who consents in full consciousness to appear in one of these films only because she desperately needs money is not, by my definition, "really and truly consenting." In addition to that, please read through this thread and you'll see tons of examples where consent becomes even blurrier when drugs are introduced into the mix, not to mention the many examples of blatant rape. But yes, by all means, put him behind bars for rape and crimes against women, as that is what is really wrong with these videos. Obscenity laws are bullshit; what is obscene is misogyny and rape. And put him behind those bars for a much longer time than 4 years. (If the jail time for obscenity charges is longer than the jail time for multiple rape offenses, I am going to cry and then die.) Kyle Armbruster My $0.02: 1) This stuff is obscene. All porn is. I think drawing a line is pointless, stupid, and impossible. 2) Living in Japan, I've seen some pretty horrific stuff that I simply do not believe to have been produced consensually. I hear real terror in the "actresses'" voices, and I suspect very strongly that girls are tricked into signing some waiver or, even worse, coerced/threatened into signing one after the fact. The Yakuza runs the porn industry over here, and if you had any brains at all, you'd take their threats seriously and decide to leave "raped and humiliated" as good enough–no need to add "beaten to death" to the list. I haven't seen Little's stuff, and don't care to, but this is much more important an issue than the record he produces with his cameras. 3) On4) Finally Here is a guy who has released movies depicting real-life violence against women. Waiver or not, strictly legally speaking, that is a crime. Going to jail for obscenity: bad idea. Going to jail for beating up women: totally appropriate. And I think that's really what he's going to jail for, so fuck that guy. desiredusername It makes me sad that you couldn't see that difference, Tak. pduggie I should start a farm. As a condition of working on the farm, you agree that I have the right to beat you, on film, if I find your work unsatisfactory. I'll pay you a lot, but I get to beat you. Then I go to Mexico and hire people to work on my farm. When I beat them and sell the films, first amendment voluptuaries will come rushing to my defense! SamF Well, I guess I've rambled and repeated myself enough for one subject (albeit an extremely important one). Thanks all for the intelligent and honest discourse. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to exceed the speed limit on my way home to spank my wife, and then watch 2 girls 1 cup while I relax with a J. :D Anonymous I used to work the warehouse for Circuit City when I was in college. I hated that job and my boss treated me terribly. I really didn't want to work there but I needed the money. All things considered, it was degrading and humiliating and, if not for the money, I would not have done it. I'm sure I wasn't the only one. When's the DOJ going after Circuit City? Killing people and eating them is illegal. When is the DOJ going after Anthony Hopkins for playing Hannibal Lechter in movies? Whenever people say that a society needs limits to what consensual activities it allows; the "as long as those limits comply with my own moral code" is almost always left silent. Why is that? It is very easy to ignore 1st amendment rights when you loathe the material in question. It's also easy to say censorship is "good for society" when you dislike the material being censored. Not too long ago, homosexual relationships between consenting adults were illegal for a lot of the same reasons for banning Hardcore's work I've seen tossed about in this thread. Homosexuals were once put in jail too. It's somehow different because one situation is offensive to you yet the other isn't? Lot's of folks still consider homosexuality to be obscene. Should we go back to jailing them for the good of society? I truly do not understand the mind that embraces censorship. I've seen Max Hardcore's work in the past. I didn't like it. Just the smell of puke would put me off of sex instantly and I don't find humiliating another person to be arousing. I didn't watch it again. Never once did I think, "That guy should be in jail for making pornography that I don't enjoy." Sekino My concern with obscenity laws, on top of the ones already mentioned, is that I actually don't want to see this sort of filth (I am trying to find another, more objective term, but I am failing) further driven underground. There is no doubt that such material is absolutely revolting and nauseating, but it IS out there and throwing some blanket obscenity law upon it doesn't actually make it disappear. If anything, it creates a false 'out of sight, out of mind' sense of control that accomplishes nothing (aside from having the impression that our world is a whole lot cleaner than it really is). I agree that we need to ensure that the people involved are indeed adults and consenting beyond all reasonable doubts. However, dismissing the entire thing as illegal just shoves it in the dark further from proper inspection, regulation and public vigilance. I understand that it is difficult for most (including myself) to conceive that anyone would participate in such acts without coercion. But we must be willing to keep the dialogue opened and two-sided so that everybody involved is protected by and from the law no matter what they choose for themselves. "films(…)teach us how to desire" I'd be more willing to bet that out upbringing, education and interpersonal relationships (and no genetic sociopathic tendencies, if they do exist) teach us how to desire. If films were the foremost influence on North Americans' drives, we'd have become a smoking wasteland long ago. zuzu Not because I don't like it, because it is harmful. I'm also in favor of limiting TV violence for the same reasons, it causes real harm. No causal relationship has been proven in this matter either. Again, you advocate for thoughtcrime and mental hygiene. People need limits, societies need limits. That's what culture is. Otherwise you're just a troop of monkeys shitting on each other. Then how did culture emerge before the very concept of authority was invented? Culture originates from within each of us "monads" (our individual tastes, preferences, and morals — which are all really the same thing), and emerges with how we interact based on those individual differences in subjective interpretation. (c.f. methodological individualism, perspectivism, value pluralism) The point being: culture is not top down (with "limits"), it's bottom-up with emergent consent. Sekino Sekino: A lot of capital letters does not make a good argument. No, but it grabs the attention enough so perhaps someone actually reads the arguments through. At least, it made you respond, which I appreciate. I'd rather not use caps, but some people have a tendency to skim over important subtilities. And by your response, I see we can agree on many points. mdh Films do not give us what we desire, they teach us how to desire. No Noen. Prohibition teaches us how to desire. Anonymous I haven't watched any clips of this guy's stuff, but I'd like to weigh in as someone into BDSM as a bottom. Yes. There are people in the world that get off on being degraded and violated. The key to all of it is that it's consensual. That dazed/drugged out appearance could be what's called sub-space. It's a state of mind you enter that's quite similar to many types of drugs when you're into such things. I've been flogged to the point of an out-of-body experience. I was expecting more from you boingboing commenters. Restrictions on speech? And what about the Maker/Creative Commons bent? This porn gets made because someone is watching it. Go ahead and ban it. It'll just be passed around on torrent networks. Then the homemade stuff will get passed around. You can't legislate human nature. sg Now that the feds have claimed this scalp, maybe they will go after Genki next. Because if you think it's disturbing to watch Max peeing on a skinny 25-year old with smeary makeup, you'll probably want to gouge your eyes out when you see what that woman does with all those goldfish. The moral of this story is: people everywhere are f**ked in the head about sexuality, and applying laws to pretend that it ain't so isn't going to make anyone have healthier attitudes about it. Stupendousman "The Self is not located in your head, it is spread around in your social net." Yes, I think part of our identity is defined by our culture but to state that it's totally a construct of it is stupid. The word means the exact opposite of what you're saying. Seems like you're projecting to me. I've followed the idea that what you do when no one is watching is what defines you, that your worse deed, not your best is how you should be judged. So what should we limit about you? Sister Y But yes, by all means, put him behind bars for rape . . . , as that is what is really wrong with these videos. Obscenity laws are bullshit . . . . (If the jail time for obscenity charges is longer than the jail time for multiple rape offenses, I am going to cry and then die.) Yes. This. Though I think that misogyny is not "obscene," in the sense of "worthy of criminal sanctions" – just the rape part. If a rapist gets raped in prison, we have a hard time feeling sorry for him. But rape is still wrong. If George W. Bush were prosecuted for obscenity, yeah, I'd have a hard time feeling like it was a big injustice, but obscenity laws are still wrong. Basically I want to live in a world where rapists go to prison, but the kink.coms of the world can go about their business in peace. deciusTo acknowledge that fundamental right is not a retreat from complexity and the fact that one can find offensive ideas does not make this question complicated. Where you stand on this line is important and where you stand on this conviction is important. This conviction was for thought crime … for thinking and expressing an inexpressible idea. It is the first such conviction in a major federal program which is designed to target people for thought crimes. This conviction is a precedent and it will bring more prosecutions and more convictions for thought crime. If you look the other way because you don't like this guy or you don't like his films or you are concerned that there might be some other crime that was committed here that ought to be illegal, you are giving tacit approval to a federal anti-obscenity program as well as copy-cat prosecutions by state agencies. Those programs will target movies, books, articles, poetry, websites, zines, comics, and music. The scope of what is prohibited will expand and expand until it becomes politically untenable to expand it any further – until enough people are opposed to what is going on that the program must be reigned in. Obviously the conviction of this film maker provides a news event upon which those who abhor this kind of material are going to reflect. If there are legitimate criticisms of this kind of material, or there are legitimate concerns that people were mistreated by this film maker, I think the people who have those concerns ought to find another way to address them than supporting this prosecution outright. This case is a cornerstone in reestablishing the legitimacy of political control over speech in America, and failure to oppose that will ultimately have great consequences, notwithstanding any legitimate concerns which might be raised about these particular films. duncitstrue This makes me sick, but that's not the point. Who decides what is obscene? Who decides? If nobody liked what this guy does he wouldn't be in business. And prosecuting using the "well they didn't really consent to THAT" brings the rest of tamer porn into question as well. If the actors are being blackmailed or otherwise railroaded into doing this stuff then prosecute that. The problem with prosecuting "obscenity" is that it opens the door to anything being considered obscene. I'll be surprised if the ACLU doesn't jump on this one. Austin63 I remember seeing something so horrific it defined pornography for me and I was at the tender age of 6 or 7. It was the most disgusting thing one person could do to another and there is was in a film clip for all to see. I saw it, my younger bother saw it, my mother saw it and my father saw it. I shudder to even remember it and yet, like then, you can see it now on various documentaries. Then, like now, there was no outcry of disgust or protest, and no mention of prosecuting the television channels that showed it. The film clip I have burned in my mind is that of a young Vietnamese boy being executed. A handgun pressed to the side of his head, the pull of a trigger and the opposite side of his head exploding outwards spewing blood, brains, and bone. There was no consent by the young boy and no consent to my viewing it. However, there it was. And now, with the advancements in filming, we can see that take place in many violent movies. I still watch those movies and at times, when a scene resembles the film clip, I remember the young boy. However, I know what is reality and what is fantasy. Max Hardcore movies are just that, fantasy. It may not be yours, and it may just be his very own fantasy. Either way it is fantasy. As most movies are based on fantasy. Should we condemn the producers, director and Stephen King for 'The Green Mile' because they made us think of the rape and death of two children. Of course it was not actually depicted but did not it have to be, it alluded to it and in your minds eye you saw it in your very own way. And there are mainstream movies which depict the act of rape and death of a young girl albeit without penetration shown and we do not have lawyers crying it's a snuff film. This is what I learned about our society, depiction of death, real or not, is acceptable but the depiction of sex must only be shown in a sweet and loving way because if not, then it is evil, objectionable and degrading. For some any depiction of sex is just disgusting and immoral, therefore, it should not be seen, written or thought about. So it all comes down to this, if you find it objectionable then don't watch it! But maybe it's not to me, him or her and no one needs you to tell any us what is right or wrong, moral or immoral, and reality or fantasy. Just as no one should tell you what you should or shouldn't watch, read or listen to. zuzu TheIt's only brutal and ugly when it's illegal, because then that competitor to government (i.e. force) gets involved — organized crime. Just as prohibition on alcohol created Al Capone, just as prohibition on cocaine created the drug cartels, and just as closing the immigration border with Mexico brought the Mexican gangs to sneak people across the border. Legalize the selling of sex, and the trafficking of sex slaves will be severely curtailed from the demand-sideFreedom is freedom-to, not freedom-from. And as has been noted with the Dirty Jobs comparison, there's lots of literally shit work people will do because they need the money. Hell, let's begin with military recruitment. I'm waaaaaaay more comfortable (figuratively speaking) getting fucked for money than killing people for money. That's just me though. loraksus I'm "thrilled" that so many people are completely willing to accept and embrace this ruling, completely ignorant of why people object to it. I'm "thrilled" that so many people are completely oblivious of the past cases and abuses, or even how "obscenity" was defined less than a generation ago. Or how those definitions of "obscenity" were invalidated, overturned and ultimately replaced. But, sadly, I understand why. The guy's stuff is offensive. It's vulgar. It's slimy, dishonest. His actions, his callousness and demeanor make his actions seem indefensible. This case just riles up emotions and pisses people off. Which is exactly what it is supposed to do – focus you on the case. Focus you on the picture of the crying girl with the smeared lipstick. Focus you on your emotional reaction. Because once you're focused on the terrible, disgusting things here and the emotions have taken over, most people won't take the time to educate themselves about the issue, and will just pound out a rage driven post on the keyboard. Interestingly, it's not that they feel the history, the ramifications, the setting of precedents, the scummy actions of the federal government or even relatively basic knowledge about the subject aren't important – it's that none of these things are even considered. And that's how it devolves into a monkey shit flinging competition. Meh… I wrote this as a comment on a photo site, crossposting it here. – So don't get me wrong, I think the guy is a shock jock douche. The stuff he produces is… not my cup of tea, to say the least. Part of me even wants to be ok with this. But the other part of me is pissed. Why? It's because I thought we were done with this sort of stuff 30 years ago. It's because there is an active "obscenity squad" at the FBI. It's because we now have federal judges who are actively involved in not only the censorship of content, but also a system where the federal government will blatantly, publicly and unapologetically cherry pick venues in order to secure a conviction. It's not only that the cherry picking of venue is abusive towards defendants who face the possibility of traveling across the entire country for their trials, but also because this isn't a case of "we'll have a better chance of winning" – it's a case of "there is no way in hell that we could pursue this case in any other venue in the USA" In California, they wouldn't have a chance. In Florida, they got a conviction and a sentence of 4 years in federal prison. Seems that there is a bit of disparity there. Part of me hopes that this will get appealed, but the realistic and perhaps cynical part of me thinks that whatever the appellate court comes up with, it won't be good for anyone who ever takes a picture with even the hint of a nipple. I know, I know, the slippery slope might not always apply, but we're seeing a pretty clear case of the federal government in a case of malicious prosecution. I find that is something far more detestable than anything this guy had put out. I know that most of us here just focus on stills. I know that most of us (including me, btw) aren't in this particular industry. Still. Censorship is censorship. The same folks are also responsible for Title 18, Section 2257 – I know that's a whole other topic, it's something that the majority of us could potentially have legal trouble because of stuff we've done in the past. Stuff that we considered completely harmless. Then again, I'm a Canadian citizen and Canada has a censor board. What the hell can I say, eh? movingout "Jim slapped Johnny and got away with it so I should be able to slap Mike and get away with it too." That's the arguement circulating here with about as much logic behind it. Yes, violence in media seems commonplace so why attack one man? I've got a question. Has anyone her ever actually seen Paul Little's work? Have they ever seen him piss in a girl's ass who looked about 16 and made her drink it with a straw? How about slapping a crying teenage girl whom he's painted with lipstick and called an ass clown after destroying her rectum with everything he can grab ahold of? How about the girls who actually went to the hospital after 'acting' on his set? People who defend Paul Little under the first amendment without knowing his work are irresponsible lazy alarmists who really don't add anything meaningful to this or to the country. I don't think the problem is porn. In many ways this country is entirely sexually repressed and porn (as it becomes more commonplace to our culture) helps create better and honest dialogue between the sexes. On the other hand we have to protect those who don't have the incentive, intelligence or maturity to protect themselves. Prostitution is illegal yet if we can all watch via porn it's not. Doesn't that seem like a contradiction in values to anyone? Some would say we should legalize prostitution but I think the real problem is most American's have the 'as long as it's not me' syndrome. That is, we know at some level that people do get hurt and lives get ruined in the sex industry but "as long as it's not me (or my sister, daughter, or mother)" then so be it. And as for the bs "consent" arguement, you're arguing against incentive. If an 18 yo girl can make $1K in one afternoon by having sex or make the same in a month pulling fries from a greasy vat there's a lot of incentive- but no one tells her she's going to loose a part of herself for the money and no one certainly warns her about the kind of abuse Paul Little (Max Hardcore) would put her through. You wouldn't do that to your worst enemy. So, I'm glad he's going to jail and I think all 'consenting adults' should be 21 to participate in these films, plain and simple. We need these young girls to have a chance before we throw them in the meat grinder. If you think porn is just fine as it is then all I ask is for you to look up facial abuse and meat holes then ask yourself if you'd like a female you care about to be in any of those sites. If you can't look those up then perhaps you don't have the stomach to back up the freedom you believe we should have at any cost. Real freedom cannot survive without responsibility. desiredusername That's a weird timestamp. Xeni Jardin @desiredusername, yeah, our MT install is a little b0rked. Sorry. Either that or YOU IS PSYKIK
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http://boingboing.net/2008/10/07/adult-film-director.html
Archive for May, 2011 This past Wednesday, I took a city bus cross town to the Upper East Side to be interviewed live in a restaurant for a radio show. During the trip, the young woman seated next to me took out her cell phone and proceeded to hold a loud discussion. I attempted to ignore her, but I did hear her mention strawberry shortcake. This classic dish is made from a rich biscuit dough and its greatness lies in the contrasts of textures and flavors of the simple cake, fruit, and cream -— hard and soft, moist and dry, sweet and tart, acid and cake. Shortcake proves the ideal base, as it is firm enough to stand up to the juicy berries and damp cream and absorbing only some of them without losing its identity or becoming a mushy mess. Strawberries, a member of the rose family, are actually swollen receptacles covered with the real fruits, tiny seed-like achenes. About a dozen species of wild strawberries, dispersed by migratory birds, occurred in temperate parts of Eurasia, North America, South America west of the Andes, and Hawaii. Humans were already enjoying wild strawberries during the Neolithic period and they were among the few luxuries available to peasants in much of medieval Europe. European strawberries, also known as 'wood strawberries,' are smaller, more delicate, and less productive (bearing only a few berries per plant) than American berries. Around 1750 in an unknown horticultural garden in France, a North American strawberry (F. virginiana) accidentally hybridized with a Chilean strawberry (F. chiloensis), the latter unable to fertilize itself, to produce the garden strawberry or pineapple strawberry (F. ananassa), its name reflecting a pineapple aroma. When people realized how hybridization created larger and firmer berries, they began (and continue to this day) purposely breeding them to produce larger fruits with higher yields that are disease, frost, and pest resistant, could better withstand transport, and yield more than a single crop per year. Crossing F. virginiana with an F. chiloensis from California produced berries with an extended growing period. Suddenly, berries were available outside of their traditional season around June. Today, almost all cultivated species are descended from F. ananassa and similar crosses. Due to cultivation, modern strawberries are radically different than those of the nineteenth century, while the original flavors of the wild strawberries have been all but lost. Many cultivated varieties — such as the current California leaders, Camarosa (33%), Diamante (23%), and Ventana (9%) — are less intensely flavored and much harder (and hardier) than heirloom varieties, such as the Banner which dominated California production until 1950, and are also too frequently picked before ripening. Unlike Europe, American retailers do not have to identify the variety. The short in short cake does not refer to size or scope. Rather it derived from a fifteenth century usage of "short" akin to crumbly. Adding a large amount of fat (called shortening) to flour coats the proteins, thereby, inhibiting the gluten strands from forming and resulting in a crumbly and tender texture. Unlike sixteenth century English biskets, short cakes were sweetened with sugar making them even more tender. The first record of the term "short cake" and the earliest recipe for it was in the anonymous Elizabethan cookbook The Good Huswifes Handmaid for Cookerie in her kitchen (London, 1588), the second printed English cookbook: "To make short Cakes. Take wheate flower, of the fayrest ye can get, and put it in an earthern pot, and stop it close, and set it in an Oven and bake it, and when it is baken, it will be full of clods, and therefore ye must searse [sift] it through a search: the flower will have as long baking as a pastie of Venison. When you have done this, take clowted Creame, or els sweet Butter, but Creame is better, then take Sugar, Cloves, Mace, and Saffron, and the yolke of an Egge for one doozen of Cakes one yolke is ynough: then put all these foresaid things together into the cream, & te[m]per the[m] al together, the{n} put the{m} to your flower and so make your Cakes, your paste wil be very short, therefore yee must make your Cakes very litle: when yee bake your cakes, yee must bake them upon papers, after the drawing of a batch of bread." Because this yielded crumbly cookies, the dough was baked as small cakes on parchment paper. Toward the end of the eighteenth century, Americans began adding potash and then baking soda to biscuit doughs resulting in delicate and fluffy biscuits instead of hard crumbly cakes, without the need for protracted beating. Later cooks learned how to cut the butter or lard into the flour to produce a flaky texture. Perhaps the earliest record of the evolutionary step of using a chemical leavening in biscuits was "pot-ash cake" or "handy cake," the subject of a letter to the editor sent from "Cedar Grove, on Long Island" and dated "August 19, 1799" in the December 1799 issue of The Monthly Magazine (London), which emphasized its American origins. The New London Family Cook by Duncan MacDonald (London, 1808) and then The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary by Mary Eaton (Bungay, England, 1822) copied this recipe, calling them "American Pot-Ash Cakes," and the latter noting: "American Cakes, though but little known in this country, form an article of some importance in domestic economy: they are cheap, easily made, and very nutritious." When Americans began substituting baking soda for potash, they referred to this adaptation as "Soda Cakes." Several other names emerged for chemically-leavened quick breads: "soda biscuit," first appearing around 1830; "shortcake"; and "shortening bread" -— as in the famous 1900 song by James Whitcomb Riley, "Mamma's little baby loves shortnin' bread." When an oven was not accessible, these light leavened biscuits were cooked in a Dutch oven or on a griddle. Subsequently, soda biscuits or short cakes were found in nearly every nineteenth century American cookbook. In particular, soda biscuits, became a hallmark of Southern cooking, the area's soft flour not conducive for making good yeast breads. Meanwhile, a step occurred that would elevate biscuits from the status of a mere bread into the pantheon of America's iconic dishes — bonding American shortcakes with strawberries. The earliest version of "Strawberry Cakes" using fresh berries was found in the July 1845 issue of The British American Cultivator (Toronto) and then in the September 1845 issue of The Ohio Cultivator (Columbus), entailing a thick unleavened cookie, split, layered with macerated strawberries, and covered with a basic sugar and egg white icing rather than whipped cream. This was a transitional stage in the development of the modern strawberry shortcake. By the time of Jennie June's American Cookbook by Jane Cunningham Croly (New York, 1866), the modern form of "Strawberry Shortcake" had evolved, the author noting that it was then currently chic New York restaurant fare: "Mix dough as for soda biscuit; that is to say, one quart of sifted flour, piece of butter size of an egg, two tea-spoonsful of cream of tartar, one of soda, a pinch of salt, and sweet milk to form a soft dough. Put cream of tartar in the flour, and soda in dry also, and, when thoroughly mixed, roll out half an inch thick and bake in a shallow pan fifteen or twenty minutes; have ready two quarts of fresh, fine strawberries; split the cake, place half the strawberries between and cover thickly with white sugar and cream; put the other half on the top and cover in the same way; send to the table immediately. This is the method of making at the finest city restaurants." In the twentieth century, many Americans, especially Northerners with little familiarity or experience with soda biscuits, developed a preference for substituting pound cake, angel food cake, or hot-milk sponge cake as the base. In the 1960s, this style reached Japan, where strawberry shortcake consisting of three layers of puffy sponge cake sandwiched with strawberries and whipped cream became the most popular of all layer cakes. In America, groceries sold packaged sponge cake cups and fingers for easy "strawberry shortcakes." Shortening produces a flakier and lighter cake than butter, but the two are often combined to get the textural benefit of the former and the flavor of the latter. Soft wheat flour is best for making light, fluffy biscuits, as the extra gluten in regular all-purpose flour toughens as it forms, thus restricting the gas produced by the leavening. Soft wheat flour also absorbs less liquid and needs less fat than regular all-purpose flour (thus 2 cups of hard wheat flour will require about 1 cup liquid, while that amount of liquid for soft wheat flour leaves a soggy mass). Bleached flour produces a moister, more cake-like texture than unbleached. Cream produces a more tender cake; buttermilk a lighter one with an intriguing tang. Adding some egg results in a finer, scone-like texture. Some recipes call for hard-boiled egg yolks, yielding a more crumbly texture. Make sure that the berries are in season and sweet, as they do not ripen after being picked and are generally tasteless out of season. The small, intensely red, locally-grown berries at a farmer's market or roadside stand are usually the most delicious ones. Any other type of berry or sliced soft fruit can be substituted for the strawberries, including nectarines, peaches, and plums. Strawberries do not ripen after being picked. They are highly perishable and have a storage life of only a few days and up to ten days at 32°F. Farmer's markets and roadside stands typically offer more flavorful and riper berries than supermarkets. Choose bright, plump, fully red berries with bright green caps. Size is no indication of quality. Check cartons for stains and signs of moisture, indications of spoilage. Rinse with cool water just before using. Do not hull the caps until after washing. Assemble the various parts of this dish just before serving to ensure that the textures and flavors remain distinct until they meld in your mouth. Mashing a few of the berries and mixing them with the rest helps them to adhere and stay on the cake. For an interesting and more luscious variation, fill the cake with some pastry cream along with the strawberries and reserve the whipped cream to crown the top. Just remembering how this simple but incredibly delicious treat tasted makes me want to run to the kitchen and whip up a batch again. 1. Position a rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (220 C). 2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening or butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add half-and-half or milk (or liquid mixed with egg), stirring with a fork until dough clings together. 3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, flour hands, and knead until just manageable (6 to 10 strokes). Do not overknead. Sprinkle lightly with flour and pat into ¾-inch thickness (about a 9- by 6-inch rectangle). 4. With floured 2- to 2½-inch biscuit cutter or other sharp-edged cutter, press straight down to cut out dough. Reroll and cut out remnants. 5. Place biscuits on an ungreased (preferably parchment-lined) baking sheet, an 8-inch round baking pan, or cast-iron skillet. Bake until golden brown (about 12 minutes). Transfer to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. 6. Split in half horizontally. Place bottoms on serving plates, spoon about 1/3 cup fruit over top, place biscuit tops over berries, if desired, spoon another 1/3 cup berries over top, and top with 3 to 4 tablespoons whipped cream. By Gil Marks I vividly remember my first bite of a truly excellent cheesecake. It was at a now deceased vegetarian establishment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The restaurant was a favorite haunt of Noble Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer, himself a neighborhood resident and noted vegetarian, who happened to be dining there that day, making the experience all the more memorable. To be honest, the rest of the food was barely passable at best. The dessert, however, proved a true revelation, an encounter with culinary greatness. Hyperbole aside, it was light-years ahead of any dish I had ever sampled that claimed to be cheesecake. During a visit to San Francisco, I once tried a "New York cheesecake," only to be sorely disappointed. Even worse were the famous national brands of cheesecake in the grocer's freezers. Poorly made versions, and there are many, have a dry, chalky texture and either a bland or cloying taste. A genuine New York cheesecake, on the other hand, is sensually creamy as to melt in your mouth yet firm and has a slightly tangy flavor derived from cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla. After tasting that authentic cheesecake, I spent the following several weeks experimenting with various recipes until I came upon the combination that equaled the ideal in my mind. Cheesecakes are basically thick custards, usually with a bottom and sometimes also a side crust. Today there are three basic types of baked cheesecake: cream cheese (called New York or Jewish cheesecake); farmer cheese or cottage cheese (sometimes called Russian cheesecake); and ricotta cheese (sometimes called Italian cheesecake). The three types are further varied by the proportion of cheese and eggs, adding whole eggs or beating the egg whites and folding them in, and presence and amount of flour. In addition, there is an unbaked mousse-like version (also referred to as French cheesecake). Cheesecakes are actually quite ancient. By the fourth century BCE, Greeks were preparing several types of griddlecakes incorporating fresh curd cheese, flour, and sometimes honey. Subsequently, Romans made cheese cakes, cooked on a griddle or directly on the hearth, called placenta (from the Greek plakous, "flat mass"), some types baked in a crust, and libum (from libare "poured," as they were used in as ritual offerings), made from curd cheese, flour, eggs, and sometimes olive oil and honey. Similar cheesecakes were prominent in late medieval Italy, such as the torta bianca (white tart), made from curd cheese, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, and ginger. From the onset, medieval cheesecakes were actually more of a cheese tart with a crust providing a sturdy base and baking container for the soft custardy filling. Considering the long English love of cheesecake, it is hardly surprising to find them in the American colonies. Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery and Booke of Sweetmeats (c. 1625, given to her upon her wedding to Daniel Curtis in 1749) included three cheesecakes and a baked pudding, a cheesecake without a crust. Reflecting the nineteenth century German and Jewish styles of cheesecake, the original edition of The Settlement Cook Book by Lizzie Black Kander (Milwaukee, 1901) contained four version of cheese kuchen, made from cottage cheese. By the 1943 revision, one of the cheese pies included a "Graham Cracker Shell." However, all of the fillings still called for cottage cheese. In the 1965 revision, three of the cakes call for cottage cheese and one is the New York style made with cream cheese and sour cream and including a Zwieback or Graham Cracker Crust." Until the early twentieth century, cheesecakes had a somewhat coarse, heavy texture. This would change due to a new product, cream cheese, created in 1872. In the 1930s, Jews in New York City substituted cream cheese and sour cream for curd cheese creating the Jewish cheesecake, also called New York cheesecake, on its way to becoming ubiquitous to well-known New York delis and America's favorite type of cheesecake. Among those claiming credit for the creation of New York cheesecake was Arnold Reuben (1883-1970), a German-Jewish immigrant who became the owner of a succession of Manhattan restaurants. In 1928, he opened Reuben's Restaurant and Delicatessen on East 58th Street and in 1942 the Turf restaurant in the Brill Building (longtime center of American songwriting) at Broadway and 49th Street. Reuben recounted how, after sampling a cheese pie in 1929 at a dinner party, he asked the hostess for the recipe and proceeded to play with the ingredients, substituting cream cheese for the cottage cheese. If this story is true, Reuben is truly a major contributor to gastronomy, as he is also credited with creating the famous Reuben sandwich. When Reuben's cheesecake was served in the 1940s to high profile clientele at the Turf restaurant, it garnered a good deal of renown, leading to its imitation by other delis. Bakers in New York City began experimenting with the new cream cheese in their cheesecakes and found it, in conjunction with heavy cream or the eastern European sour cream, the latter producing the creamiest texture and interesting piquant note of flavor. If Reuben created the New York cheesecake, Lindy's Restaurant put it in the limelight. In August 1921, Leo "Lindy" and Clara Lindemann, eight years after he arrived in Manhattan from Berlin, Germany, opened a deli on Broadway near 50th Street in Manhattan, the heart of the Theater District. Lindy's featured standard (kosher-style) Jewish fare, including super-sized sandwiches, blintzes, gefilte fish, and especially its creamy cheesecake topped with strawberries in a gel. Rumor claims that Lindy hired Reuben's baker, thereby, procuring the famous recipe, although the two cakes were not identical. Damon Runyon frequented Lindy's and incorporated it into some of his stories as "Mindys." Little Miss Marker began: "One evening, along toward seven o'clock, many citizens are standing out on Broadway in front of Mindy's Restaurant." In 1950, when Runyon's work "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" was transformed by Frank Loesser, Abe Burrows, and Jo Swerling into the musical "Guys and Dolls," Lindy's cheesecake was immortalized when Nathan Detroit attempts to entice Sky Masterson to wager on whether Mindy's sold more cheesecake or apple strudel. Originally, New York cheesecake was made with a pastry crust, akin to the medieval versions. Soon a simpler crust made from crushed zwieback became popular. By the late 1930s, they were supplanted by another American innovation, graham cracker crumbs. In 1949, Charles W. Lubin (1903-1988) left a small baking business with his brother-in-law and founded his own company in Chicago, named after his then eight-year-old daughter, Sara Lee. His first product was a Jewish-style cheesecake, sold fresh to local supermarkets. Five years later, after discovering a way to quick-freeze his product, the company went nationwide as did the concept of New York cheesecake. A genuine New York cheesecake is sensually creamy as to melt in the mouth, yet firm and has a slightly tangy flavor derived from cream cheese, lemon juice, sour cream, and vanilla. The basis of a classic creamy cheesecake is cream cheese. In this case, more expensive is not best. Fresh cream cheeses lack the stabilizers of commercial brands and tend to break up during baking, resulting in a grainy texture. Low-fat cream cheese produces a firmer texture as well as leaves a heavy feeling in the mouth, so it is not recommended. Yogurt cheese (labaneh), made by straining plain yogurt, makes an acceptable lower-fat substitute if absolutely necessary. Sour cream adds a pleasant tang and contributes to a smooth texture. Too much sour cream, however, overwhelms the cream cheese's flavor. Eggs add to the cake's creaminess. Egg yolks contribute to the cake's moistness; too many yolks produce a custard-like texture. Let the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs stand at room temperature for at least thirty minutes before using. After adding the eggs, do not over beat or the air will cause a crack in the center. Baking at too high of a temperature also contributes to cracks. Baking in a water bath produces the creamiest texture. Since cheesecake freezes well, it can be prepared far in advance, relieving any last-minute holiday hassles. Do not freeze the topping, but add it shortly before serving. To thaw cheesecakes, place in the refrigerator overnight. Dental floss held taut cuts cheesecake smoother than a knife. If using a knife, dip it into hot water. Many aficionados insist on unadulterated cheesecake, while others enjoy adding various flavorings. Even purists like myself, however, allow for a topping, most notably fruit (cherries or strawberries) or sour cream. 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (165 C). Place a large pan of water on bottom shelf and pour in an inch of boiling water. Grease sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Double wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. 2. Prepare desired crust as described above. Let cool. 3. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. On low speed, beat in eggs. 4. Pour into prepared springform pan. Set in water bath. Bake until firm around the edges (2-inches in the center will jiggle slightly, but firms during cooling) and lightly browned or registers about 150 degrees on an instant-red thermometer (about 1½ hours). Do not test with a knife, which cracks the cake. Run a sharp, thin knife around the outside of cake to loosen from pan. 5. Turn off oven, open door, and let cool in oven for 30 minutes. Immediately move to refrigerator and let cool uncovered. If desired, spread with a topping. Cover with plastic wrap or an inverted bowl and chill overnight and up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. In a medium saucepan, bring the crushed strawberries and water to a boil. Press through a sieve. Return to the pot, add the sugar and salt, and return to a boil. Stir in cornstarch and cook, stirring, until bubbly and thickened, about 5 minutes. If using, stir in the red food coloring. Let cool to room temperature. If desired, arrange strawberry halves over cake and pour the glaze over top. By Gil Marks I like to take a walk in Central Park on Saturday afternoons. Central Park is an incredible space, from Cleopatra's Needle to Bethesda Fountain to Sheep's Meadow. It is an incredible natural refuge in the urban jungle of Manhattan. There are plenty of flowers, including daffodils and tulips, if you know where to look or wander about enough. But I have a particular fondness for the cherry blossoms. Not so long ago, in my jogging days, it was something special to run around the reservoir in the spring with pink blossoms lining the pathway and every step releasing a burst of fragrance. In the afternoons, I would pass Jackie Kennedy Onassis trailed by her security detail on her daily stroll. It seemed that everyone was smiling a bit more in the shade of the blossoming trees. For the past number of years, I was out of town in the spring and missed the annual display of the park's cherry trees. This year I returned earlier, and last week, as I enjoyed my first walk of the season, the cherry blossoms were in bloom around the reservoir. So I was quite thrilled to revel in their natural beauty as I made my way around the water. It was quite a difference from when I left NYC and there was still ice in the water. This Saturday, I returned to the park, but the cherry blossoms were gone. In a single week, not one was left on the trees. Well at least I managed to catch the end of the season. And it got me thinking about edible cherries, which will be making their annual appearance in a few weeks. Most botanists contend that the wild cherry tree, a member of the Rosaceae family and close relative of the plum, originated in Asia Minor near the Black and Caspian Seas around 6,000 years ago. Two principle types of domesticated cherries, which do not cross-pollinate with each other, emerged: sweet cherries (Prunus avium) and sour cherries (Prunus cerasus). Sweet cherries are primarily eaten fresh, while the smaller and very acidic sour cherries are most often used in cooking, baking, and liqueurs. These are not the same as the cherry trees in Central Park, which are from Japan. The ornamental Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata), which has more than 200 varieties, do not produce edible fruit. There are also about 500 of those cherry trees in Central Park, which were originally gifted to the city by Japan in 1912. The ones around the reservoir are primarily rosy pink Kwanzans and a few pale pink Yoshinos. The earlier-blooming Yoshinos are along the bridal path at 90th Street and further south at 66th Street. Japanese cherry trees also line the Tidal Basin in Washington DC but it has been a number of years since I witnessed the spring spectacle. The Greeks brought the cultivated fruit cherry westward from the northeastern Anatolian port of Kerasous (modern Giresun), whence its Greek name kerasion, Latin cerasum, and English cherry. The earliest clear record of cherries was around 300 BC in the work of Theophrastus, the "Father of Botany." Purportedly in 72 or 79 BC, cherries arrived in Rome, which knew eight varieties. Following the collapse of Rome, cultivated cherries disappeared from most of Europe. They were reintroduced to England by Henry VIII after the king sampled some during a trip to Flanders. Cherries were among the first trees planted in North America by the Europeans, already cultivated in 1629 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and shortly thereafter French colonists planted pits from Normandy in the Great Lakes region. In colonial Virginia, most farms and even many urban residences had at least one or a few cherry trees and cherries followed only apples and peaches in production. George Washington included cherries among his trees at Mount Vernon as did Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. However, the hot, humid weather of the South and East was not conducive for producing the best cherries. Then in 1847, Henderson Lewelling brought cherry trees to Oregon where he planted orchards and, twenty-eight years later, developed the Bing variety, which soon became America's overwhelming favorite type. The cool climate of Oregon and Washington proved ideal for cherries, the area now accounting for more than 60 percent of America's sweet cherries. Meanwhile, in 1852, Peter Dougherty planted cherries on Old Mission Peninsula in northern Michigan, the region also ideal for this fruit, primarily sour cherries. The more than 600 varieties of sweet cherries and 300 varieties of sour cherries range in color from yellow to bright red to dark purple. The U.S. leads the world in sweet cherry production; sour cherries are more prevalent in Europe and Asia. Whereas all American sweet cherries were developed in the United States, all of the important sour cherries were imported from Europe. There are two types of sour cherries: the darker colored griottes, most notably Morello, and the lighter colored amarelles, such as Montmorency. Morellos, also called Balaton, have a more complex and intense cherry flavor when cooked than Montmorency. Nevertheless, the majority of American sour cherries are Montmorency. Royal Ann sweet yellow with very large, Also called Napoleon. red blush round Firm & juicy. The cherry growing season is among the shortest of any fruit, lasting from early-June to late-July with most varieties available only in June. Cherries in general are a fragile fruit and, since most varieties are too delicate for shipping, only a few types show up in the market. If you do not have access to fresh sour cherries, use bottled Hungarian Morello cherries. Do not substitute canned cherry pie filling or maraschino cherries for fresh fruit. When cherries are cooked whole, the pits impart a slight almond-like flavor. To duplicate this effect, almond extract is frequently added when using pitted cherries. The original maraschino cherries, initially produced in the eighteenth century in Croatia and introduced to America in the late nineteenth century, were sour marasca cherries fermented for about five days, then preserved in distilled cherry liqueur. The modern maraschino cherry was developed in 1931 by Ernest Wiegand of Oregon State University in which fresh cherries are bleached and firmed in brine with calcium salts, then soaked in a sugar syrup for about a month and dyed red or green. Persians use sour cherries in rice dishes and various sweets. Persians also grind the soft bitter interior of the pit of the mahaleb cherry to make a spice called mahaleb. Syrians find the flavor of cherries complementary to meat, including meatballs and lamb roasts. Cherries are also popular in Europe, particularly throughout central Europe, where they are used in jams, soups, sauces, strudels, cakes, and liqueurs. The French serve cherries with duckling and other poultry and in desserts such as clafoutis. Italians, Sephardim, and Georgians use the fruit to fill double crusted tarts. In Alsace, sour cherries are used to make the well-known cherry brandy called kirsch, while in eastern Europe they are macerated with sugar and vodka for vishniak. Since cherries make their appearance in early summer, every so often in time for Shavuot, cherry dishes became traditional for that holiday, including cherry soup, compote, preserves, blintzes, kreplach (filled pasta), coffee cakes, and strudel. Most communities boil some of the summer sour cherry crop with sugar for flavorful jams and preserves. TO STORE: Store cherries unwashed in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to a week. To freeze, wash and dry cherries, place on a baking sheet, freeze, transfer to containers, and freeze for up to a year. TO PREPARE: Wash just before serving. There are several mechanical pitters available. To pit by hand, gently press down on the stem end to loosen the pit. Using the index finger and thumb of your other hand placed near the bottom of the cherry, press until the pit pops out of the top. Anyway, the cherry season will begin in a few weeks, so those of you fortunate to have access to cherry trees, and save enough from the birds, here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy cherries: 1. Combine the meat, parsley, allspice, salt, pepper, and, if using cinnamon. Shape into 1-inch balls. 2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. In several batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes a batch. Remove the meatballs. 3. To make the sauce: Add the onions to the pan and sauté until soft and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cherries, wine, sugar, lemon juice, allspice, and tamarhindi. 3. Return the meatballs to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat or bake in a 275-degree oven until tender, about 50 minutes. Serve warm with rice, orzo, or toast. 1. Position a rack in the lower third of oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (220 C). 2. On a lightly floured piece of wax paper or flat surface, roll out 2/3 of dough to a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Fold into half or quarters and fit into a 9-inch pie pan or roll dough around a rolling pin and transfer to pan. Gently press into the pan. Trim the excess dough against the rim of the pan. Brush with egg white or jam. Refrigerate while preparing the filling. 3. Combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch or tapioca, salt, almond extract or lemon zest, and, if desired, cinnamon or cloves. If using tapioca, let stand for 15 minutes. 4. Spoon the cherry mixture into pastry and dot with butter. 5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining 1/3 dough to about a 10-inch round. Arrange the top crust over the filling, trimming the excess to ½-inch beyond the rim of the pan. Fold the bottom dough over the top crust and crimp or flute the edges to seal. Cut several slits in top of the crust to vent the steam. Or cut the pastry into ½-inch wide strips and weave into a lattice pattern. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil. 6. Place the pie on a preheated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, reduce the heat to 350 degrees (175 C), and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly (about 30 minutes). Let cool. 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C). 2. To make the filling: Toss the cherries with lemon juice and almond extract. Combine the sugar, cornstarch or tapioca, and salt. Add the cherries and toss to coat. (If using tapioca, let stand for at least 10 minutes.) Spoon into a 2-quart casserole, Dutch oven, 8-inch square pan, 11- by 7-inch baking dish, or 11- to 12-inch pie plate. You can taste the fruit mixture for sweetness, adding a little more sugar if necessary. 3. To make the topping: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and, if using, spice. Cut in the butter or margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the liquid to moisten. Do not overmix. 4. Drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls of the batter over top of the fruit, leaving space between each mound. If desired, sprinkle with the additional sugar. Bake until the topping is golden and firm and the fruit is soft and bubbly (45 to 55 minutes). Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Some individuals, communities, and organizations across Israel have begun to emphasis sustainable food production and consumption (using the freshest natural and most flavorful ingredients possible with the maximum regard for the environment, local economy, and health), including organic agriculture, slow food and artisanal food, permaculture and eco-living, food co-ops, and CSAs (community supported agriculture). For those of you unfamiliar with a CSA, it is a group of individuals who agree to support an individual nearby farm, while sharing the risks and benefits of its food production. The idea started in Japan and Switzerland in the 1960s, as small family farms increasingly disappeared. Through a CSA, farmers arrange to send a portion of their crops to nearby individuals throughout the course of the growing season in exchange for all of the money upfront. This ensures the farmer of operating capital without the burden of paying interest on loans. Consumers do not generally order specific produce, but rather rely on the individual farmer to do what he or she does best. There is an element of risk involved, which is the nature of farming. Occasionally, bad weather, insects, and blight can damage or ruin crops. CSA members assume a share of the risk. (Most of us can afford it more than most small farmers.) But these accidents are very rare. Growing a diverse number of crops at the same time (instead of a single one), not only provides choices, buts also contributes to biodiversity and the health of the ecosystem. The concept of CSAs spread to America in the mid-1980s, where there are now around 400 CSA farms, and more recently also to Israel. My parents in Gush Etzion signed up for a CSA, Chubeza. ( This organic farm consists of two acres on Moshav Kfar Ben-Nun situated between Latrun and Ramla (not the Palestinian Ramallah). Founder and co-owner Bat-Ami Sorek was exposed to organic and CSAs in California and decided to try her hand at one in Israel. Chubeza started with 15 members in 2003 and soon grew to 50 and is presently up to 450. This year, they will plant more than 100 different vegetables and herbs. Sorek today works behind the scene, including writing the weekly newsletter, while day-t-day operations are run by manager and co-owner, Alon Efrati, and field manager, Amir Lev, who both studied agriculture at Hebrew University. This is literally and figuratively a 'green' business. Unlike most CSAs, Chubeza charges per week not per season, which allows the participation of lower income households and those with only one or two people in the households. It offers a large box for 105 NIS per week and a small one for 80 NIS per week. There is also a 20 NIS fee for home delivery, which is very convenient. Unlike American CSAs, which have a limited growing season, the weather in parts of Israel allows for a CSA to operate year round. Each week (or if you want, every two weeks) a box arrives laden with 10 to 15 of the freshest, highest-quality seasonal produce. It's like unwrapping Chanukah presents weekly. In the pre-Passover weeks, the boxes included late winter produce as well as a few early spring items. During my six-week stay, there were fresh beets with the greens attached (these are actually the healthiest and, in my estimation, the tastiest part of the plant, so please never throw the beet greens away), red leaf lettuce (some of it lasted in the refrigerator through Passover without wilting), kohlrabi (beauty is more than skin deep), leeks, carrots (they were the sweetest, tastiest carrots I had in a very long time), peas in the pods (these were the one item that I was disappointed in, as they remained hard and starchy even after cooking), radishes, cabbages (one became coleslaw and the other provided the wrappings for stuffed cabbage), celeriac (I sliced it and braised it with carrots), and parsley along with the roots (now I understand why the Arabs put so much parsley in their tabbouleh). One week there was also fresh garlic (something I've never experienced firsthand before, but I used it in Passover cooking, where it seemed milder than its dried cousin) and chard (I refuse to call it by the misnomer Swiss chard, as it is neither native to that country nor particularly well liked there). Some people are flustered when exposed to unfamiliar vegetables, but I enjoy the challenge and chance for discovery. Although most items are seasonal, Israelis tend to eat many more tomatoes and cucumbers than Americans, and Chubeza attempts to make them available year-round, even going into partnership with other organic farms. Alas I won't be in Israel in the summer when the fresh melons arrive. The items that I sampled from Chubeza were fresher than produce obtained from a store and, considering it is also organic, reasonably priced. One week the beet greens were nearly pristine and another they showed the affects of insect infestation. But that was better, at least to me, than the consuming of untold pesticides. Being Israel, Chubeza even has a supervising rabbi who instructs them on how to avoid kilayim (mixed planting on diverse species) and the removal of terumot and maserot (tithes), things American CSAs do not have to worry about. For you Americans lacking access to Chubeza, there are a growing number of CSAs throughout the country. Contact Hazon (212-644-2332) for more information on locating or starting a CSA near you. Also if you want firsthand experience with alternative foods in Israel, Hazon in conjunction with the Heschel Center for Environmental Learning and Leadership conducts a six-day Israel Sustainable Food Tour (held in November). I went on the first tour two years ago and learned an incredible amount. When in Israel, I also recommend a tour of the amazing Chava V'Adam Ecological Farm located outside of Modi'in (halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, not far from Chubeza) to learn about permaculture and biodiversity in action. You have to like vegetables, of course, in order to appreciate a CSA. As any good chef will tell you, the best tasting dishes come from using the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. Some of the best restaurants have arrangements with nearby farmers to provide fresh vegetables and herbs. CSAs certainly allow that for the average person. And you'll certainly have access to those daily servings of vegetables Combine the walnuts, onion, garlic, coriander, ground coriander, and, if desired, fenugreek. Add the beets and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours Add the yogurt, garlic, and salt to taste. Sautéed Chard (4 to 5 servings) Chard does not require any added cooking liquid since it releases its own juices. 1. Separate the leaves from the stems. Cut the tender stems into ½-inch-wide pieces and the leaves into 1-inch pieces. 2. Heat the butter or oil in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. If desired, add the garlic and sauté until lightly colored but not burnt (about 2 minutes). 3. Add the Swiss chard, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender (about 20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cooled. 1. Place the chard leaves in a large steamer over boiling water or in a large pot with a small amount of water, cover, and cook until wilted but still green (about 5 minutes). Chop or process the leave in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until finely chopped. Place in a medium bowl and stir in the bread crumbs or matza meal, eggs, salt, and pepper. 2. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent (5 to 10 minutes). Stir into the chard mixture. 3. Heat about ¼-inch oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 4. Shape the chard mixture into 3-inch-long and 1-inch wide and ½-inch thick patties. In batches, fry the patties, turning, until golden brown on both sides.
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The only relevant question about Iraq Posted by: McQ on Friday, September 08, 2006 As most know, I'm for finishing the job in Iraq and then leaving. That doesn't automatically mean I approve of the way the job, to this point, has been handled, nor do I believe the administration should escape criticism for that. But I do believe is it is important that we do what we've promised to do and not abandon Iraq prior to that fulfilling that promise. If we don't, I further believe it will have implications which would be far more destructive to our future foreign policy (and options) - and in the long run cost us more blood and treasure - than will gritting our teeth and completing the job in Iraq. Now before I get the usual "what are the metrics, when will we know its done" questions, those have been published any number of times. It's not a question of them not being available to anyone with the desire to find them, it's a question of willful ignorance if you don't know about them or where to find them. In a nutshell "finishing the job" means training up the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) to the point that they can independently and competently handle the internal and external security problems Iraq faces. The intent is to give the entire government the time and room to establish itself and assert its authority. While all of that is going on, progress in both the economy and rebuilding the infrastructure have been ongoing. Given that, I'd like to discuss the latest Charles Krauthammer article in which he discusses some of this today. First, he discusses the two rationals for, as he states, "withdrawing from — let's be honest: abandoning - Iraq". They are: (a) Iraq is not worth it, and (b) worth it or not, the cause is lost. He gives John Kerry credit for the first. If you read it closely, it assumes a basically benign consequence if we pull out now. "Iraq is not the center of the war on terror. The president keeps saying it is. The president keeps trying to push that down America's throat. It's wrong, it's a mistake and it's losing us the ability to do what we need to do in the region.'' You know, it's all about us and well, if we admit our mistake and just leave, everyone will understand and be our friend again. We cans start over in the region and be just as effective. Nevermind what happens in Iraq. No one will hold it against us and try to exploit what they see as a weakness. What happens, happens. Krauthammer finds the reasoning to be "aburd".: If the United States leaves, the central government in Iraq will collapse, and the beneficiaries will be Iran, Syria and al-Qaeda, the three major terror actors in the world today. It would not just be a psychological victory, but a territorial one. Al-Qaeda will gain a base in Mesopotamia; Syria and Iran will share spheres of influence in what's left of the Iraqi state. Let me amend that by saying, if the US leaves 'now', or in the near future (next 12 - 18 months) chances are that central government will collapse. By leave, I mean completely. Everyone out, 'redeployed', no more presence in Iraq. Now obviously that means a certain contingent of advisors and the like would remain but the combat power, the enforcement, would be out of the country. Krauthammer, like myself, believes that doing that too soon would indeed lead to a collapse of the government. That's the touchy part in all of this. When is it appropriate to say they've had all the time they need? I'm of the opinion a 12-18 month timeframe if good (and it is essentially the timeframe Gen. Casey has used as well). As the latest report to Congress points out, the government there has been functioning for all of 90 days. Would that something as complex and as new as a Constitutional government with an insurgency (or civil war or whatever you prefer to call it) rumbling along could have all the kinks worked out and be "in charge" in 90 days. But even the most optimistic among us know that just isn't the case nor is it likely. 12-18 months should be sufficient, in terms of time to get their political and governmental feet under themselves. So if we rush for the door now, we do indeed play into the hands of Iran, Syria and AQ. We demonstrate that we are unwilling - not unable - to finish what we start. That is a critical point to nations and groups who are planning for a "long war" and looking for exploitable weaknesses. It would simply be a validation of the perception that we are not willing to spend the blood and treasure necessary to finish a job. More importantly, it validates the perception that we are casualty averse to the point that we are unwilling to accept even a low level of casualties (in relative terms) to do so. Krauthammer then discusses the second rational for withdrawal: The other rationale for withdrawal is that the war is lost and therefore it is unconscionable to make one more American soldier die for a cause that cannot be salvaged. It is a serious argument from which we have been distracted during the last several months by the increasingly absurd debate over the meaning of the term "civil war,'' and whether Iraq is in one. Of course it is. It began when the Sunni minority, unwilling to accept the finality of the Baathist defeat, began making indiscriminate war on the Kurdish-Shiite majority that had inherited the country as a result of the U.S. invasion. Iraq is not Spain in the 1930s or America in the 1860s, but whether the phrase "civil war'' is to be used is irrelevant. The relevant question is, can we still win, meaning can we leave behind a functioning, self-sustaining, Western-friendly constitutional government? Ping! That's the sound of Krauthammer hiting the nail on the head. Let me repeat his point, " The relevant question is, can we still win, meaning can we leave behind a functioning, self-sustaining, Western-friendly constitutional government?" At this point that is the only relevant question. Nothing else matters. Can we indeed manage this? That is where the debate should be centered. And Krauthammer identifies the answer: And that depends on whether the government of Nouri al-Maliki can face up to its two potentially mortal threats: the Sunni insurgency and the challenge from Moqtada al-Sadr. The point at which the Maliki government can and does address these problems will indicate the point that our time in Iraq has grown short. That's on the positive side. But what if he won't do either? The first is fairly easy, as Krauthammer points out: The vast majority of Sunnis are fighting not for ideology but for a share of power and (oil) money. A deal with them is eminently possible and could co-opt enough Sunnis to greatly shrink the insurgency. [...] Our ambassador in Baghdad has been urging the Maliki government to make the bargain. This is a political decision which, if made, would most likely see more Sunni cooperation and less Sunni violence directed at the government and coalition forces. That's a pretty cheap "plus". We need to continue to push for that bargain to be struck and struck soon. The second part of the equation isn't so easy, and, disappointingly, the Maliki government hasn't shown much willingness to this point to directly confront it. Again, it's early, but it is something which still needs to be confronted as soon as possible. Speaking of our ambassador to Iraq, Krauthammer points out: He has also been urging it to get serious about the growing internal threat of Sadr's Mahdi militia, which is responsible for much of the recent sectarian violence and threatens to either marginalize or supplant the central government. The only positive element in Sadr's rise has been a fracturing of the united Shiite front that can now allow some cross-sectarian (Sunni-Shiite) deals and alliances. But that requires a Maliki government decisively willing to deal with the Sunnis and take on Sadr. The proper sequence for the actions would be to deal with the Sunnis and then Sadr. Obviously the government, if it is to succeed, must indeed confront and neutralize the power of Sadr. It cannot share it with Sadr. Doing so would marginalize the government, not Sadr. Dealing with Sadr would also lessen Iranian influence in Iraq and serve notice to Iran of Iraq's intent to not allow it. At this point, however, the coalition must be available to the government of Iraq to succeed in this looming confrontation. We just turned the army over to the government of Iraq. If the Maliki government is willing to do the things necessary to dampen the Sunni insurgency and confront the rising power of Sadr, the war in Iraq is eminently winnable. If, on the other hand, it eventually refuses to do either (and I'm not suggesting it will) then we need to reconsider our options in terms of success in Iraq. Bottom line: The American people will support a cause that is noble and necessary, but not one that is unwinnable. And without a central Iraqi government willing to act in its own self-defense, this war will be unwinnable. The time for the central government to take full charge of Iraq is drawing close. Withdrawing, at this point, is not an option. I'm not ready to say they have to assert themselves just yet, given the short time they've been a functioning entity. I think we owe them a bit more time as I mentioned as well as finishing the job of training the ISF to a particular standard. But at a point in the not to distant future, a decision point looms. We should make it clear that Iraq's actions at decision point (i.e. Iraq's government taking charge, making a bargain with the Sunnis and willingly confronting Sadr) will determine our continued support if necessary or the beginning of our withdrawal for goodIraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is now officially the commander in chief of his country's armed forces. Coalition forces handed over operational control of Iraq's navy, air force and the 8th Iraqi Army Division in a ceremony Thursday at the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. "It's fitting I follow the commander in chief of the Iraqi forces," said Multi-National Force – Iraq Commander Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who spoke following al-Maliki. "From today forward, the Iraqi military responsibilities will be increasingly conceived and led by the Iraqis." Prior to Thursday's ceremony, Iraqi forces received commands from the Coalition force. More Iraqi Army divisions are expected to follow the 8th IAD in the coming months. "They had proved, through rigorous operation, that they were ready," said MNF-I spokesperson Maj. Shawn Stroud, regarding the 8th IAD. "They were the unit that was fully prepared to do so through training, readiness and experience." The prime minister said Thursday's ceremony was an historic event. "It's a great and happy day in the history of Iraqis," said al-Maliki. During his speech, the prime minister also issued a warning to terrorists. "Terrorists, we'll see you have a great punishment, wherever you are," he said. "Now here again we are challenging terrorism. We have to continue to work hard with other security forces." The deputy chief of staff for the Iraqi armed forces reiterated the prime minister's statement. "I think this is a monumental day, a great day for the Iraqi armed forces; it's not a pleasant day for the insurgency." The logic that supports this contention is the same logic that leads many in Europe and on the hard Left to believe that they sit this one out or worse, aid al Qaeda in their quest. The truth of the matter is that if we pull out of Iraq now, there is so little left of al Qaeda in Iraq that the Iranians will mop them up for us. The long standing quest by al Qaeda in Iraq to go after the Shia will be their undoing. And besides, the Iranians don't need them when they already have the die hard supporters in Hezzbolah. This would be much in tune with the methods employed by the Soviets when then took over Eastern Europe .. round up and dispose of the Resistance because while they are your friends today, they are your biggest threat tomorrow. Unfortunately, al Qaeda isn't the only terrorist threat in the world today. With al Qaeda gone, we will merely change the main players from a Sunni Saudi-born Wahabi Jihad for a Shia Iranian-born Hezzbolah Jihad. This change only moves the emphasis from "die infidel" to "convert or die infidel"; not much of a change. While it will reduce the three major terror actors in Mesopotamia to two major terror actors and does render the statement Al-Qaeda will gain a base in Mesopotamia inoperative, it replaces it with the statement two major terror actors will gain a base in Mesopotamia; still a bad option. A) when it apparent by their questions that they haven't even bothered to read the post. Many times that's because B) they show up with a new round rhetorical peg and are looking for any hole, even a square one, in which to pound it. In this case it appears Rick has learned a new term - colonialism - and was just dying to try it outYeah, tens of thousands of casualties and hundreds of billions of dollars and yet the US is powerless and relying on some of the most unreliable people on the planet to make it all seem worthwhile. But hey, let's talk about the poor quality of commenters. We wouldn't want to admit that victory is out of our control. Oh wait, McQ just did. These are indeed representative of the two sides of this dysfunctional coin in the Iraq dynamic. A good startThis is a sensible idea - I've been screaming since the amnesty plan that Dick Cheney killed that a political solution to the insurgency is the only possible answer. Well, sorry to rain on your parade, but this administration is incapable of negotiating this deal. In fact, I personally believe that this deal cannot be negotiated while US troops remain in the country. Why? Because those representative of the insrugency have said that their fundamental condition is not just power and oil guarantee, but the departure of US troops, or at least a truce in the hot war against them. It may or may not be possible to get the Sunni insurgents to pass on the US withdrawal condition, but I see no evidence that this administration has the neccesary ideological flexibility to even be interested in making that deal. It isn't happening. There are no signs that it is in the works. Where is GWB's public initiative to make truce with the Sunni insurgency? Where are the leaks on the quiet process? it's not there. And even it was, the chances of #1. working on its own are slim - much slimmer than they would have been in '04 or '05 - because of #2 challenge from Moqtada al-Sadr.. Guys, the sun will rise in the west before Maliki "takes on" Moqtada al-Sadr, on his own ethnic team and more popular than he is, not to mention backed by Iran, while a Sunni-Shiite war rages. And, it's not just Al-Sadr. That's Charles Krauthammer's convenient mental frame, but not truth. There's a general Shiite militarism that goes beyond his organization and definitely beyond his person. It's not unitary. Juan Cole is a good place to look at the other heads of the hydra. Whether Tom's intellect is dazzling or not he is correct. Nothing McQ has said suggests what you say it does. Therefore, you should admit you were wrong, or admit your brain is damaged. I would stick with you were wrong so that Tom's insult is disproved and you can then force him to admit he was wrong as well. Even steven and all that. Really? McQ has stated here that the success or failure of our mission in Iraq is entirelyWell, I'm not wild about the idea of putting the fate of US soldiers, sailors and Nairmen, not to mention treasure in the hands of foreigners. You apparantly don't have a problem with it. Lance takes him to task: Nothing McQ has said suggests what you say it does. Says davebo: Really? McQ has stated here that the success or failure of our mission in Iraq is entirelyIt's not his claim that's in question. So show us davebo, where I apparently made the point, or said, that I don't have any problem with 'that'. Al-Qaeda will gain a base in Mesopotamia; Syria and Iran will share spheres of influence in what's left of the Iraqi state. And that would be different from the situation today how? According to all the people who are convinced that we're fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq, they already have a base there, courtesy of the US invasion. The Shia parts of Iraq are already an Iranian sphere of influence, including the Maliki government. It's made up of Dawa, SCIRI, Badr, & Sadrists, both Moqtada's & Fadila. Maybe Sunni reliance on Syria becomes more overt, but so what? Those aren't the dire consequences of leaving but the consequences of the invasion and the failures so far. (And as Neo notes, is is silly to assume that this situation will remain staic when we leave.) And if "western-friendly" is really a requirement for success, then this is a lost cause. The government of Iraq was always going to be heavily influenced by Iran. Maliki's is no exception. Maliki himself spent his years in exile in Iran and Syria. He ran Dawa's Jihad office, responsible for among other things bombing the American and French embassies in Kuwait, and coordinated with that other Iranian client, Hezbolah. The Iranians were the ones who sponsored all of these anti-Saddam groups Dawa, the splinter from Dawa that is SCIRI, the now independent military arm of SCIRI, Badr, etc. It's great that he's working in the US instigated politicl process but to think that he, or any govenment of Iraq is going to be "western-friendly" once our troops are gone is delusional. There are so many assumptions on which McQ's prescription is premised that are so completely wrong and misguided that it is hard to know where to begin. The first, of course, is that the Bush administration is competent enough to accomplish the prescription. It is not. Repeat. It is not. The problem with McQ's analysis, as is usually the case, is that his ideological affinity for the Bush administration makes it impossible for him to understand this. Many Democrats want to pull out not because they want to abandon Iraq, but because they understand that the Bush administration is simply incapable of making the situation there better. It is that simple. There is no point in letting more Americans get killed when the administration simply cannot win. Why is this so hard to understand? Posted on Wed, Sep. 06, 2006 Commentary Top military leaders insist new U.S. strategy is desperately needed in Iraq By JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY McClatchy Newspapers Debating issues of war and peace and America's role in the world aren't off limits in this fourth year of war in Iraq, and they aren't a sign of anything but the health and vibrancy of our democracy, however much President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld might wish otherwise in a tough election season. In hopes of furthering that debate, this week I asked more than a dozen top Army and Marine Corps generals - active duty and retired, dissidents and administration loyalists - to address what we should do now in Iraq. All of them agreed that America's strategy and tactics in Iraq have failed, and that President Bush's policy of "staying the course" in Iraq isn't likely to produce anything but more frustration, more and greater problems for the United States in a dangerous world, and more and bloodier surprises for the 135,000 American troops in Iraq. "Lack of security and lack of governance have pushed Iraq into the rise of a civil war," said one retired senior general. "The message is clear: We have a failed strategy, and we need new leadership and a new strategy to secure (our) interests in the region." The U.S. has important issues in the Middle East - not least of them Iran, he said, "but we cannot do much while bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan." "The problem thus far, as you know, has been lack of serious planning, poor selection of people in charge ... screwed-up assessments and assumptions, no building of international and regional cooperation, trust in non-credible exiles and too much spin and ad hoc-ery," said retired Marine Gen. Tony Zinni, who formerly headed the U.S. Central Command, with responsibility for 32 nations, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Zinni, who was among those who counseled continued containment of Saddam Hussein's Iraq rather than war and regime-change, continued: "The current bankrupt course we are staying is focused only, or almost only, on security and is not complete even in that area." "Until we back up and assess what we have gotten ourselves into, I fear we will see a repeat of the war in Vietnam," said retired Marine Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper, who recently called for firing Rumsfeld. "Our military will again fight a series of battles and engagements in Iraq without the overall purpose that a good campaign plan provides." The need for change, all the officers agreed, is urgent if the U.S. to avoid a catastrophe whose ripple effects would cripple American influence in the Middle East and worldwide, leaving us a superpower in name only, and a beleaguered superpower at that. Though it's far more difficult today because of lost opportunities, Zinni said, if the administration acted fast, a better outcome could be pulled out of the flames. To get Iraq right, he said, would take five to seven years, "and it means a much more comprehensive and well-planned set of programs to build political, economic, social and security institutions." McQ simply does not understand the nature of the problem. And he likely never will.. Malaki certainly is not part of any such element, as Retief points out. Again, McQ simply fails to grasp this rather obvious fact. Everyone who has thought for even a moment about Iraq knows that the Bush administration is simply incapable of doing the job, even if it cannot be done. Since Bush will be in charge 2 more years, that means the only rational course is to redeploy out of Iraq. There is no other choiceThe other flawed assumption is that there is an element in Iraqi society, particularly Shiite Iraqi society, that is powerful enough and independent enough to take on the mullahs and the miltias. Actually, there is. Let me repeat that for you, MK. There is ... and as of yesterday Maliki owns them lock, stock and barrel. It isn't a question of power, the power exits. It's a question of will and ability. The ability is almost ready. We'll now see, in the near future, if the Iraqi government has the will to use the power it holds to take the country from the militias. But that doesn't change the basic truth that you and davebo seem intent upon ignoring as you attempt to introduce Haybale McStrawman at every turn. It is and always has been up to the Iraqi people as to whether this government succeeds or fails. And our job, no matter how hamfisted we've been about doing it, has been to buy the time and space necessary for them to make that happenWhat a surprise that you would attack the messenger rather than engaging the message. So why don't you enlighten us: What evidence leads you to believe that the Bush administration is competent enough to get the job done? It's funny, you think Zinni doesn't know what he's talking about. And yet, the "authority" on which you base your post is that well known military strategist ... Krauthammer. Zinni v. Krauthammer. Hmmm. Who knows more about military strategy? Ha ha ha ha ha. Actually, there is. Let me repeat that for you, MK. There is ... and as of yesterday Maliki owns them lock, stock and barrel. What a surprise that you would attack the messenger rather than engaging the message. Yeah, it does sound rather like you. But in this case there's an actual reason to question the "messenger's" message. So why don't you enlighten us: What evidence leads you to believe that the Bush administration is competent enough to get the job done? What part of this didn't you understand? That doesn't automatically mean I approve of the way the job, to this point, has been handled, nor do I believe the administration should escape criticism for that. Oh, wait ... I see ... as usual you didn't read the post. What a surprise. Who knows more about military strategy? You still don't understand do you? This has nothing to do with "military strategy". And that is another reason Zinni comes off as stale and uniformed. No wonder you quote him ... he sounds a lot like you. So in all seriousness, you supported spreading democracy in Iraq, and my original point is correct. You have no problem whatsover putting the fate of American soldiers and the treasury of our country in the hands of foreigners. You just have a problem admitting it. Which is understandable given the current situation. So now that the entire evolution is riding on the will of Iraqis you've birthed a convenient scape goat for when we finally give up on them. Heh ... nice try davebo. Sarcasm doesn't come in the form of claims with dates attached. No one is that slow on the uptake. You let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird a$$ again and got caught. What a surprise. So in all seriousness, you supported spreading democracy in Iraq, and my original point is correct. I supported taking out Saddam and the Baathist regime in 2003. I said nothing about "spreading democracy" as a policy. I understand the argument, and certainly understand why some would think it to be a good idea, but as something I supported us "spreading". Uh, no. You have no problem whatsover putting the fate of American soldiers and the treasury of our country in the hands of foreigners. Well given that anytime you undertake nation building whether planned or unplanned, the fate of that nation rests in the hands of the people of that nation to make it work or not. How you warp that into the a suggestion that I have "no problem whatsoever putting the fate of American soldiers", etc. blah, blah, "in the hands of foreigners" though is simply beyond comprehension ... for normal people. For you, I'm sure it makes sense. So now that the entire evolution is riding on the will of Iraqis you've birthed a convenient scape goat for when we finally give up on them. Hello in there. The "entire evolution" has always ridden on the will of the Iraqis. Who's freakin' will did you think it rode upon? To add a little more explanatory power to this basically true statement: Where will this government's constituency come from once Shiites are alienated? Where does the government get the troops to simutaneously fight the Sunnis and put down Moqtada Al-Sadr, thus expanding the field of war to the entirety of Iraq's territory minus Kurdistan? Lastly, why does anyone think that Maliki wants to eliminate the Sadrist movement? From his point of view, Sadr is what keeps his government from being as powerless as Alawi's. The politics of this for a Shiite Iraqi are something akin to - but much more intensely - attempting to impeach President Bush in April 2003. I was referring to those already killed or wounded. Poorly worded for sure. If the Iraqis fail to "do their part" in all of this what will they have died or been maimed for? What will we have spent half a trillion dollars for? My point is that America should never commit it's military to a mission who's outcome is beyond their control. That said, if Iraq falls apart, we don't really have to worry about it becoming a base for Al Qaida. For terrorists sure, but the Shia majority is not going to look the other way while a Wahabi terrorist group trains and operates in their country. "My point is that America should never commit it's military to a mission who's outcome is beyond their control." So then the US should never fight another war, which is really your point, right? The only reason the uber anti-war Left doesn't claim Afghanistan is a failure, lied about reasons for invasions is because doing so would scream to the US Electorate: "We have no interest in defending this country." The Left doesn't care about Iraq, the troops or the outcome. They just don't like war, and now their left with this in Iraq: "we couldn't stop it, but losing it is almost as good." Well, McQ, let's play through the scenarios that need to happen. You suggest that the Sunni insurgents must be targeted first. When they go down, I assume, the Shi'ites will have less of a need to cleave to the militants in self defense. They will embrace the national army as the protector of the people, and the government will gain legitimacy across the country. Well, we've been trying to nail the insurgents for three years and we have failed. And in much of that time we've applied a carrot-and-stick approach. Especially since Khalilzad arrived in Baghdad, the US position has been to woo Sunni tribal elements into support for the government. But this has failed for a couple reasons, and is likely to continue to fail. For one, contrary to Krauthammer, the Sunnis want a little more than power. They feel they are the rightful rulers of Iraq as they have been for hundreds of years. The parallel is with with white Southerners during Radical Reconstruction. It wasn't simply that they wanted their power back. It was that they thought they were the natural rulers of the South, and so any form of terrorism (in the form of the Ku Klux Klan) was justified. The fact that so many Sunnis fail to accept the fact they are a demographic minority - and thus the Shi'ite victory was the product of fraud - is a sign of this ideological strength. Sunni Arabs cannot be easily bought off. Second, all attempts to curry favor with selected Sunnis have resulted in short-term divisions within Sunni society between those who accept the new deal and those who don't. And every time, those who accept the new deal get murdered. Why? Because they are completely outnumbered by fellow Sunnis who fight on for ideological reasons, and because the US doesn't have enough troops to protect them. As a result, cities like Ramadi are essentially in insurgent hands. (The great Tall Afar exception was the product of a large Kurdish population and the complete loss of support for Al Qaeda forces that set up shop there. AQ in Iraq is, and has always been, unpopular among Sunnis. Thus, it is a small, though brutal, player.) Third, the new Iraqi Army is staffed so heavily with Shi'ites and Kurds that local Sunnis are likely to see it as more evidence of siege. They'd rather stick to their own guerrilla forces in opposition to a regime they deem illegitimate than join up with an impotent force led by officers hostile to them. The fourth reason why the "woo the Sunnis" approach has run into trouble is that the Shi'ites have grown increasingly distrustful of US motives. We are, right now, in a precarious position where our efforts to woo the Sunnis (with the help of the Sunni Muslim Khalilzad) are insufficent; yet those very efforts are alienating Shi'ites who tend to view the Sunni population at large as responsible for the crimes of the Saddam era and the terrorism of the post-Saddam era. So, the "woo the Sunnis" strategy has failed, and barring a massive influx of new US troops to pacify Anbar province and west Baghdad, it will continue to fail. So how about Krauthammer's approach, which is to rely on Maliki to do his job and curb the Sadrists first. Well, here's the essential problem: Maliki is Prime Minister right now because he earns the support of 30 Sadrist MPs. If he turns the Iraqi army against the Sadrists, he will lose the support of those 30 MPs, and will lose a majority in Parliament. By law, that means Iraq must hold new elections. And the consequence of new elections is hard to predict: a very likely outcome is that Sadrists will increase their representation three-fold, and an outright Sadrist would take over as PM. The reason for this is that since the elections of 2005, the Shi'ite population has been gravitating toward the Sadrists, including many who formerly backed the more moderate SCIRI and Dawa. The existing government, led mostly by SCIRI (and with a Dawa PM) has been utterly incapable of delivering services and keeping security, thus causing a drop in support. The spiritual leader of the Iraqi Shia, Sistani, has lost much of his influence as well. Especially since the February 22, 2006 Samarra bombing, Shi'ites have decided that restraint and moderation have failed. They look to the Sadrists to defend themselves from the Sunni insurgents, who we already see, are as viable as ever. Of course, another possible result is no elections at all and a total collapse of even the pretenses of government. In that scenario Kurdistan declares independence, pulls its men out of the Iraq army, and leaves a large-scale civil war behind. So what is to happen? Krauthammer hopes that the split between Shi'ite factions will cause new alliances to develop between the Sunnis and Shi'ites. That's possible, of course, but it's very likely that such an alliance would pit the more militant members of each side together against the United States. Actually, I don't think such an alliance is going to happen at all. The civil war in Iraq will continue as before. The Iraq army will continue to be either useless on its own, or fragmented along intra-Shi'ite lines. And Maliki will be as marginal as ever. Meanwhile, Iran continues to gain influence in Iraq - not just through the Sadrists but also through its old friend, SCIRI. Other Sunni regimes in the region, including Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia will continue to funnel money and weapons secretly to the Sunni insurgents, so as to keep Iran's influence in check. And Syria will continue to be a revolving door for outside money and weapons to sneak into Iraq. Am I pessimistic then? Yes. I think it's lost, and our job is to minimize the fallout at this point. Kerry and Murtha are wrong: the spillover will be disastrous. How we minimize it should be the real discussion in Washington. I see the US influencing events in Iraq less and less every day - and not in a good way. Even the new Baghdad offensive, launched to great fanfare and with early signs of success, has turned out to have very little effect. Sectarian murders are as common in Baghdad now as they were before the new August 7th deployment. We'd better find a face-saving move to salvage our reputation in the region and keep Iran honest, or we'll be forced out in a more humiliating fashion. I have to agree with Come on please, what war is ever within our control? Even piss ant challenges like Panama and Grenada are not in our control long term. All wars can do is eliminate certain outcomes (say by toppling Saddam or Hitler, though even that is not fully in our control) and hope to influence what happens afterward. That the eventual outcome will be better than what came before or something we will like is always doubtful. Which is why war is not to be taken lightly. It runs like this, a particular situation is "real bad," that is a known outcome, so we change that on the basis that it is "real bad" and there are a range of possible outcomes from that action which "might be better." "Might be better" is preferred to "definitely bad." Since "might be better" is the best we can hope for war should only be used when there is a "definitely bad." For me Saddam was a "definitely bad" situation. You may disagree that it was bad enough, but it has nothing and should never have anything to do with the idea we will definitely succeed in having something better because that can only be a hope. That part of a military mission is always beyond our control, though hopefully within our influence. That is why we don't invade France because they are irritating, or Canada for their oil. Not that bad and we can ignore the French and buy Canada's oil cheaply. Once again, you can disagree on how bad having Saddam in power was, or the likelihhod of a positive outcome, but no war is fought because we can control every outcome ourselves. By that metric no war will ever be fought, in fact even defending gainst an invasion would fail that testLastly, why does anyone think that Maliki wants to eliminate the Sadrist movement? From his point of view, Sadr is what keeps his government from being as powerless as Alawi's. The administraton says the job is "to establish freedom and democracy". Do you really believe that? Case in point: Election of Hamas which is a clear example of what citizens in the MidEast would elect as their government if there were free elections in Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia - the key Arab allies of the USA. Clearly the US is not for democracy if the "wrong" government gets elected. However, I will answer what "finishing the job" should really mean: lasting peace in the MidEast. However, the US is the last country at this point to accomplish that. Why? Because we have destroyed our credibility by 1) blinded support of Israel, esp. this last Lebanese war; 2) our corrupt bungling of the Iraq mission - no infrastructre rebuilding (electricity isn't even back to pre-war levels) and 3) allowing civil war. What has been accomplished? Profiteering by defense contractors beyond imagination. Billions will never be accounted for in the Iraq war, and you can be sure that many a Swiss bank accounts of US defense contractors have had some large deposits in the last three years. This is the main purpose behind the neo-conservative movement: profit off the government whether it is the $50 billion Homeland Security budget or the $450 billion Defense budget. If you have any doubt about the millions flowing into the hands of the neo-conservative defense industry, just go to to see who has won the latest contracts. Just read some of these contracts to see how DOD and DHS can dole out millions and never have to account for it. Most of the top executives of the companies winning these contracts were working in the DOD or DHS just 2 or 3 years ago. The Iraq war is being lost on many accounts (our total ignorance of the Arab world, Iraq never being a true country to begin with, inept management, etc.) but the overriding reason is the profiteering and greed of the Defense Industry. However, I will answer what "finishing the job" should really mean: lasting peace in the MidEastI also adore that if the Shiites and Sunnis can't get along, it's America's failing. Things were just fine between them before we barged in, right? Moving the goalposts is one thing, but I never expected to find them in orbit. This thing is unwinnable. Not in the traditional sense, but because no matter what we accomplish, it won't ever be good enough for the naysayers. Thanks, notherbob2. But I'd also like to add that we're doing no worse a job of peacekeeping in Iraq than any blue-helmeted force has ever done anywhere. And yet we're sending another one of those into Lebanon to bring lasting peace into the Middle EastPablo, That only makes sense if we refuse to take President Bush at his word. He doesn't just want a "better Iraq in its wake"; something which he clearly has not achived. He wants a democratic revival that will lessen the pull of terrorism and extremism across the region. It isn't the naysayers that moved the goalposts. It was George W. Bush who moved the goalposts because his initial and most widely publicized casus bellum floppedYawn. Strawman. What I believe is as follows: The Iraqis are not capable of ending their civil war in the near future for as long American troops are attempting to be on one of the sides. Governance has little to do with it, except that those being governed tend to think that those governing are doing a pretty poor job under conditions of civil war, and it tends to be objectively true as well. Lastly, why does anyone think that Maliki wants to eliminate the Sadrist movement? From his point of view, Sadr is what keeps his government from being as powerless as Alawi's. Some Shiites and some Sunnis are engaged in sectarian violence. The Shiites and The Sunnis are not engaged in a civil war. Right, and some Lebanese fought each other in a communal militia war between 1975 and 1990. But most Lebanese did not engage in a civil war. Thus, the Lebanese did not engage in civil war. What kind of logic is this, Pablo? Just because most ordinary Iraqis want peace, stability and democracy doesn't mean they're going to get it. If that were the case we'd almost never have war. Politics is a mean business. Self-determination and democracy are certainly possible in Iraq. But considering the inability of the elected political representatives of the various factions to keep a lid on violent guerrilla forces acting in their own behalf, I'd say the chances of peaceful democracy are a ways off. I second glasnost on the last point too. "Training and equipment" are the least of the Iraqi army's problems. Motivation and loyalty are a wee bit higherSo, your mind reading and your future telling capacities are running at full force? You're claiming things as fact that you seem to be hopeful for, at best. Who expects Malaki to crush any other group but violent insurgents? You? You know what his intent and his desires are? What group is at war with the government, and has the juice to put on such a fight? You can't have a civil war without a group that fits the bill, and there isn't one. Yawn. Strawmanriiiiight. More dodging. Why do you want this to go badly, glasnost? Why are you cheering for an Iraqi collapse? More dodging. Why do you want this to go badly, glasnost? Why are you cheering for an Iraqi collapse? There it is again... If you don't agree with Bush, you are cheering for a bad outcome. Why is it that a realistic assessment of the situation is tantamount to siding with the enemy, and why is it that ANYONE thinks Bush is right? Let's look at Bush's track record... Was Bush right to turn America's counter-terrorism focus from Afghanistan to Iraq? Was Bush right to step aside at Tora Bora? Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq had massive stockpiles of WMD's? Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq had reconstituted a nucleart weapons program? Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq had unmanned aerial drones that could be launched to the US? Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq could launch a WMD offensive within 45 minutes? Was Bush right when he claimed that Iraq would provide WMD's to al Qaeda? Was Bush right we he (his cabinet) claimed that Iraq would be a cakewalk? Was Bush right we he (his cabinet) claimed that Iraq was connected to al Qaeda? Was Bush right when he (his cabinet) claimed that our forces would be greeted with sweets and flowers? Was Bush right when announced "Mission Accomplished"? Was Bush right we he (his cabinet) announced that we were in the last throes of the inusrgency? So now Bush believes that having forces is better than having our forces outside of Iraq? Based on Bush's track record, it seems that theThere are two reasons that the war in Iraq is not going to end any time soon. 1. The Iraqis do not want it to end. They know that if they "stand up" and the US soldiers leave, the money from the US pouring into that country will eventually stop. They don't want their sugar daddy to leave. They will milk this for every penny they can. 2. Military contractors, including Halliburton, does not want it to end. They are making a lot of money on this war. Stop the war and the money stops. The only way that the war is going to end is for the US to give the Iraqis a deadline for departure. Once they realize that the sugar daddy is moving out then you will see them standing up real fast. We can not be expected to baby-sit the Iraqis forever while they have a civil war. We have been in Iraq almost as long as we fought World War II. It is time to give a deadline and leave. Was Bush right to turn America's counter-terrorism focus from Afghanistan to Iraq? I don't know. History will bear that out. But why do you assume any focus was shifted, and why is that a bad thing if it was? Was Bush right to step aside at Tora Bora? Huh? Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq had massive stockpiles of WMD's? Dunno. Ask the Kurds. Or maybe this Clinton guy: Former President Clinton, in an appearance on "Larry King Live" on July 22, 2003, said, "… [I]t is incontestable that on the day I left office, there were unaccounted for stocks of biological and chemical weapons. We might have destroyed them in '98. We tried to, but we sure as heck didn't know it because we never got to go back there." Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq had reconstituted a nucleart weapons program? We'll never know. THANK GOD! Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq had unmanned aerial drones that could be launched to the US? See above. Was Bush right he when he claimed that Iraq could launch a WMD offensive within 45 minutes? How long did it take those SCUDs to reach Israel back in 91? Was Bush right when he claimed that Iraq would provide WMD's to al Qaeda? Why do you seem to reflexively trust a guy who murdered millions, gave 25K to support Palestinian suicide bombers, invaded Kuwait to steal their oil, gave asylum to Ramzi Yousef and Abu Nidal? Was Bush right we he (his cabinet) claimed that Iraq would be a cakewalk? The toppling of the Hussein regime was a relative cakewalk. No one ever said the aftermath or the GWOT would be. Don't be deliberately obtuse. Was Bush right we he (his cabinet) claimed that Iraq was connected to al Qaeda? Why is Al-Q in Iraq now? Why would Zarqawi choose to fight and die there if Iraq and Al-Q had no connection? Wasn't the Z-man in Iraq in 2000 or so with Al-Q of Mesopotamia? (Am I wrong on the last one?) Was Bush right when he (his cabinet) claimed that our forces would be greeted with sweets and flowers? I watched it on CNN. The Iraqis looked pretty happy when they were toppling that Saddam statue. How about all the people that voted? But obviously, a lot of the Iraqis are a hell of a lot smarter than you. That country was still riddled with SH's spies and supporters. After living under the boot of oppresion for decades, at the first sign of light, ONLY AN IDIOT would start celebrating like it's 1999. I think the Purple Fingers say much more than a few tailgate parties, don't you? Was Bush right when announced "Mission Accomplished"? Absolutely. The M.A. sign was an idea by Tommy Franks to commemorate the fact that the USS Abe Lincoln was being retired from the war. Furthermore, Phase 1 of the mission to topple SH was accomplished. Again, don't be an ass. Was Bush right we he (his cabinet) announced that we were in the last throes of the inusrgency? Probably not. But again, time will tell. Has any So now Bush believes that having forces is better than having our forces outside of Iraq? Huh? Was Bush right to have Missile Defense high on his priority list and international terrorism off the list when he became President? At the time, I'd say yes. It's easy in hindsight to point to the 9/11 attacks as evidence that the country shouldn't have placed missile defense higher than counter-terrorism. However, the first semi-military confrontation of Bush's term was with China, not a terrorist organization. Further, given that North Korea now has nuclear capabilities, give me one good reason why we shouldn't be working on missile defenseIndeed the vast majority are not interested in killing Shia as its own good. These Sunni have been accomodated democratically into the government, this problem was as good as solved. They are in government mandated by their participation in the voting process. But a religous extremist fringe of Sunni (Al Qaeda Iraq) gain from bombing Shia mosques and market stalls and cell phone kiosks. It is the actions of this Sunni minority that has created the sectarian tension in Iraq. No political compromise will bring them to the table. They needs killing or a strangulation of supply resulting in a near death experience. Enter Al Sadr, who is doing what is needed to beat this vicious, fanatical, terrorist insurgency - he is killing Sunni who may or may not be linked to the violence on the likelihood that some of them are. This is the proven simple local solution a guerilla insurgency. The Iraqi government is constrained by America from doing this needful thing. America prefers not to kill people in that sort of semi-indiscriminate manner and so is trying to find a way to strangle the insurgency by cutting off Iraqi tribal support, external Al Qaeda support and general funding from whoever backs Al Qaeda. Progress on this front is slow, because America is works in cooperation with allied governments that are not particularly concerned with ending Sunni extremist religious practice or brotherhood. I don't know. History will bear that out. But why do you assume any focus was shifted, and why is that a bad thing if it was? Typical semantic games, let me make this clearer for you. Let's look at Bush's track record... Is there any evidence that Bush was right to turn America's counter-terrorism focus from Afghanistan to Iraq? Is there any evidence that Bush was right to step aside at Tora Bora? Since you didn't understand this question, here's a quick history lesson... The Bush administration has concluded that Osama bin Laden was present during the battle for Tora Bora late last year and that failure to commit U.S. ground troops to hunt him was its gravest error in the war against al Qaeda, according to civilian and military officials with first-hand knowledge. Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he claimed that Iraq had massive stockpiles of WMD's? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he claimed that Iraq had reconstituted a nuclear weapons program? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he claimed that Iraq had unmanned aerial drones that could be launched to the US? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he claimed that Iraq could launch a WMD offensive within 45 minutes? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he claimed that Iraq would provide WMD's to al Qaeda? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he (his cabinet) claimed that Iraq would be a cakewalk? And if invading a country and replacing it's government are not part of the equation used to make these assertions, why would are they so stupid? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he (his cabinet) claimed that Iraq was connected to al Qaeda? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he (his cabinet) claimed that our forces would be greeted with sweets and flowers? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when announced "Mission Accomplished"? And no, the banner was not placed by the Navy, the crew, nor was it in any way associated with the mission of the Abraham Lincoln. The WH lied for a while, covered by the Navy, but eventually the truth came out that the WH ordered and hung the banner and that it was not requested by the Abe Lincoln crew or the Navy. Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he (his cabinet) announced that we were in the last throes of the inusrgency? Is there any evidence that Bush was right to have Missile Defense high on his priority list and international terrorism off the list when he became President, even though President Clinton's Security Advisor told them that the greatest threat to US national security was terrorism? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he to told the CIA agent that delivered the PBD of August 6, 2001, that he had "Covered his ass" and then taken absolutely no addtional steps as a result of this information? Is there any evidence that Bush was right when to demote counter-terrorism from a cabinet level position? So now Bush believes that having forces inside of Iraq is better than having our forces outside of Iraq? Based on Bush's track record, it seems that theYeah, that's the ticket. Cap And by the way, we ended our occupation of Germany long ago, we have troops there for protection against the USSR... or was that technicality an inconvenient truth? We have troops in Japan to defend Japan as their Constitution precluded them from having an a force large enough to defend themselves. "Is there any evidence that Bush was right when he (his cabinet) claimed that Iraq was connected to al Qaeda?" Why don't we ask the Clinton Justice Dept.?I already answered your other questions. But now it's my turn: How would the US be better off with Saddam still in power?Source please. I acknowledged mistakes have been made. Why can't you acknowledge that part of the course of action and subsequent results have yielded positive results? Because they have. And if you can't see that, you're as blind Last sentence of prior post: And if you can't see that, you're simply blind and partisanly close-minded. From the Iraq Lib. Act of '98: signedFrom David Kay's initial 2003 report: What have we found and what have we not found in the first 3 months of our work? We have discovered dozens of WMD-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations during the inspections that began in late 2002. The discovery of these deliberate concealment efforts have come about both through the admissions of Iraqi scientists and officials concerning information they deliberately withheld and through physical evidence of equipment and activities that ISG has discovered that should have been declared to the UN. Let me just give you a few examples of these concealment efforts, some of which I will elaborate on later: * A clandestine network of laboratories and safehouses within the Iraqi Intelligence Service that contained equipment subject to UN monitoring and suitable for continuing CBW research. * A prison laboratory complex, possibly used in human testing of BW agents, that Iraqi officials working to prepare for UN inspections were explicitly ordered not to declare to the UN. * Reference strains of biological organisms concealed in a scientist's home, one of which can be used to produce biological weapons. * New research on BW-applicable agents, Brucella and Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), and continuing work on ricin and aflatoxin were not declared to the UN. * Documents and equipment, hidden in scientists' homes, that would have been useful in resuming uranium enrichment by centrifuge and electromagnetic isotope separation (EMIS). * A line of UAVs not fully declared at an undeclared production facility and an admission that they had tested one of their declared UAVs out to a range of 500 km, 350 km beyond the permissible limit. * Continuing covert capability to manufacture fuel propellant useful only for prohibited SCUD variant missiles, a capability that was maintained at least until the end of 2001 and that cooperating Iraqi scientists have said they were told to conceal from the UN. * Plans and advanced design work for new long-range missiles with ranges up to at least 1000 km - well beyond the 150 km range limit imposed by the UN. Missiles of a 1000 km range would have allowed Iraq to threaten targets through out the Middle East, including Ankara, Cairo, and Abu Dhabi. * Clandestine attempts between late-1999 and 2002 to obtain from North Korea technology related to 1,300 km range ballistic missiles —probably the No Dong — 300 km range anti-ship cruise missiles, and other prohibited military equipmentIf you argued in 1861 that the American civil war was not likely to end in 1862, were you making a disguised statement that the US was incapable of self-governance? Or were you actually observing the balance of forces? If I argue that South Africans fail to end the AIDS crisis in their country tomorrow, am i, shock and horror, aruging that South Africans must be sub-human in their ability to solve problems? F*ck you, Pablo. Of course not. Pablo, I didn't answer your question because I found it both insulting and irrelevant, much as if you asked me in response to my statements, "are you a communist? If so, your opinions would make sense. So, are you?" IYou'd love to shrink both my choices and the potential outcomes of the world down to a binary one: If the Iraqis are capable of self-governance under *some* set of circumstances, than anyone who believes that **US policy** (among other circumstances, of course) is dooming them to fail to achieve specific metrics, must in fact be arguing that the Iraqis are *racially or culturally incapable of self-governance*!! So, now, instead of discussing whether or not a given US strategy will produce desired outcomes, I'm taking your perverted test for master-race theories. I am of course not arguing anything like that the Iraqis are incapable of self-governance. Both the Iraqi people and any given human society may, or may not, successfully self-govern over any given time period, depending on the prevailing conditionsIt's not the central question. InWhy do you want this to go badly, glasnost? Why are you cheering for an Iraqi collapse? Why are you trying to stifle critical thinking on US policy, Pablo? Why do you want the US to fail in Iraq by encouraging it to stay with policies that are failing? Why are you actively working with Al-Qaida in Iraq and the Iranian government, by stifling the debate in America that could enable us to change our policies from one that accidentlally empowers terrorist organizations, to one that could actually dry up support for them? Not so much fun to be on the receiving end of rhetorical bullsh*t, is it? Man, I forgot about the "WMD-related program activities." Now THAT's a blast from the past. Would the US be better with Saddam still in power? You bet. He was the best bulwark against Iran - even while bluffing about WMD. He kept Al Qaeda out of Iraq - because he feared them, not because he wanted to help us. Saddam was a brutal thug. But he served US interests by staving off two much more powerful American enemies in the region. Had we replaced Saddam with a function pro-western government then I would say, in hindsight, we did better to get rid of him. But instead our incompetent Administration created a failed state, an incubator for Al Qaeda, and an arena for Iranian expansionism. So if we're going to debate counterfactuals, we might as well account for the competence of the people who were actually in power to lead the mission. Oh, and the Washington Post reports today that Anbar is lost, according to the US Marines. I feel so confident in our leadership...Oh my, you are listening to way too much Limbaugh. The original sealed indictment did indeed contain a reference the indicated that al qaeda was working with Iraq, subsequent indictments removed this assertion because it was second hand and could not be supported, and the prosecutors indicated as much then, and in front of the 911 Commission Report. One would have to skip every indictment subsequent to the erroneous first indictment to make the argument you are making. They have a name for argumentation of this type. In early 1998, Mary Jo White, then the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, handed down a sealed indictment of bin Laden and several other Al Qaeda operatives on charges of conspiring to attack the United States. This indictment included a sentence stating that the terrorist group and Iraq had agreed not to work against each other and agreed to cooperate on acquiring arms:On August 7, 1998, Al Qaeda bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. A subsequent investigation by Fitzgerald into these attacks led to a new indictment, issued on November 4, that superseded the sealed indictment issued by White. But in the section characterizing Al Qaeda's various "alliances," the new indictment omitted the reference to Iraq: USAMA BIN LADEN, the defendant, and al Qaeda also forged alliances with the National Islamic Front in the Sudan and with representatives of the government of Iran, and its associated terrorist group Hizballah for the purpose of working together against their perceived common enemies in the West, particularly the United States. On his December 9 broadcast, Limbaugh falsely stated that the November 4 indictment charging bin Laden with the African embassy bombings "disclosed a close relationship between Al Qaeda and Saddam's regime." But only the original indictment, issued before the bombings took place and unsealed when the subsequent indictment was handed down, alleged an Iraq-Al Qaeda link. As noted above, the November 4 indictment on the embassy bombing charges made no allegations of such a connection. When Fitzgerald appeared before the 9-11 Commission on June 16, 2004, commission member Fred F. Fielding asked him about the evidence that led to the inclusion of the Iraq-Al Qaeda reference in the original indictment. Fitzgerald responded that this claim was the result of testimony provided by former Al Qaeda operative Jamal al-Fadl and noted that it had been removed from the superseding indictment. He testified that while he was able to corroborate al-Fadl's allegations regarding Al Qaeda's connections to Iran and Sudan, he could not similarly substantiate the claim regarding the group's relationship with Iraq, as a June 16, 2004, Washington Post article reported: Patrick J. Fitzgerald, now a U.S. attorney in Illinois, who oversaw the African bombing case, told the commission that reference was dropped in a superseding indictment because investigators could not confirm al Qaeda's relationship with Iraq as they had done with its ties to Iran, Sudan and Hezbollah. The original material came from an al Qaeda defector who told prosecutors that what he had heard was secondhand.Why can't you acknowledge that part of the course of action and subsequent results have yielded positive results? Because they have. And if you can't see that, you're as blind Actually, I would have thought that there would have been accidental positive results from bad decisions Bush has made, but unless you want to talk about positive results for some individuals in Iraq and Afghanistan, or some corporations who have had some very positive results from Bush's decisions, the actual state of terrorism in the world is much, much worse than it was before Bush began trying to stop it. We have less constitutional protections, so I guess that's a positive, if you don't like freedom. Our government is WAY bigger and costs a lot more, so I guess that is a positive, if you like big government. The prosthetic limb business is brisk thanks to the unnecessary incursion into Iraq, I guess that's a positive for the prosthetic limb business, not so much for the wounded soldiers. Iraq is MORE likely to endanger us as a result of the invasion than it was when Saddam was in control, not directly as a state, but indirectly as a training ground for terrorists. Iran is MORE dangerous as a result of eliminating Iraq as a potential competitor in the region. You want to know why Saddam always hinted that he WMD's even though we could find no actual evidence that he had them? It's Iran, stupid. Wait, there is something genuinely positive that Bush has done. He was 100% right to go into Afghanistan, and I supported this decision, along with most of the world. It was the right thing to do. Al Qaeda was HQ's in Afghanistan and the Taliban was harboring, protecting, and assisting al Qaeda. I thought Bush handled the China incident reasonably well, for such an awkward situation. INonsense. You called it a strawman. Do you do this often? I'm glad to know that you concede the possibility of success, given the raw material involved in the problemAmerican troops are on the side of the democratically elected government. Who is going to beat them? What has this enemy "won"? Why can't the Iraqi government win? Because you say so? Many Sunnis do not see it that way. They think the presence of American troops is to their benefit. InNo, glasnost, it's a description of the Middle Eastern status quo. Rule of law has come from the whim of a dictator for all of recent history. This is a whole new ballgame for them, and the second question (having agreed upon the answer to the first) is whether they'll take advantage of the opportunity they now have. Vast majorities of Iraqis have already done so in clear defiance of the same forces that want this government to fail. Why are you trying to stifle critical thinking on US policy, Pablo? Why do you want the US to fail in Iraq by encouraging it to stay with policies that are failing? I'm not trying to stifle a thing. On the contrary, I've had to repeat myself here just to draw you out. You, on the other hand, contort every problem you can imagine into a catastrophe, stomp your feet and insist that it's all bad, bad, bad! You've got Maliki as a failure when the guy hasn't even been in office for four months. You construe sectarian violence being committed by a tiny minority of Iraqis, largely in Baghdad, as proof that we and the Iraqis have already lost. And your only solution seems to say that we can only hope to salvage anything out of Iraq if we leave it to al-Qaeda and Iran to infest with jihadism. That's not just defeatist, it's foolish. Why are you actively working with Al-Qaida in Iraq... No, you see we've largely wiped out al-Qaeda in Iraq (a clear American/Iraqi win that I don't hear you talking about) through our failed policy of chasing the bastards down and killing them. Somehow, this has not caused them to replicate by the order of magnitude you folks have been insisting they would. But if you believe in magic like the jihadi Hydra theory...and if you believe OBL is sitting in Tora Bora just waiting for Howard Dean and the Screaming Eagles to come get him...and that Iran really likes having all those Americans bogged down next door arming and training all those Iraqis... and the Iranian government, by stifling the debate in America that could enable us to change our policies from one that accidentlally empowers terrorist organizations, to one that could actually dry up support for them? Who is stifling debate, glasnost? I'm looking for you to put up adecent argument. Oh, and you should check into Saudi/Jordanian/Egyptian support for the Iranio/Hezbollan strain of jihadism. It's layered, nuanced, balanced. I think you'll like it. Not so much fun to be on the receiving end of rhetorical bullsh*t, is it? Actually, I enjoy it. I just ball it up and stuff it right back where it came from. You
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knew there was a twist to the headliner, a 250 lb 9 year old, damn I don't even weigh that much. They should have charged the parents for child endangerment because they are killing the kid slowy. He may not see his 18th b-day. Yeah......but think about it. What DO you do with a child - any child - who is that non-complaint and out of control? You can't discipline your children any more because if you do the state comes and takes them away and you go to jail....so what is a parent to do? Call the police and hope they do the right thing. If we can get the government out of our homes and lives, and tone down agencies that currently operate outside the law (Child Welfare/DYFS etc..) maybe we could get back to the task of raising our OWN children with no interference from our watchers in the state and fed. government. Ok, let's think about a 250-lb 9-year-old who needs to be tasered by a cop for just a second. The parents have abdicated at that point, and that kid is in a poisonous environment. Why on earth hasn't he been taken from that home? He's being destroyed. And no wonder he doesn't want to go to school - can you imagine the bullying and mockery that takes place? Just another thought but is it safe to tazer a 250lb 9 year old. I am guessing that if you had an adult that was proportionately heavy he would be well over 400lbs. The strain on the heart from the weight has to be pretty impressive I am wondering if the kid could have had a heart attack from it. That said... tazer the stupid lazy parents that let the kid get so out of control. Sheesh! Yes. The child is obviously overweight and probably was bigger than the officer. But, did you notice the inconsistency in the story? He was laying on the floor with his hands underneath him. So he had to be tased. He was laying on the floor flailing. So he had to be tased. Which was it? Poor report writing? Something else? Parental consent or not, tasing a child is still tasing a child. The police officer shouldn't be a police officer if he has to resort to force to make a stubborn 9 year old child cooperate no matter the size. Why are you mean-spirited commentors such freakin control monsters? Lasers kill. Who's to say what physical damage has been done here by a crazed, badge wielding heartless monster? Do any of you even care if the child has a medical condition causing this? Is there medical help available? What good did the tasing do? everyone who thinks its ok for cops to taser people need to get tasered themselves, its no joke, and if a cop does it to you as part of a power trip its most definitely police brutality, id rather get punched in the head than tasered tbh, even without the very real risks that come with tasering people. this is unfortunately the new america, police said tasers will be great because as a last resort its better than shooting someone, but the fact is the laws were immediately put in place to justify any and all use of tasers by police, after which it immediately became standard procedure to taser anyone who the cop "feels" is being unruly. these weapons need to be restricted, they're not designed for use whenever a cop gets annoyed, throw this POS pig in jail! Lets see, the kid is clearly massively over weight, does not listen to his parents, won't go to school, doesn't respect authority. Being a minor doesn't mean you get complete free license to do whatever you want to do with your life and to just ignore what your parents tell you. If the officer was there to get the boy with the concent of the parent, who clearly couldn't control her son, and his reaction was to get on the ground into a position that made him impossible to control, followed by throwing a temper trantrum, I don't care if he is 9 or 90, he got what he deserved. You know the saying "it takes a village to raise a child"? Well that means if you have an out of control child someone has to do something about it. These days if a teacher tries to do anything they get fired, if a parent tries to do anything they get custody taken away, if anybody else who knows the child tries to intervene they get sued to harrassment, and apparently even the police get investigated for unneccessary force. Send the kid to a millitary school, get some discipline in his life, take away the friggen oreos and make him take a walk, or at least do SOMETHING. A 250 pound 9 year old sounds like he needs medical attention. Something is wrong. What are the parents doing medically for this child? A third grader should not weigh as much as an overweight man. I don't believe in tasering nine year olds but I also don't understand why the parents had no control nor why the child is in such terrible health. Pretty sad all around. Are you just trolling or serious? I see you just made your account to make this comment. Neglected and abused? No one looking out for him? Adults in his life have betrayed him? Clearly his mother is trying to get him to go to school, but he is not listening. If you took him in to your house he would just eat all your food and not go to your schools. You don't get arrested for truancy for taking a few sick days, you don't get to 250 lbs from eating a few extra cookies, and you don't fail to totally respond to your parents and a police officer's instructions because you are misunderstood. Yes, even a 9 year old has to take some responsibility for their actions. and a cop who tases children? should he take responsibility for his actions? tasing doesnt motivate it incapacitates, there's no reason to tase a person on the ground who refuses to get up other than to punish them, this is about as clear of a case of police brutality as it gets, cops are meant to protect and serve, not punish and injure @hiap, what a creepy attitude to have. I would assume therefore if the policeman didn't have a taser to subdue a 9 year old who was already laying on the ground that you would be okay with him using a nightstick? Just beat him until he's compliant? Or perhaps you'd be down for spraying the kid with mace? Perhaps he should have called for backup, or a social worker before deciding to electrocute a child. I wonder how many warnings he gives his own children. The average 9 year old boy is 4 foot 4 inches tall and the optimal weight is 61.6 pounds. The average weight for a 9 year old boy is 70-80 pounds. This kid was at least 350% over the average weight for a child his age unless he was over six foot tall. You refuse the lawful orders of a police officer you get what you deserve. What was the cop to do walk away? Hit the kid with his baton? Choke him out? Jump on the floor and wrestle this sumo kid? Call the county cops or state cops for backup? He warned the kid as did mom. Some people just need a really vivid explanation. He got one and it did nothing so he got another. WhyisnooneOutraged is absolutely right... and I did NOT just join to agree with what was said! Most of these comments here make me sick! Clearly this child is neglected to some extent weighing what he does at only 9 years old !! And I certainly hope you don't have any children hiap if you really believe it's the 9 year old responsibility what he weighs... the PARENTS are responsible !! I'm horrified to see how many idiots there are here today... it breaks my heart. I hope to God someone does something to help this kid who now has to deal with humiliation among his other problems. As for the cop... anyone who would tase a 9 year old deserves to lose his job. Clearly the child is out of control, and an out of control child cannot just be told what to do. What kind of world is it coming to that a child is not expected to listen to the instructions of a police officer? I am not some grumpy old man, I am in my mid 20s, still young enough to remember that if I were his age and I broke the law and had a police officer come to get me I would have been expected to show him complete respect no matter what I had done and do as he told and treated him with courtesy. And no I was never physically abused or even punished in a physical manner as a child, but I knew darn well that I was supposed to respect my parents, my elders, and the authorities. If I acted like this kid was acting I would have deserved the same treatment. Kids are not robots that a parent can make do what they want with a remote control. I highly doubt his mother (as far as I can tell single mother) encouraged him to eat that much. It sounds to me like if he is being raised by a single mom, he needs a father figure in his life. I mean no disrespect for hard working single mothers, but children need both parents to be well rounded, something this society has lost sight of in disastrous numbers. I heard the other day that for children being born to mothers under 30 some 40% are being raised without a father in their life. That is just not how things should be. What are all of these kids going to do on fathers day when half of the class is making "worlds greatest dad" crafts and half don't even know who their dad is or rarely see him. The family system in this country is in a disastrous state and no one seems to want to do anything about it. Kids walk around at 6 and 8 years old with smart phones playing stupid games like angry birds all day every day, and then spend all night on the internet playing online games. The only social interaction they get with people outside of school is over a headset. I played video games growing up but with other people at my house, and we eventually to a break to go out and throw a basketball or something. Parents these days are raising a generation of technology dependent, socially inept, irresponsible, disrespectful little animals. Even 20 years ago this kind of parenting would have been shameful and it is now a reality of life. And no, I am not suggesting hitting him with a baton, or spraying mace on him, or shooting him, or any of the other idiotic comparisons being made on here, but clearly he was out of control, and the officer had to make the decision he made, once again with the consent of the parent present. I refuse to feel sorry for the kid being tasered. I really do hope someone finds a way to get the kid in touch with reality, on a diet, in school, and on the path to a productive life, and that hopefully someday he will see that his mother loved him and wanted what was best for him even though he was unwilling to do his part. Someone has to get him down the right path though. Love seeing all the white knights here saying that the taser was too much. I'd like to see them deal with this 250-lb. brat and see how far they go by that logic. It's hard enough getting a 250-lb. difficult adult to cooperate, much less a selfish child that same size. The cop had few options, and it's about time the child learned he won't get his way all through life. It's better he learned now than later. He's still quite young, he can change himself. I was raised by a single, hard working mother who was smart enough to throw my drunk father out when I was 5... I grew up as you put it "well-rounded", and so did my sister and brother. We were polite, well mannered, respected adults and got in little trouble. I went on to have 4 of my own kids and threw out their drunk father as well. My kids grew up the same way I did. I'm a firm believer children "learn what they live"... so I can only conclude this child is learning to rely on food as a baby sitter, mother, father and friend. And I hope & will pray he gets the help he needs. For the record... I was done having my kids by the time I was 25 and they turned out beautifully if I do say so myself... go figure. I didn't say the every man is worthy of being a father. No one of either sex should have to live with a drunk or abusive partner (yes I personally know someone who has an abusive drunk woman in their life), and that is a situation that must be dealt with. Did any of your kids have a male figure in their life that they looked up to by any chance? I never said a single parent cannot raise children successfully, that would be obviously not true. Do you think it is a good thing that almost half of children being born to young women today do not have their father in their lives? I am not here to judge you, or criticize your parenting, only point out that the healthy model of a married father and mother, with the help of friends and family has been raising children for thousands of years. How will a large scale change in that parenting system change society into the future? Police shouldn't taser a person that isn't an adult. The kid posed no threat other than being fat and ornery. I think that the law are just a bunch of spiteful bullies and they enjoy using their weapons when ever they get a chance. And i bet the kid gets teased at school by more bullies so now he is traumatized, he hates school and he hates police. And these are supposed to be things that help us be good citizens. This boy is 225 now how big will he be when he get "big'? And now he may just start being abusive to others just because of the failure of his parents and police and school to help the poor guy. Agreed. My question is how does arresting a kid for not going to school solve the problem? Do they think a 9 year old understands consequences of not getting a high school diploma, or anything other then video games and TV? Why would this even be something that would require law enforcement "intervention" and not a counselor or social services or something else? Nine years old and 250 pounds? Did anyone think that there might be an underlying problem with WHY the kid doesn't want to go to school (bullying, depression, diabetes, etc..)? What is sick is how this 9 year old acted. He did not follow orders. He is skipping school. For a 9 year old to be 200-250 lbs is seriously overweight which says his mother is not taking good care of him. There are consequences for every action. Maybe next time he will have learned. Are you people F-Nuts? This is a nine year old CHILD. Obviously, there are some dysfunction issues in the family if this child weights 200-250 pounds. He probably has major underlying health (thyroid, diabetes, high blood pressure) and mental health issues on top of that. But to let a rogue, bullying cop taser him? If the cop did not have a taser gun, I suspect he probably would have just pulled a revolver and shot this CHILD. This is the very reason I do not feel sorry for police officers and their families when one of them can't bully a criminal gets killed in the line of duty. The headline is super-deceptive - he was tasered for resisting arrest (as requested by the "parent", evidently.) The cop would have been wise to just call Child Protective Services to report suspected child abuse, and let the social workers handle it. The 250-lb, out-of-control 9-year-old is obviously in a situation with completely inept guardians or has a serious mental illness - maybe both. You idiots are completely stupid. This is a nine year old boy, think back to when you were nine. Nine year olds don't behave well anyway. If the pig can't control a nine year old maybe he should not be in that field for work, maybe he should see if McDonalds is hiring. So you taze a 9 year old, what do you think that nine year old will grow up to be. This could have been handled a totally different way. Tazers should be against the law since it is against the Eight Amendment. Eighth Amendment – Prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.Tazers are soooooo unusual and cruel. Most people think bark collars are bad but its okay if it is a human; are you all stupid. Any officer who is unable to handcuff a 250-lb individual (man, woman or child), needs to call for back up. There is obviously a sevier lack of people skills, and problem solving skills on the officers part. I don't care if the 9-year old is 100-lb or 250-, this is still a CHILD. I think the mother HAS A PROBLEM, allowing her child to be tazed. She is obviously out of control, in her own home, unable to direct her own child, powerless to change the problem at hand. It sounds like a much deeper problem. WHY doesn't the 9-yr old want to go to school? Could it be because he's being bullied? At 250-lb, I'm sure he doesn't look like any other 9-yr old kid in his class. Sounds like to me that the mother as well as the child need some help, on every level. In my way of thinking, the officer should have called for back up the VERY MINUTE the kid lay on the floor, resisting. Let him lay there while you wait for back up, who cares. With kids as young as 9, as well as being so overweight, there could have been some VERY SERIOUS repercussions from the taze. I think all involved need to count their lucky stars, and I hope the officer gets some more training in how to handle difficult situations. The problem is if the officer goes to work at McDonalds, he's going to run in to the kid a lot more... In all seriousness, the article is poorly written in that it says the child was on his hands and flailing at the same time. Flail fighting is not particularly effective, but can hurt if you make a lucky connection (I've been on the receiving end of that several times). There is talk about the kid being overweight as a result of the parents. Maybe that's true, but at that point, the kid needs to learn a life lesson about his size and how to wield his considerable mass without endangering others. I outgrew my teachers (and most adults) by the time I was in middle school (12 years old in my area). If I was flailing my body in an attempt to defy them, I would expect them to bring more people (not a particularly viable option since he's the only full time officer) or use tools provided to incapacitate me to remove the threat. It was drilled into my head from a very early age that being as big as I am, any violence is going to be scrutinized much more so than a normal person's. Was the taser excessive? Maybe, there isn't enough information as to why the officer was forced to make an arrest or if the officer perceived themselves to be in danger due to the fighting. I will say that any 250 pound creature is going to give me pause if I have to make it do something that it doesn't want to do... Did the kid learn a valuable life lesson like go to school, don't fight with your parents, and obey orders given by the police? We can only hope so... Oh my how did the Po Po deal with people before there were teasers? Poor training, poor officers, and drastically under funded, I mean come on the chief makes less than fifty grand a year. To hire officers that can do this job cost money and they must be highly trained. Barney Fife was not a roll model for police. until you have a child that refuses to attend school....No matter what you do...Day after day.......You will never know what this mom is going through.....My son went through this for 2 years and its terrible and almost caused our family to completely fall apart...Did you know if a child doesn't attend school, the parent eventually goes to jail in some states? F- That........I work hard every single day..I have my entire life...Went to college, paid for it myself, etc......If my son refuses a free education to eventually become a drain on society, then he should get a kick in the ass..or a taze...kids these days are spoiled @!$%#s....I never raised him to be this way, but when he hit 14, his mind turned to mush...... (Well adjusted kid, popular, smart, athletic, lots of friends, no drugs, (tested), etc— It happens............... This kid was refusing lawful orders.... 200+ pounds.... what did you want the cop to do... tackle him to the ground and forcibly handcuff him...? or just let him walk away....? i wouldn't of wanted to... but i probably would of tazed this kid to... he had plenty of chances to cooperate.... parents are to damn soft these days... always willing to spare their kids the consequences of their actions.... this is how the kid will learn to obey officers. Has everyone lost their minds? This is totally insane! I have a son who was a discipline problem in elementary school. After several calls from the principal to pick him up from school, I had to ask the question, "Are you telling me that a seven year old has bested everything you learned in college? Do you really not understand that he wants to go home and you are reinforcing him?" Did he really go to college for years only to learn to call the parent? If you can't have a positive influence on children and be directive, why are you a principal? With this in mind, have we really given weapons to police who are too inept or too lazy to gain compliance of unarmed suspects without using weapons of any kind? Let alone tasering a child. Can there be any justification for using a weapon, non-lethal or otherwise, on a nine year old? I don't care of he was 500#. He didn't have a weapon and he wasn't threatening the officer. If parents tasered a nine year old for having a tantrum they would be in jail. Why isn't this officer? How can you have a rational discussion about tasering a non threatening nine year old? Weapons are supposed to be a last resort, not a short cut for an inept officer who clearly has no idea of boundaries. I hope the parents (who sound like pieces of work themselves) end up owning the whole town and that this 'officer' goes to jail for assaulting a minor. You never threw a tantrum as a kid? Do you think you should have been tasered for it? The only thing more shameful than this officer's actions is a society so numbed by government and police abuses and violence in general, that they don't immediately recognize this as a travesty. It would be an abuse if it were done to a non compliant, unarmed adult. But a nine year old? Shame shame! A bus route I used to take home every night also picked up kids from a local charter school who were 10-12 y.o. Every night it was the boys swinging from the hand rails, screeching, and screaming 'I'mma rape you b*itch!" at their female classmates who, frighteningly, took it as a compliment. The bus driver finally got sick of it and tried to kick them off. The kids refused at first and even threatened to stab the driver. Once off the bus, one ran into the street to keep the bus from pulling away and the others jumped onto the bike rack to start jumping up and down. I wish someone had taken a taser to those little SOBs. It seems pretty clear by reading the article that the kid was not responding to repeated attempts to do what the officer said by the officer and the parent. The parent gave concent for the level of force to be used since the child clearly decided to lose control on purpose instead of doing what he was asked. Obviously the kid needs help, sometimes that help includes learning proper discipline and respect for authority. I'm not a trained professional, I simply know better than to teach children that the best way to gain compliance is with violence. This is a great lesson for a kid who already has trouble with rules What about the obvious? How long can a kid lay on his hands with two supposed adults standing over him? What if they waited him out? What if mom threatened to withhold food? Sounds like this would be a prime motivator for this kid. That's just two ideas in thirty seconds of a layman thinking about it. Why did the cop need immediate compliance out of a nine-year old? What was at risk? What were the consequences of just waiting him out? Frankly, if you are defending adults using a weapon on an unarmed, non threatening nine year old, I think your enlightenment is beyond my abilities. Bizzer, You are talking about aggressive, threatening and actively disruptive students. What does that have to do with tasering a nine year old, laying on the floor of his home? David - You're the voice of reason. As a parent myself and just a person, I can't understand why it was imperative to tase the child. Doesn't matter if he was even bigger. A child was tased because he wouldn't get off the floor? There was nothing else to do? I think, too, there is a bigger issue here and that is the use of tasers by police for non-compliance of instructions given. They are a great tool and (usually) provide a less than lethal amount of force but not listening isn't necessarily a reason to use one. Particularly if the person not listening is 9 years old. David-SF Bay Area - so exactly what are you supose to do with a spoiled little 7 year old that is throwing a tantrum in the class. Leave him there so that none of the other kids can get an education. Asign a teacher to spend the whole day with him alone (whoes going to pay for that?) Put him in a room alone so that if he hurts himself, parents such as yourself will file suit. The best thing that can be done with kids like that are to hand them back to the parents and let them baby sit. David in SF, If my principal called my parents and said they had to come pick me up and take me home I guarantee you the absolute last place I would have wanted to go was home. Don't blame the school for YOUR failure as a parent!!!! What did you do? Stop and McDonalds on the way home, get him something to eat and send him to his room. His room with a TV, Stero, laptop, cell phone, I pad, I pod, wireless Internet etc etc etc. Cannon, you ask a reasonable question. Devil's Son seems to have an active imagination, based on a total absence of facts. When I got home after being sent home for misbehaving it wasn't pleasant. Nor was it for my kid. First, I care more about my kids than to take them to McDonalds, EVER! This all happened before 90% of what you are talking about existed. My wife and I specifically decided that a TV in the children's room was inappropriate. My son's room was filled with books and nothing else. After my confrontation with the principal and my son learned he couldn't escape school so easily, he stopped being a disturbance to the other children in class. Somehow when the 'professionals' started doing their job, my son learned to behave appropriately. Anyone who accuses someone of being a parental failure simply because their kid was inappropriate in school is clearly not a parent. If they already knew how to conduct themselves in society, why would we send them to school? Socialization is as important, if not more so, than the 3R's. I take your point about needing to serve the other students. My objection was their taking the easy out and being lazy. My point was made by the fact that the situation was resolved rather easily. Had the problem persisted, i would have expected the school to call my wife and I in for a strategies conference, rather than just sending him home. I guess you don't have very high expectations of your school system. My problem with Cannon's reaction is simple. The mindset that says that we teach a child how to interact with others by having his parents baby-sit is the same mindset that thinks the best way to get a nine year old off the floor is with a taser. My son went on to have a successful school career and is currently in college. It's not like I don't get your point. i do, and in many ways agree with it. I don't think that the other students should suffer for my son's misbehavior. At the same time, if it isn't violent, chronic behavior, turning children to positive ways to express themselves is what school is supposed to be all about. Maybe if I share the fact that I was a middle school teacher in an inner city setting who was frustrated with what my rich suburban school considered worthy of calling anti-social, you can be more sympathetic with my position.My objection wasn't with sending him home as a last resort, it was with sending him home as a first option. Isn't this why we don't recruit ditch diggers as substitute teachers? Making more than a minimal effort and coming up with solutions is supposedly what they train for. It's what I trained for. SF, your kid should have learned that going home did not mean his school day was over. As soon as he/she got home you should have started school again. I spent two years as a school attendance and safety officer. I have dealt with dozens and dozens of parents like you. You are the enabler. On Monday you are all please Mr. Principal help me with my child and on Tuesday it's why are you messing with my precious little gift to the world's self esteem. If they had to send your kid home more than ONCE it was your fault. My point was YOU let going home be better than staying at school. After the second time I would have spent a day in my daughter's classroom or classrooms during school and embarrassed the living sh!t out of her. Yeah you know everything but the facts. If you're so clairvoyant about a situation that you weren't present for, how come my actions worked? It wasn't that I made home friendly. It was that they used it as a first option. Talk about cherry picking your reading. How come when I suggested to the school that they were being manipulated by a seven year old, it stopped? But you know everything. It must have been coincidence. I am an enabler for stopping the behavior. If I were your daughter, I'd be embarrassed to have you in my classroom too. So this kid won't follow orders from a police officer with his own mother present? No sympathy here. He's a big kid who feels he can push everyone around in order to get his way. I'm not for arresting or tasering children for truancy, but sooner or later he has to learn boundaries and consequences to his behavior. So? The kid was 200-250 lbs and sounds like he was well on his way to becoming a problem for society anyway. Good for the cop for giving him a healthy dose of respect for authority that he probably wasn't getting from mommy, from the sound of it. The mother of the boy should be the one who should be sent to prison. How can a 9-year old be allowed to gain 200 to 250 pounds? Feeding him what that led the boy to gain that much weight? The officer should know better that the 9-year old had no weapons nor was a threat to anyone. Just that he refused to go to school and there may be reasons behind it. Handcuffing the boy in his home would do nothing but harm the kids self esteem. The officer could have used some common sense here. Handcuffing the boy in his home would do nothing but harm the kids self esteem Are you being serious? The kid was skipping school and then physically resisting a police officer. I don't think self-esteem issues are among his problems. People with no self-esteem just roll over and do what they're told. Rethink the situation. Here is a kid skipping school, for what reason we don't know, but let's assume he is bullied, teased, whatever for being overweight. Now an officer walks into your house (a symbol of the authority and power that you have NONE of, and reminiscent of the people that are bullying you) and tells you he is going to take you to jail. This is a NINE YEAR old kid. They were TRYING to intimidate an scare him into complying. What if he wasn't arrogantly refusing, but crying and terrified of being arrested? Can you imagine that scenario? Children are children, we can't expect them to think and act like adults. There was no reason this child needed to be arrested. He wasn't a danger to himself or anyone else. Nothing that was going to happen at the police station couldn't have happened at that home. This was an example of a barely trained volunteer officer who didn't know of any other reaction other then force. For god sake, he is a 9-year old. A 9-year old is a 9-year old in terms of emotional development no matter how overweight the boy is. Police officer is NOT a GOD. I have kids in the same age group and I know how my girls would react / feel if ever they were put in a similar situation. They would cry, run away and tuck behind their mother, if ever a cop tries to handcuff them for no reason. Sadly, you're wrong. Skipping school IS against the law in most states, and bad parenting (as long as there's no abuse) is NOT illegal.. otherwise there would be a huge number of people in jail. Seems backwards, but that's our society for you.. the whole situation is sad. Yes,it is against the law in a lot of states.In Florida where I live you WILL go to jail if your child misses,I believe it was 20 days out of the semester.Even if you have a note from a doctor,that will only get you 3 excused absences.It doesn't matter what your excuse is for the kid,you still go to jail.Even if you didn't know they were skipping school,you still go to jail. Parents can be held responsible for their child's absences. Especially since the child is so young. As parents, we are completely responsible for them at that age.The fact that the mother called the police means that she was at her wits end. This big, defiant child was probably giving her the blues. If she didn't have a problem with the child being tazed then, why should we? As a former school attendance officer I can tell you it is illegal for you to fail to educate your child. In most states that means once you register a child for school you must send them. But you do not have to register your child for school and in many states you don't have to meet any standards to homeschool your child nor does the child have to take any tests to prove you are actually schooling the child at home. While doing that job a neighboring town had dozens of parents arrested for failure to educate. Mostly the mothers so the father could work. I personally went to two homes with the police and notified the parents that if their child did not attend school regularly that I and the police officer would be back to arrest the mother (in both cases she was the custodial parent). The district regularly fought with district line jumping parents over this. Our neighboring district would chase them into moving into my district. I would chase them back and they would chae them back. Each time they moved it started the process all over. The dirty little secret is in many states all you have to do is say homeschooling and the school and police have to walk away even if the kid is registered in a school and you did not go and file the papers to remove the child from school. When I read the headline, my mind went one way, but now with the details, I've kind of gone the other. The fact that the mother had to call the police to deal with her 9-year-old, and also the fact that the child is obese (unless he's a 6'4" 9-year-old), is pretty telling. That said, I still can't find a way to justify the officer's actions. Neither the original charge, truancy, nor the way he was resisting arrest, was dangerous to anyone. Being angry and impatient is no excuse for using a Taser on a child, no matter how uncooperative he was being. The mother seemed to be fine with it, too, which is a little sad. No matter how frustrating this kid is, he's still nine years old. I hope the family can get access to some much-needed resources to help this child, because is clearly in need of help. Your right, of course, it would have been much better to simply beat him into submission with a billy club or rubber hose, like the good old days.....a few broken bones, bruises and bleeding, several days in the hospital recovering....yeah, that's a lot better. Remember, the issue was he wouldn't obey a police officer...what would you have the officer do? Walk away? Not going to happen..... Redbull,in some states,you can go to jail for your child missing too many days of school.Would you be willing to go to jail just because your kid didn't want to get an education? And it is hurting someone,it is hurting the child.He obviously needs help,with his weight and other things too.Do you think that sitting on the couch at home all day is going to get him what he needs and make him a productive member of society? I seriously doubt it. It is a good thing they closed the police department. Sounds like little or no training for police and using volunteers, that is when you get the overly aggresssive and wannabes who have no idea of a persons constitutional rights. The mom needs to go to parenting classes, she is a loser to allow her son to become obeise and not attend school. Clearly she is not "allow"ing her child to not attend school and become obese. He is clearly out of control and not listening to her. You calling her a loser and saying that she need parenting classes is not helpful. I am sure she already feels like a failure of a mother for needing to call the police to tell her son that he has to go to school. Clearly if she felt there was something she could do differently she would have already tried it. Some kids legitimately have authority issues. I get the idea from the story, and please correct me if there is something I missed, that she is a single mother. A boy needs a father in his life, to teach him authority and respect, and the value of hard work, and to just plain talk to him on "man to man" terms, something even the most dedicated single mother cannot do, because she is not a man. Okay so i thought "holy crap a taser could kill a 9 year old!". But the article said the kid weighed between 200 and 250 pounds. That's what I weigh as a full grown man and it's fat even for me. How the heck does a 9 year old get to 250 pounds? On the plus side at that weight the tazer probably wouldn't do any permenant damage. So what if the 9 year old weighed 200 - 250 pounds. The kid has to be so morbidly obese he cant even touch his toes or walk across the street without becoming short of breath. Like that would make him a serious threat. What would he do? Sit on the cop? Any physical activity short of walking a few feet would probably cause the kid to throw a PE or have an aneurysm in his head. Clearly, if the child weighs over 200 pds, the parents are completely irresponsible to to begin with. No surprise that they can't control the child. However, this is no excuse for taaering a 9 year old child. Remove both the police and the parents, and try to find this kid a decent home. And lock the fridge. That is a rediculous assumption to make about someone's situation that you do not know. When I was growing up two of my best friends were in a family with altogether 5 children, and one of them got caught up in drugs, ran away from home for multiple periods at a time, was physically and verbally confrontational with his parents when he was home, and had to be sent away to a millitary school to teach him respect and discipline. None of the other 4 kids in the family had any such issues. Sometimes a kid just gets out of control, and chooses to not listen to athority, and has to be corrected. Clearly he has a long way to go, but someone eventually has to tell him NO you cannot just do whatever you like with yourself if you want to be a productive member of this society. We have a 12 year old girl threatened with a tazer if she does not give her facebook password to the officer and the priniple in Minn. you have a wannabe cop tazering a kid for not attending school. You have another wannabe watch captain killing a youth in front of the kids fathers home because he was black. Have we become the country of use force first on our kids. What is wrong with these pictures. Then lets start punishing the parents. A kid doesn't go to school then charge the parents. After all it is the law that "parents must send their children under age 16 to school unless they are homeshcooling". you have a 9year boy who weight ..200/250 ...... proberly is the reason for not being at scool where I am sure he will be bullied............ mom needs to work on a diet for him or a lapband...... althought the officer was going to tase him nomatter what. this is touture and could of cause a heart attact and causin siezures. are there not enough COPS THAT CAN ACT RESPSIBLIY SO i BLAME THE COP AND THE MOTHER Just as with unarmed protesters, this is just another example of how the development of "less lethal" technologies has made law enforcement more willing to engage in brutality. Having this option may save lives, but it also increases abuse and what is essentially torture. Tazing a 9 year old????? What is wrong with this pig? A police officer would have physically restrained the child, but only a pig would taze one. This porcine a$$hole needs to be fired and banned so far from law enforcement he can't even watch Barney Fife on TV. Sure the kid may have been a jerk, uncooperative and mouthy, but geez using a tazer? Get a grip piggie, it's a child. This Stormtrooper would scream the loudest if it was his kid. Or maybe he is into child abuse. What is really scary is this type of behavior from the police is becoming accepted and the norm in America. More like the Gestapo if you ask me Hey Grandfather 2041741 were your parents brother and sister? Its obvious you have the reasoning ability of stone. He wasn't big, try morbidly obese. Since you think tasering a 9 year old is ok, you have to be an inbred violence prone imbecile the whole world should be shot...we all break rules at some point... who determines who is and isnt shot... oh yea, the cop...bullies... each and every one of them.... control freaks... they got to be in charge of others.... hopefully someday, we will grow as a society, and realize we dont want and or need authority figures... we determine that other coutnes dont need military intervention and that 'diplomacy' will work, and needs more time, but yet, cops dictate that folks need to comply with violence immediately... 'on the ground.. on the ground.. on the ground.. on the ground... (ps the guy IS on the ground)... stop resisting.. stop resisting.. stop resisting....(ps the guy is just trying to find a position that doesnt hurt cause you are twisting his fingers off his hand)... the pigs recite the chants they are taught, so as to avoid lawsuits, and claim they are following established procedures, but yet they dont know when or how to dictate the rules of engagement in a civilized society... they dont need to tackle everyone... they dont need to search an old ladies purse for their own safety.. they do search to find more evidence...plain and simple.. if they 'fear for their safety' they need to find a different line of work.. like maybe selling newspapers... they are cops, and they should expect unsafe situations.. and tolerate them... period... he is 9 yrs old! anyone that thinks that was a good decision needs to be tasered, just so you get a feel for your armchair quarterbacking. bet he is staying home because he is tired of being teased....and when did skipping school become a criminal offense? when money for the county is tied to how many butts are in the classroomchair? Bingo! If they're not learning in the classroom then at least the district is being paid, but if they're not learning at home then the system is loosing money. THAT'S why it's illegal for a kid not to attend school.. but it's not illegal for a school to hire incompetent teachers and provide a poor education. Your attitude and ignorance make me want to throw up. I am just sure that the public school teachers are begging for more truant children just so the district can get paid and they can be labeled a failing school... Here is the problem.......our wonderful government has spent the last 50 years taking away your parental rights to raise your children as YOU see fit. We are now raising a society of coddled, entitled children who believe they can do anything they please without consequence. don't believe me? Next time your kid acts up in the grocery store or runs out into traffic, grab him/her and give them a smart crack on the a$$.....see how long it takes for the police to show up (Because SOME do-gooder WILL call). this is WRONG. there are times that you cannot reason with a child and a stricter form of punishment is required. Many of our children are completely out of control, and I think we need to put control back in the hands of the parents and get the state and Fed OUT of our lives and homes. NJR - you're right on the money. I'm old enough to remember when if I got sent home to school with a letter for my parents I ran the risk of getting smacked on the butt - it rarely happened that I got smacked, but the threat was there. But somewhere along the line we, as a society, got the idea that hitting kids was wrong and we ASKED for governmental interference to protect kids from abusive parents. And yes, there were some. What we now have is the entirely predictable result of letting that particular camel's nose under the tent, in that governments at all levels have become so intrusive that parents have virtually no rights in disciplining a child, teacher and educational professionals have even fewer, and every response to some perceived wrong results in a call for police intervention. Clearly a 200 lb 9 y.o. is a victim of abuse at home, and possibly at school too (though nothing in the article suggests that). Equally clearly, a 9 y.o. can not be held to the same standards of behavior that an adult can be - even a healthy child's brain isn't fully wired that way, and this kid wasn't healthy by any standard that I've read about. It's entirely possible that the child - through repeated but never carried out threats from his mother - simply didn't believe that the cop would taser him. The cop here has the greater responsibility for rational behavior, and he failed miserably. The mother has responsibility for the proper raising - including both behavior and nutrition - of her child, and she's failed miserably. Get the cop a job he can handle that doesn't involve the opportunity to brutalize others, get the mom parenting classes and restrict her ability for further procreation, and get that kid into an environment where he can get healthy physically and mentally. I don't disagree with your assessment of the parent in question or the role that has been stripped away from them by our society, but I have to politely disagree 100% with your assessment of the police officer as this is a perfect set of conditions for employing the taser gun. Have you ever been 'tased' where you can speak from experience? I feel pretty comfortable in assuming that you, most assuredly, have not and don't know what you're talking about in that respect. It doesn't inflict any kind of long term pain and it's completely harmless unless you're one of the .000001% of people who died after being tased. The recourse to using the taser would've been to try and physically remove the child or waste time trying to reason with a subject who's being totally uncooperative. I'd like to see you forcible remove 200-250 pounds of 'resisting arrest' and then come back to share your thoughts on the whole experience. You'll notice he had to use it on him twice, at which point the child became compliant and followed directions. I know you'd probably like the officer to have sat down and 'talked it over' with the kid, maybe convince him to listen to his parents and start acting more responsible; but that's not how the real work works. The whole concept behind the use of a taser gun is compliance through non-lethal and non-physical means. The only shame in this story is that any of the police force related to this story have to suffer any consequence whatsoever when they're simply trying to do their job which the parents are clearly unable to do on a number of social levels as far as the child's well being is concerned. A job, which i'd like to remind everyone, that gets WORSE and WORSE every single year b/c of idiotic stories like this and the police being taken to task for their methods just b/c someone was offended. Sad situation, but it's true that employment with the police serves as a strong magnet for sociopaths. Can't pick up a paper or go on the web without seeing evidence of this fact. Like cell phones the police constitute a necessary evil. Not so sure about "necessary" in either case. There are so many things wrong in this story that it makes me ill. Barring mental disorders, how does one do such a poor job parenting that their 9 year old must be tasered for truancy? Nine, people, not even a teenager. My boys at 9 would not even have been aware that skipping school was an option at that age. Secondly, this child weighs more than many adults. Two hundred and fifty pounds at 9 years of age!? This reeks of serious parenting failure...unless of course this article has left out information regarding the child's mental status which is entirely possible knowing the level of reporting we often get with these sensationalistic headlines filled with almost no facts.
eng
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http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/13/10669114-report-9-year-old-who-skipped-school-is-tasered
Cancer of the ovaries are the second most common group of gynaecologic cancers, and account for about 5% of all women's cancers. There are two main types; (i) epithelial tumours (carcinomas) which account for 90% of ovarian cancers, and (ii) non-epithelial tumours (eg. Stroma cell and germ cell tumours of the ovary). The epithelial ovarian cancers are usually found in women aged over 40, while the non-epithelial tumours are more common in girls and young women. Epithelial ovarian cancer has few early symptoms, a risk factor is having a family history of the disease. Taking the contraceptive pill is known to be protective against ovarian cancer. Roswell Park Cancer Institute The registry, founded in, is researching the causes of familial cancer. Women over the age of 18, in families with 2 or more diagnoses of ovarian cancer are eligible to register. The site includes details of research and information about ovarian cancer. Ovarian Cancer Australia A national organisation, incorporated in 2001, which aims to support, educate, advocate, and promote research. The website includes extensive information about ovarian cancer and details of local support groups. SCOCF Founded by patients in 1999, SCOCF provides support for ovarian cancer patients, education of the public and healthcare providers, and aims to further research on ovarian cancer in the state of South Carolina. Target Ovarian Cancer A UK charity aiming to improve early diagnosis, fund research and provide support for women with ovarian cancer. The Website includes information for patients and for health professionals. PubMed Central search for free-access publications about Ovarian Cancer MeSH term: Ovarian Neoplasms US National Library of Medicine PubMed has over 22 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Constantly updatedPrimary malignant neoplasm of the fallopian tube is one of the rarest gynaecological malignancies and a pre-operative diagnosis is often missed due to its diagnostic confusion with the tubo-ovarian mass, hydrosalpinx, ectopic pregnancy and ovarian malignancy. Transcoelomic, lymphatic, transluminal and haematogenous spread may occur to the other abdominal and pelvic organs as well as to the distant sites. Though the body of the uterus, ovaries and the contralateral fallopian tube are frequently involved, in the present case the contralateral ovary was the only site of involvement which is very unusual. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Studies on the role of laparoscopy in secondary or tertiary cytoreduction for recurrent ovarian cancer are limited. Our objective is to describe our preliminary experience with laparoscopic secondary/tertiary cytoreduction in patients with recurrent ovarian, fallopian, and primary peritoneal cancers. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective case series. Women with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancers deemed appropriate candidates for laparoscopic debulking by the primary surgeon(s) were recruited. The patients underwent exploratory video laparoscopy, biopsy, and laparoscopic secondary/tertiary cytoreduction between June 1999 and October 2009. Variables analyzed include stage, site of disease, extent of cytoreduction, operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, complications, and survival time. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were recruited. Only one surgery involved conversion to laparotomy. Seventeen (77.3%) of the patients had stage IIIC disease at the time of their initial diagnosis, and 20 (90.9%) had laparotomy for primary debulking. Median blood loss was 75 mL, median operative time 200 min, and median hospital stay 2 d. No intraoperative complications occurred. One patient (4.5%) had postoperative ileus. Eighteen (81.8%) of the patients with recurrent disease were optimally cytoreduced to 1cm. Overall, 12 patients have no evidence of disease (NED), 6 are alive with disease (AWD), and 4 have died of disease (DOD), over a median follow-up of 14 mo. Median disease-free survival was 71.9 mo. CONCLUSIONS: In a well-selected population, laparoscopy is technically feasible and can be utilized to optimally cytoreduce patients with recurrent ovarian, fallopian, or primary peritoneal cancers. BACKGROUND: A multicenter phase II trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan plus carboplatin chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with either radiologically- or serologically-recurrent EOC were administered intravenous irinotecan (60 mg/m(2); days 1 and 8) and carboplatin area under the curve of 5 mg/ml/min (day 1), repeated every 21 days. The primary end-point was response rate (RR), while the secondary end-points were adverse events and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2009, 40 patients (median age=59 years) with EOC were enrolled. Intention-to-treat analysis showed an RR of 43% [95% confidence interval (CI)=27-58%]. For patients with a platinum-free interval (PFI) of <6 months, overall RR based on RECIST was 21% (95% CI=0-43%) and median PFS was 3.7 months (95% CI=2.5-7.7 months), while those in patients with PFI ≥6 months were 52% (95% CI=31-74%) and 9.1 months (95% CI=7.9-11.2 months), respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicity encountered during the first cycle included G3/G4 neutropenia in 65% of patients (12/14), G3/G4 thrombocytopenia in 48% (18/1), G3 febrile neutropenia in 5% (2), G3 nausea in 5% (2), G3 diarrhea in 5% (2), and G3 fatigue in 5% of patients (2). CONCLUSION: This carboplatin plus irinotecan combination demonstrated a modest activity in recurrent EOC. However, considering its hematological toxicities, the regimen should be further investigated to establish the feasibility of the modified dose for platinum-sensitive disease. This study aimed to prospectively correlate clinical outcomes of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC), with the results of in vitro chemosensitivity testing of taxol and carboplatin using the in vitro histoculture drug response assay (HDRA). A total of 104 patients with AEOC were treated with combination chemotherapy of taxol and carboplatin after primary cytoreductive surgery between 2007 and 2012 at the Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. To compare chemosensitivity in the HDRA with clinical response, all patients were first categorized into two groups as either sensitive to both taxol and carboplatin (SS), or not sensitive to one or both drugs (R) based on HDRA results. The recurrence rate was much lower in the SS group compared to the R group; 29.2% vs 69.8%, respectively (p=0.02). The SS group had a significantly longer progression-free survival compared to the R group, 34.0 months vs 16.0 months, respectively (p=0.025). These results demonstrate that the HDRA prospectively correlates to clinical outcome from chemotherapy and that treatment regimens can be individualized based on the HDRA. AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate a consecutive series of ovarian carcinosarcomas with regard to prognosis, treatment and prognostic factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A consecutive series of 81 ovarian carcinosarcomas from two well-defined geographic regions were studied with regard to survival, type of primary and adjuvant therapy and prognostic factors. All patients but one underwent primary surgery and some patients also received adjuvant chemotherapy (platinum-based) alone or in combination with radiotherapy. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional regression analysis was used. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier technique and differences were assessed by the log-rank test. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 73 years. Fifty-one patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and nine patients pelvic irradiation. The 5-year overall survival rate was 10%. Adjuvant therapy (any type) and six completed cycles of chemotherapy were highly significant factors with regard to improved overall survival rate. The only significant tumor-associated prognostic factor was the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) grade of the tumor. FIGO stage, site of metastatic spread, tumor size, histology, DNA ploidy, and tumor necrosis were non-significant factors. Therapy was rather well-tolerated and 29 patients (57%) completed at least six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant and completed chemotherapy according to the treatment plan were the most important prognostic factors. FIGO grade (grade 3 vs. 1-2) of the epithelial component of the tumor was also a significant prognostic factor in multivariate Cox analysis. β-Elemene, originally derived from plants, has been recently investigated as a new anticancer agent. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and mechanisms of action of the combined use of β-elemene plus a taxane as an antitumor therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer and other carcinomas. The interaction of β-elemene with paclitaxel or docetaxel produced additive to moderately synergistic effects against the platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cell line A2780/CP70 and its parental cell line A2780, and showed moderately synergistic activity against PC-3 prostate cancer cells. In addition, the co-administration of β-elemene and a taxane at low-micromolar concentrations dramatically increased the rate of micronucleus formation and the percentage of mitotic arrest in both ovarian cancer cell lines, as compared with treatment with either agent alone. The highest synergy towards the ovarian cancer cells was observed with β-elemene plus docetaxel. Consistent with these data, treatment of A2780/CP70 cells with β-elemene plus a taxane strikingly reduced cell viability and increased cell apoptosis, as assessed by annexin V binding. Moreover, β-elemene plus docetaxel induced elevated levels of caspase-9 and p53 proteins in A2780/CP70 cells, and the combination of β-elemene plus a taxane caused marked cell-cycle arrest at the G2/M phase in these cells. One possible mechanism to account for the enhanced cytotoxic efficacy of this combination treatment is a β-elemene-induced increase in taxane influx into cancer cells. These observations indicate that combination therapy with β-elemene and taxanes has synergistic antitumor activity against ovarian and prostate carcinomas in vitro. This promising new therapeutic combination warrants further pre-clinical exploration for the treatment of chemoresistant ovarian cancer and other types of tumors. BACKGROUND: The Notch pathway is dysregulated in ovarian cancer. We sought to examine the role of Notch and gamma-secretase (GS) inhibition in ovarian cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Established ovarian cancer cell lines were used. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine the relative expression of Notch receptor and ligands. Effects of GS inhibition on proliferation, colony formation, and downstream effectors were examined via methylthiazole tetrazolium (MTT) and Matrigel assays, and qPCR, respectively. In vivo experiments with a GS inhibitor and cisplatin were conducted on nude mice. Tumors were examined for differences in microvessel density, proliferation, and apoptosis. RESULTS: Notch3 was the most up-regulated receptor. The ligands JAGGED1 and DELTA-LIKE4 were both up-regulated. GS inhibition did not affect cellular proliferation or anchorage-independent cell growth over placebo. The GS inhibitor Compound-E reduced microvessel density in vivo. CONCLUSION: GS inhibition does not directly affect cellular proliferation in ovarian carcinoma, but Notch pathway blockade may result in angiogenic alterations that may be therapeutically important. Undifferentiated endometrial carcinoma (UEC) is a relatively uncommon neoplasm with only few studies published thus far. It has always been a diagnostic challenge because of the lack of proper definition cited in most of the standard textbooks. Recently however, a few studies have highlighted the clinicopathologic features of UEC. The distinctive morphology of UEC was noted by the group from MD Anderson Cancer Center, which enabled them to establish the defining criteria. It appears to be more aggressive than endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma, FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) grade 3, its main differential diagnosis. Proper recognition of this entity is important owing to its aggressive behavior. BACKGROUND: The standard management of primary ovarian cancer is optimal cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy. Most women with primary ovarian cancer achieve remission on this combination therapy. For women achieving clinical remission after completion of initial treatment, most (60%) with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer will ultimately develop recurrent disease. However, the standard treatment of women with recurrent ovarian cancer remains poorly defined. Surgery for recurrent ovarian cancer has been suggested to be associated with increased overall survival. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of optimal secondary cytoreductive surgery for women with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. To assess the impact of various residual tumour sizes, over a range between 0 cm and 2 cm, on overall survival. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) up to December 2012. We also searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings, reference lists of included studies and contacted experts in the field. For databases other than MEDLINE, the search strategy has been adapted accordingly. SELECTION CRITERIA: Retrospective data on residual disease, or data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or prospective/retrospective observational studies that included a multivariate analysis of 50 or more adult women with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, who underwent secondary cytoreductive surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy. We only included studies that defined optimal cytoreduction as surgery leading to residual tumours with a maximum diameter of any threshold up to 2 cm. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors (KG, TA) independently abstracted data and assessed risk of bias. Where possible the data were synthesised in a meta-analysis. MAIN RESULTS: There were no RCTs; however, we found nine non-randomised studies that reported on 1194 women with comparison of residual disease after secondary cytoreduction using a multivariate analysis that met our inclusion criteria. These retrospective and prospective studies assessed survival after secondary cytoreductive surgery in women with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer.Meta- and single-study analyses show the prognostic importance of complete cytoreduction to microscopic disease, since overall survival was significantly prolonged in these groups of women (most studies showed a large statistically significant greater risk of death in all residual disease groups compared to microscopic disease).Recurrence-free survival was not reported in any of the studies. All of the studies included at least 50 women and used statistical adjustment for important prognostic factors. One study compared sub-optimal (> 1 cm) versus optimal (< 1 cm) cytoreduction and demonstrated benefit to achieving cytoreduction to less than 1 cm, if microscopic disease could not be achieved (hazard ratio (HR) 3.51, 95% CI 1.84 to 6.70). Similarly, one study found that women whose tumour had been cytoreduced to less than 0.5 cm had less risk of death compared to those with residual disease greater than 0.5 cm after surgery (HR not reported; P value < 0.001).There is high risk of bias due to the non-randomised nature of these studies, where, despite statistical adjustment for important prognostic factors, selection is based on retrospective achievability of cytoreduction, not an intention to treat, and so a degree of bias is inevitable.Adverse events, quality of life and cost-effectiveness were not reported in any of the studies. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: In women with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer, ability to achieve surgery with complete cytoreduction (no visible residual disease) is associated with significant improvement in overall survival. However, in the absence of RCT evidence, it is not clear whether this is solely due to surgical effect or due to tumour biology. Indirect evidence would support surgery to achieve complete cytoreduction in selected women. The risks of major surgery need to be carefully balanced against potential benefits on a case-by-case basis. BACKGROUND: Ovarian carcinosarcoma, also known as malignant mixed Mullerian tumour, is a rare malignant gynaecological tumour constituting about 1% or less of all ovarian cancers. In over 80% of cases, there is extra-ovarian intra-abdominal spread at diagnosis. The primary treatment has traditionally been surgical cytoreduction followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone. Regimes have included cisplatin alone; a combination of doxorubicin, ifosfamide, dacarbazine, cyclophosphamide, taxol; and various other combinations. The effectiveness of these various regimens appears to be mixed. Therefore, there is a need to clarify if there is an optimum neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy after surgical cytoreduction for this rare tumour. Also, it is important to address quality of life (QoL) issues related to treatment, particularly toxicity, as the overall prognosis appears to be poor. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of various adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy options or chemotherapy alone in combination with surgery in the management of ovarian carcinosarcoma. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE and EMBASE up to February 2012. We also searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings, reference lists of review articles and contacted experts in the field. SELECTION CRITERIA: We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or chemotherapy alone, in women with ovarian carcinosarcoma (malignant mixed Mullerian sarcoma of the ovary). We also reviewed non-randomised studies (NRS) for discussion in the absence of RCTs. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed whether potentially relevant studies met the inclusion criteria. No trials were found and therefore no data were analysed. MAIN RESULTS: The search strategy identified 297 unique references of which all were excluded. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence to inform decisions about neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens, or chemotherapy alone, for women with ovarian carcinosarcoma. Ideally, an RCT that is multicentre or multinational, or well designed non-randomised studies that use multivariate analysis to adjust for baseline imbalances, are needed to compare treatment modalities and improve current knowledge. Further research in genetic and molecular signalling pathways might improve understanding of this tumour subtype. BACKGROUND: This is an updated version of the original review that was first published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 4. Laparoscopy has become an increasingly common approach to surgical staging of apparent early-stage ovarian tumours. This review was undertaken to assess the available evidence on the benefits and risks of laparoscopy compared with laparotomy for the management of International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the benefits and risks of laparoscopy compared with laparotomy for the surgical treatment of FIGO stage I ovarian cancer (stages Ia, Ib and Ic). SEARCH METHODS: For the original review, we searched the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Trials (CGCRG) Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2007, Issue 2), MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Biological Abstracts and CancerLit from 1 January 1990 to 30 November 2007. We also handsearched relevant journals, reference lists of identified studies and conference abstracts. For this updated review, we extended the CGCRG Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and LILACS searches to 6 December 2011. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs and prospective case-control studies comparing laparoscopic staging with open surgery (laparotomy) in women with stage I ovarian cancer according to FIGO. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: There were no studies to include, therefore we tabulated data from non-randomised studies (NRS) for discussion. MAIN RESULTS: We performed no meta-analyses. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: This review has found no good-quality evidence to help quantify the risks and benefits of laparoscopy for the management of early-stage ovarian cancer as routine clinical practice. Alternatively activated macrophages express the pattern recognition receptor scavenger receptor A (SR-A). We demonstrated previously that coculture of macrophages with tumor cells upregulates macrophage SR-A expression. We show in this study that macrophage SR-A deficiency inhibits tumor cell migration in a coculture assay. We further demonstrate that coculture of tumor-associated macrophages and tumor cells induces secretion of factors that are recognized by SR-A on tumor-associated macrophages. We tentatively identified several potential ligands for the SR-A receptor in tumor cell-macrophage cocultures by mass spectrometry. Competing with the coculture-induced ligand in our invasion assay recapitulates SR-A deficiency and leads to similar inhibition of tumor cell invasion. In line with our in vitro findings, tumor progression and metastasis are inhibited in SR-A(-/-) mice in two in vivo models of ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Finally, treatment of tumor-bearing mice with 4F, a small peptide SR-A ligand able to compete with physiological SR-A ligands in vitro, recapitulates the inhibition of tumor progression and metastasis observed in SR-A(-/-) mice. Our observations suggest that SR-A may be a potential drug target in the prevention of metastatic cancer progression. BACKGROUND: The surgical management of ovarian tumors in pregnancy is similar to that of non-pregnant women. The procedures include resection of the tumor (enucleation), removal of an ovary or ovaries (oophorectomy), or surgical excision of the fallopian tube and ovary (salpingo-oophorectomy). The procedure can be done by open surgery (laparotomy) or keyhole surgery (laparoscopy) technique. The benefits of laparoscopic surgery include shorter hospital stay, earlier return to normal activity, and reduced postoperative pain. However, conventional laparoscopic surgery techniques required the infusion of gas carbon dioxide in the peritoneum to distend the abdomen and displace the bowel upward to create the room for surgical manipulation. Serious complications such as abnormally high levels of carbon dioxide in the circulating blood (hypercarbia) and perforation of internal organs have also been reported. These serious complication may be harmful to the fetus. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of using laparoscopic surgery for benign ovarian tumor during pregnancy on maternal and fetal health and the use of healthcare resources. SEARCH METHODS: We updated the search of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register on 11 November 2012. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials with reported data that compared outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for benign ovarian tumor in pregnancy to conventional laparotomy technique. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors planned to independently assess trial quality and extract data. MAIN RESULTS: The updated search did not identify any randomized controlled trials. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The practice of laparoscopic surgery for benign ovarian tumour during pregnancy is associated with benefits and harms. However, the evidence for the magnitude of these benefits and harms is drawn from case series studies, associated with potential bias. The results and conclusions of these studies must therefore be interpreted with caution.The available case series studies of laparoscopic surgery for benign ovarian tumour during pregnancy provide limited insight into the potential benefits and harms associated with this new surgical technique in pregnancy. Randomized controlled trials are required to provide the most reliable evidence regarding the benefits and harms of laparoscopic surgery for benign ovarian tumour during pregnancy. BACKGROUND: Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) measurements in serum have been proposed for improving the specificity of laboratory identification of ovarian cancer (OC). OBJECTIVE: To critically revise the available literature on the comparison between the diagnostic accuracy of HE4 and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) to confirm the additional clinical value of HE4. METHODS: A literature search was undertaken on electronic databases and references from retrieved articles; articles were analysed according to predefined criteria. Meta-analyses for HE4 and CA-125 biomarkers with OR, diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive (LR+) and negative (LR-) likelihood ratios as effect sizes were performed. RESULTS: 16 articles were originally included in meta-analyses, but two for HE4 and one for CA-125 were eliminated as outliers. Furthermore, for HE4 a publication bias was detected. ORs for both HE4 (37.2, 95% CI 19.0 to 72.7, adjusted for publication bias) and CA-125 (15.4, 95% CI 10.4 to 22.8) were significant, although in a heterogeneous set of studies (p<0.0001). By combining sensitivity and specificity, the overall LR+ and LR- were 13.0 (95% CI 8.2 to 20.7) and 0.23 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.28) for HE4 and 4.2 (95% CI 3.1 to 5.6) and 0.27 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.31) for CA-125, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HE4 measurement seems to be superior to CA-125 in terms of diagnostic performance for identification of OC in women with suspected gynaecological disease. Due to the high prevalence of OC in post-menopausal women and the need for data focused on early tumour stages, more studies tailored on these specific subsets are needed. Malignant ascites presents a considerable clinical challenge to the management of ovarian cancer, but also provides a wealth of opportunities for translational research. The accessibility of ascitic fluid and its cellular components make it an excellent source of tumour tissue for the investigation of prognostic and predictive biomarkers, pharmacodynamic markers and for molecular profiling analysis. In this Opinion article, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of its pathophysiology, the development of new methods to characterize its molecular features and how these findings can be used to improve the treatment of malignant ascites, particularly in the context of ovarian cancer. Women with Lynch syndrome (LS) are at increased risk for endometrial (EC) and ovarian carcinoma (OC). Current surveillance recommendations for detection of EC and OC in LS patients are not effective. Small studies have shown that prophylactic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (P-TH-BSO) are the most effective and least expensive preventive measures in these patients. Data regarding histologic findings in prophylactic specimens in these patients are lacking. All LS patients who underwent P-TH-BSO at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 2000 to 2011 were identified. Slides were evaluated for the presence of endometrial hyperplasia (EH), EC, OC, or any other recurrent histologic findings. Twenty-five patients were identified, with an age range of 36 to 61 years. Fifteen patients had a synchronous or prior colorectal carcinoma, and 2 patients had a history of sebaceous carcinoma. Focal FIGO grade 1 endometrioid ECs were detected in 2 patients; 1 was 54 years of age (MSH2 mutation; superficially invasive), and the other was 56 years of age (MLH1 mutation; noninvasive). Focal complex atypical hyperplasia, unassociated with carcinoma, was seen in 3 patients, ages 35 and 45 (MLH1 mutations) and 53 years (MSH2 mutation). One patient (44 y, with MSH2 mutation) was found to have a mixed endometrioid/clear cell OC and simple EH without atypia. The OC was adherent to the colon but did not show distant metastasis. In our study, P-TH-BSOs performed because of the presence of LS revealed incidental EC and/or EH in 24% of cases and OC in 4%. The ECs were low grade, confined to the endometrium, and seen in patients older than 50 years. Prophylactic hysterectomy allows detection of early lesions in LS; these lesions appear to be small and focal. This small series of prophylactic hysterectomies may provide some clues about LS-associated endometrial carcinogenesis. Difference in prognosis between grade 3 endometrioid carcinoma (G3EC) of the endometrium and uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is controversial. In this study, we further evaluated the difference in prognosis, if any, between G3EC (n = 61) and USC (n = 47) on a total of 565 patients with endometrial cancer. In addition, meta-analysis was performed using data from seven previous publications (n = 8,637) and from the Asan Medical Center (n = 108). Regarding the cases from our institution, USC tended to occur in older patients (≥65 years) than G3EC (P = 0.011). Deep myometrial invasion (more than or equal to half) was more frequently identified in G3EC (36/61, 59.0 %) than in USC (17/47, 36.2 %) (P = 0.021). Between patients with early stage G3EC and USC (stages I and II), there were no significant differences in any clinicopathological parameter, but there was a significant difference in overall survival (P = 0.017) that was not found in advanced stage (P = 0.588). USC was an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival (hazard ratio, 6.125; P = 0.030) in early stage patients. In the meta-analysis on 5-year survival in patients with early stage cancers, which also included our study results, a higher relative risk (1.92, 95 % CI 1.62-2.27) was demonstrated in USC than in G3EC (P < 0.001). In conclusion, our study reveals that USC is associated with a poorer prognosis compared with G3EC, only in patients with early stage carcinoma, suggesting that different treatment strategies should be considered according to the histologic type in order to improve treatment outcome. There is widespread interest in macrophages as a therapeutic target in cancer. Here, we demonstrate that trabectedin, a recently approved chemotherapeutic agent, induces rapid apoptosis exclusively in mononuclear phagocytes. In four mouse tumor models, trabectedin caused selective depletion of monocytes/macrophages in blood, spleens, and tumors, with an associated reduction of angiogenesis. By using trabectedin-resistant tumor cells and myeloid cell transfer or depletion experiments, we demonstrate that cytotoxicity on mononuclear phagocytes is a key component of its antitumor activity. Monocyte depletion, including tumor-associated macrophages, was observed in treated tumor patients. Trabectedin activates caspase-8-dependent apoptosis; selectivity for monocytes versus neutrophils and lymphocytes is due to differential expression of signaling and decoy TRAIL receptors. This unexpected property may be exploited in different therapeutic strategies. BACKGROUND: The epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is overexpressed on most carcinomas. Dependent on the tumour type, its overexpression is either associated with improved or worse patient survival. For ovarian cancer, however, the role of EpCAM remains unclear. METHODS: Cell survival of ovarian cancer cell lines was studied after induction or repression of endogenous EpCAM expression using siRNA/cDNA or artificial transcription factors (ATF) consisting of engineered zinc-fingers fused to either a transcriptional activator or repressor domain. RESULTS: Two ATFs were selected as the most potent down- and upregulator, showing at least a two-fold alteration of EpCAM protein expression compared with control. Downregulation of EpCAM expression resulted in growth inhibition in breast cancer, but showed no effect on cell growth in ovarian cancer. Induction or further upregulation of EpCAM expression decreased ovarian cancer cell survival. CONCLUSION: The bidirectional ATF-based approach is uniquely suited to study cell-type-specific biological effects of EpCAM expression. Using this approach, the oncogenic function of EpCAM in breast cancer was confirmed. Despite its value as a diagnostic marker and for immunotherapy, EpCAM does not seem to represent a therapeutic target for gene expression silencing in ovarian cancer. The blood-follicle barrier (BFB) is one of the blood-tissue barriers in mammalian body found in developing follicles in the ovary. The BFB, besides the tight junction (TJ)-permeability barrier of the endothelial cells in the microvessels that surround the developing follicle, is constituted and contributed significantly by the basement membrane of the developing follicle which alters its composition rapidly during follicle development. While the concept of the BFB and its ultrastructure were described more than six decades ago, fewer than 20 reports are found in the literature that were dedicated to investigate the biology, regulation, and function of the BFB either in health or in disease. Furthermore, detailed analysis of the adhesion protein complexes and the regulation of the junction dynamics at the BFB are still missing in the literature. The goal of this short chapter is to provide an update on this important blood-tissue barrier, it is obvious that future investigation is much needed in the field to understand this ultrastructure better in order to treat and better ovarian disorders including ovarian cancer. Previously we reported that liposomal cisplatin (CDDP) overcomes CDDP resistance of ovarian A2780cis cancer cells (Krieger et al., Int. J. Pharm. 389, 2010, 10-17). Here we find that the cytotoxic activity of liposomal CDDP is not associated with detectable DNA platination in resistant ovarian cancer cells. This suggests that the mode of action of liposomal CDDP is different from the free drug. To gain insight into mechanisms of liposomal CDDP activity, we performed a transcriptome analysis of untreated A2780cis cells, and A2780cis cells in response to exposure with IC50 values of free or liposomal CDDP. A process network analysis of upregulated genes showed that liposomal CDDP induced a highly different gene expression profile in comparison to the free drug. p53 was identified as a key player directing transcriptional responses to free or liposomal CDDP. The free drug induced expression of essential genes of the intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptosis pathway (BAX, BID, CASP9) most likely through p38MAPK activation. In contrast, liposomal CDDP induced expression of genes from DNA damage pathways and several genes of the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis (TNFRSF10B-DR5, CD70-TNFSF7). It thus appears that liposomal CDDP overcomes CDDP resistance by inducing DNA damage and in consequence programmed cell death by the extrinsic pathway. Predictions from gene expression data with respect to apoptosis activation were confirmed at the protein level by an apoptosis antibody array. This sheds new light on liposomal drug carrier approaches in cancer and suggests liposomal CDDP as promising strategy for the treatment of CDDP resistant ovarian carcinomas. BACKGROUND: Fascin-1 (FSCN1) plays an important role in cancer development and is associated with invasion and metastasis. Therefore, we explored the expression and localization of FSCN1 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression analysis was performed by immunohistochemistry of paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 89 patients with EOC. Staining intensity and the percentage of positively stained tumor cells were used to calculate an immunoreactive score of 0-12 (IRS). These results were correlated to clinical and pathological characteristics as well as to patient survival. RESULTS: Negative (IRS=0), weak (IRS=0-2) and strong (IRS>2) expression of FSCN1 in EOC was found in 5 (5.6%), 30 (33.7%) and 54 (60.7%) tumor samples, respectively. There was a strong correlation of residual postoperative tumor of >1 cm with higher immunoexpression of FSCN1 (p=0.04). Lower FSCN1 expression was associated with significantly poorer overall survival (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: FSCN1 is frequently expressed in primary EOC. Its prognostic impact and function remains inconclusive and should be further examined in larger trials. Background. Abdominal cocoon, or sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, is a rare condition characterized by partial or total encasement of small bowel and mesentery by a thick fibrocollagenous sack that looks like a cocoon. Within the sack, bowel loops are drawn together causing intestinal obstruction.Case presentation. We report on a 57-year-old female patient who developed a very unusual complication of ovarian cancer: abdominal cocoon formation.Conclusions. This report highlights the need for a timely diagnosis of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in cancer patients.
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http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks3o.htm
Posts The Chutzpah of Intelligent Design … Read More I do not know what you do for a living, but I suspect you are pretty good at it. You probably trained for years to learn the basic elements of your craft, and then honed those skills through more years of on-the-job experience. Now imagine that someone without that training and experience presumes to discourse on your profession. Worse, they make assertions and arguments that are obvious nonsense to anyone versed in the subject. Not an altogether uncommon experience for you, I suspect, but one that is no less annoying for that. Now suppose that after ignoring your best attempts to explain things, your interlocutor goes running off to the press. It is alleged that your entire profession is corrupt and shot through with religious and political agendas. Then he goes running to the local school board to pressure them into teaching his view of things despite its complete lack of acceptance among knowledgeable people. Then he gives public presentations, announcing he is going to blow the lid off the scandal in your profession. Are you there? Are you really picturing it? That, you see, is what scientists contend with in confronting proponents of intelligent design (ID). For more than a century every branch of the life sciences has reported that all of the considerable available evidence points to the conclusions that modern species are related through common descent, and that natural selection is an especially important mechanism guiding that descent. Scientists applying evolutionary thinking to their work have been met with a nearly unbroken string of successes in solving the practical problems they face in the field and the lab. Pretenders like ID, on the other hand, have led to precisely nothing. That is why ID folks spend very little time arguing with scientists, preferring instead to take their case directly to a public unlikely to be familiar with the minutiae of genetics or biochemistry. Tell a roomful of mathematicians that some back of the envelope probability calculations are enough to refute evolution, and they will rightly laugh in your face. But I know from sad experience that such arguments are rhetorically effective. Tell a physicist or an engineer that Darwin runs afoul of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and watch how quickly you are sent to a remedial course. Tell a gathering of paleontologists that there are no transitional forms, and the most polite among them will simply refer you to an elementary textbook. Yet ID folks routinely parrot these bogus arguments, and many others besides. "." Bud says: This is an excellent point. If one assumes intelligence, it almost always becomes a dead end from a scientific point of view. If, whenever we are presented with a "gap" in our understanding of a scientific hypothesis, we assume intelligence, we have effectively shut the door on any further study. As stated correctly above, intelligence can never be ruled out or proven. There is simply no where you can go, from a scientific standpoint, once intelligence is entered into the equation. It is a dead-end. Think of all the discoveries that would not have occurred throughout history, if, everytime we were presented with an incomplete understanding of a problem, we simply gave up and said "it must have been that designer again". This, in a nutshell, is why ID is not only useful, but is downright dangerous in the filed on scientific inquiry. If you disagree with this, then I ask the following: please tell us how the presence of design can be used to extend scientific research. What further experiments would you propose once design is detected? What useful predictions and discoveries could result from exploring the concept of design? BudBud says: What also is striking is that the ID movement was "founded" back in 1987, by the person quoted above. That's 20 years, and still they do not have a workable hypothesis as to how ID operates!! That in itself says volumes about the ID movement. Any real scientific hypothesis that did not have at the very least a working hypothesis after 20 years of "research" would be the laughing stock of the scientific community. Maybe that's why ID is not taken seriously in the realm of scientific study? Please, ID folks, if you want to have your "hypothesis" taken seriously, please give us a mechanism (not the end result) as to how ID operates. Please make sure this hypothesis is testable, falsafiable, and can make useful predictions. We're waiting patiently … Bud "Is there any way to test this kind of idea? It is assumed in the sciences of systems, complexity, chaos and information. Can't we apply these principles to biological evolution and find a way to test them?" Yes, that is our question too, how do you test it? How do you falsify it? How do you show it can make useful predictions? Please, tell us, we're all ears. Cedric Katesby RealPC said "I don't belong to Discovery Institute and I often disagree with certain DI members' statements." Really? Which statements do you disagree with exactly? How about this one? "ID is a scientific theory" Do you agree or disagree, RealPC?Do you agree or disagree, RealPC? Or how about this one from William Dembski… "Dismantling materialism is a good thing. Not only does intelligent design rid us of this ideology, which suffocates the human spirit, but, in my personal experience, I've found that it opens the path for people to come to Christ. Indeed, once materialism is no longer an option, Christianity again becomes an option. True, there are then also other options. But Christianity is more than able to hold its own once it is seen as a live option. The problem with materialism is that it rules out Christianity so completely that it is not even a live option. Thus, in its relation to Christianity, intelligent design should be viewed as a ground-clearing operation that gets rid of the intellectual rubbish that for generations has kept Christianity from receiving serious consideration." Do you agree or disagree, RealPC? Let's have another from Dembski… "I believe God created the world for a purpose. The Designer of intelligent design is, ultimately, the Christian God." Do you agree or disagree, RealPC? ID is not science. The are no ID labs. No ID research. Not one dirty test-tube. It's all press releases, coffee-table books and lots of money. It's a fraud. realpc And by the way Prophet, you may not be aware that the greatest obstacle to machine intelligence is the inability of computers to process natural human language. Since chess does not require NLP, computers can sometimes win because of their speed. But their speed is actually a result of their stupidity, not of their intelligence. realpc An intelligent creature decides what it is going to think about. A computer runs through pre-determined decisions regarding the data it receives. It has no real choices. Some people argue against AI by saying computers lack emotions and therefore can't be human-like. But so what? If computers could be given true intelligence, they could be given true emotions. But they cannot be given true intelligence. We are computers, to some extent, but we are more than computers. We can make decisions that have not been programmed into us. Yes, scientific materialists like Wilson think all we're doing is following the commands of our DNA to survive and reproduce. But not only is there no evidence for his idea, it is obviously nonsensical. Nonsensical is ok, as long as you have some evidence. But materialists feel free to spout any kind of nonsense, as long as it supports materialism. It doesn't matter how strongly you believe in AI. It doesn't matter if you are absolutely sure human-like intelligence can be created. The fact is, it has not been. Let's work with what has happened and what is known at this time, not what we imagine or hope or hallucinate about the future. realpc "I predict within the next decade the Turing Test will be passed" Go ahead and prophesize Prophet. What the heck does that count for? People have been predicting this since the 1950s and they were wrong then and continue to be wrong wrong wrong. Computers can do things humans cannot, like extremely fast calculations. Computers have obviously revolutionized science. They are logic machines. There is much more to human intelligence than mechanical logic — and mechanical logic is ALL a computer can do. Recursive Prophet Realpc-If you recall, less than 10 years ago it was claimed a computer would never beat a highly ranked chess player, let alone the world champion. I predict within the next decade the Turing Test will be passed by a cumulative program along the lines of "Jaberwhacky." I came to the conclusion there was no god-as defined by any of the major religions-long before I ever heard of Dawkins, and thus haven't bothered to read his TGD. I don't put too much faith in science either, but I do believe the scientific method offers our only hope of understanding the world we live in. Embracing myths from our ancient past has only held us back. It continues to do so. "The future is fun. The future is fair. They already have won. We may already be there! Men, women, children, all, are up against the thrall, of Science!" (FT) realpc No computer has ever passed the Turing test. Very far from it. Humans are NOT smarter than nature. We couldn't run our bodies for an instant if we had to do it consciously. Biologists can't create the simplest of life forms. Neuroscientists have almost no real understanding of how the brain works. A fly is smarter than our smartest computers. And where exactly did you get the inside information that god is an illusion? Have you fallen for Dawkins' delusions of omniscience? Recursive Prophet God is the illusion, realpc. Ever heard of the "Turing Test?" We have ample evidence man-made computers exist, and that their capacity to perform is rapidly increasing. There is NO such evidence that our evolution has intelligence behind its' design. And if it does, it would appear to be inferior to that of man, who has begun a process of cognition that is growing at a far faster pace than our own. -Hal realpc No, Prophet. Are we smarter than god because we can make airplanes? It's the same with computers — they seem smart because they're fast. Like airplanes they are specialized machines that cannot operate without human direction. A computer is just as stupid as an airplane. It's seeming intelligence is all illusion. Recursive Prophet I never claimed AI could at this point be compared to human intelligence, even though Deep Blue beat Kasparov. My point is that AI has been evolving far faster than has IQ scores over the last couple thousand years, and some argue we are now devolving. Think Aristotle, Da Vinci, etc. We KNOW computers are the result of intelligent design, and my question is how could this second tier advance so much faster than what it copies from the original design? Does this mean we could be smarter than your god now, if the product can out perform the creator? realpc Computers allow us to automate cognitive tasks that we already know how to do. We must describe the steps in detail in order to get the computer to follow them. The intelligence of computers CANNOT be compared to natural human intelligence. Artificial intelligence has NOT produced anything resembling natural intelligence. As brilliant as computers may seem to be, the brilliance is in the engineers, not in the machine. Your argument has no relevance to Intelligent Design anyway. It seems to be related to the typical materialist argument that intelligence is not a big deal since it can be created so easily. All wrong, on various levels. Recursive Prophet A quick DR. (Drive-by Reply) It is widely acknowledged that whenever we make a copy of anything something is lost in the process. Yet the advancement of computer capability far exceeds the pace of our biological evolution. If in fact there was some omnipotent intelligent design behind our existence, how could the product of that intelligence-mankind-produce a form of cognition that evolved at a faster rate than the master copy? While computers have yet to equal overall the alleged product of 'intelligent design,' they are undeniably evolving at a much faster pace. Being the result of a second tier of the intelligent design process, and unlike their creators indisputably the result of such design, how could their rate of evolution exceed that of their biological creators? I sense a flaw in this concept, but decided to throw it out on the highway and see what runs over it at any rate. realpc "evaluate conserved portions of the nucleotides and structures to understand common genetic foundations between species." Oh yes, gathering evidence for evolution. NOT for Darwinian evolution. Are you aware that they are not the same theory? "Science wouldn't be where it is today if perturbations in planetary orbit were attributed to intelligence." That is wrong. Until relatively recently, most scientists assumed an intelligent universe. In fact, their belief in some kind of universal intelligence (such as a god or gods) led them to expect nature to be orderly. That sort of belief system is IN NO WAY at odds with the scientific method and scientific progress. It is only at odds with scientific materialism, which is an ideology, not a method of discovery. Einstein, for example, believed in some kind of universal intelligence. Did that prevent him from making scientific discoveries? David Strauss "Yes, of course you would see it as absurb and useless. Or pretend to. I doubt you have ever consdered any of the evidence." Actually, I spent a semester writing software to evaluate rRNA alignments among species to determine the quality of hand-made alignments versus the leading automated alignments of the day. These sequence alignments are then used to evaluate conserved portions of the nucleotides and structures to understand common genetic foundations between species. When was the last time you worked in a genetics lab? . It's absurd because it's anthropomorphic. There's no reason to believe the universe has goals and thoughts like a human. Nor is there reason to believe if the universe had intelligence that we'd even be able to recognize its nature. When your arguments are reduced to questioning motives and positing conspiracies, you're probably wrong. I'm done with this thread. Anonymous "It is also an absurd and useless theory." Yes, of course you would see it as absurb and useless. Or pretend to. I doubt you have ever consdered any of the evidence. (Sorry for accidental multiple posts). David Strauss "Because the idea of an intelligent universe is extremely threatening to scientific materialism and atheism." It is also an absurd and useless theory. realpc I agree with you, David N. Friedman. However, the emotional charge surrounding evolution is not going to subside and calm reason will not prevail any time soon. This is because the acceptance and establishment of neo-Darwinism as an explanation for evolution is what allowed scientific materialism to dominated 20th century science. The scientific materialists, and the atheists, are not going to let go without certain DI members' statements. Especially the ones who sympathize with creationism or who criticize well-established tenets of evolution and Darwinism. ID proponents are not infallible. But on the whole, it is obvious to me that ID is heading in a much more promising direction than neo-Darwinism. I do not believe evolution was caused by supernatural interventions, or that it was consciously planned by a personal god. Maybe that is what happened, but we have absolutely no evidence that it did, and it would be utterly unscientific to make those claims. I think a more reasonable and scientifically modest hypothesis right now would be something like Developmental Systems Theory, for example. According to Systems Theory, consciousness is not confined to physical brains. Consciousness, and intelligence, are a natural property of the universe, or universes. In this framework, the origin and evolution of life is not surprising or unlikely. It is exactly what we should expect. Systems Theory makes sense, and it's scientific. No, it does not give us a detailed explanation of evolution. But it is a reasonable framework and starting point. So why wasn't a Systems Theory view of evolution accepted decades ago? Because the idea of an intelligent universe is extremely threatening to scientific materialism and atheism. If the universe is intelligent, then maybe religion is something more than ignorance and wishful thinking. It would not be so easy to denounce and disdain any and all spiritual or supernatural beliefs. Without neo-Darwinism to lean on, scientific materialism would lose its strongest arguments against religion. Scientific materialists see science and religion as natural enemies. Giving scientific credence to religion would be devastating to them. So they are fighting desperately and seriously. They are fighting for their survival as an intellectual and political force. Therefore, they are not likely to listen to reason or pay attention to evidence. realpc I agree with you, David N. Friedman. However, the emotional charge surrounding evolution is not going to subside and calm reason will not prevail any time soon. This is because the acceptance and establishment of neo-Darwinism as an explanation for evolution is what allowed scientific materialism to dominated 20th century science. The scientific materialists, and the atheists, are not going to let go without certain DI members' statements. Especially the ones who sympathize with creationism or who criticize well-established tenets of evolution and Darwinism. ID proponents are not infallible. But on the whole, it is obvious to me that ID is heading in a much more promising direction than neo-Darwinism. I do not believe evolution was caused by supernatural interventions, or that it was consciously planned by a personal god. Maybe that is what happened, but we have absolutely no evidence that it did, and it would be utterly unscientific to make those claims. I think a more reasonable and scientifically modest hypothesis right now would be something like Developmental Systems Theory, for example. According to Systems Theory, consciousness is not confined to physical brains. Consciousness, and intelligence, are a natural property of the universe, or universes. In this framework, the origin and evolution of life is not surprising or unlikely. It is exactly what we should expect. Systems Theory makes sense, and it's scientific. No, it does not give us a detailed explanation of evolution. But it is a reasonable framework and starting point. So why wasn't a Systems Theory view of evolution accepted decades ago? Because the idea of an intelligent universe is extremely threatening to scientific materialism and atheism. If the universe is intelligent, then maybe religion is something more than ignorance and wishful thinking. It would not be so easy to denounce and disdain any and all spiritual or supernatural beliefs. Without neo-Darwinism to lean on, scientific materialism would lose its strongest arguments against religion. Scientific materialists see science and religion as natural enemies. Giving scientific credence to religion would be devastating to them. So they are fighting desperately and seriously. They are fighting for their survival as an intellectual and political force. Therefore, they are not likely to listen to reason or pay attention to evidence. David Strauss "Specified complexity may infer design" No, it doesn't. That inference is completely unjustified unless you count anecdotal evidence. David N. Friedman The modern theory of evolution, even in its many incarnations, definitions and modes fails the basic test of a working scientific theory. It is much more of a hope than a working theory and should find its place in the trash heap of history since it has no scientific utility. It is the winning formulation because of its political and anti-religious implications. Science needs to be about science alone and if we substitute politics for science, we are making a very poor exchange. I must add that modern science was the invention a few hundred years ago of God-obsessed men that worked from the premise of design. Design remains a compelling base formulation. At this moment, the business of science should be to teach what man knows about nature. The tendency to scream "evolution" as the source of almost everything, without any explanation, must end since it verges on both silliness and contempt for learning. It is with a lot of "chutzpah" that persons wish to allege that it is those who see the obvious: design in nature–have and hold chutzpah and contempt for science. The talk.origins website has become (by default) some kind of alleged gold-standard for evolutionary dogma that seeks the demonization of creationists. I am no Christian and no Christian creationist and I do not work for the Discovery Institute. Thanks for the links, ,cg, but I am afraid to say that they provided no facts and no science very obviously. More telling, they provide no argument. They are big on conjecture. It is both scientific and truthful to say, when asked about origins and about HOW nature works–we do not know. Please help us figure it out. A stopped clock is correct twice a day and we recognize it is broken–by contrast, evolution is correct only about tiny matters and yet we are willing to give it credence that it is somehow the catch-all answer to almost everything. Case closed? Preposterous. Wake up, people. realpc " No one can read everything and no one can know anything." Meant to say: " No one can read everything and no one can know everything." "And science cannot measure them because it has not yet discovered them!" "Hardly. " Where is the logic in the above David? Materialism denies the existence of anything science can't measure at this time. It cannot hypothesize the existence of anything it does not already know how to measure. New fields, substances, etc., cannot be discovered within the materialist framework. " think you have some reading to catch up on" No one can read everything and no one can know anything. I have read as much as anyone. Your statement simply dismisses my arguments because you think I have not read enough. It implies that you have read enough and your opinions are therefore valid where mine or not. But you don't find anything wrong with my logic. You just dismiss it, because I have not read enough, you assume. You expect everyone who has been educated in science to agree with materialism. Anyone who does not agree must be ignorant, must have missed some important reading. For you, this goes without saying. There is no need to argue logically and make your case. Just dismiss any dissidents who do not fall in line with current scientific materialism. What if the status quo turned out to be not entirely correct? That would be very unsettling and lots of people would lose their complacency. It's better, easier, to call the dissenters ignorant, unscientific, not worth listening to. Because you really don't like to question your established beliefs. You don't really want to learn anything disturbing. Recursive Prophet David: You make some excellent points here, and I would like your permission to quote you elsewhere in the metaverse. I particularly like the house-painting allegory. Tompalmchicken: "What is truth, said jesting Pilot." You mention materialists denying truth. Until it can be observed and quantified, an ongoing process, should we accept on 'faith' any mortals vision of the answers to the countless possible unknowns? Isn't this irrational embrace of omnipotence and absolute though unverifiable truth what lies at the base of many of the world's conflicts? A: Did you ever read Heller's Catch 22? Funny how many are confused about the concept. If you ask me to reject David's argument on the grounds that he's failing to see the truth, I will. You must see something I don't. But if you DO ask me, it will prove you are quite uncertain, and looking for others to reinforce your beliefs which have NO real evidence to support them. Therefore, I will agree with you if you ask me to, but in doing so you will prove I shouldn't agree with you so I won't. If you don't ask me, I will assume you have 'seen the light' and realized your deconstructions of David's comments were specious at best. Magnetic fields and gravity yield material effects that we can measure and predict. The idea that materialism is limited to current knowledge is absurd. Anonymous "Materialism allows us to include anything in the natural world in scientific study. An attempt to include something that materialism rejects (like otherworldly intelligence in nature) is an attempt to include something supernatural." Science DOES NOT equal materialism. And besides, how can we know what materialism rejects? It doesn't reject electromagnetic fields, or gravity, for example. In what sense are they "material?" Materialists accepts anything that has already been studied by science. It rejects anything that has not. So materialism must remain stuck in the already-known, and it cannot go forward. It tries to prevent science from studying anything not already studied. Materialism is not science, it is ideology. tompalmchicken For an idea to be a scientific one it must: a) explain previous measurements (data) b) make predictions of future measurements. period. ID does NOT satisfy these most basic criteria. It is no more science than it is a recipe for muffins. case closed. realpc The last comment was me. Anonymous David Strauss, Your example is irrelevant. We know all about how houses are usually painted. There is no mystery. The cause of evolution, however, is a complete mystery. You do not know, you only claim to know. ID does not have to be about "injecting" supernatural causes. Yes some IDists make it sound that way, unfortunately. But it's really about saying that nature is infinitely more than what is currently assumed. And my opinion is that nature includes intelligence. If you insist on calling the intelligence of nature "supernatural," that makes it sound unscientific. But there is no reason why ID has to be unscientific, and ID does not have to inject the supernatural into its arguments. All it has to do is look for signs of intelligence, and creativity, in nature. The intelligence that seems to emanate from our little human brains is actually something much more general, and is found in every wave and particle of nature. David Strauss "Materialism: A theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter." If we take out the parts about physical matter being the exclusive source of causes and effects in our reality, everyone would agree with the idea. No one's going to legitimately debate that matter does not have some cause and some effect in our reality. Now, let's consider the exclusivity that the definition theorizes for matter with a metaphor: painting houses. Let's say you see 20 houses being painted with paint brushes and have never seen a house being painted any other way. While we can't rule out that other methods have been used to paint houses, it would be absurd to make any claim that houses have been painted a different way without any evidence of it. So, we would theorize that all houses are painted with paint brushes. Later, we discover that some houses are painted with rollers. So we revise the theory to say that all houses are painted with paint brushes or rollers. It remains absurd and unproductive to wildly speculate about alternative causes in the absence of evidence. For example, I could add "…or fountain pens dipped in the paint." The statement would remain just as logically correct (because adding such a disjunction always maintains truth), but the theory becomes far less useful. This problem arises whenever people propose to inject supernatural causes into a theory. Injecting such causes doesn't make a theory less logically correct, but assuming supernatural causes is even more absurd than assuming some houses may have been painted using fountain pens. All of those predictions are about evolution, NOT about the neo-Darwinian hypothesis about the causes of evolution. Talk Origins is a propaganda site, dedicated to defending the status quo. They make no attempt at intellectual honesty. They know that no one is seriously questioning evolution theory. But it's easy to find evidence for evolution, impossible to find evidence for Darwinian evolution. realpc "where we're beginning to uncover design instead of just physical laws and constructs?" It is not a question of "design" vs. "physical laws and constructs." I think design is a law of nature. Nature designs, and creates. Nature is intelligent. And it is not a question of evolution vs. Intelligent Design. ID does NOT oppose evolution, only a particular theory of evolution. The currently accepted theory grew out of Darwin's hypothesis about the cause of evolution. After the discovery of DNA, Darwin's hypothesis was accepted, almost as a fact. ID says that the current theory was accepted to easily, without evidence. The evidence for evolution, which is plentiful, has been misconstrued as evidence for neo-Darwinism. Neo-Darwinism says that random variations acted on by natural selection can fully account for the origin of species. This is merely a claim, without evidential support. Neo-Darwinists often argue that many factors in addition to random variations and natural selection are involved. But any other factors they mention turn out to be some version of random changes and natural selection. Gene duplication? Well that's a random change isn't it? Sexual selection? Well that's a type of natural selection. Population drift? More random changes. We already have scientific evidence that genetic mutations can respond in quality or quantity to environmental challenges. DNA somehow "knows" what's happening outside the organism, at least in some cases. No one is suggesting God is directing the DNA and giving in inside info. But we are beginning to see signs of purpose and intelligence within the cell. Contemporary materialism assumes that intelligence is something created by brains. How was that conclusion reached? It is entirely an assumption. Computer scientists know that anything can be a computer and information processing does not depend on any particular medium. Why does it have to be brain cells? Why can't information processing happen within cells, molecules, or atoms? It should be obvious that it can. If intelligence is information processing, and information processing can happen in any medium, then materialist science has been wrong all along. Nature can be intelligent. And that is what the science of Intelligent Design is all about. cg DNF, Thank you for your response. I suppose my difficulty with your points, cg, is that you fail to separate what is science, what is religion and what is philosophy. It is my point of view that science should be kept free or competing philosophical claims and as pure as possible to research the facts. I agree with you wholeheartedly that God does not seem to have a place in science. Many ID advocates would disagree, but I see you are the noble exception. Let's stick to the science. Because the Left has a loud voice, they have quickly and adamantly demonised ID and claimed, like you–that they are simply creationists. Please point to where I used the word creationist. I didn't so don't say that I didFurther Do you have statistics to back this claim up, or is this just what you reckon?I suppose my difficulty with your points, cg, is that you fail to separate what is science, what is religion and what is philosophy. If you wish to make the point that Phillip Johnson, for one, is a strong Catholic and his "theism" colors and animates his science, I possibly honor the point but I would say that his theism is his philosophy. As for the debate over evolution, it is a scientific debate and even if those who are skeptical about the power of natural, undirected forces to explain the evolution of life and complex systems–belief or non belief in God is clearly a separate consideration. Rav Kook was quick to embrace Darwinism and he felt if Darwin was true, this is an even greater tribute to Hashem. Today, a good minority of Orthodox Jews accept what could be called the "party-line" on evolution and this does not at all diminish their faith in God. Natan Slifkin has led this movement. It is my belief that Slifkin is wrong on the science. Further, when Dawkins said that belief in evolution allows oneself to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist–he made several points. First, he speaks for a lot of people with an anti-God mindset that wish to employ science against those who believe that God created our physical reality. Further, he is demonstrating that science can easily be contorted to fit an agenda and if you quickly suspect the majority for not finding a full truth in the party line of evolution, one can just as easily find a related bias in the eyes of the minority who may be looking for a scientific justification of their atheist philosophy. It is my point of view that science should be kept free or competing philosophical claims and as pure as possible to research the facts. Because the Left has a loud voice, they have quickly and adamantly demonised ID and claimed, like you–that they are simply creationists. This is why they have put together a list of hundreds (over 700) scientists (most having PHD's) who will publicly come forward in opposition to the party line of evolution as testimony that a better answer lies elsewhere. For objective people, this is more than enough evidence to suggest that there is a legitimate scientific debate concerning the basic creative force of life on this planetNo one has ever seen an act of macro-evolution and there is no coherent theory as to how how nature could manifest the evolution of life on its own without direction. There is no theory as to how DNA and RNA could have evolved, there is no understanding even how it is possible for amino acids to combine natural to form a functioning protein. The evolutionary paridigm is simply an ad hoc theoretical formulation. Further They are told in high school that is the wondrous catch- all that makes science what it is and then it is rarely referenced as a day to day study when a student develops a specialty. This is why evolution is more dogma than science and more philosophy than testable formulations. Design, is a good beginning premise and its actual utility as a working scientific discipline is being worked out.cg I don't see it as an act of faith, rather a hope. It's possible that science one day hits a brick wall and can get no further on various fundamental topics, but we're not there yet. Who knows. I think physicists have good reason for optimism. So what would that mean? There'll always be room for uncertainty, and things we don't know. Whether you choose to fill those gaps with God is up to you, though beware, giving the gaps a name does not mean that you understand the gaps any better. I was thinking about my previous glib comment about thunder caused by Thor. I see Thor as a "god of the gaps", and is a natural logical fallcy. The point is, we should be a little wary about explaining various natural phenomena with gods and godesses. Anonymous I wonder why scientists put their faith in the asumption that standard model and general relativity can actually unified. cg DNF – You seem to think that religiosity and ID are completely independent concepts. I would actually argue that religiosity is the main motivator behind ID – therefore cannot be dismissed as not "sticking to the point". As for gravity – this is one of the most difficult challenges facing theoretical physicists. If you are going looking for god in nature, that is as good a place to look as any. My point is, where do we look for God in nature? Sorry if that parallel is too far off topic for you. ID advocates claim that there is a debate about evolution when there is none. It's done and dusted. Any claims to the contrary are FUD. On the other hand, gravitation is right there at the bleeding edge (unifying the standard model with general relativity is one of the hardest challenges physicists face). DNF – you didn't answer my challenge. What does ID predict? Chris I'm sorry, I didn't really respond to the brunt of your writing, and I apologize for basically blowing it off. As much as I'd like to think I'm better than this, I see where you're coming from, but I'm too stubborn to accept the idea, and specifically, not knowledgeable enough in reference to the plant hormone issue to discuss it. I don't know how you'd respond, but I have the feeling that if I kept discussing the subject, I'd let it deteriorate into a typical flamewar scenario. Thanks for your understanding. Chris Thanks for your response. To be sure I'm not misinterpreting your writing again, let me ask you a question. To you, god, or the designer, was the one that put everything into motion, and today's scientific inquiry is reaching the point where we're beginning to uncover design instead of just physical laws and constructs? If this is true, I can see where you're coming from, and though I disagree on that specifically, I think I understand. It seems we agree on most of the rest of your points. Scientific progress is a good thing, and we can only have real research if scientists can keep an open mind and unbiased viewpoint. At the very least, scientists should be aware of their prejudices and biases and account for them. I once read that "The best science is conducted when something unexpected happens." I think it's true, precisely because the unexpected precludes judgement and bias. However, I disagree about the message to children. Outside of learning about mythology, I was never told of any higher powers, or plans for the world. I've always been under the impression that the only underlying reason anything happens is cause and effect, and that extends to (specifics not withstanding) how everything started out. It could be just that I'm a naturally curious person, but I spend a good majority of my time learning or experimenting in order to better understand the world around me. Any time I was told something happened "just because" (This is admittedly my own bias here, but I group "God did it" in with that answer), I would find another method of obtaining the information. Granted, I was never told that evolution was the only possibility. I don't think it's the message that stunts curiosity so much as it is the method. I think saying "Shut up, it's science!" to a child amounts to the same thing as saying "Shut up, it's Jesus!". I don't mean to single out any one religion. The "Sit down, listen, and obey" message will cause the same damage no matter what ideology is backing it. Even though I disagree on your viewpoint, I think that we can both agree that as long as we can pass on curiosity and independent thought to the next generation, the world could be a better place. David N. Friedman Lack of scientific knowledge does not prove God–true. The ignorance of the ancients regarding lightening is evidence of their ignorance, and no implication that gods caused the thunder. The contrast with today's scientific world is extreme. I hold no respect for the expertise for the ancient Greeks–by contrast, I hold great respect for the expertise for modern science. We are able to decipher and study a whole heck of a lot. For example–please consider my example about the plant hormone auxin. Even though today's science cannot approach how it works–I am granting the fact that one day science will be able to not simply chart it, they will have a good understanding of how it actually works. I am making this extrapolation. My trust that this is a sign of design has nothing to do with the fact that we are currently ignorant and everything to do with the monumental complexity of the process. The kind of complexity that is so specified and so precise in its inner workings has sure trademarks of design. We know enough right now to understand that even if we knew all the secrets, the belief that it could have emerged randomly and naturally strains all credibility. This is why I am happy to grant some miracles–since miraculous things might happen. What I am not willing to grant is so many miracles that we stubbornly ignore a plan and a purpose that is evident when you see a live organism in operation. Modern science has its hands full with quantum theory. By contrast, I think modern science should be able to figure out the cell and how a blade of grass grows. The fact that such matters are highly clouded in mystery has a clear message and a clear implication concerning the designing power of raw, natural agents acting without an alleged plan or purpose. If modern sophisticated scientists cannot decipher many things–no problem. On the other hand, if they cannot get a grip on a blade of grass and a guess as to how it could be naturally manifested in terms of its total working parts–this implies that it has a kind of sophistication that is much higher than human beings armed with very good tools of analysis. We should never give up trying to understand how nature works and this is why your concluding shot is such a contortion of the truth. The suggestion, forced down kid's throats with the full force of the law, that a natural mechanism drives the evolution of life is precisely the kind of thing which harms curiosity. The auxin story is a great example–the secularists merely chart one hormone and then fold up tent by saying that it is a victory for Darwin. Evolution works, that's it. Let's pretend we know it all, even when it is clear we know almost nothing. The job is to understand HOW it works. It is much more empowering for many more people to say, gee, this looks like it was planned. Let's try to figure out how it was planned. Indeed, if a purposeful agent (God)brought a universe into existence out of nothing and made a planet capable of producing life and culminating in creatures (Mankind) made in his image with the ability to see the patterns and the purpose–that message is much more motivating in favor of scientific discovery than to tell our kids that we are only the evolved descendants of pond scum and we have emerged only as a fluke. Thanks–I will keep responding. Chris Mr. Friedman, you wrote: "Life is enormously difficult to get a handle on the issues–science does not have gaps–it has profound ignorance. Compared to what we do not know, what we actually know is tiny. This is good evidence of design." Please explain how this is evidence of design. Utter ignorance is not "good evidence" of anything. It is exactly what it is, a lack of evidence. For at least thousands of years, nobody had any clue how lightning worked. They explained away their ignorance by explaining it was the work of gods. They were ignorant of the processes behind lightning, and at the time, it was enormously difficult to get a handle on the issues. The science of the day had profound ignorance of the workings of lightning. Your gap may (or may not) be as big as the Grand Canyon, but this is still a god-in-the-gaps argument. I'm not saying that there is no designer, but the argument is specious and a false dichotomy. Lack of scientific evidence is not evidence for divine intervention. Also, keep in mind that the length of time science spends studying something has nothing to do with its validity. Quantum theory has been around since the early 1900s, billions (if not trillions) have been spent on understanding it, and it was only until 20-30 years ago that we've been able to test any of it at all. Science certainly doesn't know everything, and most definitely doesn't claim to, but saying "God did it. All of it. We give up." is the surest way to stop scientific advancement and rational thought. Sorry, I'm getting off-topic and ranty. I'll shut up now. :) realpc When we say "designed" we are not thinking of some guy with a white beard at a drawing board. It should be framed more scientifically — for example, the universe, and nature, possess some kind of intelligence which guides and motivations the creation of the complex machinery of life. Complex machines are expected to emerge in a universe which is naturally intelligent and creative. Is there any way to test this kind of idea? It is assumed in the sciences of systems, complexity, chaos and information. Can't we apply these principles to biological evolution and find a way to test them? David N. Friedman C'mon CG, please stick to the point and stick to the science. Thunder is a well-understood natural phenomenon. There is not one scientist that disputes gravity. Concerning what drives evolution and what natural selection can actually create–this is a real scientific dispute and it will remain a problem since there is no real science behind the claims made by the "evolutionists." If 700 scientists are sign a petition publicly acknowledging the fact that natural selection and random mutations fail to describe life processes–there are surely thousands more who also doubt that we have a hold on the problem. For me, a rational skeptic–this is more solid proof of the design hypothesis. The more we know about nature, the more we do not know. Thunder is not at all intricate–it is very simple. Life is enormously difficult to get a handle on the issues–science does not have gaps–it has profound ignorance. Compared to what we do not know, what we actually know is tiny. This is good evidence of design. Take one plant hormone named auxin as one example. The news came out about one year ago as a claimed "victory for Darwin" that scientists can now chart auxin after about 80 years of struggle. A team of scientists with some high powered computers can chart the hormone! How is this a victory for Darwinists? It points in the opposite direction–obviously. Step by step, every step is crucial and nothing is redundant, the hormone can be charted but science has no idea how it actually works–nor could they ever duplicate it. It is one regulatory function among several others–all working together and if you actually want a functional blade of grass–it all must work in perfect harmony. To put it all together exhausts a team of scientists and a bundle of high-powered computers–that is just to chart it. The HOW part is the job of science and this team can chart it, but they have no idea HOW it works or how it could have evolved. It "emerged" we are told–over and over. The fine print says "we have no idea how this works and we don't even know where to begin!" How can one claim that this is "natural?" It not only appears designed–I can't get see how one can even make the argument that it is an evolved process and believe it. This has no similarity with simple chemical reactions or natural phenomenon like thunder and lightening. cg I have no problem with ID as a scientific theory – provided it can be tested and it makes measurable predictions. If it can't be tested then it isn't a useful theory, true or not. The problem is that if it can't predict anything then it shouldn't be dressed up as a science. ID advocates are making a big claim – that there is something guiding the hand of evolution. Biologists make the opposite claim – that there doesn't need to be a guiding hand. The phrase "Russell's teapot" springs to mind. ID is a hypothesis. So is evolution by natural selection. I'm open minded, but the problem is that the evidence only points to natural selection. Now, could somebody (e.g. realpc) please point me to one concrete measurable prediction of ID? Thought not. ID advocates may genuinely believe that they have evidence, but it never survives even casual scrutiny. Which of course makes me question what kind of truth these people are peddling. If what they claim about biology is wrong, maybe what they claim about theology is also wrong? Another thing – why pick on biology? I mean, we could have a theory of "intelligent gravitation", or a theory of "intelligent thunder", or a theory of "intelligent supersymmetry". Thunder is too complex to arise naturally – it must be Thor. Science actually started making progress when we stopped looking for God in the clockwork. Anonymous Jim Lippard: Just as a curiosity, I looked up the credentials behind those names you mentioned. All of them are associated with the ID movement, the Discovery Institute, and many of them are near the tops of their own organizations. Of those, I noted that only one of them had any background in biology. I'll admit, it was a quick search, I may have missed one or two. I'll be generous and say that at most, three of them have spent any time with biological studies. Check out <a href=" Steve</a>. For every biological scientist that's been quote-mined into an ID standpoint, and even for the ones that went along willingly, there are more biologists named "Steve" (or some variation thereof) that agree with the findings of evolution. Among scientists, there is no controversy. Anonymous Anonymous, you're confusing the idea of abiogenisis (life arising from previously inorganic matter) with evolution. The theory of evolution is not concerned with the beginnings of life, merely every step after that first one. From TalkOrigins.org: <blockquote>"The word evolution has a variety of meanings. The fact that all organisms are linked via descent to a common ancestor is often called evolution. The theory of how the first living organisms appeared is often called evolution. This should be called abiogenesis. And frequently, people use the word evolution when they really mean natural selection — one of the many mechanisms of evolution." <br>And "One should also note that the theory of evolution doesn't depend on how the first life began. The truth or falsity of any theory of abiogenesis wouldn't affect evolution in the least."</blockquote> I don't want to say characterizing evolution as explaining the origins of life is "playing right into their hands", but I believe that is a major reason why many people so quickly dismiss it. Anonymous Mr. Rosenhouse, that has to be the worst comb-over I have ever seen. realpc ID advocates are individuals and there must be some differences between their beliefs. Maybe there is a small minority that denies evolution. However, denial of evolution is definitely not typical. I can't imagine how you got the idea that Dembski denies evolution; he definitely does not. Sometimes people use "evolution" as a synonym for "Darwinian evolution," unfortunately. This creates enormous confusion. ID advocates oppose one particular theory of evolution, which originated with Darwin and Wallace in the 19th century, and is now sometimes called neo-Darwinism. ID does not oppose or deny evolution; it is an alternative theory of evolution. Jim Lippard Realpc says "You didn't even read Klinghoffer's comments. You stubbornly continue to pretend that the DI opposes evolution. But you know very well, or certainly should know, that they accept evolution and common descent." What? If that's the case, then why are they always arguing against evolution? Have you not read what the DI Fellows actually write? There are even DI Fellows who claim that the earth is less than 10,000 years old, or to be uncertain or agnostic about it, including Paul Nelson, Nancy Pearcey, Dean Kenyon, John Mark Reynolds, and Phillip E. Johnson. Others who have explicitly argued against evolution and for creationism include Raymond Bohlin, William Dembski, Jonathan Wells, and Stephen Meyer, the CSC program director. There are what, two, DI Fellows who aren't evangelical Christians? Besides Behe and possibly Berlinski, is there an evolutionist among them? The main intelligent design textbook, _Of Pandas and People_, started life as a creation science textbook that was modified by a search and replace operation into an intelligent design textbook (even leaving behind the intermediate form "cdesign proponentsists"). The Discovery Institute has been a supporter of that book, and its Fellows' names are all over it. DI is a creationist organization that repeats the standard creationist arguments against evolution while doing its best to remain silent about any actual positive creationist claims, such as flood geology, vapor canopy theory, or the claim of a young earth. Even their alleged "intelligent design theory" has yet to materialize in any coherent, empirically testable form. Rather than actually developing a scientific research program, they engage in PR attacks against evolution based on old-style creationist quote-mining and misrepresentation. They've been caught and called on it again and again, but they persist because it works on the PR front–it brings in the donations and keeps them in operation. a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter ERC "a theory that" "Materialism is a belief, and it's a belief that doesn't make any sense." This purposeful misuse of the scientific definition of theory, which should be something like "a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world", is going to lead me to violence and I may just break some bones in the next person that deliberately makes this mistake. I will reassure them that the energy transfers that caused the damage are mere theories and should not be any cause for alarm. Anonymous evolution says that billions of years ago there was a chance combination of chemicals in the worlds oceans that made a series of reactions that we now call life. you end up with a "cell" that does nothing but make more of itself and does so by using a molecule (called DNA) to "control" what happens and when. sometimes the DNA makes a mistake when copping itself and the VAST majority of these mutations are either harmful or useless. however, sometimes, just by chance, it is helpful then that particular cell can live longer and produce more offspring and pass on that mutation. eventually you end up with a cell that is nothing like the first one. maybe the new kind of cell eats the original and becomes the dominant species on the planet (it can do that because the original has nothing to defend itself with) with so many mutations happening all at once for billions of year you end up with all of the diversity we see today a billion years is a LONG time longer than most people can comprehend, I know its longer than my interpretation, so perhaps time itself is an intelligent designer. after all its just a bunch of chemical reactions. realpc "evolution has had a few billion years head start." That is the Darwinist all-purpose excuse. You don't need evidence or logic or math to support your hypothesis. It doesn't have to make any kind of sense. Given huge amounts of time, and maybe an infinite number of parallel universes, anything at all can happen. So no one can criticize your "theory." There is no way to prove that something can't happen given unlimited time and parallel universes. Chris Bell When As Usual says that Intelligent Design accepts common descent, he is "correct" only if you use their definition. When I say common descent, I would mean "living things creating offsrping that are subtly different, until eventually descendents are extremly different organisms. ID "accepts" common descent only if it means "An intelligent designer took one organism, and then radically improved it to create a new organism from the old. In that way, the new 'descended' from the old." Those are not the same conepts. Anonymous "Then why haven't scientists been able to create life intentionally?" evolution has had a few billion years head start. scientists have been trying for just a few decades. realpc "Materialism IS a methodology" It is NOT a methodology. A dictionary definition: "a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter" Materialism is a belief, and it's a belief that doesn't make any sense. We don't even have a definition for "physical matter." Physicists study fields and energies that are nothing like the "physical substances" of our "physical world." The word "physical" just means natural. And what does "natural" mean? None of these concepts are easy to define. And there is absolutely nothing in modern science that precludes the idea that nature possesses intelligence. You must agree that something we call "intelligence" exists. You believe it can only exist as a product of a physical brain? Why? How can you assume that? We don't even know what intelligence is, and we have absolutely no basis for assuming that whatever it is we call intelligence cannot exist except as a product of a physical brain. " life likely arises easily and often in the universe." You're sure about that? Life arises easily by accident? Then why haven't scientists been able to create life intentionally? Easy to create by accident, difficult or impossible to create on purpose? Where is the logic in your belief? And where is the evidence? There is absolutely none. You take it on faith that life can arise easily by accident. We have no theory about how life originates. Remember there is no DNA before there is life, so there are no random mutations to select from. You think you can explain the origin of species that way (although many of us disagree). But you have absolutely no plausible theories to explain the accidental origin of life. It is NOT scientific to hold beliefs simply because they support a particular ideology. Jason Failes Materialism IS a methodology and scientific research should adhere strictly to methodologies that can provide observable phenomenon and measurable data. A scientist SHOULD be expected to back up his claim that some kind of intelligence seems to be at work in nature with confirmable, repeatable, and unambiguous research. A scientist SHOULD be allowed to express any opinion that derives from scientific findings, such as the abundance of amino acids in outer space, the hypothesized existence of proto-membranes, helices, and other organic molecules in space, experiments that demonstrate that comet impacts likely combine amino acids into peptides, and recent studies regarding how quickly and easily protiens can form from simpler molecules. In this case, the natural conclusion is that life likely arises easily and often in the universe. realpc Jason, You didn't even read Klinghoffer's comments. You stubbornly continue to pretend that the DI opposes evolution. But you know very well, or certainly should know, that they accept evolution and common descent. There are several different groups involved in this controversy. There are Christian creationists who deny evolution. Almost none of that group are scientists. None of them are educated in the basic facts of biology. Christian creationists might claim to believe in ID, but it's unlikely they understand anything about ID. ID does NOT oppose evolution and common descent. ID advocates and Christian creationists are NOT the same people, in most cases. Yes, ID advocates oppose the materialist philosophy that dominates contemporary biology. Materialism is a philosophy and scientific research should NOT be dominated by any particular ideology. A scientist SHOULD be allowed to say that some kind of intelligence seems to be at work in nature. A scientist SHOULD be allowed to express the opinion that it seems unlikely that a dead mindless universe would give birth to the complex and intelligent machinery of life. The evolution controversy is so much deeper and more sophisticated than the silly debate you insist on pretending it is. An uneducated Christians might protest that he "ain't descended from no monkey." But that has absolutely no resemblance to the position of the DI. I am not a DI member, and I often disagree with them on certain points. But I always defend them against these nonsensical accusations. They do NOT deny evolution or common descent. You do not seem capable of understanding that. Anonymous The main challenge that ID has never solved is they claim to have an alternative view of the presently held scientific theories. Fine, big deal, most scientists have some area of science that they believe they have a better view on (most of their professionional lives are devoted to discovering something new). What ID fails to do (which the good scientists do) is ever discover anything new. I wish a debate would start off with: Moderator: "Before we begin could each side name a current healthcare breakthrough as a result of your research?" Biologist: "The flu vacciness you are all taking are predicated on our understanding of evolution."
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Population & Sustainability News Digest Bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus and switchgrass appear to be promising resources for renewable energy, but Jody Endres - University of Illinois professor of energy and environmental law and chair of the Council on Sustainable Biomass Production (CSBP) - says standards are needed so farmers, ethanol producers, and others in the biofuels industry will all be on the same page here in the United States as well as in Europe and Brazil. "We can put any requirement into writing, but will it really work on the ground or is it just 'green washing?'. "Endres said. "Even though we think we're achieving rural development, receiving carbon reductions or climate mitigation benefits, or that we're having increased energy security, people may still be suspicious of biomass fuels unless there is a certification that we can operationalize." First, to achieve public acceptance, standards must be built upon foundations of good governance. Second, the producer's sustainability toolbox, including a determination as to whether or not existing tools are effective, must be fortified. "For example, environmentalists would like to see improvements at the watershed scale. If only isolated farmers need to be certified, and they have to figure out what their contributions to that watershed are, it can be very difficult, particularly when states have not fully assessed baseline water quality and all parties responsible for its degradation." Third, international harmonization is needed. "Even if the biomass goes to the biorefinery with the right lignin-to-sugar content and the right amount of water, if you had to add nitrogen to produce it, or lost habitat or soil when harvesting it, it may not comply with European regulations. "Environmental groups don't want to see a race to the bottom -- adopting requirements that are bare minimum." One the other hand, small farmers must be able to meet the standard. The European Renewable Energy Directive is primarily concerned with land conversion -- high carbon stock land or lands that are high in biodiversity values," Endres said. "They also require a cross-compliance with agro- environmental laws, which is something required in return for receipt of agricultural payments under the Common Agricultural Program. In large part, we don't have a similar system in the United States." For example, in the aviation industry: "To land a plane in Europe, U.S. carriers will have to prove that they have reduced their carbon footprint below a certain level. If not, they will have to buy credits within the European Emissions Trading System. Although the requirement has been postponed until January 2014, the aviation sector is actively seeking ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through biofuels. The challenge is not only how to convert cellulosics into jet fuel, but also how to certify that they are grown, refined, and distributed in a sustainable manner," Endres said. An analysis by Marianela Fader of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, found that , although many countries choose to import food now, there are surprisingly few that could not maintain the same diet and still be food self-sufficient. Today there are 66 countries, with 16% of the world's population, "who are not able to be self-sufficient due to water and/or land constraints," she said. These countries, found in North Africa, the Middle East and Central America, will need to import food from other countries to support with over half their combined populations. The study used current data on population, and food and water consumption in each nation and projected forward to 2050. The countries with the most reliance on imports were found in North Africa, the Middle East and Central America, with over half the population depending on imported food in many of these locations. Outside those locations many countries could become food self-sufficient if they chose to. However, by 2050 more countries would have to maximize food production - by improving agricultural productivity, and expanding cropland, for example - to feed their population. Over half the world's population could depend on imported food by 2050. "Assuming that all low-income economies achieve full potential productivity by 2050 in addition to full cropland expansion - which would be a huge societal and technological challenge and thus a very optimistic assumption - the food self-sufficiency gap will still be equivalent to about 55-123 million people, with over 20 million in Niger and Somalia alone," noted Fader. Climate change was not included in the study and could make the problem even more severe. The UK, the Netherlands, Japan, and a number of other developed countries are already unable to meet the food requirements of their populations. However, these nations will probably be able to buy their way out of the problem. Food security is going to be a big issue over the coming decades. Improving agricultural productivity can play a key role in maintaining food security. A change in diet, such as towards more seasonal and vegetarian food, could also have a significant impact, but this was not part of the study. Karen Gaia says: the article did not mention India, a country of over 1 billion which has already had its Green Revolution, and 40% of its children are malnouirshed, or China a country of over 1 billion, which is buying land in Madagascar to feed some of its people , and is already importing soy beans from other countries. Humans could continue to extract oil, coal, natural gas, and many minerals for decades, but the escalating ecological implications of doing so demand research and policy attention. Oil on the market today has a larger ecological footprint than in 1950, and in 2050 will have a larger ecological footprint than that of today. This increase in footprint is due to the increasing energy inputs required for production magnified by the increasing ecological impact from production. Exploiting less-accessible resources requires more diluting agents, water, and land, and produces more waste. Furthermore, once resources near population centers are depleted, more geographically remote reserves are accessed, increasing the ecological costs of transport. Even if consumption is held constant, ecological impact can increase -- not only for energy but also for other resources. Ricardo's law of diminishing returns observed that marginal agricultural land requires more inputs and generates less profit. More recently, using the IPAT formula (Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology) , ecological impact is a function of consumption, but it lacks a variable that captures the condition of ecosystems. Domestic oil fields have declined, and exports now constitute 75% of global production. Newly discovered fields are smaller and geographically dispersed, requiring greater transit distances. They are also deeper, requiring more energy to extract, and entail greater ecological risks, which became clear when BP's 10.7km deep Deepwater Horizon well exploded in 2010. In Alberta Canada, oil has been produced for half a century; from 1955 to 2006, the area of land required to extract a barrel of oil has increased 12-fold. Conventional oil well pads in Alberta consume 3.3 ha on average, but the ecosystem fragmentation caused by the roads and pipelines required to support the wells results in a much higher total impact. Also the average number of wells abandoned annually in the past decade was 4111; the number reclaimed averaged 1682. Recently Alberta has seen rapidly growing oil sands exploitation, with emission levels 23 times that of conventional production. 80% of the deposit must be accessed by drilling, substantially increasing cumulative land disruption: Three times as much land is disturbed to produce the natural gas required for oil-sand drilling as is consumed by the wells themselves. It is likely that resource quality for oil sands will decline over time as a given reserve is depleted. It can be assumed that the energy inputs required for oil-sands extraction and processing will escalate. Currently, this energy mostly comes from regional natural gas supplies, which are in steep decline. In the very near future, oil-sands exploitation will require other sources of natural gas, which have a higher ecological impact than do the conventional, regional sources. Since there is a global trend toward much more investment in nonconventional fossil fuel enterprises than in renewable alternatives, we will see an increased ecological impact per unit of fuel produced. Coal production, which is growing at a faster rate than any other fossil fuel, is increasingly dominated by surface and mountain-top mining, which is more ecologically disruptive than underground mining. Looking at at nonenergy sectors, in China, production efficiency gains in land use for grain production leveled off 30 years ago, but inputs continue to increase, including a 10-fold increase in groundwater extraction to support irrigation since 1961 and a nearly 17-fold increase in fertilizer use between 1961 and 2009. Global fish catch peaked in the past 10 years at approximately 90 million tons, yet fishing effort has continued to increase by 1.1% per year, resulting in more by-catch, damage from fishing equipment, and fuel consumption. The question is not when resources will run out, but how much ecological impact we can tolerate. At the Family Planning Summit held in London in July 2012, participants pledged $2.6 billion dollars in additional funding to provide 120 million new women who have 'unmet need' with family planning products and services by 2020 in 69 of the world's poorest countries. This goal has been dubbed 'FP2020.' However, there may not be 120 million new users to be found in the 69 of the world's poorest countries, Christopher Purdy, Executive vice president, DKT International found, using UN estimates, that there are 144 million women with unmet need, 73% of them in 20 countries, which include lower-middle and upper-middle income countries such as India, the Philippines, and Algeria. Using the same UN estimates, if we consider only the 69 priority countries of FP2020, the number of all 15-49 year old women with unmet need drops to 109 million. However, if we include only those countries with per capita GNI (PPP adjusted) below $2,500, the number with unmet need drops to around 48 million. Most of these countries are in Africa, the area where donors are understandably focusing a majority of their resources. However, while most of the unmet need is where the people are, they are not necessarily where average income levels are lowest. Many of these countries are are lower-middle ($1,026 - $4,035) and upper middle-income ($4,036 - 12,475) countries. This includes countries like Indonesia, South Africa, and Mexico, where there are large pockets of poor people who need family planning. Of the 30 most populous countries - 72% of the world's population - only 12 of them fall below the $2,500 threshold, according to the UN Contraceptive Wall Chart. Unless we invest in these countries, we will be hard-pressed to reach 120 million new women. For DKT, this meant opening up new programs in Pakistan and Nigeria (both lower-middle income countries) last year. Allocation of human and financial resources is underway but needs to be aligned with the realities of where the greatest chance for success can be achieved. It would appear that some re-orientation may be required to avoid falling short of FP2020's ambitious target 7 years from now. Karen Gaia says: good to know that there are still refinements to be found so that family planning providers can make more effective use of their services. Between 1900 and 2000, global energy consumption rose roughly 17-fold, while economic output rose 16-fold — "as close a link as one may find in the unruly realm of economic affairs," University of Manitoba environmental scientist Vaclav Smil has calculated. Of the 11 recessions since the end of the Second World War, all but one were associated with spikes in energy costs — specifically, abrupt jumps in the price of oil. The rush for imported oil started in 1911 when Winston Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty, pushed to replace coal with oil to power the Royal Navy because fuel oil produces about twice as much energy as coal, and ships go faster and farther on oil. Since the U.K had next to no oil, it bought 51% of what is now British Petroleum, which had rights to Iranian oil. This evoked a revolution in Iran, and so Britain worked to install new shahs in Iran and carved Iraq out of the collapsing Ottoman Empire. Soon all of the Western powers joined the race to secure oil concessions in the Middle East. The struggle created decades of turmoil, oil shocks in 1973 and 1979, failed programs for "energy independence," and two wars in Iraq. Then, in the 1970s, geologists discovered beneath the seafloor methane hydrate -- deposits of water molecules laced into frigid cages that trap "guest molecules" of crystalline natural gas -- perhaps twice as abundant as all other fossil fuels combined. Japan is a military and industrial power almost wholly dependent on foreign energy. It is the world's third-biggest net importer of crude oil, the second-biggest importer of coal, and the biggest importer of liquefied natural gas. Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) has been exploring the extraction of this methane-hydrate. In January this year, the Chikyu, a Japanese deep-sea drilling vessel, set out to begin a production test. By mid-March, it had already retrieved about 4 million cubic feet of natural gas from methane hydrate, at double the expected rate. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry set 2018 as a target date for commercializing methane hydrate. India and South Korea are following along, each spending as much as $30 million a year on hydrate experiments. If the Chikyu efforts are successful, methane hydrate could have similar effects in Japan, China, India, Korea, Taiwan, and Norway. The petroleum industry has recently been recharged by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking — a technique for splitting rock by shooting water mixed with sand and chemicals into it and releasing previously inaccessible oil, referred to as "tight oil." Natural gas is also released, which, when yielded from shale, is known as shale gas. Fracking has been attacked as menace to underground water supplies, and may eventually be greatly restricted. But it has also produced so much petroleum in North America that the International Energy Agency predicted that by 2035, the United States will become "all but self-sufficient." Scientists claim that avoiding the worst effects of climate change will require a complete phase-out of carbon emissions over 50 years. However, natural gas burns so much cleaner than coal that the switch from coal to gas - brought about by fracking -- has already reduced U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions to their lowest levels since the 1970s. But burning natural gas still produces carbon dioxide. Some scientists consider natural gas a bridge fuel, but if societies do not take advantage of that bridge to enact anti-carbon policies, natural gas could be "a bridge from the coal-fired past to the coal-fired future," says Michael Levi, the director of the Program on Energy Security and Climate Change at the Council on Foreign Relations. It could undermine the economic rationale for investing in renewable, carbon-free energy around the world". There are also the surprising oil fields like the Kern River in Bakersfiled California, that was first drilled in 1899 and is still producing oil after analysts said in 1949 that it was nearly played out. In 1998, an oil rig near the Kern River field drilled thousands of feet deeper than any previous attempt in the area and released an enormous gusher. In 1956 by M. King Hubbert, a prominent geophysicist at Shell Oil spoke about how easy, cheap oil was taken first and that extracting the rest gets progressively more difficult and expensive. Eventually, Hubbert observed, conditions get so tough that production levels off — it peaks. After the peak, decline is unstoppable. Hubbert predicted that the crude-oil yield in the continental United States would flatten between 1965 and 1970. On the other hand, under Hubbert's boss, Vincent E. McKelvey, the USGS issued a stream of optimistic assessments about the country's oil future. However, Hubbert's prediction proved to be correct. In 1977, newly elected President Jimmy Carter, a Hubbertian, forced McKelvey to resign. President Carter proclaimed that the planet's proven oil reserves could be consumed "by the end of the next decade," and instituted energy-efficiency measures: gas-mileage regulation, home-appliance energy standards, conservation tax credits, and subsidies for insulation and weatherization. However, in the 1980s so much crude oil was found that, by the 1990s, prices had fallen to one-fifth of what they had been during the Carter administration. Estimates of reserves rose and rose again. Energy conservation faltered; oil and gas were too cheap to be worth conserving. On one side, pessimists claim that the planet is slowly running out of petroleum. The other side, the McKelveyans insist that there are vast, untapped petroleum deposits in Alaska and Alberta and off the coast of Virginia, that geysers of natural gas exist in the shale beds of Pennsylvania and North Dakota, and that huge oil patches await extraction in the deep ocean. Looking again at the Kern River field, its pumps are siphoning up oil so goopy that it almost doesn't float on water, very difficult to extract from the ground. After 1949 engineers developed a precursor to fracking: shooting hot steam down Kern River wells to thin the oil and force it out of the stone. At first heating the water to produce the steam required as much as 40% of the oil that came out of the wells and burning unrefined crude oil released torrents of pollution: nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide. But it squeezed out petroleum that had seemed impossible to reach. To McKelveyan followers, innovation will keep pushing down the cost of getting the rest. Natural resources cannot be used up, they claim. If one deposit gets too expensive to drill, producers will either find cheaper deposits or shift to a different energy source altogether. Because the hardest-to-get stuff is left in the ground, there will always be petroleum to mine later. The race between declining oil and advancing technology determines the size of a reserve - not the number of hydrocarbon molecules in the ground. Companies that scrambled to follow the Kern River gusher found millions of barrels of deep oil, but it was mixed with so much water that they couldn't stop the wells from flooding. Within a few years, almost all the new rigs ceased operation. The reserve vanished, but the oil remained. In the 1980s, OPEC discussed allocating sales based on the size of member states' reserves and six of the 11 OPEC members abruptly hiked their reserve estimates during these discussions. Petroleum geologists Jean Laherrère and Colin Campbell who co-founded the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO) denied these sweeping claims of huge reserves. Their prediction in 1998 that "within the next decade, the supply of conventional oil will be unable to keep up with demand," came true. Laherrère says. "Once we have used up the easy oil, new types of cheap energy will not appear by magic. We will keep drilling for oil, and it will not be easy to get. Look at the enormously expensive equipment they use now only to keep up production." "The supply of oil is limited," said President George W. Bush in 2008, echoing Carter. Since then bookshelves shudder beneath the avalanche of warnings, but McKelveyans remain undeterred. Michael Lynch, of the energy-consulting firm SEER, said "It's because the technology is getting better and increasing our reach." Fracking is unleashing torrents of oil in North Dakota and Texas - it may create a second boom in the San Joaquin Valley - and floods of natural gas in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. As companies switch to cheap natural gas, the U.S. petroleum boom could add as much as 3.3% to America's GDP in the next seven years, according to a Citigroup report. Leonardo Maugeri, of the Italian energy firm Eni, said that, by 2020, all of this country's oil needs "theoretically could come entirely from the Western Hemisphere." Because of fracking, U.S. natural-gas reserves have jumped by almost three-quarters since 2000. Japan, China, India, much of Europe and Southeast Asia do not have either shale deposits to frack, or the requisite technological base, or the entrepreneurial infrastructure to finance such sweeping changes. Methane hydrate offers some promise to these countries. Petroleum unconventionals take many forms: tar sands, tight oil, heavy oil, shale gas, coal-bed methane, shale oil, oil shale. (shale oil is different from oil shale.) Methane hydrate is, by some estimates, twice as abundant as all other fossil fuels combined. Unconventionals can be of two kinds: forms of petroleum that are heavier and less refined than the crudest of crude oil, and forms that are lighter and more refined than crude oil. The second category, which includes the natural gas from methane hydrate, seems likely to play a much larger role in humankind's future. Tar sands have an EROEI of 4 to 7. Plus extracting the bitumen also requires a lot of water. Where is it all going to come from? And to convey the tar sand oil requires building a huge pipeline from Alberta to Texas. This pipeline has been stalled by opposition from U.S. environmentalists, just as pipelines within Canada have been stalled by opposition from both environmentalists and indigenous peoples. Energy costs for fracking are surprisingly small; a Swiss-American research team calculated in 2011 that the average EROEI for fracked gas in a representative Pennsylvania county was about 87 - about six times better than for Persian Gulf oil and 16 times better than for tar sands. (Fracking uses a lot of water, though, and activists charge that the chemicals contaminate underground water supplies.) Jean Laherrère claims that shale gas is a "Ponzi scheme" in which oil companies acquire largely fictional methane deposits to polish their balance sheets for Wall Street. A recent Post Carbon Institute study dismissed shale gas as "a temporary reprieve from having to deal with the real problems." But the head of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said that the additions to America's energy reserves were the "highest ever recorded since EIA began publishing proved reserve estimates in 1977." The most promising U.S. deposits of methane-hydrate are in the Gulf of Mexico. Hydrates are thought to blanket about 174,000 square miles of the Gulf, an area about the size of California. Timothy Collett, the energy-research director for the USGS program, says that some of the gulf's more than 3,500 oil and gas wells are in gas-hydrate areas. Extracting these hydrates, in his view, is the logical next step "..as you go into decline on deepwater production." If one nation succeeds in producing commercial quantities of undersea methane, others will follow. The consequences would be turbulent in petro-autocratic countries where "The possibilities for corruption are endless." Governments dip into the oil kitty to reward friends and buy off enemies. A methane-hydrate boom could lead to a southwest-to-northeast arc of instability through Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Siberia. Also the methane hydrate is inconveniently located in areas of disputed sovereignty. An energy-independent planet may turn out to be be a world of fractious, autonomous actors, none beholden to the others, with even less cooperation than exists today. Burning coal often releases black carbon, tiny particles that can get into the lungs, estimated to kill 100,000 people in India in a year. Black carbon absorbs heat, darkens clouds, and sometimes alters rain patterns. Falling on snow, it accelerates melting. A four-year assessment from nine nations recently claimed that planetary black-carbon output is the second-biggest driver of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change. Natural gas produces next to no soot and half the carbon dioxide that coal does. Replacing coal with with natural gas would be a huge step. Methane itself has a much greater capacity to trap solar heat than carbon dioxide does -- about 20 or 30 times more potent. However, while there are some concerns about escaping methane, we can be assured that any escaping underwater methane will be re-trapped by the cold temperature and high pressures that trapped it in the first place. The real concern, Carolyn Ruppel of the Geological Survey reports, is a slow discharge at ground level, from the machinery that will pull methane hydrate out of the seafloor. The problem already exists with fracking. If a well leaks more than about 3% of its methane production into the air, "natural gas actually becomes dirtier than coal, from a climate-change perspective," says Ramez Naam, the author of The Infinite Resource. Worse still, the aging natural-gas infrastructure is riddled with holes and seeps. Early this year, a survey of gas mains along Boston's 785 miles of road, the first-ever such examination, found 3,356 leaks. Fixing leaks is something that developed nations can accomplish. What we can't do, or at least not readily, is overcome the laws of economics. Typical solar cells today have an EROEI of about 10 - better than tar sands but worse than most oil and gas. One recent estimate put the EROEI of Spain's extensive solar-power network at less than three. Many advocates for solar power believe that its EROEI will match that of fossil fuels within a decade. However, as more and more energy comes from sun, wind, tides, and other variable sources, the problem of balancing fluctuating supply and fluctuating demand will worsen. When renewables supply 20 to 30% of all electricity, the system will no longer be able to balance supply and demand. Brownouts will ripple across the landscape; control centers will call up big companies and beg them to turn off the lights. Germany, a leader in renewable-energy use, is already facing this situation. Natural gas seems like the perfect stopgap. The biggest problem occurs when renewables are ready for prime time after shale fracking is replaced globally by undersea mining of methane hydrate. Revamping the electrical grid from conventionals like coal and oil to accommodate unconventionals like natural gas and solar power is daunting in scale and scope, but it must be done to avert climate change, because electricity generation is responsible for about a third of America's greenhouse-gas emissions. Scientists have experimented with injecting carbon dioxide into methane hydrate, which takes it in and expels natural gas. If undersea methane hydrate could be mined in this fashion, the sequestered carbon dioxide, forever imprisoned in ice beneath the waves, would offset some emissions. This new kind of carbon sequestration could ameliorate some of the long-term environmental damage that widespread global use of cheap natural gas from methane hydrate will do. Plentiful natural gas will give us less incentive to accommodate solar power. Vaclav Smil, the University of Manitoba environmental scientist, claims: "Energy transitions are always slow." Modern energy infrastructures, assembled over decades, cannot be revamped overnight. And, there is little public appetite for beginning the process, or even appreciating the magnitude of what lies ahead. Natural gas, both from fracking and in methane hydrate, gives us a way to cut back on carbon emissions while we work toward a more complete solution. It could be a useful crutch. But only if we have the wit to know that we will soon have to lay it down. Hopefully we can all agree that the current energy economy is fundamentally toxic to nature and people; that we need to build a new energy economy, one that supports flourishing human and natural communities; that the future energy economy should be powered by renewable sources, not fossil fuels. But consensus breaks down getting into the specifics of just how to advance toward this energy future. Some "green power" activists are upset by the new book ENERGY: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth, centerpiece of Post Carbon Institute's Energy Reality Campaign because -- among the photos of coal plants, tar-sands development, and the shattered hulk of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear station -- a handful of the book's roughly 200 photos were of a concentrated solar plant and a wind power development which were accompanied by a headline which used the phrase "energy blight." Some environmentalists don't want to look at the significant ecological costs of renewables, but hope to create support for "green" energy by only talking about the upsides. They believe that discussing the downsides only strengthens the fossil-fuel lobbies that are hell-bent on cooking the planet. But all large-scale energy infrastructure destroys habitat, whether it is hardwood forests cleared for ridgeline wind power development on Lowell Mountain in Vermont, or Mojave Desert vegetation displaced by concentrated solar generating facilities. And big, river-killing dams can produce lots of power with low greenhouse gas emissions. I am not sympathetic to techno-utopians who seem to think embracing every "green" energy technology, from biofuels to wave power to concentrated solar plants, is going to allow humanity to keep growing our numbers and economic output without destroying the ecosphere. Conservation and efficiency first, not "drill baby drill" or "build baby build." We envision a future energy economy that supports wild nature, not corporate profit; that fosters beauty and biodiversity, rather than spreading ugliness and ecological damage; that promotes health for nature and people, not perpetual economic growth. And of course is anchored by renewables, not fossil fuels. Issues of scale, ownership, indigenous rights, and corporate influence over political decision-making are heating up everywhere that large-scale renewables are proposed, from the mega-dams of Brazil and Chilean Patagonia to wind power development in southern Mexico. Avoiding superficial thinking and truly developing our individual and collective energy literacy is a start toward building the distributed, resilient, nature-friendly energy economy that we seek. Karen Gaia says: let's not forget EROI. To ignore Energy Returned for energy Invested is to waste our precious energy needed to run the economy by producing energy that takes too much energy to produce. We need to conserve, conserve, conserve. There is no getting around it. Each year in the United States an estimated 11,300 babies die on the day they are born, according to Save the Children. This is the highest first-day death rate in the industrialized world. Investing in and expanding the reach of programs like Medicaid and Title X would make affordable pregnancy-related care and family planning services available to millions of women otherwise unable to obtain such care and would result in fewer first day deaths. Contributing factors include preterm, unplanned and teen births. One in eight U.S. babies are born prematurely and U.S. preterm births rank second only to Cyprus in the industrialized world. Half of all U.S. pregnancies are unintended and the U.S. adolescent birth rate is the highest among industrialized countries -- with teenage mothers tending to be poorer, less educated and receiving less prenatal care than older mothers. Comprehensive efforts are needed to reduce pervasive economic, social and health disparities, including improving access to high-quality, affordable maternity care for all women and making effective family planning available to every woman who needs it. These interventions are proven to offer direct and positive effects on newborns' and mothers' health. Studies show there is a causal link between proper birth spacing and low birth weight, preterm birth and small size for gestational age. There is also an association between pregnancy intention and delayed initiation of prenatal care; women are less likely to recognize a pregnancy early if it is unplanned and therefore have fewer prenatal care visits. Children born from unintended pregnancies are less likely to be breast-fed at all or for a long duration. Contraception has played a major roll in the drop of the U.S. teen birth rate, which has declined for nearly two decades and the 2010 rate represents a 44% drop from the 1991 rate. Medicaid, Title X and other public programs help women avoid 1.94 million unintended pregnancies each year, which would otherwise result in 860,000 unplanned births and 810,000 abortions. Without these programs, levels of unintended pregnancy would be nearly two-thirds higher among U.S. women overall and among teens -- and close to twice as high among poor women. Ideological and fiscal attacks against these programs are not only counterproductive, but threaten to worsen what is already a severe crisis for U.S. women and newbornsMarco Musiani, a University of Calgary ecologist, concluded from a 5 year study, "Our results led us to believe that ecologists have underestimated the impact of humans on natural food chains. The data we collected shows that humans are deliberately or inadvertently engineering ecosystems regardless of whether they would be naturally pre-disposed to top-down or bottom-up effects. Even in protected areas, the influence of humans might be greater than we previously thought." The study attempted to determine whether natural ecosystems and associated food chains are primarily regulated by predators or by the productivity of plant species, called top-down and bottom-up effects, respectively. The research area stretched from Calgary in the northeast, through to the provincial borders with British Columbia in the west and the US-Canada border in the south. "We painstakingly monitored wolves, elk, cattle and plant species, as well as humans for five years. We evaluated how these species interacted across the landscape and ultimately found that humans dominated the ecosystem," lead author Tyler Muhly, PhD, said.How can each of us - individually and as organizations - best use our knowledge, strengths, resources, and values to bring about change that makes women's reproductive autonomy a reality, especially at a time when state legislatures continue to break new records for the number of restrictions on reproductive health-care access are proposed or passed into law, when lawsuits against birth control coverage continue to trickle into the courts, when political candidates can't even get it right on rape and the White House has repeatedly used abortion and birth control as bargaining chips? We need a movement that allows all organizations and individuals to identify as they see fit and truly put their passions to work on shared or complementary goals will thrive. For example,Some advocates for reproductive health, rights, and justice say we must replace the concept of "choice" with "reproductive justice." Both choice and reproductive justice have a place in our battle for women's autonomy; one cannot take the place of the other. Catholics are called by their faith to advocate for policies that protect and lift up all people, particularly the most marginalized and the poorest of the poor. It is these religious beliefs that compel us to recognize the dignity and rights of all people, who deserve respect and equal access to reproductive health care, no matter their race, color, class, or creed. Justice is already an inherent part of reproductive choice. We realize, however, that the reproductive justice model does work for some groups to reach the constituencies that they must reach. American women of color first coined the term "reproductive justice" almost 20 years ago, in 1994 to address concerns that were not being addressed by some in the pro-choice movement. The organization SisterSong continues to highlight these concerns, and we are a stronger movement because of their efforts. Unfortunately, some people have chosen to denigrate the language and framework of choice. Those who have dismissed choice have most often misrepresented it. We've long known that Americans have felt that pitting the two terms "choice" vs. "life" pitted against each other creates a false dichotomy, and that even those who consider themselves staunchly "pro-life" don't want to see Roe v. Wade overturned and do support abortion access at least some of the time. Younger generations of women, and their daughters, will lose a great deal if we turn our back on the 'pro-choice label.'" Young people are the ones most often out canvassing, working phone banks, staffing, and leading our organizations, and they are more supportive of reproductive rights than other generations. They are the ones who are of reproductive age. The concept of reproductive justice itself is right for some organizations, we cannot afford to be Pollyannaish in assuming it is right for everybody. It We With so many issues and agendas to push, something has to give. All too often it is abortion. Whether this happens because the subject entails taking the risk of pushing politicians who are good on other issues; or because if we include abortion, we won't get healthcare reform; or because even among ourselves we can't agree that women should be able to access abortion when they need it, clear, outspoken advocacy for abortion is increasingly pushed to the back burner We should remember that As Katha Pollitt wrote earlier this year, "'pro-choice' means you believe that whether or not a woman keeps a pregnancy is up to her—the position most Americans say they support when asked about Roe." We believe in choice because it is centered in personal autonomy. The reproductive justice It is as true for economically disadvantaged women and women of colour as it is for WASP university graduates. It is as true for women in Pakistan as it is in Britain. Claiming that choice "does not matter," implies women have no interest in making these moral choices for themselves, and perhaps no capacity to do so. This is both patronising and degrading. Our free will, our God-given ability to decide what to do at any given time based on what we believe is right or wrong cannot be taken from us. TheAlfred Lotka in 1922 formulated his law of maximized energy flows: In every instance considered, natural selection will operate so as to increase the total mass of the organic system, to increase the rate of circulation of matter through the system, and to increase the total energy flux through the system so long as there is present and unutilized residue of matter and available energy. Human societies follow this law, their evolution tending to maximize their biomass, their rate of circulation of matter, and hence the total energy flux through the system. Throughout human societies the trend toward higher energy throughputs has been universal, but the process has been proceeding at a very uneven pace, with affluent countries claiming disproportionate shares of modern energies. To keep global warming and climate disruption within acceptable limits, concentrations of atmospheric CO2 should be kept below 500 ppm; in 2012 they surpassed 394 ppm. To meet this goal it will be necessary to limit future rates of fossil fuel combustion. Energy conservation and massive harnessing of renewable sources of energy are two popular solutions. Claims that biomass approaches could provide 50% of the world's Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) by 2050 would put the human appropriation of plant biomass close to or above 50% of terrestrial photosynthesis, leaving less available for microbes and wildlife, eliminating or irreparably weakening many ecosystemic services, and reduce the recycling of organic matter in agriculture. For as little as 50 GJ (gigajoules) per capita energy expenditure, a society determined to channel its resources into the provision of adequate diets, good health care, and basic schooling for all of its citizens could guarantee decent physical well-being. The US per capita expenditure is about 375 GJ and one-sixth of humanity consumes more than 150 GJ per capita. Anything beyond 110 GJ per capita does not seem to bring very many fundamental quality-of-life gains. Pushing beyond 200 GJ has been, on the whole, counterproductive. The only unmistakable outcome is further environmental degradation. The benefits of high energy use that are enjoyed by affluent countries cannot be extended to the rest of the world because fossil fuels cannot be produced at that rate and the environmental consequences of this expansion would be quite unacceptable. An ever-rising energy and material throughput is not a viable option on a planet that has a naturally limited capacity to absorb the environmental by-products of this ratcheting process. We must so operate as to stabilize the total mass of the organic system, to limit the rate of circulation of matter through it, and to leave an un-utilized residue of matter and available energy in order to ensure the integrity of the biosphere. There is plenty of evidence of ecological strain and so far the response has mostly been denial or ignorance. But trouble is coming and we need to respond now. April 28, 2013, Mail and Guardian Five months ago, PricewaterhouseCoopers released a report that concluded it was too late to hold the future increase in global average temperatures to just two degrees Celsius. "It's time," the report announced, "to prepare for a warmer world". At the same time, the World Bank released Turn Down the Heat, which set out why a 4 degree warmer world must be avoided. Meanwhile we have seen in the press: the failure of the Rio+20 talks to result in positive action, "zombie" coral reefs, calls for higher birth rates, declining Arctic sea ice, an approaching "state shift" in the earth's biosphere. In our newest annual report, State of the World 2013 we added an important section, "Open In Case of Emergency." We should consider ways to upgrade the design of the environmental movement so that it doesn't just respond to immediate threats, such as air pollution and chemical run-off, but helps to cultivate a truly sustainable culture and ground the way we live and think more deeply in ecological reality. We need to strengthen community roots and social capital, including intergroup networks to bridge different communities. This both inoculates against the worst impacts of disruption and helps with the rebuilding process if it comes to that. We need for the government to be more flexible and responsive to the governed. That requires participation, high skill levels, robust debate, and mutual respect - in other words, a deepened democracy. The movement for a sustainable future may need to utilize non-violent civil disobedience, especially as things get desperate and governments turn to uncertain solutions such as giant space mirrors, carbon-capturing cement - as quick fixes for a disrupted climate. There may be some comfort in the lessons learned from Cuba's decline. After the Soviet Union's collapse, Cuba suffered a period of harsh adjustment but has scavenged a culture with a small environmental footprint and remarkably high levels of non-material well-being, including infant mortality rates better than its neighbor to the north. Science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson says the real question is not "is it too late?" but "how much will we save?" And that will depend on how quickly and boldly we act now. "We can see our present danger, and we can also see our future potential," Robinson explains. "This is not just a dream but a responsibility, a project. And things we can do now to start on this project are all around us, waiting to be taken up and lived." Karen Gaia says: 1) you can but an electronic copy of State of the World through Amazon for only $3.99 . See 2) I've been to Cuba and they indeed have developed a wonderful culture of music and art, as well as a decent health care system. I wouldn't mind living there except for the language barrier. A new radio drama, Yegna (pronounced YEN-ya, which means "ours"), that reflects and encourages the potential of Ethiopia's girls, recently started broadcasting to millions of people across Ethiopia. It follows the story of five very different girls whose shared love of music creates an unlikely friendship that each character draws on as she faces different challenges. The girls go on to form a band, and each episode of the drama features a new song. The deputy prime minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, said: "This will help to engage the talent of girls and create opportunities for them to be more active participants in school, society and in all economic and political aspects - which is the direct strategy of the Ethiopian government." The drama is designed to tackle some of the real challenges facing many girls in Ethiopia, including early marriage, violence and the lack of access to education, as well as to encourage and facilitate friendship among girls. Research by the Population Council and others has shown that without social connections girls lack the support, advice and role models they need to reach their potential. Each 30-minute weekly segment will be followed by a talk show to discuss the themes of the drama. The audience will be able to interact with the show via Facebook, call-in numbers and free SMS messaging. It is hoped the show will evoke conservations in Ethiopian households. The Yegna team is also piloting an approach to provide clubs based on the show, which will create a safe space for girls to come together and learn through games. Yegna is being aired in the Amharic language, in the capital Addis Ababa and the Amhara region - home to a combined population of some 20 million people, including an estimated 2.5 million girls. Billboards, bus signs, radio adverts, and national and local media coverage, as well as 500 university students recruited as Yegna ambassadors are spreading the word. Sea surface temperature for the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem - extending from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina - reached a record high of 14 degrees Celsius (57.2°F) in 2012, exceeding the previous record high in 1951. Average SST has typically been lower than 12.4 C (54.3 F) over the past three decades according to NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). Both contemporary satellite remote-sensing data and long-term ship-board measurements dating back to 1854. were used. The temperature increase in 2012 was the highest jump in temperature seen in the time series and one of only five times temperature has changed by more than 1 C (1.8 F). The spring 2013 plankton bloom and distributions of fish and shellfish on the Northeast Shelf will be affected. Black sea bass, summer flounder, longfin squid, butterfish, and American lobster have shifted northeastward while Atlantic cod and haddock have shifted southwestward. NEFSC work reported in 2009 that found about half of the 36 fish stocks studied in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, many of them commercially valuable species, have been shifting northward over the past four decades. "Changes in ocean temperatures and the timing and strength of spring and fall plankton blooms could affect the biological clocks of many marine species, which spawn at specific times of the year based on environmental cues like water temperature," Kevin Friedland, a scientist in the NEFSC Ecosystem Assessment Program, said. Last week the 46th session of the Commission on Population and Development concluded at U.N. headquarters. 45 member nations participated. The five-day session was described as fraught with tension and disagreement because most of the states were "concerned about the economic implications of migration, looking at the effects of remittances," said Mohammad Zia-ur-Rehman, chief executive of leading Pakistani NGO Awaz Foundation. He said the connection between health and migration was frequently overlooked. "Many member states are less interested in highlighting issues related to particularly HIV/AIDS and overall sexual and reproductive health rights and gender identity issues and how these can particularly affect migrants," he continued. The global remittance flows of migration were an estimated $534 billion in 2012, although the U.N. estimates that twice this amount could have been transferred informally. In October a high-level dialogue on migration and development will be held that will help lay the foundation for how migration will be incorporated into the post-2015 agenda. The number of internagional migrants reached 214 million in 2010, up from 155 million in 1990, according to U.N. figures. About half of today's international migrants are women, an extremely vulnerable group, unlikely to receive access to the social and health protections that they need from gender-based violence, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Member states from South Asia and some Arab nations like Qatar, as well as Nigeria and the Vatican, opposed the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health language in a consensus agreement. Karen Gaia says: I found the coverage of this meeting sparse and confusing. I welcome any better explanation of what happened at this meeting. I remember how red my face turned when my parents first told me about sex. I can still hear the power in my mother's voice when she told me I always have a choice about when and if I want to have a child. She made sure to end every one of our talks with a reminder about whom we need to thank for equal rights and safe access to reproductive care. It's no surprise that I work for Global Fund for Women today. It's a place where I am lucky enough to speak and dream with women from Colombia to Afghanistan about a world where women and girls everywhere have voice, choice and the resources to achieve their human rights. But right now I'm a little worried. Since 2010, 32 states in my own country, the U.S., have enacted laws that restrict women's access to healthcare -- specifically contraceptives and safe abortion services.This is an animated visualization of Arctic Sea Ice minimum volumes reached every September since 1979. The producer of this video also composed and performed the piano music, "Ice Dreams". The rate of ice loss in the Arctic is staggering. Since 1979, the volume of Summer Arctic Sea Ice has declined by 80% and is accelerating faster than scientists believed it would, or even could melt. The first ice-free summer in the Arctic Ocean is expected to happen between 2016 and 2022. The total number of young jobless people is 311 million. Those who start their careers on the dole are more likely to have lower wages and more spells of joblessness later in life, because they lose out on the chance to acquire skills and self-confidence in their formative years. In the West economic slowdown has reduced demand for labor, and it is easier to put off hiring young people than it is to fire older workers. In emerging economies population growth is fastest in countries with dysfunctional labour markets, such as India and Egypt. There is an "arc of unemployment" from southern Europe through north Africa and the Middle East to South Asia, where the rich world's recession meets the poor world's youth quake. Countries with high youth employment are starting to see riots and violent crime. The answer lies in reforming labour markets and improving education. Rigid labour markets, such as those with powerful trade unions, high taxes on hiring, strict rules about firing, and high minimum wages help condemn young people to the street corner. South Africa is such an example. In addition to deregulating labour markets, governments which take a more active role in finding jobs for those who are struggling can help young people get jobs. Germany, which has the second-lowest level of youth unemployment in the rich world, pays a proportion of the wages of the long-term unemployed for the first two years. The Nordic countries provide young people with "personalised plans" to get them into employment or training. For countries that can't afford this approach, a cheaper approach would be to reform labor-hungry bits of the economy such as making it easier for small businesses to get licenses, or construction companies to get approval for projects, or shops to stay open in the evening. In both Britain and the United States many people with expensive liberal-arts degrees are finding it impossible to get decent jobs. In north Africa university graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed as non-graduates. Vocational and technical education needs to be upgraded and companies and schools need to forge closer relationships. Karen Gaia says: I certainly agree that we need to invest more in young people. However, jobs will continue to slow as the economy continues to slow. We need to look beyond business-as-usual in preparing young people for a difficult future. The Food and Drug Administration said that it would allow Plan B One-Step emergency contraception to be offered on drugstore shelves next to other family planning products such as condoms and pregnancy tests. -- but only to those age 15 and over. Consumers will be required to show proof of age at the register. Many of those under age 17 may not have a photo ID if they do not yet have a driver's license. Emergency contraception contains high doses of the female hormone progestin and needs to be taken within three days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy; it's currently available without a prescription to those age 17 and over but is kept behind a pharmacy counter and dispensed only when the pharmacy is open. The FDA said that women age 15 and older "understood that the product was not for routine use and would not protect them against sexually transmitted diseases" and could be used safely without a doctor's supervision. Karen Gaia says: the latest news is that President Obama is planning to appeal this decision. Solar and wind power are, in many places, competitive with fossil fuels, but one drawback is that they are intermittent. But since they can't supply power that is available on demand, they must be backed up by power sources that can provide power when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing. The ideal power storage solution would be able to store energy densely, at a reasonable capital cost, and would be able to return that power at high efficiency. Batteries are the most well-known solution. They are often used in personal solar systems to provide power at night. ButPumped hydropower storage (PHS) is already commercially used in some conventional power plants. Off-peak power is used to pump water up to a reservoir at a higher elevation, and then returned through turbines to produce electricity. PHS accounts for 99% of utility-scale storage capacity worldwide and is 75% efficient, the highest of many other storage options. With PHS, a very large amount of power can be stored for long periods of time, but accessed quickly. But initial capital costs are high and the technology is limited by geography to locations that can host a large reservoir at a significantly higher elevation than the power station. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) uses off-peak power to compress air into a storage reservoir, which is later released through a turbine to produce electricity as needed. Utility-scale CAES facilities are in Germany and in the US state of Alabama, both using salt caverns as storage. Another storage option is under water in bags. The cycle efficiency of the CAES systems currently operating is reportedly 40% or less. CAES is also limited by geography. Hydrogen is an energy-dense storage options, storing a lot more energy than of gasoline by weight, and containing over three times the energy of gasoline per kg. However, in volume, hydrogen takes far more than gasoline. One liter of gasoline contains over 20 times the energy of one liter of 150 bar hydrogen. A utility in Germany is investing in a hydrogen-based storage system where off-peak power is used to make hydrogen from water by electrolysis, and then the hydrogen is injected into a natural gas pipeline. The hydrogen-natural gas mixture can then be used as needed for power production, or for heating. It's efficiency is computed to be less than 50%, which means the value of peak power would need to be more than twice the value of off-peak power to make such storage profitable. The inventor of the energy return on investment (EROI) metric argues that economic growth could soon stop—and that we need to get smart about incorporating the true cost of fuel in energy policies Editor's Note: The two images from above are not from the Scientific American article summarized below. The first one is based on an infographic in the same issue of Scientific America, but enhanced to include additional sources of energy. The units of measure on the left side have also been changed to a common unit for both liquid of fuels and fuels used for electricity so that the scope of the problem could be seen by comparing how much we rely on liquid fuels to how much we use for electricity. In other words, we would have to produce approximately twice the amount of electricity that we produce today in order to power transportation and food production with electricity. The second image is taken from an image adapted from a concept by Lambert and Lambert, and used by Charles Hall in his video about EROI, but it has been turned upside down to reflect the smaller the average EROI, the less civilization and economy we can maintain. While producers of oil and gas promise more and more of those fossil fuels and scoff at alternatives, Charles Hall has been looking at the energy required to access those resources. Scientific American interviews Charles Hall: Hall is given credit for creating a measure known as the energy return on investment, or EROI—the ratio of energy output over energy input. Oil, for example, needs energy to find the oil reservoir, drill the well and pump the oil out of the ground. EROI helps us see which energy sources are high quality and which are not. His pioneering work included a 1984 paper in Science magazine. Recent soaring oil prices and increasing difficulty of accessing new supplies have helped create economic hardships have led to a resurgent interest in EROI. He discovered the importance of the EROI concept when studying fish migration patterns and found that the fish went where the water was highly oxygenated (energy) when they were breeding. His study found that fish populations that migrated would return at least four calories for every calorie they invested in the process of migration by being able to exploit different ecosystems of different productivity at different stages of their life cycles. His mentor, Howard Odum, had written a book - Environment, Power and Society - telling how systems have similar patterns and many similar processes of consumption and production, and similar controls on them. Hall was also influenced by Paul Ehrlich, Garrett Hardin (The Tragedy of the Commons), George Woodwell (founder of the Woods Hole Research Center). While there a lot of oil left in the ground, we have to struggle more and more to get the next barrel of oil, so the EROI goes down, down, down. Since everything we make depends on energy, you can't simply pay more and more and get enough to run society. At some energy return on investment -- maybe 5:1 or 6:1 -- it doesn't work anymore. EROI 1.1 - pump the oil out of the ground and look at it. 1.2 - you could also refine and look at it. 1.3 - also distribute it to where you want and look at it. 3.0 - build and maintain the truck and the roads and bridges required to use it 5.0 - grow grain and put it in the truck and deliver it 8.0 - to support farmers and truck drivers and their families 9.0 - if your want to give your children an education 10.0 - if you want health care 14.0 - if you want arts in your life Corn-based ethanol has an EROI of around 1. Most alternatives are very low on EROI. We may not be able to sustain our civilization on these alternative fuels. If you correct the U.S. GDP for debt, which is some kind of not-real growth - then I think the GDP hasn't grown at all since 2005. Clearly growth has declined. The middle class has not increased its income for 20 years. Probably due to the decline in the availability of energy. It's terrifying to people -- politicians and economists -- who base everything on growth. I think they won't talk about it because the concept is terrifying. Economists made their determination that economic growth can continue indefinitely at a time when we were able to pump more oil out of the ground. Karen Gaia says: A study on this subject is published at: Commissioned by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) and developed by the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry The subscription version of April 2013 Scientific American has a nice-looking chart showing the EROI of various fuels and the amounts of each fuels used annually. I revamped this chart to put fuel quantity in a different unit of measure in order to compare the quantities of all fuels and to add a couple not on the Scientific American chart. See below. Also, I revamped the Energetic Needs Pyramid found in the DFID report. See above. With the lesson of Deepwater Horizon, one thing became very clear: the easy oil is gone. That's not a future development; it's already here. No one pursues a course as risky, dangerous, and expensive as drilling four miles down into the Gulf of Mexico unless all the easier stuff is no longer available. Follow this link for some basic facts about oil extraction - In the graph showing the future of liquid fuels from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Agency (EIA) the top line is world demand for liquid fuels. Over the long term it always increases steadily due to population growth, if nothing else. As the graph makes clear, existing sources of conventional oil are already in steep decline, and unconventional sources can't keep up with that decline. The result is a growing gap between supply and demand beginning not long after 2012. No combination of currently foreseeable efforts can make up for the rate of decline in conventional oil production, and any new projects are certain to be much more expensive than those of the past. Before, there has always been enough liquid fuel to meet demand, because it could be pumped out as fast as people had a use for it. In the short term (10 years), no current proposal of liquid fuel alternatives will avert a near-term future of decreasingly less available liquid fuel. The proposed technological solutions to the coming oil crunch are at best wishful thinking and at worst border on the fraudulent. One example is hydrogen, which is, in fact, not a source of energy; it's just a way of storing energy, like batteries. And if we had the extra energy to store, we could distribute it much more easily by building out the existing electric grid—and much more efficiently, too. Because hydrogen has to go through the extra steps of electrolysis, liquification or compressions, and transport, the pure electric approach delivers three times the power to the road from a given input of electricity than the hydrogen-based approach. Car manufacturer GM promoted hydrogen cars, but the last serious publicity the company put into this was in 2006. Now attention is focused electric cars. This is an improvement, but unfortunately not a solution. Transitioning to electricity may make some technical sense but is not adequate considering the scale of the problem. According to the EIA, total U.S. petroleum consumption in 2007 was 20,680,000 barrels per day, and 70% of it went to transportation, which figures to about 9.0 billion MWh/year of energy from petroleum. But total U.S. electrical output in 2007 was only about 4.2 billion MWh -- one-half the amount of fuel we're using in vehicles. We would have to double the size of our entire electric generating and distribution system, which includes doubling the amount of fuel consumed. It is safe to assume that we will not see this happening in the next ten years. Only a tiny proportion of our electrical generating capacity is due to wind, solar, and biomass. Electricity from nuclear is much greater, of course, but the cost and planning horizon of nuclear projects means that any nuclear expansion would take many years. Hydrofracking for natural gas would give us a temporary shot of fossil fuel at the cost of our farms and our drinking water, and at the end of the process we're left back where we started but with permanent damage to our environment. Oil from "tar sands" and "oil shales," don't yield significantly more energy than they use but simply substitute one source of energy for another, in this case, massive amounts of natural gas to heat the "tar". Also production uses phenomenally large amounts of water and is even more destructive to the environment than hydrofracking. Ethanol from corn also doesn't actually deliver significantly more energy than it consumes. The development of solar and wind power are worth pursuing, but neither can change the history of the next decade or so, either because they are not solutions at all or because it is physically impossible to increase production from alternative sources quickly enough to have a meaningful impact in that period of time. We could produce liquid fuels from coal, creating an excellent synthetic fuel, but the process is brutally expensive and therefore instituted only as a last resort. And coal and natural gas are themselves finite resources that are closer to their own peaks than most people realize. A 2005 DOE study decided that widespread disruption to our economic system from peak oil could be averted by nothing less than a WW2-level national mobilization effort to implement coal-to-liquids starting at least a decade ahead of the peak - and we don't have that kind of time left. Researchers Owen, Interwildi, and King found that supply and demand is likely to diverge between 2010 and 2015, unless demand falls in parallel with supply constrained induced recession. A study by a team from Kuwait University published last April in Energy & Fuels 2010, performed an in-depth mathematical analysis of the 47 leading oil-producing countries and found that world oil reserves are being depleted at an annual rate of 2.1%. World production is estimated to peak in 2014. The United States Joint Command published an assessment last February in Joint Operating Environment 2010, which found that, by 2012, surplus oil production capacity could entirely disappear, and as early as 2015, the shortfall in output could reach nearly 10 MBD (12% of current global oil production). In September, Forbes interviewed oil analyst Charles Maxwell who said: "A bind is clearly coming. We think that the peak in production will actually occur in the period 2015 to 2020." .. "On the other side of that plateau, production will begin slowly moving down. By 2020, we should be headed in a downward direction for oil output in the world each year instead of an upward direction, as we are today." Going back to the Owen, Interwildi, and King survey, which said that supply and demand are likely to diverge between 2010 and 2015, unless demand falls in parallel with supply constrained induced recession. This forecast, like the rest, is based on the assumption that the economy stays healthy. But how likely is that? Fuel prices and the economy have become deeply interdependent. Prices above $85 per barrel have a damaging effect on the economy. Our current economic downturn was about bad credit and a real estate bubble, but some analysts suspect that the first card to be pulled out of the house of cards was the spike in oil prices that briefly drove crude to $145 a barrel. Because of this we may see a period of boom-and-bust cycles where a rising economy causes a rise in fuel prices followed by an economic downturn and falling fuel prices. This may push the peak into the next decade. Both sides of the boom-and-bust cycle limit the amount of fuel we will be consuming on average. Either we will be employed but unable to afford the high fuel prices associated with a good economy, or we will have lower fuel prices in an economic downturn but be unable to buy any because we're unemployed. Since the U.S. imports most of its oil, the picture looks very dark indeed. Oil exporting countries have to meet their own needs at the same time that almost all of them are producing less oil every year, causing exports to fall. China's acquisition of long-term contracts with major oil producers would also mean less oil for the U.S. The American economy is based on the assumption that growth is inevitable. Take that growth away, and the whole thing collapses, as we saw when real estate prices stopped increasing. An analysis by the German Army (the Bundeswehr), summed up the consequences of declining oil production for their country this way: "Investment will decline and debt service will be challenged, leading to a crash in financial markets, accompanied by a loss of trust in currencies and a break-up of value and supply chains -- because trade is no longer possible. This would in turn lead to the collapse of economies, mass unemployment, government defaults and infrastructure breakdowns, ultimately followed by famines and total system collapse." When the economy is bad, we won't have the money to spend on sensible measures like alternative energy and mass transit, and when it starts to recover, we'll tell ourselves that the problem was temporary. Since less fuel will be available to use, we will find ourselves staying closer to home. Life will become more local. Supply chains will have begun to contract and we will shift back to more local production. Food (as a percentage of income) will be increasingly expensive and farm land will increase in value, and farm employment will rise as manual labor begins to replace energy provided by liquid fuels. We may begin to see occasional interruptions in some services (electricity, water, sewer, internet, etc.) since huge quantities of liquid fuel are consumed in maintaining all of these service infrastructures, and rising fuel prices will probably result in deferred maintenance and a possible consequent lack of reliability. U.S. household income in real dollars peaked in 1998-1999 and has been declining ever since. There's no reason to believe that this trend will be reversed. The government will have fewer financial resources and the most meaningful responses will have to come from individual efforts or self-organized community action. Now would be a good time to make infrastructure improvements, establish a garden, and move closer to work (or arrange to work closer to home). Follow the link in the headline to see how densely packed we can get. Tremendous apartment houses fill the view in these amazing pictures. The overall effect is like staring at a frozen tidal wave of residential construction. Modern cities allow enormous numbers of people to spend their lives in extraordinary close proximity, piling them, literally, on top of each other, and somehow, it works! Because cities, even the ugliest ones, have an obvious efficiency. If all 7 billion of us had to live side-by-side in two story ranch houses, or yurts we'd overrun the planet; we'd strangle the forests, the meadows, the plains. Tim de Chant has a blog called Per Square Mile, where he thinks about population density. Suppose we could move everybody on Earth into a single city. How much space would that city occupy? At the website you will find a pictorial representation of 7 billion at the density of six different cities. Seven billion people living like Houstonians would occupy a lot more space than 7 billion people living like Manhattanites. People lumped together in One Big City will still need food, furniture, clothing, water, electricity, building materials, still need a place to store their waste. They still need water systems, farms, ranches, electricity grids, dumps, and lakes. Tim de Chant calculated that if everybody agreed to live like the average Bangladeshi, the world could exist largely people-free. But as soon as we get richer - even as rich as the average Chinese - the world can't carry all 7 billion of us. We need more planet. If we all want to live American-style, we'd need four more planets. Even though Europe has three-quarters of the world's total installed capacity of solar photovoltaic energy and Germany has trebled its wind-power capacity in the past decade, by far the largest so-called renewable fuel used in Europe is wood. Biomass in the form of wood accounts for about half of Europe's renewable-energy consumption. In Poland and Finland, wood meets more than 80% of renewable-energy demand. In Germany, wood makes up 38% of non-fossil fuel consumption. The argument that wood is low in carbon goes like this: if wood used in a power station comes from properly managed forests, then the carbon that billows out of the chimney can be offset by the carbon that is captured and stored in newly planted trees. Once it was determined to be 'low carbon' the leap was made toward calling it a renewable, and its usage soared. Power stations can burn a mixture of 90% coal and 10% wood with little new investment, helping them meet environmental standards. Wood energy is not intermittent as is that produced from the sun and the wind. The EU wants to get 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020; it would miss this target by a country mile if it relied on solar and wind alone. At first Scandinavian pulp and paper mills would have a power station nearby which burned branches and sawdust. But in 2011 a large German utility converted a power station in eastern England to run entirely on wood pellets. In Britain, Drax, owner of one of Europe's largest coal-fired power stations, converted three of its six boilers to burn wood. In 2016 they will generate 12.5 terawatt hours of electricity a year. This energy will get a subsidy paid on top of the market price for electricity. Drax could be getting £550m a year in subsidies for biomass after 2016—more than its 2012 pretax profit of £190m. Europe does not produce enough timber to meet the additional demand. Imports of wood pellets into the EU rose by 50% in 2010 alone. Much of the exports will come from a new wood-exporting business that is booming in western Canada and the American south. Companies that use wood as an input are feeling the pressure. Particle board manufacturers, pulp and paper companies, and furniture-makers complain that competition from energy producers are pushing to have the energy subsidies significantly reduced or removed. But real the problem is that wood produces carbon twice over: once in the power station, once in the supply chain. The process of making pellets out of wood involves grinding it up, turning it into a dough and putting it under pressure. That, plus the shipping, requires energy and produces carbon: 200kg of CO2 for the amount of wood needed to provide 1MWh of electricity. Using land to produce plants for energy typically means that this land is not producing plants for other purposes, including carbon otherwise sequestered. "we're trying to cut carbon now; not in 100 years' time." Karen Gaia says: do we really have enough trees to meet the demand for everyone who wanted it world-wide? UN development report uses nutrition and education as yardsticks as well as income March 16 , 2013, Mail and Guardian By: Tracy Mcveigh A study by Oxford University's poverty and human development initiative, which uses a new approach to measuring deprivation, predicts that countries among the most impoverished in the world could see acute poverty eradicated within 20 years if they continue at present rates. Rwanda, Nepal and Bangladesh were identified as places where deprivation could disappear within the lifetime of present generations. Ghana, Tanzania, Cambodia and Bolivia follow close behind. The study comes after the UN's latest development report published last week which stated that "Higher growth in at least 40 poor countries is lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty and into a new 'global middle class'. Never in history have the living conditions and prospects of so many people changed so dramatically and so fast." The improvement is the result of international and national aid and development projects investing in schools, health clinics, housing, infrastructure and improved access to water. Trade was also a key factor in improving conditions in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. In the past poverty was measured strictly in income terms without taking into account other factors - health, education and living standards. The old methods of looking at income levels - such as those living on $1.25 a day or less- ignores other deprivations such as in nutrition, health and sanitation. The institute's director Dr Sabina Alkire said: "Poverty is more than money - it is ill health, it is food insecurity, it is not having work, or experiencing violence and humiliation, or not having health care, electricity, or good housing." "Citizen activism is under-appreciated for its role. Maybe we have been overlooking the power of the people themselves, women who are empowering each other, civil society pulling itself up." 1.6 billion people are living in "multidimensional" poverty. The poorest one billion live in 100 countries. Most of the bottom billion live in South Asia, with India home to 40%, followed by sub-Saharan Africa with 33%. The report also found that 9.5% of the bottom billion poor people lived in developed, upper middle-income countries. Lack of educational opportunities for girls is fueling the Ethiopia's high level of early marriage, according to Annabel Erulkar, of the Population Council in Ethiopia. Of the 20-24-year-old women that she studied, 79% of those who had married before age 15 had never been to school and only 3% had attained any secondary schooling. Unschooled women had 9 times the risk of marrying before age 15 as women who had some degree of formal education and five times the risk of marrying at ages 15-17. Of those married before age 15, 97% had a mother with no education and 91% had a father with no education, compared to those who had not married during adolescence, 76% and 64%. 89% of girls married before age 15 had arranged marriages, compared with 52% of those married at ages 18-19. 71% of girls younger than 15 had not met their spouse until the wedding day. and only 33% had known about the marriage beforehand, and just 31% wanted to be married at the time. Those who had married before age 15 were far less likely to have wanted to have sex than were those who had married at ages 18-19 (49% vs. 85%). The youngest brides were more likely than older brides to have recently experienced intimate partner violence at the hands of their husbands. Girls in rural areas - with high rates of poverty and where cultural beliefs and social norms uphold the practice - were found to be four times as likely as urban girls to marry before the age of 15. In the Amhara region, the median age at marriage among females is 14.4. Community-based programs that get girls into school and keep them there may be more effective at combating early child marriage than strategies that address girls already in school or seek to change community attitudes toward early marriage. Under an amendment proposed by Republicans in Ohio's legislative House, sex ed classes wouldn't be permitted to provide students with any information that might "condone" gateway activity. That includes dispensing contraception. Gateway activity is described as "sexual contact" ; that is, "any touching of an erogenous zone of another, including without limitation the thigh, genitals, buttock, pubic region, or, if the person is a female, a breast." The legislation would also empower parents to sue if their children end up receiving this type of sexual instruction, and sex ed teachers could be subject to thousands of dollars in fines: The legislation would also empower parents to sue if their children end up receiving this type of sexual instruction, and sex ed teachers could be subject to thousands of dollars in fines: If a student receives such instruction, a parent or guardian can sue for damages, and a court may impose a civil fine of up to $5,000. Last year, Tennessee Republicans pushed to strengthen their state's abstinence-only law by defining kissing and hand-holding as gateway activities that could lead teens to engage in sexual intercourse. Whether or not U.S. teenagers are taught abstinence in their health classes, most of them still become sexually active. By their 19th birthday, 70% of American teens will have had sex. Abortion opponents in Ohio also successfully pushed for an amendment to the legislation that would defund the state's Planned Parenthood clinics, and reallocate those family planning dollars to right-wing "crisis pregnancy centers" that don't actually provide the same kind of health services. In the first three months of this year state legislatures introduced 694 provisions related to reproductive health and rights. 93 have been approved by at least one legislative body. About half of these seek to restrict access to abortion, most of them seeking to ban abortion outright. 14 states introduced provisions seeking to ban abortion prior to viability. All of these proposals are in direct violation of U.S. Supreme Court decisions which allow abortions up until viability. Legislators in 10 states have introduced proposals that would ban all, or nearly all, abortions. In eight of those states (AL, IA, MS, ND, OK, SC, VA and WA), legislators have proposed defining "personhood" as beginning at conception; if adopted, these measures would ban most, if not all, abortions. In CO, FL, IA and ND, legislators introduced measures that would ban abortion except in very limited circumstances, such as when the woman's life is endangered or in cases of rape or incest; none have passed a legislative chamber. Arkansas and North Dakota have already enacted legislation this year banning nearly all abortions beginning at some point in the first trimester of pregnancy; similar measures have been introduced in KS, KY, MS and WY. Legislation to ban abortions at 20 weeks postfertilization was enacted in Arkansas and is pending in nine other states (IA, IL, KY, MD, ND, OR, TX, VA and WV). These bans are patterned after a 2010 Nebraska law that has already served as the model for such laws in eight other states, two of which are enjoined pending legal challenges because they prohibit abortion prior to viability. Eight states (AL, AR, IA, IN, MO, MS, NC and TX) have introduced provisions to restrict medication abortion. If adopted, these restrictions threaten U.S. trend toward very early abortion. On the other hand, two states, Colorado and Hawaii, were poised at the end of March to enact legislation expanding access to comprehensive sex education; if enacted, it would be the first time since 2010 that any state has done so. China has loosened its one-child policy to allow more couples to have a second child in the rural areas of five provinces and two municipalities, it was announced on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC). Couples from rural areas in the municipalities of Shanghai and Tianjin and the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, Jiangsu, Anhui and Fujian could have a second child if either of them was the only child. Currently rural couples can have a second child if the firstborn was a girl and both rural and urban couples can have a second child if the father and mother was the only child of their parents. In India, Anita Devi had five children in nine years of marriage; three of her children were born within a year of each other. As part of India's postpartum family planning effort, the nurse-midwife encouraged Anita to choose contraception after the birth of her fifth child. Anita chose intrauterine contraception. "My mother-in-law was against any form of contraception," Mrs. Devi explained when asked about her previous births. "Though my second child was a son, she said that I should try for more sons. But my next children were girls. I was tired and felt I had nothing left in my body." In Bihar province, families have on average 3.7 children, and only 32.4 percent of women use any family planning method. With the support and technical expertise of Jhpiego (affiliate of Johns Hopkins University) and under the PPFP (Post Partum Family Planning) initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, India's nurse-midwives are educating and counseling women about their family planning options during antenatal visits and introducing them to the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD). This long-acting method lasts for 10 years and can be inserted within 48 hours after giving birth. 16 states are participating in the program. She has seen firsthand the challenges women and their families face when burdened with too many children, often struggling to provide them with food and clothing. "Only if we have smaller families will we be able to have healthier families where the children will get better nutrition and opportunities to educate themselves. Only then can we ultimately have a better and healthier society." Anna has five children, and wants to plan her family, but her mother-in-law, said she didn't have enough children. Victoria Marijani, the Program Manager for Reproductive Health Services at PSI Tanzania said "There are lots of Annas who have barriers and cannot access services." Population Action International was represented by President Suzanne Ehlers at a Senate briefing which included Marijani as well as Ellen Starbird, the new Director of Office of Population and Reproductive Health at USAID; and Harvard economist David Canning, who co-authored the Lancet article "The Economic Consequences of Reproductive Health and Family Planning." The focus was providing women everywhere with the family planning services they want, and the potential impact that can have. "Development is a best buy," Ehlers said. "Let's not forget it, and let's…get that message in front of those who, for whatever reason, haven't heard it for the past 30 years. Emphasis on family planning, and women's sexual and reproductive health, is completely a multiplier investment for nations." Jonathan V. Last, senior writer at The Weekly Standard, insists that America is heading over a demographic cliff because we're not making enough babies. And the Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, The Los Angeles Times, and others, gave him a forum. The U.S. has relentlessly added 2 to 3 million people per year for decades —33 million in the 1990s, 27 million in the 2000s. We added more than 100 million in the last 40 years, and in the next 40 to 50 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, we will add another 100 million, most of it directly and indirectly from immigration. Our current population of 315 million runs a substantial ecological deficit that is pushing us ever deeper into ecological debt, according to the Global Footprint Network, which says: if every country in the world were as overpopulated and resource- intensive as the United States, it would take more than four Earths to support us all. But we only have one planet at our disposal. Part of caring for our planet is having the collective wisdom to live within limits, including limiting the size of our families and population. We are busily sawing off the limb upon which the entire human enterprise rests—degrading and squandering the "natural capital" that makes sustainable economic prosperity possible. Mr. Last quotes Julian Simon who said that "…growing populations lead to increased innovation and conservation. Think about it: Since 1970, commodity prices have continued to fall and America's environment has become much cleaner and more sustainable—even though our population has increased by more than 50%. Human ingenuity, it turns out, is the most precious resource." Commodity prices did fall from 1970 to 2000, but in the 2000s prices for almost all raw materials have increased sharply. Americans mistook temporary abundance of nonrenewable natural resources like the fossil fuels and metals as permanent sufficiency. It's a miscalculation with monumental consequences. We have fewer wetlands, fewer free-flowing rivers, less available surface and groundwater, less open space, fewer remaining fossil fuels and high grade metal and mineral ores, fewer arable soils, fewer healthy and more diseased forests, more wildfires and droughts, record temperatures, fewer fish, less de facto wilderness, more threatened and endangered species, more harmful invasive species, higher carbon dioxide emissions, and more crowded parks and beaches than ever before. The climate is becoming more erratic; sea level is rising, and the oceans are becoming more polluted and acidic. Julian Simon once bragged: "We now have in our hands—in our libraries, really—the technology to feed, clothe, and supply energy to an ever-growing population for the next 7 billion years." Physicist Al Bartlett calculated that after just 17,000 years (only 0.00024% of 7 billion years), a population growing at the underwhelming but steady rate of 1% annually—about equal to the U.S. growth rate—would produce as many humans as atoms in the known universe. Karen Gaia says: It was once said that immigration added 1/3 to the U.S. population, natural births added 1/3, and births to immigrants added 1/3. However, more seniors living longer lives has also added to our population. And, as for solutions, the births (natural and immigrant) can treated by addressing the 50% unintended pregnancies in the U.S. by making contraception more accessible, affordable and effective. Furthermore, Americans can do the world a big favor by consuming less. Americans are the biggest consumers in the worldUnfortunately, the mainstream media and politicians on both sides of the aisle are parroting the hype, claiming — in Obama's case — that unconventional oil can play a key role in an "all of the above" energy strategy and — in Romney's — that increased production of tight oil and tar sands can make North America energy independent by the end of his second term. WE NEED YOUR HELP. Please share this video and help bring a dose of reality to the energy conversation: Growthbuster Dave Gardner took advantage of Earth Day 2013 to pass out Endangered Species Condoms from the Center for Biological Diversity. The condoms are intended to raise awareness that human population growth is causing an alarming rate of species extinction. Gardner's 2011 documentary, GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, examines our culture's unsustainable worship of growth everlasting. Find out more about the film at http: Check out the Center for Biological Diversity at We write to urge your support for international family planning and reproductive health programs in the FY 2014 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill. We respectfully request that international family planning and reproductive health programs be funded at least at the President's Budget request of $635.4 million, including $37 million for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). We believe this would be an important step toward investing $1 billion annually in family planning and reproductive health in developing countries. This level of funding would meet the U.S. share of the global need for these critical programs, which are cost-effective, save lives and support broader diplomatic, development and national security priorities. In addition, any increased investments in international family planning and reproductive health will help rectify the disproportionate cuts this program has faced in the last several years in addition to the impact of sequestration. Based on an analysis of the powerful impact of U.S. investment in family planning and reproductive health overseas by the Guttmacher Institute, the effects of the sequester could mean: Our nation's investment in international family planning has had a significant sustained impact. U.S. assistance in FY 2012 helped prevent 9.4 million unintended pregnancies, 4 million abortions, 96,000 children from losing their mothers and 22,000 women from dying. These investments are also highly cost-effective. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has found that in Zambia, for example, one dollar invested in family planning saves four dollars in other development areas. Despite this investment, every year 291,000 women die from largely preventable complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Today, at least 222 million women in the developing world would like to prevent or delay pregnancy but lack access to safe, effective contraception; this demand is projected to increase by 40% over the next 15 years. For the health of women around the world, we firmly support international family planning programs and urge you to provide this level of funding in the FY 2014 Appropriations Bill. Nigeria adds 11,000 people a day to its population, or 2.4% a year, and is already at 170 million. By 2050 the country will have 400 million people and will be world's fourth most populous country , according to the the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) 400 million is just less than the projected figure for the United States, but with only a tenth of its territory. Retailers of fast-moving consumer goods are looking forward to the larger population, but it is not clear whether it can reap a "demographic dividend" from an expanding population of young people of working age and turn it into a richer society with widespread higher living standards. 55-year-old Hunkpe makes $19 a week selling fish to feed her eight offspring and 10 grandchildren; her house sleeps 40 people at a time. "I wanted my children to go to school to give them a better life, but I couldn't afford it," she said. Skeptics fear swelling numbers of jobless and uneducated youths threaten the stability of a country already suffering an Islamist uprising in the north and oil theft, piracy and kidnapping by criminal gangs in the south. "If we keep growing our population at this rate, without also growing our means to sustain it, we are heading towards catastrophe," says Owoeye Olumide, a demographer at Nigeria's Bowen University. "We have to do something very fast ... or we face more poverty and agitation or worse - disease, hunger, war." The Renaissance Capital bank says "Only sub-Saharan Africa is positioned to experience 15-20% growth in the crucial 15-24 age range over the coming decades, which will provide the plentiful labor force the world economy will rely on." Yet countries that reap the "demographic dividend" usually do so only once population growth starts to slow. Fertility rates in sub-Saharan Africa they remain high at 5.6 while they are crashing across Asia and Latin America (4 per woman) - mirroring falls in Europe a generation ago. Sub-Saharan Africa's population will double by 2045 to 2 billion, according to the U.N.. Nigeria's commercial hub of Lagos - at 21 million people - receives hundreds of thousands of new arrivals each year from rural areas, growing by 672,000 people a year, state data shows. Many live in slums with no reliable electricity or water and families sleep in s 75 square foot rooms. Household incomes are far below the threshold for a retail boom, with 93% with monthly income lower than $390, compared with only 38% in Johannesburg. Many retailers seem to think that the middle class in Nigeria is a lot bigger than it actually is. Strategies targeting middle-income groups that worked in places like India and South Africa may not yet work so well for Nigeria, Standard Bank's head of equity product, Matthew Pearson said. Absolute poverty rose to from 54.7% in 2004 to 60% in 2012, worsened by rapid population growth. Some 100 million Nigerians live in poverty. Nearly half of Nigerians are under 15, and in the "Middlebelt" - a region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups - violence is common among youth gangs, with disputes over scarce land and water. 12 million children of school age are not in education. In the Niger Delta, gangs of mostly unemployed armed youths steal tens of thousands of barrels of oil a day from pipelines. The north's Islamist insurgency is driven by its desperate, unemployed youth population, said Mohammed Junaidu, a northern opposition politician and academic. "It's a combination of failures of governance and the ticking demographic time-bomb," he said. "They urgently need to pacify these youths or face more instability and terrorism." While the government has promoted family planning for decades, it struggles to influence a poorly educated population, many living in remote rural areas, that values having many children. Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria said that only around 10% use contraceptives. Yet Charles Robertson at Renaissance Capital says over a third of children go to secondary school, compared with just 7% in 1975 - similar to India 20 years ago. "As African countries get richer, birth rates will drop dramatically," he said - as has happened in India and Egypt." Earlier this week, Worldwatch launched State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible? to a crowded room of friends and supporters. If you were unable to participate in the event, we will have videos of the symposium available shortly. To commemorate the launch, the e-book versions of the report are now available for only US$3.99, for a limited time only - . And you can still purchase hard copies of the report from our bookstore ($22)
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Schools-2009 SSc8: Light Pollution Reduction Interior and exterior lighting Addressing both interior and exterior lighting, this credit seeks to reduce light pollution that can block our view of the night sky and cause human health problems as well as ecological problems for many birds, insects, and other animals. Light pollution often represents nighttime lighting that isn't needed, wasting energy while causing light trespass and contrast, reducing visibility. Better lighting = Better safety, less energy Many people think that more lighting means better nighttime safety and security. However, too much exterior lighting can make outdoor and parking areas less safe by creating high contrast between lit and unlit spaces. Among other problems, when the human eye is flooded by bright light, it becomes harder to adjust to darker areas and shadows. Too much exterior lighting also means unnecessary energy consumption. Some objectives to keep in mind when striving for safe, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing lighting design are lighting uniformity, low contrast, no glare, and preventing light from spilling off the site. This can be achieved through judicious selection of fixtures with full cutoffA full cutoff luminaire has zero candela intensity at an angle of 90 degrees above the vertical axis (nadir or straight down) and at all angles greater than 90 degrees from straight down. Additionally, the candela per 1,000 lamp lumens does not numerically exceed 100 (10%) at an angle of 80 degrees above nadir. This applies to all lateral angles around the luminaire. that direct light toward the ground but prevent it from shining up into the night sky. The four requirements can make it complicated This credit has four separate requirements, which can make compliance complicated—though not necessarily difficult. One addresses indoor lighting spilling to the outdoors, and three deal with exterior lighting, including façade lighting, site lighting of areas like pathways and parking lots. In most circumstances, these requirements are relatively easy and cost-neutral to meet. The biggest challenge often comes in dealing with light-trespass limits—light bleeding off the project site into a neighboring site—on projects with small or constrained sites. You will also need to attain low lighting power densities per ASHRAE 90.1-2007, which is a good general practice and won't require you to compromise on aesthetics or cost. LEED boundary is important You'll need to pay careful attention to establishing a LEED project boundary, which plays an important part in meeting light trespass requirements. Involve an exterior lighting designer (or landscape architect) early in the design process to develop photometric plans and guide fixture selection during design. FAQs for SSc8 Are residential spaces exempt from the interior lighting calculations? Yes, as of 4/1/12 per LEED for Homes 2008 Interpretation #10147, "residential spaces (dwelling units only) within the scope of other LEED projects are also exempt from the interior lighting requirements." Do existing fixtures need to be included in the exterior lighting calculations? Yes, if they are within the LEED project boundary. Can the Application Guide for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects be used for the exterior lighting requirements? Yes, as long as the entire site meets the requirements. Can a mix of Option 1 (opaque surfaces) and Option 2 (automatic controls) be used to meet the interior lighting requirements? Yes. Are hospitals exempt from interior lighting requirements? No, hospitals are not exempt from the interior lighting requirements. What effect did the November 2011 ASHRAE table 9.4.6 Addendum i have on exterior lighting power allowances? Significant reductions for tradable surfaces in LZ1 and LZ2 and some in LZ3. See the new table for details. It also added lighting power allowances according to light zones, removed a 5% adder, and introduced a base site allowance. Suggest revising response and adding a link to the Addendum i available for free download on ASHRAE website. What about zero lot line projects, where is the boundary? You can use the curb line. To calculate building façade lighting power density, how do you determine the area used in the calculation? Use only the area that has measurable light on the surface; baseline and proposed are the same. Where are vertical footcandles measured at the site boundary? At grade level. Is signage included in the LPD calculations for building façades? No, per ASHRAE table 9.4.5, you can exclude lights in display windows, advertising, and directional signs as long as they are switched separately from other lighting. Does uplight that is under a canopy count towards the limitation of total initial design fixture lumens at 90 degrees or higher from nadir? If the canopy blocks 100% of the light then yes, but this is unlikely. Any light spillage needs to be counted toward the uplighting limit, but calculating this can be difficult. Using downlights is recommended instead. Is flag lighting exempt from this credit? Not currently, but USGBC is looking at exempting flag lighting from LEED v4 requirements. Are city-owned lights within a project's property required to comply with credit236, street lighting that is required by the governmental authorities to be installed within the LEED project's lighting boundary (whether existing or new) does not need to be included in any of the calculations. For campus projects, do all existing light fixtures need to comply with credit requirements at the time of a project's submittal? All existing fixtures within the LEED project boundary would need to comply with the SSc8 requirements at the time the project is submitted for review. However, if the project elected to use the campus property boundary as the "lighting boundary" for SSc8 as allowed by LEED Interpretation #10236, existing fixtures within the lighting boundary, but outside the specific LEED project boundary would not have to comply with any of the SSc8 requirements. Essentially, the "lighting boundary" is only used in such circumstances for evaluating that the light trespass requirements are met at that boundary by lighting located within the LEED project boundary. What advertising lights or signs must comply with credit requirements and which are exempt? Advertising and directional signage, as explained in Addendum i of ASHRAE 90.1-2007, and further defined in the Users Manual for ASHRAE 90.1-2007, is exempt. Essentially, that means that internally illuminated advertising signs are exempt, but those illuminated by lighting that is not 'integral' to the signage itself must be included in the calculations. Legend Best Practices Gotcha Action Steps Cost Tip Pre-Design Designate one responsible party to oversee exterior lighting-related LEED credit requirements. For large projects, this person may be the civil engineer or landscape architect. For small projects it may be the architect, lighting designer, or other relevant team member. Identify the building owner's goals for occupant safety and comfort as well as for architectural lighting, including façade lighting. Include these goals in the Owners Project Requirements for EAp1: Fundamental Commissioning. One of the biggest barriers to reducing light pollution is the cultural and aesthetic affinity for brightly lit buildings. Owners can play an important leadership role in contending with these expectations, establishing aesthetic goals that do not include excess lighting for purely aesthetic purposes. The design team can play an important role by maintaining low levels of lighting and highlighting specific façade architectural features with focused, low intensity lights. Projects that demand brightly lit facades and entrances, such as casinos, hotels, theatres and commercial complexes, may have a hard time reconciling these desires with the requirements of this credit. Deliberate lighting design can forge a compromise between the desire to emphasize the building facades and the need to eliminate light pollution in order to meet the credit requirements. Identify the urban lighting zone as defined by IESNA RP-33, based on the population density of the neighborhood, in order to establish lighting requirements. Finalize the LEED project boundary in coordination with other LEED credits. The responsible party and the project team should identify the lighting fixtures close to the boundary that will be part of the lighting trespass analysis. Projects with a zero lot line may choose to use the curb as the LEED boundary for the purposes of documenting light trespass only, while using the site boundary for other credits. This is one of the few exceptions to the rule that the LEED boundary and corresponding site area be consistent across multiple credits. Sites that abut public rights of way may similarly use the curb to establish the site boundary for the purposes of LEED documentation. It can be challenging for projects with zero lot lines or with little open space to meet the maximum exterior illuminance requirement of 0.1 footcandles at the site boundary. Project teams are only responsible for lights that are part of their project. For example, municipal lights about which the project has no control do not need to be considered. Campus projects can choose whether to comply with the requirements for the building site boundary or to meet the light trespass requirements for the campus as a whole. For a project on a campus, choosing to meet the light trespass requirements at the building level can be very difficult. Identify local or regional lighting laws or required lighting levels for rights-of-way that may apply to the project site. These regulations may help teams identify areas to focus on when dealing with lighting trespass in the design. Discuss fixture and lamp options with the landscape designer, civil engineer and other project team members, focusing on both reducing overall lighting power density, and on avoiding light trespass. Avoiding light fixtures that shine up into the sky is the easiest way to reduce light pollution and make better use of lighting. This can be done by eliminating exterior lighting entirely or by selecting "cut-off fixtures" with opaque covers that direct light downward. Local or regional laws that regulate lighting levels typically do not require minimum input power in watts. Going beyond these local requirements by selecting energy-efficient fixtures can help your project meet codes for comfort and safety goals without compromising energy efficiency. The credit requires a photometric study on site lighting that may add minor consultant costs but will add value by optimizing the design. Many smaller fixtures may make for a better layout than fewer high-wattage ones. The designer should be able to advise about additional infrastructure costs associated with an atypical lighting design. Low power density and light intensity may require higher first costs for fixtures that will save electricity costs during operations. Rebates and incentives on the federal, state, and local levels are available for low-power and Energy Star lamps. Safety concerns are not typically a valid excuse for higher exterior lighting allowances. Despite a perception of better safety with brighter lighting, floodlights can often create areas of deep shadow, and the high contrast can be difficult for the human eye to navigate. Use good design, downlights, and work with the owner to address any concerns. Schematic Design Interior lighting Be aware of all requirements for interior lights so that fixtures do not direct light through windows to the outdoors. Identify locations where fixtures might have a direct line of sight to a window or other opening. The lighting designer should either eliminate those fixtures from the design, provide shades to prevent more than 10% of light from shining outdoors, or include controls to reduce the input power by 50% between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Interior lighting cannot spill out of the windows after business hours, defined as 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. in the credit requirements. Window coverings or automatic controls like timers, occupancy sensors, or master switches have to shut off or reduce the input power by 50% for all non-emergency indoor lights during that time. Fixtures that throw 50% or more of the cone of light out a window are likely to present problems. To avoid letting this credit slip through the cracks, project owners or architects should ask the lighting designers at the outset of the project how they plan to achieve each aspect of the credit. Exterior lighting Identify the project location and IESNA-designated zone to determine the threshold for exterior lighting levels. Utilize resources like the website to identify relevant population density and appropriate designation. The lighting designer includes the design intent in Basis of Design for EAp1: Fundamental Commissioning, for all outside lighting requirements, listing minimum illuminance in footcandles, lumens, or candela for all spaces with controls, fixture requirements and design approach. The lighting designer then develops the exterior lighting layout and selects fixtures that optimize light with low power use. To determine the total power density for the project, the lighting designer tabulates all exterior space and identifies the wattage of selected fixtures to compare it with the LPD allowable by ASHRAE 90.1-2004, Exterior Lighting Section. The selected fixtures should have full shielding or cutoff to reduce light directed toward the night sky. The lighting designer develops a photometric study for exterior lighting intensity, the impact of shades and cutoff fixtures, and light trespass from the project boundary. Use the photometric study to inform any changes in the design. School projects need two sets of photometric studies, one with sports lighting only and the other without sports lighting. For schools, the playground lights must turn off automatically after 11 p.m., with manual overrides available for special occasions. When designing exterior light-fixture layout, locate light fixtures as far from site boundary as possible. The key to achieving this credit is to find the optimum balance between lighting quality and lighting energy consumption. It is often assumed that more light is better, but a low level of uniform lighting throughout a site will eliminate the need to install bright halogen lamps that illuminate some areas and leave others dark in contrast. Exterior lighting includes all ground lighting, all façade lighting, flag lighting, any rooftop or terrace lighting, and any other fixtures outside the building. Pay careful attention to exterior light fixtures and light levels at building entrances close to the LEED site boundary. Revisit the LPD calculations to make sure any design changes maintain the threshold limits. ASHRAE's exterior lighting density table lists exterior spaces under two categories. Tradable surfaces are those where the average LPD of all those surfaces are within the total LPD limits. For example, in LZ4, both sales canopy lighting and stairway lighting have a maximum of 1.0 Watts/ft2. The project may decide to increase sales canopy lighting to 1.1 Watts/ft2 as long as the stairways compensate with a decreased LPD of 0.9 Watts/ft2 (given that the surfaces are the same area) so that the average of the two is 1.0 Watts/ft2. For non-tradable surfaces, such as bank ATMs, each space must individually comply with the ASHRAE requirements. Identify whether exterior surfaces are tradable in order to provide flexibility. A photometric study will facilitate communication about lighting levels among the designer, owner and the design team. The study entails computer modeling simulating the lighting intensity of the designed layout in footcandles, lux or candela. It allows the designer to see the resulting output, with iterative design options as the fixtures are reduced or replaced. Typically the photometric study measures light levels in a 10'x10' grid. The analysis also investigates the maximum initial illuminance value at horizontal and vertical limits on the site boundary to ensure they are within the limits of the project zone. If you find that lights are above the threshold, the designer may want to explore alternative numbers of fixtures and fixture types and present these alternatives to the owner, who makes the final decision. Avoid aiming light at highly reflective site and ground surfaces, such as white pavement and water features, which can exacerbate light pollution. The photometric study may not capture these characteristics. All site lighting, with the exception of sports field lighting, must meet the light trespass requirements of the neighborhood type, according to the IESNA zone categories. In addition, the sport lighting levels must be within limits listed in the LEED reference guide. Some lighting manufacturers will offer to perform a photometric study of your site if your team selects their product for the project. Security-oriented lighting designs such as those for prisons, parking lots, and walkways often focus too much on big, bright lamps. This can be counterproductive, creating high contrast between lit and unlit spaces, worsening visibility in both places. Use more moderate, uniform light levels for improved designs. Some types of lighting are exempt from the ASHRAE limits on power density. Examples include advertisement signage, transportation signage, athletic fields, storage, and historic landmarks and other public monuments. Refer to Exceptions under ASHRAE 90.1 2004 Section 9.4.5. The lighting intensity of conventional fixtures such as halogens, incandescents, and sodium halide lighting, drops off significantly after the first year of operation. LED or fluorescent fixtures will better maintain their lighting intensity at the level of the installation—contrary to the common perception that low power wattage fixtures, such as LEDs or fluorescents, have low lighting intensities. Full cutoff fixtures can generally be specified at zero cost premium. Cost premiums for this credit may come from the higher number of (shorter) poles and fixtures needed to achieve greater lighting uniformity. New fixtures like LEDs with high lighting levels but low power density may cost more than conventional halogen fixtures, but most of the new fixtures have longer life and are less expensive to operate due to low electricity use and infrequent lamp replacement. Costs for the photometric study can be decreased if manufactures agree to do their own calculations, which is common if you select their fixtures. Design Development Come to an agreement among the owner, landscape designer and lighting designer about the appropriate lighting levels and site lighting distribution. Demonstrate to the owner the project team's decision about lighting levels for the final design. Owners may need to be shown similarly lit areas to understand the implications of a shift from a brightly lit façade and terrace. Locally mandated lighting levels for exterior fixtures higher than LEED-mandated ASHRAE levels have been a stumbling block for credit compliance, but with proper documentation supported by a clear narrative, this challenge can be overcome. There is an option to not include those fixtures in the LPD calculations and light trespass requirement, but you must demonstrate that these fixtures are full cutoff. To document the credit, make the case that the legally mandated fixtures are beyond the control of the project. Demonstrate that the project has met the requirements with rest of the lighting. Provide a detailed photometric plan, the municipal regulations, and a narrative describing how the project has achieved all requirements of the credit except where the municipal regulations overrule it. Construction Documents Confirm all the lighting fixtures are listed on the lighting plan. This ensures that the correct components are purchased and installed to maintain the credit requirements. The designer reviews the final bid documents and budget estimates to confirm that the fixtures have not been substituted for by another type, and that interior lighting controls and window shades are not omitted. If your team undertakes a value engineering process, make sure the full cutoff fixtures are not eliminated from the list or replaced by incandescent or high-powered halogen fixtures. These changes are often overlooked and may cost the project this credit. If the project is going for multi-party contractor bid, make sure the bid's package reflects the fixture specifications and performance. Otherwise the contractor may replace the specification with a similar lower-cost fixture that doesn't have the same wattage or a cover for cutoff. Full-cutoff luminaires should not cost more than conventional fixtures, but other common strategies for meeting this credit may add costs. These include controls, timers, sensors, and low-power lights like LEDs. Ensure that these features are not eliminated during value-engineering. Construction The designer should review shop drawings and visit the site for installation inspection. This ensures that the fixtures have a cut-off for uplighting, the ballasts are as specified, and the controls are all included. The commissioning agent carries out the functional testing for all control sequences and timers if installed for lighting design. Operations & Maintenance Timer controls and automatic switches should be commissioned and inspected for performance periodically throughout their life to ensure they continue to serve the intent of the credit requirements. The facility manager should be involved in the decision of whether to select light timers or automated blinds to comply with interior lighting requirements. Both solutions offer opportunities and challenges during building use, depending on how the building is used and occupied. Long-life, low-power lamps like fluorescents and LEDs will help keep costs low for operations and maintenance. USGBC Excerpted from LEED 2009 for Schools New Construction and Major Renovations SS Credit 8: Light pollution reduction 1 Point Intent To minimize light trespass from the building and site, reduce sky-glow to increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility through glare reduction and reduce development impact from lighting on nocturnal environments. Requirements Project teams must comply with one of the two options for interior lighting AND the requirement for exterior lighting. For interior lighting Option 1 Reduce the input power (by automatic device) of all nonemergency interior luminaires with a direct line of sight to any openings in the envelope (translucent or transparent) by at least 50% between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. After-hours override may be provided by a manual or occupant-sensing device provided the override lasts no more than 30 minutes. OR Option 2 All openings in the envelope (translucent or transparent) with a direct line of sight to any nonemergency luminaires must have shieldingShielding is a nontechnical term that describes devices or techniques that are used as part of a luminaire or lamp to limit glare, light trespass, or sky glow. (controlled/closed by automatic device for a resultant transmittance of less than 10% between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.). For exterior lighting Light areas only as required for safety and comfort. Exterior lighting power densities shall not exceed those specified in ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 with Addenda i for the documented lighting zone. Justification shall be provided for the selected lighting zone. Lighting controls for all exterior lighting shall comply with section 9.4.1.3 of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1- 2007, without amendments1. Classify the project under 1 of the following zones, as defined in IESNA RP-33, and follow all the requirements for that zone: LZ1: Dark (developed areas within national parks, state parks, forest land and rural areas) Design exterior lighting so that all site and building-mounted luminaires produce a maximum initial illuminance value no greater than 0.01 horizontal and vertical footcandlesVertical footcandles occur on a vertical surface. They can be added together arithmetically when more than 1 source provides light to the same surface. (0.1 horizontal and vertical luxMeasurement of lumens per square meter.) at the LEED project boundary and beyond. Document that 010 horizontal and vertical footcandles (1.0 horizontal and vertical lux) at the LEED project boundary and no greater than 0.01 horizontal footcandlesHorizontal footcandles occur on a horizontal surface. They can be added together arithmetically when more than 1 source provides light to the same surface. (0.1 horizontal lux) 10 feet (3 meters) beyond the LEED project boundary. Document that no more than 2% of the total initial designed fixture lumens (sum total of all fixtures on site) are emitted at an angle of 90 degrees or higher from nadir (straight down). LZ3: Medium (all other areas not included in LZ1, LZ2 or LZ4, such as commercial/ industrial, and high-density residential) Design exterior lighting so that all site and building-mounted luminaires produce a maximum initial illuminance value no greater than 0.20 horizontal and vertical footcandles (2.0 horizontal and vertical lux) at the LEED project boundary and no greater than 0.01 horizontal footcandles (0.1 horizontal lux) 15 feet (4.5 meters) beyond the site. Document that no more than 560 horizontal and vertical footcandles (6.5 horizontal and vertical lux) at the LEED project boundary and no greater than 0.01 horizontal footcandles (0.1 horizontal lux) 15 feet (4.5 meters) beyond the site. Document that no more than 10% of the total initial designed fixture lumens (sum total of all fixtures on site) are emitted at an angle of 90 degrees or higher from nadir (straight down). LZ2, LZ3 and LZ4 - For LEED project boundaries that abut public rights-of-way, light trespass requirements may be met relative to the curb line instead of the LEED project boundary. For all zones Illuminance generated from a single luminaire placed at the intersection of a private vehicular driveway and public roadway accessing the site is allowed to use the centerline of the public roadway as the LEED project boundary for a length of 2 times the driveway width centered at the centerline of the driveway. Sports field lighting (physical education spaces) Physical education spaces (playing fields) do not need to comply with the lighting power density requirements of this credit, as per ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 section 9.4.5, exception E. Trespass calculation All trespass calculations must be submitted for 2 conditions: (1) with the sports lighting turned off and all other site lighting turned on, the light trespass requirements are as stated above, and (2) with just the sports lighting turned on, the light trespass requirements for horizontal and vertical may be increased to the following illuminance levels: 1The requirement to use ASHRAE Addenda is unique to this credit and does not obligate Project teams to use ASHRAE approved addenda for other credits. 2 To be LZ4, the area must be so designated by an organizations with local jurisdiction, such as the local zoning authority. Potential Technologies & Strategies Adopt site lighting criteria to maintain safe light levels while avoiding off-site lighting and night sky pollution. Minimize site lighting where possible and use computer software to model the site lighting. Technologies to reduce light pollution include full cutoff luminaires, low-reflectance surfaces and low-angle spotlights. Samples Annotated Photometric Plans This set of annoatated photometric plans was created by Bill Swanson, P.E. for LEEDuser as a teaching tool for SSc8 documentation issues. They are not intended as examples of actual documentation, though a lot can be learned from them. These documents include a detailed plan showing a compliant site with light levels in the site and as required around the boundary, with advice and useful tips. The fixture comparison document is a means to better understand and compare the spill light from different light fixtures and placements. Think of the purple line as the edge of a cutout with a pin thru the paper where the pole is. Move the cutout over the site when locating poles, if the cutout overlaps the line beyond the property line then that fixture cannot be located and aimed as placed. The driveway entrance example shows the impact of fixture placement around driveway entrances, and the special allowance for the site boundary around those entrances. Samples LEED Online Forms: Schools-2009 SS The following links take you to the public, informational versions of the dynamic LEED Online forms for each Schools-2009 SS credit. You'll need to fill out the live versions of these forms on LEED Online for each credit you hope to earn. 46 Comments Exclude Existing Lights From Calculation? A new building, for which LEED certification is sought, will be constructed on an elementary school campus that has multiple existing buildings. The LEED boundary is at the property line and includes all buildings on campus. Is it acceptable to include all new sight lighting but exclude all existing site lighting from the trespass calculations? There was an old v2.1 CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide that I found that is applicable to v2009 school projects. 6/15/2004 ID# 3108 "Ruling The intent of the credit addresses a project's "building and site." The bracket-mounted lights above the secondary doorways are part of the building, and thus certainly need to meet the LEED requirements. Site/pathway lighting is not as straightforward a scenario. Applicable Internationally. Your building project is within a university campus context and thus site lighting choices are possibly controlled by a central design plan for reasons such as security and consistent aesthetics. Granted this situation presents challenges in applying LEED-NC, but SSc8 is about delivering a specific type of lighting performance for the entire project, not for selected pieces of it. As stated in your narrative, the site definition is being applied consistently to all aspects of the LEED submission as USGBC requires. Given the project's context, however, USGBC is willing to offer an alternative compliance path on university campuses for existing site lighting that falls within the site boundaries per the LEED application (in this case, the low pole fixtures that are not slated for replacement) IF it is shown that the Campus Exterior Lighting Master Plan (if it exists) has been officially upgraded to a SSc8-compliant level (assumably after the low pole fixtures were installed) by the time of LEED application submittal, whether or not it has been inspired by striving for this LEED point. In addition, since the "property boundary" in this case is created for administrative purposes only, defined for the project's scope (as well as LEED application), the SSc8 requirements relating to the property line need only be followed for the REAL campus property boundary, rather than the PROJECT boundary. This compromise ensures that all future site lighting installations on the campus will serve the intent of the credit and thus achieve performance beyond what would be accomplished through solely replacing the project siteÆs pole fixtures. If no Campus Exterior Lighting Master Plan exists, or it has not been updated to comply with SSc8, then the site lighting in question must be changed to comply with SSc8 in order to achieve the credit. Look into the possibility of retrofitting (via lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. and shieldingShielding is a nontechnical term that describes devices or techniques that are used as part of a luminaire or lamp to limit glare, light trespass, or sky glow. changes), or replacing the fixtures outright." Option 1, SSc8 - automatic control between 11pm and 5am If selecting Option 1 of SSc8, are occupancy sensors acceptable as automatic control of light fixtures? I guess what I am asking is if the lights are turned off by an occupancy sensor, under normal conditions in a school, the lights would be off due to no occupants. If the building is occupied for a special event between 11pm and 5am, is an override on permissable, or would you need to allow only 50% of the light on between these hours to be in compliance? Generally occupancy sensors work for this credit. Make sure the shut off is timed to 30 minutes or less. Occasional use between 11pm-5am (cleaning crew) is fine as long as the override is 30 minutes or less. If you are planning to use a space for a large portion of time between 11pm-5am the it would be good to allow only 50% of the lights on between these hours. All exterior mounted fixtures Do facade mounted fixtures need to be shown on the photometric plan? We received this comment in the first review "Provide a revised photometric site plan with all exterior mounted fixtures included. Ensure that the quantity of luminaries are consistent between all credits." The only way that you could exempt any exterior fixture is to show that it is wired on a separate emergency circuit. Otherwise, any all must be included in your site lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. calculations and your photometric site analysis. Why do you think this is an Alternative Compliance Path? This sounds like you are complying with Option 1 for interior lighting. How do you know the lights will be off at night? Are they on occupancy sensors or is this some sort of promise to turn off the lights before leaving for the night? Bill, The IES file for any brand name will be listed? Not just those indicated? Also relative to canopy vs Main entry door lighting.LPDLighting power density (LPD) is the amount of electric lighting, usually measured in watts per square foot, being used to illuminate a given space. We meet the criteria for canopy at the Main door. Now, at the top center of the screen are 3 tabs. The first one is "Catalog" and is blue. That just shows the companies they have IES files for. The second tab "My Files" is black. Click that one. Now click the "Browse" button. Find the IES file you want information about on your hard drive or network drive. Then "Select". Now you should see all of the tables and graphs. Still not sure what you mean regarding LPDLighting power density (LPD) is the amount of electric lighting, usually measured in watts per square foot, being used to illuminate a given space.. I can't tell you if the main entry is compliant or not. Canopies and doors are part of the tradable surfaces. The site is either compliant or not. The entry is just one piece of the site. Campus Projects Two questions here: (1) The 2010 AGMBC, which is USGBC's guidance for campus projects, shows in table 1A at the end the credits that may be pursued as campus credits - Site Credit 8 does not appear here. I am assuming this is an oversight? And, (2) in the PreDesign checklist above, there is a statement that "Project teams are only responsible for lights that are part of their project. For example, municipal lights about which the project has no control do not need to be considered." I do not see this in the Reference Guide anywhere - can you point to where you find this? Thank you! The power these use would be excluded from your 90.1 compliance calculation because they are advertising. You still need to count it for light pollution. It probably won't have an affect on perimeter light levels but it does affect uplight. I assume 50% of the signage light is uplight. Count that in your calculation for total site uplight. The first table on this page is down a little bit and called "Zonal Lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. Summary" In the 90-180 Zone they show 3.2 lumens. This is less than 0.1% of the total output of 6,173.7 lumens for the whole fixture. Almost nothing but it still prevents this fixture from being used in LZ0 or LZ1 because it's more than 0% uplight. This fixture has 523 lumens in the 90-180 Zone. Out of 2,662 lumen total output. If you had a project with (5) area lights from the first link I sent you and (2) wall packs from the second link I sent you, the total uplight would be, (5 * 3.2) + (2 * 523) = 1,062 lum. Total site light is (5 * 6,173.7) + (2 * 2,662) = 36,192.5 lum. % Uplight for site is: 1,062 / 36,192.5 = 2.9% This sample site would only comply with LZ3 or LZ4 locations. If your project is located in LZ2 then you'd either have to remove a wall pack or change the style of wall pack to something with less uplight. If you can't find a table like this for your light fixture all you need is the IES file. Existing lighting in project boundary My project boundary includes a baseball playing field which will be new - but the lighting around it is existing. Our reviewer wants info on that lighting but to find IES photometric files for existing luminaires is often close to impossible if they're 5+ years old poles. Can we exclude the lighting? If the Owner has the shop drawings you may find a sheet showing light levels outside of the field. There is nothing officially shown anywhere that excludes sports lighting for this Credit. Even with shieldingShielding is a nontechnical term that describes devices or techniques that are used as part of a luminaire or lamp to limit glare, light trespass, or sky glow. these fixtures will have a sizeable amount of spill light and uplight. I've suggested to others with advertising and directional markers to argue they are excluded because ASHRAE 90.1 and the Pilot Credit exclude them. You can try this approach with the athletic playing area lighting. Say you are trying to be consistent in applying this credit. If they reject that arguement then you can always try the Pilot Credit which does specifically exempt this lighting. If its within the LEED boundary and included in your EAc 1 calcs, then you need to include for SSc 8. If it is not under LEED for Schools, i recommend that you document the credit following the LEED for Schools requirements for Sports Lighting. Bill - comments are back and the credit was denied. My question is - in the LEED for Schools 2007 (which is what this project is registered under) it says "note that physical education spaces (playing fields) do not need to comply with the lighting power density requirements of this credit, as per ASHRAE 90.1 section 9.4.5, exception E." What am I missing here? The lights exist to light the baseball field - the field is included in the boundary because the field is being replaced - lighting remains. Your thoughts? I am assuming I will need to appeal but this just doesn't seem right. ASHRAE 90.1 is different than the lighting trespass levels. It sounds like the reviewer is following this by the letter of the Credit. So the sports field doesn't have to comply with the W/sf but they are still demanding that light levels around the project boundary and uplight % comply with this Credit. I don't see how sports lighting can comply with either of these requirements. You can try appealing and argue these are existing fixtures. And the very nature of sports lighting makes this compliance impossible which is why the Pilot Credit excludes this type of lighting. I personally hate spending the customer's money in an appeal but if this credit is needed then you may have to. At least a different reviewer will be looking at it and they may be more sympathetic to you. Campus Walkway Lighting - Light Tresspass beyond LEED Boundary Under Checklists:Pre-design on this site, it states: "Campus projects can choose whether to comply with the requirements for the building site boundary or to meet the light trespass requirements for the campus as a whole." Can someone help clarify the basis of this statement and where it refers to that in the LEED Reference Manual? It makes sense that if your project has exterior light tresspass beyond the LEED project boundary it would be acceptable as long as it remains within the campus boundary, especially in areas of lighted walkways between buildings. Can anyone provide some advice on successful narratives that have addressed this issue and been granted an exception by the GBCI reviews? Much thanks!! I am interested in this too. The new AGMBC came out in October and under the old one you could do that, but from my understanding of the new one, you can't anymore. Our preliminary design reviewers came back (before the new guide was published) and said light traspass beyond the project boundary but within the campus boundary was unacceptable because we didn't do photometrics for the entire campus. (which is impossible) It seems replacing all fixtures on a campus because you are doing one LEED project would be prohibitively expensive. Especially since the light that does trespass is providing a necessary level of light for life safety. You need to either show the project meets the LEED boundary requirements or that the campus meets the LEED boundary requirements. Most universities are not going to have IES files for 20-50 year old lights to be able to do the calculation with. I've seen Harvard earn this point by providing a copy of their design standards for the campus and they promised that all lights will comply with LEED requirements for the campus as a whole. No promises that this same tactic would work now. I'm wondering if anyone has any further guidance on these matters since this topic was posted. I'm working on a project on a campus, but it is the only anticipated LEED project on the campus. I read through the 2010 AGMBC and it seemed that it only really applies if you have multiple projects pursuing LEED on the same campus. In our case, we have just one project, and I am assuming that we can structure our LEED project boundary in a reasonable way that makes sense to us without using the campus approach. However, if we do that, we will have trouble with the Site Lighting credit because we will definitely have light spilling onto other parts of the campus, which really should not be a problem as a practical matter. What Bill said above remains true. Campus projects can choose whether to comply with the requirements for the building site boundary or to meet the light trespass requirements for the campus as a whole. The latter case is going to be common for projects taking the AGMBC approach. Either approach can be very difficult, as you indicate. security wall packs on building facade Are security wall packs on building facades considered architectural facade lighting? In other words, do wall packs need to be considered in the calculations of exterior lighting (even if they are full cut off fixtures?) Yes, they need to be considered in the exterior lighting calculations. Per USGBC's CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide response. I think the second paragraph is what you're looking for. Question: The firm that will occupy this office building works on many projects of a sensitive nature so security is a significant concern, both for employees arriving early or working after dark and for protection of the facility from intrusion. Is it acceptable to include motion-sensor activated lights that do not fall within the allowable site lighting wattage? These lights would be located in the immediate vicinity of the building and would only be enabled to turn on when other site lights are off. They would only remain on for a limited time following activation. If such motion-sensor activated lights are allowed, can they be excluded from the other requirements of this credit, property line illuminance and uplight components, since their purpose is only safety and security? 5/6/2009 - Ruling The applicant is requesting confirmation if it is acceptable to exceed the lighting power density requirements with motion responsive after‐hours security lighting that is only enabled when the other site lighting is off. Based on the description provided, this strategy is only acceptable provided that when the security lighting is ON, the combined security and general lighting that remains ON, does not exceed the lighting power density thresholds and the security lighting is capable of being controlled to prevent simultaneous operation with the offsetting exterior luminaires. The second question asks if the lights can be excluded from the other requirements of SSc8 and the answer is no. These luminaires must meet the light trespass requirements relative to their declared environmental zone at the applicable site boundary, as well as the sky glowSky glow is caused by stray light from unshielded light sources and light reflecting off surfaces that then enter the atmosphere and illuminate and reflect off dust, debris, and water vapor. Sky glow can substantially limit observation of the night sky, compromise astronomical research, and adversely affect nocturnal environments. requirements of the credit. SSC8 Lamp Lumen Calculation I am in process of performing a lamp lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. calculation as part of my submittal documentation. Can any one tell me what lumen value we should be using for the Initial Fixture Lumens per liminaire? Is this the Initial lumens as identified for the lamp that the fixture utilizes? I don't think it matters. As long as you're consistent with all fixtures on the site. The credit reads "initial fixture lumens". If you want to calculate it out that way then you're meeting the letter of the credit. But most people just use initial lamp lumens. It's faster than looking up the efficiencies of each fixture. And if metal halide fixture 'A' is 80% efficient and metal halide fixture 'B' is 78% efficient, it's not going to matter much. The ratio of up and down light will be near identical for fixture lumens and lamp lumens. If you don't know what I'm talking about then a lamp puts out X lumens. The fixture we put the lamp in bounces the light around but not all of it gets out. Some stays trapped inside of the fixture. The amount of light that gets out compared to the bare lamp lumens is called the fixture efficiency. 1000 lumen lamp put into a fixture and the fixture puts out 800 lumens means the fixture has an 80% efficiency. Most cutsheets will say what the efficiency is if you look hard enough. LED lights will not have an efficiency. If they are tested per LM-79 the listed lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. value is the fixture lumen value. Low lighting power density for exterior lights, and interior light controls assist in reducing energy cost as compared to an ASHRAE 90.1-2007 baseline. All mandatory requirements are to be complied with for all exterior lights
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http://www.leeduser.com/credit/Schools-2009/SSc8
Appendix 3 - FURTHER INFORMATION FOR EXPERIMENT #7 This lab course primarily emphasizes the scientific foundations and basic tools required to conduct and analyze engineering tests. This appendix describes the procedures used in these tests. Engineering testing and simulation plays an extremely important role in aerospace engineering. Any engineering system must be tested before production is started. In aerospace engineering the systems are frequently developed through testing. In many cases this is called "simulation." Simulations use both computational and physical tests to evaluate and refine all aspects of an aerospace system. Many engineers are employed in both industry and government in this work, and high quality, high productivity testing and simulation is crucial to national competitiveness in aerospace engineering. This appendix provides an introduction to aerodynamic testing procedures. These procedures should be followed when planning any test, and should be used as a basis for conducting the wind tunnel tests in this course. This material should also be useful after graduation. 1. Aerodynamic Testing Wind tunnel testing was used by the Wright brothers to develop their first gliders and the first controllable aircraft. As such, aerodynamic testing has a long history of contributing to the development of flight vehicles. During this time the procedures have become well defined. Nonetheless, conducting a successful test requires significantly more sophistication than might at first be expected. To obtain high quality data the test typically requires close coordination between a number of groups. This section provides a brief introduction to the procedures and steps associated with wind tunnel testing. Aerodynamic testing also involves flight test, flight simulators, and more unusual testing such as hover rigs for VTOL testing, and sometimes water tunnel tests. In recent years many aero test engineers have become test engineers in observables departments. Automobile companies are heavily involved in wind tunnel testing, with about half the effort devoted to external aerodynamics and half of the effort devoted to internal flow associated with ensuring adequate air flow for cooling. The book by Rae and Pope (Ref. 1) is an excellent introduction to aerodynamic testing, and should be used as a primary reference. Aerodynamic testing is not a pure science, and apprenticeship is the standard means of learning the methods. Many of the best documents are developed primarily for internal group training. Examples available from the author include references 2-6. This material is equally important to students who will not be directly involved in testing. Every aerospace engineer is at least indirectly involved in testing. Testing, and the high cost of testing, plays a key role in aerospace systems program schedules and development cost. Traditional reasons to test range from physics oriented investigations of basic fluid mechanics to measurements used in establishing design loads for use in structural design of new, or modified, aircraft. Configuration development is one of the key reasons to test. Despite the progress in computational aerodynamics, aircraft configuration development is still heavily dependent on wind tunnel testing. Development of the aerodynamics math model used in creating flight control systems and evaluating aircraft and flight control systems in manned simulation studies requires extensive testing to define the aerodynamic characteristics throughout the flight regime ( = -90° to + 90° at a minimum, over a large range of sideslip angles, ). Aerodynamic loads definition and math model development require a large amount of data after the configuration is completely defined and the configuration development job has been completed. Testing is conducted to develop testing methodology itself, develop component technologies, e.g. wing or inlet concepts among many, and aircraft development and modification. An emerging area of testing is associated with acquiring experimental data to validate computational fluid dynamics methodology. 1.1 Where you test, what you test Test engineers are required to be familiar with the available wind tunnel facilities to determine what facility is best suited for a particular test requirement. There are a limited number of test facilities available for some of the more important types of testing. In addition to aircraft company facilities, the major large wind tunnels required to develop advanced vehicle systems are located at a relatively small number of locations in the US. In particular, the number of large transonic wind tunnels is very small and requests for test time must be made years in advance. Aero test engineers travel frequently, often spending weeks and months at the test site. Major wind tunnel facilities are located at: NASA Langley, Hampton, Virginia NASA Ames, Mountain View, California NASA Lewis, Cleveland, Ohio Calspan, Buffalo, New York AEDC, Tullahoma, Tennessee In many of these facilities the huge amount of electrical power required to move the air around the test circuit dictates that testing be done at night. At NASA Langley testing is reduced in the summer when the temperature is high and power must be used to satisfy residential and commercial air conditioning demands. When this happens the aero test engineer must literally "cool his heels" until the temperature goes down. Subsonic testing can be conducted at numerous locations in addition to those listed above. The "standard" subsonic wind tunnel test section is 7ft by 10ft., and many models are sized to fit that size wind tunnel. A remarkable variety of characteristics require testing. A partial list (each of which is also evaluated in flight test) originating with Meyer (Ref 6) is given here. This list is in addition to the basic configuration development testing, which might also include detailed flow diagnostics such as flow visualization. Each test objective will have a unique set of difficulties that must be taken into account to obtain high quality data for that specific item. Hinge moments (The first data mechanical controls guys want in design, not well estimated even in the tunnel tests.) Unsteady Aero Buffet onset, growth Wing rock Aerodynamic Loads Pressure distributions Component loads Wing Tail Fuselage Critical Flight Conditions (these are always a long way from design conditions) Aeroelastics Flutter Propulsion-Airframe Thrust minus drag Inlet stability - bleed requirements Power effects Acoustic, thermal environment Inlet distortion Boattail drag Figure 1 provides a case history of testing required to develop a modern aircraft, the F-16, and is based on data contained in the excellent paper by Hancock (Ref. 7). That paper also describes the important role that computers play in experimental aerodynamics. The breakdown shows the relatively small amount of testing devoted to the basic configuration concept, compared to the large amount required to define the characteristics after the configuration is defined. The F-16 was developed in the early 70's. Today, the high angle of attack characteristics would be more fully evaluated, with additional testing compared to the F-16. This is in part due to the experiences with the F-16. The angle of attack range where large regions of separated flow occur, yet prior to the angle at which the flow is entirely separated (25° < < 50° for a typical modern fighter), is a critical flight region. In this region wind tunnel results are found to be sensitive to Reynolds number, support interference and possibly other effects. Results from different wind tunnels often produce different pitching moment characteristics. This is one area still requiring engineering judgment to interpret the results obtained in the wind tunnel. One area requiring extensive wind tunnel testing, but not covered in this course, is propulsion system testing. The airframe manufacturer is responsible for integrating the inlet into the configuration such that the engine is supplied with a uniform flow of air at the compressor face with minimal pressure losses. This is required for all flight conditions, and frequently leads to variable geometry in the inlet/diffuser system. The nozzle must also be developed. Traditionally, the engine manufacturer designs the nozzle. However airframe-propulsion integration requires that the components be tested extensively together. 1.2 Testing related to aircraft development Most new engineers are involved in testing on large programs. More experienced engineers get involved in tests of new concepts and other specialized investigations. Because of the large amount of testing associated with aerospace design, the following material adapted from McLaughlin (Ref. 2) is included to help students gain an overview of the types of testing that occurs at various stages of aircraft system development. The types of aerodynamic testing conducted during aircraft development programs are: Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Formerly known as Full Scale Development (FSD) project task complete detailed design fabricate prototypes perform test & evaluation (ground and flight tests) begin pilot production aerodynamic wind tunnel test work periodically update aerodynamic data base in support of program milestones determine dynamic derivatives determine spin and recovery characteristics acquire weapons carriage & separation analysis data document performance & flying qualities of flight test article investigate safety of flight issues to support flight readiness reviews full configuration dynamic flutter tests The scale of the test activity, including planning, model fabrication, pretest, test and post test analysis is much more extensive than engineers unfamiliar with the process expect. Consider also that a similar effort is required for structures, flight control systems, propulsion systems, and every other component. This testing is required to ensure that the entire system performs safely and with the required performance. Unfortunately, the extensive testing required in modern aerospace programs is one of the key reasons for high development costs and long program development times. Aerodynamic Test Planning: the objective and the scope of the test must be precisely determined before beginning to spend money on the test. Planning is important, a typical aerodynamic test program requires 6 mo. to 1 year minimum, and the cost can range from several hundred thousand to several million dollars. A complete full scale development (now EMD) test program will cover a six year period. The basic information required to determine the scope of the test and obtain the initial cost estimate is: budget restraints model availability test facility choice date of entry occupancy time speed regime model size test objective(s) model complexity Close coordination with all the participants is mandatory. With wind tunnel testing being so expensive, a well defined test plan with precise objectives has the best chance of resisting budget cuts. A major problem is justifying the need for as many tests as experience indicates are necessary during Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD). To solve this problem each test should be associated with a program milestone or anticipated documentation requirement. Division of Responsibility Normally the project requiring the test does not run the test directly. Within the organization a test group usually runs the test. When the test is going to be at another facility, you will also be interacting closely with their engineering staff. The following lists illustrate the typical division of work, and is based on the procedures used by a major airframe manufacturer. Note that both the aerodynamicist representing the project and the aero test engineer conducting the test must work closely together. With differing responsibilities, opportunities for conflicts to arise between the aerodynamicist and test engineer frequently present themselves. Model Design Successful test programs begin with a well designed model. The model should allow for easy change of parts, and provide for a means of precisely aligning the model in the tunnel. The model should be easy to work with in the tunnel. Attention to detail during the design will payoff during the test. Most subsonic models are made of wood built on an aluminum frame. Most high speed models are metal. If the model is large enough, aluminum can be used. If the model is small, steel may be required to obtain the necessary strength while maintaining the design contour. Model design and fabrication is a specialized field, and in addition to the major airframe manufacturers and government laboratories several smaller companies specialize in making wind tunnel models. These include Micro Craft, based in Tullahoma, Tennessee, and DEI (Dynamic Engineering, Inc.) based in Newport News, Virginia. Because of the specialized nature of the work, these companies can sometimes make a model faster and more cheaply than in-house machine shops. The most important consideration during fabrication is geometric accuracy. Unexpected errors frequently arise during fabrication. Before the days when surface shaded computer graphics were available the first view of the model occurred when the numerically controlled (NC) milling machine tape checkout piece was made. The aerodynamicist would frequently have an unpleasant surprise when examining this piece. Complex three-dimensional surfaces are difficult to visualize, and graphics should be used to verify the shape before releasing the lines to the NC tape programmers. Once the model is finished, it should be carefully inspected using a coordinate measuring machine over nearly flat surfaces, and templates cast normal to the leading edge and blown up 20 times on a comparator machine to document the actual model geometry. Model tolerances are usually specified in both absolute values and relative accuracy in terms of waviness. Tolerances should be tight around the leading edge, and are usually relaxed after the first 5-10% of the chord. It is unrealistic to specify a tolerance of less than .001 inches on a complex surface. Even this accuracy will require a highly skilled craftsman. Accuracies quoted by machine shops are frequently based on combinations of flat and exactly round surfaces. Accurately machined wing contours are more difficult. The Run Schedule The run schedule is a key item in structuring the test. It is used to establish the entry time requirement, and sequence of model changes. A run schedule is a list of the "runs" to made during the test. A "run" is usually a fixed configuration with data taken over a range of angles of attack (or side slip). Each angle of attack where data is taken is called a "point." A schedule is initially created as a "wish list," or straw man, and then, after the initial time and cost are estimated, scrutinized again by the facility and the originator. Wind tunnel time is frequently made available for a specific calendar time, based on the initial run schedule. Typically, the aerodynamicist doesn't get enough time to perform the complete set of runs identified on the run schedule. The run schedule is negotiated with the facility operators to define the tunnel occupancy time, and should be "massaged" by test engineers and the facility engineers to produce the most efficient use of facility capabilities within the time available. Recall that wind tunnel resources are limited, and there are great demands on national facilities from a variety of programs. The schedule is reworked to reflect changes in priorities as the test approaches. Once the test begins, the schedule will be altered based on the analysis of initial results obtained, and schedule problems. Model installation almost never goes as smoothly as expected, and normally no additional tunnel occupancy time is made available to make up for the lost time. In addition, initial results often mandate special unplanned runs to examine unexpected results. The ability to maintain a productive test program which maximizes the amount of data while reacting to surprises (problems) discovered in the data is a challenge that requires both concentration and talent. Engineers that can do this well are frequently called "tunnel rats." One well known tunnel rat is Irv Waaland, who was the project aerodynamicist on the Gulfstream II and F-14 programs at Grumman, and worked on the F-18 and B-2 programs at Northrop. Waaland won the AIAA Aircraft Design award in 1989. The following list provides some run schedule rules from another "tunnel rat," Charlie McLaughlin: Always begin with the simplest configuration (this is particularly true of a new model). Begin with a repeat configuration if the model or design was tested previously. Model parts availability & variability must be consistent with the run schedule. Make one model change at a time during configuration build up or modification activity. Make sure the resulting data comparisons are complete. Assign a priority to each run. When in doubt - make the run! Once the model is removed from the tunnel it may never go back in. An engineer's worst nightmare is to be assembling the test results for presentation to management and discover that a key run needed to make an engineering decision was not made. This could be a multi-million dollar mistake. The engineer running the test must make sure this doesn't happen. The best way to avoid this is to work with the data on site as it's available and, in effect, create your presentation to management during the test. You should be able to get off the airplane from the test site and go directly into the vice-president's office with your results in essentially final form. Examples of several run schedules are shown in the figures. Figure 2 is from a Calspan test of the Grumman forward swept wing configuration before it became the X-29. This is the actual test run log. The primary information is the configuration description, a code describing the configuration, the control settings, the angle of attack and sideslip schedules (as noted above: a "run" usually consists of a single or sweep, with data being acquired at discrete "points") the Reynolds number, Mach number, and very importantly, a remarks column. The remarks column helps explain the purpose of the test, and any special problems. The remarks column does not replace the test notebook kept by the test engineer. The remarks column is the place to identify changes in the transition strip (these will be discussed below). In this case several Mach numbers were run for each configuration, and the run number is shown under the Mach number heading. The nomenclature requires additional explanation. Figure 3 shows a typical nomenclature sheet. Pictures of each nomenclature item should also be taken. Figure 4 shows a portion of a run schedule from a test at AEDC. In this case the run numbers are listed on the left hand side. This is more typical of subsonic run schedules similar to the schedule required for testing in the aerodynamics lab class. All the "codes" refer to the description of the configuration for use in the computer when performing data reduction. Special considerations in developing run schedules are required to obtain the reference conditions for use in data reduction. This includes initial runs to document the weight of the model in a particular configuration as it moves on the support with no wind load. These are called weight tare runs. This must be done for each different configuration which affects the distribution of weight. The forces and moments obtained during these runs are then subtracted from the wind-on results to find the aerodynamic forces on the model. Another set of early runs is frequently performed to subtract the internal flow drag, if a flow through inlet is included in the model. This drag is found using a pressure tube rake positioned at the exit of the nozzle. The internal drag of the duct is not part of the external aerodynamic force, and is properly included in an adjustment to the propulsion force. In most cases runs should be made early to determine flow angularity effects, and possible support interference effects. This would include testing the model in the upright and inverted position and through use of a dummy support system. Details are given in the reference by Rae and Pope (Ref. 1). Defining data requirements Accuracy requirements must be established early in the test planning process. They have a major impact on model design. The instrumentation and method of model fabrication will be determined by the accuracy specified. Over-specifying the accuracy drives the cost up, while poor accuracy could lead to results that are not precise enough to use, thus wasting the entire effort. Engineering judgment must be used to determine the necessary accuracy. The typical instrumentation compliment on an aerodynamic test would consist of: Frequently the aerodynamicist needs to understand the flowfield in more detail than is apparent from overall forces, surface pressure distributions, and local balances such as root bending moment gages. Flow visualization is perhaps the most useful tool that an aerodynamicist has available to understand the details of the flow. The term "flow diagnostic" is usually employed to describe these types of tests. This testing is slow and currently produces primarily qualitative results. Therefore, in aircraft projects it's not done unless other results indicate that a problem exists requiring this information. Flow visualization is heavily used in research oriented testing. Flow visualization is generally divided into two types: surface and off-surface. For traditional, primarily attached flow aerodynamics, surface flow visualization is generally adequate. The types of information of interest include the transition location, separation location and shock position. Tufts are often used, and provide gross characteristics of the flow direction, separation lines, and indications of flow unsteadiness. Black silk thread attached with flat Scotch Magic tape, with the model painted light gray, works well. Yarn is also used frequently, and should be about two 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. They should be taped to the model in spanwise rows, spaced far enough apart that they don't interfere with each other. Four or five rows would work well on a six inch chord model. Figure 5 shows a typical layout of tufts on thre upper surface of a wing. The layout is shown schematically in Fig. 5a, and a photo of a tufted model is presented in Fig. 5b. Small silk tufts may oscillate too fast to see with the naked eye, and high speed photography may be required. Minitufts (Ref 1) also work well under the right conditions. Current VHS type video camera results often lack the resolution provided by traditional photography, and may be marginally valuable in making a record of the flowfield using tufts. Surface oil flows of one sort or another are useful, but extremely messy. Applying the oil, making the run, and cleaning up is a slow process. This makes oil flow testing thus costly (it's not uncommon to being paying a dozen engineers and technicians on each shift. The solvents that work best are probably no longer acceptable in most workplaces (trichloroethylene). Colored artist's oils thinned slightly on a white surface, applied as dots, works well. Alternating the colors can help trace the origins of the local flow. Unfortunately, some of the most spectacular oil flow studies I have seen occurred on competitive configuration development jobs, and aren't available for illustration of the technique. Figure 6 provides a sample of an oil flow photograph taken with a Polaroid camera at the NASA Langley 4-foot Unitary Plan wind tunnel at M = 1.62. In this case the oil shows a crossflow shock wave outboard on the wing, and a rare "open separation" associated with flow moving behind the shock from inboard upstream, creating a zone that the flow immediately upstream of the shock cannot penetrate. One of the most remarkable aspects of flow visualization is how quickly the observer may forget the details. It is extremely important to make the most detailed possible sketches and notes at the time of the test. It is easy to loose confidence when your boss is arguing that you "couldn't have seen" what you say you saw. Surface oil flows are relatively easy to document. Tuft probe work is not. No flow visualization recording technique is equivalent to observing the flow visualization directly with your own eyes. Off surface flow visualization is valuable when trying to understand flows with organized vortices and wakes. Surface results only provide a limited, and usually confusing, glimpse of the physics of the flowfield in these cases. Today the laser light sheet is one of the easiest ways to visualize the flow. Prior to the laser light sheet, tuft grids were used to gain insight. This is one of the standard issues that must be resolved. The first question an aerodynamicist unknown to a facility is asked when he arrives at the tunnel is "what to do about transition?" This is a "rites of initiation" question that you had better be prepared to answer. Normally, after a lot of discussion the facility engineers end up using "the usual procedure" for that tunnel. The location of transition from laminar to turbulent flow is controlled by putting surface roughness on the model. Why do you fix transition? so that the transition position is known so that the flight boundary layer characteristics are better simulated at critical conditions How? Carborundum grit glass beads serrated tape wires Where? at various locations on all model components Who determines? aerodynamics, aero test and the test facility - jointly There are basically two different considerations, leading to two different methods in defining transition. The simplest is the requirement that the model have a fully turbulent boundary layer, or at least a known state. This allows the aerodynamicist to make an adjustment to zero lift drag to estimate flight values from wind tunnel data with some confidence (see section 2 for further discussion). The second type of boundary layer transition is associated with proper modeling of the boundary layer at shocks and at the trailing edge. This is associated with modeling the boundary layer near separation, and is mainly associated with drag due to lift. This is usually the critical consideration at transonic speeds. The first method is usually used for subsonic and supersonic testing, while the second method is associated with transonic testing. An extremely precise procedure might reposition the transition location for each angle of attack. Clearly this is impractical for most testing, and engineering judgment must be used to decide the best approach to simulating full scale conditions. fix at a further aft wing location to better simulate the flight boundary layer at the wing shock location and/or the wing trailing edge transition strip height and location a function of test Reynolds number, Mach number and shock location computational viscous airfoil analysis used to determine location Braslow method used to determine height percent chord location can vary spanwise due to wing taper trip must be located at least 5% chord ahead of the shock to avoid laminar shock boundary layer interaction boundary layer must be kept laminar to the trip by keeping model surface smooth Special case - aft cambered wing lower surface fix further aft to provide a better flight boundary layer simulation in the region of adverse pressure gradient caused by aft camber avoids cove separation that could occur at lower test Reynolds number The exact details of the procedures are beyond the scope of these notes. The reader should consult Rae and Pope (Ref 1). However, the essential idea is that a roughness element is selected to give a roughness element length based Reynolds number of 600 at a streamwise location corresponding to a running length Reynolds number of 1.x106. This assumes that the flow at this point has not undergone premature transition due to adverse pressure gradients. This presents a problem for subsonic flow at high lift, where suction peaks are immediately followed by a rapid recompression very near the leading edge. In many standard aerodynamic configuration tests at subsonic speeds, black electrical tape cut by pinking shears is used. The tape is positioned about 5-10% aft of the leading edge. The pinked edge is placed facing into the flow. Sometimes, several layers are used. Pretest estimates The importance of pretest estimates cannot be overstated. Without pretest estimates it is impossible to know if you have a potential problem, or to be able to assess whether the objectives of the test are being achieved. The aerodynamicist must be able to determine at the test if the data fails to agree with pretest estimates because of a data reduction error, or if an actual aerodynamic problem exists on the model. This is similar to debugging a computer program. In either case immediate action must be taken, and adjustments to the run schedule may be required. Pretest estimates are frequently required to use government facilities. The government sponsor will attend the test and plot your experimental drag polar and predicted pressure distributions on the same sheet (or screen) with your pretest estimates. At this point your company will either establish credibility with the sponsor or begin a corrective action program to establish credibility (this could mean your job). the problem can be either due to the actual aerodynamic configuration or with the estimating methodology One classic example of test work based on pretest estimate discrepancies is the story of how the Grumman concept for the forward swept wing concept arose. The forward swept wing idea resulted from the transonic test of an aft swept wing of a Grumman configuration which had been proposed to satisfy the NASA HiMAT RFP (request for proposal). The winning proposal was submitted by Rockwell, and the Rockwell HiMAT was built, flown, and is currently in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. After Rockwell was selected, NASA still expressed interest in the Grumman wing design, and offered to test it. Initial results indicated that the pretest drag estimate was 20% optimistic compared to test results at the maneuver design point (MDP). The cause of the problem was traced to the empirical drag estimating methodology. It was too approximate for the class of advanced airfoil technology used in the wing. On-the-spot rethinking of the estimation method, using some additional runs at the test site, resulted in an improved method that resolved the discrepancy. Different wing sweep angles were studied. This was accomplished easily because the model had a variable sweep wing (other aerodynamicists have yawed models to study slight changes in sweep). The new drag estimation method (and understanding) provided the first clue that a forward swept wing might be optimum for the HiMat maneuvering design goal: 8 gs sustained at .90 Mach number and 30K feet altitude. Without precise expectations based on pretest estimates the forward swept wing idea would not have emerged. Glenn Spacht was the aerodynamicist who did the work in the tunnel at NASA Langley. This effort resulted in his advocacy of forward swept wing aircraft and his career advanced quickly. He was deputy project manager of the X-29 program and is now director of engineering at Grumman. In addition to precise estimates, more approximate estimates are required to locate and size the balance and determine ranges for pressure gages. Structural analysis will be based on these estimates. Model safety analysis will depend on them. A recent development is that some facilities (AEDC) will request the model geometry in a numerical format which allows them to make their own computational analysis to determine if the objectives of the proposed test can be achieved using the proposed approach. Test Many issues must be considered in conducting the test. Items that must be checked when preparing to run the test are discussed in this section. Tunnel flow calibration issues: The flow in a wind tunnel is not an exact simulation of flight in free air. The tunnel flowfield will vary in velocity and direction throughout the section. Some freestream turbulence will be present in the wind tunnel flow. Any tunnel will have a flowfield survey describing the quality of the basic flow. The quality of the flow will vary between wind tunnels. The Virginia Tech Stability Wind Tunnel has extremely good characteristics (see section 5). Sometimes the facility operators will not be particularly eager to show users the details of the flowfield, but will specify where the model should be positioned in the test section to obtain the best results. Force balance calibration: One of the most important considerations in testing is the accuracy of the balance. The balance should be check loaded every time a model is installed. These results should be available for use in the data reduction program. Model Support Interference: The model support system will produce a deviation from the flowfield that the actual airplane would encounter in flight. This interference is minimized by wind tunnel, model design, but is never eliminated, and must be considered during data reduction. To assess the magnitude of these effects several experimental techniques are used. Rae and Pope (Ref. 1) describe methods for correcting the test results to attempt to eliminate these effects from the data. This is a problem area where computational aerodynamics can be used to get insight into the way in which the support is interfering with the model. Fouling and removal of base/cavity drag: Several rather subtle aspects of testing can be troublesome. The first is known as fouling, and occurs when the support system hits the portion of the model supported by the balance. This arises because of the desire to make the smallest possible deviation of the model to accommodate the balance and the deformation of the model under load. This can be checked by installing a fouling circuit strip, such that if the model touches the support an electric circuit is completed and a warning is issued at the operators console. Temptation to save installation time and run without a fouling strip can lead to acquisition of questionable data and is a false economy. Frequently it is hard to determine if fouling exists without the fouling strip. Another important aspect of aerodynamic testing is the correction required to account for base or cavity drag that does not exist on the actual vehicle. This requires the measurement of a base or cavity pressure, and the determination of the area over which this pressure acts. Cavity pressures should be checked early during testing to make sure that the correction is being made properly. Axis issues: Care must be taken to ensure that the axis system is understood. If the balance is mounted on a strut the measurements will be made in a wind axis system nominally aligned with the tunnel. If the balance is located internally in the model the forces will be measured in a body fixed coordinate system. The usual axis systems are the wind, stability and body axis systems. Most aerodynamic performance analysis requires results in the stability axis (lift and drag). Stability and control work may be done using either axis. High angle of attack stability and control analysis is usually carried out in the body axis. It is generally easier to understand the effect of a conventionally oriented control device using the body axis because they are generally designed to produce a pure moment about a specific body oriented axis. Airframe manufactures may use either system, and this is sometimes a source of confusion when companies engage in joint ventures. Figure 7 from Ref. 5 illustrates the sign convention and relationship between axis systems. Transformations from Rae and Pope (Ref. 1) are repeated here. Note that the data should be translated to a common origin, and then rotated using the angle of attack, , and angle of yaw, : For data analysis the sideslip angle is usually taken to be -. The subscript "sa" denotes stability, "w" denotes wind, and "B" denotes body based axis systems. In the body axis system lift and drag are replaced by normal and axial force, and are used without subscripts. Here c is the mean aerodynamic chord and b is the reference span. The wind axis coefficients can be obtained from the body axis coefficients using: CLw = CNcos - CAsin CDw = CAcoscos - CNsincos + CYBsin Cmw = CmBcos + (b/c)ClBcossin + (b/c)CnBsinsin Clw = ClBcoscos - (c/b)CmBsin + CnBsinsin Cnw = CnBcos - ClBsin CYw = CAcossin + CYBcos - CNsinsin Data correction and reduction Numerous corrections to wind tunnel data may be required to predict the corresponding values that would occur under actual flight conditions. Figure 8 illustrates a few of the issues that must be considered. Several chapters of Rae and Pope (Ref 1) contain details. One fundamental data adjustment not shown is the weight tare, which is the balance reading with the model moved through the test range with the wind off. This must be subtracted from the wind off force to get the aerodynamic force. Usually a table is created and interpolated for the combinations of angle of attack and yaw used in the actual test. A table is required for each configuration with a different mass distribution. Flow angularity adjustments are required because the freestream velocity is not precisely aligned with the tunnel centerline. As shown in Fig. 8, when the balance is mounted on the strut, the measured readings must by transformed, and the angle of attack corrected using the following relations: true = meas + up CLtrue = cosupCLmeas - sinupCDmeas CDtrue = sinupCLmeas + cosupCDmeas Ideally the flow angularity, up, is small. When this is the case, these equations show that the correction to the value of lift is small, but the correction to drag can be large. This is one of several reasons that drag is difficult to measure in a wind tunnel. The flow angularity is best found from a careful test using a reference wing in both the upright and inverted positions, with a dummy strut system. Alternately, the tunnel survey with no model present can be used. Sample survey results for the Virginia Tech Stability Tunnel are contained in section 5. Another correction is required to account for test boundary effects. These are different depending on the type of boundary; solid, open, or slotted. As long as the model is small compared to the test section the corrections should be small. Wind tunnel wall correction theory is not yet complete, and a variety of advanced wind tunnel concepts have been proposed to minimize them. Post Test Analysis Final data reduction/analysis: As described above, the data reduction program should be verified, and the initial data plotted together with the pretest estimates before leaving the test. In most facilities the only difference between the data available on site during the test and the final data is due to the use of more elaborate averaging process and the correction of problems identified during the test while comparing with the pretest analysis. The elaborate averaging process usually doesn't change the results by an amount that can be plotted on a normal report scale. Data reduction system errors are frequent, and will likely never be completely understood unless identified during the test. Without pretest predictions it is virtually impossible to spot these problems. Examples include the wrong sign on a tare correction (responsible for a major problem once when a full scale V/STOL model, including two operating TF-34 engines, was being tested in the NASA Ames 40x80 tunnel); incorrect removal of base drag at the sting cavity, and failure to take into account misalignment between the model axis and the sting axis. Sometimes a reference condition is incorrectly entered, and the balance is assumed to be broken when in fact the data is good. I have encountered all these problems at one time or another. Documentation/Final report preparation: The technical requirements are addressed in section 3, Presentation of Aerodynamic Data. In determining the final report contents, the test engineer will consult with the project and determine: types of curves desired (plotting schedules) selection of scales type of curve fits to be used in connecting data points comparison plots to be made Other analysis included in the post test report include plots providing Reynolds number effects, and transition strip effects, both transition strip on and off, but also strip size and location effects. Wind tunnel to flight data corrections/extrapolation: This effort is strictly speaking not part of the aerodynamic testing problem, but is closely associated to the application of wind tunnel data to actual aircraft predictions, and has a direct bearing on the planning and conduct of the test. It is discussed in some detail section 2. 1.4 Safety Safety is a key consideration in planning and conducting an aerodynamic test program. People die during test operations. Not often, but I'm personally aware of several cases. In one case the model technician was working under a large powered Grumman model lent to NASA Langley for their use. The sting support failed, and the technician died after being crushed by the model. For this reason, safety must be a key consideration during model design. A stress analysis, documented in a stress report, must be done for the model, and the model-balance-support system under all the loading conditions. A stress analysis must also be done for all appendages to the model. The facility will require these reports before model installation and testing can begin. Model scale wings and especially canards and tails are often extremely sharp, and engineers and technicians working around models are frequently cut. In some tunnels the model is hoisted above the tunnel and lowered into the test section using a ceiling crane. In one case I was, luckily, working the other shift at McDonnell when the workers hoisted the model too fast. It started swinging back and forth. One of the technicians tried to keep it from hitting the wall by jumping in the way to stop it. His whole shoulder was crushed. Occasionally an engineer stands inside the tunnel test section during tests to probe the flow with a tuft wand. Extreme care should be taken when this is done. Safety goggles must be worn. Finally, a video camera should be used to monitor the engineer (unlike the Virginia Tech Stability Tunnel, in many tunnels the operator cannot physically observe the test section), and a hand should be kept on the emergency stop button. Two other test procedures require special safety considerations. High pressure air is always potentially dangerous, and care must be taken working with it. The final item is associated with the introduction of lasers into aerodynamic testing on an almost routine basis. In particular, laser light sheet flow visualization is extremely valuable. However, in examining the flowfields in laboratory conditions it is sometimes very easy to be tempted to look directly into the sheet from the side. Special care should always be taken to avoid eye damage. Most facilities have established strict procedures for working with laser systems. Engineers are required to consider safety, and must be prepared for investigations resulting from tests they plan, design or conduct, when an accident occurs. NASA requires a stress analysis and an aeroelastic analysis as part of the pretest safety review before testing in their tunnels. They are concerned for both human safety and possible damage to the tunnel if the model fails. One joint Grumman/NASA Langley program resulted in a model/support system combination that was dynamically unstable at high angle of attack. During one test in the Langley Full Scale Tunnel the dynamics resulted in a sting system failure. The oscillation built up so fast that on the video of the test (always a good idea) you couldn't see the failure. One instant the model was in the picture, and the next instant it wasn't. Several incidents have occurred where a key major national facility was closed for a year or more after a failure during testing. Due to the control on model safety, in most cases the tunnel structure and not the model caused the accident. Flight operations are even more rigorous regarding safety. 2. Use of Wind Tunnel Data in Aerodynamics (based in part on Ref. 6) Once the test is conducted, adjustments are made to the results to apply them to the full scale vehicle at flight conditions. This is a step where judgment is required, and it is not unusual for the aerodynamicist to err at this stage. The consequence of a mistake here can be very serious, and aerodynamics managers frequently demand details and caution here. A somewhat standard list of corrections (assuming that the usual corrections to account for wind tunnel wall effects, etc. have already been made) to wind tunnel data include: Model scale effect: Skin friction (Reynolds number and transition location): This is frequently the most significant correction made to the data. CLMAX - this adjustment is crucial, and is difficult. Support system interference and modifications made to the model to accommodate the sting installation. Airplane protuberances and surface roughness not simulated on the model. Geometry and surface finish (includes all cooling inlets and vents, all antennas, etc.) Frequently theoretical and computational aerodynamics methods are used to estimate these effects. Otherwise, adjustments are made based on previous results obtained experimentally. Since each aircraft company has a different experience base, the adjustments will differ slightly among companies. For example, consider the problem of extrapolating the minimum drag obtained in a wind tunnel test to flight conditions. If the geometry is the same for your model and the full scale vehicle (which it usually isn't, as discussed below), then the primary consideration is the skin friction. Typically, a theoretical estimate is made of the skin friction at both the model and flight conditions. The difference between the theoretically estimated drag computed at the two different conditions is then added to the experimental results to estimate the minimum drag of the vehicle at full scale conditions. This is one of the reasons that it is critical to know how much laminar flow exists on the model. Otherwise, the model friction estimate may be very poor. Recognized Wind Tunnel Problem Areas Even with advances in computational and experimental techniques, several aspects of wind tunnel to flight adjustments still require further research. The following list presents some of the more notorious: Reynolds number sensitive data Supercritical airfoil and winglet test requirements "Scaling" buffet intensity data Sensitivity to model lines/accuracy Support interference/dynamics Controlled transition/grit selection Consistency of high alpha data Tunnel turbulence Tunnel wall interference Reflection plane models for drag There's no simple way to extrapolate from wind tunnel to flight operation of aircraft with total confidence. Reference 10 provides a basic primer on the subject. To get some insight into the wealth of complications and problems that arise, look at the important NASA work on the XB-70 (Ref. 11). In practice the two items that are very difficult to deal with are: You rarely have the same geometry in flight that you tested. It was 15 years before Grumman had a model of the F-14 that actually corresponded to the flight article. For the F-14, as with most configurations, the configuration was "tweaked" one last time after the last wind tunnel test. The only reason Grumman eventually did have an accurate F-14 was that the AMRAAM program needed one and they were willing to pay for a new model. Other typical situations include vortex generators added during flight test programs but not addressed in original drag estimates/tests, and the gap/step correspondence between wind tunnel models and flight hardware. There always seems to be a disagreement over exact performance of the engine. This makes accurate flight test drag values difficult to obtain. Many, many corrections are made to the engine data. Usually there's a lot of money at stake. Both the airframe and engine must meet performance guarantees, with large penalties if they aren't met. Another complication is the reliability of initial flight test results. The issue of flight test data accuracy further complicates the comparison between wind tunnel and flight test data. When the flight test data first arrives and the inevitable panic begins, experience shows that the flight test data system itself may be suspect, although the flight test group usually refuses to acknowledge the possibility. Two particular cases that I had some involvement with were the discrepancy between tunnel based estimates and flight test results for the loads on the vertical stabilizer of the EF-111 (upper transonic, M = 1.1, windup turns), and cruise drag of the Grumman-American Gulfstream III executive jet. In the first case the initial flight data was over predicting the discrepancy by about 100%, and about 50% was real. A redesign of the vertical tail structure of the EF-111 was required (recall that the EF-111 differs from the F-111 by the addition of a large electronic jamming antenna placed on the vertical tail-the EA-6B has a similar pod but never flew in this speed regime). During the ensuing "fire drill" the Air Force program office was demanding daily viewgraph presentations of the results of the Grumman investigation! In the second case the discrepancies were apparently traced to the use of a reflection plane model and two separate problems. Reflection plane models are notorious for poor drag results. The G-II reflection plane model tunnel to flight increments (which were found to agree nicely with flight data) were applied to the G-III reflection plane results. The first problem was that the G-III wing was added to the basic G-II reflection plane model, resulting in a wingspan that was too large for the tunnel. The second problem was that tunnel to flight increments for "conventional" (actually the British developed peaky) airfoils and the supercritical type airfoil used, at least in part, on the G-III scale differently between tunnel and flight (this involves the proper way to fix transition). Cases similar to the ones described above usually aren't documented in the literature; they're not stories the participants are particularly proud of. In the end, when working with the data you begin to get a feel that you understand the problem and can account for everything. i.e. that you have "the story" (but you can't prove it scientifically). Another famous (possibly the most famous) case involved the tunnel to flight pressure distribution on the C-141 wing. The shock in flight was much stronger and further aft than had been found in the wind tunnel. This led to trim changes and additional drag. At the time the difference was attributed to Reynolds number effects, and was used to convince congress that the a new wind tunnel was needed which could simulate flight Reynolds number using wind tunnel models (this requires that testing be carried out at very low temperatures using near liquid state nitrogen). This wind tunnel has now been built (after having been designed in large part by a VPI grad, Blair Gloss), is located at NASA Langley, and is known as the National Transonic Facility (NTF). Subsequently we tried to use this case to demonstrate the capability of computational methods to simulate Reynolds number effects. The results were disappointing, with only about half the shock movement predicted by our computational methods. When discussing our results with engineers familiar with the C-141 data, we were told that the Reynolds number was only part of the story, the other being wall interference effects. To achieve flight Reynolds number for at least marginally affordable costs the NTF is basically an 8 foot tunnel. Our biggest transonic wind tunnels are 16ft square. Thus the wall interference issue still exists in the NTF. To conclude: Using "raw" wind tunnel data and making simple skin friction adjustments to estimate flight data may easily result in a 10% difference between tunnel and flight. The critical areas in the flight regime are almost always more complicated than first appearances. However, once you work at understanding the full story, you generally feel that you can account for the differences within a few counts. Original drag estimates made at the time that a production decision was made may not take into account a lot of the effects that occurred after the estimates were made, or did not turn out in hindsight to be wise interpretations of data. Engineering judgment is still required, and experienced engineers will be required to make tunnel to flight correlations and analysis for the foreseeable future. 3. Presentation of aerodynamic data The format established for the course should be used. The following comments are specific to aerodynamic testing, and may not be generally applicable. Text (two aspects of the test report are critical) 1) In the documentation of the test enough detail must be included from the test to settle any question that comes up after the test is over. This includes the test run schedule, configuration nomenclature description, sign convention for deflecting surfaces, and the so-called "tab data" from the test. The test engineer must keep a detailed notebook during the test, and include extreme detail in the test report. Many well annotated photos should be included. Many times questions arise (sometimes years later) where the documentation is insufficient to determine with certainty exactly what happened. Few of us can remember particular test details even after a few months, and particularly when being grilled because something doesn't "look right" (this is the situation as soon as the flight test data arrives, as described above). Two typical personal examples include exact details of transition fixing, and sign convention for deflection of surfaces (at high angle-of-attack it may not be at all obvious what effect a "plus" or "minus" deflection would produce on the aerodynamic results). Since a typical test might cost several million dollars, and the data might be examined for effects that weren't of specific interest during the test, good documentation is crucial. An unfortunate, but frequent, occurrence in practice is that the time and budget expire before the test report is completed. Since it's done last, budget overruns frequently result in poor final documentation. It's best if the report can be put together while the test is being conducted. This approach can minimize the problem. 2) In the data analysis portion of the report: When writing the report provide specifics, not generalities, i.e., rather than "greater than," say "12% greater than." What do the results mean? In large organizations the test engineer will write a test report precisely documenting the test, while the project aerodynamicist will write the report analyzing the data. When writing the analysis, do not simply provide tables of numbers and demand that the reader do the interpretation. The conclusion to be drawn from the each figure must be precisely stated. Plots and Graphs Use real graph paper. For A size plots this means K&E2 Cat. No. 46 1327 for 10x10 to the half inch, and an equivalent type for 10x10 to the centimeter. There is an equivalent catalog number for B size paper. Wind tunnel data (especially drag polars) are often plotted on B size paper. This is Albanene tracing paper. It's what's actually used in engineering work, and it's expensive. The University Bookstore stocks this graph paper. You should use it carefully, and not waste it. With high quality tracing paper, where the grid is readily visible on the back side, you plot on the back. This allows you to make erasures and also produces a better looking plot. Orange graph paper is standard, and generally works better with copy machines. The tracing paper also allows you to keep reference data on a set of plots and easily overlay other results for comparison. Remember to allow for overlay comparisons by using the same scale for your graphs. Always draw the axis well inside the border, leaving room for labels inside the border of the paper. Labels should be well inside the page margins. Data plots should contain at least: Use proper scales. Use of "Bastard Scales" is grounds for bad grades in class and much, much worse on the job. This means using the "1,2, or 5 rule". It simply says that the smallest division on the axis of the plot must be easily read. Major ticks should be separated by an increment that is an even multiple of 1, 2 or 5. For example, 10, 0.2, 50. and 0.001 are all good increments between major ticks because it makes interpolation between ticks easy. Increments of 40, 25, 0.125 and 60 are poor choices of increments, and don't obey the 1,2, or 5 rule. The Boeing Scale Selection Rules chart in included as figure 9. Label plots neatly and fully. Use good line work. In putting lines on the page, use straight edges and ship's curves to connect points, no freehand lines. Ship's curves and not French curves are used by aeronautical engineers, and some catalogs call them aeronautical engineering curves. The University Bookstore stocks at least the most common ship's curve size. As a young engineer, I was told that if the wind tunnel data didn't fit the ship's curve, the data was wrong. More often than not this has indeed turned out to be the case. Drag polars are traditionally plotted with CD on the abscissa or X-axis, and CL on the ordinate or Y-axis. Moment curves are frequently included with the CL - curve as shown in Figure 10. The moment axis is plotted from positive to negative, also shown in the figure. This allows the engineer to rotate the graph and examine Cm-Cl in a "normal" way to see the slope. More comments on proper plots and graphs are contained in your engineering graphics text, by Giesecke, et al. (Ref. 12). The engineer traditionally puts his initials and date in the lower right hand corner of the plot. An example of an acceptable plot is included as figure 10. Can you use your computer to make plots and graphs? Of course. But they must be of engineering quality. To achieve this you certainly have to understand the requirements given above for hand plots, and have made enough graphs by hand to be able to identify problems in the computer generated graphs. Often it's easier to make plots by hand than to figure out how to get your plotting package to do an adequate job. Typical problems include poor scale selection, poor quality printout, and inability to print the experimental data as symbols and the theory as lines. Another problem that arises is the use of color. While color is important, it presents a major problem if the report is going to be copied for distribution. Most engineering reports don't make routine use of color - yet. A final problem frequently arises with the labeling. In reports, the figure titles go on the bottom. On view graphs and slides the figure titles go on the top. Many graphics packages are oriented toward placing the figures on the top. This is unacceptable in engineering reports. 4. Strain Gage Balances Aerodynamic forces must be accurately measured. Initial aerodynamic testing used simple scales. Today most force measurements are made using strain gage balances. At large facilities the strain gage balances are designed, built and maintained by an instrumentation group that usually consists of mechanical engineers. However, you should understand the principles of operation. Balances must be selected for a particular test based on the physical size and loads demanded on the balance. Each balance should have a drawing indicating the size and on the same drawing you will usually find a table containing the maximum loads. Sizing and placement of the balance requires use of the pretest loads estimates made by the aerodynamics group. Typically the strain gage balance is located inside the model at a position near the aerodynamic center to minimize the possibility that the pitching moment limit will be exceeded. This can be a little challenging if the same model is to be used for both subsonic and supersonic testing, and in cases where component build-up testing may lead to situations where the pitching moment becomes large (also variable sweep wings). In some cases provision for two balances might have to be made. Frequently aerospace companies and government agencies borrow balances to obtain the correct size. Balances are delicate and can be easily damaged if handled improperly. Their installation in models requires precision machining, and therefore, the balance is pinned in place. The portion of the model that produces loads measured by the balance is known as the metric portion of the model. Accounting for the metric and non-metric parts of the model are sometimes tricky, especially in powered model testing, where the forces over portions of the model are desired. Powered model testing is one of the most challenging areas of aerodynamic testing. Frequently the propulsion group needs more wind tunnel test time than the aerodynamics group. Because the balance must reflect the loads accurately, care must be taken when "bridging" the balance. This means that a minimum of cables and pressure tubes should cross from the metric to the non-metric part of the installation. In some cases this means that a scanivalve or its equivalent should be placed inside the metric model to allow surface pressure and force and moment results to be acquired simultaneously. The scanivalve measures pressures from a number of orifices and allows many pressures to be transmitted to a single pressure transducer. Thus, rather than having 48 pressure tubes bridging the balance, the only lines that crosses the balance are the scanivalve, control cable, and possibly a reference pressure tube. Frequently this results in a severe temperature and vibration environment for this instrumentation, and possible problems should be considered during pretest planning. A strain-gage balance measures forces and moments by sensing deformation of a beam-like element that has a strain gage attached to it. The balance is based on the principle that the electrical resistance of a conductor changes when subjected to mechanical deformation. A strain gage is a small, thin printed circuit type electrical resistance element which changes its resistance when elongated or compressed (Fig. 11a). This gage, which may be on the order of 1/4 inch square or smaller, which is glued onto a structural element which will be affected by the force to be measured. A simple strain-gage balance to measure drag can be made using two strain gages on a single beam as shown in Fig. 11b. As a drag force is applied, the upstream gage element feels tension and the downstream element compression due to the bending in the beam. Since the signs of the resistance changes on the two elements are opposite, taking their difference by placing them in a circuit such that they subtract will result in a doubly strong resistance change. Any change due to a pure "upward" or "downward" force through the other beam will thus cancel out. This is important because temperature induced effects arising from thermal expansion of the material would result in misleading indications of an externally applied force. The change in resistance can be detected by either using a constant voltage supply and measuring a current change or by using a constant current and measuring the voltage change. The resulting reading can then be calibrated by comparing the output signal under a range of test loads. Unless the gage or beam is over-stressed, the readout will be a linear function of the force applied. Only one problem exists with the balance design in Fig. 11b, the gage output is really determined by the bending moment, which is a function of the distance between the application point of the force and the gage element location, as well as the force magnitude, instead of being a function of the force alone. A remedy to this is shown in Fig. 11c where 4 gage elements are used. Now, the circuitry can be set up to read two individual moments M1 and M2 due to the applied force and subtract them. The difference between these two moments is a function only of the force and the fixed distance between the two sets of gage elements. Since this distance is constant, the drag can be directly determined by a single circuit regardless of the location of the applied force on the beam. The circuitry for such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 11d where gage elements 1 and 2 are in tension and 3 and 4 are in compression. A wind tunnel strain-gage balance has at least one such "bridge" to measure each force and moment. For more information on strain gage balance design see Rae and Pope (Ref. 1). 1 This appendix was reviewed at Grumman under the direction of Casper Catalanotto, Group Lab Manager, Aerodynamics Test, Ground Testing Technology, Grumman Aircraft. John McAfee and Howard Jarvis contributed. Revisions were made to incorporate their comments. 2 This paper is very high quality paper. With computers replace hand plotting, this paper is being discontinued by K&E. Most art supplies stores (sometimes erroneously claiming to be engineering supply stores also) don't stock good graph paper. Cheap paper will not be transparent, allowing easing tracing from one plot to another. Figure 1 Example of the testing required to develop a modern fighter aircraft (Ref. 7). Figure 2. Typical run schedule: transonic, run numbers under Mach heading Figure 3. Typical nomenclature chart associated with run schedule. Figure 4. Typical run schedule with run numbers on the left hand side. Defining data requirements a) Typical methods of attaching tufts. Only A is suitable for high speed work. (Ref. 1)
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http://www.dept.aoe.vt.edu/~aborgolt/aoe3054/manual/app3/text.html
Remember that beriyth [word study] refers to a contract made by passing between pieces of cut flesh and Karathmeans to cut or make a covenant. Also keep in mind that covenant was the most solemn, binding, intimate, inviolable compact known in the ancient world and was held in high esteem by all ancient societies in contrast to our modern society. This discussion will examine the Old Testament covenant between Jonathan and David and the practical application of this Old Testament picture to the life of a New Covenant believer. New Testament passages which parallel the Old Testament picture of the events of 1Samuel 18:1-4 can help you understand from another vantage point some of the events which transpired when we entered into the New Covenant by grace through faith. THE COVENANT BETWEEN JONATHAN AND DAVID One of the most famous man to man covenants was between King Saul's son Jonathan and David, who had been anointed to be the next king by the prophet Samuel (1Sa 16:12, 13). 1 Samuel 18, follows David's slaying of Goliath which catapulted him (at least for the moment) into the good graces of King Saul who brought him into his court (1Sa 18:2). 1Sa 17:58 And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite." 18:1 Now it came about when he (David) had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of (Keil say literally = "The soul of Jonathan bound itself to the soul of David", NIV = "became one in spirit with" NIV) David, and Jonathan loved him as himself (literally = "as his own soul") 2 And Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant ("cut a covenant" Karath beriyth [word study]) David because he loved him as himself. (TLB paraphrase = "Jonathan swore to be his blood brother") 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt. Keep in mind that in 1Sa 16:13 the Spirit came upon David in power. As the Standard Reference Library comments... We may assume that the Spirit guided David's hand on the harp strings that banished an evil spirit from Saul (1Sal 16:14-23), guided the same hand as it hurled a stone at Goliath (1Sa 17:49), guided David's mind in his military strategy (1Sa 18:5) and the administration of justice (2Sa 8:15), and inspired the many psalms of David (2Sa 23:1, 2). Here in 1Samuel 18:1-4we see even prior to cutting a covenant, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together or as the NIV renders it they"became one in spirit" (NET has "became bound together in friendship"). Note that this knitting is a reflection of the fact that Jonathan loved David as himself. As an aside, the Scripture does not record at what point Jonathan realized that David had been anointed by Samuel (1Sa 16:13) as God's choice for Israel's next king. Henry Clay Trumbull comments that... From that hour the hearts of David and Jonathan were as one. Jonathan could turn away from father and mother, and could repress all personal ambition, and all purely selfish longings, in proof of his loving fidelity to him who was dear to him as his own blood.' His love for David was " wonderful, passing the love of women."' (H. Clay Trumbull. The Blood Covenant) Jonathan initiated the cutting of a Covenant (Karath beriyth [word study]) with David because he loved him as himself. He loved David as his soul or as his own life. Now, thinking back on other covenants between men (Ge 21:22-34, 26:26-31, 31:43-55 - see Summary), how does this covenant differ from most of those other covenants between men? Clearly it is based not on fear as most of the other covenants but on friendship. Ralph Davis comments that... Jonathan was apparently taken with David immediately. "Jonathan loved him like his very self" (v1 NJB). Because of this they made a covenant. Jonathan, so verse 3 indicates, took the initiative: "So Jonathan — along with David — cut a covenant because he loved him as himself." If we press the verb, the bond was inaugurated by severing an animal and by both parties passing between the pieces as if to say, "If I am unfaithful to my word in this covenant, may I end up in pieces as this animal." (Ralph Davis, D. Focus on the Bible: 1 Samuel - notes on chapter 1Samuel 18) Twice in 1 Samuel 18:1-4 the Scripture records that Jonathan loved him as his own soul. The Hebrew verb 'ahab (Strong's 157) describes God's love for His children (Hosea 11:1 "When Israel was a youth I loved him"), human love for God (Deut. 6:5 "you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might"), and the love for every man which is commanded by God (Lev 19:18 "you shall love your neighbor as yourself"). In another use of love which helps under Jonathan's love for David in 1 Samuel 18:1,4 we read that... "David came to Saul and attended him, and Saulloved ('ahab, 157) him greatly; and he became his armor bearer." (1Samuel 16:21). Later in 1 Samuel 18 we read that... "all Israel and Judah loved ('ahab, 157) David, and he went out and came in before them. (1Samuel 18:16) The first use of the Hebrew verb for love is found in Genesis 22 where God tests Abraham's faith by commanding him to... "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love ('ahab, 157), Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." (Genesis 22:2) Some writers have suggested that the "love" between Jonathan and David was indicative of a homosexual relationship. Against this interpretation is the fact that the Hebrew verb 'ahab is never used in the Old Testament to signify what is clearly (as determined from the context) a homosexual desire or activity. Instead the Old Testament uses the Hebrew verb, yada, which means "to know" to indicate close relationship in a sexual sense in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Thus yada refers to homosexual relationships in the following texts... Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations ('yada) with them." (Genesis 19:4, 5) While they were making merry, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows (literally "sons of belial", belial being transliterated as a synonym for Satan in 2 Cor 6:15) , surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations ('yada) with him." (Judges 19:22). Finally, note that the verb 'yada is never used to describe the relationship between Jonathan's and David. The phrase "loved him as HIMSELF" is literally "loved him as his SOUL". Clearly the relationship of Jonathan and David touched the very depth of their beings. Thus in the present context, the Hebrew noun for soul (nephesh) conveys the idea of Jonathan's inner man and reflects the totality of his being. The point is that Jonathan loved David as much as he loved his own life and, as verse 4 indicates,. there was nothing Jonathan would not do for David. ''David is seen in Jonathan's clothes that all may take notice he is Jonathan's second self.'' Finally, respected conservative commentators such as Dr. Tom Constable do not interpret the relationship between Jonathan and David as anything other than a covenant of deep friendship, Constable writing that... Jonathan loved David as he loved himself (1Sa 18:1, 3; cf. Lev 19:18). He loved David, as he should have, since David had committed himself to glorifying God and fulfilling His will even at the expense of his personal safety. Some homosexuals have tried to use the writer's statements of Jonathan's love for David as support that their lifestyle has good biblical precedent. However the Hebrew word 'aheb, translated "love" here, nowhere else describes homosexual desire or activity. Rather when homosexual relations are in view the Holy Spirit used the word yada, translated "know" in the sense of "have sex with" (cf. Gen. 19:5; Jdg. 19:22). (Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible) The Standard Reference Library comments that Some individuals in Jonathan's position might have been jealous of David, but not he. A valiant warrior himself, Jonathan had received the same kind of admiration from the people as was now being showered upon this newcomer. Yet far from being envious, Jonathan was filled with admiration for David. Instead of seeing David's accomplishments as the basis for hostility, Jonathan saw them as the basis for friendship; and he became one in spirit with David. One quality of a person who would be a friend and have a friend is the capacity of seeing and appreciating in another that which is noble and admirable. This Jonathan possessed to a marked degree. As Saul's son, he could be considered the rightful successor to his father's throne; yet he did not hesitate to offer his love and friendship to David, even when it was clear that David would be Saul's successor. (The Standard Reference Library – Old Testament Volume 2: The History of Israel) Adam Clarke writes that... The most intimate friendship subsisted between them; and they loved each other with pure hearts fervently. No love was lost between them; each was worthy of the other. They had a friendship which could not be affected with changes or chances, and which exemplified all that the ancients have said on the subject; "Friendship produces an entire sameness; it is one soul in two bodies: a friend is another self." (Bolding added) Larry Richards adds that... When we remember that Jonathan would normally have succeeded Saul as Israel's king, his friendship for David is especially impressive. The OT contains no finer example of what it means to be a friend. The story of how David returned Jonathan's friendship is found in 2 Sam. 9. (The Bible Reader's Companion) Believer's Study Bible writes that... Neither the word for love here, ahav (Hebrew), nor the relationship of the two men suggests any abnormality. The word ahav was a technical term in covenant texts for the bonding together by pacts of loyalty and reciprocal responsibility. It refers, then, to a relationship between two parties who could depend on one another. (Criswell, W A. Believer's Study Bible: New King James Version. 1991. Thomas Nelson) Hughes writes that... This love did not develop in a month or even a day, but in a flash! It was because David's sizzling soul met such a deep need in Jonathan's — "At last I have found someone who lives like me!" He really did love him as himself, and in doing so was loving his neighbor as himself — and he was thus fulfilling the Law of God....Jonathan, the king's son, stands humbly in his undergarment, while the shepherd boy dons the prince's robe and armament. Jonathan's act was one of honor, equality, and vulnerability. To wear the robe of a king was an immense honor, as testified by Haman's fateful request to wear the Persian king's robe and parade through the streets (cf. Esther 6:6, 7, 8, 9). Jonathan's symbolic divestiture formally abolished David's status as a shepherd and placed him side by side as an equal. His disrobing was a conscious display of vulnerability and real risk. The Shakespearean gesture meant, "My life for your life" — and he meant every bit of it. Exchange of Robes: Putting on the Other Party Jonathan demonstrates his commitment to this solemn covenant by giving David his royal robe. In a symbolic sense, (especially as this practice was understood in ancient times) in the context of covenant, David is "puttingon" Jonathan. David is taking on the identity of his covenant partner Jonathan. In essence the two have become one. Note that this new relationship heralds an end of independent living for both partners since they now are called to live for each other. There is to be a surrender of self interest for the covenant partner and we see that Jonathan willingly gave up his right to be king! Compare these profound truths (end to independent living, etc) to the marriage covenant (Ge 2:24 - see Covenant As It Relates to Marriage). Are you as convicted as I am, even after 41 years of marriage! Jonathan also stripped himself of his robe and gave it to David, as well as his war coat or armor, his sword, bow, and belt (v. 4). All this was both significant and surprising; significant because the clothes signify the person and his position — hence Jonathan renounces his position as crown prince and transfers, so far as his own will goes, the right of succession to David. (See Note 2 below) No one in the Near East would do that. (It's like telling your real estate agent, "Let's set the price fifteen thousand dollars lower; I'm not concerned to get as much as I possibly can for my house." And his or her reaction is…?) You did not transfer your crown rights to an upcomer, you eliminated him! But Jonathan does not ape the boring expectations of his culture. S. G. DeGraaf is on the right track when he says, "This deed on his part was an act of faith. Only faith makes us willing to be the lesser. Faith causes us to surrender the rights we pretend to have over against the Christ, who is truly Israel's king." [Note 2 -...Rummel refers to an Akkadian document discovered at Ugarit in which Utrisharruma, a thirteenth–century king of Ugarit, makes a divorce settlement with his queen. The couple's son, the crown prince, may go with his mother if he wants, but in that case he will abdicate his right to the throne. He must indicate this decision by leaving his clothes on the throne. Compare also Nus 20:22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 1Ki 19:19, 20, 21. In the last scene of 1Samuel 19 Saul, rendered harmless by the power of God's Spirit, strips off (pasat, 1Sa 19:24; same verb as in 1Sa 18:4 of Jonathan) his clothes, which may signify that even Saul, against his will, acknowledges that he has forfeited the kingship (cf. Robert P. Gordon, I & II Samuel: A Commentary [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986], 165]. David is seen in Jonathan's clothes that all may take notice he is Jonathan's second self. Our Lord Jesus has thus shown His love to us, that He stripped Himself to clothe us, emptied Himself to enrich us...He clothed Himself with our rags. HOW DID JESUS TAKE OUR ROBE? Philippians 2:6-8 In Philippians Paul explains how it was possible for Jesus Christ to take man's "robe" writing that ... although He existed in the form (morphe = stresses essence of one's nature-his continuous state or condition In His preincarnate state Christ possessed every divine attribute) of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped (clutched, embraced, prized, held onto), but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Php 2:6, 7, 8-note) All praise to Thee, Eternal Lord, Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood; Choosing a manger for Thy throne, While worlds on worlds are Thine alone. For all eternity Jesus wore the "robe of Divinity" as co-equal with God (Php 2:5, 6, 7-note). In order to take on the "robe" of humanity He stepped down from His exalted position as the only begotten Son of God as Paul carefully outlines... (1) He chose not to demand or cling to His rights as God. He continued to fully exist as God but during His incarnation refused to hold on to His divine rights and privileges. (Note that equality refers to exact equivalence!) (2) He emptied Himself. Although He remained fully God He emptied Himself completely of certain aspects of His prerogatives as God. (Note that in the gospels He still was able to perform miracles, forgive sins and know the hearts of people.) (3) He took the form of a bond-servant (see doulos). Form is the Greek word morphe [word study]which stresses essence of one's nature. Thus Jesus existed in the form (morphe) of God and now in the form (morphe) of a bond-servant. In other words, He did not just put on the external raiment of a slave but actually became a slave in the fullest sense. (Note that bond-servant is doulos [see word study]) (4) He was made in the likeness of men. Likeness means that which is made to be like something else, not just in appearance but in reality. Jesus possessed all the attributes of men and was not simply a reasonable facsimile of a man, not like Adam before the Fall but with all the frailties, limitations, and suffering that were the result of the Fall. All except that He was without sin. He 2:14 [see note] is a good "commentary" stating that Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same (5) Being found in appearance as a man. This phrase teaches that Jesus was recognized as a man by those who observed Him during His time on earth. The word appearance is schema which contrasts with form (morphe) and likeness (homoioma) which both refer to the the very essence and basic nature. Schema on the other hand refers to outward shape or from. Here Paul describes Jesus' whole outward appearance which bore no difference to that of other men. Note that Paul's use of of schema is not meant to suggest that Christ's humanity was only apparent and not real for that point is addressed in both #3 and #4 above. (6) He humbled Himself. The word humbled (tapeinoo) has the root idea of that which lies low and thus means to be brought low, referring especially to one's attitude. Greeks saw humility as shameful, but Jesus took the attitude of lowering Himself relative to God and to other men! This is an astounding, unfathomable truth. Believers need to remember this great truth when the slightest impulse arises to become self-assertive and self-seeking (or anything else focused on "self"). (7) He became obedient to the point of death. Jesus in taking on man's robe, died in man's place, in perfect submission to His Father. He took on the robe of humanity in order that he might bear our sins (1Pe 2:24, 2Cor 5:21) and that we in exchange might put on His robe of righteousness by entering the New Covenant. What an incredible exchange of robes! This is a foundational truth of the New Covenant in His blood. "While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly" (Ro 5:6-note). Hosanna to the Prince of light, That clothed Himself in clay, Entered the iron gates of death, And tore the bars away. Death is no more the king of dread, Since our Immanuel rose; He took the tyrant's sting away, And spoiled our hellish foes. In summary, we observe that Jesus exchanged His robe of Divinity for the likeness of a man. He fulfilled His destiny as a Man by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross thus becoming our Substitute for sin. This is the New Covenant in His blood. Now when the Father looks at us he sees us in the righteousness of His Son. As discussed more below, our new position calls for a new practice. He left His Father's throne above So free, so infinite His grace— Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race: (Beloved, do you see the New Covenant here?) 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me! 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me! No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, (Beloved, do you see the exchange of robes here?) Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. Now let's summarize the parallels between the covenant Jonathan cut with David and the new covenant Jesus cut with believers. When did Jesus (Who in the OT was designated as the "Covenant" and the "Covenant Messenger") cut the new covenant? On the night before He was crucified, Jesus announced the inauguration of the new covenant Luke recording... And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. (Lk 22:20, cp Mt 26:28, 1Co 11:25) In making this declaration, He was fulfilling the prophetic promise in Jeremiah... Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." (Jer 31:31) Then on the next day Jesus consummated the New Covenant by spilling His blood on the Cross. It was at this time that Jesus cut covenant for you and for me. In that pinnacle event of all human history Paul teaches us that... He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus) Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2Co 5:21) In First Corinthians Paul explains why Jesus took on the robe of humanity in order to become mankind's sin bearer, writing... For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. (1Cor 15:22) In this important passage, Paul explains that are only two possible spiritual positions for every man and woman ever born. By "default", every person is born into Adam's family and "inherits" the "sin virus" (Ro 5:12) and is destined for eternal death. However, when one enters the New Covenant by grace through faith, God transfers them from their old position in Adam (in the kingdom of darkness, under the dominion of Satan, under the dominion of Sin, that rules as an evil "King" or "Slavemaster") to their new position in Christ (into the Kingdom of Light, with Christ as their new Master). In Adam, we wore Adam's filthy, dirty, rotting "clothes". Isaiah described it this way writing that... all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment (literally "menstrual rags"!) (Isaiah 64:6) When we entered into the new covenant with Christ, our faithful Friend (Jn 15:13, 14, 15),did we experience an exchange of robes analogous to that which occurred between Jonathan and David? Paul explains that when we entered the New Covenant our spiritual garment was supernaturally changed writing that... you are all sons of God through faith in (union with) Christ Jesus (see in Christ). 27 For all of you who were baptized (baptizo) into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if (since = assumes this to be true) you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:26, 27, 28, 29) In this passage Paul explains several truths that now apply to every believer.... We are sons of God through faith in Christ based on our entry into the new covenant (Gal 3:26). This describes our "new position" - in the family of God (Gal 3:26, cp Jn 1:12, 13, 1Jn 3:1-note). We have been baptized [word study](past tense, accomplished fact at the moment of our regeneration) into Christ. In other words, we were identified with Him (comment) (Gal 3:27) We belong to Christ (independent living should be "put off" as we live for the One we belong to) (Gal 3:29) We are Abraham's offspring - Heirs of the promises given to him. Eg, promises such as (1) God is now our God and (2) through us the world is blessed. (Gal 3:29) In the Revelation we see the "robe motif" once again, John recording... After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen." 13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great TRIBULATION, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Ed: Clearly they have entered the New Covenant - they have exchanged their filthy robes of self righteousness for the fine robes of Savior righteousness) 15 "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. (Revelation 7:9-14) Edward Mote penned the following words which could well have been the "theme song" for the "exchange of robes" in covenant... My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness. (Can you see the concept of "covenant" in this line?) I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus' Name. Refrain When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. Refrain His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay. Refrain When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. Refrain On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand. Do these truths help you begin to understand the exchange of robes that took place when you entered into the New Covenant? Paul is saying that every believer has clothed themselves with Christ or has "put on" Christ, somewhat like a soldier who belongs to an army demonstrates his association by putting on his uniform. The believer who identifies himself with Jesus Christ through faith is divinely clothed with Christ which is a graphic way to describe Christ's life, presence, and righteous nature enveloping the believer. Whatever the Lord Jesus is and has, becomes the believer's. Because Christ has the love of the Father, so do believers. Because Christ has full access to the Father, so do believers. And because Christ has the full resources of the Father, so do believers. Presents of clothes or rich robes, in token of respect and friendship (Ed: Keep in mind that "friendship" was related to covenant), are frequent in the East. And how frequently arms and clothing were presented by warriors to each other in token of friendship, may be seen in Homer and other ancient writers. (A Commentary and Critical Notes) What were our clothes like before God saved us by grace through faith? Accepted in the Well-beloved, And clothed in righteousness divine, I see the bar to heaven removed; And all Thy merits, Lord, are mine. So now, believers are "clothed" in the righteousness of Christ on the basis of the "exchange of robes" that occurred when we entered the New Covenant in His blood. In a practical sense it follows that what the world should now see is His righteousness in us. How would this occur?By seeing our new righteous behavior that corresponds to our new clothing which reflects our new union and new identity with Christ ("baptized into Christ"..."clothed with Christ"). In summary, by virtue of the new covenant we have entered, believers take on Christ's identity and now have a oneness with Christ ("two become one"). How does one know they have been clothed with New Covenant clothes? Phil Newton addresses this question... How do you recognize a true Christian? It would seem that such a question would be unnecessary in the church, yet in our day this is a most valid question. Many people masquerade as Christians when in fact they are not. Multitudes of others consider themselves Christians simply because of their association with the Church or due to their adherence to a certain set of beliefs, yet they give no evidence of true Christianity. Unless we can discern between true Christianity and false Christianity, we are in danger of accepting into the Church as Christian those who are still unregenerate. A hundred years ago, Bishop J.C. Ryle spoke of this same subject in describing true Christianity. A true Christian is not a mere baptized man or woman. He is something more. He is not a person who only goes, as a matter of form, to a church or chapel on Sundays, and lives all the rest of the week as if there was no God. Formality is not Christianity. Ignorant lip worship is not true religion....All are not true Christians who are members of the visible church of Christ. The true Christian is one whose religion is in his heart and life. It is felt by himself in his heart. It is seen by others in his conduct and life. He feels his sinfulness, guilt and badness, and repents. He sees Jesus Christ to be that divine Saviour whom his souls needs, and commits himself to Him. He puts off the old man with his corrupt and carnal habits, and puts on the new man. He lives a new and holy life, fighting habitually against the world, the flesh and the devil. Christ Himself is the Corner-stone of his Christianity [Holiness, 234-235]. Contrast this description of true Christians with what is prevalent in our own day. What do you find? You discover multitudes who know nothing of the gospel and the work of Christ on the cross, yet consider themselves to be Christians. You find others who have no concern for walking in holiness or obeying the Lord or submitting to Christ's Lordship, yet who adamantly call themselves Christians. There is a wide gap between profession and practice, between the Christian of the New Testament and the Christian of the 20th century church. To this our Lord gives the simple assessment, "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit" (Mt 12:33). The danger of all this comes in the practice of the Church accepting the false and tossing aside the true. When we lose our ability to discern truth and error, true Christianity and false Christianity, we will begin to slowly disintegrate from within. Our standards will be shattered. Our doctrine will be trashed. Our mission to proclaim Christ to the ends of the earth will be lost. In fact, we will find ourselves no better off than the church of the Dark Ages, in which few believers could be found in the visible church. (Sermon from the Book of Acts) In addition, as other Biblical covenants emphasize, believers also experience a "name change". What do you think our new name might be? In Acts 11 Luke records the following event... And it came about that for an entire year they (Barnabas and Saul) met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:26) So our "new name" is "Christian" (see word study on Christianos) (5546 = Christianos from Christós = Christ from chrio = to anoint, so Christ = "Anointed One") a word found only 3 times in the NT (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1Pe 4:16-note) and the name given to the disciples or followers of Christ at Antioch. The meaning of Christianos is not totally clear but seems to mean an adherent of Christ. Some think this is a diminutive form of Christos, meaning "little Christ." Irregardless Christianos connects or identifies a believer with his Lord (as we see in the New Covenant). In a real sense a Christian means bearing the Name of Christ our Lord. In our modern world, most people who hear the term "Christian" consider it to be essentially the opposite of "pagan." But the name carries the idea of "a Christ one, belonging to Christ." Certainly it is a privilege to bear the name and to suffer for His name's sake. As covenant partners with Christ what is the new responsibility we have as result of our new identity? To live in such a way that others see Christ's life not ours (cf "Christ in you the hope of glory" see Col 1:27-note and "Christ...our life" see Col 3:4-note), cp Jn 2031, 14:19, 1Jn 5:12), ! Because of our new clothes and new identity we are called to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord" our Covenant Partner (Col 1:10-Note) A New Power Romans 6 We see an amplification of this truth in Romans 6 where Paul explains that believers receive a new power which enables us to fulfill our awesome responsibility. Paul explains that... 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, To summarize Paul's points we see that... (1) We have died (past tense, completed action = aorist tense) to SIN (the power of Sin, Sin as our "master") Now we have a choice to not obey the power of Sin. (see note Romans 6:2) (2) We were baptized (see word study) into His death (Identified with His death on Calvary) (see note Romans 6:3) (3) Now we can walk in newnessof life - we have access to "Resurrection power" (see note Romans 6:4) (5) We no longer need to be slaves to our old master SIN (see notes Romans 6:6) 6:8: We have been freed from the power and rule of SIN (see notes on Romans 6:8) The question we each need to ask ourselves is "Who do others see now?" Do they see Christ in me the hope (certainty) of (future) glory or do they just see me? A New Motive Romans 13:12-14 In Romans 13:12, 13, 14Paul gives us a new motive to carry out our new responsibility? What motive do you see in this passage? The night (spiritual darkness that enshrouds this present world) is almost over. (see note) The day is at hand (the day when the "Light of the World" returns to dispel all darkness = Second Coming of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ) Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Ro 13:12-note) What does Paul say about our responsibility in this passage in Ro 13:12-note, Ro 13:13-note? You may be thinking "I thought we were clothed with Christ when we entered into the New Covenant by faith". The answer is, yes, we have already "put on" Christ at the time of salvation. This "putting on" however represents a one time event and signifies our new, eternally secure position before God. Our position in union with Christ, identified with Christ, clothed with Christ, baptized into Christ occurred at a moment in time past and can never be altered. This doctrine is true forever. However, doctrine always demands "duty". In other words, believers now have a responsibility to practice a lifestyle and behaviors which are concordant or in keeping with our new position. In Ro 13:12, 13, 14 Paul is speaking to those who have already "put on" Christ in salvation and now he is calling for each believer to moment by moment "put on" the attitudes and actions associated with and made possible by our new life in Christ our covenant partner. The Bible uses other terms such as justification ("past tense salvation") to describe our position in Christ and sanctification ("present tense salvation") to describe our practice in Christ. (Click for several tables summarizing past, present and future tense salvation). What will this new behavior look like according to Paul? Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. (Romans 13:13-note) And so we note that Paul gives 2 commands meant to enable us as covenant partners with Christ to live out our new life in Him. (1) Put on (tense = aorist imperative= do it now, it's urgent) the Lord Jesus Christ (note "Lord" = kurios = master, owner, possessor - we are no longer to live as if we were our own) Note: To put on Christ is to daily and moment by moment adopt His whole lifestyle and live as He lived (2) Make no provision for the flesh (the corrupt nature inherited from Adam which is centered upon self, prone to sin, and opposed to God - Clickfurtheranalysis of"flesh") in regard to its lusts (see commentary Ro 13:14) (See note) Notice that the tense of "make" is present imperativewhich in concert with the Greek negative literally means "Stop doing this!" "Stop continually making provision!" implying that they were making plans for the strong desires latent in their old flesh nature, a fallen which, although "dethroned" is still present in believers. The difference now is that believers are "strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2Ti 2:1-note); cp the role of "grace" as our instructor in Titus 2:11-note, Titus 2:12-note, "teaches" in Titus 2:12NIV) and enabled by Spirit (Ro 8:13-note) to say "yes" to Jesus (Spirit gives us the "want to") and "no" to the flesh (Spirit gives us the "don't want to") (see our responsibility to work out your salvation while God is working in us to enable that working out - Php 2:12-note, Php 2:13-note, cp Ezekiel 36:26, 27). The word "provision" (word study) is pronoia (from pró = before + noiéo = think, so literally "think before"). We think about the sin that "pleases" us and make plans for it. The point is that most sinful behavior results from wrong ideas and lustful desires we allow to linger in our minds for as James teaches "each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (James 1:14,15-notes) Paul commands us to put provision aside as if it were dirty, filthy clothes. A New Self = A New Man Ephesians 4:21-32 In Ephesians 4Paul describes what happened to our "filthy rags" when we entered into covenant the Lord Jesus and He gave us His robe explaining that... 21 If (or since = following is assumed true) indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH, EACH ONE of you, WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. 26 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun godown on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (see notes Ephesians 4:21-32) (Red = commands) Summing up the truths as related to covenant we see that... (1) We Laid asideOLD SELF (Old Self = all I was in the filthy garment of Adam before I put on Christ's robe of righteousness at salvation) (Ephesians 4:22 - see note) (2) WE ARE BEING Renewed in spirit of your mind (This process began the moment we entered the new covenant and is occurring continually in our lives as the Holy Spirit takes the truth of the Word and renews our thinking at the core level, transforming us from glory to glory) (Ephesians 4:23 - see note) Note that some commentators feel Ephesians 4:22, 23, 24 represents instructions to be followed. Others, feel these describe past tense events that took place the moment we were converted and thus equate with our position. Stated another way, our position now is that at a point in time in the past when we received Christ by faith, the Spirit did a work in us. At that moment we laid aside the Old Self and put on the New Self. In other words this spiritual exchange (new for old) was an instantaneous past completed action which was produced by the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation. Notice that in Ephesians 4:25 Paul begins with "therefore" (term of conclusion). The idea is that since at the time of salvation we have put off the old self and put on the new self, now empowered by the Spirit Who energizes the new person we are in Christ, we have a responsibility to daily put this new life into practice by putting off and putting on the following specific attitudes and actions, as described in Eph 4:25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. The chart below summarizes the "filthy rags" we need to take off and fling aside so that our practice corresponds to our new position and identity as those clothed in robes of Christ's righteousness...dear Christian, covenant partner of Christ, beloved of the Father, how are you doing in each of these areas? Our Daily Bread has the following devotional related to this passage...Spiritual Reupholstering - When we moved into our home 5 years ago, we discovered that the former owner had left us six dining room chairs. They were covered with fabric of beautiful African art—tasteful zebra stripes. We appreciated the unexpected gifts and used them frequently when entertaining guests. When we recently moved again, those chairs needed a makeover to match our new decor. So I called an upholsterer and asked, "Shouldn't we just put the new material over the existing fabric?" He responded, "No, you'll ruin the shape of the chair if you just put new material over the old." The work of God in our lives is similar. He's not interested in merely changing our spiritual appearance. Instead, He intends to replace our character with what is called "the new man," made in the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:24). The flesh has a tendency to perform religious activity, but this is not the work of the Holy Spirit. He will completely transform us on the inside. But the process is a partnership (Philippians 2:12, 13). As we daily lay aside our old behaviors and replace them with godly ones, the God of grace works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. These words of our Lord (Matthew 18:3) refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God's, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must "put on the new man . . ." (Ep 4:24-note). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us. To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, "I won't submit." We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God. ><>><>><> A New Practice Colossians 3 After spending two chapters explaining the truth about the believer's position in Christ, in Colossians 3 Paul turns to the believer's practice. He first reminds us about our new "robe" or our new position and new power. 1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Observe that the truth in Col 3:1 (note) assures us that we can now walk in newness of life, for if we have been raised up the implication is that we have "resurrection power" to live the Christ life. Knowing however that how we think always determines how we behave, Paul gives two commands we are to continually strive to obey.... (1) Seek (make this the habit of your live) the things above (2) Set your mind (make this the habit of your live) on things above, not on things on the earth (as we think so we will act) (Col 3:1-note; Col 3:2-note) In Col 3:3 (note) Paul reaffirms the truth that a supernatural transaction has taken place in us at the moment we entered the New Covenant -- we died (i.e., our old self was crucified with Christ) and this immutable covenant is secured by the fact that we are now permanently (perfect tense = happened at a point in time with continuing effect -- speaks of permanent effect) hidden with Christ in God. Dearly beloved, remember that nothing, absolutely nothing can negate or reverse this grand truth. You are secure with your faithful Friend and covenant Partner Christ Jesus...forever! And in Col 3;4 (note) Paul explains how it is possible to fulfill our responsibility to live in a manner worthy of our Covenant Partner. How? Christ...our life! There is no verb (no "is" in the original Greek) so direct and complete is this relationship. Paul summarizes this same life changing, mysterious truth in Galatians 2:20 declaring... "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20 - see notes) And as if this truth were not enough, Paul reminds us that (1) Christ will return and (2) we will be revealed with Him. These truth serve to motivate us to diligently seek to purify ourselves just as He is pure, to live for our Bridegroom Whose "clothes" we now wear, and as His bride daily performing righteous acts [put off's and put on's] which Revelation 19:8 (see note) describes as the "fine linen, bright and clean" we will one day soon wear at the marriage supper of the Lamb) (see notes Colossians 3:3; Colossians 3:4). Note that it has been estimated that roughly one in twenty verses in the NT speak directly or indirectly about the Second Coming of our Lord. Living in the light of His imminent return should motivate us to walk accordingly. John echoes this sentiment in his first epistle writing... And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming....2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1John 2:28, 3:2, 3) In Col 3:12-note Paul reminds us of our new identity in Christ's "garment of salvation" explaining that we are "chosen of God, holy (eternally set apart from this temporal world by God and for God) and beloved (which should motivate us to please the One Who "clothed" us) Based on the truths Paul has summarized in Colossians 3:1, 2, 3, 4, what are some of the "filthy rags" we need to take off and fling aside so that our practice corresponds to our new identity as those clothed in robes of Christ's righteousness? PUT OFF PUT ON Col 3:5 immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed = idolatry Col 3:8, 9 anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, lying Col 3:12, 13, 14 heart of compassion, kindness humility gentleness patience bearing with one another forgiving one another put on love Col 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you (Ephesians 5:18 parallel = filled with the Spirit) Our Daily Bread has the following devotional related to this passage... No Lie (based on "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. — Col 3:9-note) - A college football coach resigns after admitting he falsified his academic and athletic credentials. A career military officer confesses to wearing combat decorations he did not earn. A job applicant acknowledges that her stated experience in "food and beverage oversight" was actually making coffee each morning at the office. Within each of us is a tendency to embellish the truth in order to impress others. Whether on a job résumé or in casual conversation, exaggeration comes naturally—but we pay a price. Small lies usually grow larger as we try to avoid discovery. Then we wonder how we ever got ourselves into such a predicament. The Bible says, "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Col 3:9, 10-note). In other words, if we've placed our faith in Jesus as our Savior, lying is inconsistent with what God expects us to be. The antidote to the poison of self-promotion is a growing Christlikeness—a spirit of mercy, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love (Col 3:12, 13, 14-see notes Col 3:12; 13; 14). How does Hebrews describe Jesus' taking on a "robe" in the likeness of man? Hebrews 2teaches that ... we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God (grace prompted by unbounded love moved Jesus to suffer in our place. ) He might taste ("taste" is a Hebrew metaphor that does not mean "to sample" but to partake fully, to taste with the mouth and yielding the metaphorical sense "come to know", the idea being that Jesus died, with all that that entails = conveys the truth that Jesus was our Substitute) death (ultimate curse of man's lost destiny) for everyone (the cross conquering the curse and opening the way for man to receive a the crown again, having originally been given dominion over the earth)... 14 Since then the children share (koinonia = have fellowship, communion = having something in common with others, in this case flesh and blood) in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook (means to take hold of something that is not naturally one's own kind = Jesus was not by nature flesh and blood, but willingly took hold of it out of love for us in order to die in our place and allow us to take hold of the divine nature which was not naturally ours, see 2Pe 1:4-note) of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil (Sin gives Satan power over fallen man and the wages of sin is death, thus he had the power of death and sought to keep unregenerate men in sin so that when they died they would go into eternal death) 15 and might deliver (with the "weapon" of eternal life testified to by His resurrection) those who through fear of death (the "king of terrors", see 1Cor 15:55 "O death where is your sting?") were subject to slavery all their lives (Death was like a cruel dictator who we feared because of the finality of his "decree" - believers have by faith placed themselves into the arms of their new Master and King Who conquered death and He will carry us safely through to the other side of the grave!). 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels (they do not experience redemption as does man), but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham (as described above, "Abraham's offspring" Gal 3:29). 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things (speaking again of Jesus taking on fallen man's "robe" in order that He might cut covenant and), that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest (He came not only to save us but to sympathize with us) in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted (Jesus identified with man and experienced what we experienced that He might sympathize with our weakness and yet without sin) in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (He 2:9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18-See notes He 2:9, 14; 15; 16; 17; 18) Jesus was made for a little while lower than angels so that by the grace of God He might taste death for fallen men but first He had to partake of the "garment" of flesh and blood (our humanity). The Son of God died as a Man that he might (1) Render powerless the Devil who had the power of death (2) Deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (3) Give help to those who are spiritual descendants of Abraham Jesus' identification with fallen man accomplished and specifically His suffering when He was tempted made Him ever able (the inherent power) to come to aid of (click boetheo= fromboe = cry out + theo = run so means to run to aid of one who cries out for help) those with whom He is in covenant when they are being tempted. (See expansion of this thought in discussion of the exchange of armor and belt) (see related study - The LORD my Helper) Application: Live Like a New Man! Have you cast off the filthy rags of unrighteousness you inherited from Adam and put on Christ's new "garment of salvation" by grace through faith? Now that you have a new "garment of salvation" and "robe of righteousness" are you fulfilling your responsibility to your Covenant partner by living accordingly? Are you daily and moment by moment putting off the filthy rags of the old self life and putting on the attitudes and behaviors of the new self, keeping your clothes "unstained by the world" (James 1:27-note) so that "so that when He appears, you may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1John 2:28)?: Who does the world see when they see you? Whose "clothes" do they see? To ask it another way, is your life a libel or a Bible to the lost world? Beloved are you making your "bridal gown" bright and clean by daily putting off the deeds of darkness and putting on the deeds of light, thinking and acting like Jesus, your Covenant Partner, your Bridegroom when He walked upon the earth in "your clothes"? "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (such as the put off's and put on's) And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." (Re 19:8, 9-notes Re 19:8; 9) Spurgeon writes No garment is so resplendent as that of a holy character. In this glorious robe our great High priest is evermore strayed, and he would have all his people adorned in the same manner. Then only are priests fit to appear before the Lord, and to minister for the profit of the people, when their lives are dignified with goodness. They must ever remember that they are God's priests, and should therefore wear the livery of their Lord, which is holiness: they are not only to have righteousness, but to bc clothed with it, so that upon every part of them righteousness shall be conspicuous. Whoever looks upon God's servants should see holiness if they see nothing else. Now, this righteousness of the ministers of the temple is prayed for in connection with the presence of the Lord; and this instructs us that holiness is only to be found among those who commune with God, and only comes to them through his visitation of their spirits. God will dwell among a holy people; and on the other hand, where God is the people become holy. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. And He put onrighteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. (Isaiah 59:17) (Messiah is speaking) I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10) Isaiah goes on to explain why men need to receive the righteous garments of Messiah that... all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. We have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away [far from God's favor, hurrying us toward destruction]" (Isaiah 64:6, Isa 64:6KJV) As in Isaiah 53:6 ("all of us like sheep have gone astray"), the prophet included himself among those confessing their utter unworthiness to be in God's presence. Isaiah employed the imagery of menstrual cloths used during a woman's period to picture uncleanness (cf. Lev. 15:19-24). This is true of the best behavior of unbelievers (cf. Phil. 3:5-8). (The MacArthur Study Bible) Click for an in depth discussion of the meaning of the Greek word baptizo. James Boice points out the use of baptizo in classical Greek literature. "Here we gain a great deal of help from classical Greek literature, for there is evidence that the Greek classical writers used the word baptizo from about 400 B.C. to the second century after Christ. In their writings baptizo always points to a change of identify [sic] by any means. Thus, to give a few quite general examples, it can refer to a change having taken place by immersing an object in a liquid, as in dying cloth; by drinking too much wine and getting drunk; by overexertion; and by other causes. "Of all the texts that might be cited from antiquity the one that makes greatest clarity of the distinct use of the two words is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. In it he used both the word bapto, which we have already seen means `to dip,' and the word `baptize' (baptizo). It is a recipe for making a pickle. Nicander says that the vegetable should first be dipped (bapto) into boiling water and then baptized (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Quite clearly, both operations had to do with immersing the vegetable in the solution. But the first was temporary while the other, the operation of baptizing the vegetable, produced a permanentchange. We could say that the baptizing had identified the vegetable with the brine....When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism... mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with Him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle!"...What does all this mean? Does it exclude water baptism? Definitely not. Water baptism is clearly mentioned in the Word of God. The point is, Interpret the word according to its meaning and metaphorical uses in the light of its immediate context." (Boice, The Gospel of John, Vol. 1 Baker Books, 2005) (Bolding added) OUR RESPONSIBILITY NEW CLOTHES AND IDENTITY CALL FOR A WALK "WORTHY" OF THE LORD The Greek word for Worthy(514) is axios [word study]which means weighing as much as, of like value or worth as much. The idea is that one thing has the weight of another thing and so is of like value or worth as much. Axioshas the root meaning of balancing the scales—what is on one side of the scale should be equal in weight to what is on the other side. By extension, the word came to be applied to anything that was expected to correspond to something else. A person worthy of his pay was one whose day's work corresponded to his day's wages. Paul uses axioswhen writing to the Philippian saints to "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Php 1:27-note). He is exhorting them to live their lives like what they are (citizens of heaven). Their conduct in a sense should "weigh as much as" (axios) that exhibited by their Covenant Partner Jesus during His time on the earth. In other words, they are to see to it that they practice what they preach, that their experience measures up to their new standing who are clothed in King Jesus' royal robe of righteousness. A good picture of axios is a set of scales that balance so that the same weight is on one side as on the other side. If Jesus is in me then enabled by the Spirit and depending continually on His grace, I need to live a lifestyle that will "Measure up" to Who is in me and which gives a proper opinion to the lost and perishing world (Mt 5:16-note). A "worthy walk" brings "forth fruit in keeping (axios) with repentance." (Mt 3:8) In other words, genuine repentance should have correspondingly genuine works, demonstrated in new attitudes and actions. Those who claim to know Christ, who claim to be clothed in His robe of righteousness, will demonstrate a new way of living that corresponds to ("has a weight that equates to" or is worthy of) the new birth garments. Saints are to walk "in a mannerworthy of the calling with which (we) have been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ep 4:1, 2, 3 -see notes Ep 4:1; 4:2; 4:3). The believer who walks in a manner worthy of the calling with which he has been called (our practice) is one whose daily living corresponds to the position of one who is wearing Christ's robe. In sum, our practical living should match our spiritual position. To summarize, those who have entered into the new covenant with Christ are called to (Hold pointer over blue links for pop up of the verse) In light of the "lateness of the hour" take a moment, beloved, to ponder the profound words of Adoniram Judson who literally gave up his life and worldly fame and success to take the gospel light to the spiritual darkness of Burma ... "A life once spent is irrevocable. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity...the same may be said of each day. When it is once past, it is gone forever. All the marks which we put upon it, it will exhibit forever...each day will not only be a witness of our conduct, but will affect our everlasting destiny....How shall we then wish to see each day marked with usefulness...! It is too late to mend the days that are past. The future is in our power. Let us, then, each morning, resolve to send the day into eternity in such a garb as we shall wish it to wear forever. And at night let us reflect that one more day is irrevocably gone, indelibly marked." "Oh, how many believers are making every provision for the flesh but are making no provision to go into His presence. My friend, I beg you to put Christ first in your life and to get out the Word of God. This is all important" The "Old Self" ("Old Man") is the worn out, useless, and unconverted sinful nature. The "Old Self" is the me that was rebellious against God, and insubordinate to God's law, and blind to God's glory, and unbelieving toward His promises. The "Old Self" describes all that a person is before conversion or all that he is as a child of Adam. The "Old Self" is the unregenerate person that was in Adam and was spiritually dead. The "Old Self" is continually being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit. The corruption occurs as a result of giving in to deceitful, evil cravings which are pleasant and promising in anticipation but hideous and disappointing in retrospect. Using the garment or robe analogy, the Old Self is all I was in Adam's clothes. Paul explains that "as in Adam (in "Adam's clothes") all die, so also in Christ (in "Christ's new covenant attire") all shall be made alive" (1Cor 15:22). Stated another way, if the Old Self isn't dead, conversion has not occurred. When we entered the New Covenant with Christ by grace through faith, our Old Self was crucified with Christ (see noteRomans 6:6), so that our body of sin (does not mean that the physical body is itself sinful but that our body can be the instrument which the power of Sin uses to carry out its deeds of darkness) was rendered inoperative (deprived of its force, influence and power over us). Now you may be asking "If my "Old Self" was crucified, why do I still have this propensity to commit sin?" The answer is that we still possess what Scripture refers to as the "flesh" (Clickin depth analysis offlesh) and the flesh is unredeemed. The term "flesh" (here not referring to the physical body) describes what remains of the "Old Self" or "Old Man" after a person is saved or redeemed. The "flesh" as our unredeemed humanness is a part of the believer that will remain with us until each of us receives our glorified body (Ro 8:23-note), at which time we are finally free from the presence of sin and the pleasure of sin (we will no longer possess the "flesh"). Until that wonderful day of glorification, every believer possesses or "consists of" a redeemed self living with an unredeemed humanness ("flesh"), and that creates great conflict. Stated another way, the flesh is that part of a believer that functions apart from and against the Spirit (see Chart contrasting in the flesh vs in the Spirit). Flesh stands against the work of the Spirit in the believer's new heart (cp Gal 5:17-note). The unsaved person often regrets the sinful things he does because of guilt and/or painful consequences, but he has no spiritual warfare going on within him, because he has only a fleshly nature and is devoid of the Spirit. The sinful things he does, though often disappointing and disgusting to him, are nevertheless consistent with his basic nature (his "Old Self") as an enemy of God and a child of God's wrath. The "Old Self" or "Old Man" therefore has no real internal conflict beyond whatever conscience may remain in his sinful state (Ro 2:14, 15-note). In the poem Maud, one of Tennyson's characters yearns, "Ah for a new man to arise in me, That the man I am may cease to be!" The Christian can say that a New Self (see below) has already arisen in him, but like Tennyson's character, he also must confess that the sinful part of his Old Self (i.e., the flesh) has not yet ceased to be. John MacArthur has an interesting note on the difference between the Old Self and the New Self writing that... The Old Man, the Old Self, is the unregenerate person. He is not part righteous and part sinful, but totally sinful and without the slightest potential within himself for becoming righteous and pleasing to God. The New Man (New Self), on the other hand, is the regenerate person. He is made pleasing to God through Jesus Christ and his new nature is entirely godly and righteous. He is not yet perfected or glorified, but he is already spiritually alive and holiness is at work in him. The new man will continue to grow in that holiness, no matter how slowly or falteringly, because, by its very nature, life grows. Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse wrote, Holiness starts where justification finishes, and if holiness does not start, we have the right to suspect that justification never started either (Romans, vol. 3 [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1961], 2:12). There is therefore simply no such thing as justification without sanctification. There is no such thing as divine life without divine living. The truly saved person lives a new and godly life in a new and godly realm. He now and forever lives in God's realm of grace and righteousness and can never again live in Satan's realm of self and sin. As the natural, sinful, unregenerate man cannot restrain the manifestation of what he is, neither can the regenerate man. (MacArthur, J: Romans 1-8. Moody) The "New Self" is the essence of what believers now are in covenant with Christ. This term describes our new position in Christ which gives us new potential to practice daily the putting off of filthy rags of darkness and putting on of righteous deeds of light by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our practice should also include a continual reckoning that the "Old Self" is dead and thus we are dead to the power of Sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Before we were saved, Sin was our Master and we had no power to say "No". Now as those who possess a "New Self", we have the power of a choice and can choose not to sin. Now as we practice saying "Yes" to Jesus, it becomes more natural (really supernatural) to say "No" to the flesh (see above discussion) and its strong desires to satisfy self. To reiterate, because the "Old Self" died in Christ, and the "New Self" lives in Christ, believers must put off remaining sinful deeds and be being continually renewed into the Christlikeness to which they were called. Old self = "WHO" we were was what was important New self = "WHOSE" we are is what is important John MacArthur explains the "New Self" as follows... "The word new (kainos) does not mean renovated but entirely new—new in species or character. The NEW SELF is new because it has been created in the likeness of God. The Greek is literally, "according to what God is"—a staggering statement expressing the wondrous reality of salvation. Those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord are made like God! Peter says we become "partakers of the divine nature" (2Pe 1:4-note). Many rescue missions have a delousing room, where derelicts who have not had a bath in months discard all their old clothes and are thoroughly bathed and disinfected. The unsalvageable old clothes are burned and new clothes are issued. The clean man is provided clean clothes. That is a picture of salvation, except that in salvation the new believer is not simply given a bath but a completely new nature. The continuing need of the Christian life is to keep discarding and burning the remnants of the old sinful clothing. The many therefore's and wherefores in the New Testament usually introduce appeals for believers to live like the new creatures they are in Christ. Because of our new life, our new Lord, our new nature, and our new power, we are therefore called to live a correspondingly new life–style. (MacArthur, J: Commentary on Ephesians, Moody Press ) 1Sa 18:1 says "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David". It may be helpful to see how some other Bible Versions handle this passage. The versions below are not literal but are interpretative translations (bolding added)... Bible in Basic English: Now after David's talk with Saul was ended, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and David became as dear to him as his very life. God's Word Translation: David finished talking to Saul. After that, Jonathan became David's closest friend. He loved David as much as he loved himself. NET Bible: When he had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in friendship. NIV: After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself New Living Translation: After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king's son. There was an immediate bond of love between them, and they became the best of friends. Revised English Version (not the RSV): "Jonathan had given his heart to David" Modern KJV: And it happened when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was joined with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as he did his own soul. In 1Samuel 18:1 the verb knit (Hebrew = qashar = 07194) shows that the very souls of these two men were bound together. Symbolically, when Jonathan gave David his robe David was "putting on Jonathan". In other words, Jonathan was giving his identity to David in this covenant. In this covenant between two men, we see a clear difference from the Genesis covenants between men, for in Jonathan's covenant with David was one of friendship not of fear. Observe that several of the translations interpret this relationship as friendship, which in the ancient near east was a concept closely related to covenant and generally conveyed a much closer bond than the word "friend" in our modern culture. One ancient writer described friendship as "an entire sameness and one soul; a friend is another self.'' In our modern vernacular we would call them "soul mates" and in light of cutting covenant we might even say they were "blood brothers". The Apostle Paul gives a New Testament picture of a "Jonathan-David" like relationship with Timothy, his beloved son (in the faith) in his letter (from a Roman prison) to the saints who composed the body of Christ at Philippi encouraging them with the news that... "I hope (does not mean "hope so" but expresses a absolute certainty in something future) in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged (Greek eupsucheo which is literally "be well in the soul") when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned (expresses a strong feeling for someone often to the point of being burdened) for your welfare. For they all (continually) seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus (so here we see that all those who have "clothed themselves with Christ" seek His interests, not their own personal interests). But you know of his proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father." (Php 2:19, 20, 21, 22-notes) Why was Timothy Paul's kindred spirit? Paul explains (1) that he could be assured that Timothy would give a reliable report of the saint's (spiritual) condition, (2) that he would be "genuinely concerned" for them, (3) that he would not seek after his own interests (i.e., he was single-minded) and (4) that Timothy was a man of proven character or tested value. The Greek word for "kindred spirit" is the adjective isopsuchos, derived from two words, ísos meaning equal or exactly alike and psuche, meaning soul or mind, this combination meaning "equal souled", "one-souled" or like-minded. "Kindred spirit" describes two individuals who are activated by the same motives, desires and goals, in this case to please the One with Whom they were in Covenant. Timothy is a wonderful example of a saint who wonderfully fulfilled his responsibility to his new covenant identity of one who had been clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The message of the covenant between Jonathan and David is similar to the relationship between Paul and Timothy in that the two souls had become one. David clearly still possessed his own unique personality but as result of cutting covenant was now clothed with the robe that symbolized his covenant partner Jonathan. In the practical outworking of this identity, the recipient clearly surrenders self interest (Php 2:19, 20, 21, 22-notes above). In a mystical sense (like in the marriage covenant where "two become one" Ge 2:24) there is a merging of the two natures into one and it is shown by the fact that they have common motives, interests, goals, etc. The discerning reader might ask why was Jonathan's soul knit to David? The text gives us only one obvious answer "because he loved him as if he was his own soul". But then why did Jonathan love David as himself? The text does not clearly answer but Matthew Henry offers the following thought which is plausible... Jonathan, who was heir to the crown, entered into covenant with him, God so ordering it (Ed note: providentially arranging), that David's way might be the clearer when his rival was his friend. (bolding added) Could God have providentially ordained their relationship as closest of friends? If God is sovereign and in complete control of every circumstance in our life (which He is!), then this explanation is at least a reasonable consideration. In 2 Chronicles 36:22 as one example of God's working in history in the heart of an individual, we read that in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia-- in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah-- the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom..." Cyrus' degree allowed the Jews to return home after 70 years of Babylonian exile. So clearly God could have ordered the steps of Jonathan and David by moving in the hearts of these two men. The word "soul" (Hebrew nephesh, Strong's 5315) can have several nuances in the OT including life in general, a person, or a person's whole being. In the present verse, "soul" signifies a person's entire being. For example when David prays "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me" (Ps 103:1-note) he is blessing the LORD with his entire being. The point is that the friendship between Jonathan and David was not just a passing acquaintance, but one which reflected the fact that they cared for each other from the depths of their innermost beings (their very souls). The verb "knit" (Hebrew qashar, Strong's 7194) is used in a similar manner in the following passage in Genesis 44:30, 31 where Jacob's son Judah is addressing (unbeknownst to him at the time) his brother Joseph, who is second in command to Pharaoh: Now, therefore, when I (Judah) come to your servant my father (Jacob), and the lad is not with us, since his (Jacob's) life (Hebrew nephesh = soul) is bound up in the lad's (Benjamin's) life (Hebrew nephesh = soul), it will come about when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he (Jacob) will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. This passage in Genesis shows that the basic meaning of "bound up" is that there is a special "bond of love" between the two people The thought is that Jacob's life or desire to go on living depends on Benjamin's life, and therefore on his safety and safe return home. This gives one a picture of the closeness of the relationship of between Jonathan to David. Many men have never experienced a friendship to this level (other than with our spouse and sadly in some marriages not even there!) and therefore it is somewhat difficult to fully comprehend the essence of this bond. Hughes comments that... Jonathan saw that David viewed life from the same divine perspective (God is sovereign and does as He pleases, and all of life is to be lived for Him). And when he saw this, his soul reflexively clung to David's. Here was a man whose heart beat with his!...a Christian friendship exceeds anything that exists between nonbelievers — for such a friendship is founded on a supernatural mutuality of soul. The Holy Spirit makes your souls chorus the same cries. You assent to the same authority. You know the same God. You are going the same way. You long for the same things. You dream mutual dreams. You yearn for the same experiences of holiness and worship. Jonathan's soul bound itself to David's soul. You know when this happens, and it is wonderful. (Hughes, R. K. Disciplines of a Godly Man)
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http://preceptaustin.org/covenant_the_exchanging_of_robes.htm
(Q): In what way does the natal chart help diagnose a physical medical problem? Is it that you can see the past-life cause of the particular problem? Do you then work with remedies that are specific to the afflicted organs that are implicated, or the particular chakra that is involved through energy work? If an ailment is karmic, or manifests because of a refusal to work on an issue, does the block need to be integrated consciously before the ailment will be resolved? Is it sort of incurable until the necessary change has occurred in the Soul of the person? (A): The essence of astrology is a natural science based on correlation and observation. Thus, over thousands of years correlations have been developed that connect to the entire anatomy and physiology of the human body. Once these correlations are understood, it is not all that difficult to understand in any chart what areas within the body may have potential difficulties; i.e., Saturn squaring Jupiter, for example, in general, can correlate among other things, to a restriction in the sciatic nerves or a very slow metabolism process. The chakra system also has its own correlations. In western terminology the chakras translate into to what are called spinal plexuses. Combining the two systems can lead to a very precise understanding of the entire body for any given person/ birth chart and the psychological reasons for whatever conditions are apparent. We must remember that if we walk up to a corpse and put bread in its mouth, it can not chew; there must be a consciousness present for it to chew. Thus, the consciousness, psychology, is the determining factor for what is happening in the body. What is happening in the body is a reflection of the genetic structure that each incarnating soul 'inherits' from its parents at birth, as the parents, as well as the overall life circumstances, are chosen by the soul, to promote and facilitate its evolutionary growth, necessities, and karmic issues. Thus, the genetic structure combined with all the prior lives of any soul that apply to the current life combine in such a way as to determine the total situation of the physical body in any given life. Some conditions in the body are karmically determined for whatever reasons, and, when this is the case, one of two situations exists: (1) the condition cannot be healed in the current life no matter what healer does what, or (2) it is determined for a specific length of time, which itself can be determined by the Soul's ability, willingness, or capacity to understand the actual causes and then to do something about it. Astrological markers for Multiple Sclerosis (Q): I take it that Saturn in Aquarius, or in stressful aspect to Uranus, could indicate possible MS. Since medical research also points to it being an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system, could we also look to stressful aspects between Neptune and Uranus, Uranus in Pisces, etc? Could we also pull in Mercury as the lower octave of Uranus? What else might be an indicator? (A): Mars in stressful aspect to Uranus or Neptune; Uranus or Neptune in the third house with stressful aspects to them; Uranus or Neptune in the sixth or 12th house with stressful aspects to them. Lupus (Q): Can you suggest any herbs or supplements for a woman with lupus? Her most severe complaints are IBS, an inability to maintain potassium, and joint pain. Kidney test results are OK, but my feeling is there is a shutting down. Her father died with lupus due to kidney failure at 44; she is 48. (A): I know of nothing to treat lupus. One thing that can help the joint pain is homeopathic calc phos and mag phos taken at a very high level. These two compounds induce the body to secrete synovial fluids, which are like lubricators for the joints and bones. (Q): What primary indicators do you see for lupus in natal chart? (A): Neptune receiving stressful aspects; planets in Pisces receiving stressful aspects; planets in the 12th house receiving stressful aspects; a stellium of Pisces planets in the sixth; Neptune in the fourth in opposition to Saturn, Uranus, or Pluto in the 10th; or Neptune squaring the nodes. (Q): In this chart Pisces/Virgo are on the 12th/6th cusps, respectively, with no planets in either house; however, Neptune rx at 7 Libra is squared by Mars/Uranus/Moon in Cancer in the fourth. (A): That's the genetic signature from her family of origin. (Q): Her Sun/Mercury rx/Venus in Gemini in the third are inconjunct Saturn rx in Scorpio in the eighth. (A): This now makes it specific to the father. To me, this is a pattern wherein the soul did not want to be born into the current life in the first place relative to unresolved traumas from other times and carries a resistance to earth life because of this, which is the cause of the lupus. Osteoporosis (Q): You have mentioned licorice root as being helpful for osteoporosis. Do you have a special blend, and if so, is it still possible to get this? (A): No, I have no special blend; it is just the use of the herb by itself. Health problems associated with Pluto transit (Q): What are the health problems that could occur when transiting Pluto opposes natal Saturn and squares the natal Moon at the same time? Is it a sure thing that the person will endure continual depression, or is there a way to avoid continuous depression during a transit like this? (A): A lot would depend on the actual houses of the natal Saturn and Moon. In general, on a medical level it can correlate to a buildup of toxins within the bone marrow, which is then reflected through the lymphatic and endocrine systems. The first symptom for that is swelling and a breakdown in the integrity of the b and t cells that manifest from the bone marrow, which can then implicate immune system issues. There can be a loss of relevant levels of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and iodine relative to the thyroid, as well as an imbalance between the white and red blood cells, with the worst case manifesting as leukemia. An imbalance in the digestive enzymes can cause digestive problems and an imbalance in insulin can indicate pancreatic problems. There can be eruptions on the skin: boils, tumors, and abscesses, as well as a buildup of water behind the eye, as in glaucoma. In a woman's chart, there can be problems in the uterus and/or ovaries, vaginal infections, strange discharges through the vagina, with the worst case manifesting as uterine, ovarian, or cervical cancer or fibroid type tumors within the womb or cysts on the ovaries. These are examples of what can happen, but it is not an exhaustive list. Psychologically, the intent is reflection upon the past, with this reflection manifesting typically as what folks call depression, but depression again is really reflection. The intent in this reflection is to focus on all the existing inner dynamics that have been in place in such a way as to determine how each dynamic has been responsible for creating the person's life circumstances to date. The intent within this is to learn in hindsight and then to apply what is learned to the new evolutionary cycle that is trying to be born so that the past is not duplicated into the future. In addition, this transit can correlate to an almost total loss of meaning for living, no sense of real purpose anymore. The worst case scenarios can produce thoughts of suicide or actual suicide. The consequence to a person who has no sense of purpose or meaning for living is, of course, suicide. Intense emotions like grief, self-defeat, and futility can all manifest for no 'apparent' reason. Plutonian repression (constipation) in relation to Pluto transits (Q): Is there a remedy, ritual or technique you recommend to relieve periods of deeply compressed constipation. This is only for certain periods of severe constipation brought on by a Plutonian transit, when the famous Plutonian repression even outpowers the lifelong remedy of Sanicle tincture. Is there a method to physically induce the Plutonian person into coming into direct contact with the repression? Any sort of ritual that will help unblock and free the Plutonian person at such a deeply repressed time or help them uncover why is this happening at this particular period? (A): Yes, if the degree of compressed constipation is such that not even the sanicle tincture works, then a much more intense method needs to be employed: self-administered colonics. You will find in so doing that even the act of drawing water into yourself, when it begins to reach the upper recesses, will in fact produce quite a bit of pain until the compressed material is removed. Even the act of eliminating the water from within will usually generate a lot of 'heat' and physical discomfort. It is exactly when this heat or pain occurs that you can feel deeply within what this discomfort and heat is linked to: actual cellular memories. So if you have the courage to look at it, you can probably find out what the cause of all this is. Normally, it is linked with unresolved trauma of a sexual or emotional nature. Abortion (Q): What would be the signature in the chart of a woman who is carrying a lot of guilt from an abortion in the current lifetime? Would you look at planets and signs in and corresponding to the fourth, fifth and eighth houses, as related to the sign Virgo? (A): There are many potential signatures for that, and the ones you have mentioned certainly apply. Medical correlations for a client (Q): I have a client in 1st stage individuated with the following chart: The Ascendant is 14 Leo. Pluto is at 5 Virgo in the first house; the South Node is at 24 Pisces in the eighth house, conjunct Mercury at 16 Pisces in the eighth. Uranus is at 18 Leo in the first. Neptune and the Moon are conjunct at 9 and 15 Scorpio, respectively, in the fourth; Jupiter is at 28 Sagittarius in the fifth, and Saturn is at 14 Capricorn in the sixth. Mars/Venus are conjunct at 26/27 Capricorn in the sixth, and Chiron is at 27 Aquarius in the seventh conjunct a 29 degree Aquarian Sun. She is having pain in her pelvic area, lower back, hip, and upper thigh area on the right. She places it mostly in her root and sacral chakras, with 'spidery' energy extending up to the naval chakra. She says she feels like she's holding something from the past that now needs to be released, but she doesn't know what. With this signature, I'm thinking that there is blockage due to guilt from patriarchal conditioning concerning her sexuality, but I can't get beyond that and how to help her. I'd appreciate any help you could offer. (A): This is a long and complicated situation involving deep conflicts between spirit and flesh and the guilt because of that. The underlying problem is the nature of the beliefs which serve as how she interprets phenomena: Jupiter square the nodes. As long as patriarchal beliefs are adhered to, then of course this conflict occurs. Because of this conflict, there have been many lives in which she has felt that she has 'sinned' against God because of the strong and dominant sexual energy that her soul has carried. Within that, there is even a deep, repressed anger at the patriarchal God itself because of her sexual nature and identity. I do not want to get into an extensive analysis, so let me say in short that because of this conflict leading to guilt, which, of course, she has needed to 'atone' for, she has created certain kinds of lives in which that atonement plays out in intense and severe ways. The last life would perfectly illustrate the situation. Her last life was during World War II in Japan, in which the government rounded up thousands of Japanese women to serve as sexual slaves for the Japanese army. She was then subjected to repeated sexual assaults of a sustained and ongoing basis resulting in an absolute loss of control, absolute humiliation and a deep sense of contamination because of this. This then correlates to memories within the soul that manifest within the body as 'cellular memories,' and it is these memories that are causing the condition you speak of because the memories within the soul are still deeply repressed due to the horrifying nature of them. This repression thus affects the underlying 'circulation' of blood within her body, meaning it is restricted. In turn, this causes a build up of 'lactic acid' in the red blood cells which in turn compounds and causes further restriction within the muscles and nerves, focusing in the lower back (Mars/Venus). This manifests as restriction upon the sciatic nerves, kidneys, and adrenals. It is this restriction on those nerves that causes the 'spidery' feeling that you speak of. This spidery effect is the nerves themselves relative to the electrical impulses. The obvious soul intention is to radically change her 'beliefs' in this life (Jupiter squaring nodes) from patriarchal to natural, which then changes how she not only interprets reality in general, but specifically reorienting to the natural and evolving God'ess. The resolution of the conflict between spirit and flesh resolves in this way. The remedies I would suggest she take would be 500 mg per day of pantothenic acid, which will dissolve the excessive build of the lactic acid, which will then allow the muscles and nerves to relax. Combine this with 200 mg per day of niacin to forcefully restore proper circulation, a complex B vitamin, and the Chinese herb Fo-ti taken as a tincture: 25 eye drops on the tongue three times per day. The specific remedy for the sciatic nerves is the herb wintergreen taken as a tea. Physically, I would recommend hatha or raja yoga with specific emphasis on the 'spinal twist', the 'ear closing pose', and the cobra, which will serve as a fulcrum release for the energy build up and repression in the naval chakra. Prepare her for that one, because when she first does it, she will feel like she is doing a 360 in her head which is the symbol for the freeing up of the energy. Epilepsy (Q1): Have you had clients with epilepsy: petite mal? I am assuming that it would be exacerbated with the Uranian transit through Aquarius and the new dendrite growth. Besides additional B-12 to support the myelinated nerves and Fo-ti tincture to support dendrite growth, are there other physical supplements you might recommend? This condition onset at puberty, not birth, following a head trauma, but there was no concussion. (A): I don't know what else I would recommend. (Q2): I had a client with epilepsy. She had a stellium in Libra in the first house, and I put her on Kava Kava, which seemed to help. Another herbalist put her on Reishi Mushroom and a few other things that I could find out for you if you are interested. (Q3): I suffer from seizures due to scar tissue from brain tumor surgery 14 years ago. Interesting new studies on epilepsy in children show that going on a low carb diet for two years can eliminate seizures. Read Life Without Bread available from An endocrinologist explains it well. (Q): Do you happen to know any herbal treatments for someone with chronic asthma? A friend is seeing a Chinese doctor, and she is prescribing a tea made of dried earthworms. Do you have any ideas on this? (A): Yes, there is a company called Gaia GS that sells a product called 'Jeffrey's Lung Formula' that is a very powerful, natural medicine for the lungs for all kinds of conditions, including asthma. It is made of four things: the herbs hyssop, mullein, and Echinacea, which are combined with an extract of garlic. (A2) From Jay Puryear at Gaia GS) If you need the products: Jeffrey's Lung Formula, Sanicle, or Fo-ti, you can contact us at 800-994-9355 or by e-mail at gaiags@home.com. We do this to be of service and will either give you the formula to make yourself or you can purchase this bottled product from us. (Q): Can you give us directions on how to make the lung formula? (A): Use equal parts of the dried herbs (Echinacea, hyssop and mullein) to fill a quart jar half full, then add olive (or vegetable) oil to fill up the rest of the jar and place a lid on it. Soak the herbs for two weeks and then strain. Separately, simmer a clove of diced garlic in olive oil for approximately 30 minutes so that you have an herb oil and a garlic oil. Then you mix, for example, 3/4 cup of herb oil with 1/4 cup of garlic oil and place it in a dark jar and refrigerate it. It will last for a long time - up to two years. The dosage is 25 drops a day, 3 times a day, on the tongue. Blood Sugar (A): Which planets/signs correlate to the body's blood sugar level, and where one would look in a chart to find indication of excessively high or low blood sugar? Also, is there a natural remedy for either condition? (A): Yes, this is always a Pluto, Scorpio, or eighth house problem because of its direct linkage or correlation to the pancreas, which is regulating the levels of sugar in the system relative to insulin. The antidote is an herb called Sanicle, which must be prepared as a tincture. In that form the dosage is 25 eye drops on the tongue, three times a day. Jupiter retrograde (Q): You have said that Jupiter retrograde can correlate to problems with a person's metabolism due to a deficiency of iodine. Is there a natural treatment or remedy to improve that condition? (A): Either natural kelp, which is full of iodine, or homeopathic idium, which is iodine. Idium is quite toxic, so if you choose to use that, visit a professional homeopath to determine the right dose for you. Medical correlations for Saturn (Q): In my somewhat limited notes from class last year I have the following correlations for Saturn and am just checking on accuracy: B & T cells, skeleton, marrow (source of B&T cells), spinal discs, structure of brain, skin, key minerals in body, manic depression, migraines. I also recorded that Pluto is the ruler of the spine. Since the spine is part of the skeleton, is Pluto like a sub ruler within the skeletal system of the area of the spine? If so, are there other sub rulers of the skeleton, like the skull (Aries, Mars), the hands (Gemini/Mercury), but all under the primary rulership of Saturn (bones)? (A): Pluto correlates to the 'sushumna' of the actual fluids within the spinal column. Yes, to the sub rulers. Saturn and bad back (Q): I know someone who has a disc that slipped out a few years ago and now is experiencing stomach problems. Chiropractors have not been able to help her pop the disc in but only to relieve the pain for a short while. In her chart she has Saturn in the 10th house in Gemini opposing Jupiter in Scorpio and Neptune in Sagittarius in the fourth, with all this squaring the nodes, which are the south node in Leo in the 12th and the north node conjunct Mars in Aquarius in the sixth. Is this the reliving of some old trauma, and/or do these symbols indicate that it is a "chronic" condition that must be experienced for some reason? Also transiting Uranus is currently passing over the north node/Mars. (A): Yes, this is a karmic pattern, which means it was fated from birth. The cause is unresolved traumas of a sexual and psychological nature that are deeply repressed relative to the naval and root chakras, thus the conditions that you describe. Also, the entire sciatic nervous system would be implicated, which will compound the problem, along with the pancreas, duodenum, and liver with sympathetic reactions in the colon and intestine and the peristaltic action therein. The current transit you point out means it is time for her to address those suppressed traumas and the reasons she needed to create them for herself - to own them versus being a victim to them - then the karma will be removed and the conditions will stabilize. (Q): As she confronts these issues and begins to deal with them are there any foods/herbs that would help ease the symptoms and/or things that should be avoided so as not to irritate the different organs/nervous system/spine? (A): A tincture of sanicle, 25 eye drops per day; the herb wintergreen, made into a tea; colonics that have a pinch of the herb catnip, which helps promote tonality and peristaltic action; 500 mg per day of pantothenic acid; vitamin B complex; and niacin. She should build up her system slowly with the niacin; perhaps use 25mg of the 'flush' kind at a time, and work up to about 300 mg per day. She can also use Vitalitea and do some yoga postures like the cobra for sure, and the spinal twist. And she should get deep tissue massage. Spinal disc damage (Q): My son's stepdaughter is currently in Germany in the Army. The doctor is going to run an MRI on her, as he suspects disc damage. Considering that she has Saturn in Scorpio in the third in a new phase conjunction to Pluto in Libra in the third, this is probably genetic damage. The Saturn/Pluto conjunction opposes her Aries Sun and Mars in Taurus in the ninth and inconjuncts her Venus in Gemini in the 10th. What would be the holistic approach to help the problem? (A): To help her understand the psychological causes for the physical condition. This signature also correlates to a high degree of stress in the adrenals, kidneys, and sciatic nerves. Lymph system (Q): What planet/sign rules the lymphatic system? (A): Pluto and the Moon. Medical situation doctors can't diagnose (Q1): I have a client with a medical situation the doctors can't figure out. She has Mercury at 12 Sagittarius, the Sun at 15 Sagittarius, and an Ascendant of 18 Aquarius, with Pluto at 16 Leo on the Descendant. The transits have been tough for awhile! They have monitored her and found that her heart beats regularly during the day but irregularly at night. She has been having mini strokes and has lost her sight in her left eye. Now her right eye is acting up. They don't know what it is but suspect it may be . Multiple Sclerosis. I have Carl Jansky's book and Eileen Nauman's, but are there any other good reference books in print? In looking at Eileen Nauman's book I found reference to orotic acid as ruled by Pluto and which regenerates cells. "MS is thought to stem from a deficiency of orotic acid." This is also called Vitamin B-13. Have you heard of it? Uranus in Aquarius is also related to nerve degeneration, blurring of vision and strokes. The doctors are at a loss and say she's "going fast." Do you know of anything that can help her? (Q2): Reinhold Ebertin's "Astrological Healing: The History and Practice of Astromedicine" is still in print and available through amazon.com. I still have so much to learn about the medical stuff. Is your client's Mercury Sun in the 10th or 11th house? You mention that Uranus in Aquarius relates to nerve degeneration, blindness and strokes; i.e., if the Sun is in the 11th, this could relate to the blindness in the left eye (woman), and also to the strokes. But then what are the causes of/reasons for this? Is her Moon in Pisces or Aquarius? I'll be interested to see the answer about this as well. (A): I would have to see the whole chart. There is not enough information in what you have presented. One compound that may help would be lipoic acid, which acts as a precursor to boost all natural physiological functions of the body. It is also the number one remover of free radicals and acts to reverse degenerating nerves wherever they may exist in the body. The correct dosage would be 200 mg per day combined with magnesium and calcium. (Q1): Her birth data is December 7, 1948; 11:33 am; Oklahoma City, OK. Her Sun/Mercury conjunction is in the tenth squaring her eight degree Pisces Moon in the first and eight degree Virgo Saturn in the seventh. She runs a hypnotherapy institute and runs herself ragged (Capricorn Mars conjunct Jupiter in the 11th). Thanks for the lipoic acid suggestion. If you see any more, it would really be appreciated. Rulership of the physical body (Q): Do Aries/Mars/1st House correlate to the physical body? If not, what does? (A): No, it does not. The various signs, planets, and houses all correlate to different parts of the body and its physiology. The body in total, as a 'container' for the soul, correlates to Saturn, Capricorn, and the 10th house. Epididymitis (Q): I am currently counseling a client who suffers from epididymitis (inflammation, pain and swelling in the structure which lies on and around each testicle). His birth data is August 13, 1971; 9:45 am; Vancouver, BC. I was thinking of pumpkin seeds and zinc, but would you recommend anything else? (A): To my knowledge, that condition is caused by an external infection that is normally associated either with the person himself who is having intercourse with someone who is infected and/or a person who has a partner who is not being faithful: Contracting the infection from another and then giving it to their partner thru intercourse. The underlying source of the infection is normally treated with antibiotics. The remedies you mention can 'contain' it but not heal it. Eczema (Q): What do you recommend as treatment to clients who have eczema? (A): Homeopathically gelsemium, tinctures of sanicle and Fo-ti, niacin (the flush kind), Vitamin B complex, and pantothenic acid. Nutritionally, I recommend lots and lots of water and having one's primary food intake be grains, green and yellow vegetables and minimizing the intake of meat, although organic meat once a week is a good idea because of the specific enzyme that the body needs that can only be found in meat. (Q): Do you make correlations between skin disorders and excessive worry, depression, and/or neurological disorders? (A): Yes. (Q): Have you seen a significant number of clients with stressed out Saturn/Mercury having skin problems? (A): Yes, and also with Mercury in the 10th house or in Capricorn. Colitis (Q): I was going over the medical astrology again and see that colitis correlates to Pluto specifically. Could we also implicate Virgo in the equation and, if so, is there a greater tendency for colitis in the Pluto in Virgo generation? Finally, what natural remedies do you recommend with clients with this problem? (A): Virgo correlates specifically to the 'tonality' of the colon and intestine, the peristaltic action. The best herb to recreate the tonality/peristaltic action is, believe it or not, catnip. The specific herb/tincture for colitis is sanicle. Migraines (Q): I have a client who has been suffering from migraines since she was 12, and they are now exacerbated by menopause. Is there a particular signature in the chart for migraines, and do you have some suggestions for natural methods to alleviate them? Also, was it licorice root that you recommend during menopause? (A): Typically, Uranus is implicated thru stressful aspects, or a stacked 11th house, or a bunch of planets in Aquarius. She can use a combination of pantothenic acid, niacin, B complex, and an herbal tincture of Fo-ti. Frequent deep tissue massage and frequent hot baths full of Epsom salts will also help. Yes to the licorice root, and also catnip herb. Calc/phos (Q): The homeopathic remedy you recommend for triggering production of synovial fluid in the joint capsules is Calc/Phos. Is the full name for this one Calcarea Phosphorica? (A): Yes, I think so. Mag/phos is also good for this. Uranus transiting Pisces (Q): I find myself grappling with the archetype of Pisces and Neptune. Does the transit of Uranus in Pisces across angular houses have a greater impact on an individual's chart? (A): Yes. (Q): And if this transit is aspecting a natal chart with planets in Pisces, what kind of energy is it generating? (A): To liberate from any existing dynamics that are preventing maximum individual actualization relative to one's true nature. (Q): Personally, for me this transit feels so very significant. I have Pisces at five degrees on my MC, with Saturn retrograde conjunct Chiron which opposes Pluto conjunct Uranus in my fourth house. Physically, what do I need to be watchful of and what herbs and/or supplements can I take to assist me during this stressful transit? (A): Digestive issues caused thru the pancreas; skin conditions due to the body trying to purge existing toxins; a dehydration of synovial fluids, which can cause aching in the joints; a deficiency in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus; lymph gland swelling, again due to toxins trying to come out; potential disruptions in the balance of the white and red blood cells; deficiency in iron; spontaneous kundalini secretions throughout the body producing symptoms which can include feeling numbness in various areas of the body and/or sometimes a kind of paralysis in different areas of the body; alternating between feeling very hot to feeling very cold; tingling sensations in various areas of the body; migraines; intense pressure in the back of the neck/skull, which is a reflection of the hypothalamus, and so on. Herbs: sanicle as a tincture, Fo-ti as a tincture, the supplements for the lack of different minerals as above, frequent deep tissue massage, frequent hot baths with Epsom salts, niacin, vitamin B-complex, and panothothenic acid, lipoic acid, and frequent 'sun baths.' (Q): Is the signature for arthritis and osteoporosis Saturn square Mars? Is the square the only signature, or could it result from any contact? (A): That can be one of many potential signatures. Both conditions are Saturn, Capricorn, 10th house archetypes, with a decreasing amount of synovial fluids being the cause for the arthritis and a progressive lack of calcium and magnesium for the other, this being caused by a lack of estrogen. Genetic imprinting, soul intention (Q): Can you explain the linkage between genetic/hereditary imprinting and what the soul has specifically chosen astrologically? What I am having difficulty reconciling is the fact that we choose specific delineations in our birth chart and how that relates with the families we choose. In other words, are there some aspects and such that occur more randomly in accordance with more specific aspects we absolutely choose? (A): Nothing is random at all in the birth chart. The whole chart correlates with the evolutionary and karmic intentions and necessities of any given soul. (Q): Can we have hereditary linkage with one parent and karmic necessity with another? (A): Anything in one's life correlates to one's evolutionary and karmic needs and intentions, including both parents. There is no such thing as 'just' hereditary linkage. (Q): Would several septiles of a parent's planet to their child's north node, along with the child's Pluto conjunct this parent's north node indicate a situation where one is either coming in knowing they can rely on deep love, or that the child is somehow coming in to help that parent with their evolutionary necessity? (A): Generally, that would be true. (Q): Also, do you believe that any factor remains constant in the birth chart from one incarnation to the next (i.e., the degree on the ascendant)? (A): Sometimes that happens, but it is not some absolute thing. Bipolar correlations (Q): Is a strong Gemini signature/stellium, especially if receiving hard aspects, one indicator of a potential for bipolar or manic-depressive psychological conditions (Gemini's association with the twins)? I've been seeing this in a few charts I've been looking at lately, and that's been the case in each. In all of these cases Saturn and Moon are heavily aspected within that Gemini signature as well, through opposition or conjunction. So then, would part of this be that dual or mixed messages (sometimes highly negative, sometimes highly positive - Gemini duality) be a contributing factor to the duality in the person's own psychological orientation? Obviously, I realize there are a lot of factors and signatures that could contribute and that you have to play astrological detective to understand the evolutionary reasons the soul creates these conditions, but I just wondered if this Gemini signature was one particular marker. (A): Yes, this can indicate such a disorder because the right brain, which is Jupiter, Sagittarius, ninth house, is constantly 'pulling' the left brain, Mercury, Gemini, third house, towards it in order to compensate (Jupiter) for the heavy gravity in the left brain, which when compresses thru such a signature and creates a maze of competing thoughts and perspectives, etc., resulting in the drive to 'collect' even more information because of this, which then just complicates the dynamics further: clarity leading to confusion and vice versa. The right brain tries to create a 'foundation' of one conceptual system of thought to serve as a continuous and consistent way to integrate the maze of thought/information coming in, so that mental/philosophical, and thus emotional stability can be achieved. When Saturn is involved, this is the specific archetype for manic-depression or a progressive psychology of self-defeat. Because Gemini is part of the triad of Libra and Aquarius, the Libra connection, via Aquarius, can also cause multiple personality disorders, which are now called dissociative behaviors. Manic depression (Q): What are the astrological markers for manic depression? (A): There are many markers, but it comes down to stressful dynamics between Saturn and Jupiter, or the rulers of one's 10th and fourth houses in a stressful aspect pattern, or the phasal relationship between Saturn and Jupiter being stressful, as in a full phase. Trauma, past lives and planetary nodes (Q): I have a question about planetary nodes - Aquarius/Neptune/Uranus/Pisces/Libra/Capricorn, 10th, 11th, and 12th houses and trauma. What type of trauma would be indicated if the south node of Neptune is conjunct Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter in Aquarius intercepted in the 10th and also widely conjunct the MC at 29 Capricorn 57 (Capricorn also on ninth)? The north node of both Venus and Neptune conjunct Pluto retrograde intercepted in Leo in the fourth; the north nodes of both Saturn and Jupiter conjunct the IC; and Saturn is retrograde in Virgo in the fifth. Pisces is on the 11th and natal Neptune retrograde in Libra in the sixth is conjunct the south node in the fifth, along with Mars retrograde (north node rule) in Libra. The Moon is in Taurus in the 12th; Sun in Pisces in the 10th; south node of Uranus is conjunct Chiron in Sagittarius in the eighth; and Uranus is retrograde in Cancer in the second, squaring the nodal axis. What if the north and south nodes of Pluto and Saturn fall into Capricorn in the ninth, but the south node of Jupiter is not in Capricorn; it's at 29 Sagittarius 02 minutes in the eighth conjunct Chiron? I can see the accepting responsibility for your own reality part, and trauma linked to disillusionment, mental, emotional, physical/sexual, psychic and spiritual trauma. There's a lot of parallel symbolism in the 'martyr' example in the book, with some radical contras. I would like to run past you what I've come up with. This soul was also persecuted and put to death for her beliefs and her message. Unlike the soul in the example, it caused her to suppress her true self, and to mistrust herself and others. She essentially became detached from her soul. She also may have allowed herself to be intimidated into delivering a system message/action in which she did not believe, and has much guilt as a result. In this lifetime she is to come out and publicly deliver a message, but change the way she has delivered it in the past so as not to threaten people or endanger herself. She is to regain her courage, self-worth and inner calm, (integrate body, mind and spirit) and become more self-reliant and have a sense of personal authority to successfully integrate into the existing system without selling out, or losing sight of, her individuality or purpose. She is also to become more discerning about who and what she sacrifices for. With Pallas in Scorpio in the sixth, she may have worked behind the scenes or underground for a cause. With Hildago conjunct the Libra south node configuration, freedom, equality, and justice are important to her, perhaps having fought for those in the past. With Chiron in the eighth conjunct the south nodes of both Uranus and Jupiter, she will attempt to allow these old wounds to die, and be reborn in Aries north node in the 11th. Active spirituality will be an important part of this 'rebirth'. She will have a lot of emotional/psychological baggage to work through to accomplish this, some of this dealing with her present life mother. I would really like to understand this past life trauma stuff a lot better because I'm convinced it affects us all much more than most would believe. What is hysteria dysplexia? I've been unable to find that term any place I've looked. (A): Yes, your analysis of those symbols is pretty much right on. You left out some of what correlates to unresolved trauma - specifically sexual trauma - and hysteria dysplexia, which is simply emotional hysteria caused by severe trauma that remains unresolved, thus displaced. Typically, hysteria dysplexia will also cause multiple personalities disorder, or now what is called 'dissociative behavior.' Trauma signature (Q): I want to understand the signature for trauma more fully. I read your article, 'Trauma and the Outer Planets'. Even if the outer planets have stressful aspects, the individual is not necessarily under the trauma influence. Is that correct? (A): Right. (Q): Does it mean, though, that the person experienced a traumatic situation in a past life that may or may not have been repressed or suppressed? (A): Very commonly, when you see stressful aspects to the planets that correlate with trauma, it does correlate to trauma. The stressful aspects tend to correlate to traumas that have been so severe that they have not been dealt with. The non-stressful aspects tend to correlate to traumas that have been dealt with. (Q): Is it possible that a person suffers from trauma, but externally in their behavior it is still very hard to detect? (A): Yes. Typically, the main give away is 'stunted speech,' or behavioral reactions to an existing stimulus that manifest as behavior that is disproportionate the stimulus itself. (Q): Basically, at what point do you say whether a person requires therapy for suppressed trauma? (perhaps because of obvious external behavioral patterns) (A): When a person becomes essentially dysfunctional and unable to integrate into daily living in such a way as to carry on a 'normal' life. Trauma and Aquarius (Q): In the first Measuring the Night, there is discussion regarding trauma in the birth chart. If Aquarius is figured prominently in the symbolism of Pluto and/or the south node of the Moon or its ruler, does this always indicate trauma? (A): No. Aquarius, Uranus, and the 11th house is a total archetype like any other sign/planet/house, and one of the dimensions within that totality of that archetype is the dynamic of trauma. (Q): Is it always related to from breaking away from the dictates of society if Saturn is involved in the symbolism? (A): No, there can be a variety of possible astrological signatures that can correlate to that. (Q): In trying to integrate the archetype of Aquarius with the idea of trauma, does it always mean the root cause of the trauma is to cause detachment and awareness of the rooted behaviors found through further evaluation of the symbols? (A): It depends on the nature and severity of the trauma itself. Depending on the severity it can, and in many cases does, equal an initial 'fragmentation' within the soul/personality. It is like a bomb going off that creates the initial destruction and then sends whatever was exploded into the air in all kinds of pieces. Then the pieces begin to fall back to the ground, but they are now totally rearranged from the original form that was exploded. A fundamental alteration with the structure of the soul occurs because of the trauma, the shock to it. This creates the post traumatic stress disorder dynamic wherein certain environmental 'triggers' can cause behaviors that are 'irrational' relative to the environmental stimulus. The effects can be very long lasting, which means these effects can last lifetimes. (Q): Another issue with the archetype, for some of these individuals, is the idea of reliance on the group, fitting in. Does the fear of individuality come from the trauma, and therefore anonymity is desired in subsequent lifetimes? (A): For some the process of 'individuating', moving beyond the consensus, has caused, for their own reasons, trauma from the environment relative to the judgments of the consensus. The are many possibilities for traumas of this kind. An example would be intense persecutions from the consensus that were so severe that the reaction to that could cause the individual to want to 'hide' from that consensus by way of trying to look and be like everyone else Stabilizing the brain (Q): I have a client with the following: south node combust Mercury in Taurus in the ninth house and conjunct Jupiter in Taurus in the ninth, all in opposition to a Uranus/south node conjunction in Scorpio in the third. Uranus and Jupiter both square Saturn in Cancer in the 12th, trine a Scorpio Moon in the fourth (Scorpio Moon rules the 12th) in loose balsamic conjunction to Neptune in Sagittarius in the fourth, with Neptune forming a sesquiquadrate to the Saturn. Mars is in Cancer in the 11th and is balsamic to Saturn and inconjunct Neptune in the fourth and trine the Uranus/north node. Would this be a case where the 5-HTP you talked about at Astro 2000 could be used to stabilize the brain? (A): Yes, certainly 5-HTP, but also homeopathic ignatia and pulsatilla and a tincture of Fo-ti. Emotional states of Pluto transiting the 4th house (Q): The description of Pluto transiting through the fourth house doesn't sound like such a good time. The way you described the health problems of a person under this transit along with how the person can almost be catatonic as they absorb the shifting emotional states sounds like someone I know who is finishing this transit up. She is also a Cancer and has Pluto in Virgo conjunct the Moon and Uranus in Libra in the second. Do you recommend anything to benefit the afflicted areas of the body during this time? (A): Anything that will create emotional stability and evenness, as the seratonin levels within the brain typically go haywire. A possibility is to supplement with a new compound called 5-HTP. Natural antidepressants (Q): Is there any herbal remedy you can or would recommend as a natural antidepressant for those suffering from deep and frequent debilitating depressions (as reflected in harsh natal Saturn aspects, and/or heavy natal Capricorn/Virgo energy)? (Q1): What is your opinion about the Prozac type antidepressants? My impression of them is that they seem to help with getting out of security-driven (Pluto) behaviors. I am wondering if they blunt the inner, intuitive voice. Are there some instances where you think they are beneficial, perhaps short-term treatment to sort of "get out of the hole?" (A): To me, they are like putting a band aid on a wound; they don't deal with the causes of the problem, they only attempt to control or minimize it. Prozac can have pretty severe side effects for some. Remember when George Bush, the father of George W. Bush, was president, and he vomited all over himself and the Japanese Premier while on a state visit? And then he passed out right in front of everyone? He was using Prozac then. For some others it can actually induce a state of psychosis, and yet for others it can do the control job it is meant to do. It all depends on one's nature and biochemistry. Yes, Prozac controls or impacts on the levels of seratonin in the brain, which is critical in terms of our emotional states and reality, so Prozac tends to try to find the most stable and 'dull' state emotionally for a person, and thus blunts a lot of the normal functions of the brain and emotions, including one's imaginative or intuitive side. (Q2): In relation to this question about antidepressants, with specific reference to Prozac, since 5-HTP is a precursor to seratonin, could that be used instead, at least in cases that were not labeled clinical depression? It seems that the medical profession has now moved beyond labeling women with PMS and is now telling many of them that they suffer from PMDD (Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder), and they are prescribing Serafem, which is just Prozac by a different name. Would the 5-HTP alone accomplish the same thing? (for those who are not willing or able to realize the underlying causes of this 'problem' in the first place. i.e.. what has been projected on them about women for thousands of years)? Or would it need to be taken in conjunction with something else for this specific 'problem'? (A): For the general purpose of restoring the natural levels of seratonin within the brain 5-HTP is an excellent product, plus it is natural. For those who wish information on it, you can go to this website - There you can actually read the medical research on this compound, its uses, and dosages. Relative to specific conditions one would need to know what the condition(s) are to actually treat them in the correct way. (Q): Are there indicators in the chart, either natal or progressions, that would indicate specific time frames for the potential of manic and/or psychotic breaks? This person, male, is saddled with Parkinson's disease, is taking dopamine and other drugs to control it and occasionally suffers from extreme paranoid delusions/hallucinations. (He was in the Marines Special Forces division in Vietnam). The episodes can get rather intense, raising concerns for the safety of family members. This may be a side effect of occasional drug prescription mismanagement on the part of the individual, for a past history exists of extensive recreational drug usage. He has a natal Moon conjunct Neptune in Virgo in the seventh house; Uranus conjuncts the retrograde south node in Taurus in the third; Venus in Leo squares the nodes and trines Saturn in Aries in the second; Uranus trines Neptune; Pluto conjuncts Mercury in Cancer in the fifth; Jupiter in Pisces in the 12th is on the ascendant. He appears to be seeking connection to the source or higher truths only in others and deeply fears or cannot access alone the place where his inner connection lies. Is this reflective of the south node conjunct Uranus, some past life fears relative to his individuation? If so, is this further compounded by the Moon/Neptune conjunction in seventh, putting him in situations that challenge his internal security to self-actualize/individuate? In your tapes, you indicated that the seventh and 12th houses can correlate to various forms of mental instabilities. Is this such a signature? One other question, when a seventh house Moon conjunct Neptune looks continually to others for their connection to the Source, is it accurate to say that what they need to be guided to do is find it within oneself through their first house signature? (A): The person you have asked about comes to this life with what a psychologist would call 'hysteria dysplexia,' which is unresolved hysteria linked with unresolved traumas in recent lives. In relation to the Moon/Neptune/seventh/Virgo/Pisces/Jupiter, Uranus/south node conjunction, Venus squaring the nodes/Uranus, this is essentially a soul who has created recent lifetimes in which massive loss of life was occurring relative to political/religious wars, including the loss of his own family, and his own life. This is the basis of the unresolved trauma/hysteria, which then creates a dynamic within him of never feeling safe anywhere, feeling like 'something' can always happen. When mental instability is indicated natally, Neptune, Uranus, the 11th house, Aquarius, Pisces, and/or the 12th house will always be indicated in some fashion. The transits of these planets can correlate to 'timing' of when the underlying signature of mental instability becomes more active than at others. Panic/Anxiety attacks (Q): What planets and signs correlate to the psychological phenomenon of panic attacks, or anxiety attacks? Perhaps it is a Mercury-Neptune or 12th house correlation? (A): Yes, that combination could correlate to 'panic attacks,' relative to what is called hysteria dysplexia or unresolved trauma from the past that has become emotionally displaced. In general, anxiety attacks are a function of unresolved trauma in one form or another. Thus, in general, Uranus, the 11th House, and Aquarius have this correlation. The lower octave of Uranus is Mercury, so the behavioral manifestation of such things can manifest thru Mercury, Gemini, or Virgo, but this planet and these signs are not the causative factors. Melatonin (Q): I woke up from a nap today in a space where I 'knew' what you mean when you say that melatonin dissolves the boundary between the egocentric consciousness and God. It raised a few questions. I've noticed I often tend to fall asleep with a light turned on. Even though my eyes are closed while I'm sleeping, does having a light on in the room affect the amount of melatonin produced? (A): Yes. (Q): I often either stay up most of the night, or else get up in the middle of the night, to write or to reflect. This is not insomnia. I find it much easier to access my true nature and feelings in the middle of the night. Is this related to melatonin production, even though I'm awake? (A): Yes, because the melatonin has already been secreted while you were sleeping. Upon waking, especially when it is still dark out, there is a carry-over affect of this melatonin. (Q): If it is related to melatonin, does being awake at night cause less melatonin to be produced than would be if I were asleep? (A): Relatively, yes. But also remember that this hormone and protein is also relatively secreted even while awake, which is especially so for all souls who are inherently creative by nature, inventive by nature, who are deeply inspired by nature, and so on. This is the actual physiology of those things. (Q): Is there a long term detrimental effect if this is a regular pattern? (A): No, because souls who are inherently creative by nature don't sleep the socially conditioned way, which tells us we must have eight hours of sleep per night. In reality, the brain only needs four to five hours of sleep at most per day to totally renew. In fact, a recent study suggests that those folks who sleep less than eight hours (say 4 to 6 hours), actually live longer than those who sleep more than this. What this reflects is the strength of the underlying life force within such folks - very, very strong - and this tends to correlate to the creative, the artist, and inspired types among us. I also only sleep four to five hours a night, at most. (Q): Also, is melatonin production affected by sunlight? In other words, if I nap during the day, is melatonin produced, since my eyes are closed, or does the fact that it's not night time limit melatonin production even though I'm sleeping in a dark room? (A): It is still secreted, but not in the amounts produced while sleeping or dozing at night. For example, during the day time when we find ourselves 'spaced out,' this is an example of melatonin being produced even during the daytime. Melatonin and spiritualizing process (Q1): You mentioned in your tapes that light therapy suppresses the secretion of melatonin and, consequently, can be used to treat depression. Do increased levels of melatonin cause depression? (A): Yes, it can. It can also be the causative factor in what is called manic-depression. (Q1): I'm a little confused because you also mentioned that melatonin acts to dissolve the boundaries separating the subjective egocentric consciousness from soul consciousness. In essence, melatonin acts as a spiritualizing process. How does melatonin connect with depression and act as a spiritualizing agent at the same time? (A): When one consciously begins the journey to truly spiritualize, melatonin is increased within the brain/consciousness in order to dissolve the apparent boundary between the current ego and the soul. As this occurs, the soul then becomes increasingly aware, consciously, of the Source of All Things: actual inner 'cosmic' consciousness in varying degrees of realization - the Ultimate, the Absolute. As a result of this, when the consciousness is then 'snapped' back to 'normal' reality - life on earth with all that that means and implies - the contrast that one's consciousness is then presented with causes, for many, a transiting state of depression. This depression is caused by the inner knowledge that one must complete whatever the current life is about - the gravity of time and space, mortality, the baggage of the 'body,' the baggage of the totality of what the life is about. (Q1): Also, is it correct to say that if you are not tuned into this spiritualizing process the melatonin can in some people become "misdirected" and become a causal factor in psychic disturbances? (A): Yes, it can be a causative factor in all kinds of neuroses and psychoses. (Q2): As one moves into the spiritual state, would it be of great importance, because of this "snap back" you mentioned, to not only be very aware of this effect of melatonin on the conscious being, but also to be able to manage the melatonin so as to not get unbalanced? (A): Melatonin is naturally regulated by the entire brain. When one is supplementing with melatonin then, yes, one must be careful. Herbs and dreams (Q1): Is there an herb or combination of herbs that can be taken regularly to help stimulate whatever gland needs to be stimulated so that one may have more consistent dreams? (A): Not to my knowledge. (Q2): I work as an herbalist and know that people have dream experiences when they take Valerian. Personally, I don't get that from it, but try Gotu Kola. I have funky lucid dreams when I take it. In the herb's history, it was taken by medicine people to induce 'visions.' You don't need to overdo it, though; just take the suggested dosage on the back. It's very safe and good for many things!
eng
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http://schoolofevolutionaryastrology.com/forum/index.php?topic=672.0
... US4989168 - Multiplying unit in a computer system, capable of population counting Multiplying unit in a computer system, capable of population counting US 4989168 A Abstract population counting mode, an input data for the population counting is divided into population counting elements instead of the multiplier data and population counting on the population counting elements are performed simultaneously using the multiplying sub-units which produce partial counted data of the population counting elements, and the partial counted data is sent to a carry save adder and a carry propagate adder by which a population counting result for the input data is obtained and output. Claims What is claimed is: 1 dividing the multiplicand data into a plurality of multiplicand elements having a first size in the multiplicand mode; dividing means for dividing the multiplier data into a plurality of multiplier elements having a second size in the multiplication mode, and for dividing the population counting input data into a plurality of population counting elements of the second size in the population counting mode; a plurality of multiplying sub-units for executing simultaneously partial multiplication among the multiplicand elements multiplying2. A multiplying unit according to claim 1 one of the multiplicand elements in the multiplication mode, and for generating and outputting all "0" bits in the population counting mode; a decoder, operatively connected to said first sub-unit register, for outputting decoded signals required for multiplying the multiplicand element element element3. A multiplying unit according to claim 2 setting and outputting one of the multiplicand elements element and the multiplier element upon inputting the multiplier element from said third sub-unit register in the multiplication mode, and for generating and outputting all "0" bits in the population counting mode. 4. A multiplying unit according to claim 25. A multiplying unit according to claim 1, wherein said dividing means divides the multiplier data into a first quantity of multiplier elements when in the multiplication mode, and divides the population counting input data into the first quantity of population counting elements when in the population counting mode. 6 storing the multiplicand data in the multiplication mode; dividing means for dividing the multiplier data into a plurality of multiplier elements having an element size in the multiplication mode, and dividing the population counting input data into a plurality of population counting elements of the element size when in the population counting mode; a plurality of multiplying sub-units for executing simultaneously partial multiplication among the multiplicand data multiplying7. A multiplying unit according to claim 6 the multiplicand data in the multiplicand mode, and for generating and outputting all "0" bits in the population counting mode; a decoder, operatively connected to said first sub-unit register, for outputting decoded signals required for multiplying the multiplicand data data data8. A multiplying unit according to claim 7 storing and outputting the multiplicand data data and the multiplier element upon inputting the multiplier element from said third sub-unit register in the multiplication mode, and for generating and outputting all "0" bits in the population counting mode. 9. A multiplying unit according to claim 710. A multiplying unit according to claim 9, wherein all of said plurality of multiplying sub-units are of the first type multiplying sub-unit. 11. A multiplying unit according to claim 6, wherein said dividing means divides the multiplier data into a first quantity of multiplier elements when in the multiplication mode, and divides the population counting input data into the first quantity of population counting elements when in the population counting mode. Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multiplying unit in a computer system and particularly to a multiplying unit capable of executing a population counting instruction. b. Description of the Related Art Due to the development of computer systems, data processing can be executed in the computer system at high speed. Therefore, in the field of a graphic display for example, the variable density of a graph can be processed rapidly by the computer system. That is, the variable density is processed at high speed in the computer system by counting the number of "1" bits of numerical data, represented by binary notation, including graphic information. Such counting of the number of "1" bits is called "population counting" and its invoking instruction is called a "population counting instruction". The present invention relates to population counting executed in a computer system. Population counting has previously been performed by a circuit exclusively provided in the computer system. By such a dedicated population counting circuit, the number of "1" bits in the numerical data, usually consisting of 8 bytes, can be counted. However, the counting is performed byte by byte, so that it takes a lot of time to count up the "1" throughout the numerical data. If the only consideration was the increase of the counting speed, then counting could be performed by the dedicated circuit, every two bytes or more instead of every byte. However, this is not practically realized because, a large quantity of hardware (electric parts) is needed for the dedicated circuit. Thus, the use of the dedicated circuit has a problem that not only the cost for the circuit but also the time to perform the population counting increases. The present invention intends to solve this problem by using a multiplying unit provided in the computer system. In the computer system, particularly in the recent high speed computer systems such as a super computer, a multiplying unit performs multiplication at high speed, on more than two bytes, using a carry save adder (CSA) and a carry propagate adder (CPA) which are well known adders used in the multiplying unit of the computer system. Accordingly, if the multiplying unit is allowed to be used to perform the population counting, the counting speed of the population counting can be increased without providing the dedicated population counting circuit. Furthermore, in the computer system, the multiplying unit is generally not used so often and also the population counting is not performed so often. Accordingly, it can be said that the use of the multiplying unit for population counting contributes so that the effectiveness of the usage of the multiplying unit increases rather than disturbing the operation of the computer system. The use of the multiplying unit has been tried by Shoji Nakatani, who is one of the inventors of the present invention, in a laid-open Japanese Patent Application SHOH 62-209621 on Sept. 14, 1987. However, according to the SHOH 62-209621, there is another problem that the multiplying unit includes only one multiplying circuit with a spill adder. Therefore, when a multiplier of a multiplying data is divided into a plurality of elements, the multiplication must be repeated in the multiplying circuit by the number of the elements. For example, when the multiplier consists of 8 bytes and the multiplier is divided into 4 elements, the multiplication must be repeated four times; in this case, a multiplicand of the multiplying data is not divided. Furthermore, the spill adder is needed for compensating lower digits which appear during the repetition of the multiplication, so as to be carried up to the final multiplying results. Generally, the multiplying unit has two types, a first type and a second type. The first type multiplying unit is one in which size is considered more important than counting speed, so that the first type multiplying unit usually includes only one multiplying circuit. The multiplying unit disclosed in SHOH 62-209621 is of the first type. While, the second type multiplying unit is one in which counting speed is considered more important than size, so that the second type multiplying unit includes a plurality of multiplying circuits (sub-units) operating in parallel. Accordingly, there has been a problem that the SHOH 62-209621 cannot be applied to the second type multiplying unit. The present invention intends to solve this problem. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention, therefore, is to increase the executing speed of the population counting instruction given to a computer system including the second type multiplying sub-units. Another object of the present invention is to decrease a quantity of electrical parts for executing the population counting instruction in the computer system. Still another object of the present invention is to perform the population counting, spending less fabricating costs on the computer system. The above objects are accomplished by using the second type multiplying unit including a plurality of multiplying sub-units, particularly using the CSAs and the CPAs provided in each multiplying sub-unit, only adding a small amount of hardware (electrical parts) such as an adder, selectors and a few logical circuit elements to each multiplying sub-unit. The multiplication performed in the multiplying unit is usually for executing programs in the computer system. This operating state will be called a "regular multiplication mode" hereinafter. However, according to the present invention, the computer system is modified so that the multiplying unit operates for both the regular multiplication and the population counting. In this case, the operating state of the multiplying unit will be called a "population counting mode" hereinafter. In the population counting mode, a numerical data for the population counting is set to a multiplier register in the second type multiplying unit and divided into a plurality of elements. The division is performed based on the process of the regular multiplication mode; that is, the division is performed in consideration of a calculating form executed in the regular multiplication mode and the number of the multiplying sub-units of the second type multiplying unit. Wherein, the calculating form is a form for multiplying multiplicand and multiplier given to the multiplying unit. Generally, in the second type multiplying unit, there are several calculating forms. For example, according to some calculating forms, the multiplication is performed by multiplying the elements obtained by dividing the multiplicand and the multiplier with each other, and according to another calculating form, the multiplication is performed by multiplying the multiplicand, which is not divided, and the elements obtained by dividing the multiplier. After the numerical data for the population counting is divided into a plurality of elements in the multiplier register, the bytes of each element are sent to the multiplying sub-unit respectively, and the number of "1" bits in each element is counted by a CSA newly provided to respective multiplying sub-unit for performing the population counting, and a half sum output (HS) and a half carry output (HC) concerning to the number of "1" bits in each element are produced from the newly provided CSA. These HS and HC are sent to a CSA and a CPA which have been provided to each multiplying sub-unit and added thereby, using their well known Booth's algorithm. The count results of the numbers of the "1" bits in respective elements are sent from the multiplying sub-units to a common CSA and a common CPA which also have been provided in the second type multiplying unit, wherein the counted results from the multiplying sub-units are added and the final results of the population counting output from the common CPA. As mentioned above, according to the present invention, since the hardware and the multiplying algorithm of the multiplying sub-units in the second type multiplying unit can be used effectively in parallel, the population counting can be performed at high speed, using less hardware. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the population counting circuit of the prior art provided to the computer system; FIG. 2 is an input and output data of 8 bytes of the population counting instruction; FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the population counting circuit of the prior art; FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating the population counting mode in the first embodiment; FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the first selector and a part of the multiple generator; FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the second selector and a part of the multiple generator; FIG. 8 is a schematic chart illustrating a method of addition in the sub-unit for population counting; FIG. 9 is a schematic chart illustrating a method of addition of the number of "1" bits output from the four multiplying units in the first embodiment; FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a schematic chart illustrating a method of addition in the sub-unit to obtain the full sum and full carry; and FIG. 12 is a schematic chart illustrating a method of addition of the number of "1" bits output from the four multiplying units in the second embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing the embodiments, the prior art dedicated population counting circuit and the first type multiplying unit capable of performing population counting as prior art will be briefly explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, for the sake of understanding the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the dedicated population counting circuit of the prior art provided in a computer system. In the dedicated population counting circuit, population counting is performed as follows: numerical data, consisting of 8 bytes of binary notation, for population counting is given to a register (REG) 50; the 8-byte data is transferred to a REG 52 through a selector (SEL) 51, and a byte at the lowest unit of the 8-byte data in the REG 52, which will be called the lowest byte in the REG 52 hereinafter, is sent to an operation circuit 53 in which the number of "1" bits is counted and converted to a binary numeral and sent to a carry propagate adder (CPA) 54; in the CPA 54, the number of "1" bits in the lowest byte in the REG 52 is counted and stocked in an intermediate REG 55; during the above step, the 8-byte data in the REG 52 is shifted to right so that the next byte looking from the lowest byte treated in the above step is set at the lowest byte position; then the number of "1" bits in the next lowest byte is counted by the same process as above and the counted result for the next byte is added to the counted result to the previous lowest byte; in the CPA 54, the count of the number of "1" bits in respective byte is repeated every byte and these counted results are added; and the output from the CPA 54 is sent to a result REG 56 from which the number of "1" bits in 8-byte data is output as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, in the prior art dedicated population counter circuit, the count of "1" bits has been performed by repeating the counting of the " 1" number bits in one byte eight times, which results in wasting a lot of time. This counting could be performed every two or more bytes, however it is impossible to realize this from a view point of the costs for the hardware. To solve the above problem of the dedicated population counting circuit, the usage of the multiplying unit for population counting has been tried as shown in FIG. 3. However, in this trial, the multiplying unit is of the first type multiplying unit including only one multiplying circuit with a spill adder, consequently, there remains a problem of counting speed as stated below. When the first type multiplying unit shown in FIG. 3 operates in the regular multiplication mode, the first type multiplying unit operates as follows: a multiplying numerical data including the multiplicand and the multiplier, each consisting of 8 bytes of binary notation for example, is set in a vector REG (VR) 1; the multiplicand in the VR 1 is transferred to a multiplicand REG (CAND REG) 2a through a REG 1a; the multiplier in the VR 1 is set to a REG 1b and divided into four elements each consisting of 2 bytes (16 bits); each element of 2 bytes is sent to a decoder (DCDR) 3 in which the element is decoded into nine kinds of shift control signals, based on well known Booth's algorithm, wherein the nine kinds of shift control signals will be called "decoded signals" hereinafter; the decoded signals from the DCDR 3 are set or stored to a multiplier REG 2b as the multiplier to the multiplicand set in the CAND REG 2a; the multiplicand in the CAND REG 2a and the decoded signals in the multiplier REG 2b are sent to a multiple generator (MG) 4 in which the multiplicand is shifted as much as the numerals designated by the decoded signals, this generation in the MG 4 is called multiple generation; the shifted multiplicands produced from the MG 4 are sent to a first CSA (CSA(1)) 50 and a second CSA (CSA(2)) 51 in which the shifted multiplicands are added, producing the intermediate sum and the intermediate carry of the products of the multiplicand and the element of the multiplier at REGs 6a and 6b respectively; the above process is repeated four times for obtaining the products of the multiplicand and the four elements; the output for the REGs 6a and 6b are sent to a first CPA (CPA(1)) 7 in which the four results concerning to four elements are added, producing the total number of the "1" bits ; and the total number, namely a multiplication result, is set to a result REG (ZR) 8. When the regular multiplication mode is changed to the population counting mode in the first type multiplying unit shown in FIG. 3, the first type multiplying unit performs the population counting as follows: the numerical data, consisting of 8 bytes of binary notation, for the population counting is set to the VR 1; the numerical data for the population counting is transferred to the REG 1b and divided into four elements each consisting of 2 bytes; each 2-byte element is selected from the lowest element by a first selector (SEL(1)) 1c, provided in the first type multiplying unit, so that the lowest element is sent to a fourth CSA (CSA(4)) 12, provided in the first type multiplying unit, in which the number of "1" bits in each element is counted, producing a half sum (HS) of "1" bits in the element and a half carry (HC) produced during the process of the HS, at a HS REG 12b and a HC REG 12a respectively; the HS and HC respectively stored in the HS REG 12b and the HC REG 12a are sent to a second selector (SEL(2)) 41, newly provided in the first type multiplying unit, in which the HS and HC are selected so as to be sent to the CSA(1) 50 and CSA(2) 51, suppressing the output of the MG 4 so as not to be sent to the CSA(1) 50; then the numbers of "1" bits in 4 elements are added, using the hardware and the Booth's algorithm of the CSA(1) and the CSA(2) repeatedly four times and also using a spill adder (SPA) 11 for compensating raised carry in the low units omitted during the operation of the CSA(1) 50 and CSA(2) 51; and the result of population counting of the given numeral data is output at the ZR 8. As stated above, when the first type multiplying unit is used for performing population counting, the CSA(1) and CSA(2) are used, repeating as many times as the number of divided elements, which results in wasting a significant amount of time in order to count up all "1" bits of the numerical data. This wasted time is substantially reduced so as to be short by using the second type multiplying unit which includes a plurality of multiplying sub-units; that is, the population counting can be performed in a short time by using these sub-units. Embodying the present invention, two kinds of the second type multiplying units each including four multiplying sub-units will be described for explaining a first embodiment and a second embodiment, referring to FIGS. 4 to 9 and FIGS. 10 to 12, respectively. In each embodiment, the multiplicand and the multiplier consist of 8 bytes, respectively. In the first embodiment, the second type multiplying unit operates, in the regular multiplication mode, under a calculating form where the multiplicand and the multiplier are divided into two elements, respectively, so that each element consists of 4 bytes. The multiplicand is divided into an upper multiplicand element (CU) and a lower multiplicand element (CL) and the multiplier is divided into an upper multiplier element (IU) and a lower multiplier element (IL). Then regular multiplication is performed by multiplying the elements CU CL sub-units respectively, and the multiplied results from the multiplying sub-units are added by a second CSA (CSA(2')) and a second CPA (CPA(2')). FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the second multiplying unit used as the first embodiment. In FIG. 4, the same reference symbol or numeral as in FIG. 3 designates the same function or part as in FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, when the second type multiplying unit operates in the regular multiplication mode, the multiplication of CL CL "sub-unit A" hereinafter, sub-unit B 102, sub-unit C 103 and sub-unit D 104 respectively. In the population counting mode, however, the sub-units A and B operate in the population counting mode and sub-units C and D operate in the regular multiplication mode. Therefore, only the block diagram of a multiplying circuit for the sub-unit A and C is shown in FIG. 4, leaving other sub-units B and D in blank except for the registers at the input and the output of the sub-units. Regular multiplication is performed as follows: the numerical data for performing the multiplication is set or stored in VR 1; from the VR 1, the 8-byte multiplicand and the 8-byte multiplier are sent to the multiplicand REG 1a and the multiplier REG 1b, respectively; the multiplicand in the REG 1a is divided into the CU data and the CL data and the multiplier in the REG 1b is divided into the IU data and the IL data so that each element consists of 4 bytes; the CL data in the REG 1a and the IU data in the REG 1b are set to a REG 2a and a REG 2b in the sub-unit A, respectively; in the sub-unit A, the IU data set in the REG 2b is sent to a decoder (DCDR) 3 in which the decoded signals obtained from the IU data are produced and sent to a multiplier generator (MG) 4; while, the CL data set in the REG 2a is also sent to the MG 4 in which the multiple generation is performed with the CL data and the decoded signals as to the IU data; the output data from the MG 4 is sent to a first CSA (CSA(1')) 5 and a first CPA (CPA(1')) 6, in which the output data from the MG 4 is added in accordance with the Booth's algorithm, producing the partial product CL operation as done in sub-unit A is performed respectively, producing the partial products CU these partial products are sent to a second CSA (CSA(2')) 8 and a second CPA (CPA(2')) 9 where the final result of the regular multiplication is obtained; and the final result is output to a result REG 11 through a post shifter 10 for normalization. Thus, in the second multiplying unit, the regular multiplication can be performed by making the four sub-units operate at the same time which results in shortening the operation time, compared with the operating time wasted in the first type multiplying unit. When population counting is performed by the second type multiplying unit shown in FIG. 4, the mode of the second type multiplying unit is changed to the population counting mode. In this mode the numerical data of 8 bytes for the population counting, which will be called the "input 8-byte data" hereinafter, is given to the VR 1, and the input 8-byte data is set to the REG 1b in which the input 8-byte data is equally divided into two elements called an IU data and an IL data, each consisting of 4 bytes. The IU data is set to REGs 2b and 2f in sub-units A and C respectively, and the IL data is set to the REGs 2d and 2h in sub-units B and D respectively. In sub-unit A, the IU data is sent to a third CSA (CSA(3')) 12 composed of sixteen half adders 12-0, 12-1, ---, 12-14 and 12-15, by which sixteen HC signals HC00, HC01, HC02, ---, HC14 and HC15 and sixteen HS signals HS00, HS01, HS02, ---, HS14 and HS15 are produced and sent to a selector 41 composed of a first selector (SEL(1)) 41a and a second selector (SEL(2)) 41b, as shown in FIG. 4 and in FIG. 5 in detail. The selected data from the selector 41 is sent to the CSA(1') 5 having seventeen inputs and six steps of addition circuits. The output from the CSA(1') 5 is sent to the CPA(1') 6 in which a carry and a sum output from the CSA (1') 5 are added. The, results of the addition obtained by the CPA(1') are stored in the REG 7a. The REG 2a has a function of outputting multiplicand bit signals and inverted signals of the multiplicand bit signals in the regular multiplication mode. The output signals from the REG 2a are shown in FIG. 5, and in the output signals from the REG 2a, the plus signal such as +R2-31 indicates the regular bit signal at the 31st bit position of the REG 2a and the minus signal such as -R2-31 indicates the inverted signal to the bit signal +R2-31. FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit connections among the CSA(3') 12, the SEL(1) 41a, the SEL(2) 41b, the DCDR 3, the MG 4 and the CSA(1') 5. In FIG. 5, the same reference symbol or number as in FIG. 4 designates the same unit or part as in FIG. 4. The REG 2b, which is not depicted in FIG. 5, has 32 bit-positions for setting the 4-byte IU data, and the bit-signals set in the 32 bit-positions are indicated by +R3-0, +R3-1, +R3-2, ---, +R3-30 and +R3-31. In the population counting mode, the bit-signals +R3-0 to +R3-31 set in the REG 2b are sent to the CSA(3') 12 including sixteen half adders (HAs) 12-0, 12-1, 12-2, ---, 12-14 and 12-15. Two bit-signals set in bit-positions (of the REG 2b) adjacent each other are sent to one of the sixteen HAs for performing the half addition of the two bit-signals. For example, the bit signals +R3-0 and +R3-1 set in the bit position 0 and 1, adjacent to each other, in the REG 2b are sent to the HA 12-0 in the CSA(3') 12. In each HA, a half sum (HS) signal and a half carry (HC) signal are produced, so that 16 pairs of the HS and HC signals are output from the CSA(3') 12 and sent to the SEL(2) 41b and the SEL(1) 41a, respectively. For example, the signals +HS00 and +HC00 are output from the HA 12-0 and sent to the SEL(2) 41b and the SEL(1) 41a, respectively, as shown in FIG. 5. All 65 decoded signals +GI-POS1, +G1-NEG1, +G1-POS2, +G1-NEG2, ---, +G16-POS2, +G16-NEG2 and +G17-POS1 output from the DCDR 3 are set to "0", in the population counting mode. Accordingly, in the population counting mode, the input signals to the MG 4 are all set to "0", so that the output signals from the MG 4 also become "0" as seen from FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the wiring connection between the MG 4 and the SEL (2) 41b. In FIG. 7, the same reference symbol or number as in FIGS. 5 or 6 designates the same unit or signal as in FIGS. 5 or 6. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the output signals +G2-30, +G3-30, ----, +G16-30 and +G17-30 from the MG 4 are sent to the SEL(1) 41a, the output signals +G2-31, +G3-31, ---, +G16-31 and +G17-31 from the MG 4 are sent to the SEL(2) 416, and the other output signals from the MG 4 are directly sent to the CSA(1') 5, wherein, the numbers 30 and 31 indicate the bit positions, which will be explained later in reference to FIG. 8, in the CSA(1') 5. The output signals, each having the number 30, from the MG 4 are suppressed by AND circuits in the SEL(1) 41a in the population counting mode, so that only the output signals +HC-00, +HC-01, -----, +HC-14 and +HC-15 from the CSA(3') 12 are output from the SEL(1) 41a as the input signals +G2-30-S, +G3-30-S, -----, +G16-30-S and +G17-30-S to the CSA(1') 5. In the same way, the output signals, each having the number 31, from the MG 4 are suppressed by AND circuits in the SEL(2) 41b in the population counting mode, so that only the output signals +HS-00, +HS01, ----, +HS14 and +HS-15 from the CSA(3') 12 are output from the SEL(2) 41b as the input signals +G2-31-S, +G3-31-S, -----, +G16-31-S and +G17-31-S to the CSA(1') 5. Meanwhile, in the regular multiplication mode, the output signals from the CSA(3') 12 are suppressed at the SEL(1) and the SEL(2), and the output signals from the MG 4 are sent to the CSA(1') 5 directly and through the SEL(1) 41a and the SEL(2) 41b as seen from FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Again in the population counting mode, the signals concerning the HS and HC signals of the IU data are input to the CSA(1') 5 in which the input signals each having the number 30, for example +G2-30-S, and the number 31, for example +G2-31-S, are set at a definite bit position of sixteen bit rows described in FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a chart showing schematically a way of using addition to obtain the multiplication in the CSA(1'). The chart corresponds a partial product of 4 byte total of 32 bits is set in each row, which will be called a "bit row" hereinafter, in the regular multiplication mode; however, in the population counting mode, a "0" is imposed at all positions except the hatched positions because all the input signals to the CSA(1') 5 from the MG 4 are set to "0" in the population counting mode as stated before. For example, the input carry signal +G2-30-s to the CSA(1') 5 is set in the bit row G2 at a bit position corresponding to the 30th bit-position in a 64-bit carry numeral line depicted at the bottom in FIG. 8; the input sum signal +G2-31-s to the CSA(1') 5, related to the carry signal +G2-30-s, is set in the bit row G2 at a bit position corresponding to the 31st bit position in the 64-bit numeral line; the input carry signal +G3-30-s to the CSA(1') 5 is set in the bit row G3 at a bit position corresponding to the 30th position in the 64-bit numeral line; the input sum signal +G3-31-s to the CSA(1') 5 is set in the bit row G3 at the 31st bit position in the 64-bit numeral line; and so on. Accordingly, the carry and sum data respectively set at the 30th and 31st positions of each bit row are vertically lined up. As seen from FIG. 8, bit rows G1 is not used in the population counting mode. The bit values of the input sum and carry signals set in the G2 to G17 bit rows are added in the CSA(1') 5 and CPA(1') 6. The added result is set in the 26th to 31st bit position, which are hatched, in the 64-bit numeral line at the bottom of the chart in FIG. 8. The result represents the number of "1" bits in the 4-byte IU data set in the REG 2b in the sub-unit A. The result is sent to the REG 7a. Since the input 8-byte data set in the REG 1b is equally divided into two elements, two sub-units are enough to perform the population counting. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sub-units A and B are used in the both modes, the population counting mode and the regular multiplication mode, and the other sub-units C and D are used only in the regular multiplication mode. Accordingly, the hardware and the function of the sub-unit B is same as those of the sub-unit A, and the hardware and the function of the sub-units C and D are different from that of the sub-units A and B. The sub-units C and D have the same function and hardware, except the multiplicand and the multiplier in the sub-unit are different. The sub-unit C has the function of performing the regular multiplication by multiplying the CU data and the IU data in the regular multiplication mode and producing all bits "0" in the population counting mode. Therefore, the sub-unit C has the hardware such as a REG 2e having the same function as the REG 2a in the sub-unit A, no CSA(3') as the CSA(3') 12 in the sub-unit A and no SEL as the SEL 41 in the sub-unit A. As mentioned above, since the REG 2e has the same function as the REG 2a in the sub-unit A, from the REG 2e, the regular CU data are output in the regular multiplication mode and all "0" bit signals are output so that all "0" bit signals are output from a REG 7c to the CSA(2') in the population counting mode. The block diagram for the sub-unit C is depicted in FIG. 4. Since the block diagram for the sub-unit D is equal to that for the sub-unit C, the sub-unit D block diagram is omitted to be depicted in FIG. 4. In the sub-unit B, the added result is set at the 26th to 31st bit position, which as illustrated in FIG. 8 are hatched, in the 64-bit numeral line at the bottom of the chart in the population counting mode. Wherein, the IL data is sent to an REG 2d in the sub-unit B from the REG 1b as seen from FIG. 4. The two results output from sub-units A and B are added by the CSA(2') 8 as shown in FIG. 4. The output of the CSA(2') 8 is sent to the CPA(2') 9 and added therein. The results of the CPA (2') 9 is post-shifted by the post shifter 10 and set in the REG 11, thus storing the result data to the position for the upper 8 byte. FIG. 9 illustrates the adding operation of the results of the four sub-units A, B, C and D, performed by the CSA(2') 8 and the CPA(2') 9. A symbol "R2 CAND" indicates the multiplicand consisted of the CU data and the CL data set to the REG(R2) 1a, and a symbol "R3 IER" indicates the multiplier consisted of the IU data and the IL data set in the REG(R3) 1b. In the regular multiplication mode, the addition of the partial products CL CSA(2') 8 and the CPA(2') 9 as shown in FIG. 9. Wherein, the partial products CL obtained from sub-units D, B, A and C respectively. However, in the population counting mode, the partial products are obtained only from the sub-units A and B and furthermore the "1" bit results of the IU data, obtained by the sub-unit A, and those of the IL data, obtained by the sub-unit B are both in the same bit position as depicted by the hatched portions in FIG. 9. Therefore, the result of the addition can be obtained by simply adding the hatched portion indicated by IL and IU, using the CSA(2') 8 and the CPA(2') 9 as in the regular multiplication mode. The data included in the upper 8-byte positions is sent to the REG 11 through the post SFT 10. The execution of the population counting instruction is summarized as follows: 1) the input 8-byte data for population counting is set in the REG 1b from the VR 1. 2) the upper 4-byte data (IU data) of the input 8-byte data set in the REG 1b is set in the REG 2b of the sub-unit A, and the lower 4-byte data (IL data) of the input 8-byte data in the REG 1b is set in the REG 2d of the sub-unit B; 3) the divided 4 byte (32 bits) data (IU and IL data) are further divided into 16 pairs of two bits, and 16-bits of sum and carry signals are obtained by 16 half adders, suppressing the route from the REG 2b to the DCDR 3; 4) the output of the half adders is input to the CSA(1') 5 through the selector 41; 5) the number of "1" bits in the IU data is obtained by addition performed by CSA-(1') 5 and CPA-(1') 6 in the sub-unit A, 6) the number of "1" bits in the IL data is obtained by the same way as in the sub-unit A, in the sub-unit B at the same time; 7) the number of "1" in the IU data and in the IL data are set in the REG 7a in the sub-unit A and the REG 7b in the sub-unit B; respectively, and 8) the data in the REGs 7a and 7b is added by CSA(2') 8 and CPA(2') 9, taking the weight of respective bits into account. Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be explained. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the second multiplying unit illustrating the second embodiment of the present invention. The second type multiplying unit includes four multiplying sub-units 16-A, 16-B, 16-C and 16-D each having the same construction. The second embodiment operates differently from that of the first embodiment. In FIG. 10, the multiplicand and the multiplier are stored in REGs 14 and 15 respectively, and the output of the four sub-units are added by a CSA (2") 17 and a CPA (2") 18 and set to a REG 20 through a post SFT 19. Only the sub-unit 16-A will be explained because the sub-units 16-B, 16-C and 16-D are the same as the sub-unit 16-A in their construction and function. In the second embodiment, the 8-byte multiplier is divided into four 2-byte elements which are sent to the sub-units 16-A, 16-B, 16-C and 16-D, respectively. The operation for multiplication and population counting in the sub-unit 16-A is essentially the same as in the sub-unit A of the first embodiment, except the data set to the REG 21 and to the REG 22 is 8 bytes and 2 bytes, respectively. In the population counting mode, 8-byte multiplicand stored in the REG 14 is sent to a REG 21 in the sub-unit 16-A and the other three REGs having the same function as the REG 21 in sub-units 16-B, 16-C and 16-D, respectively. Meanwhile, the 8-byte input data for the population counting is stored in the REG 15 (instead of the 8-byte multiplier) and equally divided into four elements each consisting of 2-bytes of data for population counting. Each 2-byte data is sent to a REG 22 in the sub-unit 16-A and to the other three REGs, having the same function as REG 22, in the sub-units 16-B, 16-C and 16-D. The 2-byte data set in the REG 22 is sent to a third CSA (CSA(3")) 27. A half carry (HC) 27a and a half sum (HS) 27b output from the CSA(3") 27 are sent to a first CSA(CSA(1")) 25, having nine input terminals and four steps for addition, through a SEL 32. A sum and carry output from the CSA(1") 25 are added by a first CPA (CPA(1")) 26. The result of the addition from the CPA(1") is set in a REG 30-A. The same operation as in the sub-unit 16-A is executed respectively in the sub-units 16-B, 16-C and 16-D simultaneously. The four results obtained by the sub-units 16-A, 16-B, 16-C and 16-D are added by a second CSA (CSA(2")) 17 and a second CPA (CPA(2")) 18 to obtain a total result of the 8-byte input data. The output from the CPA(2") 18 is set in a REG 20 through a post shifter 19. FIG. 11 is a schematic illustrating a way of addition in the CSA(1") 25 in the sub-unit 16-A to obtain the full sum and the full carry. In the sub-unit 16-A, the bit signal of carry through a first selector which is a part of the SEL 32 (not depicted in FIG. 10) and the bit signal of sum through a second selector which is an another part of the selector 32 are input to terminal G2 (which is not depicted) of the CSA(1") 25 and occupy the 48th and 49th bit positions of 64 bit numeral row, respectively. The similar bit signals input to terminal G3 of the CSA(1") 25 occupy the 50th and 51st bit positions, and so on. That input to terminal G9 of the CSA(1") 25 occupy the 62nd and the 63rd bit positions. In FIG. 11, the same addition in the sub-units 16-B, 16-C and 16-D are indicated together. The results of addition of the carry and sum by the CSA(1") 25 are in the bit positions from 59th to 63rd, as shown at the bottom of the chart. In the same way, the bit positions of the data of the carry and sum in the sub-units 16-B, 16-C and 16-D are from 43rd to 47th, from 27th to 31st and from 11th to 15th respectively, as shown at the bottom of the chart in FIG. 11. The full sum and full carry obtained in the CSA(1") 25 shown at the bottom, are added by the CPA(1") 26 to obtain the number of "1" bits present in the first quarter part of the multiplier. Then, the data is set in the REG 30-A. FIG. 12 is a schematic illustrating a way of addition in the CSA(2") 17 and CPA(2") 18 in order to obtain the total number of "1" bits present in the multiplier. The data from each of the four REGs 30-A, 30-B, 30-C and 30-D is added as an addition of partial products. The data from the REGs 30-A, 30-B, 30-C and 30-D has a width of 10 bytes. The number of "1" bits present in a quarter of the multiplier the REG 15 is set in a group of hatched bits as shown in FIG. 11. Each of the four groups of hatched bits are vertically lined up in parallel four rows shifted by 2 bytes as shown in FIG. 12. As a result, the resultant data has a width of 16 bytes. Discarding the lower 8 bytes, the upper half of the 16 byte provides 8-bytes of resultant data, in which the total number of "1" bits present in the multiplier is set in the last seven bits. Method for executing different sets of instructions that cause a processor to perform different data type operations on different physical registers files that logically appear to software as a single aliased register file
eng
681bd8cf-f3a5-4e5e-9427-c3328f3982e2
http://www.google.ca/patents/US4989168
Winter Newsletter 2012 Embed or link this publication Popular Pages p. 1 f orest h ills s chool n ews physical education teacher mr denon carpenter again wrote and received a grant to enhance the physical education program for elementary students the grant awarded by the ing run for something better school awards program helped support a new exercise initiative for students the program was a huge success in its first year with over 100 participants in grades 4 through 6 meeting three times a week from september through the first week of november students participating in the program completed one day of distance running one day of cardiovascular games/large group games and one day of relays drills or concepts associated with running in addition three events were held that were open to all the students in grades 4 through 6 on october 19th the annual 1.5-mile cross country race was held with 121 participants mitchell chunta set a new grade 5 boys record and cassie smith set a new overall girls record the two tied for 1st place at 10:57 the pumpkin run held after school in mid november attracted approximately 184 participants this event was a 1.5 mile obstacle course in which students hurdled 50 square hay bales climbed over round bales ready set go raced over under around and through the gaps in a 50 yard fence walked across two 30 foot rope bridges on the nature trail and carried a 10 pound pumpkin ¼ of a mile through the race on black friday a 5k/10k family walk/run was held where students were encouraged to invite classmates and family members siblings or parents to create a team of up to 4 people to complete either a 5k 3 mile or 10k 6 mile course there were 17 teams and approximately 60 participants for the remainder of the year two winter outdoor races are planned one of which is a pumpkin run human sled dog race ing run for something better grant enhances elementary pe program vol xxxii no 2 winter 2011-2012 p. 3 on december 13 mrs myers substitute teacher ms mary rhoades led the second grade class on an international journey over several weeks the second grade studied a unit on the culture and geography of new zealand after carrying out a portion of her student teaching in a classroom in auckland new zealand miss rhoades decided to connect the two classrooms the students communicated through a private website where they shared pictures and comments and learned about the similarities and differences between the two cultures the second graders compiled a list of information they were eager to share about themselves as well as photos of the landmarks of the school they also generated a list of questions which allowed them to inquire about favorite foods and holiday traditions the unit concluded with a video chat session between the two classrooms students discovered differences in time zones seasons school year duration sports classroom procedures and dress codes the students even experienced a demonstration of a native new zealand dance the haka which is traditionally performed before rugby games the goal was to have each student acquire a sense of a cultural identity and an awareness of a world outside of their own most importantly the students witnessed the beauty of differences among people 2nd graders skype new zealand e lementary s chool grade 4 students walked to disaster s edge at the 1889 park for some fall education and fun students participated in 3 activities including tree identification pumpkin weighing and a visit to the coal miners museum the field trip was packed full of hands-on activities all were thankful for the beautiful weather to enjoy the day outside hannah persio kaitlyn cameron count their pumpkin seeds in this picture mr daniel mihalko is a 1969 graduate of forest hills mr mihalko is retired from the us postal service where he was inspector in charge of congressional and public affairs for the postal inspection service in washington dc dan is an accomplished award-winning artist and illustrator whose work can be viewed at disaster s edge visit distinguished alumni continued from page 2 forest hills school nurses served as preceptors for several senior nursing students from st francis university the students left the course with a better understanding and appreciation of the roles of the school nurse two nursing students partnered with each of the school nurses to provide a service learning project the projects focused on the healthy people 2020 goals healthy people 2020 provides national goals to guide health promotion and disease prevention to improve the health of all americans the project at the high school under mrs strayer s direction included a bulletin board placed outside the cafeteria dealing with the topic of stress it was filled with information on stress reduction such as test-taking tips study tips how to and how not to deal with stress the st francis students briefly described some conditions signs and symptoms such as school phobia anxiety and depression the college students listed who can help when they are stressed this bulletin board provided excellent information to students who are dealing with many stressors at the high school level asthma education was the project topic at the middle school a national health promotion goal is to increase the proportion of persons who receive asthma education the senior nursing students developed an educational powerpoint program and pamphlets that school nurse mrs harshberger can use to educate both students and adults information included the signs and symptoms of asthma triggers treatment and how to use an inhaler appropriately in order to promote a healthy lifestyle a walking program was developed for elementary students in kindergarten through third grade a running program is already in place for grades 4-6 and it was felt that the younger grades needed a wellness program the st francis students developed a program to take place over the recess period and those students who sign up will be grouped and compete with other groups as to the distance walked incentive tokens will be given to the students upon each set distance walked mrs varner hopes this program will be implemented for the 2012-13 school year program and engineering design as well as technology management for various companies john an advocate for science and technology in schools established the 8th grade young women in technology program introducing young women to careers in technology nursing students service learning projects mr john logrando is a 1967 graduate of the first class of forest hills john is retired from a career in 3 p. 4 the drama department cast members under the direction of ms kim rolla and mrs kelly myers put on four performances of high school musical for the general public on three days in november in the high school auditorium the cast of over 50 actors and actresses from grades 2 through 6 auditioned last may and practiced on mondays and tuesdays after school in the high school auditorium the high school musical chorus under the direction of mr kevin balog included students from grades 2 through 6 the 60 singers sang in two groups at the public performances for the third year in a row all elementary students attended special performances during the school day the students performed this broadway junior production with the help of many staff parents custodians and high school students who spent countless hours in preparation and support high school musical chorus director mr kevin balog accompanied the grade 6 chorus as they visited four local personal care homes and the forest hills senior center in south fork on december 8th and 15th the students sang christmas and holiday song selections for the residents many of the residents joined with the chorus in singing for the holiday season the students presented the residents with christmas and holiday greeting cards made by elementary students in their art classes mr jay elias videotaped and took still pictures of the performances that was broadcast on the community outreach channel 182 the grade 6 chorus brought christmas and holiday greetings to community residents as part of a community service activity singers visit care homes the mobile dentist smile program visited forest hills on november 15 and 16 2011 a team consisting of a dentist dental assistant and dental hygienist set up a dental office in the elementary school students seen were given a cleaning x-rays and examination by the dentist and when needed sealants applied a total of 53 students participated in the program this is the fifth year for the program initially the mobile dentist visited the school once per school year but due to the positive response of this program two dates have been set up for this school year the mobile dentists will be returning on may 17 and 18 2012 information regarding signing up for the may dates will be sent to families in the spring the student council once again participated in the easter seals million pennies campaign students brought in pennies and filled the milk jugs in their homerooms from november 7-december 15 many of the participating homerooms filled two or three milk jugs in 2010 the elementary school collected $2,241.25 for easter seals and were the top fundraising school results of this year s penny drive will be learned in late january 4 dental smile program million pennies campaign p. 5 using the scientific method of research sixth graders under the direction of dr anne kondo explored the chemistry of eggs the presentation began with dr kondo sharing her experiences as a chemist and discussing potential jobs which incorporate the need to understand and use various concepts of chemistry during the hands-on portion of the presentation students observed and developed a hypothesis in order to determine the layers associated with an egg then the students experimented with the processes of identifying and separating each of the seven layers in addition dr kondo provided the opportunity to learn about carbonate and its effect on the shell of an egg the chemistry of eggs bonus opportunities are without a doubt a great way to boost quarterly grades however they also offer much more than the possibility of a grade enhancement they allow students to independently explore topics in greater detail to share and enhance the classroom curriculum and to integrate specialized talents when presented with a bonus opportunity in ms ohler s science class dasha kirby pictured here was ready to take-off she combined knowledge learned in the classrooms from the variables unit her in-depth research and her developing acting talents in order to perform a biography of noted american aviation pioneer amelia earhart the students in mrs hostetler s 4th 5th and 6th grade gifted support classes have had the wonderful opportunity to learn all there is to know about postage stamps thanks to the efforts of mr and mrs joseph bell both retired teachers with 75 years of teaching experience between them mr and mrs bell are members of the american philatelic society a u.s national stamp collecting organization who provided most of the stamps and materials necessary for these students to gain a wealth of information about postage stamps their own country and other countries around the world the bells made several visits to mrs hostetler s classes and each time they brought with them an abundance of stamps materials and a variety of activities for the students to complete both in and out of the classroom all of the activities focused on research writing geography and creativity the students have learned so much and have truly enjoyed their time spent with mr and mrs bell and in turn the bells have enjoyed being back in the classroom sharing their love of stamp collecting amelia earhart visits fhes postage stamp project pictured experimenting are kate brendel and caitlin glass student council held their fifth annual holiday door decorating contest this holiday season doors were decorated by the students and on display from december 19-23 this year s winners were door decorating contest pre-k mrs summits charlie brown s christmas kindergarten mrs reininger s brightest class in kindergarten grade 1 mrs krise s merry christmas to all and to all a good night grade 2 mr hunter s not a creature was stirring not even a mouse grade 3 mrs stombaugh s jack frost grade 4 mr pcola s i m hardrock i m coco i m joe grade 5 pictured above mr lashinsky s mr l got run over by a reindeer grade 6 mr brezovec s despicable me life skills mrs kundrod s gingerbread houses 5 mr mrs bell with mrs hostetler s class. p. 6 what started out as a videoconference with the pro football hall of fame in canton ohio has turned out to be a fun and unique research project for the students in mrs hostetler s gifted support classes it began in mid-october when students met and talked with mr jerry csaki a member of the pro football hall of fame s educational programs staff prior to this videoconference mrs hostetler s students broke into groups consisting of reporters tv broadcasters statisticians historians and artists after visiting the pro football hof s website and researching the answers to a variety of questions the students realized how this entire experience connects to and strengthens what they learn in school core curricular areas such as language arts math geography science the arts technology health and history can be found everywhere even in the pro football hall of fame currently the students are compiling the information learned and are working collaboratively to produce a broadcast they will then send this broadcast to the pro football hall of fame and who knows perhaps the students in mrs hostetler s room will be part of this oneluke tercek quinn spangler of-a-kind museum dylan wechtenhiser eva spangler and its website and claire bawiec on november 17 2011 twenty-three grade 5 and 6 students attended a reading competition in bellwood pa they were accompanied by their coach mrs yahner and volunteers mrs roberts mrs seftic ms garlena and mrs roman the fifth and sixth grade teams each read 42 books in preparation for a battle of comprehension each team participated in three rounds of questions derived from the assigned books they faced three other schools from the surrounding area at the end of the competition each teams total points were tallied both teams worked hard and did a wonderful job representing forest hills the sixth grade team tallied a total of 57 points to earn a 2nd place ribbon each team member received a ribbon with great pride knowing that they were only 5 points away from earning the grand prize 1st place trophy all team members are highly motivated and mentally prepared to win the 1st place trophy at the spring reading competition at forest hills middle school pro football hall of fame during red ribbon week pre-k and kindergarten students attended a drug awareness program presented by heather vitko rn from st francis university the students learned about taking medicine and/or candy from people and who the safe people are around them the 3rd and 4th grade students attended an anti-drug program demonstration presented by cambria martial arts academy which promoted a respect your body theme it included students from the elementary middle and high schools who train at cambria martial arts academy they showed their classmates that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind allowing for an easy way to say no to drugs fifth grade students attended an anti drug presentation from mr mike messina from community action partnership during this presentation the students wore goggles simulating being under the influence of alcohol they were then asked to perform routine activities demonstrating the impairment alcohol causes all of these programs provided important information to the students in an entertaining manner allowing for students to take home the anti-drug message each year the students in mrs ho-ho-hostetler s gifted support classes look forward to making a very special christmas gift for their parents and each year this special gift involves sewing yes sewing as soon as the thanksgiving break is over the students start asking what the project will be for this year and this year the students made these adorable reindeer these gifts made with love and by hand are truly priceless to the parents who received them red ribbon week presents for parents reading team takes 2nd 6 front row lucas myers makennah gray phillip yuhas back byron daubert ben wechtenhiser quinn spangler alexus bobak and alyssa penrod p. 7 this christmas season middle school students gave back to their community at a time when many kids become more concerned with themselves than others the students at forest hills have proven that christmas is a time for giving student council held a dance to benefit toys for tots on friday december 16 students who attended were all asked to donate a toy the benefit dance which was suggested by 8th grade student council member blake ivock is part of the middle school student council s community awareness initiative mrs shannon curry who is in her first year as student council advisor explained that the council has always been involved in charitable events such as the million pennies campaign for easter seals and a math-a-thon fundraiser for st jude s she praised the council s former advisor mr semonick for the council s community mindedness he was a wonderful teacher and left me very big shoes to fill mrs curry and principal mr edward alexander decided on events like toys for tots to demonstrate to the students that charity isn t just about raising money for a cause i wanted the kids to realize that it s not just about giving money but giving of yourself your time and caring for others in mid-december student council made christmas decorations for rose of sharon home in st michael student council members who manned a craft table outside of the cafeteria during lunch periods made decorations and encouraged other students to create some decorations as well this project was spearheaded by teacher mrs colleen dibuono christmas is for giving m iddle s chool eighth grade family and consumer science students discussed centerpieces in a unit on table setting in december mrs judi alexander owner of country hearts flowers and wife of middle school principal mr ed alexander and her mother janet maquilken brought in supplies and demonstrated the art of making centerpieces the activity was based on a christmas theme with students using various types of greenery carnations and ornaments to create their own unique centerpiece centerpiece demonstration pictured are abbey richards left and kayla makin winners at pa farm show kristen kundrod theresa yuhas cheyenne helsel and gage mccall collect toys for tots the middle school competition reading team competed at bellwood-antis on november 15 2011 three different teams competed at the competition the teams represented their corresponding grade level the 9th grade team the unicorns pictured here won second place at the competition forest hills will host the spring competition in april courtney cecere right and grace martin-bromley won first and second place respectively in the pennsylvania state farm show 1st annual stick horse race the students are pictured on the floor of the equine arena with their prize-winning pink draft horses during the draft horse pleasure show on thursday january 12 2012 the unicorns take 2nd 7 p. 8 9th grader kristen kundrod was the recipient of a $25 wal-mart gift card sponsored by the cambria county district attorney s office on november 18th the district attorney s office gave a presentation on the topic of avoiding destructive decisions to the freshman class the focus of the presentation was driving and the law and how the laws have changed as these students prepare to obtain their driver s license to qualify for the drawing the students were asked to complete a survey while discussing this presentation with their parents and return the survey to mrs hirsch ms guidance counselor kristen s name was randomly selected from the group of students that returned the survey on january 8th the middle school nurse mrs harshberger met with girls from the local salix girl scout troop to instruct them on basic first aid techniques the group consisted of junior cadette and senior level scouts the girls were working on the requirements for their first aid badge the nurse reviewed the first steps in response to an emergency checking calling and care the contents of a first aid kit were examined and students discussed how to make their own simple first aid kit the nurse and students talked about asthma inhalers and epi pens used for allergic emergencies and how to use them properly the group discussed how to respond to different scenarios such as sprains broken bones shock weather related emergencies burns choking and insect stings and bites topics included prevention of accidents and illnesses the session concluded with a chat about possible careers available in health care the troop leaders are mrs lisa russic and mrs rose chuckalovcak avoiding destructive decisions scouts learn first aid middle school drama presented two one-act winter productions on december 22 and 23 in the middle school auditorium the first production recess asked the question what do you get when you mix a young substitute teacher with a classroom of the seemingly dumbest and funniest pupils found anywhere cast members included emily miller cari kestermont noah simpson chester middleton samantha bear kathryn jordan cassie miller alysia gearty brooke plows mikala hamara and maegan biglin the second production began with angela singing on the first day of christmas my true love gave to me as she waited for a bus cast members included kristen kundrod noah simpson james mangus emily miller hannah kloster-malmed rachael miller cassie miller tyler miller amber jordan brooke plows nick lineman kate chaney chester middleton gabrielle shaulis toni smay courtney cecere and claudia shrefler lights and sound for both productions was by kaitlin willett drama presents two plays be the change you wish to see in the world mahatma gandhi 8 on november 11th we as a country celebrated the bravery of our service men and women who valiantly protected and continue to defend our country from foreign threats the history department enlisted the help of a vietnam veteran and retired teacher to come and share his unique story with the students he used his experiences to teach the students the importance of veterans day and the significance of being a true american citizen ed mihalacki served his country during the controversial 1960 s and the vietnam war as a high school student he enlisted in the united states army within a few short years he found himself 8,000 miles away and in a hostile environment he served his tour in vietnam and vowed that if he made it home he would make a difference in the world mr mihalacki fulfilled his promise on november 9 2011 he brought his story to the hearts and minds of our students as they assembled in the auditorium they did not realize that they were actually walking back into the annals of history mr mihalacki had a wide-array of historical memorabilia from vietnam including maps pictures and artifacts he personally brought back to the united states the students interacted with these objects as mr mihalacki discussed the purpose and importance of the vietnam war we were honored to have such a dynamic and impactful speaker in our school that day he brought to life the reality of war and what it truly mr satka mr alexander mr means to be a hero teachable moment mihalacki mr long and mr sakmar p. 9 the annual fall blood mobile challenge was held in october against central cambria high school our goal of 65 units was surpassed collecting a total of 67 units central cambria came up with 56 units giving forest hills its first victory in the history of the football bloodmobile challenge the trophy was awarded at the football game blood challenge h igh s chool news from humanitarian club the students against destructive decisions organization has been very active spreading their message of making smart and safe decisions under the guidance of mrs amanda williamson the students are eagerly organizing activities and campaigns that help in their effort to keep our district healthy and safe a few of the activities sadd has sponsored this year are red ribbon week members made over 300 red paper ribbons that were used to decorate the high school for the nationally celebrated red ribbon week campaign each ribbon represented our school s pledge to remain drug-free sadd members also traveled to the elementary school to perform `healthy decision themed skits for the 4th grade students and finally with the help of the school board and various other student organizations sadd brought ms cara filler a nationally known speaker to the high school for an assembly cara s heartfelt and fun presentation left students and staff with an unforgettable message of making smart and safe decisions project sticker shock with the cooperation of st michael beverage sadd members placed nearly 400 stickers on alcoholic products at the local distributor as part of a state-wide campaign project sticker shock reminds parents marlee zubek joan see sadd smith scott george on page 13 so happy we re sadd the high school humanitarian club continues to step out to help the community and those in need 2011-2012 began strongly with the annual light the night walk at upj despite a downpour soggy students and staff walked the course and raised a record $1,000 for the leukemia and lymphoma society members who walked in the rain are pictured above the club continued its efforts with the forest hills tailgate party setting up a booth and chancing off two themed gift baskets raising almost $100 a clothing project with the trinity lutheran church of sidman came next as the club with the help of staff and students from the high school collected between 30 and 35 bags of gently used clothing this project is completed each year and we will again partner with the church for a spring food drive as part of a senior project three plastic tubs of children s band-aids were collected for the children s hospital of pittsburgh elementary and high school students and staff helped on this project the bandaids were hand delivered to the hospital in honor of a young cancer patient who receives his treatments at children s hospital the next project still in the planning stages is a cheyenne sabo winter walkathon to raise dani middleton money and shoes for the national non-profit organization soles 4 souls if everything goes as planned february 4th will find us walking the grounds of our campus as we raise money for this worthy cause we are inviting other clubs to join us as always it is important to note that members of the humanitarian club are volunteers who choose to get involved any member can submit an idea and then chair the committee that sees the idea to fruition leadership skills are refined and polished as projects are completed lance armstrong s quote whatever your 100 looks like give it is this year s humanitarian club theme 9 p. 10 the annual snowball dance winter in central park was held december 6th in the gym students on court representing the sophomore class were courtney durica alexis novotny samantha smith ben buchkovich dustin ohler and shawn fessler representing the junior class this year were briana kostan maggie madison nicole miller abby shaffer shawn dell cory fessler cody law and jared shope and representing the senior class were sam deitle megan gould lexi leventry haleigh mccall loren opdenhoff katie owens justin gdula scott george jon moschgat john levi ohler avery pakstis and brady wright snowball queen and king were megan gould and john levi ohler congratulations to all on the court and the snowball queen and king of 2011-2012 on october 13 2011 nearly 80 juniors and seniors traveled to the renaissance faire in manheim pa and even though it rained all day yet again the students had a wonderful time learning about the culture of the elizabethan period in the poster design contest senior breanna kaufman won second place while junior alyssa miller took third place for her entry this is the second year that alyssa won accolades for her art work at the faire also during the course of the faire day senior kelsey bartek was recognized for her service to the school and tanner richardson also a senior was recognized for his community service a return trip to the faire next october is anxiously being awaited by the students even if it does rain snowball queen megan gold king john levi ohler renaissance faire winners forest hills is going green gold and pink during breast cancer awareness month in october seniors morgan mccormick and breanna baumgardner organized a pink-out day as part of their graduation project their goals were to increase breast cancer awareness and raise money for the joyce murtha breast care center we did not want to complete a typical graduation project we wanted to support a local charity that tackles a universal illness ­ breast cancer described morgan these ambitious seniors exceeded their goals they designed pink-out day shirts and organized a school-wide pink-out day on october 28 2011 we did not know how many shirts we would sell noted breanna much to their surprise students school personnel and community members ordered more than 700 shirts the girls also encouraged high school students to wear their pink-out shirts and to participate in a human ribbon in front of the high school the final phase of their project ­ raising money for a local charity ­ was certainly the most impressive accomplishment of this senior project morgan and breanna presented representatives of the joyce murtha breast cancer center a check in the amount of $4,200 we are truly grateful to the entire forest hills community for its support of our project and more importantly for helping to combat breast cancer morgan and breanna acknowledged 10 pink-out day it was an emotional day that i will never forget said scott george one of approximately 140 seniors who traveled to washington dc on november 14th the trip primarily funded through the commua student snaps a photo nity foundations for at the vietnam wall the alleghenies was to provide students with the opportunity to tour several memorials and monuments and to visit the holocaust memorial museum students toured the world war ii korean war vietnam wall and the lincoln memorials many war veterans who were visiting washington for veterans day weekend talked to the students finally the students visited the holocaust museum a solemn memorial to the millions who were persecuted during one of humanity s greatest atrocities although it is a solemn place this museum brought history to life for me noted victoria hazlett the trip was organized to show appreciation of the students efforts in earning adequate yearly progress ayp on last year s pssa test bringing history to life p. 12 the girls finished the season with a record of 8 wins and 4 losses they placed 2nd at the laurel highlands conference meet beating 3 teams that they had lost to earlier in the season the girls finished 3rd at the district 6 meet and qualified for piaa state meet in hershey where they placed 20th members who ran in hershey were kacie erb chelsea chizmar kelly beyer calli smith cari kestermont and haleigh mccall sophomores kacie erb and chelsea chizmar and senior kelly beyer led the team kacie erb was the teams #1 runrow dakota dumm kelsey molnar kelly beyer haleigh mccall ryan mcner her best performance was at the queen row 2 coach dan krestar calli smith becca michuk chelsea chizmar district meet where she finished 3rd tiffany glass teresa yuhas cari kestermont kacie erb coach row 3 coach kacie was the team s top finisher at the dave molnar ebin blaisdell adam warren derek dumm alex leer devin state meet where she placed 65th dumm tim kestermont conor dimond jake keiper coach tom hunter chelsea chizmar was the team s #2 runabsent alexis novotny alexis swanson ner her best performance was a 4th place finish at the conference meet both girls were named to the west central all area cross country 1st team kelly beyer was the team s #3 runner she placed 20th at the district meet and was named to the west central all area 2nd team the boys cross country team had their best season since 2005 they finished with 10 wins and 4 losses they were the only team to defeat the conference champions richland and lost to the district champion bishop mccort by only 2 points they placed 6th at the district vi meet juniors conor dimond derek dumm and tim kestermont led the team conor dimond was the teams #1 runner his best performance was at the district meet where he placed 3rd and qualified for the state meet he finished 164th at the state meet conor was named to the central western all area 1st team tim kestermont was the team s #2 runner his best performance was a 20th place finish at the big valley invitational derek dumm was the teams #3 runner his best race was a 19th place finish at the conference meet the girls team will return 4 of their top 7 runners next season and the boys will return its top 5 runners expectations will be high for an exciting 2012 season the forest hills varsity boys soccer team finished the 2011 season with a regular season record of 12-5 co-captains scott george and julian gallina the team s leading scorers were named to the laurel highlands athletic conference team and played in the first ever tribune-democrat santa fund all-star game where julian scored the north s lone goal scott was the first forest hills player named the district vi representative to the pennsylvania soccer coaches association allstate team the defense was anchored by seniors with goalkeeper nick penatzer corner defenders todd momberger and andrew lallemand dominating opponents returning in multiple roles seniors nick deitle and avery pakstis alternated between providing ball control in the forward and midfield ranks while seniors ryan mcqueen and dakota dumm moved from center midfield to defense and back again as the unsung heroes of the season junior sebastian pehlke an exchange student from germany displayed dazzling footwork in the successful cross country seasons boys soccer finishes 12 5 midfield as well the team is well-stocked for next year with several players already experienced members of the varsity led by jeff leach ben buchkovich jesse erb patrick gaydos todd harteis tyler mangus rylan nadonley and jesse wehner with the addition of jon cepek jon hersh and garrett horner in the sophomore class and andy buchkovich bolstering junior class veterans jared bunn and trevor sculthorpe we expect freshmen jacob lowstetter anthony maticic tanner mccall nathan penrod and thomas smith to continue this year s record of success into 2012 and beyond 12 p. 13 the forest hills rangers football team completed the 2011 season with a 14-12 loss to penn cambria in the opening round of the district vi piaa playoffs despite the season ending loss the rangers enjoyed a successful 8-3 season as co-champions of the laurel highlands athletic conference the rangers were led by a group of seniors who compiled a 34-6 record over their careers seniors were d.j burkey bobby clifford logan fyock justin gdula scott george mike long nathan lucas chad mccusker josh minor cody moss john ohler jon sanders jordan shostek anthony unger and spencer zock offensively the team was led by the passing exploits of justin gdula who passed for 1,663 yards and 19 touchdowns the receiving corps was led by junior jared shope with 46 receptions for 929 yards and 9 td receptions d.j burkey had 25 receptions for 474 yards and 5 td receptions the running game was led by junior shawn dell who rushed for 688 yards and 10 touchdowns anthony unger rushed for 463 yards and one touchdown they were complemented by sophomore jared rangers co-champions of laurel highlands krug and freshman joe donoughe who rushed for 138 yards and 101 yards respectively on the defensive side junior shawn dell led the team with 58 tackles he was closely followed by senior lineman john ohler with 47 tackles and zack pinkas with 42 jordan shostek and jared shope each had 36 tackles d.j burkey 29 and anthony unger 28 rounded out the top tacklers sack leader was jordan shostek with a team leading 8 sacks anthony unger was close behind with 6 sacks tyler shima led the team in interceptions with 3 and fumble recoveries with 3 scott george was successful in 34 of 38 extrapoints and was 3 of 5 in field goals for a total of 43 points the punting duties were held by jared shope and joe donoughe d.j burkey led the team with a kick return average of 26.9 yards and a touchdown jared shope led the team in punt returns with 10.2 yards per return although bowing out of the playoffs early the returning rangers are looking forward to next year when a new chapter of ranger football will be written girls tennis rebuilds sadd continued from page 9 front rachel blanchetti maggie long alicia wolfhope emily goldyn cheyenne helsel back asst coach clair long kara hritz emily shirt ,jodie sabol kayla makin coach john waksmunski and other adults that it is illegal to supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 21 chain-of-life tree chelsea chizmar priscilla gaunt and melanie gaunt volunteered time to decorate sadd s christmas tree with the theme of `the chain of life the garland used on the tree was over 520 links long and contained the names of every student in grades ten through twelve a poster hanging beside the tree pleaded with students to not let a decision break the chain of life 13 p. 15 the golf team raised their record to three victories for the 2011 season the team had several returning players with experience which helped the team play with a determined focus at each match the returning players were seniors jared adams nathan facciani seth fry chris mccall and dan johnson juniors luke keiper loren krupa ben ressler jack scott jacob smith and ryan wilson and sophomore garrett mccall the 2011 team was supported by some very promising and talented new members including freshmen abbey richards derek makin and kevin wilson and sophomores mike mcgrath and nicole richards the 2011 most valuable player award went to nathan facciani for his consistent performance in all his matches is helping your child with homework difficult check out study island an internet resource available for every fh student in grades 3-12 study island provides mini-lessons on math and language arts concepts examples and practice math problems help students understand classwork and provide needed practice to become proficient reading practice on study island helps students become better readers the lessons and practice are gradelevel specific and can be accessed any time over the internet students can access study island at usernames and passwords are required students already use study island regularly at school and should know their username/password contact director of education mrs sral at 814-4877613 x3249 if you have any questions golf on the upswing homework help available the marching rangers held their first annual alumni band night during homecoming featuring alumni on the field side-by-side with the current members if you are an alumnus of the marching band come out and join the band for next year s homecoming the marching rangers were also proud to showcase their new uniforms for the entire season along with the new drumline if you haven t seen the marching rangers yet it is still not too late the band participates in many local parades as well as the indiana high school bandfest and at the richland high school bandfest this year s marching rangers have 58 members in 8th through 12th grade the halftime show was a classical collage featuring ride of the valkryies beethoven s 5th symphony carmina burana morning music and beethoven s 9th symphony you may not have known the titles but you surely recognized the melodies marching rangers good better best never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best at the annual reorganization meeting of the forest hills school board on december 7 2011 the current president mr fred russell was reappointed to the position for 2012 also reappointed were board 1st vice-president mrs tracy helsel and 2nd vice-president mrs deborah petrunak other board officers are secretary mr john bopp treasurer mr robert mactavish and assistant secretary/treasurer mr rick daniels combination committee meetings will be held on the second wednesday of each month in the district office board room at 6:00 pm prevailing time except when national holidays fall on the scheduled date the regular monthly board meeting will be held immediately upon conclusion of the combination committee meeting the board retained atty gilbert caroff as district solicitor for his 52nd year and mrs tracy helsel was reappointed as seated mrs deborah petrunak mr gilbert caroff mrs psba liaison tracy helsel standing dr tim ondrejik mr jared mr russell mr bopp mr mactavish mr daniels and mr cronauer mr robert mactavish mr john bopp mr george were appointed to the greater johnstown career and galen george mr rick daniels and mr fred russell technology center joint operating committee 15 school board reorganizes for 2012 ~tim duncan~
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http://www.youblisher.com/p/264180-Winter-Newsletter-2012/
Test matches in the Nineteenth Century in the period 1877 to 1883 were organised somewhat differently from international cricket matches today. The teams involved were rarely fully representative, and the 48-day boat trip between Australia and England was one that many cricketers were not able or willing to undertake. As such the home teams usually enjoyed a great selection advantage. Thirteen test matches were played in this period (1877–1883) and all were between Australian and English sides. However most of the games were not styled as national representative "England v. Australia" matches; this description was applied later by cricket statisticians. This is also true of the designation of these games as "Test matches" - the term "Test match" did not enter into the vernacular until 1885. Eleven of the thirteen matches played to 1883 were in Australia, which made the most of its home advantage by winning seven, while England won four and two were drawn. By 1883, the tradition of England-Australia tours was well established, with that year bringing the first Ashes series. In 1882 England lost at home for the first time, and, in a mock obituary, The Sporting Times lamented the death of English cricket and noted that 'the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia'. Later in 1882, the Honourable Ivo Bligh led a team to Australia to recover these Ashes. After a three-match series, a group of Melburnian ladies presented Bligh with an urn with some ashes in them, and that became the trophy for which England and Australia continue to fight to this day. Also by 1883, however, a number of problems that continue to bedevil cricket had already surfaced: there were umpiring disputes, betting controversies, match-fixing, and even a riot in Sydney in 1879. Genesis of Test cricket There was a long build-up to what became the first Test tour. The first overseas visit of leading English cricketers was planned by John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset, who was a strong player himself. Dorset, who had recently been an ambassador to France, where he had promoted cricket, arranged a tour to that country in 1789. Whilst it is unclear as to whom they were going to play against, the team did get as far as being assembled in Dover, ready for the cross-Channel trip to France. The Duke's timing was poor though: the French Revolution had just broken out, and his cricket tour became the first one to be abandoned for political reasons. It was not until the Nineteenth Century that strong "England" teams started to form. By the late Eighteenth Century, there were many games played by sides called "England" - for example, "England" vs "Hambledon", or "England" vs "Kent" -, but these were not truly representative matches. By 1846, however, William Clarke, a bricklayer from Nottingham had formed "The All-England XI", a mostly professional team of top cricketers who toured the country, taking on local sides, although leading amateurs, such as Alfred Mynn, played too on occasion. Usually, they played against the odds, with eleven men in their team against 22 for the opposition, to make it more of an even contest. In 1852 John Wisden, together with fellow Sussex-man Jemmy Dean, founded the "United England XI", providing both financial and sporting competition to Clarke's side. The matches between these two rival sides became the highlight of every English cricket season, and these teams, both essentially just business ventures, went a long way to popularising the game in England. 1859 saw the first main representative tour by an England team. It was captained by George Parr, and comprised six players from The All-England XI and another six from the United England XI. The team toured North America, where cricket was very popular - especially in the United States and Canada. The match in New York, for example, was said to have been watched by 10,000 people, although this might have been an exaggeration. Even more people watched the team when it played in Philadelphia, the spiritual home of North American cricket. All of the games were played against the odds, and the tour was a financial success, with the English players making £90 each. 1861 brought the first English side to Australia. North America was avoided this time because of the Civil War. It was a weak side, dominated by Surrey-men because George Parr and his Nottinghamshire players had not accepted the offer of £150 per head, plus expenses. The Englishmen won half of their twelve matches, losing two and drawing four, all of them against the odds. This tour was followed in 1863/4 by another one to both Australia and New Zealand. It was led by George Parr and included the amateur EM Grace, older brother of WG. In 1868 a team of Australian Aborigines toured England (see 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England), becoming the first Australians to visit England; but that was really just a one-off. Also in that year, an English side, led by Edgar Willsher, toured North America and beat XXII of the United States and XXII of Canada. 1872 saw a third tour to North America, led by RA Fitzgerald. Among its number was WG Grace, who had already become recognised as the greatest cricketer in England. Then, in 1873/4, Grace himself led a tour to Australia which included four amateurs. The most important game was won against a XV of New South Wales and Victoria. Up to this time, all but one game was played against odds. The first Test tour - 1876/7 Originally two Englishmen tried to promote separate tours to Australia for 1876/7. James Lillywhite promoted a tour professional cricketers. GF Grace promoted a tour that would have included amateurs. Despite many initial preparations being made for Grace's tour, it fell through, leaving Lillywhite's team as the only one to go, first visiting New Zealand and then going on to Australia. The highlight of Lillywhite's tour was to be two games against a Combined Australia XI. These two games later became recognised as the first two Tests. Lillywhite's team was considered weak. It certainly did not include any of the leading amateurs, such as the Champion, WG Grace. It was further handicapped by having had to leave its only specialist wicketkeeper, Ted Pooley, behind in New Zealand, facing a charge of assault. The Australasian wrote, "...[Lillywhite's team] are by a long way the weakest side that have ever played in the colonies, notwithstanding the presence of Shaw, who is termed the premier bowler of England. If Ulyett, Emmett, and Hill are specimens of the best fast bowling in England, all we can say is, either they have not shown their proper form, or British bowling has sadly deteriorated." The first match against a Combined Australia XI was billed as the "Grand Combination Match", and was to be held at the ground at East Melbourne, as the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) had been booked by G.F. Grace - but, with Grace having pulled out, Lillywhite moved his matches to the larger, and more profitable, M.C.G.. The Combined Australia XI included cricketers from New South Wales and Victoria, but there had some notable absentees too. For instance, Fred Spofforth, Australia's legendary "Demon bowler" did not play in the first game, in protest at the non-selection of Billy Murdoch, the New South Wales wicket-keeper to whom he attributed so many of his accomplishments, declaring that he would play only if Murdoch kept wicket. Jack Blackham, however, had already been chosen, and Spofforth's appeal was seen to be a display of insolence shocking in a man of only twenty-three. "As this could not be arranged," went the sardonic observation of the time, "this modest gentleman was left out."[1] In spite of the name, all but four of the Australian team were British-born. The first Test match At 1pm on 15 March1877, the first game began. It was dominated by Charles Bannerman. Bannerman scored the first single in Test history off Alfred Shaw's second ball, was dropped on 10, and had scored 27 by the time lunch was taken at 2pm, with the Combined XI 42 for 3. After lunch, Bannerman increased his scoring rate, and scored his century at 4.25pm, by which time the attendance was around 4,500. By close of play at 5pm, Bannerman had moved on to 126 and Combined Australia were on 166 for 6. He progressed his score to 165 before he was forced to retire hurt after getting the index finger of his right hand split after a delivery from George Ulyett. At that time Australia were 240 for 7, and they finished their innings for 245 all out. Bannerman had scored 67% of the runs in a completed innings; this remains a record. His score is still the highest by an Australian on Test debut, and the ninth highest for all players. Bannerman's performance so impressed that a subscription was started that raised more than £80. On the third day, the Saturday, play started earlier at 12.15pm; there were approximately 12,000 spectators, a figure helped by England having conceded a first innings lead. But Lillywhite's XI fought back. With 5 for 38 from Shaw and 3 for 39 from Ulyett, Combined Australia were reduced to 83 for 9 at close, a lead of just 132. On the fourth morning, the Monday, Australia's last wicket partnership extended this lead to 153, before Lillywhite's XI collapsed to 108 all out in just over two hours. Australia had won by 45 runs, and the crowd was vociferous and congratulatory. Afterwards the captain, Dave Gregory, was given a gold medal by the Victorian Cricketers' Association, with the other members of the Combined Australia XI being given a silver medal. Losing captain, James Lillywhite was magnanimous in defeat, saying, "The win was...a feather in their cap and a distinction that no Englishman will begrudge them". The second Test match Following the success of the first game, a second one was quickly arranged, with the tourists getting a larger slice of the gate receipts. Also the Melbourne Cricket Club contributed £50 to the cost of bringing New South Wales players, such as Spofforth and Murdoch, down to Melbourne. Lillywhite's team proved itself to be stronger than the Australasian suggested, and went on to win the second match. On the first day, Australia won the toss, but got tied down completely by the English bowlers. Billy Midwinter top scored with 31 as Australia struggled slowly to 122 in 112.1 four-ball overs. However, Australia struck back immediately to leave England on 7 for 2 at close. The attendance on that first Saturday was poor, with only 4,500 paying spectators. The second day was all England's, as a good all round performance left them 261 all out at close, a lead of 139. Lillywhite's XI was so dominant there were rumours that they had deliberately underperformed in the first game so as to secure better odds from bookmakers on winning the second. England were still on top in the third day, despite a better Australian performance. At stumps, Australia were 207 for 7, after Lillywhite himself had taken four wickets. By the time Lillywhite's XI were set 121 to win on the Wednesday, only 1,500 were watching. The English won by early afternoon on that fourth day. The games, particularly the first one, excited the colonial press. But there was not significant coverage of them in the English press, and it was only later, once these games were recognised as Tests, that much note was taken of them in England. Lord Harris's team 1878/9 and 1880 The Australian team of 1878/9. After the success of Lillywhite's tour, the Australians decided to visit England in 1878. WG Grace and James Lillywhite both suggested promoting the tour themselves, but eventually leading Australian cricketers put up the money themselves, though Lillywhite helped them arrange the matches. The Australians acquitted themselves well, losing only 4 games they played on equal terms. They also beat a Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) side that included WG Grace by 9 wickets. Although this side was considered stronger than Lillywhite's team that had toured Australia, it has not been classified as a Test match. However the result of the match did much to increase the reputation of Australian cricket in England.[2] The success of this tour encouraged Lillywhite and Shaw to raise another team to tour Australia, but they both withdrew when the MCC asked Lord Harris to lead a tour. The captaincy of this team was first offered to A N Hornby, but he demurred to his lordship. The team Harris took to Australia was originally intended to be all amateur, but in the end the professionals Emmett and Ulyett were added to the squad. Also Harris and Hornby both brought their wives with them. The highlight of Harris' tour was a game billed as an "English XI" against "Dave Gregory's Australian XI"; it was this game that later got recognised as a Test. Lord Harris' side was weak, with a long tail. The game itself was largely unremarkable, being decided by the weather. After Harris elected to bat after thunderstorms struck on the morning before the first afternoon's play, which was a mistake as his side was soon all out for 113. It was during this innings that, Australian bowler, Fred Spofforth took the first Test hat-trick. In reply, Australia were 95 for 3 by stumps on the first day. By the end of the second day, Australia were well ahead. Around 7,000 spectators, the same as on the first day, watched Australia make 256 and English bowler round-arm fast-bowler Tom Emmett take his Test career-best figures of 7 for 68. England were 103 for 6 at close, and it was clear that the third day would not last long. England made it to 160, and Australia scored the 19 runs they required quickly, taking only 11 balls to do it. The early finish to the game led to an impromptu second match between an MCC XI and a New Zealand team from Canterbury. 5 weeks after this match, one of cricket's early riots occurred. The riot led to the cancellation of the return match, The riot was widely reported in England, and it meant that the 1880 Australian side to tour England was guaranteed to get a frosty welcome. They found it difficult to find good opponents, with most county sides turning them down, although Yorkshire played two unofficial matches against them. However, the English public were more sympathetic towards the Australian captain Billy Murdoch than they were to his predecessor Dave Gregory, and this led to Harris being persuaded by the secretary of Surrey County Cricket Club, C. W. Alcock, to put a team together to play them at Surrey's home ground, The Oval. In view of what had happened at Sydney, this was a generous gesture from his lordship; A N Hornby, Emmett and Ulyett, three players who were at Sydney for the riot refused to play. But Harris assembled a strong team that included the three Grace brothers. Australia, who had not faced strong opposition, were without star bowler Fred Spofforth. The 1880 Test match was well attended, 20,814 paying spectators on the Monday, 19,863 on the Tuesday and 3,751 on the Wednesday. For the first two days it was a one-sided affair. WG Grace scored 152 as England put on 420, 410 of them made on the first day. Grace's brothers, EM and GF, also played for England, making it the first instance 3 brothers had played in a Test match. On the second day Australia then scored 149 and had to follow-on. They slumped to 170 for 6 at close, still 101 behind. A fine innings by Murdoch, who had a chanceless and undefeated innings of 153 lifted Australia to 327, to make England bat again. Whilst England slumped to 31 for 5 chasing a target of 57, WG Grace came in and saw them through to a 5 wicket victory. Significantly, the animosity that arose from the Sydney Riot of 1879 were overcome, with this match helping to cement the custom of cricket tours between England and Australia. Lillywhite, Shaw and Shrewsbury's first tour 1881/2 After the 1876/7 tour Lillywhite invited Shaw to join him in promoting and managing a tour to Australia. Shaw was concerned that the financial burdens may be too great for two men, so Arthur Shrewsbury was brought in as a third backer. After Lord Harris's intervening tour, the three men put together their first tour to Australia in 1881, going via America. At the time Shaw was rated England's best defensive bowler and Shrewsbury England's best defensive batsmen. Lillywhite no longer played, but did umpire in a number of games. All the tourists were professional players. They lost money on the American leg of the tour, and could only scrape together less than £1,000 to pay for their steamship journey to Sydney. This was made worse as the Americans refused to accept Bank of England banknotes as payment, and the captain of their ship, the SS Australia, a Sydneysider himself, personally agreed to guarantee their fare. Betting scandals have been part of cricket from its earliest days, and it was in a match against Victoria before the first Test of the tour that they surfaced. There was very heavy betting on the match. Victoria needed 94 runs to win in the last innings when the tourists' boat was due to leave, meaning that the match would be a draw. The Victorians, anxious for a win, asked Shaw and Lillywhite to play out the game. They agreed, but only if the sailing of their boat was delayed till 7pm after the match; to their surprise, the boat company consented. However, there were rumours that two Englishmen had tried to throw the game. In response Shaw bet £1 on an England victory and made every other member of his team do likewise. Remarkably, the Victorians were bowled out for 75, leaving Shaw's side the winner by 18 runs. But the rumours of match-fixing did not go away: On the boat journey to Adelaide, Billy Midwinter, who is the only man to play Test cricket for England against Australia and Australia against England, made accusations that led to a scuffle with the two men believed to have been implicated. Discretion from those reporting the tour means that the names of the alleged match-fixers cannot be identified with any certainty, but it was suggested that one of the players had dropped the simplest of catches, the other taken a catch only after the ball got into his shirtsleeve and became stuck. Later Shaw said, "It was a remarkably curious circumstance." The Australasian wrote, "Professional cricketers who keep late hours, make bets to some and are seen drinking champagne at an early hours with members of the betting tent cannot be surprised if people put a wrong construction on their conduct." When the Test matches were played, for the first time a South Australian, George Giffen, was selected to play. The first Test saw the biggest crowds then on record: 16,500 on the Saturday; 20,000 on the Monday and 10,000 on the Tuesday. England had the better of a game that was drawn after the fourth day as Shaw's side needed to catch a steamship for New Zealand at 6.30pm. Chasing 277 Australia had made 127 for 3 by the end of the game. In the second Test, England made a tortuous 133 in 115 four-ball overs, with Eugene Palmer taking 7 for 68. By close of play on the first day, Australia were in the driving seat at 86 for 1. Whilst England recovered to dismiss them for 197 and then made 232 themselves, they were never going to stop Australia getting the 169 runs they needed to win. The third Test was even more one-sided. England got 188. Then Australia made 262, with Percy McDonnell making 147, Alec Bannerman 70, and no other batsman scoring more than 7! England again collapsed to 134, and Australia won by 6 wickets. Although the fourth Test was billed as being "timeless", in practice, because of Shaw's team's other engagements, the game could only last four days. After three days only 22 wickets had fallen, with the most notable performance being a Test-career best 149 for George Ulyett. The fourth day of the fourth Test was wiped out by rain, and so the Test was drawn. The Englishmen went to their other commitments, and the Australians set sail to England. The Ashes legend Australia win in England 1882 Billy Murdoch's Australian side only played one Test in their 1882 tour. As hosts, Surrey County Cricket Club asked A N Hornby to captain the side against them. It turned out to be Spofforth's match, however, as Australia's "Demon bowler" took fourteen wickets for ninety runs to bowl England out for 77 and give Australia victory by seven runs. It rained for two days prior to the game and then again in the early hours of the first morning. When the Australian team came down to breakfast in its wonted lodgings at the Tavistock Hotel in Covent Garden, however, the heavens had closed again. The crowd started to filter through the turnstiles under grey skies. The admission fee was a shilling, although those VIPs who filled the small pavilion and low-roofed, single-decked grandstand did so at no cost. The 20,000 in the ground that day constituted the largest crowd ever seen at a cricket match anywhere, beating the record set on Lord Harris's 1878/79 Australian tour. A sky dark and overcast, and a pitch wet and damaged, greeted the two teams. The uncovered wicket had absorbed two successive days of rain, of course, and pundits believed that, once it had dried out, it would offer plenty of help to the bowlers of both sides who had the ability to make the ball break off the wicket. The warning bell sounded at 11.45am, and the playing area was cleared accordingly. Rival captains Billy Murdoch and Monkey Hornby went out to toss the coin. Murdoch was very happy to win it and chose (in what was, by general consent, a mere formality) to bat first. Many believed that this result might prove vital: the Australians would be batting first on a rain-affected wicket that would only get worse as it dried up, and this meant that they had a definite advantage in taking first strike here: they had use of the pitch while it was still playable. Play commenced at 12.10pm, which was a time usual for its defiance of the accustomed rules for the start of play on this tour - on either the hour, half-hour or quarter-hour: it had been made clear that the Australians wanted shortened hours of play on this tour. The Englishmen entered the arena first. They were led on by their captain, Monkey Hornby, who was followed by a jolly-looking W. G. Grace. Allan Steel and Alfred Lyttelton, meanwhile, nattered conversationally together as they made their way out into the middle. The Australian openers, Alec Bannerman and Hugh Massie, who trailed their opponents down the pavilion steps, were greeted by a loud cheer. It was reserved by many, though, solely for the big-hitting latter than the permanently passive former. Bannerman's barn-door defence and slow rate of scoring had made an unpopular name for itself in a few British circles. Ted Peate took the new ball from the gasometer end, waiting as his captain pointed the fielders to their respective positions: Grace went to his accustomed point position, Bunny Lucas deep cover-point, Steel slip, Charles Studd extra-cover, George Ulyett cover-point, Dick Barlow fly-slip, Billy Barnes mid-off, Maurice Read long-off and captain Hornby himself at silly mid-on. It was an eight-one off-side field, with Lyttelton taking the gloves... The rain-damaged pitch helped England's two left-arm bowlers, Barlow and Peate, who dismissed Australia for 63 in two-and-a-quarter hours. England made 101 in reply, with Spofforth taking 7 for 46. After more rain on the second day, Australia lifted its score to 122, thanks to a quickfire 55 from Massie. The match was fiercely contested, as evidenced by WG Grace's gamesmanship in running out the naïve 21-year-old Sammy Jones, who had been batting well with his captain. Murdoch hit one into the legside, and Jones reached the other end comfortably in time to make the single. He then left his crease to go and attend to a divot on the wicket. Grace whipped off the bails and appealed. Square-leg umpire Bob Thoms delivered his verdict: "If you claim it, Sir! Out!"[3] Murdoch's protests fell on deaf ears; the run-out was quite legitimate, but Grace's unsporting behaviour irked the Australians, whose collective will to win was fired-up by it. During the interval, Spofforth made an announcement to his team-mates in the dressing-room: "This thing can be done.!" In spite of being reduced to fifteen for two early on, England made a good start in its pursuit of a victory target of 85. The score rose to 51 for two, with Grace and Ulyett hitting out strongly. Spofforth changed ends, and Neville Cardus wrote thus of this move: "Now I was behind his arm; I could see his superb break-back. And he bowled mainly medium pace at this time. With each off-break I could see his right hand, at the end of the swing over, finish near the left side, 'cutting' under the ball. Sometimes his arm went straight over and continued straight down in the follow-through – and then the batsmen had to tackle fierce topspin. There was the sense of the inimical in his aspect now. He seemed taller than he was half an hour ago, the right arm more sinuous. There was no excitement in him he was ... cold-blooded."[4] Spofforth presently claimed Ulyett, and Boyle had Grace caught by Bannerman at mid-off, making it 53 for four. Now, amidst great tension, Lucas and Lyttleton played out twelve maiden overs in succession. "Suddenly", wrote CP Moody (the man famous for compiling the first accepted list of Test Matches), "a new phase came over the innings. The batsmen could not get the ball past fieldsmen. Spofforth was bowling the most remarkable break-backs at tremendous pace; Boyle, from the other end, maintained a perfect length; Blackham with matchless skill took every ball that passed the batsmen ... every fieldsman strained his nerves to the utmost." It was now that Spofforth suggested to his captain Murdoch that they allow the batsmen to change ends. Alec Bannerman deliberately misfielded a stroke from Lyttleton, allowing the batsmen to take a single and end the monotony. "Something of the spirit of the struggle", wrote Moody, "pervaded the thousands of spectators, and their oppressive silence was punctuated by a mighty shout when Lyttleton broke the spell with a single."[5] This meant that Spofforth could now have a go at him. After four more runless overs, Spofforth knocked over Lyttleton's stumps. That made it 66 for five, England needing nineteen more to win. "I observed the incoming batsmen", Tom Horan wrote later. "They had ashen faces and parched lips."."[6] England had collapsed to 75 for 8, at which time Charles Studd, a batsman who had twice scored centuries against the Australians that summer arrived at the wicket. Studd had earlier been seen shivering, covered in a blanket in the pavilion. Studd denied the story that was put about that he was the victim of nerves, saying that he was cold due to the freezing weather.[7] "Now Boyle's perinacious accuracy was rewarded", wrote Moody. "Off the first ball of his over Barnes was caught off the glove by Murdoch at point."[8] Last man Ted Peate came to the wicket now. "The scorer's hand shook so that he wrote Peate's name like 'Geese'", Horan tells us.[9] Unfortunately, we cannot varify this, as the England scorecard has been lost, and the Australian one reads very clearly and certainly does not say "Geese". "Peate", wrote Moody, "swished the first ball to leg for two, flukily played the next one, tried to hit the last ball of the over, but missed, and it bowled him. The game was won by seven runs."[10] Studd had not faced a delivery. Peate later explained his actions, although there are numerous accounts of his actual words. Thankfully, they do not vary much from "Ah couldn't troost Maister Stood!" One spectator died of heart failure at the end of the Australian innings (rather than during the tense finishing stages, as has often been claimed); another, an Epsom stockbroker named Arthur Courcy, is said to have bitten through his brother-in-law's umbrella handle.[11] For the first time, an England side had lost a Test Match in England. Spofforth, having taken seven for 44 in this innings (making it fourteen for ninety in the match), bowled his last eleven overs for two runs and four wickets, those two runs and four wickets coming off his last seven deliveries. He was carried shoulder-high from the field. His break-backs had been almost unplayable on this wicket; indeed, Giffen believed that every single one of them would have destroyed the stumps had not the bat got in the way. After the match, a mock obituary was famously inserted in the Sporting Times, which read: "In Affectionate Remembrance of ENGLISH CRICKET, which died at the Oval on 29th AUGUST, 1882, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances R.I.P. Bligh reclaims the Ashes 1882/3 Bligh originally intended to tour Australia in 1882/3 with a team comprising only of Cambridge Universitycricketers. (Oxford and Cambridge Universities had very highly-rated teams at the time.) This plan did not come fully to fruition, however, and Bligh ended up taking a team of eight amateurs and four professionals on the long voyage. Bligh was contracted to play three games against the same team that had beaten A N Hornby's side in England during the 1882 season, and he responded to the joke about the Ashes at dinner parties by saying his team would "beard the kangaroo in his den and try and recover those ashes". In response, at a banquet at the Melbourne Town Hall, Australian captain Billy Murdoch said, "Our boys fairly won the ashes and we confidently rely on them to retain possession or at least for the present. When, as we hope, we have shown our visitors that they cannot recover the ashes, we can then place the sacred dust in a suitable urn in our Public Library, as a curiosity to be shown to visitors with respect and esteem as the result of the Australian prowess in the cricket field." Whilst Bligh's team was strong, it did miss three or four of the leading English cricketers, most notably WG Grace. On the way to Australia the side also survived a collision between their vessel, the SS Peshawaur and the Glen Roy 500km south of Columbo. Fast bowler Fred Morley suffered a broken rib and severe bruising, which limited his appearances on the tour and contributed to his early death two years later. Walter Read had this to say: "It was altogether a terrible affair, and it is a wonder we were not all drowned." The first two representative games were styled as the "Honourable Ivo Bligh's Team versus Mr Murdoch's XI". The Aussies took £200 per player in each of these games as record-breaking crowds poured into the M.C.G., and the New Year's Day attendance was 23,000. The highlight of the first Test was an innings of 85 in 135 minutes from George Bonnor as Australia made 291 in its first innings. Rain came down during the England innings, making the pitch more difficult than it had been. England, struggling to cope with this, made only 177 and was forced to follow on 114 runs behind. Mr Murdoch's XI won easily by 9 wickets, and the Colonial press saw the victory as confirmation of Australia's superiority. Bligh, however, later commented, "Some of us still cherished the hope that our turn was yet to come." The second game was more controversial. As the pitch deteriorated there were arguments as to which bowlers were responsible for encroaching onto it. When Bates, an occasional spin bowler on the tour, took England's first Test cricket hat-trick, there were suggestions that he had been aided by Barlow's footmarks. Bligh asked Barlow to change his shoes to pacify things, although the English later accused Spofforth of damaging the pitch too. Bligh's success at the toss helped England enormously, however, and Australia capitulated to an innings defeat. After the controversy in the second Test at Melbourne, it was agreed to use two pitches at Sydney in the third match of the series, which stood at one-all now. After winning the toss, England made 247, and Australia replied with 218. In the latter innings, Alec Bannerman batted just over four hours to score 94. Figures of seven for 44 from Fred Spofforth saw England collapse to 123, before Dick Barlow's seven for 40 had the Australians collapsing themselves to 83 and losing by 69 runs. Bligh had won the three match series 2-1, and England's pride was restored... After the third game, the amateurs of the side were guests of Sir William Clarke over Christmas, at his property "Rupertswood" at Sunbury, Victoria. Bligh's men and some of Clarke's other guests had there a cricket match, which the former side won. Afterwards, a group of Victorian ladies, headed by Mrs. Janet Clarke (William's wife), burned what has variously been called a ball, bail and veil. The ashes (which, according to other accounts, were those of King Cole, an Aboriginal cricketer) were presented to Bligh in an urn. Said Lady Clarke, "What better way than to actually present the English captain with the very 'object' - albeit mythical - he had come to Australia to retrieve?" Bligh later married another of these Melburnian ladies, Florence Morphy. When he died, in 1927, his widow presented the urn to the Marylebone Cricket Club, which now keeps it in the museum at Lord's, aside from the very occasional Australian visit. A fourth match was played against a "United Australian XI", which was even stronger than Murdoch's team that had lost the Ashes. As an experiment, a separate pitch was prepared for each innings. Australia won the game by 4 wickets, but it was (and still is) not recognised as a part of the Ashes series of 1882/83. England won the toss once again and batted first, 135 Allan Steel scoring 135 to see the tourists to 263. Australia's response was one less at 262, but England's 197 in the second innings did not set much of a target, and Australia won comfortably. A fifth match was proposed and discussed, but it did not materialise. Notes 1. ^ Barker, Ralph: Ten Great Bowlers (Chatto & Windus, 1967), p. 7. 2. ^Barclay's World of Cricket - 2nd Edition, 1980, Collins Publishers, ISBN 0-00-216349-7, p259. 3. ^ Quoted in a Charles Pardon article in Bell's Life. Pardon thought it to be "unlikely" that Thoms would have said this and promised his readers that he would find the truth later. Indeed, he "took the first opportunity of asking Thoms what he really did say, telling him at the same time what I had heard. He, as I expected, denied having said anything more than the necessary word. 'Out!' Thoms told me the point was a very simple one, the ball was not dead, and the batsman was run out. If Grace, instead of going up to the wicket and putting off the bails, had thrown at the stumps and missed them, the batsman could, and probably would, have run again, and then everyone would have said what a smart thing the Australians had done. Jones did a foolish, thoughtless thing in going out of his ground, and he paid the penalty of rashness. " 4. ^ Cardus, Days in the Sun. (Cardus, of course, was not even born when this match took place. Nevertheless, his reconstruction of events, probably based on old newspaper accounts and interviews, is one of the best-recognised of the many that have been compiled on this game.) 5. ^ Quoted in Pollard, Jack: Australian Cricket: The Game and the Players (Hodder and Stoughton, 1982), pp. 371–372. 6. ^ Horan article in The Australasian 7. ^ Norman P. Grubb: C.T. Studd: Cricketer and Pioneer (Lutterworth Press, 2003), p. 29. 8. ^ Quoted in Hutchinson; Ross: 200 Seasons of Australian Cricket, p. 372. 9. ^ Horan article in The Australasian 10. ^ Quoted in Hutchinson; Ross: 200 Seasons of Australian Cricket, p. 372. 11. ^ Green, Benny (ed.): Wisden Anthology 1864–1900 ISBN 0-356-10732-9, p. 655. External links The game of cricket has a known history spanning from the 16th century to the present day, with international matches played since 1844, although the official history of international Test cricket began in 1877. .....Click the link for more information. The story continues in: 1697 to 1725 English cricket seasons .....Click the link for more information. This is a continuation of the history of cricket from the first "great match" in 1697 through the early decades of the 18th Century to the year 1725 when the mists of time began to part. .....Click the link for more information. See also: History of English cricket to 1696 and 1697 to 1725 English cricket seasons Cricket's first formalised Laws were written in 1744 and revised in 1774. .....Click the link for more information. history. .....Click the link for more information. Test matches (matches of Test cricket) in the 19th century were somewhat different affairs than what they are today. 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As if bibliophiles need any reasons beyond the sheer pleasure of reading, the long, cold months of a harsh winter offer good excuses for curling up with a good book and experiencing that iciness and winter's bluster vicariously. In this column, members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group take a look at books in which the winter season plays an important role. Willow and her family have moved into a new neighborhood in this second installment of the Willow series. Across the street lives snarly Mr. Larch who does not appear to want to make friends or neighbors. Undaunted, Willow plants a beautiful garden, shares the harvest with neighbors, and when winter arrives, starts a charity drive for mittens and hats for the needy. However, Willow is disappointed that there has been no snow so far, something she has been eagerly awaiting so that she will have a good sledding day. As Willow continues to wait for snowflakes, a strange "message" arrives with instructions for a snow day dance. Willow shares the instructions for the dance with her family and neighbors; they include strange directions such as wearing your pajamas backwards and romping on the bed! Since even Mr. Larch is wearing a smile, did he have something to do with the snow that appears the next day? Teachers will love the warmth and generosity of the lively community-spirited Willow. Willow has a website and a FaceBook page, and they can be accessed at and - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant Beneath a blanket of snow, the otters are restless in their burrow, and they set out on an expedition above ground. Although it's a cold winter night, Little Otter and his family frolic in the snow and icy water. But amid all their fun, they must still be cautious and watch for signs of danger from other animals. When Little Otter spots five wolves, he tries to warn the family, and then lead the hungry predators away from the other unsuspecting otters. Using a combination of luck and the skills he honed through play, he zigs and zags across the snow, managing to escape from the wolves. The story contains several wonderful phrases that capture all the icy action such as "utterly, otterly way," "whooshily, shooshily way," "chompity, whompity, stomp," and "quakingly, shakingly way," (all unpaginated). The pen and ink illustrations are especially effective in highlighting the swift but playful movements of the otters and the other wildlife foraging in the snow. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman Helquist, Brett. (2011). Bedtime for Bear. New York: Harper. Although stories of bears getting ready for their long winter's nap abound, this one is a welcome addition to that collection, deservedly having received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publisher's Weekly. In this story, Helquist has created a visually active romp for Bear, giving him one last playtime before he hibernates for the winter. His rascally raccoon friends pester sleepy Bear until he finally comes outside for a very fun afternoon complete with snowballs, sleds and winter fun. Exhausted from all the activity by the end of the day, his friends retreat to their own beds to sleep, finally allowing Bear to begin his winter slumber. The illustrations are vibrant, and the story panels direct the story from text to speech bubbles. Young children will enjoy Bear's repeated phrase: "It's bedtime for bears." Let children enjoy a coloring page from the book: - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant Messner, Kate. (2011). Over and under the snow. Illus. by Christopher Silas Neal. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. On a winter's day spent skiing through the woods, a father uses the opportunity to teach his offspring about what lies beneath the snowy mantle that covers the ground. Although the blanket of snow hushes much of the world, she notices a quickly moving squirrel, the patterns of a deer's tracks, and the patience of a fox listening for clues as to where his next meal might be hiding beneath the snow. Underneath that quiet coverlet, there are all sorts of living things, including shrews, voles, bullfrogs, a black bear, and even a queen bee, using the snow as protection from the cold or waiting out the winter beneath it. The author's choice of words to describe the animals and their snowy setting is inspired, and may make some folks long to leave their warm houses for a wintry expedition. The final page with the youngster curled up in bed after an active day shows that humans and animals have more in common since she looks as though she's nestled beneath a covering of her own. The mixed media illustrations are impressively detailed, showing the secret worlds that lie beneath the snow. Back matter includes an author's note that provides more information on the animals in the book and their habitat as well as suggested additional reading. This picture book reveals vividly what can be learned by slowing down, being mindful, and looking beyond oneself. Although many animals seem to disappear during the winter, many of them lead active lives under the snow, as this book clearly reminds readers. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman This bold colorful picture book begins with a hook that draws readers right in: "Look, a puffin! What a marvelous creature, one of a kind and amazing. Indeed, there is nothing like a puffin" (unpaginated). A little girl then compares the puffin to various inanimate objects such as a ladder, a house and a newspaper. These objects are "nothing like a puffin" (unpaginated). But upon further consideration, the girl then realizes that a newspaper actually is like a puffin because both of them are black and white. The story continues as the girl compares blue jeans, goldfish, shovels, snakes and helicopters with the puffin—revealing that they are "nothing like a puffin" (unpaginated). Through the simple text, readers will continue to learn even more about this cold weather bird, including what puffins look like and what they are able to do. In conclusion, the girl compares a puffin with a penguin and finds some similarities and some differences. This wintery tale could be used to teach comparison and how important it is to wait before making assumptions. After all, something that seems on the surface to be nothing whatsoever like a puffin just might have more in common with the creature than it seems upon first glance. - Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver One winter morning Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee wake to fresh snow and a beautiful sky. They decide, "It's time to give skiing a try!" (unpaginated). They travel to a little hill where they can practice, and later they plan to head for the mountain. Both dog and master think skiing will be easy as they teeter-totter downhill. Completely written in rhyme, this adventure quickly moves from wintery fun to icy conditions. The comic-like, gouache illustrations depict a curious moose in search of succulent sticks. Although the moose notices Mr. Magee barreling down the hill, it stands frozen in fear. As a novice skier, Mr. Magee doesn't know how to steer so he slides under the moose, flips in the air and is tossed across a snowy ravine. How will Mr. Magee and Dee find their way out of this icy predicament? In the end, Mr. Magee realizes, "I might need a [skiing] lesson or two" (unpaginated). Children will love this playful book celebrating the wonders of winter and the other two titles in the series: Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee (2000) and A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee (2003), both featuring warmer parts of the year. - Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver Since they are naturally curious, most young children ask multiple questions throughout the day. In this picture book Polar Cub has many queries for his mama as he gets ready for bed. He wonders why the moon sails high in the arctic sky, why the moon dreams and why the moon tells stories from the stars. Each time Polar Cub asks, "Mama, why?" (unpaginated), Mama answers in a lyrical way, "Moon is friends with the stars that glow, and the stars tell Moon the tales they know" (unpaginated). The mixed media illustrations show a snowy landscape with Mama Bear and Polar Cub snuggled together. Readers will eventually learn that "stars don't sleep like you or me. Instead they travel the galaxy. They sometimes sprinkle dust as they go—and stardust, my dear, is what we call snow" (unpaginated). This wonderful lullaby will remind parents and teachers that the questions of little ones are important and valuable, and that we must take time to listen and help them find answers to what they want to know, even when the questions are repetitive or hard to answer. - Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver Eleven-year-old Anna Breittelmann would love to be an author someday. Certainly, she is clever, creative, and has a big heart. The observant girl follows the misadventures of a pregnant cat she names Ginger Cat and her kitten Plucky and worries about their ability to survive in New York's chilly winter which is quickly approaching. When she and her two sisters learn that Tania, their Russian cousin, will live with the family while her mother works in Europe during WWI, Anna decides to create a doll just for Tania in order for her to feel at home. Since her father runs a doll shop to repair and make dolls, the materials she needs are readily available. When Tania arrives after her trying ocean voyage, she is understandably introverted and hoards her food. She can barely speak English, and two of the cousins ignore her. Anna, however, recognizes that her cousin has artistic talent and loves animals, and concern for Ginger Cat helps thaw her frozen heart. The descriptions of Tania's painful attempts at communicating while Sophie, the oldest sister, expects her to master English immediately are vivid and heart-rending as is the story surrounding the outdoor cats, Ginger Cat and Plucky. Readers will be horrified at the carelessness and cruelty with which Anna's neighbor treats the felines who are desperately trying to get through a harsh winter. This is a beautifully told story about a girl concerned about others as well as a gentle reminder to share what we have with others, especially during the coldest months of the year. The story and illustrations may be sentimental and evoke another time period, but the sentiments that prompt Anna's generosity should never go out of style. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman The timelessness of the themes of loyalty and friendship explored in this book make it a treasure. The skill with which the story unfolds and the lovely language used in telling the story will prompt willing rereads. Best friends Hazel and Jack encounter peer pressure from classmates who consider it unlikely for a boy and a girl to be friends instead of going out or going together once they reach a certain age. To Hazel's dismay, Jack seems to be growing distant, possibly bowing to peer pressure. Still, she loves her friend, and when he goes missing, she sets off into the woods to find him. It seems that Jack has followed the Snow Queen who has frozen his heart and left him almost beyond saving. As Hazel risks everything to rescue her friend, she encounters all sorts of creatures often found in fairy tales, including a woodcutter, the three fate sisters, a flower garden whose blossoms were once girls, a little match girl, a magical object, and roving packs of wolves. If the story is engaging--and it is--the language used throughout the story is evocative and powerful, lending an almost mesmerizing quality to the tale. The author makes readers experience vicariously the exquisite coldness that Hazel endures on her journey as well as the icy indifference that has permeated the heart of the Snow Queen and numbed Jack's as well. When Jack finally returns home, it's clear that things at home will still be difficult. While his mother remains profoundly depressed, at least one boy has found his way out of the wintery woods, thanks to a loyal and determined friend. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman Noah Garrett's parents have just died of smallpox in 1944 Texas, leaving him an orphan. Noah is sent to live with his closest living relative, an uncle in Colorado that he has never met. When Noah arrives at Camp Hale, he learns that his uncle is in the military in an elite fighting ski patrol unit readying for combat in Europe. Raised a pacifist, Noah finds this to be an especially difficult transition. However, as World War II rages, Noah learns about the necessity for this unique army unit and eventually becomes part of the team of "snow phantoms" who comprise the Tenth Military Mountain Division that are preparing for combat. The author interviewed survivor phantoms for this story, which is based on historical events. Readers may enjoy visiting the author's website and link to an exciting book trailer at - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant Another worthy entry in the informative Scientists in the Field series which examines the work of scientists in various locales, the focus in this case happens to be an area that has received quite a lot of attention recently--the plight of polar bears in the Arctic. Once the mother bears emerge from their dens with their cubs in the spring, the United States Geological Survey Team emerges from its home base to locate polar bears by helicopter. After tranquilizing, capturing, and then releasing them once samples have been taken, the scientists use the data they collect as a way to count a population that is hard to count and assess the condition of the bears. Concerned about the effects of global warming and climate change on the bears, the scientists use radio collars to track the movement of the bears. As is the norm in this engaging series, the book's pages are filled with photos of the enormous polar bears and the scientists at work as well as chockfull of details about their painstaking attention to the data they collect. Even a costly lost radio collar can't be left behind, and the scientists must make every effort to find out whether the collar has been removed by a polar bear or if the bear itself has died. The author includes interviews with scientists who remind readers that there is still time to save the polar bear's habitat--if we act quickly and reduce our carbon footprints. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman Grades 9-12 Hirsch, Jeff. (2011). The eleventh plague. New York: Scholastic. Twenty years have passed since civilization as we know it ended. Prompted by escalating conflicts between the United State and China, the Collapse occurred when a deadly strain of influenza kills much of the population. Cities fell, and the infrastructure that maintained the government has fallen apart as the survivors focus on simply finding food. Stephen Quinn, 15, was born after the Collapse, and the only life he has ever known is that of a salvager, searching for anything to trade for food. When Stephen's father falls into a coma after an encounter with slavers, he stumbles upon Settler's Landing, a community that is so self-sustaining they even have a school. Since winter is already chilling his bones, Stephen stays in the area while his father heals in order to read books, his secret passion, and to be with Jenny, a local girl who refuses to settle for the status quo. But even this place is not a sanctuary, and a prank causes more problems than Stephen could ever have imagined. Especially frightening is the realization that when citizens of the town are banished with few supplies, they will have little chance to survive the harsh winter that lies outside its borders. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman Laurel Daneau at 15 has survived a hurricane by fleeing Pass Christian, Mississippi, with her Daddy and baby brother, Jesse, Jr. However, her beloved mother and grandmother who stayed behind did not. The grieving trio winds up in Galilee, Iowa, where Laurel finds a best friend, a spot on the cheerleading squad, and a boyfriend who is the basketball team captain. T-Boom introduces her to meth, and Laurel begins to drown in the drug just like her mother and M'Lady did in the storm. Meth is the moon, and it takes the user higher and higher before plunging her into the abyss. Laurel runs away from home and lives in an unheated room in an abandoned hardware store where she begs on the street for the moon is her only goal. She meets Moses Sampson, a young street artist, who commemorates dead meth users in murals commissioned by the survivors. His mother was a methhead, so he knows the drill. This is must read for teens but also for those of us who work with and care about them. Woodson's lyricism and use of interlocking flashbacks in this first person narrative does not sugarcoat the addiction, its effects, or the aftermath. Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. As many schools prepare for winter breaks, and shoppers looking for bargains fill stores, readers are reminded that there are all sorts of holidays that give us an excuse to celebrate and express goodwill toward others in the month of December. In addition to Christmas celebrated December 25, there are these important days: Rosa Parks Day celebrated on December 1, St. Nicholas Day on December 6, Poinsettia Day on December 12, Hanukah on December 20, and Kwanzaa on December 26. You might want to find out more about the Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican), St. Lucia Day (Swedish), Three Kings Day/Epiphany (Christian), Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish) or even Omisoka (Japanese New Year). However you spend your remaining days in December, there is surely an appealing book for you to consider. The following reviews featuring books with a holiday slant were written by members of the Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. Grades K-3 Bruel, N. (2011). A Bad Kitty Christmas. New York: Roaring Brook Press. "Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the city, not a creature was stirring…except for Bad Kitty" (unpaginated). Using his trademark ABC style and rhyming text, Nick Bruel shows the inimitable Bad Kitty at her worst--ambushing the angel, bumping the books, crushing the Christmas cards and dumping the drums. After ruining Christmas and making a mess, Bad Kitty learns that the presents she destroyed actually were for her. She then goes through a completely new alphabet, listing all of the gifts she would like replaced: "A toad, an urchin, a vole, and a whale. A xerus and yak fried with zebra tail!" (unpaginated). When Bad Kitty's long-suffering family expresses their disappointment over her selfishness and greed, she decides to run away. But life in the snowy outdoors is challenging for a house cat—especially when even the mice chase her. Luckily, an old woman rescues Bad Kitty and takes her home where she reminds the misbehaving feline that Christmas is not about presents or food, but instead about family. Using the alphabet as a guide, she shares black and white photographs of her own family members. Through this reminiscing, Bad Kitty begins to miss her own family and decides to return home. She makes it back just in time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. This humorous book could spark a discussion about what the true meaning of Christmas is for your family. Children could also create their own ABC books modeled after Bad Kitty. - Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver Cole, B. (2011). The money we'll save. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. Set in a tiny apartment flat in New York City during the nineteenth century, this story follows a family hoping to save money for Christmas. After a trip to the market, Pa brings home a young turkey poult to fatten up for Christmas dinner. He assures Ma that raising a turkey is no trouble because the turkey can live in a box by the stove and be fed table scraps, thus saving them money. The family soon learns that taking care of a turkey is no easy task. The tom turkey, named Alfred, is dissatisfied with table scraps and begins to steal the children's food. He also learns to fly and begins to leave messes around the apartment. Pa makes a wooden pen and Alfred is moved to the fire escape. Pa keeps reminding everyone, "Remember the money we're saving!" Next, the neighbors complain that they can't sleep and are tired of the great bird doing his business on the sidewalk. Pa solves the problem by transferring the turkey to a bedroom and moving the beds to the kitchen or parlor. Young readers will howl when they read about the noises and smells Alfred makes. Once Christmas Eve arrives, Pa catches Alfred to take him to the butcher. But the children exclaim, "We can't eat Alfred! It would be like eating a friend!" (unpaginated). The family comes up with a solution, remembering all of the money they have saved. - Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver Cushman, D. (2011). Christmas Eve good night. New York: Henry Holt. In this simple picture book a little girl gazes into a circular snow globe portraying Santa's workshop. She proceeds to ask each critter and toy at the North Pole how they say good night to their momma and papa on Christmas Eve. The snowman with a long carrot nose and coal eyes says, "Brr! Brr!" (unpaginated). Amid the glaciers and snow, curled up snuggly on the ice, the bear says, "Grrr! Grrr!" (unpaginated). The rhythmic story continues with a mouse, toy soldier, gingerbread man, elf, dove, reindeer and robot, all sharing how they say goodnight in one or two words. The speech bubble responses invite young children to read along. In the final watercolor and ink illustration children will discover that the little girl is really an elf and that the assorted animals and toys are located in her bedroom. This discovery will prompt a rereading of the story to point out the different animals and toys. - Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver Hoffman, Mary. (2011). Grace at Christmas. Illus. by Cornelius Van Wright & Yin-Hwa Hu. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first Grace book, author Mary Hoffman has written a Christmas story about sharing and selflessness. When Grace finds out that her Ma and Nana have invited strangers to their home for the Christmas holiday and Grace will have to give up her bed, she is NOT happy. She now dreads the holiday she used to enjoy so much. When Nana's friends arrive and one is a young girl Grace's age, they eventually discover something they have in common and become friends. The story ends with an exciting visit from a dancing character in one of the earlier Grace books. For a quick look at the history and development of the Grace books, visit Mary Hoffman's website at - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant Spinelli, E. (2011). The perfect Christmas. Illus. by J. Adinolfi. New York: Henry Holt. In this silly picture book two families follow two different Christmas celebration styles. One family has an artificial tree, "completely out of shape with several branches missing and one held on with tape" (unpaginated). In comparison, Abigail Archer's family "is perfect as can be. They drive into the countryside to chop down their Christmas tree" (unpaginated). Throughout the book, these two families compare their decorating styles, Christmas treats, Christmas Eve traditions and gift giving. The funniest page is when the families assess their Christmas activities. Compare family one--"Abigail plays the cello to entertain their guests—some classic Christmas pieces. She even takes requests" (unpaginated) with family two--"My father juggles grapefruit while I play the kazoo. Then Aunt Clarissa sings off-key. That's entertainment too!" (unpaginated). When, all of a sudden, it begins to snow, the two families meet outside, and what they have in common is clear: "Our families are all together, laughing and dancing through the snow" (unpaginated). Even though these families have different Christmas traditions, it's the spirit of the holiday and being together that counts. After reading aloud this picture book children could discuss or write about their own unique family holiday traditions. - Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver Grades 4-5 Harris, John. (2011). Jingle Bells: How the holiday classic came to be. Illus. by Adam Gustavson. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers. The music director at the Unitarian Church in Savannah, Georgia, in the 1850's, John Lord Pierpont was not used to the South's humidity and high temperatures. Originally from wintery Boston, MA, John is expected to write a new holiday song for the Thanksgiving concert while the area is experiencing a heat wave. During this pre-Civil War era, the Unitarian church is known for its support of the abolitionist movement, and when a brick is thrown threw a church window, glass has been sprinkled everywhere. When Mrs. FitzHugh arrives with the former slave girl she has taken in, the idea for a song is born Looking for a lively and positive way to bring the congregation together with feelings of unity, the children's choir performs the new song, "One Horse Open Sleigh," complete with jingling bells and feathers thrown to look like snow. The author notes at the end describe his visit to Savannah where he learned the historical facts on which he based his story. - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant Wood, Douglas. (2011). Franklin and Winston: A Christmas that changed the world. Illus. by Barry Moser. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. The Christmas of 1941 is an important one, not only for Great Britain and the United States but also for the world. The United States has just entered WWII after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Great Britain has been under constant air attack by the Nazi regime. Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrives in Washington, D.C. in order to cement the relationship between the two countries. This picture book biography describes a crucial meeting of the two world leaders, Churchill and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, during that particular December. The author provides nuggets about the childhoods of both men as well as describing their personalities and life challenges. Young readers will enjoy reading about the playful nature, shared bonds, and determination of the two men. So comfortable did the two become that Roosevelt even barged in on Churchill while he was taking a bath. The author focuses on the human side to these very different individuals rather than describing their policy meetings. An afterword describes some of the policies that resulted from those formal and informal meetings and dinners at the White House with FDR's wife Eleanor in attendance. An author's note relates the impact Churchill and Roosevelt had on his own family, many of whom fought in WWII. This title is especially appealing since it describes vividly the personalities of two politicians who found common ground among their differences. The sumptuous watercolor illustrations complement the sparkling text beautifully. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman Grades 6-12 Rosen, Michael J. (2011). Chanukah lights. Pop-up illus. by Robert Sabuda. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. A talented author and illustrator join their unique skills to take readers of all ages on a visual journey to celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. Best read with adult and child together, this elegantly beautiful pop-up book travels through each night of Hanukkah from continent to continent. As the history literally unfolds on each page, various architectural structures around the world are depicted as the history of this holiday is explained. Young readers will enjoy searching for the candles in each picture, ending with a contemporary setting of a city skyline with gold triangles representing the final days of Hanukkah. This is a holiday treat that will encourage families to examine it time and time again with each visit bringing something new to the viewer's eye. Interested readers may want to visit Michael Rosen's website at for a video to watch each page of pop-ups come alive. Robert Sabuda's website at offers templates and directions for students and teachers to create pop-ups of their own. - Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant Warren, Andrea. (2011). Charles Dickens and the street children of London. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. There are many who might argue that author Charles Dickens singlehandedly revived Christmas celebrations, which had gone out of fashion by the time he wrote A Christmas Carol (1843), his classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man whose heart has hardened so much that he has nary a kind word or thought for anyone. Why waste time or money celebrating Christmas? Over the course of a busy night, Scrooge is visited by spirits who show him his past and his possible future. Today, even this particular character's name is associated with someone who is miserly, while his change of heart is testimony that each one of us has the ability to change, if we choose to do so. The largesse often associated with holidays should remind us that not everyone is fortunate enough to have abundance, and this biography provides ready evidence on that fact. In sixteen chapters filled with lively text and more than 50 photographs and illustrations readers will explore the life and times of this popular author who used his books to bring about social reforms and change attitudes toward the poor in Victorian England. In addition to A Christmas Carol, the author describes Dickens's other books as well as his affinity for the poor children who worked in the factories and in London's streets, vivid reminders of his own days as a factory worker as the result of his father's careless spending. Readers may enjoy learning even more about the author whose books are so often still read in schools today by checking out these websites: Charles Dickens Gad's Hill Place at and David Perdue's Charles Dickens Page at - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman Today's teachers often look carefully for books that excite their students about reading and writing, and help them see that it can be fun to play with words, whether that word play comes in the form of tongue twisters, puns, homophones or even an invented form of poetry. Cracking the alphabetic code provides entrée into a word-filled world, and through the use of mentor texts such as the ones listed below, young readers may learn to relish playing with words almost as much as playing with their computer games. The following reviews of recent books filled with word play were written by members of the Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. Clearly a lover of words, Cleary serves up a heaping helping of 23 tongue twisters that are sure to have readers gasping for breath and forced to rely on outside help in untangling their tongues. This book is filled with unexpectedly strenuous exercises for the tongue as Cleary cleverly plays with language in his usual delightful way. Although the artwork is interesting as well, one of the most appealing elements of this picture book is the author's suggestions about how to write your own tongue twisters. The information about how tongue twisters are created and why certain words, phrases or letters put together in certain patterns are hard to pronounce is enlightening. This book has great appeal for young readers and will provide more than a few minutes of fun for young and old, possibly prompting the recollection of some old favorite tongue twisters. It is likely that this book will inspire a few more tongues to get tangled as readers try to wrap their mouths around phrases that are almost impossible to pronounce together. Naysayers should try to pronounce the book's title quickly, and see for themselves just how haltingly the simple phrases fall from the tongue. The vibrant illustrations will amuse readers, sometimes providing clues about how to pronounce the tongue twisters efficiently, but not always. As autumn comes to an end, this picture book might provide an amusing way to say farewell to the season while encouraging readers to be attentive to detail. But the fall described in the text is somewhat surreal as leaves float into the sky rather than sifting gently from the trees, and youngsters chomp into delicious caramel-covered pumpkins instead of apples. Ouch! The author cleverly mixes the expected with the unexpected so that bears clamor onto tree limbs to gather nuts for the winter instead of hibernating. Under the ground, geese nestle in hibernation, ostensibly taking the place of those large, furry mammals. Readers will enjoy spotting what is not right in the pictures and the mixed-up verses. Readers will laugh with glee at the illustration of a scarecrow keeping watch over rows of candy corn and wince at the description and picture of children frolicking in "heaping piles of sticks" (unpaginated) rather than fall foliage. As they grow older, all children neglect and/or forget about some of the toys that once were their favorites. In this picture book Max looks under his bed and finds a box of ABC blocks, a dinosaur skeleton and other toys that he hasn't played with in a long time. He then decides to make a castle using these toys, spelling out words such as WALLS, HALLS and ROOM. Soon Max's brothers are playing with him and creating an imaginary adventure in which each boy has his own room in the castle with some of the forgotten toys. When Max constructs a MOAT around the castle, his brothers exclaim that they need a BOAT. Later, one of the brothers says, "This castle needs a king," and Max replies, "I'm the KING." Each word is revealed through the ABC blocks used in the illustrations. Together, the brothers create an exciting journey with pirates, knights, a dungeon and a dragon. Primary teachers could read aloud this picture book and then provide a box of blocks for children to spell out their own stories. Filled with pun after pun, this deliciously delightful book has enough clever word play and visuals to brighten a bleak winter morning. Readers will laugh and want to share some of the lines with others. The 26 letters of the alphabet live together in one house, where they have different responsibilities. When the always reckless E is injured while rushing down the stairs, the other letters must take his place. As they fill in, coming together in several unexpected letter combinations, there are several confusing and amusing results, and words just aren't what they used to be without E. Who knew that E was so essential to communication? Since O is called upon to fill E's place, many confusing words are created, and everyone except the narrator stops using the letter E. The authors capture the personality of many of the letters quite well: Z is always sleepy; X always marks the spot; Q and U always appear together. Back matter includes a list that indicates how often each letter is used in the English language, something students will enjoy knowing The entire book is exceedingly clever and particularly punny. The hidden puns on each page are sure to appeal, and even the book jacket shows E declaring that this is "an E-book!" Barbara A. Ward Washington State University Pullman GRADES 5-6 Katz, Alan. (2011). Poems I wrote when no one was looking. Illus. by Edward Koren. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. Alan Katz's newest book is just plain fun … for all ages! Following the success of his first book of poetry, Oops! (Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster, 2008), this new collection offers one hundred original poems that deal with subjects from pizza to pasta to popcorn, from computers to homework to inventions. For example, the poem "How Inventive!" consisting of opening lines goes like this: "My name is Albert Feinstein I'm here with Thomas Pedison. We'll meet with Jonas Salkenbaum, Who's working on some medicine" (p. 54). As children enjoy these poems and add them to the Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky shelves of humorous poetry, this collection begs to be to read aloud or used with group reading, choral reading and performance poetry. Ed Koren's cross-hatched drawings are the perfect complement to add surprise and delight to the meanings of each poem. The poems are almost contagious because it is just about impossible to stop reading them in order to enjoy the wordplay each poem and sketch presents. Other themes found throughout the book include families, sports, and food. A likely favorite is this pithy poem, "In My Opinion," written by an opinionated person. It begins, The first line and title indexes make this a very user and teacher-friendly collection. In addition to the author's website found at Katz has developed a website called "Help the Poemless" ( Bringing poetry into the lives of children and adults, this website offers a mailing list, several videos, and future poetry activities. As the holidays approach, young readers might also enjoy his 2005 collection entitled Where Did They Hide My Presents? Silly Dilly Christmas Songs (Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster). From the author and illustrator of Chicken Butt! (Abrams, 2009) comes the hilarious sequel Chicken Butt's Back! In this clever two-voice story, a mother and son visit a grocery store. Each character's voice appears in a different font type and color, inviting children to read along while laughing at the puns, and then reading them again—and again. Children will learn about homophones and homonyms through this jokester son and his animal friends. When Mom says, "I'll make this crystal clear: No more 'Chicken Butt!' my dear," the son exclaims, "Your deer?" The illustrations then depict a large deer hiding behind a display of maple syrup. The verbal word game is on with "dear" being exchanged for "deer," "but" for "butt," "bear" for "bare" and "under where" for "underwear." Henry Cole's comic illustrations make this wordplay tale even more fun. The "poop or fart" escapades may not be for every teacher, yet most children will be rolling on the floor and requesting more. What's more: This book is guaranteed to be read numerous times, and the puns will be told and retold, maybe even prompting an original one to be punned—er, penned—in your classroom. Deanna Day Washington State University Vancouver Raczka, Bob. (2011). Lemonade: And other poems squeezed from a single word. Illus. by Nancy Doniger. New York: Roaring Brook Press. The author takes the letters from one word and rearranges them to create poems in this cleverly imagined take on word play. Thus, from ladybug, for example, you might get "a buggy buddy a glad gal" (p. 20). The 22 poems are interesting to read and are likely to prompt some young poets to try their hands at this sort of poetry. The topics range from commonplace topics for poetic inspiration such as flowers and spring to less common topics such as television and constellation. Because the placement of letters and spacing is so important for this unique form of poetry, the poems must be seen to be appreciated fully. One of my favorites is squeezed from the word "spaghetti" and describes someone with a hearty appetite for heaping helpings of the sticky noodles. Johnson, M. (2011). The name of the star. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons. Maureen Johnson's latest novel for teens features Rory Deveaux, who has arrived from her Louisiana bayou home as a new student in a London boarding school. Auspiciously, a modern day Jack the Ripper has just begun a rampage which mimics the actions of the 1888 killer who was never caught. Rory swears she saw Jack, but no one else can confirm it. Her roommate Jazza and her crush Jerome, a Ripper conspiracy theorist, offer support but are confused. Then she meets three young adults who offer an explanation. They are now Shades, ghosts who work secretly for the government. They inform Rory that a near-death choking experience has given her the sight. She can indeed see ghosts, and Jack the Ripper is one! Jack is coming after Rory to stop her from identifying him, and the stakes are high. This paranormal romp is filled with adolescent angst and hormones, but nothing stops the growing terror until the final showdown in a boarding school bathroom. Rory is forthright and funny, and readers will follow her adventures with empathy. The city of London emerges as more than the setting, developing as a character that gives realism to the plot. Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
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Paul Ryan selection as Romney's running mate not only has energized the Republican base it also has energized the Democratic Party. Paul Ryan has become the spokesman for the Tea Party and their extreme right-wing ideology and his budget has become the blue print of where the Republican Party wants to take the country. Unlike Romney he has a long voting record in Washington. It is a record which drips with hypocrisy and belies his fiscal hawk reputation. It is a record that demonstrates his being nothing more than a crass politician captured by special interests. It is a record that is now part of the Romney campaign. With his Republican colleagues he voted for both Bush tax cuts, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, for Medicare Part D, all which were unfunded. He voted for TARP and Bush's auto-bailout, for porkbarrel legislation such as the 'Bridge to nowhere' bill and needless subsidies and tax breaks for corporations. He is as responsible as anyone in Congress for the turning of a $200 billion dollar budget surplus Bush inherited from Clinton into the first trillion dollar budget deficit in the country's history; the genesis of a deficit he now claims will be the death knell of our republic. While railing against Obama's economic stimulus package claiming government spending doesn't create jobs he was writing letters to the Labor and Energy Departments requesting $21 million in stimulus money professing the money would create 9,000 jobs but magically only in his district. In 2002 he argued passionately for his colleagues to pass the third Bush stimulus package, asserting additional government spending was needed to get the country out of recession. His budget, which is his signature achievement, purports to set our fiscal house in order. It fails so miserably in that respect that David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's former Director of office and Management and Budgetary Administration, calls Ryan's budget a "Fairy TaleBudget Plan" and wrote it "…will do nothing to reverse the nation's economic decline and arrest its fiscal collapse." Ryan incorporates the theory of trickle down economics that George H. W. Bush eloquently labeled as "Voodoo Economics" into his budget by slashing taxes for corporations and the wealthiest among us. His budget never gets balanced despite making massive cuts to the most vulnerable among us. Cuts so draconian the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote several letters calling the Ryan budget immoral, saying it failed "…the shared responsibility of the government and other institutions to protect human life and dignity, especially of the poor and vulnerable…" By choosing Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, has selected a running mate whose singular accomplishment in Congress provides us with a detailed vision of what the Republican Party's true values are. It is a Social Darwinism vision that rewards the rich and powerful and punishes the poor and defenseless. It is a callous vision arrogantly driven by raw ideology that seeks to tear asunder the social and economic fabric of our society for purely political gain. It is a vision which will not withstand the light of day. And that is why Democrats are delighted to have Paul Ryan as Romney's running mate. First, I think that Paul Ryan was an excellent choice by Mitt Romney. This puts the economy and budget at the forefront of this election cycle. That is what this election will be about. This election will not be about abortion, or gay marriage, or terrorism; just about who can get this country back on track economically. As far as the inconsistancies in Paul Ryan's record; I think that, if you're honest, you'll find inconsistancies in everyone's record if they've been around for a while. That's why Obama was a perfect candidate four years ago. He had no real record, so there was nothing inconsistant about it. The problem was that we didn't know what he couldn't do. Now we do know what he can't do and that's get the country working again. Mitt Romney understands the economy form the private sector side because he's lived it for so long. he knows why business hire and fire; why they choose to offshore operations and how they work around tax laws and other regulations. Knowing this gives him first hand knowledge as to how economies work and how jobs are created and lost. Paul Ryan brings a perspective from the government side of the economy with his expertise on the budget and deficts. John Paul, I agree, if you are in an elected office long enough it would be almost impossible to avoid inconsistencies on some issues. The reason Ryan's voting inconsistencies are singularly important and disturbing is because he has positioned himself, especially within the context of his budget, as a spokesman for his party's extreme view on the proper role of government in our society. And when your voting record shows you voting consistently against what you proclaim are your core values you expose yourself to the charge of intellectual dishonesty and political expediency. Ryan's history of voting time after time for bills that increased the national debt and expanded government's role in our lives and then using the national debt that he help drive up as a excuse to foist on the country a budget that radically changes the fundamental relationship between government and our society is political crassness at its worse. Even Newt Gingrich blasted Ryan's budget as "Right Wing Social Engineering". Mitt Romney's business experience shows he knows how to create and keep personal wealth, but there is no evidence he understands, knows how or wants to fix the economy in a way that would create wealth for the middle class. So then answer me why, when Pual Ryan was interviewed by Fox News, he couldn't answer how and when they will get the budget back in check? Anyone can get up there and say "We will create 250,000 new jobs our first year." Then when asked How and when By Hume, he had no answer. If they can give a legit plan, then even i'll listen. Mitt was not a job creator, he was make businesses money guy. He has never cared or thought about the middle/lower class a day in his life. Are we now supposed to think he will change the tax/regulation codes which he has manipulated and exploited to get more rich? That's why his tax returns are so damning to him. People don't hate him because he's rich. People hate how the rich avoid taxes and pay lower rates than the middle class. The middle class is shrinking by the day and can't afford to be leaned on much more. All citizens need to pay their fair share whether they are illegals, low, middle or upper class. I'm not a huge fan of Obama, but how can you argue that democrats are not the best party for the middle class? Romney has already flip flopped more than a fish out of water on every issue under the sun! That's our savior candidate??? Obama doesn't always hit a home run with his policies but I at least understand where he is coming from. There needs to be more help from republicans who need to start caring less about the party and more about the country. Yeah, you're right, Obama does not flip-flop on issues...he evolves. If you understand where Obama is coming from, maybe you could explain it to the rest of us. Better yet, explain where he is going because I sure don't hear anything from him except to blame Bush and ask for more money. Tough, you wrote: "Mitt was not a job creator, he was make businesses money guy. He has never cared or thought about the middle/lower class a day in his life." I get that you are not for him, but do you HONESTLY believe what you just wrote??? That Mitt Romney "has never cared or thought about the middle/lower class a day in his life?" The sad truth is that you probably do believe that. There are a large number of Dems like yourself, that somehow think that because he has money, that he is not somehow human. Do you think that the republican lady next to you in the grocery store who may have more money than you, doesn't care about your welfare?? Is it only democrats that have human emotions towards others? Is it only democrats that want what's best for the citizens of the country?? If you spend a few minutes listening to the liberal news outlets you will hear Dem after Dem demonizing republicans... They suggest that they only care about the 1%, or the corporations, or big business. Can you REALLY believe that?? I mean, seriously!!! The divisions in the country are growing and I think it's because of the type of comments and beliefs that you make and hold... Tough, come back to reality!! First of all I said Romney doesn't care not republicans. Second what has given you the impression in the last four years that republicans catering most toward the rich? I vote by people not party. I'd love smaller gov, but trickle down ecomonics don't seem to be working. Regulations are at an all time low so show me the money and jobs. Why won't republicans extend tax breaks unless it includes the rich who don't need them? What have these 2 useless wars done to the defict? Romney wins the election ane we'll be in Iran in no time! I don't like Obama and dem policies so much that I wouldn't vote republican, but Romney is not the answer! "but trickle down ecomonics don't seem to be working. Regulations are at an all time low so show me the money and jobs." "Regulations" are at an all-time high because the current administration is conducting a war on private enterprise, because that's what Socialist DO. It sounds like you expect government to step in and mitigate your own failure and shortcomings. It's about personal responsibility, Mr. Tough. Why do you insist that Romney doesn't care?? Do you know the man?? You don't know the man any more than you know any other politician. Does he not care because he has money?? I mean, Tough, seriously, it's non-sense to believe that because he has money, that he is any different from you. Do you believe that because he HAS money, that someone else has lost theirs?? Do you believe that there is one pool of money that is shared amongst us all?? If he has a lot, then someone else has little?? Do you believe that he has someone else's money and that they are poor because he has it?? You should know that it doesn't work that way. If you were rich and I wasn't, and then I became rich through invention or hard work, that wouldn't mean that you were no longer rich!!! Romney doesn't have your money or my money or anyone else's money. Who has your tax money?? Romney?? When and where did he get it?? Did Obama write him a check or something?? Who don't you trust, Obama?? I can understand why you would not trust Obama, after all he has not made good on most of his promises... where are all the regulations holding everyone back? Please tell me. The amount of money Romney has avoided paying because of loopholes should make you sick! He pays a lower rate than us! How can obama accomplish his promises when the republicans have stonewalled his entire term? They're #1 objective is to stop Obama and now help our country! What kind of regulations to hold everyone back would you like? A regulation against freedom of speech? That could hold everyone back. maybe you would like to hold everyone back by regulation their thoughts, or beliefs?? Why do you want to hold everyone back? And what are you holding them back from? Prosperity? The pursuit of happiness?? Who should make these regulations? You?? Dude, WAKE UP!!! I agree that there is a geat deal of inequity in the tax system. Most of Romney's income is from capital gains, which is taxed at a lower rate than earned income. This is typical of most wealthy people. Wealthy people also invest heavily in tax free municipal bonds. Obama had a Democratic congress for his first two years in office. Did he try to fix those inequities in the tax code? He could have gotten anything through congress to fix the economy. What did he do? People get upset about the Republican congress; how do you think they got there? They were elected in 2010 because people no longer had faith in Obama. They went to congress to impose the will of thier voters. The fact that Obama reverts to the 1970's Democratic playbook on class warfare makes me think he's out of ideas. "Since we can't help the poor and middle class, let's stick it to the rich". Please explain how soaking the rich will help anyone else. John Paul, you share a widely held misconception that Obama "could have done anything" during the first two years of his presidency. This is based on the mistaken belief that the Democrats held a 60 vote majority (i.e., filibuster proof) majority in the Senate. But this overlooks the fact that by the time the Franken-Coleman litigation was settled, allowing Franken to take his seat, Ted Kennedy was on his death-bed, soon to be replaced by Scott Brown. Remember, the Democrats required Olympia Snowe's vote to override the Republican filibuster of the PPACA, a.k.a., ObamaCare. As to "what did he do?" He passed a major stimulus bill to deal with the short term economic issues. He intervened in the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies, and ensured their survival as going concerns (Romney would have let them go bankrupt without governmental intervention, ensuring their demise, per an editorial he wrote at the time), preserving major economic assets. He passed a major universal health care law to deal with the most serious long term threat to the US Budget, and he wound down the war in Iraq under the terms negotiated by his predecessor (something his opponent swore not to do). And he did these things in the face of unified Republican intransigence and obstruction. Thanks Mr Kurtz. Well said! The only thing I would add John Paul is if his lower tax rate was really that clean and simple he would have released them by now. Even republicans have asked him to release his tax records for more than just two years. His wife even admitted it would only give "ammunition" to the democrats if he did. Why is that? When an elected leader fails to revive the economy, he needs a straw man to blame. Obama needs to blame "the rich" and convince the voters that the rich have caused their pain. (In 1930's Germany a guy got elected and he chose to blame "the Jews" - how'd that work out??). Bankruptcy law has been on the books in this country for many years, and has been used by many companies. Chapter 11 allows reorganization, which would have allowed GM and Chrysler to remain in business. But you are saying "governmental intervention" was necessary because current bankruptcy law just quit working??? Unless you drank the Kool-Aid you know that Socialists see 'governmental intervention' as a means to move us toward their goals. Health care? The ACA solves our budget problem? And after the Kool-Aid you shaved your head, too? The Dream From His Father is bringing down the USA, and you've bought into it. Ernie, without government intervention, GM and Chrysler would have had to file Chapter 7 bankruptcies. Their ability to file Chapter 11 depended on the existence of a creditor who could ensure continuing operations. As the private credit markets had collapsed, this made the government the only viable source of funds. So, yes, government intervention was necessary. Notbuyingit, What exactly did Obama not keep his promises on? He ended Iraq, passed health care... In last few years he added jobs, the market has grown, he has helped the veterans and added to education. Every administration changes as they go. Bush spent $$, had two wars that were unfunded and drastically expanded the roll of Gov't with no child left behind, and the Patriot act. One of the main principles of the GOP is less regulations and less Gov't interference. No child and the Pat Act are the opposite of that... Now before you call me some kind of terrorist or "against" the troops, i am not defending for or against the wars or the expansion. My point is that every administration changes. So again, tell me what promises has he lied about? 1. Pass the stimulus and the enemployment rate will not go above 8% 2. I will cut the deficit in half by the end my first term. (just missed by a little!!!!) 3. This will be the most transparent administration in history (I just LOVE that one!) 4. No red states or blue states, but the United States. (I wanna puke) 5. We will pass comprehensive immigration reform (oops) 6. I will be a better President than Jimmy Carter, so he can still claim the title as "worst ever" Some, as I said, altered just as any president or platform. Some of those were also blocked by flubberbusting rep's. When your parties leader first comment is to end Obama after one term, I guess that is a proud American speaking.. I wonder if you were puking and loving it when so many unfunded billions were was created by the 7 year "chase" for Bin laden... Were ya sick when the Rep's violated SO many of our rights with the Patriot act and expanded and already intrusive gov't? I laugh when so many would never give credit to Clinton for Bush's first few year, then get mad when Obama blames Bush? Every aministration overlaps... That's the way it's designed. Ernie, did you yell at Regan when he bailed out banks, supported Unions, exploded the budget, sold illegal weapons? The fact that you are going to link this to Hitler and the jews makes you quite pathetic. Last I checked, when those bail outs were approved there was more than just Dem's on that stage. With-out a doubt, if given the choice of Romney and the Tea Party or Obama, Reagan himself would have chosen Obama. Homer I truly appreciate your list, but I'd point out a few things. 1) the republicans didn't want any stimulus, what would unemployment be without it. The jobs seriously aren't here anymore (industry) or outsourced out of the country for cheaper labor. 2) The wars are killing our defict, there are timetables to wind both down finally. Romney will start a war with Iran guaranteed if elected. 3) I'd love more transparency too, but not sure how realistic it is when our enemies and the other political party will only use it for their own personal agenda. Romney won't even release all his tax returns! 4) GOP hasn't helped this either. Our gov system is broken. It all about the parties and not the country. 5) Needs to happen. No president will throw all illegals out or give all amnesty. Illegals need legal work visas and not only contribute to SS (with fake SS numbers) but pay income taxes. 6) whatever tough, see how hypocritical your are? You write this above: "3) I'd love more transparency too, but not sure how realistic it is when our enemies and the other political party will only use it for their own personal agenda. Romney won't even release all his tax returns!" You want transparency from Romney, but not for your guy... Just a tought on this. Why would Mitt Romney put out any more tax returns? Do you think it will sway a single person who is demanding them? Its just like the Birthers, when Obama released his birth certificate, did it change a single persons mind? Can you name a single birther who said " I guess he is legal, I'll support him now"? Even if everthiong in Romney's tax returns are perfect, do you think that a single Obama supporter will vote for him? What purpose, other than giving Obama more stuff to take out of context, will releasing the tax returns accomplish? I'm sure Romney's tax returns are pretty complicated and it wouldn't be that hard to find something to run with if you're the oppostion. I understand your point, but I disagree. The birther thing was nothing but ignorance and completely disproven. I believe there must be something very damning in his taxes. Even the GOP speaker and other republicans said he should. How many Dem birthers were there? None! John Paul, in 2009, the IRS offered an amnesty for filers with unreported income from hidden offshore accounts. I believe this is the real fight, and why Romney rejected the Obama's campaign's offer that if he released just five years, they'd promise not ask for more. For a rich man following an aggressive tax minimization strategy (as Romney has done), fines are a cost of business, not an admission of criminality. He'll make his decisions based on minimizing his expected tax obligation. If this involves hiding assets in offshore accounts and waiting for a more favorable tax environment to declare/re-patriot them, at the risk that they will be discovered and a penalty due, that's what he'll do. But risks can change. If you're a rich man running for major office, there are going to be a lot of people trying ferret it this sort of thing out. So it's best to declare these "hidden" assets, and an amnesty is a perfect opportunity to do so. But consider such a revelation in the context of a political campaign. Lots of people resent the taxes they pay, and feel that the game is rigged in in the rich man's favor. They'll see "taking advantage of the amnesty" as an admission of tax-evasion, not merely a cost of business. That would be game-over in this election. So, no. This is not like birthers. There's something real that's being fought over. Paul, You are pretty much correct. My only guess would be that they would show the millions he puts in tax sheltered off shore accounts for the sole purpose of saving taxes. I am not saying this is wrong, bcause it is leagla. However, for a Presidential candidate to be campaigning on bringing money,jobs, and glory back to America, I can see how people would be tike... WTF? I would also add that there is a good possibility that their biggest fear in releasing more tax returns is that it would give the American people a window into how the very rich have been able to manipulate the tax system through political influence to their advantage. Alan Simpson, a former and very conservative Republican Senator, who served on President Obama's Deficit Reduction Committee stated flatly that if the American public ever found out exactly how the tax system favors the rich there would be a revolution in this country. David Cay Johnson, Pulitzer Prize winning investigative author has written extensively on our tax system and its failures. I didn't write this and I don't know who did, but I agree with it 100%. "The next time someone tells you that Obama is destroying the economy, remind them that the stock market and corporate profits are at all-time highs. When they tell you that this hasn't helped them any, remind them they've just admitted trickle-down economics doesn't work." I think Romney said it, but then flip flopped his position. Just hold on a second.......nevermind he switched back again.......crap not again he just went back to trickle economics does work.....stay tuned...... reading through all the rhetoric and the back and forth retort should make you even more aware of what transpires in our current polictical system.Is it any wonder that anything is accomplished. Both parties are equally responsible.Pointing fingers at each other with outlandish accusations is no solution to whatever.Actually both parties are dinosaurs with their extented tentacles,unions, and lobbyist and oh yes bias opinions(FederalJudicial System) has almost left this country in shambles with neither providing clear direction because they themselves are obsolete.It is time for the people to stand up and say(vote) where there is a house divided(senate, house, congress leadership(President) nothing will ever be accomplsihed or achieved.After all were not all of these indivuals elected to interpret and abide and administer the rules and guidelines in the constitution fair and equal non bias and just without their greed and corruptive input to only justify their needs and not the masses..If this is how it's always going to be we need another type of system to represent all of the people not just the choosen few... Another system refered to is reference to anything other than our current two party system exclusion of party affiliation (democrate or republican)..independent..The choosen few refered to are entwined ( lemmings) with policy as is and will go with whoever or whatsoever as long as it is in their interest.never mindful of the majority(the bulk of the nations people) needs..I have been perplexed over our political system as is and as a (Techno nerd) I not only know it is do able and it is feasible all of the data,laws, by laws,constitutional ,bills,etc which by the way are probably already computerized all of this information would turned into(program) a computer language.wherein the( mega master) computer would now be all of the people(President,house members, congress, senate,militray,finance,etc all the people now running the goverment including the federal court..system..There would be no arguments prolonged debates corruption,lobbyist filibustering or whatever..The computer would have the knowledge and answers to every possible or probable situation imaginable and would provide a solution answer immediately...The future is comming and technology is right along As I said earlier our system of administrating our nations directives policies constitutionaly or otherwise is obsolete and broken by all those we initially put our trust hopes and maybe dreams with our vote..(by the way Obama who! no pun intented if your a Democrate) Eric, sounds nice, but not practical. Here is why we are a Republic not a pure democracy: The distinction between our Republic and a democracy is not an idle one. It has great legal significance. The Constitution guarantees to every state a Republican form of government (Art. 4, Sec. 4). No state may join the United States unless it is a Republic. Our Republic is one dedicated to "liberty and justice for all." Minority individual rights are the priority. The people have natural rights instead of civil rights. The people are protected by the Bill of Rights from the majority. One vote in a jury can stop all of the majority from depriving any one of the people of his rights; this would not be so if the United States were a democracy. (see People's rights vs Citizens' rights) In a pure democracy 51 beats 49[%]. In a democracy there is no such thing as a significant minority: there are no minority rights except civil rights (privileges) granted by a condescending majority. Only five of the U.S. Constitution's first ten amendments apply to Citizens of the United States. Simply stated, a democracy is a dictatorship of the majority. Socrates was executed by a democracy: though he harmed no one, the majority found him intolerable. I have never seen so much contrary comments on the most non relevant topic relating to the real issues at hand economy,jobs, deficit, etc. Your bickering and and totally worthless commentary should enlighten to why nothing is accomplished in our current political arena.There isn't a current or fomer presidential candidate who was not controversial and yet you voted for them..Humm do you see the logic of your futile propounderance of diatribe..Was anything really accomplished! I think a "futile propounderance of diatribe" is a weird way of describing having crabs? Smart people like to use big words .I guess Eric dosen't feel that all of our "bickering" over past and current presidents that expanded civil rights for minorities, ended wars, expanded democracy, eliminated dictators and protected the enviorment did anything worthwhile. I am sorry to hear you have crabs but I guess it goes with the territory or should I say individual.You say your bickering over past and current presidents had something to do with what you say transpired. Manipulation by special interest groups(lobbyist,Unions,greed and corruption) fostered those idealist programs as long as they benefited the doers. The by product you you so rave about is just that a by product some good and some not so good.It is truely unfortunate that so many can be swayed by hypocritical and insincere innuendos of no real substance.Each of those actions you espouse is an obligation of those you elect based the right thing to do Propounderance is an unusually small penis. A common criterion is a dorsal (measured on top) erect penile length of at least 2.5 standard deviations smaller than the mean human penis size, [1] or smaller than about 7cm (2 inches) for an adult when compared to an average erection of 12.5cm (5 inches). [2] The condition is usually recognized shortly after birth. The term is most often used medically when the rest of the penis, scrotum, and perineum are without ambiguity, such as hypospadias. Propounderance occurs in about .6% of males. No I am not a doctor, but I played one in college a few times. I will now take your questions...... Y'all are just slaying me. funny posts. I know who I'm voting for, but I'm not gonna argue over it. If you work for a living just put on the cast iron panties because it doesn't matter who's occuping the palace, you're going to get scre@$#. The dems take our blood and give it to the poor. The reps take our blood and give it to the rich. Just enjoy the ride. Not complaining, just sayin how it works. P.S - nice and quiet now with crazy ivent not around! 48 comments on a subject like this instead of a schmidtload. Fortunately we the citizens of this great country of "ours" could do a lot to change the political system as it is to a system that works for the (all ) people not just the super elite or those in power.The right to vote is your given right.What do you think would happen or would the politicians think if no one showed up to vote and I mean no one.There is no law that says you have to vote.The elections probably could not go foward but the message the people would be sending would be a new set of rules and bylaws for these would be politicians..The peoples bylaws, rules that say to those who want this position you have to play by our standards rules and bylaws that say,no more squandering of our money(taxes) no frivolous subsidies,no lobbyist,no unions,no pension funds subsidies by (taxpayers) no impromptuted vacations,no filibustering,no stalemates(there is always an answer for both sides to agree) no corruption,term limits for all no exception..termination or expellsion immeditely if any person(president- janitor) fails to meet any of the criterion..After all it is we(the people) who have pledge our vote to you to administer the highest office in the truest sense of the constitution with no personal interpretation or misguided meaning or anything taken out of context or construed to ones favor..accountability is the precursor.fail here and you are out. If you feel like your coach seat is more cramped than it used to be, it may not be your imagination. Passengers paying the lowest fares are feeling the squeeze as airlines look for ways to boost revenue.The airlines is what it is today a behemoth with little on no concern for it's passengers.The airlines are buying large and larger aircraft but the average passengers experience is that of a sardine.Why is the airline industry always in need of more and more revenue? The obstacles are not enough airports to handle huge aircarft(around the world) fuel cost,over crowding(booking) passenger dissatisfaction,using passenger aircarft as freight delivery.The current classification system coach,economy,first class, business class is this consider discrimination?To resolve this self destruction the airlines should start over by simply making the passenger the primary reason the airlines exist.The planes should be smaller no more than 50 passenger to a flight no more distinction by class.First class should be the word for all passengers 0ne price fits all.No using passneger planes as cargo planes.Passengers also have an obligation no more carry on's all baggage in the baggage hole of the plane..and no ridiculous size or object being transported by passenger plane.with these simple changes the airlines would be profitable and al would be good again Aligators have strong tails... im assumimg your 50 passengers will be on a plane that is big enough to go long distances and have enough space to keep them all at a first class level? If so, after each passenger pays about $500 a ticket just to cover the fuel, what will you charge the passengers to pay for your 30 million dollar plain, and your pilots? I agree airlines suck but im just curious. First the plane or aircraft would be far more fuel effecient just by shear reduction in size and weight and the flight range would also be equivalent based on the overall aerodynamics.inaddition to eliminating airlines using passenger luggage space to haul freight thus creating a burden on the passenger not intended in the ticket price.The term first class should be synonymous with passenger care comfort and the likes. The ticket charges would be based on the destination as is now what you would be eliminating would be a relegated class such as if you sit in the tail of the aircraft or nearer the front of the aircraft(cordon off) each service should as first with no distinction.The only reason the airlines made up all these class labels was to charge more whereas if everyone is charged the same for the same space in the aircraft and the same service criterion the system would be totally profitable without a doubt.As far as the pilots go they would be the same as they are now.What really adds to the airline cost is the unions they proliferate the problem with their demands,walkouts, and the likes..30 million for an aircraft that's cheap.The cost per ticket would be nominal based on the overall reduction in cost on waste yes, I know that 30 million for an aicraft is cheap... the 500 for gas is also on the low end.. I gave you the benefit on that one and that was just the break even point... So what would the cost of a ticket from chicago to Orlando be? So you would have Union free pilots? Im assuming you are paying them more than UA to pull them away or will you be recruiting Middle eastern pilots that will work for free! If you are going to have an aircraft streamlined and cost effective that provides a service that should be the standard not the exception what's with the $500 ticket? So what are you saying a pilot is only as good as his union dose it make you a better pilot because you know you can not be terminated no matter what.There are probably multitudes of pilots out there that would be as good as or better because they cherrish the job rather than what a union could get them. Besides it's the employer(airlines) who should set the standards for their pilots not the unions after all it's their business and what better way to promote your business than with service and standards that excel.Why would you want someone(unions) to tell you how to run your business who to hire when to hire how much to pay and you have no say to terminate or you are threaten(strikes and the likes) do you have to be a hostage to run a business.Business thrives when having liberty,independence, voluntary a right to choose. Unions think they are helping their members(worker) by demanding wages and benefits that are outlandish and irresponsible the employer says enough is enough and closes his business or ships his product or service to other places(country) now the union works are nowhere mission accomplish.The standard wage should be $20/hr this would relive the employer of the unions and give a decent wage to the employee and acost of a product or service would almost be a certain it's a win win Standard wage is $20/hour and you think you are going to find pilots capable of flying a passenger jet? So where are you gonna find these pilots, that will work cuz they "love" what they do for 35K a year? Are there 20-25 pilots out there that fit this mold or are you just going to have one. I think your Gov't also has something to do with setting the standards for pilots. Considering many are former military. Not sure what the Unions have to do with that. The $500 is about the minimum that each of your 50 passengers would have to pay to just cover your gas that the plane will burn. Then you have your 35K / year pilots, airline fees to be allowed to land, unless you are using farms, Insurance when your 35K pilots crash, ticket agents... Eric Nelson yer knowledge on aerodynamics and such matters is incredible can you explain how 3-5 desert tribesmen of Saudi Arabia trained in small planes or for a better name Piper Cubs in FLORIDA and managed to fly two 737 LINERS without any difficulty into the WTC? iS IT still The $20 dollar figure is what would be consider the minimum wage rather then the now $7. Has nothing to do with the pilots wages.The wages for pilots would be those offered by the employers(airlines) without union interferance.Third party is not a criterion for negotiations between employer employee(potential).The wages are not set by the goverment nor the standards for pilots. Being a former military(experience) is just an additionl boon for those applying for an aviation position. Many pilots learn to fly in the military, but a growing number have an associate's or bachelor's degree from a civilian flight school. All pilots who are paid to transport passengers or cargo must have a commercial pilot's license and an instrument rating. median annual wages of airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers were $103,210, and median annual wages of commercial pilots were $67,500. Employment of airline and commercial pilots is expected to grow 11 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Regional airlines and low-cost carriers will present the best job opportunities. Pilots seeking jobs at the major airlines will face strong competition. If you can see pass the union stigma growth,prosperity(economic well-being) less cost to the comsumer,unbridled innovation(free enterprise) the social norm. An individual who is attuned and see positive action is the better for it That's great and all, but you still haven't shown me how you will earn a legitimate profit flying 50 people on a spacious aircraft, while charging your pasengers a nominal fee. You just said that these pilots are in a growing area and will be competed for. That means the better pilots will go for an even higher salary. 15 pilots at 75K a year is a Million + in pilot salary alone... On the other point, who protects your 40 year pilot that makes 85 K with a family of 6, when your independent airline fires him to save 20 K and hire a 25 year old just out of flight school... You really think your precious airline will pass those savings on? Here is jut a thought that you may mull over.Initially the unions may have been a need but as it stands today the have outlived their usefulness with no real advantage to anyone but themselves.They sell themselves to the highest bidders for favors and prostrate themselve for any self benefit to themselves.There is always corruption,bribery amoung theselves and members and what little effect they say their members get results in higher cost to you(comsumer) with liitle or no better sevice or product. The only real reason some unions are still around is because of politics(use them when votes are needed). Any individual with foresight could and should see through this con game a burden he should not need to endure I can see you are truely confused. Definition spacious aircraft two aisles (25 on each side) instead of six less weight (by passengers) less weight not hauling cargo freight in passengers baggage or luggage space(belly of the aircraft).smaller better proficient aircarft greater efficiency of fuel longer flight miles smaller space for airport parking lesser runway.Pilots or future pilots competing for a position with an employer(airlines) is like any business you have to prove yourself in order to be considered for the position salary is an open discussion and may or may not be considered at this juncture.Your other point what about all the others(individual worker) who fall into the same category(scenario) (non-union) they work and do their utmost best in their employer-employee relationship with their understandng iit's a job and there is no certainty. They prepare for any event through their own initiative(investments,savings,pensions and so forth) possible so of this will seep through to you if not so be it Obama is a socialist mentored by his communist grandparents and his close mentor/friend, renowned communist Frank Marshall Davis. He believes we should "share the wealth." When I was growing up I was taught you need to work hard to earn what you want. Now the theme of America is "why don't those who worked hard give some of that to me?" There has been no budget in over 3 years during this administration (which is against the law). How are we even to know the real truth about how many trillions in debt we are when we don't even have a budget. Obama's budget plan got ZERO votes while Ryan's proposal got votes from both sides. I think I know who I'd rather see in the WH next year. Eric, i am enjoying our plane convo... but i still am confused like you said. Some of the best small passenger jets we have like the gulfstreams still burn gas at about $5 a mile and those only hold like 20 people. So again, how do you pay your multimillion dollar payroll, and other expenses and still make a profit? What if you have the passengers in the emergency exit isles also fly the plane. I mean those bastards do get the extra leg room... its about time they pay their fair share. cc, some of your statements are mistaken. I'll leave aside the question of whether Obama is socialist. I don't believe so, but it's impossible to prove either way, just as it's impossible to prove that Romney isn't secretly a Democrat and a member of the Trilateral Commission. But we can establish some facts about the budget. The responsibility for authorizing expenditures lies with Congress (cf., US Constitution, Article I, Section 9), not with the President. It is not unusual for political fights in Congress to result in a failure to pass a budget, in which case spending authority is usually granted on a continuing basis through continuing resolutions. Indeed, this happened in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, to cite relatively recent history. But as regards your claim that there has been no budget (presumably, you mean no enacted budget) for three years, this is easily shown to be false: If I follow your misguided question I will reverse the question how dose the current airlines system pay for all of it's waste oversize planes,misuse of the services(hauling freight) on passenger airlines,overblown wages(union pilots) disgruntled passengers, over booking, missed flights hugh airport parking cost for oversized aircraft.What if you have the pilots sit in the passenger seats after all the automatic pilot flys the aircraft most of the time. I guess their current trillion dollar budget. is in keeping with your question on payroll. Just think about this statement "some of our best small passenger jets still burn gas at about $5 a mile" Just think now what do you guess a huge, mammoth, overweight stuffed with over 300 hundred passengers would cost per mile.I am not sure I get the emergency aisle question or whose flying what Butch I am not sure what you saying but maybe this will help. First, there are thousands of pilots of various nationalities who fly commercial passenger planes,transport planes,military planes, private planes and the likes so on and so on.The terrorist who committed the crime in all likely hood already new how to fly their ruse in training in small plane was probably to learn the communication skills between controllers and pilots as to no create suspicion when flying over residential territory and a low levels to get to their ultimate destination. Your other ranting make no sense to me and as far as code this is even less clear anyway have yourself a good day These profession of comments on what is right on abortion and it's implications on those whose lives are destroyed by it or shamed by it or worst.Why or what is the reason for this you ask religion of course.Go back to when there was no religion how was it introduced to the new world rape, sodamy,incest,torture,death and the likes to achieve relating or devoted to an ultimate reality or deity,belief ,observance ,zealous. Religion has no place in a person's use or service to it's body.Look at the flawed perfection of some of the largest religious orders rampant homosexulaity( raping small boys). why is it that these petrators are not castrarted.As with law the religious philosophers interpret what they want to see..Is it not in the constitution equal rights on to all(men & women)so why should some philosophical interpretation put restraints on the women(female) and not on the male is the words of the constitution to be abandon by a religious rule or interpretation..There is no room for religion and politics. The decision to abort or not should left with individual and maybe the individuals doctor.. There can not be any bias in this process.Religion stick to your own house and clean it up stay out of where your input has no relevance. Eric, your questions are not relevent. I was asking how a airline that flys 50 peole at a time, with comfortable seating, and at nominal airfare can even be possible. You told me they can. The only reasons you gave me are because unions are bad, you will have a plane that is really efficent and you will show Snakes on a plane for entertainment... Wait, that last one wasn't you, but my point still stands. Sorry but either you are blinded by your own questions they make little or no sense. I gave you the answer several times effeciency(working well with little waste) one more time do you really need a union? what benefit do they add to the word efficiency?( I guess you are a union man) because you seem to be stuck on the subject that nothing works unless the union is involved.As far as entertainment is concerned I leave it up to the airlines. I get enough through these commentaries.Finally,how can something be possible,inovation,initative,perseverance,achievements. I guess the unions do not espouse to these basic criterion . If you are comfortable with your self anything is possible and can be achieved No, not all for Unions. I just believe that they have a purpose. There isnt and organization/company/entity that dosen't have waste and coruption. My question is a simple one... To answer it with efficiency is not a real answer. If you have a union or not, you still will be paying more for the pilots than the Unions ones make... Im not defending airlines or Unions... I also defend your right to think as you say. However, things also have to be feasable... Never in a time is our US history was it like you describle... So I don't get your points... Again, it may be my 218 education... Ok Chronicles of Bob What specific purpose do Unions have other then waste and corruption a hinderance to would be employers,price increases and a variety of totally unproductive and self indulgence to greed in other words something described as unnecessary obsolescent.How about working well with little waste overall cost reduction in the total operation resulting in lower cost to consumer(passengers) is this quantitative enough.Your analogy of union pilots and non union pilots(pay) makes no sense. I believe I have not question your rights to spaek or say what you will. It's your choice.I am also sure I have made no comment relating to how it was in the United States. My description was on how it could be, should be can be and would be if a broader and deeper committment by all would be embraced If any or all of this is lacking comprehension,sorry but I am going to leave it here I have reach the plateau on this subject.No hard feeling Best Regards Thanks eric, I have learned much from you. Such as Unions suck and serve no purpose, and that you will invent a passenger jet that uses the flux copacitator, thus needing no gas. I am glad that you can take the 200 plus years of our US history and not find a time of how things "Should be." Yet if we all just embraced a broader commitment things can be!. Really? Wow, that's brillant! And yes, my Union pilot anaolgy was spot on. If your " magical airline" can't afford to out pay union pilots, then you won't get any. Unless of course as I said before, they are midle eastern, or can't fly. Check it out with Chroniclles Bob he's your source. I have no interest in nonsense Not sure how my question made little or no sense. I'm asking for some help in acquiring the blockbutser megahit Snakes On A Plane. I assure you that you have not given me the answer several times. Check it out with COB? Are you serious? I have no interest watching Soul Plane on all fours while wearing a Vin Diesel mask with a can of Diet Pepsi shoved in my mouth as his dog urinates on me and he blankly stares at me while sipping his Miller Lite. No thanks! Final Please! So you learn the truth about unions(Unions suck and serve no purpose) well at least that is an accomplishment. I never made or never mentioned I would be inventing any type of aircraft.The building and modification of aircraft is the concept of those with vision and foresight science and technology that is what got us out of the past to a foreseeable and competive future. I am aware of our country's history all it's flaws and problems right up until now doing things awkward,inffectual costly and I guess just plain greedy without fear of any reprobation or consideration to change. This is my preconception of what I see as a prelude to changeYour innendo union pilots pay and the such your miscomprehension again sorry no need to answer And did you just say that your president and senators will be computers? If not, define integral parts. Man is flawed. And if like you say this country has been filled with greed and people not making fair decions for the people, then who writes these computer programs of yours? Wouldnt the programs be just as flawed as the people who program them. A computer is not fair and balanced because it is created by man, is it not.... Yes Eric I'm sure. "Biblical" is spelled b-i-b-l-i-c-a-l and "billable" is spelled b-i-l-l-a-b-l-e! Remember on Fantasy Island when Tattoo would yell, "Hey boss the plane the plane"? Ok so you can spell. Are you sure one of coconuts didn't fall and hit you the head. Again I am not sure what Fantasy Island and Tattoo or whoever has to do with what or whatever.Anyway thanks for whatever I am out now best to you Chat with Bob if you must My best Regards to you Bob Final and last response please ok. it ends now this prodigious consternation on subject has peaked out. What in hail mary has the terminator have to do with I do not know or care..I appreciate the banter and the opportunity having expressed our views and the likes.I leave you with my best regards.I am out. You can blog, post, twitter or whatever I cordially will not respond. Thanks again and have agreat day Im assuming you saw terminator.... will someone please explain my comparison of terminator and erics last post because im not sure if he wants to talk anymore... id quote a the line "so you're saying there's a chance!"from dumb and dumber but i may lose ya again.... so pretend i didnt ERIC'S answer on ARABS flying JETS is as preposterous as Ilyin Ryan and TWITT taking care of us and our MEDICARE maybe Eric but noone else on this Blog, he goes on to say the DESERT tribesmen - Arabic speaking hijackers were in FLORIDA practicing their communication skills to fool the air controllers at KENNEDY and LANGLEY AFB,like all BS it opens up the debate such a great thinker he is full of himself and his lovely rhetoric practicing for bigger and better things he went on they used Fla for a training base to learn the terminology that enabled them to fly into the most heavily defended airspace in the world outside of Pyongyang or Peking , sorry fellas this is most likely why his interest has peaked out the softball season ended on fantasy Island his aerodynamics knowledge is almost as great as his linguistics. Air Cars in the Marketplace India¬'s Tata Mo¬tors will likely p¬rodu¬ce the first air car in the marketplace in the next few years. Tata Motors' air car will also use the CAE engine. Although Tata announced in August 2008 that they aren't quite ready to roll out their air cars for mass production, Zero Pollution Motors still plans to produce a similar vehicle in the United States. Known collectively as the FlowAIR, these cars will cost about $17,800. The company, based in New Paltz, N.Y., says that it will start taking reservations in mid-2009 for vehicle deliveries in 2010. The company plans to roll out 10,000 air cars in the first year of production [source: Max]. MDI also recently unveiled the joystick-driven AirPod, the newest addition to its air car arsenal. Although the AirPod generates a top speed of only 43 mph, it's also extremely light and generates zero emissions. Major automobile makers are watching the air car market with interest. If the first models catch on with consumers, they'll likely develop their own air car models. At present, a few smaller companies are planning to bring air cars to the market in the wake of the MDI-based vehicles. These include: Air Car Factories SA -- This Spanish company has an air car engine currently in development.. the MDI cars will be the only air vehicles on the market. However, MDI has reportedly licensed the technology to manufacturers in a dozen different countries, so air cars should be available around the world This going to be my last response to you Butch my only reason I answered you in the first place was your initial inexplicable ranting about something which I have no Idea what it is or about Your comments"can you explain how 3-5 desert tribesmen of Saudi Arabia trained in small planes or for a better name Piper Cubs in FLORIDA and managed to fly two 737 LINERS without any difficulty into the WTC? iS IT still" I though Chronicles of Bob was bad news but you sure have him beat. So farewell my friend enjoy your life keep me out of it Best Regards Cats, like some other animals, have highly-developed vestibular and brain functions that enable them to determine their spatial orientation and motion. The cat uses its four legs and its tail to re-orient itself in reaction to changes in acceleration (balancing and falls). This is known as a "righting reflex". I guess I made a mistake. I assumed the format was to be based on topics of importance, influence,worth,significance. A tickle monster would be classified under Chronicles of Bob I am right? The useless knowledge capabilities(your limited insight) is a prelude to alternative energy possibilities less dependant on oil or fossil fuel. What I gave you was something to really think about. You totally mis- construed what computers,programs,technology,scientific knowledge mechanical engineering and the likes and it's applications to programable format. making things simpler easier cost effective,errorless.The majority of assembly of a car is done by a computer..Bob I hope you don't mind me being a little facetious when I ask you this question you didn't get hit in the head with a peanut by any chanceThe ball is in your court. I have no idea what you are talking about or what it means or what it has to do with or about This why disengaging for subjects likes is a no brainer. Have fun enjoy the day Best Regards Billable Hours Disengaging from subjects like this is a no brainer. I have no clue what you are talking about or what it is you are trying to convey has it anything to do with your snap comments or are you seeking have a sex change and looking for direction. If your gay it's ok it's what your are so be it. As you can see I have no idea what your ranting was trying to achieve it certainly is mis-leading to say the most. I am in no way trying to offend you I just wish your dialogue would be far more clear No offense intended.Best Regards (friends) Many animals defaecate when they are frightened as losing a little weight is an aid to running away faster.Our cousin the monkey is probably up in a tree and is not in immediate danger so the faeces becomes a readily available weapon with which to annoy the threat. Throwing dung is also seen in Homo Sapiens. If you've ever watched an episode of Lock-up or Lock-down which documents life in American prisons, It is not uncommon for inmates to hurl their dung at staff or each other. Often fecal matter is stored and mixed with urine then left to fester into a noxious brew and used on a victim at an opportune moment. Yes getting back to the real issue at hand would be refreshing politics,goverment budget,change,which should encompuss technological options in various fields of endeavors not just platitude subject with no specific answer and definately not just finger pointing accusations but real substance to what can be done about it.Take all the character assasination out of the picture. will Romney/Ryan be the choice for the next four years or will Obama/Biden be the choice..Things like wealth, money,religion, abortion, who did what or said what should not cloud your judgement .The character assasinations and finger pointing is the work of all the ad makers and campaign promoters who are providing fodder to you to further cloud your preception of each of he candidates..If the topics discussed here are not taken out of context or meander for the subject then this could the start of something good So you ask billable to be friends, but not me. That hurts! Trying now to figure out what robots making cars have to do with our subject matter? Are you suggesting these car building robots will also take then place of our human leaders and decide on things like abortion, states rights, racisim and education. Or these also the issues that cloud us... Chronicles of Bob & Billable Hours Bob If I didn't (Friends) to you I am sorry not intential.but in all honesty I am seriously saying this time for good I am done with the both of you.Billable Hours I have no clue to whatever you are saying complete total nonsense.Chronicle of Bob your ability to take things out of context and interject it with some absurd concept or notion is beyond me.Technology is here and will advance like it or not .The world is changing as is what it takes to run it. computers,programs,technology,scientific knowledge mechanical engineering and the likes and it's applications to programable format. making things simpler easier cost effective,errorless will apply to many things just as robots assembling cars. Yes and things like human decisions can and will be done by computer programs flaw free.Thanks for the time with you and Billable Hours.I have closed out Patch account and have posted my last remarks The two of you stay in touch with each other best regards Eric, You so sensitive, what gives? You can't have a computer program that is written, designed and implemented by humans be free from flaw, errors and greed. It's impossible. I Don't know why you can't see that? The fact that you are ok with decisions of a personal, emotional and humanistic nature to be decided by a computer, that's esssentially designed by a human is wrong on so many levels. The fact that you would be willing to give such a power to a group of people to create such a tool is shocking. Hence, my terminator example. Eric bowed out before we knew if computers have a sexual idenity like asexual or humanoid? Borrowing a name I don't buy his sudden lack of aerodynamics knowledge when Florida airstrips were mentioned he immediately went into a lame and feigned sensitivity mode- SOMETHING WAS COOKIN he was all shoocked up EH?
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History of the metric system Woodcut dated 1800 illustrating the new decimal units which became the legal norm across all France on 4 November 1800 The origins of the metric system date back to the sixteenth century when Simon Stevin published details of his decimal notation, and the seventeenth century when John Wilkins published a proposal for a decimal system of measurement based on natural units. The first practical realisation of the metric system came during the French Revolution, when the existing system of measure which had fallen into disrepute was replaced by a decimal system based on the kilogram and the metre. The metric system was, in the words of philosopher and mathematician Condorcet, "for all people for all time". The unit of length, the metre, was based on the dimensions of the Earth, and the unit of mass, the kilogram, was based on the mass of water having a volume of one litre or one thousandth of a cubic metre. Reference copies for both units were manufactured and placed in the custody of the French Academy of Sciences. During the first half of the nineteenth century, the metric system was adopted by the scientific community. In the middle of the century, James Clerk Maxwell put forward the concept of a coherent system where a small number of units of measure were defined as base units, and all other units of measure, called derived units, were defined in terms of the base units. Maxwell proposed three base units – length, mass and time. This concept worked well with mechanics, but attempts to describe electromagnetic forces in terms of these units were beset with difficulties. By the end of the nineteenth century, four principal variants of the metric system were in place for the measurement of electromagnetic phenomena, three based on the centimetre-gram-second system of units (CGS system), and one on the metre-kilogram-second system of units (MKS system). This impasse was resolved by Giovanni Giorgi, who in 1901 proved that a coherent system that incorporated electromagnetic units had to have an electromagnetic unit as the fourth base unit. Until 1875, the French government owned the prototype metre and kilogram, but in that year the Convention of the metre was signed, and control of the standards relating to mass and length passed to a trio of inter-governmental organisations, the senior of which was the General Conference on Weights and Measures (in French the Conférence générale des poids et mesures or CGPM). During the first half of the twentieth century, the CGPM cooperated with a number of other organisations, and by 1960 it had responsibility for defining temporal, electrical, thermal, molecular and luminar measurements, while other international organisations continued their roles in how these units of measurement were used. In 1960, the CGPM launched the International System of Units (in French the Système international d'unités or SI) which had six base units, the metre, kilogram, second, ampere, degree kelvin (subsequently renamed the "kelvin") and candela, and 22 derived units. The mole was added as a seventh base unit in 1971. During this period, the metre was redefined in terms of the wavelength of the waves from a particular light source, and the second was defined in terms of the frequency of radiation from another light source. By the end of the century, work was well under way to redefine the ampere, kilogram, mole and kelvin in terms of the basic constants of physics, thereby ensuring that all the base units were in theory available to everybody. It is expected that this work will be completed by 2014. The predecessor of the metric system[1] was the system implemented by French Revolutionaries towards the end of the eighteenth century and its key features were that: It is decimal in nature. It derives its unit sizes from nature. Units that have different dimensions are related to each other in a coherent manner. Prefixes are used to denote multiples and sub-multiples of its units. These features had already been explored and expounded by various scholars and academics in the two centuries prior to the French metric system being implemented. Most writers credit Simon Stevin with introducing the decimal system into general use in Europe. Twentieth century writers such Bigourdan (France, 1901) and McGreevy (United Kingdom, 1995) credit the French cleric Gabriel Mouton (1670) as being the originator of the metric system.[2][3] In the early 21st century a proposal for a coherent decimal system of measurement by the English cleric John Wilkins (1668) received publicity.[4][5][6] Since then writers have also focussed on Wilkins' proposals; Tavernor (2007)[7] gave both Wilkins and Mouton equal coverage while Quinn (2012)[8] makes no mention of Mouton but states that "he [Wilkins] proposed essentially what became ... the French decimal metric system". Frontspiece of the publication where John Wilkins proposed a metric system of units in which length, mass, volume and area would be related to each other. Most writers credit the Flemish mathematician Simon Stevin with introducing the decimal system into general use in Europe. In 1586, Stevin published a small pamphlet called De Thiende ("the tenth"). Decimal fractions had been employed for the extraction of square roots some five centuries before his time, but it was Stevin who first introduced decimal numbers in daily life in Europe. He felt that this innovation was so significant that he declared the universal introduction of decimal coinage, measures, and weights to be merely a question of time.[9] Shapiro in her 1969 book, describes how Englishman John Wilkins, first secretary of England's Royal Society, was asked by the society to devise a "universal standard of measure".[10] In 1668 he attempted to codify all knowledge in his 621 page book An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language, and four pages of Part II in Chapter VII are devoted to measurement where Wilkins also proposed a decimal system of units of measure based on what he called a "universal measure" that was derived from nature for use between "learned men" of various nations.[11][12] Wilkins considered the earth's meridian, atmospheric pressure[Note 1] and, following a suggestion by Christopher Wren and demonstrations by Christiaan Huygens, the pendulum as the source for his universal measure. He discarded atmospheric pressure as a candidate - it was described by Torricelli in 1643 as being susceptible to variation (the link between atmospheric pressure and weather was not understood at the time) and he discarded a meridian as being too difficult to measure; leaving the pendulum as his preferred choice. He proposed that the length of a "seconds pendulum"[Note 2] (993 mm) which he named the "standard" should be the basis of length.[13] He proposed further that the "measure of capacity" (base unit of volume) should be defined as a cubic standard and that the "measure of weight" (base unit of weight [mass]) should be the weight of a cubic standard of rainwater. All multiples and sub-multiples of each of these measures would be related to the base measure in a decimal manner. Quinn suggests that "he [Wilkins] proposed essentially what became ... the French decimal metric system".[8] In 1670, Gabriel Mouton, a French abbot and astronomer, published the book Observationes diametrorum solis et lunae apparentium in which he proposed a decimal system of measurement of length for use by savants in international communication, to be based on the dimensions of the Earth. The milliare would be defined as a minute of arc along a meridian and would be divided into 10 centuria, the centuria into 10 decuria and so on, successive units being the virga, virgula, decima, centesima, and the milles. Mouton used Riccioli's estimate that one degree of arc was 321,185 Bolognese feet, and his own experiments showed that a pendulum of length one virgula would beat 3959.2 times[Note 3] in half an hour.[14] Current pendulum theory shows that such a pendulum would have had an equivalent length of 205.6 mm - using today's knowledge of the size of the earth, the virgula would have been approximately 185.2 mm.[Note 4] He believed that with this information savants in a foreign country would be able to construct a copy of the virgula for their own use.[15] Comparison of Wilkins' "Bob" pendulum and Jefferson's "rod" pendulum, both of which beat once per second Communication of metrological information was one of the issues facing mid-seventeenth century savants; many discussed the possibility of scholarly communication using a so-called "universal measure" that was not tied to a particular national system of measurement.[16] Mouton's ideas attracted interest at the time; Picard in his work Mesure de la Terre (1671) and Huygens in his work Horologium Oscillatorium sive de motu pendulorum (1673) both proposing that a standard unit of length be tied to the beat frequency of a pendulum.[2][15] The French Academy of Sciences (Académie Royale des Sciences) interest in the pendulum experiments were effectively announced by Picard in his work Mesure de la Terre. The length of a "second pendulum" was measured at a number of locations outside France, in 1671 at Uraniborg, an island 26 km north of Copenhagen and in 1672 Jean Richer measured one at Cayenne in French Guiana, 5° north of the equator. There was no discernible difference between the Uraniborg pendulum and the Paris one, but there was a 2.81 mm difference between the lengths of the Cayenne pendulum and that from Paris. Cooperation with the English Royal Society showed no discernible difference between pendulums measured in London and Paris, but measurements taken at Gorée in Senegal, in West Africa were more in line with those taken at Cayenne.[16][17][18] Meanwhile, in England, Locke, in his work An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689), made references to the "philosopher's foot" which he defined as being one third of a "second pendulum" at 45° latitude.[19] In 1686 Englishman Newton, in his book Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, gave a theoretical explanation for the "bulging equator" which also explained the differences found in the lengths of the "second pendulums",[20] theories that were confirmed by the Académie's expedition to Peru in 1735.[21][Note 5] In the late eighteenth century proposals, similar to those of the seventeenth century for a universal measure, were made for a common international system of measure in the spheres of commerce and technology; when the French Revolutionaries implemented such a system, they drew on many of the seventeenth century proposals. In the early ninth century, when much of what later became France was part of the Holy Roman Empire, units of measure had been standardised by the Emperor Charlemagne. He had introduced standard units of measure for length and for mass throughout his empire. As the empire disintegrated into separate nations, including France, these standards diverged. It has been estimated that on the eve of the Revolution, a quarter of a million different units of measure were in use in France; in many cases the quantity associated with each unit of measure differed from town to town, and even from trade to trade.[22] Although certain standards, such as the pied du roi (the King's foot) had a degree of pre-eminence and were used by scientists, many traders chose to use their own measuring devices, giving scope for fraud and hindering commerce and industry.[23] These variations were promoted by local vested interests, but hindered trade and taxation.[24][25] In contrast, in England the Magna Carta (1215) had stipulated that "there shall be one unit of measure throughout the realm".[26] The Marquis de Condorcet - "The metric system is for all people for all time" By the mid eighteenth century, the it had become apparent that standardisation of weights and measures between nations who traded and exchanged scientific ideas with each other. Spain, for example, had aligned her units of measure with the royal units of France,[27] and Peter the Great aligned the Russian units of measure with those of England.[28] In 1783 the British inventor James Watt, who was having difficulties in communicating with German scientists, called for the creation of a global decimal measurement system, proposing a system which, like the seventeenth century proposal of Wilkins, used the density of water to link length and mass.[29] In 1789 the French Revolution started, triggered on the 14 July 1789 when the Bastile was stormed. French finances had been in a perilous state, several years of poor harvests had resulted in hunger among the peasants and reforms were thwarted by vested interests.[30] After the storming of the Bastille, a Constituent Assembly was set up to draft a constitution for France. On 4 August 1789 the nobility surrendered their privileges, including the right to control local weights and measures.[31]Louis XVI charged a group of French experts including such notables as Lavoisier, Condorcet, Laplace, Borda, and Legendre to devise a system of measures that would replace the disparate system then in place in France.[22] Talleyrand, Constituent Assembly representative of the clergy, revolutionary leader and former Bishop of Autun, at the prompting of the mathematician Condorcet, approached the British and the Americans in early 1790 with proposals of a joint effort to define a common standard of length based on the length of a pendulum. The United Kingdom, represented by John Riggs Miller and the United States represented by Thomas Jefferson agreed in principal to the proposal, but the choice of latitude for the pendulum proved to be a sticking point: Jefferson opting for 38°N, Talleyrand for 45°N and Riggs-Miller for London's latitude. On 8 May 1790 Talleyrand's proposal in the Constituent Assembly that the new measure be defined at 45°N "or whatever latitude might be preferred"[32] won the support of all parties concerned.[24] On 13 July 1790, Jefferson presented a document Plan for Establishing Uniformity in the Coinage, Weights, and Measures of the United States to the U.S. Congress in which, like Wilkins, he advocated a decimal system in which units that used traditional names such as inches, feet, roods were related to each by the powers of ten. Again, like Wilkins, he proposed a system of weights based around the weight of a cubic unit of water, but unlike Wilkins, he proposed a "rod pendulum" rather than a "bob pendulum".[33] Riggs-Miller promoted Tallyrand's proposal in the British House of Commons. The French Constituent Assembly set up a commission to prepare the details of their proposal. The chairman of the commission, Borda, inventor of the repeating circle, preferred the meridional definition for the unit of length to one based on the pendulum and it was his proposal that was accepted by the Constituent Assembly on 30 March 1791.[32] Meanwhile Jefferson's report was considered but not adopted by the U.S. Congress and Riggs-Miller lost his UK Parliamentary seat in the election of 1790.[34] When the French later overthrew their monarchy Britain withdrew her support.[35] The publicisation of Wilkins' paper by Naughtin (2007) called into question earlier assertions that Mouton was the "founding father" of the metric system (for example Bigourdan (France, 1903) and McGreevy (United Kingdom, 1995)).[2][3][5] There is no doubt that Wilkins' publication predated Mouton's publication by two years and that Wilkins, unlike Mouton, discussed an integrated measurement system that encompassed length, volume and mass rather than just length. The degree to which Wilkins' Essay actually influenced the design to the French metric system of the 1790s has been a matter of debate: Wilkins' paper was widely circulated at the time but the main interest in the Essay was his proposal for a philosophical language.[10] Indeed, after the publication of Mouton's paper, a hundred years elapsed before the French again took interest in the underlying theory of the development of systems of measure.[15] Interest in Wilkins' Essay was confined mainly to those interested in the field of onomasiology: for example, Roget in the introduction of his Thesaurus (1852), noted Wilkins' Essay as being one of the leading seventeenth century works in that field.[36] British commentators of the Essay devoted little space to Wilkins' proposals of measurement; Vernon et al. (1802) made a passing comment to the section on measurements in an eight page study of the Essay[37] while Wright-Henderson (1910), in a four page study of the Essay, made no comments about measurements at all.[38] A letter by an anonymous but regular contributor to the The Philosophical Magazine (1805) noted the lack of acknowledgement by the French of Wilkins' publication. The writer accused the editors of Encyclopédie of giving unwarranted attention to the work of Mouton and Hugens at the expense of Edward Wright who, in 1599 had proposed using the earth's meridian as a standard and of Wilkins who had proposed a measurement system. He took British writers to task for not "defending their countrymen". He went on to note that there was considerable communication between savants on either side of the Channel, particularly with Huygens and Liebnitz either visiting or being members of both the Royal Society and the Académie Royale des Sciences.[39] Overtures made by the French government to the British and American governments for the establishment of a common system of weights and measures came to nothing and France decided to "go it alone".[40] France introduced decimal time in the decree of 5 October 1793 under which the day was divided into 10 "decimal hours", the "hour" into 100 "decimal minutes" and the "decimal minute" into 100 "decimal seconds". The "decimal hour" corresponded to 2 hr 24 min, the "decimal minute" to 1.44 min and the "decimal second" to 0.864 s. The revolutionary week was 10 days, but there were still twelve months in a year.[32][41] The use of decimal time proved very unpopular, especially the ten-day week and the calendar was officially discarded by Napoleon in 1806. The implementation of decimal time proved an immense task and under the article 22 of the law of 18 Germinal, Year III (7 April 1795), the use of decimal time was no longer mandatory.[42] On 1 January 1806, France reverted to the traditional timekeeping.[43] The Paris meridian which passes through the Paris Observatory (Observatoire de Paris). The metre was defined along this meridian using a survey that stretched from Dunkirk to Barcelona. In France, the metric system of measure was first given a legal basis in 1795 by the French Revolutionary government. Article 5 of the law of 18 Germinal, Year III (7 April 1795) defined five units of measure. The units and their preliminary values were:[42] The gram, for mass – defined as being the mass of one cubic centimetre of water Decimal multiples and submultiples of these units were defined by Greek prefixes: "myria", "kilo", "hecta" (100), "deka", "deci", "centi" and "milli". Using Cassini's survey of 1744, a provisional value of 443.44 lignes was assigned to the metre which, in turn, defined the other units of measure.[44] The final value of the metre was defined in 1799 when Delambre and Mechain presented the results of their survey between Dunkirk and Barcelona which fixed the length of the metre at 443.296 lignes. The law 19 Frimaire An VIII (10 December 1799) defined the metre in terms of this value and the kilogram as being 18827.15 grains. These definitions enabled reference copies of the kilograms and metres to be constructed and these were used as the standards for the next 90 years.[45][46] At the same time, a new decimal-based system for angular measurement was implemented. The right angle was divided into 100 grads which in turn was divided in 100 centigrads. An arc on the earth's surface formed by an angle of one centigrade was one kilometre. The centigrade, as an angular measure, was adopted for general use in a number countries, so in 1948 the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) recommended that the degree centigrade, as used for the measurement of temperature, be renamed the degree Celsius.[47] The question of measurement reform in France was placed in the hands of the French Academy of Sciences who appointed a commission chaired by Jean-Charles de Borda. Borda could be said to have been a fanatic for decimalization: he had invented the "repeating circle", a surveying instrument which allowed a much-improved precision in the measurement of angles between landmarks, but insisted that it be calibrated in "grades" (1⁄100 of a quarter-circle) rather than degrees, with 100 minutes to a grade and 100 seconds to a minute.[48] For Borda, the seconds pendulum was a poor choice for a standard because the second (as a unit of time) was insufficiently decimal: he preferred the new system of 10 hours to the day, 100 minutes to the hour and 100 seconds to the minute. Instead, the commission – whose members included Lagrange, Laplace, Monge and Condorcet – decided that the new measure should be equal to one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the Equator (the quadrant of the Earth's circumference), measured along the meridian passing through Paris.[24] Apart from the obvious nationalistic considerations, the Paris meridian was also a sound choice for practical scientific reasons: a portion of the quadrant from Dunkerque to Barcelona (about 1000 km, or one-tenth of the total) could be surveyed with start- and end-points at sea level, and that portion was roughly in the middle of the quadrant, where the effects of the Earth's oblateness were expected to be the largest.[24] The north and south sections of the meridianal survey met at Rodez cathederal, seen here dominating the Rodez skyline. Delambre used a baseline of about 10 km in length along a straight road, located close to Melun. In an operation taking six weeks, the baseline was accurately measured using four platinum rods, each of length two toise (about 3.9 m).[54] Thereafter he used, where possible, the triangulation points used by Cassini in his 1744 survey of France. Méchain's baseline, of a similar length, and also on a straight section of road was in the Perpignan area.[55] Although Méchain's sector was half the length of Delambre, it included the Pyrenees and hitherto unsurveyed parts of Spain. After the two surveyors met, each computed the other's baseline in order to cross-check their results and they then recomputed the kilometre. Their result came out at 0.144 lignes shorter than the provisional value, a difference of about 0.03%.[24] While Méchain and Delambre were completing their survey, the commission had ordered a series of platinum bars to be made based on the provisional metre. When the final result was known, the bar whose length was closest to the meridianal definition of the metre was selected and placed in the French National Archives on 22 June 1799 (4 messidor An VII in the Republican calendar) as a permanent record of the result:[24] this standard metre bar became known as the mètre des Archives. The metric system, that is the system of units based on the metre, was officially adopted in France on 10 December 1799 (19 frimaire An VIII) and became the sole legal system of weights and measures there from 1801. It soon became apparent that Méchain and Delambre's result (443.296 lignes)[51] was slightly too short for the meridianal definition of the metre. Arago and Biot extended the survey to the island of Formentera in the western Mediterranean Sea in 1806–9, and found that one ten-millionth of the Earth's quadrant should be 443.31 lignes: later work increased the value to 443.39 lignes.[24] The modern value, for the WGS 84 reference spheroid, is 1.000 196 57 m or 443.383 08lignes.[56] Nevertheless, the mètre des Archives remained the legal and practical standard for the metre in France, even once it was known that it did not exactly correspond to the meridianal definition. When, in 1867, it was proposed that a new international standard metre be created, the length was taken to be that of the mètre des Archives "in the state in which it shall be found".[57][58] A grave is a metallic reference standard of one thousand grams that was used for a few years until it was replaced by the kilogram standard in 1799. On 7 April 1795, the gramme, upon which the kilogram is based, was decreed to be equal to "the absolute weight of a volume of pure water equal to a cube of one hundredth of a metre, and at the temperature of the melting ice".[42] Although this was the definition of the gram, the regulation of trade and commerce required a "practical realisation": a single-piece, metallic reference standard that was one thousand times more massive that would be known as grave (symbol "G"). This mass unit, whose name is derived from the word "gravity", defined by Lavoisier and René Just Haüy had been in use since 1793.[59] Notwithstanding that the definition of the base unit of mass was the gramme (alternatively "gravet"), this new, practical realisation would ultimately become the base unit of mass. A provisional kilogram standard was made and work was commissioned to determine precisely how massive a cubic decimetre (later to be defined as equal to one litre) of water was. Although the decreed definition of the kilogram specified water at 0 °C — a highly stable temperature point — the scientists tasked with producing the new practical realisation chose to redefine the standard and perform their measurements at the most stable density point: the temperature at which water reaches maximum density, which was measured at the time as 4 °C.[60] They concluded that one cubic decimetre of water at its maximum density was equal to 99.92072% of the mass of the provisional kilogram made earlier that year.[61] Four years later in 1799, an all-platinum standard, the "Kilogramme des Archives", was fabricated with the objective that it would equal, as close as was scientifically feasible for the day, to the mass of cubic decimetre of water at 4 °C. The kilogram was defined to be equal to the mass of the Kilogramme des Archives and this standard stood for the next ninety years. Note that the new metric system did not come into effect in France until after the French Revolution, when the new revolutionary government captured the idea of the metric system. The decision of the Republican government to name this new unit the "kilogramme" had been mainly politically motivated, because the name "grave" was at that time considered politically incorrect as it resembled the aristocratic German title of the Graf, an alternative name for the title of Count that, like other nobility titles, was inconsistent with the new French Republic notion of equality (égalité).[62] Accordingly, the name of the original, defined unit of mass, "gramme", which was too small to serve as a practical realisation, was adopted and the new prefix "kilo" was appended to it to form the name "kilogramme". Consequently, the kilogram is the only SI base unit that has an SI prefix as part of its unit name. During the nineteenth century the metric system proved a convenient political compromise during the unification processes in the Netherlands, Germany and Italy. Spain found it expedient in 1858 to follow the French example and within a decade Latin America had also adopted the metric system. There was considerable resistance to metrication in the United Kingdom and in the United States, though once the United Kingdom announced its metrication program in 1965, the Commonwealth followed suit. The introduction of the metric system into France in 1795 was done on a district by district basis with Paris being the first district, but it was, in terms of modern standards, poorly managed. Although thousands of pamphlets were distributed, the Agency of Weights and Measures who oversaw the introduction underestimated the work involved. Paris alone needed 500,000 metre sticks, yet one month after the metre became the sole legal unit of measure, they only had 25,000 in store.[63] This, combined with other excesses of the Revolution and the high level of illiteracy made the metric system unpopular. Napoleon himself ridiculed the metric system, but as an able administrator, recognised the value of a sound basis for a system of measurement and under the décret impérial du 12 février 1812 (imperial decree of 12 February 1812), a new system of measure - the mesure uselles or "customary measures" was introduced for use in small retail businesses - all government, legal and similar works still had to use the metric system and the metric system continued to be taught at all levels of education.[64] The names of many units used during the ancien regime were reintroduced, but were redefined in terms of metric units. Thus the toise was defined as being two metres with six pied making up one toise, twelve pouce making up one pied and twelve lignes making up one pouce. Likewise the livre was defined as being 500 g, each livre comprising sixteen once and each once eight gros and the aune as 120 centimetres.[65] The Netherlands first used the metric system and then, in 1812, the mesures usuelles when it was part of the First French Empire. Under the Royal decree of 27 March 1817 (Koningklijk besluit van den 27 Maart 1817), the newly-formed Kingdom of the Netherlands abandoned the mesures usuelles in favour of the "Dutch" metric system (Nederlands metrisch stelsel) in which metric units were given the names of units of measure that were then in use. Examples include the ons (ounce) which was defined as being 100 g:[66] Old boundary stone in Pontebba, marking the former border between Austria-Hungary and Italy; the myriametre (10 km) was in common use in Central Europe during the mid nineteenth century[67] At the outbreak of the French Revolution, much of modern-day Germany and Austria were part of the Holy Roman Empire which has become a loose federation of kingdoms, principalities, free cities, bishoprics and other fiefdoms, each with its own system of measurement, though in most cases such system were loosely derived from the Carolingian system instituted by Charlemagne a thousand years earlier. During the Napoleonic era, there was a move among some of the German states to reform their systems of measurement using the prototype metre and kilogram as the basis of the new units. Baden, in 1810, for example, redefined the ruthe (rods) as being 3.0 m exactly and defined the subunits of the ruthe as 1 ruthe = 10 fuβ (feet) = 100 zoll (inches) = 1,000 linie (lines) = 10,000 punkt (points) while the pfund was defined as being 500 g, divided into 30 loth, each of 16.67 g.[67][68]Bavaria, in its reform of 1811, trimmed the Bavarian pfund from 561.288 g to 560 g exactly, consisting of 32 loth, each of 17.5 g[69] while the Prussian pfund remained at 467.711 g.[70] After the Congress of Vienna there was a degree of commercial cooperation between the various German states resulting in the setting of the German Customs Union (Zollverein). There were however still many barriers to trade until Bavaria took the lead in establishing the General German Commercial Code in 1856. As part of the code the Zollverein introduce the Zollpfund (Customs Pound) which was defined to be exactly 500 g and which could be split into 30 'lot'.[71] This unit was used for inter-state movement of goods, but was not applied in all states for internal use. Although the Zollverein collapsed after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, the metric system became the official system of measurement in the newly formed German Empire in 1871[72] and of Austria in 1875.[73] The Zollpfund ceased to be legal in Germany after 1877.[71] The Cisalpine Republic, a North Italian republic set up by Napoleon in 1797 with its capital at Milan first adopted a modified form of the metric system based in the braccio cisalpino (Cisalpine cubit) which was defined to be half a metre.[74] In 1802 the Cisalpine Republic was renamed the Italian Republic, with Napoleon as its head of state. The following year the Cisalpine system of measure was replaced by the metric system.[74] In 1806, the Italian Republic was replaced by the Kingdom of Italy with Napoleon as its emperor. By 1812, all of Italy from Rome northwards was under the control of Napoleon, either as French Departments or as part of the Kingdom of Italy ensuring the metric system was in use throughout this region. After the Congress of Vienna, the various Italian states reverted to their original system of measurements, but in 1845 the Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia passed legislation to introduce the metric system within five years. By 1860, most of Italy had been unified under the King of Sardinia Victor Emmanuel II and under Law 132 of 28 July 28, 1861 the metric system became the official system of measurement throughout the kingdom. Numerous Tavole di ragguaglio (Conversion Tables) were displayed in shops until 31 December 1870.[74] Until the ascent of the Bourbon monarchy in Spain in 1700, each of the regions of Spain retained their own system of measurement. The new Bourbon monarchy tried to centralise control and with it the system of measurement. There were debates regarding the desirability of retaining the Castilian units of measure or, in the interests of harmonisation, adopting the French system.[27] Although Spain assisted Machain in his meridian survey, the Government feared the French revolutionary movement and reinforced the Castilian units of measure to counter such movements. By 1849 however, it proved difficult to maintain the old system and in that year the metric system became the legal system of measure in Spain.[27] In 1824 the Weights and Measures Act imposed one standard 'imperial' system of weights and measures on the British Empire.[75] The effect of this act was to standardise existing British units of measure rather than to align them with the metric system. During the next eighty years a number of Parliamentary select committees recommended the adoption of the metric system each with a greater degree of urgency, but Parliament prevaricated. A Select Committee report of 1862 recommended compulsory metrication, but with an "Intermediate permissive phase", Parliament responded in 1864 by legalising metric units only for 'contracts and dealings'.[76] Initially the United Kingdom declined to sign the Treaty of the Metre, but did so in 1883. Meanwhile British scientists and technologists were at the forefront of the metrication movement - it was the British Association for the Advancement of Science that promoted the cgs system of units as a coherent system and it was the British firm Johnson Matthey that was accepted by the CGPM in 1889 to cast the international prototype metre and kilogram. In 1895 another Parliamentary select committee recommended the compulsory adoption of the metric system after a two-year permissive period, the 1897 Weights and Measures Act legalised the metric units for trade, but did not make them mandatory.[76] A bill to make the metric system compulsory in order to enable British industrial base to fight off the challenge of the nascent German base passed through the House of Lords in 1904, but did not pass in the House of Commons before the next general election was called. Following opposition by the Lancashire cotton industry, a similar bill was defeated in 1907 in the House of Commons by 150 votes to 118.[76] In 1965 Britain commenced an official program of metrication that, as of 2012, had not been completed. The British metrication program signaled the start of metrication programs elsewhere in the Commonwealth, though India had started her program before in 1959, six years before the United Kingdom. South Africa (then not a member of the Commonwealth) set up a Metrication Advisory Board in 1967, New Zealand set up its Metric Advisory Board in 1969, Australia passed the Metric Conversion Act in 1970 and Canada appointed a Metrication Commission in 1971. Metrication in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa was essentially complete within a decade while metrication in India and Canada is not complete. In addition the lakh and crore are still in widespread use in India. Most other Commonwealth countries adopted the metric system during the 1970s.[77] The United States government acquired copies of the French metre and kilogram for reference purposes in 1805 and 1820 respectively. In 1866 the United States Congress passed a bill making it lawful to use the metric system in the United States. The bill, which was permissive rather than mandatory in nature, defined the metric system in terms of customary units rather than with reference to the international prototype metre and kilogram.[78][79] By 1893, the reference standards for customary units had become unreliable. Moreover, the United States, being a signatory of the Metre Convention was in possession of national prototype metres and kilograms that were calibrated against those in use elsewhere in the world. This led to the Mendenhall Order which redefined the customary units by referring to the national metric prototypes, but used the conversion factors of the 1866 act.[80] In 1896 a bill that would make the metric system mandatory in the United States was presented to Congress. Of the 29 people who gave evidence before the congressional committee who were considering the bill, 23 were in favour of the bill, but six were against. Four of the six dissenters represented manufacturing interests and the other two the United States Revenue service. The grounds cited were the cost and inconvenience of the change-over. Subsequent bills suffered a similar fate.[73] From its inception, the metric system was designed in such a manner that the various units of measure were linked to each other. At the start of the nineteenth century, length, mass and temperature were the only base units that had been standardised. The beginnings of a coherent system were in place with the units of area and volume linked to the unit of length, though at the time science did not understand the concepts of base units and derived units, nor how many physical quantities were inter-related. In 1832 Carl-Friedrich Gauss made the first absolute measurements of the Earth's magnetic field using a decimal system based using the millimetre, gram, and second as the units of measure for length, mass, and time respectively, thereby implicitly making time a base dimension of the metric system.[81] Joules apparatus for measuring the mechanical equivalent of heat. As the weight dropped, potential energy was transferred to the water, heating it up. In 1861 a committee of the British Association for Advancement of Science (BAAS) including William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin), James Clerk Maxwell and Joule among its members was tasked with investigating the "Standards of Electrical Resistance". In their first report (1862)[84] they laid the ground rules for their work - the metric system was to be used, measures of electrical energy must have the same units as measures of mechanical energy and two sets of electromagnetic units would have to be derived - an electromagnetic system and an electrostatic system. In the second report (1863)[85] they introduced the concept of a coherent system of units whereby units of length, mass and time were identified as "fundamental units" (now known as base units). All other units of measure could be derived (hence derived units) from these base units. The metre, gram and second were chosen as base units.[86][87] In 1873, another committee of the BAAS that also counted Maxwell and Thomson among its members and tasked with "the Selection and Nomenclature of Dynamical and Electrical Units" recommended using the CGS (centimetre-gram-second) system of units. The committee also recommended the names of "dyne" and "erg" for the CGS units of force and energy.[87][88][89] The CGS system became the basis for scientific work for the next seventy years. In the 1820s Georg Ohm formulated Ohms Law which can be extended to relate power to current, potential difference (voltage) and resistance. During the following decades the realisation of a coherent system of units that incorporated the measurement of electromagnetic phenomena and Ohm's law was beset with problems - at least four different systems of units were devised. In the three CGS systems, the constants and and consequently and were dimensionless. Symbols used in this section Symbol Meaning Electromagnetic and Electrostatic forces Electrical current in conductors Electrical charges Conductor length distance between charges/conductors permittivity of free space permeability of free space System of unit dependant constants Speed of light Electromagnetic system of units In 1820s André-Marie Ampère discovered a relationship between the force between two current-carrying conductors, now known as Ampere's law which can be written where (SI units) In 1833 Gauss pointed out the possibility of equating this force with its mechanical equivalent. This proposal received further support from Wilhelm Weber in 1851.[90] The electromagnetic (or absolute) system of units was one of the two systems of units identified in the BAAS report of 1862 and defined in the report of 1873. In this system, current is defined by setting the magnetic force constant to unity and potential difference is defined in such a way as to ensure the unit of power calculated by the relation is identical to the unit of power required to move a mass of one gram a distance of one centimetre in one second when opposed by a force of one dyne. The electromagnetic units of measure were known as the abampere, the abvolt, the abcoulomb and so on.[91] Electrostatic system of units In 1783 Coulomb discovered and published the relationship between the force exerted between two charged bodies. This relationship, now known as Coulomb's law can be written where (SI units) The electrostatic system was the second of the two systems of units identified in the 1862 BAAS report and defined in the report of 1873. In this system unit for charge is defined by setting the Coulomb force constant () to unity and the unit for potential difference were defined to ensure the unit of energy calculated by the relation is one erg. The electrostatic units of measure are now known as the statampere, the statvolt, the statcoulomb and so on.[92] Gaussian system of units In 1888 Heinrich Hertz verified Maxwell's Equations and in so doing realised that the CGS system of electromagnetic units to were related to the CGS system of electrostatic units by the relationship: The CGS units of measure used in scientific work were not practical when used in engineering leading to the development of the practical system of electric units. At the time that this system of units was proposed, the dimensions of electrical resistance was modelled as the ratio of length to time (ie a velocity). The most practical unit for resistance was multiples of 108 m/s - the base unit of length was the length of the Earth's quadrant, the base unit of time the second and the base unit of mass was 10-11 g, the latter having been chosen to allow conversion back to the CGS system.[87] The names, but not the values, amp, volt, farad and ohm were carried over from the CGS system. The system was adopted at the International Electrical Congress (IEC) in 1881.[95] This system was formalised as the International System of Electrical and Magnetic Units at the 1893 congress of the IEC in Chicago where the volt, amp and ohm were formally defined. The SI units with these names are very close, but not identical to the "practical units". The electrical units of measure did not easily fit into the coherent system using length, mass and time as its base units as proposed in the 1861 BAAS paper. Using dimensional analysis the dimensions of charge as defined by the ESU system of units was identical to the dimensions of current as defined by the EMU system of units while resistance had the same dimensions as velocity in the EMU system of units, but had the dimensions of the inverse of velocity in the ESU system of units.[87] From mid-1890s onwards Giovanni Giorgi and Oliver Heaviside corresponded with each other regarding these anomalous results.[96] This led to Giorgi presenting a paper to the congress of the Associazione Elettrotecnica Italiana (A.E.I.)[97] in October 1901 in which he showed that a coherent electro-mechanical system of units could be obtained by adding a fourth base unit of an electrical nature (ampere, volt or ohm) to the three base units proposed in the 1861 BAAS report. This gave the constants ke and km physical dimensions and hence the electrco-mechanical quantities ε0 and µ0 were also given physical dimensions.[96] It took more than thirty years before Giorgi's work was accepted in practice by international organisations and nearly another thirty years before they were incorporated as the basis of the Système International d'Unités (International System of Units), the SI. In 1861, Charles Bright and Latimer Clark proposed the names of ohm, volt, and farad in honour of Georg Ohm, Alessandro Volta and Michael Faraday respectively for the practical units based on the centimetre-gramme-second absolute system. This was supported by Thomson (Lord Kelvin)[98] These names were later scaled for use in the Practical System.[99] The concept of naming units of measure after noteworthy scientists was subsequently used for other units. With increasing international adoption of the metre, the short-comings of the mètre des Archives as a standard became ever more apparent. Countries which adopted the metre as a legal measure purchased standard metre bars that were intended to be equal in length to the mètre des Archives, but there was no systematic way of ensuring that the countries were actually working to the same standard. The meridianal definition, which had been intended to ensure international reproducibility, quickly proved so impractical that is was all but abandoned in favour of the artifact standards, but the mètre des Archives (and most of its copies) were "end standards": such standards (bars which are exactly one metre in length) are prone to wear with use, and different standard bars could be expected to wear at different rates.[100] The International Conference on Geodesy in 1867 called for the creation of a new, international prototype metre[57][58][101] and to arrange a system where national standards could be compared with it. The international prototype would also be a "line standard", that is the metre was defined as the distance between two lines marked on the bar, so avoiding the wear problems of end standards. The French government gave practical support to the creation of an International Metre Commission, which met in Paris in 1870 and again in 1872 with the participation of about thirty countries.[57] On 20 May 1875 an international treaty known as the Convention du Mètre (Metre Convention) was signed by 17 states.[25][102] This treaty established the following organisations to conduct international activities relating to a uniform system for measurements: U.S. national standard of the metre, showing the bar number (#27), the Tresca cross-section and one of the lines. Bureau international des poids et mesures (BIPM), a permanent laboratory and world centre of scientific metrology, the activities of which include the establishment of the basic standards and scales of the principal physical quantities, maintenance of the international prototype standards and oversight of regular comparisons between the international prototype and the various national standards. The international prototype metres and kilograms were both made from a 90% platinum, 10% iridium alloy which is exceptionally hard and which has good electrical and thermal conductivity properties. The prototype had a special X-shaped (Tresca) cross section to minimise the effects of torsional strain during length comparisons.[25] and the prototype kilograms were cylindrical in shape. The London firm Johnson Matthey delivered 30 prototype metres and 40 prototype kilograms. At the first meeting of the CGPM in 1889 bar No. 6 and cylinder No. X were accepted as the international prototypes. The remainder were either kept as BIPM working copies or distributed to member states as national prototypes.[103] At the beginning of the twentieth century, the BIPM had custody of two artifacts - one to define length and the other to define mass. Other units of measure which did not rely on specific artifacts were controlled by other bodies. In the scientific world, quantum theory was in its infancy and Einstein had yet to publish his theories of relativity. By the end of the century, a coherent system of units was in place under the control of the bodies set up by the Treaty of the Metre, the definition of the second relied on quantum theory, the definition of the metre relied on the theory of relativity and plans were being made to relegate the international prototype kilogram to the archives. The first (and only) follow-up comparison of the national standards with the international prototype metre was carried out between 1921 and 1936,[25][58] and indicated that the definition of the metre was preserved to within 0.2 µm.[104] During this follow-up comparison, the way in which the prototype metre should be measured was more clearly defined—the 1889 definition had defined the metre as being the length of the prototype at the definition of melting ice, but in 1927 the 7th CGPM extended this definition was to specify that the prototype metre shall be "supported on two cylinders of at least one centimetre diameter, symmetrically placed in the same horizontal plane at a distance of 571 mm from each other".[105] The choice of 571 mm represents the Airy points of the prototype—the points at which the bending or droop of the bar is minimized.[106] In 1887 Michelson proposed the use of optical interferometers for the measurement of length, work which contributed to him being awarded the Nobel Prize in 1907. In 1952 the CIPM proposed the use of wavelength of a specific light source as the standard for defining length and in 1960 the CGPM accepted this proposal using radiation corresponding to a transition between specified energy levels of the krypton 86 atom as the new standard for the metre. By 1975, when the second had been defined in terms of a physical phenomena rather than the earth's rotation and Einstein's assertion that the speed of light was constant, the CGPM authorised the CIPM to investigate the use of the speed of light as the basis for the definition of the metre. This proposal was accepted in 1983.[107] Mass drift over time of national prototypes K21–K40, plus two of the IPK's sister copies: K32 and K8(41).[Note 6] The above are all relative measurements; no historical mass-measurement data is available to determine which of the prototypes has been most stable relative to an invariant of nature. There is the distinct possibility that all the prototypes gained mass over 100 years and that K21, K35, K40, and the IPK simply gained less than the others. Although the definition of the kilogram remained unchanged throughout the twentieth century, the 3rd CGPM in 1901 clarified that the kilogram was a unit of mass, not of weight. The original batch of 40 prototypes (adopted in 1889) were supplemented from time to time with further prototypes for use by new signatories to the Metre Convention.[108] During the course of the century, the various national prototypes of the kilogram were recalibrated against the international prototype and therefore against each other. The initial 1889 starting-value offsets of the national prototypes relative to the IPK were nulled.[109] and any subsequent mass changes being relative to the IPK. A technique for steam cleaning the prototypes to remove any contaminants was developed in 1946 as part of the second recalibration.[110] The third periodic recalibration in 1988-9 revealed that the average difference between International Prototype Kilogram and adjusted baseline for the national prototypes was 50 μg - in 1889 the baseline of the national prototypes had been adjusted so that the difference was zero. As the IPK is the definitive kilogram, there is no way of telling whether the IPK had been losing mass or the national prototypes had been gaining mass. Until the advent of the atomic clock, the most reliable timekeeper available to mankind was the earth's rotation. It was natural therefore that the astronomers under the auspice of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) took the lead in maintaining the standards relating to time.[90] During the twentieth century it became apparent that the earth's rotation was slowing down resulting in days becoming 1.4 milliseconds longer each century[111] - this was verified by comparing the calculated timings of eclipses of the sun with those observed in antiquity going back to Chinese records of 763 BC.[112] In 1956 the 10th CGPM instructed the CIPM to prepare a definition of the second; in 1958 the definition was published stating that the second would be calculated by extrapolation using earth's rotational speed in 1900.[111] Astronomers from the US Naval Observatory (USNO) and the National Physical Laboratory determined a relationship between the frequency of radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom and the estimated rate of rotation of the earth in 1900. Their value was adopted in 1968 by the 13th CGPM. In 1921 the Treaty of the Metre was extended to cover electrical units with the CGPM merging its work with that of the IEC. At the 8th CGPM in 1933 the need to replace the "International" electrical units with "absolute" units was raised. The IEC proposal that Giorgi's proposal be adopted was accepted, but no decision was made as to which electrical unit should be the fourth base unit. In 1935 Sears proposed that this should be the ampere, but World War II prevented this being formalised until 1946. The definitions for absolute electrical system became effective from 1 January 1948.[90] At the start of the twentieth century, the fundamental macroscopic laws of thermodynamics had been formulated and although techniques existed to measure temperature using empirical techniques, the scientific understanding of the nature of temperature was minimal. Maxwell and Boltzmann had produced theories describing the inter-relational of temperature, pressure and volume of a gas on a microscopic scale but otherwise, in 1900, there was no understanding of the microscopic or quantum nature of temperature.[113][114] Within the metric system, temperature was expressed in degrees Centigrade with the definition that ice melted at 0 °C and at standard atmospheric pressure, water boiled at 100 °C. A series of lookup tables defined temperature in terms of inter-related empirical measurements made using various devices. When, in 1948 the CGPM was charged with producing a coherent system of units of measure, definitions relating to temperature had to be clarified. At the 9th CGPM, the centigrade temperature scale was renamed the celsius temperature scale and the scale itself was fixed by defining the triple point of water as 0.01 °C,[115] though the CGPM left the formal definition of absolute zero until the 10th GCPM when the name "degrees Kelvin" was assigned to the absolute temperature scale and triple point of water was defined as being 273.16 °K.[116] In 1967, at the 13th GCPM the degree Kelvin (°K) was renamed the "kelvin" (K).[117] Over the ensuing years, the BIPM developed and maintained cross-correlations relating various measuring devices such as thermocouples, light spectra and the like to the equivalent temperatures.[118] Increasingly the use of the Boltzmann Relationship was used as the reference point and it appears likely that in 2015 the CGPM will redefine temperature in terms of the Boltzmann constant rather than the triple point of water.[119] Prior to 1937, the International Commission on Illumination (CIE from its French title, the Commission Internationale de l´Eclairage) in conjunction with the CIPM produced a standard for luminous intensity to replace the various national standards. This standard, the candela (cd) which was defined as "the brightness of the full radiator at the temperature of solidification of platinum is 60 new candles per square centimetre".[120] was ratified by the GCPM in 1948 and in 1960 was adopted as an SI base unit. The definition proved difficult to implement so in 1967, the definition was revised and the reference to the radiation source was replaced by defining the candles in terms of the power of a specified wavelength of visible light.[121] In 2007 the CIPM and the CIE agreed a program of cooperation with the CIPM taking the lead in defining the use of units of measure and the CIE taking the lead in defining the behaviour of the human eye.[122] The mole was originally known as a gram-atom or a gram-molecule - the amount of a substance measured in grams divided by its atomic weight. Originally chemists and physicists had differing views regarding the definition of the atomic weight - both assigned a value of 16 atomic mass units (amu) to oxygen, but physicists defined oxygen in terms of the 16O isotope whereas chemists assigned 16 amu to 16O, 17O and 18O isotopes mixed in the proportion that they occur in nature. Finally an agreement between the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics[123] (IUPAP) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) brought this duality to an end in 1959/60, both parties agreeing to define the atomic weight of 12C as being exactly 12 amu. This agreement was confirmed by ISO and in 1969 the CIPM recommended its inclusion in SI as a base unit. This was done in 1971 at the 14th CGPM.[124] The 9th CGPM met in 1948, fifteen years after the 8th CGPM. In response to formal requests made by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics and by the French government to establish a practical system of units of measure, the CGPM requested the CIPM to prepare recommendations for a single practical system of units of measurement, suitable for adoption by all countries adhering to the Metre Convention.[125] At the same time the CGPM formally adopted a recommendation for the writing and printing of unit symbols and of numbers.[126] The recommendation also catalogued the recommended symbols for the most important MKS and CGS units of measure and for the first time the CGPM made recommendations concerning derived units. The CIPM's draft proposal, which was an extensive revision and simplification of the metric unit definitions, symbols and terminology based on the MKS system of units, was put to the 10th CGPM in 1954. In accordance with Giorgi's proposals of 1901, the CIPM also recommended that the ampere be the base unit from which electromechanical would be derived. The definitions for the ohm and volt that had previously been in use were discarded and these units became derived units based on the metre, ampere, second and kilogram. After negotiations with the CIS and IUPAP, two further base units, the degree kelvin and the candela were also proposed as base units.[127] The full system and name "Système International d'Unités" were adopted at the 11th CGPM.[128] During the years that followed the definitions of the base units and particularly the mise en pratique[129] to realise these definitions have been refined. When the metre was redefined in 1960, the kilogram was the only SI base unit that relied on a specific artifact. Moreover, after the 1996-1998 recalibration a clear divergence between the various prototype kilograms was observed. At its 23rd meeting (2007), the CGPM mandated the CIPM to investigate the use of natural constants as the basis for all units of measure rather than the artifacts that were then in use. At a meeting of the CCU held in Reading, United Kingdom in September 2010, a resolution[130] and draft changes to the SI brochure that were to be presented to the next meeting of the CIPM in October 2010 were agreed to in principle.[119] The proposals that the CCU put forward were: The CIPM meeting of October 2010 found that "the conditions set by the General Conference at its 23rd meeting have not yet been fully met. For this reason the CIPM does not propose a revision of the SI at the present time";[131] however the CIPM presented a resolution for consideration at the 24th CGPM (17–21 October 2011) to agree the new definitions in principle, but not to implement them until the details have been finalised.[132] This resolution was accepted by the conference[133] and in addition the CGPM moved the date of the 25th meeting forward from 2015 to 2014.[134] ^ abNicholas, Dew (2013). "The hive and the pendulum: universal metrology and baroque science". In Gal, Ofer; Chen-Morris, Raz. In Science in the Age of Baroque (Dordrecht: Springer). pp. 239–255. ISBN978-94-007-4807-1. ^Alder. The Measure of all Things - The Seven-Year-Odyssey that Transformed the World. pp. 21–33. ^The technical difficulties were not the only problems the surveyors had to face in the convulsed period of the aftermath of the Revolution: Méchain and Delambre, and later Arago, were imprisoned several times during their surveys, and Méchain died in 1804 of yellow fever, which he contracted while trying to improve his original results in northern Spain (see Alder). ^ abcMaria Teresa Borgato (6–9 September 2006). "The first applications of the metric system in Italy". The Global and the Local:The History of Science and the Cultural Integration of Europe. Proceedings of the 2nd ICESHS. Cracow, Poland: The Press of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2011-03-17. ^Thomson, William; Joule, James Prescott; Maxwell, James Clerk; Jenkin, Flemming (1873). "First Report – Cambridge 3 October 1862". In Jenkin, Flemming. Reports on the Committee on Standards of Electrical Resistance - Appointed by the British Association for the Advancement of Science. London. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 2011-05-12. ^Thomson, William; Joule, James Prescott; Maxwell, James Clerk; Jenkin, Flemming (1873). "Second report - Newcastle-upon-Tyne 26 August 1863". In Jenkin, Flemming. Reports on the Committee on Standards of Electrical Resistance - Appointed by the British Association for the Advancement of Science. London. pp. 39–41. Retrieved 2011-05-12. ^The term "prototype" does not imply that it was the first in a series and that other standard metres would come after it: the "prototype" metre was the one that came first in the logical chain of comparisons, that is the metre to which all other standards were compared.
eng
4670e7f8-e6d5-47a2-9f99-dbbb164b6f68
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_metric_system
How to Book a Talk with Amy Stewart Amy Stewart is a highly sought-after public speaker whose spirited lectures have inspired and entertained audiences at college campuses such as Cornell and the University of Minnesota, corporate offices, including the Google Author Series, conferences and garden shows, as well as botanical gardens, museums, bookstores, and garden clubs nationwide. A special note about events for children: All of Amy's books, and her lectures and events, are aimed at an adult audience. While preteens and teenagers have attended and enjoyed her lectures, they are not geared for a youth audience and small children in particular might simply be uninterested. Lecture Topics: The Drunken Botanist The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks A one-hour lecture with slides in PowerPoint Author Amy Stewart is back with her fourth New York Times bestseller, The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks. Join her for an exploration of the dizzying array of plants that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol. From the sugar cane that gives us Caribbean rum, to the juniper berries that flavor gin, to the odd and obscure fruits that flavor Italian liqueurs, Amy Stewart takes a most intoxicating perspective on the leaves, bark, seeds, roots, flowers, and fruit imbibed around the world. It's the compelling mixture of history, science, literature and humor that Stewart is known for. The Botany of...Margaritas, Manhattans, Mojitos, or Mint Juleps A 30-45 minute lecture with slides in Power Point (can run to one hour with questions, but also works as a shorter presentation) Choose from one of four talks themed around all the plants that go into the making of your favorite drink! Amy has talks prepared on four specific drinks: margaritas, Manhattans, mojitos, and mint juleps. Perfect for groups that can serve drinks with the talk. Amy will provide the recipe and suggest specific brands for mixing the perfect version of the drink of your choice. Garden to Glass: Adventures in Cocktail Gardening A one-hour lecture with slides in PowerPoint Edible gardening doesn't just put food on the table—it puts a drink in your hand, too. Join Amy Stewart for a talk on designing a cocktail garden that does double duty as a productive space to grow edibles, and a location for your next party. We'll cover the most worthwhile cocktail-friendly plants to grow: Learn which variety of mint flavors authentic Cuban mojitos, discover patio-sized fruits for punches and smashes, and find out why growing your own celery for a Bloody Mary brunch is totally worthwhile. We'll look at examples of beautifully-designed cocktail gardens and outdoor bars, and innovative ideas for extending the season indoors. You'll also learn secrets to mixing great drinks and creating your own botanical infusions. (Event organizers: Be sure to ask about combining a lecture with a cocktail party, tasting, or demo. At some events, we put out a lavish spread of botanical ingredients and invite each participant to create their own liqueur or infused vodka that they can take home with them.) . Wicked Bugs: The Louse that Conquered Napoleon's Army & Other Diabolical Insects Join Amy Stewart for a darkly comical look at the sinister side of our relationship with the insect world. In this talk based on her New York Times bestseller, you'll meet creatures beetles munching on your roses, Wicked Bugs delves into the extraordinary power of six and eight-legged creatures. It's a mixture of history, science, murder, and intrigue that begins--but doesn't end--in your own backyard. This 45-minute talk is accompanied by dazzling photographs, historical images, copper engravings, and other visuals as illustrations. In addition, Amy may bring actual specimens with her-- but don't worry--they don't bite! In her New York Times bestseller Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities, Amy Stewart takes on Mother Nature's most appalling creations. It's an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, Stewart presents tales of bloodcurdling botany that will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers. Find out which plant killed Abraham Lincoln's mother, which shrub ignited a global war, and what plant has killed 90 million people. From strychnine to castor bean, from poison sumac to monkshood, from carnivorous plants to weeds that spontaneously combust, Stewart introduces an unforgettable cast of characters and tells their tales with her own wicked sense of humor. This 45-minute talk is accompanied by dazzling photographs, historical images, copper engravings, and other visuals as illustrations. Flower Confidential — Behind the Scenes and Around the World in the Global Flower Market A one-hour discussion and slide show. Amy Stewart traveled around the world to learn more about the extraordinary business of flowers. At laboratories, greenhouses, airports, warehouses, and flower shops, she discovered a remarkable intersection of nature and technology, of sentiment and commerce. She told the story in her bestselling book, Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers. What has been gained, and what has been lost, in the quest for the perfect flower? Does it matter if roses have lost their scent? How do we respond to a lily that has been bred for the convenience of the grower, not the desires of the customer? Are we better off with 209 varieties of daisies to choose from? In a global marketplace, is there such a thing as a socially responsible flower? Join Stewart for an exploration of the individuals, the corporations, and the technology dedicated to the pursuit of the perfect flower. You'll never look at a rose the same way again. The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms Join Amy Stewart, author of The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms, for an entertaining and in-depth exploration of that tireless ploughman, the earthworm. She'll discuss new book and demonstrate the fine qualities of the inveterate invertebrates that have captured her affections. But earthworms are just one part of soil ecology: Stewart will also bring incredibly detailed photographs, taken with a high-power microscope, of other soil-dwelling microbes that form complex and important relationships with earthworms. She'll explain these interactions and their impact for gardeners and conservationists alike. You'll get a chance to learn about some of the thousands of species of earthworms that have been identified around the world, including the giant worms of the Pacific Northwest. She'll bring several species of earthworms with her and explain each species' unique role in the soil. Stewart will trace the ancient history of earthworms, describe their travels around the globe, and share some of the many secrets of earthworms' lives that Charles Darwin uncovered. She'll also share photographs and anecdotes about some of the most remarkable worms ever discovered, including a giant Australian worm and an indigo blue worm from the Philippines. A one-hour discussion and slide show. Special Topics for Special Audiences: Writing Workshops A Natural Murder: Using Poisonous Plants and Venomous Bugs To Create the Perfect Crime A one-hour workshop with slides. Designed as a workshop for mystery writers, but garden clubs and botanical gardens are also encouraged to partner with local mystery writers' groups, mystery bookstores, or mystery book clubs to host a joint event. Murder mysteries might be called "whodunnits," but the "how" is every bit as important as the "who." Mystery writers are always in search of a new way to kill off a character. Is there a poisonous seed that can be baked into a cupcake? A bitter herb that could be slipped into a cocktail? What about a stinging caterpillar with no known antivenin, or a beetle that provides the perfect alibi? The natural world is full of poisons, misleading clues, and dastardly characters. Based on her sold-out workshop for mystery writers at the Tucson Festival of Books, Amy Stewart has assembled a treasure trove of dreadful poisons and venomous stings from her books Wicked Plants and Wicked Bugs. She'll also share true crime stories from the natural world—from a serial killer who used the seeds of a tropical tree on his victims, to the world's most inept murderess, to a new twist on the ever-popular vampire story. It's an unforgettable and wickedly hilarious talk that will appeal to mystery writers and their fans! Garden and Nature Writing, Creative Nonfiction Amy also teaches half-day workshops on writing creative nonfiction and on garden and nature writing. Contact her for more information. Science and Storytelling Note to program chairs: This talk was developed for groups that requested a talk for scientists or students interested in communicating science topics to a general audience; or for creative nonfiction students. Bestselling author Amy Stewart was a beginning gardener in Santa Cruz when she wrote the gardening memoir From the Ground Up: The Story of a First Garden. In the last decade her curiosity about the natural world has taken her to earthworm scientists in the Midwest, flower growers in Ecuador, plant breeders in Holland, and poison gardens in England. Now the award-winning author of five books, Stewart shares unique stories about science, natural history, and horticulture in a way that engages audiences in subjects they never thought they'd be interested in. Find out how she does it in this engaging talk about the art of nonfiction. Testimonials "Amy, you are a class act!! My phone is ringing off the hook with praise for the evening. I can't wait for your next book!" — Carmel Public Library Foundation "Nice job on bringing Amy Stewart! There are so few "rock stars" in horticulture...Amy was an outstanding speaker--smart, funny, and oh, so engaging. Best Bonfils lecture EVER! I would love to hear her speak again... One of the best lectures I've ever attended. I'm already using the information." — Denver Botanic Gardens audience members "Amy was the most fantastic, entertaining and interesting speaker we have ever had. We are still getting such rave reviews!" — Lafayette Garden Club "In a word, it was great! It was a true joy to have you here and to meet you. The lecture was a hit, and the signing was a big success." — Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower "Fantastic! Delightful! Fascinating historic info. Amy is a great speaker and threw a lot of humor into her topic....Excellent, humorous, informed and informative, and eloquent." — UC Master Gardeners of Orange County Annual Symposium "People are still raving about your talk here in May. You certainly took Little Rhody by storm." — Rhode Island Master Gardeners "That was the best lecture I've ever attended--not just here, but anywhere!" — Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA "You are the best speaker I have ever heard here!" — Members of Santa Barbara Garden Club "Thanks so much for including the Arnold Arboretum in your speaking circuit. You gave a terrific lecture on Flower Confidential, communicating the subject with energy, clarity, and humor." — Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA "I can see why our committee was so eager to get you here! Thank you for the great event. We got so many positive comments! People would like to repeat it when you publish your next book!!!!" — Amador County Master Gardeners "Amy Stewart's recent appearance at Books & Books, in support of her newly released Flower Confidential, is still being talked about today. Her large audience made up of many prominent members of Miami's flower industry was charmed by the disarming way she told the story of how flowers are brought to market. She's funny, interesting, smart and not afraid to tackle any question head on; her audience ate it up. I can't remember an event at the store when almost everyone who came bought a book. Every author should be that effective a speaker!" — Mitchell Kaplan, Books & Books, Miami, FL "Thank you for taking time out of your busy book tour to come to our library to do your excellent presentation on your book. You brought the audience with you on your journey to learn about the flower business from its beginning to the current stage. The people who came to the program all enjoyed your talk. It was a pleasure meeting you and hearing you talk about something you seem to be very passionate about." — Los Angeles Public Library "Wow! She is amazing...Provided great insights about writing; loved her presentation...Great presenter!" — Redwood Writing Project retreat "Amazing.... She spoke on an outsider's view of the floral industry and how complicated it really is. Stewart spent much of her time focusing on the sustainability of the industry and the need for more organic products in the floral industry... It was interesting to me to see [Stewart] offering recommendations on how to drastically change an industry. It was definitely an interesting talk to see. We enjoyed your presentation and have been talking about some of the things you mentioned now that we're back in the office. I loved your talk at TPIE...I read your book over the summer cover to cover and loved it."
eng
2fa4dc8f-2427-4b07-a9b3-7d42e8e0a77b
http://www.amystewart.com/events/how-to-book-a-talk-with-amy-stewart/
Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate - Less Wrong Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate 20 Mar 2009 19:37:22 +1100 Submitted by <a href=" &bull; 117 votes &bull; <a href=" comments</a> <div><p><strong>Previously in series</strong>: <a href="/lw/2s/3_levels_of_rationality_verification/">Rationality Verification</a></p> <p>From when I was still forced to attend, I remember our synagogue's annual fundraising appeal.&#xA0; It was a simple enough format, if I recall correctly.&#xA0; The rabbi and the treasurer talked about the shul's expenses and how vital this annual fundraise was, and then the synagogue's members called out their pledges from their seats.</p> <p>Straightforward, yes?</p> <p>Let me tell you about a different annual fundraising appeal.&#xA0; One that I ran, in fact; during the early years of a nonprofit organization that <a href=" not be named</a>.&#xA0; One difference was that the appeal was conducted over the Internet.&#xA0; And another difference was that the audience was largely drawn from the atheist/libertarian/technophile/sf-fan/early-adopter/programmer/etc crowd.&#xA0; (To point in the rough direction of an empirical cluster in personspace.&#xA0; If you understood the phrase "empirical cluster in personspace" then you know who I'm talking about.)</p> <p>I crafted the fundraising appeal with care.&#xA0; By my nature I'm too proud to ask other people for help; but I've gotten over around 60% of that reluctance over the years.&#xA0; The nonprofit needed money and was growing too slowly, so I put some force and poetry into that year's annual appeal.&#xA0; I sent it out to several mailing lists that covered most of our potential support base.</p> <p>And almost immediately, people started posting to the mailing lists about why they weren't going to donate.&#xA0; Some of them raised basic questions about the nonprofit's philosophy and mission.&#xA0; Others talked about their brilliant ideas for all the <em>other</em> sources that the nonprofit could get funding from, instead of them.&#xA0; (They didn't volunteer to contact any of those sources <em>themselves</em>, they just had ideas for how <em>we</em> could do it.)</p> <p>Now you might say, "Well, maybe your mission and philosophy <em>did</em> have basic problems&#x2014;you wouldn't want to <em>censor </em>that discussion, would you?"</p> <p>Hold on to that thought.</p> <p>Because people <em>were</em> donating.&#xA0; We started getting donations right away, via Paypal.&#xA0; We even got congratulatory notes saying how the appeal had finally gotten them to start moving.&#xA0; A donation of $111.11 was accompanied by a message saying, "I decided to give **** a little bit more.&#xA0; One more hundred, one more ten, one more single, one more dime, and one more penny.&#xA0; All may not be for one, but this one is trying to be for all."</p> <p>But none of those donors posted their agreement to the mailing list.&#xA0; Not one.</p> <p><a id="more"></a></p> <p>So far as any of those donors knew, they were alone.&#xA0; And when they tuned in the next day, they discovered not thanks, but arguments for why they <em>shouldn't</em> have donated.&#xA0; The criticisms, the justifications for not donating&#x2014;<em>only those</em> were displayed proudly in the open.</p> <p>As though the treasurer had finished his annual appeal, and everyone <em>not</em> making a pledge had proudly stood up to call out justifications for refusing; while those making pledges whispered them quietly, so that no one could hear.</p> <p>I know someone with a rationalist cause who goes around plaintively asking, "How come the Raelian flying-saucer cult can get tens of thousands of members [<a href=" around 40,000] interested in complete nonsense, but we can't even get a thousand people working on this?"</p> <p><a href=" obvious wrong way</a> to finish this thought is to say, "Let's do what the Raelians do!&#xA0; Let's add some nonsense to this meme!"&#xA0; For the benefit of those not immediately stopped by their <a href=" inhibitions</a>, I will observe that there may be a hundred failed flying-saucer cults for every one that becomes famous.&#xA0; And the Dark Side may require non-obvious skills, which <em>you, </em>yes <em>you</em>, do not have:&#xA0; Not everyone can be a Sith Lord.&#xA0; In particular, if you talk about your planned lies on the public Internet, you fail.&#xA0; I'm no master criminal, but even I can tell certain people are not cut out to be crooks.</p> <p>So it's probably not a good idea to cultivate a sense of violated entitlement at the thought that some <em>other </em>group, who you think ought to be <em>inferior </em>to you, has more money and followers.&#xA0; That path leads to&#x2014;pardon the expression&#x2014;the Dark Side.</p> <p>But it probably <em>does</em> make sense to start asking ourselves some pointed questions, if supposed "<a href="/lw/31/what_do_we_mean_by_rationality/">rationalists</a>" can't manage to <em>coordinate</em> as well as a flying-saucer cult.</p> <p>How do things work on the Dark Side?</p> <p>The respected leader speaks, and there comes a chorus of pure agreement: if there are any who harbor inward doubts, they keep them to themselves.&#xA0; So all the individual members of the audience see this atmosphere of pure agreement, and they feel more confident in the ideas presented&#x2014;even if they, personally, harbored inward doubts, why, everyone <em>else</em> seems to agree with it.</p> <p>("<a href=" ignorance</a>" is the standard label for this.)</p> <p>If anyone is still unpersuaded after that, they leave the group (or in some places, are executed)&#x2014;and the remainder are more in agreement, and reinforce each other with less interference.</p> <p>(I call that "<a href=" cooling of groups</a>".)</p> <p>The <em>ideas </em>themselves, not just the leader, generate unbounded enthusiasm and praise.&#xA0; The <a href=" effect</a> is that perceptions of all positive qualities correlate&#x2014;e.g. telling subjects about the benefits of a food preservative made them judge it as lower-risk, even though the quantities were logically uncorrelated.&#xA0; This can create a positive feedback effect that makes an idea seem better and better and better, especially if <a href=" is perceived as traitorous or sinful</a>.</p> <p>(Which I term the "<a href=" death spiral</a>".)</p> <p>So these are all examples of strong Dark Side forces that can bind groups together.</p> <p>And presumably <em>we</em> would not go so far as to dirty our hands with such...</p> <p>Therefore, as a group, the Light Side will always be divided and weak.&#xA0; Atheists, libertarians, technophiles, nerds, science-fiction fans, scientists, or even non-fundamentalist religions, will never be capable of acting with the fanatic unity that animates radical Islam.&#xA0; Technological advantage can only go so far; your tools can be copied or stolen, and used against you.&#xA0; In the end the Light Side will always lose in any group conflict, and the future inevitably belongs to the Dark.</p> <p>I think that one's reaction to this prospect says a lot about their attitude towards "rationality".</p> <p>Some "Clash of Civilizations" writers seem to accept that the Enlightenment is destined to lose out in the long run to radical Islam, and sigh, and shake their heads sadly.&#xA0; I suppose they're trying to <a href=" their cynical sophistication</a> or something.</p> <p>For myself, I always thought&#x2014;call me loony&#x2014;that a <em>true </em>rationalist ought to be <em>effective in the real world.</em></p> <p>So I have a problem with the idea that the Dark Side, thanks to their <em>pluralistic ignorance and affective death spirals</em>, will always win because they are <em>better coordinated</em> than us.</p> <p>You would think, perhaps, that <em>real</em> rationalists ought to be <em>more </em>coordinated?&#xA0; Surely all that unreason must have its <em>dis</em>advantages?&#xA0; That mode can't be <em>optimal,</em> can it?</p> <p>And if current "rationalist" groups <em>cannot </em>coordinate&#x2014;if they can't support group projects so well as a single synagogue draws donations from its members&#x2014;well, I leave it to you to finish that syllogism.</p> <p>There's a saying I sometimes use:&#xA0; "It is dangerous to be half a rationalist."</p> <p>For example, I can think of ways to sabotage someone's intelligence by <em>selectively </em>teaching them certain methods of rationality.&#xA0; Suppose you taught someone a long list of logical fallacies and cognitive biases, and trained them to spot those fallacies in biases in other people's arguments.&#xA0; But you are careful to pick those fallacies and biases that are <em>easiest to accuse</em> others of, the most general ones that can easily be misapplied.&#xA0; And you do <em>not</em> <a href=" them</a> to scrutinize <em>arguments they agree with</em> just as hard as they scrutinize <em>incongruent </em>arguments for flaws.&#xA0; So they have acquired a great repertoire of flaws of which to accuse only arguments and arguers who they don't like.&#xA0; This, I suspect, is one of the primary ways that smart people end up stupid.&#xA0; (And note, by the way, that I have just given you another Fully General Counterargument against smart people whose arguments you don't like.)</p> <p>Similarly, if you wanted to ensure that a group of "rationalists" never accomplished any task requiring more than one person, you could teach them only techniques of individual rationality, without mentioning anything about techniques of coordinated group rationality.</p> <p>I'll write more later (tomorrow?) on how I think rationalists might be able to coordinate better.&#xA0; But today I want to focus on what you might call <em>the culture of disagreement,</em> or even, <em>the culture of objections,</em> which is one of the two major forces preventing the atheist/libertarian/technophile crowd from coordinating.</p> <p>Imagine that you're at a conference, and the speaker gives a 30-minute talk.&#xA0; Afterward, people line up at the microphones for questions.&#xA0; The first questioner objects to the graph used in slide 14 using a logarithmic scale; he quotes Tufte on <em>The Visual Display of Quantitative Information</em>.&#xA0; The second questioner disputes a claim made in slide 3.&#xA0; The third questioner suggests an alternative hypothesis that seems to explain the same data...</p> <p>Perfectly normal, right?&#xA0; Now imagine that you're at a conference, and the speaker gives a 30-minute talk.&#xA0; People line up at the microphone.</p> <p>The first person says, "I agree with everything you said in your talk, and I think you're brilliant."&#xA0; Then steps aside.</p> <p>The second person says, "Slide 14 was beautiful, I learned a lot from it.&#xA0; You're awesome."&#xA0; Steps aside.</p> <p>The third person&#x2014;</p> <p>Well, you'll never know what the third person at the microphone had to say, because by this time, you've fled screaming out of the room, propelled by a bone-deep terror as if Cthulhu had erupted from the podium, the fear of the impossibly unnatural phenomenon that has invaded your conference.</p> <p>Yes, a group which can't tolerate disagreement is not rational.&#xA0; But if you tolerate <em>only </em>disagreement&#x2014;if you tolerate disagreement <em>but not agreement</em>&#x2014;then you also are not rational.&#xA0; You're only willing to hear some honest thoughts, but not others.&#xA0; You are a dangerous half-a-rationalist.</p> <p>We are as uncomfortable <em>together </em>as flying-saucer cult members are uncomfortable <em>apart</em>.&#xA0; That can't be right either.&#xA0; <a href=" stupidity is not intelligence.</a></p> <p>Let's say we have two groups of soldiers.&#xA0; In group 1, the privates are ignorant of tactics and strategy; only the sergeants know anything about tactics and only the officers know anything about strategy.&#xA0; In group 2, everyone at all levels knows all about tactics and strategy.</p> <p>Should we expect group 1 to defeat group 2, because group 1 will follow orders, while everyone in group 2 comes up with <em>better idea</em>s than whatever orders they were given?</p> <p>In this case I have to question how much group 2 really understands about military theory, because it is an <em>elementary</em> proposition that an uncoordinated mob gets slaughtered.</p> <p>Doing worse with <em>more knowledge</em> means you are doing something very wrong.&#xA0; You should always be able to <em>at least</em> implement the same strategy you would use if you are ignorant, and preferably do <em>better.</em>&#xA0; You definitely should not do <em>worse.</em>&#xA0; If you find yourself regretting your "rationality" <a href=" you should reconsider what is rational</a>.</p> <p>On the other hand, if you are only half-a-rationalist, you can <em>easily </em>do worse with more knowledge.&#xA0; I recall a <a href=" experiment</a> which showed that politically opinionated students with more knowledge of the issues reacted less to incongruent evidence, because they had more ammunition with which to counter-argue only incongruent evidence.</p> <p>We would seem to be stuck in an awful valley of partial rationality where we end up more poorly coordinated than religious fundamentalists, able to put forth less effort than flying-saucer cultists.&#xA0; True, what little effort we <em>do</em> manage to put forth may be better-targeted at helping people rather than the reverse&#x2014;but that is not an acceptable excuse.</p> <p>If I were setting forth to systematically train rationalists, there would be lessons on how to disagree and lessons on how to agree, lessons intended to make the trainee more comfortable with dissent, and lessons intended to make them more comfortable with conformity.&#xA0; One day everyone shows up dressed differently, another day they all show up in uniform.&#xA0; You've got to cover both sides, or you're only half a rationalist.</p> <p>Can you imagine training prospective rationalists to wear a uniform and march in lockstep, and practice sessions where they agree with each other and applaud everything a speaker on a podium says?&#xA0; It sounds like unspeakable horror, doesn't it, like the whole thing has admitted outright to being an evil <a href=" But why is it <em>not </em>okay to practice that, while it <em>is </em>okay to practice <em>disagreeing</em> with everyone else in the crowd?&#xA0; Are you <em>never </em>going to have to agree with the majority?</p> <p>Our culture puts all the emphasis on heroic disagreement and <a href=" defiance</a>, and none on heroic agreement or heroic group consensus.&#xA0; We signal our superior intelligence and our <em>membership in the nonconformist community</em> by inventing clever objections to others' arguments.&#xA0; Perhaps <em>that </em>is why the atheist/libertarian/technophile/sf-fan/Silicon-Valley/programmer/early-adopter crowd stays marginalized, losing battles with less nonconformist factions in larger society.&#xA0; No, we're not losing because we're so superior, we're losing because our exclusively individualist traditions sabotage our ability to cooperate.</p> <p>The other major component that I think sabotages group efforts in the atheist/libertarian/technophile/etcetera community, is <em>being ashamed of strong feelings</em>.&#xA0; We still have the Spock archetype of rationality stuck in our heads, <a href=" as dispassion</a>.&#xA0; Or perhaps a related mistake, rationality as cynicism&#x2014;trying to signal your superior world-weary sophistication by showing that you care less than others.&#xA0; Being careful to ostentatiously, publicly look down on those so naive as to show they care strongly about anything.</p> <p>Wouldn't it make you feel uncomfortable if the speaker at the podium said that he cared so strongly about, say, <a href=" aging</a>, that he would willingly die for the cause?</p> <p>But it is nowhere written in either probability theory or decision theory that a rationalist should not care.&#xA0; I've looked over those equations and, really, it's not in there.</p> <p>The best informal definition I've ever heard of rationality is "That which can be destroyed by the truth should be."&#xA0; We should aspire to <a href=" the emotions that fit the facts</a>, not aspire to feel no emotion.&#xA0; If an emotion can be destroyed by truth, we should relinquish it.&#xA0; But if a cause is worth striving for, then let us by all means feel fully its importance.</p> <p>Some things <em>are</em> worth dying for.&#xA0; Yes, really!&#xA0; And if we can't get comfortable with admitting it and hearing others say it, then we're going to have trouble <em>caring</em> enough&#x2014;as well as <em>coordinating</em> enough&#x2014;to put some effort into group projects.&#xA0; You've got to teach both sides of it, "That which can be destroyed by the truth should be," and "That which the truth nourishes should thrive."</p> <p>I've heard it <a href=" that the taboo against emotional language in, say, science papers, is an important part of letting the facts fight it out without distraction.&#xA0; That doesn't mean the taboo should apply everywhere.&#xA0; I think that there are parts of life where we should learn to <em>applaud</em> strong emotional language, eloquence, and poetry.&#xA0; When there's something that needs doing, poetic appeals help get it done, and, therefore, are themselves to be applauded.</p> <p>We need to keep our efforts to expose <em>counterproductive </em>causes and <em>unjustified</em> appeals, from stomping on tasks that genuinely need doing.&#xA0; You need both sides of it&#x2014;the willingness to turn away from counterproductive causes, and the willingness to praise productive ones; the strength to be unswayed by ungrounded appeals, and the strength to be swayed by grounded ones.</p> <p>I think the synagogue at their annual appeal had it right, really.&#xA0; They weren't going down row by row and putting individuals on the spot, staring at them and saying, "How much will <em>you</em> donate, Mr. Schwartz?"&#xA0; People simply announced their pledges&#x2014;not with grand drama and pride, just simple announcements&#x2014;and that encouraged others to do the same.&#xA0; Those who had nothing to give, stayed silent; those who had objections, chose some later or earlier time to voice them.&#xA0; That's probably about the way things <em>should </em>be in a sane human community&#x2014;taking into account that people often have trouble getting as motivated as they wish they were, and can be helped by social encouragement to overcome this weakness of will.</p> <p>But even if you disagree with that part, then let us say that both supporting and countersupporting opinions should have been publicly voiced.&#xA0; Supporters being faced by an apparently solid wall of objections and disagreements&#x2014;even if it resulted from their own uncomfortable self-censorship&#x2014;is <em>not </em>group rationality.&#xA0; It is the mere <em>mirror image</em> of what Dark Side groups do to keep their followers.&#xA0; Reversed stupidity is not intelligence.</p> <p>&#xA0;</p> <p style="text-align:right">Part of the sequence <a href="/lw/cz/the_craft_and_the_community/"><em>The Craft and the Community</em></a></p> <p style="text-align:right">Next post: "<a href="/lw/42/tolerate_tolerance/">Tolerate Tolerance</a>"</p> <p style="text-align:right">Previous post: "<a href="/lw/2s/3_levels_of_rationality_verification/">3 Levels of Rationality Verification</a>"</p></div> <a href=" comments</a> TheOtherDave on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Two thoughts.</p> <ol> <li>In any relationship where I have influence, I expect to get more of what I model.</li> </ol> <p>For example, in a community where I have influence, I expect demonstrating explicit support to push community norms towards explicit support, and demonstrating criticism to push norms towards criticism.</p> <p>This creates the admittedly frustrating situation where, if a community is too critical and insufficiently supportive, it is counterproductive for me to criticize that. That just models criticism, which gets me more criticism; the more compelling and powerful my criticism, the more criticism I'll get in return.</p> <p>If a community is too critical and insufficiently supportive, I do better to model agreement as visibly and as consistently as I can, and to avoid modeling criticism. For example, to criticize people privately and support them publicly.</p> <ol> <li>In any relationship where I have influence, I expect to get more of what I reward.</li> </ol> <p>If a community is too critical and insufficiently supportive, I do well to be actively on the lookout for others' supportive contributions and to reward them (for example: by praising them, by calling other people's attention to them, and/or by paying attention to them myself). I similarly do well to withhold those rewards from critical contributions.</p></div> Vaniver on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Voted up. (Explicit support and rewards, ahoy!)</p></div> MoreOn on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"If I agree, why should I bother saying it? Doesn't my silence signal agreement enough?"</p> <p>That's been my non-verbal reasoning for years now! Not just here: everywhere. People have been telling me, with various degrees of success, that I never even speak except to argue. To those who have been successful in getting through to me, I would respond with, "Maybe it sounds like I'm arguing, but you're WRONG. I'm not arguing!"</p> <p>Until I read this post, I wasn't even aware that I was doing it. Yikes!</p></div> Omegaile on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>"If I agree, why should I bother saying it? Doesn't my silence signal agreement enough?"</p> </blockquote> <p>The fact is that there is a strong motive to disagree: either I change my opinion, or you do.</p> <p>On the other hand, the motives for agreeing are much more subtle: there is an ego boost; and I can influence other people to conform. Unless I am a very influent person, these two reasons are important as a group, but not much individually.</p> <p>Which lead us to think: There is a similar problem with elections, and <a href=" rel="nofollow">why economists don´t vote</a> .</p> <p>Anyway there is a nice analogy with physics: eletromagnetic force are much stronger than gravitational, but at large scale gravity is much more influent. (which is kinda obvius and made me think why no one pointed this on this post before)</p></div> dfranke on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>The nice thing about karma/voting sites like this one is that they provide an efficient and socially acceptable mechanism for signaling agreement: just hit the upmod button. Nobody wants to read or listen to page after page of "me too"; forcing people to tolerate this would be bad enough to negate the advantage of making agreement visible. Voting accomplishes the same visibility without the irritating side-effects.</p></div> Nebu on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>There's a bit of noise, as I sometimes vote up someone I disagree with if they raise an interesting point, and I very, very rarely vote someone down just because I disagree with them.</p> <p>This "bit of noise" becomes significant on sites with a small number of subscribers, as a +/-2 vote is a "big deal".</p></div> dfranke on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I think that's a feature, not a bug. What an upvote expresses is nearer to "you should listen to this guy" than to "I agree with this guy", but I think the former is more useful information.</p></div> diegocaleiro on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>There should be an emotional display of how many upvotes a post got.</p> <p>Numbers are, well, too numbery for that.</p> <p>Either a smile with ever growing smile.</p> <p>or a ballon that grows bigger and bigger (for posts that really get way too upvoted, the ballon could explode into colorfull bright carnival paper, or candy, or Brad Pitt, or Russian Redheads...)</p> <p>Ok, ballon or smile, who is with me?</p></div> notriddle on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I like the idea, but they seem kind of gimmicky. (thinking of LW's comments section, it would be hard to give another icon the kind of prominence we want, without making it too big). How about a green/red bar, like the one on YouTube?</p></div> ciphergoth on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><></div> Emile on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <</blockquote> <p>Does it really signal that to other readers, or is that just in your mind? If you see someone posting an agreement, do you really judge him as a weak-minded sycophant?</p></div> Nebu on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>If they post just a "Amazing post, as usual Eliezer" without further informative contribution, then I too get this mild sense of "sucking up" going on.</p> <p>Actually, this whole blog (as well as Overcoming Bias) does have this subtle aura of "Eliezer is the rationality God that we should all worship". I don't blame EY for this; more probably, people are just naturally (evolutionarily?) inclined to religious behaviour, and if you hang around LW and OB, then you might project towards the person who acts like the alpha-male of the pack. In fact, it might not even need to have any religious undertones to it. It could just be "alpha-male mammalian evolution society" stuff.</p> <p>Eliezer <em>is</em> a very smart person. Certainly much smarter than me. But so is Robin Hanson. (I won't get into which one is "smarter", as they are both at least <a href=" levels above me</a>) and I feel he is often-- "under-appreciated" perhaps is the closest word?-- perhaps because he doesn't posts as often, but perhaps also because people tend to "me too" Eliezer a lot more often than they "me too" Robin (but again this might be because EY posts much more frequently than RH).</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>It's simpler than that: 1) Eliezer expresses <em>certainty</em> more often than Robin, and 2) he self-discloses to a greater degree. The combination of the two induces tendency to identification and aspiration. (The evolutionary reasons for this are left as an exercise for the reader.)</p> <p>Please note that this isn't a denigration -- I do <em>exactly</em> the same things in my own writing, and I also identify with and admire Eliezer. Just knowing what causes it doesn't make the effect go away.</p> <p>(To a certain extent, it's just audience-selection -- expressing your opinions and personality clearly will make people who agree/like what they hear become followers, those who disagree/dislike become trolls, and those who don't care one way or the other just go away altogether. NOT expressing these things clearly, on the other hand, produces less emotion either way. I love the information I get from Robin's posts, but they don't cause me to feel the same degree of personal connection to their author.)</p></div> Annoyance on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"If you see someone posting an agreement, do you really judge him as a weak-minded sycophant?"</p> <p>It depends greatly on what they're agreeing with, and what they've said and done before.</p></div> Cameron_Taylor on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> </blockquote> <p>That would be great.</p></div> Court_Merrigan on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>That would be a great feature, I think. Ditto on on broad disagreements.</p></div> Gray on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>This is a good point, but I think there's a ready solution to that. Agreement and disagreement, by themselves, are rather superficial. <em>Arguments</em>, on the other hand, rationalists have more respect for. When you agree with someone, it seems that you don't have the burden to formulate an argument because, implicitly, you're referring to the first person's argument. But when you disagree with someone, you do have the burden of formulating a counterargument. So I think this is why rationalists tend to have more respect for disagreement than agreement, because disagreement requires an argument, whereas agreement doesn't need to.</p> <p>But on reflection, this arrangement is fallacious. Why <em>shouldn't</em> agreement <em>also</em> require an argument? I think it may <em>seem</em> to add to the strength of an argument if multiple people agree that it is sound, but I don't think it does in reality. If multiple people develop the same argument independently, then the argument might be somewhat stronger; but clearly this isn't the kind of agreement we're talking about here. If I make an argument, you read my argument, and then you agree that my argument is sound, you haven't developed the same argument independently. Worse, I've just biased you towards my argument.</p> <p>The better alternative is, when you agree with an argument, there should be the burden of devising a <em>different</em> argument that argues for the same conclusion. Of course, citing evidence also counts as an "argument". In this manner, a community of rationalists can increase the strength of a conclusion through induction; the more arguments there are for a conclusion, the stronger that conclusion is, and the better it can be relied upon.</p></div> CuSithBell on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Y'know, you may be right. I also suspect this is something that depends to a significant extent on the type of proposition under consideration.</p></div> CuSithBell on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>In that case you're "writing the last line first", I suspect it might not reduce bias. Personally, I often try to come up with arguments <em>against</em> positions I hold or am considering, which sometimes work and sometimes do not. Of course, this isn't foolproof either, but might be less problematic.</p></div> Constant on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>In real life this is common, and the results are not always bad. It's incredibly common in mathematics. For example, Fermat's Last Theorem was a "last line" for a long time, until someone finally filled in the argument. It may also be worth mentioning that the experimental method is also "last line first". That is, at the start you state the hypothesis that you're about to test, and then you test the hypothesis - which test, depending on the result, may amount to an argument from evidence for the hypothesis.</p> <p>Another case in point, this time from history: Darwin and natural selection. At some point in his research, natural selection occurred to him. It wasn't, at that point, something that he had very strong evidence for, which is why he spent a lot of time gathering evidence and building argument for it. So there's another "last line first" which turned out pretty well in the end.</p></div> JGWeissman on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>It may also be worth mentioning that the experimental method is also "last line first". That is, at the start you state the hypothesis that you're about to test, and then you test the hypothesis - which test, depending on the result, may amount to an argument from evidence for the hypothesis.</p> </blockquote> <p>No. When you state the hypothesis, it means that, depending on the evidence you are about to gather, your bottom line will be that the hypothesis is true or that the hypothesis is false (or that you can't tell if the hypothesis is true or false). <a href=" the Bottom Line First</a> would be deciding in advance to conclude that the hypothesis is true.</p> <p>Depending on where the hypothesis came from, the experimental method may be <a href=" the Hypothesis</a>, which the social process of science <a href=" for by requiring lots of evidence</a>.</p></div> Constant on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Deciding in advance to conclude that the hypothesis is true is not a danger if the way you decide to do that is by some means that in reality won't let you do that if the hypothesis is false. Keep in mind: you can decide to do something and still be unable to do it.</p> <p>Suppose I believe that a hypothesis is true. I believe it so strongly, that I believe a well-designed experiment will prove that it is true. So I decide in advance to conclude that the hypothesis is true by doing what I am positive in advance will prove the hypothesis, which is to run a well-designed experiment which will convince the doubters. So I do that, and (suppose) that the experiment supports my hypothesis. The fact that my intentions were to prove the hypothesis don't invalidate the result of the experiment. The experiment is by its own good design protected from my intentions.</p> <p>A well-designed experiment will yield truth whatever the intentions of the experimenter. What makes an experiment good isn't good intentions on the part of the experimenter. That's the whole point of the experiment: we can't trust the experimenter, and so the experiment by design renders the experimenter powerless. (Of course, we can increase our confidence even further by replicating the experiment.)</p> <p>Now let's change <em>both</em> the intention and the method. Suppose you don't know whether a hypothesis is true and decide to discover whether it is true by examining the evidence. The method you choose is "preponderance of evidence". It is quite possible for you completely erroneously and unintentionally to in effect cherry-pick evidence for the hypothesis you were trying to test. People make procedural mistakes like this all the time without intending to do so. For example, you see one bit of evidence, and make note of the fact that this particular bit of evidence makes the the hypothesis appear to be true. But now, uh oh! You're subject to confirmation bias! That means that you will automatically, without meaning to, start to pay attention to confirming and ignore disconfirming evidence. And you didn't mean to!</p> <blockquote> <p>Depending on where the hypothesis came from, the experimental method may be Privileging the Hypothesis</p> </blockquote> <p>Absolutely, but privileging the hypothesis is a danger whether or not you have decided in advance to conclude the hypothesis. Look at Eliezer's own description:</p> <blockquote> <p>Then, one of the detectives says, "Well... we have no idea who did it... no particular evidence singling out any of the million people in this city... but let's consider the hypothesis that this murder was committed by Mortimer Q. Snodgrass, who lives at 128 Ordinary Ln. It could have been him, after all."</p> </blockquote> <p>This detective has, importantly, <em>not</em> decided in advance to conclude that Snodgrass is the murderer.</p></div> CuSithBell on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I think the thing which is jumping out as strange to me is doing this after you've been convinced, seemingly to enhance your credence. Still, this is a good point.</p></div> Constant on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>The danger that Eliezer warns against is absolutely real. So what's special about math? In the case of math, I think that there is something special, and that is that it's really, really hard to make a bogus argument in math and pass it by somebody who's paying attention. In the case of experimental science, the experiment is deliberately constructed to take the result out of the hands of the experimenter. At least it should be. The experimenter only controls certain variables.</p> <p>So why is there ever a danger? The problem seems to arise with the mode of argument that involves "the preponderance of evidence". That kind of argument is totally exposed to cherry-picking, allowing the cherry-picker to create whatever preponderance he wants. It is, unfortunately, maybe the most common argument that you'll find in the world.</p></div> Gray on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Sorry, I'm not exactly sure what "writing the last line first" means. I'm guessing you referring to the syllogism, and you take my proposal to mean arguing backwards from the conclusion to produce another argument for the same conclusion. Is this correct?</p></div> CuSithBell on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I'm referring to <a href=" notion</a> of knowing what you want to conclude, and then fitting the argument to that specification. My intuition, at least, is that it would be more useful to focus on <em>weaknesses</em> of your newly adopted position - and if it's right, you're bound to end up with new arguments in favor of it anyway.</p> <p>I agree, though, that agreement should not be taken as license to avoid engaging with a position.</p> <p>I suppose I should note, given the origin of these comments, that I recommend these things only in a context of collaboration - and if we're talking about a concrete suggestion for action or the like rather than an airy matter of logic, the rules are somewhat different.</p></div> MBlume on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I must admit, I think I do find myself going into Vulcan mode when posting on LW. I find myself censoring very simple social cues -- expressions of gratitude, agreement, emotion -- because I imagine them being taken for noise. I think I'm going to make an effort to snap myself out of this.</p></div> Vladimir_Golovin on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Same here. It's very natural for me to thank people when they say or do something awesome, to encourage promising newbies, and to express my agreement when I <em>do</em> agree, but I got the impression that such things are generally frowned upon here, so I found myself suppressing them.</p> <p>Actually, I didn't mind that much -- the power of ideas discussed here way outweighs these social inconveniences, and I can easily live with that. But personally, I would prefer to be able to express my agreement and gratitude without spending too much calories on worrying about my tribal status.</p> <p>(Of course we'll need to keep the signal/noise ratio in check, but I'll post my ideas on that in a separate comment).</p></div> Vladimir_Golovin on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Heh, it seems like this post has primed me for agreement, and I upvoted <em>a lot</em> more comments than I usually do. And it looks like many others did this as well -- look at the upvote counts! I was reading and voting with <a href=" on, and was surprised to see the numbers.</p> <p>(Have I just lowered my status by signaling that I'm susceptible to priming?)</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Nah, you've <em>raised</em> it, by signaling that you're honest. At least, that's how it would work among true rationalists (as opposed to anti-irrationalists). ;-)</p></div> jschulter on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>They surprised me too. (I actually felt the urge to use an unnecessary exclamation point there the priming's made me so enthusiastic...)</p> <p>And I think that the status gained from the fact that you noticed being primed probably outweighed any lost due to it us being told it happened. Though now that we're noticing it, we need to decide which frequency of upvoting we <em>should</em> be using so we can avoid the effect.</p></div> novalis on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"[A] survey of 186 societies found, belief in a moralising God is indeed correlated with measures of group cohesion and size." - <a href=" rel="nofollow">God as Cosmic CCTV, Dan Jones</a></p></div> SoullessAutomaton on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I'm going to agree with the people saying that agreement often has little to no useful information content (the irony is acknowledged). Note, for instance, that content-free "Me too!" posts have been socially contraindicated on the internet since time immemorial, and content-free disagreement is also generally verboten. This also explains the conference example, I expect. Significantly, if this is actually the root of the issue, <em>we don't want to fight it</em>. Informational content is a <em>good thing</em>. However, we may need to find ways to counteract the negative effects.</p> <p>Personally, having been somewhat aware of this phenomenon, when I've agreed with what someone said I sometimes try to contribute something positive; a possible elaboration on one of their points, a clarification of an off-hand example if it's something I know well, an attempt to extend their argument to other territory, &amp;c.</p> <p>In cases like the fundraising one, where the problem is more individual misperception of group trends, we probably want something like an anonymous poll--i.e., "Eliezer needs <em>your</em> help to fund his new organization to encourage artistic expression from rationalists. Would you donate money to this cause?", with a poll and a link to a donation page. I would expect you'd actually get a slightly higher percentage voting "yes" than actually donating, though I don't know if that would be a problem. You'd still get the same 90% negative responses, but people would also see that maybe 60% said they would donate.</p></div> Demosthenes on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I've worked for a number of non profits and in analysis of our direct mailings, we would get a better response from a mailing that included one of two things</p> <ol> <li>A single testimonial mentioning the amount that some person gave</li> <li>Some sort of comment about the group average (listeners are making pledges of $150 this season)</li> </ol> <p>This is one of the reasons that some types of nonprofits choose to create levels of giving; my guess is that it is gaming these common level of giving ideas by creating artificial norms of participation. <em>Note</em> You can base your levels on actual evidence and not just round numbers! (plus inflation, right?)</p> <p>We also generally found that people respond well to the idea of a matching donation (which is rational since your gift is now worth more).</p<p>Anonymous polls might be a good idea, but especially among rational types, you might want the individual testimony: you get to see some of the reasoning!</p> <p>I think the synagogue in the story picked up on these ideas and used them effectively. But the nice thing about raising money through direct mailing and the internet is that you can run experiments!</p></div> SoullessAutomaton on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote</blockquote> <p>The reason I specified anonymity was to reduce the likelihood of a social stigma attached to not donating. The idea of pressuring people into an otherwise voluntary gesture of support makes me very uncomfortable.</p> <p>However, I may be overcautious on that aspect, and I defer to your greater experience with fundraising. Do you have any other empirical observations about response to fundraising efforts? You could consider submitting an article on the subject, either as it relates to instrumental rationality, or for the benefit of anyone else who might want to organize a rationality-related non-profit.</p></div> Demosthenes on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I think your caution is warranted, the fact that you can see the other people in the synagogue who don't stand up could be very hurtful to the nonparticipants. Highlighting individual donors or small groups is a good way to show public support without giving away to much information about your membership's participation as a whole.</p> <p>If you are interested in more rigorous studies (we did ours in excel), you might want to try Dean Karlan's "Does Price Matter in Charitable Giving? Evidence from a Large-Scale Natural Field Experiment " &lt;<a href=" rel="nofollow"> <p>I will try to dig up some other papers online</p></div> TheOtherDrJones on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Amongst a group of people who know and interact with each other regularly such as a synagogue those who have the means to donate money and those who do not would be an extremely obvious piece of information to the members of that group.</p> <p>There are actually two actions taken here by members, they either do not donate or they donate a certain amount. To the members of the group the amount donated is as much of an information channel as the choice to donate or not to donate. Those who donate a lot and are rich may cause offence by donating less than expected, those who donate a little when there is no expectation may gain esteem.</p> <p>You are proposing a situation in which an individual donates less than expected by such a magnitude that it seriously affects people's esteem for them. This is possible, although given social pressures unlikely. It can occur at all because the magnitude of the donation combined with the wealth of the individual and the support for the cause are all easily calculable. Magnitude of donation is known, wealth is implied by clothes, status symbols or frank discussions about income, and support for the place of worship is expected to be high.</p> <p>In a group of rational people donating to support a cause they have the option of donating, not donating and voicing support or criticism. You have established a reasonable grounds for why people do not arbitrarily voice support, and for why people voice criticism. But let's look at the amount donated and imagine it were being done publicly, is there a state where people can be hurt by donation or non-donation?</p> <p>Even if the amount donated and a reasonable guess at the wealth of the individual are available, the amount donated can still vary by the level of support the person feels for the cause. There is no level of donation that is 'incorrect' just as there is no arbitrary 'correct' level of support. Therefore the situation is most unlikely to cause social harm to the individual donating, or those who do not donate as there is a rational reason for any level of donation.</p></div> JulianMorrison on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"A slightly higher percentage"? More like: no correlation.</p> <p>I recall that McDonalds were badly burned by "would you X". Would people buy salads? oh god yes, they'd love an opportunity to eat out and stick to their diets. <em>Did</em> they buy salads, once McDonalds had added them? Nope.</p> <p>Similarly I recall that last US election the Ron Paul Blimp campaign was able to get a <em>lot</em> more chartable pledges than real-world money, and pretty quickly died from underfunding.</p></div> Annoyance on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Yes, excellent point that should be underlined for the readers here.</p> <p>People's metaknowledge is very poor. Their knowledge about themselves, especially so.</p></div> SoullessAutomaton on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>"A slightly higher percentage"? More like: no correlation.</p> </blockquote> <p>You make an excellent point, I was not really thinking clearly there.</p> <p>However, I will note that my intent was not that it should produce an accurate prediction of donations, but to better gauge public opinion on the idea to counteract the tendency to agree silently but disagree loudly.</p></div> Nebu on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>I recall that McDonalds were badly burned by "would you X". Would people buy salads? oh god yes, they'd love an opportunity to eat out and stick to their diets. Did they buy salads, once McDonalds had added them? Nope.</p> </blockquote> <p>Someone[1] must be buying those salads, as McDonalds is keeping them on the market, and given that food spoils, it doesn't make financial sense for them to keep offering a product which doesn't sell.</p> <p>1: I've actually tried the McDonalds salad 3 times. The first time, it was very (and surprisingly) good. The other two times it was mediocre.</p></div> CarlShulman on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>You can keep small stocks of an item, and it can have positive effects beyond direct revenues, e.g. if families with one dieting or vegetarian member don't avoid McDonald's because that person can eat a salad.</p></div> ciphergoth on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I think the positive effect is that they can say that they sell salads, people can convince themselves they intend to buy the salad, and so on.</p></div> homunq on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I saw a study recently that said that the mere presence of a salad on the menu increases people's consumption. I deeply doubt that fast food chains were surprised by that result.</p> <p>From the nature of the study, it's not even about convincing themselves they intend to buy a salad. By merely seriously having considered the option, they give themselves virtue points which offset the vice of more consumption.</p></div> Matt_Simpson on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>I think the positive effect...</p> </blockquote> <p>Or rather, another positive effect. These explanations aren't mutually exclusive.</p> <p>That being said, nice insight.</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>BRAVO, Eliezer! Huuzah! It's about time!</p> <p>I don't know if you have succeeded in becoming a full rationalist, but I know <strong>I</strong> haven't! I keep being surprised / appalled / amused at my own behavior. Intelligence is way overrated! Rationalism is my goal, but I'm built on evolved wet ware that is often in control. Sometimes my conscious, chooses-to-be-rationalist mind is found to be in the kiddy seat with the toy steering wheel.</p> <p>I haven't been publicly talking about my contributions to the Singularity Institute and others fighting to save us from ourselves. Part of that originates in my father's attitude that it is improper to brag.</p> <p>I now publicly announce that I have donated at least $11,000 to the Singularity Institute and its projects over the last year. I spend ~25 hours per week on saving humanity from Homo Sapiens.</p> <p>I say that to invite others to <strong><em>JOIN IN</em></strong>. Give humanity a <strong>BIG</strong> term in your utility function. Extinction is Forever. Extinction is for ... us?</p> <p>Thank you, Eliezer! Once again, you've shown me a blind spot, a bias, an area where I can now be less wrong than I was.</p> <p>With respect and high regard, <br /> Rick Schwall, Ph.D. <br /> Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens™ :-|</p></div> Psy-Kosh on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Cool!</p> <p>Just am curious.. What do you do for 25 hours a week to save humanity from itself?</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Mostly, I study. I also go to a few conferences (I'll be at the Singularity Summit) and listen. I even occasionally speak on key issues (IMO), such as (please try thinking WITH these before attacking them. Try agreeing for at least a while.):</p> <ul> <li>"There is no safety in assuring we have a power switch on a super-intelligence. That would be power at a whole new level. That's pretty much Absolute Power and would bring out the innate corruption / corruptibility / self-interest in just about anybody." </li> <li>"We need Somebody to take the dangerous toys (arsenals) away." </li> <li>"Just what is Humanity up to that requires 6 Billion individuals?" </li> </ul> <p>&lt;strikeout&gt; All of that is IN MY OPINION. &lt;/strikeout&gt; &lt;-- OK, the comments to this post showed me the error of my ways. I'm leaving this here because comments refer to it.</p> <p>Edited 07/14/2010 because I've learned since 2009-09 that I said a lot of nonsense.</p></div> thomblake on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>IN MY OPINION</p> </blockquote> <p>I'm not sure what this was supposed to add, especially with emphasis. Whose opinion would we think it is?</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I've been told that my writing sounds preachy or even religious-fanatical. I do write a lot of propositions without saying "In my opinion" in front of each one. I do have a standard boilerplate that I am to put at the beginning of each missive: I Boilerplate</p> <p>In that post, I got lazy and just threw in the tag line at the end. My mistake. I apologize. I won't do that again.</p> <p>With respect and high regard, <br /> Rick Schwall <br /> Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens (playing the game to win, but not claiming I am the star of the team)</p></div> Vladimir_Nesov on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>This only makes it worse, because you can't excuse a signal. (See <a href=" <a href=" are shallow</a>).</p> <p>Also: just because you <a href=" you are not fanatical, doesn't mean you are not. People can be caught in <a href=" death spirals</a> even around correct beliefs.</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Vladimir_Nesov wrote on 11 September 2009 08:34:32AM:</p> <blockquote> <p>This only makes it worse, because you can't excuse a signal.</p> </blockquote> <p>This only makes <em>what</em> worse? Does it makes me sound more fanatical?</p> <p>Please say more abut "you can't excuse a signal". Did you mean I can't reverse the <a href=" impression</a> the signal inspired in somebody's mind? Or something else?</p> <blockquote> <p>Also: just because you believe you are not fanatical, doesn't mean you are not. People can be caught in affective death spirals even around correct beliefs.</p> </blockquote> <p>OK I'll start with a prior = 10% that I am fanatical and / or caught in an affective death spiral.</p> <p>What do you recommend I do about my preachy style?</p> <p>I appreciate your writings on LessWrong. I'm learning a lotWei_Dai on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>What do you recommend I do about my preachy style?</p> </blockquote> <p>I suggest trying to determine your true confidence on each statement you write, and use the appropriate language to convey the amount of uncertainty you have about its truth.</p> <p>If you receive feedback that indicates that your confidence (or apparent confidence) is calibrated too high or too low, then adjust your calibration. Don't just issue a blanket disclaimer like "All of that is IN MY OPINION."</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>OK.</p> <p>Actually, I'm going to restrain myself to just clarifying questions while I try to learn the assumed, shared, no-need-to-mention-it body of knowledge you fellows share.</p> <p>Thanks.</p></div> Jack on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I can't help but think that those activities aren't going to do much to save humanity. I don't want to send you into an existential crisis or anything but maybe you should tune down your job description. "Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens™" is maybe acceptable for Superman. It might be affably egotistical for someone who does preventive counter-terrorism re: experimental bioweapons. "Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens one academic conference at a time" doesn't really do it for me.</p> <p>Plus wishing for all people to be under the rule of a god-like totalitarian sounds to me like the best way to destroy humanity.</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Jack wrote on 09 September 2009 05:54:25PM:</p> <blockquote> <p>Plus wishing for all people to be under the rule of a god-like totalitarian sounds to me like the best way to destroy humanity.</p> </blockquote> <p>I don't wish for it. That part was inside parentheses with a question mark. I merely suspect it MAY be needed.</p> <p>Please explain to me how the destruction follows from the rule of a god-like totalitarianJack on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Maybe some Homo Sapiens would survive, humanity wouldn't. Are the human animals in <em>1984</em> "people"? After Winston Smith dies is there any humanity left?</p> <p>I can envision a time when less freedom and more authority is necessary for our survival. But a god-like totalitarian pretty much comes out where extinction does in my utility function.</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Oh. My mistake. When you wrote, "Plus wishing for all people to be under the rule of a god-like totalitarian sounds to me like the best way to destroy humanity.", I read:</p> <ul> <li>[Totalitarian rule... ] ... [is] ... the best way to destroy humanity, (as in cause and effect.) </li> <li>OR maybe you meant: wishing ... [is] ... the best way to destroy humanity</li> </ul> <p>It just never occurred to me you meant, "a god-like totalitarian pretty much comes out where extinction does in my utility function".</p> <p>Are you willing to consider that totalitarian rule by a machine <em>might</em> be a whole new thing, and quite unlike totalitarian rule by people?</p></div> pdf23ds on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>IIRC, Winston Smith doesn't die; by the end, his spirit is completely broken and he's practically a living ghost, but alive.</p></div> RickJS on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Jack wrote on 09 September 2009 05:54:25PM :</p> <blockquote> <p>I can't help but think that those activities aren't going to do much to save humanity.</p> </blockquote> <p>I hear that. I wasn't clear. I apologise.</p> <p>I DON'T KNOW what I can do to turn humanity's course. And, I decline to be one more person who uses that as an excuse to go back to the television set. Those activities are part of my search for a place where I can make a difference.</p> <blockquote> <p>"Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens™" is maybe acceptable for Superman.</p> </blockquote> <p>... but not acceptable from a mere man who cares, eh?</p> <p>(Oh, all right, I admit, the ™ <strong>was</strong> tongue-in-cheek!)</p> <p>Skip down to END BOILERPLATE <strong>if and only if</strong> you've read version v44m <strong>I</strong> BOILERPLATE version 44m</p> <p>I think we may have different connotations. I'm going to reluctantly use an analogy, but it's just a temporary crutch. Please drop it as soon as you get how I'm using the word 'saving'.</p> <p>If I said, "I'm playing football," I wouldn't be implying that I'm a one-man team, or that I'm the star, or that the team always loses when I'm not there. Rigorously, it only means that I'm playing football.</p> <p>However, it is possible to play football for the camaraderie, or the exercise, or to look good, or to avoid losing. A person can <em>play football to win</em>. Regardless of the position played. It's about attitude, commitment, and responsibility SEIZED rather than reluctantly accepted.</p> <p>I DECLARE that I am saving humanity from Homo Sapiens. That's a declaration, a promise, not a description subject to True / probability / False. I'm playing to win.</p> <p>Maybe I'll never be allowed to get on the field. I remember the movie <em><a href=" rel="nofollow">Rudy</a></em>, about <a href=" rel="nofollow">Dan Ruettiger</a>. THAT is what it is to be playing football in the face of being a little guy. That points toward what it is to be Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens in the face of no evidence and no agreement.</p> <p>You could give me a low probability of ever making a difference . But before you do, ask yourself, "What will this <strong>cause</strong>?"</p> <p>It occurs to be that this little sub-thread beginning with <a href=" I study. &quot;</a> illustrates what Eliezer was pointing out in <a href=" Our Kind Can&#39;t Cooperate.&quot;</a>.</p> <ul> <li><em>"Some things are worth dying for. Yes, really! And if we can't get comfortable with admitting it and hearing others say it, then we're going to have trouble <strong>caring</strong> enough - as well as <strong>coordinating</strong> enough - to put some effort into group projects. You've got to teach both sides of it, "That which can be destroyed by the truth should be," and "That which the truth nourishes should thrive." "</em></li> </ul> <p>You, too, can be Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens. You start by saying so.</p> <p>The clock is ticking.</p> <p>With respect and high regard, <br /> Rick Schwall, Ph.D. <br /> Saving Humanity from Homo Sapiens (seizing responsibility, even if I NEVER get on the field)</p></div> AnnaSalamon on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Many points that are both new and good. Like prase, and like a selection of other fine LW-ers with whom I hope to be agreeing soon, I think your post is awesome :)</p> <p>One root of the agreement/disagreement asymmetry is perhaps that many of us aspiring rationalists are intellectual show-offs, and we want our points to show everyone how smart we are. Status feels zero-sum, as though one gains smart-points from poking holes in others' claims and loses smart-points from affirming others' good ideas. Maybe we should brainstorm some schemas for expressing agreement <em>while</em> adding intellectual content and showing our own smarts, like "I think your point on slide 14 is awesome. And I bet it can be extended to new context __", or "I love the analogy you made on page 5; now that I read it, I see how to take my own research farther..."</p> <p>Related: maybe we feel self-conscious about speaking if we don't have anything "new" to add to the conversation, and we don't notice "I, too, agree" as something new. One approach here would be to voice, not just agreement, but the analysis that's going into each individual's agreement, e.g. "I agree; that sounds just like my own experience trying to get an atheists club started", or "I'm adopting these beliefs now, because I trust Eliezer's judgment here, but I have little confirming evidence of my own, so don't double-count my agreement as new evidence". Voicing the causal structure of our agreement would:</p> <ul> <li>Give us practice seeing how others navigate evidence and Aumann-type issues;</li> <li>Expose us to others' evidence;</li> <li>Guard against information cascades (assuming honesty in those participating);</li> <li>Let us affirm our identities as smart rationalists, while we express agreement. :)</li> </ul></div> MBlume on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>Related: maybe we feel self-conscious about speaking if we don't have anyting "new" to add to the conversation, and we don't notice "I, too, agree" as something new.</p> </blockquote> <p>I've often wrestled with this myself, and hesitated to comment for just this reason.</p></div> CannibalSmith on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Me too!</p></div> MichaelGR on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Me too.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I would encourage you to make this a fornt page post if you have the time. I think these thoughts and strategies are positive, rational and necessary group building skills for any long term group that fulfills rationalist goals. Or maybe it should be in the community guidelines(do these exist? I imagine the sequences as extended community guidelines) so most new members read them over.</p></div> Cameron_Taylor on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I agree with everything you said in your talk, and I think you're brilliant.</p> <p>I've noticed that I am often hesitant to publicly agree with comments and posts here on LessWrong because often agreement will be seen as spam. While upvotes do count as something, it is far easier to post a disagreement than to invent an excuse to post something that mostly agrees. This can be habit forming.</p> <p>Comparing say Less Wrong with a Mensa online discussion group I've noticed that my probaility of disagreement is far lower with the self identified rationalists than with the self and test identified generic smart people. The levels of Dark Side Argument are almost incomparable. I have begun disengaging from Dark debates wherever convenient purely to form better habits at agreement.</p></div> prase on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>In fact, agreement is a sort of spam - it consumes space and usually doesn't bring new thoughts. When I imagine a typical conference where the participants are constantly running out of time, visualising the 5-minute question interval consumed by praise to the speaker helps me a lot in rationalising why the disagreement culture is necessary. Not that it would be the real reason why I would flee screaming out of the room, I would probably do even if the time wasn't a problem.</p> <p>When I read the debates at e.g. daylightatheism.org I am often disgusted by how much agreement there is (and it is definitely not a Dark Side blog). So I think I am strongly immersed in the disagreement culture. But, all cultural prejudices aside, I will probably always find a discussion consisting of "you are brilliant" type statements extraordinarily boring.</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>It doesn't have to bring new thoughts to serve a purpose. A chorus of agreement is an <em>emotional amplifier</em>.</p></div> AndrewH on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Not only that, it becomes a glue that binds people together, the more agreement the stronger the binding (and the more that get bound). At least that is the analogy that I use when I look at this; we (rationalists) have no glue, they (religions) have too much.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Agreement does not need to be contentless and therefore spam. It can fill in holes in the argument, take a different perspective(helping a different segment of the reading population), add specific details to the argument that were glossed over and much more.</p> <blockquote> <p>I will probably always find a discussion consisting of "you are brilliant" type statements extraordinarily boring.</p> </blockquote> <p>It sounds like you have a problem with lack of content more then you do with agreement. I am sure you would find contentless disagreement just a boring.</p></div> prase on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Agreements are a lot more often contentless, as a rule. When disagreeing, people feel motivated to include some reasons, and even if they don't, the one who was disagreed with feels motivated to ask for the reasons. But in principle you are right that my objections don't primarily aim at agreement.</p></div> MichaelGR on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I think you are focusing too much on discussions.</p> <p>There are other activities where success can depend heavily on &lt;em&gt;not acting alone&lt;/em&gt;, and it is in those types of activities (such as fundraising, seizing political power, reforming institutions, etc) that rationalist-types are disadvantaged by their lack of coordination.</p></div> Nominull on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I agree!</p></div> Court_Merrigan on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>You didn't read Eliezer's post very carefully, did you? You need more practice in agreement and conformity. There are a limited number of "right" answers out there. It's alright to agree on them, when they are found.</p></div> AndrewKemendo on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I personally see public disagreements as a way to refine the intent of the person under the spotlight rather than a social display of individualism. When I disagree with someone it is not for the sake of disagreeing but rather to refine what I may think is a good idea that has a few weak points. I do this to those I respect and agree with because I hope that others will do this to me.</p> <p>I think the broader question here is not whether we should encourage widespread agreement in order to create cohesion - but rather if we can ensure that the tenets we collectively agree on are correct conclusions. That is in my mind the main difference between rationalists and what I would call tribalists - in general the majority agree on tenets which are have serious rational flaws or they do simply not raise contest with said tenets. Otherwise if we do follow the leader, then if there are true flaws in that particular modus - we will never discover them.</p> <p>I agree that it is hard to start a movement based on this - however I see this as a positive attribute. Just as the (flawed) idea of representative democracy was supposed to slow government to a crawl - the rationalist mindset slows group think and confirmation bias to a near halt. It is however a strong movement, however slow.</p></div> 395b78 on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I completely agree with this post. It's heartwarmingly and mindnumbingly agreeable, I would like to praise it and applaud it forever and ever. On a more serious note, personally it feels like not contributing anything into the conversation if you're just agreeing. Like for an example if I read a 100 posts in here, I don't feel compelled to add a comment which says just "I agree." to each of them because <em>it feels like it doesn't add to the substance of the issue.</em> - So I'm totally doing what the post predicts.</p> <p>I have really read a hundred or so posts and I think the majority of them are brilliant, and to be honest I don't think there have been <em>any</em> posts by Eliezer in particular that I have read which I would've considered really bad. I think they're great. I'm not even <a href=" it very far</a> when I'm saying that they've changed my look on life.</p> <p>Personally I truly hope that whoever comes up with the first functional AIs has concern for the future of humanity and takes the time and trouble to ponder moral issues and is responsible about it in general. In fact I believe the world would be a little better place if a larger number of our leaders and political decision makers would demonstrate similar interests - for an example if they could sit down every now and then and contemplate on the meaning of altruism or caring for one another - or they would stop by and read a post on this website.</p> <p>So this seems like the perfect post to just agree with and add the following suggestion to the conversation: If it feels like you don't want to just agree to something, even if you do really agree, try and find a way to do that while also making a contribution, additional detail or insight. :)</p> <p>Awesome posts!</p></div> jimrandomh on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>In hindsight, the problem with your fundraiser was obvious. There were two communications channels: one private channel for people who contributed, and one channel for everyone else. Very few people will post a second message after they've already posted one, so the existence of the private channel prevented contributors from posting on the mailing list. Removing all the contributors from the public channel left only nay-sayers and an environment that favored further nay-saying. The fix would be to merge the two channels: publish the messages received from contributors, unless they request otherwise.</p></div> JamesAndrix on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>On 'What Do We Mean By "Rationality"?' when you said "If that seems like a perfectly good definition, you can stop reading here; otherwise continue." - I took your word for it and stopped reading. But apparently comments aren't enabled there.</p> <p>You have significantly altered my views on morality (Views which I put a GREAT deal of mental and emotional effort into.) I suspect I am not alone in this.</p> <p>I think there's a fine line between tolerating the appearance of a fanboy culture, and becoming a fanboy culture. The next rationalist pop star might not be up to the challenge.</p> <p>And for that matter, how many time would you want to risk be subjected to agreement without succumbing? It's not wireheading, but people do get addicted.</p></div> AnnaSalamon on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>I think there's a fine line between tolerating the appearance of a fanboy culture, and becoming a fanboy culture. The next rationalist pop star might not be up to the challenge.</p> </blockquote> <p>Agreement and disagreement look more like skills that we can develop (and can improve at <em>both</em> of) than ends of a continuum (where moving toward one means moving away from the other).</p> <p>I mean, we can reduce the apparent and actual extent to which we're an Eliezer fan-club or echo chamber, and improve our armor against the emotional and social pressures that "we all think the Great Leader is perfect" tends to form. And we can <strong>also</strong>, simulateously, improve our ability to endorse good ideas <em>even when someone else already said that idea</em>, and to actually coordinate to get stuff done in groups.</p></div> mark_spottswood on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Good points.</p> <p>.</p> <p>The problem is that smart people don't give much credit to informed expressions of agreement when parceling out status. The heroic falsfier, or the proposer of the great new idea, get all the glory.</p></div> JulianMorrison on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>To be honest, I suspect a lot of those folks, and I include myself here, were anti-collectivists <em>first</em>.</p> <p>In my own mind, the emotive rule "I might follow, but I must never obey" is built over a long childhood war and an eventual hard-fought and somewhat Pyrrhic victory. I <em>know</em> it's reversed stupidity, but it's hard to let go.</p> <p>What good rationalist techniques are there for changing such things?</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Ask "what's bad about obeying?" Imagine a specific concrete instance of obeying, and then carefully observe your automatic, unconscious response. What bad thing do you expect is going to happen?</p> <p>Most likely, you will get a response that says something about who you are as a person: your social image, like, "then I'll be weak". You can then ask how you <em>learned</em> that obeying makes someone weak... which may be an experience like your peers teasing you (or someone else) for obeying. You can then rationally examine that experience and determine whether you still think you have valid evidence for reaching that conclusion about obedience.</p> <p>Please note, however, that you cannot kill an emotional decision like this without actually examining your own evidence <em>for</em> the proposition, as well as against it. The mere knowledge that your rule is irrational is not sufficient to modify it. You need to access (and re-assess) the actual memor(ies) the rule is based on.</p></div> Emile on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Recognizing that "I might follow, but I must never obey" is an emotional rule is already a good first step, much better than trying to rationalize it.</p> <p>I've recognized that same pattern in myself - a bad feeling in response to the idea of following / obeying even when it's an objectively good idea to do so. I imagined an "asshole with a time machine" who would follow me around, observe what I did (buy a ham sandwitch for lunch, enter a book store...), go back in time a few seconds before my decision and order me to do it.</p> <p>Once I realized I was much more angry against this hypothetical asshole than it was reasonable to, I tried getting rid of that anger. I guess I succeeded (the idea doesn't bug me as much), but I don't know if it means I won't have any more psychological resistance to obeying. I am probably <em>still</em> pretty biased towards individualism / giving more value to my opinion just because it's my own, but I'd like to find ways to get rid of that..</p></div> Annoyance on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"What good rationalist techniques are there for changing such things?"</p> <p>Carefully examining the potential reasons for going along with someone else. Emile's point below is a very good one.</p> <p>'Obedience' implies that we <em>must</em> go along with what someone says we should do. It's much better to think (hopefully accurately) that we've choosing to do something which coincidentally is also what someone has suggested. We don't need to choose to obey to go along.</p> <p>Carefully examining the justifications for actions is also important. If there are compelling reasons to do X, the fact that we've been "ordered" to do X is irrelevant, just as being ordered NOT to do X is.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Stating that you are not obeying and that you are take a particular course of action because it is a good idea seems to work/help some people.</p> <p>Realize that the anti-collectivist pull is an explotable weakness it leaves you vulnerable to people who are perceptive and want to harm you. Some would say that you should just avoid getting people to want to harm you, however a consequence is that you would have to avoid standing up to people who harm the world, people you care for and some time yourself.</p></div> Alicorn on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I'm not sure if this was at work in your fundraiser, but I know I tend to see exhortations from others that I give to charitable causes/nonprofits as attempts at guilt tripping. (I react the same way when I'm instructed to vote, or brush my teeth twice a day, or anything else that sounds less like new information and more like a self-righteous command.) For this reason, I try to keep quiet when I'm tempted to encourage others to give to my pet charity/donate blood/whatever, for fear that I'll inspire the opposite reaction and hurt my goal. I don't always succeed, but that's an explanation other than a culture of disagreement for why some people might not have contributed to the discussion from a pro-giving position.</p></div> PhilGoetz on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Two observations:</p> <ul> <li><p>In American culture, when you give money to a charity, you aren't supposed to tell people. Christian doctrine frowns heavily on that, and we are all partly indoctrinated with that doctrine. That's why no one sent their "yes" response to the list.</p></li> <li><p>You just wrote a post with 22 web links, and 19 of them were to your own writings. I think that says more about why we can't cooperate than anything else in the post.</p></li> </ul></div> Technologos on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Far from being a negative aspect of the post, the self-linking is a key element of Eliezer's effort to build a common vocabulary for rationalists. I've personally found them extremely helpful for reminding myself of the context of the words, when I've forgotten. They're basically footnotes.</p> <p>How can we cooperate if we don't even speak the same language?</p></div> PhilGoetz on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>It's better to have those links than not to have them. It's a bit as if Eliezer were writing a large, hypertext book that we are writing footnotes in. But the lack of links to the writings of other people shows a lack of engagement and a self-preoccupation that smart people tend to have. Too often, when we ask others for co-operation, we really mean "get behind my ideas and my agenda".</p> <p>Cooperation involves compromise. It involves participating in the critique of those ideas. It requires, as a prerequisite, believing that others are smart enough to look at the same evidence and see things that you missed. In a forum like this, actual interest in cooperation is evidence by writing relatively short posts, and then responding at length to many of the comments; rather than by writing extremely long posts, and then making a few short responses to comments.</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I link to myself because <em>I know what I have written</em>.</p></div> Nominull on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Maybe you should read something written by somebody else sometime.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>This is an unhelpful comment and did not contribute to the conversation and I interpret it as an attack. Instead of attack why not engage EY on why he thinks it is so important to link to want he has written rather then what other people have written.</p> <p>Any time I get the urge to use a "witty" oneliner I instead ask for the persons reasoning, perspective and logic that lead them to their conclusion.</p></div> Nominull on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>First let me say that I do not think that attacks are by their very nature impermissible, and if you do, how dare you put "witty" in scare quotes? That's just flat-out unkind.</p> <p>Anyway, it's a little hard for me to defend my comments of two years ago against attack, because I no longer remember what prompted me to make them. I will do my best to reconstruct my mental state leading up to the comment I made.</p> <p>I don't think I was necessarily on PhilGoetz's side when I read his comment. I think I agreed, and still agree, with Technologos. But when I read the Wise Master's response to it, it didn't sit right with me. It read like an attempt to fight back against attack with anything that came to hand, rather than an attempt to seek truth. Surely, I must have felt, if the Wise Master were thinking clearly, he would see that unfamiliarity with the works of others is not an excuse, but in fact the entire problem. I feel that I wanted to communicate this insight. I chose the form that I did probably because it was the first one that came to mind. I hang out on some pretty rough and tumble internet forums, described by one disgruntled former poster as "geek bevis[sic] and buthead[sic] humour[sic]". Sharp, witty-without-the-scare-quotes one-liners are built into my muscle memory at this point, and I view a well-executed burn as having aesthetic value in and of itself. I dunno, there is something to be said for short, elegant responses to provoke thought, rather than long plodding walls of text.</p> <p>Anyway, that's my reasoning, perspective, and logic. I hope you found this enlightening.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><<p>Attacks that do not forward the conversation are not useful. If the attacker does not expose the logic and data behind their attack then the person being attacked has no logic or data to pick a part and respond to and has no reason to believe that the attacker is earnest in seeking the truth.</p></div> wedrifid on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <</blockquote> <p>Your attack against Nominull was, in fact, stronger and less ambiguous than Nominull's.</p> <blockquote> <p>Attacks that do not forward the conversation are not useful. If the attacker does not expose the logic and data</p> </blockquote> <p>The logic behind the point was actually quite obvious, which is not to say I would have presented it in this context. As Perplexed points out, sometimes there are benefits to taking the effort that you <em>do</em> know what other people have written. (Incidentally, I upvoted both Eliezer Phil and left Nominull alone).</p> <p>Nominull's comment, discourteous or not, furthered the actual conversation while yours did not (and nor did mine). So that isn't the deciding factor here of why your kind of attack is different from Nominull's kind. I think the difference in perception is that you are responding to provocation, which many people perceive as a whole different category - but that can depend which side you empathise with.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>Your attack against Nominull was, in fact, stronger and less ambiguous than Nominull's.</p> </blockquote> <p>You use the terms "Stronger", "less ambiguous" when I did not make the claim of weaker or more ambiguous. Are you implying that I am untruthful in your first quote of me, if so it is a misinterpretation on your part.</p> <blockquote> <p>The logic behind the point was actually quite obvious, which is not to say I would have presented it in this context.</p> </blockquote> <p>The logic on why Nominull values EY linking and quoting philosophical works is not obvious to me. Nor is it obvious to me what Nominull's mental model on why EY has not been linking an quoting philosophical works(from 2009 comment). With out making that mental model clear and pointing out supporting evidence I do not see who it is useful.</p> <blockquote> <p>As Perplexed points out, sometimes there are benefits to taking the effort that you do know what other people have written.</p> </blockquote> <p>I do not see any one denying that there are benefits to this in this conversation. I can not tell if you have a deeper point.</p> <blockquote> <p>I think the difference in perception is that you are responding to provocation</p> </blockquote> <p>That does not fit to how I view my response. It seems to me that the conversation could have taken a much different and more productive route right after EY's comment and Nominull's comment discouraged it. I gave the alternative of engaging EY on "why he thinks it is so important to link to want he has written rather then what other people have written" that I thought would lead to a more productive conversation. I want to encrage productive conversation if I am going to be a community member of lesswrong.</p></div> Perplexed on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>This is an unhelpful comment and did not contribute to the conversation.</p> </blockquote> <p>I disagree. It is a very appropriate response to Eliezer's flip dismissal of Goetz's quite sincere (and to my mind, good) suggestions.</p> <p>Eliezer is, of course, very well-read for a man of his age, but he is actually a bit parochial given the breadth of his ambitions and the authoritative, didactic writing style. His credibility, his communication ability, his fundraising, and even his ideas could probably benefit if he made a conscious effort to make his writing a bit more scholarly.</p> <p>I understand that Eliezer is both very busy and very prolific, but I thought that his excuse (that he cited himself so much only for reasons of convenience (or laziness)) was much too dismissive of Phil's arguments - in large part because I think his excuse is quite likely the truth.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>With only a sentence and without back and forth conversation do you have the ability to pull out flippant intent from:</p> <blockquote> <p>I link to myself because I know what I have written.</p> </blockquote> <p>I do not know EY so I can not assign myself a high probability of doing so. In truth I subconsciously assigned a high probability that Nominull was in the same boat as me, in other words I jumped to conclusions. Do you assign yourself a high probability of determining EY's intent from the above? If so please share if you can.</p> <p>I can imagine EY's statement made with helpful intent(I could have made that statement with helpful intent), responding to it as if it was made with unhelpful intent with out evidence does not seem rational/helpful to me.</p></div> Perplexed on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I think you are attaching too much importance to inferring the <em>intent</em> (flippant vs helpful) of Eliezer's one-line response to several dozen lines of discussion, and attaching too little importance to assessing the tone. In any case, the <a href=" rel="nofollow">dictionary</a> definition of flippant:</p> <blockquote> <p>frivolously disrespectful, shallow, or lacking in seriousness; characterized by levity</p> </blockquote> <p>seems to be about tone, rather than intent. Eliezer's comment qualifies as flippant. Nominull's response was also flippant by this definition. This matching tone strikes me as appropriate - which is exactly what I said.</p> <p>At the point where Eliezer made his comment, he was being mildly criticized. His flippant comment, which I think was exactly truthful, carried the subtext that he was not particularly interested in discussing those criticisms at that time. He is totally within his rights sending that message. The criticism was mild, and formulating a serious and thoughtful response to the criticism is not something he was required to do. He could have just ignored it. He chose not to.</p> <p>Sometimes clever, conversation-stopping responses don't stop conversations. Particularly when they are a little bit rude. Eliezer got a clever and rude response back. And for almost two years, everyone was satisfied with that ending.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>Eliezer got a clever and rude response back. And for almost two years, everyone was satisfied with that ending.</p> </blockquote> <p>I think there is a high probability that lack of further comments is just due to the propensity not to post in old conversations.</p> <p>I figured if the sequences and in post links are to be taken seriously then the comments should be too. Old comments should not be treated as if they were perserved in carbonite but living arguments.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>You can replace intent with tone and I would stand by that point. I could make the same remark without disrespectful, shallow, lacking seriousness, and with out levity.</p> <blockquote> <p>Sometimes clever, conversation-stopping responses don't stop conversations. Particularly when they are a little bit rude. Eliezer got a clever and rude response back.</p> </blockquote> <p>By your description Eliezer makes a true but rude remark and receives a rude response back and this is "appropriate." I do not see how a rude response to what is believed to be a rude comment is productive, it does not bring any logic or new data to the table.</p></div> wedrifid on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>21 March 2009 09:16:11PM</p> </blockquote> <p>It is long past time for chastisement, if it was ever required.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I respond to a similar comment <a href=" <p>It is not about chastisement, it is about the people, like me, who come and read it later.</p></div> wedrifid on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>You seem to be remarkably willing to assert how your comments should be interpreted with respect to intent, meaning and social implications. Yet you do not seem to have paid Nominull that same courtesy.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Well I know what my intent is I know what I want my social implications to be. It makes sense that I try and communicate them. I accept that Nominull hangs "out on some pretty rough and tumble internet forums" and did not have unproductive intentions. I have not claimed that Nominull had unproductive intentions.</p> <p>An example of impoliteness is needed if you want to continue this conversation.</p></div> patrissimo on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>You're awesome, Eli. I love the mix of rationality and emotion here. Emotion is a powerful tool for motivating people. We of the Light Side are rightfully uncomfortable with its power to manipulate, but that doesn't mean we have to abandon it completely.</p> <p>I recently suggested a rationality "cult" where the group affirmation and belonging exercise is to circle up and have each person in turn say something they disagree with about the tenets of the group. Then everyone cheers and applauds, giving positive feedback. But now I see that this is going too far towards disagreement - better would be for each person to state one area of agreement and one of disagreement with the cult's principles, or today's sermon or exercises, and then be applauded.</p></div> TraderJoe on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>On the other hand, if you are only half-a-rationalist, you can easily do worse with more knowledge. I recall a lovely experiment which showed that politically opinionated students with more knowledge of the issues reacted less to incongruent evidence, because they had more ammunition with which to counter-argue only incongruent evidence.</p> </blockquote> <p>What exactly is the problem with this? The more knowledge I have, the smaller a weighting I place on any new piece of data.</p></div> thomblake on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>But none of those donors posted their agreement to the mailing list. Not one.</p> </blockquote> <p>Couldn't you just ask contributors for the right to make their donations public?</p></div> whynot on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>The Christian and other ethics often demand that the left hand not know what the right hand is doing. However, you can certainly indicate the sum of donations so far without violating anyone's privacy.</p> <p>The commitment of those who do donate may be more inspiring than the excuses of those who do not.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>An automated reply system could make a post with the donated amount and unique anonymous user name. That way people reading the counter arguments see people donating between some posts.</p></div> JoshuaFox on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Then clearly your fund-raising drive would have benefited from a mechanism for publicizing and externalizing support.</p> <p>Charitable organizations commonly use a variety of such methods. The example you gave is just one. If correctly designed the mechanisms do not cause support to be swamped by criticism, and they can operate without suppressing any free thought or speech.</p> <p>E.g. publishing (with their agreement) the names of donors, the amounts, and endorsements; using that information to solicit from other donors; getting endorsements from respected people; appointing wealthy donors to use their own donations as an example when leading solicitation drives among other wealthy donors etc.</p> <p>The situation does not seem as dire as you suggest.</p> <p>And you'd better bet that synagogue fund-raising drives get all the gripes that you received, and more!</p></div> Annoyance on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>As the old joke says: What do you mean 'we', white man?</p> <p>The real reason ostensibly smart people can't seem to cooperate is that most of them have no experience with reaching actual conclusions. We train people to make whatever position they espouse look good, not to choose positions well.</p></div> Nick_Novitski on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>What makes a position well-chosen or more likely to assit in reaching actual conclusions?</p></div> Annoyance on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>The logical structure of the best argument supporting it, the quality of the evidence in that argument, and the extensiveness of that evidence.</p> <p>Instead of those things, most of us pay attention to rhetoric and status.</p> <p>Take a look at high school speech and debate organizations, and the things they stress. What development of skills and techniques do their debates encourage?</p></div> Technologos on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>A good point, and a serious problem. When I was in high school debate (Lincoln-Douglas), I hated the degree to which the competition was really about jargon and citation of overwhelming but irrelevant "evidence." I think the tipping point was when somebody claimed that teaching religion in public schools would lead to an environmental catastrophe (and even more, it was purely an argument from authority).</p> <p>At one point, I ran a case that relied on no empirical evidence whatsoever (however abhorrent that may sound here): it was a quasi-Aristotelian argument that if you accept the value in the first premise--I believe it was "knowledge"--then the remainder followed. The whole case was perhaps three minutes long, half the allowed time, and formatted to make the series of premises and conclusions very obvious.</p> <p>Best I could tell, there was only one weak link in the argument that was easily debatable. I correctly guessed that the people I was debating were more used to listing "evidence" than arguing logic, and most people had absolutely no idea how to handle even clearly stated premises and conclusions.</p> <p>I was arguing against the position I actually hold, which is why there was still a flaw in the argument, but it won the majority of the debates nonetheless. Sad, more than anything.</p></div> diegocaleiro on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>This "best argument" idea disconsiders the danger of one argument against an army <a href=" rel="nofollow"> jacoblyles on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>There is no guarantee of a benevolent world, Eliezer. There is no guarantee that what is true is also beneficial. There is no guarantee that what is beneficial for an individual is also beneficial for a group.</p> <p>You conflate many things here. You conflate what is true with what is right and what is beneficial. You assume that these sets are identical, or at least largely overlapping. However, unless a galactic overlord designed the universe to please homo sapien rationalists, I don't see any compelling rational reason to believe this to be the case.</p> <p>Irrational belief systems often thrive because they overcome the prisoner dilemmas that individual rational action creates on a group level. Rational people cannot mimic this. The prisoners dilemma and the tragedy of the commons are not new ideas. Telling people to act in the group interest because God said so is effective. It is easy to see how informing people of the costs of action, because truth is noble and people ought not be lied to, can be counter-effective.</p> <p>Perhaps we should stop striving for the maximum rational society, and start pursuing the maximum rational society which is stable in the long term. That is, maybe we ought to set our goal to minimizing irrationality, recognizing that we will never eliminate it.</p> <p>If we cannot purposely introduce a small bit of beneficial irrationality into our group, then fine: memetic evolution will weed us out and there is nothing we can do about it. People will march by the millions to the will of saints and emperors while rational causes whither on the vine. Not much will change.</p> <p>Robin made an excellent post along similar lines, which captures half of what I want to say:</p> <p><a href=" rel="nofollow"> <p>I'll be writing up the rest of my thoughts soon.</p> <p>Sorry, I can't find the motivation to jump on the non-critical bandwagon today. I had the idea about a week ago that there is no guarantee that truth= justice = prudence, and that is going to be the hobby-horse I ride until I get a good statement of my position out, or read one by someone else.</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I one-box on <a href=" Problem</a>, cooperate in the <a href=" Dilemma</a> against a similar decision system, and even if neither of these were the case: life is <a href=" and it is not hard to think of enforcement mechanisms, and human utility functions have terms in them for other humans. You <a href=" rationality with selfishness</a>, assume rationalists cannot build group coordination mechanisms, and toss in a bit of <a href=" selection</a> to boot. These and the referenced links complete my disagreement.</p></div> jacoblyles on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Thanks for the links, your corpus of writing can be hard to keep up with. I don't mean this as a criticism, I just mean to say that you are prolific, which makes it hard on a reader, because you must strike a balance between reiterating old points and exploring new ideas. I appreciate the attention.</p> <p>Also, did you ever reply to the Robin post I linked to above? Robin is a more capable defender of an idea than I am, so I would be intrigued to follow the dialog.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>If you are rational enough, perceptive enough and EY's writing is consistant enough at some point you will not have to read everything EY writes to have a pretty good idea of what his views on a matter will be. I would bet a good some of money that EY would prefer to have his reader gain this ability then read all of his writings.</p></div> conchis on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"However, unless a galactic overlord designed the universe to please homo sapien rationalists, I don't see any compelling rational reason to believe this to be the case."</p> <p>Except that we are free to adopt any version of rationality that wins. Rationality should be responsive to a given universe design, not the other way around.</p> <p>"Irrational belief systems often thrive because they overcome the prisoner dilemmas that individual rational action creates on a group level. Rational people cannot mimic this."</p> <p>Really? Most of the "individual rationality -&gt; suboptimal outcomes" results assume that actors have no influence over the structure of the games they are playing. This doesn't reflect reality particularly well. We may not have infinite flexibility here, but changing the structure of the game is often quite feasible, and quite effective.</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>For example, we could establish a social norm that compulsive public disagreement is a shameful personal habit, and that you can't be even remotely considered "formidable" if you haven't gotten rid of the urge to seek status by pulling down others.</p></div> Nebu on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I disagree.</p></div> Nebu on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <blockquote> <p>However, unless a galactic overlord designed the universe to please homo sapien rationalists, I don't see any compelling rational reason to believe this to be the case.</p> </blockquote> <p>Except that we are free to adopt any version of rationality that wins. Rationality should be responsive to a given universe design, not the other way around.</p> </blockquote> <p>I don't think your argument applies to jacoblytes' argument. Jacoblytes claims that there is no reason for "rational" to equal "(morally/ethically) right", unless an intelligent designer designed the universe in line with our values.</p> <p>So it's not about winning versus losing. It's that unless the rules of the game are set up just in a certain way, then winning may entail causing suffering to others (e.g. to our rivals).</p></div> jacoblyles on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>My writing in these comments has not been perfectly clear, but Nebu you have nailed one point that I was trying to make: "there is no guarantee that morally good actions are beneficial".</p> <p>The Christian morality is interesting, here. Christians admit up front that following their religion may lead to persecution and suffering. Their God was tortured and killed, after all. They don't claim that what is good will be pleasant, as the rationalists do. To that degree, the Christians seem more honest and open-minded. Perhaps this is just a function of Christianity being an old religion and having the time to work out the philosophical kinks.</p> <p>Of course, they make up for it by offering infinite bliss in the next life, which is cheating. But Christians do have a more honest view of this world in some ways.</p> <p>Maybe we conflate true, good, and prudent because our "religion" is a hard sell otherwise. If we admitted that true and morally right things may be harmful, our pitch would become "Believe the truth, do what is good, and you may become miserable. There is no guarantee that our philosophy will help you in this life, and there is no next life". That's a hard sell. So we rationalists cheat by not examining this possibility.</p> <p>There is some truth to the Christian criticism that Atheists are closed-minded and biased, too.</p></div> jacoblyles on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>"Except that we are free to adopt any version of rationality that wins. "</p> </blockquote> <p>In that case, believing in truth is often non-rational.</p> <p>Many people on this site have bemoaned the confusing dual meanings of "rational" (the economic utility maximizing definition and the epistemological believing in truth definition). Allow me to add my name to that list.</p> <p>I believe I consistently used the "believing in truth" definition of rational in the parent post.</p></div> conchis on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I agree that the multiple definitions are confusing, but I'm not sure that you consistently employ the "believing in truth" version in your post above.* It's not "believing in truth" that gets people into prisoners' dilemmas; it's trying to win.</p> <p>*And if you did, I suspect you'd be responding to a point that Eliezer wasn't making, given that he's been pretty clear on his favored definition being the "winning" one. But I could easily be the one confused on that. ;)</p> <p>"In that case, believing in truth is often non-rational."</p> <p>Fair enough. Though I wonder whether, in most of the instances where that seems to be true, it's true for second-best reasons. (That is, if we were "better" in other (potentially modifiable) ways, the truth wouldn't be so harmful.)</p></div> Annoyance on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"Except that we are free to adopt any version of rationality that wins."</p> <p>There's only one kind of rationality.</p></div> Nick_Novitski on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I agree, but that one kind is able to determine an optimal response in any universe, except one where no observable event can ever be reliably statistically linked to any other, which seems like it could be a small subset, and not one we're likely to encounter except</p> <p>Certainly, there are any number of world-states or day-to-day situations where a full rigorous/sceptical/rational and therefore lengthy investigation would be a sub-optimal response. Instinct works quickly, and if it works well enough, then it's the best response. But obviously, instinct cannot self-analyze and determine whether and in what cases it works "well enough," and therefore what factors contribute to it so working, etc. etc.</p> <p>Passing the problem of a gun jamming the Rationality-Function might return the response, "If the gun doesn't fire, 90% of the time, pulling the lever action will solve the problem. The other 10% of the time, the gun will blow up in your hand, leading to death. However, determining to reasonable certainty which type of problem you're experiencing, in the middle of a firefight, will lead to death 90% of the time. Therefore, train your Instinct-Function to pull the lever action 100% of the time, and rely on it rather than me when seconds count."</p> <p>Does this sound like what you mean by a "beneficial irrationality"?</p> <p>Also: I propose that what seems truly beneficial, seems both true and beneficial, and what seems beneficial to the highest degree, seems right. To me, these assertions appear uncontroversial, but you seem to disagree. What about them bothers you, and when will we get to see your article?</p></div> jacoblyles on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>"Does this sound like what you mean by a "beneficial irrationality"?"</p> </blockquote> <p>No. That's not really what I meant at all. Take nationalism or religion, for example. I think both are based on some false beliefs. However, a belief in one or the other may make a person more willing to sacrifice his well-being for the good of his tribe. This may improve the average chances of survival and reproduction of an individual in the tribe. So members of irrational groups out-compete the rational ones.</p> <p>In the post above Eliezer is basically lamenting that when people behave rationally, they refuse to act against their self-interest, and damn it, it's hurting the rational tribe. That's informative, and sort of my point.</p> <p>There is some evidence that we have brain structures specialized for religious experience. One would think that these structures could only have evolved if they offered some reproductive benefit to animals becoming self-aware in the land of tooth and claw.</p<blockquote> <p>"I propose that what seems truly beneficial, seems both true and beneficial, and what seems beneficial to the highest degree, seems right."</p> </blockquote> <p>This is not true a priori. That is my point. My challenge to you, Eliezer, and the other denizens of this site is simply: "prove it".</p> <p>And I offer this challenge especially to Eliezer. Eliezer, I am calling you out. Justify your optimism in the prudence of truth.</p> <p>Disprove the parable of Eve and the fruit of the tree of knowledge.</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>Disprove the parable of Eve and the fruit of the tree of knowledge.</p> </blockquote> <p>I don't know 'bout no Eve and fruits, but I <em>do</em> know something about the "god-shaped hole". It doesn't actually require religion to fill, although it <em>is</em> commonly associated with religion and religious irrationalities. Essentially, religion is just one way to activate something known as a "core state" in NLP.</p> <p>Core states are emotional states of peace, oneness, love (in the universal-compassion sense), "being", or just the sense that "everything is okay". You could think of them as pure "reward" or "satisfaction" states.</p> <p>The absence of these states is a <em>compulsive</em> motivator. If someone displays a compulsive social behavior (like needing to correct others' mistakes, always blurting out unpleasant truths, being a compulsive nonconformist, etc.) it is (in my experience) almost always a direct result of being deprived of one of the core states as a child, and forming a coping response that seems to get them more of the core state, or something related to it.</p> <p>Showing them how to access the core state <em>directly</em>, however, removes the compulsion altogether. Effectively, it's like wireheading directly to the core state internally drops the reward/compulsion link to the specific behavior, restoring choice in that area.</p> <p>Most likely, this is because it's the unconditional presence of core states that's the evolutionary advantage you refer to. My guess would be that non-human animals experience these core states as a natural way of being, and that both our increased ability to anticipate negative futures, and our more-complex social requirements and conditions for interpersonal acceptance actually <em>reduce</em> the natural incidence of reaching core states.</p> <p>Or, to put it more briefly: core states are <em>supposed</em> to be wireheaded, but in humans, a variety of mechanisms conspire to break the wireheading.... and religion is a crutch that reinstates it externally, by exploiting the compulsion mechanism.</p> <p>Appropriately trained rationalists, on the other hand, can simply reinstate the wireheading <em>internally</em>, and get the benefits without "believing in" anything. (In fact, application of the process tends to surface and extinguish left-over religious ideas from childhood!)</p> <p>Explaining the actual technique would require considerably more space than I have here, however; the briefest training I've done on the subject was over an hour in length, although the technique itself is simple enough to be done in a few minutes. A little googling will find you plenty on the subject, although it's extremely difficult to learn from the short checklist versions of the technique you're likely to find on the 'net.</p> <p>The original book on the subject, Core Transformation, is somewhat better, but it also mixes in a lot of irrelevant stuff based on the outdated "parts" metaphor in NLP -- "parts" are just a way of keeping people detached from their responses, and that's really orthogonal to the primary purpose of the technique, which is really sort of a "stack trace" of active unconscious/emotional goals to uncover the system's root goal (and thereby access the core state of "pure utility" underneath).</p> <blockquote</blockquote> <p>Anyone who knows how to access their core states has the ability to call up mystical states of peace, bliss, and what-not, at any moment they actually need or want them. An external idea isn't necessary to provide comfort -- the necessary state already exists inside of you, or religion couldn't possibly activate it.</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Reply <a href=" conchis on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"Eliezer is basically lamenting that when people behave rationally, they refuse to act against their self-interest, and damn it, it's hurting the rational tribe. That's informative, and sort of my point."</p> <p>So if that's Eliezer's point, and it's also your point, what is it that you actually disagree about?</p> <p>I take Eliezer to be saying that sometimes rational individuals fail to co-operate, but that things needn't be so. In response, you seem to be asking him to prove that rational individuals must co-operate - when he already appears to have accepted that this isn't true.</p> <p>Isn't the relevant issue whether it is <em>possible</em> for rational individuals to co-operate? Provided we don't make silly mistakes like equating rationality with self-interest, I don't see why not - but maybe this whole thread is evidence to the contrary. ;)</p></div> jacoblyles on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>My point isn't exactly clear for a few reasons. First, I was using this post opportunistically to explore a topic that has been on my mind for awhile. Secondly, Eliezer makes statements that sometimes seem to support the "truth = moral good = prudent" assumption, and sometimes not.</p> <p>He's provided me with links to some of his past writing, I've talked enough, it is time to read and reflect (after I finish a paper for finals).</p></div> Pierre-Andre on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>True, but that "one kind of rationality" might not be what you think it is. Conchis's point holds if you use "rationality" = "everything should always be taken into account, if possible" or something alike.</p> <p>A "rational" solution to a problem should always take into account those "but in the real word it doesn't work like that...". Those are part of the problem, too.</p> <p>For example, a political leader acting "rationally" will take into account the opinion of the population (even if they are "wrong" and/or give to much importance to X) if it can affect his results in the next election. The importance of this depends on his "goal" (position of power? well being of the population?) and on the alternative if not elected (will my opponent's decisions do more harm?).</p></div> Daniel_Burfoot on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I think there's an interesting moral of the anecdote, but I'm not sure it's the one you expressed.</p> <p>My conclusion is: rationalists who desire to discard the burdensome yoke of their cultural traditions, linked inextricably as they are to religion, will have to <strong>relearn</strong> an entirely new set of cultural traditions from scratch. For example, they will need to learn a new <a href=" rel="nofollow">mechanism design</a> that allows them to cooperate in donating money to cause that is accepted as being worthwhile (I think the "ask for money and then wait for people to call out contributions" scheme is damned brilliant).</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Here's an even better one, under the right circumstances:</p> <p>"Would everyone please stand up for a moment? Thank you. Now, please remain standing if you believe that our organization is doing important things for the good of the world. Terrific, terrific. Okay, please continue to stand if you're going to make a pledge of at least $X. Fantastic! Now, please continue to stand if you're going to make a pledge of at least $X*2..."</p> <p>Of course, it won't work very well on a room full of non-conformists... you might have trouble getting them to stand in the first place, especially if they know what's coming.</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>That only works once, if that much. People don't like feeling forced and manipulated.</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"Right circumstances" includes support for your cause and rapport with your audience, such that most of them don't <em>feel</em> manipulated. The one time I saw that method used, the speaker already had the audience in the palm of his hand, such that they felt they'd already gotten their money's worth just from having <em>listened</em> to him. The stand-up/opt-out trick was just to push an already-high expected conversion rate higher.</p> <p>(An example of how good a rapport he had: early in the presentation, he asked that people please promise to not even <em>attempt</em> to give him any money that day... and several people laughed and shouted "No!")</p> <p>Of course, I suppose if you're that good, the trick is moot. On the other hand, the public approach your synagogue used is equally manipulative... it just builds the conformity pressure more slowly, instead of all at once.</p></div> Skylar626 on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Isnt the secret power of Rationality that it can stand up to review? Religious cults are able to demand extreme loyalty because the people are not presented alternatives and are not able to question the view they are handed. One of our strengths seems to be in discernment and argumentation which naturally leads to fractious in-fighting. What would we call "withholding criticism for the Greater Good"?</p></div> pjeby on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>The difference is simply in the critic's motivation: are they trying to improve the situation, or just trying to avoid the expected outcome of agreement? E.g., are you criticizing charities because you want them to do better, or because you don't want to shell out the money AND don't want to admit it? (I'm unashamedly in the "I don't want to send money to Africa and I don't care if I have a logical reason for it" camp, and so have no need to make up a bunch of reasons it's bad.)</p> <p>If the critic were really interested in improvement, they'd be suggesting improvements or better yet, DOING something about improvement.</p></div> Yvain on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Wait a second, now we're using Jews trying to run a synagogue as an example of a group who <em>cooperate</em> and <em>don't</em> always disagree with each other for the sake of disagreeing? Your synagogue must have been <em>very</em> different from mine. You never heard the old "Ten Jews, ten opinions - or twenty if they're Reform" joke? Or the <a href=" rel="nofollow">desert island joke</a>?</p> <p>I also agree with everyone. In particular, I agree with Cameron and Prase that it's tough to just say "I agree". I agree with ciphergoth that I worry that I'm sucking up to you too much. I agree with Anna Salamon that we tend to be intellectual show-offs. I agree with Julian that many of us probably started off with a contrarian streak and then became rationalists. I agree with Jacob Lyles that there's a strong game theory element here - I lose big if rationalists don't cooperate, I win a little if we all cooperate under Eliezer's benevolent leadership, but to a certain way of thinking I win even more if we all cooperate under <em>my</em> benevolent leadership and there's no universally convincing proof that cooperating under someone else is always the highest utility option. And I agree with practically everything in the main post.</p> <p>One thing I don't agree with: being ashamed of strong feelings isn't a specifically rationalist problem. It's a broader problem with upper/middle class society. Possibly more on this later.</p></div> KevinC on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Granting that the jokes you refer to are generally accurate, wouldn't that make the synagogue a <em>better</em> example for a rationalist Cat Herd than some other religious organization where people "think" in lockstep with the Dear Leader? The synagogue would represent an example of a group of people who manage to cooperate effectively even with a high level of dissensus (neologism for the opposite of consensus). Which, as I understand it, is the goal Eliezer is aiming for in this post.</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I've never been dragged to any other religious institution, so I wouldn't have any other example to use. I expect these forces are much stronger at Jesus Camp or the Raelians. But yes, even Jewish institutions still coordinate better than atheist ones.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>And you win the most when the group is so rational that almost anyone could serve as the benevolent leader.</p></div> wedrifid on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>And you win the most when the group is so rational that almost anyone could serve as the benevolent leader.</p> </blockquote> <p>The group trait required is not rationality - it is other traits that also share positive affect.</p></div> Davorak on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I was not asserting that rationality is all that you need to make the most efficient group, if that was what you are getting at.</p> <p>I think we agree that starting with groups A and B both with x skills if group A is more rational it will also be the more effective group.</p> <p>My argument was as the ability of the group to act rationally increases, the utility difference between being a member and being the leader will decreases as the group becomes better at judging the leaders value.</p></div> MBlume on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>To point in the rough direction of an empirical cluster in personspace. If you understood the phrase "empirical cluster in personspace" then you know who I'm talking about.</p> </blockquote> <p>If someone understands the phrase "empirical cluster in personspace," they probably <em>are</em> who you're talking about. =)</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>That was what the first draft said, but I considered it for a few moments and realized that as eloquent statements go, it suffered the unfortunate flaw of not actually being true.</p></div> Johnicholas on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>To some extent, this was discussed in "The Starfish and the Spider", which is about "leaderless groups". The book praises the power of decentralized, individualistic cultures (that you describe as "Light Side"). However, it admits that they're slower and less-well coordinated than hierarchical organizations (like the military, or some corporations).</p> <p>You've outlined some of the benefits (recruitment, coordinated action) of encouraging public agreement and identifying with the group. You've also outlined some of the dangers (pluralistic ignorance, etc.).</p> <p>Possibly the appropriate answer is to create multiple groups, so that each can be a check against the others turning into cults. Possibly even a fractal of groups and subgroups.</p></div> whpearson on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>"Those who had nothing to give, stayed silent; those who had objections, chose some later or earlier time to voice them. That's probably about the way things should be in a sane human community"</p> <p>Personally I think that you were speaking to the wrong crowd when trying to fund raise. Or perhaps I should say too wide a crowd. Like trying to fundraise for tokamak fusion in a mailing list where people are interested in fusion in the generality. People who don't believe that tokamaks will ever be stable/usable are duty bound to try and convince the other people of that so they won't waste their money (also it means less money in the pot for their projects).</p> <p>Geek cooperative projects can work, but generally only if there is a mathematical or empirical way to get everyone on the right page, or you have to filter the group you are trying to work with by philosophical position.</p> <p>With regards to signaling agreement, I think part of the problem is that agreements tend to give little information. If everyone on a certain mailing list said I agree and here is how much money I am donating, I would consider it spam, too much bandwidth for not enough new information... Polls would probably be better, or the organiser of the fund raiser could give running updates (which I believe you did, IIRC).</p></div> prase on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I have to agree completely.</p></div> CannibalSmith on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Me too!</p></div> diegocaleiro on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I don't have to agree completely. But I <em>choose</em> to.</p> <p>I also choose to link the donation's page for the SIAI here.</p> <p><a href=" rel="nofollow"> <p>Yes, this felt great... my emotions seem to be in tune with my high-level goals.</p></div> Cassandra on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I have been thinking about this subject for a while because I saw the same type of culture of disagreement prevent a group I was a member of from doing anything worthwhile. The problem is very interesting to me because I come from the opposite side of the spectrum being heavily collectivist. I take pleasure in conforming to a group opinion and being a follower but I also have nurtured a growing rationalist position for the last few years. So despite my love of being a follower I often find myself aspiring to a leadership position in order to weld my favored groups into a cohesive whole rather than an un-unified mob. The only solution I have been able to come up with so far is forming a core of beliefs and values which the group can accept without criticism, even if some of the members disagree with some of the parts. This is of course very hard to do.</p></div> rhollerith on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Those who suspect me of advocating <a href=" rel="nofollow">my unconventional moral position</a> to signal my edgy innovativeness or my nonconformity should consider that I have held the position since 1992, but only since 2007 have I posted about it or discussed it with anyone but a handful of friends.</p></div> AnnaSalamon on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I believe rhollerith. I met him the other week and talked in some detail; he strikes me as someone who's actually trying. Also, he shared the intellectual roots of his moral position, and the roots make sense as part of a life-story that involves being strongly influenced by John David Garcia's apparently similar moral system some time ago.</p> <p>Hollerith doesn't mean he was applying his moral position <em>to AI design</em> since '92, he means that since '92, he's been following out a possible theory of value that doesn't assign intrinsic value to human life, to human happiness, or to similar subjective states. I'm not sure why people are stating their disbelief.</p></div> rhollerith on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Good point, Anna: John David Garcia did not work in AI or apply his system of values to the AI problem, but his system of values yields fairly unambiguous recommendations when applied to the AI problem -- much more unambiguous than human-centered ways of valuing things.</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Off-topic until May, all.</p></div> Cyan on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Unfortunately, they can't consider that you have have held the position since 1992 -- all they can consider is that you claim to have done so. You could get your handful of friends to testify, I suppose...</p></div> rhollerith on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Cyan points out, correctly, that all the reader can consider is that I <em>claim</em> to have held a certain position since 1992. But that is useful information for evaluating my claim that I am not just signaling because a person is less likely to have deceived himself about having held a position than about his motivations for a sequence of speech acts! And I can add a second piece of useful information in the form of the following archived email. Of course I could be lying when I say that I found the following message on my hard drive, but participants in this conversation willing to lie outright are (much) less frequent than participants who have somehow managed to deceive themselves about whether they really held a certain position since 1992, who in turn are less frequent than participants who have somehow managed to deceive themselves about their real motivation for advocating a certain position.</p> <blockquote> <p>1995 Jul 4 16:20</p> <p>Subject: Re: July 15th</p> <p>Russell Brand writes:</p> <blockquote> <p>Will you be able to join us at my house to hear John David Garcia talk about the mechanisms for thought, creativity and quantum mechanics?</p> </blockquote> <p>I certainly would like to join you. Garcian ethics has become an important part of my philosophy, and I want to meet people who assign a similar importance to the ethical principles outlined in <em>Creative Transformation</em>.</p> </blockquote></div> Cyan on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I don't disagree with the above post -- I just wanted to make a pedantic distinction between claims and facts in evidence. (Also, my choice of the pronoun "they" rather than "we" was deliberate.)</p></div> Court_Merrigan on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I don't believe you.</p></div> rhollerith on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Don't believe my advocacy of the moral position is not really just signaling or don't believe I've held the moral position since 1992?</p></div> Court_Merrigan on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I don't know how long you've held the position, or much care - I don't think it's relevant. But it is signaling, I think, for 2 reasons:</p> <ul> <li>Your public concern with saying it's not signaling is just a way of signaling; </li> <li>Claiming a certain timespan of belief is just an old locker room way of saying "I got here first." Which surely is signaling. </li> </ul> <p>This is the sort of thing that causes unnecessary splintering in groups. I have a very visceral reaction to this sort of signaling (which I would label preening, actually). Perhaps I should examine that.</p></div> And on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>I think that there are parts of life where we should learn to applaud strong emotional language, eloquence, and poetry. When there's something that needs doing, poetic appeals help get it done, and, therefore, are themselves to be applauded.</p> </blockquote> <p>That may be, but I generally find YOUR poetic appeals to make me throw up in my mouth. I read my mother your bit about how amazing it was that love was born out of the cruelty of natural selection, and even she thought it was sappy.</p></div> MBlume on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>I read my mother your bit about how amazing it was that love was born out of the cruelty of natural selection, and even she thought it was sappy.</p> </blockquote> <p>I, on the other hand, nearly started sobbing, so I guess it takes all kinds.</p></div> Corey_Newsome on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Source?</p></div> MBlume on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p><a href=" rel="nofollow"> Annoyance on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>People are also unwilling to express agreement because they know, and fear, group consensus and the pressure to fit in. Those usually lead to groupspeak and groupthink.</p> <p>Given that one of the primary messages of the local Powers That Be is that other people's evaluations should be a factor in your own - that other people's conclusions should be considered as evidence when you try to conclude - and that's incompatible with effective rationality, as well as the techniques needed to prevent self-reinforcing mob consensus.</p></div> nazgulnarsil on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I don't see how individualism can beat out collectivism as long as groups = more power. for individualism to work each person would have to wield equal power to any group.</p></div> Nick_Novitski on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>One view doesn't need to "beat out" the other; for each societal state, there's a corresponding equilibrium between individualistic- and group-think (or rather, group-think for varying sizes of groups) as each person weigh the costs and benefits of adherence for them. In a world of individuals, an organized and specialized group of any size "= more power." Witness sedentary farmers displacing hunter-gatherers. On the other hand, in a world of groups, a rogue individualistic prisoner's-dilemma-defector is king. Witness sociopaths in corporate structures, or the plots of far too many Star Trek episodes.</p> <p>The balance of power can shift as Individualism becomes a better choice, due to its risks lessening and rewards increasing, whether due to culture, technology, or extensive debates on websites.</p></div> Loren on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Rather than ourselves making the drastic cultural changes that Eli talks about, perhaps it would be more efficient to piggyback on to another movement which is further down that path of culture change, so long as that movement isn't irrational. See this URL:</p> <p><a href=" rel="nofollow"> <p>Check out the rest of the web site if you have time, or better yet, buy and read the book the web site is promoting. As you can see from the URL above, cooperation is an important value in the group.</p> <p>I have been observing the spiritual practices promoted by this web site for just a few weeks, and already it's been giving me tremendous personal benefit. My relationship with my wife and kids is better, I have more enthusiasm for life when I get up in the morning, I no longer find doing chores so onerous, it's much easier for me to refrain from my vices, and I just generally feel more satisfied with the way things are. That's quite a bit for just a few weeks, and I sense the benefits are going to continue to grow with time so long as I adhere to the spiritual practices.</p> <p>Even though I support Eli's non-profit (that can't be named), I have a very strong urge to give 10-fold as much money to the group that makes such an immediate and real difference in my life.</p> <p>The really cool thing, though, is that the group is completely compatible with what Eli is trying to do, and should be able to help the cause rather than hinder it, unless we dismiss the group out of hand because their culture is more like a religion than a group of rationalists.</p> <p>If you think the material on the web site URL I posted above is in any way irrational, please let me know about it. I'd like to hear what you're thinking.</p></div> Eliezer_Yudkowsky on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>This isn't a comment, this is an attempted post in which you say in more detail what's going on over there and which "practices" you're talking about. It then gets voted up or voted down. In any case, don't try to do this sort of thing in one comment.</p> <p>...though I see you don't have enough karma yet to post; but that's exactly what we've got the system for, eh?</p></div> roland on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Way to go Eliezer, you have my full support! And another great posting, btw!</p></div> byrnema on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I'm a beginner that thinks meta-discussions are fun..</p> <p>Eliezer is asking about whether we should tolerate tolerance. Let's suppose -- for the sake of argument -- that we do not tolerate tolerance. If X is intolerable, then the tolerance of X is intolerable.</p> <p>So if Y tolerates X, then Y is intolerable. And so on.</p> <p>Thus, if we accept that we cannot tolerate toleration, then also we cannot tolerate toleration of tolerance, and also we cannot tolerate toleration of toleration of tolerance.</p> <p>I would think of tolerance as a relationship between X and Y in which Y acquires the intolerability of X.</p></div> amitpamin on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Wow. I don't identify as a cynic or spock, but of the many articles I have read on Less Wrong since I discovered it yesterday, this one is perhaps the most perspective changing.</p></div> MagnetoHydroDynamics on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>This is very interesting; I have usually refrained from replying because I could not think of anything to say that wasn't trivial. Will take care to voice agreement in th future where applicable.</p></div> BenLowell on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>It makes me happy that those traits you list as what rationalists are usually thought of ----disagreeable, unemotional, cynacal, loners---are unfamiliar. The rationalists I have grown up in the past few years reading this site are both optimistic and caring, along with many other qualities.</p></div> coolcortex on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Eliezer, I applaud your post. Bravo. I agree.</p> <p>I'm new to this site and I was compelled to sign up immediately.</p> <p>There's not much to add here, but that I hope people appreciate the significance of not shutting off all emotions, much like you argue in this post.</p></div> dspeyer on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>I wonder if one person can have a big effect on this sort of thing.</p> <p>For example, I've known charity organizers to publish the number of donors and the total money donated every few days. Even without identifying donors, that does a lot to make people feel less alone.</p></div> Epiphany on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>An alternate explanation: I've noticed a trend where rationalists seem more likely to criticize ideas in general. Perhaps a key experience that needs to happen before some people choose to undergo the rigors of becoming a rationalist is a "waking up" after some trauma that makes them err on the side of being paranoid. I have observed that most people without a "wake up" trauma prefer to simply retain optimism bias and tend to conserve thinking resources for other uses. Someone who thinks as much as you do probably does not feel a need to conserve thinking resources, and probably finds this concept ridiculous, but for most people, stamina for how much thinking they can do in a day is a factor - sad, but true. So, a trauma might be needed to make skepticism appeal to people. It may be that rational thought is often implemented as a defense mechanism and this leads them to create strong habits of doing rational thought in ways that tear ideas down without doing a comparable amount of practice in confirming ideas.</p> <p>In my opinion, I think the solution to this would be to assist them in reaching a point of satiation when it comes to being great at tearing ideas down. If it's a self-defense mechanism, no amount of brilliant rational appeals will make them give it up. Even if one starts by explaining the risks of tearing ideas down too much, that's only confusing to the self-defense system, people won't know what to do with the cognitive dissonance that causes, so they're likely to reject it. If they feel secure because of a high level of ability with tearing ideas down, they'll probably be more open to seeing the limitations to that and doing more practice with methods of confirming ideas.</p></div> timtyler on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><blockquote> <p>organizing atheists has been compared to herding cats, because they tend to think independently and will not conform to authority - The God Delusion</p> </blockquote> <p>Maybe - but they seem to work together well enough - if you pay them.</p></div> shokwave on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Whereas theists will pay tithes to be ordered around.</p></div> timtyler on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>They war with other theists as well. Cooperation benefits from a shared mission.</p></div> Psy-Kosh on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate <div class="md"><p>Hrm, overall makes sense. But now, <em>HOW</em> do you suggest, for something here, an online forum, actually doing that sort of thing in the general case without it translating to a whole bunch of people going, effectively, "me too"?</p> <p>I do remember when for a certain unnamed organization you started the "donate today <em>and</em> tomorrow" drive (or whatever you called it, something to that effect), I did post to a certain mailing list my thoughts that both led me to donate and what I was thinking in response to that sort of appeal, etc etc.</p></div>
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Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Atlantic271,712 270,609 269,945 269,495 268,318 266,015 261,810 258,169 254,890 253,038 252,547 252,552 001 00100 Absecon city 8,573 8,368 8,046 7,997 7,906 7,824 7,783 7,663 7,632 7,637 7,638 7,638 001 02080 Atlantic City city 39,620 39,416 39,596 39,661 39,978 40,187 40,235 40,060 40,163 40,449 40,517 40,517 001 07810 Brigantine city 12,643 12,633 12,695 12,772 12,722 12,633 12,589 12,572 12,550 12,586 12,594 12,594 001 08680 Buena borough 3,724 3,714 3,741 3,776 3,810 3,824 3,806 3,822 3,833 3,865 3,873 3,873 001 08710 Buena Vista township 7,360 7,358 7,372 7,453 7,484 7,503 7,467 7,446 7,409 7,428 7,432 7,436 001 15160 Corbin City city 531 520 518 526 526 520 513 501 489 472 468 468 001 20290 Egg Harbor township 40,239 39,900 39,431 38,538 37,753 36,537 34,715 33,144 31,857 30,956 30,726 30,726 001 20350 Egg Harbor City city 4,378 4,381 4,390 4,421 4,454 4,456 4,457 4,477 4,495 4,535 4,545 4,545 001 21870 Estell Manor city 1,724 1,714 1,708 1,705 1,704 1,689 1,651 1,627 1,604 1,591 1,588 1,585 001 23940 Folsom borough 1,908 1,907 1,913 1,932 1,951 1,958 1,963 1,964 1,962 1,970 1,972 1,972 001 25560 Galloway township 36,578 36,378 35,958 35,879 35,446 34,686 34,055 33,401 32,539 31,479 31,209 31,209 001 29280 Hamilton township 24,326 24,340 24,446 24,197 23,638 23,443 22,583 21,854 21,011 20,604 20,499 20,499 001 29430 Hammonton town 13,433 13,420 13,463 13,464 13,448 13,147 12,906 12,777 12,671 12,618 12,603 12,604 001 40530 Linwood city 7,225 7,213 7,229 7,293 7,322 7,338 7,319 7,269 7,214 7,181 7,172 7,172 001 41370 Longport borough 1,093 1,086 1,078 1,079 1,078 1,071 1,053 1,050 1,049 1,053 1,054 1,054 001 43890 Margate City city 8,524 8,494 8,509 8,527 8,572 8,535 8,296 8,249 8,216 8,198 8,193 8,193 001 49410 Mullica township 6,052 6,028 6,028 6,039 6,053 6,014 5,989 5,941 5,913 5,913 5,912 5,912 001 52950 Northfield city 7,898 7,882 7,889 7,938 7,943 7,972 7,896 7,826 7,735 7,728 7,725 7,725 001 59640 Pleasantville city 18,888 18,851 18,771 18,838 18,847 18,926 18,903 18,924 18,913 18,994 19,012 19,012 001 60600 Port Republic city 1,216 1,213 1,216 1,223 1,181 1,129 1,064 1,054 1,039 1,038 1,037 1,037 001 68430 Somers Point city 11,354 11,341 11,390 11,480 11,581 11,611 11,536 11,476 11,509 11,594 11,614 11,614 001 75620 Ventnor City city 12,171 12,199 12,295 12,470 12,611 12,704 12,735 12,793 12,823 12,893 12,910 12,910 001 80330 Weymouth township 2,254 2,253 2,263 2,287 2,310 2,308 2,296 2,279 2,264 2,256 2,254 2,257 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Bergen895,250 889,915 885,664 884,581 887,322 890,232 889,739 889,442 888,333 885,329 884,122 884,118 003 00700 Allendale borough 6,609 6,578 6,557 6,583 6,651 6,702 6,720 6,745 6,762 6,706 6,689 6,699 003 01090 Alpine borough 2,503 2,464 2,422 2,376 2,328 2,307 2,283 2,255 2,227 2,193 2,183 2,183 003 05170 Bergenfield borough 25,582 25,515 25,565 25,651 25,636 25,855 25,940 26,041 26,136 26,235 26,246 26,247 003 06490 Bogota borough 7,917 7,887 7,907 7,938 8,015 8,094 8,125 8,169 8,206 8,244 8,249 8,249 003 10480 Carlstadt borough 6,059 5,999 5,965 5,916 5,925 5,941 5,932 5,928 5,928 5,922 5,917 5,917 003 13570 Cliffside Park borough 22,994 22,772 22,599 22,499 22,665 22,704 22,746 22,847 22,927 23,001 23,007 23,007 003 13810 Closter borough 8,675 8,621 8,590 8,549 8,528 8,507 8,453 8,421 8,409 8,392 8,383 8,383 003 15820 Cresskill borough 8,614 8,567 8,456 8,259 8,308 8,098 7,829 7,813 7,803 7,761 7,746 7,746 003 17530 Demarest borough 5,152 5,104 5,065 4,998 4,923 4,870 4,859 4,864 4,854 4,849 4,845 4,845 003 18400 Dumont borough 16,967 16,907 16,935 17,007 17,191 17,332 17,367 17,421 17,459 17,502 17,503 17,503 003 19510 East Rutherford borough 8,785 8,708 7,721 7,884 8,078 8,047 8,187 8,354 8,512 8,678 8,716 8,716 003 20020 Edgewater borough 9,624 9,578 9,468 9,414 9,475 9,218 9,220 9,175 8,874 7,966 7,734 7,677 003 21300 Elmwood Park borough 18,645 18,556 18,569 18,409 18,592 18,742 18,779 18,828 18,868 18,921 18,925 18,925 003 21450 Emerson borough 7,433 7,319 7,266 7,170 7,218 7,242 7,219 7,218 7,199 7,200 7,197 7,197 003 21480 Englewood city 29,478 28,932 27,697 27,237 25,797 26,007 25,905 26,013 26,088 26,191 26,203 26,203 003 21510 Englewood Cliffs borough 5,855 5,773 5,710 5,669 5,641 5,576 5,514 5,439 5,408 5,341 5,322 5,322 003 22470 Fair Lawn borough 30,522 30,405 30,472 30,599 30,900 31,184 31,280 31,413 31,532 31,631 31,640 31,637 003 22560 Fairview borough 13,590 13,483 13,400 13,344 13,345 13,377 13,291 13,298 13,283 13,266 13,255 13,255 003 24420 Fort Lee borough 36,288 36,107 36,124 36,214 36,546 36,779 36,798 36,717 36,730 35,684 35,404 35,461 003 24990 Franklin Lakes borough 11,617 11,546 11,435 11,093 11,109 11,098 11,047 10,986 10,548 10,451 10,422 10,422 003 25770 Garfield city 28,966 28,889 28,936 29,051 29,306 29,442 29,504 29,621 29,704 29,782 29,786 29,786 003 26640 Glen Rock borough 11,130 11,087 11,115 11,157 11,268 11,366 11,399 11,453 11,489 11,539 11,546 11,546 003 28680 Hackensack city 42,839 42,637 42,634 42,788 43,041 43,101 43,177 43,294 43,365 42,832 42,677 42,677 003 30150 Harrington Park borough 4,870 4,848 4,830 4,813 4,826 4,829 4,793 4,731 4,739 4,742 4,740 4,740 003 30420 Hasbrouck Heights borough 11,445 11,373 11,381 11,385 11,460 11,524 11,539 11,577 11,620 11,658 11,662 11,662 003 30540 Haworth borough 3,422 3,400 3,377 3,363 3,360 3,374 3,379 3,387 3,382 3,390 3,390 3,390 003 31920 Hillsdale borough 9,845 9,814 9,812 9,848 9,928 10,002 10,006 10,039 10,068 10,087 10,087 10,087 003 32310 Ho-Ho-Kus borough 4,005 3,989 3,998 4,012 4,025 4,041 4,041 4,052 4,065 4,063 4,060 4,060 003 40020 Leonia borough 8,611 8,576 8,596 8,625 8,716 8,795 8,824 8,841 8,874 8,910 8,914 8,914 003 40680 Little Ferry borough 10,476 10,440 10,463 10,493 10,600 10,692 10,711 10,742 10,775 10,800 10,800 10,800 003 41100 Lodi borough 23,766 23,705 23,747 23,822 23,929 24,016 23,962 23,983 23,944 23,976 23,971 23,971 003 42090 Lyndhurst township 19,290 19,234 19,279 19,330 19,134 19,282 19,287 19,302 19,331 19,380 19,383 19,383 003 42750 Mahwah township 24,185 24,079 24,065 24,074 24,250 24,360 24,345 24,283 24,196 24,100 24,064 24,062 003 44880 Maywood borough 9,144 9,112 9,139 9,181 9,289 9,376 9,409 9,449 9,481 9,519 9,523 9,523 003 46110 Midland Park borough 6,759 6,743 6,755 6,767 6,843 6,862 6,877 6,896 6,918 6,944 6,947 6,947 003 47610 Montvale borough 7,636 7,523 7,259 7,154 7,186 7,220 7,220 7,228 7,136 7,057 7,034 7,034 003 47700 Moonachie borough 2,753 2,751 2,758 2,766 2,790 2,797 2,789 2,777 2,756 2,756 2,754 2,754 003 51660 New Milford borough 15,949 15,885 15,890 15,910 16,056 16,176 16,205 16,270 16,329 16,393 16,400 16,400 003 52320 North Arlington borough 14,677 14,647 14,689 14,765 14,932 15,046 15,077 15,125 15,162 15,183 15,181 15,181 003 53430 Northvale borough 4,807 4,693 4,501 4,467 4,490 4,509 4,498 4,502 4,486 4,467 4,460 4,460 003 53610 Norwood borough 6,210 6,182 6,153 6,137 6,147 6,138 6,107 6,100 6,093 5,822 5,751 5,751 003 53850 Oakland borough 13,293 13,249 13,254 13,270 13,415 13,512 13,483 13,188 12,887 12,556 12,466 12,466 003 54870 Old Tappan borough 6,054 5,996 5,958 5,884 5,805 5,787 5,751 5,660 5,573 5,502 5,482 5,482 003 54990 Oradell borough 7,787 7,755 7,773 7,798 7,879 7,935 7,958 7,995 8,015 8,044 8,047 8,047 003 55770 Palisades Park borough 19,421 19,266 19,125 18,884 18,538 18,043 17,872 17,703 17,462 17,158 17,073 17,073 003 55950 Paramus borough 26,137 26,015 26,010 26,012 26,125 26,257 26,243 26,082 25,841 25,768 25,737 25,737 003 56130 Park Ridge borough 8,932 8,863 8,831 8,747 8,800 8,833 8,795 8,742 8,677 8,692 8,691 8,708 003 61680 Ramsey borough 14,718 14,530 14,492 14,465 14,322 14,414 14,395 14,432 14,379 14,373 14,364 14,351 003 62910 Ridgefield borough 10,880 10,807 10,782 10,767 10,835 10,855 10,829 10,864 10,858 10,840 10,830 10,830 003 62940 Ridgefield Park village 12,394 12,345 12,376 12,419 12,552 12,658 12,701 12,764 12,816 12,867 12,873 12,873 003 63000 Ridgewood village 24,181 24,102 24,122 24,156 24,411 24,596 24,643 24,740 24,829 24,925 24,936 24,936 003 63360 River Edge borough 10,691 10,627 10,609 10,633 10,731 10,814 10,844 10,893 10,927 10,947 10,946 10,946 003 63690 River Vale township 9,655 9,593 9,580 9,561 9,619 9,691 9,681 9,692 9,695 9,516 9,466 9,449 003 63990 Rochelle Park township 6,063 6,046 6,045 5,904 5,767 5,659 5,473 5,494 5,506 5,526 5,528 5,528 003 64170 Rockleigh borough 388 387 388 389 392 393 394 395 393 392 391 391 003 65280 Rutherford borough 17,445 17,410 17,464 17,523 17,693 17,853 17,895 17,956 18,022 18,100 18,110 18,110 003 65340 Saddle Brook township 14,173 13,845 13,440 13,332 13,126 13,053 13,034 13,082 13,104 13,150 13,155 13,155 003 65400 Saddle River borough 3,800 3,771 3,740 3,704 3,702 3,687 3,652 3,583 3,517 3,263 3,198 3,201 003 68970 South Hackensack township 2,258 2,252 2,257 2,265 2,283 2,293 2,283 2,273 2,266 2,253 2,249 2,249 003 72360 Teaneck township 38,633 38,541 38,652 38,820 39,018 39,331 39,445 38,910 39,069 39,236 39,260 39,260 003 72420 Tenafly borough 14,681 14,593 14,158 14,097 14,133 14,025 13,990 13,872 13,848 13,820 13,806 13,806 003 72480 Teterboro borough 17480 8,412 8,388 8,348 8,365 8,244 8,162 8,043 7,740 7,744 7,741 7,741 003 76400 Waldwick borough 9,586 9,481 9,408 9,420 9,492 9,532 9,538 9,543 9,580 9,618 9,622 9,622 003 76490 Wallington borough 11,310 11,249 11,230 11,189 11,300 11,398 11,427 11,483 11,530 11,577 11,583 11,583 003 77135 Washington township 9,543 9,501 9,474 9,461 9,500 9,485 9,428 9,299 9,059 8,966 8,938 8,938 003 80270 Westwood borough 10,701 10,664 10,677 10,714 10,821 10,905 10,931 10,958 10,988 11,001 10,999 10,999 003 82300 Woodcliff Lake borough 5,961 5,914 5,876 5,830 5,792 5,806 5,801 5,807 5,791 5,756 5,745 5,745 003 82570 Wood-Ridge borough 7,462 7,430 7,433 7,441 7,513 7,555 7,569 7,599 7,618 7,642 7,644 7,644 003 83050 Wyckoff township 16,912 16,826 16,805 16,814 16,928 16,972 16,861 16,775 16,659 16,545 16,508 16,508 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Burlington446,108 445,492 446,314 447,131 446,462 446,041 442,581 436,318 429,655 424,547 423,400 423,394 005 03370 Bass River township 1,541 1,547 1,551 1,562 1,551 1,555 1,548 1,529 1,515 1,511 1,510 1,510 005 05740 Beverly city 2,572 2,569 2,590 2,633 2,647 2,670 2,668 2,668 2,655 2,659 2,661 2,661 005 06670 Bordentown city 3,820 3,830 3,860 3,929 3,960 3,986 3,998 4,002 3,944 3,964 3,971 3,969 005 06700 Bordentown township 10,068 10,102 10,176 10,367 10,202 9,883 9,611 9,451 9,358 8,574 8,380 8,380 005 08920 Burlington city 9,396 9,415 9,488 9,646 9,705 9,762 9,764 9,754 9,701 9,726 9,736 9,736 005 08950 Burlington township 21,331 21,305 21,325 21,604 21,698 21,814 21,705 21,330 21,064 20,443 20,294 20,294 005 12670 Chesterfield township 7,620 7,421 6,973 6,543 6,277 6,096 6,042 6,015 5,979 5,966 5,964 5,955 005 12940 Cinnaminson township 15,524 15,351 15,217 15,319 15,005 15,011 14,936 14,798 14,624 14,599 14,597 14,595 005 17080 Delanco township 4,777 4,635 4,360 4,184 3,925 3,671 3,434 3,310 3,214 3,232 3,237 3,237 005 17440 Delran township 16,728 16,787 16,899 17,130 17,231 17,159 16,496 16,027 15,700 15,565 15,536 15,536 005 18790 Eastampton township 6,528 6,548 6,528 6,641 6,663 6,690 6,621 6,563 6,502 6,260 6,199 6,202 005 20050 Edgewater Park township 7,721 7,699 7,756 7,904 7,942 8,005 7,999 7,880 7,841 7,857 7,864 7,864 005 22110 Evesham township 45,370 45,275 45,523 46,277 46,456 46,446 45,977 44,477 43,506 42,509 42,275 42,275 005 23250 Fieldsboro borough 560 563 567 573 575 580 564 549 535 523 520 522 005 23850 Florence township 11,513 11,393 11,428 11,542 11,329 11,176 11,182 11,137 10,919 10,778 10,746 10,746 005 29010 Hainesport township 5,951 5,955 5,997 6,099 6,046 6,045 5,647 5,213 4,630 4,226 4,126 4,126 005 42060 Lumberton township 11,957 11,989 12,070 12,216 12,289 12,186 11,995 11,604 11,002 10,567 10,461 10,461 005 43290 Mansfield township 8,000 7,958 7,926 7,957 7,822 7,717 7,371 6,910 6,002 5,271 5,090 5,090 005 43740 Maple Shade township 19,165 19,154 19,169 19,378 19,313 19,178 19,171 19,093 19,010 19,060 19,079 19,079 005 45120 Medford township 22,726 22,794 22,788 23,181 23,261 23,356 23,264 22,983 22,621 22,310 22,239 22,253 005 45210 Medford Lakes borough 4,110 4,119 4,109 4,142 4,159 4,184 4,189 4,183 4,161 4,181 4,187 4,173 005 47880 Moorestown township 19,487 19,521 19,607 19,838 19,822 19,886 19,824 19,623 19,314 19,073 19,019 19,017 005 48900 Mount Holly township 10,230 10,271 10,345 10,537 10,583 10,671 10,703 10,702 10,672 10,720 10,735 10,728 005 49020 Mount Laurel township 39,515 39,207 39,377 40,003 40,245 40,364 40,414 40,373 40,202 40,206 40,221 40,221 005 51510 New Hanover township 9,429 9,434 9,490 9,461 9,498 9,652 9,807 9,526 9,748 9,773 9,778 9,744 005 53070 North Hanover township 7,368 7,371 7,401 7,503 7,511 7,500 7,438 7,394 7,313 7,304 7,304 7,347 005 55800 Palmyra borough 7,336 7,355 7,412 7,536 7,566 7,611 7,615 7,580 7,372 7,145 7,091 7,091 005 57480 Pemberton borough 1,581 1,535 1,467 1,370 1,311 1,315 1,241 1,224 1,207 1,209 1,210 1,210 005 57510 Pemberton township 27,986 28,047 28,182 28,642 28,659 28,774 28,761 28,657 28,462 28,542 28,572 28,691 005 63510 Riverside township 7,677 7,710 7,768 7,895 7,921 7,950 7,937 7,905 7,869 7,901 7,911 7,911 005 63660 Riverton borough 2,629 2,636 2,657 2,700 2,718 2,738 2,744 2,748 2,742 2,755 2,759 2,759 005 66810 Shamong township 6,723 6,736 6,750 6,833 6,815 6,785 6,712 6,612 6,492 6,470 6,467 6,462 005 68610 Southampton township 10,865 10,867 10,890 10,953 10,839 10,877 10,848 10,685 10,519 10,411 10,388 10,388 005 69990 Springfield township 3,454 3,466 3,487 3,539 3,522 3,513 3,488 3,411 3,322 3,245 3,227 3,227 005 72060 Tabernacle township 7,170 7,168 7,182 7,283 7,287 7,295 7,275 7,243 7,166 7,165 7,167 7,170 005 77150 Washington township 649 646 643 647 641 637 633 631 625 622 621 621 005 78200 Westampton township 8,661 8,609 8,590 8,682 8,562 8,349 7,941 7,523 7,277 7,224 7,213 7,217 005 81440 Willingboro township 36,284 36,415 36,691 32,782 32,812 32,859 32,929 32,932 32,819 32,961 33,008 33,008 005 82420 Woodland township 1,351 1,353 1,343 1,365 1,355 1,352 1,344 1,328 1,308 1,293 1,289 1,170 005 82960 Wrightstown borough 735 736 732 735 739 743 745 745 743 747 748 748 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Camden879 517,739 517,559 516,547 514,960 512,710 510,584 509,783 507,830 507,648 507,911 508,932 007 02200 Audubon borough 8,883 8,894 8,941 8,974 9,006 9,024 9,072 9,115 9,125 9,166 9,182 9,182 007 02230 Audubon Park borough 1,055 1,058 1,065 1,06941 6,948 6,974 7,000 7,019 7,002 7,034 7,057 7,047 7,073 7,084 7,084 007 04750 Bellmawr borough 11,210 11,188 11,198 11,191 11,118 11,137 11,190 11,228 11,218 11,255 11,271 11,262 007 05440 Berlin borough 7,943 7,926 7,922 7,902 7,809 7,558 6,795 6,749 6,525 6,228 6,157 6,149 007 05470 Berlin township 5,457 5,416 5,387 5,378 5,358 5,331 5,326 5,313 5,285 5,286 5,290 5,290 007 08170 Brooklawn borough 2,256 2,263 2,276 2,287 2,299 2,306 2,320 2,332 2,333 2,341 2,345 2,354 007 10000 Camden city 78,790 79,519 79,263 79,201 79,611 79,498 79,774 79,537 79,473 79,780 79,904 79,904 007 12280 Cherry Hill township 70,799 70,893 71,180 71,229 71,273 71,380 70,641 70,062 69,928 69,905 69,945 69,965 007 12550 Chesilhurst borough 1,936 1,917 1,892 1,883 1,861 1,806 1,742 1,657 1,520 1,519 1,520 1,520 007 13420 Clementon borough 4,892 4,895 4,919 4,921 4,925 4,930 4,951 4,966 4,958 4,978 4,986 4,986 007 14260 Collingswood borough 13,839 13,854 13,927 13,973 14,040 14,085 14,168 14,239 14,250 14,308 14,331 14,326 007 26070 Gibbsboro borough 2,432 2,438 2,445 2,450 2,457 2,461 2,469 2,463 2,446 2,436 2,435 2,435 007 26760 Gloucester township 64,700 64,801 65,094 65,353 65,031 64,777 64,588 64,486 63,877 63,401 63,325 64,350 007 26820 Gloucester City city 11,534 11,553 11,492 11,506 11,558 11,572 11,382 11,430 11,424 11,466 11,484 11,484 007 28740 Haddon township 14,369 14,351 14,387 14,423 14,472 14,488 14,557 14,614 14,594 14,631 14,651 14,651 007 28770 Haddonfield borough 11,448 11,454 11,488 11,505 11,539 11,541 11,569 11,618 11,606 11,642 11,659 11,659 007 28800 Haddon Heights borough 7,665 7,588 7,332 7,359 7,394 7,415 7,457 7,493 7,498 7,534 7,547 7,547 007 32220 Hi-Nella borough 1,000 1,000 1,005 1,007 1,011 1,014 1,019 1,024 1,024 1,027 1,029 1,029 007 39210 Laurel Springs borough 1,906 1,908 1,918 1,924 1,933 1,939 1,950 1,959 1,958 1,967 1,970 1,970 007 39420 Lawnside borough 2,838 2,841 2,842 2,807 2,776 2,745 2,721 2,706 2,704 2,702 2,703 2,692 007 40440 Lindenwold borough 17,720 17,492 17,293 17,146 17,189 17,212 17,286 17,346 17,338 17,392 17,416 17,414 007 42630 Magnolia borough 4,332 4,334 4,355 4,367 4,361 4,361 4,377 4,394 4,386 4,393 4,398 4,409 007 45510 Merchantville borough 3,765 3,769 3,789 3,803 3,803 3,796 3,800 3,804 3,796 3,798 3,801 3,801 007 48750 Mount Ephraim borough 4,422 4,396 4,419 4,434 4,447 4,447 4,467 4,482 4,476 4,489 4,495 4,495 007 53880 Oaklyn borough 4,036 4,041 4,063 4,077 4,097 4,107 4,132 4,153 4,157 4,176 4,183 4,188 007 57660 Pennsauken township 34,959 35,041 35,190 35,292 35,280 35,375 35,550 35,635 35,575 35,701 35,757 35,737 007 58770 Pine Hill borough 11,330 11,312 11,302 11,262 11,252 11,163 11,046 10,925 10,840 10,867 10,880 10,880 007 58920 Pine Valley borough 24408 8,421 8,450 8,457 8,485 8,471 8,491 8,510 8,498 8,522 8,533 8,533 007 68340 Somerdale borough 5,093 5,091 5,114 5,120 5,133 5,137 5,157 5,177 5,168 5,185 5,192 5,192 007 71220 Stratford borough 7,044 7,060 7,095 7,120 7,155 7,168 7,205 7,236 7,236 7,260 7,271 7,271 007 72240 Tavistock borough 32847 31,304 30,963 30,313 29,568 29,209 28,902 28,702 28,463 28,193 28,126 28,126 007 77630 Waterford township 10,688 10,660 10,649 10,652 10,630 10,598 10,586 10,596 10,509 10,491 10,494 10,494 007 81740 Winslow township 39,600 39,365 39,169 38,394 37,213 35,787 34,966 34,860 34,677 34,601 34,605 34,611 007 82450 Woodlynne borough 2,686 2,694 2,710 2,719 2,736 2,745 2,762 2,776 2,778 2,791 2,796 2,796 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Cape May96,091 96,470 96,700 97,814 98,558 99,920 101,335 101,421 101,864 102,307 102,326 102,326 009 02320 Avalon borough 2,087 2,088 2,092 2,112 2,105 2,136 2,157 2,138 2,149 2,146 2,143 2,143 009 10270 Cape May city 3,699 3,713 3,742 3,816 3,737 3,828 3,910 3,929 3,989 4,028 4,034 4,034 009 10330 Cape May Point borough 222 223 225 229 233 236 241 241 242 241 241 241 009 17560 Dennis township 5,758 5,783 5,825 5,927 6,047 6,184 6,318 6,371 6,429 6,484 6,492 6,492 009 41610 Lower township 20,239 20,369 20,329 20,731 21,216 21,777 22,337 22,478 22,693 22,912 22,945 22,945 009 45810 Middle township 16,474 16,388 16,230 16,403 16,508 16,596 16,687 16,547 16,432 16,422 16,405 16,405 009 53490 North Wildwood city 4,822 4,843 4,872 4,818 4,752 4,769 4,856 4,887 4,898 4,931 4,935 4,935 009 54360 Ocean City city 14,702 14,863 14,970 15,142 15,220 15,378 15,578 15,494 15,457 15,405 15,378 15,378 009 66390 Sea Isle City city 2,914 2,919 2,928 2,944 2,940 2,945 2,956 2,930 2,905 2,851 2,835 2,835 009 71010 Stone Harbor borough 1,016 1,017 1,023 1,039 1,053 1,077 1,101 1,110 1,121 1,127 1,128 1,128 009 74810 Upper township 11,030 11,089 11,206 11,427 11,652 11,918 11,891 11,951 12,046 12,110 12,115 12,115 009 78530 West Cape May borough 985 985 988 1,006 1,029 1,057 1,086 1,094 1,096 1,096 1,095 1,095 009 80210 West Wildwood borough 405 405 409 410 412 417 430 435 442 447 448 448 009 81170 Wildwood city 5,210 5,243 5,260 5,276 5,221 5,144 5,249 5,259 5,334 5,419 5,436 5,436 009 81200 Wildwood Crest borough 4,028 4,048 4,095 4,011 3,868 3,850 3,887 3,898 3,943 3,976 3,980 3,980 009 81890 Woodbine borough 2,500 2,494 2,506 2,523 2,565 2,608 2,651 2,659 2,688 2,712 2,716 2,716 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Cumberland County, 2000-2009 FIPS FIPS Population Estimates April1, 2000 County MCD County/Municip157,745 156,784 155,402 153,910 152,489 150,227 148,722 147,590 146,673 146,362 146,442 146,438 011 07600 Bridgeton city 24,857 24,723 24,551 24,289 23,805 22,546 22,724 22,644 22,648 22,732 22,769 22,771 011 14710 Commercial township 5,412 5,406 5,398 5,375 5,356 5,335 5,299 5,272 5,245 5,254 5,259 5,259 011 16900 Deerfield township 3,275 3,259 3,238 3,206 3,170 3,117 3,058 3,015 2,965 2,933 2,927 2,927 011 18220 Downe township 1,685 1,681 1,669 1,670 1,662 1,658 1,643 1,634 1,627 1,627 1,629 1,631 011 22350 Fairfield township 6,804 6,762 6,761 6,764 6,746 6,653 6,596 6,539 6,393 6,279 6,283 6,283 011 28170 Greenwich township 897 883 885 887 868 865 852 843 841 845 847 847 011 33120 Hopewell township 4,843 4,793 4,760 4,728 4,684 4,644 4,582 4,541 4,505 4,446 4,434 4,434 011 39450 Lawrence township 2,992 2,984 2,973 2,923 2,859 2,838 2,795 2,756 2,744 2,726 2,723 2,721 011 44580 Maurice River township 8,196 8,176 8,060 8,041 8,018 7,788 7,648 7,556 7,460 7,371 7,374 6,928 011 46680 Millville city 29,075 28,873 28,399 27,988 27,660 27,359 27,021 26,906 26,812 26,823 26,847 26,847 011 67020 Shiloh borough 663 662 659 647 635 618 598 572 551 539 536 534 011 71160 Stow Creek township 1,534 1,526 1,529 1,527 1,518 1,511 1,486 1,462 1,443 1,431 1,429 1,429 011 74870 Upper Deerfield township 8,317 8,259 8,045 7,934 7,813 7,756 7,667 7,601 7,558 7,551 7,556 7,556 011 76070 Vineland city 59,195 58,797 58,475 57,931 57,695 57,539 56,753 56,249 55,881 55,805 55,829 56,271 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Essex769,644 767,075 769,139 772,090 778,819 785,389 790,601 792,992 793,099 792,302 792,313 793,633 013 04695 Belleville township 33,842 33,755 33,820 33,899 34,435 34,970 35,415 35,696 35,854 35,970 36,009 35,928 013 06260 Bloomfield township 43,758 43,682 43,992 44,523 45,394 46,086 46,743 47,135 47,379 47,572 47,633 47,683 013 09250 Caldwell borough 7,115 7,106 7,160 7,246 7,378 7,489 7,541 7,599 7,577 7,581 7,584 (X) 013 11200 Cedar Grove township 12,658 12,582 12,586 12,625 12,514 12,401 12,203 12,268 12,293 12,305 12,311 12,300 013 13045 City of Orange township 31,030 30,909 31,006 31,271 31,610 31,918 32,332 32,562 32,704 32,769 32,794 32,868 013 19390 East Orange city 65,152 65,120 65,383 66,077 67,141 67,952 68,706 69,261 69,475 69,746 69,829 69,824 013 21840 Essex Fells borough 2,135 2,094 2,006 2,032 2,069 2,098 2,128 2,141 2,153 2,160 2,162 2,162 013 22385 Fairfield township 7,447 7,442 7,481 7,558 7,628 7,707 7,398 7,391 7,221 7,093 7,063 7,063 013 26610 Glen Ridge borough 6,657 6,651 6,707 6,795 6,920 7,028 7,131 7,193 7,230 7,261 7,271 7,271 013 34450 Irvington township 56,102 56,073 56,440 56,983 57,975 58,853 59,662 60,150 60,445 60,660 60,730 60,695 013 40890 Livingston township 27,584 27,533 27,706 27,860 27,293 27,447 27,788 27,544 27,601 27,429 27,393 27,391 013 43800 Maplewood township 21,985 21,933 22,091 22,377 22,790 23,138 23,460 23,644 23,773 23,852 23,879 23,868 013 46380 Millburn township 18,547 18,476 18,598 18,802 19,062 19,298 19,508 19,644 19,701 19,741 19,757 19,765 013 47500 Montclair township 37,317 36,839 36,765 36,679 37,248 37,781 38,270 38,505 38,486 38,615 38,658 38,977 013 51000 Newark city 278,154 277,376 277,374 276,275 276,200 276,381 275,920 275,145 273,875 272,665 272,434 273,546 013 52620 North Caldwell borough 7,071 7,020 7,034 7,091 7,182 7,260 7,329 7,357 7,374 7,373 7,375 7,375 013 53680 Nutley township 26,111 26,064 26,188 26,519 27,022 27,469 27,864 27,962 27,879 27,460 27,362 27,362 013 64590 Roseland borough 5,350 5,319 5,302 5,296 5,313 5,261 5,255 5,279 5,291 5,295 5,298 5,298 013 69274 South Orange Village township 16,018 15,865 15,979 16,146 16,420 16,617 16,812 16,913 16,963 16,990 17,001 16,964 013 75815 Verona township 12,643 12,430 12,528 12,689 12,908 13,112 13,295 13,407 13,478 13,516 13,530 13,533 013 78510 West Caldwell township 10,407 10,391 10,469 10,597 10,776 10,934 11,072 11,155 11,198 11,223 11,233 11,233 013 79800 West Orange township 42,561 42,415 42,524 42,750 43,541 44,189 44,769 45,041 45,149 45,026 45,007 44,943 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Gloucester289,920 288,168 286,056 281,936 276,680 273,020 268,257 263,518 259,050 256,340 255,701 254,673 015 13360 Clayton borough 7,586 7,563 7,521 7,468 7,414 7,430 7,155 7,147 7,129 7,136 7,139 7,139 015 17710 Deptford township 30,722 30,643 30,539 30,157 29,579 28,872 28,048 27,433 27,034 26,814 26,763 26,763 015 19180 East Greenwich township 8,317 7,762 7,244 6,772 6,346 6,112 5,883 5,704 5,497 5,451 5,441 5,430 015 21060 Elk township 4,005 3,974 3,932 3,878 3,787 3,682 3,604 3,548 3,527 3,516 3,514 3,514 015 24840 Franklin township 17,368 17,319 17,174 16,845 16,587 16,353 15,989 15,807 15,621 15,495 15,466 15,466 015 26340 Glassboro borough 19,841 19,762 19,603 19,351 19,212 19,187 19,127 19,091 19,050 19,063 19,068 19,068 015 28185 Greenwich township 4,995 4,993 4,997 4,967 4,955 4,984 4,992 4,995 4,849 4,872 4,879 4,879 015 30180 Harrison township 12,587 12,415 12,224 11,812 11,230 10,868 10,302 9,874 9,153 8,860 8,788 8,788 015 41160 Logan township 6,285 6,256 6,205 6,171 6,176 6,096 6,021 6,016 6,002 6,025 6,032 6,032 015 43440 Mantua township 15,216 15,187 15,204 15,142 14,920 14,846 14,603 14,460 14,350 14,243 14,217 14,217 015 47250 Monroe township 33,276 33,057 32,707 31,956 31,356 30,940 30,347 29,496 29,200 29,009 28,967 28,967 015 49680 National Park borough 3,235 3,235 3,237 3,218 3,211 3,213 3,201 3,193 3,188 3,201 3,205 3,205 015 51390 Newfield borough 1,672 1,671 1,672 1,663 1,653 1,654 1,630 1,624 1,624 1,617 1,616 1,616 015 57150 Paulsboro borough 6,089 6,091 6,094 6,066 6,073 6,118 6,128 6,135 6,131 6,154 6,160 6,160 015 59070 Pitman borough 9,223 9,234 9,244 9,209 9,219 9,285 9,290 9,286 9,285 9,321 9,331 9,331 015 69030 South Harrison township 3,190 3,138 3,070 2,956 2,876 2,842 2,715 2,651 2,534 2,442 2,419 2,417 015 71850 Swedesboro borough 2,372 2,251 2,078 2,045 2,043 2,058 2,058 2,058 2,056 2,055 2,055 2,055 015 77180 Washington township 52,095 52,093 52,051 51,744 51,588 51,734 51,443 50,497 49,467 48,402 48,142 47,114 015 78110 Wenonah borough 2,357 2,358 2,344 2,332 2,321 2,322 2,316 2,306 2,304 2,314 2,317 2,317 015 78800 West Deptford township 22,054 22,049 22,037 21,738 20,817 20,430 19,976 19,734 19,533 19,397 19,366 19,368 015 80120 Westville borough 4,466 4,474 4,479 4,457 4,445 4,474 4,473 4,476 4,474 4,494 4,500 4,500 015 82120 Woodbury city 10,447 10,464 10,469 10,407 10,388 10,445 10,453 10,459 10,256 10,297 10,309 10,307 015 82180 Woodbury Heights borough 3,053 3,056 3,046 3,029 3,008 3,012 3,004 2,995 2,987 2,987 2,988 2,988 015 82840 Woolwich township 9,469 9,123 8,885 8,553 7,476 6,063 5,499 4,533 3,799 3,175 3,019 3,032 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Hudson597,924 592,111 589,377 592,174 596,488 599,929 603,469 607,992 612,526 609,422 608,975 608,975 017 03580 Bayonne city 58,359 57,201 57,094 58,000 59,306 60,129 60,472 61,230 61,895 61,826 61,842 61,842 017 19360 East Newark borough 2,126 2,129 2,144 2,184 2,236 2,283 2,316 2,347 2,376 2,376 2,377 2,377 017 28650 Guttenberg town 10,600 10,464 10,440 10,551 10,750 10,889 10,962 11,009 11,068 10,854 10,807 10,807 017 30210 Harrison town 15,211 15,073 13,934 13,733 13,894 14,015 14,163 14,293 14,451 14,423 14,424 14,424 017 32250 Hoboken city 41,015 40,314 39,930 39,259 39,435 39,753 39,294 39,334 39,291 38,704 38,578 38,577 017 36000 Jersey City city 242,503 239,658 238,702 238,109 236,808 236,587 237,629 238,814 240,440 240,028 240,055 240,055 017 36510 Kearny town 36,544 36,607 36,818 37,494 38,354 39,115 39,602 40,080 40,506 40,495 40,513 40,513 017 52470 North Bergen township 54,912 54,986 55,326 56,365 57,000 57,383 58,038 58,678 59,080 58,264 58,091 58,092 017 66570 Secaucus town 15,768 15,281 15,162 15,331 15,441 15,501 15,625 15,788 15,937 15,926 15,931 15,931 017 74630 Union City city 61,954 61,902 61,845 62,998 64,383 65,488 66,129 66,520 67,049 67,057 67,096 67,088 017 77930 Weehawken township 12,379 12,321 12,275 12,471 12,782 13,055 13,235 13,314 13,479 13,484 13,493 13,501 017 79610 West New York town 46,553 46,175 45,707 45,679 46,099 45,731 46,004 46,585 46,954 45,985 45,768 45,768 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Hunterdon130,034 129,806 129,655 129,354 128,734 128,170 127,339 126,205 124,657 122,553 121,989 121,989 019 00550 Alexandria township 5,145 5,134 5,118 5,029 4,947 4,912 4,901 4,859 4,811 4,718 4,693 4,698 019 05650 Bethlehem township 3,952 3,949 3,961 3,968 3,947 3,958 3,967 3,943 3,915 3,844 3,825 3,820 019 06370 Bloomsbury borough 863 865 869 873 876 884 893 890 890 887 886 886 019 09280 Califon borough 1,038 1,037 1,037 1,041 1,043 1,044 1,053 1,057 1,060 1,056 1,055 1,055 019 13720 Clinton town 2,567 2,564 2,574 2,578 2,589 2,608 2,634 2,643 2,649 2,636 2,632 2,632 019 13750 Clinton township 13,897 13,896 13,926 13,949 13,813 13,712 13,683 13,510 13,315 13,032 12,957 12,957 019 17170 Delaware township 4,708 4,705 4,704 4,679 4,661 4,644 4,628 4,599 4,571 4,498 4,478 4,478 019 18820 East Amwell township 4,485 4,482 4,498 4,507 4,498 4,509 4,527 4,522 4,508 4,467 4,455 4,455 019 23700 Flemington borough 4,403 4,307 4,252 4,224 4,123 4,159 4,202 4,218 4,221 4,205 4,200 4,200 019 24870 Franklin township 3,243 3,247 3,129 3,118 3,115 3,095 3,111 3,107 3,067 3,006 2,990 2,990 019 25350 Frenchtown borough 1,467 1,467 1,473 1,477 1,486 1,495 1,509 1,507 1,505 1,492 1,488 1,488 019 26550 Glen Gardner borough 1,961 1,958 1,964 1,970 1,974 1,974 1,977 1,964 1,943 1,911 1,902 1,902 019 29460 Hampton borough 1,643 1,640 1,647 1,642 1,590 1,574 1,579 1,572 1,563 1,550 1,546 1,546 019 31320 High Bridge borough 3,697 3,700 3,712 3,721 3,721 3,746 3,785 3,798 3,807 3,783 3,776 3,776 019 32460 Holland township 5,268 5,253 5,260 5,252 5,246 5,243 5,239 5,212 5,180 5,137 5,124 5,124 019 37065 Kingwood township 4,057 4,055 4,032 3,999 3,971 3,962 3,948 3,907 3,864 3,799 3,782 3,782 019 38610 Lambertville city 3,786 3,776 3,763 3,774 3,797 3,829 3,859 3,873 3,885 3,872 3,868 3,868 019 39630 Lebanon borough 2,007 1,958 1,894 1,805 1,723 1,544 1,153 1,129 1,103 1,073 1,065 1,065 019 39660 Lebanon township 6,215 6,213 6,228 6,227 6,236 6,209 6,186 6,071 6,004 5,855 5,816 5,816 019 46260 Milford borough 1,192 1,194 1,200 1,205 1,199 1,193 1,192 1,197 1,200 1,196 1,195 1,195 019 61920 Raritan township 22,516 22,474 22,504 22,445 22,358 22,067 21,579 21,104 20,566 19,964 19,809 19,809 019 62250 Readington township 16,169 16,141 16,100 16,114 16,147 16,198 16,298 16,277 16,074 15,861 15,803 15,803 019 70980 Stockton borough 551 551 553 550 553 556 560 563 562 561 560 560 019 72510 Tewksbury township 6,076 6,071 6,063 6,018 5,971 5,923 5,808 5,759 5,676 5,570 5,541 5,541 019 74420 Union township 6,204 6,245 6,259 6,281 6,259 6,322 6,326 6,328 6,253 6,180 6,160 6,160 019 78230 West Amwell township 2,924 2,924 2,935 2,908 2,891 2,810 2,742 2,596 2,465 2,400 2,383 2,383 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Mercer366,222 364,571 363,402 362,813 361,882 361,225 358,669 356,098 353,965 351,561 350,761 350,761 021 19780 East Windsor township 27,044 26,739 26,646 26,566 26,542 26,549 26,445 26,253 25,556 25,058 24,919 24,919 021 22185 Ewing township 36,324 36,011 36,129 36,405 36,774 36,670 36,182 35,816 35,835 35,752 35,713 35,707 021 29310 Hamilton township 90,605 90,279 89,803 89,331 88,898 88,992 88,652 87,936 87,552 87,240 87,109 87,109 021 31620 Hightstown borough 5,326 5,294 5,245 5,214 5,233 5,265 5,262 5,248 5,255 5,226 5,216 5,216 021 33150 Hopewell borough 1,992 1,991 1,993 1,999 2,014 2,030 2,026 2,030 2,032 2,035 2,035 2,035 021 33180 Hopewell township 17,776 17,733 17,717 17,729 17,529 17,379 16,622 16,438 16,380 16,167 16,105 16,105 021 39510 Lawrence township 31,660 31,597 31,656 31,639 31,027 31,027 30,694 30,241 30,001 29,341 29,159 29,159 021 57600 Pennington borough 2,661 2,657 2,656 2,648 2,665 2,683 2,684 2,692 2,699 2,698 2,696 2,696 021 60900 Princeton borough 13,381 13,389 13,479 13,589 13,415 13,492 13,496 13,520 13,539 13,557 13,558 14,203 021 60915 Princeton township 17,404 17,419 17,397 17,132 17,043 17,161 17,061 17,066 17,011 16,747 16,672 16,027 021 63850 Robbinsville township 12,276 12,071 11,900 11,737 11,475 11,307 11,014 10,725 10,374 10,300 10,275 (X) 021 74000 Trenton city 83,242 82,960 82,536 82,933 83,631 84,524 84,640 84,915 85,247 85,407 85,397 85,403 021 77210 West Windsor township 26,531 26,431 26,245 25,891 25,636 24,146 23,891 23,218 22,484 22,033 21,907 21,907 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Middlesex790,738 785,324 779,830 775,876 778,018 774,209 770,336 765,867 760,058 752,705 750,167 750,162 023 10750 Carteret borough 23,776 23,242 22,473 21,964 21,173 21,243 21,303 21,328 21,306 20,839 20,703 20,709 023 15550 Cranbury township 3,921 3,905 3,896 3,838 3,883 3,669 3,391 3,321 3,279 3,240 3,227 3,227 023 18490 Dunellen borough 7,080 6,966 6,891 6,849 6,898 6,903 6,912 6,860 6,843 6,832 6,823 6,823 023 19000 East Brunswick township 47,280 47,055 46,894 46,969 47,540 47,637 47,693 47,489 47,213 46,883 46,756 46,756 023 20230 Edison township 99,736 99,220 98,756 98,137 99,048 98,766 98,711 98,603 98,222 97,795 97,597 97,687 023 30840 Helmetta borough 2,008 2,000 1,989 1,995 2,019 1,994 1,938 1,883 1,871 1,836 1,825 1,825 023 31470 Highland Park borough 14,332 14,187 14,053 13,984 14,068 13,982 14,024 14,044 14,030 14,016 13,999 13,999 023 34890 Jamesburg borough 6,366 6,338 6,319 6,339 6,425 6,432 6,390 6,312 6,212 6,066 6,024 6,025 023 45690 Metuchen borough 13,096 13,047 13,005 13,035 13,191 13,153 13,095 13,064 13,041 12,890 12,840 12,840 023 45900 Middlesex borough 13,654 13,587 13,546 13,556 13,737 13,775 13,787 13,790 13,766 13,737 13,717 13,717 023 46620 Milltown borough 6,969 6,934 6,921 6,938 7,025 7,048 7,068 7,076 7,052 7,016 7,000 7,000 023 47280 Monroe township 37,462 36,805 35,896 34,367 33,484 32,159 31,133 29,990 29,204 28,274 28,016 27,999 023 51210 New Brunswick city 51,579 50,904 50,021 49,544 49,514 49,052 48,937 48,518 48,465 48,316 48,238 48,573 023 52560 North Brunswick township 39,586 39,419 39,253 39,307 39,115 38,703 38,228 38,003 37,507 36,841 36,641 36,287 023 54705 Old Bridge township 65,942 65,478 65,217 64,669 63,865 63,225 62,786 62,260 61,392 60,676 60,440 60,456 023 58200 Perth Amboy city 48,711 48,542 48,351 47,960 48,121 48,177 47,792 47,547 47,432 47,369 47,308 47,303 023 59010 Piscataway township 52,390 52,155 51,993 51,941 51,961 51,720 51,402 51,140 50,897 50,663 50,559 50,482 023 59280 Plainsboro township 21,184 21,028 20,938 20,900 21,040 20,991 20,812 20,757 20,642 20,316 20,215 20,215 023 65790 Sayreville borough 42,236 42,009 41,873 41,951 42,378 42,063 41,486 41,242 40,919 40,516 40,377 40,377 023 68550 South Amboy city 7,770 7,744 7,732 7,754 7,858 7,896 7,918 7,928 7,926 7,922 7,913 7,913 023 68790 South Brunswick township 41,257 40,887 40,297 40,000 40,005 39,760 39,653 39,389 38,918 37,999 37,734 37,734 023 69390 South Plainfield borough 22,626 22,516 22,442 22,472 22,724 22,712 22,618 22,585 21,975 21,860 21,810 21,810 023 69420 South River borough 15,680 15,626 15,576 15,610 15,833 15,808 15,814 15,625 15,600 15,389 15,322 15,322 023 69810 Spotswood borough 8,180 8,142 8,092 8,088 8,138 8,119 8,090 8,039 7,944 7,899 7,880 7,880 023 82000 Woodbridge township 97,917 97,588 97,406 97,709 98,975 99,222 99,355 99,074 98,402 97,515 97,203 97,203 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Monmouth644,105 641,864 641,036 641,090 641,823 639,987 636,145 630,674 624,065 617,127 615,303 615,301 025 00070 Aberdeen township 18,371 18,378 18,451 18,586 18,660 18,665 18,198 17,613 17,560 17,505 17,461 17,454 025 00730 Allenhurst borough 697 699 702 709 716 721 723 722 721 720 716 718 025 00760 Allentown borough 1,840 1,844 1,856 1,868 1,883 1,894 1,894 1,894 1,891 1,887 1,882 1,882 025 01960 Asbury Park city 16,564 16,534 16,553 16,726 16,869 16,987 17,013 17,018 17,025 16,977 16,932 16,930 025 02110 Atlantic Highlands borough 4,594 4,598 4,621 4,661 4,690 4,725 4,728 4,732 4,726 4,717 4,707 4,705 025 02440 Avon-by-the-Sea borough 2,239 2,200 2,182 2,191 2,217 2,256 2,260 2,253 2,247 2,250 2,244 2,244 025 04930 Belmar borough 5,897 5,902 5,915 5,986 6,049 6,091 6,107 6,089 6,075 6,060 6,056 6,045 025 06970 Bradley Beach borough 4,994 4,840 4,809 4,838 4,842 4,853 4,862 4,847 4,830 4,807 4,793 4,793 025 07750 Brielle borough 4,895 4,881 4,874 4,909 4,942 4,956 4,953 4,947 4,936 4,909 4,900 4,893 025 14560 Colts Neck township 10,065 10,055 10,076 10,150 10,181 10,166 10,078 9,966 9,751 9,572 9,551 12,331 025 16660 Deal borough 1,047 1,044 1,045 1,056 1,059 1,067 1,071 1,076 1,075 1,073 1,070 1,070 025 19840 Eatontown borough 14,310 14,183 14,088 14,173 14,256 14,278 14,221 14,105 14,086 14,047 14,008 14,008 025 21570 Englishtown borough 1,916 1,915 1,892 1,863 1,819949 5,906 5,911 5,956 5,987 6,020 6,021 6,008 5,968 5,954 5,942 5,937 025 22950 Farmingdale borough 1,572 1,569 1,574 1,581 1,593 1,602 1,602 1,599 1,597 1,592 1,587 1,587 025 25200 Freehold borough 11,432 11,413 11,444 11,515 11,589 11,639 11,649 11,629 11,606 11,003 10,983 10,976 025 25230 Freehold township 34,589 34,674 34,828 34,282 34,145 34,033 33,809 33,320 32,023 31,610 31,493 31,537 025 30690 Hazlet township 20,942 20,956 21,030 21,177 21,303 21,435 21,467 21,497 21,492 21,454 21,352 21,378 025 31500 Highlands borough 5,251 5,254 5,286 5,330 5,366 5,411 5,415 5,381 5,347 5,090 5,259 5,097 025 32640 Holmdel township 16,852 16,855 16,876 17,002 17,106 17,077 16,896 16,501 16,184 15,807 15,807 15,781 025 33300 Howell township 51,551 51,297 51,274 51,135 51,017 50,807 50,450 50,165 49,873 49,050 48,888 48,903 025 34200 Interlaken borough 876 876 883 891 898 904 906 906 904 903 900 900 025 36480 Keansburg borough 10,536 10,543 10,567 10,660 10,748 10,822 10,832 10,768 10,762 10,762 10,732 10,732 025 36810 Keyport borough 7,482 7,472 7,491 7,554 7,609 7,647 7,641 7,619 7,603 7,590 7,568 7,568 025 37560 Lake Como borough 1,778 1,776 1,783 1,775 1,794 1,818 1,821 1,821 1,819 1,815 1,795 (X) 025 40770 Little Silver borough 6,141 6,114 6,119 6,171 6,233 6,257 6,257 6,255 6,242 6,189 6,187 6,170 025 41010 Loch Arbour village 273 274 275 277 280 282 282 282 282 281 282 280 025 41310 Long Branch city 32,989 32,589 32,302 32,672 32,254 31,839 31,729 31,726 31,554 31,429 31,340 31,340 025 42990 Manalapan township 39,390 38,912 38,535 37,617 37,260 37,178 36,962 36,265 34,741 33,532 33,465 33,423 025 43050 Manasquan borough 6,273 6,247 6,236 6,269 6,302 6,363 6,371 6,352 6,367 6,329 6,309 6,310 025 44070 Marlboro township 40,546 40,503 40,573 40,279 40,012 39,803 39,292 38,464 37,528 36,502 36,391 36,398 025 44520 Matawan borough 9,101 8,749 8,794 8,875 8,943 8,998 9,025 8,996 8,977 8,933 8,906 8,910 025 45990 Middletown township 66,603 66,591 66,402 66,796 67,213 67,340 66,964 66,991 67,377 67,793 67,315 66,327 025 46560 Millstone township 10,223 10,193 10,198 10,172 10,134 9,926 9,664 9,433 9,225 8,995 8,970 8,970 025 47130 Monmouth Beach borough 3,571 3,567 3,576 3,614 3,645 3,667 3,648 3,641 3,622 3,605 3,595 3,595 025 49890 Neptune township 28,349 28,389 28,353 28,481 28,588 28,630 28,602 28,099 27,925 27,761 27,699 27,690 025 49920 Neptune City borough 5,100 5,111 5,144 5,191 5,233 5,260 5,253 5,243 5,234 5,238 5,207 5,218 025 54270 Ocean township 28,204 28,202 28,219 27,789 27,746 27,628 27,530 27,227 27,125 27,036 26,959 26,959 025 54570 Oceanport borough 5,730 5,730 5,760 5,812 5,858 5,886 5,882 5,870 5,847 5,823 5,807 5,807 025 62430 Red Bank borough 11,914 11,859 11,873 11,957 11,991 11,997 11,980 11,958 11,916 11,870 11,824 11,844 025 64410 Roosevelt borough 904 906 913 923 931 938 939 939 938 936 933 933 025 65130 Rumson borough 7,309 7,258 7,215 7,274 7,326 7,347 7,167 7,159 7,161 7,157 7,137 7,137 025 66240 Sea Bright borough 1,808 1,803 1,810 1,819 1,817 1,831 1,837 1,834 1,827 1,823 1,818 1,818 025 66330 Sea Girt borough 2,098 2,068 2,048 2,066 2,102 2,120 2,138 2,158 2,162 2,154 2,148 2,148 025 67350 Shrewsbury borough 3,772 3,775 3,754 3,758 3,777 3,766 3,710 3,691 3,640 3,600 3,590 3,590 025 67365 Shrewsbury township 1,065 1,068 1,075 1,085 1,094 1,102 1,104 1,104 1,103 1,101 1,098 1,098 025 70110 Spring Lake borough 3,542 3,517 3,504 3,514 3,561 3,592 3,586 3,580 3,581 3,577 3,567 3,567 025 70140 Spring Lake Heights borough 5,142 5,130 5,129 5,162 5,209 5,243 5,262 5,262 5,256 5,242 5,227 5,227 025 73020 Tinton Falls borough 19,772 19,668 19,129 18,954 19,012 17,712 17,359 17,273 17,175 16,733 16,681 15,053 025 74540 Union Beach borough 6,612 6,616 6,656 6,704 6,759 6,810 6,815 6,816 6,759 6,668 6,649 6,649 025 74900 Upper Freehold township 6,877 6,868 6,821 6,649 6,484 6,013 5,597 5,153 4,568 4,295 4,282 4,282 025 76460 Wall township 26,142 26,135 26,242 26,253 26,336 26,447 26,425 26,286 25,747 25,324 25,265 25,261 025 79310 West Long Branch borough 8,416 8,358 8,370 8,383 8,385 8,307 8,319 8,310 8,293 8,277 8,258 8,258 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Morris488,518 486,946 485,592 484,887 483,198 482,155 479,532 476,453 473,163 471,338 470,212 470,212 027 06610 Boonton town 8,460 8,435 8,397 8,420 8,431 8,368 8,376 8,395 8,402 8,487 8,496 8,496 027 06640 Boonton township 4,469 4,463 4,356 4,296 4,285 4,280 4,275 4,269 4,252 4,263 4,260 4,287 027 09040 Butler borough 8,042 8,025 7,956 7,876 7,958 8,005 8,025 8,050 7,896 7,525 7,420 7,420 027 12100 Chatham borough 8,196 8,171 8,171 8,201 8,305 8,316 8,337 8,364 8,377 8,445 8,407 8,460 027 12130 Chatham township 10,175 10,107 10,059 10,075 10,069 10,054 10,001 10,020 10,008 10,093 10,141 10,086 027 12580 Chester borough 1,657 1,650 1,615 1,625 1,640 1,646 1,647 1,651 1,644 1,645 1,643 1,635 027 12610 Chester township 7,686 7,675 7,657 7,680 7,704 7,653 7,594 7,513 7,472 7,322 7,274 7,282 027 17650 Denville township 16,309 16,259 16,212 16,211 16,242 15,987 15,796 15,816 15,746 15,823 15,821 15,824 027 18070 Dover town 17,789 17,774 17,805 17,992 18,164 18,233 18,250 18,032 18,011 18,164 18,113 18,188 027 19210 East Hanover township 11,372 11,338 11,311 11,388 11,426 11,399 11,372 11,390 11,376 11,403 11,381 11,393 027 23910 Florham Park borough 12,347 12,355 12,298 12,373 12,467 12,444 12,448 12,207 12,212 10,695 10,310 8,857 027 29550 Hanover township 13,609 13,522 13,456 13,413 13,466 13,372 13,235 12,853 12,780 12,887 12,896 12,898 027 29700 Harding township 3,322 3,299 3,285 3,284 3,259 3,245 3,221 3,204 3,178 3,179 3,217 3,180 027 34980 Jefferson township 21,553 21,501 21,443 21,495 21,286 21,027 20,408 19,804 19,609 19,719 19,717 19,717 027 37110 Kinnelon borough 9,572 9,535 9,497 9,475 9,490 9,427 9,408 9,407 9,351 9,373 9,365 9,365 027 40290 Lincoln Park borough 10,580 10,581 10,597 10,635 10,746 10,769 10,796 10,825 10,840 10,922 10,912 10,930 027 41362 Long Hill township 8,579 8,550 8,545 8,593 8,669 8,683 8,698 8,721 8,701 8,772 8,777 8,777 027 42510 Madison borough 15,659 15,699 15,901 15,714 15,714 15,817 15,410 15,298 15,302 15,449 15,422 16,530 027 45330 Mendham borough 5,058 5,054 5,031 5,079 5,109 5,108 5,098 5,097 5,077 5,103 5,115 5,097 027 45360 Mendham township 5,486 5,472 5,473 5,471 5,510 5,539 5,553 5,525 5,468 5,410 5,387 5,400 027 46860 Mine Hill township 3,573 3,568 3,574 3,587 3,622 3,638 3,647 3,664 3,655 3,678 3,673 3,679 027 47670 Montville township 21,000 20,952 20,939 20,994 21,106 21,121 21,080 20,988 20,862 20,872 20,884 20,839 027 48090 Morris township 21,014 20,908 20,867 20,976 21,156 21,196 21,217 21,276 21,273 21,447 21,461 21,796 027 48210 Morris Plains borough 6,062 6,049 6,062 5,992 5,920 5,872 5,836 5,585 5,590 5,621 5,622 5,236 027 48300 Morristown town 19,126 19,067 19,033 18,519 18,545 18,612 18,651 18,711 18,694 18,561 18,502 18,544 027 48480 Mountain Lakes borough 4,258 4,254 4,232 4,251 4,273 4,270 4,278 4,264 4,253 4,259 4,256 4,256 027 48690 Mount Arlington borough 5,795 5,769 5,752 5,592 5,237 5,066 4,969 4,946 4,833 4,702 4,662 4,663 027 49080 Mount Olive township 25,925 25,843 25,633 25,515 25,505 25,365 25,239 24,879 24,381 24,258 24,193 24,193 027 50130 Netcong borough 3,211 3,207 3,210 3,224 3,248 3,258 3,266 3,278 3,199 3,234 3,236 2,580 027 56460 Parsippany-Troy Hills township 49,982 49,880 49,911 50,159 50,452 50,611 50,412 50,299 50,067 50,279 50,263 50,649 027 58110 Pequannock township 16,730 16,716 16,376 15,774 15,312 14,975 14,365 14,060 13,744 13,875 13,888 13,888 027 61890 Randolph township 25,087 25,070 25,089 25,193 25,362 25,430 25,418 25,373 25,114 24,935 24,878 24,847 027 63300 Riverdale borough 5,632 5,235 5,033 4,849 2,593 2,598 2,587 2,526 2,496 2,500 2,498 2,498 027 64050 Rockaway borough 6,231 6,233 6,247 6,272 6,323 6,358 6,381 6,401 6,407 6,466 6,476 6,473 027 64080 Rockaway township 25,438 25,312 25,267 25,320 25,142 24,924 24,823 24,377 23,788 23,164 22,973 22,930 027 64980 Roxbury township 23,656 23,580 23,475 23,510 23,486 23,550 23,584 23,593 23,466 23,302 23,228 23,883 027 75890 Victory Gardens borough 1,478 1,479 1,482 1,488 1,503 1,511 1,518 1,524 1,527 1,543 1,549 1,546 027 77240 Washington township 18,336 18,303 18,279 18,296 18,341 18,264 18,128 18,053 17,886 17,672 17,592 17,592 027 80390 Wharton borough 6,064 6,056 6,066 6,080 6,132 6,164 6,185 6,215 6,226 6,291 6,304 6,298 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Ocean573,678 569,662 565,525 561,748 556,525 551,798 545,479 536,601 523,696 513,686 510,916 510,916 029 03050 Barnegat township 22,643 22,262 21,854 21,152 20,242 19,126 17,582 16,368 15,771 15,377 15,270 15,270 029 03130 Barnegat Light borough 846 839 834 832 819 813 798 788 774 766 764 764 029 03520 Bay Head borough 1,273 1,268 1,267 1,260 1,256 1,262 1,264 1,255 1,241 1,239 1,238 1,238 029 03940 Beach Haven borough 1,403 1,391 1,379 1,365881 10,845 10,790 10,733 10,702 10,711 10,700 10,617 10,425 10,389 10,375 10,375 029 05305 Berkeley township 42,975 42,783 42,656 42,493 42,345 42,401 42,280 41,950 41,158 40,252 40,003 39,991 029 07420 Brick township 78,809 78,505 78,296 78,098 77,884 78,253 78,341 77,767 76,601 76,247 76,119 76,119 029 18670 Eagleswood township 1,703 1,679 1,648 1,614 1,562 1,532 1,526 1,495 1,459 1,445 1,441 1,441 029 30390 Harvey Cedars borough 397 394 392 389 384 379 375 369 362 360 359 359 029 34530 Island Heights borough 1,891 1,877 1,878 1,877 1,858 1,846 1,832 1,805 1,771 1,756 1,752 1,751 029 34680 Jackson township 53,191 52,707 52,629 52,251 51,715 51,472 49,462 47,477 45,540 43,381 42,816 42,816 029 37380 Lacey township 26,566 26,402 26,319 26,248 26,132 26,143 26,248 26,161 25,668 25,421 25,346 25,346 029 37770 Lakehurst borough 2,719 2,717 2,715 2,678 2,679 2,687 2,692 2,679 2,644 2,650 2,650 2,522 029 38550 Lakewood township 71,359 70,960 69,876 69,427 68,552 66,443 65,777 65,159 63,009 60,910 60,352 60,352 029 39390 Lavallette borough 2,773 2,757 2,757 2,749 2,738824 20,677 20,479 20,215 19,739 19,257 18,609 17,683 16,607 16,085 15,945 15,945 029 41250 Long Beach township 3,578 3,552 3,530 3,493 3,451 3,442 3,422 3,388 3,339 3,332 3,329 3,329 029 43140 Manchester township 41,848 41,764 41,757 41,790 41,783 42,023 42,019 41,276 40,299 39,119 38,800 38,928 029 43380 Mantoloking borough 455 453 451 451 449 450 444 441 429 424 423 423 029 54300 Ocean township 9,121 8,964 8,615 8,211 7,784 7,464 7,206 6,719 6,557 6,474 6,450 6,450 029 54450 Ocean Gate borough 2,149 2,140 2,131 2,129 2,103 2,113 2,110 2,097 2,067 2,075 2,076 2,076 029 58590 Pine Beach borough 2,082 2,070 2,053 2,021 2,009 2,006 1,992 1,979 1,940 1,941 1,940 1,950 029 59790 Plumsted township 8,292 8,242 8,194 8,122 8,031 8,031 8,002 7,893 7,628 7,349 7,275 7,275 029 59880 Point Pleasant borough 20,336 20,156 19,964 19,864 19,799 19,771 19,763 19,614 19,347 19,322 19,306 19,306 029 59910 Point Pleasant Beach borough 5,445 5,429 5,416 5,397 5,383 5,397 5,405 5,379 5,297 5,313 5,314 5,314 029 66450 Seaside Heights borough 3,355 3,343 3,317 3,239 3,211 3,186 3,186 3,169 3,142 3,154 3,155 3,155 029 66480 Seaside Park borough 2,329 2,317 2,307 2,300 2,294 2,296 2,298 2,288 2,264 2,263 2,261 2,263 029 67110 Ship Bottom borough 1,462 1,451 1,440 1,426 1,413 1,414 1,414 1,404 1,386 1,385 1,384 1,384 029 69510 South Toms River borough 3,727 3,714 3,715 3,712 3,686 3,689 3,689 3,667 3,619 3,633 3,634 3,634 029 70320 Stafford township 26,818 26,491 26,260 26,076 25,514 24,939 24,368 23,917 23,299 22,685 22,532 22,532 029 71640 Surf City borough 1,567 1,559 1,549 1,540 1,52296,945 96,066 95,202 94,766 94,364 94,085 93,543 92,752 91,137 90,030 89,705 (X) 029 74210 Tuckerton borough 3,916 3,888 3,855 3,830 3,774 3,596 3,592 3,565 3,514 3,518 3,517 3,517 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Passaic491,778 488,364 487,067 487,544 489,211 490,527 492,259 493,054 492,574 490,803 490,374 489,049 031 06340 Bloomingdale borough 7,454 7,415 7,418 7,456 7,501 7,546 7,597 7,631 7,635 7,615 7,610 7,610 031 13690 Clifton city 78,224 77,811 77,762 78,057 78,325 78,345 78,785 79,009 79,151 79,078 79,062 78,672 031 29070 Haledon borough 8,705 8,468 8,303 8,201 8,235 8,276 8,307 8,317 8,305 8,262 8,252 8,252 031 30570 Hawthorne borough 17,993 17,909 17,922 17,819 17,907 18,013 18,134 18,214 18,258 18,226 18,218 18,218 031 40620 Little Falls township 11,646 11,585 11,581 11,614 11,676 11,722 11,797 11,846 11,853 11,805 11,793 10,855 031 53040 North Haledon borough 8,897 8,851 8,843 8,864 8,893 8,638 8,234 7,973 7,965 7,929 7,920 7,920 031 56550 Passaic city 67,020 66,580 66,448 66,683 66,997 67,306 67,716 67,968 68,053 67,895 67,858 67,861 031 57000 Paterson city 145,834 144,961 145,113 145,903 146,922 147,912 148,998 149,700 149,668 149,309 149,222 149,222 031 60090 Pompton Lakes borough 11,040 10,966 10,973 11,016 11,079 11,155 10,936 10,809 10,656 10,643 10,640 10,640 031 61170 Prospect Park borough 5,605 5,569 5,578 5,610 5,646 5,687 5,735 5,768 5,785 5,780 5,779 5,779 031 63150 Ringwood borough 12,712 12,602 12,561 12,555 12,546 12,508 12,541 12,529 12,484 12,413 12,396 12,396 031 73140 Totowa borough 10,661 10,557 10,489 10,431 10,386 10,160 9,903 9,935 9,926 9,899 9,892 9,892 031 76730 Wanaque borough 12,144 12,077 11,495 10,945 10,406 10,235 10,293 10,295 10,304 10,273 10,266 10,266 031 77840 Wayne township 53,918 53,632 53,625 53,807 54,077 54,322 54,607 54,549 54,528 54,159 54,069 54,069 031 79460 West Milford township 27,746 27,568 27,528 27,574 27,599 27,635 27,572 27,401 26,928 26,513 26,410 26,410 031 79820 Woodland Park borough 12,179 11,813 11,428 11,009 11,016 11,067 11,104 11,110 11,075 11,004 10,987 (X) Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Salem342 66,194 65,981 65,929 65,465 64,914 64,407 64,516 64,133 64,213 64,285 64,285 033 00880 Alloway township 3,089 3,067 3,028 3,030 2,956 2,924 2,855 2,835 2,806 2,802 2,803 2,774 033 10610 Carneys Point township 7,991 7,967 7,914 7,897 7,837 7,758 7,558 7,612 7,608 7,664 7,684 7,684 033 21240 Elmer borough 1,342 1,348 1,344 1,358 1,361 1,363 1,364 1,374 1,369 1,380 1,384 1,384 033 21330 Elsinboro township 1,050 1,051 1,053 1,061 1,064 1,069892 1,885 1,881 1,894 1,899 1,890 1,887 1,872 1,853 1,850 1,851 1,851 033 43200 Mannington township 1,556 1,560 1,554 1,552808 1,803 1,802 1,807 1,807 1,799 1,791 1,800 1,794 1,796 1,798 1,798 033 57750 Penns Grove borough 4,676 4,692 4,702 4,747303 13,349 13,350 13,195 13,132 13,101 13,079 13,143 13,108 13,167 13,194 13,194 033 58530 Pilesgrove township 4,548 4,540 4,502 4,482 4,349 4,095 4,038 4,023 3,974 3,931 3,923 3,923 033 59130 Pittsgrove township 9,475 9,471 9,453 9,461 9,356 9,217 9,103 9,037 8,941 8,897 8,893 8,893 033 61470 Quinton township 2,852 2,851 2,843 2,841 2,828 2,813 2,790 2,797 2,789 2,785 2,786 2,786 033 65490 Salem city 5,821 5,658 5,668 5,718 5,727 5,742 5,754 5,784 5,791 5,840 5,857 5,857 033 75110 Upper Pittsgrove township 3,590 3,595 3,572 3,590 3,585 3,586 3,554 3,542 3,494 3,471 3,468 3,468 033 82720 Woodstown borough 3,349 3,357 3,315 3,296 3,265 3,249 3,241 3,251 3,169 3,141 3,136 3,136 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Somerset326,869 323,160 320,745 317,817 314,967 312,319 309,267 306,377 302,331 298,915 297,490 297,490 035 04450 Bedminster township 8,388 8,306 8,287 8,277 8,268 8,276 8,270 8,279 8,252 8,305 8,302 8,302 035 05560 Bernards township 26,034 25,785 25,714 25,508 25,446 25,422 25,246 25,193 24,883 24,674 24,575 24,575 035 05590 Bernardsville borough 7,630 7,568 7,528 7,505 7,485 7,491 7,482 7,469 7,420 7,371 7,345 7,345 035 06790 Bound Brook borough 10,433 10,329 10,119 10,001 10,012 10,042 10,050 10,078 10,071 10,154 10,155 10,155 035 07180 Branchburg township 15,069 14,923 14,832 14,782 14,735 14,741 14,713 14,702 14,608 14,597 14,566 14,566 035 07720 Bridgewater township 45,076 44,519 44,381 43,913 43,797 43,743 43,610 43,646 43,353 43,088 42,940 42,940 035 22890 Far Hills borough 922 915 915 908 907 905 895 889 873 863 859 859 035 24900 Franklin township 62,903 62,124 61,635 60,808 59,413 56,945 55,531 54,965 53,716 51,545 50,903 50,903 035 27510 Green Brook township 6,788 6,728 6,721 6,689 6,587 6,559 6,502 6,509 6,284 5,789 5,654 5,654 035 31890 Hillsborough township 38,817 38,171 37,647 37,302 37,243 37,312 37,288 37,308 36,698 36,703 36,634 36,634 035 43620 Manville borough 10,381 10,273 10,261 10,247 10,256 10,274 10,285 10,320 10,276 10,345 10,343 10,343 035 46590 Millstone borough 515 510 508 508 508 481 464 457 444 417 410 410 035 47580 Montgomery township 21,815 21,596 21,556 21,518 21,461 21,337 20,262 18,558 18,052 17,623 17,481 17,481 035 53280 North Plainfield borough 20,941 20,746 20,750 20,740 20,761 20,853 20,872 20,941 20,925 21,099 21,103 21,103 035 57300 Peapack and Gladstone borough 2,472 2,450 2,435 2,436 2,434 2,437 2,437 2,442 2,433 2,436 2,433 2,433 035 61980 Raritan borough 7,571 7,501 7,166 6,863 6,314 6,317 6,296 6,307 6,297 6,340 6,338 6,338 035 64320 Rocky Hill borough 660 654 654 654 654 656 657 659 656 662 662 662 035 68460 Somerville borough 12,455 12,338 12,326 12,283 12,298 12,277 12,264 12,329 12,319 12,420 12,423 12,423 035 68730 South Bound Brook borough 5,355 5,305 5,036 4,751 4,451 4,447 4,448 4,462 4,456 4,492 4,492 4,492 035 76940 Warren township 15,871 15,689 15,568 15,471 15,385 15,294 15,196 15,032 14,688 14,370 14,262 14,259 035 77600 Watchung borough 6,773 6,730 6,706 6,653 6,552 6,510 6,499 5,832 5,627 5,622 5,610 5,613 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Sussex151,118 151,431 151,632 151,250 150,764 150,360 149,553 147,936 146,078 144,618 144,165 144,166 037 01330 Andover borough 634 636 641 646 652 652 656 657 656 658 658 658 037 01360 Andover township 6,534 6,514 6,494 6,445 6,411 6,397 6,363 6,281 6,176 6,064 6,033 6,033 037 07300 Branchville borough 815 821 827 831 833 840 844 841 842 845 845 845 037 09160 Byram township 8,478 8,486 8,508 8,529 8,546 8,552 8,535 8,454 8,390 8,345 8,328 8,254 037 24810 Frankford township 5,595 5,612 5,609 5,605 5,603 5,593 5,569 5,523 5,479 5,435 5,421 5,420 037 24930 Franklin borough 5,077 5,095 5,122 5,126 5,164 5,179 5,186 5,175 5,167 5,164 5,160 5,160 037 25140 Fredon township 3,330 3,341 3,359 3,324 3,277 3,219 3,099 2,990 2,941 2,878 2,860 2,860 037 27420 Green township 3,571 3,563 3,502 3,475 3,458 3,440 3,404 3,364 3,306 3,242 3,224 3,220 037 29220 Hamburg borough 3,459 3,470 3,479 3,498 3,504 3,479 3,457 3,368 3,303 3,146 3,105 3,105 037 29490 Hampton township 5,128 5,134 5,156 5,153 5,139 5,120 5,074 5,017 4,958 4,936 4,928 4,943 037 29850 Hardyston township 8,326 8,357 8,380 8,192 7,813 7,514 7,358 7,101 6,647 6,270 6,172 6,171 037 32910 Hopatcong borough 15,521 15,574 15,636 15,684 15,767 15,851 15,890 15,875 15,879 15,894 15,888 15,888 037 37440 Lafayette township 2,463 2,470 2,476 2,485 2,462 2,446 2,418 2,384 2,353 2,325 2,317 2,300 037 47430 Montague township 3,906 3,890 3,865 3,823 3,758 3,664 3,552 3,468 3,425 3,411 3,406 3,412 037 51930 Newton town 8,124 8,154 8,203 8,249 8,309 8,298 8,315 8,305 8,275 8,254 8,244 8,244 037 54660 Ogdensburg borough 2,552 2,562 2,578 2,592 2,594 2,614 2,626 2,628 2,632 2,638 2,638 2,638 037 65700 Sandyston township 1,890 1,892 1,897 1,900 1,891 1,883 1,876 1,846 1,832 1,827 1,825 1,825 037 69690 Sparta township 19,228 19,279 19,225 19,085 19,022 19,022 18,962 18,614 18,315 18,082 18,012 18,080 037 70380 Stanhope borough 3,566 3,577 3,598 3,615 3,641 3,660 3,646 3,604 3,597 3,583 3,577 3,584 037 70890 Stillwater township 4,312 4,326 4,334 4,338 4,340 4,340 4,335 4,322 4,288 4,273 4,267 4,267 037 71670 Sussex borough 2,139 2,141 2,155 2,147 2,161 2,164 2,162 2,150 2,145 2,146 2,145 2,145 037 75740 Vernon township 24,830 24,919 25,019 25,074 25,121 25,225 25,201 25,128 24,788 24,719 24,686 24,686 037 76640 Walpack township 39 39 40 40 40 40 41 41 41 41 41 41 037 76790 Wantage township 11,601 11,579 11,529 11,394 11,258 11,168 10,984 10,800 10,643 10,442 10,385 10,387 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Union526,426 521,816 519,738 520,285 521,987 523,635 525,048 526,154 525,510 523,149 522,541 522,541 039 05320 Berkeley Heights township 13,436 13,303 13,269 13,298 13,330 13,407 13,475 13,494 13,478 13,422 13,407 13,407 039 13150 Clark township 14,430 14,313 14,271 14,345 14,368 14,475 14,585 14,649 14,644 14,607 14,597 14,597 039 15640 Cranford township 22,059 21,851 21,812 21,927 22,087 22,272 22,461 22,580 22,596 22,582 22,578 22,578 039 21000 Elizabeth city 125,285 124,400 123,689 123,626 123,582 122,789 122,359 122,313 121,823 120,822 120,568 120,568 039 22860 Fanwood borough 7,124 7,072 7,078 7,066 7,101 7,142 7,189 7,213 7,199 7,179 7,174 7,174 039 25800 Garwood borough 4,530 4,390 4,265 4,147 4,073 4,102 4,130 4,147 4,155 4,154 4,153 4,153 039 31980 Hillside township 21,260 21,124 21,127 21,242 21,354 21,547 21,689 21,776 21,763 21,751 21,747 21,747 039 36690 Kenilworth borough 7,663 7,596 7,572 7,580 7,602 7,640 7,658 7,691 7,694 7,679 7,675 7,675 039 40350 Linden city 39,432 39,054 38,998 39,054 39,292 39,371 39,527 39,636 39,635 39,443 39,394 39,394 039 48510 Mountainside borough 6,597 6,531 6,498 6,511 6,519 6,558 6,597 6,624 6,618 6,605 6,602 6,602 039 51810 New Providence borough 12,037 11,864 11,730 11,669 11,691 11,792 11,873 11,931 11,939 11,914 11,907 11,907 039 59190 Plainfield city 46,318 46,046 46,088 46,420 46,816 47,255 47,650 47,865 47,912 47,847 47,829 47,829 039 61530 Rahway city 28,998 28,501 27,894 27,265 27,066 27,141 26,556 26,672 26,621 26,525 26,500 26,500 039 64620 Roselle borough 20,655 20,538 20,544 20,714 20,872 21,068 21,242 21,347 21,375 21,295 21,274 21,274 039 64650 Roselle Park borough 12,861 12,765 12,753 12,848 12,946 13,081 13,198 13,269 13,289 13,283 13,281 13,281 039 66060 Scotch Plains township 23,054 22,817 22,751 22,759 22,787 22,659 22,767 22,855 22,827 22,752 22,732 22,732 039 70020 Springfield township 15,200 14,961 14,775 14,605 14,666 14,751 14,841 14,828 14,684 14,647 14,637 14,429 039 71430 Summit city 20,696 20,522 20,522 20,681 20,827 20,938 21,099 21,156 21,163 21,137 21,130 21,131 039 74480 Union township 53,670 53,335 53,362 53,723 54,140 54,558 54,927 54,819 54,835 54,326 54,198 54,405 039 79040 Westfield town 29,678 29,397 29,301 29,352 29,400 29,604 29,725 29,779 29,747 29,665 29,644 29,644 039 81650 Winfield township 1,443 1,436 1,439 1,453 1,468 1,485 1,500 1,510 1,513 1,514 1,514 1,514 Estimates of Resident Population by Municipality: Warren638 109,897 109,684 109,450 109,167 108,748 108,349 106,955 105,319 102,958 102,438 102,437 041 00670 Allamuchy township 4,355 4,371 4,368 4,035 3,964 3,959 3,925 3,936 3,918 3,880 3,873 3,877 041 01030 Alpha borough 2,377 2,391 2,392 2,407 2,430 2,454 2,469 2,486 2,486 2,482 2,482 2,482 041 04990 Belvidere town 2,632 2,642 2,650 2,670 2,694 2,721 2,746 2,767 2,764 2,758 2,759 2,771 041 06160 Blairstown township 5,931 5,941 5,924 5,902 5,909 5,930 5,944 5,917 5,851 5,765 5,747 5,747 041 24960 Franklin township 3,120 3,128 3,135 3,149 3,156 3,162 3,156 3,107 2,963 2,805 2,768 2,768 041 25320 Frelinghuysen township 2,226 2,232 2,206 2,189 2,168 2,156 2,144 2,124 2,107 2,087 2,083 2,083 041 28260 Greenwich township 5,090 5,112 5,123 5,154 5,164 5,157 5,158 5,074 4,841 4,457 4,365 4,365 041 28710 Hackettstown town 9,541 9,510 9,418 9,358 9,278 9,237 9,293 9,305 9,321 9,047 8,984 10,403 041 29820 Hardwick township 1,614 1,619 1,622 1,613 1,601 1,597 1,574 1,564 1,522 1,479 1,469 1,464 041 30090 Harmony township 2,810 2,816 2,815 2,823 2,783 2,781 2,782 2,770 2,749 2,731 2,729 2,729 041 33060 Hope township 1,946 1,956 1,945 1,947 1,948 1,940 1,946 1,947 1,916 1,895 1,891 1,891 041 33930 Independence township 5,682 5,696 5,678 5,691 5,706 5,728 5,750 5,755 5,711 5,621 5,603 5,603 041 37320 Knowlton township 3,127 3,136 3,143 3,142 3,138 3,106 3,077 3,044 3,017 2,983 2,977 2,977 041 40110 Liberty township 2,911 2,923 2,922 2,917 2,926 2,899 2,887 2,845 2,818 2,774 2,765 2,765 041 41490 Lopatcong township 8,383 8,381 8,342 8,308 8,139 7,934 7,767 6,948 6,451 5,899 5,765 5,765 041 43320 Mansfield township 8,089 8,120 8,124 8,168 8,185 8,226 8,236 8,223 8,174 8,089 8,072 6,653 041 55530 Oxford township 2,571 2,586 2,582 2,593 2,605 2,598 2,587 2,550 2,461 2,336 2,307 2,307 041 58350 Phillipsburg town 14,478 14,536 14,538 14,634 14,754 14,894 15,047 15,161 15,195 15,164 15,166 15,166 041 59820 Pohatcong township 3,319 3,332 3,341 3,364 3,373 3,387 3,402 3,421 3,421 3,415 3,416 3,416 041 77270 Washington borough 6,678 6,705 6,702 6,757 6,805 6,810 6,774 6,742 6,716 6,709 6,712 6,712 041 77300 Washington township 6,843 6,865 6,851 6,886 6,867 6,729 6,562 6,398 6,314 6,258 6,248 6,248 041 80570 White township 5,915 5,899 5,863 5,743 5,574 5,343 5,123 4,871 4,603 4,324 4,257 4,245 Source: US Bureau of the Census, Population Division, 6/22/2010 West Paterson Borough (Passaic County) was renamed to Woodland Park Borough in 2009.
eng
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Archives Today, March 20, is not only the spring equinox, it is also the first International Day of Happiness! The origins of this new, worldwide celebration can be traced back to the actions of Bhutan, a teeny, tiny country perched high in the Himalaya Mountains between China and India. I first wrote about Bhutan and their approach to happiness in June of 2010. In 2008 Bhutan took a totally different approach to determining the well-being levels of the people of their nation when they developed and adopted the Gross National Happiness Index (GNH). Because of their groundbreaking acceptance of the GNH instead of the worldwide standard of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which focuses on economic standards, Bhutan began tracking indicators such as: Psychological wellbeing Ecology Health Education Culture Living Standards Time Use Community Vitality Good Governance I revisited the topic in my "Happy is as Happy Does" posts in 2011 and 2012. I was, and still am, fascinated and encouraged by Bhutan's peaceful version of the "David and Goliath" story – a very small nation is changing the way the world looks at success. To learn more about how the first International Day of Happiness came to be, please read author's Frances Moore Lappé's Huffington Post's article, which I have copied below in it's entirety . . . Don't laugh. It's true, and it's serious business. Today is the world's first International Happiness Day, declared by the UN to signal the importance of going beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of progress. We need, says the UN, better measures of society's real wellbeing — including happiness. GDP was never meant for the job. In 1934, Harvard economist and Nobel Laureate Simon Kuznets devised the measure to help the U.S. climb out of the Great Depression, but he was clear about GDP's limits, warning congress that "the welfare of a nation can…scarcely be inferred from a measurement of national income…" How right he was. Since the 1960s, U.S. GDP per capita has doubled, but average happiness? It hasn't budged. Finally, people are starting to pay attention. Noting what a poor guide GDP has been, an international movement is underway to create metrics of progress that incorporate multi-faceted wellbeing. And, it could be game changer, if you consider this finding of the Gallup Millennium World Survey: Polling almost 60,000 people in 60 countries, Gallup ranked ten things that matter most to people. At the top were health, a happy family life, and a job, while "Standard of Living" — what the GDP supposedly captures — was one of the least important. Leading the movement to remake what we measure has been the tiny, mountainous Asian nation of Bhutan, population of 740,000. Its goal is "Gross National Happiness." Six weeks ago, as a member of a UN-promoted International Expert Group for a New Development Paradigm, I traveled to Bhutan where, with a couple dozen others invited from around the world, I deliberated on how to measure wellbeing. Why Bhutan? In 2005, after the Fourth King relinquished the throne to his son and instituted a British-style parliamentary democracy, Bhutan began in earnest to build the world's first Gross National Happiness Index — a comprehensive approach to measuring well-being that includes not only psychological well-being (life satisfaction, emotions, and spirituality) but also subjective assessments in eight other "domains" that include health, education, good governance, and ecological diversity and resilience. Five years later a Bhutan survey found 41 percent of its people happy, meaning they'd attained "sufficiency" in two-thirds of (weighted) indicators, such as work, literacy and housing. Only 10 percent were "unhappy." Then, in 2011, Bhutan took leadership on the world stage. In July it sponsored, with 68 co-sponsors, UN resolution 65/309, "Happiness: Towards a Holistic Approach to Development," which flatly stated that GDP doesn't reflect the goal of "happiness" and declares that a "more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach is needed…" UN General Assembly adopted the resolution by consensus and invited member states to take action. So in New York City last spring Bhutan hosted a meeting on new wellbeing indicators, attracting 800 enthusiastic attendees and exceeding all expectations. Already, a number of countries, including Canada, France and Britain "have added measures of citizen happiness to their official national statistics." Just one year ago, Japan launched its first Quality of Life Survey that leads off with "a sense of happiness." Italy is also a leader, in part using online consultations with citizens to develop twelve domains for measuring well-being, including health and the environment, along with specific indicators like "quality of urban air." Here in the U.S., two state governments, Maryland and Minnesota, have gotten serious about happiness — generating more realistic, comprehensive measures of progress. Maryland's Genuine Progress Indicator both subtracts and adds about two dozen things that GDP doesn't capture: from, on the negative side, the costs of lost leisure time (as much as $12.5 billion a year), pollution clean-up and crime to, on the positive side, the value of volunteer work. And in 2011 the city of Somerville in Greater Boston became the first U.S. metropolitan to survey its residents on their happiness and wellbeing — finding, among many discoveries, that the city's "beauty and physical setting" are "relatively important" in how residents value Somerville. On the first International Day of Happiness, just knowing these initiatives are getting underway and taken seriously by the United Nations, makes me happy. You see, after numerous, but unfulfilling, adventurous twists and turns in her life, Ware spent time taking care of folks who were dying. Those experiences led her to blogging and eventually to sharing the thoughts and regrets of those she was helping, along with her personal journey, in her book. Both her work and their thoughts are touching and valuable, which led me to turn them into "Guidelines for Life", since all of us reading them still have time to act on them! Here are my "Guidelines for Life" fashioned from the"The Top Five Regrets" Ware shared in her book and Steiner outlined in her article. Have the courage to live a life true to yourself, not one shaped by that others expect of you. Not doing so is the number one regret Ware reported in her book. Don't focus time and energy on your career to the exclusion of your children, spouse or significant other. Ware notes that this was one of the top regrets of men. (Most of the folks Ware nursed were from a generation in which men were the primary breadwinners.) Find the courage to express your feelings. Don't keep silent about issues and people who truly matter to you; let folks know you care and where you stand. Silence can lead to confusion, resentment, and bitterness. Stay in touch with your friends. Continue to seek ways and find the time to connect with those your care about throughout your entire life. Check out positive psychology researcher Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D.'s new book, "LOVE 2.0" it's about the moments - and the science behind them - that connect us to each other. Significants↔Strangers. Family↔Friends. Companions↔Colleagues. According to Fredrickson, love is the most rewarding form of positivity and doesn't require a soul mate to experience! Romance is just one form of love, the others can be just as rich and rewarding and are replenishable. Love has no expiration date! To read more about Fredrickson's latest book and her thoughts about how love makes the world go round, click here. An unplanned journey, and a day I will remember always – near Chaska, Macedonia. I'm finishing-up my third Peace Corps assignment, and will be heading back to the States on Valentine's Day – a sweet treat for sure. I served with the Peace Corps from 2006-2009 in the Republic of Macedonia, 3.5 months in the Republic of Georgia, 2011-2012, and I'm now finishing a 3.5 month assignment in Macedonia. A big part of the joy I have experienced in my work here and in Georgia has to do with being open to exploring and understanding different cultures. So, earlier this week, when I opened my email and read an e-newsletter about "Cultural Intelligence", I started thinking about what I've learned by living and traveling abroad and how those lessons have shaped my life. My favorite line in the article is . . . "The last part of cultural intelligence relates to how you behave, and, in particular, how well you adapt when things don't go according to plan." While living abroad I quickly learned that some of my richest and most rewarding moments were dependent on how well I adapted when things turned out differently than I expected, which led to an even more valuable lesson - to be truly happy abroad – it's best to check your expectations with your luggage! And, guess what? The amazing part of that lesson is it works just as well at home as it does abroad! Letting go of your expectations, is one of the keys to being truly happy – anywhere, anytime. When we let go of what we expect to happen and how we expect others to act and react, the happier and more fulfilling our lives become. Expectations take-up a great deal of room in our hearts and in our heads and require loads of effort to maintain, which leaves very little space and energy for understanding, communication, growth, and happiness. Think about it. How many times a day do you get frustrated with the actions or non-actions of yourself or others? How many times in your life have you look backward or forward through a very narrow lens, shaped almost entirely by your or other's expectations, and felt embarrassed, sad or stressed? Wouldn't it be nice to leave all that behind? Why not give yourself a special gift this Valentine's Day and lessen your expectations for yourself and others (past, present and future) and increase the likelihood that happiness will find a special place in your heart and grow to become the sweetest part of your life? "Sreken pat" or happy journey, as they say to travelers in Macedonia, and may your happiest journey be your life. "They encourage ideas and creation of answers so that they're not getting stuck into ruts with problems and issues. They make things happen because of the richness of the relationships they have that increase the discretionary effort those around them put in. They know enough about what's going on around them that if they don't know the answer, they can direct people to the right place. They help calm situations where tensions may be fraying and possible friction exists." Sukh Pabial Who does that for you? Is their someone at work? In your family? Your friends? Where do you fall on the positive energizing spectrum; how often do you share positive energy? 0%____________25%______________50%______________75%______________100% Where do you want to be on the spectrum? The good news is anyone can learn to be a positive energizer. It's not a personality trait. It doesn't matter if you are extroverted or introverted. It's not about being outgoing. It's about how you act and interact with people. Are your Valentines's Days all sugar and spice? Or, naughty and nice? Are they a passing thought, just another day? Or emotionally charged mine fields that get in the way? Since Valentine's is only a few weeks away now is the time to make it your happiest yet!No matter your Valentine's Day history, I have ten tips to make this year's Valentine's Day even sweeter and more memorable. "Volunteering for things that you feel passionate about and are intrinsically motivated to do may help you to experience greater health benefits and protect you from burnout." Jenny Brennan As a lifelong volunteer, and a 3-time Peace Corps Volunteer (one 27-month assignment and two 3.5 month assignments in the Response Corps), I wanted to share with you a recent article by organizational consultant Jenny Brennan about volunteering. Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of volunteering and have felt the many benefits firsthand. If you haven't already, I hope you will give volunteering a try – there's plenty of scientific research that shows it's good for you! Around the United States on Monday, January 21, thousands of people across the country volunteered to make a difference in their communities during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. People came together for a variety of projects such as feeding homeless veterans, cleaning parks, and collecting clothes and toys for local children. Volunteering not only strengthens communities and those being helped, but as anyone who volunteers knows, it feels good. But a closer look at the research shows that the benefits of volunteering extend beyond a warm feeling. Benefits of Volunteering Researchers have found that the act of volunteering is associated with several forms of well-being, including hedonic (happiness, life satisfaction), eudaimonic (meaning and self-actualization), and social (how one views his or her function in society). In a longitudinal study with a national sample of adults, Thoits and Hewitt found that while individuals with greater well-being tend to self-select, volunteering can also enhance happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, one's sense of control over life, and self-reported physical health. These effects held even after controlling for individuals' participation in other voluntary groups, such as attending meetings, and their prior levels of personal well-being. Field and colleagues have found that the act of helping others decreases the stress hormone, while Konrath and colleagues have found it is associated with lower risk of mortality in certain cases. Activism, which can be viewed as a dedicated form of volunteering in which people advocate for particular causes, has also been linked to higher subjective reports of well-being. In a series of studies, Klar and Kasser found that activism was correlated with positive affect, hope, self-actualization, psychological need satisfaction, higher meaning in life, and agency. Interestingly, they also found a small causal effect between engaging in an activist behavior and felt vitality How Often? While people can seemingly experience the positive effects of volunteering and activism after just one event, both studies found that people who engaged on a more regular basis experienced greater benefits. However, studies by Morrow and Howell have shown that the positive gains of volunteering are not linear and that levels of involvement beyond 100 hours a year were not associated with increased gains. Why Is Volunteering Beneficial? Volunteering may impact well-being through a variety of mechanisms. It may increase people's perceptions that they matter, that they are an important part of the world. It can instill a sense of purpose in the volunteer and can boost social resources and positive effect, which can have positive health implications. Lyubomirsky reports that helping others can also lead to a sense of capability and accomplishment. Motivation Matters People volunteer for many reasons, including to meet new friends, to build personal skills, and to help others. Often, people are motivated by multiple goals. But the type of motivation driving the behavior may impact the benefits one receives. In a study reported in 2012, Konrath and colleagues examined data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study that tracked 10,317 male and female high school graduates since 1957. They found that even after controlling for factors such as socioeconomic status and physical health, people who volunteered experienced a reduced mortality risk four years later than non-volunteers, but only when they were mainly motivated for other-oriented reasons, such as altruistic values or social connection, instead of self-oriented reasons, such as self-enhancement and learning. The authors speculated that perhaps other-oriented motives engage systems that deactivate the stress response and activate restorative hormones such as oxytocin. Regardless of whether one is motivated for other-oriented or self-oriented reasons, self-determination theory posits that the degree to which a behavior is self-directed predicts its effect on well-being. Kasser and Ryan found that people experienced greater well-being when pursuing intrinsic goals (those that are inherently rewarding and done for their own sake), but not extrinsic ones (those that are done for some external reward or end goal). Intrinsic goals may impact a person's well-being by fulfilling the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Volunteering for things that you feel passionate about and are intrinsically motivated to do may help you to experience greater health benefits and protect you from burnout. Beyond Individual to Society The implications of volunteering obviously extend beyond the individual. With greater human capital allocated to vital missions more people can be helped. According to Lyubomirsky, being kind and generous leads one to perceive others more positively and fosters a heightened sense of interdependence and cooperation in the community. Given the individual and societal benefits of volunteering, perhaps this is something to consider doing throughout the year. Jenny Brennan, MAPP 2012, is a researcher, writer, and consultant who helps organizations develop their young professional workforces and empower employees through positive communication. She also helps individuals experience greater resilience and well-being. Ms. Brennan has 15 years of nonprofit management, issue advocacy, and corporate communications experience. She writes about self-compassion and ways that individuals and organization can harness positive psychology for social good. Here's an easy holiday memory to relive or a new tradition to begin . . . When Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863) wrote the poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" also known as "A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822, he had no plans to share the poem publicly; it is believed that a family friend, Miss H. Butler, sent a copy of the poem to the New York Sentinel, which then published the poem anonymously. The first publication date was December 23, 1823, and it was an immediate success. It was not until 1844 that Clement Clarke Moore claimed ownership when the work was included in a book of his poetry. Years ago we memorized and shared it with our boys each Christmas Eve. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name! Research reveals that happy memories are a sure-fire way to boost our current happiness levels. A friend's recent post on Facebook brought back a flood of positive memories and feelings for me, and reminded me about the research on the positive connection between the past and the present and our happiness. Reliving positive memories definitely increases our current happiness levels, so why not spend some time this weekend remembering "the good times"? Find a way to relax and sip a cup of tea, hot chocolate, or a glass of wine, and then simply remember the good times – even if the good times were just last week. Add some background music, photos, books etc., anything that will help you recall all those sweet holiday moments that are hiding beneath the tension and stress of this year's holiday season. If you are lucky, lots of moments have already come rushing back, savor and enjoy them! If you are saying to yourself, "What happy holidays moments?", don't worry. Simply close your eyes and imagine a positive holiday scene from a movie or book. Sounds silly, but it works! Then, if you like, you can extend your journey down-positive-memory lane, by finding a way to work your memories, real or imagined, into this year's holiday season. If the smell of cookies baking holds sweet memories for you, bake some, even if you just buy and bake a ready-to-go roll from the store. Or visit a bakery and soak in the scents. If decorations are part of your holiday memories, try to find a mini-version of something you remember and love - a pine-scented branch can bring you as much pleasure as a 10 ft Christmas tree and one special ornament can be the perfect substitute for a houseful of decorations, as long as you choose it with intent and care. If ice-skating or tobogganing illicit invigorating memories, but time or resources are short, a walk in the woods or park can bring back all those positive outdoor vibes. And, if your reservoir of holiday memories is not brimming with blissful moments take a minute or two to create some. Staring up at a starlit sky on a clear winter's night can work wonders for your mood, and may help you create new memories. Even squinting at Christmas lights can release a flood of positive emotions. Learn to take advantage of each and every moment in the days ahead. Happy Thanksgiving! I thought today was a great day to share with you this wonderful post by Amit Amin from his blog "Happier Human". As you know, I usually write the Wishful Thinking Works posts, but since this is a holiday extra and I'm so thankful that Amit has gathered such a fantastic collection of facts and figures about "How Gratitude Can Change Your Life", I thought I would share it with you. I hope you enjoy it whether you read it today, tomorrow, over the weekend or in the weeks ahead. I know gratitude works, because even though I am thousands of miles from my family my heart is full with the kindness of my friends here and the knowledge that Peace Corps has brought us together again! A five-minute a day gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent.a1,a2,a3 That's 2.5x the impact of winning more than $1,000,000 in the lottery!a4 How does a free five minute activity do what $1,000,000+ can't? Gratitude improves our health, relationships, emotions, personality, and career. Sure, $1,000,000 is pretty awesome, but because of hedonic adaption we quickly get used to the money and stop having as much fun and happiness as we did at first. How can 5 minutes a day have such a large impact? Gratitude makes us feel more gratitude. This is why a five-minute a week gratitude journal can make us so much happier. The actual gratitude produced during those five minutes is small, but the emotions of gratitude felt during those five-minutes are enough to trigger a grateful mood. While in a grateful mood, we will feel gratitude more frequently, when we do feel gratitude it will be more intense and held for longer, and we will feel gratitude for more things at the same time. In five words – gratitude triggers positive feedback loops. Hedonic what? After repeated exposure to the same emotion-producing stimulus, we tend to experience less of the emotion. Put more simply, we get use to the good things that happen to us. This also means that we get use to the bad things that happen to us. Those who have been disabled have a remarkable ability to rebound – initially they may feel terrible, but after months or years they are on average just as happy as everyone else. Hedonic adaption gives unparalleled resiliency, and keeps us motivated to achieve ever greater things. It also kills our marriages – we get use to our amazing spouse (or kids, or job, or house, or car, or game). We stop seeing as much positive and start complaining. It is a psychological imperative to fight hedonic adaption if we want to maximize happiness. Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal. Why does it take several months? In all relevant studies, changes occurred slowly. It took several months of continuous practice for the largest benefits to appear. This is for two reasons: Cultivating gratitude is a skill. After three months of practice, I now have the ability to self-generate slight feelings of gratitude and happiness on command. With more time and practice, I expect the intensity and duration of the generated feelings to increase. Gratitude is a personality trait. Some people have more grateful personalities than others. Daily gratitude practice can change our personality, but that takes a long time. 2. Gratitude makes people like us. Gratitude generates social capital – in two studies with 243 total participants, those who were 10% more grateful than average had 17.5% more social capital.b1 Gratitude makes us nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. As a result, it helps us make more friends, deepen our existing relationships, and improve our marriage.b2 Obviously not. I'm a handsome, healthy, and popular young man. I would never be working alone in the dark on my computer writing a blog post. 3. Gratitude makes us healthier. Check it out: There is even reason to believe gratitude can extend your lifespan by a few months or even years.f2,f3,f4 4. Gratitude boosts our career. Gratitude makes you a more effective manager,c1,c2 helps you network, increases your decision making capabilities, increases your productivity, and helps you get mentors and proteges.b1 As a result, gratitude helps you achieve your career goals, as well as making your workplace a more friendly and enjoyable place to be.a2, b2 Do you think this is effective? I'm not suggesting that criticism and self-focus don't have a place in the workplace, but I think we're overdoing it. 65% of Americans didn't receive recognition in the workplace last year.c3 5. Gratitude strengthens our emotions. Gratitude reduces feelings of envy, makes our memories happier, lets us experience good feelings, and helps us bounce back from stress.b2,d1,d2,d3 6. Gratitude develops our personality. It really does, and in potentially life-changing ways.a2,b2,d2,e1,e2 If you're a man, don't worry; gratitude won't transform you into a woman. 7. Gratitude makes us more optimistic.Gratitude is strongly correlated with optimism. Optimism in turn makes us happier, improves our health, and has been shown to increase lifespan by as much as a few years.f1,f2,f3,f4 I'd say a 5 minute a day gratitude journal would be worth it just for this benefit. Show me the science. In one study of keeping a weekly gratitude journal, participants showed a 5% increase in optimism.a2 In another study, keeping a daily gratitude journal resulted in a 15% increase in optimism.a2 Optimism is significantly correlated with gratitude (r=.51).e2 The above studies show that it isn't just correlation – increasing one's level of gratitude increases one's level of optimism. How does gratitude increase optimism? The act of gratitude is the act of focusing on the good in life. If we perceive our current life to have more good, we will also believe our future life to have more good. Optimism is correlated with gratitude because those with an optimistic disposition are biologically more likely to focus on the good (gratitude) than on the bad (personal disappointment, anxiety, etc…). 8. Gratitude reduces materialism. Materialism is strongly correlated with reduced well-being and increased rates of mental disorder.g1 There's nothing wrong with wanting more. The problem with materialism is that it makes people feel less competent, reduces feelings of relatedness and gratitude, reduces their ability to appreciate and enjoy the good in life, generates negative emotions, and makes them more self-centered.g1,g2,g3 Why is materialism negatively correlated with happiness and well-being? The pursuit of wealth and power has been shown in dozens of studies to be a highly inefficient method of increasing well-being and happiness. To be sure, if your income doubles you will be slightly happier. But how much effort do you think is involved in doubling your income? How many sacrifices are required? Motivational speakers will tell you that the money is worth the sacrifices. I disagree. Applying that same level of energy towards strengthening one's relationships, cultivating compassion and gratitude, and so on much more reliably creates positive, transformative change. Said differently, material success is not a very important factor in the happiness of highly grateful people. How does gratitude reduce materialism? Materialism flows from two sources: role models and insecurity. Americans are inundated with materialistic role models every day: from advertisements which highlight materialistic themes, to celebrity culture which glorifies the rich and frivolous, to business culture in which we are told our dreams should be to be rich and powerful. Gratitude helps by reducing our tendency to compare ourselves to those with a higher social status. Those who are insecure, that is, those that have not had their basic psychological needs met (e.g. those who lack confidence, come from a poor background, or had unsupportive parents), are more likely to be materialistic. Gratitude is an effective strategy for reducing insecurity. A grateful emotion is triggered when we perceive an act of benevolence directed towards us. Those who are dispositionally ungrateful are therefore less likely to perceive acts of benevolence, even if they are surrounded by a loving environment. Flipped around, those who cultivate an attitude of gratitude are more likely to perceive an environment of benevolence, which in turn causes their brains to assume they are in an environment full of social support, which in turn kills insecurity and materialism. Will gratitude make me lazy? Those who are more materialistic are more likely to relentlessly pursue wealth. So while gratitude won't make you lazy, over your lifetime you may end up earning less money. You will instead re-focus on other things. You may, for example, spend time with friends, family, and your hobbies. That's a good thing. Regret #2: Working too hard. Gratitude has caused me to focus less on things that don't matter, like making money, and more on the things that do, like my family and this blog. I think that's a good thing. 9. Gratitude increases spiritualism. Spiritual transcendence is highly correlated with feelings of gratitude. That is – the more spiritual you are, the more likely you are to be grateful. This is for two reasons: All major religions espouse gratitude as a virtue.h1 Spirituality spontaneously gives rise to grateful behavior. I believe the opposite to also be true, that gratitude spontaneously gives rise to spiritual attribution, helping one feel closer to God or other religious entities. I am irreligious, and have found gratitude practices to make my spiritual position difficult – those moments when I feel intense gratitude make me want to believe in a benevolent God. My solution has been to re-direct my feelings towards Lady Luck. Why does spirituality give rise to grateful behavior? Many of the sub-traits associated with spirituality are the same sub-traits associated with gratitude. For example, spiritual individuals are more likely to feel a strong spiritual or emotional connection with others, and to believe in inter-connectedness. Both are prerequisites for feeling gratitude – someone who feels weak connections with others, and who believes in the illusion of self-sufficiency is unlikely to feel gratitude. 10. Gratitude makes us less self-centered. I'll be totally honest, I'm a self-centered twat. I'm a lot better now that I've brought gratitude into my life, but I still spend way too much time thinking about myself, and too little thinking about others. I expect this to change – because of my compassion and gratitude practices I am starting to have spontaneous urges to help others. This is because the very nature of gratitude is to focus on others (on their acts of benevolence). In this regard, gratitude practice can be better than self-esteem therapy. Self-esteem therapy focuses the individual back on themselves: I'm smart, I look good, I can succeed, etc…. That can work, but it can also make us narcissistic or even back-fire and lower self-esteem.i1 11. Gratitude increases self-esteem. Imagine a world where no one helps you. Despite your asking and pleading, no one helps you. Now imagine a world where many people help you all of the time for no other reason than that they like you. In which world do you think you would have more self-esteem? Gratitude helps to create a world like that. How does gratitude create a more supportive social dynamic? Gratitude does this in two ways: Gratitude has been shown in multiple studies to make people kinder and more friendly, and that because of that, grateful people have more social capital. This means that grateful people are actually more likely to receive help from others for no reason other than that they are liked and appreciated. Gratitude increases your recognition of benevolence. For example, a person with low self-esteem may view an act of kindness with a skeptical eye, thinking that the benefactor is trying to get something from them. A grateful person would take the kindness at face value, believing themselves to be a person worthy of receiving no-strings-attached kindness. Health 12. Gratitude improves your sleep. Gratitude increases sleep quality, reduces the time required to fall asleep, and increases sleep duration. Said differently, gratitude can help with insomnia.a2,j1 The key is what's on our minds as we're trying to fall asleep. If it's worries about the kids, or anxiety about work, the level of stress in our body will increase, reducing sleep quality, keeping us awake, and cutting our sleep short. If it's thinking about a few things we have to be grateful for today, it will induce the relaxation response, knock us out, and keep us that way. Yes – gratitude is a (safe and free) sleep aid. I don't believe you! In one study of 65 subjects with a chronic pain condition, those who were assigned a daily gratitude journal to be completed at night reported half an hour more sleep than the control group.a2 In another study of 400 healthy people, those participants who had higher scores on a gratitude test also had significantly better sleep. They reported faster time to sleep, improved sleep quality, increased sleep duration, and less difficulty staying awake during the day.j1 This is not because their life was simply better – levels of gratitude are more dependent on personality and life perspective than on life situation. Positive emotion improves health. The details are complicated, but the overall picture is not – if you want to improve your health, improve your mind. This confidence comes from 137 research studies. Gratitude is a positive emotion. It's no far stretch that some of the benefits (e.g. better coping & management of terminal conditions like cancer and HIV,k1,k2 faster recovery from certain medical procedures, positive changes in immune system functioning,k3 more positive health behavior,k4,k5 etc…) apply to gratitude as well. In fact, some recent science shows just that – those who engage in gratitude practices have been shown to feel less pain, go to the doctor less often, have lower blood pressure, and be less likely to develop a mental disorder.a1,a2,k6 I will be honest with you – by combining the results of a few different studies I'm confident that gratitude can extend lifespan, but no single study as yet has actually proven this claim. Here is what we know: optimism and positive emotion in general have been used to successfully predict mortality decades later.f2,f3,f4 The optimistic lived a few years longer than the pessimistic. A few years may not sound like much, but I know when I'm about to die I'd like to have a few more years! We also know that gratitude is strongly correlated with positive emotion. So, gratitude –> positive emotion –> an extra few months or years on earth. With positive psychology research on the rise, I believe we can expect this claim to be rigorously tested within the next five to ten years. 15. Gratitude increase your energy levels. Gratitude and vitality are strongly correlated – the grateful are much more likely to report physical and mental vigor. Show me the data. Study of 238 people found a correlation of .46 between vitality and gratitude.e2 Study of 1662 people found a correlation of .38 between vitality and gratitude. Same study found correlations above .3 even after controlling for the levels of: extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, and perceived social desirability.e2 This means that vitality and gratitude are strongly correlated even after considering the possibility that they are correlated because high-energy people and high-gratitude people share personality traits like extroversion in common. Do people with more energy tend to experience more gratitude, does gratitude lead to increased energy, or is something else going on? I believe it's two of those three: People with high levels of vitality tend to have some of the same traits that highly grateful people do, like high levels of optimism and life satisfaction. In one 11-week study of 96 Americans, those who were instructed to keep a weekly gratitude journal exercised 40 minutes more per week than the control group.a2 No other study has yet to replicate these results. It could be because other gratitude studies testing this effect have been much shorter – in the range of one to three weeks, or it could be because this result was a fluke. Once again, time will tell – but it would not surprise me if being grateful for one's health would increase one's tendency to want to protect it by exercising more. Emotional 17. Gratitude helps us bounce back. Those that have more gratitude have a more pro-active coping style, are more likely to have and seek out social support in times of need, are less likely to develop PTSD, and are more likely to grow in times of stress.b1,b2,d1 According to gratitude researcher Robert Emmons, gratitude is just happiness that we recognize after-the fact to have been caused by the kindness of others. Gratitude doesn't just make us happier, it is happiness in and of itself! That's no surprise – we idealize the illusion of self-sufficiency. Gratitude, pah! That's for the weak. F&ck no it's not. Gratitude feels good, and if the benefits on this page are any indication – gratitude will make you stronger, healthier, and more successful. Are you afraid to admit that luck, God, family members, friends, and/or strangers have and will continue to strongly influence your life? I once was – not only was I less happy, I was also weaker. It takes strength to admit to the truth of inter-dependency. 19. Gratitude makes our memories happier. Our memories are not set in stone, like data stored on a hard-drive. There are dozens of ways our memories get changed over time – we remember things as being worse than they actually were, as being longer or shorter, people as being kinder or crueler, as being more or less interesting, and so on. Experiencing gratitude in the present makes us more likely to remember positive memories,m1 and actually transforms some of our neutral or even negative memories into positive ones.m2 In one study, putting people into a grateful mood helped them find closure of upsetting open memories.m2 During these experiences, participants were more likely to recall positive aspects of the memory than usual, and some of the negative and neutral aspects were transformed into positives. A small bit of jealousy or envy directed at the right target is motivating. Too much produces feelings of insecurity, materialism, inferiority, distrust, and unhappiness. How does gratitude reduce feelings of envy? The personality trait of envy has a correlation of -.39 with the personality trait of gratitude. In addition, on days when people experience more gratitude, they are also more likely to experience less envy.e2 This is likely because an attitude of envy and an attitude of gratitude are largely incompatible. Just like it is impossible to feel optimistic and pessimistic at the same time, gratitude is the act of perceiving benevolence, while envy and jealousy is the act of perceiving inadequacy. Benevolence and inadequacy cannot be completely perceived at the same time. 21. Gratitude helps us relax. Gratitude and positive emotion in general are among the strongest relaxants known to man. I was having trouble sleeping a few nights ago because I was too stressed and couldn't relax. I'll be honest, for the few minutes that I was able to hold feelings of gratitude I almost fell asleep, but holding feelings of gratitude is hard! In this case, too hard – I ended up getting out of bed. Gratitude may be just as or even more effective than relaxation methods such as deep breathing, but because it is also more difficult, is unfeasible as an actual relaxation technique. Think of it like tea – one or two cups help you relax – three of four make you want to empty your bladder. But it could just be me. Perhaps you'll find practices of gratitude more natural and easy. Social 22. Gratitude makes you friendlier. Multiple studies have shown that gratitude induces pro-social behavior. Keeping a gratitude journal is enough to make you more likely to help others with their problems and makes you more likely to offer them emotional support.a2,b1 Why? There are two main reasons. Gratitude helps us perceive kindness, which we have a natural tendency to want to reciprocate. Without the feeling of gratitude, we may not recognize when someone is helping us (the same way anger lets us know when someone is trying to harm us). Gratitude makes us happier and more energetic, both of which are highly linked to pro-social behavior. 23. Gratitude helps your marriage. I've never been married, but from what I've heard, read, and seen, one way marriages start to suffer is that when the passion starts to fizzle, the partners become less appreciative and more naggy. Scientists have put numbers to our intuition and experience, creating an appreciation to naggy ratio. More formally called the Losada ratio, it divides the total number of positive expressions (support, encouragement and appreciation) made during a typical interaction by the number of negative expressions (disapproval, sarcasm, and cynicism). When the ratio was below .9, that is there were 11% more negative expressions than positive expressions, marriages plummeted towards divorce or languishment. Those marriages that lasted and were found satisfying were those with a positivity ratio above 5.1 (five positive expressions to each negative).s1 Building regular practices of gratitude into your marriage is an easy but effective way of raising your positivity ratio. Correlation or causality? Does the positivity ratio actually change the dynamics of a marriage, or does it simply reflect underlying happiness or conflict? Would 'faking' a higher positivity ratio actually change the dynamics of your marriage, or would it be the same as faking your income on a survey – it may let you temporarily feel better, but it doesn't actually make you any richer? There is reason to believe it is both. What we say and how we act becomes who we are. Faking a smile has been shown to actually make people happier. But the effect is only so strong. I believe that for gratitude to truly effect a marriage, it must come from the heart. With enough practice and effort, it can. P.S. You shouldn't take the numbers too literally. A good rule of thumb is three or four positives for each negative means you're doing well. 24. Gratitude makes you look good. Ingratitude is universally regarded with contempt. It's opposite, gratitude, is considered a virtue in all major religions and most modern cultures. It may not be sexy to be grateful, but people will respect you for it. Gratitude is not the same thing as indebtedness, which we rightly avoid. Indebtedness is a negative emotion which carries an assumption of repayment. Gratitude is not the same thing as weakness. Weakness is flattery or subservience. Gratitude is the acknowledgment of kindness with thanks. It takes big balls to acknowledge that we didn't get to where we are all on our own – that without others we may never have made it. That's why, just maybe, gratitude may be sexy too. 25. Gratitude helps you make friends. When I was in college I found it really easy to make new friends. If I hadn't moved out of NYC it would still be easy – living in a farm town makes it difficult. I've found an effective way to start a conversation or move a relationship forward is an expression of gratitude, "thank you for that coffee, it was super delicious." *wink, wink* Ah, my mistake – that's actually what I use to hit on my barista. But you get the point. 26. Gratitude deepens friendships. I have one friend who always deeply thanks me for taking the time to see her. That makes me feel appreciated and that makes me feel good. Wouldn't it make you feel good too? Career 27. Gratitude makes you a more effective manager. Effective management requires a toolbox of skills. Criticism comes all too easily to most, while the ability to feel gratitude and express praise is often lacking. Timely, sincere, specific, behavior focused praise is often a more powerful method of influencing change than criticism. Specifically, multiple studies have found expressions of gratitude to be highly motivating, while expressions of criticism to be slightly de-motivating but providing more expectation clarification.t1,t2 Contrary to expectation, if praise is moderate and behavior focused, repeat expressions of gratitude will not lose their impact, and employee performance will increase.2 Because of our culture, expressions of gratitude are often difficult to give – cultivating an attitude of gratitude will help. I've seen firsthand the powerful difference between interacting with subordinates more with praise, and interacting with some more with criticism. Those I've given more praise are more enthusiastic about working with me, express more creativity, and are so much more fun to work with. Gratitude has been shown across a number of studies to increase social behavior. Two longitudinal studies showed that those with higher levels of gratitude actually developed more social capital than those with lower levels. Gratitude helps you get mentors, protégés, and benefactors. Those who are more grateful are more likely to help others, and to pay it forward, that is, to take on mentoring relationships. But I'm guessing you care more about getting help from mentors and benefactors than being a mentor yourself. Well, that makes sense – having one or more mentors dramatically increases one's success rate. The first level is simple – those who are grateful are more social and also more likely to ask for help. But it goes one step further – we all ask for help at one time, one of the key differences between one-off help and establishing a mentoring relationship is gratitude. Flipped around, what is it that makes a person want to help you on a continuous basis? Gratitude – when their wisdom, experience, and time are well appreciated, mentors will find enjoyment from the process, continuing to help you for weeks, months, or years. 29. Gratitude increases your goal achievement. In one study, participants were asked to write down those goals which they wished to accomplish over the next two months. Those who were instructed to keep a gratitude journal reported more progress on achieving their goals at the end of the study. One result doesn't make science – what you should take away from this is that, at the least, gratitude will not make you lazy and passive. It might even do the opposite! 30. Gratitude improves your decision making. Decision making is really tiring – so tiring that we automate to our subconscious much of the reasoning that goes behind making a decision. Even for the most basic of decisions, like where to go eat, there are dozens of variables to consider: how much time and money do I want to spend, what cuisine would I like today, am I willing to travel far, what should I get once I get there, and so on. If you deliberated on each of these decisions one at a time, your mind would be overwhelmed. The problem gets even worse for more complex decisions like making a diagnosis. In one study, doctors were given a list of ailments from a hypothetical patient and also given a misleading piece of information—that the patient had been diagnosed at another hospital as having lupus. Half the doctors had gratitude evoked by giving them a token of appreciation. Those who did not receive a token of appreciation were more likely to stick with the incorrect diagnosis of lupus; those who did receive the gratitude were energized to expend more energy and to pay their gratitude forward onto their patient. They also considered a wider range of treatment options. The above study shows that gratitude motivates improved decision making. Those who cultivate an attitude of gratitude find tokens of appreciation every day, on their own. 31. Gratitude increases your productivity. Those who are insecure have difficulty focusing because many of their mental resources are tied up with their worries. On the other hand, those who are highly confident are able to be more productive, because they can direct more of their focus towards their work. This operates at both a conscious and subconscious level – we may be getting mentally distracted by our worries, or more commonly, parts of our subconscious mind are expending energy to suppress negative information and concerns.z1 As gratitude has been shown to increase self-esteem and reduce insecurity, this means that it can help us focus and improve our productivity. Gratitude is no cure-all, but it is a massively underutilized tool for improving life-satisfaction and happiness.
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Category Archives: medicine couples. house bodies lecture occasionally about the future of sex, but I find gender as a whole is a fascinating subject. I don't want my blog to get x-rated so need to be a bit careful what I cover and how, but I do think the future of gender is a topic worth writing about and I don't need to get all adulty to make it interesting. If you are adult, you can use your own imagination to colour in any areas left uncoloured. Having said that, I'd still prefer you don't proceed if you are under 18 or easily upset. I will cover this as far as I can. I must also apologise at the outset that I haven't managed to organise my thoughts on this very well. There are a number of dimensions to consider and it doesn't lend itself well to a one dimensional article. There are probably some huge gaping holes in my coverage, even though this is a 10,000 word article. I think of this as an early stage in my thinking and therefore as a work in progress. I would welcome and thoughts on areas I have missed, and some of you will also have personal and first hand gender change experiences that are quite alien to me, that I would like to learn about. Although Einstein relied on it, and I love to copy his example, you simply cant do everything by thought experiment. What is gender? Wikipedia's entry on gender is disappointing and seems lacking in scope. It is typical of academic treatments all too common in Wikipedia that use formality, obfuscation and unnecessary addition of superficial details in place of completeness of scope, understanding or insight. Nevertheless, it serves as a basic foundation on which to build. Its definition of gender: At least that is all pretty clear, but it is clearly pre-IT thinking and too medically oriented so misses a lot of importance. Humans are advanced animals, and their brains and accumulated culture add a great deal of extra scope beyond what nature bequeaths to most creatures. There is no mention in the article of the huge degree of virtualisation, abstraction, compartmenatilisation, multi-dimensionalism or parallelism of gender common in virtual worlds, dream-space and social media and the associate impacts in real world psychology. It is purely two dimensional, recognising genetic and social gender but still only male or female. I don't believe for a moment that gender has suddenly changed beyond recognition or that sociologists must all be blind, so I can only infer that the discipline of gender studies is deliberately self-restricting. I can't imagine why. I don't normally bother with definitions anyway, preferring to live in an analog world where common sense rules. I certainly don't recognise the Wikipedia one as anything other than of historical interest. But let's start with it as just that, assuming the last 30 years hasn't happened yet and that everyone is still hiding in a Victorian closet. Male, female, what else for physical gender? Male and female isn't a bad starting point per se. Natural sexuality uses just two sexes. In the 1990s, a few of my BT colleagues did a study on the numbers of sexes that should be used in genetic algorithms (a method of engineering using random mutations on 'genes', which are typically options for algorithms, and fitness testing, loosely based on Darwinian evolution). They found that the optimal number of sexes averages between 2 and 3. Two is fine, and nature ran with it. But you could have 3 or 4 or any number. It isn't optimal from an evolutionary perspective, but it is for purpose and that is all nature needs. There aren't any common names for additional genders yet, though I am sure names exist within subcultures. Sure, we have male, female, neuter and hermaphrodite and lots of intersex variants, some of which do have names, but that is just one physical dimension and even so, there is some overlap among the names, and disagreement and confusion as to their precise meaning. When we start to add extra genders, there will be far more possible combinations. New chromosomes Initial (birth) physical gender in nature is largely determined by genes. Usually, two X chromosomes make a girl, and an X and Y create a boy. Even then, things can go wrong and some competitive sports issues have been raised in recent years by mismatches between chromosomal state and physical appearance, resulting in arguments over the gender of a winner and their consequential right to compete in that event. It is possible to have X and Y or two Xs and a Y and yet be born with an apparently female body. Before we start on designing new kinds of chromosome, let's look briefly at what we might be designing them for. Opportunity for new gender dimensions Humans treat sex as a recreational and social activity as well as a reproductive one. Some future genders may be involved in reproductive processes and some may not. Some associated activities may generate sexual pleasure, others may not. Some genders could have roles as 'bridges' between two or more other genders, not directly providing any of the genes for future offspring, but involved as a necessary link in the reproductive process, as simple carriers, or genetic filters or processors. Regardless or the biological simplicity or complexity of the role, the organs, gender identity, social roles, rituals, and so on are essentially orthogonal dimensions, so could be designed pretty independently. The timelines for different types would not necessarily be similar, and designs could evolve over time. Obviously, making a new gender capable of reproduction is more difficult than just making a few cosmetic features, especially ones that aren't deeply woven into the sensory or emotional or sexual response systems. Adding new reproduction-capable genders or sexes will presumably require synthetic biology to create new genes, as well as a great deal of imagination and creativity to decide what gonads, genitals, other organs and sexual features to add. There is little point in speculating yet what they would look like, because it is a completely open space for creativity and experimentation. Suppose as well as an X or Y, we were to add A, B, C… and Z chromosomes to carry the genes for them. They would need designed to achieve the features desired, but engineers will be able to do that in due course. We don't yet understand how to design DNA to achieve particular features, but it is only a matter of time before we will. We will also one day be able to make DNA alternatives so won't be limited by its capabilities. Physics and biology certainly allow it, the market will demand it, and engineers will build it. There are different ways of proceeding. We could end up with 3 or more chromosomes, or we could just modify existing ones to incorporate modified genes. Maybe only one type of cell is affected, or a few, or maybe all. Synthetic biology is a relatively open design space. However, we choose to do the bio-engineering, by the end of this century, there could be a range of biological sexes to add to male and female. We will still have neuter, male, female, and hermaphrodite, but also gender A, B, C, …, multi-gender, hybrid genders, and so on ad infinitum. People may be able to pick any blend of them for their offspring. Instead of two genders and a few mutations, we will have lots. Associated practices Creating new types of sex organs and associated mating practices is one thing, but the whole of sexuality could be redesigned at the same time. These new sexes will often interact in completely new ways. There will be arguments over whether some should be classed as new species since not all will be able to interbreed with traditional humans. New gender roles, identities and erotic preferences would all have to be designed and engineered. It would be possible to engineer what makes attractiveness to a particular type of person of a particular gender. This isn't all new, sci-fi writers have included inter-species relationships for decades, though they have generally stuck with traditional male and female in each species. But at least they have got as far as working out some attractive features and rituals, for Klingons at least. Where there is a big gap is in the scope for many genders being involved in an interaction, rather than the traditional one or two. To paraphrase Peter Cochrane, we don't have six genders in nature because the chances of six people getting together at once without any of them having a headache is minimal. We will one day have gender designers and engineers working with sociologists, neuroscientists and many other disciplines to come up with new genders, roles, practices, rituals and attractiveness design. Full Transgender Change of physical gender today requires a lot of pain and mental stress, and isn't something undertaken lightly. Even after all that, biotechnology still can't offer a full chromosomal change and cosmetic surgery can only accomplish so much, so the changes are limited to outward appearance, organ reassignment and hormone medication. Results vary considerably in achieving a convincing change. Perhaps one day, if much hyped nano-medicine ever achieves its full potential, a full chromosomal retrofit and body reshaping may be possible so that the person becomes how they would have been had they been born their chosen gender. In that scenario, if the technology can do all that, then it can probably also achieve pretty much any body design desired, so gender change may be be just one option in a long selection of major body redesigns, way behind youth restoration in popularity. In the extreme, an average looking middle aged man may be able to change into an attractive young woman. And it need not be permanent, they could change back, though I wouldn't expect much of a queue of attractive young women wanting to become middle aged men. It is unlikely that it will become easy to change gender physically, so however much it may appeal as a concept, frequent recreational gender changing of their physical body is unlikely. It will still be something people do once at most. Neural linking of external technology Many people are well used to gadgetry in sex, some leave that kind of play for others. A variety of means are used to create stimulation, but electronic stimulators particularly hint at what the future offers. Stimulation is generated by using cleverly designed toys with electrodes that generate variable voltages and frequencies into relevant parts. In the next decade or two, active skin will use electronics printed directly on to the skin surface, along with some that penetrates deep into the skin to connect to nerve endings, enabling recording and replaying of sensations. It can then be expected that the sophistication, capability and personalisation of sex devices will increase dramatically. It is possible that in the future, a variety of strap-ons, harnesses, sheaths and plugs will exist that not only create intense sexual stimulation, but do so from a library of recorded experiences, or indeed those downloaded from others. Future porn may well include recorded experiences from or with other people, and of course just like conventional porn, these could be enhanced with the neural equivalents of Photoshop. Further in the future, when we understand the brain better, and can engineer direct links into it, it may be that areas of some people's brains may be modified or taught to treat the sensations from these devices as if they were truly part of their bodies. This then reopens the scope for modification of gender. For example, it may be possible for a woman using a strap-on to feel as if it were an actual part of her, getting appropriate sensations from it. This could be sensations appropriate to males, or specially designed new ones for women. This is the most likely starting point for another class of gender modification. Toys could be added to an otherwise conventional body and linked into the nervous system and/or brain so well that they allow true full sensory transgender play. They could also be added alongside other sexual organs and sensations or, by perhaps using TMS-based signal attenuation, it could displace the original sex sensations. By generating another dimension for gender play, it greatly increases the scope for gender fluidity. When mixed with multiple genders, of course the scope increases still further. The person wearing the device may well experience a convincing change in gender from a purely sensory point of view, but their outward appearance to another person would still be that of someone of original gender wearing a device. Outward appearance matters, but a convincing visual change to match the assumed gender could be done using augmented reality. Augmented reality adds another huge area for gender change and experimentation and deserves its own section later. Unlike permanent transgender operations, these devices could be attached and detached at will, allowing people to oscillate freely among genders, opening the door to recreational gender change. Recreational gender change These future sex toys will allow a high level of sensory immersion in a different gender. Their use and popularity is evidenced by the high level of recreational gender change that already features heavily in virtual worlds. Virtual worlds have many applications, but highly relevant to gender play, they are often used for computer games and for socialising, often combining both. They are also heavily used for role play, exploration of new places,, cultures and experiences and experimentation. Gender identity is a bit more fluid than Wikipedia suggests. People role play different genders frequently in computer games and social virtual worlds and the experience can vary across a broad spectrum from totally detached and 3rd party to fully immersive. Sometimes, people may compartmentalise the experience, so they remain fully their normal gender in their real life while playing as another in a game or in a virtual world. Or they might become fully immersed in the role and feel as if they are the other gender for a while. Over prolonged sessions, their gender identity may blur somewhat. Gaming In gaming, people generally play as a character, such as a soldier or superhero, a wizard or alien. They explore worlds that range from totally fantasy to those based on real places and real life. Sometimes, games give a choice of character, and often people will play as a character of different gender to themselves. Men often play as female characters even if they don't have any transgender intent. The standard justification is that they since they are looking at the world through a viewpoint just behind their character, they would rather look for the next 30 hours at an attractive female rear than a male one. Of course, it may also just be fun playing at being female for a while and then the role play can become a superficial gender change experience. Women gamers would find it hard to avoid having to play as a male character occasionally, since many games are designed with only male playable characters. Either way, games are a simple and painless way of exploring another gender superficially. Virtual worlds and social networking Such gender changing becomes a step more real once the game allows interaction with other people. It may still be in the context of a game or role play, but there is a wider spectrum of role play with other real humans involved rather than just lines of computer code. In a game, the real person hides behind their online gamer persona, which then hides behind the game character's avatar. There is still little social risk since the game offers the excuse to play, but the degree of immersion into the other gender is consequently limited too. When the game is removed and it becomes primarily a social networking world, like World of Warcraft or Second Life for example, the player is a step closer to their avatar and their immersion in the gender of their avatar is more real. The deliberate choice of gender and name for their avatar at the outset creates an extra level of buy-in. They are self-representing in a way that a computer game character isn't. Choosing a different gender from their normal self is an act of minor but nevertheless deliberate deception. In spite of that, though some people may present in their normal gender, the temptation to try out a different gender at least once is irresistible to most people. About three quarters of people in virtual worlds and chat rooms have tried presenting as a different gender and some do so very often. When they present as a different gender, the player must then consider not only what they look like to themselves on the screen, but how they present themselves to others and how they are seen. They also have to consider their personality, and the degree to which they modify that to support their virtual gender change. The level of association with the avatar varies from person to person and from time to time, but the result is that virtual gender play varies all the way from frivolous to deeply immersive and self absorbing in way that the person genuinely feels themselves to be the presented gender. It seems reasonable to say that although playing a different gendered character in a computer game isn't always gender play, doing so in an online social context probably always is, even if it is temporary and far less committing than full gender reassignment. By being forced to interact personally rather than just hitting buttons on a controller, the buy-in crosses the boundary. Before looking at the future of this, we need to mention filters. Filters Reality TV is based in large part on the huge gulf that can occur between the image someone thinks they project and what is perceived by the viewer as reality. We see the world, other people and even ourselves through a series of filters. These are at least as important in gender play too. Since people generally haven't any actual experience of fully being another gender, they can only experience their virtual trans-gender through context-specific filters. When presenting to other people as a different gender in a virtual world, several of these filters come into play and they add another dimension. Firstly, the superficial gender that is presented means different things to different people – beyond agreeing on genitalia, we don't all share exactly the same prejudices about what male or female mean. People build up a picture in real life of how it must feel to be another gender and can play to that image but have no way of benchmarking that with real life feeling. Secondly, no-one knows exactly how a particular image would be perceived by another. All they can do is to use their interactions with others as feedback on how convincing they may be. Thirdly, even given an image that someone wants to project, there is another error in the actual presentation of it – there is no perfect feedback system that lets someone see accurately how others perceive what they think they are projecting. Fourthly, there may be a fetishist bias to project an image that appeals to the tastes and fetishes of the person changing gender themselves. In such cases, the outward superficial appearance is what matters most to the person, and the acting out of a fantasy, rather than the immersion in the other gender. So there are errors in presentation, interpretation and difference of meaning, and the experience of gender change may be diluted by other accompanying role plays. Degree of reality The other person may initially see someone in the gender they present, but anyone familiar with online social networking will learn to suspect a gender mismatch so they won't necessarily accept it at face value. They may or may not know the person's real gender, they may only believe it to a point, or they may realise they are presenting an alternative one. But they may not care. The same excuses for presenting a false gender may still be successfully offered if the player doesn't want to admit to any transgender feelings, but gender play is so common online that few would really care. It is a lightweight way of experiencing gender play with others. The lower threshold for gender acceptance also means that the reality of the experience is reduced, since people don't necessarily treat others as they would someone whose gender they are sure of. Other social sites In non-play social sites, role play isn't assumed and the self is more exposed. Some sites such as Google+ enforce the use of real identity, others such as Facebook don't. Gender play on social networking sites is therefore not as socially acceptable as in virtual worlds where it is considered a routine part of role playing. Virtual worlds ought to be a place where new genders should emerge. The main barriers preventing this in the real world don't exist, though there are still barriers of culture and imagination. So we should expect virtual worlds to be the first places for trying out new genders, with their associated cultural baggage, practices and rituals. Future virtual worlds will have better graphics, full 3d immersion and eventually sensory recording and replay. The quality of communication with others and the quality of shared experiences in 3d realistic environments and situations will increase proportionately. These will make them a more realistic and immersive exploration of the other gender too, and will increase the overall feeling of reality of the experience. What does the absence of new genders in virtual worlds teach us? The lack of new genders on virtual worlds is interesting. People are certainly enthusiastic about experimenting. Changing into robots, drones, monsters, animals, furries, aliens, dolls, even objects is commonplace, and swapping between genders is also commonplace, but apart from male, female, neuter and some shemale variants, there conspicuously aren't any other genders. Is this just failure of imagination, or does it simple reflect the fact that people are coming from an existing state with its associated sexual preferences, and are therefore only drawn to these options? The latter seems the more likely explanation. Immersion Thanks to these filters, the degree of reality of gender changing experiences available in virtual worlds is highly variable, both to the person undergoing the gender change and to other people interacting with them. Adding future technology increases the potential sensory quality, but won't necessarily change the social assumptions or trust. If the gender changing is just fetishist self-voyeurism or role play, then that may not matter much, but if the intent is to pass as the other gender then it would matter more. Interaction in virtual worlds today is often just via text chat and animations, but voice changing technology may also be used to pretend in a little more depth. As this improves in quality, it may allow people to pass as an alternative gender much more easily and convincingly. Avatars can be made to look any way, and they will improve in quality over time too. They will become full 3d and some virtual worlds may become fairly convincing replicas of real life. Artificial intelligence can also play a part, acting as a real time coach and filter, changing the outward presentation of a gender by altering or enhancing mannerisms, gestures and other body language, use of verbal language, such as choice of words, phrases, style, subject matter, the lengths of sentences and other clues to gender. At that point we will really start to see crossover of the technology into other forms of chat, with webcams able to change video image, conversational style and content and voice in real time to allow people to pass in real life chat situations as another gender. Some may do so only in social interactions, others may use it for work too. In chat rooms, ever since they started, some people have presented as different genders, so anyone's friends lists will include some people whose real gender they know for certain, some they know for certain are gender-bending, and some in between, where there are varying levels of suspicion that they may not really be their presented gender. Virtual worlds added even more play potential, and soon webcams will increase it further still. Soon, thanks to the trend of working from home, we may not know the genders of the people with whom we are working. Not knowing the genders of all your friends is not new, but it also isn't ubiquitous. Many people have never used a chat room or virtual world, so have no first hand experience of gender confusion. No doubt some people would consider it to be a social problem if people frequently present as another gender from time to time, others will feel perfectly comfortable with it. Augmented reality Augmented reality is a bit different from this, offering more scope for change and adding still more new dimensions to gender play. AR allows computer generated images and data to be overlaid onto the field of view. This started off in everyday practice with simple text and symbols on smart-phone screens, but the idea space is over 20 years old now, and only the technology is holding back realisation. It will quickly evolve into a fully immersive overlay capability where the uses can selectively overlay or replace real world images with computer generate ones. So, virtual architecture may modify the appearance of buildings or streets, virtual fauna and flora will decorate them, and people can be cosmetically enhanced or simply replaced by avatars. That means a user could make all the ugly people look prettier, replace them with images of their favourite celebrities, or just delete them from the field of view (though some mechanism is needed to prevent collisions when they are physically close). There are a number of choices that make it interesting. Firstly, who controls how one person sees another. Is it the viewer, or the person being seen, or some third party such as an application or service provider? Can someone assert their chosen edited appearance on the viewer, and can they do so differently for each group of potential viewers, or tailor how they appear to the context and specifics of that interaction? All of the above? Does the viewer get to choose between an avatar and a real life image, even if an edited one, or an alternative avatar, or a cosmetically enhanced appearance, or is that also decided by the person being seen? If the viewer has control, can they also choose the gender of the other people they see? Can the person being seen assert their chosen gender, and hide their real one from the image production system? Should there be a right to see how someone else is visualising you, or even how they are visualising others? If so, under which circumstances? Should the police be able to check that your visualisation of someone else isn't demeaning or insulting, or a race crime? Should your use of overlays be forced to be recorded in case it needs to be policed in future? Obviously, these choices give a lot of options for potential gender interactions. As well as gender, images could also show people with different ages, races, even species, or as an object, as someone else, or as a group of people, or show a group as an individual. Someone playing a character in a computer game or virtual world may find it fun to use that same character avatar on the high street. A full AR replacement of people in the street could be a very different world to live in. There would be some social pressure on application providers to prevent too much abuse of such systems, but also some demands from minority groups to protect their specific interests. It seems reasonable that a transgendered person or a transvestite should have the right to present themselves as their chosen gender. Since someone may be just exploring gender options prior to considering becoming transgendered, that right would also need to extend to casual recreational gender change. But that only requires that their original gender be concealed from the viewer or system. It doesn't prevent the viewer from replacing or modifying what they see. They could still replace any stranger's image with a customised one of their own choosing, and it isn't necessary to know anything about the stranger to do so. So it is possible to protect transgender rights while still allowing viewers to choose how they modify the world they see. Augmented reality also allows people to select and apply components of how they (or an application provider) believe other genders might feel by changing the appearance of the world to that ideal. Certain parts of images may be enhanced or dulled to reflect the relative importance. A crude example may be feminising it by adding more pinks or flowers or children or female oriented ads. Hopefully, the reality would be a little more sophisticated. Augmented reality will objectify women Our treatment of others varies according to how we perceive their gender. Augmented reality will bring many benefits and improve our lives in many ways, such as enjoying virtual architecture, playing immersive computer games while a partner is shopping, or enjoying artworks transposed onto walls in the high street. But it won't all be wonderful. In spite of marketing hype and misrepresentation of basic location based services, AR is only here in very primitive form today, outside the lab anyway. But very soon, we will use visors and contact lenses to enable a fully 3D, hi-res overlay on the real world. So notionally, someone can make everything in the world look how they want, but only to a point. They can transform a dull shop or office into an elaborate palace of spaceship. But even if they change what these look like, you still need to represent real physical structures and obstacles in your fantasy overlay world, or they may bump into them, and that includes all the walls and furniture, lamp posts, bollards, vehicles, and of course other people. Augmented reality allows us to change their appearance thoroughly but they still need to be there somehow. When it comes to people, there will be some small battles. Each of us may have a wide variety of avatars, and may have invested a great deal of time and money making or buying them. Someone may have a digital aura, hoping to present different avatars to different passers-by according to their profiles. They may want to look younger or thinner or as a character they enjoy playing in a computer game. They may present a selection of options. The avatar they choose to overlay could be any one of the images on offer, that they spent so much time on. Maybe some people get to pick from several on offer, or are restricted to just one that is set for their profile type. However, other people may choose not to see that avatar, but instead to superimpose one of their own choosing. The question of who decides what the viewer sees is the first and most obvious battle in AR and it will probably be won by the viewer (there may be exceptions, and these may be imposed by regulations). The other person will decide how they want to see you, regardless of your preferences. Someone could spend a great deal of time making an avatar or tweaking virtual make-up to perfection, but if someone wants to see Lady Gaga walking past instead of them, they will. A stranger's body becomes no more than an object on which to display any avatar or image someone else chooses. People are quite literally reduced to an object in the AR world. Those with concerns over objectification of women will not like what AR will bring. Firstly they may just take an actual physical appearance (via a video camera built into their visor for example) and digitally change it, so it is still definitely still the target person, but now dressed more nicely, or dressed in sexy lingerie, or how they might look naked, body-fitting any images from a porn site. This could easily be done automatically in real time using some app or other. They could even use the actual face as input to image matching search engines to find the most plausible naked lookalikes. So anyone can digitally dress or undress anyone, not just with their eyes, but with a hi-res visor using sophisticated software and image processing software. They could put anyone in any kind of outfit, change their skin colour or make-up, and make them look as pretty and glamorous or as slutty as they want. The victim won't have any idea what someone looking at them is seeing. They simply won't know whether they are being treated with respect, flattered, or made to look even prettier, which they might not mind, or perhaps being digitally stripped or degraded which they probably will mind a lot. Anyone can treat anyone else as just an object on which to superimpose some other avatar, which could be anything or anyone, a zombie, favourite actress or supermodel. They won't need consent and again the victim won't have any idea what the viewer are seeing. The avatar may make the same gestures and movements as the real person. In some ways this won't be so bad. People are still reduced to objects but at least it isn't that particular individual that they're looking at naked. Most strangers on the high street were just moving obstacles to avoid bumping into anyway. Most people will cope with that bit. It is when interaction starts that it starts to matter. Many people won't enjoy it if someone is chatting to them but looking at someone else entirely, especially if they are a friend or partner. Kissing one person while looking at someone else would be a breach of trust. This sort of thing could and probably will damage a lot of relationships. It's a fairly safe bet that the software to do some or all of this is already in development. Maybe some of it already exists in primitive forms but it will develop quickly once AR display technology is really with us. The visor hardware required is certainly on its way and primitive versions will be here by the end of 2012. In the office, in the home, when you're shopping or at a party, people won't have any idea what or who someone else is seeing when they look at them. The main casualty will be trust. It will make us question how much we trust each of our friends and colleagues and acquaintances. It will build walls. People will often become suspicious of others, not just strangers but friends and colleagues. Some people will become fearful. People may dress as primly as they like, but if the viewer sees them in a slutty outfit, perhaps their behaviour and attitudes will be governed by that rather than reality. So there could be an increase in sexual assault or rape. Women especially may more often be objectified, in more circumstances. Many men objectify women already. In the future AR world , they'll be able to do so far more effectively without everyone knowing. Augmented reality accessories It is possible to use virtual accessories as well as real ones. An augmented reality strap-on or vibrator may look similar to a real one, but of course doesn't have the same physical presence and the same goes for any other imagined accessory for any future gender. If it is to have anything more than a symbolic presence in role play, it needs somehow to connect into the nervous system or at least to be able to create some sort of sensation. Linking a virtual accessory to the peripheral nervous system can be done via active skin, pressure pads, smart gloves or data suits. In the far future it may be possible link directly into the brain. There are lots of options. The potential to make augmented reality accessories that can be associated with real sensations and take a real part in gender–related practices allows new genders to come into play long before they are possible to make genetically. However, we must ask just how 'real' such genders would be. The people using such virtual appliances may take part in interesting experiences, but their original body and original gender remains intact unless they undertake further action. It is possible to have original equipment disconnected or removed, and to use the augmented reality devices instead. It may also be possible to block or attenuate the sensations from them at the brain using derivatives of trans-cranial magnetic stimulation or some future signal blocking means. With this associated physical gender reassignment, augmented reality would offer a proper means of gender change with less trauma. Once we start linking to the peripheral nervous system, we can dissociate the physical acts causing a stimulus from the sensation experienced. Though frivolous and perhaps ridiculous, it is entirely possible to create intense sexual sensation or even orgasm just by typing a capital O on a keyboard, or by any other action. The existing nervous system is limited in its scope though, and it would be better to be able to map sensations onto new areas of the brain. Thanks to research and development on tools to help disabled people interpret the world around them, we know that the brain is able to accept stimuli and learn to interpret and experience them over time. This again offers scope for new genders before we get to building them genetically. Compartmentalising and acting Humans are skilled at presenting filtered or enhanced views of themselves to others. We talk of wearing a shield or a mask. We all do it all the time, at work and socially, presenting edited personas to different groups. Some people are very good at it and become actors. The acting profession is a good point to look for gender insight. Actors often complain that people treat them as if they were the character they play, which shows that for some people, the line between fiction and reality can sometimes get blurred. Presumably, that would make it easier for them to take people's presented gender at face value and perhaps not even consider whether it may be faked. Another clue from acting is that actors sometimes practise for a role by immersing themselves in the character's situation, so that they can begin to identify with it more closely and play the role more naturally. In essence they are deliberately blurring the lines of their own fiction and reality. Or at least part of it. From birth, we start registering differences between male and female. Each of us forms a unique view of how it is to be our own gender and how it might feel to be another. If we try to act as if we were another gender, that is the prejudice we have to start from. To improve on that, some people live part or full time in the guise of the other gender, just as actors may live in their character. Gender reassignment surgery usually follows a lengthy period of such living, since it isn't properly reversible, yet. This ensures that the person feels comfortable in their new gender before the final commitment. They will experience others' reactions to themselves but may also feel differently while in the other gender. The playing of the new role is important because it changes how someone feels inside, not just how they look outside. Recreational gender changing is temporary in nature and therefore lends itself more to compartmentalising rather than essentially practising a new life. Again, like acting, someone knows who they 'really' are, but allocates a sub-mindset to play their role. Someone presenting themselves as another gender in a chat room or virtual world is likely compartmentalising. They have a normal everyday life as one gender, but play act with a particular mindset in their chat room role. There isn't a limit on how many roles someone can act. In everyday life, we all have dozens of slightly different personas to cover all the different social groups we belong to. In chat rooms and virtual worlds, people often have several alternative personas, or alts. Some people use over twenty regularly. That is easy to understand, but what is surprising is that they manage successfully to use several at the same time. They may even have one of their alts apparently chatting to other ones so that they can maintain the pretence. This requires a degree of skill to keep them all separate and prevent others from suspecting. But it is exactly that skill that also allows someone to compartmentalise gender. People may have some alts in one gender and some in another. Some may flip between them. They use the appropriate gender filters to present each one according to circumstance. Such compartmentalisation skill is common, and shows that some people will be adept at doing so with future genders too. They will have to juggle lots of roles, with all the associated memory and behaviours, and they will do so in games, chat rooms, social networking sites, virtual worlds, and augmented reality overlays, and in a wide variety of everyday business and social interactions, but they will have AI to help them translate body and verbal language between them, handle all their avatars, and even act in their place or alongside when they are not sufficiently present. We can only expect gender to become even more blurred and dynamic as recreational gender play becomes more powerful and immersive. Blurring of gender identity That raises the question of degree to which someone's psychological gender identity can blur as a result of frequent recreational gender play. If someone puts effort into presenting as another gender for significant periods, running the appropriate emulators alongside the normal ones, it is inevitable that they will gradually adopt some of what they consider to be the attitudes of the other gender, and some behaviours will cross over into their other compartments. The various models all have to access some of the same underlying thinking and control processes – they won't all be duplicated and kept separate – so the appropriate neural circuitry and skills will change accordingly. This must be especially so in areas that don't get shielded from outsiders, the ones they don't think of as particularly visible or gender-relevant, because they are less careful to keep them in separate compartments. Over time, their gender identity will inevitably blur. This may well make them more accepting and tolerant of the other gender, but if they are frequent recreational gender changers, that is unlikely to have been an issue in the first place. Dreams Dreams are related to games and virtual worlds. They share some of the same mental emulation of a perceived reality, albeit in dreams the emulator is heavily distorted and filtered. Some people sometimes dream of themselves in another gender. It may feature as a central part of the dream storyline, perhaps that somehow they have been transformed, it may be that they just happen to be that gender, or it may be purely incidental, not particularly relevant to the storyline. Or it may be a way of indulging in an aspirational gender change for someone who has transgender thoughts. In lucid dreams, it can even be a form of recreational gender change. Which brings us nicely to the idea that we will soon be able to choose what we dream of, and link our dreams to those of other people. Gender play in dreams may then become as common as it already is in virtual worlds. Augmented reality could use a variety of displays, including goggles or active contact lenses. Contact lenses have the advantage of being under the eyelids so the images can be seen even when eyes are closed. During dreams, feedback from brain signals could be used to direct the selection of imagery produced in the lenses, enhancing dreams and allowing them to be linked with those of other people. This is closer than you may imagine. Even today it is possible to pick up clues as to the images the person is seeing, and this could link into programming in an augmented reality system to generate additional appropriate imagery. We are all familiar with building external sound into dreams, and we should expect that augmented reality images could also be used by our brains. So if programs are designed well, they could use the topic detected from the sleeper as an input to search utilities, then playing appropriate media to enhance or even guide the dreamer. This would allow some element of choice before sleep, where the person could pick dreams from a menu, and have a good chance of experiencing them. Gender could be one of the choices of course. It will be possible to link people's dreams together, provided they are both in a dream state at the same time. Detecting signals from each one and feeding in appropriate augmented reality to each, they could be guided along converging paths until their dreams overlap. Then they would be able to interact with each other in the dreams using nerve signals to directly control the dream 'avatar' in the other person's dream. Ongoing development of thought recognition should enable such dreams not only to be gently guided but also recorded. Dreams feel more immersive and real than computer games so gender play in them may be more significant in some ways. Habitually dreaming as another gender may have long term effects on waking state too. Voyeuristic gender play People may choose to swap gender for a variety of reasons. Men often choose a female version of the hero in computer games, so that they can look at an attractive woman for the next 30 hours rather than a man. They are acting female for purely voyeuristic reasons, not as a means of gender experimentation. Similarly in virtual worlds, people may choose an alternative gender for the avatar simply so that they can look at them or watch them act out a role in a fantasy. This is very different from wanting to be that gender. However, someone else may do exactly the same things to try and experience being that gender. Intent is important, not the act. Intent governs the degree of association with that gender. Are they living the character, or just watching the character? Aspirational gender In contrast to voyeuristic play, someone may genuinely aspire to be another gender or to adopt some of its characteristics. They may want the full TG package, or may want to pick and mix from their picture of the traits on offer, TG-lite if you will. There are very many variants of this. Physically, there are lots of combinations of surgical and hormonal changes, as well as simple use of cosmetics. There are also many variations of feminised, camp or tomboyish behaviour, which may result from natural, environmental or medical use of hormones, exposure to cultural pressures or from deliberate personal choice. Pick and mix gender is illustrated in typical sissy play, where a basket of cherry-picked feminine attributes and behaviours are assembled while retaining the underlying masculinity. This falls short of the full gender change play that also happens in such worlds. The outlets in virtual worlds allow people to indulge many behaviours they associate with another gender safely, and they can do so openly or hidden as they wish. The result is a rich mixture of variations of the two standard genders. Some people feel that they are the wrong gender and some badly enough to go through the trauma of surgical reassignment, but there are many more who would change if they could do so easily and painlessly, and probably even more who would choose to be another gender if they were able to live their life again or reincarnate. The social barriers to changing are high, as are the physical ones. But that doesn't necessarily affect the aspiration to change gender. Technologies that allow this in part or avoiding negative social issues would cater to these latent gender changers and thus be relatively popular since they allow at least some of the frustrated aspirations to be achieved. Environmental impact on gender - exposure to feminising chemicals Many studies over the last decade (and even earlier) have shown endocrine disruptors (which mimic the behaviour of estrogens) in the environment causing feminisation in insects, fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals. Such chemicals come from plastics, packaging, pesticides, cleaning products and even shampoo and the linings of tin cans. In extreme cases, polluted rivers have seen 100% of male fish (Roach) becoming hermaphrodite. Effects are greater in the young. Google it for examples. You'll find lots. Humans are animals too of course, and although they may not have enough exposure to human endocrine disruptors in our everyday environment to cause adult men to actually change into women, again there do appear to be significant effects, especially on such things as sperm counts, breast development and testicular cancer rates. Sperm counts have fallen dramatically over the last few decades. In the womb, effects are potentially far greater. In 2007, the Arctic Measurement and Assessment Program found twice as many girls as boys being born due to levels of chemicals in the blood of pregnant women there that were high enough to cause gender change. In Japan too, fewer boys are being born. Surprisingly perhaps, the effects on humans have not had much study, but this is perhaps because of the potential reactions of militants in the gay and transgender communities. It is a sensitive area, but we ought to be able to discuss it properly and openly. We are using more and more chemicals in our everyday lives – more hygiene and cleaning products, more processed foods, more packaging, more plastics generally. Exposure to human endocrine disruptors is already high and may become higher if we keep brushing the issues under the carpet. What is at stake? If men are becoming feminised, we will gradually lose the contributions of one end of the masculinity spectrum. Gender lines have already blurred and are blurring further, and the impact on our culture is as important as the impact on health and fertility. These problems will escalate if unborn babies and younger generations with greater vulnerability are exposed to relatively higher exposures. It does seem that men are showing their feminine sides far more than used to be the norm. Are metrosexuals in increasing abundance because of fashion and cultural exposure, or because of chemicals changing their preferences, or a combination. Why do men cry more now? Why are more men gay and bisexual than before? Why do far more teenage boys want gender changes than before? Any one trend arises from a combination of factors, but if the overall feminisation is due in part to chemical exposure, and it probably is, then perhaps that is a problem that should be fixed. Genders are important and should be a matter of choice human culture and social make-up shouldn't be dictated by pollution. Why does it matter? Male, female, inter-gender and transgender people make diverse contributions to overall society and culture. The different ways men behave and think and react and emote, or not should be valued and preserved as well as other genders and behaviours. The feminised end of the male spectrum is growing, but we should worry about losing 'straight', non-metrosexual masculinity. It has value too. In the gender spectrum, one end of the male part is becoming fainter while the other intensifies. So what to do? If cultural and chemical effects on men created pressure in opposite directions, they might cancel to some degree, but they don't. They both create feminising pressure. Men have been under strong social and media pressure to feminise for decades. It simply isn't fashionable to be a man today. Male behaviour is ridiculed routinely throughout the media, especially in advertising, with men portrayed as cavemen and idiots in a world of highly evolved and intelligent women. Men are encouraged to explore and show their feminine sides. The UK and US education systems have been restructured to favour the ways girls learn. Boys are punished and put down in the playground if they dare to behave as boys. Selection of participants in reality TV shows such as 'Big Brother', 'I'm a Celebrity' and 'Come dine with me' greatly favours feminised men to fill the male half. TV presenting is the same. Women have significantly greater legal rights than men. In the workplace, women and gay men are heavily protected and given positive discrimination at the expense of straight men. While chemical exposure is already creating biological feminising pressure, society is kicking masculinity while it's down. We should obviously start to limit exposure to chemicals that cause feminisation. But society should also question its attitudes and consider the long term consequences of anti-masculinity pressure. Do we really want a world with only feminised men? Masculinity deserves to be preserved too. Symbionts Science fiction (such as Star Trek) holds the concepts of symbionts, organisms that share bodies, where one acts as a host or carrier for the other in a symbiotic relationship, though of course it could equally be parasitic or commensalistic. This sort of thing could extend to gender too, where two distinct characters interact, share or overlap in such ways that they form a gender together. Separately they may have no gender or hold a different one, but when linked together they generate a new distinct gender. The question arises as to how far this concept could be taken. In principle, quite far. One group could participate in a number of distinct genders depending how they combine with other groups. Three or more could combine. They could have some physical, some neural, and some virtual links. With many different ways of connecting and sharing sensations, emotions and thoughts, with many combinations of organism and indeed synthetic organisms or AIs, the idea space is huge. Gender forcing Some people have fantasies (or nightmares for a few too) of forced gender change. In the real world, this would be a relatively rare event (I assume that some people enslaved in the sex trade may have forced gender change, but have no idea how widespread a problem that is) but in virtual worlds, it apparently happens quite a lot. Of course, the victim may want it to happen, in which case they would simply be enjoying no-fault recreational gender change while pushing the blame onto someone else. But it could also be genuinely unwanted. As a part of role play or a game forfeit, and temporary, it may still be accepted. If it is permanent that might be very different. In such a case, it could have more severe consequences. Widely different degrees of reality and immersion are possible, as I have discussed already. If someone is forced into a different gender even in a virtual world and can't revert for some reason, maybe their identity irrevocably locked to that gender, then they would simply have to get used to it, or leave that virtual world. It wouldn't necessarily always be possible to create a new identity to escape and the social costs of leaving entirely might make the new gender the lesser of two evils. This could extend to some augmented reality applications, again with varying degrees of immersion and realism. A closely related problem is that if someone assumes a different gender in a virtual world for a significant time, they may accumulate valued relationships that would be damaged if they were to change to their real gender, so again the costs of reverting would be unacceptable and they are effectively locked in their presented gender. Since there is so much gender play in virtual environments, I suspect this is not likely to be a major issue overall, but it still could be for particular individuals or relationships. Although less likely than in socialising virtual worlds, it is possible that employees in geographically spread virtual companies could present to some or all of their colleagues as an alternative gender than their reality, and reverting could potentially thus come at a career cost. Video and voice changing technologies will make such pretence easier and perhaps more common. Fiction has many examples of people presenting in a different gender to colleagues for professional reasons. The spread of freelancing and virtual companies makes it more likely, and the potential lock-in would follow. So gender forcing is already here, albeit mainly virtually. The magnitude of the problems would presumably simply scale with the degree and intensity of recreational gender play, since other forcing issues would correlate highly with this too. Empathetic gender play Compartmentalising allows people to assume multiple parallel threads of behaviour and present different genders or gender-related traits to different groups even at the same time. The personal psychological costs and difficulty associated with this would vary between individuals but if it is easy for someone, they may do it a lot. Even without any particular desire to change, they may simply find it easier to empathise with another person by assuming their gender during the encounter. It may be such casual gender changing would happen for other reasons too. Gender as an art form I've always found it fascinating as a technologist and engineer how the first users of new technological breakthroughs are so often artists. As we mess around increasingly with genetics, it can only be a while before we see the first artistic exploration of gender creation. I wouldn't know where to start predicting what artists will do with it, I've already mentioned most of the available dimensions. Part of the fun of art is the surprise when it happens. Let's wait and see. How many genders are there? Most people would initially count male and female, and quickly recall others such as shemales (or ladyboys) and hermaphrodites. But there are already a lot more combinations. Assuming many different degrees of casualness, immersiveness, and commitment, virtualisation, parallelism and multi-threading of gender play, on top of many different states and combinations of physical, hormonal and psychological base, there are already hundreds of possible gender states. This number will grow markedly as we add new dimensions for experimentation. Each extra dimension would include several possible states, so the far future will certainly contain thousands of potential variations. Now that it is all over, it is time to think about the future. The last time the Olympics was held in London was 1948, 64 years ago. Going 64 years in the future, what will it be like then? Watching the Olympics on 3D web TV is about as advanced as it gets today. By the 2024 Olympics, it will be fairly common to use active contact lenses with lasers writing images straight onto your retinas. It will be fully immersive, and almost feel like you're there. In fact, many of the people in the crowd at the games will also use them, to zoom in or watch replays and extra content. The 2028 Olympics will have the first viewers using primitive-but-fun active skin technology to connect their nervous systems so that they can even feel some of the sensations involved. In gyms up and down the land, runners will be able to pretend they are in the race, running on their treadmills virtually against actual Olympians. They'll receive their final placing against the others doing the same. This will improve and by 2040 even domestic active skin sensation recording and replay will feel very convincing. By 2076, we'll have full links between IT and our brains, living the events as if we were athletes ourselves, Total Recall style. Interfacing to the nervous system will help potential Olympic athletes improve their performance quickly, injecting sensations into the body to make perfect movements just feel better, so their body learns the optimal movement quickly. This will show the first improvements in results in 2032, with heptathletes and decathletes performing almost perfectly in every one of their events. The 2050 Olympics will see the first competitors who are children of genetically enhanced parents, and some genetically enhanced themselves. They won't need drugs to out-perform even those regular humans who have overdosed on steroids all their careers. Their careers will last longer too, as biological decline will be less of an issue thanks to their genes. In the same timeframe, drugs will advance enormously too, squeezing extra levels of performance, learning speed, sensory awareness and muscle development. With negative side effects under control, some drugs and implants may be accepted in sports. But fierce arguments over fairness will eventually force a split between the various streams. The 2076 Olympics will be made up of five events. There will be one 'original Olympics' for ordinary unmodified humans, tested thoroughly for any genetic or chemical enhancements, forced to use the same equipment to eliminate technological advantage, possibly given handicaps for any innate genetic advantage they have over the competition. There will be another for the disabled, many of whom will resist being made 'normal', even if technology permits. There will be another for robots, with advanced AI and a range of 'body types', used as a show-off event for technology companies. Another stream will take place one for un-enhanced athletes using advanced drugs, implant technology, superior equipment, and even externally linked IT to gain technological advantage and make more exciting sport. It will be far from 'natural', but viewers won't care. And finally, another event for biologically and neurally enhanced super-humans, without any other technology advantage. These streams couldn't compete fairly head on, but will make distinct events with distinct flavours and advantages. The spirit of The Games will live on even with this split, and still only the very best will be able to compete, but they will be bigger, better and more exciting for everyone. 3D printers are growing in popularity, with a wide range in price from domestic models to high-end industrial printers. The field is already over-hyped, but there is still room for even more, so here we go. Restoration 3D printing is a good solution for production of items in one-off or small run quantity, so restoration is one field that will particularly benefit. If a component of a machine is damaged or missing, it can be replaced, if a piece has been broken off an ornament, a 3D scan of the remaining piece could be compared with how it should be and 3D patches designed and printed to restore the full object. Creativity & Crafts Creativity too will benefit. Especially with assistance from clever software, many people will find that what they thought was their small streak of creativity is actually not that small at all, and will be encouraged to create. The amateur art world can be expected to expand greatly, both in virtual art and physical sculpture. We will see a new renaissance, especially in sculpture and crafts, but also in imaginative hybrid virtual-physical arts. Physical objects may be printed or remain virtual, displayed in augmented reality perhaps. Some of these will be scalable, with tiny versions made on home 3D printers. People may use these test prints to refine their works, and possibly then have larger ones produced on more expensive printers owned by clubs or businesses. They could print it using the 3D printing firm down the road, or just upload the design to a web-based producer for printing and home delivery later in the week. Fashion will benefit from 3D printing too, with accessories designed or downloaded and printed on demand. A customer may not want to design their own accessories fully, but may start with a choice of template of some sort that they customise to taste, so that their accessories are still personalised but don't need to much involvement of time and effort. Could printed miniatures become as important as photos? People take a lot of photos and videos, and they are a key tool in social networking as well as capturing memories. If 3D scans or photos are taken, and miniature physical models printed, they might have a greater social and personal value even than photos. Micro-robotics and espionage 3D printing is capable of making lots of intricate parts that would be hard to manufacture by any other means, so should be appropriate for some of the parts useful in making small robots, such as tiny insects that can fly into properties undetected. Internal printing Conventional 3D printers, if there can be such a thing so early in their development, use line of sight to make objects by building them in thin layers. Although this allows elaborate structures to be made, it doesn't allow everything, and there are some structures or objects that would be more easily made if it were possible to print internally. Although lasers would be of little use in opaque objects, x-rays might work fine in some circumstances. This would allow retro-fitting too. Cancer treatment If x-ray or printing can be made to work, then it may be possible to build heating circuits inside cancers, and then inductive power supplies could burn away the tumours. Alternatively, smart circuits could be implanted to activate encapsulated drugs when they arrive at the scene. This would require a one-off exposure to x-rays, but not necessarily similarly damaging levels to those used in radiotherapy. Direct brain-machine links Looking further ahead, internal printing of circuits or electronic components inside the brain will be a superb means to do interfacing between man and machine. X-rays can in principle be focused to 1nm, easily fine enough resolution to make contacts to specific brain regions. Obviously x-rays are not something that people would want to be exposed to frequently, but many people would volunteer (e.g. I would) to have some circuits implanted at least for R&D purposes, since greater insights into how the brain does stuff will accelerate greatly the development of biomimetic AI. But if those circuits were able to link parts of the brain to the web for fast thought based access to search, processing, or sensory enhancement, I'd be fighting millions of transhumanists to get to the front of the long queue. I have written and lectured many times on this topic, but it's always worth doing an occasional update. Anyone under 35 today will likely have access to electronic immortality and live forever.Well, not forever, but until the machines running their minds fail. How? Read on. Scientists can already replicate the functions of small parts of the brain, and can essentially replace them in lab animals. Every year, this moves on a little, for all the best reasons. They aren't mad scientists, they are trying to find solutions to enormous human problems such as senility, strokes and general loss of brain function due to normal ageing. These destroy parts of the brain function, so if we can work out how to augment the remaining brain to replace lost function, then that should be a good thing. But although these things start in medical treatment, the military also has an interest in making super-soldiers, with faster reactions, better senses, superior intelligence and so on. And the rest of us present a large and attractive market for cosmetic use of brain augmentation. Most of us would happily pay out for the cosmetic version of all of these things once they become available and safe. I want a higher IQ, perfect memory, better creativity, modifiable personality, enhanced senses and so on. You probably do too., though your list may not be exactly the same as mine. The wish list is long and many of the items on it will become available this century. The timeline goes from today's simple implants and sensory links all the way to a full direct link to most parts of the brain by 2045-2050. This will allow 2-way communication between your organic brain and electronic enhancement, which could physically be almost anywhere, though transmission time limits how far away some functions can be. What starts as a cosmetic enhancement to senses or memory will gradually be enhanced to add IQ, telepathic communication, shared minds and many other areas. Over time, more and more of your mind will actually be housed in the machine world. Some of it will still run in your organic brain, but a reducing proportion, so your brain will become less and less important to your mind's ongoing existence . At some point your organic body will die, and you'll lose that bit, but hey, it's no big deal, most of the bits you actually use are elsewhere. But medical advances are fixing many of the things that might otherwise kill you, and pushing your date of death further into the future. That buys you more time to make the migration. How much time? For young people, the rate of medical advancement expected over the next few decades is such that their expected death date is actually moving further away. Let's clarify that: for anyone under 35, each year, for quite a long period starting soonish, more than a year will be added to their expected lifespan, so they won't be getting closer to dying, they will be getting further away. But only for a time. That rate of development can't continue forever. It will eventually slow down. But realistically, for the developed world and for many in the developing world too, under 35s will live into their late 90s or 100s. If you're 35 today, that means you probably aren't going to die until after 2075, and that is well after the electronic immortality option kicks in. If it appears on the market in the 2050s, as I believe it will for rich or important people, by 2080, it will be cheap and routine and pretty much anyone will have it as an option. So, anyone under 35 has a very good chance of being able to carry on electronically after their body dies. They will buy some sort of android body, or maybe just rent one when they want to do something in the physical world and otherwise stay in the cloud. Space and resource limitations may dictate how much real world presence you are permitted. How many people does this apply to. Median age in the world at the moment in almost exactly 30. 3.5Bn pople are under 30, but some will die too early to benefit. Another 500M in the 30-35 range will make up for the younger ones that die from accidents, wars, disease, or disasters. Then we need to discount for those that won't be able to afford it. After much hand waving and guesstimating, a reasonable estimate of 3Bn results for those that will have reasonable access to electronic immortality, and will probably live to around 100 before that. Wow! We don't just have the first person alive who will live electronically for hundreds of years after their body dies. We have the first 3Bn. They won't live forever. The Earth won't last forever, nor will the rest of the universe. But they will be able to live until someone destroys the equipment or switches them off. Wars or terrorism could do that, or even a future society that turns against the idea. It is far from risk free. But, with a bit of luck maybe they could expect to live for a few hundred years after they 'die'. I know I've made the joke many times, but it's still worth repeating. Soon, death will no longer be a career problem.
eng
3649575e-e7bb-41c3-9ab4-d5054daadf90
http://timeguide.wordpress.com/category/medicine/
Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations for Online Classes So you have a PowerPoint presentation and you want to share it with your class online. Or maybe you have a PowerPoint presentation from a face-to-face class that you are now developing for online delivery. There are various ways to deliver the content of your PowerPoint file online to your class, each with it's own issues and with various levels of accessibilty. This tutorial will look at various options for converting PowerPoint presentations to online versions and discuss the accessibility issues of each. Then we will look at an export option using LecShare for creating HTML versions of PowerPoint files. If you are taking this workshop for flex credit, take the post-assessment test once you have finished the tutorial. Choices for online delivery Following are 8 different scenarios for putting your presentation online. The choices get better with regards to accessibility as you go down the list. Best choices are #5 through #8. Put up your PowerPoint file as is Not recommended Requires viewers to have full version of PowerPoint or Free PowerPoint Viewer (only offered for PC) Will require that large PowerPoint files be downloaded in their entirety before viewing Accessibility factors PowerPoint files can be used with various assistive computer technologies, but most screen readers will need the presentation be in an HTML format to access them. If you post a PowerPoint file on the Web, you need to also post an HTML-based version to ensure maximum accessibility. If the audio portion of the video does not offer the complete content, HTML text will need to be provided on the Web page that contains the video, so that the visually impaired can get access to all of the content. Recommended workflow There is no perfect solution to the issue of converting PowerPoint files to online versions. However, creating an HTML presentation – either by converting the content to Web pages or video delivered on a Web page, is preferable. The option we will look closely at here is using an export tool to create a set of HTML files. Keep in mind that uploading these files can be an issue when using CATE. Correct Authoring in PowerPoint Use the default text and image regions Use the pre-defined template boxes to add the title, subtitle, text and images Cleans up 98% of issues If you need to add another image or text box, change the Slide Layout of the slide to add more boxes Don't ever use the Blank Layout Avoid Text Boxes from Insert menu Following are screen shots showing how to access the Slide Layout templates in the various versions of PowerPoint. PowerPoint 2008 for the Mac Click on the Slide Layouts Tab to reveal the various slide layout templates PowerPoint 2004 for the Mac From the Format menu, choose Slide Layout to open up the Slide Layout panel PowerPoint 2007 for Windows Click on the Home tab and then in the Slides group, select the Layout option PowerPoint 2003 for Windows From the Format menu, choose Slide Layout. The Slide Layout panel will open to the right of the interface. Add alternative text descriptions (ALT tags) to slide images Add ALT tags to images, charts, graphs, etc. ALT tags are descriptions of images, etc. that are read back on screen readers for the visually impaired. In Office 2003 and 2007 for Windows, inserted images will have the name of the file as alternative text by default, but the name of the file may not be appropriate text for ALT text. Think of a concise, succinct description that will supply the student using a screen reader with the necessary information. Mac versions of PowerPoint did not have a feature for adding or editing ALT text until the Office 2011 version of the program with an update to version 14.1 or later. If you are working on a Mac, you have two chioices. One, use Office 20011 and download the latest update or two, add the text descriptions in LecShare, other third party export tool, or in the HTML. To edit the ALT tags in PowerPoint 2011 for the Mac: Be sure you have installed the update to the program to version 14.1 or later Right-click the image in PowerPoint Select the Alt Text tab from the left side of the dialog box Enter text into the Description field To edit the ALT tags in PowerPoint on Windows: Right-click the image From the pop-up menu choose "Format Picture" in PowerPoint 2003 or "Size and Position" in PowerPoint 2007 Select the "Web" tab in PowerPoint 2003 or the "Alt Text" tab in PowerPoint 2007 Enter description in the "Alternative Text" box. Note that by default, PowerPoint has created Alt text based on the image file name. Change as needed to be truly descriptive. Tables Insert a table into a PowerPoint slide by: Slide layout tool – click on the table icon in a slide template box Insert menu > Table Do not use tabs, spaces or text boxes to create tables Imported tables from Word may not be accessible Use LecShare to incorporate the necessary accessibility information such as table summaries, and column or row headers Charts Insert a chart into a PowerPoint slide by: Slide layout tool – click on the chart icon in a slide template box Insert menu > Chart Don't import Charts as images, as the data will not be in an accessible format Don't copy and paste a chart into PowerPoint as the data will need to be added for accessibility LecShare Pro Limitations Working in LecShare Pro LecShare will not change the look of your original PowerPoint presentation, changes you make in LecShare will stay with the file for future conversions, but the presentation quality of the file will not change Do not have PowerPoint open when starting up LecShare Open LecShare Use the File menu > Open command to open a PowerPoint presentation Upon opening a PowerPoint presentation into LecShare, PowerPoint will open, then close on it's own LecShare Interface The Status Lights to the left of the Slide Previews will give you a quick indication if there are any accessibility issues in the presentation by showing a red or yellow light. Use the Slide Previews to locate a slide you want to work on. Green highlights show a slide is OK. Red warnings will show errors that need fixing. Yellow warnings flag items that might need to be addressed and require you to manually check it. Selecting a slide in the Slide Preview will change to show in the larger Current Slide view. The Reading Order Panel allows you to check the reading order and make changes if needed. This panel is also where you can add descriptions to images, correct table or chart accessibility issues, or add audio content to slides. Fixing Alternate Text Missing Errors Images, charts, graphs, etc. need alternate descriptions of images that can be read back on screen readers for the visually impaired. If you need to add alternate text or edit the existing alternate text, follow these steps. Double-click on the slide to fix in the Slide Preview area, the Reading Order/Repair Panel will change to load the editable regions of the selected slide. In the Reading Order/Repair Panel, scroll to the red warning for Alternate Text Missing and double-click on it. The red warning will change to blue and the Image Accessibility Editor opens up. In the Alt text box, enter the appropriate alternate text. If the image is purely decorative and does not convey any content or meaning, click on the "null" checkbox and leave the Alt text blank. Missing Caption/Summary for Tables To be accessible, a table needs either a Table Summary or a Table Caption to give the screen reader user a chance to briefly know what the table data is about before having the screen reader start reading it. Compose a brief description of the table data to add to the table as a caption, and/or write a summary to summarize the contents of the table. An accessible table will also indicate what rows and columns are headers. Steps to make a table accessible: In the Slide Previews, double-click on the slide with a "Missing Caption/Summary" error message to load the slide's editable regions into the Reading Order/Repair Panel. Scroll to the red box and double-click on the "Missing Caption/Summary" message. Click on the check boxes next to Column Headers and Row Headers as needed. If there are more than 1 column or row that are headers, use the drop down menus to set the appropriate number. Add a table caption and/or summary as needed. Make it a concise description and do not copy data from the table. Check on the checkbox "Headers properly assigned" in the lower left corner of the dialog box. Since LecShare cannot determine if the headers are set correctly, this will tell the program that you have manually confirmed that they are set correctly. Press "Done" to close the dialog box and return to the LecShare interface. Missing Caption/Summary for Charts Charts also need a summary and/or a caption to be accessible. Compose a brief description of the chart data to add to the chart as a caption, and/or write a summary to summarize the contents of the chart. Steps to make a chart accessible: Double-click on the slide with a "Missing Caption/Summary" error message to load the slide's editable regions into the Reading Order/Repair Panel. Scroll to the red box and double-click on the "Missing Caption/Summary" message. Add an appropriate chart caption and/or summary as needed. The chart summary is similar to a table summary, make it a concise description but do not copy data from the chart itself. Press "Done" to close the dialog box and return to the LecShare interface. Title Warnings If you have a slide without a title, you will get a red "Missing Title" warning. A slide without a title can be confusing for the person using a screen reader. You will need to add a title. You can make slide title changes in LecShare. Also, if you have more than one slide using the same title, LecShare will flag it with a yellow "Duplicate Title" warning. Having more than one slide with the same title is not a major accessibility issue, you do not have to change it, but it can be less confusing to have slides titled differently. Evaluate if one slide title can be edited for more clarity, or perhaps add "continued" to the second slide with the same title if they are next to each other is sequence. Keep in mind that changes you make in LecShare do not change the PowerPoint file, just the way it is perceived by individuals using screen readers. Changing a title to a slide in LecShare will not change how the text shows on the slide. To edit a slide title: Go to the Edit menu and choose "Slide Titles" to open the "Title Accessibility Editor". Click once on the title of the slide you want to edit and type in your changes. Click on the "Done" button. Setting the Reading Order A slide's contents can easily become out of order if text boxes are used in PowerPoint, or boxes are moved around from their original template position. In LecShare, the Reading Order/Repair Panel offers the ability to change the reading order to ensure a logical reading order by screen readers. Changes you make in LecShare will change the order of how the content is read on a screen reader, but will not re-order the visual display of the content. To change the reading order of slide elements: Select the slide you want to make a change to in the Slide Preview In the Reading Order/Repair Panel, click on the region number that you want to move Click on the Up or Down button Adding Audio to Slides In the pro version of LecShare, you can add audio to a slide and export a QuickTime movie version of the presentation that includes the audio. This effectively becomes another way to create a multi-media version of your presentation. Keep in mind that all multi-media files will need captions to be accessible. If you have a transcript of the audio portion, you can input that into the "Notes" region of each slide in PowerPoint. LecShare will create a "Quick Caption" of the transcript. If you do not use this method, see Procedures for making Multi-Media Files Accessible. The result is an HTML slide presentation with a QuickTime movie containing the audio. See an example. Steps to add audio to slides: Connect a microphone to the computer and make sure the operating system is recognizing it (see Microphone Set Up). Create a transcript for each slide you wish to add audio narration to and place the transcript text into the "Notes" region of the PowerPoint presentation. In LecShare, open the PowerPoint presentation. Navigate to the slide you wish to add audio to and click the "Audio" button in the Reading Order/Repair Panel region. You will be asked if you wish to create an audio file. Click on the "Record" button to begin recording. Speak into a microphone. If you do not like the recording, press the "Record" button to overwrite the previous recording. Alternatively, you can import audio files and add it to an individual slide or a whole presentation. LecShare can import audio in the following formats: .mov (audio only) .mp3 .mp4 (without Digital Rights Management) .wav .aiff .au Steps to import audio for an individual slide: Open a PowerPoint presentation in LecShare Pro. Select the slide to which the audio will be imported. From the "Audio" menu choose "Import". Choose "This slide only." Choose the audio file to import Exporting the Presentation From LecShare Pro, you can export your PowerPoint presentation in four different formats – HTML, QuickTime movie, MPEG-4 video and Microsoft Word document. Following is a screen shot of the Export dialog box in LecShare. You will need to choose which format to save in from the bottom, left of the dialog box, you can choose as many as you want. Nothing will be chosen by default, you will need to choose at least one to see more options. The "IMS Content Package" format choice exports in a zipped content package that can be easily deployed in Moodle or Blackboard. For File Depot or CATE upload, click on the Options button and check on the "Create .zip Archive" option. (CATE users see the Notes about Uploading .zip Files help document) After choosing your output option, you will have an Options button to access more choices. Shown above is the Options dialog box for HTML. "Include Table of Contents" is on by default. Be sure to turn on "Include Lecture's Notes" if you have them, and very important for accessibility is to turn on the "Use Invisible Skip to Content Link", so those using screen readers do not have to wait for all the navigation to be read each time they click to a new slide. Accessible HTML Creates a set of accessible Web pages with a table of contents. You can choose to include lecture notes. The viewer can choose to view the slide show as one long document or a series of Web pages with navigation. See example. LecShare saves a lot of files and nests them in quite a few folders. This is not an issue for those uploading files by FTP to a server, you can just grab the root folder and upload all at the same time. It is however, an issue when uploading to CATE. From the screen shot below, you can see that LecShare has created one folder called "html" and nested three folders inside, one of which, the "images" folder has two more folders nested inside. Also, be aware that there will be 2 different versions of each slide in your presentation that you will need to upload. So, if you have 33 slides, there will be 66 images to upload in the slides folder and also the web_data folder will have twice as many files as you have slides, plus a few extra. QuickTime Movie If you have added audio to your presentation in LecShare Pro, you can choose to export as a QuickTime movie (see adding audio, above). In the Options, you can choose the size and quality of the movie with 3 presets of Low, Medium and High. There is even a choice to embed the movie in a Web page. LecShare will export an HTML file with the necessary code to display the QuickTime movie. Text that you input into the "Notes" region of your PowerPoint file will be used as a transcript to make captions for each slide. It is important that the notes include all of the necessary content of the audio, or the captions will not be sufficient to make the movie pass accessibility standards. MPEG-4 Video (for video iPods) The MPEG-4 Video option will create a video that is compatible with video iPods or other portable video players. The resulting file will not have captioning. If you use this option, you will need to also export an HTML or QuickTime movie with captions to meet accessibility standards. MS Word Document Create a Word Document with all slides placed as images in the document. In the Options, you can choose to save your notes as text following each slide, and you can set the size and quality of the slide images.
eng
be329c4f-5aa8-4698-a0d3-6d47fb718777
http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?67109
David Edison Sloane: My great-grandfather would be all for keeping intact the Energy Independence and Security Act. The law requires light bulbs of all types to be at least 25 percent more energy efficient by 2012. To [Thomas Alva] Edison, that would have been no big deal. He would have immediately embraced the challenge of reducing the power usage of the incandescent light bulb — and regarded it as a great opportunity to offer consumers a better and more ecologically sound product Politico: "House Republicans will bow to their tea party base on Monday by bringing up legislation" aimed at undoing light bulb standards. AP Photo. As Climate Progress reported Friday, Republicans are set to repeal a light bulb efficiency standard that would save consumers $12 billion a year. They claim this is about preserving the incandescent bulb, but as a leading manufacturer told CP: "The reality is, consumers will see no difference at all. The only difference they'll see is lower energy bills because we're creating more efficient incandescent bulbs." Even the centrist Politico points out the pointlessness of this purely ideologically-driven effort: But for those keeping score at home, the proposal that reflects the catcalls of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Michele Bachmann is likely to land in the same dustbin now home to many other GOP energy proposals. Here's more from David Edison Sloane on why his great-grandfather, who invented the incandescent light bulb 132 years ago, would support maintaining the lighting efficiency standard: Edison "light" — the equivalent of taking 17 million cars off the road. Remember, in May, Barton, denied there was any "medical negative" from mercury emitted from coal power plants. So this isn't about the GOP acting as protector of the public — — create better mousetraps… and better light-bulbs. Hear! Hear! Below are earlier comments from the Facebook commenting system: Prokaryotes "Some [GOP] staffers privately admitted…rolling back the lightbulb law seemed like a bad idea". They're just concept sellers. Many times, they don't have much of anything to really back up what their sales points are. The devil's in the details, ie. doesn't really fulfill their concept statements. Guess that makes it a lie, huh? True enough at the concept level, but when there is nothing to really back it up, it's basically a lie. That's why I call them bad sales people. And they'll do it with a smile on their face. They're in every industry. Have people stopped questioning these things? Have people stopped reading the fine print before they sign? There are so many layers to your point that I could appreciate. I could write a book about every angle of it. Your comment is like a hit of acid that shows things in a whole panoply of contrasting and overlapping interpretations, the major insight being that, yes, if AGW really was utterly proven, and temperature and sea level really were surging, most likely a majority of Republicans would vote against nanny statist policies meant to ration energy use. Oh, wait, that's not actually so! They *were* on your bandwagon, before Climategate and all the IPCCgates! I remember now: the light bulb ban was the work of Bush Jr. But since then? IPCC Glaciergate: 2035 was reported instead of 2305, based on a non-peer reviewed magazine article. IPCC Himalayagate: prediction of ice loss were basically made up in a WWF pamphlet. IPCC Greenpeacegate: a Greenpeace official was a lead author on the renewable energy chapter, one who cited his own non-peer reviewed work published with a green energy lobby foundation.a IPCC Amazongate: up to 40 per cent loss of the Amazon rainforest due to AGW was based on a WWF pamphlet about the effects of logging. IPCC Seagate: claimed that 55% of the Netherlands is below sea level, versus the real value of 26%. IPCC Africagate: claim that yields from agriculture could be reduced by up to 50 percent by 2020 were based on a pamphlet a by a Canadian advocacy group, written by an obscure Moroccan academic who specialises in carbon trading. IPCC Pachaurigate: the IPCC chairman was found to be deeply involved in carbon trading schemes, as a chairman of the board of many green energy companies. Welcome to science. Many of the things you discuss were brought up, discussed by scientists, apologized for, and corrected. That's how science works. And you also found less than 10 errors in a document that is hundreds and hundreds of pages long cover numerous topics and subtopics, written by dozens and dozens of separate authors. And even after those errors were corrected, the final conclusions of the document remain unchanged. I could probably find more errors than that in my M.S. thesis, and it wasn't even 100 pages long. You do your best at the time, learn from your mistakes, make the science better next time. In context, the things you mention are just silly. They're just bad sales people, using false precepts as props. (getting away with it though…) Their games get pretty transparent after a while. Mostly vocalizing conceptual points they use to convince the herd to follow along with their agenda. They use every opportunity to keep reinforcing their big bad government, and levering fear to manipulate the herd. I would have to conclude the big bad government results from the behavior of these people, who will spend how many trillion destroying Iraq, give more trillions to the ultra-rich whom they serve, focus on small change related to the current deficit (not solving the problem now), while they look to their next big meals to devour money from Social Security (cash flow positive), and the prey of the sickness industries. They're perfectly happy with government, as long as they're doing the governing, when it serves their interests, and lines their pockets. (it's always been that way with some people) It sells. People keep letting them get away with it. What does that say about their audiences? If people don't put a stop to their behavior it will continue. Why do people keep falling for their values based selling toxicity? They know how to manipulate people. You've gotta give them some negative credit for that. How do you define energy efficiency? If all you want is light, then just measure that. If you want the heat as well, to help heat your home, to incubate eggs, to your house cooler but the rooms you are in warmer, then you would measure light+heat. On the former, CFLs/LEDs win, on the latter, Incandescents win. Meanwhile in the real world - Up to 528 mm of rain in the central or southern parts of the country over the weekend left 11 people dead, four missing, and 106 households flooded. Some 97 houses were inundated in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province and Goheung, South Jeolla Province, 16,444 ha of farmland drenched, and 36 roads destroyed. Jinju saw 318 mm of rain on Saturday alone, a record for July. Overall more than 30 mm of rain per hour drenched Korea over the weekend as a wet-weather front has been shuttling back and forth from north to south since the monsoon season began on June 22. ABILENE, Texas — Abilene broke an all-time low temperature record over the weekend. The low temperature of 84 degrees Saturday morning was the warmest low temperature ever recorded in Abilene. It beat the previous record of 83 degrees – set back on Aug. 11, 1964. As a wildman skeptic of sorts, I would be perfectly happy with a 50% or even 100% tax on Edison bulbs, were I guaranteed that that tax would go to support one thing: R&D into higher efficiency incandescent bulbs, likely based on adding nano-whiskers of metal or carbon fibers to their coiled filaments, and doing it cheaply. The fascist element of the green movement represents its downfall. Guys, you are *banning* things like Puritans instead of actually putting money into improvement of things people actually want. It's a losing strategy. The current law (Public Law 110-140, Section 321) has efficiency standards for incandescent bulbs, which it would not bother to have if their manufacturing was forbidden, eh? I'm not a lawyer, but that's how it looks. See the two tables for general service incandescent lamps on [[Page 121 STAT. 1577]] (3) (A) (ii) (I) (cc). –Very nice to see the Sloane piece on how Edison would have worked on meeting (or exceeding) the efficiency standards. HOW MANY REPUBLICANS DOES IT TAKE TO SCREW OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR A REPUG IN NOV 2012? OR, ARE YOU GOING TO GO THAT REPUG'S GET-OUT-THE-VOTE RALLY AND THROW EGGS AND TOMATOS AT THAT PATHOCRAT. REPUGS ARE PATHOLOGICAL CREATURES AND WE ARE BEING LED TO THE SLAUGHER HOUSE; SOME OF US ARE EVEN NOT AWARE. Maybe we should not have a full time Congress. They work for the Americans (or at least some of them). If they're wasting this much time and cost with these trivial regressive matters, maybe they need less time in Congress. Seriously, with national crises looming, and they're wasting time with this. Maybe they've got too much law making time on their hands. They look like clowns in the eyes of the intelligent world, and people with good common sense. Some should be fired, if that were possible. There's less government for ya. It's the people that are the problem, not the government itself. Bad or incompetent people exist in every big entity. Human behavior is the fundamental problem here. It's whether we let the bad apples ruin the whole bunch that matters
eng
464934ab-0f90-48c5-8fe4-bf44bb401f0b
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/07/11/265064/how-many-republicans-does-it-take-to-screw-up-our-light-bulb-savings/?mobile=nc
(1914-1919): The Weltkrieg 1914: June 28: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is assassinated by Gavrilo Princip.In a reaction Austria-Hungary sends an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia, whose contents are deliberately made unacceptable to the Serbs. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia shortly after receiving German backing. The Russian Empire in turn declares war on Austria-Hungary and the German Empire, dragging its ally, the French Republic, waiting for an opportunity to reclaim Alsace-Lorraine, into the war too. August-September: When Germany invades the neutral Kingdom of Belgium to execute the Schlieffen Plan the British Empire declares war on Germany. The German advance to Paris is halted at the Marne and a series of flanking attempts, known as the Race to the Sea, prove unsuccessful. The war in the West grinds down to a halt. The Germans are much more successful in the East, repulsing the Russian invasion of East Prussia and defeating the Russians at the battles of the Mazurian Lakes and at Tannenberg. The architects of these victories, Field Marshall Hindenburg and General Ludendorff would play key roles in the final German victory. October: The Ottoman Empire joins the Central Powers later in the year, after a dispute with Britain about the confiscation of ships being built for the Empire. November-December: Almost all German colonies are occupied before the end of the year, besides German East-Africa. Here General Von Lettow-Vorbeck will play a game of cat and mouse with the allied forces until the end of the war. 1915: Spring 1915: In the West the lines remain static, but the fighting increases in brutality, with chlorine gas being first used during the Second battle of Ypres on 22th of April. In the Eastern Front, Russia is being pushed back by the Germans, but manages to hold on to Galicia. May: The Kingdom of Italy joins the war on the allied side, hoping to claim the Austro-Hungarian Illyrian provinces. The campaign bogs down to trench warfare. May 7: A German submarine sinks the Lusitania. A severe backlash from the United States of America leads to Germany abandoning its unrestricted submarine warfare, which had hoped to strangle Britain into submission. Many speculated that a continuation of the unrestricted submarine warfare could have led to the entry of the United States into the war. October: The Bulgarian Empire joins the war on the side of the Central Powers and Serbia becomes the first allied nation to be defeated. April 1915-April 1916: In an ill conceived effort to knock the Ottomans out of the War, allied troops land near Gallipoli, hoping to gain control of the vital Dardanelles. The whole campaign becomes a disaster and the allies will pull back their forces before the year ends. A British invasion on Mesopotamia is repelled and the remaining troops retreat to Kut, where the disastrous siege of Kut will start. 1916: February-December: The Battle of Verdun attempts to bleed the French army dry. In reality all sides lost troops equally in a battle which soon loses its military objective. A similar attempt that the British forces at the Somme has the same outcome. 1916 also saw the first use of tanks at the Battle of Cambrai. April: The British troops at Kut are forced to surrender, dealing a heavy blow to British prestige. The Ottomans are being pushed out of the Caucasus and Armenia by a successful Russian campaign. The Sharif of Mecca starts of a general Arab revolt against the Turks. May 31-June 1: At sea the First Battle of Jutland ends in a tactical German victory, but a strategic British victory, as the Hochseeflotte will remain in port until late 1918. June-September: In the East the Brusilov offensive is launched. While very successful at first, the offensive doesn't manage to either knock the Austro-Hungarians out of the war, or drive Germany from Russian Poland. August-December: The Kingdom of Romania tries to profit from Austrian setbacks and invades Transylvania. German assistance would lead to a quick collapse of Romania, with Bucharest being taken by August von Mackensen within the year. Further south the allies have taken positions around Salonika. 1917: March-November: Russia collapses into anarchy, with the Czar abdicating early 1917. A provisional government is formed under Alexandr Kerensky, but this government was overthrown by Lenin's Bolsheviks in November 1917, starting the Russian Civil War. April-October: On the Western front the heavy French casualties lead to a strike among the French soldiers. This would paralyze the French Army until the end of the year, giving Germany a chance to recover from the Brusilov Offensive. July: In Germany chancellor Von Bethmann-Hollweg is forced to resign, being replaced by Georg Michaelis. It was soon clear that Michaelis was little more than a puppet for Hindenburg and Ludendorff. October: In Italy the Caporetto Offensive beats the Italians back, while a last minute defense saves Venice in the nick of time. December: The Ottomans receive blow after blow, with both Baghdad and Jerusalem being lost to British forces. 1918: January: In early January the Peace of Brest-Litovsk is signed between the Germans and the Bolsheviks, freeing thousands of German and Austrian troops. The Bolsheviks turn over Finland, the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine to the Germans. March-May: A great allied spring offensive, designed at breaking the Germans before their reinforcements arrive, is being repulsed at great cost of life. June-July: Operation Teutoberg is launched, attempting to kick Greece out of the war. Instead of assaulting the Salonika stronghold head on, the Central Powers make extensive use of specialized Storm troopers and so called infiltration tactics. The defenders at Salonika are pinned down while the rest of the Central forces sweep through Greece. Athens fell on July 3rd, causing the Greek government to surrender. The forces at Salonika are evacuated soon afterwards. August: General Allenby manages to pull of the last great allied victory of the war, encircling and destroying large parts of the Ottoman Army and conquering Damascus. Only the last minute arrival of two German divisions in Asia Minor prevents an invasion of Anatolia. November: The successful allied tactics against the German u-boats and the blockade of Germany itself leads to a desperate sally of the Hochseeflotte. The Second Battle of Jutland ends in a tie, but the shock of being assaulted forces the Royal Navy to break their blockade. The end of the blockade and the influx of Ukranian grain end all fears of Germany being starved into submission. 1919: February-September: Baron Ungern von Sternberg and his 'Wild division' take the Mongolian capital of Urga, with Sternberg declaring himself Mongolia's supreme ruler. March-September: On the second of March the Germans launch their Great Offensive. The infiltration tactics prove to be successful, with Nancy falling on the 16th. The French organize an ad hoc defense, leaving their flank exposed. An attack on Rheims on the 26th splits the allied forces in two. An attack on Chateau-Thierry meant the French couldn't retreat back to the Marne. In effect the entire French army was forced to retreat south and Paris was now under siege. Operation Radowitz is launched on the 11th of march, attacking the Italian forces from Trento. Vicenza and Verona fall on the 24th pinning the Italians between two Central armies when Venice is reached on the 10th of April. The siege of Venice would last until July, but with most of the Italian army occupied the rest of Italy lay defenseless, with Rome falling on the first of August. Italy would surrender a few days later. The surrender of Italy meant the road to Southern France was now open, with Marseilles falling in September. April: The Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) declares a general strike in reaction to the bloody defeat of the French army during the German Great Offensive and the second mutiny. Its main aim was an immediate end to the war. After the fall of Paris the government of Georges Clemenceau was replaced by a Provisional Government under Aristide Briand. June: Jacobin radicals start a series of attacks on government officials and public buildings, ending a chance of the CGT and Provisional Government reaching an agreement. An attempt of the government to use demobilized soldiers to restore order ends in many soldiers joining the revolutionaries. France in engulfed in a short but bloody war, ending in a victory for the revolutionaries.The CGT starts with the difficult task of changing the French Republic into the Union of the Communes of France. The remains of the French establishment flee to Algiers, setting up a government-in-exile, led by Maréchal Foch. Summer-Fall: The White generals agree to coordinate their efforts with Kerensky's provisional government to fight the Red Army at the Congress of Omsk. Trotsky decides to focus his efforts on defending Moscow, allowing the White armies to retake St. Petersburg. September-October: Allied setbacks would lead to Allenby, and most of his troops, being redeployed to France. Allenby's successor, Sir William Marshall, is forced to slowly retreat because of a lack of man. The retreat of the French army leads to the positions of the BEF becoming indefensible. Most of the British forces were evacuated at Dieppe in June, leaving the French on their own. At this point the French army, battered, war-weary and with little hope of victory was in open rebellion. With a second mutiny, a general uprising of the working classes imminent, the fall of Paris a certainty and Marseilles in German hands, the French government capitulated on the 4th of October, ending the war in Europe. Timeline (1920-1935): Rise of the Internationale Timeline (1920-1935): Rise of the Internationale 1920: The fall of France, Russia, Italy and its allies in the Balkans reduced the Entente to the British Empire, the Empire of Japan and the Portuguese Republic. While none of these countries was under direct German threat, none was able to pose a threat to Germany likewise. The battle between Germany and Britain continued for two more years at sea, with the Battle of Rockall on March 20, 1920, being the last great engagement, best known for the fact a torpedo launched from an airplane from the aerodrome-ship Argus managed to cripple the German battle cruiser SMS Würtemberg. Peace was being made on harsh terms with all former Entente nations: - Serbia to cede Macedonia to Bulgaria and accept Austria-Hungary as its nominal overlord. Montenegro was annexed by Austria outright. (The Serbian King retreated to exile) - Greece to cede Greek Macedonia and Salonika to Bulgaria, while it had to accept a German lease on Crete for as long as the Kaiser deemed necessary. - Romania to cede Oltenia to Austria-Hungary and the port of Constanta to Bulgaria. The oilfields of Ploesti where leased to Germany. Romania was allowed to annex Moldova however. - Italy was split apart in a number of weak republics, duchies and principalities, with some returning on the map of Europe for the first time since 1859 and 1870. The Kingdom of the Sicilies was ravaged by revolution soon afterwards and the Northern states united themselves as the Italian Federation, under the symbolic and spiritual leadership of the Pope. The Veneto was annexed by Austria outright. Libya became a kingdom under Ottoman protection while Germany's last minute ally, the Ethiopian Empire was allowed to annex most of Somalia, mainly because neither Germany nor Austria had any interest in it. - France to cede the French Congo, Madagascar and the French Pacific colonies, in addition to the occupation of parts of French Lorraine. The revolution prevented the ratification of the treaty, causing Germany to simply occupy these colonies. - Belgium was changed into the Kingdom of Flanders-Wallonia, with the Kaisers son Adalbert becoming the new king. The Belgian Congo was given to Germany and Wallonia east of the Meuse, the location of most Belgian industry would be occupied as long as the German government deemed necessary. The Grand-Duchy of Luxemburg would become a constituent state of the German Empire. - In the East the acquisitions of the Brest-Litovsk treaty where organized into a series of puppet states. The Baltics where united into the United Baltic Duchy, with Adolf Friedrich von Mecklenburg becoming its first Grand Duke. The Kaisers brother Heinrich became king Genrikh I of White Ruthenia (Belarus). Poland and Finland became independent states under German protection, with the Kaisers brother-in-law Friedrich-Karl von Hessen becoming king of Finland. Lithuania became independent with Wilhelm von Urach, Duke of Urach, becoming King Mindaugas. The Austrians where allowed to put Archduke Wilhelm Franz on the Ukranian throne in exchange for guarantees about Ukranians rich supplies of coals and grain. January-December: The threat of becoming surrounded by syndicalist states, as well as the presence of Makhno's Black Army in Eastern Ukraine makes Germany intervene in the Russian Civil War. General Wilhelm Groener is ordered to support the White generals in their fight. Groener manages to drive Makhno out of the Ukraine, but fails to rally the Cossacks in support of the Kerensky government. The Cossacks would soon form their own state, just as Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Alash Orda and Turkestan would secede. Georgia quickly fell to the so called Menshevist remnants in the Caucasus. November: Republican candidate Leonard Wood defeats his democratic opponent William McAdoo, replacing president Woodrow Wilson. Wilsons deteriorating heath prevented him from running for another term. Wood would become known for his strong crackdown on socialism and syndicalism alike and a policy of strict isolationism, jailing Eugene V. Debs, but was unable to prevent the Zapatista from gaining control in Mexico. 1921: The war between the Entente and the Central Powers dragged on in 1920 and 1921, with the Royal Navy and Hochseeflotte occasionally butting heads and Central troops trying to break through the British lines at the Suez channel. With no chance of either side breaking the stalemate, and with Russia, France and Southern Italy engulfed by revolution, General Ludendorff proposed a 'Peace with Honor' to the Entente. The remaining Entente members would acknowledge the peace treaties between Germany and the former Entente members and return Germany's colonies in exchange a status-quo peace. The peace itself was signed on November 11th 1921, ending the Weltkrieg after seven long years. February-September: The combined forces of Marshall Denikin and Groeners expeditionary corps defeat the forces of Trotsky and Tukhachevsky at Tsaritsyn on the 21th of February after weeks of bitter street fighting. With the road to Moscow open, Baron Wrangel takes the city in September. Trotsky uses the confusion to flee the country, but the civil war is at an end. 1922: January 1: after the Easter Uprising in 1916 and five years of war, a peace treaty is concluded between UK and Irish rebels that led to the creation of a new Free Irish State on Jan. 1 1922. Negotiations with German ambassador Franz von Papen convinced Michael Collins to offer the crown of King of Ireland to Prince Joachim, but German delays and reluctance to let the Prince depart to Ireland led to the declaration of the Republic in October. Marshall Collins becomes the head of the Irish state. The whole affair was deeply embarrassing to the Ludendorff/Hindenburg junta and was quickly swept under the carpet. August: South Rhodesia joins South Africa, nervous of potential German expansionism in its region. 1923: Having been thrown into depression after his short reign as King of Ireland and his unhappy marriage, Prince Joachim attempted suicide. The scandal is initially covered but leads to speculation. December: Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak attempts to coup the Russian government but fails to secure the vital support of Denikin and Wrangel. He quickly flees to Vladivostock, where the Japanese set him up as president of Transamur. December: The German press, dominated by DVP supporter Alfred Hugenberg, finds out the truth behind Prince Joachims suicide attempt and accuses Ludendorff of mishandling the Irish crisis. Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, now the leader of the DVP, manages to gain the Kaisers support to force de facto dictator Erich Ludendorff to step down. Tirpitz then replaces feeble Michaelis as chancellor. The old and respectable Field Marshall Hindenburg was made minister of war in Tirpitz cabinet, suggesting some kind of behind-the-screen dealings between Tirpitz, Hindenburg and the Kaiser. 1925: Spring: A coalminers strike in Wales quickly escalates into a general strike when the government threatens to send in the army. The strike was quickly followed by a mutiny of parts of the navy and ended with the king and the government fleeing to Canada. A coalition of syndicalists, Labour, Welsh and Scottish nationalists and suffragettes take over the government under the charismatic John McLean. The fall of Britain itself lead to a massive land-grab by many of its longtime enemies. Gibraltar finally fell into Spanish hands once again, while Argentina quickly seized the Falklands, Egypt gained sole authority over the Sudan and the Ottoman Empire regained control over Cyprus. The German Empire managed to secure most of the British African Empire as well as the strategic colonies of Malta, Suez, Aden, Ceylon, the Strait Colonies, Brunei and Sarawak. Australia and New Zealand seize the British part of New Guinea and Fiji. Later in the year both nations would form the Australasian Confederation for mutual protection. India, once the pearl in the British crown breaks down into three new states. The Princes of Kashmir and the Punjab unite with the remnants of the Raj to create British friendly Delhi while a revolt in Bengal leads to the establishment of a syndicalist state there. The Princes of the South form their own, independent Princely Federation. Burma becomes an independent kingdom once again. South Africa manages to secure the Bechuana Protectorate and Nyassaland. Tension between pro-Entente Smuts and pro-republic Hertzog grows. The only thing left for Canada and the Royal Navies Caribbean squadron is to secure the British colonies in the region. These colonies, together with the former French colonies in the region would form the Caribbean Federation. In Canada the senate is replaced by a House of Lords, members of the British aristocracy who fled to Canada. Fall: Xu Shichang manages to become president of the divided Chinese Republic. In an effort to restore order, Xu asks the German Empire to help him restore order in China. In exchange he would accept the restoration of Pu Yi to the Chinese throne. The Guominjun accuses Xu of betraying the Republican principles of Sun Yat-Sen and declares war on him. Winter: In order to manage its many Imperial possessions in Africa,Germany creates the Freistaat Mittelafrika after the model of the British Raj. Field Marshal Von Lettow-Vorbeck becomes its first Stadthalter. 1925-1927: Second Arab Revolt: Ottoman Empire faces against Arab irredentist movements in Mesopotamia, which ends with German intervention. 1926: April: Governor Hans von Seeckt of German Indochina is ordered to intervene in the civil war in support of Xu. Within six months Germany manages to defeat the Guominjun and secure most major centers of industry and population. The opponents of the government retreat to the remote west, Yunnan or Manchuria Pu Yi is restored as Emperor, but has to accept a conglomerate of German enterprises, known as the AOG (Algemeiner Ostasien GmbH) taking economic control of the industrial south. Hans von Seeckt would become its first governor-general. In order to safeguard the economic interests of other major powers all the port cities are united as the Legation Cities and are put under joint control. Japan intervenes too in support of Zhang Zuolin, but isn't willing to risk conflict with Germany. The Fengtian Republic is set up in Manchuria. 1927: March: President Wood dies of a malignant brain tumor. His vice president Irvine Lenroot becomes the next president. May: The renegotiation of the Ausgleich between Austria and Hungary nearly leads to a split up of the Dual Monarchy. Only German intervention prevents the split. The final outcome is a federalization of the Empire, with Bohemia, Galicia-Lodomera, Croatia and Bosnia all gaining limited home-rule. In the confusion Serbia manages to break out of the Austrian sphere of influence. Ukraine, which was part of the Austrian sphere of influence, becomes part of Mitteleuropa, as 'reward' for Germany's mediation. August: Revolts sweep through Guatemala, toppling the government. British Honduras quickly falls to revolution too, joining the new syndicalist state. 1928: November: Republican Herbert Hoover defeats New York governor Al Smith. December: The Central American revolt spreads to El Salvador. Guatemala and El Salvador merge to form the Union of Centroamerican Republics. 1929: April: The inability of the Entente nations to pay off their enormous debts and Germany's heavy protectionism have hurt the American economy for years but in 1929 the New York stock exchange finally collapses, sending America into the Great Depression. The economic crisis remains limited to the American continent, with the European economies now oriented on the Berlin stock exchange. July: The Iron Guard party coups the Romanian government, installing Corneliu Codreanu as the Conductare. 1930: Grand Admiral Afred von Tirpitz dies on the 6th of March. He is replaced by Fieldmarshall Oskar von Hutier, the man finalizing the encirclement of Paris during the Weltkrieg. He was the most successful and popular chancellor in German history behind Otto von Bismarck himself. 1931: In a reaction to the growing threat of Centroamerica, Nicaragua and Costa Rica unite to form the United Provinces of Central America. 1932: November: Herbert Hoover narrowly defeats Franklin D. Roosevelt, mainly because the once Solid South voted for Gerald K. Smith, the candidate put forward by popular Louisiana governor Huey Long and his American First movement. The syndicalists, led by Alexander Berkman and John 'Jack' Reed manage to win the state of New York. December: In South Africa Barry Hertzog wins the elections and declares South Africa to be a republic. South Africa leaves the Entente. May: A series of border skirmishes between Paraguay and Bolivia leads to Argentina and Bolivia go to war over the alleged Bolivian attempts to annex Paraguay. 1934: Argentina manages to drive the Bolivians out of the disputed Gran Chaco region. Brazil decides to intervene on Bolivia's behalf, sparking off the Great South American War. Uruguay is quickly overrun by Brazilian forces, having the misfortune to be in the way. The march towards the River Plate ended in trench warfare. 1935: April: Franklin D. Roosevelt is assassinated on the 12th of April by a radical American Firster. July: Argentinian troops, fresh from defeating Bolivia counterattack the Brazilian lines along the River Plate. The tired Brazilian forces break and Brazil quickly seeks terms. Paraguay and Uruguay join Argentina in the newly created Federation of La Plata. Timeline (1936-1945): The Spread of Syndicalism Timeline (1936-1945): The Spread of Syndicalism 1936: January-July: East Turkestan War: An alliance between Mongolia and the Kingdom of Tibet fought against the Warlords of Xibei San Ma. The war ended with the partitioning of Ma territory between the two countries. November: The Brazillian government collapses due to a worker's revolution. A new Syndicalist Government takes power in Brazil, where in Bolivia, it too suffers a violent revolution that led to the creation of a separate Socialist state. Meanwhile in a four way Presidential Election, Huey Long becomes the 32nd President of the United States. However, Jack Reed of the Combined Syndicates contests the results. 1937: January: The Death of Pope Pius XI, which leads to Austria pushing Josef von Österreich-Toskana as King of the Italian Federation. April: Vladimir I, King of White Ruthenia (Belarus) was assassination when a huge explosion destroyed the National Theatre in Minsk. Sigusmund, his younger brother, succeeds him as King. 1937-1939: American Civil War: Unpopular support across the country over Long's policies as well as MacArthur launching a coup attempt against Long led to several states seceding from the Union. The Combineds Syndicates, taking control of the Great Lakes and spreading control across the Mid-Atlantic, as well as the American United States, which held sway over the South declared war on the federal government. California also seceded, taking Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada with them. However the new Pacific States remained neutral in the conflict. Canada tried to control of New England to prevent the spread of Syndicalism, but the CSA managed to take control before Canada made its move. The war ended with mediation from both the German Empire and the Kingdom of Canada, and all three nations recognized their gain made. First Tuareg Revolt: The French Republic fights the Tuareg Confederation and the Republic of Guinea. First Tuareg War comes to an end with the Rebels reincorporated into French Africa. The Ausglich War: A 4 way war between the Austrian Empire and its former constituent states, the Kingdom of Bohemia, the Kingdom of Hungary and the Kingdom of Croatia is fought over the future of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Croatia annexed the Duchy of Bosnia into its territory, whilst the state of Galicia-Lodomeria was given to the Kingdom of Poland. With German assistance, Austria and the warring nations agreed to the Augslich of 1867, re-creating Austria-Hungary. The Belgrade Pact is formed between the Kingdom of Greece, the Kingdom of Serbia and the Fascist Romanian Government in an attempt to defeat its common enemies, being Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. 1937-1940: Second Spanish Civil War begins: Spanish Royalists fight against pro-Catholic Carlist movement and pro-Syndicalist CNT-FAI. The Spanish Royalist government defeats the Carlists in December, whilst the war with the CNT continued until it ends in a cease-fire armistice, with CNT-FAI largely retaining its possessions. 1939: Central Asian War: The Republic of Alash Orda is confronted by the Islamic Republic of Turkestan to the South, the Mongol Khanate to the West (Turkestan trying to unite the two nations as one Caliphate with Mongol help) and the Don-Kuban Union to the east (looking to expand on their territory). The Russian Empire later that year manipulates the remnants of Alash Orda into joining Russia, thus the country was now divided between Russia and Turkestan. After a vote in Parliament, the Russian Empire was reestablished as a Constitutional Monarchy with Kyril, the Grand Duke of Russia becoming the new Tsar. 1940: Chile, who was worried about Brazil and Bolivia's threats against Chile's sovereignty, accepted the proposal to join the La Plata Federation, thus bringing all of Southern South America under one nation. Korea, an area under Japanese control, was allowed Independence as part of a Japanese Commonwealth, with the Japanese Emperor recognized as its head of state. A similar precedent done with the Fentingen Republic, the Commonwealth of Transamur and the Commonwealth of the Philippines after the latter fell into Japan's Sphere of Influence after the American Civil War. Iceland gains independence from Denmark, and falls under Canada's Sphere of Influence, despite not being a member of the Entente. 1940-1951: American United State Civil War: Despite the successful peace conference in February 1940, North America could not live in peace for long. In the South, tensions were on the rise between supporters of Huey Long and his opponents. Part of the population and political leadership was not very fond of the regime's domestic policy. Traditional Southern politicians, who supported Long before and during the war because of his fight for the Southern cause, accused Huey Long and his supporters for ruining traditional Southern rights with his limitations on free market, freedom of small business, and most important of all, abolition of state system. Traditional Dixiecrats claimed that South always fought for state's rights, but Huey Long had abolished them and established a Unitarian system. The American Union State, dominated by massive corporations and with the big government deciding how the wealth should be shared, was seen by Dixiecrats and Neo-Confederates as completely against Southern tradition. The regime was very harsh: Many political opponents were arrested or exiled. This forced opposition to act fast before being exterminated by Long and his minions. Long's opponents in the AUS administration, military and security forces accepted call of opposition and rose against the regime. Huey Long was glad to keep his Minutemen intact and under his influence. Together with Minutemen and other loyal forces he managed to crush most of the conspirators in short, but brutal fighting, that took place all across the country. Rebels managed to take control only in Texas, where opposition against Long was always strong. The rebel forces had large amount of heavy weapons, brought in by part of the military which revolted against Long's regime, and managed to change Texas into a fortress. Long's forces had suffered heavy losses when destroying rebellion, and plans for invasion of Texas were terminated. American Union State still considers Texas as legal part of its territory, but doesn't try to incorporate it by force due to the strong army that defends Texas. Texas which became independent after rebellion in 1951 and claims to be legal heir to the Confederate States of America and even claims that entire Old South must be liberated one day. Although consisting only of the territory of the former US state of Texas, this country never really used name Texas. It's official name, chosen after the rebellion, was the Southern Commonwealth. 1942: Peru-Bolivian Unification: The Syndicalist Government of Bolivia is overthrown in a Peruvian-sponsored coup. The new Bolivian government agrees to a unification with Peru, reforming the Peru-Bolivian Commonwealth. 1943: German Intervention in Panama: Syndicalist Revolutions in Panama sparked a crisis for many of the world's nations. Refusing to lose access to the Panama Canal to all but the Syndicalist states, Germany launched four interventions to prop up the Panamanian government between 1943 and 1958. Timeline (1946-1963): The Pacific War and Decolonization Timeline (1946-1963): The Pacific War and Decolonization 1947-1950: Great Pacific War: Mitteleuropa fights the Tokyo Pact in the first full scale war between alliances since the Weltkrieg (1914-1921). On December 3, the Japanese Imperial Navy suddenly launched a surprise attack on the German fleet based in Singapore. Aircraft from nine Japanese aircraft carriers struck the German ships in harbor, sinking five German battleships including the SMS Amerika, the largest battleship of German Asiatic fleet, thus beginning three years of bitter war between the two great powers. Germans quickly sent the strong parts of other fleets to reinforce thei Asiatic fleet. It was a large handicap for Germany not to start larger construction of aircraft carriers several years before, a consequence of German traditionalist views on a military that saw use of battleships and heavy cruisers as the best option for naval warfare. On the other hand, Japan experimented with new naval technology since the end of the Weltkrieg. To preserve stability in Europe and Africa, Germany decided not to drag the non-Asian members of Mitteleuropa into war. Germany was aided by the Princenly Federation, the AlgOstAsien GmbH and the Qing Empire. Japanese Empire was assisted by all members of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: Transamur, Korea, Philippines and Fengtien Republic. The first part of the war was fought on the sea. After the destruction of their most advanced carrier, SMS Graf Zeppelin, and several capital ships in Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 1948), Germans knew they can't win the war on the sea and the German Pacific islands quickly fell into Japanese hands one after another. In end of 1948 Germans concentrated on the war in China. Beijing was twice captured by the Japanese and then subsequently liberated by Qing troops, commanded by German general Alexander von Falkenhausen (working in China as Chief Inspector of Imperial Chinese Army and as Chairman of AlgOstAsien GmbH Board of Directors). None of the sides could achieve air superiority over China. Germans compensated for their unsuccessful naval campaign with their air campaign in the skies over China. Germany managed to counter the IJAAF by changing China into one "big unsinkable carrier". The Luftwaffe payed a high price to prevent Japanese from dominating the skies over China, but it was not alone. Although not all members of Mitteleuropa being in the war against Japan, many of European nations sent unofficial aid. Many Austro-Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian and Ukrainian pilots flew in their fighters under emblem of Luftwaffe. In 1948, Luftwaffe started with limited operational use of the Messerschmitt Me 262, first jet-powered fighter aircraft. This aircraft was not produced in big numbers due to lack of testing and many unsolved technical problems. Thus, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 stayed most reliable German fighter until the end of the war. Frustrated by lack of success on continent and in desperate need of resources to fed war industry, Japan invaded Dutch Indonesia in 1949, pushing Netherlands closer into German bloc. Weak colonial troops of Holland were not able to stop Japanese from seizing entire Indonesia soon. However, entire Royal Netherlands Air Force was soon taking part in dogfights over China. Japanese also attempted to land in Southern China and Indochina, but without success, thanks to land forces of the Princenly Federation which were shipped to Southern China and German Indochina to defend those areas against Japanese invasion. Germans also managed to keep Singapure in their hands despite heavy Japanese air and naval bombardment. Japanese were pressing on Siam to enter the war, but Siam was paralyzed by peasant uprisings, sponsored by Bengal, what was of great fortune for Germans. In middle of 1950, it was more than clear this war is not going anywhere. Japanese occupied all German Pacific possessions, but were unsuccessful on Chinese mainland. The Kriegsmarine was no match for IJN in direct combat, but Germans, hitting their ships in small Chinese ports, still waged irritating raids on less defended Japanese naval units and convoys. Germany also started with massive use of submarines in Pacific. But Germans didn't how long can they still bear burden of war in Asia. German economy, just getting back on feet after Market Crash in 1936, was in downfall again. Trade routes with Asia were very limited and this was great blow to German economy. On September 3, 1950, a peace treaty was signed in Shanghai, only confirming gains and losses of the war. Japanese gained all German Pacific islands including German New Guinea and Dutch Indonesia. However, Germans were allowed to keep North Borneo, since Germans successfully defended this possession trough entire war, despite Japanese occupation of entire Indonesia. Japanese established the Indonesian Confederation, a new client state in the lands of former Dutch Indonesia and German New Guinea. 1948-1979: Insurgency in the Philippines: Several Low-Level Syndicalist movements occur in the Philippines between the pro-Japanese Philippine government and the local Syndicalists. Despite two interventions by the Empire of Japan, the Philippines remained unstable until a military junta came to power in 1987. It wouldn't be until 2003 that the country transitions to a democracy. 1949: April-June: The Albanian War, the Belgrade Pact (Serbia, Greece and Iron Guard Romania), originally established to combat Bulgaria fought against the former Ottoman tributary Kingdom of Albania. The war ends with Serbia and Greece partitioning Albania between the two. In the Khartoum accords of 1949, the nation of South Africa began the process of self determination for two of its territories, the Republic of Rhodesia (from South Africa) and the Republic of Nyasaland (from Mittelafrika) 1949-1950: The Winter War: The Winter War is fought between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Finland. The war ends with Karelia being given to the Russian Empire. 1949-1953: United Provinces Civil War: A Civil War is fought between Unionists and Costa Rican Seperatists. The United Provines manage to barely survive from splintering apart, largely thanks to nation of Honduras, which agreed to join the Union in 1951. 1950: The British Commonwealth, a group of independent nations that were members of the old British Empire is created, following the Japanese example. The Commonwealth consists of Canada, the Caribbean Federation and Australasia, all three of which recognizes the monarch, at the time Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. 1951: The Changsha Rebellion: The Allgemeine Ostasiatische Gesellschaft (Shortened to AOG) faced a revolution in Central China against Chinese Republicans. After a few months of losing battles and the destruction of the Yunnan Clique, the AOG turned to Germany for help. As a result of the German-Japanese War. Germany and Japan mediated the terms, the AOG would acquire its German possessions in Indochina and Singapore, and Republican China would be allowed to establish a government in the territories they acquired in the rebellion. A coup d'tat led to the restoration of the Serbian Monarchy. Petar II claims the throne as King of Serbia. Honduras is admitted to the United Provinces as a member state to ensure protection from the Centroamerican Union. 1952: In a positive vote, Germany allows the Kingdom of Morocco, the Indochinese Empire (from the German East Asia Company) and the Republic of Crete to become independent. 1956: The Federation of Iberian Anarchists, the Spanish Syndicalist State was overthrown in a French/British-supported coup when it was realized that the Anarchists was driving the state to a civil war. 1957-1959: Nationalist France becomes embroiled in the Second Tuareg Revolt. The conflict led to the introduction of a more liberal Fifth French Republic. The Don-Kuban pipeline, connecting the oil reserves in Azerbaijan to Mitteleuropan territories was built in this time period. 1960: Don-Kuban Union joins Mitteleuropa as a member state. 1962: The Republic of Delhi, is renamed the Republic of India to declare itself as the legitimate successor to all of the Indian realms. Timeline (1964-2002): Technological Evolution The Russian Empire builds the first mobile suit, a hybrid tank model codenamed "Shagohod", pioneering the use of armored walking and treaded weapons in military combat. 1965-1968: South Thailand Insurgency: The Pattani Region in Southern Thailand is subjected to a Syndicalist Islamic Rebellion which is ruthlessly crushed by royalist forces after 3 years of concentrated conflict. 1969: The Kingdom of Egypt buys the Suez Canal from Germany, on agreement that the Canal is closed to all enemies of the German Empire. The German Empire succeeds in putting a man to space, thus starting an ultra-intensive space race between Canada, Germany, the French Commune and Japan. 1970: January-May: Great Arab Revolt: Ottoman Empire fights against Arab Nationalists both in Libya and in Mesopotamia. While the Ottomans succeeded in quelling the rebellion in Mesopotamia, Egypt's refusal to allow troops and German mediation led to the recognition of a Kingdom of Libya free from Ottoman influence. February: The Egyptian Revolution leads to the reduction of the King to a puppet as Egypt is transformed into a Parliamentary Monarchy. 1971: Tamil Rebellion: A Rebellion in German Ceylon is launched with support from Bengal. The rebellion fails and its members jailed or executed. Siam joins the Tokyo Pact as a fully fledged member, becoming the first Tokyo Pact member to not be a part of the Japanese Commonwealth The Indochinse Empire was given full independence by Germany as a Mitteleuropa member. The Empire is ruled by the descendents of the Dai Nam Monarchy. 1973: The Eastern European Riots: Riots in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine led to the reestablishment of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, while Ukraine established an equal division of powers between the monarch and Parliament. Venezuelan Revolution: Despite the neutrality that Venezuela tried to maintain, the Revolutionary Movement of the Bolivarian Republic, successfully launched a revolution against the government, and established a Syndicalist State. Centroamerican Civil War: The Centroamerican Government fights a Civil War between the Syndicalist Government and right wing Conservative Democrats. Once again, with Mexican support, the government triumphed over its adversaries and continued Syndicalist dominance over Central America. Central American War: The United Provinces begins a conflict between the government in San Jose with separatists in Honduras and Nicaragua. The war ends with a peace accord moving the capital to Managua in Nicaragua province. 1975: The United States and France jointly claim to successfully put a man on the moon. Japan meanwhile creates a space station, intent on using the knowledge gained to create a colony in space. 1978: Persian Islamic Revolution: The Persian Empire is embroiled against the House of Khomeini, a noble house seeking to establish the Islamic Republic of Persia. The Persian Empire survives this by executing thousands of suspected Revolutionaries, including Ahmad Khomeini, who led the rebellion. 1979: Japan builds the first Gundam, a more heavily armed and armored, bipedal mobile suit, thus establish the next branch in mobile suit technology. 1980-1983: The Civil Agitation: National France is embroiled in a Great Arab Revolt in Northern Africa, which ends with greater liberties to the Arab population and amendments to the 1959 French Constitution. 1984-1992: The Scramble for Space: Each alliance competes with one another to develop and put colonies in space. The Commune of France was the first, developing the colony, Internationale in 1984. The following years saw various nations, from Japan and Canada, to Greece and Egypt build space colonies that displays their own projection into Space. 1997: Pacifican-American War: The Pacific States fought the United States over who should succeed in a united government. Despite Pacifican attempts to defeat the Americans, they were repulsed by superior American firepower and tenacious defense. In the end, the Pacificans abandoned the offensive and announced a peace deal, continuing the status quo. It was the first major conflict involving Gundams in active battle. Major Alliances: The Entente Cordiale The Entente The Entente Cordiale (short for Cordial Understanding) was created in 1904 as a political alliance between France (the French Third Republic) and Great Britain (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland). The inclusion of the Russian Empire in 1907 turned the alliance into a Tripartite Pact of defense. The Entente, originally established to counter the dominance of the German Empire in international politics, culminated in the Weltkrieg, which pitted the British, Russian and French against Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Central Powers. Even with the support of other minor nations such as Portugal, Japan and Romania. But as Russia fell to revolution and civil war in 1917 and France fell to the Syndicalists in 1919, the Entente, reduced to just Britain, Portugal and Japan, signed the "Peace with Honor" thus ending the Weltkrieg with their territorial possessions mostly intact. The fall of Great Britain to the Syndicalists left the Entente shattered. The modern Entente formed in 1922 as a pact between the Dominion of Canada, consisting of the Royal Family and emigres from the Kingdom of Great Britain, the remnants of the former British Dominions (The Dominion of Delhi, the Caribbean Federation, the Australasian Federation and South Africa) and the French National Republic (known simply as National France). South Africa would abandoned the Entente and the British Commonwealth when it declared itself a republic in 1925. Since then, the Entente fought to curb Syndicalism in it's remaining dominions as well as play a preventative role in the spread of Syndicalism. Through it, they've gained new allies, including Portugal, South Africa (who rejoined in 1964), Colombia and the remnant United States. Major Alliances: The Pax Mitteleuropa Pact Mitteleuropa The Pax Mitteleuropa pact (Central European Peace) was the successor to the Triple Alliance/Central Powers that fought in the Weltkrieg. Created in 1928 following the collapse of Austria-Hungary. It's original members were states originally a part of the Russian Empire before the Brest-Livtosk Treaty such as White Ruthenia, Ukraine and Flanders-Wallonia, hence the original name. Over time, more members were inducted to the alliance. The first being the Qing Empire in 1945, but other non-European members included the Princely Federation, Ethiopia, Mittelafrika and the German East Asian Company. Mitteleuropa, led by world superpower Germany, is the largest alliance in the world, spreading it's influence across every corner in the world, even despite having no direct members in the Western Hemisphere. But a shadow looms over the alliance, for cracks in the armor may lead to its downfall... Major Alliances: Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere The Tokyo Pact The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is the most powerful regional alliance in the world, and is considered to be one of the major alliances in the world. Formed in 1927 following a pact by Prime Minister of Japan, and the Presidents of the Fengtien Republic and Transamur, the Tokyo Pact grew to be one of the major rivals for influence against Mitteleuropa. Japan over the course of the thirties and fourties launched a strategy of diplomacy, finding nations wanted to be freed from Western influence. The rivalry between Germany and Japan culminated in the Pacific War that laid the foundations of the sphere's of influence between the two empires for the remainder of the decade. The Modern Tokyo Pact consist of it's core members, Japan and it's Commonwealth states in Korea and Formosa, as well other nations in East and Southeast Asia. Major Alliances: The Syndicalist Internationale The Interntionale The Internationale is an alliance built on ideology, founded in 1922 originally as an alliance between the Commune of France and the Socialist Republic of Italy. Although politically, it also included other Syndicalist nations, the political and military alliance between the nations did not come to join with each other until the 1950's. The Internationale was built upon the ideals of Syndicalism and it's variants, Social Radicalism and Totalism (Totalitarian Socialism) the latter invented by Benito Mussolini in 1935. Although the alliance included nations such as the Union of Britain and the Combined Syndicates of America, it also included rebel groups, including the African National Liberation Front in Africa and the Indochinese Liberation Front in Thailand and Indochina. Their goal is to achieve Worldwide Syndicalism, that is, the downfall of the corrupt bourgeois who rule the non-syndicalist nations, and replace them with a nation dedicated to the services of the workers and the guild unions.
eng
8fe0a29e-447f-4196-8839-dd41f50664bd
http://www.finalfantasyforums.net/threads/50907-Information-Gundam-KR
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450aa84c-e847-4954-9472-22c8410799a2
http://www.cellularfactory.com/camera/OLYMPUS/4/37741/636256/
I posted this on Tipping in the media (redux) where the blog link was posted originally but this specific topic seems interesting enough to have it's own thread. Basically? Due to economic times seems to be a *wrong* reason but honestly reality is reality. This discussion is my fav. If you can't tip 20% then you can't afford to eat out. I'm in the camp that feels 15-18% is okay for average/good service. 20% and up is usually saved for when I'm feeling completely satisfied with my server at the end of my experience. However tipping practices aside, as long as the minimum percent is being complied with then I don't see any reason to fault customers for cutting down on generousities. Is the sentiment: you can't afford to go out to eat if you can't pay your bill (which includes 15% tip)and I agree with or is it really: if you can't afford to continue to be a generous tipper then stay home??? It sort sounds like it's the latter If customer comes in and service was good or above and server gets 15%, he/she would know that it's due to money issues. If the customer admits to the server that they wish they could tip more, that seems a bit crappy. Don't bother telling me. If the customer is coming in and stating obvious things like; are their any featured priced items, are the re-fills free, is bread included, does that entree come with anything free and then you get a basic 15%, then more in likely they are cutting costs. Again, I would hold the customer liable, but I wouldn't want to go out and worry about my money. Doesn't seem like a pleasant night and I'd rather eat mac and cheese instead. Now if a regular is coming in alot and is always tipping 20%, then later he/she comes in less and starts tipping 15%, then we can guess something is up. But from all the earlier tips, I'm pleased that he/she is still coming back. "Basically"? looking. I probably wouldn't know if this were the case though, so I doubt I would ascribe that to any guest (the same probably holds true for most of the above situations as well, although sometimes it can be clear when someone isn't doing the right or normal thing). Personally I haven't seen very much of this. My biggest hit has been people downsizing their meals/drinks, fewer butts in seats and fewer shifts available. Oddly enough though, in general, I don't think that my per person average has been hurt that badly despite the downsizing that some people are doing. Maybe I've just been lucky with a few "unconcerned" parties that have spent a lot of money during the same time period. So the whole mentality sweeping the nation about staying home if you can't afford that 20% tip does seem rather extreme. Okay, it's not just me then. These posts by servers or former servers or friends of servers or guilt ridden customers are littered all over the place. I just wonder how some think it's logical to expect such things and condemn practices that should be expected in times like these. FYI, I'm not talking about you two. You certainly seem to have the right attitude with waiting. There are some voices of reason among those comments as well, some being servers or ex-servers. Kris said:Neecey said: Yeah. Totally agree with you both on those points. I remember a lot of your posts, Neecey, trying to explain just how it is in NYC; it is probably one of those things where a person just has to be there for awhile and personally experience it a few times. I was in NYC about 10 years ago on a business trip, and just remembered how everything in some ways moved so much faster, and yet in other ways was so congested that it seemed to take forever for certain things. I am looking forward to seeing it again this spring. "So the whole mentality sweeping the nation about staying home if you can't afford that 20% tip does seem rather extreme". I totally agree, although I'd point out again that this was a NYC based discussion. That's the only break I'd give that particular post, but I do it reluctantly. Maybe 20% on Manhattan *is* the normal 15% everywhere else do to the hyper-extended nature of the place. But I've read in other places that 20% is the "new minimum" and I completely disagree and I'll continue to hammer that home wherever I can. Either we have a well-established standard or we don't. I maintain that we do. It's the same standard that's been around for decades and decades. It's 15% as a baseline. At the beginning, it might have been a somewhat arbitrary figure, but it isn't anymore. All of the cost structures of a restaurant, to include menu prices, are based on that figure. But it's also not fair to tinker with it for the sole purpose of saving money during an economic crisis either. It cuts both ways. "". Sure, there's plenty of venting. But I also see the same phenomenon from customers on these forums as well. I could say the same thing about servers seeing where the "spoiled and entitled customer" comes from, especially since we don't have to guess about it happening or wonder what's on their mind because they tell us directly through their actions when they demand fairly unreasonable things knowing that the restaurant is going to cave in on their demands. People want to restructure coupons, or make the restaurant accept out of date promotions or have the chef completely redo the recipe or demand a larger liquor pour, or think that they can get a well done filet in 10 minutes, and the list goes on and on. However, I still cherish my guests and i don't make blanket judgments about everyone based on the actions (or posted words for that matter) of a few. I take a lot of it with a grain of salt. And I don't think I've ever quoted any of those posts as some sort of proof that many guests have a bad attitude. And it's perfectly fine to leave 15% for nothing more than average service. "Yeah". ItThe bulk of your comments were obviously only about the "little bit crazy" server posts. Teleburst said: ItNeecey said: So my post isn't good enough for you? Well that's a surprise. Maybe I should have put the last sentence first or maybe I should get out the thesaurus in order to word my annoyance in a nicer way? I'm not going to be some passive poster throwing in "no offense" here and "i'm just saying" there in order to soften my post. Wouldn't work anyway because the post you happen to be trying to pick apart is pretty tame. You really had to look into it to find a reason to criticize it. But then again I expect nothing less from you. Look, you have to admit that your post only referenced server posts (as well as your previous posts). Even the bit on the end had nothing to do with what was being written in the forum that you referenced. It's that simple. Besides, if you actually read through the many posts, there are far more servers wondering where that 20% thing came from (and even noting that it might have been because of the flush times in the recent past) and taking the original poster to task than supporting the original statement that you quoted. I'm not surprised that you didn't notice that. Actually, most of the posts, both from servers *and* guests, were quite reasonable and made good points. Teleburst said: Look, you have to admit that your post only referenced server posts (as well as your previous posts). Even the bit on the end had nothing to do with what was being written in the forum that you referenced. Neecey said: So, that's my way of acknowledging the other side. Excuse me if I don't go into detail regarding both sides but it's no secret that I come here to debate what I feel is wrong with the tipping system and the mentalities it creates. I won't waste my time with the customer is a pain angle because it's apples and oranges. One person is paying for a certain experience and the other is getting paid to provide it so there should in fact be an allowable amount of *entitlement* on the part of the customer. I don't feel that a customer should treat servers as servants (as I've mentioned plenty of times before) but I don't believe customers should be as apprehensive to make requests as some servers suggest they be. I don't think it's necessary to litter my posts with "shame on customers" comments in order for my opinions and points to be legit or with merit. Is it suppossed to be some show of good will? It's human nature at work here. Yeah, Neecey, I, and others see things more from the side we experience, and that is from the customer's perspective. Servers are going to see it more from the servers side. That's how it is. I think it would be best to examine the spirit of what is written, and not the order that it is written in, or picking apart comments word by word, and finding fault with the words chosen. It really detracts from the spirit of a good discussion. Just like opinions in the newspaper, on the news, etc..many times the side that is concenrated on is the side someone wants to concentrate on, or has experience in. I do not think we all need to perfectly balance all our comments...we all say (well, type) what we feel. "Excuse me if I don't go into detail regarding both sides but it's no secret that I come here to debate what I feel is wrong with the tipping system and the mentalities it creates". Actually, it doesn't seem that way to me, one of the only 2 people that has actually taken up the debate, and I'll admit that Voz has a lot more patience and "good will" (more about that later) than I do. You have repeatedly said that you don't need to back up your opinions with substance, because, well, it's an opinion and it's how you feel. No need to support it with facts on the ground. Well, that's no "debate" at all. It's really barely a discussion. Feel what you want. But expect those feelings to be challenged if there are relevant facts that you haven't considered. And don't fall back on the ole "It's the way I feel and that's that" sort of defense. At least don't pretend that you're "debating" the subject. For instance, if someone ouside the industry tried to support servers by saying "I think that they work very long hours so they deserve at least 20%", I'd be the first person to point out that this opinion is based on faulty information. When people blithely ask, "Why shouldn't we do it like the French?", I'm going to answer the question based on my actual experience and knowledge, especially because few of them make a reasoned case for it. If people advocate a fixed service charge, I'm going to make the best case against it, and I'm not going to just express it from the standpoint of it purely a benefit to me, even though it might benefit me if I didn't think about it more deeply. I'm going to point out the pitfalls from the guest's standpoint as well. If I post a series of links, I'm not going to cherry pick them to only support my opinion. In fact, I'm going to make sure that the most challenging ones to a server's well-being are first. That's the way that I enter a debate. And yes, I'm not above using the "People who live in glass houses" argument either. "I don't think it's necessary to litter my posts with "shame on customers" comments in order for my opinions and points to be legit or with merit. Is it suppossed to be some show of good will"? It shows fairness and a willingness to acknowledge that there are two sides to the story. But thanks for implying that good will isn't very high on your agenda. If that's the case, why take me to task for not returning the lack of good will when it's not offered to me? Perhaps I just don't have the grace to ignore it when people call my occupation a "racket". I'll just interject that I don't think it's necessary to mention some comments just as a disclaimer to something that concerns me. Is it really worthwhile to state there are some on the customer side saying they should tip the same amount for a burger as they would for lobster because I don't think anyone here feels the same. That isn't news to me that some people in the world feel that way. Now, "20% or stay home!" is. Just to chime in, 15% is for average service in most, if not all places of table side dining. 18% is added on for auto-grats on parties of 5-6 or more. While 20% is the usual for Banquet/Function Parties that utilize a room. All these other websites that claim 20% is the average is plain wrong. Even in places like New York, the price of food and wine is higher than the price of food or wine in North Carolina. So the 15% of those amounts would be different, which indicates the cost of living. Servers want 20%, but will only get that if they go beyond the call of duty. Maybe this is why they are posting the average of 20%. Maybe these servers are going beyond the call of duty for ALL of their tables and they are getting the 15% average. If they're getting mad about this, then they have two choices. Live with it, or give 15% service without going crazy on getting excellent service. Of course, if the managers are demanding this level of service, then they have to deal with it. Teleburst and myself can only speak for ourselves. I've run into people I work with who bitch and complain about the things you all would be furious about; but that's life. Some people want more. Some people are happy with what they have. Those who complain and whine about issues will live painfull and miserable lives and will either be fired, due to this showing, or they will leave for a stable pay type job. "So my theory is: because of the economy servers shouldn't be too critical over the tipping habits of guests as long as tips meet the minimum 15% (provided things go well during the meal)". Nope, not *too* critical. But my theory is, if you're going to pass along the pain of the economy to someone else, don't be too critical if your service gets a little less personal and a little less concerned (providing of course that "things go well during the meal"). Teleburst said: But my theory is, if you're going to pass along the pain of the economy to someone else Neecey said: Pass along? So it should just stay with me? So I'm suffering like everyone else but I should still spend as though my income hasn't changed? I get less I spend less. I used to give to charity 5 times a year and now I can only afford to do it 3 times a year. What's wrong with being less generous? I mean my employers are being less generous with me because of the economy so why shouldn't that trickle into all other aspects of my world? Slight changes are necessary. I have to buy cheaper jeans, not less quality just not brand name. I have to by the supermarket brand of more stuff but still have the same grocery list. I used to splurge on that whole "what's a couple of dollars" syndrome and leave 20% most of the time but that's not practical anymore so 15% it is. Why is that unacceptable? I'm not saying that I won't leave more if you blow me away but I didn't think much of the extra couple of bucks before, now I do. Point being, I was being overly generous in the past and now I've curbed my carefree manner when it comes to spending. That shouldn't be considered something to be ashamed of. Voz said: Of course, if the managers are demanding this level of service, then they have to deal with it. Neecey said: Or take it up with their manager and maybe try and have some kind of voice regarding realistic expectations. Voz said: Some people are happy with what they have. Those who complain and whine about issues will live painfull and miserable lives and will either be fired, due to this showing, or they will leave for a stable pay type job. Neecey said: See, that's how I figure it. Either you stay, go or get better and if you realize that being a server is just not for you then move on. It's like that with most professions. To the point, if your tipping 20% for excellent service and you start to tip 15% for the same service BECAUSE of your lower income, then you should rethink your dining habits. AIf your going out and purposely tipping less because your short on money is wrong, don't you think? Why not ask the manager if you can have a free appetizer because your having a hard time with making money? If you find that statement to be lame, so is the statement to dock the server on his income because you can't afford to pay him. I know. Next time you hire a painter to paint your house and he's all done. Ask him if you can pay 1/2 the bill because of hard times. See how far that gets you. Lucky for him, he has the law on his side. And I quote, "Tip on the level of service, not the level of your salary." . Voz said: If your going out and purposely tipping less because your short on money is wrong, don't you think? Neecey said: I'm purposely not being AS generous as I was being before so the point I'm trying to make is I was one of those hey what's a couple of extra dollars people (you know like here's a tad bit extra cause hey why not you seem nice). It didn't make much of a difference to me before. Now getting older, having a child I'm more responsible with my spending. I've realized that spreading the wealth isn't really practical anymore cause frankly I'm not wealthy and call me crazy but I had to rethink my spending habits. I don't go out as often. I'm not ordering the most expensive thing on the menu and yes I'm just paying for the service provided to me and trying not to let that smiley face on the bill make a difference. It's all pretty calculated and like I said if you blow me away then I'll reward you but I used to be in the camp of 22%-25% tip reward. Can't do that anymore everything has got to give a little bit so now good/great service falls into 18%-20%. Now if 15% is the standard for average services then isn't 18-20% still respectable? I'm not bleeding financially but some tightening is necessary and unneccessary spending needs to be limited. It's not like the only thing I'm stopping is tipping 22-25% in order to balance my budget. As long as the tipping isn't falling under the established acceptable ranges (which are still up for debate but whatever) then how is there any legitmate complaint? That's the tricky part of the tipping system. I admit to lowering my percentages and somehow I look bad even though i've mentioned that I still stick with the 15-18-20% scale although 18-20% is reserved for good/excellent. I've just admitted to having a business like approach to it. Is the server going to suffer? No, the server will still get a tip within reasonable range so what's not kosher about this approach? There's just too much explaining oneself. I mean I was really generous before and now I can't afford to. It's like I admit to being able to still go out to dine and still fulfill the tipping expectations however there's still a vibe of: Oh, sure you're still treating yourself but you not rewarding servers like you used to. If you can't afford it anymore then you probably should stay home. Uh, not really I can still afford to dine out from time to time I just think it's irresponsible to my budget, my responsibilities and my family to justify spending even more money with hey, the server shouldn't feel the burden of my budget tightening. Especially when there really isn't any burden on the server at all since they will most likely get an acceptable tip from me. Flashy? Probably not, but acceptable yes. Ohioborn said: If Neecey said: That's exactly what I was getting at when I started the thread. It's like there seems to be some fault with going back to the basic tipping model if you've admitted to following higher percentage model in the past. Here's what I used to do. At the end of a meal I would pick the percent that I felt was most appropriate for the service provided. Let's say a bit above average to good. I would calculate 18% THEN I would just throw a couple of extra dollars on that because why not. If there were no mishaps and the server was nice enough sure. The couple of extra bucks was what I called the *good tipper* part. If it was much better and I was really happy with service then I would start at 20% and do the same thing. 15% would probably get maybe a buck more. Now I've opted to stop that whole throw a couple of extra dollars on top of the original calculation. It really isn't necessary since the basic tip calculation (whichever percent I choose) covers the cost of the service provided me. I mean that's how I see it. Oh and I forgot to add that I will be rating service a little more business like as well. Good service isn't just writing something down and getting my order plus a drink. Good service would need to be just that. If you're not invested in the experience of the guest at your table then 15% it is. I used to be more forgiving about that but it's a show of disrespect to your guest to assume that they shouldn't require much and yet still be generous in there reward. 18% means you need to pay attention and check in from time to time. Anything less than that is 15%. You better believe that these economic times has me keeping up with my responsibilities at MY job to keep it so you better believe I expect nothing less from other professions that are looking to me for compensation. No one is above doing there job and that's a pet peeve of mine. Earn your wage the same way I have to earn mine. Voz said: ANeecey said: But those are extremes. My point is about not being AS generous. If the argument is: Can't pay the power then of course going out to dine is out of the question. But if the argument is: Tighten up the budget where you can and where it's appropriate then what's the problem? Like I cut back on cable channels. I've regulated the usage applicances to lower the electric bill. I only bought 3 boxes of girl scout cookies instead of the 8 I usually buy. In all those equations service providers are seeing less money from me but I'm still paying for what I'm receiving. I mean it still is business after all. That's what I'm trying to get at. It may sound a bit stiff and pretty sterile but there you have it. No contracts are being broken. Why shouldn't it be a more calculated experience? As long as it stays pleasant and appropriate. I have my dinner, get nice service and enjoy the company I'm with. The meal and the service goes well which concludes with paying for products and services. Couple things: 1st - If your tipping 20% because your generous, then that is wrong. I've stated before and I disagree with any waiter/waitress who would post otherwise; tip on the level of service. That is what your paying for. If you want to 'give' money away, hand some money to the homeless or donate to a charity. Now don't get me wrong, I welcome it. Problem is I would not know whether your being generous or tipping on my excellent service, unless you told me. So how would I know this? 2nd - The statements your all are making is open for debate. Your stating that if times are tough, your going to tip less when you go out to eat. Let me state it in black and white: "I am not making as much money as I used to, so when I go out, I'm going to tip less." Let me repeat that: "I am not making as much money as I used to, so when I go out, I'm going to tip less." Has it hit, yet? You can sugar coat all you want on how your kids come first, bills have to be paid, blah blah blah. But the fact is your tipping less than you used to because of lower income. Now, I'm not made of money, so when my wife and I want to go out, we will visit places we can afford to eat. I know from experience, that I'll eat at the chains knowing that my average per person is 20.00 each, plus 8-10 tip. So around 50.00 for the both of us. If I want to spend less, I go to a different, lower priced place. If I make a bonus and have some money to throw, I'll visit one of the nice places. What do I tip? 15% for average, 18% for good, 20% for great. The percentage doesn't change, however the amounts change based on the place I'm eating at. If I'm strapped for cash, I'm not going to say, "Hey, lets eat at Ruth's Chris, spend 120.00 on the food and tip 15.00 because times are tough. Save 65.00 and get a steak at Outback. 50.00 on food with a 10.00 tip. Everyone is happy. As I quoted before, "Tip on the level of service, not the level of your salary." "Teleburst said: But my theory is, if you're going to pass along the pain of the economy to someone else Neecey said: Pass along? So it should just stay with me"? In a word, yes. I'm not banging down the door to your business demanding that you take a 12% pay cut simply becuse I have (even though your line of work has crippled the economy and is the very cause of my pay cut). "So I'm suffering like everyone else but I should still spend as though my income hasn't changed"? You shouldn't change the criteria that you base tipping on. The accepted standard isn't "15% unless you don't have the money". It's fair for you to not be as "generous" if you've been "overly generous" in the past. "What's wrong with being less generous"? Nothing. I've already said that. If you were previously tipping 25% for outstanding service "just because you could", there's nothing wrong with downsizing to 20%. However, if you really thought that 25% was "appropriate" for such service, then, no, I don't think you should change your tipping habits. Just do what you would do if they eliminated tipping and had to raise menu prices - dine out less. Does that hurt me if you don't dine out as much? Yes. But at least I'm still actually getting compensated for the service that I actually give. "I used to splurge on that whole "what's a couple of dollars" syndrome and leave 20% most of the time but that's not practical anymore so 15% it is". If you were leaving 20% when the service was only "adequate", then I'd maintain that you weren't tipping "appropriately". Tip according to the level of service, not according to what you think the server is going to think or the fact that you didn't get a bonus last year. In the rest of the US, this means 15%, plus or minus. there in Manhatten, you might very well be stuck with a higher standard. But you live on an island with a higher standard. That's the price you pay for having thousands of restaurants with hundreds of different cuisines at your disposal. Make the current servers there *earn* their money. If the service is as bad there as you say, you've been enabling it if you've been "overly generous". PS, I note that these examples of percentages are based on outside of Manhattan. Not being there, I can't say how valid the "20% for average service on Manhattan" is. The examples I used are really for the rest of the country and not be taken as literal percentages for dining on 2nd Ave. in downtown NYC. They're just examples in general. "". Absolutely. That's my whole point about "tipping appropriately". A server outside of Manhattan shouldn't complain about a 20% tip. Not even if they think they've gone above and beyond the call of duty. And you shouldn't enable a lackadasical server by giving them 20% when they were only going through the motions. Voz said: Now don't get me wrong, I welcome it. Problem is I would not know whether your being generous or tipping on my excellent service, unless you told me. So how would I know this? Neecey said: EXACTLY! Damned if you do damned if ya don't. There are plenty that are out there giving away the farm. It's an imbalanced system. Not that I don't understand the points made on both sides it's just there's no way to regulate. See what I'm getting at. It's easy to up the tip if you're feeling good that day and think the server had a nice smile and you just came from the spa... etc. etc. Unless everyone sticks with the strict outline on tipping practices then it just flops around with no real substance and is open for interpretation. Some servers have fallen into the greedy category of believing 20% is the new 15% and others are a bit more reserved when making that determination. There's just no way to regulate it so that when situations come up like our current economic problem realistic expectations are just not the same all over. Server A thinks I'm being cheap but server B thinks my tipping is generous whereas server C thinks it's average. Voz said: "I am not making as much money as I used to, so when I go out, I'm going to tip less." Has it hit, yet? Neecey said: Not really cause I don't see where that's wrong unless I've gone below the appropriate range for the service I've received. Voz said: You can sugar coat all you want on how your kids come first, bills have to be paid, blah blah blah. But the fact is your tipping less than you used to because of lower income. Neecey said: What am I sugar coating? The fact that I'm not as generous for very good reason. I'm talking about pulling back the EXTRA $2-$3 I USED to leave because money was no object at a certain point in my life. In my 20's living alone, money to burn. That was frivelous. Even if the person getting that money is a server it was still frivelous. I think we are arguing the same point which is tip appropriately. Before I dropped a couple of extra bucks down to turn a nice tip into a little bit of a nicer tip and sometimes I wasn't sure if my *nice* tip would even be recognized as such(with the whole 20% is the new 15%) so I also did that to cover all the bases. That's how I ended up in the 22%-25% for great service. Voz said: If I want to spend less, I go to a different, lower priced place. If I make a bonus and have some money to throw, I'll visit one of the nice places. Neecey said: And I believe I've expressed that same logic so okay we're on the same page or no? I'm not really too apologetic about my position on this topic but I'm pretty much stating the same thing. Voz said: Save 65.00 and get a steak at Outback. 50.00 on food with a 10.00 tip. Everyone is happy Neecey said: Here, Here! Voz said: As I quoted before, "Tip on the level of service, not the level of your salary." Neecey said: Yeah, wish it were that easy but as some of us here know, it really isn't. And with everything that's been posted regarding the inconsistencies in not only customers tipping habits but with servers tip range expectations that theory isn't as easy to follow. Especially if you wish to return to a specific place. I agree with Voz and Teleburst with tipping according to the level of service. 15% should be respectable but if your server was providing excellent service, it would be a disservice to only tip 15%. The server would wonder, "I was only average?" It is to the customer's discretion , of course, but I don't think we should cut back if we know they did do an excellent job.Teleburst said: I'm not banging down the door to your business demanding that you take a 12% pay cut Neecey said: Who's asking for that? I'm just expressing how generous practices are now reduced to pay the bill (including service) practices and being on my merry way. I'm just cutting out frivelous spending? In turn yes, servers will be getting less from me but they won't be getting stiffed either. I mean I'm making the point to go to more affordable place, going out less which is an adjustment for ME but I've decided to stop being an emotional tipper. That's what I'm saying, I'm trying to take out the emotional part of tipping which confuses matters. It's actually turned me into an over (an in turn an inappropriate) tipper. I'm just trying to correct that mentality. It is a business transaction after all now isn't it? . Kris said:My statement of 15% = average, weighs the same as someone else stating 20% = average on the internet. It's all he said, she said. With the vast amounts of information out there, it's going to get jumbled up and confusing. Look, Just as a customer's perception weighs in on the amount of their tip; servers too have a perception on how much they 'should' have made when they gave the level of service they gave. Since everyone's perception is different, we'll never come to a conclusion of the level of service should equal a level of percentage. In other words, My average service I receive is another man's excellent service, is another man's poor service. At the same time, the service given by one server could have been excellent, while another server would think it sucked. "". Oh good grief. (and this is the end of the sarcasm). I'm not sure I know what to say here. I think my statement stands exactly as written. What part of it do you not understand? (and I'm asking sincerely here, not sarcastically) Just to be clear, I'm saying that you shouldn't adjust your tip based on the state of your pocketbook because that's not part of the accepted and customary standard of tipping. The generally accepted standard doesn't say anything about "Tip 15% unless you can't afford it". I'm saying that it's fine to tip less than 15% if you don't get good service. I'm saying that all of the questions that you are throwing at us obscure the issue, and, ironically, I think I agree with you but you just can't get your head around the fact that I might actually agree with you. The state of your pocketbook shouldn't affect you tipping "appropriately". It might even mean that I don't see you but twice a year instead of twice a quarter. The state of your pocketbook can mean that you might cease being "overly generous", as long as you're meeting the customarily agreed with standard. In other words, if you're used to tipping 25% where 20% would be totally appropriate, tip 20% without any guilt. If you have a favorite server that you've been overtipping for a long time and you have decided that you can't do that anymore and it's really eating at you, simply say, "I'm sorry that I can't tip what I used to because of the economy. I hope you understand". If they are a server worth their salt and they value your long-term relationship, they should totally understand, as long as you're not tipping them 10% now. And any other server isn't going to know about your previous Mother Teresa ways, so it's not going to matter to them as long as you're tipping "appropriately". . Teleburst said: I'm not sure I know what to say here. I think my statement stands exactly as written. What part of it do you not understand? Neecey said: Well. Teleburst said: I think I agree with you but you just can't get your head around the fact that I might actually agree with you. Neecey said: Well that's because you agree with me by bringing up something that was never suggested during this coversation and started debating it as if tipping less that 15% to save a few bucks was something someone posted as an option. The thread revolves around generous tipping practices and scaling back not lowering the standard amounts. Teleburst said: Mother Teresa ways Neecey said: Really? I was under the impression that there are a good amount of emotional tippers out there and usually leave a fair to good tip regardless of service. Hmmmm Mother Teresa. Food for thought. "Well". No, you specifically asked: ""So I'm suffering like everyone else but I should still spend as though my income hasn't changed"? That was my answer to that specific question. It's perfectly on point. The "standard" doesn't address the quality of your bank accont. It also doesn't say, "You should tip 30% if you are flush with extra money". Everyone's trying to game the system (even servers, it's true). I'm all for using common sense and a fair reading of the standard. "Well that's because you agree with me by bringing up something that was never suggested during this coversation and started debating it as if tipping less that 15% to save a few bucks was something someone posted as an option". Something similar was brought up by multiple posters on the thread that you posted the link to. You're quick to talk about all of the "if you can't afford to continue to be a generous tipper then stay home" sentiments that you attributed to servers on that thread but you ignore all of the,"Really? I was under the impression that there are a good amount of emotional tippers out there and usually leave a fair to good tip regardless of service. Hmmmm Mother Teresa. Food for thought". And, once again, I think that is counter-productive. Tipping should be an incentive and a reward for good service, not charity. I don't want charity. If you are so pleased that I made your night and you want to leave me 30%, then more power to you. If you can no longer leave 30% but still leave me 20%, that's perfectly fine with me. If you want to leave me 30% because you're sorry for me, sorry, I'm not interested. I would rather you leave me 20% (or 17% for that matter) because I want to be compensated for my service appropriately (that's one of the major ways that I know that I'm actually doing my job properly, assuming that I'm doing a better then average job, of course). That's all I'm asking. And frankly, that's all a server can ask. . Teleburst said:Neecey said: Okay. Teleburst said: That's all I'm asking. And frankly, that's all a server can ask. Neecey said: Well I wish that sentiment would rub off on more servers. I'm here to tell ya that that's a shrinking mentality now a days. "". How does my answer "misrepresent" your message? Once again, let's remind our studio audience what I was directly repsonding to: "So I'm suffering like everyone else but I should still spend as though my income hasn't changed"? "Okay" Jeez - I already did that. From my very first post - directly answering your very first question: " looking" I don't know how specific I can be. Oh, wait. maybe I could say something like this: "And it's perfectly fine to leave 15% for nothing more than average service". I could go on and on and on and on but I think that you are doing the very thing that you are accusing *me* of and that's "misrepresenting" my position. "Well I wish that sentiment would rub off on more servers. I'm here to tell ya that that's a shrinking mentality now a days". According to you. But you only know what you read on the internet and what your only server friend demonstrates through their actions. No wonder you have such little faith in servers. If I took everything I read on the internet at face value, I'd think that customers were scum who only wanted a free ride. Teleburst said: According to you. But you only know what you read on the internet and what your only server friend demonstrates through their actions. Neecey said: And the internet is just a figment of everyone's imagination right? Another knee slapping moment. I only know? I know by my experiences in restaurants with actual real life servers. Why do you constantly ignore the part where personal experiences dining out DOES counts as knowledge. I don't get that and I find it weird. You are making less and less sense as you go on. As for the constant need to bring up my server friend, do you really think that helps your position or argument? It's pretty ridiculous that you keep bringing up such a trivial detail. "? It seems to contradict most of what you are saying. I read this as meaning, if you've always tipped generously and above customary guidelines, then you should stay at your usual, regardless of income changes. I'm a little confused and I don't know if I'm reading it correctly. The server that Neecey had was described as a real b&*%$ and didn't actually wait on them. Maybe all she deserved was $2.83 plus 1 cent. Oh, lest you forget, she did tip the person who actually did wait on them. """? Certainly. If you've been overgenerous in the past, as long as you tip "appropriately", I think it's fine not to be as "generous" as you have in the past. If you used to leave 25 or 30% just because you could (for great service), it's perfectly fine to leave 18 - 20% now that times are tighter. If you used to leave 20% for any old service, 15% for just average service is fine. That's where I might disagree with some of my fellow servers <shrug>. "Teleburst said: How many servers have told you (in real life that is) their ideas about how people should tip? About what they think about tipping in the face of financial crisis? But ignored this: And the internet is just a figment of everyone's imagination right"? SoFrankly, I haven't seen too many of these extreme positions from either servers *or* guests. And, having been on the net for close to twenty years now, I've learned that you take things with an extreme grain of salt. You only see what you want to see anyway, so it's no wonder that you either discount opposing opinions or simply ignore them. You're the ultimate "cherry-picker". Teleburst said: SoNeecey said: The internet has real people sharing real opinions all over the place including this site. I'm just pointing out that there's plenty of information out there extreme or not for someone to come to a pretty intelligent conclusion on any topic. I'm not saying you could bring an internet page to court or anything but to totally dismiss information found on the net as baseless? I don't agree. I mean that's how we find things like studies and research no? I'm sure people aren't running to the public library researching this topic before they post on a thread. We are all in agreement like Kris said so there we have it. Teleburst said: discount opposing opinions Neecey said: Really? I argue oppossing opinions I don't discount them. I only discount negative posts that don't really contribute or helps the progression of a discussion. I feel that I've expressed my opinions rather openly. Those opinions usually fall within reasonable expectations with an air of holding people responsible for what they should be accomplishing when they report for work. I may not be as apologetic when expressing these views but they don't come from a hateful place. Some understand that and some don't so there's nothing that can be done about that. "I'm not saying you could bring an internet page to court or anything but to totally dismiss information found on the net as baseless? I don't agree". I disagree as well, especially since I have done no such thing. I have said that you have to look at the whole picture, including the fact that there are some crackpots on the 'net. It's very easy to say outrageous things behind the cloak of anonynimity. If I thought that customers were saying nothing than "baseless things", I wouldn't have put a blogger that had serious reservations about tipping first in a series of links. I wouldn't have put an article that generated hundreds of responses, many of them making points about tipping that I disagree with. I'm not like you, someone who cherrypicks only links that support my point of view. "We are all in agreement like Kris said so there we have it". And yet you seem out of sync in terms of how one normally tips for less than average service. You seem to struggle with it far more than the others. You don't seem to have worked out a reasonable method for figuring out how you're going to tip (and no, I'm not talking about your "special night" case). You don't even see how a 10% tip would be considered a very bad tip. "I may not be as apologetic when expressing these views but they don't come from a hateful place". It sure seems that way. When you discount someone's occupation as being "beneath you" because you're all grown up and you would never consider doing a "kid's job", it sure seems arrogant and dismissive and yes, more than just a little hateful. When most of what you say, from your very first post on, is mostly complaining about how bad servers are these days, there seems to be some hate going on. Teleburst said: I have said that you have to look at the whole picture, including the fact that thereVoz said: Thank you Neecey, that was rather Neece of your to say....8p Neecey said: Hee, hee. Well I really appreciate being able to debate the other side with of course someone from the other side without it clouding over into some other sort of debate altogether. Even in threads where some posts may have gotten a little...well you know :-) we've managed to comment in a civil manner on new topics and threads with a healthy and fresh appetite for a debate. You've been able to validate some of my reactions to certain experiences without seeming hypocritical and I've been able to take away some solid insight from a lot of your posts. Teleburst said: I have said that you have to look at the whole picture, including the fact that thereDoesn't seem like there's that much understanding coming from the other side. By admission, she's only here to take one side. I will say this though - I'm sure glad not to have to work in a place where there's almost open warfare on the dining floor (according to all accounts here, that is - the Times blog seemed to me to show a slightly different outlook from both servers and guests). Neecey said: By admission? Misrepresenting posts again I see. I DEBATE one side I don't just TAKE one's side. If you've ever seen or read up about competitive debating in schools you'll note that each team is ASSIGNED a position and must debate that side even if they don't believe in it. Like let's say abortion. One team will have to argue the Pro-Life side and the other team would have to debate the Pro-Choice REGARDLESS of personal beliefs. I don't ignore relevant information. When Voz posts informative routines and processes I'll debate the logic maybe or parts that I don't feel run as smoothly as they should. I'll also include my idea of what a good work ethic is and therefore what I should expect guiltfree. Now the key word DEBATE a side not take a side. I don't really soak in much of what you post because it's done in a bullyish manner and it gets clouded up with unnecessary pettiness. But I do take to heart some of more eye opening toned posts of Kris and Voz. BTW sorry about the mix up Kris. Now that that's cleared up I think the whole scaling back on generous tipping idea, within reason, has been covered thoroughly. Thanx for all the input. Teleburs said: one might say that you assigned yourself the side that you wanted to take. Neecey said: Point being that one can debate a side while still having an understanding of the other side. As well as having strong opinions that agree with the other side. Debating something doesn't necessarily means the need to completely disagree with the other side. Teleburst said: For you to declare that you don't "take a side" is one of the funniest things I've ever read here. Neecey said: Well if I can still go out to dine and manage to tip appropriately and generously then that means I'm not taking sides. You suggest that I have some iron fist non-forgiving position on tipping. Well wouldn't that mean that I'm punishing servers with every meal? Teleburst said: But this isn't high school debating. This is debating the issues on an internet forum Neecey said: Are you sure about that? Seems pretty high school when there are personal attacks and disrespect thrown around as some legimate way to debate a topic. Basically, I don't like where the mentality of servers is going. I don't like what I've heard regarding what tipping allows restaurants to get away with. And I really don't like that the customers are getting more and more of this responsibilty laid in their lap (by guilt as well as unknowingly). Ignoring these distasteful parts of the system by trying to brush them off as not that serious or not that frequent is ignorant and simplistic. If we didn't question what some may say are minor details then we wouldn't have a lot of the labor laws we have now. People's opinions are relevant. A customer's opinion is relevant. Trying to suggesty why some opinions *just don't count* is an offessive argument as well as ridiculous. And I really don't like that the customers are getting more and more of this responsibilty laid in their lap (by guilt as well as unknowingly). I'm not following the ever increasing responsibilities. You either tip, or you don't tip. Of course, I'm referring to dining in with table side service. I know you get information on what different service levels are, but to gather information on how you measure service is like gathering information to form an opinion. You can gain the knowledge, but your going to rely on your own perception. Whether someone thinks your service sucked in that restaurant, if you feel it was average; then stick with the 15%. Just as a small example, you appreciate refills; however Lords does not. You'll tip 15% for this service (along with other things) but Lords will tip less. However, the one thing you missed in your fumbling attempt to equate internet on a forum with organized debate is the very thing that you ignore - your arguments have to be backed up with facts. Opinions and "feelings" don't cut it in organized debate unless they're back up with substantiation. You can't have it both ways. Either you want it to be a debate like you might have dreamed about participating in high school while all the time wondering why you were kicked out of the chess club, or you can just consider it a touchy-feely encounter session of no particular import. I suspect that in your case, it's simply a way to virtually kick your spaniel out of frustration without actually harming your pet. Neecey said: Well because you see it as black and white. There have been plenty of posts that describe a lot of different details that are affecting the way people view tipping. Some of the attitudes out there about tipping from servers and customers: -20% is the new 15% -Servers only make $2.13 so think about that before you judge too harshly. -Post tax tipping -Servers are pulled away from in house diners to prepare your to go therefore 10% is the right thing to do. -Don't hold servers accountable for kitchen error, runner error, bar error or delay, busy night and crappy management. -Have a heart, the server may be having a bad day or rude customers causing them to be off their game. Now maybe that sounds overboard but that's the reality out there when dining out. It could be one or more of those attitudes in effect at any given time. There are servers out there that don't apply the above to their work ethic but there are plenty of servers who do. The general idea out there is to be less critical and more forgiving and understanding. Now of course that's a nice way to be however it makes it that much harder for a person to look out for their own interest without seeming harsh or petty. I don't know how else to explain that the current mentality is designed to cushion the server more than the customer as if servers need to be protected from the big bad world around them. Working at any profession is by choice. Sure there are customers who do if fact take advantage and treat their servers badly but that comes with every job. A rough day at work is not original. The ideas surrounding this profession makes it seem as if servers have no choice but to work at a "thankless" job therefore they deserve our understanding a little more than the cashier at the grocery store. That's an unfair imbalance. When I go out and purchase services or products I expect a certain level of performance and quality but go out to eat with that same attitude about a servers performance and it can be viewed as petty and critical. Even from the people you are dining with". "Maybe that should tell you something." What it says is only one person has the balls to not except shoddy service. The others slinking in their chairs saying" I hope they wont get mad at me. They're looking at me they won't like me. I won't be able to come back here. Whaa, whaa, whaa. Neecey said: Typical Teleburst response. The comment was a general one. And yeah, it tells me that you're just fine with people treating servers differently than they treat everyone else they come across in a professional situation. I'm not saying we should be able to rake servers across the coals. A lot of time tipping isn't the professional transaction it should be. The point that was made was a general one and that people expect a different attitude for what in all actuality IS a business transaction. The people who help me from one place to the next are all human beings so why should there be an imbalance of how I expect them to do their job? But of course you won't address it because some opinions just don't count or aren't really much of a concern. The research shows a million to one believe tipping is just a okay. Blah, blah, blah, Whatever. There's that dismissal of the customer position that's alive and well in your world. . Whatever gets you through the day." I understand exactly what you are saying. I have noticed that a lot of people are very hesitant to "make waves" or "cause a scene". I have noticed this with my own friends. I. No one has accused me of being petty or critical, at least to my face. I don't sit at a table with a stop watch. I don't keep a spreadsheet of the mistakes a server has made so that I can save money on the tip. To be honest, anytime I go out and don't tip 15% or more is a disappointment because it means that I have received bad service and no one likes that. Kelly said: To be honest, anytime I go out and don't tip 15% or more is a disappointment because it means that I have received bad service and no one likes that. Neecey said: Exactly. To. When most people go out to dine it's usually as a treat and usually to enjoy oneself. Why would people deliberatly sabotage their own experience by causing silly waves with their server? There are those that are just miserable but most often than not most people just want a pleasant experience. For some it means a more detailed meal with specific needs but that shouldn't be an issue or taken as someone not being able to just go with the flow. "". Nice revisionist history. I believe it exists. I also believe that there are still people who believe that the sun revolves around the earth and the earth is flat. I'd like you to quote me to support your blatant lie about my position. Go ahead. Make my day. "I". What does that have to do with Neecey's claim that her own friends have called her out on "petty and critical behavior"? *Of course* you should tip less for less than average performance. Have you not been paying attention? " No one has accused me of being petty or critical, at least to my face". Yes, and I'll bet that Neecey's comment about it being a "general comment" meant that she was just making it up, that it's never really actually happened to her. We can all make up stuff that *could* conceivably happen."When most people go out to dine it's usually as a treat and usually to enjoy oneself. Why would people deliberatly sabotage their own experience by causing silly waves with their server"? For the same reason that they expect the worst when they go in maybe?Kind of like you? "For some it means a more detailed meal with specific needs but that shouldn't be an issue or taken as someone not being able to just go with the flow". <shrug> Going with the flow seems to work. But that doesn't mean that one can't recognize poor service when it happens despite "going with the flow". I noted one such case not too long ago. But that was in another thread so I guess that doesn't count. Go in half expecting to get bad service and I'll bet that you have a much greater chance of getting it. Makes perfect sense to me. What does that have to do with Neecey's claim that her own friends have called her out on "petty and critical behavior"? I was pointing out my own experiences that although almost everyone agrees in theory that poor service shouldn't be tipped well (or possibly at all), and that is appropriate to complain to management - that isn't what always happens in reality. There are people who will not complain - even when they have every right to do so. I have had friends who didn't think I should complain about service - even when they agreed the service itself was poor. There are people that seem to think that complaining is wrong - regardless of the merit of the complaint itself. And that is the the person doing the complaining that is somehow in the wrong. Is this the attitude that neecey is encountering? Since I don't know her or her friends, I can't say one way or the other. But based upon my personal experience I would have to say that it is a possibility. *Of course* you should tip less for less than average performance. Have you not been paying attention? I agree. For the same reason that they expect the worst when they go in maybe?Kind of like you? Why would someone go out if the expect to have a bad experience? Why would you spend money to go out if you don't expect to enjoy yourself? It's a lot cheaper to have a lousy time at home. You know, what Teleburst said does have some merit on what we sense when we go out to eat. Ever go to a restaurant and the place is packed? Things that come to your head; This is going to take a long time, service is going to be iffy, food will probably not be correct, etc. Waiting 10 minutes to be sat feels like an hour, Server quickly goes over the specials and darts off after taking your drink order is considered rude, and the food you receive doesn't look as good as the food you had last week when the place was slow. Before walking into the restaurant, we're already giving a bad rating based on past experiences. Just as most people who continue to have poor service on average, expect the service to be poor the next time they go out to eat. Suddenly the little things like refilling drinks, visits to the table, and missing idle chat from the server become huge impacts on your perception of that server. My mentality falls in this format, as most people are probably doing: - Hungry and want to eat at a particular place. - Drive up to restaurant: How many cars? Does it look busy? - Walk in door. Is it busy? Is the hostess nice and greets me nicely? - Get a table, or have to wait for one? - Table location, near the kitchen, near the front door with cold air blasting in from outside when customers walk in? - Server greet. Fast, slow, took a long time to get one? Was she/he nice? Professional or a teenage kid using ghetto slang? - Timing of drinks and apps. - Quality of drinks and apps. - Timing of entrees. - Quality of entress and server asking if everything is fine. Refilling drinks. - Table cleared when done. - Dessert or coffee. Did the server offer, or assume we were done. - Check presented and paid in timely manner. - Good bye and I walk out of restaurant. Any break downs in the system will leave a sour taste in your mouth, even if the server is not responsible for your wait time, or the quality of the food. Teleburst said: What does that have to do with Neecey's claim that her own friends have called her out on "petty and critical behavior"? Neecey said: Typical. So yes,now I'm going to claim it never happened to me. Funny you should throw the fact that it may not have actually happened to me. That means you obviously knew where I was coming from with my point but chose not to validate it. Wonder how you knew what I meant if it's a completely made up scenario. Teleburst said: Like the friends who actually have the nerve to tell you what a prick you're being, right? Neecey said: So that's your logical response by purposely misunderstanding my post and commenting that my friends are trying to tell me something. Honey, my friends have never criticized my tipping except maybe to tell me to deduct for XYZ. I come to my conclusion with help from this very site. Remember how heated the discussion got on the "not everyone can afford to tip" thread? Alot came out on that board about how people react to dining companions tipping habits. That thread was about not tipping enough but it still focused on customer perceptions regarding how one another tips. Teleburst said: Yes, and I'll bet that Neecey's comment about it being a "general comment" meant that she was just making it up, that it's never really actually happened to her. Neecey said: Yep, you guess it, it never has happened to me. It was a pretty easy conclusion to come to without it ever happening to me. And guess what!! It prompt Kelly to share an example of it happening to him/her. SHOCKER! I guess I really wasn't just randomly making stuff up. This board is made up of only so many people and the fact that my *made up* example can quickly be confirmed by a fellow posters with an actual example goes to show what the odds are of that actually happening on a consistant basis. Go ahead and keep 'em closed. Teleburst said:Neecey said: You just confirmed what I said when I posted: "To." Your examples of unreasonable guests is just what I meant with my posts. Yeah, Right! I couldn't have been talking about servers who feel too many details at one table constitutes as demanding guests. It's funny how you take a post about lacking service and try to cloud it with examples of unreasonable customers. As if to say that any critical post about a server is most likely related to the fact that the customer was the one who created the sub standard service in their own mind. You do this every time. Do you even believe that there a bad servers out? You know servers that don't do their job properly? I doubt it. Teleburst said: I believe it exists. I also believe that there are still people who believe that the sun revolves around the earth and the earth is flat. Neecey said: So. Do you even believe that there a bad servers out? You know servers that don't do their job properly? I doubt it. I know there are bad servers out there. Amazing to me that some of them can even keep their job. But that all has something to do with the restaurant and the type of clientel. Trust me, places where people are rude, your servers in that area are probably rude, too. Some will shine, though. And if the money is good, the good servers will catch wind and attempt to do everything in their power to work for that place. The liking or not liking tipping is all based on opinion. Facts are that most people benefit from the system today, compared to a system used overseas. It's built that way, goverment sees it that way, and servers are used to it that way. Neecey said: And I know there are good one's out there. Actual points and observations get overlooked because the debate somehow goes back to petty details that aren't really the issue. Are there miserable customers out there? Of course. Are there miserable servers out there? Of course. Let's not confuse reasonable customers with unreasonable customers and good servers with inept ones. Let's stick to the examples given and opinions about XYZ happening instead of pretending that certain situations don't happen or suggest that criticizing an experience only comes from neurotic customers that have nothing better to do than nit pick. I mean isn't it interesting to see what all sides think instead of halting an interesting conversation path with posts that have already been addressed time and time again? Some of the attitudes out there about tipping from servers and customers: -20% is the new 15% Wrong. 15% is average in most material out there; online and printed. Now the mentality of a server who thinks he/she should get 20% is the one who IS performing excellent service and some customers don't see it as such. As I've stated in the past; "One man's poor service, is another man's excellent service." -Servers only make $2.13 so think about that before you judge too harshly. This is not a concern the customer should worry about. If the service was below average, tip below average. Your good servers will recognize their mistake, while the poor servers will grow tired and leave. (That would be a good thing) -Post tax tipping As-Servers are pulled away from in house diners to prepare your to go therefore 10% is the right thing to do. Again, it's unknown and with so many different restaurants putting the responsibility on different people, how is a customer suppose to know. I do what I do, you do what you do. It's a free world. This, I would hope the customer would take into account, but it doesn't happen all the time. I've seen people tip lower when the steaks come out overcooked. I didn't cook them and I wrote it down, as the customer stated. Why should I be at fault? Managers would usually pay the tab if it's a big issue for the customer. Other issues usually are based on the restaurant's business. If the place is packed, your not going to get timely service, but you should still get quality service. If this is met, tipping average is fine with me. -Have a heart, the server may be having a bad day or rude customers causing them to be off their game. UnWe get rude customers, we get customers who have a chip on their shoulder. We also get customers who are pleasant, having a great time and appreciate the time we took to meet their needs. It all balances out. "So". Voz said: (responding to 20% is the new 15%) Wrong. 15% is average in most material out there; online and printed Neecey said: Of course it's wrong but that doesn't stop the slowly but surely growing population of misguided people. I'm including guests in that equation. Voz said: (responding to the $2.13 wage detail) This is not a concern the customer should worry aboutVoz said: (responding to post tax tipping) AsNeecey said: I'm pointing out what customers aren't sure about. Maybe it amounts to little but that point was included in the list of customer responsibilities. You know the appropriate way to calculate a tip. This is one of those unclear things. Pre tax was acceptable in the past but then again so was 10%. Voz said: (reponding to 10% on take out) Again, it's unknown and with so many different restaurants putting the responsibility on different people, how is a customer suppose to know. I do what I do, you do what you do. It's a free world. Neecey said: And I agree with that sentiment and your reasoning behind it 100% Voz said: (response to don't hold servers accountable etc...) This, I would hope the customer would take into account, but it doesn't happen all the time. Neecey said: Not that I would suggest not being understanding I'm just saying that there's a partnership between a server and a guest. Tolerance is expected from both sides especially if there's a list of details a server doesn't feel should affect their tip. Voz said: (reponse to have a heart...) UnNeecey said: Couldn't agree more. Like I said, you'll have companions like Kelly pointed out that feel holding a server accountable is somehow petty and meanspirited. When I make examples I also consider non servers who think being a server is something worthy of extra consideration. Consideration for any working employee is not a problem but the *extra* consideration is what I have a problem withBut in most cases, we're discussing the customers who don't tip if the service was great. Some customers don't tip anything on a regular basis. It would be the statement of the server making 2.13 an hour for those people, not for the people who are tipping on average. That 15% tip is being paid for a service rendered. If the service was poor or lacking, so should the tip. Neecey said: I'm pointing out what customers aren't sure about. Maybe it amounts to little but that point was included in the list of customer responsibilities. You know the appropriate way to calculate a tip. 15% is appropriate. Whether its before or after tax, it's up to the guest. 125.00 check with a tip after tax results in 20.34. Same check with tip before tax results in 18.75. 1.59 difference. Almost roughly 1% impact on tipping before tax, instead of after. This becomes big when the amounts are very large, but in those cases, it's usually an auto-grat. Oh, auto-grats are before tax. So there is your answer. This is one of those unclear things. Pre tax was acceptable in the past but then again so was 10%. Not in my lifetime. It's been pretty steady on the 15% number. If it used to be 10%, I wonder how the public started making it 15%? Traveling through time to the future, would I see 500 years from now, servers getting 240%? I doubt it. *shrug* You do have a point. What kind of mood I am in definitely affects how much I enjoy an evening, and waiting for 30 minutes for a table isn't known to put me in a great mood. I do typically assume that my order is going to take longer (and I am usually right on that), though I haven't noticed that people get my order wrong more than usual. What I am not sure of is whether or not that would affect how I tip. For me to tip less than 15% - something actually has to go wrong. I do not penalize the server because it takes a long time for my food to come. But would I be more irked because my drinks are not being refilled in a timely manner after waiting for table than if I had been seated immediately? I don't know, but it is definitely a possibility. I typically only hold a server accountable for visible food or bar errors. I mean visible literally - if you could see the error by glancing down at the plate/glass. If I ordered a clear drink and I get handed one that is blue - that is a mistake I hold against the server. If I ordered fries and someone puts a plate in front me with a baked potato, that is a mistake I blame on the server. Now if my steak is not cooked properly - that I wouldn't hold against a server since you can't typically tell that without cutting into the steak (assuming I didn't order rare and get well-done). I do hold servers accountable for errors committed by food runners. Just because a server has delegated the job to someone else, doesn't mean that they aren't still accountable for the job being done properly. That's just like at where I work - if I delegate part of a project to someone else, I am still responsible for the overall quality of the project. It doesn't matter if the mistake was mine or someone elses. As for busy night, as a customer I can tell how many tables people are sitting at but that doesn't tell me if my server is working more tables than usual. I judge simply on the service I receive. If I am not receiving good service it really doesn't matter to me why - I'm not going to pretend I've received good service when I haven't. The last one was crappy management. As a customer I rarely interact with management unless I have a problem with the server. So how would I even know if there was crappy management? Look servers you can't have it both ways. If you serve me, it's called Getting It Right". If I order medium steak and it comes out rare or well done it should never reach my table. Your working for me. If the sides are wrong they should never reach my table. If your just going to take the order and drop the bill your not worth 15-20%. Don't blame the food runner or the drink server. You see to it that it's right. As the scale of the restaurant gets higher, the responsibility of the server also increases. I seriously doubt people who eat at French Laundry as EVER gotten a wrong entree or has been poured the wrong wine. It's a dedicated communication between the front of the house and the back along with managers, matre d', etc. My choice would be to discuss with the manager. Not only are you going to be given a new steak, but based on the time it takes, he may comp it off. Free Meal, baby. ? Kelly, I agree with the statement on servers being responsible. Food runners can't be relied on 100%, but they are there to keep the food from 'dying' in the window. You probably don't want cold food either, unless it's a salad. So the server is to do a quality check when the food comes out. Server can immediately fix it if the food runner brought a burger out instead of the chicken sandwich you ordered. I think I've said this in the past; don't tip below average because of mistakes, tip based on the service. If the server fixes those mistake quickly with upbeat personality and stays in constant communication with managers when a mistake happens, they should be tipped average. Now if the server is blatenly making mistakes; taking an order without writing it down, not checking on you, not refilling drinks, getting your order wrong (Usually you can tell the difference between wrong thing brought and wrong thing ordered), being rude or short because they are busy, etc. This would mostly result in a very low tip. </i> </i> I agree that while I have had the wrong order served to me an at a Chili's type establishment, that has never happened to me at more high-end restaurants. But when it does happen at Chilis it is poor service, and I will tip accordingly I would complain to management if I thought it was appropriate. Kelly said: The last one was crappy management. As a customer I rarely interact with management unless I have a problem with the server. So how would I even know if there was crappy management? Neecey said: The fact that the manager doesn't seem interested in salvaging the below standard experience. This is after the meal deciding to get a manager involved about details that aren't directly the fault of the server but should be addressed none the less That was directed more towards Paid-up who states it's the server's job to check the steak before it comes out. Hope he doesn't mind me cutting into the steak before it comes to the table since it's my job to check it out. Maybe I should taste it, too. Wrong order is circumstance. Since so many factors can effect the ability of the server getting to the mistake before it happens, your tipping habit should be based on a yes/no factor, leaning toward yes if the server fixes the problem quickly. Let me give an example: Letís say the burger comes out with all the toppings, but you asked for plain. Food runner runs off before you notice it. How would you tip the server on three different situations?"?" Isn't that what is all about, making the customer happy? Stiffing the server, just how am I doing that? Situation 1 & 2 - I would dock the tip - though more in scenario 1 than scenario 2. If I am waving someone down to take care of a problem - then to me that is poor service. However, I typically wait a couple of minutes for the server to check on me before I start waving down someone. But if the server is stuck at another table longer than I am willing to wait and I have to flag down someone else (the scenario you laid out), I would dock the tip. Situation 3 - I would not dock the tip if it really was resolved that quickly. Any mistake that is rectified quickly I basically just ignore when tipping. A scenario that I have encountered though is that I ordered a plain burger, a deluxe burger with disgusting mayo is served to me at the same time as my friends receive their meal. A server does come check on me in a timely manner, and I send the burger back. But a new one has to be cooked so I end up sitting there twiddling my thumbs while my friends eat. I finally get my meal just as they finishing up, and I get to eat while they are waiting for me to finish so that we can leave. In this scenario - I am inconvenienced and I will dock the tip. I finally get my meal just as they finishing up, and I get to eat while they are waiting for me to finish so that we can leave. In this scenario - I am inconvenienced and I will dock the tip. And in most cases, this is understandable and servers do feel bad when it happens. To give you an idea on what goes behind closed doors; your example above, the server is upset with the kitchen and the chef. Heated discussions with the servers and cooks have been made in the past that would make you think twice about docking the server. I've had a situation happen where the entree was not even cooked for one of the guests. Three entrees came out; food runner ran it, looked at the table of four and said, "Here you go, your other entree is on the way." Came back to the kitchen and the cooks missed the item. Didn't even cook it. I went off. Son of a .... "How could you have missed it?! Why did the food runner run it?!" We had to buy the meal. I still got an average tip, but in no way was that my fault and in your discription, I would have been docked for it. Cook is still making his 12.00 an hour. Food Runner is still getting his tip out. But me? Nah, my income is lower because of kitchen failure to deliver the product. If I were in your senerio, I would have asked the server,"What happened? Why did it come out wrong?"Well..another way to look at it...any smart server would always blame the kitchen for any mistake, and there is no way for the customer to really know then if the kitchen messed it up, or if the server messed it up. I would give the server the opportunity to make things right...if that did not happen, I would reduce the tip. The server is the customer's gatekeeper to the kitchen, and I leave it in the server's hands to make the dining experience right. The next option would be to take it to the manager if the server can not make it right. Ohioborn said: The server is the customer's gatekeeper to the kitchen, and I leave it in the server's hands to make the dining experience right. Neecey said: The other reasoning that I always try to point out is the fact that the server is the one the assumes these risks. I mean hey, I feel for the server and it is kitchen error but as Kelly said the exeperience provided wasn't worth the standard tip. Same with the server who is stuck with a busy table. But again the service provided isn't up to the standard tip. As a server you are the one who should take hits for the restaurant. Who pays full price for a product that's lacking? I mean why would I pay $16.50 for a shirt that has a stain on it? I mean yeah the shirt will still fit the same and function the same but being clean is something that is included in the price. If someone decides they want it anyway (last one maybe) then they would usually expect some sort of reduction at the register. And that is where you would get your free or discounted meal, maybe even a free dessert. Exactly. The point being is this. In a crazy busy type of place, the server can't be everywhere at the same time. It's in the hopes that food comes out right and your co-workers are helping you out during the crunch. A good server will make sure to check on their customers to make sure things are as they ordered them. It seems most people on the board are forgiving to those who fix the problem quickly. Rock on. In the more upscale places, this happens rarely. On the occasional over cooked item, only the strange requests of modifications does it come out with delay or incorrect. Just as taking risks on even getting a tip, it's not news on us taking a hit when things aren't coming out smoothly. Sucks, but that the beast. My suggestion would be to push for the discount on the food, rather than taking the discount on the server's tip. If the service was average and food mistakes occured, tip on the discounted amount. If the service was excellent and the server did everything they could to make it pleasant, tip on the pre-discounted amount. If I were in your senerio, I would have asked the server,"What happened? Why did it come out wrong?" Two things. First, maybe I am getting cynical but my experience is that people won't take responsibility for an error if there is an easy, credible way for them to avoid it. Since a customer is very unlikely to walk into a restaurant kitchen and say "the server says my meal is wrong because you made a mistake - is that really what happened?" - my guess is that many servers would blame it on the kitchen regardless. If you assume that some people would reduce the tip if the error was the servers', but not if the blame fell to the kitchen there is very little incentive other than inherent honesty to tell the truth. Second, a big part of the problem with my meal was not just that the kitchen cooked it incorrectly (or didn't cook it at all, in the case of your example) - but that the mistake reached my table. Whether it is the server or food runner doesn't matter. If the error had been caught before the food hit the table, it wouldn't have been an issue. There are certain criteria that makes up "average" service - and getting what you actually ordered and getting it with the rest of your table are part of it. I do need to clarify something though. As I have said before, I don't think that servers should be docked for problems with food that couldn't been seen by glancing at the plate - such as meat not being cooked to order. So for the purpose of plain burger/mayo burger example, I am assuming that the error is plainly visible to anyone that would be looking.An apology is good. Free food would go a long way toward convincing me that this was an aberration and not the standard way this restaurant operates. Assuming it was handled well, I would probably give this restaurant another try. However, that still wouldn't change the fact that I didn't receive "delightful" or even average service - and I would tip accordingly. " " ------------------------------------ No one really answered.Daniel ............. Toronto, Canada "No one really answered". You'd have to ask the guests who seem to be the ones determining what the "average" tip that they leave is, but I have a couple of theories. One is that there's a bit of internetitis coming into play. I can't speak for the newly minted server at a place like Applebees, mainly because I haven't been in that situation in years, but, for many of us who have been around for a while, we generally just see better than average tips and so we think (and say) that the average tip seems to be closer to 20%. So we make the possibly false assumption that 20% is the new standard. That's why I constantly pound the idea that 15% is still the "0 axis" if you will, with tips going from there up or down depending on the perceived quality of the service. Maybe much of what's being posted on the internet is by people who are more invested in the serving experience. After all, if you're new to the business, you might not even think it's worth spending time talking about on the 'net, just as someone working as a medical receptionist might not do a lot of talking about his or her job in forums. But that still doesn't explain why polls have shown that people tend to tip what they tip without taking service into account (unless it's really bad or spectacularly wonderful). I suspect that part of this might be the idea that 20% is easier for most people to figure out than 15% or 17% or 18%. I also suspect that 20% might be the standard on Manhattan due to the economic and social realities of the place. It's expensive to live there and I suspect that people subconsciously realize that it's virtually impossible to live on a server's wages, so over time, they've simply upped the ante a little bit. And, because it's a small closed overheated environment, all it takes is a few experts like Fodor's or food critics to proclaim that 20% seems to be the new 15% and it becomes "law". Of course, then the rest of us servers in other parts of the country point to that as a trend as well, and it's reinforced by the idea that many of us actually do get that already because our skill sets are higher. It's not a linear thing either. first of all, I think you're assumption is just plain wrong. Maybe at the turn of the century, 10% was the standard for dining out (although I have no firm proof of that). However, for the past half century, 15% has been the standard. Of course, in 1965, when I was old enough to be told why daddy left money on the table and how he figured that out ("Why son, you take 15% of the total and give it to the server to say thank you for your service"), a coke in a restaurant was a quarter. So I'm not sure that freaking out about a possible creep of 5% over 50 some odd years justifies asking "in 100 years will it be 70%?" The water and ice thing sounds very European. Perhaps Toronto itself feels more European due to the profound French influence? Oh wait, that's Montreal <chuckle>. Maybe you're trying to catch up or trying to be less like the US, where we like our heavily iced drinks. One thing you can be grateful for though - here in the states, an increasing number of people complain about getting hit up by the server for expensive bottle water. I know that it's part of the routine that I have to maintain (or I lose points for not doing so in the event that I get a Secret Shopper). The goal is 20% for average due to tip-outs. I checked out the forum a little, doesn't look like it's been active since last summer so maybe they gave up. Yes, in Europe, they don't put ice in the drinks. You have to ask. Teleburst, you have to serve them bottled or ask them if they'd like bottled water? Bottled water is a pet peeve of mine. It's great for on the go, I'll refill mine a few times, but can't imagine drinking it around the house or in a restaurant, as if tap water is suddenly unacceptable. Most of it IS bottled tap water. There's the environment, too, if it isn't recyclable. Kris, we simply have to ask and we have to use the brand names of the sparkling or still bottled water. Our bottled water is actually Italian, so it isn't the locally bottled tap water that most is. Personally, I never drink American bottled water because of that very reason. And if I'm dining out, I always get tap. I hate sparkling water, which was always hard living in Germany because the tap water wasn't very good and my fiancee's family only drank "mit Gas". And I'm probably too cheap to get still water if I go out. Tap's just fine with me. That Fairtip site was full of it and I said so when they tried to promote it here. In fact, they actually stole their "History of Tipping" from a guy named David Templeton's article called "Tipper Lore" at a Bay Area site called "MetroActive". I mean stole it word for word. Didn't even bother to rewrite it. They certainly didn't attribute it to him. They could very well be brought up on copyright issues.
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http://www.tipping.org/discus4/messages/9/8617.html?1240374617
Life Inc. is about how the economy is affecting you: your life, your job, your family, your finances, your spending. Check us out on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Generation Y remains upbeat, thanks to Mom and Dad By Eve Tahmincioglu The economic funk of the past four years has made it tough for younger workers trying to grow up and get a good job. Lucky for them, a growing number of their parents don't really expect their 20-something children to be financially self-sufficient. A study being released Thursday found that only 67 percent of parents expect their children to be independent by age 22 or younger, compared with 80 percent in a similar survey conducted two decades ago. The shift appears to be at least partly a reaction to the difficult economic environment, according to the Pew Research Center study. "These accommodations to a tough economy appear to have contributed to a broader change in social norms about when adulthood begins," the report stated. The report on younger workers and the economy also found that despite high unemployment, workers under 25 are optimistic about their future prospects and their ability to make ends meet. Perhaps that is related to the generous support many of them still enjoy from their parents. "While young people are less likely now than they were before the recession to say they currently have enough income, their level of optimism is undiminished from where it was in 2004," according to the Pew report. Among the study's other findings: Nine out of 10 young employed adults said they don't earn enough money to lead the kind of life they want but believe they'll earn enough in the future. Among young adults who are not working and say they don't currently have enough income, 75 percent are confident they will have enough income in the future (18 percent believe they won't). It's a lot of positive thinking for a group that has had sustained double-digit unemployment. At the end of last year the jobless rate among workers aged 18 to 24 was 16.3 percent, compared to 8.8 percent for all adults under 64. "The gap in the unemployment rate between 18- to 24-year-olds and all working-age adults is the widest in recorded history," the Pew study said. The numbers would be even worse if more young workers were in the labor market. The labor force participation rate among the under 25-crowd has been on the decline for years, as a growing number of younger workers have opted to focus on school. The rate continued its decline last year, dipping to about 65 percent, compared with 69 percent in 2007. Gen Yers are making less money too. Pew reviewed government data and found "young adults employed full time have experienced a greater drop in weekly earnings (down 6 percent) than any other age group over the past five years." In the face of such economic realities, actions by Gen Yers may speak more loudly than their optimistic words. The survey found that about half have taken jobs they didn't want just to pay the bills; and 24 percent said they took unpaid work to gain experience. More than a third said the tough job market forced them to go back to school. Their personal lives have also been hit: 31 percent said they've postponed marriage and 20 percent have put off the nuptials altogether because of the dismal jobs picture. And 22 percent are opting to wait for better times before having babies. The Pew study was based in part on a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 adults. I think parents understand the desperate times for their kids in their 20's and commend them for supporting them in their struggles. What I don't agree with are the brats that get pregnant and can't afford @!$%#. Living with mommy and daddy who take care of the BF and the new child. RETARDED! This is a sliding scale, 20K/yr, 40K/yr, 60K/yr or even 125K/yr will qualify people to say that. No one I know of said they earn too much for their desired those video games. LMAO..thanks to mom & dad...Mom and dad be doing it into their kids 30's most likely (support)..and its not because of the economy either ( there were plenty of bad times for employment not just these pass four years). Its mom and dad's fault for raising their kids... spoiled and lazy! This is a sliding scale, 20K/yr, 40K/yr, 60K/yr or even 125K/yr will qualify people to say that. No one I know of said they earn too much for their video games. They reflect the changing realities. Since the end of World War II until recently it was expected that families were mother, father, and minor children. Prior to that, especially in rural and ethnic communities, families "stuck together" more. The extended family was much more important. In the 1970s or 1980s it became impossible for families to live off of one income, so mom went to work. Now mom, dad, and adult children need to work and all live together in order to maintain a standard of living that people want. The idea of adult children living with, or very near their parents and relying financially upon their parents isn't new; it's actually really old. This was common in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. The parents helped the children financially, and in turn the children helped the parents as they aged and needed more physical assistance. This actually isn't a bad thing. It strengthens generational family ties and ends up being a beneficial relationship for all parties. Just because your parents help out doesn't mean they hold your hand through everyday life. My fiancee and I live together in a small apartment. We both have full-time jobs, and he bartends on the weekend nights for extra cash. I finished junior college with a degree in business and manage an office. But, between rent and power and car payments and insurance...if something bad happens like an accident or an unexpected expenditure like new tires or something, we can't stretch for it. That's where our parents come in to help us. We just couldn't do it1. Parents helping out is a far cry from parents enabling their kids to remain dependsents. As bananabubblez notes, some parents help their children (living on their own, per se) when there are bumps in the road. It seems like banana and her fiancee are working hard to make something of their lives, so I commend them. So long as they realize that there can quickly be an end to those "aid" payments, they should be working on saving and keep moving forward. The parents that give their kids the new cars, thousands per month, give them rent free stay at home, etc. are the ones with the problems. They are giving their kids more excuses to not be independent. Why should I rent an apartment when I can pocket the few grand a month and party with it (or get my BMW)? 2. I saw the results of the parents giving constant aid (partly in competition for loyalty through divorse, partly with good intents); it destroyed the couple's lives. In this case the couple had pretty low paying jobs, but weren't motivated to look elsewhere for better opportunities because every month they were getting payments and every holiday there were gifts of everything they could have wanted. They lost all of their motivation to grow personally and essentially became private welfare recipients. They stagnated and eventually divorced when the well started to dry up and they couldn't cover the costs and couldn't figure out a way to get out of it. They blamed everyone else and took no personal responsibility. This is just one example of why keeping your kids "upbeat" may not be in their best interests". Especially wages for jobs that recent college grads (or current students) would be getting. It's a shame, embarrassing and pathetic that the richest and greatest (supposedly) nation on the planet cant manage to do a little better. Meanwhile, we call people lazy and entitled, all because they want a decent job with a decent wage...so they can feel like all their hard work is benefitting themselves as well, not just the employer they slave away for. and collectively, we simply dont care about them...or ourselves...or our children and their futures, because we think every person should be forced to work $5.50/hr jobs and be just fine, because the bafoons over 40 worked those kinds of jobs back in their day and "did just fine" - all the while ignoring the list I posted, about where costs have risen...and how truly big of a difference that REALLY makes. Im sorry, but when I went off to college, gas was $1.25/gallon. Now it's $3.50...I dont see how any college kid gets by working a $8/hr job with that reality alone. bananabubblez, you're lucky that your parents' situation is well enough off that they can afford to do that. Or can they? Are they going hungry to help you out? Are they able to afford their medications, mortgage, etc? What about their retirement? You take from them and probably never even offer to pay it back, but does it ever occur to you that they may never be able to retire because of it? If you and your boyfriend can't make it on your own, then you shouldn't be living together. You should be at home with your parents and he should be at home with his. You don't play house unless you can afford it. You want to be a grown-up, but you can't afford the responsibility. I would never dream of asking my parents to help me out. They've raised you and put you through school. That should be enough. Eventually you have to cut the apron strings and be a grown-up. I'd say it comes from the nanny state mentality that has been going on over the past few decades. The idea that a child shouldn't be made to take a grade over because it might hurt their feelings. The idea that no one is a loser and everyone gets a trophy. These are the things that have lead to todays youth feeling optimistic even in this economy. Just wait until reality hits them square in the face.... then you'll really hear some whining and crying. I don't have sympathy for anybody my age that has to live with their parents. I am sorry, but I'm about to sound like a real @!$%# here. I didn't have much growing up, my parents gave me what they could, and I will always been thankful for that. Most importantly, I'm thankful they raised me to work hard. Before college, I had worked every summer when I was 13-15, then when I turned 16, held a year round part time job until I went to college. When I went to college, I was focused on studying/graduating. I amassed a decent amount of debt from my student loans and a little bit of a credit card debt because my parents couldn't always give me the money I would need for groceries. So now, with approximately 60k in debt and making payments of around 1200/month for both my cards/loans. I am having to carefully manage my money, but I'm getting by, because I worked hard through college, got my electrical engineering degree, took a semester off to go on a coop (6 month internship) so I could earn some work experience. I graduated with a slightly lower than a 3.0 GPA, 2.98 and a job offer with a 55k/yr starting salary. I was happy, my work finally payed off, and I'm still enjoying both my job and counting down the years till my loans are payed off. But I did it, and I never asked anything from anybody, other than my parents for money for food. I have repaid them a few times by paying some of their bills when I had a little extra in my bank. Yeah, we probably will have to. But thankfully, I think the rapport we have with our parents' generation is a lot better than how many other generations had it. Most of our parents are either Baby Boomers or *very very early* Gen Xers. I think there's a broadly unspoken peace between us and our parents' generation that's often hard to explain. Not sure how to explain it properly, though... If you say so. I kicked both of mine out at 18. They are doing ok, but not great. Too fkn bad, life's a btch who don't put out. Signed, Gen Xer glad to be rid of kids (I do love them btw but I was raised old school, fend for yourself or die). BTW, my boomer parents sent 3 of my grandparents to old folks home where they died miserably. One grandmother asked me to put her down on a visit. I will never forgive them for that and I won't take them in when they have finally squandered their wealth and die poor which is their greatest fear as if they were put on this earth to be special. What bs. Wow David-2394626, you have problems man. Sounds like you have worse family dynamics than i do. I'm 25 and still at home (have an engineering degree, paid off my student loans, have a great job and a great down payment for a house). I'd say I'm doing quite well versus my peers. I've been looking to buy a house for the last year. Maybe you should have let your kids stay instead of kicking them out. Fenix it's great you have your act together, but I am even more impressed to see you realize your parents played a role in helping prepare you for the future. If you are an example of generation Y I feel much more secure about the future of our planet. @Samian Equally impressed to see you are prepared to help your parents when they need you and recognize the value of the help they have provided. As a generation Xer I've had my "Kids these days, *grumble grumble*" moments but seeing how you guys/girls are turning out I'll turn that attitude around. Michelle, unfortunately I am not a good example of other gen Y'ers. I was raised old school with an old school mentality. I know far too many people around my age that do not have that and they are in far worse condition. Heck they don't even care if they leech off of society or their families. It's sickening. Sorry to kill your secure feeling :(, but it is horrible where my generation is going/at. I help them Felix. I do and if they need to come home they can but that isn't how I raised them. They know that they are born into this world alone and will die alone. We don't play down reality here in Texas. As for my parents, I do love them but they are some of the most selfish people I have ever known and they are clueless about it, very judgemental, nothing is ever good enough, etc. etc. I probably will take care of them when one of them is dead and the other needs it but the idea of it just pisses me off. and if I have to hear about how they went to the moon and brought about civil rights and all that other sht they are so proud of I will vomit. If you listen to them you'd think they were the only great Americans (real Americans) that ever lived, horribly racist too. I'm surprised I turned out half as good as I did. My dad's father (may he rot in h e l l) was a member of the Texas Posse (Texas version of the KKK). Likewise David, Gen Y, especially those of us who do work very hard to position ourselves well, gets tired of being told we are lazy, stupid, and overall inferior than our parents generation by so many people, examples of whom post on this thread (not implying that you do, just trying to make a point to people who may read this). Things are different, and standards should be different...not higher or lower, just different. Agreed Christine. There are a lot of our generation that is crap, but there are a few of us that still try our best and work our asses off to make something of ourselves. The imbalance can be explained by the movie "Idiocracy". I think there is a lot of every generation that could be considered crap. However, nobody wants to think about them. I know plenty of parents in my parent's generation who are selfish and lazy, and treat their kids like crap. A point to be made is that this forum is somewhat self-selecting given that many of these "crap" people in our generation and previous ones are not interested in reading the news and being up to date on current events and opinions. I was forced to go out into the work force in 1988 and drop out of college due to a child on the way. I worked two jobs making ends meet for many years, off and on. Today, my daughter has a college degree, but had to take a job at Walmart due to a bad major decision. It may cost me father of the year, but I still made her get her own place and learn to be self sufficient. She does work here and there, as a second job, using what she learned in college and is now becoming a much stronger person because of this experience. steve, I had a minor hickup during college that had me move back home for a year. My parents had a simple solution. I was expected to pay room and board. Worked out well untill I decided to go back to college. It was also during a recession and it was not unusual to stand in line with 20 others for one job posting. Good luck to your daughter. I agree you lose at father of the year based on popular opion, but I think you did the right thing. Many young adults have made bad major decisions. Many did so with the council of academic advisors and general statements in the education community that one should study what one wants. Make yourself happy. So we are up to our ears with people holding social science, political science, sports movement, art history, golf, and psychology degrees. These are wonderful majors, but if ice cream was the only food in grocery stores and restaurants we'd all say things were screwed up. We need some nutrition too ! Meanwhile foreigners are studying math, science and languages and taking our jobs. Of course there is more to the whole thing than just the major kids study, but it is a very important component. I see managers in business with political science and communications degrees and have no knowledge of business law regarding the contracts they must honor. Can't read financial statements, can't read and write business reports or even a letter or email. Worse yet, they want to argue with qualified people about what these things are. The business loses great amounts of time and opportunity trying to teach managers concepts that a person educated in the relavant discipline has when they are hired. The willingness to argue with the qualified people indicates little hope for turning the general business conditions into growth. I read that senoir managers everywhere are working existing workers longer hours to avoid hiring the young. I agree IReadYou, the right kind of education is a key that opens many doors... apprenticeships or "on the job training" worked in the past because it was generally accepted that we all have much to learn..today's youth think they know more than they really do...very sad that attaining a piece of paper has so much power & can "dumb down" the mind... even Einstein made it clear that he knew little as he awaited the time when people would come along to prove his theories wrong! My kids 'launched' in their mid-20's and have been on their own for a couple of years now. They both have a solid education, good jobs and reasonable dreams. I enjoyed working in many ways, and that carried over into our home life. The 'kids' that some of you are describing aren't kids that I know. There's something to be said with surrounding yourself with successful positive people, yes? Steve, I disagree that you'd lose on Father of the Year. We need more people teaching their kids personal responsibility instead of coddling them. This society is spoiled rotten with people looking for handouts and trying to sue their way to wealth instead of working for it. Everything is somebody else's fault. If your daughter doesn't thank you now for teaching her to be self-sufficient, I hope she'll thank you later. I (a woman born in 1989) graduated last year from a four year college, and although my parents wanted me to move back home so I could live without expenses, I managed to find a job (not in my preferred field) that allows me to live independently, if not as comfortably as I might like. It's not an ideal situation and I can't keep it up forever, but I still take pride in paying my own bills and living on my own finances in these tough times. I (a man born in 1989) graduated from high school in 2007, and was unable to afford to go to a 4-year college, due to me not being able to get a higher paying job, and my parents not being able to sign off on any potential college loans at the time. (They still can't: my mother used to work at the Borders Group HQ, and is now unemployed.) Although my parents AND I wanted me to move out and live independently, when the bottom fell out Wall Street, I lost my job, leaving me high and dry living at home. It's DEFINITELY not an ideal situation, and I WON'T keep it up forever (even if I could), but I still want to take pride in paying my own bills and living on my own finances in these tough times...I just need to find a job first...and as I live in Michigan, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! Jeremy I have three children within a couple years of your age. You said your parents couldn't sign off on loans so that you could go to college. Don't understand that one. If they filled out the out the FAFSA form, which everyone has to fill out for loans, grants, etc, you automatically are given a number of loans that cover the costs. If your parent truly made very little, you would have been eligible for possible grants or scholarships, based on your grades. The FAFSA form is a pain to fill out, but definately worth it if you really want to go to college. I'm form Canada, but same deal. I wanted to make big money practicing law but I've realized I'm probably going to have to start off as a Crown prosecutor and start working my a$$ off so I can climb the ladder and live the life I want. The real world sucks but there's not a lot any of us can do to change that. Might as well suck it up and deal with this debacle of a world we're inheriting. You do know that each generation before you said the same thing? 99% of the people had to start at the bottom somewhere (probably your parents too). We have all thought that our parents made a mess of the world and WE would fix it. HaHa, good luck Boy, I don't envy the kids growing up today. Too many Jobs with Zero REAL Benefits. Corporate America has dismantled Pensions, Unions, Benefits. There are no more jobs with Employer provided Medical and Dental like there used to be. They dismantled the whole system and replaced it with Crap and they are getting away with it. The young don't know how good it used to be and that's the way Corporate America wants them to stay, ignorant of the Past and our once great standard of Living. Our Kids will be replaced by Mexican ready made families because they can no longer afford to raise their own kids... Problem was the Baby Boom generation's love of cowboy rhetoric, their corporate lust, their overpowering need to consume at all costs, and laziness in raising their kids. The Baby Boomers created our current political situation....now it's time for them to bleed more resources from our government to fund their lavish retirements...and leave this corrupted system to their children. Guess it's ok..most of the Baby Boomers never cared about their kids anyway..and it shows. You are spot on about the replacement of american citizens with the mexician families. Mexician families are also able to draw upon a growing mexician owned business base which is biased towards hiring their own. As the mexician demographic grows the requirement of spanish speaking(hmm hispanic culturally sensitive..i.e hispanic) employees will become the norm. I really wonder if all the politically correct aspiring journalists are ready for the new reality of cultural displacement.The lack of reporting about the very real effects of illegal immigration and the intentional pursuits of increased market share through support for illegal immigration is something this generation must be vocal about and learn to protect their own interests. I'malwayswrite - I'm glad you brought the illegal immigration point of this UP.... I live in Phoenix, Arizona and it has become a HUGE issue here. Although it has gotten a little better since this recession, has lingered! I wanted to ADD that they are not ONLY " biased towards hiring their own" but hire illegals that are paid under the table, avoiding income tax. On top of that, I've notice MOST of these stores I have gone into, use a adding machine for a register, again avoiding paying tax on sales. I worked during high school washing dishes, bagging groceries, busing tables, working at Fast food rest... and what not. Those are typical jobs these "illegals" now do....remember...the ones WE Americans won't? Now however, when you get into college, There is so much competition for every type of job available, it's almost not even worth APPLYING, unless you know someone. We have all the parents of this "Gen Y" competing, for the same jobs, so they can keep the household together, for not only themselves, but these college age children, still living at home. I have wonderful children, but both have been in and out of the house a couple times, because they just CANNOT make enough income to survive (even together). They are both gone again, but one, recently had his hours cut (he works at the Airport FEDX) to 12 hrs A WEEK? This is the second time, he orignally only had 35hrs, but at least that, paid his bills. The other is more a "Techno" type, has managed to land a decent job that pays well, but STILL is P/T, with NO benefits. So they both have NO medical. I can no longer cover them due to other reasons... Such is life nowadays, I suppose. My generation (late Baby Boomer born 1953) made it though, but I don't think we'll leave our children, as well off, as our parents did us.... Amazing to me how the "great American" nation would be reduced to only Mexican families b/c "Americans" cannot afford their own. You want to know how Mexicans can survive when Americans cannot? B/c they have not been doted on the whole of a spoiled existence. They know what it is like to start work at 13 years of age to contribute to their family as opposed to going and blowing it on electronic crap that will provide no sustenance for their bodies. As an American I am tired of LAZY a$$ Americans blaming all their pitiful woes on other cultures. Get a life and get some initiative to make something better of yourselves rather than just whining about it. Oh p.s. in general there are plenty of white, black, green, purple people the world over who will only hire "their own" as well as pay little in taxes, not just the brown people so lay off. I'm retired. It's no secret that American workers are the Most Productive in the World, yet their rewards are no longer commensurate with their effort, that was devastated by the Bush Sub Prime Melt Down and 30 years of a Race to the Bottom... annon - I'm shocked at YOUR reply....It must be to my or iamalwayswrite's post as they contain the "illegal" information. I SIR did not mention any NATIONALITY AT ALL IN MY POST!!! IT APPEARS YOU KINDA TOOK FOR GRANTED....THIS WAS ABOUT "THE BROWN PEOPLE".... I didn't in anyway say anything negative about the life style or about the way anyone LIVED? I simply pointed out some information I have first hand knowledge of, about the "Stores" that they operate and some of thier employees! However, since you brought it up, your comment that bothers me most!; As an American I am tired of LAZY a$$ Americans blaming all their pitiful woes on other cultures I am retired, worked hard all my life and YOU have the nerve to call me "a lazy A$$"??? You continue your RANT and additionally tell me to "Get a life and get some initiative to make something better of yourselves rather than just whining about it." and tell me to "LAY off"..... Well sir, I believe YOU are the igorant one here as EVERYTHING I wrote, IS TRUE! Having first hand knowledge as a LEGAL, US citizen, concerned about this topic! I've lived in Phoenix for almost 50 years, it is a Beautiful city and wouldn't live anywhere else! It is NOT ONLY the "Brown People" (as you put it), that have taken these jobs I mentioned in my post above. It is ALL nationalities...YES! My brother employs 12-15 people in his small contruction firm he runs and hires all nationalities....I know several others who run businesses and thier onlyobjection, is to find someone that can do the JOB, not that they have the same color of skin, as them. I WAS SPEAKING OF ILLEGALS, NOT US CITIZENS..... I suggest you next time READ, what is posted, before you ATTACK the poster, for things they didn't even write....BIGOT!!! Come now glw, you live in Arizona and you speak of illegals, why would I equate them to being anything other than Hispanics? That's mostly what I hear Arizonians complain about, never once has it been about Asians, Middle Easterners, Europeans, or even Aliens from Mars. If you took offense to being called lazy (which was not necessarily aimed at you in particular), well all I have to say is the bit dog barks loudest. I only pointed out that Hispanics are not the only ones who hire "only their own" or go lax on taxes. If you had the misfortune of being born into a crap-hole 3rd world country wouldn't you do anything you could for your children to give them a better life, including going to a better place illegally? If not, I'm glad you're not my parent. And by the way, I'm no sir. I do not promote people coming here illegally, but I do not blame them for wanting a better life that they cannot get in the country of their birth. And the whole color thing is to really say that no matter what the color, we are all human and we all have similar tendencies. P.S. it was the one above you that mentioned Mexicans and you agreed with their statement about what they said in reference to Hispanics, so yes you in turn also brought up Hispanics. So sad that some people, just cannot love their country enough, to protect it from an invasion! No matter if it's FROM Mexico, ASIA or what ever. NOT SURE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE WORD - "ILLEGAL"??? I could care less what color/nationality they are, ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL, and that is what people like you CAN'T understand. I could care less if they were born into poverty or what ever. There are LEGAL ways to come to America, they should use them! and don't tell me about the hardships to come to America legally either....MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS HAVE DONE IT.... BTW - I also DID NOT SAY I agreed with THAT statement, I simple, thanked him for bringing "Illegals" UP! I am just wondering how much better children would do with two parents? How much better they would do if someone stayed home, cooked, took care of the house, etc.? It could be swapped and does not have to be a permanent role. One works one week while the other takes care of the house, kids, etc. then that one stays home for a week while the other goes to work for a week. Why must both parents work to make ends meet? I think some people got tricked into working for less then they should. I think people are addicted to shinny things and neglect their children. We love to support this unfair system, who was voting all this time? Then we like to point the finger at our children and except them to make miracles happen, when the PARENTS are to blame. Nice try with the blame game, I love my parents anyway btw. They mean well, but my mother is a work junkie. She will put in extra hours all the time, not get paid for them, and sacrifice everything else for work just to impress the boss. I think of how much effort she puts into work, 60+ hours a week min, and how little she gets paid. It is crazy, she knows the system is messed up, but she cannot stop herself. She is addicted to work and is as much to blame as the greedy on top of this pile of rats. She has to try to be in charge, and is why I laugh when people say if they cannot make X amount then why bother, B.S. you would do it for a happy meal. Who are you trying to fool? She has worked 60+ hours a week her entire life and made OTHER PEOPLE RICH, not her. You took my mother away from me, and you wonder why I get pissed. It amazes me how much effort women put into pleasing their boss, yet refuse to DO THE SAME EXACT THINGS FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY for their husbands. It is ok to kiss your bosses a$$, but not your husbands... If there were half the workers then people would get paid more, it is supply and demand, but nooo EVERYONE HAS TO WORK A JOB AND BE PAID MONEY. Husbands will hand over large portions of their pay checks, women on the other hand will not hand over large sums of money to their husband. Sorry if the truth hurts, but if you have a child you should take care of it. Why did you have a child in the first place if all your going to do is work? You miss out on half the fun of having a kid. Throw money at the problem like always... I think that you're about spot on actually. My mom (a boomer) said that the women's rights activists really screwed us as opposed to helping us out. Not one of these ladies addressed the issue of what was to become of the house work now that the lady of the house is actually the lady of the office. Just because women get to go to work doesn't mean that all husbands are going to start helping take care of the house, children, and finances. Many men still expect to be the primary bread winner and expect the woman in their life to be the primary care taker. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, but most of us are married to the rule, not the exception. I have come into contact with a growing number of women who have been college educated and did a pleasant amount of traveling and have only the desire to be married and raise their children. To each their own in how they choose to live their life, but this original poster is a child of their mother and has every right to expect time and affection from their mother as every child has the right to expect it from the person who brought them into this world. Too often we dismiss others' feelings and try to invalidate them. This is not a proper approach, do you like it when other people try to invalidate your own feelings? I'm gonna guess no. Wow, Tired, you are obviously very young but, you hit the nail on the head. It has become the standard for both parents to work a full time job, in fact it is necessary for most families just to make it, and I too believe it is one of the many contributing factors to the current funk we are all in. I hope all the conservatives read your post. They love to blame the gays for the fall of the American family and would never dare point the finger at the "job creators" who have nickeled and dimed the American worker to the point that it is hard to make it even on two incomes much less one. I do have to say though, in defense of your mom, that when she is kissing the bosses ass, please don't think she is doing it for his sake, because she is most likely doing it for you. If your mother grew up poor, she may feel like providing a good lifestyle for you is much more important than actually being with you. Maybe someone should point out your post to her. She may be completely oblivious to how you feel about the situation and just feel like you are ungrateful for her working so hard to support you. In my experience, also working 60-70 hour weeks, etc. I did it for the recognition that comes from a job well done as well as the steady paycheck. I tried very hard to prioritize family over work without risking my career goals. I can't speak for your Mom, but she might be very happy with the choices she's made. That you feel neglected is certainly a problem though, and something that you should get some help with. OK, EVERYONE on this thread, I agree that Tired shouldn't feel totally neglected. But why is it MOM's job to stay home, do the housework, etc.? You people are insane. annon- yes, a child should have time with his/her mother. But what about Dad? Shouldn't a child expect just as much time from him? HE brought the child into the world, too! It wasn't like mom just thought, hey I want a baby, and BAM there he was! and Tired- I love how you sidestep the "sexism thing" by suggesting that the parents take turns staying home. Seriously? What job that pays anything more than minimum wage would let you take EVERY OTHER WEEK off?? And if it really doesn't matter which parent stays home, why are you condemning your mother for enjoying her job but stay completely silent on your father's time at work? Is it because he's "supposed" to be there but mom's being a terrible mother because she's out in the workforce doing something she obviously enjoys in order to give you a better life? Parents do the best they can with what they have. Maybe you should have some kids, try to make ends meet, and THEN decry your mother's horrible mothering! Sorry Allielcea, in general it's just the way it is. Trust me, it bothered me for a long tome about how women were expected to stay at home mostly and that their career essentially meant nothing next to their husbands. As I said before, most of us are married to the rule, not the exception. We are trying to break the mold set for women for thousands of years, and we're trying to undo it in less time than it was done. Speaking only for myself, after I had children I realized that work sux and I would rather be able to enjoy my children, seeing them grow up and get to be there for them always. But then reality set in and I realized that I also wanted to be able to provide a comfortable life for them as well. Unfortunately life is not always what we wanted it to be. Men generally expect women to take care of the house and the children while the men generally expect themselves to be the primary bread-winner. Changing the family dynamics aren't always a good thing, my husband became a full-time student due to a crappy economy and I became the "bread-winner". It takes an awful toll on a man (or at least it did mine) to not be the "man" of the house. It kills him not to work outside the house and I know many more men who would never be satisfied being the "man of the house" rather than working. Many of the issues are on a primal level and aren't easy to change. So yeah, kids should have time with their dad but kids generally don't expect as much of dad's time as they do mom's. Over the years I've found that American society is quite stupid. We have all the resources in the world, yet force ourselves to live a pointless life of hardship (devoid of most of the things that make life enjoyable). You have the "work will set you free" rhetoric, and the social darwinism nonsense....the goal for everyone is to become a Nietzchean Man of Ice...an aloof, rugged individual...alone forever, except when mating. There are millions of idle workers (professional, white-collar, blue-collar, skilled, and unskilled), yet we have to work a handfull of workers to death. We tell people to postpone their enjoyment of life's real experiential pleasures until retirement (when we will all be too weak to enjoy it as much as in our youth). There is also a lot of emphasis on neurotically pursuing expensive healthcare to keep us in debt and working for life. I wish I could move to France or somewhere nice....where I could work enough and enjoy just being alive. In every other country it is ok to live with your family, but here we are obsessed with always being alone...also, everyone is always afraid you might ask them for help or money. You just can't have relationships with people here (that don't involve sex, money or a religious cult). It is a very bizarre society. In other countries there are actually "friendships" that don't involve sex or money...but not hereThat is mostly because they are Fed a False Reality by the Corporate Media. Television and the Internet are not Reality, full of Happy Commercials that Bombard people with Crap to Buy that you don't even need. The Message is, if you don't but this or that, you're not Cool. if you don't have a credit card, you're not Cool or Hip, etc, etc, etc... Ha, so many old people whining about young adults living with their parents. Using the same stupid logic of tradition, backed up with anecdotal evidence, to belittle others and claim superiority over them; Arrogance at it's finest. If you think about it, though. if you're a parent with an adult kid living at home, it doesn't really make sense to charge them rent because that just makes it take that much longer to save enough money to move out! If I were a parent in that situaiton I'd just say, fine you can live here, but you have to get a full time job, even if it's working at a fast food place or being a janitor, you have to show me how much you're making, you have to show me your bank balance every month. That way you can see if they're blowing what they make instead of saving. Then, I'd say: when you reach $5,000 in your bank account, you are outta here, on your own. That's how to have a kid live at home. I don't want your rent $, kid--I want you outta here! So save, don't spend, and move out! Actually, not even law degrees are valued much...unless you have relations in the bus. If it ain't Engineering, Medical, Accounting, or some hard Science...no one cares...it's just paper that boosts your ego for a couple of years after graduation. Something you can use to assert your mental superiority over others, but not necessarily find a job. Wow, it must be nice to be able to delay getting slapped in the face by the real world for a few more years. I just hope these Gen Y'ers appreciate the sacrifice their parents are making, way past the time they should have to. According to the liberal media and Obama administration we've added millions of jobs since Summer. makes you wonder what OWS is complaining about as well as the folks in this article.... someone isn't being honest. I guess you did not read the article. It is the young people who are whining and running back to mom and dad in increasing numbers when most of us went out on our own even if it meant hard times and sacrifices had to be made. It's called growing up. You are a bunch of softies. LOL I bet these kids voted for Obama. Don't feel bad. I voted for Jimmy Carter when I was in college and found everything in a mess at graduation. Little naive me. However, I did correct my error four years later. As a Gen Yer (1988) I have conflicted opinions. On one hand, I've been on my own for a long time, paying my way through school in engineering. I chose a practical job so I don't ever have to live the way I did in college with $5 to my name and working two jobs. I have a hard time sympathizing with my generation because they just signed away loans without thinking about it and got degrees in drama and art just assuming everything will work out for them or that they're parents will take care of it. But I do think it's really unfair how high the unemployment rate if for our generation and how we have to pay for our parents mistakes. It's frustrating to know I'm paying for everyone else to retire but I have to pay solely for my retirement. And yet everyone talks about how much we complain. Are we just supposed to sit there and let everyone walk all over us? You cannot blame the current problems, particularly the economy, solely on the "mistakes" of previous generations. Historically, the economy periodically goes through a correction, a recession, once every 8 to 10 years, regardless of who is President. How quickly the economy bounces back through fiscal and regulatory policies, and confidence or lack there of, provided by the President determines if he gets a second term. I don't recall saying solely....I mentioned it as a frustrating part of the system. I only talked about solely when it came to paying for my retirement - which is true. I did not blame the current problems only on the previous generations Frankly, I hate social security, medicare, medicaid, prescription drugs, ObamaCare and entitlements that every administration implements. The spending never stops. Since it is the current young generation and future generations that have to pay the price, I don't understand the youth voting for a president, whether it's Bush or Obama, who spends like drunken sailors and continues to increase the tax burden on future generations
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82a4134a-40b0-4d13-86e9-dd02a7fb8434
http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/02/09/10353515-generation-y-remains-upbeat-thanks-to-mom-and-dad?chromedomain=usnews
August 30, 2006 When I don't know something, which, alas, is often the case, people come to my assistance. Take a recent column about Medal of Honor winner Charles Cleveland. Cleveland is buried in Utica's Forest Hill Cemetery and his tombstone cites the fact that Congress awarded him the country's highest medal. This was because of what Cleveland did during the Civil War at the Battle of Antietam in 1862. In a previous column I included all I knew about Cleveland, which wasn't much. According to a website about the Civil War, Cleveland "voluntarily took and carried the colors into action after the color bearer had been shot." That was about it. But Don Wisnoski has come to my assistance. Wisnoski, who has forgotten more about the Civil War than I know, gathered information about Cleveland, including a picture, from a variety of sources. Cleveland was a private in the 26th New York Infantry, known as the "2nd Oneida." The 26th, also known as the "Utica Regiment," consisted of companies A, B, C and E, all of which were recruited in Utica, D from Hamilton, F from Whitestown, and I from Oriskany. According to "Glory Was Not Their Companion," the story of the 2nd Oneida, the regiment was advancing through a Maryland farmer's cornfield when they were spotted by the Confederates. "Realizing they had been spotted," the commander of Cleveland's battalion "gave the command to commence firing. The battalion opened with everything they had and continued discharging their muskets evenly and carefully for some 30 rounds. The Confederates sent volley after volley in return, delivering their fire with promptness and spirit. "When the regiment's color bearer fell with a bullet wound, Pvt. Charles Cleveland of Company C voluntarily picked up the flag and continued holding it aloft, still slowly moving the men forward. In the process, Cleveland suffered gunshot wounds in the left forearm, left breast, and left foot. His wounds at Antietam cost him a two-month stay at a Baltimore hospital, but would later earn him what would be the first of three Medal of Honor awards for soldiers in the Twenty-Sixth New York." After the war, Cleveland lived on Blandina Street in Utica and worked as a marble cutter, something he did until 1874, when he was appointed to the Utica Police Department. He was promoted to sergeant in 1882, a detective in 1887, assistant chief in 1896 and chief in 1898. Cleveland was married and had three sons. The family went to Grace Church. Cleveland died in 1908. In those days, nobody mentioned cancer but it sounds like Cleveland might have had it. This is how The Saturday Globe reported Cleveland's death: "After a long sickness, during which the moments dragged as hours in an agony of pain, Chief of Police Charles F. Cleveland passed away at his home, 178 Blandina Street, a 4 o'clock this morning. While the news of his death will cause no surprise, because the critical nature of his sickness was known, it will cause profound sorrow.The city which he conspicuously served for a period of 34 years will mourn him, and thousands of citizens, who learned to admire his sterling qualities as a man and as an official, will shed a tear of sympathy over his departure." ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Joe Kelly is the editor and publisher of The Boonville Herald & Adirondack Tourist and THE GRIFF.
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58d35795-c0c2-4730-80b0-6da324285649
http://www.boonvilleherald.com/joe_kelly/2006%20Articles/joekelly_083006.htm
Before the earthquake women and girls faced great challenges. Now even more than ever. The earthquake did not discriminate based on gender, but women will be disproportionately affected. Death from childbirth, sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions, possible spread of HIV- these are a few of the increasing challenges facing Haitian women and girls. Despite this, lifesaving reproductive health services can reduce this unequal impact. The RHRC Consortium's statement describes the immediate and long-term health care needs of women and girls and is copied below. 4/15/2013 ICFRC By Lorraine Taggart . Last month's International Women's Day saw celebrations of the contribution that women and girls have made to the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement across the world. In Haiti, the Red Cross society took the initiative and planned several activities such as a workshop on cardiovascular disease, a presentation on women's roles in the voodoo religion, as well as an exhibition of artwork designed and created by women to commemorate this day. The focus for this year's International Women's Day was preventing violence against women and girls, a subject that attains added relevance in a post-disaster context. Women across the country had the opportunity to express themselves and to speak out about how women in Haitian society can become more engaged in community life as well as what roles women can play on the reconstruction of the country after the devastating 12 January 2010 earthquake. In Haiti women are often the subject of stigmatization and discrimination. Certain jobs are not offered to women simply because of their gender, and many time husbands forbid their wives from accepting certain jobs that are deemed too masculine. Such was the case for Marie Rachel Preval. Her home was destroyed during the earthquake and she was forced to live in a tent for several months with her 4-year-old son before finally moving into her aunt's home in Carrefour located in the southern part of Port-au-Prince. In December 2010, she was offered a job with the Red Cross society as a security guard. She accepted it although her husband was against her doing that kind of work and pressured her to quit. To this date she is the only female security guard at Haiti Red Cross Society headquarters in Port-au-Prince. "Many people asked me why I accepted to take a job like this. A job where I would be surrounded by men all day. My husband told me to quit but I couldn't because I needed a job to take care of my son." . Two years later Marie Rachel says that all her co-workers have come to accept her as an equal and she feels very comfortable in her job. "In this society, women are often mistreated. We shouldn't listen to people who tell us we can't do certain things because we are women. I think that we as women are capable of doing anything we want to." The organization's beneficiary communications tools were also used to spread messages and awareness concerning International Women's Day. Text messages were sent nationwide over the Digicel mobile phone network encouraging the population to take part in a survey launched on the Red Cross IVR system. By dialing 733, people were be able to answer questions on violence prevention to not only test their knowledge on the subject but to gain additional knowledge as well. The Red Cross radio show, known as Radyo KwaWouj, had a special edition of the show which discussed the need for people in society not to discriminate against women who are HIV positive and to understand that they need the same support as any other woman. The sound truck was also used to share messages throughout the metropolitan area to raise awareness about International Women's Day. The messages encouraged the protection of women against violence and the equality for women and girls. Although the Haiti Red Cross Society actively promotes and encourages the equality of women and the role that they are capable of playing in society, International Women's Day was another opportunity to emphasize the importance of women in society. By ATHENA KOLBE and ROBERT MUGGAH . A TEXT MESSAGE was the first sign that something was wrong. In the week after Hurricane Sandy hit Haiti, our research team was assessing post-disaster crime, food security and service provision. The message came from a Haitian researcher in our group, an enthusiastic and talented graduate student whom we'll call Wendy. She had been walking alone a few blocks from our hotel when she was forced into a house and brutally raped. We quickly located a doctor but he refused to examine Wendy, saying she needed to be seen by the authorities first. We then contacted the police, and after a grueling interview in which one officer repeatedly asked Wendy, "What did you do to make him violate you?" the police said she was free to be examined. The doctor, however, couldn't be found. Although Haiti routinely suffers from political and natural disasters, rape is an especially insidious crisis. Haiti's brutal dictatorships used rape as a political tool to undermine the opposition. A 2006 study reported that some 35,000 women and girls in Port-au-Prince were sexually assaulted in a single year. In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, residents of the capital's tent cities were 20 times more likely to report a sexual assault than other Haitians. Haitian prosecutors are reluctant to pursue charges against rapists unless a victim is examined by a doctor within the first 72 hours to "certify" the assault, but few victims are able to satisfy this requirement. The police referred Wendy to a state-run clinic in the nearest large town, a three-hour drive over washed-out roads. When Wendy arrived she was told the doctor was out. A nurse mentioned that he could be found at a private clinic nearby. . It had been more than 16 hours since the attack. Wendy hadn't slept or bathed. Her clothes were ripped and dirty. Dried blood matted her hair where the rapist had slammed her head against a wall. The doctor wanted verification from the police that a sexual assault complaint had been filed before he conducted an examination to retrieve fluids left by the perpetrator. The police were called but they claimed a "fee" was required before they would release a copy of the sexual assault complaint. A women's rights organization in the capital suggested we pay a bribe and complain to the policeman's superiors later. Our colleague drove several hours back to the town where the assault had taken place, paid a $25 bribe, and waited while the officer wrote up a report that merely stated that Wendy had lodged a complaint against a particular man but not that she had been raped by him. After some argument, the officer agreed to include the allegation of sexual assault. It took more than 24 hours before Wendy finally saw a doctor who admitted he'd never been trained to examine a rape victim. She cried the entire time. Random individuals wandered freely in and out of the room during the exam, including patients, nurses and a man visiting his sick wife in an adjacent bed. In North America, rape victims are often given medication to fight possible exposure to sexually transmitted disease as well as the morning-after pill. Wendy was terrified of pregnancy. She declared that although she didn't believe in abortion, she would rather "die" than have "that man put a baby inside of me." Wendy knew about the morning-after pill but wasn't aware if it was available or legal in Haiti. The doctor falsely told her that after 24 hours it was too late to use it. After Wendy's exam, the police refused to pick up the medical report or fluid samples collected by the doctor. Instead, she was told to take them to a state-run medical clinic for sexual assault victims in the capital, a 15-hour drive away. The doctor then demanded an exorbitant fee for the medical report. The final document stated simply that Wendy had complained of being raped and was found to have evidence of sexual activity. No record was made of the bruises covering her thighs or the many lacerations on her body. . BEFORE Wendy could shower, she had to return to the small town where the assault occurred for yet another interrogation by the police. Our colleague, meanwhile, was scouring pharmacies for the morning-after pill. He finally tracked down a pharmacist who knew what it was. But the medication, like most pharmaceuticals in Haiti, was imported. The instructions were in Arabic and Portuguese, neither of which the pharmacist could read. He didn't know which package contained the morning-after pill and which contained hormones taken by post-menopausal women. Nor did our colleague, who closed his eyes and picked a box, which by chance happened to be the right one. After taking the pill, Wendy slept for the entire ride to Port-au-Prince, helped into oblivion by the glass of homemade gin the doctor had prescribed. We had no intention of sweeping this incident under the rug. We contacted the police, women's rights organizations and various government ministries. We spoke with the police chief from the area where the assault had taken place. He said he had questioned the perpetrator, who claimed that Wendy had had sex with him willingly. Because the medical report made no mention of violent assault, the police officer in charge, who had seen her bruises and cuts himself, said there was nothing he could do. Calls to the women's rights organizations and other civil society groups confirmed that there was little to be done. "You could pay something, give them a gift so they arrest the guy," one human rights worker suggested. "But he'll probably just pay another bribe and get out." For decades, Haitian victims were blamed for inviting rape, and seldom spoke out. Politicians and the media perpetuated these stigmas. So did the law: a woman's testimony that she didn't consent to sex was insufficient for conviction, and monetary restitution or marriage to the rapist was considered a solution. A 2005 law made rape a punishable offense after intense lobbying from survivors and the Haitian Ministry of Women's Affairs. In 2010, the law was updated after chilling reports of rapes committed against the elderly and children. . But old habits die hard. In Haiti, attitudes toward rape are similar to those that were common in the United States before the 1970s and '80s. Haitian officials often claim that residents of slums and displaced person camps are promiscuous. Despite new laws, few women will ever report the event because of the prevailing social norms that blame victims for their own assault. Even fewer survivors will be in a position to navigate the complicated procedures to bring charges against a rapist. Having an education, money and connections doesn't necessarily help. By the time Wendy returned to Port-au-Prince she wanted only to return to her family. Her mother thanked us for getting her medical attention and asked that we never mention the rape to Wendy again. Wendy said she just wanted to forget about it. She blamed herself for walking alone, for wearing borrowed pants that were too tight, for smiling and saying hello when the man first approached her, for freezing up and not screaming when he attacked her. Despite her education, resilience and dedication to fighting violence against women, Wendy could not bring herself to face the grueling road of rape prosecution in Haiti. So she dropped it and asked us to do the same. When we told the women's rights group she didn't want to pursue a case, they weren't surprised. "It happens all the time," said a member of the staff. "We get dozens of cases each month, and out of those sometimes not even one woman will put herself through this process." It is hard to blame them. . Athena Kolbe is a researcher from the University of Michigan School of Social Work and co-director of a social work institute in Pétionville, Haiti. Robert Muggah is the research director of Brazil's Igarapé Institute and a professor of International Relations at the Catholic University in Rio de Janeiro. By Allie Torgan . Haiti's terror didn't end when the ground stopped shaking. Reports of rape and sexual violence have been all too common after the January 2010 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people and displaced almost 25% of the entire population. "On the evening of January 20, several young men were firing gunshots in the air. They came into our shelter and grabbed my 19-year-old niece," one woman, Dina, told Amnesty International. "They just came in, grabbed her and dragged her away. ... She was raped by several men. They took her at around 9 p.m. and let her go at around 2 a.m." Another woman, Guerline, told the rights group that she and her 13-year-old daughter were attacked on the same night in March 2010. The men wore hoods and told Guerline that if she went to the police, she would be shot dead."There is nowhere safe where I can live, so I had to keep quiet," she said. "I didn't take my daughter to the hospital. She was too scared. I sent her to another town where some relatives live." In the days following the disaster, camps were set up to provide shelter for more than a million displaced Haitians. But these "tent cities" have been far from ideal, according to Malya Villard-Appolon, one of this year's top 10 CNN Heroes. . "After the earthquake, the situation was inhumane and degrading. There was no security. There was no food; there was no work," said Villard-Appolon, a rape survivor who co-founded an organization, KOFAVIV, that helps other victims find safety, medical aid and legal support. "Two years after the earthquake, it is still the same," she said. "The people are still under the tent, they don't have electricity, they are getting raped." Nearly 370,000 people remain in displacement camps, according to the U.N. And gruesome reports of violence, inadequate health care and substandard living conditions have painted a picture of horror and hopelessness. In one study, published in January by the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (PDF), 14% of households reported that at least one member of the household had been a victim of sexual violence since the earthquake. And 70% of households surveyed said they were now more worried about sexual violence. . Residents have cited lack of lighting, long walks to the bathroom, and flimsy tents as some of the issues putting females at risk of attack. Many females also are on their own for the first time. "Women and girls were left to fend for themselves in camps," said Anne-christine d'Adesky, project coordinator for PotoFanm+Fi, a nonprofit that has been working with more than 70 Haitian support groups to track post-earthquake violence. "Because of the great displacement, people lost that sense of community protection." Women and girls were left to fend for themselves in camps. ... People lost that sense of community protection. Anne-christine d'Adesky, project coordinator for PotoFanm+Fi Accurate numbers of gender-based violence are difficult to find in the aftermath of such devastation, especially when many victims fear retaliation. But d'Adesky said her group has seen a steady rise in reports, which she attributes to increased outreach. One young woman, Marie, was raped in the Champ de Mars camp and had her jaw broken. She said she was also forced into prostitution so she could eat and survive. High numbers of adolescent girls are engaging in what they call "transactional sex" for shelter and food, d'Adesky said. Many of those interviewed claimed they had never sold sex before, but the earthquake had left them no option. . "I call this gender aftershocks," said d'Adesky, whose group is publishing their report on Haiti next month. "These women and girls have no means of survival and are engaging in transactional sex work -- or survival sex -- sometimes just for shelter." And many of those women -- as well as those who have been raped -- are becoming pregnant, raising fears about rising maternal health issues. Even before the quake, Haiti was the most dangerous place to be pregnant in the Western Hemisphere: the lifetime risk of dying during childbirth there is 1 in 47. "We followed up with a number of pregnant girls who were no longer pregnant," d'Adesky said. According to her sources, there has been a high rate of illegal street abortions and child abandonment. But amid the depressing and dire reports comes a glimmer of hope. . Nearly 370,000 people remain in Haiti displacement camps, according to the U.N. KOFAVIV and other groups are working to help young girls and women, giving them safety, support and training so they can make money and not have to sell themselves. Better lighting has been installed in some displacement camps. More than 10,000 military and police personnel are now helping to provide security throughout the country, and hundreds of U.N. peacekeepers have been assigned to specifically work with the Haitian National Police. And in the last two years, there has been a big change in the way rape is prosecuted, according to legal experts. More women are reporting the crimes, and more rapists are being prosecuted. "There has been a higher percentage of complaints that are turning into pre-trial investigations and are leading to formal charges," said Brian Concannon Jr., director of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti. In the first two years after the quake, sources in Haiti had estimated there were few, if any, rape convictions. But this year there have already been more than 60 convictions for sex crimes in Haiti, according to the National Human Rights Defense Network. . This summer, 22 rape cases were prosecuted and there were 13 convictions, said Meena Jagannath, a lawyer who has worked with Haitian rape victims. There was one acquittal, and eight of the trials were "left blank" for a number of reasons, including lack of representation for the victim who may not have even known she was to appear in court. "It sounds like it's a small number, it sounds like more should have been filed since 2010," Jagannath said. "But we should take into consideration the biases of the system and level of disorganization and corruption. It really is an accomplishment. I've heard those numbers are much higher now than even before the earthquake." Concannon said Haiti's justice system has a history "of not taking rape that seriously." It wasn't until 2005 that rape was classified as a crime on par with an assault. Before that, rape was a "crime against public morals," which Concannon says is something like a misdemeanor compared with a felony. Now the challenge is changing attitudes and empowering women to speak up. While it still can be difficult for many victims to file a police report and obtain the necessary medical documents needed to pursue justice, there are more resources for women who want to speak out. "All this progress is the result of advocacy by KOFAVIV and other grassroots women's groups and their allies," Concannon said. "I believe that the progress has the potential to play a key role in transforming attitudes about violence against women -- not just in the justice system, but in Haitian society as a whole." 9/21/2012 UN Women . On a small peninsula between two bays on the northern coast of Haiti, the village of Le Borgne shelters the Asosyasyon Famn de Boy (AFB), Creole for the Women's Association of Le Borgne. Supported by UN Women, the association helps women survivors of gender-based violence to access medical and legal care. Six hours drive from the capital Port-au-Prince, Le Borgne was spared from Haiti's recent disasters, but has also been largely ignored by the inflow of international assistance that has saturated the earthquake-affected areas. Just off the main square, is the AFB centre, an unfinished cinderblock building. Inside, Francia Orel Estimanle and her team have gathered a group of women and girls who they have assisted in receiving medical services and justice. Trained by UN Women on counseling survivors of violence against women, Francia encourages them to share their stories with each other, and support each other. . One young woman tells how she resisted an attempted rape, only to have her aggressor beat her face and knock out several teeth. Knowing that she would find both solidarity and support, she went to the AFB office. She was taken to the nearest city, Cap-Haitien, where she was examined by a dentist and got a proper diagnosis. While AFB helped her secure an arrest warrant, the aggressor fled the area before he could be apprehended. A second woman relays her harrowing experience of being targeted for revenge due to an unpaid debt of a distant family member. After the hooligans could not find her relative, they pounced on her while she was collecting water and beat her viciously. She managed to make it to AFB where they immediately escorted her to the hospital to get treatment and the medical certificate needed for a warrant. "If I couldn't come here to get support, I would have died," she explained. Her aggressors also fled but arrest warrants await their return. . UN Women supports AFB to accompany survivors to medical and justice services and follow up on their cases. According to Kathy Mangones, UN Women Country Programme Manager, "The chances of a woman receiving justice are multiplied if she is accompanied by an advocate." AFB cites cases of women receiving justice and convicted aggressors being tried and put into jail. The consequences for violence, as well as the increasing lack of tolerance by survivors of gender-based violence in the community, send a strong message to potential perpetrators. UN Women and partners are also linking response efforts with Local Security Committees, which at their monthly meetings, identify specific security issues facing women and girls and devise solutions. They work to prevent violence occurring in the first place. The Committee in Le Borgne is attended by the local magistrate, the Haitian National Police inspector for the municipality, local public health officials, religious leaders, civil society representatives and journalists. . AFB, established in 2004 in this densely populated town of 80,000 people, has conducted broad sensitization campaigns on women's rights and violence against women, as well as served as a referral centre for survivors of violence. While challenges are plenty, the Local Security Committees have also succeeded in mobilizing police to apprehend suspects, change patrol patterns to monitor high-risk areas and spread awareness about the consequences of violence against women and girls. The efforts are bringing results. Police Inspector Luc Codio says, "Men are more hesitant to beat women because they are more aware of the measures and laws that are in place." Magistrate Germaine Louse Gerard attributes the reduction in violence to the reduction in impunity. "When the perpetrators see a victim get justice, the sanction serves as a disincentive," she says. More women and girls are coming forward as awareness of AFB and the Local Security Committees grow. Wilna, AFB's deputy head, summarizes the vision of AFB, "Our dream is to help women find solidarity among themselves and achieve a society where women are less vulnerable and economically secure." UN Women and AFB are also working to initiate economic empowerment activities in Le Borgne to offer livelihood support to vulnerable women. . UN Women supports AFB and the Local Security Committee in Le Borgne, as well as similar initiatives in eight other under-served Haitian communities in partnership with Britain's Department for International Development and the Australian Agency for International Development. 8/31/2012 ICRC . Lying in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, tucked away beside a potholed side-road just off the heavily policed - and infamously insecure - highway 9, the camp of Fondation Zami Timaun is home to around 200 families. An unremarkable place by the standards of Port-au-Prince's numerous camps, Fondation Zami Timaun was no 'tent city', just an average camp where people live day-to-day and struggle to get by. But thanks to its low lying and exposed position, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaac, Fondation Zami Timaun finally found some unwanted recognition – as one of the camps worst affected by the wind and rain. Four days after the storm, fragile tents are still inundated with a thick coat of clay-like mud; mothers and children are sleeping in nearly six inches of mud, their mattresses and few possessions buried, their tents reduced to ragged shelters. Mud-streaked toddlers and children wander through the remains of the community, staring with disbelief at the loss of the structures they previously called home. With its location rubbing up against the neglected and volatile Cite de Soleil, a place most aid agencies consider off-limits, Fondation Zami Timaun has been largely left to its own devices for more than two and half years. . As a result, women here have been particularly neglected. Their power has been lost by virtue of their gender, and women obtain few opportunities to meet and benefit from each other's knowledge, companionship and strength. Deprived of safe spaces to meet - such as schools, shops and clinics that most of us take for granted - many have been compelled to turn inward, pushed beyond their psychological and physical limits. Against this background, teams from the Haitian Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) visited Cite Soleil the day after the storm, and realised that in a camp so affected by the dynamics of violence and poverty, any attempt to help the most vulnerable with any relief distribution would mean engaging with the entire community and the camp's female residents in particular. During the planning stage, agreement was reached that women will be given priority for receiving relief items, and that the distribution site will function as a 'Safe Space', an opportunity for the women of the camp to gather and speak freely amongst themselves without fear. . While most emergency distributions are judged on speed and volume, this is one where the time and attention people receive will be the measure of success. On the day of the distribution, Daniel Louise Marie, an IFRC hygiene promotion supervisor, was asked to lead her all female team in distributing hygiene kits – packs containing female sanitary items and undergarments - as well as wood beams and tarpaulins. For Daniel, a veteran of many Red Cross operations, it is easy to empathize with the frustrations of the women in the community. "We made this space for women," she explains. "Men have a more dominating presence, and sometimes create a barrier for women to speak up. The women we gave items to said they felt more comfortable, especially when we helped them place the relief items on their heads to carry. They looked up at us and smiled, they saw we could do exactly what a man could do." . The elderly women are particularly happy to participate in a distribution managed and staffed by women, she adds. Stephanie Etienne, the Haitian Red Cross' violence prevention officer, was also on site, charged with personally greeting each of the women in line and sharing vital information about personal protection. For Stephanie, her role in the distribution at Fondation Zami Timaun is just the start of more concerted efforts to protect vulnerable women and promote their inclusion in the ongoing recovery efforts. On the same day as Stephanie was giving out protection advice, the President of the Haitian Red Cross was signing off on a Memorandum of Understanding with the IFRC to expand violence prevention and response activities in Haiti. The 'Kote Trankil', which translates as "safe space", project sits hand-in-hand with the IFRC's Integrated Neighbourhood Approach (INA) to assisting earthquake affected areas of Port-au-Prince. INA has incorporated violence prevention activities into its overall programming to help ensure that safe spaces for women and young people are preserved and fostered, and opportunities for learning and jobs are open to them. For today though, in Fondation Zami Timaun, 28-year-old Vanite Dora is heading back to rebuild her shelter with the items she has just received from the Haitian Red Cross. "Having women manage everything was good," she says. "When men are there they get angry, it gets noisy. This was calm, I feel proud." During a visit to Haiti 19–22 July 2012, the president of UN Women's Executive Board, H.E. Kim Sook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, called for an end to gender-based violence and the promotion of women's participation in politics. "We cannot wait for poverty to be eradicated in Haiti before dealing with issues affecting women." said Ambassador Kim. "Gender-based violence, discrimination and lack of access are some of the problems women in Haiti come up against – problems that must be resolved as soon as possible," he added. Ambassador Kim stressed the urgent need to lobby for gender equality and women's political participation, as well as to bolster efforts to put an end to gender-based violence and to promote the empowerment of women in Haiti. Ambassador Kim met with Haitian authorities and with various women's rights organizations. The aim of these meetings was to assess progress on women's rights as well as to identify challenges to be faced. Ambassador Kim said that UN Women's presence in the field would be stepped up in the coming year. . Ambassador Kim also met with the Yanick Mezile, Haiti's Minister of Women's Affairs and Rights, and Rose Anne Auguste, Minister for Human Rights and Poverty Eradication. Talks were also held with Marie Mimose Felix, the Minister responsible for rural population. Ambassador Kim participated in a working session with Kevin Kennedy, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative in Haiti. During a meeting with female politicians and women's rights organizations in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, Ambassador Kim raised the issue of the implementation of a recent constitutional amendment favoring the establishment of a 30 per cent minimum quota pertaining to women working in public administration. Ambassador Kim also met the Korean contingent of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) stationed in Léogane, a city located approximately thirty kilometres from Port-au-Prince. He was then hosted by UN Women partners, Mouvement des Femmes Haïtiano-Dominicaines (Haitian/Dominican Women's Movement) where the issue of prevention of violence and women's empowerment was discussed. In Jacmel, located in the South-East of the country, Ambassador Kim visited the first temporary women's shelter which was opened on 15 June. The temporary shelter Magalie pour la Vie is run by the women's rights organization Fanm Deside (Women Decide) and was built with support from UN Women. Ambassador Kim emphasized the importance of such shelters as part of the response to gender-based violence. Associated Press . The United Nations mission in Haiti says the prosecution of rape cases in the impoverished Caribbean nation remains bogged down, with justice rarely served. A study released Tuesday by the U.N.'s human rights section in Haiti examines a sample of 62 rape complaints filed over a three-month period in 2011 at some of Port-au-Prince's busiest police stations. None of the complaints had gone to trial more than a year after they were filed. The government prosecutor's office in Port-au-Prince reviewed only 25 of the 62 cases, and judicial authorities were ordered to investigate 11 of them. Of those, four were dismissed and the rest remain under investigation. Only one was referred to trial, which is pending. UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti . Near Petionville, Haiti, there is an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp containing approximately 17,000 residents from 4,500 different families. The camp, which lies in a valley with tents, markets, and other signs of life, is the equivalent of many small cities and villages around the world. Within this IDP camp, there are two schools where children attend at no cost, two churches for worshipping, and a hospital is situated at the top of a hill. The guardians of this community are members of the Haitian National Police (HNP) and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti's police (MINUSTAH UNPols). On February 2, 2012, I toured this camp to report on the activity that goes on in daily life. The sights that greeted me were signs of hope. There were two schools with children separated by grades studying their lessons or playing at recess. At one school, aptly named "Ecole de L'espoir" or "School of Hope," a group of girls was skipping jump ropes while their peers held the ends and the boys played soccer. All of the children, scrubbed clean and immaculately dressed in their uniforms, created a setting worthy of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn." They all laughed, smiled, played, and learned in a setting free of fear. . The catalyst of this climate of safety and security is observable in the operation and interaction of the HNP and UNPols. According to Deputy Team Leader, Alain Parfait Chadaton, 19 UNPols staff the camp each 24-hour period in conjunction with 6 HNP officers. A small administrative center is located along with a newly constructed "Welcome Center" for victims of gender-based violence facilitated by MINUSTAH Gender personnel. This office will be jointly staffed with HNP and UNPol, Haiti's Ministry of Women's Condition and Women's Rights (MCFDF), as well as camp residents to address gender crime issues. In addition to the HNP and UNPol patrols, 52 solar powered lights spaced through the 5 sectors of the camp enhance security. A camp committee, whose members are vetted by the Office of International Migration (OIM), works with the HNP and UNPols in a neighborhood watch and advisory capacity. The President of the committee, Raynald Romelus, accompanied the group through the camp. . The working relationship between the HNP and UNPols "has been very good," according to UNPol Rachelle Redmond, one of seven IDP Camp Coordinators. The HNP officers assigned to the camp are willing to work and help the residents, as well as work with MINUSTAH personnel. These officers conduct foot patrols with UNPols and take the lead in camp security efforts. Touring the camp by foot required approximately one hour. This circumambulation took the group up the sides of steep hills and down into narrow grades. At all stops along the way, the UNPols and HNP officers stopped and visited with local camp residents. The attitudes of the residents were cheerful, and they were grateful for the assistances paid to them. I was invited to visit the elementary schools and met a number of young boys and girls in different grades who were attending their lessons. Other than the location, the classrooms could have been a replica of those anywhere else in the world. This writer could have spent the day watching the lessons being taught, but alas, the groups' presence was a distraction to the children. Rather than see them be scolded for being curious about the newcomers, we pressed onward to other areas. In this environment of safety and security, it appears that in spite of less than ideal conditions, a society is existing in harmony with a positive mindset and attitude. The human condition is capable of noble exertions and with the assistance of the HNP and MINUSTAH UNPols, Haitian citizens are empowered to overcome their adversity. Thus, the conclusion of this tour left the writer with a positive impression that good things are taking place within this camp by those dedicated to the guardianship of the small city's citizens. Inter Press Service . In Haitian refugee camps, women are still crammed under plastic or cloth tarps that provide no security and quickly become overheated by the sun. Sexual abuse, harassment, assault and rape run rampant, even as political responses to these dangers have stalled. But KOFAVIV a women's organisation founded by and for rape survivors, offers a glimmer of hope. "Women are living in harsh and degrading conditions in the displacement camps," said Eramithe Delva, co-founder of KOFAVIV (Commission of Women Victims for Victims). The lack of sanitation infrastructure forces women to walk long ways to reach bathrooms and showers, even when it's "pitch dark after sunset", she explained, since some camps have no lighting at night. "Women are scared to walk by themselves at night because of that; they are scared that people will walk into their tent and rob or hurt them," she added. Other problems relate to children, education and income. Mothers "have the choice of staying in or around their tents to stay with their children, or leave them behind with a friend or a neighbour to be able to try and make a little bit of money". IPS spoke with Delva about how a women's organisation founded "by and for rape survivors" is trying to make a difference while political decision makers remain, for the most part, idle. . Excerpts from the interview follow. . Q: In a recent report, you shed light on survival sex, a problem for displaced women and girls that has gone neglected. What has changed since that report? . A: "Survival sex" occurs when women and teenage girls have no other options but to sell their bodies to make a little bit of money to provide for themselves and their families. Although they are similar, we consider "survival sex" to be different than prostitution or sex work, because the person engaging in the sexual exchange did not choose to do it willingly. . Most, if not all, of the women and girls engaged in survival sex have told our outreach workers that they don't like doing it, and that they would stop if they found another way to provide for themselves and family members. Since the report, nothing has really changed. Reports aren't going to change anything by themselves; it is through direct work and activities within the affected communities that we can start seeing changes. Our network of outreach workers lives in the camps and in the poor communities, so this is part of their daily lives, and they will tell you that not much has changed. KOFAVIV has provided shelter for young women and young mothers who are (or have been) engaged in survival sex, but a lot more needs to be done to change that. . Q: What are main causes of this problem and what must be done to tackle them? . A: There are many different causes. We consider poverty, the lack of access to economic opportunities and all the accompanying complexities to be the main ones. . It will be very difficult to solve this problem because it exists on so many levels, but we think that there needs to be an infrastructure created to support and provide relief for the young women engaged in survival sex. First of all, they need to be able to finish their studies. A lot of the young women and girls who come to the KOFAVIV Centre have told us that they are engaging in these activities to be able to pay for their school fees. They need to be taken out of the camps and placed in secure housing. There need to be programs and activities where they can receive counselling and medical services, where they can participate in trainings and classes to learn skills that they could apply to income generating activities. . Q: Fighting sexual violence is high on the political agenda in Haiti, at least rhetorically. What kind of governmental support have you observed reaching out to women in camps, including survival sex? . A: There have been talks of combating sexual violence but I have not seen any concrete plans or activities being implemented by the government. As a grassroots organisation working directly in the affected areas, we have not seen much change. Most people displaced by the earthquake are still living in horrible conditions. . Q: Where you have seen major progress being made? . A: In terms of our organisation, KOFAVIV has been able to make a lot of progress and to make a difference for survivors of sexual violence. . We provide legal services and accompaniment to victims of gender-based-violence (GBV), with the support of the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI). Through this partnership, our legal unit of outreach workers accompany the survivors to report her attack, to file a complaint and to go to trial to pursue her aggressor. From 2004 (KOFAVIV's inception) to 2010, we barely had ten cases make it to the justice system. Since the earthquake, from 2010 to 2012, we have had about 200 cases that have made it through the justice system, five of which are awaiting a ruling. It might not seem like a lot compared to the number of women and girls that have come forward, but to us that is a great accomplishment. Because of our presence in the camps and throughout the communities, rape survivors know about us and the type of work that we do; they are coming forward and talking about their attacks. . Survivors of sexual violence (rape, sexual assault, conjugal violence, etc.) are sometimes humiliated and shamed by their communities so they often kept their abuse a secret. But now, to see women and girls come to our centre or call in to our call centre to report abuse and to seek help and justice is great progress. Furthermore, our emergency shelter in the centre is open to survivors of sexual violence if they feel it is too dangerous for them to go back to their home or tent. They can stay safely at and participate in all the services and activities offered by KOFAVIV. British Red Cross By Ellie Matthews . When a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, the British Red Cross was quickly on the scene helping communities recover. Two years on, we are still there. Why? Because recovering from such a huge disaster takes time. At least, it does if you want to improve people's lives permanently. By adapting our approach to the local context, working directly with the affected communities and ensuring that the work we do is sustainable, our programmes can continue improving people's lives long after we have left. By taking a long-term view, we are helping people in Haiti rebuild their lives in a way which reduces their vulnerability to future disasters. . When responding to a disaster, we need to adapt to new challenges. In Haiti's South Department, the British Red Cross ran a livelihoods programme from October 2010 to October 2011, giving grants and training to the most vulnerable people. However, shortly after the programme began, a cholera outbreak spread to the region. One of the only organisations to respond to the outbreak in the south, we quickly began treating people, delivering medical supplies and spreading hygiene information. Many remote communities in the south could only be reached on foot or by donkey. Despite this new challenge, we continued to help people through our livelihoods programme – reaching over 3,000 households. Luciana Pierre Jean was displaced from Port-au-Prince after losing everything in the disaster. Using cash grants and training from the Red Cross she improved her small commerce business. She says: "The way I run my business now is different. I make more profit and I can use the profit to buy things that I need for my baby and myself. The Red Cross has helped me so much. I am not just surviving now, I feel like I am progressing." Our programme in the south has now finished, and we have given thousands of vulnerable families the ability to continue providing for themselves once we're gone. In addition, by training local government medical staff and Haitian Red Cross staff and volunteers in cholera treatment and hygiene promotion, we have ensured that they can continue working to prevent and cure cholera. . In the Automeca and La Piste camps in Port-au-Prince, the British Red Cross has been running water and sanitation-focused projects since July 2010. As in the South Department, it soon became necessary for us to provide cholera prevention and treatment services too. Before the earthquake, many people in Port-au-Prince had limited access to the services we now provide in the camps – basic necessities such as clean facilities and water. Before our programmes in the camps finish at the end of this month, we are working with the Haitian government and other agencies to ensure that vital services continue to be provided. This way, improvements to people's way of life can be sustained until more permanent resettlement is possible. . Another way to make sure that benefits are long-lasting is by working with local communities. In the Delmas 19 area of Port-au-Prince we are working with the community to regenerate their local environment. This includes addressing shelter, livelihoods, health and hygiene issues. By enabling the community to determine the pace of recovery, what's needed and when, we can help them recover in a sustainable way. As Luis Sfeir-Younis, programme support officer for recovery, says: "You have to take the time to work with communities, or it is superficial and the impact doesn't stick. We want to make communities stronger and more resilient". The British Red Cross will continue working in the Delmas 19 neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince until at least 2013. Luis says: "We have a strong understanding of the multi-faceted problems this community faces. Using this information we are helping vulnerable people rebuild their lives." We're no longer taking donations for our Haiti recovery work, but you can help us to provide immediate aid when disasters like this strike by donating to our Disaster Fund. 1/13/2012 UNFPA . PORT-AU-PRINCE — Two years after the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti, more than 500,000 people still live in camps as reconstruction efforts have not kept up with demands for housing and cholera remains a serious killer. As humanitarian relief operations wind down to make room for long-term development projects, hundreds of thousands of displaced people continue to rely on aid to survive. Gender-based violence has become an alarming issue in the camps as well, where the combination of minimal lighting and cramped conditions creates insecurity. In some of the larger camps, rapes are almost part of everyday life. To address the problem, UNFPA Haiti installed 200 durable solar streetlights in 40 of the camps last year. The lights were installed near showers, latrines and water distribution points – places where women may be vulnerable to violence. The project was made possible from the support of the United Nations Foundation and the American music band Linkin Park, which collected funds through a sensitization campaign among its fans. . Besides helping to prevent sexual violence, the lamps allow some women to continue their informal trade outside their shelters at night and to socialize. The lamps also enable students to study in the evening if they do not have electricity. Women living in camps face other considerable challenges, such as limited access to health-care services and maternity wards. The pregnancy rate in Haiti significantly increased after the January 2010 earthquake, so UNFPA initiated the Clinique Sourire ('Smile Clinic') project with partners to build maternity centres in rural areas offering full care. The country currently needs about 84 such clinics to meet the needs of pregnant women. The fourth Smile Clinic is now being built and will open by March; it and the three others are located in the West, Artibonite and South East departments, areas strategically mapped by the Haitian Ministry of Public Health. "The idea is to allow people living in remote areas to have access to basic services, such as prevention, antenatal clinics, diagnosis, medical care, delivery, perfusion, distribution of medications, hygiene of mother and child," says Stephanie Orsucci, a midwife in Haiti. . Midwives will also take part in organizing inventories, management and administration at the centres. In Haiti, only 25 per cent of all deliveries occur in health institutions, and the maternal death rate is 630 mortalities per 100,000 live births, the highest in the Americas. However, the Haitian experience has shown that when midwives are used, more mothers' lives are saved. In addition to services for admission, delivery, postpartum and childbirth complications, the clinics provide care for low birth-weight babies, prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child and screening for cervical cancer, which is the third-leading cause of death for Haitian women. Obstetric fistula is also becoming a serious problem in Haiti, where some women have little or no access to emergency Caesarean sections during prolonged or obstructed labour. That is often the case in crisis situations, says Gillian Slinger, the coordinator of the global Campaign to End Fistula. To help remedy the problem, UNFPA arranged for two Haitian urologists to travel to Niger in November to participate in a three-week training course on fistula surgery and techniques. There, they worked on 29 fistula patients. . —Vario Serant and Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque 1/12/2012 IPS By Kanya D'Almeida . Eighteen-year-old "Kettlyne", a Haitian orphan living in the rubble-strewn Croix Deprez camp – one of the many remaining tent-cities that houses refugees from the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake – is unable to feed her three-year-old daughter. Starving and alone, the girl says she has resorted to exchanging sex for food scraps, selling her body to older men who routinely beat and abuse her, often refuse to wear condoms, and sometimes don't even pay her at the end of the night. Though Kettlyne dreams of returning to school and someday saving up for her daughter's education as well, she says resignedly, "If my baby is crying for food, I am obligated to do anything." Kettlyne is one of hundreds of interviewees in a joint report released Thursday by MADRE, the Commission of Women Victims for Victims (KOFAVIV), the International Women's Human Rights (IWHR) Clinic at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, the Global Justice Clinic at NYU School of Law (GJC) and the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies at UC Hastings College of the Law (CGRS). Coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the disaster that rendered more than a million Haitians homeless and plunged the country's teeming displacement camps into a dark period of lawlessness, the report comes amidst an outgoing wave of humanitarian workers, NGOs and international observers from the island, with the message that, though time has passed, the crisis for Haitian women and girls continues unabated. . Villard-Appolon also called attention to long-term unemployment that pushed scores of men into drug abuse and spun a web of economic desperation over Haiti, long before the quake. (The media and the government should) pay more attention to the rural areas of Haiti: in the provinces, there is nothing, people do not have access to education, health services or even have the means to generate income for themselves," she said. "They have little opportunity to farm and sell produce. Cheap imported goods have flooded the market, making it hard for them to make money from their products. The issue of deforestation is a vicious cycle: trees were once cut down and burnt to make coal to sell for money in the markets. But now, there are no more trees, so many families have lost their only means of income." While the rape epidemic that swept the camps after the quake has been well documented, a second and equally horrifying crisis remains hidden, human rights activists say. "Displaced women and girls are being forced by circumstance into survival sex," Marie Eramithe Delva, co-founder of KOFAVIV, said Thursday. "It is an epidemic, but one that has gotten little attention from the Haitian government or international community." . Roughly 300,000 women and girls still languish in makeshift shelters in and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince, places where all existing social structures – from families and homes to schools and medical facilities – have broken down in the face of extreme poverty, hopelessness and hunger, leaving scores vulnerable and desperate. "With international organisations moving out, taking with them the few temporary services that had been available after the earthquake, girls as young as 13 years old are trading sex for the equivalent of half a sandwich, a few U.S. dollars, or access to education," Lisa Davis, MADRE human rights advocacy director and co-author of the report, told IPS. After conducting a series of in-depth interviews with women and girls between the ages of 18 to 32 living in the Champ de Mars, Christ Roi and Croix Deprez displacement camps, and in the neighbourhood of Carrefour, the report concluded that none participating in this new- found "economy of survival" described themselves as commercial sex workers. Rather, their actions are a "coping mechanism" in the face of supreme hardships. . Most of the sexual transactions take place between young girls and men who hold positions of power in the camps: administrators of cash- for-work programmes, managers of food supplies and especially men in charge of educational programmes. According to a 2012 UNICEF report, Haiti's educational infrastructure was already in shambles before 2010. Still, the earthquake took with it over 4,000 educational establishments, stripping roughly 2.5 million students – well over half of Haiti's four million youth under the age of 18 – of a chance for education. A gaping lack of medical facilities has seriously exacerbated the problem. Last year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published its findings from a series of interviews, revealing that few women had access to prenatal or obstetric care. Though all of the 128 women interviewed claimed that they wanted to deliver in a hospital, well over half gave birth outside of a medical institution, without a skilled medical attendant present, while many delivered their children on the mud floors of tents or in the streets on the way to the hospital. Though no reliable data has yet been collected on the consequences of transactional sex, Davis speculated, "I can only imagine that it's going to make women and girls much more vulnerable to HIV and other (sexually transmitted diseases). Already, Haiti has the worst HIV rate in the hemisphere in terms of numbers." . The deficiency in medical care also means more illegal abortions and higher rates of maternal and infant mortality. Already, 3,000 Haitian women and girls die annually from complications in pregnancy and childbirth, so the possibility of a further deterioration in maternal and child health could spell disaster for the small, struggling country. While it is vital to shed light on the immediate crisis and the short-term needs of the affected population, the long-term causes and consequences of this epidemic remain of central concern for many experts. Economic underdevelopment caused largely by western-imposed structural adjustment policies, misdirected or mismanaged foreign aid and a constitution that has long ignored the tragedy of gender-based violence, particularly in times of political instability, have all fermented into the current crisis. "Grassroots organizations like KOFAVIV do a lot of work to fight GBV, sexual violence, and survival sex; however, our voices are not always heard," Malya Villard-Appolon, co-founder of KOFAVIV, told IPS. "We are rarely included in decision-making processes so government agencies that have the resources to enact change do not hear our perspectives and reports from the ground." "Women have not received equal treatment in government positions," she added. "Of 17 ministers, only three are women." Villard-Appolon repeatedly stressed the need for a more comprehensive and inclusive educational framework for girls who have long been disenfranchised even at the familial level, staying home while their brothers are sent off to school. . "Although President (Michel) Martelly has stated his commitment to enforcing the constitutional right to a free primary education in Haiti, this is far from the reality," Blaine Bookey, staff attorney at the CGRS and co-author of the report, told IPS. "We are concerned about reports from the chairman of the (U.S.) Senate Finance Committee that millions collected in taxes for educational purposes are unaccounted for." She also made various recommendations for moving past the crisis, including allocating more resources to grassroots coalitions, restructuring the government and judicial system to better tackle sexual violence and exploitation of all kinds and exerting more control over reconstruction funds such that aid doesn't simply flow back into the coffers of international NGOs and private contractors or corporations. "Survival sex will not end until Haitian women and girls can access what they need to live," Margaret Satterthwaite, professor of Clinical Law for the GJC, said Thursday. "Haitian women want economic opportunities and the capacity to access basic resources. The international community should work closely with the Haitian government to create jobs, extend microcredit to women and provide free education to all." 12/23/2011 . Many find themselves with larger families, as they take in children and elderly relatives, but shrinking or non-existent incomes. Since the earthquake, women and girls are particularly vulnerable. Displacement, loss of shelter, lack of security provision by government, crowded living conditions, and poorer access to medical facilities and economic opportunities have threatened their lives and livelihoods. The rights of women remain weak and, as such, in the chaos of the aftermath of the earthquake their protection from violence is often overlooked. Marianne recently received the first of two cash grants of USD$250 from the Red Cross, as part of a programme to support people displaced by the earthquake. She and her husband live in Débauchee, Coteaux, with three other elderly people, including Marianne's sister who is severely disabled. She said the money would be used first to ensure everyone had enough to eat, and then the rest would be invested for the future. "We need to make this money last for us as long as we can," she said. "We will use it for a combination of increasing our agricultural production and buying things to resell. For example, with the first grant we have decided to buy coffee in the high season, and then wait to resell it when there is not as much coffee around, so we can get a better price for it." . The cash grant, she said, was a lifeline for her and her extended family. "We feel that life will be more comfortable now. Yesterday the situation was bad. Today it is another story." Bertha Henry, 17, lives in La Piste camp with her family. A small extension, built by a Red Cross construction team, on the side of her shelter marks Bertha's first business – a small shop selling beauty products and food to friends and neighbours which she runs after school. "I started with cosmetics first as I knew they would sell," she said. "Lots of young women come here to buy soap, crèmes and body lotions. One of the best things about the shop is that I get to use the products." Bertha sees the business as something that could grow and help fund her future ambitions, but school comes first. "I would love to grow the business to the point that I could sell food for cooking and cold drinks," she said. "When I come home from school I eat, shower and then open the business. If I have homework to do, I do it in the shop." The money Bertha is saving is already making a difference: "The money is keeping me in school and has helped buy my books. Ultimately I want to be a doctor so I am giving education the priority in my life right now," she said. School was also a priority for Marie Bernard, 56, who said the earthquake didn't harm her physically, but left her financially crippled. She received a cash grant of $125 from the Red Cross. "The first thing I did was to pay off my children's school debt so they could continue their studies," she said. "I owed the school money and every day they would send the kids home. They are so much happier now they can go back." Marie used to sell food and would like to restart her business, but currently lacks the money to start. The second available cash grant will be conditional on the production of a workable business plan, so with the children's education back on track, that will be the next priority. "At least now I can get a good night's sleep. That makes life a little bit better," she said. 11/30/2011 The Guardian Mariano Fernandez . It's wrong to claim that the UN doesn't tackle sexual violence in HaitiWe are doing what we can to protect women and girls despite a lack of resources Your international development supplement reports that "Haiti … is witnessing an 'epidemic' of rape in the [internally displaced persons] camps, with cases growing in number and brutality" (A search for sanctuary, 21 November). The situation of women and girls in Port-au-Prince and in Haiti in general is truly precarious, especially for those living in camps. Cases of rape and sexual violence have increased inside the camps and outside, while protective measures are still in their infancy. Unfortunately, gender-based violence is not just a consequence of post-earthquake displacement and insecurity, but was a fact of life for too many women in pre-earthquake Haiti, where a culture of exclusion and discrimination solely on the basis of gender is unfortunately well entrenched. Haitian and international partners on the ground are focusing on this scourge, but the task is huge and resources limited. Contrary to your report, however, there is not a complete absence of action. The report examines the work of Kofaviv, a Haitian rape victims support organisation, and quotes Javier Zuniga of Amnesty International on the role of the United Nations: "The UN, which has a mandate for protection, does a small amount of patrolling around Port-au-Prince but they do very little monitoring of the camps. As for the protection of women, they are doing nothing at all." . The UN has taken many measures to provide protection for camp residents with a specific focus on combating sexual, gender-based violence. We have established, with the Haitian national police, permanent police stations in the seven largest camps, staffed 24 hours a day. A special unit within the UN police forces focuses exclusively on the camps and conducts joint patrols with the Haitian police – around 1,500 per week. A mobile gender unit, with specially trained personnel, operates around the clock and responds immediately to any reports of sexual violence. The UN has also installed hundreds of solar lamps to improve night-time safety. Finally, the UN, the International Organisation for Migration and our partners work with camp committees and with courageous women to provide protected spaces for those who are abused or at risk. These measures are never enough, of course, but to cite a complete absence of such security measures is erroneous. We agree that sexual violence remains a serious concern and that much more action is needed. Long term, sustainable solutions lie in the strengthening of the Haitian criminal justice system, state, social and medical services, education and women's financial and legal empowerment. The UN in Haiti is contributing in all of these areas, training the police, pushing the justice system to deliver just outcomes in individual cases, supporting the transition of camp-dwellers back into their neighbourhoods and more. As for Kofaviv, the organisation receives funding from several UN bodies such as UNHCR and Minustah itself. . More than 18 months since the earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, women and girls living in makeshift camps remain vulnerable to sexual violence. IRIN's latest film follows a survivor of rape, Shirley Christoff, as she attempts to rebuild her life in a rundown informal settlement in Port-au-Prince. Christoff, together with thousands of other women, lives in constant fear for her safety. Haiti's Rape Survivors follows a survivor of rape, Shirley Christoff, as she attempts to rebuild her life in rundown informal settlement in Port-au-Prince. According to human rights organizations, continued lack of security is one of the main factors contributing to high levels of rape in and around the internal displacement camps. More than 250 cases of rape were reported in several camps in the first 150 days after the earthquake, according to Amnesty International. Sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence were widespread in Haiti even before the earthquake. In the 1990s, Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented the use of rape as a form of oppression during the regime of Raoul Cédras. From 2004 to 2006, the UN Security Council estimated that 35,000 women and girls were subjected to rape and sexual violence. "After you have been raped, you have nowhere to go, you have to return to the camp and face the person who raped you," says Christoff. As police stations and courts were reduced to rubble during the earthquake, the few protection mechanisms that did exist were destroyed. According to Amnesty and HRW, the post-earthquake humanitarian and government response to gender-based violence has been wholly inadequate. While effort was being invested to ensure basic needs were met, little to no attention has been paid to the rights of women and girls to be protected from sexual violence. Survivors of sexual violence have taken matters into their own hands, with two grassroots organizations providing support to thousands of women. The first emergency response system dedicated to sexual violence was set up in October and a call centre has already recorded 400 cases of rape. This film is the 10th in a series of films about displacement, Forced to Flee. Others in the series include Bolivia's Changing Climate, Israel's African Migrants and Haiti's Homeless Hotel. UNHCR . Shirley* seems like a typical young woman – energetic, excited and hopeful. Her smile is contagious and her voice clear and strong. However, when she begins to share the horrors she has experienced, her voice drops and her gaze turns downward. The 20-year-old lost her mother and aunt in the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. With no place to go, she moved into one of the sprawling tent camps in the capital, Port-au-Prince. One night she came back to her tent to escape the rain. A man approached her and asked to go inside. She said he hit her and pushed her into the tent: "He threw me to the ground and raped me. After that I was haemorrhaging for a month." Explaining further, she said, "The tents are not secure. Anyone with a razor or knife can cut the tent and come inside. There are no walls and no protection and before you know it someone is there in your tent." Her ordeal is not unique. Twenty months after the catastrophic earthquake, conditions in Haiti continue to deteriorate. Today, there are nearly 1,000 makeshift camps across Haiti and approximately 600,000 internally displaced people. The International Organization for Migration manages most of the camps, but fading international interest has affected the humanitarian community's ability to provide assistance. Women are particularly vulnerable in the camps, where there is little to no privacy, security or lighting. UN reports indicate sexual violence against women is occurring at alarming rates. "Sixty-five per cent of the victims are minors," said Jocie Philistin, a director of a local non-governmental organization known as KOFAVIV (Commission of Women Victims for Victims). "Since the earthquake we have been seeing more children, minors and babies aged one to 17 months who have been raped." The NGO's findings reflect a recent Amnesty International study that showed 50 per cent of rape victims were young girls. In addition to having to live in unsafe conditions, Shirley had no way to pay for her basic expenses. She said her only way to make money was to become involved in survival sex. "After the earthquake there was a system where you could get food but you had to sleep with the guys who were in charge of the food, even though it had been given out by the government. So a lot of young women were forced into prostitution to survive," she said. . As one of several organizations supporting the humanitarian efforts in Haiti, UNHCR interviewed women from 15 camps. They all reported that survival sex was a serious but invisible problem in their camps. With no gainful employment opportunities and widespread despair, Haitian women often feel there is no other option to access the food and water they and their children desperately need. One woman living in a camp near the airport noted, "There was a girl who lived near me. She was raped. She had no parents and no one to defend her. That girl had no place to stay because she came from the provinces. She begged for money, but no one gave her what she needed. She had to turn to selling herself, and that was a form of sexual violence." To help combat widespread sexual violence in the camps, KOFAVIV has trained dozens of community outreach workers to locate victims and provide them with much needed services. UNHCR is working with KOFAVIV to run one of the few safe house projects in Haiti for survivors of rape and forced prostitution in Port-au-Prince. Over the course of three months, the women receive shelter, health training, psychological support and business training. After they start to earn their own money, they will be moved to longer-term housing and supported as they continue to get back on their feet. This month (September) UNHCR chief António Guterres visited the safe house project and encouraged the local staff to continue their efforts. Shirley is one of 15 women chosen to take part the project. Her nightmare ended in June when she finally moved out of the camp into the safe house. For the first time in over a year and a half, she has a bedroom door with a lock. "Now I have a safe and secure place and a new family," she said, smiling at the thought of returning to school and starting a small shoe business. Grateful for the help she's received, she is also working with KOFAVIV to provide support to other rape survivors. 8/31/2011 LA Times By Tracy Wilkinson . Nearly 20 months after Haiti's devastating earthquake, women and girls have been badly neglected in recovery efforts, subjected to sexual violence and left without access to obstetric care even as they give birth to scores of babies in squalid tent cities, human rights activists say. Despite a mammoth humanitarian-care push in the wake of the Jan. 12, 2010, quake that killed as many as 300,000 people, serious gaps exist in the healthcare that women and girls are receiving, according to a report released Tuesday by the New York-based Human Rights Watch. Pregnant women reported having to give birth in alleyways or on floors; being unable to afford transportation to hospitals, and not having access to prenatal care. Human Rights Watch also documented widespread sexual violence and "transactional sex," where women trade sex for food or other basic survival needs. Three girls, ages 14 and 15, and three women interviewed by the organization had become pregnant through rape but had been too fearful or too ashamed to seek help. The 78-page Human Rights Watch report is entitled "Nobody Remembers Us." . "It is inconceivable that, 18 months after the quake, with so much money pledged … that women and girls are giving birth in muddy tents," Amanda Klasing, the report's main author and a fellow in the group's women's rights division, said in a telephone interview from Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital. Most Haitians face extraordinary hardships even today. More than half a million continue to live in ramshackle collections of tents with minimal sanitation. Food and jobs are scarce, a cholera epidemic persists and street violence is on the rise. It's worse for women, largely excluded from the reconstruction process despite their importance to the informal economy, the report's authors said. In a country already beset by the highest maternal mortality rate in the Western Hemisphere before the quake, women and girls face unwanted pregnancies, unhealthy conditions for their children, a lack of access to education, poverty and the risk of eviction from already precarious living quarters. Heavy rains this time of year also add to the woes by flooding tents and spreading filth. Very little post-rape care has been made available to the majority of female victims. "The earthquake has exacerbated the vulnerabilities of this already vulnerable group," the report says. Klasing said resorting to "survival sex" by women had become common. Women trade sex for food as a way to provide for themselves and their families. "You have to eat," a woman named Gheslaine, who lives in the crowded Croix-des-Bouquets camp outside Port-au-Prince, told the investigators. Tragically, Klasing said, the women's lack of access to healthcare comes despite numerous international programs that exist in Port-Au-Prince which could help. The Haitian government has failed to distribute information about available care to females in the camps and has failed to protect them, the report says. The group noted that of $5.3 billion pledged by international donors after the quake, $258 million was dedicated to healthcare — of which only $118.4 million has been disbursed. "For all women and girls in Haiti," the report concludes, "fulfillment of their rights to reproductive and maternal health and to live free of violence is fundamental to any effort to rebuild their lives after the devastation and disruption caused by the earthquake." More Times coverage of the plight of women in Haiti. By Jacqueline Charles jcharles@MiamiHerald.com . PORT-AU-PRINCE -- Fourteen-day-old Alexandro Joseph has never been seen by a doctor and 7-month-old Lovemika Belzi has suffered from diarrhea since the day she was born. In the sprawling camps that continue to dot this broken capital after last year's devastating earthquake, health and human rights officials warn of an another crisis: a population explosion of tent babies. "The camps are not an appropriate place for delivery and not for a newborn," said Olivia Gayraud, health and nutrition manager for Save the Children's Port-au-Prince field office, which works with pregnant women in five camps. "You have wind, rain, mosquitoes and cholera. The conditions of the life of these families with newborns are very difficult. It can be a disaster." Even before Haiti's killer January 2010 earthquake, more women died before, during and after childbirth — and more babies died before their fifth birthday — than anywhere in the Americas. Twenty months after the disaster, the crisis has triggered a breakdown of Haiti's social fabric and made an already vulnerable population of girls and women even more desperate amid a population spike in the tent cities. . "There is usually a [pregnancy] peak after carnival," Gayraud said, referring to the pre-Lenten debauchery. "It seems though that we are now always in a peak." Haiti's tent baby phenomenon comes as the country continues to struggle to rebuild, and as the nearly 600,000 Haitians still living in hundreds of squalid camps in quake-ravaged communities see the avalanche of medical assistance from foreign doctors and nongovernmental organizations disappear. "We have NGOs telling us, we are packing up and leaving at the end of this month," said Emmanuelle Schneider, spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who blames a lack of funding for the departures. "Of the $300 million consolidated appeal the U.N. system is requesting to cover humanitarian needs, only 52 percent has been funded." The lack of funding means less access to prenatal and maternal healthcare in a country that was already struggling to get women to deliver in hospitals instead of at home, said Sylvain Groulx, Haiti's chief of mission for Doctors Without Borders, which runs a maternity hospital for high-risk pregnancies in Delmas 33. "Haiti has been suffering in terms of health services for many, many years," he said. "The lack of services has been compounded by the earthquake, especially for people living in Port-au-Prince, Carrefour and Leogane." . Population explosions after a disaster are nothing new. But in a country already rattled by a collapsed health system, cholera epidemic and now sordid conditions in congested camps, experts say they are worried about the impact. Adding to the concerns are conditions under which the pregnancies are occurring: insecurity and rapes in the camps despite increased U.N. peacekeeper patrols, lack of education and medical services, and desperation among girls, some as young as 13. "There is a lot of transactional sex going on as a coping mechanism for young girls to survive poverty, to address some of their needs," said Dr. Henia Dakkak of the United Nations Population Fund, which found that pregnancy rates in Haiti's camps after the quake were three times higher than in urban areas. "It's a concern for all of us." And that includes the camp residents, too. "A lot of parents have just given up," said Rose Mona St. Fleur, 33, a camp resident and head of a women's group. St. Fleur said her camp near the airport doesn't have a problem with rape but it has seen an "explosion" in teenage pregnancy. . "After the quake, you see all of the young girls, living by themselves in their own tents, and finding pleasure in the company of young men," she said. "The parents can no longer control them or say anything. As soon as you see a young lady living by herself under a tent, it's only a matter of time before she ends up with an unplanned pregnancy." On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch will release a 78-page report detailing the vulnerability of girls and women in camps. Interviews showed how gaps in access to available healthcare services are failing to prevent maternal and infant deaths, and how young girls and women are giving birth on mud floors, in alleys and without medical help. The organization is calling on the Haitian government and the international community to do more to protect women and girls. "Despite gains made due to free healthcare services, the government and international donors have not addressed critical gaps in access to health services or addressed conditions that may give rise to maternal and infant deaths," said Kenneth Roth, the organization's executive director. On the lawn of the prime minister's quake-ravaged office building, new mother Christa Oviles recalls how she gave birth on the muddy floor after two days of labor. With no doctor or a nurse available in the camp, she relied on friends who willed her to push. She finally delivered Alexandro on Aug. 15. But when she couldn't deliver the afterbirth, she was rushed to a hospital across town. These days, the baby spends most of his time inside, Oviles says, his body constantly attacked by mosquitoes. In the tent, Oviles' small bed is in one corner and a charcoal stove a few feet away. Her only other possessions — clothes — are wrapped in sheets against the sides. "This is no place for a baby,'' she said. By Lauren Gilger, . JIMANI, Dominican Republic — A motorbike kicked up dirt as its teenage driver rushed up to a clinic in this town just across the border from Haiti. His passenger, a pregnant woman wearing spandex pants and a pink scarf around her head, struggled to get off. "I'm bleeding," she said. The woman has no immigration papers, like thousands of pregnant Haitian women who come to the Dominican Republic for medical care. But the armed Dominican soldiers guarding the gate dividing the two countries let most of them through. Haitian women make up roughly half of the patients giving birth in Dominican hospitals, officials here say. They come because they don't have access to health care in Haiti, especially since last year's earthquake. They come because they can get free health care in the Dominican Republic each year, and so that they can have their babies in hospitals instead of on the floors of their homes. In Haiti, 27 of every 1,000 newborns in 2009 died, according to the latest numbers from UNICEF, nearly seven times the U.S. rate. For the mothers, the situation is even worse. The lifetime odds of a woman dying while giving birth in Haiti are one in 93. The rate in the United States is 1 in 2,100. And those were the numbers before the January 2010 earthquake, which killed more than 300,000 people, injured and displaced hundreds of thousands more and collapsed the impoverished country's infrastructure. . Across the country, on their half of Hispaniola island, Dominican hospitals and clinics are being overwhelmed by Haitian women. "The border is imaginary. It's just a door," said Jose Delancer, director of the Dominican Ministry of Health with the Department of Women and Children. "It's a problem of poverty; it's a problem of education; it's a problem of empowering of women." It is also a problem of access. In the Dominican Republic, health care is provided free of charge whether the individual has documentation or not. Joaquin Recio, vice director of nursing at Hospital General Melenciano, the public hospital in Jimani, said doctors and hospital administrators widely support the policy. "If God has given you this gift to give service to others — this special service, of health — then you have to give it with quality, warmly, with love to whomever, no matter their creed or race, their color, it does not matter," he said. "You have to give service to the person. This is what is important." . But that comes up against a harsh reality: The Dominican health-care system is designed to care for about 7 million people, Delancer said. The Dominican Republic has a population of nearly 10 million, and more than a million of them are Haitians, with more coming every day. Delancer worries about those numbers: "How many of them are in reproductive age?" he asked. "How many of them need health care?" Camila Perozo treated patients for four years in Haiti before she and her husband spent their life savings building the health clinic in Jimani, a town of more than 14,000 about an hour's drive east of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital. "I picked this area because it is too poor," the Dominican-educated doctor said. "There are other border crossings. But this is the one that takes people directly from the capital." . Her patients are often in dire condition, the victims of malnourishment, anemia, septicemia and poverty. Few have had prenatal care before coming to the clinic. Other women arrive on the backs of motorbikes at the Jimani public hospital, often in the throes of labor. "Here we call them 'time bombs,' " said hospital director Francis Moquete. Of the 40 or so deliveries performed at his hospital each month, about 30 are Haitian births, Moquete said. At least four come without any previous medical care, he said. "This is what most worries us when they come like this — suddenly, with nothing, absolutely nothing," he said. At the Jimani public hospital, which is a few minutes' walk from Perozo's clinic, two women wearing street clothes rested on small cots. A nurse injected a clear liquid into their IVs. Next to each woman lies a baby, both just hours old and neither named. "They are illegal," Moquete said of the women. By that afternoon, the women are gone and their beds stripped clean. "One wants to go where there is better service," Moquete said. "So they come here, this is where they want to come." . This story was produced as part of the Borderlands Initiative at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. By Bill Quigley , "We women demand!..." sang out a hundred plus voices "...Justice for Marie!" Marie, a 25-year-old pregnant mother, was injured by government agents when they slammed a wooden door into her stomach during an early morning invasion of an earthquake displacement camp in Port au Prince. The government is using force to try to force thousands to leave camps without providing any place for people to go. The people are fighting back. The people calling for justice are residents of a makeshift tent camp called Camp Django in the Delmas 17 neighborhood of Port au Prince. They are up in arms over injuries to Marie, one of their young mothers, and repeated government threats to demolish their homes. Despite the 100-degree heat, over a hundred residents, mostly mothers, trekked across town to demand the government protect their human right to housing. At their invitation, we followed them back to the place they have made lived since the January 12, 2010, earthquake that left hundreds of thousands homeless. In a sloping lot smaller than a football field, two-hundred-fifty families live in handmade shelters made out of grey and blue plastic tarps/tents, scraps of wood and mismatched pieces of tin. The tarps under which they live are faded from a year-and-a-half of sun but still show brands of USAID, World Vision, Rotary International, UNICEF, UNFAM, Republic of China and others. Outside the camp, big green trees with flame orange flowers provide color and shade. . Inside, babies and little children peek out of tent openings that reveal mats on the ground and beds and boxes. Families live inches from their neighbors. They buy water outside and carry it back to their tents. Four topless wooden boxes with blue plastic UN tarps are the showers where people can wash themselves if they bring their own water and soap. Hole-in-the-dirt toilets are few, full and pungent in the 100 degree heat. They are surrounded by razzing flies. When it rains, rainwater flows into tents and the mess from the toilets spreads all over. A teenage boy clad only in his underwear soap washes himself in between tents. A middle-age woman sits under a banana tree nursing a dollar bill-size patch of open wound on her foot, a quake injury that demands a skin graft she cannot afford. A family has an aluminum pan filled with grey water and skinned bananas. Camp leaders tell us their community contains over 375 little children including 20 children whose parents died in the earthquake. "We are earthquake victims," the women and men of the camp tell us as they show us around. "We have a human right to live somewhere. We do not want to fight for the right to stay in these camps. It is very hot here and we cannot stay in the tents in the middle of the day. But we all search and search and there is no other place to go. Until we get housing, these homes are everything we have." . There are nearly a thousand such camps of people across Port au Prince. Some house thousands; many like Camp Django, housed hundreds. A government myth says people gather in the camps only to receive food and water and medical services. The truth is that many, many camps, including Camp Django, get no water, food or medical services. They are there, they tell us, because they have no other place to go. We visited Marie (not her real name for her protection) in her boxlike tent. She lies on a bed writhing in pain. She has been vomiting and bleeding and was surrounded by other residents of the camp. They were taking turns propping her up and drying her forehead. They explained to us that she had been assaulted by men who entered their camp at the order of the Mayor of the Port-au-Prince suburb of Delmas. Last Saturday, a group of five men, some armed with guns, stormed into the camp and threatened the residents. Four of the men were wearing green t-shirts that read "Mairie de Delmas" (The Office of the Mayor of Delmas). The Mayor's men told the people that they would soon destroy their tents. They bragged they would mistreat people in a manner worse than "what happened at Carrefour Aero port," referring to the violent unlawful eviction of a displacement camp at that location by the same mayor and police less than a month ago. . The Mayor's men pushed their way through the camp, collecting the names and identification numbers of heads of household and marking tents with red spray painted numbers. When the men pounded on the wooden door of the tarp covered shelter where 25-year-old pregnant Marie lived with her husband, she tried to stop them from entering. Marie tried to explain that her husband was not home. But the leader of the group, JL, violently slammed open the wooden door of her tent into her stomach, causing her to fall hard against the floor on her back. Three days later, Marie remained in severe pain and bed ridden, worried sick about her baby. When one of Marie's neighbors protested JL's brutality, JL became enraged and threatened to kill him. Onlookers in the camp feared his words, particularly when they noticed a pistol tucked into his belt. When the government pushed their way into the camp, residents called human rights advocates from Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) and asked them to come at once. Jeena Shah, a BAI attorney, arrived at Camp Django while government agents were still there. Jeena asked JL who had sent his group to Camp Django and why they had marked the tents with numbers. JL was evasive, repeating over and over that "the government" had sent him. Finally he stated that "the National Palace," a reference to current President Michel Martelly, had sent him. As of the writing of this article, the President had neither confirmed nor denied authorization or participation in the threatened eviction. . Camp Django residents rightfully feared that their camp faced the same fate that so many displaced persons had since the earthquake more than 18 months ago -- violent eviction, exacerbation of their already vulnerable situations and homelessness. Camp Django is but a small example of what is going on in Haiti. The International Organization on Migration estimated that as of April 2011, 166,000 homeless earthquake survivors were facing imminent threats of eviction, one-fourth of the displaced population. The evictions have been carried out by the government or with the government's tacit approval despite rulings by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights' directing to the Haitian government to place a moratorium on evictions and create adequate measures to protect the displaced population from unlawful forced evictions. It is still unclear whether the Mayor of Delmas encouraged or condoned these specific acts of violence against the residents of Camp Django, but the Mayor's stand on forced evictions is well known. After leading a rampage of violent unlawful evictions last month, he recently stated on Haitian television that he will continue forcing displaced communities out of their tent camps, even though they still have nowhere else to go. President Martelly, who has refused to publicly condemn the violent forced evictions perpetrated by the Mayor of Delmas, is responsible for any threats and harm that befall the community of Camp Django and Haiti's thousand other displacement camps. . The women sing out for justice. "The rich," they tell us, "use force against the poor in Haiti." They demand justice for Marie. And they insist their human right to housing be protected. They are organizing. Their voices are strong. Their passion is pure. Their cause is just. They inspire us to join them. Bill teaches at Loyola University New Orleans and is Associate Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR). Jocelyn is an Ella Baker associate at CCR working at Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) in Port au Prince. The Daily Beast By Lisa Armstrong . With fewer shelters, more girls—many orphans from the quake—have no choice but to have sex just to scrape by. Lisa Armstrong reports on their brutal reality and the aid groups trying to help. The. " . It is not like teenage prostitution didn't exist in Haiti before the January 2010 earthquake that left 1.5 million displaced, tens of thousands of them living in haphazardly-placed tents in Champs de Mars. But in the 16 months since, the number of girls, some as young as 8, who have been forced to have sex in order to survive has drastically increased. The situation will likely get worse as in late May, shortly after President Michel Martelly took office, police destroyed about 200 makeshift tents in Delmas, leaving their occupants without anywhere else to go. According to the International Organization of Migration, 25 percent of those in camps have been threatened with eviction. "If there are no safe places for girls to go, no plan for transition, some will be forced to exchange sex for shelter," says Emilie Parry, a consultant with Refugees International. Many girls were orphaned when their parents died in the disaster, and were left to fend for themselves, often having sex with men in order to secure a place in a tent or under a tarp. The problem was exacerbated when organizations stopped distributing food in the camps. "General food distributions by the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) were abruptly ended just three months after the earthquake," says Melanie Teff, senior advocate for women's rights at Refugees International. "They were in fact stopped at the request of the Haitian government, which wanted a quick return to normality." . The government's plan was to replace food distribution with cash-for-work and cash-for-food programs, and Elizabeth Jennings, external relations officer at WFP Haiti, said that WFP only stopped the general food distribution after food prices had returned to pre-earthquake levels. "It enabled economic activity to resume, which also favors the most vulnerable, especially women who live from small trade, mainly the sale of fresh food and cooked meals and snacks," wrote Jennings, in an email. "People now consider that one of the best decisions because it enabled small businesses, very often owned and run by women, to resume." Nonetheless, the decision to stop food distribution left many girls without a way to eat, and they were forced to survive the only way they could see how, by trading sex for money or food in order to avoid starvation. Madeleine's parents died before the earthquake, and she lives with her aunt, cousin and 2-year-old brother under a tarp in the Champs de Mars camp. Her aunt has had five surgeries to remove various tumors from her body and is unable to work, so when organizations stopped distributing food, the family went hungry. "Some days, we would spend the whole day without eating, one day, two days like this," says Madeleine. "My neighbors and friends would say, 'You are a young woman, your aunt cannot work, so you have to do something.'" . Madeleine had been attending school before the earthquake, as her mother, who was a vegetable vendor and traveled between the countryside and Port au Prince, used to send money to pay for school. Madeleine had no vocational skills, and so when some girls from the camp told her she could make money as they did, working as a prostitute, she went with them. "The first night, they told me to stand there and wait," says Madeleine. "A Madeleine is reluctant to share details of what happened that first night—she looks down as she talks, and her hands and feet are in constant, nervous motion. She says she was so ashamed that she could not go back the following evening. "But after 15, 20 days, I realized that I cannot eat, so I decided to start again," she says. "But I still don't feel normal when I am having sex with a guy like this. I don't know if the man had a shower, I don't know what he was doing before, and I am going to stick my body to his body and that's not easy." Because the girls are young, and do not feel empowered, few if any can make men wear condoms, which means that many contract diseases or become pregnant. Eramithe Delva, one of the co-founders of KOFAVIV, a Haitian grassroots organization founded by and for rape survivors, says that of the 35 girl prostitutes the organization has been working with since the earthquake, 19 have become pregnant. KOFAVIV offers some food and financial support for the girls, but it is never enough. "We supply them with basic things like sugar, soap," says Delva. "Sometimes we have delegations that come from abroad with things for babies, because these girls will never have money for say a diaper, they will use a dirty sheet." . When 15-year-old Imogene came to KOFAVIV a few days ago with her 6 day old son wrapped in a towel, his face pockmarked with dozens of mosquito bites, Delva gave her 500 gourds ($12.50). Imogene was apathetic, awkwardly holding the baby as if she was not quite sure what to do with him. Delva says that sometimes the babies die, because their mothers are too young to know how to properly care for them. "In a case like Imogene, you can see the way she is, she doesn't have anywhere to sleep, she's dependent on someone else to give her a place to stay, so the life of the baby and the mother are at risk," says Delva. KOFAVIV has been offering training for the girls—sewing, jewelry and pottery making—to try to give them another way to support themselves. The organization also holds weekly support meetings, to help boost the girls' self-confidence. "We have to work on their self esteem, because sometimes they consider if they get 25 gourds [60 cents] from someone, that is their worth, they are nothing anymore," says Delva. "We provide tools so they can work, so they know if they can earn 25 gourds, they can earn more with the tools and training we give them." For the past few days, 17-year-old Jeanne has been working on a beading project at KOFAVIV. U.S.-based Fairwinds Trading is paying the women, all rape victims, and girls $7 a day to make necklaces that will be sold at Anthropologie stores this summer. . Jeanne lives by herself in a small tent in the Pétionville camp, which is run by Sean Penn's JP/HRO. She had been living with her aunt and stepmother before the earthquake, however, they were killed when the house crumbled. A few weeks after the earthquake, Jeanne was sitting outside her collapsed house, begging for money for food Through prostitution, Jeanne was able to save enough to buy a tent, a cell phone, and clothes. Her plan was to continue until she could save enough to return to school, but two days ago, a doctor came to KOFAVIV with results from a recent check up and informed Jeanne that she is pregnant. Even with the training she has received from KOFAVIV, she is not sure how she is going to care for a baby when she can barely support herself. "My future is spoiled and I see black," says Jeanne. "What I have seen before, that is not the reality. I always had in my head I could have gone to a professional school and I could have learned something to make money, but now look what happened." One of the other issues that these girls face is rape. Madeleine has been raped and beaten several times, and sometimes, after the men have sex with her, they refuse to pay. . She only stays out on the streets long enough to make 150 gourds ($3.70), which is just enough to buy food for herself and her family. Then she returns to the tent, where she sleeps in a cramped corner on a dirty blanket on the floor with her brother. "Usually I take 50 gourds [$1.25] that night to eat and I save 100 gourds [$2.50] for the next day," Madeleine says. "With that money, I prepare food for everyone in the tent. I cannot buy rice, but I prepare spaghetti, something that is very easy and cheap." By day, at times, Madeleine seems just like any other teenage girl. She jokes, laughing raucously with neighbors, and stands in the doorway to the tent painting her nails a deep brown. She does this every week, she says, because it makes her feel pretty. But as she stares at her hand, waiting for her nails to dry, she becomes wistful. "I don't like what she does, but I don't have another way to provide," says Madeleine's aunt, Marguerite, as she turns to look at Madeleine. . At first, when Marguerite saw Madeleine going out, all dressed up, she was angry, because she assumed Madeleine was going to parties. But when Madeleine returned with money, Marguerite realized what she was doing, but has had to turn a blind eye. She would like Madeleine to return to school, but there is barely enough money to eat, let alone pay fees. Like many Haitians, Madeleine and her aunt believe that President Martelly will do something to help them. "I am expecting [the government] will do something for us because they say they are going to do something for those people living in the camps," says Madeleine Requests for a comment from President Martelly about the issue of child prostitution went unanswered, but Parry says that the Haitian government and international community are going to have to do a better job of coordinating efforts to help not just the girls, but all displaced persons. . "There needs to be long-term investment and a comprehensive plan for creating sustainable economic viability," says Parry. "It really requires listening, which seems to be the greatest failure of international humanitarian systems." Parry says that organizations like Fonkoze, Zafen and The Lambi Fund, which offer micro-financing, education and training, could provide a way out of prostitution for these young women. "They could develop marketable skills, begin a business or get hired for a job, save money, afford to move out of the camp into a community, and so on," says Parry. "Of course, there are other pieces to the puzzle which could be addressed with good coordination across resources and agencies: safe places to live and land to live on, homes that are built to safe and affordable standards, community networks, water and sanitation." . For the foreseeable future, Madeleine will have to continue working as a prostitute. Now that the rainy season has begun, it has been hard for her to work at night, which means that she and her family have again been going days without food. Before she goes to sleep, Madeleine prays that God will send someone who can help her and her family. Her greatest wish is to return to school. Sometimes, Madeleine sees her old classmates who ask when she plans to reenroll. Occasionally, she runs into them when she is out working on the street at night. "I still have friends that I used to have before the earthquake, but they don't know what kind of life I have," she says. "When they say 'Madeleine, what are you doing here?' I say, 'I came here to buy something,' or 'I am waiting for someone.'" To cheer herself up on days when she is especially depressed, Madeleine says she remembers the afternoons spent on the streets with these other friends, doing other things. She and her friends would joke with each other and make mischief by playfully bumping into people as they walked home from school. "Now when I go to fetch water and I look at the girls coming from school in their uniforms, I have that memory, and I smile," she says. . Lisa Armstrong covers humanitarian issues around the world. She has written for magazines, newspapers and organizations including The Washington Post, National Geographic, Parade, USA Weekend, O Magazine, Unicef and the World Bank. Nearly a week after the inauguration of the newly elected president, Joseph Michel Martelly, Haitians displaced by the 2010-earthquake are receiving an increasing number of threats from landowners to leave their camps. Ten days ago, more than 150 families living in Palais de l'Art camp, in a suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, found themselves imprisoned. That morning when a group of displaced persons tried to leave, they realised the gate to the street was locked. In a desperate attempt to climb the wall, some were injured. "It's a strategy used by the landowner to force us out", one internally displaced person (IDP) explained. A day earlier, residents in the same camp had found the bathroom doors nailed shut. Moreover, the same landowner threatened those who tried to remove the nails. In an earlier meeting with members of the IDP camp committee, in which the International Organisation for Migration and JRS regularly participate, the landowner had given the displaced until 1 May to leave. According to the landowner's lawyer, the leasing agreement signed with his client for 25,000 US dollars had expired in December 2010. "Despite the time given to the interior ministry to prolong the contract, nothing has been done. … We'll intend to notify the ministry and the local authorities of our decision to evict the displaced within eight days", said the lawyer. . "I've been living in Palais de l'Art [camp] since 13 January 2010. My house was damaged by the earthquake, and I haven't been able to return because my husband and I are unemployed; I don't have any money to repair it. With the short notice given by the landowner to leave the camp, I don't know what to do", Marjorie Simon said with a tone of desperation. "I have lived here for six months. After the earthquake I went back to my hometown in the countryside. But, later, I went to the camp because a friend invited me here. At that time, we didn't have anywhere else to go. If the living conditions had been good in my hometown I wouldn't have come here. I came here looking for work", confessed Benita Pierre. Others factors aggravating the vulnerability of IDPs. Their vulnerability will be heightened during the hurricane season from June to November. Researchers from the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, have warned it is highly likely that the Caribbean region, where Haiti is located, will be hit by 17 cyclones and nine hurricanes. The situation could be extremely serious for camp-based populations. Displaced populations are already forced live in deplorable conditions, without access to basic services. Increasingly violence surroundings particularly endanger women and children. Given their precarious circumstances, normal rainfall and winds would be enough to destroy the already rundown tents and flood the camps. Almost 18 months after the earthquake, despite efforts by the Haitian authorities and the international community to temporarily relocate displaced persons, 'dignified and permanent housing solutions for the 680,000 persons who continue to live in tents as return communities' have yet to be found, admitted the head of the International Organisation for Migration in Haiti, Luca Dall'oglio. In the light of the circumstances, JRS urges the new Haitian authorities to suspend the evictions until conditions 'allow internally displaced persons to return voluntarily, in safety and with dignity, to their homes or places of habitual residence, or to resettle voluntarily in another part of the country', in line with article 28 of the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. Addressing Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls in Haiti's Displacement Camps - Young girls and women living in Haiti's displacement camps since last year's earthquake have been particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and abuse with many sources pointing to an increase in reported cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the country. Data available from police, health facilities as well as national and international organizations seem to indicate that the rising numbers are linked to a growing trust between survivors and the police and service providers as access to services increase. Nevertheless, with no prevalence study having been carried out to determine whether there has been any real increase in SGBV in the country and victims often unwilling or unable to seek help, there are few reliable statistics on the issue. . Women and girls are the greatest victims of SGBV in Haiti. Of the 60 people affected by SGBV helped by IOM since 2010, 97 per cent were women and girls, with men representing the remaining 3 per cent. Fears of reprisal attacks mean victims do not file charges. Rape has only been criminalized since 2005 and poor training of police, lawyers and judges makes it extremely difficult to secure convictions. It is also difficult for survivors to acquire the medical certificates needed to win convictions in court. Although there are currently about seven institutions in the greater Port-au-Prince area providing medical services for victims, most of the SGBV survivors interviewed by IOM said they had little idea who to report cases to or where to seek medical assistance. Many did not have the wherewithal to reach health facilities or were afraid to go alone. Sexual abuse of child victims of trafficking has also come to light during IOM's work. Since January this year, IOM has identified close to 400 cases of trafficked children living in the displacement camps in extreme poverty, with about 50 per cent of them having suffered physical and sexual abuse by the time they were rescued. . More cases have been uncovered in the most poverty-stricken areas of Port-au-Prince and in the provinces where so many victims of the January 2010 earthquake fled. In addition 30 trafficked Haitian children were identified and rescued in the neighboring Dominican Republic. Working to lessen the vulnerability of women and girls including child victims of trafficking to SGGV in the camps, IOM is using US$ 1 million of funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) to help prevent and respond to SGBV in 20 priority displacement sites across Port-au-Prince's seven communes. Solar lights in key public areas such as entrances, water and sanitation facilities and community spaces will be installed by IOM to help reduce the risk of attack. Skills training programmes are also being developed jointly with national partners so that young Haitian women are more self sufficient and less vulnerable to victimization. IOM efforts to further protect victims of trafficking are also being scaled up with US$1.6 m of funding from the US government's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons and UNICEF which will allow the Organization to assist about 1,000 people. "The earthquake exacerbated pre-existing abuses in Haiti and IOM is working with its local partners to prevent another generation of women and girls being victimized, now that they are living cheek by jowl in crowded, unsanitary, poorly lit conditions in camps," says IOM's chief of mission in Haiti, Luca Dall'Oglio. An estimated 680,000 are still living in camps in Haiti since January 2010. Trustlaw By Tim Large . Both Haiti's new president and the head of the majority party in parliament have vowed to fight an epidemic of sexual violence in the quake-shattered country, throwing their weight behind a TrustLaw initiative to strengthen anti-rape laws and tackle impunity. The bipartisan pledges came as Thomson Reuters Foundation hosted an unprecedented forum of Haitian government officials, police, lawyers, prosecutors, doctors and women's groups in Port-au-Prince. The goal was to find practical ways to ensure better protection, care and justice for women and girls in a country where rape has only been outlawed since 2005 and hundreds of thousands live in insecure "tent cities" following last year's earthquake. "We don't have the necessary means, the necessary infrastructure or the necessary mentality," President-elect Michel Martelly said in a meeting with Thomson Reuters Foundation after the forum. "We need to change all this. It is our will and our mission to change all this, to make sure the rule of law reigns in Haiti, that justice is for everybody, that the police do their job. The problem is very serious and I don't underestimate the problem of sexual violence. "I have asked the national police to put in every post a female agent as they are better to listen to the problems of women." Speaking earlier at the forum, Joseph Lambert, majority leader in the Haitian parliament, expressed "solidarity with Thomson Reuters Foundation's programme to help reduce sexual violence against women and children" and said he would pass legislation to achieve that goal. . Accurate statistics are scarce, but police say cases of sexual violence shot up in the aftermath of the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake, which left more than a million people living in crowded camps with few lights at night and little security. Among the obstacles to justice for victims cited by rights groups are fears of reprisal attacks, a lack of training among police, prosecutors and judges in dealing with rape cases and difficulties in obtaining the medical certificates deemed necessary to bring cases successfully to court. Joelle Deuize, a doctor at Haiti's University and Educational Hospital (HUEH), the country's largest, said that before the earthquake she typically examined two or three rape victims a day. Right after the disaster the number rose to four and five. More than a year later, she said it is more like 15. The Port-au-Prince police chief says 622 rapes were reported in 2010. Of those, 385 of the accused are in jail and 45 have been convicted. Rights activists say such figures are just the tip of the iceberg. KOFAVIV, a grassroots group that supports rape survivors, reported 100 rapes in the 22 camps in which it works in January and February alone. There are more than a thousand displacement camps in Port-au-Prince. . In response to the problem, Thomson Reuters Foundation has mobilised members of its pro bono network of 160 law firms and corporate counsels to conduct a review of Haiti's anti-rape laws and compare them with legislation in six other jurisdictions: France, Sweden, Canada, the United States, South Africa and Brazil. The comparative study, launched via the Foundation's TrustLaw Connect platform, will be presented by international women's group MADRE to the United Nations' Human Rights Council meeting on Haiti in October. Martelly, due to be inaugurated as president on May 14, said the review could help his new government reform laws around sexual violence. "Democracy in Haiti is very young and we still have difficulties getting things just right," he said. "It would be super to benefit from this expertise in other countries who had to face these kinds of issues. Alone we cannot change everything but with the experience of others we will bring about this change." The May 6 forum marked the first time representatives of grassroots women's groups like KOFAVIV had sat around a table with senior officials from the women's ministry, health ministry, justice ministry, chief prosecutor's office and police. . In the Champ-de-Mars tent city in the heart of the capital, KOFAVIV has helped reduce sexual violence by organising security patrols of 25 men, to protect women and children in a setting where thousands have to bathe in public and razor blades easily slash canvas walls. Women's groups accused police of not taking reported rape cases seriously and of sometimes implying victims themselves were to blame. At one point, a representative from the prosecutor's office raised activists' ire by suggesting women could help prevent rapes by wearing trousers instead of skirts. Female police officers at the forum acknowledged macho attitudes occasionally prevailed in precincts dominated by male colleagues, some of whom didn't consider rape to be a crime. They said police were overwhelmed by other priorities and severely lacked resources for prevention and enforcement. . Participants did reach consensus on the need for concrete action in these key areas: . - Information campaigns to inform women and girls of their legal rights, reinforce the point that victims are not to blame and help people avoid dangerous situations. One delegate gave the example of a child lured into a tent to watch television who was subsequently raped. . - The Prosecutor's Office has a 24-hour hotline -- 604 96 02 -- to advise women who have been raped but few people know about it. This number should be widely disseminated on TV and radio. . - More female police officers should be appointed to help change attitudes in precincts and provide better support for rape survivors. . - The forum recognised that a significant barrier to justice is linguistic since French rather than Creole is the language of the courts. . - Delegates also agreed on the vexed issue of medical certificates documenting evidence of sexual intercourse and often violence, which are central documents to rape prosecutions. . - Under existing rules, medical certificates can only be issued by general hospitals accredited by the health ministry. That makes it extremely difficult for people living outside of Port-au-Prince to get the certificates within the three days needed to issue an immediate warrant. . - Women doctors at HUEH are often asked to redo medical certificates performed by doctors at other institutions, meaning that victims have to undergo a second examination. The forum called for a less centralised process. . - Delegates said that women who call the hotline of the Prosecutor's Office should be advised on what to do to file an official complaint. They should also be told that they need to present an original of the medical certificate since copies are routinely discredited by defence lawyers. . - They said doctors needed to be trained to reduce the incidence of poorly completed medical certificates, which defence lawyers take advantage of. . - Judges should be trained to make sure they understand and accord proper weight to medical certificates. They should also be trained to be fairer to victims. For example, they should understand that a woman can still be raped even if she is not a virgin. Life after Haiti's earthquake has been especially difficult and dangerous for displaced women and girls. In addition to the ongoing crises of homelessness and cholera, a chronic emergency of sexual violence prevails in the settlements where hundreds of thousands still live, well over a year after the disaster. Groups of Haitian women have been struggling to defend themselves, banding together to prevent assaults and now taking their case to a wider world. At a hearing March 25 in Washington before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a grass-roots group, Kofaviv, joined other human-rights advocates in pressing for an end to what they called a rape epidemic. The police, they said, rarely patrol inside unlighted camps or investigate attacks. Victims live in constant fear and shame while attackers go unpunished. Their evidence, compiled in a wrenching petition delivered to the commission last fall, led the commission to demand urgent action by Haiti to protect its women and girls. The Haitian government, beset by political and other crises, has failed to do its job. But others, including the United Nations, the United States and other international donors and aid agencies, can and must do more. The camps need more police and better lighting. Community groups need training and resources to protect victims and identify predators. Women's groups must be drawn fully into relief and reconstruction planning. While the world's attention has turned elsewhere, Haiti's misery remains. The U.N. reported in March that contributions to its ongoing emergency appeal are lagging and funds are running out for even such basics as clean-water delivery and sewage removal. This month's meeting of Haiti's recovery commission and the selection of a new president may begin to put the recovery back on track. Women and girls in Haiti's camps must not be forced to live in constant fear. By Arikia Millikan . While the UN has reported that about 50 percent of women living in Haiti's shantytowns have been raped or sexually assaulted, documenting the individual events is a trying process. Victims will often not come forward for fear of incurring additional violence and ostracism within their communities, or out of frustration with the legal system. A medical certificate must be issued within 72 hours of the rape in for legal action to proceed, but they are only issued in a few hospitals and could take days to obtain. Many rape cases occur in Internally Displaced Persons camps, where it is especially difficult to identify and locate perpetrators -- whose conviction, ultimately, is unlikely. "There is a culture of impunity here", said Emilie Reiser, the Haiti Programme Manager of Digital Democracy -- an organisation that encourages civic engagement through digital technologies. . For KOFAVIV (Komisyon Fanm Viktim pou Viktim, The Commission of Women Victims for Victims), a rape crisis and victim advocacy centre founded by victims of rape, the process of bringing these cases to light was made that much more difficult when the earthquake struck Haiti on 12 January, 2010 -- all the documents pertaining to rape cases they had collected since 2004 were lost. Since February, Digital Democracy has been working with KOFAVIV to digitize their database of rape reports so that statistics from the reports can be generated and data published through Noula, an open-source incident reporting platform for crises in Haiti that translates to "We're here". Its goal is to provide a platform where data can be channelled between the general public and the government or international groups who are providing services. Making quantifiable data accessible is the first step to changing denialist perspectives that impede proper resource allocation. Earlier this year, the lack of data on rapes prompted political blogger Brendan O'Neill to claim that reports of rape in Haiti are "overblown" and "unlikely". But as Haiti Rewired's Alister Wm Mcintyre pointed out, there is woeful under-reporting that confounds the ability to formally define the problem as "epidemic". . When it comes to gender-based violence, "there has not been any comprehensive attempt at collecting data", Reiser said, whereas with general health problems, there is an abundance of online documentation that the Haitian government and international groups can use to assess resource distribution and determine plans of action. While there are several SMS-reporting databases that have been adapted to enable victims to report rape and child trafficking, Reiser said that these systems were not easily adopted because people don't naturally share accounts of rape and other sensitive information in this way -- they talk to trusted people. The digitized database system at KOFAVIV is designed to integrate the process of collecting and reporting rape data with the process of providing services to victims. Reiser hopes that this method of reporting will then become the standard for similar centres. . "Our hope ideally with the database, which we built on an open source platform so it can be easily adaptive, is that once the system is effectively up and running, to have other [organisations that focus on gender-based violence] adopt this platform to match their intake process, so we have multiple reporters aggregating into the same place," Reiser said. The database will contain a digitised version of the paper dossiers that are filed at the KOFAVIV centre for each victim that comes in. In addition to confidential information that KOFAVIV's legal partners, the BAI (Bureau des Avocats Internationaux) and IJDH (Institute for Justice & Democracy Haiti) would be able to use to prosecute rapists, the digital dossiers will provide information about the context of rape cases: time of day the rape was committed, location, if the victim was a minor or adult, if a medical certificate was received, and more. At the end of each month, Digital Democracy and the database managers at KOFAVIV, who are all women, will create report suitable for public disclosure that will be used to provide various regulatory and service organizations with concrete statistics that these crimes are occurring. . Currently, KOFAVIV's database managers are working to transform the paper dossiers that are filed at the centre into digital versions that will be backed up locally, in the cloud, and on an external hard drive. They receive 40-80 dossiers each month, and have already input all the data for January, February, and are working on data from March and the 459 cases reported to the centre in 2010. It is the hope of all involved with this project that digitising and quantifying rape reports will help change the culture in Haiti that enables men to rape women with impunity. In the history of the 70 cases KOFAVIV has referred to the IJDH legal team, including a case that prosecuted a 53-year-old man for raping a one-year-old girl, no convictions occurred. But seven cases have progressed to the penultimate stage, which ends with either the Judge d'Instruction dismissing the case or referring the case to the Tribunal Criminal for sentencing, according to Annie Gell, a lawyer with IJHD. In addition to helping with the database, Digital Democracy has been engaging Haitian women in technical projects involving photography, blogging, and computer training at the WE-LEAD computer resource centre for women, an initiative launched by Heartland Alliance in partnership with KOFAVIV and MADRE. The centre is open to women only, Monday through Friday until 4pm. It has 10 computers, internet access, and everything is free. 3/29/2011 IPS By Cléo Fatoorehchi . Some 14 months after Haiti's earthquake, activists say there is an ongoing epidemic of rape and gender-based violence (GBV) in the country's more than 1,000 squalid displaced persons camps, where nearly a million people are still awaiting permanent housing. According to Annie Gell, Bureau des Avocats Internationaux's coordinator of the Rape Accountability and Prevention Project in Port-au-Prince, "The lack of lighting, the lack of patrols, the inability of women to lock their doors" contribute to the "incredibly insecure situation for women and girls" in the camps. She accused MINUSTAH, the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti, of "generally (staying) on the perimetre of camps," instead of going into the areas where women's lives are actually at risk, especially at night. . According to a March 2011 survey conducted by the Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University School of Law, "an alarming 14 percent of households surveyed reported that, since the earthquake, one or more members of their household had been victimised by rape or unwanted touching or both." Marie Françoise Vital Metellus, a gender unit officer with MINUSTAH, told IPS the peacekeeping force has created a trained unit - the UNPOLs - to patrol in the camps and provide specialised assistance to women victims of GBV. But she acknowledged that the number of camps is huge, and most of them are overcrowded. That makes the UNPOLs' work, along with the National Haitian Police's, particularly difficult. . "We're seeing more women coming forward to report rapes and GBV," Gell told IPS that adding, "a lot of people are moving out of camps because they're so insecure, so dangerous." "Grassroots groups have the expertise of what needs to be done on the ground, because they live and work in the camps," Lisa Davis, human rights advocacy director with the women's group MADRE and an adjunct professor of law for the International Women's Human Rights Clinic at CUNY Law School, told IPS. Among these groups is KOFAVIV (Commission of Women Victims for Victims), a Haitian organisation founded in 2004 by rape survivors to provide assistance to others, which recreated itself in the camps after the earthquake. On Mar. 25, women activists from MADRE, the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, CUNY School of Law and Women's Link Worldwide testified before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington about the severe problems in the camps. . Three Haitian women - Malya Appolon-Villard, Marie Eramithe Delva and Jocie Philistin – attended the hearing to convey the reality of life in the camps, a "nightmare", according to Gell. But "their voices (of grassroots movements) are being excluded from the planning sessions," Davis told IPS. She said that while the United Nations GBV cluster should bring together all the actors dealing with sexual violence in Haiti, "(it) is not working with the grassroots groups." "We're (thus) hoping … that the commission will reinforce that the grassroots groups' voices must be included in planning sessions to end sexual violence," Gell said. The decision the IACHR will take after all the hearings – likely in a week or two - is "binding on Haiti in a sense that Haiti is a member of the Organisation of American States (OAS), and the Commission is a body that interprets the treaties and laws" signed under the OAS, Gell explained to IPS. . But the government itself was crippled by the earthquake, and lacks the capacity to fully address the issue of gender- based violence. Despite the existence since 1994 of a Ministry of Women's Affairs and Women's Rights (MCFDF, Ministère à la Condition Féminine et aux Droits des Femmes), its programmes are weak due to a lack of resources, Vital Metellus of MINUSTAH told IPS. She nevertheless stressed that "the state is the key actor", adding, "In its current state, it needs the support from women's groups and U.N. agencies." As Gell noted, "It's not necessarily that they (the Haitian government) don't want to help women and girls, it's that they don't have the capacity or the will right now to do that." . The organisations hope that donor countries will provide more funding to target the GBV problem, Davis told IPS. According to Gell, that requires "mak(ing) not only the government of Haiti but the world aware (of the) epidemic of violence against women and girls." "(In order to) reinforce the capacity of the government's action to be effective in protecting women and girls," emphasised Gell, the organisations are using the petition and the hearings before the IACHR as a way to put pressure on the Haitian government and at the same time on the international community, particularly the donors. She also stressed to IPS "the need for supporting domestic mechanisms for prosecution," since the attackers usually go unpunished. Medical News Today . This Friday, petitioners MADRE, the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), CUNY School of Law and Women's Link Worldwide will testify before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington, DC on the crisis of sexual violence in Haiti. In October, the aforementioned group of advocates and attorneys submitted a legal petition to the IACHR, calling for immediate action to address the epidemic of rape in Haiti's displacement camps. In response, the IACHR issued a call for urgent "precautionary measures" to protect women and girls in the camps. As an IACHR member state, the Haitian government is legally obligated to uphold this ruling. These measures include the installation of lighting, the provision of security and the inclusion of grassroots women's voices in policy-making spaces. . At this Friday's hearing, the petitioners will underscore the constant threat of sexual violence faced by women and girls in Haiti's displacement camps and the need for immediate implementation of the IACHR's recommendations. They will highlight the need for the international community to support the capacity of the Haitian government to meet its human rights obligations. Malya Villard-Appolon, Marie Eramithe Delva and Jocie Philistin, representatives of KOFAVIV, a grassroots Haitian women's organization founded by and for rape survivors, will participate in this hearing. This hearing is open to the public. . Date of Hearing: Friday, March 25, 2011 Time: 9am-10am Location: 1889 F Street NW, Washington, DC, Rubén Darío Room (8th floor, GSB) . Malya Appolon-Villard, co-founder of KOFAVIV, said, "Every day, we see women and girls who have been raped. They have no protection in the camps, and their attackers go unpunished. The IACHR's binding decision for the Haitian government is a first step, and we are ready to work with the IACHR and all of our international partners to ensure that the Haitian government fulfills these demands." Lisa Davis, MADRE Human Rights Advocacy Director and Adjunct Professor of Law for the International Women's Human Rights Clinic at CUNY Law School, said, "The situation for women and girls living in displacement camps remains dire. The IACHR decision was triggered by the demands of grassroots Haitian women, and now the international community must commit to support the Haitian government in its implementation." . Annie Gell, Coordinator of the Rape Accountability and Prevention Project (RAPP) at the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, applauded the IACHR for its decisive precautionary measures. "The BAI and its US-affiliate, IJDH, now call on the Haitian government and international community to fully commit to increased cooperation with and support of grassroots Haitian groups and their allies. This must include support for domestic prosecutions of rapists through initiatives in Haiti like the BAI's RAPP initiative. Together, we can end this nightmare." . Katherine Romero, Staff Attorney for Women's Link Worldwide, said, "The Inter-American Commission is setting a global precedent by ensuring the rights of victims of sexual violence in contexts of natural disaster and humanitarian emergencies are being duly protected. We expect the rest of the international community to join in." To read the legal petition submitted to the IACHR in full, click here. LA Times . Halya Lagunesse thought she knew despair. Nearly seven years ago, the soldiers who had killed her husband gang-raped the Haitian woman and her daughter Joann, who was 17 at the time. But that pain pales in comparison to the torment of learning last March that her 5-year-old granddaughter had been raped. The attacker gave the child about 50 cents to go and buy rice. On her way back, he intercepted her and dragged her into a cemetery. . "How did that happen? How did that happen?" Lagunesse, 50, cried, wringing her hands. "This situation does something to their minds and makes people sick," she said. "Their hearts are bad." Hers is a tragedy of rape compounded: Her granddaughter, now 6, was conceived in the gang rape of her daughter. Rape wasn't even considered a serious criminal offense in Haiti until five years ago. The women who pushed for the legislation making it so also built Haiti's first shelter for abused women. Next they had hoped to make fathers legally bound to acknowledge their children and pay some support. Haitian women are the poorest and most disenfranchised in this poorest of nations in the hemisphere. And yet, through the work of a spirited coterie of feminist activists, real strides were being made. . Haiti's cataclysmic earthquake killed hundreds of thousands, left this capital in ruins and sent more than a million people into a life in crowded, squalid camps. It also devastated a strong and surprisingly successful women's movement, which, a year later, struggles like the rest of the nation to recover, even as women are being subjected to horrific sexual violence. So much has been lost. Magalie Marcelin, the indefatigable activist with the gap-toothed smile who founded one of Haiti's most important women's advocacy organizations, Kay Fanm. Crushed to death as she mentored an aspiring feminist. Myriam Merlet, broad-faced, cheerily abrasive and endlessly effective, whether in her position at the Women's Ministry she helped shape or lobbying for the rape law she helped enact. Died in her home under a ton of concrete. . And there were so many more, equally and less famous, midwives, nuns and professors, peasant leaders and government officials, all who worked for women. All gone. "It was a very big loss," activist Danielle Saint-Lot said. "We cried together. We are mourning together." The young men were watching Fania Simone. They had picked her. Picked her for rape. They went to her tent and seemed to know she would be alone. Her mother had left for the countryside in search of food. Three of them. They wore masks. They threw her to the dirt floor. They kicked her in the ribs and slapped her face. "If you tell anyone," one of her attackers threatened, "we will kill your brother or your sister." After the rape, Simone, 23, sought medical attention. Then an organization that helps rape victims, Kofaviv, took her under its wing and gave her psychological counseling. But she still lives in the plastic-tarp tent, and her attackers lurk, murmuring their threats, watching her. "I feel very unsafe," said the young woman, whose bright eyes widen as she tells her story. "I have nowhere else to go. I am tortured." . Rape has long been a scourge in Haiti. It was used as a form of political repression in 1994 and in 2004, periods of upheaval when military dictators and their brutish gangs of enforcers seized power. Men who opposed the regime were abducted and killed, women raped. An entire generation of Haitians is filled with children of rape. The earthquake generated new shockwaves of sexual violence. Hundreds, maybe thousands — there is no comprehensive count — have been raped. Some of the assaults are crimes of opportunity, but increasingly they seem a calculated, predatory form of stalking and attacking. Only a few of an estimated 1,300 tent encampments that are spread through this shattered capital have nighttime lighting or significant police presence. Tents do not have doors or locks. People are jammed together in dehumanizing density without privacy. Social networks and family unity have been destroyed by death and flight; children are often alone and unsupervised as their parents, if they have them, spend days searching for sustenance. The institutions of law and order, to the extent they ever had influence, have crumbled. . Young women are easy prey for uneducated, unemployed men who populate the camps, often stoned and with time on their hands. They see women and girls as fair game. Many women have denounced camp leaders, always male, for demanding sexual favors in return for tents, food and building materials. Activists are bracing for a jump in teen pregnancies and HIV and AIDS cases, whether from rape or unprotected sex, since clinics that dispensed birth control and advice were also destroyed. The United Nations estimates that Port-au-Prince needs at least 1,000 maternal-care clinics. There are 10. "We started receiving reports of rapes from the very first day after the quake," said Jocie Philistin, one of the women who run Kofaviv. "At first we thought, this can't be true! But it was." "Women, I know you lift a lot of buckets of water. It's not enough. Work your arms!" Murielle Dorismond, one of Haiti's top judo masters, is leading a self-defense workshop for women in the camps. Upper-body strength and self-confidence are the most important tools she tries to teach the women. Several women's groups are taking action to confront the violence. International and national organizations have joined forces to arrange training sessions, psychological counseling and legal advice. Kofaviv, which lost about 10% of its membership as well as its headquarters to the quake, sends "agents" into the camps to find women who have been attacked, averaging two cases a day. (And that, all involved say, is but a tip of the iceberg.) Women have been given whistles and taught to use them Three short toots means, "I am being attacked." One long toot: "I have found someone who has been raped and needs immediate help." . Before 2005, rape was considered an offense against honor, or "crime of passion," meaning it was a minor infraction in which the perpetrator would go free if he agreed to marry his victim. Then it was elevated into a serious crime with penalties. In addition, victims were allowed to seek care at any health facility, instead of the main state hospital, and no longer had to pay for the examination. Still, victims are stigmatized, abusers rarely caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Malya Villard-Appolon, a founding member of Kofaviv, recalled how police leered at her 14-year-old daughter when the two went to a police station to report the girl's rape. One officer said girls and young women get raped because they're "in heat." . "Some of these men have the same old mentality," said Valerie Toureau, a doctor who works with rural women. "The woman for them is an object, one more piece of property. We've tried to change the mentality, but the effort has been nearly completely lost." The voodoo priestesses thumped drums and lighted candles as they chanted the names. Magalie… Myriam… "They were real fighters," Philistin, the activist, said. "Every woman in Haiti knows about these women. They gave their time and their souls for the progress of our struggle." At this memorial ceremony on the first anniversary of the quake, huge photos of Magalie Marcelin, Myriam Merlet and others flanked the makeshift stage. Marcelin and Merlet, in their 50s when they died, were trained as lawyers but did their work in the streets and homes and government offices. . Merlet also wrote, collecting stories about Haitian women and campaigning to have streets named for some of the prominent ones. Marcelin once packed a courtroom with angry women to pressure for a guilty verdict against a politically connected man accused of beating his wife. Both had fought against Jean-Claude Duvalier's brutal regime, and each had spent time in exile or in hiding. "Every day we try to recover and to replace them," said Yolette Mengual, chief of staff in the Women's Ministry, who was overseeing the memorial. "We can't. We are still searching. We have to keep fighting." ... that is what I would need ... what I would consider a real gender issue ... then when I was finished cleaning a space for myself I'd need some sort of shelter ... a tent perhaps ... maybe some sort of framing for a wall ... perhaps fabric for curtains and as a temporary solution I could use the type of divider that is used at trade-shows ... next I'd need cooking supplies ... pots, pans, dishes, cups, spoons, forks, knives, all in various sizes ... If the weather is a problem simple communal buildings might be a temporary solution. The larger the area that gets cleaned, the larger the building could be. Of course the land beneath the building needs to be solid and uncontaminated with garbage. All of the above are legitimate gender issues because they affect both genders. Mac and MoJo photo editor Mark Murrmann have been in Haiti all week. Read her previous posts here, and read her features on AWOL aid and the rapists terrorizing the tent camps. And check out more of Mark's photos here. The tent cities that hold some million people left homeless by Haiti's earthquake last year have a serious rape problem. With no security, no lights, and a dense, often desperate population, the camps are hotbeds of sexual violence. When I met with FAVILEK president Yolande Bazelais. Photo by Mark Murrmann FAVILEK (a Creole acronym for Women Victims Get Up Stand Up), a local group that advocates for women's rights, in September, it was hearing from several new rape survivors every week. And the organization's services cover only a dozen camps. Out of more than a thousand. I caught up with Bazelais the other day in Port-au-Prince. For lack of funding, FAVILEK still didn't have an office; we met in a driveway of another NGO's office, while dozens of FAVILEK members packed into an unlit concrete shed in the back for a meeting. Bazelais explained that her group is still getting several calls a week from women who have been raped. It is currently trying to care for four women pregnant with the offspring of their rapists. Bazeliais wants her group to be able to help victims by getting them out of the camps and away from the violence. Long-term, she said, "we want to give them education and possibilities and jobs," but "we can't even give them food." She said that camp dwellers have been so hungry for so long that she's now seeing the spread of child prostitution. So, I asked, had FAVILEK seen any improvements in the rape crisis since we'd met four months ago? Bazelais didn't hesitate for one second. "No." 1/16/2011 Philadelphia Inquirer By Kathy Calvin (CEO of United Nations Foundation) . In the long list of challenges facing Haiti, going to the restroom shouldn't be one of them. Yet in Haiti's sprawling tent cities, something as simple as a lighted pathway to the latrine can make a huge difference for a woman trying to survive the night without fear of sexual violence. In some of the larger camps, rapes are almost a daily occurrence. Even before last year's earthquake, Haiti was one of the toughest places in the Western Hemisphere to be a woman. Nowhere else in Latin America, North America, or the Caribbean is the maternal mortality rate higher, literacy rate lower, and life expectancy shorter than for women in Haiti. Yet relatively simple actions can go a long way toward improving the safety and welfare of women living in tent cities. . One of the most common requests from camp residents is lighting. Dark, unsafe conditions embolden predators. That is why the United Nations, the U.N. Foundation, and other partners are distributing solar-powered lights to camps - and letting women decide where they should be placed. A number of reports indicate that teenage pregnancy is on a sharp rise in these camps. The lack of access to reproductive health services, education, and medical care makes pregnancy dangerous - particularly for young girls. There were about 200 nurse midwives in Haiti before the earthquake. Now there are about 75. The earthquake destroyed several clinics. Today, women are giving birth on the sidewalks. The wave of teen pregnancies must be accompanied by measures to promote maternal health and bring reproductive health services to the camps. Without proper access to care and education, rates of sexually transmitted diseases can be expected only to rise. . The United Nations is at the forefront of an effort to restore clinics, train midwives, distribute contraception, and provide reproductive and health education to teens surviving in difficult circumstances. To date, the U.N. Population Fund has distributed 25,000 "dignity kits," which include sanitary napkins, antibacterial soap, underwear, towels, and washing supplies. Fund workers have even commandeered two tap-taps - the elaborately decorated buses that are ubiquitous in Port-au-Prince. Youth leaders travel from camp to camp on these trucks to educate young people about reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and family planning. . This peer-education program has seen successes, but with only two trucks and limited staff, it is not enough. These efforts must be expanded, but there isn't enough funding. A U.N. appeal for its Haiti earthquake response is more than $400 million short of its target. With about 43 percent of households headed by women, they must be at the top of the international community's agenda for Haiti. As the country rebuilds and people move from tent cities to more permanent dwellings, it is critically important that we support employment opportunities for women and provide education for girls. While the circumstances are dire, brave and resourceful women are finding ways to survive and thrive. Even more can have a brighter future if we work to improve the health and welfare of Haiti's most vulnerable. First and foremost, that means protecting women and girls in Haiti's tent cities. 1/18/2011 PBS Newshour BY TALEA MILLER . Among the many hardships facing the more than one million Haitians still living in tent camps after the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake is the threat of sexual violence. While there are differing accounts of how widespread rape is in the camps of Port-au-Prince, most analysts agree that sexual violence in Haiti has been exacerbated by the conditions in tent camps. . Amnesty International reported this month that the risk of rape for women living in camps has increased dramatically over the past year. The organization consulted grassroots groups working with women on the ground and interviewed more than 50 victims. "Women and girls are in a situation of extreme vulnerability [in the camps], especially the girls without the protective measures like school or a safe place to play," Ducos said. The attackers, he said, are usually groups of young men roaming camps looking for victims. But Sylvie van den Wildenberg with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said sexual violence in the camps has decreased since the early months after the quake with the implementation of security measures. Regular patrols by MINUSTAH and the Haitian police were put in place to reign in crime and more lighting in the camps was added. "Sexual violence was already a structural problem in the society, that is what we found out from the testimonies of the women in the camp," van den Wildenberg said. "Yes, it was exacerbated by the earthquake and the situation in the camps, but in the camps now it's reduced and I would say the women in the camps now are better protected than some of the women in other areas." . The number of rapes that have taken place in the camps is unknown – the new report does not include an estimate but says hundreds of cases have been reported--and data on sexual crimes prior to the earthquake is also sporadic, says Emmanuelle Schneider, spokesperson for the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Haiti. However, Schneider acknowledged that patrols are not set up for all of the more than 1,100 camps in and around Port-au-Prince, and that camps that are more informal and not as well serviced by aid organizations could be more vulnerable. Amnesty International called for beefing up and expanding the current security measures, as well as encouraging community involvement in cutting down the crimes and full prosecution of perpetrators. . Madre, an international women's rights group based in the United States, said its sister organization in Haiti, the Commission of Women Victims for Victims, has documented more than 300 rapes in 22 camps it has worked in since the quake. Many women are scared to come forward for medical help or to pursue prosecution, said Madre's human rights advocacy director Lisa Davis. But the organization has observed that attackers are becoming more brazen and are acting with impunity because so few cases end in a conviction. "A woman was pulled into a car in broad daylight by five men, so we are starting to see women raped during the day on the streets in front of people," Davis said. One of the rape survivors Amnesty International interviewed, 'Denise," told researchers she would have preferred to die in the earthquake instead of experiencing what she did. . "On 10 June, I was sleeping under my tarp shelter when three men ripped it, came in and raped me," she told researchers "These men came to the camp to do just that. A young girl from the camp was also raped." On Wednesday, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued recommendations to the Haitian government to take immediate action to prevent sexual violence against women and girls in the camps. The petition was submitted by Madre and other women's rights advocacy groups, who will now use the decision to advocate action by the United Nations. Amnesty also hopes the United Nations will start to expand its response to the issue. "What we are recommending is that the government and the U.N. system and other humanitarian organizations make prevention and response to sexual violence a priority as part of the humanitarian response," Amnesty's Ducos said. "There is no alternative for these women and girls" 1/12/2011 What generally One A Over the past year, we have really worked with national partners to help them strengthen capacities for actions to achieve gender equality. We have urged international partners to recognize that Haiti has a history of gender advocacy and achievements I Gender1/12/2011 United Nations Entity for Gender Eauality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN). What generally . One . A . Over the past year, we have really worked with national partners to help them strengthen capacities for actions to achieve gender equality. We have urged international partners to recognize that Haiti has a history of gender advocacy and achievements . I . GenderHuffington Post By Isobel Coleman . A year after the devastating earthquake in Haiti last January, the situation on the ground remains grim: more than a million people are still living in tents, less than 5 percent of the rubble has been cleared from Port-au-Prince, and now a cholera epidemic, which has already taken thousands of lives, is raging across the country. Despite pledges to "build back better," international efforts in Haiti are struggling just to provide relief. The window for transformative change is closing. Donor fatigue is setting in, and new commitments are slowing to a trickle. Reality demands doing more with less, which is why it is so critical to invest in women. As demonstrated in other post-conflict and post-disaster situations, investments in women can have a significant payoff in terms of health, economic growth, and stability for the whole society. In Haiti's case, one area in particular -- midwifery training for women -- deserves support. Haiti has the worst maternal health statistics of any country in the Western hemisphere (and among the worst in the world). Prior to the earthquake, only a quarter of births were attended by trained personnel, compared with 98 percent of births in the neighboring Dominican Republic. Its maternal mortality ratio of 630 deaths per 100,000 live births ranks it alongside some of the poorest countries in Africa. A Haitian woman is seventy times more likely to die in childbirth than an American woman, a fact that serves as a marker of the country's nonexistent healthcare system, poor transportation, low education levels, and deeply rooted cultural practices that encourage women to stay at home during delivery. The challenge of fixing all these problems is overwhelming, but there are some cost-effective solutions that can make a difference. . Experience from Afghanistan has shown that investing in midwifery can significantly reduce maternal mortality, even under the harshest circumstances. Midwives are significantly less expensive to train and maintain than doctors, they can be drawn from local populations with low educational levels, and as "local daughters," they are more likely to be accepted and trusted by, and continue to serve, hard-to-reach rural communities. Over the past seven years, the number of midwives in Afghanistan has risen from fewer than 500 to more than 2,000. Deliveries attended by skilled personnel have more than tripled, and maternal mortality has fallen significantly, albeit from extraordinarily high levels. As important, the midwifery programs in Afghanistan are creating a generation of young, empowered women involved in the healthcare of their whole community. They are teaching mothers how to care for themselves and their infants, and helping to improve hygiene and nutrition for the family. Midwives also earn a decent living, and as professional women in the community, serve as role models to society. Becoming a midwife is now such an attractive career path for Afghan girls in rural areas across the country that applicants outstrip availability of spots, even in some of the most conservative districts where women rarely venture outside of their homes. . An expansion of midwifery programs in Haiti would not only help address the country's dire maternal mortality statistics, but also create economic, educational, and training opportunities for women. By almost every measure, women lag behind men in Haiti and their low status in society compounds many social ills. Haitian midwives can also be conduits for increasing access to family planning, as they have successfully been doing in Afghanistan and other countries. Some 40 percent of women of childbearing age in Haiti have unmet contraceptive needs. Not surprisingly, Haitian women have high fertility -- 4.7 children per woman on average. They also have the highest rate of HIV infection in Latin America, and the rate for women is higher than men. Midwives can be trained to counsel patients on family planning and HIV prevention. Expanding midwifery and family planning programs to women across Haiti can yield long-term gains that will benefit all Haitians. Prior to the earthquake, the Haitian government had a program that was graduating 40 midwives a year, but the main training hospital in Port-au-Prince was devastated. Several non-governmental organizations, like Partners in Health and Haitian Health Foundation, also run midwifery programs with great success, but the critical need is to bring these programs to scale across the country. Building back better in Haiti increasingly seems like a pipe dream, but smart investments in programs with demonstrated high returns, like midwifery programs, can give the next generation a chance. 1/12/2011 . One year after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, calls for increased support for women and young people in the country's recovery and reconstruction efforts. "After a disaster of such scale, women and youth need strong support to play a leading role in rebuilding their country," said UNFPA's new Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin. "UNFPA will continue to support the participation of women and young people in Haiti's reconstruction and the provision of reproductive health services and supplies to ensure safe childbirth and healthy infants," said Dr. Osotimehin. "Promoting the health, rights and participation of women and young people will speed up the country's development." Immediately after the disaster, UNFPA worked with young volunteers to distribute 'dignity kits' with hygiene supplies to displaced women, in addition to solar flash lights, mattresses and tents to the accommodation sites and communities. It also provided kits that included supplies to prevent cholera to non-governmental organizations, and installed solar lamps near latrines and high-concentration points in 36 accommodation sites. It also provided psychological support to more than 30,000 youths. Additional assistance that UNFPA will provide in the near future, with the Government and other partners, includes: . • Building 10 centres for family support, including separate spaces for safe socialization among women, that will also provide emergency reproductive health care and family planning services. . • Delivering 100,000 dignity-cholera kits to women and vulnerable groups to prevent cholera and protect women. . • Rebuilding the National School of Midwives and supporting incentives to promote midwifery in Haiti. . • Establishing safe spaces for sports, art and socialization for youth. . • Economically empowering women and youth in vocational training and self-employment. . • Promoting gender-sensitive security and patrols in displaced persons' sites. . • Supporting the Government to prepare for the 2013 census. . "When women have access to the same rights and opportunities as men," said Dr. Osotimehin, "they are more resilient and better equipped to lead reconstruction and renewal efforts in their societies. They can build back their country even better." . Contact Information: Abubakar Dungus Tel: +1212 297 5031 dungus@unfpa.org . Omar Gharzeddine Tel: +1 212 297 5028 gharzeddine@unfpa.org 1/12/2011 Christian Science Monitor By Ezra Fieser . The women came first, gathering under a roofed plywood shack to learn basic skills that could help them get a job – to sew or speak English. The meetings soon turned into a sort of group therapy, where they discussed the pressures of living in a squalid, crowded camp with 26,000 earthquake survivors. But it wasn't until their husbands joined them that the daily gatherings gave a few dozen Haitians a way to talk openly about sexual abuse – a problem that experts say has grown since last year's earthquake. "At first it was like 15 or 20 guys who came down to complain that their wives were spending too much time here," says Franklin Fontaine, who has led the group meetings. "But then we all got together and sat down. … It was unbelievable, for many of them it was the first time they had ever said the words 'domestic violence.'" Amid a grim year of sexual violence that has plagued camps across Haiti, projects like this one, grounded in community involvement, have proved successful. Even before a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated this impoverished Caribbean country one year ago today, Haiti struggled to protect women from rape and domestic violence. In the nearly two years after the 2004 coup that toppled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, an average of 1,600 rapes were being committed every month, a study published in The Lancet medical journal found. . It has only worsened since the quake sent more than 1.5 million into unplanned camps, where an estimated 810,000 people still remain. With no running water and, in some cases, no lighting at night, women have been forced to bathe in public and make their way to latrines and showers in the dark. Even in their tents and huts, fashioned from flimsy sticks and tarps, they've been attacked. A report released Jan. 6 by Amnesty International found that sexual violence had grown dramatically since the earthquake struck and authorities were failing to stop it. The problem has persisted despite the presence of more than 12,000 police and military troops sent by the United Nations to Haiti to stabilize the country and years of warnings to the Haitian government. "There's no justice, nobody is being punished," Gerardo Ducos, the report's author, says. . Malya Villard-Apollon, a rape survivor and leader of KOFAVIV, a grassroots organization that works with victims, agreed. Working in 32 camps, her organization registered 859 cases since the earthquake. Only five cases have made it to trial and only one person – a police officer – has been jailed. She says incidents of domestic violence have spiked in the last year. "We have cases in which young girls whose parents died in the earthquake were living by themselves in a camp and then moved in with a partner who began beating them," she says through a translator. "Cases have definitely increased since the earthquake." One of those girls was 10 years old when she was raped, Ms. Villard-Apollon says. . While much attention has been focused on random sexual violence, violence within the home is just as bad, if not worse, says Melanie Megevand, the protection coordinator for American Refugee Committee who started the program that brings women and their husbands together. Sixty percent of the cases her organization registered in the past year were victims of domestic violence and 40 percent were sexual violence cases. Ms. Megevand says the camp program has been successful in raising the issue in homes where it was not previously discussed. "Domestic violence existed long before the earthquake. … This allowed them to speak about the problem and to break the taboo," she says. The basis of the program was an adaptation of the successful child friendly spaces – in which an area in a refugee camp is set aside to allow children to play and study. "It was good because we really didn't know each other. We all came from different areas [to the camp.] So it allowed us to get to know each other," says Ms. Zephayr Ylanne, who lost her home in the quake. "There was a lot of violence at the beginning, before this started. And we were all going through it or knew someone who was." . That communal spirit, though, led to a backlash from some husbands. "At first, it was really hard. They'd gossip and make fun of us," says Billy Villa, a woman who was learning to sew through the program. But that turned to acceptance when the men "began to understand what this was about," Ms. Villa says. "They liked being able to open up and talk about life here; talk about how hard it is to live like this." One of the husbands, who asked not to be identified, says his first experience wasn't what he expected. "We had a good time. We could all talk about things we were all experiencing and we could laugh at them," he says. "It helped with the stress." It also helped cut down on tension in the home, he says. Ms. Megevand says that 20 men who were victims of sexual or domestic violence even came forward to report their case in the past year. Although the program isn't likely to solve Haiti's overwhelming rape and domestic violence problems, it has served as an example for how communities can take control of the issue in their camps. The American Refugee Committee has recently turned the program over to a local grassroots organization that is expanding it into new camps. "For the people who participate, I think that it's been huge," Ms. Megevand says. "It allows them to transfer from victims to survivors." Wednesday will mark the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, which killed 300 thousand people and left more than a million homeless, living in makeshift camps amid the rubble. In addition to other crime and hardship, the incidence of rape for women and children is reportedly on the rise in the camps. Host Michel Martin speaks with Lisa Armstrong, who has written about this disturbing trend and efforts to prosecute rapists, for Essence magazine. . MICHEL MARTIN, host: I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Every year the huge consumer electronics show shows off some of the latest and greatest digital play things. But we want to know, what were the coolest? We'll talk about that in just a few minutes. But, first, we go behind closed doors as we often do on Mondays. That's where we talk about issues people often keep private. As this week marks the one-year anniversary of that huge earthquake in Haiti that took so many lives and disrupted so many others, we wanted to take a look at how the quake has opened up the vulnerabilities of women and children in particular. There's no privacy for those in the camps, of course. But it turns out that women and children there are far less secure than they should be and at much higher risk of sexual violence. Lisa Armstrong is a journalist who wrote a piece about that. It's called "Fighting Back," in this month's issue of Essence magazine. She's been reporting in Haiti over the past year through a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. She stopped in our New York bureau on her way back to Haiti and she's with us now. Thank you so much for joining us. . Ms. LISA ARMSTRONG (Journalist): Thank you so much for having me. . MARTIN: I guess if you think about it, it's intuitively obvious that people would be more vulnerable if they don't have a secure place to live. But how bad is it? . Ms. ARMSTRONG: It's really bad in that aside from the people who are living in these large tent cities, there are also people who set up informal shelters and there's absolutely no security at all and there are few people around. And the woman that I wrote about in the Essence piece lived in one of these types of shelters and was raped. And, also, in the camps, often when women are raped, nobody comes. The police are not patrolling. MINUSTAH, which is the U.N. peacekeeping agency, these women say, are not patrolling and not protecting them. So there really is no security anywhere. . MARTIN: Could you talk a little bit about the woman you wrote about who opened your piece. And I'll just warn our listeners, this is a very difficult story to hear. . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Well, Andrela(ph) lives in Jacmel, which is about three hours away from Port-au-Prince and it was also destroyed during the earthquake. And her house collapsed. Well, not collapsed. It was damaged during the earthquake. And so she moved into a large field with some other families. And one night, shortly after the earthquake, she was in her tent, it was about 1:00 in the morning. She heard someone trip over one of the ropes that holds the tent up and by the time she'd sat up, there were already seven men inside her tent. They raped her and then also raped her two daughters, who were 12 and 14, while she was there. And she basically stayed there overnight until morning when help came in the form of a neighbor who saw that her tent had been cut open and realized what had happened and basically gave her a needle and thread to stitch the hole up so that people wouldn't know what had happened to her. . MARTIN: Why is that? Is it that women are stigmatized for having been raped? . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Yes. I mean, there's a shame in being a rape victim. And so, you know, you don't want anybody to know that you've been raped. And it was kind of like, the way that Andrela described it, it was sort of like an almost wordless exchange where the woman gave her a needle and thread and implied, you know, stitch up your tent so that no one will know what happened to you. . MARTIN: Is there any recourse for women like her? Are there any security forces, police trying to achieve justice? . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Well, what the woman has said is that, you know, and I heard over and over again, in speaking with women, they would distinguish between whether they knew the rapist, whether someone who was their friend or a relative and whether they didn't know the person. And they would say, you know, if they didn't know the person, there's no sense in going to the police at all. And even if they did know the person and they did go to the police, women said to me that the police did not take them seriously. There were instances where the police made remarks basically implying that the women had asked to be raped. On the other hand, when I went and interviewed people from the police force, they said that they were doing everything that they could, but there are limited numbers of police officers and they couldn't be everywhere at all times. The other issue is that, as I mentioned, MINUSTAH, which is the U.N. peacekeeping force, women have said that they want MINUSTAH to do more to protect them. And then in speaking with people from MINUSTAH, their feeling is that this is a job for the police and, you know, the police are the ones who should be providing security. . MARTIN: So, no one is prioritizing this, essentially. . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Yes. . MARTIN: But there is one other point that you made in the piece which I do think is fair to mention. You also point that there was a fairly lax judicial attitude toward rape as a crime to begin with. Until 2005, you make the point that rape was considered a crime of passion, that rapists were not routinely imprisoned. So, do you think that there still is kind of an attitude - men, let's just say it that way - don't think it's a big deal. . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Yes. I mean, again, there's this attitude that it doesn't really matter what happens to women and the women themselves said to me, you know, they feel like they're being raped and nothing happens because they are poor. And then it's also, you know, one woman I spoke with said that you can have this rapist arrested, but he'll walk in the front door and as you're sitting outside waiting for justice, you know, the police will just let him out the back. So there's this attitude that men don't really care about what is happening to women. . MARTIN: This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Michel Martin. I'm speaking with Lisa Armstrong, a journalist who spent the past year reporting on the increase in sexual violence aimed at women and children in Haiti. The piece you wrote for essence is titled "Fighting Back." . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Mm-hmm. . MARTIN: Why was it titled that way? What are the women doing to fight back? . Ms. ARMSTRONG: In that particular story I wrote about a woman called Mary Lucy, and she runs an organization that before the earthquake, was helping people who affected and infected by HIV. And what she has been doing is she takes care of a large number of orphan girls. And how I came to this story was I was actually looking at HIV and interviewing some teenagers who were homeless after the earthquake and in speaking with them heard that they had all been raped. And so through that I spoke with Mary Lucy more about the work that she's been doing to try to help the girls to find shelter. She was helping Andrella(ph) just in terms of, you know, after her daughters were raped she found medication for one of the girls who was infected with the disease. And she's been trying to do whatever she can to find food and shelter for women and girls. Then in Port-au-Prince, there's also an organization called KOFAVIV, and that organization is made up of women who have been raped themselves. They have tried to do self defense courses, and they've tried to encourage women to go to the police and to put pressure on the police so that they will take these crimes seriously. . MARTIN: And finally, I know that youre a journalist you're continuing to report on these and other stories. From what you saw, what will it take to achieve progress? . Ms. ARMSTRONG: I think it's going to take a lot of international intervention. But also listening Haitian women in hearing their ideas as to what can be done to improve the situation. So there needs to be a collaboration between government, the Haitian people and these lawyers and other advocates from other countries. . MARTIN: Well, presumably stable housing would help. . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Well, yes. I mean stable housing obviously is the first thing. But I mean with a million people still displaced, there needs to be something done immediately, and the immediate solution is to have some sort of patrolling, have some sort of policing to provide security. But, yes, obviously, you know, if people can be housed, that's ideal. . MARTIN: Lisa Armstrong wrote about sexual violence against women and children in Haiti for this month's issue of Essence magazine. The piece is titled "Fighting Back." She's been reporting in Haiti over the past year through a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. She's actually on her way to Haiti now, but she was kind enough to stop first in our bureau in New York. Lisa Armstrong, thank you so much for joining us. . Ms. ARMSTRONG: Thank you so much for having me. 1/11/2011 By Tania McBride . NEW YORK, USA, 11 January 2011 – Maricia Jean was raped and thrown into jail. Her son was brutally murdered, but she never made it to his funeral. She lived in hiding, fearing for her life and that of her remaining family members. And yet she is alive and taking action. Ms. Jean is the co-founder of a grassroots Haitian organization called FAVILEK (the Creole acronym for 'Women Victims Stand Up'). Based in the capital, Port-au-Prince, the organization is composed of over 80 women advocating for justice on behalf of other women and girls who have been victims of gender-based violence, both before and since the earthquake in Haiti. A Thomson Reuters Foundation-sponsored event held in New York last night – entitled 'Justice Denied: Sexual violence against women in Haiti' – featured Ms. Jean on an expert panel organized to raise awareness about the issue and to seek an end to impunity. The other panellists were Mendy Marsh, UNICEF Specialist on Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies; Yolette Mengual, head of cabinet at the Haitian Ministry for the Status of Women and Women's Rights; Lisa Davis, Madre Human Rights Advocacy Director; and Jayne Fleming, pro bono counsel from the Reed Smith law firm and human rights activist in Haiti. "In all emergencies, we know that gender-based violence is likely to increase due to a breakdown in social structures and protective systems," said Ms. Marsh. "It is critical that we have a range of multiple responses and practical solutions, and that gender-based violence issues are integrated into the humanitarian response in all sectors at the very beginning of an emergency." . Practical solutions to prevent this kind of violence, such as providing solar-powered radios and lamps to vulnerable women and girls, have already been initiated in camps for the displaced in the Haitian earthquake zone. So has direct coordination on the issue with women's groups and child-protection agencies. UNICEF has also trained over 300 individuals on gender-based violence prevention – including police officers, caseworkers and judges, as well as humanitarian workers. During the panel discussion, however, Ms. Marsh cautioned that more must be done at grassroots level. "The community has to have confidence in services that are provided to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Communities themselves also need to know how to address and respond to violence. Creating survivor-centred policies is crucial, along with addressing the long-term root causes, such as social norms, if we are to prevent gender-based violence," she said. "Validating the voices of the victims is fundamental," added Ms. Fleming. "This is not a situation that is unique to Haiti. There is no shelter, no voice for grassroots organizations." . In the course of the discussion, Ms. Mengual stated that the Haitian Government can't deal with these issues alone. Although the government criminalized rape in 2005, the problem of impunity still exists, Ms. Mengual said. She noted, as well, that financial support and a strengthened legal framework are essential to making Haitian women and girls safer. Ms. Marsh asserted that ending gender-based violence in Haiti is not going to be a quick fix. "We have to support the Women's Ministry," she said. "We have to ensure the community has confidence in the services and educate people on how they access services. Institutions have to be survivor centred, and funds are needed to address gender-based violence issues." Since the violent earthquake hit Haiti on 12 January 2010, the ICRC has registered 146 children who became separated from their families. So far, it has reunited 59 of them with their families and found the relatives of 21 others. Each case involved lengthy and meticulous research, complicated administrative procedures, much travel and, above all, constant efforts to ensure respect for the children's rights. Isabelle Jeanneret, head of the ICRC's programme for restoring family links in Haiti, talks about this work, which gives hope to so many. . How do you go about finding missing relatives? Is the situation in Haiti unusual? . The ICRC works mainly in armed conflicts, not in natural disasters. However, our methods in Haiti are the same as anywhere else: we open a tracing case when a child is looking for his or her parents and likewise when parents are looking for their child. . After the earthquake, rescue teams poured in from all over the world. During the emergency phase, some of them evacuated small children without taking down their names or those of their parents. Although many children remained in Haiti, others were sent to France, the United States and neighbouring countries. As a result, we had to work with many different Red Cross organizations – far more than in other contexts – including the Haitian Red Cross, of course, and the American, French, Canadian and Dominican Red Cross Societies. One of the greatest strengths of our Movement is being able to rely on such a large network of sister organizations. . How has the family-links programme evolved since January 2010? . Immediately after the disaster, our priority was to restore contact between thousands of families who had lost touch with their relatives in Haiti and abroad. To do this, we provided stands where people could use the Internet and satellite telephones. We also set up a website that over 6,000 people used to let worried friends and family know that they were "safe and sound." Once communications in the country had been restored, ICRC tracing teams, working together with Haitian Red Cross volunteers, concentrated all their efforts on reuniting children with their parents. This painstaking task involves talking with many people and requires a lot of patience. The bulk of our work is now finished but we still have about 40 outstanding cases. Some of these involve children – some living in Martinique or Guadeloupe – who are in touch with their families but cannot yet be reunited with them for administrative or medical reasons. Then there are the most difficult cases – those involving children whose parents cannot be found despite all our efforts. . What is the hardest thing about your work? . One of our greatest difficulties is gathering enough information to trace the parents of very small children who have not yet learned to talk. In such cases, we put up posters with their photos on. . What tracing methods are the most effective? . The best method is simply going door to door and talking to people. Our teams start by visiting the last place where the missing person was seen. Then they talk to the person's neighbours, visit his or her house or school, and ask everyone they meet whether they know anything about the case. In the most difficult cases – very young children who are unable to give us the information we need, or whose families had to move when their homes were destroyed – we display posters showing photos of the children. Our first poster campaign was quite successful as it enabled us to find the parents of eight out of 17 children. We are now launching a second poster campaign for the remaining cases. . What happens to children whose families cannot be found? . Once we have exhausted every means of finding their family, children either remain in their foster homes (providing the family and the child agree) or in the centre where they are living at the moment. If a child has nowhere to go, we look for centres willing to take them in or, failing that, we hand them over to Haiti's child-welfare authority (Institut du bien-être sociale et de recherches - IBERS), which is run by the Ministry of Social Affairs. But we haven't reached that point yet – as long as the search goes on, there is hope. By Jane Regan and Kanya D'Almeida . Up a rubble-strewn street, turn right past a crumbled house, and 60 men and women are in the yard and parlor of the offices of the Commission of Women Victim-to-Victim (Komisyon Fanm Viktim pou Viktim, KOFAVIV) association. The women are members of KOFAVIV, and they live in the squalid refugee camps and some of the capital's toughest and poorest neighbourhoods. Today, they each brought along a male friend for a workshop on how to prevent violence. Dressed in their Sunday best, the participants joked and jostled as they broke into groups. "Happy New Year!" said one young woman with huge hoop earrings, but then she corrected herself -"No, I won't say 'happy,' but I'll say, 'good health to you.'" As the discussions started up, smiles melted away. While a few pockets of international and local activists are stretching themselves thin, powerful bodies like the U.N. have been accused of doing too little, too late. . "There is definitely a lot more that MINUSTAH can be doing," Amnesty International's Kerrie Howard told IPS, referring to the U.N. Stabilisation Mission in Haiti. "Their policing function needs to have a much stronger gender focus," she said. "They also need to help the Haitian government to train their security forces and build the capacity of the forces to address gender violence if they are to ever deliver a solution for the women." Brian Concannon, director of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, is highly critical of the way MINUSTAH has handled the situation. "The U.N. announced last summer that it would bring in a special all-women's police unit from Bangladesh to provide protection for the women," he told IPS. "The unit arrived, but is patrolling U.N. facilities, not camps. It's been reported that this is because of a lack of translators, but it seems that a force spending 2.5 million dollars per day could afford to pay for translators to make one of its priority projects work." . "As we mentioned in our petition to the IACHR, U.N. officials in charge of gender violence have been downplaying the reports of rape coming from poor women's groups, and marginalising the grassroots groups – which are much more effective – in favour of the traditional women's organisations," Concannon added. "The woman in charge of the Gender Violence Subcluster wrote a blog post a month after she arrived in Haiti, saying that she had not yet met a rape victim. She took this as evidence that the rapes were not happening as reported. In fact, it was evidence that the U.N. subcluster did not have access to the information about rapes that was readily available from poor women." "Okay, let's make a list. What do we have at the Runway Camp?" asked an older woman who lives in a tent on the runway of Haiti's former military airport. "Okay, robbery, youth prostitution, rape, domestic violence and verbal abuse." "Well, that's what we have in our camp too," said a young girl in blue jeans and a spaghetti strap top. A man wearing a perfectly ironed white shirt interjected, "Okay, but what are we going to do about it?" . A full year after a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti obliterated 230,000 lives, injured 300,000 and rendered a quarter of the population homeless, Haitian women are now weathering a second catastrophe. In the 2,000 makeshift displaced persons camps clustered across the country, women and girls are caught in the midst of an onslaught of sexual abuse, savage beatings and heinous crimes against humanity. Two million people are still crammed into enclosures, which have become microcosms of pre-earthquake patterns of the gross income inequality, social exclusion and abject poverty that has plagued Haiti for centuries. A report released Thursday by Amnesty International lays bare the appalling conditions in which Haitian women are forced to live - the paltry shelters in the open-air camps seldom comprise anything more than flimsy tents, or tarps stretched over a patch of earth. According to the report, "Aftershocks: Women Speak Out Against Sexual Violence in Haiti's Camps", over 250 rapes, in various camps, were reported a mere 100 days after the earthquake first struck. Many women and girls have been raped multiple times, often by several different men at once. Virtually every victim has also been beaten and tortured. . Medical and sanitary conditions in the camps are appalling; women and girls are forced to bathe in public and walk long distances to communal toilets at night. A total absence of privacy, lighting or solid barriers against perpetrators leaves even girls as young as 12 and 13 years old entirely vulnerable to the wave of sexual violence, most of which occurs after dark, the report says. "Women's organisations on the ground helped us access the victims," Kerrie Howard, a Haiti expert at Amnesty International, told IPS. "Because the camps are a very closed community, it's extremely difficult for women and girls to speak out." One of Amnesty's key local partners, and arguably the most active organisation working through the crisis, is KOFAVIV. "At KOFAVIV we believe in education and we believe in preventing violence before it happens," Jocie Philistin, KOFAVIV's project coordinator, told IPS. "All of our members are survivors who are rehabilitated, and we are now trying to help others. And the solution doesn't lie with women only. We need men and women to work together." . But neighbourhood watch patrols and training sessions aren't the only answer, Philistin admits. "Violence has two aspects – one is poverty, meaning it's economic. The other is politics," she said. Whenever there is political turmoil or the economy worsens, violence against women increases. Rape has been used as a political weapon. Young people, especially girls, trade sex for a meal or a roof over their heads. Now, one year after the quake, KOFAVIV admits a sense of hopelessness. "In the camps, in the communities, things have gotten worse," Philistin said. "We have a completely absent state, we have NGOs who are in the camps mostly for public relations and they aren't even allowed to work in the 'red zone' areas, which are the most dangerous neighbourhoods." In early October, a coalition of prominent legal and social justice groups, including MADRE, the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti and the Bureaux des Advocats Internationaux filed a formal request with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of 13 Haitian women and girls. On Tuesday, the IACHR accepted the request and issued unprecedented recommendations to the Haitian government, which are binding under Haitian national law. . The measures include providing medical and psychological care such as emergency contraception and culturally sensitive female medical staff members; implementing effective security measures like street lighting and increased patrolling by security forces; and, perhaps most importantly, ensuring the full participation and leadership of grassroots women's groups in planning and implementing policies to combat the sexual violence. Lisa Davis, the human rights advocacy director of MADRE, was the primary author of the request. "We have been working with women's groups in Haiti since the rape crisis in the 1990s," Davis told IPS. "And we consult with our local partners every step of the way." While Haitian women are of course concerned with long-term political changes that address the root causes of sexual violence and the blows of patriarchy, the need for immediate safety now trumps all, she said. In a report entitled "Our Bodies Are Still Trembling: Haitians Women's Fight Against Rape", the parties of the IACHR request record in chilling detail testimony from women and girls in the camp. Women as old as 60 and as young as eight or nine have all been subjected to unspeakable cruelty which has increased sharply since the 2010 elections. "We have reports of men going into camps and randomly shooting women who were wearing politically-charged t- shirts," Davis said. "Every single woman I talked to said what she wants more than anything is housing," she stressed. "And if they can't get that - because it's not being offered to them right now - then they want to feel safe." *Jane Regan reported from Haiti. MSNBC By Jonel Aleccia and Meredith Birkett . Photo. They came to Camp La Piste after losing parents, brothers and husbands in the earthquake, leaving them to fend for themselves in the sprawling squalor, where roving gangs of armed men terrorize residents. In Most1/7/2011 UNICEF . One year after the devastating January 12 earthquake shook their fragile lives, Haiti's 4 million children continue to suffer from inequitable access to basic water, sanitation, healthcare, and education services and protection from disease, exploitation, and unsanitary conditions, UNICEF said today. Today, more than 1 million people – approximately 380,000 of whom are children – still live in crowded camps. The relief and recovery efforts of Haitians and the international community have been extraordinary. Nonetheless, the United Nations children's agency noted in its report "Children in Haiti: One Year After - The long road from relief to recovery" issued today in recognition of the anniversary, that the recovery process is just beginning. "Children in particular suffered and continue to suffer enormously because of successive emergencies experienced in 2010, and they have yet to fully enjoy their right to survival, health, education, and protection," said Ms. Francoise Gruloos-Ackermans, UNICEF Haiti Representative. "Haiti poses huge institutional and systemic issues that predated the earthquake, and that require more than an emergency response to resolve. This places even more emphasis on the need for organizations such as UNICEF to focus on developing and reinforcing structural interventions that will adequately prepare this country and its inhabitants for the future," Gruloos-Ackermans added. Responding to the challenges of successive humanitarian emergencies requires commitment and investment in sustainable solutions for Haiti's people. Water, sanitation and hygiene were on the decline prior to January 12, with only 19 per cent of people having access to basic sanitation facilities in 2006, down from 29 per cent in 1990. . In response, UNICEF provided more than 11,300 latrines serving over 800,000 people. Every day, over 600 latrines are desludged as part of UNICEF's ongoing efforts to maintain safe sanitation standards. While challenges remain in both water and sanitation, UNICEF is working to help implement sustainable solutions that include investing in water systems and focusing on community-led sanitation. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, UNICEF, WHO and partners conducted emergency vaccination campaigns immunizing 2 million children against preventable diseases such as polio, diphtheria, and measles. A distribution of 360,000 insecticide-treated bednets reached more than 163,000 households in the malaria-endemic southern coastal regions. At the height of the emergency response, UNICEF and partners trucked a daily average of 8.3 million litres of safe water to approximately 680,000 people. With the ongoing cholera outbreak, UNICEF is providing more than 10.9 tons of chlorine and over 45 million water purification tablets to ensure safe water for 3 million people in the capital city and the surrounding towns. . The UNICEF-led Child Protection Interagency Working Group helped register and reunite children who were separated from their families and worked with national and international partners to put in place 369 Child-Friendly-Spaces for close to 95,000 children across earthquake-affected areas. UNICEF also initiated prevention and response activities to gender-based violence, and, importantly, on child trafficking. In addition, to date, 4,948 children have been registered and 1,265 have been reunited. UNICEF and partners helped establish schools, procured tents and educational materials and allocated resources so that 720,000 children could resume their lessons, and in some cases, start school for the first time. Nonetheless, more than half of Haiti's children do not attend school and school construction continues to be hampered by rubble clearing and land tenure issues. The earthquake highlighted the deeply rooted structural problems faced by Haiti's children, including chronic malnutrition, which affects one in three children under five years of age. UNICEF worked with partners to deliver nutritional supplements to address particular needs of infants and their mothers. By mid-year, a network of 107 'baby friendly tents' was fully operational, providing nutritional advice and counseling for mothers and children, including a safe space to breastfeed. To date, more than 102,000 children and 48,900 mothers have been reached through these services with nutrition counseling and information. . "We have seen results in the past year, but significant gaps remain and much more must be done in collaboration with UN, NGO, private sector, civil society, and government partners to ensure we are delivering on our commitments to children and women, including the commitment to resolve the situation of those still displaced by the earthquake and those in remote rural areas who struggle to meet their daily needs," said Gruloos-Ackermans. "Haiti's children have a right to grow up with education, nutrition, clean water, and safe sanitation; they have a right to be free from exploitation and disease – and we believe that with support and commitment, the seeds of recovery and development can be planted and these goals can be achieved." . Listen to a podcast with Tania McBride, UNICEF Communication Specialist for Haiti, and, Carlos Vasquez, architect and UNICEF Education Specialist, who have been working in Haiti to find out how the education system is moving forward one year after the earthquake. Women and girls who survived the earthquake in Haiti almost a year ago are facing an increasing risk of rape and sexual violence, according to Amnesty International. More than one million people are still living in makeshift camps in the capital Port-au-Prince following the earthquake on January 11 last year, which left 230,000 people dead and another 300,000 injured. Those responsible for the attacks are mainly armed men who roam the camps after dark, the Amnesty report says. More than 250 cases of rape in several camps were reported in the first 150 days after January's earthquake and, one year on, rape victims continue to arrive at the office of a local women's support group almost every other day. One woman - Suzie, who lost her husband, brothers, and parents in the earthquake - told how she was living in a makeshift shelter with her two sons and a friend when they were attacked around in the early hours of the morning. The women were blindfolded and raped in front of their children by a gang of men who forced their way into their shelter. "After they left I didn't do anything. I didn't have any reaction... Women victims of rape should go to hospital but I didn't because I didn't have any money... I don't know where there is a clinic offering treatment for victims of violence." . A 14-year-old girl, Machou, told how a boy raped her when she was going to the lavatory. "A boy came in after me and opened the door. He gagged me with his hand and did what he wanted to do... He hit me. He punched me. I didn't go to the police because I don't know the boy, it wouldn't help. I feel really sad all the time...I'm afraid it will happen again." Report author Gerardo Ducos said: "Women already struggling to come to terms with losing their loved ones, homes and livelihoods in the earthquake, now face the additional trauma of living under the constant threat of sexual attack. "For the prevalence of sexual violence to end, the incoming government must ensure that the protection of women and girls in the camps is a priority. This has so far been largely ignored in the response to the wider humanitarian crisis." Sexual violence was widespread in Haiti before January 2010 but this has been made worse by the conditions since the earthquake, says Amnesty. 1/6/2011 Amnesty International (AI) . Women and girls living in Haiti's makeshift camps face an increasing risk of rape and sexual violence, Amnesty International said in a new report released today More than 250 cases of rape in several camps were reported in the first 150 days after January's earthquake, according to data cited in the Amnesty International report, Aftershocks: Women speak out against sexual violence in Haiti's camps. One year on, rape survivors continue to arrive at the office of a local women's support group almost every other day. "Women, already struggling to come to terms with losing their loved ones, homes and livelihoods in the earthquake, now face the additional trauma of living under the constant threat of sexual attack," said Gerardo Ducos, Amnesty International's Haiti researcher. "For the prevalence of sexual violence to end, the incoming government must ensure that the protection of women and girls in the camps is a priority. This has so far been largely ignored in the response to the wider humanitarian crisis." . Sexual violence was widespread in Haiti before January 2010 but this has been exacerbated by the conditions since the earthquake. The limited assistance the authorities previously provided has been undermined by the destruction of police stations and court houses. This has made it more difficult to report sexual violence. Over 50 survivors of sexual violence shared their experiences with Amnesty International for the study. One 14 year old girl, Machou, lives in a makeshift camp for displaced people in Carrefour Feuilles, south-west Port-au-Prince. She was raped in March when she went to the toilet. "A boy came in after me and opened the door. He gagged me with his hand and did what he wanted to do…He hit me. He punched me. I didn't go to the police because I don't know the boy, it wouldn't help. I feel really sad all the time…I'm afraid it will happen again," Machou told Amnesty International. One woman, Suzie, recounted how she was living in a makeshift shelter with her two sons and a friend when they were attacked around 1am on 8 May. Suzie and her friend were both blindfolded and raped in front of their children by a gang of men who forced their way into their shelter. "After they left I didn't do anything. I didn't have any reaction…Women victims of rape should go to hospital but I didn't because I didn't have any money… I don't know where there is a clinic offering treatment for victims of violence," Suzie said. . Suzie lost her parents, brothers and husband in the January earthquake. Her home was also destroyed. Amnesty International's report highlights how the lack of security and policing in and around the camps is a major factor for the increase in attacks over the past year. The response by police officers to survivors of rape is described as inadequate. Many survivors of rape recollected how when they sought police help they were told officers could do nothing. "There has been a complete breakdown in Haiti's already fragile law and order system since the earthquake with women living in insecure overcrowded camps," said Gerardo Ducos. "There is no security for the women and girls in the camps. They feel abandoned and vulnerable to being attacked. Armed gangs attack at will; safe in the knowledge that there is still little prospect that they will be brought to justice." Amnesty International is calling for the new government to urgently take steps to end violence against women as part of a wider plan to address the humanitarian effort. The report states that women in the camps must be fully involved in developing any such plan. Immediate steps include improving security in the camps and to ensure police are able to respond effectively and that those responsible are prosecuted. 1/4/2010 International Rescue Committee (IRC) . Over the next week, we will provide a daily update on one aspect of our work in Haiti. Today -- a snapshot of of our efforts to keep women safe and healthy: . • Women and girls are at the center of the IRC's relief effort. The IRC was the first agency to deploy a specialist dedicated to reducing sexual violence and runs a full-time program to help ensure the safety of women and girls. . • The IRC has increased access to medical treatment and psychosocial services and provides safe spaces for women and girls who have experienced sexual or physical violence. . • The IRC distributed solar lights in dangerous areas to enhance safety and security and constructed private bathing stations to ensure privacy. . To learn more about the IRC's work in Haiti and how to help, visit theIRC.org/haiti.
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5dc9fd07-eb03-4591-8fdb-7f10eb16abda
http://haitiinnovation.org/en/2010/02/03/protecting-haitis-women-and-children
In the ninth grade, the curriculum focuses on one quarter of speech, concentrating on informative public address with emphasis on research, organization, writing of the speech and the use of effective visuals. The course will also include a variety of short presentations, from monologues to the reading of poetry and prose to help build both verbal and nonverbal skills as well as gain personal confidence in their ability to communicate. The remainder of the year will focus on vocabulary, literature, writing skills and applied grammar. The vocabulary study utilizes a weekly lesson and quiz. Literature consists of the readying of poetry, plays, short stories, nonfiction and novels, stressing the elements of each type of literature. Writing will incorporate descriptive, narrative, and expository. Applied grammar will place emphasis on language mechanics, parts of the sentence, adjectives, adverbs, verbal and compound/complex sentences. TEXTS: Elements of Literature, Third Course by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1993 Wordskills by McDougal, Littell and Company 1993 The Writer's Craft by McDougal, Littell & Co., 1998 Physical Science is broken up into two semesters with one semester being primarily physics, or the study of motion and the other being chemistry, or the study of matter. The physics unit is spent primarily studying laws of motion, forces in matter-including a unit on relativity, energy, light, and sound. The chemistry unit places emphasis on general chemical principles, the basics of matter and the periodic table, and the relationship of these things to our everyday lives. Organic Chemistry is taught with emphasis on nomenclature and basic functional groups and their relationships to our lives. The curriculum for ninth grade social studies is based on World History. Students will study a survey of the most significant events in World History. The course begins in prehistoric times and examines events until the present. Highlights of the course work include; ancient civilizations, the contributions of the Greeks and Romans, elements of European History, and selected topics from modern history including World War I and World War II. Students will utilize their textbooks as well as the Internet, library, and current periodicals. TEXT: World History, Glencoe, 2005. Pre-Algebra is required of all 9th grade students not taking Algebra I. The content of this course includes the basic operations using whole numbers, decimals and fractions using algebraic expressions and equations. Also covered are the areas of solving inequalities, linear functions and graphing, area and volume, data analysis and probability, estimation and measurement. Technology will be presented as classroom activities throughout the entire year. This course is connected online for additional practice and tutor help. TEXT: Pre-Algebra, Prentice Hall, 2009 Designed for: Pre-Algebra is designed for all 9th grade students not taking Algebra IFour dimensions of understanding are emphasized: skill in drawing, visualizing, and mathematical relationships and proofs; using geometric ideas in real situations; andrepresentingThe course focuses on American History from the Civil War to World War II. Emphasis will be on people, places, stories and circumstances in history and less emphasis on memorization of specific dates and times. The year will be organized in units derived from the textbook including: 1. The Union in Crisis (1850-1877) – Origins of the Civil War, Civil War and Reconstruction 2. An Industrial Nation (1860-1920) – Settling of the West, the Industrial Revolution and the start of the 20th Century 3. Becoming a World Power (1898-1920) – Progressivism, Imperialism and WWI 4. A Modern Nation (1919-1940) – The Roaring 20s, Great Depression and the New Deal 5. A Champion of Democracy (1939-1960) – The origins of WWII, WWII and the beginning of the Cold War A study of principles of biology in which the characteristics of living organisms are investigated. Special emphasis of principles as they apply to the uniformity, diversity and organization of the plant and animal kingdom and their environmental relationships will be stressed. General topics of study include characteristics of life, genetics, evolution, representatives of the protozoan, plant, and animal kingdoms. This class encompasses writing, literature, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar and usage study. The forms of writing each student will complete during the course of the year are as follows: autobiographical incident, observing situations and settings, poetry, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, problem and solution, controversial issue, and interpretive essay. Students will be required to prewrite, write, edit and rewrite each piece of written work for final evaluation. Each student will also be required to submit a portfolio of his/her written work for final evaluation. A quarter of the class will be spent on Speech. The class will be required to write and present a persuasive speech, oral interp of prose, and poetry, concentrating on writing, organization, character analysis, presentation and listening skills conceptsThis course focuses on the major elements of our current form of government. Emphasis will be placed on the Founding Fathers and the reasons they created a Republic and not a Democracy. The course will then move on to modern-day government and the changes that have taken place since 1787. We will learn about each of the 3 branches of government and the roles they have taken today. Current events will also be discussed and written about as time and circumstances in the nation dictate. The Nebraska Unicameral will also be studied and discussed throughout the year. This class encompasses writing, literature, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar and usage study. The forms of writing each student will complete during the course of the year are as follows: memoir, interview profile, the short story, classification, examining changes, drawing conclusions, persuasive essay, critical analysis. Students will be required to prewrite, write, edit and rewrite each piece of written work for final evaluation. Each student will also be required to submit a portfolio of his/her written work for final evaluation, with an emphasis on persuasive writing in preparation for the state writing standards The student will concentrate on the different types of text, theme, elements of fiction, literary devices, and informational material in preparation for the state assessment(Prerequisite: Geometry & Algebra II) This class was developed to attract and keep students in mathematics. The course integrates ideas of functions and trigonometry, with the statistics and data analysis necessary to function successfully in the worlds of today and tomorrow. FST builds the understanding with real-world problems, establishing a firm foundation for future work in mathematics courses and in applications the students will meet in their lives. FST provides an important study of data analysis and statistics that all students need. Statistics and algebraic concepts are integrated as students display, describe,transform, interpret, and model numerical data. FST gives traditional topics of trigonometry integrated with matrix representations and exploration of real-world phenomena using the trigonometric functions. This class encompasses writing, literature, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and usage study. Each student will complete a research paper, and vocabulary will be studied and tested on a weekly basis. Literature study will cover the short story, the novel, drama and poetry. The student will concentrate on the different types of text, theme, elements of fiction and poetry, and literary devices. TEXTS: Wordskills by McDougal, Littell & Company, 1991; The Writer's Craft --by McDougal, Littell & Company, 1998; Elements of Literature by Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1989. Novels include: Lord of the Flies, Death of a Salesman, In Cold Blood, and Fallen Angels. English Composition 1010 is designed to develop writing skills. Students write short papers and essays based upon their personal experience and/or assigned readings. The course emphasizes the clear written expression of ideas and importance of organization, word choice, logic and sentence construction. The process of planning, writing, revising, and editing essays for a particular audience is also emphasized. TEXTS: Between Worlds: A Reader Rhetoric and Handbook, 2nd ed. Eds. Susan Backman and Melinda Barth. Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc., 1998. (College Credit Writing) (Sem.) Similar to English Composition 1010, but with an emphasis on the technique of reading and explicating works of literature, particularly the novel and poetry. TEXT: Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay, 4th ed. Ed. Robert DiYanni. McGraw Hill, 1998. The class curriculum is divided into four parts: business communication, employment communication, speech communication and the basics of English and writing communication. The first quarter will address core communication tools including: self assessments, resumes, cover letters, and interviewing techiniques. The second quarter will focus on the essential principles of effective written communication which is needed for the fast-paced business world. Writing requests, replies, analyzing the receiver and distribution method as well as gathering and organizing a message will be covered. The third quarter will target speech skills and visual presentations such as PowerPoint while the last quarter reviews basic grammar usage skills and writing principles. Basic economic theory is the foundation of this course as students learn how fundamental decisions about the four factors of production are made. Key topics covered include: law of supply and demand; saving, borrowing, and spending; the Federal Reserve System and the money supply; and the role of government in an open market economy. TEXT: Economics, Holt, 2007. This course will focus on modern American Politics and History. It will begin at the conclusion of WWII and go up to present time. The first semester will focus on the Cold War, the presidents and their attitudes/philosophies during the time period, the Kennedy assassination and military conflicts around the globe primarily Korea and Vietnam. The second semester will start at the conclusion of the Vietnam conflict, go through Jimmy Carter and into the Reagan Era. We will continue with the 1990s and economic expansion. Finally, we will finish with the 2000s, featuring the evolution of modern terrorism and its political implications, 9/11, the economic crash of 2008-9 and the current geopolitical dynamic. Also, throughout the year students will take geography quizzes to learn more about where places are in the world. Planning a career in business? Owning your own business? Need help for personal use? Accounting I will give you the background knowledge for personal use or continued study in a post-secondary school. You will complete accounting tasks, using a double-entry system, for service and merchandising businesses. Activities include the completion of special problems using the microcomputer. TEXT: Century 21 Accounting 9E, South-Western, 2009. Study topics include the review of the basic accounting model, accounting for merchandising operations, the use of special-purpose journals, and the measuring and reporting of assets and current liabilities. This course may be taken for college credit through Northeast Community College. TEXT: Principles of Accounting, 6th Edition, Needles, Anderson, Caldwell, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1996. You will gain the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions as you assume adult roles and responsibilities—to become independent, responsible, and engaged members of society, with emphasis on the next 5-10 years of your life. These decisions are organized into three broad categories: financial literacy, relationship literacy and life/work literacy. Topics studied include: YOU (personality, temperament, genetics, and environment), communication skills, relationship skills, sexuality, engagement & marriage, decision making in families, and taking care of financial responsibilities and managing money as an adult. TEXT: Contemporary Living, Goodheart-Wilcox, 2004 Advanced Graphic Design is a computer-based course. Students will learn to use basic to complex tools and skills through Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. The first half of the year students will work on skill building activities and learn new techniques. The second half will be set up as a mock internship. The students will work with layout, proper sizing, and printing the finished project. They will also present their ideas and rational to the class. Deadlines will be very important and taken seriously. Consists of the following short courses: 1) Anatomy - the name and function of body parts. 2) Physiology-the study of the relationship between all the internal organs. 3) Cytology-study of cells and their function. 4) Biochemistry-the interrelationship betweenbiology and chemistry. 5) Histology-the study of different tissues that make-up the human body. The use of activities, projects and labs are used whenever possible to show how these systems are related to human health. Science research projects are incorporated into the curriculum. Safety is a priority. TEXT: Principals of Anatomy and Physiology (7 Ed.) by Tortora and Grabowski, John Wiley and Sons, 2000. (Prerequisite: Algebra II and Trigonometry, Functions & Statistics) The student is expected to work out daily assigned problems and exercises. This course includes the analysis of the parent functions and new ideas of binary bases, modulo numbers, inequalities, parametric equations and vectors. The topics of Discrete Math include logic, recursion, mathematical induction, combinatorics, graphs and circuits. Technology is a must in this class and is integrated throughout as an evaluation and analytical tool. TEXT: Precalculus & Discrete Mathematics, Prentice Hall, 2000. Designed for: Advanced Math is recommended for students planning to attend a four year college and who desire an more in depth look at mathematical topics. Advanced Speech focuses on a four part curriculum: theater, competitive Speech, interpersonal communication, and group dynamics. Within these four areas, the class will study the contexts of communication, the process of sending and receiving, listening, social rituals, interviewing, leadership and conflict, informative and persuasive speaking, oral interpretation, preparing a speech, and the delivery of a speech. Advanced Woodworking Class is open to any student that has completed the Woods I course. Course content is designed to expand woodworking skills to a high level. Students are encouraged to develop independent work habits and self-motivation is necessary to complete a complex project. (Prerequisite: Introduction to Agriculture, or teacher's signature) This class will learn the concepts and skills necessary for farm management and agribusiness management. Topics of study will include the following: Setting Goals, Record Keeping Systems, Net Worth, Cash Flow, Financial Analysis, Budget Analysis, Types of Budgeting systems, Cost and Return Analysis, Marketing a product and marketing strategies, Futures Commodities (the futures market), Risk Management, Investment Analysis, Taxes and Tax Considerations, Professional Organizations, Entrepreneurship, Farming Cooperatives, International Trade, and Agricultural Law. An Agricultural Current Event will be due every other Friday with written and oral evaluation. A Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAE) will be graded as 20% of the final grade. 1 year (Prerequisite: Introduction to Agriculture, or teachers signature) 1st semester (prerequisite: Introduction to Agriculture, or teachers signature) Available for Juniors and Seniors. This class will identify and practice leadership skills. The curriculum includes the following: Basic leadership styles, Identifying famous leaders, Visioning, Goal setting, Motivation, Stress management, Different forms of communication, Agricultural journalism and broadcasting, Group dynamics, How to influence others, Time management, Parliamentary procedure, Public speaking, Team building, Risk taking, and Code of ethics. An Agricultural Current Event will be due every other Friday with written and oral evaluation. A Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAE) will be graded as 20% of the final grade. (Prerequisite: Algebra I) Materials needed: Scientific calculator.The student is expected to work out daily assigned problems and exercises. This course consists of a review of fundamentals, functional relations, systems of equations, radicals, quadratic equations, exponents, powers, roots, logarithms, sequences, equations of higher degree, matrices and determinants. Extensive use of programmable/graphing calculators is incorporated. TEXT: Advanced Algebra, Prentice Hall, 2002. Designed for: Algebra II is recommended for students planning to attend a two or four year college. This class will learn the concepts and skills necessary for careers pertaining to conservation and wildlife. Curriculum will focus on Energy sources, Soil conservation, Waste management, Ground water conservation, Habitats and habitat management, Private and public wildlife, Life cycles of birds, animals and fish, Endangered species, Sustainable agriculture, Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping. An Agricultural Current Event will be due every other Friday with written and oral evaluation. A Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAE) will be graded as 20% of the final grade. (College Credit) (Prerequisite: Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry) This class is designed both for prospective mathematics majors and for students whose primary interest is in engineering, the physical and social sciences, or non-technical fields. The presentation of material is still geared to a beginner's experience and maturity. The step-by step explanations, abundant worked examples and wide variety of exercise continue to be distinctive features of this text. The nine chapters of TC7 cover functions of a single variable, limits, continuity, derivatives, and the definite integral with review and application of logarithmic, exponential, inverse and hyperbolic functions. This class can be taken for college credit. TEXT: Calculus, Sixth Edition; Swokowski, Oliniick, Pence; PWS Publishing Company (1994) (Prerequisite: Introduction to Agriculture or teacher's signature) This class will learn the concepts and skills necessary for careers in animal science and livestock production. The class will discuss topics revolving around management and operation of dairy, beef, swine, sheep, poultry, and horse production including the following: Breeds of livestock, Animal parts and structure, Livestock judging, USDA quality and yield grades, Meat and Carcass Evaluation, Animal Reproduction, Genetics, Animal nutrition, and Vet science. An Agricultural Current Event will be due every other Friday with written and oral evaluation. A Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAE) will be graded as 20% of the final grade. Art I is a survey course that introduces the student to as many different types of art processes and media as possible. There is an emphasis on drawing, which is a learnable skill and is used in many forms of art. Drawing media includes pencil, charcoal, colored pencil, pastels, pen and ink, and oil pastel, to name a few. Students will also learn to work with clay, tempera paint, as well as printmaking. Students will learn about commercial art, available art and art related careers, and the importance of art in the world around them. Art I students will learn about Art History by exploring different time periods. They will also learn how to view art critically, and how to express themselves through the art they create. TEXT: Art In Focus, Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1994 and Themes & Foundations in Art, West, 1995 Art II is a continuation of the skills and knowledge learned in Art I. Students will work with new subject matter and media. The projects and processes will be slightly more complicated and demanding. Students will generally do projects that are larger, and rendering skills will be sharpened. Students will also be given the opportunity to incorporate more feeling into their artwork through a freer use of color and line. Students will do several three-dimensional projects. These will include clay and wire sculpture projects. Art II students will learn about Art History by exploring different time periodsArt III is a level of art where students should have knowledge of the basic techniques of drawing, painting, printmaking, and design. They will have had the opportunity to work with almost every media this department has to offer. Art III will experiment with color, variations of technique, and mixing medias. The projects will be larger, and imagination, emotion, and spontaneity will be incorporated into every activity to a much greater extent. Specialized design will be emphasized, and optional portfolios may be developed. Several three dimensional projects will be required, and commercial art will be explored more extensively. Art III studentsStudents in Art IV will be expected to use basic knowledge and skills with advanced proficiency. They may be interested or want to explore the possibility of an art related career. They will use the time in this class to explore the processes and techniques that they wish to develop further. Projects will be mutually chosen by the teacher and the student, but all the general art work categories will addressed: drawing (all media), painting, printing making, clay, sculpture, commercial art, and design. General mixed media projects will be assigned. Subject matter will have more purpose and meaning than earlier projects. Students will endeavor to create polished projects for portfolio display and scholarship consideration, though students will not necessarily use their portfolio in this way if they are not planning to pursue the field of art. College level craftsmanship will be required. Art IVAt this level, quality performance, competition, self-discipline, and pride play a very big role in our program. A variety of music from various styles is presented each year. Six (6) objectives are used and are listed in the curriculum guide. Public concerts are performed which include the Veteran's Day Program, Christmas Concert, Spring Concert, along with jazz band competitions, District Music Contest, pep band performances, commencement, and other depending on public request. Three-six trips are taken during the year including marching band competition, jazz band competitions, district music contest, possible concert tour and state fair. The high school pep band (when available) also performs at football, volleyball and basketball games. This course is a project-based class. Throughout the year students will be initiating projects related to the 6 field clusters. These career clusters are Business, Marketing and Management; Environmental and Agricultural Systems; Communication and Information Systems; Industrial, Manufacturing, and Engineering Systems; Health Sciences; and Human Services and Resources. Through these projects students will have a better understanding on how to lead, direct and manage projects and people. This in turn should provide them with resumes experiences. This course will also focus on designing, implementing and producing the yearbook. Students will be engaged in photography, writing and will use a program called Indesign to create the yearbook. TEXT: Working, by Southwestern, 2007; Exploring Careers, Glencoe, 2007; Nebraska Career Connections Website. (Must have or be taking Algebra II) Atomic theory and molecular concept, kinetic theory, atomic structure and chemical bonding, principles of chemical reactions and molecular structure. Fundamental concepts of chemistry will be introduced, developed and utilized. Parenting styles, pregnancy, birth and the development of the child through age 6 are studied. Research on the costs of baby, choosing safe child care, and car seat safety will be some of the information learned in this class. Hands on projects with children will be an important part of the learning in Child Development. In Housing, you will learn about the universal need for housing and how it is met around the world. Styles of housing in the U.S., reading floor plans, the elements and principles of design, and an interior decorating project will be the main areas of learning in this class. TEXT: Residential Housing, Goodheart-Wilcox (1992). Sr. High Mixed Chorus is for students in grades 9-12. The focus of the class is to improve the quality of life for all students by developing their capacities to participate fully in their musical culture. Choir consists of a well-planned sequence of learning experiences which are challenging and rigorous. The music studied reflects a broad range of genres, styles and periods. The music performed is of the highest quality within each genre, style and period. Skills in music literacy (reading music) are emphasized. Vocal technique, aimed at healthy, technically correct vocal production, is stressed which will enable the participants to have confidence in their musical capabilities and enjoy singing throughout their lives. The group will perform in school concerts (3-4), clinics, and contests scheduled throughout the school year. Students seeking personal enrichment experiences will have the opportunity to participate in auditioned Honor Choirs, and All State Festivals. In addition, students are encouraged to become involved in community/church musical activities. This course is application based inquiry approach to teaching science concepts used in everyday life. Problem solving and group projects will be used throughout the curriculum. Topics will include consumer chemistry, agriculture, health, water science, ecology, local and global issues, and technology. This course is advancing into the 21st century skills. iMac computer programs will be used to produce mail able business forms. Both proofreading and formatting skills will be emphasized. Students will gain advanced skills in word processing, database, and spreadsheets using both Word and Appleworks. Students will also use iphoto, imovie, idvd to produce a DVD. TEXT: Century 21 Keyboarding & Information Processing, South-Western, 1997 An Introduction to Computing Using ClarisWorks, Lawrenceville Press, 1996. CONSTRUCTION/MANUFACTURING & DESIGN (11, 12) Course Objectives/CLE's Construction/Manufacturing & Design is a two-semester class. Construction is offered the first semester, and Manufacturing & Design is offered the second semester. The student may take both semesters of learning or just one without a prerequisite. During Construction Class, the student will explore the various building trades, building materials, occupations and construction techniques. The student will learn how to construct a small shed, garage or other structure that demonstrates building trades. The student will also design a small house using AutoCAD Program. In Manufacturing & Design Class the student will develop a product, design the product, construct a prototype of that product, and manufacture the product. This gives the student an understanding of today's industries and develops skills in today's industrial manufacturing industries. This elective is designed as a one-year course. It requires the instructor's permission to enter. Students study world events plus current issues that affect the U. S. and Nebraska through newspaper articles and political shows on the radio and cable television. These topics are analyzed by the students in writing as well as discussed in class. You need to have an interest in keeping up with the news and at least a "B" average in social studies to qualify for this elective course. Students also need to be willing to listen to both sides of each issue and learn to articulate their beliefs in a thoughtful, composed and rational manner. This class is open to any 10-12th grade student, with Intro to Tech as a preferred prerequisite. Students going into all technical areas and engineering are encouraged to take this class. Areas of study include: architectural drafting, and mechanical drafting. Each student will design a house, draw complete plans, and construct a house to scale. In mechanical drawing the student will draw isometric and multi-view drawings of actual industrial problems. In Advanced Drafting all drawings will be on the computer. English Composition 1010 is designed to develop writing skills. Students write short papers and essays based upon their personal experience and/or assigned readings. The course emphasizes the clear written expression of ideas and importance of organization, word choice, logic and sentence construction. The process of planning, writing, revising, and editing essays for a particular audience is also emphasized. TEXT: Between Worlds: A Reader Rhetoric and Handbook, 2nd ed. Eds. Susan Backman and Melinda Barth. Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc., 1998. (College Credit Writing) (Sem.) Similar to English Composition 1010, but with an emphasis on the technique of reading and explicating works of literature, particularly the novel and poetry. TEXT: Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay, 4th ed. Ed. Robert DiYanni. McGraw Hill, 1998. Foods & Nutrition will teach you skills for life in the areas of food preparation and how diet impacts your life. If you plan on going into any health care career or just want to know more about nutrition for personal application, this course gives you the foundation of nutrition knowledge. Interspersed between nutrition principles are food preparation skills and techniques, food safety, designing your kitchen, and learning about how foods interact through various foods labs/cooking/baking experiences. (Prerequisite: Geometry & Algebra II) This class was developed to attract and keep students in mathematics. The course integrates ideas of functions and trigonometry, with the statistics and data analysis necessary to function successfully in the worlds of today and tomorrow. FST builds the understanding with real-world problems, establishing a firm foundation for future work in mathematics courses and in applications the students will meet in their lives. FST provides an important study of data analysis and statistics that all students need. Statistics and algebraic concepts are integrated as students display, describe, transform, interpret, and model numerical data. FST gives traditional topics of trigonometry integrated with matrix representations and exploration of real-world phenomena using the trigonometric functions. TEXT: Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry. Addison, Wesley, Longman, Inc. 1998 (Prerequisite: Teacher's Signature) Science Research is offered only on an instructor approval basis to students 9-12 with aspecial interest in science. Students need to be enrolled in all science and math classes to be eligible for this course. This class is inquiry based with students working on various research projects to serve the needs of high ability or high interest students. Students are expected to participate in field trips and additional activities outside the classroom. Special short research projects will be given to students. These instructor designedprojects help the student develop or improve information gathering techniques, deductive reasoning and data analysis. Students will also be working on a special interest project of their own design. The data that is gathered will be kept in a daily log book so that this information can be organized into a paper. These papers will be presented to judges at a yearly Junior Academy of Science contest at Wayne State College. Students should be taking all the science and math classes Laurel offers in order to qualify. Safety is a priority. TEXT: Biological Science: Interaction of Experiments and Ideas by BSCS, Prentice-Hall, (BSCS), 1977. Introduction to Agriculture is designed to present students to all aspects of the agricultural program and the FFA. Concepts and skills learned will include the following: The FFA organization, Parliamentary procedure, Soils, Weed identification, Insects, Plant propagation, Ag chemicals, Sustainable agriculture, Record books, Livestock judging, Small animals, Livestock production, Animal health, Genetics, Meat identification, Ag technology, Welding, and Careers in agriculture. An Agricultural Current Event will be due every other Friday with oral evaluation. A Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAE) will be graded as 20% of the final grade. TEXT: Agriscience Fundamentals and Applications 4th edition, Delmar Publishers, 2004. Students will study a wide range of topics related to business. These include: Our Economic Environment, Business and Government in Our Global Economy, Technology for Business Decisions, Careers in Our Global Economy, Consumers in the Economy, Financial Institutions and Banking Services, Credit in Our Economy, Savings and Investment Strategies, Risk Management, Personal Financial Management, and Small Business Management. TEXT: Introduction to Business, South Western Ed. Pub.; 1997 INTRODUCTION TO VETERINARY SCIENCE (11,12) Course Objectives/CLE's Introduces students to the basics of animal care. Topics covered include disease, parasites, feeding, shelter, grooming, and general animal care. This course provides entry-level skills for those students who want to enter an occupation right out of high school and also provides the background necessary for students interested in pursuing a professional degree. Laboratory activities provide students with the hands-on experience and skills needed to participate in Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs and FFA Career Development Events. This program is based on exploring new industrial processes. A cluster of areas are explored, which consist of welding, power mechanics, drafting, computer drafting, Metric 500, an CNC Lathe. In each of these areas the subject matter is more academic in information. The students develop a working knowledge of each area and work on actual problems faced in industry. This is a comprehensive introductory Family and Consumer Sciences class. Units on self, personality, goal setting, challenges, communication, family, friends, management of time and money, laundry and home care are studied in the fall. The spring semester includes units on foods and nutrition with foods labs, clothing and construction with a sewing project, housing with an interior design project, and an introduction to child development. TEXT: Building Life Skills, Goodheart-Wilcox, 2003 This class will be open to grades 9-12, with an emphasis on individual fitness and conditioning improvement through activities such as running, weight training, plyometrics, stretching exercises and aerobics. Students are expected to improve their strength levels, lower their resting heart rate, improve their agility, and become more flexible as a result of his/her individual program. Students will be expected to maintain a weight training log and resting heart rate log. The course is designed to demonstrate fitness activities and habits that students can use after graduation. All Laurel-Concord students involved in athletics are encouraged to take this course once the physical education requirements have been met. High school students will participate in seasonal activities such as swimming, pickleball, CPR, flag football, basketball, softball, bocce ball, archery, badminton, weight lifting, bowling, golf, and volleyball. Each activity unit will include practicing skills, learning rules and dimensions, and playing or participating in the activity. *Fitness testing will be done in the fall and springThis course will ensure that students master the problem solving and logical reasoning skills critical to success in mathematics and everyday life. Application and career lessons motivate students to solve various types of problems applied to personal life and the trades. Calculators are allowed and necessary throughout this course. This course is designed for Seniors not taking Advanced Mathematics, or Juniors supplementing their math who wish to review basic algebra and math skills. The non-college bound student or student planning to attend a technical school will benefit from this course. TEXT: Mathematics for the Trades, Prentice Hall, 2005. (Prerequisite: Introduction to Agriculture, or Introduction to Technology) In this class, students will learn the concepts and basic skills necessary for a career in welding and engine repair. The first semester will be devoted to welding, starting with shop safety. Skills to be mastered with different welding tools include flat welds, fillet welds, t-welds, vertical welds, horizontal welds, and overhead welds. A project will be designed, and constructed to develop skills related to metal fabrication. The second semester will be devoted to small engines and auto mechanics with topics including: Engine designs, two stroke, four stroke, and diesel engines, engine parts, and engine maintenance. Small and large engines will be disassembled, repaired, and assembled in class. Other agricultural skills to be mastered include operation of a Global Positioning System unit, surveying, sprayer calibration, and planter calibration. Projects will be graded as 20% of the final grade. TEXT: Welding: Fundamental of Service, by John Deere (1991), and Auto Fundamentals by Stockel, Stockel, and Johanson, Goodheart Wilcox (1996) House wiring is offered the first semester to students in grades 10-12. Topics covered are electrical terms, conductors, electrical cord safety, conduit, boxes, switches, outlets, service requirements, house wiring circuits and modernizing electrical systems. Students spend 7 weeks working in the lab on actual house wiring circuits. A competency test over 10 circuits is given at the end of the first semester. The main objective of this semester is to gain the understanding and knowledge to be able to wire a house. Second semester basic electronics covers topics on the science of electronics, sources of electricity, circuits and power, magnetism, electric motors. About 7 weeks are spent on assembling an AM radio from a Heath Kit. The main objective is to give each student a background in electronics, and some hands-on-experience in building a radio from a kit. Businesses prefer hiring applicants who can prove proficiency in computer knowledge. Microsoft Office offers students the opportunity to become certified in Microsoft Word (word processing software) and Microsoft Excel (spreadsheet software). Microsoft PowerPoint (presentation software) and Microsoft Access (database software) will also be a part of the class work. This class is offered online and can be taken any period; students from other schools have the opportunity to enroll in this course taught at Laurel-Concord Public School. This course combines a variety of topics all related to money and finances. Topics taught in this course include: Budgeting, Credit, Investing, Banking, Vacationing, Cars, Housing, Insurance, Taxes, Working which involves writing your resume, cover letter, and interviewing. Math problems, writing assignments, current events, simulations, class discussions, field trips will be used to help prepare students when they are living on their own. Students taking this course will have a better understanding of how to budget for the future. TEXT: C.W. Publications Software Dollars and Sense PERSONAL FINANCE (9, 10, 11, 12) 2 Semester Course - N Course Objectives/CLE's Students learn fundamental life skills, such as calculating gross income, net income, opening a checking account, paying for insurance, cash purchases, charge accounts and credit cards, housing costs, sales (markup), and more. We also incorporate some Excel projects that relate to the chapters. Students should have a working knowledge of Excel. This course will combine components of the Lifetime Sports course with an emphasis on individual fitness and activities. Topics from the Lifetime Sports class will include pickleball, basketball, volleyball, bocce ball, ultimate frisbee, swimming, badminton, and other activities. Individual activities will include archery, horseshoes, orienteering, fitness walks, weight lifting, bowling, golf, and an emphasis on personal fitness and personal fitness assessment(Must have or be taking Algebra II) A strong background in physics is provided by stressing the major concepts that students will need to apply regularly. Also studied are: Fundamental mathematics, measurement, straight line motion, graphical analysis of motion, vectors, dynamics, momentum and its conservation, motion in two dimensions, universal gravitation, work and power, energy and its conservation, hear, optics, electricity, magnetism, atomic physics. This course is designed to provide basic instruction in small animal care for students interested in pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine specializing in small animal care. It will provide students with skills and concepts involved with the care and management of companion animals. Topics covered include disease, parasites, feeding, shelter, grooming, and general animal care. Laboratory activities provide students with the hands-on experience and skills needed to participate in Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs and FFA Career Development Events. This course is designed around five units. The units are designed to give the student a basic understand of Sociology. 1. Culture and Social Structure 2. The Individual in Society 3. Social Inequality 4. Social Institutions 5. The Changing Social World Spanish III begins with an intensive review of the basics covered in Spanish I and Spanish II. Using the skills previously learned, the students will continue to improve their reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension skills. TEXT: Ven Conmigo - Level II, Holt-Rinehart-Winston, 2000. In the class the student has a full year of beginning woodworking. The first 9-10 weeks of school is all classroom with the following areas of study: tool care, hand tools, power tools. The student begins work in the lab on a project general knowledge of woodworking. Open to all students 10-12. TEXT: Modern Woodworking by Wagner, Goodheart & Wilcox, 1980. WORLD STUDIES (11,12) - online Course Objectives/CLE's Students will learn about the world issues of today and the historical beginnings of these issues. The course will also emphasize both culture and geography in the class. TEXT: Global Issues, Politics, Economics & Culture, Pearson Education, Inc., 2007.
eng
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http://www.laurel.esu1.org/Curriculum/course/course9-12.htm
Disclaimer: I don't own The Dresden Files or My Little Pony, that is Jim Butcher and Hasbro, respectively. This is a fanfiction only. This story takes place before Discord's return in MLP and between books six and seven in the Dresden Files. Chapter Two Definitely a classical style, Twilight Sparkle thought, examining one of the few columns left standing in the ruined castle. But is it late or early classical? She had given her letter to Luna's sending two days ago, but she knew that a response would take time. So to pass the time until Dresden showed up, she'd been studying the ruins of the Castle of the Royal Sisters. Currently, Twilight was trying to date the palace, most of the records of its completion having been lost to the sands of time. True, she could have just asked her mentor, but what fun was there in having the answer handed to her instead of solving the question herself? Twilight had just decided that the style of fluting most closely matched that of the early classical period when a startled, distinctly non-equine yell caught her attention. He's here! she thought, shoving the reference book back into her saddlebags. Twilight hurried down the old stone staircase and rounded the outer wall to reach the waterfall that marked the Way. She paused as she pushed through the last curtain of vegetation, pressing a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle. Beside the waterfall's pool, Dresden was sitting on the ground, seemly having tripped over a large pack at his feet. He didn't notice her, though; his attention was entirely focused on the small dragon he was dangling at arm's length by its tail. A small dog circled Spike below, sniffing and panting happily. Spike, despite being suspended upside down by a creature several times his size, seemed unfazed. Instead he chattered away, thrilled to finally meet the 'alien' who had helped save Equestria from the return of the Nightmare. "This is so cool!" he gushed. "I mean, it's so awesome to finally meet you. Everypony's already told me so much about your adventure last time. You are such an amazing guy! You got possessed by the Nightmare, kicked it out of your head, joined forces with the Elements of Harmony and finally destroyed it once and for all with a huge fireball! That's totally epic!" Dresden was a little overwhelmed by the attention, if his uncomfortable frown was any clue. Twilight suspected he hadn't been expected such a warm welcome. "That's enough, Spike. You'll have plenty of chances to talk to Dresden later." Her purple aura surrounded the baby dragon and brought him back to the ground, pausing slightly to flip him right side up. He scowled at her, but she ignored it in favor of greeting their guest. "How've you been, Dresden?" He chuckled and used one hand to push himself back onto his feet. "Not bad. Not good either, but hey… that's life." Twilight frowned. He seemed tired, and not just physically. What could have happened to him? He looks so much older since the last time I saw him. Dresden stretched, some alarmingly loud cracks and pops coming from his back. "But I'm here because you called, so what's up? I couldn't tell if something bad was going down from the letter, so I brought the big guns just in case." Twilight curiously examined his 'big guns'. He'd brought back his staff, and with it a thin cane with a strange handle. There was a small dog sitting by his feet, its tongue lolling out as it panted. It acted like a puppy, but it was already more than half the size of any dog Twilight had ever seen. His pack, which was big enough for a foal to use as a tent, bulged with who-knew-what. Then she noticed the bleached, presumably human skull hanging from his belt and barely repressed a shudder of revulsion. And as if that wasn't weird enough, Twilight had the unsettling sensation that it was somehow watching her despite its empty eye sockets. Come on, Twilight. Think positive, she told herself. Maybe… humans engage in ancestor worship. That makes sense. And Dresden just wants me to… ugh… 'meet' one of his forefathers. So much for thinking positive, but it was the best explanation she could come up with. The skull was just flat out creepy, but she was polite enough not to say anything about it. "Ewww. Is that a real skull? That's just flat out creepy." Spike, of course, was not as inhibited. "Spike," Twilight said in a sweet, slightly strained tone, "Why don't you go and get Mr. Dresden some tea and snacks?" Spike gave her an innocent smile, but Twilight wasn't buying it. "Now, mister." She glared until Spike sighed and shuffled off to their campsite. Dresden cracked his neck with a grimace. "Nice kid. He's a lot more energetic than I remember, though." Twilight frowned. "The last time you were here he was unconscious the whole time." "Like I said. More energetic." The wizard grinned, and Twilight had to wonder if every human had such a strange sense of humor, or if Dresden was considered just as odd in his own world. Twilight smiled anyway. Strange jokes or not, it was nice to see Dresden again. "I hope I didn't make you worry. There's nothing wrong; the letter was vague just in case it was intercepted or lost. The real reason you're here is because the Princesses are holding a ceremony in your honor. I think they want to award you a medal." Dresden's mouth dropped open slightly and he flushed. "Actual appreciation? Wow. There really is a first time for everything. But why'd they wait almost a year to do it?" He shrugged. "Is the bureaucracy around here really that bad?" Twilight frowned. "Almost a year? Dresden, it's only been two months since you left." Unless years were much shorter in his world, he wasn't making any sense. That didn't seem to be the case; all of his other units of time seemed to match up with the Equestrian standard. Dresden raised both eyebrows and pondered that for a moment. "Two months, huh? Well, that's interesting. Almost twelve months have gone by in my world." Twilight stared at him in shock, but the wizard appeared to be calculating something and didn't notice. "Really?" Spike cut in, his eyes shining. He'd returned with two cups of tea and a plate of cookies while they were talking. "So we could take a week's vacation in your world and only one day would pass here? That would be awesome!" Dresden shook his head and took a cup of tea. "I doubt the time difference is that constant. It's probably more like a pendulum, with the imbalance moving back and forth, but keeping the worlds more or less in sync. At least, that's how it works between Earth and the Nevernever. I'd have to study the time dilation for a while to tell you for certain." He set down the cup and grabbed a cookie, breaking off a chunk to give to the small dog Dresden chuckled. "The first step to true wisdom is finding out how much you don't know. Not only does it happen, it's entirely natural. Well, supernatural, but the point stands." Twilight shook her head. It was astounding how much was out there that she had never even suspected. One of the greatest benefits to having Dresden back would be a chance to actually spend some time discussing his magic and world. The Princesses, Luna especially, had given her a few tentative lessons on the Nevernever, but they had focused mainly on the underlying mechanics. To be honest, she was as eager as Spike to hear about the creatures and places Dresden had seen. But that would have to wait for later. "We'll have plenty of time to discuss that later, but there's something we need to do right away. Would you take off all your clothes, please? I've got a surprise that I think you'll like." Dresden's eyes went wide with shock, and he started choking on his tea. At the same time, the eyeholes in the skull on his belt flared to life. The formerly motionless bone suddenly animated and shouted, "Now we're talking!" Twilight shrieked and leaped back from the… the… whatever it was, suppressing her instinct to telekinetically smash it against the nearest rock. Cookies flew as Spike threw the tray and ran, screaming about ghosts. The dog chased after him, barking happily as they vanished into the ruins. Dresden coughed a few times, trying to clear his throat, while Twilight stared down the unnatural skull at his belt. She held a shield spell and three different kinds of energy blasts at the ready. If necessary, she could destroy the skull without harming Dresden. Hopefully. "Damn it, Bob!" Dresden shouted past his coughing fit. "Ten minutes. We're here less than ten minutes, and you open your damn mouth! Why the hell did I believe you when you said you'd behave?" Twilight stared at the human as he chided the… talking skull, her ears burning from his language. It's a skull. It's talking! some part of her brain gibbered. How can a skull talk?! Whatever the answer, Dresden didn't seem surprised by the sudden disruption to Twilight's world view. Again. He didn't seem to be on friendly terms with whatever it was, but at least he wasn't treating it as something hostile. Twilight hesitantly released her magic and took a small step toward the wizard. "Come on, boss! She was coming on to you so hard, I couldn't help it. I'll be good for the rest of the trip, I promise." Its voice dropped, and one orange eye light winked. "But have you reconsidered your policy vis-à-vis ponies? It sure sounds like she's open-minded." Twilight wasn't sure what the skull was talking about, but it sounded rude and a little dirty. Dresden's flushed and horrified expression seemed to confirm as much. She cleared her throat noisily. "Umm… Dresden, what is that?" Dresden gave the skull one final glare and sighed. "Twilight, it is my utmost displeasure to introduce Bob the Skull. He's a spirit of air and intellect that serves as my assistant. He's also a pervert of the lowest class and apparently can't keep his mouth shut when he should." "Hey, now." The skull replied in a hurt voice. "Just because I appreciate the finer sex as much as possible doesn't make me a pervert." "No," Dresden retorted, "but what you say about the 'finer sex' does. And that's not even mentioning what you did the last time I let you out of your skull." "Everyone at that sorority was a consenting adult and the alcohol was just as much to blame as I was." "Stop bickering!" Twilight shouted over the argument, her glare flicking between Dresden and the skull. This visit was already turning out to be even more… interesting than she had expected. "Dresden, what is a 'spirit of intellect' and why is it a talking skull?" Dresden raised his hands defensively. "Settle down, kid. Remember demons? Bob's the flip side of that coin. He comes from the Nevernever, but instead of being focused on negative things like pain and death, he's obsessed with knowledge. And, unfortunately, sex. The orange light is his actual form; the skull is just what he lives in." Dresden lifted the skull so Twilight could see the tiny symbols carved into it around all of its orifices. She didn't recognize them, but she could feel the subtle power they held. "Like all spirits, Bob's made of pure magic, so he lacks a physical body and free will. Right now I own the skull, so he has to obey me. Mostly I use him as a research assistant. He knows more about magic and the supernatural world than even senior wizards of the White Council." Bob snorted. Or at least he somehow made a sound to that effect. "More like anyone short of the Archive. Credit where credit's due, sahib." Twilight watched the orange lights in the eyes track her as she moved back and forth. "That's… amazing, actually. Where did you get him?" Dresden hesitated for a moment, his expression conflicted, but Bob chuckled. "Now that's a story," the spirit began. "You see−" "Don't say a word, Bob." Dresden bit out, his eyes dark. Bob glanced at him, somehow managing to look surprised. "Really? I mean, it's been almost two decades since Justin−" "That's an order," Dresden said calmly. Too calmly – lacking his usual jovial attitude or even the fierce anger she'd seen in him when Spike was kidnapped. Instead, he almost sounded bitter. Obviously, Dresden's past wasn't something he was comfortable discussing. "Well," Twilight said, trying to change the subject. "That's interesting, but I just asked Dresden to undress. This won't work right if he's wearing clothes. What's the big deal?" In fact, why is Dresden wearing so many clothes anyway? She had deduced that humans lost heat easily because they had no fur, so Dresden had preferred to wear them to avoid a chill even in late spring. And granted, the time difference meant that it was Spring again back in his world. But it was summer in Equestria, and the day was very warm. Not to mention the sweltering desert he had hiked through. Yet, he wore not just a shirt and pants, but that strange coat as well. Curiouser and curiouser. Dresden blushed and coughed while Bob leered at her. "I don't think I mentioned it before, but for a variety of social and environmental reasons, humans have a nudity taboo. We don't usually get naked except for bathing and, er, mating. I don't know why you need me to strip, but the way you phrased it…" It took Twilight a moment to process. She'd never heard of such a thing as a taboo against nudity, but then the full meaning of his statement hit her. She blushed deeply, her lavender coat turning fuchsia as she tried not to stammer. "You mean what I said sounded like…" She trailed off unable to finish the sentence. "An invitation to get down and dirty with Harry?" Bob chuckled. "You bet your sweet flank it did." Twilight wondered if anypony had ever died from embarrassment. Even if her blush wasn't terminal, it was taking up valuable blood her brain could have been using to figure a way out of this. She tried visualizing a few comforting equations to calm herself, but something about the way Bob stared at her as she concentrated just made things worse. Dresden came to her rescue at last. "I figured that wasn't what you meant, but hearing it surprised me. So, why do I need to be in the buff?" Twilight held back a sigh of relief, and tried to focus on her original purpose instead of her mistake. "Well, I mentioned your medal ceremony, right?" He nodded, and she continued. "It would be public, of course, and the Princesses still don't want anypony to know about humans or your world." Dresden raised an eyebrow. "So you're going to cast an illusion directly on me this time?" "Not quite." Twilight said. "You're going to be the center of attention, and the chances of an illusion failing under close scrutiny are too high. So instead, I'm going to transform you into a pony. The change should be painless, and it will wear off naturally in about a week, though I can dispel it at any point. I need you to take off your clothes because they would probably be destroyed… in the…" She stopped. Dresden was staring at her in mix of doubt and apprehension. "What's wrong?" "You want to turn me into a pony?" He sounded dubious, as though hoping he'd misunderstood her. Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Is there something wrong with that?" "Yeah, it's extremely illegal where I'm from! Second and I'm not in a hurry to get a second offense." He grimaced. "They're not a real forgiving bunch." Bob laughed. "Harry, I think she's a little outside of the White Council's jurisdiction. Twilight's not a human – hell, she doesn't even live in the same world. And even if the Council still wanted to be pissy about it because you were involved, how would they ever find out? Unless you ring them up and start spilling secrets, they'll never know it even happened. Just admit it, you big pansy. You don't want to get turned into a pony." Dresden bristled at the insult. "Hey, I'm pretty darn attached to my current body. It's not being a pony I object to, it's changing at all." Bob grunted in disbelief. "Uh huh. What about the case with the werewolves? You used that Hexenwolf belt to transform without any hesitation. You just don't want me telling anyone what a pretty pony you make." "That was a life or death situation! Totally different." Dresden snapped back. "Werewolves?" Twilight asked. "There wolves. There castle." Bob said in a strange accent, then laughed Harry just rolled his eyes. "Are you going to do that every chance you get?" he asked the skull. Twilight shook her head. She needed to stop getting distracted and keep things on topic. "Then will you let me?" Dresden frowned and crossed his arms. She tried again. "We can't have the ceremony or show you around Ponyville if you don't." His frown got deeper. "It would mean a lot to me and all of my friends if you did." The wizard remained silent. Twilight hesitated, thinking about his last visit, and at last an inspiration struck her. Twilight widened her eyes, sniffed softly and stuck out her bottom lip slightly. "Please, Mr. Dresden?" He had repeatedly given in to Fluttershy's pleas when nopony else could convince him. Twilight hypothesized he was extremely susceptible to perceived vulnerability. Or in more simple terms, he couldn't say no to a mare in distress. She watched the resistance in his eyes crumble into dust and had to hold back a small cheer. Another theory confirmed. The skull snickered, but said nothing. Twilight smiled; finally everything was going according to plan. She checked the position of the sun and was pleased to note they hadn't even used up all of the time allotted for 'unexpected delays' built into her schedule. "Follow me, then." Twilight's horn glowed, and with a little effort, she levitated his pack into the air. She was surprised by the weight; had Dresden really carried this much across the Way from his world? Luckily, it was a much shorter trip to their campsite, and Twilight didn't even break a sweat bringing all of Dresden's possessions with her. She set down the pack carefully and examined the circle she had etched into floor of the castle. It occupied a single block of stone, since Twilight had found that the ring needed to maintain integrity to be functional. The cardinal points had symbols carved into them, the result of mixing her own ideas with what Dresden had taught her of his own magic. Dresden knelt and examined it. "You made a magic circle? Complete with focal symbols?" He sounded a little surprised. Twilight grinned, happy to show off the results of her latest studies. "Yes, after you explained the concept to me, I did some research on them. Turns out their use was once widespread, but they slowly fell out of favor as unicorns began to specialize their spells. Just using a circle improved the efficiency of my bigger spells by an average of 33.4 percent." Dresden frowned in what looked like confusion, but motioned for Twilight to continue. "The symbols at the edges of the circle are something of my own design. They act as substitutes for concepts I would normally have to visualize and concentrate on while casting the spell. Now they're already embedded into the magic's matrix by visualizing the concepts while I carved them into the stone. I read about Clover the Clever doing something similar, so tried my hoof at it." Bob whistled, and Twilight visibly suffered a moment of cognitive dissonance trying to understand how. "Now that's impressive. Not only has she trained her whole life doing magic with only pure mental constructs, but she's actually creating her own symbols to build props from. Give me five weeks to teach her, and I'll bet she'd kick your ass to the curb, sahib." Dresden laughed. "Bob, I wouldn't give you five minutes alone with her. I really doubt she wants the mental scarring that comes from learning with you." He turned his attention from the skull to Twilight and grinned. "But you seriously came up with this on your own? Way to go, Twilight!" Twilight grinned in response, trying not to preen. Nopony liked to hear boasting, even if she did feel like she'd just earned the title of The Great and Powerful Twilight. "Thank you very much. I wanted to get it done in time to show you, but it's not really that impressive. Just a little applied research." Dresden nodded and sighed. "All right, let's get this over with, then." He set down his staff and started tugging at the glove on his left hand. Twilight watched curiously. She didn't remember him wearing that two months ago. He finally got the stubborn thing off, and Twilight was unable to hold back her shocked gasp. His hand had been cooked. There was no other way to describe it. The flesh was melted and warped as if the extremity had been made of wax and twisted into a new shape before being allowed to cool again. His fingers twitched slightly, as if incapable of any further motion, and she realized with a start that she hadn't seen him use the hand since he arrived. The damage was clearly more than just skin deep. Whatever had happened to Dresden, it had hurt him deeply. "Your hand," she choked out, "it … it's …" "Hideous?" Bob suggested. Twilight glared at him, but Dresden made a placating gesture. "It's okay. It has that effect on everybody, that's why I normally wear the glove." "But what happened?" Twilight asked. "Who did this to you?" "It's the price I paid to exterminate a scourge of vampires. We got the bastards, though." He frowned. "Most of them, anyway. It was worth it." Twilight couldn't understand, couldn't imagine what he had gone through. "But you lost your hand!" Dresden sighed and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "My world is a jungle, and humans aren't anywhere near the top of the food chain. But that's why we fight. It may not be pretty, but it's our world and I'd defend it to the death." He gave her a sad smile, and Twilight tried to smile back. Satisfied, he turned his back to her and resumed stripping. Twilight watched, mulling over the pain in his eyes, and what his latest battle had cost him. He's a warrior; what did you expect? she asked herself. That he'd never get hurt? She had read stories of vampires, of course, but that's all they were: stories. It was hard to believe that creatures like that actually existed in Dresden's world. The concept of evil wasn't foreign to Equestria, but such a raw expression of it was. "Twi? I'm done," Dresden announced, interrupting her thoughts. Twilight blinked and realized that the wizard was already standing in the middle of her circle. He had lost his shirt, pants and thick boots, revealing skin that was slightly paler than his face or hand, but still just as smooth, except a small, thin patch of hair in the center of his chest. His feet, she was interested to note, were similar to his hands, but obviously modified to a bipedal gait. Instead of being round, they formed a long, misshapen oval terminating in five tiny – and probably vestigial – digits. His legs were well-muscled compared to his arms, and Twilight found herself idly wondering how their musculature differed from that of a pony, given his upright stance. Oddly, there was one piece of clothing he hadn't removed. They looked like pants, but they were much shorter and made of a very thin material. Twilight examined the strange garment. She couldn't help but wonder what exactly its purpose was or why it was covered in little yellow smiley faces. "You know those probably won't survive the transformation process, right?" "Trust me; we'll both be happier this way." There was some booing from Bob, but by mutual consent both wizard and unicorn ignored him. They stared at each other for a moment more before Dresden spoke again. "The boxers stay on." He crossed his arms, his glare clearly daring her to disagree. Twilight rolled her eyes. "Fine. They're your clothes. Just don't complain to me afterwards." Her horn began to glow as she focused on her spell, and inside the circle, Dresden shut his eyes. Even with her special preparations, this enchantment wasn't easy. She needed to change Dresden at a fundamental level, and only the fact that he was willing even made it possible. It would have helped if she had been able to practice this, but since humans were in short supply, she only had theory to go on. She grunted as she felt her will collide with the wizard's natural resistance. He was a fortress, his essence stubbornly entrenched in bedrock a mile deep. But if he was a rock, her spell was the ocean. Little by little she changed him, eroding one point, building upon another. In a vague, distant way, she could feel him stirring uneasily at the alterations, but he restrained himself and she continued unimpeded. The whole process only took a few minutes, but within the haze of magic, it felt like hours to Twilight. Finally, everything was done, and with one last surge of power she finished the spell. There was a flash of light brighter than the sun, and even through Twilight's eyelids the world went white. Hopefully Spike hadn't been watching them, or he might have been blinded. When no cries of anguish were forthcoming, she heaved a sigh of relief. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found that the world was slightly out of focus. She rubbed them with her hooves, blinking until her vision cleared. Thankfully, it didn't take long. When she could finally see again, though, her jaw nearly hit the floor. Some remote part of her mind was relieved that nopony else was present to witness her reaction. Where Dresden had stood, a tall, lithe stallion now inspected himself. He was almost the same height as Big Macintosh, but instead of the heavy body of a farm pony, he had a runner's build. Lean muscles lined his body, rounding out an otherwise angular frame. Set between his curious but cynical eyes was a horn longer than that any unicorn she'd ever seen. His coat was velvet black, contrasting with his ice-white mane, and his fetlocks were unshorn. As Twilight's eyes traveled over his body, she sternly told herself that it was just to check that the spell was complete and nothing more. But there's no reason I can't enjoy what I'm seeing, right? whispered one treacherous part of her mind before Twilight could silence it. On her second pass, Twilight began to notice smaller details. His irises were orange-red, with glints of yellow when the light caught them, like he had glowing embers for eyes. His front left hoof was scorched and cracked, though standing on it didn't seem to trouble him. His abdomen held scars as well, faint white lines and ragged circles that stood out against his dark coat. Dresden spun himself in a slow circle as he stared at his new body, and finally all of his twisting and turning made the 'boxers' slide off his rear end, exposing his flank and the cutie mark emblazed upon it – a silver pentacle. The loss of his final garment did not go unnoticed by Dresden. "Don't look!" he yelled in a voice that was only slightly higher and smoother than his original. The former human rose quickly on his back hooves and tried to cover himself with his forelimbs. Unfortunately, his new form was decidedly quadrupedal, and with his 'boxers' still around his ankles, he overbalanced, and tumbled over backwards. A startled moment of silence was quickly broken by gales of laughter from Bob. Dresden shot the skull a dirty glance, but he couldn't do much more to stop the spirit. Twilight sighed and levitated her friend back into a standing position. "Well, let's get started," she said briskly. "We've got a lot of ground to cover, both culturally and physically. Oh – one more thing, though. The Princess wants you to go by a pseudonym during the ceremony, so I thought you could just use one of your other names." Awesome chapter. Dresden actually "went pony". Given how (justifiably) paranoid he can be at times, allowing Twilight Sparkle to work that spell showed enormous trust. Hope he can get used to not having any hands, though. Bob's characterization was spot-on! Love how the interaction between Twilight and Dresden is going. I suspect there will be plenty of reactions from the rest of the mane cast. Of course, now that there's an all-important ceremony there's bound to be some trouble! Finally! After so long we get to see Dresden as a pony! Hilarity is bound to ensue :P and when he gets down to torching stuff left and right? He'll sure be giving away impromptu magic lessons like candy xD I'm eagerly waiting for the plot to kick off because even though the first installment's plot was relatively simple, it was superbly handled. Plus, Spike's man crush on Dresden is going to be great! What if he decides that since he probably doesn't have a chance with Rarity, they should get together now that Dresden is a pony? One thing I did notice you neglected to build on is Mouse. Poor dog got shoved to the sidelines (although I sort of understand why that happened) but I hope he does have a role to play since pets are important as characters -albeit secondary ones- in FiM... plus, Mouse is great and always pushes Dresden around, big dogasaurus that he is. Come to think of it, Winona is going to be tiny next to him, poor girl. One little oops: If you have been paying attention to the things on Twi's blackboard you may have noticed that in "It's about time" there were a set of equations. The equations are those used for calculating acceleration effects at significant fractions of the speed of light, (i.e. they are from where you begin to leave special relativity and enter general relativity). Knowing these equations pretty much says that she shouldn't be surprised at time having variable speeds. However given your timeline, you could resolve this by having Harry give her the key clue about special relativity, (the speed of light being constant). Some of the jokes simply write themselves. I can tell Twilight's little crush is simply going to be adorable. Kinda wonder if anybody can talk to Mouse here, since he's fairly chatty in Changes. Then again, I guess he might be comparatively Spike's age. Ok so possibility Dresden is as powerful as celestia and luna... also once bob finds out that horn detail i sense SO many dirty jokes... also let bob out at least once (Dresden didnt do it obviously) the aftereffects will be HILARIOUS!!! also if this twilight thing continues i hope it "escalates" then Bob talking about THAT will be priceless. also now that he has a horn i can sense dirty jokes anyway. No chance. It's already been clearly stated that he's got roughly the same amount of magical oomph as Twilight. In terms of raw power, anyway. And it's already been clearly stated that Luna and Celestia are Fae Queen powerful (which is roughly enough magical power to make him look like a gnat in front of an elephant). That's one of the awesome things about Harry Dresden in the books... he's like Batman. He's strong, no doubt, but he's constantly fighting things that are much stronger than him. The reason he wins is because he's clever, ruthless, lucky, supernaturally stubborn, and knows the value of being prepared. It'd be silly to change it by making him super-powerful. I bet the horn is purely aesthetic. At best, it might be a minor powerboost to make up for a lack of other focuses. 'Course... I could be wrong. In which case, I'll eat my hat. But I don't think I am. And I'm really looking forward to seeing Bob meeting more conventionally attractive characters, like Luna and Rarity. Mainly because I think Bob is awesome. Also, Are you going to be following the Dresden Files tradition of 'Harry gets beaten to hell and back' in this fic? I was a little disappointed that he had minimal injuries by the end of the first story. Of course, I'm not about to get torn up about him not being beaten up, so don't worry. Oh, and I think that Twi developing a crush on Harry would be hilarious and adorable at the same time. Looking forward to more. You know I can't wait for Bob to meet Pinkie Pie. In fact, maybe 'Blackstone' should lend Bob to Pinkie Pie for a day. I'm not sure which would cry uncle first, but it would be worth the risk and I doubt it's be Pinkie. I wonder if Harry will come to reret this in comming chapters? ... Or rather if he's regret it in a specific way: As a human, he still had a functional hand. As a pony, um, how good is his telekenisis again? This is such a well written story. Having just finished the first one and quickly reading the first few chapters to this one, I am saddened to know that I must now wait. Such is the life I suppose. Keep up the amazing work. It's fantastic. y there be no maor also update quiker now at the wall >>>>>>>> Im loving this. Your first fic made me read dersden files... I havet finished it tho... but bob... in equestria... this is gonna be priceless. I love your style of writing, the balance between the comedy, action the references and all. It would be cool if you would update more tho... >>348121348121 Alondro is walking along, minding his own business when suddenly, "Oh. It appears I have been transformed into a pony. Very well, I shall commence with zany adventures." And so he did. And the adventures were plentiful and filled with zaniness and ponies. This story is just so beyond awesome on so many levels. It's fics like this that make me lament my own pitifully inadequate writing skills and vocabulary. The latter mainly because I have a terrible recall memory for words I don't use often enough. The former because it takes a certain frame of mind to craft the scenes and speech into something amazing, and mine is far too burdened with logic and science. I can't get the right amalgum of whimsy and wonder, blended with foresight and plotting, and then folding all that into the dialog and scenery in just the right ways to bring the story richly to life, all while maintaining such a perfect pace for every scene. At first I was against Dresden being ponified, cause I loved how he fought using his many legendary artifacts and potions.But, after imagining how cool he looks and cheecking the cover art and seeing how Twilight reacted to the way he looks now( which is hilarious, please keep that up) and thinking how everypony else would react, plus the incoming dirty jokes of Bob. I said "BY ODIN'S FUZZY BALLS, THIS IS GONNA BE AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would appreciate if you updated more often, but please take your time, cause one should never rush perfection. My prayers are with you buddy :) -Feeling pretty out of it, so I am not going to be saying quite as much as I usually do. SecondNot only has she trained her whole life doing magic with only pure mental constructs, but she's actually creating her own symbols to build props from. -You have two spaces betwwen "to" and "build". Also, this makes me think that him learning to use magic the unicorn way is going to be one of the obstacles he is going to have to overcome. Hope the form comes with an upgrade to TK, or he is going to be really missing opposable thumbs. OTOH this might keep him safer from that well-meaning cult. Didn't expect the cover image to be so literal. I wonder if he will come with he cutie-mark, or it will appear the first time he thinks about what his magic means to him. having him start out as a blank-flank could be mildly entertaining, but probably more "thinky" than what you are going for. I also wonder if she can transform his coat to fit his new body? Yeah, he doesn't need it for modesty, although he will WANT it for that purpose especially if his sex drive gets rewired into his olfactory sense... nah, you aren't THAT cruel, but the armor value is... nice. Then again this IS a sugar-bowl, and Canterlot doesn't have Ponyville's monster problems. OTOH for a wizard paranoia = common sense. My world is a jungle, and humans aren't anywhere near the top of the food chain. But that's why we fight. -This... actually applies to a lot of the stuff that the Elements of Harmony do. Granted Ponies, at least when using Pony medical magic/technology, heal FAST (a few days in the hospital, plus one week of not using the limb to go from complete fracture of a wing-bone to being able to fly again? Not even counting Feeling Pinkie Keen, because that was all comedy), but there are still comparisons to be made. -Reasonable guess for first seeing human feet, but you would be surprised how problematic losing a big toe can be for balance. I THINK special shoes take care of it, but I am not sure. Other toes... I haven't heard anything about. His front left hoof was scorched and cracked, though standing on it didn't seem to trouble him. I've just thought about the writing of your stories for a few moments and realized something. In the early chapters of Strange Friends, we're introduced to Equestria from Harry's perspective, using the same first-person voice Jim Butcher uses in Harry's source material. Then we're introduced to Harry from Twilight Sparkle's perspective, written in third person but with extended insight into Twilight's thoughts and feelings, as most bronies relate to her source material. There's some more switching back and forth early on- Harry performs antics Twilight doesn't see, and Twilight does some reacting away from Harry, plus there are a few passages from Trixie's point of view as she prepares and executes her plans- but here's the important thing: The moment the plot shows up (Twilight and Harry discovering Spike's kidnapping), the narration jumps into Harry's head with both feet and never climbs out, not even when he's possessed by the Nightmare. It feels natural, and I don't really see anything wrong with it- the action-oriented, combat-heavy plot matches the feel of the Dresden Files more than that of FiM, and these passages feature a lot more Harry-meets-Equestria scenarios than Equestria-meets-Harry ones- but I think it'd definitely be cool to see Harry doing Harry's usual stuff from an outside perspective, particularly a pony one; that's something Jim Butcher has very rarely if ever provided. It's true, I was exaggerating somewhat- I knew some of the Trixie sequences come after the kidnapping is discovered, and the first part of the scene in the boutique is generally centered on Rarity (and the others, as they arrive). Chapter ten, though... I have to admit, I did not remember that. >_< My apologies for that mistake, as well as any implication that this was a criticism- I just intended to point out some possible untapped story potential, that's all. You do have a valid point, saying you were partially incorrect would have been more accurate. I hadn't realized how much of the last few chapters were Dresden's POV until you said something. I'll have to watch that in False Masks. Thanks and don't worry. Thoughtful comments are more valuable than ones that stroke my ego. (Bonus: the Strange Friends material I'd thought about wanting to see makes great motivation and material for the Spike short story I've mentioned wanting to write... We'll see if I can keep that motivation up long enough to finish anything.) As I understand it, the "Thou Shalt Not Transform Another" Rule is actually a clarification of the "Thou Shalt Not Kill" Rule. You see, MOST things a Wizard can turn another human being into won't be able to THINK like a human being. The lost bits of personality and memory REMAIN lost, even once the subject is returned to normal. Transformation of Self gets a pass because a Wizard will subconsciously make sure the end result of his OWN transformation will be something that will still be "Him". For example, the Werewolf spell the Alphas use. Twilight gets around this whole issue for two important reasons: 1) She is turning him into a "Pony" like herself. It ranks up there with "Magical Sex Changes" and "Changing his Ethnicity". Questionable when done for the wrong reasons or against a person's will, but otherwise less of a hassle than plastic surgery. 2) Pony magic has less "Permanence" than human magic. Transformation spells revert themselves automatically once their time expires or they run out of juice. Also, given that Twilight's parents were still mentally themselves after the whole potted plant incident, it is ALSO safe to presume that Pony magic circumvents the underlying NEED for the "Thou Shalt Not Transform Another", as the target's sense of Self remains intact. "The Laws of Magic may be WRITTEN by men, but they represent very real moral dangers from what I understand." That's correct. It's entirely possible for a wizard to transform someone safely, but it's not something you want to screw around with. I think in this case we're just going with a combination of hand-waving and "pony magic is different". After all, in the Dresdenverse "mortal" and "human" are synonymous, but unicorns can clearly transform, enthrall, and jump through time safely. (And that memory spell from Return of Harmony may count as a 3rd Law violation.) I guess I would justify it by saying that unicorn magic is as natural and instinctive to them as breathing, while humans have to learn wizardry and thus aren't as well-equipped to push the envelope safely. "Either the rule is poorly written, or that wouldn't count against Dresden.""I wonder if he will come with he cutie-mark, or it will appear the first time he thinks about what his magic means to him." His cutie mark is already present near the end of the chapter. "Irony... " How is that ironic? The plan to use that name was already discussed in the prologue. >>357356357356 The Second Law of Magic is because casting a transformation spell on another will eventually transform their mind as well because you cannot perfectly recreate the mind of another person in whatever new form you give them; you don't know their mind that well. Self transformation is safe because you know your own mind and keep it in tact.The origin of these particular belts is unclear. Though powerful demons, fae, and the like can create hexenwulf talismans, so can powerful mortal practitioners -- which is indeed a second-law violation. Though the transformation doesn't directly destroy the mind, contact with the rage spirit is corrosive and addictive. The Laws don't care whether the target is willing or not -- regardless of permission, the only one who can safely transform you is you. (Powerful fae, demons, etc. can get away with it, too, but are usually limited to specific transformations like the Leanansidhe's hellhounds.) The RPG book explains the same concept for the Third Law by saying mind-reading is like breaking a window to get into someone else's house. Even if you have permission from the owner, damage is damage, and the White Council takes a draconian view of such things. I myself have to weigh in my opinion here. I don't disagree with any of the current discussion, but I feel like one of the major reasons for the Laws of Magic in the first place is being glazed over. Remember that in the Dresdenverse, Harry makes it very clear over the course of many of the books that magic comes from within. If you don't believe in it, you can't do it. So what do you need to believe to change someone's form? Not only does such an action reveal/exploit such troubling beliefs (Insert god complex, biggotry, arrogance, etc. here), it encourages them. Harry makes a point of trying to teach his students (won't name names for anyone who is just getting into the books) that magic is not the answer to everything. Why? Let's put it this way: If simply believing you could build into a lightsaber actually made it magically appear in your hand and suddenly you had force powers, wouldn't you figure yourself a jedi? Using magic figuratively drills those beliefs that drive the magic further into your head. So why aren't the belts illegal in the immediate "No touchy or off with his head" sense? Because it's self transformation. To magically change oneself is to simply change your way of thinking. And people do that all the time in healthy ways. They decide to go on vacations. They change careers. They enter and exit midlife crises. You get the picture. While changing oneself can be for better or worse (ice cream or the gym?), it is always your decision and thus not nearly as dangerous. Remember, this is a society where the police force's main job outside of wartime is to coldly behead any and all warlocks who break the Laws of Magic, save for those that can be vouched for. The corruptive nature of magic is just that dangerous. I myself will be slightly disappointed if Dresden doesn't at least get into a minor ethics/magic mechanics discussion over the issue. All said and done, this and your previous story are quite good. It's strange mixing the chaos that surrounds Dresden with the light spirit of MLP. The dissonance is a bit throwing, but I've been reading too many grimdark fics recently, and Dresden's characterization is really keeping my suspension of disbelief running. On a side note, don't blow up Bob's brain with Pinkie Pie. Spirit of Intellect... pony with limited 4th wall breaking capabilities... I feel like they'd either find a way to take over the world or Bob's mental breakdown will make Twilight's explosion after the hydra look like Fluttershy getting mildly upset. Oh crap. Everything you say is true, but a hexenwulf belt is not self-transformation. You put it on voluntarily, but the transformation is from without, using someone else's magic. It's equivalent to having the mage standing there, casting the transformation spell over you with the rage spirit protecting you against the change. Again, good point, but I'm looking at it from Harry's point of view. Would Morgan have chopped his head off if he found Harry holding one of those? Yes, and without hesitation. But from the perspective of use, the magic is already invested. Activating the belt only harms the user now (well, the at least the activation part). Harry wouldn't let one of his friends put one of those belts on in a million years, but using it for himself as a last resort? Yeah, Harry will put that belt on. I bet he'd put it on again and again to protect his friends so long as he could keep it under control. But that last part is why it was discarded. *** END SPOILERS *** My main point was simply to add some light on the psychological impact on using what is classified as black magic. If Harry gets into a discussion with Twilight and sees that this kind of fiddling with other people is not even something that crosses her mind as something to think twice about, I can see him becoming quite concerned with their magical ethics in Equestria. After all, he has no historical background of the land beyond what he's picked up from his last visit. How would he feel if he believed himself to be half instructing the personal student of the ruler/deity of such a peaceful land to be a warlock? Or worse, how would he feel if he said nothing at all and believed her to be turning so anyways?Part of the Second Law existing has to do with the fact that who ever is changed will slowly lose their mindHexenwolf belts are made by demons for the most part, and the Laws only cover mortal magic, not that of the Fae and demons. Or more specifically, magic when wielded by mortals.Actually, they sort of do. If you go back, Dresden was beginning to think like the wolf he had become. In my defense, according to Fool Moon, they started learning that spell as a group ritual, complete with a circle of practitioners and chanting. By the end of that book, it was shown that while they could do it solo and without a circle, they still needed the chanting to internalize the ritual, and in order to change back, they needed to WALK the circle to get it to work. One decade later, not only has their understanding of the spell changed from ritual to evocation, but they have polished that evocation so that instead of attaching concepts to nonsense words like Dresden does, they have attached them to a full fledged mental construct. A literal flip switch in the back of their minds, so to speak. That's a bit like saying murder isn't a violation because demons kill people. Hexenwulf belts are usually created by demons, but they are within reach of mortal practitioners. If a mortal were to create a belt, it would be a violation. "Actually, it's not really a spell. Billy/Will has explained it more of as a switch at the back of his mind than actual magic." The RPG book looks at this in more detail. Basically, it's a "when all you have is a hammer" sort of problem. Harry tends to perceive things in terms of spells and magic, even if the Alphas don't see it that way. Both points of view are equally valid
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http://www.fimfiction.net/story/13969/3/The-Dresden-Fillies%3A-False-Masks/Chapter-Two
Preface It has long been the custom to begin the history of our country with the discovery of the New World by Columbus. To some extent this is both wise and necessary; but in following it in this instance the attempt has been made to treat the colonial period as the childhood of the United States; to have it bear the same relation to our later career that the account of the youth of a great man should bear to that of his maturer years, and to confine it to the narration of such events as are really necessary to a correct understanding of what has happened since 1776. The story, therefore, has been restricted to the discoveries, explorations, and settlements within the United States by the English, French, Spaniards, and Dutch; to the expulsion of the French by the English; to the planting of the thirteen colonies on the Atlantic seaboard; to the origin and progress of the quarrel which ended with the rise of the thirteen sovereign free and independent states, and to the growth of such political institutions as began in colonial times. This period once passed, the long struggle for a government followed till our present Constitution ― one of the most remarkable political instruments ever framed by man ― was adopted, and a nation founded. Scarcely was this accomplished when the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon involved us in a struggle, first for our neutral rights, and then for our commercial independence, and finally in a second war with Great Britain. During this period of nearly five and twenty years, commerce and agriculture flourished exceedingly, but our internal resources were little developed. With the peace of 1815, however, the era of industrial development commences, and this has been treated with great ― though it is believed not too great ― fullness of detail; for, beyond all question, the event of the world's history during the nineteenth century is the growth of the United States. Nothing like it has ever before taken place. To have loaded down the book with extended bibliographies would have been an easy matter, but quite unnecessary. The teacher will find in Channing and Hart's Guide to the Study of American History the best digested and arranged bibliography of the subject yet published, and cannot afford to be without it. If the student has time and disposition to read one half of the reference books cited in the footnotes of this history, he is most fortunate. John Bach McMaster I. Europe finds America 1. Nations that have owned our Soil Before the United States became a nation, six European powers owned, or claimed to own, various portions of the territory now contained within its boundary. England claimed the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. Spain once held Florida, Texas, California, and all the territory south and west of Colorado. France in days gone by ruled the Mississippi valley. Holland once owned New Jersey, Delaware, and the valley of the Hudson in New York, and claimed as far eastward as the Connecticut River. The Swedes had settlements on the Delaware. Alaska was a Russian possession. Before attempting to narrate the history of our country, it is necessary, therefore, to tell 1. How European nations came into possession of parts of it. 2. How these parts passed from them to us. 3. What effect the ownership of parts of our country by Europeans had on our history and institutions before 1776. 2. European Trade with the East; the Old Routes For two hundred years before North and South America were known to exist, a splendid trade had been going on between Europe and the East Indies. Ships loaded with metals, woods, and pitch went from European seaports to Alexandria and Constantinople, and brought back silks and cashmeres, muslins, dyewoods, spices, perfumes, ivory, precious stones, and pearls. This trade in course of time had come to be controlled by the two Italian cities of Venice and Genoa. Routes to India The merchants of Genoa sent their ships to Constantinople and the ports of the Black Sea, where they took on board the rich fabrics and spices which by boats and by caravans had come up the valley of the Euphrates and the Tigris from the Persian Gulf. The men of Venice, on the other hand, sent their vessels to Alexandria, and carried on their trade with the East through the Red Sea. 3. New Routes wanted Splendid as this trade was, however, it was doomed to destruction. Slowly, but surely, the Turks thrust themselves across the caravan routes, cutting off one by one the great feeders of the Oriental trade, till, with the capture of Constantinople in 1453, they destroyed the commercial career of Genoa. As their power was spreading rapidly over Syria and toward Egypt, the prosperity of Venice, in turn, was threatened. The day seemed near when all trade between the Indies and Europe would be ended, and men began to ask if it were not possible to find an ocean route to Asia. Now, it happened that just at this time the Portuguese were hard at work on the discovery of such a route, and were slowly pushing their way down the western coast of Africa. But as league after league of that coast was discovered, it was thought that the route to India by way of Africa was too long for the purposes of commerce.[1] The came the question, Is there not a shorter route? And this Columbus tried to answer. 4. Columbus seeks the East and finds America [2] — Columbus was a native of Genoa, in Italy. He began a seafaring life at fourteen, and in the intervals between his voyages made maps and globes. As Portugal was then the center of nautical enterprise, he wandered there about 1470, and probably went on one or two voyages down the coast of Africa. In 1473 he married a Portuguese woman. Santa Maria Her father had been one of the King of Portugal's famous navigators, and had left behind him at his death a quantity of charts and notes; and it was while Columbus was studying them that the idea of seeking the Indies by sailing due westward seems to have first started in his mind. But many a year went by, and many a hardship had to be borne, and many an insult patiently endured in poverty and distress, before the Friday morning in August, 1492, when his three caravels, the Santa Maria (sahn'-tah mah-ree'-ah), the Pinta (peen'tah), and the Niña (neen'-yah), sailed from the port of Palos (pah'-los), in Spain. His course led first to the Canary Islands, where he turned and went directly westward. The earth was not then generally believed to be round. Men supposed it to be flat, and the only parts of it known to Europeans were Iceland, the British Isles, the continent of Europe, a small part of Asia, and a strip along the coast of the northern part of Africa. The ocean on which Columbus was now embarked, and which in our time is crossed in less than a week, was then utterly unknown, and was well named "The Sea of Darkness." Little wonder, then, that as the shores of the last of the Canaries sank out of sight on the 9th of September, many of the sailors wept, wailed, and loudly bemoaned their cruel fate. After sailing for what seemed a very long time, they saw signs of land. But when no land appeared, their hopes gave way to fear, and they rose against Columbus in order to force him to return. Niña But he calmed their fears, explained the sights they could not understand, hid from them the true distance sailed, and kept steadily on westward till October 7, when a flock of land birds were seen flying to the southwest. Pinzon (peen-thon'), who commanded one of the vessels, begged Columbus to follow the birds, as they seemed to be going toward land. Had the little fleet kept on its way, it would have brought up on the coast of Florida. But Columbus yielded to Pinzon. The ships were headed southwestward, and about ten o'clock on the night of October 11, Columbus saw a light moving in the distance. It was made by the inhabitants going from hut to hut on a neighboring coast. At dawn the shore itself was seen by a sailor, and Columbus, followed by many of his men, hastened to the beach, where, October 12, 1492, he raised a huge cross, and took possession of the country in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain, who had supplied him with caravels and men.[3] He had landed on one of a group of islands which we call the Bahamas.[4] Coat of arms of Columbus During ten days he sailed among these islands. Then, turning southward, he coasted along Cuba to the eastern end, and so to Haiti, which he named Hispaniola, or Little Spain. There the Santa Maria was wrecked. The Pinta had by this time deserted him, and, as the Niña could not carry all the men, forty were left at Hispaniola, to found the first colony of Europeans in the New World. Giving the men food enough to last a year, Columbus set sail for Spain on the 3rd day of January, 1493, and on March 15 was safe at Palos. Of the greatness of his discovery, Columbus had not the faintest idea. That he had found a new world; that a continent was blocking his way to the East, never entered his mind. He supposed he had landed on some islands off the east coast of Asia, and as that coast was called the Indies, and as the islands were reached by sailing westward, they came to be called the West Indies, and their inhabitants Indians; and the native races of the New World have ever since been called Indians. Although Columbus in after years made three more voyages to the New World, he never found out his mistake, and died firm in the belief that he had discovered a direct route to Asia.[5] 5. The Atlantic Coast explored And now that Columbus had shown the way, others were quick to follow. In 1497 and 1498 came John and Sebastian Cabot (cab'-ot), sailing under the flag of England, and exploring our coast from Labrador to Cape Cod; and Pinzon and Solis, with Vespucius[6] for pilot, sailing under the flag of Spain along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, around the peninsula of Florida, and northward to Chesapeake Bay. Between 1500 and 1502 two Portugese navigators named Cortereal (cor-at-ra-ahl') went over much the same ground as the Cabots. For the time being, however, these voyages were fruitless. It was not a new world, but China and Japan, the Indian Ocean, and the spice islands, that Europe was seeking. When, therefore, in 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon, passed around the end of Africa, reached India, and came back to Portugal in 1499 with his ship laden with the silks and spices of the East, all explorers turned southward, and for eleven years after the visit of the Cortereals no voyages were made to North America. 6. Why the Continent was called America But some great voyages meantime were made to South America. In 1500 a Portuguese fleet of thirteen vessels, commanded by Cabral, started from Portugal for the East. In place of following the usual route and hugging the west coast of Africa, Cabral went off so far to the westward that one day in April, 1500, he was amazed to see land. It proved to be what is now Brazil, and after sailing along a little way he sent one of his vessels home to Portugal with the news. Discovery on the East Coast of America He did this because six years before, in June, 1494, Spain and Portugal made a treaty and agreed that a meridian should be drawn 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands and be known as "The Line of Demarcation." All heathen lands discovered, no matter by whom, to the east of this line, were to belong to Portugal; all to the west of it were to be the property of Spain. Now, as the strange coast seemed to be east of the line of demarcation, and therefore the property of Portugal, Cabral sent word to the King that he might explore it. Accordingly, in May 1501, the King sent out three ships in charge of Americus Vespucius. Vespucius sighted the coast somewhere about Cape St. Roque, and, finding that it was east of the line of demarcation, explored it southward as far as the mouth of the river La Plata. As he was then west of the line, and off a coast which belonged to Spain, he turned and sailed southeastward till he struck the island of South Georgia, where the Antarctic cold and the fields of floating ice stopped him and sent him back to Lisbon. The results of this great voyage were many. In the first place, it secured Brazil for Portugal. In the second place, it changed the geographical ideas of the time. The great length of coast line explored proved that the land was not a mere island, but that Vespucius had found a new continent in the southern hemisphere, — off the coast of Asia, as was then supposed. This for a time was called the "Fourth Part" of the world, — the other three parts being Europe, Asia, and Africa. But in 1507 a German professor published a little book on geography, in which he suggested that the new part of the world discovered by Americus, the part which we call Brazil, should be called America. As Columbus was not supposed to have discovered a new world, but merely a new route to Asia, this suggestion seemed very proper, and soon the word "America" began to appear on maps as the name of Brazil. After a while it was applied to all South America, and finally to North America also. 7. The Pacific discovered; the Mexican Gulf Coast explored A few years after the publication of the little book which gave the New World the name of America, a Spaniard named Balboa landed on the Isthmus of Panama, crossed it (1513), and from the mountains looked down on an endless expanse of blue water, which he called the South Sea, because when he saw it he was looking south. Meantime another Spaniard, named Ponce de Leon (pon'-tha da la-on'), sailed with three ships from Porto Rico, in March, 1513, and on the 27th of that month came in sight of the mainland. As the day was Easter Sunday, which the Spaniards call Pascua (pas'-coo-ah) Florida, he called the country Florida. Six years later (1519) Pineda (pe-na'-da) skirted the shores of the Gulf from Florida to Mexico. 8. Spaniards sail round the World In the same year (1519) that Pineda explored the Gulf coast, a Portugese named Magellan (ma-jel'-an) led a Spanish fleet across the Atlantic. He coasted along South America to Tierra del Fuego, entered the strait which now bears his name, passed well up the western coast, and turning westward sailed toward India. He was then on the ocean which Balboa had discovered and named the South Sea. But Magellan found it so much smoother than the Atlantic that he called it the Pacific. Five ships and 254 men left Spain; but only one ship and fifteen men returned to Spain by way of India and Cape of Good Hope. Magellan himself was among the dead.[7] 9. Importance of Megellan's Voyage Of all the voyages ever made by man this was the greatest.[8] In the first place, it proved beyond dispute that the earth was round. In the second place, it proved that South America is a great continent, and that there is no short southwest passage to India. 10. Search for a Northwest Passage; our North Atlantic Coast explored All eyes, therefore, turned northward; the quest for a northwest passage began, and in that quest the Atlantic coast of the United States was examined most thoroughly. '''SUMMARY''' 1. Towards the close of the fifteenth century the Turks cut off the old route of trade between Asia and Europe. 2. In attempting to find a new way to Asia, the Portuguese then began to explore the west coast of Africa. 3. When at last they got well down the African coast it was thought that such a route was too long. 4. Columbus (1492) then attempted to find a shorter way to Asia by sailing westward across the Atlantic Ocean, and landed on some islands which he supposed to be the East Indies. 5. The explorations of men who followed Columbus proved that a new continent had been discovered and that it blocked the way to India. 6. The attempts to find a southwest passage or a northwest passage through our continent led to the exploration of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. 7. The new world was called America, after the explorer Americus. 8. The voyage of Magellan proved that the earth is round. II. The Spaniards in the United States 11. The Spaniards explore the Southwest Now it must be noticed that up to 1513 no European had explored the interior of either North or South America. They had merely touched the shores. In 1513 the work of exploration began. Balboa then crossed the Isthmus of Panama. In 1519 Cortes (cor'-tez) landed on the coast of Mexico with a body of men, and marched boldly into the heart of the country to the city where lived the great Indian chief or king, Montezuma. Cortes took the city and made himself master of Mexico. This was most important; for the conquest of Mexico turned the attention of the Spaniards from our country for many years, and finally led to the exploration of the Southwest. But the first explorers of what is now the United States came from Cuba in 1528. In that year Narvaez (nar-vah'-eth), excited by Pineda's accounts of the Mississippi Indians and their golden ornaments, set forth with 400 men to conquer the north coast of the Gulf of Mexico. At Apalachee Bay he landed, and made a raid inland. On returning to the shore, he missed his ships, and after traveling westward on foot for a month, built five rude vessels, and once more put to sea. For six weeks the little fleet hugged the shore, till it came to the mouth of the Mississippi, where two of the boats were upset and Narvaez was drowned. The rest reached the coast of Texas in safety. But famine and the tomahawk soon reduced the number of the survivors to four. These were captured by bands of wandering Indians, were carried over eastern Texans and western Louisiana, till, after many strange adventures and vicissitudes, they met beyond the Sabine River.[9] Protected by the fame they had won for sorcery, and led by one Cabeza de Vaca, they now wandered westward to the Rio Grande[10] (ree'-o grahn'-da) and on by Chihuahua (chee-wah'-wah) and Sonora to the Gulf of California, and by this to Culiacan, a town near the west coast of Mexico, which they reached in 1536. They had crossed the continent. 12. "The Seven Cities of Cibola" The story these men told of the strange country through which they had passed, aroused a strong desire in the Spaniards to explore it, for somewhere in that direction they believed were the Seven Cities. According to an ancient legend, when the Arabs invaded the Spanish peninsula, a bishop of Lisbon with many followers fled to a group of islands in the Sea of Darkness, and on them founded seven cities. As one of the Indian tribes had preserved a story of Seven Caves in which their ancestors had once lived, the credulous and romantic Spaniards easily confounded the two legends. Firmly believing that the seven cities must exist in the north country traversed by Vaca, Mendoza, the Spanish governor of Mexico, selected Fray Marcos, a monk of great ability, and sent him forth with a few followers to search them. Directed by the Indians through whose villages he passed, he came at last in sight of seven Zuñi (zoo'-nyee) pueblos (pweb'-loz) of New Mexico, all of which were inhabited in his time. The kind of cities found by Marcos and Coronado in the Rio Grande valley. But he came no nearer than just within sight of them. For one of the party, who went on in advance, having been killed by the Zuñi, Fray Marcos hurried back to Culiacan. Understanding the name of the city he had seen to be Cibola (see'-bo-la), he called the pueblos the "Seven Cities of Cibola," and against them the next year (1540) Coronado marched with 1100 men. Finding the pueblos were not the rich cities for which he sought, Coronado pushed on eastward, and for two years wandered to and fro over the plains and mountains of the West, crossing the state of Kansas twice.[11] 13. The Spaniards on the Mississippi In 1537 De Soto was appointed governor of Cuba, with instructions to conquer and hold all the land discovered by Narvaez. On this mission he set out in May, 1539, and landed at Tampa Bay, on the west coast of our state of Florida. He wandered over the swamps and states, and spent the winter of 1541 near the Yazoo River. Crossing the Mississippi in the spring of 1542 at the Chickasaw Bluffs, he wandered about eastern Arkansas, till he died of fever, and was buried in the Mississippi. His followers then built rude boats, floated down the river to the Gulf, steered along the coast of Texas, and in September, 1543, reached Tampico, in Mexico. More than half a century had now gone by since the first voyage of Columbus. Yet not a settlement, great or small, had been established by Spain within our boundary. Between 1546 and 1561 missionaries twice attempted to found missions and convert the Indians in Florida, and twice were driven away. In 1582 others entered the valleys of the Gila and the Rio Grande, took possession of the pueblos, established missions, preached the Gospel to the Indians, and brought them under the dominion of Spain. But when Santa Fé (sahn'-tah fa') was founded, in 1582, the only colony of Spain in the United States, besides the missions in Arizona and New Mexico, was St. Augustine in Florida. A Spanish mission 14. St. Augustine St. Augustine was founded by the Spaniards in order to keep out the French, who made two attempts to occupy the south of the Atlantic coast. The first was that of John Ribault (ree-bo'). He led a colony of Frenchmen, in 1562, to what is now South Carolina, built a small fort on a spot which he called Port Royal, and left it in charge of thirty men while he went back to France for more colonists. The men were a shiftless set, depended on the Indians till the Indians would feed them no longer, and when famine set in, they mutinied, slew their commander, built a crazy ship and went to sea, where an English vessel found them in a starving condition, and took them to London. In 1564 a second party, under Laudonnière (lo-do-ne-ar'), landed at the St. Johns River in Florida, and built a fort called Fort Caroline in honor of Charles IX. of France. But the King of Spain, hearing that the French were trespassing, sent an expedition under Menendez (ma-nen'-deth), who founded St. Augustine in 1565. There Rebault, who had returned and joined Laudonnière, attempted to attack the Spaniards. Gateway at St. Augustine But a hurricane scattered his ships, and while it was still raging, Menendez fell suddenly on Fort Caroline and massacred men, women, and children. A few days later, falling in with Ribault and his men, who had been driven ashore south of St. Augustine, Menendez massacred 150 more.[12] For this foul deed a Frenchman named Gourgues (goorg) exacted a fearful penalty. With three small ships and 200 men, he sailed to the St. Johns River, took and destroyed the fort which the Spaniards had built on the site of Forth Caroline, and put to death every human being within it. SUMMARY 1. From 1492 to 1513 the Europeans who came to America explored the coasts of North and South America, but did not go inland. 2. In 1513 exploration of the interior of the two continents began. Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama, 1513, and Cortes conquered Mexico, 1519-21. 3. In 1528 Narvaez made the first serious attempt to enter the Mississippi valley. He died, and some of his followers, under Cabeza de Vaca, crossed the continent. 4. When the Spanish governor of Mexico heard their story, he sent Fray Marcos to find the "Seven Cities of Cibola"; and began the exploration of the southwestern part of the United States. 5. In 1539-1541 De Soto and his band explored the southeastern part of the United States from Florida to the Mississippi River. 6. By 1582 two Spanish settlements had been made in the United States — St. Augustine, 1565, and Santa Fé, 1582. III. English, Dutch, and Swedes on the Seaboard 15. The English Claim to the Seaboard After the Spaniards had thus explored the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and what is now Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, the English attempted to take possession of the Atlantic coast. The voyages of John and Sebastian Cabot in 1497 and 1498 were not followed up in the same way that Spain followed up those of Columbus, and for nearly eighty years the flag of England was not displayed in any of our waters.[13] At last, in 1576, Sir Martin Frobisher set out to find a northwest passage to Asia. Of course he failed; but in that and two later voyages he cruised about the shores of our continent and gave his name to Frobisher's Bay.[14] Next came Sir Francis Drake, the greatest seaman of his age. He left England in 1577, crossed the Atlantic, sailed down the South American coast, passed through the Strait of Magellan, and turning northward coasted along South America, Mexico, and California, in search of a northeast passage to the Atlantic. When he had gone as far north as Oregon the weather grew so cold that his men began to murmur, and putting his ship about, he sailed southward along our Pacific coast in search of a harbor, which in June, 1579, he found near the present city of San Francisco. There he landed, and putting up a post nailed to it a brass plate on which was the name of Queen Elizabeth, and took possession of the country.[15] Despairing of finding a short passage to England, Drake finally crossed the Pacific and reached home by way of the Cape of Good Hope. He had sailed around the globe.[16] 16. Gilbert and Ralegh attempt to found a Colony While Drake was making his voyage, another gallant seaman, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, was given (by Queen Elizabeth) any new land he might discover in America. His first attempt (1579) was a failure, and while on his way home from landing on Newfoundland (1583), his ship, with all on board, went down in a storm at sea. The next year (1584) his half-brother, Sir Walter Ralegh, one of the most accomplished men of his day and a great favorite with Queen Elizabeth, obtained permission from the Queen to make a settlement on any part of the coast of America not already occupied by a Christian power; and he at once sent out an expedition. The explorers landed on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina, and came home with such a glowing description of the "good land" they had found that the Virgin Queen called it "Virginia," in honor of herself, and Ralegh determined to colonize it.[17] 17. Roanoke Colony; the Potato and Tobacco In 1585, accordingly, 108 emigrants under Ralph Lane left England and began to build a town on Roanoke Island. They were ill suited for this kind of pioneer life, and were soon in such distress that, had not Sir Francis Drake in one of his voyages happened to touch at Roanoke, they would have starved to death. Drake, seeing their helplessness, carried them home to England. Yet their life on the island was not without results, for they took back with them the potato, and some dried tobacco leaves which the Indians had taught them to smoke. Ralegh, of course, was greatly disappointed to see his colonists again in England. But he was not discouraged, and in 1587 sent forth a second band. The first had consisted entirely of men. Roanoke Island and vicinity The second band was composed of both men and women with their families, for it seemed likely that if the men took their wives and children along they would be more likely to remain than if they went alone. John White was the leader, and with a charter and instructions to build the city of Ralegh somewhere on the shores of Chesapeake Bay he set off with his colonists and landed on Roanoke Island. Here a little granddaughter was born (August 18, 1587), and named Virginia. She was the child of Eleanor Dare, and was the first child born of English parents in America. Governor White soon found it necessary to go back to England for supplies, and, in consequence of the Spanish war, three years slipped by before he was able to return to the colony. He was then too late. Every soul had perished, and to this day nobody knows how or where. Ralegh could do no more, and in 1589 made over all his rights to a joint-stock company of merchants. This company did nothing, and the sixteenth century came to an end with no English colony in America.[18] 18. Gosnold in New England With the new century came better fortune. Ralegh's noble efforts to plant a colony aroused Englishmen to the possibility of founding a great empire in the New World, and especially one named Bartholomew Gosnold. Instead of following the old route to America by way of the Canary Islands, the West Indies, and Florida, he sailed due west across the Atlantic,[19] and brought up on the shore of a cape which he named Cape Cod.[20] Following the shore southward, he passed through Nantucket Sound and Vineyard Sound, till he came to Cuttyhunk Island, at the entrance of Buzzards Bay. On this he landed, and built a house for the use of colonists he intended to leave there. But when he had filled his ship with sassafras roots and cedar logs, nobody would remain, and the whole company went back to England.[21] 19. The Two Virginia Companies As a result of this voyage, Gosnold was more eager than ever to plant a colony in Virginia, and this enthusiasm he communicated so fully to others that, in 1606, King James I. created two companies to settle in Virginia, which was then the name for all the territory from what is now Maine to Florida. 1. Each company was to own a block of land 100 miles square; that is, 100 miles along the coast,—50 miles each way from its first settlement,—and 100 miles into the interior. 2. The First Company, a band of London merchants, might establish its first settlement anywhere between 34° and 41° north latitude. 3. The Second Company, a band of Plymouth merchants, might establish its first settlement anywhere between 38° and 45°. 4. These settlements were to be on the seacoast. 5. In order to prevent the blocks from overlapping, it was provided that the company which was last to settle should locate at least 100 miles from the other company's settlement.[22] 20. The Jamestown Colony Thus empowered, the two companies made all haste to gather funds, collect stores and settlers, and fit out ships. The London Company was the first to get ready, and on the 19th of December, 1606, 143 colonists set sail in three ships for America with their charter, and a list of the council sealed up in a strong box. The Plymouth Company soon followed, and before the year 1607 was far advanced, two settlements were planted in our country: the one at Jamestown, in Virginia, the other near the mouth of the Kennebec, in Maine. The latter, however, was abandoned the following year (see Chapter IV). The three ships which carried the Virginia colony reached the coast in the spring of 1607, and entering Chesapeake Bay sailed up a river which the colonists called the James, in honor of the King. When about thirty miles from its mouth, a landing was made on a little peninsula, where a settlement was begun and named Jamestown.[23] It was the month of May, and as the weather was warm, the colonists did not build houses, but, inside of some rude fortifications, put up shelters of sails and branches to serve till huts could be built. But their food gave out, the Indians were hostile, and before September half of the party had died of fever. Had it not been for the energy and courage of John Smith, every one of them would have perished. All that is left of Jamestown He practically assumed command, set the men to building huts, persuaded the Indians to give them food, explored the bays and rivers of Virginia, and for two dreary years held the colony together. When we consider the worthless men he had to deal with, and the hardships and difficulties that beset him, his work is wonderful. The history which he wrote, however, is not to be trusted.[24] Bad as matters were, they became worse when a little fleet arrived with many new settlers, making the whole number about 500. The newcomers were a worthless set picked up in the streets of London or taken from the jails, and utterly unfit to become the founders of a state in the wilderness of the New World. Vicinity of Jamestown Out of such material Smith in time might have made something, but he was forced by a wound to return to England, and the colony went rapidly to ruin. Sickness and famine did their work so quickly that after six months there were but sixty of the 500 men alive. Then two small ships, under Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers, arrived at Jamestown with more settlers; but all decided to flee, and had actually sailed a few miles down the James, when, June 8, 1610, they met Lord Delaware with three ships full of men and supplies coming up the river. Delaware came out as governor under a new charter granted in 1609.[25] 21. The Virginia Charter of 1609 The Virginia Charter of 1609 made a great change in the boundary of the company's property. By the 1606 charter the colony was limited to 100 miles along the seaboard and 100 miles west from the coast. In 1609 the company was given an immense domain reaching 400 miles along the coast,—200 miles each way from Old Point Comfort,—and extending "up into the land throughout from sea to sea, west and northwest." This description is very important, for it was afterwards claimed by Virginia to mean a grant of land of the shape shown on the map.[26] The Claimed area of Virginia 22. The First Representative Assembly in America Under the new charter and new governors Virginia began to thrive. More work and less grumbling were done, and a few wise reforms were introduced. One governor, however, Argall, ruled the colony so badly that the people turned against him and sent such reports to England that immigration almost ceased. The company, in consequence, removed Argall, and gave Virginia a better form of government. In future, the governor's power was to be limited, and the people were to have a share in the making of laws and the management of affairs. As the colonists, now numbering 4000 men, were living in eleven settlements, or "boroughs," it was ordered that each borough should elect two men to sit in a legislature to be called the House of Burgesses. This house, the first representative assembly ever held by white men in America, met on July 30, 1619, in the church at Jamestown, and there began "government of the people, by the people, for the people." 23. The Establishment of Slavery in America It is interesting to note that at the very time the men of Virginia thus planted free representative government in America, another institution was planted beside it, which, in the course of two hundred and fifty years, almost destroyed free government. The Burgesses met in July, and a few weeks later, on an August day, a Dutch ship entered the James and before it sailed away sold twenty negroes into slavery. The slaves increased in numbers (there were 2000 in Virginia in 1671), and slavery spread to the other colonies as they were started, till, in time, it existed in every one of them. 24. Virginia loses her Charter, 1624 The establishment of popular government in Virginia was looked on by King James as a direct affront, and was one of many weighty reasons why he decided to destroy the company. To do this, he accused it of mismanagement, brought a suit against it, and in 1624 his judges declared the charter annulled, and Virginia became a royal colony.[27] 25. Maryland begun A year later James died, and Charles I. came to the throne. As Virginia was now a royal colony, the land belonged to the King; and as he was at liberty to do what he pleased with it, he cut off a piece and gave it to Lord Baltimore. George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, was a Roman Catholic nobleman who for years past had been interested in the colonization of America, and had tried to plant a colony in Newfoundland. The severity of the climate caused failure, and in 1629 he turned his attention to Virginia and visited Jamestown. But religious feeling ran as high there as it did anywhere. The colonists were intolerantly Protestant, and Baltimore was ordered back to England. Undeterred by such treatment, Baltimore was more determined than ever to plant a colony, and in 1632 obtained his grant of a piece of Virginia. The tract lay between the Potomac River and the fortieth degree of north latitude, and extended from the Atlantic Ocean to a north and south line through the source of the Potomac.[28] It was called Maryland in honor of the Queen, Henrietta Maria. The area of the colony was not large; but the authority of Lord Baltimore over it was almost boundless. He was to bring to the King each year, in token of homage, two Indian arrowheads, and pay as rent one fifth of all the gold and silver mined. This done, the "lord proprietary," as he was called, was to all intents and purposes a king. He might coin money, make war and peace, grant titles of nobility, establish courts, appoint judges, and pardon criminals; but he was not permitted to tax his people without their consent. He must summon the freemen to assist him in making the laws; but when made, they need not be sent to the King for approval, but went into force as soon as the lord proprietary signed them. Of course they must not be contrary to the laws of England. 26. Treatment of Catholics The deed for Maryland had not been issued when Lord Baltimore died. It was therefore made out in the name of his son, Cecilius Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, who, like the first, was a Roman Catholic, and was influenced in his attempts at colonization by a desire to found a refuge for people of his own faith. At that time in England no Roman Catholic was permitted to educate his children in a foreign land, or to employ a schoolmaster of his religious belief; or keep a weapon; or have Catholic books in his house; or sit in Parliament; or when he died be buried in a parish churchyard. If he did not attend the parish church, he was fined £20 a month. But it is needless to mention the ways in which he suffered for his religion. It is enough to know that the persecution was bitter, and that the purpose of Lord Baltimore was to make Maryland a Roman Catholic colony. Yet he set a noble example to other founders of colonies by freely granting to all sects full freedom of conscience. As long as the Catholics remained in control, toleration worked well. But in the year 1691 Lord Baltimore was deprived of his colony because he had supported King James II., and in 1692 sharp laws were made in Maryland against Catholics by the Protestants. In 1716 the colony was restored to the proprietor. The first settlement was made in 1634 at St. Marys. Annapolis was founded about 1683; and Baltimore in 1729.[29] 27. The Dutch on the Hudson Meantime great things had been happening to the northward. In 1609 Henry Hudson, an English sailor in the service of Holland, was sent to find a northwest passage to India. He reached our coast not far from Portland, Maine, and abandoning all idea of finding a passage, he sailed alongshore to the southward as far as Cape Cod. Here he put to sea, and when he again sighted land was off Delaware Bay. In attempting to sail up it, his ship, the Half-Moon, grounded, and Hudson turned about. Running along the Jersey coast, he entered New York Bay, and sailed up the river which the Dutch called the North River, but which we know as the Hudson. Hudson's voyage gave the Dutch a claim to all the country drained by the Delaware or South River and the Hudson River, and some Dutch traders at once sent out vessels, and were soon trading actively with the Indians. By 1614 a rude fort had been erected near the site of Albany, and some trading huts had been put up on Manhattan Island. These ventures proved so profitable that numbers of merchants began to engage in the trade, whereupon those already in it, in order to shut out others, organized a company, and in 1615 obtained a trading charter for three years from the States General of Holland, and carried on their operations from Albany to the Delaware River. 28. Dutch West India Company On the expiration of the charter (in 1618) it was not renewed, but a new corporation, the Dutch West India Company (1621), was created with almost absolute political and commercial power over all the Dutch domains in North America, which were called New Netherland. In 1623 the company began to send out settlers. Some went to Albany, or, as they called it, Fort Orange. Others were sent to the South or Delaware River, where a trading post, Fort Nassau, was built on the site of Gloucester in New Jersey. A few went to the Connecticut River; some settled on Long Island; and others on Manhattan Island, where they founded New Amsterdam, now called New York city. All these little settlements were merely fur-trading posts. Nobody was engaged as yet in farming. To encourage this, the company (in 1629) took another step, and offered a great tract of land, on any navigable river or bay, to anybody who would establish a colony of fifty persons above the age of fifteen. If on a river, the domain was to be sixteen miles along one bank or eight miles along each bank, and run back into the country as far "as the situation of the occupiers will admit." The proprietor of the land was to be called a "patroon,"[30] and was absolute ruler of whatever colonies he might plant, for he was at once owner, ruler, and judge. It may well be supposed that such a tempting offer did not go a-begging, and a number of patroons were soon settled along the Hudson and on the banks of the Delaware (1631), where they founded a town near Lewes. The settlements on the Delaware River were short-lived. The settlers quarreled with the Indians, who in revenge massacred them and drove off the garrison at Fort Nassau; whereupon the patroons sold their rights to the Dutch West India Company.[31] 29. The Struggle for the Delaware; the Swedes on the Delaware And now began a bitter contest for the ownership of the country bordering the Delaware. A few leading officials of the Dutch Company, disgusted at the way its affairs were managed, formed a new company under the lead of William Usselinx. As they could not get a charter from Holland, for she would not create a rival to the Dutch Company, they sought and obtained one from Sweden as the South Company, and (1638) sent out a colony to settle on the Delaware River.[32] The spot chosen was on the site of Wilmington. The country was named New Sweden, though it belonged to Maryland. The Dutch West India Company protested and rebuilt Fort Nassau. The Swedes, in retaliation, went farther up the river and fortified an island near the mouth of the Schuylkill. Had they stopped here, all would have gone well. But, made bold by the inaction of the Dutch, they began to annoy the New Netherlanders, till (1655) Peter Stuyvesant, the governor of New Netherland, unable to stand it any longer, came over from New Amsterdam with a few hundred men, overawed the Swedes, and annexed their territory west of the Delaware. New Sweden then became part of New Netherland.[33] SUMMARY 1. After the discovery of the North American coast by the Cabots, England made no attempt to settle it for nearly eighty years; and even then the colonies planted by Gilbert and Ralegh were failures. 2. Successful settlement by the English began under the London Company in 1607. 3. In 1609 the London Company obtained a grant of land from sea to sea, and extending 400 miles along the Atlantic; but in 1624 its charter was annulled, and in 1632 the King carved the proprietary colony of Maryland out of Virginia. 4. Meantime Henry Hudson, in the employ of the Dutch, discovered the Delaware and Hudson rivers (1609), and the Dutch, ignoring the claims of England, planted colonies on these rivers and called the country New Netherland. 5. Then a Swedish company began to colonize the Delaware Bay and River coast of Virginia, which they called New Sweden. 6. Conflicts between the Dutch and the Swedes followed, and in 1655 New Sweden was made a part of New Netherland. IV. The Planting of New England 30. The Beginnings of New England When the Dutch put up their trading posts where New York and Albany now stand, all the country east of New York, all of what is now New England, was a wilderness. As early as 1607 an attempt was made to settle it and a colony was planted on the coast of Maine by two members of the Plymouth Company, Sir John Popham, Lord Chief Justice of England, and Sir Ferdinando Gorges, governor of Plymouth. But the colonists were half starved and frozen, and in the spring of 1608 gladly went home to England. Six years later John Smith, the hero of Virginia, explored and mapped the coast from the Penobscot to Cape Cod. He called the country New England; one of the rivers, the Charles; and two of the promontories, Cape Elizabeth and Cape Ann. Three times he attempted to lead out a colony; but that work was reserved for other men. 31. The Separatists The reign of Queen Elizabeth had witnessed in England the rise of a religious sect which insisted that certain changes should be made in the government and ceremonials of the Established or State Church of England. This they called purifying the Church, and in consequence they were themselves called Puritans.[34] At first they did not intend to form a new sect; but in 1580 one of their ministers, named Robert Brown, urged them to separate from the Church of England, and soon gathered about him a great number of followers, who were called Separatists or Brownists. They boldly asserted their right to worship as they pleased, and put their doctrines into practice. So hot a persecution followed, that in 1608 a party, led by William Brewster and John Robinson, fled from Scrooby, a little village in northern England, to Amsterdam, in Holland; but soon went on to Leyden, where they dwelt eleven years.[35] 32. Why the Separatists went to New England They had come to Holland as an organized community, practicing English manners and customs. For a temporary residence this would do. But if they and their children's children after them were to remain and prosper, they must break up their organization, forget their native land, their native speech, their national traditions, and to all intents and purposes become Dutch. This they could not bring themselves to do, and by 1617 they had fully determined to remove to some land where they might still continue to be Englishmen, and where they might lay the foundations of a Christian state. But one such land could then be found, and that was America. To America, therefore, they turned their attention, and after innumerable delays formed a company and obtained leave from the London Company to settle on the coast of what is now New Jersey.[36] This done, Brewster and Bradford and Miles Standish, with a little band, sent out as an advance guard, set sail from the Dutch port of Delft Haven in July, 1620, in the ship Speedwell. The first run was to Southampton, England, where some friends from London joined them in the Mayflower, and whence, August 5, they sailed for America. But the Speedwell proved so unseaworthy that the two ships put back to Plymouth, where twenty people gave up the voyage. September 6, 1620, such as remained steadfast, just 102 in number, reëmbarked on the Mayflower and began the most memorable of voyages. The weather was so foul, and the wind and sea so boisterous, that nine weeks passed before they beheld the sandy shores of Cape Cod. Having no right to settle there, as the cape lay far to the northward of the lands owned by the London Company, they turned their ship southward and attempted to go on. But head winds drove them back and forced them to seek shelter in Provincetown harbor, at the end of Cape Cod. [Illustration: The Mayflower[37]] [Illustration: THE MASSACHUSETTS COAST (map)] 33. The Mayflower Compact Since it was then the 11th of November, the Pilgrims, as they are now called, decided to get permission from the Plymouth Company to remain permanently. But certain members of the party, when they heard this, became unruly, and declared that as they were not to land in Virginia, they were no longer bound by the contracts they had made in England regarding their emigration to Virginia. To put an end to this, a meeting was held, November 21, 1620, in the cabin of the Mayflower, and a compact was drawn up and signed.[38] It declared 1. That they were loyal subjects of the King. 2. That they had undertaken to found a colony in the northern parts of Virginia, and now bound themselves to form a "civil body politic." 3. That they would frame such just and equal laws, from time to time, as might be for the general good. 4. And to these laws they promised "all due submission and obedience." [Illustration: Plymouth Rock] 34. The Founding of Plymouth The selection of a site for their home was now necessary, and five weeks were passed in exploring the coast before Captain Standish with a boatload of men entered the harbor which John Smith had noted on his map and named Plymouth. On the sandy shore of that harbor, close to the water's edge, was a little granite bowlder, and on this, according to tradition, the Pilgrims stepped as they came ashore, December 21, 1620. To this harbor the Mayflower was brought, and the work of founding Plymouth was begun. The winter was a dreadful one, and before spring fifty-one of the colonists had died.[39] But the Pilgrims stood fast, and in 1621 obtained a grant of land[40] from the Council for New England, which had just succeeded the Plymouth Company, under a charter giving it control between latitudes 40° and 48°, from sea to sea.[41] It was from the same Council that for fifteen years to come all other settlers in New England obtained their rights to the soil. [Illustration: Fragment of History of the Plymouth Plantation.] 35. A Puritan Colony proposed Among those who obtained such rights was a company of Dorchester merchants who planted a town on Cape Ann. The enterprise failed, and the colonists went off and settled at a place they called Naumkeag. But there was one man in Dorchester who was not discouraged by failure. He was John White, a Puritan rector. What had been done by the Separatists in a small way might be done, it seemed to White, on a great scale by an association of wealthy and influential Puritans. The matter was discussed by them in London, and in 1628 an association was formed, and a tract of land was bought from the Council for New England. 36. The "Sea to Sea" Grant Concerning the interior of our continent absolutely nothing was known. Nobody supposed it was more than half as wide as it really is. The grant to the association, therefore, stretched from three miles north of the Merrimac River to three miles south of the Charles River, along these rivers to their sources, and then westward across the continent from sea to sea.[42] As soon as the grant was obtained, John Endicott came out with a company of sixty persons, and took up his abode at Naumkeag, which, being an Indian and therefore a pagan name, he changed to Salem, the Hebrew word for "peace." 37. The Massachusetts Charter, 1629 The next step was to obtain the right of self-government, which was secured by a royal charter creating a corporation known as the Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay in New England. Over the affairs of the company were to preside a governor, deputy governor, and a council of eighteen to be elected annually by the members of the company.[43] Six ships were now fitted out, and in them 406 men, women, and children, with 140 head of cattle, set sail for Massachusetts. They reached Salem in safety and made it the largest colony in New England. 38. Why the Puritans came to New England It was in 1625 that Charles I. ascended the throne of England. Under him the quarrel with the Puritans grew worse each year. He violated his promises, he collected illegal taxes, he quartered troops on the people, he threw those into prison who would not contribute to his forced loans, or pressed them into the army or the navy. His Archbishop Laud persecuted the Puritans with shameful cruelty. Little wonder then that in 1629 twelve leading Puritans met in consultation and agreed to head a great migration to the New World, provided the charter and the government of the Massachusetts Bay Company were both removed to New England. This was agreed to, and in April, 1630, John Winthrop sailed with nearly one thousand Puritans for Salem. From Salem he moved to Charlestown, and later in the year (1630) to a little three-hilled peninsula, which the English called Tri-mountain or Tremont. There a town was founded and called Boston. The departure of Winthrop was the signal, and before the year 1630 ended, seventeen ships, bringing fifteen hundred Puritans, reached Massachusetts. The newcomers settled Charlestown, Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Watertown, and Newtown (now Cambridge). New England was planted.[44] 39. New Hampshire and Maine When it became apparent that the Plymouth colony was permanently settled, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, whose interest in New England had never lagged, together with John Mason obtained (1622) from the Council for New England a grant of Laconia, as they called the territory between the Merrimac and the Kennebec rivers, and from the Atlantic "to the great river of Canada." Seven years later (1629) they divided their property. Mason, taking the territory between the Merrimac and Piscataqua rivers, called it New Hampshire because he was Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire in England. Gorges took the region between the Piscataqua and the Kennebec, and called it Maine. After the death of Mason (1635) his colony was neglected and from 1641 to 1679 was annexed to Massachusetts. The King separated them in 1679, joined them again in 1688, and finally parted them in 1691, making New Hampshire a royal colony. Gorges took better care of his part and (in 1639) was given a charter with the title of Lord Proprietor of the Province or County of Maine, which extended, as before, from the Piscataqua to the Kennebec, and backward 120 miles from the ocean. But after his death the province fell into neglect, and the towns were gradually absorbed by Massachusetts, which, in 1677, bought the claims of the heir of Gorges for £1250 and governed Maine as lord proprietor under the Gorges charter. 40. Church and State in Massachusetts Down to the moment of their arrival in America the Puritans had not been Separatists. They were still members of the Church of England who desired to see her form of worship purified. But the party under Endicott had no sooner reached Salem than they seceded, and the first Congregational Church in New England was founded. Some in Salem were not prepared for so radical a step, and attempted to establish a church on the episcopal model; but Endicott promptly sent two of the leaders back to England. Thus were established two facts: 1. The separation or secession of the Colonial Church from that of England. 2. That the episcopal form of worship would not be tolerated in the colony. In 1631 another step was taken which united church and state, for it was then ordered that "no man shall be admitted to the freedom of this body politic, but such as are members of some of the churches within the limits of the same." This was intolerance of the grossest kind, and soon became the cause of troubles which led to the founding of Rhode Island and Connecticut. 41. The Planting of Rhode Island There came to Salem (from Plymouth), in 1633, a young minister named Roger Williams. He dissented heartily from the intolerance of the people of Massachusetts, and, though a minister of the Salem church, insisted 1. On the separation of church and state. 2. On the toleration of all religious beliefs. 3. On the repeal of all laws requiring attendance on religious worship. To us, in this century, the justice of each of these principles is self-evident. But in the seventeenth century there was no country in the world where it was safe to declare them. For doing so in some parts of Europe, a man would most certainly have been burned at the stake. For doing so in England, he would have been put in the pillory, or had his ears cut off, or been sent to jail. That Williams's teachings should seem rank heresy in New England was quite natural. But, to make matters worse, he wrote a pamphlet in which he boldly stated 1. That the soil belonged to the Indians. 2. That the settlers could obtain a valid title only by purchase from the Indians. 3. That accepting a deed for the land from a mere intruder like the King of England was a sin requiring public repentance. In the opinion of the people of New England such doctrine could not fail to bring down on Massachusetts the wrath of the King. When, therefore, a little later, Endicott cut the red cross of St. George out of the colors of the Salem militia, the people considered his act a defiance of royal authority, attributed it to the teachings of Williams, and proceeded to punish both. Endicott was rebuked by the General Court (or legislature) and forbidden to hold office for a year. Williams was ordered to go back to England. But he fled to the woods, and made his way through the snow to the wigwam of the Indian chief, Massasoit, on Narragansett Bay, and there in the summer of 1636 he founded Providence. About the same time another teacher of what was then thought heresy, Anne Hutchinson, was driven from Massachusetts, and with some of her followers went southward and founded Portsmouth and Newport, on the island of Rhode Island. For a while each of these settlements was independent, but in 1643 Williams went to London and secured a patent from Parliament which united them under the name of "The Incorporation of Providence Plantations on the Narragansett Bay in New England." 42. Connecticut begun In the same year that Roger Williams began his settlement at Providence, several hundred people from the towns near Boston went off and settled in the Connecticut valley. For a long time past there had been growing up in Massachusetts a strong feeling that the law that none but church members should vote or hold office was oppressive. This feeling became so strong that in 1635 some hardy pioneers from Dorchester pushed through the wilderness and settled at Windsor. A party from Watertown went further and settled Wethersfield. These were small movements. But in 1636 the Newtown congregation, led by its pastor, Thomas Hooker, walked to the Connecticut valley and founded Hartford. The congregations of the Dorchester and Watertown churches soon followed, while a party from Roxbury settled at Springfield. During three years these four towns were part of Massachusetts. But in 1639, Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield adopted a constitution and formed a little republic which in time was called Connecticut. Their "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut" was the first written constitution made in America. Their republic was the first in the history of the world to be founded by a written constitution, and marks the beginning of democratic government in our country. 43. The New Haven Colony Just at the time these things were happening in the Connecticut valley, the beginnings of another little republic were made on the shores of Long Island Sound. One day in the summer of 1637 there came to Boston a company of rich London merchants under the lead of an eloquent preacher named John Davenport. The people of Boston would gladly have kept the newcomers at that town. But the strangers desired to found a state of their own, and so, after spending some months in seeking for a spot with a good harbor, they left Boston in 1638 and founded New Haven. In 1639 Milford and Guilford were laid out, and Stamford was started in 1640. Three years later these four towns joined in a sort of federal union and took the name of the New Haven colony.[45] [Illustration: NEW ENGLAND AND NEW NETHERLAND] 44. "The United Colonies of New England" There were now five colonies in New England; namely, Plymouth, or the "Old Colony," Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Haven. Geographically, they were near each other. But each was weak in numbers, and if left without the aid of its neighbors, might easily have fallen a prey to some enemy. Of this the settlers were well aware, and in 1643 four of the colonies, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and New Haven[46] united for defense against the Indians and the Dutch, who claimed the Connecticut valley and so threatened the English colonies on the west. The name of this league was "The United Colonies of New England," and it was the first attempt in America at federal government. All its affairs were managed by a board of eight commissioners,—two from each colony,—who must be church members. They had no power to lay taxes or to meddle with the internal concerns of the colonies, but they had entire control over all dealings with Indians or with foreign powers. 45. The Year 1643 The year 1643 is thus an important one in colonial history. It was in that year that the New Haven colony was founded; that the league of The United Colonies of New England was formed; and that Roger Williams obtained the first charter of Rhode Island. 46. New Charters During the next twenty years no changes took place in the boundaries of the colonies. This was the period of the Civil War in England, of the Commonwealth, of the rule of Cromwell and the Puritans; and affairs in New England were left to take care of themselves. But in 1660 Charles II. was restored to the throne of England, and a new era opens in colonial history. In 1661 the little colony of Connecticut promptly acknowledged the restoration of Charles II. and applied for a charter. The application was more than granted; for to Connecticut (1662) was given not only a charter and an immense tract of land, but also the colony of New Haven.[47] The land grant was comprised in a strip that stretched across the continent from Rhode Island to the Pacific and was as wide as the present state.[48] Many of the New Haven colonists were disgusted by the union of their colony with Connecticut, and in June, 1667, migrated to New Jersey, where they founded "New-Ark" or Newark.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag In 1683 Penn made a famous treaty with the Indians, and laid out the city of Philadelphia. 51. The Three Lower Counties: Delaware If you look at the map of the British Colonies in 1764, you will see that Pennsylvania was the only English colony which did not have a seacoast. This was a cause of some anxiety to Penn, who was afraid that the settlers in Delaware and New Jersey might try to prevent his colonists from going in and out of Delaware Bay. To avoid this, he bought what is now Delaware from the Duke of York. The three lower counties on the Delaware, as the tract was called, had no boundary. Lawfully it belonged to Lord Baltimore. But neither the Dutch patroons who settled on the Delaware in 1631, nor the Swedes who came later, nor the Dutch who annexed New Sweden to New Netherland, nor the English who conquered the Dutch, paid any regard to Baltimore's rights. At last, after the purchase of Delaware, the heirs of Baltimore and of Penn (1732) agreed on what is the present boundary line. After 1703 the people of the three lower counties were allowed to have an assembly or legislature of their own; but they had the same governor as Pennsylvania and were a part of that colony till the Revolution.[49] 52. Georgia The return of the Carolinas to the King in 1729 was very soon followed by the establishment of the last colony ever planted by England in the United States. The founder was James Oglethorpe, an English soldier and member of Parliament. Filled with pity for the poor debtors with whom the English jails were then crowded, he formed a plan to pay the debts of the most deserving, send them to America, and give them what hundreds of thousands of men have since found in our country,—a chance to begin life anew. [Illustration] Great numbers of people became interested in his plan, and finally twenty-two persons under Oglethorpe's lead formed an association and secured a charter from King George II. for a colony, which they called Georgia. The territory granted lay between the Savannah and the Altamaha rivers, and extended from their mouths to their sources and then across the country to the Pacific Ocean. Oglethorpe had selected this tract in order that his colonists might serve the patriotic purpose of protecting Charleston from the Spanish attacks to which it was then exposed. Money for the colony was easily raised,[50] and in November, 1732, Oglethorpe, with 130 persons, set out for Charleston, and after a short stay there passed southward and founded the city of Savannah (1733). It must not be supposed that all the colonists were poor debtors. In time, Italians from Piedmont, Moravians and Lutherans from Germany, and Scotchmen from the Highlands, all made settlements in Georgia. 53. The Thirteen English Colonies Thus it came about that between 1606 and 1733 thirteen English colonies were planted on the Atlantic seaboard of what is now the United States. Naming them from north to south, they were: 1. New Hampshire, with no definite western boundary; 2. Massachusetts, which owned Maine and a strip of territory across the continent; 3. Rhode Island, with her present bounds; 4. Connecticut, with a great tract of land extending to the Pacific; 5. New York, with undefined bounds; 6. New Jersey; 7. Pennsylvania and 8. Delaware, the property of the Penn family; 9. Maryland, the property of the heirs of Lord Baltimore; 10. Virginia, with claims to a great part of North America; 11. North Carolina, 12. South Carolina, and 13. Georgia, all with claims to the Pacific. SUMMARY 1. The English seized New Netherland (1664), giving it to the Duke of York; and the Duke, after establishing the province of New York, gave New Jersey to two of his friends, and sold the three counties on the Delaware to William Penn. 2. Meanwhile the King granted Penn what is now Pennsylvania (1681). 3. The Carolinas were first chartered as one proprietary colony, but were sold back to the King and finally separated in 1729. 4. Georgia, the last of the thirteen English colonies, was granted to Oglethorpe and others as a refuge for poor debtors (1732). VI. The French in the Mississippi Valley 54. The Early French Possessions The Early French Possessions on our continent may be arranged in three great areas: 1. Acadia, 2. New France, 3. Louisiana, or the basin of the Mississippi River. ACADIA comprised what is now New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and a part of Maine. It was settled in the early years of the seventeenth century at Port Royal (now Annapolis, Nova Scotia), at Mount Desert Island, and on the St. Croix River. NEW FRANCE was the drainage basin of the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes. As far back as 1535 Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River to the site of Montreal. But it was not till 1608 that a party under Champlain made the first permanent settlement on the river, at Quebec. The French settlers at once entered into an alliance with the Huron and Algonquin Indians, who lived along the St. Lawrence River. But these tribes were the bitter enemies of the Iroquois, who dwelt in what is now central New York, and when, in consequence of this alliance, the French were summoned to take the warpath, Champlain, with a few followers, went, and on the shore of the lake which now bears his name, not far from the site of Ticonderoga, he met and defeated the Iroquois tribe of Mohawks in July, 1609. The battle was a small affair; but its consequences were serious and lasting, for the Iroquois were thenceforth the enemies of the French, and prevented them from ever coming southward and taking possession of the Hudson and the Mohawk valleys. When, therefore, the French merchants began to engage in the fur trade with the Indians, and the French priests began their efforts to convert the Indians to Christianity, they were forced to go westward further and further into the interior. [Illustration: EUROPEAN CLAIMS AND EXPLORATIONS 1650] Their route, instead of being up the St. Lawrence, was up the Ottawa River to its head waters, over the portage to Lake Nipissing, and down its outlet to Georgian Bay, where the waters of the Great Lakes lay before them (see map on p. 63). They explored these lakes, dotted their shores here and there with mission and fur-trading stations, and took possession of the country. 55. The French on the Mississippi In the course of these explorations the French heard accounts from the Indians of a great river to the westward, and in 1672 Father Marquette (mar-ket') and Louis Joliet (zho-le-a') were sent by the governor of New France to search for it. They set out, in May, 1673, from Michilimackinac, a French trading post and mission at the foot of Lake Michigan. With five companions, in two birch-bark canoes, they paddled up the lake to Green Bay, entered Fox River, and, dragging the boats through its boiling rapids, came to a village where lived the Miamis and the Kickapoos. These Indians tried to dissuade them from going on; but Marquette was resolute, and on the 10th of June, 1673, he led his followers over the swamps and marshes that separated Fox River from a river which the Indian guides assured him flowed into the Mississippi. This westward-flowing river he called the Wisconsin, and there the guides left him, as he says, "alone, amid that unknown country, in the hands of God." The little band shoved their canoes boldly out upon the river, and for seven days floated slowly downward into the unknown. At last, on the 17th of June, they paddled out on the bosom of the Mississippi, and, turning their canoes to the south, followed the bends and twists of the river, past the mouth of the Missouri, past the Ohio, to a point not far from the mouth of the Arkansas. There the voyage ended, and the party went slowly back to the Lakes.[51] 56. La Salle finishes the Work of Marquette and Joliet The discovery of Marquette and Joliet was the greatest of the age. Yet five years went by before Robert de la Salle (lah sahl') set forth with authority from the French King "to labor at the discovery of the western part of New France," and began the attempt to follow the river to the sea. In 1678 La Salle and his companions left Canada, and made their way to the shore of Lake Erie, where during the winter they built and launched the Griffin, the first ship that ever floated on those waters. In this they sailed to the mouth of Green Bay, and from there pushed on to the Illinois River, to an Indian camp not far from the site of Peoria, Ill. Just below this camp La Salle built Fort Crèvecoeur (cra'v-ker, a word meaning heart-break, vexation). [Illustration: FRENCH CLAIMS MISSIONS AND TRADING POSTS IN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY in 1700] Leaving the party there in charge of Henri de Tonty to construct another ship, he with five companions went back to Canada. On his return he found that Fort Crèvecoeur was in ruins, and that Tonty and the few men who had been faithful were gone, he knew not where. In the hope of meeting them he pushed on down the Illinois to the Mississippi. To go on would have been easy, but he turned back to find Tonty, and passed the winter on the St. Joseph River. From there in November, 1681, he once more set forth, crossed the lake to the place where Chicago now is, went up the Chicago River and over the portage to the Illinois, and early in February floated out on the Mississippi. It was, on that day, a surging torrent full of trees and floating ice; but the explorers kept on their way and came at last to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. There La Salle took formal possession of all the regions drained by the Mississippi, the Ohio, and their tributaries, claiming them in the name of France, and naming the country thus claimed "Louisiana." The iron will, the splendid courage, of La Salle had triumphed over every obstacle and made him one of the grandest characters in history. But his work was far from ended. The valley he had explored, the territory he had added to France, must be occupied, and to occupy it two things were necessary: 1. A colony must be planted at the mouth of the Mississippi, to control its navigation and shut out the Spaniards. 2. A strong fort must be built on the Illinois, to overawe the Indians. In order to overawe the Indians, La Salle now hurried back to the Illinois River, where, in December, 1682, near the present town of Ottawa, on the summit of a cliff now known as "Starved Rock," he built a stockade which he called Fort St. Louis. In 1684, while on a voyage from France to plant a colony on the Mississippi, he missed the mouth and brought up on the coast of Texas; and, landing on the sands of Matagorda Bay, the colonists built another Fort St. Louis. But death rapidly reduced their numbers, and, in their distress, they parted. Some remained at the fort and were killed by the Indians. Others, led by La Salle, started for the Illinois River and reached it; but without their leader, whom they had murdered on the way. SUMMARY 1. After the settlement of Quebec (1608) the French began to explore the regions lying to the west, discovered the Great Lakes, and heard of a great river—the Mississippi. 2. This river Marquette and Joliet explored from the mouth of the Wisconsin to the mouth of the Arkansas (1673). 3. Then La Salle floated down the Mississippi from the Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, took formal possession of the valley in the name of his King, and called it Louisiana (1682). [Illustration: Starved Rock] VII. The Indians 57. When Europeans first set foot When Europeans first set foot on our shores, they found the country already inhabited, and, adopting the name given to the men of the New World by Columbus, they called these people "Indians." They were not "Indians," or natives of Asia, but a race by themselves, which ages before the time of Columbus was spread over all North and South America. Like their descendants in the West to-day, they had red or copper-colored skins, their eyes and long straight hair were jet black, their faces beardless, and their cheek bones high. 58. The Villages East of the Rocky Mountains the Indians lived in villages, often covering several acres in area, and surrounded by stockades of two and even three rows of posts. The stockade was pierced with loopholes, and provided with platforms on which were piles of stones for the defenders to hurl on the heads of their enemies. Sometimes the structures which formed the village were wigwams—rude structures made by driving poles into the ground in a circle, drawing their tops near together, and then covering them with bark or skins. Sometimes the dwellings had rudely framed sides and roofs covered with layers of elm bark. Usually these structures were fifteen or twenty feet wide by 100 feet long. At each end was a door. Along each side were ten or twelve stalls, in each of which lived a family, so that one house held twenty or more families. Down the middle at regular intervals were fire pits where the food was cooked, the smoke escaping through holes in the roof.[52] [Illustration: Buffalo-skin lodge] 59. Clans and Tribes All the families living in such a house traced descent from a common female ancestor, and formed a clan. Each clan had its own name,—usually that of some animal, as the Wolf, the Bear, or the Turtle,—its own sachem or civil magistrate, and its own war chiefs, and owned all the food and all the property, except weapons and ornaments, in common. A number of such clans made a tribe, which had one language and was governed by a council of the clan sachems. [Illustration: Seneca long house] 60. The Three Indian Races With slight exceptions, the tribes living east of the Mississippi are divided, by those who have studied their languages, into three great groups: 1. The Muskhogees, who lived south of the Tennessee River and comprised the Creek, the Seminole, the Choctaw, and the Chickasaw tribes. 2. The Iroquoian group, which occupied the country from the Delaware and the Hudson to and beyond the St. Lawrence and Lakes Ontario and Erie, besides isolated tracts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The chief tribes were the Iroquois proper,—forming a confederacy in central New York known as the Five Nations (Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas, and Mohawks),—the Hurons, the Eries, the Cherokees, and the Tuscaroras. [Illustration: Moccasin] 3. The Algonquian group, which occupied the rest of what is now the United States east of the Mississippi, besides the larger part of Canada. In this group were the Mohegans, Pequots, and Narragansetts of New England; the Delawares; the Powhatans of Virginia; the Shawnees of the Ohio valley, and many others living around the Great Lakes. [Illustration: Flint Hatchet] 61. Weapons and Implements and Clothing All of these tribes had made some progress towards civilization. They used pottery and ornamental pipes of clay. They raised beans and squashes, pumpkins, tobacco, and maize, or Indian corn, which they ground to meal by rubbing between two stones. For hunting they had bows, arrows with stone heads, hatchets of flint, and spears. In summer they went almost naked. In winter they wore clothing made from the skins of fur-bearing animals and the hides of buffalo and deer. For navigating streams and rivers, lakes and bays, they constructed canoes of birch bark sewed together with thongs of deerskin and smeared at the joints with spruce-tree gum. 62. Traits of Character Living an outdoor life, and depending for daily food not so much on the maize they raised as on the fish they caught and the animals they killed, the Indians were most expert woodsmen. They were swift of foot, quick-witted, keen-sighted, and most patient of hunger, fatigue, and cold. White men were amazed at the rapidity with which the Indian followed the most obscure trail over the most difficult ground, at the perfection with which he imitated the bark of the wolf, the hoot of the owl, the call of the moose, and at the catlike tread with which he walked over beds of autumn leaves the side of the grazing deer. [Illustration: Ornamental pipe] [Illustration: Quiver, with bows and arrows] Courage and fortitude he possessed in the highest degree. Yet with his bravery were associated all the vices, all the dark and crooked ways, which are the resort of the cowardly and the weak. He was treacherous, revengeful, and cruel beyond description. Much as he loved war (and war was his chief occupation), the fair and open fight had no charm for him. To his mind it was madness to take the scalp of an enemy at the risk of his own, when he might waylay him in an ambush or shoot him with an arrow from behind a tree. He was never so happy as when, at the dead of night, he roused his sleeping victims with an unearthly yell and massacred them by the light of their burning home. 63. The French and the Indians The ways in which French and English colonists acted towards the Indian are highly characteristic, and account for much in our history. From the day when Champlain, in 1609, joined his Huron-Algonquin neighbors and went with them on the warpath against the Iroquois, the French held to the policy of making friends with the Indians. No pains were spared to win them to the cause of France. They were flattered, petted, treated with ceremonial respect, and became the companions, as the women often became the wives, of the Frenchmen. Much was expected of this mingling of races. It was supposed that the Indian would be won over to civilization and Christianity. But the Frenchmen were won over to the Indians, and adopted Indian ways of life. They lived in wigwams, wore Indian dress, decorated their long hair with eagle feathers, and made their faces hideous with vermilion, ocher, and soot. 64. Coureurs de Bois There soon grew up in this way a class of half-civilized vagrants, who ranged the woods in true Indian style, and gained a living by guiding the canoes of fur traders along the rivers and lakes of the interior. Stimulated by the profits of the fur trade, these men pushed their traffic to the most distant tribes, spreading French guns, French hatchets, beads, cloth, tobacco and brandy, and French influence over the whole Northwest. Where the trader and the coureur de bois went, the priest and the soldier followed, and soon mission houses and forts were established at all the chief passes and places suited to control the Indian trade. 65. The English and the Indians How, meantime, did the English act toward the Indians? In the first place, nothing led them to form close relationship with the tribes. The fur trade—the source of Canadian prosperity—and the zeal of priests eager for the conversion of the heathen, which sent the traders, the coureurs de bois, and the priests from tribe to tribe and from the Atlantic halfway to the Pacific, did not appeal to the English colonists. Farming and commerce were the sources of their wealth. Their priests and missionaries were content to labor with the Indians near at hand. In the second place, the policy of the French towards the Indians, while founded on trade, was directed by one central government. The policy of the English was directed by each colony, and was of as many kinds as there were colonies. No English frontier exhibited such a mingling of white men and red as was common wherever the French went. Among the English there were fur traders, but no coureurs de bois. Scorn on the one side and hatred on the other generally marked the intercourse between the English and the Indians. One bright exception must indeed be made. Penn was a broad-minded lover of his kind, a man of most enlightened views on government and human rights; and in the colony planted by him there was made a serious effort to treat the Indian as an equal. But the day came when men not of his faith dealt with the Indians in true English fashion. Remembering this difference of treatment, we shall the better understand how it happened that the French could sprinkle the West with little posts far from Quebec and surrounded by the fiercest of tribes, while the English could only with difficulty defend their frontier.[53] 66. Early Indian Wars Again and again this frontier was attacked. In 1636 the Pequots, who dwelt along the Thames River in Connecticut, made war on the settlers in the Connecticut River valley towns. Men were waylaid and scalped, or taken prisoners and burned at the stake. Determined to put an end to this, ninety men from the Connecticut towns, with twenty from Massachusetts and some Mohegan Indians, in 1637 marched against the marauders. They found the Pequots within a circular stockade near the present town of Stonington, where of 400 warriors all save five were killed. 67. King Philip's War During nearly forty years not a tribe in all New England dared rise against the white men. But in 1675 trouble began again. The settlers were steadily crowding the Indians off their lands. No lands were taken without payment, yet the sales were far from being voluntary. A new generation of Indians, too, had grown up, and, heedless of the lesson taught their fathers, the Narragansetts, Nipmucks, and Wampanoags, led by King Philip and Canonchet, rose upon the English. A dreadful war followed. When it ended, in 1678, the three tribes were annihilated. Hardly any Indians save the friendly Mohawks were left in New England. But of ninety English towns, forty had been the scene of fire and slaughter, and twelve had been destroyed utterly. 68. The Iroquois Elsewhere on the frontier a happier relation existed with the Indians. The Iroquois of central New York were the fiercest and most warlike Indians of the Atlantic coast. But the fight with Champlain, in 1609, by turning them into implacable enemies of the French, had rendered them all the more tolerant of the Dutch and the English, while their complete conquest and subjugation of the Delawares, or Lenni Lenape, prepared the way for the easy settlement of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 69. Penn and the Lenni Lenape These Indians were Algonquian, and lived along the Delaware River and its tributaries. But early in the seventeenth century they had been reduced to vassalage by the Five Nations, had been forbidden to carry arms, and had been forced to take the name of Women.[54] When the Dutch and Swedes began their settlements on the South River, and when Penn, in 1683, made a treaty with the Delawares, the settlers had to deal with peaceful Indians. No horrid wars mark the early history of Pennsylvania. 70. The Powhatans in Virginia Much the same may be said of the Virginia tribes. They were far from friendly, and had they been as fierce and warlike as the northern tribes, neither the skill of John Smith, nor the marriage of Pocahontas (the daughter of Powhatan) with John Rolfe, nor fear of the English muskets, would have saved Jamestown. [Illustration: Powhatan Indians at work[55]] On the other hand, the destruction of the tribes in New England and the feud between the French and the Iroquois saved New England. For the time had now come for the opening of the long struggle between the French and the English for the ownership of the continent. SUMMARY 1. The inhabitants of the New World at the time of its discovery, by mistake called Indians, were barbarians, lived in rude, frail houses, and used weapons and implements inferior to those of the whites. 2. The Indian tribes of eastern North America are mostly divided into three great groups: Muskhogean, Iroquoian, and Algonquian. 3. In general, the French made the Indians their friends, while the English drove them westward and treated them as an inferior race. VIII. The Struggle for New France and Louisiana 71. Louisiana, or the Mississippi Basin The landing of La Salle on the coast of Texas, and the building of Fort St. Louis of Texas, gave the French a claim to the coast as far southward as a point halfway between the fort and the nearest Spanish settlement, in Mexico. At that point was the Rio Grande, a good natural boundary. On the French maps, therefore, Louisiana extended from the Rocky Mountains and the Rio Grande on the west, to the Alleghany Mountains on the east, and from the Gulf of Mexico on the south, to New France on the north. This confined the English colonies to a narrow strip between the Alleghany Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. As the colonies were growing in population, and as the charters of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and Carolina gave them great stretches of territory in the Mississippi valley, it was inevitable that, sooner or later, a bitter contest for possession of the country should take place between the French and the English in America. The contest began in 1689, and ended in 1763, and may easily be divided into two periods: 1. That from 1689 to 1748, when the struggle was for Acadia and New France. 2. That from 1754 to 1763, when the struggle was not only for New France, but for Louisiana also. === 72. The Struggle for Acadia and New France; "King William's War" In 1688-89 there was a revolution in England, in the course of which James II. was driven from his throne, and William and Mary, his nephew and daughter, were seated on it. James took refuge in France, and when Louis XIV. attempted to restore him, a great European war followed, and of course the colonists of the two countries were very soon fighting each other. As the quarrel did not arise on this side of the ocean, the English colonists called it "King William's War"; but on our continent it was really the beginning of a long struggle to determine whether France or England should rule North America. The French recognized this at once, and sent over a very able soldier—Count Frontenac—with orders to conquer New York; but the colony was saved by the Iroquois, who in the summer of 1689 began a war of their own against the French, laid siege to Montreal, and roasted French captives under its walls. Frontenac was compelled to put off his attack till 1690, when in the dead of winter a band of French and Indians burned Schenectady, N.Y. Salmon Falls in New Hampshire was next laid waste (1690), and Fort Loyal, where Portland, Me., is, was taken and destroyed. A little later Exeter, N.H., was attacked. The boldness and suddenness of these fearful massacres so alarmed the people exposed to them that in May, 1690, delegates from Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New York met at New York city to devise a plan of attack on the French. Now, at the opening of the war, there were three French strongholds in America. These were Montreal and Quebec in Canada, and Port Royal in Acadia. In 1690 a Massachusetts fleet led by Sir William Phips destroyed Port Royal. It was decided, therefore, to send another fleet under Phips to take Quebec, while troops from New York and Connecticut marched against Montreal. Both expeditions were failures, and for seven years the French and Indians ravaged the frontier. In 1692 York, in Maine, was visited and a third of the inhabitants killed. In 1694 Castine was taken and a hundred persons scalped and tomahawked. At Durham, in New Hampshire, prisoners were burned alive. Groton, in Massachusetts, was next visited; but the boldest of all was the massacre, in 1697, at Haverhill, a town not thirty-five miles from Boston. In 1696, Frontenac, at the head of a great array of Canadians, coureurs de bois, and Indians, invaded the country of the Onondagas, and leveled their fortified town to the earth. [Illustration: MAP OF PART OF ACADIA] 73. The Struggle for Acadia and New France; "Queen Anne's War" In 1697 the war ended with the treaty of Ryswick, and "King William's War" came to a close in America with nothing gained and much lost on each side. The peace, however, did not last long, for in 1701 England and France were again fighting. As William died in 1702, and was succeeded by his sister-in-law Anne, the struggle which followed in America was called "Queen Anne's War." Again Port Royal was captured (1710); again an expedition went against Quebec and failed (1711); and again, year after year, the French and Indians swept along the frontier of New England, burning towns and slaughtering and torturing the inhabitants. At last the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, ended the strife, and the first signs of English conquest in America were visible, for the French gave up Acadia and acknowledged the claims of the English to Newfoundland and the country around Hudson Bay. The name Acadia was changed by the conquerors to Nova Scotia. Port Royal, never again to be parted with, they called Annapolis, in honor of the Queen.[56] 74. The French take Possession of the Mississippi Valley; the Chain of Forts The peace made at Utrecht was unbroken for thirty years. But this long period was, on the part of the French in America, at least, a time of careful preparation for the coming struggle for possession of the valleys of the Mississippi, the Ohio, and the Lakes. In the Mississippi valley most elaborate preparations for defense were already under way. No sooner did the treaty of Ryswick end the first French war than a young naval officer named Iberville applied to the King for leave to take out an expedition and found a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi, just as La Salle had attempted to do. Permission was readily given, and in 1698 Iberville sailed with two ships from France, and in February, 1699, entered Mobile Bay. Leaving his fleet at anchor, he set off with a party in small boats in search of the great river. He coasted along the shore, entered the Mississippi through one of its three mouths, and went up the river till he came to an Indian village, where the chief gave him a letter which Tonty, thirteen years before, when in search of La Salle, had written and left in the crotch of a tree. Iberville now knew that he was on the Mississippi; but having seen no spot along its low banks suitable for the site of a city, he went back and led his colony to Biloxi Bay, and there settled it. Thus when the eighteenth century opened there were in all Louisiana but two French settlements—that founded on the Illinois River by La Salle, and that begun by Iberville at Biloxi. But the occupation of Louisiana was now the established policy of France, and hardly a year went by without one or more forts appearing somewhere in the valley. Before 1725 came, Mobile Bay was occupied, New Orleans was founded, and Forts Rosalie, Toulouse, Tombeckbee, Natchitoches, Assumption, and Chartres were erected. Along the Lakes, Detroit had been founded, Niagara was built in 1726, and in 1731 a band of Frenchmen, entering New York, put up Crown Point.[57] The meaning of this chain of forts stretching from New Orleans and Mobile to Lake Champlain and Montreal, was that the French were determined to shut the English out of the valley of the Mississippi, and to keep them away from the shores of the Great Lakes. But they were also determined at the first chance to reconquer Annapolis and Nova Scotia, which they had lost by the treaty of Utrecht in 1713. As a very important step towards the accomplishment of this purpose, the French selected a harbor on the southeast coast of Cape Breton Island, and there built Louisburg, a fortress so strong that the French officers boasted that it could be defended by a garrison of women. 75. The Struggle for New France; "King George's War" Such was the situation in America when (in March, 1744) France declared war on England and began what in Europe was called the "War of the Austrian Succession"; but in our country it was known as "King George's War," because George II. was then King of England. The French, with their usual promptness, rushed down and burned the little English post of Canso, in Nova Scotia, carried off the garrison, and attacked Annapolis, where they were driven off. That Nova Scotia could be saved, seemed hopeless. Nevertheless, Governor Shirley of Massachusetts determined to make the attempt, and that the King might know the exact situation he sent to London, with a dispatch, an officer named Captain Ryal, who had been taken prisoner at Canso and afterwards released on parole.[58] Although Shirley applied to the King for help with which to defend Nova Scotia, he knew full well that the burden of defense would fall on the colonies. And with that determination and persistence which always brings success he labored hard to persuade New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island to join with Massachusetts in an effort to capture Louisburg. It would be delightful to tell how he overcame all difficulties; how the young men rallied on the call for troops; how at the end of March, 1745, 4000 of them in a hundred transports and accompanied by fourteen armed ships set sail, followed by the prayers of all New England, and after a siege of six weeks took the fortress on the 17th of June, 1745. But the story is too long.[59] It is enough to know that the victory was hailed with delight on both sides of the Atlantic, but that when peace came, in 1748, the British government was still so blind to the struggle for North America which had been going on for fifty years, that Louisburg was restored to the French. 76. The French on the Allegheny River; the Buried Plates With Louisburg back in their possession and no territory lost, the French went on more vigorously than ever with their preparations to shut the British out of the Mississippi valley; and as but one highway to the valley, the Ohio River, was still unguarded, the governor of Canada, in 1749, dispatched Céloron de Bienville with a band of men in twenty-three birch-bark canoes to take formal possession of the valley. Paddling up the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, they carried their canoes across to Lake Erie, and, skirting the southeastern shore, they landed and crossed to Chautauqua Lake, down which and its outlet they floated to the Allegheny River. Once on the Allegheny, the ceremony of taking possession began. The men were drawn up, and Louis XV. was proclaimed king of all the region drained by the Ohio. The arms of France stamped on a sheet of tin were nailed to a tree, at the foot of which a lead plate was buried in the ground. On the plate was an inscription claiming the Ohio, and all the streams that run into it, in the name of the King of France. [Illustration: [60]Half of one of the lead plates] * * * * TRANSLATION OF THE ENTIRE INSCRIPTION In the year 1749, during the reign of Louis XV., King of France, we, Céleron, commander of a detachment sent by the Marquis de la Gallissonière, commander in chief of New France, to restore tranquillity in some savage villages of these districts, have buried this plate at the confluence of the Ohio and … this … near the river Ohio, alias Beautiful River, as a monument of our having retaken possession of the said river Ohio and of those that fall into the same, and of all the lands on both sides as far as the sources of the said rivers, as well as of those of which preceding kings have enjoyed possession, partly by the force of arms, partly by treaties, especially by those of Ryswick, Utrecht, and Aix-la-Chapelle. A second plate was buried below the mouth of French Creek; a third near the mouth of Wheeling Creek; and a fourth at the mouth of the Muskingum, where half a century later it was found protruding from the river bank by a party of boys while bathing. Yet another was unearthed at the mouth of the Great Kanawha by a freshet, and was likewise found by a boy while playing at the water's edge. The last plate was hidden where the Great Miami joins the Ohio; and this done, Céloron crossed Ohio to Lake Erie and went back to Montreal.[61] 77. The French build Forts on the Allegheny This formal taking possession of the valleys of the Allegheny and the Ohio was all well enough in its way; but the French knew that if they really intended to keep out the British they must depend on forts and troops, and not on lead plates. To convince the French King of this, required time; so that it was not till 1752 that orders were given to fortify the route taken by Céloron in 1749. The party charged with this duty repaired to the little peninsula where is now the city of Erie, and there built a log fort which they called Presque Isle. Having done this, they cut a road twenty miles long, to the site of Waterford, Pa., and built Fort Le Boeuf, and later one at Venango, the present site of the town of Franklin. 78. Washington's First Public Service The arrival of the French in western Pennsylvania alarmed and excited no one so much as Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia. He had two good reasons for his excitement. In the first place, Virginia, because of the interpretation she placed on her charter of 1609, claimed to own the Allegheny valley (see p. 33). In the second place, the governor and a number of Virginia planters were deeply interested in a great land company called the Ohio Company, to which the King of England had given 500,000 acres lying along the Ohio River between the Monongahela and the Kanawha rivers, a region which the French claimed, and toward which they were moving. As soon, therefore, as Dinwiddie heard that the French were really building forts in the upper Allegheny valley, he determined to make a formal demand for their withdrawal, and chose as his messenger George Washington, then a young man of twenty-one, and adjutant general of the Virginia militia. Washington's instructions bade him go to Logstown, on the Ohio, find out all he could as to the whereabouts of the French, and then proceed to the commanding officer, deliver the letter of Dinwiddie, and demand an answer. He was especially charged to ascertain how many French forts had been erected, how many soldiers there were in each, how far apart the posts were, and if they were to be supported from Quebec.[62] With that promptness which distinguished him during his whole life, Washington set out on his perilous journey the very day he received his instructions, and made his way first to Logstown, and then to Fort Le Boeuf, where he delivered Governor Dinwiddie's letter to the French commandant. The reply of Saint-Pierre—for that was the name of the French commandant—was that he would send the letter of Dinwiddie to the governor of Canada, the Marquis Duquesne (doo-kan'), and that, in the meantime, he would hold the fort. [Illustration: The French and the English Forts] 79. Fort Duquesne When Dinwiddie read the answer of Saint-Pierre, he saw clearly that the time had come to act. The French were in force on the upper Allegheny. Unless something was done to drive them out, they would soon be at the forks of the Ohio, and once they were there, the splendid tract of the Ohio Company would be lost forever. Without a moment's delay he decided to take possession of the forks of the Ohio, and raised two companies of militia of 100 men each. A trader named William Trent was in command of one of the companies, and that no time should be lost, he, with forty men, hurried forward, and, February 17, 1754, drove the first stake of a stockade that was to surround a fort on the site of the city of Pittsburg. While the English were still at work on their fort, April 17, 1754, a body of French and Indians came down from Le Boeuf, and bade them leave the valley. Trent was away, and the working party was in command of an ensign named Ward, who, as resistance was useless, surrendered, and was allowed to march off with his men. The French then finished the fort Trent had begun, and called it Fort Duquesne, after the governor of Canada. 80. "Join or Die." Meantime the legislature of Virginia voted £10,000 for the defense of the Ohio valley, and promised a land bounty to every man who would volunteer to fight the French and Indians. Joshua Frye was made colonel, and Washington lieutenant colonel of the troops thus to be raised. As some time must elapse before the ranks could be filled, Washington took seventy-five men and (in March, 1754) set off to help Trent; but he had not gone far on his way when Ensign Ward met him (where Cumberland, Md., now is) and told him all about the surrender. Accounts of the affair were at once sent to the governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. [Illustration: JOIN, or DIE.] In publishing one of these in the Pennsylvania Gazette, Franklin inserted the above picture at the top of the account.[63] 81. Albany Plan of Union The picture was apt for the following reason. The Lords of Trade in London had ordered the colonies to send delegates to Albany to make a treaty with the Iroquois Indians, and to this congress Franklin purposed to submit a plan for union against the French. The plan drawn up by the congress was not approved by the colonies, so the scheme of union came to naught. 82. Washington's Expedition Meanwhile great events were happening in the west. When Washington met Ensign Ward at Cumberland and heard the story of the surrender, he was at a loss just what to do; but knowing that he was expected to do something, he decided to go to a storehouse which the Ohio Company had built at the mouth of a stream called Redstone Creek in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pushing along, cutting as he went the first road that ever led down to the valley of the Mississippi from the Atlantic slope, he reached a narrow glade called the Great Meadows and there began to put up a breastwork which he named Fort Necessity. While so engaged news came that the French were near. Washington thereupon took a few men, and, coming suddenly on the French, killed or captured them all save one. Among the dead was Jumonville, the leader of the party. Well satisfied with this exploit, Washington pushed on with his entire force towards the Ohio. But, hearing that the French were advancing, he fell back to Fort Necessity, and there awaited them. He did not wait long; for the French and Indians came down in great force, and on July 4, 1754, forced him, after a brave resistance, to surrender. He was allowed to march out with drums beating and flags flying.[64] 83. The French and Indian War Thus was begun what the colonists called the French and Indian War, but what was really a struggle between the French and the British for the possession of America. Knowing it to be such, both sides made great preparations for the contest. The French stood on the defensive. The British made the attack, and early in 1755 sent over one of their ablest officers, Major General Edward Braddock, to be commander in chief in America. He summoned the colonial governors to meet him at Alexandria, Va., where a plan for a campaign was agreed on. 84. Plan for the War Vast stretches of dense and almost impenetrable forest then separated the colonies of the two nations, but through this forest were three natural highways of communication: 1. Lake George, Lake Champlain, and the St. Lawrence River. 2. The Hudson, the Mohawk, Lake Ontario, and the Niagara River. 3. The Potomac to Fort Cumberland, and through the forest to Fort Duquesne. It was decided, therefore, to have four expeditions. 1. One was to go north from New York to Lake Champlain, take the French fort at Crown Point, and move against Quebec. 2. Another was to sail from New England and make such a demonstration against the French towns to the northeast, as would prevent the French in that quarter going off to defend Quebec and Crown Point. 3. The third was to start from Albany, go up the Mohawk, and down the Oswego River to Lake Ontario, and along its shores to the Niagara River. 4. The fourth was to go from Fort Cumberland across Pennsylvania to Fort Duquesne. 85. Braddock's Defeat, July 9, 1755 Braddock took command of this last expedition and made Washington one of his aids. For a while he found it impossible to move his army, for in Virginia horses and wagons were very scarce, and without them he could not carry his baggage or drag his cannon. At last Benjamin Franklin, then deputy postmaster-general of the colonies, persuaded the farmers of Pennsylvania, who had plenty, to rent the wagons and horses to the general. All this took time, so that it was June before the army left Fort Cumberland and literally began to cut its way through the woods to Fort Duquesne. The march was slow, but all went well till the troops had crossed the Monongahela River and were but eight miles from the fort, when suddenly the advance guard came face to face with an army of Indians and French. The Indians and French instantly hid in the bushes and behind trees, and poured an incessant fire into the ranks of the British. They, too, would gladly have fought in Indian fashion. But Braddock thought this cowardly and would not allow them to get behind trees, so they stood huddled in groups, a fine mark for the Indians, till so many were killed that a retreat had to be ordered. Then they fled, and had it not been for Washington and his Virginians, who covered their flight, they would probably have been killed to a man.[65] Braddock was wounded just as the retreat began, and died a few days later. 86. The Other Expeditions The expedition against Niagara was a failure. The officer in command did not take his army further than Oswego on Lake Ontario. The expedition against Crown Point was partially successful, and a stubborn battle was fought and a victory won over the French on the shores of that beautiful sheet of water which the English ever after called Lake George in honor of the King. 87. War declared Up to this time all the fighting had been done along the frontier in America. But in May, 1756, Great Britain formally declared war against France. The French at once sent over Montcalm,[66] the very ablest Frenchman that ever commanded on this continent, and there followed two years of warfare disastrous to the British. Montcalm took and burned Oswego, won over the Indians to the cause of France, and was about to send a strong fleet to attack New England, when, toward the end of 1757, William Pitt was made virtually (though not in name) Prime Minister of England. William Pitt was one of the greatest Englishmen that ever lived. He could see exactly what to do, and he could pick out exactly the right man to do it. No wonder, then, that as soon as he came into power the British began to gain victories. 88. The Victories of 1758 Once more the French were attacked at their three vulnerable points, and this time with success. In 1758 Louisburg surrendered to Amherst and Boscawen. In that same year Washington captured Fort Duquesne, which, in honor of the great Prime Minister, was called Fort Pitt. A provincial officer named Bradstreet destroyed Fort Frontenac on Lake Ontario. This was a heavy blow to the French; for with Fort Frontenac gone and Fort Duquesne in English hands, the Ohio was cut off from Quebec. An attack on Ticonderoga, however, was repulsed by Montcalm with dreadful loss to the English. 89. The Victories of 1759; Wolfe But the defeat was only temporary. At the siege of Louisburg a young officer named James Wolfe had greatly distinguished himself, and in return for this was selected by Pitt to command an expedition to Quebec. The previous attempts to reach that city had been by way of Lake George. The expedition of Wolfe sailed up the St. Lawrence, and landed below the city. Quebec stands on the summit of a high hill with precipitous sides, and was then the most strongly fortified city in America. To take it seemed almost impossible. But the resolution of Wolfe overcame every obstacle: on the night of September 12, 1759, he led his troops to the foot of the cliff, climbed the heights, and early in the morning had his army drawn up in battle array on the Plains of Abraham, as the plateau behind the city was called. There a great battle was fought between the French, led by Montcalm, and the British, led by Wolfe. The British triumphed, and Quebec fell; but Wolfe and Montcalm were among the dead.[67] [Illustration: European Possessions 1763] Ticonderoga and Crown Point had been captured a few weeks before. Montreal was taken in 1760, and the long struggle between the French and the English in America ended in the defeat of the French. The war dragged on in Europe till 1763, when peace was made at Paris. 90. France driven out of America With all the details of the treaty we are not concerned. It is enough for us to know that France divided her possessions on this continent between Great Britain and Spain. To Great Britain she gave Canada and Cape Breton, and all the islands save two in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Entering what is now the United States, she drew a line down the middle of the Mississippi River from its source to a point just north of New Orleans. To Great Britain she surrendered all her territory east of this line. To Spain she gave all her possessions to the west of this line, together with the city of New Orleans. But Great Britain, during the war, had taken Havana from Spain. To get this back, Spain now gave up Florida in exchange. At the end of the war with France, Great Britain thus found herself in possession of Canada and all that part of the United States which lies between the Atlantic and the Mississippi, the little strip at the mouth of the river alone excepted. SUMMARY We have now come to the time when the third European power was driven from our country. The first was Sweden when New Sweden was captured by the Dutch. The second was Holland when New Netherland was captured by the English. The third was France. 1. The struggle for the French possessions in America may be divided into two periods: A. That from 1689 to 1748, when the contest was for Acadia and New France. B. That from 1754 to 1763, when the struggle was for Louisiana as well as New France. 2. The first war, "King William's," was indecisive, but the second, "Queen Anne's," ended (1713) in the transfer of Acadia to England. 3. After the treaty of Utrecht, 1713, the French began seriously to take possession of the Mississippi valley, and began a chain of forts to stretch from New Orleans and Mobile to Montreal. 4. "King George's War" interrupted this work for a few years (1744-1748), but in 1749 Céleron was sent to bury plates in the valleys of the Allegheny and Ohio and claim them in the name of France. 5. The next step after claiming the valleys was to take armed possession, and in 1752 the French began to build forts. 6. This alarmed the governor of Virginia, who sent Washington to bid the French leave the Allegheny valley. When they refused, troops were sent to build a fort on the site of what is now Pittsburg; but these men, under Trent and Ward, were driven away, as were also the reinforcements under Washington (1764). 7. Braddock (with Washington) was next sent against the French, who had built Fort Duquesne. He was surprised by the Indians (July 9, 1755), defeated, and killed. 8. The "French and Indian War" thus opened was fought with varying success till 1760, when the British held Quebec, Montreal, Fort Duquesne, and all the other French strongholds in America. In 1763 peace was made, and nearly all the French possessions east of the Mississippi River were surrendered to the British. * * * * THE FRENCH DRIVEN FROM AMERICA: THE STRUGGLE FOR NEW FRANCE AND ACADIA: King William's War: 1690. Sir W. Phips takes Port Royal. Sir W. Phips attacks Quebec. Montreal attacked. 1690-1697. The New York and New England frontier ravaged by the French and Indians. 1697. Peace of Ryswick. Port Royal given back to the French. Queen Anne's War. Acadia lost to the French: 1702-1713. Frontier of New England ravaged. 1710. Port Royal again taken. 1711. Quebec again attacked. 1713. Peace of Utrecht. Acadia held by the English. King George's War: 1744. French attack Canso and Annapolis (Port Royal). 1745. Louisburg (Cape Breton Island) taken. 1748. Louisburg given back to the French. THE STRUGGLE FOR NEW FRANCE AND LOUISIANA. Occupation of Louisiana: 1699. The French at the mouth of the Mississippi. 1701. The occupation of the valley begun. 1701-1748. The chain of forts joining New Orleans and Montreal. 1749. The French on the Allegheny. Céleron's expedition. The buried plates. 1753. The French fortify the Allegheny valley. The French and Indian War: 1754-1763. The struggle for final possession. 1758. The capture of Louisburg. 1759. The capture of Quebec. 1760. The capture of Montreal. 1763. The French abandon America. IX. Life in the Colonies in 1763 91. Things unknown in 1763 Had a traveler landed on our shores in 1763 and made a journey through the English colonies in America, he would have seen a country utterly unlike the United States of to-day. The entire population, white man and black, freeman and slave, was not so great as that of New York or Philadelphia or Chicago in our time. If we were to write a list of all the things we now consider as real necessaries of daily life and mark off those unknown to the men of 1763, not one quarter would remain. No man in the country had ever seen a stove, or a furnace, or a friction match, or an envelope, or a piece of mineral coal. From the farmer we should have to take the reaper, the drill, the mowing machine, and every kind of improved rake and plow, and give him back the scythe, the cradle, and the flail. From our houses would go the sewing machine, the daily newspaper, gas, running water; and from our tables, the tomato, the cauliflower, the eggplant, and many varieties of summer fruits. We should have to destroy every railroad, every steamboat, every factory and mill, pull down every line of telegraph, silence every telephone, put out every electric light, and tear up every telegraphic cable from the beds of innumerable rivers and seas. We should have to take ether and chloroform from the surgeon, and galvanized iron and India rubber from the arts, and give up every sort of machine moved by steam. [Illustration: Lamp and sadiron] [Illustration: Postrider (Footnote: From an old print, 1760)] 92. State of the Arts, Sciences, and Industry The appliances left on the list, because in some form they were known to the men of 1763, would now be thought crude and clumsy. There were printing presses in those days,—perhaps fifty in all the colonies. But they were small, were worked by hand, and were so slow that the most expert pressman using one of them could not have printed so much in three working days as a modern steam press can run off in five minutes. There was a general post, and Benjamin Franklin was deputy postmaster-general for the northern district of the colonies. But the letters were carried thirty miles a day by postriders on horseback, and there were never more than three mails a week between even the great towns. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday a postrider left New York city for Philadelphia. Every Monday and Thursday another left New York for Boston. Once each week a rider left for Albany on his way to Quebec. On the first Wednesday of each month a packet boat sailed from New York for Falmouth, England, with the mail, and this was the only mail between Great Britain and her American colonies. We put electricity to a thousand uses; but in 1763 it was a scientific toy. Franklin had just proved by his experiment with the kite that lightning and electricity were one and the same, and several other men were amusing themselves and their hearers by ringing bells, exploding powder, and making colored sparks. But it was put to no other use. If we take up a daily newspaper published in one of our great cities and read the column of wants, we find in them twenty occupations now giving a comfortable living to millions of men. Yet not one of these twenty existed in 1763. The district messenger, the telegraph operator, the typewriter, the stenographer, the bookkeeper, the canvasser, the salesman, the commercial traveler, the engineer, the car driver, the hackman, the conductor, the gripman, the brakeman, the electrician, the lineman, the elevator boy, and a host of others, follow trades and occupations which had no existence in the middle of the eighteenth century. Run away, the 23d of this Instant January, from Silas Crispin of Burlington, Taylor, a Servant Man named _Joseph Morris, _by Trade a Taylor, aged about 22 Years, of a middle Stature, swarthy Complexion, light gray Eyes, his Hair clipp'd off, mark'd with a large pit of the Small Pox on one Cheek near his Eye, had on when he went away a good Felt Hat, a yelowish Drugget Coat with Pleits behind, an old Ozenbrigs Vest, two Ozenbrigs Shirts, a pair of Leather Breeches handsomely worm'd and flower'd up the Knees, yarn Stockings and good round toe'd Shoes. Took with him a large pair of Sheers crack'd in one of the Bows & mark'd with the Word [Savoy]. Whoever takes up the said Servant, and secures him so that his Matter may have him again, shall have Three Pounds Reward besides reasonable Charges, paid by me Silas Griffin. From a Philadelphia newspaper 93. Labor On the other hand, if we take up a newspaper of that day and read the advertisements, we find that a great deal of what existed then does not exist now. The newspapers were published in a few of the large towns, and appeared not every day, but once a week. In the largest of them would be from seventy-five to eighty advertisements, setting forth that such a merchant had just received from England or the West Indies a stock of new goods which he would sell for cash; that the Charming Nancy would sail in a few weeks for Londonderry in Ireland, or for Barbados, or for Amsterdam in Holland, and wanted a cargo; that a tract of land or a plantation would be sold "at vendue," or, as we say, at auction; that a reward of five pistoles would be paid for the arrest of "a lusty negroe man" or an "indented servant" or an "apprentice lad," who had run away from his owner or master. Very rarely is a call made for a mechanic or a workman of any sort. [Illustration: From a Philadelphia newspaper] The reason for this was two fold. In the first place, negro slavery existed in all the thirteen colonies. In the second place, there were thousands of whites in many of the colonies in a state of temporary servitude, which was sometimes voluntary and sometimes involuntary. Those who served against their will were convicts and felons, not only men and women who had been guilty of stealing, cheating, and the like, but also forgers, counterfeiters, and murderers, who were transported by thousands from the English prisons to the colonies and sold into slavery or service for seven or fourteen years.[68] Advertisements are extant in which the masters from whom such servants have run away warn the people to beware of them. But all "indented" or bond servants were not criminals. Many were reputable persons who sold themselves into service for a term of years in return for transportation to America. Others, generally boys and young women, had been kidnaped and sold by the persons who stole them. 94. Indentured Servants In the case of such as came voluntarily, carefully drawn agreements called indentures would be made in writing. The captain of the ship would agree to bring the emigrant to America. The emigrant would agree in return to serve the captain three or five years. When the ship reached port, the captain would advertise the fact that he had carpenters, tailors, farmers, shoemakers, etc., for sale, and whoever wanted such labor would go on board the ship and for perhaps fifty dollars buy a man bound to serve him for several years in return for food, clothes, and lodging. Not only men, but also women and children, were sold in this way, and were known as "indented servants," or "redemptioners," because they redeemed their time of service with labor. Their lot seems to have been a hard one; for the young men were constantly running away, and the newspapers are full of advertisements offering rewards for their arrest. What we call the workingman, the day laborer, the mechanic, the mill hand, had no existence as classes. The great corporations, railroads, express companies, mills, factories of every sort, which now cover our land and give employment to five times as many men and women as lived in all the colonies in 1763, are the creatures of our own time. [Illustration: Wigs and wig bag] [Illustration: Flax wheel] 95. No Manufacturers For this state of things England was largely to blame. For one hundred years past every kind of manufacture that could compete with the manufactures of the mother country had been crushed by law. In order to help her iron makers, she forbade the colonists to set up iron furnaces and slitting mills. That her cloth manufacturers might flourish, she forbade the colonists to send their woolen goods to any country whatever, or even from one colony to another. Under this law it was a crime to knit a pair of mittens or a pair of socks and send them from Boston to Providence or from New York to Newark, or from Philadelphia across the Delaware to New Jersey. In the interest of English hatters the colonists were not allowed to send hats to any foreign country, nor from one colony to another, and a serious effort was made to prevent the manufacture of hats in America. People in this country were obliged to wear English-made hats. Taking the country through, every saw, every ax, every hammer, every needle, pin, tack, piece of tape, and a hundred other articles of daily use came from Great Britain. Every farmhouse, however, was a little factory, and every farmer a jack-of-all-trades. He and his sons made their own shoes, beat out nails and spikes, hinges, and every sort of ironmongery, and constructed much of the household furniture. The wife and her daughters manufactured the clothing, from dressing the flax and carding the wool to cutting the cloth; knit the mittens and socks; and during the winter made straw bonnets to sell in the towns in the spring. Even in such towns as were large enough to support a few artisans, each made, with the help of an apprentice, and perhaps a journeyman, all the articles he sold. [Illustration: Hand loom[69]] 96. The Cities If we take a map of our country and run over the great cities of to-day, we find that except along the seacoast hardly one existed, in 1765, even in name. Detroit was a little French settlement surrounded with a high stockade. New Orleans existed, and St. Louis had just been founded, but they both belonged to Spain. Mobile and Pensacola and Natchez and Vincennes consisted of a few huts gathered about old French forts. There was no city, no town worthy of the name, in the English colonies west of the Alleghany Mountains. Along the Atlantic coast we find Portsmouth, Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Alexandria, Williamsburg, Charleston, Savannah, and others of less note. But the largest of these were mere collections of a few hundred houses ranged along streets, none of which were sewered and few of which were paved or lighted. The watchman went his rounds at night with rattle and lantern, called out the hours and the state of the weather, and stopped and demanded the name of every person found walking the streets after nine o'clock. To travel on Sunday was a serious and punishable offense, as it was on any day to smoke in the streets, or run from house to house with hot coals, which in those days, when there were no matches, were often used instead of flint and steel to light fires. [Illustration: Colonial mansion in Charleston] Travel between the large towns was almost entirely by sailing vessel, or on horseback. The first stagecoach-and-four in New England began its trips in 1744. The first stage between New York and Philadelphia was not set up till 1756, and spent three days on the road. 97. The Three Groups of Colonies It has always been usual to arrange the colonies in three groups: 1. The Eastern or New England Colonies (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut). 2. The Middle Colonies (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware). 3. The Southern Colonies (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia). Now, this arrangement is good not only from a geographical point of view, but also because the people, the customs, the manners, the occupations, in each of these groups were very unlike the people and the ways of living in the others. [Illustration: New England mansion] 98. Occupations in New England In New England the colonists were almost entirely English, though there were some Scotch, some Scotch-Irish, a few Huguenot refugees from France, and, in Rhode Island, a few Portuguese Jews. As the climate and soil did not admit of raising any great staple, such as rice or tobacco, the people "took to the sea." They cut down trees, with which the land was covered, built ships, and sailed away to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland for cod, and to the whale fisheries for oil. They went to the English, Dutch, and Spanish West Indian Islands, with flour, salt meat, horses, oxen; with salted salmon, cod, and mackerel; with staves for barrels; with onions and salted oysters. In return, they came back with sugar, molasses, cotton, wool, logwood, and Spanish dollars with which the New England Colonies paid for the goods they took from England. They went to Spain, where their ships were often sold, the captains chartering English vessels and coming home with cargoes of goods made in England. Six hundred ships are said to have been employed in the foreign trade of Boston, and more than a thousand in the fisheries and the trade along the coast. [Illustration: Dutch House at Albany[70]] Farming, outside of Connecticut, yielded little more than a bare subsistence. Manufactures in general were forbidden by English law. Paper and hats were made in small quantities, leather was tanned, lumber was sawed, and rum was distilled from molasses; but it was on homemade manufactures that the people depended. 99. Occupations in the Middle Colonies In the Middle Colonies the population was a mixture of people from many European countries. The line of little villages which began at the west end of Long Island and stretched up the Hudson to Albany, and out the Mohawk to Schenectady—-the settled part of New York—contained Englishmen, Irishmen, Dutchmen, French Huguenots, Germans from the Rhine countries, and negroes from Africa. The chief occupations of those people were farming, making flour, and carrying on an extensive commerce with England, Spain, and the West Indian Islands. [Illustration: Shoes worn by Palatines in Pennsylvania] In New Jersey the population was almost entirely English, but in Pennsylvania it was as mixed as in New York. Around Philadelphia the English predominated, but with them were mingled Swedes, Dutch, Welsh, Germans, and Scotch-Irish. Taken together, the Germans and the Scotch-Irish far outnumbered the English, and made up the mass of the population between the Schuylkill and the Susquehanna rivers. Both were self-willed and stubborn, and they were utterly unable to get along together peaceably, so that their settlements ran across the state in two parallel bands, in one of which whole regions could be found in which not a word of English was spoken. Indeed, then, and long after the nineteenth century began, the laws of Pennsylvania were printed both in English and in German. The chief occupation of the people was farming; and it is safe to say that no such farms, no such cattle, no such grain, flour, provisions, could be found in any other part of the country. Lumber, too, was cut and sold in great quantities; and along the frontier there was a lively fur trade with the Indians. At Philadelphia was centered a fine trade with Europe and the West Indies. Had it not been for the action of the mother country, manufactures would have flourished greatly; even as it was, iron and paper were manufactured in considerable quantities. 100. Occupations in the Southern Colonies South of Pennsylvania, and especially south of the Potomac River, lay a region utterly unlike anything to the north of it. In Virginia, there were no cities, no large towns, no centers of population. At an early day in the history of the colony the legislature had attempted to remedy this, and had ordered towns to be built at certain places, had made them the only ports where ships from abroad could be entered, had established tobacco warehouses in them, had offered special privileges to tradesmen who would settle in them, and had provided that each should have a market and a fair. But the success was small, and Fredericksburg and Alexandria and Petersburg were straggling villages. Jamestown, the old capital, had by this time ceased to exist. Williamsburg, the new capital, was a village of 200 houses. There was no business, no incentive in Virginia to build towns. The planters owned immense plantations along the river banks, and raised tobacco, which, when gathered, cured, and packed into hogsheads, was rolled away to the nearest wharf for inspection and shipment to London. In those early days, when good roads were unknown and wagons few, shafts were attached to each hogshead by iron bolts driven into the heads, and the cask was thus turned into a huge roller. With each year's crop would go a long list of articles of every sort,—hardware, glass, crockery, clothing, furniture, household utensils, wines,—which the agent was instructed to buy with the proceeds of the tobacco and send back to the planter when the ships came a year later for another crop. The country abounded in trees, yet tables, chairs, boxes, cart wheels, bowls, birch brooms, all came from the mother country. The wood used for building houses was actually cut, sent to England as logs to be dressed, and then taken back to Virginia for use. [Illustration: Tobacco rolling[71]] Maryland was in the same condition. Her people raised tobacco, and with it bought their clothing, household goods, brass and copper wares, and iron utensils in Great Britain. In South Carolina rice was the great staple, just as tobacco was the staple of Virginia, and there too were large plantations and no towns. All the social, commercial, legal, and political life of the colony centered in Charleston, from which a direct trade was carried on with London. [Illustration: An old Maryland manor house] Labor on the plantations of Virginia, the two Carolinas, and Georgia was performed exclusively by negro slaves and redemptioners. 101. Civil Government in the English Colonies If we arrange the colonies according to the kind of civil government in each, we find that they fall into three classes: 1. The charter colonies (Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island). 2. The proprietary colonies (Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland). 3. The royal, or provincial, colonies (New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia). The charters of the first group were written contracts between the King and the colonists, defined the share each should have in the government, and were not to be changed without the consent of both parties. In colonies of the second group some individual, called the proprietary, was granted a great tract of land by the King, and, under a royal charter, was given power to sell the land to settlers, establish government, and appoint the governors of his colony. In the third group, the King appointed the governors and instructed them as to the way in which he wished his colonies to be ruled. With these differences, all the colonies had the same form of government. In each there was a legislature elected by the people; in each the right to vote was limited to men who owned land, paid taxes, had a certain yearly income, and were members of some Christian church. The legislature consisted of two branches: the lower house, to which the people elected delegates; and the upper house, or council, appointed by the governor. These legislatures could do many things, but their powers were limited and their acts were subject to review: 1. They could do nothing contrary to the laws of England. 2. Whatever they did could be vetoed by the governors, and no bill could be passed over the veto. 3. All laws passed by a colonial legislature (except in the case of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maryland), and approved by a governor, must even then be sent to England to be examined by the King in Council, and could be "disallowed" or vetoed by the King at any time within three years. This power was used so constantly that the colonial legislatures, in time, would pass laws to run for two years, and when that time expired would reënact them for two years more, and so on in order to avoid the veto. In this way the colonists became used to three political institutions which were afterwards embodied in what is now the American system of state and national government: 1. The written constitution defining the powers of government. 2. The exercise of the veto power by the governor. 3. The setting aside of laws by a judicial body from whose decision there is no appeal. 102. The Colonial Governors The governor of a royal province was the personal representative of the King, and as such had vast power. The legislature could meet only when he called it. He could at any moment prorogue it (that is, command it to adjourn to a certain day) or dissolve it, and, if the King approved, he need never call it together again. He was the chief justice of the highest colonial court, he appointed all the judges, and, as commander in chief of the militia, appointed all important officers. Yet even he was subject to some control, for his salary was paid by the colony over which he ruled, and, by refusing to pay this salary, the legislature could, and over and over again did, force him to approve acts he would not otherwise have sanctioned. In Connecticut and Rhode Island the people elected the governors. This right once existed also in Massachusetts; but when the old charter was swept away in 1684, and replaced by a new one in 1691, the King was given power to appoint the governor, who could summon, dissolve, and prorogue the legislature at his pleasure. 103. Lords of Trade and Plantations That the King should give personal attention to all the details of government in his colonies in America, was not to be expected. In 1696, therefore, a body called the Lords of the Board of Trade and Plantations was commissioned by the King to do this work for him. These Lords of Trade corresponded with the governors, made recommendations, bade them carry out this or that policy, veto this or that class of laws, examined all the laws sent over by the legislatures, and advised the King as to which should be disallowed, or vetoed. In the early years of our colonial history the Parliament of England had no share in the direction of colonial affairs. It was the King who owned all the land, made all the grants, gave all the charters, created all the colonies, governed many of them, and stoutly denied the right of Parliament to meddle. But when Charles I. was beheaded, the Long Parliament took charge of the management of affairs in this country, and although much of it went back to the King at the Restoration in 1660, Parliament still continued to legislate for the colonies in a few matters. Thus, for instance, Parliament by one act established the postal service, and fixed the rates of postage; by another it regulated the currency, and by another required the colonists to change from the Old Style to the New Style—that is, to stop using the Julian calendar and to count time in future by the Gregorian calendar; by another it established a uniform law of naturalization; and from time to time it passed acts for the purpose of regulating colonial trade. 104. Acts of Trade and Navigation The number of these acts is very large; but their purpose was four fold: 1. They required that colonial trade should be carried on in ships built and owned in England or in the colonies, and manned to the extent of two thirds of the crew by English subjects. 2. They provided a long list of colonial products that should not be sent to any foreign ports other than a port of England. Goods or products not in the list might be sent to any other part of the world. Thus tobacco, sugar, indigo, copper, furs, rice (if the rice was for a port north of Cape Finisterre), must go to England; but lumber, salt fish, and provisions might go (in English or colonial ships) to France, or Spain, or to other foreign countries. 3. When trade began to spring up between the colonies, and the New England merchants were competing in the colonial markets with English merchants, an act was passed providing that if a product which went from one colony to another was of a kind that might have been supplied from England, it must either go to the mother country and then to the purchasing colony, or pay an export duty at the port where it was shipped, equal to the import duty it would have to pay in England. 4. No goods were allowed to be carried from any place in Europe to America unless they were first landed at a port in England.[72] SUMMARY 1. The men who began the long struggle for the rights of Englishmen lived in a state of society very different from ours, and were utterly ignorant of most of the commonest things we use in daily life. 2. Labor was performed by slaves, by criminals sent over to the colonies and sold, and by "indented servants," or "redemptioners." 3. Manufactures were forbidden by the laws of trade. Nobody was permitted to manufacture iron beyond the state of pig or bar iron, or make woolen goods for export, or make hats. 4. Taking the colonies in geographical groups, the Eastern were engaged in fishing, in commerce, and in farming; the Middle Colonies were agricultural and commercial; the Southern were wholly agricultural, and raised two great, staples—rice and tobacco. 5. As a consequence, town life existed in the Eastern and Middle Colonies, and was little known in the South, particularly in Virginia. 6. Over the colonies, as a great governing body to aid the King, were the Lords of Trade and Plantations in London. Under them in America were the royal and proprietary governors, who with the local colonial legislatures managed the affairs of the colonies. LIFE IN THE COLONIES IN 1763. Social and Industrial Condition. Population. Implements and inventions unknown. The printing press. The postal service. Trades and occupations then unknown. Labor.}The apprentice. }The "indented servant." }The redemptioner. }The slave. No manufactures. }Iron making Acts of trade regulating. }Cloth making. The cities. }Hat making. Travel. The Navigation Acts. State of agriculture. Government. The charter colonies. The proprietary colonies. The royal colonies. The colonial governor. The Lords of Trade and Plantations. The King. X. "Liberty, Property, and No Stamps" 105. The New Provinces The acquisition of Canada and the Mississippi valley made it necessary for England to provide for their defense and government. To do this she began by establishing three new provinces. In Canada she marked out the province of Quebec, part of the south boundary of which is now the north boundary of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In the South, out of the territory given by Spain, she made two provinces, East and West Florida. The north boundary of West Florida was (1764) a parallel of latitude through the junction of the Yazoo and Mississippi rivers. The north boundary of East Florida was part of the boundary of the present state. The territory between the Altamaha and the St. Marys rivers was "annexed to Georgia." 106. The Proclamation Line By the same proclamation which established these provinces, a line was drawn around the head waters of all the rivers in the United States which flow into the Atlantic Ocean, and the colonists were forbidden to settle to the west of it. All the valley from the Great Lakes to West Florida, and from the proclamation line to the Mississippi, was set apart for the Indians. 107. The Country to be defended Having thus provided for the government of the newly acquired territory, it next became necessary to provide for its defense; for nobody doubted that both France and Spain would some day attempt to regain their lost possessions. Arrangements were therefore made to bring over an army of 10,000 regular troops, scatter them over the country from Canada to Florida, and maintain them partly at the expense of the colonies and partly at the expense of the crown. [Illustration: THE BRITISH COLONIES IN 1764] The share to be paid by the colonies was to be raised 1. By enforcing the old trade and navigation laws. 2. By a tax on sugar and molasses brought into the country. 3. By a stamp tax. 108. Trial without Jury In order to enforce the old laws, naval vessels were sent to sail up and down the coast and catch smugglers. Offenders when seized were to be tried in some vice-admiralty court, where they could not have trial by jury.[73] 109. The Sugar Act and Stamp Tax The Sugar Act was not a new grievance. In 1733 Parliament laid a tax of 6_d_. a gallon on molasses and 5_s_. per hundredweight on sugar brought into this country from any other place than the British West Indies. This was to force the colonists to buy their sugar and molasses from nobody but British sugar planters. After having expired five times and been five times reënacted, the Sugar Act expired for the sixth time in 1763, and the colonies begged that it might not be renewed. But Parliament merely reduced the molasses duty to 3_d_. and laid new duties on coffee, French and East Indian goods, indigo, white sugar, and Spanish and Portuguese wines. It then resolved that "for further defraying the expense of protecting the colonists it would be necessary to charge certain stamp duties in the colonies." At that time, 1764, no such thing as an internal tax laid by Parliament for the purpose of raising revenue existed, or ever had existed, in America. Money for the use of the King had always been raised by taxes imposed by the legislatures of the colonies. The moment, therefore, the people heard that this money was to be raised in future by parliamentary taxation, they became much alarmed, and the legislatures instructed their business agents in London to protest. This the agents did in February, 1765. But Grenville, the Prime Minister, was not to be persuaded, and on March 22, 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act[74] 110. The Stamp Distributors That the collection of the new duty might give as little offense to the colonists as possible, Grenville desired that the stamps and the stamped paper should be sold by Americans, and invited the agents of the colonies to name men to be "stamp distributors" in their colonies. The law was to go into effect on the 1st of November, 1765. After that day every piece of vellum, every piece of paper, on which was written any legal document for use in any court, was to be charged with a stamp duty of from three pence to ten pounds sterling. After that day, every license, bond, deed, warrant, bill of lading, indenture, every pamphlet, almanac, newspaper, pack of cards, must be written or printed on stamped paper to be made in England and sold at prices fixed by law. If any dispute arose under the law, the case might be tried in the vice-admiralty courts without a jury.[75] [Illustration: Stamps used in 1765] The money raised by this tax was not to be taken to England, but was to be spent in America for the defense of the colonies. Nevertheless, the colonists were determined that none should be raised. The question was not, Shall America support an army? but, Shall Parliament tax America? 111. The Virginia Resolutions In opposition to this, Virginia now led the way with a set of resolutions. In the House of Burgesses, as the popular branch of her legislature was called, was Patrick Henry, the greatest orator in the colonies. By dint of his fiery words, he forced through a set of resolutions setting forth 1. That the first settlers in Virginia brought with them "all the privileges and immunities that have at any time been held" by "the people of Great Britain." 2. That their descendants held these rights. 3. That by two royal charters the people of Virginia had been declared entitled to all the rights of Englishmen "born within the realm of England." 4. That one of these rights was that of being taxed "by their own Assembly." 5. That they were not bound to obey any law taxing them without consent of their Assembly.[76] Massachusetts followed with a call for a congress to meet at New York city. 112. Stamp-act Congress To the congress thus called came delegates from all the colonies except New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. The session began at New York, on the 5th of October, 1765; and after sitting in secret for twenty days, the delegates from six of the nine colonies present (Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland) signed a "Declaration of Rights and Grievances." [77] 113. Declaration of Rights The ground taken in the declaration was: 1. That the Americans were subjects of the British crown. 2. That it was the natural right of a British subject to pay no taxes unless he had a voice in laying them. 3. That the Americans were not represented in Parliament. 4. That Parliament, therefore, could not tax them, and that an attempt to do so was an attack on the rights of Englishmen and the liberty of self-government. 114. Grievances 115. The English View of Representation We, in this country, do not consider a person represented in a legislature unless he can cast a vote for a member of that legislature. In Great Britain, not individuals but classes were represented. Thus, the clergy were represented by the bishops who sat in the House of Lords; the nobility, by the nobles who had seats in the House of Lords; and the mass of the people, the commons, by the members of the House of Commons. At that time, very few Englishmen could vote for a member of the House of Commons. Great cities like Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, did not send even one member. When the colonists held that they were not represented in Parliament because they did not elect any members of that body, Englishmen answered that they were represented, because they were commoners. 116. Sons of Liberty Meantime, the colonists had not been idle. Taking the name of "Sons of Liberty," a name given to them in a speech by a member of Parliament (named Barré) friendly to their cause, they began to associate for resistance to the Stamp Act. At first, they were content to demand that the stamp distributors named by the colonial agents in London should resign. But when these officers refused, the people became violent; and at Boston, Newark, N.J., New Haven, New London, Conn., at Providence, at Newport, R.I., at Dover, N.H., at Annapolis, Md., serious riots took place. Buildings were torn down, and more than one unhappy distributor was dragged from his home, and forced to stand before the people and shout, "Liberty, property, and no stamps." 117. November 1, 1765 As the 1st of November, the day on which the Stamp Act was to go into force, approached, the newspapers appeared decorated with death's-heads, black borders, coffins, and obituary notices. The Pennsylvania Journal dropped its usual heading, and in place of it put an arch with a skull and crossbones underneath, and this motto, "Expiring in the hopes of a resurrection to life again." In one corner was a coffin, and the words, "The last remains of the Pennsylvania Journal, which departed this life the 31st of October, 1765, of a stamp in her vitals. Aged 23 years." The Pennsylvania Gazette, on November 7, the day of its first issue after the Stamp Act became law, published a half sheet, printed on one side, without any heading, and in its place the words, "No stamped paper to be had." During the next six months, every scrap of stamped paper that was heard of was hunted up and given to the flames. Thus, when a vessel from Barbados, with a stamped newspaper published on that island, reached Philadelphia, the paper was seized and burned, one evening, at the coffeehouse, in the presence of a great crowd. A vessel having put in from Halifax, a rumor spread that the captain had brought stamped paper with him, and was going to use it for his Philadelphia clearance. This so enraged the people that the vessel was searched, and a sheet of paper with three stamps on it was found, and burned at the coffee-house. 118. Non-importation Agreements Meantime, the merchants in the larger towns, and the people all over the country, had been making written agreements not to import any goods from England for some months to come. The effect of this measure was immense. Not a merchant nor a manufacturer in Great Britain, engaged in the colonial trade, but found his American orders canceled and his goods left on his hands. Not a ship returned from this country but carried back English wares which it had brought here to sell, but for which no purchaser could be found. 119. Stamp Act repealed When Parliament met in December, 1765, such a cry of distress came up from the manufacturing cities of England, that Parliament was forced to yield, and in March, 1766, the Stamp Act was repealed. In the outburst of joy which followed in America, the intent and meaning of another act passed at the same time was little heeded. In it was the declaration that Parliament did have the right to tax the colonies "in all cases whatsoever." 120. The Townshend Acts If the people thought this declaration had no meaning, they were much mistaken, for next year (1767) Parliament passed what have since been called the Townshend Acts. There were three of them. One forbade the legislature of New York to pass any more laws till it had provided the royal troops in the city with beds, candles, fire, vinegar, and salt, as required by what was called the Mutiny Act. The second established at Boston a Board of Commissioners of the Customs to enforce the laws relating to trade. The third laid taxes on glass, red and white lead, painter's colors, paper, and tea. None of these taxes was heavy. But again the right of Parliament to tax people not represented in it had been asserted, and again the colonists rose in resistance. The legislature of Massachusetts sent a letter to each of the other colonial legislatures, urging them to unite and consult for the protection of their rights. Pennsylvania sent protests to the King and to Parliament. The merchants all over the country renewed their old agreements not to import British goods, and many a shipload was sent back to England. The letter of Massachusetts to the colonial legislatures having given great offense to the King, the governors were ordered to see to it that the legislatures did not approve it. But the order came too late. Many had already done so, and as a punishment the assemblies of Maryland and Georgia were dismissed and the members sent home. To dissolve assemblies became of frequent occurrence. The legislature of Massachusetts was dissolved because it refused to recall the letter. That of New York was repeatedly dissolved for refusing to provide the royal troops with provisions. That of Virginia was dismissed for complaining of the treatment of New York. 122. Boston Riot of 1770 And now the troops intended for the defense of the colonies began to arrive. But Massachusetts, North Carolina, and South Carolina followed the example of New York, and refused to find them quarters. For this the legislature of North Carolina was dissolved. Everywhere the presence of the soldiers gave great offense; but in Boston the people were less patient than elsewhere. They accused the soldiers of corrupting the morals of the town; of desecrating the Sabbath with fife and drum; of striking citizens who insulted them; and of using language violent, threatening, and profane. In this state of feeling, an alarm of fire called the people into the streets on the night of March 5, 1770. The alarm was false, and a crowd of men and boys, having nothing to do, amused themselves by annoying a sentinel on guard at one of the public buildings. He called for help, and a corporal and six men were soon on the scene. But the crowd would not give way. Forty or fifty men came armed with sticks and pressed around the soldiers, shouting, "Rascals! Lobsters! Bloody-backs!" throwing snowballs and occasionally a stone, till in the excitement of the moment a soldier fired his gun. The rest followed his example, and when the reports died away, five of the rioters lay on the ground dead or dying, and six more dangerously wounded.[79] This riot, this "Boston Massacre," or, as the colonists delighted to call it, "the bloody massacre," excited and aroused the whole land, forced the government to remove the soldiers from Boston to an island in the bay, and did more than anything else which had yet happened, to help on the Revolution. 123. Tea sent to America and not received While these things were taking place in America—indeed, on the very day of the Boston riot—a motion was made in Parliament for the repeal of all the taxes laid by the Townshend Acts except that on tea. The tea tax of 3d. a pound, payable in the colonies, was retained in order that the right of Parliament to tax America might be vindicated. But the people held fast to their agreements not to consume articles taxed by Great Britain. No tea was drunk, save such as was smuggled from Holland, and at the end of three years' time the East India Company had 17,000,000 pounds of tea stored in its warehouses (1773). This was because the company was not permitted to send tea out of England. It might only bring tea to London and there sell it at public sale to merchants and shippers, who exported it to America. But now when the merchants could not find anybody to buy tea in the colonies, they bought less from the company, and the tea lay stored in its warehouses. To relieve the company, and if possible tempt the people to use the tea, the exportation tax was taken off and the company was given leave to export tea to America consigned to commissioners chosen by itself. Taking off the shilling a pound export tax in England, and charging but 3d. import tax in America, made it possible for the company to sell tea cheaper than could the merchants who smuggled it. Yet even this failed. The people forced the tea commissioners to resign or send the tea ships back to England. In Charleston, S.C., the tea was landed and stored for three years, when it was sold by South Carolina. In Philadelphia the people met, and having voted that the tea should not be landed, they stopped the ship as it came up the Delaware, and sent it back to London. 124. The Boston Tea Party At Boston also the people tried to send the tea ships to England, but the authorities would not allow them to leave, whereupon a band of young men disguised as Indians boarded the vessels, broke open the boxes, and threw the tea into the water. 125. The Five Intolerable Acts When Parliament heard of these events, it at once determined to punish Massachusetts, and in order to do this passed five laws which were so severe that the colonists called them the "Intolerable Acts." They are generally known as 1. The Boston Port Bill, which shut the port of Boston to trade and commerce, forbade ships to come in or go out, and moved the customhouse to Marblehead. 2. The Transportation Bill, which gave the governor power to send anybody accused of murder in resisting the laws, to another colony or to England for trial. 3. The Massachusetts Bill, which changed the old charter of Massachusetts, provided for a military governor, and forbade the people to hold public meetings for any other purpose than the election of town officers, without permission from the governor. 4. The Quartering Act, which legalized the quartering of troops on the people. 5. The Quebec Act, which enlarged the province of Quebec (pp. 111, 124) to include all the territory between the Great Lakes, the Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and Pennsylvania. This territory was claimed by Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Virginia under their "sea to sea" charters (pp. 33, 46, 52, 156). 126. A Congress called When the Virginia legislature in May, 1774, heard of the passage of the Boston Port Bill, it passed a resolution that the day on which the law went into effect in Boston should be a day of "fasting, humiliation, and prayer" in Virginia. For this the governor at once dissolved the legislature. But the members met and instructed a committee to correspond with the other colonies on the expediency of holding another general congress of delegates. All the colonies approved, and New York requested Massachusetts to name the time and place of meeting. This she did, selecting Philadelphia as the place, and September 1, 1774, as the time. 127. The First Continental Congress From September 5 to October 26, accordingly, fifty-five delegates, representing every colony except Georgia, held meetings in Carpenter's Hall at Philadelphia, and issued: 1. An address to the people of the colonies. 2. An address to the Canadians. 3. An address to the people of Great Britain. 4. An address to the King. 5. A declaration of rights. In this declaration the rights of the colonists were asserted to be: 1. Life, liberty, and property. 2. To tax themselves. 3. To assemble peaceably to petition for the redress of grievances. 4. To enjoy the rights of Englishmen and all the rights granted by the colonial charters. These rights it was declared had been violated: 1. By taxing the people without their consent. 2. By dissolving assemblies. 3. By quartering troops on the people in time of peace. 4. By trying men without a jury. 5. By passing the five Intolerable Acts. Before the Congress adjourned it was ordered that another Congress should meet on May 10, 1775, in order to take action on the result of the petition to the King. SUMMARY 1. As soon as Great Britain acquired Canada and the eastern part of the Mississippi valley from France, and Florida from Spain, she did three things: A. She established the provinces of Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and the Indian country. B. She drew a line round the sources of all the rivers flowing into the Atlantic from the west and northwest, and commanded the colonial governors to grant no land and to allow no settlements to be made west of this line. C. She decided to send a standing or permanent army to America to take possession of the new territory and defend the colonies. 2. A part of the cost of keeping up this army she decided to meet by taxing the colonists. This she had never done before. 3. The chief tax was the stamp duty on paper, vellum, etc. This the colonists refused to pay, and Parliament repealed it. 4. The colonists having denied the right of Parliament to tax them, that body determined to establish its right and passed the "Townshend Acts." But the colonists refused to buy British goods, and Parliament repealed all the Townshend duties except that on tea. 5. As the Americans would not order tea from London, the East India Company was allowed to send it. But the people in the five cities to which the tea was sent destroyed it or sent it back. 6. Parliament thereupon attempted to punish Massachusetts and passed the Intolerable Acts. 7. These acts led to the calling and the meeting of the First Continental Congress. /——————————————————————-\ France Spain /————————\ /———-\ Cape Breton. Florida Canada. Louisiana east of the Mississippi. \—————————————————————— and cuts the new territory (1763) into Province of Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, Indian country, and draws proclamation line limiting colonies in the west. \———————————————-/ New colonial policy necessary. /———————————————————————\ Country to be defended by 10,000 royal troops. Cost of troops to be paid | |——————————————————————- Partly by crown. Partly by colonies. | /————————————————— Share of colonies to be raised by Enforcing acts of trade and navigation. Taxes on sugar and molasses. Stamp tax (1765). /—————————————-^————————————————\ Resisted. Principle involved. Action of Virginia and Massachusetts. Stamp Act Congress. Act repealed (1766). Declaratory Act (1766). ———————- / \ | | Glass. | | | Red and white lead. | ———————- | Painters' colors | Resisted and repealed (1770) Townshend Acts | Paper. | (1767). | Tea. / \ /————^———-\ Enforced. Resisted (1773). Resistance / \ punished by | Five Intoler- | Continental | able Acts. | Congress called(1774). \ / XI. The Struggle for Independence 129 When the 10th of May, 1775, came, the colonists had ceased to petition and had begun to fight. In accordance with the Massachusetts Bill, General Thomas Gage had been appointed military governor of Massachusetts. He reached Boston in May, 1774, and summoned an assembly to meet him at Salem in October. But, alarmed at the angry state of the people, he fortified Boston Neck,—the only land approach to the city, and countermanded the meeting. The members, claiming that an assembly could not be dismissed before it met, gave no heed to the proclamation, but gathered at Salem and adjourned to Concord and then to Cambridge. At Cambridge a Committee of Safety was chosen and given power to call out the troops, and steps were taken to collect ammunition and military stores. A month later at another meeting, 12,000 "minute men" were ordered to be enrolled. These minute men were volunteers pledged to be ready for service at a minute's notice, and lest 12,000 should not be enough, the neighboring colonies were asked to raise the number to 20,000. [Illustration: Map of Country around Boston] 130. Concord and Lexington Meantime the arming and drilling went actively on, and powder was procured, and magazines of provisions and military stores were collected at Concord, at Worcester, at Salem, and at many other towns. Aware of this, Gage, on the night of April 18, 1775, sent off 800 regulars to destroy the stores at Concord, a town some twenty miles from Boston. Gage wished to keep this expedition secret, but he could not. The fact that the troops were to march became known to the patriots in Boston, who determined to warn the minute men in the neighborhood. Messengers were accordingly stationed at Charlestown and told to ride in every direction and rouse the people, the moment they saw lights displayed from the tower of the Old North Church in Boston. The instant the British began to march, two lights were hung out in the tower, and the messengers sped away to do their work.[81] The road taken by the British lay through the little village of Lexington, and there (so well had the messengers done their work), about sunrise, on the morning of the 19th, the British came suddenly on a little band of minute men drawn up on the green before the meeting house. A call to disperse was not obeyed; whereupon the British fired a volley, killing or wounding sixteen minute men, and passed on to Concord. There they spiked three cannon, threw some cannon balls and powder into the river, destroyed some flour, set fire to the courthouse, and started back toward Boston. But "the shot heard round the world" had indeed been fired.[82] The news had spread far and wide. The minute men came hurrying in, and from farmhouses and hedges, from haystacks, and from behind trees and stone fences, they poured a deadly fire on the retreating British. The retreat soon became a flight, and the flight would have ended in capture had they not been reënforced by 900 men at Lexington. With the help of these they reached Charlestown Neck by sundown and entered Boston.[83] All night long minute men came in from every quarter, so that by the morning of April 20th great crowds were gathered outside of Charlestown and at Roxbury, and shut the British in Boston. When the news of Concord and Lexington reached the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont, they too took up arms, and, under Ethan Allen, captured Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775. 131. Congress becomes a Governing Body The first Continental Congress had been chosen by the colonies in 1774, to set forth the views of the people, and remonstrate against the conduct of the King and Parliament. This Congress, it will be remembered, having done so, fixed May 10, 1775, as the day whereon a second Congress should meet to consider the results of their remonstrance. But when the day came, Lexington and Concord had been fought, all New England was in arms, and Congress was asked to adopt the army gathered around Boston, and assume the conduct of the war. Congress thus unexpectedly became a governing body, and began to do such things as each colony could not do by itself. 132. Origin of the Continental Army After a month's delay it did adopt the little band of patriots gathered about Boston, made it the Continental Army, and elected George Washington, then a delegate in Congress, commander in chief. He was chosen because of the military skill he had displayed in the French and Indian War, and because it was thought necessary to have a Virginian for general, Virginia being then the most populous of the colonies. Washington accepted the trust on June 16, and set out for Boston on June 21; but he had not ridden twenty miles from Philadelphia when he was met by the news of Bunker Hill. 133. Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775 On a narrow peninsula to the north of Boston, and separated from it by a sheet of water half a mile wide, was the village of Charlestown; behind it were two small hills. The nearer of the two to Charlestown was Breeds Hill. Just beyond it was Bunker Hill, and as the two overlooked Boston and the harbor where the British ships lay at anchor, the possession of them was of much importance. The Americans, learning of Gage's intention to fortify the hills, sent a force of 1200 men, under Colonel Prescott, on the night of June 16, to take possession of Bunker Hill. By some mistake Prescott passed Bunker Hill, reached Breeds Hill, and before dawn had thrown up a large earthwork. The moment daylight enabled it to be seen, the British opened fire from their ships. But the Americans worked steadily on in spite of cannon shot, and by noon had constructed a line of intrenchments extending from the earthwork down the hill toward the water. Gage might easily have landed men and taken this intrenchment in the rear. He instead sent Howe[84] and 2500 men over in boats from Boston, to land at the foot of the hill and charge straight up its steep side toward the Americans on its summit. The Americans were bidden not to fire till they saw the whites of the enemy's eyes, and obeyed. Not a shot came from their line till the British were within a few feet. Then a sheet of flames ran along the breastworks, and when the smoke blew away, the British were running down the hill in confusion. With great effort the officers rallied their men and led them up the hill a second time, to be again driven back to the landing place. This fire exhausted the powder of the Americans, and when the British troops were brought up for the third attack, the Americans fell back, fighting desperately with gunstocks and stones. The results of this battle were two fold. It proved to the Americans that the British regulars were not invincible, and it proved to the British that the American militia would fight. [Illustration: BOSTON, CHARLESTOWN, ETC.] 134. Washington takes Command Two weeks after this battle Washington reached the army, and on July 3, 1775, took command beneath an elm still standing in Cambridge. Never was an army in so sorry a plight. There was no discipline, and not much more than a third as many men as there had been a few weeks before. But the indomitable will and sublime patience of Washington triumphed over all difficulties, and for eight months he kept the British shut up in Boston, while he trained and disciplined his army, and gathered ammunition and supplies. 135. Montreal taken Meanwhile Congress, fearing that Sir Guy Carleton, who was governor of Canada, would invade New York by way of Lake Champlain, sent two expeditions against him. One, under Richard Montgomery, went down Lake Champlain, and captured Montreal. Another, under Benedict Arnold, forced its way through the dense woods of Maine, and after dreadful sufferings reached Quebec. There Montgomery joined Arnold, and on the night of December 31, 1775, the two armies assaulted Quebec, the most strongly fortified city in America, and actually entered it. But Montgomery was killed, Arnold was wounded, the attack failed, and, six months later, the Americans were driven from Canada. [Illustration: Bunker Hill Monument] 136. The British driven from Boston, March 17, 1776 After eight months of seeming idleness, Washington, early in March, 1776, seized Dorchester Heights on the south side of Boston, fortified them, and so gave Howe his choice of fighting or retreating. Fight he could not; for the troops, remembering the dreadful day at Bunker Hill, were afraid to attack intrenched Americans. Howe thereupon evacuated Boston and sailed with his army for Halifax, March 17, 1776. Washington felt sure that the British would next attack New York, so he moved his army there in April, 1776, and placed it on the Brooklyn hills. 137. Independence resolved on Just one year had now passed since the memorable fights at Concord and Lexington. During this year the colonies had been solemnly protesting that they had no thought of independence and desired nothing so much as reconciliation with the King. But the King meantime had done things which prevented any reconciliation: 1. He had issued a proclamation declaring the Americans to be rebels. 2. He had closed their ports and warned foreign nations not to trade with them. 3. He had hired 17,000 Hessians[85] with whom to subdue them. These things made further obedience to the King impossible, and May 15, 1776, Congress resolved that it was "necessary to suppress every kind of authority under the crown," and asked the colonies to form governments of their own and so become states. On the 7th of June, Richard Henry Lee, acting under instructions from Virginia, offered this resolution: Resolved That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. Prompt action in so serious a matter was not to be expected, and Congress put it off till July 1. Meanwhile Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston were appointed to write a declaration of independence and have it ready in case it was wanted. As Jefferson happened to be the chairman of the committee, the duty of writing the declaration was given to him. July 2, Congress passed Lee's resolution, and what had been the United Colonies became free and independent states. [Illustration: Campaigns of 1775-1776] [Illustration: The Pennsylvania Statehouse, or Independence Hall[86]] 138. Independence declared Independence having thus been decreed, the next step was to announce the fact to the world. As Jefferson says in the opening of his declaration, "When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another … a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." It was this "decent respect to the opinions of mankind," therefore, which now led Congress, on July 4, 1776, to adopt the Declaration of Independence, and to send copies to the states. Pennsylvania got her copy first, and at noon on July 8 it was read to a vast crowd of citizens in the Statehouse yard.[87] When the reading was finished, the people went off to pull down the royal arms in the court room, while the great bell in the tower, the bell which had been cast twenty-four years before with the prophetic words upon its side, "Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," rang out a joyful peal, for then were announced to the world the new political truths, "that all men are created equal," and "that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights," and "that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." [Illustration: The royal arms] 139. The Retreat up the Hudson A few days later the Declaration was read to the army at New York. The wisdom of Washington in going to New York was soon manifest, for in July General Howe, with a British army of 25,000 men, encamped on Staten Island. In August he crossed to Long Island, and was making ready to besiege the army on Brooklyn Heights, when, one dark and foggy night, Washington, leaving his camp fires burning, crossed with his army to New York. Howe followed, drove him foot by foot up the Hudson from New York to White Plains; carried Fort Washington, on the New York shore, by storm (November 16, 1776); and sent a force across the Hudson under cover of darkness and storm to capture Fort Lee. But the British were detected in the very nick of time, and the Americans, leaving their fires burning and their tents standing, fled towards Newark, N. J. 140. The Retreat across the Jerseys Washington, meanwhile, had gone from White Plains to Hackensack in New Jersey, leaving 7000 men under Charles Lee in New York state at North Castle. These men he now ordered Lee to bring over to Hackensack, but the jealous and mutinous Lee refused to obey. This forced Washington to begin his famous retreat across the Jerseys, going first to Newark, then to New Brunswick, then to Trenton, and then over the Delaware into Pennsylvania, with the British under Cornwallis in hot pursuit. [Illustration] 141. The Surprise at Trenton Lee crossed the Hudson and went to Morristown, where a just punishment for his disobedience speedily overtook him. One night while he was at an inn outside of his lines, some British dragoons made him a prisoner of war. The capture of Lee left Sullivan in command, and by him the troops were hurried off to join Washington. Thus reënforced, Washington turned on the enemy, and on Christmas night in a blinding snowstorm he recrossed the Delaware, marched nine miles to Trenton, surprised a force of Hessians, took 1000 prisoners, and went back to Pennsylvania. The effect of this victory was tremendous. At first the people could not believe it, and, to convince them, the Hessians had to be marched through the streets of Philadelphia, and one of their flags was sent to Baltimore (whither Congress had fled from Philadelphia), and hung up in the hall of Congress. When the people were convinced of the truth of the report, their joy was unbounded; militia was hurried forward, the Jerseymen gathered at Morristown, money was raised; the New England troops, whose time of service was out, were persuaded to stay six weeks longer, and, December 30, 1776, Washington again entered Trenton. Meantime Cornwallis, who had heard of the capture of the Hessians, came thundering down from New Brunswick with 8000 men and hemmed in the Americans between his army and the Delaware. But on the night of January 2, 1777, Washington slipped away, passed around Cornwallis, hurried to Princeton, and there, on the morning of January 3, put to rout three regiments of British regulars. Cornwallis, who was not aware that the Americans had left his front till he heard the firing in his rear, fell back to New Brunswick, while Washington marched unmolested to Morristown, where he spent the rest of the winter. 142. The Capture of Philadelphia Late in May, 1777, Washington entered New York state. But Howe paid little attention to this movement, for he had fully determined to attack and capture Philadelphia, and on July 23 set sail from New York. As the fleet moved southward, its progress was marked by signal fires along the Jersey coast, and the news of its position was carried inland by messengers. At the end of a week the fleet was off the entrance of Delaware Bay. But Lord Howe fearing to sail up the river, the fleet went to sea and was lost to sight. Washington, who had hurried southward to Philadelphia, was now at a loss what to do, and was just about to go back to New York when he heard that the British were coming up Chesapeake Bay, and at once marched to Wilmington, Del. [Illustration] It was the 25th of August that Howe landed his men and began moving toward Washington, who, lest the British should push by him, fell back from Wilmington, to a place called Chadds Ford on the Brandywine, where, on September 11, 1777, a battle was fought.[88] The Americans were defeated and retreated in good order to Chester, and the next day Washington entered Philadelphia. But public opinion demanded that another battle should be fought before the city was given up, and after a few days he recrossed the Schuylkill, and again faced the enemy. A violent storm ruined the ammunition of both armies and prevented a battle, and the Americans retreated across the Schuylkill at a point farther up the stream. Congress, which had returned to Philadelphia from Baltimore, now fled to Lancaster and later to York, Pa., and (September 26, 1777) Howe entered Philadelphia in triumph. October 4, Washington attacked him at Germantown, but was repulsed, and went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. [Illustration] 143. New York invaded Though Washington had been defeated in the battles around Philadelphia, and had been forced to give that city to the British, his campaign made it possible for the Americans to win another glorious victory in the north. At the beginning of 1777 the British had planned to conquer New York and so cut the Eastern States off from the Middle States. To accomplish this, a great army under John Burgoyne was to come up to Albany by way of Lake Champlain. Another, under Colonel St. Leger, was to go up the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario to Oswego and come down to Mohawk valley to Albany; while the third army, under Howe, was to go up the Hudson from New York and meet Burgoyne at Albany. True to this plan, Burgoyne came up Lake Champlain, took Ticonderoga (July 5), and, driving General Schuyler before him, reached Fort Edward late in July. There he heard that the Americans had collected some supplies at Bennington, a little village in the southwestern corner of Vermont, whither he sent 1000 men. But Colonel John Stark met and utterly destroyed them on August 16. Meanwhile St. Leger, as planned, had landed at Oswego, and on August 3 laid siege to Fort Stanwix, which then stood on the site of the present city of Rome, N.Y. On the 6th the garrison sallied forth, attacked a part of St. Leger's camp, and carried off five British flags. These they hoisted upside down on their ramparts, and high above them raised a new flag which Congress had adopted in June, and which was then for the first time flung to the breeze. [Illustration: Flag of the East India Company] 144. Our National Flag It was our national flag, the stars and stripes, and was made of a piece of a blue jacket, some strips of a white shirt, and some scraps of old red flannel.[89] [Illustration: Flag of the United Colonies] [Illustration: British Union Jack] 145. Capture of Burgoyne When Schuyler heard of the siege of Fort Stanwix, he sent Benedict Arnold to relieve it, and St. Leger fled to Oswego. Then was the time for the expedition from New York to have hurried to Burgoyne's aid. But Howe and his army were then at sea. No help was given to Burgoyne, who, after suffering defeats at Bemis Heights (September 19) and at Stillwater (October 7), retreated to Saratoga, where (October 17, 1777) he surrendered his army of 6000 men to General Horatio Gates, whom Congress, to its shame, had just put in the place of Schuyler. Gates deserves no credit for the capture. Arnold and Daniel Morgan deserve it, and deserve much; for, judged by its results, Saratoga was one of the great battles of the world. The results of the surrender were four fold: 1. It saved New York state. 2. It destroyed the plan for the war. 3. It induced the King to offer us peace with representation in Parliament, or anything else we wanted except independence. 4. It secured for us the aid of France. [Illustration: Flag of the United States, 1777] 146. Valley Forge The winter at Valley Forge marks the darkest period of the war. It was a season of discouragement, when mean spirits grew bold. Some officers of the army formed a plot, called from one of them the "Conway cabal," to displace Washington and put Gates in command. The country people, tempted by British gold, sent their provisions into Philadelphia and not to Valley Forge. There the suffering of the half-clad, half-fed, ill-housed patriots surpasses description. But the darkest hour is just before the dawn. Then it was that an able Prussian soldier, Baron Steuben, joined the army, turned the camp into a school, drilled the soldiers, and made the army better than ever. Then it was that France acknowledged our independence, and joined us in the war. 147. France acknowledges our Independence In October, 1776, Congress sent Benjamin Franklin to Paris to try to persuade the French King to help us in the war. Till Burgoyne surrendered and Great Britain offered peace, Franklin found all his efforts vain.[90] But now, when it seemed likely that the states might again be brought under the British crown, the French King promptly acknowledged us to be an independent nation, made a treaty of alliance and a treaty of commerce (February 6, 1778), and soon had a fleet on its way to help us. 148. The British leave Philadelphia Hearing of the approach of the French fleet, Sir Henry Clinton, who in May had succeeded Howe in command, left Philadelphia and hurried to the defense of New York. Washington followed, and, coming up with the rear guard of the enemy at Monmouth in New Jersey, fought a battle (June 28, 1778), and would have gained a great victory had not the traitor, Charles Lee, been in command.[91] Without any reason he suddenly ordered a retreat, which was fortunately prevented from becoming a rout by Washington, who came on the field in time to stop it. After the battle the British hurried on to New York, where Washington partially surrounded them by stretching out his army from Morristown in New Jersey to West Point on the Hudson. 149. Stony Point In hope of drawing Washington away from New York, Clinton in 1779 sent a marauding party to plunder and ravage the farms and towns of Connecticut. But Washington soon brought it back by dispatching Anthony Wayne to capture Stony Point, which he did (July, 1779) by one of the most brilliant assaults in military history. 150. Indian Raids That nothing might be wanting to make the suffering of the patriots as severe as possible, the Indians were let loose. Led by a Tory[92] named Butler, a band of whites and Indians of the Seneca tribe of the Six Nations[93] marched from Fort Niagara to Wyoming Valley in northeastern Pennsylvania, and there perpetrated one of the most awful massacres in history. Another party, led by a son of Butler, repeated the horrors of Wyoming in Cherry Valley, N.Y. 151. George Rogers Clark Meantime the British commander at Detroit tried hard to stir up the Indians of the West to attack the whole frontier at the same moment. Hearing of this, George Rogers Clark of Virginia marched into the enemy's country, and in two fine campaigns in 1778-1779 beat the British, and conquered the country from the Ohio to the Great Lakes and from Pennsylvania to the Mississippi. 152. Sullivan's Expedition In 1779 it seemed so important to punish the Indians for the Wyoming and Cherry Valley massacres that General Sullivan with an army invaded the territory of the Six Nations, in central New York, burned some forty Indian villages, and utterly destroyed the Indian power in that state. 153. The South invaded For a year and more there had been a lull in military operations on the part of the British. But they now began an attack in a new quarter. Having failed to conquer New England in 1775-1776, having failed to conquer the Middle States in 1776-1777, they sent an expedition against the South in December, 1778. Success attended it. Savannah was captured, Georgia was conquered, and the royal governor reinstated. Later, in 1779, General Lincoln, with a French fleet to help him, attempted to recapture Savannah, but was driven off with dreadful loss of life. These successes in Georgia so greatly encouraged the British that in the spring of 1780 Clinton led an expedition against South Carolina, and (May 12) easily captured Charleston, with Lincoln and his army. By dint of great exertions another army was quickly raised in North Carolina, and the command given to Gates by Congress. He was utterly unfit for it, and (August 16, 1780) was defeated and his army almost destroyed at Camden by Lord Cornwallis. Never in the whole course of the war had the American army suffered such a crushing defeat. All military resistance in South Carolina was at an end, save such as was offered by gallant bands of patriots led by Marion, Sumter, and Pickens. 154. The Treason of Arnold The outlook was now dark enough; but it was made darker still by the treachery of Benedict Arnold. No officer in the Revolutionary army was more trusted. His splendid march through the wilderness to Quebec, his bravery in the attack on that city, the skill and courage he displayed at Saratoga, had marked him out as a man full of promise. But he lacked that moral courage without which great abilities count for nothing. In 1778 he was put in command of Philadelphia, and while there so abused his office that he was sentenced to be reprimanded by Washington. This aroused a thirst for revenge, and led him to form a scheme to give up the Hudson River to the enemy. With this end in view, he asked Washington in July, 1780, for the command of West Point, the great stronghold on the Hudson, obtained it, and at once made arrangements to surrender it to Clinton. The British agent in the negotiation was Major John André, who one day in September met Arnold near Stony Point. But most happily, as he was going back to New York, three Americans[94] stopped him near Tarrytown, searched him, and in his stockings found some papers in the handwriting of Arnold. News of the arrest of André reached Arnold in time to enable him to escape to the British; he served with them till the end of the war, and then sought a refuge in England. André was tried as a spy, found guilty, and hanged. 155. Victory at Kings Mountain After the defeat of Gates at Camden, the British overran South Carolina, and in the course of their marauding a band of 1100 Tories marched to Kings Mountain, on the border line between the two Carolinas. There the hardy mountaineers attacked them (Oct. 7, 1780) and killed, wounded, or captured the entire band. [Map: CAMPAIGNS IN THE SOUTH 1778-1781] 156. Victory at the Cowpens Meantime a third army was raised for use in the South and placed under the command of Nathanael Greene, than whom there was no abler general in the American army. With Greene was Daniel Morgan, who had distinguished himself at Saratoga, and by him a British force under Tarleton was attacked January 17, 1781, at a place called the Cowpens, and not only defeated, but almost destroyed. Enraged at these reverses, Cornwallis took the field and hurried to attack Greene, who, too weak to fight him, began a masterly retreat of 200 miles across Carolina to Guilford Courthouse, where he turned about and fought. He was defeated, but Cornwallis was unable to go further, and retreated to Wilmington, N.C., with Greene in hot pursuit. Leaving the enemy at Wilmington, Greene went back to South Carolina, and by September, 1781, had driven the British into Charleston and Savannah. Cornwallis, as soon as Greene left him, hurried to Petersburg, Va. A British force during the winter and spring had been plundering and ravaging in Virginia, under the traitor Arnold. Cornwallis took command of this, sent Arnold to New York, and had begun a campaign against Lafayette, when orders reached him to seize and fortify some Virginian seaport. 157. Surrender of Cornwallis Thus instructed, Cornwallis selected Yorktown, and began to fortify it strongly. This was early in August, 1781. On the 14th Washington heard with delight that a French fleet was on its way to the Chesapeake, and at once decided to hurry to Virginia, and surround Cornwallis by land while the French cut him off by sea. Preparations were made with such secrecy and haste that Washington had reached Philadelphia while Clinton supposed he was about to attack New York. Clinton then sent Arnold on a raid into Connecticut to burn New London, in the hope of forcing Washington to return. But Washington kept straight on, hemmed Cornwallis in by land and sea, and October 19, 1781, forced the British general to surrender. 158. The War on the Sea The first step towards the foundation of an American navy was taken on October 13, 1775. Congress, hearing that two British ships laden with powder and guns were on their way from England to Quebec, ordered two swift sailing vessels to be fitted out for the purpose of capturing them. Two months later Congress ordered thirteen cruisers to be built, and named the officers to command them. Meantime some merchant ships were purchased and collected at Philadelphia, from which city, one morning in January, 1776, a fleet of eight vessels set sail. As they were about to weigh anchor, John Paul Jones, a lieutenant on the flagship, flung to the breeze a yellow silk flag on which were a pine tree and a coiled rattlesnake, with this motto: "Don't tread on me." This was the first flag ever hoisted on an American man-of-war. Ice in the Delaware kept the fleet in the river till the middle of February, when it went to sea, sailed southward to New Providence in the Bahamas, captured the town, brought off the governor, some powder and cannon, and after taking several prizes got safely back to New London. Soon after the squadron had left the Delaware, the Lexington, Captain John Barry in command, while cruising off the Virginia coast, fell in with the Edward, a British vessel, and after a spirited action captured her. This was the first prize brought in by a commissioned officer of the American navy.[95] In March, 1776, Congress began to issue letters of marque, or licenses to citizens to engage in war against the enemy; and then the sea fairly swarmed with privateers. In 1777 the American flag was seen for the first time in European waters, when a little squadron of three ships set sail from Nantes in France, and after cruising on the Bay of Biscay went twice around Ireland and came back to France with fifteen prizes. As France had not then acknowledged our independence, they were ordered to depart. Two did so; but one of them, the Lexington, was captured by the British, and the other, the Reprisal, was wrecked at sea. 159. Paul Jones Meanwhile our commissioners in France, Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane, fitted out a cruiser called the Surprise. She sailed from Dunkirk on May 1, 1777, and the next week was back with a British packet as a prize. For this violation of French neutrality she was seized. But another ship, the Revenge, was quickly secured, which scoured the British waters, and actually entered two British ports before she sailed for America. The exploits of these and a score of other ships are cast into the shade, however, by the fights of John Paul Jones, the great naval hero of the Revolution. He sailed from Portsmouth, N.H., November 1, 1777, refitted his ship in the harbor of Brest, and in 1778 began one of the most memorable cruises in our naval history. In the short space of twenty-eight days he sailed into the Irish Channel, destroyed four vessels, set fire to the shipping in the port of Whitehaven, fought and captured the British armed schooner Drake, sailed around Ireland with his prize, and reached France in safety. For a year he was forced to be idle. But at last, in 1779, he was given command of a squadron of five vessels, and in August sailed from France. Passing along the west coast of Ireland, the fleet went around the north end of Scotland and down the east coast, capturing and destroying vessel after vessel on the way. On the night of September 23, 1779, Jones (in his ship, named Bonhomme Richard in honor of Franklin's famous Poor Richard's Almanac) fell in with the Serapis, a British frigate. The two ships grappled, and, lashed side by side in the moonlight, fought one of the most desperate battles in naval annals. At the end of three hours the Serapis surrendered, but the Bonhomme Richard was a wreck, and next morning, giving a sudden roll, she filled and plunged bow first to the bottom of the North Sea. Jones sailed away in the Serapis. [Illustration: Benjamin Franklin] In the Revolution the British lost 102 vessels of war, while the Americans lost 24—most of their navy. 160. Revolutionary Heroes It is not possible to mention all the revolutionary heroes entitled to our grateful remembrance. We should, however, remember Lafayette, Steuben, Pulaski, and DeKalb, foreigners who fought for us; Samuel Adams and James Otis of Massachusetts, and Patrick Henry of Virginia, who spoke for freedom; Robert Morris, the financier of the Revolution; Putnam who fought and Warren who died at Bunker Hill; Mercer who fell at Princeton; Nathan Hale, the martyr spy; Herkimer, Knox, Moultrie, and that long list of noble patriots whose names have already been mentioned. 161. The Treaty of Peace The story is told that when Lord North, the Prime Minister of England, heard of the surrender of Yorktown, he threw up his hands and said, "It is all over." He was right; it was all over, and on September 3, 1783, a treaty of peace (negotiated by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay) was signed at Paris. Meantime the British, in accordance with a preliminary treaty of peace signed in November, 1782, were slowly leaving the country, till on November 25, 1783, the last of them sailed from New York.[96] Washington now resigned his commission, and in December went home to Mt. Vernon. 162. Bounds of the United States By the treaty of 1783 the boundary of the United States was declared to be about what is the present northern boundary from the mouth of the St. Croix River in Maine to the Lake of the Woods, and then due west to the Mississippi (which was, of course, an impossible line, for that river does not rise in Canada); then down the Mississippi to 31° north latitude; then eastward along that parallel of latitude to the Apalachicola River, and then by what is the present north boundary of Florida to the Atlantic. But these bounds were not secured without a diplomatic struggle. As soon as France joined us in 1778, she began to persuade Spain to follow her example. Very little persuasion was needed, for the opportunity to regain the two Floridas (which Spain had been forced to give to England in 1763) was too good to be lost. In June, 1779, therefore, Spain declared war on England, and sent the governor of Lower Louisiana into West Florida, where he captured Pensacola, Mobile, Baton Rouge, and Natchez. Made bold by this success, Spain, which cared nothing for the United States, next determined to conquer the region north of Florida and east of the Mississippi, the Indian country of the proclamation of 1763. (See map of The British Colonies in 1764.) The commandant at St. Louis[97] was, therefore, sent to seize the post at St. Joseph on Lake Michigan, built by La Salle in 1679. He succeeded, and taking possession of the country in the name of Spain, carried off the English flags as evidence of conquest. Now when the time came to make the treaty of peace, Spain insisted that she must have East and West Florida and the country west of the Alleghany Mountains, because she had conquered it. France partly supported Spain in this demand. The country north of the Ohio she proposed should be given to Great Britain, and the country south to Spain and the United States. [Illustration: RESULTS OF THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE BOUNDARY DEFINED BY TREATY 1783. AND TERRITORY HELD BY GREAT BRITAIN 1783-1796., AND SPAIN 1783-1795] The American commissioners, seeing in all this a desire to bound the United States on the west by the Alleghany Mountains, made the treaty with Great Britain secretly, and secured the Mississippi as our western limit. Spain at the same time secured the Floridas from Great Britain, and insisting that West Florida must have the old boundary given in 1764,[98] and not 31° as provided in our treaty of peace, she seized and held the country by force of arms; and for twelve years the Spanish flag waved over Baton Rouge and Natchez.[99] The area of the territory thus acquired by the United States was 827,844 square miles, and the population not far from 3,250,000. Apparently an era of great prosperity and happiness was before the people. But unhappily the government they had established in time of war was quite unfit to unite them and bring them prosperity in time of peace. [Illustration: Washington's sword] SUMMARY 1. In accordance with one of the Intolerable Acts, General Gage became governor of Massachusetts in 1774. 2. Seeing that the people were gathering stores and cannon, he attempted to destroy the stores, and so brought on the battles of Lexington and Concord, which opened the War for Independence. 3. The Congress of colonial delegates, which met in 1774 and adjourned to meet again in 1775, assembled soon after these battles, and assumed the conduct of the war, adopted the army around Boston, and made Washington commander in chief. 4. Washington reached Boston soon after the battle of Bunker Hill, which taught the British that the Americans would fight, and he besieged the British in Boston. In March, 1776, they left the city by water, and Washington moved his army to the neighborhood of New York. 5. There he was attacked by the British, and was driven up the Hudson River to White Plains. Thence he crossed into New Jersey, only to be driven across the state and into Pennsylvania. 6. On Christmas night, 1776, he recrossed the Delaware to Trenton, and the next morning won a victory over the Hessians. Then on January 3, 1777, he fought the battle of Princeton, and he spent the remainder of the winter at Morristown. 7. In July, 1777, Howe sailed from New York for Philadelphia, to which city Washington hurried by land. The Americans were defeated at the Brandy wine, and the city fell into the hands of Howe. Washington passed the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge. 8. Meantime an attempt had been made to cut the states in two by getting possession of New York state from Lake Champlain to New York city, and an army under Burgoyne came down from Canada. He and his troops were captured at Saratoga. 9. In February, 1778, France made a treaty of alliance with us and sent over a fleet. Fearing this would attack New York, Clinton left Philadelphia with his army. Washington followed from Valley Forge, overtook the enemy at Monmouth, and fought a battle there. The British then went on to New York, while Washington stretched out his army from Morristown to West Point. 10. So matters remained till December, 1778, when the British attacked the Southern States. They conquered Georgia in the winter of 1778-1779. 11. In the spring of 1780 they attacked South Carolina and captured General Lincoln. Gates then took the field, was defeated, and succeeded by Greene, who after many vicissitudes drove the British forces in South Carolina and Georgia into Charleston and Savannah, during 1781. 12. Meantime a force sent against Greene under Cornwallis undertook to fortify Yorktown and hold it, and while so engaged was surrounded by Washington and the French fleet and forced to surrender. THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE CAMPAIGNS OF 1775-1776 In New England. 1775. Concord and Lexington. Continental Army formed. Washington, commander in chief. Battle of Bunker Hill. 1775-1776. Siege of Boston. 1776. Evacuation of Boston. In Canada. 1775. Arnold's march to Quebec. Montgomery's march to Montreal. Capture of Montreal. 1776. Defeat and death of Montgomery at Quebec. Americans return to Ticonderoga. 1776. Howe sails for New York. Washington marches to New York. The Declaration of Independence. Capture of New York. Retreat across the Jerseys. Surprise at Trenton. 1777. Battle of Princeton. Washington at Morristown. Burgoyne and St. Leger move down from Canada to capture New York state and cut the colonies in two. St. Leger defeated at Fort Stanwix. Burgoyne captured at Saratoga. Howe sails from New York to Chesapeake Bay and moves against Philadelphia. Washington moves from New York to Philadelphia. Battles of Brandywine and Germantown. Philadelphia captured by the British. 1777-1778. Americans winter at Valley Forge. 1778. Alliance with France. Fleet and army sent from France. Clinton leaves Philadelphia and hurries to New York. Washington follows him from Valley Forge. Battle of Monmouth. Washington on the Hudson. CAMPAIGNS CHIEFLY IN THE SOUTH, 1778-1781. 1778. The South invaded. Savannah captured and Georgia overrun. 1779. Clinton ravages Connecticut to draw Washington away from the Hudson. Wayne captures Stony Point. Lincoln attacks Savannah. 1780. Clinton captures Charleston. Campaign of Gates in South Carolina. Battles of Camden and Kings Mountain. Treason of Arnold. 1781. Greene in command in the South. Battle of the Cowpens. March of Cornwallis from Charleston. Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Cornwallis goes to Wilmington and Greene to South Carolina. Cornwallis goes to Yorktown. Washington hurries from New York. Surrender of Cornwallis. 1782-1783. Peace negotiations at Paris. 1783. Evacuation of New York. XII. Under the Articles of Confederation 163. How the Colonies became States When the Continental Congress met at Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, a letter was received from Massachusetts, where the people had penned up the governor in Boston and had taken the government into their own hands, asking what they should do. Congress replied that no obedience was due to the Massachusetts Regulating Act or to the governor, and advised the people to make a temporary government to last till the King should restore the old charter. Similar advice was given the same year to New Hampshire and South Carolina, for it was not then supposed that the quarrel with the mother country would end in separation. But by the spring of 1776 all the governors of the thirteen colonies had either fled or been thrown into prison. This put an end to colonial government, and Congress, seeing that reconciliation was impossible, (May 15, 1776) advised all the colonies to form governments for themselves (p. 132). Thereupon they adopted constitutions, and by doing so turned themselves from British colonies into sovereign and independent states.[100] [Illustration] [Illustration: THE UNITED STATES WHEN PEACE WAS DECLARED in 1783 SHOWING THE STATE CLAIMS] 164. Articles of Confederation While the colonies were thus gradually turning themselves into the states, the Continental Congress was trying to bind them into a union by means of a sort of general constitution called "Articles of Confederation." By order of Congress, Articles had been prepared and presented by a committee in July, 1776, but it was not till November 17, 1777, that they were sent out to the states for adoption. Now it must be remembered that six states, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, claimed that their "from sea to sea" charters gave them lands between the mountains and the Mississippi River, and that one, New York, had bought the Indian title to land in the Ohio valley. It must also be remembered that the other six states did not have "from sea to sea" charters, and so had no claims to western lands. As three of them, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, held that the claims of their sister states were invalid, they now refused to adopt the Articles unless the land so claimed was given to Congress to be used to pay for the cost of the Revolution. For this action they gave four reasons: 1. The Mississippi valley had been discovered, explored, settled, and owned by France. 2. England had never owned any land there till France ceded the country in 1763. 3. When at last England had got it, in 1763, the King drew the "proclamation line," turned the Mississippi valley into the Indian country, and so cut off any claim of the colonies in consequence of English ownership. 4. The western lands were therefore the property of the King, and now that the states were in arms against him, his lands ought to be seized by Congress and used for the benefit of all the states. For three years the land-claiming states refused to be convinced by these arguments. But at length, finding that Maryland was determined not to adopt the Articles till her demands were complied with, they began to yield. In February, 1780, New York ceded her claims to Congress, and in January, 1781, Virginia gave up her claim to the country north of the Ohio River. Maryland had now carried her point, and on March 1, 1781, her delegates signed the Articles of Confederation. As all the other states had ratified the Articles, this act on the part of Maryland made them law, and March 2, 1781, Congress met for the first time under a form of government the states were pledged to obey. 165. Government under the Articles of Confederation The form of government that went into effect on that day was bad from beginning to end. There was no one officer to carry out the laws, no court or judge to settle disputed points of law, and only a very feeble legislature. Congress consisted of one house, presided over by a president elected each year by the members from among their own number. The delegates to Congress could not be more than seven, nor less than two from each state, were elected yearly, could not serve for more than three years out of six, and might be recalled at any time by the states that sent them. Once assembled on the floor of Congress, the delegates became members of a secret body. The doors were shut; no spectators were allowed to hear what was said; no reports of the debates were taken down; but under a strict injunction to secrecy the members went on deliberating day after day. All voting was done by states, each casting but one vote, no matter how many delegates it had. The affirmative votes of nine states were necessary to pass any important act, or, as it was called, "ordinance." To this body the Articles gave but few powers. Congress could declare war, make peace, issue money, keep up an army and a navy, contract debts, enter into treaties of commerce, and settle disputes between states. But it could not enforce a treaty or a law when made, nor lay any tax for any purpose. 166. Origin of the Public Domain In 1784 Massachusetts ceded her strip of land in the west, following the example set by New York (1780), and Virginia (1781). As three states claiming western territory had thus by 1784 given their land to Congress, that body came into possession of the greater part of the vast domain stretching from the Lakes to the Ohio and from the Mississippi to Pennsylvania.[101] Now this public domain, as it was called, was given on certain conditions: 1. That it should be cut up into states. 2. That these states should be admitted into the Union (when they had a certain population) on the same footing as the thirteen original states. 3. That the land should be sold and the money used to pay the debts of the United States. Congress, therefore, as soon as it had received the deeds to the tracts ceded, trusting that the other land-owning states would cede their western territory in time, passed a law (in 1785) to prepare the land for sale by surveying it and marking it out into sections, townships, and ranges, and fixed the price per acre. 167. Virginia and Connecticut Reserves When Virginia made her cession in 1781, she expressly reserved two tracts of land north of the Ohio. One, called the Military Lands, lay between the Scioto and Miami rivers, and was held to pay bounties promised to the Virginia Revolutionary soldiers. The other (in the present state of Indiana) was given to General George Rogers Clark and his soldiers. A third piece was reserved by Connecticut when she ceded her strip in 1786. This, called the Western Reserve of Connecticut, stretched along the shore of Lake Erie (map, p. 175). In 1800 Connecticut gave up her jurisdiction, or right of government, over this reserve in return for the confirmation of land titles she had granted. [Illustration: TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES NORTHWEST OF THE OHIO RIVER 1787] 168. Ordinance of 1787; Origin of the Territories Hardly had Congress provided for the sale of the land, when a number of Revolutionary soldiers formed the Ohio Land Company, and sent an agent to New York, where Congress was in session, and offered to buy 5,000,000 acres on the Ohio River: 1,500,000 acres were for themselves, and 3,500,000 for another company called the Scioto Company. The land was gladly sold, and as the purchasers were really going to send out settlers, it became necessary to establish some kind of government for them. On the 13th of July, 1787, therefore, Congress passed another very famous law, called the Ordinance of 1787, which ordered: 1. That the whole region from the Lakes to the Ohio, and from Pennsylvania to the Mississippi, should be called "The Territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio." 2. That it should be cut up into not less than three nor more than five states, each of which might be admitted into the Union when it had 60,000 free inhabitants. 3. That within it there was to be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude except in punishment for crime. 4. That until such time as there were 5000 free male inhabitants twenty-one years old in the territory, it was to be governed by a governor and three judges. They could not make laws, but might adopt such as they pleased from among the laws in force in the states. After there were 5000 free male inhabitants in the territory the people were to elect a house of representatives, which in its turn was to elect ten men from whom Congress was to select five to form a council. The house and the council were then to elect a territorial delegate to sit in Congress with the right of debating, not of voting. The governor, the judges, and the secretary were to be elected by Congress. The council and house of representatives could make laws, but must send them to Congress for approval. Thus were created two more American institutions, the territory and the state formed out of the public domain. The ordinance was but a few months old when South Carolina ceded (1787) her little strip of country west of the mountains (see map on p. 157) with the express condition that it should be slave soil. In 1789 North Carolina ceded what is now Tennessee on the same condition. Congress accepted both and out of them made the "Territory southwest of the Ohio River." In that slavery was allowed.[102] 169. Defects of the Articles of Confederation While Congress at New York was framing the Ordinance of 1787, a convention of delegates from the states was framing the Constitution at Philadelphia. A very little experience under the Articles of Confederation showed them to have serious defects. No Taxing Power.—In the first place, Congress could not lay a tax of any kind, and as it could not tax it could not get money with which to pay its expenses and the debt incurred during the Revolution. Each of the states was in duty bound to pay its share. But this duty was so disregarded that although Congress between 1782 and 1786 called on the states for $6,000,000, only $1,000.000 was paid. No Power to regulate Trade.—In the second place, Congress had no power to regulate trade with foreign nations, or between the states. This proved a most serious evil. The people of the United States at that time had few manufactures, because in colonial days Parliament would not allow them. All the china, glass, hardware, cutlery, woolen goods, linen, muslin, and a thousand other things were imported from Great Britain. Before the war the Americans had paid for these goods with dried fish, lumber, whale oil, flour, tobacco, rice, and indigo, and with money made by trading in the West Indies. Now Great Britain forbade Americans to trade with her West Indies. Spain would not make a trade treaty with us, so we had no trade with her islands, and what was worse, Great Britain taxed everything that came to her from the United States unless it came in British ships. As a consequence, very little lumber, fish, rice, and other of our products went abroad to pay for the immense quantity of foreign-made goods that came to us. These goods therefore had to be paid for in money, which about 1785 began to be boxed up and shipped to London. When the people found that specie was being carried out of the country, they began to hoard it, so that by 1786 none was in circulation. 170. Paper Money issued This left the people without any money with which to pay wages, or buy food and clothing, and led at once to a demand that the states should print paper money and loan it to their citizens. Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, and Georgia did so. But the money was no sooner issued than the merchants and others who had goods to sell refused to take it, whereupon in some of the states laws called "tender acts" were passed to compel people to use the paper. This merely put an end to business, for nobody would sell. In Massachusetts, when the legislature refused to issue paper money, many of the persons who owed debts assembled, and, during 1786-87, under the lead of Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary soldier, prevented the courts from trying suits for the recovery of money owed or loaned.[103] 171. Congress proposes Amendments Of the many defects in the Articles, the Continental Congress was fully aware, and it had many a time asked the states to make amendments. One proposed that Congress should have power for twenty-five years to lay a tax of five per cent on all goods imported, and use the money to pay the Continental debts. Another was to require each state to raise by special tax a sum sufficient to pay its yearly share of the current expenses of Congress. A third was to bestow on Congress for fifteen years the sole power to regulate trade and commerce. A fourth provided that in future the share each state was to bear of the current expenses should be in proportion to its population. But the Articles of Confederation could not be amended unless all thirteen states consented, and, as all thirteen never did consent, none of these amendments were ever made. 172. The States attempt to regulate Trade and fail In the meantime the states attempted to regulate trade for themselves. New York laid double duties on English ships. Pennsylvania taxed a long list of foreign goods. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island passed acts imposing heavy duties on articles unless they came in American vessels. But these laws were not uniform, and as many states took no action, very little good was accomplished.[104] Under these conditions, the business of the whole country was at a standstill, and as Congress had no power to do anything to relieve the distress, the state of Virginia sent out a circular letter to her sister states. She asked them to appoint delegates to meet and "take into consideration the trade and commerce of the United States." Four (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) responded, and their delegates, with those from Virginia, met at Annapolis in September, 1786. XIII. Making the Constitution 174. Call for the Constitutional Convention Finding that it could do nothing, because so few states were represented, and because the powers of the delegates were so limited, the convention recommended that all the states in the Union be asked by Congress to send delegates to a new convention, to meet at Philadelphia in May, 1787, "to take into consideration the situation of the United States," and "to devise such further provisions as shall appear to them necessary to render the Constitution of the Federal government adequate to the exigencies of the Union." Early in 1787 Congress approved this movement, and during the summer of 1787 (May to September) delegates from twelve states (Rhode Island sent none), sitting in secret session at Philadelphia, made the Constitution of the United States. 176. The Virginia and New Jersey Plans The story of that convention is too long and too complicated to be told in full.[108] But some of its proceedings must be noticed. While the delegates were assembling, a few men, under the lead of Madison, met and drew up the outline of a constitution, which was presented by the chairman of the Virginia delegation, and was called the "Virginia plan." A little later, delegates from the small states met and drew up a second plan, which was the old Articles of Confederation with amendments. As the chairman of the New Jersey delegation offered this, it was called the "New Jersey plan." Both were discussed; but the convention voted to accept the Virginia plan as the basis of the Constitution. 177. The Three Compromises This plan called, among other things, for a national legislature of two branches: a Senate and a House of Representatives. The populous states insisted that the number of representatives sent by each state to Congress should be in proportion to her population. The small states insisted that each should send the same number of representatives. For a time neither party would yield; but at length the Connecticut delegates suggested that the states be given an equal vote and an equal representation in the Senate, and an unequal representation, based on population, in the House. The contending parties agreed, and so made the first compromise. But the decision to have representation according to population at once raised the question, Shall slaves be counted as population? This divided the convention into slave states and free (see p. 186), and led to a second compromise, by which it was agreed that three fifths of all slaves should be counted as population, for the purpose of apportioning representation. A third compromise sprang from the conflicting interests of the commercial and the planting states. The planting states wanted a provision forbidding Congress to pass navigation acts, except by a two-thirds vote, and forbidding any tax on exports; three states also wished to import slaves for use on their plantations. The free commercial states wanted Congress to pass navigation laws, and also wanted the slave trade stopped, because of the three-fifths rule. The result was an agreement that the importation of slaves should not be forbidden by Congress before 1808, and that Congress might pass navigation acts, and that exports should never be taxed. 178. The Election of President Another feature of the Virginia plan was the provision for a President whose business it should be to see that the acts of Congress were duly enforced or executed. But when the question arose, How shall he be chosen? all manner of suggestions were made. Some said by the governors of the states; some, by the United States Senate; some, by the state legislatures; some, by a body of electors chosen for that purpose. When at last it was decided to have a body of electors, the difficulty was to determine the manner of electing the electors. On this no agreement could be reached; so the convention ordered that the legislature of each state should have as many electors of the President as it had senators and representatives in Congress, and that these men should be appointed in such way as the legislatures of the states saw fit to prescribe. 179. Sources of the Constitution An examination of the Constitution shows that some of its features were new; that some were drawn from the experience of the states under the Confederation; and that others were borrowed from the various state constitutions. Among those taken from state constitutions are such names as President, Senate, House of Representatives, and such provisions as that for a census, for the veto, for the retirement of one third of the Senate every two years, that money bills shall originate in the House, for impeachment, and for what we call the annual message.[109] The features based directly on experience under the Articles of Confederation are the provisions that the acts of Congress must be uniform throughout the Union; that the President may call out the militia to repel invasion, to put down insurrection, and to maintain the laws of the Union; that Congress shall have sole power to regulate foreign trade and trade between the states. No state can now coin money or print paper money, or make anything but gold or silver legal tender. Congress now has power to lay taxes, duties, and excises. The Constitution divides the powers of government between the legislative department (Senate and House of Representatives); the executive department (the President, who sees that laws and treaties are obeyed); and the judicial department (Supreme Court and other United States courts, which interpret the Constitution, the acts of Congress, and the treaties). The new features are the definition of treason and the limitation of its punishment; the guarantee to every state of a republican form of government; the swearing of state officials to support the Federal Constitution; and the provision for amendment. Among other noteworthy features are the creation of a United States citizenship as distinct from a state citizenship, the limitation of the powers of the states; and the provision that the Constitution, the acts of Congress, and the treaties are "the supreme law of the land." 180. Constitution submitted to the People The convention ended its work, and such members as were willing signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787. Washington, as president of the convention, then sent the Constitution to the Continental Congress sitting at New York and asked it to transmit copies to the states for ratification. This was done, and during the next few months the legislatures of most of the states called on the people to elect delegates to conventions which should accept or reject the Constitution. 181. Ratification by the States In many of these conventions great objection was made because the new plan of federal government was so unlike the Articles of Confederation, and certain changes were insisted on. The only states that accepted it just as it was framed were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, and Maryland. Massachusetts, South Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, and Virginia ratified with amendments. (For dates, see p. 176.) 182. "The New Roof." The Constitution provided that when nine states had ratified, it should go into effect "between the states so ratifying." While it was under discussion the Federalists, as the friends of the Constitution were named, had called it "the New Roof," which was going to cover the states and protect them from political storms. They now represented it as completed and supported by eleven pillars or states. Two states, Rhode Island and North Carolina, had not ratified, and so were not under the New Roof, and were not members of the new Union. Eleven states having approved, nothing remained but to fix the particular day on which the electors of President should be chosen, and the time and place for the meeting of the new Congress. This the Continental Congress did in September, 1788, by ordering that the electors should be chosen on the first Wednesday in January, 1789, that they should meet and vote for President on the first Wednesday in February, and that the new Congress should meet at New York on the first Wednesday in March, which happened to be the fourth day of the month. Later, Congress by law fixed March 4 as the day on which the terms of the Presidents begin and end.[110] 183. How Presidents were elected It must not be supposed that our first presidents were elected just as presidents are now. In our time electors are everywhere chosen by popular vote. In 1788 there was no uniformity. In Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia the people had a complete, and in Massachusetts and New Hampshire a partial, choice. In Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia the electors were appointed by the legislatures. In New York the two branches of the legislature quarreled, and no electors were chosen. As the Constitution required that the electors should vote by ballot for two persons, such as had been appointed met at their state capitals on the first Wednesday in February, 1789, made lists of the persons voted for, and sent them signed and certified under seal to the president of the Senate. But when March 4, 1789, came, there was no Senate. Less than a majority of that body had arrived in New York, so no business could be done. When at length the Senate secured a majority, the House was still without one, and remained so till April. Then, in the presence of the House and Senate, the votes on the lists were counted, and it was found that every elector had given one of his votes for George Washington, who was thus elected President. No separate ballot was then required for Vice President. Each elector merely wrote on his ballot the names of two men. He who received the greatest number of votes, if, in the words of the Constitution, "such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed," was elected President. He who received the next highest, even if less than a majority, was elected Vice President. In 1789 this man was John Adams of Massachusetts. [Illustration: Federal Hall, New York[111]] [Illustration: G Washington] 184. The First Inauguration As soon as Washington received the news of his election, he left Mount Vernon and started for New York. His journey was one continuous triumphal march. The population of every town through which he passed turned out to meet him. Men, women, and children stood for hours by the roadside waiting for him to go by. At New York his reception was most imposing, and there, on April 30, 1789, standing on the balcony in front of Federal Hall (p. 171), he took the oath of office in the presence of Congress and a great multitude of people that filled the streets, and crowded the windows, and sat on the roofs of the neighboring houses.[112] SUMMARY 1. When independence was about decided on, Congress appointed a committee to draft a general plan of federal government. 2. This plan, called Articles of Confederation, Maryland absolutely refused to ratify till the states claiming land west of the Alleghany Mountains ceded their claims to Congress. 3. New York and Virginia having ceded their claims, Maryland ratified in March, 1781. 4. These cessions were followed by others from Massachusetts and Connecticut; and from them all, Congress formed the public domain to be sold to pay the debt. 5. The sale of this land led to the land ordinance of 1785 and the ordinance of 1787, for the government of the domain and the new political organism called the territory. 6. The defects of the Articles made revision necessary, and produced such distress that two conventions were called to consider the state of the country. That at Annapolis attempted nothing. That at Philadelphia framed the Constitution of the United States. 7. The Constitution was then passed to the Continental Congress, which sent it to the legislatures of the states to be by them referred to conventions elected by the people for acceptance or rejection. 8. Eleven having ratified, Congress in 1788 fixed a day in 1789 (which happened to be March 4), when the First Congress under the Constitution was to assemble. 9. The date of the first presidential election was also fixed, and George Washington was made our first President. /1776. New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode The Colonies adopt | Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Constitutions and —| Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North become States. | Carolina, South Carolina. |1777. New York, Georgia. \1780. Massachusetts. /Framed by Congress 1776-1777. |Adopted by the states 1777-1781. Articles of |In force March 1, 1781. Confederation —|Kind of government. |Defects. Result of the defects. |Trade convention at Annapolis. \Constitutional convention called. /Proceedings of the convention. |The three compromises. Constitution of |Sources of the Constitution. the United States.-|Original features. |Derived features. | Ratification by the states. \The Constitution in force. /Land claims of seven states. |Demands for the surrender of \ |the western territory. | The Territories. —|The cessions by the states. |—The Public |Ordinance of 1785. | Domain. |Ordinance of 1787. | \Territorial government created./ The President. /Manner of electing. \Inauguration of Washington. The Congress. /Organization of the First \under the Constitution. /The Supreme Court The Judiciary. —|The Circuit Court \The District Court /Secretary of State The Secretaries. —|Secretary of Treasury |Secretary of War |The Attorney-general. \Origin of the "Cabinet." XIV. Our Country in 1790 185. The States What sort of a country, and what sort of people, was Washington thus chosen to rule over? When, he was elected, the Union was composed of eleven states, for neither Rhode Island nor North Carolina had accepted the Constitution.[113] Vermont had never been a member of the Union, because the Continental Congress would not recognize her as a state. [Illustration: The UNITED STATES March 4, 1789] 186. Only a Part inhabited Three fourths of our country was then uninhabited by white men, and almost all the people lived near the seaboard. Had a line been drawn along what was then the frontier, it would (as the map on p. 177 shows) have run along the shore of Maine, across New Hampshire and Vermont to Lake Champlain, then south to the Mohawk valley, then down the Hudson River, and southwestward across Pennsylvania to Pittsburg, then south along the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Altamaha River in Georgia, and by it to the sea. How many people lived here was never known till 1790. The Constitution of the United States requires that the people shall be counted once in each ten years, in order that it may be determined how many representatives each state shall have in the House of Representatives; and for this purpose Congress ordered the first census to be taken in 1790. It then appeared that, excluding Indians, there were living in the eleven United States 3,380,000 human beings, or less than half the number of people who now live in the single state of New York. 187. How the People were scattered More were in the Southern than in the Eastern States. Virginia, then the most populous, contained one fifth. Pennsylvania had a ninth, while in the five states of Maryland, Virginia, the two Carolinas, and Georgia were almost one half of the English-speaking people of the United States. These were the planting states, and, populous as they were, they had but two cities—Baltimore and Charleston. Savannah, Wilmington, Alexandria, Norfolk, and Richmond were small towns. Not one had 8000 people in it. Indeed, the inhabitants of the six largest cities of the country (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, and Salem) taken together were but 131,000. [Illustration: DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES FIRST CENSUS, 1790/] [Illustration: Boston in 1790[114]] 188. The Cities And how different these cities were from those of our day! What a strange world Washington would find himself in if he could come back and walk along the streets of the great city which now stands on the banks of the Potomac and bears his name! He never in his life saw a flagstone sidewalk, nor an asphalted street, nor a pane of glass six feet square. He never heard a factory whistle; he never saw a building ten stories high, nor an elevator, nor a gas jet, nor an electric light; he never saw a hot-air furnace, nor entered a room warmed by steam. In the windows of shop after shop would be scores of articles familiar enough to us, but so unknown to him that he could not even name them. He never saw a sewing machine, nor a revolver, nor a rubber coat, nor a rubber shoe, nor a steel pen, nor a piece of blotting paper, nor an envelope, nor a postage stamp, nor a typewriter. He never struck a match, nor sent a telegram, nor spoke through a telephone, nor touched an electric bell. He never saw a railroad, though he had seen a rude form of steamboat. He never saw a horse car, nor an omnibus, nor a trolley car, nor a ferryboat. Fancy him boarding a street car to take a ride. He would probably pay his fare with a "nickel." But the "nickel" is a coin he never saw. Fancy him trying to understand the advertisements that would meet his eye as he took his seat! Fancy him staring from the window at a fence bright with theatrical posters, or at a man rushing by on a bicycle! [Illustration: Philadelphia in 1800 (Arch Street)] 189. Newspapers and Magazines A boy enters the car with half a dozen daily newspapers all printed in the same city. In Washington's day there were but four daily papers in the United States! On the news counter of a hotel, one sees twenty illustrated papers, and fifty monthly magazines. In his day there was no illustrated paper, no scientific periodical, no trade journal, and no such illustrated magazines as Harper's, Scribner's, the Century, St. Nicholas. All the printing done in the country was done on presses worked by hand. To-day the Hoe octuple press can print 96,000 eight-page newspapers an hour. To print this number on the hand press shown in the picture would have taken so long that when the last newspaper was printed the first would have been three months old! [Illustration: A Franklin press] [Illustration: A fire bucket [115]] 190. The Fire Service the ambulance, the steam fire engine, the hose cart, the hook and ladder company, the police patrol, the police officer on the street corner, the letter carrier gathering the mail, the district messenger boy, the express company, the delivery wagon of the stores, have all come in since Washington died. In his day the law required every householder in the city to be a fireman. His name might not appear on the rolls of any of the fire companies, he might not help to drag through the streets the lumbering tank which served as a fire engine, but he must have in his hall, or beneath the stairs, or hanging up behind his shop door, at least one leathern bucket inscribed with his name, and a huge bag of canvas or of duck. Then, if he were aroused at the dead of night by the cry of fire and the clanging of every church bell in the town, he seized this bucket and his bag, and, while his wife put a lighted candle in the window to illuminate the street, set off for the fire. The smoke or the flame was his guide, for the custom of indicating the place by a number of strokes on a bell had not yet come in. When at last he arrived at the scene he found there no idle spectators. Every one was busy. Some hurried into the building and filled their sacks with such movable goods as came nearest to hand. Some joined the line that stretched away to the water, and helped to pass the full buckets to those who stood by the fire. Others took posts in a second line, down which the empty buckets were hastened to the pump. The house would often be half consumed when the shouting made known that the engine had come. It was merely a pump mounted over a tank. Into the tank the water from the buckets was poured, and it was pumped thence by the efforts of a dozen men. [Illustration: Fire engine of 1800[116] 191. The Post Office Washington sees a great wagon or a white trolley car marked United States Mail, and on inquiry is told that the money now spent by the government each year for the support of the post offices would have more than paid the national debt when he was President. He hears with amazement that there are now 75,000 post offices, and recalls that in 1790 there were but seventy-five. He picks up from the sidewalk a piece of paper with a little pink something on the corner. He is told that the portrait on it is his own, that it is a postage stamp, that it costs two cents, and will carry a letter to San Francisco, a city he never heard of, and, if the person to whom it is addressed cannot be found, will bring the letter back to the sender, a distance of over 5000 miles. In his day a letter was a single sheet of paper, no matter how large or small, and the postage on it was determined not by weight, but by distance, and might be anything from six to twenty-five cents. At that time postage must always be prepaid, and as the post office must support itself, letters were not sent from the country towns till enough postage had been deposited at the post office to pay the expense of sending them. Newspapers and books could not be sent by mail. 192. The Franchise Taking the country through, the condition of the people was by no means so happy as ours. They had government of the people, but it was not by the people nor for the people. Everywhere the right to vote and to hold office was greatly restricted. The voter must have an estate worth a certain sum, or a specified number of acres, or an annual income of so many dollars. But the right to vote did not carry with it the right to hold office. More property was required for office holding than for voting, and there were besides certain religious restrictions. In New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, the governor, the members of the legislature, and the chief officers of state must be Protestants. In Massachusetts and Maryland they must be Christians. All these restrictions were long since swept away. 193. Cruel Punishments The humane spirit of our times was largely wanting. The debtor was cast into prison. The pauper might be sold to the highest bidder. The criminal was dragged out into open day and flogged or branded. From ten to nineteen crimes were punishable with death. No such thing as a lunatic asylum, or a deaf and dumb asylum, or a penitentiary existed. The prisons were dreadful places. Men came out of them worse than they went in. 194. The Condition of the Laborer; of the well to do Men worked harder and for less money then than now. A regular working day was from sunrise to sunset, with an hour for breakfast and an hour for dinner. Sometimes the laborer was fed and lodged by the employer, in which case he was paid four dollars a month in winter and six in summer. Two shillings (30 cents) a day for unskilled labor was thought high wages. [Illustration: Washington's flute and Miss Custis's harpsichord at Mount Vernon] Even the houses of the well to do were much less comfortable places than are such abodes in our day. There were no furnaces, no gas, no bathrooms, no plumbing. Wood was the universal fuel. Coal from Virginia and Rhode Island was little used. All cooking was done in "Dutch ovens," or in "out ovens," or in the enormous fireplaces to be found in every household. Wood fuel made sooty chimneys, and sooty chimneys took fire. In every city, therefore, were men known as "sweeps," whose business it was to clean chimneys. [Illustration: Earthenware stove—Moravian] [Illustration: Dutch oven[117] [Illustration: a foot stove] Washington was a farmer, yet he never in his life beheld a tomato, nor a cauliflower, nor an eggplant, nor a horserake, nor a drill, nor a reaper and binder, nor a threshing machine, nor a barbed wire fence. [Illustration: Kitchen in Washington's headquarters in Morristown, N.J.[118] [Illustration: A plow used in 1776] His land was plowed with a wooden plow partly shod with iron. His seed was sown by hand; his hay was cut with scythes; his grain was reaped with sickles, and threshed on the barn floor with flails in the hands of his slaves. 195. Negro Slavery No living person under thirty years of age has ever seen a negro slave in our country. When Washington was President there were 700,000 slaves. When the Revolution opened, slavery was permitted by law in every colony. But the feeling against it in the North had always been strong, and when the war ended, the people began the work of abolition. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire the constitutions of the states declared that "all men are born free and equal," and that "all men are born equally free," and this was understood to abolish slavery. In Pennsylvania, slavery was abolished in 1780. In Rhode Island and Connecticut gradual abolition laws were passed which provided that all children born of slave parents after a certain day should be free at a certain age, and that their children should never be slaves. The Ordinance of 1787 had prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory. But in 1790 New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and all the states south of these were slave states. (See map on the next page.) Though slaves were men and women and children, they had no civil rights whatever. They could be bought and sold, leased, seized for a debt, bequeathed by will, given away. If they made anything, or found anything, or earned anything, it belonged not to them, but to their owners. They were property just as oxen or horses were in the North. It was unlawful to teach them to read or write. They were not allowed to give evidence against a white man, nor to travel in bands of more than seven unless a white man was with them, nor to quit the plantation without leave. If a planter provided coarse food, coarse clothes, and a rude shelter for his slaves, if he did not work them more than fifteen hours out of twenty-four in summer, nor more than fourteen in winter, and if he gave them every Sunday to themselves, he did quite as much for their comfort as the law required he should. [Illustration: MAP SHOWING THE AREA OF SLAVE AND FREE SOIL IN 1790] If the slave committed any offense, if he stole anything, or refused to work, or ran away, it was lawful to load him with irons, to confine him for any length of time in a cell, and to beat him and whip him till the blood ran in streams from the wounds, and he grew too weak to stand. Old advertisements are still extant in which runaway blacks are described by the scars left upon their bodies by the lash. When such lashings were not prescribed by the court, they were commonly given under the eye of the overseer, or inflicted by the owner himself. 196. Six Days from Boston to New York Our country was small when Washington was President. The people lived on the seaboard. The towns and cities were not actually very far apart; but the means of travel were so poor, the time consumed in going even fifty miles was so great, that the country was practically immense in extent. Now we step into a beautifully fitted car, heated by steam, lighted by electricity, richly carpeted, and provided with most comfortable seats and beds, and are whirled across the continent from Philadelphia to San Francisco in less time than it took Washington to go from New York to Boston. [Illustration: Old mill at West Falmouth, Mass.[119] If you had lived in 1791 and started, say, from Boston, to go to Philadelphia to see the President and the great city where independence had been declared, you would very likely have begun by making your will, and bidding good-by to your friends. You would then have gone down to the office of the proprietor of the stagecoach, and secured a seat to New York. As the coach left but twice a week, you would have waited till the day came and would then have presented yourself, at three o'clock in the morning, at the tavern whence the coach started. The stagecoach was little better than a huge covered box mounted on springs. It had neither glass windows, nor door, nor steps, nor closed sides. The roof was upheld by ten posts which rose from the body of the vehicle, and the body was commonly breast high. From the top were hung curtains of leather, to be rolled up when the day was fine, and let down and buttoned when it was rainy and cold. Within were four seats. Without was the baggage. Fourteen pounds of luggage were allowed to be carried free by each passenger. But if your portmanteau or your brass-nail-studded hair trunk weighed more, you would have paid for it at the rate per mile that you paid for yourself. Under no circumstances, however, would you be permitted to take on the journey more than 150 pounds. When the baggage had all been weighed and strapped on the coach, when the horses had been attached, and the waybill, containing the names of the passengers, made out, the passengers would clamber to their seats through the front of the stage and sit down with their faces toward the driver's seat. One pair of horses usually dragged the coach eighteen miles, when a fresh pair would be attached, and if all went well, you would be put down about ten at night at some wayside inn or tavern after a journey of forty miles. Cramped and weary, you would eat a frugal supper and hurry off to bed with a notice from the landlord to be ready to start at three the next morning. Then, no matter if it rained or snowed, you would be forced to make ready by the dim light of a horn lantern, unknown now, for another ride of eighteen hours. If no mishaps occurred, if the coach was not upset by the ruts, if storm or flood did not delay you at Springfield, where the road met the Connecticut, or at Stratford, where it met the Housatonic, each of which had to be crossed on clumsy flatboats, the stage would roll into New York at the end of the sixth day. 197. Two Days from New York to Philadelphia And here a serious delay was almost certain to occur, for even in the best of weather it was no easy matter to cross the Hudson to New Jersey. When the wind was high and the water rough, or the river full of ice, the boldest did not dare to risk a crossing. Once over the river, you would again go on by coach, and at the end of two more days would reach Philadelphia. In our time one can travel in eight hours the entire distance between Boston and Philadelphia, a distance which Washington could not have traversed in less than eight days. [Illustration: Stagecoach and inn[120]] 198. The Roads and the Inns The newspapers and the travelers of those days complained bitterly of the roads and the inns. On the best roads the ruts were deep, the descents precipitous, and the passengers were often forced to get out and help the driver pull the wheels out of the mud. Breakdowns and upsets were of everyday occurrence. Yet bad as the roads were, the travel was so considerable that very often the inns and taverns even in the large cities could not lodge all who applied unless they slept five or six in a room. 199. A Steamboat on the Delaware Rude as this means of travel seems to us, the men of 1790 were quite satisfied with it, and absolutely refused to make use of a better one. Had you been in Philadelphia during the summer of 1790 and taken up a copy of The Pennsylvania Packet, you could not have failed to notice this advertisement of the first successful steamboat in the world: The Steam-Boat Is now ready to take Passengers, and is intended to set off from Arch Street Ferry in Philadelphia every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for Burlington, Bristol, Bordentown and Trenton, to return on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays—Price for Passengers, 2/6 to Burlington and Bristol, 3/9 to Bordentown, 5/. to Trenton. June 14. tu.th ftf. This boat was the invention of John Fitch, and from June to September ran up and down the Delaware; but so few people went on it that he could not pay expenses, and the boat was withdrawn. 200. To the Great West From Philadelphia went out one of the great highways to what was then the far West, but to what we now know as the valley of the Ohio. The traveler who to-day makes the journey from Philadelphia to Pittsburg is whisked on a railroad car through an endless succession of cities and villages and rich farms, and by great factories and mills and iron works, which in the days of Washington had no existence. He makes the journey easily between sunrise and sunset. In 1790 he could not have made it in twelve days. 201. Towns beyond the Alleghany Mountains Though the country between the Alleghany Mountains and the Mississippi had been closed to settlement from 1763 to 1776 by the King's proclamation, it was by no means without population in 1790. At Detroit and Kaskaskia and Vincennes were old French settlements, made long before France was driven out of Louisiana. But there were others of later date. The hardy frontiersman of 1763 cared no more for the King's proclamation than he did for the bark of the wolf at his cabin door. The ink with which the document was written had not dried before emigrants from Maryland and Virginia and Pennsylvania were hurrying into the valley of the Monongahela. In 1769 William Bean crossed the mountains from North Carolina, and, building a cabin on the banks of Watauga Creek, began the settlement of Tennessee. James Robertson and a host of others followed in 1770, and soon the valleys of the Clinch and the Holston were dotted with cabins. In 1769 Daniel Boone, one of the grandest figures in frontier history, began his exploits in what is now Kentucky, and before 1777 Boonesboro, Harrodsburg, and Lexington were founded. [Illustration: Model of Fitch's steamboat[121] 202. State of Franklin Before the Revolution closed, emigrants under James Robertson and John Donelson planted Nashville and half a dozen other settlements on the Cumberland, in middle Tennessee. After the Revolution ended, so many settlers were in eastern Tennessee that they tried to make a new state. North Carolina, following the example of her Northern sisters, ceded to Congress her claim to what is now Tennessee in 1784. But the people on the Watauga no sooner heard, of it than under the lead of John Sevier they organized the state of Franklin, whereupon North Carolina repealed the act of cession and absorbed the new state by making the Franklin officials her officials for the district of Tennessee. In 1789 she again ceded the district, and in May of that year Tennessee became part of the public domain. 203. Squatters in Ohio The cession to Congress of the land north of the Ohio led to an emigration from Virginia and Kentucky to what is now the state of Ohio. As this territory was to be sold to pay the national debt, Congress was forced to order the squatters away, and when they refused to go, sent troops to burn their cabins, destroy their crops, and drive them across the Ohio. The lawful settlement of the territory began after the Ohio and Scioto companies bought their lands in 1787, and John C. Symmes purchased his in 1788. 204. Pittsburg in 1790 At Pittsburg, then the greatest town in the United States west of the Alleghany Mountains, were some 200 houses, mostly of logs, and 2000 people, a newspaper, and a few rude manufactories. The life of the town was its river trade. Pittsburg was the place where emigrants "fitted out" for the West. A settler intending to go down the Ohio valley with his family and his goods would lay in a stock of powder and ball, buy flour and ham enough to last him for a month, and secure two rude structures which passed under the name of boats. [Illustration: The first millstones and salt kettle in Ohio] 205. A Trip down the Ohio in 1790 In the long keel boat he would put his wife, his children, and such travelers as had been waiting at Pittsburg for a chance to go down the river. In the flatboat would be his cattle or his stores. Two dangers beset the voyager on the Ohio. His boat might become entangled in the branches of the trees that overhung the river, or be fired into by the Indians who lurked in the woods. The cabin of the keel boat, therefore, was low, that it might glide under the trees, and the roof and sides were made as nearly bullet-proof as possible. The whole craft was steered by a huge oar mounted on a pivot at the stern.[122] [Illustration: Map of Ohio] 206. Towns along the Ohio As the emigrant in such an ark floated down the river, he would come first to Wheeling, a town of fifty log cabins, and then to Marietta, a town planted in Ohio in 1788 by settlers sent by the Ohio Company. Below Marietta were Belpre and Gallipolis, a settlement made by Frenchmen brought there by the Scioto Company. Yet farther down, on the Kentucky side, were Limestone (now Maysville) and Newport, opposite which some settlers were founding the city of Cincinnati. Once past Cincinnati, all was unbroken wilderness till one reached Louisville in Kentucky, beyond which few emigrants had yet ventured to go. [Illustration: Cincinnati in 1802 (Fort Washington)] 207. Cotton Planting The South, in 1790, was on the eve of a great industrial revolution. The products of the states south of Virginia had been tar, pitch, resin, lumber, rice, and indigo. But in the years following the peace the indigo plants had been destroyed year after year by an insect. As the plant was not a native of our country, but was brought from the West Indies, it became necessary either to import more seed plants, or to raise some other staple. Many chose the latter course, and about 1787 began to grow cotton. [Illustration: Farmers' Castle (Belpre) in 1791] 208. Whitney and the Cotton Gin The experiment succeeded, but a serious difficulty arose. The cotton plant has pods which when ripe split open and show a white woolly substance attached to seeds. Before the cotton could be used, these seeds must be picked out, and as the labor of cleaning was very great, only a small quantity could be sent to market. It happened, however, that a young man from Massachusetts, named Eli Whitney, was then living in Georgia, and he, seeing the need of a machine to clean cotton, invented the cotton gin.[123] Till then, a negro slave could not clean two pounds of cotton in a day. With the gin the same slave in the same time could remove the seeds from a hundred pounds. This solved the difficulty, and gave to the United States another staple even greater in value than tobacco. In 1792 one hundred and ninety-two thousand pounds of cotton were exported to Europe; in 1795, after the gin was invented, six million pounds were sent out of the country. In 1894 no less than 4275 million pounds were raised and either consumed or exported. Of all the marvelous inventions of our countrymen, this produced the very greatest consequences. It made cotton planting profitable; it brought immense wealth to the people of the South every year; it covered New England with cotton mills; and by making slave labor profitable it did more than anything else to fasten slavery on the United States for seventy years, and finally to bring on the Civil War, the most terrible struggle of modern times. [Illustration: The cotton gin A. Whitney's original gin. B. A later form.] SUMMARY 1. When Washington was inaugurated, the United States consisted of eleven states, with a population of about 3,380,000. 2. These people lived not far from the Atlantic coast. Few cities existed; not one had 50,000 inhabitants. Even the largest was without many conveniences which we consider necessaries. 3. Travel was slow and difficult, and though a steamboat had been invented and used, it was too far ahead of the times to succeed. 4. West of the Alleghany Mountains a few settlements had been made between 1763 and 1783. But it was after 1783, when streams of emigrants poured over the mountains, that settlement really began. 6. In the South cotton was just beginning to be cultivated; there all labor was done by slaves. In the North slavery was dying out, and in five of the states had been abolished. State of the Country in 1790 - On the Seaboard. The population. {Number. {Distribution. {Movement west. The cities {Size. {Absence of many conveniences known to us. {Newspapers and magazines. Communication between states. {Bad roads. Slow travel. {The post offices. {The stagecoaches. The inns. {The early steamboat. - In the Ohio Valley. {Population. Squatters. {Pittsburg in 1790. {A trip down the Ohio. {Towns in the valley. - In the South. {Slavery. {Cotton planting. {Whitney and the cotton gin. XV. The Rise of Parties 209. Organizing the New Government The President having been inaugurated, and the new government fairly established, it became the duty of Congress to enact such laws as were needed immediately. The first act passed by Congress in 1789 was therefore a tariff act laying duties on goods, wares, and merchandise imported into the United States. Customhouses were then established and customs districts marked out, and ports of entry and ports of delivery designated; provision was made for the support of lighthouses and beacons; the Ordinance of 1787 for the government of the territories was slightly changed and reenacted; the departments of State, War, and Treasury were established; and a call was made on the Secretary of the Treasury to report a plan for payment of the old Continental debt. 210. The United States Courts The Constitution declares that the judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court and such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. Acting under this power, Congress made provision for a Supreme Court, consisting of a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices, and marked out the United States into circuits and districts. The circuits were three in number. In the first were the Eastern States; in the second, the Middle States; and in the third, the Southern States. To each were assigned two Justices of the Supreme Court, whose business it was to go to some city in each state in the circuit, and there, with the district judge of that state, hold a circuit court. The district courts were thirteen in number, one being established in each state.[124] Washington appointed John Jay the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 211. The Secretaries During the management of affairs by the Continental Congress three great executive departments had gradually grown up and been placed in charge of three men, called the "Superintendent of Finance," the "Secretary of the United States for the Department of Foreign Affairs," and the "Secretary of War." These the Constitution recognized in the expression "principal officer in each of the executive departments." Congress by law now continued the departments and placed them in charge of a Secretary of the Treasury, a Secretary of State, and a Secretary of War. Washington filled the offices promptly, making Alexander Hamilton Secretary of the Treasury, Thomas Jefferson Secretary of State, and General Henry Knox Secretary of War. 212. The "Cabinet" It has long been the custom for the President to gather his secretaries about him on certain days in each week for the purpose of discussing public measures. To these gatherings has been given the name "Cabinet meetings," while the secretaries have come to be called "Cabinet officers." The Constitution, however, never intended to give the President a body of advisers. Indeed, a proposition to provide him with a council was voted down in the constitutional convention. But Washington at once began to consult the Chief Justice, the Vice President, his three secretaries, and the Attorney-general on matters of importance. At first he asked their opinions individually and in writing, but toward the end of his first term he convened a general meeting of the heads of departments, and by so doing set a custom out of which, in time, the "Cabinet" has grown. 213. The Origin of the National Debt As soon as Hamilton was made Secretary of the Treasury, it became his duty, in accordance with an order from Congress, to prepare a plan for the payment of the debts contracted by the Continental Congress. When that body was unexpectedly called on, in May, 1775, to conduct the war, it had nothing with which to pay expenses, and was forced to use all sorts of means to raise money. [Illustrations: Continental money] 214. Paper Money The first resort was the issue, during 1775 and 1776, of six batches of Continental "bills of credit," amounting in all to $36,000,000. These "bills" were rudely engraved bits of paper, stating on their face that "This bill entitles the bearer to receive —— Spanish milled dollars, or the value thereof in gold or silver." They were issued in sums of various denominations, from one sixth of a dollar up, and were to be redeemed by the states. The amount assigned each state for redemption was in proportion to the supposed number of its inhabitants. 215. Loan-office Certificates In 1776 Congress tried another means. It opened a loan office in each state and called on patriotic people to come forward and loan it money, receiving in return pieces of paper called "loan-office certificates." Interest was to be paid on these; but after a while Congress, having no money with which to pay interest, was forced to resort to another form of paper, called "interest indents." 216. The Congress Lottery The loan office having failed to bring in as much money as was needed, Congress, toward the close of 1776, was driven to seek some other way, and resorted to a lottery. A certain number of tickets were sold, after which a drawing took place, and all who drew prizes were given certificates payable at the end of five years. 217. More Bills of Credit But the sale of tickets went off so slowly that Congress had to go back to the issue of bills of credit. In 1777, therefore, the printing press was again put to work, and issues were made in rapid succession, till more than $200,000,000 in Continental paper were in circulation. 218. The "New Tenor" Then the Continental bills ceased to circulate, and in March, 1780, Congress called in the old money and offered to exchange it for a new issue, giving one dollar of the new paper money, or "new tenor," for forty dollars of the old. But the attempt to restore credit by such means was a failure, and by the end of the year 1781 all paper money ceased to circulate. 219. Certificates Long before this time officials had been forced to pay debts contracted in the name of Congress with other kinds of paper, called certificates, and known as treasury, commissary, quartermaster, marine, and hospital certificates, according to the department issuing them. To these must be added the "final settlements," or certificates given to the soldiers at the end of the war in payment of their services. 220. Foreign Debt Besides the debt thus contracted at home, Congress had borrowed a great sum in Europe. 221. The National Debt in 1790 Thus the debt contracted by the Continental Congress consisted of two parts. 1. The foreign debt, due to France, Holland, and Spain, and amounting, Hamilton found, to $11,700,000. 2. The domestic or home debt, of $42,000,000. But the states had also fallen into debt because of their exertions in the war. Just how great the state debts were could not be determined, but they were estimated to be $21,500,000. 222. Assumption and Funding For the redemption of this debt Hamilton prepared two measures,—the funding, or, as we should say, the bonding, of the foreign and Continental debt, and the assuming and funding of the state debts. This was done, and Congress ordered stock bearing interest to be issued in exchange for the old debts, and so established our national debt, which in 1790 amounted to $75,000,000. 223. The National Capital Funding the state debts was strongly opposed by many congressmen, and was not carried till a bargain was made by which it was agreed that if enough members from Virginia and Pennsylvania would support the measure to secure its passage through the House of Representatives, the national government should be removed from New York to Philadelphia for ten years, and after that to a city to be built on the Potomac. This was faithfully carried out, and in the summer of 1790 the government offices were removed to Philadelphia, where they remained till the summer of 1800, when they were removed to Washington in the District of Columbia. 224. The Bank of the United States The troublesome questions of funding and assumption thus disposed of, Congress called on Hamilton for a report on the further support of public credit, and when it met in the session of 1790-91, received a plan for a great National Bank, with a capital of $10,000,000. The United States was to raise $2,000,000; the rest was to be subscribed for by the people. The bank was to keep the public revenues, was to aid the government in making payments all over the country. To do this, power was given to the parent bank (which must be at Philadelphia) to establish branches in the chief cities and towns, and to issue bank bills which should be received all over the United States for public lands, taxes, duties, postage, and in payment of any debt due the government. Great opposition was made; but the charter was granted for twenty years, and in 1791 the Bank of the United States began business. The effect of these two measures, funding the debt and establishing a bank, was immediate. Confidence and credit were restored. Money that the people had long been hiding away was brought out and invested in all sorts of new enterprises, such as banks, canal companies, manufacturing companies, and turnpike companies. [Illustration: The first Bank of the United States] 225. "Federalists" and "Republicans" When the Constitution was before the people for acceptance or rejection in 1788, they were divided into two bodies. Those who wanted a strong and vigorous federal government, who wanted Congress to have plenty of power to regulate trade, pay the debts of the country, and raise revenue, supported the Constitution just as it was and were called "Federalists." Others, who wanted the old Articles of Confederation preserved and amended so as to give Congress a revenue and only a little more power, opposed the Constitution and wanted it altered. To please these "Anti-Federalists," as they were a large part of the people, Congress, in 1789, drew up twelve amendments to the Constitution and sent them to the states. With the ratification of ten of these amendments, opposition to the Constitution ceased. But as soon as Congress began to pass laws, difference of opinion as to the expediency of them, and even as to the right of Congress to pass them, divided the people again into two parties, and sent a good many Federalists into the Anti-Federalist party. A very large number of men, for instance, opposed the funding of the Continental Congress debt at its face value, because the people never had taken a bill at the value expressed on its face, but at a very much less value; some opposed the assumption of the state debts, because Congress, they said, had power to pay the debt of the United States, but not state debts; others opposed the National Bank because the Constitution did not give Congress express power in so many words to charter a bank. Others complained that the interest on the national debt and the great salary of the President ($25,000 a year) and the pay of Congressmen ($6 a day) and the hundreds of tax collectors made taxes too heavy. They complained again that men in office showed an undemocratic fondness for aristocratic customs. The President, they said, was too exclusive, and owned too fine a coach. The Justices of the Supreme Court must have black silk gowns, with red, white, and blue scarfs. The Senate for some years to come held its daily session in secret; not even a newspaper reporter was allowed to be present. As early as 1792 there were thus a very great number of men in all parts of the country who were much opposed to the measures of Congress and the President, and who accused the Federalists of wishing to set up a monarchy. A great national debt, they said, a funding system, a national bank, and heavy internal taxes are all monarchical institutions, and if you have the institutions, it will not be long before you have the monarchy. They began therefore in 1792 to organize for election purposes, and as they were opposed to a monarchy, they called themselves "Republicans."[125] Their great leaders were Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Randolph, and Albert Gallatin. 226. The Whisky Rebellion, 1794 One of the taxes to which the Republicans objected, that on whisky, led to the first rebellion against the government of the United States. In those days, 1791, the farmers living in the region around Pittsburg could not send grain or flour down the Ohio and the Mississippi, because Spain had shut the Mississippi to navigation by Americans. They could not send their flour over the mountains to Philadelphia or Baltimore, because it cost more to haul it there than it would sell for. Instead, therefore, of making flour, they grew rye and made whisky on their own farms. This found a ready sale. Now, when the United States collectors attempted to collect the whisky tax, the farmers of western Pennsylvania drove them away. An appeal was then made to the courts; but when the marshal came to make arrests he, too, was driven away. Under the Articles of Confederation this would have been submitted to. But the Constitution and the acts of Congress were now "the supreme law of the land," and Washington in his oath of office had sworn to see them executed. To accomplish this, he used the power given him by an act of Congress, and called out 12,900 militia from the neighboring states and marched them to Pittsburg. Then the people yielded. Two of the leaders were tried and convicted of treason; but Washington pardoned them. The insurrection or rebellion was a small affair. But the principles at stake were great. It was now shown that the Constitution and the laws must be obeyed; that it was treason to resist them by force, and that if necessary the people would, at the call of the President, turn out and put down rebellion by force of arms.[126] XVI. The Struggle for Neutrality 227. Trouble with Great Britain and France From the congressional election in 1792 we may date the beginning of organized political parties in the United States. They sprang from differences of opinion as to domestic matters. But on a sudden in 1793 Federalists and Republicans became divided on questions of foreign affairs. Ever since 1789 France had been in a state of revolution, and at last (in 1792) the people established the French Republic, cut off the heads of the King and Queen (in 1793), and declared war on England and sent a minister, Genet, to the United States. At that time we had no treaty with Great Britain except the treaty of peace. With France, however, we had two treaties,—one of alliance, and one of amity and commerce. The treaty of alliance bound us to guarantee to France "the possessions of the crown of France in America," by which were meant the French West Indian Islands. When Washington heard that war had been declared by France, and that a French minister was on his way to America, he became alarmed lest this minister should call on him to make good the guarantee by sending a fleet to the Indies. On consulting his secretaries, they advised him that the guarantee applied only when France was attacked, and not when she was the attacking party. The President thereupon issued a proclamation of neutrality; that is, declared that the United States would not side with either party in the war, but would treat both alike. 228. Sympathy for France; the French Craze Then began a long struggle for neutrality. The Republicans were very angry at Washington and denounced him violently. France, they said, had been our old friend; Great Britain had been our old enemy. We had a treaty with France; we had none with Great Britain. To treat her on the same footing with France was therefore a piece of base ingratitude to France. A wave of sympathy for France swept over the country. The French dress, customs, manners, came into use. Republicans ceased to address each other as Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones, Sir, or "Your Honor," and used Citizen Smith and Citizen Jones. The French tricolor with the red liberty cap was hung up in taverns and coffeehouses, which were the clubhouses of that day. Every French victory was made the occasion of a "civic feast," while the anniversaries of the fall of the Bastile and of the founding of the Republic were kept in every great city.[127] 229. England seizes our Ships; the Rule of 1756 To preserve neutrality in the face of such a public sentiment was hard enough; but Great Britain made it more difficult yet. When war was declared, France opened the ports of her West Indian Islands and invited neutral nations to trade with them. This she did because she knew that the British navy could drive her merchantmen from the sea, and that all trade between herself and her colonies must be carried on in the ships of neutral nations. Now the merchants of the United States had never been allowed to trade with the French Indies to an unlimited extent. The moment, therefore, they were allowed to do so, they gladly began to trade, and during the summer of 1793 hundreds of ships went to the islands. There were at that time four questions of dispute between us and Great Britain: 1. Great Britain held that she might seize any kind of food going to a French port in our ships. We held that only military stores might be so seized. 2. Great Britain held that when a port had been declared to be blockaded, a ship bound to that port might be seized even on the high seas. We held that no port was blockaded unless there was a fleet actually stationed at it to prevent ships from entering or leaving it. 3. Great Britain held that our ships might be captured if they had French goods on board. We held that "free ships made free goods," and that our ships were not subject to capture, no matter whose goods they had on board. 4. Great Britain in 1756 had adopted a rule that no neutral should have in time of war a trade she did not have in time of peace. The United States was now enjoying a trade in time of war she did not have in time of peace, and Great Britain began to enforce her rule. British ships were ordered to stop American vessels going to or coming from the French West Indies, and if they contained provisions, to seize them. This was done, and in the autumn of 1793 great numbers of American ships were captured. 230. Our Sailors impressed All this was bad enough and excited the people against our old enemy, who made matters a thousand times worse by a course of action to which we could not possibly submit. She claimed the right to stop any of our ships on the sea, send an officer on board, force the captain to muster the crew on the deck, and then search for British subjects. If one was found, he was seized and carried away. If none were found, and the British ships wanted men, native-born Americans were taken off under the pretext that one could not tell an American from an English sailor. Our fathers could stand a great deal, but this was too much, and a cry for war went up from all parts of the country. But Washington did not want war, and took two measures to prevent it. He persuaded Congress to lay an embargo for thirty days, that is, forbid all ships to leave our ports, and induced the Senate to let him send John Jay, the Chief Justice, to London to make a treaty of amity and commerce with Great Britain. 231. Jay's Treaty, 1794 In this mission Jay succeeded; and though the treaty was far from what Washington wanted, it was the best that could be had, and he approved it.[128] At this the Republicans grew furious. They burned copies of the treaty at mass meetings and hung Jay in effigy. Yet the treaty had some good features. By it the King agreed to withdraw his troops from Oswego and Detroit and Mackinaw, which really belonged to us but were still occupied by the English. By it our merchants were allowed for the first time to trade with the British West Indies, and some compensation was made for the damage done by the capture of ships in the West Indies. 232. Treaty with Spain About the same time (October, 1795) we made our first treaty with Spain, and induced her to accept the thirty-first degree of latitude as the south boundary of our country, and to consent to open the Mississippi to trade. As Spain owned both banks at the mouth of the river, she claimed that American ships had no right to go in or out without her consent, and so prevented the people of Kentucky and Tennessee from trading in foreign markets. She now agreed that they might float their produce to New Orleans and pay a small duty, and then ship it wherever they pleased. 233. The Election of Adams and Jefferson, 1796 Washington had been reëlected President in 1792, but he was now tired of office, and in September, 1796, issued his "Farewell Address," in which he declined to be the candidate for a third presidential term. In those days there were no national conventions to nominate candidates, yet it was well understood that John Adams, the Vice President, was the candidate of the Federalists, and Thomas Jefferson, of the Republicans. When the votes were counted in Congress, it was found that Adams had 71 electoral votes, and Jefferson 68; so they became President and Vice President. [Illustration: John Adams] 234. Trouble with France Adams was inaugurated on March 4, 1797, and three days later heard that C. C. Pinckney, our minister to the French Republic, had been driven from France. Pinckney had been sent to France by Washington in 1796, but the French Directory (as the five men who then governed France were called) had taken great offense at Jay's treaty: first because it was favorable to Great Britain, and in the second place because it put an end for the present to all hope of war between her and the United States. The Directory, therefore, refused to receive Pinckney until the French grievances were redressed. The President was very angry at the insult, and summoned Congress to meet and take such action as, said he, "shall convince France and the whole world that we are not a degraded people humiliated under a colonial spirit of fear and sense of inferiority." But the Republicans declared so vigorously that if a special mission were sent to France all would be made right, that Adams yielded, and sent John Marshall and Elbridge Gerry to join Pinckney as envoys extraordinary. On reaching Paris, three men acting as agents for the Directory met them, and declared that before they could be received as ministers they must do three things: 1. Apologize for Adams's denunciation of the conduct of France. 2. Pay each Director $50,000. 3. Pay tribute to France. When the President reported this demand to Congress, the names of the three French agents were suppressed, and instead they were called Mr. X, Mr. Y, Mr. Z. This gave the mission the nickname "X, Y, Z mission." 235. "Millions for Defense, not a Cent for Tribute" As the newspapers published these dispatches, a roar of indignation, in which the Federalists and Republicans alike joined, went up from the whole country. "Millions for defense, not a cent for tribute," became the watchword of the hour. Opposition in Congress ceased, and preparations were at once made for war. The French treaties were suspended. The Navy Department was created, and a Secretary of the Navy appointed. Frigates were ordered to be built, money was voted for arms, a provisional army was formed, and Washington was again made commander in chief, with the rank of lieutenant general. The young men associated for defense, the people in the seaports built frigates or sloops of war, and gave their services to erect forts and earthworks. Every French flag was now pulled down from the coffeehouses, and the black cockade of our own Revolutionary days was once more worn as the badge of patriotism. Then was written, by Joseph Hopkinson of Philadelphia,[129] and sung for the first time, our national song Hail, Columbia! 236. The Alien and Sedition Acts Carried away by the excitement of the hour, the Federalists now passed two most unwise laws. Many of the active leaders and very many of the members of the Republican party were men born abroad and naturalized in this country. Generally they were Irishmen or Frenchmen, and as such had good reason to hate England, and therefore hated the Federalists, who they believed were too friendly to her. To prevent such becoming voters, and so taking an active part in politics, the Federalists passed a new naturalization law, which forbade any foreigner to become an American citizen until he had lived fourteen years in our country. Lest this should not be enough to keep them quiet, a second law was passed by which the President had power for two years to send any alien (any of these men who for fourteen years could not become citizens) out of the country whenever he thought it proper. This law Adams never used. For five years past the Republican newspapers had been abusing Washington, Adams, the acts of Congress, the members of Congress, and the whole foreign policy of the Federalists. The Federalist newspapers, of course, had retaliated and had been just as abusive of the Republicans. But as the Federalists now had the power, they determined to punish the Republicans for their abuse, and passed the Sedition Act. This provided that any man who acted seditiously (that is, interfered with the execution of a law of Congress) or spoke or wrote seditiously (that is, abused the President, or Congress, or any member of the Federal government) should be tried, and if found guilty, be fined and imprisoned. This law was used, and used vigorously, and Republican editors all over the country were fined and sometimes imprisoned.[130] 237. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions The passage of these Alien and Sedition laws greatly excited the Republicans, and led Jefferson to use his influence to have them condemned by the states. For this purpose he wrote a set of resolutions and sent them to a friend in Kentucky who was to try to have the legislature adopt them.[131] Jefferson next asked Madison to write a like set of resolutions for the Virginia legislature to adopt. Madison became so interested that he gave up his seat in Congress and entered the Virginia legislature, and in December, 1798, induced it to adopt what have since been known as the Virginia Resolutions of 1798. Meantime the legislature of Kentucky, November, 1798, had adopted the resolutions of Jefferson.[132] Both sets declare 1. That the Constitution of the United States is a compact or contract. 2. That to this contract each state is a party; that is, the united states are equal partners in a great political firm. So far they agree; but at this point they differ. The Kentucky Resolutions assert that when any question arises as to the right of Congress to pass any law, each state may decide this question for itself and apply any remedy it likes. The Virginia Resolutions declare that the states may judge and apply the remedy. Both declared that the Alien and Sedition laws were wholly unconstitutional. Seven states answered by declaring that the laws were constitutional, whereupon Kentucky in 1799 framed another set of resolutions in which she said that when a state thought a law to be illegal she had the right to nullify it; that is, forbid her citizens to obey it. This doctrine of nullification, as we shall see, afterwards became of very serious importance.[133] 238. The Naval War with France Meantime war opened with France. The Navy Department was created in April, 1798, and before the year ended, a gallant little navy of thirty-four frigates, corvettes, and gun sloops of war had been collected and sent with a host of privateers to scour the sea around the French West Indies, destroy French commerce, and capture French ships of war.[134] One of our frigates, the Constellation, Captain Thomas Truxton in command, captured the French frigate Insurgente, after a gallant fight. On another occasion, Truxton, in the Constellation, fought the Vengeance and would have taken her, but the Frenchman, finding he was getting much the worst of it, spread his sails and fled. Yet another of our frigates, the Boston, took the Berceau, whose flag is now in the Naval Institute Building at Annapolis. In six months the little American twelve-gun schooner Enterprise took eight French privateers, and recaptured and set free four American merchantmen. These and a hundred other actions just as gallant made good the patriotic words of John Adams, "that we are not a degraded people humiliated under a colonial spirit of fear and sense of inferiority." So impressed was France with this fact that the war had scarcely begun when the Directory meekly sent word that if another set of ministers came they would be received. They ought to have been told that they must send a mission to us. But Adams in this respect was weak, and in 1800, the Chief Justice, Oliver Ellsworth, William R. Davie, and William Vans Murray were sent to Paris. The Directory had then fallen from power, Napoleon was ruling France as First Consul, and with him in September, 1800, a convention was concluded. 239. The Stamp Tax; the Direct Tax and Fries's Rebellion, 1798 The heavy cost of the preparations for war made new taxes necessary. Two of these, a stamp tax very similar to the famous one of 1765, and a direct tax, greatly excited the people. The direct tax was the first of its kind in our history, and was laid on lands, houses, and negro slaves. In certain counties of eastern Pennsylvania, where the population was chiefly German, the purpose of the tax was not understood, and the people refused to make returns of the value of their farms and houses. When the assessors came to measure the houses and count the windows as a means of determining the value of the property, the people drove them off. For this some of the leaders were arrested. But the people under John Fries rose and rescued the prisoners. At this stage President Adams called out the militia, and marched it against the rebels. They yielded. But Fries was tried for treason, was sentenced to be hanged, and was then pardoned. Thus a second time was it proved that the people of the United States were determined to support the Constitution and the laws and put down rebellion. 240. Washington the National Capital In accordance with the bargain made in 1790, Washington selected a site for the Federal city on both banks of the Potomac. This great square tract of land was ten miles long on each side, and was given to the government partly by Maryland and partly by Virginia.[135] It was called the District of Columbia, and in it were marked out the streets of Washington city. Though all possible haste was made, the President's house was still unfinished, the Capitol but partly built, and the streets nothing but roads cut through the woods, when, in the summer of 1800, the secretaries, the clerks, the books and papers of the government left Philadelphia for Washington. With the opening of the new century, and the occupation of the new Capitol, came a new President, and a new party in control of the government. [Illustration: The National Capitol as it was in 1825] 241. The Election of Thomas Jefferson The year 1800 was a presidential year, and though no formal nomination was made, a caucus of Republican leaders selected as candidates Thomas Jefferson for President, and Aaron Burr for Vice President. A caucus or meeting of Federalist leaders selected John Adams and C. C. Pinckney as their candidates. When the returns were all in, it appeared that Jefferson had received seventy-three votes, Burr seventy-three votes, Adams sixty-five votes, Pinckney sixty-four votes. The Constitution provided that the man who received the highest number of electoral votes, if the choice of the majority of the electors, should be President. But as Jefferson and Burr had each seventy-three, neither had the highest, and neither was President. The duty of electing a President then devolved on the House of Representatives, which after a long and bitter struggle elected Jefferson President; Burr then became Vice President. To prevent such a contest ever arising again, the twelfth amendment was added to the Constitution. This provides for a separate ballot for Vice President. March 4, 1801, Jefferson, escorted by the militia of Georgetown and Alexandria, walked from his lodgings to the Senate chamber and took the oath of office.[136] He and his party had been placed in power in order to make certain reforms, and this, when Congress met in the winter of 1801, they began to do. 242. The Annual Message While Washington and Adams were presidents, it was their custom when Congress met each year to go in state to the House of Representatives, and in the presence of the House and Senate read a speech. The two branches of Congress would then separate and appoint committees to answer the President's speech, and when the answers were ready, each would march through the streets to the President's house, where the Vice President or the Speaker would read the answer to the President. When Congress met in 1801, Jefferson dropped this custom and sent a written message to both houses—a practice which every President since that time has followed. 243. Republican Reforms True to their promises, the Republicans now proceeded to repeal the hated laws of the Federalists. They sold all the ships of the navy except thirteen, they ordered prosecutions under the Sedition law to be stopped, they repealed all the internal taxes laid by the Federalists, they cut down the army to 2500 men, and reduced the expenses of government to $3,700,000 per year—a sum which would not now pay the cost of running the government for three days. As the annual revenue collected at the customhouses, the post office, and from the sale of land was $10,800,000, the treasury had some $7,000,000 of surplus each year. This was used to pay the national debt, which fell from $88,000,000 in 1801 to $45,000,000 in 1812, and this in spite of the purchase of Louisiana. [Illustration: Thomas Jefferson] 244. The Purchase of Louisiana When France was driven out of America, it will be remembered, she gave to Spain all of Louisiana west of the Mississippi River, together with a large tract on the east bank, at the river's mouth. Spain then owned Louisiana till 1800, when by a secret treaty she gave the province back to France.[137] For a while this treaty was really kept secret; but in April, 1802, news that Louisiana had been given to France and that Napoleon was going to send out troops to hold it, reached this country and produced two consequences. In the first place, it led the Spanish intendant (as the man who had charge of all commercial matters was called) to withdraw the "right of deposit" at New Orleans, and so prevent citizens of the United States sending their produce out of the Mississippi River. In the second place, this act of the intendant excited the rage of all the settlers in the valley from Pittsburg to Natchez, and made them demand the instant seizure of New Orleans by American troops. To prevent this, Jefferson obtained the consent of Congress to make an effort to buy New Orleans and West Florida, and sent Monroe to aid our minister in France in making the purchase. When the offer was made, Napoleon was about going to war with England, and, wanting money very much, he in turn offered to sell the whole province to the United States—an offer that was gladly accepted. The price paid was $15,000,000, and in December, 1803, Louisiana was formally delivered to us. 245. Louisiana Concerning this splendid domain hardly anything was known. No boundaries were given to it either on the north, or on the west, or on the south. What the country was like nobody could tell.[138] Where the source of the Mississippi was no white man knew. In the time of La Salle a priest named Hennepin had gone up to the spot where Minneapolis now stands, and had seen the Falls of St. Anthony (p. 63). But the country above the falls was still unknown. 246. Explorations of Lewis and Clark That this great region ought to be explored had been a favorite idea of Jefferson for twenty years past, and he had tried to persuade learned men and learned societies to organize an expedition to cross the continent. Failing in this, he turned to Congress, which in 1803 (before the purchase of Louisiana) voted a sum of money for sending an exploring party from the mouth of the Missouri to the Pacific. The party was in charge of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Early in May, 1804, they left St. Louis, then a frontier town of log cabins, and worked their way up the Missouri River to a spot not far from the present city of Bismarck, North Dakota, where they passed the winter with the Indians. Resuming their journey in the spring of 1805, they followed the Missouri to its source in the mountains, after crossing which they came to the Clear Water River; and down this they went to the Columbia, which carried them to a spot where, late in November, 1805, they "saw the waves like small mountains rolling out in the sea." They were on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. After spending the winter at the mouth of the Columbia, the party made its way back to St. Louis in 1806. 247. The Oregon Country Lewis and Clark were not the first of our countrymen to see the Columbia River. In 1792 a Boston ship captain named Gray was trading with the Pacific coast Indians. He was collecting furs to take to China and exchange for tea to be carried to Boston, and while so engaged he discovered the mouth of a great river, which he entered, and named the Columbia in honor of his ship. By right of this discovery by Gray the United States was entitled to all the country drained by the Columbia River. By the exploration of this country by Lewis and Clark our title was made stronger still, and it was finally perfected a few years later when the trappers and settlers went over the Rocky Mountains and occupied the Oregon country.[139] [Illustration: Mouth of the Columbia River] 248. Pike explores the Southwest While Lewis and Clark were making their way up the Missouri, Zebulon Pike was sent to find the source of the Mississippi, which he thought he did in the winter of 1805-06. In this he was mistaken, but supposing his work done, he was dispatched on another expedition in 1806. Traveling up the Missouri River to the Osage, and up the Osage nearly to its source, he struck across Kansas to the Arkansas River, which he followed to its head waters, wandering in the neighborhood of that fine mountain which in honor of him bears the name of Pikes Peak. Then he crossed the mountains and began a search for the Red River. The march was a terrible one. It was winter; the cold was intense. The snow lay waist deep on the plains. Often the little band was without food for two days at a time. But Pike pushed on, in spite of hunger, cold, and suffering, and at last saw, through a gap in the mountains, the waters of the Rio Grande. Believing that it was the Red, he hurried to its banks, only to be seized by the Spaniards (for he was on Spanish soil), who carried him a prisoner to Santa Fé, from which city he and his men wandered back to the United States by way of Mexico and Texas. [Illustration: EXPLORATION OF THE SOUTHWEST BY ZEBULON M. PIKE 1806-1807] 249. Astoria founded The immediate effect of these explorations was greatly to stimulate the fur trade. One great fur trader, John Jacob Astor of New York, now founded the Pacific Fur Company and made preparations to establish a line of posts from the upper Missouri to the Columbia, and along it to the Pacific, and supply them from St. Louis by way of the Missouri, or from the mouth of the Columbia, where in 1811 a little trading post was begun and named Astoria. This completed our claim to the Oregon country. Gray had discovered the river; Lewis and Clark had explored the territory drained by the river; the Pacific Fur Company planted the first lasting settlement. SUMMARY 1. In 1793 France made war on Great Britain. The United States was bound by the treaty of alliance of 1778 to "guarantee" the French possessions in America. 2. This treaty, and the coming of the French minister, forced Washington to declare the United States neutral in the war. 3. His proclamation of neutrality was resented by the Republicans, who now became sympathizers with France. The Federalists, who were strongest in the commercial states, became the anti-French or English party. 4. When France declared war on England, she opened her ports in the West Indies to the merchant trade of the United States. 5. England held that we should not have a trade with France when at war, for we had not had it when France was at peace. This was an application of the "Rule of 1756." In 1793-1794, therefore, England began to seize our ships coming from the French ports. 6. This so excited the Republicans that they attempted to force the country into war with England. 7. To prevent war, Washington sent Jay to London, where he made our first commercial treaty with Great Britain. 8. This offended the French Directory, who refused to receive our new minister and sent him out of France. 9. War with France now seemed likely. But Adams, in the interest of peace, sent three commissioners to Paris to make a new treaty. They were met with demands for tribute and came home. 10. The greatest excitement now prevailed in the country. The Navy Department was created, a navy was built by the people, and a provisional army raised. The old French treaties were suspended, and a naval war began. 11. The popular anger against the Republicans (the French party) gave the Federalists control of Congress, whereupon they passed the Alien and Sedition laws. 12. Against these Virginia and Kentucky protested in a set of resolutions. 13. In the election of 1800 the Federalists were defeated, and the Republicans secured control of the Federal government. 14. In 1800 Spain ceded Louisiana to France, whereupon the Spanish official at New Orleans shut the Mississippi to American commerce. 15. The whole West cried out against this and demanded war. But Jefferson offered to buy West Florida from France. Napoleon thereupon offered to sell all Louisiana, and we bought it (1803). 16. The new territory as yet had no boundaries; but it was explored in the northwest by Lewis and Clark, and in the southwest by Pike. 17. The discovery of the Columbia River in 1792, the exploration of the country by Lewis and Clark, and the founding of Astoria established our claim to the Oregon country. FRANCE A REPUBLIC, 1792. ———————————— | ______________|________________ DECLARES WAR ON ENGLAND (1793). | ______________________|___________________________ | | | | Opens her ports | to neutral trade. Sends a minister to the United States. ————————————- ———————————————————- 1. England asserts rule This brought up the questions: of 1756. 1. Shall he be received?—Yes. 2. Seizes our ships in 2. Is the old alliance applicable the West Indies. to offensive war?—No. 3. Impresses our sailors. 3. Shall the United States | be neutral?—Yes. | | Washington issues a proclamation | of neutrality. | | ———————————————— | Struggle for neutrality. ———————————————————————- | | Republicans oppose it. Federalists support it. Attempt retaliation on Great Britain. Lay embargo. Are aided by Federalists. Prepare for war. | | ———————————————————————- | Washington sends Jay to England. Jay's treaty made (1794). | —————————————————————- | | 1. France takes offense. Violently opposed by the Republicans. 2. Rejects Pinckney. 3. Republicans demand a special mission. 4. Adams yields and sends X, Y, Z mission. 5. Insulted by Directory. 6. Excitement at home leads to | _________________________|__________________________________ Establishment of Navy Department. Creation of a navy. Provisional army. Washington, Lt. Gen. Naval war with France. Alien and Sedition laws. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. Increased taxation. The direct tax. Fries's rebellion. Defeat of Adams and election of Jefferson (1800). | —————————————— Introduces reforms. Annual message. Buys Louisiana. Exploration of the Northwest. XVII. Struggle for "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights" 250. France and Great Britain renew the War The war between France and Great Britain, which had been the cause of the sale of Louisiana to us, began in May, 1803. The United States became again a neutral power, but, as in 1793, was soon once more involved in the disputes of France. Towards the end of the previous war, Great Britain had so changed her ideas of neutrality that the merchants of the United States, according to her rules, 1. Could trade directly between a port of the United States and the ports of the French West Indies. 2. Could trade directly between the United States and ports in France or Europe. 3. But could not trade directly between a French West India island and France, or a Spanish West India island and Spain, or a Dutch colony and Holland. To evade this last restriction, by combining the voyages allowed in numbers 1 and 2, was easy. A merchant had but to load his ship at New York or Philadelphia, go to some port in the French West Indies, take on a new cargo and bring it to Savannah, enter it at the customhouse and pay the import duties. This voyage was covered by number 1. He could then, without disturbing his cargo in the least, clear his vessel for France, and get back from the collector of customs all the duty he had paid except three per cent. He was now exporting goods from the United States and was protected by number 2. This was called "the broken voyage," and by using it thousands of shipowners were enabled to carry goods back and forth between France and her colonies, by merely stopping a few hours at an American port to clear for Europe. So universal was this practice that in 1804 the customs revenue rose from $16,000,000 to $20,000,000. In May, 1805, however, the British High Court of Admiralty decided that goods which started from the French colonies in American ships and were on their way to France could be captured even if they had been landed and reshipped in the United States. The moment that decision was made, the old trouble began again. British frigates were stationed off the ports of New York and Hampton Roads, and vessels coming in and going out were stopped, searched, and their sailors impressed. Before 1805 ended, 116 of our ships had been seized and 1000 of our sailors impressed. 251. Orders in Council, 1806 In 1806 matters grew worse. Napoleon was master of Europe, and in order to injure Great Britain he cut off her trade with the continent. For this she retaliated by issuing, in May, 1806, an Order in Council, which declared the whole coast of Europe, from Brest to the mouth of the river Elbe, to be blockaded. This was a mere "paper blockade"; that is, no fleets were off the coast to keep neutrals from running into the blockaded ports. Yet American vessels were captured at sea because they were going to those ports. 252. The Berlin Decree Napoleon waited to retaliate till November, 1806, when he issued the Berlin Decree,[140] declaring the British Islands to be blockaded. 253. Orders in Council, 1807 Great Britain felt that every time Napoleon struck at her she must strike back at him, and in January, 1807, a new Order in Council forbade neutrals to trade from one European port to another, if both were in the possession of France or her allies. Finding it had no effect, she followed it up with another Order in Council in November, 1807, which declared that every port on the face of the earth from which for any reason British ships were excluded was shut to neutrals, unless they first stopped at some British port and obtained a license to trade. 254. The Milan Decree, 1807 It was now Napoleon's turn to strike, which he did in December, 1807, by issuing the Milan Decree.[141] Thenceforth any ship that submitted to be searched by British cruisers or took out a British license, or entered any port from which French ships were excluded, was to be captured wherever found. As a result of this series of French Decrees and British Orders in Council,[142] the English took 194 of our ships, and the French almost as many. 255. Jefferson's Policy; Non-importation Act The policy by which Jefferson proposed to meet this emergency consisted of three parts: 1. Lay up the frigates and defend our coast and harbors by a number of small, swift-sailing craft, each carrying one gun in the stern. In time of peace they were to be hauled up under sheds. In time of war they were to be shoved into the water and manned by volunteers. Between 1806 and 1812, 176 of these gunboats were built. 2. Make a new treaty with Great Britain, because that made by Jay in 1794 was to expire in 1806. Under the instructions of Jefferson, therefore, Monroe and Pinckney signed a new treaty in December, 1806. But it said nothing about the impressment of our sailors, or about the right of our ships to go where they pleased, and was so bad in general that Jefferson would not even send it to the Senate.[143] 3. The third part of his policy consisted in doing what we should call "boycotting." He wanted a law which would forbid the importation into the United States of any article made, grown, or produced in Great Britain or any of her colonies. Congress accordingly, in April, 1806, passed what was called a "Non-importation Act," which prohibited not the importation of every sort of British goods, wares, and merchandise, but only a few which the people could make in this country; as paper, cards, leather goods, etc. This was to go into force at the President's pleasure. 256. The Chesapeake and the Leopard Such an attempt to punish Great Britain by cutting off a part of her trade was useless, and only made her more insolent than before. Indeed, just a week after the President signed the non-importation bill, as one of our coasting vessels was entering the harbor of New York, a British vessel, wishing to stop and search her, fired a shot which struck the helmsman and killed him at the wheel. About a year later, June, 1807, an attack more outrageous still was made on our frigate Chesapeake. She was on her way from Washington to the Mediterranean, and was still in sight of land when a British vessel, the Leopard, hailed and stopped her and sent an officer on board with a demand for the delivery of deserters from the English navy. The captain of the Chesapeake refused, the officer returned, and the Leopard opened fire. To return the fire was impossible, for only a few of the guns of the Chesapeake were mounted. At last one was discharged, and as by that time three men had been killed and eighteen wounded, Commander Barron of the Chesapeake surrendered. Four men then were taken from her deck. Three were Americans. One was an Englishman, and he was hanged for desertion.[144] 257. The Long Embargo The attack on the Chesapeake ought to have been followed by war. But Jefferson merely demanded reparation from Great Britain, and when Congress met in December, 1807, asked for an embargo. The request was granted, and merchant vessels in all the ports of the United States were forbidden to sail for a foreign country till the President saw fit to suspend the law. The restriction was so sweeping and the damage done to American farmers, merchants, and shipowners so great, that the people began to evade it at once. They would send their vessels to New Orleans and stop at the West Indies on the way. They would send their flour, pork, rice, and lumber to St. Marys in Georgia and smuggle it over the river to Florida, or take it to the islands near Eastport in Maine and then smuggle it into New Brunswick. Because of this, more stringent embargo laws were passed, and finally, in 1809, a "Force Act," to compel obedience. But smuggling went on so openly that there was nothing to do but use troops or lift the embargo. In February, 1809, accordingly, the embargo laws, after fourteen months' duration, were repealed. Instead of them the Republicans enacted a Non-intercourse law which allowed the people to trade with all nations except England and France.[145] 258. Jefferson refuses a Third Term During 1806, the states of New Jersey, Vermont,[146] Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, Georgia, and North Carolina invited Jefferson to be President a third time. For a while he made no reply, but in December, 1807, he declined, and gave this reason: "That I should lay down my charge at a proper period is as much a duty as to have borne it faithfully. If some termination to the services of the Chief Magistrate be not fixed by the Constitution, or supplied by practice, his office, nominally four years, will in fact become for life; and history shows how easily that degenerates into an inheritance." This wise answer was heartily approved by the people all over the country, and with Washington's similar action established a custom which has been generally followed ever since. As Jefferson would not accept a third term, a caucus of Republican members of Congress met one evening at the Capitol in Washington and nominated James Madison and George Clinton. The Federalists held no caucus, but agreed among themselves to support C.C. Pinckney and Rufus King. Madison and Clinton were easily elected, and were sworn into office March 4, 1809. [Illustration: James Madison] 259. The Macon Bill; Non-intercourse When Congress met in 1809 one more effort was made to force France and England to respect our rights on the sea. Non-importation had failed. The embargo had failed. Non-intercourse had failed, and now in desperation they passed a law which at the time was called the "Macon Bill," from the member of Congress who introduced it. This restored trade with France and England, but declared that if either would withdraw its Decrees or Orders, the United States would stop all trade with the other. 260. Trickery of Napoleon And now Napoleon came forward and assured the American minister that the Berlin and Milan Decrees should be recalled on November 1, 1810, provided the United States would restore non-intercourse with England. To this Madison agreed, and on November 1, 1810, issued a proclamation saying that unless Great Britain should, before February 1, 1811, recall her Orders in Council, trade with her should stop on that day. Great Britain did not recall her Orders, and in February, 1811, we once more ceased to trade with her. Trade with France was resumed on November 1, 1810, and of course a great fleet of merchants went off to French ports. But they were no sooner there than the villainy of Napoleon was revealed, for on December 25, by general order, every American ship in the French ports was seized, and $10,000,000 worth of American property was confiscated. He had not recalled his Decrees, but pretended to do so in order to get the American goods and provisions which he sorely needed. It is surprising how patient the Americans of those days were. But their patience as to Great Britain now gave out, and our minister at London was recalled in 1811. This alarmed the British, who promptly began to take steps to keep the peace, and offered to make amends for the Leopard-Chesapeake outrage which had occurred four years before (June, 1807). They agreed to replace the three American sailors on the deck of the Chesapeake and did so (June, 1812). But the day for peaceful settlement was gone. The people were aroused and angry, and this feeling showed itself in many ways. 261. The President and the Little Belt In the early part of May, 1811, a British frigate was cruising off the harbor of New York with her name Guerrière painted in large letters on her fore-topsail, and one day her captain stopped an American vessel as it was about to enter New York, and impressed a citizen of the United States. Three years earlier this outrage would have been made the subject of a proclamation. Now, the moment it was known at Washington, an order was sent to Captain Rogers of the frigate President to go to sea at once, search for the Guerrière, and demand the delivery of the man, Rogers was only too glad to go, and soon came in sight of a vessel which looked like the Guerrière; but it was half-past eight o'clock at night before he came within speaking distance. A battle followed and lasted till the stranger became unmanageable, when the President stopped firing; and the next morning Rogers found that his enemy was the British twenty-two-gun ship, Little Belt. 262. The War Congress Another way in which the anger of the people showed itself was in the election, in the autumn of 1810, of a Congress which met in December, 1811, fully determined to make war on Great Britain. In that Congress were two men who from that day on for forty years were great political leaders. One was John C. Calhoun of South Carolina; the other was Henry Clay of Kentucky. Clay was made Speaker of the House of Representatives, and under his lead preparations were instantly begun for war, which was finally declared June 18, 1812. There was no Atlantic cable in those days. Had there been, it is very doubtful if war would have been declared; for on June 23, 1812, five days after Congress authorized Madison to issue the proclamation, the Orders in Council were recalled. The causes of war, as set forth in the proclamation, were: 1. Tampering with the Indians, and urging them to attack our citizens on the frontier. 2. Interfering with our trade by the Orders in Council. 3. Putting cruisers off our ports to stop and search our vessels. 4. Impressing our sailors, of whom more than 6000 were in the British service. SUMMARY 1. One reason which led Napoleon to sell Louisiana was his determination to go to war with England. This he did in 1803. 2. Renewal of war in Europe made the United States again a neutral nation, and brought up the old quarrel over neutral rights. 3.In 1806, Napoleon, who was master of nearly all western Europe, cut off British trade with the continent. Great Britain in return declared, by an Order in Council, the coast from Brest to the Elbe blockaded; that is, shut to neutral trade. 4. Later in the year 1806 Napoleon retaliated with the Berlin Decree, declaring the British Islands blockaded. 5. Great Britain, by another Order in Council (1807), shut all European ports, under French control, to neutrals. 6. Napoleon struck back with the Milan Decree. 7. Our commerce was now attacked by both powers, and to force them to repeal their Decrees and Orders in Council, certain commercial restrictions were adopted by the United States. A. Non-importation, 1806. B. Embargo, 1807-1809. C. Non-intercourse, 1809. 8. Each of them failed to have any effect, and in 1812 war was declared. [Illustration] 1803. Renewal of War between France and Great Britain ——————————————-+———————————————- | ——————-+——————— The United States a neutral. ——————-+——————— | +————————+—————————-+—————————————————+ | | | _British views of American views. Napoleon's view. neutrality._ ——————^—————- ——————^————— ——————^————————— Free ships, free goods. Shall be no neutrals. The broken voyage. No paper blockades. ——————-^——————- The new Admiralty ruling. No search. Attacks neutral commerce by Stations vessels off our ports. No impressment. ——————-v——————- Retaliates for French Decrees —————-v—————- | by | | ———————v———————— —————-^—————- | | / Non-importation. \ French decrees. | | Long embargo. | ———-^———- Orders in Council. }————-< Non-intercourse with >——————-/ 1806. Berlin. | France and Great | \ 1807. Milan. \ Britain. / —————-v—————- | +—————————————-+ | ———————-^———————- Great Britain denies that French \ / France pretends to lift Berlin Decrees are lifted, and / — —————————— < and Milan Decrees. Refuses to revoke the Orders \ \ Trade with France is restored. in Council. | Tampers with Indians. > ———————+ Insists on the right of search | | and impressment. / | | DECLARATION OF WAR BY UNITED STATES, 1812. XVIII. The War for Commercial Independence 263. Fighting on the Frontier "Mr. Madison's War," as the Federalists delighted to call our war for commercial independence, opened with three armies in the field ready to invade and capture Canada. One under Hull, then governor of the territory of Michigan, was to cross the river at Detroit, and march eastward through Canada. A second, under General Van Rensselaer, was to cross the Niagara River, take Queenstown, and join Hull, after which the two armies were to capture York, now Toronto, and go on eastward toward Montreal. Meantime, the third army, under Dearborn, was to go down Lake Champlain, and meet the troops under Hull and Van Rensselaer before Montreal. The three were then to capture Montreal and Quebec, and complete the conquest of Canada. The plan failed; for Hull was driven from Canada, and surrendered his army and the whole Northwest, at Detroit; Van Rensselaer, defeated at Queenstown, was unable even to get a footing in Canada; while Dearborn, after reaching the northern boundary line of New York, stopped, and the year 1812 ended with nothing accomplished. The surrender of Hull filled the people with indignation, aroused their patriotism, and forced the government to gather a new army for the recapture of Detroit. The command was given to William Henry Harrison, who hurried from Cincinnati across the wilderness of Ohio, and in the dead of winter reached the shores of Lake Erie. General Winchester, who commanded part of the troops, was now called on to drive the British from Frenchtown, a little hamlet on the river Raisin, and (in January, 1813) tried to do so. But the British and Indians came down on him in great numbers, and defeated and captured his army, after which the Indians were allowed to massacre and scalp the wounded. [Illustration: The Canadian Frontier and Vicinity of Washington] And now the British became aggressive, invaded Ohio, and attacked the Americans under Harrison at Fort Meigs, and then at Fort Stephenson, where Major Croghan and 160 men, with the aid of one small cannon, defeated and drove off 320 Canadians and Indians. 264. Battle of Lake Erie Again the Americans in turn became aggressive. Since the early winter, a young naval officer named Oliver Hazard Perry had been hard at work, with a gang of ship carpenters, at Erie, in Pennsylvania, cutting down trees, and had used this green timber to build nine small vessels. With this fleet he sailed, in September, in search of the British squadron, which had been just as hastily built, and soon found it near Sandusky, Ohio. His own ship he had named the Lawrence, in honor of a gallant American captain who had been killed a few months before in a battle with an English frigate. As Perry saw the enemy in the distance, he flung to the breeze a blue flag on which was inscribed, "Don't give up the ship" (the dying order of Lawrence to his men), sailed down to meet the enemy, and fought the two largest British ships till the Lawrence was a wreck. Then, with his flag on his arm, he jumped into a boat, and amidst a shower of shot and bullets was rowed to the Niagara. Once on her deck, he again hastened to the attack, broke the British line of battle, and captured the entire fleet. His dispatch to Harrison is as famous as his victory: "We have met the enemy, and they are ours—two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop." 265. Battle of the Thames Perry's victory was a grand one. It gave him command of Lake Erie, and enabled him to carry Harrison's soldiers over to Canada, where, on the Thames River, Harrison defeated the British and Indians. These two victories regained all that had been lost by the surrender of Hull. Along the New York border little was done during 1813. The Americans made a raid into Canada, and to their shame burned York. The British attacked Sacketts Harbor and were driven off. The Americans sent an expedition down the St. Lawrence against Montreal, but the leaders got frightened and took refuge in northern New York. 266. Campaign of 1814 In 1814 better officers were put in command, and before winter came the Americans, under Jacob Brown and Winfield Scott, had won the battles of Chippewa and Lundys Lane, and captured Fort Erie. But the British returned in force, burned Black Rock and Buffalo in revenge for the burning of York, and forced the Americans to leave Canada. The fighting along the Niagara River, by holding the army in that place, prevented the Americans from attacking Montreal, and enabled the British to gather a fleet on Lake Champlain, and send an army down from Quebec to invade New York state just as Burgoyne had in 1777. But the land force was defeated by General Macomb at Plattsburg, while Thomas McDonough utterly destroyed the fleet in Plattsburg Bay. This was one of the great victories of the war. 267. The Sea Fights While our army on the frontier was accomplishing little, our war ships were winning victory after victory on the sea. At the opening of the war, our navy was the subject of English ridicule and contempt. We had sixteen ships; she had 1200. She laughed at ours as "fir-built things with a bit of striped bunting at their mastheads." But before 1813 came, these "fir-built things" had destroyed her naval supremacy.[147] With the details of all these victories on the sea we will not concern ourselves. Yet a few must be mentioned because the fame of them still endures, and because they are examples of naval warfare in the days when the ships fought lashed together, and when the boarders, cutlass and pistol in hand, climbed over the bulwarks and met the enemy on his own deck, man to man. During 1812 the frigate Constitution, whose many victories won her the name of "Old Ironsides," sank the Guerrière; the United States captured and brought to port the Macedonian; and the Wasp, a little sloop of eighteen guns, after the most desperate engagement of the whole war, captured the British sloop Frolic. When these sloops were some two hundred feet apart, the Wasp opened with musketry and cannon. The sea, lashed into fury by a two days' cyclone, was running mountain high. The vessels rolled till the muzzles of their guns dipped in the water. But the crews cheered lustily and the fight went on. When at last the crew of the Wasp boarded the Frolic, they were amazed to find that, save the man at the wheel and three officers who threw down their swords, not a living soul was visible. The crew had gone below to avoid the terrible fire of the Wasp. Scarcely was the battle over when the British frigate Poictiers bore down under a press of sail, recaptured what was left of the Frolic, and took the Wasp in addition. During 1813 the Constitution took the Java; the Hornet sank the Peacock; the Enterprise captured the Boxer off Portland, Maine. These and many more made up the list of American victories. But there were British victories also. The Argus, after destroying twenty-seven vessels in the English Channel, was taken by the Pelican; the Essex, after a marvelous cruise around South America, was captured by two frigates. The Chesapeake was forced to strike to the Shannon. The Chesapeake was at anchor in Boston harbor, in command of James Lawrence, when the British frigate Shannon ran in and challenged her. Lawrence went out at once, and after a short, fierce fight was defeated and killed. As his men were carrying him below, mortally wounded, he cried, "Don't give up the ship!" words which Perry, as we have seen, afterwards put on his flag, and which his countrymen have never since forgotten.[148] 268. The British blockade the Coast Never, in the course of her existence, had England suffered such a series of defeats as we inflicted on her navy in 1812 and 1813. The record of those years caused a tremendous excitement in Great Britain, all the vessels she could spare were sent over, and with the opening of 1814, the whole coast of the United States was declared to be in a state of blockade.[149] In New England, Eastport (Moose Island) and Nantucket Island quickly fell. A British force went up the Penobscot to Hampden, and burned the Adams. The eastern half of Maine was seized, and Stonington, in Connecticut, was bombarded. 269. Burning of Washington Further down the coast a great fleet and army from Bermuda, under General Ross and Admiral Cockburn, came up the Chesapeake Bay, landed in Maryland, and marched to Washington. At Bladensburg, a little hamlet near the capital, the Americans made a feeble show of resistance, but soon fled; and about dark on an August night, 1814, a detachment of the British reached Washington, marched to the Capitol, fired a volley through the windows, entered, and set fire to the building. When the fire began to burn brightly, Ross and Cockburn led the troops to the President's house, which was sacked and burned. Next morning the torch was applied to the Treasury building and to the Departments of State and War. Several private houses and a printing office were also destroyed before the British began a hasty retreat to the Chesapeake.[150] 270. Baltimore attacked Once on the bay, the army was hurried on board the ships and carried to Baltimore, where for a day and a night they shelled Fort McHenry.[151] Failing to take it, and Ross having been killed, Cockburn reëmbarked and sailed away to Halifax. 271. The Victory at New Orleans The army was taken to Jamaica in order that it might form part of one of the greatest war expeditions England had ever fitted out. Fifty of the finest ships her navy could furnish, mounting 1000 guns and carrying on their decks 20,000 veteran soldiers and sailors, had been quietly assembled at Jamaica during the autumn of 1814, and in November sailed for New Orleans. News of this intended attack had reached Madison, and he had given the duty of defending New Orleans to Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, one of the most extraordinary men our country has produced. The British landed at the entrance of Lake Borgne in December, 1814, and hurried to the banks of the Mississippi. But Jackson was more than a match for them. Gathering such a force of fighting men as he could, he hastened from the city and with all possible speed threw up a line of rude earthworks, and waited to be attacked. This line the British under General Pakenham attacked on January 8, 1815, and were twice driven back with frightful loss of life. Never had such a defeat been inflicted on a British army. The loss in killed, wounded, and missing was 2036 men. Jackson lost seventy-one men. Five British regiments which entered the battle 3000 strong reported 1750 men killed, wounded, and missing.[152] 272. Peace For a month after this defeat the British lingered in their camp. At last, in February, the army departed to attack a fort on Mobile Bay. The fort was taken, and two days later the news of peace put an end to war. The treaty was signed at Ghent in December, 1814; but it did not reach the United States till February, 1815. In the treaty not a word was said about the impressment of our sailors, nor about the right of search, nor about the Orders in Council, nor about inciting the Indians to attack our frontier, all of which Madison had declared to be causes of the war. Yet we gained much. Our naval victories made us the equal of any maritime power, while at home the war did far more to arouse a national sentiment, consolidate the union, and make us a nation than any event which had yet occurred. SUMMARY 1. The land war may be divided into: A. War along the frontier. B. War along the Atlantic coast. C. War along the Gulf coast. 2. War along the Canadian frontier resulted in a gain to neither side. In 1812 Americans were beaten at Detroit and at Queenstown, and failed to invade Canada. In 1813 the Americans were beaten at Frenchtown, but defeated the Canadians at Forts Meigs and Stephenson, and at the Thames River, and recovered Detroit. Perry won the battle of Lake Erie. The Americans failed in the attempt to take Montreal. In 1814 the battles of Chippewa and Lundys Lane were won, and Fort Erie was taken. But the British burned Buffalo and Black Rock and drove the Americans out of Canada. McDonough won the battle of Lake Champlain. 3. During 1812-13 the British blockaded the coast from the east end of Long Island south to the Mississippi. New England was not blockaded till 1814. Then depredations began, and during the year Washington was taken and partly burned, and Baltimore attacked. 4. Later in the year the British, after the attack on Baltimore, went south, and early in 1815 were beaten by Jackson at New Orleans. 5. The navy won a series of successive victories. The defeats were about half as numerous as the victories. 6. Peace was announced in February, 1815. [Illustration] / / / / 1812. Hull surrenders Detroit. | | | | 1812. Harrison attempts to recover it. | | | Detroit . . < 1813. Frenchtown. | | | | Battle of Lake Erie. | | The | | Harrison invades Canada and wins | | expeditions | \ the battle of the Thames. | | against | | | Canada. < / 1812. Van Rensselaer repulsed. | War | | | 1813. York taken and burned. Second | on < | Niagara . . < 1814. Battles of Chippewa and Lundys War for | land | | | Lane, and capture of Fort Erie. Independence < | | \ Americans driven from Canada. | | | | | | / 1813. Expedition against Montreal. | | | St. Lawrence < 1814. British come down from Canada. | | \ \ Defeated on Lake Champlain. | | | | / 1812. Blockade of the coast south of Rhode Island. | | War on | 1813. Ravages on the coast of Chesapeake Bay. | | the | 1814. Entire coast blockaded. | | Seaboard. < New England attacked. | | | Washington taken and partly burned. | | | Baltimore attacked. | \ \ 1815. Victory at New Orleans. | | War on / The ship duels. \ the sea. \ The fleet victories on the Lakes. XIX. Progress of our Country between 1790 and 1815 273. Twenty-five years had now gone by Twenty-five years had now gone by since Washington was inaugurated, and in the course of these years our country had made wonderful progress. In 1790 the United States was bounded west by the Mississippi River. By 1815 Louisiana had been purchased, the Columbia River had been discovered, and the Oregon country had been explored to the Pacific. In 1790 the inhabitants of the United States numbered less than four millions. In 1815 they were eight millions. In 1790 there were but thirteen states in the Union, and two territories. In 1815 there were eighteen states and five territories. 274. The Three Streams of Westward Emigration Sparse as was the population in 1789, the rage for emigration had already seized the people, and long before 1790 the emigrants were pouring over the mountains in three great streams. One, composed of New England men, was pushing along the borders of Lake Champlain and up the Mohawk valley. A second, chiefly from Pennsylvania and Virginia, was spreading itself over the rich valleys of what are now West Virginia and Kentucky. Further south a third stream of emigrants, mostly from Virginia and North Carolina, had gone over the Blue Ridge Mountains, and was creeping down the valley of the Tennessee River.[153] For months each year the Ohio was dotted with flatboats. One observer saw fifty leave Pittsburg in five weeks. Another estimated that ten thousand emigrants floated by Marietta during 1788. As this never-ending stream of population spread over the wilderness, building cabins, felling trees, clearing the land, and driving off the game, the Indians took alarm and determined to expel them. 275. The Indian War During the summer of 1786 the tribes whose hunting grounds lay in eastern Tennessee and Kentucky took the warpath, sacked and burned a little settlement on the Holston, and spread terror along the whole frontier. But the settlers in their turn rose, and inflicted on the Indians a signal punishment. One expedition from Tennessee burned three Cherokee towns. Another from Kentucky crossed the Ohio, penetrated the Indian country, burned eight towns, and laid waste hundreds of acres of standing corn. Had the Indians been left to themselves, they would, after this punishment, have remained quiet. But the British, who still held the frontier post at Detroit, roused them, and in 1790 they were again at work, ravaging the country north of the Ohio. They rushed down on Big Bottom (northwest of Marietta) and swept it from the face of the earth. St. Clair, who was governor of the Northwest Territory, sent against them an expedition which won some success—just enough to enrage and not enough to cow them. 276. St. Clair; Wayne Not a settlement north of the Ohio was now safe, and had it not been for the men of Kentucky, who came to the relief, and in two expeditions held the Indians in check till the Federal government could act, every one of them would have been destroyed. The plan of the Secretary of War was to build a chain of forts from Cincinnati to Lake Michigan, and late in 1791 St. Clair set off to begin the work. But the Indians surprised him on a branch of the Wabash River, and inflicted on him one of the most dreadful defeats in our history. Public opinion now forced him to resign his command, which was given to Anthony Wayne, who, after two years of careful preparation, crushed the Indian power at the falls of the Maumee River in northwestern Ohio. The next year, 1795, a treaty was made at Greenville, by which the Indians gave up all claim to the soil south and east of a boundary line drawn from what is now Cleveland southwest to the Ohio River. 277. Kentucky and Vermont become States These Indian wars almost stopped emigration to the country north of the Ohio, though not into Kentucky or Tennessee. For several years past the people of the District of Kentucky had been desirous to come into the Union, but had been unable to make terms with Virginia, to which Kentucky belonged. At last consent was obtained and the application made to Congress. But the Kentuckians were slave owners, were identified with Southern and Western interests, and cared little for the commercial interests of the East, and as this influence could be strongly felt in the Senate, where each state had two votes, it was decided to offset those of Kentucky by admitting the Eastern state of Vermont. What is now Vermont was once the property of New Hampshire, was settled by people from New England under town rights granted by the governor of New Hampshire, and was called "New Hampshire Grants." In 1764, however, the governor of New York obtained a royal order giving New York jurisdiction over the Grants on the ground that in 1664 the possessions of the Duke of York extended to the Connecticut River. Then began a controversy which was still raging bitterly when the Revolution opened, and the Green Mountain Boys asked recognition as a state and admission into the Congress, a request which the other states were afraid to grant lest by so doing they should offend New York. Thereupon the people chose delegates to a convention (in 1777), which issued a declaration of independence, declared "New Connecticut, alias Vermont," a state, and made a constitution. In this shape matters stood in 1791, when as an offset to Kentucky Vermont was admitted into the Union. As she was a state with governor, legislature, and constitution, she came in at once. Kentucky had to make a constitution, and so was not admitted till 1792. Four years later (1796) Congress admitted Tennessee. [Illustration: THE UNITED STATES AND TERRITORIES July 4, 1801. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER INDEPENDENCE] 278. The New Territories; Ohio becomes a State The quieting of the Indians by Wayne in 1794, the opening of the Mississippi River to American trade by Spain in 1795, coupled with cheap lands and low taxes, caused another rush of population into the Ohio valley. Between 1795 and 1800 so many came that the Northwest Territory was cut in twain and the new territory of Indiana was organized in 1800. The acceptance by Spain in 1795 of 31° north latitude as the boundary of the Floridas, gave the United States control of the greater part of old West Florida, which in 1798 was organized as the Mississippi Territory. Hardly a year now elapsed without some marked sign of Western development. In 1800 Congress, under the influence of William Henry Harrison, the first delegate from the Northwest Territory, made a radical change in its land policy. Up to that time every settler must pay cash. After 1800 he could buy on credit, pay in four annual installments, and west of the Muskingum River could purchase as little as 320 acres. This credit system led to another rush into the Ohio valley, and so many people entered the Northwest Territory, that in 1803 the southern part of it was admitted into the Union as the state of Ohio. [Illustration: Cincinnati in 1810[154]] In 1802 Georgia ceded her western lands, which were added to the Mississippi Territory. From the Louisiana purchase there was organized in 1804 the territory of Orleans, and in 1805 the territory of Louisiana (see p. 247). In 1805, also, the lower peninsula of Michigan was cut off from Indiana and organized as Michigan Territory. In 1809 the territory of Illinois was organized (p. 247). In 1812 the territory of Orleans became the state of Louisiana. The third census showed that in 1810 the population of the United States was 7,200,000, and that of these over 1,000,000 were in the states and territories west of the Alleghanies. 279. Indian Troubles; Battle of Tippecanoe As the settlers north of the Ohio moved further westward, and as more came in, their farms and settlements touched the Indian boundary line. In Indiana, where, save a strip sixty miles wide along the Ohio River, and a few patches scattered over the territory, every foot of soil was owned by the Indians, this crowding led to serious consequences. The Indians first grew restive. Then, under the lead of Tecumthe, or Tecumseh, they founded a league or confederacy against the whites, and built a town on Tippecanoe Creek, just where it enters the Wabash. Finally, when Harrison, who was governor of Indiana Territory, bought the Indian rights to the Wabash valley, the confederacy refused to recognize the sale, and gave such signs of resistance that Harrison marched against them, and in 1811 fought the battle of Tippecanoe and burned the Indian village. For a time it was thought the victory was as signal as that of Wayne. But the Indians were soon back on the old site, and in our second war with Great Britain they sided with the British. [Illustration: The United States and Territories in 1813] 280. Industrial Progress In 1789 our country had no credit and no revenue, and was burdened with a great debt which very few people believed would ever be paid. But when the government called in all the old worthless Continental money and certificates and gave the people bonds in exchange for them, when it began to lay taxes and pay its debts, when it had power to regulate trade, when the National Bank was established and the merchants were given bank bills that would pass at their face value all over the country, business began to revive. The money which the people had been hiding away for years was brought out and put to useful purposes. Banks sprang up all over the country, and companies were founded to manufacture woolen cloth and cotton cloth, to build bridges, to construct turnpike roads, and to cut canals. Between 1789 and 1795 the first carpet was woven in the United States, the first broom made from broom corn, the first cotton factory opened, the first gold and silver coins of the United States were struck at the mint, the first newspaper was printed in the territory northwest of the Ohio River, the first printing press was set up in Tennessee, the first geography of the United States was published, and daily newspapers were issued in Baltimore and Boston. It was during this period that a hunter named Guinther discovered anthracite coal in Pennsylvania; that Whitney invented the cotton gin; that Samuel Slater built the first mill for making cotton yarns; that Eli Terry started the manufacture of clocks as a business; that cotton sewing thread was first manufactured in the United States at Pawtucket, R.I.; and that the first turnpike in our country was completed. This extended from Philadelphia to Lancaster, a distance of sixty-two miles. 281. The Period of Commercial and Agricultural Prosperity Just at this time came another change of great importance. Till 1793 we had scarcely any commerce with the West Indies. England would not allow our vessels to go to her islands. Neither would Spain, nor France, except to a very limited degree. It was the policy of these three countries to confine such trade as far as possible to their own merchants. But in 1793 France, you remember, made war on England and opened her West Indian ports to all neutral nations. The United States was a neutral, and our merchants at once began to trade with the islanders. What these people wanted was lumber, flour, grain, provisions, salt pork, and fish. All this led to a demand, first, for ships, then for sailors, and then for provisions and lumber—to the benefit of every part of the country except the South. New England was the lumber, fishing, shipbuilding, and commercial section. New York and Pennsylvania produced grain, flour, lumber, and carried on a great commerce as well. So profitable was it to raise wheat, that in many parts of Virginia the people stopped raising tobacco and began to make flour, and soon made Virginia the second flour-producing state in the Union. Until after 1795 the people of the Western States were cut off from this trade. But in that year the treaty with Spain was made, and the people of the West were then allowed to float their produce to New Orleans and there sell it or ship it to the West Indies. Kentucky then became a flour-producing state. As a consequence of all this, people stopped putting their money into roads and canals and manufactures, and put it into farming, shipbuilding, and commerce. Between 1793 and 1807, therefore, our country enjoyed a period of commercial and agricultural prosperity. But with 1807 came another change. In that year the embargo was laid, and for more than fifteen months no vessels were allowed to leave the ports of the United States for foreign countries. Up to this time our people had been so much engaged in commerce and agriculture, that they had not begun to manufacture. In 1807 all the blankets, all the woolen cloth, cotton cloth, carpets, hardware, china, glass, crockery, knives, tools, and a thousand other things used every day were made for us in Great Britain. Cotton grown in the United States was actually sent to England to be made into cloth, which was then carried back to the United States to be used. 282. "Infant Manufactures" As the embargo prevented our ships going abroad and foreign ships coming to us, these goods could no longer be imported. The people must either go without or make them at home. They decided, of course, to make them at home, and all patriotic citizens were called on to help, which they did in five ways. First, in each of the cities and large towns people met and formed a "Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Manufactures." Every patriotic man and woman was expected to join one of them, and in so doing to take a pledge not to buy or use or wear any article of foreign make, provided it could be made in this country. In the second place, these societies for the encouragement of domestic manufactures, "infant manufactures," as they were called, offered prizes for the best piece of homemade linen, homemade cotton cloth, or woolen cloth. In the third place, they started "exchanges," or shops, in the cities and large towns, to which anybody who could knit mittens or socks, or make boots and shoes or straw bonnets, or spin flax or wool, or make anything else that the people needed, could send them to be sold. In the fourth place, men who had money came forward and formed companies to erect mills and factories for the manufacture of all sorts of things. If you were to see the acts passed by the legislatures of the states between 1808 and 1812, you would find that very many of them were charters for iron works, paper mills, thread works, factories for making cotton and woolen cloth, oilcloth, boots, shoes, rope. In the fifth place, the legislatures of the states passed resolutions asking their members to wear clothes made of material produced in the United States,[155] offered bounties for the best wool, and exempted the factories from taxation and the mill hands from militia and jury duty. Thus encouraged, manufactures sprang up in the North, and became so numerous that in 1810, when the census of population was taken, Congress ordered that statistics of manufactures should be collected at the same time. It was then found that the value of the goods manufactured in the United States in 1810 was $173,000,000. 283. Internal Improvements: Roads; Canals; Steamboats But there was yet another great change for the better which took place between 1790 and 1815. We have seen how during this quarter of a century our country grew in area, how the people increased in number, how new states and territories were made, how agriculture and commerce prospered, and how manufactures arose. It is now time to see how the people improved the means of interstate commerce and communication. You will remember that in 1790 there were no bridges over the great rivers of the country, that the roads were very bad, that all journeys were made on horseback or in stagecoaches or in boats, and that it was not then possible to go as far in ten hours as we can now go in one. You will remember, also, that the people were moving westward in great numbers. As the people thus year by year went further and further westward, a demand arose for good roads to connect them with the East. The merchants on the seaboard wanted to send them hardware, clothing, household goods, farming implements, and bring back to the seaports the potash, lumber, flour, skins, and grain with which the settlers paid for these things. If they were too costly, frontiersmen could not buy them. If the roads were bad, the difficulty of getting merchandise to the frontier would make them too costly. People living in the towns and cities along the seaboard were no longer content with the old-fashioned slow way of travel. They wanted to get their letters more often, make their journeys and have their freight carried more quickly.[156] About 1805, therefore, men began to think of reviving the old idea of canals, which had been abandoned in 1793, and one of these canal companies, the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, applied to Congress for aid. This brought up the question of a system of internal improvements at national expense, and Albert Gallatin, the Secretary of the Treasury, was asked to send a plan for such a system to Congress, which he did. Congress never approved it. 284. The National Pike Public sentiment, however, led to the commencement of a highway to the West known as the National Pike, or the Cumberland Road. When Ohio was admitted into the Union as a state in 1803, Congress promised that part of the money derived from the sale of land in Ohio should be used to build a road from some place on the Ohio River to tide water. By 1806 the money so set apart amounted to $12,000, and with this was begun the construction of a broad pike from Cumberland (on the Potomac) in Maryland to Wheeling (on the Ohio) in West Virginia.[157] [Illustration: Phoenix[158]] 285. Steamboats This increasing demand for cheap transportation now made it possible for Fulton to carry into successful operation an idea he had long had in mind. For twenty years past inventors had been exhibiting steamboats. James Rumsey had exhibited one on the Potomac. John Fitch had shown one on the Delaware in 1787. (See p. 190.) In 1804 Robert Fulton exhibited a steamboat on the Seine at Paris in France; Oliver Evans had a steam scow on the Delaware River at Philadelphia; and John Stevens crossed the Hudson from Hoboken to New York in a steamboat of his own construction. In 1806 Stevens built another, the Phoenix.[159] These men were ahead of their time, and it was not till the August day, 1807, when Robert Fulton made his experiment on the Hudson, that the era of the steamboat opened. His vessel, called the Clermont, made the trip up the river from New York to Albany in thirty-two hours. [Illustration: Model of the Clermont[160]] Then the usefulness of the invention was at last appreciated, and in 1808 a line of steam vessels went up and down the Hudson. In 1809 Stevens sent his Phoenix by sea to Philadelphia and ran it on the Delaware. Another steamboat was on the Raritan River, and a third on Lake Champlain. In 1811 a boat steamed from Pittsburg to New Orleans, and in 1812 steam ferryboats plied between what is now Jersey City and New York, and between Philadelphia and Camden.[161] 286. The Currency; the Mint Quite as marvelous was the change which in five and twenty years had taken place in money matters. When the Constitution became law in 1789, there were no United States coins and no United States bills or notes in circulation. There was no such thing as a national currency. Except the gold and silver pieces of foreign nations, there was no money which would pass all over our country. To-day a treasury note, a silver certificate, a national bank bill, is received in payment of a debt in any state or territory. In 1789 the currency was foreign coins and state paper. But the Constitution forbade the states ever to make any more money, and as their bills of credit already issued would wear out by use, the time was near when there would be no currency except foreign coins. To prevent this, Congress in 1791 ordered a mint to be established at Philadelphia, and in 1792 named the coins to be struck, and ordered that whoever would bring gold or silver to the mint should have it made into coins without cost to him. This was free coinage. As both gold and silver were to be coined, the currency was to be bimetallic, or of two metals.[162] The ratio of silver and gold was 15 to 1. That is, fifteen pounds' weight of silver must be made into as many dollars' worth of coins as one pound of gold. The silver coins were to be the dollar, half and quarter dollar, dime and half dime; the gold were to be the eagle, half eagle, and quarter eagle. Out of copper were to be struck cents and half cents. As some years must elapse before our national coins could become abundant, certain foreign coins were made legal tender. 287. "Federal Money" The appearance of the new money was followed by another change for the better. In colonial days the merchants and the people expressed the debts they owed, or the value of the goods they sold, in pounds, shillings, and pence, or in Spanish dollars. During the Revolution, and after it, this was continued, although the Continental Congress always kept its accounts, and made its appropriations, in dollars. But when the people began to see dollars, half dollars, and dimes bearing the words "United States of America," they knew that there really was a national coinage, or "Federal money," as they called it, and between 1795 and 1798, one state after another ordered its treasurer to use Federal money instead of pounds, shillings, and pence; and thereafter in laying taxes, and voting appropriations for any purpose, the amount was expressed in dollars and cents. The merchants and the people were much slower in adopting the new terms; but they came at last into general use. 288. Rise of the State Banks Had the people been forced to depend on the United States mint for money wherewith to pay the butcher and the baker and the shoemaker, they would not have been able to make their payments, for the machinery at the mint was worked by hand, and the number of dimes and quarters turned out each year was small. But they were not, for as soon as confidence was restored, banks chartered by the states sprang up in the chief cities in the East, and as each issued notes, the people had all the currency they wanted. In 1790, when Congress established the National Bank, there were but four state banks in the whole country: one in Philadelphia, one in New York, one in Boston, and one in Baltimore. By 1800 there were twenty-six, in 1805 there were sixty-four, and in 1811 there were eighty-eight. In that year (1811) the charter of the National Bank expired, and as Congress would not renew it, many more state banks were created, each hoping to get a part of the business formerly done by the National Bank. Such was the "mania," as it was called, for banks, that the number rose from eighty-eight in 1811, to two hundred and eight in 1814, which was far more than the people really needed. Nevertheless, all went well until the British came up Chesapeake Bay and burned Washington. Then the banks in that part of the country boxed up all their gold and silver and sent it away, lest the British should get it. This forced them to "suspend specie payments"; that is, refuse to give gold or silver in exchange for their own paper. As soon as they suspended, others did the same, till in a few weeks every one along the seaboard from Albany to Savannah, and every one in Ohio, had stopped paying coin. The New England banks did not suspend. 289. No Small Change The consequences of the suspension were very serious. In the first place, all the small silver coins, the dimes, half dollars, and quarter dollars, disappeared at once, and the people were again forced to do as they had done in 1789, and use "ticket money." All the cities and towns, great and small, printed one, two, three, six and one fourth, twelve and one half, twenty-five, and fifty-cent tickets, and sold them to the people for bank notes. Steamboats, stagecoaches, and manufacturing companies, merchants, shopkeepers—in fact, all business men—did the same. In the second place, as the banks would not exchange specie for their notes, people who did not know all about a bank would not take its bills except at very much less than their face value. That is, a dollar bill of a Philadelphia bank was not worth more than ninety cents in paper money at New York, and seventy-five cents at Boston. This state of things greatly increased the cost of travel and business between the states, and prevented the government using the money collected at the seaports in the East to pay debts due in the West.[163] 290. The Second Bank of the United States Lest this state of affairs should occur again, Congress, exercising its constitutional "power to regulate the currency," chartered a second National Bank in 1816, and modeled it after the old one. Again the parent bank was at Philadelphia; but the capital was now $35,000,000. Again the public money might be deposited in the bank and its branches, which could be established wherever the directors thought proper. Again the bank could issue paper money to be received by the government in payment of taxes, land, and all debts. The Republicans had always denied the right of Congress to charter a bank. But the question was never tested until 1819, when Maryland attempted to collect a tax laid on the branch at Baltimore. The case reached the Supreme Court of the United States, which decided that a state could not tax a corporation chartered by Congress; and that Congress had power to charter anything, even a bank. SUMMARY 1. The census returns of 1790 showed that population was going west along three highways. 2. As a result of this movement, Vermont (1791), Kentucky (1792), Tennessee (1796), and Ohio (1803) entered the Union. 3. The population of the country increased from 3,380,000 in 1790 to 7,200,000 in 1810; and the area from about 828,000 to 2,000,000 square miles. 4. The period 1790-1810 was one of marked industrial progress, and of great commercial and agricultural prosperity. It was during this time that manufactures arose, that many roads and highways and bridges were built, and that the steamboat was introduced. 5. A national mint had been established. The charter of the National Bank had expired, and numbers of state banks had arisen to take its place. These banks had suspended specie payment, and the government had been forced to charter a new National Bank. PROGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1709 TO 1815 _Territorial Changes. 1790-1812. Movement of Population into the West. Northern Stream. Checked by Indian war. Indians quieted by Wayne. Population again moved westward. New states. 1791. Vermont. 1792. Kentucky. 1796. Tennessee. 1803. Ohio. 1812. Louisiana. New Territories. 1798. Mississippi. 1800. Indiana. 1802. Mississippi enlarged. 1804. Orleans. 1805. Michigan. 1805. Louisiana (called Missouri after 1812). 1809. Illinois. Expansion of Territory. 1795. Spain accepts 31° as the boundary. 1802. Georgia cedes her western territory. 1803. Louisiana purchased from France. Industrial Progress First carpet mill. First brooms. First United States gold and silver coins. First press in Tennessee. Daily newspapers. Discovery of hard coal. Cotton gin. Manufacture of clocks. Sewing thread. Rise of manufactures. Dependence of United States on Great Britain before 1807. Effect of the embargo. Manner of encouraging manufactures. Agricultural Progress Effect of the French war. State of agriculture in New England. New York and Pennsylvania. The South. Improvements in Transportation Demand for roads and canals. The national pike. Steamboats. Early forms. Fitch's. Fulton's. Stevens's. Rapid introduction of. Financial Condition Federal money. The United States mint established. Free coinage. Bimetallism. Coins struck. Federal money comes slowly into use. State Banks. What led to the chartering of state banks. Their rapid increase. Effect of the expiration of the charter of the Bank of the United States. General suspension in 1814. Reason for chartering the second Bank of the United States. XX. Settlement of our Boundaries 291. Monroe inaugurated The administration of Madison ended on March 4, 1817, and on that day James Monroe and Daniel D. Tompkins were sworn into office. They had been nominated at Washington in February, 1816, by a caucus of Republican members of Congress, for no such thing as a national convention for the nomination of a President had as yet been thought of. The Federalists did not hold a caucus; but it was understood that their electors would vote for Rufus King for President.[164] [Illustration: on the right of the previous paragraph, with caption "James Monroe"] 292. Death of the Federalist Party The inauguration of Monroe opens a new era of great interest and importance in our history. From 1793 to 1815, the questions which divided the people into Federalists and Republicans were all in some way connected with foreign countries. They were neutral rights, Orders in Council, French Decrees, impressment, embargoes, non-intercourse acts, the conduct of England, the insolence of the French Directory, the triumphs and the treachery of Napoleon. Every Federalist sympathized with England; every Republican was a warm supporter of France. But with the close of the war in 1815, all this ended. Napoleon was sent to St. Helena. Europe was at peace, and there was no longer any foreign question to divide the people into Federalists and Republicans. This division, therefore, ceased to exist, and after 1816 the Federalist party never put up a candidate for the presidency. It ceased to exist not only as a national but even as a state party, and for twelve years there was one great party, the Republican, or, as it soon began to be called, the Democratic. 293. The "Era of Good Feeling" A sure sign of the disappearance of party and party feeling was seen very soon after Monroe was inaugurated. In May, 1817, he left Washington with the intention of visiting and inspecting all the forts and navy yards along the eastern seaboard and the Great Lakes. Beginning at Baltimore, he went to New York, then to Boston, and then to Portland; where he turned westward, and crossing New Hampshire and Vermont to Lake Champlain, made his way to Ogdensburg, where he took a boat to Sacketts Harbor and Niagara, whence he went to Buffalo, and Detroit, and then back to Washington. Wherever he went, the people came by thousands to greet him; but nowhere was the reception so hearty as in New England, the stronghold of Federalism. "The visit of the President," said a Boston newspaper, "seems wholly to have allayed the storms of party. People now meet in the same room who, a short while since, would scarcely pass along the same street". Another said that since Monroe's arrival at Boston "party feeling and animosities have been laid aside, and but one great national feeling has animated every class of our citizens." So it was everywhere, and when, therefore, the Boston Sentinel_ called the times the "era of good feeling," the whole country took up the expression and used it, and the eight years of Monroe's administration have ever since been so called. 294. Trouble with the Seminole Indians Though all was quiet and happy within our borders, events of great importance were happening along our northern, western, and southern frontier. During the war with England, the Creek Indians in Georgia and Alabama had risen against the white settlers and were beaten and driven out by Jackson and forced to take refuge with the Seminoles in Florida. As they had been the allies of England, they fully expected that when peace was made, England would secure for them the territory of which Jackson had deprived them. When England did not do this, they grew sullen and savage, and in 1817 began to make raids over the border, run off cattle and murder men, women, and children. In order to stop these depredations, General Jackson was sent to the frontier, and utterly disregarding the fact that the Creeks and Seminoles were on Spanish soil, he entered West Florida, took St. Marks and Pensacola, destroyed the Indian power, and hanged two English traders as spies.[165] 295. The Canadian Boundary; Forty-ninth Parallel This was serious, for at the time the news reached Washington that Jackson had invaded Spanish soil and hanged two English subjects, important treaties were under way with Spain and Great Britain, and it was feared his violent acts would stop them. Happily no evil consequences followed, and in 1818 an agreement was reached as to the dividing line between the United States and British America. When Louisiana came to us, no limit was given to it on the north, and fifteen years had been allowed to pass without attempting to establish one. Now, however, the boundary was declared to be a line drawn south from the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods to the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude and along this parallel to the summit of the Rocky Mountains. 296. Joint Occupation of Oregon The country beyond the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon country, was claimed by both England and the United States; so it was agreed in the treaty of 1818 that for ten years to come the country should be held in joint occupation. 297. The Spanish Boundary Line One year later (1819) the boundary of Louisiana was completed by a treaty with Spain, which now sold us East and West Florida for $5,000,000. Till this time we had always claimed that Louisiana extended across Texas as far as the Rio Grande. By the treaty this claim was given up, and the boundary became the Sabine River from the Gulf of Mexico to 32°, then a north line to the Red River; westward along this river to the 100th meridian; then northward to the Arkansas River, and westward to its source in the Rocky Mountains; then a north line to 42°, and then along that parallel to the Pacific Ocean.[166] 298. Russian Claims on the Pacific The Oregon country was thus restricted to 42° on the south, and though it had no limit on the north the Emperor of Russia (in 1822) undertook to fix one at 51°, which he declared should be the south boundary of Alaska. Oregon was thus to extend from 42° to 51°, and from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific. But Russia had also founded a colony in California, and seemed to be preparing to shut the United States from the Pacific coast. Against all this John Quincy Adams, then Secretary of State, protested, telling the Russian minister that European powers no longer had a right to plant colonies in either North or South America. 299. The Holy Allies and the South American Republics This was a new doctrine, and while the United States and Russia were discussing the boundary of Oregon, it became necessary to make another declaration regarding the rights of European powers in the two Americas. Ever since 1793, when Washington issued his proclamation of neutrality (p. 206), the policy of the United States had been to take no part in European wars, nor meddle in European politics. This had been asserted repeatedly by Washington, Jefferson, and Monroe,[167] and during all the wars from 1793 to 1815 had been carefully adhered to. It was supposed, of course, that if we did not meddle in the affairs of the Old World nations, they would not interfere in affairs over here. But about 1822 it seemed likely that they would interfere very seriously. [Illustration: NORTH AMERICA AFTER 1824] Beginning with 1810, the Spanish colonies of Mexico and South America (Chile, Peru, Buenos Ayres, Colombia) rebelled, formed republics, and in 1822 were acknowledged as free and independent powers by the United States. Spain, after vainly attempting to subdue them, appealed for help to the powers of Europe, which in 1815 had formed a Holy Alliance for the purpose of maintaining monarchical government. For a while these powers (Russia, Prussia, Austria, France) held aloof. But in 1823 they decided to help Spain to get back her old colonies, and invited Great Britain to attend a Congress before which the matter was to be discussed. But Great Britain had no desire to see the little republics destroyed, and in the summer of 1823, the British Prime Minister asked the American minister in London if the United States would join with England in a declaration warning the Holy Allies not to meddle with the South American republics. Thus, just at the time when Adams was protesting against European colonization in the Northwest, England suggested a protest against European meddling in the affairs of Spanish America. The opportunity was too good to be lost, and Adams succeeded in persuading President Monroe to make a protest in behalf of the nation against both forms of European interference in American affairs. Monroe thought it best to make the declaration independent of Great Britain, and in his annual message to Congress, December 2, 1823, he announced three great guiding principles now known as the 300. Monroe Doctrine 1. Taking up the matter in dispute with Russia, he declared that the American continents were no longer open to colonization by European nations. Referring to the conduct of the Holy Allies, he said, 2. That the United States would not meddle in the political affairs of Europe. 3. That European governments must not extend their system to any part of North or South America, nor oppress, nor in any other manner seek to control the destiny of any of the nations of this hemisphere.[168] The protest was effectual. The Holy Allies did not meddle in South American affairs, and the next year (1824) Russia agreed to make no settlement south of 54° 40'. SUMMARY 1. At the presidential election of 1816 the Federalist party, for the last time, voted for a presidential candidate. Party politics were dead, and the "era of good feeling" opened. 2. Many important matters which were not settled by the Treaty of Ghent were disposed of: A. The forty-ninth parallel was made the boundary from a point south of the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains. B. Oregon was held in joint occupation. C. The line 54° 40' was established. 3. The boundary between the United States and the Spanish possessions was drawn, and Florida was acquired. 4. The Monroe doctrine was announced. * * * * SOME RESULTS OF THE WAR. Death of the Federalist party … End of the European war. Disappearance of old party issues. Monroe elected President. The "era of good feeling." Seminole War … Creek Indians join the English. Driven out of Alabama by Jackson. Take refuge with Florida Seminoles. After the war rise against the settlers in Georgia. Destroyed by Jackson. The boundaries … 1818. Northern boundary of Louisiana settled to the Rocky Mountains. 1819. Treaty with Spain settled the south boundary of Louisiana. 1818. Joint occupation of Oregon. 1824. North boundary of Oregon established at 54° 40'. The Monroe Doctrine. The Holy Allies. The South American republics. Proposal of the Holy Allies to reduce the South American republics. The Monroe Doctrine announced (1823). XXI. The Rising West 301. Rush into the West The settlement of our boundary disputes, especially with Spain, was most timely, for even then people were hurrying across the mountains by tens of thousands, and building up new states in the Mississippi valley. The great demand for ships and provisions, which from 1793 to 1807 had made business so brisk, had kept people on the seaboard and given them plenty of employment. But after 1812, and particularly after 1815, trade, commerce, and business on the seaboard declined, work became scarce, and men began to emigrate to the West, where they could buy land from the government on the installment plan, and where the states could not tax their farms until five years after the government had given them a title deed. Old settlers in central New York declared they had never seen so many teams and sleighs, loaded with women, children, and household goods, traveling westward, bound for Ohio, which was then but another name for the West. As the year wore away, the belief was expressed that when autumn came it would be found that the worst was over, and that the good times expected to follow peace would keep people on the seaboard. But the good times did not return. The condition of trade and commerce, of agriculture and manufactures, grew worse instead of better, and the western movement of population became greater than ever. 302. Rapid Growth of Towns Fed by this never-ending stream of newcomers, the West was almost transformed. Towns grew and villages sprang up with a rapidity which even in these days of rapid and easy communication would be thought amazing. Mt. Pleasant, in Jefferson County, Ohio, was in 1810 a little hamlet of seven families living in cabins. In 1815 it contained ninety families, numbering 500 souls. The town of Vevay, Ind., was laid out in 1813, and was not much better than a collection of huts in 1814. But in 1816 the traveler down the Ohio who stopped at Vevay found himself at a flourishing county seat, with seventy-five dwellings, occupied by a happy population who boasted of having among them thirty-one mechanics of various trades; of receiving three mails each week, and supporting a weekly newspaper called the Indiana Register. Forty-two thousand settlers are said to have come into Indiana in 1816, and to have raised the population to 112,000. Letters from New York describe the condition of that state west of Utica as one of astonishing prosperity. Log cabins were disappearing, and frame and brick houses taking their place. The pike from Utica to Buffalo was almost a continuous village, and the country for twenty miles on either side was filling up with an industrious population. Auburn, where twenty years before land sold for one dollar an acre, was the first town in size and wealth west of Utica, and land within its limits brought $7000 an acre. Fourteen miles west was Waterloo, on the Seneca River, a village which did not exist in 1814, and which in 1816 had fifty houses. Rochester, the site of which in 1815 was a wilderness, had a printing press, a bookstore, and a hundred houses in 1817.[169] 303. Scenes on the Western Highways By 1817 this migration was at its height, and in the spring of that year families set forth from almost every village and town on the seaboard. The few that went from each place might not be missed; but when they were gathered on any one of the great roads to the West, as that across New York, or that across Pennsylvania, they made an endless procession of wagons and foot parties. A traveler who had occasion to go from Nashville to Savannah in January, 1817, declares that on the way he fell in with crowds of emigrants from Carolina and Georgia, all bound for the cotton lands of Alabama; that he counted the flocks and wagons, and that—carts, gigs, coaches, and wagons, all told—there were 207 conveyances, and more than 3800 people. At Haverhill, in Massachusetts, a train of sixteen wagons, with 120 men, women, and children, from Durham, Me., passed in one day. They were bound for Indiana to buy a township, and were accompanied by their minister. Within thirteen days, seventy-three wagons and 450 emigrants had passed through the same town of Haverhill. At Easton, Pa., which lay on the favorite westward route for New Englanders, 511 wagons, with 3066 persons, passed in a month. They went in trains of from six to fifty wagons each day. The keeper of Gate No. 2, on the Dauphin turnpike, in Pennsylvania, returned 2001 families as having passed his gate, bound west, between March and December, 1817, and gave the number of people accompanying the vehicles as 16,000. Along the New York route, which went across the state from Albany to Buffalo, up Lake Erie, and on by way of Chautauqua Lake to the Allegheny, the reports are just as astonishing. Two hundred and sixty wagons were counted going by one tavern in nine days, besides hundreds of people on horseback and on foot.[170] 304. Life on the Frontier The "mover," or, as we should say, the emigrant, would provide himself with a small wagon, very light, but strong enough to carry his family, provisions, bedding, and utensils; would cover it with a blanket or a piece of canvas or with linen which was smeared with tar inside to make it waterproof; and with two stout horses to pull it, would set out for the West, and make his way across Pennsylvania to Pittsburg, then the greatest city of the West, with a population of 7000. Some, as of old, would take boats and float down the Ohio; others would go on to Wheeling, be ferried across the river, and push into Ohio or Indiana or Illinois, there to "take up" a quarter section (160 acres) of government land, or buy or rent a "clearing" from some shiftless settler of an earlier day. Government land intended for sale was laid out in quarter sections of 160 acres, and after being advertised for a certain time was offered for sale at public auction. What was not sold could then be purchased at the land office of the district at two dollars an acre, one quarter to be paid down, and three fourths before the expiration of four years. The emigrant, having gathered eighty dollars, would go to some land office, "enter" a quarter section, pay the first installment, and make his way in the two-horse wagon containing his family and his worldly goods to the spot where was to be his future home. Every foot of it in all probability would be covered with bushes and trees. [Illustration: Distribution of the Population of the United States Fourth Census, 1820] 305. The Log Cabin In that case the settler would cut down a few saplings, make a "half-faced camp," and begin his clearing. The "half-faced camp" was a shed. Three sides were of logs laid one on another horizontally. The roof was of saplings covered with branches or bark. The fourth side was open, and when it rained was closed by hanging up deerskin curtains. In this camp the newcomer and his family would live while he grubbed up the bushes and cut down trees enough to make a log cabin. If he were a thrifty, painstaking man, he would smooth each log on four sides with his ax, and notch it half through at each end so that when they were placed one on another the faces would nearly touch. Saplings would make the rafters, and on them would be fastened planks laid clapboard fashion, or possibly split shingles. An opening was of course left for a door, although many a cabin was built without a window, and when the door was shut received no light save that which came down the chimney, which was always on the outside of the house. To form it, an opening eight feet long and six feet high was left at one end of the house, and around this a sort of bay window was built of logs and lined with stones on the inside. Above the top of the opening the chimney contracted and was made of branches smeared both inside and out with clay. Generally the chimney went to the peak of the roof; but it was by no means unusual for it to stop about halfway up the end of the cabin. [Illustration: Log cabin[171] If the settler was too poor to buy glass, or if glass could not be had, the window frame was covered with greased paper, which let in the light but could not be seen through. The door was of plank with leather hinges, or with iron hinges made from an old wagon tire by the nearest blacksmith or by the settler himself. There was no knob, no lock, no bolt. In place of them there was a wooden latch on the inside, which could be lifted by a person on the outside of the door by a leather strip which came through a hole in the door and hung down. When this latch string was out, anybody could pull it, lift the latch, and come in. When it was drawn inside, nobody could come in without knocking. The floor was made of "puncheons," or planks split and hewn with an ax from the trunk of a tree, and laid with the round side down. The furniture the settler brought with him, or made on the spot. [Illustration: Hand mill [172]] The household utensils were of the simplest kind. Brooms and brushes were made of corn husks. Corn was shelled by hand and was then either carried in a bag slung over a horse's back to the nearest mill, perhaps fifteen miles away, or was pounded in a wooden hominy mortar with a wooden pestle, or ground in a hand mill. Chickens and game were roasted by hanging them with leather strings before the open fire. Cooking stoves were unknown, and all cooking was done in a "Dutch oven," on the hearth, or in a clay "out oven" built, as its name implies, out of doors. [Illustration: Corn-husk broom [173]] [Illustration: Kitchen utensils [174]] 306. Clearing and Planting The land about the cabin was cleared by grubbing the bushes and cutting down trees under a foot in diameter and burning them. Big trees were "deadened," or killed, by cutting a "girdle" around them two or three feet above the ground, deep enough to destroy the sap vessels and so prevent the growth of leaves.[175] In the ground thus laid open to the sun were planted corn, potatoes, or wheat, which, when harvested, was threshed with a flail and fanned and cleaned with a sheet. At first the crop would be scarcely sufficient for home use. But, as time passed, there would be some to spare, and this would be wagoned to some river town and sold or exchanged for "store goods." If the settler chose his farm wisely, others would soon settle near by, and when a cluster of clearings had been made, some enterprising speculator would appear, take up a quarter section, cut it into town lots, and call the place after himself, as Piketown, or Leesburg, or Gentryville. A storekeeper with a case or two of goods would next appear, then a tavern would be erected, and possibly a blacksmith shop and a mill, and Piketown or Leesburg would be established. Hundreds of such ventures failed; but hundreds of others succeeded and are to-day prosperous villages. [Illustration: Mississippi produce boat[176]] 307. The New States While the northern stream of population was thus traveling across New York, northern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and into Michigan, the middle stream was pushing down the Ohio. By 1820 it had greatly increased the population of southern Indiana and Illinois, and crossing the Mississippi was going up the Missouri River. In the South the destruction of the Indian power by Jackson in 1813, and the opening of the Indian land to settlement, led to a movement of the southern stream of population across Alabama to Mobile. Now, what were some of the results of this movement of population into the Mississippi valley? In the first place, it caused the formation and admission into the Union of six states in five years. They were Indiana, 1816; Mississippi, 1817; Illinois, 1818; Alabama, 1819; Maine, 1820; Missouri, 1821. 308. Slave and Free States In the second place, it brought about a great struggle over slavery. You remember that when the thirteen colonies belonged to Great Britain slavery existed in all of them; that when they became independent states some began to abolish slavery; and that in time five became free states and eight remained slave states. Slavery was also gradually abolished in New York and New Jersey, so that of the original thirteen only six were now to be counted as slave states. You remember again that when the Continental Congress passed the Ordinance of 1787 for the government of the territory lying between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes, Pennsylvania and the Mississippi River, it ordained that in the Northwest Territory there should be no slavery. In consequence of this, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois were admitted into the Union as free states, as Vermont had been. Kentucky was originally part of Virginia, and when it was admitted, came in as a slave state. Tennessee once belonged to North Carolina, and hence was also slave soil; and when it was given to the United States, the condition was imposed by North Carolina that it should remain so. Tennessee, therefore, entered the Union (in 1796) as a slave state. Much of what is now Alabama and Mississippi was once owned by Georgia, and when she ceded it in 1802, she did so with the express condition that it should remain slave soil; as a result of this, Alabama and Mississippi were slave states. Louisiana was part of the Louisiana Purchase, and was admitted (1812) as a slave state because it contained a great many slaves at the time of the purchase. Thus in 1820 there were twenty-two states in the Union, of which eleven were slave, and eleven free. Notice now two things: 1. That the dividing line between the slave and the free states was the south and west boundary of Pennsylvania from the Delaware to the Ohio, and the Ohio River; 2. That all the states in the Union except part of Louisiana lay east of the Mississippi River. As to what should be the character of our country west of that river, nothing had as yet been said, because as yet no state lying wholly in that region had asked admittance to the Union. 309. Shall there be Slave States West of the Mississippi River? But when the people rushed westward after the war, great numbers crossed the Mississippi and settled on the Missouri River, and as they were now very numerous they petitioned Congress in 1818 for leave to make the state of Missouri and to be admitted into the Union. The petitioners did not say whether they would make a slave or a free state; but as the Missourians owned slaves, everybody knew that Missouri would be a slave state. To this the free states were opposed. If the tobacco-growing, cotton-raising, and sugar-making states wanted slaves, that was their affair; but slavery must not be extended into states beyond the Mississippi, because it was wrong. No man, it was said, had any right to buy and sell a human being, even if he was black. The Southern people were equally determined that slavery should cross the Mississippi. We cannot, said they, abolish slavery; because if our slaves were set free, they would not work, and as they are very ignorant, they would take our property and perhaps our lives. Neither can we stop the increase of negro slave population. We must, then, have some place to send our surplus slaves, or the present slave states will become a black America. 310. The Missouri Compromise Each side was so determined, and it was so clear that neither would yield, that a compromise was suggested. The country east of the Mississippi, it was said, is partly slave, partly free soil. Why not divide the country west of the great river in the same way? At first the North refused. But it so happened that just at this moment Maine, having secured the consent of Massachusetts, applied to Congress for admission into the Union as a free state. The South, which had control of the Senate, thereupon said to the North, which controlled the House of Representatives, If you will not admit Missouri as a slave state, we will not admit Maine as a free state. This forced the compromise, and after a bitter and angry discussion it was agreed 1. That Maine should come in as a free, and Missouri as a slave, state. 2. That the Louisiana Purchase should be cut in two by the parallel of 36° 30', and that all north of the line except Missouri should be free soil[177]. This parallel was thereafter known as the "Missouri Compromise Line." [Illustration: AREAS OF FREEDOM AND SLAVERY IN 1820] The admission of Maine and Missouri raised the number of states to twenty-four.[178] No more were admitted for sixteen years. When Missouri applied for admission as a state, Arkansas was (1819) organized as a territory. 311. The Second Election of Monroe This bitter contest over the exclusion of slavery from the country west of the Mississippi shows how completely party lines had disappeared in 1820. In the course of that year, electors of a President were to be chosen in the twenty-four states. That slavery would play an important part in the campaign, and that some candidate would be put in the field by the people opposed to the compromise, might have been expected. But there was no campaign, no contest, no formal nomination. The members of Congress held a caucus, but decided to nominate nobody. Every elector, it was well known, would be a Republican, and as such would vote for the reëlection of Monroe and Tompkins. And this almost did take place. Every one of the 229 electors who voted was a Republican, and all save one in New Hampshire cast votes for Monroe. But this one man gave his vote to John Quincy Adams. He said he did not want Washington to be robbed of the glory of being the only President who had ever received the unanimous vote of the electors. March 4, 1821, came on Sunday. Monroe was therefore inaugurated on Monday, March 5. SUMMARY 1. The dull times on the seaboard, the cheap land in the West, the love of adventure, and the desire to "do better" led, during 1814-1820, to a most astonishing emigration westward. 2. The rush of population into the Mississippi valley caused the admission of six states into the Union between 1816 and 1821. 3. The question of the admission of Missouri brought up the subject of shutting slavery out of the country west of the Mississippi, which ended in a compromise and the establishment of the line 36° 30'. MOVEMENT OF POPULATION. Northern Stream. Effect of hard times in the East.— Scenes along the highways.—Arrival of the emigrants in the West.—The half-faced camp.—The log cabin.— Household utensils.—Clearing the land.—Growth of towns. Middle Stream. Moves down the Ohio valley, across southern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and pushes up the Missouri. Southern Stream. The defeat of the Creek Indians opens their lands in Mississippi Territory to settlement. XXII. The Highways of Trade and Commerce 312. Improvement in Means of Travel We have now considered two of the results of the rush of population from the seaboard to the Mississippi valley; namely, the admission of five new Western states into the Union, and the struggle over the extension of slavery, which resulted in the Missouri Compromise. But there was a third result,—the actual construction of highways of transportation connecting the East with the West. Along the seaboard, during the five years which followed the war, great improvements were made in the means of travel. The steamboat had come into general use, and, thanks to this and to good roads and bridges, people could travel from Philadelphia to New York between sunrise and sunset on a summer day, and from New York to Boston in forty-eight hours. The journey from Boston to Washington was now finished in four days and six hours, and from New York to Quebec in eight days. [Illustration: Bordentown, NJ.[179]] [Illustration: map: OLD ROUTE FROM NEW YORK TO PITTSBURG] In the West there was much the same improvement. The Mississippi and Ohio swarmed with steamboats, which came up the river from New Orleans to St. Louis in twenty-five days and went down with the current in eight. Little, however, had been done to connect the East with the West. Until the appearance of the steamboat in 1812, the merchants of Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, and a host of other towns in the interior bought the produce of the Western settlers, and floating it down the Ohio and the Mississippi sold it at New Orleans for cash, and with the money purchased goods at Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, and carried them over the mountains to the West. Some went in sailing vessels up the Hudson from New York to Albany, were wagoned to the Falls of the Mohawk, and then loaded in "Schenectady boats," which were pushed up the Mohawk by poles to Utica, and then by canal and river to Oswego, on Lake Ontario. From Oswego they went in sloops to Lewiston on the Niagara River, whence they were carried in ox wagons to Buffalo, and then in sailing vessels to Westfield, and by Chautauqua Lake and the Allegheny River to Pittsburg. Goods from Philadelphia and Baltimore were hauled in great Conestoga wagons drawn by four and six horses across the mountains to Pittsburg. The carrying trade alone in these ways was immense. More than 12,000 wagons came to Pittsburg in a year, bringing goods on which the freight was $1,500,000. [Illustration: Boats on the Mohawk[180]] [Illustration: THOMAS HARPER, AGENT FOR INLAND TRANSPORTATION] With the appearance of the steamboat on the Mississippi and Ohio, this trade was threatened; for the people of the Western States could now float their pork, flour, and lumber to New Orleans as before, and bring back from that city by steamboat the hardware, pottery, dry goods, cotton, sugar, coffee, tea, which till then they had been forced to buy in the East[181]. This new way of trading was so much cheaper than the old, that it was clear to the people of the Eastern States that unless they opened up a still cheaper route to the West, their Western trade was gone. [Illustration: The Erie Canal] 313. The Erie Canal In 1817 the people of New York determined to provide such a route, and in that year they began to cut a canal across the state from the Hudson at Albany to Lake Erie at Buffalo. To us, with our steam shovels and drills, our great derricks, our dynamite, it would be a small matter to dig a ditch 4 feet deep, 40 feet wide, and 363 miles long. But on July 4, 1817, when Governor De Witt Clinton turned the first sod, and so began the work, it was considered a great undertaking, for the men of those days had only picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, and gunpowder to do it with. Opposition to the canal was strong. Some declared that it would swallow up millions of dollars and yield no return, and nicknamed it "Clinton's Big Ditch." But Clinton was not the kind of man that is afraid of ridicule. He and his friends went right on with the work, and after eight years spent in cutting down forests, in blasting rocks, in building embankments to carry the canal across swamps, and high aqueducts to carry it over the rivers, and locks of solid masonry to enable the boats to go up and down the sides of hills, the canal was finished.[182] [Illustration: Model of a canal packet boat] Then, one day in the autumn of 1825, a fleet of boats set off from Buffalo, passed through the canal to Albany, where Governor De Witt Clinton boarded one of them, and went down the Hudson to New York. A keg of water from Lake Erie was brought along, and this, when the fleet reached New York Harbor, Clinton poured with great ceremony into the bay, to commemorate, as he said, "the navigable communication opened between our Mediterranean seas [the Great Lakes] and the Atlantic Ocean." 314. Effect of the Erie Canal The building of the canal changed the business conditions of about half of our country. Before the canal was finished, goods, wares, merchandise, going west from New York, were carried from Albany to Buffalo at a cost of $120 a ton. After the canal was opened, it cost but $14 a ton to carry freight from Albany to Buffalo. This was most important. In the first place, it enabled the people in New York, in Ohio, in Indiana, in Illinois, and all over the West, to buy plows and hoes and axes and clothing and food and medicine for a much lower price than they had formerly paid for such things. Life in the West became more comfortable and easy than ever before. In the next place, the Eastern merchant could greatly extend his business. How far west he could send his goods depended on the expense of carrying them. When the cost was high, they could go but a little way without becoming so expensive that only a few people could buy them. After 1825, when the Erie Canal made transportation cheap, goods from New York city could be sold in Michigan and Missouri at a much lower price than they had before been sold in Pittsburg or Buffalo. 315. New York City the Metropolis The New York merchant, in other words, now had the whole West for his market. That city, which till 1820 had been second in population, and third in commerce, rushed ahead and became the first in population, commerce, and business. The same was true of New York state. As the canal grew nearer and nearer completion, the people from other states came in and settled in the towns and villages along the route, bought farms, and so improved the country that the value of the land along the canal increased $100,000,000. A rage for canals now spread over the country. Many were talked of, but never started. Many were started, but never finished. Such as had been begun were hurried to completion. Before 1830 there were 1343 miles of canal open to use in the United States. 316. The Pennsylvania Highway to the West In Pennsylvania the opening of the Erie Canal caused great excitement. And well it might; for freight could now be sent by sailing vessels from Philadelphia to Albany, and then by canal to Buffalo, and on by the Lake Erie and Chautauqua route to Pittsburg, for one third what it cost to go overland. It seemed as if New York by one stroke had taken away the Western commerce of Philadelphia, and ruined the prosperity of such inland towns of Pennsylvania as lay along the highway to the West. The demand for roads and canals at state expense was now listened to, and in 1826 ground was broken at Harrisburg for a system of canals to join Philadelphia and Pittsburg. But in 1832 the horse-power railroad came into use, and when finished, the system was part railroad and part canal. 317. The Baltimore Route to the West This energy on the part of Pennsylvania alarmed the people of Baltimore. Unless their city was to yield its Western trade to Philadelphia they too must have a speedy and cheap route to the West. In 1827, therefore, a great public meeting was held at Baltimore to consider the wisdom of building a railroad from Baltimore to some point on the Ohio River. The meeting decided that it must be done, and on July 4, 1828, the work of construction was begun. In 1830 the road was opened as far as Ellicotts Mills, a distance of fifteen miles. The cars were drawn by horses. The early railroads, as the word implies, were roads made of wooden rails, or railed roads, over which heavy loads were drawn by horses. The very first were private affairs, and not intended for carrying passengers.[183] 318. Public Railroads In 1825 John Stevens, who for ten years past had been advocating steam railroads, built a circular road at Hoboken to demonstrate the possibility of using such means of locomotion. In 1823 Pennsylvania chartered a company to build a railroad from Philadelphia to the Susquehanna. But it was not till 1827, when the East was earnestly seeking for a rapid and cheap means of transportation to the West, that railroads of great length and for public use were undertaken. In that year the people of Massachusetts were so excited over the opening of the Erie Canal that the legislature appointed a commission and an engineer to select a line for a railroad to join Boston and Albany. At this time there was no such thing as a steam locomotive in use in the United States. The first ever used here for practical purposes was built in England and brought to New York city in 1829, and in August of that year made a trial trip on the rails of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. The experiment was a failure; and for several years horses were the only motive power in use on the railroads. In 1830, however, the South Carolina Railroad having finished six miles of its road, had a locomotive built in New York city, and in January, 1831, placed it on the tracks at Charleston. Another followed in February, and the era of locomotive railroading in our country began. 319. The Portage Railroad As yet the locomotive was a rude machine. It could not go faster than fifteen miles an hour, nor climb a steep hill. Where such an obstacle was met with, either the road went around it, or the locomotive was taken off and the cars were let down or pulled up the hill on an inclined plane by means of a rope and stationary engine.[184] When Pennsylvania began her railroad over the Alleghany Mountains, therefore, she used the inclined-plane system on a great scale, so that in its time the Portage Railroad, as it was called, was the most remarkable piece of railroading in the world. The Pennsylvania line to the West consisted of a horse railroad from Philadelphia to Columbia on the Susquehanna River; of a canal out the Juniata valley to Hollidaysburg on the eastern slope of the Alleghany Mountains, where the Portage Railroad began, and the cars were raised to the summit of the mountains by a series of inclined planes and levels, and then by the same means let down the western slope to Johnstown; and then of another canal from Johnstown to Pittsburg. [Illustration: Inclined plane at Belmont in 1835] As originally planned, the state was to build the railroad and canal, just as it built turnpikes. No cars, no motive power of any sort, except at the inclined planes, were to be supplied. Anybody could use it who paid two cents a mile for each passenger, and $4.92 for each car sent over the rails. At first, therefore, firms and corporations engaged in the transportation business owned their own cars, their own horses, employed their own drivers, and charged such rates as the state tolls and sharp competition would allow. The result was dire confusion. The road was a single-track affair, with turnouts to enable cars coming in opposite directions to pass each other. But the drivers were an unruly set, paid no attention to turnouts, and would meet face to face on the track, just as if no turnouts existed. A fight or a block was sure to follow, and somebody was forced to go back. To avoid this, the road was double-tracked in 1834, when, for the first time, two locomotives dragging long trains of cars ran over the line from Lancaster to Philadelphia. As the engine went faster than the horses, it soon became apparent that both could not use the road at the same time; and after 1836 steam became the sole motive power, and the locomotive was furnished by the state, which now charged for hauling the cars.[185] [Illustration: The first railroad train in New Jersey (1831)] The puffing little locomotive bore little resemblance to its beautiful and powerful successors. No cab sheltered the engineer, no brake checked the speed, wood was the only fuel, and the tall smokestack belched forth smoke and red-hot cinders. But this was nothing to what happened when the train came to a bridge. Such structures were then protected by roofing them and boarding the sides almost to the eaves. But the roof was always too low to allow the smokestack to go under. The stack, therefore, was jointed, and when passing through a bridge the upper half was dropped down and the whole train in consequence was enveloped in a cloud of smoke and burning cinders, while the passengers covered their eyes, mouths, and noses. 320. Railroads in 1835 In 1835 there were twenty-two railroads in operation in the United States. Two were west of the Alleghanies, and not one was 140 miles long. For a while the cars ran on "strap rails" made of wooden beams or stringers laid on stone blocks and protected on the top surface, where the car wheel rested, by long strips or straps of iron spiked on. The spikes would often work loose, and, as the car passed over, the strap would curl up and come through the bottom of the car, making what was called a snake head. It was some time before the all-iron rail came into use, and even then it was a small affair compared with the huge rails that are used at present. 321. Mechanical Inventions The introduction of the steamboat and the railroad, the great development of manufactures, the growth of the West, and the immense opportunity for doing business which these conditions offered, led to all sorts of demands for labor-saving and time-saving machinery. Another very marked characteristic of the period 1825-1840, therefore, is the display of the inventive genius of the people. Articles which a few years before were made by hand now began to be made by machinery. Before 1825 every farmer in the country threshed his grain with a flail, or by driving cattle over it, or by means of a large wooden roller covered with pegs. After 1825 these rude devices began to be supplanted by the threshing machine. Till 1826 no axes, hatchets, chisels, planes, or other edge tools were made in this country. In 1826 their manufacture was begun, and in the following year there was opened the first hardware store for the sale of American-made hardware. The use of anthracite coal had become so general that the wood stove was beginning to be displaced by the hard-coal stove, and in 1827 fire bricks were first made in the United States. It was at about this time that paper was first made of hay and straw; that boards were first planed by machine; that bricks were first made by machinery; that penknives and pocketknives were first manufactured in America; that Fairbanks invented the platform weighing scales; that chloroform was discovered; that Morse invented the recording telegraph; that a man in New York city, named Hunt, made and sold the first lock-stitch sewing machine ever seen in the world; that pens and horseshoes were made by machine; that the reaping machine was given its first public trial (in Ohio); and that Colt invented the revolver. 322. Condition of the Cities Yet another characteristic of the period was the great change which came over the cities and towns. The development of canal and railroad transportation had thrown many of the old highways into disuse, had made old towns and villages decline in population, and had caused new towns to spring up and flourish. Everybody now wanted to live near a railroad or a canal. The rapid increase in manufactures had led to the occupation of the fine water-power sites, and to the creation of many such manufacturing towns as Lowell (in Massachusetts) and Cohoes (in New York). The rise of so many new kinds of business, of so many corporations, mills, and factories, caused a rush of people to the cities, which now began to grow rapidly in size. [Illustration: New York in 1830 (St. Paul's Chapel, on Broadway)] This made a change in city government necessary. The constable and the watchman with his rattle had to give place to the modern policeman. The old dingy oil lamps, lighted only when the moon did not shine, gave place to gas. The cities were now so full of clerks, workingmen, mechanics, and other people who had to live far away from the places where they were employed, that a cheap means of transportation about the streets became necessary. Accordingly, in 1830, an omnibus line was started in New York.[186] It succeeded so well that in 1832 the first street horse-car line in America was operated in New York city. 323. The Owenite Communities The efforts thus made everywhere and in every way to increase the comforts and conveniences of mankind turned the years 1820-1840 into a period of reform. Anything new was eagerly taken up. When, therefore, a Welshman named Robert Owen came over to this country, and introduced what he considered a social reform, numbers of people in the West became his followers. Owen believed that most of the hardships of life came from the fact that some men secured more property and made more money than others. He believed that people should live together in communities in which the farms, the houses, the cattle, the products of the soil, should be owned not by individual men, but by the whole community. He held that there should be absolute social equality, and that no matter what sort of work a man did, whether skilled or unskilled, it should be considered just as valuable as the work of any other man. All this was very alluring, and in a little while Owenite communities were started in Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New York, only to end in failure.[187] 324. The Mormons But there was a social movement started at this time which still exists. In 1827, at Palmyra, in New York, a young man named Joseph Smith announced that he had received a new bible from an angel of the Lord. It was written, he said, on golden plates, which he claimed to have read by the aid of two wonderful stones; and in 1830 he gave to the world The Book of Mormon. After the book appeared, Smith and a few others organized a church. Many at once began to believe in the new religion. But the West seemed so much better a field that in 1831 Smith and his followers started for Ohio, and at Kirtland established a Mormon community. There the Mormons lived for several years, and then went to Missouri, whence they were expelled, partly because they were an antislavery people. In 1840 they settled on the banks of the Mississippi in Illinois and built the town of Nauvoo. At Nauvoo they remained till 1846, when, having adopted polygamy, they were driven off by the people of Illinois, and, led by Brigham Young, marched to Council Bluffs, in Iowa. There they stopped to look about them for a safe place of abode, and finally, in 1847, left Council Bluffs for Great Salt Lake, then in the dominions of Mexico.[188] SUMMARY 1. The rise of the new states in the West, and the appearance of the steamboat on the Mississippi, were the causes of a great revival of public interest in internal improvements. 2. The first to build a great western highway was New York state, which, between 1817 and 1825, built the Erie Canal. 3. This cut down the cost of moving freight to the West, led to settlement along the banks of the canal, and made New York city the metropolis of the country. 4. It was during this period, 1815-1830, that many inventions, discoveries, and improvements were made in the arts and sciences. 5. The railroad was introduced, and the steam locomotive successfully used. 6. The cities grew, and in New York the omnibus and the street car began to be used. The movement of population into the West.—The formation of new states there.—The rise of manufactures in the East.—The fine market the West offers for the products and importations of the Eastern States. * * * * Lead to great rivalry between the Atlantic seaboard cities for Western trade. * * * * This rivalry leads to the development of three routes to the West. The New York Route. 1807. Steamboats on the Hudson. 1817-25. Erie Canal 1818. Steamboats on the Lakes. Chautauqua Lake and Allegheny valley. Effect of Erie Canal. The Pennsylvania Route. Old Conestoga wagons. Effect of Erie Canal. 1827. Pennsylvania state canals and railroads. The Portage Railroad. The Baltimore Route. 1828. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad commenced. * * * * The expansion of the country.—The development of the steamboat, the railroad, and manufactures, and the increased opportunities for doing business. XXIII. Politics from 1824 to 1845 325. New Political Institutions Of the political leaders of Washington's time few were left in 1825. The men who then conducted affairs had almost all been born since the Revolution, or were children at the time.[189] The same is true of the mass of the people. They too had been born since the Revolution, and, growing up under different conditions, held ideas very different from the men who went before them. They were more democratic and much less aristocratic, more humane, more practical. They abolished the old and cruel punishments, such as branding the cheeks and foreheads of criminals with letters, cutting off their ears, putting them in the pillory and the stocks; they partly abolished imprisonment for debt; they established free schools, reformatories, asylums, and penitentiaries. They amended their state constitutions or made new ones, and extended the right to vote, and introduced new political institutions, some of which were of doubtful value, but are still used. 326. Political Proscription; the Gerrymander One of these was the custom of turning men out of public office because they did not belong to the party in power, or did not "work" for the election of the successful candidate. As early as 1792 this vicious practice was in use in Pennsylvania, and a few years later was introduced in New York by De Witt Clinton. Jefferson resorted to it when he became President, but it was not till 1820 that it was firmly established by Congress. In that year William H. Crawford, who was Secretary of the Treasury and a presidential candidate, secured the passage of a "tenure of office" act, limiting the term of collectors of revenue, and a host of other officials, to four years, and thus made the appointments to these places rewards for political service. Another institution dating from this time is the gerrymander. In 1812, when Elbridge Gerry was the Republican governor of Massachusetts, his party, finding that at the next election they would lose the governorship and the House of Representatives, decided to hold the Senate by marking out new senatorial districts. In doing this they drew the lines in such wise that districts where there were large Federalist majorities were cut in two, and the parts annexed to other districts, where there were yet larger Republican majorities. [Illustration] The story is told that a map of the Essex senatorial district was hanging on the office wall of the editor of the Columbian Centinel, when a famous artist named Stuart entered. Struck by the peculiar outline of the towns forming the district, he added a head, wings, and claws with his pencil, and turning to the editor, said: "There, that will do for a salamander." "Better say a Gerrymander," returned the editor, alluding to Elbridge Gerry, the Republican governor who had signed the districting act. However this may be, it is certain that the name "gerrymander" was applied to the odious law in the columns of the Centinel, that it came rapidly into use, and has remained in our political nomenclature ever since. Indeed, a huge cut of the monster was prepared, and the next year was scattered as a broadside over the commonwealth, and so aroused the people that in the spring of 1813, despite the gerrymander, the Federalists recovered control of the Senate, and repealed the law. But the example was set, and was quickly imitated in New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. This established the institution, and it has been used over and over again to this day. 327. The Third-term Tradition Another political custom which had grown to have the force of law was that of never electing a President to three terms. There is nothing in the Constitution to prevent a President serving any number of terms; but, as we have seen, when Washington finished his second he declined another, and when Jefferson (in 1807-1808) was asked by the legislatures of several states to accept a third term, he declined, and very seriously advised the people never to elect any man President more than twice.[190] The example so set was followed by Madison and Monroe and had thus by 1824 become an established usage. 328. New Political Issues The most important change of all was the rise of new political issues. We have seen how the financial questions which divided the people in 1790-1792 and gave rise to the Federalist and Republican parties, were replaced during the wars between England and France by the question, "Shall the United States be neutral?" It was not until the end of our second war with Great Britain that we were again free to attend to our home affairs. During the long embargo and the war, manufactures had arisen, and one question now became, "Shall home manufactures be encouraged?" With the rapid settlement of the Mississippi valley and the demand for roads, canals, and river improvements by which trade might be carried on with the West, there arose a second political question: "Shall these internal improvements be made at government expense?" Now the people of the different sections of the country were not of one mind on these questions. The Middle States and Kentucky and some parts of New England wanted manufactures encouraged. In the West and the Middle States people were in favor of internal improvements at the cost of the government. In the South Atlantic States, where tobacco and cotton and rice were raised and shipped (especially the cotton) to England, people cared nothing for manufactures, nothing for internal improvements. 329. Presidential Candidates in 1824 This diversity of opinion on questions of vital importance had much to do with the breaking up of the Republican party into sectional factions after 1820. The ambition of leaders in these sections helped on the disruption, so that between 1821 and 1824 four men, John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, Henry Clay of Kentucky, Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, were nominated for President by state legislatures or state nominating conventions, by mass meeting or by gatherings of men who had assembled for other purposes but seized the occasion to indorse or propose a candidate. A fifth, William H. Crawford, was nominated by the congressional caucus, which then acted for the last time in our history. Before election day this list was reduced to four: Calhoun had become the candidate of all factions for the vice presidency. [Illustration: John Quincy Adams] 330. Adams elected by the House of Representatives The Constitution provides that no man is chosen President by the electors who does not receive a majority of their votes. In 1824 Jackson received ninety-nine; Adams, eighty-four; Crawford, forty-one; and Clay, thirty-seven. There was, therefore, no election, and it became the duty of the House of Representatives to make a choice. But according to the Constitution only the three highest could come before the House. This left out Clay, who was Speaker and who had great influence. His friends would not vote for Jackson on any account, nor for Crawford, the caucus candidate. Adams they liked, because he believed in internal improvements at government expense and a protective tariff. Adams accordingly was elected President. Calhoun had been elected Vice President by the electoral college. [Illustration: The United States July 4, 1826] The election of John Quincy Adams was a matter of intense disappointment to the friends of Jackson. In the heat of party passion and the bitterness of their disappointment they declared that it was the result of a bargain between Adams and Clay. Clay, they said, was to induce his friends in the House of Representatives to vote for Adams, in return for which Adams was to make Clay Secretary of State. No such bargain was ever made. But when Adams did appoint Clay Secretary of State, Jackson and his followers were fully convinced of the contrary[191]. As a consequence, the legislature of Tennessee at once renominated Jackson for the presidency, and he became the people's candidate and drew about him not only the men who voted for him in 1824, but those also who had voted for Crawford, who was paralyzed and no longer a candidate. They called themselves "Jackson men," or Democratic Republicans. Adams, it was known, would be nominated to succeed himself, and about him gathered all who wanted a tariff for protection, roads and canals at national expense, and a distribution among the states of the money obtained from the sale of public lands. These were the "Adams men," or National Republicans. 331. Antimasons But there was a third party which arose in a very curious way and soon became powerful. In 1826, at Batavia in New York, a freemason named William Morgan announced his intention to publish a book revealing the secrets of masonry; but about the time the book was to come out Morgan disappeared and was never seen again. This led to the belief that the masons had killed him, and stirred up great excitement all over the twelve western counties of New York. The "antimasons" said that a man who was a freemason considered his duty to his order superior to his duty to his country; and a determined effort was made to prevent the election of any freemason to office. [Illustration: Andrew Jackson ] At first the "antimasonic" movement was confined to western New York, but the moment it took a political turn it spread across northern Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and was led by some of the most distinguished men and aspiring politicians of the time[192]. 332. The Election of Jackson When the presidential election occurred in 1828, there were thus three parties,—the "Jackson men," the "Administration," and the Antimasonic. But politics had very little to do with the result. In the early days of the republic, the mass of men were ignorant and uneducated, and willingly submitted to be led by men of education and what was called breeding. From Washington down to John Quincy Adams, the presidents were from the aristocratic class. They were not men of the people. But in course of time a great change had come over the mass of Americans. Their prosperity, their energy in developing the country, had made them self-reliant, and impatient of all claims of superiority. One man was now no better than another, and the cry arose all over the country for a President who was "a man of the people." Jackson was just such a man, and it was because he was "a man of the people" that he was elected. Of 261 electoral votes he received 178, and Adams 83. 333. The North and the South Two Different Peoples Before entering on Jackson's administration, it is necessary to call attention to the effect produced on our country by the industrial revolution discussed in Chaps. 19 and 22. In the first place, it produced two distinct and utterly different peoples: the one in the North and the other in the South. In the North, where there were no great plantations, no great farms, and where the labor was free, the marvelous inventions, discoveries, and improvements mentioned were eagerly seized on and used. There cities grew up, manufactures nourished, canals were dug, railroads were built, and industries of every sort established. Some towns, as Lynn, Lowell, Lawrence, Fall River, Cohoes, Paterson, Newark, and Pittsburg, were almost entirely given up to mills and factories. No such towns existed in the South. In the South men lived on plantations, raised cotton, tobacco, and rice, owned slaves, built few large towns, cared nothing for internal improvements, and established no industries of any sort. This difference of occupation led of course to difference of interests and opinions, so that on three matters—the extension of slavery, internal improvements, and tariff for protection—the North and the South were opposed to each other. In the West and the Middle States these questions were all-important, and by a union of the two sections under the leadership of Clay a new tariff was passed in 1824, and in the course of the next four years $2,300,000 were voted for internal improvements. The Virginia legislature (1825) protested against internal improvements at government expense and against the tariff. But the North demanded more, and in 1827 another tariff bill was prevented from passing only by the casting vote of Vice President Calhoun. And now the two sections joined issue. The South, in memorials, resolutions, and protests, declared a tariff for protection to be unconstitutional, partial, and oppressive. The wool growers and manufacturers of the North called a national convention of protectionists to meet at Harrisburg, and when Congress met, forced through the tariff of 1828. The South answered with anti-tariff meetings, addresses, resolutions, with boycotts on the tariff states, and with protests from the legislatures. Calhoun then came forward as the leader of the movement and put forth an argument, known as the South Carolina Exposition, in which he urged that a convention should meet in South Carolina and decide in what manner the tariff acts should "be declared null and void within the limits of the state." 334. May a State nullify an Act of Congress? The right of a state to nullify an act of Congress thus became the question of the hour, and was again set forth yet more fully by Calhoun in 1831. That the South was deeply in earnest was apparent, and in 1832 Congress changed the tariff of 1828, and made it less objectionable. But it was against tariff for protection, not against any particular tariff, that South Carolina contended, and finding that the North would not give up its principles, she put her threat into execution. The legislature called a state convention, which declared that the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 were null and void and without force in South Carolina, and forbade anybody to pay the duties laid by these laws after February 1, 1833.[193] Jackson, who had just been reëlected, was not terrified. He bade the collector at Charleston go on and collect the revenue duties, and use force if necessary, and he issued a long address to the Nullifiers. On the one hand, he urged them to yield. On the other, he told them that "the laws of the United States must be executed…. Those who told you that you might peacefully prevent their execution deceived you…. Their object is disunion, and disunion by armed force is treason." 335. Webster's Great Reply to Calhoun Calhoun, who since 1825 had been Vice President of the United States, now resigned, and was at once made senator from South Carolina. When Congress met in December, 1832, the great question before it was what to do with South Carolina. Jackson wanted a "Force Act," that is, an act giving him power to collect the tariff duties by force of arms. Hayne, who was now governor of South Carolina, declared that if this was done, his state would leave the Union. A great debate occurred on the Force Act, in which Calhoun, speaking for the South, asserted the right of a state to nullify and secede from the Union, while Webster, speaking for the North, denied the right of nullification and secession, and upheld the Union and the Constitution.[194] 336. The Compromise of 1833 Meantime, Henry Clay, seeing how determined each side was, and fearing civil war might follow, came forward with a compromise. He proposed that the tariff of 1832 should be reduced gradually till July, 1842, when on all articles imported there should be a duty equal to twenty per cent of their value. This was passed, and the Compromise Tariff, as it is called, became a law in March, 1833. A new convention in South Carolina then repealed the ordinance of nullification. 337. War on the Bank of the United States While South Carolina was thus fighting internal improvements and the tariff, the whole Jackson party was fighting the Bank of the United States. You will remember that this institution was chartered by Congress in 1816; and its charter was to run till 1836. Among the rights given it was that of having branches in as many cities in the country as it pleased, and, exercising this right, it speedily established branches in the chief cities of the South and West. The South and West were already full of state banks, and, knowing that the business of these would be injured if the branches of the United States Bank were allowed to come among them, the people of that region resented the reëstablishment of a national bank. Jackson, as a Western man, shared in this hatred, and when he became President was easily persuaded by his friends (who wished to force the Bank to take sides in politics) to attack it. The charter had still nearly eight years to run; nevertheless, in his first message to Congress (December, 1829) he denounced the Bank as unconstitutional, unnecessary, and as having failed to give the country a sound currency, and suggested that it should not be rechartered. Congress paid little attention to him. But he kept on, year after year, till, in 1832, the friends of the Bank made his attack a political issue[195]. 338. The First National Nominating Convention; the First Party Platform To do this was easy, because in 1832 it was well known that Jackson would again be a candidate for the presidency. Now the presidential contest of that year is remarkable for two reasons: 1. Because each of the three parties held a national convention for the nomination of candidates. 2. Because a party platform was then used for the first time. The originators of the national convention were the Antimasons. State conventions of delegates to nominate state officers, such as governors and congressmen and presidential electors, had long been in use. But never, till September, 1831, had there been a convention of delegates from all parts of the country for the purpose of nominating the President and Vice President. In that year Antimasonic delegates from twenty-two states met at Baltimore and nominated William Wirt and Amos Ellmaker. The example thus set was quickly followed, for in December, 1831, a convention of National Republicans nominated Henry Clay. In May, 1832, a national convention of Democrats nominated Martin Van Buren for Vice President[196]; and in that same month, a "national assembly of young men," or, as the Democrats called it, "Clay's Infant School," met at Washington and framed the first party platform. They were friends of Clay, and in their platform they demanded protection to American industries, and internal improvements at government expense, and denounced Jackson for his many removals from office. They next issued an address to the people, in which they declared that if Jackson were reëlected, the Bank would "be abolished." [197] 339. Jackson destroys the Bank The friends of the Bank meantime appealed to Congress for a new charter and found little difficulty in getting it. But when the bill went to Jackson for his signature, he vetoed it, and, as its friends had not enough votes to pass the bill over the veto, the Bank was not rechartered. The only hope left was to defeat Jackson at the polls. But this too was a failure, for he was reëlected by greater majorities than he had received in 1828.[198] 340. Jackson withdraws the Government Money from the Bank This signal triumph was understood by Jackson to mean that the people approved of his treatment of the Bank. So he continued to hurt it all he could, and in 1833 ordered his Secretary of the Treasury to remove the money of the United States from the Bank and its branches. This the Secretary[199] refused to do; whereupon Jackson removed him and put another,[200] who would, in his place. After 1833, therefore, the collectors of United States revenue ceased to deposit it in the Bank of the United States, and put it in state banks ("pet banks") named by the Secretary of the Treasury. The money already on deposit was gradually drawn out, till none remained.[201] For this act the Senate, when it met in December, 1833, passed a vote of censure on Jackson and entered the censure on its journal. Jackson protested, and asked to have his protest entered, but the Senate refused. Whereupon Benton of Missouri declared that he would not rest till the censure was removed or "expunged" from the journal. At first this did not seem likely to occur. But Benton kept at it, and at last, in 1837, the Senate having become Democratic, he succeeded[202] 341. Wildcat State Banks As soon as the reëlection of Jackson made it certain that the charter of the Bank of the United States would not be renewed, the same thing happened in 1833 that had occurred in 1811. The legislature of every state was beset with applications for bank charters, and granted them. In 1832 there were but 288 state banks in the country. In 1836 there were 583. Some were established in order to get deposits of the government money. Others were started for the purpose of issuing paper money with which the bank officials might speculate. Others, of course, were founded with an honest purpose. But they all issued paper money, which the people borrowed on very poor security and used in speculation. 342. The Period of Speculation Never before had the opportunity for speculation been so great. The new way of doing business, the rise of corporations and manufactures, drew people into the cities, which grew in area and afforded a chance for investors to get rich by purchasing city lots and holding them for a rise in price. Railroads and canals were being projected all over the country. Another favorite way of speculating, therefore, was to buy land along the lines of railroads building or to be built. Suddenly cotton rose a few cents a pound, and thousands of people began to speculate in slaves and cotton land. Others bought land in the West from the government, at $1.25 an acre, and laid it out into town lots,[203] which they sold for $10 and $20 apiece to people in the East. In short, everybody who could was borrowing paper money from the banks and speculating. Under these conditions, any cause which should force the banks to stop loaning money, or to call in that already loaned, would bring on a panic. And this is just what happened. 343. The Specie Circular Speculation in government land was so general that the annual sales rose from $2,300,000 in 1831, to $24,900,000 in 1836.[204] Finding that these great purchases were paid for not in gold and silver, but in state bank paper money, Jackson became alarmed. Many of the banks were of doubtful soundness, and if they failed, all their money which the government had taken for land would be lost. In 1836, therefore, Jackson issued his "Specie Circular," which commanded all officials authorized to sell government land to receive payment in nothing but gold or silver or land scrip. A great demand for specie and a removal of it from the banks in the East to those in the West followed, which of course hurt the Eastern banks, because it took away some of their money, and that kind of money which they were holding for the purpose of redeeming their paper. Another thing which hurt the banks, by forcing them to stop loaning and to call for a settlement of debts, was the distribution of the surplus revenue among the states. 344. The Surplus Revenue What caused this surplus revenue? Many things. 1. The United States had no debt. The national debt, you remember, was created in 1790 by funding the foreign and Congress debt and assuming those of the states, and amounted to $75,000,000. When Jefferson was elected President in 1801, this debt had risen to $80,000,000; but during his administration it fell to $57,000,000. The war with England raised it to $127,000,000, after which it once more decreased year by year till 1835, when every dollar was paid off, and the United States was out of debt[205]. 2. The expenses of the government were not large. 3. There was a heavy importation of foreign goods, which produced a great revenue under the tariff act. 4. The immense speculation in government lands already described produced a large income to the government[206]. In consequence of these causes, the government on June 1, 1836, had in the banks $41,500,000 more than it needed. What to do with this useless money sorely puzzled Congress. It could not reduce the tariff, because that was gradually being reduced under the compromise of 1833. Some wanted the money derived from the sale of land distributed. But at last it was decided to take all the surplus the government had on January 1, 1837, subtract $5,000,000 from it, and divide the rest by the number of senators and representatives in Congress, and give each state as many parts as it had senators and representatives[207]. On January 1, 1837, the surplus was $42,468,000, which, after subtracting the $5,000,000, left $37,468,000 to be distributed. It was to be paid in four installments[208]; but only three of them were ever paid, for, when October 1, 1837, came, the whole country was suffering from a panic[209]. 345. The Panic of 1837 Now, when the banks in which the government surplus was kept were suddenly called on to give it up in order that it might be distributed among the states, (as they had loaned this surplus) they were all forced to call it in. More than that, they would make no new loans. This made credit hard to get. As a consequence, mills and factories shut down, all buying and selling stopped, and thousands of workmen were thrown out of employment. As everybody wanted money, it followed that houses, lands, property of every sort, was offered for sale at ridiculously low prices. But there were no buyers. In New York the distress was so great that bread riots occurred. The merchants, unable to pay their debts, began to fail, and to make matters worse the banks all over the country suspended specie payment; that is, refused to give gold and silver in exchange for their paper bills. Then the panic set in, and for a while the people, the states, and the government were bankrupt[210]. 346. Election of Martin Van Buren; Eighth President In accordance with the well-established custom that no President shall have more than two terms, Jackson [Illustration: Martin Van Buren] would not accept a renomination in 1836. So the Democratic national convention nominated Martin Van Buren and R.M. Johnson. The Whigs, as the National Republicans called themselves after 1834, did not hold a national nominating convention, but agreed to support William Henry Harrison. Van Buren was elected, and inaugurated March. 4, 1837[211]. 347 The New National Debt; the Independent Treasury But scarcely had he taken the oath of office when the panic swept over the country, and his whole term was one of financial distress or hard times. The suspension of specie payment and the failures of many banks and merchants left the government without money, and forced Van Buren to call an extra session of Congress in September, 1837. Before adjourning, Congress ordered the fourth or October installment of the distributed revenue to be suspended. It has never been given to the states. Congress also authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to issue $10,000,000 in treasury notes, and so laid the foundation for the second national debt, which one cause or another has continued ever since. The experience the government had thus twice passed through (1814 and 1837) led the people to believe it ought not to keep its money in state banks. But just where the money should be kept was a disputed party question. The Whigs insisted on a third National Bank like the old one Jackson had destroyed. Van Buren wanted what was called an "Independent Treasury," and after four attempts the act establishing it was passed in 1840. The law created four "receivers general" (one each at Boston, New York, Charleston, and St. Louis), to whom all money collected by the United States officials should be turned over, and directed that "rooms, vaults, and safes" should be provided for the safe keeping of the money.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag For a time these societies carried on their work, each independent of the others. But in 1833, a convention of delegates from them met at Philadelphia, and formed a national society called the American Antislavery Society.[212] 349. Antislavery Documents shut out of the Mails Thus organized, the society went to work at once and flooded the South with newspapers, pamphlets, pictures, and handbills, all intended to arouse a sentiment for instant abolition or emancipation of slaves. The South declared that these were inflammatory, insurrectionary, and likely to incite the slaves to revolt, and called on the North to suppress abolition societies and stop the spread of abolition papers. To do such a thing by legal means was impossible; so an attempt was made to do it by illegal means. In the Northern cities such as Philadelphia, Utica, Boston, Haverhill, mobs broke up meetings of abolitionists, and dragged the leaders about the streets. In the South, the postmasters, as at Charleston, seized antislavery tracts and pamphlets going through the mails, and the people burned them. In New York city such matter was taken from the mails and destroyed by the postmaster. When these outrages were reported to Amos Kendall, the Postmaster-General, he approved of them; and when Congress met, Jackson asked for a law that would prohibit the circulation "in the Southern States, through the mails, of incendiary publications intended to instigate the slaves to insurrection." From the legislatures of five Southern states came resolutions calling on the people of the North to suppress the abolitionists.[213] Congress and the legislatures of New York and Rhode Island responded; but the bills introduced did not pass.[214] This attempt having failed, the mobs again took up the work, and began to smash and destroy the presses of antislavery newspapers. One paper, twice treated in this manner in 1836, was the Philanthropist published at Cincinnati by James Gillespie Birney. Another was the Observer, published at Alton by Elijah Lovejoy, who was murdered in defending his property.[215] The Pennsylvania Freeman was a third. 350. The Gag Rule Not content with attacking the liberty of the press, the proslavery men attacked the right of petition. The Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law … abridging … the right of the people … to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Under this right the antislavery people had long been petitioning Congress to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, and the petitions had been received; but of course not granted. Now, in 1836, when John Quincy Adams presented one to the House of Representatives, a member moved that it be not received. A fierce debate followed, and out of it grew a rule which forbade any petition, resolution, or paper relating in any way to slavery, or the abolition of slavery, to be received. This famous "Gag Rule" was adopted by Congress after Congress until 1844.[216] 351. The Liberty Party formed The effect of these extreme measures was greatly to increase the antislavery sentiment. But the men who held these sentiments were largely members of the Whig and Democratic parties. In the hope of drawing them from their parties, and inducing them to act together, the antislavery conventions about 1838 began to urge the formation of an antislavery party, which was finally accomplished at Albany, N.Y., in April, 1840, where James G. Birney was nominated for President, and Thomas Earle for Vice President. No name was given to the new organization till 1844, when it was christened "Liberty party." 352. The Log Cabin, Hard Cider Campaign The candidate of the Democrats (Martin Van Buren) was a shrewd and skillful politician. The candidate of the Whigs (Harrison) was the ideal of a popular favorite. To defeat him at such a time, when the people were angry with the Democrats, would have been hard, but they made it harder still by ridiculing his honorable poverty and his Western surroundings. At the very outset of the campaign a Democratic newspaper declared that Harrison would be more at home "in a log cabin, drinking hard cider and skinning coons, than living in the White House as President." The Whigs instantly took up the sneer and made the log cabin the emblem of their party. All over the country log cabins (erected at some crossroads, or on the village common, or on some vacant city lot) became the Whig headquarters. On the door was a coon skin; a leather latch string was always hanging out as a sign of hospitality, and beside the door stood a barrel of hard cider. Every Whig wore a Harrison and Tyler badge, and knew by heart all the songs in the Log Cabin Songster. Immense mass meetings were held, at which 50,000, and even 80,000, people attended. Weeks were spent in getting ready for them. In the West, where railroads were few, the people came in covered wagons with provisions, and camped on the ground days before the meeting. At the monster meeting at Dayton, O., 100,000 people were present, covering ten acres of ground.[217] [Illustration: William H. Harrison] 353. William Henry Harrison, Ninth President; John Tyler, Tenth President Harrison was triumphantly elected, and inaugurated March 4, 1841. But his career was short, for on April 4 he died,[218] and John Tyler took his place. Tyler had never been a Whig. He had always been a Democrat. Nevertheless, the Whigs, confident of his aid, tried to carry out certain reform measures. [Illustration: John Tyler] 354. The Quarrel between Tyler and the Whigs The first thing they did was to repeal the law establishing the Independent Treasury. This Tyler approved. They next attempted to reëstablish the Bank of the United States under the name of the "Fiscal Bank of the United States." Tyler, who was opposed to banks, vetoed the bill, and when the Whigs sent him another to create a "Fiscal Corporation," he vetoed that also. Then every member of the cabinet save Webster resigned, and at a meeting of the great Whig leaders Tyler was formally "read out of the party." 355. The Webster-Ashburton Treaty Webster was Secretary of State, and though a Whig, retained his place in order that he might complete a treaty which determined our boundary line from the source of the St. Croix to the St. Lawrence, thus settling a long dispute between Maine and the British provinces of New Brunswick and Canada. The difficulty arose over the meaning of terms in the treaty of 1783, and though twice submitted to a joint commission, and once to arbitration, seemed further than ever from a peaceful settlement when Webster and Lord Ashburton arranged it in 1842. The treaty ratified, Webster soon resigned. [Illustration:] The people meanwhile had recovered from the excitement of the campaign of 1840, and at the congressional election of 1842 they made the House of Representatives Democratic. There were thus a Whig Senate, a Democratic House, and a President who was neither a Whig nor a Democrat. As a consequence few measures of any importance were passed till 1845. SUMMARY 1. During 1789-1825 a marked change had taken place in the ideas of government, and this led to new state constitutions; to an extension of the right to vote; to the belief that no President should have more than two terms; to the belief that political offices should be given to political workers; and to the introduction of the "gerrymander." 2. The disappearance of issues which divided the Federalists and Republicans; the loss of old leaders; the appearance of a new generation with new political issues, destroyed old party lines. 3. First to disappear were the Federalists. In 1820 there was but one presidential candidate (Monroe), and but one political party (the Republican). 4. During Monroe's second term the new issues began to break up the Republican party, and in the election of 1824 the people of the four great sections of the country presented candidates. For the second time a President (John Quincy Adams) was elected by the House of Representatives. 5. In 1828 the Republicans again supported Jackson, and his opponents under Adams were defeated. In 1827 the antimasonic party arose. 6. The issues now before the people were the tariff, the recharter of the National Bank, and the use of the surplus revenue, and these became the leading questions of Jackson's eight years (1829-1837). 7. The general use of the steamboat, and the good roads, so reduced the cost of transportation that it was possible to introduce a new piece of political machinery—the national convention—to nominate candidates for President and Vice President. 8. In Jackson's second term the antislavery movement began in earnest; the Whig party was organized and named; the national debt was paid off, and the surplus distributed. 9. Jackson was followed by Van Buren, in whose administration the great panic of 1837 occurred. Because of this and hard times a second national debt was started. A new financial measure was the establishment of the Independent Treasury. 10. This the Whigs under Tyler destroyed. They attempted to replace it with a third National Bank, but were prevented from doing so by Tyler's vetoes. * * * * THE INDUSTRIAL, MECHANICAL, AGRICULTURAL, AND SOCIAL PROGRESS OF OUR COUNTRY BETWEEN 1800 AND 1840 LEADS TO New political ideas Gerrymandering. Extension of the franchise. No third term for a President. No nomination by congressional caucus. New political issues. Use of public lands. Tariff. Internal improvements. XXIV. Expansion of the Slave Area 356. Texas secures Independence The fact that Tyler now belonged to no party enabled him to commit an act which, had he belonged to either, he would not have ventured to commit at that time,—to make a treaty of annexation with Texas. [Illustration: TERRITORY CLAIMED BY TEXAS WHEN ADMITTED INTO THE UNION 1845] In 1821 Mexico, which for years past had been fighting for independence, was set free by Spain, and soon established herself as a republic under the name of the United States of Mexico. The old Spanish provinces were the states, and one of these provinces was Texas. As a country Texas had been very attractive to Americans, and the eastern part would have been settled early in the century if it had been definitely known who owned it. Now that Mexico owned it, a citizen of the United States, Moses Austin, asked for a large grant of land and for leave to bring in settlers. A grant was made on condition that he should bring in 300 families within a given time. Moses Austin died; but his son Stephen went on with the scheme and succeeded so well that others followed his example till seventeen such grants had been perfected. For some years the settlers managed their own affairs in their own way. But about 1830 Mexico began to rule them harshly, and when they were unable to stand it any longer they rebelled against her in 1833, and in 1836 set up the republic of Texas. At first the Texans were defeated, and on two memorable occasions bands of them were massacred by the Mexican soldiers after they had surrendered. Money and troops and aid of every sort, however, were sent from the United States, and at length Santa Anna, the President of Mexico, who commanded the Mexicans, was defeated and captured and his army destroyed by the Texans under Samuel Houston at the battle of San Jacinto (1836). The victory was hailed with delight all over our country, and the independence of Texas was acknowledged by the United States (1837), England, France, and Belgium. 357. Texas applies for Admission to the Union As soon as independence was acknowledged, the people of Texas became very anxious to have their republic become a state in our Union; but slavery existed in Texas, and the men of the free states opposed her admission. At last in 1844 Tyler secretly negotiated a treaty of annexation with the Texan authorities, and surprised the Senate by submitting it in April.[219] The politicians were very indignant, for the national nominating conventions were to meet in May, and the President by his act had made the annexation of Texas a political issue. The Democrats, however, took it up and in their platform declared for "the reannexation of Texas," and nominated James K. Polk of Tennessee for President and George Mifflin Dallas of Pennsylvania for Vice President. 358. The Joint Occupation of Oregon is continued But there was another plank in the Democratic platform of 1844 which promised the acquisition of a great piece of free soil. We left the question of the ownership of Oregon at the time when the United States and Great Britain (in 1818) agreed to hold the country in joint occupation for ten years; and when Russia, the United States, and Great Britain had (in 1824 and 1825) made 54° 40' the boundary line between the Oregon country and Alaska. Before the ten-year period of joint occupation expired, Great Britain and the United States, in 1827, agreed to continue it indefinitely. Either party could end the agreement after a year's notice to the other. 359. Attempts to end Joint Occupation Before this time the men who came to the Oregon country were explorers, trappers, hunters, servants of the great fur companies, who built forts and trading stations, but did little for the settlement of the region. After this time missionaries were sent to the Indians, and serious efforts were made to persuade men to emigrate to Oregon. Some parties did go, and as a result of their work, and of the labors of the missionaries, Oregon, in the course of ten years, became better known to the people of the United States. Efforts were then begun to persuade Congress to extend the jurisdiction of the United States over Oregon, order the occupation of the country, and end the old agreement with Great Britain. Petitions were sent (1838-1840), reports were made, bills were introduced; but Congress stood firmly by the agreement, and would not take any steps toward the occupation of Oregon. In 1842, Elijah White, a former missionary, came to Washington and so impressed the authorities with the importance of settling Oregon that he was appointed Indian Agent for that country, and told to take back with him as many settlers as he could. Returning to Missouri, he soon gathered a band of 112 persons and with these, the largest number of settlers that had yet started for Oregon, he set off across the plains in the spring of 1842. At the next session of Congress (1842-1843) another effort was made to provide for the occupation of Oregon at least as far north as 49°, and a bill for that purpose passed the Senate. Meanwhile a rage for emigration to Oregon broke out in the West, and in the early summer of 1843, nearly a thousand persons, with a long train of wagons, moved out of Westport, Missouri, and started northwestward over the plains. Like the emigrants of 1842, they succeeded in reaching Oregon, though they encountered many hardships. 360. "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight" So much attention was thus attracted to Oregon, in 1843, that the people by 1844 began to demand a settlement of the boundary and an end of joint occupation. The Democrats therefore gladly took up the Oregon matter. Their plan to reannex Texas, which was slave soil, could, they thought, be offset by a declaration in favor of acquiring all Oregon, which was free soil. The Democratic platform for 1844, therefore, declared that "our title to the whole of Oregon is clear; that no portion of the same ought to be ceded to England or any other power; and that the reoccupation of Oregon and the reannexation of Texas" were great American measures, which the people were urged to support. The people thought they were great American measures, and with the popular cries of "The reannexation of Texas," "Texas or disunion," "The whole of Oregon or none," "Fifty-four forty or fight," the Democrats entered the campaign and won it, electing James K. Polk and George M. Dallas. The Whigs were afraid to declare for or against the annexation, so they said nothing about it in their platform, and nominated Henry Clay of Kentucky and Theodore Frelinghuysen of New Jersey. The real question of the campaign was of course the annexation of Texas, and though the platform was silent on that subject their leader spoke out. In a public letter which appeared in a newspaper and was copied all over the Union, Clay said that he believed slavery was doomed to end at no far away day; that the admission of Texas could neither hasten nor put off the arrival of that day, and that he "should be glad to see" Texas annexed if it could be done "without dishonor, without war, and with the common consent of the Union and upon just and fair terms." [Illustration: James K. Polk] Language of this sort did not please the antislavery Whigs; and in New York numbers of them voted for James G. Birney and Thomas Morris, candidates of the Liberty party. The result was that the vote for Birney in New York in 1844 was more than twice as great as he received in the whole Union in 1840. Had half of these New Yorkers voted for Clay instead, he would have received the electoral vote of New York and would have been President. [Illustration: THE OREGON COUNTRY] 361. Texas annexed to the United States Tyler, who saw in the result of the election a command from the people to acquire Texas, urged Congress in December, 1844, to annex it at once. But in what manner should it be acquired? Some said by a treaty. This would require the consent of two thirds of the Senate. But the Democrats did not have the votes of two thirds of the Senate and so could not have secured the ratification of such a treaty. It was decided, therefore, to annex by joint resolution, which required but a majority for its passage. The House of Representatives accordingly passed such a resolution for the admission of Texas, and with her consent for the formation of four additional states out of the territory, those north of 36° 30' to be free. The Senate amended this resolution and gave the President power to negotiate another treaty of annexation, or submit the joint resolution to Texas. The House accepted the amendment. Tyler chose to offer the terms in the joint resolution. Texas accepted them, and in December, 1845, her senators and representatives took their seats in Congress. 362. Oregon By the admission of Texas, the Democrats made good one of the pledges in their platform of 1844. They were now called on to make good the other, which promised the whole of Oregon up to 54° 40'. To suppose that England would yield to this claim, and so cut herself off entirely from the Pacific coast, was absurd. Nevertheless, because of the force of popular opinion, the one year's notice necessary to terminate joint occupation was served on Great Britain in 1846. The English minister thereupon presented a treaty extending the 49th parallel across Oregon from the Rocky Mountains to the coast, and drawing a line down the strait of Juan de Fuca to the Pacific. Polk and the Senate accepted this boundary, and the treaty was proclaimed on August 5, 1846. Two years later, August 14, 1848, Oregon was made a territory. === 363. General Taylor enters Texas; War with Mexico begins ===When Texas came into the Union, she claimed as her western boundary the Rio Grande from its mouth to its source and then a line due north to 42°. Now this line was disputed by Mexico, which claimed that the Nueces River was the western boundary of Texas. The disputed strip of territory was thus between the Nueces and the Rio Grande (p. 321). President Polk, however, took the side of Texas, claimed the country as far as the Rio Grande, and in January, 1846, ordered General Zachary Taylor to march our army across the Nueces, go to the Rio Grande, and occupy the disputed strip. This he did, and on April 25, 1846, the Mexicans crossed the river and attacked the Americans. Taylor instantly sent the news to Washington, and, May 12, Polk asked for a declaration of war. "Mexico," said he, "has passed the boundary of the United States; has invaded our territory and shed American blood on American soil." Congress declared that war existed, and Polk called for 50,000 volunteers (May 13, 1846). When the Mexicans crossed the Rio Grande and attacked the Americans at Fort Brown, Taylor was at Point Isabel. Hurrying southward to the relief of the fort, he met the enemy at Palo Alto, beat them, pushed on to Resaca de la Palma, beat them again, and soon crossed the river and took possession of the town of Matamoras. There he remained till August, 1846, waiting for supplies, reinforcements, and means of transportation, when he began a march toward the city of Monterey. The Mexicans, profiting by Taylor's long stay at Matamoras, had gathered in great force at Monterey, and had strongly fortified every position. But Taylor attacked with vigor, and after three days of continuous fighting, part of the time from street to street and house to house, the Mexican General Ampudia surrendered the city (September 24, 1846). An armistice of six weeks' duration was then agreed on, after which Taylor moved on leisurely to Saltillo (sahl-teel'-yo). 364. Scott in Mexico Meantime, General Winfield Scott was sent to Mexico to assume chief command. He reached the mouth of the Bio Grande in January, 1847, and called on Taylor to send him 10,000 men. Santa Anna (sahn'-tah ahn'-nah), who commanded the Mexicans, hearing of this order, marched at once against Taylor, who took up a strong position at Buena Vista (bwa'-nah vees'-tah), where a desperate battle was fought February 23, 1847. The Americans won, and Santa Anna hurried off to attack Scott, who was expected at Vera Cruz. Scott landed there in March, and, after a siege of a few days, took the castle and city, and ten days later began his march westward along the national highway towards the ancient capital of the Aztecs. It was just 328 years since Cortez with his little band started from the same point on a precisely similar errand. At every step of the way the ranks of Scott grew thinner and thinner. Hundreds perished in battle. Hundreds died by the wayside of disease more terrible than battle. But Scott would not turn back, and victory succeeded victory with marvelous rapidity. April 8 he left Vera Cruz. April 18 he stormed the heights of Cerro Gordo. April 19 he was at Jalapa (hah-lah'-pah). On the 22d Perote (pa-ro'-ta) fell. May 15 the city of Puebla (pweb'-lah) was his. There Scott staid till August 7, when he again pushed westward, and on the 10th saw the city of Mexico. Then followed in rapid succession the victories of Contreras (con-tra'-rahs), Churubusco (choo-roo-boos'-ko), Molino del Rey (mo-lee'-no del ra), the storming of Chapultepec (chah-pool-ta-pek'), and the triumphal entry into Mexico, September 14, 1847. Never before in the history of the world had there been made such a march. [Illustration: CAMPAIGN OF GEN. SCOTT] 365. The "Wilmot Proviso" In 1846 the Mexican War was very hateful to many Northern people, and as a new House of Representatives was to be elected in the autumn of that year, Polk thought it wise to end the war if possible, and in August asked for $2,000,000 "for the settlement of the boundary question with Mexico." This, of course, meant the purchase of territory from her. But Mexico had abolished slavery in 1827, and lest any territory bought from her should be made slave soil, David Wilmot of Pennsylvania moved that the money should be granted, provided all territory bought with it should be free soil. The proviso passed the House, but not the Senate. Next year (1847) a bill to give Polk $3,000,000 with which to settle the boundary dispute was introduced, and again the proviso was attached. But the Senate rejected it, and the House then gave way, and passed the bill without the proviso. 366. Conquest of New Mexico and California While Taylor was winning victories in northeastern Mexico, Colonel Stephen W. Kearny was ordered to march into New Mexico. Leaving Fort Leavenworth in June, 1846, he went by the Upper Arkansas River to Bents Fort, thence southwest through what is now Colorado, and by the old Santa Fe trail to the Rio Grande valley and Santa Fe (p. 330). After taking the city without opposition, he declared the whole of New Mexico to be the property of the United States, and then started to seize California. On arriving there, he found the conquest completed by the combined forces of Stockton and Frémont. 367. The Great American Desert But how came Frémont to be in California in 1846? If you look at any school geography published between 1820 and 1850 you will find that a large part of what is now Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Texas is put down as "THE GREAT AMERICAN DESERT." Many believed it was not unlike the Desert of Sahara, and that nobody would ever want to cross it, while there was so much fertile land to the eastward. This view made people very indifferent as to our claims to Oregon, so that when Thomas H. Benton, one of the senators from Missouri, and one of the far-sighted statesmen of the day, wanted Congress to seize and hold Oregon by force of arms, he was told that it was not worth the cost. "Oregon," said one senator, "will never be a state in the Union." "Build a railroad to Oregon?" said another. "Why, all the wealth of the Indies would not be sufficient for such a work." [Illustration: ROUTES OF THE EARLY EXPLORERS of the West] 368. The Santa Fé and Oregon Trails Some explorations you remember had been made. Lewis and Clark went across the Northwest to the mouth of the Columbia in 1804-1805, and Zebulon M. Pike had penetrated in 1806 to the wild mountainous region about the head waters of the Platte, Arkansas, and Rio Grande and had probably seen the great mountain that now bears his name. Major Long followed Pike in 1820, gave his name to Longs Peak, and brought back such a dismal account of the West that he was largely responsible for the belief in a desert. The great plains from the sources of the Sabine, Brazos, and Colorado rivers to the northern boundary Were, he said, "peculiarly adapted as a range for buffaloes, wild Goats, and other wild game," and "might serve as a barrier to prevent too great an expansion of our population westward;" but nobody would think of cultivating the plains. For years after that the American Fur Trading Company of St. Louis had annually sent forth its caravans into Oregon and New Mexico. Because the way was beset by hostile Indians, these caravans were protected by large and strongly armed bands, and in time wore out well-beaten tracks across the prairies and over the mountain passes, which came to be known on the frontier as the Santa Fé and Oregon Trails. In 1832 Captain Bonneville[220] took a wagon train over the Rocky Mountain divide into the Green River Valley, and Nathaniel J. Wyeth led a party from New England to the Oregon country, and in 1834 established Fort Hall in what is now Idaho. Still later in the thirties went Marcus Whitman and his party. 369. Explorations of Frémont By this time it was clear that the tide of westward emigration would soon set in strongly towards Oregon. Then at last Benton succeeded in persuading Congress to order an exploration of the far West, and in 1842 Lieutenant Frémont was sent to see if the South Pass of the rocky Mountains, the usual crossing place, would best accommodate the coming emigration. He set out from Kansas City (then a frontier hamlet, now a prosperous city) with Kit Carson, a famous hunter, for guide, and following the wagon trails of those who had gone before him, made his way to the pass. He found its ascent so gradual that his party hardly knew when they reached the summit. Passing through it to the valley beyond, he climbed the great peak which now bears his name and stands 13,570 feet above the sea. Though Frémont discovered no new route, he did much to dispel the popular idea created by Long that the plains were barren, and the American Desert began to shrink. In 1843 Frémont was sent out again. Making his way westward through the South Pass, where his work ended in 1842, he turned southward to visit Great Salt Lake, and then pushed on to Walla Walla on the Columbia River (see map on p. 330). Thence he went on to the Dalles, and then by boat to Fort Vancouver, and then, after returning to the Dalles, southward to Sutter's Fort in the Sacramento valley, and so back to the States in 1844. In 1845 Frémont, who had now won the name of "Pathfinder," was sent out a third time, and crossing what are now Nebraska and Utah, reached the vicinity of Monterey in California. The Mexican authorities ordered him out of the country. But he spent the winter in the mountains, and in the spring was on his way to Oregon, when a messenger from Washington overtook him, and he returned to Sutter's Fort. 370. The Bear State Republic This was in June, 1846. Rumors of war between Mexico and the United States were then flying thick and fast, and the American settlers in California, fearing they would be attacked, revolted, and raising a flag on which an image of a grizzly bear was colored in red paint, proclaimed California an independent republic. These Bear State republicans were protected and aided by Frémont and Commodore Stockton, who was on the California coast with a fleet, and together they held California till Kearny arrived. [Illustration: TERRITORY CEDED BY MEXICO 1818 and 1853] 371. Terms of Peace Thus when the time came to make peace, our armies were in military possession of vast stretches of Mexican territory which Polk refused to give up. Mexico, of course, was forced to yield, and in February, 1848, at a little place near the city of Mexico, called Guadalupe Hidalgo, a treaty was signed by which Mexico gave up the land and received in return $15,000,000. The United States was also to pay claims our citizens had against Mexico to the amount of $3,500,000. This added 522,568 square miles to the public domain.[221] 372. The Gadsden Purchase When the attempt was made to run the boundary line from the Rio Grande to the Gila River, so many difficulties occurred that in 1853 a new treaty was made with Mexico, and the present boundary established from the Rio Grande to the Gulf of California. The line then agreed on was far south of the Gila River, and for this new tract of land, 45,535 square miles, the United States paid Mexico $10,000,000. It is generally called the Gadsden Purchase, after James Gadsden, who negotiated it. Much of this territory acquired in 1848, especially New Mexico and California, had long been settled by the Spaniards. But the acquisition of it by the United States at once put an end to the old Mexican government, and made it necessary for Congress to provide new governments. There must be American governors, American courts, American judges, customhouses, revenue laws; in a word, there must be a complete change from the Mexican way of governing to the American way. To do this ought not to have been a hard thing; but Mexico had abolished slavery in all this territory in 1827. It was free soil, and such the anti-extension-of-slavery people of the North insisted on keeping it. The proslavery people of the South, on the other hand, insisted that it should be open to slavery, and that any slaveholder should be allowed to emigrate to the new territory with his slaves and not have them set free. The political question of the time thus became, Shall, or shall not, slavery exist in New Mexico and California? 373. The Free-soil Party As a President to succeed Polk was to be elected in 1848, the two great parties did their best to keep the troublesome question of slavery out of politics. When the Whig convention met, it positively refused to make a platform, and nominated General Zachary Taylor of Louisiana, and Millard Fillmore of New York, without a statement of party principles. When the Democratic convention met, it made a long platform, but said nothing about slavery in the territories, and nominated Lewis Cass of Michigan and William O. Butler. This refusal of the two parties to take a stand on the question of the hour so displeased many Whigs and Wilmot-Proviso Democrats that they held a convention at Buffalo, where the old Liberty party joined them, and together they formed the "Free-soil party." They nominated Martin Van Buren and Charles F. Adams, and in their platform made four important declarations: 1. That Congress has no more power to make a slave, than to make a king. 2. That there must be "free soil for a free people." 3. "No more slave states, no more slave territories." 4. That we will inscribe on our banners "Free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men." They also asked for cheaper postage, and for free grants of land to actual settlers. The Whigs won the election. 374. Zachary Taylor, Twelfth President Taylor and Fillmore were inaugurated on March 5,1849, because the 4th came on Sunday. Their election and the triumph of the Whigs now brought on a crisis in the question of slavery extension. [Illustration: Zachary Taylor] 375. State of Feeling in the South Southern men, both Whigs and Democrats, were convinced that an attempt would be made by Northern and Western men opposed to the extension of slavery to keep the new territory free soil. Efforts were at once made to prevent this. At a meeting of Southern members of Congress, an address written by Calhoun was adopted and signed, and published all over the country. It 1. Complained of the difficulty of capturing slaves when they escaped to the free states. 2. Complained of the constant agitation of the slavery question by the abolitionists. 3. And demanded that the territories should be open to slavery. A little later, in 1849, the legislature of Virginia adopted resolutions setting forth: 1. That "the attempt to enforce the Wilmot Proviso" would rouse the people of Virginia to "determined resistance at all hazards and to the last extremity." 2. That the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia would be a direct attack on the institutions of the Southern States. The Missouri legislature protested against the principle of the Wilmot Proviso, and instructed her senators and representatives to vote with the slaveholding states. The Tennessee Democratic State Central Committee, in an address, declared that the encroachments of their Northern brethren had reached a point where forbearance ceased to be a virtue. At a dinner to Senator Butler, in South Carolina, one of the toasts was "A Southern Confederacy." 376. State of Feeling in the North Feeling in the free states ran quite as high. 1. The legislatures of every one of them, except Iowa,[222] resolved that Congress had power and was in duty bound to prohibit slavery in the territories. 2. Many of them bade their congressmen do everything possible to abolish slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia. The struggle thus coming to an issue in the summer of 1849 was precipitated by a most unlooked-for discovery in California, which led the people of that region to take matters into their own hands. 377. Discovery of Gold in California One day in the month of January, 1848, while a man named Marshall was constructing a mill race in the valley of the American River in California, for a Swiss immigrant named Sutter, he saw particles of some yellow substance shining in the mud. Picking up a few, he examined them, and thinking they might be gold, he gathered some more and set off for Sutter's Fort, where the city of Sacramento now stands. [Illustration: Sutter's mill] As soon as he had reached the fort and found Mr. Sutter, the two locked themselves in a room and examined the yellow flakes Marshall had brought. They were gold! But to keep the secret was impossible. A Mormon laborer, watching their excited actions at the mill race, discerned the secret, and then the news spread fast, and the whole population went wild. Every kind of business stopped. The stores were shut. Sailors left the ships. Soldiers defiantly left their barracks, and by the middle of the summer men came rushing to the gold fields from every part of the Pacific coast. Later in the year reports reached the East, but so slowly did news travel in those days that it was not till Polk in his annual message confirmed it, that people really believed there were gold fields in California. Then the rush from the East began. Some went overland, some crossed by the Isthmus of Panama, some went around South America, filling California with a population of strong, adventurous, and daring men. These were the "forty-niners." [Illustration: San Francisco in 1847] 378. The Californians make a Free-State Constitution When Taylor heard that gold hunters were hurrying to California from all parts of the world, he was very anxious to have some permanent government in California; and encouraged by him the pioneers, the "forty-niners," made a free-state constitution in 1849 and applied for admission into the Union.[223] 379. Clay proposes a Compromise When Congress met in 1849 there were therefore a great many things connected with slavery to be settled: 1. Southern men complained that the existing fugitive-slave law was not enforced in the free states and that runaway slaves were not returned. 2. The Northern men insisted that slavery should be abolished in the District of Columbia. 3. Southern men demanded the right to go into any territory of the United States, as New Mexico or Utah or even California, and take their slaves with them. 4. The Free-soilers demanded that there should be no more slave states, no more slave territories. 5. The North wanted California admitted as a free-soil state. The South would not consent. So violent and bitter was the feeling aroused by these questions, that it seemed in 1850 as if the Union was about to be broken up, and that there were to be two republics,—a Northern one made up of free states, and a Southern one made up of slave states. Happily this was not to be; for at this crisis Henry Clay, the "Compromiser," the "Pacificator," the "Peacemaker," as he was fondly called, came forward with a plan of settlement. To please the North, he proposed, first, that California should be admitted as a free state; second, that the slave trade—that is, the buying and selling of slaves—should be abolished in the District of Columbia. To please the South, he proposed, third, that there should be a new and very stringent fugitive-slave law; fourth, that New Mexico and Utah should be made territories without reference to slavery—that is, the people should make them free or slave, as they pleased. This was called "popular sovereignty" or "squatter sovereignty." Fifth, that as Texas claimed so much of New Mexico as was east of the Rio Grande, she should give up her claim and be paid money for so doing. 380. Clay, Calhoun, Seward, and Webster on the Compromise The debate on the compromise was a great one. Clay's defense of his plan was one of the finest speeches he ever made.[224] Calhoun, who was too feeble to speak, had his argument read by another senator. Webster, on the "7th of March," made the famous speech which still bears that name. In it he denounced the abolitionists and defended the compromise, because, he said, slavery could not exist in such an arid country as New Mexico. William H. Seward of New York spoke for the Free-soilers and denounced all compromise, and declared that the territories were free not only by the Constitution, but by a "higher law" than the Constitution, the law of justice and humanity.[225] After these great speeches were made, Clay's plan was sent to a committee of thirteen, from which came seven recommendations: 1. The consideration of the admission of any new state or states formed out of Texas to be postponed till they present themselves for admission. 2. California to be admitted as a free state. 3. Territorial governments without the Wilmot Proviso to be established in New Mexico and Utah. 4. The combination of No. 2 and No. 3 in one bill. 5. The establishment of the present northern and western boundary of Texas. In return for ceding her claims to New Mexico, Texas to receive $10,000,000. This last provision to be inserted in the bill provided for in No. 4. 6. A new and stringent fugitive-slave law. 7. Abolition of the slave trade, but not of slavery, in the District of Columbia. Three bills to carry out these recommendations were presented: 1. The first bill provided for (a) the admission of California as a free state; (b) territorial governments for New Mexico and Utah without any restriction on slavery; (c) the present northern and western boundary for Texas, with a gift of money. President Taylor nicknamed this "the Omnibus Bill," because of its many provisions. 2. The second bill prohibited the slave trade, but not slavery, in the District of Columbia. 3. The third provided for the capture and delivery of fugitive-slaves. During three months these bills were hotly debated, and threats of disunion and violence were made openly. 381. Death of Taylor; Fillmore becomes President In the midst of the debate, July 9, 1850, Taylor died, and Fillmore was sworn into office. Calhoun had died in March. Webster was made Secretary of State by Fillmore. In some respects these changes helped on the measures, all of which were carried through. Two of them were of great importance. [Illustration: Millard Fillmore] 382. Popular Sovereignty The first provided that the two new territories, New Mexico and Utah, when fit to be admitted as states, should come in with or without slavery as their constitutions might determine; meantime, the question whether slavery could or could not exist there, if it arose, was to be settled by the Supreme Court. 383. The Fugitive-Slave Law The other important measure of the compromise was the fugitive-slave law. The old fugitive-slave law enacted in 1793 had depended for its execution on state judges. This new law of 1850 1. Gave United States commissioners power to turn over a colored man or woman to anybody who claimed the negro as an escaped slave. 2. Provided that the negro could not give testimony. 3. "Commanded" all good citizens, when summoned, to aid in the capture of the slave, or, if necessary, in his delivery to his owners. 4. Prescribed fine and imprisonment for anybody who harbored a fugitive slave or prevented his recapture. [Illustration: Results of the COMPROMISE of 1850] No sooner was this law enacted than the slave owners began to use it, and during the autumn of 1850 a host of "slave catchers" and "man hunters," as they were called, invaded the North, and negroes who had escaped twenty or thirty years before were hunted up and dragged back to slavery by the marshals of the United States. This so excited the free negroes and the people of the North, that several times during 1851 they rose and rescued a slave from his captors. In New York a slave named Hamet, in Boston one named Shadrach, in Syracuse one named Jerry, and at Ottawa, Illinois, one named Jim, regained their liberty in this way. So strong was public feeling that Vermont in 1850 passed a "Personal Liberty Law," for the protection of negroes claimed as slaves.[226] The North was now becoming strongly antislavery. It had long been opposed to the extension of slavery, but was now becoming opposed to its very existence. How deep this feeling was, became apparent in the summer of 1852, when Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe published her story of Uncle Tom's Cabin. It was not so much a picture of what slavery was, as of what it might be, and was so powerfully written that it stirred and aroused thousands of people in the North who, till then, had been quite indifferent. In a few months everybody was laughing and crying over "Topsy" and "Eva" and "Uncle Tom"; and of those who read it great numbers became abolitionists. SUMMARY 1. The Mexican state of Texas revolts and in 1837 becomes independent. 2. President Tyler secretly negotiates a treaty for the annexation of Texas to the United States, but this is defeated (1844). 3. The labors of Elijah White and others lead to the rapid settlement of the Oregon country. 4. The annexation of Texas and the occupation of the whole of Oregon become questions in the campaign of 1844. The Democrats carry the election, Texas is annexed, and the Oregon country is divided between Great Britain and the United States. 5. The question of the boundary of Texas brings on the Mexican War, and in 1848 another vast stretch of country is acquired. 6. The acquisition of this new territory, which was free soil, causes a struggle for the introduction of slavery into it. 7. The refusal of the Whigs and Democrats to take issue on slavery in the territories leads to the formation of the Free-soil party. 8. The discovery of gold in California, the rush of people thither, and the formation of a free state seeking admission into the Union force the question of slavery on Congress. 9. In 1850 an attempt is made to settle it by the "Compromise of 1850." THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM OF 1844 CALLED FOR The reannexation of Texas. Texas annexed, August, 1845. Rio Grande asserted as boundary. Disputed territory, Nueces to Rio Grande. 1845-46. Taylor sent to occupy the disputed territory. 1846. Attacked by Mexicans. 1846. War declared by the United States. The reoccupation of Oregon to 54° 40'. Our claims to Oregon. Colonization of Oregon. "Fifty-four forty or fight." Notice served on Great Britain. The parallel of 49° extended to the Pacific. Oregon a territory (1848). The Mexican War. Taylor. 1846. Wins battles of Palo Alto. Resaca de la Palma. Matamoras. Monterey. 1847. Buena Vista. Scott. 1847. Vera Cruz. Cerro Gordo. Jalapa. Perote. Contreras. Churubusco. Molino del Rey. Chapultepec. Mexico. Kearny. Santa Fé. Conquest of New Mexico. Frémont. Stockton. Conquest of California. PEACE 1848. Territory acquired from 42° to Gila River; from Rio Grande to the Pacific. Effort to make the territory slave soil. 1848. The Whigs. No platform. Elect Taylor and Fillmore. 1848. The Democrats. Nothing in platform as to slavery in new territory. Defeated, 1848. Complaints of the South against the North: Popular sovereignty 1. Fugitive slaves. 2. Slavery in District of Columbia. 3. Territory acquired from Mexico to be open to slavery. Discovery of gold in California, 1848. Rush to California. The three routes. Free state of California, 1849. Effort to keep the territory free. The Wilmot Proviso, 1846, 1847. The Free-soil party, 1848. Demands of the party. Defeated in 1848. Demand— 1. California a free state. 2. No slavery in District of Columbia. 3. No more slave states. No more slave territories. Whigs attempt a compromise. COMPROMISE OF 1850. 1. California a free state. 2. Popular sovereignty in territory acquired from Mexico. 3. No slave trade in District of Columbia. 4. Texas takes present boundaries. 5. Two new territories, Utah and New Mexico. 6. New fugitive-slave law. XXV. The Territories become Slave Soil 384. Franklin Pierce, Fourteenth President Although the struggle with slavery was thus growing more and more serious, the two great parties pretended to consider the question as finally settled. In 1852 the Democrats nominated Franklin Pierce and William E. King, and declared in their platform that they would "abide by and adhere to" the Compromise of 1850, and would "resist all attempts at renewing, in Congress or out of it, the agitation of the slavery question." The Whigs nominated General Winfield Scott, and declared that they approved the fugitive-slave law, and accepted the compromise measures of 1850 as "a settlement in principle" of the slavery question, and would do all they could to prevent any further discussion of it. [Illustration: Franklin Pierce] So far as the Whigs were concerned, the question was settled; for the Northern people, angry at their acceptance of the Compromise of 1850 and the fugitive-slave law, refused to vote for Scott, and Pierce was elected.[227] The Free-soilers had nominated John P. Hale and George W. Julian. 385. The Nebraska Bill Pierce was inaugurated March 4, 1853. He, too, believed that all questions relating to slavery were settled. But he had not been many months in office when the old quarrel was raging as bitterly as ever. In 1853 all that part of our country which lies between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, the south boundary of Kansas and 49°, was wilderness, known as the Platte country, and was without any kind of territorial government. In January, 1854, a bill to organize this great piece of country and call it the territory of Nebraska was reported to the Senate by the Committee on Territories, of which Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois was chairman. Every foot of it was north of 36° 30', and according to the Missouri Compromise was free soil. But the bill provided for popular sovereignty; that is, for the right of the people of Nebraska, when they made a state, to have it free or slave, as they pleased. 386. The Kansas-Nebraska Law An attempt was at once made to prevent this. But Douglas recalled his bill and brought in another, providing for two territories, one to be called Kansas[228] and the other Nebraska, expressly repealing the Missouri Compromise,[229] and opening the country north of 36° 30' to slavery.[230] The Free-soilers, led on by Salmon P. Chase of Ohio, Seward of New York, and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, did all they could to defeat the bill; but it passed, and Pierce signed it and made it law.[231] 387. The Struggle for Kansas Thus was it ordained that Kansas and Nebraska, once expressly set apart as free soil, should become free or slave states according as they were settled while territories by antislavery or proslavery men. And now began a seven years' struggle for Kansas. "Come on, then," said Seward of New York in a speech against the Kansas Bill; "Come on, then, gentlemen of the slave states. Since there is no escaping your challenge, I accept it on behalf of freedom. We will engage in competition for the virgin soil of Kansas, and God give the victory to the side that is stronger in numbers as it is in the right." [Illustration: THE UNITED STATES in 1851 SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AFTER INDEPENDENCE Showing Railroads and Overland Routes] This described the situation exactly. The free-state men of the North and the slave-state men of the South were to rush into Kansas and struggle for its possession. The moment the law opening Kansas for settlement was known in Missouri, numbers of men crossed the Missouri River, entered the territory, held squatters' meetings,[232] drove a few stakes into the ground to represent "squatter claims," went home, and called on the people of the South to hurry into Kansas. Many did so, and began to erect tents and huts on the Missouri River at a place which they called Atchison.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag entered Kansas and founded a town on the Kansas River some miles to the south and west of Atchison. Other emigrants came in a few weeks later, and their collection of tents received the name of Lawrence.[233] What was thus taking place at Lawrence happened elsewhere, so that by October, 1854, that part of Kansas along the Missouri River was held by the slave-state men, and the part south of the Kansas River by the free-state men.[234] In November of the same year the struggle began. There was to be an election of a territorial delegate[235] to represent Kansas in Congress, and a day or two before the time set for it the Missourians came over the border in armed bands, took possession of the polls, voted illegally, and elected a proslavery delegate. 388. Kansas a Slave Territory The election of members of the territorial legislature took place in March, 1855, and for this the Missourians made great preparations. On the principle of popular sovereignty the people of Kansas were to decide whether the territory should be slave or free. Should the majority of the legislature consist of free-state men, then Kansas would be a free territory. Should a majority of proslavery men be chosen, then Kansas was doomed to have slavery fastened on her, and this the Missourians determined should be done. For weeks before the election, therefore, the border counties of Missouri were all astir. Meetings were held, and secret societies, called Blue Lodges, were formed, the members of which were pledged to enter Kansas on the day of election, take possession of the polls, and elect a proslavery legislature. The plan was strictly carried out, and as election day drew near, the Missourians, fully armed, entered Kansas in companies, squads, and parties, like an invading army, voted, and then went home to Missouri. Every member of the legislature save one was a proslavery man, and when that body met, all the slave laws of Missouri were adopted and slavery was formally established in Kansas. 389. The Topeka Free-State Constitution The free-state men repudiated the bogus legislature, held a convention at Topeka, made a free-state constitution, and submitted it to the popular vote. The people having ratified it (of course no proslavery men voted), a governor and legislature were chosen. When the legislature met, senators were elected and Congress was asked to admit Kansas into the Union as a state. 390. Personal Liberty Laws; the Underground Railroad The feeling of the people of the free states toward slavery can be seen from many signs. The example set by Vermont in 1850 was followed in 1854 by Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Michigan, and in 1855 by Maine and Massachusetts, in each of which were passed "Personal Liberty laws," designed to prevent free negroes from being carried into slavery on the claim that they were fugitive slaves. Certain state officers were required to act as counsel for any one arrested as a fugitive, and to see that he had a fair trial by jury. To seize a free negro with intent to reduce him to slavery was made a crime. Another sign of the times was the sympathy manifested for the operations of what was called the Underground Railroad. It was, of course, not a railroad at all, but an organization by which slaves escaping from their masters were aided in getting across the free states to Canada. 391. Breaking up of Old Parties Thus matters stood when, in 1856, the time came to elect a President, and found the old parties badly disorganized. The political events of four years had produced great changes. The death of Clay[236] and Webster[237] deprived the Whigs of their oldest and greatest leaders. The earnest support that party gave to the Compromise of 1850 and the execution of the fugitive-slave law estranged thousands of voters in the free states. The Kansas-Nebraska Bill, opposed as it was by every Northern Whig, completed the ruin and left the party a wreck. But the Democrats had also suffered because of the Kansas-Nebraska law and the repeal of the Compromise of 1820. No anti-extension-of-slavery Democrat could longer support the old party. Thousands had therefore broken away, and, acting with the dissatisfied Whigs, formed an unorganized opposition known as "Anti-Nebraska men." 392. The Movement against Immigrants Many old Whigs, however, could not bring themselves to vote with Democrats. These joined the American or Know-nothing party. From the close of the Revolution there had never been a year when a greater or less number of foreigners did not come to our shores. After 1820 the numbers who came each twelvemonth grew larger and larger, till they reached 30,000 in 1830, and 60,000 in 1836, while in the decade 1830-1840 more than 500,000 immigrants landed at New York city alone. As the newcomers hurried westward into the cities of the Mississippi valley, the native population was startled by the appearance of men who often could not speak our language. In Cincinnati in 1840 one half the voters were of foreign birth. The cry was now raised that our institutions, our liberties, our system of government, were at the mercy of men from the monarchical countries of Europe. A demand was made for a change in the naturalization law, so that no foreigner could become a citizen till he had lived here twenty-one years. 393. The American Republicans or Native Americans Neither the Whigs nor the Democrats would endorse this demand, so the people of Louisiana in 1841 called a state convention and founded the American Republican, or, as it was soon called, the Native American party. Its principles were 1. Put none but native Americans in office. 2. Require a residence of twenty-one years in this country before naturalization. 3. Keep the Bible in the schools. 4. Protect from abuse the proceedings necessary to get naturalization papers. As the members would not tell what the secrets of this party were, and very often would not say whom they were going to vote for, and when questioned would answer "I don't know," it got the name of "Know-nothing" party.[238] For a time the party flourished greatly and secured six members of the House of Representatives, then it declined in power; but the immense increase in immigration between 1846 and 1850 again revived it, and. somewhere in New York city in 1852 a secret, oath-bound organization, with signs, grips, and passwords, was founded, and spread with such rapidity that in 1854 it carried the elections in Massachusetts, New York, and Delaware. Next year (1855) it elected the governors and legislatures of eight states, and nearly carried six more. Encouraged by these successes, the leaders determined to enter the campaign of 1856, and called a party convention which nominated Millard Fillmore and Andrew Jackson Donelson. Delegates from seven states left the convention because it would not stand by the Missouri Compromise, and taking the name North Americans nominated N. P. Banks. He would not accept, and the bolters then joined the Republicans. 394. Beginning of the Republican Party As early as 1854, when the Kansas-Nebraska Bill was before Congress, the question was widely discussed all over the North and West, whether the time had not come to form a new party out of the wreck of the old. With this in view a meeting of citizens of all parties was held at Ripon, Wisconsin, at which the formation of a new party on the slavery issue was recommended, and the name Republican suggested. This was before the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. After its passage a thousand citizens of Michigan signed a call for a state mass meeting at Jackson, where a state party was formed, named Republican, and a state ticket nominated, on which were Free-soilers, Whigs, and Anti-Nebraska Democrats. Similar "fusion tickets" were adopted in Wisconsin and Vermont, where the name Republican was used, and in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. The success of the new party in Wisconsin and Michigan in 1854, and its yet greater success in 1855, led the chairmen of the Republican state committees of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Wisconsin to issue a call for an informal convention at Pittsburg on February 22, 1856. At this meeting the National Republican party was formed, and from it went a call for a national nominating convention to meet (June 17, 1856) at Philadelphia, where John C. Frémont and William L. Dayton were nominated. The Free-soilers had joined the Republicans and so disappeared from politics as a party. The Whigs, or "Silver Grays," met and endorsed Fillmore. The Democrats nominated James Buchanan and John C. Breckinridge and carried the election. The Whigs and the Know-nothings then disappeared from national politics. [Illustration: James Buchanan] 395. James Buchanan, Fifteenth President; the "Bred Scott Decision" When Buchanan and Breckinridge were inaugurated, March 4, 1857, certain matters regarding slavery were considered as legally settled forever, as follows: 1. Foreign slave trade forbidden. 2. Slave trade between the states allowed. 3. Fugitive slaves to be returned. 4. Whether a state should permit or abolish slavery to be determined by the state. 5. Squatter sovereignty to be allowed in Kansas and Nebraska, Utah and New Mexico territories. 6. The people in a territory to determine whether they would have a slave or a free state when they made a state constitution. Now there were certain questions regarding slavery which were not settled, and one of them was this: If a slave is taken by his master to a free state and lives there for a while, does he become free? To this the Supreme Court gave the answer two days after Buchanan was inaugurated. A slave by the name of Dred Scott had been taken by his master from the slave state of Missouri to the free state of Illinois, and then to the free soil of Minnesota, and then back to the state of Missouri, where Scott sued for his freedom, on the ground that his residence on free soil had made him a free man. Two questions of vast importance were thus raised: 1. Could a negro whose ancestors had been sold as slaves become a citizen of one of the states in the Union? For unless Dred Scott was a citizen of Missouri, where he then lived, he could not sue in the United States court. 2. Did Congress have power to enact the Missouri Compromise? For if it did not then the restriction of slavery north of 36°30' was illegal, and Dred Scott's residence in Minnesota did not make him free. From the lower courts the case came on appeal to the Supreme Court, which decided 1. That Dred Scott was not a citizen, and therefore could not sue in the United States courts. His residence in Minnesota had not made him free. 2. That Congress could not shut slave property out of the territories any more than it could shut out a horse or a cow. 3. That the piece of legislation known as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was null and void. This confirmed all that had been gained for slavery by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, and opened to slavery Oregon and Washington, which were free territories. 396. Effect of the Dred Scott Decision Hundreds of thousands of copies of this famous decision were printed at once and scattered broadcast over the country as campaign documents. The effect was to fill the Southern people with delight and make them more reckless than ever, to split the Democratic party in the North; to increase the number of Republicans in the North, and make them more determined than ever to stop the spread of slavery into the territories. [Illustration: EXPANSION OF SLAVE SOIL IN THE UNITED STATES 1790-1860] 397. Struggle for Freedom in Kansas We left Kansas in 1856 with a proslavery governor and legislature in actual possession, and a free-state governor, legislature, and senators seeking recognition at Washington. In 1857 there were so many free-state men in Kansas that they elected an antislavery legislature. But just before the proslavery men went out of power they made a proslavery constitution,[239] and instead of submitting to the people the question, Will you, or will you not, have this constitution? they submitted the question, Will you have this constitution with or without slavery? On this the free settlers would not vote, and so it was adopted with slavery. But when the antislavery legislature met soon after, they ordered the question, Will you, or will you not, have this constitution? to be submitted to the people. Then the free settlers voted, and it was rejected by a great majority. Buchanan, however, paid no attention to the action of the free settlers, but sent the Lecompton constitution to Congress and urged it to admit Kansas as a slave state. But Senator Douglas of Illinois came forward and opposed this, because to force a slave constitution on the people of Kansas, after they had voted against it, was contrary to the doctrine of "popular sovereignty." He, with the aid of other Northern Democrats, defeated the attempt, and Kansas remained a territory till 1861. 398. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates The term of Douglas as senator from Illinois was to expire on March 4, 1859. The legislature whose duty it would be to elect his successor was itself to be elected in 1858. The Democrats, therefore, announced that if they secured a majority of the legislators, they would reelect Douglas. The Republicans declared that if they secured a majority, they would elect Abraham Lincoln United States senator. The real question of the campaign thus became, Will the people of Illinois have Stephen A. Douglas or Abraham Lincoln for senator?[240] The speech making opened in June, 1858, when Lincoln addressed the convention that nominated him at Springfield. A month later Douglas replied in a speech at Chicago. Lincoln, who was present, answered Douglas the next evening. A few days later, Douglas, who had taken the stump, replied to Lincoln at Bloomington, and the next day was again answered by Lincoln at Springfield. The deep interest aroused by this running debate led the Republican managers to insist that Lincoln should challenge Douglas to a series of joint debates in public. The challenge was sent and accepted, and debates were arranged for at seven towns[241] named by Douglas. The questions discussed were popular sovereignty, the Dred Scott decision, the extension of slavery to the territories; and the discussion of them attracted the attention of the whole country. Lincoln was defeated in the senatorial election; but his great speeches won for him a national reputation.[242] 399. John Brown's Raid into Virginia As slavery had become the great political issue of the day, it is not surprising that it excited a lifelong and bitter enemy of slavery to do a foolish act. John Brown was a man of intense convictions and a deep-seated hatred of slavery. When the border ruffianism broke out in Kansas in 1855, he went there with arms and money, and soon became so prominent that he was outlawed and a price set on his head. In 1858 he left Kansas, and in July, 1859, settled near Harpers Ferry, Va. (p. 360). His purpose was to stir up a slave insurrection in Virginia, and so secure the liberation of the negroes. With this in view, one Sunday night in October, 1859, he with less than twenty followers seized the United States armory at Harpers Perry and freed as many slaves and arrested as many whites as possible. But no insurrection or uprising of slaves followed, and before he could escape to the mountains he was surrounded and captured by Robert E. Lee, then a colonel in the army of the United States. Brown was tried on the charges of murder and of treason against the state of Virginia, was found guilty, and in December, 1859, was hanged. [Illustration: Harpers Ferry] 400. Split in the Democratic Party Thus it was that one event after another prolonged the struggle with slavery till 1860, when the people were once more to elect a President. The Democratic nominating convention assembled at Charleston, S.C., in April, and at once went to pieces. A strong majority made up of Northern delegates insisted that the party should declare—"That all questions in regard to the rights of property in states or territories arising under the Constitution of the United States are judicial in their character, and the Democratic party is pledged to abide by and faithfully carry out such determination of these questions as has been or may be made by the Supreme Court of the United States." This meant to carry out the doctrine laid down in the Dred Scott decision, and was in conflict with the "popular sovereignty" doctrine of Douglas, which was that right of the people to make a slave territory or a free territory is perfect and complete. The minority, composed of the extreme Southern men, rejected the former plan and insisted 1. "That the Democracy of the United States hold these cardinal principles on the subject of slavery in the territories: First, that Congress has no power to abolish slavery in the territories. Second, that the territorial legislature has no power to abolish slavery in any territory, nor to prohibit the introduction of slaves therein, nor any power to exclude slavery therefrom, nor any right to destroy or impair the right of property in slaves by any legislation whatever." 2. That the Federal government must protect slavery "on the high seas, in the territories, and wherever else its constitutional authority extends." Both majority and minority agreed in asserting 1. That the Personal Liberty laws of the free states "are hostile in their character, subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect." 2. That Cuba ought to be acquired by the United States. 3. That a railroad ought to be built to the Pacific. Their agreement was a minor matter. Their disagreement was so serious that when the minority could not have its way, it left the convention, met in another hall, and adopted its resolutions. The majority of the convention then adjourned to meet at Baltimore, June 18. 1860. As it was then apparent that Douglas would be nominated, another split occurred, and the few Southern men attending, together with some Northern delegates, withdrew. Those who remained nominated Stephen A. Douglas and Herschel V. Johnson. The second group of seceders met in Baltimore, adopted the platform of the first group of seceders from the Charleston convention, and nominated John C. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, and Joseph Lane, of Oregon. [Illustration: A Lincoln] 401. The Constitutional Union Party Meanwhile (May 9) another party, calling itself the National Constitutional Union party, met at Baltimore. These men were the remnants of the old Whig and American or Know-nothing parties. They nominated John Bell, of Tennessee, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, and declared for "the Constitution of the country, the union of the states, and the enforcement of the laws." 402. Election of Lincoln The Republican party met in convention at Chicago on May 16, and nominated Abraham Lincoln, and Hannibal Hamlin of Maine. It 1. Repudiated the principles of the Dred Scott decision. 2. Demanded the admission of Kansas as a free state. 3. Denied all sympathy with any kind of interference with slavery in the states. 4. Insisted that the territories must be kept free. 5. Called for a railroad to the Pacific, and a homestead law. The election took place in November, 1860. Of 303 electoral votes cast, Lincoln received 180; Breckinridge, 72; Bell, 39; and Douglas, 12. SUMMARY 1. The Compromise of 1850 did not settle the question of slavery in the territories, and an attempt to organize Kansas and Nebraska brought it up again. 2. In the organization of these territories a new political doctrine, "popular sovereignty," was announced. 3. This was applied in Kansas, and the struggle for Kansas began. The first territorial government was proslavery. The antislavery men then made a constitution (Topeka) and formed a free state government. Thereupon the proslavery men formed a constitution (Lecompton) for a slave state. This was submitted to Congress and rejected, and Kansas remained a territory till 1861. 4. In the course of the struggle for free soil in Kansas the Whig party went to pieces, the Democratic was split into two wings, and the Know-nothing or Native American party and the Republican party arose. 5. The Republican party was defeated in 1856, but the Dred Scott decision in 1857 and the continued struggle in Kansas forced the question of slavery to the front, and in 1860 Lincoln was elected. XXVI. Progress in the United States between 1840 and 1860 403. The Movement of Population The twenty years which elapsed between the election of Harrison, in 1840, and the election of Lincoln, in 1860, had seen a most astonishing change in our country. In 1840 neither Texas, nor the immense region afterwards acquired from Mexico, belonged to us. There were then but twenty-six states and five territories, inhabited by 17,000,000 people, of whom but 876,000 lived west of the Mississippi River, mostly close to the river bank in Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The great Northwest was still a wilderness, and many a city now familiar to us had no existence. Toledo and Milwaukee and Indianapolis had each less than 3000 inhabitants; Chicago had less than 5000; and Cleveland, Columbus, and Detroit, each less than 10,000. Yet the rapid growth of cities had been one of the characteristics of the period 1830 to 1840. The effect of new mechanical appliances on the movement of population was amazing. The day when emigrants settled along the banks of streams, pushed their boats up the rivers by means of poles, carried their goods on the backs of pack horses, and floated their produce in Kentucky broadhorns down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans, was fast disappearing. The steamboat, the canal, the railroad, had opened new possibilities. Land once valueless as too far from market suddenly became valuable. Men grew loath to live in a wilderness; the rush of emigrants across the Mississippi was checked. The region between the Alleghanies and the great river began to fill up rapidly. During the twenty years, 1821 to 1841, but two states, Arkansas (1836) and Michigan (1837), were admitted to the Union, and but three new territories, Florida (1822-23), Wisconsin (1836), and Iowa (1838), were established. So few people went west from the Atlantic seaboard states that in each one of them except Maine and Georgia population increased more rapidly than it had ever done for forty years. From the Mississippi valley states, however, numbers of people went to Wisconsin and Iowa. In consequence of this, Iowa was admitted to the Union in 1846, and Wisconsin in 1848. Minnesota and Oregon were made territories. Florida and Texas had been admitted in 1845, and the number of states was thus raised to thirty before 1850. The population of the country in 1850 was 23,000,000. Two states in the Mississippi valley now had each of them more than a million of inhabitants. 404. The First States on the Pacific Until 1840 the people had moved westward steadily. Each state as it was settled had touched some other east, or north, or south of it. After 1840 people, attracted by the rich farming land and pleasant climate of Oregon, and after 1848 by the gold mines of California, rushed across the plains to the Pacific, and between 1850 and 1860 built up the states of California and Oregon (1859), and the territory of Washington (1853). Minnesota was admitted in 1858. The population of the United States in 1860 was 31,000,000. [Illustration: DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES SEVENTH CENSUS, 1850] 405. Immigration to the United States since 1820 The people whose movements across our continent we have been following were chiefly natives of the United States. But we have reached the time when foreigners began to arrive by hundreds of thousands every year. From the close of the Revolution to 1820, it is thought not more than 250,000 of the Old World people came to us. But the hard times in Europe, which followed the disbanding of the great armies which had been fighting France and Napoleon from 1789 to 1815, started a general movement. Beginning at 10,000, in 1820, more and more came every year till, in 1842, 100,000 people — men, women, and children—landed on our shore. This was the greatest number that had ever come in one year. But it was surpassed in 1846, when the potato famine in Ireland, and again in 1853, when hard times in Germany, and another famine in Ireland, sent over two immense streams of emigrants. In 1854 no less than 428,000 persons came from the Old World; more than ever came again in one year till 1872. 406. Modern Conveniences When we compare the daily life of the people in 1850 with that of the men of 1825, the contrast is most striking. The cities had increased in number, grown in size, and greatly changed in appearance. The older ones seemed less like villages. Their streets were better paved and lighted. Omnibuses and street cars were becoming common. The constable and the night watch had given way to the police department. Gas and plumbing were in general use. The free school had become an American institution, and many of the numberless inventions and discoveries which have done so much to increase our happiness, prosperity, and comfort, existed at least in a rude form. Between 1840 and 1850 nearly 7000 miles of railroad were built, making a total mileage of 9000. This rapid spread of the railroad, when joined with the steamboats, then to be found on every river and lake within the settled area, made possible an institution which to-day renders invaluable service. 407. Express Companies In 1839 a young man named W.F. Harnden began to carry packages, bundles, money, and small boxes between New York and Boston, and thus started the express business. At first he carried in a couple of carpet bags all the packages intrusted to him, and went by boat from New York to Stonington, Conn., and thence by rail to Boston. But his business grew so rapidly that in 1840 a rival express was started by P. B. Burke and Alvin Adams. Their route was from Boston to Springfield, Mass., and thence to New York. This was the foundation of the present Adams Express Company. Both companies were so well patronized that in 1841 service was extended to Philadelphia and Albany, and in 1844 to Baltimore and Washington. Their example was quickly followed by a host of imitators, and soon a dozen express companies were doing business between the great cities. 408. Postage Stamps introduced At that time (1840) three cents was the postage for a local letter which was not delivered by a carrier. Indeed, there were no letter carriers, and this in large cities was such an inconvenience that private dispatch companies undertook to deliver letters about the city for two cents each; and to accommodate their customers they issued adhesive stamps, which, placed on the letters, insured their delivery. The loss of business to the government caused by these companies, and the general demand for quicker and cheaper mail service, forced Congress to revise the postal laws in 1845, when an attempt was made to introduce the use of postage stamps by the government. As the mails (in consequence of the growth of the country and the easy means of transportation) were becoming very heavy, the postmasters in the cities and important towns had already begun to have stamps printed at their own cost. Their purpose was to save time, for letter postage was frequently (but not always) prepaid. But instead of fixing a stamp on the envelope (there was no such thing in 1840), the writer sent the letter to the post office and paid the postage in money, whereupon the postmaster stamped the letter "Paid." This consumed the time of the postmaster and the letter writer. But when he could go once to the post office and prepay a hundred letters by buying a hundred stamps, any one of which affixed to a letter was evidence that its postage had been paid, any man who wanted to could save his time. These stamps the postmasters sold at a little more than the expense of printing. Thus the postmasters of New York and St. Louis charged one dollar for nine ten-cent or eighteen five-cent stamps. This increased the price of postage a trifle: but as the use of the stamps was optional, the burden fell on those willing to bear it, while the convenience was so great that the effort made to have the Post-office Department furnish the stamps and require the people to use them succeeded in 1847. [Illustration: St. Louis postage stamp] 409. Mechanical Improvements No American need be told that his fellow-countrymen are the most ingenious people the world has ever known. But we do not always remember that it was during this period (1840-1860) that the marvelous inventive genius of the people of the United States began to show itself. Between the day when the patent office was established, in 1790, and 1840, the number of patents issued was 11,908; but after 1840 the stream poured forth increased in volume nearly every year. In 1855 there were 2012 issued and reissued; in 1856, 2506; in 1857, 2896; in 1858, 3695; and in 1860, 4778, raising the total number to 43,431. An examination of these inventions shows that they related to cotton gins and cotton presses; to reapers and mowers; to steam engines; to railroads; to looms; to cooking stoves; to sewing machines, printing presses, boot and shoe machines, rubber goods, floor cloths, and a hundred other things. Very many of them helped to increase the comfort of man and raise the standard of living. Three of them, however, have revolutionized the industrial and business world and been of inestimable good to mankind. They are the sewing machine, the reaper and the electric telegraph. [Illustration: The first Howe sewing machine] 410. The Sewing Machine As far back as the year 1834, Walter Hunt made and sold a few sewing machines in New York. But the man to whose genius, perseverance, and unflinching zeal the world owes the sewing machine, is Elias Howe. His patent was obtained in 1846, and he then spent four years in poverty and distress trying to convince the world of the utility of his machine. By 1850 he succeeded not only in interesting the public, but in so arousing the mechanical world that seven rivals (Wheeler and Wilson, Grover and Baker, Wilcox and Gibbs, and Singer) entered the field. To the combined efforts of them all, we owe one of the most useful inventions of the century. It has lessened the cost of every kind of clothing; of shoes and boots; of harness; of everything, in short, that can be sewed. It has given employment to millions of people, and has greatly added to the comfort of every household in the civilized world. [Illustration: The Wilson sewing machine of 1850] 411. The Harvester Much the same can be said of the McCormick reaper. It was invented and patented as early as 1831; but it was hard work to persuade the farmer to use it. Not a machine was sold till 1841. During 1841, 1842, 1843, such as were made in the little blacksmith shop near Steel's Tavern, Virginia, were disposed of with difficulty. Every effort to induce manufacturers to make the machine was a failure. Not till McCormick had gone on horseback among the farmers of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and secured written orders for his reapers, did he persuade a firm in Cincinnati to make them. In 1845, five hundred were manufactured; in 1850, three thousand. In 1851 McCormick placed one on exhibition at the World's Fair in London, and astonished the world with its performance. To-day two hundred thousand are turned out annually, and without them the great grain fields of the middle West and the far West would be impossible. The harvester has cheapened the cost of bread, and benefited the whole human race. 412. The Telegraph Think, again, what would be our condition if every telegraph line in the world were suddenly pulled down. Yet the telegraph, like the reaper and the sewing machine, was introduced slowly. Samuel F. B. Morse got his patent in 1837; and for seven years, helped by Alfred Vail, he struggled on against poverty. In 1842 he had but thirty-seven cents in the world. But perseverance conquers all things; and with thirty thousand dollars, granted by Congress, the first telegraph line in the world was built in 1844 from Baltimore to Washington. In 1845 New York and Philadelphia were connected; but as wires could not be made to work under water, the messages were received on the New Jersey side of the Hudson and carried to New York by boat. By 1856 the telegraph was in use in the most populous states. Some forty companies, but one of which paid dividends, competed for the business. This was ruinous; and in 1856 a union of Western companies was formed and called the Western Union Telegraph Company. To-day it has 21,000 offices, sends each year some 58,000,000 messages, receives about $23,000,000, and does seven eighths of all the telegraph business in the United States. 413. India Rubber The same year (1844) which witnessed the introduction of the telegraph saw the perfection of Goodyear's secret for the vulcanization of India rubber. In 1820 the first pair of rubber shoes ever seen in the United States were exhibited in Boston. Two years later a ship from South America brought 500 pairs of rubber shoes. They were thick, heavy, and ill-shaped; but they sold so rapidly that more were imported, and in 1830 a cargo of raw gum was brought from South America for the purpose of making rubber goods. With this C. M. Chaffee went to work and succeeded in producing some pieces of cloth spread with rubber. Supposing the invention to be of great value, a number of factories[243] began to make rubber coats, caps, wagon curtains, of pure rubber without cloth. But to the horror of the companies the goods melted when hot weather came, and were sent back, emitting so dreadful an odor that they had to be buried. It was to overcome this and find some means of hardening the gum that Goodyear began his experiments and labored year after year against every sort of discouragement. Even when the secret of vulcanizing, as it is called, was discovered, five years passed before he was able to conduct the process with absolute certainty. In 1844, after ten years of labor, he succeeded and gave to the world one of the most useful inventions of the nineteenth century. 414. The Photograph; the Discovery of Anaesthesia But there were other inventions and discoveries of almost as great or even greater value to mankind. In 1840 Dr. John W. Draper so perfected the daguerreotype that it could be used to take pictures of persons and landscapes. Till then it could be used only to make pictures of buildings and statuary. The year 1846 is made yet more memorable by the discovery that whoever inhaled sulphuric ether would become insensible to pain. The glory of this discovery has been claimed for two men: Dr. Morton and Dr. Jackson. Which one is entitled to it cannot be positively decided, though Dr. Morton seems to have the better right to be considered the discoverer. Before this, however, anaesthesia by nitrous oxide (laughing gas) had been discovered by Dr. Wells of Hartford, Conn., and by Dr. Long of Georgia. 415. Communication with Europe; Steamships Progress was not confined to affairs within our boundary. Communications with Europe were greatly advanced. The passage of the steamship Savannah across the Atlantic, partly by steam and partly by sail, in 1819, resulted in nothing practical. The wood used for fuel left little space for freight. But when better machinery reduced the time, and coal afforded a less bulky fuel, the passage across the Atlantic by steam became possible, and in 1838 two vessels, the Sirius and the Great Western, made the trip from Liverpool to New York by steam alone. No sails were used. This showed what could be done, and in 1839 Samuel Cunard began the great fleet of Atlantic greyhounds by founding the Cunard Line. Aided by the British government, he drove all competitors from the field, till Congress came to the aid of the Collins Line, whose steamers made the first trip from New York to Liverpool in 1850. The rivalry between these lines was intense, and each did its best to make short voyages. In 1851 the average time from Liverpool to New York was eleven days, eight hours, for the Collins Line, and eleven days, twenty-three hours, for the Cunard. This was considered astonishing; for Liverpool and New York were thus brought as near each other in point of time in 1851 as Boston and Philadelphia were in 1790. 416. The Atlantic Cable But something more astonishing yet was at hand. In 1854 Mr. Cyrus W. Field of New York was asked to aid in the construction of a submarine cable to join St. Johns with Cape Ray, Newfoundland. While considering the matter, he became convinced that if a cable could be laid across the Gulf of St. Lawrence, another could be laid across the Atlantic Ocean, and he formed the "New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company" for the purpose of doing so. The first attempt, made in 1857, and a second in 1858, ended in failure; but a third, in 1858, was successful, and a cable was laid from Valentia Bay in Ireland to Trinity Bay in Newfoundland, a distance of 1700 geographical miles. For three weeks all went well, and during this time 400 messages were sent; but on September 1, 1858, the cable ceased to work, and eight years passed before another attempt was made to join the Old World and the New. 417. Condition of the Workingman Every class of society was benefited by these improvements, but no man more so than those who depended on their daily wages for their daily bread. Though wages increased but little, they were more easily earned and brought richer returns. Improved means of transportation, cheaper methods of manufacture, enabled every laborer in 1860 to wear better clothes and eat better food than had been worn or consumed by his father in 1830. New industries, new trades and occupations, new needs in the business world, afforded to his son and daughter opportunities for a livelihood unknown in his youth, while the free school system enabled them to fit themselves to use such opportunities without cost to him. When our country became independent, and for fifty years afterwards, a working day was from sunrise to sunset, with an hour for breakfast and another for dinner. After manufactures arose, and mills and factories gave employment to thousands of wage earners, fourteen, fifteen, and even sixteen hours of labor were counted a day. Protests were early made against this, and demands raised that a working day should be ten hours. At last, late in the thirties, the ten hours system was adopted in Baltimore, and in 1840, by order of President Van Buren, was put in force at the navy yard in Washington and in "all public establishments" under the Federal government. Thus established, the system spread slowly, till to-day it exists almost everywhere. Indeed, in many states, and in all departments of the Federal government, eight hours of work constitute a day. Thus, by the aid of machinery, not only are articles, formerly expensive, made so cheaply that poor men can afford to use them, but the wage earners who operate the machinery can make these articles so quickly that they to-day earn higher wages for fewer hours of work than ever before in the history of the world. Not only did wages increase and the hours of labor grow shorter between 1840 and 1860, but the field of labor was enormously expanded. In 1810, when the first census of manufactures in the United States was taken, the value of goods manufactured was $173,000,000. In 1860 it was ten times as great, and gave employment to more than 1,000,000 men and women. 418. Few Manufactures in the Slave States From much of the benefit produced by this splendid series of inventions and discoveries, the people of the slave-owning states were shut out. They raised corn, tobacco, and cotton, and made some sugar; but in them there were very few mills or manufacturing establishments of any sort. While a great social and industrial revolution was going on in the free states, the people in the slave states remained in 1860 what they were in 1800. The stream of immigrants from Europe passed the slave states by, carrying their skill, their thrift, their energy, into the Northwest. The resources of the slave states were boundless, but no free man would go in to develop them. The soil was fertile, but no free laborer could live on it and compete with slave labor, on which all agriculture, all industry, all prosperity, in the South depended. The two sections of the country at the end of the period 1840-1860 were thus more unlike than ever. SUMMARY 1. Between 1830 and 1850 the rush of population into the West continued, but, instead of moving across the continent, most of the people settled in the states already in existence. 2. This was due to the effect of such improved means of communication as steamboats, railroads, canals, etc. 3. As a consequence, but six new states were admitted to the Union in twenty-nine years, and one of them was annexed (Texas). 4. The period is also noticeable for the number of foreigners who came to our shores. 5. After 1849 the existence of gold in California brought so many people to the Pacific coast that California became a state in 1850. 6. As population grew denser, and transportation was facilitated by the expansion of railroads and steamboats and canals, business opportunities were increased, and new markets were created. 7. Labor-saving and time-saving machines and appliances became more in demand than ever, and a long list of remarkable inventions and business aids appeared. 8. The South, owing to its own peculiar industrial and labor condition, was little benefited by all these improvements, and remained much the same as in 1800. XXVII. War for the Union, 1861-1865 419. South Carolina secedes The only state where in 1860 presidential electors were chosen by the legislature was South Carolina. When the legislature met for this purpose, November 6, 1860, the governor asked it not to adjourn, but to remain in session till the result of the election was known. If Lincoln is elected, said he, the "secession of South Carolina from the Union" will be necessary. Lincoln was elected, and on December 20, 1860, a convention of delegates, called by the legislature to consider the question of secession, formally declared that South Carolina was no longer one of the United States.[244] 420. The "Confederate States of America" The meaning of this act of secession was that South Carolina now claimed to be a "sovereign, free, and independent" nation. But she was not the only state to take this step. By February 1, 1861, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas had also left the Union. Three days later, February 4, 1861, delegates from six of these seven states met at Montgomery, Ala., formed a constitution, established a provisional government, which they called the "Confederate States of America," and elected Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens provisional President and Vice President. Toward preventing or stopping this, Buchanan did nothing. No state, he said, had a right to secede. But a state having seceded, he had no power to make her come back, because he could not make war on a state; that is, he could not preserve the Union. On one matter, however, he was forced to act. When South Carolina seceded, the three forts in Charleston harbor—Castle Pinckney, Fort Sumter, and Fort Moultrie—were in charge of a major of artillery named Robert Anderson. He had under him some eighty officers and men, and knowing that he could not hold all three forts, and fearing that the South would seize Fort Sumter, he dismantled Fort Moultrie, spiked the cannon, cut down the flagstaff, and removed to Fort Sumter, on the evening of December 26, 1860. [Illustration: CHARLESTON HARBOR] This act was heartily approved by the people of the North and by Congress, and Buchanan with great reluctance yielded to their demand, and sent the Star of the West, with food and men, to relieve Anderson. But as the vessel, with our flag at its fore, was steaming up the channel toward Charleston harbor, the Southern batteries fired upon her, and she went back to New York. Anderson was thus left to his fate, and as Buchanan's term was nearly out, both sides waited to see what Lincoln would do. 421. Why did the States secede? Why did the Southern slave states secede? To be fair to them we must seek the answer in the speeches of their leaders. "Your votes," said Jefferson Davis, "refuse to recognize our domestic institutions [slavery], which preexisted the formation of the Union, our property [slaves], which was guaranteed by the Constitution. You refuse us that equality without which we should be degraded if we remained in the Union. You elect a candidate upon the basis of sectional hostility; one who in his speeches, now thrown broadcast over the country, made a distinct declaration of war upon our institutions." "There is," said Howell Cobb, of Georgia, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, "no other remedy for the existing state of things except immediate secession." "Our position," said the Mississippi secession convention, "is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery. A blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization. There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union." Alexander H. Stephens, the Vice President of the Confederacy, asserted that the Personal Liberty laws of some of the free states "constitute the only cause, in my opinion, which can justify secession." The South seceded, then, according to its own statements, because the people believed that the election of Lincoln meant the abolition of slavery. 422. Compromise attempted The Republican party in 1861 had no intention of abolishing slavery. Its purpose was to stop the spread of slavery into the territories, to stop the admission of more slave states, but not to abolish slavery in states where it already existed. A strong wish therefore existed in the North to compromise the sectional differences. Many plans for a compromise were offered, but only one, that of Crittenden, of Kentucky, need be mentioned. He proposed that the Constitution should be so amended as to provide 1. That all territory of the United States north of 36° 30' should be free, and all south of it slave soil. 2. That slaves should be protected as property by all the departments of the territorial government. 3. That states should be admitted with or without slavery as their constitutions provided, whether the states were north or south of 36° 30'. 4. That Congress should have no power to shut slavery out of the territories. 5. That the United States should pay owners for rescued fugitive slaves. As these propositions recognized the right of property in slaves, that is, put the black man on a level with horses and cattle, the Republicans rejected them, and the attempt to compromise ended in failure. 423. A Proposed Thirteenth Amendment One act of great significance was done. A proposition to add a thirteenth amendment to the Constitution was submitted to the states. It read, "No amendment shall be made to the Constitution which will authorize or give to Congress the power to abolish or interfere within any state with the domestic institutions thereof, including that of persons held to labor or service by the laws of said states." Even Lincoln approved of this, and two states, Maryland and Ohio, accepted it. But the issue was at hand. It was too late to compromise. 424. Abraham Lincoln, Sixteenth President Lincoln and Hamlin were inaugurated on March 4, 1861, and in his speech from the Capitol steps Lincoln was very careful to state just what he wanted to do. 1. "I have no purpose," said he, "directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists." 2. "I consider the Union is unbroken, and to the extent of my ability I shall take care … that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all the states." 3. "In doing this there need be no bloodshed or violence; and there shall be none, unless it be forced upon the national authority." 4. "The power confided in me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government and to collect the duties and imposts." [Illustration: Fort Sumter] 425. Civil War begins One of the places Lincoln thus pledged himself to "hold" was Fort Sumter, to which he decided to send men and supplies. As soon as notice of this intention was sent to Governor Pickens of South Carolina, the Confederate commander at Charleston, General Beauregard (bo-ruh-gar'), demanded the surrender of the fort. Major Anderson stoutly refused to comply with the demand, and at dawn on the morning of April 12, 1861, the Confederates fired the first gun at Sumter. During the next thirty-four hours, nineteen batteries poured shot and shell into the fort, which steadily returned the fire. Then both food and powder were nearly exhausted, and part of the fort being on fire, Anderson surrendered; and on Sunday, April 14, 1861, he marched out, taking with him the tattered flag under which he made so gallant a fight.[245] The fleet sent to his aid arrived in time to see the battle, but did not give him any help. After the surrender, one of the ships carried Anderson and the garrison to New York.[246] 426. The Life of the Republic at Stake Thus was begun the greatest war in modern history. It was no vulgar struggle for territory, or for maritime or military supremacy. The life of the Union was at stake. The questions to be decided were: Shall there be one or two republics on the soil of the United States? Shall the great principle of all democratic-republican government, the principle that the will of the majority shall rule, be maintained or abandoned? Shall state sovereignty be recognized? Shall states be suffered to leave the Union at will, or shall the United States continue to exist as "an indestructible Union of indestructible States"? As Mr. Lincoln said, "Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish." 427. The South better prepared For the struggle which was to decide these questions neither side was ready, but the South was better prepared than the North. The South was united as one man. The North was divided and full of Southern sympathizers. She knew not whom to trust. Officers of the army, officers of the navy, were resigning every day. The great departments of government at Washington contained many men who furnished information to Southern officials. Seventeen steam war vessels (two thirds of all that were not laid up or unfit for service) were in foreign parts. Large quantities of military supplies had been stored in Southern forts. All the great powers of Europe save Russia were hostile to our republic, and would gladly have seen it rent in twain. The South, again, had the advantage in that she was to act on the defensive. [Illustration: The United States July 1861 Showing the greatest extension of the Southern Confederacy] 428. Results of firing on the Flag Not a man was killed on either side during the bombardment of Sumter. Yet the battle was a famous one, and led to greater consequences: 1. Lincoln at once called for 75,000 militia to serve for three months. 2. Four "border states," as they were called, thus forced to choose their side, seceded. They were Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. 3. The Congress of the United States was called to meet at Washington, July 4, 1861. 4. After Virginia seceded, the capital of the Confederacy, at the invitation of the Virginia secession convention, was moved from Montgomery to Richmond, and the Confederate Congress adjourned to meet there July 20, 1861. 429. West Virginia The act of secession by Virginia was promptly repudiated by the people of the counties west of the mountains, who refused to secede, and voted to form a new state under the name of Kanawha. They adopted a constitution and were finally admitted in 1863 as the state of West Virginia[247]. 430. The Call to Arms Lincoln held that no state could ever leave the Union, and that therefore no state had left the Union. Those which had passed ordinances of secession were to his mind states whose machinery of government had been seized on by persons in insurrection against the government of the United States. When, therefore, he made his call for 75,000 militia to defend the Union, he apportioned the number among all the states, slave and free, north and south, east and west, according to their population. Those forming the Confederacy paid no attention to the call. The governors of the border slave states (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri) returned evasive or insulting answers. But the people of the loyal states responded instantly, and tens of thousands of troops were soon on their way to Washington. To get there was a hard matter. Baltimore lay on the most direct railroad route between the Eastern and Middle States and Washington. But Baltimore was full of disloyal men, who tore up the railroads, burned bridges, cut the telegraph wires, and as the Massachusetts 6th regiment was passing through the city from one railroad station to another, attacked it, killing some and wounding others of its soldiers. This forced the troops from the other states to go by various routes to Annapolis and then to Washington, so that it was late in April before enough arrived to insure the safety of the city. Though none of the border and seceded states sent troops, the response of the loyal states to Lincoln's call was so hearty that more than 75,000 men were furnished. The President decided to turn this outburst of patriotism to good purpose, and May 3, 1861, asked for 42,034 volunteers for three years unless sooner discharged, and ordered 18,000 seamen to be enlisted, and 22,714 men added to the regular army. Baltimore was now occupied by Union troops, and communication with Washington through that city was restored and protected. On July 1, 1861, there were 183,588 "boys in blue" under arms and present for duty. These were distributed at various places north of the line, 2000 miles long, which divided the North and South. This line began near Fort Monroe, in Virginia, ran up Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac to the mountains, then across Western Virginia and through Kentucky, Missouri, and Indian Territory to New Mexico. This line was naturally divided into three parts: 1. That in Virginia and along the Potomac. 2. That occupied by Kentucky, a state which had declared itself neutral. 3. That west of the Mississippi. 431. The Battle of "Bull Run" or Manassas General Winfield Scott was in command of the Union army. Under him, in command of the troops about Washington, was General Irwin McDowell. Further to the west, near Harpers Ferry, was a Union force under General Patterson. In western Virginia, with an army raised largely in Ohio, was General George B. McClellan. In Missouri was General Lyon, aided by all the Union people in the state, who were engaged in a desperate struggle to keep her in the Union. In northern Virginia and opposed to the Union forces under General McDowell, was a Confederate army under General Beauregard, and these troops the people of the North demanded should be attacked. "The Confederate Congress must not meet at Richmond!" "On to Richmond! On to Richmond!" became the cries of the hour. General McDowell, with 30,000 men, was therefore ordered to attack Beauregard. McDowell found him near Manassas, some thirty miles southwest of Washington, and there, on the field of "Bull Run," on Sunday, July 21, 1861, was fought a famous battle which ended with the defeat and flight of the Union army[248]. General George B. McClellan, who had defeated the Confederate forces in western Virginia in several battles, was now placed in command of the troops near Washington, and spent the rest of 1861 and part of 1862 in drilling and organizing his army. Bull Run had taught the people two things: 1. That the war was not to end in three months; 2. That an army without discipline is not much better than a mob. 432. Fort Donelson and Fort Henry While McClellan was drilling his men along the Potomac, the Union forces drove back the Confederates in the West. The Confederate line at first extended as shown by the heavy line on the map on p. 390. In order to break it, General Buell sent a small force under General Thomas, in January, 1862, to drive back the Confederates near Mill Springs. Next, in February, General Halleck authorized General U. S. Grant and Flag Officer Foote to make a joint expedition against Fort Henry on the Tennessee. But Foote arrived first and captured the fort, whereupon Grant marched to Fort Donelson on the Cumberland, eleven miles away, and after three days of sharp fighting was asked by General Buckner what terms he would offer. Grant promptly answered, [Illustration: Handwritten note of Grant] No terms excepting unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to receive immediately upon your word. I am Sir: very respectfully your ** ** U. S. Grant Brig. Gen. Buckner at once surrendered (February 16, 1862), and Grant won the first great Union victory of the war.[249] 433. The Battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburg Landing After the fall of Fort Donelson, the Confederates, abandoning Columbus and Nashville, hurried south toward Corinth in Mississippi, whither Halleck's army followed in three parts. One under General S. E. Curtis moved to southwestern Missouri, and beat the Confederates at Pea Ridge, Ark. (March 6-8). The second, under General John Pope, coöperated with Flag Officer Foote, from the west bank of the Mississippi, in the capture of Island No. 10 (April 7). Pope then joined Halleck in the movement against Corinth, while the fleet went on down the river, attacked Fort Pillow three times, captured it (June 4), and two days later took Memphis. Meanwhile the third part of Halleck's army, under Grant, following the Confederates, had reached Pittsburg Landing, where (April 6) he was suddenly attacked by General A. S. Johnston and driven back. But General Buell coming up with fresh troops, the battle was resumed the next day (April 7), when Grant regained his lost ground, and the Confederates fell back to Corinth.[250] At this point General Henry Halleck arrived and took command, and at the end of May occupied Corinth. Memphis then fell, and the Mississippi River was opened as far south as Vicksburg. After the capture of Memphis, Halleck went to Washington to take command of the armies of the United States. 434. Bragg's Raid into Kentucky The Confederate line which in January, 1862, had passed across Kentucky had thus by June been driven southward to Chattanooga, Iuka, and Holly Springs. The Union line ran from near Chattanooga to Corinth and Memphis. Against this the Confederates now moved, with the hope of breaking through and driving it back. Gathering his forces at Chattanooga, General Bragg rushed across Tennessee and Kentucky toward Louisville. But General Buell, perceiving his purpose, outmarched him, reached the Ohio, and forced Bragg to fall back. At Perryville (October 8, 1862), Bragg turned furiously on Buell and was beaten. 435. Iuka and Corinth While Bragg was raiding Kentucky, Generals Price at Iuka and Van Dorn at Holly Springs, knowing that Grant's army had been greatly weakened by sending troops to Buell, prepared to attack Corinth. But Grant, thinking he could fight them separately, sent Rosecrans to Iuka (September 19). Price was not captured, but retreated to Van Dorn, and the two then fell upon Rosecrans at Corinth (October 4), only to be beaten and chased forty miles. 436. Murfreesboro For these successes Rosecrans (October 30) was given command of Buell's army, then centering at Nashville. Bragg went into winter quarters at Murfreesboro, and thither Rosecrans advanced to attack him. The contest at Murfreesboro (December 31, 1862, and January 2, 1863) was one of the most bloody battles of the whole war. Bragg was again defeated, and retreated to a position farther south. 437. Arkansas In January, 1862, the Confederate line west of the Mississippi extended from Belmont across southern Missouri to the Indian Territory. Against the west end of this line General Curtis moved in February, 1862, and after driving the Confederates under Van Dorn and Price out of Missouri, beat them in the desperate battle at Pea Ridge, Arkansas (March 6-8, 1862), and moved to the interior of the state. Price and Van Dorn went east into Mississippi (see § 435), and when the year closed the Union forces were in control north of the Arkansas River, and along the west bank of the Mississippi. On the east bank the only fortified positions in Confederate hands were Vicksburg, Grand Gulf, and Port Hudson. 438. Farragut captures New Orleans While Foote was opening the upper part of the Mississippi, a naval expedition under Farragut, supported by an army under Butler, had cleared the lower part of the river. These forces had been sent by sea to capture New Orleans. The defenses of the city consisted of two strong forts almost directly opposite each other on the banks of the river, about seventy-five miles south of the city; of two great chain cables stretched across the river below the forts to prevent ships coming up; and of fifteen armed vessels above the forts. New Orleans was thought to be safe. But Farragut was not dismayed. Sailing up the river till he came to the chains, he bombarded the forts for six days and nights, while the forts did their best to destroy him. Then, finding he could do nothing in this way, he cut the chains, ran his ships past the forts in spite of a dreadful fire (April 24, 1862), destroyed the Confederate fleet (April 25), and took the city. General Butler, who had been waiting at Ship Island with 15,000 men, then entered and held New Orleans.[251] 439. The Peninsular Campaign against Richmond The signal success of Grant and Farragut in the West was more than offset by the signal failure of McClellan in the East. The wish of the administration, and indeed of the whole North, was that Richmond should be captured. Against it, therefore, the Army of the Potomac was to move. But by what route? The government wanted McClellan to march south across Virginia, so that his army should always be between the Confederate forces and Washington. McClellan insisted on moving west from Chesapeake Bay. The result was a compromise: 1. Forces under Frémont and Banks were to operate in the Shenandoah valley and prevent a Confederate force attacking Washington from the west. 2. An army under McDowell was to march from Fredericksburg to Richmond. 3. McClellan was to take the main army from Washington by water to Fort Monroe, and then march up the peninsula to Richmond, where McDowell was to join him. [Illustration: The Peninsula Campaign] This peninsula, from which the campaign gets its name, lies between the York and James rivers. Landing at the lower end of it, McClellan was met by General Joseph E. Johnston, who caused a long delay by forcing him to besiege Yorktown. McClellan then advanced up the peninsula, fighting the battle of Williamsburg on the way. At White House Landing he turned toward Richmond, extending his right flank to Hanover Courthouse, where McDowell was expected to join him. But this was not to be, for General T. J. Jackson ("Stonewall" Jackson) rushed down the Shenandoah valley, driving Banks over the Potomac into Maryland, and retreated south before Frémont or McDowell could cut him off; during this campaign he won four desperate battles in thirty-five days. Jackson's success alarmed Washington, and McDowell was held in northern Virginia. McClellan's army, meanwhile, advanced on both sides of the Chickahominy River to within eight miles of Richmond. At Fair Oaks and Seven Pines (May 31) his left flank was almost overwhelmed by Johnston; but the latter was wounded and his troops defeated. Johnston was then succeeded by R. E. Lee, who, joined by Jackson, attacked McClellan at Mechanicsville and Games Mill, and forced him to fall back, fighting for six days (June 26 to July 1, 1862)[252] as he retreated to Harrisons Landing, on the James River. There the army remained till August, when it was recalled to the Potomac. 440. Lee's Raid into Maryland; Battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg While the Army of the Potomac was at Harrisons Landing, a new force called the Army of Virginia was organized, and General John Pope placed in command. At the same time General Halleck was recalled from the West and made general in chief of the Union armies. Pope intended to move straight against Richmond. But when McClellan in obedience to orders left Harrisons Landing and took his army by water to the Potomac, near Washington, the Confederate army was left free to act as it pleased. Seeing his opportunity, Lee moved at once against Pope's army, whose line stretched along the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers to the Shenandoah valley in western Virginia. Near the Rapidan at Cedar Mountain was General Banks. He was first attacked and beaten; after which Lee fell upon Pope on the old field of Bull Run, and put the army to flight. Pope fell back to Washington, where his forces were united with those of McClellan. Pushing northward, Lee next crossed the Potomac and entered Maryland. But he was overtaken by McClellan at Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg, where, September 17, 1862, a great battle was fought, after which Lee went back to Virginia. McClellan was now removed and the command of the army given to General Burnside. He was as reckless as McClellan was cautious, and on December 13 threw his army against the Confederates posted at Fredericksburg Heights and was beaten with dreadful slaughter. Thus at the end of 1862 Richmond was not captured, and the two armies went into winter quarters with the Rappahannock River between them. 441. Emancipation of the Slaves More than two years had now passed since South Carolina had seceded, and during this time a great change had taken place in the feeling of the North towards slavery. When Lincoln was inaugurated, very few people wanted the slaves emancipated. But two years of bloody fighting had convinced the North that the Union could not exist part slave, part free. As Lincoln said in his speech at Springfield in 1858, "It must be all one thing, or all the other." Seeing that the people now felt as he did, Lincoln, in 1862 (March 6), asked Congress to agree to buy the slaves of the loyal slave states, and urged the members of Congress from those states to advise their constituents to set free their slaves and receive $300 apiece for them. This they would not do; whereupon he decided to act upon his own authority, and declared all slaves within the lines of the Confederacy to be freemen. For this he had two good reasons: 1. So far the war had been one for the preservation of the Union. By making it a war for union and freedom the North would become more earnest than ever. 2. The rulers of England, who wanted Southern cotton, were only waiting for a pretext to acknowledge the independence of the South. If, however, the North engaged in a war for the abolition of slavery, the people of England would not allow the independence of the Confederacy to be acknowledged by their rulers. The time to make such a declaration was after some victory gained by the Union army. When McClellan and Lee stood face to face at Antietam, Lincoln therefore "vowed to God" that if Lee were defeated he would issue the proclamation. Lee was defeated, and, on September 22, 1862, the proclamation came forth declaring that if the Confederate States did not return to their allegiance before January 1, 1863, "all persons held as slaves" within the Confederate lines "shall be then, thenceforth, and forever free." The states of course did not return to their allegiance, and on January 1, 1863, a second proclamation was issued setting the slaves free.[253] Now, there are three things in connection with the Emancipation Proclamation which must be understood and remembered: 1. Lincoln did not abolish slavery anywhere. He emancipated or set free the slaves of certain persons engaged in waging war against the United States government. 2. The Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to any of the loyal slave states,[254] nor to such territory as the Union army had reconquered.[255] In none of these places did it free slaves. 3. Lincoln freed the slaves by virtue of his power as commander in chief of the army of the United States, "and as a fit and necessary war measure." 442. The Battle of Gettysburg After Burnside was defeated at Fredericksburg, in December, 1862, he was removed, and General Hooker put in command of the Army of the Potomac. Hooker—"Fighting Joe," as he was called—led it against Lee, and (May 1-4, 1863) was beaten at Chancellorsville and fell back. In June Lee again took the offensive, rushed down the Shenandoah valley to the Potomac, crossed Maryland, and entered Pennsylvania, with the Army of the Potomac in pursuit. On reaching Maryland, Hooker was removed and General Meade put in command. The opposing forces met on the hills at Gettysburg, Penn., and there, July 1-3, Lee attacked Meade. The contest was a dreadful one; no field was ever more stubbornly fought over. About one fourth of the men engaged were killed or wounded. But the splendid courage of the Union army prevailed: Lee was beaten and retired to Virginia, where he remained unmolested till the spring of 1864. Gettysburg is regarded as the greatest battle of the war, and the Union regiments engaged have taken a just pride in marking the positions they held during the three awful days of slaughter, till the field is dotted all over with beautiful monuments. On the hill back of the village is a great national cemetery, at the dedication of which Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address. [Illustration: Part of the battlefield of Gettysburg] 443. Vicksburg The day after the victory at Gettysburg, the joy of the North was yet more increased by the news that Vicksburg had surrendered (July 4) to Grant. After the defeat, of the Confederate forces at Iuka and Corinth in 1862, the Confederate line passed across northern Mississippi, touched the river from Vicksburg to Port Hudson, and then swept off to the Gulf. As the capture of these river towns would complete the opening of the Mississippi, Grant set out to take Vicksburg. Failing in a direct advance through Mississippi, Grant sent a strong force down the river from Memphis, and later took command in person. Vicksburg stands on the top of a bluff which rises steep and straight 200 feet above the river, and had been so fortified that to capture it seemed impossible. But Grant was determined to open the river. On the west bank, he cut a canal through a bend, hoping to divert the river and get water passage by the town. This failed, and he decided to cross below the town and attack from the land. To aid him in this attempt, Porter ran his gunboats past the town one night in April and carried the army over the river. Landing on the east bank, Grant won a victory at Port Gibson, and occupied Grand Gulf. Hearing that Johnston was coming to help Pemberton, Grant pushed in between them, beat Johnston at Jackson, and turning westward, drove Pemberton into Vicksburg, and began a regular siege. For seven weeks he poured in shot and shell day and night. To live in houses became impossible, and the women and children took refuge in caves. Food gave out, and after every kind of misery had been endured till it could be borne no longer, Vicksburg was surrendered on July 4. [Illustration: The Vicksburg Campaign] Five days later (July 9, 1863), Port Hudson surrendered, and the Mississippi, as Lincoln said, "flowed unvexed to the sea." It was open from its source to its mouth, and the Confederacy was cut in two. 444. Driving the Confederates eastward; Chickamauga and Chattanooga While Grant was besieging Vicksburg, Rosecrans by skillful work forced Bragg to retreat from his position south of Murfreesboro; then in a second campaign he forced Bragg to leave Chattanooga and retire into northwestern Georgia. Bragg here received more troops, and attacked Rosecrans in the Chickamauga valley (September 19 and 20, 1863), where was fought one of the most desperate battles of the war. So fierce was the onset of the Confederates that the Union right wing was driven from the field. But the left wing, under General George H. Thomas, a grand character and a splendid officer, by some of the best fighting ever seen held the enemy in check and saved the army from rout. By his firmness Thomas won the name of "the Rock of Chickamauga." Rosecrans now went back to Chattanooga. Bragg followed, and taking position on the hills and mountains which surround the town on the east and south, shut in the Union army and besieged it. For a time it seemed in danger of starvation. But Hooker was sent from Virginia with more troops; the Army of the Tennessee under Sherman was summoned from Vicksburg; Rosecrans was superseded by Thomas, and Grant was put in command of all. Then matters changed. The forces under Thomas, moving from their lines, seized some low hills at the foot of Missionary Ridge, east of Chattanooga (November 23). On the 24th, Hooker carried the Confederate works on Lookout Mountain, southwest of the city, in a conflict often called the "Battle above the Clouds"; and Sherman was sent against the northern end of Missionary Ridge, but succeeded only in taking an outlying hill. On the 25th Sherman renewed his attack, but failed to gain the main crest, whereupon Thomas attacked the Ridge in front of Chattanooga, carried the heights, and drove off the enemy. Bragg retreated to Dalton, in northwestern Georgia, where the command of his army was given to Joseph E. Johnston. 445. "Marching through Georgia"; "From Atlanta to the Sea" As the Confederates had thus been driven from the Mississippi River, and forced back to the mountains, they had but two centers of power left. The one was the army under Lee, which, since the defeat at Gettysburg, had been lying quietly behind the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers, protecting Richmond. The other was the army at Dalton, Ga., now under J. E. Johnston. [Illustration: WAR FOR THE UNION Breaking the Confederate Line] Early in the spring of 1864 General U.S. Grant—"Unconditional Surrender Grant," as the people called him—was made lieutenant general (a rank never before given to any United States soldier except Washington and Scott), and put in command of all the Federal armies. General Sherman was left in command of the military division of the Mississippi. Before beginning the campaign, Grant and Sherman agreed on a plan. Grant, with the Army of the Potomac, was to drive back Lee and take Richmond. Sherman, with the armies of Thomas, McPherson, and Schofield, was to attack Johnston and push his way into Georgia. Each was to begin his movement on the same day (May 4, 1864). On that day, accordingly, Sherman with 98,000 men marched against Johnston, flanked him out of Dalton, and step by step through the mountains to Atlanta, fighting all the way. Johnston's retreat was masterly. He intended to retreat until Sherman's army was so weakened by leaving guards in the rear to protect the railroads, over which food and supplies must come, that he could fight on equal terms. But Jefferson Davis removed Johnston at Atlanta, and put J. B. Hood in command. Hood, in July, made three furious attacks, was beaten each time; abandoned Atlanta in September, and soon after started northwestward, in hope of drawing Sherman out of Georgia. But Sherman sent Thomas and a part of the army to Tennessee, and after following Hood for a time, he returned to Atlanta, tearing up the railroads as he went. Then, having partly burned the town, in November he started for the sea with 60,000 of his best veterans. [Illustration: SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA] The troops went in four columns, covering a belt of sixty miles wide, burning bridges, tearing up railroads, living on the country as they marched. Early in December the army drew near to Savannah; about the middle of the month (December 13) Fort McAllister was taken; and a few days later the city of Savannah was occupied. During all this long march to the sea, nothing was known in the North as to where Sherman was or what he was doing. Fancy the delight of Lincoln, then, when on the Christmas eve of 1864, he received this telegram: SAVANNAH, Georgia, December 22, 1864. To His EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT LINCOLN, WASHINGTON, D.C. I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with one hundred and fifty heavy guns and plenty of ammunition; also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton. W. T. SHERMAN, MAJOR GENERAL. Sherman had sent the message by vessel to Fort Monroe, whence it was telegraphed to Lincoln. 446. Sherman marches northward At Savannah the army rested for a month. Sherman tells us in his Memoirs that the troops grew impatient at this delay, and used to call out to him as he rode by: "Uncle Billy, I guess Grant is waiting for us at Richmond." So he was; but he did not wait very long, for on February 1, 1865, the march was resumed. The way was across South Carolina to Columbia, and then into North Carolina, with their old enemy, J. E. Johnston, in their front. Hood, in a rash moment, had besieged Thomas at Nashville; but Thomas, coming out from behind his intrenchments, utterly destroyed Hood's army. This forced Davis to put Johnston in command of a new army made up of troops taken from the seaport garrisons and remnants of Hood's army. In March, Sherman reached Goldsboro in North Carolina. 447. Grant in Virginia Meantime Grant had set out from Culpeper Courthouse on May 4, 1864, crossed the Rapidan, and entered the "Wilderness," a name given to a tract of country covered with dense woods of oak and pine and thick undergrowth. The fighting was almost incessant. The loss of life was frightful; but he pushed on to Spottsylvania Courthouse, and thence to Cold Harbor, part of the line of fortifications before Richmond. He would, as he said, "fight it out on this line if it takes all summer," and went south of Richmond and besieged Petersburg. 448. Early's Raid, 1864 Lee now sent Jubal Early with 20,000 soldiers to move down the Shenandoah valley, enter Maryland, and threaten Washington. This he did, and after coming up to the fortifications of the city, he retreated to Virginia. A little later, Early sent his cavalry into Pennsylvania and burned Chambersburg. Grant thought it was time to stop this, and sent Sheridan with an army to drive Early out of the Shenandoah valley. "It is desirable," said Grant, "that nothing should be left to invite the enemy to return." Sheridan set out accordingly, and on September 19 he met Early in battle at Winchester, and a few days later at Fishers Hill, beat him at both places, and sent him whirling up the valley. Sheridan followed for a time, and then brought his army back to Cedar Creek, after burning barns, destroying crops, and devastating the entire upper valley. 449. Sheridan's Ride And now occurred a famous incident. About the middle of October Sheridan went to Washington, and while on his way back slept on the night of October 18 at Winchester. At 7 A.M. on the 19th he heard guns, but paid no attention to the sounds till 9 o'clock, when, as he rode quietly out of Winchester, he met a mile from town wagon trains and fugitives, and heard that Early had surprised his camp at daylight. Dashing up the pike with an escort of twenty men, calling to the fugitives as he passed them to turn and face the enemy, he met the army drawn up in line eleven miles from Winchester. "Far away in the rear," says an old soldier, "we heard cheer after cheer. Were reinforcements coming? Yes, Phil Sheridan was coming, and he was a host." Dashing down the line, Sheridan shouted, "What troops are these?" "The Sixth Corps," came back the response from a hundred voices. "We are all right," said Sheridan, as he swung his old hat and dashed along the line to the right. "Never mind, boys, we'll whip them yet. We shall sleep in our old quarters to-night." And they did.[256] Early was defeated. 450. Surrender of Lee At the beginning of 1865 the situation of Lee was desperate, and in February, Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President of the Confederacy, met Lincoln and Secretary Seward on a war vessel in Hampton Roads to discuss terms of peace. Lincoln demanded three things: 1. That the Confederate armies be disbanded and the men sent home. 2. That the Confederate States submit to the rule of Congress. 3. That slavery be abolished. These terms were not accepted, and the war went on. Sherman marched northward through the Carolinas and was reënforced from the coast; every seaport in the Confederacy was soon in Union hands; Sheridan finally dispersed Early's troops, and joined Grant before Petersburg; and the lines of Grant's army were drawn closer and closer around Petersburg and Richmond. Plainly the end was near. On April 2 Lee announced to Davis that both Petersburg and Richmond must be abandoned at once. The rams in the James River were immediately blown up, and on the morning of April 3 General Weitzel, hearing from a negro what was going on, entered Richmond and found that Lee was in full retreat. Grant followed, and on April 9 forced Lee to surrender at Appomattox Courthouse, seventy-five miles west of Richmond. Grant's treatment of Lee was most generous. He was not required to give up his sword, nor his officers their side arms, nor his men their horses, which they would need, Grant said, "to work their little farms." Each officer was to give his parole not to take up arms against the United States "until properly exchanged"; each regimental commander was to do the same for his men; and, "this done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home." Immediately after this surrender 25,000 rations were issued to Lee's men. [Illustration: The house in which Lee and Grant arranged the surrender] 451. End of the Confederacy What little was left of the Confederacy now went rapidly to pieces. On April 26 Johnston surrendered to Sherman near Raleigh, North Carolina. A few days later the victorious army started for Richmond, and then went on over battle-scarred Virginia to Washington. May 10, Jefferson Davis was captured. When Lee fled from Richmond, Davis hurried to Charlotte, N.C., with his cabinet, his clerks, and such gold and silver coin as was in the Confederate Treasury. But the surrender of Johnston forced Davis to retreat still farther south, till he reached Irwinsville, Ga., where the Union cavalry overtook him. 452. The Grand Army disbands As this was practically the end of the Confederacy, the great Union army of citizen soldiers, numbering more than 1,000,000 men, was called home from the field and disbanded. Before these veterans separated, never to meet again with arms in their hands, they were reviewed by the President, Congress, and an immense throng of people who came to Washington from every part of the loyal states to welcome them. During two days (May 23 and 24, 1865) the soldiers of Grant and Sherman, forming a column thirty miles long, marched down Pennsylvania Avenue, and then, with a rapidity and quietness that seems almost incredible, scattered and went back to their farms, to their shops, to the practice of their professions, and to the innumerable occupations of civil life. Of the Confederates not one was molested, not a soldier was imprisoned, not a political leader suffered death. Davis was ordered to be imprisoned at Fort Monroe for two years, but he was soon released on bail, was never brought to trial, and died at New Orleans in 1889. SUMMARY 1. After the election of Lincoln seven states seceded from the Union, and formed the "Confederate States of America." 2. Four other states joined the Confederacy later. 3. The refusal of the United States to recognize the right to secede led to the refusal to give up Federal forts in Charleston harbor. The attempt to take Sumter by force led to the appeal to arms. 4. The line which separated the troops of the two governments ran from Chesapeake Bay, across Virginia, and through Kentucky and Missouri, to New Mexico. 5. While the Union troops held the Confederates in check on the eastern end of the line, they broke through the line in the West, and, aided by the Union fleet, opened the Mississippi River. 6. The Confederates were thus driven from the Mississippi and forced back to the mountains of Georgia. Sherman was sent against them, and in 1864 marched eastward through the heart of the Confederacy to the Atlantic. 7. Marching north from Savannah, across Georgia and South Carolina, to Goldsboro in North Carolina, he was now in the rear of the Confederate army in Virginia. 8. Grant, meantime, with the Army of the Potomac, had fought a series of battles with Lee, and had besieged Richmond and Petersburg; and Sheridan had cleared out the Shenandoah valley. 9. Lee was thus forced, early in 1865, to leave Richmond, and while retreating westward he was forced to surrender. SECESSION AND THE WAR FOR THE UNION | ——————————————————————————————————- The South The North The cotton states secede. Attempts to compromise. The Confederacy formed. Buchanan's attitude. A constitution adopted. The Crittenden Compromise. Unites States property seized. A Thirteenth Amendment proposed. ————————————————————————————————- | | ————————————————————— | ————————————————————— Buchanan attempts to provision Fort Sumter Star of the West fired on. ————————————————————— | —————————- Lincoln inaugurated. —————————- | ————————————————————— Lincoln attempts to provision Fort Sumter The fort bombarded. The surrender. ————————————————————— | ——————————————————————————————————— Arkansas, North Carolina, The call to arms. Virginia, and Tennessee secede. The march to Washington Richmond made the capital Fight in the streets of of the Confederacy. Baltimore. ————————————————————————————————— | | ————————————————————- | ————————— The war opens —————————- | ————————————————————————————————- Fighting in the West. Fighting along the Potomac and in Virginia 1861-1862. Breaking the 1861. The attempt to take Richmond. Confederate line. Battle of Bull Run. ————————————————————————————————- 1. Line broken at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson and driven out of Kentucky and West Tennessee. 2. Driven out of Missouri and North Arkansas. 3. New Orleans taken. 4. Mississippi River nearly open. 1863. 1. Vicksburg and Port Hudson taken, and Mississippi River open to the Gulf. 2. The Confederacy cut in two. 3. Arkansas and East Tennessee recovered. 1864. Driving the Confederate line eastward. 1. Sherman's march to Atlanta; to the sea. 2. The Confederacy again cut in two. 1865. Driving the Confederate line northward. 1. Sherman marches northward from Savannah to Goldsboro. 2. Surrender of Johnston to Sherman. 1862 The attempt on Richmond renewed. ———————————— ———————————— ————————————— 1. Frémont and Banks to 2. McDowell to move from 3. McClellan to move up hold the Shenandoah Fredericksburg. Peninsula from Fort valley. ——————+—————- Monroe. ——————+—————- | ——————-+—————— | ——————+—————- | ——————+—————- Jackson's success in the ——————-+—————— Defeated by Jackson. Shenandoah valley leads McClellan, left without ———————————— to recall of McDowell. support of McDowell, ————————————— is defeated, changes base to James River, and in August is recalled north. ——————-+—————— | ——————————————————————————————————————— Removal of McClellan's army leaves Lee free to act. He attacks Pope and defeats him on old field of Bull Run. After defeat of Pope, he rushes into Maryland, where, at Antietam, he is defeated, and goes back to Virginia. ———————————————————+——————————————————— | ———————————————————+——————————————————— 1. Union victory at Antietam leads Lincoln to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. 2. McClellan relieved of command and Burnside put in his place. 3. Burnside attacks Lee's army and is beaten at Fredericksburg. ——————————————————————————————————————- 1863. 1. Burnside removed and 1864. Grant in command. Hooker in command. 1. The Wilderness and other battles. 2. Hooker defeated at Chancellorsville. 2. Early sent into the Shenandoah 3. Lee runs past and enters Pennsylvania. valley, where Sheridan defeats him. 4. Meade put in command. Battle of 1865. Richmond taken. Gettysburg. 1. Lee evacuates the city. 5. Lee beaten and goes back to Virginia. 2. Surrenders to Grant. 6. The turning-point of the war. —————————+————————- | ——————————————————————————————————— END OF THE WAR. XXVIII. War along the Coast and on the Sea 453. State of our Navy in 1861 On the day our flag went down at Sumter, the navy of the United States consisted of ninety vessels of every sort. Fifty of these were sailing ships. Forty were propelled by steam. Of the steam fleet one was on the Lakes, five were unserviceable, seventeen were in foreign parts, and nine laid up in navy yards and out of service. Eight steam vessels (one a mere tender) and five sailing vessels (a fleet of thirteen) made up the naval force of the United States that was available for actual service on April 15, 1861. 454. The Work before the Navy The duty of the navy was to 1. Blockade the coast from Norfolk in Virginia to the Bio Grande in Texas. 2. Capture the seaports and forts scattered along this coast. 3. Acquire control of the sounds and bays, as Chesapeake, Albemarle, Pamlico, Mobile, and Galveston. 4. Assist the army in opening the Mississippi, Arkansas, and other rivers. 5. Destroy all Confederate cruisers and protect the commerce of the United States. To accomplish this great work, most of the vessels abroad were recalled (a slow process in days when no ocean cable existed), more were hastily built, and in time 400 merchantmen and river steamboats were bought and roughly adapted at the navy yards for war service. 455. The Blockade of the Southern Coast The war on sea was opened (April 19-27,1861) by two proclamations of Lincoln declaring the coast from Virginia to Texas blockaded. This meant that armed vessels were to be stationed off the seaports of the South, and that no ships from any country were to be allowed to go into or out of them. To stop trade with the South was important for three reasons: 1. The South had no ships, no great gun factories, machine shops, or rolling mills, and must look to foreign countries for military supplies. 2. The South raised (in 1860) 4,700,000 bales of cotton, almost all of which was sold to England and the North, and if this cotton should be sent abroad, the South could easily buy with it all the guns, ships, and goods she needed. 3. England was dependent on the South for raw cotton, and would sell for it everything the South wanted in exchange. The blockade, therefore, was to cut off the trade and supplies of the South, and so weaken her. But as England, a great commercial nation, wanted her cotton, it was certain that unless the blockade were rigorous and close, cotton would be smuggled out and supplies sent in. 456. Blockade Runners This is just what did happen. The blockade in the course of a year was made close, by ships stationed off the ports, sounds, and harbors. In some places the hulks of old whalers were loaded with stone and sunk in the channels, and to get in or out became more difficult. As a result the price of cotton fell to eight cents a pound in the South (because there was nobody to buy it) and rose to fifty cents a pound in England (because so little was to be had). Then "running the blockade" became a regular business. Goods of all sorts were brought from England to Nassau in the West Indies, where they would be put on board of vessels built to run the blockade. These blockade runners were long, low steam vessels which drew only a few feet of water and had great speed. Their hulls were but a few feet out of water and were painted a dull gray. Their smokestacks could be lowered to the deck, and they burned anthracite coal, which made no smoke. They would leave Nassau at such a time as would enable them to be off Wilmington, N.C., or some other Southern port, on a moonless night with a high tide, and then, making a dash, would run through the blockading vessels. Once in port, they would take a cargo of cotton, and would run out on a dark night or during a storm. During the war, 1504 vessels of all kinds were captured or destroyed.[257] 457. The Commerce Destroyers While the North was thus busy destroying the trade of the South, the South was busy destroying the enormous trade of the North. When the war opened, our merchant ships were to be seen in every port of the world, and against these were sent a class of armed vessels known as "commerce destroyers," whose business it was to cruise along the great highways of ocean commerce, keep a sharp lookout for our merchantmen, and burn all they could find. The first of these commerce destroyers to get to sea was the Sumter, which ran the blockade at the mouth of the Mississippi in June, 1861, and within a week had taken seven merchantmen. So important was it to capture her that seven cruisers were sent in pursuit. But she escaped them all till January, 1862, when she was shut up in the port of Gibraltar and was sold to prevent capture. 458. The Trent Affair, 1861 One of the vessels sent in pursuit of the Sumter was the _San Jacinto, _commanded by Captain Wilkes. While at Havana, he heard that two commissioners of the Confederate government, James M. Mason and John Slidell, sent out as commissioners to Great Britain and France, were to sail for England in the British mail steamer Trent; and, deciding to capture them, he took his station in the Bermuda Channel, and (November 8, 1861) as the Trent came steaming along, he stopped and boarded her, and carried off Mason and Slidell and their secretaries. This he had no right to do. It was exactly the sort of thing the United States had protested against ever since 1790, and had been one of the causes of war with Great Britain in 1812. The commissioners were therefore released, placed on board another English vessel, and taken to England. The conduct of Great Britain in this matter was most insulting and warlike, and nothing but the justice of her demand prevented war.[258] 459. The Famous Cruisers Florida, Alabama, Shenandoah The loss of the Sumter was soon made good by the appearance on the sea of a fleet of commerce destroyers all built and purchased in England with the full knowledge of the English government. The first of these, the Florida, was built at Liverpool, was armed at an uninhabited island in the Bahamas, and after roving the sea for more than a year was captured by the United States cruiser Wachusett in the neutral harbor of Bahia in Brazil. Her capture was a shameful violation of neutral waters, and it was ordered that she be returned to Brazil; but she was sunk by "an unforeseen accident" in Hampton Roads.[259] The next to get afloat was the Alabama. She was built at Liverpool with the knowledge of the English government, and became in time one of the most famous and successful of all the commerce destroyers. During two years she cruised unharmed in the North Atlantic, in the Gulf of Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea, along the coast of South America, and even in the Indian Ocean, destroying in her career sixty-six merchant vessels. At last she was found in the harbor of Cherbourg (France) by the Kearsarge, to which Captain Semmes of the Alabama sent a challenge to fight. Captain Winslow accepted it; and June 19, 1864, after a short and gallant engagement, the Alabama was sunk in the English Channel.[260] The Shenandoah, another cruiser, was purchased in England and armed at a barren island near Madeira. Thence she went to Australia, and cruising northward in the Pacific to Bering Strait, destroyed the China-bound clippers and the whaling fleet. At last, hearing of the downfall of the Confederacy, she went back to England.[261] 460. The Ironclads To blockade the coast and cut off trade was most important, but not all that was needed. Here and there were seaports which must be captured and forts which must be destroyed, bays and sounds, and great rivers coming down from the interior, which it was very desirable to secure control of. The Confederates were fully aware of this, and as soon as they could, placed on the waters of their rivers and harbors vessels new to naval warfare, called ironclad rams. These were steamboats cut down and made suitable for naval purposes, and then covered over with iron rails or thick iron plates. The most famous of them was the Merrimac. [Illustration: Remodeling the Merrimac] [Illustration: The U.S. steamer Merrimac] 461. The Merrimac or Virginia When Sumter was fired on and the war began, the United States held the great navy yard and naval depot at Portsmouth, Va., where were eleven war vessels of various sorts, and immense quantities of guns and stores and ammunition. But the officer in charge, knowing that Virginia was about to secede, and fearing that the yard would be seized by the Confederates, sank most of the ships, set fire to the buildings, and abandoned the place. The Confederates at once took possession, raised the vessels, and out of one of them, a steamer called the Merrimac. made an ironclad ram, which they renamed the Virginia and sent forth to destroy the wooden vessels of the United States then assembled in Chesapeake Bay. Well knowing that he could not be harmed by any of our war ships, the commander of the Merrimac went leisurely to work and began (March 8, 1862) by attacking the Cumberland. In her day the Cumberland had been as fine a frigate as ever went to sea; but the days of wooden ships were gone, and she was powerless. Her shot glanced from the sides of the _Merrimac _like so many peas, while the new monster, coming on under steam, rammed her in the side and made a great hole through which the water poured. Even then the commander of the Cumberland would not surrender, but fought his ship till she filled and sank with her guns booming and her flag flying. After sinking the Cumberland, the Merrimac attacked the Congress, forced her to surrender, set her on fire, and, as darkness was then coming on, went back to the shelter of the Confederate batteries. [Illustration: Monitor, side and deck plan] 462. The Monitor Early the next day the Merrimac sailed forth to finish the work of destruction, and picking out the Minnesota, which was hard and fast in the mud, bore down to attack her. When lo! from beside the Minnesota started forth the most curious-looking craft ever seen on water. It was the famous Monitor, designed by Captain John Ericsson, to whose inventive genius we owe the screw propeller and the hot-air engine. She consisted of a small iron hull, on top of which rested a boat-shaped raft covered with sheets of iron which made the deck. On top of the deck, which was about three feet above the water, was an iron cylinder, or turret, which revolved by machinery and carried two guns. She looked, it was said, like "a cheesebox mounted on a raft." [Illustration: HAMPTON ROADS] The Monitor was built at New York, and was intended for harbor defense; but the fact that the Confederates were building a great ironclad at Norfolk made it necessary to send her to Hampton Roads. The sea voyage was a dreadful one; again and again she was almost wrecked, but she weathered the storm, and early on the evening of March 8, 1862, entered Hampton Roads, to see the waters lighted up by the burning Congress and to hear of the sinking of the Cumberland. Taking her place beside the Minnesota, she waited for the dawn, and about eight o'clock saw the Merrimac coming toward her, and, starting out, began the greatest naval battle of modern times. When it ended, neither ship was disabled; but they were the masters of the seas, for it was now proved that no wooden ships anywhere afloat could harm them. The days of wooden naval vessels were over, and all the nations of the world were forced to build their navies anew. The Merrimac withdrew from the fight; when the Confederates evacuated Norfolk, they destroyed her (May, 1862). The Monitor sank in a storm at sea while going to Beaufort, N.C. (January, 1863).[262] [Illustration: An encounter at close range] 463. Capture of the Coast Forts and Waterways Operations along the coast were begun in August, 1861, by the capture of the forts at the mouth of Hatteras Inlet, N.C., the entrance to Pamlico Sound; and by the capture of Port Royal in November. A few months later (early in 1862) control of Pamlico and Albemarle sounds was secured by the capture of Roanoke Island, Elizabeth City, and Newbern, all in North Carolina, and of Fort Macon, which guarded the entrance to Beaufort harbor. McClellan's capture of Yorktown in May, 1862, was soon followed by the hasty evacuation of Norfolk by the Confederate forces, so that at the end of the first year of the war most of the seacoast from Norfolk to the Gulf was in Union hands. Along the Gulf coast naval operations resulted in opening the lower Mississippi and capturing New Orleans in April, and Pensacola in May, 1862. In April, 1863, a naval attack on Charleston was planned, but was carried no farther than a severe battering of Fort Sumter. In August, 1864, Admiral Farragut led his fleet past Forts Morgan and Gaines, that guarded the entrance of Mobile Bay, captured the Confederate fleet and took the forts. Mobile, however, was not taken till April, 1865, just as the Confederacy reached its end. Fort Fisher, which commanded the entrance to Cape Fear River, on which stood Wilmington, the great port of entry for blockade runners, fell before the attack of a combined land and naval force in January, 1865. SUMMARY 1. The naval operations of the war opened with the blockade of the coast of the Confederate States. 2. This was necessary in order to prevent cotton, sugar, and tobacco being sent abroad in return for materials of war. 3. As a result blockade running was carried on to a great extent. 4. In order to destroy our commerce a fleet of cruisers was built in England, purchased and manned by the Confederate government. They inflicted very serious damage. 5. But the great event of the war was the battle between the ironclads Monitor and Merrimac, which marked the advent of the iron-armored war ship. XXIX. The Cost of the War 464. The Cost in Money When Fort Sumter was fired on in 1861 and Lincoln made his call for volunteers, the national debt was $90,000,000, the annual revenue was $41,000,000, and the annual expenses of the government $68,000,000. As the expenses were vastly increased by the outbreak of war, it became necessary to get more money. To do this, Congress, when it met in July, 1861, began a financial policy which must be described if we are to understand the later history of our country. 465. Power to raise Money The Constitution gives Congress power 1. "To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises." 2. "To borrow money on the credit of the United States." 3. To apportion direct taxes among the several states according to their population. 466. Raising Money by Taxation; Internal Revenue Exercising these powers, Congress in 1861 increased the duties on articles imported, laid a direct tax of $20,000,000. and imposed a tax of three per cent on all incomes over $800. The returns were large, but they fell far short of the needs of the government, and in 1862 an internal revenue system was created. Taxes were now imposed on spirits and malt liquors; on manufactured tobacco; on trades, professions, and occupations; till almost everything a man ate, drank, wore, bought, sold, or owned was taxed. The revenue collected from such sources between 1862 and 1865 was $780,000,000. 467. Raising Money "on the Credit of the United States" Money raised by internal revenue and the tariff was largely used to pay current expenses and the interest on the national debt. The great war expenses were met by borrowing money in two ways: 1. By selling bonds. 2. By issuing "United States notes." 468. The Bonded and Interest-paying Debt The bonds were obligations by which the government bound itself to pay the holder the sum of money specified in the bond at the end of a certain period of years, as twenty or thirty or forty. Meantime the holder was to be paid interest at the rate of five, six, or seven per cent a year. Between July 1, 1861, and August 31, 1865, when our national debt was greatest, $1,109,000,000 worth of bonds had been sold to the people and the money used for war purposes. 469. United States Notes The United States notes were of two kinds: those which bore interest, and those which did not. Those bearing interest passed under various names, and by 1866 amounted to $577,000,000. United States notes bearing no interest were the "old demand notes," the "greenbacks," the "fractional currency," and the "national bank notes." The greenbacks (a name given them from the green color of their backs) were authorized early in 1862, were in denominations from $1 up, bore no interest, were legal tender in payment of all debts, public and private, except duties on imports and interest on the public debt. In time $450,000,000 were authorized to be issued, and in 1864, $449,000,000 were in circulation. 470. Fractional Currency The issue of the demand notes in 1861, and the fact, apparent to every one, that Congress must keep on issuing paper money, led the state banks to suspend specie payment in December, 1861. As a consequence, the 3, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cent silver pieces (and of course all the gold) disappeared from circulation. This left the people without small change, and for a time they were forced to pay their car fare and buy their newspapers and make change with postage stamps and "token" pieces of brass and copper, which passed from hand to hand as cents. Indeed, one act of Congress, in July, 1862, made it lawful to receive postage stamps (in sums under $5) in payment of government dues. But in March, 1863, another step was taken, and an issue of $50,000,000 in paper fractional currency was authorized. 471. The National Banking System Yet another financial measure to aid the government was the creation of national banks. In 1863 Congress established the office of "Comptroller of the Currency," and authorized him to permit the establishment of banking associations. Each must consist of not less than five persons, must have a certain capital, and must deposit with the Treasury Department at Washington government bonds equal to at least one third of its capital. The Comptroller was then to issue to each association bank notes not exceeding in value ninety per cent of the face value of the bonds. It was supposed that the state banks, which then issued $150,000,000 in 7000 kinds of bank notes, would take advantage of the law, become national banks, and use this national money, which would pass all over the country. This would enable the government to sell the banks $150,000,000 and more of bonds. But the state banks did not do so till 1865, when a tax of ten per cent was laid on the amount of paper money each state bank issued. Then, to get rid of the tax, hundreds of them bought bonds and became national banks. 472. The National Debt and State Expenditures On the 31st of August, 1865, the national debt thus created reached its highest figure, and was in round numbers $2,845,000,000. Besides the debt incurred by the national government, there were heavy expenditures by the states, and we might say by almost every city and town, amounting to $468,000,000. But even when the war ended, the outlay on account of the war did not cease. Each year there was interest to pay on the bonded debt, and pensions to be given to disabled soldiers and sailors, and to the widows and orphans of men killed, and claims for damages of all sorts to be allowed. Between July 1, 1861, and June 30, 1879, the expenditure of the government growing out of the war amounted to $6,190,000,000. Many men who served in the army made great personal sacrifices. They were taken away from some useful employment, from their farms, their trades, their business, or their professions. What they might have earned or accomplished during the time of service was so much loss. 473. The Cost in Human Life While the war was raging, Lincoln made twelve calls for volunteers, to serve for periods varying from 100 days to three years. The first was the famous call of April 15, 1861, for 75,000 three-months men; the last was in December, 1864. When the numbers of soldiers thus summoned from their homes are added, we find that 2,763,670 were wanted and 2,772,408 responded. This does not mean that 2,770,000 different men were called into service or were ever at any one time under arms. Some served for three months, others for six months, a year, or three years. Very often a man would enlist and when his term was out would reenlist. The largest number in service at any time was in April, 1865. It was 1,000,516, of whom 650,000 were fit for service. In 1865, 800,000 were mustered out between April and October. Of those who gave their lives to preserve the Union, 67,000 were killed in battle, 43,000 died of wounds, and 230,000 of disease and other causes. In round numbers, 360,000 men gave up their lives in defense of the Union. How many perished in the Confederate army cannot be stated, but the loss was quite as large as on the Union side; so that it is safe to say that more than 700,000 men were killed in the war.[263] 474. Suffering in the South The South raised all the cotton, nearly all the rice and tobacco, and one third of the Indian corn grown in our country, and depended on Europe and the North for manufactured goods. But when the North, in 1861 and 1862, blockaded her ports and cut off these supplies, her distress began. Brass bells and brass kettles were called for to be melted and cast into cannon, and every sort of fowling piece and old musket was pressed into service and sent to the troops in the field. As money could not be had, treasury notes were issued by the million, to be redeemed "six months after the close of the war." Planters were next pledged to loan the government a share of the proceeds of their cotton, receiving bonds in return. But the blockade was so rigorous that very little cotton could get to Europe. When this failed, provisions for the army were bought with bonds and with paper money issued by the states. This steady issue of paper money, with nothing to redeem it, led to its rapid decrease in value. In 1864 it took $40 in Confederate paper money to buy a yard of calico. A spool of thread cost $20; a ham, $150; a pound of sugar, $75; and a barrel of flour, $1200. 475. Makeshifts Thrown on their own resources, the Southern people became home manufacturers. The inner shuck of Indian corn was made into hats. Knitting became fashionable. Homespun clothing, dyed with the extract of black-walnut bark or wild indigo or swamp maple or elderberries, was worn by everybody. Barrels and boxes which had been used for packing salt fish and pork were soaked in water, which was evaporated for the sake of the salt thus extracted. Rye or wheat roasted and ground became a substitute for coffee, and dried raspberry leaves for tea. Quite as desperate were the shifts to which the South was put for soldiers. At first every young man was eager to rush to the front. But as time passed, and the great armies of the North were formed, it became necessary to force men into the ranks, to "conscript" them; and in 1862 an act of the Confederate Congress made all males from eighteen to thirty-five subject to military duty. In September, 1862, all men from eighteen to forty-five, and later from sixteen to sixty, were subject to conscription. The slaves, of course, worked on the fortifications, drove teams, and cooked for the troops. 476. Cost to the South Thus drained of her able-bodied population, the South went rapidly to rack and ruin. Crops fell off, property fell into decay, business stopped, railroads were ruined because men could not be had to keep them in repair, and because no rails could be obtained. The loss inflicted by this general and widespread ruin can never be even estimated. Cotton, houses, property of every sort, was destroyed to prevent capture by the Union forces. On every battlefield incalculable damage was done to woods, villages, farmhouses, and crops. Bridges were burned; cities, such as Richmond, Atlanta, Columbia, Charleston, were well-nigh destroyed by fire; thousands of miles of railroad were torn up and ruined. The loss entailed by the emancipation of the slaves, supposing each negro worth $500, amounts to $2,000,000,000. SUMMARY 1. When the war opened, and the army and navy were called into the field, Congress proceeded to raise money by three methods: A. Increasing taxation. B. Issuing bonds. C. Issuing paper money. 2. Taxation was in three forms: A. Direct tax. B. Tariff duties. C. Internal revenue, which included a vast number of taxes. 3. Paper money consisted of treasury notes, United States notes (greenbacks), fractional currency. 4. Besides the cost to the nation, there was the cost to the states, counties, cities, and towns for bounties, and in aid of the war in general; and the cost to individuals. 6. There is again the cost produced by the war and still being paid as pensions, care of national cemeteries, etc., and interest on the public debt. 6. The cost in human life was great to both North and South; there was also a destruction of property and business, the money value of which cannot be estimated. XXX. Reconstruction of the South 477. The Reëlection of Lincoln While the war was still raging, the time came, in 1864, for the nomination of candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency. The situation was serious. On the one hand was the Democratic party, denouncing Mr. Lincoln, insisting that the war was a failure, and demanding peace at any price. On the other hand was a large faction of the Republican party, finding fault with Mr. Lincoln because he was not severe enough, because he had done things they thought the Constitution did not permit him to do, and because he had fixed the conditions on which people in the so-called seceding states might send representatives and senators to Congress. Between these two was a party made up of Republicans and of war Democrats, who insisted that the Union must be preserved at all costs. These men held a convention, and dropping the name "Republicans" for the time being, took that of "National Union party," and renominated Lincoln. For Vice President they selected Andrew Johnson, a Union man and war Democrat from Tennessee. The dissatisfied or Radical Republicans held a convention and nominated John C. Frémont and General John Cochrane. They demanded one term for a President; the confiscation of the land of rebels; the reconstruction of rebellious states by Congress, not by the President; vigorous war measures; and the destruction of slavery forever. The Democrats nominated General George B. McClellan and George H. Pendleton. The platform demanded "a cessation of hostilities with a view to a convention of the states," and described the sacrifice of lives and treasure in behalf of Union as "four years of failure to restore the Union by the experiment of war." McClellan, in his letter of acceptance, repudiated both of these sentiments. The platform called for peace first, and then union if possible. McClellan said union first, and then peace. "No peace can be permanent without union." The platform said the war was a failure. McClellan said, "I could not look in the faces of my gallant comrades of the army and navy … and tell them that their labors and the sacrifice of so many of our slain and wounded brethren had been in vain." The result was never in doubt. By September Frémont and Cochrane both withdrew, and in November Lincoln and Johnson were elected, and on March 4, 1865, were sworn into office. 478. The Murder of Lincoln By that time the Confederacy was doomed. Sherman had made his march to the sea; Savannah and Charleston were in Union hands, and Lee hard pressed at Richmond. April 9 he surrendered, and on April 14, 1865, the fourth anniversary of the evacuation of Fort Sumter, Anderson, now a major general, visited the fort which he had so gallantly defended, and in the presence of the army and navy raised the tattered flag he pulled down in 1861. That night Lincoln went to Ford's Theater in Washington, and while he was sitting quietly in his box, an actor named John Wilkes Booth came in and shot him through the head, causing a wound from which the President died early next morning. His deed done, the assassin leaped from the box to the stage, and shouting, "Sic semper tyrannis" (So be it always to tyrants), the motto of Virginia, made his escape in the confusion of the moment, and mounting a horse, rode away. The act of Booth was one result of a conspiracy, the details of which were soon discovered and the criminals punished. Booth was hunted by soldiers and shot in a barn in Virginia. His accomplices were either hanged or imprisoned for life.[264] 479. Andrew Johnson, President Lincoln had not been many hours dead when Andrew Johnson, as the Constitution provides, took the oath of office and became President of the United States. Before him lay the most gigantic task ever given to any President. 480. Reconstruction To dispose of the Confederate soldiers and politicians was an easy matter; but to decide what to do with the Confederate states proved most difficult. Lincoln had always held that they could not secede. If they could not secede, they had never been out of the Union, and if they had never been out of the Union, they were entitled, as of old, to send senators and representatives to Congress. [Illustration: Andrew Johnson] But whether the states had or had not seceded, the old state governments of 1861, and the relations these governments once held with the Union, were destroyed by the so-called secession, and it was necessary to define some way by which they might be reëstablished, or, as it was called, "reconstructed." Toward the end of 1863, accordingly, when the Union army had acquired possession of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana, Lincoln issued his "Amnesty Proclamation" and began the work of reconstruction. He promised, in the first place, that, with certain exceptions, which he mentioned, he would pardon[265] every man who should lay down his arms and swear to support and obey the Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation. He promised, in the second place, that whenever, in any state that had attempted secession, voters equal in number to one tenth of those who in 1860 voted for presidential electors, should take this oath and organize a state government, he would recognize it; that is, he would consider the state "reconstructed," loyal, and entitled to representation in Congress. Following out this plan, the people of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Louisiana made reconstructed state governments which Lincoln recognized. But here Congress stepped in, refused to seat the senators from these states, and made a plan of its own, which Lincoln vetoed. 481. Johnson's "My Policy" Plan of Reconstruction So the matter stood when Lee and Johnston surrendered, when Davis was captured, and the Confederacy fell to pieces. All the laws enacted by the Confederate Congress at once became null and void. Taxes were no longer collected; letters were no longer delivered; Confederate money had no longer any value. Even the state governments ceased to have any authority. Bands of Union cavalry scoured the country, capturing such governors, political leaders, and prominent men as could be found, and striking terror into others who fled to places of safety. In the midst of this confusion all civil government ended. To reestablish it under the Constitution and laws of the United States was, therefore, the first duty of the President, and he began to do so at once. First he raised the blockade, and opened the ports of the South to trade; then he ordered the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of the Interior, the Postmaster-general, the Attorney-general, to see that the taxes were collected, that letters were delivered, that the courts of the United States were opened, and the laws enforced in all the Southern States; finally, he placed over each of the unreconstructed states a temporary or provisional governor. These governors called conventions of delegates elected by such white men as were allowed to vote, and these conventions did four things: 1. They declared the ordinances of secession null and void. 2. They repudiated every debt incurred in supporting the Confederacy, and promised never to pay one of them. 3. They abolished slavery within their own bounds. 4. They ratified the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery forever in the United States. 482. The Thirteenth Amendment This amendment was sent out to the states by Congress in February, 1865, and was necessary to complete the work begun by the Emancipation Proclamation. That proclamation merely set free the slaves in certain parts of the country, and left the right to buy more untouched. Again, certain slave states (Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri) had not seceded, and in them slavery still existed. In order, therefore, to abolish the institution of slavery in every state in the Union, an amendment to the Constitution was necessary, as many of the states could not be relied on to abolish it within their bounds by their own act. The amendment was formally proclaimed a part of the Constitution on December 18, 1865.[266] 483. Treatment of the Freedmen in the South Had the Southern legislatures stopped here, all would have been well. But they went on, and passed a series of laws concerning vagrants, apprentices, and paupers, which kept the negroes in a state of involuntary servitude, if not in actual slavery. To the men of the South, who feared that the ignorant negroes would refuse to work, these laws seemed to be necessary. But by the men of the North they were regarded as signs of a determination on the part of Southern men not to accept the abolition of slavery. When, therefore, Congress met in December, 1865, the members were very angry because the President had reconstructed the late Confederate states in his own way without consulting Congress, and because these states had made such severe laws against the negroes. 484. Congressional Plan of Reconstruction As soon as the two houses were organized, the President and his work were ignored, the senators and representatives from the eleven states that had seceded were refused seats in Congress, and a series of acts were passed to protect the freedmen. One of these, enacted in March, 1866, was the "Civil Rights" Bill, which gave negroes all the rights of citizenship and permitted them to sue for any of these rights (when deprived of them) in the United States courts. This was vetoed; but Congress passed the bill over the veto. Now, a law enacted by one Congress can, of course, be repealed by another, and lest this should be done, and the freedmen be deprived of their civil rights, Congress (June, 1866) passed the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and made the ratification of it by the Southern States a condition of readmittance to Congress. Finally, a Freedmen's Bureau Bill, ordering the sale of government land to negroes on easy terms, and giving them military protection for their rights, was passed over the President's veto, just before Congress adjourned. 485. The President abuses Congress During the summer, Johnson made speeches at Western cities, in which, in very coarse language, he abused Congress, calling it a Congress of only part of the states; "a factious, domineering, tyrannical Congress," "a Congress violent in breaking up the Union." These attacks, coupled with the fact that some of the Southern States, encouraged by the President's conduct, rejected the Fourteenth Amendment, made Congress, when it met in December, 1866, more determined than ever. By one act it gave negroes the right to vote in the territories and in the District of Columbia. By another it compelled the President to issue his orders to the army through General Grant, for Congress feared that he would recall the troops stationed in the South to protect the freedmen. But the two important acts were the "Tenure of Office Act" and "Reconstruction Act" (March 2, 1867). 486. The Reconstruction Act The Reconstruction Act marked out the ten unreconstructed states (Tennessee had been admitted to Congress in March, 1866) into five districts, with an army officer in command of each, and required the people of each state to make a new constitution giving negroes the right to vote, and send the constitution to Congress. If Congress accepted it, and if the legislature assembled under it ratified the Fourteenth Amendment, they might send senators and representatives to Congress, and not before. To these terms six states (North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas) submitted, and in June, 1868, they were readmitted to Congress. Their ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment made it a part of the Constitution, and in July, 1868, it was declared in force. 487. "Tenure of Office Act"; Johnson impeached By this time the quarrel between the President and Congress had reached such a crisis that the Republican, leaders feared he would obstruct the execution of the reconstruction law by removing important officials chiefly responsible for its administration, and putting in their places men who would not enforce it. To prevent this, Congress, in 1867, passed the "Tenure of Office Act." Hitherto a President could remove almost any Federal office holder at pleasure. Henceforth he could only suspend while the Senate examined into the cause of suspension. If it approved, the man was removed; if it disapproved, the man was reinstated. Johnson denied the right of Congress to make such a law, and very soon disobeyed it. In August, 1867, he asked Secretary of War Stanton to resign, and when the Secretary refused, suspended him and made General Grant temporary Secretary. All this was legal, but when Congress met, and the Senate disapproved of the suspension, General Grant gave the office back again to Stanton. Johnson then appointed General Lorenzo Thomas Secretary of War, and ordered him to seize the office. For this, and for his abusive speeches about Congress, the House of Representatives impeached him, and the Senate tried him "for high crimes and misdemeanors," but failed by one vote to find him guilty. Stanton then resigned his office. SUMMARY 1. In 1864 the Republican party was split, and one part, taking the name of National Union party, renominated Lincoln. The other or radical wing, which wanted a more vigorous war policy, nominated Frémont and Cochrane. The Democrats declared the war a failure, demanded peace, and nominated McClellan and Pendleton. 2. The gradual conquest of the South brought up the question of the relation to the Federal government of a state which had seceded. 3. Lincoln marked out his own plan of reconstruction in an amnesty proclamation. Congress thought he had no right to do this, and adopted a plan which Lincoln vetoed. His death left the question for Johnson to settle. 4. Johnson adopted a plan of his own and soon came into conflict with Congress. 5. Congress began by refusing seats to congressmen from states reconstructed on Johnson's plan. It then passed, over Johnson's veto, a series of bills to protect the freedmen and give them civil rights. 6. Six states accepted the terms of reconstruction offered, and their senators and representatives were admitted to Congress (1868). 7. Johnson, in 1866, traveled about the West abusing Congress. For this, and chiefly for his disregard of the Tenure of Office Act, he was impeached by the House and tried and acquitted by the Senate. XXXI. The New West (1860-1870) 488. Discovery of Gold near Pikes Peak In the summer of 1858 news reached the Missouri that gold had been found on the eastern slope of the Rockies, and at once a wild rush set in for the foot of Pikes Peak, in what was then Kansas. [Illustration: Crossing the plains] During 1858 a party from the gold mines of Georgia pitched a camp on Cherry Creek and called the place Aurania. Later, in the winter, they were joined by General Larimer with a party from Leavenworth, Kan., and by them the rude camp at Aurania was renamed Denver, in honor of the governor of Kansas. In another six months emigrants came pouring in from every point along the frontier. Some, providing themselves with great white-covered wagons, drawn by horses, oxen, or mules, joined forces for better protection against the Indians, and set out together, making long wagon trains or caravans. All were accompanied by men fully armed. Such as could not afford a "prairie schooner," as the canvas-covered wagon was called, put their worldly goods into handcarts. By 1859 Denver was a settlement of 1000 people. They needed supplies, and, to meet this demand, the firm of Russell, Majors, and Waddell put a daily line of coaches on the road from Leavenworth to Denver. This means of communication brought so many settlers that by 1860 Denver was a city of frame and brick houses, with two theaters, two newspapers, and a mint for coining gold. 489. The Pony Express; the Overland Stage By that time, too, the first locomotive had reached the frontier of Kansas. But between the Missouri and the Pacific there was still a gap of 2000 miles which the settlers demanded should be spanned at once, and it was. In 1860 the same firm that sent the first stagecoach over the prairie from Leavenworth to Denver, ran a pony express from the Missouri to the Pacific. Their plan was to start at St. Joseph, Mo., and send the mail on horseback across the continent to San Francisco. As the speed must be rapid, there must be frequent relays. Stations were therefore established every twenty-five miles, and at them fresh horses and riders were kept. Mounted on a spirited Indian pony, the mail carrier would set out from St. Joseph and gallop at breakneck speed to the first relay station, swing himself from his pony, vault into the saddle of another standing ready, and dash on toward the next station. At every third relay a fresh rider took the mail. Day and night, in sunshine and storm, over prairie and mountain, the mail carrier pursued his journey alone. The cost in human life was immense. The first riders made the journey of 1996 miles in ten days. Next came the Wells and Fargo Express, and then the Butterfield Overland Stage Company. 490. The Union Pacific Railroad; the Land Grant Roads Meantime the war opened, and an idea often talked of took definite shape. California had scarcely been admitted, in 1850, when the plan to bind her firmly to the Union by a great railroad, built at national cost, was urged vigorously. By 1856 the people began to demand it, and in that year the Republican party, and in 1860 both the Republican and Democratic parties, pledged themselves to build one. The secession of the South, and the presence at Denver of a growing population, made the need imperative, and in 1862 Congress began the work. Two companies were chartered. One, the Union Pacific, was to begin at Omaha and build westward. The other, the Central Pacific, was to begin at Sacramento and build eastward till the two met. The Union Pacific was to receive from the government a subsidy in bonds of $16,000 for each mile built across the plains, $48,000 for each of 150 miles across the Rocky Mountains, and $32,000 a mile for the rest of the way. It received all told on its 1033 miles $27,226,000. The Central Pacific, under like conditions, received for its 883 miles from San Francisco to Ogden $27,850,000. But the liberality of Congress did not end here. Each road was also given every odd-numbered section in a strip of public land twenty miles wide along its entire length. 491. Land Grants for Railroads and Canals Grants of land in aid of such improvements were not new. Between 1827 and 1860 Congress gave away to canals, roads, and railroads 215,000,000 acres. This magnificent expanse would make seven states as large as Pennsylvania, or three and a half as large as Oregon, and is only 6000 acres less than the total area of the thirteen original states with their present boundaries. Although the roads were chartered in 1862, the work of construction was slow at first, and the last rail was not laid till May 10, 1869. 492. The Silver Mines; New States and Territories What the discovery of gold did for California and Denver, silver and the railroad did for the country east of the Sierras. In 1859 some gold seekers in what was then Utah discovered the rich silver mines on Mt. Davidson. Population rushed in, Virginia City sprang into existence, the territory of Nevada was formed in 1861, and in 1864 entered the Union as a state. In 1861 Colorado was made a territory, and what is now North and South Dakota and the land west of them to the Rocky Mountain divide became the territory of Dakota. Hardly was this done when gold was found in a gulch on the Jefferson Fork of the Missouri River. Bannock City, Virginia City, and Helena were laid out almost immediately, and in 1864 Montana was made a territory. In 1860 and 1862 precious metals were found in what was then eastern Washington; Lewiston, Idaho City, and the old Hudson Bay Company's post of Fort Boise became thriving towns, and in 1863 the territory of Idaho was formed, with limits including what is now Montana and part of Wyoming. In 1863 Arizona was cut off from New Mexico, and in 1868 Wyoming was made a territory. 493. Population in 1870 Thus in the decade from 1860 to 1870 gold, silver, and the Pacific Railroad gave value to the American Desert, brought two states (Nevada and Nebraska) into the Union, and caused the organization of six new territories. More than 1,000,000 people then lived along the line of the Union Pacific. Our total population in 1870 was 38,000,000. SUMMARY 1. What the discovery of gold did for California in 1849, it did for the "Great American Desert" in 1858. 2. The consequences were the founding of Denver, the establishment of a stagecoach line from the Missouri to Denver, the pony express to the Pacific; the overland coach; and the Pacific Railroad. 3. Gold, the railroad, and the silver mines led to the organization of Colorado, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, and the admission of Nebraska and Nevada into the Union. 4. Other causes led to the organization of Arizona and Dakota. New States (1860-1870). Kansas, 1861. West Virginia, 1863. Nevada, 1864. Nebraska, 1867. Total number of states in 1870, 37. New Territories (1860-1870). Colorado, 1861. Dakota, 1861. Idaho, 1863. Arizona, 1863. Montana, 1864. Wyoming, 1868. XXXII. Politics from 1868 to 1880 494. New Issues before the People Five years had now passed since the surrender of Lee, and nine since the firing on Sumter. During these years the North, aroused and united by the efforts put forth to crush the Confederacy, had entered on a career of prosperity and development greater than ever enjoyed in the past. With this changed condition came new issues, some growing out of the results of the war, and some out of the development of the country. 495. Amnesty In the first place, now that the war was over, the people were heartily tired of war issues. Taking advantage of this, certain political leaders began, about 1870, to demand a "general amnesty" [267] or forgiveness for the rebels, and a stoppage of reconstructive measures by Congress. 496. The National Finances A second issue resulting from the war was the management of the national finances. January 1, 1866, the national debt amounted to $2,740,000,000, including (1) the bonded debt of $1,120,000,000, and (2) the unbonded or floating debt of $1,620,000,000, that part made up of "greenbacks," fractional currency, treasury notes, and the like. Two problems were thus brought before the people: 1. What shall be done with the national bonded debt? 2. How shall the paper money be disposed of and "specie payment" resumed? As to the first question, it was decided to pay the bonds as fast as possible; and by 1873 the debt was reduced by more than $500,000,000. As to the second question, it was decided to "contract the currency" by gathering into the Treasury and there canceling the "greenbacks." This was begun, and their amount was reduced from $449,000,000 in 1864 to $356,000,000 in 1868. By that time a large part of the people in the West were finding fault with "contraction." Calling in the greenbacks, they held, was making money scarce and lowering prices. Congress, therefore, in 1868 yielded to the pressure, and ordered that further contraction should stop and that there should not be less than $356,000,000 of greenbacks. 497. "The Ohio Idea"; the Greenback Party But there was still another idea current. To understand this, six facts must be remembered. 1. In 1862 Congress ordered the issue of certain 5-20 bonds; that is, bonds that might be paid after five years, but must be paid in twenty years. 2. The interest on these bonds was made payable "in coin." 3. But nothing was said in the bond as to the kind of money in which the principal should be paid. 4. When the greenbacks were issued, the law said they should be "lawful money and a legal tender for all debts, public and private, within the United States, except duties on imports and interest as aforesaid." 5. This made it possible to pay the principal of the 5-20 bonds in greenbacks instead of coin. 6. Fearing that payment of the principal in greenbacks might have a bad effect on future loans, Congress, when it passed the next act (March 3, 1863) for borrowing money, provided that both principal and interest should be paid in coin. At that time and long after the war "coin" commanded a premium; that is, it took more than 100 cents in paper money to buy 100 cents in gold. Anybody who owned a bond could therefore sell the coin he received as interest for paper and so increase the rate of interest measured in paper money. The bonds, again, could not be taxed by any state or municipality. Because of these facts, there arose a demand after the war for two things—taxation of the bonds and payment of the 5-20's in greenbacks. This idea was so prevalent in Ohio in 1868 that it was called the "Ohio idea," and its supporters were called "Greenbackers." 498. Opposition to Land Grants to Railroads Much fault was now found with Congress for giving away such great tracts of the public domain. In 1862 a law known as the Homestead Act was passed. By it a farm of 80 or 160 acres was to be given to any head of a family, or any person twenty-one years old, who was a citizen of the United States or, being foreign born, had declared an intention to become a citizen, provided he or she lived on the farm and cultivated it for five years. Under this great and generous law 103,000 entries for 12,000,000 acres were made between 1863 and 1870. This showed that the people wanted land and was one reason why it should not be given to corporations. 499. The Election of 1868 The questions discussed above (pp. 437-439) became the political issues of 1868. The Republicans nominated Grant and Schuyler Colfax and declared for the payment of all bonds in coin; for a reduction of the national debt and the rate of interest; and for the encouragement of immigration. The Democrats nominated Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair, and demanded amnesty; rapid payment of the debt; "one currency for the government, and the people, the laborer, and the office holder"; the taxation of government bonds; and no land grants for public improvements. The popular vote was 5,700,000. In the electoral college Grant had 214 votes, and Seymour 80. 500. Troubles in the South; the Ku Klux Klan Grant and Colfax began their term of office on March 4, 1869, and soon found that the reconstruction policy of Congress had not been so successful as they could wish, and that the work of protecting the freedman in the exercise of his new rights was not yet completed. Three states (Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas) had not yet complied with the conditions imposed by Congress, and were still refused seats in the House and Senate. No sooner had the others complied with the Reconstruction Act of 1867, and given the negro the right to vote, than a swarm of Northern politicians, generally of the worst sort, went down and, as they said, "ran things." They began by persuading the negroes that their old masters were about to put them back into slavery, that it was only by electing Union men to office that they could remain free; and having by this means obtained control of the negro vote, they were made governors and members of Congress, and were sent to the state legislature, where, seated beside negroes who could neither read nor write, but who voted as ordered, these "carpetbaggers," [268] as they were called, ruled the states in the interest of themselves rather than in that of the people. Now, you must remember that in many of the Southern states the negro voters greatly outnumbered the white voters, because there were more black men than white men, and because many of the whites were still disfranchised; that is, could not vote. When these men, who were property owners and taxpayers, found that the carpetbaggers, by means of the negro vote, were plundering and robbing the states, they determined to prevent the negro from voting, and so drive the carpetbaggers from the legislatures. To do this, in many parts of the South they formed secret societies, called "The Invisible Empire" and "The Ku Klux Klan." Completely disguised by masks and outlandish dresses, the members rode at night, and whipped, maimed, and even murdered the objects of their wrath, who were either negroes who had become local political leaders, or carpetbaggers, or "scalawags," as the Southern whites who supported the negro cause were called. 501. The Fifteenth Amendment To secure the negro the right to vote, and make it no longer dependent on state action, a Fifteenth Amendment was passed by Congress in February, 1869, and, after ratification by the necessary number of states, was put in force in March, 1870. As the Ku Klux were violating this amendment, by preventing the negroes from voting, Congress, in 1871, passed the "Ku Klux" or "Force" Act. It prescribed fine and imprisonment for any man convicted of hindering, or even attempting to hinder, any negro from voting, or the votes, when cast, from being counted. [Illustration: U. S. Grant] 502. Rise of the Liberal Republicans This legislation and the conflicts that grew out of it in Louisiana kept alive the old issue of amnesty, and in Missouri split the Republican party and led to the rise of a new party, which received the name of "Liberal Republicans," because it was in favor of a more liberal treatment of the South. From Missouri, the movement spread into Iowa, into Kansas, into Illinois, and into New Jersey, and by 1872 was serious enough to encourage the leaders to call for a national convention which gathered at Cincinnati (May, 1872), and, after declaring for amnesty, universal suffrage, civil service reform, and no more land grants to railroads, nominated Horace Greeley, of New York, for President, and B. Gratz Brown, the Liberal leader of Missouri, for Vice President. The nomination of Greeley displeased a part of the convention, which went elsewhere, and nominated W. S. Groesbeck and F. L. Olmsted. The Republicans met at Philadelphia in June, and nominated Grant and Henry Wilson. The Democrats pledged their support to Greeley and Brown; but this act displeased so many of the Democratic party, that another convention was held, and Charles O'Conor and John Quincy Adams were placed in the field. 503. The National Labor-Reform Party From about 1829, when the establishment of manufactures, the building of turnpikes and canals, the growth of population, the rise of great cities, and the arrival of emigrants from Europe led to the appearance of a great laboring class, the workingman had been in politics. But it was not till the close of the war that labor questions assumed national importance. In 1865 the first National Labor Congress was held at Louisville in Kentucky. In 1866 a second met at Baltimore; a third at Chicago in 1867; and a fourth at New York in 1868, to which came woman suffragists and labor-reform agitators. The next met at Philadelphia in 1869 and called for a great National Labor Congress which met at Cincinnati in 1870 and demanded 1. Lower interest on government bonds. 2. Repeal of the law establishing the national banks. 3. Withdrawal of national bank notes. 4. Issue of paper money "based on the faith and resources of the nation," to be legal tender for all debts. 5. An eight-hour law. 6. Exclusion of the Chinese. 7. No land grants to corporations. 8. Formation of a "National Labor-Reform Party." The idea of a new party with such principles was so heartily approved, that a national convention met at Columbus, O., in 1872, denounced Chinese labor, demanded taxation of government bonds, and nominated David Davis and Joel Parker. When they declined, O'Conor was nominated. 504. Anti-Chinese Movement The demand in the Labor platform for the exclusion of Chinese makes it necessary to say a word concerning "Mongolian labor." Chinamen were attracted to our shore by the discovery of gold in California, but received little attention till 1852, when the governor in a message reminded the legislature that the Chinese came not as freemen, but were sent by foreign capitalists under contract; that they were the absolute slaves of these masters; that the gold they dug out of our soil was sent to China; that they could not become citizens; and that they worked for wages so low that no American could compete with them. The legislature promptly acted, and repeatedly attempted to stop their immigration by taxing them. But the Supreme Court declared such taxation illegal, whereupon, the state having gone as far as it could, an appeal was made to Congress. That body was deaf to all entreaties; but the President through Anson Burlingame in 1868 secured some new articles to the old Chinese treaty of 1858. Henceforth it was to be a penal offense to take Chinamen to the United States without their free consent. This was not enough, and in order to force Congress to act, the question was made a political issue. 505. The Prohibition Party The temperance cause in the United States dates back to 1810. But it was not till Maine passed a law forbidding the sale of liquor, in 1851, and her example was followed by Vermont and Rhode Island in 1852, by Connecticut in 1854, and by New York, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Iowa, in 1855, that prohibition became an issue. The war turned the thoughts of people to other things. But after the war, prohibition parties began to appear in several states, and in 1869 steps were taken to unite and found a national party. In that year, the Grand Lodges of Good Templars held a convention at Oswego, N.Y., and by these men a call was issued for a national convention of prohibitionists to form a political party. The delegates thus summoned met at Chicago in September, 1869, and there founded the "National Prohibition Reform party." The first national nominating convention was held at Columbus, O., in 1872, when James Black of Pennsylvania was nominated for President, and John Russell of Michigan for Vice President. 506. Campaign of 1872 At the beginning of the campaign there were thus seven presidential candidates before the people. But some refused to run, and others had no chance, so that the contest was really between General Grant and Horace Greeley, who was caricatured unmercifully. The benevolent face of the great editor, spectacled, and fringed with a snow-white beard, appeared on fans, on posters, on showcards, where, as a setting sun, it might be seen going down behind the western hills. "Go west," his famous advice to young men, became the slang phrase of the hour. He was defeated, for Grant carried thirty-one states, and Greeley six. In many respects this was a most interesting election. For the first time in our history the freedmen voted for presidential electors. For the first time since 1860 the people of all the states took part in the election of a President of the United States, while the number of candidates, Labor, Prohibition, Liberal Republican, Democratic, and Republican, showed that the old issues which caused the war or were caused by the war were dead or dying, and that new ones were coming forward. 507. Panic of 1873 Now, all these things, the immense expansion of the railroads, and the great outlay necessary for rebuilding Chicago, much of which had been burned in 1871, and Boston, which suffered from a great fire in 1872, absorbed money and made it difficult to get. Just in the midst of the stringency a quarrel arose between the farmers and the railroads in the West, and made matters worse. It stopped the sale of railroad bonds, and crippled the enterprises that depended on such sale for funds. It impaired the credit of bankers concerned in railroad building, and in September, 1873, a run on them for deposits began till one of them, Jay Cooke & Co., failed, and at once a panic swept over the business world. Country depositors demanded their money; the country banks therefore withdrew their deposits with the city banks, which in turn called in their loans, and industry of every kind stopped. In 1873 there were 5000 failures, and in 1874 there were 5800. Hours of labor were reduced, wages were cut down, workingmen were discharged by thousands. 508. The Inflation Bill In hope of relieving this distress by making money easier to get, a demand was now made that Congress should issue more greenbacks. To this Congress, in 1874, responded by passing the "Inflation Bill," declaring that there should be $400,000,000 in greenbacks, no more, no less. As the limit fixed in 1868 was $356,000,000, the bill tended to "inflate" or add to the paper currency $44,000,000. Grant vetoed the bill. 509. Resumption of Specie Payments What shall be done with the currency? now became the question of the hour, and at the next session of Congress (1874-75) another effort was made to answer it, and "an act to provide for the resumption of specie payments" was passed. 1. Under this law, silver 10, 25, and 50 cent pieces were to be exchanged through the post offices and subtreasuries for fractional currency till it was all redeemed. 2. Surplus revenue might be used and bonds issued for the purchase of coin. 3. That part of an act of 1870 which limited the amount of national bank notes to $354,000,000 was repealed. 4. The banks could now put out more bills; but for each $100 they put out the Secretary of the Treasury must call in $80 of greenbacks, till but $300,000,000 of them remained. 5. After January 1,1879, he must redeem them all on demand. 510. The Political Issues of 1876 The currency question, the hard times which had continued since 1873, the rise of the Labor and Prohibition parties, the reports of shameful corruption and dishonesty in every branch of the public service, the dissatisfaction of a large part of the Republican party with the way affairs were managed by the administration, combined to make the election of 1876 very doubtful. The general displeasure was so great that the Democratic party not only carried state elections in the North in 1874 and 1875, but secured a majority of the House of Representatives. 511. Nomination of Presidential Candidates When the time came to make nominations for the presidency, the Prohibition party was first to act. It selected Green Clay Smith of Kentucky and G.T. Stewart of Ohio as its candidates, and demanded that in all the territories and the District of Columbia, the importation, exportation, manufacture, and sale of alcoholic beverages should be stopped. Two other demands—the abolition of polygamy (which was practiced by the Mormons in Utah), and the closing of the mails to the advertisements of gambling and lottery schemes—have since been secured. Next came the Greenback or Independent National party, which nominated Peter Cooper of New York and Samuel F. Cary of Ohio, and called for the repeal of the Resumption of Specie Payment Act, and the issue of paper notes bearing a low rate of interest. In June, the Republicans met in Cincinnati, and nominated Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio, and William A. Wheeler of New York. They endorsed the financial policy of the party, demanded civil service reform, protection to American industries, no more land grants to corporations, an investigation of the effect of Chinese immigration, and "respectful consideration" of the woman's rights question. The Democrats nominated Samuel J. Tilden and Thomas A. Hendricks, and called for reforms of every kind—in the civil service, in the administration, in expenditures, in the internal revenue system, in the currency, in the tariff, in the use of public lands, in the treatment of the South. 512. Result of the Election While the campaign was going on, Colorado was admitted (in August, 1876) as a state. There were then thirty-eight states in the Union, casting 369 electoral votes. This made 185 necessary for a choice; and when the returns were all in, it appeared that, if the Republicans could secure the electoral votes of South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, and Oregon, they would have exactly 185. In these states, however, a dispute was raging as to which set of electors, Republican or Democratic, was elected. Each claimed to be; and, as the result depended on them, each set met and voted. It was then for Congress to decide which should be counted. Now, the framers of the Constitution had never thought of such a condition of affairs, and had made no provisions to meet it. Congress therefore provided for an 513. "Electoral Commission" "Electoral Commission," to decide which of the conflicting returns should be accepted. This commission was to be composed of five senators, five representatives, and five justices of the Supreme Court. The Senate chose three Republicans and two Democrats; the House, three Democrats and two Republicans. Congress appointed two Democratic and two Republican justices, who chose the fifth justice, who was a Republican. The Commission thus consisted of eight Republicans and seven Democrats. The decision as to each of the disputed states was in favor of the Republican electors, and as it could not be reversed unless both houses of Congress consented, and as both would not consent, Hayes was declared elected, over Tilden, by one electoral vote; namely, Hayes, 185; Tilden, 184. [Illustration: Rutherford B. Hayes] 514. Financial Policy of Grant's Administration The inauguration of Hayes was followed by a special session of Congress. In the House was a great Democratic majority, pledged to a new financial measure—a pledge which it soon made good. The financial policy of Grant's eight years may be summed up briefly: 1. (1869) The "Credit Strengthening Act," declaring that 5-20 bonds of the United States should be paid "in coin." 2. (1870) The Refunding Act, by which $1,500,000,000 in bonds bearing five and six per cent interest were ordered to be replaced by other bonds at four, four and a half, and five per cent. In this refunding, the 5-20's, whose principal was payable in greenbacks, were replaced by others whose principal was payable "in coin." 3. (1873) The act of 1873, by stopping the coinage of silver dollars, and taking away the legal tender quality of those in circulation, made the words "in coin" mean gold. 4. (1875) All greenbacks were to become redeemable in specie on January 1, 1879. 5. To get specie, bonds might be issued. 515. Bland Silver Bill; Silver demonetized Against the continuance of this policy the majority of the House stood pledged. Before the session closed, therefore, two bills passed the House. One repealed so much of the act of 1875 as provided for the retirement of greenbacks and the issue of bonds. The second was brought in by Mr. Bland of Missouri, and is still known by his name. It provided 1. That the silver dollar should again be coined, and at the ratio of 16 to 1; that is, that the same number of dollars should be made out of sixteen pounds of silver as out of one pound of gold. 2. That silver should be a legal tender, at face value, for all debts, public and private. 3. That all silver bullion brought to the mints should be coined into dollars without cost to the bringer. This was "free coinage of silver." The House passed the bill, but the Senate rejected the "free coinage" provision and substituted the "Allison" amendment. Under this, the Secretary of the Treasury was to buy not less than $2,000,000, nor more than $4,000,000, worth of silver bullion each month, and coin it into dollars. The House accepted the Senate amendment, and when Hayes vetoed the bill Congress passed it over his veto and the "Bland-Allison Bill" became a law in 1878. 516. Silver Certificates Now this return to the coinage of the silver dollar was open to the objection that large sums in silver would be troublesome because of the weight. It was therefore provided that the coins might be deposited in the Treasury, and paper "silver certificates" issued against them. A few months later, January 1, 1879, the government returned to specie payment, and ever since has redeemed greenbacks in gold, on demand. 517. Foreign Relations; the French in Mexico The statement was made that with the exception of Russia the great powers of Europe sympathized with the South during the Civil War. Two of them, France and Great Britain, were openly hostile. The French Emperor allowed Confederate agents to contract for the construction of war vessels in French ports,[269] and sent an army into Mexico to overturn that republic and establish an empire. Mexico owed the subjects of Great Britain, France, and Spain large sums of money, and as she would not pay, these three powers in 1861 sent a combined army to hold her seaports till the debts were paid. But it soon became clear that Napoleon had designs against the republic, whereupon Great Britain and Spain withdrew. Napoleon, however, seeing that the United States was unable to interfere because of the Civil War, went on alone, destroyed the Mexican republic and made Maximilian (a brother of the Emperor of Austria) Emperor of Mexico. This was in open defiance of the Monroe Doctrine, and though the United States protested, Napoleon paid no attention till 1865. Then, the Civil War having ended, and Sheridan with 50,000 veteran troops having been sent to the Rio Grande, the French soldiers were withdrawn (1867), and the Mexican republican party captured Maximilian, shot him, and reëstablished the republic. 518. The Alabama Claims; Geneva Award The hostility of Great Britain was more serious than that of France. As we have seen, the cruisers (Alabama, Shenandoah, Florida) built in her shipyards went to sea and inflicted great injury on our commerce. Although she was well aware of this, she for a long time refused to make good the damage done. But wiser counsel in the end prevailed, and in 1871, by the treaty of Washington, all disputed questions were submitted to arbitration. The Alabama claims, as they were called, were sent to a board of five arbitrators who met at Geneva (1872) and awarded the United States $15,500,000 to be distributed among our citizens whose ships and property had been destroyed by the cruisers. 519. Other International Disputes; the Alaska Purchase To the Emperor of Germany was submitted the question of the true water boundary between Washington Territory and British Columbia. He decided in favor of the United States (1872). To a board of Fish Commissioners was referred the claim of Canada that the citizens of the United States derived more benefit from the fishing in Canadian waters than did the Canadians from using the coast waters of the United States. The award made to Great Britain was $5,500,000 $5,500,000 (1877). In 1867, we purchased Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000. SUMMARY Financial History, 1868-1880 1. When the war ended, the national debt consisted of two parts: the bonded, and the unbonded or floating. 2. As public sentiment demanded the reduction of the debt, it was decided to pay the bonds as fast as possible, and contract the currency by canceling the greenbacks. 3. Contraction went on till 1868, when Congress ordered it stopped. 4. The payment of the bonds brought up the question, Shall the 5-20's be paid in coin or greenbacks? 5. The Democrats in 1868 insisted that the bonds should be redeemed in greenbacks; the Republicans that they should be paid in coin,—and when they won, they passed the "Credit Strengthening Act" of 1869, and in 1870 refunded the bonds at lower rates. 6. In the process of refunding, the 5-20's, whose principal was payable in greenbacks, were replaced by others payable "in coin." In 1873, the coinage of the silver dollar was stopped, and the legal-tender quality of silver was taken away. The words "in coin" therefore meant "in gold." 7. In 1875 it was ordered that all greenbacks should be redeemed in specie after January 1, 1879 (resumption of specie payment). 8. In 1878 silver was made legal tender, and given limited coinage. The South and the Negro 9. In 1869, three states still refused to comply with the Reconstruction Act of 1867 and had no representatives in Congress. 10. Such states as had complied and given the negro the right to vote were under "carpetbag" rule. 11. This rule became so unbearable that the Ku Klux Klan was organized to terrify the negroes and keep them from the polls. 12. Congress in consequence sent out the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and in 1871 enacted the Force Act. 13. These and other issues, as that of amnesty, split the Republican party and led to the appearance of the Liberal Republicans in 1872. 14. In general, however, party differences turned almost entirely on financial and industrial issues. XXXIII. Growth of the Northwest 520. Results of the War The Civil War was fought by the North for the preservation of the Union and by the South for the destruction of the Union. But we who, after more than thirty years, look back on the results of that struggle, can see that they did not stop with the preservation of the Union. Both in the North and in the South the war produced a great industrial revolution. 521. Effect on the South In the South, in the first place, it changed the system of labor from slave to free. While the South was a slave-owning country free labor would not come in. Without free labor there could be no mills, no factories, no mechanical industries. The South raised cotton, tobacco, sugar, and left her great resources undeveloped. After slavery was abolished, the South was on the same footing as the North, and her splendid resources began at once to be developed. It was found that her rich deposits of iron ore were second to none in the world. It was found that beneath her soil lay an unbroken coal field, 39,000 square miles in extent. It was found that cotton, instead of being raised in less quantity under a system of free labor, was more widely cultivated than ever. In 1860, 4,670,000 bales were grown; but in 1894 the number produced was 9,500,000. The result has been the rise of a New South, and the growth of such manufacturing centers as Birmingham in Alabama and Chattanooga in Tennessee, and of that center of commerce, Atlanta, in Georgia. 522. Rise of New Industries in the North Much the same industrial revolution has taken place in the North. The list of industries well known to us, but unknown in 1860, is a long one. The production of petroleum for commercial purposes began in 1859, when Mr. Drake drilled his well near Titusville, in Pennsylvania. In 1860 the daily yield of all the wells in existence was not 200 barrels. But by 1891 this industry had so developed that 54,300,000 barrels were produced in that year, or 14,900 a day. [Illustration: Scene in the oil regions of Pennsylvania] The last thirty years have seen the rise of cheese making as a distinctive factory industry; of the manufacture of oleo-margarine, wire nails, Bessemer steel, cotton-seed oil, coke, canned goods; of the immense mills of Minneapolis, where 10,000,000 barrels of flour are made annually, and of the meat dressing and packing business for which Chicago and Kansas City are famous. 523. The New Northwest When the census was taken in 1860, so few people were living in what are now Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho that they were not counted. In Dakota there were less than 5000 inhabitants. The discovery of gold and silver did for these territories what it had done for Colorado. It brought into them so many miners that in 1870 the population of these four territories amounted to 59,000. Between Lake Superior (where in the midst of a vast wilderness Duluth had just been laid out on the lake shore) and the mining camps in the mountains of Montana, there was not a town nor a hamlet. (There were indeed a few forts and Indian agencies and a few trading posts.) Northern Minnesota was a forest, into which even the lumbermen had not gone. The region from the Missouri to the Rocky Mountains was the hunting ground of the Sioux, and was roamed over by enormous herds of buffalo. 524. The Northern Pacific Railroad But this great wilderness was soon to be crossed by one of the civilizers of the age. After years of vain effort, the promoters of the Northern Pacific began the building of their road in 1870, and pushed it across the plains till Duluth and St. Paul were joined with Puget Sound. As it went further and further westward, emigrants followed it, towns sprang up, and cities grew with astonishing rapidity. 525. The New States Idaho, which had no white inhabitants in 1860, had 32,000 in 1880; Montana had 39,000 in 1880, as against none in 1860. Kansas in twenty years increased her population four fold, and Nebraska eight fold. This was extraordinary; but it was surpassed by Dakota, whose population increased nearly ten fold in ten years (1870-1880), and in 1889 was half a million. The time had now come to form a state government. But as most of the people lived in the south end of the territory, it was cut in two, and North and South Dakota were admitted into the Union as states on the same day (November 2, 1889); Montana followed within a fortnight, and Idaho and Wyoming within a year (July, 1890). The four territories, in which in 1860 there were but 5000 white settlers, had thus by 1890 become the five states of North and South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, with a population of 790,000.[270] 526. Wheat Farms and Cattle Ranches Such a rush of people completely transformed the country. The "Great American Desert" was made productive. The buffaloes were almost exterminated, and one now is as great a curiosity in the West as in the East. More than 7,000,000 were slaughtered in 1871-1872. In lieu of them countless herds of cattle and sheep, and fields of wheat and corn, cover the plains and hills of the Northwest. In 1896 Montana contained 3,000,000 sheep, and Wyoming and Idaho each over 1,000,000. In the two Dakotas 60,000,000 bushels of wheat and 30,000,000 of corn were harvested. Many of the farms are of enormous size. Ten, twenty, thirty thousand acre farms are not unknown. One contains 75,000 acres. [Illustration: A typical prairie sod house] Over this region, the Dakotas, Montana, Kansas, and Nebraska, wander herds of cattle, the slaughtering and packing of which have founded new branches of industry. The stockyards at Chicago make a city.[271] 527. Oklahoma The eagerness of the "cattle kings" to get more land for these herds to graze over had much to do with the opening of Oklahoma for settlement. Originally it was part of Indian Territory, and was sold by the Seminole Indians with the express condition that none but Indians and freedmen should settle there. But the cattle kings, in defiance of the government, went in and inclosed immense tracts. Many were driven out, only to come in again. Their expulsion, with that of small proprietors called "boomers," caused much agitation. Congress bought a release from the condition, and in 1889 opened Oklahoma to settlement. 528. The Boom Towns A proclamation that a part of Oklahoma would be opened April 22, caused a wild rush from every part of the West, till five times as many settlers as could possibly obtain land were lined up on the borders waiting for the signal to cross. Precisely at noon on April 22, a bugle sounded, a wild yell answered, a cloud of dust filled the air, and an army of men on foot, on horseback, in wagons, rushed into the promised land. That morning Guthrie was a piece of prairie land. That night it was a city of 10,000 souls. Before the end of the year 60,000 people were in Oklahoma, building towns and cities of no mean character. Within fifteen years Oklahoma had a population of over half a million; and Congress provided (1906) for the admission, in 1907, of a new forty-sixth state, including both Oklahoma and what was left of the old Indian Territory. SUMMARY 1. One important result of the Civil War was a great industrial revolution. 2. Mining for precious metals, the Northern Pacific Railroad, and other causes led to the admission into the Union of Colorado (1876), North and South Dakota, Montana, Washington (1889), Idaho, Wyoming (1890), Utah (1896), and Oklahoma (1907). XXXIV. Mechanical and Industrial Progress 529. Mechanical Progress The mechanical progress made by our countrymen since the war surpasses that of any previous period. In 1866 another cable was laid across the bed of the Atlantic Ocean, and worked successfully. Before 1876 the Gatling gun, dynamite, and the barbed-wire fence were introduced; the compressed-air rock drill, the typewriter, the Westinghouse air brake, the Janney car coupler, the cable-car system, the self-binding reaper and harvester, the cash carrier for stores, water gas, and the tin-can-making machine were invented, and Brush gave the world the first successful electric light. 530. Uses of Electricity Till Brush invented his arc light and dynamo, the sole practical use made of electricity was in the field of telegraphy. But now in rapid succession came the many forms of electric lights and electric motors; the electric railway, the search light; photography by electric light; the welding of metals by electricity; the phonograph and the telephone. In the decade between 1876 and 1886 came also the hydraulic dredger, the gas engine, the enameling of sheet-iron ware for kitchen use, the bicycle, and the passenger elevator, which has transformed city life and dotted our great cities with buildings fifteen and twenty stories high. The decade 1886-1896 gave us the graphophone, the kinetoscope, the horseless carriage, the vestibuled train, the cash register, the perfected typewriter; the modern bicycle, which has deeply affected the life of the people; and a great development in photography. 531. Rise of Great Corporations That mechanical progress so astonishing should powerfully affect the business and industrial world was inevitable. Trades, occupations, industries of all sorts, began to concentrate and combine, and corporations took the place of individuals and small companies. In place of the forty little telegraph companies of 1856, there was the great Western Union Company. In place of many petty railroads, there were a few trunk lines. In place of a hundred producers and refiners of petroleum, there was the one Standard Oil Company. These are but a few of many; for the rapid growth of corporations was a characteristic of the period. 532. Millionaires and "Captains of Industry" As old lines of industry were expanded and new ones were created, the opportunities for money-getting were vastly increased. Men now began to amass immense fortunes in gold and silver mining; by dealing in coal, in grain, in cattle, in oil; by speculation in stocks; in iron and steel making; in railroading,—millionaires and multi-millionaires became numerous, and were often called "captains of industry," as an indication of the power they held in the industrial world. 533. Condition of Labor Meanwhile, the conditions of the workingman were also changing rapidly: 1. The chief employers of labor were corporations and great capitalists. 2. The short voyage and low fare from Europe, the efforts made by steamship companies to secure passengers, the immense business activity in the country from 1867 to 1872, and the opportunities afforded by the rapidly growing West, brought over each year hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Europe to swell the ranks of labor. Between 1867 and 1873 the number was 2,500,000. 3. Bad management on the part of some corporations; "watering" or unnecessarily increasing their stock on the part of others, combined with sharp competition, began, especially after the panic of 1873, to cut down dividends. This was followed by reduction of wages, or by an increase in the duties of employees, and sometimes by both. 534. Labor Organizations; the Knights of Labor Trades unions existed in our country before the Constitution; but it was at the time of the great industrial development during and after the war, that the era of unions opened. At first that of each trade had no connection with that of any other. But in 1869 an effort was made to unite all workingmen on the broad basis of labor, and "The Noble Order of Knights of Labor" was founded. For a while it was a secret order; but in 1878 a declaration of principles was made, which began with the statement that the alarming development and aggressiveness of great capitalists and corporations, unless checked, "would degrade the toiling masses," and announced that the only way to check this evil was to unite "all laborers into one great body." The knights were in favor of 1. The creation of bureaus of labor for the collection and spread of information. 2. Arbitration between employers and employed. 3. Government ownership of telegraphs, telephones, railroads. 4. The reduction of the working day to eight hours. They were opposed 1. To the hiring out of convict labor. 2. To the importation of foreign labor under contract. 3. To interest-bearing government bonds, and in favor of a national currency issued directly to the people without the intervention of banks. 535. The Workingman in Politics As these ends could be secured only by legislation, they very quickly became political issues and brought up a new set of economic questions for settlement. From 1865 to 1870 the matters of public concern were the reconstruction measures and the public debt. From 1870 to 1878 they were currency questions, civil service reform, and land grants to railroads. From 1878 to 1888 almost every one of them was in some way directly connected with labor. SUMMARY 1. Great inventions founded and developed new industries. 2. These in turn expanded the ranks of labor, and led to the rise of corporations and labor organizations, and a demand for a long series of reforms. XXXV. Politics since 1880 536. Candidates in 1880 The campaign of 1880 was opened by the meeting of the Republican national convention at Chicago, where a long and desperate effort was made to nominate General Grant for a third term. But James Abram Garfield and Chester A. Arthur were finally chosen. The platform called for national aid to state education, for protection to American labor, for the suppression of polygamy in Utah, for "a thorough, radical, and complete" reform of the civil service, and for no more land grants to railroads or corporations. The Greenback-Labor party nominated James B. Weaver and B.J. Chambers, and declared 1. That all money should be issued by the government and not by banking corporations. 2. That the public domain must be kept for actual settlers and not given to railroads. 3. That Congress must regulate commerce between the states, and secure fair, moderate, and uniform rates for passengers and freight. Next came the Prohibition party convention, and the nomination of Neal Dow and Henry Adams Thompson. Last of all was the Democratic convention, which nominated General Winfield S. Hancock and William H. English. The platform called for 1. Honest money, consisting of gold and silver and paper convertible into coin on demand. 2. A tariff for revenue only. 3. Public lands for actual settlers. 537. Election and Death of Garfield The campaign was remarkable for several reasons: 1. Every presidential elector was chosen by popular vote; and every electoral vote was counted as it was cast. This was the first presidential election in our country of which both these statements could be made. 2. For the first time since 1844 there was no agitation of a Southern question. 3. All parties agreed in calling for anti-Chinese legislation. Garfield and Arthur were elected, and inaugurated on March 4, 1881. But on July 2, 1881, as Garfield stood in a railway station at Washington, a disappointed office seeker came up behind and shot him in the back. A long and painful illness followed, till he died on September 19, 1881. [Illustration: James A. Garfield] [Illustration: Chester A. Arthur] 538. Presidential Succession The death of Garfield and the succession of Arthur to the presidential office left the country in a peculiar situation. An act of Congress passed in 1792 provided that if both the presidency and vice presidency were vacant at the same time, the President pro tempore of the Senate, or if there were none, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, should act as President, till a new one was elected. But in September, 1881, there was neither a President pro tempore of the Senate nor a Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the Forty-sixth Congress ceased to exist on March 4, and the Forty-seventh was not to meet till December. Had Arthur died or been killed, there would therefore have been no President. It was not likely that such a condition would happen again; but attention was called to the necessity of providing for succession to the presidency, and in 1886 a new law was enacted. Now, should the presidency and vice presidency both become vacant, the presidency passes to members of the Cabinet in the order of the establishment of their departments, beginning with the Secretary of State. Should he die, be impeached and removed, or become disabled, it would go to the Secretary of the Treasury, and then, if necessary, to the Secretary of War, the Attorney-general, the Postmaster-general, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Interior. 539. Party Pledges redeemed Since the Republican party was in power, a redemption of the pledges in their platform was necessary, and three laws of great importance were enacted. One, the Edmunds law (1882), was intended to suppress polygamy in Utah and the neighboring territories. Another (1882) stopped the immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years. The third, the Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883), was designed to secure appointment to public office on the ground of fitness, and not for political service. 540. Corporations These measures were all good enough in their way; but they left untouched grievances which the workingmen and a great part of the people felt were unbearable. That the development of the wealth and resources of our country is chiefly due to great corporations and great capitalists is strictly true. But that many of them abused the power their wealth gave them cannot be denied. They were accused of buying legislatures, securing special privileges, fixing prices to suit themselves, importing foreign laborers under contract in order to depress wages, and favoring some customers more than others. 541. The Anti-monopoly and Labor Parties Out of this condition of affairs grew the Anti-monopoly party, which held a convention in 1884 and demanded that the Federal government should regulate commerce between the states; that it should therefore control the railroads and the telegraphs; that Congress should enact an interstate commerce law; and that the importation of foreign laborers under contract should be made illegal. This platform was so fully in accordance with the views of the Greenback or National party, that Benjamin F. Butler, the candidate of the Anti-monopolists, was endorsed and so practically united the two parties. [Illustration: Grover Cleveland] 542. The Republican and Democratic Parties The Republicans nominated James G. Blaine and John A. Logan, and the Democrats Stephen Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks. The Prohibitionists put up John P. St. John and William Daniel. The nomination of Blaine was the signal for the revolt of a wing of the Republicans, which took the name of Independents, and received the nickname of "Mugwumps." The revolt was serious in its consequences, and after the most exciting contest since 1876, Cleveland was elected. 543. Public Measures adopted during 1885-1889 Widely as the parties differed on many questions, Democrats, Republicans, and Nationalists agreed in demanding certain reform measures which were now carried out. In 1885 an Anti-Contract-Labor law was enacted, forbidding any person, company, or corporation to bring any aliens into the United States under contract to perform labor or service. In 1887 came the Interstate Commerce Act, placing the railroads under the supervision of commissioners whose duty it is to see that all charges for the transportation of passengers and freight are "reasonable and just," and that no special rates, rebates, drawbacks, or unjust discriminations are made for one shipper over another. In 1888 a second Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited the return of any Chinese laborer who had once left the country. That same year a Department of Labor was established and put in charge of a commissioner. His duty is to "diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with labor." 544. Political Issues since 1888 Thus by the end of Mr. Cleveland's first term many of the demands of the workingmen had been granted, and laws enacted for their relief. These issues disposed of, a new set arose, and after 1888 financial questions took the place of labor issues. 545. The Surplus and the Tariff These financial problems were brought up by the condition of the public debt. For twenty years past the debt had been rapidly growing less and less, till on December 1, 1887, it was $1,665,000,000, a reduction of more than $1,100,000,000 in twenty-one years. By that time every bond of the United States that could be called in and paid at its face value had been canceled. As all the other bonds fell due, some in 1891 and others in 1907, the government must either buy them at high rates, or suffer them to run. If it suffered them to run, a great surplus would pile up in the Treasury. Thus on December 1, 1887, after every possible debt of the government was met, there was a surplus of $50,000,000. Six months later (June 1, 1888) the sum had increased to $103,000,000. Unless this was to go on, and the money of the country be locked up in the Treasury, one of three things must be done: 1. More bonds must be bought at high rates. 2. Or the revenue must be reduced by reducing taxation. 3. Or the surplus must be distributed among the states as in 1837, or spent. 546. The Mills Tariff Bill Each plan had its advocates. But the Democrats, who controlled the House of Representatives, attempted to solve the problem by cutting down the revenue, and passed a tariff bill, called the Mills Bill, after its chief author, Mr. R. Q. Mills of Texas. The Republicans declared it was a free-trade measure and defeated it in the Senate. 547. The Campaign of 1888; Benjamin Harrison, Twenty-third President In the party platforms of 1888 we find, therefore, that three issues are prominent: (1) taxation, (2) tariff reform, (3) the surplus. The Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland and Allen G. Thurman, and demanded frugality in public expenses, no more revenue than was needed to pay the necessary cost of government, and a tariff for revenue only. The Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison and Levi P. Morton, and demanded a tariff for protection, a reduction of the revenue by the repeal of taxes on tobacco and on spirits used in the arts, and by the admission free of duty of foreign-made articles the like of which are not produced at home. [Illustration: Benjamin Harrison] The Prohibitionists, the Union Labor party, and the United Labor party also placed candidates in the field. Harrison and Morton were elected, and inaugurated March 4, 1889. 548. The Republicans in Control The Republican party not only regained the presidency, but was once more in control of the House and Senate. Thus free to carry out its pledges, it passed the McKinley Tariff Act (1890); a new pension bill, which raised the number of pensioners to 970,000, and the sum annually spent on pensions from $106,000,000 to $150,000,000; and a new financial measure, known as 549. The Sherman Act You remember that the attempt to enact a law for the free coinage of silver in 1878 led to the Bland-Allison Act, for the purchase of bullion and the coinage of at least $2,000,000 worth of silver each month. As this was not free coinage, the friends of silver made a second attempt, in 1886, to secure the desired legislation. This also failed. But in the summer of 1890, the silver men, having a majority of the Senate, passed a free-coinage bill (June 17), which the House rejected (June 25). A conference followed, and from this conference came a bill which was quickly enacted into a law and called the Sherman Act. It provided 1. That the Secretary of the Treasury should buy 4,500,000 ounces of silver each month. 2. That he should pay for the bullion with paper money called treasury notes. 3. That on demand of the holder the Secretary must redeem these notes in gold or silver. 4. After July 1, 1891, the silver need not be coined, but might be stored in the Treasury, and silver certificates issued. 550. The Farmers' Alliance This legislation, combined with an agricultural depression and widespread discontent in the agricultural states, caused the defeat of the Republicans in the elections of 1890. The Democratic minority of 21 in the House of Representatives of the Fifty-first Congress was turned into a Democratic majority of 135 in the Fifty-second. Eight other members were elected by the Farmers' Alliance. For twenty years past the farmers in every great agricultural state had been organizing, under such names as Patrons of Husbandry, Farmers' League, the Grange, Patrons of Industry, Agricultural Wheel, Farmers' Alliance. Their object was to promote sociability, spread information concerning agriculture and the price of grain and cattle, and guard the interests and welfare of the farmer generally. By 1886 many of these began to unite, and the National Agricultural Wheel of the United States, the Farmers' Alliance and Cooperative Union of America, and several more came into existence. In 1889 the amalgamation was carried further still, and at a convention in St. Louis they were all practically united in the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union. The purpose of this alliance was political, and as its stronghold was Kansas, the contest began in that state in 1890. At a convention of Alliance men and Knights of Labor, a "People's Party" was formed, which elected a majority of the state legislature. Five out of seven Congressmen were secured, and one United States senator. Before Congress met (in December, 1891), another member of the House was elected elsewhere, and three more senators. The support of fifty other representatives was claimed. Greatly elated over this important footing, the Alliance men marked out a plan for congressional legislation. They demanded 1. A bill for the free and unlimited coinage of silver. 2. The subtreasury scheme. 3. A Land Mortgage Bill. 551. The Subtreasury Plan of the Alliance Party The idea at the base of these demands was that the amount of money in circulation must be increased, and loaned to the people without the aid of banks or capitalists. It was proposed, therefore, that the government should establish a number of subtreasury or money-loaning stations in each state, at which the farmers could borrow money from the government (at two per cent interest), giving as security non-perishable farm produce. 552. The Land Mortgage Scheme The Land Mortgage Scheme provided that any owner of from 10 to 320 acres of land, at least half of which was under cultivation, might borrow from the government treasury notes equal to half the assessed value of the land and buildings. 553. The People's Party organized That either of the old parties would further such schemes was far from likely. A cry was therefore raised by the most ardent Alliance men for a third party, and at a conference of Alliance and Labor leaders in May, 1891, a new national party was founded, and named "The People's Party of the United States of America." 554. Party Candidates in 1892 When the campaign opened in 1892 there were thus four parties in the field. The People's party nominated James B. Weaver and James G. Field. The platform called for 1. The free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the ratio of 16 to 1. 2. A graduated income tax. 3. Government ownership of railroads, telegraphs, and telephones. 4. The restriction of immigration. 5. A national currency to be loaned to the people at two per cent interest per annum, secured by land or produce. 6. All land held by aliens, or by railroads in excess of their actual needs, to be reclaimed and held for actual settlers. The Prohibitionists nominated John Bidwell and J. B. Cranfill, and declared "anew for the entire suppression of the manufacture, sale, importation, exportation, and transportation of alcoholic liquors as a beverage." The Democratic party selected Grover Cleveland for the third time and chose Adlai E. Stevenson for Vice President. The platform condemned trusts and combines, advocated the reclamation of the public lands from corporations and syndicates, the exclusion of the Chinese and of the criminals and paupers of Europe, denounced "the Sherman Act of 1890," and called for "the coinage of both gold and silver without discriminating against either metal or charge for mintage," with "the dollar unit of coinage of both metals" "of equal intrinsic and exchangeable value." The Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison and Whitelaw Reid, expressed their sympathy with the cause of temperance, their opposition to trusts, and called for the coinage of both gold and silver in such way that "the debt-paying power of the dollar, whether silver, gold, or paper, shall be at all times equal." 555. Grover Cleveland reelected The election was a complete triumph for the Democratic party. Mr. Cleveland was again elected, and for the first time since 1861 the House, Senate, and President were all three Democratic. Mr. Cleveland was inaugurated March 4,1893. Never in its history had the country been seemingly more prosperous; the crops were bountiful; business was flourishing, manufactures were thriving. But the prosperity was not real. Business was inflated, and during the following summer an industrial and financial panic which had long been brewing swept over the business world, wrecking banks and destroying industrial and commercial establishments. To understand what now happened, two facts must be remembered: 1. Under the Resumption of Specie Payment Act of 1875, the Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to buy specie by the issue of bonds and keep it to redeem United States notes. 2. In May, 1878, it was ordered that when a greenback was redeemed in specie, it should "not be retired, canceled, or destroyed, but shall be reissued and paid out again and kept in circulation." There were then $346,681,000 in greenbacks unredeemed. 556. The Gold Reserve Meantime, under the law of 1875, and before January 1, 1879, the secretary issued $95,500,000 in bonds, the proceeds of which, with other gold then in the Treasury, made a fund deemed sufficient to redeem such notes as were likely to be presented. This has since been called our gold reserve, and has been fixed by the secretaries at $100,000,000. January 1, 1879, the reserve was $114,000,000, and though it often rose and fell, it never went below that amount till July, 1892. By that time there were other gold obligations. The silver purchased under the law of 1890 was paid for with notes exchangeable for "coin"; but as the secretaries always construed "coin" to mean gold, and as by 1893 these notes amounted to $150,000,000, our gold obligations—that is, notes exchangeable for gold—were nearly $500,000,000 (greenbacks, $346,000,000; silver purchase notes, $150,000,000). This immense and steadily increasing sum caused a doubt of our ability to pay in gold, and a fear that we might be forced to pay in silver. Now silver, since 1873, had fallen steadily in value from $1.30 an ounce to $0.81 an ounce in 1893, so that the bullion value of a silver dollar was about 67 cents. The fear, then, that our debts might be paid in silver (1) led foreigners to cease investing money in this country, and to send our stocks and bonds home to be sold, and (2) led people in this country to draw gold out of the banks and the Treasury and hoard it, so that in April, 1893, the gold reserve, for the first time since it was created, fell below $100,000,000 (to $97,000,000). 557. The Panic of 1893 Business depression and "tight money" followed. Over three hundred banks suspended or failed, manufactories all over the country shut down, and a period of great distress set in. People, alarmed at the condition of the banks, began to draw their deposits and hoard them, thereby causing such a scarcity of bills of small denominations that a "currency famine" was threatened. 558. The Purchase of Silver stopped Believing that the fear that we should soon be "on a silver basis" had much to do with this state of affairs, and that the compulsory purchase of silver each month had much to do with the fear, the President assembled Congress in special session, August 7, and asked for the repeal of that clause of the Sherman Act of 1890 which required a monthly purchase of silver. After a struggle in which both of the old parties were split, the compulsory purchase clause was repealed, November 1, 1893. 559. The Silver Movement The steady fall in the bullion value of silver was a serious blow to the prosperity of the great silver-producing states,—Colorado, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, and the territories of Arizona and New Mexico,—where silver mining was "the very heart from which every other industry receives support." In Colorado alone 15,000 miners were made idle. To the people of this section, some 2,000,000 in number, the silver question was of vital importance; and, alarmed at the call for the special session of Congress and the possible repeal of the silver-purchase clause, they held a convention at Denver, with a view to affecting public sentiment. A few weeks after, the National Bimetallic League met at Chicago. Both opposed the repeal, and demanded that if the government ceased to buy silver, the mints should be opened to free coinage. This the friends of silver in the Senate attempted in vain to bring about. 560. The Industrial Depression; the Wilson Bill The industrial revival which it was hoped would follow the repeal of the silver-purchase law did not take place. Prices did not rise; failures continued; the long-silent mills did not reopen; gold continued to leave the country, imports fell off, and, when the year ended, the receipts of the government were $34,000,000 behind the expenditures. With this condition of the Treasury facing it, Congress met in December, 1893. The Democrats were in control, and pledged to revise the tariff; and true to the pledge, William L. Wilson of West Virginia, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, presented a new tariff bill (the Wilson Bill) which after prolonged debate passed both Houses and became a law at midnight, August 27, 1894, without the President's signature. As it was expected that the revenue yielded would not be sufficient to meet the expenses of government, one section of the law provided for a tax of two per cent on all incomes above $4000. This the Supreme Court afterwards declared unconstitutional. 561. The Bond Issues We have seen that in April, 1893, the gold reserve fell to $97,000,000. But it did not stop there; for, the business depression and the demand for the free and unlimited coinage of silver continuing, the withdrawal of gold went on, till the reserve was so low that bonds were repeatedly sold for gold wherewith to maintain it. In this wise, during 1894-95, $262,000,000 were added to our bonded debt. 562. Foreign Relations; the Hawaiian Revolution Foreign Relations; the Hawaiian Revolution when Cleveland took office, a treaty providing for the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands was pending in the Senate. In January, 1983, these islands were the scene of a revolution, which deposed the Queen and set up a "provisional government." Commissioners were then dispatched to Washington, where a treaty of annexation was negotiated and (February 15) sent to the Senate for approval. In the course of the revolution, a force of men from the United States steamer Boston was landed at the request of the revolutionary leaders, and our flag was raised over some of the buildings. When these facts became known, the President, fearing that the presence of United States marines might have contributed much to the success of the revolution, recalled the treaty from the Senate, and sent an agent to the islands to investigate. His report set forth in substance that the revolution would never have taken place had it not been for the presence and aid of United States marines, and that the Queen had practically been deposed by United States officials. A new minister was thereupon sent, with instructions to announce that the treaty of annexation would not be confirmed, and to seek for the restoration of the Queen on certain conditions. But President Dole of the Hawaiian republic denied the right of Cleveland to impose conditions, or in any way interfere in the domestic concerns of Hawaii, and refused to surrender to the Queen. 563. The Venezuelan Boundary Dispute During 1895, the boundary dispute which had been dragging on for more than half a century between Great Britain and Venezuela, reached what the President called "an acute stage," and made necessary a statement of the position of the United States under the Monroe Doctrine. Great Britain was therefore informed "that the established policy of the United States is against a forcible increase of any territory of a European power" in the New World, and "that the United States is bound to protest against the enlargement of the area of British Guiana against the will of Venezuela"; and she was invited to submit her claims to arbitration. Her answer was that the Monroe Doctrine was "inapplicable to the state of things in which we live at the present day" and a refusal to submit her claims to arbitration. The President then asked and received authority to appoint a commission to examine the boundary and report. "When such report is made and accepted," said Cleveland, "it will in my opinion be the duty of the United States to resist by every means in its power, as a willful aggression upon its rights and interests, the appropriation by Great Britain of any lands, or the exercise of any governmental jurisdiction, over any territory which after investigation we have determined of right belongs to Venezuela." For a time the excitement this message aroused in Great Britain and our own country was extreme. But it soon subsided, and on February 2, 1897, a treaty of arbitration was signed at Washington between Great Britain and Venezuela. 564. The Election of 1896 By that time the presidential election was over. When in the spring the time came to choose delegates to the party nominating conventions, the drift of public sentiment was so strong against the administration, that it seemed certain that the Republicans would "sweep the country." Little interest, therefore, was taken by the Democrats, while the Republicans were most concerned in the question whether Mr. McKinley or Mr. Reed should be their presidential candidate. But as delegates were chosen by the Democrats in the Western and Southern States, it became certain that the issue was to be the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the ratio of 16 to 1. The Republican convention met in June, nominated William McKinley and Garret A Hobart, and declared the party "opposed to the free coinage of silver except by international agreement," whereupon thirty-four delegates representing the silver states (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, and Utah) seceded from the party. The Democratic convention assembled early in July, and after a most exciting convention chose William J. Bryan and Arthur Sewall, and declared for "the free and unlimited coinage of both silver and gold at the present legal ration of 16 to 1, without waiting for the aid and consent of any other nation." A great defection followed this declaration, scores of newspapers refused to support the candidates, and in September a convention of "gold Democrats," taking the name of the National Democratic party, nominated John M. Palmer and Simon B. Buckner, on a "gold standard" platform. Meanwhile, the Prohibitionists, the National party (declaring for woman suffrage, prohibition, government ownership of railroads and telegraphs, an income tax, and the election of the President, Vice President, and senators by direct vote of the people), the Socialist Labor party, the Silver party, and the Populists, had all put candidates in the field. The Silver party indorsed Bryan and Sewall; the Populists nominated Bryan and Thomas E. Watson. [Illustration: William McKinley] 565. McKinley, President An "educational campaign" was carried on with a seriousness never before approached in our history, and resulted in the election of Mr. McKinley. He was inaugurated on March 4, and immediately called a special session of Congress to revise the tariff, a work which ended in the enactment of the "Dingley Tariff," on July 24, 1897. 566. The Cuban Question Absorbing as were the election and the tariff, there was another matter, which for two years past had steadily grown more and more serious. In February, 1895, the natives of Cuba for the sixth time in fifty years rebelled against the misrule of Spain and founded a republic. A cruel, bloody, and ruinous war followed, and as it progressed, deeply interested the people of our country. The island lay at our very doors. Upwards of $50,000,000 of American money were invested in mines, railroads, and plantations there. Our yearly trade with Cuba was valued at $96,000,000. Our ports were used by Cubans in fitting out military expeditions, which the government was forced to stop at great expense. 567. Shall Cuba be given Belligerent Rights? These matters were serious, and when to them was added the sympathy we always feel for any people struggling for the liberty we enjoy, there seemed to be ample reason for our insisting that Spain should govern Cuba better or set her free. Some thought we should buy Cuba; some that we should recognize the Republic of Cuba; others that we should intervene even at the risk of war. Thus urged on, Congress in 1896 declared that the Cubans were entitled to belligerent rights in our ports, and asked the President to endeavor to persuade Spain to recognize the independence of Cuba; and the House in 1897 recommended that the independence of Cuba be recognized. But nothing came of either recommendation, and so the matter stood when McKinley was inaugurated. During the summer of 1897 matters grew worse. A large part of the island became a wilderness. The people who had been driven into the towns by order of Captain General Weyler, the "reconcentrados," were dying of starvation, and our countrymen, deeply moved at their suffering, began to send them food and medical aid. 568. The Maine destroyed While engaged in this humane work they were horrified to hear that on the night of February 15, 1898, our battleship Maine was blown up in the harbor of Havana, and 260 of her sailors killed. Although our Court of Inquiry was unable to fix the responsibility for the explosion, many people believed that it had been perpetrated by Spaniards, and the hope of a peaceable settlement of the Cuban question rapidly waned. The sum of $50,000,000 was voted to the President for strengthening our defenses and buying ships and munitions of war. After declining to recognize the Cuban Republic, Congress adopted a resolution, on April 19, declaring for the freedom of Cuba, demanding that Spain should withdraw from the island, and authorizing the President to compel her withdrawal, if necessary, by means of our army and navy. Spain severed diplomatic relations with us on April 21, and the war began on that date, as declared by an Act of Congress a few days later. Two hundred thousand volunteers were quickly enlisted, out of the much larger number that wished to serve. 569. War with Spain. — The Battle of Manila While one fleet which had long been gathering at Key West went off and blockaded Havana and other parts of the coast of Cuba, another, under Commodore George Dewey, sailed from Hong-kong to attack the Spanish fleet at the Philippine Islands. Dewey found it in the Bay of Manila, where, on May 1, 1898, he fought and won the most brilliant naval battle in the world's history. Passing the forts at the entrance, he entered the bay, and, without the loss of a man or a ship, he destroyed the entire Spanish fleet of ten vessels, killed and wounded over 600 men, and captured the arsenal at Cavité (cah-ve-ta') and the forts at the entrance to the bay. The city of Manila was then blockaded by Dewey's fleet, and General Merritt with 20,000 troops was sent across the Pacific to take possession of the Philippines, which had long been Spain's most important possession in the East. For his great victory Dewey received the thanks of Congress and was promoted to be Rear-Admiral, and later was given for life the full rank of Admiral. [Illustration: Admiral Dewey] [Illustration Rear-Admiral Sampson] 570. The Destruction of Cervera's Fleet — Capture of Santiago Meantime a second Spanish fleet, under Admiral Cervera, sailed from the Cape Verde Islands. Acting Rear-Admiral Sampson, with ships which had been blockading Havana, and Commodore Schley, with a Flying Squadron, went in search of Cervera, and after a long hunt he was found in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba (sahn-te-ah'go da coo'bah), which was promptly blockaded by the ships of both squadrons, with Sampson in command. The narrow entrance to the harbor was so well defended by forts and submarine mines that a direct attack on Cervera was impossible. In an attempt to complete the blockade, Naval Constructor R. P. Hobson and a volunteer crew of seven men took the collier Merrimac to the harbor entrance, and, amid a rain of shot and shell, sank her in the channel (June 3). The gallant little band escaped with life, but were made prisoners of war, and in time were exchanged. [Illustration: General Shafter] [Illustration: Rear-Admiral Schley] The capture of Santiago was decided upon when Cervera sought refuge in its harbor, and about 18,000 men (mostly of the regular army), under General Shafter, were hurried to Cuba and landed a few miles from the city. On July 1 the enemy's outer line of defenses were taken, after severe fighting at El Caney (ca-na') and San Juan (sahn hoo-ahn'); and on the next day the Spaniards failed in an attempt to retake them. So certain was it that the city must soon surrender, that Cervera was ordered to dash from the harbor, break through the American fleet, and put to sea. On Sunday morning, July 3, the attempt was made; a desperate sea fight followed, and, in a few hours, all six of the Spanish vessels were sunk or stranded, shattered wrecks, on the coast of Cuba. The Spanish loss in killed and wounded was heavy, while Admiral Cervera and about 1800 of his men were taken prisoners. Not one of our vessels was seriously damaged, and but one of our men was killed. When the battle began, the American war ships were in their usual positions before the harbor, as assigned them by Admiral Sampson; but Sampson himself, in his flagship, was several miles to the east on his way to a conference with General Shafter. Commodore Schley's flagship, the Brooklyn, was at the west end of the line, and as the enemy tried to escape in that direction, she was in the thickest of the fight. Another war ship which especially distinguished herself was the Oregon, a Western-built ship, which had sailed from San Francisco all the way around Cape Horn in order to reach the seat of war. [Illustration: General Miles] After the naval battle of July 3, all hope of successful resistance by the Spaniards vanished, and on July 17, General Toral surrendered Santiago, the eastern end of Cuba, and an army of nearly 25,000 men. A week later General Miles set off to seize the island of Porto Rico. He landed on the southern coast, and had occupied much of the island when hostilities came to an end. 571. Peace On August 12, 1898, a protocol was signed by representatives of the two nations, providing for the immediate cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Spain from the West Indies, and the occupation of Manila by the United States till the conclusion of a treaty of peace, which was to be negotiated by a commission meeting in Paris, and which was to provide for the disposition of the Philippines. News of the cessation of hostilities was instantly sent to all our fleets and armies. But, on August 13, before word could reach the Philippines, Manila was attacked by General Merritt's army and Dewey's fleet, whereupon the Spanish general surrendered the city and about 7000 soldiers. A formal treaty of peace was signed at Paris December 10, 1898, providing that Spain should relinquish her title to Cuba, and cede Porto Rico, Guam (one of the Ladrones), and the Philippines to the United States; and that the United States should pay $20,000,000 to Spain. The treaty was then submitted to the governments of the United States and Spain for ratification; but in both countries it met some opposition. In our country objections were made especially to the taking of the Philippines without the consent of their inhabitants, many of whom, under the leadership of Aguinaldo, had previously rebelled against Spain and were now demanding complete independence; but the prevailing view was that our immediate control was necessary to prevent civil war, anarchy, and foreign complications there. Accordingly, on February 6, 1899, the treaty was ratified by the Senate by a vote of 57 to 27. Spain also accepted the treaty, which was formally proclaimed April 11. The $20,000,000 was promptly paid to Spain, and ordinary diplomatic relations were resumed. 572. The War Bonds and War Taxes For the expenses of the war with Spain Congress made ample provision. The Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to issue $400,000,000 in 3 per cent bonds,[272] and borrow $100,000,000 upon temporary certificates of indebtedness. Stamp taxes, an inheritance tax, and a duty on tea were laid, and the silver in the Treasury was ordered to be coined at the rate of $1,500,000 a month. 573. Hawaii annexed But in few respects was the effect of the war so marked as in the changed sentiment of the people toward Hawaii. During five years the little republic had been steadily seeking annexation to the United States, and seeking in vain. But with the partial occupation of the Philippines, and the impending acquisition of Porto Rico, and perhaps Cuba, the policy of territorial expansion lost many of its terrors, and the Hawaiian Islands were annexed by joint resolution of Congress, signed by the President July 7, 1898. The formal transfer of sovereignty took place August 12. The islands continued temporarily under their existing form of government, with slight modifications, till June 14, 1900, when they were organized as a territory. [Illustration: (World Map)] [Illustration: General Otis] 574. The War in the Philippines While the treaty with Spain was under consideration, the city of Manila was held by General Otis, Merritt's successor; but native troops, under Aguinaldo, were in control of most of Luzon and several other islands. On the night of February 4, 1899, the long-threatened conflict between them was begun by Aguinaldo's unsuccessful attack on the Americans at Manila. War now followed; but in battle after battle the natives were beaten and scattered, till by the beginning of the year 1900 the main army of the Filipinos had been completely broken up, and the only forces still opposing American authority were small bodies of bandits and guerrillas. These held out persistently, and continued the warfare for more than a year. In 1900 the President sent a commission to the Philippines to organize civil government in such localities and in such degree as it should deem advisable; and in 1902 Congress enacted a plan of government under which the Philippines are constituted a partly self-governing dependency. 575. Porto Rico and Cuba After the close of the Spanish war, both Porto Rico and Cuba remained under the military control of the United States for many months. For Porto Rico, which had been ceded to our country, Congress provided a system of civil government which went into effect May 1, 1900. This organized Porto Rico as a dependency. Cuba, however, had not been ceded to the United States. It had passed under our control only for the restoration of peace and the establishment of a stable government there; for Congress, in its resolution of April 19, 1898, asserted its determination, after the pacification of Cuba, "to leave the government and control of the island to its people." In June, 1900, the local city governments were turned over to municipal officers that had been elected by the people. In the following winter a constitution was framed by a convention of delegates elected by the Cubans. Then, after certain provisions had been added to this, to govern the future relations between Cuba and the United States, and after the first officers of the Cuban Republic had been elected, the United States troops were withdrawn and the new government took charge of the island, May 20, 1902. 576. Disorders in China Early in 1900 a patriotic society of Chinese, called the Boxers, began to massacre native Christians in the north of China, and to drive out or kill all missionaries and other foreigners. The disorder soon spread to Pekin, where the foreign ministers and their countrymen (including some Americans) were besieged in their quarter of the city by Boxers and regular Chinese troops; for the Chinese government, instead of suppressing the Boxers, acted in sympathy with them. President McKinley sent warships and soldiers to China, where they coöperated with the forces of Japan and the European powers in rescuing the imperiled foreigners in Pekin. War was not declared against China, though she resisted the invading troops, making it necessary for them to capture several towns and to fight several battles before Pekin was taken. A treaty was then negotiated with the United States, Japan, and the European powers, providing for the restoration of order and a settlement of the various claims against China. 577. At home during 1900 our population was counted; a President was elected; At home during 1900 our population was counted; a President was elected; and a currency law of much importance was enacted. In the United States and the territories there were found to be about 76,000,000 people, and in the one state of New York more inhabitants than there were in all the United States in 1810. By the currency law, known as the Gold Standard Act, it is provided:— 1. That the gold dollar shall be the standard unit of value. 2. That all forms of money issued or coined shall be kept "at a parity of value" with this gold standard. 3. That United States notes and Treasury notes shall be redeemed in gold coin. For this purpose $150,000,000 of gold coin or bullion is set apart in the Treasury. 578. Time to prepare for the election of a President and Vice President When the time came to prepare for the election of a President and Vice President , eleven conventions were held, as many platforms were framed, and eight pairs of candidates were nominated. There were the Democratic and Republican parties; the People's Party (Fusionists) and the People's Party (Middle of the Road Anti-Fusionists); the Prohibition, United Christian, Silver Republican, Socialist Labor, Social Democratic, and National parties; and the Anti-Imperialist League. The things opposed, approved of, or demanded by these parties were many and various; but a few should be stated as showing what the people were thinking about: Trusts, the gold standard, the free coinage of silver, a canal across Nicaragua or the isthmus of Panama, election of United States senators by the people, repeal of the war taxes, statehood for the territories, independence for the Filipinos, aid to American shipping, irrigation of the arid lands in the West, public ownership of railways and telegraphs, desecration of the Sabbath, equality of men and women, exclusion of the Asiatics, the Monroe Doctrine. 579. McKinley Reelected The Populist (Fusionist) convention nominated William J. Bryan and Charles A. Towne. But the Democrats named Bryan and Adlai E. Stevenson. Thereupon Towne withdrew, and Bryan and Stevenson were made the candidates of the Populists and the Silver party as well as of the Democrats. The Democratic platform denounced imperialism and trusts, and reiterated the demand for the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1. The Republicans renominated President McKinley, and nominated Theodore Roosevelt for Vice President, on a platform indorsing McKinley's administration and favoring the gold standard of money. McKinley and Roosevelt were elected. 580. McKinley Assassinated On March 4, 1901, the President began his second term, which six months later came to a dreadful end. In May a great fair—the Pan-American Exposition—was opened at Buffalo, and to this exposition the President came as a guest early in September, and was holding a public reception on the afternoon of the 6th, when an anarchist who approached as if to shake hands, suddenly shot him twice. For several days it was thought that the wounds would not prove fatal; but early on the morning of the 14th, the President died, and that afternoon Mr. Roosevelt took the oath of office required by the Constitution and became President. [Illustration: Theodore Roosevelt] 581. Public Measures adopted in 1901-1904 The events connected with our large island possessions had directed much attention to our military and naval forces. As a result, Congress passed several measures to increase the efficiency of the army, and appropriated large sums for additions to the navy. For the reclamation of the arid parts of the Far West an important law was enacted (1902), setting aside the money received from the sales of public land in that part of the country and appropriating it for the planning and construction of irrigation works. In 1903 a ninth member was added to the President's cabinet in the person of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor. The new department was made to include the Department of Labor established fifteen years before, and a number of other bureaus already existing; at the same time the Bureau of Corporations was newly established, and was given the power to investigate the organization and workings of any trust or corporation (except railroads) engaged in interstate or foreign commerce, and, with the President's approval, to publish the information so obtained. A long-standing dispute as to the eastern boundary of southern Alaska was referred to a British-American tribunal, which decided chiefly in favor of the United States (1903). By a reciprocity treaty with Cuba which went into effect in 1904, the duties on Cuban trade were somewhat lowered. 582. The Isthmian Canal A French company many years ago began to dig a ship canal across the Isthmus of Panama, but it failed through bad management before the work was half done. A United States commission made a survey of this route and also of the Nicaragua route across Central America, estimated the cost of building each canal, and gave careful consideration to the advantages of each route. The owners of the French canal having offered to sell for $40,000,000, Congress in 1902 authorized the President to buy and complete it, provided satisfactory title and permanent control of the route could be secured. In all, about $200,000,000 was provided for this work. In 1903 a treaty was negotiated with Colombia, giving the United States a permanent lease of a six-mile strip across the isthmus, for an annual rental of $250,000 and the payment of $10,000,000, but Colombia rejected the treaty. The Colombian province of Panama thereupon seceded (November 3), and its independence was recognized by the United States and other nations. A treaty was soon made whereby the United States guaranteed the independence of Panama, and Panama ceded to the United States a ten-mile strip across the isthmus for the sums rejected by Colombia. The rights of the French company were then bought, and a United States commission began the work of completing the canal (1904). 583. Election of Roosevelt There were almost as many parties as ever in the campaign of 1904. The Republicans indorsed the existing administration, demanded the continuance of the protective tariff and the gold standard, and nominated Roosevelt for President and Charles W. Fairbanks for Vice President. The Democrats nominated Alton B. Parker and Henry G. Davis, and declared for a reduction of the tariff and against militarism and trusts, but were silent on the money question. Roosevelt and Fairbanks were elected by a large majority. 584. Interstate Commerce In spite of the act of 1887 and some later laws, favored shippers were still given various unfair advantages in the service and charges of railroads. In 1906 Congress greatly enlarged the power of the Interstate Commerce Commission to supervise railroads, express companies, and other common carriers operating in more than one state, and even authorized it to fix new freight and passenger rates in place of any it deemed to be unjust or unreasonable. Besides this law to regulate interstate transportation, Congress passed several acts to regulate the quality of goods entering into interstate commerce. Efficient inspection of meat-packing establishments was provided, at a cost of $3,000,000 a year. Adulteration or misbranding of any foods, drugs, medicines, or liquors manufactured anywhere for sale in another state, was forbidden under heavy penalties. 585. Intervention in Cuba One of the provisions added to the Cuban constitution gave the United States the right to intervene "for the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty." This right was first exercised in the autumn of 1906, when the Cuban government failed to suppress an insurrection in the island. Efforts were first made, in vain, to bring about peace in Cuba without armed intervention; then the Cuban president resigned, our envoy Secretary Taft proclaimed himself provisional governor of Cuba, United States troops were stationed at various points, and the insurgents peacefully disbanded. The work of completing the restoration of order and confidence, preparatory to the holding of a new election under the Cuban constitution, was intrusted by the President to Charles E. Magoon, who became provisional governor in October. 586. The Panic of 1907 For several years our country had enjoyed unusual prosperity. Never had the business of the country been better. A distrust of banks and banking institutions, however, was suddenly developed. Belief that the money of depositors was being used in a reckless way became widespread, and when a run on some banks in New York city forced them to suspend, a panic swept over the country. People everywhere made haste to withdraw their deposits, and the banks for a time were forced to refuse to cash checks for large sums. Business depression and hard times followed. 587. The Currency Law In the midst of the panic the Sixtieth Congress met and in the course of its session enacted (for six years) a currency law. This is an emergency measure by which the national banks, when currency is scarce, may issue more under certain conditions. The total amount put out by all the national banks must not be greater than $500,000,000. Those using this currency must pay a heavy tax, which it is believed will lead to its prompt recall as soon as the emergency has passed. 588. Election of Taft For the thirty-first time in our history electors of President and Vice President were chosen in 1908. Seven parties placed candidates in the field. The Republicans nominated William H. Taft and James S. Sherman; the Democrats named William J. Bryan and John W. Kern. Candidates were also presented by the Prohibition, Populist, Socialist Labor, Socialist, and Independence parties. In many respects the Republican and Democratic platforms were alike. Both declared for revision of the tariff, postal savings banks, a bureau of mines and mining, protection of our citizens abroad, a better civil service, improvement of our inland waterways, preservation of our forests, and the admission of Arizona and New Mexico as separate states. The Democratic platform called for an income tax, the publication of the names of contributors to national campaign funds, legislation against private monopolies, and full control of interstate railways. Taft and Sherman were elected. One of Taft's first acts as President was to call a special session of Congress, which met March 15 to frame a new tariff act. [Illustration: William H. Taft] SUMMARY 1. The political issues before the country since 1880 have been of two general classes—industrial and financial. 2. The industrial issues led to the formation of certain great organizations, as the Farmers' Alliance, Knights of Labor, Patrons of Industry, etc.; and to the enactment of certain important laws, as the Interstate Commerce Acts, the Anti-Chinese laws, the Anti-Contract Labor law, and the establishment of the Labor Bureau. 3. The financial issues were in general connected in some way with the agitation for free coinage of silver. 4. These issues seriously affected both the old parties and produced others, as the Anti-monopoly party, the People's party, the Silver party, the National, the Socialist. 5. In 1893 financial questions became so serious that a panic occurred, which forced the repeal of the purchase clause of the Sherman Act. In 1907 there was another panic. 6. Among our foreign complications during this period were the question of the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands, the Venezuela boundary dispute, the Cuban question, which finally involved us in a war with Spain, and the trouble with China arising from the Boxer outbreak. 7. The chief events of the war with Spain were Dewey's naval victory in Manila Bay, May 1; the battles of El Caney and San Juan, near Santiago, July 1; the naval battle of July 3 off Santiago; the surrender of Santiago, July 14; the invasion of Porto Rico, near the end of July; and the capture of Manila, August 13. 8. The war resulted in the cession of Porto Rico and the Philippines to our country, and in Spain's withdrawal from Cuba. 9. The withdrawal of Spain from the Philippines was followed by an uprising of natives led by Aguinaldo; but the insurrection was soon suppressed and a system of civil government established. 10. By peaceful negotiation a treaty was perfected giving the United States control of the route for the Panama Canal. APPENDIX THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE—1776 * * * * * IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776. THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established,.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and, when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused, for a long time after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the State remaining, in the meantime, exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands. He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers. He has made judges dependent on his will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us in times of peace, standing armies, without the consent of our legislature. He has affected to render the military independent of, and superior to, the civil power. He has combined, with others, to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation: For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States: [Transcriber's note: This is an excerpt. Please see Project Gutenberg's complete text.] We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ARTICLE I SECTION 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. SECTION 2. 1 The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature. 2 No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. 3 Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other persons[274]. thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose4 When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. 5 The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment. SECTION 3. 1 The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each State, chosen by the legislature thereof for six years; and each senator shall have one vote. 2 Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the legislature of any State, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies. 3 No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen. 4 The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 5 The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a president pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States. 6 The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the chief justice shall preside: and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present. 7 Judgment in cases of impeachmentSECTION 4. 1 The times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing senators. 2 The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day. SECTION 5. 12 Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member. 3 Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal. 4 Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting. [Transcriber's note: This is an excerpt. Please see Project Gutenberg's complete text.] STATE CONSTITUTIONS We have seen (page 155), that in 1776 the Continental Congress advised the people of the colonies to form governments for themselves, and that the people of the colonies accordingly adopted constitutions and became sovereign and independent states. Of the thirteen original state constitutions, none save that of Massachusetts is now in force, and even that has been amended. Changes in political ideas, changes in the conditions of life due to the wonderful progress of our country, have forced the people to alter, amend, and often remake their state constitutions. All our state constitutions now in force divide the powers of government among three departments,—legislative, executive, and judicial. The Legislative Department—called in some states the Legislature, in others the General Assembly, and in still others the General Court— consists in every state of two branches or houses, usually known as the Senate and House of Representatives. In six states the legislature meets annually, and in all the rest biennially; the members of both branches are everywhere elected by the people, and serve from one to four years. In most states a session of the legislature is limited to a period of from forty to ninety days. The legislature enacts the laws (which must not conflict with the Constitution of the United States, the treaties, the acts of Congress, or the constitution of the state); but the powers of the two houses are not equal in all the states. In some the House of Representatives has the sole right to originate bills for the raising and the expenditure of money, and in some the Senate confirms or rejects appointments to office made by the Governor. The Governor is the executive; is elected for a term of years varying from one to four; and is in duty bound to see that the laws are enforced. To him, in nearly all the states, are sent the acts of the legislature to be signed if he approves, or vetoed if he disapproves. In some states the Governor may veto parts or items of an act and approve the rest. He is commander in chief of the militia; commissions all officers whom he appoints; and in most of the states may pardon criminals. The Judicial Branch of government is composed of the state courts, whose judges are appointed, or elected for a long term of years. These three branches of government—the executive, the legislative, and the judicial—are distinct and separate, and none can exercise the powers of the others. No judge can enact a law; no legislature can try a suit; no executive can perform the duties of a judge or a legislature. When the thirteen colonies threw off their allegiance to the British Crown, the government set up by each was supreme within the limits of the state. Each could coin money, impose duties on goods imported from abroad or from other states, fix the legal rate of interest, make laws regulating marriage and divorce and the descent of property, and do anything else that any supreme government could do. But when the states united in forming a strong general government by adopting the Constitution, they did not give up all their powers of government. They intrusted part of them to the Federal government, and retained the rest as before. In other words, the people of each state, instead of continuing to have one government, adopted a double government, state and Federal, according to the plan laid down in the Constitution. It is the Federal Constitution that makes the division of powers between the nation and the separate states. The Constitution, for instance, gives the Federal government the powers of coining money and laying import duties, and forbids these powers to the states; but the rate of interest, marriage and divorce, and the descent of property are matters not mentioned in the Constitution, and concerning which the states retain the power to make laws. In many cases it is hard to decide whether a state has power to do a certain thing. Whenever the question turns on the interpretation of the Federal Constitution, it is decided by the United States courts. The Federal Constitution and the laws and treaties made in accordance with it are supreme in case of any conflict with a state constitution or law. The powers of government exercised by the states are more numerous, and affect the individual citizen in more ways, than those of the nation. The force of contracts; the relations of employer and employed, husband and wife, parent and child; the administration of schools; and the punishment of most crimes, are matters controlled by the state. A much larger amount of taxes is imposed by the states than by the nation. Local Governments.—Moreover, the local government of counties, towns, and cities is entirely under the control of the state. State constitutions contain many provisions in regard to this local government, but the legislature can make laws affecting it more or less greatly in the various states. In the local government of a city, town, or county there is to some extent a distribution of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial officers. The legislative function is exercised by the city council or board of aldermen, the town trustees (or by the whole body of voters), and the county board of supervisors or commissioners; the executive, by the city mayor, the county sheriff, and other officers; and the judicial, by various city courts, justices of the peace, and county courts. Political Rights and Duties.—The political rights and duties of citizens depend chiefly on the state constitutions and laws. Elections, both state and national, are conducted by state officers. The state prescribes who shall have the right to vote, and the various states differ greatly in this respect. Congress grants citizenship by a uniform rule of naturalization; but some states allow aliens to vote (on certain conditions), and some provide that a naturalized citizen can not vote until a certain period has elapsed after his naturalization. In some states women may vote; in some only those men who have certain property or educational qualifications. The right to vote is the qualification for holding most offices; additional qualifications are prescribed for very important offices, in the Federal and state constitutions. Thus, none but a native may be a President or Vice President of the United States, nor may a citizen under thirty years of age be a member of the United States Senate. Besides voting and office holding, the most important political rights and duties of citizens are to sit on juries and to serve in the army. The qualifications of jurors in state courts are prescribed by state authority, and in national courts by national authority. Congress has the exclusive power to raise armies, and in the Civil War hundreds of thousands of citizens came under national authority in connection with the duty to bear arms. The militia, however, is commanded by state officers, and in time of peace is under the control of the separate states. N Nantucket Island captured Napoleon, consul of France issues decrees seizes American vessels loses power Napoleon, Louis, in Mexico Narragansett Indians Narvaez Nashville, settled evacuated battle of Nassau, blockade running Natchez, in colonial times captured claimed by Spaniards National Agricultural Wheel National Bank, First loses charter Second proposed Third National banks National Bimetallic League National debt, see Debt. National Democratic party National Labor Congress National Labor Reform party National notes, see Bonds National party National Pike National Prohibition Reform party National Republican party, see Republican. National Union party Native American party Naturalization law Naumkeag settled Nauvoo built Naval warfare, in Revolution in French War in War of 1812 in Civil War Navigation Acts Navy department Nebraska Bill Nebraska, struggle for admitted rapid growth Neutrality, Proclamation of policy Nevada, acquired territory and state silver interests New Albion New Amsterdam, founded becomes New York New England, early settlements occupations in colonies English victories in New England Emigrant Aid Society New France, extent of struggle for New Hampshire, settled in colonial times grants New Haven, colony in colonial times riot at New Jersey, settled in colonial times plan for Constitution New London, riot at burned New Mexico, Spanish explore conquered slavery in bought from Texas silver interests New Netherland, becomes New York New Orleans, founded in colonial times battle of captured "New Roof" New Sweden "New tenor" New York (state), New Netherland becomes in colonial times English in cedes land to Congress New York (city), convention in colonial times colonial congress at evacuated national capital the metropolis in 1830 labor congress at New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company Newark, founded riot at Newbern captured Newfoundland, granted to English fisheries Newport, Ky. settled Newport, R.I., settled riot at Newspapers, in colonial times in 1790 about 1810 Newtown settled Niagara Niagara, founded expedition against Niña Nipmuck Indians Nominating conventions Non-importation, agreements Act Non-intercourse Law Norfolk evacuated North, Lord North American party North Carolina, settled in colonial times cedes land to Congress secedes Sherman in readmitted North Castle North Dakota admitted Northern attitude toward slavery Northern Pacific Railroad Northwest, exploration of the new Northwest passage to India Northwest Territory, surrendered Indian troubles in slavery question in Notes, United States, see Bonds. Nova Scotia, part of Massachusetts Bay colony struggle for Nueces River Nullification doctrine. Q R Radical Republicans Railroads early Western Northern Pacific in 1887 land grants to Ralegh, Sir Walter Randolph, John "Receivers general" created Reconstruction Act Reconstruction policy Redemptioners Refunding Act Reid, Whitelaw Reprisal Republicans old party new party Resaca de la Palma battle of Restoration English Resumption of Specie Payment Act Revenge Revolutionary War Rhode Island settled charter in colonial times Ribault, John Richmond Confederate capital campaign against captured Rio Grande Ripon convention at Rittenhouse, David Roads improvements Western Roanoke colonized captured Robertson, James Robinson, John Rochester settled Rogers, Captain Rolfe, John Roosevelt, Theodore Rosecrans, General campaigns Ross, General Roxbury settled Royal colonies Rule of 1756 Rumsey, James Russell, John Russia possessions claims on the Pacific complies with Monroe Doctrine attitude in Civil War Alaska purchased from Ryal, Captain. S Sacketts Harbor battle of Sacramento St. Augustine founded St. Clair's defeat St. Croix River settlements St. John, John P. St. Joseph captured St. Lawrence River explored St. Leger, Colonel St. Louis St. Marks captured St. Marys founded St. Paul Salem settled Salmon Falls massacre Saltillo Sampson, W.T. San Jacinto San Jacinto, battle of San Salvador Santa Anna Santa Fe captured trail Santa Maria Santiago, battles of Saratoga, battle of Savannah Savannah founded in colonial times captured Schenectady massacre Schley, W.S. Schools, free Schuyler, General Scientific discoveries Scioto Company Scott, General Winfield in 1814 in Mexican War presidential nominee in Civil War Sea to sea grants Secession, of Southern States states refuse troops reconstruction plans Sedition Law Seminole Indians Senate formed Seneca Indians Separatists Serapis Seven Cities of Cibola Seven days' battles Seven Pines, battle of Sevier, John Sewall, Arthur Seward, William H. Sewing machine invented Seymour, Horatio Shadrach Shannon Sharpsburg, battle of Indians Shays, Daniel Shenandoah Shenandoah valley, war in Sheridan, General Phil., campaigns Sherman, Roger Sherman, General W.T., campaigns Sherman Act silver-purchase clause repealed Shiloh, battle of Ship Island Shirley, Governor Silver, specie suspended mines discovered demonetized remonetized certificates free coinage of movement party "Silver Grays" Sioux Indians Sirius Six Nations Slave trade forbidden Slavery, established in colonial times, in territories at time of Constitution in 1790 affected by cotton industry in Kentucky in early states beyond Mississippi River issue between North and South area expanded in Texas in New Mexico and California in Kansas in 1857 in 1860 Civil War Emancipation Proclamation during Civil War abolished in Confederate States position of negroes after war Slidell, John Smith, Green Clay Smith, John, at Jamestown explores New England coast among the Indians Smith, Joseph Social conditions, in 1790 about 1890 Socialist Labor party Society for Encouragement of Domestic Manufactures Solis Somers, Sir George Sons of Liberty South American republics South Carolina, settled in colonial times cedes land to Congress Railroad Exposition favors nullification secedes Sherman in readmitted South Dakota, admitted silver interests South Pass Southern Colonies, occupations, etc. Southern States, English in attitude toward slavery form Confederacy at end of 1860 at beginning of war coast blockade cost of war in reconstruction of troubles in the New South Spanish, possessions settlements, etc. claims boundary line Florida bought from war with United States Spanish America Specie Circular Specie payments Speculation in 1836 Speedwell Spottsylvania Courthouse, battle of Springfield, settled Republican state convention at Lincoln's speech at Squatter sovereignty, see Popular Sovereignty Squatters Stagecoaches Stamford founded Stamp Act Stamp tax Standish, Miles Stanton Star of the West Star-Spangled Banner Stark, Colonel John State banks State debts State department Staten Island evacuated States, formed thirteen original trade laws powers of new constitutions in sovereignty of government in seceded, Steamboats Stephens, Alexander II. Steuben, Baron Stevens, John Stevenson, Adlai E. Stewart, G.T. Stillwater, battle of Stockton, Commodore "Stonewall" Jackson Stonington bombarded Stony Point captured Stowe, H.B. Stuart Stuyvesant, Peter Sub treasury plan Sugar Act Sullivan, General Sumner, Charles Sumter Sumter Sumter, Fort Supreme Court established gives Dred Scott decision on Wilson Bill Surplus revenue in 1837 in 1887 Surprise Sutter Sutter's Fort Swedish possessions settlements Symmes, John C. T Taft, William II. Taney, Roger B. Tariff of 1789 bills of 1824, etc. of 1861 for revenue only Mills Bill McKinley Act revision of 1896 Tarleton, Commander Taxation in colonies of 1861 of bonds demanded of Chinese a political issue Taylor, General Zachary in Mexican War president death of Tea tax Tecumseh Telegraph Temperance party Tender Acts Tennessee settled part of public domain admitted opposes Wilmot Proviso secedes reconstructs government readmitted Tenure of Office Act Territory formed Terry, Eli Texas becomes independent annexed to United States boundaries of New Mexico purchased from admitted secedes opposed to Reconstruction Act again in the Union Thames River battle of Thayer, Hon. Eli Third-term tradition Thirteenth Amendment proposed adopted Thomas, General George II. campaigns Thomas, General Lorenzo Thompson, Henry Adams Thurman, Allen G. Ticket money Ticonderoga Tilden, Samuel J. Tippecanoe, battle of Toledo population in 1840 Tompkins, Daniel D. Tonty, Henri de Topeka Topeka free-state constitution Tories Townshend Acts Trade in colonial times in original states convention at Annapolis regulated by Congress with West Indies regulations of English and French facilities for trades unions Transportation Bill Travel in 1790 in 1810 Treasury department established Treasury notes Treaty of Penn with Indians of Utrecht of Ryswick of Aix-la-Chapelle of Paris with France Jay's with Spain of Ghent of Greenville of 1818 of 1819 Webster-Ashburton with Mexico with Texas of 1846 with China of Washington with Hawaii between Great Britain and Venezuela Trent Trent, William Trent Affair Trenton battle of Tripoli war with Trusts see Corporations. Truxton, Captain Thomas Tuscarora Indians Twelfth Amendment Tyler, John vice-presidential nominee president U Uncle Tom's Cabin Underground Railroad Union Labor party Union Pacific Railroad United Colonies of New England United Labor party United States United States Bank see National Bank. United States bonds see Bonds. Usselinx, William Utah Mormons in acquired slavery question in admitted silver interests X Y Z Zuñi pueblos. ↑ Read the account of Portuguese exploration in search of a way to India, in Fiske's Discovery of America, Vol. I., pp. 274-334. ↑ There is reason to believe that about the year 1000 A.D. the northeast coast of America was discovered by a Norse voyager named Leif Ericsson. The records are very meager; but the discovery of our country by such a people is possible and not improbable. For an account of the pre-Columbian discoveries see Fiske's Discovery of America, Vol. I., pp. 148-255. ↑ Columbus called the new land San Salvador (sahn sahl-vah-dor', Holy Savior), because October 12, the day on which it was discovered, was so named in the Spanish calendar. ↑ Three islands of this group, Cat, Turks, and Watlings, have rival claims as the landing place of Columbus. At present, Watlings Island is believed to be the one on which he first set foot. Read an account of the voyage in Fiske's Discovery of America, Vol. I., pp. 408-442; Irving's Life and Voyages of Columbus, Vol. I., Book III. ↑ Columbus began his second voyage in September, 1493, and discovered Jamaica, Porto Rico (por'-to ree'-co), and the islands of the Caribbean Sea. On his third voyage, in 1498, he discovered the island of Trinidad, off the coast of Venezuela, and saw South America at the mouth of the Orinoco River. During his fourth and last voyage, 1502-1504, he explored the shores of Honduras and the Isthmus of Panama in search of a strait leading to the Indian Ocean. Of course he did not find it, and, going back to Spain, he died poor and broken-hearted on May 20, 1506. ↑ As this man was an Italian, his name was really Amerigo Vespucci (ah-ma'-ree-go ves-poot'-chee), but it is usually given in its Latinized form, Americus Vespucius (a-mer'-I-cus ves-pu'-she-us). ↑ Magellan was killed by the natives of one of the Philippine Islands. The captain of the ship which made the voyage was greatly honored. The King of Spain ennobled him, and on his coat of arms was a globe representing the earth, and on it the motto "You first sailed round me." ↑ By all means read the account of the voyage by Fiske, in his Discovery of America, Vol. II., pp. 190-211. ↑ Over the affairs of each company presided a council appointed by the King, with power to choose its own president, fill vacancies among its own members, and elect a council of thirteen to reside on the company's lands in America. Each company might coin money, raise a revenue by taxing foreign vessels trading at its ports, punish crime, and make laws which, if bad, could be set aside by the King. All property was to be owned in common, and all the products of the soil deposited in a public magazine from which the needs of the settlers were to be supplied. The surplus was to be sold for the good of the company. The charter is given in full in Poore's Charters and Constitutions, pp. 1888-1893. ↑ Nothing now remains of Jamestown but the ruined tower of the church shown in the picture. Much of the land on which the town stood has been washed away by the river, so that its site is now an island. ↑ Read the Life and Writings of Captain John Smith, by Charles Dudley Warner; also John Fiske in Atlantic Monthly, December, 1895; Eggleston's Beginners of a Nation, pp. 31-38. Smith's True Relation is printed in American History Leaflets, No. 27, and Library of American Literature Vol. I. ↑ Read "The Jamestown Experiments," in Eggleston's Beginners of a Nation, pp. 25-72. ↑ On the Virginia colony in general read Doyle's volume on Virginia, pp. 104-184; Lodge's English Colonies in America, pp. 1-12; of course, Bancroft and Hildreth. For particular epochs or events consult Channing and Hart's Guide to American History, pp. 248-253. ↑ It thus included what is now Delaware, and pieces of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. ↑ Read Scharf's History of Maryland; Doyle's Virginia; Lodge's English Colonies; Eggleston's Beginners of a Nation,. ↑ The patroon bound himself to (1) transport the fifty settlers to New Netherland at his own expense; (2) provide each of them with a farm stocked with horses, cattle, and farming implements, and charge a low rent; (3) employ a schoolmaster and a minister of the Gospel. In return for this the emigrant bound himself (1) to stay and cultivate the land of the patroon for ten years; (2) to bring his grain to the patroon's mill and pay for grinding; (3) to use no cloth not made in Holland; (4) to sell no grain or produce till the patroon had been given a chance to buy it. ↑ The compact is in Poore's Charters and Constitutions, p. 931, and in Preston's Documents Illustrative of American History, pp. 29-31. Read, by all means, Webster's Plymouth Oration. ↑ In the trying times which followed, William Bradford was chosen governor and many times reëlected. He wrote the so-called "Log of the Mayflower,"—really a manuscript History of the Plymouth Plantation from 1602 to 1647,—a fragment of which is reproduced on the opposite page. ↑ This grant had no boundary. Each settler might have 100 acres. Fifteen hundred acres were set aside for public buildings. ↑ Fiske's Beginnings of New England, pp. 80-87; Palfrey's New England, Vol. I, pp. 176-232; Thatcher's History of the Town of Plymouth. ↑ You will notice that when this grant was made in 1628 the Dutch had discovered the Hudson, and had begun to settle Albany. To this region (the Hudson and Mohawk valleys) the English had no just claim. ↑ The charter is printed in Poore's Charters and Constitutions, pp. 932-942, and in Preston's Documents, pp. 36-61. ↑ Rhode Island was not allowed to come in, for the feeling against the followers of Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson was still very strong. ↑ In 1660, after the restoration of Charles II., Edward Whalley and William Goffe (the regicides, "king-killers," as they were called), two of the judges who had condemned Charles I. to be beheaded, fled to New Haven and were protected by the people. This act had much to do with the annexation of New Haven to Connecticut. ↑ Parkman's A Half-century of Conflict, Vol. I., pp. 288-314. For the French posts see map on pp. 74, 75. ↑ The reception of that officer well illustrates the gross ignorance of America and American affairs which then existed in England. When the Duke of Newcastle, who was prime minister, read the dispatch, he exclaimed: "Oh, yes—yes—to be sure. Annapolis must be defended—troops must be sent to Annapolis. Pray where is Annapolis? Cape Breton an island! Wonderful! Show it me on the map. So it is, sure enough. My dear sir [to Captain Ryal], you always bring us good news. I must go and tell the King that Cape Breton is an island." ↑ There is an old superstition, then very generally believed, that if one cuts a snake in pieces and allows the pieces to touch, the snake will not die, but will live and become whole again. By this picture Franklin meant that unless the colonies joined for defense against the French they would die; that is, be conquered. ↑ Parkman's Montcalm and Wolfe, Chaps. 25-27; A. Wright's Life of Wolfe; Sloan's French War and the Revolution, Chaps. 6-9. ↑ One act of Parliament, for instance, provided that persons sentenced to be whipped or branded might, if they wished, escape the punishment by serving seven years in the colonies, and never returning to England. Another allowed convicts sentenced to death to commute the sentence by serving fourteen years. ↑ Edward Eggleston's papers in the Century Magazine, 1884; Scudder's Men and Manners One Hundred Years Ago; Lodge's English Colonies. ↑ This is one of the things complained of in the Declaration of Independence. ↑ The exact text of the Stamp Act has been reprinted in American History Leaflets, No. 21. For an excellent account of the causes and consequences of the Stamp Act, read Lecky's England in the Eighteenth Century, Vol. III., Chap. 12; Frothingham's Rise of the Republic of the United States, Chap. 5; Channing's The United States of America, 1765-1865, pp. 41-50. ↑ The stamps were not the adhesive kind we are now accustomed to fasten on letters. Those used for newspapers and pamphlets and printed documents consisted of a crown surmounting a circle in which were the words, "One Penny Sheet" or "Nine Pence per Quire," and were stamped on each sheet in red ink by a hand stamp not unlike those used at the present day to cancel stamps on letters. Others, used on vellum and parchment, consisted of a square piece of blue paper, glued on the parchment, and fastened by a little piece of brass. A design was then impressed on the blue paper by means of a little machine like that used by magistrates and notaries public to impress their seals on legal documents. When this was done, the parchment was turned over, and a little piece of white paper was pasted on the back of the stamp. On this white piece was engraved, in black, the design shown in the second picture on p. 113, the monogram "G. R." meaning Georgius Rex, or King George. ↑ These resolutions, printed in full from Henry's manuscript copy, are in Channing's _The United States of America, 1765-1865, _pp. 51, 52. They were passed May 29, 1765. ↑ This declaration is printed in full in Preston's Documents Illustrative of American History, pp. 188-191. ↑ One of the charges against the King in the Declaration of Independence. ↑ The soldiers were tried for murder and were defended by John Adams and Josiah Quincy. Two were found guilty of manslaughter. The rest were acquitted. On the massacre read Frothingham's Life of Warren, Chaps. 6, 7; Kidder's The Boston Massacre; Joseph Warren's Oration on March 6, 1775, in Library of American Literature, Vol. III., p. 256. ↑ Printed in Preston's Documents, pp. 192-198. The best account of the coming of the Revolution is Frothingham's Rise of the Republic of the United States, Chaps. 5-11. ↑ The ride of one of these men, that of Paul Revere, has become best known because of Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride. Read it. ↑ General William Howe had come to Boston with more British troops not long before. In October, 1775, he was given chief command. ↑ The Hessians were soldiers from Hesse and other small German states. ↑ From the Columbian Magazine of July, 1787. The tower faces the "Statehouse yard." The posts are along Chestnut Street. For the history of the building, read F. M. Etting's Independence Hall. ↑ The declaration was read from a wooden platform put up there in 1769 to enable David Rittenhouse to observe a transit of Venus. ↑ Among the wounded in this battle was a brilliant young Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette, who, early in 1777, came to America and offered his services to Congress as a volunteer without pay. ↑ The flags used by the continental troops between 1775 and 1777 were of at least a dozen different patterns. A colored plate showing most of them is given in Treble's Our Flag, p. 142. In 1776, in January, Washington used one at Cambridge which seems to have been suggested by the ensign of the East India Company. That of this company was a combination of thirteen horizontal red and white stripes (seven red and six white) and the red cross of St. George. That of Washington was the same, with the British Union Jack substituted for the cross of St. George. After the Declaration of Independence, the British Jack was out of place on our flag; and in June, 1777, Congress adopted a union of thirteen white stars in a circle, on a blue ground, in place of the British Union. After Vermont and Kentucky were admitted, in 1791 and 1792, the stars and stripes were each increased to fifteen. In 1818, the original number of stripes was restored, and since that time each new state, when admitted, is represented by a star and not by a stripe. ↑ For an account of Franklin in France, see McMaster's With the Fathers, pp. 253-270. ↑ After remaining a prisoner in the hands of the British from December, 1776, to April, 1778, Lee had been exchanged for a British officer. ↑ Not all the colonists desired independence. Those who remained loyal to the King were called Tories. ↑ By this time the Five Nations had admitted the Tuscaroras to their confederacy and had thus become the Six Nations. ↑ John Barry was a native of Ireland; he came to America at thirteen, entered the merchant marine, and at twenty-five was captain of a ship. At the opening of the war Barry offered his services to Congress, and in February, 1776, was put in command of the Lexington. After his victory he was transferred to the twenty-eight-gun frigate Effingham, and in 1777 (while blockaded in the Delaware) with twenty-seven men in four boats captured and destroyed a ten-gun schooner and four transports. When the British captured Philadelphia, Barry took the Effingham up the river; but she was burned by the enemy. In 1778, in command of the thirty-two-gun frigate Raleigh, he sailed from Boston, fell in with two British frigates, and after a fight was forced to run ashore in Penobscot Bay. Barry and his crew escaped, and in 1781 carried Laurens to France in the frigate Alliance. On the way out he took a privateer, and while cruising on the way home captured the Atalanta and the Trepassey after a hard fight. As Barry brought in the first capture by a commissioned officer of the United States navy, so he fought the last action of the war in 1782; but the enemy escaped. When the navy was reorganized in 1794, Barry was made senior captain, with the title of Commodore. In 1798 he commanded the frigate United States in the war with France. He died in 1803. ↑ They did not leave Staten Island in New York Bay till a week later. For an account of the evacuation of New York see McMaster's With the Fathers, pp. 271-280. ↑ It will be remembered that Spain now held Louisiana, or the country west of the Mississippi. (See Chapter VIII.) ↑ All but two made new constitutions; but Connecticut and Rhode Island used their old charters, the one till 1818, the other till 1842. Vermont also formed a constitution, but she was not admitted to the Congress (p. 243). ↑ The strip owned by Connecticut had been offered to Congress in October, 1789, but not accepted. It still belonged to Connecticut in 1785. In 1786 it was again ceded, with certain reservations, and accepted. ↑ Read McMaster's History of the People of the United States, Vol. I., pp. 281-295, 304-329, 331-340; Fiske's Critical Period of American History, pp. 168-186. ↑ McMaster's History of the People of the United States, Vol. I., pp. 246-259, 266-280; Fiske's Critical Period of American History, 134-137, 145-147. ↑ The report of this Annapolis convention is printed in Bulletin of Bureau of Rolls and Library of the Department of State, No. 1, Appendix, pp. 1-5. ↑ All we know of the proceedings of this convention is derived from the journals of the convention, the notes taken down by James Madison, the notes of Yates of New York, and a speech by Luther Martin of Maryland. They may be found in Elliot's Debates, Vol. IV. ↑ For short accounts, read "The Framers and the Framing of the Constitution" in the Century Magazine, September, 1887, or "Framing the Constitution," in McMaster's With the Fathers, pp. 106-149, or Thorpe's Story of the Constitution, Chautauqua Course, 1891-92, pp. 111-148. ↑ On the sources of the Constitution, read "The First Century of the Constitution" in New Princeton Review, September, 1887, pp. 175-190. ↑ The question is often asked, When did the Constitution go into force? Article VII. says, "The ratification of the conventions of nine states shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the states so ratifying the same." New Hampshire, the ninth state, ratified June 21, 1788, and on that day, therefore, the constitution was "established" between the nine. ↑ The bread, or meat, to be baked was put into the pot, and hot coals were heaped all around the sides and on the lid, which had a rim to keep the coals on it. ↑ This shows a fine specimen of the old-fashioned fireplace. Notice the andirons, the bellows, the lamp, the spinning wheel, the old Dutch clock, and the kettles hanging on the crane over the logs. ↑ In many parts of the country where there was no water power, as Cape Cod, Long Island, Nantucket, etc., flour was ground at windmills. The windmill shown in the picture was built in 1787, and is still in use. ↑ The music to which we sing Hail, Columbia! was called The President's March, and was played for the first time when the people of Trenton were welcoming Washington on his way to be inaugurated President in 1789. For an account of the trouble with France read McMaster's History of the People of the United States, Vol. II, pp. 207-416, 427-476. ↑ The Alien and Sedition acts are in Preston's Documents, pp. 277-282. ↑ The answers of the states are printed in Elliot's Debates, Vol. IV., pp. 532-539. ↑ For an account of this war, read Maclay's History of the United States Navy, Vol. I., pp. 155-213. ↑ In 1846 so much of the District as had belonged to Virginia was given back to her. ↑ For a fine description of Jefferson's personality, read Henry Adams's History of the United States, Vol. I., pp. 185-191. As to the story of Jefferson riding alone to the Capitol and tying his horse to the fence, see Adams's History, Vol. I, pp. 196-199; McMaster's History, Vol. II., pp. 533-534. ↑ In a description of it which Jefferson sent to Congress in 1804, he actually stated that "there exists about one thousand miles up the Missouri, and not far from that river, a salt mountain. This mountain is said to be one hundred and eighty miles long and forty-five in width, composed of solid rock salt, without any trees or even shrubs on it." ↑ One reason for the success of the American navy was the experience it had gained in the clash with France, and also in a war with Tripoli in 1801-1805. At that time the Christian nations whose ships sailed the Mediterranean Sea were accustomed to pay annual tribute to Tripoli and other piratical states on the north coast of Africa, under pain of having their ships seized and their sailors reduced to slavery. A dispute with the United States led to a war which gained for our ships the freedom of the Mediterranean. ↑ On the naval war read Maclay's History of the Navy, Part Third; Roosevelt's Naval War of 1812; McMaster, Vol. IV., pp. 70-108. ↑ All except New England had been blockaded since 1812; and in 1813 the coast of Chesapeake Bay had been ravaged. ↑ In 1816 there were nineteen states in the Union (Indiana having been admitted in that year), and of these Monroe carried sixteen and King three. The inauguration took place in the open air for the first time since 1789.
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games The game industry has been slow to make use of women as protagonists in video games, sometimes due to the idea that the dudebros only want to play as males. Didn't Tomb Raider in all its guises sell more than 35 million copies? But anyway, my point isn't that female protagonists are more inclusive or less sexist; it's that they make the games better. Why? Um… a kimono with ripped off sleeves? Really, Sam? 1. They can emote. This struck me when playing Tomb Raider. There, Lara expresses terror, pain, horror, and occasionally despair She cries big snotty tears when her mentor dies When she rescues her friend, she gives her a big hug She can express self-doubt (and still kick ass) If you do nothing, she'll sometimes hold herself as if she's feeling cold (as she probably is, getting rained on in that tank top) Besides the new Lara, the best example is Beyond Good & Evil's Jade. Although she wields a mean dai-jo, she also takes care of children, is attached to her uncle, and relies as much on her camera as on her martial arts skills to foil the enemy. The way our brains are set up, if we see an emotion expressed, we feel it to some extent. This is an essential tool for the storyteller. To put it another way, it's hard to care for a character when they don't themselves express any involvement in their situation. That's one reason why Black Mesa, though gorgeous, is emotionally lifeless. Of course, this power can be abused, producing sentimentality, but the challenge for video games is to show emotion at all, not to mop up excesses of it. Likewise, there are many emotive male actors, but they're rarely video game protagonists. Whether it's Master Chief or Gordon Freeman, the norm is steely stoicism. The effect in Tomb Raider is not to make Lara look weak, but to make her human and real. (The second half of the game doesn't have as much of this, and I think it suffers because of it. The climax, for instance, is by any objective standard a hellish experience, and its only effect on Lara seems to be to make her a little moody.) The idea here isn't that women are "more emotional". The idea is that people have emotions, but that our current social expectations allow women to show them more openly– which makes for more relatable characters. The Big Games these days are generally about big emotionless male bruisers who go on (carefully justified) killing sprees. People often lament the sameness of the games, but usually suggest that they need better stories. I'm suggesting that they need better characters… less John Wayne and more Humphrey Bogart. 2. They subvert the genre. One way to make a story deeper and/or more fun is to subvert the genre. There's some attempt at this in (say) Bioshock Infinite: the main character is a killing machine, and the game suggests (after letting the player shoot people for twelve hours) that that's kinda bad. But ultraviolence with a smidgen of doubt is not much of a real questioning of the genre. (I found that Far Cry 2 successfully depicted the amorality of mercenaries shooting up the Third World… so much so that I lost interest in continuing to play it.) Subverting gender roles is inherently interesting. Tough guys who have to do something female-associated can be used for extra comedy or drama (Lone Wolf and Cub, Kindergarten Cop, Some Like It Hot, Mrs. Doubtfire). Badass women are more interesting than badass men– they're less expected, so there must be some backstory on why they're doing what they're doing. What do you do when you're a hot girl with bluish skin? Take over Steelport. I tried Saints Row 3 with both a male and female protagonist. Even with all the silly elements, playing as a male made the game seem more crass and cliched. Playing as a female, it becomes pure absurdist fun (especially with Rebecca Sanabria's voice acting– she can be tough as nails when needed, but most of the time she communicates that the Saints boss is just having a hell of a great time). The best reason to play Mass Effect as a female is Jennifer Hale's awesome voice acting. But her gender helps too. MaleShep is another dull, stoic space marine; FemShep is intriguing. Little is made of her gender, but based on our own society and even the sex ratio we see in ME's human worlds, we can guess that this is a person who has had to be twice as calm, twice as authoritative, twice as tough as any man, to get where she is. 3. People like underdogs. If you're going to go up against the bandits, zombies, draugr, crazed criminal overlords, mad cultists, or whatever, you're going to need some skills, and a reservoir of strength and endurance. To do it all with a smaller body is all the more impressive (which is why it takes more skill to dominate a TF2 game as a Scout than as a Heavy). In Oblivion, the initial skill values depend (slightly) on your sex. They removed this in Skyrim, which is more inclusive but seems a little defiant of realism. It does worry me a bit when Catwoman swipes at a thug with her clawed gloves… that would cause pain, but it's not going to knock him out. It's a lot more convincing when she's faster and more athletic than Batman, and uses her legs or her whole body to slam into a thug. 120 pounds of fast-moving superfreak to the face– that would hurt. Catwoman demonstrating that momentum is mass times velocity Mirror's Edge never explains the gender dynamics of running, but being smaller could be an advantage in scrambling over the rooftops and fitting into tight spaces. 4. Gender and sex offer narrative possibilities. Sex is fascinating, and that's without getting into the biological mechanics. I always wonder what it's like for Zoey, the only female in a group of four zombie-apocalypse survivors. Is there a lot of pressure on her to hook up? Or would it be so uncomfortable if she did that the three guys kind of agree to not bring it up? Dragon Age Origins actually makes your party dress in medieval bikinis at one point. FemShep probably makes it a point of principle to never use her gender for anything, but others are not so pure. Your character in Fallout 3 and even more so Fallout New Vegas can occasionally use gender or sex to their advantage. Perhaps the best example is Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines, where you can solve or alter some situations by seduction. (And why not? If you're a vampire you're already pretty much a lost soul; no need to act all chaste.) Games take a wide, wide detour around sexual threat– the only game I can think of that mentions it is Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, and that's with NPCs. That's probably just as well. Still, replacing it with cannibalism is kind of silly, and we'd might as well acknowledge that there's an underlying danger to (say) Catwoman that Batman doesn't really face, and that makes her insouciance all the more interesting. In Tomb Raider, it should add a certain chill to that scene where the cultist grabs her before trying to strangle her– and it probably would if it weren't so frustrating figuring out the damn game mechanic at that point. Now, you may well respond that the ultimate goal should be gender neutrality– that we should able to be a badass male or a badass female, a caring male or a caring female. That's fine, and sometimes it'd be a great advance simply to have more female characters– I wish TF2 would implement Chemical Alia's female characters. But for now, the best corrective to all the boring badass males is a little femininity. Overall impression: it's a great game. It took about 18 hours, which curiously is how long TR Underworld took too. I expect it's more replayable though… at least, I have a hankering to play through it again, perhaps doing more to find all the hidden tombs and other goodies. The final boss fight is pretty annoying, but I got through it. The dodge mechanic seems really wonky… the general idea is to hit Shift, but this doesn't really help as you need to get behind the dude. So I was mashing some combination of Shift + Left + Space, which sometimes worked, and then I'd generally miss his unprotected back, and… it's not a fun fight. The game is most fun when you can explore an area and figure out the tricks to move forward; I also liked when there was an opportunity for stealth. The greater number of enemies is good overall, but some of the fights were more grueling than fun. The overall was to move from scared, fragile Lara to badass avenging angel. It works, but I think the timing is off. She's basically finished the transition halfway through… what does that leave for the next game? I liked the more human Lara, and didn't want to see her disappear entirely. By the end of the game, when her shipmates talk to her, she's got to Batman levels of coldness. Some review suggested that her shipmates didn't add much and could easily have been disposed of. I tend to agree, mostly because they're almost always shallow and useless. The game has to keep coming up with dumb reasons why only Lara can go off for the next McGuffin… why not take a hint from Arkham City (or Max Payne 2) and occasionally let us control one of the other characters? The snotty betraying guy is also a minus; neither his motivations nor his eventual comeuppance are convincing. As for skill trees, it turns out not to matter much. I ended up with almost all of the skills and gear upgrades, and with a little more collectible hunting I'm sure I could get them all. This seems like a bit of a lost opportunity to enable different styles of playthrough. First, the new Tomb Raider is half off on Steam, right now. Get it. Are you getting it? What is wrong with you? What should we call this game? TOMB RAIDED? OK then! I've played about six hours so far, which the game tells me is 23% complete. The basics of the TR franchise are doing completely terrible archeology, in the form of jumping athletically around ancient ruins and destroying ancient mechanisms, with an occasional murder along the way. Combat in Underworldwas pretty unserious, as shown by the mechanic of Lara automatically targeting the nearest enemy. In the reboot it's very serious. You have to aim… hell, you have to aim (RMB) then fire (LMB), which is tricky if an enemy is closing on you. Enemies will jump out at you, or throw fire grenades, or have bulletproof shields, and you can get taken down quickly, so it can be intense. (At the same time, they're very supportive, in their own way. They'll shout out "She's killing us all!" or "Watch out, she's a good shot!" Which is a nice change from "I never liked that Catwoman bitch.") The Big Thought behind the reboot is that Lara is no longer the frigid, double-pistol-wielding wiseass of the earlier games– she's a young girl who's hurt, terrified, and has never killed a human being before. Plus, they've taken the opportunity to redesign the character– even in Underworld she had this weird elongated face. Now she's rather cute: There is no medicine mechanic, so I don't know how that wound healed up All this might be challenging to the Cheeto-fed machistas who seem to make up the most vocal fragment of the gaming market, but I think it's refreshing. It can be fun to play a superhero who makes everything look effortless, but I like the way the new Lara reminds you that what's she's doing is hard and scary and it hurts. And how she has to talk herself into trying new things. And how she says "I'm sorry" to the first deer she kills. Plus, you know, heroism is about what you do, not what you feel. As it happens, I'm reaidng a book about war and battles right now and you know, outside of glorifying propaganda, soldiers are scared. They learn to function with the constant and well-justified fear, but it doesn't go away. Lara's fear means she's a human being. There was some controversy before release because one developer talked loosely about an attempted rape scene. Perhaps they changed it, because there's nothing like that. There's a point where Lara is trying to sneak past a bunch of insane cultists who seem to be massacring an entire village. One of them captures her and touches her; if you do nothing, however, he kills her. So it's an attempted death scene. And it pissed me off, because it was a complete mystery how to get past it. The screen tells you to press F– I pressed the hell out of F and watched Lara getting strangled about a dozen times. She also moved on to the next bit of fight a couple times, seemingly randomly. I could not figure out what the damn game wanted me to do. Finally I did, with the help of some Internet comments. Feel free to print this out and paste it near your screen: Some concentric white circles appear on the screen. The outer circle is shrinking. When it reaches the inner circle, that's when you mash F a few times. A red icon appears, but if you press F then, it's too late. This happens at least one more time. There are a couple more bits to the fight, which are a little unclear in my memory, but also easier to figure out. It's a really annoying mechanism, which they use in a few other places. Developers, please don't do this "press a key at the exact right moment in a cutscene" thing… or if you do, at least give accurate instructions. There's a couple other baffling minigames… e.g. at one point Lara has to tune a radio, and there is just no feedback on what to do. (For reference: hold down right arrow till something happens.) The best I can say about these sequences is that they're pretty rare. The game often takes control of the camera… on the whole this is probably OK, as it makes the experience more cinematic and can show off some of the game's lovely views: Build a little enclosure around the ladder? Why? What could go wrong? But also, frequently, the gameplay merges seamlessly into cutscenes, and this can be confusing. Many games distinguish the cutscenes visually (e.g. by adding black bars above and below the scene), which at least tells you that you can't walk around or shoot anything. Half-Life 2 is famous for having scenes play out while you retain full control, though admittedly this works better with a protagonist who never talks. Ah, while I'm thinking about weird things… there's a scene where Lara makes a big show of using her last match… to build up an already roaring fire. This is one of several elements that sometimes make it seem that the developers were trying too many things and couldn't keep it all together. That early deer kill, for instance, is preceded by Lara saying she's hungry and making it a whole objective to Find Food. She was shipwrecked less than a day ago, so it really shouldn't be that much of a crisis, but fine, it looks like the game will make hunting food a gameplay thing. Only it doesn't– after the deer scene, it doesn't come up again. The game does keep throwing new things at you; mostly this works and adds variety. You play for something like an hour before getting any weapon, for instance– which is actually pretty neat. Several hours in, they give you a "rope arrow"… I'm not quite sure how an arrow with a rope tied to it can tie a knot, but it does, and it gives you a new mechanism for extending your parkour, so that's all good. Also neat: you often have a choice in how to approach enemies (or in how to climb up somewhere). It's not exactly a stealth game, in that you still kill them; but you can snipe from afar with arrows, or sneak up behind someone and do them in, and this approach has advantages over going in guns blazing– such as not alerting all of their buddies. I also appreciate how there's cover, but no cover mechanic. If you approach a low wall or crates, Lara will crouch down automatically. It makes complicated cover mechanics as in Deus Ex look awkward. There is an XP mechanic, so that you can upgrade Lara's skills and weapons. You can theoretically specialize as Hunter, Survivor, or Brawler, but some skills only unlock slowly, with the effect that you pretty much have to spread out your skills. So I don't know how customizable the game experience is; maybe it'll be clearer later in the game. Bottom line, it's really well done. I've only played one previous TR game, Underworld, and I liked it but it was definitely a toy– a very artificial world with predicaments and characters at a James Bond level of camp. Sometimes a move into more irony (as in Saints Row) works; but sometimes making it more real, more gritty, more intense is the right thing to do. It was hard to put down and I've got work to do right now, but I'm anxious to get that done so I can go back to being Lara. I finished Rage. It is indeed about 21 hours. At the end it gets very sf-ey, with the bafflingly over-engineered corridors familiar to us from sf movies: Drywall and flourescents would've worked fine The final mission feels strangely incomplete. The final boss fight consists of a bunch of charged-up mutants– monsters you've been fighting all along, which can be easily disposed of if you bought shitloads of wingsticks and pulse rounds. And that's it. You kill a bunch of them but not, you know, any particularly large ones, there's a little cutscene, and you're done. It's much less hard than many of the previous missions. It's a weirdly meh game given that they've done a lot of things right. Once you have the right drivers, it's beautiful, even more so than Fallout 3 or FNV. The voice acting is good, and you can talk to most anyone. The racing sections offer a change of pace and a challenge, though I really really hate WASD controls for vehicles. The fighting missions have just enough challenge and variety. But I find I don't have any great desire to play it again. I think it's because they've skimped on toys and story. The closest thing to a fascinating toy is the remote controlled mini-car, but there's precisely one mission where it's useful. As for story, they've got one, but they didn't bother to add explorable background material (as in Fallout or Dishonored), there's no character you care for, and no one is particularly distinctive or funny or scary. Yet another jaunt through Post-Apocalyptia. In this case, not that it really matters, the culprit was an asteroid impact. You wake up from a Vault– sorry, an Ark– and are immediately enlisted to go kill people. And you do, without question, because you're one of those video game freaks who never talk. At first I couldn't play the game, because it had horrible, constant flickering. New drivers solved the problem, fortunately. This is the first game I've bought because it was featured on Dead End Thrills. Because it's gorgeous. Well, gorgeous in the peculiar way of Post-Apocalyptia: ruined or repurposed industrial detritus and raw rock. It's striking how many video games feature this environment; I suppose it speaks to a certain ambivalence we have about our grandiose, maddening civilization. One review I read complained that Rage is less a game than a glorified tech demo. There's something to this, but it's way less bothersome if you picked it up for $5 at a Steam sale. It's true that the story is pretty minimal; it doesn't have the RPG elements or pathos of Fallout, nor the over-the-top humor of Borderlands. It's basically about two things: Sidling through destroyed structures clearing them of bandits and/or soldiers with the armory you carry about your person. This part goes pretty well, so long as you remember to use cover. After a few missions, you can basically buy all the ammunition you need, so it's mostly just a matter of remembering to keep out of the open. (Memo to video game enemies: popping your head up in the same location each time leads to no good thing.) Racing your buggy and cursing the stupid WASD controls. Srsly, designers, please learn from Borderlands and let us control direction with the frigging mouse, which has the fine control of a frigging steering wheel. My major complaint would be that it's all way railroaded. You're given the chance to decline missions, but there's no point in doing so; there's only one path through the story. There are side missions, but most of them are trivial. The world is pretty large, but again there's no real point to exploring it closely, as the vast vistas are just territory to drive through on the way to your next quest point. Even the bandit nests are railroaded. That's a plus in that it's hard to get lost, but a minus in that there's rarely an alternate way to proceed (a la Dishonored). This applies to your toys, too. E.g. you get a remote-controlled, exploding car, but you can't really use it all over, only in the few places the level designer put in. Also, the inventory management is just confusing as hell. The mousewheel cycles through your guns, as it should, but some get skipped for no reason I've been able to figure out. You get quick-use items that are all triggered with one key, which basically means that the wrong one will be selected all too often. So you have to select which item to use, then hit Q, and sometimes you have to go to the inventory screen instead. I'd really rather have had quickkeys for healing / explosives / wingsticks / other toys. Story is a bit overemphasized in game reviews, probably because it's the bit that games share with novels and movies and thus feels like Art. Still, it's definitely a weak point here. There is a story here– something about an Authority– but it mostly just relies on the tropes of Post-Apocalyptia. There's always bandits, some high-tech authoritarians, and a smattering of kindly though gun-happy settlers. Oh well. Did I mention how pretty it is? Also, the character modelling is awfully good, much better than Fallout or Skyrim. I'm not done with it, but it looks like about 20 hours of gameplay, which is just about right. (Any less and I'd feel cheated; much more and the lack of a compelling story would make it feel tedious.) I stayed up way too late last night finishing Dishonored. Or should I say Deushonored Ex? No, because that's not the name of the game, but my point is that it's very reminiscent of Deus Ex (and indeed it shared a designer). One similarity is that the basic plot point is that you're a security specialist who spectacularly fails at his job. You are the bodyguard for these two characters. You fail. You play Corvo, Lord Protector to the above Empress for less than five minutes. (By the way, kudos to the designers for the Empress's stylish pants. Gowns with big bustles would be more Victorian, but good conworlding should avoid slavish imitation.) Adam Jensen's boss was awfully forgiving of his big screwup, but the new Lord Regent is not; you're not only fired, but framed for the murder. Perhaps you could say you're dishonored? Nah, framed is better. Anyway, it turns out you have allies, the Loyalists, who hang out in a pub and send you on missions. Like, oh, say, Deus Ex, you can execute these either by stealth, sneaking up behind people and choking them into unconciousness, or you can just shoot and/or stab them. Oh, and like some other games, Deus Ex for example, you get some magical powers to help you stun and/or kill dudes. What would stealth games be without this mechanic of poor peripheral vision and quick, safe comas? It's a pity you can't do this in real life. Anyway, if you go for stealth at all you'll be spending a lot of time creating artistic piles of bodies, like this: What Arkham City needed: Body stashing As with, say, Deus Ex, there's basically only one way to put people into comas– sneak up from behind. (Well, as in, say, Deus Ex, there's also a sleep gun with limited rounds.) However, there's a lot more options for getting around, and that makes it a better experience overall. The skills are disappointingly skewed toward combat, but I relied heavily on Dark Vision, Blink,and Possession. The first of these is basically Detective Vision, but the other two are novel and fun. Blink gives you a short teleport, which opens up all sorts of ways to traverse the maps, including vertically. It's kind of like a non-athletic parkour. Possession is the most fun: at level one you can temporarily take control of a rat or fish, which can be used to get past enemies or take unusual routes; at level two you can possess humans. This is very useful for getting past electrical barriers, for getting a victim into a quiet location to choke him, or even for evading combat. If anything it's overpowered… in the later missions I was just a possessin' fool. There's a Stop Time function that seems like it could be a good time, but I ended up barely using it. It's most useful if you're facing a bunch of alarmed enemies, but if you are, your stealth has already gone awry and it's frankly easier to reload a quicksave. I'm a bit spoiled by Arkham Asylum/City, where messing up stealth can almost always be taken care of by disappearing into the heights. In Deus Ex I got pretty tired of the cycle of quicksave, inch forward and alarm every enemy in town, reload. Dishonored is a little better thanks to Blink and Possession, which can be used to get out of trouble. I didn't do much combat, because it turns out that Dishonored has an annoying morality system. Nonlethal takedowns are Good; killing people is Bad. If you're Bad, you not only get a darker ending (the plague never ends), but more enemies, plus some characters will give you a severe talking-to. I'm not much of a carnage guy, but still I find this sanctimonious nonsense. You even get Bad points for killing the zombie-like plague victims, and for killing the guy who actually murdered the Empress. Game designers, if you disapprove of a certain set of player actions, maybe don't write a game about them. It's just not that hard to do: just don't give 'em a gun and sword. No matter how careful you are, Corvo will screw up again, because a) he's never read this post on the game designer's almost inevitable plot mechanism, and b) he's gauche enough to drink when he's being toasted. What comes after steampunk? Steambyzantium? Incapunk? The game has a nice style of its own… well, not far from the Wonder City parts of Arkham City, but I'd much rather see more games that are vaguely Victorian instead of mediocrely medieval. Plus, as mentioned, the world here is just different enough to be interesting. There's a lot of lore scattered about, and it's a plus that it's all in digestible-sized pieces. (It's nice that the Elder Scrolls games have entire short stories in them, but I'm not always in the mood to read them.) Even though each level is fairly constrained, they do a good job suggesting a much larger city. There are some nice cityscapes, all prettily 3-D-modelled. (Steam is actually behind on this– Steam games have very clever level design, but don't have the enormous vistas of Dishonored or Skyrim or GTA or Saints Row.) I'd say the level design is pretty good, in that I was only completely baffled twice, and I baffle easily. (My only cavil is on the very last map, where you're on a lighthouse, and every video game instinct ever says that you should go up to the very tippy-top. I did, and there was nothing there… my target was a few floors below. Oh well. I think the top is used in the Bad ending.) The setting, Dunwall, is a mixture of steampunk, fascism, and zombie apocalypse. The city is in the throes of a rat-borne plague, you see, which is said to have killed off a third of the population already. I read an interview that mentions that this was actually a serendipitous idea to explain the sparsely populated streets– plus, they came up with interesting things to do with the omnipresent rats. The fascism bit bugs me a little, just because I don't really like the fantasy trope that a government can turn Eeevil, or be redeemed, based on the personality at the top. Yes, I know, Hitler, but the whole problem with Germany was that it had very shallow experience with democracy. What does it say about Corvo and his Empress that they were an assassination away from being a police state in a death spiral? All the instruments of repression– the rapacious aristocrats, the oppressive response to the plague, the tallboys and electrical barriers, the Orwellian loudspeakers, the torture chamber– had to have been developed and deployed under the Empress's rule. As for replayability, I dunno. I might do another playthrough now that I know how it all goes, though all the plot elements (cutscenes, conversations, lore books) are a bit tedious to go through twice. It looks like I got through it in 23 hours, which is nothing for a Bethesda game (I've got 111 hours in Skyrim and I never even finished), and pretty light for a $60 game… but that's OK as I got it for half off. Anyway, even if I'm not quite as rapturous about it as some of my friends, it's a good game, especially if you like stealth. I decided I might as well finish Fallout New Vegas, so I did. It turns out I was only about two hours from the end. Hey, House, you're ugly! I have mixed feelings about the ending, though in part I think it's because almost all video games have problems in the endgame. More on that in a moment. A minor annoyance is all the running around. In this big open world, the ending is designed so that you're constantly shuttling from one place to another, with loading screens popping up constantly. The hardest part of the ending is not anything you have to fight, but avoiding fights. I had to replay the Hoover Dam bit several times in order not to kill NCR, 'cos I don't really have anything against them. It wasn't really obvious how to do this, and it's annoying that Stealth Boys, plus a Sneak of 100, did absolutely nothing to prevent conflicts. (On the other hand, as I was talking to Lanius, I decided, fuck this speech challenge shit, mask boy's gotta die.) It's a bit weird that the very last bit of gameplay involve Yes Man explaining that he's going to get an assertiveness upgrade. It sounds ominous, but the designer has explained that he meant only that it was intended to mean that he would henceforth answer only to the Courier. It's still a strange note to end on. As with Fallout 3, it's rather unsatisfying to just end the game. You get a slideshow but little feeling of what it means to have an independent New Vegas. I think FNV makes an effort to give you some meaningful choices– you can go evil with Caesar, or go conventional with the NCR, or take over for yourself. But you don't get to see any of it. (Also, the slideshow suggests that Freeside was even more lawless afterward… why? We have a frigging army of Securitrons now.) As I said, though, I think it's just a special case of the general problem: it's hard to wrap up a video game in a satisfying way. Most action games choose the option of: Big boss fight. And that's kind of it for options. Games differ in how hard the final fight is, from nearly impossible (HL2 Ep 2) to big ol' climax (Dragon Age Origins) to standard (Saints Row 3) to kinda minimal (FNV). But it's tricky to get a final boss fight to really work well– to use all your skills plus offer rewards plus wrap up the story. To put it another way, what makes a game fun is, unsurprisingly, the gameplay. And that's pretty varied. It may involve: noodling around an open world taking on whatever challenges you find (F3/FNV, Borderlands, Saints Row 3, VTM Bloodlines, Fable III) But the final boss fight usually doesn't resemble the main gameplay, so it doesn't quite cohere. It works better if the game has been puncutated by boss fights, as in Arkham City or Borderlands 2, though even in such cases you generally can't use stealth or sniper skills. There's also the problem that the story has to be wrapped up, which generally means cutscenes or reduced player choices. (The poster child for this problem is Dreamfall, which pretty much turns into a movie at the end.) Ironically, it all may not matter much, because if the game was really good you probably want to play it again immediately, perhaps on a harder setting. It feels like the fastest and slightest of the four DLCs, though that may be because my level is in the upper 40s and even a Giant Cazador doesn't faze me. (I recall a time in the very early game when I was trying to explore the mountains and first discovered Cazadores as well as how unavoidably they could massacre a low-level character.) Spectactular place, Zion: The main quest gets you involved in a tribal war– repercussions of the larger war outside, as one side is allied with Caesar and the other is assisted by Caesar's ex-general Joshua. There's some heavy material here– the role of religion, civilization vs. tribalism, vengeance vs. protection vs. pacifism– but overall I think the developers bit off more than they could chew. You basically make one big fat choice, and it appears the actual battle plays out about the same either way. There's no option to join or help the Bad Tribals. (Not that I wanted to, but the main game and the rest of the DLC allow you to take the really evil path if you want to.) Plus I think the game doesn't quite manage to avoid the colonialist mindset. The tribes are obvious nods to Native Americans, though it seems only the Dead Horses are supposed to be actual Natives. The 'good tribes' have Indian-like names and speak broken English, and mainly attack with melee weapons– out-Westerning the Westerns, as 19th century Native Americans were quite happy to use guns. The tribes seem to be easily manipulated; all three tribes are effectively under the leadership of Caucasians. I don't think the developers intended to be quite this regressive; but I think ending up with this infantilizing picture is almost inevitable if you start out with the idea of "tribes vs. civilization" and don't really look beyond pop culture for your research. Anyway, I don't mean to be terribly negative. The DLCs as a whole are pretty impressive, and I think all of them are more satisfying than the main New Vegas storyline. Plus Zion turns out to be a treasure trove of Xander Root and Broc Flower– which we learn early on in FNV are the principal ingredients in Stimpaks, but which are annoyingly rare in the Mojave. I picked this up during the last Steam sale, and just beat it. It's surprisingly good. Combat is not very hard– though the werewolves can be pretty nasty. I think I used about half a dozen healing potions for the whole game, but I wasn't in challenging mode. You have swords, guns, and magic, and can switch between them easily. They each have their advantages. Guns can be used at far range; magic offers both ranged attacks and an area of effect spell; melee lets you block enemy attacks. I relied heavily on magic, with swords in second place. Magic missile! The first part of the game is a standard RPG, where you fight enemies, do quests, explore the world, find allies, and level up. You start out as a princess (or prince), and your aim is to take over the kingdom from your evil brother Logan. The tone is all over the place. Very early on there's a rather arresting moral dilemma– a Joker choice. Logan has you decide whether to execute some rebels, or your own lover. Pretty serious stuff. Later on the tone is mostly lighthearted, indeed often silly in a particularly British way. (The chicken liberation, for instance. Or the snarking gnomes, or the side quest where you break up a marriage. The wizards running a tabletop game campaign is another highlight.) Another quest, once you get to the neighboring land of Aurora, verges on horror. I don't think any of this is bad; it keeps the game lively. So, you beat down Logan and become queen of Albion. And this is where the game gives you a serious shock. Logan was such a bastard because he was trying to raise money to meet a huge threat– an invasion of the kingdom. That's your job now. To do it you'll need 6,500,000 gold. Oh, and you had to make promises to your allies; now they come due, and they add a few million more gold in obligations. In Oblivion (or Skyrim), you can become master of a guild– indeed, all the guilds. For this you get a few minor perks and pretty much nothing else. I always thought it'd be great if, once you ran the guild, you had to face problems at an entirely new level– rather than dungeons to clear, you'd have intrigue to manage, guild rivalries, financial troubles. Well, Fable III does this. Becoming queen turns out to be the easy part. Now you have to raise millions of gold in a limited time. And all the easy ways will make people hate you. Pondering. This is not actually the worst makeup I've worn in a video game Fable III has the dreaded good/evil morality, but it's the only game I know of that makes it work. That's because the choices are not just changes in decor, or in a few slides in the post-game wrap-up. They affect the world– you can ruin entire regions of the map if you like. And they affect how all the NPCs feel about you. More importantly, there's a cost to doing good, and keeping your promises… namely, a cost of about 9,000,000 in gold. Evil, you see, translates as cheap and easy. Merely by betraying your friends and becoming a tyrant, you get scads of money and can easily raise the money to face the invasion. If you take the good path, you have to raise that money in other ways. That's a really clever approach and, in fact, a pretty wise moral lesson. Now, how do you raise the money? I did most of it by baking pies. Beyond combat, you see, Fable III is a kind of medieval life simulator. You can meet people and interact with them to raise or lower their disposition. You can get married and have or adopt children. You can buy property or stores and get a share in the profits. And there are lucrative jobs available– blacksmith, lute player, and pie maker. They're variants on a simple minigame. It's just tedious enough to make the evil path tempting, but also requires just enough skill to keep you awake. (As opposed to, say, cutting lumber in Skyrim, which doesn't even try to amuse you.) A quarter hour of pie making, plus rent once you've bought up all the shops, should net you nearly half a million in gold. Those are pretty fabulous pies. (Things I'd Wish I'd Known: maxing out any of the job costs 'guild seals', the game's version of XP. Don't waste your seals on more than one job type.) (For being so evil, Logan is a piss-poor manager; he leaves you only a pittance in the treasury. Too bad he never learned how to make pies.) The NPCs are always chattering, and on the whole more interestingly than in Skyrim. (They'll even comment on the quality of the clothes you wear– though the clothes have no other function; there's no idea of armor.) If you interact with them, it gets all symbolic. You can dance with them, hug them, kiss them– an interview I found mentions that they purposely made the interactions very tactile, in order to make you care for the little buggers. (If you want to be evil, there are options for being a jerk, too.) It's pretty cute, really. You can take someone's hand and lead them somewhere… to bed, for instance. If you hit E on the bed, you get the very frank options "Sleep" and "Have sex". The screen fades to black… but you get a full set of sound effects. It's amusing rather than laviscious, but not many American games are quite this accepting. You can go on to marry your partner and raise children, and you can even have marriages in several cities. When you interact with an NPC, the game helpfully tells you their sexual orientation. Disappointingly, I couldn't find a single lesbian in Aurora. I did find a lesbian noblewoman, and I bought an expensive house in Albion's aristo district for her. Leading her there, by the hand, we were attacked by werewolves and she was killed to death. Ouch. I consoled myself with my other two wives, and by renting out the expensive house. Till death do us part. Which will come in about one minute The game has a kind of clever inventory management system: as a genuine hero, you have an extradimensional sanctuary, and you manage your costumes, weapons, and weapons there– under the attentive eye of your butler. At least it explains why you always have access to all this gear, something that's a complete mystery in most RPGs. It actually works pretty well. The voices are all delightfully British. I envy the Brits for having accents that are so well suited to medieval fantasy. American accents are too uniform, and are a bit jarring amid the cobblestones and thatched roofs. I thought the butler occasionally sounded rather Cleesean, and it turns out that this is because he's played by John Cleese. Stephen Fry, Simon Pegg, and Ben Kingsley are also along for the ride. I have just a few cavils. The sanctuary has a map, but it's awkward for the (fortunately rare) bits where you have to find a place. (Normally you can just follow the sparkly lights.) Switching between quests is a little harder than it ought to be. I also apparently killed a civilian during the attack on the palace, which meant that for about a day half the people of Brightwall complained about my murdering ways. There are extra weapons you can get in various ways, but they don't really add much. (Neat idea, though: many come with attached achievements, which give you bonuses once they're fulfilled.) There's also the option to redecorate your homes, but the furniture options are pretty limited and this too could have been left out. Oh, and a health HUD would be useful. I cut the game a lot of slack because it's trying something really interesting– a fantasy simulation where hacking and slashing is not the solution to everything. I think it's mostly but not perfectly successful. I think it could have used tougher combat and more variety and harder minigames in the relationship-building. Apparently your spouse(s) can become unhappy, but this never happened to me. Any relationship problems can be solved by more hugs and kisses, or slightly tedious fetch quests. I appreciate the game's switcheroo– the tyrant you thought you were fighting turns out to be doing what he thinks is the right thing, and you're given the opportunity to do just as he did. Still, most of the choices are fairly simplistic, and there's little point in being only partially evil. It'd be interesting if you had more or different kinds of options sometimes. (The closest I came was in deciding whether to rebuild the orphanage or build a brothel. Why can't we have both?) Some review I saw called it grindy, but I wouldn't say that. The main and side quests are pretty well done, and there's a lot of near-Pythonesque humor. Anyway, if you don't like the grind of having to make all that money, you can just be evil. In this one, you're invited to the opening of a new casino out in the middle of nowhere. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that things go south. You find yourself without all your equipment, and tied to three other lost souls… by suicide collars that will all explode if any of you die. So much for Plan C. Got a nice armored suit out of it For the first few missions, then, the DLC recreates the chancy survival of the beginning game, when you value every stimpak and every scrap of ammo. Which is good; that's the most compelling part of the genre anyway. Plus, the pack is surprisingly story- and character-oriented. Each of your companions is a pretty weird character with a story of their own. Plus, the story here turns out to be loosely linked to that of Lonesome Roadand Old World Blues (as well as to my favorite companion, Veronica). That said, it's my least favorite of the three. This was actually the first DLC, so maybe they were still figuring out how to create a challenge for high-level Couriers. Their big brainwave: enemies you can't kill. I was not thrilled when I killed my first Ghost Hunter and, after a moment, it got right back up again. But you do get a way to put them down for good not long after. Their other big idea: a maze of twisty passages, all alike. The first half of the DLC is set in the Villa, where all the buildings look the same. Game designers, this is the least exciting way to make it difficult for a character to get where she needs to go. And then the last section, in the casino itself, approaches Black-Mesa-endgame levels of bad level design. Basically there are speakers that threaten to set off your suicide collar, and holograms that can shoot you but can't be killed, and you have to a) find the safe spots where you won't explode, and b) disable the speakers and hologram emitters. The thing is, there's no rhyme or reason to where the safe spots are– very often you have no choice but to run blindly into a death zone hoping that you'll find a safe spot on the other side. Often you will, but I think it breaks immersion. You can't play as a savvy, wasteland-smart Courier, because running into a death zone is stupid and suicidal. In a real apocalypse you can't rely on the goodness of the level designer, or on a walkthrough. You do get a pretty swanky dress though. So, it's a bit of a slog, and you don't really get any amazing loot out of it. Well, except for money: there is an actual treasure of the Sierra Madre, and it's comically huge– gold bars that will overstrain your inventory, plus it's hard to find merchants who can pay for them. But I don't mind that part; it seems only fitting that the payoff for the biggest treasure trove in Post-Apocalyptia is nearly useless. I have plenty of caps by now anyway, so I've set out a gold bar or two in my motel room in Novac, along with the teddy bears, toy cars, space helmet, and glowing bottles of Nuka-Cola.
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One of your references for this week, Christensen and Overdorf (2000) speak of the challenge of disruptive change. You will be studying about disruptive change throughout your MSHCA program. The concept means the changes that create an entirely new market that at first is judged by customers' response as negative. What examples of disruptive change in the health care industry come to mind? What about shorter lengths of hospital stays? How about surgery when it was first performed in free standing surgery centers, outside of hospitals? A sustaining innovation, on the other hand, is a product or service that customers already value. In the health care industry, think of medications that are already on the market but are reformulated to absorb more quickly or to be given in fewer doses, while achieving the same clinical goal. Disruptive changes will always be a part of a manager's world. While Christensen and Overdorf posit that managers see these disruptive changes coming, the authors feel that managers don't always think about their organizations' capabilities in responding to disruptive change as much as they think about individual people's capabilities to deal with disruptive change. To help managers understand how to assess the abilities and disabilities of their organizations to deal with disruptive change, Christensen and Overdorf offer a framework (another term for model, view or paradigm) for looking at how organizations respond to change. Christensen and Overdorf describe several ways that organizations can cope with change; these ways call for managers to create a new organizational space where organizational change capabilities can be created. The authors suggest three possible scenarios for organizations that want to change: creating new organizational structures; spinning out an independent organization; and acquiring a different organization. You may have witnessed or read about a change in the health care industry that demonstrates each of these three capabilities for organizations to deal with disruptive change. CRITICAL THINKING: A series of rational cognitive processes which allows the thinker to look at an issue or situation at both macro and micro levels, without the influence of subjective judgment, in order to determine the relative merit of that issue or situation. (Edwards, 2002) REASONING: A definition: 1. Use of reason, especially to form conclusions, judgments, or inferences. 2. Arguments or evidence used in reasoning. (Webster's Dictionary, 1988) FALLACIOUS REASONING: A definition: 1. Containing fundamental errors in reasoning. 2. Misleading; deceptive. (Webster's Dictionary, 2002) Fallacious reasoning can be examined in the context of health claims made for dietary supplements. According to Kreth (2000), these claims can contain two types of common fallacies of thinking: post hoc reasoning and inappropriate appeals to authority. Kreth writes the following: Post hoc fallacies most often take the form of testimonials from allegedly satisfied consumers who simply assume a causal relationship between a supplement and its perceived effects, as if subjective opinions are valid and reliable evidence of a supplement's epidemiological effects. In fact, any perceived effect of taking a particular supplement might simply be a placebo effect, i.e., a psychological effect rooted in the user's belief in the product's efficacy, rather than any actual effect induced by the product itself. Another widely used form of fallacious reasoning among supplement ads is inappropriate appeals to authority. For example, the television ad of a ginkgo biloba supplement offers an endorsement by an actor (who plays a doctor on a popular television show) to establish the effectiveness of the product, even though an actor does not possess the necessary expertise to legitimately make such an endorsement" (paragraph 5). In both of these examples, having to do with health claims for dietary supplements, appeals to the potential customer's thinking are based on spurious logic, or fallacious reasoning. Be on the alert for such types of claims in articles and reports, as well as in popular advertising. As the semester progresses, you may be asked to critique the writing of others to detect possible examples of fallacious reasoning. HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION Health care administration is that set of management practices and procedures where health care services are conceptualized, planned for, delivered, evaluated and reinvented in order to assist individuals, families and communities to prevent disease and promote healthful living. In addition to licensed health care providers, this broad area of business management also includes practices and procedures for administrators whose role and functions are reflected in an "in behalf of" method, for instance, by persons who work in managed health and other insurance businesses or by persons who work in pharmaceutical or health products supply companies (Edwards, 2002). One of the first things to consider as you begin your exploration of the field of health care administration is to know that there are several ways to view the system that comprises health care administration. Throughout your MSHCA degree program, you will read about various "models" or frameworks that have been designed to make it simpler to see the component parts of a system. One such set of models appears in the lecture, below, that focuses on different phases in the evolution of management thought. Examples of models are the human relations and scientific management schools of thought. Before discussing models or frameworks, it is best to begin with the large picture of scientific thought, which starts with a system. A system, according to Daft (2001), who writes texts on general management, is a "set of interacting elements that acquires inputs from the environment, transforms them, and discharges outputs to the external environment" (p. 14). In the field of health care administration, there are also models or frameworks through which one views the components of that field of study and practice. For instance, one can look at the health care system, as does Daft (2001). Daft describes two types of systems: the open and the closed. The open system must interact with its environment: it consumes resources and it exports resources. It is constantly changing and responding to its environment. The human relations school of management would be considered an example of an open system. A hospital could demonstrate an open system model. Systems theory implies a set of steps whereby a process or procedure can be separated into its constituent parts. The first step, input, includes all of the items of human and non human elements that are needed to begin a process. In a public health school immunization program, inputs would include the children whose parents or guardians believe the children need the immunizations, the nurses or other health care providers who administer the injections, and the vaccines, needles and syringes needed for the injections. The throughput, or second stage of the system, is that place where an action or activity produces a transformation or change, to the constituent parts that enter the system of inputs. For example, in the school immunization program, the administering of the injection to a student is a change or transformation, since the child's body now contains the vaccine, which presumably will assist the child in warding off disease. The third step in the systems model is the output. This is the place where outcomes or outputs emerge. An output is some object or action that can be counted, for example, the number of children who were vaccinated in a school public health immunization program during a set time period. An outcome is something that is produced as a result of the transformation or change step. For example, to determine the outcome of a school public health immunization program, one would try to determine the number of cases of a communicable disease before the immunization program, then compare that number with the number of cases of that same communicable disease for some future time period, after the immunization program, in order to attempt to create a link between the prevention (the immunization) and the outcome (the, hopefully, decreased number of cases of that communicable disease). The final step in the systems process is the feedback loop. This step is identified by the returning, or looping back into the system, of the information gathered during the above steps. The information fed back into the system is analyzed and evaluated, so that changes to the system can be made, based upon the information obtained. The feedback loop should be in place before the system's process begin, so that changes to the system that are perceived to be needed can be made as soon as the need is determined. Thus, the feedback loop is critical to improving the system at every stage of the system's life cycle. (Edwards, 2002) What types of feedback do you believe could be used to complete the systems model of health care administration for the school public health immunization program discussed above? What types of feedback could be gleaned from parents/guardians of children to be immunized? From the students themselves? From school personnel? From private physicians in the community served by that school? By other public health programs, e.g., the communicable disease surveillance unit of the local public health department or the public health nurses who offer clinics and home visiting services to that community? Compare the open system, exemplified above by the school health immunization program, with a closed system. Are there examples of closed systems in the health care industry? What might they be? Daft describes, on the other hand, a closed system, which does not depend on its environment. It is "autonomous, enclosed, and sealed off from the outside world" (p.14). Daft links early scientific management, see its description below, as being a closed system. As you read and as you carry out research, learning more about frameworks and models used to study health care administration, you will add to your list of possible models or frameworks. As you have seen above, the frameworks or models that can be used to examine health care administration include systems theory. Another way to study health care administration is to "experiment" with the fit between what you learn and what you have already observed in the health care industry, both as a consumer and as a provider, support person, etc. For instance, health care administration can also be looked at from the viewpoint of a problem solving perspective. Health care administration can also be examined from a explore health care administration is from a process or quality improvement viewpoint. More will be discussed on the topics of frameworks or models, as your HCA degree program unfolds. Whatever models for studying health care administration are selected, the application of them to health care administration is required in order to enhance a person's ability to make sense of the component parts of a system, to explain their interdependencies and to make suggestions for improvement to the system and its parts. A student of health care administration will use models and frameworks to look at management, to look at the health care industry and to make cogent and reasoned linkages between them. A final thought on framework or systems of thought. In your MSHCA degree program, you begin the program with this introductory course, HCAD 600. You are then expected to take ADMN 625, the organizational communication course, ADMN 635, the leadership course, ADMN 638 the quantitative methods course (be sure to take this quantitative methods course before you take ADMN 630 since it will be a big help to you)) and finally, take your fourth core course, ADMN 630 or 631, financial management for managers. There is a rationale to the university's design of which courses you take and in what order. Part of that rationale is given here: You begin your graduate course work with HCAD 600, the overview of management, of health care administration, of ethics, of writing and usage of a style manual, of critical thinking, of creativity and of graduate level expectations. You proceed to core courses, which form the basis or foundation for the required and one elective health care administration courses you will take.. In ADMN 625, the importance of communication, of really listening to others in the workplace, of working in teams, of understanding both conformity and conflict, their advantages and disadvantages, are emphasized. In ADMN 635, the multiple types of leadership and how they are demonstrated are thoroughly explored. In ADMN 638, you will review and further strengthen your reasoning and quantitative evaluation skills. And, in ADMN 630 (or 631, for those with a financial management background), you will develop an appreciation for financial management for managers. In each of these courses, there is an immediate application of subject matter to the health care administration field. You can view these core courses as the framework for later courses in this program. Keep your core course texts and notes, since they should assist your work in your health care courses. As you view the foundation of management and of these special management areas, i.e., communication, leadership, quantitative methods and financial management, you will begin to form the model or prism through which your graduate level studies flow. Consider at each stage of your MSHCA program how each course links with each other, to form a synchronous whole, from which the depth of your graduate level achievements will flow. Finally, for this week, here is some very foundational information, in brief, based on one of your course texts (the edited Mann and Gotz book), which highlights some of the principal components of management thought. As you read the information below, on the evolution of management thought, be thinking of health care settings that you know, identifying how the management that you have observed in those settings relates to the various phases of management thought and practice discussed here. Sometimes, organizations, including health care organizations, have gotten "stuck" in a particular management phase from history, and need to move out of it, but have not yet done so. By the end of this degree program, you should be able to identify what phase of management thinking seems most represented by a health care organization, and be able to make suggestions for improvement in the management thinking of that organization. EVOLUTION OF MANAGEMENT THOUGHT: Why study management thought throughout history? Dr. Alan Sutherland, UMUC faculty person, discusses this question. Based on Michael Frank's chapter in the Mann and Gotz text, (p. 33), people need to know where they have been in order to determine where they are to go, especially if they want to avoid the "quick fix" to management problems that may cause more damage in the long run. Management theory has been a combination of academic discipline and applied discipline; in other words, theory that is field tested in real organizations, often with conflicting results. Briefly -- very briefly -- the stages of management theory have been: 1. The "Pre-Industrial Age" (roughly up to the early or mid-19th century). Since most commerce was still one of individual or small group effort, management was focused mostly in public organizations (especially the military) and in nonprofit organizations (primarily the church) -- only those institutions were large enough to be concerned about the movement of large groups of people and large amounts of material toward a specific goal or goals. 2. The "Early Industrial Age" (roughly the mid- to late 19th century). Here is seen the beginning of collective effort to produce profits, primarily the result of the use of new forms of energy, particularly steam energy. Production becomes more a collective effort, especially as factories replace cottage industry and craft guilds. Management begins to be seen as a theory, though not yet as a discipline. 3. The "Mid-Industrial Age" (roughly the mid-19th century to the early 20th century). Management theory expands, and management, previously a subset of economics, psychology and sociology, evolves as a separate discipline. Management theory is dominated by "Classical Management," with its focus on hierarchical structure, and "Scientific Management," with its focus on measurement. 4. The "Late Industrial Age" (basically, post World War I to the present). Management theory "comes into its own" as a discipline. Many theories are developed during this time period, e.g., human relations, Total Quality Management, systems theory, critical path, etc. Earlier theories during this period focused on employees as motivated individuals, not just as cogs in a wheel. Later theories were directed more toward the relationships among components in organizations. However, the focus of these theories remained primarily within the organization. 5. The "Information Age" (roughly the 1990s to the present). This is the set of theories emerging from the post-Industrial Age. These theories are focused on the relationship between organizations (singularly and in multiple numbers) and their environment in the broadest sense of that term. The focus is more on the role that information (and the management of information) plays in organizations, "corporate citizenship," and the increasing globalization of commerce and inter organizational activity. These schools of thought can best be symbolized by "chaos theory," which (as a gross oversimplification) holds that the flapping of the wings of a single butterfly relates to the movement of air currents that cause changes in weather." THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY AND ITS ORIGINS: What is important for those who study health care administration is to view the evolution of management thought as it has affected health care administration as a discipline and a field of study. The early history of health care shows that religious orders, nuns in particular, provided health care to travelers. Members of these orders in abbeys and other walled fortresses took care of those injured in battle, and botanists and herbalists provided medicinal therapeutics to those ill and infirm. Over time, the role of physicians and the education of physicians assumed roles in health care earlier that had been provided by lay midwives, barbers/surgeons and the aforementioned herbalists. One example, from Paul Starr (1982), of the ascendancy of physicians' roles in health care decision making was that hospitals were constructed for the care of ill persons. Formerly, even persons who were seriously ill were cared for at home: for those of limited finances, family members, friends and houses of worship provided care takers. For those with the means to do so, paid workers were hired, such as untrained nursing personnel. Over time, with the advent of professional nursing education, private duty nurses often cared for persons in their homes, working with physicians who made regular home visits to these patients. But as time went on, physicians recognized that they could see more patients in shorter periods of time, if the patients were all located in one place: thus, the advent of the hospital. This is an example of a business that moved from being a "cottage" type of industry to one that moved into an industrialized mode of production. This change in location of patients made a large leap into health care administration: groups of patients needing 24 hour care, needing laundry and meal service, housekeeping, medicine, creating a market for health care management services. Early hospitals were headed by physician "superintendents" and run by nurses. Boards of directors, trustees or visitors made policy and others carried out their guidance. Florence Nightingale, a British noblewoman, who worked in the Crimean War, was heralded as a leading force in the reform of hospital standards of cleanliness, care and overall compassionate nursing. Her efforts were rewarded by the British Army in that she was commissioned to reform all of its hospitals. The work of Nightingale can be seen in the U.S. in such areas as open, airy hospital design and the elevation of the standards for nursing education programs. (Raffel & Raffel, 1994) More recent analyses of Nightingale's work have added new information to our understanding of this complex historical character. Authors have said that Nightingale's primary interest was not the reform of civilian nursing but rather a: "... thorough overhaul of the health of the army in peacetime." Nightingale's contributions have also been characterized as "enormous" to the fields of public health, statistics and nursing. (Nelson, 2003) As time went by, a separate role from physicians and nurses, who were the early health care givers and administrative decision makers in the health care field, was developed. This role evolved into the lay, meaning non religious or non clinical, hospital administrator. Over more time, lay health care administrators' roles grew into administering hospitals, nursing homes and other types of health care settings. The need for such health care administrators engendered educational programs to best prepare persons for these roles. You are in one such program. In addition to physicians, nurses and lay health care administrators, there were other societal representatives who had a role to play in the delivery and administration of selected health care services. Persons interested in social justice were alert to the needs of the vulnerable in society, whether children, the elderly or the ill. Private citizens donated land and money to care for the less fortunate. Governments assumed some role for the care of the disadvantaged: those with certain communicable diseases, those with developmental disabilities, those with other unmet mental health needs. Hospitals and other care giving facilities were erected to provide health and related services to a variety of people, through the coming together of a number of people and organizations. As you think about the origins of the health care industry and as you look at the evolution of management thought, consider Mann's discussion in the Mann and Gotz Overview (2002). If the four themes from that Overview do represent management thought in the U.S., compare them with the health care industry. Individualism as a societal theme looks out first for number one and is juxtaposed with more communitarian societies that seem to work for the common good. Has the health care industry demonstrated a communitarian value system, or is it composed of individualists? Pragmatism, valued by many, for its emphasis on clarity, cognitive functions and getting things done, seems to fit with many businesses in the U.S. Is the health care industry among them? In terms of the free enterprise system, has the history of the health care industry allowed individual entrepreneurs to easily gain a foothold in the health care marketplace? What have been the dominant forces that have combined to make our U.S. health care system what it is today? And, finally, when one considers professional managers, the history of management in the health care industry demonstrates a focus on the early use of highly skilled workers, physicians, nurses, etc., who then became managers, without professional management education. Can people who are very knowledgeable in their disciplines also become competent leaders and managers? It seems that the themes of management thought in the U.S. give an idea that the U.S. health care industry has some unique characteristics that make it complex to analyze and a challenge to manage. What seems to be, is that as a result of the work of a variety of individuals and organizations, the health care industry has arrived at the unique place where it is today. As a "business" of today, it is not immune from some of the same issues that impact other industries. The topic of health care workers and their productivity and motivation, for example, will be explored more fully in our week four discussion. In this lecture, we will continue to explore below some basic concepts related to our industry and how various "branches" of our industry contribute to the whole of the health care system. Classical Management Functions in the Health Care Industry-Timmreck: Before we look at some of the components of the health care industry, let's review what one of our readings this week had to say about the classical management functions in our industry. In his article, Timmreck (2000) gives the results of an interview format study of 122 midmanagers working in the broad spectrum of health services. When you have completed taking your ADMN 638 course, I believe you may evaluate this article differently than you may at this point in your MSHCA program. By this, I mean that this article is not the most rigorously defined, written nor analyzed article that you may ever read. But its content has value, in terms of discussing management functions. The Timmreck (2000) study identified that for its respondents, organizing, then problem solving, then coordinating, then planning and then directing were the classical management functions identified as being used. The findings of this study may differ from what you do in your job, or from what you see of midmanagers in your work setting. The author also pointed out some differences in the study population, in terms of gender. When you take ADMN 625, UMUC's organizational communication course, you will be exposed to further data on gender differences in management, specifically in the area of communication. Deborah Tannen is an author who has done extensive research in the area of gender and styles of communication. One of the things that came to my mind when I read Timmreck was that the complex, sometimes chaotic nature of the health care industry may be the reason why HC industry midmanagers spend more time in problem solving than the literature reports is done by midmanagers in other industries. Can you think of other reasons for more problem solving being done by HC industry midmanagers? What did you think of Timmreck's assertions re the wisdom (or not) of the promotion of technically competent persons in the HC industry to management positions? Also, how do you evaluate the author's views that many HC midmanagers really don't know about the importance of motivation in getting the job done? The usefulness of Timmreck's article may be that it is useful for health services mid-level administrators to ponder and consider. One final question about the Timmreck article: do you agree with the view of some of his survey respondents that doing menial computer work is an advantage to you, or do you believe that midmanagers see such computer work as lowly and demeaning? Rethinking Principles-Handy: In a reader on management practices, edited by Gibson (2000) and not a required text for this course, Charles Handy writes about rethinking principles. Timmreck used the term "midmanagers" to describe the group on which his study results were based. In the Gibson text, Handy (2000) writes with depth about all workers and managers, in relation to several basic issues about life, business and careers. Handy writes, for instance, that chaos has discernible patterns and that organizations have stable cores, with a flexible surround of employees, where employees carry out their creative functions. Handy (p. 22) also writes that the classic management functions are "not terribly useful" today. He states that one can't predict more than two to three years ahead and that the future is a "series of discontinuities" that must be taken in stride. How do you think such a belief affects business' desire to do long term planning? How might it affect health care industry planning processes? Handy speaks of the need for career resilience by workers, of working for oneself, and of people needing islands of security, as well as the importance of meeting this need in personal relationships. He writes that people can't just be problem solvers, but that in order for continued growth to occur, one needs to be "ahead of the problem." In another of Handy's assertions, he discusses that global competitiveness should not be applied to health care activities. He states that hospitals and other health care components have to "compete with the world in terms of cost efficiency." Do you agree with his views on this? Handy closes by suggesting that the responsibility of organizations, if they want to retain good people, is to provide a purpose. What purpose do you believe that your part of the health care industry demonstrate? Rethinking Principles-Covey: In that same Gibson text (2000), Stephen Covey, who writes about principle centered leadership, discusses the foundations of health care administration. Covey reviews the paradigm of principle centered leadership and, interestingly, uses occasional health care industry examples (e.g., blood letting, aspirin use and small pox vaccines) to present his concepts. One of Covey's emphases is on high quality and low cost business, which he says needs to be based on high trust or the ability to make meaningful partnerships within and without the organization. (p. 35) Covey writes that trust comes emerges from the basic, universal principles of: fairness, justice, honesty and integrity. He further states that high trust cultures bring together pragmatism and idealism. Do you see pragmatism and idealism being operationalized in your work setting? Are you working in what Covey describes as a "high trust" culture? Covey suggests (p. 37) that we need to change the way we think about people, realizing that people are an organization's most valuable assets, capable of immense achievement. He feels that we need to help people find meaning and fulfillment in their lives, to feel that they are making a "personal contribution" to something. In your current work setting, if you asked your coworkers if they felt they were by their work personally contributing to something meaningful, would they respond yes? In discussing why organizations might not be performing up to the level they desire, Covey says there is a human barrier in organizations that is based on lack of courage and on fear: a myth of we can't. Do you agree with Covey that most organizations are overlaying new technologies, team activities and empowerment plans on top of an old benevolent authoritarian paradigm? Covey says this won't work. Covey explores the need for patience with workers because of how long it takes for minds and hearts to change. He offers other suggestions, beyond patience, needed to build high trust, high performance, low cost organizations. He suggests building principles into all organizational structures and systems and using 360 degree performance reviews (which performance appraisal method is not seen by all as a useful tool). Covey closes by writing that high trust organizations may be "immune" to the rigors of tough times; that tomorrow's leaders need to value principles more than they value the organization; and that it takes a long time to put in place in organizations the right set of conditions, combined with nurturance of workers, with humility and courage being demonstrated by organizational leaders. He adds that organizations, and their leaders, need to say what they are about, based on their identified principles and that when mission statements are written for organizations, input from workers at all levels is needed. Consider, as you think about Covey's concepts, composing, for your own use, a personal mission statement. Hold on to it after you create it, returning to it later in this course or in your MSHCA program, looking for the inevitable changes in your personal goals that may come. Let us turn our attention now from general issues that affect the world of work, to some specifics about our study of the world of health care administration. Selected Health Care Administration Topic Areas: When you consider the functions that most managers carry out, you see that the role of the manager is complex. One can add to that functional complexity the variety of work settings where a health care administrator may be employed. These two sets of concepts, managerial role functions and organizational work settings, can create much challenge for the health care administrator. As you read the information below, on components of the health care industry and about UMUC courses that you will be taking, consider how you might apply this information about the health care industry in your career. Long Term Care (LTC). In this area of the health care industry, health care administrators deal with important quality of life issues, not just for elderly persons, but for other disabled persons, regardless of age, whose health care needs are not best met in acute care hospitals. Over time, the acuity level of patients in LTC settings has risen, and many patients who would have in the past remained in acute care hospitals for longer periods of time are now admitted to subacute and extended care units in LTC facilities. LTC facilities have also, over time, taken on certain ancillary service delivery for related non acute health care needs. Examples of these services are adult day care centers for persons with medical conditions who require day treatment programs as well as the delivery of health care services to persons who live in other settings, e.g., group homes, independent living arrangements, etc. More in depth study of the LTC industry will be found in HCAD 670. Public, or Community, Health. The history of public health is rich with examples of groups of interested people (e.g., members of religious orders, the military, private citizens, local, state and federal government workers) coming together in pursuit of a common health care goal. An example of such efforts can be seen in the history of the polio, yellow fever and small pox programs. An example from today would include the work of local, state and federal government agencies in response to anthrax tainted mailings. The work of community health also involves voluntary health associations and organizations and many branches of government, along with numerous citizen groups, working together to improve the health of an entire geographical area, either focused on a particular disease (e.g., lung cancer) or focused on improving the overall health of the community. More examination of the public health movement in the U.S., and globally, is carried out in HCAD 630. Health Care Finance. In all areas of the health care industry, there is controversy about, and there are discussions about, scarce resources and optimal utilization of available funds and other resources. The study of health care financial management and health care economics is contained in HCAD 640. (In order to be prepared for that course, be sure you have taken the course prerequisite, ADMN 630, or 631, prior to registering for HCAD 640.) In the past, health care economists looked most closely at the funding of hospital based care, the role of the pharmaceutical industry in the cost of health care and the ever increasing costs of the long term care industry. Over time, various funding and payment schema have been developed to deal with the issues of health care funding; notable among the concepts developed have been managed care organizations. The premises of managed care, that patients could receive care of appropriate quality and quantity, in a timely manner, do not seem to have yet been fully realized. The U.S. and other countries continue to wrestle with the best way to deal with health care costs. A fuller examination of the topics of health care budgeting, cost, revenue and funding schema is also touched upon in HCAD 620, 630 and 670. Health Care Law. If funding for health care services and products were not complex enough, the addition of numerous legal aspects of health care administration makes for interesting work for health care administrators. Legal topics of special concern in our industry include: the rights of patients; the liabilities of health care providers; and the regulation of the industry itself. A full treatment of these, and other, health care topics is presented in HCAD 650. In addition to legal aspects of health care administration, the issues of ethics and of corporate social responsibility (CSR) must be examined by students of health care administration. In this course, HCAD 600, you will explore ethics and CSR, applying that information to the health care industry. Many days, it is the small ethical challenges, rather than major legal issues, that demand a health care administrator's time. To the extent that this is true in your work setting, learn all that you can about ethics, so that your decisions will be as ethical as possible. Hospital and Other Health Care Delivery Settings. In HCAD 660, the major managerial and leadership roles of health care administrators are explored. Building on the work of ADMN 625 (organizational communication) and ADMN 635 (leadership), the quirks of management that pertain to the health care industry are analyzed. One example of an idiosyncrasy of the health care industry is that a delayed or erroneous decision can affect the life of a patient (customer). At the end of your MSHCA program, you will have an opportunity to examine in detail the kinds of strategic decisions that health care industry leaders must make in a variety of health care settings. This work is carried out in HCAD 690. Technology and Health Care Administration. The role of technology in all aspects of the health care industry is of extreme importance, to patients, to families, to providers, to payers and to government regulators. Whether working on an improved personnel database for a hospital or creating a state of the art pharmacy monitoring and distribution system for a long term care facility, there is a growing need for health care administrators to know about and be able to speak knowledgeably of the best uses of technology in the health care industry. HCAD 610 offers an opportunity to examine and recommend improvements to technology uses in health care settings. Special HCA Topics. The health care industry is a microcosm of society. As societal issues bloom, then recede, the health care industry often is required to move in those particular directions. Examples of this need to follow societal issues include a focus on communicable diseases at particular points in time, or on birth defects, or on cancers. In HCAD 680, health care topics of timely interest are addressed. At the present time, the importance of the behavioral-mental health continuum in health care; health care marketing; and public health's role in bioterrorism are emphasized in HCAD 680.
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http://polaris.umuc.edu/~abouldin/hcad600/h600wk2a.htm
Viewing: An introduction to the history of the Newbury area, this course looks at a different chronological period each week. Local events covered include the Civil War battles and the story of Donnington CastleThe development of the Gothic style has been called 'the greatest adventure ever undertaken'. In this wide-ranging course we shall consider the expansion of the style across Europe and its impact on architecture, sculpture, painting and allied arts. More information This course examines the issue of determinism and the extent to which the will can be said to be free. The subject is considered from moral, religious, epistemological and scientific perspectives, and looks at the implications for these disciplines. More information Students will explore the development of American art and architecture from the early colonial period to the present day through an examination of major works by important artists including Frederick Edwin Church, Frank Lloyd Wright and Jackson Pollock. More information This course will explore the development of American art and architecture from the early colonial period to the present day through an examination of major works by importa artists including Frederick Edwin Church, Frank Lloyd Wright and Jackson Pollock. More information Discover some of America's best-known novels by some of the country's greatest authors. The course includes works by Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, John Updike, Saul Bellow, Thomas Pyncheon, JD Salinger, Carson McCullers, Philip Roth and Flannery O'ConnorThe course will present light-hearted yet rigorous adventures in the Greek language for students moving from an intermediate to an advanced level. Some previous knowledge is necessary (e.g. rusty O or A Level). More information The Mediterranean was the cradle of Greek and Roman 'civilisations' and this module will introduce you to the archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean from the rise of Greece to the height of the Roman Empire. More information Nature supports an impressively large number of animals that vary in form and function. In this introductory zoology course we will place this diversity in an evolutionary framework and look at animals ranging from primitive invertebrates to mammalsThe course will be dealing with many of the pressing ethical issues that concern us in the modern world. Should there be human enhancement? Are there just wars? Should euthanasia be legal and other important questionsWhat More information How do archaeologists recognise and interpret the lives of past peoples and their societies? An introduction to the methods and techniques of archaeological enquiry, from initial site survey and excavation to scientific analysis. More information Between 1575 and 1725 there was an extraordinary flowering of artistic culture and technological innovation in the Netherlands. In this course we shall study new developments that took place in Dutch architecture and garden design during this period. More information We shall evaluate the grandiose Roman legacy, which later predetermined the development of cities like Verona and Lucca; the Eastern influences of the cities of Ravenna, Aquileia will be then examined ending with Palladio's city of VicenzaDr Mehreen Chida-Razvi is an art historian specialising in the arts and material culture of the Islamic and Indo-Islamic worlds. She teaches and lectures at SOAS, Sotheby's Institute of Art, the Courtauld Institute of Art and Morley College. More information This highly illustrative course (a sequel to the 2010 'History of Colour in Art and Science' course), will look at how the arts and the sciences have benefited each other in ways that have led to exciting and unpredictable consequences. More information This course will examine the pivotal role played by the artistic and cultural patronage of the Medici in their spectacular rise to power, first in Florence and then in Rome with their elevation to the enormous power and prestige of the papacy. More information The course will focus on the way Orthodox Christians experience spirituality, especially through ascetism. The latter will be introduced selectivelly through the lives and works of its representatives (from the Desert Fathers to some of the present day). More information Bach's church cantatas contain some of his greatest music: immensely varied, they combine supreme technical mastery with an at times romantic intensity of expression. The variety of ways Bach uses to heighten the meaning of the text will be examined More information Renaissance painting in northern Italy was defined by Giovanni Bellini in Venice and Andrea Mantegna in Padua and Mantua. This course explores the artistic encounters between these two artists within the contexts of Italian city states and courts. More information This course will explore the origin, development, and architecture of that much loved institution, the British seaside resort; and its ability to adapt and change, since the early resorts of Scarborough and Brighton were established in the 18th century. More information Victorian England was, above all, an era of contrasts where polite society primness sat alongside back street squalor and imperial grandeur masked criminalization of the poor. We will explore those contrasts through an investigation of Victorian cultureWhy do we have sex? Can you explain group sex? How about rape? Let us explore the biology of sex in the animal world: from the evolutionary origins of sex to the diverse sexual behaviours seen across species. More information The course will help students develop the skills needed to identify and record the characteristic birds of Oxfordshire, understand their ecology and habitats, and explore current threats and solutions to their conservation. More information Birds are a diverse group that span beyond the visitors of our bird-tables. In this course we will explore aspects of bird biology, from diversity and evolutionary origin, through adaptations to the avian way of life, to bird behaviour and ecology. More information Science is at the heart of human existance, from the colours of our clothes to the communication devices that we use, this course discusses some of the ideas that led to their development/advancement. More information This course is the first part of an exploration of British collectors of classical antiquities, their activities and attitudes, and the wider influence of this process up till the present day. More information This course is the second part of an exploration of British collectors of classical antiquities, their activities and attitudes, and the wider influence of this process up till the present day. More information An introduction to the distinctive character of the Buddhist religion based on its fundamental doctrine of the Middle Way: a practical path of self-development and a philosophy that is the balanced cultivation of morality, concentration and insight. More information The course will offer an overview of the political, ecclesiastical, social and cultural history of the Byzantine Empire, the most long-lived empire in the history of western civilisation. More information Using documentary sources, the course will examine the diplomatic, military, ecclesiastical, trade and cultural relations between the Byzantine Empire and its neighbours from the 4th to the 15th century. More information Builds on C Programming 1 as an introduction to structured programming, to address software of greater sophistication and scale, with dynamic data structure and modularity. This course assumes prior knowledge of C . More information Central Asia remains a little known region but it is assuming greater strategic importance. This course will examine major strategic, political and economic developments in Central Asia and will discuss the interests of outside powers introduces core assumptions, ideas, themes and debates in Chinese Philosophy. It explores the characteristics of philosophical thinking in a variety of traditions, including Daoism, Confucianism, Mohism and Buddhism More information Religion, Christian and non-Christian, is stirring controversy in our contemporary cultures. These controversies are explored in the course, analysing and applying core concepts of both sociological and theological reflections on religion. More information Literature More information We will investigate the economic, social and cultural changes in Oxford in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, taking it from a city still dependent on its university for fame and fortune to one ready, finally, to participate in the industrial revolution More information The threat of global warming to the Earth's environment is now widely recognised. This course aims to separate the facts from the fiction by learning about past changes in Earth's climate and understanding the science behind anticipated future changes. More information This course explores how the expansion of British commerce in the eighteenth century re-defined Britain's place in the world and became a fundamental force which shaped British national identity. More information This course is intended to provide further knowledge of a number of psychological disorders. Symptoms and causes of each disorder and key papers will be discussed in class and theories of causation and treatment will be explained. More information Spirit possession, disputes over sexuality, moving liturgies, NGOs: Christianity has so many faces that it is better to think of it in the plural, 'Christianities.' Students will be introduced to a wide range of different expressions of Chrisitan faith. More information The course will cover the basics of composition by taking students through a series of straightforward, structured exercises, which are designed to emphasise the craftsmanship of composition and to stimulate the imagination More information This is a practical course for those interested in composing music of any genre and will concentrate upon the skills common to all composition, focussing this term on writing for the voice and using texts. More information What is the self? While a sense of self is given to us in experience, what it is that is "given" raises questions that are not easily answered. Exploring a range of philosophical perspectives, we will develop our own views. More information The condottieri, whose military reputations led on to princedom, commissioned some of the most exquisite architecture of the Italian Renaissance - engaging architects and advisors including Bramante, Amadeo, Francesco di Giorgio and Leonardo. More information Conservatism from the end of the Victorian period to the start of the Cold War was hugely influential in shaping life in Britain. This course will explore the achievements and failings of the movement, the role of the Party, its leaders and their ideas. More information An in-depth study of Roman history, culture, art, and architecture, in the 4th century. We'll begin with Constantine's conversion to Christianity, and study the first Christian churches, as well as other buildings, paintings, mosaics, and sculptures. More information This course will cover recent innovative and controversial studies from neuroscience and psychology. Students will benefit from understanding 'hot topics' in psychology and the wider implications of this research. More information This introductory course is an opportunity to study a range of post-Kantian philosophical movements and figures. Among traditions explored wil be existentialism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, critical theory, postmodernism and poststructuralism. More information Judging by the popularity of recent TV shows, the country house is as popular as ever. But before Downton Abbey, there were Mansfield Park, Brideshead and a host of others. This course will allow you to peer behind their porticoes. More information Life in a large country house is of enduring fascination. This course will explore that fascination through the depictions of country house life found in the novels of authors as diverse as Jane Austen, Wilkie Collins and Evelyn Waugh. More information This course offers all those interested in fiction, poetry or drama the chance to develop a personal style. In a creative and supportive atmosphere explore how to create and, most importantly, complete new writingThis course is for anyone who enjoys reading but would like to get more from it, and who would like to be introduced to a wider range of texts. The Critical Reading course will help you to become a more attentive, appreciative, and critical reader. More information Nobody More information Improve your thinking skills by learning how to identify a logical argument, how to distinguish between good and bad arguments, and when to use different types of reasoning. See how to apply these skills in everyday reading, writing and discussion. More information Although English and French literature are traditionally studied separately, there is a complex transnational, transcultural network of influence between the two in the nineteenth century. Join us to break the boundaries between national literatures. More information Life in Iron Age Britain was a complex pattern of work, leisure, ritual, conflict and social engagement. Iron Age people were much like modern Britons, as they attempted to improve their conditions, search for meaning in their lives and follow fashion. More information An in-depth review, with an integral museum visit, of a comprehensive series of daily life activities as experienced in an Ancient Egyptian Village. An opportunity to recreate some of them within the classroom setting. More information This course explores views of human destiny and the afterlife in a variety of western and non-western traditions, both ancient and modern. Themes will range from death and the afterlife in ancient Egypt to nirvana and the Daoist quest for immortality More information The More information Pope Innocent III had high hopes when he called the Fourth Crusade, but the expedition changed course attacking Christian cities like Zara and Constantinople. This distraction set the tone for the subsequent crusades, which met with destruction and defeat More information This course will consider rationally the case for God's existence. It will consider (principally) the main properties of God and the main arguments for and against the existence of God. More information Building content-managed websites is a skillset much in demand and an excellent website enhances the view people have of your product or company. This course offers an introduction to the creation of dynamic websites. More information This course explores the origins of art, culture, and modern humans. We start with our ancestors over 100 thousand years ago on the African savannah and end in Southern France with the magnificent painted caves of the last ice age. More information This course will examine the reigns of the early Stuart monarchs James I and Charles I, tracking the processes by which their subjects became so alienated from the crown that they ended up executing their monarch. More information The reigns of the early Stuarts came to a dramatic close in 1649 and were replaced by the regimes of Oliver Cromwell.This course will explore the role of court and parliament during the monarchy of James I and Charles I, the Civil War and the interregnum. More information This is a practical course for those interested in composing music of any genre and will concentrate upon the skills common to all composition, focussing this term on melody construction, basic harmony and rhythm. More information This course will provide an introduciton to English architectural development as revealed in our great cathedrals and larger parish churches from the early medieval period to the present dayImprove your Spanish while learning about contemporary writers, both Latin American and Spanish. This course in which you will read, discuss and listen to a wide range of pieces by different authors is an excellent continuation to the one on LA writers. More information An expansive form of Buddhism emphasizing great compassion and all treading the path to perfect Buddhahood, Mahayana Buddhism developed in India some 500 years after the Buddha's death and became predominant in Tibet and the East Asian countries. More information Why be moral? This course will deal with questions about right and wrong, good and bad. Philosophers throughout the ages have given reasons for living the ethical life. The course will examine some of their ideas. More information How should we make our decisions? How can we know what actions are morally right and wrong? This course explores the most important ways in which philosophers have answered these questions. More information An exploration into the world of psychology: How we think, how we understand the world around us, what influences who we are and who we will become. This course is a taster of the 'science of the mind', starting with the fascinating world of the brain. More information From swash-buckling hero to self-sacrificing missionary, and from comical Babu to frenzied savage, this course explores the stereotypes of both coloniser and colonised which promoted and helped justify Europe's so-called 'civilising mission'.Fritz Lang is critically regarded as one of the great auteurs. This ten week course takes a selective look at his extraordinary cinematic visions of modernity, destiny, paranoia and flawed masculinity. More information Poetry can refresh and challenge, surprise and entertain,delight and sustain. Whether you are new to poetry or an experienced reader, come along and enjoy identifying how poetry is put together and how we can find meaning in it. More information Logic is concerned with the rules of systematic and coherent reasoning. In this course, you can learn a new symbolic way to lay bare the formal structure of arguments, explore the nature of validity, and hence think about 'logical' thinking. More information This course looks at five major landmarks in American history from the War of Independence to the Vietnam War which, against a background of both internal and external conflict, reflect the growth of the Republic into a great superpower. More information In the centenary year of The Great War, we look at the group of highly-promising young artists who featured in John Currie's 1912 painting "Some Later Primitives". Mark Gertler, Richard Nevinson and Edward Wadsworth each encountered triumph and disaster. More information What was the first life on Earth and how does life start on a desolate planet? What are fossils and how to they form? Where can I find fossils? Discovering the answers will use the vast collection belonging to the tutor. More information This course looks at four artists of the later Northern Renaissance - Hieronymus Bosch, Lucas Cranach, Albrecht Durer and Hans Holbein – and tries to place their aesthetic achievements within a religious, social and intellectual context. More information All the Department's language courses are designed to help you communicate in a friendly atmosphere with an emphasis on pair and group interaction. The focus is on speaking, listening and the exploration of culture in society already completed at least 2 stages of French, and want to improve and consolidate the skills acquired to help them cope with a variety of social situations, while expanding their knowledge of France and its culture. More information This course is aimed at those students who already have a sound knowledge of French grammar and syntax and wish to improve and consolidate them in a variety of practical contexts. The aim of the class is to give students greater confidence and fluency. More information This course is intended to be an introduction to the key concerns of the major Western philosophers from the earliest days of the pre-Socratic philosophers through to the Twentieth Century. More information This introductory course is an opportunity to study Romantic writers and themes in the context of the religious movements and change of the era. Among themes explored will be hermeticism, William Blake on religion, and Coleridge's attraction to Hinduism. More information This introductory course is an opportunity to study a variety of Chinese and Japanese religious traditions. Among themes and topics pursued will be Confucianism, Shinto, Daoism, Zen Buddhism, Chinese deities, myths and folk/popular religious practices. More information The process of collecting and displaying can be tracked through fine arts practice, both historic and contemporary. This module aims to explore how collections, boxes, cabinets and installations continue to shape our understanding of visual cultureThis course explores Greek culture and society as mediated in a range of films from the international and national scene. We will consider how these films negotiate cultural, social and historical realities concerning Greece, often re-creating its image. More information This course will show you how to get the greatest fun and benefit out of creative writing and will cover all genres. You will learn how to make the reader laugh, cry and wait, and learn how to publish and market your writing for the electronic age. More information This course is a follow on course from the introductory course introducing more advanced mathematics used in Game Development including the use of the quaternion and an introduction to surfaces. More information This course continues the themes of the "Topical Economics" course offered in 2013. It aims to understand the competing economic theories which lie behind current controversies and use them for constructive discussion of policy issues. More information British Garden Cities and New Towns, major contributions to 20th century urbanism, will be critically discussed in terms of evolving design approaches, political contexts, imported ideas, influence on overseas projects and current relevance More information A Trinity term evening course for those interested in the history and development of Oxford's college gardens, consisting largely of field visits. To include the Victorian mansion Headington Hill Hall of Oxford Brookes UniversityA virtual tour of the last 500 million years worth of geological history of the British Isles, with a local field visit to see the evidence first-hand. From volcanoes to tropical seas, from ice ages to global warming - our rock record tells the stories. More information Rising from the ashes Georgian London was a place of expansion, excesses, extremes and elegance. From building, cultural and scientific developments to vice and crime, come and discover why Defoe described London as a 'Great and Monstrous Thing' . speakingFrom the first European settlers to the civil rights struggle, religion has played a central role in American history. Even today, while religion has been exiled to the margins of European society, in the United States it remains a powerful force. Why? More information The existence of evil in the world provides the most important grounds to question God's existence. This course is an introduction to the problem of evil, the varieties of the problem, and to some of the proposed solutions and explanations. MoreThere are issues which are of great concern today. This course is an introduction to some of these issues: family; abortion; euthanasia; animals; immigration; multiculturalism; freedom of speech; capital punishment; war; world hunger. More information Some of the greatest jazz pianists such as Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and Earl Hines came to prominence during the 1920s. They and others dominated the style of jazz piano playing known as 'stride'. Come and explore this uplifting music! More information This course will trace the growth of the growing-up novel, from classic Victorian examples to contemporary accounts that highlight the distinctiveness of male and female experience. Join us to cover a fascinating topic from Dickens to Hilary Mantel. More information To investigate the major theories of Science from the Greeks of Antiquity to the Particle Physicists of the 20th century. The course will dive headfirst into the world of the very small, and into the world of the very large.Nearly ten centuries of music in a bewildering variety of period styles and national traditions are now available both in performance and on recordings. This course introduces the basic concepts that underlie musicImprove your Spanish talking about some of the most important paintings in Spain and Latin America. Discover new aspects of Spanish and Latin American art while learning about the painters and discussing the meanings of their paintings More information 'The Curse of Frankenstein' marked a period of renewal and reinvention for British gothic horror films. This course will consider a range of critically celebrated films in an attempt to locate their peculiarly British brand of gothic horror. More information Hegel's 'Phenomenology of Spirit' is one of the most famous and influential books in philosophy. This course will attempt to make sense of the work by focusing on the idea of spirit and the various ways in which Hegel thinks that it comes to be realized. More information Recent within Christianity have seen 'evangelical' become a dirty word, associated with American fundamentalism and narrow mindedness. This course examines the breadth of this historic theological tradition and the varying practices and beliefs within it. More information The Holy Wars between Christians and Muslims in the Middle Ages , frequently known as The Crusades, had a profound impact in both the East and the West. This course will examine the crusading movement and its further impact in European culture. More information This course is about looking carefully at buildings in order to work out when they were built and how they have been altered over time. It will look at structures, fixtures and fittings. We shall also consider basic documentary sources. More information Course participants will reflect on personal experience of learning or teaching a foreign language, learn about theories of second language acquisition, and draw practical conclusions about effective teaching and learning. More information Many things are now known about our Universe, but how have we gained this knowledge? This course will consider some of the intriguing methods that we can use to fund our knowledge base. All mathematical techniques will be taught from a basic level. More information All our communications and most appliances are now digital. This course explains what digital systems are, what their advantages are and how they are constructed. This can be accomplished without any need to know or learn about electronics or mathematics More information Hume places the passions (emotions) at the centre of his moral philosophy. We will examine Hume's moral theory in depth, looking closely at his account of the passions, his notion of sympathy and his conception of character. More information There are archaeological sites all around us. On this course we will venture out and look at the archaeological landscape. The field trips will not be too strenuous, but agility will be requiredA survey of Irish literature and its contexts from 1890 to 1940, focusing on poets, dramatists, and novelists, and considering the impact of language debates, cultural movements and political events. More information A survey of Irish literature and its contexts from 1940 to the present, focusing on poets, dramatists, and novelists, and considering the impact of language debates, cultural movements and political events. More information This course is an introduction to Islam: its origins & its early historical development ; its key text & beliefs & practices; & its main mystical element. It is also an introduction to the thought of some of its great early intellectual figures. More information The poetic tradition of Islam expresses an aspect very different from theological/legal understandings, and is centred on love, yearning and ecstatic union with the divine. This course will focus on four poets from the classical period (13th C). More information The poetic tradition of Islam expresses an aspect very different from theological/legal understandings, and is centred on love, yearning and ecstatic union with the divine. This course will focus on four poets from the later classical period (14th C course will bring students into direct contact with visual images. The course will cover the art of the 15th and early 16th c. in Italy and will use images available in the collections of Oxford and London as the starting point for class discussionsAn introduction to the key concepts in Japanese calligraphy and a workshop for students to experience producing calligraphic pieces. Each week, the brushwork and the meaning of a Japanese word are explained. No knowledge of the Japanese language required. More information Through the medium of film, an encounter with different groups of people who know one another well. A chance for curious minds with upper-intermediate to advanced Spanish to explore how national characteristics are represented in film. More information We More information Karl Marx's ideas continue to resonate in the 21st century. This course will examine the main elements of Marx's thought, concentrating on his theory of alienation, his analysis of capitalism and the values at the heart of his philosophyImprove your language skills by studying the work of famous Italian filmmakers. By analyzing a different film each week, you will be able to gain a better understanding of Italian culture and society. Upper-intermediate to Advanced level. More information Based around class sessions and two full day fieldtrips to Stonehenge and Avebury, this course will introduce students to the concept and practice of landscape archaeology and consider how archaeologists study and engage with archaeological landscapes. More information This is an introductory course for anyone interested in teaching their own language or a language they are fluent in. It offers a basic introduction to the essentials of communicative language teaching and includes hands-on teaching practice in class. More information This practical course is for anyone interested in teaching the grammar of their own language or a language they are fluent in. It will follow on from Language Teaching: Essential Techniques, but can also be taken as a stand-alone course. More information A course introducing the ways in which languages change, and how their historical relationships with one another can be discovered, and the uses that can be made of historical languages in the study of history, including prehistory, and culture. More information The ghost story came into its own in the late Victorian and Edwardian period. The course will study the rise of the genre and the cultural reasons for its popularity with readers then and nowThis course equips you with the skills necessary to tackle unadapted classical texts. Using Jones and Sidwell's 'Reading Latin', it covers the last grammar topics through extracts from authors of the Late Republic. More information This JavaScript Programming course is intended to be a first-line course for beginners in programming in JavaScript. Students will learn how to integrate JavaScript into web pages and create interactive and dynamic websites. More information This is a practical course for anyone wanting to learn to sing. Singing technique will be discussed and practised and students will have the opportunity to work on both their technique and interpretation in class. More information Take this opportunity to give structure and meaning to real life events. Taking a practical approach to writing autobiography, biography and travel writing, this course will explore how to move on from ideas to a completed work. More information The extraordinary and well-documented narrative of Alexander's career retains an enduring fascination. His remarkable conquests represent a defining moment in world history, and made possible the wonderful achievements of the Hellenistic Age. More information A wide-ranging and deep study of Joseph Conrad's masterpiece, 'Nostromo', a novel that combines politics, money and idealism with adventure and revolution. Characters confront devastating choices in writing of great beauty and powerThis course will enable students to appreciate works of art and share their understanding and enjoyment with others. Sessions will take place in front of the images, in the Western Art galleries of the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery More information In the 18th century, new concepts of national identity began emerging and long established local identities were challenged. Nowhere was that more true than Britain. We will explore those challenges, asking just what was meant by the idea of the nationMuch of the landscape has been shaped during the last 400 years. We will be looking at the effects of new farming systems, enclosure, industrial changes, and new fashions in gardens and parks. More information Martin Buber's book 'I and Thou' is a masterwork of modern philosophy and theology. This course will pursue a close reading of the text, and focus on the sources and intellectual context that contributed to the development of this now classic text presents the essential mathematics and modelling required for games programming. Games programming is an exciting and developing area and is underpinned by basic mathematics that will be introducedEvery society has its heroes and heroines: the exceptional people who were admired in their own day for their qualities and achievements. This course will examine the lives - real, embellished and imagined - of ten medieval heroes. More information By 1300, Oxford was one of the wealthiest towns in England, with a considerable degree of self-governance. This course will explore patterns of power, authority and influence in the medieval town and why, by 1300, the town's autonomy was under threat. More information ThisThis course examines how the Modernist experimentalism of 1848-1914 both reflects and contributes to the breathtaking pace and intensity of social and political change in Europe, seeking to influence the course of history itself. More information The More information The revolutionary era 1789 - 1848 witnessed an unprecedented convergence of cultural and political aspirations; it is here that both the vocabulary and totalising ambitions of Modernism were forged, and where art achieved its greatest social resonance.This course will cover the basics of classical music theory - notation, rhythm, melody, harmony and form - relating theory to practice with examples from over three centuries of repertoire. Also helpful for those preparing for music theory exams. More information Studying one work each week, a wide range of music will be analysed - concentrating on works from the Baroque and Classical periods. Different works may require slightly different approaches but common principles of analysis will be developed. More information Studying one work each week, a wide range of music will be analysed - concentrating on works from the Romantic and Modern periods. Different works may require slightly different approaches but common principles of analysis will be developed. More information Mycenaean civilization flourished in mainland Greece and on the islands in the Aegean sea (especially Crete) during the late Bronze Ages. This course offers an introduction to the language, writing system, culture and society of this civilization. More information This course will consider rationally the case for God's existence. It will consider (principally) the main properties of God and the main arguments for and against the existence of God. More information Between 1939 and 1945 Nazi Germany conquered most of continental Europe. This course will examine how Germany was able to sustain its war effort, and what impact the war had on German societyFor both beginners and more experienced writers this course will take a practical approach to creating fiction, poetry and drama. Students will be encouraged to challenge and develop their approach to writing and find a powerful personal voice. More information This course shows how numbers are fundamental to many aspects of our civilization. It covers topics such as counting systems, prime numbers, the importance of zero, musical scales, bell ringing, the calendar and seasons, and encryption of messages. More information Nietzsche is one of the most provocative philosophers in the history of philosophy, but he is also one of the most rewarding to study. We will examine his book On the Genealogy of Morals, one of his most important and accessible works. More information The Normans achieved not only the military conquest of England but great changes in the country's social organisation & culture. This course will examine events from William the Conqueror to Matilda's unsuccessful civil war against Stephen of Blois. More information Two programming languages, C++ and Java will be used to introduce Object Oriented Programming, commencing at an introductory level. The course is suited to those with no programming experience. More information Starting More information The Palaeolithic was not just an age of stone. This course explores the wide range of technologies developed by the various human species of this period, from the earliest stone and bone tools to the more complex technological realm of modern humans. More information Is life unique to planet Earth? In Earth's 4.6 billion year geological history, how and why did life begin and develop in particular ways? Geologists and palaeobiologists seek to answer these and other questions by studying fossil and living organisms. More information Between 1500 and 1660 great changes occurred in government and religion, and the population almost doubled in size. This course considers aspects of village life in that period, and how changes at the national level impacted on the local community. More information The course aims at developing the students' fluency and confidence in speaking Italian through an unthreatening approach to Italian literature. Although run entirely in Italian, it is aimed at just above Intermediate level students.Art More information ArtWhat is mathematics about? How do we know mathematics? In this introductory course, problems and theories in the philosophy of mathematics are explored. We consider key developments ranging from the Pythagoreans to contemporary debates More information This introductory course studies core problems of knowledge and reality by exploring the relation between physics and philosophy. Among topics considered will be the philosophical significance of relativity and quantum theory More information This course deals with some of the main issues in the philosophy of science, focusing amongst others on explanation, causation, the status of scientific laws and the structure of scientific theories2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. This course will investigate the many ways in which the experience of the 'War to end all wars' has been reflected through art, photography and film. More information Water is essential to life. In earlier centuries man was reliant on natural sources. How did our Anglo-Saxon forebears view and name these ? We shall study the place-names describing ponds, springs, streams and rivers both in class and on 2 field trips. More information This course will look at four ground-breaking volumes of poetry in order to enhance our understanding of the individual poems in them, and to appreciate the importance of knowing about the wider literary contexts in which they were writtenBased on psychoanalytic theory, the course introduces key dynamic concepts and practices, including self reflection, applied to the understanding of emotional development and helping relationships. More information Psychology is a truly fascinating subject. This course aims to provide a brief introduction to some of the elements of psychology that underpin our everyday lives. Students will explore human behaviour, and see examples of how our brains fool us! More information The search for happiness has been a major preoccupation throughout the centuries. At present, more than ever, we need to answer those simple questions: what is happiness? and how do we get there? Positive psychology offers some interesting answers. More information This course is a brief introduction to the application of psychology to the workplace.Topics include motivation, organisational culture and commitment, change management and leadership. Suitable for those wanting to make a difference in the workplace. More information This course is a brief introduction to the application of Psychology to the workplace.Topics include motivation, Organisational Culture and Commitment, Change management and Leadership. Suitable for those wanting to make a difference in the workplaceWhat impact do spiritual practices and ideas have on us? Can they change our behaviour and affect our health? This course explores classic and recent psychological studies on the nature and effects of spirituality. More information This course examines the development of leisure and sport in England from the late Victorian period onwards. It investigates the many factors that shaped its evolution over the course of a century and what this shows us about societyDiscover how magic was an essential aspect of life in the ancient world through a variety of sources ranging from curse tablets and magic handbooks to folktales and literary classics. Even the word 'magic' is more elusive than you had ever realized! More information This course will cover selected aspects of Berkshire's history between the end of the Roman period and the Norman Conquest, and familiarise students with some of the range of archives and sources available. More information This course will look at the many ways that we can research a garden; from paper maps to the internet, and from manuscripts to Google Earth. Participants will also learn how to read an historic site through field trips to 3 eighteenth-century gardens. More information From a sci-fi dystopia to a socialist realist depiction of the battle of Stalingrad, from a cryptic fantasy to a graphic account of the gulag, this course examines the innovations of twentieth-century Russian novelists critiquing life after revolution. More information The course is designed to provide a historical understanding of the political and economic relations between the two rising powers, India and China with a focus on the sources of co-operation and competition. More information Unlike many provinces of the Roman Empire, Britain always remained partly under military control for the 350 years of Roman rule. We shall look at the army and its work using archaeology, inscriptions and ancient historical sources. More information This course provides an overview of the development of Roman culture from the end of the Bronze Age to the Byzantine reconquest. Italy was a melting pot of different cultures and this course shows how they were fused together under the Roman Empire More information Country life lay at the heart of Roman Britain.The life-styles of Britons often hardly changed under Rome, but many homes of Romanized styles were built. We shall examine these villas, their farms and industries, and other aspects of the countryside More information The Romantic period gave rise to turbulent emotional music, including many of the best loved works in the repertoire. This course will chart the progress of the Romantic impulse through 19th century music. More information In this course we will examine the growth, and sometimes decline, of the unparalleled rich and unique Royal Collection, examining the artistic prejudices and taste, not necessarily good, of the royal patrons who assembled the collectionThe course will offer a case study of five important figures in Russia's dramatic 20th century (dictator Stalin, writer Solzhenitsyn, filmmaker Mikhalkov, journalist Pozner, last Soviet president Gorbachev) More information This course offers those who love films and want to understand how they are written the chance to study the art of the screenplay in detail. Starting with terminology, you will develop your skills week by week, preparatory to drafting a complete script More information The course will cover technical aspects of the medium such as formatting and presentation, and also look at narrative techniques such as voice, setting, character development and structure across all genres. Open discussion about story will be encouraged More information Shakespeare wrote eight plays concerned with the period 1398 – 1485, from the impending fall of Richard II to the Battle of Bosworth, the death of Richard III and the accession of the first Tudor monarch Henry VII. We shall study Henry VI and Richard III. More information The Bronze Age is a time of great innovation and marks a significant change from the preceding Neolithic. This course will consider the diversity of evidence and consider new interpretations in our understanding of this exciting archaeological period. More information This is a practical course for singers at any level. Whilst basic singing technique will be discussed and repertoire explored, the major part of the course will be workshops for the student singers - working on both their technique and interpretation. More information This course introduces the main topics in social psychology. Over the 10 weeks, the course will cover topics including compliance, conformity, obedience, attitudes and behaviour, stereotypes, romantic relationships, group behaviour and culture. More information This course enables students to consider the evidence for landscape changes associated with glacial processes in Southern Britain and Ireland during the Recent geological period of the Quaternary. Possible field visits may also be arranged are fairly conversant in Spanish, have covered most of the grammar and syntax, and aim to develop their fluency and vocabulary, while furthering their understanding and knowledge of both the language and the cultureDiscover Latin America´s most acclaimed writers together with some of the newer and most innovative ones. Learn about them and the culture of this fascinating region while practising your language skills. Upper-intermediate to Advanced. More information If you already attended Spanish through the readings of Latin American writers 1, you will enjoy this continuation course, learning about more Latin American writers and improving your Spanish in a different wayIn this course students will study those people who have experienced 'spiritual trial', asked questions and raised doubts about religious belief, and have done so as part of their own spiritual quest. More information The Gulag as a road to death remains the widespread perception of Stalinist Russia. In this introductory course we will explore the Gulag and its memory as an integral part of Soviet civilization. The classes and the materials used will be in English. More information The course is designed for understanding the basics of stem cells research and its future potential in personalised therapies. It will explain the recent discovery of cell reprogramming that led to the wining of the Noble Prize in 2012. More information This is a practical class open to string players of all levels, in which string technique, repertoire, ensemble playing and interpretation will all be explored. All students will receive guidance on their playing with regular opportunities to play. More information Many eighteenth-century tourists wrote about their visits to the great gardens of England; but how did the aesthetic ideas of the Sublime, the Beautiful and the Picturesque relate to gardens? nine symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams continue to offer a fascinating journey into both the private and public musical worlds of Vaughan Williams. Join and explore this deeply personal cycle by one of the greatest British symphonists. More information The course is for students who have studied German for a minimum of 5 years and have covered most of the grammar and syntax, although grammatical points will be revised as and when the need will arise. More information This course will examine the history of three dynamic nineteenth century cities. London was the world's greatest trading centre, Paris was the heart of a new Napoleonic European Empire, Berlin became the capital of Europe's most powerful industrial state More information This course examines the debates that gave rise to core doctrines, such as the Incarnation, and considers the work of both 'mystical' theologians, such as Dionysius, and the more 'rationalistic' trend that became dominant in the Western church. More information The art of painting in sixteenth-century Venice was shaped by the hand of Titian. This course will explore Titian's relationship to Venetian tradition and the impact of his art on contemporary audiences and artists – notably Tintoretto and Veronese. More information We will study the basic theory and the topological properties of the Möbius bands, the torus and the Klein bottles to explain why a topologist cannot distinguish between a doughnut and a tea cup. More information Do you have a passion for travel and words? This course will introduce you to the skills needed to write short travel pieces suitable for publication in newspapers and magazines, with focus on practical writing exercises and discussion of your own workThis course will examine the manner in which a vigorous and changing society signified social relationships and values, aspirations and anxieties, through a variety of complimentary expressions in architecture, decoration, art, dress, manners, literatureWho am I? Why am I this way? Why do I make certain choices? Can I change? This course presents the main theories and explains how psychologists measure personality and intelligence. Psychological and neuroscientific theories will be explored. More information This course will examine the evolving and sometimes chequered history of the Church of England from the Reformation to the present day. Key Church texts, including the Book of Common Prayer and the King James Bible, will be examined. More information The later classical period in music saw momentous changes in musical styles and genres. This course will focus on the final two decades of this period in Vienna, concentrating particularly on the contributions made by Beethoven and Schubert. More information The classical period in Vienna saw momentous changes in musical styles and genres. This course will focus on the development of what became known as the classical style, concentrating particularly on the contributions made by Haydn and Mozart More information There are archaeological sites all around us, such as hillforts and stone circles, Roman towns, ancient fields and roads. On this course we will venture out and look at the archaeological landscape. Considerable walking will be involved More information Walter Benjamin is one of the most fascinating intellectual figures of the twentieth century. This course will consider his cultural criticism, politics, philosophy of history, theory of art, analysis of modern urban life – and more! More information This course takes a close look at the period of Viking settlement in north-west Europe, and at the strategies that the Anglo-Saxon, Irish and Frankish rulers employed to deal with the incoming invadersWeb design and development skills are much in demand. This course aims to provide beginners with the fundamental conceptual and practical skills needed to master the creation of basic websites. More information Wetland environments offer unique preservation of organic material. This course focuses on the archaeological evidence from trackways, lake villages, boats and bog bodies from the Mesolithic to the Iron Age in Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia. More information The course will provide an introduction to the contents, methods, and sources of English Local History, with an emphasis on documentary evidence available for the study of the manor, the parish and the town. More information The universe runs on physical laws, which seem to be serendipitously 'finely tuned' to enable life to exist. Is this coincidence or something more? We examine some of these laws and the constants upon which they are based. No prior knowledge required. More information This More information Sir Winston Churchill is regarded as one of Britain's greatest statesmen. His impact on the course of 20th century history was profound yet his name still provokes controversy and debate. This course will study his successes and failures in detailThis course is an introduction to the foundations of ethics in each of the great religions of the world(Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). It is also an introduction to some of the early intellectual thought in each of these religions. More information Writing teaches writing. There is no substitute. This course will consist primarily of writing exercises, designed to stimulate the pleasurable intensity of composition. Ink will flow. Material will emerge. Stories will be written. More information This course will help you write poetry with confidence and originality. Exploring a variety of contemporary poetry, you will broaden your range and enrich the texture, vitality and precision of your writing. New and experienced poets welcome. More information Avid readers of short stories and novels will find in this course the skills necessary to turn a love of fiction into a productive enterprise. Students will be introduced to key techniques, and will be supported with stage-by-stage guidance. More information Whether your novel is at an early stage of development or you feel the need to kick start a work in progress this course is an ideal opportunity to develop your writing skills in a supportive environment. More information In this brief course we shall look at how mathematics contributes to finance and business. Our course is suitable for people with previous experience of mathematics at the sixth-form level and aims to provide an elementary introduction to the mathematicsBetween 1763 and 1871 Germany experienced a political struggle as a united state emerged from the fragmentation of the past. This course examines the development of Germany into one of Europe's most important and powerful states. More information The course will provide an introduction to the contents, methods, and sources of English Local History, with an emphasis on documentary evidence available for the study of the manor, the parish and the town. More information Rising from the ashes Georgian London was a place of expansion, excesses, extremes and elegance. From building, cultural and scientific developments to vice and crime, come and discover why Defoe described London as a 'Great and Monstrous Thing'The course aims at developing the students' fluency and confidence in speaking Italian through an unthreatening approach to Italian literature. Although run entirely in Italian, it is aimed at just above Intermediate level studentsFritz Lang is critically regarded as one of the great auteurs. This ten week course takes a selective look at his extraordinary cinematic visions of modernity, destiny, paranoia and flawed masculinity. More information A survey of Irish literature and its contexts from 1890 to 1940, focusing on poets, dramatists, and novelists, and considering the impact of language debates, cultural movements and political eventsThis is a practical course for anyone wanting to learn to sing. Singing technique will be discussed and practised and students will have the opportunity to work on both their technique and interpretation in classWeb design and development skills are much in demand. This course aims to provide beginners with the fundamental conceptual and practical skills needed to master the creation of basic websitesThe Bronze Age is a time of great innovation and marks a significant change from the preceding Neolithic. This course will consider the diversity of evidence and consider new interpretations in our understanding of this exciting archaeological periodHow should we make our decisions? How can we know what actions are morally right and wrong? This course explores the most important ways in which philosophers have answered these questionsNearly ten centuries of music in a bewildering variety of period styles and national traditions are now available both in performance and on recordings. This course introduces the basic concepts that underlie music studied German for a minimum of 5 years and have covered most of the grammar and syntax, although grammatical points will be revised as and when the need will ariseAn in-depth review, with an integral museum visit, of a comprehensive series of daily life activities as experienced in an Ancient Egyptian Village. An opportunity to recreate some of them within the classroom settingTwo programming languages, C++ and Java will be used to introduce Object Oriented Programming, commencing at an introductory level. The course is suited to those with no programming experience. Bunin, 'Heart of a Dog' by Bulgakov. Lyrical, shocking, vivid and hilarious. More information This introductory course studies core problems of knowledge and reality by exploring the relation between physics and philosophy. Among topics considered will be the philosophical significance of relativity and quantum theoryBuilding content-managed websites is a skillset much in demand and an excellent website enhances the view people have of your product or company. This course offers an introduction to the creation of dynamic websitesJudging by the popularity of recent TV shows, the country house is as popular as ever. But before Downton Abbey, there were Mansfield Park, Brideshead and a host of others. This course will allow you to peer behind their porticoesWhether your novel is at an early stage of development or you feel the need to kick start a work in progress this course is an ideal opportunity to develop your writing skills in a supportive environment. More information
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http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/results.php?Category=400
1 This publication presents summary results from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS), which was conducted throughout Australia, including remote areas, from August 2008 to April 2009. This is the third social survey of Indigenous Australians conducted by the ABS. The previous NATSISS was conducted in 2002 and the first survey, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey (NATSIS), was conducted in 1994. 2 A significant contribution towards the funding of the 2008 NATSISS was provided by the Council of Australian Governments (CoAG), as agreed through the Working Group on Indigenous Reform, and the Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). 3 Throughout this release, the term 'Indigenous' refers to all persons who identified themselves as being of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, or both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin. Information presented on Aboriginal persons includes data on persons identified as having both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin. Similarly, information on Torres Strait Islanders also includes persons identified as having both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin. An Indigenous household refers to all households with at least one Indigenous usual resident. 4 The 2008 NATSISS collected information on a range of demographic, social, environmental and economic characteristics. This release presents summary tables by three population groups: Indigenous persons aged 15 years and over; Indigenous children aged 4-14 years; and Indigenous children aged 0-3 years. 5 This release also includes a summary table, which will enable some time-series comparisons of this survey to the 2002 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS). Where appropriate, additional comparisons between the 2008 and 2002 surveys have been included in the summary text. 6 This release also includes several comparison tables in the summary text, to enable non-Indigenous comparisons of this survey to the: 2006 General Social Survey (GSS); 2007-08 National Health Survey (NHS); 2008 Survey of Education and Work (SEW); and 2007-08 Survey of Income and Housing (SIH). 7 Also included are data from the monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS), based on an average of months (Aug 08-Apr 09) to enable labour force comparisons between the 2008 NATSISS and the civilian Australian population. Further explanation on the comparisons to non-Indigenous sources is provided in Appendix 1. 8 Explanations of terms and concepts are provided in the Glossary and a list of the survey's data items has been released in spreadsheet format with this publication. 10 The scope of the survey is all Indigenous people who were usual residents of private dwellings in Australia. Private dwellings are houses, flats, home units and any other structures used as private places of residence at the time of the survey. People usually resident in non-private dwellings, such as hotels, motels, hostels, hospitals, nursing homes, and short-stay caravan parks were not in scope. Usual residents are those who usually live in a particular dwelling and regard it as their own or main home. 11 Further scope exclusions for this survey were: Non-Indigenous persons; Non-Australian diplomats, diplomatic staff and members of their household; Members of non-Australian defence forces stationed in Australia and their dependents; and Overseas visitors. 12 The survey excluded visitors to private dwellings, except for those that had been resident six months or longer. Visitors who were a usual resident of another dwelling in scope of the survey had a chance of being selected in the survey at that dwelling, or if not selected, would have been represented by similar persons who were selected in the survey. 13 The 2008 NATSISS was conducted in remote and non-remote areas in all states and territories of Australia, including discrete Indigenous communities. 14 Coverage exclusions apply to those people who were part of the in-scope population, but who were not included in the sampling frame (based on where Indigenous households were identified in the 2006 Census of Population and Housing). Coverage exclusions applied, to manage enumeration costs, included: Collection Districts (CDs) with no Indigenous households; Some Mesh Blocks with no Indigenous households; Some remote Indigenous communities with a small number of Indigenous households; and Some CDs in remote areas with a small number of Indigenous households. 15 These coverage exclusions result in an estimated undercoverage of approximately 6% of Indigenous persons in Australia. Although these areas were not enumerated, the final sample was weighted to population benchmarks to account for these exclusions. Further information on undercoverage is provided in paragraph 71 and more information on the scope and coverage of the survey will be provided in the Users' Guide, planned for release in early 2010. 16 The projected resident Indigenous population at 31 December 2008, excluding those living in non-private dwellings, was 520,350. At the same date, there were an estimated 24,400 Indigenous people living in non-private dwellings throughout Australia and approximately 200 Indigenous people considered to be migratory or living offshore. 17 Population benchmarks, which align with the survey scope, are based on projections of the most recently released Estimated Resident Indigenous Population (ERP) data, in this case, 30 June 2006. The experimental Indigenous ERP data are based on the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, adjusted by the 2006 (Census) Post-Enumeration Survey (PES). More information on the methodology used to produce the projected resident Indigenous population is available from Experimental Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 1991 to 2021 (cat. no. 3238.0). Sample design 18 The 2008 NATSISS was designed to produce reliable estimates at the national level and for each state and territory. For selected states and territories (NSW, Qld, WA and NT) the sample for children aged 0-14 years and persons aged 15 years and over was allocated to produce estimates that have a relative standard error (RSE) of no greater than 25% for characteristics that at least 5% of these populations would possess. The survey was also designed to provide reliable estimates at the national level for children aged 0-3 years, with the same RSE requirements. 19 As with previous ABS Indigenous surveys, additional sample was collected in the Torres Strait Area, to ensure data of sufficient quality would be available for the Torres Strait Area and the remainder of Queensland. 20 Funding was received from the Council of Australian Governments (CoAG) and agreed through the Working Group on Indigenous Reform to enable the collection of data on Indigenous children aged 0-14 years. Funding was also received from the Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) to enable additional sample to be included for Victoria. 21 The survey design incorporated a sample of discrete Indigenous communities (including any out-stations associated with them), the 'community sample' and a sample of dwellings in areas not covered by the community sample, referred to here as the 'non-community' sample. The samples for community and non-community areas were designed separately, with each involving a multistage sampling process. 22 In Queensland (Qld), South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT) the sample design differed by community and non-community areas. 23 In New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (Vic), Tasmania (Tas) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) the sample design was the same throughout, corresponding with the method used in non-community areas of the other states and territories. 24 The community sample in remote areas was obtained from a random selection of discrete Indigenous communities and out-stations using a specially developed Indigenous Community Frame. This frame was constructed using counts from the 2006 Census of Population and Housing and information collected in the 2006 Community Housing and Infrastructure Needs Survey (CHINS). All communities on this frame were in remote (or very remote) areas of Qld, SA, WA and the NT. From this frame, 71 Community Sets (containing one main community and zero or more out-stations) were selected for enumeration. A random selection of dwellings was made within the selected communities and out-stations, with different selection procedures applied to the main communities and out-stations. Within each selected dwelling, up to one Indigenous person (aged 15 years or over) and up to one Indigenous child (aged 0-14 years) was randomly selected to participate in the survey. 25 In non-community areas, dwellings were selected using a stratified multistage area sample. For the first time, Mesh Block level information within Census Collection Districts (CDs) was used to assist in targeting Indigenous people. A sample of CDs were randomly selected, with the likelihood of selection based on the number of Indigenous dwellings recorded in the area for the 2006 Census. All Mesh Blocks containing at least one Indigenous household within the CD were screened. Mesh Blocks containing no Indigenous households were either excluded on coverage or randomly sampled for screening. This approach significantly reduced screening effort in areas of low Indigenous density, such as major capital cities. In remote and very remote areas, all households were screened in selected CDs. For each randomly selected dwelling within the selected Mesh Block, one usual resident aged 18 years or over, was asked whether anyone in the household was of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin. This screening question was used to identify Indigenous households, from which the sampling process was undertaken. Where a dwelling contained one or more Indigenous usual residents, up to two Indigenous persons (aged 15 years or over) and up to two Indigenous children (aged 0-14 years) were randomly selected to participate in the survey. 26 In non-community areas, a significantly lower than expected number of households, containing Indigenous usual residents, were found after the initial screening process (described above). Therefore, additional Mesh Blocks were selected in Vic, Qld, SA, WA, Tas and the NT. Selected dwellings in these Mesh Blocks were enumerated in early 2009. The lower than expected number of households, identified as containing Indigenous usual residents, may have been due to mobility (i.e. persons moving away from the Mesh Block in which they were enumerated for the 2006 Census into areas excluded from coverage, see paragraph 14), and/or non-identification of Indigenous usual residents and non-response. Refer to paragraph 71 for more information on undercoverage. 27 After screening households in non-community areas, approximately 2.5% were identified as having an Indigenous usual resident. Of these households, 83% responded to the survey. This response rate does not take into account approximately 11% of households who were unable to be contacted and therefore establish the Indigenous status of usual residents. In communities, 78% of in-scope households were fully responding. 28 Some survey respondents provided most of the required information, but were unable or unwilling to provide a response to certain data items. The records for these persons were retained in the sample and the missing values were recorded as 'don't know' or 'not stated'. No attempt was made to deduce or impute for these missing values. 29 Further information on sample design will be provided in the Users' Guide, planned for release in early 2010. Remoteness 30 The Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) is used by the ABS for the collection and dissemination of geographically classified statistics. For the purposes of the 2008 NATSISS, Australia is divided into five remoteness categories: Major cities; Inner regional area; Outer regional area; Remote area; and Very remote area. 31 These categories are based on the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA), which measures the remoteness of a point based on the physical road distance to the nearest urban centre. 32 For this release, the remoteness categories are generally presented as: Major cities; Inner/Outer regional area; and Remote/Very remote area. 33 Additionally, regions may also be referred to as 'remote' (includes remote and very remote) or 'non-remote' (includes major cities, inner and outer regional area). 35 Experienced ABS interviewers undertook personal interviews at selected private dwellings. Interviews were predominantly conducted using a Computer-Assisted Interviewing (CAI) questionnaire. CAI involves the use of a notebook computer to record, store, manipulate and transmit the data collected during interviews. For remote areas, a paper back-up of the questionnaire was available, if needed, but generally was not used. 36 Prior to enumeration, ABS interviewers participated in cultural awareness training, which provided information specifically developed for surveys involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The training outlined the ABS protocol for conducting surveys in community areas and described cultural considerations for interviewers. 37 In non-remote areas, questions on substance use were self-enumerated using a paper Substance Use Form. In remote areas, questions on substance use were asked by interviewers, as part of the CAI questionnaire. 38 To take account of language and cultural differences in community areas, the collection method varied for remote and non-remote areas of WA, SA, Qld and the NT. Some questions were reworded to enhance respondent understanding of the concepts (eg types of disabilities or long-term health conditions). Additionally, the survey content in remote areas excluded topics for which data quality was considered problematic to collect or not applicable. 39 In communities, where possible, ABS interviewers were accompanied by local Indigenous facilitators who assisted in the conduct of the interviews. The facilitators explained the purpose of the survey, introduced the interviewers, assisted in identifying usual residents of a household and in locating residents who were not at home. They may have also assisted respondents to understand the survey questions. A Community Information Form (CIF) was also used to collect general information from the Community Council Office to assist in the conduct of interviews in community areas. 40 Since the survey content sometimes differed in remote/non-remote areas, not all data items are available for the total Indigenous population. In the data item list, data collected only in remote areas (remote areas in WA, SA, Qld and the NT) is noted as such. There are also data items which have been adjusted to allow for remote and non-remote comparisons, which are denoted as such. For example, the disability status item is available for 'non-remote only' or as a 'remote/non-remote comparison'. For more information refer to the data item list released in spreadsheet format with this publication. 41 One person in the household, aged 18 years or over, provided basic household information, including Indigenous status, age, sex and relationships, for all household members. This person, or an elected household spokesperson, also answered some financial and housing items, such as income, tenure arrangements, community and household facilities. 42 Personal interviews were conducted with selected Indigenous persons aged 15 years and over. Exceptions occurred where the selected person: was unable to complete the survey due to injury or illness (a proxy interview may have been arranged); was mourning the death of a family member (Sorry Business); or did not have sufficient English skills and an interpreter was unable to be arranged. 43 Where consent for interview was not given by a parent or guardian of an Indigenous person aged 15-17 years, a personal interview was not conducted. 44 Proxy interviews were used to collect information on selected Indigenous children aged 0-14 years. 45 More information on data collection and a copy of the survey questionnaire will be provided in the Users' Guide, planned for release in early 2010. 47 A full list of data items from the survey has been released in spreadsheet format with this publication. 48 The survey was developed in consultation with numerous stakeholders, including representatives from Commonwealth and State/Territory government agencies, welfare and research agencies, peak Indigenous groups or research bodies (eg National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies), academics and prominent Indigenous researchers, and the ABS Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics. 49 Two key stakeholders were the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Working Group on Indigenous Reform and the Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), who both provided funding for the 2008 NATSISS. The DEECD also subcontracted the Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit to assist in developing the information requirements for Victoria. 50 More detailed results for the topics presented in this release, as well as other topics from the survey, are expected to be released on the ABS website in 2010. Data processing 51 A combination of clerical and computer-based systems were used to process data from the 2008 NATSISS. The content of the data file was checked to identify unusual values which may have significantly altered estimates and also to assess illogical relationships not previously identified by edits. More information on data processing will be provided in the Users' Guide, planned for release in early 2010. Weighting, benchmarking and estimation Weighting 52 Weighting is the process of adjusting results from a sample survey to infer results for the total in-scope population. To do this, a 'weight' is allocated to each sample unit corresponding to the level at which population statistics are produced, eg person or household level. The weight can be considered an indication of how many population units are represented by the sample unit. For the 2008 NATSISS, separate person and household weights were developed. Selection weights 53 The first step in calculating weights for each person or household is to assign an initial weight, which is equal to the inverse of the probability of being selected in the survey. For example, if the probability of being selected in the survey was 1 in 45, then the person would have an initial weight of 45 (that is, they would represent 45 people). 54 After calculating the initial person weights, an adjustment was incorporated into the weighting to account for Indigenous persons not covered by the sample. Paragraph 71 provides information on undercoverage. The initial household weights were also similarly adjusted. Benchmarking 55 The person and household weights were separately calibrated to independent estimates of the population of interest, referred to as 'benchmarks'. Weights calibrated against population benchmarks ensure that the survey estimates conform to the independently estimated distributions of the population rather than to the distribution within the sample itself. Calibration to population benchmarks helps to compensate for over- or under-enumeration of particular categories which may occur due to either the random nature of sampling, non-response, non-identification or various other undercoverage factors. This process can reduce the sampling error of estimates and may reduce the level of undercoverage bias. More information on undercoverage is provided in paragraph 71. 56 A standard approach in ABS household surveys is to calibrate to population benchmarks by state, part of state, age and sex. In terms of the effectiveness of 'correcting' for potential undercoverage bias, it is assumed that the characteristics being measured by the survey for the covered population are similar to the uncovered population within weighting classes, as determined by the benchmarking strategy. Where this assumption does not hold, biased estimates may result. 57 For this survey, person weights were simultaneously calibrated to the following population benchmarks: state by community/non-community (for this benchmark only, Qld, SA, WA and the NT had differences between community and non-community areas, see paragraph 21). 58 The survey was benchmarked to the estimated Indigenous resident population living in private dwellings at 31 December 2008. This estimated population is based on projections of the experimental estimates of the resident Indigenous population at 30 June 2006. More information on the calculation of projections is provided inExperimental Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 1991 to 2021 (cat. no. 3238.0). As people in non-private dwellings (eg hotels) are excluded from the scope of the survey, they have also been excluded from the survey benchmarks. Therefore, the 2008 NATSISS estimates do not (and are not intended to) match estimates for the total resident Indigenous population obtained from other sources. 59 While estimates shown in this release are based on person weights only, household weights were also derived by calibrating the household weights to align with the person-level benchmarks, as there are no available Indigenous household benchmarks. Data at the household level is available on request, see Products and services. Estimation 60 Estimates of counts of persons are obtained by summing person weights of persons with the characteristic of interest. The estimates presented in this release are based on benchmarked person weights. 61 More information on weighting, benchmarking and estimation will be provided in the Users' Guide planned for release in early 2010. Reliability of estimates 62 All sample surveys are subject to error which can be broadly categorised as either: 63 Sampling error occurs because only a small proportion of the total population is used to produce estimates that represent the whole population. Sampling error can be reliably measured as it is calculated based on the scientific methods used to design surveys. 64 Non-sampling error may occur in any data collection, whether it is based on a sample or a full count (eg Census). Non-sampling error may occur at any stage throughout the survey process. For example, persons selected for the survey may not respond (non-response); survey questions may not be clearly understood by the respondent; responses may be incorrectly recorded by interviewers; or there may be errors in coding or processing survey data. Sampling error 65 Sampling error is the expected random difference that could occur between the published estimates, derived from using a sample of persons, and the value that would have been produced if all persons in scope of the survey had been enumerated. A measure of the sampling error for a given sample estimate is provided by the standard error, which may be expressed as a percentage of the estimate (relative standard error). For more information refer to the Technical Note. 66 In this release, estimates with relative standard errors (RSEs) of 25-50% and greater than 50% have been annotated. Estimates with RSEs of 25-50% should be used with caution and those with RSEs greater than 50% are considered too unreliable for most purposes. Non-sampling error 67 Every effort was made to minimise other non-sampling error by: careful design and testing of questionnaires; intensive training of interviewers; and extensive editing and quality control procedures at all stages of data processing. 68 An advantage of the Computer-Assisted Interview (CAI) used for this survey is that it potentially reduces non-sampling errors by enabling edits to be applied as the data are being collected. These edits allow the interviewer to query respondents and resolve issues during the interview. Sequencing of questions is also automated so that respondents are asked only relevant questions and only in the appropriate sequence, eliminating interviewer sequencing errors. 69 Analysis was also undertaken to compare the characteristics of respondents to the 2008 NATSISS with a number of ABS collections to ascertain data consistency. Sources for comparison included: 2006 Census of Population and Housing; 2004-05 National Indigenous Health Survey; 2002 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey; and 2006 Community Housing and Infrastructure Needs Survey. 70 Further information on undercoverage and non-response is provided in the following paragraphs. More detailed information on non-sampling error will be provided in the Users' Guide, planned for release in early 2010. Undercoverage 71 Undercoverage is one potential source of non-sampling error and is the shortfall between the population represented by the achieved sample and the in-scope population. It can introduce bias into the survey estimates. However, the extent of any bias depends upon the magnitude of the undercoverage and the extent of the difference between the characteristics of those people in the coverage population and those of the in-scope population. 72 Undercoverage rates can be estimated by calculating the difference between the sum of the initial weights of the sample and the population count. If a survey has no undercoverage, then the sum of the initial weights of the sample would equal the population count (ignoring small variations due to sampling error). For more information on weighting refer to paragraph 52. 73 In the 2008 NATSISS, there was a relatively large level of undercoverage when compared to other ABS surveys. There was also an increase in undercoverage compared to previous ABS Indigenous surveys. 74 The overall undercoverage rate is approximately 53% of the population at the national level. This rate varies across the states and territories, with a rate of up to 62% in the Northern Territory. Of the national rate, 6% is due to planned frame exclusions and overlap with the Monthly Population Survey where analysis has shown that the impact of any bias is minimal. More information on these exclusions is provided below. 75 Given the high undercoverage rate, the analysis undertaken to ensure that results from the 2008 NATSISS were consistent with other data sources was more extensive than usual. Examples of the sources used for consistency checks are outlined in paragraph 69 and more information on the validation of survey data will be provided in the Users' Guide planned for release in early 2010. 76 Briefly, potential bias due to undercoverage was addressed by the application of: a number of adjustments to the initial weights - the weights were calibrated to population benchmarks to account for the undercoverage at the various calibration levels; and an adjustment to geographical areas based on the density of the Indigenous population - to account for the different undercoverage rates and the characteristics of Indigenous persons living in these areas. 77 More information on the measures taken to address potential bias will be provided in the Users' Guide planned for release in early 2010. 79 Each of these factors are outlined in more detail in the following paragraphs. To assist interpretation, a diagrammatical representation of the potential sources of undercoverage is also provided. Frame exclusions 80 Frame exclusions were incorporated into the 2008 NATSISS to manage the cost of enumerating areas with a small number of Indigenous persons. There were also unplanned exclusions on the non-community frame, due to an error in identifying private dwellings during the creation of the frame. This error resulted in the undercoverage of some discrete Indigenous communities, which were not represented in the survey's community sample. More information on scope and coverage is provided in paragraph 14. 81 At the national level it is estimated that 8.5% of the in-scope population was excluded from the frame. Part of this exclusion represents an estimate of the people who had moved since the 2006 Census. The number of people who moved may be higher than estimated and could account for a portion of the higher than expected non-identification estimate discussed in paragraph 87. Non-response 82 Non-response may occur when people cannot or will not cooperate, or cannot be contacted. Unit and item non-response by persons/households selected in the survey can affect both sampling and non-sampling error. The loss of information on persons and/or households (unit non-response) and on particular questions (item non-response) reduces the effective sample and increases both sampling error and and the likelihood of incurring response bias. 83 To reduce the level and impact of non-response, the following methods were adopted in this survey: face-to-face interviews with respondents; local Indigenous facilitators were employed to assist with interviewing in communities; follow-up of respondents if there was initially no response; and ensuring the weighted file is representative of the population by aligning the estimates with population benchmarks. 84 In the 2008 NATSISS, non-response accounts for a portion of overall undercoverage. The two components of non-response were: non-response to the screening question; and non-response to the survey after identification of an Indigenous household. 85 Of the households screened in non-community areas, approximately 89% of Indigenous households responded. This assumes that response to the screening question is not related to the Indigenous status of the household. Of households who responded to the screening question, approximately 2.5% were identified as having an Indigenous usual resident. Of these identified households, around 83% then responded to the survey. 87 Non-identification of Indigenous households during the screening process may have occurred due to: Indigenous people not identifying themselves as Indigenous (passive refusals); or the household spokesperson being unaware of (or unwilling to provide) the Indigenous status of other residents. 88 The under-identification of Indigenous persons in non-community areas is estimated to be up to 31% of those screened. This estimate is the remaining level of undercoverage when all other known sources of undercoverage have been removed. Part of this proportion is likely to be due to other factors which are unknown. Issues arising in the field 89 Known undercoverage, due to other issues arising in the field, included sample being excluded due to: overlap with the Monthly Population Survey; and occupational, health and safety issues. 90 The estimated undercoverage due to these issues was 3.7% at the national level. Seasonal effects 91 The estimates in this publication are based on information collected from August 2008 to April 2009, and due to seasonal effects they may not be fully representative of other time periods in the year. For example, the 2008 NATSISS asked people if they had participated in any physical, sporting, community or social activities in the three months prior to interview. Involvement in particular activities may be subject to seasonal variation through the year. Therefore, the results could have differed if the survey had been conducted over the whole year or in a different part of the year. Interpretation of results 92 Care has been taken to ensure that the results of this survey are as accurate as possible. All interviews were conducted by trained ABS officers. Extensive reference material was developed for use and intensive training was provided to interviewers. There remain, however, other factors which may have affected the reliability of results, and for which no specific adjustments can be made. The following factors should be considered when interpreting these estimates: Information recorded in this survey is 'as reported' by respondents, and therefore may differ from information available from other sources or collected using different methodologies; Responses may be affected by imperfect recall or individual interpretation of survey questions; and Some respondents may have provided responses that they felt were expected, rather than those that accurately reflected their own situation. 93 Every effort has been made to minimise such bias through the development and use of culturally appropriate survey methodology. 94 For a number of survey data items, some respondents were unwilling or unable to provide the required information. Where responses for a particular data item were missing for a person or household they were recorded in a 'not known', 'not stated' or 'refusal' category for that data item. In some instances, 'not stated' categories have been included in the publication tables, to enable users to determine the suitability of the data for their purposes. For example, more than 10% of Indigenous persons were unable or unwilling to answer whether they had relatives who had been removed from their natural families. Given this proportion applied nationally, by remoteness and states or territory, a separate 'not stated' category has been provided for this item. In some instances, 'not stated' categories are not explicitly shown in the tables, but are included in the total or are grouped with another output category. These groupings are indicated by footnotes. Tables presenting proportions include 'not known' or 'not stated' categories in the calculation of these proportions. 95 Different data items were collected for different time periods, eg labour force status is based on the week prior to interview, level of psychological distress relates to the 4 weeks prior to interview and alcohol consumption refers to the 12 months prior to interview. The reliability and accuracy of data are therefore dependent on the respondent's recall. 96 Results of previous ABS surveys and administrative data collections on use of alcohol and illegal drugs suggest a tendency for respondents to under-report actual consumption levels. 97 The employment component of the 2008 NATSISS is based on a reduced set of questions from the ABS monthly Labour Force Survey. 98 Information on the age standardisation technique used in this publication is provided in the Technical Note. 99 Broad information to assist the interpretation of specific topics in this publication is provided in the following paragraphs. Further information will be provided in the Users' Guide planned for release in early 2010. Household composition and family living arrangements 100 Due to the complexity of living arrangements of Indigenous households, the data presented may not entirely reflect all persons' circumstances. For example, households may include several members of 'extended family', for which the relationships in the household may be difficult to ascertain. Social and emotional wellbeing 101 The 2008 NATSISS contains a series of questions on social and emotional wellbeing in the 4 weeks prior to interview, based on selected items from two well-known survey instruments: 102 The survey also contains questions related to personal stressors, discrimination, social support and cultural identification. 103 The K10 is a widely used screening instrument, which gives a simple measure of psychological distress based on a person's emotional state during the 4 weeks prior to interview. It is not a diagnostic tool, but is an indicator of psychological distress. This survey collected responses to five of the K10 questions, producing outputs for what will be referred to as a K5. 104 Briefly, respondents were asked a series of five questions and for each item, they provided a five-level response scale, based on the amount of time they reported experiencing a particular feeling. Responses to the five questions were put together, resulting in a minimum possible score of 5 and a maximum possible score of 25. Low scores indicate low levels of psychological distress and high scores indicate high levels of psychological distress. 105 The SF-36 is an instrument designed to provide information on general health and wellbeing across eight dimensions, including: physical functioning; role limitations due to physical problems; bodily pain; general health perceptions; vitality; social functioning; role limitations due to emotional problems; and mental health. The 2008 NATSISS includes four questions on positive aspects of social and emotional wellbeing in the 4 weeks prior to interview. Data from the SF-36 are not presented in this release, but may be available on request, refer to Products and services. Disability 106 In the 2008 NATSISS, the questions used to ascertain disability status and disability type differed for persons living in remote and non-remote areas. In remote areas, the wording of screening questions to establish disability status was less detailed and respondents were not specifically asked whether they had any mental illness for which help or supervision was required. These differences possibly result in an underestimate of Indigenous persons with a disability in remote areas. Although the survey did not explicitly identify persons in remote areas with a mental illness, some people may have been identified as having some other type of disability and therefore are included in the total of persons with a disability. 107 In tables containing disability data, the population is limited to the set of criteria used to identify disability in remote areas, to enable comparable data from remote and non-remote areas to be presented. The data are therefore not strictly comparable to non-Indigenous data, which include people with a mental illness for which help or supervision is required. 108 More detailed disability information for persons in non-remote areas may be available on request, refer to Products and services. Major structural problems 109 In the 2008 NATSISS, rising damp was only included as a major structural problem in non-remote areas. Therefore, to allow the presentation of data for both remote and non-remote areas, households in non-remote areas whose only major structural problem was rising damp have been excluded. Comparability with other ABS data sources 110 To aid comparability with other ABS data sources, where possible, questions from existing surveys were used in the 2008 NATSISS questionnaire. However, due to the number of topics included in this survey, it was not always possible to adopt the full question modules used in other surveys. In addition, some modules were further shortened or omitted in community areas because they were not relevant or not able to be effectively administered for the NATSISS within these areas. Where possible, the 2008 NATSISS used standard ABS 'shortened' question modules, designed to maximise comparability with the full question modules. 111 Results from the 2008 NATSISS may differ from other ABS surveys which collect information on the same topics as the information is based on a sample of the population and are subject to sampling variability (or sampling error). For example, results from this survey may differ from the figures that would have been obtained from an enumeration of the entire population (eg Census). More information on sampling error is provided in the Technical Note. 112 Differences may also exist in the scope and/or coverage of this survey compared to other surveys. For example, the 2008 NATSISS includes Indigenous people living in private dwellings across Australia, including remote and very remote areas, whereas the 2007-08 National Health Survey includes people living in private dwellings across Australia, excluding remote areas. Another example is the monthly Labour Force Survey, which includes people aged 15 years and over who live in private dwellings, but also includes a sample of people resident in non-private dwellings (eg hotels). 113 The collection period for this survey was August 2008 to April 2009. The results may therefore differ to other surveys conducted during different reference periods, due to seasonal effects. See paragraph 91 for more information. 114 Differences in estimates may also occur as a result of different collection methodologies. For example, if the information was: collected through a personal interview; self-enumerated by the respondent; provided by the person themselves; or was collected from a proxy. 115 Differences may also result from the context in which questions are asked (eg ordering of the questions or the type of survey being conducted). Additionally, self-identification of Indigenous status may vary, depending on the collection methodology (eg face-to-face interview compared to a self-completed form). 116 Further information on the comparability of the 2008 NATSISS to other ABS sources is provided in Appendix 1. Comparability with previous Indigenous Social Surveys 117 The ABS previously conducted the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS) in 2002. A National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey (NATSIS) was also conducted in 1994. Extensive information on the differences between the 2002 and 1994 surveys is provided in the Explanatory Notes of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, 2002 (cat. no. 4714.0). 118 This release contains selected data from the 2002 NATSISS. Data have been limited to items where there is a sufficient level of comparability between the 2008 and 2002 surveys. 119 Understanding the extent to which data from the 2008 and 2002 NATSISS can be compared is essential in interpreting apparent changes over time. While many key data items in the 2008 survey are the same or similar to those in the 2002 survey, there are differences in the sample design and coverage, survey methodology and content, definitions, and classifications, all of which may impact on comparability. 120 The scope of the NATSISS changed between 2002 and 2008, to enable the inclusion of Indigenous children aged 0-14 years. While this change does not specifically impact on the comparability of data for Indigenous adults aged 15 years and over, some survey modules and questions were redeveloped and/or expanded to include Indigenous children. Briefly, the information collected on Indigenous children includes: language and culture (eg participation in activities and time spent with elders) maternal health of children aged 0-3 years (eg high blood pressure during pregnancy); and education of children aged 0-14 years (eg school attendance and informal learning). 121 For the first time, the 2008 NATSISS used Mesh Block level information within Census Collection Districts to assist in targeting Indigenous people. More information on this process is provided in paragraph 25. 122 There are minor differences between the data available on major structural problems from the 2002 and 2008 NATSISS. In 2008, rising damp was only included as a major structural problem in non-remote areas. In 2002, rising damp was only included as a major structural problem for households in non-community areas. As there were a small number of remote non-community households that reported rising damp as a major structural problem in 2002, these have been excluded from the summary table to enable comparisons of like data. Therefore, data presented in this release differs slightly to the data presented in the 2002 publication. 123 Disability status also differs between the two surveys. In 2008, two additional response categories were included for people in remote areas: Any condition such as back problems or bad headaches, that stop or reduce your being able to do any physical activity or work; and Any scars, loss of limbs or other conditions that affect your appearance. 124 There were also two additional long-term conditions in the 2008 survey for people in remote areas: Fears or any emotional problems, such as depression, that make doing things hard; and 125 Further information on the comparability of the 2002 and 2008 NATSISS will be provided in the Users' Guide planned for release in early 2010. Broad differences in the design of the two surveys are summarised in the following table. COMPARISON TO THE 2002 NATSISS, by survey design 2008 NATSISS 2002 NATSISS Collection methodology Computer-assisted interview (CAI). In remote areas a paper back-up of the questionnaire was available in case of technical difficulties. Selected persons and proxies in remote and non-remote areas were given the option of using prompt cards. The respondent could read directly from the cards or the card may have been read aloud by the interviewer. Prompt cards were used in non-remote areas only. In non-remote areas, selected persons aged 15 years and over were provided with a self-enumerated substance use form. In non-remote areas, the substance use questions were completed by the selected person using a voluntary self-enumerated form. Personal interview for persons aged 15 years and over (where consent was not given for persons 15-17 years, an interview was not conducted). Personal interview for persons aged 15 years and over (where consent was not given for persons 15-17 years, an interview was not conducted). A proxy interview was conducted for children aged 0-14 years, people unable to complete the survey due to injury or illness and people who did not have sufficient English skills (an interpreter may have been used). A household spokesperson aged 18 years and over provided household information, including dwelling, financial situation of household and income for people not selected for personal interview. Scope Indigenous persons (all ages) Indigenous persons aged 15 years and over Usual residents of private dwellings in remote and non-remote areas of Australia. Usual residents of private dwellings in remote and non-remote areas of Australia. Sample design For selected households in discrete remote Indigenous communities and outstations: one Indigenous person aged 15 years and over and one child aged 0-14 years. For selected households in non-remote and remote non-community areas: up to two Indigenous persons aged 15 years and over and up to two children aged 0-14 years. Up to three Indigenous persons aged 15 years and over per household. Final sample 13,307 persons (7,823 adults and 5,484 children) 9,359 persons (aged 15 years and over) Response rate 82% of households in non-community and community areas Approx 80% of households in non-community and community areas Enumeration period August 2008-April 2009 August 2002-April 2003 Main output units Persons Persons Household Household Exclusions Non-Indigenous persons Non-Indigenous persons Non-Australian diplomats, dipomatic staff and members of their household Visitors Members of non-Australian defence forces stationed in Australia and their dependents 128 For users who wish to undertake more detailed analysis of the survey data, an Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF) is expected to be released in early 2010. The Expanded CURF will be accessible through the ABS Remote Access Data Laboratory (RADL) system. Further information about this file, including how it can be obtained and the conditions of use, is available through the CURF Microdata Entry Page on the ABS website. 130 A list of data items from the 2008 NATSISS has been released in spreadsheet format with this publication. 131 A copy of the survey questionnaire and prompt cards will be provided with the Users' Guide planned for release in early 2010. 132 More detailed results for the topics presented in this release, as well as additional topics from the survey, are expected to be released on the ABS website in 2010. 133 To return the survey's information to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a series of thematic releases are planned for distribution (in printed format) to Indigenous communities, organisations and schools. Further information will be available on the ABS website. 134 Special tabulations based on the data from this survey are available on request. Subject to confidentiality and sampling variability constraints, tabulations can be produced from the survey to meet individual requirements. These can be provided in electronic or printed form. 135 For more information about this survey and associated products contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or the National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics on 1800 633 216 or email ncatsis@abs.gov.au. Acknowledgment 136 The 2008 NATSISS was dependent on the high level of cooperation received from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities. Without their continued cooperation, the wide range of Indigenous statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905. Related publications 137 Current ABS publications and other products available from the ABS website, include
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Pages Friday, October 28, 2011Wednesday, October 26, 2011 File this under even though this isn't the first time a story like this has run, it's still interesting… Did you happen to see the news reports about a group of Chinese and Turkish explorers who say they have discovered the remains of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey? They're hardly the first to make such a claim and undoubtedly won't be the last. The group claims carbon dating proves the relics are 4,800 years old, meaning they date to around the same time the ark was said to be afloat. Mt. Ararat has long been suspected as the final resting place of the craft. Yeung Wing-Cheung, from the Noah's Ark Ministries International, the research team that made the discovery, said: "It's not 100 percent that it is Noah's Ark, but we think it is 99.9 percent that this is it." The group has called upon Dutch Ark researcher Gerrit Aalten to verify the legitimacy of its find. "The significance of this find is that for the first time in history the discovery of Noah's Ark is well documented and revealed to the worldwide community," Aalten said at a press conference announcing the find. "There's a tremendous amount of solid evidence that the structure found on Mount Ararat in Eastern Turkey is the legendary Ark of Noah." Representatives of Noah's Ark Ministries said the structure contained several compartments, some with wooden beams that could have been used to house animals. They ruled out human settlements on the grounds none have ever been found above 11,000 feet in the vicinity. During the press conference, team member Panda Lee described visiting the site. "In October 2008, I climbed the mountain with the Turkish team. At an elevation of more than 4,000 meters, I saw a structure built with plank-like timber. Each plank was about 8 inches wide. I could see tenons, proof of ancient construction which predated the use of metal nails. We walked about 100 meters to another site. I could see broken wood fragments embedded in a glacier, some 20 meters long. I surveyed the landscape and found that the wooden structure was permanently covered by ice and volcanic rocks." Local Turkish officials intend to ask the central government in Ankara to apply for UNESCO World Heritage status so the site can be protected while a major archaeological dig is conducted. As we said earlier, this is not the first, and probably won't be the last, time that a group of adventurers claim to have the remains of Noah's Ark. The subject is apparently too tantalizing to put aside. Monday, October 24, 2011 A search of the Bible reveals that honey is mentioned 62 times and found from Genesis clear through Revelation. This should not be surprising given that honey was a major source of sweetening in ancient times. Below are just a few of more familiar passages relating to honey. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey. —Exodus 3:16-18 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.—Psalm 19:10 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!—Psalm 119:103 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. —Matthew 3:3-5 DEMAND FOR LARGE AMOUNTS OF HONEY Have you ever wondered how they went about gathering all this honey that they needed? Well, it turns out that they accomplished the task not much differently than we do today…with commercial operations dedicated to keeping beehives and collecting the honey they produced. Yes, there organized business enterprises in the ancient holy land that maintained what we would call commercial apiaries. An extensive group of ancient beehives have been discovered in the northern Israeli site of Tel Rehov, in the Jordan Valley. An Aerial View of the Dig at Tel Rehov Tel Rehov is the location of the largest ancient Canaanite and Israelite sites in the Beth-Shean Valley and one of the largest tels in the Holy Land.Nine seasons of excavations have uncovered large and well-preserved buildings from three occupation layers dating to the 10th - 9th centuries BC. This would have been around the time of the United Monarchy of David and Solomon and the Divided Monarchy under Omri and Ahab. Remains of an 8th century BC city that was violently destroyed by the Assyrians in 732 BC included a 24 foot-wide mud brick wall around the acropolis. Evidence of the Assyrian slaughter was found in many of the houses that were destroyed. But the most spectacular discovery was the industrial apiary, the only ancient beehives ever discovered in archaeological excavations.There were more than 30 hives found at the Tel Rehov site, indicating a significant operation. The presence of these hives shouldn't surprise anyone. Having no refined sugar, people of that era relied upon honey as the primary source of sweetness in their diet. Experts estimate the hives produced up to a half a ton of honey each year. Examing the Remains of Ancient Beehives The architecture of the ancient hives is similar to bee farms found in modern-day Israel. Each ceramic hive was fashioned with two holes. On one side was a small hole that acted as a door for the bees. On the opposite end was a clay lid beekeepers used to access, and remove, the honey and wax comb. Archaeologists found the 3,000-year-old remains of honeybees, including workers, drones, pupae and larvae, inside the 30 clay cylinders. With the aid of high-resolution microscopes, scientists studied the bodies of the long-deceased insects and concluded that the bees appear to belong to a different subspecies altogether from the Apis mellifera syriaca which currently inhabit Israel. There are two explanations for this phenomenon. Either the range of Apis mellifera anatoliaca (the subspecies found at Tel Rehov) has decreased over the last 3,000 years, or those ancient beekeepers imported this particular species from what is now Turkey for their special characteristics. Interestingly enough, modern beekeepers in Israel still prefer the anatoliaca; they're believed to be calmer and easier to manage, making them more desirable for urban farms such as the one found in Tel Rehov. As the Bible says, "…there is nothing new under the sun." Sometimes, the more things change the more they stay the same. Thursday, October 20, 2011 Today it's our turn in the Christian Writer's Blog Chain. Links to each poster in the Chain are in the sidebar and I encourage you to visit the other blogs, if you haven't already. This month's topic is Harvest and, as always, we'll use it as a lense through which to examine the writing life. HAPPY HARVEST MEMORIES I spent a number of years managing grain elevators in the Midwest and the harvest season was always special. Excitement filled the air and everyone moved a bit faster, worked a little harder. The elevator remained open 24 hours a day…weighing, receiving, dumping, drying and shipping the crop. The bounty of God's earth was an ever-present reality as trucks, filled to overflowing, formed a line that stretched down and around the streets of town. Closing my eyes, I can still catch the sweet scent of corn heating in the dryer and see the clumps of wind-driven "bee's wings" piling up around the base of the silos. FIRST THINGS FIRST But there would be no harvest if there were not first a planting. A farmer who derives his living from the land approaches planting time seriously and methodically. As well he should since everything rides on the coming crop. He tests the soil and applies the necessary nutrients, sprays herbicides or pesticides when needed, carefully selects the variety of seed best suited to his growing conditions, and plows and discs the seedbed to the desired tilth. Then, and only then, does he hitch-up the planter and head off to the field to put seed into the ground. GREAT EXPECTATIONS OR UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS? Just as the farmer's harvest is the fulfillment of his effort throughout the growing season, a finished book is the writer's return on the effort expended in the creative process. Very few moments in life compare to opening a package and seeing a long-anticipated copy of your book for the first time. It is harvest time for a writer and in some ways approaches the instant a delivery room nurse hands you a squirming bundle in a blanket. And why not? Isn't our book a part of us and we part of it? It's our offspring…the child of our imagination and inspiration. Unfortunately, while the farmer goes about his work with due diligence and careful planning, too many beginning writers shortcut the essentials and end up putting the cart ahead of the horse. In a headlong dash to experience the exhilaration of book in hand, they overlook important fundamentals, never realizing that they do so at their own peril. Just like the farmer, the writer must prepare, plan and work from the ground up. No sane person would ever climb into the cab of a 500 horsepower combine equipped with a multi-row corn head and roar out across a field of ripe grain without even knowing which lever does what. Why then does this very same person think nothing of sitting down at the computer to compose the great American novel when they've never written anything more permanent than a grocery list? MAKING THE CUT When it comes to new writers one school of thought says discourage everyone because it separates the dreamers from the ones who'll stick with it. A bit like the famous quote from John Lennon's Aunt, "The guitar's all very well, John, but you'll never make a living out of it." It's fun to dream so long as you don't start believing your imaginings. The blunt truth is there are a million garage bands and darn few of them ever become the Beatles or Aerosmith. Likewise, while Stephen King and J. K. Rowland have done rather well for themselves, a lot of authors who are regularly published don't make a living from their writing. Given these odds, you don't want to be in any rush to get the seed into the ground. Throwing seeds onto unprepared soil may have worked out okay for Jack and his Beanstalk, but it won't cut it in the real world. Never forget, even Jesus advised against tossing your seed onto poor soil. JOINING THE MILLIONAIRE'S CIRCLE John D. McDonald perhaps said it best, "You have to write a million words before you really know what you are doing." I won't quibble over the numbers. If 687,412 will do it for you, great! One thing is certain, though. The magic number has to be larger than zero…quite a bit larger. The novel is a notoriously difficult art form to master. Besides having an inordinate love of words, it demands the author have skill with dialog, POV, timing, flashbacks, foreshadowing, denouement, scenes and sequels, MRU'S, and such arcane concepts as alliteration, repetition, and onomatopoeia as well as the everyday comma and semi-colon. In any field of endeavor, a willingness to do the work needed to master the fundamentals is the mark of a dedicated professional. It's interesting how often a newbie asks if this or that scenario is a good idea for a book. They presume a super-duper idea is the key to a great novel. In reality, the best idea stinks if it's poorly executed and the most over-used plot can be a winner when it's handled properly. CREATIVITY AND THE ARTIST The first step is to realize that, as a writer you are an artist. And with that realization comes responsibility. I want to conclude with some words written by the late Pope John Paul II…himself an author of multiple books and a number of plays "The particular vocation of individual artists decides the arena in which they serve and points as well to the tasks they must assume, the hard work they must endure and the responsibility they must accept. Artists who are conscious of this know too that they must labor without allowing themselves to be driven by the search for empty glory or the craving for cheap popularity, and still less by the calculation of some possible profit for themselves. There is therefore an ethic, even a spirituality, to artistic service...Every genuine artistic intuition goes beyond what the senses perceive and, reaching beneath reality's surface, strives to interpret its hidden mystery. The intuition itself springs from the depths of the human soul, where the desire to give meaning to one's own life is joined by the fleeting vision of beauty and of the mysterious unity of things. All artists experience the unbridgeable gap which lies between the work of their hands, however successful it may be, and the dazzling perfection of the beauty glimpsed in the ardor of the creative moment. What they manage to express in their work is no more than a glimmer of the splendor which flared for a moment before the eyes of their spirit." So, the $64,000 dollar question comes down to this: do you have the humility and tenacity to do what it takes to learn your craft? Are you willing to let people tear your work to shreds and thank them for it? Will you sit in coffee shops and restaurants eavesdropping on conversations not because you're nosy, but because you want to understand dialog? Do you analyze everything you read to see what worked, what didn't, and why. Are you the first to admit no matter how much you learn, you'll never know it all? Do you also acknowledge that no matter what you do, you will never be as good as you want to be? If you answered "yes" to those questions, there may be hope. Not a guarantee of success, fame, or fortune, mind you…just hope. In the end, that's all any writer gets. But then, for a writer hope is enough. Tuesday, October 18, 2011 We have what I believe will be a very interesting post today. It covers two inter-connected topics…the mostly Catholic practice of honoring and praying the Stations of the Cross as mentioned in the header, but also a particular life-sized representation of those Stations in Texas. THE HISTORY OF THE STATIONS The Stations of the Cross grew out of the popularity of pilgrimages during the mediaeval period and earlier in the Church's history. Jerusalem was a particularly popular destination as it contained all of the places of the Lord's passion, death and burial so familiar to believers. The stations and the practice of pilgrimage would be incomplete without a mention of St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. Upon the death of his father, Constantine became Emperor and summoned his mother to the imperial court and conferred the title of Augusta on her as mother of the sovereign. She converted to Christianity after her son's victory over Maxentius…the battle in which he had a vision telling him he would conquer under the sign of the cross. As Empress, Helena traveled to Palestine and, with the aid of Eusebius and others, identified the places that played a key role in the life of Christ and constructed churches on those spots. Then, after she "had shown due veneration to the footsteps of the Saviour", she had two churches erected for the worship of God. One was raised in Bethlehem near the Grotto of the Nativity, the other on the Mount of the Ascension, near Jerusalem. A DESIRE TO REPRODUCE THE HOLYLAND FOR THE COMMON MAN Of course, not everyone had the time and resources of the Empress of the world. The common folk were left to linger at home, yearning to walk in the footsteps of Christ, but not able to afford the trip. To meet this need the monastery of San Stefano at Bologna constructed a group of connected chapels in the fifth century, which were intended to represent the more important shrines of Jerusalem. As a consequence, the monastery became known as Hierusalem — the Latin name for Jerusalem. These chapels can be regarded as the germ of the concept from which the Stations later developed, though nothing that we have before about the fifteenth century can strictly be called a Way of the Cross in the modern sense. However, several travelers who visited the Holy Land during the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries, mention a Via Sacra, a settled route along which pilgrims were conducted. The Via Dolorosa — the Way of Grief or Way of Suffering— for was probably developed by the Franciscans after they were granted administration of the Christian holy places in Jerusalem in 1342. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FIXED NUMBER OF STATIONS The earliest use of the word stations, as applied to the accustomed halting-places along the Via Sacra at Jerusalem, occurs in the narrative of an English pilgrim, William Wey, who visited the Holy Land in the mid-1400s, and described pilgrims following the footsteps of Christ to the place of crucifixion. Reminiscent of Earlier Times Prayer Chapels form the Stations at the Church of St Casimir in Krakow, Poland During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the Franciscans built a series of outdoor shrines in Europe to duplicate their counterparts in the Holy Land. The number of stations varied between eleven and thirty. In 1686, in answer to their petition, Pope Innocent XI granted to the Franciscans the right to erect stations within their churches. In 1731, Pope Clement XII extended the right of all churches to have the stations, provided that a Franciscan father erected them. MODERN USAGE OF THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS The object of the Stations is to help the faithful to make a mini-pilgrimage in spirit, through meditating upon the chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death. It has become one of the most popular devotions for Roman Catholics, as well as a Good Friday feature in the worship and devotion of other Christian denominations. Lighted and Inset Along a Wall at the Church of St. Patrick, Racine, WI. Today, the Stations themselves are usually a series of 14 pictures or sculptures depicting the events of Christ's trial, crucifixion and burial. In order, they are: Jesus is condemned to death,Jesus is given his cross, Jesus falls the first time, Jesus meets His Mother, Simon of Cyrene carries the cross, Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, Jesus falls the second time, Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem, Jesus falls the third time, Jesus is stripped of His garments, Jesus is nailed to the cross, Jesus dies on the cross, Jesus' body is removed from the cross, and Jesus is laid in the tomb. A group called Cross Ministries has constructed the Stations using life-sized statues set in a circle in a field alongside Interstate 40 in Groom, Texas. The statues form a circular path around a huge cross nineteen stories tall. They also have a representation of the Last Supper among others. Here is a sampling: Jesus is Condemned to Death Simon of Cyrene Helps Carry the Cross Jesus is Nailed to the Cross Jesus is Removed from the Cross and Placed in His Mother's Arms If you would like to see the entire set, I encourage you to visit Cross Ministries. Sunday, October 16, 2011 Unquestionably the greatest archaelogical discovery of the Twentieth Century was the Dead Sea Scrolls in the caves of Qumran. After the New Year, we plan to do a series of posts about the Scrolls...why and how they were preserved, what they've taught us, the community that created them and so on. However, there is on very exciting development that I want to share with you today. In an announcement timed to co-incide with Rash HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, the world was told that through a co-operative effort of Google and the Jewish Museum devoted to the Dead Sea Scrolls they have been made available on-line. That's right. You can now examine digital copies of the scrolls on-line at your convenience. Click below to see a video about the site. We'll have lots of additional information about the Scrolls and the insights they provide into the Bible and the Early Church after the First of the Year. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the site and look it over. You can access the Dead Sea Scroll site AT Friday, October 14, 2011 Today's post began as a conversation I had with my wife. She breeds small exotic birds — Bourke's Parakeets and Splendid, or Scarlet-Chested, Parakeets. I mentioned to her that I'd decided to incorporate an African Grey Parrot into my Seeds of Christianity™ Series as a pet for the Emperor Nero. That led to more talk about pet birds in the ancient world, what types of birds they would have had, and so on. Our discussion eventually culminated in a post on her Splendid Bourke Bird Blog about birds in the ancient world. Click here to visit her blog. PET BIRDS IN HISTORY Birds have been popular pets from earliest times. Hieroglyphic records indicate the Egyptians kept them 4,000 or more years ago. The Romans also kept many varieties of birds as pets. Parrots were most popular because of their color, but they also kept crows, magpies and starlings because they, too, could learn to repeat words. Pet birds were so highly prized, that in wealthy Roman households sometimes a slave's only assignment was to care for the birds and teach them to talk. The common man, without the connections and affluence required to obtain the more exotic specimens, would have made do with native species such as finches, doves, etc. The ancient Jews clearly kept pet birds. Duet 22:6 warns, "If you come across a bird's nest beside the road…and the mother is sitting on the young…do not take the mother with the young." Robbing a nest would have been a common way to acquire birds for pets or resale. Job 41:15 asks, "Can you make a pet of him like a bird?" And Jeremiah 5:27 says, "Like cages full of birds…" WHERE THE BIRDS CAME FROM A large portion of Europe was under Roman control, but the northern latitudes don't have the colorful birds most favored as pets. And two modern sources of exotic birds, Australia and South America were both unknown. However, Rome's influence extended into Africa which is home to a variety of colorful parrot species. An African Gray in the Wild Currently, one of the most popular parrots is the African Grey. They are generally acknowledged to be among the smartest of all birds and are known to have vocabularies of up to 500 words. They surely would have been popular in Roman times as well. Africa is also home to nine species of Poicephalus, or short tailed, parrots. Widely dispersed, several of these species exist in slightly different forms so that they represent a total of 24 varieties when the subspecies are included. An Abysinnian Parrot One example in this group is the Abyssinian Parrot. It lives wild in northwest Somalia, across northern Ethiopia and into the Sudan. They generally live in areas that are lightly forested and, though this species generally travels in small groups, they sometimes gather in flocks of over a thousand birds. Abyssinian parrots belong to the ring- necked subspecies and are commonly kept as pets. Lovebirds, Psittaccidae Agapornis, are also native to Africa. There are nine subspecies of lovebirds, meaning that these beautiful and popular birds can be found in a wide variety of colors and colorations. They are intelligent, affectionate, and playful little birds who form strong bonds with their owners. THE PARTHIAN CONNECTION The eastern boundary of the Roman Empire butted up against the realm of the Parthians. This area was once part of Alexander the Great's Empire. Following the death of Alexander, Parthia became a Seleucid governorate under Nicanor. Their sphere of influence extended from the boundaries of Roman Syria to the Indus River. The Alexandrine Parakeet or Alexandrian Parrot is named after Alexander the Great, who is credited with exporting the birds from Punjab into various European & Mediterranean countries. Given their relationship with Alexander, they became prized possessions of nobles and royalty. The species name eupatria translates to noble ancestry. The Ultimate Gift, an Alexandrine Parrot The Alexandrine Parrot is a larger version of both the Indian and African Ringneck. They look so much like their smaller cousins that they are sometimes accidentally classified as one of their more popular cousins.All Alexandrine Parrots exhibit the classic ringneck look: dark green bodies, long tails, red beaks, and yellow eyes.The only difference between them and their smaller relatives are their maroon patched wings and larger bills. One of the Alexandrine's smaller cousins, the Indian Ringneck Parakeet, can speak so clearly that once monks considered them sacred after hearing one repeat their daily prayers. This big talking, medium-sized bird is capable of reciting long and complicated excerpts from books, poetry, and scripture. Indian Ringnecks can Recite Long Passages of Scripture By the First Century, Rome had several hundred ships traveling across the Red Sea to India to get pepper. It's not hard to imagine a bird trader wandering the docks with a cage of birds that he'd trapped and tamed. Who better to sell them to than foreign merchants docked at the harbor? The merchants would transport the birds to Egypt and resell them to someone heading for Rome or any of the other capitols of the Empire. After all, if Herod the Great were in Rome and happened to see the talking bird Caesar had, wouldn't he want one too? And if it were the current fashion, wouldn't Pontius Pilate's wife, Claudia Procula, want some lovebirds dangling in a cage from her ceiling? Just because they were out in the sticks, that doesn't mean she had to live like a peasant. Besides, who did she have to talk to all day? Pontius was always tied up with paperwork and centurions and that high priest, Caiphas… So were the early Christians familiar with exotic pet birds? The answer is clearly, Yes they were. Did they own them? Maybe, maybe not. Some Christians came from elite families and could have easily afforded to purchase such a pet. Others were poor and would have had to make do with sparrows, wrens, finches, and doves. Tradition tells us Saint John kept homing pigeons as a hobby. What about the boy Jesus? Did Joseph perhaps construct a cage out of willow branches and wood scraps to house the little desert finch Jesus brought home? It's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility. Wednesday, October 12, 2011 In the Jewish calendar of Feasts and Festivals, we are currently celebrating Sukkoth. Since the Jewish year began just a short while ago with Rosh Hashanah, this seemed like an opportune time to begin our series on the major Feasts and Festivals of Judaism. The Festival of Sukkoth begins on Tishri 15, the fifth day after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is quite a drastic transition, from one of the most solemn holidays of the year to one of the most joyous. Sukkoth is so unreservedly joyful that it is commonly referred to in Jewish prayer and literature as Z'man Simchateinu , the Season of our Rejoicing. There is a short chapter in my novel WITNESS, in which Shemu'el and Atticus celebrate in the Sukkah of some friends. If you are interested, you can read that chapter here. THE THREE PILGRIM FESTIVALS Sukkoth is the last of the Shalosh R'galim (the three pilgrimage festivals). Like Pesach, or Passover, and Shavu'ot, Sukkoth has both historical and agricultural significance. Historically, Sukkoth commemorates the forty-year period which the children of Israel spent wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Agriculturally, Sukkoth is a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif, the Festival of Ingathering. A TENT, NOT A PHONE BOOTH The word Sukkoth means "booths," and refers to the temporary dwellings that Jews are commanded to live in during this holiday in memory of their period of wandering. The name of the holiday is frequently translated "Feast of Tabernacles," which, like many translations of Jewish terms, isn't very useful. This translation is particularly misleading, because the word "Tabernacle" in the Bible refers to the portable Sanctuary in the desert, a precursor to the Temple. The Hebrew word sukkah (plural: Sukkoth) refers to the temporary tent-like booths that people lived in, not to the Tabernacle. Sukkahs on the Balconies of Apartments in Israel Sukkoth lasts for seven days. The two days following the festival, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, are separate holidays but are related to Sukkoth and are commonly thought of as part of Sukkoth. The festival of Sukkoth is instituted in Leviticus 23:33. No work is permitted on the first and second days of the holiday. The intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as CholHaMo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Passover. In Leviticus 23:40, which comes directly after a discussion of Sukkoth, the Torah tells us: "On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before Adonai your God seven days." The Cirton or Etrog THE FOUR SPECIES From this text emerged the Four Species: a citron, a palm branch, three myrtle twigs and two willow branches. During Sukkoth the four species are brought together in the form of an etrog and the lulav. The etrog is a kind of citron, while the lulav is a composed of the three myrtle twigs (hadassim), two willow twigs (aravot) and a palm frond (lulav). Because the palm frond is the largest of these plants, the myrtle and willow are wrapped around it. The Four Species are waved together as part of the synagogue service during Sukkoth. They can also be waved at home or near the sukkah. BUILDING THE SUKKAH Leviticus 23:42 commands, "You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths." Building the sukkah can be great fun for children. It satisfies the common childhood fantasy of building a fort, and dwelling in the sukkah fulfills a child's desire to camp out in the backyard. The commandment to "dwell" in a sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one's meals there; however, if the weather, climate, and one's health permit, many people sleep in them as well. The walls of the sukkah do not have to be solid; canvas covering tied or nailed down is quite common. A sukkah may be any size, so long as it is large enough to fulfill the commandment that a person dwell in it. They are intended to be rustic and the roof of the sukkah is made of material referred to as sekhakh (literally, covering). To fulfill the commandment, sekhakh must be something that grew from the ground and was cut down, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, or sticks. Sukkahs come as do-it-yourself kits, or they can be built from scratch. It is a common practice to decorate the sukkah. In the northeastern United States, Jews commonly hang dried squash and corn in the sukkah because these vegetables are readily available around the time of the American holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Many families hang artwork drawn by the children on the walls. Building and decorating a sukkah is a fun family project, much like decorating the Christmas tree. Many Americans, upon seeing a sukkah for the first time, remark on how much the sukkah (and the holiday generally) reminds them of Thanksgiving. This may not be entirely coincidental. There is a tradition that the American pilgrims who originated the Thanksgiving holiday borrowed the idea from Sukkoth. It goes something like this: The pilgrims were deeply religious people. When they were trying to find a way to express their thanks for their survival and for the harvest, they looked to the Bible for an appropriate way of celebrating and found Sukkoth. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SUKKOTH AND THANKSGIVING This, of course, is not the standard story taught in schools today, but the Sukkoth explanation of Thanksgiving fits well with the meticulous research of Mayflower historian Caleb Johnson. He believes that the original Thanksgiving was a harvest festival (as is Sukkoth), that it was observed in October (as Sukkoth usually is), and that Pilgrims would not have celebrated a holiday that was not in the Bible. Although Mr. Johnson claims that the first Thanksgiving was "not a religious holiday or observance," he apparently means this in a traditional Christian sense. He goes on to say that the first Thanksgiving was instead "a harvest festival that included feasts, sporting events, and other activities." All of these concepts are very much in keeping with the Jewish observance of Sukkoth. THE BOOK OF QOHELETH In modern Judaism, the Book of Qoheleth is read during the Feast of Sukkoth. It is known to most Christians as the Book of Ecclesistes...from its Greek name. The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title, Qoheleth, (usually translated as teacher or preacher), introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem. Could it be Solomon, perhaps? THE GREAT HOSHANAH The four species are also held and waved during the Hallel prayer in religious services at the Synagogue, and are held during processions around the bimah, the pedestal from which the Torah is read. These processions commemorate similar processions around the altar of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. This part of the service is known as Hoshanot, because while the procession is made, a prayer is recited with the refrain, "Hoshanah!" (Please save us!). On the seventh day of Sukkoth, seven circuits are made. For this reason, the seventh day of Sukkoth is known as Hoshanah Rabbah or the great Hoshanah. After the circuits on Hoshanah Rabbah, they beat the willow branches against the floor five times, shaking loose some or all of the remaining leaves. A number of explanations are offered for this unusual practice, but the primary reason seems to be agricultural. The rainy season in Israel begins in the fall, and the leaves falling from the willow branch symbolize the desire for beneficial rainfall. Most Christians immediately recognize the phrase Hoshanah. How did it move from Jewish usage to Christian usage? Certainly part of the answer lies in Christianity's Jewish roots. Hosanna was an exclamation of joy and triumph. Like all acclamations in frequent use, it lost its primary meaning and became a kind of hurrah of joy, triumph, and exultation. The Gospels seem to indicate that it was in this manner that it was uttered by the crowd on Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donley. It was with this indefinite meaning that the word hosanna passed into the liturgies of the Early Church, a position it has retained ever since. Hosanna is found in some of the Church's earliest documents such as the Didache and the Apostolic Constitutions. Monday, October 10, 2011 Today we begin a series of post on Games of the Ancient World. Board games are among the oldest known games. Extremely popular throughout the Roman Empire, they were played by both children and adults. The game we're talking about today originated in Egypt around 1,300 BC. Its Egyptian name is lost in antiquity, and is known today by Egyptologists simply as the Hounds & Jackals game because of its unique hound and jackal- headed playing pieces. It is a race game between a team of five Jackals and a team of five Hounds (originally peg playing pieces) around a palm tree or an oasis along a peculiar shaped 'Track' (originally a series of peg holes in a playing board). The game required strategy in the face of chance, the chance coming from the throw of two knucklebones which were an ancient form of dice. The object of the game was to get your five pieces around the track and onto the Shen hieroglyph. The Shen hieroglyph is typically associated with concepts such as eternal…universal…the infinite. Hounds & Jackals is probably one of the most easily recognized of ancient games not only because of the distinctive look of the game pieces, but also because Hollywood has immortalized it in movies. For instance, here Pharaoah Seti (Cedric Hardwicke) and Nefertari (Anne Baxter) - off camera on the right - are seen playing the game in the Cecile B DeMille classic, The Ten Commandments. The man approaching from the rear is Minister Jannes (Douglas Dumbrille). HOUND AND JACKAL PETROGLYPHSAll was well until 2003 when a group of archeologists presented an article about some Stone Age rock carvings they found in Azerbaijan. They dated these ancient petroglyphs they'd found to about 2,000 BC and their meaning, or use, remains a mystery. Some of the rock carvings found were regular in appearance and had repeating geometric patterns. This suggests they had a specific function most likely involving counting, and unlike the other mysterious rock carvings which defy interpretation, it was suspected that meaning could be extracted from the geometric arrays. The first thought was that perhaps they were some sort of calendar. Then someone noticed their horseshoe shape was nearly identical to the board used in Hounds and Jackals. The Azeri Petroglyph With Its Familiar Horseshoe-Shaped Hounds and Jackals Playing Surface The points of similarity between the Egyptian board and the carved arrays at the stone circle are remarkable. Clearly the two are closely related. Inspection of a board found at Thebes shows a larger hole at the top of the board, which is not generally counted with the others. This in effect would give it 58 +1 holes. The Azeri rock carvings have 60+1 holes. Other features in common between the two besides the central enlarged hole are a horseshoe or U-shaped outer series, two parallel straight inner lines, a similar total of dots, and interconnecting channels between the holes. The exact rules of Hounds and Jackals have been lost to history. However, the presence of the Shen hieroglyph with its implications of eternity seem to imply that the object of the game was to metaphorically achieve some sort of immortality, or higher plain of existence. FROM HOUNDS TO SNAKES - FROM JACKALS TO LADDERS This line of reasoning leads us to the ancient race game of India known as Snakes and Ladders. Interestingly enough, the evil force in this game is represented (Shades of Eden) as a snake. It is a game of morality with the bases of the ladders located on squares representing various types of good. The squares of virtue in the original game are Faith, Reliability, Generosity, Knowledge, and Asceticism. The more numerous snakes coming from these squares represent various forms of evil. The original squares of evil are Disobedience, Vanity, Vulgarity, Theft, Lying, Drunkenness, Debt, Rage, Greed, Pride, Murder, and Lust. The game taught Hindu children that the good squares allowed a player to ascend higher in the league of life whereas evil reduced a player back through reincarnation to lower tiers of life. Presumably the last square, 100, represented Nirvana. During the British Raj, the game made its way to England. The morality of the game appealed to Victorians who took to the game when it was published in England in1892. Still called Snakes and Ladders, the game play was pretty much the same except that the vices and virtues were renamed according to Victorian ideals. So Penitence, Thrift and Industry elevated a player up a ladder to squares labeled Grace, Fulfillment and Success while Indolence, Indulgence and Disobedience slid a player down to Poverty, Illness and Disgrace. The number of ladders and snakes on the playing board were now equal. The Modern Version of Snakes and Ladders THE GAMES COMES TO AMERICA The game was introduced in the United States by Milton Bradley in 1943 with several important modifications. First, the moral overtones of the game disappeared. Now the object was not to achieve moral virtue, but simply to beat your opponents to the top. Without the moral message, the snakes became unnecessary and were replaced with the more kid-friendly image of playground slides, or chutes. So the Christmas favorite, Chtues and Ladders, has its origins in ancient games played by children and adults over 4,000 years ago. Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Movies often portray the Romans as an invincible power with absolute control that subjected the peoples of their empire with an iron hand. This, of course, is far from the truth. Revolts and uprisings where constantly breaking out from East to West. One of the greatest, and most successful, was lead by a woman named Boadicea. BOADICEA IN HISTORY That was the name given to her by the Roman historian Tacitus, although to Dio Cassius she was Buduica. Whether Boudicca, Boadicea, or Buduica; it would have been the Latinized version of her Brythonic Celtic name, and would probably have been something similar to the name under which she is known in present day Welsh Byddyg, Victory, or a variant of Boudigga, the Celtic Goddess of Victory. Written histories of Boadicea, and of early Britain in general, are found in two classical manuscripts, which were most likely derived from the same original source. The historian Tacitus wrote his history only fifty years after the events of A.D. 60, and it was said that his father-in-law Agricola was able to give an eyewitness account of the rebellion. Dio Cassius also gave his account of the events. Although both are biased accounts, they provide the basic chronological framework of early Roman Britain. Attempts to turn to archaeological discoveries to help pinpoint the exact events has been unsuccessful, since much of the data was destroyed during pillaging and a significant amount of the land has never been excavated. THE CELTIC TRIBE KNOWN AS THE ICENI The people were of mixed origins. There had been an influx of people from the Hallstat culture, bringing with them a knowledge of iron and pottery, which merged with the skills of those already present from the late Bronze Age. Sometime between A.D. 43 and A.D. 45, Boadicea was married to Prasutagus, King of the Iceni. It has been said that Boadicea was not of Iceni origin since outside marriages were quite common among the ruling class. It was not unusual for women held positions of prestige and power, in the upper levels of Celtic society. Many took prominent roles in political, religious, and artistic life. Women also owned land, could choose their spouses and initiate divorce. PRASUTAGUS, THE CLIENT KING The Iceni had remained passive and watched while the Roman Emperor Claudius and his army conquered large parts of Britain in A.D. 43. Since Claudius was founding strong military colonies all over the island, the Iceni must have realized that they couldn't remain independent of Roman domination forever. In an attempt to avoid conflict, King Prasutagus went to the city of Camulodunum and agreed to become a client-king of Rome. This required him to submit to the Roman ruling class, but it also enabled his tribe and their culture to remain relatively unfettered. This system worked well for Prasutagus and his subjects until his death. In his last testament, Prasutagus left his kingdom to be shared equally by his two daughters and the new Roman emperor, Nero. He apparently believed that this would buy off the Roman Emperor and thereby ensure tranquility for his family and kingdom. The Romans, however, did not grant right of succession to all client kings. What, if any, promises made to the leader of the Iceni are lost to history. The situation was further complicated by the fact that Roman law did not allow royal inheritance to be passed to daughters, and co-ownership of a kingdom with a woman was unacceptable according to Roman standards. A Wintery View of the Thornycroft Statue FORCED TO BECOME A REVOLUTIONARY Kinsmen of the royal house were enslaved. Boadicea was whipped and forced to witness the public rape and torture of her two daughters, who were believed to have been roughly 12 years old at the time. The Romans clearly sought to break the proud Iceni spirit; however, rather than breaking their spirits, their excesses rallied the people behind their Queen. Meanwhile, the Romans were experiencing difficulty in the northeast attempting to take the headquarters of Druidism on the Isle of Mona. They feared the Druids because they were apparently the force behind previous rebellions against Caesar. This territory had become the geographical center for anti-Roman and pro-Briton activities. Though by Roman law Boadicea had no real claim to succession after her husband's death, her people regarded her as their natural leader, and neighboring tribes willingly supported any anti-Roman uprising. The indigenous people had suffered under Roman taxation for years and many were also driven off their own land and enslaved. Sometime before 60 AD, the Temple of Claudius was erected in Colchester to commemorate the life of the Roman emperor who had destroyed the Celtic culture. It immediately became an object of strong hatred by the British tribes and a rallying point. Neighboring tribes quickly joined Boadicea's rebellion. She's said to have gathered between 100,000 and 200,000 people against the Romans. They captured and destroyed the Roman cities of Camulodunum and Colchester then marched on the growing trade center of Londinium, which they also sacked and burned. A Stained Glass Rendering of Boudicea at the Colchester Town Hall The written accounts portray Boadicea and her followers in battle in savage terms, a typical ploy of Roman military writing which portrays the enemy as uncivilized animals as opposed to Roman law, order, and civilization. Regardless, the three principle cities of the province had been captured and their inhabitants brutally massacred. However, Boadicea had an increasingly difficult time keeping order among her troops after these victories with their accompanying looting and burning. THE REVOLUTION COMES TO AN END No one is sure exactly when and where the final confrontation took place. This is how Tacitus describes the final battle: The Britons were used to the leadership of women, but she camebefore them not as a queen of a distinguished line, but as an ordinary woman, her body cut by the lash avenging the loss of her liberty, and the outrages imposed on her daughters. He quotes Boadicea as rallying the troops by saying, "The gods were on our side in our quest for vengeance, one legion had already perished, the others are cowering in their forts to escape. They could never face the roar of our thousands, least of all our charge and hand to hand fighting. When the Romans realize their small force and the justice of our cause, they will know it is victory or death. This is my resolve, as a woman: follow me or submit to the Roman yoke." The rebel army was immense, but the Romans were at an advantage for the first time with more armor and shorter swords. The Celts had longer slashing swords and little or no armor. Not intimidated by the barbaric chaos, the Roman army advanced rapidly into the Celtic mass. The Roman swords proved to be deadly at close quarters, while the Celts were crushed so close together their longer weapons were rendered useless. Under the command of Seutonius, the Romans massacred the Celts. A few months later fire and the Roman sword ravaged the previously untouched Iceni territory. LOST TO HISTORY It was reported that Boadicea survived the battle. Tacitus wrote that she took poison and thus died by her own hand, Cassius Dio tells us she fell sick and died. Sickness caused by poison? No matter, it stands to reason that she did not want to fall into the hands of the Romans again. Did her daughters die with her? They were never mentioned again. Their names, as well as their fate, are another one of the mysteries of history. Boadicea's story appears to have ended with her death and burial in an unknown grave. Her name faded from memory, her heroic deeds were forgotten until the 14th Century, when Tacitus' manuscripts were discovered in a monastery library. Since then, Boadicea's rebellion has had an established and monumental place in British history. Over time she has come to be seen not so much as a queen, but a mother, wife, and warrior defending her country. Alex Kingston as Boadicea in the movie Warrior Queen Boadicea has been the subject of two feature films, the 1928 film Boadicea, where she was portrayed by Phyllis Neilson-Terry, and 2003's Boudica — released as Warrior Queen in the US, a UK TV film starring Alex Kingston as Boudica. She has also been the subject of a 1978 British TV series, Warrior Queen, starring Siân Phillips as Boudica
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30926d21-b832-44d7-8e42-9b6e03a5f65c
http://eglewis.blogspot.jp/2011_10_01_archive.html
A New Hampshire Native, Alexis was uprooted by her mother and stepfather at the age of 14 in a move to California. Here, Alexis's talents and dreams of singing, dancing, and acting flourished with the opportunities surrounding her. She began studying acting in high school, and continued as she finished her bachelor's degree in Communications and Broadcasting from California State University, Fullerton. Her professional acting career began in 2005 promptly upon graduation when she finally couldn't deny her passion for performing. Among her many performances, Alexis' characters inspire strength through despair. Alexis is most recently known for her starring role as powerful and manipulative Lara DeVanity in the award nominated web soap DEVANITY. Her role as Karen in Skypilot Theatre Company's hit new annual play, TO THE NEW GIRL FROM THE FORMER MRS.___: SOUND ADVICE FOR MY HUSBAND'S NEW WIFE OR MISTRESS, brought fourth her ability to survive through the pain of her betrayals. Alexis' television appearances include THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS and THE WAR AT HOME, and her recent leading feature film roles include THE DAVINCI TREASURE, BREATH OF HATE, and CONSINSUAL. Though she plays such strong characters, Alexis is a bright, contagiously happy woman with a heart of gold. Besides performing, Alexis has a few other talents: shooting firearms and Krav Maga Hand-to-Hand Combat Training. She even owns a few guns of her own ( a CZ 75 .9mm to be exact). She loves the movie Scarface, photography, travelling, and her family and pets, and she supports No-Kill Animal Shelters. What is the current project you are working on? DeVanity Season 2. Just finished filming a little role on The Young and the Restless. About to start filming the feature 'Insider Trading' How do you define success? Mostly it's finding happiness in your life AS YOU ARE NOW, with all of the problems in your life. THAT is the ultimate hurdle in life is to find TRUE happiness. It cannot be bought or won. Every ounce of happiness is within you, and in your hands. That being said, my success is doing the things I love AND sometimes getting paid to do it It's like my dreams come true, but it was never handed to me. I had to work years to get even this far. It took a lot of very difficult, emotional, and moneyless times to fight to get here, and I will have many ahead, but I had to enjoy every minute of my journey because it is not a guarantee that you will have tomorrow to make up for the happiness lost today. Life is too short. Ultimate success is getting to a place of happiness within yourself How do you handle rejection? I brush it off. Other people's opinions of me are none of my business. I believe in my ability to do the job, and I put in my 100% into every audition and role, but if it's not the right time or role, it's just not the right time. You have to have a REALLY thick skin as an actor. You go on tons of auditions (interviews), put your heart an soul into every single one, and maybe you'll get a callback for one. Then MAYBE you'll book the gig, or maybe you won't. It's how fast you pick yourself up and brush yourself off that keeps your 'rejection barrier' from breaking down. Did you always want to be an actress? Yes. I always wanted to be on broadway singing, dancing, and acting. I played dress up and make-believe for longer into my childhood years than most kids. I moved around a lot, so I spend a lot of time alone until I made new friends, so I had to entertain my brain (which runs a million miles a minute). I was a dancer for 16 years, so I was very well trained in that aspect on stage, but never really believed I could make it as an actress. I was a bit of an ugly duckling, so I didn't even want to attempt to go up against other beautiful girls. I had to grow, and find my identity and confidence before I could really allow myself to follow my heart. What inspired you to become an actress? A building up of events: from the death of 3 friends in high school, a traumatic car accident with my boyfriend while in college, and topping it off with the death of my step-father when I had just finished recovering from my accident a few months later. My stepdad was only 58 when he died, and I found him after he had passed. It was very difficult to witness my friends dying, experience my own immortality, then see one of my parents' dead body. My stepdad had told a lot of big stories about himself while I was growing up, and after he died, we found out most of the stories were not true. My mother said that those were probably the things he really wanted to do but couldn't because he started a family at age 17, and really didnt' get to live his life as he had dreamed. I realized right when she said that, I needed to do EVERYTHING in my power to make sure my dreams came true. I started studying acting again immediately, moved to L.A., finished my last semester in college, and the rest is history. What is the best thing about being one? I get to play dress up and make believe like I did when I was a kid I get to be someone else, and live and breath in their soul. In HINNON VALLEY, I get to be G.I. Jane. In DEVANITY, I'm drenched in jewels like a princess. It's like getting to change who you want to be that day if you're bored with your own life. What is the worst thing about being one? The politics of getting a gig. Pretty much how people get most jobs. Sometimes the best actor doesn't book the part. It could be a look, a friend, a favor, a feel, a name actor, etc. There is so much behind the scenes effort put into just getting called into audition: submitting, rehearsing your audition sides (sometimes for hours), sometimes a 3 hour turnaround on one audition depending on traffic and speed of the casting office, the wait for the phone call that you may never get, the cost of your headshots, etc. But that just makes you appreciate when you DO book a gig. It's just that much sweeter when you get the part What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on? 30 or so. Hard to remember all of them over the years. Not all of them make it onto the resume, demo reel, or IMdb, so it's easy to forget if it was years ago. Hmmmm. I'm not sure my life has really changed except for the amount of attention I get and my extremely hectic and constantly changing schedule. I get these great letters from people who have seen me in a film or show I've done, and they are fans. I'm always so flattered and blown away to have a fan, so it really makes my day that someone else likes my work. The other difference is that I get to go to set as my job, and get hair and makeup done for 2 hours before filming. I also do A LOT of running around LA for auditions, picking up publicity materials, rehearsals, filming, wardrobe fittings, basic errands (bank, groceries, gym) etc. And everything is scheduled back to back, so sometimes I don't get to bed until 4 AM, just because I didn't get home until 2:30, and still need to wind down. I don't have the typical 9-5 lifestyle that most people hate, but don't realize how lucky they are that they know their schedule ahead of time. Most of my auditions I find out about a day before, and it's usually sometime midday in the middle of plans I've made. I'm constantly having to drop my pre-made plans for last minute auditions. I also have my survival job in between bookings, so if I'm scheduled to work that day, I have to panic and get someone to hopefully cover my shift to make my audition. OR if I'm already filming I have to find a way to work the audition and filming schedules together. You can't ask the casting office to work around your schedule. They have sometimes hundreds of people they are seeing for mulitple roles, so they don't have time to help everyone. It's up to the actor to make time for the opportunity the casting office is presenting. I otherwise live exactly the same way as I did before I started acting except I'm older and have more responsibilies. I still live in an apartment, drive an 8 year old car, play with my kitties, and make dinner for my amazing husband, Ian. Still clean the house, go to the bank, and save money to go on vacations with him. I live normally for the most part. What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business? Don't just come to L.A. for a year or two and hope to make it that quickly or get 'discovered.' If you just want to be famous, go home. Don't waste your time because you won't be willing to put forth the effort it takes to train, hustle, and keep pushing year after year to have a long respected career. Be an actor because you TRULY want to act because it can be a painful and costly dream if you don't really want it. If you really want to act, get a good survival job, get into a good class, and submit to every acting gig you can find paid or not. This will build your resume, experience, strength, and confidence. Tons. My first job was at Pizza Hut, where I eventually became a shift manager at age 18. Worked at numerous restuarants as every job. Was a manager in retail clothing stores. Did bookkeeping, purchasing, sales, etc. Worked full-time all through high school, college, all the way into the beginning of my acting career. How would you describe your film education? It feels like not much, but when I look at it, it really is a lot. My degree was in broadcasting, so I learned how to use the camera, edit, use sound equipment, be an on-camera host, how to light a set, etc. The rest of my film eduction came from doing lots of student films in the beginning, writing and shooting my own films, helping on friends' projects, taking a few on-camera acting classes, and then straight up working on real union sets when I would book a gig. I took years of acting classes since high school, but that's just the acting education, not actual film education. What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows? I love Scarface. I'd say that's my favorite. It's about the American dream…gangster style. Al Pacino has been one of my idols since I saw The Godfather series and Scarface. As a female, there aren't a lot of roles like he plays. I mean, how badass would it be to be 'The Godmother?' There is a real Godmother, Griselda Blanco, who is legendary in Miami. That movie still has yet to be made. Most of my favorites are the classics: Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Holiday Inn, Singing in the Rain, Goodfellas, The Godfather, Casino, Goonies, Labyrinth, Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, The Abyss, Dr. Zhivago. Then some others are: Sunshine Cleaning, Miss Congeniality, Billy Madison, Friday, Beavis and Butthead Do America, Deathproof, The King's Speech, Last of the Mohicans, Independence Day. My favorite foreign film is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. What a beautiful story. It really teaches you how you shouldn't live your life and the consequences if you do. 1. Those that just want to be seen. You know who they are: The 'Too-Cool-For-School' LA type actors. They wear sunglasses everywhere they go including in doors, and always look overly perfect except for the fact that they have lost their ability to smile for fear of not looking confident or cool. But they have no intention of really putting in the work and push it takes to make your career happen and continue to happen. These are the people who expect (and sometimes they get it) for it to be handed to them based on their good looks. FYI people: there are plenty of talented actors just as good-looking as you. 2. Then there's the scene where people genuinely just want to make a story come to life, just because they are passionate about telling a story and filmmaking. I gravitate towards those people. They are the good people in this business that will make it based on their talents and hard work, and whose careers will last. Sometimes these people just get to talking about stuff in their life, or incidents recently experienced, and they tell someone else, and boom! They're writing something and then collectively pulling the production together to get it made. Hinnon Valley and DeVanity came to be because of the love for telling a great story. Both were made on a shoe-string budget, and were shot beautifully because of the creators' true love of telling a story. How has social media changed the independent film industry? SO much. Nowadays we can promote ourselves and our projects on our Facebook and Twitter pages. I have my own website aside from Facebook. You can raise money for your project via Indie Go Go, and a few other websites. It's so much better and helps projects get more attention, advertising, and funding more than it ever would have in the past without studio backing. People can collaborate so much more quickly and efficiently too. You can post your trailer on all of your social media pages and on Facebook instead of paying a TV station for a commercial spot. You can spread the word about your project on Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc. There are endless possibilities. All in all, it's helping the little guys make truly beautiful films without waiting for a studio to give it money to produce. People are more in charge of their own careers now more than ever. I think it makes the studios and other indie film companies have to keep their storytelling abilities at the highest quality in order to compete. We all win in the end What's your opinion on crowdfunding? It thinks it's fantastic. Why not? People have a right to spend money on whatever they want. If it keeps the filmaker from having to be held hostage by a production company or studio, this frees him or her up monetarily to make more decisions in favor of making a high quality film or show. This just helps creativity flourish because the creators are not bound by investors telling them what they want changed in the script, or who they want for a particular role. It gives the creator freedom to create as he pleases. This is pretty much exactly how my most recent project, DeVanity has done so well…freedom to create! How does independent film differ from the mainstream? It has way less boundaries. It's much more free, and the stories are much less mainstream, more relatable, and therefore more moving in many cases. I'm not saying the studios aren't making badass films. They really are. But some of these indies, are just truly beautiful and fascinating stories. Again: freedom to create. If you could go back in time and see and film being made, which film would it be and why? Casino. I would love to see Sharon Stone and Robert Deniro in action. What they were really like during the nasty argument scenes and then in between takes. Do they stay pissed and in character? Do they break completely? My guess is they stay in character, but how amazing powerful to watch that. And Sharon's wardrobe alone was beautiful. Do you believe in life on other planets? Absolutely. There can't just be us in that big infinite space. But I don't believe 'aliens' are about the same size or shape as us like most movies portray. They could be completely different. Maybe no limbs. Maybe much much larger or maybe microscopic. Skinless, boneless, no eyes etc. Life can exist in so many other ways besides what works for humans. Look at the vast amount of species just on planet earth including the biolumiscent deep sea creatures. What's your favorite movie quote and why? "Iss naughta too-mah," ("It's not a tumor"), Kindergarten Cop, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Because it's just so fun to say. LOL! What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels? Sometimes they turn out great, sometimes they don't. I love the Star Wars Prequels. Those were really cool. 3:10 to Yuma was terrible. I am Legend and Bad News Bears remakes were awsome. I think all in all, most remakes have turned out great, but some movies should not be remade too early. For instance, if they remake Goonies, I'll be highly disappointed. TV show remakes on the other hand, not so much. What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions? Love 'em. Though people need to understand that in order to tell the story in about 120 minutes, a lot of the information they read in the book has to be condensed, so a lot of information gets left out. Once they understand that, they won't be so dispappointed. Last of the Mohicans was very different from the book altogether, but still an epic move. The Lovely Bones was beautiful. That was my favorite book, and though the movie left out some things, it still had me crying all the way through. I'm excited to finally see The Help, but I need to finish the book first Is there anything else you would like to add? Just that I am so grateful for your interest in what I have to say, and anyone else for reading this far. All my best to anyone reading and taking interest! May all of your dreams come true Thanks for doing the interview Alexis. I loved your performance in "Hinnon Valley". I'm going to check out "DeVanity". I really enjoyed reading and seeing "The Help". Let me know what you think of the book and the movie
eng
542f7573-9d5a-4d07-af4f-b0683d861ddf
http://johnhoff3.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/actress-alexis-zibolis/
EARLY INTERVENTION FOR COMMUNICATION - AN EXAMPLE This is a selection of notes from over two years of behavioral intervention sessions with a young child who ultimately recovered completely from autism. Please note that there is no implication that these interventions will 'cure' autism. These notes include many curricula ("drill sheets"), therapists' notes, and parents' notes, covering (in part) the development of social skills to an age-appropriate level. The notes are by the parents, Megan and Jim Sumlin (pseudonyms), who feel strongly that this information should be freely available to all who might benefit from it. They ask only that these notes belong in the public domain, and are not to be claimed or copyrighted by any person who is or will in the future be seeking monetary gain for wide distribution of same. Feel free to re-distribute this document, but please include this entire preface. These notes are just one part of a comprehensive program guided by a behavior analyst; there were other parts of the total program, not included here, that were necessary to the child's development and eventual recovery. They are specific to one individual child. Use them as a resource to help you plan your child or student's curriculum. What works for one child will not work for all. While much of the material here addresses problems common to many or most children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, you will want to select carefully based on individual needs, learning style, and personality. A few notes on terminology: Discriminative Stimulus (SD) This is the instruction given to the child. Response This is the response expected or desired from the child. No-No-Prompt (NNP) This is one specific technique for presenting the "Discriminative Stimulus," then prompting (providing the "R") if the child responds incorrectly. Time Out This is a brief removal of all reinforcement, where the child must sit and do nothing. This is meant to reduce certain unwanted behaviors but it has no moral or emotional overtones; it is not a punishment for "being bad." Reinforcement This is a reward for a correct response, which may be anything the child loves: a bit of chocolate, a piggy-back ride, an enthusiastic "You're so great!" Proper reinforcement is the key to learning. Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO) Much more common in these notes is Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior. In addition to reinforcement for getting the right answer, the child was frequently praised for unprompted appropriate behaviors (in place of undesirable, stereotypical behaviors). For example, when playing with dolls, the therapist may say, "I'm glad you're not banging the characters together," or as the notes say in many places, "DRO'd flexibility"--unprompted spontaneity. Remembering to "catch 'em being good" takes a lot of practice, but it is essential to the development of a truly natural repertoire of age-appropriate skills. Please note there is no connection between this document or its authors and Carol Gray or her books entitled Social Stories. Introduction Although there may be a few repeats in the stories that follow, most of the time there will be slight differences in stories w/the same name (i.e., all Social Stories Originals 1, 2, 3 & Masters look the same, but there are differences in the wording of the stories within each letter under those). We did this because we realized right from the start that our son was memorizing the words too well and would criticize us if we'd change any of them in the slightest. They were kept unpredictable in this way and it helped him key into the words and what they meant instead of whether or not we were doing them correctly. Even if all of this is confusing (it is to me as well), if you have a child who is ready, I hope that you could glean from these since so many of the residual problems these kids have seem, at least from correspondence we've had with parents, to be fairly universal. The graph sheets at the beginning of some of the series were for check off/initialing by therapists (so we could keep track that they are all getting done and sometimes could assign specific ones that weren't worked on enough within the notes). This was in a small print font. In notes (loose-leaf sheets after the graph, at the end of this document) they'd write which "set" (a, b, or c) of the story we were currently using (Social Stories: Originals, 1, 2, 3, or Master) that they'd used, though the graph was the same no matter which letter they were using. We of course preferred that whoever was there did not use the same "set" the previous therapist did. We developed graphs we used throughout the programs to keep track of how many times each story had been taught. Each week, we would keep a check on these stories: • Time out • No answer from others • Asking questions you know the answer to • Other's property • and so on. To clarify: We didn't do Carol Gray's social stories but rather something our consultant showed us that was loosely based on these. As with everything we post, these were tailor-made for our son and may or may not be appropriate for every child. There were many pre-requisites for these stories related to the degree of language and ability to reason that he had before we even engaged him in the very simplest forms of these stories. We also had been working with our son on self-control, pride and confidence statements (we'd had signs on every wall months before to alert us to continuously do this) and tons of scripted language (i.e., fully prompted conversational language) well before we started these, so he was quite accustomed to repeating large, complicated sentences and hearing similar language even before he really understood any of it. Our stories obviously did contain negatives but we were instructed to balance anything we'd write with pride and self control statements and, as I think we mentioned in brackets in one of our stories posts, we wished we'd had done even more of these (not that we could see that he suffered ANY for lack of -- again, we and our therapists constantly did these in life and therapy before, during and since). Certainly, there are other ways to create and deliver stories like these. We're posting the ones we wrote because they worked for our son and more and more became the primary focus of our endgame. These interventions should of course be discussed with your consultants and/or team to determine whether or not they (or some variation) would be appropriate either at the point of therapy you're at, at some future time, or at all. How social stories work Each story consists of three sections: The opening statement Keep this as close to the original as possible. You can tell from the following -- Bullet Pts. -- that these notes were written with the original Social Sentences in mind, but it was hard for all the therapists to put the stories in their own words until they had many stories, probably even different versions of same stories, memorized well. This is probably an additional reason why it was good to go with our "three-version" method (additional to that he was memorizing them)] Bullet points Our original stories were titles with bullet points. Our team had to improvise around these. Later, we created three versions of full-blown stories. Each social story contains several bullet points for you to touch upon. You've got leeway to improvise here since these are general themes that are put into your own words. Look at each bullet point and read it from any perspective (his, yours, ours, people's...) e.g., "People like me better when I look at them; it makes them want to talk to me more." The bullet point above can be delivered several ways (be sure to keep shifting the point of view): a. As a statement read to him (exactly as above) b. As a scripted answer delivered by him to the question, "Do you ever walk away from someone when they're talking to you?" c. Ask him, "How would YOU feel if I walked away from you when you spoke to me?" and script the above answer as "I would like you better if you looked at me." 2. Remember, each bullet point is a theme that you can play with as above. Take some time to discuss some of these themes and return to them more than once as you cover each topic. Do not zip through these with him. Make sure he's attentive and is trying to comprehend what you're saying. These are to be treated as stories/conversations. Pause here and there to give him a space to comment in between your scripting. Other themes can bleed across boundaries ("getting stuck" fits in many places). Always end with a confidence statement Examples are "I can do it" or I'm very good at..." These stories give a rationale for "why" you do things in certain situations. Examples of social sentences Time out Sometimes grown-ups send me to a timeout when I don't listen. What are you supposed to do in a timeout? What do grown-ups think if you don't listen? A: They think I don't know how to listen. I can control myself so I don't get timeouts I can listen to grown-ups. No answer from others Sometimes people don't answer when you talk to them Maybe they didn't hear you. Maybe they weren't paying attention. Maybe they were busy. Maybe they just didn't want to talk to you. It's not my job to make people answer me. I can just forget about it, maybe they'll talk to me later. Asking questions you know the answer to It's not good to ask questions that I know the answer to. It's boring to others. People might think I can't remember the answers. People might think I'm dumb. People might think I'm testing them & that will make them feel angry. If I want to talk to someone I can ask a question that I don't know the answer to. Touching others' property I should not touch other people's things. I might break them and that would upset people and make them mad at me. If someone did that to me I'd be upset. When [brother] takes my toys, I worry he'll break them. [Brother] does it because babies don't know better. I know better; I can remember not to touch people's things. Circle time In circle time I listen to the teacher. If I talk to the other kids, the teacher will be upset because I'm not paying attention to her. The other kids might think I'm a bad boy who doesn't listen to rules. When I listen to the teacher, I learn. Learning is fun; I can remember to listen to the teacher. Leaving activity I talk to the kids that I'm playing with. It's important not to talk to kids playing with other kids If I talk to kids playing other games, my friends will be sad, they'll think I'm ignoring them. They might not want to play with me next time. If I only talk to my friends we have fun together Next time they'll play with me again. Tuning into people I only think about what people are saying or doing. When I remember to do this, I make friends and I know what's going on. If I think about other things I can get distracted, I might even get stuck. People will think I'm weird and they won't want to play with me. I will always think about what people are saying and doing. Predicting I should not try to guess what's going to happen later Surprises are fun. If I try to guess, I miss out on good things. I might even miss a surprise. I'll remember not to predict. Calling out Whenever I want to talk to someone, I need to walk over and speak to them. That's the polite thing to do. When people call out, they disrupt the whole room; everyone gets distracted. If I call out, people might think I don't understand the way to do things. I'll be able to walk over to people when I want to talk to them. Not listening It's important to look at people and stop what I'm doing when they have something to tell me. Sometimes grown-ups tell me very important things that I need to know. If I don't look & listen I might miss something important and make the grown-ups angry. I know it's wrong to keep doing what I'm doing when grown-ups want me to listen. I will listen to grown-ups when they talk to me. Rules I'm not allowed to make up rules. Only grown-ups I know can make up rules for me. Children don't know how to make up rules; they make up silly rules. I can learn a lot from the rules grown-ups make. If I make up rules, grown-ups will be upset with me. They will think I'm trying to boss them around. I'll act like a little boy, that's what I am. Leaving objects when an adult calls me When a grown-up calls me I need to immediately stop what I'm doing and go to them. They might have something to tell me that I need to know right away. If I don't go right away I won't hear what I need to know. Grown-ups don't like children who don't listen. I will listen to grown-ups. Stepping on things When I'm walking someplace I need to look everywhere in front of me. That's important for everyone's safety. If I don't Interrupting I can't interrupt when others are having a conversation or are busy with something. It's not polite If it's extremely important, I can tap the person on the shoulder and say excuse me, otherwise I must be patient and wait until they're finished. Interrupting makes people angry because you stop them from talking and they might forget what they were talking about. Everyone deserves to talk without being interrupted. Grown-ups like polite children They're especially proud of children who do not interrupt. Sometimes I might think it's important and the grown-up will tell me it's not. If that happens, I need to wait patiently. Personal space When I talk to people I need to give them their space and stay away from their faces. When people come too close it makes other people uncomfortable. Everybody needs space. When I make people uncomfortable, they want to get away from me. They might not want to ever talk to me again. When I give people enough space, I get to play with and talk to people, I make friends and have fun. Walking away from a conversation I never turn away from anyone when I'm in a conversation. Looking at people is an want to talk to me more. I promise to look at everyone who talks to me. I want to be a good friend. Listening the first time It's important to listen to grown-ups the first time. Grown-ups know when I'm getting stuck. I can't always tell them about myself. The worst thing I can do is ignore grown-ups, even for a second. When I listen, grown-ups are proud of me and I'm proud of myself. If I don't listen grown-ups might think I'm a baby who doesn't know how to listen. Big boys listen the first time. I'm a big boy. Doing the best I can do It's important to do my best in everything I do. I need to make everything I do as good as it can possibly be. When I do my best, I'm really proud of myself and other people say good things about my work. Doing my best means -------- (pressing hard, doing it quietly, coloring in the lines...) When I don't do my best it's because I'm being lazy. Lazy people finish things last, miss things and lose games. People aren't proud of other people when they don't try their best. I'll always try to do my best and work hard, that way I'll get the most out of everything. When I feel I must talk Sometimes I want to say things very badly, it feels like I have to say it right that second. It's important to wait until the other person is finished talking. Even though it feels important, it can wait. They will listen to me better if I wait patiently. When I interrupt, it just angers people. People wonder, "what's wrong with him?", "why can't he wait?" If I can wait, I can tell them later. METHODS OF DELIVERING STORIES Here are some of the ways we recall that we presented the Social Stories. 1. Read them to him. 2. Acted out with dolls and puppets (with him only as an observer). When we got to the "behavior" we would stop and de-brief him about what happened e.g., Discriminative Stimulus: "Why did they walk away?" Then we would re-enact the scene (or crime!) without the offending behavior and have a positive outcome and de-brief again. e.g., Discriminative Stimulus "Why did they stay and play with him?" 3. Once he could handle it, we had him join in the doll/puppet play with his doll or puppet being the one reacting to the weird/ inappropriate behavior. Then we would ask him why his doll/puppet was nice/mean to the offending doll/puppet. This was very reinforcing to him and gave him a chance to contemplate someone else's perspective of his behaviors (empathy). 4. We acted out stories on a flannel board (similar to dolls/puppets) and later had him join in (again de-briefing...we ALWAYS de-briefed, no matter what method we used for the stories). 5. Since he was able to read we would have him read the stories to us or trade lines from the stories with us. 6. Since he was writing we would sometimes write questions (as part of the de-briefing) and have him write the answers. 7. We used the Grolier "Help Me Be Good" Books extensively, either reading them to him or having him read them to us. Or sometimes making up stories using the pictures. We ALWAYS de-briefed (e.g., "why is that boy making that face?", etc.). 8. Sometimes we did "overlapping sessions" where the last half hour of one therapist's session overlapped with the first half hour of the next. The two therapists could then overlap and role play various social stories and de-brief. Even if only one therapist were available, they could role play one of his behaviors and then de-brief him ("How do you feel when I ignore you?", etc) 9. Whenever we could (rare for us but it happened), we would get an older NT child to play with him. We would let them play and then prompt (whisper in the NT kid's ear) a response that was a negative reaction to any inappropriate behavior ("I'm not playing with you; you're making weird faces"; "If you don't look at me it makes me upset"). This was critical since it was an early phase of transferring stimulus control to other kids. As mean as it sounds, we wanted other children to get upset with him when he behaved inappropriately so we could de-brief him later. This had a tremendous impact and made him really want to play with others appropriately. The Social Stories have specific topics (Personal Space, Acting Weird, Interrupting, etc.). Once we were rolling with all the previous things mentioned, we were able to use many of the familiar expressions we created in these stories in real life to deal with these situations. (e.g., "Who gets good things?" "Good boys get good things"). So we constantly generalized these stories and de-briefed in real life when the situations came up. We also created new Social Stories all the time as new situations arose (and added them into the many ways we used them mentioned previously). The stories - Set Original A No answer from others I like talking to people, ESPECIALLY other children. Sometimes they don't answer when I talk to them. Maybe they didn't hear me or maybe they weren't paying attention Maybe they were busy or maybe they just didn't want to talk to me. It's not my job to make people answer me. I can just forget about it, maybe they'll talk to me later. Waiting my turn I LOVE doing great work in school. When I'm REALLY proud of what I do, I'm in a hurry to show all of my teachers. SOMETIMES the teacher is busy with ANOTHER child and I walk over, stick my work in her face and say, "HERE!" THIS makes the teacher VERY uncomfortable and annoyed and MAD at me. I don't blame her -- I would feel the same way if someone did that to ME! It would be better if I WAITED my turn and then gave it to her. When I stand PATIENTLY and WAIT my turn, I still get to show off my great work and nobody will be MAD at me. I KNOW that good things happen to people who wait patiently. I CAN wait for my turn. Not listeningTouching other people's thingsI also shouldn't touch people in a weird way. [Brother] does it because babies don't know any better. But I know better and I can remember not to touch people's things or touch them in a weird wayStanding and sitting still It's important to sit still when I'm sitting and stand still when I'm standing. When I don't sit or stand still I get distracted and have trouble following what's going on. The other problem is that everyone else gets distracted too since they start staring at the way I'm moving and forget to listen to me. I hate when people don't listen to me and I know I can get them to listen to me by staying in one place. Even though I get excited when I talk to people, I can control myself and stay still. This way I'll have more friends pay attention to me. When the bell rings I know when I'm in school there are many rules that I have to follow. When I follow the rules in school I make my teachers proud and the other kids know I'm a good boy. One of the rules in my new school is that when the teacher rings the bell, I have to stop whatever I'm doing. When the bell rings it means the teacher has something important to say so I know I better look at her and listen carefully. If I'm good when the bell rings, I can earn a star. It's easy to stop what I'm doing and listen to the teacher when the bell rings. That's because I know how to follow rules and listen to grown-ups. Playing with my hands Sometimes I think about my hands and the weird things I can do with them. The problem is, I can't think about ANYTHING else when I'm playing with my hands. The best thing to do is to keep my hands QUIET and on my lap. If I'm in school I can also fold them quietly. I can NEVER pick them. I can NEVER play with my fingers. These are the things that make me TOTALLY stuck. I CAN remember to keep my hands quiet on my lap. It's NOT that hard, I CAN control myself. When I stop thinking about my hands, I can concentrate on other things. I'm proud when I'm NOT thinking about my hands Earning stars One thing I love about my new school is that good boys and girls get good things. When I do something good in school, the teacher gives me a star. If I stop what I'm doing and put my things away when the bell rings I can get a star. Helping to clean up gets me stars as long as I don't throw things and put it away nice. At the end of the day I can exchange my stars for good things like stickers or candy. Earning stars and getting stickers and candy is a special part of my new school that I like a lot. Weird things All the strange things I do are NOT a good idea. People stare at me and laugh AT me (and not WITH ME) when I act weird. I get stuck on these things whether its my hands, my feet, my mouth or my eyes. Sometimes when grown-ups tell me to stop doing a weird thing, I think of ANOTHER weird thing I can do instead. Instead of thinking about OTHER weird things to do, I SHOULD think of ways to be good. When I'm GOOD I can get lots of good things. It's hard, but I CAN do it. When I feelLook where I am going When I'm walking someplace I need to look EVERYWHERE in front of me. That's important for EVERYONE'S safety. If I DON'T look, I might step on something and break it. Something might come crashing into me and hurt me bad. I might trip and hurt myself. I might bump into someone or something. I don't like breaking things or getting hurt so I'll always look where I'm going. When I look, I can get out of the way if something dangerous is coming at me. I'm SO proud when I remember to watch where I'm going. Pacing Sometimes I do things for a VERY long time. I know that I have to save up my energy so I don't get tired later. I always have to pace myself and NOT get TOO wild or I will get tired and have trouble paying attention later. If I have trouble paying attention, my friends will think I'm ignoring them and they will look for other people to play with. If I stay calm and pace myself, I'll be able to do great for a VERY long time. Grown ups are different from kids Kids never make up rules for anyone. It seems unfair since kids can't do all the things that grown-ups can. It's important to respect what grown-ups say and do, they know best. I can learn a lot from grown-ups especially if I follow their rules. Walking away from a conversationDaydreaming I LOVE hearing what other people say and WATCHING what other kids & people do. When I'm with other people, I pay attention and ONLY think about what they are saying or doing. When I remember to do this, I'm proud to make friends and know what's going on. If I daydream and think about other things, I can get distracted and might even get stuck. People will think I'm weird and won't want to play with me. I never daydream and ALWAYS think about what people are saying and doing bad boy who doesn't listen to rules. When I listen to the teacher, I learn new things and have a GREAT time. Learning is fun...I'm so proud to always remember to listen to the teacher. Answering the first time People ask me things ALL the time. I KNOW when someone asks me something it's because they want me to answer. When I DON'T answer, grown-ups and other kids might think I don't like them. I hate when people don't answer MY questions so I KNOW how THEY must feel when I don't answer them. I know I have important things to say and that's why people ask me things. I will ALWAYS answer EVERYONE the FIRST time so I can have lots of friends. Doing things quickly Part of pacing yourself is learning to do things quickly. Dawdling and stalling isn't good because you can finish things last. When I finish last, I miss out on playing games with other kids. If I take to long to join an activity I might miss something. I'll have less time to play with other kids. I want to be part of the group and be part of the action. I won't stall, I'll do things quickly and always know what's going on. I'm very proud of myself when I do things quickly Set Original BNo answer from others I like talking to people, ESPECIALLY other children. Sometimes they don't answer when I talk to them. Maybe they didn't hear me or maybe they weren't paying attention. Maybe they were busy or maybe they just didn't want to talk to me. It's not my job to make people answer me. I can just forget about it, maybe they'll talk to me later. Asking when you know the answer I know it's not good to ask questions that I know the answer to. When I do that people may think I'm dumb or can't remember the answer. It's SO boring to others to talk about things we already know. People might think I'm testing them & that will make them feel angry. If I want to talk to someone, I can ask a question that I DON'T know the answer to. I only ask questions when I DON'T know something and I want to learn. Touching others' propertyWhen [brother] takes my toys, I worry that he'll break them. [Brother] does it because babies don't know any better. But I know better and I can remember not to touch people's things naughty boy who doesn't listen to rules. When I listen to the teacher, I learn new things and have a GREAT time. Learning is fun...I can always remember to listen to the teacherTuning into people I LOVE hearing what other people say and WATCHING what other kids & people do. When I'm with other people, I ONLY think about what they are saying or doing. When I remember to do this, I'm proud to make friends and know what's going on. If I think about other things, I can get distracted and might even get stuck. People will think I'm weird and won't want to play with me. I ALWAYS think about what people are saying and doing. Predicting Surprises are FUN! I should NEVER try to guess what's going to happen later. If I try to guess, I may RUIN a surprise and miss out on it. I'll remember not to predict. That way it's MUCH MORE FUN!Not listening to others12. LEAVING OBJECTS WHEN A GROWN-UP CALLS Sometimes I'm busy with something and a grown-up calls me. When grown-ups call me I need to IMMEDIATELY stop what I'm doing & go to them. They might have something to tell me that I need to know right away. If I don't go right away I WON'T hear what I need to know. Grown-ups don't like children who don't listen. I will listen to grown-ups IMMEDIATELY when they call me. Stepping on things When I'm walking someplace I need to look EVERYWHERE in front of me. That's important for EVERYONE'S safety. If I DON'TI'm SO proud when I remember to watch where I'm going. Interrupting others Sometimes other people are having a conversation without me. I CAN'T interrupt when others are having conversations or are busy. It's not POLITE to interrupt. If it's EXTREMELY important, I can tap their shoulder and say "excuse me". Sometimes I still have to wait a little longer, even if I say "excuse me." And SOMETIMES they won't even excuse me! Interrupting makes people angry because you stop them from talking and they may forget what they were talking about. EVERYONE deserves to talk without being interrupted. Grown-ups like polite children. They're ESPECIALLY proud of children who do not interrupt. I make EVERYONE proud when I don't interrupt. Personal space I love talking to people, especially my friends. When I talk to people, I need to give them their space & stay away from their faces. EVERYBODY needs space. When I get too close, it makes other people uncomfortable. When I make people uncomfortable, they want to get away from me. They might not want to ever talk to me again. When I give people enough space, they want to talk with me and be my friend. Walking away from conversationsWhenAnswering the first time People ask me things all the time. I know when someone asks me something it's because they want me to answer. When I don't answer, grown-ups and other kids might think I don't like them. I hate when people don't answer my questions so I know how they must feel when I don't answer them. I know I have important things to say and that's why people ask me things. I will always answer everyone the first time so I can have lots of friends. 2 Pacing Sometimes I do things for a very long time. I know that I have to save up my energy so I don't get tired later. I always have to pace myself and not get too wild or I will get tired and have trouble paying attention later. If I have trouble paying attention, my friends will think I'm ignoring them and they will look for other people to play with. If I stay calm and pace myself, I'll be able to do great for a very long time. Weird things All the strange things I do are not a good idea. People stare at me and make fun of me when I act weird. I get stuck on these things whether its my hands, my feet, my mouth or my eyes. Sometimes when grown-ups tell me to stop doing a weird thing, I think of another weird thing I can do instead. Instead of thinking about other weird things to do, I should think of ways to be good. When I'm good I can get lots of good things. It's hard, but I can do it. Waiting your turn I love doing great work in school. When I'm really proud of what I do, I'm in a hurry to show all of my teachers. Sometimes the teacher is busy with another child and I walk over and stick my work in her face and say, "here!" This makes the teacher very uncomfortable and annoyed. I don't blame her, I would feel the same way if someone did that to me. It would be better if I waited my turn and then gave it to her. When I stand patiently and wait my turn, I still get to show off my great work and nobody is mad at me. I know that good things happen to people who wait patiently. I can wait for my turn. My hands Sometimes I think about my hands and the weird things I can do with them. The problem is, I can't think about anything else when I'm playing with my hands. The best thing to do is to keep my hands quiet and on my knees. If I'm in school I can also fold them quietly. I can never pick them. I can never play with my fingers. These are the things that make me totally stuck. I can remember to keep my hands quiet on my lap. It's not that hard, I can control myself. When I stop thinking about my hands, I can concentrate on other things. Set Original C Time Out I ALWAYS try to behave. Sometimes when I don't listen, grown-ups send me to a time-out. I'm VERY quiet when I'm in a time-out. I feel VERY sad and I THINK about what I did wrong. I want EVERYONE to think I know how to listen. I CAN behave and control myself so I don't get time outs. When I listen to grown-ups, everything is great! No answer from others I enjoy talking to people, ESPECIALLY other children. They don't always answer when I talk to them. Maybe they weren't paying attention or they didn't hear me. Maybe they just didn't WANT to talk to me or they were busy. I SHOULDN'T try to FORCE people to answer me. I can just walk away and forget about it and be happy anyway. I'm PROUD of myself when I can just walk away. Asking questions you know the answer to It's not good to ask questions that I know the answer to. People might think I can't remember the answers or that I'm not smart. People get bored when you talk about things we already know. People might think I'm teasing them & that will make them mad. I should only ask questions that I DON'T know the answer to. That's what questions are for! I'm VERY smart & want to learn new things, so I ONLY ask questions I don't know the answer to. Touching other people's property I like to look at other people's things. The best way to do this is to ask permission first. Nobody likes people who TOUCH their property without asking. I don't like it when someone touches MY things without asking first. I worry they might break my things if they're not careful. When someone asks permission first, I KNOW they'll be careful because they're acting grown-up. Only BABIES grab things without asking first. But I'm NOT a baby -- I ALWAYS ask before touching someone's property. Circle time Circle time is FUN! When the teacher talks, I pay close attention. The teacher likes it when I ONLY pay attention to her & don't talk to the other kids. I know if I talk to the other kids, I might miss something the teacher said. OTHER kids will be upset with me if I ruin circle time. When I listen to the teacher, circle time is MUCH more fun! Leaving an activityTuning into people I love people MORE than anything else! People are VERY interesting. I ALWAYS pay careful attention to what people say and do. I don't want to miss anything so I always look and listen when people are talking. If I stop paying attention, I will miss things. When I DON'T pay attention, people have to repeat themselves. NOBODY likes to repeat themselves. I want to make people happy so I ALWAYS listen and look when people are talking and doing things. Trying to predict things I NEVER know what's going to happen later. I know it's better to wait and see what will happen instead of trying to guess. If I wait, I MAY get a big surprise. I'd hate to ruin a good surprise. When I try to predict what will happen later people get annoyed with me. There's NOTHING better than a big surprise and I know if I DON'T predict I'll get more surprises! Calling out Sometimes I want to talk to someone who's far away. When this happens, I NEVER yell across the room. It's more polite to just walk over and talk to them. Yelling across the room is rude -- it interrupts everyone else. I'm GLAD and PROUD that I always walk over to people when I have something to say. Not listening People want to talk to me a lot of the time. I ALWAYS stop what I'm doing and look at whoever is talking to me. I need to pay attention and hear ALL the important things that grown-ups tell me. If I don't stop what I'm doing when people talk to me, I'll lose all my friends. I like when people stop doing stuff when I talk to them. So when someone talks to me, I can stop everything & pay attention to them. Rules I make sure to follow rules. Only grown-ups I know can make up rules for me. The rules they make help me learn how to be a better person. I make up silly rules and get stuck & that can make a grown-up mad. I'll let grown-ups make the rules so I can be great when I grow up. Leaving objects when a grown up calls me I like concentrating on what I'm doing. Sometimes a grown-up calls me over when I'm busy. When this happens, I IMMEDIATELY stop what I'm doing and walk over to them. I know if a grown-up calls me when I'm busy, it MUST be something very important. If I don't go right away, I can miss something important. No one likes children who don't listen. When a grown-up calls me, I stop what I'm doing and walk over to them. I'm SO glad that I stop what I'm doing to listen. Stepping on things Sometimes I'm in a hurry when I walk. When I'm walking I need to LOOK where I'm going so I don't step on things. When I don't look where I'm going, I could trip or bump into things. I'm ALWAYS very careful when I walk, even if I'm in a hurry. Interrupting Sometimes I see other people talking with each other. Sometimes I notice people who are very busy with something. When someone is busy or in a conversation with someone I NEVER interrupt. It's not polite to interrupt. I can tap the person on the shoulder and say excuse me ONLY if what I have to say is EXTREMELY important. Even then I might have to be patient and wait longer. People get mad when I interrupt because they can forget what they were going to say. NOBODY likes to be interrupted -- I don't like when people interrupt me! That's why I don't interrupt people -- I'm sensitive to how other people feel. Personal space I love talking to people, and when I do I give them enough space. When I talk to people TOO close they get very uncomfortable. I don't like it when other people talk too close to MY face! My friends like me better when I give them enough space. I ALWAYS make sure to give people enough space when I talk to them. Walking away from conversations I talk to people all the time. When I'm in a conversation, I NEVER turn away from whoever I'm talking to. If I turn away I will hurt their feelings. My feelings are hurt when people walk away from me when I'm talking to them. When I talk to people and don't look at them, they have trouble hearing me. I know if I STAND STILL & LOOK at whoever I'm talking to, I'll have lots of friends. Listening the first time When a grown-up tells me to do something, I listen the FIRST time. I shouldn't talk back, I should just listen. When I talk, I want other people to listen to me the first time. When I listen the first time, grown-ups know that I respect them. Babies talk back or don't listen the first time and that's o.k. Big boys ALWAYS listen the first time they're told to do something. I ALWAYS listen the first time -- that's what big boys do. Doing my best It's important to ALWAYS try hard to do my best. I must concentrate on what I'm doing and not be distracted by anything. When I do my best, people tell me what a GOOD job I did and I feel proud. Lazy people don't do their best -- NO ONE likes lazy people. Lazy people finish last -- they miss things and are losers. I LOVE to finish first and be a winner! I LOVE to do my best and work hard so I'll get the MOST out of EVERYTHING and always feel happy and proud. When I must talk Sometimes I want to say things very badly and it feels like I have to say it RIGHT that second. It's important to control myself and WAIT until the other person is finished talking. People will pay MORE attention to me if I wait my turn. When I interrupt, it makes people very mad. I don't like it when someone interrupts ME! If I wait patiently, I can STILL tell them later and everyone will like me more. Answering the first time I'm very smart so a lot of people want to ask me things. I love it when people ask me questions because I know it means they find me interesting. Sometimes when grown-ups ask me things, I don't answer them the first time. This makes them think I'm dumb. I get frustrated when grown-ups don't answer me the first time. The only way anyone will know how smart I am is if I answer their questions as soon as I hear them. Part of being smart is answering questions quickly. I want everyone to know how smart I am so I will always answer everyone the first time. Pacing Some things I do last for a few hours. School goes on for a few hours and so do a lot of games and sports I play. I like to finish everything I start. I'm always good when I start things but sometimes it's hard for me to stay good for a long time. I know if I stay good for a long time I'll get something special. The best way to stay good for a long time is to pace myself. Pacing means not running too fast or talking too much in the beginning. If I pace myself when I start things, I'll probably still be good at the end. I want to make you proud of me and I know the best way is to be good for a long time. Weird things There are a lot of weird things I can do. When I stop doing one weird thing I can always think of another. The only problem with this is that when I do one weird thing after another, everyone wants to get away from me. If everyone keeps running away from me, I'll be very lonely. I would rather be with lots of people than be all alone. I better work really hard at controlling all the weird things so I can always have friends. Waiting your turn I see people waiting on line all the time. Sometimes I have to get on line at a store or in school. I know that when I'm on line, I have to stay there and not wander off. If I don't stay on line in school, other kids will think I have no self-control. Their parents won't want me to go to their house or to their birthday parties. Parents don't let their children play with children who can't control themselves and wait on a line. If I don't stay on line in a store, my mom and dad won't buy me things I like. I always wait on lines patiently wherever I go. My hands There are a lot of strange things I can do with my hands. When I look around me I notice that almost nobody else does these things but me. The people who I notice that do strange things with their hands are all alone. Nobody wants to be their friend because of the weird things they do. I like having a lot of friends. I don't want to be alone. I can keep my hands in my lap when I'm sitting and at my side when I'm standing. MASTER LIST STORIES These were what we called the final series of the Social Stories we did. We gave them this name because the themes of these stories bled into several drills (Role Play - Dolls/Puppets, Appropriate Play, Pretend/Fantasy Play, etc. -- we'll eventually type these up) and, at this point, the language of these stories was an integral part of our common redirections in real life. Our son (the human instant-replay) had memorized the earliest stories, forcing three versions of each. By this time, he had also memorized their titles and would gleefully request specific stories by name. For the Master List stories you can see we removed the titles. Our therapists had been doing variations of these for so long, they were easily able to improvise and mix & match around each of the versions here. Therapy had now become more "natural" and needed to resemble and segue into real life. We were very consciously transitioning things we said away from "therapy" language and toward that which he might hear from teachers, peers, etc. These were among the last steps in transferring stimulus control to his teachers and peers (i.e., the language had to begin to match). He was in school without a shadow (& without anyone at the school having knowledge of his autism) at the end of using series 3 and during the time of these "Masters." It was also at about this time that we started calling his "therapists" his "babysitters". This came in handy since he was constantly mentioning their names to those in the outside world he was becoming a part of. P.S. - WATCH OUT for #1 - The Golden Rule. Boy did he perseverate on turning THAT one around on us! (-; SOCIAL STORIES MASTER LIST A The most important rule of all time is the Golden Rule, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That means you shouldn't do something that you wouldn't want someone to do to you. Boy is that an important rule! Breaking the Golden Rule makes people think you don't like them or care about what happens to them. If I hurt someone's feelings, I have to think about how I would feel if that person did the same thing to me. The Golden Rule also has a good side. I should do the same good things to people that I would want them to do for me. People will know I like them if I do good things for them and if I'm nice to them. I know people will treat me good if I treat them good. That's the Golden Rule and I know I can stick to it. When people talk to me, it's usually something I need to hear. It's important to look at people & stop what I'm doing when they have something to tell me. Sometimes grown-ups and kids tell me VERY important things that I need to know. If I don't look & listen I might miss the message that they're trying to give me. All the other kids look and listen when people talk to them. I know it's wrong to keep doing what I'm doing when grown-ups want me to listen. When people talk to me, I will STOP what I'm doing and look & listen to them.Sometimes I want to say things VERY badly. It feels like I HAVE to say it RIGHT THAT SECOND. It's important to wait until the other person is finished talking otherwise I'm interrupting and changing the subjectOne of the MOST important times to wait patiently before talking is in circle time or when a teacher is giving a lesson. I also know that "excuse me" means I'm asking if I can interrupt. Even if I'm told to wait, I can STILL tell them later and EVERYONE will like me MORE. It's IMPORTANT to listen to grown-ups the first time. The worst thing I can do is ignore grown-ups, even for a second. A grown-up shouldn't have to tell me something more than once. When I listen the first time, grown-ups are proud of me and I'M proud of myself. If I don't listen, grown-ups might think I'm a baby who doesn't know HOW to listen. My friends will also think I'm a baby because they're not babies and they listen the first time. I'm a big boy because I ALWAYS listen the first time. Nobody ever has to ask me something more than once because I listen quickly and I like controlling myself. When I do something wrong I feel terrible not only for what I did, but for hurting another person's feelings. Usually when I do something that hurts someone, they tell me right away and they're mad. That makes me feel even worse because I like people and never want to make them feel bad. The best thing to do after doing something wrong is to apologize to the person I hurt. Saying "I'm sorry" helps the person I hurt feel a little bit better and that makes me feel a little bit better too. When a teacher or any grown-up punishes me or gives me a time-out for doing something wrong, the worst thing I could do is talk back. The best thing I could do is apologize. Then after the punishment or time-out is over, everyone will respect me more. I don't have to explain the reason I did what I did since grown-ups already know the reason without me saying it. Knowing that grown-ups understand helps me stop myself from talking back to them. Grown-ups are in charge and make the rules and decide things. Grown-ups have different sets of rules than kids. They make up the rules for grown-ups and kids. I never see kids making up rules for anyone. It seems unfair since kids can't do all the things that grown-ups can. It's important to respect what grown-ups say and do; they know best. I'm not a grown-up and I can't pretend I'm a grown-up. I can learn a lot from grown-ups especially if I follow their rules. Sometimes it's very clear what I'm supposed to be doing, like in school when I need to go to certain areas. Sometimes it's not exactly clear what I should do and I'm kind of on my own to decide what to do. In these free times when the rules don't seem clear they really are. The rules haven't changed at all! I just have to be sure that I follow all the same rules and behave just as good. In these free times, I'm in charge of myself and I will make everyone, my teachers and parents, so proud that I don't need them to keep me well behaved. I can behave myself all by myself. When I see other kids playing I always want to join them and have fun. Sometimes when I ask to join in the other kids say "no". That's OK, I can play with them later, find other kids to play with, or just do something else. It's also important when playing with other kids to let them express their own ideas. Everyone gets a turn at having their say and using their ideas. I can learn from other kids' ideas. Their suggestions can make playing more interesting when I'm on my own or playing with new kids. I love talking to people, especially my friends. When I talk to people, I need to give them their space & stay away from their faces. I also don't lean on them or lay all over them. EVERYBODY needs space. My space bubble helps me keep good space. When I get too close, it makes other people uncomfortable and they want to get away from me. They might not want to ever talk to me again. When I look around I notice that the other kids know just how much space to give. They don't lay all over or lean all over each other EVER! I want to be just like them. When I give people enough space, they want to talk with me and be my friend. I spend a lot of my day with other kids. When I'm with other kids I pay close attention to everything they do because I can learn a lot from them. The other kids like to spend time with me too. Kids should always work together and play together and watch each other closely. The reason I have so many friends is that I'm very interested in what they do. That's because I always watch them. I love playing with other kids. The most interesting and fun times I have are when I join kids who are already playing. I do this by asking in a nice and gentle voice, "Can I play with you?" If they say yes, then I ask, "teach me how to play" or "show me what you're doing". When I join other kids who are playing, I really feel like I have friends and that I belong to the group. I also know that I'm NOT ALLOWED to touch other kids when I play with them or else they'll be mad at me. As long as I keep joining other kids and don't touch them, I'll be popular and have lots of friends. I love to talk to other people and other people like to hear me talk. I don't have to yell for other people to be interested in what I have to say. As a matter of fact, if I talk in a gentle tone and don't shout people will care more about what I have to say. I must always use my real voice in conversations. When I use my real voice and speak quietly, people listen to what I say. I like that. SOCIAL STORIES MASTER LIST B I must always be sure to treat everyone the way that I would want them to treat me. That means I should always treat people nice and kind since that's how I would want to be treated. That also means that I shouldn't be mean to people or hurt them since I wouldn't want to be treated poorly. That's the Golden Rule and I know I must always follow it! People want to talk to me a lot of the time. I ALWAYS stop what I'm doing and look at whoever is talking to me. I need to pay attention and hear the message that people tell me. When someone talks to me, I better listen the first time. If I don't stop what I'm doing when people talk to me, I'll lose all my friends. My friends listen to other people and they want me to be the same way. I like when people stop doing stuff when I talk to them. So when someone talks to me, I can stop everything immediately & pay attention to them.Sometimes I want to say things very badly and it feels like I have to say it RIGHT that second. It's important to control myself and WAIT until the other person is finished talking. People will pay MORE attention to me if I wait my turn. I have to be especially careful not to blurt things out and interrupt when it's circle time or when a teacher is giving a lesson because they wouldn't want me to change the subject. When I interrupt, it makes people very mad. I don't like it when someone interrupts ME! Sometimes when I say "excuse me" I still have to wait a minute because "excuse me" is only asking permission to interrupt. If I wait patiently, I can STILL tell them later and everyone will like me more. When a grown-up tells me to do something, I listen the FIRST time. Nobody should ever have to tell someone something more than once. When I talk, I want other people to listen to me the first time also. When I listen the first time, grown-ups know that I respect them. Babies talk back or don't listen the first time and that's O.K. Big boys ALWAYS listen the first time they're told to do something. I know this because I notice other kids listening. I ALWAYS listen the first time -- that's what big boys do. Sometimes I do something that makes other kids or grown-ups angry at me and they tell me. When this happens I never argue but instead apologize. Saying "I'm sorry" shows people that I feel bad about making them feel bad and that helps me stay friends with them. If I get a time-out or get punished, the right thing to do is apologize and not try to explain since grown-ups already understand why I did what I did. I always remember to apologize quickly after doing something wrong. Sometimes I see a grown-up do things that I'm not allowed to do. It's seems unfair but I know it's OK since I realize that grown-ups make the rules, not kids. One day I'm going to be a grown-up and I'll be able to make rules too. I'm not a grown-up yet so I shouldn't pretend I'm one ever. The only way I'll learn is if I follow grown-ups' rules while I'm still a kid. When I don't follow a grown-up's rules, they get angry at me and sometimes yell at me. I don't like when grown-ups get mad at me. I'm a good boy who follows all the rules that grown-ups make. Sometimes the grown-ups aren't around to tell me what to do. Other times the grown-ups are too busy to be watching what I do as carefully as they usually do. You know what I do in these situations? I follow all the same rules as if the adults were paying careful attention to me. That's what mature kids do. Besides, if I act up when a grown-up isn't watching me as carefully, they'll probably catch me and I'll get into a lot of trouble. I behave whether or not a grown-up is close by and watching. Kids don't always want to play with me and that's fine. I know that there's usually a good reason -- like they're already in the middle of what they're doing and it wouldn't be fair for me to interrupt and make them start all over. I don't let it bother me when a kid doesn't want to play with me because I know I can do something else or play with them later. When I play with kids I don't push my ideas on my friends and force them to play using only my ideas. The fair thing is to share ideas; it's kind of like turn-taking with ideas. People can learn from my ideas and of course I can learn from theirs. I love talking to people, and when I do I give them enough space. When I talk to people TOO close they get very uncomfortable. I also know that I should NEVER lean on anyone or touch them. I don't like it when other people talk too close to MY face or lean on me. My friends like me better when I give them enough space. I ALWAYS make sure to use my space bubble and give enough space all the time. I love to play with other kids. I play with them in the park and watch everything they do. I play with kids at school and watch everything they do. I play with my friends at day camp and watch them there too. I know when I watch all the other kids, I will always learn new things. When I learn new things, I can teach them to my brother later. I can also tell mommy and daddy all the new things I learned watching other kids. That makes them very proud of me. Sometimes I walk into my class and I see groups of kids already playing or doing something. Whenever I see that happening, I walk over to see what they're doing. It's always something interesting so I always ask in a nice, gentle way "can I play with you?" Of course the kids usually say, "yes" since most kids want to be my friend when I'm nice. Once I'm invited to join them, I always ask, "how do you play?" or "how do you do this?" so I can really be a part of the group. One thing I know is that I'm not allowed to touch the other kids when I play with them or they will probably stop playing with me. If I keep joining other kids and groups of kids and ask how to play with them, I will learn lots of new games and have so many friends. I like that! The most pleasant sound in the world is someone's gentle, quiet voice. When I yell or don't use my real voice, it makes people uncomfortable. Talking loud makes people want to get away from me. I try really hard to speak in a soft, gentle tone so people will listen to me. Not only do people like me better when I use my best voice, but I feel more relaxed too. SOCIAL STORIES MASTER LIST C Mommy and daddy have always told me that good things happen to good boys. People will usually treat me the way that I treat them so when I'm a good boy, people will treat me good and when I'm nasty to others they probably won't treat me so well. Treating people the way you want to be treated is really another way of saying the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule is to do to others what you would hope they would do to you. Since I know that following this rule will make people treat me better, I always try to follow it. I want to have good things and be happy. People want to talk to me all the time. When someone talks to me I stop what I'm doing and pay total attention to them. I would not like it if someone did not listen to ME! Only people who look and listen hear EVERYTHING there is to hear and don't miss the message. If I don't stop what I'm doing when people talk to me, I won't HAVE any friends. Friends are VERY important, so I always pay attention when people talk to me. I LOVE playing with my friends! When I'm playing a game or sport, I stay with my friends the WHOLE time. I don't leave them even if something else that's interesting is happening nearby. If I did that, I would ruin the game for everyone and nobody would want to play with me. I wouldn't someone to ruin the game for ME! Friends are too important to lose, so I'll stick with them the WHOLE time. Sometimes I feel like I can't STOP myself from talking! When that happens, I give EVERYONE a headache! The worst is when I interrupt circle time or a teacher's lesson. Nobody likes someone who always has to talk and keeps changing the subject. I don't like people who are that way! I like to only talk when I REALLY have something to say. If I feel like I must talk when someone is busy with something I say, "excuse me" which really means, "can I interrupt?" Sometimes I will be allowed to talk but sometimes I'll have to wait, and that's OK. I do what I'm told the FIRST time. I know that nobody should have to repeat themselves because I didn't listen the first time. When I get stuck I can't learn and I frustrate EVERYONE! I'm VERY proud of myself when I listen the first time and the grown-ups are proud also. When I do something wrong and don't apologize do you know what people think? They think I don't care about them and they think I did something wrong because I'm mean and don't respect them. That's not true, I really do care a lot about people and that's why I always apologize after doing something wrong. Saying "I'm sorry" shows people that I really didn't mean to hurt them and that I'm really a good person. I also never argue when someone points out that I've done something wrong and hurt them. They're already hurt and arguing will only make them feel worse. Also, grown ups understand why I did what I did without me having to explain. I want to make them feel better and that's why I apologize quickly after doing something wrong. When a grown-up tells me to do something I better listen. They make the rules for the grown-ups and the kids. I have to have respect for what they say since they're older and know better than I do. The rules they make up are for my own good. I don't know how to make up good rules yet so I better pay attention to the grown-ups rules so I can learn. Someday I'm going to be a grown-up but since I'm still a kid I can't make up any rules yet. I can learn by paying attention to all the grown-ups rules. It's pretty easy to follow all the rules and behave when there are grown-ups around who are watching me carefully. The tough thing is behaving when the adults are busy with something else. It's not always clear that there are rules but since I already know many of the grown-up rules, I don't have a problem behaving. Even when the grown-ups aren't paying close attention I still know how to behave especially good. Kids don't always let me play with them when I ask. That doesn't bother me that much because I know there's probably a good reason -- like maybe they're in the middle of their game or something. I can always play with them later or find someone else to play with instead. When other kids do want to play with me I let them have their own ideas about how we'll play. It's never right for me to take over and use only MY ideas in a game. The games are much more interesting when ideas are shared. More kids will want to be friends with me if I don't act like I'm in charge. I LOVE talking to my friends! I NEVER get too close when I'm in a conversation. I also never LEAN on them or LAY on them or TOUCH them. Nobody likes to have someone in their face or all over them EVER. I have LOTS of friends because I always give them their space when I talk to them and they give me my space when they talk to me! Kids know how to do many things. I know because I always pay careful attention to them when they're around. I love to imitate what other kids do especially when they're being good. When I'm near other kids I watch them very carefully because I want to keep up with them. If I stop paying attention they might move onto something else without me. I don't want that to happen. I want to keep my friends so I watch them closely when they're around. When I walk into my class in the morning I always see kids doing stuff together in groups. This is very interesting to me so I always walk over and ask in a nice, gentle voice if I can join them. I don't always know how to do exactly what the others are doing so I ask HOW to do things. I always listen carefully when the other kids tell me how to do what they're doing. Then I join them. Everybody wants to be my friend because I love to participate in the group. The teachers also know that I love being a big part of the class. Sometimes I'm very excited when I talk to someone and I say things too loud or forget to use my real voice This is not a good thing. Nobody wants to hear a loudmouth! I know I would rather talk to someone who speaks gently than someone who yells. I'd also rather speak to people who use a real voice. I always use my real voice and speak in a gentle tone so people will want to listen to me. Notes from the program P.N is "parent's note." #5, 16, 17 - Used examples of [playdate] in school for #5; #16: used myself & [name]; #17: gave ex. of a boy listening to mom first time someone asked him to pick up his toys. She rewarded him and he felt proud of himself. #4, 6, 8, 13 - He was touching his toes. Used everything from imitation to phys interv, to pointing, DROing when he stopped, Time Out warning. When I had him sit on the chair, he refused, got o/o control & pushed my hands away. Time Out from Megan. Sitting funny when he came back so Jim tempted him w/a trip to [preferred store name] and he got under control. DRO and finished drill nicely. #9, 2, 16 - Some initial squirming on chair that responded to control statements & list to grown-up. Talked about social stories in relation to school experience today. Interested & responded well. DRO. #7,6,5,4,13,9 - He did really well. We switched roles for a while & he pretended to be the teacher. He sat still & had great e.c. DRO'd. P.N. - Please do #s that haven't been covered like [#s listed here]. These cane be presented in a positive or negative way (remember... all different perspectives). Please try to keep the repetitions even. #2,4,3,10,11,8 - Did some as himself, then he was [other therapist--not the one doing the drill] and I was him. Did lots of ?s, social stories. He loved it. When sitting poorly I said "[other therapist] doesn't sit like THAT." He was very careful to remember good behavior. DRO'd him for good job. I did lots of weird things and he told me to stop AND why. #1,10,13 - I started off with a Time Out story to make him aware of his nonsense, babbling, etc. Talked about why adults give time outs to little kids because they don't listen, etc. ... #10 - Not listening: Story about me when I was 5. Didn't listen to teacher announcing a party in school. Missed out on important time because I didn't look at teacher - Perspective taking. #13 - Told story about me stepping on nail because I wasn't looking. He wavered w/attention back & forth. Did a lot of control statements. He was also fidgeting. DRO'd any good behaviors. P.N. - Nobody's done [#s listed]. When you're all telling your stories, are you hitting the bullet points from both your perspective and his? Also you must hit all bullet points in each story. Notes please. We talked about stuff from all perspectives. He did well (lots of hand and foot stuff -- gesturing and pointing worked). Then, on break while I was writing notes, he made noises. Had to go back to work when he worked well. He got to go on a break and we played mummy (this time I was the mummy). #12,15,4 - From various perspectives. Trouble sitting in chair (gesturing and pt did not work - but phys interv did). DRO'd quiet sitting & getting into control. Prompted self-pride statements. #2,4,5,14 - Nat. Reinforcer - Playing Chutes & Ladders. Lots of hand stuff but constant gesturing worked. He was out of control. Talk of Chutes & Ladders stopped this. He was very reluctant to accept prompts. #10,11,19 - Got my dose of Time Out with him. He wasn't listening & did hand stuff. Soc Stories were really good. He listened to them and I let him tell his own story as a reinforcer. I think he's beginning to memorize them. #16,1,5,9 - Social stories using events of the school day. He was interested. Needed some prompting for sitting (a bowel movement was imminent), but overall did a great job. #2,5,9,11,13,15 - He was grimacing & tensing body. Needed Time Out Took chair away. Talked about what he learned from Time Out - that & promise of Pepsi got him under control. He started the drill on a bad note, then ended on great one. DRO for doing well. Got to play w/dolls but kept talking to himself so he got called back to work. P.N. - Perfect. Thanks for doing so many! Jim and I did stories #1-11. We read them to him & when he was sitting very quietly, he got to read one. He tried occasionally to repeat lines I was saying. By end of this he would stop himself from repeating with only a gesture. Heavily DRO'd this. P.N. - There are now THREE sets of stories. Next do #12 to 19 on Version #1. Set #1 - Stories #12-19. Still had to work on sitting still & remind him to not repeat. Observ learning - when he was reading to me, I made noises with my hands and he went back to reading story on interrupting to me (really cute -- he has the idea). DRO'd quiet sitting. Perspective taking. P.N. - Please do set 2, #1 - #10. Did Set 2, #1-10 and 15. He got to read 15 to me as a natural reinforcer. He sat well with great hands & e.c. DRO'd for this. P.N. - Please do set 2, #11 - 14 and #16 - 19. Did #11-14 and 16-19. He had a few Time Outs for not listening. They were long and we went over them while reading stories. He interrupted a few times. Jim had him read the interrupting story and answered lots of ?s about it. Snapped back into shape towards the end. Set 3 - #1-10. 10: he read to me. Beautiful sitting. Constant DRO for good hands/no faces & feet when they were still. Great job. EC [eye contact] not great, but also DRO'd when possible. P.N. - Please do set 3 - #11-19. Set 3 - #11-19. Read stories. Had to stop a couple of times because he interrupted. Used one story as natural reinforcer for him to read when good. Sitting was terrible. He sat sideways and look was also off. He concentrated on books so I stopped reading and said "where's [his name]?" P.N. - Please do set 2 - #1-10 (in random order). Set 2 - #1-10 (random). Needed gesture prompts to keep hands & feet quiet but when he was able to sit quietly through 2 stories, he got to read me one. Overall nice job - DRO (-: [the smiley face was right-side up with a circle around it]. P.N. - Pls. do set 2, #11-19. Allowed him to read "rules" and "predicting" because he was so great while I read to him. Needed gesture prompts, first for hands, then for feed, but got under control later. DRO. P.N. - Pls. do set 1, #15-24 (random order). Lots of hand/feet stuff. This responded to gestures, but facial expressions did not respond to gestures, phys interv. Got a Time Out for making interrupting noises when I was scripting about facial stuff, then did story #24. Got in beautiful control at end. Got break but didn't get chance to read because he wasn't in control (prompted a conversation about this). P.N. - [name of therapist]: pls. do set 2, #1-5 and #21-24 (random). P.N. - [name of therapist]: pls. do set 3, #6-10 and #21-24 (random). So zoney - tried task - didn't work well. Only for a second. He was talking while I was talking. Blowing cheeks out w/air and said it was because he was thirsty. Labeled it an "excuse". Set 3, #6-10 & #21-24. He was great. Sat beautifully & paid great attn. Nice job w/answering questions I THREW OUT AT HIM. He got a natural reinforcer (read a story) for being great. P.N. - Pls. do set 1, #1-12 (random). Did 1, #1-12. Started out nicely but had to do Time Out because he didn't pay attn. It was a long one because he tried to make me open my eyes. He finally gained control and we went over Time Out He understood why he had the Time Out and why it was so long. I made him listen to the "calling out" story 3x so that he can show me he could listen. He gained nice control towards end. DRO'd good sitting. Hand stuff was problem in the beginning. P.N. - [therapist name], please do set 1, #13-24 (random). He did really well -- I was very pleased w/his affect and response. He drank all his milk during this drill. Huge reinforcement. As soon as he finished we went on to "let's play" [drill] as a natural reinforcer (go back to this drill later). He wanted me to tell him a story about a little boy who couldn't control himself. He said "make sure after each Q&A you go back to what he did wrong" bizarrely with the exact words and in the same tone I've said it so many times. I labeled that as "repeating". DRO'd for everything else. P.N. - [therapist name], please do set 2, #13-24. Social stories rel to school stuff. Needed prompts not to saliva swish & make faces. DRO'd quiet face. Worked on foot stuff. Set 2, #13-24. Really nice job. He sat beautifully & I reviewed stories by asking questions in reverse & by giving him personal examples. He did a little of the mouth stuff but stopped as soon as we did "weird" story. DRO'd this because I didn't have to point it out and he said it himself. P.N. - Pls. do set 3, #1-12. Did above. He had some trouble sitting still. Was rocking sideways and doing weird hand things. I scripted good behaviors, had [playdate] point things out to him too. He finally sat better and paid attn. when I threatened a Time Out (and "[playdate] leaving"). Was good a few more minutes but ultimately results with another Time Out and Jim intervening. P.N. - Please do Set 3, #13-24 (random). Did set 3, 13-24. He needed multiple reminders about hands & paying attn. Seemed very distracted by others. DRO'd any opportunity. I had when I saw good behaviors. Used reading story to me as natural reinforcer. P.N. - Please do Set 1, all EVEN #s in random order (2,4,6...to 24). Set 1, even #s random: Needed prompts & stories for hand stuff but responded to non-verbal prompts. No face stuff. DRO. At 1st he requested story that he wanted to read. I used prediction story & surprise and didn't let him read it. Later on when he was behaving well and didn't ask for specific story, I gave it to him and reminded him that when he doesn't guess, good things happen. P.N. - Pls. do set #1. All odd #s in random order (1,3,5...23) Did set 1 all odd random. DRO'd no face stuff. Hands were pretty good. Sometimes seemed glassy & not paying attn when I read. I'd ask him what that was about and he'd guess. I then turned around & pretended to read to other people. He promised he'd pay attn and he did. Answered ?s and spontaneously told me what story I was on. DRO'd attn & listening first time. Got to read a story as natural reinforcer. P.N. - Pls. do set 2, even #s in random order (#2,4,6....24). Said he wanted to read "tuning into people" because he always reads that one. P.N. - Watch for this. Be careful not to announce names. Talked about rules, making noises & stretching. Talked about doing weird things. Heavily reinforced appropriate behavior. Prompted about making noises. Said he wasn't. Ignored. He touched my face and I left. This happened 2x during this drill, 2nd time while I was explaining why it happened. Got into control then for a nice period of time and gave him natural reinforcer (story) at end. Did set 2, odd #s random. Really difficult at beg. Making faces and not looking. Tilting head. Heavily DRO'd any control he showed. Tried to engage me in argument about excuse he was making. I immediately put my head down. He grabbed my head to try to make me look at him. I left room. He started to scream but then calmed down & was able to sit quietly for duration of Time Out & think about what he did. DRO. Remainder of stories went well (w/heavy DRO for control & no faces). ALMOST....he lost it again in the end, so he couldn't get natural reinforcer. Got huge Time Out for hitting w/screaming. P.N. - Pls. do set 3, #1-12 (random). Did 3, 1-12 (random). Not too bad. A little zoney but I managed to sustain his attn. i.e., started reading in very low voice & he said I can't hear you. Asked ?s in various forms. If he didn't answer because of not listening, I simply told him "forget it" and "I'm skipping this since you're not interested in what I have to say." This got him to pay attn again. Heavily DRO'd very good sitting & tried not to attract any attn to bad behaviors. Let him read one story because he answered & listened to stories. P.N. - GREAT! P.N. - Pls. do set 3, #13-24 (random). Did 13-16 because Megan said to do just four. Did great job w/most except for looking -- gesture prompt took care of that. DRO'd for no noises/faces. P.N. - Pls. do 17-20 (pick from different sets, random order). Set 3, #17-20; set 2, #20. Very good job. Sat nicely. This went quickly. He asked me "why didn't you ask me what stories you read?" I said "Well I saw you were listening so I didn't need to ask you any ?s" He smiled & named all the stories I read to him. Told him the "names" weren't important. DRO'd listening. He was very proud -- I scripted this for him. P.N. - Please do #20-24 (from different sets, random order). Set 2 - #20, 3 - #23, #22, 1 - #21. He kept asking to read story. I told him he has to listen 1st time & sit quietly to read. Finally he got into control & got to read "pacing". Gesture prompts worked for hand & face stuff. DRO'd absence of these behaviors. Still hands & face. P.N. - Pls. pick any four (4) from any set! Set 2 - #8, 3 - #2, 1 - #1 & #10. Had him stand up while I read stories. DRO'd standing still. Needed reminder not to touch hands & to look while I'm talking. Overall not too bad considering all the Time Outs he had earlier. P.N. - Pls. pick any four (4) except 8, 2, 1 & 10, from any set! Set 3 - #3 & 5, 2 - #11 & 14. Practiced standing still. Lots of leaning. This stopped with mention of natural reinforcer for good behavior. I'd pop out the seven dwarfs in book for him. This worked. He got to read story for standing. One face -- gesture prompt took care of it and then DRO. Tried to climb under my knee. I just said his name & he stopped. DRO for listening 1st time. P.N. - Pls. do random sets #4,6,7,12. Nat reinforcer - Pepsi & reading story to me. Did standing. Interrupted me 2x. Didn't get natural reinforcer until he didn't interrupt & stood nicely in one place. Then got natural reinforcers. Listened to last story perfectly! P.N. - Pls. ask a ? or two after each story to probe comprehension (don't grill him though). Notes please! P.N. - Pls. do 1-4, 6-18, 12 & 13. Did pretty well. Able to answer most ?s except for last two stories (12 & 13). He was trying to read them through the back of the paper. DRO'd when he didn't do this & did look nicely and sat well. Talked about natural reinforcer - reading story himself. Didn't get opportunity because of behavior at end. 2-11, 2-15, 3-16, 1-20. Nice job. Lots of DRO for e.c. Presented two choices of reinforcer in the beg. Worked nicely. Only weird thing he keeps doing is trying to read back of pg. when you read to him. Questioning comprehension was very good. He was really w/it. DRO'd rapidity of answers too! P.N. - Please do 1,14,7,12,13,14,17,19,20 (random). Excellent job. Sat beautifully. Listened and answered ?s immediately. Lots of DRO for great behaviors. He got to read "grownups" story for good listening. P.N. - Please do 1,4,7,12,13 (& 3 others, random). 1,4,7,12,13,10,11,6 - Not great. He was looking at back of sheet again trying to read words as I said story. I heavily DRO'd e.c. & paying attn & answered quickly & correctly -- this was ok, but at end he threw fit (crying & crawling on me) when I started to read "grownups" story. Said that only HE reads that story. I told him neutrally that I'm not going to argue w/him & he needs to sit down & get in control. He yelled "stop!" and "no!" as I spoke & tried to grab stories from me, but after about three min calmed down & went to his seat. I read story & DRO'd getting in control. He didn't get to read a story this time. P.N. - Vary sets & order 1,4,7,12,13 (& 3 others not done this wk). Did above plus 8,18,20. Rigid at 1st about how his toy was positioned. Took a long time to come back to chair. Neutrally told him I have to put it away. He stopped. DRO'd flexibility. Let me read all of stories w/o looking at back of paper or arguing. DRO'd both. Sat beautifully. Got to read stories. Nat reinforcer when finished. 2, 14-17, 19. Random order & sets. Decided in beg that he'd get to read grownup story if he listened the first time, answered ?s & was attentive. He didn't get to do it because he couldn't answer ?s Did "daydreaming" incidentally to sort of remind him about listening. DRO'd good sitting & e.c. when he gave it. Also watched for his reading bulk of stories. DRO'd as soon as he gave me good e.c. This was hard for him. I redirected a lot of this "back reading" by putting the paper down & completely improvising or saying some stories from memory. I picked up again when e.c. was good. DRO'd this heavily. Better by the time we were finished. P.N. - Pls. do 3,5,9,21,22 (plus 3 others, random sets & order). 8,18,2 and all of the above. Lots of DRO for not reading back of stories. Challenged him not to do it. He liked this and lived up to his side of bargain. There were lots of S behaviors w/his mouth - lip biting, some grimacing, lots of yawning & stretching too. I physically intervened while reading stories (stretching - neutrally lowered his hands). DRO'd when these behaviors decreased in any degree. P.N. - Pls. do any 8, random sets & order. 3,5,9,11,14,16,19,21 (random order/sets). He was great. Lots of DRO. Only tried to look at paper 1x. No faces, great e.c. & sitting. Asked me to read "grownups are NOT different from kids". Funny. P.N. - Pls. do any 7, random sets & order. He sat quietly. No weird things, except a little glassy-eyed, but this didn't interfere w/answering ?s to stories. Did 1,4,7,9,11,15 16,20. He got to read 1 story as natural reinforcer. Interrupted about 2x while I read but then stopped midway and let me finish up. DRO'd this after I was finished. Also DRO'd great sitting & paying attn. 2,3,6,12,13,17,18. Sitting was good. Some shirt-twirling that didn't interfere or escalate so I let it go. He answered ?s well. Asked to read "daydreaming" story but I gave him "I must talk" instead and he was ok with that. DRO'd lack of rigidity. At the end DRO'd sitting quietly, paying attn., etc. Stressed being polite & listening to grownups as alternative to being rude in answered ?s. Prompted self-pride at end by asking ?s. P.N. - Pls. do 8, random set & order. 3,5,7,1,15,20,22,12 [by this time, one of these was always circled denoting the one HE got to read, sometimes w/his name next to it]. Beautiful sitting. No weird stuff. There was a little daydreaming so I did that story. He "woke up" and I reinforcer this later. Answered ?s nicely. DRO'd attn & e.c. Got to do #12 as a natural reinforcer. Nice job. 20,21,22,8,10,14,19,5, random set & order. Great job. Talked about being quietly in beg & why he did well at end because he was being quiet. Got to read one -- he knows what number EVERY story is. 3,13,15,14,22,19. Pretty zoney. I tried to be very animated & upbeat. Asked ?s about the stories & tried to relate them all to his experience at [location] today. When I talked about this he seemed to wake up more. DRO'd his answering & sitting nicely. 2,8,12,11,19,24,21. Brother was in rm. Did #8 - came back later to finish when brother was out so he can pay better attn. Did #12 twice and he didn't pay attn. Totally daydreaming so I did "daydreaming". Did others throughout session because he was so rigid when I had stopped initially. Better later on in session. DRO'd flexibility. P.N. - Pls. avoid doing this when [brother] is in the room and NEVER do this as your opening drill in a session. P.N. - [therapist name:], please do #2, 14 and four more. All random - set 1 - #2,14,7,9,15,10. Totally zoney w/this drill. Brother was in room but that wasn't the problem. I had him stand up while I did some. This improved his attn slightly but not enough. Tried to break it up w/other things like categories & answering quickly for attn. P.N. - Please do 2 and 14 and four more. 2,5,8,11,12,14 - Random order & sets. Eye contact was very down in beg and was impairing his performance as he couldn't answered ?s (I used no equiv. during answered to ?s and occasionally during stories because poor e.c. WAS IMPACTING ON PERF.) Heavily DRO'd improved e.c. He didn't get chance to read a story because his attn was not good enough. P.N. - Please continue targeting eye contact whether or NOT it impacts performance! This is something to key into AFTER the Discriminative Stimulus is delivered in ALL VERBAL DRILLS. DO NOT USE "no equivalents" DURING stories...Treat the stories as if the entire story was an Discriminative Stimulus. We're not targeting e.c. DURING the story yet -- still need to work on processing the information. Remember this is SHAPING. Instead, read the story, ask the Q and if he zones give a "no equivalent" like "uh uh; pay attention and you'll get it" and go back to Discriminative Stimulus. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should a NO be delivered for eye contact during the Discriminative Stimulus (story). P.N. (continued): SOCIAL STORY + ???? = Discriminative Stimulus (Don't require e.c. - reinforcer (Processing) if you get it though!) (Response) 3,4,6 [name], 13,16,17 - random order/sets. Did not require e.c. during story & question (Discriminative Stimulus), but dro'd it & put it in DRO for correct answered w/self pride - e.g., "I'll bet you gave me such a beautiful answer because you looked at me and listened carefully." He used concept of paying attn carefully here. Lots of DRO. Some squirming in chair but great attn & e.c. Answered ?s beautifully. P.N. - Perfect!!!! Click here for the full range of Asperger's and autism fact sheets and personal stories at See the Communication skills page for more information on communication issues. The notes are by the parents, Megan and Jim Sumlin (pseudonyms), who feel strongly that this information should be freely available to all who might benefit from it. They ask only that these notes belong in the public domain, and are not to be claimed or copyrighted by any person who is or will in the future be seeking monetary gain for wide distribution of same. 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What is Intelligence in the Context of Artificial Intelligence? Adam Beautement. themorat@hotmail.com Themes and Debates Essay May 2000. Nottingham University Psychology Department INTRODUCTION 1. The attributes required by an entity such that it can be labelled "intelligent" are the subject of much debate in psychology and philosophy alike. The driving force behind artificial intelligence (A.I.) is the desire to create an intelligent agent outside the realms of nature and natural evolution. However as intelligence is poorly understood in the wider sense it seems unproductive to create a distinction between that intelligence embodied by humans and other biological agents, and any semblance of intelligence invested in artificial devices and machines. Intelligence is universal, the criteria used to award the label "intelligent" (whatever they may be) can be applied to any system regardless of form and construction. Artificial intelligence is merely intelligence made manifest in a manufactured form. 2. As there is no real sub-category of artificial intelligence as opposed to full intelligence when we ask "What is intelligence in the context of Artificial Intelligence?" we are really asking two questions, "What is intelligence?" and "What makes an artificial system intelligent?" These are the questions that this essay will attempt to answer. During this discussion ideas that are beyond the grasp of contemporary technology may be considered as we are looking at the theoretical possibility of such devices not their physical implementation. The notion of machine intelligence and its technological creation are separate issues. We can conceptually conceive of a thinking artefact while lacking the technology to construct it. 3. The second of the questions asked above "what makes an artificial system intelligent?" can be answered simply. An artificial system must suffer the same criteria as any other system, so whatever makes a natural entity intelligent is the same thing that will make an artificial system intelligent. However, this reply merely begs more questions and so we are led to the first and more salient of the questions above, "What is intelligence?" In this essay I will make some attempt to establish what comprises intelligence and I will then consider whether or not intelligence can be artificially created. 4. There is no real way to formally define intelligence. The first place to look for answers is the natural world and the animal kingdom. It is here that we may find the only known examples of intelligent and rational behaviour. Copeland discusses the attribution of intelligence to the natural world in the following way: "The concept of a thinking thing is an inexact one, in that we have no precise criterion of how adaptable the behaviour-producing inner processes of an entity must be in order for it to qualify as a thinking thing. Going down the evolutionary scale there is an extremely fuzzy boundary between organisms that clearly do think and those that clearly do not. Chimpanzees do and maggots do not, but no one is sure what to say about crabs and salamanders. (Copeland 1993)." (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 1 5. So how can we make a distinction? Where is it sensible to create a divide with intelligent beings on one side and those without intelligence on the other? Certain extremist views such as solipsism hold that only oneself and one"s own experiences exist. Solipsism is the extreme consequence of believing that knowledge must be founded on inner, personal states of experience, (Blackburn 1994). If this view is taken then only by being the machine in question can we ascertain whether or not it thinks. However it is then impossible to inform anyone else of this information. Therefore, for the purpose of this discussion, it is assumed that it is possible to ascertain whether a being separate to oneself can hold intelligence. THE DISCUSSION 6. Establishing where intelligence starts and stops cannot be answered by a survey or statistical measure, it is distinctly non-empirical. However if intelligence exists as a definable context then it can be tested. One of the more famous tests of intelligence in this field is the Turing test. Although designed to assess machine intelligence it provides a useful basis for a wider discussion. By looking at its strong points and its failings many of the issues relevant to intelligence can be brought to light. 7. Proposed by Alan M. Turing in his 1950 paper "Computing machinery and Intelligence," the test was originally described in terms of a game called the imitation game. To conduct the test we need two people and the machine to be evaluated. One person plays the role of the interrogator, who is in a separate room from the computer and the other person. The interrogator can ask questions of either the person or the computer by typing questions and receiving typed responses. However the interrogator knows them only as A and B and aims to determine which is the person and which is the machine. The goal of the machine is to fool the interrogator into believing that it is the person. If the machine succeeds at this then we will conclude that the machine can think. (Rich and Knight 1991). In short it should be impossible to distinguish between its conversation and the replies of a human. There have been many attempts at creating devices and programs that can pass the Turing test, and some have even been mistaken as human. However in the end they have all been exposed because they failed to maintain the illusion of intelligence. And in all of these cases it has been an illusion of intelligence for, despite being equipped with some useful tricks, none of the programs have embodied intelligence. 8. Two of the more successful programs to attempt the test were called Eliza, and Parry. It has been claimed that Eliza has already passed the Turing test. An office worker trying to contact one of his programming staff was connected to Eliza instead and the following conversation ensued: Executive: Do you think that I could use the computer this morning? Eliza: WHY DO YOU ASK? Executive: I might be able to make some additional Telcomp sales. Eliza: WHY AREN"T YOU SURE? Executive: My prospective customers have never seen a demonstration of the system. Eliza: DOES THIS MEAN VERY MUCH TO YOU? Executive: Of course it does. (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 2 Eliza: YOU SEEM VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THAT. Executive: This is ridiculous. Eliza: WHAT DO YOU MEAN RIDICULOUS? Executive: Is there any reason why I can"t use the computer now? Eliza: TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS. 9. After this exchange the real programmer received an irate phone call from the executive demanding an explanation for his outrageous behaviour, (Copeland 1993). However this exchange did not take place under the conditions specified by the test. There was only one interrogator and the executive was not trying to distinguish between a human and a machine. He began the conversation assuming he was dealing with another human and therefore would have anthropomorphised the answers he was receiving. 10. The tendency to anthropomorphise the results of computer programs further clouds the issue of trying to establish what is and is not intelligence. Our tendency to assign human goals and values to objects using casual turns of phrase like "the automatic door knows to open when I walk towards it," leads to confusion. Aaron is a computer created by Cohen that draws pictures based on an extensive and complicated rule base. The pictures created are diverse in style and content, but are they are the work of Aaron or Cohen? Some of the pictures have titles such as "Mother and Daughter," but these titles are added after the work is completed by human observers. Such a title is based in a human observer"s interpretation of the content. As such Aaron has no concept of what it has drawn, it is merely following a rule set. Aaron cannot name or describe its own pictures, and so I would say that the work is the result of Cohen and not of Aaron. Aaron is the artistic avatar of Cohen, not a separate entity in its own right. Another computer artist is Ray Kurzwell"s Cybernetic Poet. This device can "read" a selection of poets" work and reproduce their style. The following piece is the work of this program. MOON CHILD. Crazy moon child Hide from your coffin To spite your doom. 11. This haiku is, to my mind, an excellent piece of work, yet any inference or meaning I derive from it comes only from myself, the creator cannot understand its own work. Anthropomorphism could easily lead us to describe a system as intelligent when it is not, or to cynically describe an autonomous agent as merely an extension of its creator. (Kurzweil 1999). 12. Colby, the creator of another program called Parry, has also reported a limited kind of success in the Turing test with his creation. This variant of the Turing test involved Parry, a human paranoid, and five psychiatrists. The psychiatrists interviewed, via teletype, either Parry or the paranoid without being aware of the existence of the simulation. Another group of psychiatrists were asked to review the transcripts and identify which involved Parry and which involved real patients. The results of this experiment were striking. None of the original interviewers realised they were talking to a computer. In ten trials there were five correct identifications, and five incorrect identifications, no better than chance level. (Boden 1987). (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 3 However, significantly, four of the five mistakes involved the patient being mistaken for the machine. Again the test was not conducted according to the design of Turing. 13. Despite their limited success these types of program will never achieve intelligence and, although their output may be impressive, a look at the internal functions of these programs reveals why. This examination simultaneously reveals the fundamental flaws in these programs and a fault of the Turing test itself. Both Eliza and Parry work by pattern matching. When given a sentence they assess the structure and create an answer based on the input. This leads to the vaguely circular conversations created by these machines. Both programs include ready made responses sorted into appropriate categorise of replies, however, Eliza can also generate new responses based on certain input forms. This is a step forward but quickly leads to its undoing as nonsense sentences are generated. For example when given the sentence "lets talk about you - not me. Can you think?" Eliza matches it to a "... you ... me" pattern and returns the answer "You like to think I - not you - don"t you?." This is clearly nonsense and immediately reveals the conversationalist to be a machine. 14. If equipped with enough responses then blind pattern matching could, in theory, create a conversationalist capable of passing the Turing test, despite clearly not displaying intelligence. A device based on Parry or Eliza could repeatedly fool a human into believing that it was not a machine under the conditions of the Turing test. The main stumbling block in creating such a device is one of knowledge storage. When Copeland said "the design of large rapidly accessible knowledge stores is a major problem," he was referring to the fact that current technology limits the quantity of data available to a program or device. This limitation means that pattern matchers and the like cannot currently be equipped with enough (quickly accessible) knowledge to function effectively. 15. It is possible to look at a theoretical program that does contain such knowledge. There are a finite number of words in the English language. There is also a finite number of symbols that can be created using a standard keyboard, even with a user defined graphics set. It must be possible, given enough time and space, to create every English sentence using 100 words or less. Following on from this it must be possible to create every possible conversation in English that uses these sentences. Using one sentence opens up a set of possible responses. When a response is given, and a reply received, a further response can be chosen from the stored conversations that start with the sequence of sentences already used. If all these conversational patterns could be stored and accessed then the resulting program would surely pass the Turing test. So is it intelligent? Although this super program would pass the basic Turing test it fails a more intuitive test for intelligence in two main ways. Firstly it is a specialised program. If it was used for anything other than a conversation via terminal it would drastically fail. The following quote by Winograd, the creator of SHRDLU (another Turing test hopeful), exposes these limitations. "The A.I. programs of the late sixties and early seventies are much too literal. They deal with meaning as if it were a structure to be built up of bricks and mortar provided by words, rather than a design to be created based in the sketches and hints actually present in the input. This gives them a brittle character, able to deal well with tightly specified areas of meaning in an artificial formal conversation. They are correspondingly weak in dealing with natural utterances, full of bits and fragments, continual (unnoticed) metaphor, and references to much less easily formalised areas of knowledge." (Kelly 1993). (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 4 16. This program is, therefore, not adaptive. Secondly the function of this program, and its predecessors, Eliza and Parry, reveal it to be nothing but a blind searcher through predefined conversational forms. The Turing test as it stands is therefore not a test for intelligence at all but merely a test of conversational and linguistic skills. It would be possible for a program to pass this test with absolutely no understanding of the words it is discussing, as the super program example shows. Is it then possible to alter the Turing test in such a way that it does become a test for intelligence? Examining the major criticisms of the test and possible changes to counter them it is possible to see how that test may be improved and also outline some of the criteria for intelligence. 17. We have so far established that the Turing test does not really test for intelligence but only linguistic ability. This forms the basis for our first objection, that entities lacking the power of speech may still display signs of intelligence. Most notably, the higher primates have demonstrated behaviour indicative of relatively complex goal driven and intentional mentalities, yet they would fail the Turing test. In the same way, a cognitive machine may fail the test because it displays responses and behaviour that are non-human, or attempts to communicate through another medium. This first objection shows that the power of written or spoken communication is not the optimal criteria for an assessment of intelligence. 18. Following on from this, the second objection to be voiced deals with the fact that verbal responses are the only ones required by the test. Yet, as noted above, verbal responses are not the only means of indicating intelligence. Also, a knowledge of language is not necessarily grounded in understanding or awareness of the objects the language refers to. This allows programs to use words who"s meaning they have no real concept of. If other responses and sensory abilities were included into the test it would make it possible to ask the subject of the test to describe objects held before it. Not all conversation includes direct reference to material objects, however being able to ask questions about real time input, such as visual stimulus, would allow a new line of inquiry to be pursued that an intelligent being could surely answer but may cause a machine that lacks intelligence to falter. This new form of testing immediately discredits the super program as its specialised nature could not cope with tasks such as describing a view or identifying a red patch when it can only respond to verbal questioning with pre-set answers. Some items cannot be held up to visual scrutiny, most notably esoteric concepts like the square root of a number, and an understanding of those can only be ascertained by suitably probing questions. In this regard it is not necessary to change Turing"s test as a verbal response test will never allow all the responses to situations that indicate intelligence. What this line of objection does reveal is that the Turing test is not a litmus test. Failure of the test does not immediately rule out intelligence in the tested entity, and a successful passing of the test does not guarantee the presence of intelligence. 19. The third objection to the Turing test as a measure of intelligence concerns the nature of the implementation of the intelligence in question. As shown above a computer or program that passes the Turing test is not necessarily displaying intelligence, it could be a super program such as the theoretical model already described. In this case the model is a simulation of intelligence, not intelligence itself. If a program is a simulation then it lacks value as far as determining the nature of intelligence goes. Searle (1980) expresses this view in the following (rather cynical) way. "The idea that computer simulations could be the real thing ought to have seemed suspicious in the first place because the computer isn"t confined to simulating mental operations by any means. No one supposes that a computer simulation of a rainstorm will leave us all drenched. Why on earth would anyone (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 5 suppose that a computer simulation of understanding actually understood anything?" It is important to make the distinction between a simulated object and an artificial object. A simulation "...lacks essential features of whatever is being simulated." (Copeland 1993). An artificial object has all the same attributes as the thing it duplicates but is created by non- standard means. The goal of A.I. is to produce intelligence, not simulations of it. The Turing test allows simulations to pass and thus to be described as intelligent. The problem of rooting out simulations is solved by the final objection to the Turing test. 20. The fourth and final objection to be levelled at the Turing test is the so called "Black Box" objection. In the Turing test we are asked to make a judgement about whether or not a computer thinks based solely on it"s outward behaviour. Initially this may not seem like a valid objection as we make judgements about the mentation of fellow humans everyday based purely on observation. However we do this under the assumption that they are comprised of the same materials with the same causal properties as ourselves. However if a friend was revealed as a robot comprised of silicon and wires then our judgement that he or she was intelligent would immediately be called into doubt. In the same way the outward appearance of thought can be dispelled by knowledge of the inner workings. Assuming that either Eliza or Parry did pass the Turing test, one look at the function of the program would be enough to convince one that the program still does not think. This final objection invalidates the Turing test as a measure of intelligence as it has now been shown that it is possible for a program that does not think to pass the test. 21. Assessing the Turing test has shown that it is not a valid measure of intelligence. Non-intelligent entities can pass the test and intelligent ones can fail. Intelligence cannot be assessed by verbal interrogation. Can the test be improved to counter the accusations thrown at it? The super program used to pass the test was created using knowledge of how the test works to construct a dedicated solution. Outside of the test the program will quickly fail. By changing the test, to include any task specified by the interrogator, dedicated solutions become an impossibility. An open-ended test would be extremely hard to administer but does instigate what has come to be recognised as a true requirement for intelligence, that of adaptation. Intelligence is "most generally, the capacity to deal flexibly and effectively with practical and theoretical problems." (Blackburn 1994). Any entity hoping to be described as intelligent must display the ability to deal with any situation it is put in despite having no prior knowledge. The ability to formulate a rational, if incorrect, response to unknown or unexpected situations is a prime requirement of intelligence. 22. Assessing this new criteria for intelligence requires a two-level approach. The previous Turing test looked only at output criterion. However, in the extended test it is also necessary to examine the internal or design criterion of the entity under scrutiny. This extra dimension of assessment will quickly reveal simulations of intelligence by their method of functioning. Any type of program that provides answers by drawing them from a pre- programmed data bank will immediately fail the design criterion for the new test. The output criterion remain much the same as before, to act and converse in a manner indistinguishable from a human or other intelligent being in the same situation. The situations that the candidate of the test should be required to respond to should also involve more than verbal responses. This is because, as pointed out above, verbalisation is a poor indicator of intelligence, as intelligent beings may be non-verbal. 23. However the correct design criterion is considerably harder to pin down. The problem in defining a design criterion for intelligence is that we understand the nature of our own (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 6 cognition very poorly. This makes it very hard to distinguish what, in others, matches the intelligent mental processes we identify in ourselves. It is easy to dismiss false techniques (such as pattern matching) but how are we to ascertain what is the correct design criterion? It is excessively anthropocentric to suggest that any intelligent system must be a mirror or a model of our own cognitive processes for this would immediately exclude any agent, biological or mechanical, that was not of the human race by direct descent. This heuristic could well exclude members of the animal kingdom as well. 24. In looking at the Turing test and its shortcomings we have seen that intelligence cannot be found by examining purely the superficial output of a system, nor by response to a single specified test. Also, the lack of ability to verbalise the reasons for a certain behaviour does not render that behaviour unintelligent per-se. For an agent to be described as intelligent it must display adaptive behaviour, and have an internal design that does not rely entirely on an obviously non-intelligent strategy such as blind pattern matching or the clockwork cycles of reflex and instinct. This differentiation between instinct and the concept of intelligence is voiced by Guilford in "The nature of human intelligence.": Having defined life as "the continuous adjustment of internal relations to external relations," Spencer believed that adjustment is achieved by intelligence in man and by virtue of instinct in lower animals." (Guilford 1967). 25. Following this, to achieve a true state of intelligence, A.I. must also adjust to the world through thought, not simple programmed response. In studying this topic it has become clear that it is easier to say what is not intelligent than to say what is. By this process of paring away the dead wood of the unintelligent the true form of intelligence may be revealed. A NEW TURING TEST? 26. The goal then of A.I. is to create a massively adaptable system that can be described as intelligent, not by its responses to verbal questionings or other constrained tests but, by its adaptive behaviour to novel situations. When attempting to test for intelligence the result is often more representative of aptitude at intelligence tests, rather than being indicative of a more fundamental attribute. Behaviour in unconfined situations is a far better indicator of intelligence and adaptability. Copeland describes an agents inner processes as massively adaptable if: "It can do such things as form plans, analyse situations, deliberate, reason, exploit analogies, revise beliefs in the light of experience, weigh up conflicting interests, formulate hypotheses and match them against evidence, make reasonable decisions based in imperfect information and so forth." Dennett (1971) says that: "an intentional system is one whose behaviour we can explain, predict, and control only by ascribing beliefs, goals and rationality to it." 27. Essentially, an adaptable system is not constrained by its programming, whether mechanical or biological, and is able to respond to changing situations. Adaptable systems embody the notion of what agents think, not how they think it. Explanations for the behaviour and responses of such a system are formulated on a level of intentions and goals, and are not based on what biochemical and electric processes are taking place. Intrinsic to the (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 7 notion of intentional explanations for behaviour is the concept of the agent in question wanting some goal. An external observer cannot describe this internal activity because the intended result is not the same as the actual result. Additionally, method is no indicator of intention (Farr and Moscovici 1984). For example, if the intention is to turn on a light bulb, while the most common method is to flick a switch, other actions such as tightening or replacing the bulb, or even banging the wall in an old house may achieve the same result. This kind of creative behaviour, forming goals - then solutions to them based on current environmental conditions, defines intelligence more than test results. 28. Having framed some basic criteria for intelligence we must now turn to the second part of our question. "What makes an artificial system intelligent." As stated above an artificial system is merely a duplicate of an existing system created through 'unnatural' means. This being the case, the same criteria for intelligence apply. However is it possible to create such a system through artificial means? The notion that the causal nature 1 of our brain structure is essential to the manifestation of our intelligence has already been voiced. Current levels of technology lead us to the widely held opinion that digital computers are the most likely way of implementing an A.I. system, but can the structure of a digital computer support the same kind of processes as the biochemical form of our brains? The most famous case against this idea is the Chinese Room argument, voiced by Searle in 1980. 29. Searle proposed the Chinese room argument in his 1980 paper "Minds, Brains and Programs." This argument was formulated to try and show that computers, as symbolic manipulators, could never implement intentionality. The reason behind this is that digital computers can only operate on symbols, and as such have a mastery of syntax but absolutely no grasp of semantics. The traditional approach to A.I. as outlined by such thinkers as Turing and Church would lead us to believe that this lack of semantic ability does not prevent the creation of intentions. This view is derived from the thesis that for any algorithm there is a Turing machine that can execute that algorithm. Added to this is the theory that there is a universal Turing machine that can implement any and all other Turing machines, and therefore by default all algorithms. If our brains are this universal Turing machine, then by extracting the algorithms used by our brains through a process of modelling we can gain an understanding of our cognitive processes. This approach relies on the view that our brains are merely running a program and also that semantics are mirrored by the underlying syntax. The Chinese room attempts to show that the one is not intrinsic to the other. If this is that case then an A.I. cannot be created using current technology. This essay will now present the Chinese room argument and its major criticisms and attempt to show that this argument can stand up to its criticisms levelled against it but that it fails to address the one type of program that, in my opinion, is most likely to yield an A.I. 30. The basic premise of the Chinese room is this; If a person with no knowledge of Chinese were to be sealed in a room with a multitude of code books containing Chinese symbols, and instructions in English on how to manipulate the symbols, he would be able to receive and sentences in Chinese, process them using the code books, and return sensible answers, again in Chinese. At no stage does the person in the room ever have to posses a knowledge of Chinese yet to an external observer the answers produced by the sealed room would be indistinguishable from those given by a native Chinese speaker. This illustrates that it is possible to manipulate symbols without ever knowing or understanding what it is that you are manipulating. The person in the room represents the instantiations of a program, and performs similar operations on the input and output. Searle argued that this showed that computers implementing a symbol system can never have understanding of 1 ie: the nature of the components of the brain and their resultant properties. (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 8 what they are manipulating. Obviously this argument generated a lot of opposition from the traditional A.I. community and several counter arguments were put forward. The most interesting of these, for the purposes of our discussion, is the so called 'systems reply'. 31. The systems reply is outlined both by Searle (1980) and Copeland (1993). The thrust of this counter argument is that while the man in the room (for simplicity referred to as Tom from here on) does not understand Chinese, the wider system (of which he is a part) does. Copeland goes on to introduce a new character into the Chinese room here, or rather to highlight an existing but ignored one. He points out Miss Wong Soo Ling, the voice of the room and the fruit of Tom's labours. Copeland claims that while Tom does not understand Chinese, Miss Wong does. Copeland's basis for this claim is the logical flaw in Searle's argument. In the reasoning behind the Chinese room is the thesis that because no amount of symbol manipulation will allow Tom to understand Chinese, no amount of symbol manipulation by Tom will allow the wider system to understand Chinese. This is not a logical argument. Just because our hearts cannot filter water from blood does not mean that no other part of our body can. The heart is merely a part of a larger system that is not defined by the hearts attributes and abilities. However there are two issues to be considered here, and to mix them up is to lose the value of both the Chinese room and Copeland's reply. 32. The logical flaw pointed out by Copeland shows that the Chinese room argument does not prove that symbol manipulators cannot support intentionality. However the systems reply is in itself flawed. The Chinese room still illustrates that symbol manipulators that use a system of pre-programmed operations on recognised inputs cannot understand what they are manipulating. This is demonstrated by the intrinsic difference between syntax and semantics. Copeland tries to discredit this section of the Chinese room argument in his critique using his example of Miss Wong. While he is correct to point out that the Chinese room fails to completely render symbol systems obsolete his argument to support the systems reply is flawed. It can be easily refuted in two ways, one taken from his own criticisms of the Turing test. 33. As discussed earlier in this essay Copeland showed a flaw in the Turing test using the black box theory. In summary, this theory says that an intelligent system must satisfy both output criterion and design criterion. Now the Chinese room easily satisfies the output criterion, its replies are indistinguishable from a native Chinese speaker. However if the internal design of the Chinese room, and therefore Miss Wong, is examined it reveals a system no more sophisticated, and no more intelligent than the disgraced Eliza and Parry programs. So Miss Wong cannot be said to understand Chinese at all. 34. The second, and more powerful, counter to the systems reply is what I have chosen to call the translation counter. If we were change the Chinese room slightly from a question and answer device to a translator then its flaw is quickly revealed. In the new room the code books have been swapped for Chinese to Russian translation instructions. Now we can ask the room to translate any Chinese sentence into Russian. Again the outputs would be indistinguishable from a native Chinese speaker, until we introduce a new type of input. If we ask both a native speaker and the room to translate a grammatically correct but nonsensical sentence such as, "spliced into the shy side of darkness, a minute colour of hedonism crumbled into heaven," then we should receive revealingly different answers. The native speaker will immediately question the sentence, recognising its nonsensical nature. The Chinese room will happily translate this, and any other gibberish you ask it to, because its syntactic expertise is not mirrored (lest by inversion) by its semantic knowledge. This is because the Chinese room gives responses which are not guided by any internal knowledge. It has no ability to regulate and monitor it's output through a process of self review. This blind (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 9 following of internal rules and programming is exactly the kind of clockwork repetition that was cited earlier as an example of what is not intelligent behaviour. 35. Boden (1988) also attacks the Chinese room. She does not refute the claim that the system has no understanding of Chinese, but instead argues that it may posses understanding of another kind. Tom, the man in the room, when viewed as an instantiation of a computer program, does not lack all understanding. Rather he lacks understanding of the specific subject matter. Tom may not understand Chinese but he may have knowledge of the nature of conditional IF / THEN relationships. If this is the case then a digital computer, or symbol system, may still embody understanding. How he understands this or any other factor is more relevant than whether or not he understands Chinese. This leads to a shift from "when does a machine begin to understand," to "what things must a machine do in order to understand." This is because there is no definite cut-off point between understanding and no understanding, it is not a binary all or nothing state. For all forms of understanding there must be some underlying mechanism or process that allows understanding to take place. 36. This is the mirror argument to Copeland's objection that a lack of understanding of one subsystem does not rule out lack of understanding for the system. Boden is saying that lack of system understanding does not prevent subsystems understanding different concepts relating to their role in the larger system. Boden does not offer any concrete evidence for this being the case, but merely mentions it as a possibility to consider. It also illustrates the idea of spiral development, new ideas being formed based on the principals of the old. However this argument is a rather iterative one. Rather than addressing the issue in hand (that of system intelligence) Boden obscures it behind another one (the idea that subsystems may still understand). The point still stands that the Chinese room fails to be intelligent. The understanding subsystem proposed by Boden is not intelligent in its own right, and could be replaced by another Chinese room inside the first, thereby starting the whole debate again. Boden fails to disband the Chinese room, and focuses instead on a new problem that mirrors the first and adds nothing towards its solution. 37. So the Chinese room does show that syntax and semantics are separate, and that knowledge of one does not lead to an awareness of the other. Searle's argument therefore shows us that systems using a set of pre-programmed symbolic manipulations can never be said to understand its subject matter. However, as Copeland's critique illustrates, this statement cannot be generalised to all systems that use symbolic manipulation as part of their internal design. Boden adds to this, proposing the thought that the subsystem (in this case the symbol manipulator) may posses understanding of a different kind. This evidence means that there may still be hope for an A.I. produced using digital computers, as long as it stays clear of the kind of code book methodology so effectively discredited by the Chinese Room. 38. Another basis for dismissing digital computers as the grounds for artificial intelligence comes from a physical not theoretical point of view. It may be that the unique causal properties of our brain matter gives rise to our intelligence. If this is that case then only matter which mimics the physical-chemical properties of our brains can produce thought. This matter cannot currently be resolved as we do not sufficiently understand the processes by which our brain supports cognition to positively identify their physical attributes. Also, the level at which cognitive processes are created is unknown. If we were to reproduce the brain would we need to mimic the exact biological and material composition of the brain or merely the electrochemical signals and the pattern of neurone interactions? There may be other higher or lower levels where cognition truly resides but until we understand out own cognition (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 10 we cannot say whether or not these attributes, physical and procedural, are present or absent from the materials and designs in digital computers and other artificial systems. 39. How then to escape from the Chinese room? To free ourselves from its confines we must satisfy ourselves that a machine created using computational processes can display adaptive intelligence. Turing quotes Professor Jefferson's Lister Oration for 1949 on this topic of machine consciousness. "Not until a machine can write a sonnet or compose a concerto because of thoughts and emotions felt, and not by the chance fall of symbols, could we agree that machine equals brain - that is, not only write it but know that it had written it. No mechanism could feel (and not merely artificial signal, an easy contrivance) pleasure at its successes, grief when its valves fuse, be warmed by flattery, be made miserable by its mistakes, be charmed by sex, be angry or depressed when it cannot get what it want." 40. This seems to paint a fairly pessimistic picture of the situation, for how can we possibly make machines that are kind, resourceful, beautiful, friendly, have initiative, a sense of humour and other such attributes when we understand so little about what creates these attributes in ourselves. Yet although we cannot create a formula for these events and emotions we recognise them in ourselves and in others. This is the key to the riddle of intelligence, consciousness and all the other problems that plague A.I. Professor Jefferson briefly touches on it in his speech. To extract the relevant phrase: " - that is: not only [to] write it but know that it had written it." Searle (1980) includes, in a list of things widely believed to be impossible for machines, the idea that machines "be the subject of its own thought." Yet this is exactly what is needed if ever A.I. is to be created. Current attempts at A.I. revolve around creating a program that can understand its subject matter, whether that is the English language, or a game of chess. Yet all that has resulted are programs that tend to rely on processing power and large databases. Moreover, when they are moved outside of their field of expertise they can no longer function. It is not possible to program an intelligent system or agent because by the very act of programming intelligence you are creating a finite system that cannot step outside the boundaries of it's program. At best a simulation of intelligence will be created, nothing more. 41. Turing proposed what I believe to be the most appropriate method of creating an artificial intelligence. He suggests that the best way to equip a computer to pass his test would be to provide it "with the best sense organs money can buy and subject it to an appropriate course of education." This means creating a program that can be taught and teaching it, or letting it learn, all it needs to know. It is significant to consider at this point that a human baby would fail the Turing test (flawed as it is) yet no one would expect it pass, or dismiss it as unintelligent because it fails. Instead of creating a fully fledged English speaker, why not create a program that can learn English, or any other language for that matter? An agent programmed to understand English will only ever be able to utilise that part of the specific language that it has been instructed to use. However, an agent that can learn language can both add to its existing knowledge of language, and learn new languages if necessary. Searle says, when arguing that digital computers cannot support intelligence, that: (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 11 "mental states and events are literally a product of the operation of the brain, but the program is not in that way a product of the computer." This is borne out by his Chinese room argument, a program created outside a computer and given to it only as a system of symbols and operators will never have any meaning to the computer, and will never give rise to understanding. Any intelligence shown is only a reflection of the programmer. The program of this type will always be limited by what it was given to do. However if the program is a product of the computer, then perhaps a new avenue of attack to the goal of a true A.I. has been opened up. Manipulations of predefined symbols have been shown to not provide understanding. However if the symbols being manipulated by a system have been defined by the system then understanding becomes inherent. The system using the meta-symbols has then created them itself based on whatever input it has received. This will also create associations between symbols. Similar symbols, or ones that appear together, will be inextricably linked. Additionally if the system can create its own symbols then a new level of consciousness can be obtained. 42. Consider the example of the tiger. The symbol of the tiger may both refer to an object in the vision of the system, but also to a group of other symbols such as the icons for stripy, orange, black, cat etc. While it is possible to program this into a system, the initial conditions can never be changed, and consciousness will not arise. However if a system can manipulate its own symbols then a tiger may become associated with fear and danger or beauty and power, depending on the systems experience and knowledge of the tiger. Here we see the beginnings of personality. This is the difference between a native Chinese speaker, and the Chinese room. The speaker learnt first-hand the meanings and appropriate utilisation of the symbols he or she uses to answer questions and hold conversations. The Chinese room did not and so cannot monitor its output as it has only predefined manipulations to work with. However, the native speaker can monitor such things and will, therefore, query nonsensical sentences as s(he) will have an idea of what it is wrong. 43. Therefore, an intentional system will be able to add to it's vocabulary and concepts when it comes across new words. For example the new symbol 'ubiquitous' could be paired with the existing symbol for 'everywhere'. Additionally any symbols added will have meaning only to those that defined them. This is part of the reason why you cannot program understanding. There are no universal symbols understood by all, not at a cognitive level. Instead any symbolic representations that may be used will be personalised and incomprehensible to others. Whether these self manipulations take place consciously or unconsciously is another factor to consider. Obviously the human equivalent of such operations take place subconsciously, but whether there will be a distinction in the consciousness of a machine is an unknown factor. 44. There is however an immediate problem with this new and hopeful line of thought, which can be summarised in the following way. To teach and alter itself (for example to derive new symbols) a program must have itself as the focus of its code and thought. Turing described this notion in the following way, "by observing the results of its own behaviour it can modify its own programmes as to achieve some purpose more effectively." This is all very well but for a program to have itself as its subject requires the program to have a focus and not just be a slave to the input decided by the operator of the program. This requires the program to have intention. Intentional states direct the mind at an object, they become an intrinsic focus on something, and relate the mind to the world (Boden 1988). So to create a program that can have itself as its focus, we must first create a program with intention. This is a point also made by Turing, who said, "the claim that a machine cannot be the subject of its own thought can of course only be answered if it can be shown that the machine has (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 12 some thought with some subject matter." This means that before the concept of self-aware machine can be debated, it is necessary to first have an aware machine. Thought and consciousness do not necessarily go hand in hand (consciousness in this instance implying a degree of self-awareness). 45. One possible method of beginning the process of awareness is to provide a system with unrestrained access to the real world. An entity that only has input given to it by a controller will be limited in the same way as a system with programmed abilities. Both of these agents will be extensions of their creators, not separate beings. If a program or computer was given an appropriate set of sense organs then it could sample anything it wants from the world. A vast storage system would be required for such an entity, as it would be receiving huge amounts of data every second. To cope with this the system would also need to be able to focus only one section of its input or be overwhelmed. However if as soon as you create a heuristic for attention, i.e. the loudest source of sound, you are confining the system. To create such a device would require it to be equipped with a similar set of basic instincts and responses as a human new-born baby. Whether this type of system is possible or not is a subject outside the scope of this essay. If it is possible to create such a device there is no current evidence to suggest that a digital computer could not be used for its implementation. CONCLUSIONS 46. In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that intelligence is dependant on more than outward appearance, and that there is no logical reason why digital computers could not support an artificial intelligence. In some respects this has been a work of negation. Its concrete claims are addressed towards what is not true rather than what is. It is not true that the Turing test is a true measure of intelligence, as shown by the criticisms levelled at it. Some ideas as to what may be required of an intelligent being have been proposed, namely intentionality, an ability to create its own symbols, adaptability (and to be self-adapting) and understanding, but no replacement or modification of the Turing test can be suggested that will be a concrete test of intelligence. 47. The Chinese room does not demonstrate that symbol manipulators cannot be part of a system that embodies understanding. Intentionality is an attribute of the system, not its components. The brain does not have intentionality, yet it is part of a system that most definitely has. This is why the refutal of Searle's claim that symbol systems cannot support understanding is so important. By effectively dismissing this idea it keeps alive the possibility that symbol manipulators can be involved in a larger system that does have understanding and intentionality. 48. While this essay has shown that there is no reason to think that digital systems cannot support understanding, it has not been able to confidently state that they can. Instead, a possible method of creating an intelligent system is presented, putting forward the notion that a program that can have itself as its focus will be most likely to produce intelligence. The greatest flaw in Searle's proposal is that he says that the system is the bearer of intelligence and understanding and not the causal basis of it. 49. User defined systems will never hold true understanding as they have no ability to create their own symbols and to form associations between objects, and between input from the world and internal concepts. If a user tries to write intelligence into a system it is trying to make the system a bearer of intelligence. A system that can affect itself may gain (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 13 understanding as it grows towards intelligence. Instead of trying to directly define intelligence, the user has implemented a system that holds the possibility of intelligence. Intelligence is not hardwired into the system but is an emergent property that arises from the interaction of its various (possibly self-defined) subsystems. 50. Current A.I. approaches have failed because they tried to create a single intelligent system. Intelligent systems will not be created, they will evolve. The key to this approach is to create a set of self-adaptive subsystems that interact to manifest intelligence at a higher level than any of the individual systems are operating at. This idea of interaction also helps us asses the intelligence divide more objectively. There is still a grey area, maggots and slugs are clearly on one side due to their spartan interactions, both with each other and their environment. Chimpanzees are on the intelligent side, due to their complex social behaviour. Our own intelligence arises from the interaction between the different areas and layers of the brain, between the different hemispheres, and between ourselves and other humans. 51. There is a precedent for this nature of thought to be found in both psychology and common phrases. Individuals reared in isolation are always less able than those reared in a social group. Without the necessary level of interaction they fail to develop to the same level of intelligence as others. We need social interaction to fulfil our intellectual potential. Adam Beautement Nottingham May 2000 (c) Adam Beautement May 2000 14
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East Lothian Countryside Ranger Service Promoting Ranger events and activities across East LothianFri, 17 May 2013 14:49:46 +0000en-UShourly1 Treasure 17 May 2013 14:49:46 +0000rogertheranger reading →]]>I spent three great mornings with children and teachers from The Hub at Sanderson's Wynd in Tranent, walking down The Heugh in Tranent looking at spring wildlife. Once you leave the main road and walk under the bridge you are transported away from all the hustle and bustle into a world of wildflowers and bird song. We made train noises under the bridge; smelled wild garlic and sweet cicely (aniseed scent); listened to blackbirds, robins, chiff chaffs and blackcaps singing; looked at the colours of different wild flowers and compared rough and smooth leaves as we walked down the path. The weather was mostly good too! ]]> News May 2013 15 May 2013 10:46:08 +0000Richard English reading →]]>Bin men, cleaners, and those heroes who empty dog poo bins – all people whose value to society is often underrated. Without them we'd all be knee-deep in rubbish (and worse). The natural world also has its cleaners – bacteria, fungi and invertebrates which help to break down the remains of dead plants and animals. It's a process which is vital to the smooth running of our environment. Not only does it tidy the place up, but it also recycles nutrients back into the soil which helps to promote the growth of plants. One such beastie is the sexton beetle, which has been described as the "undertaker of the natural world". Working as a pair, a male and female beetle will locate the corpse of a small mammal or bird and start to dig into the earth beneath. The corpse then slowly sinks into the ground until completely buried. The female buries her eggs close to the carcass and when they hatch the larvae feed on the dead animal's flesh. (Apologies if you're reading this while eating). Unusually for insects, these beetles seem to look after their young fairly well, rather than just letting them get on with things. Not only do the adults both feed the larvae when very young, but they also secrete chemicals which prevent fungi and bacteria from causing too much decay in the carcass. Sexton beetle. There are several species of sexton beetle in Scotland, most of which are black with obvious orange markings on their wing-cases. Whilst I'm not suggesting that you go looking for dead things, if you do find an animal carcass it may be worth having a look to see if there are any of these distinctive and useful insects nearby. On to slightly pleasanter things now. You may notice white, or occasionally pink, star-shaped flowers growing in our woodlands at the moment. These are wood anemones, members of the same family of plants as the buttercup. Despite the name, wood anemones actually don't really like shady places. Their early flowering is a result of this, allowing them to take advantage of the spring sunshine before the woodland canopy becomes too dense and the light is blotted out. By the end of the month most anemones will have died back, leaving little or no visible structure Wood anemone. above ground. However, the plants remain alive, but dormant, underground until the next spring when they burst into life again. Wood anemones also spread largely through underground growth, since many of their seeds are infertile. Whilst the flowers of the wood anemone are very attractive, the leaves have a somewhat musky odour, leading to the plant also being known as 'smell-fox'. ]]> News April 2013 15 May 2013 10:41:48 +0000Richard English reading →]]>Right then, spring is now well and truly here, although that doesn't mean it won't snow this month. Plants and animals are getting geared up for the coming summer months – leaves are emerging, early flowers are blooming, and birds who leave us for the winter are heading back. Sand martins belong to a family of birds called hirundines, which also includes their close relatives house martins and swallows. They are summer visitors, avoiding our winter by, very sensibly, migrating to sub-Saharan Africa. One of the earliest returning migrants, they can often be seen in late March but should definitely be around by April. In appearance they are smallish birds, with dark brown on the face, back and wings. The underside of the body is white, with the exception of a distinctive brown "collar" around the chest. Martins and swallows feed on flying invertebrates, which are taken on the wing. As a result, large flocks can be seen over rivers, lakes and ponds feasting on the insects found there. Sand martin feeding over water. The sand martin is a good example of wildlife able to adapt to human activity. Traditionally they would build their nests in holes excavated in sandy river banks, or similar natural features. However, they have become very adept at colonising old quarries and other abandoned industrial sites. At Levenhall Links, in Musselburgh, they have even nested in piles of ash from Cockenzie Power Station. One of our earliest flowering wildflowers is a small, dandelion-like plant known as coltsfoot. Its name derives from the shape of its leaves, which (vaguely) resemble a horse's hoof. It is also known as "son-before-the-father" because its bright, yellow flowers appear in early spring, whilst the leaves do not turn up until much later, once flowering is all but over. Coltsfoot can be found in a range of habitats, often in places where the ground has been disturbed such as waste ground, spoil heaps and river banks. The plant produces seeds, very similar to those of the dandelion, which are dispersed by the wind. However, most coltsfoot grows from rhizomes – underground stems which spread from the parent plant and produce new growth every now and then. Coltsfoot. Herbalists used to use coltsfoot to cure coughs. The leaves were either made into a syrup or tea, or they could be dried and smoked – this seems a bizarre way to relieve a cough. Some research suggests that coltsfoot may possess anti-inflammatory properties, but that it also contains toxins which can damage the liver. All in all then probably best not to put it in your sandwiches. ]]> News March 2013 07 Mar 2013 15:39:32 +0000Richard English reading →]]>A break with tradition this month, as we take a look at something which can be seen all year round. Geology is the study of the Earth – rocks, fossils, all that kind of stuff. It's a subject that's often overlooked – after all, rocks are just something to walk around on, aren't they? Well no, as it turns out the whole geology thing is actually rather important and also fascinating. The type of rocks found in an area can have a huge effect on the landscape, soils and even human geography. Here in East Lothian the local rocks have influenced humans throughout history. Some of the earliest settlements in the area were on easily defended high ground such as Traprain Law and North Berwick Law. The rocks which make up the Laws were once molten magma that gradually cooled and solidified. These igneous rocks are relatively hard and have resisted the erosion that has worn away the surrounding land, leaving the two hills standing proud. Even in more recent times the effect of the underlying geology can be seen. Coal can be found throughout East Lothian, but the more productive seams are in the west of the county. As a result many of the towns in this area grew up around the mining industry. To the east, limestones occur more frequently, so the mining disappears to be replaced by agriculture and the remains of lime kilns. So what does all this have to do with wildlife? Weathered rock is an important component of soil and can therefore influence the plant species that can thrive in an area. This, in turn, will affect which animals can succeed there. So, it can be argued that geology, along with other factors such as climate, is the basis of every wildlife habitat and ecosystem out there. In addition, we can see the remains of ancient wildlife preserved as fossils. A visit to the coast in the Barns Ness/Whitesands area is guaranteed to produce some excellent finds. Much of the shoreline here is made up of limestone, and much of this limestone is made up of the remains of coral that lived over 300 million years ago. Various types can be found, ranging from large individuals (the solitary corals) to massive colonies of smaller corals. These latter form the so-called "spaghetti rocks" – the long, thin coral supposedly resembling everyone's favourite pasta. Plant fossils can also be found, including the scaly bark and long roots of huge clubmosses. These can still be found living in Scotland today, but they are tiny compared with the tree-sized monsters that used to exist here. The fact they grew so large is evidence, believe it or not, that this area used to have a tropical climate. Ah, those were the days. Fossilised colonial corals at Barns Ness Fossilised clubmoss root. ]]> Night Sky – March 01 Mar 2013 14:50:55 +0000rogertheranger reading →]]>Leo is one of the few constellations that actually looks like its name. In this case a lion. It can be seen late in the evening in the south and is quite easy to find. If you find The Plough, you will see that it looks rather like a saucepan. A leak in the saucepan would land on Leo's back. In Greek mythology this was the lion that was killed by Hercules as one of his twelve tasks. The easiest part to see is the group of stars known as 'The Sickle' which looks like a question mark turned the wrong way round, representing the head and chest of Leo. The brightest star is Regulus which is at the bottom end of the sickle. ]]> News – February 2013 05 Feb 2013 12:16:30 +0000Richard English reading →]]>February can be a miserable month. A lot of people, myself included, have had enough of winter by now and are just waiting for the first signs of spring. However, there are still things to look out for in the countryside. On my recent wanderings around local woodlands I've been noticing quite a few goldcrests. These are (along with the closely-related firecrests) Britain's smallest birds and can be difficult to spot. This time of year is a good time to see them, partly because many of the trees are bare, but also because there can be an influx of these birds from Northern Europe to the UK during the winter. Their name derives from the broad, colourful stripe on their heads – yellow in females, yellow and orange in males. Other than that they are a fairly non-descript bird, being a dull grey-green with a pale belly, although a pale ring around the dark eye can give them a rather staring, almost startled expression. Female goldcrest. (Courtesy of J. Wood) Goldcrests feed almost exclusively on insects and spiders. Their short, narrow bills are well adapted to catching this prey – ideal for picking small beasties from the underside of leaves and twigs. They tend to favour conifers but can be seen in mixed woodlands and will sometimes visit bird tables and feeders during harsh weather. The fact that there is little or no foliage on the trees at the moment may make it easier to see small, lurking birds, but it doesn't help us in identifying the trees themselves. So, how do you tell one tree from another when there are no leaves to look at? Well, some may have characteristic outlines or shapes, but one of the best clues is to look at their twigs and buds. For example, the twigs of ash trees are grey, with opposite pairs of black buds and are tipped by one large bud. Beech trees are also quite distinctive. They have slender brown twigs which bear long, tapering buds. These have the appearance of small, tightly wrapped (and rather pointy) cigars. Ash buds Beech buds The "King of the Buds", as it were, has to be those of the horse chestnut. They are huge, shiny, and brown. If that's not easy enough to spot, they are also sticky to the touch. Below the buds the twigs often show horseshoe-shaped scars left by the previous year's leaves. It is these that give the tree its name. Horse chestnut buds. Forthcoming Ranger Service Events: Sunday 24th February. A Hidden History. Explore part of the new Haddington to Hailes footpath along the Tyne. Discover the history of the ruined castles and forts of the surrounding countryside on this 15km circuit. A moderate walk on grass tracks, footpaths and quiet roads. No dogs please. Hikes are charged at £4 per person. Details provided when booking. To book a place phone 01620 827421. High in the night sky during February is the constellation of Auriga, the Charioteer. One story suggests that he represents a legendary king of Athens called Erichthonius. He is carrying a female goat and her kids. Why, has never been explained. The bright star in Auriga, almost directly overhead, is Capella, which is a latin word meaning 'she-goat'. Although it looks likie a single star, it is actually two yellow giant stars that orbit each other every 104 days! ]]> News- January 2013 08 Jan 2013 12:44:36 +0000Jen Edwards reading →]]>So, it's January. We've survived Christmas and the Mayan apocalypse, and now we've just got to see how many resolutions we can break before the end of the month. For those of you planning to spend this month walking off the Christmas and Hogmanay excesses, here are a couple of things to look out for. The snow bunting is a bird which, as the name suggests, likes cold weather. There is a small breeding population in northern Scotland, with up to 100 pairs. However, the majority of snow bunting that we see are winter visitors which have migrated from their arctic breeding grounds, mainly in Greenland and Scandinavia. Their plumage can be quite variable but there is always a considerable amount of white involved, especially on the wings. In summer plumage the males are a very distinctive black and white, but in winter all snow buntings tend to be a mixture of buffs, browns and white. These birds can often be seen on the ground in small flocks, feeding on any seeds that they can find. In the air they really live up their name – with a dancing, fluttering flight they have been said to resemble drifting snowflakes. This is a wonderful sight, especially against a dark winter sky. The best places to see snow bunting in East Lothian are along the coast. One of the finest sites is at the lagoons at Musselburgh, where these birds can be seen feeding in the grassland or flitting along the sea-wall. Right then, a word now about some of the unsung heroes of the plant world. Mosses tend to be small and often live in dark, damp places. As a result they are often overlooked by all but the keenest of botanists. Despite this, mosses can play a significant part in the health of our environment. In addition to providing habitats for invertebrates, mosses also have the capacity to absorb large quantities of water. This ability can reduce the potential for flooding by slowing the flow of water into rivers and streams. It may seem hard to believe but the floods of recent years may have been much worse if it wasn't for mosses and other plants soaking up at least some of the excess water. Sphagnum mosses form the basis of Scotland's peat-bogs. As such they have provided fuel for the people of the Highlands for centuries. These bog mosses also store huge amounts of carbon dioxide and so can play a major role in combating climate change. So, let's show some respect to mosses. They may be small and soggy. They may ruin the look of your lawn. It may also be incredibly difficult to tell one type of moss from another. But they are an important part of our ecosystem, just like any other plant or animal. ]]> Night Sky – January 2013 07 Jan 2013 15:36:57 +0000rogertheranger reading →]]>Some of the brightest stars in the sky are visible during this month. Orion the hunter is the most obvious constellation, clearly visible to the south in the early evening. It's brightest star is Riga a blue giant marking the left foot of Orion. Its second brightest is Betelgeuse, a red giant nearing the end of its life, which is many times more massive than our sun, marking the right shoulder of Orion. For those of you who know the Harry Potter stories, the star marking Orion's left shoulder is called Bellatrix (the name means Female Warrior). Below Orion's belt are what look like two stars that make up his sword. These are actually multiple stars in a nebula, an area of hot gas from which stars are formed. On a clear night the fuzzy appearance of the nebula can easily be seen with a pair of binoculars. Following Orion across the sky are his two dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor. The bright star Procyon in Canis Minor can eaily be seen to the left of Orion. The brightest star in the sky, Sirius in Canis Major is a short distance below it. Sirius is also known as the dog star and is the name of another character from Harry Potter. In fact, many of her characters are named after stars and constellations. ]]> Bit of a Shower! 18 Dec 2012 12:15:26 +0000rogertheranger reading →]]>According to the press, the Geminid meteor shower was spectacular. Unfortunately not in East Lothian where the cloud cover prevented any decent views of the night sky! You can but try again with the next meteor shower due in early January. It is called the Quadrantid Meteor Shower because the meteors originate from an area of the sky that was part of an old, now forgotten, constellation called Quandrans Muralis. The peak of the shower will be after midnight early on the 4th January. Look towards the left of the handle of The Plough. The meteors (often called shooting stars) leave usually faint trails across the sky, but can reach more than 40 per hour. Let's hope the weather is better this time! ]]>
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Fred's Finds – Archive FEBRUARY 2013 — "Mapping Month" on Fred's Finds . Flying Over America This is a fun U-Tube video which depicts an old bi-wing aircraft flying over parts of North America. Several landmarks are shown, some easy, some more difficult. I could imagine this being used as a fun way to start a Geography day for upper elementary or middle school students. Thanks to Elaine in Denver for the link. 21 Map Creation Tools for Students and Teachers Don't miss looking at this site! What a rich mapping vein we include in this month's "Finds" thanks to Jan H of the M.A.G.E. Steering Committee. Over 20 links to map making sites and all free! Our map-making cornucopia runneth over! The overall site is Richard Byrne's "Free Technology for Teachers" and has a lot to offer in addition to the 21 map suggestions. Civil War Maps (from fold3) A map of the SE USA with clickable balloons where the major battles took place. Click on the balloon to gain access to text, more maps and photographs. If you open a free account you can annotate, comment, create a gallery, download and do other things to the maps and images. Civil War Annotated Map (History Kids) This annotated, interactive map of the SE USA shows the major battles. Click on the spots and you get images and a description of each battle. Civil War Battle Maps App for iPad (free from the Civil War Trust) Download interactive battle maps for free which run on Androids, iPads, iPhones. . The battles include: Antietam, 2nd Manassas, Petersburg, Bull Run, Devil's Den & Little Round Top, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Malvern Hill, and Cedar Creek. Full service will use your GPS to locate you on the battlefield. Hill Maps This free site allows you to choose a location and then reveals side by side maps. The two map types are chosen from a pull down menu. Excellent for showing kids how a place looks on a map and a satellite image or other type of image. This is a very simple and easy to use site. Some analysis is possible using the tope of the screen pull down menus. FluTrends (from google) This is an interactive, but simple, continent choropleth map which shows the current flue trends. The user may also choose by country and region. As of Jan. 2013, very timely! Corn Growing Map (from geocommons–esri) Do you include agriculture in your Geography class? If you do, this is a very nice, interactive map which shows corn growing by acre in the corn growing belt of the United States. Go to the address below and then use the slider on the left to increase the number of acres under corn cultivation. The map will reduce the states which grow less corn acres than the parameters selected. What states do you predict have the most acres under corn fields? You may also move your cursor over states and it will reveal the number of acres under corn cultivation (in addition to the color legend). If you click on a state, it will reveal the number of corn acres under cultivation from 2007 to 2011. Look for tabs on the edges of the map which also bring up more data. GeoCommons is an esri community site where users can share interactive maps. Accounts are free. If you open an account (takes less than a minute) you will be able to browse their map library by category. Thanks to Duane from Cosmos for the link to this useful map. Cartastrophe This is a site (more of a good blog than a traditional site) where cartographers and others provide examples of maps with flaws and discuss why the maps are flawed. The blog owner is one of the authors of "Atlas of Design" which was released in 2012 and sold out. He is a cartographer at the university of Wisconsin Cartography Lab. Cartastrophe would be for more advanced students, but it could be a useful resource in several ways to Geography teachers.I found the site very interesting. There is a companion site which looks at how map making can be improved in some aspect for each posting period. That site is: Bad Map Examples google.com Looking for examples of bad maps to use with your students? Did you know you can Google "map bad example" and Google will generate a page of these for you, and almost always there will be a brief explanation about why the map is bad. JANUARY 2013 Interactive Population Map (from US Census 2010) This is not your standard Census Bureau page and it is not 100% ready yet, but it is a site with a slight twist. . Many of the 2010 Census Demographic Profiles are ready for viewing. These profiles provide more subject detail than the recently released 2010 Census redistricting data files. These profiles provide details about race and Hispanic groups, age, sex and housing status. The profiles will be released on a state-by-state basis for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Use this map to explore 2010 Census Demographic Profile data. Not all states are ready. Fred's note: be sure to read and follow the directions. Also, as of 11/13/12 the rendering is a little on the slow side. But you sure can "drill" down into the demographics of an area. Overlapmaps Select one map to "overlay" onto another map to compare a variety of parameters. This is a very useful site for students to gain perspective on the sizes and features of other places by comparing them to the USA or Minnesota (or many other places). Thanks to Jan H of Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education who referred to this site in her GeoFest2012 presentation. Holiday LIghts Mashup (shows 2012 houses with extraordinary lighting) Here is a very practical use of a map mashup by the StarTribune. Geography at its practical best! Locations of the best houses lit for the holidays were put into an Excel spreadsheet. Then that data was pasted into a website which codes the locations on a metro map and shows the locations by bubbles. This is something you or your students can do! It is fun and fast. Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education will most likely include this technique in a summer workshop, so watch for the posting this spring! Mapping with ArcGIS Online (Esri) This is a map making site with concise introductory videos about using the site to make maps. You will need to open an account (which I think is free). It is possible Minnesota will be provided with a license for your school to use ArcGis, so this could give you a head start before you use it with your students. Thanks to Charlie F at Esri for the heads up on this site. Relief Web (thanks to anonymous contributor at GeoFest 2012) ReliefWeb is a source for reliable humanitarian information and analysis about places in crises. They produce maps and infographics to illustrate the crises. Users may choose updates, countries and disasters. Earth (thanks to anonymous contributor at GeoFest 2012) The site above allows the user to change the earth (globe) according to a variety of interesting parameters. The page above allows the user to compare two globes, side by side. Also, many parameters are manipulable. As you use the pull down menus to switch layers, there may be a few second pause. World Atlas (thanks to anonymous contributor at GeoFest 2012) A free World Atlas with lots of maps and information and an easy to navigate set of pages. New York Times Election 2012 Map ( thanks to anonymous contributor at GeoFest 2012) This is one of the best electoral maps around. It show states sized by their electoral power as well as their regular geographic size. More than that, the user can select a variety of different interactive maps. On one map you can drag circles which represent a state and their electoral votes to show how much of an effect it has on the overall picture. Other maps show the Senate and Legislature races across the country. SuperStorm Sandy (link from John K in Chandler, AZ) A very special look at before and after Sandy hit parts of the east coast. Take not of the neat web page code which allows us to view the pictures in this before and after (just move your cursor across the picture without clicking) fashion. NOVEMBER 2012 Map Annotation his interactive world map shows convicts by dates chosen. When you click on the red circle conflict, a line traces to the list of This is a source where the user may place hotspots on a graphic and add their own text annotation. It could be used on a map graphic. I used it to identify the people in a class picture at my 55th class reunion. ConflictHistory This interactive world map shows conflicts by dates chosen. When you click on the red circle conflict, a line traces to the list of battles on the left. When you click on the "i" information icon, a description of the battle is provided. A nice mesh of history and geography. Gapminder Bring Geographic statistics to life at Gapminder! This data rich, excellently organized and highly graphic site should be second nature to all Geography teachers. There is a teacher section with tutorials. Thre are downloads of handouts and lesson plans in PDF format. If you don't have Internet access in your classroom, you may download "GapMinder Desktop", load what you want and then show that in your classroom without Internet access. PEW Research Center Topics This site provides data from a number of studies, some which might be very useful to high school Geography projects. I clicked on "Demography" from the main PEW page to get to the address above, but other topics which surely apply to Geography are: Immigration, Energy and Environment and Religion. The user may download datasets on topics after opening an account (looks free). The Miniature Earth Project This is a video with music which shows what the earth would be like if the total population of theWindfall (an on line strategy game about building wind farms) The game offers three levels (easy, normal, hard), each in a different region with an increasingly larger energy goal. An in-game tutorial teaches the player how to play. Online high scores are available for each level. Leap Year The leap year is explained from inception to apocalypse in under four minutes. This is an entertaining and instructive little video. Your challenge is to work it into your cultural Geography lesson on time. CARMA (Carbon Monitoring for Action) This mashup shows the highest CO2 emitting power sectors by country. Some interactiveness is possible. Earth Sandwich Project Two map views (panes) of the earth are shown with a red pin. Move the map to anyplace in one view and the other pane shows you the exact opposite of that place on earth. Students might even have to use a globe to make sure it is accurate! School Tube This is a place which is free, no advertisements which I could see, and which they say is "safe". It is a place to post videos students or teacher make for their classrooms. It is kind of a U-Tube for schools. ClustrMaps for Teachers This is a small piece of code you put on your website which shows on a world map where the "hits" are coming from to your site. It is free and fun to see the red and yellow dots appear from all over the world. An icon shows the flag of the country and regional information may be viewed there. Constant updated statistics keep track of the frequency and geographic locations. It all happens automatically once the code is installed. I have had this on one of my sites for years and I don't see any downside to the use of ClustrMaps. Free Outline Maps (Arizona Geographic Association) The AGA has invited teachers to check out their access to maps, created and put on line by them. Several categories of maps exist including: world, continents, regions, countries, USA, SW USA, and Arizona. A section on maps with historical themes is included. Elementary teachers take note! A section on maps for students in grades 1-4 is included, with labeled and non labeled versions of various maps. Thanks to Cathy of the AGA for sending us this link. Map Puzzles (National Geographic) Have some fun with Geography! This part of the NGS website provides the user with interactive maps which will turn into interactive puzzles. The puzzle pieces may be moved and turned (must turn on that feature in "options"). A built in timer runs while the puzzle is active. Currently there are 23 puzzles from around the world (mainly continents) which you can load, scramble and then piece back together. GeoHive This site contains a lot of information about population. There are historical figures, projections, cites, agglomerations and other information. One of my favorites is the graphic which shows the size of countries based on their populations. Cultural Geography This is a quiz which places people geographically according to their speech characteristics. I don't know how accurate it is, but it should get kids thinking about links with cultural geography, especially how speech can reveal where on a map you have spent a significant portion of your life. After this maybe you'll want to show them "My Fair Lady":) European Union Interactive Map The map shows the European continent with the location of country capitals and major cities, European Union member states, new member states of the European Union since 2004 and 2007, and member states of European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Click on any place on the map and the user is presented with additional text and photo information. Show My Street This site is similar to Google Street View…except it is MUCH faster! Try it, it is free and very, very fast. No directions are needed. Thanks to Dr. Mark Jeppson provided this link. Election Dashboard (Huffington Post This mashup shows a US map with the most recent polls indicating how states will go, electorally, in the 2012 election. Click on a state and you can see a line graph of the most recent polls. Click on a button and the traditional map turns into a cartogram displaying strength by its electoral votes. The viewer can also make their own forecast. This map could have many uses this fall! BatchGeo This little known Google maps feature will plot spreadsheet address on a map. Just paste your spreadsheet addresses and batchgeo will standardize the address and make a map filled with your locations. Maps for Free This site provides you with a map of the world which is zoomable, and a set of pull down menus to show features. The user may then click on the "camera" icon to get a snapshot of the area and layers you select. Right clicking (on a Mac) results in saving the image to desktop as a PNG file. Satellite Tracking Site This site provides you with a map and a satellite track. You can actually see the icon of the satellite moving. You also may choose from about 50 satellites, not just the USA, to view the track. Aerial Panorama 360 Degree Image Gallery (Google) This spectacular site opens with an interactive world map with ballon icons. Click on a balloon icon and you are on your way to stunning panorama–360 views of some of the most beautiful spots on earth! Choose locations from the map, or select from the menu. You will also be listening to lovely music as you view, change parameters, switch to a map, or gather information about that place on earth. This is a great supplement to a map study of features and towns on the earth. Thanks to Lowell of Burnsville for this link and heads upTED-Ed (Lessons worth sharing from TED Talks) "Ideas Worth Sharing" are relatively short talks by brilliant people on fascinating topics. Well, TED just got better. TED now has a section called TED-Ed! The motto here is, "Lessons Worth Sharing". The idea is that you can take any TED Talks video (or any U-Tube video!) and make a lesson out of it, and then share it. There are provided lessons which you can edit (use the "Flip" feature), or just create your own and share. I suggest that you click on the "Introducing TED-Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing" button and watch the short video to get started. This site was brought to my attention through the History-Tech site created by Glenn Wiebe in Hutchinson, KS. The viewer can also make their own forecast. AUGUST 2012 History of the World in Two Minutes This is a fast moving video. It is interesting and entertaining in itself, but it also might be useful for a class discussion about what justifies the eras depicted and how they are portrayed. Sitre heads up thanks to Lowell G of Burnsville. Google Time Lapse Satellie Images (Google EArth Engine) A number of videos are available on this page for viewing as time-lapse or as a layer in Google Earth client. Time lapses are available (among others): Las Vegas; Aral Sea; Roadless Areas; Amazon Deforestation; Seasonal Earth, and mug more. Some of the videos are narrated by experts in aerial imagery. At any point in the video you may click on "Explore Map" and the video will stop while you zoom or move the map. You may then return to the video. World Heritage List (cultural Geography from UNESCO) This site hightlights an interactive world map which allows the user to roll the cursor over nearly 1,000 cultural sites which form part of the cultural and natural heritage which are considered to be of outstanding universal value. There is a list of criteria for selecting sites which may be useful for promoting discussion in the classroom as well as other interesting topics. Thanks to Dr. Mark Jeppson for the heads up on this site. Remember 2011 (Maps of the World) This interactive site has a world map which may be filtered by month of the year for 2011. You click on a story and a map, often a moving map, opens up showing the related geography. Also, text telling the story is shown under the map area. Sound and Geography (British Library) A creative lash up for different sounds and maps was developed in the UK. The site above has interactive sound categories which generate maps. When you click on a dot on the map you hear voice recordings, music and other sounds from different places on the map. The UK and some other areas of the world are included. Geography in the News (Welsh Assembly Govt. sponsors this site) This is a complicated but interesting site which may take you a bit of time to explore before becoming comfortable. Two different interactive maps are used in a variety of ways to select content from different parts of the globe. Content is also filtered by "Key Stages". This basically relates to younger and older Geography students. It is definitely worth a look. Kickstart Art (Google Maps) geocodedArt has created maps related to some of the world's best art. The user selects art by artist's name, name of painting, or Geographic region. You will see the painting and also be able to click-call a map of what is depicted. Climate Change (–this was a TED Talks presentation–iTunes U free videos for iPod/iPhone and computers) Eight videos take the TED stage to show the nature and scale of current day climate science. I particulary enjoyed the images and talk in #4 by Jame Balog who time lapse photographs glacial change. Isarithmic History of the Two-party Presidential Vote–Vimeo– (dynamic map over time) This is an interesting map which changes the USA political map by color. Geography Class and Fate: Passengers on the Titanic (from ESRI's Storymaps) This is the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. This site provides an interactive map of the Titanic's route. It also shows a world map of the Geographic home towns of the passengers by class, and therefore, how class influenced the chances of survival. San Francisco Crimespotting (Maps of the World) This fascinating site shows the frequency and location of different types of crimes in San Francisco. The user mayt turn and off the types of crimes as well as change the time, date and year. MarineTraffic.com (Academic, open community project from Greece) This highly interactive site shows data on many kinds of ships displayed on maps. Individual ships and their course data is displayed. It is similar to the airline flight location sites. The user can control many features on the site. Global Incident Map (TeleAtlas) This interactive site maps a variety of global incidents on a world map and interactively displays information about each incident. The site is free for time-delayed reports. Some of the more interesting types of incidents are: earthquakes, gang activity, border security, Presidential threats, drug interdictions, and several others. Thanks to Marlin in Dickinson for the heads up on this site. Titanic: Faces of the crew (from BBC News) This is a second excellent Titanic site which allows students to dig more into the human side of the disaster. This interactive page shows pictures of all of the crew. There are nine filters which show what happened to the crew. Digital Taxonomy/Bloom A pyramid with the familiar levels of Bloom's thinking taxonomy, but overlaid with clickable applications which support each level. An interesting approach to incorporate computer applications. This site suggested by Dr. Jennifer Kunze. JUNE 2012 (Thanks to Matt Carlstrom in Minnesota and Glenn Wiebe at History Tech for suggestions) ArcGis (ESRI) from the iTunes store (App Store> Productivity> ESRI) This is a FREE application which may be found in the iTunes store. ArcGIS helps you discover and use maps. ArcGIS is compatible with iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. BAO (BAO means "Business Analyst Online and is from ESRI) Located in the iTunes store (App Store> Business> ESRI) This is a FREE application intended for businesses but could be used in Geography classes to help students decide where to place a business and consider the demographics of the site. This works on i9Phone, iPod touch and Ipad. Puzzleography (from freerangeEggheads–FREE) This is a drag and drop application for the iPad which is free at the basic level from the site above. A more advanced version costs $2.98. 3 Countries You Ought to Know About (iTunes U free videos for iPod/iPhone and computers) These are very short, iTunes formatted (but from a website and any browser can watch), free videos created by the University of Virginia. They package 3 countries into one short presentation by a fairly young person. The description from their webpage: "… a series of short vignettes, each highlighting countries and cultures that do not always make the front page. Teachers can use these video to help students learn how these countries impact our "flat" world and intrigue them enough to do further research." Living in a Globalised World (iTunes U free videos for iPod/iPhone and computers) This is a wide ranging series of free video podcasts which are short and well done. Each video podcast covers a single topic. The one I watched was on water scarcity (#37) and was excellent. These were created by the Open University. Other topics include borders, workers rights and other issues related to globalization. World Thematic Maps (index mundi) This excellent site allows the user to compare world countries by selecting from long lists different parameters on different topics at different scales. I chose "adult obesity" of the world and asked it to show me the top 10 counties. These appeared on an interactive world map. Countries not in the top 10 just reveal their names. Very nice. Global Politics and China (iTunes U free videos for iPod/iPhone and computers) This is a series of audio podcasts created by the Open University of Hong Kong. The length of the various topics varies widely. The presentation style and format probably appeals mainly to later high school students and above. The content is developed in a lesson like format. Isarithmic History of the Two-party Presidential Vote–Vimeo– (dynamic map over time) This is an interesting map which changes the USA political map by color. The Miniature Earth Project This is a video with music which shows what the earth would be like if the total population of theDebt Clock More clocks running which show government debt related topics than you have time to look at. I wonder who created this one? Population Reference Bureau This part of the PRB allows users to select chart and maps by topic. Once a topic is selected, a tranked able is made which can be converted to bars or maps at the click of a button. The maps are chorolpleth and some filters may be changed. GeoCube (out of Europe) A cube with images is created. The user can manipulate the cube. The user selects from a side of the cube for broad topics such as "Living Together". In that topic are 9 sub topics. In Living Together are: Economic, Development; Pollution in Urban Systems; Language; Mobility; Health; Migration; Ethnicity and Relision; Literay; and Poverty. There are 9 other sides to the cube. When the user selects a topic there is a one screen set of information and a graphic about the subtopic. So this might be useful for students learning about the themes of Geography. MARCH 2012 Mapping Our World (for whiteboards) age up to 14–from Oxfam. Excellent resource. I found this on line resource to be extremely well done. It could be used by a student alone or on a whiteboard (or projector) with a teacher leading the lesson. This free, on line resource explores the relationship between maps and globes and how different projections influence our perception of the world. You can easily flatten and unflatten a globe. There are 3 lessons and "help". There are also teacher's notes, and easy to follow directions throughout. Squidoo On the page above you will find interactive Smartboard lessons on Geography, Government and History. When you click on the link you will be taken to their search page for their site where you set your parameters. When you find the lesson you like you can preview it and download the entire lesson. Free service. NeighborsWhitePages This site could be useful on a variety of levels. If you just moved into a neighborhood, get to know the names of neighbors and where they live. Students could use this in a mapping exercise. You enter an address and you get a satellite view of your neighborhood. Each house will have a number. When you click on the number you will see the name, address and phone number of the people living there. You can also zoom in and out. Very clear images. Geography in the News (this is a Facebook site) The mission of this site is to make Geography relevant to students throughout the world. The site was created by a Geography Professor, Neal LIneback, who was a long time high school Geography teacher. Earth From Above (a collection of aerial photos from Yann Arthus-Bertrand). it seems to me the housing pictures alone could be used to illustrate Human Geography concepts. 2Conv.com (online file type converter–free) How do you use 2conv.com? This website is a top video and music converter supporting all popular formats. This file converting application is easy to use, handy and useful. This site may be used to grab sound tracks from UTube videos and convert to MP3, etc. A similar site which extracts the sound file and downloads MP3 to your computer is at: FEBRUARY 2012 Penny Post Cards by State (U.S. GenWeb archives) This is an interesting collection which could spark discussion among your students about how the pictures reflect the culture and economics of the times, and what different scenes might be put in an archive now compared to the turn of the century. The site also contains some historical information about postcards. Minnesota Communities LakesnWoods.com is an excellent guide for images, history and information on MN communities over time. The site is organized by county, then cities. Many old postcard images are used. WallWisher Wallwisher is a Web 2.0 free online tool where anyone can build a "wall". Discussing a new idea? Taking notes? Giving feedback? Voicing opinion? Wishing a happy birthday? Your students can then go onto the internet and stick post-it notes electronically onto your wall. The notes can include linked pictures, You Tube videos, PowerPoints, PDF documents, Excel Spreadsheets, or web page links.You can embed your wall on your blog and make it accessible to your school community and parents. Here is one my students contributed to on the theme of Poverty Sign up and create a Wallwisher account – it's free Presidential Political Affinity Test (USA Today created this) This is an interesting test of 11 questions which will give you a match up on which candidate lines up best with your ideals – 8 Republican candidates and President Obama are on the list. If nothing else, this will serve as a good test to condense one's thinking on vital issues affecting us today. It is not a Republican or Democrat thing but VERY interesting. 270 to Win (Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education newsletter) 270 to Win is an interactive electoral map where students can make predictions about the 2012 presidential election, find electoral information for past presidential races (1789-2008), or view voting data by state. The site is simple to use and provides students with a clear visual for the complex issue of the electoral college. Thre are Maps, Polls, States, a Blog and a Simulation on this site. A must use site for the 2012 election lessons! Caucus Finder (from the office of the MN Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie) Finding Your Precinct Caucus Caucus Finder helps Minnesotans locate the time and place of caucus meetings in their neighborhoods. Caucus Finder for the February 7, 2012 caucuses will be available after January 18, 2012. Flubaroo Grading made easy. Grade online assignments in a single step! Get reports back. Email students scores. You need to open a Google docs account if you don't already have one. It is free. Getting started requires that you follow the provided instructions. Jeopardy Labs jeopardylabs.com - make your own jeopardy game. Create your own or browse. Easy set up and access. No fees. No registration. No PowerPoint. A step by step guide to create your own. Geography Education "Global news with a spatial perspective: resources for educators and the inherently inquisitive." The site is curated byh Seth Dixon, PhD. and was brought to the attention of Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education by Sara Damon. Social Explorer A limited free edition is available to everyone. Subscription are available for individuals, universities, agencies and organizations. Social Explorer is a rich database with an output map which may be layered from pull down menus. Many options are listed. Go explore Social Explorer! Edheads Predicto Weather Map (elem or lower middle) A series of screens show kids how to report the weather, predict weather and then sends them on weather map making activities. Looks fun and useful. A teacher guide can be accessed, and a glossary. Virtual Pilot! Land a passenger plane in the correct city! Your jet takes off and then a city name will appear (Europe) on the screen. you have 8 seconds to ID the location by clicking on the map. Points are awarded by proximity. Fun way to get involved in simple Geographic place names. What is Your Number? Enter your birthdate and the web page will calculate where you fit in with all of the people alive at that time as well as all of the people who have ever lived. There are many other pieces of population information available if you keep clicking on "Next". From BBC News. Site alert from Dr. Williams of Mill City Dental. Modern US Mega Farm! (video) Amazing footage of a farm in the midwest with 32,000 head of milk cows. Video shows aspects of the daily operation including the use of a carosel which milks the cows automatically. (sent to me by a friend of Geography from Arizona) West Wing Film Clip on "Why are we changing maps"? Very funny clip when some cartographers want the President to start using a Peter's Projection map. The word "hell" is used in one sentence. Mark Newman's comment on this clip is: "It is clear that cartographers can produce different views of the world. We, as informed consumers of maps, need to be aware of this, to think twice about what we see and to consider how the information would look if projected differently. More importantly, by asking why the cartographer chose the projection they did, we may even be able to learn something beyond what we see on paper." OCTOBER 2011 Specialized Map and Graphic Section This month I decided to focus on sites which focus on specialized map making or specialized types of maps. If you have additions you would like to see added to this list, let me know (ffredk92188@aol.com) Map of Presidential Birth Places This is an interactive map. Click on the balloon and you will find out more info. about that president. Interactive map of postal sites illustrates USA growth. This animated map shows plots of post offices across the United States. It shows the westward expansion by the density of postal sites. Show World This is very nice! Show World allows you to select a subject from the top menu and watch the countries on the map change their size. Instead of land mass, the size of each country will represent the data for that subject –both its share of the total and absolute value. Totally fascinating and addicting! Detroit This is a complex, self selected slide show which is really an essay on urban decay and rebuilding. When you click on a picture or the text under it, you will be taken to another part of the site which focuses on that aspect. This is well done and is a lesson waiting to be planned if your are teaching about urban Geography. Site suggested by David, a former student now living in the NW USA. East High School Geography (Denver) by Mr. R. Keith Lucero A well organized site with lot of good Geography support for students. Some items may be downloaded. Scalloway Geography This site is authored by danny McNeill, a geography teacher in a Junior High in Shetland, UK. Note the extremely easy to use graphic interface which leads directly to nice content. Free Clickable Maps for Powerpoint and Excel Suggested by Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education Steering Committee member Rhoda Hubbard-Anderson, this site advertises itself as the biggest collection of free on line maps in the world! Further investigation of the "BeGraphic" software may allow you to customize maps on their site. They say they have free editable maps of the world which may be used as clip art. The site also claims that their maps are not created by graphic designers, but by "real cartographers" (defined as Professor of Geography). The graphic below shows incidents of the death penalty and is a cut down example of one offered at this site. Thanks Rhoda, YOU ROCK! Tagxedo Tagxedo turns words — famous speeches, news articles, slogans and themes, even your love letters — into a visually stunning tag cloud, words individually sized appropriately to highlight the frequencies of occurrence within the body of text. The user may select shapes which the words will make. I wonder if an outline shape of a state or country could be used with a bunch of words students find and enter about that place? This fun site was found and offered by Rhoda Hubbard-Anderson who teaches in Hutchinson. NY Times Emotional Response Graph to Bin Laden's Death On May 3rd the NYT published an amazing graph which categorized over 13,000 responses to Bin Laden's death. These responses were made into an interactive graph and classified on to axis–Significant vs. Non significant, and Negative vs. Positive. You have to see this to appreciate it. I am wondering if educators can find a use for this type of interactive graphic. I don't know how long the NYT will keep this page on their site. The site was brought to my attention by a neighbor. JUNE 2011 EtherPad (collaboration) Document Collaboration in real time. This is a web based word processor which allows for real time changes in the document as various participants make changes. Changes on the document are in assigned colors. From Leslie Fisher's site. Real Lives A great simulation where the student is born into another country and "lives" the life of someone there. Suggested by Matt Moore, a Sleepy Eye Geography teacher. Web 2.0 Sites for Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education Weebly for Education Create class websites (free with signup). Your site will include blogs, student accounts and homework as well as keeping parents updated. Glogster Create posters for on line viewing. Free. Add your own images, sounds, text. Must open account. SPORCLE This site contains an alphabetized list of several hundred Geography games. There is also a category menu at the top of the list. Every day a different game is featured (see list with icons on the left side). An example is January 18th, 2011 when "Bordering the European Union" was featured (not very easy). Did you know that 12 of the most populated US cities are in Texas?? Why I Love Maps This is a great two-minute piece about maps that was made by a curator of Medieval Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The curator notes: "I wonder why it is that we love maps so much. I think in part it has to do with the fact that it allows us to be God for a minute." Suggested by Dr. Lanegran APRIL 2011 This month I have decided to find Geography simulations which you can do in class or assign/ask your students to do on their own and then report on when finished. A simulation is not a game. A simulation uses a real world model to teach about some aspect of the real world. Post simulation experience should always be discussed in class. A concise discussion of why simulations are useful learning tools may be found here: Sweatshop Students enter the world of the sports shoe maker and go to work. They use energy and need water while working. This is best played alone. The simulation allows for stopping and then starting again. Warning: it is difficult to "win" at this simulation. Third World Farmer The player manages an African farm and is confronted with difficult choices that poverty and conflict can cause. This simulation was first developed in 2005 at the University of Copenhagen. You can download the game or play it on line. In any case, a three part sign up must happen before you can access the simulation. Stop Disasters! This site has much more than a simulation. Abundant links to information about famous disasters and disaster topic sheets exist. Students are asked to assess the disaster risk at various scenarios and try to limit the damage when natural hazards strike. Students select the scenario as well as the level of difficulty. The text size is rather small in this simulation. Darfur Is Dying This simulation is narrative based. The user is a displaced Darfurian who must negotiate forces threatening the survival of his refugee camp. McDonald's Simulation This game was apparently created by McDonald's (although several disclaimers are listed saying they aren't and the conent isn't real) to address the accusations that their business has a negative impact on the world. Participants learn about the complex things going on behind the issuance of the food at the counter or take out window. Students can download their own game for PC or Mac, or play it on line. Centre of the Cell The participant has the job of Minister of Health. The task is to stop flu from spreading. Information comes from small windows of news reports. The participants then are given multiple choices. When that is done, consequences of the action chosen are explained, and the simulation continues. Oiligarchy At this site some registration and a video advertisement may play. WWII is over and your are the CEO of an oil company. YOur job is to make money from the oil. You need to make choices in finding and producing the oil. If you do not meet demands, your company will fire you. Free Poverty This is a game not a simulation. Basically, the participant is asked to find places on a map which results in cups of water donated by the organization. You get up to 10 cups per selection. At the end of the game the participant may select to print out a badge showing his skill/water contribution level. MARCH 2011 Educypedia Have you ever visited the Educypedia site to look for very short animations which explain Geographic (and other) processes? A great resource for you if you are discussing "flood plain" for example, and you wish to illustrate it on your screen. Among the illustrations are (but not limited to) Animated Rivers, Dunes, Erosion, and a nice Applet which drives a Latitude and Longitude illustration with a menu you can control over some features. There are many like this. Also, don't miss a long list of Geography animations under "Geography Animations". You can go directly to this page below if you choose. 7 Billion and Counting A very interesting and entertaining video which shows what our population on earth will be at the end of 2011 and beyond. Google Earth List of Amazing and Unusual Places It had to happen sooner or later. Someone made a music video which shows several minutes of interesting and unusual place which may be found using Gogle Earth. A good introduction or supplement to your lesson on using Google Earth. The length is 9 minutes. 200 Years that Changed the World Fascinating talk supported with GapMinder graphics which shows how the world changed, mainly in life expectancy and income, over the past 200 years. Interactive Weather Map of the USA and Parts of Canada Just move your cursor around the map and see what the current temperatures and weather conditions are in cities all over the country! Lots of small cities and airports are included. Virtual Pilot (from Lufthansa) A fun, quick game which will test your ability to visualize where cities are located in Europe. Different levels increase point totals but remove assistants such as city markings and country border lines. Sent to me by Dr. Lanegran. Applications Cleaners You should not just drag a no longer wanted application to the trash on your Mac. The installer put lots of files lots of places, and just dragging them to the trash does not eliminate them. There are two free, open source applications removers for the Mac. Both seem to work quite nicely: AppCleaner Spot Adventures I have found a site where people who go on Geographic "adventures" post their experience with maps, pictures and annotations. Here is one where 7 motorcycles in Australia went on a ride: What I really like about this is that there is a maps with a route on it, and then as you roll your cursor over stopping points on the map you see clickable thumbs. The sponsoring company is selling a GPS, but you don't have to buy to create an account and an adventure. New World Clock This is a new look world clock that keeps track of lots of incidents of population, death, illness, environment matters, energy uses, US Crimes, good and more. The numbers constantly change before you various eyes. The National Deb is very impressive! View by Year, Month, Week, Day and Now. You can also pause the numbers so they stop at a that time. Click on the face of the clck and you can get the same thing in Spanish. A numberer of other types of clocks may be viewed at: PREZi Create astonishing presentations live and on the web! And it is free up to a certain size, and easy to use! Special deals for teachers and students. Some cautions are that your presentations will be published; a watermark will be on your presentations; you can only create Prezis on line. However, it is easy and quick and convenient. Forget about PowerPoint. Blabberize This site allows you to create a voice file which will be attached to images of your choice, and the site will make the mouth move as though it were speaking what you wrote. Can be useful and fun in education. (Down for maintenance on 12.11.2010.) ZAMZAR Convert up to 100 mb of files from one format to another! Convert text files, image and sound files, eBooks and more! Converts most files. Free! Time Line Creator Create an account and then you have the power of the Internet to create time lines on any topic you wish. It may take a little bit to learn how best to create these. You must open an account, but the account if free. Quizlet Quizlet is the largest flash cards and study games website with over 3 million free sets of flashcards covering every possible subject. You can make your own and share them with your class or use sets already made. Quizlet is free unless you want to unlock more than the basic features (which you may well want to do). But, even then it is only $10 JANUARY 2011 Google collects special search terms which are good indicators of world wide flu activity. These are reported on an interactive map. NewsMap sent 12.28.10) Not exactly a map, but the front page of this site has world wide headlines which you click on to read the story from a newspaper near where the headline is taking place. The user has some choices in what type of headlines, and from where, appear on the "map". Scribble Maps sent 12.28.10) This is a free, quick and easy way to rapidly make and share maps. You are provided a world map to begin, and you zoom to what you want from there. You can download them and send to friends as KML/GPX files. Elaborate World Clock This world clock shows the births and deaths each second, but also shows many other numbers about interesting aspects of world life. Best world clock I've seen, and it could be used as a basis for a great deal of discussion and research in your classroom. You can pause the inflow of data, as well as view it by year, month, week and day. 200 Countries and 200 Years in 4 Minutes This remarkable video shows lots of statistics in a brilliant manner via room sized scatter and other dynamic charts. Well, don't expect paper charts! Credit for finding this site goes to a friend, Mary Roos. Tag Galaxy This new site makes the finding of images in Flickr much easier. When you prepare a presentation you often search for different pictures on the Internet and sometimes wind up in Flickr. Now there is a new and better way to search for the pictures you are looking for . Tag Galaxy allows you to browse through Flickr photos in 3D with this flash application. Type in a place name, word, or words in the Tag Galaxy, and you'll get a small solar system clickable images. But it is clever too. For example, you can click and drag for rotation, or use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Click a tag, then click another tag, and you'll get results for both tags combined. To test it, I brought up Tag Galaxy's site and entered in "iron mines". Immediately I got a globe surrounded by dozens of little images related to iron mining. Click on one to see if full sized. Click and roll the globe to view more. Some images are copyrighted. Some images you have to screen capture to get. NOVEMBER 2010 Africa Jigsaw Puzzle Interactive game where the student clicks and drags puzzle pieces The puzzle is a little small, but a "guide" tells you when you have the piece in the right place. This is more shape recognition than Geography. Also in this series. Also available from this site's menu: Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America, United States and continents. There is an interactive puzzle as well as a "find" for each of the above. All are played on line and are free. Panwapa (which in the Tshiluba language means "here on this earth") aims to foster a foundation for global citizenship and community in children around the world. Through this Site, Sesame Workshop aims to extend their mission to use educational media to help children reach their highest potential, celebrate cultural diversity, and build global understanding. Visit Panwapa, it's both educational and fun! Time Capsule Enter any date and view the headlines, birthdays of famous people, top songs, top toys, books at that time. GeoSpy An interactive continents game from National Geographic Kids (younger ages) where you identify continents and other Geography features. A certificate may be printed. Go! George Go! This is a very nice interactive game about directions for early learners. It has a nice very and visual explanation of how to play. It develops a sense of direction as well as a sense of sequence. The idea is to get George to deliver ice cream to his friends before they melt. The user provides directions by simple drag and drop. Animation and sound. USA States Drag and Drop This is a jigsaw type puzzle which requires the user to drag the states into place on a blank outline map of the USA. Some clues are provided. From Maps.com Alienz Map Game Users are asked by the "aliens" to drop then at a place on earth. The user clicks on a place and is rewarded with sound and visual stimuli. Simple directions and very engaging. Suitable for many grade levels as well as those with restricted access. OCTOBER 2010 Educational Origami This site has a large amount of information regarding 21st Century learning skills. The introductory paragraph from the site states: Educational Origami is a blog , and a wiki, about 21st Century Learning and 21st Century Teaching. This is not just about the integration of technology into the classroom, though this is certainly a critical area. It is about shifting the entire paradigm of education. The world is not as simple as saying teachers are digital immigrants and students digital natives. We have to change how we teach, how we assess, what we teach, when we teach it, where we are teaching it, who we are teaching and with what. Its a tall order, but these are exciting times. Good website for data Who we are Worldometers is part of the Real Time Statistics Project, which is managed by an international team of developers, researchers, and volunteers with the goal of making world statistics available in a thought-provoking and time relevant format to a wide audience around the world. Chief project coordinator is currently Sir Thomasson. Sources are carefully selected to include only data published by the most reputable organizations and statistical offices in the world. Internet4Classrooms is a web site with lots of school uses. One of the parts of this comprehensive site is dedicated to links which provide free PowerPoint game templates. Some templates you can use outright, others are amenable to easy adaptation for your classroom uses. Fun Geography Game: Virtual Pilot This link is to a Lufthansa web site with a game in which you are the pilot of a plane taking off from the US – - each time the plane leaves, you are told the destination city – - you put the cursor on and click where on the globe you think the city is. The plane lands after 8 seconds. A line is then drawn to where it should have landed and your point score is based on the difference in the two locations! The closer you come to the actual location, the more points you're awarded. AUGUST 2010 A glimpse at US History based on an animated map of the USA. (sent) This is actually an advertisement for a product, but it still is interesting, easy to understand, and useful if just played by itself. ===============End of List of Geography Links=============== Fred's Finds PDF version Standards and Benchmarks Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies (February 2012 release) The document can be found on the Minnesota Department of Education website. Scroll down to "Social Studies"; the PDF document is linked under "Document Download."
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http://lt.umn.edu/mage/curriculum/freds-finds-archive/
HONEY All civilizations have relied on natural therapeutic agents to meet their primary health care needs at some point in time. Honey and honey containing salves have been used to relieve pain, promote wound healing and to treat sores, boils, cuts, abrasions, insect bites, burns and skin disorders for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks physicians and the Egyptians were among the first to record the beneficial effects of honey for wound care. The ancient Egyptians were the earliest recorded beekeepers and honey for wound healing was an integral part of the "Three Healing Gestures". This included cleaning the wound, applying a salve made from honey, lint, (vegetable fiber) and grease (animal fat), and bandaging the wound. Despite the long history of honey for medical conditions, it largely fell out of favor in conventional medical practice during the era of modern antibiotics in the 1970s. Due to the development of antibiotic resistant wound infections, the use of honey for wound care has undergone a renaissance in the last few years. Today honey is being investigated and incorporated into modern therapeutic wound healing products. Honey is particularly useful for the treatment of poorly healing or chronically infected wounds and for those animals that develop undesirable side effects such as intolerance or resistance to conventional pharmaceuticals. Not Not Recent investigation and research on honey shows that it contains antibacterial compounds that are effective against many common antibiotic resistant bacteria. In addition it has been shown to inhibit the growth of a wide range of fungi, protozoa and viruses, and may have use for the treatment of cancer patients. Honey is composed of 17% water and 82% sugar (primarily glucose and fructose), proteins, enzymes, vitamins, minerals and a variety of floral phytochemicals. It is these phytochemicals that give honey its characteristic color, flavor, and biochemical properties (anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial). In essence, honey may be thought of as a concentrated plant fluid with added bee proteins that makes honey an "herbal medicine". All honey has high osmolarity, low pH, low water content and upon dilution produces hydrogen peroxide that is responsible for its antibacterial properties. However not all honeys exhibit equal hydrogen peroxide activity and so vary in their antimicrobial potency. There are also certain types of honey that contain floral phytochemical factors that are responsible for strong non-peroxide antimicrobial effects. These honeys maintain their antimicrobial properties even when diluted by large amounts of wound exudate. The Leptospermum spp (manuka and jellybush) honeys from New Zealand and Australian are in this group and are currently under intense scrutiny for use as wound healing "medical grade honeys". In 2007 the FDA approved the use of a line of manuka honey based wound dressings called MediHoney that are distributed by DermaSciences Inc. For more information on medical honey: and As a child, Dr. Margo Roman was bandaging stuffed animals and taking in wounded creatures. During high school she worked at a veterinary clinic and, in 1978, Roman officially became a veterinarian herself. Five years later she opened her practice as a mobile clinic, which transformed into Main Street Animal Services of Hopkinton (MASH), in Hopkinton. In 1993 Roman became an integrative alternative practitioner to expand the range of healing modalities that she could offer to animals in her care. Natural Awakenings wanted to know more about this transition. How did you become aware of complementary medicine for animals? I was always interested in nutrition since my parents were very health-conscious, giving us things like cod liver oil and other supplements. During veterinary school I took a course with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and it really opened my eyes to other possibilities of treating animals with such things as herbs, homeopathy and acupuncture. While I was teaching anatomy at the Tufts University veterinary school, I also taught an applied acupuncture course to the students on my own time, giving them a glimpse of another healing modality. Today some veterinary schools are teaching about the effectiveness of acupuncture with animals. Another big reason I decided to do holistic medicine with animals came from my own medical experience during veterinary school. I was administering medication to a cow when it got loose and pushed me against a chute, impaling me on a five-inch nail that caused a huge blood clot in my chest. I kept trying to tell doctors that the problem was in my chest but they insisted it was my spleen. I ended up having two massive surgeries and almost dying when they could have found the real problem by simply tapping my chest. It opened my eyes to the fallibility of the medical profession and made me realize that there are other ways to help animals besides rushing to do surgery or something equally traumatic right away. What alternative approaches have worked with the animals you've treated? In 2001 a client brought her dog to me with tumors in his abdomen. The dog couldn't walk anymore and two vets had told her to euthanize him. We did acupuncture, homeopathy and nutritional therapy and he ended up having three-and-a-half more really great years of life. The same thing happened with my daughter's horse, which had eye cancer. He lived for more than two years with alternative treatments after other vets wanted to put him down. I've also seen amazing health improvements in animals after my clients switched to raw or partly raw diets for their pets. What are some practices that you'd like to see more animal caregivers adopt? The most important thing is high-quality, whole-food nutrition because it's the key to strengthening the immune system, which is largely based in the gut. Second, I recommend that, when possible, people use plant botanicals, herbs, homeopathy and other options with animals instead of drugs like antibiotics, NSAIDs or steroids. Pain can be managed with acupuncture and chiropractic, whereas pain medications can have harmful side effects, such as liver failure. Masking problems with medication doesn't correct the problem or imbalance and the body actually deteriorates more because it's out of alignment. I also use ozone therapy, which yields amazing results with such things as Lyme and dental disease, infections and wounds, cancer, pain, inflammation and chronic itching. At MASH we limit the use of vaccinations, which are tied to rising cancer rates in animals, by checking for antibodies after the initial shots are administered. How can people find veterinarians who use complementary medicine? There's a great organization called the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, and people can visit AHVMA.org and see a directory of veterinarians and what modalities they have studied. It's broken down by state and there are a number of holistic practitioners in Massachusetts. We've also created a video called Dr. Do More that's designed to educate people about natural health for pets. It's available on our website, MashVet.com, and it has some great information. Main Street Animal Services of Hopkinton is located at 72 W. Main St., Hopkinton. For more information, call 508-435-4077 or visit MASHVet.com. All of us and our animals are living organisms that contain a world of other living organisms living in harmony within us. Here is some information about Biomes and links to audio from WNPR radio. There has been much talk about Biomes and the Ecology of the body and how we have over 3 trillion microbes that can live in harmony in our bodies. It has been stated that a normal human has from 2-5 pounds of these organisms in his or her bodies. Each area of our body – especially the gut, has billions of colonies of organisms that have been working together in human and animal bodies for thousands of years. As we all are aware, between 70-80 percent of our immune system comes from our gut, and therefore success is its ability to utilize the ingested materials, by-products and relations of the microbes in the GI tract. Without balanced intestines, we have weakness of immune globulins and reduce the absorption of the needed fuels for the body to repair and mend tissue. Each antibiotic, toxic chemical, drug, pesticide and other insults can knock out that balance and be the beginning of an acute medical issue or the weakening of the body with a chronic degenerating disease. Please listen to this fascinating radio broadcasts and hear from the scientists. It is a wonder how many good microbes are able to survive when they are hit by multiple antibiotics over and over again. Extinction of the good microbes hurts the body. Here at MASH we have honored the bodies gut-health and are always trying to increase its diversity and readiness for change by having lots of probiotic, prebiotics, live food, raw foods, digestive enzymes and herbs that help broaden the fiber and flora of the gut. It is the key to success in getting an animal into balance as we ask the body to work with each animal and allow more good nutrients to be absorbed to help the body heal and reclaim its strength. We want the animal's immune system to be on our team to help get over the health challenges at hand. If there are ways to increase the body's own immune supporting microbes, more power to that innate ability we seem to overlook. Are there animals that have their "Shit Together" in such a way that they are protected from the onslaught of bacteria and diseases that seem to challenge and kill some animals and humans? Why do some animals get bitten by ticks get lyme positive responses on a test but never exhibit the disease? Why do some dogs that drink water from a pond pick up Leptospirosis and others never have even a challenge? Some think it is the vaccines that can only protect. What happens to these unvaccinated dogs that do not get these diseases with the same exposure? Why do vaccinated dogs still get the diseases? There is a lot to look at. What if some of the normal flora in the body is able to protect the body from some of these microbial insults? Finding individual dogs and cats and even humans that have this wealth of balanced normal thriving microbes may be the answer to many problems and issues in health. More information and research needs to be done but to think that we have many healthy individuals who have lived with their Lyme, thrived and survived for years with their cancer, have never had allergies and asthma or any other chronic issues as they age, may be the resource to take a culture from their healthy gut. Here at MASH we have even done fecal transplants by taking a fresh stool sample from a really healthy animal of the same species and given it orally to begin the re-culture of these healthy microbes. Like a starter for cheese, yogurt, or Kefir we are introducing a source of flora that we hope will re-boot the gut like rebooting your computer with the correct information. As a donor we want animals that have had minimal vaccinations, raw diets and no/minimal antibiotic and no/minimal pesticide exposure. These individuals are hard to find but many of our clients are striving to have their pets be chosen to help and be the donors. Sharing the basic core of the immune system is so simple? As one who does Oxygen therapy/ Ozone therapy/O3 therapy and Hyperbaric oxygen this whole Biome theory is "right on." With an overgrowth of yeast (Candida and other organisms due to overuse of antibiotics) and consumption of sugars we have CO2 forming. At a party this weekend, one of my husband's friends explained how he makes beer at home. It is so basic. He buys a mixture of hops and other ingredients and adds water and yeast and the fermentations process starts. The yeast utilizes the sugars in the brew and makes alcohol and CO2… If he needs more CO2 for his bottling he adds more artificially. So yeast plus sugar makes CO2. So we see that with abundance of yeast and sugar in the body we have production of CO2 in the gut and in the body. Carbon Dioxide in the tissue can cause inflammation, pain, swelling and encourages cancer cell growth. With oxygen therapy we increase the O2 in the body. If given as O3/O2 rectal insufflations, we increase it even more in the gut. This allows the O2 dependent microbes a head start to regain their momentum. By giving a fecal transplant and having the recipients gut ready with quality enzymes, pre and probiotic and supply evolutionary correct foods to that animal we can have a medium that when given the new microbes from the donor there is a healthy surface and culture medium to grow, thrive and restore the gut to a more healthy and normal state. We can take this in a crude way with statements like "Eat My Shit" Get your Shit Together" "My shit is better that Yours" but however you want to say it, it basically is down to "You are what you eat ….You are what you excrete… and all the crap you have may be what is needed to help your body survive. We need the Oxygen for the cells with their mitochondria and all the interactions of microbes, tissues and organs to create health and survival. This summer I was able to spend time at Kripalu in Lenox MA which is in the Berkshires. I got into taking a class in Conscious Riding which was a blend of yoga meditation and connecting with a horse. What a perfect opportunity it was to have all these techniques become part of one's riding experience. Spending time with an animal in a deeper way can help one heal the stressors of your life as well as an added benefit of having the animal in your life. For me riding in the woods with my two standard poodles Geneva 12, and Lilihana 7 and now Missy too, who is a paint Missouri Fox trotter, is my time to reflect and just be with these kind and loving creatures. Paul Striberry, who is a professional horseman for over 50 years teaches a holistic approach to horsemanship that encourages congruence in body, mind, and spirit. Paul's approach to Conscious Riding supports you in seeing your horse as an SUV—Spiritual Utility Vehicle—and understanding riding as a practice of meditation in motion on the path to awakening. The core teachings of this program are grounded in yogic philosophy: feeling the natural balance and learning to watch your fears instead of getting caught in them. In this way, We learned to Ride beyond our edge Expand our abilities Met new challenges. During the program, riding takes place at Under Mountain Farm, three miles from Kripalu. Paul had two assistance from Sandra doing her Yoga and Hardas assisting with the horse preparation. If any of you have not been to Kripalu it is a must to have a place that is like an adult summer camp that nurtures all parts of you in your plans. The food is wonderful, served as a buffet it is organic, local and sustainable and mostly vegan. You can have Yoga classes 3 times a day and other hiking and kayaking if you want. There is time to meditate and quiet places to reflect.. One can indulge in may types of massage and spa type treatments. And yes they have some amazing courses covering many wellness topics. If you get a chance to treat yourself do so. It is an investment in yourself, so that you can be healthier then thats what you should do. The below article is a topic that I think should be on the minds of every individual as we ponder why so many animal are getting cancer and they are getting sicker and sicker. As a veterinarian for over 35 years I am seeing more chronically ill animals that cannot be cured as their immune systems that have failed. We are seeing this in younger and younger animals as cancer affects over 46% of dogs and 39 % of cats. The frustration that veterinarians and their caretakers feel is overwhelming. Owners ask Why? and Why can't we help them? We are getting epigenetic damage from many of the 80,000 chemicals that are in our environment that were not there 60 years ago. Those of us that work in holistic veterinary medicine are trying to find ways to keep these tragic failures of the health of these individual animals. As we look at the research that is in the below and now we can see that all the pesticides, toxins and unnecessary vaccinations that we have given our pets for generation after generation have done damage that has changed the genes of those pets. What our dogs grandmother got exposed to can affect multiple generations to come. Sicker and sicker, younger and younger until it is so obvious. We all need to start to wake up and start to question all the chemicals we put on our lawns, clean our homes, spray or spot on our pets. You are what you eat and those chemical will transfer their damage to your DNA too. The animals we bring into our homes are the canaries in the coal mine. They are showing us what the future of our human family members will be. In 12 years we can see 6 generations of pets and genetic breakdown can be right in front of our face…Lets wake up and try to stop further damage and help our beloved family members more protected from toxic chemicals and environmental damage. I say these words as a frustrated veterinarian questioning the massive numbers of cancer that come into my practice. We try to boost the immune system and try to support the healthy cells and organs so they can resist the DNA damage. We hope to make more quality life and more quality time with these very important family members. From the Blog: Times I Remembered to Write. Last night I was looking at random videos on my computer, most of them shared a common subject- Lina, our extra-special basenji. I found a very personal one I'd taken with my old phone where I could be heard talking behind the camera filming Lina on the sofa. It was January 2009, a time when we were dealing with sadness and navigating options a few weeks after her cancer diagnosis. I'm telling Lina not to worry, that we are going to have a great year and that I would just follow her lead. She is seen confirming with her eyes and nodding in agreement. Lina nods and blinks and wrinkles her forehead in the most understanding ways when she is listening. I tell her I think she is very wise, and in watching her response, there is little room for doubt. All we really had to do was follow her lead. Lina has impressed everyone with her continuing good health. She's been a living miracle for years now. Generally, vets and professionals say they've never seen a dog do this well with her type of cancer. Dr. Margo Roman, Lina's holistic vet told me she believes Lina's story should be shared- people should know about this and benefit from it. She asked me to write, and I recognized that I had been waiting for her to ask. I want to share something amazing here, the thing is, every time I start to write about Lina, I'm reminded that I thought she was amazing long before she became a medical miracle. It's so easy to blurt out her status, she remains strong and happy and healthy, even though over 3 years ago, several vets and Tufts Veterinary Hospital gave her 3 months to live after they did a biopsy on her nasty cancer- TCC. We figured we'd do our best to beat it and figured out how to beat canine cancer by being so smart, etc., blah blah blah. It's harder to actually know that what we've done is so right. Besides I only take credit for being the one to give Lina all the credit. Through the seeking of professional help and finding ourselves offered terrible options, I was empowered to find something else to do. By following my instincts and taking the lead in Lina's care, I thought, well at least I would be trying something. I wanted our efforts to be a success, but I'll get to that later. The thing is, the story I really want to tell about Lina is the love story. Two times in my life, I hugged someone when we first met and recognized a feeling of destiny. I will always remember that night Lina gave me a hug, back before she was even our dog. The only other "first hug" I hold a memory of was when I met Chris, my husband, Lina's other daddy back in 1995. By the night we met Lina in 2003, Chris and I had just bought a house so we could get a dog. Our first project after moving in was fencing in the backyard so we'd be ready when the right one came along. We scanned the listings on a basenji rescue website. One contact led us to Lina. She was four years old. I saw her and I knew, but Lina wasn't even the dog that her owner, Angel Smith wanted to give up for adoption that night. She had two female basenjis and had to let one go. They were feuding such that there would be physical violence if one or the other dog wasn't crated. The dog up for adoption was the black and white basenji -another female… We'd already heard their story on the phone. On sight, I knew the red and white one with the sensitive expression- Lina, was our dog. Angel said that someone would have to offer a really perfect home for her to give Lina up again. You see, Angel had already given her up a few months earlier to a woman who changed her mind after keeping her a month and didn't like Lina and returned her (which I will never understand, but am forever grateful.) Lina had been given back. I told Angel with no hesitation that we could offer Lina the perfect home, I agreed to every stipulation, including keeping ours a one-dog house. We were granted the privilege of taking Lina out for our first date that night. As we drove away from Angel's house for our ice cream date, Lina wrapped her head and arm around my shoulder and sighed the sweetest sigh in my ear. I will never forget that hug. It was a rare moment of expression. We went on with the evening and afterward we all agreed on our return at the end of the week to bring her home with us for a trial weekend. Over the next few days I thought how funny that Chris and I had been having an ongoing discussion of dog names all summer and one of our female name favorites was "Angelina"- I was having thoughts of destiny… Lina came for the weekend, it went well and I called Angel that Sunday and told her I really didn't see the point in returning Lina only to begin the transition later. We were ready to offer Lina a "forever home". Instead of returning her, we agreed that Angel would visit our house the following week and we could work out all the details for Lina. That's how she became our girl. Since then, Lina is central to our family, including our holidays- especially Christmas, vacations- especially going to Provincetown. She is comically well behaved dining out at patio restaurants. She loves the sun and sand on the beach. She relishes the change of pace and togetherness of vacationing together- truly a shining example of openness to the blessings of a good vacation. We've already booked our rental for June 2012. We always enjoy sharing the anticipation of holidays with her. Lina knows that we are grateful to have her, thankful for presence, and appreciate her specialness. There are many details to share about our life together and the role she fills in our lives, but I want to be clear about Lina's confidence and sense of importance in our family. She is loved and appreciated and she knows it. January 2009, the shattering news came from the Oncologist at Tufts Veterinary Hospital confirming Lina's diagnosis of TCC- transitional cell carcinoma. The biopsy results left no question about it she had inoperable cancer in the bladder and it was likely to spread. They gave her 3 to 5 months to live- without chemotherapy, or with chemotherapy- best case scenario, 5 to 7 months. Possible treatment options were unpromising and risky with inevitable side-effects. The vets at Tufts left little room for hope. It was going to be terrible. I told them I just couldn't believe it. She was so healthy- the only indication was a slight change in pattern when she urinates. She didn't seem sick in any way. She was 9 years old at the time and energetic and had never been sick a day in her life. The vet said, "I know it's hard to believe, she does seem strong and healthy, we've seen this many times. She'll live for as long as she can pee- for as long as she can get her urine out. Then, at some point the tumors will grow too large, block the flow and she won't be able to pee. Then she dies in 3 days. As cancer's go, this is a really terrible one." What could I say but no? No all around- no to everything they offered, no to 3 months, and no to this being everything we could do. I accepted a prescription for meloxicam, an anti-inflamatory medication. After adjusting the dosage down, it didn't seem to hurt anything. Chris and I went over and over all their treatment options for months, sometimes agreeing about what to do, sometimes not. We considered everything that Western Veterinary medicine had to offer and nothing ever sounded right to me for Lina? How could I opt to make a choice like chemotherapy or radiation or inserting a urethra tube that would have risks and side-effects and immediately weaken her when she was strong and healthy and seemed fine? I just wanted to keep her that way. No matter what I did, it sounded like it was to be the end of a lot of things for us (-but it wasn't.) How could it be that we weren't going to have a great summer together? (-but we did.) Chris and I were stunned and hurt by the news. We left in tears. The vets at Tufts were very convincing. Do I wish I'd covered my ears? -Maybe it was the harshness of the news that sprung us into action to find a better way to give Lina every advantage. Could we have done as well without fear? I was going to ensure her the perfect diet and exercise- walks 2x a day. One thing was clear. Lina hated going to the vet, she was going to tremble and show her misery every time we took her to an appointment. All along I was gaining a wealth of information and advice online. Different things had worked for different dogs. It was clear that Lina would benefit from a mostly grain-free diet. Beyond that, I wanted to follow my instincts but I didn't know where to start. I scheduled a consult at MASH with a holistic/homeopathic veterinarian to point us in the right direction. I was hoping Lina would show her wisdom and appear more relaxed through the appointment, but no such luck. She shook and trembled in horror as we entered the door. However, we left with renewed confidence along with Lina's first bottles of natural supplements and began adding them to her every meal. We also learned about some alternative optional therapies for Lina. I knew that I needed to do something. Doing nothing would have felt terribly wrong to me. I don't know why I asked Dr. Kabler at that visit about the little figure on the wall shelf marked with acupuncture points. It was for tong ren she told me- "really out there"- an energetic form of acupuncture. It sounded very strange to me, but in the coming days I found that I kept thinking about it. I was glad that I had grabbed a business card for it on the way out. I was intrigued at the possibility of tong ren as part of the spiritual piece of helping Lina face cancer. Not only did it fit the criteria of treating Lina at home, but I read some remarkable testimonials about successful results in treatment. So we contacted the name on the card- Marcia Zais. I could tell Lina responded to tong ren from the very first treatment. We started with one or two times a week. About a year later the tools for tong ren fell into my hands and I learned enough to participate in the practice. It's so normal for us now that I tend to forget that it's "really out there". We have a relaxing routine doing her therapy while listening to animal healing music. So, over three years of all of this now, it's hard to call to mind all aspects of the journey. I've learned invaluable lessons about fear and dealing with fear and working through fear. Lina's symptoms have varied from little or nothing and to very concerning at times. For much of the second year she appeared to drip blood in her urine, but she never acted sick or uncomfortable or weak. I often say that we are doing what we can but when it comes right down to it, Lina gets the credit. Whatever it is she has to deal with, she is dealing with it. Then one day last fall, Lina was sick. She appeared swollen and weak after we'd left her home with a babysitter for a two-night getaway. I could see that she wasn't doing so well on our return and she worsened through a sleepless night. Chris wanted to take her to Tufts in the middle of the night, which I just couldn't see as productive or helpful for her. I wanted to hold her through the night and call Marcia Zais (animal communicator) in the morning. My plan worked out well for Lina, Marcia identified Lina's discomfort as not being the cancer, but an infection. We got her in to see Dr. Roman (holistic vet) later that morning and it took little convincing to start her on antibiotics. Lina responded almost immediately and hasn't been sick since. As for the specifics with changing up treatments and supplements over time- I leave it to instinct. One supplement with multiple types of algae in it that was effective in treating survivors of the Chernobyl disaster, as well as cancer survivors was central for a long time. Now we're doing cranberry extract with a couple of nutritional ones and regular drops of "Tinkle Tonic", before that it was an essiac tincture. Certain recommended healthy options appealed to me as they sounded like they would taste good for her. Her after-walkies snack every morning consists of 2% yogurt with fish oil. Lina has always loved to eat a variety of healthy foods including fruits and vegetables and I didn't want to get to adding so much stuff to her food to compromise her pleasure of eating. She loves real food and she gets it. Meat, fish, eggs and vegetables (although we also use high-quality canned sometimes), fresh vegetables (raw green beans are her favorite) combined with rotating supplements, two walks per day along with regular tong ren treatments. I've learned a lot about love and energy, visualization and anticipation, and faith and belief too. Every event becomes a milestone. Birthdays. Holidays. Christmas. Summer Vacation. I'd never have guessed it, but these really were to be the best years. Lina has blown away her odds for survival and continues to live a very happy life. I will forever be inspired by her success and her energy. "Veterinarians trained in healing modalities like acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic, herbology and nutrition make the best choices for those seeking optimum care for pets. These modalities can often be used to turn a pet's health around when traditional and pharmaceutical methods fail. At home, there are many things that pet caregivers can do to jumpstart the process of treating animals holistically." On January 30 2004, Champ a 26 year old Chestnut Morgan Gelding was taken to Tufts Veterinary School and several events happened on that visit. I went there for an eye removal for cancer. Champ at 16 was given up to my daughter and I due to his severe skin infections allergies and heaves. Within months of treatment with holistic care he became a beloved pet and my daughter's show horse. He had cancer in his eye for 6 years and it had not been an issue causing pain until Jan 15 of '04 and then he needed to have it out. When he was taken to Tufts they insisted he had cancer everywhere and needed to be euthanized immediately. While there they slandered my care and insisted that he was dying. The veterinary school doctors could not see any other way but euthanasia. He was taken from there and got his eye surgery elsewhere. He lived 2 ½ years more, remarkably jumping in horse shows and enjoying his rides through the forest. During that same visit at Tufts another pet caretaker had gotten permission for me to give my opinion on little Moto, a dachshund, about his kidney failure. When I was in there looking at the dog I was pulled out and told by someone, "We don't believe in anything that you do and if the dog gets better it is because of what we do and nothing you did." Even though many double blind cases were presented in 4 years of Complementary and Alternative courses were taught at the school. Both as former faculty, and as an attendee of these classes I had used many of those modalities on Champ. Meanwhile, they used the surgery suite for a different horse. He was having exploratory surgery in the surgery suite for colic. When they found no surgical reason for it, they woke him up and dropped him. Breaking his leg, and then he was euthanized. I was pushed into a room and told to shut up after I saw what had occurred. When I asked if anyone had even offered the owners of this horse any alternative intervention on the colic case, and mentioned the success of another university using acupuncture to treat colic, the answer again was to produce these double blind studies. Even though many cases had been presented at Tufts, I was still treated with disrespect and unprofessionally. The proof of the better care was the return of Champ to a full life. The surgeon who eventually took Champs eye could not believe they refused to do the surgery and only offered euthanasia. I wanted a peer review from the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association. It didn't happen until over 3 years later, as they managed to side step the issue not wanting to confront Tufts. Fifteen months after the incident Tufts was having a lecture on "The Hazards of Feeding Raw Food to Your Pets". The lecture was advertised to the general public as a free lecture open to all. It was not Continuing Education and had no fee. In fact a public lecture did not have a record of who was attending. Nevertheless, at the entrance to the event I was threatened with arrest and handcuffing for just coming to the door of the lecture. My knowledge that Tufts gets state and federal funding and that their nutrition department is paid by dog food companies must have been something they wanted to keep quiet. The lecture opposed raw diets. They thought that somehow my attendance would be so threatening to them that they violated my civil rights of Freedom of Speech. When I told the Dean that they were stopping freedom of speech and I was not afraid to sue them. He said "You sue us we will squish you like a bug. We have so much money and such deep pockets we will outspend and hire more attorneys and say terrible things about you". I did sue the anyways. The ACLU even wrote a brief in support of the case. On the date which the statute limitations was to run out, since no peer review ever happened, I filed a suit against Tufts. It has gone all the way to the Supreme Court Of Massachusetts where it failed due to the veterinary bill being an issue. That was never why I was treated so unprofessionally and the freedom of speech was not addressed. So we are appealing. The case has more specifics and details in previous blogs. We hope to hear medical cases that could have benefited by an openness of minds about health. These are pets who could have benefitted from a collaborative effort to bring the best from allopathic and holistic medicine. Telling our stories will one day bring about a new 'Gold Standard of Care'. Here is how you can help. Many of you have mentioned how upset you are from hearing about Dr. Margo Roman's legal case. When accounting the failure of the court to take up the free speech aspect in Dr. Margo's case against Tufts, it demonstrates how far apart the veterinary school is philosophically from todays pet consumer. As we all sit here in Massachusetts, we rest upon the laurels of the work that was done before us. We are supposedly the most liberal, progressive, and forward thinking people there are. We have hospitals, clinics and universities that compete with the best in the world. We are also spiritually descended from civil libertarians, and before that people who engaged in civil disobedience. How is it that we have ended up just following instructions being shepherded along by allopathic veterinarians who because of their limited exposure to other caring options and cannot offer the full range of treatments available? For example, you would think that euthanasia is a last resort after all options have been explored, but all too often it isn't. Animals can't speak for themselves, but we can infer from the ones who survive hurricanes and tornados and then walk home with broken legs, that if given a choice, the animals would choose to survive. Humans do not get euthanized when they loose an eye, and yet Haiti the Hawk was, and Champ Dr. Margo's horse almost was. Those doctors were so self assured in their arrogance that they were the ones who were blinded? Humans are not electively euthanized because they have cancer, if they can have good care, and live with it, each day of life is valued and respected. The answers for most of the horror stories we hear are often something simple. Many caretakers know how to make wholesome meals and home remedies to raise his or her family, and those same healthful things are most often true for the needs of our pets. But allopathic vets rely on the information they get from the corporate pet food industry and they don't want you to know that. They want you to swallow their prepackaged solutions, and ignore dangerous side effects from some prescription drugs and inferior quality pet foods. Holistic care is logical and makes sense. Giving the body a chance to repair itself with support from quality nutrition, herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture and an array of other positive caring modalities, has been used for hundreds to thousands of years. Integrated healthcare should be accessible to everyone and their pets. Why do we have to drive an hour or two from many points in Massachusetts to find a holistic veterinarian? Because what we have is veterinarians whose training is paid for in part by pharmaceutical companies. Universities like Tufts appear to be hand in hand with corporations whose main interest is the latest promotion, which brings them profit, and is not always the best for the health of animals. Instead, in many cases pet parents know more about holistic remedies and alternatives than some otherwise well intentioned vets who have been indoctrinated since medical school that these drugs and those methods are the one and only way. The cycle continues as graduated vets get continuing education which is subsidized, free products and other perks from big pharmaceutical and pet food companies. They get perks from them, and so sell those products, never knowing that there are better alternatives. We, the public now know better. We are beginning to demand more from our pet food companies, and our vets. We are tired of cats with urinary tracts that are damaged from commercial cat food. We are heartbroken over dogs who have dog food allergies and skin problems then get reactions to the foods. We have put up with enough of our animals having upset stomaches from bad foods, indiscriminate dosing with pesticides, and inoculations that are unnecessary that may cause illness and cancer. These few issues alone have become as well known as internet Memes due to the public, not vets, having these discussions. For many years Dr. Margo has been trying to open the minds of Veterinary Teaching Universities such as Tufts. Her expectations are high, she believes that veterinary education should be on the cutting edge. It should be the highest level of openness and collaboration to find the best solutions. Veterinary Schools like Western University, Atlantic Veterinary School in PEI and Colorado State have integrative medicine classes and also allows students to get credits to take these integrative course outside the college? Tufts is behind the curve, anxiously holding on to their Big Pharma patrons, like an allopathic mafia where no one leaves The Firm. Integrated medicine saves animals from pain, accelerates healing, and takes the best from both aspects of medicine. No vet should be denying those alternatives. Acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, nutrition and ozone are part of a total medical care and healing experience. Leaving them out as options can ignore the needs of clients and their animals. Would you like to help or share your story? Dr. Margo is looking for volunteers to help out. Do you have an allopathic vet story that shows lack of openness for total care? We need more people to help with many pet activism projects. Let us know please send email mashvet@verizon.net We are starting a legal defense fund to help Dr. Margo keep working to make this freedom for quality healthcare a reality. (So support her efforts and donate. ~MASH Geek) On March 9, 2012 I was able to attend the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim California. I was there to network and reconnect with some of the companies that had seen and liked the Dr DoMore and Sr ShowMore Projects so they could see the 2013 Calendar. With over 3,000 booths this event was immense and proof that the natural health industry is well and thriving. Many new products were coming on the market as experienced companies showed of their new ideas and brand new companies launched their creative goods. There was a lot of interest in the Calendar and the hope was to get creative ads for the upcoming 2013 project. A lot of gluten free goods which are good for pets were represented. Enterprising companies have seen the demands of consumers for more products using coconut, chia and organic berries and juices. Natural cleaning products were on my list to add to the new Dr.ShowMore 2013 highlighting sustainable green medicine. When it comes to cleaning products the chemicals that are in the products will get absorbed through the skin and lungs of both you and your pet. Dogs and cats will lick their paws and bodies and if they are lying on floors and carpets that were cleaned with un-natural solvents or toxic chemicals those will be absorbed into the pets. BPA is another chemical found in the lining of pet food cans and we need to be looking for companies that do not have BPA in their products. It is hard to see that since it is not on their radar and it needs to be. I was able to attend the lecture of Kathleen Merrigan who is the Agriculture Deputy Secretary of the USDA who presented the new governmental website: Know Your Farmer Know Your Food which will be covering sustainability of local farms. There is a whole department that addresses organic production and regulations. I gave Secretary Merrigan a copy of both the 2011 Dr ShowMore Calendar and the Dr.DoMore Film preview in hopes that she will read and watch these an see the need for Integrative holistic care for animals. This would reduce the antibiotic overuse and keep animals healthier and treatment more sustainable and humane.
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Meta Readers of this blog may have been puzzled by the subtitle of my new blog on Ramalingam: "The Way of Pure and True Theism". This implies a distinction between pure and true theism, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, impure and false theism. What is this distinction? This distinction is based on the fact that although the true notion that an entity, X , exists could be shared by two or more views, these views can differ from each other in their conceptions of X, or in their claims about the nature or attributes of X. And, of course, some of these conceptions or claims may be true and others false. Hence, the fact that two or more views share a true belief in the existence of X does not imply that they must all have equally true conceptions or beliefs pertaining to the nature or attributes of X. Thus, for example, the fact that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all share the true notion that God exists is perfectly consistent with the possibility that they have different and conflicting conceptions of the nature of God. Indeed, all this is no mere possibility, but an actuality. Since these religions have some mutually conflicting conceptions of the nature or attributes of God or ultimate reality, it follows, by virtue of the logic of contradiction, that all these conflicting conceptions cannot be equally true of God. It further follows from this truth that some of these conceptions of God must be false. Now, each of these "world religions", namely, Judaism, or Christianity, or Islam, considered individually as a system of beliefs and practices, also contains conflicting conceptions or claims on the nature of God. And, obviously, these conflicting conceptions or claims within a single religion cannot all be equally true. Some of them must be false. The logic of conjunction has an interesting implication for systems of beliefs or claims constituted by the conjunction of true and false statements. It is a logical truth that the conjunction of a false and true statement is false! For example, if it is raining, but not snowing, then the conjunction "It is raining and it is snowing" is false since one of the conjoined statements is false. A conjunction of statements is true if and only if all of the conjoined statements are true. One belief or claim does not a religion make! To adhere to a religion is to embrace, at least, a system of beliefs, or a conjunction of statements, or claims, central to and constitutive of that religion's conception of ultimate reality. It follows from the logic of conjunction that even if one of the conjoined beliefs, statements, or claims is false, the whole system or conjunction of beliefs, statements, or claims is false. Hence, even if one belief, statement, or claim in the conjunction of beliefs, statements, or claims , on the nature of God or ultimate reality, which constitutes Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, or any other religion, is false, the whole system or conjunction of statements must, logically, be considered false. Of course, this does not imply that there are no true statements in the system or conjunction of statements, but that as long as there is even one false statement in it, the conjunction of statements is false. Thus, false theism is any form of theism such that the conjunction of its constitutive claims about the nature or attributes of God is false because one or more of the conjoined statements is false. False theism is also impure theism, i.e., a corrupt form of theism which contains false claims on the nature or attributes of God. This is not undermined by the fact, if it is a fact, that an instance of this form of theism contains some or many true claims on the nature or attributes of God. True theism, by contrast, consists only of true claims on the nature or attributes of God. Since there is no admixture in it of true and false claims on the nature or attributes of God, true theism is also pure theism. All this sheds light on an important verse in Ramalingam's magnum opus in the Tamil language, ARUTPERUMJOTHI AGAVAL or "Verses On The Immense Light Of Compassion": "ARUTPERUMJOTHI made me perceive early in my life that சாதி (caste), சமயம் (religion), and மதம் (the extant theistic or atheistic philosophical, metaphysical, or theological systems of Vedanta, Siddhanta, Lokayata or materialism, Buddhism, Jainism, etc) were பொய் or false." What does he mean by the claim that caste, religion, and the extant theological, or metaphysical, or philosophical systems are false? In light of the analysis of "false theism" offered earlier, this radical declaration by Ramalingam (he composed these verses in 1872 – 73 in an obscure hamlet in Tamilnadu, South India!) could only mean the following: B. The systems or conjunctions of claims constituting casteism, religions, and the extant theistic or atheistic metaphysical or theological systems of Vedanta, Siddhanta, Lokayata or materialism, Buddhism, Jainism, etc., are false. At the outset, I want to emphasize that I am not denying the reality of evolution. What I want to show is that any inference from the mere fact of evolution to the denial of the existence of a supreme designer, and/or a plurality of designers, is a non sequitur. In other words, the argument stated as follows is invalid: We can account for the diverse forms and structures of living beings in terms of processes of evolution. Therefore, there is no supreme designer, and/or a plurality of designers, of those diverse forms and structures of living beings. Compare the following argument: We can account for the workings of a computer in terms of the structure and processes of its hardware and software. Therefore, there is no chief designer, and/or a plurality of designers, of the computer. At the very least, the conclusion does not follow from the premises! The fact that we can account for the workings of the computer in terms of the structure and processes of its hardware and software is completely consistent with the existence of a chief designer, and/or a plurality of designers, who have conceived and brought it about that the computer has that hardware and software! Or consider this argument: We can account for the 9/11 collapse of the Twin Towers in New York in terms of causal processes resulting from damage to the structural integrity of those buildings. Therefore, there is no reason to refer to intelligent agency in explaining the collapse of those buildings. Even if the premise is true, the conclusion does not follow. The truth of the premise is consistent with the fact that intelligent agency initiated those causal processes by bringing about the damage to the structural integrity of those buildings, of course, by flying airplanes into them! In just the same way, the fact that we can account for the diverse forms and structures of living beings in terms of evolution is perfectly consistent with the fact that the process of evolution was initiated and regulated by a supreme designer and/or a plurality of designers, or that a supreme designer and/or a plurality of designers brought about the existence of diverse forms of life by means of a process we imperfectly understand and dub "evolution". Hence, again, the inference from the fact of evolution to the denial of the existence of a supreme designer and/or plurality of designers is an invalid one. All this is a function of a simple truth: explanation in terms of structure, function, or process, is perfectly consistent with the fact that intelligent agency has initiated and governed that process, or designed and brought about the existence of that structure, or shaped that function. Until recently, a great deal of the contents of this blog was shaped by my adherence to naturalism. This is no longer the case since I have now embraced Suddha Sanmargam, or the path of pure and true theism, and its Weltanschauung, envisioned and established by the great 19th century Tamil mystic and poet Chidambaram Ramalingam (1823 – 1874). I have now devoted a separate blog to the project of clarification and analysis of Suddha Sanmargam at "The Baloney Detective" will now focus on "baloney detection" in the context of my new project of exposition, reconstruction, analysis, and defense of Suddha Sanmargam. What this means for this blog can be made clear by invoking Ramalingam's thesis that the prevalent fragmented sectarian religious dogmas, the divisive values and practices of the extant religious traditions, false theistic views, false theologies, false values or "disvalues", and false philosophical doctrines or theories, are the main obstacles to the realization of the great truths and ideals of Suddha Sanmargam: unitive experience and knowledge of ultimate reality in the form of ARUTPERUMJOTHI, or the being who is an IMMENSE LIGHT OF COMPASSION, the practice of the ethic of compassion for all sentient beings, the blossoming of a sense of soul-kinship with all sentient beings, the practice of vegetarianism, non-killing, the abolition of torture, the abolition of discrimination, division, and conflict based on race, gender, social group, class, nationality, and species membership, the care of the body in order to achieve optimal health and extension of longevity, and the attainment of the "Great Life Without Death", a form of embodied life free from the afflictions of suffering, aging, and death. Thus, my central objective now, in this blog, is to expose baloney in all that opposes the cardinal truths and values of Suddha Sanmargam, the Way of Pure and True Theism. Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430 CE) is a good example of the religious corruption of common sense and higher-order intelligence, the corruption of common sense and higher-order intelligence due to the bewitching influence of irrational religious beliefs! Many of the strange, or even absurd, questions he raises, e.g., whether Jesus still bears the scars of crucifixion in the palms of his hands, not to mention the "answers" he contrives for them, e.g., that Jesus still bears the scars of crucifixion in the palms of his hands, but that they are faint and not unseemly to look at, bear eloquent testimony to the extent of this corruption. In reading his Confessions, it is essential to know that he had once founded a school of rhetoric in Carthage! The bewitchment this work can cast on our minds, the sickly obsession with "sin" and the attendant manifestations of self-loathing and even misanthropy, or loathing of humanity, it invariably tends to foster in us, owe a great deal to the author's masterly use of rhetoric in the service of Christian dogmas and fanatic moralism. (Although Augustine mentions, in Books IV and V of his Confessions, that he taught rhetoric or the art of public speaking and disavows that he had any "evil intent" in teaching the art of persuasion, he betrays not even a glimmer of self-reflection or self-questioning as to whether he is using this art in his books to persuade others to accept Christian dogmas even in the face of absence of evidence, or worse, in the face of contrary evidence!) Let's start with his claim that babies who have not yet acquired language still feel and display the emotion of envy or jealousy. Here is the erudite Bishop of Hippo Regius unabashedly "dishing out" baloney on the sins of babies: "Hear me, O God! How wicked are the sins of men! Men say this and you pity them, because you made man, but you did not make sin in him. Who can recall to me the sins I committed as a baby? For in your sight no man is free from sin, not even a child who has lived only one day on earth…What sins, then, did I commit when I was a baby myself? Was it a sin to cry when I wanted to feed on the breast? I have myself seen jealousy in a baby and know what it means. He was not old enough to talk, but whenever he saw his foster-brother at the breast, he would grow pale with envy. This much is common knowledge…but surely it cannot be called innocence, when the milk flows in such abundance from its source, to object to a rival desperately in need and depending for his life on this one form of nourishment? Such faults are not small or unimportant…because the same faults are intolerable in older persons." (Confessions, Book. 1: 7, Penguin Classics) At the outset, it is worth taking note of two important truths pertaining to the claims in these passages. First, instead of examining the evidence or the facts pertaining to babies with an unbiased mind, which would only befit a truth seeker, and then forming his conclusions, Augustine merely turns his jaundiced eyes, jaundiced with the prior belief that no human being, not even a child who has lived only one day on earth, is free from sin, on babies, including, obviously, the baby he is talking about. Consequently, no "leap of thought", no arduous intellectual labor, is required to draw the conclusion that baby X, "observed" by Augustine, must be sinful and display the manifestations of that sinfulness, e.g., jealousy. No wonder, then, that Augustine thinks he has "seen jealousy" in that baby! Thus, contrary to appearances generated by his manipulative rhetoric, he is not presenting any evidence gathered in an unbiased manner on the nature of babies. He has the prior conviction or "faith" that all babies are sinful and merely deduces from this conviction that baby X must have grown "pale with envy" because it turned pale at the sight of his foster-brother at the breast. We may well be dealing here with an instance of intellectual perversion, the twisting, or concoction, of evidence to suit prior theories or beliefs. Too bad, Augustine did not have the benefit of Sherlock Holmes' insight that " It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgment." (A Study in Scarlet) Nay, Holmes, it also distorts your perceptions! At the very least, what we have here is a case of (mis) interpretation of a baby's facial expression in terms of prior religious beliefs about its sinfulness. Second, the distinguished Bishop of Hippo Regius does not seem to realize that his portentous and absurd conclusions on the sinfulness of babies contradict the declarations of his Savior Jesus of Nazareth. In Matthew 19:14, it says that "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven". Further, in Matthew 18:3, Jesus said "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven". Clearly, the import of these remarks by Jesus is that littlechildren are innocent and constitute, in this respect, models for adults aspiring to travel to the final destination of "the Kingdom of Heaven". In the view of Jesus, children are innocent of sin. How, then, could Bishop Augustine bring himself to blatantly contradict the claims of his Savior and assert that even babies who have lived only one day on earth are guilty of sins such as jealousy and the will to inflict harm on people taking care of them? Let us now examine whether it is plausible to ascribe or impute jealousy to babies who have not even acquired a language. Obviously, we need a correct account of jealousy in order to determine whether it makes any sense to ascribe it to babies bereft of language. Spinoza pointed out in his Ethics (Part III) that envy is not a primitive or simple emotion. It is a compound or complex emotion. It is a form of hatred constituted by pain at someone's good fortune and pleasure at that person's misfortune. As Spinoza put it: "Envy is hatred in so far as it induces a man to be pained by another's good fortune and to rejoice in another's evil fortune." (Ethics, Book III: XXIII) Hence, according to Spinoza, envy is opposed to sympathy whose nature consists in taking pleasure at someone's good fortune and pain at someone's misfortune. Hume pointed out in his Treatise Of Human Nature (Book II: Sec. VIII) that envy arises from comparison of one's condition with that of another not distant from one's social station. Hume thinks that a great gulf between one's condition and that of another, e.g., the case of a peasant and a billionaire, robs jealousy of its force, whereas the proximity of the other person's condition to one's own, e.g., the case of the peasant and his neighbor, accentuates the force of jealousy. Envy arises from the fact that this comparison of my condition with that of another diminishes my sense of some good, e.g., enjoyment, I possess or have. In Hume's words, ""Envy is excited by some present enjoyment of another, which by comparison diminishes our idea of our own". (A Treatise Of Human Nature, Book II: Sec. VIII, Penguin Classics) It should now start to become clear that there is something far-fetched in Augustine's claim that a baby which has not acquired language is capable of feeling and expressing envy or jealousy at someone's possession of a good. Jealousy is a complex attitude. It involves the desire to possess something, X, or to possess it in an ample measure or quantity. It also involves cognitive processes which yield the knowledge (or, at least, the belief) that : a) X is a good worth possessing or worth possessing in an ample measure or quantity, AND b) One lacks X or has it only to an insufficient degree, AND c) Another person possesses X or possesses it to a great(er) extent or degree than oneself As a consequence, in a state of jealousy, there is also: d) Ill-will, or resentment, or hatred, toward that person in possession of X and one wishes that he or she did not possess X, or did not possess it to the extent or degree greater than one's own possession of X. Thus, jealousy is a form of ill-will, resentment, or hatred toward those who possess goods which I desire and which I lack or possess only to an insufficient or inadequate degree. Desire, hatred, pain, and pleasure are all the ingredients which, in a pattern of relationship, constitute jealousy. Is it, then, plausible to claim that a baby can experience and express jealousy toward another? If it is plausible to make this claim, then this implies that a baby is capable of comparing its condition with that of another. But this is absurd since babies have not achieved the cognitive development, constituted to a significant extent by the acquisition and use of language, which would give them the capacity for such comparisons. Hence, it is baloney to claim that a baby can experience and express jealousy toward another. If it is plausible to claim that a baby can experience and express jealousy, then this implies that a baby is capable of judging something to be good. But this is absurd since babies have not achieved the cognitive development, constituted to a significant extent by the acquisition and use of language, which would give them the capacity for such judgments. Hence, it is baloney to claim that a baby can experience and express jealousy toward another. If it is plausible to claim that a baby can experience and express jealousy, then this implies that a baby is capable of feeling pleasure at someone's loss of a good (Schadenfreude in babies!!!) and feeling pain at someone's possession of that good. But this is absurd since babies have not achieved the cognitive and affect development, constituted to a significant extent by the acquisition and use of language, which would give them the capacity for such emotions, e.g., Schadenfreude. Hence, it is baloney to claim that a baby can experience and express jealousy toward another. Augustine's irrational religious belief that babies are guilty of sin deserves a final demolition by means of this reductio ad absurdum: To hold that babies are guilty of sinfulness, e.g., jealousy, a will to harm those who take care of them, etc., implies that babies can be held responsible for those sins. If babies can be held responsible for their sins, this implies that they could have refrained, by exercising choice, from their sins. It makes no sense to hold someone responsible for a sin if that person could not have refrained from committing that sin. But it is absurd to think that babies are capable of exercising such choices about crying for milk, or attention, (serious sins in Augustine's view!) or whether to feel jealousy at the sight of another baby at the breast. The reason is that they have not achieved the stage of cognitive development, constituted to a significant extent by the acquisition and use of language, which would give them the capacity for self-reflection and for making choices based on it. Hence, it is sheer baloney to claim or believe, as Augustine does, that babies are guilty of sin. principles First, a few words on Titian's painting. His Isaac is a child and inexorably evokes our compassion and horror at what is going to be, in the absence of an intervention, a savage death in the hands of his own father. Our eyes are either riveted at first by the intervening angel and then travel inexorably down to the poor boy who could be looking at us, or they are riveted at first by the kneeling boy in all his innocence and vulnerability and then travel upward along the line of the brutal restraining action of Abraham's muscular arm to his upraised sword and to the intervention of the angel. In contrast to the paintings by Caravaggio and Rembrandt on the same subject, Titian's Isaac does not seem to know what's going on. Unlike Rembrandt's Isaac, he has not been bound. We cannot see the face of Isaac in Rembrandt's painting, but we can see it in Titian's painting and this has a powerful impact on us. The impact of Rembrandt's painting, however, is a function of its powerful depiction of the intervening angel and Abraham's surprise and awe at this supernatural intervention at a critical moment. In Caravaggio's painting, Abraham brutally holds down Isaac by his neck, and we can see the agony in Isaac's face. We can also see the torment in Abraham's face as he turns back to look at the intervening angel who has stayed his arm. Caravaggio's work boils over with the tension of violence and the inner conflict in Abraham. The face of Titian's Isaac is not contorted with pain. He is not struggling and seems to have no clue about the upraised sword about to come crashing down to end the life in his little body. The innocence and helplessness of Titian's Isaac, whose condition truly resembles that of an unknowing little lamb about to be slaughtered, powerfully evokes our compassion for that child and horror and outrage at Abraham's intended action. I should point out here that in the Genesis (22:1-8) account of this attempted human sacrifice episode, Abraham never reveals his real intention to Isaac. Bearing the burden of the wood on which he would be sacrificed and walking up the mountain, poor Isaac asks his father "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?". Abraham adroitly avoids telling his son the horrible truth and says cryptically "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." Abraham's deception here only accentuates his cruelty toward his son. Imagine how the Chinese moralist Confucius, with his overriding value of filial piety, would have responded to this story of a father planning to kill his own son! Second, a quick resolution of the issue of why Abraham's action is an example of religious madness or irrationality. Recall that I clarified the concept of irrationality in the previous post in terms of the violation of two common sense principles of rationality: a) a belief must be held if there is evidence for it, and b) a belief must be discarded if it is contradicted by evidence. Abraham's behavior is irrational because it is based on an irrational belief that God was speaking to him and commanding him to sacrifice his son. It is an irrational belief because he had no evidence to believe that it was God's voice. Indeed, the notion that there could be evidence which would show that it was actually God's voice is untenable. Even if some miracles accompanied a voice, this would only show that there was a supernatural presence and not necessarily God's presence. Therefore, there is no way Abraham could have known that God was speaking to him. He merely heard a voice and thought that it was God speaking to him. And how could the writer of Genesis 22:1-8, who was certainly not Abraham himself, have possibly known that it was God speaking to Abraham given that even Abraham himself could not possibly have known it? Abraham only believed that it was God speaking to him. And the writer of Genesis 22:1-8, in turn, mistakenly believed that Abraham knew that God was speaking to him. That's all there is to it. Since there is no evidence for Abraham's belief that it was God who spoke to him and commanded him to sacrifice his son, his belief and his consequent behavior are deeply irrational. And since his irrational belief and behavior are a function of his religiousness, this is assuredly a case of religious madness or irrationality. Third, a final demolition of Wittgenstein's claim on religious madness:irreligiousness is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition of religious madness or irrationality. This is because irreligiousness is consistent with the absence of religious madness or irrationality. We can adduce many examples in which there is irreligiousness, but no religious madness or irrationality. Further, religious madness or irrationality is consistent with the absence of irreligiousness. We can adduce many examples in which there is religious madness or irrationality, but no irreligiousness. Therefore, religious madness or irrationality cannot possibly "spring from" irreligiousness. Last, and moving on to the central claim of this post, I have shown in the previous post on religious madness that religiousness is a necessary condition of religious madness. If irreligious tendencies, or lapses into irreligiousness, lead a religious person to descend into religious madness or irrationality, then this can happen only because his or her religiousness exacerbates the psychological and moral conflict over those irreligious tendencies. There is no question of a non-religious person descending into religious madness or irrationality if there is no conversion at first to religiousness. Thus, religious madness or irrationality is dependent on religiousness. I now want to show that religiousness is also a sufficient condition for religious madness or irrationality! What am I saying? I am saying that to go mad or irrational on religion, all you need is religiousness! If you are seriously religious, then you have already descended into religious irrationality. And the more religious you get, the greater the risk of religious madness as a clinical condition. Does this shock you? It should! Nevertheless, it is true. The reason for my claim is simple: all religiousness is irrational! Does this shock you? It should! Nevertheless, it is true. The essence of all religion is supernaturalism. Take that away and all these religions will collapse like houses of cards. By "supernaturalism", I mean the belief in processes, events, entities, and beings beyond the pale of nature as we know it through our senses and intellect. It also involves the belief that these supernatural processes or entities act on and control nature and its phenomena, processes, and entities. What makes these processes, events, and entities postulated by supernaturalism "beyond the pale of nature" is that they are not normally perceived through our senses in the way we perceive trees, rocks, animals, humans, etc. They are also not subject to the laws of nature. It may seem as though Buddhism and Confucianism are exceptions to my claim that the essence of all religion is supernaturalism, but I don't think so. "Enlightenment" in Buddhism is not an event subject to the chain of causality in nature. Therefore, it is essentially a supernatural event. Buddhism is also replete with beliefs concerning supernatural worlds or "lokas" and various sorts of supernatural entities such as "Asura" or demon, "Deva" or god, "Preta" or "hungry ghost" and so on. Confucius believed in "the Mandate of Heaven", a supernatural order governing the vagaries or vicissitudes of terrestrial life. Many of the rituals countenanced and advocated by Confucianism rest on supernaturalism, e.g., belief in ancestral spirits and the importance of honoring them. Supernaturalism violates the two central principles of common sense rationality I described earlier. There is no evidence for supernaturalism and there is good evidence against it. Hence, supernaturalism, or the belief in supernatural forces, beings, etc., is irrational. I will be examining this topic in two subsequent posts. For now, I will say that the only convincing evidence for supernaturalism would be the occurrence of miracles, blatant violations of laws of nature in the absence of attenuating or extenuating conditions, in response to prayers or "petitions" seeking some sort of intervention in the natural course of events. Since there are no such miracles, supernaturalism is false. And, therefore, there is falsity or falsehood in the very essence of religion. To espouse false beliefs and practices based on such false beliefs in the face of available evidence clearly showing that falsity is irrational. Hence, all religiousness is irrational. It follows that the more religious you are, the more irrational you become. And the more this religiousness pervades your life, the more the scope or range of irrationality in your life. With this increase in the scope or range of irrationality in your life, the closer you get to insanity or lunacy. Of course, you can live with a seriously divided rationality: common sense for money matters and religiousness on the weekend confined to the synagogue, church, mosque, temple, or "sangha". But this division also carries its own risks of increasing the fissures in the mind. Further, the imperatives of religiousness are imperialist in their nature. They inexorably tend to subsume more and more of one's inner and outer life. Hence, it is but a matter of time before their scope or range extends to the whole of one's life with the predictable consequence of increasing irrationality and the risk of impending insanity or lunacy. Let us take another look at Wittgenstein's arresting remark, in Culture and Value, that religion as madness, or religious madness (of which Abraham's preparation to sacrifice his son Isaac is a paradigm example) springs from irreligiousness. The obvious questions one must ask Wittgenstein are: What do you mean by "religion as madness"? And what do you mean by "irreligiousness"? "Religion as madness" can only mean "religious madness" or "religiousness gone mad". And what do these expressions mean? That depends on what we mean by "madness" in the first place. The word "mad" is ambiguous. It can mean a clinical condition of insanity or lunacy, or intense anger, or an intense desire for something, or pronounced or marked irrationality. "He is mad at her selfishness.", "She is mad about teas from Mariage Frères.", and "Did you really go 100 mph on that freeway? That was madness!" express these different senses of "mad". Only the first and last senses of "mad" - "mad" in the sense of a clinical condition of lunacy and "mad" in the sense of pronounced or marked irrationality - are relevant in the context of Wittgenstein's remark. Religious madness can be or can become a clinical condition of insanity or lunacy, but usually it takes the form of pronounced or marked irrationality in belief, emotion, and behavior in the guise or form of religiousness. Thus, I construe "religious madness" as referring to a pronounced or marked condition of irrationality in belief, emotion, and behavior in the forms of religiousness. And what makes a belief, emotion, or behavior irrational? I maintain that irrationality is in its essence a violation or abrogation of principles of common sense. There are two central principles of common sense which are at the core of rationality: a) A belief must be held only if there is evidence for it, and b) A belief must be rejected if there is evidence against it. Irrationality, therefore, consists in the violation of these two basic principles of (common sense) rationality. An irrational belief is a belief for which there is no evidence and/or against which there is evidence. An irrational emotion is an emotion based on an irrational belief. And an irrational behavior is behavior based on an irrational belief directly, or indirectly by being driven by an irrational emotion. Insanity or lunacy is characterized by a persistent state of pronounced irrationality in belief, emotion, and behavior, but it is important to consider the fact that there aretemporary or recurrent states or bouts of irrationality in belief, emotion, and behavior. Irrationality is also a matter of extent or range. One's irrationality can be confined to a specific domain or area of belief, emotion, and behavior, or it can extend to and encompass several domains of belief, emotion, and behavior. The latter condition verges on clinical lunacy or insanity, but it is a fact of human nature that one can be eminently rational in one area or domain and succumb to irrationality in another domain. Isaac Newton's rationality in the realm of physics was unparalleled, but he was irrational in his approach to alchemy and the Bible and wasted his precious genius, time, and energy in pursuing his alchemical and Biblical "studies". If this was true of Newton, one can only speculate on the condition of lesser mortals! Think of all those Indian scientists who, at the end of a day's rigorous scientific work in their prestigious institutions, took off their white coats and headed toward the ashram of the late "Satya" Sai Baba and fell for his standard repertoire of a magician's tricks! Think of some of the scientists in the West who suspended elementary standards of testing and fell for Uri Geller's stunts with bending metal through "mind power" alone! What a curious division in a single mind between its application of rigorous rationality in one domain and its abrogation of it in another domain! Humans are prone to irrationality not only in the usual sense of doing something contrary to their knowledge, but also, and more dangerously, in the sense of believing something contrary to their knowledge. What's all this got to do with Wittgenstein's remark? It has a bearing on it in that it helps to dispel two errors pertaining to talk of "religion as madness" or religious madness: a) the error of thinking that "religion as madness" or "religious madness" invariably or essentially refers to the clinical condition of insanity or lunacy, and b) the error of thinking that "religion as madness", or religious irrationality, implies irrationality in all other non-religious domains of one's life, that to ascribe religious irrationality to someone implies that the person cannot hold any rational beliefs at all. In talking of "religion as madness", or religious madness, or religious irrationality, we are not talking, except in unusual cases, of madness or irrationality in the clinical terms of insanity or lunacy. We are simply talking of pronounced or marked irrationality of belief, emotion, and behavior manifested in the forms of religiousness. Further, in talking of "religion as madness" in the sense of pronounced or marked irrationality of belief, emotion, and behavior manifested in terms of religiousness, we are not suggesting that this form of irrationality must necessarily permeate the whole of one's life. The commonplace fact of division in the human mind and psyche between rigorous rationality in one domain or area and even egregious irrationality in another area blocks that suggestion. The same person can harbor or hold highly rational beliefs on some matters and highly irrational beliefs on other matters.So, the fact that a person has succumbed to religious irrationality does not imply that they cannot harbor any rational beliefs at all about other matters. It also works in the other direction. From the fact that a person holds rational beliefs in one domain, it certainly does not follow that he or she must be free from religious irrationality or irrational religious beliefs. Given the universal propensity for "divided rationality", the fact that a person holds rational beliefs in one domain does not even make it probable that he or she is free from religious irrationality. Hence, any inference from the fact that a person is rational in some domain to the conclusion that he or she is likely to be rational in another domain is illogical. This throws out of the window an argument made on behalf of some claimants to religious experience: that we should consider their "verbal testimony" on their experiences, their claims on their religious experiences, to be reliable because those claimants are rational in some other, non-religious, domain. This argument is afflicted by non sequitur. Religious irrationality can vary in its range or extent depending on the length of the leash of common sense with which an individual restrains his or her religiousness. The longer the length of that leash, the less constrained one's religiousness and, naturally, the greater the extent of religious irrationality. The greater the extent or reach of religious irrationality, the greater the risk of "religion as madness" in the clinical terms of lunacy or insanity. In other words, religious irrationality waxes or wanes in strength and begins to permeate one's life in inverse proportion to the dominance of common sense. The more one regulates one's life by common sense, the less the extent of one's religious irrationality and the strength of its influence. The second question pertaining to Wittgenstein's remark was: What could he have meant by "irreligiousness"? There is overwhelming evidence, on the basis of his published remarks and reported conversations with him by his close friends and students, that Wittgenstein held a view of religion which accorded central place in a religious life to an acute consciousness of the defects of one's character ("People are religious to the extent that they believe themselves to be not so much imperfect, as ill. Any man who is half-way decent will think himself extremely imperfect, but a religious man thinks himself wretched." in Culture and Value), unwavering commitment to one's religion, and ethical practice stemming from that commitment. Therefore, he could have only meant by "irreligiousness" a lack of awareness of, or serious reflection on, the defects of one's character, a lack of commitment to one's religion, and a lack of ethical practice stemming from that commitment. Now, given my clarifications of "religion as madness" and "irreligiousness" in Wittgenstein's remark, how could "religion as madness" or religious irrationality, i.e., irrationality in belief, emotion, and behavior in the forms of religiousness, possibly spring from "irreligiousness" in Wittgenstein's own sense of this term? It is obvious that one would have to be religious in the first place to succumb to "religion as madness" or religious irrationality. How then can there even be a possibility of "religion as madness" springing from "irreligiousness"? One could attempt to render Wittgenstein's remark coherent by saying something like this on its behalf:a person who is afflicted by "irreligiousness", let's say in the form of allowing some vices to go unchecked, turns to religion to assuage a guilty conscience or alleviate her moral conflict. But she fails to resolve this moral conflict and turns increasingly to religion. Eventually, the lack of resolution of the moral conflict over her vices results in "religion as madness", or religious irrationality. Does this make Wittgenstein's remark coherent? I don't think so for the obvious reason that this person would already be "religious" in Wittgenstein's sense of that word if she were to experience any significant moral conflict over her vices.To be in a state of moral conflict over one's vices already involves an element of what Wittgenstein would consider to be essential to religiousness, i.e., an acute consciousness of the defects of one's character, or one's "illness" and "wretchedness", to use Wittgenstein's "Kierkegaardian" Christian vocabulary. Note also that her turn toward religiousness is what exacerbates her moral conflict, her sense of her own "sin", "illness", and "wretchedness". Without her turn toward religiousness, the vices would not be interpreted by her as evidence of her "illness" and "wretchedness". Hence, if this person were to succumb to "religion as madness" or religious irrationality, it would actually be an instance of "religion as madness" springing from religiousness! Alternatively, one could attempt to render Wittgenstein's remark coherent by saying that a religious person can suffer acutely from any lapses into "irreligiousness" and that this can eventually lead him or her into the condition of "religion as madness" or religious irrationality. Thus, irreligiousness can lead to "religion as madness" or religious irrationality. But, clearly, this is really a case of "religion as madness" springing from religiousness rather than irreligiousness. It is her preexisting religiousness which exacerbates her conflict and suffering at any lapse into irreligiousness. The notion that one has "lapsed into irreligiousness" can only arise in a religious person. She would not even be conscious of her "lapses into irreligiousness" if she wasn't very religious in the first place. And to suffer acutely from one's perception that one has lapsed into "irreligiousness" implies a very high degree of religiousness. Since these attempts fail to render coherent Wittgenstein's remark that "Religion as madness is a madness springing from irreligiousness.", I conclude, again, that it is a piece of baloney and that we should adhere to the plain truth that the roots of religion as madness or religious irrationality lie squarely and deeply in the bog of religiousness itself. As I have argued in the previous post "The Familiar Faces of Faith", contrary to Wittgenstein who remarked that "Religion as madness is a madness springing from irreligiousness." ("Religion als Wahnsinn ist Wahnsinn aus Irreligiosität " in Culture and Value), the truth is that religion as madness, or religious madness, is a madness which springs from religiousness itself, the inherently conflicted, tormented, and inwardly and outwardly violent striving to be truly religious. I will repeat here my main criticism of Wittgenstein's remark: "In fact, not only is Wittgenstein's suggestion that irreligiousness is the cause of religious madness implausible, it is also a piece of baloney because it contradicts an obvious truth! It." I am very far from suggesting or implying that it was Caravaggio's intention to do so (But it is correct to say that he wanted to communicate a truth about the violence of Abraham's action. Representations of acts of violence are an integral part of his art, and, perhaps, have something to do with his temperamental propensity for violence.), but nothing shows this truth better than his masterpiece The Sacrifice of Isaac. The self-inflicted torment, springing squarely from his religious madness, in the visage of a father determined to savagely sacrifice his beloved son should give us more than a pause for reflection on religious madness. And I am not really impressed with the intervening Angel. He is no paragon of compassion since he points to the equally innocent ram as the alternative sacrificial victim! I can think of no other picture than this, one of the 14 "black paintings" Goya created in his mid-seventies, the "Pilgrimage to San Isidro" depicting a procession of the faithful pilgrims to the hermitage of St. Isidore in Madrid, Spain, which shows the true face of religious faith. "The face is the index of the soul." Indeed! In a remarkable set of remarks from the notebooks of the twentieth century Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, collected together and posthumously published with the title "Culture and Value", we find an entry in 1931: "Religion as madness is a madness springing from irreligiousness." ("Religion als Wahnsinn ist Wahnsinn aus Irreligiosität") This remark suggests that religious madness, or madness manifested in religious forms, is a madness which springs really from an absence of religiousness, from the lack of a truly religious spirit, and probably from a life marred by vices cloaked in the mantle of religiousness. But there is an obvious problem in Wittgenstein's remark. If the cause is "irreligiousness" or lack of religiousness, how can the effect take the specific form of religious madness? How can "irreligiousness" lead to religious madness? Rather, it would make sense to think that religious madness must be traced back to its religious roots, to religiousness itself. In fact, not only is Wittgenstein's suggestion that irreligiousness is the cause of religious madness implausible, it is also a piece of baloney because it contradicts an obvious truth! It. If one's religiousness is merely a matter of paying lip service to religious dogmas, or armchair philosophizing about its imagined merits, then there is really no threat to one's sanity.But there is an upheaval the moment one takes religiousness seriously and strives earnestly to be religious. Just think of the travails of taking seriously the command of Jesus of Nazareth to abandon everything and follow his course or path! Ponder the praxis of becoming "like unto children" to qualify for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven! Reflect on the ramifications of striving to overcome all desires in order to attain Nirvana! Contemplate the consequences of cultivating total detachment to attain the goal of liberation in Hindu yoga! Do this and you will understand why I hold that religious madness springs actually from the striving to be truly religious. Religion as madness is invariably a madness springing from an excess of religiousness, from an excess of "enthusiasm", as the Scottish philosopher David Hume would have called it, which the struggle for authentic religiousness always breeds in one form or another, from the self-inflicted tortures of trying to live in accordance with the irrational imperatives or ideals of one's "faith", and from the atrophy of reason and discernment such obedience to the dictates of one's "faith" invariably engenders in human beings. You only need to look at the faces of the pilgrims to San Isidro in Goya's dark masterpiece to know this truth!
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Not a Communist, but probably not a person who has an understanding of actual economics in the real world. MattyD Thomas R, are you sure you mean "actual economics"? As opposed to "propagandized economic theories"? Don't confuse the two. Just because hyper-free market ideologies have become *popular* in business schools, think tanks, etc., thanks to generous corporate funding, that doesn't make those ideological assumptions more *actual*. Sean O Thomas R Please explain your point. Why is it that an actual and working system of Capitalism in 1950′s America is "unreal" or untenable today? TMLutas In the 1950s we had an unsustainable view of the corporation as a sort of benevolent dictatorship that would suck up small companies and make them more efficient. It was unsustainable because large corporations: A) have proven not to be the best place for innovation, which often works out initially much better at the small and medium company level B) have proven not to always have the highest of efficiencies, which is why we have repeated cycles of growing and shrinking businesses C) we've figured out that corporations go through lifecycles and when big ones fall they are highly disruptive wherever they have an outsized local prominence (example: rust belt). D) can be nearly as abusive and tolerant of little moral hitlers as big government is. Their one grace note is that they don't have the direct right to apply force which government does which serves as an important brake on their injustice. E) often seek to gain unjust privileges by buying/renting politicians, a practice that is much easier with 1950s style, large, few competitor industries, than with a plethora of nimble, smaller competitors. 1950s capitalism was ok when compared to 1940s capitalism but the free market is always a work in progress. What makes it *better* than the progress we've made since? Sean O I agree with much of what you said, but taxing Corps at a higher rate is fine in my book. They receive enormous benefits operating in the US and should pay more like citizens do. The fact that large Corp interests have captured our govt at the local, state and federal level makes this impossible until we truly clean up election financing. I'm not just for 'throwing' more money at the federal govt. The fed gov needs to clean up massively: slash the defense budget and eliminate fraud and waste everywhere. But it does need money to operate its legitimate functions. And those benefitting the most and most able to pay should pay the most to support govt. That is a reasonable operating principle. The "trickle down BS" we have been following the last 4 decades is not. And yes we know there are few easy or simple solutions and our world has changed and continues to do so. But our current form of Capitalism is gravely disordered. We must rein in Capitalisms gross excesses and recreate one guided by a sense of fairness, proportion and an eye on the common good. Basically a Capitalism with a more Christian ethos. Our current system is at risk of running off the rails. Dan F. Considering that our corporate tax rate is one of the highest in the developed world I think we've missed something here. The problem is that large corporations are usually able, through various paid-for loopholes, to avoid much of that tax rate so the smaller ones get stuck paying high rates thus reducing their competitiveness. If instead of a tax rate on corporations of 35% (approximate current rate) we eliminated all of the loopholes and taxed them at say 20%, the system would be more efficient AND we would probably collect more in revenue. dpt "We must rein in Capitalisms gross excesses and recreate one guided by a sense of fairness, proportion and an eye on the common good" Will consumers (us) allow this to happen? We love our computers, smart phones, etc. to be low cost. This trend exists across other sectors too (restaurants, hotels), thus we hear calls for a "living wage." The consumer will need to lead the drive towards a common good, though I do not see it in our materialism and consumerism. TMLutas I have an entire blog series (on my group blog chicagoboyz.net) on the creation of a genuine worker's movement that would further that in a way more compatible with the Church than our current system of labor membership clubs. Part VII is in the works right now. Like all things human, it's just one more iterative step towards a society that truly follows Him. I think that all roles, entrepreneur, landlord, laborer, need constant thought, prayer, and reform to improve the production system. Consumption needs to be the realm of individual choice and a well formed conscience that passes judgment on it all. Remember, economic systems are production systems. If consumption is to be the focus, you're going to have to be able to manipulate it. That tends to play out in very creepy ways (think Mao suits). I'm not quite sure how you're going to improve that. TMLutas Corporations, unlike individuals, can off themselves without moral consequences. If the rate of return is insufficient, a corporation can simply hand out its capital to the shareholders and dissolve, something done usually through the bankruptcy system because we actually have enough capital to fund all the profitable corporations and a good number of unprofitable ones. If you hit a corp with too high taxation it will leave. If you don't let it, it will suicide and suiciding corporations are themselves a warning signal for everybody with money to bury it or get out. We could entirely eliminate defense (~$690B) and still be fiscally out of balance because our deficit is twice that. And entirely eliminating defense is just not practical because defense *is* a core government function. Entitlement spending is a big part of the disordered government we both see. We create a more ordered capitalism by increasing our feedback loops so that our values are better expressed through our purchases. Socialism in all its forms including the soft euro-socialism so in vogue in Democrat circles reduces on net the feedback loops available to modify behavior and are thus a step backwards. Ted Seeber I fail to see any progress since the 1950s for the Average American- and a lot of regress. Martial Artist @Sean O We haven't had a free market in over 100 years. It wasn't attained in the 1950s, although the sheer volume of government intervention in the latter era was less than it is now by many tens of thousands of pages of Federal law and regulations. That is a part of the reason that none of us has seen any progress in our lifetimes—we simply aren't old enough, nor likely to attain the necessary age, to see the kinds of improvements we expect. That prognostication is based on the simple fact that both represenetatives of both major parties have found a way to game the system in order finance their reelections, and see no benefit to themselves in terminating the government intervention. T.R. and the Progressives did quite nicely for themselves in engaging in mythical "trust busting," so all of the alleged progress toward a truly free market, which necessarily requires a government environment focuses exclusively on the strict enforcement of: • the Rule of Law, a key condition of which is that every person is equal before the law; • property rights characterized by enforcement of title traceable in a continuous chain of ownership and transfers back to an original legitimate appropriator, • the right of free association (one can choose to do business with whom one wants from among the willing) and, • the right of free exchange (one can exchange one's property with a willing party of one's choice). Absent any of those conditions, you are not talking about a free market, but rather a hybrid that is part socialist! Pax et bonum, Keith Töpfer Michaelus In a fascist economy such as ours large corporations cooperate closely with the Government. These corporations are reward because the Government creates regulations and taxes that make it difficult for new and smaller corporations to grow and compete. One way to do this is to create a massively complex tax code. GE and Goldman Sachs can legally pay very little corporate income tax because they have gigantic tax accounting departments. Smaller companies pay the full rate. Big companies also really benefit from all the other regulations (OSHA, EPA, EEOC etc) for the same reason. This has absolutely nothing to do with the free market. Of course the more important fact is that in 1950 Federal Government spending was c. 20% of GDP whereas today it is over 40%. Add in State and local and you will see that government controls most of our spending. Dan C Federal government spending is little more than 20% of the GDP. Dan F. since 2008 it's 24% Ted Seeber And in 1942 it was 120%. TMLutas Fascism in the economic sense is not detectible by gross government spending. You have a point but you're using an unreliable metric so it can get you. Besides, the fascism of an economy in a federalized system is the totality of the spending and regulation of all levels of government. Counted top to bottom, I believe this currently exceeds 50% on the spending side and is actually unmeasured on the regulatory side. Jon W So what's everybody's point? Sean O Jon W The point is that things used to be very different. Corps paid much more taxes and the top tax rate for the rich was 90%. And there was general prosperity throughout the country. 1950 was part of a golden age for working people from after WW2 until the early 1970′s. In the last 4 decades wealth has flowed to the top, the richest cohort of society, large corporations have shed their tax burden and most Americans have seen their.economic prospects dim and their financial stress rise. This undermines social stability. TMLutas You're doing cargo cult economics here by ignoring some very large economic factors that were one offs. In the 1950s, much of the 1st world was still rebuilding their economies. We smashed up a lot of infrastructure and capital goods in WW II. The US at the time was the only major power that wasn't economically rebuilding and naturally dominated during the rebuilding era. That train's left the station and may we never see so much carnage again, even if we gain power because of it. The regulatory state is strangling ordinary americans' prospects. We are also running an experiment between the EU states which specialized in less visible taxation and the US which specialized in more visible taxation. The shift from corporate taxes to individual taxes was the US staking out a position that making taxes visible by making them individual would produce superior results. I think that the US is winning this argument on the economic front and so some dime store eurosocialists are putting out that direct taxation shifts like this are "unjust" and Mark Shea's bought it. Ultimately, corporations are funded by their rates of return on capital for a particular level of risk. Add taxes and money moves to the best remaining portions of the yield curve and such investment very easily cross borders. Corporate taxes are a way of making taxes indirect, hiding the consequences of tax policy in complexity. They offer hefty bribery possibilities as well in the form of creating loopholes. I do not like them and would prefer my taxation to be as direct and simple as possible so the payment pain will prompt the proper level "do we really need to be doing this?" questioning. Earlier this morning, I read a story about how the state of New York is spending a quarter of a million dollars per autistic student per year to send them to a school that has, at best, discipline techniques so dubious (electroshock) that new students can no longer be put under the regular regime. Existing students, they remain on the shock list. Reigning in the state from doing monstrosities like this by making us all more careful with how the state spends tax money is a good thing. Ted Seeber "Add taxes and money moves to the best remaining portions of the yield curve and such investment very easily cross borders." Only because we're stupid enough to let other nations use our money. Dan F. That train left the station a long time ago and it's not ever coming back. Money is fungible and only banana republic dictators force money to stay in their countries with the predictable results of runaway inflation and economic collapse. Ted Seeber "That train left the station a long time ago and it's not ever coming back." Just because it left the station a long time ago (and it certainly did, it's in Article I Section 10 of the US Constitution, even if it wasn't enforced until 1873- both are a long time ago) all it would take is the guts to push through an Amendment to repeal Article I Section 10 of the US Constitution, and let the states stand on their own two feet. Let the federal dollar stay the defacto international money supply- but let states print their own money for in-state commerce, thus giving our real citizens a buffer against the scams of Wall Street, Globalization, and Socialism. TMLutas You are grossly underestimating the problems of resurrecting intra-state commerce but I like the cut of your jib. Currently several states are preparing moves along the lines you outline. It will either take a massive crisis or a very long time to do this and I have been watching the initiatives with interest. dpt "regulatory state is strangling ordinary americans' " I know a high-tech company that built a new plant in Singapore instead the US. One reason was Singapore moved quickly with permitting construction. Too bad, that plant could have been constructed in the US if permitting, etc. did not mean a longer planning cycle. Jacob Yoder A lot more corporations are multi-national now – and it saves money to pay taxes in Ireland instead of the U.S. Amy And you can pay workers a lot less in China and India than you pay them in the US. And corporations generally provide health insurance, which they didn't in the 1950′s (huge cost to the company, but not counted as wages). That's not to say the disparity between CEOs and workers isn't a major problem… Scott W. I'm all in favor of returning to the 3-1 corp/worker ratio of taxes paid. Just like I am in favor of America returning to their undisputed industrial production and technological dominance like in 1950. Chicken or egg first? Martial Artist @Scott W., You write: I am in favor of America returning to their undisputed industrial production and technological dominance like in 1950. You wouldn't like the result, which would be massive un (and under) employment. The steady introduction of industrial automation over the intervening 5 decades means that the productivity of the average American (or Canadian, or British, or German, or etc.) industrial worker is so far beyond what it was in the 1950s that to employ a comparable number (let alone a comparable percentage) of the working population would imply either that the rest of the world would have no industrial output, or that they would continue to have some, but our industrial unemployment would increase to an unsustainable level. The third alternative would be job sharing, but as soon as we start employing lots of people part time at current wage/salary levels, our prices would be uncompetitive in the world markets and that would be the end of your utopian solution. Pax et bonum, Keith Töpfer MarylandBill I think we should keep in mind that the issue here is not really how much corporations pay in taxes relative to the average worker, but rather how much of the wealth is concentrated at the top. IAs for returning to the 1950s tax rates, lets also remember the world economy is very different now. No more Breton Woods, Gold Back money or American dominance in manufacturing. If we don't have those first, then returning to 1950s tax rates would probably be a disaster. Telemachus QFE regarding the world economy. One thing I will say about capital gains taxes, however, is that such taxes don't make a heck of a lot of sense. The "wealth" being taxed is not liquid, so it can't be used. I could be a millionaire on paper, but until that money is in the bank why should I be taxed on it? I could go broke just paying the taxes. The reason I bring this up is that I resent the fact that my parents, having been responsible, began investing money for their retirement. Yet they are being punished for keeping that money in the market instead of blowing it on vacations, cars, and TVs. That isn't right. We can complain about the people having wealth on paper, but try to think about who those stock-holders are. God bless, Tele Beadgirl As I understand it, capital gains tax is not payable until it is realized, i.e. no longer on paper. MarylandBill Until the stocks are sold, the only Capital Gains that would counted would be for dividends (which people often have directed to buying more of the stock). Now if your parents were investing in managed mutual funds it makes sense; even though they don't ever hold the cash in had, they are responsible for any capital gains accrued through trades the mutual fund makes… as well as their dividends. Ted Seeber The "market" being that great con job that is the stock market that only financial investment banks actually get rich off of. Martial Artist @Maryland Bill, You write [emphasis added]: IYou seem inherently confused about taxation. The corporation pays income tax on its income. The shareholders pay income tax on their dividends (assuming the corporation declares a dividend). Shareholders pay capital gains tax on the net gain in share values between the date(s) of purchase and date(s) of sale of the shares. If they sell all of their shares in a corporation they have chosen to "realize" their gains in that corporation and will henceforth cease receiving income from that corporation, unless and until they again purchase shares in it. The other factor, about which your comment is silent is that dividends from the corporation are paid on an after tax basis (i.e., the corporation pays them to the shareholders out of the remaining profits after paying their corporate income tax to the government. The shareholder then gets to pay income taxes on the remaining value that they receive from the corporation. This amounts to double taxation of the gain achieved by the corporation through its (presumably legal) activities during the preceding year. This is, to at least some degree, equivalent to requiring a retail establishment to pay sales tax to a manufacturer and subsequently requiring the consumer to pay additional sales tax on the sale price (which will now be higher than it otherwise would because of the imposition of the first sales tax on the retailer. We don't have a taxation problem in today's America, per se, we have a government spending problem. Too many recipients of special treatment (inequality before the law) are being privileged by the government with monies that should be spent on activities specified in the Constitution, rather than on the various government programs each of which was too often created to favor one or another group of taxpayers/industries/special interest groups/etc., in order to ensure the sponsoring politicians were reelected to their seats so that they wouldn't have to perform productive labor! Pax et bonum, Keith Töpfer Telemachus Mark, Do you REALLY want more money going to the federal government at this point? I've read your blog long enough to know that you don't really think that taxes = The People's Money for Doing Good Stuff. The money that the federal government receives today is used against us and against the world. I'm all for "starving the beast" at this point. Then again, if you're purpose in posting this is to slap knee-jerk free-marketeers in the face, point taken, although I'm pretty sure that what the picture implies — that taxation and prosperity are positively correlated, or at least that taxation does not harm prosperity — is not accurate. And anyways, so what if taxation didn't harm prosperity? Just because you can do something without "harming" someone doesn't mean you should. I'm not opposed to taxation, but I do think it is immoral to tax anybody more than is necessary to maintain the standard purposes of government (namely, law and order). God bless, Tele Amy I'm guessing the solution Mark's interested in isn't "pay more taxes" so much as "pay workers more" MarylandBill Or at the very least, change who pays the taxes. TMLutas The solution to "pay workers more" is to vastly increase the number of companies and jobs created by making company formation easier, thus increasing labor demand and therefore price. If he wants workers paid more he should say so. Increasing corporate taxes sucks up money, part of which goes to worker compensation, and actually results in lower net wages. Fr. Josh Miller Exactly. TMLutas, thanks for your comments here. I'm not much of an Economist, but these principles really aren't all that complicated. The amount of envy I see in these threads makes me cringe. Sean O Tele How's your friend Grover Norquest doing? Ted Seeber So, Tele, you're against the intersate highway system? ivan_the_mad While I'm not a libertarian, this objection is often raised in my presence to libertarians, and it's a pretty bad objection, i.e. it's hard to argue for a differential tax policy, the proper role of the state, etc from the interstate highway system. It's putting the cart before the horse. Ted Seeber Well, given that the fact that in most states 12.4% of the Interstate Highway system is actually funded by an alternative to the income tax; and federally, at least an additional 22% is funded by alternatives to the income tax (the 5% gas tax being the largest federal sales tax we have) and even a sales-tax-unfriendly state like Oregon has a 25% fuel tax; I'd say it's a great place to start for the discussion between consumption taxes and income taxes- as well as being a great example of a federal project that the founders would never have dreamed of even needing, let alone accomplishing. From my point of view, it speaks well of the possibility of an additional tariff on the shipping industry being levied system wide to end the influence of the criminal practice of globalization. ivan_the_mad Ok, but I'm not talking about taxation or the interstate highway system per se. I'm saying that the when you go to talk about the scope and role of government, or whether and how to tax, you don't start off by saying "interstate highway system". The interstate highway system is a consequence of the government's role and taxation policies, not the cause of them. Again, cart before the horse. TMLutas I believe that the interstate highway system was a huge advance for its time but advances in economics mean we can do better now and neither Eisenhower fetishism nor cargo cult behaviors should stop us from improving transport service delivery and financing. Specifically the idea of funding transport via gas tax is dying on the rocks of vastly increased variability in gas mileage. It is just to charge for wear and tear and a usage fee and you used to be able to approximate that with a gas tax. You really can't anymore. math_geek So, I as a "progressive" and a Catholic have always had a lot of suspicion of free-market Economics, be it Austrian or Chicago school. My first Economics class came as a sophomore in college after some snobby Republican sniffed at me "You just don't understand Economics." My plan was to make sure no-one could tell me that with a straight face again. So I took an Economics class with an extreme libertarian professor (who currently writes at this blog: I couldn't help it, I liked him (still do). He would indulge me after class in long conversations about trade, taxation, redistribution, utility theory, etc. I also discovered that I really liked Economics. One Economics class became two, two became a double major, and a double major in Math and Economics became a three year stint in a PhD program in another "conservative" Economics department. Now I would call myself a "supply-side liberal." I still believe strongly that our society has a basic responsibility to minister to the poor, provide health care for the sick, educate the young (all of them!), and so on. However, I now believe (and the evidence for this appears overwhelming) that taxation and regulation have real manifest costs to economic growth, which is necessary for social welfare for rich and poor alike. I think it's irresponsible to consider a policy without considering those costs. I am also quite irritated with the self-entitled attitude so many wealthy people appear to have. Accusations of "class war" from the wealthy to the poor are absurd. The wealthy in this country have it great. They will continue to have it great no matter who runs our government. Their concerns have no relevance to me, it's how our policies impact their actions that I consider relevant. As one more link (and beware of profanity), I think this video sums up their point of view quite well. What I can't bring myself to quite believe is that economic growth and prosperity is worthwhile in a country that kills a million unborn a year. To me, the priorities are downright disordered. ivan_the_mad I completely agree. The worst thing I've ever heard is the argument that abortions are good because they reduce crime rates, poverty, and the number of welfare dependants, thereby raising the level of material prosperity for the rest. MarylandBill They are only disordered if prosperity replaces ending abortion. I know Mark wants an end to abortion as much as anyone, but the fight to end abortion does not absolve us or the political parties of our obligation to work for a decent standard of living for all men. Ted Seeber "They are only disordered if prosperity replaces ending abortion." Which, given the priority of bills placed before Congress under Republican and Democratic legislatures, it HAS. Pro-life bills very rarely make it to the floor, but if some crony capitalist wants a special interest tax break, both the Democrats and the Republicans are falling over each other to pass it. " I know Mark wants an end to abortion as much as anyone, but the fight to end abortion does not absolve us or the political parties of our obligation to work for a decent standard of living for all men." The problem being of course that NEITHER of the two major political parties want that either. Martial Artist @Ted Seeber, You write: What I can't bring myself to quite believe is that economic growth and prosperity is worthwhile in a country that kills a million unborn a year. To me, the priorities are downright disordered. I could not agree with you more strongly. God needs to place this nation under judgment until it stops killing the innocent! And we need to be the voice of those killed. Pax et bonum, Keith Töpfer TMLutas Economic growth is worthwhile. It is our ammunition in all our causes. The more money sloshing around in the system, the more able people with well formed consciences are to bribe mothers with poor formation to not kill their children. Money lets you attack problems from more angles and try more alternatives faster which will lead us to cracking the code of forming a durable pro-life majority faster. Kirt Higdon I'm not quite sure the significance of this stand alone statistic. Corporations are just legal entities created by the state, even if the Supremes call them persons. The question is – when you tax corporate profits, who really pays the taxes? Is it the shareholders in the form of lower profits, the workers in the form of lower wages or less employment or the consumers in the form of higher prices? Of much greater concern is the maldistribution of income among real people, as some have pointed out above. And where does this come from? Hint – a survey just published within the last week or so shows that ten out of the 15 counties in the US with the highest median income, up to double the national average, are in the area surrounding Washington, DC. Four are in the area surrounding NYC and there is one outlier in Colorado. Most of the big bucks these days are going to government contractors as even the actual work of government is being outsourced and privatized. Private jails and State Department mercenaries are just the tip of the iceberg. And then there are the banksters (NYC area) and maybe a lot of these people have ski chalet vacation homes in Colorado. The 1950s are long gone and to be honest, no one considered them the golden age at the time; they only seem to be in rosy hindsight. Maiki I don't see how it is an improvement to have a company pay 80,000$ to give its employee a salary of 20,000 vs. paying 24,400. It seems like that enables them to hire 3 employees for the price of one. Or pay one employee a lot more. If that money could be given to the government to reliably build a retirement pool for all employees, ok, but seeing as how the government loots SS, I'm not sure that was a good scheme. I think in 1950, we were trying to rapidly pay off WWII debt, an action (even with immoral actions within) taken in defense of the nation. It isn't just "corporations" that pay these taxes, but every business that employs anyone in the US. Ted Seeber I think it is unjust- and I still only think of the rich as an object of pity *because* this is unjust. MasterThief Here's an idea… let's get rid of the fiction of "corporate taxes" altogether. All a corporation is is a group of people who have pooled money and property for some common purpose (usually, to make more money), who are protected by an off-the-rack legal relationship (e.g. incorporation, S-Corps, LLCs, LLPs, partnernships etc.) created under state law that allows them to partition off their own personal assets from that of the corporation so that they don't lose everything if the corporation goes under. The idea of corporations having assets or owning taxes, like the idea of the corporation itself, is a "legal fiction," a useful shorthand for a network of contractual relationships between shareholders, managaers, and employees. Corporations do not "make money." The individuals who manage and work for them "make money." It is only that money which is "income" (i.e. a net increase in wealth) which is subject to taxation. Corporations also have the ability to move money around between states and even foreign countries without liability. Individual human beings, by and large, do not. The problem with our current tax system is not that tax rates are too low, or too high. It is that our current tax system taxes income differently based on whether or not the actions behind it are popular or unpopular in the eyes of our ruling class. That is inequitable, unjust, and a source of economic waste. MarkM All should pay their fair share. TMLutas What is fair? There have been studies done about this and when asked people tend to create taxing systems that are actually less progressive than current law. Are we in the main grossly in favor of plutocrats with our preference for a less progressive tax system? I tend to think not. Instead I think that there is a sense that it is fair that most everybody should kick in something and we absolutely do not have that in current law. RUs Question: What is the ratio of average employee numbers per corporation? My hunch is that it is much, much greater per corporation. Also, corporate money isn't in any individual's pocket. It only becomes someone's wealth when it gets transferred to a person through payroll, dividends, etc. Dividends are already taxed *twice*. Once when they come in as revenue, and again when they are allocated to the share-holders. The propensity to just accept these grossly over-simplified numbers and start screaming at Mammon is not helpful, and it can have an eroding effect upon credibility–even if you do have a point. Things are more complicated than that–probably a lot worse than you think. Ted Seeber Like I said before, the whole bloody mess of modern crony capitalism just sounds like a scam to me- a way to transfer wealth away from the gullible to those people running the scam. Martial Artist @Ted Seeber, You are absolutely correct that crony capitalism is a scam. It is a scam run by (a currently quite large segment of) the legislators (state and federal). The legislators pass laws favoring certain businesses/industries via some mechanism which allows them to enrich themselves relative to their competitiors and in exchange, the favored heads of the businesses/industries make large contributions to the campaign funds of the legislators. This is no secret. What is amazing is when it is discovered and also prosecuted. The sole problem with calling it "crony capitalism" is that it isn't capitalism. Rather it is a form of socialism, or if you insist it is a hybrid between capitalism and socialism (socialism because it is the representatives of the society—legislators—interfering in the marketplace to favor some participants over others. But the very act of government interference is what defines socialism, so calling it crony capitalism disguises the reality. Call things by their real names if you want them to be recognized. Using a euphemism simply perpetuates the confusion of the typical voter. It is this last observation that explains why I refuse to call people who are pro-abortion by the misnomer pro-choice. It isn't about choice, it is about terminating (aborting) the life of an innocent unborn child. If I can't call something by its real name I am deprived of speaking unvarnished truth. Pax et bonum, Keith Töpfer The Deuce I'm not sure that's unjust, since a corporation isn't a person, and whatever wealth a corporation gives up to the government can't go to its employees. And even if that money not paid to the government goes to something other than employee salaries (like R&D or something), it seems to me it would still be generally bad for employees for more of the money that their company makes to go to the government rather than keeping itself (and by extension them) in business. Ted Seeber "I'm not sure that's unjust, since a corporation isn't a person," Since Southern Pacific Railroad sued Santa Clara County over corporate property tax rates in the late 1800s, corporations have been people legally. TMLutas One major remaining difference is that there is no moral or legal consequence for a corporate suicide (dissolution). Suck all the value you want out of a corporation by creating a foreign entity and starve the domestic one into penury. It's perfectly legal and not immoral. The Deuce Legally, but not actually. In actuality, a corporation is a legally-defined abstraction, not a concrete thing. I would say it was clearly unjust if the government were to tax employees and poor people more harshly than employers and rich people, because then we're comparing individuals to individuals. Comparing the tax paid by corporations to that paid by employees doesn't strike me as a legitimate apples-to-apples comparison, though, especially since the employees themselves are part of the concrete reality that's being abstracted when we define a corporation. And abstractions can't actually pay taxes, so when we tax a corporation, we're actually taxing the individual people behind that abstraction, which includes the employees themselves. There may well be a lot of injustice going on in the corporate world (indeed, I think there is), but pointing to corporate taxes vs employee taxes to make that point is a category error, imo. Dan C A just entity does more than avoid performing abortions (by the way, most of these uber-defended corporations may be doing that by the standards now set by the HHS mandate debate). A just entity (like a corporation) must have at its core human flourishing. If it does not, Christian defense of its activities is insane. Corporations and the language of the theological defense of their actions comes largely centered from a few sources, most of them conservative. Not one uses the language of responsibility or community. Each one of these sources has pursued and invested its intellectual efforts to create the economic versions of libertinism. This has been a waste. The discussion remains impoverished by the absence of any sense that these individuals and entities have communal responsibilities. The best shorthand assessment of the Catholic theological support of these arrangements is that it is God's will that these men and corporations be as free as possible to pursue greed. And that humans and families (never will communities be mentioned) will flourish from this greed. I fail to see how this basis differs from libertinism's sexual philosophies of freedom. The consequences of libertinism and libertarianism of society over the past 25 years has increased personal luxury and sexual freedom. I suspect human flourishing is at a minimum. Sean O Well said Dan C. TMLutas I take exception to the idea that better ordering of the work of production of goods and services to increase efficiency is inherently greedy. The genius of capitalism is to be indifferent to the motivation of the economic actor in order to harness as wide a variety of motivations as possible to the common task of making our daily bread. Those who view economy as their mission field work side by side with the greed heads and both profit. quasimodo Corporations pay no taxes. They can't. Only people can pay taxes. Corporations collect tax money that is actually paid by other people. Every dime of taxes "paid" by corporations is money not going to shareholders, employees, and suppliers … or money charged to customers in the form of higher prices. This complaint is another red herring raised on high by the economically illiterate. Become an English major so that you too can eloquently complain about all the money you're never going to make. Todd, If I understand Quasimodo correctly, he is not arguing that corporations *cannot* be taxed because they are juridical persons – as you point out, the Supreme Court has held otherwise in Southern Pacific RR and other cases. Rather he is saying that economically it doesn't make sense because if a corporation can't make a sufficient profit it will not engage in business. IOW, revenues earned – which come ultimately from natural persons such as you and I – must be sufficient to provide a suitable return after all expenses, including taxes. In essence, the people who buy the corporation's goods and services are actually the ones paying the tax anyway. In any event, I am not certain if the figures quoted are correct, at least for 1950. According to usgovernmentrevenue.com, the following were the actual revenues of the federal government for 1950 and 2010 (in billions): 1950: Total Revenue: 43.5 Individual income tax: 15.7 (40%); Corporate income tax: 10.5 (24%) 2010: Total Revenue: 2162.7 Individual income tax: 898.5 (40%); Corporate income tax: 191.4 (9%) Thus, individual income tax has remained steady as a proportion of total revenue and corporate income tax has decreased. However, individual income tax collected has always been higher than the amount of corporate income tax; it would be helpful to know how the creator of the graphic gets the notion that corporations paid three times as much tax as individuals in 1950. The current 1:5 ratio appears correct. And after putting on my asbestos suit I will say perhaps this is not such a dire situation, since over 90% of income tax is paid by those with the top 50% in income. TMLutas I get and support your point but I think that you might want to add in a disclaimer on the bundling of use fees with what is commonly viewed as taxes. Taxes, as they are currently structured, contain an awful lot of collectivized use fees, for instance for police services. Corporations can and should pay their use fees just like they pay for any other service. Corporations should also not get away with externalizing their costs and internalizing their profits. This is difficult to date but increased use of information technology is making it easier to actually bill for what has been up to now unbilled externalities. Ted Seeber If taxes are theft, then so is profit. Merkn How? A tax is compelled by force by the state. In our capitalist society a profit can only be earned when someone makes a free choice top buy goods or services from another free actor? how can a profit ever be theft in the absence of fraud or violation of law? Tom K. I think Ted's point is that taxes aren't theft. Though, if you want the groundwork for the argument that profit is theft, read St. John Chrysostom. "Not to share our wealth is to steal from the poor, " etc. TMLutas I believe you are doing St. John Chrysostom a disservice with that construction. Mark Shea What construction? it's almost a word for word quote. CCC 2446 St. John Chrysostom vigorously recalls this: "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." "The demands of justice must be satisfied first of all; that which is already due in justice is not to be offered as a gift of charity": When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice. **** If there is any modern economic idea under criticism in this quote, it is "excess profits going to the capitalist for the labors of the worker" not "excess taxes going to the state". (Not that I favor heavy taxation. It's just that I'm pointing out that Tom is right about Chrysostom's insistence that those with more than they need are stealing from those with not enough.) Tom K. My construction was intentional. In teaching that excess wealth is theft, St. John lays the groundwork for arguing that profit is theft. The moral of this story is not that corporations pay too little (for they don't), but that individuals pay too much, which we do. The last thing government needs is more of ANYONE'S money. Do you really think having corporations give more money to the government will do a bit of good? The government needs gutting, not fattening
eng
427373e6-f611-40ba-9d19-085906f51ee8
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markshea/2012/06/remember-11.html
1. When you have a change in your profile, such as modifying a character or adding new characters, please keep it to your original post, instead of making multiple profile posts. It creates less clutter. 2. Please put a link to your profile in your sig, or add a link to it somewhere in your first post when you're joining an RP. It make it easier for others to reference for whatever reason. 3. Nobody is required to follow the template. If you have one of your own, feel free to use it. Feel free to modify the original to your convenience. It isn't mandatory to fill out every section either. Homeland: Durock's home world is called Mystria. It's lush world with a warm tropical climate. It's size is a bit over two and half times the size of Earth. The majority of creatures are Anthropomorphic animals (Though there are feral, non-sapient variants of species as well.) -Description- Appearance: Durock is an anthropomorphic tiger with emerald green fur, black stripes and a white torso. His eyes are amber, and his nose, claws and paw pads are black. He's Approximately 8 ft in height and somewhere between 500-550 lbs. He has a strong athletic build. He usually doesn't wear much of anything, If he does it's usually some sort of casual wear or minimal hunters garb. Personality: Durock is generally friendly and good natured towards others, though he can also often be sarcastic and crude. He sometimes delights in teasing others and pushing their buttons. He's curious and eager to learn, but also bit stubborn. Though he's typically analytical and perceptive, he has his moments where he acts rashly and rushes into things. Agitating him usually isn't a very good idea, as he has a tendency to hold grudges and brood. Sometimes he may even turn violent. His greatest fear is of heights. Great heights bother him to the point where he'll hesitate, possibly even have a panic attack. Bio: He lives the life of a hunter/predator in the fierce and unforgiving wilderness of the rainforest. The rules here are survival of the fittest. You either adapt or you die. He belongs to race of supernatural beings call Auramancers. Their name comes from the fact that they tend to cloak themselves with forces of nature. Voice: Medium pitched and throaty/growly -Combat & Traveling- -Stats- Strength: True to his large and powerful appearance, Durock has impressive brute strength. He's easily able smash, shred and pulverize his opponents in single blows just by swiping with his paws and claws. He can literally lift and carry a couple tons of weight. Stamina: Durock is sturdy. His bulk affords him to be able to take several heavy blows before finally falling. He also has excellent mental stamina. On the other hand, running continuously or moving around too much will exhaust him quickly. Agility: Though he's big and heavy, Durock is surprisingly athletic, agile and and acrobatic. His powerful legs allow him to jump high, leap far and sprint quickly. As a result, he's able cover great distances in a very short time and out maneuver his opponents with ease. Intelligence: Comparable to a human's intelligence, his is average. He's literate in reading, speech and science. Though he is smart and knowledgeable, he can appear daft at times. Charisma: He's generally neutral towards most others unless they're good friends or he's carrying a grudge. He's not likely to grab for attention and tends to keep to himself when given the chance. Though he is generally friendly, his mannerism and speech can often be crude. Perception: When in the field or in combat, Durock's pretty good about trying to keep his cool and remaining attentive to everything that's going on. He thinks on his feet and tends to look at things analytically. -Abilities- Durock has the standard abilities of tigers such as excellent camouflage, hearing and night vision. He's also extremely resistant to heat, light, electrical fields and radiation. His special abilities include generating and/or controlling electromagnetism, plasma and molecular motion. He's extremely proficient with his abilities, as a result he's exceedingly dangerous. In combat he typically covers himself with auras of EM and Plasma. Equipment: When not using his body he may use a spear. -Other- Friends/Family/Lovers: Torvus, a Tasmanian devil, is his close friend and lover. Name: Torvus Sex:Male Age: 27+ Species: Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) Occupation: Hunter/Scavenger Alignment: Neutral Good Homeland: Mystria, Wakao -Descriptions- Personality: Torvus is typically friendly, well towards those who he respects anyway. He's mostly neutral towards everybody else, at least until they do something stupid in his presence or they irritate him. When he speaks his mind he's blunt and honest. Though the way he comes across may offend others, he usually doesn't mean any harm. The devil has no problem with getting up in somebody's face and then shouting at them or letting loose his ear piercing screeches when they anger or frustrate him. It's unusual for him to resort to threatening somebody or becoming violent, most of the time he tries to settle confrontations peacefully, but he does have his moments. He doesn't have a tendency to hold long grudges. He's able to handle stress fairly well and rationally, very rarely having an irrational outburst. His greatest fear is of spiders. He doesn't freeze up, instead he tries to soldier through it, all while showing a display of nervous ticks. In unusual cases he panics and freaks out. Biography: Torvus is also from Wakao, though from a completely different region than his tiger friend. He hails from a more temperate forest as opposed to the tropical rainforest Durock hails from. His life is that of a hunter/scavenger who does most of his work hunting or gathering under the cover of darkness. He'll travel great distances without putting up a fuss. He's also an auramancer, though his abilities are considerably different than say... One who has control over electromagnetism and plasma... Appearance: Torvus stands at about 4'8" making him a bit small on anthropomorphic scales but he has a strong stocky build, making him kind of look like a miniature bear. His pelt is black but he has tan fur on his muzzle and around his eyes. His chest and lower back sport white patches of fur. His eyes are ruby red, the only unusual thing about his appearance. Voice: Scratchy and guttural side. His shrieks are unforgettable and ear piercing. Typical Emotion: Calm, Irate? -Combat & Traveling- Stats- Strength: Torvus may be "small" but what he lacks in size he makes up for in surprising strength. Particularly his muscular arms, legs and jaws. His surprising strength allows him to break the bones of those who decide to get rough with him, and his claws slice nicely into flesh. The power in his jaws however is in another tier altogether. He can rend flesh and effortlessly shatter bones with a 5000 psi chomp. Stamina: Torvus's size also betrays what one would assume about his endurance. The little guy can take abuse as well as dish it out. While he can't take consistent heavy punishment, his bulk does allow him to withstand blows that would probably kill others instantly. He's also able to travel long distances without tiring much. When hunting or scavenging he easily travels up to ten so miles without tiring. Agility: Torvus is surprisingly quick on his feet, in peak condition he's able to match the tiger's (unaided) top speed. On the other hand, he can't leap good distances or jump high. Intelligence: Torvus is bright and not very gullible. When a new concept is introduced to him, he able to understand it without much trouble or a need for details. He's skeptical and questions things instead of taking them for face value. The more strange or absurd something seems, the more likely he is to to make a remark. Charisma: Being sociable is not a strong point for him he likes remaining solitary. When it does come to being put into a social situation he'll at least make an attempt to be personable and respectful. Most of the time however he comes off as irate and sarcastic. Perception: In the fray his tactical and predictive abilities are a bit lacking compared to others. However he's excellent at keeping calm in the moment and analyzing things as they happen, always keeping an eye out on his surroundings while he does. Special: Torvus is talented in the manipulation and creation of liquids as well as increasing temperatures. One skill he has is generating water and super-heating it in an instant, then launching it as a steaming and seemingly solid projectile. Abilities: As an auramancer, Torvus has control over liquids. The most readily available being water in some form or another. He's has some degree of being able to manipulate gases well, though usually to force them into liquids states. He's has control of the the motion, density, pressure and temperatures of the liquids and vapors he's manipulating. Thus he can blast somebody with a high pressure, super-heated blast of steam. He also has ability to manipulate the movement of molecules also extend to him being able to dramatically raise temperatures to cause combustion or explosions. Though he's capable of generating plasmas, he's unable to control or withstand them. One more ability he has the ability to breathe while submerged in liquids. Though how it's done without gills isn't understood. It's said to be an auramancer specific adaptation, much like breathing hazardous and deadly gases. He's resistant to both high and low temperatures. Techniques:------- Equipment: Mystrian Launcher (Arm cannon.) Arm cannon attributes: Torvus wields a unique weapon of Mystrian origin, an arm cannon that fits over one's paw like a gauntlet. The weapon has the mysterious ability to change it's size in order to fit it's user. Kind of like a one-size fits all garment. In other words if somebody else got their paws on it they'd have the potential to wield it. The weapon itself has a ring like chamber around the wrist, and inside the ring are smaller chambers, allowing the weapon to store several different types of ammo at once. However to arm specific types of ammo the ring much be rotated into postion, which can be done manually or through hand gestures. The gun has three modes of fire. Single, wide and machine gun.Single as the term implies fires a single shot out one of the cannon's three barrels at a high velocity that can't be seen with naked eyes. Wide, though slower and not as powerful as a single shot, fires out a triplet of projectiles that spread out the farther they travel. Machine Gun fires rounds off as a rapid stream of projectiles. This can be combined with Wide for a greater area of effect at the cost of a power and a faster ammo drain. Torvus carries around several types of ammo for his gauntlet gun, mostly capsules that explode just before reaching their intended target or on contact. The capsules types are as follows: Smoke: When these explode they cloak the surrounding area in thick black clouds of smoke. Great for providing cover, the smoke is also quite volatile, making it a readily available fireball to roast enemies with. Acid: These contain high concentrations of acid. When they explode they splash the liquid over a wide area, bathing the area or targets with highly corrosive (to both metals and organic materials) goodness. Napalm: When These capsules explode they spray the area with glowing napalm gel. The gel sticks to targets and doesn't wash off of. Napalm flames can't be extinguished through conventional means either, i.e. They continue to burn even when submerged in water. Extinguish: Harmless capsules, specifically meant to counter and put out Napalm. Though they can cover targets in thick foam to distract them for a bit. Tranquilizer: These are darts laced with a toxin that tranquilizes the target and causes them to lose consciousness within moments. Though there is a capsule variant that releases a purple-ish mist with the same effect when it explodes. The mist works when it's either inhaled or absorbed through the pores. Bullets: Bullets made of metal, not necessarily iron. They're fired out of the barrel at high velocity and pack the power of a .50 caliber round. *Missile: Very Lethal, high powered rounds that are fired at a high velocity. Highly destructive, they release a concentrated blast at the point of impact, blasting their targets to bits. *Power Seal: Anti-Auramacner Tech! When they explode The capsules release billions of nanites designed to infiltrate a targets body and disable their special powers temporarily. How Just how they works isn't exactly known. When auramancers forced Mystrian's into the underworld, Mystrians turned to science and magic to counter-act them should they ever attack. (*Torvus doesn't have these himself since they're difficult to acquire, but there's the potential to use them if he ever got a hold of them.) -Other- Friends/Family/Lovers: His partner Durock, who he cares for deeply. Neither of them are monogamous but they're pretty much like family to one another. _________________ "Do not shower with your napalm, do not yell at it, do not taunt it, do not call it names, do not sacrifice animals/people to your napalm." -Napalm.net If you've got any questions, feel free to PM me or contact me via AIM or email or anything. =) Don't be shy. i dont really like the template so here is my old profile. seriously if you want to know that much about her you are going to have to roleplay with her ;) sorry --- Alright, here's Amika as exclusive to the more fantasy-oriented RPs. Which means, a little different from the one I draw as my forum persona. =) I'm going to balance her using numbers just to make it easier for me, but you can ignore them unless it helps you figure her out. Name: Emikalia Zarathustra Gender: Female Age: Around 16 or 17, changes appearance dramatically though. Alignment: Chaotic good Species: November spirit Height: Small enough to fit in with the rest of the world (I'd say about Cappy-sized). Occupation: Adventurer, fortune teller Voice: Soft-toned Outward appearance: She can shapeshift, but only when the moon is out. Often, she'll take a humanoid appearance because it's quite functional!! She can't really disguise herself, though, as she's always recognizable by her grayish-white skin and pink eyes. As a humanoid, she's small with long and curly whitish hair. She prefers dark clothing, and lots of hoop jewellery. Lately, she's been taking on the appearance of a little 8-or-9-year-old girl. That way she's small enough to interact easily with the locals, but adaptable as any other human being. -Can't cross certain paper warding charms (she's a spirit) (-4) -Freezes upon the sound of breaking glass (-1) -Gets transfixed over her own reflection occasionally because she just thinks she is the most beautiful (-1) -In temperatures above 100 degrees F, she loses her supernatural abilities. (-5) -Extremly susceptible to heat-related magic. (-4) Abilities: - Atmospheric manipulation: She can chill the air in the immediate area, and after much mental exertion, bring in clouds. Basically, she changes her environment to make things more wintery--muddy ground, cold rain, gloomy weather, freezing water over, etc. The strength of her abilities depends on the temperature and atmosphere, making her pretty useless in the summer when things warm up so fast. In neutral temperatures, her abilities are about average, and she's quite formidable in the winter. (1) - Frost touch: With a brush of her fingertips, she can cover things (plants and people included) in a pretty layer of glittering frost. She can make her own ice sculptures this way. (1) - Ice shards: By blowing across her hand, she can send a lash of wind and deadly ice shards forward. (1) Incredibly brief character background: Managed to con her way into being allowed to stay at Castle Dedede several years ago (in 2002), and travelled about on several exciting adventures with all the friends she met there that winter. Though her friends have long gone their separate ways, she still takes off every once in awhile to go visit some of them. -Descriptions- Personality: Diddgery is naive and naturally curious. He isn't afraid of meeting new people (unless said people are twenty-foot-tall monsters) and enjoys making new friends, though he's rather timid when he's out of his element. Being young as he is, he doesn't think of love or romance at all. He can be cowardly, usually hiding when fights or other such problems arise, and he can't stand the sight of blood - but if his friends are in danger or counting on him, he's capable of amassing his courage and doing something brave. He has a large sweet tooth and has a propensity for making off with cookies and other sweets. Appearance: Diddgery's a little brown-furred rodent-like creature with a single horn coming from his forehead. If you need a picture, try this one. Or this one is good too. Voice: Not necessarily an accent so much as an effect of his age, but he doesn't enunciate his words sometimes and has a tendency to mispronounce things. His voice is high-pitched and a bit squeaky. -Stats- Strength: Very weak. Stamina: Not a lot. Intelligence: He's young so he doesn't know a lot! Wisdom: More likely to make foolish decisions than logical ones; he acts on his emotions and instinct more than his mind. Agility: But at least he's fast, right!! Magic: NOPE History: Diddgery was separated from his family when he was very young; he was discovered lost and alone by a boy named Revor, who took him in. After spending some time with him, Diddgery was able to be reunited with his family. But for the sake of roleplaying let's say that Diddgery wound up getting whisked away to a faraway place by some stray magic or whatever! -Other Info- Do not confuse this Diddgery with the one you see in the mailbag!! That one eats bees, gets fired out of cannons, and is kind of sarcastic. This one doesn't do any of those things. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -Basics- Codename: The Weasel Gender: Male Age: A good estimate would be somewhere in his late 20s or early 30s but nobody knows for certain. Species: Furret Occupation: Secret Agent Alliance:[CLASSIFIED] Homeland:[CLASSIFIED] -Descriptions- Personality: The Weasel is stoic in any given situation. In some aspects this is because his training requires him to avoid getting too involved emotionally, but it's mostly because it helps make him come off as cool and mysterious (plus, chicks dig it). There are those times where he loses his cool, of course, but he is normally good at keeping his emotions in check. If he has a mission, he will focus entirely on accomplishing it and give little regard to others -- unless those others happen to be involved in the mission, or are hampering his progress. He outright refuses to give any information about himself beyond his codename. Appearance: He's a Furret, so you know the drill: long, mustelid body, horizontal body stripes from torso to tail, that sort of stuff. Unlike other Furrets, The Weasel's fur is a bit long just above his eyes and sticks out in spiky tufts. To keep up with his secret agent persona, The Weasel wears a leather jacket and an omnipresent pair of cool, cool shades. He is usually seen with a cigarette and keeps a pack of smokes in one of his jacket pockets, but he tries not to smoke too much around the kids. Here is a reference picture. Voice: Kind of gravelly due to all the smoking he does. He happens to be bilingual (English and Pokéspeech or whatever you want to call the language of Pokémon). As such, when he is suitably pissed off he winds up lapsing into his native tongue (read: yelling "Furret" angrily, over and over). -Stats- Strength: His physical strength is a bit lacking due to relying on his firearm. While still capable of packing a punch when needed, The Weasel relies more on his speed to give him the edge in battle. Stamina: The Weasel has undergone training to enhance his stamina, so he is capable of staying active on duty for long stretches of time. He can take a couple more hits than your average Furret, too, but he'd rather get out of a fight unscathed. Intelligence: As a secret agent, The Weasel is required to have suitable knowledge in a variety of areas. Unfortunately, he didn't pay much attention -- he gets most of his knowledge about what's what from mission briefings. Wisdom: The Weasel makes good use of his wits. He is as quick at thinking as he is on his feet, which helps to get him out of many unfavorable situations. Agility: Furrets are known for their speed, and The Weasel is no exception. His body is well-built for careful and tricky maneuvering, and he uses this to gain advantages in fights. Magic: Does Shadow Claw count? -Combat and Travel- Abilities: -Keen Eye: An innate ability of Furrets that helps maintain accuracy. As such, The Weasel is rather good at making sure his attacks connect with his opponent(s). He owes a great deal of his marksmanship skills to this. -Unarmed Combat Skills: The Weasel prefers to use handgun, but that doesn't mean he's incapable of decent hand-to-hand. He's capable of slamming his opponents with his long tail, and his agility allows him to attack quickly. And while the other agents frown on this, he's not above fighting dirty; if his opponent is readying an attack, he won't hesitate to sucker punch them. -Shadow Claw: The Weasel's only legitimately special attack, which was mastered after much (highly classified) training. When activated, one of his paws become cloaked in a shadowy aura with three large, sharp claws. This technique is powerful, but can be unwieldy and requires quite a bit of The Weasel's concentration to keep up. Equipment: -Handgun: The Weasel's trusty semiautomatic pistol is his main method of attack. Having undergone special (also classified) training, The Weasel is capable of firing it without suffering much recoil. His pistol is typically loaded with your standard ammunition, which is effective on most anything that isn't well-armored. His handgun holds six rounds, so once they're spent he'll have to stop and reload. Thankfully he carries several spare magazines just for that purpose. -Shadow Ammunition: When normal bullets won't cut it, The Weasel has another trick up his sleeve. Nicknamed "phantom bullets," these shadow rounds are a specially developed type of ammunition that are based on the Shadow Ball technique. Shadow rounds are capable of passing through even the toughest armor, just like a ghost. The recoil from these bullets is greater than that of normal rounds, and as such more caution needs to be exercised when they are used -- they can't just be fired haphazardly. The Weasel only has a small amount of these rounds on hand at any given time, since they are still experimental. -Social Life- [CLASSIFIED] -Other Info- He has a smoking addiction, but he says he can stop at any time. I would recommend against bothering him too much about it. I'd also recommend against messing with his shades; he is very fond of them. Description: Personality: M1, being a machine, is often socially clumsy, he often means well, and simply doesn't possess the understanding to effectively convey himself. Appearance: 11' in height, his entire exoskeleton being a deep gray color. The exoskeleton very much resembles armor, and whatever chinks or seams present are filled in by a second layer of dense, ceramic fibers, though they do little, if anything to inhibit mobility. Even deeper he possesses a sophisticated Nano-tech skeleton, acting as both frame and network for the machine, these are also responsible for his ability to evolve and repair himself, working hand in hand with his unique exoskeleton, composed of a material that itself behaves like a more strict epidermis. Voice: Deep and booming, much like his presence itself it is powerful and commands attention, this was very much intentional in his design, as it added another layer of intimidation. Abilities: The crux of M1's prowess is his ability to rapidly assimilate information and physical abilities, with every new encounter or experience he becomes more powerful, to the point of becoming very much like a "God". At present he is capable of manipulating matter and mass itself, leaving very little that he can't actually do. Additionally, his basic abilities can largely be considered peerless, physical strength, agility, down to even his ability to react instantly. All by virtue of being a super machine. Equipment: Other than his entire body being a weapon, he requires none. However, he does possess a fairly large armory beneath his exoskeleton, including Beam Cannons, Plasma Cannons, and mass accelerators. All heavy Noripathian weaponry, all extremely deadly. History: In the Coliseum universe, M1 was built by Deguass as a weapon, however, he was not built with this in mind alone, and was given the ability to discern for himself what he should do after his purpose had been served. Given his nature as an evolving machine, it seemed only natural that he set out to explore the Universe at large, and as such, has come into possession of a great many skills, though he has failed to glean a complete emotional complex. Description: Personality: Sarcastic, condescending, and in general an unpleasant fellow. He is calculating, wise, and extremely bitter, although it takes time to get used to him, it seems he's not as terrible a fellow as he'd lead you to believe. Appearance: As with all Noripathian males, he is extremely tall and bulky. Standing at about 8'4 and weighing in at 500+, Deguass commands a powerful presence, as he is also clad in an intricate grey armor, trimmed crimson and adorned with a dark blue cape. This choice of attire is complimented rather well by his emerald skin, and the blue crest on his head. His eyes are also attention grabbing, as they are an unnatural grey, with vivid teal rings spreading from the center. Voice: Cool and deep, very much in line with his rigid personality. Equipment: -- History: Within the Coliseum's residency no one actually knows anything about him, and he'd prefer to keep it that way January 24th, 2013, 8:56 pm, edited 24 times in total. Joined: April 5th, 2010, 1:39 am Posts: 12 Gender: Male About Me: I was referred to this site through one of my friends. I have been a role player for about 7 years now, mostly using tabletop RPGs such as D&D and D20 Modern. When I first started, however, I used to play simple RPGs, where you only told it like a story, and there was no chance-abiding rules. I figure I'd give this a try and see how it goes. -Descriptions- Personality: Wise, Intelligent, Calm. Appearance: Short Dark Grey Hair, Bright Blue Eyes. Caucasian Typical Clothing: All equipment was made by Cade. Black leather armor with metal plates. Black Leather pants with many different holsters and sheaths. Grey tattered angel wings. A bright blue gem with metal plates surrounding it on his chest. Weapons: A large sword is sheathed on his back. Encrusted in the center of its handle is a small diamond that glows bright white. The blade was attached via a clip mechanism, allowing him to retrieve the sword, without getting in the way of his wings. At his right side is a large revolver, loaded with glowing white bullets. At his left is a metal handle for a sword, but the blade is not seen. A whole slew of other weapons are hidden on his body. Typical Emotions: He tends to feel somewhat fed up or angry in times of battle. Other times, he is quiet unless spoken to. Cade is proficient using the element of high-energy heat/fire (lightning at high temperatures combined with a fire's burning capability). He has crafted this element into several of his weapons. He has a wide range of spells dealing with fire and lightning. His background is very vague at this moment, so anyone wishing to find out more must talk to him. All that is known is he is the father of Zetsara, and he is a fallen angel, who lived in Atlantis as a master crafter/forger, and combat trainer. He seems to be fed up with his daughter's way of handling things, and he feels he must protect her from her own actions. He has a deep love for Zetsara, for her mother, a human named Xanaphia, was lost in the war that Rayd talks about. Cade became a Fallen Angel because he commited one of the seven deadly sins, Lust. He fell for Xanaphia, which was not permitted. With this in mind, he believes that it was not Lust, but Love that had him so excessively attracted to Xan. Thus, his banishment from Heaven was wrongful, but neccessary to be with Xan. He feels that Zetsara is the only part of Xan left. After Xanaphia died, he left Atlantis to seek out those who killed her, and bring justice to the wrongful deeds they committed. During this time, Zetsara was on her own. When Cade had revenge, a fellow companion of his asked him why he wasn't with his daughter. He didn't have an answer, so he set out on a quest to find her. When he did, Zetsara was furious with him, for she had not heard from him for years. Now, he realizes that he needs to be a better father, but has issues deciding how to go about it. Because he lost control of his own emotions, and did not keep things in perspective, he strains to Zetsara that she must do what he failed to. Without her, he feels there is no reason to care for anything. Zetsara, however, does not understand that Cade is only trying to protect her. He is afraid of losing her, and looks for reasons to be at her side. Rayd was a signal fire in the war, providing hope for all those loyal to the cause. Cade believes that Rayd is part of larger plan, and wishes to assist him in whatever he does. Unlike Zet, however, Cade knows that Rayd can handle himself, and is only at his side when Rayd calls upon him. Cade, unlike many other Fallen Angels, has not removed his wings. He belives that his wings give him some sort of precense of good, despite his actions in the past. He mourns over his loss of Xan, and regrets that he was not able to save her life. He also regrets not being there for Zetsara when she needed him the most. Perhaps, in a way, this is why he believes in Rayd so much. For he had a similar loss, and Cade wishes that by helping Rayd, he is also helping himself to celebrate Xan's life, rather than remember her only as a loss. It has been a very long time since Xan died, and Cade fears that the time that has passed will drain her from his memory. He realizes that he should move on, but fights to keep her in his heart. He feels that he owes her at least that much. Physical Depiction: Rayd is a calm and collected young man. Though recently suffering from a complete nervous breakdown, and other neurological dilemmas due to his heritage, he has stood tall. The irises of his eyes are an icy, glazed violet that, when looked into, one can lose themselves for minutes on end. A highly uncommon color, it can be dazzling to people who first witness such vibrant eyes. He is Caucasian, and his skin reflects this correctly. He does have a slight tan, however, so it goes without saying that he is not completely pale. His blond, spiky hair falls to the left side of his head. His bangs fall to the tip of his nose, sometimes concealing his hallowed eyes. At one point he had piercings in his ears, and the scars on his lobes are still visible. His body is quite muscular. Though not huge, he has considerable strength in these well toned sinews. These are not the only notes, however. He does have tattoos and there are various scars marking his battles. There is a particularly large gash across his back from one of his more vicious encounters. His left arm is worth noting as well, as it is completely covered in tattoos. Current Attire: Rayd is usually found wearing a thick black shirt. It has a raised collar, and the texture is that similar to a martial artist's training gi. The odd thing is, it only has the right sleeve. This is mainly due to the fact that his left arm is covered in tightly-wrapped cloth bandages at all times. Across those bandages are black leather straps that lock in place in five different areas up the length of his arm. Coincidentally, Rayd at one time lost the left sleeve of one of his outfits in battle, and has since removed the left sleeve of most of his training gear. At this time, Rayd is wearing the said attire above. His pants are pure white in color. He wears a heavy leather belt, with attachments for items and weaponry. The attachment straps wrap halfway down his thigh, locking in place at the bottom. On his right hand is a intricate metal gauntlet with a chain wrapped up around a wheel mechanism. His boots are black leather, and are adorned with light armor plating, and a large metal knee guard. Down both sides of these figments of a pediatrist's nightmare are long blades that curve up near the ankles. Anyone receiving a kick from these would be sure to feel it. Ontop of this, Rayd usually wraps his neck in a crimson scarf and occasionally some type of breaker. In this case, he is wearing a long, thin, black drapery-like over coat that stops at his hips in the front, but extends nearly to the ground in the back. He also never leaves home without his sunglasses...most of the time. Personality: Rayd always has a serious nature about him. In elementary school he had actually once been called "Furrow" do to the fact that he always had a stern look on his face. He never used to be one for words. However, he always had a sense of justice about him and was one of the toughest kids in school. If he saw someone getting picked on, he'd step in and return to sender. Rayd has a nervous habit of biting his nails, cracking his knuckles, or twiddling his thumbs when he is thinking hard. He also has always had a weakness for redheads... Backstory: Radorian Kiever was born in Siberia, Russia. His family moved to Canada soon after this as his father had been honorably discharged from his post. Years went by, and soon enough Rayd was 18. Sadly, things weren't as peaceful as the world would have liked. The globe had been claimed by conflict. Something had gone undetected at the North Pole for years, and with the accelerated pace of global warming it was able to break free. A sentient race of legend, buried under ice for millenia had re-emerged to claim what they had lost. Atlantis had been found, but it was far from the heavenly paradise that legends had made it out to be. This was most likely to keep the truth from the people of the time. Stories told by bards were most likely skewed into being gleeful in times of despair, to help the people forget. They wanted to reshape the world, and make it so they had never vanished from existence; and they could do it. The Atlantians lashed out against humanity, quickly decimating the unprepared people of the northern most countries. Soon the world was at war with Atlantis, who had just recently completed their tool for shaping their dream. A time-bending mechanism that would allow them to return to the past and prevent whatever caused their deep freeze. Their strongest warrior, Haze' Lucrina would lead a feint strike against the world federation to distract them. However, the plan didn't pan out as expected, as the device being used to rip time was damaged in a surprise attack by a small team of special forces...and so the story began, as a battle raged forth, and the group of soldiers, exposed to the massive space-time flux, were transported back. Far back, into the earth of the past. As Rayd awoke, finding his friends to be nothing more than a mess on the rocky out crop they hand landed on, he looked into the distance of a younger earth... Sorry, all you get is a teaser. It's waaaaay too long to even make a summary of a summary. Basicly what happens henceforth is Rayd trying to stop the Atlantians from changing history. The trail is long, and he learns the harsh truth of life along the way in multiple incidents. Through many hard battles, he was finally able to stop Haze' and his plans, and thus ended the first chapter of Rayd's story... There are two more parts that happen after this, but at this point it's late and I don't feel like writing anymore >_< Interested in: Rayd was always into martial arts when he was younger. He loved looking out his window at night to see the bare-knuckle brawlers fight at night in the local pub. He has a strong sense of justice as said previously, and is always looking for ways to improve himself for the task that might rear it's head. He also likes red heads and speed. Detests: People who try to make life miserable for others and calamari. Especially calamari... Armaments: His bare hands and his mind. Rayd also carries an intricate blade on his lower back named Hjordis. Forged in old Atlantis by Zetsara Artemesia, the blade is crafted of an alloy of adamantine and oricalcum. Fused with pure ether, the blade is radiant and nearly unbreakable. She has aided him in more than one sticky situation. He also has a chain-coil gauntlet latched onto his right forearm. The chain can reach out up to fifty feet, and can latch onto objects. There are also higher tech weapons in his arsenal, such as the auto-loader he carries on his waist and the sawed-off shotgun he is sometimes seen with. There are also two intricate looking rods he has attached to both of his thighs, each roughly two feet in length. Abilities: Rayd, by the end of his travels, has accumulated a great number of abilities that any normal person would find unfathomable. He is a formidable martial artist who can use psionic and ki energies. With such control, he moves at the speed of the quick silver, and strikes with deadly precision. He is also a blood brother of the blade. Eye of the Fallen : Rayd's eyes revert back to their ancestral angelic form. His irises become ice blue, with a deep blue ring towards the outer rim. His eyes glow brilliantly in this state, giving him the ability to see in the darkest of areas. It also allows him to peer into the soul... Psionic Abilities: Rayd fully controls the ability of his mind. He is able to lift things, crush them, throw them, and even engulf them in flame. Other skills include the ability to lash out with concentrated psionic blasts. He often makes use of psionic wire throughout his attacks. Ki Abilities: Rayd also has full realization of the energies flowing through his body. He is able to redirect them to different parts of his body and concentrate them. This includes the ability to raise or lower his energy at will. He also has the ability to manifest this power outside of his body. He has a number of different techniques he can call upon ranging from offensive, to defensive and support. Celestial Abilities: Once Rayd's Psionic and Ki powers start melding, it opens up his third ability set. Eye of the Fallen is included in this set, however, it does not require him to use as much energy as the rest. Therefore he can summon that ability at zero. These powers involve breaking nature's bonds on the mortal body and mind, allowing Rayd to realize his full potential. There is also another type of power which he can release from his sealed left arm... These abilities reach their maximum when Rayd calls forth his ancestor's power through scarring, or 'Annointing' himself. Occupation: Zetsara is a very well trained Blacksmith and weapon engineer, though her attitude would make you think otherwise. She created and perfected the art of 'Cold Forging,' that is taking metal in it's solid state and aligning the molecules so precisely that it actually far outperforms the tempered version. Height: 5 feet, 8 inches. Weight: Roughly 135 lbs. Body Type: Fairly lean, and has a 'nice' figure. That is to say, she's not sultry or provocative, but has a genuine attractiveness...if you can see past her sharp tongue. Age: 187 years old. (She is half celestial, after all)) Physical Depiction: Zetsara's skin is slightly on the pale side. Her hair is long, and would be pure white in color if it wasn't for the ever-so-slight aqua tint it has. It was wild and wavy, though seemed to be layered somewhat (Though she flaunts masculinity, she still has her feminine side.) Her hair falls halfway down her back, and is kept out of her face via a tattered, soft-violet bandanna. Her eyes are a vivid green color, full of energy. Her bottom lip is a bit more plump then her upper, but you barely ever notice since she's always biting it in rage. She has a decent figure, though she's not the type to flaunt it. She's only ever loved one man - and he's now missing his ring finger. Her right shoulder has red tatoos covering it, much like an upper - sleeve. Directly in the center of her shoulder is an archaic picture of the 'Angel's Eye.' Current Attire: Undergarment wise, her entire midsection - from a little over mid bustline, down to just above her knees - is wrapped tightly in bandages, and covers a deal of scars she's accrued from battle over the years. The pale aqua green, sleeveless, open gi she wears for a top is torn around navel level and has soft violet and white accents. There is an orange sash around the visible area of her stomach, the slack from which dangles from her right side as it falls to rest upon the very long fringe of a one sided skirt, which was also the same soft violet shade as her bandanna that held back her hair. The one-legged dress had white embroidery down the length of it. She has a heavy white cloth that wraps around her waist and upper thighs, and falls accross her rear down to about knee length - to keep her blades from continually bouncing, as their restraints are loose. Her forearms bore silver and gold colored bracers that she had fashioned herself - forged of mithril and oricalcum, the arm guards also had an option to extend blood-letters over every one of her digits. Her left shoulder was adorned with a similarly-crafted pauldron as the rest of her arm, underneath the armor, was covered in some sort of black sleeve. She again matched this type of armament with her legs, as she wore shin bracers that extended down to just above her ankle. She wore clog-like shoes on her feet, though they weren't crafted of wood. They were a little more streamlined and less bulky, and had a soft leather tone to them. She wore a number of necklesses around her neck, three in all. One was a plain, fine silver chain. The other two were ornamented with a very fine ring, and an intricately crafted metal artpiece - much like a shell. Latched across the orange sash is a brown leather belt with numerous leather rings for attachments. Two of these rings are occupied holding a very fancy looking scabbard mechanism for her katana and wakizashi, which hang against her buttocks. There is a pouch attached at her left and right sides, and from the right pouch a few more straps extend around her left leg - where she has a kodachi instead of the traditional tanto to complete her Daisho. The mechanism seems extremely high tech, and the hilts and handles of her blades were crafted with her art in mind. A master crafter indeed. Personality: Zetsara is very hot-headed. She tends to lose her temper easily, and when she does you'd be best just to steer clear. She doesn't let many people into her bubble as she's very protective of her personal space and her emotions. Though if you prove to her that you're a loyal person, she will be one of the best friends you'll ever make. Backstory: Still tyyyyping, haha Interested in: Art and metalworking. Zetsara was a fierce warrior in days past, but she has settled for the time being; content creating her artwork. She created a brand new, and extremely efficient way of forging metal through her ice magic : Cold Forging. It is an extremely long process, but the end result is far superior to the traditional way of forging as each molecule, every atom is aligned precisely. Only through combining Atlantian technology and her understanding of her own mana was the breakthrough possible. Detests: Liars and cheats. Also, she despises criticism of her work...needless to say with her temperment, she doesn't take things like that very well. She is also very annoyed by the fact that her father still tries to tell her how to handle things... Armaments: First and foremost: Her Daisho. She crafted these three blades herself, and they're quite the sight to behold. The metal of the blades is almost a pure dazzling white. The intricately engraved weapons of war were Cold Forged from Adamantium and a form of damascus, altered by ether. The blades are actually quite heavy to bare as well. Her bracers / gauntlets also have nasty blood letters... Abilities: Zetsara has aligned herself very closely with the water and ice elements, feeling quite at home with their cooling presence. It's also, obviously, a sign of her rebellious nature as her father holds mastery over the polar opposite elemental sets. Her personality asside, Zets is a very studied young woman in the ether-arts and has had plenty of years to perfect her blade handling skills, earning herself the nickname 'Frostbite Zets' during the purge war humanity lead against the non-humans. Eye of the Fallen : Similar to Rayd, she can see the movements of the body's energy flow, and the soul. However, having way more time then Rayd has to put these abilities to use...she's gained another, more 'audible' ability to go with this. Ether Abilities: Generally speaking, has the ability to use a wide variety of water and ice-oriented magic...and maybe she did actually pick a few things up from her father. Ki Abilities: Mainly her ability to focus her Ki into certain parts of her body to give that extra punch to the next blow, or to give her a sudden burst of speed if need be. Celestial Abilities: Her Nephilim stride is top notch, and is also who Rayd learned from. She is also particularly adept at sealing arts. Appearance: (human) Short and wiry body frame of about 5'2", wispy shoulder-length black hair that has a texture closer to fur than actual human hair, blue eyes, suspiciously perfect skin that never seems to tan or burn in the sun, as a result of shapeshifting. Usually seen wearing a dark navy blue long-sleeved shirt, black flared jeans with silvery designs on the lower pantlegs she can never keep the same from reversion to transformation, and pink sneakers with one little red heart on each one. I don't get her style, either. (dragon) 32 feet from snout to tail tip. Large, muscular, primarily quadrupedal, covered in wispy black fur, with shorter gray fur on her underside. Her four paws are large with dark, semi-retractable claws; they can be unsheathed from one to five feet in length, usually kept in for terrestrial travel, and out for flight and combat. Long pointy ears, blue eyes. She has a bunch of darker fur covering the top of her head, which tapers off down her neck and stops just before her wings as a short mane. She has 4 wings, a larger pair in front and a smaller pair in back; they are black and bat-like in appearance. Both pairs work together for lift and speed, and once in flight, the back pair move subtly for steering. But she usually doesn't use her wings much in plain travel, relying mostly on ki, but in battle she uses her wings and ki together for maximum speed. Personality: Rude, belligerent, impulsive, and proud of her strength. Her youthful appearance and size hides--to the less observant--a power bordering on fearsome, which she utilizes mostly through fighting bare-handed. She's a jerk, basically. Just be glad she's not the bullying type. Despite living for over a hundred years, a large chunk of it was spent surviving in an animalistic state, so she hasn't gained much wisdom; at best, she's like a 20-year-old. Voice: Very forceful and assertive, yells a lot, not very educated or proper-sounding. S.P.E.C.I.A.L Stats Strength: Superhuman by human standards; near the lower part of the upper level in dragon standards. She ranks higher among many humanoids than she does with a lot of dragons in each respective form, actually. Perception: Very sensitive to life energy, and is attracted to very powerful energy signatures. It's more of an "animal" sense though. Endurance: Incredibly strong in either form, though they each have a few unavoidable natural limits, one being that her energy, while vast, isn't infinite. Charisma: Strength is beauty to her, in a sense. That said, her dragon self is very muscular under all that fur and actually sort of stocky, and her human form isn't anatomically correct. Intelligence: She can't read or write anything except her human name, but retains information very well through personal effort. This works even better if she learns by actually doing/experiencing it for herself. Agility: Again, superhuman. Both forms fly, but Blackthorne was built for it. Luck: Taking her life up to this point in consideration, Kayla is not a very lucky person. She cares less about chances given and more about chances she makes for herself in order to survive and meet her goals. Abilities: Her arsenal consists of using the massive amounts of energy/ki at her disposal to fly, power up her kicks/punches, and blow things to Hell. She can also use it to increase her speed, form defensive shields around herself, and revert to her natural dragon form, where her full power potential lies. As a dragon, besides the above, she can transform into her human form, which she has named Kayla Renee. It takes more energy to become human than it does to go dragon, but takes more time to do the latter. When it comes to fighting, she uses all four paws with long sharp extendable claws, bites with many sharp carnivorous teeth, attacks with her long, thick tail, can use ki breath-attacks, and of course, breathes fire. Equipment: Unless you count her human clothing, she brings nothing additional into battle except for herself. Usually fights bare-handed, but won't object to using bo-type staves. A Brief History: Born on Zaft Rils as one of many test-tube baby dragons among yet another clutch of eggs destined for military use. Oh wait, this gets too long, short version time: sent off to another planet as a newborn to save it ten years later and fails when the time comes, left as the only survivor after a Cosmic Horror eats said planet; ends up on Toinna where she lives for over 100 years in an animal-minded state until another tragedy breaks her out of it; uses her innate powers to assume human form and trains for 20 years under different circumstances, and eventually meets and befriends Windy Rat and a few others. Oh, and she got revenge on the Cosmic Horror. S.P.E.C.I.A.L Stats Strength: Low, because his muscles have atrophied years ago, and if someone was to annihilate his Psionics, he'd be powerless. It would be really difficult, however. Perception:Quite high,and 360º awareness, thanks to being -You guessed it- Psychic Endurance:See: strength. Charisma: Not particularly high. Intelligence:High. You see, he had to work hard to be a headmaster. Agility: Low without teleporting. Luck: He doesn't believe in luck. Equipment: the Not-Star rod. like a star rod, but made of oak and a wooden star at the top, coloured yellow with peeling paint. He leans on it a lot, and it's now bent. A Brief History: He was born at Cavios, in an upper city near the surface, In cavios, dust gradually builds up in the eyes of the very young, giving them premature blindness. Usually, though, the young batamons are given protective gear to alleviate this problem. However, during his birth a hurricane raged across Cavios, leaving him without sight from birth. He was raised like a blind person (to be continued) -Other Info- Psykick kirby is currently dead, or at least presumed so. [b]Warp star: the Red Kaiser, a stylish red warpstar. -Basics- Name:Quartermaster Jonathan Machiner. JM-0021 Gender:Male, by default. Age:27, In earth years Species:Homo apparatus or the common Cyborg Alliance: More or less good. Homeland: Earth Actual makeup: his skeleton is hollow carbon fibre, with special joints. these allow tubes to extend from his torso, where a large water tank to each limb, facillitating the condution of water/air, allowing him to shoot water/air out of his hands. That's machiner's "backbone", pardon the pun. Above that, and conected to those joints with varous wires, is an organic "membrain" Which is what machiner thinks with. That covers the skeleton. It aslo cusions the shocks. this is why machiner always looks dazed after each and every impact. Above that is a protective layer of some sort of Carbonfibre-based protective system. It acts as a faraday cage, negating electric shocks. this protection does not extent to the water tank,which is perileslly close to the main battery. as a saftly precaution, the makers fitted him with a water distillig machine, in the vain hope that it would prevent conduction and therefore, keep the battery safe. however, the distiller was made of silver, and left a clear path to the battery. if machiner would be shocked anywhere near it, it guarantees a total system failure. Accents:Tenor, but slightly tinny, no actual accent. Typical Emotions: generally well disposed to people. -Stats- Strength:Average Stamina:Average. Is immune to electricity, except in a weak spot directly on his nozzles. His water tank is conductive to his battery, causing a total system failure. Weakened by fire, water. Resistant to wind, water Intelligence: keeps growing, thanks to an extended memory unit. Wisdom:high/high Agility:high Magic:wind magic which is concealed in a rune on his neck and some of his breathing tubes, water magic which is concealed in his water tank and his right arm's nozzle on his hand, and paint magic, concealed without a rune, but within a hat made from a solid form of paint. He has stated that it contains his own bodyweight in size. The reliabillity of this statement has been questioned. -Combat and Travel- Equipment: -Equipment: gloves. special gloves, because the have holes which lead to their nozzles -Equipment:Sometimes he has a pair of hammers made from paint. each of them are inscribed with runes. they are his favourite weapon, as they give his fighting style a unique twist. at other times he wields a paintbrush,(a mini version of the "featherlight") which launches a constant sword projectile very fast. to a distance of about three feet, and he uses it like a sword. As a short cut to actually painting these objects in the air, he will usually just hold out his hand and say a system check, which causes the object desired to magically appear in his hand: Wind hammer:" limiter removal, wind mode set on!, navigation ,OK! creation activate! -Equipment: some other times he uses an array of ranges weapons, such as crossbows, pistols and a certain staff known as the featherlight barrager which he can also use like a panzerschriek. Family: -Family: The creator. A large metal hulking machine which stamped him out. History: Machiner was created at the IR-1 robot base, as a prototype magical android. he was sent out into the world, and managed to et a high military-intellectual position as senior lecturer and quartermaster. ((This is a remarkably common position in his world)) after a series of exiting adventures that I'm still typing, but you will probably never see, he Upgraded himself into a new form, became born into our world, and now travels the universes. -Other Info- currently fighting/ resting/ advancing his storyline in the coliseum. -Basics- Name:Matxin (sounds like matches, but with stress on the last syllable) Parragen-Smithyssen Gender:Male Age:19, And barely travelled, but well read. Species: Human Alliance: More or less good. Homeland: Earth, Europe, somewhere mountainous in the west. That's all i can tell you now -Descriptions- Personality: Matxin has Asperger's, but usually tries to rise above the stereotype by being as friendly as he can. however, a crippling shyness and prudence(as in a deep held "feelings "about anything taboo), and intelligent sense of humour do mar thing's a bit from his usual peers. Appearance: a 1,89 Meter stocky young man with black hair, light green eyes and a black hat with a floppy brim, and glasses (short sighted) he wears a black t-shirt under a black short sleeved shirt with white trim around the collar and edge. This he wears buttoned with one button or badge. His arms are bare but he sometimes wears large bracelets. his trousers are nondescript and he usually carries some large object around which draws your attention. Accents: British and Argentine Typical Emotions: generally well disposed to people. -Stats- Strength:High Stamina:Average Intelligence: high Wisdom:high/high Agility:low Magic Or abillities: Okay, so the other idea didn't work. Matxin has 4 abillities. This will be updated later, as soon as i get here again. Psycho- and aqua- Kinesis. Which means he can make solids and liquids float. Crystallizaton, which means he can make ice crystals Anywhere, but to a degree. He also can Conduct electricity through these. At a pinch, he can crystallize a gas in the air, and the pump them full of energy so they float. The last one is chi manipulation. He can create chi. either to fire at people in a series of balls, or as a swipe. -Combat and Travel- Travel: an old yellow-and-white 75cc moped. with a lot of scratched mirrors. Very fuel efficient. Equipment: -Equipment:metal or wooden poles. and Lances, mainly. He also has an object known as the Galactic Swiss Army Knife. which can create most things, but you must pack everything up as it was or it reverts into one form. History: [classified!] the most i can tell you. is that he has a mountainous past and is skilled at a variety of different tasks. -Other Info- currently fighting/ resting/ advancing his storyline in the coliseum. He is known under several names. CopyCat, Fleetfoot, The Defender.... This character is as close as i'm going to get to a realistic portrait of myself. Name:Ebon LeTzarre Of the Darkness Malign Incarnate as The Kirby PHd (Darky to you) Gender:Male Age:19, And barely travelled. Species: Kirby(Regional variant native to Halfmoon) also known as the WovoMon. Alliance: Good. Homeland: Halfmoon Caverns. -Descriptions- Personality: Easygoing, naive... Appearance: Imagine a white ball. cover it in black fur all except the bottom. draw a small mouth on this patch. draw two yellow eyes where it seems appropriate. from here, draw a regular kirby shape. and cover these nubs with black fur as well. the bottommost ones cover with shoes in a chequerboard pattern and the topmost ones, give some... 5 claws to each. Give this Kirby the cutter ability. -Descriptions- Personality:bit of an fan boy, annoying. Appearance:grey Kirby in junk warrior Kirby shaped armour. Imagine a blue hexagon and you're partway there. Typical Clothing: the armour. a scarf. and a white balaclava through which you can see the eyes. Also, two long and narrow blue metal tubes. they have Robo-arms at the end. they also hinge. Accents: British. Typical Emotions: Annoy mode 2000. -Stats- Strength: Explosive bursts of strength. Stamina: Low. Intelligence: Is there a word for "worse than abysmal"? Wisdom: Uses logic, but it never works and he can so easily be tricked. Agility: 70 kph with a tailwind. Magic: Spell and trap cards. -Combat and Travel- Abilities: -Good at flying with the wings on his back. Also, he has a small jet engine, no more than eight inches high. Equipment: -A deck -Hitting people with his wings -Ridiculous scarf Appearance: Irgav is a giant wooden manikin, the kind usually found in art studios for poses. His wooden limbs are of normal human proportions. He has no eyes, yet still sees. On occasion there will be a shine where his eyes should be, but it quickly disappears. He has a crescent shaped mouth, grinning at all times with sharp jagged teeth that have been painted on and have no other purpose then to show where his mouth should be and yet he can still talk. The only thing he wares is a black cloak with a hood that covers his upper body and hides most of his face in the shadows. He has several belts; a belt on each shoulder, and two belts around his waist to carry his swords. The belts seem to be bolted onto his wooden body. Personality: Irgav is rather over confident in his abilities, thus making him extremely cocky most of the time. Aside from that, he is rather polite but won't mind making backhanded comments about you later. In fact he usually does this to most people he meets. He never says no to something challenging even if he can't do it normally. He will usually make things up about his body, like why his mouth never moves or why he doesn't have eyes. He also doesn't like abusing his abilities to win, as he finds it rather lackluster and boring to win in such a way. Voice: Irgav has a typical American accent. His voice has a raspy edge to it and it always feels like he's whispering to you and you alone. His tone is rather typical of an adult male. S.P.E.C.I.A.L Stats Strength: Irgav is has above average strength. This is more apparent when he physically strikes you and his wooden limbs start to crack. Perception: Due to his mastery of illusions he is extremely perceptive. He can note his opponents tiny details and use it to his advantage. However, his cockiness will make him blind to most of it and he'll do on the fly thinking. Endurance: He has a near unlimited supply of endurance but it won't do him much good if his limbs have been cut/broken. Charisma: He isn't very flashy. After all, he's just a large manikin with a smile painted on. He generally creeps everyone out, so that doesn't help much. Intelligence: Average at best. Just enough to let him go on in life, but he won't mind hearing something new. Luck: Irgav, being able to manipulate his surroundings, can pretty much manipulate his luck. His luck runs out when the opponent tosses a spread shot attack at him. Abilities: Irgav has powerful magic to back himself up in fights when he starts getting into it. He is a master at illusions and it would take hours before you realize you're talking to him in the wrong direction if you're highly perceptive. He can make the illusion of being up front and ready for a slash when in reality he's really just sitting down holding up his sword. Of course, since it's all just illusions, they can pass through solid objects, but Irgav is more attentive when using this magic and that will most likely never happen. Equipment: Irgav simply has 4 very rusty swords with good quality hilts and sheaths. He also has two extra sheaths which he caries around only for his illusion tricks. A Brief History: Irgav is a demonic spirit who is a master of illusions. He managed to break free from the underworld and make it to the surface of Earth. Here he found his body you see today. He merely took it and painted a smile on it for some reason and took off. After traveling, unarmed, he managed to find discarded swords and sheaths along the way. He still travels aimlessly. -Other Info- Irgav is a demon but is seemingly unaffected by holy water or crosses or other similar objects. -Basics-: NAME:16bitPlasmaPinkKirby (AKA:16-bit) GENDER:male SPECIES:Kirby OCCUPATION:The Team Leader of a Team called Team Kirby AGE:14 ALIGNMENT:Good HOMETOWN:Stardust Speedway MAGIC:Does psychic abilities count? ATTACKS:He has the normal Plasma ability lineup but has two strong attacks: 1."Super Deluxe Plasma wave cannon" it is essentially the Plasma wave cannon but bigger and slower. 2. "Super Deluxe Plasma crash!" It's a cross between the crash ability and the Plasma ability but rumored to be avoided at times. Info: APPEARANCE:A light pink 16-bit kirby with plasma "hair". Look to his avatar picture for more on his appearance. (he's the Pink one!) PERSONALITY:16-bit plasma pink kirby is quite the talker when it has to do with things he likes especially his game collection,Famicom systems,the SNES&SFC,the Mother/Earthbound series,and electricity,with that in mind mess with his stuff and you WILL get a huge plasma wave cannon shot after you! WEAKNESSES: Completely terrified of Alien beings especially starmen also petrified of doomsday devices. VOICE: A 14 year old american accent. S.P.E.C.I.A.L STATS &INFO STRENGTH: With his plasma and guarding skills he's a strong fighter and without... not so much. PERCEPTION:very observational can and will find his enemies weaknesses quickly and effectively. ENDURANCE:He has as much endurance as the life meter in KSS and tries to save as much as he can by guarding and creating a plasma barrier by charging his electricity. CHARISMA:He's a 16-bit Kirby so he really stands out in a 3-d world but he is a Kirby nonetheless. INTELLIGENCE:Very High unknown why though. AGILITY:Well he can go fast when he wants or needs to. LUCK:Depends...at the moment quite good since Earthbound seems to be slightly lowering in price. INTERESTING ABILITIES: He has PSI attacks like PK Fire and PK Flash and he can build and fix things and has the ability to catch onto things well. EQUIPMENT&CLOTHING:not really anything besides his plasma and his green yoyo,he sometimes finds big sticks or baseball bats to attack with.Oh!and he almost always is spotted driving a U.F.O. gaining the nickname U.F.K.! For clothes usually a weird baseball cap. SOME HISTORY:He once thought he was normal until he figured out how to use PSI and when he started to notice green electrified needles growing out of his head and then he started to be able to shoot plasma out of his hands. OTHER INFO: He has a younger brother called akai Kirby. (akai is pronounced ah-k-eye) (akai is red in japanese) (Red Kirby is the red on in the avatar!) AIR RIDE MACHINE: His own creation:The Mecha Hydra! AIR RIDE MACHINE APPEARANCE:Exactly like the normal Hydra but made of metal and with extra features. _________________ I'm the future kirby to own hoshi no kirby super deluxe,kirby super star,and kirby's fun pak! And I only have to get kirby's fun pak for this to be true! Name:Remoter Gender: Genderless, associated with Male. Age:A number between 2 and 79. Species:Robot Master/Genex Ally Remote Hybrid Occupation:Dueler/Boss Alignment:Neutral Evil Homeland:New Form Built personally by an Evil Scientist; Original Hardware and Body produced en masse in an Ally of Justice Stronghold in the outskirts of the Worm Galaxy. -Descriptions- Strengths- Very agile and Intelligent; Can reprogram things easily. Weaknesses- Is easy to sway to one side, and is a little short-tempered. S.P.E.C.I.A.L Stats Strength: Medium - Though he's more used to special techniques, he can doll out some damage physically if needed. Perception: Medium-High - his eyes are specifically made to sight enemies and keep locked on, Endurance: Medium-High - His new body is quite resistant to attacks, but crumbles under extreme pressure of repeated blows. Charisma: ? - People have mixed opinions on him. Intelligence: High. Agility: High. Luck: None. Abilities: Shooting Pellets of pure energy. Confusing Enemies with his "Remote Change" attack, which makes their brains behave in strange, usually backwards, ways. Causes a few seconds to charge. Shooting eye Lasers. Fairly Strong, but energy Consuming. Causing Space Junk to fall from who knows where. His hand's remote can allow him to preform odd attacks, such as shooting an exploding pellet, launching a beam to freeze enemies, and other such things. Equipment:Everything on Him. Usually Not much. He often has a enormous scythe made from his previous nightmare's arm, and wears a crimson colored cape full of wear from his battles. A Brief History: Remoter was a rouge at his original world, and he escaped via an escape pod, which he customized to be able to travel faster. He went with two other Genexes that were captured and placed there; Blastfan and Furnace. They travel world to world dueling others with their Decks, all Genex oriented, but focused on themselves. They also get Gas and trade at the worlds they visit. Later, He "requested" to be upgraded due to a virus that had been implanted by a mysterious assailant, which failed miserably due to the body having hardware in it to convert his thoughts to traditionally malicious ones, and went under the rule of a certain Robotic specialist to try and defeat anybody that threatened his "master", but Cowered out, only taking challengers that did odd objectives to show they were ready for his hazardous lair, which he completed personally. Since being released from there, he wanders the universe, taking on challengers, and sometimes relaxes with people he has befriended along the way. -Descriptions- Wannabe is a little prankster, often misunderstood, he does whatever he feels like doing and he'll do it however much he wants to of it. You can't force him to do anything he doesn't want to, but he will do it under certain circumstances. Appearance: Blackish with a Kirby shaped body, he has a pack on his back that he'll never put down. Voice: it's believed to be similar to Kirby's, but he'll never talk, so nobody knows. S.P.E.C.I.A.L StatsNote, all of his stats don't stay the same, more on this later. Strength: he has a little amount of strength, he makes up for it with other stats. Perception: he has amazing perception, including the ability to see far away things. Endurance: he has an infinite Endurance, except under certain circumstances. Charisma: Nothing much, most people find him "cute" however. Intelligence: he's not quite that smart, however, he's a quick learner. Agility: he has an amazing speed, along with great spryness Luck: His luck isn't the best, whenever things start going good for him, his luck changes whenever he's being the luckiest he can be. Abilities: He has the ability to put on any mask, and become the person/thing that the mask looks like. depending on the person/thing of the mask, his Stats will change, this can give him a handicap. Equipment: nothing but a pack on his back, filled with mask. A Brief History: From what's known, He was found on Dreamland by King Dedede. Thinking he was a special new species, King Dedede took Wannabe to the Palace to train him to be evil. Wannabe was unruly and didn't listen to King Dedede, so he ran from the Palace. After he got far enough, he stopped by a close stream of water, he noticed the there was something floating in the water, he swims after it and grabs it. After he returned to the shore, he observed the item, which turned out to be a mask. A Kirby mask. he puts it on, and became KirbyWannabe. this changed things significantly. once he was KirbyWannabe he couldn't take off the mask, it was fused to him. after awhile, he got used to being Kirby, until one day, he got into a battle With Kirby, who inhaled him, before Kirby could swallow, KirbyWannabe struggled so much, that Kirby spat KirbyWannabe out, right into a wall. The mask came off of KirbyWannabe, turning Wannabe back to normal. after wards, he went on his way, he then found a small bag hanging off a tree, he liked it, and took it with him. -Other Info- He likes pizza and stuffs....that's all. Appearance: Knight is a yellow batamon, with brown shoes and cheek marks. His eyes are also the same shade of brown. He wears an old knight's helmet with a visor, and most of the time the visor isn't covering his face. He looks rather content most of the time. Personality: Knight is extremely cautious and quiet. He doesn't really like socializing, but is rather polite and quiet. He has a short temper, and prefers not to talk about his past. Knight is also very kind and would rather not harm an individual more than necessary. He's also looking for a sense of justice he can follow, since he lacks his own. Voice: Has an American accent, and the voice is sort of deep for his age. S.P.E.C.I.A.L Stats (text or #/10, whichever makes more sense to you) Strength: High, he's rather strong and can lift a few crates with ease. Perception: Very attentive, unless he's being distracted by personal matters. Endurance: Above average, he's able to last a bit longer than other batamon. Charisma: Not very charismatic. Intelligence: Average, but knows a lot about blades. Agility: Average. Luck: His luck is okay, but is definitely not relied upon. Abilities: Star Magic: Knight commands the power of the stars, which is mostly used on his blade. By saying the name of a star, Knight can change the element of his blade easily. -Dual Star: Part of the above, this lets him combine the effects of two stars. He doesn't use this often. Equipment: Stargazer: Knight's blade, which only has one edge and is twice as big as him. When needed, the blade can turn into the blade of a lightsaber. In this mode, all effects on the blade are also drastically increased. A Brief History: Knight was a simple batamon who lived on Cautera and eventually became a Warpstar Knight in the name of their king. Then, it went crazy. As Knight began to do more and more things for the king, he noticed they often were morally wrong. Eventually he found out he was not alone, and he joined a resistance group to overthrow the corrupt king. However, this had badly damaged the planet, and it turned into a desert wasteland. Knight then left his planet, searching for a way to help it. -Basics- Name: - Moniker: Dusk Gender: Male Age: 21 Species: Contained (a human who has made a contract with a summon spirit, which causes their body's appearance and state to mutate and change to reflect their contractor) Alignment: Chaotic Good Homeland: Avahso: a large settlement that serves as the central capital of the North. It is split into two distinct cities known as Deimos and Phobos. Occupation: A member of the Aserian Rebellion, a group specialized in the killing of rogue magic users. -Descriptions- Personality: Dusk is somewhat of an introvert: When with those he doesn't know, he is calm and silent and only speaks if spoken to or if he feels strongly about something. When with people he is familiar with, he still retains his serious edge, but is more open and prone to sarcasm and sardonic remarks. Even then though, he's prone to silence and will only offer his input after everybody else. He is often eerily calm and level-headed, and will thoroughly think about any situation before making an action. Appearance: Dusk is of average height, being five feet and eleven inches, and of average build at best. He has mid-length brown hair that hangs over his green eyes, which fade to grey and then white as he uses his eye-related abilities. He has only one arm: his left, due to his right being amputated. However, his appearance is often unknown due to him constantly wearing a navy facial mask with a long end that only lets a spike of his hair and his eyes show. He wears a green scarf with long flowing ends, and a green sash with ends just as long, as well as an orange sweater with buckles on the sleeves and chest to make it easy to attach or remove armaments. His legs are covered by long, navy blue pants that spread at the bottom. His feet are protected only by a pair of brown traveling boots that go underneath his pants. Voice: Lower Medium pitch, occasionally cracks. He tends to avoid the use of contractions and abbreviations. He has a very high laugh that doesn't suit him very well that he is a touch embarrassed about. Stats Strength: He's decently powerful for a human, but isn't capable of pulling off insane or superhuman feats of strength. Despite his lack of superhuman strength though, he still packs a devastating left hook and has well developed leg muscles. Stamina: The area at which Dusk most excels due to his extensive training and his own mutations. He is capable of fighting at full tilt for hours on end and is incredibly resilient to pain; able to function and act with wounds that would put most others into shock. Being as his body has mutated into a form not all that dissimilar living steel, he is golem-like in receiving blows. Coupled with his ability to handle huge amounts of stress and a partial healing factor make him a stubborn opponent. Agility: He runs as fast as an athletic human, but he is not incredibly acrobatic and instead relies on calculated motions when moving about. He can quickly move any part of his body as required, but is not incredibly flexible. Intelligence: When it comes to knowledge, Dusk is only exceptional in a few areas, but his brief time working as an assassin has taught him greatly about knowledge outside of "book smarts". It is due to this that he developed a keen memory as well as the ability to learn quickly and problem solve, lending to a partially calculating nature when engaged in combat. Charisma: Mostly an introvert that doesn't like to make arguments or draw attention or lead crowds. Though when he feels strongly about something, he has no qualms with making himself heard and taking charge of the situation. Perception: Normally being deaf greatly puts a man at a disadvantage in the arts of perception. Not so with Dusk, who has used the lack of one sense to sharply hone his sense of sight, to the point that he rarely misses small visual details. In addition, he can quickly take in and adapt to his surroundings, giving him a sort of ingenuity that lends to sometimes creative solutions. Special: Has a myriad of abilities, but is constantly implementing differing sorts of limiters. Regardless, his abilities have wide range and allow him to take advantage and adapt to most situations. While he primarily specializes in the manipulation of earth and air, he can also distort reality and create objects from nothingness when pressed. Abilities: -Runic cast: A diverse branch of magic that is cast by drawing symbols in the air that works on two basic principles: Different symbols achieve different results, and that by increasing size and complexity, a spell can be increased in power at the cost of more energy. Dusk tends to favor wind and earth techniques. -Rhythmic Cast: A branch of magic that is based on gesture and movement. Is an exceptionally fast way to cast and can be done easily on the run or in the middle of combat. Can serve offensive or support uses thanks to quick cast. Can be combined with Runic cast for very powerful, albeit time consuming, effects. -Summon: Dusk is capable summoning Noir, a mischievous spirit that embodies wind and earth, and Atlas, a great spirit that embodies earth and change itself. He is also capable of summoning Kairus and his brother Ohmex; Ohmex being a yellow spider of titanic proportions that uses a stinger and his front legs to manipulate lightning and electromagnetism -Manipulation: Dusk is capable of manipulating metal as well as generating more from the ground. He can even generate some from the ground, but this takes quite a bit of time. -Emissary of the Earth's Fang: Dusk is incredibly skilled in the ability of manipulating the earth, able to cause large land masses to rise out and levitate through his manipulation. So supreme is his manipulation that it is more of an extension of himself rather than a magic art that requires the expenditure of spiritual energy. He seals his true power by wearing his scarf, once removed his earth abilities become even more potent. -Rider upon the Wind's Breath: Dusk also possesses the ability to skillfully manipulate the wind and make it do his bidding. His skill in this area is nowhere near his ability to manipulate earth, though. Still, with this ability he is able to move freely through the air in short bursts by "air dashing". He seals the true potency of this ability by wearing his sash, which when removed increases the potency of his abilities dramatically. -Sound Seeing Eye: Dusk has the unusual ability to sense and detect sound within two hundred feet using his eyes, which allow him to perceive it in waves. This helps to make up for his deafness, and it comes in several stages with that vary in effect. Tysu allows him to see sound and mimic and recreate actions oriented with it (useful in duplicating techniques that aren't inherent or magical) and manipulate it to a small degree. Magatsu increases his ability to perceive sound, allowing him to perceive even minute sounds that the body makes. It allows him to manipulate sound into a deadly weapon that can pierce physical presence and shatter mental presence. Kaleis is the final form, allowing him to accelerate any sound into a sonic implosion and detect sounds to a ridiculous degree. He could effectively use this ability to cause the heart to explode or the lungs to collapse. -Noir's Mischief: By acting as a living conduit through his contract with the Spirit of Mischief, he is granted the ability to warp reality. Though taxing on him it allows for him to do various things, some subtle and some deadly. Ultimately he could erase something completely from existence or alter its very being, but such an act would deteriorate his body to a large degree. -Bastion and Gale Mk. 6: The fifth and second-last iteration of the Bastion and Gale blade sets and as such the most powerful. Like all of the other sets, the two blades are capable of being fused together to form another weapon; in this case Zeta Caladbolg, a large zweihander that distorts light and the fabric or reality around it. Dusk uses it as a catalyst to employ his reality altering abilities, able to cut rifts in space-time and distort reality. He is also capable of using the blade to disperse and absorb energy of any sort. Equipment: -His hood, scarf, and sash are all laced with adamantite, allowing him to use them for a multi-pronged strike or a way to defend himself while attacking. -He wears a segmented adamantite vest which gives him very good defenses. -Carries adamantite twine and string that serve multiple uses. -Carries two short swords named Bastion and Gale with varying abilities that differ between the two. Can form together to make Zeta Caladbolg, a Zweihänder with great power -Zeta Caladbolg: A Zweihänder with the power to rend space-time and cause splits in dimensions, and also able to decompose forms of energy and absorb them. It serves as a catalyst to strengthen Dusk's control over reality. -A.R.M.O.S.V.A (Articulated Replica of Machine Orientation-Strike Variety Arm): A complex mechanical arm that is capable of performing any human functions and even exceeding some. It can be replaced with different models and the hand can alter in shape into a variety of objects. Because of it complexity and uses, the arm is incredibly fragile and unable to lift anything exceedingly heavy. To counter this, it has a shield generator that runs off of Dusk's life force that allows it to take hits without damage. History: ((Work in process, I daresay)) Miscellaneous: He has a pet Pygmy Roc named Travers that often sits on his shoulder and pecks his head to avert his attention to people talking or to sneak attacks. He also has an odd habit of speed walking everywhere instead of just walking. ~~~ -Basics- Name: Kairus Gender: Male Age: ??? Species: Euophrys Livyatan Alignment: Neutral good Homeland: The Endless: a large expanse of tropical jungle inhabited by many large and intelligent variants of existing creatures. -Description- Personality: Kairus is very social despite his intimidating appearance,, as he enjoys mingling with sentient creatures. He dislikes overly tense situations outside of battle, and overly tense people by extension. Kairus's true passion lies in hunting, however, and he lives for battle. He still occasionally gives into some animalistic behaviors despite his more human personality and intelligence however. Appearance: Kairus is a very large spider, being around three and a half feet tall whilst standing normally on his eight legs. His body is hairy (similar to a tarantula), but the hair that covers his body is a bizzare dull orange colour on his abdomen, and navy blue on his head and legs, which have sharp, pointed ends (leading to a very noticeable clicking sound when he moves). His head is rounded, but juts out in a point near the back, and is adorned by six little angular eyes which are black in colour, and one large, grey eye in the center. Bizarrely, he wears a green sash around the middle of his abdomen that matches a green scarf he wears between his head and abdomen. Rough Black and White Sketch 1, Rough Black and White Sketch 2. Rough Black and White Sketch 3, Color 1, Colour 2 Voice: Kairus is unable to speak physically with his jaws, so instead he speaks telepathically in a radial area around him that varies in distance. The voice he emits is perceived as a low tenor, and he telegraphs laughter by clicking his jaws rapidly S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Stats Strength: He is very powerful, being able to push large objects and swing heavy objects around. His legs can puncture stone with sheer force. Perception: Thanks to his heightened senses, he is able to perceive many things to a great extent. He is able to react to just about any action instantly, and is seldom caught off guard. This extends to interactions, where he can be quick to catch on and assess others. Endurance: Though he can physically exert himself for long periods of time, he is also protected by a natural armor in the form of his exoskeleton. This makes him initially resilient to strikes, but after breaking past it he can't take many hits. Charisma: Very outgoing and confident, but is not good at taking charge in a situation and often has trouble speaking over the crowd. Intelligence: Able to think quickly and prepare devious traps and strategies, but is not especially intelligent, and is prone to animalistic outbursts. Agility: Can move very quickly on six or eight legs, and can stand and support himself on a minimum of four. Though his legs are dexterous, the same cannot be said about the rest of him. Magic: Cannot use magic fueled by his own mana, but instead employs a large array of techniques using his webs to make up for it. This allows him to use spells frequently and without tiring, but once he runs out of web (doesn't often happen) he becomes unable to use magic. Abilities: -Web: Kairus can produce web from his mouth or abdomen which he can use to trap or snag targets, and can make large webs. He can swing or hang on his web to move around quickly. -Runic Web Seal: By focusing energy, Kairus can make webs lined with energy that can function as traps that trigger when tripped or webs that that dissipate and produce a spell. He can cast magic of any element through this method, and this is his primary tactic in battle. -Sound Seeing Eye: Dusk gets his eye abilities from his pact with Kairus, and Kairus's function the same for the most part. He can see sound and interpret it through waves and "hear" it in his mind, which lets him travel in the dark by use of sonar and sense targets that are hiding. -Advance: Kairus is capable of splitting part of his scarf off to make a powerful trap instantly. This trap often manifests as a much more powerful version of any of his other traps. -"Ascension: Stand Above Everything": Kairus's most powerful ability, he locks his opponent in place and stuns them with a large trap before unleashing a powerful surge. Using this would drain Kairus's entire reserve of mana, and as such he has never used it. This ability could kill him in the process, and is aptly named "Rainy Day" by other members of his species Equipment: While Kairus possesses no equipment, his body does produce several different substances that he utilizes (Kairus is only able to generate more of these substances by eating and as such, he can expend his sources). Kairus is unable to take in or absorb mana, but his webs can, which after aging and absorbing enough of become emerald green. -Standard Web: Kairus' "default" web. It is thick and incredibly hard to slice, and opponents who get trapped in it will find that it is also hard to escape from due to how sticky it is. It is resistant to wind and heavy force, but is easily combustible. -Thin Web: Pretty much just a thinner variety of the standard webbing that is often used for traps. While not as strong or as durable, it can only be seen by looking directly at it. It's also razor sharp -Venom Web Cocktail: Upon adding some of his venom, Kairus' webs become incredibly resilient and absorb energy from the air, allowing him to use more Rune techniques per web. This web can be ignited, but it will not burn up, instead it will burn for a long period of time while continually expelling volatile energy into the air. -Venom: Kairus' venom could be described as very versatile; as it is only poisonous when ingested orally or by being injected directly into the blood stream. By mixing venom with his webs, he can make them very resistant, or he can harmlessly coat his jaws or legs with it to instantly cut his own webs and prevent himself from being caught in them. By injecting it directly into the bloodline with an infusion of mana, it can be used as a means to transfer energy. Because of all this, Kairus rarely uses his venom offensively. -Euphorys Realm Seal: After every battle, Kairus adds the web that absorbed the most mana to his scarf. Upon completion, he can undo the scarf's seal and create a large, emerald-colored web that he uses for "Ascension: Stand Above Everything". History: The Livyatan Arachnids used to rank supreme amongst the many creatures in the Endless, their mere visage struck terror into any animal or human unfortunate enough to come in their way. They were known as deadly hunters that devoured all they came across, even the magi who thought they ruled supreme would more often than not turn up dead after confronting one. This was because unlike many creatures of The Endless, the Livyatan Arachnids were capable of using magic that allowed them to leave elaborate traps. With the knowledge that avoiding humans was the best idea, their already deadly physical tools and even magic at their disposal they were the undisputed masters of the forest realm that had overtaken the North. But then one day the Magi came in vast numbers and began to hunt down the Livyatan Arachnids and kill them. This campaign was driven by fear and greed, as they feared that the spiders would not only outstrip their abilities in magic but also that they would soon organize and rise up against the humans. Also, the Magi knew well that the webbing created by the spiders was a powerful material that served myriad uses, so they also resolved to enslave some of the species to use for gathering. Rather then let themselves be enslaved or killed by the humans though, the Livyatan Arachnids disappeared entirely from the Endless and headed to the West where no humans dwell. The Magi couldn't afford to follow them, as they lacked the resources or knowledge to make an exploration to wild-dominated territory. Years later one of the younger spiders by the name of Kairus returned to the legendary home of his ancestors, having grown weary of the boring and simple prey found in the West. He had expected to find large amounts of fantastical wildlife upon his arrival due to the fact that the absence of his species would allow others to flourish, but he was to be disappointed. For upon his return he found that the Magi had been rampantly hunting all of the magical creatures found in The Endless to near extinction. Enraged, he crept into their capital of Avahso and began to observe his new enemy. While he initially only did this stakeout to observe the behaviors and routines of the guards and the Magi, he soon began to take interest in human society itself. He discovered to his horror that the Magi even persecuted and discriminated against their own people, or rather they did so for those who were unable to cast magic as they could. Now thoroughly disgusted with the Magi, he planned his attack and eventually assaulted the central Magi complex in the thick of the night. He slunk in after a divergence strategy and began silently killing multiple Magi as they slept, silencing any guards he came across. Finding no prisoners, he left with a sense of satisfaction in his act of justice. He remained within the capital, observing as even more guards were posted and the security was amplified. He planned his next attack to be in a week to give the situation time to cool, and then once more he set upon the complex. Unfortunately for him he was detected early due to advanced security measures, and he had to flee. Nevertheless, he managed to trigger a trap he had placed in the center of the building during his previous trip when he had discovered there were no prisoners. He triggered it when he escaped, and with that there was a deafening explosion that wreathed the complex in flames and killed those inside. His display cost him though, and soon he was cornered by a squadron of Magi. Realizing what their attacker was, they resolved to capture him. Not wanting to be an eternal prisoner, Kairus aggravated them into a a fight in an attempt to get them to kill him instead. However, the very earth rose up against the Magi, killing them where they stood, and the spider looked over to see his savior. His rescuer turned out to be the Spirit of Mischief, Noir, who in admiration of the spider's actions spared him his fate. He asked that in return Kairus only had cooperate with him from then on, to which the spider agreed. It was after this that Kairus met Dusk, whom he formed a pact with at the request of Noir. While originally unwilling, he began to befriend the human and eventually the two had become a fierce duo. It was then that they joined the Rebellion Aseria, joining in the fight against the oppression of the Magi. ~~~ -Basics- Name: Zeke (also known as Zot) Sex: Male Age: 17 Species: Batamon Occupation: Adventurer, Lab assistant Alignment: Neutral Good Homeland: Veris, a small and mostly deserted planet that is inhabited by creatures that live in the large expanse of cavernous tunnels underneath its surface. -Descriptions- Personality: He comes off as lazy and aloof, but is actually quite humorous. He sometimes pushes those he doesn't know away to prevent them from being hurt in the event that he goes berserk. His self confidence is practically nonexistent, and as such he is always wondering and asking if he has screwed up in any way. Despite these shortcomings though, he is still eager to help those in trouble. While he often avoids combat, he does enjoy battling to an extent. Biography: He lived on Veris with his friend Pike Naedle as a digger to expand the planet's tunnel systems, but in one expedition his entire team except for himself and Pike Naedle died in a cave-in. The two of them began to dig to find a way out before they found an old chamber that resembled some kind of ancient laboratory. Rebooting the ancient laboratory through it's computer, Pike Naedle found that it had advanced technology beyond what the two of them had ever known. They made the lab their new home and have lived there since, utilizing it's unique teleportation device to travel and explore other worlds. Appearance: He is a small, orange Kirby-like creature with green, plated shoes and no blush at all. He does have a shock of chocolate-brown hair, but it is concealed by his ornate helmet, which is primarily red in color. At the ends of his arms he has ivory claw-like protrusions that can act as fingers. He has brown eyes. Though he is small, he's actually quite large for a member of his species, as he stands at a size of one foot and six inches (about double the usual size) Typical Clothing: Wears his helmet and Accel shoes, and that's about it. Voice: His voice is fairly low, despite his small size. When he speaks it is an bored fashion that makes it appear as if he could fall asleep at any moment. Typical Emotion: Neutral most of the time. -Combat & Traveling- Stats- Strength: Though small, he has much greater strength than this would imply. He has enough strength to hold and effortlessly wield human-sized equipment, but he's no super man. He doesn't possess the strength to toss aside or move incredibly heavy objects, but he does possess the ability to manipulate latent force in and around himself to exert it and increase his abilities. Stamina: His elastic skin is more durable than it appears to be, as it not only grants him rudimentary resistances to multiple forces of nature (burning, shocking, freezing, and incredible pressure) but also a very impressive resistance to blunt strikes or force. He's capable of strenuous activity for long periods of time too, due in part to his body's own advanced equilibrium. Agility: Is incredibly agile, being able to jump incredibly high and run at speeds nearly indiscernible to the eye thanks to his Accel shoes. Thanks to these he can instantly accelerate to top speed and stop just as quickly, but he's not only limited to the ground. He's also capable of incredible jumps and is able to move fluidly through the air in a matter similar to flight. And though his arms are small he can move them quickly and efficiently as well. Intelligence: He can appear to be slow and is absolutely worthless in matters involving social mechanics. Nevertheless, he is more intelligent than he seems, just in a different way than most. He doesn't understand the math or complicated sciences behind most things, but he instead focuses on the raw and simple mechanics behind what he knows and what he learns. It's through this method that he gains an intimate knowledge that he can take to heart and never forget. As expected this leads to him having a solid memory, but because of his raw approach he lacks truly good problem-solving of strategizing skills. But if he's in his element his ability to problem-solve and strategize increase dramatically. Charisma: Is often aloof and has the habit of falling asleep in the middle of a conversation. He has almost no confidence, and his leadership abilities are so poor he couldn't lead sheep. He does have knowledge of some social conventions, so he isn't completely hopeless all the time. Wisdom: How wise he is varies wildly. If he is experiencing something new he is not especially perceptive, often missing things integral to solving problems at hand. Despite this he is very good at sensing things though, possessing an almost animal-like innate "sixth sense" and ability to understand the flow and disruption of energy. If he is in a situation or is dealing with something he understands he becomes drastically more perceptive Special: Can manipulate and absorb energy in basic and raw forms, both kinetic and potential. He can also manipulate matter itself, transforming it and rearranging its particles to create something different than its base form. This extends to his own body, which he can manipulate and transform for almost any situation that he understands. Beyond that he can even utilize the mystical energy known as "mana": a spiritual energy that is latent in the air, and use ti to cause magical and chemical reactions. He can also use this force to cast magic, adding another unpredictable and diverse element to his repertoire. Abilities: Force Output: He is capable of manipulating his energy and latent energy around him into raw force that he can use to reinforce any action he takes. For example, it allows him to clash blades with characters much bigger and stronger than he is. Body Alteration: He can alter his body's form and chemical makeup to take on various forms that give him dominion over several kinds of matter. His appearance and abilities change with every form, and he can only take forms of things he has experienced or studied. Manipulation: Allows him to manipulate any form of matter or energy that he has an understanding of. He can learn how to manipulate new things by studying them, experiencing them himself, or using his helmet to absorb and gain understanding of the raw mechanics of the desired idea. While only one of the previous methods will suffice for him to learn, doing all three allows him to truly master the given manipulation and use it to its fullest. Techniques: Potential Store: Rapidly intakes energy from the air into his body and stores it for later use. Cannot be stored for long, and only so much may be absorbed. Kinetic Drive: Temporarily increases abilities by using energy to remove his physical and spiritual limitations. After the effects wear off there is a cool-down period. Piercing Edge: Lines his weapon with mysterious energy that allows it to cut through just about any material. Runic Spell Cast: Uses mana to make spells through Runes. Can be used to generate sources of material to manipulate and can be done in any form. Equipment: Phantom Edge-Angelus: An ethereal blade that can become tangible and solid at the user's command. When not physical it appears to be a hazy grey mist attached to its pommel, which is black in colour with a white tip. The solid blade is that of a scimitar. The true identity of the sword is Gale Eta, of the Bastion and Gale weapon series, and as such it can combine with Phase Edge-Breaker (Bastion Eta) to form the spear known as Gáe Bulg. Phase Edge-Breaker: Through output of the user's energy, this blade can impact, dissipate, and absorb the energy of energy based attacks. It can also output force to match an impact against it. Is a falchion-like blade with a navy blue pommel. The true identity of the sword is Bastion Eta, of the Bastion and Gale weapon series, ans as such it can combine with its counterpart to form the Eta Series Combination Weapon. Bastion and Gale Mk. 6: Eta Gáe Bulg: ??? (for now) Accel Shoes: These are shoes with friction resistant soles that let him hover over the ground as if he was skating quickly. He is capable of using them to reach his max speed by activating a small thrust from boosters in the shoes, and can do the same to come to a quick stop or change directions without slowing. Sealed Helm: Red ornate helmet with a grey tassel and intricate black and white design all around the top. Advances his ability to transform and manipulate energy and matter. Limiter: An electronic visor and headset combo that slides down from under his helmet during battle to keep his emotions and power in check. This is necessary because the only time the combating spiritual forces that use his body as a vessel have any sway of him and his actions is during battle. The limiter prevents this and keeps him from releasing deadly energy. -Other- Friends: James (Pike Naedle) who is as close to him as a brother. When Zeke battles, Pike Naedle always provides assistance in any way possible. He is also Zeke's current employer, and often serves as mission control to Zeke's antics as a lab assistant. Miscellaneous: He loves cooking. ~~~ -Basics- Name: Cantus Sex: Male Age: 57 cycles (19 earth years) Species: Singulis, a species of aliens that are born with the ability to morph their appearance, but lose this ability upon their thirtieth cycle. Occupation: As he has no specific occupation, he simply refers to himself as an adventurer. Alignment: Neutral Good Homeland: Spatium, a large city on the Singulis home planet of Domicim. Despite its large size, Spatium is not at all densely populated and has a quite small population. It does however, have a wide variety of different species from around the planet. -Descriptions- Personality: Sometimes distant and a bit spacey, loves to constantly think and concentrate. Because of this and his habit of keeping to and working by himself, he is thought to be very solitary. This can also be attributed to the fact that he rarely pays attention to anything unless he is directly involved, often ignoring those around him unless they are directly in front of him. This however doesn't mean that he dislikes others, as he is in fact very friendly, he just is really…really spacey. He is, however, sometimes naïve, and has a deep-seated love of music, so much that it has shaped much of his personality and beliefs. Biography: Pending Appearance: He is of humanoid shape, standing at about four feet and nine inches. His skin is a light teal colour, and he is fairly slender, the only exception being his very large forearms and large leg muscles below the knees. His feet are large and somewhat reptilian in appearance, and each of his hands are adorned by a long set of three fingers and a thumb. He has a long prehensile tail that is about four-and-a-half-feet long that usually drags across the ground, but at the end it has a large stinger-like spike. On the back he has two thin, two-foot long bone like appendages protruding from behind and between the shoulders that can bend in any direction, however they are usually tucked tight against his back. His entire body is completely hairless, except his head where he has a rough growth of raven-black hair that extends slightly past his ears, which are pointed and seven inches in length. His face is round, adorned by two large black eyes and two slits for nostrils, while he has mouth that is entirely human-like. Typical Clothing: A dark grey toque is tightly worn on top of his head, and a large pair of white ski-goggles with solid yellow lenses are worn over his eyes. He wears dark grey muffler around his neck that also covers the lower part of his face. He wears a loose- fitting white t-shirt, and a loose fitting pair of dark-black pants. He wears a large pair of white and red, round headphones, which have plates that run up the length of Cantus's ears and conform to their shape. Voice: His voice sounds like a young boy's, being very high tenor (which combined with his short height often results in people thinking he is younger than he is). He often slurrs words 'are' or 'ere' in them, pronouncing them as 'ir'. Typical Emotion: Spaced out. -Combat & Traveling- Stats- Strength: Cantus is much stronger than his shorter and slender size implies. His bones are much denser than human bones, and his muscular structure is very powerful, being especially concentrated in his forearms and legs. His tail is also very powerful, able to smash rocks with relative ease. He can lift things several times his weight, his powerful legs and tail allowing him to do so without putting too much stress on his body. (9/10) Stamina: Is not used to physically exerting himself or his body, so he can only physically exert himself for average amounts of time. However, his body has the ability to harden fluids at the point of impact of any blows to lessen damage and pain, giving him a decent defense. However, he is prone to sickness due to this ability. (6/10) Agility: Is very nimble and acrobatic with a finely developed sense of balance helped by his tail. He is able to quickly run, stretch, and position his body, as well as balance off the ground with only his tail touching ground. (9/10) Intelligence: The best that could be said is that he has a long memory and a good knowledge of the finer workings of music, but other than that he's honestly kind of stupid. (4/10) Charisma: Seems like a distant person who never really listens to anybody around due to him always wearing headphones. That and his habit of constantly being lost in thought prevent him from really noticing people unless they're directly in front of him. When not listening to music, however, he becomes capable of talking to others easier. (4/10) Perception: Usually pays almost no attention to anything around him, often missing many details that are obvious to people around him. However, when he turns his concentration to the task at hand, he can finely tune his exceptional hearing and perceive even the most minute of sounds. (5/10) Special: He has the ability to extend the membranes on his back, causing them to secrete a chemical that sets off a chemical reaction with air that creates a special kind of particle that repulses gravity. He can use these particles to levitate, or can spread them about and create an area of decreased gravity. His tail also contains a deadly neurotoxin that can be injected directly into the enemy, or tipped on the end of the tail. Other than that, he possesses no extraordinary special abilities. He is also capable of transforming his body in various ways, however his transformations are limited by his own knowledge. (5/10) Total: 42/70 Abilities: -Concentration: Can speed the reaction time of his nerves chemically as well as fully immerse himself in his surroundings, which effectively allows him to max out his Perception for a certain amount of time. This causes no wear or fatigue on his mind, only requiring him to fully concentrate. -RGR Particles: Generates a mass of particles using the membranes on his back to levitate, reduce gravity, or repulse his foes away from himself. This ability is linked to his metabolism, so he can only do it for so long before he tires. -Poison: Can generate a neurotoxin in his tail that slowly cripples and paralyzes foes. It can be directly injected, or sprayed. Techniques: Flash-Step: Similar to a teleport, he uses RGR particles to rapidly accelerate him for a single instant that allows him to move faster than the eye perceives. Cloud Zone: Stabs his tail into the ground, and then reworks the flow of the RGR particles to exit out the tail and into ground. This simultaneously makes the ground start to tear apart, while repulsing anyone standing on it Equipment: SP Headphones: A pair of headphones that can be set to play music, or extend a special antennae into the air that uses waves to perceive everything around the wearer and communicate it through beats and rhythm. Full-Helm: A small panel hidden underneath Cantus' muffler that, once activated, quickly folds out into a helmet that entirely conceals Cantus' features while simultaneously acting as a breathing device when on other worlds, and a universal translator. Vibro Edge: Small blades that are concealed under bracers he wears around his hands that fold out and oscillate at an incredible frequency to increase cutting power. -Other- Friends/Family/Lovers: Onin (father), Forte (Tutor) Miscellaneous: -Likes to eat a lot, and will try anything as he holds no dislike for any kind of taste. Personality: Joey is a green Kirby who crafts weapons for Vegetable Valley's inhabitants. He is a bit shy, especially around girls. He seems to be in love with Princess Cherry, but just cannot get the courage to talk to her. His shyness is offset by his kind heart, which drives him to help others when they need it. Abilities: Joey often battles with a magical rod which can launch fireballs, ice shards, or thunderbolts. He can also teleport short distances and turn invisible. Equipment: Magical Rod, occasionally Spiky Mace A Brief History: Joey was born in Vegetable Valley, but a year after his birth, his parents mysteriously vanished. He never saw them again. A wise Blacksmith came and raised him to help others and craft weapons. Other Info: Joey sits outside every night to watch the stars and wonder what happened to his parents. Abilities: Princess Cherry, like any Kirby, can inhale foes and objects. She can inhale medium-sized enemies easily, and she can keep what she inhales within her (she does not always digest what she inhales immediately), in case she needs them later. She can also detect invisible beings and objects, and like Joey, she can teleport short distances and battle with magic. Equipment: Royal Wand A Brief History: Princess Cherry was born and raised in Rainbow Resort Castle, which she currently rules, since her parents are on vacation. Joined: June 25th, 2010, 11:41 pm Posts: 253 Location: The Halberd, various. Gender: Male Favorite Kirby Game: Kirby Super Star Ultra About Me: Greetings. I am Meta Knight, leader of the Meta Knights and owner of the glorious battleship, the Halberd. There is little that you should know about me, but that is perhaps because I keep myself a mystery most of the time. If you fancy for a challenge, become my enemy. If you fancy for honor, become my friend. I'd really like to get into the RPs here, but I am chosing Meta Knight as my character. I hope it isn't bothersome to anybody, as I am very well capable of playing the role of Meta Knight, and I promise that I will stick to his trueness and such. I will make sense when I rp him. Appearance: Meta Knight appears to to be a small blueish kirby-like creature that wears a very unique and easily distinguished mask on his face. The mask is round, with two notches on the top on either side, and includes a V-shaped eye slit to allow him to see. He wears a small amount of armor, which consists of both shoulder pads and boots of some sort that are both a royal purple in color, along with an embroidered cape that transforms into a pair of bat-like wings to allow him to fly. His face usually remains hidden behind his mask, but at rare times, he can be seen without his mask on, in which he appears to be very similar to kirby, but with a blue body and white eyes. ^For your viewing pleasure^ Voice: Meta Knight's tone and accent often varies per source. In this case, Meta Knight retains his voice from Japanese version of Kirby: Right Back At Ya! (Hoshi no Kaabii). Strength: Average. Is strong for his size, but his strength lies in skill and speed. Perception: Very High. Is very attentive to what is going on around him. Not easy to catch off guard. Endurance: High. Is very well able to withstand attacks and situational changes. Charisma: Very High. Appeals to many people. However, he tends to be introverted unless giving advice. Intelligence: High. A high average intelligence and strategic knowhow. Agility: Very High. One of the fastest swordsmen in the Universe. Luck: Average. Abilities: Slice - A sword slice (horizontal). Slash - A sword slash(Vertical/diagnal). Parry - A sword parry. Frenzy - A rapid fury of random slices and slashes that are actually set in a very unique pattern known to Meta Knight himself. Sword Beam - A beam of "wind" fired from the blade of the user formed from the concentrated will of the wielder. Counter-Cut - A sort of flash step used to get behind the opponent, and attack them. Works as a counter occassionally. Meta Knight has been a staple character throughout the adventures of Kirby. His true origins are unknown, as are his true intentions, but he never appears to be an enemy (except for one occassion, in which he simply attempted to overthrow the lazy and stubborn government of dreamland to recreate it into what was to be a better fitting one). He is known to not truely serve anybody, and remains a neutral aspect to the Kirby Universe. He has both helped, and hindered. It is also known that he is a master swordsman, and leads a band of warriors known as the Meta-Knights...along with owning and commanding a large, nearly indestructable flying battleship dubbed the Halberd. He follows a distinct code of chivalry, and will not fight a dishonorable battle unless he is pushed to beyond the extremes of the moment (he has offered a sword to everyone he duels, no matter what, in every case). He also appears to have some sort of connection to Kirby. Appearance:Gold's appearance is just like Kirby's, but he has a Pikachu tail that helps him in important times.He is getting furious really easily, but he also is sometimes good with people.He also has 2 Pikachu ears that helps him communicate with bugs, people/things/animals that talk another language.He has not any friends, because of his bad self that he most of times is shy to talk to people who he doesn't know, and of the too much sleep he does.He only makes friends with small creatures, which are really friendly. Appearance. Voice:Normal tone Strength:Very high, Since he is getting furious really easily. Perception:High.He can't let an eye off his target. Endurance:Low.He has lots of unused energy inside him, which he is still training to remove. Charisma: Normal. Intelligence:Very high.He knows weak and strong spots of targets, and how to use things. Agility:Really high. Luck:Normal. Magic:Good, And he has powerful magic attacks.He performs them with his ears. Abilities: Punch - A smooth punch attack. Blast - An attack that isn't really hard, but causes the target to sit. Aim focus - Focuses on a target.Then, if the target is really evasive/fast, it can't leave off his eyes. Thunder - Pikachu's Thunder attack. Grab - Grabs A target.(Can throw, attack etc.) Fight Smash - Uses Techinques that He learns. Equipment: -Shiny Leaf -Handly Stone -Focus Band -Electric Crystal A Brief History: Gold was found on the shiny star, But most people didn't liked him.He either didn't.But the day That the star Falled in the gold forest, The star got the name "Fallen" from Shiny.Gold Is nothing important to History/legends.After that, He found the Gold forest, when he got in he only found Strange creatures, Known as Pokemon.Without knowing anyone, He actually lives in there.Who knows, He only has a boring life. -Other Info- Sometimes, He eats Batteries that causes others to get frightended.The batteries Help him gain his electricy, though he got struckt with his ability.He sometimes looks at the stars, and he always looks at the big star(Dreamland), Wishing that he will have a huge journey one day. Laptop: A laptop he uses for school purposes to avoid facing mounds of homework if he ever gets home. Backpack: A very untidy backpack that's like a portable Snoopy's doghouse. A Brief History:Little is known about Bee. He previously managed to escape a nasty plant incident with minor injuries, but was exiled from the team he was traveling with, as he had been proclaimed dead. Now left to fend for himself, Bee is itching for an adventure of any kind. That can wait until weekends. -Other Info- Generally somewhat annoying, and can go from happy-go-lucky to fuming with rage in a snap. Tends to be lazy. Clothes: He's usually seen wearing a cape cloak thing, tan in color. Also wears a tan shirt with an odd Celtic knot like pattern on the front. White, baggy pants that are gold rimmed. An eyepatch covers his left eye, which is purple, which is his illusion eye. SAFETY PURPOSES. Personality: Crez is mainly a happy guy, and it's hard to tell when he's serious, angry, or worried. So yeah, if you get him angry, you won't know until you find yourself in the most embarrassing situation possible. He's a bit of a dodger of melee, and will heartily agree that he is a wimp if he doesn't feel like fighting. Slightly lazy. Always greeting everyone with a smile. He sometimes gets on people's nerves though, joking around, singing, skipping, teasing, and humming. When he's reading, though, even throwing a rock at his head won't faze him. Completely oblivious to his surroundings during this time. Laughs and smiles a lot. He can get to the point of being annoyingly cheerful. Likes to plot for things that possibly will or won't happen. He enjoys being sarcastic. It's possible he may act cold towards you only if you forced him to do something he doesn't like. Or if he's suspicious. Voice: Soft, cheerful. Typical Emotions: Happy, happy?, hyper, silent. S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Strength: Not that strong; for Crez prefers manipulation over combat, but he can hold his own for a bit. Perception: He pays attention down to the slightest detail. If someone broke into his living shelter, he can tell right away. Surroundings are a must use for him. Endurance: High endurance for all that running away. Charisma: People that know him really well get along with him. Otherwise, most others see him as a annoying joker or despise his always cheerful remarks. No one notices him coming either. Intelligence: Crez hates being ignorant. Anything he doesn't know, he learns about right away. A bookworm. Agility: High, high, high. Luck: Always seems to be lucky. He doesn't believe in religion. Abilities: He has a bit of Ki power, used to charge up his attacks. Not much though, and tires him. Illusion casting allows him to create and shape illusions. Depending on how big or detailed the illusion it, it takes time and concentration. Mind casting requires him to stand still and focus. Once it gets going, however, he can move around a bit. He can make you think you're walking down a path when you're actually grinding your face into a tree. For laughs. Can twist your entire surroundings. He can also use his left eye to trap someone in a nightmare, but he has no control over it. It's like a mirror, reflecting and twisting your biggest nightmares. That's why he covers it, and rarely EVER uses it. Slash Energy - Sends a 'slash of energy', which is a crescent shaped wave of energy. Analyze Weak Point - Tries to find a weak point in your defense. Attacking him while he does it makes him take longer, while landing a hit disrupts this. Charging Throw - Crez channels energy into his throwing knife, and hurls it, which travels at high speed. Deadly. Jab Slit - Jabs his dagger into the enemy, and drags it upwards. Very bloody. 6 Point Mark - Cuts a six pointed star into the enemy and hits the point in the middle with his dagger hilt. Enemy goes flying. Kick Throw - Chucks a dagger into the air, kicks it on its hilt, and it flies at you. Hits harder and deeper than a normal knife. Sneak Attack - Crez flips backwards and poofs, and ends up behind you. Useful evasive attack. Requires back flipping. Replacement - Crez somehow manages to replace himself with a rock, log, or something. (Like in Naruto. :V) Vault Jump - Crez charges at you and vaults over your head. Well, jumps. Slide Tackle - Slides under your legs. Or tackles your legs. Or tackles whatever is on the ground, brings it down, and stabs it. Or it could be a glomp. Disappearance - Uses a smoke bomb or his cape cloak thing to distract the enemy. And flees. Ascending Cuts - Jumps into the air and sends a slash(s) of energy at you. Momentum carries him backwards. Knife Claw - Holds his knives like a claw and slashes downward. Can somersault in midair while doing this, which carries him through the air for a short while. (Based off Black Cat) Heating It - Heats a dagger, knife's metal so it can slice through metal. Nope it doesn't melt or burn his hand for unlogical reasons. :V Thunder Caller - Charges energy into a dagger or a knife, throws it into the ground, and it calls down a bolt of thunder. Nicking - He steals stuff. Like apples. Distracting - Whatever distracts the person he's stealing from. Like an apple seller. Equipment: He has stuff. Like a couple of daggers and knives. A sash. Smoke bombs. Rope. Picks. Some medical balm, and a small bag. Money as well. Really random bits and bobs. No frying pan, though. Some poison, to slip into a cup here or there. Likes - Apples, books, jokes, puns, rabbits, dogs, cats Dislikes - Ninjas, pink rats with blue eyes and red cheeks with a gold-green tail, lemons, celery, being beaten, not knowing something, science. A Brief History: Crezentials is a descendant from an ability-wielding family.(CALLED GENERIC MUTATION. ) In his world, such people are treated nobly in their views, but trashed behind their backs. After escaping the firey death of his family, he found himself on the streets but was helped by a ragtag group of orphans. After defeating the killer and unknowingly saving his country, continent, world, etc. Crez decides to wander around learning...stuff. The end. -Other Info- He likes to play around with puzzles, so if you want to get rid of him, toss him a Rubix cube, and he'll grow moss. He loves apples. Name: Kylie Fee Gender: Male Age: 21 Species: Waddle Dee :V. Occupation: Mechanic, fighter Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Well, he's usually too stupid to know which alignment, as long as he gets something good.) Homeland: Some planet where Dees come from. -Descriptions- A Waddle Dee that always looks angry. Has a purple headband around his head. Carries a hammer. Has an umbrella, staff-stick, a frying pan, and needles and thread, and a hefty kitchen knife in this sash thing that goes around his waist? area. Personality: Cocky, a jerk, and always temperamental. Unless you give him some work. But he complains while he works, even if he enjoys it. If he meets someone with a higher intelligence level than him, he gets all rude. Which is quite common, since he's not smart. Quite a nasty, violent fellow, gets into arguments which confuse him, which, as an effect, get him more angry. He thinks he's awesome, and has a big ego. Happy when he gets to smash things with his hammer. Brute. Call him cute and he'll teach you that he's no cutie. Voice: A bit of Southern? Typical Emotions: Angry, bloody kind of happy. Strength: Very strong, think of an ant. He doesn't look like it, though. Perception:Lacks common sense. Can walk into most traps. Endurance: High, because he's always walking into traps or ambushes. Charisma: Argues with his comrades. Will object to orders. Only friend who sticks with him is a calm, smart fellow by the name of Ray, which he claims to hate because Ray enjoys teasing him with his intelligence. Intelligence: He knows the most random things. Like, first aid, how to make a bicycle, cleaning guns, cooking, geography. Gotta prompt him to share things though. Agility: Slow. He runs fast if something is coming after him, though. Doesn't everyone? Luck: "Luck? 'Tis for them losers. All you need is strength, 'n 'den ya'll alright." Abilities + Equipment: He can set his hammer on fire, charge it with lightning, or throw it boomerang style. So that it comes back to him. Can float down with his umbrella, and can also reflect projectiles. Charging with it can knock over enemies. A frying pan is a frying pan. It is not magical. But it makes magical food. Just what KIND of magical food, he's never sure about. Like once, he made a curry that made everyone able to fly for 3 days. Never works on him, though. Stick-staff thing is called Whacky Stick. Used to hit comrades, because if he bashed them with his hammer, they may die. Precautions, first. Needles and thread for stitching. Whether clothes or a wound, the stitches come out neat. But he doesn't use a numb-er thingy though. If he's up for the challenge, he can stitch fabrics together to make stuff. Like a net. Or a tent. Or a shirt that binds others. Or enemies. Or a straightjacket Kitchen Knife: Used for dissecting. What he dissects? I don't know. Likes: Bashing things, gummy bears, and robots. Well, breaking apart robots and making stuff out of them. Dislikes: Frogs, annoying noises, smart people. And cheese. Definitely no cheese. He'll eat anything else though. -A Brief History- Was fired from his position as a bodyguard because he was stupid. And threatened tight security. Now pilots a ship in black market dealings for mechanical parts. Also makes odd gizmos that people buy. Other Stuff: He has a pet mouse called Jimmy Cricket. It rides with him and eats cheese for him.
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http://kirbysrainbowresort.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=450142
You will be asked 20 questions. IF YOU GET A QUESTION WRONG, KEEP TRYING UNTIL YOU GET IT RIGHT. THE PROGRAM WILL ONLY CALCULATE YOUR SCORE IF YOU HAVE ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS. Incorrect guesses will reduce your score. When you are finished, click "Submit" if you are satisfied with your score. Remember you need a score of at least 80% in order to get a "check" for this assignment. Summary Chart Note: As in English, the meanings of the prepositions in German are quite flexible, and very important to know, since these little words come up all the time. As a result, it is difficult to give English equivalents for a list like this. The compromise used below is to give their primary meanings, and to write "etc." where other meanings occur particularly often. Try the second of the "Practice Exercises" on this page (Wie sagt man...?) in order to get a feel for how these prepositions can be used in various contexts. Mnemonic advice: To remember the accusative prepositions, use the acronym "O Fudge" [ohne, für, um, durch, gegen], or ask your instructor about chanting "Durch-für-gegen-ohne-um, Deutsch zu lernen ist nicht dumm." For the dative prepositions, sing "Aus-außer-bei-mit, nach-seit, von-zu" to the tune of the "Blue Danube" waltz, or think of the touching love poem "Roses are red, violets are blue, aus-außer-bei-mit, nach-seit, von-zu." For the two-way prepositions, sing "An, auf, hin-ter, ne-ben, un-ter/Ü-ber, in, vor, zwi-i-schen" to the tune of the "An die Freude" ["Ode to Joy"] chorus from Beethoven's 9th symphony. Contractions: common contractions of the prepositions with forms of der/das/die are included in the table below; where the contraction is in bold print, it is generally (though not always) preferable to the two-word form in speaking and writing; contractions not listed in bold print below are heard often in informal spoken German, but are less common in writing. Other contractions (e.g. "neben + das = nebens") are possible, but only the more commonly used ones are listed below. Accusative Prepositions Nouns and pronouns following these prepositions will always be in the Accusative Wo/Wohin? Practice choosing the right preposition to say where you are and where you're going, and also practice using the appropriate cases with these prepositions. Die Katze und die Maus Practice deciding whether to use dative or accusative with the two-way prepositions in this story about the value of knowing a foreign language :) Note that there are a number of "trick questions" in this exercise to make it more realistic: some of the questions involve dative prepositions or accusative prepositions, for whom the motion/location distinction is irrelevant, and a couple of them involve prepositional verbs and adjectives. Filmtitel mit Präpositionen A translation exercise (first half German-English, second half English-German) involving prepositions. We normally encourage you to think in German and avoid trying to translate literally from the English, but playing with movie titles is fun, so here's an exception. Liedtexte [Song Lyrics] Another translation exercise involving prepositions. And for fun, click on "weiter" at the top after you finish this exercise to see if you can figure out who sang these songs :) Again, we normally encourage you to think in German and avoid trying to translate literally from the English, but playing with song lyrics is fun--especially because of how silly the literal translations often sound :) Nach fünf im Urwald This exercise is excellent cumulative practice if you've seen this movie. If you're a University of Michigan student, you will see this movie in German 221/231, or you can watch it in the Language Resource Center. It's always very popular at our 221/231 movie screenings, so you'll probably enjoy it :) For more practice, please refer to the exercises on prepositions on the "Case Overview" page! Das chaotische Zimmer This is a series of four exercises designed to help you figure out which verb to use, practice the forms of the verbs, figure out which cases to use with the nouns, and finally put together sentences using these verbs. Please use the "weiter" button to navigate between these four exercises. Die große Liebe Practice prepositional adjectives by first matching the prepositional adjectives with their English equivalents, and then choosing the correct prepositions to complete a series of romantic statements. Usage Notes: Two-Way Prepositions accusative: MOTION--if the verb is describing motion towards or away from the noun dative: LOCATION--if the action is taking place (located) in, on, under, above (etc.) the noun, or if an object is located in, on, under, above (etc.) the noun this can be summarized by the nonsense mnemonic: "Accusative-Cruisative; Dative-Stative" Remember the above rule applies ONLY to the two-way prepositions. Nouns following dative prepositions will be dative even if motion is involved (e.g. "Sie geht zum [=zu dem] Arzt" and "Ich komme vonder Ärztin"!), and nouns following accusative prepositions will be accusative even if no motion is involved. For two-way prepositions used in combination with prepositional verbs, the motion/location distinction for deciding whether the preposition should be followed by a noun or pronoun in the accusative or dative no longer applies. Instead, you need to learn for each prepositional verb individually whether it will be followed by nouns or pronouns in the accusative or in the dative. Refer to the page on prepositional verbs for more information. Here are some examples, with explanations of the choice of case: Die Studenten sitzen in der Klasse. Location (where are the students sitting? In the class) ==> Dative. Die Studenten gehen in die Klasse. Motion (where are the students going? Into the class) ==> Accusative. Wir essen in der Mensa. Location (where are we eating? In the cafeteria) ==> Dative. Wir essen in die Mensa. Using the accusative would imply that we are eating our way into the cafeteria, as if there were e.g. a huge wall of Sauerbraten blocking our way into the cafeteria (though you would actually have to say "Wir essen uns in die Mensa durch.") The accusative "das Bett" means there must be motion towards or away from the bed ==> the child is jumping onto the bed. Das Kind springt auf dem Bett. The dative "dem Bett" means the action is located on the bed ==> the child is jumping up and down on the bed. Note that in this case there is motion involved, but since it is not motion towards or away from the bed, the dative is used. Barney rennt vor das rasende [=speeding] Auto. The accusative "das ... Auto" means the action is taking Barney in front of the speeding car, i.e. there is a speeding car, and Barney is running out in front of it into its way ==> he will not survive.... Barney rennt vor dem rasenden [=speeding] Auto. The dative "dem ... Auto" means the action is located in front of the speeding car, i.e. there is a speeding car, and Barney is running along in front of it ==> he may survive, if he is running fast enough so the car won't catch up to him and run him over. Ich schwimme im Meer. By using the dative I am emphasizing the location where my swimming is taking place: in the sea. Ich schwimme ins Meer. By using the accusative I am emphasizing where I am swimming to: (out) into the sea. d. Use nach for directions (without an article), and idiomatically in nach Hause. Note: this, and the use of nach for going to cities, countries etc. described above, are the only uses of nach [to mean to]. Learners of German often use nach when they are not sure which preposition is correct, but zu is a much better guess--see (e) below! e. If in doubt, use zu!Zucan replace in if you need not emphasize that you are going inside, and must replace in if it would be absurd to speak of going inside--e.g.driving to a building, visiting a person. You also need to use zu if you're going to a particular company's locale that you're specifying with a proper name (e.g. Kroger). An exception to this latter rule is the huge department store chain "Kaufhof," the reason being that the name contains the word "Hof" [=yard], a space that one can go into. Zu can also replace the use of auf for formal events and public buildings, and it can replace the use of an generally. Thus, you can usually get by just by knowing zu, the use of nach and in for countries, cities etc. (and of nach for directions), and the use of auf for Straße, Land, Toilette etc.! 2d. Bei is used to indicate location in or at a particular person's or company's house/locale; it is also used to indicate one's place of work. If one is working or studying at an academic or otherwise "high-brow" institution, one uses an. Other Notes and Examples 1. You should be familiar with the various common meanings of these prepositions. Although some aspects of these meanings are reviewed here, you may want to look back at your textbooks/notes from previous German courses to refresh your memory. It's worth it: prepositions come up all the time, and are crucial in determining meaning! You can find more info on some of these prepositions in the "Superwörter" pages: um and nach in SW I; während and bei in SW II; zu in SW III; and unter and neben in SW V. Below are a few more reminders. 2. Für = for generally, but to say for how long something happens, German distinguishes three cases: 2a. The action is completed. Just put the time period in the accusative. Add lang, if you wish. Do NOT use für. We are going to travel to Berlin for three weeks/one day/two years/one hour. [This is how long we are planning to stay] 3. Always use ohne for without/with no, never mit kein. Da ist ein Huhn ohne Kopf! There's a chicken with no head! 4. Aus = out of. This basic meaning can be extended to describe where one comes from (as in one's home or birthplace, what something is made of, and occasionally a motive for doing something.. To say where one has just been, von is used. Von is also used to say what planet someone is from, and to indicate the author of a book or the creator of a work of art: Snoopy weigert sich, aus seiner Hundehütte zu kommen. Snoopy refuses to come out of his dog house. Er isst nicht mehr aus seiner Schüssel. He no longer eats out of his bowl. Snoopy kommt vom Mars, nicht aus Connecticut. Snoopy comes from Mars, not from Connecticut. Charlie Brown kommt von London, um zu helfen. Charlie Brown comes from London in order to help. Er gibt Snoopy einen Mantel aus Katzenfell. He gives Snoopy a coat made out of cat fur. Snoopy fängt aus Freude an zu tanzen. Snoopy begins to dance for [out of] joy. Die Peanuts Comics sind von Charles Schulz. The Peanuts cartoons are by Charles Schulz. Look him in the eyes! Your Schnitzel originates from this animal! 5. Wegen = because of. Unlike weil, da, and denn, wegen is a preposition, not a conjunction. Like because of, it is followed by a noun or pronoun (in the genitive, since it's a genitive preposition) that gives the reason, not by a whole clause (with a verb) that gives the reason. In speaking, it is often used with the dative instead of the genitive. Becausethe weather is bad, we are sitting at home and playing Moorhuhnjagd.[Weil/da ==> the reason given is a whole clause with a verb: the weather is bad] 6a. Similarly, vor and nach are prepositions, not to be confused with the corresponding conjunctions bevor and nachdem ==> vor and nach need to be followed by a noun or pronoun, whereas bevor and nachdem need to be followed by a whole clause that includes a verb. [See "Wohin gehen wir?" above for other uses of nach.] Literally, this means: "After the meal you should rest, or do 1000 steps." ==> After meals, take a nap or go for a walk. Nachmir die Sintflut. Nachdemmir die Sintflut. Literally, this means: "After me, the flood." This is a famous quote (Après moi/nous le déluge), variously attributed to Louis XV or his mistress, Madame de Pompadour, used idiomatically in German when someone deals with a situation in such a way that it will be OK for him/her, but there is likely to be chaos for people to deal with later. Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation... 7. When über means "about" (as opposed to "over" or "above"), it is always used with the accusative: Eminem denkt, dass die Leute immer über ihn sprechen. Eminem thinks that people are always talking about him. Vom History Channel kann man viel über den 2. Weltkrieg lernen. One can learn a lot about the 2nd World War from the History Channel. 8. Nouns and pronouns following the most common enitive prepositions (an)statt, trotz, während and wegen will generally be in the Genitive in more formal speaking and writing, but are increasingly often in the Dative in more informal speaking and writing. Wegendes Föhns/dem Föhn waren alle schlecht gelaunt. [Föhn is a notorious weather phenomenon north and south of the Alps, a warm, dry wind coming off the Alps especially in Spring and late Winter that gives people headaches and puts them in a bad mood. Meteorologically it is comparable to the Chinook in the Rockies.] Duringthe final of the soccer world cup the streets were deserted [wie leergefegt = as if they had been swept empty]. Trotzdes Endes/dem Ende der Rezession stieg die Arbeitslosigkeit. Despitethe end of the recession, unemployment increased. 9a. The dative preposition gegenüber can precede or follow the noun it refers to. When gegenüber is used with a pronoun, it must follow the pronoun. You should put the accusative preposition entlangafter the noun it refers to. You may occasionally see it used before the noun, in which case it actually becomes a dative (or occasionally genitive) preposition.
eng
19e0a358-c11d-4cc8-b69b-5e5823e842cf
http://www.lsa.umich.edu/german/hmr/Grammatik/Praepositionen/Prepositions.html
Solar power could be the future, but it'll be a while until panels are on every roof. Fear not: while working at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, engineer Blake Farrow showed you don't need the far corners of the periodic table to put together a solar cell. Just grab some tea-time staples. (These Are just some steps to give you a general idea on how to do it, if you want more details you can get a full guide on how you can build your own solar panels.) 1. Treat yourself to some powdered doughnuts and herbal tea. The powdered sugar on US-style doughnuts contains titanium dioxide (TiO2 or E171). This is a semiconductor that can be used to make solar cells. To extract the TiO2 in a useful form, first scrape off all the powder and put it in a cup of warm water. Stirring this will dissolve all the sugar (there is a lot of it). 2. Running the whitish water through a coffee filter will leave behind a white blob -- this is the precious TiO2, along with some unwanted fat. 3. Because the fat is useless for solar cells, you'll need to put the residue in a hot oven for a few hours to vaporise it. The TiO2 remains as nanoparticles, each around 100nm wide. 4. Throw these particles into high-proof ethanol (vodka will do: use 1ml per doughnut) and shake. 5. Now conductive glass is needed (tough to find, but indium-doped tin oxide is best). With an eye dropper or syringe, drop ten layers of the nanoparticle spirit on the glass, allowing it to dry with each layer. Then put it back in the oven. 6. This is now a solar cell, but it will work only with UV light (the bad kind). Here is where the tea comes in. Leave the nanoparticle solar cell sitting in a cup of hibiscus tea for a couple hours, and soon it will have absorbed the colour, shifting its useful range from UV (useless) to visible light. 7. To collect energy from this solar cell, you'll need a counter-electrode. Take another piece of conducting glass and use a dark pencil to cover the surface with graphite. 8. To get your electricity to your counter-electrode, a generous amount of iodine in high-proof alcohol works well as an electrolyte. Use one part alcohol to three parts Lugol's solution -- available from health stores and aquarium suppliers. 9. Cut a hole in some thin plastic or tape to use as a spacer, and place it on the nanoparticle cell. Drop some electrolyte on top, and quickly sandwich the two electrodes together with some bulldog clips. 10. You're done! A multimeter connected to both of the conducting electrodes should show about half a volt when in the sun. Did you know there is a cost effective way to create your own electricity? How is this possible you might be asking? This can be done simply, by building your own residential renewable energy source. Solar power is a very efficient source of natural power supply that will give you unlimited power from the sun. It is so cost effective that if you should create more energy than you need for your home, you can sell that excess energy back to your electricity company. This article will show you how you can create your own inexpensive solar renewable energy to power you home. All you will need to buy is a couple of solar cells in order to create your own solar panels. You will also need to buy one or several auto batteries, according to the amount of electricity you plan to generate. The same goes for the solar cells; you will need to buy according to the amount of power you plan to generate. You will also need to buy an AC to DC electricity inverter. This is necessary because the power type that will be generated from the sun to your solar cells will be DC, but since most of the appliances in your home require AC to work, an electricity inverter will be important. A charge controller will also be necessary, you can always go out and get one at an electrical store. This will be important to regulate the charge of the batteries in order to maintain a steady flow of electricity to power your home. Some good length of electrical wires will also be needed to connect your solar system together, which you can pick up at any electrical store. Building a residential solar system may seem to be a very hectic task, but in actuality, it won't be very difficult if you have a good DIY guide that you should have no problem finding if you search Google. Building your own solar system is safe and will save you a whole lot on the cost of electricity than it would cost to buy an entire unit. What I've shared with you in this article, are just the major components that you will need in order to build your own inexpensive solar system. But you will need to get a DIY guide so you have a step-by-step manual to follow, which will give you all the other parts you will need, and will make the process a lot easier. Get your Guide now on how to build your own solar panels Finally after a hundred years, the suppressedfree energy deviceis exposed in public. People will be taught on how to utilize this hundred-year old device to produce electricity for free. The fact is that people can now discover using energy that is 100 percent free at their home through this device invented. The revelation about this device also unveils other benefits that it can offer. The free energy device is invented to let the consumers become aware that there is another possible way to solve electrical consumption problems. By simply using this device, people can save maximum energy without the requirement of gas, coal, oil or any other fuel. After a hundred years, the energy device is prepared to pave way to new concepts and ideas about energy saving. This free energy device is invented by a genius named Nikola Tesla, the one who discovered the electricity which people are using today. In 1934, Tesla had stated a shocking statement that electric power can be everywhere and it is available in limitless quantities. It can power the world's machinery without using gas, oil, coal or any other types of fuel. According to Nikola Tesla, people can possibly get unlimited amounts of energy for free whenever they want. Through the announcement he made, many people got more curious and interested in finding the real essence of using this free energy device. The exposure of this device is also a way to recognize the efforts and thoughts made by Tesla for so many years. The suppressed free energy device that is now exposed is amazingly useful for every individual on earth. Through other people's analysis of Tesla's papers, new conclusions were made and it opened the door to opportunities to recognize his inventions especially the free energy device. Tesla explained how the free energy device works and how people obtain free electricity. Some people who have already encountered this free energy device stated their personal views and below are some of their testimonials: "The first time I heard about the unreleased project of Nikola TeslaI was really interested in knowing more. At first I thought it was just a scam. How could electricity be free and how could this machine generate electricity by itself? Anyway, given that it was so cheap I tried it, and it worked! I built a bigger generator that cost me less than $100, and the effort paid off really well. Now I have my own source of free energy." – Mike John "Nikola Tesla Secret is revolutionary. I became instantly intrigued and decided to give it a try (given that it carried a money back guarantee) Now, whenever I look at my electric bill, I cannot take the smile off my face! My electricity bill comes in the form of a credit – the power company is paying me for the extra electricity that I sell them." – Tom Victor of Texas, United States. Click Here to Visit Nikola Tesla Secret Official Site this process, here are some common prepping mistakes you'll want to avoid: Not having a survival library. Books are less common these days because we do so much reading on the Internet and Kindles. But if the power goes out, having a good collection of survival books could save your life. They'll give you something to read when you're bored, and will have important instructions on things like purifying water, building fires, and medical care. While you want to learn as much of this info as you can ahead of time, no one can know everything, and there are bound to be times when a survival library will come in handy. Check out the Books section and also read the article, Best Books on Survival. Focusing on supplies instead of skills. Of course, just because you have all the best books on survival doesn't mean you shouldn't bother to learn survival skills. It's possible your books will be destroyed or you won't be able to get to them. The same rule applies to your survival food and gear. What if you're at work when your home is destroyed by an explosion, earthquake or some other disastrous event? Would you still have the skills to survive, or are you completely dependent on your food and gear? Not having enough water preps. I cannot overemphasize the importance of water. There are many survivalists who have six months of food and only two weeks of water on hand. Considering that you can survive without food about ten times as long as you can survive without water, you'd be better off with two weeks of food and six months of water. Don't do that either, but at least make sure your water will last as long as your food. If you don't have enough room for that much, there are many ways to collect and purify water. Visit the Water category. Not having enough variety in food supplies. Too many new preppers buy nothing but rice, beans, flour, salt and sugar. If that's all you have to eat after a disaster, you're going to be miserable. Your body will have trouble adjusting to the new bare-bones diet and you'll suffer from food fatigue, where your survival food won't be appetizing even when you're very hungry. Make sure you buy the ingredients for a variety of possible meals so you'll feel satisfied every time you eat. This leads to my next point… Not eating what you store. This was the first mistake I made when I started stocking up on food. I bought all kinds of food, sealed it up, put it in the closet, and forgot about it. Inevitably, some of my food went bad and I had to throw it out. It's important you store what you eat and eat what you store. If you're not sure how to cook meals from the basic ingredients, I'd recommend getting some cookbooks and a guide like Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook which has a lot of great recipes. Not having enough vitamins. Personally, I think everyone should be taking multivitamins since most modern diets don't provide the nutrition we need, but this will be even more important in a survival situation. The stress of having your life turned upside down, constant threats to you and your family, and manual labor will take a lot of energy and tax your immune system. Vitamins will help keep you strong and healthy, especially Vitamin C. Relying only on food storage. While the last few points have been about food, don't forget all your other survival needs. When a lot of people think of prepping, the first things they think about are food and water and they proceed to stock up on them while neglecting health and beauty supplies, first aid kids, bug out bags, cooking implements, clothes, weapons and other important items. While food should be your first priority, don't forget your other priorities. Relying only on an arsenal. At the other end the spectrum, there are some preppers who focus all their attention on guns and ammo. The reasoning is that not only will they be able to protect themselves, they'll be able to hunt their food and trade ammo for other supplies. This is unrealistic, especially if you're in or near a city. The little bit of wildlife in your area will be picked clean by others, and most people won't be interested in your ammo as they, like you, will be looking to trade for food and other vital supplies. Sure, have some weapons for self defense, but don't go overboard. Not taking care of pets. As much as we all love our pets, for some reason it's easy to forget that they need preps, too. Animals require more than just food and water. Check the article, Pet Survival Kit. Planning on bugging out. Although having a bug out bag and a vehicle survival kit is important, unless you have advance warning of a disaster it will be very difficult to get from your home to your bug out location. The streets will be congested, roads and entire areas could be inaccessible, and gas could become unavailable. That's why I think it's so important to be ready to shelter in place. Scientific journals, by their very nature, ought not to be biased towards a particular point of view because such bias can lead that journal's editorial staff to quash or ignore any legitimate scientific research and data refuting any pre-determined viewpoints. And yet, as reported online by Earth Open Source, it appears as though the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology may have compromised itself recently by hiring a biotechnology insider who, on the surface, would sure seem to have a pro-industry prejudice. From the website:. 'I am shocked by the extreme negative health impacts' The report noted that both Monsanto and genetically modified foods experienced a rash of bad publicity following the September 2012 publication of a study in the journal citing evidence that GM corn and Roundup both caused organ damage and were linked to increased rates of tumors and premature deaths in rats The study was the first of its kind; it examined "the long-term effects of Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller" and "the NK603 Roundup-resistant GM maize also developed by Monsanto," Britain's widely popular food publication, The Grocery, reported. "This research shows an extraordinary number of tumors developing earlier and more aggressively - particularly in female animals," said Dr. Michael Antoniou, a molecular biologist at King's College London, who was involved in the study. "I am shocked by the extreme negative health impacts." Despite the publication of this data, FCT decided earlier this year to add Richard E. Goodman, a former Monsanto researcher with close biotech industry ties, to its senior editorial staff. "Goodman was given the specially created position of associate editor for biotechnology," Earth Open Source said. "Goodman's fast-tracked appointment straight onto FCT's upper editorial board raises the question of whether Monsanto is now effectively deciding which papers on GM foods and crops should be published and which should not," Claire Robinson, research director at the science policy platform Earth Open Source and a co-author of the new article, said. Censoring conflicting data According to Robinson, Goodson's appointment is only the latest in a string of cases in which biotech insiders have either attempted to control the publication of conflicting data or prevent it from seeing the light of day at all. When data wasn't being censored or controlled, some scientific journals let hacks savage dissenting scientists whose conflicting research was belittled or otherwise called into question when it revealed problems with GM foods. And in many cases, the insider critics never revealed to readers their ties to the biotech industry, and editors did not force them to do so. Where is scientific and journalistic integrity when you need it? "Unfortunately, the public and the scientific community can no longer trust that peer-reviewed journals reflect the true state of scientific knowledge," said Dr. Jonathan Latham, executive director of the nonprofit Bioscience Resource Project and co-author of the new article. "Some journals have become a vehicle for a narrow interest group - biotechnology corporations - to control scientific discourse. Both authors noted that this recurring problem within scientific publishing circles is indicative of a wider issue within the scientific community, and that is that it is increasingly dependent upon industry funding. As long as Monsanto is footing the "research" bill, for example, the public will be denied access to any data that would refute, embarrass or otherwise harm Monsanto's business. How's that for ethics? "Conflicts of interest have become the defining problem of modern science and limiting them amongst public sector scientists has become a fundamental necessity," they write. It sometimes seems as if our planet has no secrets left – kilometers – the Vostok station. It soon became a byword for hardship – –Join our Facebook page What is the pineal gland? The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland in the brain, it is located between the two hemospheres in the brain. It produces melatonin, a hormone that affects wakefulness/sleeping patterns, regulates the puperty in females and helps to protect the body from cell damage caused by free radicals. The pineal gland is linked to the third eye or the "all seeing eye". It has been a very popular aspect in human history, represented in the form of an eye in Roman Catholic, Egyptian and other ancient art. Activating the third eye allows a person to enter their subconsious mind that modern-day scientists claim we do not use. It also aids in yoga, meditiation, enables a person to travel to other dimensions (known as astral travel or astral projection) if it is tuned into the right frequencies. How your pineal gland is being blocked. In the 90's, Jennifer Luke carried out a study on how fluoride affects the pineal gland in the brain. She found that flouride accumulates in the pineal gland in shockinghy high levels, more than in any other part of the body. This contradicts the dentists' claims about fluoride being good for the teeth and bones. Fluoride is found in 90% of the US water supply, including food and brewages from the market. It is much less common in Europe and Asia. Here is a list of bottled water without fuoride added: However, there has been a reasonable amount of controversy about the safety of bottled water. The best way to get sodium fluoride from your water is to buy a reverse osmosis machine or water distiller. Or perhaps drink fruit juice instead? (That was a joke). Also, use fluoride-free toothpaste (available in organic/health stores). Some people say that by drinking distilled water you are not getting the minerals needed by your body that are normally found in spring or mineral water. Fluoride, as a natural element is needed by the body in small amounts, but the sodium fluoride that you commonly find in your tooth paste and water is a chemical waste product of the alluminium and fertilizer industries. In fact, it is considered toxic and it is the only ingredient found in rat poison! There have been many other health problems linked to fluoride. These include: Toxicity Arthritis Bone fracture Dental fluorosis (another contradiction of the dentists' claims) Cancer Lowering of IQ Kidney problems Infertility And many others. So why would they want to poison us with this toxic chemical? Well, as you know the authorities want us to be their mind slaves with no independent thought and they are achieving it by blocking our pineal gland. Not giving us a chance to activate our "all seing eye". Either way, I would suggest to avoid sodium fluoride in every way possible, protect your pineal gland and continue to expand your consiousness through the third eye. I suggest research on sodium fluoride and how it was first used by nazi's in concentration camps. Also, about the third eye to gain a higher level of consiounsess. Google's tiny, pugnacious search rival DuckDuckGo is using advertising to warn people about advertising. It bought a billboard in L.A. for a cool $7,000 and posted this anatidaephobic ad that says, "Google tracks you. We don't." The issue, says DuckDuckGo founder, coder and sole employee Gabriel Weinberg, is that Google sends along your search query to the sites you visit. That means advertisers and other unsavory people will know you got there by searching "transvestite cuties." I use that example because I'm guessing the objection is that amoral advertisers could find out about your penchants and use them against you. Sometimes I think people overestimate how much marketers and advertisers care about their personal lives. I'm not saying they don't care. It's just that they care about really specific things, which, in the case of all the brands I know, aren't salacious or even mildly interesting to anyone else. Besides, Google only sends information about the specific search that led you a site. You can type "goat sex" 80 times into Google, but when you search for "cool watches" and land on Tokyo Flash's site, Google only tells Tokyo Flash that you searched for "cool watches." It doesn't mention goat sex or that other search you did on monkeys who drink their own pee. And even if it did, Tokyo Flash won't embarrass you by buying up BillHendersonLikesGoatSex.com. Still, DuckDuckGo's queries have jumped to about 5 million a month after getting some attention for its lack of tracking. Can somebody please tell America that advertisers don't wake up in the morning and perv-search terms in order to start some office betting pool on who you'll be dating next? Join our Facebook page This past week, the Justice Departmentannounced that HSBC Bank had agreed to forfeit $1.256 billion and "enter a deferred prosecution agreement" for engaging in money laundering that involved the financing of drug cartels and groups with ties to terrorism. The agreement indicated there would be no criminal prosecution. Not one bank executive or lower-level banker would be put on trial and possibly sentenced to jail for his or her role in allowing money to be transferred to drug cartels or terrorists. Meanwhile, that same day, Nima Ali Yusuf, 26, a Somali woman who fled war-torn Somalia when she was a child, was sentenced to eight years in prison for sending $1,450 to "members of a terrorist organization in her native country." The scale of the crime committed by Yusuf, who pled guilty to charges just over a year ago in December 2011, is incredibly minor and insignificant when compared to the acts engaged in by bank executives at HSBC. Laid out in detail in a Senate report released in July of this year, HSBC was engaged in banking with the Al Rajhi Bank, which is run by members of the Al Rajhi family alleged to have been "major donors to al Qaeda or Islamic charities suspected of funding terrorism." They established "their own nonprofit organizations in the United States that sent funds to terrorist organizations, or used Al Rajhi Bank itself to facilitate financial transactions for individuals or nonprofit organizations associated with terrorism" in the years after the September 11th attacks, according to the report. In March 2002, the US Treasury Department conducted a "search of 14 interlocking business and nonprofit entities in Virginia associated with the SAAR Foundation, an Al Rajhi-related entity and the Al Rajhi family. As outlined in the Senate report: The SAAR Foundation is a Saudi-based nonprofit organization, founded by Sulaiman bin Abdul Aziz Al Rajhi in the 1970s, named after him, and used by him to support a variety of nonprofit endeavors, academic efforts, and businesses around the world. In 1983, the SAAR Foundation formed a Virginia corporation, SAAR Foundation, Inc., and operated it in the United States as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. In 1996, another nonprofit organization was incorporated in Virginia called Safa Trust Inc.These and other nonprofit and business ventures associated with the Al Rajhi family shared personnel and office space, primarily in Herndon, Virginia. In 2000, SAAR Foundation Inc. was dissolved but the Safa Trust continued to operate. An affidavit filed by the United States in support of the search warrant alleged that the Safa Group appeared to be involved with providing material support to terrorism. Among other matters, it alleged that members of the Safa Group had transferred "large amounts of funds …directly to terrorist-front organizations since the early 1990's," including a front group for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad-Shikaki Faction, a designated terrorist organization. but the Safa Trust continued to operate. It also detailed a $325,000 donation by the Safa Trust to a front group for Hamas, another designated terrorist organization.In addition, the affidavit expressed suspicion about a transfer of over $26 million from members of the Safa Group to two offshore entities in the Isle of Man. The affidavit further alleged that "one source of funds flowing through the Safa Group [was] from the wealthy Al-Rajhi family in Saudi Arabia." The search produced about 200 boxes of information which was then analyzed and used in other investigations and prosecutions, although neither the SAAR Foundation or Safa Trust has been charged with any wrongdoing. In 2003, Abdurahman Alamoudi, who had worked for SAAR Foundation Inc. from 1985 to 1990, as executive assistant to its president, pled guilty to plotting with Libya to assassinate the Saudi crown prince and was sentenced to 23 years in jail. He had also openly supported Hamas and Hezbollah, two terrorist organizations designated by the United States.According to an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint against him, Mr. Alamoudi admitted receiving $340,000 in sequentially numbered $100 bills from Libya while in London, and planned "to deposit the money in banks located in Saudi Arabia, from where he would feed it back in smaller sums into accounts in the United States." According to the affidavit, he also admitted involvement in similar cash transactions involving sums in the range of $10,000 to $20,000. Additionally, a key founder of the Al Rajhi Bank was one of twenty key terror financiers Osama bin Laden dubbed the "Golden Chain." The small sum of money Yusuf is alleged to have provided pales in comparison to the transactions highlighted above, which HSBC is believed to have enabled in part through its business with the Al Rajhi Bank. Yusuf wrote a letter to the judge seeking to explain her contributions saying they were "motivated by a desire to provide food and medical care for those in need." Her attorneys backed her up on this saying she had wanted to help "friends with living expenses and debt relief" and never intended to provide "direct support" to any members of al-Shabaab. According to her lawyers, Yusuf "discouraged the young men from engaging in martyrdom operations, such as suicide attacks but was otherwise supportive of their willingness to give up everything to fight against the Ethiopian troops and the transitional federal government of which she herself had been a victim." (Her lawyers suggest she was sympathetic to al Shabaab, even if she opposed certain tactics of fighting.) In December 2010, Yusuf was one of four Somalis being prosecuted for giving money to people in Somalia. Local Somalis skeptical of the prosecutions, like Bashir Hassan, expressed the feeling that the government was criminalizing Muslims. Hassan urged federal prosecutors to understand that "most Somalis here regularly send money to their homeland." He added, "People are starving. People don't have food to eat. So if you have some extra bucks, you better send them so they can survive. So sending money is something routine to our community." An attorney defending an imam charged with supporting al Shabaab in Somalia declared, "I think Islamic giving, because that's part of the religion, has given difficulties to the government because they don't know how to deal with this…How can we stop Muslims from giving money? Because we really can't attack their religion directly because that would blow up in our face.' And I think these are politically motivated cases because really the government I don't think wants Muslims to give." There does not appear to have been any intent to support the terrorism of al Shabaab proven in Yusuf's case, but all the prosecutors had to prove was there was a transaction where money likely wound up in the hands of Shabaab fighters and that was enough for a conviction. In contrast, in the case of HSBC one wonders what the bank would have had to do to be prosecuted criminally for their actions and have executives go to jail. The Justice Department found they had violated the Trading with the Enemy Act—the act a bank would be convicted of violating if they were financing or providing material support to terrorism. Whether they intended to violate these acts or not, they did commit violations so at least some from HSBC should be facing the prospect of being sentenced to jail. What if any of the HSBC bank executives involved in allowing or looking the other way had been Muslims? In a 2009 report by the American Civil Liberties Union, the discriminatory enforcement against Muslim charities was highlighted the US government crackdown on Muslim charities for giving money to troubled areas where terrorism activities were believed to be occurring: Within the space of ten days in December 2001, the federal government froze the assets of the three largest Muslim charities in the United States—the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, Global Relief Foundation, and Benevolence International Foundation—effectively shutting each of them down. The government seized these charities' assets during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the height of annual Muslim charitable giving. These charities, which had been operating without incident for years—and for over a decade in the case of the Holy Land Foundation—were not on any government watch list before their assets were frozen. Indeed, before it was shut down the Holy Land Foundation had made repeated requests to government officials for assistance in complying with the law, only to be rebuffed. The ACLU characterized this crackdown as the "start of a pattern of conduct that violated the fundamental rights of American Muslim charities." And it "has chilled American Muslims' charitable giving in accordance with their faith, seriously undermining American values of due process and commitment to First Amendment freedoms." (The Holy Land Foundation case is particularly egregious. Five individuals are in prison now and their cases can be read about here.) Depending on one's ethnicity, religion, class or occupation, the system of justice (or injustice) in America is now that a major bank can settle for what in HSBC's case was, according to Matt Taibbi, about two months' worth of profits when they engage in terrorist financing or banking where money is being transferred to drug cartels. Executives can expect pretty "swift justice" too. The Senate report that created headlines was put out in the summer and in less than six months the Justice Department had an agreement with a settlement worked out. Yusuf was charged in 2010, pled guilty about a year later and then was in confinement for another year before being sentenced for 8 years for giving a little over a thousand to some poor people she knew and wanted to help in Somalia, the country where she was born. The overwhelming conclusion one can draw is there is no limit to the political will the Justice Department or Treasury Department has to crackdown on Muslims for charity. They will go to immeasurable lengths to conflate giving with financing of terrorism. Jewish and Christian organizations give to countries with ongoing conflicts in ways similar to Muslim organizations and do not face government prosecutions. On the other hand, the Justice Department and the Treasury Department have no political will to hold banks accountable for crimes of terrorist financing with groups that have ties to al Qaeda. They will bend over backwards to ensure there is an outcome where the bank appears to be brought to justice but is not broken in such a way that it cannot continue business as usual. Syrian warplanes have attacked a Palestinian refugee camp close to Syria's capital city, Damascus, killing eight, activists report. The camp not only hosts Palestinians, but also Syrians displaced by the country's ongoing conflict. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least eight people died when at least one rocket struck a mosque that houses refugees who had fled from the fighting in Damascus. "Warplanes staged an air strike on an area near Al-Bassel hospital… in al-Yarmuk camp, hurting several people,"said the Observatory. They added that "the toll may rise, because several of the injured are in a critical condition." A video allegedly filmed by a witness shows several dead bodies sprawled in what appears to be a mosque yard in al-Yarmouk. The surrounding streets were covered with shattered glass and blood stains. The video was uploaded to youtube by QudsNetwork, a Palestinian news outlet, but cannot be independently verified. Al-Watan daily reports the area erupted in violence Sunday as government troops clashed with opposition forces. The edition says Palestinian self-defense forces support pro-Assad fighters. Other sources insist Palestinians are divided over the conflict and can be found fighting on both sides. The most powerful earthquakes in the history of the United States happened along the New Madrid Fault in 1811 and 1812. Those earthquakes were reportedly felt more than 1,000 miles away. Scientists assure us that one day we will once again see very powerful earthquakes along the New Madrid fault. It is only a question of when it will happen. Today, the New Madrid fault zone covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. However, a major earthquake of magnitude-8.0 or greater would likely have a dramatic effect all the way from the Great Lakes all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. When most Americans speak of the "big one", they think of what may happen along the coast of California someday, but the truth is that a New Madrid earthquake could potentially do far more damage. So is there evidence that the New Madrid fault zone is waking up? Yes, there is. According to Bloomberg, there has been "a sixfold increase in the number of earthquakes that have shaken the central part of the U.S. from 2000 to 2011″. Much of that increase is being blamed on human activity such as mining, drilling and fracking. So could human activity aggravate the fault zone so much that it could set off a truly history-making earthquake at some point? Well, the potential is certainly there. That is why so many people are so concerned about the monster sinkholes that have appeared in the region in recent months. For example, a massive sinkhole down in Louisiana is now over 8 acres in size and it has forced hundreds of people to flee from their homes. You can see video of the Louisiana sinkhole right here. Over in Ohio, a giant sinkhole has suddenly formed that is more than 30 feet deep and that is the size of four football fields. That sinkhole caused part of State Route 516 to collapse and authorities say that it will likely be closed for many months. You can see video of the gigantic sinkhole in Ohio right here. Are these monster sinkholes an indication that major earth changes are coming along the New Madrid fault? Has reckless human activity awoken a sleeping giant that we should never have messed with? The sinkhole down in Louisiana is of particular concern because it has been venting natural gas. A few days ago it reportedly "burped" which sounds kind of ominous. Could we see some kind of an "explosion" at some point? Many of those living in the area may not be able to return to their homes for quite a long time. The following is from a recent Huffington Post article… At the eight-acre, Bayou Corne sinkhole in Assumption Parish, owners of slab houses are waiting for methane-gas monitors to be installed in December. The sinkhole deepened in November and coughed up debris and hydrcarbons late in the month. Cypress trees fell into the gap. Residents are watching natural gas being flared from the site and are ventilating homes while bayous around them bubble. But if human activity is capable of producing sinkholes that are 8 acres in size and capable of causing a "sixfold increase" in the number of earthquakes in the middle part of the country, is human activity also capable of setting off the New Madrid fault? Sadly, even most Americans that are living in that part of the country don't really understand how incredibly massive and how potentially destructive this fault zone actually is. The following is from a recent report from WREG in Memphis, Tennessee… Many people don't realize that north Alabama lies in the impact zone of the New Madrid fault line, a sleeping giant that is approximately twenty times larger than California's famed San Andreas fault. The biggest earthquake in U.S. history happened in the New Madrid seismic zone in 1812, and in just the last few weeks, activity along the fault line is starting to heat up. If the earthquakes that happened along the New Madrid fault zone in 1811 and 1812 happened today, the devastation would be unimaginable. Back then, there were not that many people living in the area. But even so, the destruction was incredible… Accounts of the 1812 quake vary since there were no measuring instruments at the time, but most geologists say evidence shows it was at least a magnitude 8 earthquake, and possibly a 9 or higher. The shaking was so intense that church bells started ringing as far away as Boston and New York. Chimneys toppled from the Deep South to Canada, and President James Madison was awoken by the violent shaking as he slept in the White House. Eyewitnesses said it even caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a time. Unfortunately, there are now indications that the fault zone is becoming more active as a recent Examiner article explained… Tuesday evening, two shallow earthquakes, although small, were felt in Mt. Carmel, Ill. as well as five miles outside Edmond, Okla. Illinois had the largest at 3.6 magnitude, leaving Oklahoma with a smaller 2.9 magnitude quake as reported by the USGS. The fact that both of these quakes were shallow and follow on the heels of Kentucky's 4.3 just 10 days ago makes the questions begin to fly. Is the New Madrid waking up? Is it gearing up for 'the big one'? When Ky. Experienced a 4.3 two weeks ago, it was felt across 10-12 states. Although it didn't knock runners off their feet, it did alarm many. Knoxville was among the cities that felt the quake. The shaking was not minor in many areas, and it scared people as walls shook and many began to pray. This is something that I have written about previously, and we all need to keep our eyes open for more reports about earthquakes in the middle part of the country. When the "big one" does finally hit the New Madrid fault zone, it will be one of the biggest news stories ever. We are talking about a catastrophe that would be so immense that it would be hard to imagine. According to ABC News, a study by the Mid-America Earthquake Center found that in the event of a major earthquake along the New Madrid fault, "nearly 750,000 buildings would be damaged, 3,000 bridges would potentially collapse, 400,000 breaks and leaks to local pipelines and $300 billion in direct damage and $600 billion in indirect losses would occur." You can ready much more about the New Madrid fault right here. All of this is even more frightening when you consider that there are 15 nuclear reactors along the New Madrid fault zone. In the event that the "big one" strikes, we could be looking at Fukushima times 15. We have been blessed to have avoided a major earthquake like that for so long in the middle part of the country, but there is no guarantee that the New Madrid fault zone will always be stable – especially considering how much it is being aggravated by man-made activity. There are even some that believe that eventually we will see an earthquake of magnitude-9.0 or higher along the New Madrid fault. Such an earthquake could literally change the face of the entire continent. We are talking about an event that could potentially change the course of the Mississippi River and create bodies of water where none existed previously. We seem to be moving into a time of increased seismic activity on the earth, and many scientists are convinced that the New Madrid Fault zone is definitely overdue for a major earthquake. So will we see one in the coming years? Feel free to post a comment with your opinion below… Is there a connection between UFOs, alien abductions, channeling spirits, demonic possessions, the new age movement, secret societies, and satanism? In Age of Deceit: Fallen Angels and the New World Order, we investigate why the New World Order and the Global Elite are tirelessly working to form a One World Government and who they are getting this instruction from. A biblical look at the history of fallen angels and it's relationship to the New World Order and the new age movement. This seven part television event explores New York City's rich history as a premier laboratory of modern life. A sweeping narrative covering nearly 400 years and 400 square miles, it reveals a complex and dynamic city that has played and unparalleled role in shaping the nation and reflecting its ideals. The Country and the City. Beginning in 1609, episode one chronicles the arrival of the Dutch, the impact of the English, the horrors of colonial slavery, and New York's critical role in the American Revolution. Order and Disorder. Episode two looks at New York's rise as a burgeoning cultural center and multi-ethnic port, concluding with the Civil War Draft Riots — America's bloodiest civil disturbance. Sunshine and Shadow. Episode three turns the spotlight on the period when greed and wealth fueled an expanding metropolis, even as politics and poverty defined it. The Power and the People. Episode four follows New York into a new century, examining the interplay of capitalism, democracy, and transformation, in the wake of an extraordinary wave of immigration and the birth of the skyscraper. Cosmopolis. In episode five, the post-war economic boom, the rise of consumer culture, and the birth of new mass-media industries fuel the convergence of an incredible array of human and cultural energies, ending with the Crash of 1929 and the construction of the Empire State Building. The City of Tomorrow. The sixth episode chronicles the dramatic events that followed the Crash of '29, as the greatest depression in American history plunged the city and the nation into economic gloom. The City and the World. Episode seven charts the turbulent and often harrowing years from 1945 to the present. Emerging from the Depression and the Second World War as the most powerful metropolis on earth. Prof. Dawkins titled his talk as The Purpose of Purpose and began with an anecdote of Peter Atkins being asked by one of the Royal Family,But what about the why questions?, and Atkins replying, That is a silly question. Dawkins noted that asking why for inanimate objects like air or rocks is almost always considered inappropriate. But asking why living organisms are seems to often have been done in the past. He noted a number of amusing instances, such as claims that domestic animals provide a means to keep their meat fresh until we have need to eat them, lice were a strong incentive to personal cleanliness, large predators allowed hunters to test their courage, and horseflies encouraged industry and the use of wits in combating them. This mindset persists to this day, said Dawkins, popping up the Ray Comfort bananavideo, which got an especially large dollop of audience laughter with Comfort's assertion that the banana has just the right shape to fit in the human mouth. Dawkins noted that, unfortunately, the video was not simply a joke. Comfort apparently has offered to give Dawkins $10,000 to debate Comfort. Dawkins responded saying that he would take Comfort up on that only if Comfort donated $100K to Dawkins' new foundation. Then Dawkins compared the modern, domesticated version of the banana to the fruit of the wild banana, showing that many of the properties that Comfort was ascribing to God's design were actually choices made in artificial selection by humans. . Add to this the already extensively documented impact that the television has on all of us, the power it has to literally alter our consciousness and shut down critical thinking, and it is no wonder that it was long ago dubbed the idiot box. As reported by Reuters this month, researchers from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), found that background noise emitted from television is so distracting and mesmerizing to children that it is impacting their ability to interact with other human beings and potentially slowing down cognitive thinking and language development. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that children in the US are now exposed to more than five hours a day of television. Matthew Lapierre, who led the study, explained that children who are subjected to the most TV spend less time interacting with other children and parents. Lapierre also found that younger children are subjected to the most background television. "This is a clear warning signal to parents that if they are not watching TV, they ought to turn it off," said Dr. Victor Strasburger, a pediatrician from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque who has previously studied media exposure among children. "[It is also] a reminder that parents should be avoiding screen time in infants under two." he said. "It's confusing for babies who are trying to get their language together to have indistinguishable voices in the background." Strasburger also noted, telling reporters that when parents bring their children to him, he can tell which toddlers are over exposed to TV. "The babies that are being read to are just chattering away, and the babies that sit in front of a TV are silent," he said. "It means their language development is threatened – they may catch up, but it's a concern." In a separate study, doctors at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in London found that children born today will have watched a full year of television by the time they are seven years old. The study also found that on average children now spend more time watching television than they do in school. Dr Aric Sigman published the study in the Archives Of Disease In Childhood, a medical journey jointly own by the British Medical Journal group. Sigman noted that such extensive exposure to television can lead to a void when it comes to social relationships, can lead to attention deficit problems, and can promote significant psychological difficulties. Sigman also noted that over exposure to new technologies such as 3D televisions and consoles could seriously affect the development of depth perception in children. The study recommends preventing children under three years old from watching television altogether, and says that all children should be limited to less than two hours of TV per day. "." Sigman noted. In a report issued one year ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics pointed out that scores of previous studies have come to the same conclusions; that there is a direct link between increased TV time and developmental delays in children. In 2010, another study published in Pediatrics, found that during analysis of over 1,000 children between the ages of ten and eleven, those who spend at least two hours a day in front of a television screen are 60 percent more likely to have psychological problems than children who spend less or no time. The study also noted that even children taking part in physical activities but still watching TV are still fifty percent more likely to suffer problems such as hyperactivity, difficulty with peers and friends, poor conduct and antisocial kinds of behavior. Further studies published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found that children exposed to more TV are significantly more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior and perform poorly in school. In addition, the findings noted that children who watch more TV are more likely to eat more junk-food and suffer bullying at the hands of classmates – consequences that have their own brain re-wiring effects. Other recent scientific studies have noted that many programs produced specifically for children may have even worse effects on their development because they are very fast moving, thus overtaxing the brain and promoting reduced attention span. Owing to such proven effects of television and video games, children's minds are being numbed before they have even developed. By the time they reach adulthood, they act according to decisions made to a great extent unconsciously. They are effectively zombies; humans operating with an impulsive, reactionary mind set, at the expense of logical analysis and critical thought. And kids are not the only ones who are susceptible to television's ability to create armies of the walking dead. It is commonly known that television flicker rates induce alpha brain waves, lulling the brain into a more subconscious state that can be compared to sleep, literally inducing a type of hypnosis within the viewer that makes them more susceptible to suggestion. This has been known since the 1960s, and was most notably proven in an experiment in 1969, by Herbert Krugman. The research, undertaken by Krugman as part of a larger project concerned with advertising, revealed that the brain's left hemisphere, which processes information logically and analytically, effectively tunes out almost completely when an individual watches television. The radiant light and flicker rate of television screens cause brain activity to drop toward more of a theta state. Critical thinking reduces, leaving the parts of the brain that hold memories, sensations and emotions the most active. Whatever is coming from the TV therefore somewhat bypasses the logical mind and is embedded directly into the subconscious. In other words, TV appeals more to emotions than logic. Numerous studies have also found that flicker rates in video games cause altered consciousness. Some have been shown to reduce brain activity to below Delta frequency. Other studies have also flagged up a link between watching too much television and Alzheimer's disease. The semi conscious state induced by television is thought to directly contribute to the symptoms of memory, speech and perception problems. Krugman also discovered that reading and listening to audio increases cognition and builds neuron paths because you have to think critically and envision the "theater of the mind". In addition, the crossover from the left to the right brain induced by watching television, causes a release of the body's natural opiates, similar to a release of endorphins when exercising. This has the effect of making the viewer feel good. Consequently, withdrawal symptoms can kick in if viewers turn off the turn. As with any form of opiate-withdrawal, symptoms include increased anxiety, frustration, and depression. Experiments conducted in the 1970s found that people who turn off their TVs for long periods after prolonged viewing suffer from depression, with some noting that they felt as though they had "lost a friend." A combination of four studies, published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, concluded thattelevision shows can instill a sense of belonging in viewers with low self-esteem and a lack of social relationships. Referring to the notion as social surrogacy hypothesis, psychologists at the University at Buffalo and Miami University, Ohio, found that in order to fill the emotional void of social deprivation, some people forge relationships with fictional characters in TV shows. TV really is the opiate of the masses. Of course, what I describe here is only a snapshot. We are today bombarded from all angles with distractions, substances, and conditions created to transform the way we interpret our reality. We are being conditioned from birth to act increasingly without consciousness; the one thing that sets us apart from every other living thing in the known universe. We are literally being programmed into a waking sleep, a zombie-like existence. We must act vigilantly and educate others if we are to break this programming and preserve our humanity.
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The family contains five genera, classified by variations in nucleoprotein (NP and M) antigens: influenza A, influenza B, influenza C, thogotovirus, and isavirus. Genus: Influenzavirus A Consists of a single species: influenzaA virus. Influenza A viruses are a major cause of influenza in humans. The multipartite genome is encapsidated, with each segment in a separate nucleocapsid. Eight different segments of negative-sense single-stranded RNA are present; this allows for genetic reassortment in single cells infected with more than one virus and may result in multiple strains that are different from the initial ones (see References: Voyles 2002). The genome consists of 10 genes encoding for different proteins (eight structural proteins and two nonstructural proteins). These include the following: three transcriptases (PB2, PB1, and PA), two surface glycoproteins (hemagglutinin [HA] and neuraminidase [NA]), two matrix proteins (M1 and M2), one nucleocapsid protein (NP), and two nonstructural proteins (NS1 and NS2). The virus envelope glycoproteins (HA and NA) are distributed evenly over the virion surface, forming characteristic spike-shaped structures. Antigenic variation in these proteins is used as part of the influenza A virus subtype definition (but not used for influenza B or C viruses). Influenza A virus subtypes: There are 16 different HA antigens (H1 to H16) and nine different NA antigens (N1 to N9) for influenza A. Until recently, 15 HA types had been recognized, but a new type (H16) was isolated from black-headed gulls caught in Sweden and the Netherlands in 1999 and reported in the literature in 2005 (see References: Fouchier 2005). Human disease historically has been caused by three subtypes of HA (H1, H2, and H3) and two subtypes of NA (N1 and N2). More recently, human disease has been recognized to be caused by additional HA subtypes, including H5, H7, and H9 (all from avian origin). All known subtypes of influenza A can be found in birds, and feral aquatic birds are the major reservoir for influenza A viruses. Feral birds generally do not develop severe disease from influenza; however, domestic chickens and turkeys are susceptible to severe and potentially fatal influenza. Certain mammals also are susceptible to influenza. Influenza A viruses have traditionally been known to cause disease in horses, pigs, whales, and seals; however, the range of several influenza A subtypes is expanding to further mammalian species. H5N1 influenza A recently has been shown to infect cats, leopards, and tigers (see References: Keawcharoen 2004; Webster 2006).Cases of canine influenza have been recognized in the United States and are being caused byH3N8 influenza A, a subtype traditionally found in horses (see References: Crawford 2005). H5N1 strains have been differentiated into genetic clades, with nonoverlapping case distributions. All human H5N1 strains are grouped in clade 1 (see References: WHO Global Influenza Program Surveillance Network). Classification of influenza A strains by pandemic potential Strains from past pandemics: "Noncontemporary" strains are those from previous pandemics that pose some degree of risk to the public owing to decreased immunity in the current population. The term is currently used to describe strains from the Asian flu (H2N2) but could be applied to strains from the earlier Spanish flu pandemic (H1N1) (see References: CDC: Interim CDC-NIH recommendation for raising the biosafety level for laboratory work involving noncontemporary human influenza [H2N2] viruses). Nonpandemic strains: These include strains that have recently circulated or are currently circulating in the human population (ie, those belonging to H1N1, H3N2, and H1N2 subtypes). Potential pandemic strains: Potential pandemic strains must have the following features: (1) have an antigenic makeup to which the population is immunologically naive, (2) be able to replicate in humans, and (3) efficiently transmit from human to human. Because of homosubtypic immunity (see below), new pandemic strains are most likely to be of subtypes not previously recognized in human populations. Currently, strains of H5 and H7 subtypes are of greatest concern. Animal pandemic strains (including avian influenza strains): Animal strains such as H5N1 avian influenza are not considered human pandemic strains unless the above criteria are met, but they have significant potential to evolve into new human pandemic strains through the process of genetic reassortment (see below) or through gradual adaptation to the human host. Most avian strains are not of concern as potential pandemic strains. Avian influenza The term "avian influenza" is used to describe influenza A subtypes that primarily affect chickens, turkeys, guinea fowls, migratory waterfowl, and other avian species. "Avian influenza" is an ecological classification that does not correspond exactly to other classification schemes. As with other influenza A subtypes, standard nomenclature is used to name strains (eg, A/Chicken/HK/5/98 [H5N1]). Avian influenza strains in domestic chickens and turkeys are classified according to disease severity, with two recognized forms: highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as fowl plague, and low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). Avian influenza viruses that cause HPAI are highly virulent, and mortality rates in infected flocks often approach 100%. LPAI viruses are generally of lower virulence, but these viruses can serve as progenitors to HPAI viruses. The current strain of H5N1 responsible for die-offs of domestic birds in Asia is an HPAI strain; other strains of H5N1 occurring elsewhere in the world are less virulent and, therefore, are classified as LPAI strains. All HPAI strains identified to date have involved H5 and H7 subtypes. Evidence that HPAI strains arise from LPAI strains has led the World Organization for Animal Health to classify all H5 or H7 strains as notifiable (see References: Alexander 2003, Capua 2004, OIE 2005). In the United States, currently only HPAI avian strains and reconstructed 1918 H1N1 strains are regulated as select agents (see Biosafety and Biosecurity, below). They are inactivated by ionizing radiation, pH extremes (>9 or <5), and temperatures greater than 50°C. Viruses remain infectious after 24 to 48 hours on nonporous environmental surfaces and less than 12 hours on porous surfaces (see References: Bean 1982). (Note: The importance of fomites in disease transmission has not been determined.) Laboratory Testing for Influenza The following statements regarding laboratory testing apply to influenza viruses in general, not just to influenza testing in a pandemic setting. During a pandemic, recommendations for laboratory testing may change, depending on a number of factors, including availability of testing reagents and laboratory staffing/surge capacity. General Considerations Laboratory tests do not need to be conducted on all patients with suspected influenza. Factors that influence the decision to test or not test patients with signs and symptoms of influenza include: Residence in a healthcare facility: Documentation of influenza virus infection in inpatients or residents of long-term care facilities is important for detection and control of outbreaks. Treatment options: Testing should be performed if laboratory results influence clinical decision making. Level of influenza activity in the community: The positive predictive value of influenza tests, especially rapid assays, increases with prevalence of influenza in the community; therefore, if the prevalence of influenza is low, the utility of the tests decreases. As influenza prevalence increases, the predictive value of clinical diagnosis without laboratory testing also increases and laboratory confirmation may not be necessary (see References: CDC: Interim guidance for influenza diagnostic testing during the 2004-05 influenza season; Monto 2005). Participation in a surveillance program: Sentinel surveillance can be useful to determine which strains are circulating in the community and to assess the degree of the match between circulating viruses and those used to make the vaccine for that year. Patients who meet the criteria for a novel influenza virus: During a pandemic alert period, patients who meet certain criteria (such as influenza symptoms and recent travel to an area affected by a novel strain) should be considered for laboratory testing. Pandemic considerations: As noted above, recommendations for testing during a pandemic may be somewhat unique and dependent upon factors such as availability of reagents and laboratory surge capacity. The sensitivity and specificity of laboratory tests appears to vary with the involved strain, which has implications for emerging variants (see References: Weinberg 2005). Laboratory tests are required for specific identification of pandemic strains. The most likely ways that a pandemic strain would be detected initially are: Outbreak investigations or investigation of unexplained death in a previously healthy individual Influenza surveillance with laboratory testing and characterization of unusual strains Investigation of unusual laboratory findings State and local health departments should be prepared to process or test for the following (if they have the capability, as described below) (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan). The need for confirmatory testing will diminish as the pandemic progresses. Some level of continued monitoring will be necessary to monitor changes in antigenicity and antiviral susceptibility. CDC will provide appropriate guidance in such situations. Clinical laboratories should contact their state or local health departments if they receive specimens from patients with possible novel influenza suspected on the basis of clinical and epidemiologic criteria. Public health laboratories should send specimens to CDC if the patient meets clinical and epidemiologic criteria and (1) tests positive for influenza A by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or rapid testing or (2) tests negative for influenza A by rapid testing and RT-PCR is not available. Laboratories without capacity for testing avian strains by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) or RT-PCR should send untypable influenza isolates to CDC. Any unusual subtype should be reported to CDC through their emergency response hotline (770-488-7100). Nasopharyngeal swabs, nasal washes, and nasal aspirates are considered to be more sensitive than throat swabs for culture of most respiratory viruses, including convention influenza strains, and are preferred for children younger than 2 years of age. Pharyngeal swabs collected 4 to 8 days after onset of illness may be more sensitive for detection of influenza A (H5N1) than nasal swabs (see References: WHO: Writing Committee of WHO Consultation on Human Influenza A/H5l 2005). Only sterile Dacron or rayon swabs with plastic shafts should be used. Calcium alginate swabs or swabs with wooden sticks should not be used. Viral transport media should be used for nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs and specimens should be maintained at refrigerator temperature (4°C to 8oC) until testing is performed. Freezing at 70°C is best for maintaining viability during extended storage With regard to autopsy specimens, large airways have the highest yield for immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests. Eight blocks or fixed-tissue specimens from each of the following sites should be obtained. Fixed tissue should be transported at room temperature (not frozen); fresh unfixed tissue should be frozen. Central (hilar) lung with segmental bronchi Right and left primary bronchi Trachea (proximal and distal) Representative pulmonary parenchyma from right and left lung Infection control precautions should be observed during specimen collection. Specimen collection procedures for animals have been described by the World Health Organization (WHO) (see References: WHO: Manual on animal influenza diagnosis and surveillance). Biosafety and Biosecurity New safety rules and recommendations for influenza virus will be published in a revised edition of Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) (see References: CDC: Interim CDC-NIH recommendation for raising the biosafety level for laboratory work involving noncontemporary human influenza [H2N2] viruses; CDC: Update on influenza A [H5N1] and SARS: Interim recommendations for enhanced U.S. surveillance, testing, and infection controls; HHS: Pandemic influenza plan). Current recommendations for interpandemic and pandemic alert periods include: Culture of noncontemporary influenza strains (H2N2) or research involving reverse genetics of the 1918 Spanish flu strain (H1N1) requires BSL-3 facilities and Animal BSL-3 practices, including containment with rigorous adherence to additional respiratory protection and clothing change protocol, use of negative pressure, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtered respirators or positive air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), use of HEPA filtration for treatment of exhaust air, and amendment of personnel practices to include personal showers prior to exiting the laboratory. Culture from patients suspected of having avian influenza, other novel influenza strains, or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus should only be conducted under enhanced BSL-3 containment (also see Biosecurity below). This includes controlled access, double-door entry with changing room and shower, use of respirators, decontamination of all waste, and showering out of all personnel. These diagnostic activities must be kept separate from routine influenza diagnostic activities (eg, probably H1 or H3) to prevent recombination. IFA of specimens requires BSL-2 containment and practices. Culture biocontainment recommendations should be implemented when IFA is used for culture identification. If H5N1 avian influenza virus is presumptively identified by one of the above direct methods, further work should be conducted using the enhanced BSL-3 procedures described for culture. Any new or re-emergent human influenza strain with suspected pandemic potential should be treated in the same manner as described for H5N1 avian influenza. Additional requirements and recommendations apply for laboratory work involving live animals. Biosecurity Human influenza strains, with a few exceptions (see below), are not regulated as select agents. Inclusion of potentially pandemic strains on the select agent list is currently under consideration (see References: CDC: Interim CDC-NIH recommendation for raising the biosafety level for laboratory work involving noncontemporary human influenza [H2N2] viruses; CDC: Update on avian influenza A[H5N1] and SARS). Despite the absence of regulatory authority, standard biosecurity measures should be maintained for potentially pandemic strains. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as an agricultural select agent regulated under 7 CFR part 331 and 9 CFR Part 121 of the Federal Register, which was published as a Final Rule in the March 18, 2005, issue (see References: USDA/APHIS: Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002). Laboratories that work with HPAI strains (H5 or H7) or perform diagnostic cultures for suspected human cases of avian influenza caused by H5 or H7 or suspected cases of SARS must be registered with the USDA. Both registered and exempt laboratories that identify a select agent contained in a specimen presented for diagnosis, verification, or proficiency testing must secure the agent against theft, loss, or release until transfer or destruction. Unregistered laboratories must transfer or destroy select agents within 7 days of identification. Any theft, loss, or release of the agent must be reported to the select agent authority (see References: USDA/APHIS: Questions and answers). Effective October 20, 2005, "reconstructed replication competent forms of the 1918 pandemic influenza virus containing any portion of the coding regions of all eight gene segments" will be regulated as select agents under an interim rule from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (see References: CDC: Select Agent Program). Virus Isolation by Cell Culture Cell culture measures growth rather than the presence or absence of specific targets. As cell lines are designed to support the growth of a wide range of viruses, cell culture will likely allow for detection of emerging and pandemic influenza strains (see References: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing). Isolates obtained from cell culture are required for strain characterization, which is an integral part of global influenza surveillance and monitoring activities during a pandemic (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan). Specimens for culture optimally should be collected within 3 days after illness onset. Turnaround time for the standard method is 2 to 14 days. Culture consists of growth on a cell monolayer, detection of viral growth, and specific identification. Virus detection and identification methods for standard culture include the following: Cell lines include Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK), primary rhesus monkey kidney (PRMK), or cynomolgus monkey kidney. Other cell lines, such as Vero, mink lung, and MRC-5, also support growth of influenza virus if trypsin is incorporated into serum-free medium. Cytopathic effect (CPE)is not a consistent feature of influenza A virus. If present, CPE is nonspecific, including vacuolization or cell degeneration. Assays for haemadsorption (HAd) (ie, influenza-infected cells bind red blood cells [RBCs]) are performed blindly, typically at 7 and 14 days or on cells exhibiting CPE. Other viruses, such as parainfluenza virus and mumps virus, may also cause HAd. The lack of HAd specificity may be an advantage in detecting new or pandemic strains. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI or HAI) is used to identify the viral subtype. Cell supernatant is mixed with RBCs; identification is by quantitative inhibition of agglutination using subtype-specific antisera. Homologous strains yield high HI titers. New pandemic strains would likely be HAd-positive with or without CPE, with low or negative titers to group-specific antisera. Identification of infected cells is by direct or indirect immunofluorescence (eg, DFA, IFA), enzyme-linked immunoassays (EIA), or PCR-based methods. Assays with more conserved, less specific targets are more likely to detect newly emerged strains. The time to detection in culture, as measured in one study conducted during two influenza seasons, ranged from 5 days (>90% of positive specimens) to 7 days (100% of positive specimens) (see References: Newton 2002). A golden rule of laboratory testing is to never process clinical specimens from humans and swine (and presumably birds) in the same laboratory (see References: WHO recommended laboratory tests to identify influenza A/H5 in specimens from patients with influenza-like illness). Shell vial assay (rapid culture), when combined with a rapid detection/identification method, offers a sensitive and rapid diagnostic alternative to standard culture. This method does not result in an adequate viral titer or volume for further characterization and would thus not be appropriate for pandemic influenza surveillance without subculture. Direct Detection Methods Direct detection methods do not result in production of an isolate and would be inadequate for surveillance or definitive characterization of pandemic strains. Nevertheless, owing to their relatively rapid turnaround time, safety, and stability, direct detection methods play an important role in pandemic influenza preparedness. Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assays The sensitivity of RT-PCR has been reported to be in the range of 90% to 100% when compared with cell culture. However, several researchers have reported significantly higher numbers of total positive specimens with RT-PCR, possibly reflecting its ability to detect nonviable virions (see References: Coiras 2003, Hayden 2002, Herrmann 2001, Pachucki 2004, Wallace 1999). On February 3, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced clearance of an Influenza A/H5 (Asian Lineage) Virus Real-Time Reverse Transcription–Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Primer and Probe Set and inactivated virus as a source of positive RNA control for the in vitro detection of highly pathogenic influenza A/H5 virus (Asian lineage) (see References: CDC 2006: New laboratory assay for diagnostic testing of avian influenza A/H5 [Asian lineage]). These reagents and assay protocols have been distributed by CDC to state and city LRN (Laboratory Response Network) laboratories. Testing with the new assay is limited to LRN-designated laboratories. While culture of specimens from possible avian influenza (H5N1) cases is not recommended without strict containment and specific registration (described above), RT-PCR can be conducted using BSL-2 facilities and practices (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan). Common PCR targets include the matrix (M) protein (for genus-level identification), hemagglutinin, and neuraminidase (for subtype-level identification). PCR generally is not used for strain-level identification, which is based on serologic markers. The likelihood that a RT-PCR assay will detect new pandemic strains increases when more conserved target sequences are used. As with other PCR-based assays, efforts should be made to minimize and detect amplicon contamination. Samples positive by RT-PCR for a novel influenza subtype should be forwarded to a public health laboratory (if testing was conducted at a private laboratory) or to CDC for confirmation (see References: HHS Pandemic influenza plan). A molecular microarray for influenza typing and subtyping using a flow-thru chip platform has been described (see References: Kessler 2004). The development of portable real-time platforms has made possible the use of PCR assays in the field (see References: Perdue 2003). Immunofluorescence IFA methods may be used to identify influenza to the species level (influenza A or B) or specific H subtypes (including H5) directly from specimens or cell culture. CDC distributes IFA typing and subtyping reagents to WHO-collaborating laboratories, including many health department laboratories. If HPAI strains are suspected, enhanced BSL-3 containment should be used (see References: WHO: Recommended laboratory tests to identify avian influenza A virus in specimens from humans; FDA: Cautions in using rapid tests for detecting influenza A viruses; HHS: Pandemic influenza plan) Direct immunofluorescence (DFA) methods are faster and less labor intensive than IFA but are less sensitive and are currently only available for genus-specific detection (see other rapid direct tests in the next bullet). Rapid tests are designed to identify influenza A only, influenza A or B without identifying the type, or influenza A or B with type-specific identification. Reported sensitivities range from 40% to 80%. Sensitivity is generally greater in children than adults. Sensitivity is greater early in the course of illness. Rapid test predictive value and disease prevalence: The predictive value of rapid assays without confirmation by a reference test is strongly correlated with disease prevalence in the community, as is clinical diagnosis without laboratory testing. When the disease prevalence is low, the tests' positive predictive value decreases and positive results should be confirmed by culture or RT-PCR. When influenza is known to be circulating (ie, high prevalence in the community), the negative predictive value is lower and clinicians should consider confirming negative tests with viral culture or other tests. Rapid test predictive value and diagnostic indications: Rapid tests increase the diagnostic predictive value when used for confirmation of influenza (when symptoms are strongly suggestive) and for ruling out influenza (when symptoms suggest illness other than influenza). When symptoms are not strongly suggestive in either direction, the utility of rapid testing becomes questionable. While the sensitivity and specificity of rapid tests has been evaluated for circulating strains, these measures are largely unknown for detection of emerging strains (including pandemic strains) (see References: FDA: Cautions in using rapid tests for detecting influenza A viruses). Only 4 (36%) of 11 culture-positive H5N1 influenza A specimens from patients in Thailand were positive by rapid antigen tests (see References: WHO Writing Committee of WHO Consultation on Human Influenza A/H5 2005). WHO, in their Checklist for Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Planning, recommends against routine use of commercial rapid antigen detection kits and suggests they be used for outbreak investigation only when no other options exist (see References: WHO Writing Committee of WHO Consultation on Human Influenza A/H5 2005). During a pandemic, rapid tests may be useful for distinguishing influenza from other respiratory illnesses (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan). Serology Serologic testing can be used for retrospective diagnosis of infection but is rarely useful for patient management and is not widely available. However, serology may be useful for investigation of novel viruses (see References: Hayden 2002; Treanor 2005; HHS: Pandemic influenza plan). Acute-phase sera should be collected within 1 week after illness onset, and convalescent sera should be collected 2 to 3 weeks later. The most common serologic methods are complement fixation (CF), HAI, and enzyme immunoassays (EIA). A variety of other methods, such as neutralization, microneutralization, single radial hemolysis, radial immunodiffusion, and Western blot, have been reported (see References: Hayden 2002, Rowe 1999). IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies appear simultaneously about 2 weeks after initial infection. Antibodies appear more quickly with subsequent infections. Tests for IgM and IgA are less useful than IgG for routine clinical use, as most infections are reinfections (see References: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing; Hayden 2002) Peak antibody response occurs 4 to 7 weeks after infection. Since most people are repeatedly exposed to influenza viruses, a fourfold rise in titer between acute and convalescent sera generally is considered necessary for confirmation of influenza infection. While paired sera are optimal, single convalescent specimens may be useful in investigations involving novel viruses. Antibody test results have been compared with results from age-matched persons in the acute phase of illness or from non-ill controls. The geometric mean titers between the two groups to a single influenza virus type or subtype can be compared (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan) HAI EIAs measure antibody to hemagglutinin. These tests are more sensitive than CF, but their increased specificity appears to limit their ability to detect new strains. HAI titers of at least 1:40 or serum neutralizing titers of 1:8 or greater are associated with protection. CF measures antibody response to nucleoprotein, which is conserved among influenza A strains. This feature could be an advantage for diagnosis of infection with novel pandemic strains. The microneutralization assay can sensitively and specifically detect H5N1 antibody in patients with H5N1 influenza. Since the test uses infectious organisms, HPAI strains should be tested under enhanced BSL-3 containment. As with other tests, paired sera are preferable to single specimens (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan). Susceptibility Testing Susceptibility testing generally is conducted at specialized laboratories as part of surveillance or research and is considered an integral component of pandemic influenza response. Used to detect mutations in genes known to be or suspected of being responsible for resistance Neuraminidase gene sequences from strains isolated prior to introduction of the drugs can be used to evaluate current strain sequences Mutations in the M2 can be used to detect amantadine resistance (see References: Pachucki 2004) The Neuraminidase Inhibitor Susceptibility Network (NISN) was established to monitor susceptibility of clinical isolates to zanamivir and oseltamivir. The chemiluminescent neuraminidase enzyme assay was chosen by the NISN as the method of choice for testing neuraminidase inhibitors (see References: Wetherall 2003). Laboratory Values That May Trigger Concern for Human Pandemic Influenza Positive test for influenza from a patient with risk factors for avian influenza Culture: CPE positive or negative; HAd positive; HI titer low or negative and no other hemagglutinating viruses identified RT-PCR positive for H5 or H7 RT-PCR positive for influenza A from a conserved target, such as matrix protein, and negative for H1-H3 General Considerations Cross-Immunity In general, the degree of immunity induced by one strain of influenza virus to a second challenge with another influenza virus is related to the taxonomic distance between the two strains (see References: Epstein 2003). Several terms that characterize the type of immunity are identified below. Heterologous immunity:Immunization with one type of influenza virus (eg, A, B, or C) does not offer protection from challenge with a different type. Heterosubtypic immunity (also referred to as "heterotypic immunity"):Immunization with one influenza A virus subtype (eg, H1N1) may offer some protection from challenge with a second influenza A subtype (eg, H5N2). The degree of protection, or lack of protection, is important to the discussion of pandemic influenza and vaccine development. Homosubtypic immunity:Immunization with one strain within a subtype (eg, A/Hong Kong/03/68[H3N2]) will frequently offer some protection against challenge with a second strain within the same subtype (eg, A/Fujian/447/2003[H3N2]). Homologous immunity: Immunization with one strain of influenza A virus (eg, A/Fujian/447/2003[H3N2]) offers protection from a second challenge with the same strain. Antigenic Drift vs Antigenic Shift "Antigenic drift" refers to the process of small genetic changes that influenza viruses continuously undergo from year to year, which necessitates the development of new vaccines annually. Partial immunologic cross-reactivity between new strains and those they are replacing (ie, homosubtypic immunity) limits morbidity, mortality, and spread in the population. "Antigenic shift" refers to substantial genetic changes caused by the process of genetic reassortment. Relatively few lineages of influenza A are circulating among humans at any one time, which reduces the likelihood of significant genetic reassortments. However, antigenic shift can occur between human and animal strains, which is what happened with the pandemic strains of 1957 and 1968. It is important to note that not all pandemic strains arise from genetic reassortment. For example, the 1918 pandemic strain apparently did not originate through a reassortment event; rather, it is likely that an avian strain initially infected humans and then adapted gradually to the human population over time to become a pandemic strain (see References: Taubenberger 2005). Features of Pandemic Strains Pandemics occur when a novel influenza strain emerges that has the following features: Pandemic Phases In reviewing the public health implications of a pandemic, it is useful to understand the various phases that a pandemic will likely go through. These are outlined in the following table. (Note: In 1999, WHO developed a set of pandemic phases; these were revised in the new WHO Global Influenza Preparedness Plan that was released in April 2005. The phases identified below are from the 2005 Plan [see References: WHO: WHO global influenza preparedness plan 2005].) The current pandemic phase for H5N1 is Phase 3. WHO Pandemic Phases Phase Characteristics of Phase Rationale Phase 1 No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. An influenza virus subtype that has caused human infection may be present in animals. If present in animals, the risk of human infection or disease is considered to be low. It is likely that influenza subtypes that have caused human infection and/or disease will always be present in wild birds or other animal species. Lack of recognized animal or human infections does not mean that no action is needed. Preparedness requires planning and action in advance. Phase 2 No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. However, a circulating animal influenza virus subtype poses a substantial risk of human disease. The presence of animal infection caused by a virus of known human pathogenicity may pose a substantial risk to human health and justify public health measures to protect persons at risk. Pandemic Alert Period Phase 3 Human infection(s) with a new subtype, but no human-to-human spread, or at most rare instances of spread to a close contact. The occurrence of cases of human disease increases the chance that the virus may adapt or reassort to become transmissible from human to human, especially if coinciding with a seasonal outbreak of influenza. Measures are needed to detect and prevent spread of disease. Rare instances of transmission to a close contact, for example, in a household or healthcare setting, may occur but do not alter the main attribute of this phase (ie, that the virus is essentially not transmissible from human to human). Phase 4 Small cluster(s) with limited human-to-human transmission but spread is highly localized, suggesting that the virus is not well adapted to humans. Virus has increased human-to-human transmissibility but is not well adapted to humans and remains highly localized, so that its spread may possibly be delayed or contained. Phase 5 Larger cluster(s) but human-to-human spread is still localized, suggesting that the virus is becoming increasingly better adapted to humans but may not yet be fully transmissible (substantial pandemic risk). Virus is more adapted to humans and therefore more easily transmissible among humans. It has spread in larger clusters, but spread is localized. This is likely to be the last chance for massive coordinated global intervention, targeted to one or more foci, to delay or contain spread. In view of possible delays in documenting spread of infection during pandemic Phase 4, it is anticipated that there would be a low threshold for progressing to Phase 5. Pandemic Period Phase 6 Increased and sustained transmission among general population. Major change in global surveillance and response strategy, since pandemic risk is imminent for all countries. The national response is determined primarily by the disease impact within the country. Historical Perspective Earliest reports of influenza epidemics date back to 412 BC and were recorded by Hippocrates. A number of epidemics that likely were influenza were described in the Middle Ages, and one that was probably a true pandemic took place in 1510 (see References: Beveridge 1978). Other key historical facts include the following: One of the earliest recorded pandemics occurred in 1580. Like the 1918 pandemic, this one was particularly severe. It started in Asia and spread to Africa, Europe, and the Americas. In 6 weeks it afflicted all of Europe. Death rates were high; 9,000 of 80,000 people died in Rome, and some Spanish cities were described as "nearly entirely depopulated" by the disease (see References: Beveridge 1978). Ten pandemics have been recorded in the past 300 years. During this time, 10 to 49 years has occurred between pandemics with an average of 24 years. During the 17th century, localized epidemics were reported, and in the 18th century at least three pandemics occurred (1729-30, 1732-33, and 1781-82). Three influenza pandemics occurred during the 19th century (1830-31, 1833-34, and 1889-90). The 1889 pandemic known as the Russian Flu began in Russia and spread rapidly throughout Europe. It reached North America in December 1889 and spread to Latin America and Asia in February 1890. About 1 million people died in this pandemic. Global influenza surveillance was established in 1947 by WHO to better understand the epidemiology of influenza and to obtain isolates in a systematic fashion for annual vaccine development (see References: Hampson 1997). Pandemics of the 20th Century Three pandemics occurred during the 20th century, caused by an H1, an H2, and an H3 strain. These are outlined in the table below and then briefly summarized. Currently, H1 and H3 influenza strains are circulating in the human population. Scientists have raised concern about the possibility of H2N2 reemerging (also referred to as recycling) in humans, particularly through accidental release of a laboratory strain (see References: Dowdle 2006). Influenza Pandemics of the 20th Century: Impact in the United States* Date Strain Estimated No. of Deaths in US Comments 1918-19 (Spanish Flu) H1N1 500,000 Global mortality may have been as high as 100 million. The virus likely originated in the US and then spread to Europe. 1957-58 (Asian Flu) H2N2 60,000 The virus was first identified in China; approximately 1 million people died globally during this pandemic. 1968-69 (Hong Kong Flu) H3N2 40,000 The death rate from this pandemic may have been lower because the strain had a shift in the hemagglutinin (H) antigen only and not in the neuraminidase (N) antigen. *All three pandemics were characterized by a shift in age distribution of deaths to younger populations under age 65 (at least initially); shift was particularly dramatic during the 1918 pandemic (see References: NIAID: Focus on the flu; HHS: Influenza pandemics; Kilbourne 2005; Simonsen 2004; Webster 1997). 1918-19 (Spanish Flu) This pandemic was caused by an influenza A (H1N1) strain. Worldwide, about one third of the world's population was infected and had clinically apparent illness (about 500 million people) and an estimated 50 to 100 million died (see References: Johnson 2002, Taubenberger 2006). Earlier estimates implied that the death toll was 20 to 40 million, but more recent evidence supports the higher figures. Adjusting for today's population, a similar pandemic would yield a modern death toll of 175 to 350 million. The pandemic began with a relatively mild "herald" wave in the spring of 1918. During that time, outbreaks were reported in Europe and in the United States (particularly in military training camps for new recruits headed to the war in Europe) (see References: Reid 2001, Glezen 1996). Many investigators believe that the strain originated in the United States (perhaps in rural Kansas) and then migrated initially to France before spreading throughout Europe (see References: Barry 2004). However, others believe that the strain may have been circulating in the Mid-Atlantic States as early as February of 1918 (see References: Simonsen 2004). Furthermore, an outbreak of severe respiratory disease occurred in an army camp in France in 1916-17 (see References: Oxford 2000). A significant clinical feature of the disease was cyanosis, which also was a predominant finding among those who acquired the pandemic strain of influenza. It is possible that this outbreak represented H1N1 infection and was an early precursor to the pandemic. At any rate, it is clear that the 1918-19 pandemic did not begin in Asia, although the origin of the implicated H1N1 strain still remains a mystery. This first wave was followed by two additional waves in the fall and winter of 1918-19 that were much more severe (see References: Taubenberger 2006). The second highly virulent wave spread rapidly around the world in the fall of 1918; it took only 2 months for the pandemic to circle the globe at that time. Recorded case-fatality rates varied around the globe. In the US military, death rates ranged from 5% to 10% (see References: Barry 2004). Higher rates were reported in some areas. Additional waves that were not as severe occurred in 1919 and 1920. An unusual feature of the pandemic was the age-related mortality; the pandemic strain killed a disproportionate number of healthy young adults. This led to the observation of a "W" shaped age-related mortality curve in the United States, with high rates of mortality among very young children, persons 15 to 45 years of age, and the elderly (see References: Reid 2001; Glezen 1996). Usually the curve associated with influenza mortality follows a "U" shape, with excess deaths occurring only among the very young and the elderly. One striking feature of the pandemic was its impact on pregnant women; a summary of 13 studies involving pregnant women demonstrated that case-fatality rates ranged from 23% to 71% (see References: Barry 2004). In October 2005, CDC reported that scientists had reconstructed the 1918 pandemic H1N1 strain and tested it in mice (see References: Tumpey 2005). They found that mice infected with the 1918 strain died in as little as 3 days, and mice that survived as long as 4 days had 39,000 times as many virus particles in their lungs as did mice infected with a control influenza virus, a Texas strain of H1N1 from 1991. All the mice infected with the 1918 virus died, while those exposed to the Texas strain survived. Further, the 1918 virus was at least 100 times as lethal as an engineered virus that contained five 1918 genes and three genes from the Texas H1N1 strain. The researchers found that the mice had severe inflammation in their lungs and bronchial passages, findings very similar to those in people who died of the 1918 virus. Earlier studies in mice using genetically engineered influenza strains similar to the H1N1 1918 pandemic strain suggest that macrophage activation with high levels of cytokine production may have been a key factor in lung damage caused by the pandemic strain (see References: Kobasa 2004). Investigators have postulated that an overly robust immune response inducing a "cytokine storm" may have contributed to the high case-fatality rates seen in younger populations during the 1918 pandemic. Recent genetic sequencing of the 1918 strain indicates that the strain was of avian origin and that the strain did not reassort with a human strain (unlike later pandemics), but rather gradually adapted to humans until it could be efficiently transmitted person to person (see References: Taubenberger 2005). Current evidence indicates that the 1918 virus was an avian-like virus derived in toto from an unknown source (see References: Taubenberger 2006). 1957-58 (Asian Flu) The Asian flu was caused by an H2N2 strain and originated in China. The virus was initially isolated in Singapore in February 1957 and in Hong Kong in April of that year. The pandemic spread to the Southern Hemisphere during the summer of 1957 and reached the United States in June 1957 (see References: Glezen 1996). The pandemic strain acquired three genes from the avian influenza gene pool in wild ducks by genetic reassortment and obtained five other genes from the then-circulating human strain. About 69,800 people in the United States died and mortality was spread over three seasons. Overall, the highest mortality rates occurred among the elderly; however, during the initial season in 1957, nearly 40% of the influenza deaths occurred among persons less than 65 years of age (see References: Simonsen 2004). The high case-fatality rate in this age-group declined in subsequent years. Globally, approximately 1 million people died during this pandemic. 1968-69 (Hong Kong Flu) The Hong Kong flu was caused by an H3N2 strain. The strain acquired two genes from the duck reservoir by reassortment and kept six genes from the virus circulating at the time in humans. During the pandemic, about 33,800 people died in the United States. The death rate from this pandemic may have been lower because the strain had a shift in the hemagglutinin (H) antigen only and not in the neuraminidase (N) antigen. Although antibodies to neuraminidase antigen do not prevent infection, they may modify the severity of disease (see References: Glezen 1996). Also, an H3 strain had apparently circulated in the United States around the turn of the century, so elderly persons may have had some protective antibody from past exposure to an H3 strain (see References: Simonsen 2004). This could have caused a lower fatality rate in the elderly. Lessons from Past Pandemics In a recent report issued in January 2005, WHO officials identified key lessons from the three pandemics of the past century (see References: WHO: Avian influenza: assessing the pandemic threat). These lessons are summarized as follows. Pandemics behave as unpredictably as the viruses that cause them. During the previous century, great variations were seen in mortality, severity of illness, and patterns of spread. One consistent feature important for pandemic preparedness planning is the rapid surge in the number of cases and their exponential increase over a very brief time, often measured in weeks. Apart from the inherent lethality of the virus, its capacity to cause severe disease in non-traditional age groups, namely young adults, is a major determinant of a pandemic's overall impact. The epidemiologic potential of a virus tends to unfold in waves. Subsequent waves have tended to be more severe. Virologic surveillance, as conducted by the WHO Laboratory Network, has performed a vital function in rapidly confirming the onset of pandemics. Most pandemics have originated in parts of Asia where dense populations of humans live in close proximity to ducks and pigs. Some public health interventions may have delayed the international spread of past pandemics, but could not stop them. Delaying spread is desirable, as it can flatten the epidemiological peak, thus distributing cases over a longer period of time. The impact of vaccines on a pandemic, through potentially great, remains to be demonstrated. In 1957 and 1968, vaccine manufacturers responded rapidly, but limited production capacity resulted in the arrival of inadequate quantities too late to have an impact. Countries with domestic manufacturing capacity will be the first to receive vaccines. The tendency of pandemics to be most severe in later waves may extend the time before large supplies of vaccine are needed to prevent severe disease in high-risk populations. In the best-case scenario, a pandemic will cause excess mortality at the extremes of the lifespan and in persons with underlying chronic disease. Countries with good programs for yearly influenza vaccinations will have experience with the logistics of vaccinations for these populations. The Current H5N1 Threat According to WHO, at this time the pandemic alert level for H5N1 influenza is at Phase 3: a new viral subtype is causing disease in humans but is not yet spreading efficiently and sustainably (see References: WHO: Current WHO phase of pandemic alert). Detailed information about H5N1 influenza in bird populations can be found in the document on this Web site "Avian Influenza (Bird Flu): Agricultural and Wildlife Considerations" and in human populations in the document "Avian Influenza (Bird Flu): Implications for Human Disease." Of the avian influenza subtypes, currently the H5N1 subtype is of greatest pandemic concern for the following reasons (see References: WHO: Avian influenza fact sheet; WHO: Influenza pandemic preparedness and response): H5N1 viruses have spread rapidly throughout poultry flocks in Asia over the past 2 years and now appear to be endemic in eastern Asia (see References: Kaye 2005, Li 2004). In addition, H5N1 viruses have spread beyond Asia via migratory birds to several countries in Europe and Africa and to India. H5N1 strains cause severe disease in humans, with a high case-fatality rate (reportedly at over 50%, although adequate surveillance data are lacking to accurately define the rate). The potential of exposure and infection of humans is likely to be ongoing in rural Asia and probably in Africa as well, where many households keep free-ranging poultry flocks for income and food (see References: Stohr 2005). Recent genetic sequencing performed on H5N1 viral isolates from Turkey demonstrates that the strains contain two mutations which may make the virus better adapted to humans (see References: Butler 2006). These mutations could potentially enhance transmission from birds to humans and between humans. Genetic characterization of H5N1 viruses has demonstrated two distinct phylogenetic clades (genetic groups) (see References: WHO: Antigenic and genetic characteristics of H5N1 viruses and candidate H5N1 vaccine viruses developed for potential use as pre-pandemic vaccines). Clade 1 viruses have circulated in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam and Clade 2 viruses have circulated in China and Indonesia and have spread westward to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. Six different subclades of Clade 2 have been recognized and three of these have been responsible for most of the human cases in Indonesia, China, and outside of Asia. If H5N1 strains continue to circulate widely among poultry, the potential for emergence of a pandemic strain remains high. For example, H5N1 viruses have been found in pigs in southern China, and human H3N2 influenza viruses are endemic in pigs in that area. H5N1 has recently been reported in pigs in Indonesia as well (see References: Cyranoski 2005). Thus, the conditions exist for exchange of genetic material between the different viruses in the pig host (see References: Li 2004; WHO: Avian influenza: update: implications of H5N1 infections in pigs in China). Some scientists believe that reassortment between an avian and a human strain could occur in the human population without an intermediary host; if this proves true, as more humans become exposed and infected, the potential for reassortment with a human strain also may increase. Similarly, as more human cases occur globally and the virus gains a foothold in the human population, the potential for gradual adaptation of the virus into a human pandemic strain increases (see References: WHO: Influenza pandemic preparedness and response 2005). As of August 23, 2006, WHO has officially recognized more than 240 cases (see References: WHO: Cumulative number of confirmed human cases of avian influenza), with an overall case-fatality rate of more than 50%. The reported case-fatality rate among cases in Indonesia is higher, at approximately 75%. An epidemiologic report on 203 confirmed H5N1 influenza cases published by WHO in June 2006 demonstrated that the median age of cases was 20 years and that 90% of infections occurred in persons under 40 years of age (see References: WHO: Epidemiology of WHO-confirmed human cases of avian A(H5N1) infection). The high case-fatality rate suggests that the pathogenicity of H5N1 may be similar to the 1918 H1N1 pandemic strain. Researchers have hypothesized that cytokine storm (ie, overproduction of cytokines) may have played an important role in the pathogenesis of the 1918 pandemic strain. A laboratory-based study involving H5N1 strains taken from ill humans in Asia (during 1997 and 2004) and an ordinary current H1N1 strain (circulating in Asia in 1998) found that all the H5N1 viruses caused human alveolar cells and bronchial epithelial cells to secrete significantly higher levels of various cytokines and chemokines than did the ordinary virus (see References: Chan 2005). Another recent study demonstrated a strong induction of chemokines and their receptors in macrophages infected by H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza viruses (see References: Zhou 2006). These findings support the role of cytokine storm in the pathogenesis of H5N1, although further work is needed to clarify the clinical implications of these findings. To date, sustained person-to-person transmission has not been recognized, although probable person-to-person spread was identified in Thailand involving transmission from an ill child to her mother and aunt (see References: Ungchusak 2005) and several other familial clusters have been recognized (see References: Olsen 2005). In May 2006, WHO reported an H5N1 influenza cluster in Indonesia involving seven cases of person-to-person transmission; one of the cases involved two generations of transmission (see References: WHO: Avian influenza: situation in Indonesia: update 14, and see May 24, 2006, CIRAP News story). Inefficient transmission of current H5N1 strains may be related to lack of appropriate avian virus cell receptors in the upper respiratory tracts of humans and the inability of H5N1 strains to recognize human cell receptors (see References: Shinya 2006). A mutation allowing H5N1 avian influenza virus to recognize human cell receptors could enhance person-to-person transmission owing to the potential for greater viral replication in the upper respiratory tract. Public health officials are closely monitoring the ongoing occurrence of H5N1 avian influenza in humans and watching for the emergence of a strain capable of causing sustained human-to-human transmission. Vaccine Development Development of an effective vaccine is considered the cornerstone for controlling a global influenza pandemic. In general, if a novel strain occurs without adequate warning, WHO has indicated that it will take at least 4 to 6 months to develop a vaccine (see References: WHO: WHO global influenza preparedness plan 2005). However, there are several major obstacles in producing an adequate vaccine supply during a pandemic: Limited production capacity Production capability in only a few countries, which will yield an inequitable distribution Technological challenges to vaccine development Limited Production Capacity For the period 2000 to 2003, global annual influenza vaccine production ranged from approximately 230 million doses of trivalent vaccine (2000) to 291 million doses (see References: Fedson 2004: Pandemic influenza vaccine: obstacles and opportunities; Medema 2004). In the "best case scenario," assuming that the pandemic vaccine would be a single-dose monovalent vaccine requiring the same level of antigen per dose (15 mcg HA), the production capacity would be increased to an estimated 750 million doses each year (see References: WHO: Consultation on priority public health interventions before and during an influenza pandemic). In the United States, domestic production was estimated at 50 million doses of trivalent vaccine during 2004. This would be equivalent to about 150 million doses of monovalent standard-dose, assuming 15 mcg HA per dose (see References: Fedson 2003). Two critical caveats need to be considered with these types of estimates: (1) it is not clear how many micrograms of antigen will be necessary to elicit an immune response to a pandemic strain (it may be that 30 to 90 mcg per dose may be needed to illicit an adequate immune response) and (2) two doses of vaccine will likely be needed to confer adequate protection. A vaccine requiring two doses and 90 mcg per dose would provide enough vaccine for only 75 million people worldwide, given the current vaccine production capacity (see References: Poland 2006). Production Capability in Only a Few Countries Most of the world's influenza vaccine is produced in a few countries. These countries are likely to reserve scarce supplies for their own populations during a pandemic, thus leading to an inequitable distribution of vaccine, particularly to developing countries. This issue has relevance for the United States as well, where current domestic vaccine production falls far short of producing adequate vaccine supplies to vaccinate the entire US population. Moreover, the US plan does not address the issue of distributing vaccine to other countries. Nine companies, located in the following nine developed countries, currently produce influenza vaccine: Australia Canada France Germany Italy The Netherlands Switzerland The United Kingdom The United States Technological Challenges to Vaccine Development The manufacture of vaccines derived from pathogenic avian strains poses a number of technological challenges. For example, highly pathogenic avian strains cannot be grown in large quantities in eggs because they are lethal to chick embryos. These strains also pose significant safety issues and would require extensive biocontainment procedures during the manufacturing process. Several approaches have been suggested to overcome these issues. One approach, use of reverse genetics, has been used for preparing H5N1 seed strains (see References: Webby 2004; WHO: Development of a vaccine effective against avian influenza H5N1 infection in humans). Reverse genetics provides several advantages in influenza vaccine development (see References: Luke 2006, Palese 2006): (1) it allows creation of engineered viruses that are modified to be less virulent, thus eliminating the need for high-level containment, (2) with reverse genetics, a selection system is not needed to derive appropriate reassortant viruses from background parental viruses, (3) it dramatically shortens the timeframe for production of seed strains, (4) it allows for standardization of seed strains to be used in vaccine development, and (5) the process may eliminate the potential for any adventitious agents to enter the manufacturing process. Other approaches include the following (see References: Stephenson 2004). Use other viruses (eg, baculoviruses, adenoviruses) to express recombinant hemagglutinin Develop DNA-based vaccines It is not yet clear whether new vaccines made from seed strains generated through reverse genetics will be immunogenic in humans, given that candidate vaccines developed against the 1997 H5N1 strain from Hong Kong were poorly immunogenic (see References: Stephenson 2004). It may be that an effective vaccine cannot be developed until a true pandemic strain (reassorted with human influenza viruses) emerges and can be used as the seed virus. Research into new approaches for vaccine production is a high priority because stockpiling prototype vaccines may be worthwhile if protection against emergent strains can be demonstrated (see References: Schwartz 2005). Recent studies using prototype vaccines developed through reverse genetics or recombinant technology suggest that these strategies are promising: One study demonstrated good cross-protection against H5N1 in mice following vaccination with an H5 influenza vaccine created through reverse genetics (see References: Lipotov 2005). Protection was achieved despite antigenic differences and incomplete matching between the vaccine strain and the challenge virus. Although these findings are promising, it is not clear if similar protection would occur for humans. A second recent study found that an inactivated whole-virus H5N1 vaccine produced through reverse genetics offered protection to ferrets challenged with the vaccine strain and to ferrets challenged with two other H5N1 strains (see References: Govorkova 2006). Two additional studies have tested the immunogenicity of recombinant adenovirus-based H5N1 vaccines. One study demonstrated protection against lethal challenge in mice (see References: Hoelscher 2006) and the other demonstrated protection in mice and chickens (see References: Gao 2006). Another option for consideration is development of influenza vaccines based on cell-mediated immunity. Cell-mediated responses generally focus on internal influenza proteins, which are more conserved and less susceptible to antigenic variation (see References: Thomas 2006). Interpandemic Steps to Facilitate Vaccine Production During the interpandemic period, a number of steps can be taken to improve vaccine response capability once a pandemic arrives. One set of recommendations includes the following (see References: Fedson 2004: Vaccination for pandemic influenza; a six point agenda for interpandemic years): Prepare vaccine seed strains for production. Use of reverse genetics to develop high growth variants can enhance this process. Determine the characteristics of a pandemic vaccine and vaccination schedule. This can be done by undertaking clinical trials of pandemic-like candidate vaccines. Such trials should determine the minimal antigenic content per dose needed for an acceptable immune response. Consider global registration of pandemic vaccines. A global protocol would allow vaccine produced by any company to be registered in all countries and thereby eliminate regulatory delays on a country-by-country basis. Increase the use of influenza vaccines during interpandemic years to bolster manufacturing capacity. Document the epidemiology of influenza vaccination. This would help vaccine companies make future plans for vaccine production. Address underlying political issues that will affect the global supply of pandemic vaccines. A key issue is the fact that political leaders in vaccine-producing countries will likely prohibit export of domestically produced pandemic vaccine until that country's vaccine demands are met. International agreements to address this problem should be developed before a pandemic occurs. Current Status of H5N1 Candidate Vaccines Because of concerns about the pandemic potential of H5N1, WHO has been working with laboratories in its influenza network to develop vaccines against this subtype (see References: WHO: Development of a vaccine effective against avian influenza H5N1). Candidate vaccines were developed during 2003 by network laboratories in London and in Memphis, Tennessee, for protection against the strain that was isolated from humans in Hong Kong in February of that year. However, the 2004 strain is different from that strain. In April 2004, WHO made the prototype seed strain for an H5N1 vaccine available to manufacturers (see References: WHO: Avian influenza: situation in Thailand; status of pandemic vaccine development). In August 2006, WHO changed the prototype strains and now offers three new prototype strains which represent three of the six subclades of the clade 2 virus; these strains have been responsible for many of the human cases that have occurred since 2005 (see References: WHO: Antigenic and genetic characteristics of H5N1 viruses and candidate H5N1 vaccine viruses developed for potential use as pre-pandemic vaccines and see Aug 18, 2006, CIDRAP News Story). The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded two contracts to support the production and clinical testing of an investigational vaccine based on the prototype seed strain made available by WHO (see References: NIAID 2004). The contracts were awarded to Aventis Pasteur (now Sanofi Pasteur) of Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, and to Chiron Corporation of Emeryville, California. Each manufacturer is using established techniques in which the virus is grown in eggs and then inactivated and further purified before being formulated into vaccines. A recently published report involving a Sanofi Pasteur H5N1 vaccine found that only 54% of 99 subjects who received two doses of vaccine (90 mcg of HA per dose) had neutralization antibody titers that reached 1:40 or greater (see References: Treanor 2006). Another report involving two doses of a 30-mcg H5N1 Sanofi Pasteur vaccine with alum added (an adjuvant used in many vaccines to boost immune response) found that vaccination elicited an immune response in 67% in 51 volunteers (see References: Bresson 2006). In July 2006, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) released preliminary information on a clinical trial using an adjuvanted H5N1 influenza vaccine (see Jul 26, 2006, CIDRAP News story). Results showed that 80% of volunteers who received two vaccine doses containing at least 3.8 mcg of antigen with an adjuvant had a strong immune response (ie, a hemagglutination inhibition titer of 40). The company tested the vaccine on 400 adult Belgians between the ages of 18 and 60, using four different antigen doses, with 3.8 mcg the lowest. The GSK vaccine was made from an inactivated H5N1 virus collected in Vietnam in 2004. The intramural research program of NIAID also has generated live, attenuated, cold-adapted H5N1 and H9N2 vaccine candidates that have been protective in mice (see References: Fauci 2006). Further work on development of live, attenuated pandemic vaccines is ongoing (see References: Luke 2006). Researchers have suggested that development and use of an H5N1 vaccine for immunologic priming during the interpandemic period may offset the need for two doses of vaccine once a pandemic begins (assuming the pandemic is caused by H5N1), even if the strain used in the priming vaccine is somewhat different from an emergent pandemic strain (see References: Monto 2006). Another study demonstrated varying degrees of cross-reactivity to H5N1 strains in 14 subjects following vaccination with MF59-adjuvanted H5N3 vaccine, suggesting that vaccines made from other H5 strains could be used as part of a priming strategy (see References: Stephenson 2005). A universal vaccine that would be effective against all types of influenza, including emerging pandemic strains, is being developed by the British company Acambis and is being researched by others as well. Such a vaccine would not have to be reengineered each year. Acambis announced in early August 2005 that it has had successful results in animal testing (see References: Acambis 2005). The vaccine focuses on the M2 viral protein, which does not change, rather than the surface hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins targeted by traditional flu vaccines. The universal vaccine is made through bacterial fermentation technology, which would greatly speed up the rate of production over that possible with culture in chicken eggs, plus the vaccine could be produced constantly, since its formulation would not change. Still, such a vaccine is years away from full testing, approval, and use. Use of Antiviral Agents Treatment and Prophylaxis Two groups of antiviral agents are available for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza: M2 ion-channel inhibitors (the adamantanes [amantadine and rimantadine]) and the neuraminidase inhibitors (NIs) (oseltamivir [Tamiflu] and zanamivir [Relenza]). Use of adamantanes during a pandemic is considered to be limited owing to the potential for development of resistance and high rates of side effects. Because influenza viruses are less likely to develop resistance to the NIs (at least based on current experience), they are considered the major class of antiviral agents to be used during a pandemic. NIs can reduce the duration of illness for both influenza A and B if given early in the clinical course (ie, within 48 hours after illness onset). Oseltamivir (given orally in capsule form) is approved for treatment and prevention of influenza in adults and children more than 1 year of age (see References: Moscona 2005 and see Dec 27, 2005, CIDRAP News Story). Zanamivir (a powder that is inhaled by mouth) is approved for treatment of influenza in adults and children more than 7 years of age (see References: Moscona 2005). In March 2006, FDA approved the use of zanamivir for prevention of influenza in adults and children aged 5 and older (see Mar 29, 2006, CIDRAP News Story). In May 2006, WHO released guidelines on use of antiviral agents for H5N1 influenza treatment and prophylaxis (see References: WHO: Rapid Advice Guidelines on pharmacological management of humans infected with avian influenza A [H5N1] virus). These guidelines are summarized below. Recommendations for treatment: Where neuraminidase inhibitors are available: Clinicians should administer oseltamivir treatment (strong recommendation); zanamivir might be used as an alternative (weak recommendation). (According to WHO, the quality of evidence if considered on a continuum is lower for the use of zanamivir compared to oseltamivir.) Clinicians should not administer amantadine or rimantadine alone as a first-line treatment (strong recommendation). Clinicians might administer a combination of a neuraminidase inhibitor and an M2 inhibitor if local surveillance data show that the circulating H5N1 virus is known or likely to be susceptible (weak recommendation), but this should only be done in the context of prospective data collection. Where neuraminidase inhibitors are not available: Clinicians might administer amantadine or rimantadine as a first-line treatment if local surveillance data show that the H5N1 virus is known or likely to be susceptible to these drugs (weak recommendation). Recommendations for chemoprophylaxis: Where neuraminidase inhibitors are available: In high-risk exposure groups, including pregnant women, oseltamivir should be administered as chemoprophylaxis, continuing for 7 to 10 days after the last exposure (strong recommendation); zanamivir could be used in the same way (strong recommendation) as an alternative. In moderate-risk exposure groups, including pregnant women, oseltamivir might be administered as chemoprophylaxis, continuing for 7 to 10 days after the last exposure (weak recommendation); zanamivir might be used in the same way (weak recommendation). In low-risk exposure groups, oseltamivir or zanamivir should probably not be administered for chemoprophylaxis (weak recommendation). Pregnant women in the low-risk group should not receive oseltamivir or zanamivir for chemoprophylaxis (strong recommendation). Amantadine or rimantadine should not be administered as chemoprophylaxis (strong recommendation). Where neuraminidase inhibitors are not available: In high- or moderate-risk exposure groups, amantadine or rimantadine might be administered for chemoprophylaxis if local surveillance data show that the virus is known or likely to be susceptible to these drugs (weak recommendation). In low-risk exposure groups, amantadine and rimantadine should not be administered for chemoprophylaxis (weak recommendation). In pregnant women, amantadine and rimantadine should not be administered for chemoprophylaxis (strong recommendation). In the elderly, people with impaired renal function, and individuals receiving neuropsychiatric medication or with neuropsychiatric or seizure disorders, amantadine should not be administered for chemoprophylaxis (strong recommendation). Limited data suggest that current antiviral agents may be effective against a reconstructed 1918 H1N1 pandemic strain (see References: Tumpey 2002). Researchers have shown that recombinant viruses possessing the HA and NA genes of the 1918 strain were inhibited effectively in both tissue culture and mice by oseltamivir and zanamivir. A recombinant virus possessing the M segment of the 1918 strains was inhibited effectively both in tissue culture and in vivo by the M2 ion-channel inhibitors amantadine and rimantadine. Stockpiling of Antiviral Agents Stockpiling NIs is considered by many experts to be an important strategy for limiting the impact of an influenza pandemic. One report, which analyzed several models of different stockpile sizes of NIs, estimated that having a stockpile to cover 20% to 25% of the population would be sufficient to treat most of the clinical cases and could lead to a 50% to 77% reduction in hospitalizations (see References: Gani 2005). Two other reports have looked at the cost-benefit of stockpiling oseltamivir in defined geographic locations (Israel and Singapore). The Israeli study suggested that stockpiling oseltamivir could be cost-saving to the economy of Israel in the event of an influenza pandemic (see References: Balicer 2005). In the Singapore study, a decision-based model was used to perform cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses for stockpiling antiviral agents. The model compared three strategies: supportive management, early treatment of clinical influenza with oseltamivir, and prophylaxis in addition to early treatment. The authors found that stockpiles of antiviral agents for 40% of the population would save an estimated 418 lives and $414 million, at a cost of $52.6 million per shelf-life cycle of the stockpile. Prophylaxis was found to be economically beneficial in high-risk subpopulations (see References: Lee 2006). HHS hopes to have a stockpile with enough treatment courses for 20 million people by the fourth quarter of 2006 (see Nov 2, 2005, CIDRAP News story). According to the federal pandemic influenza plan, HHS eventually hopes to assure a large enough stockpile of antiviral agents to treat 25% of the US population (75 million courses) (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan 2005; Supplement 7). Currently, the federal government is planning to purchase 44 million treatment courses for the national stockpile and is encouraging the states to add 31 million treatment courses to their individual stockpiles. The federal strategy is to allow states to purchase antiviral agents for state stockpiles at a federally negotiated price, with a 25% federal subsidy. In July 2006, DHHS announced a contract with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) that will allow states to add zanamivir to their federally subsidized antiviral stockpiles (see Jul 21, 2006 CIDRAP News story). The federal government also plans to establish and maintain a federal stockpile of 6 million antiviral treatment courses to be used for containment efforts (see References: HSC [Homeland Security Council] 2006). In April 2006, Roche (maker of Tamiflu) completed development of a rapid response stockpile of 3 million treatment courses to be made available to WHO for initial pandemic response (see References: Roche: Rapid response stockpile of Tamiflu now ready and available to the World Health Organisation [WHO]). Roche also has committed to providing 2 million additional treatment courses by the end of 2006 to be used at the discretion of WHO in those developing countries most likely to be affected by an influenza pandemic. In May 2006, WHO updated its pandemic influenza draft protocol for rapid response and containment (see References). One of the cornerstones of the protocol is deployment of the Roche international antiviral stockpile to be used initially for targeted antiviral prophylaxis (for known case contacts) and for mass antiviral prophylaxis as needed (either by offering prophylaxis to the affected population within a radius of 5 to 10 km from each detected case or covering at risk populations in defined administrative areas). Even though antiviral stockpiles are considered to be an important strategy for pandemic preparedness, a number of caveats exist regarding their use during a pandemic. First, it is not clear that such agents would be effective against the emergent pandemic strain. Second, even if antiviral agents are shown to be effective, the dose and duration of treatment may be dependent on the virulence of the pandemic strain. Current antiviral treatment recommendations for influenza are based on studies using circulating H3N2 strains and not on potentially more virulent pandemic strains. For example, since H5N1 strains can be highly virulent, higher doses of antiviral agents given for a longer period of time may be necessary for effective treatment. This was recently demonstrated in a mouse model using and H5N1 strain from Vietnam (see References: Yen 2005). Early treatment may also be critical for a successful outcome. Finally, current production capacity for NIs is limited, although Roche has recently ramped up production and anticipates that by the end of 2006, it will have the capacity to produce up to 400 million treatments annually (based on current recommendations for treatment) (see References: Roche: Roche update on Tamiflu for pandemic influenza preparedness). This enhanced production is being accomplished through expansion of Roche-owned facilities and through addition of external production partners from around the world. Antiviral Susceptibility M2 ion-channel inhibitors Transmissible amantadine-resistant organisms are shed by about 30% of patients after 2 to 5 days of treatment. Mutations may confer resistance to both amantadine and rimantadine. Viral resistance to adamantanes can emerge rapidly because a single point mutation can confer resistance to both amantadine and rimantadine. For example, during the 2005-06 influenza season, CDC found that a high percentage (>90%) of isolates tested were resistant to both amantadine and rimantadine. As a result of these findings, CDC issued a health alert in January 2006 recommending against the use of adamantanes during the 2005-06 influenza season (see References: CDC 2006: CDC recommends against the use of amantadine and rimantadine). Despite the potential for resistance, a recent study of H5N1 isolates in Asia found that while most (>95%) of the isolates from Vietnam and Cambodia were resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, those from Indonesia and China were less likely to be resistant (6.3% and 8.9%, respectively) (see References: Chenug 2006). These findings suggest that the adamantanes may be of use in curtailing spread of H5N1 during a pandemic situation. Resistance to zanamivir: No resistance has been detected in previously healthy patients with influenza who have been treated with zanamivir. One influenza B isolate with reduced sensitivity was obtained from an immunocompromised (postbone marrow transplant) 18-month-old child after 12 days of treatment (see References: Gubareva 1998). Resistance to oseltamivir: Levels of resistance to oseltamivir for currently circulating influenza strains range from 0.4% to 1% in adults and 4% to 8% in pediatric patients. Oseltamivir-resistant H5N1 strains recently have been isolated from several patients in Vietnam. One was a Vietnamese child who received prophylactic treatment with the drug (see References: Le 2005); another report involved two additional patients, both of whom died of H5N1 influenza (see References: deJong 2005). Nonpharmaceutical Interventions In addition to vaccines and antiviral agents, a number of nonpharmaceutical interventions can be considered, although data assessing the effectiveness of these interventions are limited. Examples of such measures include isolation and quarantine, social distancing, use of masks, handwashing, and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. Recently, WHO published two reports on such interventions: one geared toward prevention of transmission internationally and one geared toward the national and local levels. These are briefly addressed below. International level (see References: WHO Writing Group 2006: Nonpharmaceutical interventions for pandemic influenza, international measures): Screening and quarantine of entering travelers have not been shown in previous pandemics to substantially delay virus introduction into countries where such measures were employed. Rather than instituting entry screening, WHO recommends providing information to international travelers and possibly conducting exit screening (through health declarations and temperature measurement) for travelers departing from affected areas. It is important to note that exit screening is costly and disruptive and may not detect persons who are asymptomatic or in the pre-clinical stages of infection. Conversely, exit screening may decrease transmission on conveyances (such as airplanes) and is a better use of resources than entry screening. In general, entry screening is not recommended, although could be considered in the following situations: (1) where exit screening at the traveler's point of embarkation is suboptimal; (2) in geographically isolated areas, such as islands; and (3) when the host country's internal surveillance capacity is limited. National and community levels (see References: WHO Writing Group 2006: Nonpharmaceutical interventions for pandemic influenza, national and community measures): In general, isolation of patients in the community and quarantine of contacts are measures that have not been shown in past pandemics to be effective in preventing transmission outside of closed settings (such as dormitories or military barracks) and are not recommended once a pandemic is well established. However, WHO recommends aggressive measures to detect and isolate cases and quarantine their contacts in situations where human-to-human transmission of a potential pandemic influenza strain is highly localized and limited (ie, during the pandemic alert period [Phases 4 and 5]). Social distancing measures, such as closing schools and other public gathering places and canceling sports events, have met with limited success during past pandemics and the impact of such measures remains unclear. Social distancing measures and wearing masks in public apparently decreased influenza and other respiratory infections in Hong Kong during the 2003 SARS epidemic. About 76% of Hong Kong residents wore masks during that period. No controlled studies to date have specifically assessed mask use in preventing influenza transmission in community settings. Although data on these measures are limited, WHO has made the following recommendations to decrease influenza transmission in community settings during a pandemic (Phase 6). Ill persons should be advised to remain at home as soon as influenza-like symptoms develop. Measures to increase social distance should be considered, depending on the epidemiology of transmission, severity of disease, and risk groups affected. Mask use by the public should be based on risk, including frequency of exposure, and closeness of contact with potentially infectious persons. Routine mask use should be permitted but not required. Handwashing and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette should be routine for all and strongly encouraged in public messages (although this recommendation is supported on the basis of plausible effectiveness rather than controlled studies or other supporting data). Pandemic Preparedness Planning Although pandemic planning has been ongoing for several years at the global level (through WHO) and in a number of countries, the challenges for preparing for a pandemic are enormous. Even with the best planning efforts, there is no way to adequately prepare for a pandemic given the currently available resources. The challenges include these: If an influenza pandemic were to occur in the near future, vaccine for the pandemic strain would not be readily available for many months. Even though some developed countries have stockpiles of antiviral agents effective against influenza, supplies of these agents would be limited and inadequate to cover all of those in high-risk groups (see References: Hayden 2004). WHO has developed a protocol for rapid response and containment, which relies heavily on mass prophylaxis in the area where a pandemic strain arises (see References: WHO: Pandemic influenza draft protocol for rapid response and containment). Roche has developed a stockpile of oseltamivir that can be deployed to any area of the world where it is needed; however, the logistical challenges of implementing mass prophylaxis in many areas of the world are enormous and such an effort would be extremely resource intensive. Once a vaccine is available, the current plans do not adequately address how the vaccine will be distributed globally. This is of great concern, since vaccine is only produced by a few countries and those countries are likely to not release vaccine until the needs of their populations are met. If the next pandemic strain is highly virulent (such as the 1918 strain) the global death toll could be dramatic. The current plans generally do not address the social, political, or economic issues that would likely be associated with an ongoing influenza pandemic (see References: Osterholm 2005: A weapon the world needs; Osterholm 2005: Preparing for the next pandemic [N Engl J Med]; Osterholm 2005: Preparing for the next pandemic [Foreign Aff]). It is very possible that substantial disruption of basic services (such as healthcare, food, clothing, provision of utilities [eg, water, electricity], and transportation) will occur. Furthermore, international trade will likely be impacted, which could have serious global economic and societal consequences. To effectively manage a pandemic, additional information is urgently needed in a number of areas (see References: Stohr 2005); if a pandemic occurs soon, we are unlikely to have answers to these complex issues: The role of various animal and bird species in the epidemiology of influenza viruses with pandemic potential Risk assessment Ethical issues related to distribution of scarce resources Global Planning WHO has taken several steps toward global pandemic influenza planning, including development of a pandemic plan in 1999 and an updated plan in 2005 (see References: WHO: WHO global influenza preparedness plan 2005). Over recent months, WHO has issued a variety of additional guidance documents related to pandemic influenza planning (see WHO: Avian influenza home page). In addition, WHO in November 2005 held an international meeting on avian influenza and human pandemic influenza (see Nov 9, 2005, CIDRAP News story). The consultation was attended by more than 600 delegates from over 100 countries. Experts and officials set out key steps that must be taken in response to the threat of the H5N1 influenza virus which is currently circulating in animals in Asia and has been identified in parts of Europe: Surveillance Strengthen early detection and rapid-response systems for animal and human influenza. Build and strengthen laboratory capacity. Rapid containment Develop support and training for the investigation of animal and human cases and clusters, and carry out planning and testing of rapid containment activities. Pandemic preparedness Build and test national pandemic preparedness plans. Conduct a global pandemic response exercise. Strengthen the capacity of health systems and training for clinicians and health managers. Integrated country plans Develop integrated national plans across all sectors to provide the basis for coordinated technical and financial support Communications To support all of the above, factual and transparent communications, in particular risk communication, is vital The US Pandemic Influenza Plan HHS issued the final version of the US Pandemic Influenza Plan on November 2, 2005 (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan), followed by an implementation plan on May 3, 2006 (see References: HSC 2006. The plan includes three main sections: (1) an overview (including executive summary), (2) a strategic plan (part 1), and (3) public health guidance (part 2). NVAC/ACIP Recommendations on Use of Vaccines and NVAC Recommendations on Pandemic Antiviral Drug Use Legal Authorities Current Key HHS Activities HHS Research Activities International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza Acronym List Internet Resources on Pandemic Influenza Part 2, Public Health Guidance for State and Local Partners, includes the following: Overview of Planning by State and Local Governments Overview of Community-Wide Planning to Support Healthcare Facilities Appendix 1: Checklist for Legal Considerations for Pandemic Influenza in Your Community Appendix 2: Fact Sheet: Practical Steps for Legal Preparedness Public Health Guidance Supplements Pandemic Influenza Surveillance Laboratory Diagnostics Healthcare Planning Infection Control Clinical Guidelines Vaccine Distribution and Use Antiviral Drug Distribution and Use Community Disease Control and Prevention Managing Travel-Related Risk of Disease Transmission Public Health Communications Workforce Support: Psychosocial Considerations and Information Needs The federal implementation plan addresses steps to achieve the strategy outlined in the federal plan (see References: HSC 2006 and see May 3, 2006 CIDRAP News story). The implementation plan divides planning and response efforts into eight areas, with corresponding chapters: federal government planning, federal government response, international efforts, transportation and borders, protecting human health, protecting animal health, law enforcement and public safety, and institutions. The plan also has an appendix with advice for schools, the business sector, families, and individuals. Planning at the Local Level In addition to the federal plan, pandemic influenza plans have been developed by state and local governments. Guidance on pandemic planning for state and local health departments is provided in the federal plan as Part 2. In addition, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) has issued a guidance document for pandemic influenza planning (see References: ASTHO). The Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Web site has links to a number of state plans (see References: CSTE), as does the US official government site on pandemic influenza (see References: HHS: PandemicFlu.gov). A recent review of state pandemic plans found that all states generally follow vaccination priorities set by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (see References: Holmberg 2006). They also generally depend on National Sentinel Physician Surveillance and other passive surveillance systems to detect influenza in their areas. Few state plans address implementing nonpharmaceutical community interventions; however, some states have recommended certain measures, including voluntary self-isolation (17 states [35%]), school or other institutional closing (18 [37%]), institutional or household quarantine (15 [31%]), or contact vaccination or chemoprophylaxis (12 [25%]). Infection Control Considerations Modes of Transmission for Influenza Viruses Recommendations on infection control practices are based on available data regarding the modes of transmission of influenza viruses in general. Modes of transmission for influenza viruses are outlined below. Droplet transmission Droplets are expelled by coughing and sneezing and generally travel through the air no more than 3 feet from the infected person. Transmission via large droplets requires close contact between the source and recipient persons, permitting droplets, which do not remain suspended in the air, to come into direct contact with oral, nasal, or ocular mucosa. Special air handling and ventilation systems are not required to prevent droplet transmission. Direct and indirect contact transmission The proportion of influenza virus transmission caused by direct or indirect contact remains unknown; however, transmission by these routes can occur. Influenza viruses can live for 24 to 48 hours on nonporous environmental surfaces and less than 12 hours on porous surfaces (see References: Bean 1982), indicating that transmission can occur when hands that touch contaminated surfaces subsequently come into contact with oral, ocular, or nasal mucosa. Fomite transmission appears to be rare. Airborne transmission Airborne transmission of influenza viruses (ie, transmission via droplet nuclei [<5 mcm] which remain suspended in the air and have the potential to travel further than several feet) has been suggested in several reports, although evidence to support airborne transmission of influenza virus is limited (see References: Bridges 2003). One report describes the occurrence of an influenza outbreak following exposure to a person with influenza on board a commercial aircraft (see References: Moser 1979). The aircraft was grounded for 3 hours with the ventilation system turned off and passengers on board. After the flight, 39 (72%) of the passengers reported having an influenza-like illness within 72 hours. These findings suggest that airborne transmission via droplet nuclei likely occurred for some passengers and may have been attributed to poor air circulation aboard the aircraft. Another observational study involved comparing rates of influenza among TB patients housed in a TB sanatorium during the 1957-58influenza pandemic (see References: Riley 1974). TB patients inone building were housedin rooms with ultraviolet (UV)lights on the ceiling, whereas patients in otherbuildings did not haveUV lights in theirrooms. During an outbreakof influenza, the illnessrate was 19% amongthose in rooms withoutUV lights and only2% among those inrooms with UV lights.The fact that UV lights were protective suggests that airborne transmission of influenza was prevented in rooms with UV lights; however, the potential for exposure may not have been the same between patients in the different buildings and, therefore, no definitive conclusions about airborne transmission can be drawn. Several experimental studies involving humans have shown that influenza viruses can be transmitted via droplet nuclei, although these studies used masks to deliver the aerosols and did not involve person-to-person transmission (see References: Alford 1966, Henle 1946). Studies in mice also suggest the possibility of airborne transmission of influenza viruses. In one report, uninfected mice were as likely to become infected when housed in the same cage with infected mice asthey were if housed in an adjacent, separate cage that allowed droplet and droplet nuclei transmission between cages but no direct contact (see References: Schulman 1968). In addition, a strong inverse correlation was found between the infection rate and the rate of air exchange, regardless of whether infected and uninfected mice were physically separated. Infectious particles of less than10 mcm in diameter produced by infected mice were found by air sampling, suggesting that airborne transmission occurred between infected and uninfected mice held in separate cages. Another report showed that in a nonventilated roomwith constantly agitated air held at a relative humidity of 17% to 24%, mice could become infected with influenza virus as late as 24 hoursafter the virus wasfirst aerosolized into theroom, although the proportionof animals infected decreasedover time (see References: Loosli 1943). Aerosol-generating procedures (eg, intubation, bronchoscopy, nebulizer treatments) theoretically could promote dissemination of droplet nuclei from infected patients, although this has not been studied for influenza. There is no evidence to date that droplet nuclei containing influenza viruses can travel through ventilation systems or across long distances, such as can occur with tuberculosis and certain other viral agents. Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette The federal plan indicates that respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette programs should be in place to decrease transmission of influenza. The CDC Web site outlines steps for implementing these programs (see References: CDC: Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette in healthcare settings). (Note: Although respiratory hygiene seems like a logical approach, its utility in preventing influenza virus transmission has not been scientifically validated.) The following measures to contain respiratory secretions are recommended for all individuals with signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection: Cover the nose/mouth when coughing or sneezing. Use tissues to contain respiratory secretions and dispose of them in the nearest waste receptacle after use. During periods of increased respiratory infection activity in the community (eg, when there is increased absenteeism in schools and work settings and an increased number of medical office visits by persons complaining of respiratory illness), healthcare facilities should offer masks to persons who are coughing. Either procedure masks (ie, with ear loops) or surgical masks (ie, with ties) may be used to contain respiratory secretions. Respirators such as N95 or above are not necessary. When space and chair availability permit, coughing persons should be encouraged to sit at least 3 feet away from others in common waiting areas. Since large droplets are the major mode of influenza transmission, the US federal plan recommends Droplet Precautions along with Standard Precautions for prevention of transmission in healthcare settings. These recommendations are similar to those provided by WHO for isolation precautions in a pandemic situation (see References: Clarification: Use of masks by health-care workers in pandemic settings). These guidelines assume that adequate PPE (personal protective equipment) supplies such as gloves and masks will be available during a pandemic. It is possible that these items will be in short supply; hospitals and other healthcare settings should consider developing contingency plans that take this possibility into consideration(see References: Osterholm 2005: Avian flu: addressing the global threat). Patients with pandemic influenza should be placed on Droplet Precautions for a minimum of 5 days from onset of symptoms. Immunocompromised patients should be continued on Droplet Precautions for the duration of their illness. Specific features of Standard and Droplet Precautions as outlined in the federal plan are shown in the table below. These features have been modified slightly from the 1994 CDC Guideline for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals (see References: CDC/HICPAC 1994). Components of Standard and Droplet Precautions Component Recommendations Standard Precautions Hand Hygiene Perform hand hygiene after touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, and contaminated items; after removing gloves; and between patient contacts. Hand hygiene includes both handwashing with either plain or antimicrobial soap and water or use of alcohol-based products (gels, rinses, or foams) that contain an emollient and do not require the use of water. If hands are visibly soiled or contaminated with respiratory secretions, they should be washed with soap (either nonantimicrobial or antimicrobial) and water. In the absence of visible soiling of hands, approved alcohol-based products for hand disinfection are preferred over soap and water because of the superior microbicidal activity, reduced drying of the skin, and convenience. Handle in a manner that prevents transfer of microorganisms to oneself, others, and environmental surfaces; wear gloves (gown if necessary) when handling and transporting soiled linen and laundry; and perform hand hygiene after handling equipment. Soiled linen and laundry Handle in a manner that prevents transfer of microorganisms to oneself, others and environmental surfaces; wear gloves if materials are visibly contaminated; perform hand hygiene after handling. Needles and other sharps Use devices with safety features when available; do not recap, bend, break, or hand-manipulate used needles; if recapping is necessary, use a one-handed scoop technique; place used sharps in a puncture-resistant container. Contain and dispose of solid waste (medical and nonmedical) in accordance with facility procedures and/or local or state regulations; wear gloves when handling waste and waste containers; perform hand hygiene. Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette (source control measure for persons with symptoms of a respiratory infection; implement at first point of encounter [eg, triage/reception areas] within a healthcare setting.) Cover the mouth/nose when sneezing/coughing; use tissues and dispose of in no-touch receptacles; perform hand hygiene after contact with respiratory secretions; wear a mask (procedure or surgical) if tolerated; sit or stand as far away as possible (more than 3 feet) from persons who are not ill. Droplet Precautions Patient placement Place patients with influenza in a private room or cohort with other patients with influenza. Keep door closed or slightly ajar, maintain room assignments of patients in nursing homes and other residential settings, and apply Droplet Precautions to all persons in the room. When a private room is not available and cohorting is not possible, a spatial separation of at least 3 ft should be maintained between the patient and other patients or visitors. (Note: Other sources suggest that contact within 2 m [6.5 ft] can spread the disease.) PPE Wear a surgical or procedure mask for entry into patient room; wear other PPE as recommended for Standard Precautions. Patient transport Limit patient movement to medically necessary purposes; have patient wear a procedure or surgical mask when outside the room. Other Follow Standard Precautions and facility procedures for handling linen and laundry and dishes and eating utensils, and for clearing/disinfection of environmental surfaces and patient care equipment, disposal of solid waste, and postmortem care. The US federal plan does not routinely recommend that patients with pandemic influenza be placed on Airborne Precautions (which involve placing patients in airborne infection isolation rooms [AIIRs] and assuring that healthcare personnel caring for infected patients use fit-tested N95 respirators when entering the room). The federal plan states that the addition of Airborne Precautions should be considered in special circumstances, including the following: In situations where strains of influenza are exhibiting increased transmissibility, during the initial stages of an outbreak of an emerging or novel strain of influenza, or as determined by other factors such as vaccination/immune status of personnel and availability of antivirals. Early in a pandemic when it is not clear if a patient with severe respiratory illness has pandemic influenza (therefore precautions consistent with all possible etiologies should be implemented). Additional considerations on the implementation of Airborne Precautions during an influenza pandemic include the following. According to the 2003 CDC Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare Associated Pneumonia (see References: CDC/HICPAC 2003), "Airborne transmission of influenza by droplet nuclei has been demonstrated, albeit inconclusively, in some reports; however, this route of transmission is likely less important than large droplet transmission. The added value of placing patients in rooms for airborne isolation (ie, negative air pressure rooms and use of N95 respirators) has not been assessed." Use of N95 respirators requires fit-testing for the respirators to be effective and it may not be feasible to fit-test all healthcare workers who would be wearing respirators in the setting of a pandemic. N95 respirators and isolation rooms may be in short supply during peak pandemic activity. An Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee recently concluded that there is no good way to clean masks and respirators for reuse; however, consideration may be given to reusing these items (by the same user) to extend supplies (see References: IOM:Reusability of facemasks during an influenza pandemic: facing the flu.). According to the IOM report, a person who wants to reuse an N95 respirator should wear a medical mask or a clear plastic face shield over it to protect it from surface contamination. The user should store the respirator carefully between uses and should wash his or her hands before and after handling it and the device used to shield it. Additional components of infection control can be found in Part 2, Supplement 4 of the HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan (see References: HHS: Pandemic influenza plan 2005). The approach outlined by CDC for infection control during a pandemic varies somewhat from current infection control recommendations from CDC and WHO specific to H5N1 influenza, which support placing patients with H5N1 influenza on Airborne Precautions if possible (see Section below). Infection Control Guidelines Specific to H5N1 Avian Influenza In May 2004, CDC and WHO issued infection control guidelines for prevention of transmission of H5N1 influenza in healthcare settings and WHO updated its guidance in April 2006 (see References: CDC: Interim recommendations for infection control in health-care facilities caring for patients with known or suspected avian influenza; WHO: Avian influenza, including influenza A (H5N1), in humans: WHO interim infection control guideline for health care facilities). Summaries of the recommended isolation precautions from CDC and WHO are outlined in the table below. Both agencies recommend that Airborne Precautions be implemented for patients with H5N1 influenza, if possible. Isolation Precautions for Patients With H5N1 Avian Influenza CDC Recommendations Standard Precautions Pay careful attention to hand hygiene before and after all patient contact or contact with items potentially contaminated with respiratory secretions. Contact Precautions Use gloves and gown for all patient contact. Use dedicated equipment such as stethoscopes, disposable blood pressure cuffs, disposable thermometers, etc. Eye protection (ie, goggles or face shields): Wear when within 3 feet of the patient. Airborne Precautions Place the patient in an AIR. Such rooms should have monitored negative air pressure in relation to corridor, with 6-12 ACH, and exhaust air directly outside or have recirculated air filtered by a HEPA filter. If an AIR is unavailable, contact the healthcare facility engineer to assist or use portable HEPA filters to augment the number of ACH. Use a fit-tested respirator, at least as protective as a NIOSH-approved N95 filtering facepiece (ie, disposable) respirator, when entering the room. CDC. CDC recommends against the use of amantadine and rimantadine for the treatment or prophylaxis of influenza in the United States during the 200506 influenza season. CDC Health Alert. Jan 14, 2006 [Full text] Schulman JL.Experimental transmission of influenza virus infection in mice. IV. Relationship between transmissibility of different strains of virus and recovery of airborne virus in the environment of infector mice. J Exp Med 1967;125:479-88
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The Philosophy of Explanation Under the idea of ethics, we discuss what a properly functioning human being is and requires. Under the idea of morality, we discuss what a rational functioning society is and requires. A rational functioning society can continue to exist only when the individuals of whom it consists are happy. Otherwise, there will be tribal warfare, and the society will collapse as its individuals are killed off. We note that the smallest society consists of two persons. If we were to discuss two people living together on a deserted island, we would be able to discuss what a rational functioning society is and that upon which its happy existence depends. And in doing so, we would discover the answer to one of the greatest questions facing man. What is personal salvation, and upon what does it depend? Note: Personal salvation is not achieved in isolation. When one understands one is worthy of personal salvation, one's thoughts and thereby one's actions will be fundamentally altered. An ethical person, a person selfishly motivated by personal salvation, will seek another person similarly motivated by personal salvation. When successful, the living-existence of each is saved. Their personal salvation is provided to them by their God, by their mutually agreed-to godly interaction. God is their savior. Notice how their godly interaction is something they are responsible for and not the other way around. Note that they each become both their own personal savior and the savior of their chosen sexual partner. In other words, they are responsible for the existence of their God. It is their godly behavior that is responsible for their salvation. Further, it is God that is responsible for the salvation of the human species. The idea described by the concept of capitalism does not address why human happiness exists, in abundance, on this planet. Capitalism was not created to address the issue of happy human existence. Capitalism was created only to describe how properly functioning persons behave when socially engaged; they behave rationally. In other words, capitalism discusses that behavior, the natural product of which is the proper existence of human beings in a social setting. It does not discuss that behavior, the natural product of which is the happy existence of individual human beings. As implied above, there is a specific kind of capitalistic behavior that is responsible for the selfish production of personal happiness. But to avoid a great deal of confusion, we must replace the term capitalism whenever we discuss the purposefully selfish production of personal happiness. That new term is God. Like capitalism, God also describes proper human behavior in a social setting. Where capitalism describes rational human behavior, God describes required human behavior. To be considered a happy human being, one must not only be able to act in accordance with what God is and describes, one must actually do that. God is the new term replacing capitalism whenever that specific behavior responsible for the purposeful production of human happiness is discussed. God is responsible for causing, or producing, that intellectual condition the existence of which is called happiness. Note here that human happiness does not exist in reality, it exists in intelligence. One cannot go to a market and purchase a bag full of happiness. Intellectual happiness is produced by a specific kind of human activity; it is produced by that specific capitalistic activity called God. What happiness explains the existence of must be produced by those who are interested in experiencing it. God is not what happiness is or explains, nor is God the product resulting from the production of happiness. God is that specific human activity the naturally occurring result of which is called intellectual happiness. Happiness is not real; it is ideal. As implied above—where capitalism involves the ideal production of reality-based profit, God involves the ideal production of reality-based happiness. Like all ideas are natural resultants of the human mind's ability to understand the fundamental nature of reality, so is the idea of God. Notice that, because God is a more fundamental term than capitalism, whenever we use the pre-capitalistic term God we cannot continue to properly use the newer capitalistic term profit to denote the ideal existence of its real product. The pre-capitalistic term used to denote the ideal existence of the real product of God is child. The child of God replaces the profit of capitalism when discussing human happiness. Child is the natural result of the purposeful production of self. Where capitalism is that idea focused on the needs of society, God is that idea focused on the needs of individual humans. It is the selfish production of profit that capitalism describes. It is the happy production of children that God describes. Each is a requirement of the continued existence of human existence, although God is the more fundamental requirement. The previous allows for introducing the distinction between need and value. Distinguishing Need from Value. Need is a metaphysical term, and is therefore called a word. When the physical basis of need is idealized it becomes pleasure. Pleasure is the term used to describe the human animal's automatically occurring (instinctual) response to satisfaction of need. Where need is a requirement of proper living, pleasure is a requirement of intellectual happiness. The fundamental needs of living are food, oxygen, water and reproduction. The fundamental pleasure of understanding one is not only able to achieve eternal survival, but has enacted the virtue necessary to bring that into reality, is happiness. Happiness moves pleasure into intelligence and calls it the fundamental human value. Happiness, then, is the intellectual concomitant of what it means to satisfy the fundamental needs of life. Not just any life, human life. Not just any human life, one's own. Notice how, when speaking about the selfish production of personal happiness, it is no longer proper to say we are acting in a capitalistic way. To avoid confusion when discussing that activity responsible for the selfish production of personal happiness, we must change the term we use. When producing personal happiness, we have transitioned from acting in a capitalistic manner to acting in a godly manner. We are the source of the happiness our parents experienced in the same way our children are the source of the happiness we experience. We have reproduced the happiness they experienced by reproducing that which is responsible for it: ourselves. For our parents, the product of our selfish production of happiness is called their grandchild. Whenever we act in a godly manner, we are responsible for extending their happiness into the future. Again, personal happiness is the proper state of intellectual existence for humans, making God responsible for the rational existence of human happiness right here on earth. Very importantly, our child is not something new in the sense that it came from nothing. Our child is the existence of a real something which continues to exist. Our child is our living-existence existing not anew, but still. Our child is our living-existence existing again as a separate living person. Notice we have again advanced the discussion, and this requires us to change the terms we use. To avoid confusion when discussing the reproduction of self, we can no longer use the capitalistic idea of social interaction. The new idea is sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse replaces social interaction whenever we discuss our purposefully selfish godly interactions. Sexual intercourse is the fundamental moral idea because it is the fundamental ethical requirement. Recall that ethics requires that individual persons benefit from their own selfishly motivated actions. The greatest benefit an ethical person can enjoy is the continued existence of self. The Answer Is Now Available God was created by the human mind to denote the existence of that special capitalistic relationship that can exist only between a man and a woman. Where capitalism describes the fundamental requirements for the social production of profit, God describes the fundamental requirements for the social production of "the children of God." A capitalistic interaction produces that which is a requirement of human existence. A godly interaction produces that which is a requirement of human happiness. God is the basis of—it is the fundamental requirement of—what capitalistic production is and requires. For capitalism to continue to produce the needs of human beings, God must continue to reproduce the living-existence of those same individual human beings, over and over again. God did not create living human beings; it only describes how their living-existence, right here on earth, is saved. Why and how living humans came into existence in the first place is for another book. Since this is a scientific issue, it is outside the philosophical focus of this book. But let it be said here and now: like water, living human existence is the result of a naturally occurring physical phenomenon. happinessEthical Behavior (Personal Survival) Recall that we discussed the premise that to become intellectual, one needs to fully remove oneself from the stupefying influence of religion. I will now continue this discussion, but first I will remove the insane and the religious alternatives from the above "Human Nature" graphic. See the resulting graphic below. If one were searching for why the Space Shuttle exists and one went to an insane asylum to conduct that research, one's efforts would be frustrated by what one finds there. Similarly, as one searches for the requirements of human happiness but remains connected to, and thereby influenced by, the underlying principles of religion, one's efforts will likewise be frustrated by what one finds. This is because the dogmatic nature of religion is a purposeful attempt to explain the existence of nothing. As such, dogmatic religion is not different from what mental insanity is—it is merely the mystical (not intellectual) expansion of it. For one to discover why humans have remained in existence for as long as they have, one must observe only proper human behavior. It is only persons who act in a proper human way who can be held responsible for the continued existence of human beings and the happiness upon which that depends. This is how you got here, this is how I got here, and this is how the human species will continue to exist for the remainder of eternity. Note that the idea of eternal existence is not a time-sensitive idea. The idea of eternity is the concept of always absent its time requirement. To eternally exist is to have always existed. And to have always existed requires that time is not involved in that existence. "Eternal time" is a contradiction. Time is a concept created by the human mind. Time is not real, it is ideal. Time does not exist in reality, it exists in intelligence. The issue is not, "What is time?" nor is it, "Does time exist?" The issue is, "Why does time exist?" The final group of the philosophical ladder is "The Explanation Group." This group consists of a single rung, the esthetics rung. The esthetical rung of philosophy is that science concerned with explaining the nature of human happiness and that upon which its continued existence, right here on earth, depends. To explain human happiness requires there are living humans to explain it to. The Truth To explain anything is to reveal that it is what it is—that it actually does exist in a verifiable way. To tell the truth about the nature of human happiness and that upon which its existence depends requires one to be standing firmly on the esthetical rung of the philosophical ladder. To firmly stand on the esthetical rung of philosophical ladder requires one to have previously stood firmly on the moral rung of the philosophical ladder. To have firmly stood on the moral rung requires one to have previously stood firmly on the ethical rung. To have firmly stood on the ethical rung requires one to have previously stood firmly on the epistemological rung. To have firmly stood on the epistemological rung requires one to have previously stood firmly on the metaphysical rung. It's impossible to explain the nature of human happiness until one has satisfied each rung of the philosophical ladder. It's impossible to explain the nature of human happiness until one has advanced up the philosophical ladder from the bottom to the top. It is impossible to explain the nature of human happiness until one is able to explain the laws of nature as these apply to and derive the laws of society. The moral laws of society are derived from those naturally occurring laws of nature governing what a proper human existence consists of and requires. This is saying that the moral laws of society can only evolve from observing the actions of ethically functioning individuals when those individuals are socially engaged. The laws of ethical behavior translated into the laws of moral behavior become the "proper" laws of society. The laws of ethical survival—the laws governing proper human existence—are determined by human nature; the laws of moral happiness—the laws governing a rational human society—are determined by human intelligence. One cannot be separated from the other. The laws of social happiness are evolutionarily different from the laws of personal survival. They are an intellectual expansion of what one's personal survival requires of one when one is socially engaged. Ethical behavior is a necessity of personal survival; ethical behavior in a social setting is a necessity of social happiness. The laws describing the laws of social happiness are captured under the concept of capitalism. Capitalism, then, is the fundamental concept of morality. Capitalism is a necessity of social happiness, which is a derivation of personal selfishness, which is a derivation of human intelligence, which is a derivation of human nature, which is a derivation of the laws of nature. It's impossible to have a reason-based philosophy constructed in any other manner. Devotion to truth is the hallmark of intelligence. To tell the truth is to reveal ones intelligence. The truth stands above the moral rung of the philosophical ladder. To tell the truth requires acknowledgement of the rational nature of human beings. However not all persons do, or are able to, function rationally. Case in point: Suicide bombers and child kidnapping, rapping, murdering, bastards. It is impossible to formulate a truth in the absence of a properly formulated moral principle. And it is impossible to formulate a moral principle in the absence of a properly formulated ethical principle, which is impossible to formulate in the absence of a properly formulated epistemological principle, which is impossible to formulate in the absence of a properly formulated metaphysical principle. In other words, to tell the truth depends on knowing what it is one is talking about. And knowing, as we have seen, is that automatically occurring sensual event that takes place between two real objects when at least one of these objects is a brain. To tell a truth is to reveal the existence of some aspect of physical reality. To tell a truth is to reveal that upon which its sensual, factual, conscious, perceptual, rational, conceptual, and intellectual nature depends. To tell a truth is to provide to another the physical evidence required to validate that the truth is a derivation of something one knows to be the case. To tell a truth is to bring into the sensual range of the other that upon which its rational existence depends. The truth explains the nature of human nature, and the nature of human nature is governed by the laws of reality. It is impossible to tell a truth outside the laws of reality, outside the laws of nature governing that on which a proper human existence depends. It is impossible to tell the truth about God outside the laws of nature governing the happy existence of human beings right here on earth. As previously noted, as the focus of our interest changes from one rung of the philosophical ladder to another, we must also change the terms we use. Since we are now moving from "The What Group" of philosophy to "The Perspective Group," we must change the terms we are using, otherwise we will become confused as to what it is we are talking about. We note here that "The Perspective Group" of philosophy is higher on the philosophical ladder than "The What Group." Since we have advanced above the epistemological rung of the philosophical ladder, the terms we use from here forward are primarily conceptual in nature. They are governed by the law of intelligence, which specifies that when we speak epistemologically, we are referencing the rational nature of intelligence rather than the physical nature of knowledge. When considering "The Perspective Group" of the philosophical ladder, the focus of our interest is from what perspective or from what point of view are we discussing metaphysical absolutes and epistemological abstractions? Are we discussing them from an ethical point of view, or are we discussing them from a moral point of view? It is important—even critically important—to point out that "The Perspective Group" is merely a highly focused epistemological view back into what "The What Group" consists of. In other words, "The Perspective Group" is the intellectual concomitant of a specific aspect of "The What Group." In "The Perspective Group," the focus of our interest is the ethics of individual behavior and the morality of social interactions, whereas in "The What Group," our focus is on the absolute nature of physical existence (metaphysics) and the means of understanding what that is (epistemology). Under "The Perspective Group," our goal is to differentiate: ETHICS from MORALITY The Real from The Ideal Individual from Society Benefit from Profit Selfishness from Capitalism Natural Law from Contractual Law Survival from Happiness ************************************** Differentiating the Real from the Ideal The Ethics of the Real Where metaphysics deals with the real existence of all physical objects, ethics deals with the real existence of a single physical object, a human being. The Morality of the Ideal Where epistemology deals with the rational nature of all ideas, morality deals with the rational nature of a single idea, the idea of society. ************************************** Differentiating the Individual from the Society The Ethics of Individual Behavior Under ethics, it is as if we are considering a person who is living on a deserted island all by himself. This person must function in a specific way; he must function as a human being. This person cannot continue to exist on that island if he tries to function as a whale or an eagle or a rosebush. His only alternative, his only option is to function as a human being. Under ethics, a human person is an individual object of physical reality. This requires that the terms we use be governed by the law of words, which states, "When we speak ethically, we speak about that which we sensually know to be the case." But as previously stated, since we have advanced above the epistemological rung of the philosophical ladder, the terms we use are governed by the law of concepts, which states, "When we speak epistemologically, we speak with regard to what we understand is the case." To act ethically is to behave as a properly functioning human being. This requires one to think about the consequences of one's behavior and then only do that which will have a beneficial effect on one's physical person. The Morality of Social Interaction Under morality we talk about a single idea, the idea of society. When we move our discussion from ethics to morality, the rules defining proper human behavior are expanded. Under morality, the rules are no longer determined by what constitutes proper behavior—they are additionally determined by what constitutes rational interaction. Where proper deals with the actions of ethical individuals, rational deals with the interactions between those same ethical individuals. But notice that society is a concept. Concepts denote ideas; they don't denote the absolute nature of physical reality. Society, then, is not a real physical something—society is an abstract ideal something. Society does not exist in reality in an absolute sensually knowable way. It exists in intelligence in an abstract, rationally understood way. Society is purely an idea. An idea derived from that which is sensually known to be the case—an idea derived from the absolute nature of physical reality—is a rational idea. It is considered a rational idea because it explains what society is and how individual humans are related to it. In a rational functioning society, the individual humans of whom it consists are acting ethically. In other words, they are acting in accordance with the rules of human nature, in accordance with the laws of nature governing what a proper happy human existence consists of and requires. Therefore, the laws of nature governing the behavior of ethical functioning human beings determine how those same individual human beings will behave when they are socially engaged. Rather than being said to be acting properly, they are said to be behaving rationally. The Laws of Man It is the laws of nature governing proper human existence that determine the laws humans create when socially engaged. These are the laws of a rational functioning society. The laws of society, when governed by the laws of nature, are called moral laws. They are called moral laws because they describe the behavior of ethical functioning human beings when those same human beings are socially engaged. Moral laws do not—cannot—prescribe what rational social behavior is and requires; they can only describe what it is. To describe proper human behavior in a social setting, it must be observed. The consequences resulting naturally from the interaction between individuals determine whether the behavior of those individuals is rational or not. The consequence must not conflict with the nature of the individuals performing those actions. Further, it must not conflict with the nature of any human being now living or who will live at any time in the future. It is only in a moral functioning society that we find properly functioning individuals—that is, ethical functioning individuals. We do not find ethical functioning individuals in any other type of society, the actions of which are detrimental to the rational nature of human beings. ************************************** Differentiating Benefit from Profit The Ethics of Benefit Under ethics, individual action is considered proper only when the individual performing the action benefits from the consequence resulting naturally from his own actions. Otherwise, that individual suffers by having created a consequence that is detrimental to his person. Ethics requires that the living existence of each individual person benefit from the naturally occurring consequence of his own actions. Ethics demands that the individual performing those actions benefit from them. Consider the individual living alone on a deserted island. This person must perform specific actions; otherwise, his living person is going to suffer from not doing so. This is saying that the naturally occurring consequence resulting from his actions is considered a beneficial consequence only when it satisfies a survival need of his living person. The Morality of Profit An action is considered moral only when the individual performing that action is an ethical actor. That he is actually functioning in a proper human way, meaning that his primary goal is to benefit from his actions. Only then can he engage another person morally; only then can he engage another person in a social interaction that is profitable. We note that two properly functioning persons—two ethical actors, voluntarily working together—create a greater benefit for themselves than if each had performed those same actions on his own. That greater benefit resulting from their volitional social interaction is called profit. Proper individual action is ethical, and ethical action results in producing a beneficial consequence for the actor. Proper individual action, performed in a social setting, is called a rational social interaction. And the naturally occurring consequence of a rational social interaction produces a greater benefit for each of its participants. To avoid confusion, that greater benefit produced is renamed profit. Ethical functioning individuals profit from willingly engaging other ethical functioning individuals. Again, profit is merely the greater benefit realized when two ethical functioning individuals purposefully engage one another to their mutual benefit. A rational interaction, then, is that mutually agreed-to social interaction, the purpose of which is to create a greater benefit for each participant. Note that each must benefit from his jointly agreed-to interactions. Socially produced profit, then, is the epistemological concomitant of the metaphysical nature of individually produced benefit. When the individuals of a society benefit from their selfishly motivated interactions, the individuals of society are said to profit from their own purposefully selfish actions. ************************************** Differentiating Selfishness from Capitalism The Ethics of Selfishness Beneficial action is selfish action; it is the principle of selfishness. The individual living alone on the island must benefit from his actions. He has no other choice or option. His only interest is himself. His only interest is his continued existence as a living person on that island. There is no other person on this island for him to be concerned about. His self-interest is his greatest and highest goal. This is the principle of selfishness. The principle of selfishness does not involve any other individual. There is no other person living on this island with this individual who is living there in a proper, selfishly motivated, human way. The consequences of his actions are not influencing, either positively or negatively, the existence of any other human being. He must and does act alone; he simply has no other option. He is, therefore, considered both a selfishly motivated and an ethically guided person—meaning he is and must continue be a properly functioning human being in order to remain alive on that island. The Morality of Capitalism When translating the naturally occurring ethical principles of individual selfishness into the principles describing rational social behavior, we get the moral principles described by the idea of social capitalism. Where individually produced benefit is considered a proper consequence of selfishly motivated individual action, purposefully produced profit is considered a rational consequence of capitalistically motivated social interaction. The underlying moral premise governing the actions of selfishly motivated individuals when socially engaged is that they agree to engage others only on this fundamental capitalistic premise: "From mutual agreement to mutual benefit." When an ethically functioning individual engages another ethically functioning individual (another selfishly motivated individual), that interaction (as we have seen) produces a greater benefit for each than if these same two individuals had acted alone. That greater benefit is called profit. Profit is the additional benefit produced as a direct result of the selfishly motivated social interactions of properly functioning (ethically acting) individuals. Ethically acting individuals profit from their social interactions with other selfishly motivated individuals. And the selfish creation of social benefit—that is, the purposeful creation of profit—is called capitalism. Capitalism is evolutionarily different from selfishness. Capitalism is an intellectual advancement over what the metaphysical nature of selfishness is. Capitalism is the epistemological concomitant of selfishness. Capitalism is proper individual action moved into a rational social setting. Capitalism is not a real something—it is an ideal something. Capitalism is not a physically potent idea; it is an intellectually potent idea. Capitalism does not describe what proper individual action is and requires, it describes what rational social interaction is and requires. Rational social interaction does not exist as a real physically based word statement; it exists as an ideal rationally based conceptual statement. To be a capitalist is not to be a person who properly benefits from one's own individual actions. To be capitalist is to be a person who rationally profits from the individual actions of others. Capitalism describes that naturally occurring social relationship that exists between ethically functioning individuals—between individuals who engage others for no other purpose than to enjoy even greater personal benefits. Where beneficial action is considered ethical, profitable interaction is considered moral. Restating: Where proper individual action is considered ethical, rational social interaction is considered moral. And where personal selfishness is considered proper, social capitalism is considered rational. Capitalism does not describe the real production of products, goods, and services; it describes the ideal production of more products, goods, and services. Capitalism is the idea that explains what a profitable social interaction is and requires. A capitalistic relationship produces greater benefits only for those engaged in it. Otherwise, we need to explain what charity is and requires. And since charity is a term described under the idea of religion, it is not proper to include it under a rational discussion. Under ethics, these consequences are called natural consequences. Recall that under ethics, we are considering an individual who is living alone on a deserted island. The consequences of his actions are delivered to him by the laws of nature. They cannot be avoided. When he performs an action, he will experience the consequence resulting naturally from it. If he is a properly functioning human being, the consequence will be pleasant. If not, the consequence will be suffering, anguish, sadness, and eventually death. Under morality, we are considering the consequences resulting from the voluntary interactions between ethical functioning individuals. These consequences are called contractual consequences as opposed to natural consequences. In a rational (a proper social) interaction, the individuals involved in that interaction do not engage one another without understanding what the consequences resulting from that interaction will be. These consequences are understood and agreed to by each individual prior to either performing any action. Agreed-to consequences are considered moral and therefore rational as opposed to being considered ethical and therefore proper. Under the principles of social morality, the consequences of agreed-to interactions are written down and become the laws of contract. It is these laws of contract that the idea of capitalism was created to denote the rational existence of. Notice how the laws described within and under the idea of capitalism are the moral equivalent of the laws of nature governing ethical human behavior in a social setting. Notice that the moral laws of capitalism are a step up from the ethical laws of selfishness. It is therefore impossible for a capitalistic agreement to violate the ethical nature of the persons engaged in it. Contractual law applies the laws of nature governing proper human existence to society. Social morality is evolutionarily different from personal ethics. Social morality is an epistemological advancement over what the metaphysical nature of personal ethics is and requires. The existence of the idea of social morality represents an intellectual advancement over what the physical nature of the idea of personal ethics is and requires. To act consequentially means to both know what one is doing and also to understand what the consequence of what one is doing is going to be. This is the principle of responsibility. Each person is responsible for his own actions, necessarily including the consequences resulting from those actions. The purpose for legalizing the laws of nature governing what rational human behavior is and requires is to provide a document that can be witnessed by all those concerned with whether they can be considered a properly functioning human being when socially engaged. Their documented witness is testimony of their intent to act in a proper human way. The document protects others from their transgressions, whether purposeful or not. ************************************** Differentiating Survival from Happiness The Ethics of Survival Under ethics, the laws of nature governing what a proper human existence is and requires are the final arbiter as to whether one's actions are beneficial to one's person or not. It is the laws of nature that govern whether one's actions are in accordance with what one is and where one is living. As previously discussed, if one is behaving properly, then the consequences resulting from one's actions will respect one's fundamental nature as a living being, a living human being. The only responsibility the person living alone on the deserted island has is to perform those actions that will insure he remains a living person on that island. The consequence of behaving in accordance with one's nature as a living human being right here on earth has been named—it is called survival. It is the principle of personal survival. As we have seen, to act properly as a human being means to selfishly benefit from one's own actions. The benefit the person living alone on the deserted island enjoys is his self. It is the continued existence of his living person on that island. To act for one's continued living existence is to act ethically. To act ethically is to be selfishly motivated to avoid death. Personal survival is the fundamental underlying principle of ethics. Note that ethics only involves living individuals. It is only living individuals who can act ethically, who can act in accordance with their best interest, who can be selfishly motivated to avoid death. The person living alone on the deserted island will act in his best interest throughout his entire lifespan, and then he will die. He has no other option. There is no other alternative available to him. His continued existence on that deserted island is governed by the laws of nature. The ethical science of philosophy deals only with the requirements of individual living persons, and the lifespan of each individual living person is finite. One day it will cease to exist. The Morality of Happiness When we translate the principles of ethical behavior into principles of moral behavior, the rules change. When the laws of nature governing ethical behavior are translated into the laws of man governing moral behavior, we transition from personal survival to social happiness. The difference is immense. It is beyond measure. It is the difference between the finite nature of one's real person and the infinite nature of one's ideal person. Note here that the physical existence of one's real person is a time-sensitive idea, but the physical existence of one's ideal person is not. Under ethics, people act to their personal benefit. But under morality, these same people associate with other ethical people to create an even greater personal benefit for themselves. As we have seen, that greater personal benefit is called the profit resulting naturally from their voluntary social interaction. And the purposeful production of profit is called capitalism. Have I stressed point this enough? I have repeated myself on this point over and over again. Why? Because capitalism is the most misunderstood and misrepresented idea in the entire human language—even more so than God, which will also soon be cleared up. Selfish people purposefully engage other selfish people for only one reason: to profit from that social interaction. The selfish production of profit is called capitalism. Properly functioning individuals purposefully and selfishly capitalize on the talents, skills, and abilities of others. They have to. They have no other alternative if they are to be considered properly functioning human beings. ************************************** The Capitalistic Difference A fundamental action is that action upon which all others of similar characteristics depend. Fundamentally speaking, the profit one's person enjoys by virtue of a rational social interaction has been named. It is called their child. Their child is of enormous personal benefit to each person involved in that rational social interaction. It is their living existence continuing to exist into the future. Their child represents the living existence of each person continuing to exist again. Their child is not different from the living existence of each; it is an extension of the living existence of each. Their child is physical evidence of the living existence of each, existing again. Their child is their living existence existing again as another living being. Where the existence of one's living existence is evidence of one's ability to act in a properly selfish way, the existence of one's child is evidence of one's ability to act in a rationally capitalistic way. In other words, one's child is living evidence of one's ability to act in a properly selfish way in a social setting. You are living evidence of all those who precede you with their living existence. You are proof that their living existence has not yet gone out of existence. You are living proof that their living existence exists still. Your real existence is their real existence, idealized. You represent the continued survival of their living existence. You are their physical survival idealized into rational happiness. To act ethically is to selfishly do that which is required to live a normal lifespan. To act morally is to capitalistically do that which is required to survive beyond one's natural lifespan right here on earth. When considering how to explain the metaphysical rung of the philosophical ladder, the focus of our concern is on the absolute nature of physical reality. The physical existence of things in reality is absolute. This is not to say that things in reality do not change. The "absolute nature of physical existence" is not a time-sensitive idea. When we say things exist absolutely, we are saying: They are what they are They are not that which they are not They do not exist in some kind of intermediate state between what they are and what they are not These are the three laws of logic: The law of identity The law of non-contradiction The law of excluded middle The absolute nature of real things exists physically. Their physical existence is sensually known to exist, and they are called the objects of reality. The existence of the physical existence of that which is sensually known to exist is denoted by the use of words. Words are audio/visual symbols created based on what is sensually known to exist in a real physical way. Words denote the physical existence of real objects and their real relationships. Importantly, the word created is not the thing it was created to denote the real nature of. It is merely an audio/visual symbol purposefully created to denote the absolute nature of that real thing's physical existence. A word permits us to transmit, and thereby place within the brain of another, symbolic evidence of that which we know to exist in a real physical way. It is of particular interest to note that purposefully created human sound symbols can be transferred into the brains of certain non-humans. A dog, for example, can be trained to respond to the human sound visually symbolized as sit. It is also of particular interest to note that the reverse has never occurred. There is not even one instance where a non-human (a beast) has, or has even attempted, to train a human to respond to its sound symbols. And yet, animals have been observed to communicate with others of their own species. The reason is clear and will soon be explained. The Epistemology of Concepts As previously noted, it is not until we become properly founded on the metaphysical rung of philosophy that we are prepared to advance to the epistemological rung. Having now become metaphysically proficient, we are ready to become epistemologically proficient. To avoid becoming confused about what it is we are talking about, when we change the focus of our discussion from one rung of the philosophical ladder to the next, we must change the terms we use. Each rung of the philosophical ladder has its own unique set of terms. For example, metaphysical terms are called words, whereas epistemological terms are called concepts. Ethical terms are considered to be proper concepts, where moral terms are considered to be rational concepts. Esthetic's is the application and use of the terms previously created to form a reason-based explanation. Under metaphysics, our interest is on the absolute nature of physical objects. Under metaphysics, we speak about that which is known to exist or that which can be known to exist. The means of knowing that an object exists is brain-sensing. The human brain has five sense organs extending from it. It is the sense organs of the human brain that form a physiological and electrochemical connection with the other objects of physical reality. It is in this way that the existence of a physical object is electrochemically transmitted into the rest of the brain, where its existence is further processed. However, when we speak epistemologically, we are using concepts. Concepts reveal our intelligence as opposed to revealing what we sensually know to be the case. Concepts are derived from ideas, and ideas are based on that which has been understood to be the case. They are based on what we understand about what we know to be the case. The means of knowing that reality exists is sensual, but the means of understanding its nature is reason. When we apply our reason to understand the nature of human nature, the result is a concept. Concepts are created from that which has been rationally created rather than that which is sensually known to exist. Concepts don't denote something that is real, they denote something that is ideal. Concepts denote the idealized existence of something that is known to be the case. The important issue is not whether or not an idealized creation exists, but why it exists. Because ideas are creations of the human mind, they don't make sense—they can't make sense. This is because what they denote the existence of doesn't exist in a physically sensual way. Only physical objects can make sense. This is saying that only the physical existence of an object can make a physiological and electrochemical change—a sensual response—occur to and within a brain. Ideas don't exist in a sensually observable way; they exist in a rationally understood way. The source of the material from which the human mind creates its ideas is provided to it by the five sense organs extending from its brain. Ideas are created from sensual fact rather than from physical reality. Recall that the sensual influence of reality on a brain is its fact. In other words, the sensual influence of reality on a brain does exist and its existence is called fact. Under metaphysics, the known existence of objects is said to be absolute. It is what it is; it is not something other than what it is, nor is it some kind of intermediate something between what it is and what it is not. Under epistemology, the rational existence of ideas is said to be abstract. An abstract existent is that which has been abstracted from a something, the existence of which, is sensually known to exist. In other words, ideas are abstracted from fact. As previously noted, it is the physical existence of the absolute nature of objects that is denoted with words, and it is the rational existence of the abstract existence of ideas that is explained with concepts. Words denote the absolute nature of reality; concepts explain the abstract nature of intelligence. To provide the absolute meaning of a word only requires pointing at that which is responsible for its existence. This is called an ostensive definition or definition by direct physical referencing. For example, when I point at this object and utter the sound visually symbolized as chair, you sensually know what its meaning is. The meaning of the sound symbol chair is automatically available to you. You don't need to think about what it is; you only need to know that it is. To explain the abstract meaning of a concept is a much more difficult task. This requires applying the preexisting conceptual content of one's mind to that task. The nature of the term concept is itself conceptual. The term concept must be explained; its meaning can only be understood. To define a concept requires uttering and/or scribing the conceptual content of one's mind back into reality. This does require thinking. It is thinking that results in one's conceptual content. But what do we think about? We think about that which we sensually know to be the case. To not think is to either hallucinate or believe—or perhaps it involves a little of each. ******************************************************** Differentiating Knowledge and Intelligence The Metaphysics of Knowledge Again, on the metaphysical rung of "The What Group," the focus of our interest is, "What is knowledge?" Knowledge is not what the objects of reality are; it is what their existence is. We acquire knowledge sensually via the sense-organ extensions of our brain. We acquire knowledge as we sensually observe the objects of reality. We acquire knowledge as we purposefully direct the sense organs extending from our brain, enabling them to know that the objects of reality actually do physically exist. The method of their knowing is sensual. They sense the absolute nature of the physical existence of real objects. However, the sense organs extending from our brain have a finite sensual range. This is saying and acknowledging that the human brain's sense organs cannot know the physical existence of—and therefore do not know the physical existence of—everything that is available to be known about even one real object. We therefore do not acquire all the knowledge that physically exists. But we do acquire the knowledge that is sensually known to exist. Since we cannot and therefore do not acquire all the knowledge physically available to us, it is not a proper claim to say that we do acquire knowledge. This is because the term knowledge is an all-encompassing term. When we say that we do acquire knowledge, we are implicitly claiming that we acquire all the available knowledge. The sense organs of our brain simply do not have that capability. To solve this dilemma, we need to have a term specifically created to denote only that aspect of knowledge we actually do acquire. That term is data. Data is that aspect of knowledge falling within the sensual range of the sense organs extending from our brain. As we direct the sense organs extending from our brain to observe the absolute nature of physical reality, they automatically know that it exists and thereby automatically transmit its data into our brain for further processing. When a scientist, doctor, engineer, student, parent, infant, or other is collecting data with which to draw a conclusion, make a decision, offer a recommendation, or simply know that something exists, that individual is collecting data from that which their brain actually knows to exist in a sensually potent way. Knowing that knowledge exists is an automatically occurring sensual event between two objects when at least one of these objects is a brain. In other words, the sensual acquisition of knowledge by a brain is not optional. The sensual acquisition of knowledge by a brain is an innate aspect of how all brains operate and function. To test this claim, simply look at an object. Now, without doing anything else, don't see it. You now understand what the automatically occurring data acquisition function of the sense organs extending from your brain is. You may not understand how it functions, but you do know that it is functioning and that you do not and cannot have any influence over how it functions. Data acquisition by a brain occurs automatically and continuously. The Epistemology of Intelligence Again, considering the epistemological rung of the philosophical ladder, the focus of our interest is intelligence. Note here that epistemology is a step up on the philosophical ladder. The epistemological nature of intelligence represents an evolutionary advancement over the metaphysical nature of the knowledge upon which its conceptual nature depends. In other words, intelligence is knowledge conceptualized. Where the physical nature of knowledge is known to exist, it is said that the conceptual nature of intelligence is created from it. Intelligence is created only from knowledge that is sensually known to exist; it is created from sensually collected data. To exist metaphysically is to exist as a physical absolute. To exist epistemologically is to exist as a rational abstraction. The abstract nature of intelligence is derived from the absolute nature of knowledge. Notice how rational is physical intellectualized, and also how abstract is absolute intellectualized. The creative process responsible for abstracting intelligence from knowledge is conceptualization. Intelligence, then, is the epistemological concomitant of the absolute nature of the knowledge upon which the abstract nature of its conceptual existence depends. It is impossible to be considered intelligent in the absence of knowing what it is one is talking about. Note here that the term concept is the epistemological concomitant of the metaphysical term object. Like the epistemological term intelligence represents an evolutionary advancement over the metaphysical term knowledge, so does the epistemological term concept represent an evolutionary advancement over the metaphysical term object. ******************************************************** Differentiating Communication and Language The Metaphysics of Communication We transmit the physical existence of the data our brain has sensually acquired to another by creating specific kinds of audio/visual symbols called words. Note that under the idea of communication, we don't transmit intelligence—we transmit knowledge. It is as if the word symbol and the knowledge it was created to denote the existence of are one and the same. Caution: they are not! The Epistemology of Language Under the idea of metaphysics, we create audio/visual symbols called words to denote the real existence of knowledge—but under epistemology, we create audio/visual symbols called concepts to denote the ideal existence of intelligence. A concept is different from a word; it is its epistemological expansion. In other words, the epistemological nature of concept represents an evolutionary advancement over the metaphysical nature of word. Concept extends the sensual nature of word from knowing to understanding. Where words are based in and therefore reveal reality, concepts are based in and therefore reveal intelligence. In other words, intelligence is knowledge conceptualized, and knowledge is existence conceptualized. When we use words, we reveal the absolute nature of knowledge, and we are externally focused. When we use concepts, we reveal the abstract nature of intelligence, and we are internally focused. When we use concepts, we are explaining that which we understand to be the case about our relationship to and within our physical environment. Note: An explanation has neither physical nor time constants, meaning that an explanation is rational rather than real. An explanation cannot be found in reality, no matter how long one looks for one there. It is the sensual influence of physical reality on our brain that our mind perceives as being the "facts of reality." Alternately: The sensual influence of reality on a human brain is called fact by that brain's mind function. The existence of sensually known fact cannot be denied by a mind, but it can be ignored—to its peril. The sensual nature of fact cannot be denied, because it actually does exist. Fact exists as the point of sensually potent contact between a brain and some other physical aspect of reality. That sensually potent point of contact is called fact because it actually does physically and electrochemically exist. The denial of fact by a mind has no effect on its physiological and electrochemical nature. As Promised The reason none of the beasts (non-human animals) has ever taught us their language, or has never even demonstrated an interest in doing so, is because beasts don't have a language. And this is because they don't have—have not demonstrated the existence of—a perceptual mind, an understanding mind, a rational mind, a conceptual mind. They have not demonstrated that mental activity termed conceptual-reasoning. Meaning, they are not able to rationally translate objective knowledge into conceptual intelligence. And it is the ability to conceptualize knowledge into intelligence that is a prerequisite for the creation of language. Language is evolutionarily different from what communication is—it is an epistemological expansion on its metaphysical nature. Human language represents an evolutionary advancement over the metaphysical nature of beastly communication. =========================================== In the following pages I am going to bear down on the philosophic grouping of ethics and morality. My purpose is to eventually uncover the nature of human happiness and that upon which its eternal existence depends. This will likely proceed in a manner you may not have experienced in the past. It is this author's seriously considered view that the existing manifold volumes of the philosophical works of countless others, covering many hundreds of years and written by those who are considered to be experts in the field of philosophic investigation, is not only grossly inaccurate and very misguided but may represent some kind of special, as yet undiagnosed, mental illness.
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How To Play If you're new to Shadowfist, or to trading card gaming in general, learning to play may seem a bit overwhelming. It is, actually, but it does get easier as you play more games and become familiar with the cards. If you're having trouble, you might wish to simplify the game elements for a few trial runs, and take on the concepts in smaller chunks. This allows you to learn each element of game play in smaller, more manageable pieces. What we suggest is: Remove all the Edges, States, Events, and non-Feng Shui Sites from your demo or constructed deck. Also remove any Character that doesn't have a numeral for its Fighting (found in the upper right corner of the card). You should be left with 32-35 cards (depending on which deck you're using), composed of Feng Shui Sites and Characters only. Next, re-read the rules found in Chapters 3 and 5 of the Rule Book, on the turn sequence, how to play cards, how to attack and intercept, and how to seize, smoke or burn Feng Shui Sites. Now play several games with your smaller deck, and ignore all rules text on the cards and all resource symbols. Just play with the basics: pay the card's cost, attack and intercept with Characters, and reduce Feng Shui Sites' Body to 0 to seize/ smoke/ burn them. Because the Events have been removed and you're ignoring the rules text, you won't be able to play cards or generate effects on your opponents' turns, this will make things much easier to understand and follow. Your next step is to play using the rules text and the resource conditions and provisions of the cards. Again, keep only the Characters and Feng Shui Sites, but your games will start to become a lot more interesting. You still won't be playing cards on your opponents' turns, but you might be turning cards to generate effects during their turns. You may find that the game is a little slower because you have to work to get the right resources to play the "big" cards, but don't forget that you can discard each turn-use that ability to keep cards flowing through your hand. You'll find what you need eventually. Don't hold on to a card just because it's huge; you may lose the game before you have the Power or resources to play it. Now add back the Edges, States, Characters and non-Feng Shui Sites that you removed from your deck in the beginning, and play a few more games. These cards can also only be played during your turn, so your decisions about timing are still fairly easy. Read the information on the newly-added cards to get familiar with them before you play them. Work on thinking of ways to use them to your best advantage. Remember that you can play States during an attack that you declare during your Main Shot. Finally, add back the Events to your deck. Events can be played during any player's Main Shot and often bring up the most questions in Shadowfist. Remember, you can respond to whatever your opponent does by generating effects of your own, and that these Effects resolve in reverse order (last-in, first-out, which means it's almost always to your advantage to be the one who does the last action). After you are feeling more comfortable with the basics, you are ready to make your own deck. (This is where things really start to get interesting). A good place to start is to take the pieces you like best from two different demo decks and combining them. Or you can buy some booster boxes from Z Man Games or Potomac Distribution for additional cards. Stefan Vincent has an excellent site on deck construction for new players, which can be found here. You should also join the official Shadowfist discussion forum; players there are always willing to help new folks get started! For that special edge, you can even purchase singles from the Shadowfist online store. In Shadowfist there are five types of cards: Characters, Sites, States, Events, and Edges. These represent the elements that you might use in your attempt to tilt the Secret War in your favor. You can use these elements provided that you have enough Power to spend and the right resources available. Power is the currency of Shadowfist, gained mainly from Sites you control. Resources reflect your level of influence in the various factions. Characters are the heroes, pawns, masterminds, monsters, and villains you can recruit to fight on your side in the Secret War. Your Characters are your offensive and defensive front lines. Sites represent physical areas like ancient temples, advanced laboratories, and high-rise office towers. Sites come in two varieties: Feng Shui Sites and everything else (referred to as non-Feng Shui Sites). Feng Shui Sites are special Sites that allow the factions to channel chi energy and rearrange reality more to their liking. If you control enough Feng Shui Sites, you win the game, advancing your faction's cause overall in the greater Secret War. Non-Feng Shui Sites don't help you to win the game directly, but they can help to generate more Power or perform other specialized tasks. States are placed on other cards and represent some alteration of that card's attributes, such as adding a weapon or boosting a Character's abilities. Events represent sudden shifts during the battle, often surprising to your opponents. Edges represent longer lasting shifts in the overall conditions of the Secret War, giving you some durable advantage over your opponents. You can refer to the sample Character and Feng Shui Site in the card anatomy PDF file while you read. The title is the name of the card, located in the upper left corner. The subtitle is located on the first line of the card's text box, and indicates the card's type unless the card is a Character. In that case, the subtitle is a short description of that Character. The rules textappears next in the text box and describes the card's ability—effects and special directions for the card's use, if any. Any special abilities or restrictions appear in bold in the rules text. The tag appears in italics at the bottom of the text box, and gives a glimpse into the Shadowfist storyline but has no effect on play. Resource conditions are the resources you must have in your resource pool to bring the card into play and appear as symbols in the lower left corner of the card. Some cards have no resource conditions. The cost of the card is a number in the lower left corner of the card, indicating the amount of Power that you must spend to play that card. Resource provisions appear as symbols in the lower right corner of the card. The resources provided on cards that you control or have in your smoked pilemake up your resource pool. Cards anywhere else, whether in your hand, toasted pile or burned-for-victory pile, do not provide resources. Bear with us a minute and we'll explain what these piles are and what they do. Characters that lack resource conditions but provide at least one faction resource are called foundation Characters, because they provide the resources you need to play other cards of that faction. Characters that have no resource conditions or resource provisions for any faction are called neutral Characters, although these Characters might provide or require any of the talent resources such as magic. Each Character has a number in the upper right corner to indicate its Fighting. A Character's Fighting represents how much combat damage the Character inflicts on Characters or Sites, and how much damage the Character can sustain before being smoked. A Character's Fighting is reduced by the amount of damage on that Character. The Power generated by a Site is shown in a diamond in the upper left corner of the card. A Site's Body, shown in a circle in the upper right corner of the card, is the amount of damage the Site can withstand before being smoked, seized, or burned. A Site's Body is reduced by the amount of damage on that Site. The symbol in the upper right corner of the card indicates the set that the card was printed in. It has no meaning as far as game play is concerned, and isn't a resource symbol. A few cards have a small number inside a circle printed just to the right of their text box. This indicates that the card has changed from the original edition of Shadowfist, and if you wish to play with old copies of the card, you must play as if the old copies had the new wording. If you don't have any old cards, just ignore it. If you have old cards, check out Chapter 2.1.1(g) of the Rule Book for the full story as well as the Errata List for a complete listing of all updated cards. Most cards are self-referential, meaning if a card doesn't specify what is doing something, then it refers to itself. Sometimes a card's title also appears in its rules text to clarify how the card works. If a title appearing in the rules text refers to a card other than itself, the title will appear in quotes so you can distinguish between the two usages. In addition, some cards refer to others using designators. Designators are words in the card's title and subtitle. For example, our sample Character has the designators Dr., Celeste, Carter, Purist, and Assassin. When designators are referenced in the rules text, they show up in bolditalics. Check out Chapter 7 of the Rule Book for the full description. The Board You'll need a table or other flat surface to play cards on as the game progresses. We'll call that the board for simplicity's sake. Each player has their own layout like the one shown on the next page. You'll also need counters of some kind to keep track of Power, damage, and a few other things during the game. There are three regions of the board for each player: in play, out of play, and out of the game. Cards in play are currently involved in the battle. Cards that are out of playare not currently involved in the battle, but have the potential to become involved. Cards that are out of the game cannot affect the current game any further. Effects only affect cards that are in play unless the effect specifically says otherwise. Characters, Sites, States, and Edges are all played into the in play area. Sites are placed into your site structure, which can have at most two rows, but any number of columns. Each column represents a different location. Character are placed at one of your locations, in front of the front-row Site. Edges are placed to one side of your site structure. States are placed on cards already in play (sometimes your cards and sometimes your opponents' cards, depending on the State). There is no limit to the number of cards other than Sites that may be placed at a particular location. Events are a little different than other types of cards. You play Events directly into your smoked pile, but in the process, those Events affect the game in some way. The out of play area consists of your face-down deck of cards, the cards in your hand, a pile of counters representing your Power, your burned-for-victory pile, and your smoked pile. The smoked pile contains cards that have left play but may be brought back into play or somehow affect the game later. All cards in the smoked pile are kept face-up, and any player may look through your smoked pile at any time. When a card is smoked, place it in its owner's smoked pile, regardless of who currently controls it. The burned-for-victory pile contains cards that you have taken out of play, but that still count toward victory for you. We'll cover that in the next Chapter. The only thing in the out of game area is your toasted pile. These are cards that have been removed entirely from the current game and cannot be brought back. All cards in the toasted pile are kept face-down, and any player may look through your toasted pile at any time. When a card is toasted, place it in its owner's toasted pile, regardless of who currently controls it. Cards you discard also go into your toasted pile, even though discarding a card isn't considered the same as toasting it for game purposes. You should announce the title of cards you discard so your opponents don't feel the need to look through your toasted pile often. When a card leaves play, it goes to your smoked pile, toasted pile, burned-for-victory pile, or sometimes to your hand or deck. When a card leaves play, any States on that card are smoked. General Terms The phrase "playing a card," or simply play, means placing a card into its correct place on the board—the in play area for Characters, Sites, States, and Edges, or directly into the smoked pile for Events. You may play a card only if you can meet all conditions for playing that card and pay its cost. A card enters play when it is placed into the in play area, leaves playwhen it is removed from the in play area, and leaves the game if it is placed into the out of game area. There will be two or more people playing the game, who are known as players. The current player is the player whose turn it is. Everyone in the game is everyone else's opponent. Before, during and after the game, each player is the owner of the cards in their deck. When you play a card into the in play area, you control it. During the game it is possible for an opponent to take control of your cards. Whoever is currently in control of a card is referred to as the controller. The term you on a card always refers to the controller of that card. When the game ends, you get back all of the cards you own at the end of the game regardless of who controls them. Many cards have abilities that say "turn to …" This means that a condition of generating that card's effect is to rotate the card 90°, indicating that the card's ability has been used. Turned cards you control unturn at the start of each of your turns, ready to be used again. You can't turn a card that's already turned. Turning is different than revealing a face-down card. Most of the actions that you take during the game create effects. This includes playing cards and using the abilities on cards already in play. An effect is created in two parts: it must be generated first (announce what card you are playing, what card(s) it affects, where you are placing a Character, etc.), then resolved (make any changes to the board that result from the effect). A scene starts when any player generates an effect. Every player, including the one who started the scene, has a chance to generate more effects in this scene. This is called responding to an effect. Players may respond as many times as they wish. When everyone has finished responding, the scene resolves in reverse order, starting with the last effect generated and working to the first generated (last-in, first-out). Because it's important for all players to know what's happening, you must clearly announce each of your actions and allow your opponents time to respond. If you go too fast, it's perfectly acceptable for an opponent to ask you to back up to allow them to perform an action in response to one of yours.
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http://www.shadowfist.com/info/how_to_play
Waterfalls -- Part II Article and Photography by Ron Bigelow Composition Identifying and capturing strong composition is an extremely important part of creating powerful waterfall images. While the purpose of this article is not to carry out a thorough review of composition, a couple of aspects of composition, curves (or lines) and environment, that are particularly important when photographing waterfalls will be reviewed (for a more comprehensive coverage of composition, see the series Advanced Composition). Curves can make or break a waterfall image. With waterfalls, two types of curves are particularly important. The first type of curve is the curve formed by the water. Waterfalls where the water flows or falls in such a way as to form curves tend to create much more interest than waterfalls where the water simply falls straight down. In essence, graceful curves add an element of elegance to a waterfall. The second type of curve is a curve that points the attention toward the waterfall. This type of curve will repeatedly redirect the attention toward the waterfall and strengthen it as the center of interest. Figure 1: Waterfall with Curves Figure 1 illustrates the first type of curve. The water falling through the jumble of rock and ferns forms a system of curves (with many of the curves intermingling or intersecting). It is these curves that make this image work. If these curves were replaced with a single mass of water pouring over the rock, the image would lose much of its attraction. Figure 2: Waterfall with Both Types of Curves Figure 2 shows a waterfall with both types of curves. This waterfall has a small flow of water, and the water falls only a short distance. This waterfall will never impress anyone by its power or grandeur. Instead, this image utilizes curves for its impact. First, the water forms a zigzag curve as it approaches the waterfall. This adds a touch of grace to the image. Then, the water forms another curve as it falls diagonally across the image. This diagonal line makes the image more dynamic. The last curve is formed by the red pine needles on the foreground rock. These needles contrast sharply in color with the rock and form a strong curve that points directly at the waterfall -- thus, directing the eye toward the center of interest. The second major component of waterfall composition, covered in this article, is the environment surrounding the waterfall. This is extremely important to many waterfall shots. By itself, falling water is simply not that interesting. Rather, it is the environment within which the water falls that makes waterfall images so impressive. If you doubt this statement, try the following. Go into your bathroom and photograph the water falling out of your bathtub faucet. Then, get an image of a waterfall cascading out of the side of a dark, mountain forest. Show both images to your friends and try to convince them that the bathtub shot is just as impressive as the forest, waterfall shot. Good Luck! It is the surrounding environment that gives waterfalls much of their character. Therefore, why not include some of that environment in the image to bring out the waterfall character. This runs contrary to what we often hear about photographic composition in other types of photography. Usually, it is a good idea to move in close and crop out unnecessary detail. This focuses the attention on the center of interest. Including extra detail often serves only to distract the viewer's attention. However, in waterfall photography, the surrounding detail is often as important as the center of interest (i.e., the waterfall itself). The concept of using the surrounding environment is clearly seen in Figures 3 and 4. This waterfall was originally composed as seen in Figure 3. The image focused in on the waterfall and cropped out most of the surrounding detail. After taking this shot, I looked up for a moment and was hit by the intense beauty of the surrounding, wet rainforest. I recomposed the image and shot again (producing the image seen in Figure 4). This time, I included the rainforest in the shot; in fact, the waterfall is relatively small in the image. However, the image has been greatly improved as the waterfall is now properly placed in perspective with the inclusion of the beautiful rainforest. In Figure 3, you have a nice waterfall. In Figure 4, you have an elegant waterfall plunging out of a misty rainforest. Figure 3: Close Shot without Surrounding Environment Figure 4: Wider Shot with Surrounding Environment Figure 5: Poor Waterfall Shot In contrast, Figure 5 shows an example of a waterfall image that has neither of the two compositional elements covered above. There are no significant curves in the flowing water (while there are a few minor curves at the bottom of the falls, they do not serve much of a purpose in this image). Mostly, the water just pours straight over the edge and drops straight down. In addition, there are no noteworthy curves directing the attention toward the waterfall. However, the thing that contributes the most to the failure of this image is the surrounding environment. What little is shown is pretty ugly. This image clearly demonstrates the importance of curves and the surrounding environment to a waterfall image by showing what happens when they are absent. Shutterspeed What shutterspeed should be used to blur the falling water? That seems to be the first question that people who are just learning to shoot waterfalls ask. Ignoring the fact that shutterspeed is only one of a number of factors involved in producing great waterfall shots (and probably not the most important one at that), the question far oversimplifies the issue. There is no such thing as one correct shutterspeed for shooting waterfalls! Rather, the proper shutterspeed is a function of five factors: The amount of blur desired. The volume of water. The speed of the water. The distance between camera and water. The direction of water flow with respect to the lens. Only when these factors are understood can a photographer hope to get a shutterspeed that will produce the desired results. Understanding these five factors will allow a photographer to select the proper shutterspeed for a particular waterfall image. Shutterspeed: The Amount of Blur Desired First, a photographer has to decide on the emotion he wants the final image to communicate to the viewers of the image. That emotion will be partly achieved by creating the appropriate amount of blur in the falling water. Then, the proper shutter speed must be chosen that will capture that amount of blur. For our purposes, we can consider four general types of emotions that can be captured with waterfalls: Table 1: Emotion and Shutter Speed Emotion Example Amount of Blur Shutter Speed Surrealistic Motion Dreamy, surrealistic, waterfall image. Large amount. In this type of image, the moving water is heavily blurred causing a loss of much of the detail in the water. This produces a romantic, peaceful image. Long shutterspeeds are required. Realistic, Fluid Motion. Realistic waterfall image. Moderate amount. This is the category in which most waterfalls fit. Here, the water should be blurred to emphasis the continuous motion of the water. Some detail loss in the water is acceptable in order to achieve the blur effect. A moderate shutterspeed is required. Frozen Motion Water crashing forcefully against rocks. Small amount. Here, we want to freeze the action, but not completely. There should be a small amount of blur to emphasis the movement of the water. For this, a moderately fast shutterspeed is required. Turbulence, Action, Danger River rafting the rapids Almost no blur. Very fast shutterspeed that will freeze the motion of the water. In order to study the relationship between emotion, blur, and shutterspeed, Figures 6 -- 14 show the same waterfall shot at different shutterspeeds. Figure 6 shows a waterfall at a 2s exposure. Clearly, this image falls into the surrealistic category. The water is far smoother than it appeared to the photographer's eye at the time the shot was taken. However, it does produce a very peaceful image. On the other hand, it should be noted that some areas of the water have pretty much lost almost all detail due to the blurring effect. Figure 6: Waterfall at 2s Exposure Figure 7 shows the waterfall at a 1s exposure. Clearly, this image still falls into the surrealistic category, but there is a tiny bit more detail in the water. Figure 7: Waterfall at 1s Exposure Figure 8 shows the waterfall at a 1/2s exposure. Even at this shutterspeed, the image still has heavy blurring. Figure 8: Waterfall at 1/2s Exposure Figure 9 shows the waterfall at a 1/4s exposure. This image has entered the category of realistic, fluid motion. The waterfall still has some blur that clearly communicates the movement of the water, but it looks much like what the photographer experienced. The viewer can now more clearly distinguish the detail in the water. In some parts of the water, what appear to be individual strands of water are visible. Figure 9: Waterfall at 1/4s Exposure Figure 10 shows the waterfall at a 1/8s exposure. Figure 10: Waterfall at 1/8s Exposure Figure 11 shows the waterfall at a 1/15s exposure. At this exposure, the waterfall is starting to lose its smooth, peaceful feel. The turbulence is just starting to become apparent. Figure 11: Waterfall at 1/15s Exposure Figure 12 shows the waterfall at a 1/30s exposure. Figure 12: Waterfall at 1/30s Exposure Figure 13 shows the waterfall at a 1/60s exposure. This image fits into the category of frozen motion. The water appears to be frozen in mid air, but the small amount of blur makes clear that the water is moving quickly. Figure 13: Waterfall at 1/60s Exposure Figure 14 shows the waterfall at a 1/125 exposure. Clearly, the turbulence of the water is the most notable characteristic of this image. This image is starting to move from the category of frozen motion to the turbulence category. Figure 14: Waterfall at 1/125s Exposure It should be obvious from these shots that longer exposures produce more blurring of the water. However, it must be kept in mind that the speeds shown in Figures 6 -- 14 are valid only for this particular waterfall when shot the way the photographer set up the shot. In other words, these shutter speeds produced the effects seen in the figures because this waterfall shot has a waterfall with a specific amount of water, traveling at a specific speed, at a specific angle to the camera lens, and at a specific distance from the camera. These same shutterspeeds will produce different blur effects if used on a different waterfall (or even the same waterfall if shot from a different perspective or distance). Hopefully, that last paragraph doesn't sound too daunting -- How can I ever figure out the best shutterspeed; it changes from one waterfall to the next? It is simply a matter of experience. Once you develop some experience with a few waterfalls, you can use your knowledge of the five factors to make adjustments for new waterfalls. Now, there is one thing that photographers must be wary of when shooting waterfalls: loss of waterfall detail. Sometimes, we get overenthusiastic about blurring the water. That is particularly true when we want to create a dreamy, surrealistic waterfall image. The problem is that the longer the shutter is open, the more water that passes by the camera. At any point in time, the water in front of the camera has a certain detail to it. However, the detail changes at each instance in time. With longer exposures, the sensor is essentially averaging the detail of the changing water over the time that the shutter is open. If the shutter is open long enough, the detail will average out to a blur. In other words, the detail in the water will be lost. In this case, the water will turn into a smooth, silky band of color (usually white). While this may be desirable in some surrealistic images, it does not look real. Figure 15 shows a waterfall that has lost almost all of its detail due to a very long 3.2s exposure. Figure 15: Loss of Waterfall Detail Shutterspeed: The Volume of Water Figure 16: Large Volume of Water The volume of water that flows down a waterfall has a large impact on the selection of the proper shutterspeed. Figure 16 shows a waterfall with a large volume of water (shot at 1/80s). Waterfalls like this one, generally, require a fairly short shutterspeed for two reasons. First, the large amount of water that falls at any given point in time means that a large number of water particles will pass in front of each pixel while the shutter is open. Each water particle causes some blurring effect. With so many particles passing in front of the pixels (each producing a certain amount of blur), the pixels will quickly average out the detail (as mentioned in the section above). This will cause the water to lose detail and the waterfall image to acquire a surrealistic look unless a short shutterspeed is used. Second, waterfalls that have a large amount of water tend to be turbulent by nature. With a lot of water trying to pass at the same time and in the same place, the water gets thrown around a lot. This creates turbulence. If a photographer desires to capture the true nature of such a waterfall, that turbulence will need to be recorded by the camera. As covered in the previous section, capturing turbulence requires a relatively fast shutterspeed. Figure 17: Small Volume of Water Figure 17 shows a waterfall with a small amount of water (shot at 1/4s). This type of waterfall requires longer shutterspeeds to produce any given amount of blurring. Since less water is flowing, fewer water particles pass in front of each pixel. Thus, it will require a longer period of time before any desired amount of blurring can be achieved. Using a fast shutterspeed with a waterfall like this one tends to make the water look like it is frozen in mid air. In fact, even at 1/4s, the exposure on this waterfall was a bit on the short side. When seen in a larger size, some of the water does appear to be frozen in mid air. A good example of the impact that the volume of water has on a waterfall image can be seen by comparing Figure 16 (lots of water) to Figure 13 (much less water). Both images were shot at approximately the same shutter speed, but the effects are much different due to the volume of water. Shutterspeed: The Speed of the Water One of the most obvious factors affecting the proper shutterspeed for a waterfall is the speed that the water is traveling. Unfortunately, not all waterfalls drop water at the same speed. Now, this is not to say that gravity malfunctions in some waterfalls. The problem is that some waterfalls drop water over a greater distance than other waterfalls. The farther the water drops, the faster it travels. In addition, some waterfalls drop water straight down; this creates the greatest speed. Other waterfalls have obstacles in the path of the water or may force the water to change direction on the way down. This will slow the water. Figure 18: Fast moving Water Figure 18 shows a waterfall that is fairly tall (shot at 1/4s). Furthermore, the water in this waterfall dropped relatively straight down with little interference until it reached the pool below the falls. This created fast moving water, especially at the bottom of the falls. As can be seen, the water was significantly blurred. Figure 19 shows another tall waterfall (shot at 1s.). This is an interesting case for shutterspeed selection. The waterfall is very tall. One might be tempted to think that this would result in fast falling water with a requirement for a relatively fast shutterspeed. However, the water in this waterfall is in close contact with the rock of the mountain. Furthermore, the rock face of this mountain has a rough texture. As a result, much of the water is bounced around on its way down. This appreciably slows down the water. In fact, the vertical speed of much of the water in this waterfall is fairly slow. Thus, a longer shutterspeed was required than might originally be suspected. Figure 19: Slower Moving Water Shutterspeed: The Distance between Water and Camera The distance between the water and the camera affects the selection of the shutterspeed. The shorter the distance between the water and the camera, the faster the shutterspeed will have to be to produce a certain amount of blur. Figure 20: Water Close to Camera This is demonstrated in Figures 20 and 21. Both images have rapidly flowing, turbulent water. In Figure 20, the photographer was positioned close to the water. Positioned so close to the water, even a shutterspeed of 1/200s did not completely freeze the water. Figure 21: Water Far from Camera Conversely, in Figure 21, the photographer was stationed a good distance from the flowing water. As a result, a shutterspeed of 1/3 of a second was used. If this does not make sense at first, think of it this way. If you stand on a freeway overpass and watch the cars go by, they seem to roar pass at high speed. On the other hand, if you look in the sky and watch a passenger jet, it appears to barely crawl across the sky. In reality, the jet is moving many times faster than the cars, but it appears to be moving much slower due to the extra distance between the jet and the viewer. Shutterspeed: The Direction of Water Flow with Respect to the Lens The last thing that affects the shutterspeed is the direction that the water is flowing with respect to the axis of the camera lens. Water that is flowing perpendicular to the axis of the lens will require a faster shutterspeed to produce a given amount of blur than water that is flowing directly at or away from the lens. Generally, this isn't a big issue with waterfalls as most waterfalls are photographed in such a way that the water is falling perpendicular to the lens axis. It is a more common issue when photographing rapids or rivers. For example, in Figure 20, the photographer wished to capture the turbulence of the water. Even with the water flowing toward the camera, this required a fairly fast shutterspeed of 1/200s in order to emphasize the turbulence. However, had the photographer turned 90 degrees and shot the rapids from the side, she would have had to use an even faster shutterspeed or the water would have taken on a much more blurred appearance. Bracketing Shutterspeed Even with knowledge of the factors that affect waterfall shutterspeed selection, determining the best shutterspeed can sometimes be inexact. Therefore, it is often best to bracket the shutterspeed. Especially with digital cameras, this is cheap insurance that you will not lose the shot.
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http://ronbigelow.com/articles/waterfalls-2/waterfalls-2.htm
Regional Adaptation North America: 1607-1695 Regional Adaptation Features of Regional Adaptation include timber construction, usually logs with rounded ends or planks notched together at the corners, wooden chimneys covered in clay, and a lack of imported materials such as nails, glass, or paint. North Carolina: 1650-late 19th century Early structures built in North Carolina combined available resources with simple, functional building techniques brought from Europe. Lacking affluence and skilled artisans, early settlers constructed homes to provide basic shelter rather than to offer permanence. These traditional building techniques persisted in the state throughout the nineteenth century. Example of Regional Adaptation from Built Heritage Pre-Georgian elements of the house include a steep, parapeted gable roof, small, arched windows, a hall-parlor plan, and Flemish-bond brick walls with glazed headers. The house was constructed for Quaker farmers Abraham and Judith Pricklove Sanders. A compact brick structure, the house is an example of the first generation of solidly built architecture in the region. The structure exemplifies older English traditional styles adapted to the new environment of North Carolina. The house underwent extensive restoration in the 1970s, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Georgian North America: 1695-1799 The Georgian style came to America from England, and was named for the British monarchs George I - III. Features of the Georgian style include bilateral symmetry, heavy classical moldings and paneling, gabled or hipped roofs, pediments, and modillion cornices. North Carolina: 1750s-early 19th century North Carolina, like the rest of the colonies, adapted a simplified form of the Georgian style due to the lack of experienced designers in the country. Examples of the Georgian style from Built Heritage The Courthouse was begun in 1767. Georgian features of the courthouse include symmetry, Flemish bond brick construction, an English bond water table, and a central pedimented pavilion. The courthouse was possibly designed by British architect John Hawks and houses an assembly room that was said to be the largest fully paneled room in the American colonies. The Chowan County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Landmark. Georgian features of the John Wright Stanly House include quoins, a cornice with modillions, and pediments above the entrance and first floor windows. Originally owned by trader and Revolutionary War blockade-runner John Wright Stanly, the home provides a glimpse into the lives of the eighteenth century North Carolina elite. Tradition and circumstantial evidence suggest that the home was on the property of Tryon Palace. Federal North America: 1787-1820 Inspired by the excavations at Pompeii in the mid-eighteenth century, Scottish architect Robert Adams popularized a new style of interior design focusing on rounded shapes and lighter weight moldings. The Federal style incorporated Adam's designs into Georgian themes, resulting in simpler, more delicate buildings. Features of the Federal style include horizontally and vertically aligned windows, fanlights over doors, low pitched gabled or hipped roofs, rounded rooms and the inclusion of niches, and classically inspired motifs such as sunbursts, fans, and garlands. North Carolina: 1800-1840s In North Carolina, the Federal style appeared in conjunction with the Georgian style. Many structures in North Carolina combined elements of both sytles. Examples of the Federal style from Built Heritage Federal features of this structure include Flemish bond brickwork, flat arches above openings, a water table and belt course, and a molded brick cornice. Originally owned by merchant Paul Kistler and Ann Smith Kistler, Shadow Lawn was later home to Congressman Charles Raper Jonas. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Federal features of this structure include Flemish bond brickwork, Adamesque woodwork, and a fanlight in the gable. Mulberry Hill resembles the typical New Bern townhouse of this time period. First owner Charles Blount likely emulated the recently constructed New Bern home of his brother Frederick. Mulberry Hill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Palladian North America: Early 18th Century - Early 19th Century Popularized by British architecture books in the 18th century, Palladian elements include a symmetrical 3-5 part composition with either a large central block flanked by smaller wings, or a central pedimented pavilion projecting from the facade. The approach is based on 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio's work. North Carolina: 1780 - Mid-19th Century Palladian ideas and forms appeared in both rural and urban settings in North Carolina. The Palladian ideal gained popularity from architecture books as well as Thomas Jefferson's promotion of Palladian forms. Examples from Built Heritage The house was built for David Stone, first owner, after his marriage to Hannah Turner. The structure has a high brick basement with a deck-on-hip roof and Chinese lattice railings on the deck and porticos. This Palladian-influenced structure contains one of the oldest surviving service stairs in the state, and the structure was inspired by Palladio's Four Books of Architecture. David Stone served as Governor of North Carolina from 1808 to 1810, and as United States Senator from 1812 to 1814. The house fell into decay in the mid-twentieth century and was restored by the Historic Hope Foundation. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Bellair was built on land formerly owned by the Speight family for planter Wilson Blount. Since 1838, the Richardson family has owned the property. This Palladian plantation house, unique in the state of North Carolina, has a one-room deep plan, with a central pedimented pavilion, Flemish-bond brickwork, and Georgian finishes. The interior is complete with Georgian features and a full raised basement. Bellair is one of the few 18th century plantation houses left standing in the state. The home's interior woodwork is nearly identical to that found in New Bern's John Wright Stanly and Coor-Gaston houses. Bellair is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Greek Revival North America: 1818-1860 The shift in design inspiration from Roman to Grecian motifs occurred as part of a broader Western artistic movement that focused on the depiction of ancient monuments. In the United States, the Greek Revival style was often employed to create a temple form for public buildings, visually manifesting American democratic principles. Greek Revival became the first architectural style to reach all regions of the nation. Features of the Greek Revival style include broad, rectangular forms, often featuring a two-story front facade with a pedimented gable supported by columns, wide friezes and pilasters, a heavy cornice, mantels with columns and entablature, and doors with transoms and sidelights. North Carolina: 1830s-1870 Greek Revival has been considered the most popular style of architecture existing in North Carolina from the 1830s to the Civil War. Examples of the Greek Revival style from Built Heritage Greek Revival features of this structure include symmetry, a double portico of large pilasters, pilasters at the corners, and pedimented gable ends. The home of Dr. David Gillespie exemplifies local Greek Revival style, including the peaked and crosseted windows and door frames which were popular in Kenansville. Greek Revival features of this structure include the 'temple of justice' form, with an Ionic portico and a raised basement. Built by A. J. Riggs and likely designed by local planter Henry K. Burgwyn, the courthouse is considered one of the state's finest antebellum temples of justice. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Kinston architect A. Mitchell Wooten designed the courthouse's 1939 rear addition. Greek Revival features of this structure include a temple form, with a Doric portico set below a pediment. The church was constructed for a rural Scots Presbyterian congregation established in the late eighteenth century. Tradition attributes the church's construction to Connecticut carpenter Gilbert P. Higley. Philadelphus Presbyterian Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Elizabethan Revival North America: 1830s - 1860s The Elizabethan Revival style originated in England, and refers back to the Elizabethan style of the 16th and 17th centuries. Features of the Elizabethan Revival style include gables, octagonal turrets, and lead-paned windows. North Carolina: Mid 19th Century - Early 20th Century Elizabethan Revival style structures were not widespread in North Carolina. Example from Built Heritage The house features brick and curvilinear gables, and is located in a suburb of Wilmington. Egyptian Revival North America: 1834-1850Gothic Revival North America: 1839-1930 The Gothic Revival style appeared primarily in church architecture. Much of the public viewed society as lacking piety, and the Gothic Revival presented a connection to medieval virtues. The style provided formality, physically distancing the congregation from the clergy, unlike the earlier box-shaped churches that allowed a close proximity to ritual and an influx of light from wide windows. Features of the Gothic Revival style include pointed arches, steeply pitched roofs, stained glass, buttresses, and pinnacles. North Carolina: 1840s-20th century In North Carolina, the Gothic Revival style was used mainly in religious structures. Episcopalian churches were the first to use the style, and as it gained popularity the style became used by other denominations. Examples of the Gothic Revival style from Built Heritage Gothic Revival features of the Duke University Chapel include a tall entrance tower, a high, vaulted sanctuary, stained glass, and flying buttresses. Considered the finest late Gothic Revival monument in the state, the chapel is both the architectural focal point and the iconic symbol of Duke University. The entrance tower was modeled after the Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral. The chapel houses statues of the Duke family associated with their sarcophogi. Gothic Revival features of this structure include a spired corner tower, steep gables, an exposed truss ceiling, and balconies with quatrefoil lancet arches. The church was constructed for an African American splinter group from Front Street Methodist Church, who established a separate congregation in 1865. Many church members were involved with the building's construction, donating materials and labor. Church trustee Lewis Hollingsworth designed the church. Italianate North America: 1837-1860 Similar to other styles of the Victorian era, Italianate offered a romantic interpretation of medieval values in opposition to the societal problems endemic to industrialization. The style became nationally popular as an easier to build alternative to the Greek and Gothic Revival styles. Features of the Italianate style include low pitched roofs with deep overhanging eaves, paired arched windows with hoodmolds, square towers, quoins, and balconies with wrought-iron railings. North Carolina: 1840s-1890s In North Carolina, Italianate is often associated with Wilmington, as the city built residences that emulated the urban environments of New York and Philadelphia, two frequent trading partners. Antebellum structures in this style, belonging mostly to the elite, appeared mainly in large towns or developed areas of North Carolina. The style became more popular throughout the state later in the nineteenth century. Examples of the Italianate style from Built Heritage Italianate features of the house include a stuccoed exterior, a low, bracketed roof, ironwork, and a canopy porch. The residence was modeled on the Cubical Cottage in Tuscan Style from A. J. Downing's 'Architecture of Country Houses.' The home was constructed by active Wilmington builders John C. and Robert B. Wood, with woodwork executed by James F. Post. The home lies within the boundaries of the Wilmington Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Italianate features of Blandwood include a stuccoed exterior, a central entrance tower with flanking wings, and a low roof with deep eaves. One of architect A. J. Davis's first Italianate villas, the home inspired countless imitations and hepled popularize the center-tower villa across the nation. Davis redesigned an existing home for Governor John Motley Morehead, the first owner of Blandwood. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Landmark. Renaissance Revival North America: 1837-1915 Designers used the Renaissance Revival style to refer to the architecture of the Italian Renaissance. The style experienced two periods of popularity, the first occurring between 1837 and 1885, and the second between 1890 and 1915. Features of the Renaissance Revival style include horizontal, box-like massing, arches, symmetry, low pitched roofs, smaller, square windows on the upper story, loggias, and balustrades. North Carolina: 1845-1920 In North Carolina, this style was used mainly in larger structures, such as public buildings like post offices and banks. The style was also utilized for larger residential structures. The style combined luxury and opulence with an open, light, and airy atmosphere. Examples of the Renaissance Revival style from Built Heritage Renaissance Revival features of the structure include stuccoed walls, a red tiled roof, arcaded loggia, and smaller, square windows on the upper story. The post office was built during Greenville's tobacco boom by Oscar Wenderoth, the supervising architect of the Treasury. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Renaissance Revival features of this house include a green tiled hip roof, arched first-floor openings, two-story porches on the side elevations, and terraced gardens. Designed by Charles C. Hook, with landscaping by Earle S. Draper, the home is considered one of the grandest mansions in the Piedmont. The house was built for textile magnate Abel Caleb Lineberger, Sr., reflecting Belmont's importance as one of the leading textile towns in North Carolina. The home lies within the boundaries of the Belmont Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Carpenter Gothic North America: 1840-1870 Carpenter Gothic adapted the Gothic Revival style to buildings of light frame construction erected by North American carpenters. Features of the Carpenter Gothic style include verticality, board-and-batten walls, pointed arches, decorative bargeboards, and steep gables. North Carolina: 1850s-1890 In North Carolina, Carpenter Gothic adapted the Gothic Revival style to buildings of light frame construction erected by local carpenters. Examples of the Carpenter Gothic style from Built Heritage Carpenter Gothic features of this structure include board-and-batten walls, scalloped bargeboards, and scalloped, triangular heads over openings. Grace Episcopal Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Carpenter Gothic features of the chapel include board-and-batten walls, thin windows, a steep gabled roof, and a peaked hood at the entrance. The chapel is part of St. Mary's School, an Episcopal school for girls established in 1842. Principal Aldert Smedes chose the chapel's design from Richard Upjohn's 'Rural Architecture' and requested alterations from the architect, who responded with a custom design. The chapel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Romanesque Revival North America: 1845-1890s Similar to the Gothic Revival style, Romanesque Revival suggested a return to medieval values and employed a verticality that inspired piety. However, the expense of solid masonry construction delayed popularity of the Romanesque Revival until the latter part of the nineteenth century when the country had further recovered from the Civil War. The style began to replace Gothic Revival in church architecture in many areas of the United States, as church congregations interpreted the Romanesque to be more simplified, and therefore more conducive to worship. Features of the Romanesque Revival style include rock faced stone or brick walls, semi-circular arches, quoins, corbels, terra cotta ornamentation, and window trim in different colored or textured stone. North Carolina: 1850s-1900 In North Carolina, this style appeared mainly in the Piedmont and Western regions as government or public buildings, libraries, and churches. Examples of the Romanesque Revival style from Built Heritage Romanesque Revival features of this structure include corbeled brickwork and brownstone and stamped metal trim. Students at Johnson C. Smith University helped build Biddle Hall, which is often considered the finest remaining Victorian building in Charlotte. The hall's auditorium features dark woodwork and colored glass. Biddle Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Romanesque Revival features of All Souls Episcopal Cathedral includes a heavy, square central tower, a short nave, a curving apse, a pebbledash exterior, a red tiled roof, brick quoins, and buttresses. The cathedral was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, and was one of his last works before his death. Built as the centerpiece of Biltmore Village, the church was designated the cathedral of the Western North Carolina Episcopal Dioscese in 1995. All Souls Episcopal Cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Second Empire North America: 1855-1880 Inspired by Parisian design, Second Empire was associated with the ascension of a new wealthy class following the Civil War. During Reconstruction, new money was tied both to the North and to entrepreneurs in industry. These factors made the style rare in the South. Features of the Second Empire style include patterned mansard roofs with dormers, a high degree of ornamentation, one-story porches, U-shaped window crowns, and square towers. North Carolina: 1860s-1890s In North Carolina, Second Empire appeared mainly in urban settings. Examples of the Second Empire style from Built Heritage Second Empire features of the courthouse include a central tower, a patterned, slate mansard roof, and cast-iron lintels and sills. The courthouse was designed by Philadelphia architectural firm Sloan and Balderston and built by New Bern's John B. Lane. A previous courthouse burned in 1861, but the Reconstruction era economy postponed the construction of the new courthouse until the 1880s. The Craven County Courthouse lies within the boundaries of the New Bern Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Second Empire features of this structure include a mansard roof with dormers and a one-story porch. The Heck-Lee house is one of a trio of Second Empire style residences built on the same block for the Heck family between 1872 and 1875. The Heck houses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Craftsman North America: 1870s-1920s The Craftsman style, promoted by Gustav Stickley's magazine, featured an American interpretation of the Arts and Crafts Movement, favoring traditional simplicity and the natural materials. Examples of this style include English cottage forms and bungalows. Features of the Craftsman style include tapered porch posts on heavy bases, exposed rafter and purlin ends under broad eaves, and exaggerated angular eave brackets. North Carolina: 1870s-1920s The Craftsman style was especially popular in western North Carolina, where the style blended with local building traditions. Example from Built Heritage This example of the Craftsman style was built in the early twentieth century, though some sections date to the early to mid-nineteenth century. Queen Anne North America: 1875-1900 The Queen Anne style merged the seemingly antithetical Victorian concepts of romanticism and industrialization. The price of building parts decreased due to the ease of their production in factories, and an extended railroad system allowed the parts to be transported across the country. The availability of components permitted builders to create eclectic, individualized structures considered romantic by the late-nineteenth century viewer. Features of the Queen Anne style include asymmetrical plans, towers, abundant millwork, the use of multiple different window types, wraparound porches, roofs with projecting gables and dormers, and the use of a variety of colors and textures. North Carolina: 1880s-1910 In North Carolina, the style was associated with industrialists and the advent of urban wealth. Examples of the Queen Anne style from Built Heritage Queen Anne features of this house include towers, multiple gables and bays, broad porches, tall chimneys, an irregular floor plan, and classical detailing. Architect Herbert W. Simpson designed the house for lumber magnate William B. Blades. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Queen Anne features of this house include asymmetry, a tower, a broad porch, and a complex roof with dormers. The residence is one of several Queen Anne style homes in North Carolina designed by mail-order architect George F. Barber. Built by James R. Montgomery, the home exemplifies Barber's Queen Anne style. The Charles T. Holt House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Classical Revival and Neoclassicism North America: Late 18th Century - Early 20th Century Classical Revival and Neoclassicism are used to describe the revival of ancient Greek and Roman forms in architecture, and can include other styles such as Federal and Greek Revival. Features of the Neoclassical and Classical Revival styles tend to be linear, symmetrical, and severe, in a reaction to the more opulent Rococo styles preceding the renewal of ancient forms. Though the terms are often used interchangeably, Classical Revival generally refers to styles based very closely on the principles and forms of ancient Classical architecture. Neoclassical architecture takes inspiration from the principles, forms, and motifs of Classicism rather than closely mirroring ancient styles. North Carolina: Early 19th century - Early 20th Century In North Carolina, examples of Classical Revival and Neoclassical architecture are found mainly as public buildings, such as churches, libraries, and courthouses. Examples from Built Heritage The building, an example of Classical Revival, blends both Gothic Revival and Classical details. The structure is Fayetteville's civic landmark and logo, and is both a National Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Features of the Market include arches, cupolas, pilasters, lookouts, balusters, and columns. The Neoclassical courthouse has two- and three-story sections and a dome centered over a Corinthian portico. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hayden, Wheeler and Schwend (architect) and Nicholas Ittner (contractor) contributed to the structure. Richardsonian Romanesque North America: 1880-1895 American architect H. H. Richardson offered a reinterpretation of Romanesque style that incorporated the horizontal focus of the Shingle Style. Massive stonework required larger structures, so the Richardson Romanesque was typically used in the construction of public buildings or churches. Features of the Richardsonian Romanesque style include heavy stone construction, towers, round arches, short, thick columns, and deeply set doors and windows. North Carolina: 1880s-1900 In parts of North Carolina, this style was used for commercial buildings of the early twentieth century. Example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style from Built Heritage Richardsonian Romanesque features of this structure include asymmetrical massing, an arched entrance, pressed brick, a terra cotta, and sandstone finish, a rounded tower, and peaked dormers. Supervisory architect of the Treasury Willoughby J. Edbrooke designed the building, which was built by contractor Peter Demens. The structure was formerly used as Statesville's courthouse and post office. The building numbers among North Carolina's finest examples of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Shingle Style North America: 1880-1900 The Shingle Style evolved from the Queen Anne style as American designers began to incorporate concepts from the Arts and Crafts movement gaining popularity in Europe. The movement highlighted the handiwork of personal craftsmanship and focused on natural materials. The Shingle style paired Queen Anne massing with a shingled, wooden exterior and simplified ornamentation. Features of the Shingle style include an exterior covered in naturally colored wooden shingles, irregular floor plans, a large massing with horizontal visual cohesion, and larger interior rooms. North Carolina: 1880s-1900s The Shingle Style in North Carolina followed national trends, utilizing the style in locations distant from urban indistrial life. Examples in North Carolina include resorts, certain neighborhoods, and a series of lifesaving stations along the Outer Banks. Example of the Shingle Style from Built Heritage Shingle Style features of this house include brick walls with bands of shingles, a corner tower, and asymmetrical massing. Architect Henry Bacon designed the home for family friend Donald MacRae, a businessman and developer. The home is Wilmington's prime example of Shingle style, and is currently being used as the parish house for St. James Episcopal Church. The home lies within the boundaries of the Wilmington Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Colonial Revival North America: 1876-1920 During the Industrial Revolution, architects looked to the idealized past for design that would embody the principles that they wished to reassert in modern times. America's centennial celebration inspired the Colonial Revival, which simulated early American building styles. Features of the Colonial Revival style include symmetry, classical motifs, entryways with sidelights, transoms or fanlights, clapboard or brick siding, double-hung sash windows with louvered shutters, entablatures with dentils, and paneled wainscoting. North Carolina: 1880s-early 20th century Colonial Revival became the most popular residential style in North Carolina during the early twentieth century. Example of the Colonial Revival style from Built Heritage Colonial Revival features of this structure include a pedimented center block with two one-story pavilions connected by hyphens. This early example of the Colonial Revival style was originally part of Wake Forest College. Lea Laboratory, which has been renamed Broyhill Hall, is currently part of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The structure is the oldest building on Southeastern's campus and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Art Nouveau North America: 1890 - 1910 Art Nouveau architecture utilizes organic forms and modern materials such as iron and glass. The style is known for fluid, undulating, or serpentine lines and contours. North Carolina: Early 20th Century Art Nouveau in North Carolina features flowing lines and abstract nature motifs. Example from Built Heritage Edward C. Knight, Jr. (businessman) and Amanda Marie Louise LeBel Knight built the lodge. The Whalehead Club exhibits features of both the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau detail. The property also includes a bridge and boathouse, and is currently open to the public. Local tradition holds that the Knights built the Whalehead Club after Amanda Knight, a sportswoman, was excluded from local all-male hunting clubs. The club includes copper 'shingles' with seven individual folds each that cover the roof, and water lily motifs. The structure is considered the grandest shooting club in Currituck County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Beaux Arts North America: 1890s-1920 An adapted classicism gained popularity following the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, which was designed according to principles taught in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in France. The new style featured classical elements rendered both academically and eclectically with massive scale. Significant Beaux Arts concepts include symmetry, monumental massing, and hierarchical planning. Features of the Beaux Arts style include massive stone composition, sculpture, arched windows and doors, large paired columns, and classical ornamentation. North Carolina: 1900s-1930 In North Carolina, the style was typically used to construct public buildings in the early twentieth century. Examples of the Beaux Arts style from Built Heritage Beaux Arts features of the Jefferson Standard Building include height highlighted by the use of piers, round arches beneath an entablature, and walls of granite and terra cotta. Company president Julian Price offered the commission of the Jefferson Standard Building to New York architect Charles C. Hartmann on the condition that he agree to move to Greensboro. Hartmann agreed and continued to design in Greensboro for forty years. At the time of its construction, the seventeen-story skyscraper was the tallest building in the state. A bust of Thomas Jefferson tops the building's entrance. The Jefferson Standard Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Beaux Arts features of this building include massive composition, pilasters, cornices, balconies, and an inset entrance loggia. The building was designed by P. Thornton Marye and Frank B. Simpson. The building initially held the Supreme Court and State Library along with offices. The structure is considered the defining edifice of the Capitol Square government buildings. The building lies within the boundaries of the Capitol Area Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tudor Revival North America: 1890-20th century Tudor Revival style homes were modeled after medieval English cottages, offering a visual connection between the owner and his English roots. Features of the Tudor Revival style include steeply pitched gable roofs, cross gables, half-timbered walls, massive chimneys, tall, narrow windows with diamond panes, and a brown, white, and black exterior color palette. North Carolina: 1910s-1930s This style occurred infrequently in North Carolina, appearing chiefly in costly residences. Examples of the Tudor Revival style from Built Heritage Tudor Revival features of this house include brick walls with half-timbering and a castellated porte cochere. Architect Harry Barton designed the home for William A. Tomlinson, a furniture businessman. The residence is located in Emerywood, a suburb planned by landscape architect Earle S. Draper. Tudor Revival features of this structure include steep gables, diamond panes in windows, and half-timbering. Located in the Myers Park neighborhood, the residence was home to Earle Sumner Draper. Draper, the South's first professionaly trained resident landscape architect, supervised the construction of the suburb. The Myers Park Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Spanish Baroque Revival North America: Late 19th Century - circa 1915 The Spanish Baroque Revival style was a distinctive trend within the larger Baroque Revival movement in Europe. In North America, the Baroque Revival was closely associated with France and the Second Empire style. Originating in Europe, the Baroque Revival style is seem mainly in large public buildings such as religious structures, commercial buildings, and government or municipal buildings. Features include classical facades, elaborate sculpture, and commodius interiors. North Carolina: Late 19th Century - Early 20th Century While the Second Empire style was rare in the South, distinctive examples of Spanish Baroque Revival structures do exist in North Carolina, associated mainly with specific architects such as Rafael Guastavino. Example from Built Heritage The church was a major work by Catalonian architect Rafael Guastavino, and distinctive features include a self-supporting tiled dome and Catalan style vaulting. The brickwork includes polychrome glazed terracotta inserts as well as carved limestone trim and statuary. Rafael Guastavino, Jr. completed the construction work after his father's death, and Richard Sharp Smith (architect) and Fred Miles (sculptor) contributed to the structure. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Norman Revival North America: Late 19th Century - 20th Century Originating in England in the 19th Century, the style reflects forms and motifs of Medieval Norman architecture from Normandy and Brittany. Features of the Norman Revival style include round arches, barrel and groin vaults, and battlements. North Carolina: 20th Century Associated with the Romanesque Revival style, the Norman Revival style in North Carolina was used in country homes, mirroring similar residences in Philadelphia. Example from Built Heritage The house was build for Bowman Gray (president of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company) and his wife Nathalie Gray, first owners. The home's opulence reflected the wealth of its owners despite the Great Depression, and it featured themed rooms representing the countries the couple had visited. The estate now functions as a conference center owned by Wake Forest University. Graylyn also includes Beaux Arts elements, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Luther D. Lashmit (architect), Northup and O'Brien (architects), and Thomas Sears (landscape architect) contributed to the structure. Spanish Colonial Revival (Mission Style) North America: Early 20th Century Considered a movement within Colonial Revival, the Mission style became popular across the country in the early twentieth century. Reminiscent of Spanish Colonial architecture in Mexico and the American Southwest, Mission style components include Spanish balconies, verandas, columns, arcades, towers, plazas, and courtyards. Features of the Spanish Colonial Revival style include red, pan-tiled roofs, exposed timbers, arched openings, and window grilles. Mission style structures are stuccoed, with wrought iron or turned spindles, no arch moldings, and a great deal of carved or cast ornamentation. North Carolina: 1910 - 1920s Relatively rare in North Carolina, the Spanish Colonial Revival style appeared in a few towns, usually as railroad buildings and residences. The house was built for John Sprunt Hill (financier and philanthropist) and his wife Annie Louise Watts. This stuccoed Spanish Revival house features baroque ornaments and a red tile roof. Hill House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Kendall and Taylor of Boston, M.A. (architects), Irving and Casson (woodworkers), and Thomas Meehan (landscape architect) all contributed to the structure. Egyptian Revival North America: 1922-1930North Carolina: 1910-1930s In North Carolina, the Egyptian Revival style was used primarily for masonic buildings. Example of the Egyptian Revival style from Built Heritage Egyptian Revival features include a limestone facade, a blind loggia with lotus-order columns, and a winged cornice with Masonic symbols. Designed by H. Robert Diehl and constructed by S. S. Toler and Son, the temple exemplifies the Egyptian Revival architecture preferred by Masons. Art Deco North America: 1925-1940 In a world of rapid technological developments that included the introduction of aeronautics and radio, architects broke from tradition to develop a style that lacked obvious historical reference. Inspired by 1925's Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels in Paris, Art Deco architecture represented modernity and an interest in the exotic. The style incorporated contemporary materials such as neon, steel, and aluminum with streamlined forms. Features of the Art Deco style include simplified, geometric forms, vivid color palettes, the use of metal for decorative details, and vertical projections. North Carolina: 1920s-1940s Most of the Art Deco structures in North Carolina are public buildings such as schools, government buildings, churches, and commercial buildings rather than residential structures. Examples of the Art Deco style from Built Heritage Art Deco features of this structure include geometrical Indian and classical motifs, and the use of glazed terra cotta in cream, blue, green, black, and gilt. Designed by architect Douglas D. Ellington, the building functioned as one of S and W's first downtown cafeterias. After disuse in the 1970s, the cafeteria's original Art Deco interiors were removed. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Art Deco features of the City Building include a feather theme based on Indian motifs, the use of different colors and textures such as pink marble and pink-orange brick, and an octagonal ziggurat rendered in pink and green tile. The city building was designed by architect Douglas D. Ellington. Art Deco interiors remain intact, and the orginal mayor's office retains Art Deco style furnishings. The Asheville City Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. International Style North America: 1925 - 1970s Originating in Holland, France, and Germany after World War I, the International style spread to North America in the late 1920s/1930s. The style emphasized non-traditional architecture, utilizing simplified, abstract forms, flat surfaces, and the use of industrial materials such as glass. Rejecting historical allusions, ornamentation, and color, this style emphasized volume rather than mass. Prior to World War II, the style in North America was popular among progressives, and could be found mainly in urban settings. The style became more widespread after World War II, and remained common until the 1970s. North Carolina: 1930s to 1970s The International Style appeared first in the mountains of North Carolina in the early 1930s. The appearance of this style coincided with the region's growing desire to keep up with the latest national trends in architecture. Example of the International style from Built Heritage Dr. Sprinza Weizenblatt (Viennese opthamologist) first owned the property. The house is an early example of regional modernism, and architects Anthony Lord and Marcel Breuer contributed to the structure. International features of the house include bands of stone and glass in a clean design, and large blocks of native stone. This project was partially supported with federal LSTA funds made possible through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.
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Ron Rosedale, M.D. The Rosedale Diet is the most scientifically advanced diet in the world, that has been shown to mimic the amazing effects of caloric restriction on health and life extension, without having to even think about restricting calories.Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:59:17 +0000en-UShourly1Insulin: Its Crucial Role in Chronic Illness – Ron Rosedale. Part 1 of 2. 02 Apr 2013 09:56:42 +0000Ron Rosedale, M.D. INSULIN AND CHRONIC DISEASE Ins SPEAKER UNKNOWN: It is my [...] INSULIN AND CHRONIC DISEASE Ins SPEAKER UNKNOWN: It is my extreme pleasure to introduce to you, Dr. Ron Rosedale, who will speak on INSULIN AND ITS CRUCIAL ROLE IN CHRONIC ILLNESS. Dr. Rosedale is associated with our President-Elect, Dr. John Wilson, and he will have some things to say that I believe will open our eyes. Thank you. Dr. Ron Rosedale: Thank you for the privilege of speaking. The reason actually that I am speaking is that John asked me to, after the last AAEM meeting, and a very prominent speaker lectured on merits of a high carbohydrate diet. At the end of the talk, during the question-answer period, John got up, asked a reasonable question, "What about insulin?" The lecturer, who has written multiple books, basically just derided John, and said that he just hadn't been keeping up the with the literature. This started a little bit of a heated discussion that went back and forth, and John knew of my interest in insulin for a long time. First, let's just take a look at what the literature has to say. First, we have to turn on the slide. So, what about insulin? A carbohydrate diet is currently the diet of choice by the American Heart Association, The American Diabetes Association, The American Cancer Association, most weight loss experts, most nutritionists, and also, I should say, most sports physiologists. Carbo-loading is almost gospel in sports. Let's talk a little bit about hyperinsulinemia, because a high carbohydrate diet certainly causes high insulin levels. Hyperinsulinemia adversely affects almost all degenerative diseases. That includes coronary artery disease, hypertension, cancer, stroke, diabetes, of course, obesity, autoimmune disorders, and mental disease and decline. In fact, I think you'll come to know, and it is not just my opinion, that it may be the chemical mediator of all of the degenerative diseases of aging. It may be the leading killer in our society. We are going to discuss what it is, what cause it, and why. First, let's just look back at other populations. They have already tried a number of different diets; let's see what happened to them. Going way back let's talk about agriculturalist, and hunter/gatherers. Anthropologists can almost immediately identify a particular society of people when they do diggings, and dig up a bunch of bones. They know almost immediately whether that society was considered a hunter/gatherer, or whether they were considered agriculturalists. Agriculturalists grew grains, and they grew their food, where the hunter/gatherers lived mostly on meat. The bones, if they are nice and strong, and long, and if the teeth are in very good repair, and if the skeletons generally showed a large body-build, those are almost uniformly hunter/gatherers. The agriculturalists have much shorter bones, and their bones are much weaker. So, the assumption, and generally being very correct, is that the hunter/gatherers were the much healthier of the people. Let's talk about the Egyptian diet. Now, the Egyptians are kind of unique, in that they left an excellent record. There are considered to be more mummies than there are currently Egyptians, and many of these were preserved very well. Mummifying was probably the ultimate antioxidant. What did they eat? There are multiple records in the papyrus writings, and in the examinations of the digestive systems of the Egyptians were very excellent documentations of the diets of the ancient Egyptians. What was it? Well, they ate a lot of fresh vegetables. They ate a lot of lettuce, cucumbers, garlic, onion, lentils, peas, and they used a lot of olive oil. The only oils they essentially used for cooking were olive oil and sesame oil. They used no lard. They ate a lot of bread, and the bread was made by freshly stone-grinding wheat and barley. There were no processed foods; they didn't have cans then. They used a little bit of honey, and no refined sugar; obviously, they didn't have refined sugar then; that didn't come for another thousand years. They ate no red meat. They ate a little bit of fish, they ate some chicken, and of course, it was free-range chicken. They ate a very low-cholesterol diet, and a very low-saturated fat diet. Does this diet sound familiar? Sounds like a diet that was previously recommended in this mornings talk as being a very excellent and healthy diet. I mean, you couldn't go into a health food store and buy that good a diet. So, what was the health of these people like? Well, a gentleman by the name of Iden Cogburn, who is the founder of the Paleopathology Association (this is a group of pathologists and other physicians who are very interested in studying scientifically the remains of ancient societies), wrote a book called MUMMIES, DISEASE, AND ANCIENT CULTURES. I'd like to quote him: "Atheromatous disease of the arteries is a common finding in mummies. Nowadays, a great deal of emphasis is placed on the stress of modern life. Once modern diet is factored in the high incidence of this disorder in our present-day industrialized civilization, but the etiological influences were certainly there in the ancient world, and this thought should be taken into account in any theorizing regarding causation." It is well known that ancient Egyptians had a very high incidence of coronary disease. In analyzing the arteries, and they had a high incidence of calcified plaque in the arteries, and these people did not live long. They died young; even at a young age, their plaque was highly calcified, indicating it had been there for a while. We also know that they had hypertension, and they had rampant obesity. These people were not thin like you see in writings. Now of course, when we take pictures in magazines, we only take pictures of beautiful, live models. The ancient Egyptians were actually an obese society. They also had very poor dental hygiene. They had a lot of infection, a lot of parasites, and they were not a healthy society, and yet, they ate a diet that would be the choice of diet that is currently recommended. The diet that the Egyptians ate, and the diet that is currently recommended, is a high-carbohydrate diet. Now, their diet was a very high complex carbohydrate diet; there was nothing refined at all about it, yet they were not very healthy. This is uniformly found in ancient cultures. I would also like to take a look at the Eskimos. The Eskimos eat a diet that for most people would be considered horrendous. Anywhere between 70 to 90% of the calories derived in Eskimo diets are from fat, depending on the season. Sometimes they will eat a high-protein diet, high protein or fat. They eat very little carbohydrates. In wintertime, they eat no carbohydrates. Coronary disease is almost unknown; so is diabetes. Look it up! In the last, well, especially 15 years, but even 20 or 30 years, our consumption of fat has declined. You cannot go into a grocery store anymore without seeing row after row of nonfat foods. We've got nonfat Fig Newtons, nonfat cheese cake, and nonfat everything – fat has gone down, I mean, Snackwell's from Nabisco is one of the hottest companies, nonfat cookies. What's happening to us? In a very short period of time, in the last 12 years, the incidence of clinical obesity, which is considered 20% over ideal weight by the Metropolitan Life Insurance tables, has gone from 25% to 33%. We're the fattest country on earth. So, if the fat consumption has gone down, our fat has gone up. We are substituting the fat calories for carbohydrate calories. Well, let's talk about insulin. Insulin really is the master hormone of metabolism. It tells our energy where to go, and what to do, and how to do it. It regulates our energy intake. When you're talking about obesity, and when you're talking about anything that has to do with fat, or coronary disease, you cannot ignore insulin. It's there to tell that fat where to go, and how to get there. Of course, we know it is made in the pancreas, in the beta cells of the islet cells of the pancreas, it is initially stored as granules, and those granules are released when there is a sensation of blood sugar, and that quick release is lost in type II diabetes. I'll kind of breeze over this; I don't want to dwell too much on some of this. One thing I do want to mention is, in the molecule itself, there is a small peptide called C-peptide, and that C-peptide is cleaved when it is released into the blood stream. You can use that little peptide to determine how much insulin a pancreas is putting out. So, if you have a patient who is on insulin, how can you tell if their own pancreas is working? How much insulin are they actually manufacturing themselves, without getting poisoned by exogenous insulin? Well, you can measure the C-peptide level, and you can know whether they are producing their own insulin or not. That is a very important test, because that is going to tell you ultimately whether that person really needs to be on insulin or not. Let's look at the evolutionary role of insulin. Why is insulin really there? You talk about insulin, and you think about decreasing blood sugar, and insulin is there to lower blood sugar. I wasn't around at the time, but I don't think that was really the reason that insulin came about. I mean, insulin really came about to manufacture, and to regulate energy. Way back when, I don't think lowering blood sugar was a major problem; there wasn't that much of it. There wasn't much carbohydrate out there; nobody had sugar. Nobody ate Twinkies. We have one hormone to lower blood sugar – that's insulin. We've got a bunch of them to raise blood sugar. I maintain that it was actually increasing blood sugar that was our main problem. Our brain burns glucose. There are a few tissues in our body that actually prefer to burn sugar; that's our RBC's, our retinas, and certain tissues in our gonads. The rest of the body would prefer to burn fat, but it is due to the tissue's requiring glucose that we need to maintain a certain level of blood sugar, and so we have developed multiple hormones to keep the sugar up, if we are not taking in very much carbohydratewhich, millions of years ago, just wasn't there. Let's talk quickly about glucose homeostasis. You eat sugar, you eat carbohydrates, cause an increase in blood sugar, at least to the release of insulin from the pancreas, and the production of the insulin in the pancreas, which is important. That goes right to the liver, which shuts off hepatic gluconeogenesis. That is a very important concept. One of the main effects of insulin is to turn off the liver's production of glucose, and we will get to that a little bit later, too. The sugar goes to the receptors throughout the body, especially fat and muscle cells, and that stimulates the number of reactions which cause glucose uptake and utilization, glycogen synthesis, and then decreased serum glucose, straight forward. Now, what happens when you have a high-carbohydrate meal? That causes the output of quite a bit of insulin. This causes a lot of large numbers – large numbers, large mistakes. You eat a bunch of carbohydrates, this forms a bunch of blood sugar, and your pancreas senses that you've got a very high blood sugar level, so it just dumps all those insulin granules, to try and get that blood sugar stored. That can cause generally an overshoot, and the sugar goes a bit too low. Now, what happens? Your body puts out the multitude of regulatory hormones to increase blood sugar that has evolved over the years, many years ago. Glucagon, and in particular cortisone, epinephrine, and growth hormone, to some extent. That is a frequent cause of stress. It's probably your main stress: the constant stress on the adrenal to produce cortisone to raise your blood sugar after it has gone too high, and then too low. It goes up and down and up and down, and it's a constant cycle that we are going through all day long. It has multiple repercussions. In addition, we still have quite a bit of insulin out there. Now, that insulin is turning off the production of sugar, and it signals the brain when that sugar is low, to crave sugar and carbohydrates. When your levels drop, one of the main effects is that you crave carbohydrates to get that sugar back up. This is one of the main causes of sugar craving. What happens, you'll go for that nearest bag of potato chips you can. What happens? Blood sugars go way up again, and we repeat the cycle, day in and day out, week after week, year after year. Glucagon – you don't hear much about Glucagon. Glucagon is also manufactured in the pancreas, right next to where insulin is manufactured, in the alpha cells. This essentially has the opposite effect of insulin. It stimulates the burning effect, it stimulates the breakdown of glycogen to increase blood sugar, it stimulates gluconeogenesis, the manufacturer of sugar from amino acids, and it increases your blood sugar, and it is secreted in response to eating proteins, and not carbohydrates. You never hear of alpha cell burn out. Beta cell burn out is common, as it is happening to all of us. You never hear about alpha cell burn out. Why is that? Okay, let's talk a little about insulin physiology. What does it do? You talk insulin, you could talk to an endocrinologist. "What does insulin do?" "It lowers your blood sugar." Yeah, but you'll see, it does a lot more. It increases fat storage and uptake through an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase. A ton of research right now is going on lipoprotein lipase; insulin turns it on. You cannot get fat without it. Lipoprotein lipase allows fatty acids to get into cells. Basically, what it does, is it takes the fatty acids from triglycerides. Triglycerides themselves cannot get right into a fat cell. It has to be broken down into fatty acids. The fatty acids then enter the adipose tissue, and then turn into fat. Lipoprotein lipase is turned on, and you get fat. It is a very important enzyme. Insulin decreases gluconeogenesis in the liver. That is really, in a 24-hour period, how insulin lowers your blood sugar, not so much by transporting into cells. Your total amount of blood sugar in a 24-hour period is increased more by gluconeogenesis in the liver than it is by your dietary intake. The regulation of gluconeogenesis by insulin is extremely important. We'll get to that a little bit later. It increases the amino acids in the muscle tissue. Insulin is an anabolic hormone. It is a very powerful anabolic hormone! Growth hormone works very minimally without insulin. The two work together. Growth hormone and insulin allow different amino acids in the cells. Without both of them, you really cannot get a complete protein into your cells. Weight lifters are starting to recognize this, because insulin is not banned. It increases fat storage, especially visceral and abdominal, and that's very important. That is where it packs the fat. We'll talk about that in a little bit. I don't know if you heard about the apple shape and the pear shape. Apple shape is much more detrimental to your health, especially in women. That's where you get fat belies. You get fat thighs, and you might not look so great, but you're not hurting your health as much. Insulin puts it in your belly, packs it in your liver, packs it in your kidneys, and inhibits function. Another very important aspect; insulin decreases fat lipolysis. You cannot burn fat when insulin levels are high. It is very difficult. You try to go on a diet, and you have high insulin levels, you might lose weight, but you're not going to burn fat. You'll burn everything else that can turn to sugar, that could include your heart, first. You lose lean body tissue. You get increased saturated fat production delivered from sugar. Insulin tells your liver to make fat from your excess sugar floating around that you're not burning. Your liver gets fat. That's where fat production takes place. Another type of fat that your liver will synthesize is cholesterol. Again, insulin is an anabolic hormone; it manufactures fat, and it also manufactures the house for it. There are not enough cells to hold it, so it tells your body to manufacture more fat cells. Cholesterol is required in the manufacturing of all cells. It is an integral component of all cell membrane. So, as it is telling your body to manufacture cells, it is telling it to manufacture cholesterol. It is a very potent cholesterol synthesizer. In fact, it is by far the most potent. We'll talk about this a bit later, but if you want to lower somebody's cholesterol, pay attention to insulin, because you can do so very quickly and very powerfully. You can take cholesterol levels that were 400 or 500, and get them down to 200 in weeks if you lower a person's insulin. Cortisol becomes increased both by a direct effect of insulin, and as a secondary effect by lowering blood sugar. Growth hormone is decreased in light of work on DHEA. We've heard a lot about DHEA recently, and how wonderful DHEA is. The only known way to increase DHEA naturally is to lower insulin. High insulin lowers DHEA. We'll show you that later. The so-called good eicosanoids are decreased, and the bad icosanoids are increased. Extremely important: Eicosanoids control so much of your body! They are the most powerful hormones known. We'll get to eicosanoids a bit later. I won't dwell on them right now. When we talk about eicosanoids, we'll talk about delta-5 desaturate. That is increased by insulin. That is one of the most important enzymes in the body, in the regulation of hormones. You're going to hear a lot about delta-5 desaturate in the future. If you regulate delta-5 desaturate, you can either be healthy, or you're going to be sick. We'll get into that. Insulin increases fluid retention, it increases the excretion of magnesium, potassium, and it increases sympathetic tone. It increases smooth muscle cell proliferation. It enhances endothelial cell production, and if there is ever a prescription for high blood pressure, that's it. Essential hypertension in many circles now is being considered as caused by insulin. Where did they get "essential hypertension?" Essential for what? You talk a lot about endothelial health, and there is a lot of work, especially by George Kindness, who spoke this morning, about platelet adhesiveness. We all know that it's really the clot that ends up actually killing us in coronary disease. When the blood is hypercoagulatable, if that' a word, you're going to be much more prone to coronary disease and stroke, and all sorts of other illnesses. It's quite well known that insulin increases platelet adhesiveness. It increases plasminogen activator inhibitor, and increases fibrinogen. It happens when we go on a chronic high-carbohydrate diet. This is new to humans. It's an experiment. We've really been on a high-carbohydrate diet. We haven't been there, not until we started cultivating lots of grains. What was around way back when, during cave man times, or whatever you call it. There is a lot of debate; were we animal eaters, or were we plant eaters. Frankly, I don't think we cared. We just wanted to eat what was there. We ate a lot of plants. We have to examine our anatomy, the length of our intestines, our jaw, our teeth. We were somewhere between a carnivore and an herbivore. We ate both, probably a bit more toward plants because they didn't run away. They were easier to get to. We ate a lot of plants. If there was a wounded animal, we'd eat it. We didn't eat a bowl of rice. We didn't eat a big bowl of pasta. We didn't eat two loaves of bread; it wasn't there. So, now, we're eating a high-carbohydrate diet. That causes insulin resistance, and there is a lot of work being done. How does it cause insulin resistance. You can use the analogy: If you eat a lot of salt, (you start using salt to salt your foods, you never did before, but you do now), you start burning out the taste receptors for salt. You have to use more and more of it for foods to taste salty. Pretty soon, you have to use five tablespoons of salt, whereas a pinch of salt would have tasted just as salty months ago. It's the same with sugar. Your taste receptors become desensitized. You walk into a smelly room, stay there a half an hour, and it doesn't smell. Somebody else walks in, they faint. The olfactory nerve becomes desensitized. A cell becomes resistant to insulin in the same way after constantly being bombarded with it. There is a lot of work being done about insulin receptivity. That's why the main thrust in research now in diabetes. They know that there are a fewer number of receptors when cells are constantly bombarded with insulin. They also know that with each receptor that there is decreased signal transmission. The receptor is a very complex molecule. I'm not going to get into it, because that would be an hour's discussion right there, but there are multiple proteins involved. The insulin receptor transcends the entire membrane, and there are a number of chemical reactions that go along, — that transmit the signal into the cell. Most of them are proteins, and somehow, that receptor becomes burned out, and doesn't work as well. You need more insulin to do the job, and you get what's called hyperinsulinemic; you have hyperinsulinemia, to maintain your blood sugar. You're not diabetic yet; your blood sugars are maintained. Your pancreas has a great capacity to put out a lot of insulin to keep that sugar down. Sometimes, it takes ten times as much, and we have seen patients who are putting out ten times as much insulin as a normal person to maintain their blood sugar. This person was not a diabetic. His fasting blood sugar was perfectly normal; he was just like you and me, but guess what? What did he see me for? Obesity. He was very big. He was young. What are the main causes of insulin resistance? Well, again, a lot of work is being done. We're not sure what all the causes are. One thing we do know is that a chronic high-carbohydrate diet does that. One of the ways is by the chronic high blood sugar. You get what are called glycosylation of protein. We'll talk a little bit more about that later, but one of the problems of high blood sugar is that that sugar combines with proteins, and causes glycosylation, and most people here have probably heard about hemoglobin A1C. That's how you can measure long-term sugar control in a diabetic. Sugar glycosolates all proteins, and it does it to everybody, not just diabetics. If you measured your or my hemoglobin A1C, we hall have hemoglobinA1C, and all our proteins are glycosylated, and how glycosylated they are depends on how much sugar you've eaten. The insulin receptors themselves are made of of proteins, and they glycosylate, too. We'll talk a little more about about the problems with glycosylation later. Insulin resistance. Saturated fats are known to increase insulin resistance – well known. There you go with blood sugar again. Your liver makes saturated fats out of excess blood sugar. The type of fat that your liver makes from excess sugar is a fully saturated fat. It's not a good healthy fat; it's a sticky, unhealthy, saturated fat; the kind you were avoiding when you ate the nonfat Fig Newton, and increasing your carbohydrates, and you just manufactured that saturated fat you were trying to avoid, but in doing so, you also increased your insulin. Is there a genetic component to insulin resistance? Well, maybe, that's really under debate, too. There was a recent study one to two months ago in Science And Medicine that showed that insulin resistance can actually begin in utero. The mother is eating a high-carbohydrate diet, eating a lot of sugar, — partial beta cell burnout in the fetus. Perhaps it's not so genetic. It is also known that low polyunsaturated fats increase insulin resistance. Supplementing with good polyunsaturated fat, omega 3, increases insulin sensitivity, and does so quite strongly. I cannot really go into the talk about fats, because there is s lot of controversy, but the controversy really arises in that fats can either be the healthiest component of your diet, or the most toxic. Polyunsaturated fats oxidize readily. Now try to remove it. When you go into a grocery store, you cannot find a good polyunsaturated fat; they have to take it out because it oxidizes so readily; it has no shelf life. It has to be protected. Your body has a ton of mechanisms to protect the polyunsaturated fats from becoming oxidized, and that's really the main purpose of vitamin E. It's incorporated into the cellular membranes right along with the polyunsaturated fat. This is a very important concept: Polyunsaturated fats are good for you; they just have to be protected. One saying to avoid polyunsaturated fats because it can oxidize readily is like saying avoid oxygen because it can oxygenate tissues. It's crazy. There are three main sites of insulin resistance: The liver, muscle, and fat. We're going to talk about that a little bit more, and how important that is. What's the problem? What's the problem with hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and why it is so bad? Well, the obvious problem is diabetes. We'll talk just a little bit about diabetes. Diabetes type I is a different story and the two diabetes are really two totally different diseases with the same name. Diabetes type I is where the beta cells are destroyed. There is a strong autoimmune component, and there are autoimmune antibodies that are floating around, and something destroys the beta cells. Nobody is sure what it is; maybe it's a virus. A lot of people implicate weak protein, but there is some sort of autoimmune reactions that is wiping out the beta cells. A true type I has very little autogenous insulin production, and that person is likely going to need insulin the rest of their life. Insulin is necessary, it's not all bad, it is an anabolic hormone. You need it for muscle systhesis. Now, type II is a totally different story. The large majority of diabetics are type II. It is an acquired disease. It's caused by insulin resistance; it is when insulin reduction can no longer keep up with insulin resistance. Type II diabetics produce too much insulin; I should say they produce much more insulin than the non-diabetic. It's not a problem with not producing enough insulin, it's a problem with insulin resistance, as cells aren't listening, and so, the pancreas has to put out a ton of insulin to get the job done. If you want to go into details, you're considered a diabetic if your fasting blood sugar is greater than 140, or if it is greater than 200 within the first two hours of glucose tolerance testing. I'm not big on numbers, but that means that if your fasting blood sugar is 139, you're non-diabetic. Now, that increased insulin resistance causes an increase in hepatic glucose production. It's no longer inhibited by the insulin. That's very important, because the pancreas is free to churn out sugar, and continues to make a lot of sugar. It is a sugar-making factory, and does so mostly from amino acids. Again, most of the blood sugar in a 24-hour period is from hepatic production, not immediately from your diet. One of the definitions of type II diabetes is that it is a disorder in control of gluconeogenesis normally inhibited by insulin. There is also decreased muscle and fat glucose uptake, and also not on there, there is a decrease in the amino acid uptake in muscles, when you have insulin resistance. It's very important, it gives you a fine, end-stage diabetic when the cells are no longer listening to insulin, and they cannot absorb amino acids, and they become muscle-depleted, approaching wasting. Now, what about us in-between? Is your fasting blood sugar less than 140? Does your tolerance test never go above 200? We eat a high carbohydrate diet, our insulin levels are high, and we have what's known as impaired glucose tolerance. It's totally unknown how many people have that. It's not normally tested. You go get a checkup, and they'll check your blood sugar. A tiny fraction of physicians might test the fasting insulin. I told you, it's very little. One estimation is that a third of the elderly people, another estimation is a third of the entire population, and I heard another estimation is 2/3 of all people over 65. Anyway, a lot of us have impaired glucose tolerance. We have normal blood sugar, but we have higher and delayed insulin output. What of the affects of increased blood sugar? Why is that so bad? Well, short-term, it's not good because it can create an osmotic gradient in the kidney, and we pee a lot. We dehydrate, going to the bathroom all the time. We need very little insulin, actually, to prevent acidosis. That's not really a major problem for most of us. Very high blood sugars cause fatigue, mostly because of dehydration. That's the most immediate effect, but that's not the real bad effect of it. The chronic effect of constant sugar in the diet is glycosylation of proteins. Constant sugar in the diet also depletes magnesium, manganese, chromium, it depletes manganese SOD, and it also reduces receptor activity. To quote from JOURNAL OF DIABETES, 03/91, "Diabetes with complications is associated with increased chemical modification of proteins and lipids, and this damage appears to be largely oxidative in origin, and is sufficient to explain the altered function of proteins in the extra-cellular matrix." I want to talk a little bit more about glycosylation of proteins. It affects all of our proteins, not just hemoglobin. It affects our lipoproteins. The lipoproteins become glycosylated. It's also known that when a protein becomes glycosylated, it is a much greater target for oxidation. It increases the oxidized ability of protein when sugar is attached. Sugar becomes also a sticky baggage for that protein, and the protein can no longer function properly. It is constantly having to drag that sugar around for the life of that protein. It increases the oxidized ability of glycosylated LDL. The LDL becomes glycosylated. The HDL becomes glycosylated, it cannot function properly when it is glycated. We all have known about the damage that oxidized LDL can do. Well, glycosylated LDL is extremely oxidizable. In addition, we have sugar attached to a protein, and if there is also an attached lipid, it increases the likelihood of poor oxidation of that lipid, which also increases the oxidizability of lipoprotein. This is very important. There is an article called "The World Of Oxidative Stress and The Development of Complications of Diabetes." This is in DIABETES, Volume 40, April 1991. "There is evidence of increased oxidative damage to collagen," (which is a long-lived protein, and most of the oxidative damage of consequence is going to have the long-lived protein), "in diabetes. Because of the interplay between glycation and oxidation in their formation, we have termed these compounds glycosidation products. Because these products accumulate in collagen normally as a function of age, and at an accelerated rate in diabetes mellitus, diabetes mellitus may be legitimately described at the chemical level as a disease characterized by accelerated aging of collagen by glycative and oxidative mechanisms. What are the consequences of hyperinsulinemia? There are a lot of names for hyperinsulinemia. Syndrome X you might have heard about, and we call it CAOS, which stands for coronary artery disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, adult onset diabetes, obesity, and stroke. I just call it the IRS, insulin resistant syndrome; I'm not sure which is worse. There are extreme cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications. This has been known for a long time. It takes a long time for information to get down the pipeline. Inatola Cruz did what at the time was a very famous study. Most of us, and most cardiologists, and endocrinologists have totally forgotten about this. This was done in 1961, and published in the journal CIRCULATION RESEARCH. It was titled "The effect of Intra-arterial Insulin on Tissue Cholesterol, And Fatty Acids In Diabetic Dogs." They made dogs diabetics, and they infused insulin into the femoral arteries of those dogs for eight months. They sacrificed the dogs and examined them, and lo and behold, the femoral artery that had the insulin effused was covered with fatty streaks. The contralateral femoral artery was clear. Another study. This was done by R. W. Stout, who is still doing a lot of research. This is published in the BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL IN 1970. This is entitled "The Development of Vascular Lesions In Insulin Treated Animals Fed A Normal Diet." This was done in Belfast. Long term treatment with insulin. "We took chickens, and we injected them with insulin for 19 weeks. We chose chickens because birds develop similar atherosclerosis as humans, and chickens in particular, because they are omnivorous. After 19 weeks, he examined their aortas, and found that there was a great increase in lipid deposits in the aortas of the insulin treated chickens as opposed to the ones who didn't have insulin. He quotes that this provides further evidence in favor of the hypothesis that insulin and atheroma are causally related." This was in 1970. He is continuing to do research, and he published another summation. This is in DIABETES CARE, 1990. "Long-term treatment of insulin results in lipid-containing lesions and thickening of the arterial wall in experimental animals." This time, they are talking about human trials. A quick chart, and I will not draw on it too long, but it shows the rise in incidence of coronary disease, with fasting serum insulin. One-vessel, two-vessel disease, fasting insulin rises. Gerald Ravin is one of the pioneers in insulin resistance research, and I won't dwell too long on this, but he is talking about some of the diseases that are clustered in insulin resistance. It talks about hypertension, glucose intolerance, hyperglycemia, upper body obesity, and they found out further now that there is a – hypertension resistance to the insulin hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance, increased VLDL triglyceride, reduced HDL cholesterol activator inhibitor, and fibrinogen levels. What else does it do? We just talked about hyperlipidemia, and increased cholesterol synthesis. It increases small, dense LDL particles. We go on in our research about the detrimental effects of lipids, and first it was cholesterol, and if not cholesterol, it's LDL cholesterol and cholesterol is good, and then we find that it is oxidized LDL. There is a type of LDL particle that is called a small, dense LDL particle, and that is the type of particle that is preferentially manufactured in the liver by insulin. We'll talk about that in a minute. It increases HMG coenzyme A reductase. When you lower insulin, you inhibit that. When you increase glucagon, you inhibit that. Sounds like Mevacor, only without the adverse side affects of stopping co Q-10 production, (and other enzymatic reactions in the liver). It increases LDL oxidizability, and that is very important. It decreases HDL, it increases arterial wall thickening via endothelial proliferation. It increases fluid retention, as we talked about earlier. It increases blood pressure, and it increases clot formation. It decreases natural killer cells, and it increases cancer because of that, it decreases T-helper cells. It increases sympathetic tone. It increases prostaglandin E-2. Solvetti out of ——Italy, in an article titled "The Interrelationship Between Insulin Resistance And Hypertension." "Insulin can increase blood pressure via several mechanisms: increased renal, sodium, re-absorption, activation of sympathetic nervous system, alteration of trans-membrane, ion transport, and hypertrophy of resistance vessels. Hypertension can cause insulin resistance by altering delivery of insulin, and glucose into the muscle cells, resulting in impaired glucose uptake." You have a vicious cycle. In ——-, by Dr. Austin, called "Low Density Lipoprotein Subclass patterns, and Risk of MI." Going on in the journal CIRCULATION, in 1993, "Small dense LDL is an integral feature of the insulin resistance syndrome." Gerald Reavin, in reviewing some of the literature titled "Syndrome X," Six Years Later, "resistance to insulin stimulated glucose uptake, the common phenomenon, occurring in approximately 25% of the population, is associated with a number of risk factors for coronary heart disease, including hyperinsulinemia, abnormal glucose tolerance, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, increased plasma triglycerides, and decreased HDL, denser LDL particles, hypertension, and abnormalities of fibrinolysis." It is hard to be healthy like that. Another important researcher, Zavaroni in Italy, JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE, entitled "Hyperinsulinemia, or ——- syndrome X. "Hyperinsulinemic subjects are found to be relatively glucose intolerant, have higher triglyceride and uric acid concentrations in blood pressure, lower HDL cholesterol when compared with normal insulinemic individuals, but importantly, the difference in the degree of obesity had little affect on the variables measured when individuals were matched for insulin response." In other words, it's not their obesity that's causing this. That is an important article. Insulin causes obesity. Obesity can also lead to insulin resistance, but it isn't the obesity that is causing the hypertension, and all these other problems; it's the insulin. This is from David Belle. "Insulin resistance, an often unrecognized problem, accompanying chronic medical disorders. Several population studies have shown that hyperinsulinemia is the independent risk factor for atheroschlerosis." I think we are figuring that out. "Insulin resistance is associated with a number of risk factors for atherosclerisis, including glucose intolerance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Management should include attempts to reduce insulin resistance, and certainly not increase it." Remember that! This is another article that we will get to a little bit later. This is a very recent article, January 1996. This is a Japanese group, out of Osaka, Japan, that decided to do angiograms, and measure insulin. They put it in language that cardiologists can understand. They can understand angiograms, and anything else is a foreign language. In conclusion; "In conclusion, these data suggest that in patients with coronary artery disease, insulin-medicated glucose metabolism is significantly impaired, and correlation is noted between insulin resistance and severity of coronary artery disease. Hyperinsulinemia may stimulate the artheromatous process." This is in DIABETES CARE, January 1996. What about obesity? Insulin makes you fat. Insulin is an anabolic hormone. It is a storage hormone. Its' main purpose in life is to store energy. Another important aspect of insulin is that it inhibits lipolysis very strongly. It wants you to store that energy, and it doesn't want you to burn it. It's a protective mechanism. Food, way back when in caveman times, wasn't abundant all the time. It was feast or famine. We had a lot of it sometime, and we didn't have a lot of it sometimes, especially in the wintertime. Insulin is really developed to store that energy. It was a protective mechanism. Insulin causes an increased abdominal fat. It is an independent risk factor. Apple versus pear shape; we talked about being an independent risk factor. Insulin increases fat cell number. That is important. This talk was given in 1995, and it is quite surprising that it is still new information today. It has long been said by experts in the field that Dr. Rosedale is a pioneer and at least 10 years ahead of the curve. Interview by Shelley Schlender, KGNU radio, Boulder, Colorado. Listen (30 minutes) Ron Rosedale, there are about a thousand ways that a person can look at health research and a thousand details to check. It's so confusing. To understand how we work and how our metabolism works, what if we start by figuring out what questions [...] Ron Rosedale, there are about a thousand ways that a person can look at health research and a thousand details to check. It's so confusing. To understand how we work and how our metabolism works, what if we start by figuring out what questions to ask? RON ROSEDALE: - Sorting through confusion—that's really the way to go. Number one is to ask the right questions. If you don't ask the right questions, you're never going to get a useful answer. That's why, for instance, in my blog on the "safe starch" debate, I posed four questions that really to me summarize what the debate is about, and then I answered them. People often ask the wrong questions, and so they keep getting answers that create a wild goose chase, or bad information. Getting the questions right – that's a major key. ALL the people were fed a deficit of calories that meant they lost weight, and then they were returned to a weight-stable level of calories, but rotated throughout the three different kinds of diets, keeping the calories the same on each diet. The researchers measured plenty – inflammatory markers, hormone signaling, and so on. What many researchers and reporters focused on is that people eating a lower-carbohydrate diet tended to burn more calories than people whose diets included more carbs. I'll say that again: On the low-carb diet, the test subjects burned more calories a day than people burned on other kinds of diets. That caught people's attention. Many praised that finding, saying a high metabolism is a good thing, because then, someone can eat more without gaining weight. Does that make sense? Is asking whether someone's metabolism is higher, with the assumption that higher is a good thing, well, is that the right question? High Thermogenic Car (from Denverexpresscare.com) RON ROSEDALE ,.. If. A related problem is a misunderstanding about how the thyroid, and diet, interact with metabolism. One. When insulin levels go down and blood sugar becomes more normal as well, it's a clue that your cells are finally becoming less insulin resistant and are getting sensitive to a healthy, low level signal of insulin. In a similar way, a low TSH, coupled with a lower T3 level, is indicative, not of a sick thyroid, but more of proper signaling. You might say it indicates that your cellular resistance to the signals of thyroid is letting up. Your cells are getting more sensitive to thyroid signals, and your T3 level is going down precisely because cells can finally hear the signal properly. So a lower thyroid level, with low- to normal TSH, can indicate that your metabolism is now functioning at a higher-quality level. In other words, you're getting more bang for each energy buck. . When. . Well, I suppose that metabolism can go TOO low. For instance, if we wanted our cars to have as low a metabolism as possible, we should keep them in the garage all the time and never drive them. Zero Thermogenic Car RON ROSEDALE That's true. Certainly one would have to then get into the depths of a discussion on what is life, and is the car really being a car if it's really not doing anything? Is it being any more than a rock? It's not functioning at all. That gets into more of a philosophical argument, and actually a scientific argument, but that's probably a story for another day. That's a story for another day, but this issue regarding, how do we tell if our metabolism is at the right "idle speed", it isn't a question that most people ask. And it's a concept that's often missing in debates among experts about what kind of diet is the healthiest. For instance, in the Harvard study, their "low-carb/high fat diet" was actually a rather high protein diet. For years, high-protein advocates said that eating a high level of protein is wonderful, because when you eat a lot of protein, it burns with more heat, and since it burns with more heat, you can eat more of it and not gain as much weight. Does that make sense to you? RON ROSEDALE It makes sense, but again, it's the wrong question. Improving health is not whether we gain or lose weight, it's the kind of weight, number one. For instance, I don't think anybody really wants to lose just any kind of weight. They don't want to lose their muscle or their brain or their bones. They want extraneous adipose belly fat to be lost, typically. And if you're seeking health, it's not a matter of whether heat is produced, but really where that heat is going. If your body makes extra heat, you want to get rid of heat, number one. You have to get rid of it quickly. Inside the body, excess heat destroys. How about a fever? High Thermogenic Human A normal body temperature is less damaging for the body than the higher temperature of a fever. However, our body can handle a fever better than many invading organisms do, because a multicellular creature, such as a human, has more ways to protect against excess heat such as having heat shock proteins than, for instance, a virus does. Furthermore, the temporary higher temperature increases the activity of our immune system, and helps a body produce white blood cells faster. For all these reasons, occasionally, the body will produce a fever in order to kill an invader. If the fever goes too high, it kills too much of us as well. But if it stays at a level the body can handle, it kills off the invader faster. So short-term bursts of high fever, for our bodies, can be a valuable tool. But bodies don't maintain a fever as a regular thing. Heat is a double-edged sword. It's part and parcel of any type of energy exchange, and in some cases, we can use heat as a weapon for our body defense, but certainly excess heat destroys. That's because our bodies, including each and every cell, need to work in a healthy, coordinated way. In contrast, heat is totally random, nonsensical motion that promotes incoordination. Now, if heat-generation such as a fever, is only good for a short-term battle, it surprises me that some very well-respected scientists will say that it's good news that eating protein causes thermogenesis, meaning it increases heat. The most common reason that many health experts praise thermogenesis is that, they say it means you can eat more food without gaining weight. Those same experts tend to say that the plague of modern society is that people get too fat when they eat as much as they want and so, the question to answer is, "How can people continue to eat as much as they want, and still keep their weight down?" And for them, the answer is, "Eat foods that take more energy to metabolize, because they make heat in the body and then the body supposedly stores less of the fuel as energy–that is, as fat." Do you think it's time for people to stop saying that this approach is healthy? It isn't a good thing. Producing excess heat can contribute to a whole lot of damage. High Thermogenic Human – from revolutionpersonaltraining.com On the other hand, is it always bad to produce extra heat? As an example, an athlete who's exercising is making heat. Is that okay? RON ROSEDALE That's part of their training, to adapt to getting rid of heat fast. In other words, as they adapt to training, they will sweat more than they did when they began training. They'll have better circulation to get rid of heat. It's certainly part of the training, part of what will adapt them to being a better athlete, adapting to excreting heat. And that's true with ourselves as well, you think? RON ROSEDALE That's true. Now, some studies indicate that when people exercise more, their resting metabolism actually goes down. So they're sort of like that car you described, which can idle at a lower speed, but performs faster and better when it's time to put the pedal to the metal. That is, when they exercise, they produce more heat than someone who's not exercising as hard. But when they're resting, they have a lower metabolism. But is an athlete's way of generating heat a reason to say that producing heat by eating more protein –ie– eating a more thermogenic diet — is that a good thing? RON ROSEDALE No, not at all. Again, it's not—I think what you're referring to then is the rate of metabolism. When a person switches to a low-carb diet, their metabolism overall isn't necessarily increasing. The rate of metabolism might increase somewhat if they feel more energetic and start exercising more, and resting on the sofa less. And they might lose weight not because they're burning more calories but instead because their hormones are signaling correctly and they're less hungry. In other words, what's happening on a very low-carbohydrate diet is, they're improving the quality of their metabolism such that they're able to burn fat properly and more importantly, ultimately enable better leptin and insulin signaling that will more appropriately apportion which fuel to burn when, in other words, when to burn fat and when not to. Most people are not able to burn fat — certainly not as readily as they need to or would want to. And the reason for that is because of inappropriate—or inaccurate, really—leptin signaling and even insulin signaling, more widely known as leptin and insulin resistance. If somebody switches to eating fewer carbohydrates and they feel wiped out, do you wonder whether that person has adapted to fat-burning yet? RON ROSEDALE That's correct. They're not. For most of the people, and I've questioned a number, including many who attended the August, Ancestral Health Symposium at Harvard, most people who mention that they felt poorly when they went on a very low-carbohydrate diet, when you question them in detail, you find they were eating way too much protein–two, three, four times as much protein as I normally recommend. People have within themselves such a fear that fat is a bad thing to eat, unconsciously they avoid it, and the only thing you can eat if you've eliminated most carbs and you don't eat fat, is protein. So when people go on a very low-carbohydrate diet, unless they consciously think about it all the time, they go high-protein, which can make them miserable. So when people report feeling poorly when they go on a very low-carbohydrate diet—and by the way, most people don't feel poorly, and many feel much more energetic. But among those who report they feel bad, it's usually either that they haven't given the switch to low carb, high fat eating a long enough time to get through the physiological adaptation this switch requires, or, they never get through that adaptation because they're eating too much protein, or too much carbohydrate. Excess of either of these will prevent you from actually getting through that adaptation. For instance, they lower their carbohydrate some but not enough to really start burning fat. It only takes 100 grams of carbohydrate a day to prevent a person from properly going into ketosis, and therefore supplying the necessary "ketone" fuel for many different body functions that can't simply burn fatty acids, such as the brain. Or, they eat so much protein, the excess protein raises insulin and also leads the excess protein to be burned or transformed by the body into sugar, and all that keeps them out of ketosis as well. And if you're not generating ketones because you're eating too many carbohydrates, or you're eating too much protein, then certainly initially you're going to have a difficult time and you're not going to feel well. And I wonder whether some people, for instance, Type 1 diabetics who give themselves shots of insulin and also shots of sugar to balance out the insulin, I wonder if the shots and the sugar mean that they never get to the point where their bodies are resilient about adapting to just burning fat. RON ROSEDALE I totally agree. What you really have to do is, you have to maintain low-sugar in your blood long enough to kind of turn down the glucostat. It's like a thermostat, only with sugar, with glucose, so that the glucose goes down because you don't need it so much. You're training your body so that it's just keeping a minimal amount of sugar available, and the ability to produce sugar if needed, for anaerobic emergencies, such as running from a tiger. But you're not keeping excess sugar stores at the ready, because you have to burn sugar all the time because you're unable to burn fat. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people on earth have trouble burning fat, meaning that they have too much sugar in their diets and in their blood, so they crave sugar all the time because they're unable to properly burn fat, and I think it really is the base cause of the mass amounts of chronic diseases and premature aging that people are experiencing. These chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart attacks, wouldn't be happening if people would eat foods that are very low-sugar-forming carbohydrates, and if they would eat appropriate protein, but not high protein, and then fill in the appetite gaps by eating fat when necessary. In addition to asking what foods improve hormone signaling, you're also asking another question. You're asking "What foods generate the most metabolic heat, simply to digest them, and what foods generate the least amount of heat? The answer to that question gives you a good strong predictor of what is going to lead to the least wear and tear on the body. RON ROSEDALE . High Carb Hummingbird Well, even if burning fat is so "useful", is it healthy for everything? Could you feed fat to a hummingbird? RON ROSEDALE I think you probably could, actually, and perhaps it would live longer. I wouldn't say it would live necessarily better–for it might have to give up the life of flitting from one flower to another–and eating fat wouldn't necessarily be ideal to perpetuate a hummingbird genome – for if you could adapt a hummingbird to live off of fat, and you kept it near a great fat source, that individual hummingbird might live longer. But if all wild hummingbirds required fat, they would probably starve to death for lack of available food. They probably wouldn't have babies. So Nature has adapted hummingbirds to be sugar eaters. And that's the "nature" of Nature. Nature is not concerning itself totally with longevity. It doesn't care. It's concerned about the longevity of the genome, not about the temporary caretakers of that genome, the soma, that is, the cells that keep our body going — in contrast to the cells that are designed to make new babies. Nature's only concern with our soma, our body, is to keep it going long enough for us to get to the next generation going and help it stand on its own two feet. What's natural, I think, is not necessarily what's healthiest for one particular hummingbird, or person — after all, most people would consider health as meaning that you, as an individual, lead a long, healthy—including post-reproductive-life health—life. Nature, I don't think, ever really cares much about post-reproductive health and longevity, other than as it pertains to parenting and perhaps grand parenting so that the baby can grow old enough to essentially fend for itself. If you ask the question, "How does longer life of the parents affect survival of the next generation?" then you can answer some puzzles. For instance, why do humans live much longer than chimpanzees? We take longer to grow up? RON ROSEDALE That's right. Human babies are helpless when they're born, and it takes a long time for them to have a reasonable chance of survival. Longer than it takes for a chimpanzee baby. So Nature has endowed human parents and even grandparents with a long enough lifespan to enable to children to grow old enough to take care of themselves. That's probably why humans live longer than chimpanzees. But even among humans, there's a time when the advantages of living longer don't clearly add benefit to the lives of our offspring. So I think that we have to get away from constantly thinking that what's natural is what's best for individual health. So, just looking at the the idea of what's natural. Just do what's natural. Eat what's natural. There's a big argument about what "natural" actually is. And simply asking the question, "What has been mankind's 'natural' way to eat?" is not the same as asking, "How can I eat to maintain my health and life as long as possible?" But that question of individual longevity is a question we can strive to answer. We can work to use the best science that tells you how nature allowed a human, or perhaps any life, to live a long and healthy lifespan, especially during the time period before reproduction begins, when the needs are highest to preserve vitality. As we find out more about what those secrets are to living a healthy life before the time comes to produce offspring, then we can apply those secrets to both the reproductive and the post-reproductive years. You can apply them at any time of life. For instance, what we're seeing is that nature has endowed virtually all animal life with a means of outliving a famine so that it could then reproduce at a future, more opportune time. As part of this, all life maintains chemical sensors, hormonal pathways that tell the genes and the genome, and every cell, what the nutrient availability is. And when a body senses food is low, it up-regulates instructions to virtually every cell, making maintenance and repair of that cell a greater priority. It increases each cell's DNA repair and intracellular antioxidant systems and heat shock proteins and what's called autophagy, which kind of cleans up the garbage inside the cell faster and better. One can take what you just said about gearing up to survive a famine to assume that humans are doomed to have to eat and eat and eat because we're programmed to deal with famines. Is that what you're saying? RON ROSEDALE Not really. In fact, eating low-carb/high fat tends to keep appetite very low. When it comes to health, and longevity, and maintaining an ideal body weight, the major secret to this way of eating, is that the "famine signal" that leads to hunger and all the rest is extremely ancient. It must have arisen shortly after life began itself, even with single-cell organisms in the ocean, which means it occurred before there was oxygen in the atmosphere. And life was flourishing for millions, even billions of years, before there was enough oxygen in the atmosphere that "life" was allowed to even use fat as fuel. You have to have oxygen to be able to burn fat. You don't need oxygen to burn glucose. And therefore these famine signals are dependent on two major nutrients, glucose and protein, certain amino acids, but not fat. And that's a real key. In other words, if you keep your glucose intake low, such that insulin signaling and leptin signaling stay down, and yes, by the way — the secretion of leptin is largely dependent on how much glucose a person ate. Leptin signaling is influenced by sugar more than fat, even, and that's something that everybody just argues about, but it's very, very clear in the literature. But in any event, if you keep your sugar levels low, and also if you don't eat excess protein, such that you don't raise a pathway known as mTOR, which senses amino acid and protein availability, you keep those low, it then mimics calorie restriction. Caloric restriction increases longevity in all kinds of animals. But you don't have to be calorie restricted to gain those benefits, because you can eat fat. It's kind of a free ride. It doesn't get the body into believing that you've got nutrient excess that needs to be stored away in order to survive a famine, or used to produce a new generation of cells or offspring. It allows the body to stay in the mode of maintenance and repair. You're talking about the evolution of our signaling pathways, and how fat helps them stay settled down and promotes more health in us. But could it also be that eating and storing fat is also doing something even more basic? Could it be causing less heat damage in terms of how it's stored and how it's metabolized? RON ROSEDALE That's exactly true. So one can look at fat as being a much cleaner-burning fuel than sugar, which it is. It does cause less damage than if you were to burn sugar as your everyday fuel. But people around the world are being forced to burn sugar all the time because they can't burn fat properly, and the reason for that is because the signals that tell you whether to burn fat or glucose, namely leptin and insulin, have been so corrupted over time because of our modern, high-carb diets, in particular, that their bodies can't properly so-call "fuel partition." They can't switch over between fat and sugar properly. Many animals DO have the ability to switch between fat and sugar fuels very quickly. For instance, a hummingbird drinks basically soda water, and during the day, its blood sugars are sky-high. Over 600-a blood sugar that could kill a human. But a hummingbird burns the sugar fast, and any excess goes into its liver. The liver gets incredibly fatty, but then at night, the hummingbird burns most of that fat away. So it's got an incredibly balanced system for switching from sugar burning to fat burning. RON ROSEDALE So when you look at a lot of the animal examples, number one, the key is that nature isn't really caring if they live a long life. Nature is just trying to get them to live long enough to be able to reproduce. But two, they continue to have proper fuel partitioning, like you mentioned. They can burn fat where and when appropriate. So even though they might store fat in their livers, they can then get it out of their livers very easily and readily. In modern people, the problem with leptin resistance,, is that they can't easily switch from burning sugar to burning fat. And then they store a lot of abdominal fat that they're not able to access properly. So it continues to build and then infringe on the vital organ system, such as liver function and heart function, etc. So that is the main problem, and that might take a long time to develop, but once it's there, it's a problem. And humans face another challenge that many animals don't, simply because most animals don't live long enough to get stuck with this long-term problem. For instance, in humans and in hummingbirds, certain molecular processes, like, advanced glycated end products, take a while to accumulate, and it could be that some of these animals that survive on high-carb fuels just don't live long enough to be able to accumulate glycation to any great degree that would impair their insulin and leptin signaling. We know, for instance, that humans live a fairly healthy life through childhood, although now we're starting to get even so-called adult-onset diabetes in the young. But for the most part, children are much healthier than adults. They can eat, and they do eat lots of junk food, but they don't suffer from diabetes and obesity and heart disease generally until later in life. And the reason for that is because a young body can make proper compensations for eating poorly. It can burn the excess off faster. Their bodies can increase thermogenesis, so to speak. That extra burning off of energy is not necessarily healthy, but the kids don't notice it at the moment. But what it does is, it starts the leptin and insulin signaling going wrong at an early stage, which increases the chance that later in life, their bodies can no longer make the appropriate compensations for eating poorly. And then they get problems that we currently call diseases. Their blood sugars go up, and we call it diabetes. They become obese. If we started measuring insulin and leptin resistance or sensitivity early in life, you'd find that there was a progression almost from a moment they were born, in fact even before they were born, depending on what their mothers ate. If a mom is eating a high carb diet, her child can be born already insulin and leptin resistant. Are some people more fortunate, and their bodies are more resilient at dealing with the hit of transitioning back and forth between fat burning and sugar burning? After all, some athletes say that all their exercise keeps their bodies strong and more resilient at dealing with different foods and also dealing with the generation of heat. RON ROSEDALE That's exactly true. The statement that I made decades ago now I think still holds true. The more fat you burn, the healthier you'll be, and the more sugar you burn, the less healthy you'll be. Provided you don't get hit by a Mack truck. Thank you Shelley for the article, graphics and the interview above. You can learn more about Shelley and her passion for exposing the truth of health at her website, The Transcendence of Commonality amongst Individuality [...] The Transcendence of Commonality amongst Individuality Throughout the course of human history, biologic individuality has been emphasized. Many times this has been used for one's own gain as people would like to think that they are better than the next. Often, this is unfortunate as issues of race are raised. However, this actually speaks more to sameness than differences as the similarities of members of the same race are emphasized when compared to others. It is especially "politically correct" to speak of biologic individuality when one refers to health and nutrition. How often is it heard, "Everybody is different and therefore each requires their own specific individualized recommendations and treatment"? We hear that "no one diet is good for all since everybody is different". However, even though this is spoken, and even emphasized, in practice one pays particular attention to similarities, though not realized. Diseases are sorted into particular categories and treated accordingly. It is determined whether one has diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. In other words, all those "individuals" who have diabetes automatically become similar, and have in common elevated blood sugar, and it is this shared malady of high blood sugar that is treated similarly in all diabetics. This is very fortunate, for otherwise there would be even more drugs, one or more for every individual on earth. (Conversely, there may be no drugs for it would not be economically feasible to develop them.) The fact is, people are much more similar than different. Humans share a 98% genomic homology with chimpanzees, and even have at least a 40% homology with worms. Comparing then one human to another, our similarities greatly exceed 99% especially among members of the same sex. The only significant difference lies between the sexes yet even they share much in common. The deeper we look, the more similar we all are. It is said that everybody has slightly different fingerprints, yet everybody has fingerprints. Everyone has slightly different eye color, yet all intact eyes function similarly and for the same reason in everyone. Though there most certainly are differences, the differences are mostly cosmetic compared to similarities. Humankind's overwhelming similarities should certainly be kept in mind in the midst of racial turmoil. It is important, in fact critical to discover commonalities among people with different "diseases", for this is what may lead to the discovery of the "roots" of disease — the real cause of illness common to all individuals. An example could be given of a simple upper respiratory infection, the common "cold". This could be manifested by a variety of symptoms, including a stuffy, runny nose, a cough, or perhaps a sinus infection. Though the symptoms may be different, everyone may have taken a breath of the same infected air and received a dose of the same strain of rhinovirus. It is from our individual uniqueness that an underlying common disorder will manifest as different symptoms. Though everyone, with their own physical (and environmental) uniqueness, had the same underlying cause, or "disease" if you will, the manifestations, the symptoms, were different and each patient with their own perceived biologically unique illness, would walk out of a doctor's office with a different "disease" diagnosis of rhinitis, bronchitis, or sinusitis and therefore each likely received a different treatment. The patient with the runny, stuffy nose likely received a decongestant and perhaps told to take some Tylenol to reduce fever. This treated their "disease" of rhinitis…or did it? Eons of evolution have taught our mucous membranes to produce more mucus to cleanse itself in case of infection in the hope of washing the offending organisms away. This symptom of a runny nose, called the disease of "rhinitis" by the medical profession, is put there by nature in the hope of combating a more fundamental underlying disease that is in fact made worse by the doctor prescribing a decongestant. Likewise is the treatment for the fever. We get a fever to increase our temperature that increases the rate of the chemistry of our immune system to combat the infection. Taking a medication to reduce our fever most of the time merely reduces our ability to combat the underlying infection. In fact, most of the time treating a symptom rather than the underlying disease undoes what eons of evolution has taught us, and will make the underlying disease worse. What then is really a disease and what is a symptom? Could it be that other, more serious so-called "diseases" are really symptoms, and could it be that they have more fundamental underlying roots? Could it be that the major "diseases" of mankind such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer, osteoporosis, and even Alzheimer's are really not diseases, and in actuality could they be instead symptoms of a more fundamental underlying root disorder common to all? Could medical "science" be nearly always treating symptoms? Let's go back to our example of an upper respiratory infection, but this time let the patient be an inquisitive boy named Brandon who keeps asking the question "why". The doctor tells Brandon that he "caught a cold". Brandon states that he was a good boy and wasn't trying to catch anything. The doctor says that he, Brandon, unknowingly breathed in a cold virus. Brandon asks, "Doesn't everybody breathe these in?" The doctor thinks and says yes. Then Brandon asks, "Why did I catch the cold, and not someone else?" The doctor states, "Because you aren't like the others; you are biologically unique." So Brandon asks, "What was different about me that I would catch the cold and not others around me?" The doctor is not sure, and states that he's too busy now to answer. But Brandon wants to know, so he sees another doctor and asks "Why did I catch a cold, and not someone else?" This doctor is a bit more informed, or perhaps has more time and answers, "Perhaps your immune system was weakened." Brandon asks why. The doctor cannot be sure but answers, "Perhaps you are deficient in vitamin C". He tells Brandon that he needs to take vitamin C supplements. But Brandon asks, "Why me? I eat healthier than most of my friends." The doctor does not know, and so he refers Brandon to an immune specialist. Brandon asks the specialist, "Why do I need to take extra vitamin C?" Brandon is told that white blood cells, a major part of the immune system, require lots of vitamin C to be able to engulf, to eat, viruses and bacteria, to protect him from infection. Linus Pauling, a Nobel laureate, discovered this. Brandon thinks a little bit, and states, "But I drink two glasses of orange juice daily, and my dad doesn't drink any, and he didn't catch this cold. Why?" The doctor answers, "Because you're different than your dad". "What's different that caused me to catch this cold?" Brandon asks. The doctor does not know, so he refers Brandon to a metabolic specialist–me. Brandon, my son, asks me why he caught this cold. "Brandon", I say to my son, "you caught this cold because fundamentally your body works like everyone else's. As you were told by the immunologist, your white blood cells, like everyone else's, requires vitamin C to be able to function properly and be able to engulf viruses, bacteria, and even cancer cells. Like everyone, it is not how much vitamin C you have, but how the vitamin C is being utilized. Like everybody, the vitamin C must get into the white blood cells to be able to be utilized. Vitamin C is derived from glucose and, in everybody, competes with glucose for entry into the white blood cells. Your cells, being like everybody's, must listen to insulin to let glucose or vitamin C in (with few exceptions such as nerve cells). If there's too much glucose around, or if cells cannot "hear" insulin properly, the vitamin C cannot get into the white blood cells sufficiently for them to function properly, and your immune system will be depressed as would anybody else's. You, as all people, will not need to take as much vitamin C if you eat food that will not raise your blood sugar as much. Your drinking lots of sugary orange juice will both raise your blood sugar and reduce your cell's ability to listen to insulin, as would happen to anyone who drinks a lot of orange juice, though in some more than others. Though there may be differences in the magnitude of harm that sugar will inflict, be sure that some harm nevertheless will result, and that everybody's immune system will be depressed when their blood sugar becomes elevated, accelerating infection and also diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer, and all of the diseases of aging, and even aging itself. Drink water, or herbal tea rather than lots of orange juice and reduce other sugary foods and you will, as would anyone, get healthier". All people, in fact all life shares the most important similarity of all — life itself. Certainly, one of my endeavors is to endow each and every one of you with a life that is long and healthy, and therefore more apt to be happy. You must, as a foundation of health, each persist in having the common endowment of life. The fundamental cause of death is a lack of life. One of my life's goals is to determine life's commonalities rather than its differences. Everyone suffers from the same basic root of all chronic degenerative diseases of aging… aging itself. It is the common cause, the common root of aging that must be treated in anyone wishing to become healthier. (Here, and elsewhere, what we are really referring to as aging is the damage associated with aging, called senescence. I cannot, nor can anyone, prevent you from becoming a day older tomorrow. What I wish to do is reduce the damage associated with that day.) The science of the biology of aging is revealing, amazingly enough, that aging has common biological roots that appears to pervade nearly all life. It is these virtually identical causes of aging that afflict everybody, that must be treated, and these "root" treatments would be of fundamental importance in allowing anyone, everyone to walk the path of greater health and longevity. It appears that an individual life may persist as long as it serves nature's purpose. Nature's purpose is simple; it wants Life, all life as a whole, to persist. Individual components of Life are less important. For instance, you are a collective of individual lives called cells — a community or republic of cells. If one of your skin cells happens to die, as happens continually, you care not; not as long as the cells can replace themselves enough for the republic to remain "alive" and "healthy". Our cells are constantly making a decision of whether to maintain themselves, or replace themselves with new, less damaged cells. It is the same decision that we make about whether it is more economically feasible to fix the car, or to ultimately buy a new one. It takes considerable funds, or energy, to do either, and energy must be allocated towards one or the others. That energy allocation, towards reproduction or maintenance and repair, is dictated by the amount and quality of available energy itself, and the amount and kind of energy that is available is signaled by hormones. Hormones are how cells speak to each other to tell them what to do and how to behave for the betterment of the collective whole, the republic of cells — you. The most important hormones regulate energy, reproduction, and the rate that cells maintain themselves. They do this for you, for everyone, and for all life. In humans, and indeed in all other mammals and most animals, these fundamentally important hormones are insulin and leptin. It is their ability to get their message across to all the cells of the republic that is of fundamental importance in health, disease, aging and death. The same hormones regulate reproduction, maintenance and repair, health, longevity, and death. This is not a coincidence. It takes lots of energy to make babies. If there is insufficient energy available, reproduction is delayed and energy is allocated towards maintenance and repair, towards preservation so as to be able to reproduce at a future, more opportune time. The major hormones that signal energy availability, the amount of sugar and fat, are insulin and leptin. They turn on or off the genes that signal whether individual cells (insulin) or the republic of cells (leptin) should reproduce or preserve themselves. It should be noted that unrelenting cellular reproduction as signaled for by elevated insulin [or a newer metabolic pathway called mTOR that signals protein availability] may result in what we call cancer. These hormones regulate health, aging, disease and death. This is not just true for Bill. It is true for Sally, for Michael, for Tiffany, for Maia, for Ron, for monkeys, mice, grasshoppers, worms, flies, and even single cell yeast. Hormones that regulate energy are a common denominator for life. We must pay attention to them if we wish to preserve life, and health. Life lies in the communication of our cells. The parts are less important. Were I to die, the parts would still remain. There would be essentially the same amount of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen calcium, sulfur and phosphorus. Even the vast majority of my individual cells could be kept alive in petri dishes almost indefinitely long after my demise. My life lies not in its parts, but in the ability of those parts to communicate. It is the ability to communicate, that cannot be put into a bottle, that one might call the "life force". All disease originates from faulty or mis-communication. When one talks about disease, we can paraphrase the famous quote from the movie "Cool Hand Luke" when the warden speaks of the recalcitrant inmate played by Paul Newman when he shoots him, depriving him of life, "What we have here is a failure to communicate". Life's most important messages tell us what to do with energy. They tell us how much sugar or fat is readily available, which to burn, and whether our cells should reproduce or preserve themselves. Just as we lose our hearing from repeated loud noises, so to do cells lose the ability to "hear" hormones if overexposed. The exposure to these vital hormones is determined by our diet and emotions. It is repeated elevations in blood sugar levels with concomitant spikes in insulin and leptin that cause cells to become "deaf" to the critical signals from these hormones. The messages about how to use energy to stay alive become filled with static. How much static might be determined by individual differences, but static to all nevertheless. Burning fat will produce less static. Therefore, a truth for everybody is that health, disease, and longevity will largely be determined by the proportion of fat versus sugar that is burned over a lifetime. That proportion might be determined by individual differences in both genetics and diet, but nevertheless, the more fat that one burns as opposed to sugar, the healthier that individual will become. (The most critical supplements, therefore, are those that will help burn fat, and otherwise augment insulin and leptin signaling. Individualized supplementation might be necessary to get to that point. For instance, if one has joint pain/arthritis, fear, or mental stress, this raises cortisol and therefore sugar, diminishing one's ability to burn fat. Giving an individual a supplement to repair cartilage and reduce pain would aid in reducing sugar and increase fat burning that is beneficial to all.) The republic of cells, you, makes the same decision as your individual cells, whether you realize it or not, of whether to maintain yourself or reproduce. We are certainly familiar with hunger and the drive for sex. Without going into great detail, it is sex that allows for death. It is sex that allows all humans to be different (by mixing up the genetic pool), and also allows for the sameness of fundamental knowledge, the sameness of instructions on how to make life, maintain, and then transmit life through the generations. The individual, temporary carriers of those instructions, you and I, like runners in a relay race handing off the baton, are then allowed the luxury of being able to stop running… to die. We cannot stop this, however we can delay it. The more we dig deeper, the more we get to the roots of disease, the more we see that our so-called unique biological individuality does not extend to the roots of disease. Here we see that the sameness of life — and death — transcends individuality. The roots of disease are common to us all. Here indeed, what's good for one is good for all. Cheers… to Life. We have received a lot of questions regarding this study pertaining to calorie restriction in rhesus monkeys. Here are a few quick, off-the-cuff thoughts that I will expand on at a later date. It should be noted that there was a small reduction in mortality (24% in the control group versus 20% in the [...] We have received a lot of questions regarding this study pertaining to calorie restriction in rhesus monkeys. Here are a few quick, off-the-cuff thoughts that I will expand on at a later date. It should be noted that there was a small reduction in mortality (24% in the control group versus 20% in the CR group in young onset CR initiation). Their results contrasted sharply with life prolonging affects seen in rhesus monkeys at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center trial, where 37% of monkeys in the control group died compared to 13% in the CR (caloric restriction) group at the time of publication a few years ago.. One factor that is mentioned in this NIA study to try to explain why their results contrasted quite significantly from the primate study done at the Wisconsin Primate Research Center is that "diet composition may strongly affect the life prolonging effect of calorie restriction in a long-lived nonhuman primate". I would have to see exactly what they were feeding the monkeys at each of the centers to ascertain a difference, however, I do know that they were feeding the monkeys approximately a 60% carbohydrate diet at NIA. That may be way too much to ascertain a clear benefit of CR (caloric restriction) to life extension. Additionally, triglycerides increased throughout life in both the control and calorie restricted groups. This indicates that burning energy from fat was quite limited in both groups. I believe that what I have said for two decades is very true; that health and longevity will be determined by the proportion of fat verses sugar one burns over a life time. The monkeys in this study were likely still being forced to burn sugar and minimal fat as their primary fuel, secondary to the high carbohydrate diet they were still being fed. I have long maintained that it is not calorie restriction but carbohydrate and protein restriction that mediates effects of longevity, and that typical calorie restriction reduces calories from both proteins and carbohydrates to a very limited extent. I feel one can go much further in showing benefits of CR (caloric restriction) with a very low carbohydrate, high-fat, and low to moderate protein diet. It is now becoming known that the health and life prolonging effects of calorie restriction are not due primarily to calorie restriction per se but are mediated through lowering of metabolic pathway signaling, namely insulin, mTOR, and likely leptin in "higher" animals that use fat as a primary fuel. Therefore the macronutrient content of the diet is extremely important, however this was not well known to the experimenters when these rhesus monkey experiments were initiated over two decades ago. "All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; Second, it is violently opposed; and Third, it is accepted as self-evident." — Arthur Schopenhauer A shorter summary is first, followed by a more complete version with additional comments about Kitavans, thyroid, nature, and more… Short Summary… Even in a state of starvation blood glucose [...] "All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; Second, it is violently opposed; and Third, it is accepted as self-evident." — Arthur Schopenhauer A shorter summary is first, followed by a more complete version with additional comments about Kitavans, thyroid, nature, and more… Short Summary… Even in a state of starvation blood glucose is maintained right up until death. What this really shows is that even if you are starving, and eating no carbohydrates, or fat, or protein, there is no such thing as "glucose deficiency". The body can easily make what it needs.When you eat the glucose, there are different effects than if your liver makes it, namely it circulates for hours and leads to a spike in insulin and leptin, that circulates for hours, that over time will contribute to insulin and leptin resistance…that ultimately contributes to metabolic chaos resulting in in anyone… a worm, a mouse or any human. It will raise leptin that will prevent one from changing to the healthy calorie restriction phenotype (see below). Glucose, like all parts, must be orchestrated; where, when, how it is used is what will determine health and life. When a lot… having a long term adverse effect of insulin and leptin resistance; cells not being able to properly hear their life-giving messages. Paul Jaminet and all the other safe starch advocates concentrate on blood glucose… and though it is unwise, to say the least, to eat glucose when one is trying to keep blood glucose down, diabetes is not a disease of blood glucose are there potential adverse effects from this? Any potential adverse effect of gluconeogenesis would be determined from the initial substrate; whether one is using amino acids to manufacture glucose or other precursors that are extremely benign such as from ketones, the glycerol backbone of fats, or from lactate and pyruvate recycling. Those However, one needs at least two weeks to adapt to properly burning fat, more if older or overtly metabolically challenged. I will maintain that the symptoms that people are experiencing occasionally and calling glucose deficiency are nothing but inadequate adaptation to properly burning fat by either consuming too much carbohydrate or eating excess protein. Gluconeogenesis from protein requires deamination, The trick then is to not eat more sugar, but adapt "low" (as opposed to very low) carb. If you are going to eat fat, you have to be able to burn it, and as little as 100 gm non-fiber carb/day can prevent one from adequately burning fat. According to George Cahill, perhaps the world's foremost expert on the metabolism of ketones and starvation, 100 gms/day of sugar forming carbohydrates i.e. starches, is all it takes to prevent one from burning and therefore adapting to burning, ketones. As one follows my diet more closely, meaning as little non fiber carbs as possible and avoiding excess protein (above 1 gm/day/kg lean mass for most), the beneficial returns not only increase, but accelerate EVERYONE who eats starch will raise their glucose and/or insulinIf diabetes were properly diagnosed as improper metabolic signals, especially from insulin and perhaps even more importantly from leptin, then we all have diabetes to one degree or another..")The major benefit of a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, high-fat diet, and what will get you to the next level of health, is the adaptation to constantly burning fat and ketones and thus requiring less glucose. By forcing the intake of 100 gm or more/day of glucose into the body you would prevent that adaptation. The lowering of free T3 is a sign of that adaptation, and, according to Paul JaminetA Conclusion to the 'Safe Starch' Debate A more complete version with additional comments about Kitavans, thyroid, nature, and more… I understand where Paul Jaminet, Chris Kresser and other 'safe starch' advocates are coming from, sort of; that if we have to maintain a certain level of blood glucose anyway, then why not eat it? I don't need to hear more arguments that say that glucose is necessary for mucus; glucose is necessary for protein, etc. I could even add that glucose is needed much more importantly for self-recognition to help prevent autoimmunity (and I believe non-enzymatic glycation can mess that self recognition up), and many other purposes. I agree. I repeat; I agree that glucose is a necessary component of life. Few, I believe, deny that. However, this does not imply that glucose is an essential dietary nutrient or that we must, or even should, eat it. Being a necessary component of life and being a dietary necessity are far from the same. Cortisol is necessary for human life yet you don't need to eat it, and rarely should. As with so many biomolecules, it's far preferable to let the body adjust the levels depending on needs. Paul Jaminet correctly states, as an example of glucose's importance, that even in a state of starvation blood glucose is maintained right up until death. However, what this really shows is that even if you are starving, and eating no carbohydrates, or fat, or protein, there is no such thing as "glucose deficiency" (unless insulin toxic or relatively rare conditions where glucose cannot be made sufficiently, such as cortisol deficiency, but the 'safe starch' advocates are not referring to this). The body can easily make what it needs. When you eat starch it is digested into glucose and before it goes anywhere it first enters the bloodstream. All you will accomplish then by eating starch is to raise the blood glucose further. Therefore, one cannot correctly talk about a glucose deficiency from not eating enough. One needs to rephrase the question from, "Are 'safe starches' necessary to eat or even beneficial?" to…Furthermore, when you eat the glucose, there are different effects than if your liver made it, namely it circulates for hours and leads to a spike in insulin and leptin, that circulates for hours, that over time will contribute to insulin and leptin resistance…that ultimately contributes to metabolic chaos and resultinganyone.. a worm, a mouse or any human. It will raise leptin and will remove one from the healthy calorie restriction phenotype (see below). Glucose, like all parts, must be orchestrated; where, when, how it is used is what will determine health and life. The use of glucose, just like cholesterol and all biochemicals in our body, must be orchestrated. Let's not mess that orchestration up by forcing that glucose on us at a time, place, or purpose that is likely not in tune with what the body, or brain, wants or needs. Let's not mess with the orchestra unless we are absolutely sure that we totally know the score. Whena lot…having a long term adverse effect of insulin and leptin resistance; cells not being able to properly hear their life-giving messages. Paul Jaminet and all the other safe starch advocates concentrate on blood sugar…and though it is unwise, to say the least, to eat glucose when one is trying to keep blood glucose down, diabetes is not a disease of BSLife is in the instructions, not the parts. It is not a lack of substrates, parts, that is generally the problem, but the instructions of what to do with the part; the effect on hormones that tell the part what it needs to be doing to maintain the health of the republic of parts and cells..are there potential adverse effects from this? This is a whole different story than talking about glucose deficiency. Furthermore, any potential adverse effect of gluconeogenesis would be determined from the initial precursor; whether one is using amino acids to manufacture glucose or other substrates that are extremely benignsuch as from ketones, the glycerol backbone of fats, or from lactate recycling.Those I encourage you to see the fine summary of the great advantages of burning ketones at AHS 2012 by Nora Gedgaudas. However, one needs at least two weeks to adapt to properly burning fat, more if older or overtly metabolically challenged. I maintain that the symptoms that people are experiencing occasionally and calling glucose deficiency are nothing but inadequate adaptation to properly burn fat by either consuming too much carbohydrate or eating excess protein. Gluconeogenesis from protein requires deamination (cutting off the nitrogen), You will not be too happy. The trick then is to not eat more sugar/starch, but to adapt low (as opposed to very low) carb. If you are going to eat fat, you have to be able to burn it, and as little as 100 gm non-fiber carb/day can prevent one from adequately burning fat and ketones. If one is going to properly follow my high fat diet, one must go all the way; very low sugar forming carbohydrates, and no more than adequate protein. According to George Cahill, perhaps the world's foremost expert on the metabolism of ketones and starvation, 100 gms/day of sugar forming carbohydrates i.e. starches is all it takes to prevent one from burning and therefore adapting to burning, ketones. The best diet allows for maximal burning of fat and ketones. This is also a high fat diet, but where non-fiber carbs are kept very low and protein is not consumed in excess. (For most, this is between 50-70 gm protein/day depending on lean mass, exercise, growth and pregnancy.) There is a tipping point where a high fat diet goes from not so good to great as non-fiber carbs and protein are further lowered. As one follows my diet more closely, meaning as little non fiber carbs as possible and avoiding excess protein (above 1 gm/day/kg lean mass for most), the beneficial returns not only increase, but accelerate. In a diabetic, as one lowers their sugar intake, one will generally lower their blood glucose, at least to some extent. But don't get fooled into believing that the greatest results possible have been obtained. Do not confuse better with best or even good. It is easy to do better. The typical diet is so bad that most any change will lead to improvement. You won't see the really deep benefits of actually lowering the "glucostat" and reversing hormone signaling resistance in the hypothalamus and morphing into a longevity phenotype until you get into what the brain and body thinks is not necessarily starvation in general but glucose starvation, whereby genetic expression will be totally shifted towards maintenance, repair, and longevity that would relate to both disease prevention and reversal. This metabolic adaptation to nutritional availability was set during extremely ancient times shortly after life began around 4 billion years ago and long before fat was used as a fuel, long before paleolithic man, when glucose dominated the oceans and was what to eat In everyone, when one eats starches it quickly turns to sugar, glucose, fructose, galactose, etc. that will circulate and glycate the collagen that lines the arteries causing inflammation and cardiovascular disease and all of the other adverse effects of glycation. This causes inflammation secondary to the AGE-RAGE reaction. Raising glucose raises insulin increasing risk of cancer. This is not safe and should not be called a safe starch This is why it is better to talk about glycemic load than glycemic index. All sugar eaten will cause damage. EVERYONE who eats starch will raise their glucose and/or insulin…a lot. If diabetes were properly diagnosed as improper metabolic signals, especially from insulin and perhaps even more importantly from leptin, then we all have diabetes to one degree or another.. Paul Jaminet and Chris Kresser have stated that maybe a very low carb diet is better for those who are sick with metabolic diseases, but not for 'healthy' people. However, we all are in various stages of metabolic disease. We all have some degree of insulin and leptin resistance. Most wake up recovering from their dietary insults and are the most insulin sensitive they will be the whole day. In other words, we all have some degree of diabetes, if it were diagnosed properly. When you eat a so-called 'safe starch' meal, many people's blood glucose, if not most, will go above 126 mg/dl, meaning that if they were fasting, they would by definition be called a diabetic. The fact that they were not fasting does not mean that the glucose does not do the same harm as if they were fasted. Eating several such meals/day would mean that the supposed 'healthy' person was 'diabetic' most of the day and perhaps only upon awakening was the BS at a healthier range…and this is saying nothing about insulin and leptin levels and resistance, where the underlying disease actually resides.".)Starches, "safe" or otherwise turn quickly to glucose in any animal that can digest them and all will get the same side effects; it will cause glycation, AGEs, raise insulin, leptin, whether you have blue eyes, brown eyes, are a mouse or a worm… This is the advantage of getting further down, closer to the roots of disease; differences fade away and the commonalities are left to see…and treat. Yes people are different, but the basics that we are talking about here are not only true for all people but transcends humans and are true for virtually all animal life. It is worth repeating; if you eat a non-fiber carbohydrate (sugar or starch), it will raise your blood sugar, as it would your neighbor's blood sugar, and it will raise virtually every person's blood sugar in the world…and every dog's, and every worm's blood sugar… In turn, raising glucose raises insulin and leptin and accelerates the rate of aging, and the symptoms of aging, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and cancer. I have consistently heard those in the Paleo, higher carbohydrate camp refer to the Kitavans as an example of a population eating a high carbohydrate diet and supposedly being much healthier, and the conclusion often made is that their high carbohydrate diet is causing the improved health of Kitavans. It's interesting to look at small subpopulations such as the Kitavans, but not more. Basing dietary recommendations on that is fraught with error. They are a very small, isolated group of people that easily could have certain genetic anomalies that might allow for longevity (even though they don't particularly live a long life). Kitavans also mostly eat one major meal a day and that offers benefits in spite of any starches since most of the day they are calorie and protein restricting. Both are highly correlated with longevity in many animal studies. Partly because of this they're much smaller than the average Western population, the average male being 5'4″ tall and female being 5'1″. It is known that smaller members of a species such as dogs live longer, and there is evidence that this may also apply to humans. This is likely related to lower IGF-I levels, a well studied longevity factor in animals. Was this measured in the Kitavans? How about mTOR, also associated with lower protein intake and strongly associated with longevity? Little mentioned of the KitavansBut do Kitavans have extended longevity? That's quite debatable. They do not have a higher number than average of centenarians (if any) and do not apparently have higher than (even post 50 year old to account for high infant death rate) average lifespans. A serious mistake so frequently made in health and medical studies is confusing correlation with causation. This is well illustrated with virtually all of the studies that correlate cholesterol with heart disease. But even here, in the Kitavan study, the most one can say is that their health and longevity, if indeed they have increased longevity, is correlated with a diet and not caused by it. It could be that the diet is an innocent bystander and that the real cause of their enhanced health is from their short stature and the possibly related low IGF-1 and mTOR. They may even be healthier in spite of their diet. Being short and thin, with likely low IGF-1 levels, eating a somewhat protein restricted diet high in MCT's, the Kitavans have several known reasons to live long, healthy lives. Even so, they do not have remarkably long lifespans. It is this that needs to be explained. Why not? Perhaps because they are eating high amounts of starches. In other words, rather than the notion that is being perpetuated by starch proponents that Kitavans live a long, healthy life secondary to eating starches, it could be that whatever health benefits that are being experienced by Kitavans are in spite of the starches rather than because of them. It is very possible, in fact probable, that they would live even longer and healthier lives if they ate a high-fat, very low carbohydrate diet in addition to their other advantages, thus keeping glucose and insulin lower to go along with their likely lower IGF and mTOR. All one can say is that Kitavans, with their diet of far less junk food, higher (cellulose) vegetables, high MCTs, lower protein, that may help result in short and lean stature likely secondary to lower IGF-1and mTOR (known longevity factors in animals), with their less stressed lifestyle gives them low rates of heart disease and diabetes but with only an average lifespan with few centenarians, that may likely be despite eating starches than because of it. And this is the best example that 'safe starch' advocates can come up with?? As far as the Okinawans; simple. They are calorie restricted, eating a diet higher in fish and vegetables, and lower in rice than their mainland counterparts. In the most comprehensive study pertaining to the Okinawan diet and longevity, the following was found; "This study lends epidemiologic support for phenotypic benefits of CR in humans and is consistent with the well-known literature on animals with regard to CR phenotypes and healthy aging." I have not seen a breakdown of the calories eaten, but since they eat more fish and fibrous vegetables than their mainland counterparts and lower calories, simple logic could conclude that they eat fewer non-fiber carbohydrates, which, along with reduced stress, may account for their increased average lifespan. Caloric Restriction, the Traditional Okinawan Diet, and Healthy Aging, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Volume 1114, Healthy Aging and Longevity: 3rd International Conference, p 434–455, October 2007 We must understand the limited information allowed by laboratory tests to interpret them properly. Lowering thyroid (or raising rT3) is not hypothyroidism. Lowering WBC does not mean impaired immunity, but perhaps less stress on the immune system, or stronger WBCs as far as phagocytic activity, therefore requiring fewer of them. Lowering insulin does not necessarily mean T1 diabetes. I don't doubt that Paul's diet is a good one. There lots of good diets and virtually any diet that is different than the typical American diet will be better. But we are not just talking about better. We're not talking about improving diabetes but reversing diabetes, heart disease, and slowing down the aging process itself. The major benefit of a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, high-fat diet, and what will get you to the next level of health, is the adaptation to constantly burning fat and ketones and thus requiring less glucose.By forcing the intake of 100 gm or more of glucose into the body you would prevent that adaptation (according to George Cahill) and would prevent experiencing the truly deep benefits of a very low carbohydrate, high-fat diet. The lowering of free T3 is a sign of that deep adaptation, and, according to PaulAge and Ageing 2010; 39: 723–727 "Down-regulation of thyroid hormones, due to either genetic predisposition or resetting of thyroid functionfavours longevity." [emphasis mine] What, or even whom, is evolution selecting for? Evolution does not select for (somatic) longevity.However it wants to keep the genome immortal. If one looks at an individual human or any animal or any life, it can be broken down into the soma, the body, and the germline. The soma is there to take care of the germline and see it through to the next generation. The soma is taking the chromosomal baton that had been handed to it and passing it to the next soma to take care of that chromosomal information so that it too can do the same to the next generation. As such, our germline has stayed immortal since the beginning of life. The soma becomes expendable and takes the environmental hits, the oxidation and glycation and other insults. It is the shield that protects your genetic information from that damage. It is why we even age. Therefore, the only longevity that can be talked about is the immortal longevity of our germline and the "expendableness" of our soma. The longevity of the soma becomes, at least for nature, irrelevant outside of that. Until we understand that nature cares little for us living a long and healthy life and until we go beyond what is typically "natural", we will continue to do what is very natural, and it is inevitably natural to get sick and die soon after our children can stand on their own two legs, as it were. Lifeisaconstantbattlebetweendamageandrepair. Itisrepairthatwehavethemost control over, and is therefore the most important. As far as damage; there are at least 2 major sources. We have only limited control over oxidation. This, by definition is from oxygen. However, you shouldn't stop breathing. Glycation. Don't eat glucose. Any excursion increases glycation. Repair; The biology of aging convincingly shows nutrient sensors including insulin for glucose and mTOR for protein, control a genetic pathway that is almost universally conserved among all animal life from single celled yeast onward to humans.Science also is showing that leptin controls the healthy phenotype imparted by calorie restriction in so-called higher organisms that use fat as a primary fuel. It appears that nature has all sorts of tricks up her sleeve to allow the members of the species to live as long as necessary to impart a reasonable chance of reproductive success. Tricks such as intracellular antioxidant up regulation, DNA repair, increased autophagy (cellular garbage collection), are all enhanced when nature believes this is necessary, including times of hardship such as perceived famine. Those nutrient sensors are controlled by the amount of macronutrients in each meal, sugars and proteins raising all of them…but not fat. When these nutrient pathways are raised, cells are told to multiply and repair is diminished, accelerating aging and increasing risk of cancer in complex multi-celled people. Paul Jaminet and the other 'safe starch' advocates seem to be concentrating only on the on potential damage, or lack thereof, secondary to glucose, including mitochondrial damage. I, along with many biology of aging experts, believe strongly that glucose is a major cause of molecular damage in all life and that it contributes to aging. However, the "accumulated damage" school of aging, especially as it pertains to reactive oxygen species is really quite archaic today. Being ignored is the effect of eating glucose on the above extremely important nutrient sensing pathways that help regulate the genetic expression of extremely powerful repair mechanisms. To dig into this ancient health-promoting pathway, one must simulate glucose deprivation and eat far less glucose forming carbs than recommended by 'safe starch' advocates. Controlling intake of protein is very important. I believe that I was the first low carb advocate to disavow high protein and instead recommend higher fat. I was then and am now extremely confident that I am right. I had plenty of friendly disagreements with the Eades about protein when we worked together, as they believed high was good as did almost all low carb advocates. My public talk/debate with the Eades at ASBP (American Society of Bariatric Physicians) in 2006 that is posted on my site – Protein: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and several others, where I introduced the science of mTOR and the relationship between protein, cancer, and aging changed a lot of minds about high protein including apparently Jeff Volek and Steve Phinney who are now embracing the lower protein and higher fat diet in their books. A quote by Oscar Wilde that is very apt, "Everythingpopulariswrong"… A low fat diet to lose weight and treat diabetes and even that diabetes is a disease of blood sugar… Take calcium to strengthen bones… Cholesterol causes heart disease… Even low carb advocates pushing high protein… I have long said these were all wrong, and I have argued against them all for 2 decades…and I will be shown ultimately to be correct on all counts… I have used my diet to save many lives. I have been fighting for my VLC, high fat and no more than adequate protein diet and the importance of insulin, leptin and mTOR to be accepted, since I am certain this can save millions more. No offense, but comparatively 'safe starches' is just a speed bump. [...] live? Could telomere research unlock a modern fountain of youth? Could humans one day live to be hundreds of years old? Dr. Ron Rosedale of DrRosedale.com and The Rosedale Diet is here to answer some of these questions in this special guest post. In it he will introduce you to these little bits of genetic sequences, and provide his expert commentary on the state of telomere science. It will get somewhat technical in parts, but it's well worth the read. Summary – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly The Good: With considerably more research in the control of telomere length specific to different issues, it may be a new and powerful therapeutic tool to improve health. The Bad: It is not likely a modality to extend maximal lifespan. It is far from the fountain of youth. The Ugly: Without proper and exact knowledge of when and where to control telomere length, it will likely greatly increase one's risk of cancer. In other words, it may very well increase healthspan as it reduces lifespan. Introduction Can the length of very simple, short genetic sequences at the tips of chromosomes called telomeres determine how healthy you are and how fast you will age? This has become a popular idea in paleo blogs and in the lay world of "anti-aging medicine", especially now that telomere length (TL) can be relatively easily measured. First, let's examine very briefly the history of that idea. In 1961 Leonard Hayflick discovered that cells in a petri dish could only divide a limited number of times before cell division would cease permanently. This famously became known as the "Hayflick limit". 10 years later Olovnikov, a Russian researcher, linked the tails of chromosomes to this cell division arrest. It was found that the enzymes that duplicate the DNA of chromosomes cannot continue this duplication all the way to the ends of linear chromosomes. If cells were to divide without telomeres, with each cell division they would lose a chunk of critical and functional DNA. The telomeres act as sacrificial lambs for DNA duplication. They are repeating nucleotide segments (TTAGGG) of relatively meaningless segments of chromosomes such that the loss of a small chunk of these when cells divide is genetically harmless… up to a point. If a cell divides too much, and its telomeres become too short, at best it can no longer divide. Worse, genetic harm befalls that cell. A process is initiated within the cell causing it to self-destruct (called apoptosis). Later, it was found that a natural enzyme that some cells manufacture called telomerase is capable of lengthening telomeres and potentially immortalizing that cell. The finding that telomeres shorten with increasing age has led to the theory that telomeres are at least a biomarker of aging, if not at least partially causative of the damage associated with aging (called senescence). It was, and still is in some circles, thought that increasing telomere length slows, if not reverses, aging. The telomere theory of aging was born. Should it continue to live, or die a peaceful apoptotic death as shortened telomeres themselves are apt to cause? A full discourse on telomeres and the biology of aging would consume an excessive amount of all of our already telomere challenged lives. I will instead focus on telomeres as a potential biomarker and/or "anti-aging" therapy and the deeper meaning of this. First, let's get our terms straight. What is mean by "anti-aging". The word itself is controversial. In the more scientific, biology of aging community where researchers are genetically manipulating specific (i.e. insulin) metabolic pathways and extending lifespan a hundred or more percent in some animals, that word has a negative connotation. To them, it conjures up images of modern day snake oil salesmen promising longevity treatments such as growth hormone therapy, that if anything, might likely shorten lifespan. To them, a slowing down of the typical aging process results in a lengthening of maximal lifespan as opposed to average lifespan. The two are quite different. The maximum human life span (that has been well-documented) is considered to be 122 years that Jean Calment, a French woman lived before dying in 1997. The average lifespan in the United States is roughly 78 years. If one greatly increased the health of the general population, one might increase average lifespan to be hypothetically 85 years. However, if no one still lived over 122 years, the maximal known human lifespan would continue to remain unchanged. A treatment such as lengthening telomeres might well improve some, and possibly many, symptoms of aging and even the average or median lifespan, while leaving maximum lifespan unchanged…or perhaps even shortening it. It would not and should not then be considered an "anti-aging" treatment though possibly a good therapeutic modality. On the other hand, biology of aging experts such as a friend of mine, Andrzej Bartke, past president of the American Aging Association, are able to extend the maximum lifespan in laboratory animals such as mice…a lot. He is the last recipient of one of the most prestigious and lucrative awards in aging research, the Methuselah Prize. He did this by genetically suppressing the growth hormone receptor in a strain of mouse such that it lived about twice as long as usual; the equivalent of a human living to be approximately 180 years old. In the published study that won the prize he states, "We propose that mechanisms linking GH [growth hormone] deficiency and GH resistance with delayed aging include reduced hepatic synthesis of insulin-­like growth factor 1 (IGF­-1), reduced secretion of insulin, increased hepatic sensitivity to insulin actions, reduced plasma glucose…An important role of IGF­1 and insulin in the control of mammalian longevity is consistent with the well­-documented actions of homologous signaling pathways in invertebrates." (Life extension in the dwarf mouse; Curr Top Dev Biol. 2004;63). I mention this also, since a similarly hyped and very popular "anti-aging" treatment is growth hormone therapy, whereby growth hormone is regularly injected with supposed rejuvenating properties…exactly opposite to what was done to win the coveted Methuselah Prize… Caveat emptor. Many so-called experts on health and longevity talk a lot about increasing telomere length as proof of efficacy of some sort of diet or other health modality. Let's look at that statement. What do they mean by increasing their telomeres? They have about 15 trillion cells. Did they increase the telomere length of all chromosomes in all cells? Were they all measured? Was a representative sample measured? Is telomere length even indicative of health, or aging? Is it even a biomarker of aging, and if so, is that relevant? One of several major problems with all this; less than 1% of a person's cells have the enzyme telomerase and thus are even capable of increasing their chromosome's telomere length. The other 99% are incapable of doing so. What about neurons, and heart cells that typically do not divide and where their telomeres do not shorten with age? The large majority of liver and kidney cells can't lengthen telomeres, etc., etc. Perhaps the 1% that can are the most critical. They include white blood cells (WBCs) and many stem cells. We will examine that a bit more later. Is it even good to increase telomere length? Maybe not. 90% of cancer cells do it. The fact that telomeres shorten may actually allow us to live longer, as it may reduce the risk of cancer. The good news is that the telomeres in almost all the cells other than WBCs and stem cells do not increase, for if they did, dying of cancer would be all but certain. The chromosomes of nearly all multicellular life are linear; they have a beginning and an end. As such, for these cells, telomeres are essential to life. The exception are bacteria whose chromosomes are circular. They do not have a beginning or an end and thus telomeres are a moot point. Thus, there are no telomeric restrictions on bacterial reproduction. They continue to reproduce as often and as fast as they can; like cancer, that seems to be their singular goal. The purpose of linear chromosomes and telomeres is often thought to be secondary to our evolution from single celled bacteria to large, complex, multicellular individuals such that their now linear chromosomes with telomeres prevent cells from easily reverting back to their ancestral bacterial ways, i.e. the singular purpose of reproduction, that in multicellular life is cancer. It is a must to continually lengthen telomeres to lift the restriction on cell division if a cell hopes to stay a cancer cell. Another major problem with the telomere theory of aging; if anything there is a negative correlation between telomere length and lifespan of different species. For instance, mice have much longer telomeres than humans but live a small fraction as long. However, numerous studies have shown a correlation within a particular species between telomere length and length of life. This has therefore been used as strong evidence that length is a good biomarker of aging within a particular species and even that telomere attrition causes aging itself. Hopefully they mean the damage associated with aging. It is unlikely that you would not be a day older tomorrow. A major mistake made so frequently in medicine, but rarely in other sciences, is the confusion and interchange between correlation and cause. An example is the consistent reference to cholesterol being a cause of heart disease, when in fact it is an association, and even a weak one at that. An entire industry and economy has been built over that "mistake". I digress; that is a story for another day (or you can read on the web what I have already said about that long ago). Getting wrinkles is far more correlated, and is therefore a far better biomarker for aging than telomere length, however undergoing a dermabrasion is not likely to extend lifespan. Once again, it is science 101 to not confuse correlation with cause. It could very well be, and in fact is likely, that reduced telomere length is a byproduct of the cell damage and turnover associated with aging, rather than a prime cause of it, though it likely does have some adverse repercussions especially to the immune system and possibly stem cells. How about current laboratory testing for telomere length? It merely requires a tube of blood since one of the very few cell types that is easily accessible and where telomerase is present such that telomere length can increase are white blood cells. Is the test meaningful? Probably not very. The rate of telomere attrition, the rate of decrease in telomere length that may be more important than absolute length, will increase with increased cellular damage and turnover such as that caused by oxidation, free radical damage, glycation, and inflammation. In other words, all that a higher rate of telomere shortening of any kind might indicate is an increased rate of cellular damage, but it doesn't tell you what is causing the damage. Glucose perhaps? Many, including myself, believe that all shortening of WBC telomere length in particular reflects, is the state of inflammation. There are many other much simpler and less expensive, albeit less glamorous markers for this such as a C-reactive protein or even the sedimentation rate. Furthermore, both a healthy, though at the time less active immune system, and an overly stressed or suppressed immune system might, at least theoretically, lead to less telomere attrition due to less cellular proliferation. Though the rate of white blood cell TL shortening has been shown to decrease and TL may even increase with certain changes in lifestyle such as exercise and diet (that might just reflect improved immune response), TL also has been shown to oscillate even if you don't do anything; not change your diet, nor exercise, take antioxidants, or think positively about your TL. However, the biggest problem in measuring TL in WBC's is that there are many different telomeres of different lengths in many different kinds of cells with differing rates of attrition. An increase in white blood cell TL or reduced rate of shortening does not necessarily reflect a change in other telomeres, especially from other cell types. For instance, in cells that don't divide, such as heart and nerve cells, TL is somewhat meaningless. Telomere length even varies depending on the kind of white blood cells. Robust evidence also shows that it is not the length of telomeres, or even the rate of telomere reduction with age that matters, but rather that telomeres must get to a critically short length for adverse genetic repercussions to take place. Measuring WBC TL only measures average WBC telomere length and not the number of critically short telomeres. For all of the above reasons, I feel that current measurement of WBC TL is not a very good biomarker of aging and is virtually meaningless as an important independent indicator of the rate of aging. What about the other major cell type that produces telomerase and is capable of increasing telomere length? What about measuring stem cell TL? This is done, but currently only in research laboratories and generally only in animals. Not very many people would volunteer for heart biopsies, for instance. A jilted lover might volunteer their ex perhaps. However, stem cell TL is actually where the rubber meets the road. Stem cells are very important as is their preservation. They are certainly capable of regenerating many tissues, including those not producing telomerase. Unfortunately, WBC TL does not necessarily reflect stem cell TL, nor does it reflect telomere attrition, especially since there are so many different types of stem cells from so many different types of tissue with so many different rates of cellular turnover and damage. I discuss this more below when I show excerpts from some studies that are quite revealing. Telomere length is correlated with rate of cellular replication, and cellular replication is increased with increasing mTOR, IGF-I and inflammation. Therefore, it very well could be that the correlation between telomere length and longevity is only just that, a correlation, and not a cause, and the underlying mechanism of aging has much more to do with levels of glucose, mTOR, IGF-I…and insulin and leptin. That is likely true. Indeed, telomere length, has been shown to be highly (negatively) correlated with leptin levels (see below). As I was actually writing this article, one of the most significant studies to be published pertaining to telomeres in recent years came out of Maria Basco's lab from Spain. I will discuss it more at length below. It shows just how important it is to orchestrate telomere length and telomerase. It must be turned on, or off, at a certain time and place for there to be any chance at significantly improved health without increasing cancer risk. Conclusion The telomere theory as a cause of aging was hotly debated over a decade ago in many biology of aging conferences where university researchers got together to discuss their latest findings. Now, this is barely discussed outside of pseudoscientific circles… Perhaps the latest Basco study will reinvigorate this debate. I believe that lengthening telomeres, most specifically in stem cells, and then only temporarily to mitigate against increasing cancer risk, may offer potential to increase health span and delay the onset and even treat certain chronic diseases of aging. However, this is not the same or as powerful as increasing maximal lifespan and stretching out youth that research into genetic pathways of aging regulated by nutrient sensors (insulin, leptin, and mTOR) offer, as illustrated by the increase in maximal lifespan of many species by 200% and more when insulin, IGF-I, and mTOR are genetically suppressed. One must accurately define health before directions to be healthy are given and just like health is not low cholesterol, health is not defined or synonymous with long telomeres. Life is dependent on the coordination of its constituent parts. This is especially true pertaining to the length of telomeres of the various cells and organs to maintain health but prevent a high risk of cancer. As I have said so frequently in the past, we are 15 trillion cells and 90 trillion bacteria that must work harmoniously as one for us to be healthy and remain alive. This requires an intricate orchestration of communication between the different parts. That includes the genes, telomeres, and telomerase. It is where, when, and how much they are played, like the keys of a piano playing an infinite variety of music from the same keys, that determine who we are, diabetic or not, and if we stay alive or die. What we do want to do is slow down the reduction in the length of our telomeres in an organ and tissue-specific manner that can be orchestrated only through proper genetic expression. Leptin and insulin are among the most, if not the most powerful influences of this. And these in turn are controlled by what you eat. Review of Telomere Literature Need more convincing? Confused? Have insomnia? Quotes from various references with brief discussions will follow. (Paper titles are bolded and hyperlinked, quotes from the papers are in the quote boxes, and my comments follow each box). …mice strains with longer telomeres do not seem to have an increased lifespan compared to mice strains with shorter telomeres…in African Americans telomeres generally are longer than in White Americans. Rosedale: …yet have shorter average lifespans. All of this well known data will tell you immediately that telomere length, per se, is not critical to biological aging. Telomere length [is] highly variable between organs from one subject. This may be explained by variable telomere attrition rate. Rosedale: One could postulate that rather than absolute telomere length, telomere attrition rate might be significant. However, this could and indeed likely is a reflection of the rate of cellular damage, death, and degree of cellular multiplication to replace that damage. In other words, telomere length would be secondary to aging rather than a cause of it. Measuring telomere attrition rate would, of course, necessitate the measurement of telomere length over time. The major disadvantage of using leukocyte telomere length is that it is a measure of the activity state of the immune system and one might argue that leukocyte telomere length is rather a representation of increased inflammation than of aging. Rosedale: The state of inflammation is quite variable over time. A strep throat, upset stomach, and a scraped knee could increase your general state of inflammation for weeks and this could reflect in variably lower WBC telomere length secondary to a healthy immune system. Here we show that telomerase activity does not coevolve with lifespan but instead coevolves with body mass: larger rodents repress telomerase activity in somatic cells. These results suggest that large body mass presents a greater risk of cancer than long lifespan, and large animals evolve repression of telomerase activity to mitigate that risk. The fact that the vast majority of human tumors seem to depend on telomerase reactivation to prevent critical telomere loss and to divide indefinitely suggests that telomerase inhibition could be an effective way to abolish tumor growth. The fact that telomerase deficiency only results in loss of organismal viability when telomeres reach a critically short length is an important point when considering possible secondary effects of these therapies. In particular, this predicts that putative anticancer therapies based on temporary telomerase inhibition will only trigger loss of viability in those cells with short telomeres that depend on telomerase activity. Presumably, these include tumor cells but not healthy tissues, which generally lack telomerase activity and have sufficiently long telomeres to maintain viability during the human lifetime, thus providing a window of opportunity for intervention. Therapeutic agents that could be designed to [re-activate telomerase temporary] would preferentially target those cell types that normally divide to maintain organ homeostasis—such as stem cells, which, although telomerase-proficient, do not have sufficient telomerase activity to maintain telomere length over time. Rosedale: As in all disease, especially having to do with genes, it is where, when, and how they are read that determines their contribution to health, disease, and even who you are. For instance, it has been shown that vascular endothelial cells that endure more hemodynamic sheer stress have shorter telomeres than endothelial cells in low pressure arteries [secondary to a greater rate of turnover] Rosedale: i.e. TL is a secondary byproduct of aging, not a primary cause of it. To further dissect the association of ischemic heart disease with mean overall leukocyte TL we need to establish whether mean overall leukocyte TL is a reflection of TL in different cell types or whether it is more or less specific for leukocytes. Of particular interest in this regard are the CD34 positive (CD34+) cells as it is thought that these cells might be cardiovascular progenitor [stem] cells and play a role in cardiovascular repair…Furthermore, mean leukocyte telomere length has not been compared to non-circulating non-vascular cells and it is unknown whether leukocytes might merely be a reflection of overall TL of the whole body… One of the aims of this study was determining whether telomere length of CD34+ cells is different in IHF patients compared to healthy controls. We did not find a difference in TL between IHF patients and controls in CD34+ cells. These results clearly indicate that there is no significant difference in CD34+ cell TL between IHF patients and controls. The major difference in telomere length between IHF patients and controls was observed in the overall leukocyte pool, not specifically in CD34+, MNCs or buccal cells as a source of non-blood derived cells. The comparable TL of CD34+ cells in cases and controls strongly suggest that telomere shortening of CD34+ cells is not a major player in the pathophysiology of IHD…In the elderly, specific immune responses might be diminished, but many other functions are unchanged or even augmented compared to young persons. Rosedale: This study is important for several reasons, the main one being to illustrate that even though WBC TL may correlate with a disease state such as ischemic heart failure (secondary to correlating with cellular damage and turnover), WBC TL did not correlate, at least in this study, with representative cells of the only major cell group that may have significant therapeutic potential, stem cells. One cannot extrapolate WBC telomere length to other tissues. Paradoxically, the introduction of telomerase is proposed as a method to combat ageing via cell therapy and a possible method to regenerate tissue, while telomerase inhibition and telomere shortening is suggested as a possible therapy to defeat cancers.. Rosedale; In other words, telomerase must be turned on and turned off at the appropriate time and location, i.e. it must be orchestrated. Rosedale: And again, one cannot extrapolate WBC telomere length to other tissues. Although the number of subjects was small, strong correlations between blood, buccal cells, and fibroblasts were observed in the study population as a whole. When taken individually, however, only cells from subjects with DC demonstrated significant correlation. [dyskeratosis congenita (DC). DC is a rare genetic disorder stemming from a defect in telomere maintenance.] Rosedale: Can TL predict centenarians? Not in the following study. Also, WBC TL was again not correlated with another representative tissue type. In this paper we analyzed the mean length of the terminal restriction fragments (TRF) [frequently how TL is measured] in fibroblast strains from 4 healthy centenarians, that is, in cells aged in vivo, and from 11 individuals of different ages. No correlation between mean TRF length and donor age was found. …chromosome analysis did not show the presence of telomeric associations in early passage centenarian fibroblasts. In blood cells from various individuals, the expected inverse correlation between mean TRF length and donor age was found. In particular, a substantial difference (about 2 kb) between telomere length in the two cell types was observed in the same centenarian. In humans, telomere length is relatively short, highly variable between tissues and individuals and, with regard to replicating somatic cells, inversely related to donor age We show clearly in this study that the mean TRF length method is unable to detect small changes in telomere size or to visualise the length of individual short telomeres in a distribution of TRFs. There is increasing evidence suggesting that it is not average telomere length, but rather individual critically short telomeres that trigger cellular responses to the loss of telomere function The latest study and the most promising to show health benefits in telomerase expressed mammals was published last week… Importantly, telomerase-treated mice did not develop more cancer than their control littermates, suggesting that the known tumorigenic activity of telomerase is severely decreased when expressed in adult or old organisms using AAV vectors telomerase treated mice, both at 1-year and at 2-year of age, had an increase in median lifespan of 24 and 13%, respectively. Owing to its ability to confer with unlimited proliferative potential, over-expression of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is a common feature of human cancers and can increase cancer incidence in the context of classical mouse TERT transgenesis. A drawback of mTERT over-expression in transgenic mouse studies has been an increased cancer incidence, except for cancer-resistant backgrounds. Telomerase expression late in life leads to overall telomere lengthening and decreased abundance of short telomeres in various tissues. However, with the exception of mice genetically engineered to be cancer resistant, increased telomerase expression is associated with a higher susceptibility to develop cancer both in mice and humans… Notably, in these studies increased TERT expression is forced since early embryo development through germ line modifications, which may favour the expansion of cancerous cells and the development of cancer later in life…Here, we show that increased TERT expression later in life (adult and old mice) by using a gene therapy strategy has rejuvenating effects without increasing cancer risk…the known tumorigenic activity of telomerase is severely decreased when expressed in adult or old organisms. Finally, re-introduction of mTERT in both 1- and 2-year old mice increased significantly its median lifespan (24 and 13%, respectively). Rosedale: It generally takes at least several years for cancer to reveal itself. These mice only live 2 to 3 years. Therefore expressing telomerase when these mice only had one or less years to live likely did not give cancer cells enough time to manifest themselves. This would not be the case when using this sort of therapy in humans with more than 1 to 2 years to live. Note further that it is median lifespan that was modestly increased rather than maximal lifespan.] Also note that humans have much more body mass than mice, and therefore artificially activating telomerase in humans may have significantly greater negative consequences especially relative to cancer rate as compared to mice. See study above. …numerous studies using mouse models have demonstrated that critically short and dysfunctional telomeres indeed present a powerful barrier to cancer growth. A question that has therefore intrigued researchers for many years is whether it is possible to slow aging and improve health span by re-activating telomerase in all of our cells. Constitutive expression of telomerase, unfortunately, is a characteristic of almost all cancer cells. It is therefore no surprise that transgenic animals over-expressing the catalytic subunit of mouse telomerase (mTERT), develop cancers earlier in life, thereby masking the potential beneficial lifespan extending properties of telomerase. While these studies provide a proof-of-principle that telomerase gene therapy is a feasible and generally safe approach to improve healthspan and treat disorders associated with short telomeres [in mice], a clinical application in humans is likely still some time away. Low levels of integration of rAAV vectors into genomic DNA have been observed, raising the possibility that rare integration events of constitutively overexpressed TERT into genomes of long lived species might eventually promote cancer growth. Furthermore, as with other gene therapeutic approaches, targeting the virus to specific cells in the body remains an obstacle. Also uncertain is specifically which cells should be targeted using a telomerase gene therapy. In conclusion, we did not find any evidence of association between [WBC] TL [telomere length] and overall survival or between TL and specific causes of death. We also report for the first time that longer TL is associated with self-reported health status and greater YHL. Findings suggest that TL, although not a strong biomarker of survival in older individuals, may be an informative biomarker of healthy aging. The observation that telomeres shorten with increasing age and are implicated in cellular aging has led to the proposal that telomere length is a biomarker of aging. Currently, telomere length does not fully meet American Federation of Aging Research criteria that telomere length is (a) a better predictor of life span than chronological age (Criterion 1) and that (b) it monitors a basic process underlying normal aging at the pop-ulation level (Criterion 2). Interestingly, an increase in intra-individual telomere length for a minority of participants at follow-up (ie, with increasing chronological age) has also been observed in three independent studies (27,39,78). However, this may not represent an increase in overall telomere length but rather could reflect the loss of cells with shorter telomeres. Rosedale: It has been found that likely only cells with extremely short telomeres are so adversely affected that the process of apoptosis is initiated. Could the significance of TL be secondary to leptin levels? TL is inversely correlated with leptin levels. But animal studies have failed to reveal any simple relationship between telomere length and lifespan… the youngest women had telomeres that were around 7500 base pairs long. Their length declined with age at an average rate of 27 base pairs per year. When lifestyle factors were taken into account, however, dramatic differences emerged. The difference between being obese and being lean corresponds to 8.8 years of extra aging… Smoking was the other big factor… Obesity accelerates the ageing process even more than smoking. Intriguingly, the link between high leptin concentrations and telomere shortening was even stronger than the link with obesity…The damage to telomeres is probably done by free radicals. Smoking causes oxidative stress ­ a source of free radicals ­as does obesity [and high leptin] Free radicals can cause mutations in DNA, and there is some evidence that mutations in telomeres cause larger chunks than normal to be lost during cell division. In other words, it is a byproduct of aging that results in cellular turnover and molecular damage and therefore shortening of telomeres and not the other way around. Ron Rosedale Interviewed by Shelley Schlender of Ron [...] Ron reducing fat. But in press reports, he's concerned that the "winning" diet that the Harvard group prefers does not deserve the crown . . . I'm Shelley Schlender, for Me and My diabetes. U-S nutrition policies are based on " calories in, calories out," meaning count your calories and burn off any excess with exercise. Late in June, 2012, the Journal of the American Medical Association raised a challenge to that idea by publishing a Harvard study involving three different diets, and how each diet affects the likelihood of gaining weight. The diets being studied were a low-fat diet, a low carbohydrate diet, and a diet with some protein, and then equal amounts of calories from carbohydrates and fats – the so-called Mediterranean diet. The research group measured health markers such as blood triglycerides, metabolic rate, blood sugars, hormones such as insulin, leptin and cortisol, and inflammation markers that included C-Reactive protein. It was a studied that challenged current policies about "calorie in-calorie out" because changes to the health markers were strongly influenced by just which diet the test subjects ate. In many ways, it's a first-rate study. But then, the study was interpreted in the media in a number of wildly varying ways, and much of that interpretation was influenced by just who got interviewed for the reports. David Ludwig, one of the study's leaders, was a prominent voice in the media reports, and Ludwig told many media outlets that while the low-carb diet had the MOST improvement in health markers overall, the fact that it raised cortisol levels and didn't lower C-Reactive protein as much as the Mediterranean diet did, means the Mediterranean diet is the best one. Now, the Harvard School of Nutrition has been a long-time advocate of Mediterranean Diets. So to check out their conclusion from someone who is NOT an major advocate for Mediterranean Diets, up next, we talk with an advocate for Low-Carb, High Fat diets, Dr. Ron Rosedale. (Transcript Follows) Calories In/Calories Out VS. Hormones Signaling Ron Rosedale, do you believe current dietary policy that stresses a calorie in is a calorie out, that what we need to focus on is how many calories we take in and then exercise enough that we don't end up with excess calories? RON ROSEDALE: Well, I guess that's been the dogma for decades. I suppose if it had been correct, you wouldn't see not only the maintenance but the ever-increasing incidence of obesity and diabetes that's occurring worldwide as that supposed dogma has been followed. What I think the literature shows and has shown for at least a couple of decades, but the scientific evidence for this is just being ignored continually, is that the story is a bit more complex than that, and that whether we burn fat or not, which is what will determine whether we're obese or not and whether we in most cases contract diabetes or not, is controlled by very specific hormones that regulate metabolism, the main ones being insulin and, even more importantly, leptin. It's those hormones that are in turn controlled by what we eat. And it isn't just the levels of a hormone that are relevant, but much more relevant, in fact, the only relevance, is their activity. The activity is determined not just by the level of the hormone, but more importantly, by the cell's ability to listen to that hormone. An example is the well-known phenomenon of insulin resistance, which occurs in the vast majority of cases of diabetes and essentially is the sine qua non of so-called type 2 diabetes, which is better called insulin-resistant diabetes, where the person has plenty of insulin but the cells aren't able to listen to it and therefore they behave as if the insulin level is too low and then ultimately blood sugar goes up, but the consequences are much deeper than that. The disease is not from too little insulin, it's not from too weak a signal, it's from an inability to listen to that signal. And the inability to listen to that signal is most likely caused from an overactivity of that communication over time. It's too much, so the cells tune out? RON ROSEDALE: Exactly. It's kind of like being overexposed to noise. You lose your hearing faster. Or sitting in a smelly room for a long time, pretty soon you can't smell it. The stimulus becomes too much, as you mentioned, and the chemical mediators of that signaling basically become depleted, and the pathway becomes resistant to the signal. And that resistance is paramount to virtually all of the chronic diseases of aging, and perhaps even aging itself. The same thing happens with leptin, where obese people have plenty of leptin that normally signals that you have too much fat and you'd better burn it off, and you curtail your hunger so you don't eat as much. But the actual event that occurs with leptin resistance is the opposite, where although leptin should be telling the brain that you have too much fat, the brain is hearing that you have too little and that you won't be able to survive a famine and that therefore you should be hungry and you should store more fat and you should not burn the fat that you've got. That's really the ultimate basis of almost all cases of obesity around the world. It goes even beyond that, because then there are inflammatory markers, and many people believe that the same processes control the actual rate of aging. These are all tied into a genetic pathway that we know controls the rate of aging in many species of laboratory animals, as indicated by calorie restriction studies. It goes on and on and on. So the simple adage that a calorie in is a calorie out is really, really archaic and really needs to be thrown out. The Harvard Study There's a new study out of Harvard where the headlines about it today are that a calorie is not a calorie. There's a different process that's governing whether or not what we eat is helping us lose weight or whether what we eat is helping us maintain our weight, which may be even a bigger deal, because there are a lot of ways that people can lose weight, and in the U.S. and in modern countries, it seems the biggest problem is keeping that weight off. This study compared three different diets, a low-carbohydrate diet, a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet, and then Mediterranean diet where supposedly there wasn't anything quick-to-absorb starch or sugar that caused blood sugars to spike, there were a lot of complex carbohydrates, and there was a moderate, not low, amount of fat. The researchers compared these diets and got different results. What do you think of the idea of doing that kind of study? RON ROSEDALE: First I want to say that what really surprised me about the study is that it's news. It's been shown for a couple of decades by myself and many others that a calorie is not a calorie. They're certainly far from the first people who have shown anything like this. As far as the study is concerned, I hate to say it, but as in so many medical and nutritional studies, it really is designed to try and support a preconceived conclusion. The Harvard/Boston researchers wanted to try to support a dietary protocol that they've been using for many years, which is the so-called Mediterranean diet. Let's give a bit more detail about the study. It was published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, this is June 27th, 2012. The title of the study is "Effects of Dietary Composition on Energy Expenditure During Weight Loss and Maintenance." One of the authors is David Ludwig. The lead author is Cara Ebbeling, who I hope to speak with. As you say, this is a group that overall has been strong advocates of the Mediterranean diet . You're saying, though, that in the study and in their media reports about it, they stacked the deck in favor of the Mediterranean diet? RON ROSEDALE: They tried to stack the deck, but the results actually didn't support their conclusions. It kind of surprised me that they concluded what they concluded, that the Mediterranean diet was the best diet. What their research really showed, and what they even said in the research paper, was shown, was that the very low carbohydrate diets actually had the best results as far as metabolic markers, with what they said were two exceptions. Cortisol – Total Daily Level VERSUS Diurnal Pattern Throughout the Day RON ROSEDALE: One of the major exceptions that they mentioned, which they said was an adverse result, was that cortisol levels were increased with the very low-carbohydrate diet. And that's probably true. It's true that cortisol levels were increased, or that it was an adverse effect? RON ROSEDALE: It's true that cortisol levels were probably increased and would probably increase with a properly administered very low-carbohydrate diet. What was wrong with the conclusion is that it's an adverse effect. It's actually a very beneficial effect. You will see with calorie-restricted studies in animals that it has been shown to extend lifespan for the last 80 years and what's seen in centenarians, people who live to be over 100, in all of these groups, one of the common findings is that cortisol levels increase. The study was saying that this is a bad thing, implying that an increased cortisol level shows that there must be increased inflammation. But one of the reasons that cortisol levels increase as theorized is to suppress inflammation. Cortisol itself is a very powerful anti-inflammatory. Are you saying, then, that depending on the composition of a diet, some of these hormones have different effects? That in a diet that high in carbohydrates and more than enough calories, extensive time with high cortisol might be more of a problem than it is with a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet where people are not eating too many calories? RON ROSEDALE: If you just measure hormone levels, and this is kind of what I was getting at at the beginning of the conversation, it doesn't give you the full story. The fact, for instance, going back to diabetes and insulin, where insulin is elevated and yet the signal is very low, causing higher blood sugars, and the actual frank definition of diabetes, because of a low signal. So the fact that cortisol levels go up does not necessarily mean that the signal is up. You have to look at why it's going up. Is it going up because it has to go up, because there is an overabundance of inflammation, or is it going up as one of the protective mechanisms to reduce inflammation long-term, as seen in calorie-restricted long-lived animals and centenarians? Leptin went down the most on Low Carb RON ROSEDALE: It's even theorized that one of the reasons calorie restriction works to extend lifespan and greatly improve health is because reducing calories reduces inflammation. For instance, one of the major markers shown to go down in the Harvard study, was leptin. Leptin went down the most on a very low carbohydrate diet. That's extremely significant, because we know that leptin controls many inflammatory markers. And again, one of the numerous papers now that have theorized that one of the reasons behind the health benefits and longevity behind caloric restriction is a lowering of leptin, which controls the neuroendocrine access via the hypothalamus in the brain, which then controls every other hormone in the body and also controls inflammation and by going down, greatly suppresses many different markers of inflammation. As part of a long-term maintenance to improve lifespan, it reduces inflammation and also by reducing blood sugar, which lowering leptin can do irrespective of insulin, improving insulin sensitivity and leptin sensitivity also greatly reduces the cause of inflammation and not just the mediators of it, since we know that glucose itself is highly inflammatory, as is insulin and as is leptin. So what the study really showed is that if you go much further than their Mediterranean diet and you reduce carbs by not just slowly absorbable carbs, but just reduce them altogether, because even the slowly absorbable carbohydrates will cause a spike in carbohydrates, will cause a spike in blood sugar, just not as severe as some other carbohydrates. Am I correct in saying that you think that just looking at one hormone without looking at the whole symphony doesn't give you the entire picture? You seem to be saying that, for instance, in somebody who was a diabetic, who had insulin resistance, who was obese and had high blood pressure, if that person's cortisol levels were high, that might not be the same as when someone who is thin and fit and caloric restricted or has the markers of the centenarians, the people who live to be in their hundreds and are healthy, or the people who are on a restricted calorie diet, that's a different kind of high cortisol for them than it is for somebody who is a type 2 diabetic or somebody who's a post-traumatic stress victim. CORTISOL – Was it High in the Morning and Low at Night? RON ROSEDALE: That's absolutely true beyond the obvious. The reasons behind an elevation in a hormone are extremely important, but also what is mediating the elevation and when. For instance, in this study, in which they're trying to hang their hat on cortisol as the reason that their Mediterranean diet might still be better than a very low-carbohydrate diet, even though the very low-carbohydrate diet showed an improvement in all other metabolic markers, what's relevant on cortisol is that we know that it is normally secreted in a diurnal pattern, meaning that typically if you're healthy, it ought to be released in high quantities in the morning and low quantities at night. This would have had to have been measured. Many, many studies now have shown that a disruption in that diurnal secretion of cortisol is what can cause many of the problems in cortisone, not the absolutely amount, but when it's released. That's extremely important. So what's found in centenarians, for instance, is that the diurnal variation in cortisol is maintained, so even though the cortisol levels are increased in centenarians, the good part is that they're increased appropriately. They go up in the morning and down at night, and that diurnal variation in many disease states becomes decreased. You're saying that a bigger clue of whether or not cortisol is healthy isn't the amount, but whether it is being released in an appropriate way from morning through night? RON ROSEDALE: Right. And in this study they didn't measure that. They measured urinary 24-hour secretion, which doesn't—you can't just measure the total amount of cortisol. They didn't measure cortisol binding protein, I don't believe. So it's not just the amount of cortisol but when it's released in any of the fatty especially steroid molecules, such as HDL and LDL and testosterone and all the steroids that are derived from cholesterol, which by the way is a precursor for all the steroid hormones, including cortisol and testosterone and estrogen. Cholesterol is not that evil monster that the medical profession is making it out to be, but in fact is a life-giving molecule. But the metabolites from cholesterol are all kind of a steroid waxy, fatty substance and have to be carried around the bloodstream. They're carried by binding proteins to make them soluble in the watery environment of the blood. So LDL is low-density lipoprotein and HDL is high-density lipoprotein. These shuttle cholesterol to and from tissues. You have the same type of molecules that shuttle cortisol and shuttle testosterone and shuttle estrogen. For cortisol, they're called cortisol-binding proteins, and the proportion that is bound to a protein is inactive. It's only the free fraction that is active. So if you just measure cortisol levels, you don't know the amount that's active and the amount that's inactive. And if you just measure 24-hour secretion, you don't know when it's secreted and when it's not secreted. In other words, it gives you almost no information. So trying to hang your hat on the fact that cortisol levels were elevated and saying that therefore, their Mediterranean diet is better than a very low-carbohydrate diet is extremely misguided. Is there a way to measure the kind of cortisol that is in the active form? Did they measure that? RON ROSEDALE: Oh, yeah, there's definitely a way to measure it, and no, they didn't measure it. You can measure it directly in the blood, or more appropriately, you can measure it in the saliva, which in most cases is an easier way to measure it because then you can easily collect it both in the morning and the evening, so that you can at least get two measurements, and the salivary measurements of cortisol are free fractions, the amount of cortisol that actually got into the saliva, that actually had activity. And then again, you have to go beyond that, go beyond the assumption that cortisol is bad. It's not. You need cortisol. Again, it's an anti-inflammatory. It's not a pro-inflammatory. Are you somebody who would give someone a cortisol shot if their hip or their knee was sore? RON ROSEDALE: No, I wouldn't. You don't want it in super-physiologic doses, typically. So there are ways that you think that it's good and ways you think that it's bad. But when it appears in the blood or the saliva in higher amounts in the right pattern during the day and the night, that generally tends to be an indicator of health, not disease? RON ROSEDALE: Exactly. Like any hormone. Insulin is not a bad thing, it's a good thing. Leptin is not bad, it keeps you alive. You have to get the signal's message across to the cells. That's really what you want. You want to cells to listen appropriately, at the appropriate time and at the appropriate location. That's what is necessary for any type of health. I wondered also with cortisol, in the case of somebody on a very low-carbohydrate diet who's eating a lot of fat, which a third of the people in this Harvard study were doing, whether that would affect cortisol levels. You see, when someone's not eating many carbs, the body has to send out signals for the body to make its own sugar now and then, just to keep the levels regulated. One way to do that is for the body to send out a cortisol signal, is my guess. Is that correct? RON ROSEDALE: That's correct. One of the purposes of cortisol is as a gluco-regulatory hormone. If sugar levels go low, then cortisol is one of the hormones that will be secreted so that you can raise glucose to a level that the body deems appropriate. The real key is to get that level as low as possible. But when the body gets to call the shots on maintaining the blood sugar level with something like cortisol, it gets to choose what that level will be? RON ROSEDALE: It gets to choose, and over time, and this is another key, the level becomes lower. In the Harvard Study, they didn't allow enough time for research subjects to adapt to the low carb diet in order to show this effect.. You mean that the level of cortisol over time is likely to go down further if somebody gets even more adapted to a low-carbohydrate, higher-fat diet? RON ROSEDALE: Yeah. They only carried out the experimental diets for four weeks. That's just about enough time to get a person adapted, and not longer. They were measuring cortisol at a time when their tests subjects were not really adapted yet to a very low-carbohydrate diet. You need to partake in that metabolic change much longer, and the set point then for glucose goes down, and therefore the need for gluconeogenesis goes down. But more importantly, there is a metabolic adaptation that will increase the ability to manufacture glucose from other metabolic precursors such as lactates and glycerol in the body, such that the need for the major gluconeogenic pathways is greatly reduced. But that takes quite a few more weeks than they carried the study out. Your comments makes it sound as though it would be helpful to ask the Harvard Researchers whether the cortisol levels in people on a low-carb, high-fat diet went down more at the end of the four-week period when they were eating low-carb, than at the beginning. RON ROSEDALE: That would be, and I didn't really see how many times the Harvard researchers actually measured cortisol. I don't know if it was a before-and-after or if there were any intervening measurements. But again, you don't know necessarily whether it's a good or a bad thing. As I mentioned, cortisol is increased in all of the parameters that we know that increase health and lifespan in calorie restriction and in centenarians. And I think one can't ignore that there might be some sort of benefit, then, to increased cortisol. My guess is that that would definitely be true, and my guess is that it is likely due to its anti-inflammatory effect. Ron Rosedale Likes a Low Carb, High Fat, Adequate Protein Diet Ron Rosedale, you have been suggesting that the Harvard Boston Hospital study stacked the deck in favor of the Mediterranean diet, and the way that cortisol was measured didn't reveal some key elements of why an elevated cortisol level might not be an issue. You've said that the Harvard researchers have a vested interest in recommending a Mediterranean style diet. It's fair to say that you're someone who likes to stack the cards in favor of a high-fat, low-carb diet. RON ROSEDALE: That's because I've found that to be by far a better diet. I've used the Mediterranean diet in the past and didn't get anywhere close to the results one can get if you just get rid of sugar. There is no biological necessity to eat sugar, and we know all sorts of adverse consequences, secondary to glycation, advanced glycated end products. We know that it increases inflammation in aging, it increases spikes in insulin and leptin, which promote insulin and leptin resistance, and if you increase glucose levels, whether it be by fast-acting glucose or by longer-acting glucose, the so-called resistant starches that they've maintained is beneficial on their Mediterranean diet, you accelerate aging. And in fact, we know through Cynthia Kenyon's study and others, and what I've shown in studies, that if you keep glucose levels very low, and only if you keep glucose intake very low, only if you follow a very low-carbohydrate, not a high-protein diet, and a high beneficial fat diet, you can mimic the effects of calorie restriction as far as the laboratory parameters. And that can only be a good thing. Harvard Study Used HIGH Protein in Low-Carb Branch RON ROSEDALE: I also want to mention one thing on this study, that it is quite notable that they put people on a high-protein diet. The characterization of this diet was that it was an Atkins-style diet that was high in fat and low on carbs. Are you saying that that was actually a high-protein diet? RON ROSEDALE: They were putting people on an average of 150 grams of protein a day. That's two to three times the protein that I recommend for people. And elevated protein has a lot of adverse consequences as far as many different parameters, including inflammation, which could be one of the reasons that they noted an increase, but a non-significant, I should mention, increase in CRP, which is their second so-called adverse effect that they encountered. C-reactive protein is a so-called marker of inflammation, but it's really a marker of the immune system increasing. It's like one of the first responders to increase the phagocytic activity, the ability of white blood cells to engulf intruders and clean up debris. So once again, it's certainly possible that short-term CRP could go up on a very low-carbohydrate diet secondary to the anti-aging effect, actually slowing the aging. One of the events that take place in calorie restriction and in other genetic modalities that greatly increase health and lifespan in laboratory animals is that you increase something called autophagy, which is the ability of the body to basically clean up garbage. That requires a more active immune system. It's possible in a short term that you can increase immune activity to increase autophagy so you can get rid of some of the garbage that is poisonous to the body. But I should mention that long-term, what I've seen in people on a very low-carbohydrate diet and what's seen in calorie restriction is a reduced CRP longer term. After the initial several-week adaptation, I think you'll see CRP come down. But it also should be noted that what their data showed and many other data showed, including myself, is what will lower leptin the most is a very low-carbohydrate diet, and when you lower leptin, you greatly reduce many different markers of inflammation, including, interleukins, many markers of inflammation. Leptin itself is an inflammatory chemicals. It's a cytokine. So other markers, had they been measured, they would have found secondary to lowering leptin, would have been greatly reduced, other markers of inflammation. So one concern that you have here is, these are markers where in the short term, they can go up for beneficial reasons, and after a person is adapted to a high-fat, low-carb diet, they both tend to go down for again benign, helpful reasons. Another question to ask the researchers would be, did the C-reactive protein levels for the people on the high-fat, low-carb diet tend to start out higher and end up lower after four weeks? RON ROSEDALE: Two things. Number one, what they are calling two inflammatory markers, cortisol is not an inflammatory marker. It's an anti-inflammatory marker. They are misinterpreting cortisol. You believe that cortisol depends on a lot of other things besides just that number alone? RON ROSEDALE: Yeah. And again, cortisol, we know, and it's being used therapeutically as an anti-inflammatory. It's not pro-inflammatory, as they're making it out to be, like an adverse event. It's not an adverse event. I think they were trying to find some reason to downplay the beneficial laboratory results that were obtained with the very low-carbohydrate diet, even though they style of low-carb diet used much more protein than I would have recommended. Had they used a diet that I recommended, which would have been a much more moderated protein intake, probably a higher beneficial fat intake, and a very low-carbohydrate intake, you would get even far greater beneficial results. I've written much about it, and I think you can find on the Internet many adverse consequences of high-protein. And when they mentioned an Atkins-type diet, that is true. An Atkins-type diet is basically very low carbohydrate and anything else goes. I maintain very strongly that that is not so. It's not anything else goes. There's a huge difference between a very low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet and a very low-carbohydrate, low-to-moderate protein diet. There are huge differences in longevity and other metabolic parameters on different metabolic pathways. The current experts on the Atkins diet, who have written the New Atkins for a New You, are Eric Westman, Jeff Volek, and Steve Phinney. In their current writings about it, and in conversations with them, they would agree with you that you don't want to have high protein as part of a low-carb diet. Yeah. They agree with me because I taught them that. They were actually very pro-protein up until a meeting where I spoke at the American College of Bariatric Physicians quite a few years ago that kind of pitted me against everybody else who then was recommending a high protein intake. I showed them quite a bit of literature that high protein was not beneficial. I'm quite happy to hear that they've changed their tune since then. If all of you "low carb" guys are saying that high-protein should not be part of a low-carb diet, then why did the Boston Harvard team use a high-protein diet as their high-fat, low-carb diet? RON ROSEDALE: That's a great question. Again, I think there are so many studies in health and medicine where the experiment is not particularly performed to find some ultimate truths but is performed as a marketing effort. I think they were trying to bolster their recommendation for a higher-carbohydrate, Mediterranean-type diet by the setup of the experiment to begin with, but also then in their conclusion, the data that was forthcoming from their study didn't support their conclusions. And yet they tried to make it seem, and they popularized through their PR department and all the popular media, that their Mediterranean diet was far healthier than a very low-carbohydrate diet. That is not what their data showed at all. C-Reactive Protein Differences were NOT significant in Harvard Study RON ROSEDALE: Again, on the cortisol levels, the high cortisol is almost synonymous with longevity and health in centenarians and calorie-restricted animals, which are two of the major modalities of aging studies. And the other so-called adverse effect that they're reporting was C-reactive protein. And they have to emphasize and I have to emphasize that the difference in C-reactive protein between the very low-carbohydrate diet, which was a high-protein diet, and their Mediterranean diet was not significant. It did not approach statistical significance. And yet they mentioned it anyway. I was listening to National Public Radio today. The short report that they broadcast said that the inflammatory markers were higher on the low-carb, high-fat diet, and so that's why the Mediterranean diet wins. The idea that C-Reactive Protein differences between the three diets wasn't mentioned in the national report in that group. I haven't seen that mentioned in the way that you're mentioning it now. You have a concern that the data were trumpeted in some ways that they didn't deserve ? RON ROSEDALE: It was spun and twisted in a way to make their type of Mediterranean diet look beneficial compared to the very low-carbohydrate diet, which in fact their own data showed had considerably, significantly better metabolic results. Do you think that if I talked with somebody who is an expert and a fan of high-carb, low-fat diets, say Dean Ornisch, for instance, do you think he would have some gripes about how they did the study? RON ROSEDALE: It very well could be. I don't know. I don't know either, but I'm curious whether someone who has an expertise there could look at this and say whether they felt like the low-fat, high-carb diets were fairly represented. I even find myself wondering whether or not the Harvard group could have invited an expert like you or Steve Phinney or Eric Westman to check how they were doing the high-fat, low-carb protocol to see if it was OK. It's puzzling to me why your views are so different from the kind of diet that they chose. RON ROSEDALE: That's a great question. I think I've tried to maybe not be so politically correct in saying why that would be. I think one finds all too often a lack of true wonderment about scientific truths and instead studies are done more for marketing efforts than true science. Let's us do some wondering, then. RON ROSEDALE: Great. There were some other aspects of the hypotheses, the premises and the beliefs going into this study, that were interesting. This study began by saying that lots of people can lose weight, but very few people can maintain that weight loss, and one reason is because it's hard to keep going when you have an unusual diet that's supposed to be for your health and everyone around you is eating differently. But the other side of the premise was that people's bodies change metabolically when they change how they eat, and the ways that their bodies change metabolically and with hormone signaling fight against them being able to keep the weight off. Do you think that's true? RON ROSEDALE: I think it is true short-term. But we know now that there are metabolic pathways that are instrumental in dictating what our wants and desires are as far as what we eat, what we burn, whether we burn fat or sugar and therefore whether we need to eat fat or sugar to sustain our energy requirements. Do those metabolic pathways make a difference on whether we feel hungry or full or anxious or content with how we've been eating? RON ROSEDALE: They dictate those things. They don't just make an impact, they are those things. We know, for instance, that leptin is one of the major hormones, and there are multiple hormones that dictate hunger because of how important it is. Nature knows that the only way a person is not going to overeat is if they're not hungry. We know now that one of the major defects in metabolism that causes people to overeat is because leptin is not being heard properly, i.e., leptin resistance. I strongly believe that leptin resistance is caused from spikes in leptin secondary to what people have been eating for years causing a down-regulation in the ability of the brain and the hypothalamus in particular to listen to what leptin is trying to say, such that if a person has too much leptin, where normally it would reduce hunger and increase the ability to burn fat, the brain is hearing a different message. It's hearing too little leptin, even though there's a lot of it, and thinking that the person might be starving and therefore will increase their hunger and prevent the ability to burn fat properly. So there's a disregulation in leptin signaling which we know occurs in almost all overweight and obese people. And the way to correct it, I've found, at least 15 years ago now, I think I wrote one of the first books, maybe the first book on leptin and its clinical application to disease, is that you have to eat to maintain a low leptin, and the lower the leptin, the greater the signal. Just like we know that if a person eats appropriately, insulin levels will go down, their serum insulin will go down along with their blood sugar, so that we know that insulin is being heard better and you can alleviate the vast majority of cases of type 2 diabetes by eating a diet that is very low in carbohydrate, not high-protein, just enough protein to meet your needs, which is normally between 50 and 70 grams a day, depending on your size and activity level, and that will keep both insulin and leptin down and improve their signaling. So even though the levels are coming down, the power of the signal is increasing, and therefore hunger will go down, the person will eat less long-term and they will burn more fat. And that's really what this study showed. They just don't want to admit it. Hunger and Weight Maintenance One of the premises of this study has been that it's hard to do prevent hunger from getting out of control, and so people gain weight back. The study hints that it may not be as hard as they thought, but the idea that it's hard to maintain your weight once your leptin levels have been high and then they go down, that comes from the 1990s, maybe early 2000s, where Rudy Leibel and Michael Rosenbaum out of Columbia had studies of leptin where they believe that they showed very consistently that once somebody has been fat and overweight or obese, if they lose weight, that leptin signal is always going to haunt them and push them to have their weight go back up again. RON ROSEDALE: That's correct, unless you eat a diet that will consistently keep leptin low and you go through a transformation period of several weeks that increases leptin sensitivity. I'm well aware of their study, and they are very wrong in their conclusion, just like this paper was. You may believe that they're very wrong, but their conclusions are governing nutritional policy in the U.S. RON ROSEDALE: Which is why we are seeing a record number of obese and diabetic people around the world. Maybe I should call them up and ask them some questions about whether in their studies they ever put someone on a truly high-fat, low-carb, adequate-protein diet after they had lost weight to see if then they would maintain their weight. RON ROSEDALE: That would be great, and I think they will say they haven't, because if they did, they would have seen exactly what I have seen for the last 20 years, that weight loss can usually be maintained, and that maintenance is almost parallel to leptin and insulin levels. I did talk with one of those scientists many years ago and I think I remember him saying that when people were losing weight, they weren't hungry, but once they had to be maintaining weight, their hunger came back. RON ROSEDALE: And they were "maintaining" their research subjects on a higher-carbohydrate diet. So when their test subjects were losing weight, they were basically burning their own body fat, so that they were on a high-fat diet. RON ROSEDALE: They were burning their body fat and their muscle because they weren't really putting them on a proper diet. They were putting them on a high-carbohydrate diet that maintained their essentially addiction to burning sugar as a primary fuel. One of the things I've said many, many times and really, I think, should dictate all health and nutrition policy, is that the person's health and longevity is going to be determined by the proportion of fat versus sugar they burn over a lifetime. The more fat you burn, the healthier you'll be. The more sugar you have to burn, the more unhealthy you'll be. And that's your choice in fuels. You can burn sugar or you can burn fat or byproducts of fat metabolism called ketones. If you burn fat and ketones, you're going to be healthy. Whether you burn fat and ketones is going to be dictated by hormones, such as leptin and insulin. And those hormones, in turn, are dictated by what you eat. So you have to eat to regulate the hormones that regulate whether you burn fat or sugar, and that in turn will dictate health. That's a good thing for people to remember, a helpful thing if they want to try a high-fat, low-carb diet and reasons to stay with it. Is a Higher Metabolic Rate Healthy? Getting back to the study, one of its premises is that it's not a good thing when people lose weight and their metabolism goes down because if their metabolism goes down, it doesn't take as many calories for them to maintain their body. So one of the measures that this study used for whether people were having a diet that worked for them is whether their metabolism stayed revved up. What do you think about that? RON ROSEDALE: I think that really shows an ignorance of metabolism. I hate to put it that way, but it's true. Again, in calorie-restricted animals and centenarians, one of the few commonalities that is very powerful is that free T3, the active thyroid, goes down, as does body temperature. In other words, the body goes into a more thrifty state so that it can maintain itself longer and healthier. So the metabolism goes down? RON ROSEDALE: It goes down because it's healthier. It's not metabolism going up or down, really, that is even relevant. It's the quality of metabolism rather than the quantity of metabolism. For instance, on a person's car, you can increase so-called thermogenesis, the metabolism of your car, as indicated by the standing RPMs. In other words, you're at a stop sign. Would you want high RPMs or low RPMs? You want lower RPMs that are nice and smooth. So let's say you're at a stop sign and your car is running rough and it's stalling out on you. You can go to a shop and one thing they could do is increase the metabolism of your car by increasing the baseline RPMs. In other words, instead of 600 they might put it to 1,000 or 1,200, so that it's revving high. What you'll notice on your car, then, is that the temperature of the car, of the engine, will be hotter. It's increasing thermogenesis. It's increasing its heat output. Does it also mean that it would take more gas to have it go the same amount of miles? RON ROSEDALE: It will take more gas to go the same amount of miles, which burns it out, but it also gets far less mileage. So the longevity of the engine will go way down. The mileage, which will dictate basically how long that car is going to live, will go way down. The pick-up of the car, even, will go down. So even though the metabolism is up, the useful energy of that car goes down. And that's not what we want. That's true. I don't buy a car because I want it to take more gas to get the same amount of miles, and I don't buy a car because it's going to burn out faster. RON ROSEDALE: No. Most people wouldn't. In fact, if a person was pulling into a gas station and they could get one of two fuels, and on one gas tank it said, "This gas will cause your car to run hotter and get less gas mileage," as opposed to the other tank that will say, "This will cause your car to run cooler," in other words, lower metabolism, "and get better mileage," which do you think people would get? They would always get the one that gets better mileage and causes their car to run cooler, because they know that's better. We operate under the exact same laws of physics. There's no difference. Science in science. It permeates everything, including humans. And it amazes me how people can go to a health food store and how comments as in this paper talking about increasing metabolism as if it's a good thing, and then have actually zero knowledge about the baseline science behind it. It's often said that it's a good thing about a diet if it keeps your metabolism revved up, and it's a bad thing to have metabolism go down. And here you are saying that having some of these indicators of how hot your body is running go down actually means that your body's just running better. RON ROSEDALE: Exactly correct. There's so much misinformation and myth out there in health and nutrition and medicine in general. This is not new information. I've been saying the same thing for 20 years, and one of these days, hopefully the message will get through. I just hope I'm alive to see it. Here you are where you and Eric Westman and Steve Phinney and Jeff Volek see the same way on protein now. That's something that has evolved over time. I think it was Isaac Asimov, the science fiction writer, who pointed out that the world really is sort of flat, because it's only a tiny bit round. But that small degree of roundness is enough to make the whole world round. It's taken time to take all of those different ideas about roundness and flatness to refine them into what our world looks like. Maybe it's the same way with nutrition. RON ROSEDALE: Certainly we hope so. The major problem these days, which is quite different from Isaac Asimov's time, is that knowledge now can be disseminated very easily. There's no excuse to not be up to date. All you have to do is go on the Internet, and read. The problem is that there is less of a motive to actually learn science as there is a profit motive. That's the major impediment to the advancement of science. It's really unfortunate. I'm not making any money by talking with you, and I don't know that you're making any money by talking with me, so let's ask another question of wonderment. You said that having a metabolism be revved up just to make it hotter is not so good. But sometimes metabolism can go up for good reasons, and since you were talking about cars, I'm picturing the difference between a car that is running efficiently on the fuel that it has and getting lots of miles to the gallon and a car that doesn't use a lot of gallons of gas because it's too sluggish to run at all. I guess that that kind of slow metabolism in a car is not a good, healthy metabolism. Is there a kind of metabolism that could be measured in people where it indicates that their bodies are efficient, but also that their bodies have access to energy and can use it? RON ROSEDALE: Definitely. Certainly if your metabolism is very low, and probably it's at its lowest point when you die, that obviously wouldn't be good, it would be one extreme. What you want, basically, as I mentioned, is the ability to burn fat. That can be easily determined by many different laboratory parameters. You can measure insulin, leptin, blood glucose, thyroid, especially free T3 or reverse T3, which actually should go up. It's another misconception that reverse T3 indicates a disease state. It does not. It's one of the ways that your body has of regulating thyroid activity. There are many different metabolic markers that can be measured to indicate a healthy metabolism as opposed to a deranged metabolism that is unable to perform. The difference is, for instance, there's a lot of misconceptions about thyroid. We know in calorie-restricted animals and in very low-carbohydrate diets, in the vast majority of modalities that increase lifespan and health in laboratory animals, the active thyroid, free T3, goes down. So many people use that as an excuse, really, or a reason that very low-carbohydrate diets are detrimental, saying that it causes hypothyroidism. And again, that's really misguided knowledge. That's not hypothyroid. The TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone, from the pituitary does not go up. In other words, it's a purposeful down-regulation of thyroid to allow the body to run in a healthier, more beneficial state, not because it has to, but because it wants to. Whereas in hypothyroidism, what you'll see is the body trying to make more thyroid but it can't. So the TSH is high while active thyroid is low. That's a big difference if your body wants higher thyroid but can't do it, as opposed to the body purposefully lowering the thyroid because it's healthier to do so. Want versus can't. That's a pretty big difference. You're implying that when it comes to the metabolism of a person, if a person's body is running hot all the time, that's different from a body where when a body needs to get extra energy it can. Going back to the study, do you think the higher metabolic rate of the people on the high-fat, low-carb diet was because their bodies were running better or because they had too much protein increasing the metabolism? RON ROSEDALE: One of them definitely had to do with the protein content. We know that protein is very thermogenic. It's unhealthy, and the body will essentially be forced to burn excess protein, and in this particular case there were probably 100 grams of excess protein a day, which is a huge amount. That's number one. Number two is that leptin went down considerably, more in the very low-carbohydrate diet, even with the high protein. It would have gone down further, I believe, if it hadn't been a high-protein diet. But even with the high-protein, very low-carbohydrate diet, leptin went down the most. When it goes down over time, it improves the signaling and it improves leptin sensitivity, which will allow your body to want to start burning off excess fat. It'll notice then, "Whoa! We've got way too much fat to be healthy." In our ancestral times, carrying around extra fat would be a death sentence, because any animal chasing a group of people would go after the fattest one that couldn't make it up the tree, and also the fat person wouldn't be able to hunt and gather very well to even feed themselves. So being fat in our ancestral history was very disadvantageous. Your body doesn't want you to be fat. One of the major regulatory methods that the body has to keep a person healthy and prevent fatness is proper leptin signaling. So by going on a very low-carbohydrate diet that does lower leptin more than any of the other diets, even in this study, you improve leptin sensitivity, so you actually improve the signaling more, and you'll end up burning more fat, which will at least temporarily, until you burn off the excess fat, increase your metabolism, if you want to look at it as such. Then are you glad this study measured leptin? RON ROSEDALE: Yes, I'm glad it measured leptin. I'm glad it measured insulin and glucose and some of the other metabolic markers. It would have been quite a travesty had it not. So there are some things that you're glad they did in this study, but there are some areas where you have questions. I will see if I can ask some of these questions and share with you the answers when I get them. RON ROSEDALE: That would be great. As I say, it wasn't a bad study per se. I think the conclusions that were drawn were a bit misguided, and I think what they were trying to do is essentially reach for straws to try to support a diet that they've been supporting now for years. And you have some wishes that they had done a little bit different choices in the study, for instance, how they measure cortisol is a big one, and the timing of when they measured C-reactive protein also so that they could see whether there were changes over time. And you sure wish that they hadn't used so much protein for the high-fat, low-carb branch of the study. RON ROSEDALE: That would have been, I think, far superior. For instance, on the CRP, had they just been looking at it from an objective standpoint and not trying to support one diet over another, all they would have said was that there was no statistically significant difference. If you're going to use statistical significance the way it's typically done in these studies, you can't use it for certain parameters and not for others. If you ever do a study of a high-fat, low-carb, adequate-protein diet, do you think you'd like to invite these researchers that like the Mediterranean diet to look over your shoulder so that they can give some input ahead of time? RON ROSEDALE: You really want the truth on that? [laughs] Sure! RON ROSEDALE: The real truth is, no, because I know that they don't know a tiny fraction of what I know about metabolism. I don't think there's any input that they could give me that would be worthwhile. I'm thinking in terms of how if you have a lot of people looking at the elephant from their different perspectives, if they talk about it first to say what they're looking for and how to sketch in the picture, it does sound like, from your perspective, the Harvard group overlooked some obvious things on how to make this be a better study. And whether that was intentional or not is hard to say. RON ROSEDALE: I think not only did they overlook some things as far as what they measured, but I think the biggest detriment was the perhaps lack of knowledge in interpreting the data. Perhaps they don't know that high cortisol is not necessarily bad but in fact is seen in centenarians and calorie-restricted animals and is actually viewed by many as one of the reasons that they live longer, due to its anti-inflammatory effect. So either they didn't know that, or they purposely ignored that, which is something that shouldn't have been done. I'll look forward to talking with them. Thanks to Sandy Grabowski for the transcription. sandy (@) csd.net Wonderful article brought together by Shelley Schlender, thank you for your continue great work and dedication to the truth. Learn more about Shelley and her passion for exposing the truth of health, [...] article that typifies how frequently medical 'science' is falsely interpreted. "For several decades I've been calling people's attention to the fact that diets alone are not the answer to a healthy life. So when the Los Angeles Times recently ran an article "Why Dieters Tend To Regain Weight" on Oct. 26, I read it with interest. This article covered a recent study about how difficult it is to lose weight, and how pharmaceutical companies continue to work on developing a "magic" pill that they can sell to the growing millions of obese people in the U.S. and around the world. One problem with this approach is what the Times calls the "marginal effectiveness" of the drugs. Every intelligent human being knows that drugs can and usually do have significant and often dangerous side effects. Science has shown us again and again that getting our nutrients, including healthy fats through the consumption of raw nuts and other foods, let us regulate the naturally occurring hormones in our bodies, and trigger appetite-suppressing hormones, which in turn control our hunger and prevent us from overeating and becoming obese. After reading the article I reached out to natural hormonal expert Ron Rosedale, M.D., whose work in this area I respect, and asked Dr. Rosedale for his response to the following LA Times article." — Tony Robbins "A study shows that various hormones conspire to make us hungrier for at least another year, telling us to eat more, conserve energy and store fuel as fat. The report, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, helps explain why roughly 4 in 5 dieters wind up gaining back lost pounds within a year or two of losing them — and, sometimes, pack on a few extra pounds for good measure… It is a close look at the disheartening pattern: In the wake of weight loss, 'multiple compensatory mechanisms' spring to life, the study illustrates, and work together to ensure that weight loss is reversed quickly and efficiently." But does the study really show that weight loss causes these 'compensatory mechanisms'? …or is it a kind of diet that almost everyone is eating, and that doctors and nutritionists alike have been telling everyone to eat for over half a century, that forces thosehormones and 'compensatory mechanisms' to ensure that we get fat, diseased, and stay that way? And is there another diet that might allow us to use these same mechanisms for our benefit instead to burn fat instead of detriment to store too much? The answer to both those questions is yes. To summarize this study, participating overweight and obese human subjects had several appetite regulating hormones measured, and were then placed on a very calorie restricted (500 calorie) diet for 10 weeks, after which they (predictably) lost on average 28 lbs and the same hormones were rechecked. The participants were then asked to voluntarily adhere to a less, though still somewhat restrictive, low fat diet with regular dietary counseling for a year. An average of 11 lbs was regained. It was also found that hormones such as leptin that reduce appetite were decreased, and this decrease was partially maintained for a year as was increased hunger. It was concluded that the decrease in appetite suppressing hormones was causing increased appetite and is the cause of weight regain after dieting (so-called yo-yo dieting). It was further concluded that because of this, multiple drug therapy may be necessary. Like happens so much in nutritional research and medicine in general, the conclusions presented in the article represent a very simplistic, and false, view of how the body…and life…works (and that just so happens to greatly benefit the massive profits of pharmaceutical companies by treating symptoms rather than the root disease). For a deeper understanding of the major so-called 'compensatory mechanism', a history and summary of the hormone leptin is in order. The Ob mouse is a strain of mouse that has a genetic mutation that makes it obese and unhealthy. It had been used for almost half a century as a research model of obesity, though the reason that it was obese had eluded scientists. This changed when, in 1994, Jeffrey Friedman of Rockefeller University discovered that this mouse lacked a previously unknown hormone called leptin, and when it was injected with leptin it became thin, vibrant, and very healthy within weeks. This made headlines around the world, "The Cure for Obesity Found" and pharmaceutical companies started tripping over themselves with trillion dollar signs in their eyes to be the first to genetically manufacture leptin on a large-scale. This did not last long, for when people were tested for leptin it was found that, unlike the Ob mouse, they did not lack leptin; on the contrary almost all overweight and obese people have excess leptin. These people were "leptin resistant" and giving extra leptin did little good. The financial disappointment was extreme and scientists working for pharmaceutical companies said that leptin was no longer financially worth pursuing. To make money in medicine one needs a patent and this generally means remedies which are not commonly or easily available — that are not natural. This illustrates two extremely unfortunate principles in modern medicine; only those therapies that will make lots of money (generally for the pharmaceutical industry or hospitals), ever get pursued and thus taught to physicians (since most of medical education after medical school takes place by pharmaceutical corporations), and these therapies, almost by definition, will be unnatural. This inhibition of extremely important knowledge is not only unfortunate, it is deadly, and is exemplified by how few people, including doctors, know much about leptin, let alone how to control it to greatly improve health. I would consider leptin, along with insulin, to be the most important biochemicals in your body that will determine your health and lifespan, and they are not controlled by drugs. They are controlled by what you eat. What exactly is leptin? Leptin is a very powerful and influential hormone produced by fat cells that has totally changed the way that science (real science, outside of medicine) looks at fat, nutrition, and metabolism in general. Prior to leptin's discovery, fat was viewed as strictly an ugly energy storage depot that almost everyone would prefer to get rid of. After it was discovered that fat produced the hormone leptin (and subsequently it was discovered that fat produced other very significant hormones), fat became an endocrine organ like the ovaries, pancreas and pituitary, influencing the rest of the body and, in particular, the brain. Leptin, as far science currently knows, is the most powerful regulator that tells the brain what to do about life's two main biological goals: eating and reproducing. It takes lots of fuel to make babies. Just ask any pregnant mom-to-be at the supermarket staring wide eyed at the ice cream. Your fat, by way of leptin, tells your brain whether you should be hungry, eat and make more fat, whether the time is nutritionally ripe to make babies, or (along with insulin) whether to "hunker down" and work overtime to maintain and repair yourself to reproduce at a future more energy available time. I believe I could now make a very convincing and scientifically accurate statement that that rather than your brain being in control of the rest of your body, the most ancient and critical parts of your brain are, in fact, subservient to your fat — and leptin. In short, leptin is the way that your fat speaks to your brain to let your brain know how much energy is available and, very importantly, what to do with it. It not only takes lots of energy to make babies, it takes a lot of energy to keep you healthy. Therefore, leptin may be "on top of the food chain" in metabolic importance and relevance to disease. It has been known for many years that fat stores are highly regulated. It appears that when one tries to lose weight the body tries to gain it back. This commonly results in "yo-yo" dieting and in scientific circles one talks about the "set point" of weight. It had long been theorized that hormones must exist that determine this. Science points now to leptin as being the most powerful and influential. Nature knows that to make someone obtain more energy if necessary, it must make that person hungry. Likewise, nature knows that the only way to not eat too much, to not make too much fat, is to not be hungry. Asking somebody to not eat, to just use willpower even though they might be hungry, in other words "to count calories" is asking the near impossible. Hunger is way too powerful a force that has been instilled into us by nature almost since life began to make us eat. The only way to eat less in the long-term is to not be hungry, and the only way to do this is to control the hormones that nature designed to regulate hunger. We must control leptin to control hunger, health and life. For our ancestors, life was a time of feast and famine. We needed to store some fat for the times of inevitable famine. However, it was equally dis advantageous to be too fat. For most of our evolutionary history, it was necessary to run, hunt and gather, and to avoid being prey. If a lion was chasing a group of people, who would it chase? It would catch, and eliminate from the gene pool, the slowest runner and the one who could not make it up the tree — the fattest one that would also give that lion the most energy bang for its having to get-up-and-exercise buck. Thus, it is so critical that fat storage or burning be highly regulated, that this is done via several hormones, the most significant again being leptin. When leptin levels are low, it is supposed to signal an area of the deep brain in the hypothalamus that you have too little fat, and if there is a bit of a famine you'll be a goner. This will override most any other thought, and you will be made to be hungry, and your prime directive as instilled in you by millions of years of evolution will be to find food, eat, turn that food into fat, and save, not burn, the fat that you've got. On the other hand, if a person is getting too fat, the extra fat produces more leptin which is supposed to tell you that there is too much fat stored, lions are being tempted, more fat should not be stored, and the excess needs to be burned. The key words there are "is supposed to". Leptin must function properly… and there are no drugs that will make this happen, now or in the foreseeable future. Insulin is another hormone, one of whose primary functions is to regulate energy stores. Its effect on blood glucose is merely a side effect of this. I first spoke of the importance of insulin in health and disease almost 2 decades ago, and I am even more convinced now. Aside from its obvious role in diabetes, it plays a very significant role in hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. However, new research is revealing that in the long run glucose and therefore insulin levels may be largely determined by leptin. It had been previously believed that the insulin sensitivity of muscle and fat tissues were the most important factor in determining whether one would become diabetic or not. Elegant new studies are showing that the brain and liver are most important in regulating a person's blood sugar levels especially in type 2 or insulin resistant diabetics. It should be noted again that leptin plays a vital role in regulating the brain's hypothalamic activity which in turn regulates much of a persons "autonomic" functions; those functions that you don't necessarily think about but which determines much of your life (and health) such as thyroid levels, body temperature, heart rate, hunger, the stress response including adrenal function and cortisol action, fat burning or storage, reproductive behavior, and newly discovered roles in bone health (osteoporosis), autoimmune diseases (MS), even playing a dominant role in what's considered insulin's primary domain; blood sugar levels. This is because recent studies reveal leptin's importance in directly regulating how much glucose the liver manufactures (gluconeogenesis). How many doctors treat diabetes by regulating leptin? The sad truth is, almost none. Leptin not only changes brain chemistry to do nature's bidding, it can also "rewire" the very important areas of the brain that control hunger and metabolism, especially in the very young and even in a fetus. I believe that it was the first chemical in the body that had been shown to accomplish this "mindbending" event. Thus a future mom can pass on the predilection for her child to become obese and diabetic depending on what the mom eats that effects leptin. Many chronic diseases are now linked to excess inflammation, such as heart disease and diabetes. High leptin levels are very pro-inflammatory, and leptin also helps to mediate the manufacture of other very potent inflammatory chemicals from fat cells that also play a significant role in the progression of heart disease and diabetes. It has long been known that obesity greatly increased risk for many chronic diseases, but no one really knew why. Leptin appears to be that missing link also. Leptin will not only determine how much fat you have, but also where that fat is put. When you are leptin resistant, you put that fat mostly in your belly, your viscera, causing the so-called "apple shape" that is linked to much disease. Some of that fat permeates the liver, impeding the liver's ability to listen to insulin, and further hastening diabetes. Leptin plays a far more important role in your health than, for instance, cholesterol, yet how many doctors measure leptin levels in their patients, know their own level, even know that it can be easily measured, or even what it would mean? Leptin appears to play a significant role in the so-called "chronic diseases of aging". Could it perhaps affect the rate of aging itself? Scientists who study the biology of aging are beginning to look at that question. As mentioned previously, there are two drives that life has been programmed, since its inception, to fulfill, succeed at, and succumb to. These are to eat and to reproduce. If every one of our ancestors had not succeeded in doing these, we would not be here, you would not be reading this, and I wouldn't have written it. All of your morphological characteristics from your hair to your toenails are designed to help you succeed at those two activities. That is what nature wants us fundamentally to do. It is important to know what mother nature wants. Otherwise, she can get downright ornery. Nature does not necessarily want you to live a long and healthy life, but instead wants you to perpetuate the instructions, the genes that teach the progeny how to perpetuate life. Even so-called "paleolithic" diets, though undoubtedly far better than what is generally eaten today, were not necessarily designed by nature to help us live a long and healthy life but, at best, to maximize reproduction. Nature appears to not care much about what happens to us after we have had a sufficient chance to make babies and get them on their feet. That is why we die. But it is vital to nature that we do stay healthy long enough to make babies to perpetuate the instructions of life, and therein lies the rub. Nature gives us clues about how to stay alive and healthy. And that brings us once again to fat– and leptin. Energy was, and always will be, a coveted commodity. Nature, and evolution hates wasting it. It makes no sense to try and make babies when it appears that there's not enough energy available to successfully accomplish that goal. Instead, it seems that virtually all living forms can "switch gears" and direct energy away from cell division and reproduction and towards mechanisms that will allow a life to "hunker down" for the long haul and thus be able to reproduce at a future more nutritionally opportune time. In other words, nature will then let you live longer to accomplish its primary directive of reproduction. It does this by up regulating maintenance and repair genes that increase production from within the cells, of antioxidant systems, heat shock proteins (that help maintain protein shape), DNA repair enzymes, and garbage collection (called autophagy). This is what happens when you restrict calories (without starvation) in animals, that has been shown convincingly for 70 years to greatly extend the life and health span of many dozens of species. Thus, there is a powerful link between cellular reproduction, energy stores, and longevity. Genetic studies in simple organisms have shown that that link is at least partially mediated by insulin (which in simple organisms also functions as growth hormone), and that when insulin signals are kept low, indicating scarce glucose availability, maximal lifespan can be extended– a lot; several hundred percent in worms and flies, and even doubling the lifespan in some mammals. Glucose is an ancient fuel used even before there was oxygen in the atmosphere, for life can burn glucose without oxygen; it is an anaerobic fuel, kept around today for just that purpose; fight or flight emergencies. The use of fat as fuel came later, after life in the form of plants soaked the earth in oxygen, for you cannot burn fat without oxygen. The primary source of energy stores in people is fat by far, as many unfortunately are all too aware of. The primary signal that indicates how much fat is stored is leptin, and it is also leptin that allows for reproduction, or not. It has long been known that women with very little body fat, such as marathon runners, stop ovulating. There is not enough leptin being produced to permit it. Paradoxically, one of the first pharmaceutical uses of leptin was approved to give to skinny women to allow them to ovulate and get pregnant. To summarize thus far; both insulin and leptin work together to control the quality of one's metabolism and, to a significant extent, the rate of metabolism. Metabolism can roughly be defined as the chemistry that turns food into life, and therefore insulin and leptin are critical to health and disease. The purpose of insulin goes way beyond the control of blood sugar. It works mostly at the individual cell level, telling the vast majority of cells whether to burn or store fat or sugar and whether to utilize that energy for cellular division/reproduction (that, when too loud, can lead to cancer) or for maintenance and repair (youth and longevity). In this way it actually helps to control the rate of aging, and therefore the chronic diseases of aging such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It is so critical to life that is found in virtually all animal life, and has apparently been evolutionarily conserved all the way back to worms and beyond. Leptin, on the other hand, controls energy storage and utilization by the entire republic of our 15 or so trillion cells allowing the body to communicate with the brain about how much energy (fat) the republic has stored, and whether it needs more, or should burn some off, and whether it is an advantageous time nutritionally-speaking for the republic to make new baby republics. But for leptin to properly regulate these all-important mechanisms critical to life and health, leptin has to be heard, and if the brain and body cannot properly hear what it is trying to say, people become so-called "leptin resistant"…and sick; obese, diabetic, heart diseased, osteoporotic…not happy campers. [...] put in the subject line "Dr. Ron Rosedale" to AskTheLowCarbExperts@gmail.com Ron Rosedale , Sunday, November 20, 2011 What [...] What if these are not consumed, one might experience what he calls "a glucose deficiency". I do not. We have been going back and forth on different blogs debating this. I believe, quite simply, that all sugars, and foods that convert into sugar, will have a detrimental effect if eaten, and therefore the fewer non-fiber carbohydrates that a person has, the better, and that the difference should be made up by consuming more beneficial fats and oils. Besides that, our diets are fairly similar in that they are both, compared with a standard diet, higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates. My view is considered extreme by some, including many in the 'safe starch' camp who do not believe that glucose should be looked upon as that detrimental. I also realize that not eating any foods that can convert into glucose is, from a practical sense, impossible. I recommend that people have all the vegetables that they want, except for the overly sugary ones such as corn and beets. This makes our diets that much closer. Then why is this debate such a big deal? One may think that a bowl of rice difference in carbohydrate per day in a diet is a small difference, and perhaps it is, but I also believe that that small difference can make a big difference, especially in those with overt diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, I believe that we all have, at least some degree, corruption in insulin and leptin signaling, that lie at the heart of the chronic diseases of aging such as (type 2) diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, obesity, and even many cancers, and therefore everyone can and should benefit from an optimal, not just better, diet. I had written a book a number of years back entitled The Rosedale Diet that talked about the connection between insulin, leptin, and the diseases of aging, especially obesity. I believe that diet to be the most scientifically advanced diet in the world, that has been shown to mimic the effects of calorie cutting on health and youthful life extension, without having to even think about cutting calories. There are three major reasons why I believe it is very important to carry this discussion forward as far as possible. Firstly, I feel that what a person eats is instrumental in determining health. Secondly, I feel that it is extremely important for people to know the truth in science, whether or not it is "politically correct", or, as Al Gore has stated "inconvenient". This way they can make their own educated decisions about what to eat and whether it is "worth it". This debate is about what constitutes an optimal or"perfect health diet" that is the name of Jaminet's book. If one wants to deviate from that and have a few more likely subclinical ramifications such as glycated molecules, or resistant receptors, to enjoy a bowl of rice, that is up to them. I just do not want that person to think it is healthy to do so. It should be looked upon as we view a piece of chocolate cream pie; unhealthy, but we want it now anyway, and not that we are biologically better off for having eaten it. The point is that there is no such thing as a glucose deficiency or a healthy need to eat starches. If one wants to endure a bit of tolerable biological harm for some momentary pleasure, that's great, but the person should know what he/she is doing. I drive occasionally without a seatbelt, but I do not want anyone telling me that this is safe. If there is some unbelievably great bread at a restaurant, I might have a small bit, and savor it, not because I am deluded into thinking it is healthy, but because I am willing to take the risk. The third reason is less philosophical and more basic scientifically. I believe that many venues of science, from basic physiology to the biology and genetics of aging point to a simple, but very powerful statement concerning health, that I have stated for many years and has yet to be disproven. That is; one's health and lifespan will be determined by the proportion of fat versus sugar that one burns over a lifetime. The more fatty acids and ketones from fat that you burn, the healthier you will be and the longer you will likely live. The more glucose that is burned as fuel, the more unhealthy you will be, the faster you will age, and the sooner you will likely die.. This, of course, is predicated on not getting hit by a semi truck. There are no absolutes. It is the chance of disease or health that I want to swing in our favor. This brings us back to that bowl of rice that is the basis of the difference of Paul's and my diet. That rice consumption spread throughout the day may, at least for a significant part of that day, prevent one from burning fat. Also, the biochemical and hormonal basis of the extreme health and longevity advantages of calorie restriction that has been shown for over 80 years is being uncovered, and it appears we can use that knowledge applied to diet without calorie restricting to experience the same or similar benefits (that is what I've done with The Rosedale Diet). Once again, eating that bowl of rice may undo that powerful effect. There appears to me to be, not a point of diminishing returns by further reducing carbohydrate consumption (without increasing protein consumption, but by increasing beneficial fats and oils), but a point of accelerating returns the lower one goes below that 100 g of glucose consumption. The debate continues. My rebuttal to Paul Jaminet's last blog espousing the benefits of "safe starches" follows. Paul has been a gentleman throughout this discourse, and I only can hope to follow suit. I hope that no offense is taken, and that the effort at education for both the audience and myself is what shines through. We very much wish to extend our appreciation to Joe Mercola, Jimmy Moore , and Paul Jaminet for their active participation, promotion and dissemination of the discussion from their websites. We hope you find this debate both enjoyable and educational. We Look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions. I start with Paul Jaminet; "Dr Rosedale argues that glucose is toxic, so we should want to have less of it in our bodies; and that low-carb diets deliver less of it. He cites a lot of papers on the relationship between blood glucose levels and health, and uses blood glucose levels as a proxy for the level of glucose in the body." The studies presented previously on glucose levels and health are to be taken as a whole to show that there is no threshold for a safe level of blood glucose that Paul has based his 'safe starch' recommendations on; no more, no less. That glucose can be toxic is very well known, however it is the effect of glucose on hormonal signals that is the most important. Jaminet continues, "Two basic matters are at issue: (1) What blood glucose level is best for health? (2) Which diet will generate those optimal blood glucose levels?" I have said often that we must get to the root of a problem, and that would certainly pertain to this discussion. I believe that the issues stated above are not the root issues that I have frequently referred to in the prior posts. The issue does not have much to do with blood glucose levels per se, but much more to do with the effects of glucose on nutrient signaling, in particular leptin and insulin. As I have also so often stated, all disease is a disease of communication. This is particularly true with biological illness, but also happens with any form of communication, including written. There appears to have been a miscommunication resulting in a misunderstanding of what the primary issue(s) is (are). This must be clarified to arrive at appropriate answers. The fundamental claim by Paul, as far as his diet is concerned, is that 'safe starches' are, well, safe, and do no harm and in fact are healthy to include to prevent what Paul terms a 'glucose deficiency'. So, we must keep that in mind as the major point of Jaminet's argument. Paul's new point above, "What blood glucose level is best for health?" circumvents the 'safe starch' threshold of damage issue, perhaps admitting that there is none, and now essentially asks, what levels of glucose might be the most 'tolerably harmful', that I had coined in the last post. This is not just a play on words. It rightfully acknowledges that glucose will cause some degree of damage at virtually any level, as I had previously maintained, and now puts the onus of health on the repair of that damage. This is as it should be. In other words, the fundamental question should be stated as such; Is there a diet (Rosedale's or Jaminet's) or glucose (starch) intake that can better maximize the repair/damage ratio that life, health, and youthful longevity depends on, admitting the inevitability of damage from glucose at any level? It is important to recognize that this is not just dependent on baseline levels of glucose, but more on the effects of the repeated glucose spikes that are known to occur from eating starches, 'safe' or otherwise, on critical hormones, particularly insulin and leptin, that 'sense' the amount of glucose and powerfully adjust the genetic expression of repair and the longevity phenotype depending on perceived nutritional circumstance. I give a summary and conclusion near the end of this article that answers this very important question that is critical to determining an optimal diet. Those wanting the 'Cliff Notes' version of this rather long post can go directly there. Those wanting more details and my latest full rebuttal to Jaminet's latest 'safe starch' arguments, read on. Let's see if Jaminet addresses this primary repair/damage ratio question. From here I will comment (in black) after passages from Paul's last blog (in red). Some links and more relevant statements from studies will be in blue. Let's look at what the evidence shows. What Blood Glucose Level is Best for Health? In my [Jaminet's] main reply I had written: What is a dangerous level of blood glucose? In diabetics, there seems to be no detectable health risk from glucose levels up to 140 mg/dl, but higher levels have risks… In people not diagnosed with diabetes, there is also some evidence for risks above 140 mg/dl. Dr Rosedale seemed to feel that this was the weakest point in my argument, and directed his fire here. My statement was a description of what the scientific literature shows, and the adjective "detectable" carries a lot of weight here. To refute my statement, you would have to find study subjects whose blood glucose never goes above 140 mg/dl, and yet show health impairments attributable to glucose. … and many studies have been found that show that, at least for a short period of time, damage from glycation and other adverse molecular events occur with far lower blood glucose. Jaminet has admitted as much by stating below, "the number of glycation reactions may be proportional to the concentration of glucose, and if glycation products are health damaging toxins then toxicity may be proportional to glucose levels.." Indeed, glycation events have been shown to be very damaging to health. On the other hand, to support Jaminet's claim, even if it were true that glucose must rise above 140 to cause damage and that therefore his higher carbohydrate diet is 'safe', one would have to show that in everyone eating Jaminet's diet, blood sugar never went above 140. Obviously, this cannot feasibly be shown, so one has to use the best science available to extrapolate most accurately. All human studies pertaining to health and longevity are inferences and not proofs as, I'm sure Jaminet will agree, it is not feasible to carry these experiments out lifelong in people. It is true that the word "detectable" carries a lot of weight when it comes to health risk. For instance, if one is just looking for a person to drop dead in the next couple of hours after consuming high glycemic starches, then in most cases the risk of glucose would not be detectable. But not in all; When speaking of his research linking glucose spikes to endothelial dysfunction; Dr. Shechter states, "..doctors know that high glycemic foods rapidly increase blood sugar. Those who binge on these foods have a greater chance of sudden death from heart attack. Our research connects the dots…" However, as one looks deeper to detect adverse effects from raising insulin, leptin, or glycation, then yes, there would be detectable levels of health risk from even a single glucose excursion. In the last post I cited studies showing such risk. Dr. Rosedale argues there is no threshold separating safe from harmful levels of glucose, because glucose acts as a toxin at all concentrations: [Dr. Rosedale states]; "I will spend a fair amount of time and show a fair number of studies to show that there is no threshold. Very simply, the higher the blood sugar rise, the more damage is done in some linear upward slope." I emailed Ron to make sure that he really did mean there was no threshold, so that glycemic toxicity begins at 0 mg/dl. He replied: [Dr. Rosedale]; "I mean the former; that glucose will cause some damage when above 0 mg/dl … obviously a moot point and theoretical when glucose very low and incompatible with life and likely a minute amount of damage when that low. At "age", acquire chronic disease, and die." Ron's view can be graphed like this: This view makes sense as a matter of molecular chemistry: the number of glycation reactions may be proportional to the concentration of glucose, and if glycation products are health damaging toxins then toxicity may be proportional to glucose levels. Good graph Paul; thanks. The trouble with this is that it doesn't really get at what we want to know: what blood glucose level optimizes human health? Actually, what we really want to know is what level of glucose consumption optimizes human health. The consumption of glucose causes a much wider range of effects than just affecting baseline, fasting blood glucose. It causes large excursions in blood glucose temporarily at least. It effects nutrient signals that are perhaps the most powerful hormones in the body that detect nutrient levels, and have an extremely powerful effect on energy use and storage and genetic expression of health (or not), as I discuss more later. If we change the y-axis so that it doesn't measure glycemic toxicity, but rather overall health of the human organism, then the shape of the curve is going to change in two major ways: First, in translating toxicity to its impact on health, we have to account for Paracelsus's rule: "the dose makes the poison." The body can readily repair small doses of a toxin with no ill effect – possibly even a hormetic benefit – but large doses of a toxin multiply damage exponentially and can prove fatal. So the impact of a toxin on health will not rise linearly, but non-linearly with a steeper slope as one moves to the right. Second, we have to account for the fact that glucose has a role as a nutrient. As Ron himself says, having too little blood glucose is "incompatible with life." So low blood glucose – depriving us of the benefits of normal levels of this nutrient – is a catastrophic negative for health. This means that the left side of the curve needs radical adjustment. With these two changes, our graph becomes something like this: It now has a U-shape. I must point out, as Paul did, that it is not the previous graph that has changed. The prior graph remains unchanged. This is now a completely different graph with a totally different y-axis. The prior graph remains valid and shows detriment with increasing glucose. Jaminet does bring up the matter of repair here, "The body can readily repair small doses of a toxin…" but I don't believe this is discussed further by Jaminet, as he focuses, as we have done previously, on risk of damage. However, the issue of repair is paramount. Not only is the damage that life encounters somewhat variable, but the ability of a life to repair that damage is also quite variable, and depends to a large extent on genetic expression of repair mechanisms, such as intracellular (from within the cell; not from eating them) antioxidant manufacture, heat shock proteins, DNA repair mechanisms, waste removal (autophagy), and other tricks that nature has to keep a life alive, if nature believes that is beneficial. That genetic expression is, in turn, largely regulated by nutrient level detecting hormones, of which insulin, leptin and mTOR are primary, and they in turn are controlled by what you eat. Therefore, what a person eats can turn up repair, or lower it, and this arguably is the most important impact of diet on health and longevity, and must be primary when recommending a diet to promote health and longevity. That brings us back to how I had stated earlier the major issue here should be expressed; which diet, Jaminet's or Rosedale's best up-regulates the repair vs. damage equation. I discuss this more near the end of this post. I've drawn the inflection point where toxicity starts rising rapidly at around 140 mg/dl, and the inflection point on the other side where hypoglycemia causes substantial health damage at around 60 mg/dl. But the precise numbers don't matter much; the point is that there is a U-shape, and somewhere in that U is a bottom where health is optimized. [my emphasis] I believe, that there is a very important clarification that needs to be made here, at least as it concerns this current post. Fasting glucose, and therefore this graph, will be pertinent in showing perhaps a correlation between fasting glucose and health, and perhaps more importantly if changing fasting glucose levels changes that correlation. The point of the studies that I cited previously pertaining to glucose levels was to show that there is no specific threshold for glucose above baseline that determines health or not, as Jaminet believes. I do not believe, nor might Jaminet, that fasting blood glucose is the sine qua non for health, and it should not be used as such. Again, it is the excursions in glucose and effects on corrupting insulin and leptin signaling that are much more significant. Therefore, most of the remainder of Jaminet's post that deals only with potential risk to health of glucose levels takes on less significance, but let's look further for more clarifications and explanations. What do we know about the precise shape of that U, and the location of the bottom? We can't intuit the shape of the bottom of the U using theoretical speculations. Theory doesn't allow us to balance risks of hypoglycemia against toxicity on such a fine scale. Empirical evidence is limited. Most studies relating blood glucose levels to health have been done on diabetics eating high-carb diets. There are few studies on healthy people… Actually, most of the studies that I cited in my last response were on 'healthy' people. His first cite is "Is there a glycemic threshold for mortality risk?" from Diabetes Care, May 1999, For both fasting and 2-h postprandial blood glucose, the [relative risk of death was] lowest between about 4.5 and 6.0 mmol/l, which translates to 81 to 108 mg/dl. However, note that there is very little rise in mortality – only about 10% higher relative risk – in 2-h glucose levels of 7 mmol/l, which is 126 mg/dl. Since the postprandial peak is rarely at 2-h (45 min is a common peak), most of these people may well have been experiencing peak levels above 140 mg/dl. [emphasis mine] That is a possibility but still speculative. In this study we do not know. Some people might have gone above 140, some might not have; just like the general population that might eat Jaminet's diet. This is important, as Paul claims risk only above 140, not at or below. I also find it quite doubtful that those following Pauls's diet will consistently measure postprandial glucose after a "safe starch" meal to make sure that blood glucose has always stayed below 140. In fact, that likely will not happen in anyone all of the time given the variability in environmental circumstances such as daily stress and sleep. I find it particularly interesting when Jaminet says above that "there is very little rise in mortality – only about 10% higher relative risk – in 2-h glucose levels of 7 mmol/l, which is 126 mg/dl." Is he going from saying that keeping sugars under 140 is completely safe, to now saying that a 10% rise in risk is minimal and apparently acceptable for those whose 2 hr glucose is under 140, or saying that in all of these people their glucose must have risen above 140? However, when one is looking only at glucose, one is looking only at the tip of an iceberg. It is what's going on underneath (insulin, leptin) that is much more significant. If it was only blood sugar, than the initial graph would still hold, showing an increase in glycation correlating with an increase in glucose. Jaminet has even admitted as much. But we know there is more to the story. My [Jaminet] interpretation: I would say that this study demonstrates that mortality is a U-shaped function of blood glucose levels, but it doesn't tell us the shape of the bottom of the U. It is consistent with the idea that significant health impairment occurs only with excursions of blood glucose above 140 mg/dl or below 60 mg/dl. That would depend what one's definition of significant is. What the study illustrates is that there is a 10% additional risk of death at 126 mg, that is significant to me, and that is well below Paul's safe limit of 140 mg and is at a level that most people would obtain after eating what Jaminet refers to as 'safe starches'. There is added risk at any level above a relatively low baseline, and that was my point. The study does show a U-curve with 2 hr glucose, less so with fasting, with the bottom of the curve showing the mortality as stated in the conclusion of the paper; the lowest mortality is with glucose levels averaging approximately 90 fasting and 100 mg/dl 2 hrs after a glucose load. Does this study add support to the author's premise, and mine, that there is no glycemic threshold above baseline (and above that which is overtly hypoglycemic) that is healthy and below which is not. Yes it does. I will once again repeat the conclusion of the authors; CONCLUSIONS: In the Paris Prospective Study, there were no clear thresholds for fasting or 2-h glucose concentrations above which mortality sharply increased; in the upper levels of the glucose distributions, the risk of death progressively increased with increasing fasting and 2-h glucose concentrations. Jaminet saying that there was only a 10% increase in mortality at 126 mg supports their conclusion and mine… that there is a gradual increase in mortality above a baseline of approximately 90 mg/dl that Jaminet previously called safe. To fit his paradigm, he must assume that in all of these people, their blood glucose rose above 140 mg/dl at some point, and there is no evidence to support that, and indeed that is not feesible. Dr Rosedale's second cite is actually to a commentary: "'Normal' blood glucose and coronary risk" in the British Medical Journal, commenting on a paper by Khaw et al, "Glycated haemoglobin, diabetes, and mortality in men in Norfolk cohort of european prospective investigation of cancer and nutrition (EPIC-Norfolk)," This study used glycated hemoglobin, HbA1c, which can serve as a measure of average blood glucose over the preceding ~3 weeks. (As a point of fact, HbA1C actually is meant to indicate blood glucose over 3 months.) This supports the "blood sugar should be as low as possible" thesis, since lower HbA1c levels were associated with lower mortality. However, this study has a few flaws: It includes diabetics. Diabetics have poor glycemic control, and episodes of hypoglycemia as well as hyperglycemia, so HbA1c levels (which represent average blood sugar levels) may be a poor proxy for the levels of glycemic toxicity. Also, diabetics are usually on blood-glucose lowering medication, which may distort the blood sugar – mortality relationship. It lumps the population together in very large cohorts. Effectively there were only three cohorts, since the highest HbA1c cohort had only 2% of the sample; the other three cohorts contained 27%, 36%, and 36% of the study population respectively. We can get a finer grip on what happens by looking at studies that lack these flaws. Here's one: "Low hemoglobin A1c and risk of all-cause mortality among US adults without diabetes,"Circulation, 2010, This study is an an analysis of NHANES III; it excludes diabetics and has 3 cohorts, not 1, with HbA1c below 5%. The U-shaped mortality curve is very clear. In raw data and all models, the lowest mortality is with HbA1c between 5.0 and 5.4. Mortality increases with every step down in HbA1c: in Model 1, mortality is 8% higher with HbA1c between 4.5 and 4.9, 31% higher between 4.0 and 4.4, and 273% higher below 4.0. So the minimum mortality HbA1c range of 5.0 to 5.4 translates to an average blood glucose level of 96.8 to 108.3 mg/dl (5.36 to 6.00 mmol/l). This result is almost identical to the finding in Dr Rosedale's first cite, from which Dr Rosedale quoted: "the lowest observed death rates were in the intervals centered on 5.5 mmol/l [99mg/dl] for fasting glucose." My interpretation: Once again, we find that there is a U-shaped mortality curve, and minimum mortality occurs with average or fasting blood glucose in the middle of the normal range – in the vicinity of 100 mg/dl or 5.5 mmol/l. I'm really not sure what the point is that Jaminet is making. That too low of blood glucose can be detrimental? Certainly, especially under certain unhealthy circumstances that may or may not have anything directly to do with the glucose per se. Low average glucose can occur with adrenal insufficiency such that cortisol levels are inadequate, or growth hormone deficiency, etc. Certainly, just like with the thyroid studies that he has pointed out below and that I believe are misunderstood, the detrimental effects of lowering glucose would be determined by how and why it is being done; as part of illness, or as part of a physiological and "purposeful" regulation to extend longevity. Lower than typical blood glucose is found in almost all models of extended lifespan (and healthspan) including caloric restriction and centenarians. What this study once again shows is an incremental increase in mortality far below a glucose level that Paul has said is healthy. This study once again supports my contention that the increase in blood sugar brought about by eating 'safe starches' is anything but safe. Let's finish our examination of this issue with a quick look at Dr Rosedale's third cite. (Does this mean that Paul is OK with the other 17 or so studies that I had cited previously showing a detriment of glucose at levels well below those that Jaminet had proposed were safe? That would be a pretty good batting average.) That paper, "Post-challenge blood glucose concentration and stroke mortality rates in non-diabetic men in London: 38-year follow-up of the original Whitehall prospective cohort study,"Diabetologia, is a familiar one; it was cited in our book (p 36, fn 35). This study looked at blood glucose levels 2 hours after swallowing 50 grams of glucose, and then followed the men for 38 years to observe mortality rates. CarbSane makes an important observation: this study used whole blood rather than plasma to assay blood glucose. Whole blood has more volume (due to inclusion of cells) but the same glucose, and so less glucose per deciliter. According to this paper, standard (plasma) values are about 25 mg/dl higher, so 95 mg/dl in whole blood actually corresponds to a plasma value of about 120 mg/dl. That was a 1965 paper. There have been considerable advances in the measurement of glucose since then, such that the differences are less, though still present. Actually, to convert from whole-blood glucose, multiplication by 1.10 (~10% difference) has been shown to generally give the serum/plasma level… Though this is known among clinicians in the field, without having clinical experience, CarbSane would not know this. Furthermore, anyone checking glucose using a home monitor (other than perhaps some newer ones calculating serum glucose), is using whole blood. The diagnosis of diabetes, by conventional standards, (though I believe that diabetes ought to be diagnosed by insulin and leptin values rather than blood glucose), is defined as a fasting plasma/serum measurement of 126. Using the conversion factor that Jaminet indicates would translate to a blood monitor level of 101. That, in turn, would translate to a whole lot more diabetics, that may benefit to a greater extent, as he mentioned in Jimmy Moore's post, by using a more "diabetic" diet such as mine. My statement that we all should be treated as diabetics would start to ring true. There is no significant difference in mortality among any group with post-challenge whole blood glucose up to 5.29 mmol/l (95 mg/dl), corresponding to 120 mg/dl or 6.7 mmol/l in standard measurements.. (…or 105 mg/dl if the correct conversion factor was used.) My [Jaminet] interpretation: This study wasn't designed to observe the lower end of the U. At the higher end, it is consistent with the other studies: mortality rises with 2-hr plasma glucose above 120 mg/dl. Actually in this study, mortality correctly rises significantly above 95 mg/dl blood, but that correlates to 105 mg/dl plasma if the much more modern and accurate conversion of 10% is used. This again is far lower than the 140 mg/dl that Jaminet has deemed safe. Summary: Optimal Blood Glucose Levels All of the papers cited by Dr Rosedale are consistent with this story: 1. Mortality and health have a U-shaped relationship with blood glucose. It does not show this. It shows a correlation with lower mortality of fasting blood glucose at approximately 90-100 mg/dl. This is not the same. There is more to health than just fasting blood glucose. Excursions in blood glucose are at least as important. 3. The impaired health seen with fasting or 2-hr blood glucose levels of 110 or 120 mg/dl may be largely attributable to the portion of the day in which those people experience blood glucose levels over 140 mg/dl. This is not indicated in any of these studies, or the many studies that I cited previously … It is possible, but so then is any speculation of impaired health. It could be due to that portion of the day in which people were in car accidents as they were texting on their phone… in other words, since other variables were not measured, we can speculate about any other cause other than the most likely and that all the studies cited here and in my last post point to; that elevations in glucose above baseline are not healthy. I should note that Dr Rosedale acknowledges that high-normal blood glucose is better than low blood glucose for some aspects of health, like fertility: [Rosedale said]; "Safe starch proponents say that raising blood glucose and raising insulin is a very natural phenomenon and needn't be avoided. However, if." Not exactly, but partly correct never-the-less. Keeping blood glucose low even after eating does favor a longer and healthy post-reproductive life. What I did indicate was that 'safe starch' proponents should not use the proposition that since raising blood sugar is a natural phenomenon, that it is a reason for that being healthy. Nature's concern for us only goes so far; namely for us to be healthy to have reproductive success, after which she loses interest. It is also natural to die, but we are reading this to avoid that natural event. I have no qualms about saying that what I'm doing and teaching to be healthy is quite unnatural, as it is the quest to be able to live a long, happy, and youthful life after making babies. Humans appear to be unique in that quest. This concern of nature and evolution began with the beginning of life to include single-celled organisms…like the 15 or so trillion cells that make you up. Increasing pressure to make more cells can increase risk of cancer, that elevations in glucose can promote. Many studies are now showing a correlation between glucose and insulin levels and cancer risk. However, large, multi-celled walking and talking organisms such as us can still reduce risk of cells multiplying in excess, while still even increasing our ability to make multi-celled babies. Insulin resistance, and especially leptin resistance is powerfully associated with infertility. One of the best ways to improve fertility is to improve leptin signaling that my diet has been shown to do. I guess one has to choose one's priorities. Not everyone will choose maximum lifespan. They should…since extending maximal lifespan (as opposed to average lifespan) also entails extending "youthspan" and healthspan. But suppose Dr Rosedale is right, and that low blood glucose levels are most desirable for at least some persons. I'm willing to stipulate, for the sake of argument, that optimal health for some persons may occur at below-normal blood glucose levels – say, 80 mg/dl. That brings us to the second issue: which diet will produce these low blood glucose levels? Which Diet Minimizes Blood Glucose Levels? If the key to health is achieving below-normal blood glucose levels, then low-carb diets are in trouble. My low-carb diet is not, and that is far from the key to health. In general, very low-carb diets tend to raise fasting blood glucose and 2-hr glucose levels in response to an oral glucose tolerance test. This is a well-known phenomenon in the low-carb community. When I ate a very low-carb diet, my fasting blood glucose was typically 104 mg/dl. Peter Dobromylskyj of Hyperlipid has reported the same effect: his fasting blood glucose is over 100 mg/dl. I don't agree that low carb diets raise fasting BG (blood glucose) levels; perhaps certain kinds do, such as high-protein diets. I have never seen this in people following my diet; only in those perhaps who were following a high protein diet. I have treated many dozens of people, diabetics and otherwise, who have supposedly been on other low carbohydrate diets, and lowered their blood sugars considerably when I put them on my diet, that generally entailed reducing protein while increasing fat. However a main point of my argument is that BG levels are only a small part of the story; What higher carb intake does to insulin and leptin is even more important; it raises them promoting insulin and leptin resistance. Back in mid summer 2007 there was this thread on the Bernstein forum. Mark, posting as iwilsmar, asked about his gradual yet progressively rising fasting blood glucose (FBG) level over a 10 year period of paleolithic LC eating. Always eating less than 30g carbohydrate per day. Initially on LC his blood glucose was 83mg/dl but it has crept up, year by year, until now his FBG is up to 115mg/dl…. A high protein diet that many, if not most in the paleo community adopt by substituting protein for carbohydrates, is not healthy. I have noticed higher BG from higher protein diets many times, compared to my recommended higher (beneficial fat) diet with lower protein. I've been thinking about this for some time as my own FBG is usually five point something mmol/l whole blood. Converting my whole blood values to Mark's USA plasma values, this works out at about 100-120mg/dl. Again, a GTT is not at all sufficient to assess metabolic health. It is necessary to know the ihe insulin and leptin response. At the least, an insulin level measured concurrently with each glucose is necessary for any meaningful results pertaining to health. I must keep saying this; diabetes, and health, are not primarily a disease of glucose. They are a disease of improper signals being given to glucose, especially those coming from insulin and leptin. These need to be measured to have any meaningful idea about the roots of health. They effect many other, even more significant aspects of health, such as a massive shift in genetic expression. Though a mistake to focus on fasting blood glucose only as an index of diabetes or health as is conventionally being done, I must say that it is my experience that fasting glucose is uniformly reduced on my diet… as are insulin and leptin levels. I do not think that Paul can say the same. The general opinion in LC circles is that you need 150g of carbohydrate per day for three days before an oral glucose tolerance test. Not in the low carb circles that I have kept; in the low carb circles of those of us who helped found the field, or in those circles of clinicians who have regularly treated patients with glucose problems. You cite Jeff Volek's work below. Let's look at another of his papers; Comparison of a Very Low-Carbohydrate and Low Fat Diet on Fasting Lipids, LDL Subclasses, Insulin Resistance, and Postprandial Lipemic Responses in Overweight Women Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol.23, No.2, 177–184 Numbers given in order; baseline, very low carb, high carb; Glucose(mg/dL) 86 83 88 Insulin(pmol/L) 41 37 50 InsulinResistanceHOMA 1.28 1.10 1.63 Please note that a very low 9%, 28 gm. carbohydrate diet did not raise blood glucose, in fact kept it in a healthy range. What's more important is that it did so concurrent with lowering insulin, thus improving insulin sensitivity. The high carb diet also kept blood glucose low, and if this is all that was looked at, there would be little to conclude. However the real and big story is that the high carb diet kept the BG down at the expense of raising insulin significantly, and thus worsening insulin resistance, and this is a very detrimental effect to overall health, risk of virtually all chronic diseases of aging, and confers a high risk to shortened lifespan. I will emphasize again; only measuring blood glucose without knowing what insulin and leptin are doing gives very incomplete and often misleading information when it comes to effects of any intervention such as diet. Basing conclusions on this is fraught with danger. This is also why the standard of current medical care for diabetics generally makes them worse. (See results of the ACCORD study.) Although I did show many studies showing the correlation of glucose on aspects of health and even mortality, it was done to disprove the notion that only glucose above 140 is detrimental, which they did, including in context of studies pertaining to insulin and leptin. The conclusion based on the totality of those studies was that detriments of glucose on various aspects of health are seen well below values that Jaminet claims are safe. This is at the high end of the 20% to 30% of energy (400 to 600 calories on a 2000 calorie diet) that is the Perfect Health Diet recommendation for carbs. The Kitavans eat more than 60% of calories as carbohydrate, mostly from starches. Their fasting blood glucose averages 3.7 mmol/l (67 mg/dl) ( I have consistently heard those in the Paleo, higher carbohydrate camp refer to the Kitavans as an example of a population eating a high carbohydrate diet and supposedly being much healthier, and the conclusion is drawn that the high carbohydrate diet is causing the improved health. Trying to draw conclusions from population groups is extremely difficult and can lead to very poor science. There are far too many variables to fully account for, and the best one can do is associate a particular variables such as a high carbohydrate diet with health. However, association does not mean cause, as I have talked so often about pertaining to cholesterol studies. Little mentioned of the Kitavans,How about this for a variable that I do not hear accounted for much pertaining to Kitavans; "Should we be concerned over increasing body height and weight." Experimental Gerontology 44 (2009) 83–92 "Researchers have found that people in traditional societies have much lower rates of certain chronic diseases compared to developed populations . Virtually all of these populations are much shorter than northern Europeans…Kitavan males have averaged 163 cm (5'4″) and females 155 cm (5'1″) for several generations…The greater longevity of smaller animals within the same species became widely known when it was found that mice fed low calorie diets grew to be smaller than normal but had extended longevities." BMI and weight: their relation to diabetes, CVD, cancer and all cause mortality. In: Samaras, T. (Ed.), Human Body Size and The Laws of Scaling: "Shorter people experience lower BMI, lower levels of various risk factors for CHD, diabetes, and all-cause mortality, such as glucose, insulin, IGF-1, CRP, homocysteine, Apo B, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL; however, they experience higher levels of desirable HDL, Apo A and SHBG." Why are they short? Kitavans eat less protein than in western societies, most of which is concentrated in 1 meal, further reducing IGF and mTOR, both of which have been shown to extend longevity. But do Kitavans even have extended longevity? That's quite debatable. They do not have a higher number than average of centenarians (if any) and do not have higher than (even post 50 year old to account for high infant death rate) average lifespans. All one can say is that Kitavans with their diet of far less junk food, lower protein, higher (cellulose) vegetables, high MCTs, that may help result in short and lean stature, with their less stressed lifestyle gives them low rates of heart disease and diabetes but with an approximately average lifespan with few centenarians. I don't understand what the big deal is there. I would not hang my hat on Kitavans as a reason to eat carbohydrates, as the hatrack is not secure. I don't know about you, but I am striving for better health than revealed by the Kitavans. I will spend a bit of time going over this and the next study cited by CarbSane and presented here, as they are excellent examples of really bad science (if that word should even be used at all) that are very misleading, and they in no way support the position that increasing carbohydrate intake is healthy… at best perhaps only somewhat less unhealthy than worse diets. In the prior study, let's look at the feeding method; "In the young subjects the usual ad libitum (control) diet composition was determined from a 2-wk dietary recall [that many studies have shown fail to 'remember' the unhealthiest foods. No one wants you to know that they downed a pizza chased by a hot fudge sunday as a midnight snack]. The HCF [high carbohydrate/fiber] diet was prepared in the metabolic kitchen at MIT and consumed by the subjects under supervision." Yup; an even playing field. The usual at home, unsupervised, ad-lib diet that could be recalled from 2 weeks prior, was compared to a very high fiber diet consumed under supervision containing on average 60 grams more fiber than the 15 gm "control" daily, the vast majority of which was insoluble and thus, though virtually totally excreted, is counted toward calorie intake. Have any of you tried to eat 75 grams of fiber daily? That's 22 tablespoons of Metamucil a day.. Talk about in and out.. This study compared a standard high fat, high carb, low fiber diet to a diet much higher in fiber. I have stated innumerable times that the typical diet is so bad that making any changes to it leads to improvement. The worst diet to be on is a high fat, high carbohydrate diet, as the (non-fiber) carbs prevents the fats from being burned. In this case the high fat, high non-fiber carb diet was being compared to a low fat, very high fiber high carb diet. Jaminet uses another study from CarbSane; "Effect of high glucose and high sucrose diets on glucose tolerance of normal men," On diets with glucose as the only carb source, 2-hr plasma glucose after a glucose challenge was 184 mg/dl on a 20% carb diet, 183 mg/dl on a 40% carb diet, 127 mg/dl on a 60% carb diet, and 116 mg/dl on an 80% carb diet. The 80% carb diet was the only one on which blood glucose never went above 140 mg/dl. It is important to know the diets being talked about. These are the glucose diets being referred to in this above second study; That's right, 65% of the lowest carb diet was force fed corn oil…the 'low-carb' group was force fed high quantities of liquid corn oil to bring calories up to 3000 cal/day, and it's not a revelation that these people didn't do too well. Jaminet is attributing their poor relative results to their low carb intake that is, by the way, 20% glucose = 600 cal. that is exactly what Jaminet calls a 'safe starch' amount and type. I think there are other reasons; lucky for Jaminet. Insulin was not measured. See my comments above. This is a usual and critical mistake. It is very possible that the very rapid and large spike in glucose secondary to eating carbs with a glycemic index of 100, caused an equally rapid spike in insulin that rapidly reduced the blood glucose. It is also well known that eating fat with sugar slows the absorption and "flattens" the blood glucose and insulin curve, resulting in perhaps higher 2 hour glucose values. But is this very rapid rise and decline i.e. high spike in blood glucose and insulin healthier? Quite the opposite. Again, what I have said for decades is that lowering glucose by raising insulin is trading one evil for an even worse one. Spikes in glucose may even be worse than a high but steady BG (see studies below), and spikes in glucose and insulin may, and I believe do, bring about insulin and leptin resistance, and therefore a whole new realm of metabolic devastation. Furthermore, in these studies, the low-carb group was not well adapted, and necessary nutrient supplementation was not given. It is well known that those people who are not adapted to a low carbohydrate diet may not fare well in the first few weeks following the initiation of this, especially if they have not supplemented with potassium and magnesium that will be lost as excess fluid is excreted in urine as insulin is reduced. Magnesium is also required for proper insulin signaling. Also, the almost infinitely high omega 6/omega 3 ratio seen in the first study would cause extreme inflammation that is known to damage islet cells and prevent proper insulin and leptin function while also impairing the metabolism of fatty acids and membrane function. I do not think that the authors were unaware of this. Once again, what those two studies merely show is that eating carbs and fat (as pure corn oil !) together is very bad, that eating large amounts of pure glucose will rapidly spike blood glucose and therefore insulin that (at least for a while before insulin resistance kicks in) is known to rapidly lower the blood glucose, that force feeding copious amounts of corn oil to maintain high calorie intake might have deleterious effects, especially in conjunction with improper implementation and without proper supplementation of at least magnesium, potassium, and omega 3 oils. The proper very low carbohydrate (higher beneficial fat, moderate only protein) diet, a few very simple precautions, and a little bit of time is necessary before significant benefits are realized,,,and they will be realized if this diet is properly implemented. But wait; there's more; Medical and nutrition studies are now often (usually?) undertaken, not to discover some underlying truth, but rather designed to obtain a predetermined and biased outcome as part of a marketing effort. Both of the previously cited studies, one from 1973, and the other from 1990, were authored by James Anderson, whom I am quite familiar with. Dr. James Anderson happens to be the chairman of the National Fiber Council, an organization that is funded by HCF [High Carbohydrates and Fiber] Nutrition Research Foundation (a nonprofit foundation reputedly funded by large carbohydrate containing food corporations and whose chairman happens to be Dr. Anderson), and other not very unbiased entities such as Procter & Gamble. Furthermore, these studies are irrelevant to our discussion that ought to be comparing, as much as possible, a very low carb, high (healthy, not corn) fat and moderate protein diet in which the participants had enough time to become adapted, to a higher carb diet. The studies by CarbSane and Jaminet are like comparing a fat 40-year-old to a fat 50-year-old in the 100 yard dash, and assuming that the winner is fit for the Olympics. This last study did not report fasting glucose, but did track blood glucose for 4 hours after the glucose challenge. If we take the 4-hr blood glucose reading as representative of fasting glucose, we find that dieters eating 60% or 80% carb diets had fasting glucose of 76 and 68 mg/dl, respectively. With all due respect for Paul, he is taking way too much liberty here. Rarely do 4 hr post prandial glucose levels reflect fasting levels. They are often higher, sometimes lower depending on insulin response (i.e. reactive hypoglycemia). This is why fasting blood tests are done at least 8 hrs and usually 12 hrs after eating. Furthermore the inadequacy of testing may have covered up the rapid, and detrimental spikes in glucose (that Jaminet also alluded to earlier) and insulin that may have likely occurred, especially with the higher glucose diets. If Jaminet really believed in these studies, then why is he not recommending very high sugar diets? I believe that he knows them to be less than healthy. interpretation of the evidence from multiple sources: A plausible conclusion is that a high-carb diet produces a low fasting glucose (let's say, 80 mg/dl), a PHD type 20% carb diet an intermediate fasting glucose (95 mg/dl), and a very low-carb diet a high fasting glucose (say, 105 mg/dl).[my emphasis] Let's not just "say". With all due respect, these are hypothetical numbers, and likely incorrect (see above). They appear designed to fit the following graph, based loosely on a couple of old and highly controversial studies and a couple of anecdotal reports. One cannot come to any conclusions, let alone what Paul is calling plausible, from those studies. There are a multitude of studies easily found that show the opposite; that eating a high carbohydrate diet is associated with raising fasting and post prandial glucose. Just for fun, I decided to see where these fasting glucose levels show up on the mortality plot from Balkau et al: The 20% carb diet lines up pretty well with the mortality minimum, and both high-carb and very low-carb diets wind up at bins with slightly elevated mortality. …only when, shall we say, imaginative numbers are used.. and again, no insulin results. Also see my study cited also below that shows a resultant average fasting glucose of 99 mg/dl on my very low carb diet associated with great insulin and leptin results (cutting nearly in half!). Now, I don't believe we can infer from data on high-carb dieters what the relationship between blood glucose levels and mortality will be in low-carb dieters. It was Dr Rosedale, not me, who introduced this study into evidence. But if we believe that lowest mortality really does occur with 2-hr post-challenge blood glucose around 100 mg/dl and fasting blood glucose below 100 mg/dl, as argued by the studies Dr Rosedale cited, and that this result applies to low-carb dieters, then I think the evidence is clear. One must eat some carbohydrates – at least 20-30% of energy. …Whoa. That conclusion is hardly warranted. What the overwhelming preponderance of evidence had shown, and what the conclusions by the authors themselves had shown, is that there is no specific threshold for glucose below which is healthy. Raising glucose above baseline increases indexes of disease and mortality. That is all that can be concluded. More than that is speculation from using studies (a 65% corn oil diet?!) that I doubt Jaminet has faith in either. Regardless, there are way too many studies that show the opposite; that eating glucose and glucose forming foods impair glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and worsens diabetes, if not being a major etiologic factor, to draw opposing conclusions. This is the standard Perfect Health Diet recommendation. It seems that Dr Rosedale is supporting my diet, not his! Oh No.. Keep me away from that Kool Aid!! What About Diabetics? Perhaps the boldest passage in Dr Rosedale's reply was this: "We are all metabolically damaged to some extent. None of us has perfect insulin and leptin sensitivity…. It is for that reason that I say that we all have diabetes, some more than others, and should all be treated as such." Well, if we all have diabetes, more or less, then I guess I have to consider whether our regular diet – which recommends about 20% of energy (400 calories) as carbs – is healthy for diabetics. Now, before I begin this discussion, let me say that I don't claim that this is optimal for diabetics. I think it is still an open question what the optimal diet for diabetics is, and different diabetics may experience a different optimum. I have often said that diabetics may benefit from going lower carb (and possibly higher protein) than our regular dietary recommendations. However, Dr Rosedale is here saying that even a healthy non-diabetic should eat a diet that is appropriate for diabetics. I want to see whether our regular diet meets that standard. How do diabetics do on a 20% carb diet? Here's some data that I found in a post by Stephan Guyenet at Whole Health Source. It's from a 2004 study by Gannon & Nuttall ( and the graph is from a later paper by Volek & Feinman ( Over a 24 hour period, blood glucose levels were tracked in Type II diabetics on their usual diets (blue and grey triangles) and after 5 weeks on a 55% carb – 15% protein – 30% fat (yellow circles) or 20% carb – 30% protein – 50% fat diet (blue circles): The low-carb diet was a little higher in protein and lower in fat than we would recommend, but very close overall to our recommendations and spot-on in carbs. What happened to blood glucose? It came close to non-diabetic levels. Fasting blood glucose dropped to 7 mmol/l (126 mg/dl), roughly the level at which diabetes is diagnosed. Postprandial blood glucose elevations were modest – peaking below 160 mg/dl which is about 20 mg/dl higher than in normal persons. Average daily blood glucose looks to be around 125 mg/dl. What would have happened on a zero-carb diet? Fasting blood glucose probably would still have been elevated, near 126 mg/dl; That's fairly fanciful, and I don't agree that lowering carbs further would start raising blood glucose. The opposite will typically happen. See Cahill cited below and in my Jimmy Moore post. Starvation (0 carb) lowers glucose dramatically. Properly implemented, lowering carbohydrates leads to further improvements. Regardless, no one is really recommending a 0 carbohydrate diet, as this would have to be laboratory fabricated. However, what my experience has been with my VLC (very low carb) and higher fat diet, is that fasting and post prandial glucose become further improved, into completely healthy, non-diabetic, non impaired glucose tolerant ranges. I do not and have not disputed that Paul's diet may lead to (much) better results than the french fries (whoops, potatoes allowed by Paul) and coke diet that the average person may eat. But to make it "perfect", the starch consumption would need to be reduced. It is interesting that Jaminet would use Jeff Volek for support. I am quite familiar with Jeff and his work through Eric Westman who has collaborated with Jeff often and me previously; he is a co-author on my paper cited here. It is extremely unlikely that Jeff (or Eric) would agree with that statement or Jaminet's conclusions about a very low carbohydrate diet raising blood glucose. Aside from having higher protein than I would recommend, this is close to my diet.. Volek's VLCD; Protein ~28%, Carbohydrate 7% (39 gms), Fat (%) 64 "…there were significant decreases in insulin (28%) and leptin (64%) concentration after the VLCKD [very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet]. Postprandial insulin responses immediately after the fat-rich meal were significantly lower after the VLCKD. …Another consistent effect we have seen in our studies is a reduction in fasting glucose and insulin [on a VLCD]… Fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance were all significantly lower after the VLCKD compared with the low-fat diet…we propose that VLCKD may be particularly suitable for preventing and treating metabolic syndrome." And in; Lipids 2009 Apr;44(4):297-309. Epub 2008 Dec 12. Carbohydrate restriction has a more favorable impact on the metabolic syndrome than a low fat diet. …this is common in diabetics because the loss of pancreatic beta cells creates a glucagon/insulin imbalance that leads to elevated fasting blood glucose. This blood glucose level would have been maintained throughout most of the day, with the postprandial peaks and troughs flattening. Average daily blood glucose level would have been similar to that on the 20% carb diet. There are too many "would have" speculations (likely false) in this argument. I believe that I was the first person to use a low carbohydrate, relatively high-fat diet to treat diabetics and taught most of the others in one way or another who are doing this today, And I will emphatically say that lowering carbohydrates as much as possible, without the consumption of excess protein, is by far the best way to lower glucose and insulin (and leptin), i.e. to reverse insulin (and leptin) resistance, and in fact to frequently totally reverse the disease of T2 diabetes (or impaired glucose tolerance). Any additional carbohydrate or protein will adversely affect these results. I do believe that if Paul were to treat diabetics and compare results, his ideas would be quite different. So the big benefit, in terms of glycemic control for diabetics, comes from reducing carbs from 55% to 20%. Further reductions in carb intake do not reduce average 24 hour blood glucose levels, but may reduce postprandial glucose spikes.[my emphasis] I am happy that Jaminet said that, since reducing glucose spikes may be even more important than reducing fasting glucose. There are in fact quite a few articles that are now showing that spikes in glucose are worse than steady high glucose. Here's one; Glucose oscillations, more than constant high glucose, induce p53 activation and a metabolic memory in human endothelial cells Schisano, Diabetologia, Volume 54, Number 5, 1219-1226 "Conclusions/interpretation;Exposure to oscillating glucose was more deleterious than constant high glucose and induced a metabolic memory after glucose normalisation. Hyperactivation of p53 during glucose oscillation might be due to the absence of consistent feedback inhibition during each glucose spike and might account for the worse outcome of this condition." And another; Effects of intermittent high glucose on oxidative stress in endothelial cells. Qin-Min Ge, Acta Diabetologica, Volume 47, Supplement 1, 97-103 "Intermittent high glucose induced a greater over-production of ROS [reactive oxygen species] than constant high glucose…and may be involved in the development of vascular complications." …and I do not think that I need to show studies that eating 'safe starches' such as rice and potatoes will spike and oscillate blood glucose…The glycemic index again shows that well. I switched from the Atkins Induction diet to the Perfect Health Diet. I have been eating rice, potatoes, bananas, and other safe starches ever since, as well as fermented dairy products, such as plain, whole milk yogurt. I have also slowly lost another seven pounds. I enthusiastically recommend the book, Perfect Health Diet by Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet. Today, my fasting blood glucose reading was 105. Note that since following the Perfect Health Diet, my fasting blood glucose reading has gone down. Previously, I was suffering from the "dawn phenomenon." My blood glucose levels overall were well below 140 one hour after a meal and 120 two hours after a meal. Only my fasting BG reading was out of whack, usually between 120 and 130, first thing in the morning. For dinner tonight, I had a fatty pork rib, green beans, and a small baked potato with butter and sour cream. For dessert, I had a half cup of vanilla ice cream. One hour after eating, my blood glucose level was 128 and two hours after, it was 112. So not only am I losing weight on the Perfect Health Diet, my blood glucose levels have actually improved, thanks to the increased carbs counteracting the dawn phenomenon, just as Dr. Kurt Harris (another proponent of safe starches) said it would. So for me, as a type II diabetic, this "safe starches" exclusion is pointless…. [D]espite the type II diabetes, I am doing just fine on the Perfect Health Diet, thank you. I reject the diabetic exclusion of safe starches. Note that Newell's fasting blood glucose went down from 125 to 105 mg/dl when he raised his carb intake from Atkins Induction to Perfect Health Diet levels, and postprandial glucose levels on PHD were no higher than his fasting levels on Atkins Induction. It looks like he reduced blood glucose levels by adding starches to his diet. Mine is not the Atkins diet. Furthermore Newell's blood sugar is still not healthy. It appears likely he is talking about his home measurement of glucose being 105. Using Jaminet's conversion, that would equate to a laboratory serum value of 130 mg/dl, that would still place him very much in the diabetic range; not such a great result. Using a more accurate conversion, it would be 118; still very unhealthy and considered impaired glucose tolerant. It is extremely unfortunate that this is being touted as healthy by Newell himself, who will have to suffer the consequences of being misinformed. Also, do we know what his insulin is? Has it ever even been measured? As I have stated so often; lowering glucose at the expense of raising insulin is doing someone no favors. Newell may be doing better than bad on the surface (only in-so-far as blood glucose levels go), but I consider it a failure if a type II diabetic of mine is not completely reversed, such that healthy blood sugars are obtained without medication and associated with lower insulin. It is so important, that I have to keep repeating it; diabetes is not a disease of blood glucose, but a disease of the signals being given to glucose. These are what need to be treated and measured. Giving only glucose measurements tells me little about the health of a "diabetic". To repeat: I'm not claiming that our regular diet, providing 20% of energy from "safe starches," is optimal for diabetics. I don't know what the optimal diabetes diet is, and it may be different for different diabetics. But I think there is plentiful evidence that even for diabetics, our "regular" diet is not a bad diet. And for some, it might be optimal. Here I am happy to finally agree, and it feels good to be able to do so. Jaminet's diet is certainly not a bad diet, and I hope that I have never given the impression that it is. It is better than most other diets generally being touted. Optimal for some? I can't say. I truly believe that the closer that any diet comes to mine, the better it is. This has been shown to me over the last 2 decades of patient experience, the continual outpouring of supporting science, first pertaining to insulin, then leptin, then mTOR and the now very robust science over the last decade pertaining to the biology of aging…and also by the numerous well known low carb diets that have ultimately modified their original programs to try to morph into mine. It looks like 20% of energy is a sort of magic number for carbs. It: Why does this magic number, which happens to be the Perfect Health Diet recommendation for carb intake, do so well? Perhaps a chart will make the science a little clearer. "Dietary glucose in" (blue) represents the amount of carbs obtained from diet. "The body's glucose utilization" (maroon) is how much glucose will be put to useful purposes at a given daily carb consumption. Glucose utilization does not vary as strongly as glucose intake. Actually, glucose utilization can vary tremendously depending on the activity of many hormone levels, including insulin, leptin and their level of sensitivity, cortisol, thyroid, growth hormone. When one eats glucose there will be glucose spikes of varying amplitude, and as shown above, this is particularly detrimental. At low intakes a deficit is made up by gluconeogenesis (manufacture of glucose from protein) and at high intakes an excess of glucose is destroyed by thermogenesis or conversion of glucose to fat. Where the blue and maroon lines cross, dietary glucose in matches the body's glucose utilization. But it is critical to note that this point, where the body's glucose utilization and needs meet, are a constantly moving target that a person can never consciously know, and therefore one cannot eat accordingly. This is a major point I made in my last response and post on Jimmy's blog in answer tomy question that I had asked on Paul's behalf, "Is it healthier to consume the required glucose (though much less required than Paul had assumed) or is it better to let the body manufacture its own needs?" I will repost my answer; Is it healthier to get the glucose, any glucose, from the diet, or from gluconeogenesis? Is it healthier to eat starches, and in fact go out of one's way to do it, for the necessary glucose, or is it better to let the body make its own from other sources, i.e. gluconeogenesis via glycerol from fat or from lactate and amino acids. It first needs to be pointed out that in reality one cannot eat a zero carbohydrate/sugar diet. Although not necessary, one will always eat some sugar or sugar forming carbohydrate even on a good very low carbohydrate (VLC) diet. Even plain green vegetables will have some sugar, as will nuts. However, for purposes of this discussion we will assume that a VLC diet has almost no non-fiber, sugar forming carbohydrates. Eating rice or potatoes or any bolus of starch will result in at least three adverse consequences in everyone. #1.They will be quickly converted into glucose that will spill into the circulation in a relatively uncontrolled way raising blood glucose as a bolus…in some more than others, but will raise blood glucose significantly in everyone. #2. This will raise insulin (if one still has functioning islet cells) and it will raise leptin. This is meant for relatively short-term survival, but not so good and has not evolved for a long, post reproductive and healthy lifespan. The immediate physiological consequences of raising insulin are well known, are in every medical physiology textbook, and was the topic of a talk that I gave 15 years ago "Insulin and its Metabolic Effects" that is easily found all over the internet. It reduces if not prevents one's ability to burn fat. This also reduces production of glycerol substrates to make glucose.. It causes fluid retention and sodium retention. It causes vasoconstriction, both increasing blood pressure, etc. #3. Repeated elevations and insulin and leptin cause insulin and leptin resistance. Now we are into a whole new realm of poor health. Now insulin and leptin are not staying high for a few hours a day, but staying high throughout the entire day…and night, whether one eats or not… Causing more and more insulin and leptin resistance in a vicious cycle until, at least for insulin, the islet cells start burning out…lowering insulin but further raising glucose…and now we are into full-blown diabetes. Raising insulin and leptin repeatedly has extremely adverse consequences that I feel are instrumental in the early onset of virtually all of the chronic diseases of aging and in fact accelerating aging itself.. When glucose is consumed, that bolus of glucose circulates, potentially doing damage before being picked up by the liver for metabolism and controlled redistribution. Eating starch and therefore a bolus of glucose will, at least to some extent, by spiking blood glucose, insulin, and leptin, mimic the stress response. I, for one, do not need any help with that. When, however, the liver makes the requisite glucose, the amount and distribution is immediately regulated. The liver will only make what is necessary…unless it has become resistant to signals that tell it what to do, as in insulin and leptin resistance brought about from spiking those hormones by constantly eating boluses of glucose/starch. Under typical, non stressed conditions, there is far less of an insulin and leptin excursion if glucose is made via gluconeogenesis then if taken by diet. In fact, one of the major signals to shut off gluconeogenesis is elevated insulin. The ancient, deep brain (as opposed to cortex) and body knows its constantly changing, biologically complex needs far better than 'thinking' we do and if kept healthy, will only make the glucose that is necessary. I would far prefer to keep my liver sensitive to the bodies' signals and let it do its thing, than to think for one minute that I could outthink it by forcing 400 cal. glucose daily [or even 600 cal.] For most sedentary adults, this level will be around 600 carb calories per day. Not so. A VLC well adapted person has a glucose requirement closer to 300 cal, all of which can easily come from non carbohydrate sources, including glycerol from fat and recycled lactose. See Cahill and my entire last post on Jimmy's site. We recommend eating close to or slightly below this point ("PHD Recommendation"). There are dangers in straying too far from this intersection point: Eating too few carbs creates a risk of health impairment due to insufficient glucose or protein. Jaminet is speaking here I assume about what he had previously referred to as "glucose deficiency". I had refuted the existence of this quite thoroughly in that last post on Jimmy Moore's blog. There is no such entity in a non clinically hypoglycemic individual. As opposed to my repeating this here, those interested should refer back to that last response. As far as too few carbs creating insufficient protein; I don't get the connection there. I totally agree. That's twice in one day…on a roll… though I would argue that consistently eating 600 cal. glucose forming carbs and even less will at least sometimes, if not nearly always, cause unhealthy fluctuations in blood glucose. Hitting just below the intersection is a safe, low-stress point which will work well for most people. I would move that intersection considerably to the left. For diabetics, the excess glucose disposal pathways are broken. However, this is not a major problem if you have no excess glucose to dispose of. Eating up to 20% of calories from carbs doesn't require the use of disposal pathways – glucose can be stored as glycogen and then released as needed, so the effect of dietary glucose is primarily to reduce the amount of gluconeogenesis. Suppressing gluconeogenesis requires some residual insulin secretion ability, so Type I diabetics cannot achieve this, but most Type IIs can. The upshot: A 20% carb diet meets the body's glucose needs without much risk of hyperglycemic toxicity even in diabetics. I see the shift starting to happen…from a 20% carb diet being healthiest, to now resulting in not too much risk. Just a little more time may be needed for Paul to come over to my camp. As I've said, it takes a little time to adapt to my diet; even conceptually… The Issue of Thyroid Hormones and Anti-Aging The most distinctive element of Dr. Rosedale's diet is its emphasis on longevity as the supreme measure of health, and its emphasis on calorie restriction (especially, carb and protein restriction) and metabolic suppression as the means to long life. Dr. Rosedale rejects evolutionary selection as a helpful criterion, since evolution did not necessarily select for longevity: [Rosedale says], "If. We have no footsteps to follow as far as the best way to eat for long healthy post reproductive life. We can only use the best science pertaining to the biology of aging and apply it to proper nutrition. That is what I feel I am doing." We actually share much of Dr Rosedale's perspective on what influences longevity; it is for longevity that we recommend slightly under-eating carb and protein compared to what evolution selects for. However, we don't go as far in that direction as Dr Rosedale does. We have written of the suppression of T3 thyroid hormone levels which is part of the body's strategy for conserving glucose in times of scarcity, and how this is a risk factor for "euthyroid sick syndrome." See Carbohydrates and the Thyroid, Aug 24, 2011. Dr Rosedale acknowledges this (I am not acknowledging that this leads to euthyroid sick thyroid syndrome; quite the opposite) and believes it to be beneficial: [Rosedale says], "I believe that Jaminet and most others misunderstand the physiologic response to low glucose, and the true meaning of low thyroid. Glucose scarcity (deficiency may be a misnomer) elicits an evolutionary response to perceived low fuel availability. This results in a shift in genetic expression to allow that organism to better survive the perceived famine…. As part of this genetic expression, and as part and parcel of nature's mechanism to allow the maintenance of health and actually reduce the rate of aging, certain events will take place as seen in caloric restricted animals. These include a reduction in serum glucose, insulin, leptin, and free T3…The reduction in free T3 is of great benefit, reducing temperature, metabolic damage and decreasing catabolism…. We are not talking about a hypothyroid condition. It is a purposeful reduction in thyroid activity to elicit health. Yes, reverse T3 is increased, as this is a normal, healthy, physiologic mechanism to reduce thyroid activity." This is an explanation of why this is not "sick thyroid". Note that Dr Rosedale acknowledges that his glucose-scarce diet reduces body temperature. Many Rosedale dieters have had this experience. Darrin didn't like it: "The best place to measure is under the tongue. Ideal basal temperature is what you have when you first wake up in the morning, and on the Rosedale diet should be upper 96′s lower 97′s. We have found that when someone starts our diet, their basal temperature will go down about 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit which is a great improvement". Personally, i did not feel good on a lower body temp when i was low carb (sub 50g) & have been working hard (following phd diet & supps) to get my body temp back up. i would say my basal/morning oral temp is now around the 97.5F on average (up from around 96.5F average pre PHD). As far as Darrin; I have not known anyone who had difficulty in maintaining my diet because of low body temperature that was not hypothyroid (from disease) or had deficient adrenal function. The fact that he had to work hard to get his temperature up leads me to believe that there were/are other problems involved, as getting temperature higher is typically extremely easy and can happen in as short as one day by eating more carbs. This should be looked into. As stated before, single anecdotal stories are not very good science. I have literally hundreds of testimonies indicating extreme benefit when switching to my diet from many other diets. Again, I am not talking about a sick thyroid. I am not talking about a thyroid that is low because it has to be, or a body temperature that is low because the body does not have enough lean mass or proper physiology to maintain a higher temperature, which is all that the above examples and studies indicate. I am not talking about hypothyroidism. I am talking about a thyroid that is purposefully being lowered to enhance the wellness and survivability of that life. Please understand that this is very different. One is very healthy; one is very not. This is analogous to fasting insulin. Almost always, a high fasting insulin indicates insulin resistance and poor health. Properly treated, fasting insulin goes down and the person is healthier. You don't say that that person now has a sick pancreas. The same is true for thyroid. As part and parcel of making that person healthier, fasting insulin is reduced, fasting leptin is reduced, and so is free T3 reduced. Also, as in my previous post, temperature must be orchestrated for maximal health. As we age, one of the major problems is that our temperature does not go as high with infection as it did when we were children. This is what can predispose to serious infection. My diet does not relegate people to low temperature. It keeps temperature a little bit lower when that is healthiest, but does not prevent a rise in temperature, a fever, when necessary as with infection, but instead would promote it. This is very healthy. Having a "fever" when not necessary, and is promoted by the thermogenesis of burning 'healthy starches' and excess protein is what is not. Readers of our book know that we think infections are a major factor in aging and premature death. Whether a diet so restricted in carbs that it significantly lowers body temperature is really optimal for longevity is, I think, open to question. it is extremely important to have the confusion and misunderstanding by many if not most in the medical and health community of the true meaning of free T3 and body temperature being lowered, resolved. In caloric restricted animals where body temperature and free T3 goes down, the immune response is markedly increased, and their mortality rate is well known to be significantly reduced while lifespan significantly increased. There is also a huge reduction in autoimmune diseases, secondary to improving immune function, not lowering it. The reason for the difference between the sick thyroid in the above-cited studies and the healthy thyroid in CR and my diet, is the reason that T-3 and body temperature is being lowered. In the former, it is being lowered because of sickness not because it generally is causing the sickness (though it may also). Certainly I can give the more extreme example that body temperature is lower when one is dead. In calorie restricted animals and in those on my diet, on the other hand, free T3 and body temperature are reduced as part and parcel of a shift in genetic expression towards maintenance, repair, and longevity, in the same way that the temperature of your car is reduced when it is functioning best; when it is getting the best mileage, has the best acceleration, and where the engine will live longest. In both cases, it is making the best use of available resources, and wanting to reduce waste. In the former, thyroid is low because it is sick. In the latter, and with my diet, thyroid goes lower to keep one healthy. If the car is running hotter, you know that is sick. It does so because it must and perhaps better than not running at all. Furthermore, it is now a fairly well stablished finding that free T3 is reduced in centenarians. One example; "A cross-section analysis of FT3 age-related changes in a group of old and oldest-old subjects, including centenarians' relatives, shows that a down-regulated thyroid function has a familial component and is related to longevity" Andrea Corsonello, et al Age and Ageing 2010; 39: 723–727 "Down-regulation of thyroid hormones, due to either genetic predisposition or resetting of thyroid function [emphasis mine], favours longevity." The key is that we can reset our thyroid function to be that of centenarians, even if we were not so genetically predisposed. We can make our own luck, but not by adding carbohydrates.. If ketosis is an indication of fatty acid utilization as fuel, and if this is a marker of a shift in metabolism towards that seen in caloric restriction that has been shown to confer tremendous health benefits including longevity, then what Cahill states in his previously cited paper must be strongly noted; as little as 100 grms. of carbohydrate (that Jaminet recommends) will prevent this. Fuel Metabolism in Starvation Annu. Rev. Nutr. 2006.26:1-22. George F. Cahill, Jr. Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School There is a plausible case to be made for the Rosedale diet as a diet that sacrifices certain aspects of current health in the hope of extending lifespan. It cannot however claim to be the optimal diet for everyone. It is certainly not optimized for fertility, athleticism, or immunity against infections. I suppose my diet may not be optimized for every single person, but not for the reasons that Jaminet states. Those with impaired digestive function, that produce insufficient lipase or bile, may have difficulty with a high fat diet, but this would pertain to Paul's diet also. As far as the fertility, immunity, and athletic performance; 'The Rosedale Diet' actually improves fertility and immunity compared to a higher carbohydrate diet, and can be excellent for sports, with certain adjustments, depending on the type. The control of leptin is essential for immune function and fertility, and many studies show this. Both Paul and I are asking people to sacrifice a little for the reward of better health. I may be asking for a little bit more (and that is debatable as ones addiction and desire areas of the brain become rewired as leptin is lowered), but I believe that the reward is exponential as one follows a diet that I have recommended, lowering non-fiber carbs as much as possible. After all, we are not talking about a better health diet. We are talking about an optimal diet, a "Perfect Health" diet, as it were. That diet, as far as promoting a long, healthy and happy life would be as I have recommended for so many years, and would entail reducing consumption of sugars and starch as much as possible. Jaminet Conclusion; I am sympathetic to the broad perspective that underlies Dr Rosedale's diet. Both our diets are low-carb, low-protein, and high-fat, and studies of longevity are the biggest factor motivating the recommendation to eat a fat-rich diet. Thank you, and I agree…and ultimately, when this 'debate' settles down, we should join to fight the much larger battle against those recommending and even prescribing a low fat, high carbohydrate diet to the masses, that I think we both believe is largely contributory to the epidemic of chronic disease worldwide. However, Dr Rosedale takes low-carb and low-protein dieting to an extreme that I think is not well supported by the evidence. Not exactly. As often previously stated, the major detriment of Jaminet's diet are the spikes in glucose, insulin, and leptin that his diet results in, and the resultant contribution to insulin and leptin resistance. Unfortunately, this has been addressed only to a minor degree. I do agree, that this would happen less on Paul's diet then the typical American diet, but considerably more than with the diet I recommend. Neither claim is supported. Mortality is a U-shaped function of blood glucose and blood glucose levels around 90 to 100 mg/dl are healthiest, not low blood glucose levels. Moreover, the diet that delivers the lowest blood glucose levels is a high-carb, insulin-sensitizing diet, such as the Kitavans eat, not a low-carb diet. This last statement is highly debatable, likely false, and disputed by many researchers and studies, some of which I have previously cited. A high carb diet only appears to be insulin sensitizing if compared to an even worse diet. Otherwise the phrase, "a high carb, insulin sensitizing diet", is an oxymoron. Calorie restriction results in very low blood glucose… and enhanced health and longevity. Furthermore,… Paul has just told us that the lowest blood glucose levels are not healthy, and yet cites the Kitivans with very low fasting BG for being so healthy. I'm confused. If I truly believed Dr Rosedale's argument for lower blood glucose, he would have persuaded me to eat a high-carb Kitavan-style diet. However, I am not persuaded. A 20% carb diet, while not optimal for every single person, is healthy for nearly everyone. Twenty percent may be the best single prediction of the optimal carb intake for the population as a whole. Even diabetics can do well eating 20% carbs. And that is why we recommend moderate consumption of safe starches. While I maintain that fasting glucose is a much poorer index compared to measuring glucose excursions and insulin and leptin resistance, I must again show results from my own study; Here the fasting glucose on my diet fell to 99 mg/dl or that value that Jaminet says indicates the healthiest of diets, but here this occurs concurrent with lowering insulin and leptin, indicating much improved insulin and leptin sensitivity. Rosedale Summary and Conclusions; The studies and statements presented in my Jimmy Moore post and here should be understood by what they altogether point to. 1) The requirement for glucose is much less, even half of what Paul has indicated. 2) These requirements can easily be met without the consumption of a single gram of glucose in a very low carbohydrate adapted individual. 3) There is no such thing as a glucose deficiency. 4) Any excursion of glucose above baseline will result in some increment of damage and/or mortality. There is no threshold. 5) Repeated excursions of glucose above baseline cause excursions of insulin and leptin, and repeated excursions of these contribute to, if not cause insulin and leptin resistance, and this results in a significant acceleration of the chronic diseases of aging and aging itself. This is the major significance and detriment of eating a food that raises blood glucose. 6) One can't pin one's hope on only doing what is natural. Post reproductive death is extremely natural. We can only rely on science, especially the science of the biology of aging, to show how to live a long, post-reproductive lifespan. We have no footsteps to follow. Not the Kitavans, not the Okinawans. 7) We all have some degree of metabolic derangements including insulin and leptin resistance, and this really should be considered the hallmark of diabetes. We should therefore all be treated as such, especially with a diet known to improve those parameters as much as possible. That would be my Rosedale diet, as revealed in the only research paper that I am aware of (cited previously here) that correlates a particular diet with nearly all of the laboratory parameters associated with and perhaps causative of enhanced health and lifespan in a well known model of this, caloric restriction, though without having to caloric restrict. 8 ) I talked considerably about the meaning of the purposeful genetic expression of reduced thyroid levels that my Rosedale Diet accomplishes, particularly reduced free T3, and especially as it relates to point 7 above. Jaminet's major emphasis in this blog is the significance of fasting and 2 hr post prandial glucose. Unfortunately, that is likely the least important variable pertaining to glucose, insulin, leptin that is influenced by diet. There are many determinants of fasting blood glucose; sleep patterns, cortisol, sympathetic overdrive, growth hormone, to name but a few, that not only raise blood glucose but may increase mortality irrespective of blood glucose. I had used some studies of glucose levels to merely show a lack of toxic threshold. Furthermore, I have shown that oscillations in glucose that undeniably occur after the consumption of 'safe starches', as any table of glycemic index would show, may result in damage to a more significant extent than even elevated fasting glucose. Much of Jaminet's argument is illustrated by his statement, "Studies confirm that high-carb diets tend to lower fasting glucose and to lower the blood glucose response to a glucose challenge." Studies do not confirm anything of the sort. One study cited by Paul supports only that if a person eats a very high carbohydrate diet containing the equivalent of 22 tablespoons of Metamucil made up by a lab and eaten under supervision, that it can lead to some improvement over a standard American diet eaten at home, especially if that study is funded by large corporations with a huge financial interest in the outcome. This only serves as an example of the very poor science that permeates medicine and nutrition that unfortunately often is not realized…as does the other study that Jaminet uses to illustrate his point, where a high carbohydrate diet is compared to a low carbohydrate diet, and where the difference in calories is made up by force feeding 65% calories from corn oil. Moreover, it is confusing that this statement is made to support Jaminet's diet, since he does not recommend a high carbohydrate diet, but a diet containing only a moderate consumption of 'safe starches' that these studies did not come close to following. Furthermore, the support that Jaminet is able to muster from other articles he presents, is only derived by his improbable assumption that, since glucose spikes were not measured, that they mustn't have ever gone above 140 mg/dl. Further 'support' was only secondary to a large error in conversion between blood and plasma glucose. I believe the only conclusion that can be drawn from these and related studies that were presented, is the same as the authors' conclusions; that fasting and 2 hr. glucose above some number, 100 mg/dl?, 105 mg/dl?, is correlated with some incremental degree of damage and/or mortality, and this is considerably less than 140 mg/dL that Jaminet has said is safe. Little argument is given about the detrimental effects of eating 'safe starches' and glucose spikes on raising insulin, and resultant insulin resistance, with the exception of the (very poor) study that compared people eating a standard American diet to those eating a controlled, very high fiber (22 tablespoons!) diet, in which the latter did predictably better. I'm still not sure what the relevance of that study is. Nothing was mentioned about leptin. I believe that all of the 8 points that I have stated above are still standing strong, with little evidence to the contrary. Further arguments given by Jaminet misinterpret the concept I had presented of the natural selection of reproductive success over a long post reproductive lifespan. He assumes that my diet would impair fertility, when, in fact proper leptin signaling, that my diet has been shown to promote, is essential to fertility. However the concept that nature doesn't much care whether we live a long, healthy (post-reproductive) life is important, in that it tells us that we should not necessarily copy what we perceive to be natural. After all, hemlock is natural. So is dying. So now, let's take this debate deeper, and where it belongs. Though nature doesn't care whether we live a long, healthy life, nature does want us to live long enough to make (and raise) babies. We can use nature's secrets about how to stay alive and healthy to make babies, and apply those secrets to post reproductive years, so that we can also live a younger and longer post reproductive life, whether nature cares about that or not. We have no footsteps to follow in that quest, but must use the best science currently available related to a long and healthy life. That gets us to the main issue and most important question that I had asked earlier; Is there a diet (Rosedale's or Paul's) or glucose (starch) intake that can better maximize the repair/damage ratio that life, health, and youthful longevity depends on? Has this been answered here yet? A little bit, as it pertains to thyroid. Paul has said that his diet would not have the effects on thyroid as my diet, namely lowering T3, and he is likely right; see below. However, though Paul thinks lowering thyroid is disadvantageous, it is far from; in fact quite the opposite. The purposeful lowering of thyroid likely helps to mediate metabolic advantages that help confer longevity in centenarians and in calorie restriction. Note that calorie restriction has been shown to greatly improve health and increase maximal lifespan in almost every species studied since the 1930s. The holy grail of aging research (including the giant pharmaceutical corporations) has been to find a way (drug) to mimic the effects of calorie restriction without having to do so. Read on. In the study cited previously, [In centenarians] "Down-regulation of thyroid hormones, due to either genetic predisposition or resetting of thyroid function, favours longevity." …as my diet has been shown to do. And the effect of calorie restriction on thyroid; Effect of Caloric Restriction and Dietary Composition on Serum T3 and Reverse T3 in Man "Subjects receiving the no-carbohydrate hypocaloric diets for two weeks demonstrated a similar 47% decline in serum T3 [as caloric restriction] … In contrast, the same subjects receiving isocaloric diets containing at least 50 g of carbohydrate showed no significant changes in either T3 or rT3 concentration." Very low carbohydrates such as mine has similar effects on thyroid as caloric restriction. Keep in mind that I do not calorie restrict. People are told to eat whenever they are hungry, except for 3 hrs before bedtime. Of interest is that the authors' note in this study that the (isocaloric) addition of 50 gm of carbohydrate totally reversed this beneficial effect of lowering T3. Paul recommends at least 100 g of carbohydrate to be added everyday. Some more clues.. Centenarian indicators of longevity; Evaluation of neuroendocrine status in longevity. Neurobiol Aging. 2007; 28(5):774-83 Baranowska B "Our data revealed several differences in the neuroendocrine and metabolic status of centenarians, compared with other age groups, including the lowest serum concentrations of leptin, insulin and T3…" Calorie Restriction indicators of longevity; The Fall in Leptin Concentration Is a Major Determinant of the Metabolic Adaptation Induced by Caloric Restriction Independently of the Changes in Leptin Circadian Rhythms Leptin is involved in the hormonal regulation of the reproductive, somatotropic, thyroid, and autonomic axes and ultimately in the regulation of energy balance. In parallel to the metabolic adaptation observed in response to caloric restriction (CR), plasma leptin concentrations are substantially decreased…Conclusion: Our results confirm an important role for leptin as an independent determinant of the metabolic adaptation in response to CR. Note also that the reduction in leptin may be primary to elicit the metabolic adaptations of caloric restriction, including the reduction in thyroid/free T3, and therefore the extreme beneficial effects on health and lifespan. "This retrospective analysis of patients from a private clinic adhering to a high-fat, low carbohydrate, adequate protein diet [the Rosedale diet] demonstrated reductions in critical metabolic mediators including insulin, leptin, glucose, triglycerides, and free T3… Patients in this study demonstrated a similar directional impact on the measured parameters when compared to studies using more established models of longevity such as caloric restriction." We may have found a way to mimic caloric restriction, at least to some extent and any extent is extraordinary. It appears that my diet can mimic the hormonal changes in T3, insulin, and leptin seen in calorie restriction studies that are instrumental to mediate the major physiological and extremely beneficial effects of calorie restriction, but without having to calorie restrict. This could more rightfully be called the perfect diet. There are no studies that indicate that Jaminet's diet would have similar benefits. However, there are clues that it would not. Cahill has shown that a carbohydrate intake of 100 grams/day (that coincidently Paul recommends) reverses ketoses, impedes the ability to burn fat, and likely prevents the full physiology and genetic expression of health and longevity as revealed by caloric restriction. Furthermore, adding 50 gm of carbohydrate may at least contribute to reversing the beneficial effect of lowering T3 that mediates much of the advantages of CR, as shown in the above study. Jaminet's diet adds double that intake. Paul himself claims that his diet doesn't lower thyroid, as he feels this to be unhealthy. What is good pertaining to Jaminet's diet, is that part of it that parallels mine, namely the higher fat and lower carbohydrate. That which is less good is the part of it that deviates from my diet, namely the addition of approximately 100 g of so-called 'safe starches' per day. However this is a significant difference in that it may undo the metabolic advantages that are seen in CR. What is becoming clear, is that a high fat diet, that I believe to be far superior to high carbohydrate, low fat diets, must be accompanied by very low (non fiber) carbohydrate consumption for the deeper health benefits to be realized. What I believe to be the crystallization of nutritional, biochemical, and biology of aging studies, and what the bottom line really is, is this; one's health, youthspan, and lifespan, is predicated on burning fat. The more one burns fat as their primary fuel, the healthier and longer will likely be one's life. Burning glucose will likely lead to far greater disease and a shorter life. Whether one burns glucose or fatty acids, or ketones from fatty acids, will be determined by powerful nutrient sensing hormones particularly insulin and leptin, and to be healthy these must be able to have their messages heard. Eating glucose will raise insulin and raise leptin, will impede the ability to burn fat, and contribute in some degree to progressive insulin and leptin resistance that is a hallmark of accelerated aging and its associated symptoms of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, immunity disorders, brain and neurological diseases, and cancer. My endeavor has been, and will be, to support ways to ward this off, and so far science has robustly supported a diet such as mine being the best way to do this. I am very confident that virtually everything I have said for most of the last 20 years will eventually be shown to be correct. Much of it already has; insulin, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, mTOR and excess protein, even reducing calcium intake, and the myths of cholesterol… I have not had to revise my original premises, while most, if not all of the other original low carbohydrate advocates have tried to morph their diets into mine. My assertions and theories of nearly 20 years ago are still standing strong, and have yet to be disproven. Few, if any, in this field can claim that. I believe that Jaminet's diet can improve one's health, but if you want to go to the next frontier, to that frontier where it is possible to slow down the effects of aging and reverse to a great extent many of the chronic diseases of aging, as revealed by calorie restriction and other elegant studies being done by scientists around the world studying the biology of aging, such as Cynthia Kenyon, you will have to take the next step that my diet will take you to. To do this, one has to reduce the consumption of sugar and starch to a further extent than recommended by Paul to be more in line with my recommendations. Adding glucose to my diet, as essentially done by Jaminet, has been shown to undo the beneficial effects (including youthful life extension) of reduced insulin signalling, as revealed by Cynthia Kenyon's study that we had discussed over lunch many years previously… Glucose Shortens the Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans by Down-Regulating Aquaporin Gene Expression Seung-Jae Lee, Coleen T. Murphy, and Cynthia Kenyon Cell Metab. 2009 November ; 10(5): 379–391 "We found that adding a small amount of glucose to the medium (0.1-2%) shortened the lifespan of C. elegans…Together these findings raise the possibility that a low-sugar diet might have beneficial effects on lifespan in higher organisms" Would I use Jaminet's diet over the vast majority of diets out there? Yes I would. Would I recommend Jaminet's "Perfect Health Diet" over my Rosedale Diet? No way.. My email to Paul, that he himself quotes me as saying earlier in his response, especially rings loud and clear; "At 'age', acquire chronic disease, and die." My diet results not only in less damage, but in greater and prolonged ability to repair that damage, and this is of critical importance. That is the holy grail of diet, the 'Most Perfect Diet' so to speak. Paul has been a wonderful partner in this discourse, allowing me to think about some of these topics that I may have forgotten about during the last 20 years. It has forced me to think about good arguments he has presented and to undertake a refresher course from myself. Our basic premises about diet, as he mentioned, are very similar. We are talking refinements, though important ones. However a much bigger battle looms…with the American Diabetes Association, the American Medical Association, and standard of medical care, that still believes in that archaic and deadly notion that fat is the Darth Vader of health and the primary cause of disease. It's time to join forces and shift this debate to them. However, if Paul would like to continue this game of tag, he's it…and I'm going to Maui… recommends adequate protein and warns that excess protein is bad for health.The good, the bad, and the ugly of protein. The good, and that's pretty good, is that we can't live without it. It is a required nutrient. It's an essential nutrient. Unlike carbohydrates, which is a nonessential nutrient, which means you don't have to have any. With carboydrates, you can make whatever you need. With amino acids, you have to take some of them in. Then we could go into a lot of the miscellaneous problems with proteins. I'm not going to go into that a lot. A lot of articles will show detriments to protein, and as Mike Eades mentioned, there's a lot of articles will show it's not detrimental. So it's confusing. Whenever it's confusing, it means you're not going into it deep enough. You're not go-ing deep enough into the basic science of it all. Dairy products aside, when past and present meat consumption is factored in, there's a three times risk of developing Alzheimer's in meat eaters as opposed to vegetarians. Is that true or not? I don't know. I don't place a lot of emphasis on this kind of study. I want to go deeper because there is a lot of confusion. Here's another study: High protein diet may precipitate a progression of coronary artery disease. Through an increase in lipid deposition and through inflammatory and coagulation pathways. Now if this is true, there must be underlying causes of this. That's really what you want to get into to determine the truth of something. We know that high protein can raise glucose. And I'm sure Mike Eades showed you studies where a high protein diet reduced blood sugars and was better for diabetics. But the question is, compared to what. If you compare a diet to the average American diet. If you change anything in the average American diet you're going to improve it. Improving the American diet is not a trick. It's like a race between a one-legged man and a grandmother. Who cares who wins that? Here we've seen, if you eat a high protein diet, we're going to go deeper and deeper and deeper into the science of all this. To see if there's something to really tell us whether excess protein is good or bad. If you eat a high protein diet, there is excess stimulation of the transport to the liver. You flood the liver with amino acids, and it's got to do something with them. You can do two things with protein. You can make protein, you can replenish the parts that have been torn down, or you can burn it for fuel. Hopefully, you're not going to excrete it. Food was too precious in our evolutionary his-tory to waste it. Certainly, if you have protein in your urine, something is wrong. Burn it, or use it. Rapid stimulation of the liver glycine cleavage system in rats fed a high protein diet. In other wods, you're going to break down a lot of it if you eat a lot of it. Glycine metabolism is stimulated by high protein feeding. Effect of high protein intake on Insulin secretion and glucose. Hepatic glucose was sig-nificantly increased with high protein intake. It makes sense. If you have a bunch of amino acids floating around, your liver breaks extra protein into glucose forming carbon shells. Insulin mediated suppression of hepatic glucose production was impaired with high protein intake but not in patients with a normal protein intake. Gluconeogensis was increased with a high protein diet. We conclude that a normal protein diet is accompanied by delayed progression of the continuous loss of endogenous insulin. We know that in diabetics, there's a loss of islet cell function over time, and here they're saying that high protein may contribute to that. After adaptation to a protein restricted diet, if you restrict protein, diabetics experienced a 30% decrease in daily glucose concentrations, and I know from my practice, and this wasn't in everybody, but if I had a diabetic, and I put all of them on a low carbohydrate diet. It doesn't make sense to feed diabetics sugar. But in those that had more trouble processing sugar, the next step was reducing their protein, and I'd restrict it a lot, for an average size adult, I'd put them down to 50 grams a day, maybe 30 grams a day, and their sugar would then go down. So this isn't just theoretical. We know that protein increases levels of insulin. We know that there's an insulingenic effect in eating high protein. That's well known. There's also a leptin increase with pro-tein. Amino acids increase leptin. Continual high levels of insulin and leptin cause insulin resistance and leptin resistance. So you might get a short term benefit from high protein, but it may be at a price of a long-term detriment, If you keep those levels high. If you raise insulin you're going to lower sugar temporarily until you become more insulin resistant, and if you raise leptin, you're going to be less hungry, temporarily, until your hypothalamus becomes more resistant to its action. Which is will become by overexposure. It's like if you're in a smelly room, after a while you can't smell it, the longer you stay in there. Your cells work the same way. If they're over-stimulated, they just put in earplugs. They don't want to be yelled at. Central nervous system. There's a more critical role for leptin than insulin in mammalian energy homeostasis. People are ignoring leptin, but it's probably more important than insulin in diabetes. And in all of the energy storage diseases. Metabolic syndrome, aging. Why isn't this really being told? Because there are no drugs that control leptin. So drug reps aren't telling you about this. But, It can easily be controlled through diet. It is what tells you how to eat. You eat to control insulin and leptin. It's very simple. Certain eating behaviors extend lifespan. They've shown that with dietary restriction. They thought it was calorie restriction, but it's not. It's restricting certain elements in the diet. Sugar and protein. Not fat. That's a critical thing to understand. In obesity, results of several studies show that chronically elevated central leptin, decreases hypothalamic leptin receptor expression and impairs receptor protein levels and impairs leptin signaling. So chronically elevated leptin contributes to leptin resistance, and leptin resistance leads to further obesity, leading to a vicious cycle of escalating metabolic devastation. You can find a vicious cycle in almost any chronic disease. That's why your body can't deal with it. The way it deals with it ends up worsening the problem. Lower leptin concentrations appeared to occur without evidence of increased hunger. If you lower leptin you improve leptin sensitivity. It's suggesting a functional improvement in the resistance to leptin. The way to fix leptin and therefore obesity and therefore aging and diabetes and all sorts of things is by chronically keeping leptin down, your hypo-thalamus can increase sensitivity to it and listen to it. Not just by trying to up it. When leptin was first discovered that's what they tried to do. Just give more leptin. How have they been treating diabetes? Give more insulin. Just up and up and up the insulin. No! You have to down and down and down the insulin. And give the cells more room to listen. Communication is more dependent on listening actually, than speaking. Cells have to be able to listen to the signal. If I were to start screaming at you, how many people will stay in this room? You'd cover your ears. Response to energy restriction involving leptin concentrations is affected by dietary composition, not drugs. Macro-nutrient composition of the diet affects leptin. This is just saying that different protein compositions, different macro-nutrient compositions affected leptin. On the high protein diet, the leptin messenger RNA did not decline upon fasting after a meal. It stayed up for a while. Chronically elevated leptin causes leptin resistance and leads to metabolic devastation. Regulation of leptin secretion from white adipocytes by insulin glycolated substrates and amino acids. So the two things that will cause leptin spikes and chronically elevated leptin are sugar through a pathway called the hexosamine pathway and amino acids. And the MTOR is one most people don't know about yet, which is unfortunate. Because the MTOR pathway is intriguing, and may be one of the most, if not the most, important nutrient sensing pathway in the body, aside from insulin. And here, if you get nothing out of this talk, but this one sentence, MTOR is activated by free amino acids. MTOR is a pathway that senses protein concentrations. More specifically, amino acid concentrations. MTOR is also linked to leptin, and amino acids stimulates MTOR stimulates leptin. Protein increases leptin, also triggers the hexosamine pathway, and the ugly. High protein apparently accelerates aging and therefore all the chronic diseases associated with aging. The role of specific nutrients in caloric restriction. Dietary restriction has been shown to increase longevity which indicates it's having positive results. However, it appears it is not caloric restriction but the carbohydrate and protein restrictions in the diet, the medi-ate the effects, at least in flies, and it appears in other organisms, also. Why would protein be so important in the regulation of aging. Life is a constant battle between damage and damage control. If we could repair damage as fast as it occurs, we would live forever. Ultimately, unfortunately, we damage the damage control mechanisms, and that's really what does us in. Life at higher temperatures leads to a greater accumulation of irreversible damage that leads to death. One of the advantages you'll hear all over the place is that it's good to be thermogentic. If you go to a health food store, there are thermogenic aids all over the place. And one of the advantages given to a high protein diet is that it's thermogenic. And it is. Without question, protein is the most thermogenic nutrient you can eat. It will produce the most heat. Well producing heat and living a long life are just not compatible. If you went to a gas station and there were two pumps, and one said this pump will produce the most fuel efficiency and give you the most mileage, and this other pump will cause your car to run hotter . . . Which one are you going to get? You'd never get the one that makes your car run hotter because what's that going to do to your engine. Not good things. That's why you have a radiator. Protein increases glycation, oxidation damage, and we know that protein increases growth hormone and IGF-1. In the last talk, I constantly hammered that high IGF-1, and insulin promotes aging, through a separate pathway. We know that protein increases IGF 1 and AGES, the short term for Advanced glycated end products. There are two major causes of aging. One is oxidative damage and the other is advanced glycated end products, that's when glucose combines with proteins and DNA. Basically glucose is a sticky molecule that changes the shape and function of whatever it sticks to. It forms what are called advanced glycated end products, the acronym being AGES and that was intentional because it plays such a major role in the chemistry of aging. In some cells AGES increase with amino acids. In another study, profibrotic injury response occurred in messengial cells exposed to amino acids with or without high glucose by formation of AGES, oxidative stress and activation of the protein kinase Beta and Map Kinase pathways. Which are cell proliferation pathways. Calorie restriction slowing aging and extending life. Mice with pituitary glands devoid of growth hormone producing cells exhibit a remarkably extended lifespan, as do genetically altered mice where they targeted the disruption of the growth hormone receptor, which results in low concentrations of IGF. Andre Barke has done a lot of work on this. Wonderful man, and he's now head of the American Aging Associaton. And he's shown convincingly that when you keep insulin and IGF down, animals live a lot longer. And he recently won the Methuselah prize for the longest lived mouse. Reducing protein extends life. If you restrict methionine, you decrease visceral fat mass and you preserve insulin action. Reduced dietary methionine and caloric restriction pro-long lifespan. In other words, it isn't just caloric restriction. If you reduce dietary methionine without caloric restriction, you get the same thing, Methionine restricted rats shows reduced visceral fats, with decreases in insulin, glucose and leptin. Insulin responses in older methionine-restricted animals as measured by oral glucose challenge are similar to young animals. By 16 weeks, methionine restricted animals show a 40% reduction in IGF, which is sustained throughout life. For 60 years, the only dietary manipulation showed to retard aging was Calorie restriction, and more recently, they've shown that it isn't necessarily calories. If you decrease tryptophan, and you decrease cystine and methionine, you get the same thing. Methionine restriction is not a consequence of reduced energy intake. The intervention alters the rate of aging and not by correcting a single defect. Recent work has shown that dietary restriction in fruit flies is a product of acute effect on genetic transcription that causes fully fed flies to adopt the mortality profile of lifelong dietary restricted flies within 40 hours of initiation. In other words, you don't have to do this starting from an infant. If you adopted some of these today, you can get the same genetically healthy profile, the same healthy genetic transcription profile, as if you had been dietary restricted all your life. In other words, you can do this at any time. You can experience the benefits of this. You can go back in time, essentially. You can reduce your aging to a certain extent and therefore the diseases associated with aging, if you just adopt this now. Alterations in nutrient related signaling pathways are thought to initiate the cascade of changes that underlie longevity assurance by dietary alterations. The nutrient sensing pathways, that's what is critical. Insulin and IGF alter lifespan in rodents and many other species. Insulin is known to be involved in regulation of homeostasis in response to a diet, and is know to be a link between the calorie of the diet and extended action. However, two lines of evidence indicate that insulin and IGF are not the only pathway. If you reduce insulin IGF activity and then put them on a dietary restricted program, you have an added effect. They seem to function by two separate, parallel pathways. Reducing insulin and IGF are definitely good. You go further and what's that pathway? MTOR. It's a parallel pathway that operates alongside the insulin pathway, but apparently, separately. These studies provide further support to the argument that protective effects of dietary restriction are not limited to calories alone but involve an aspect of protein metabolism as well. Sugar and protein. That's what was available when all these signals arose, evolutionarily. Lifespan is important not because Nature cares about you, but it cares about reproduction, and it wants you to reproduce at a future, more opportune time, if the nutrient availability isn't good now. But we can use that knowledge. We can still dig into pathways that affect aging and health by what we eat. A little more on MTOR. The amino-sensitive MTOR pathway from yeast to animals. The target of rapamycin, which is a drug being investigated for cancer, and heart disease and autoimmune diseases and many things. It's a natural substance discovered by accident. They didn't know how it worked, but that's how MTOR pathway was found. Maybe less than 10 years ago. They found it was extremely important, and we're going to understand that any effect of rapamycin is paralleled by low amino acids. Rapamycin inhibits MTOR. That's what it does. That's how it works. How it works to reduce cancer. In a 2002 study, they reported that the process through which nutrients, amino acids, activate MTOR are largely unknown. They said then that evidence exists for both an intracellular and membrane bound sensor for the amino acid. Since then, they have a clearer idea of how it works. Studies performed in fat cells, in ovarian cells, in liver cells, in muscles, pancreatic beta cells all show a sensitivity of phosphorylation status of MTOR subtrates and amino acid concentrations. In other words, it appears to work everywhere. All cells have apparently an MTOR signaling pathway that is sensitive to amino acid concentrations. Indeed, activity of MTOR was determined by amino acid availability in each cell line tested. That is the main thing that will stimulate MTOR. It is an amino acid sensing pathway. Here's an interesting comment: Future studies that examine the link between amino acid transports and MTOR activity will resolve the initial signaling events that result in the activation of MTOR targets and will provide insights into the scavenging of nutrients by malignant cells. Malignant cells try to hoard amino acids, and when they do so, they upregulate MTOR, and when they up-regulate MTOR, they stimulate cell division. Here we show that inhibition of MTOR activates apoptosis. One of the ways that cancer is allowed to progress by shutting off P53. P53 is one of the ways that we kill cancer. It's a checkpoint. P53 triggers cell suicide, which is known as apoptosis. Course, cancer cells don't want that. So they mutate, or inIn some way, P53 got mutated, and it can't trigger that cell suicide. And here, it's showing that rapamycin, by down-regulating MTOR, can trigger cell suicide without P53. It's another checkpoint. In other words, keep amino acids low, and you can check that cancer in its tracks. The TOR pathway regulates genetic expression by linking nutrient sensing to histone acetylation, and the promise of rapamycin as a cancer drug is being explored. This is in 2003. It's been showing remarkable antitumor activity in cells. We therefore find it intriguing that rapomycin results in a gene profile seen in amino acid limitation. There are two things seen in cancer cells require to keep going. Two things any cell requires. Fuel and parts, the main parts being protein. It's a requirement for cancer. It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to know that if you want to suppress it, just don't eat it. Don't give it sugar. Sugar can be used as an anaerobic fuel. You can burn sugar without oxygen. You have to have oxygen to burn fat. Cancer cells are rapidly dividing, and they mostly will outplace the supply of oxygen. The most aggressive cancer has to use sugar as a fuel source. One way to suppress cancer is just not to feed it sugar. But this isn't some elegant drug, or some profit induced therapy, so it's not being used. I've seen remarkable results by just eliminating sugar form the diet. And that means potatoes, pasta, rice and all that stuff that turns into sugar immediately. Another way is by toning down the amino acids. Now you have to have some. But we know that if you restrict amino acids, your body goes into an amino acid conservation mode. Extension of chronological lifespan in yeast by decreased TOR signaling. TOR signaling regulates multiple cellular processes in response to nutrients, especially amino acids, raising the possibility that decreased TOR signaling mediates extended lifespan in caloric restriction. In support of this possibility, removal of either aspartame or glutamine from the media feeding the yeast significantly increased survival. Pharmacological Inhibition of TOR by rapomycin also increased lifespan. We propose an up-regulation of a highly conserved response to starvation-induced stress is important lifespan extension by decreased TOR signaling in yeast and higher eukaryotes. Us. There's distinct signaling down stream. A lot of research going into MTOR. Key roles in regulating cell and animal growth. The cell cycle, gene expression. Recent studies have shown that MTOR is essential for cell growth and proliferation Rapamycin as a specific inhibitor of MTOR is in clinical use or potential use in graft rejection, restonosis after angioplasty, cancer angiogenesis, liver fibrosis and many other diseases. There is general agreement that amino acids do indeed stimulate the phosphorylation of MTOR downstream targets. Amino acid infusion during a euglycemic hyperinsulemic clamp in fasted humans decreased rather than increased glucose disposal. Raising glucose. Although these data may be explained by substrate competition. Ie, the Amino acids were oxidized instead of glucose. Which it is. Certainly partially. But there are indications the amino acids cause a time dependent rapamycin sensitive down regulation of protein kinase B and of glucose transport by insulin. In other words, it causes insulin resistance. Another example suggesting that amino acids may cause insulin resistance is that of glutamine. This amino acid, which is a potent stimulator of glycogen synthesis is also a substrate for the hexose monophosphate shunt, and has been shown to highly regulate insulin sensitivity. The importance of amino acid signaling in the coordination of whole body metabolism is also indicated by its involvement in the regulation of leptin production by adipocytes. Amino acids upregulate MTOR. Cause spikes in leptin. There is an amino acid dependent signaling that controls lepin production via adipocytes. The MTOR signaling pathway is frequently over-activated during cancer. Thus, the importance of amino acid signaling in cancer is evident. When we're talking about life extension in animals, we're generally talking about reduction of cancer. Most laboratory animals die of cancer or autoimmune disease, so if you extend lifespan in laboratory animals, it's synonymous with reducing cancer. Another way that lifespan appears to be enhanced is by regulating protein turnover. You have to get rid of rotten proteins. We talked about AGES, and how glucose sticks to proteins and cause Proteins become malformed and do nasty things, so we have to get rid of them. Tear them down. We know with caloric restriction and other methods that enhance lifespan, you accelerate the breakdown of old proteins and manufacture of new proteins. Proteozome mediated proteolysis and autophagic proteolysis declined with age. However, the last two pathways can be considered an anti-aging repair mechanism because they remove aberrant proteins and defective cellular organelles. Caloric restriction not only increases proteozome proteolysis. But also autophagic proteolysis, which may contribute to increased longevity. When you upregulate MTOR you down regulate proteolysis. The best drug to reduce MTOR signaling, to slow aging and the chronic diseases associated with it is already available. Avoid high protein. But what is that? What is high protein. You can go to a lot of textbooks that talk about .6 grams per kilogram. But one study that I think is very interesting . . . You can get into a ballpark. When you talk about 2 to 3 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass, that is certainly too much protein. But what is the requirement in an infant, infant, being breastfed. Young infants, 2 months old, have the highest protein need. They're growing rapidly. Brain is growing. The protein content in breastmilk is about 1 gram per 100 milliliters, and the daily intake is approximately on 1 gram per kilogram per day. That's what nature says is the requirement of a growing, breast-feeding infant. When other foods are introduced during the weaning period the protein intake Increases remarkably to 3 or 4 grams of protein per kilogram per day in spite of the fact that the protein requirements are decreasing. The long-term consequences are obscure. Although I think the MTOR signaling are telling us what those long-term consequences might be. A high protein intake has endocrine effects such as it increases insulin, increases IGF, and we know these hormones increase the rate of aging. Furthermore the metabolic effect of high urea and many amino acids may exceed the kidney and hepatic system's ability to metabolize and excrete the excess nitrogen. In other words, when you use protein as a fuel, you take off the excess nitrogen, and then you have to do something with it. Because, it's a poison. If you take too much, It causes acidosis in the blood and that causes redistribution of calcium and magnesium, and all sorts of things, and what the consequence are for that is manifold. Most people, I'll put on .7 or .75 grams per kilogram of lean body mass. But if I've got a diabetic, and I really want to reverse their aging, which means reverse their diabetes, because diabetis is a model of aging, I'll put them down to .5 or .6 grams per kilogram of lean body mass per day. So what's left to eat? We know that sugar, foods that turn into sugar, raise insulin, IGF accelerate aging, worsens diabetes. It's horrible for you. Now I'm telling you that extra protein isn't good for you either. It appears to accelerate the MTOR pathway and has all kinds of debilitating effect, not the least of which is stimulating cancer. Fat. Eat fat. Fat appears not to stimulate insulin. It does not stimulate the MTOR pathway. It does not cause an increase of leptin and in fact it keeps it down. And our health is going to be dependent on what our hormones tell our brains to do, whether to be hungry or not. If you keep leptin down and your hypothalamus can listen to leptin, you are not going to overeat. When leptin is down it stimulates fat burning. It helps diabetes. It helps all sorts of things. I've been doing this for over two decades now, and I can tell you for sure it happens. You have to regulate the hormones that regulate your brain, and you do this by diet, and then you can affect the rate of aging and the incidence of the diseases associated with aging. Special thanks to Greg and April at Instatapes for helping to track down the audio of this talk, and to Ron for permission to post the audio and transcript of the citations used in the talk New research published in the British Medical Journal indicates men and women over 40New research published in the British Medical Journal indicates men and women over 40 who take calcium supplements increase their risk of heart attack by 30%, compared to people who don't take the supplements. The study points out that often, people take calcium supplements hoping that this will reduce their risk of breaking bones, even though in actual fact, taking more calcium only reduces bone fractures by a marginal amount. Baron and coauthors caution that the benefit of reducing bone fracture risk by taking calcium supplements may be outweighed by the likelihood of increasing heart attacks. Listen to Ron Rosedale Interview – Short Version (7 minutes, Broadcast on KGNU, also same as the video below) The study is being hotly contested by many supplement manufacturers. One person who says it's a predictable result is Dr. Ron Rosedale, who has been speaking out against calcium supplements for years. Dr. Rosedale points out that often, people who have "thin bones" have high amounts of calcium plaque in their blood vessels, a condition which is well-documented for increasing the chance of heart attacks. People with thin bones also can have calcium deposits in their joints . . . for instance, with arthritis. Dr. Rosedale says that when people have osteoporosis, it's generally not the case that they need more calcium. Instead, they need clearer signaling instructions in their body, so the calcium goes where it's needed, not stuck in places that cause trouble. For more, here's Dr. Rosedale Dr. Ron Rosedale discusses a woman who nearly died from a deadly side effectDr. Ron Rosedale discusses a woman who nearly died from a deadly side effect of statin drugs, called, Rhabdomyolysis. Millions of people take cholesterol lowering medications. But many of those who do complain about weakness and muscle pain. Why do these side effects happen? What if these symptoms turn deadly? To find out, up next, we'll talk with Dr. Ron Rosedale. Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease or any disease. If it becomes oxidized it can irritate/inflame tissues in which it is lodged in, such as the endothelium (lining of the arteries). This would be one of numerous causes of chronic inflammation that can injure the lining of arteries. However, many good fats are easily oxidized such as omega-3 fatty acids, but it does not mean that you should avoid it at all costs. Common sense would indicate that we should avoid the oxidation (rancidity) of cholesterol and fatty acids and not get rid of important life- giving molecules. Using the same conventional medical thinking that is being used for cholesterol would lead one to believe that doctors should reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by taking out everybody's brain. In fact, cholesterol is being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage. The fixation on cholesterol as a major cause of heart disease defies the last 15 years of science and deflects from real causes such as the damage (via glycation) that sugars such as glucose and fructose inflict on tissues, including the lining of arteries, causing chronic inflammation and resultant plaque. Insulin & Leptin Resistance Hundreds of excellent scientific articles have linked insulin resistance and more recently leptin resistance to cardiovascular disease much more strongly than cholesterol, and they are in fact at least partially responsible for cholesterol abnormalities. For instance, insulin and leptin resistance result in "small dense" LDL particles and a greater number of particles. This is much more important than the total cholesterol number. Because of particle size shift to small and dense, the total LDL cholesterol could still be low even though the number of particles and the density of the particles is greater. Small, dense LDL particles can squeeze between the cells lining the inside of the arteries, the "gap junction" of the endothelium, where they can get stuck and potentially oxidize, turn rancid, and cause inflammation of the lining of the arteries and plaque formation. Importantly, many solid scientific studies have shown a mechanistic, causal effect of elevated insulin and leptin on heart and vascular disease, whereas almost all studies with cholesterol misleadingly only show an association. Association does not imply cause. For instance, something else may be causing lipid abnormalities such as elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and also causing heart disease. This "something else" is improper insulin and leptin signaling. Similarly, sugar does not cause diabetes; sugar is just listening to orders. Improper insulin and leptin signaling is the cause of diabetes. Likewise, cholesterol does not cause heart disease, but improper metabolic signals including improper signals to cholesterol (causing it to oxidize) and perhaps to the liver that manufactures the cholesterol, will cause heart and vascular disease and hypertension. Removing cholesterol will do nothing to improve the underlying problems, the real roots of chronic disease, which will always have to do with improper communication, and the generals of metabolic communication are insulin and leptin. They are really what must be treated to reverse heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, and to some extent aging itself. Dr. Ron Rosedale, interviewed by Shelley Schlender. Wonderful article brought together by Shelley, all credits below for graphics and content. Learn more about Shelley and her passion for exposing the truth in health, A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine made headlines this week by showing that palliative care for terminal cancer patients, [...] A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine made headlines this week by showing that palliative care for terminal cancer patients, meaning pain and stress reduction care, extended their lives more than conventional chemo and radiation alone, and more than aggressive cancer treatments. The study focused on lung cancer patients whose cancer had spread. On average, those with conventional care alone lived six to twelve months. Those with palliative care as well lived three months longer and reported better quality of life. This study is a strong indicator that stress and pain reduction have powerful benefits. For an alternative perspective on why these make a difference . . . and why another alternative treatment that might make a difference as well, here's anti-aging expert, Dr. Ron Rosedale. We caution you that while Dr. Rosedale's views are intriguing . . . they're also controversial, and they are not a substitution for the advice of your medical doctor. Here's Ron Rosedale: That's Ron Rosedale, discussing the New England Journal of Medicine study that indicates how, adding stress and pain reduction care to conventional care for terminal cancer patients adds to an extension of their life, and an improvement in the quality of their life. Extended Version of the Interview RON ROSEDALE: One of the reasons given in the New England Journal of Medicine Study for the life extension is that palliative care reduced stress, reduced pain, and these may have allowed for improved immune system. But if you look at it in the bigger picture, what you're seeing is that aggressive care, or more of the care that is considered conventional will make a person worse. And that begs the question, will conventional care make a person worse in the chronic diseases of aging. So is the typical conventional treatment of heart disease, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases of aging worsening the underlying disease instead of improving it? And my answer would be yes. It's a sad statement and would raise a lot of eyebrows, but I've said it for quite some time that if Medicine did nothing to these chronic diseases of aging, if they didn't treat them at all, I think they'd be better off, and I think that's very sad. In the cancer study on palliative care, what I think is being revealed is the underlying science that aggressive cancer feeds on glucose. It requires an anaerobic fuel because it outpaces the blood supply. It can't allow itself enough fuel to multiply quickly, if it were to burn fat, so it is an obligate glucose burner when it's multiplying fast. Just like a sprinter has to burn sugar when they're running fast. When cancer cells are multiplying rapidly, they require glucose because glucose can be burned without oxygen. When someone's under stress, whether it's from pain or excessive use of anti-cancer drugs, or they're just plain worrying, does that increase blood sugar levels in the body? RON ROSEDALE: Exactly. The potential reasons why palliative care improved outcomes in cancer patients is because it lowered glucose. But the most impressive way to lower glucose is just to not eat it. And yet that is not part of standard medical care for cancer patients. It totally eludes me. It's very well known that the most aggressive cancers have to burn sugar and yet they don't tell people not to eat it. When we're talking about sugar, we're not just talking about white table sugar. We're talking about potatoes and rice and bread, cereals, starches will almost immediately turn into glucose in the body, or at least within a few minutes in the body, and that will feed the cancer cells. More importantly, they'll also up-regulate an important hormone well-known in diabetes, but which plays a critical role in everybody's lives, and that's insulin. Insulin itself is a growth factor, and when insulin is raised, it stimulates cells to multiply, and that just stimulates cancer. So two of the best ways to reduce both the risk of cancer and to treat cancer, are to keep glucose levels as low as possible, and insulin levels as low as possible. So not one at the expense of the other. So you don't want to take drugs that raise insulin in order to lower blood sugar. The only way to lower glucose and insulin at the same time is through dietary approaches. And yet that's not even on the radar in standard cancer therapy treatments. Last year, there was a study done on laboratory animals where researchers gave them intermittent fasting, meaning on some days they were given less food than on other days. There was reduction in the breast cancer tumors that had been injected into the lab animals that were doing this intermittent fasting. This was a dietary change. RON ROSEDALE: Intermittent fasting is a modality that has been looked at for caloric restriction and extension of life. Caloric restriction is a known way to increase lifespan in virtually all species of animals ever tested. You don't have to restrict calories all the time. You can just greatly restrict calories every other day. When they talk about increasing lifespan, and biology of aging studies, it's really analogous to reducing cancer because that's what most lab animals die of. It's been known for over 70 years that restricting calories of lab animals will increase their lifespan. And therefore reduce both incidence and progression of cancer. One of the things we know in the biology of aging is that when you keep insulin levels low, it reduces the growth factors that cancer cells require to multiply. The importance of glucose is exemplified by the fact that PET scans all over the world are used to diagnose cancer, and they work by identifying areas of high glucose metabolism, and yet they still don't people on a low glucose, low non-fiber carbohydrate, meaning starchy and sugary, diet. It is not a disease that I would say I specialize in but I have treated cancer patients and I put all of them on a low to moderate protein, very low carbohydrate, high beneficial fat diet and they've done extremely well and have reversed quite a few cases of so-called met static and so-called cancer. Some have been studied worldwide actually. One was the first known case of survival. I can't say there's a cure for cancer but certainly one can at least use the science we know of. But the problem is, there's really no money in it. Unfortunately, the modalities that generally get widely used are the ones that have income, and not just for greed—income for supposed medical studies that would then get published. In other words, a pharmaceutical company, or any large corporation is not going to spend 50 to 100 million dollars on a treatment modality where they aren't going to get any money back. So many of these treatments never get publicized because there aren't good studies to back them. There are some animal studies because those are cheaper. In India, I spent a couple of years in India for their diabetic problem, their heart disease problems. But I also wanted to look at cancer. There was a hospital that wished to do it, and they had accepted the dietary approach and wished to do it, but they said it can only be done in conjunction with standard therapy. Because otherwise it would never pass the ethics committee. What I wanted to do is just test two groups of patients. Even two groups of patients where they were considered to be very terminal, which essentially means they had nothing to lose, and compare a dietary approach to a standard or aggressive chemotherapy approach. And that wasn't passed. They wouldn't allow that. They would only allow it in conjunction with chemotherapy, but that would have messed it up. Is your concern that if you gave a dietary approach to slow down cancer growth and added chemotherapy, they would be fighting each other? RON ROSEDALE: Yes. I think the adverse effect of the chemotherapy would really overwhelm some of the beneficial things you would see from the dietary approach. One of the major endeavors really in anybody who is sick in any way is to enhance the functioning of the immune system, and chemotherapy in a devastating manner impairs the function of the immune system. It almost seals many people's death, when they have cancer. You will never, no matter what treatment you use, whether chemotherapy or radiation, wipe out all the cancer cells. There will always be some left over. Your immune system has to mop up the remainder. And you require a powerful immune system, and the chemotherapy really wipes out the immune system, so you don't have that capability. Even if you, through chemotherapy or radiation, kill 98% of the cancer, which would be largely unachievable in metastatic tumors, the other 2% will come back because you don't have an immune system that would be able to take care of the rest. Whereas with a dietary approach, you increase the functioning of the immune system, and it's one of the major ways it works, and it's one of the major ways it extends lifespan in laboratory animals, is by improving the functioning of the immune system, which is what has to happen whenever someone is diseased, but especially, when someone has cancer. In 2008, there were some startling studies about breast cancer and how women who had mammograms more frequently also had cancer diagnosed more frequently. Researchers concluded that in women who have less frequent mammograms, some of the tumors that would have been treated, if they were getting mammograms, are taken care of spontaneously by their bodies. RON ROSEDALE: Yes, and there have been a lot of verifying studies that everybody gets cancer. Cancer cells develop in everybody most of the time. As long as you have a healthy immune system, it will recognize the cancer and eat it up. Also we've talked about the importance of proper signaling between the 20 billion cells that make us up. These signals are mediated mostly through hormones, and quite a few studies have shown that when insulin is kept low, the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer and several other cancers is very much minimized. They've even shown that you can treat prostate cancer by lowering insulin and by inference, by lowering glucose. There are studies that show these results. They're not that rare, and I remember a study that showed that women who ate the least amount of pasta, and therefore, had a lower glucose load, had a lower incidence of breast cancer, and I believe that study was done in Italy. So there are studies that show these correlations at the very least between glucose, insulin and cancer, for both treatment and prevention. But unfortunately, it's not commonly used, and it wouldn't cost anything, and I strongly believe it's the most powerful defense we have against both the risk of cancer and to treat cancer. Right now, you're talking about dietary approaches to treating cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine report regarding palliative care was looking more at how reducing stress can help the body, but you're saying the mechanism might be similar – that by reducing stress, you reduce the kind of hormones and high blood sugars that can feed cancer. RON ROSEDALE: For the same reason that when you reduce stress, you reduce epinephrine, nonepinephrin and corrison. Your body worries about living the next five minutes. If you're going into battle with a lion, you'd like those hormones to enhance your fighting performance or your running performance. You don't want the extra sugar. You're not really going to be burning it. The article also talked about painkillers. Palliative care is essentially about reducing pain. When researchers gave people pain reduction medications in earlier studies, they seemed to have an enhanced survival. A plausible explanation is that also reduces blood sugar. Pain is a very powerful stress, and we know that when a person is under pain it will increase epinephrine, norepinephrine and other hormones. Any diabetic will tell you when they have pain, their blood sugar goes up. That's certainly something I've seen in my patients for decades. In your estimation it might be a wise choice for someone to take the gamble of focusing on noninvasive treatments such as reducing stress levels and changing their diet as a way to deal with cancer. But just as in India, medical ethics committees challenged you about using a dietary approach alone to treat cancer, without chemotherapy, people would probably be challenged in the United States for trying your approach. Especially for a disease such as small cell lung cancer, which was the focus of this palliative care study. The reason that conventional care is chosen so often is that the survival rate for metastasized small cell lung cancer, WITHOUT conventional chemotherapy and radiation, the average survival was two to three months. Whereas the average survival with chemotherapy and radiation is six months to a year. Statistics seem to make it very evident that conventional chemotherapy and radiation extends the life of someone with small cell lung cancer that has metastacized. RON ROSEDALE: First of all, and this is what becomes so difficult now, there are so many studies that have been shown, subsequently to be false. When there is lots of money to be made, there is lots of incentive for drug companies to skew statistics in their favor. I think that's now being brought before congress with Avandia. But we've seen it with many, many other drugs. Chemotherapy is very expensive. It makes lots of money for drug companies. So can you believe the statistics? My answer is I don't know. Number two, what I feel might happen is that chemotherapy might extend certain people's lifespan, but it also might sign their death certificate. In other words, it might extend your life a couple of months, but it will assure you die afterward, because you won't have an immune system. And that's not looked at. Negative statistics will never get published. There's no mandate to publish negative results like that. If it did occur, any drug company would hide it, and you'd never see that. So it's really hard to tease fact from fiction in a lot of these studies. All you can do is go much deeper into the basic science of it. And understand that glucose feeds cancer, insulin is a signal for cells to multiply. Leptin plays a role. All of these are dietary signals. And then we have other pathways that involve protein that are very powerful in cancer progression, so much so that pharmaceutical companies are looking for ways to manipulate these pathways with drugs, even though we can do that just with what people eat, but there's no money in that. So, it's a problem. Before we close of the day, how about if we talk about related topic regarding cancer that might tie in with this discussion? Angiogenesis is a big word right now. Lots of people are interested in what can reduce the chance of angiogenesis is in cancer. Do you want to explain what angiogenesis is and how a dietary change might affect that? RON ROSEDALE: Angiogenesis literally means to build blood vessels, and it takes a lot of fuel for cancer cells to multiply, just as it takes more fuel for pregnant women to make a baby, and the fuel has to be transported through the bloodstream. For cancer cells to be able to multiply the body has to deliver the nutrients for the multiplications. That's going to be through blood vessels, so cancer cells put out signals to build blood vessel into the tumor to feed itself. There are inhibitors of that blood building process that have been shown to reduce the growth of cancer. But there's another way one can look at it, too. What is it that the cancer cells are getting delivered? The major nutrients that cancer cells need delivered are going to be glucose and protein, and there are signals we know also that are required for angiogenesis. One of those would be insulin. Also leptin. And if a person eats too much protein, that will increase a pathway known as mTOR that will increase cell multiplication. It doesn't take a big leap of faith or leap of science to just want to not deliver those nutrients to a cancer cell in your diet. There are only two fuels your body can burn. This is major. You can only burn sugar or fat. Or byproducts of fat metabolism called ketones. And that's it. You don't have any other choice of fuel. And all of your cells in your body would actually much prefer to burn fat or ketones than glucose, with a few exceptions, with red blood cells being the major one. Whereas, cancer much prefers glucose. So that's a major difference between cancer cells and healthy cells in your body. That difference has to be made use of, because there aren't a lot of differences otherwise. Cancer cells are regular human cells. They're just healthy cells that have reverted back to their bacterial heritage that is telling them to multiply. They require the same nutrients that the rest of your cells require, with that one big difference. And that is, they prefer glucose and the rest of your cells essentially prefer fat. You have to utilize that difference. Don't eat glucose. It's as simple as that. The minimum daily requirement for glucose or any sugar and that means starch consumption is zero. You don't have to have any. And if I had cancer, my intake of sugars and starches would be zero. That doesn't mean you'd get your blood sugar down to zero. But you don't have to give cancer cells any more sugar than your body would otherwise make. I also would not eat excess protein. You have to eat some because protein is an essential nutrient and otherwise you would die. I would eat lots of fats and good fats and fish oils. And I would eat coconut oil, olive oil, nuts, avocados. I would eat the fuel that the rest of your body would really be happy to burn and that cancer cells can't use. We know that low levels of both of those hormones are associated with a very low risk of cancer. And an extension of lifespan otherwise. You'll increase maintenance and repair. Would also hang out with good friends and go for walks in the park and smell the flowers? RON ROSEDALE: That sounds like a great idea. I most certainly would do that. Ron Rosedale, M.D. interviewed by Shelley Schlender, KGNU radio, Boulder, Colorado. We are very grateful to Shelley for the interview, the article, graphics and audio below. You can learn more about Shelley and her passion for exposing the truth in health at her website, Download Audio MP3 version RON ROSEDALE No, we don't want diseases, period. Unfortunately, [...] We are very grateful to Shelley for the interview, the article, graphics and audio below. You can learn more about Shelley and her passion for exposing the truth in health at her website, No, we don't want diseases, period. Unfortunately, it is part of life. The major problem is not that we're getting the diseases, but that we're getting them more frequently and younger. The rise in these chronic diseases—in fact, virtually all chronic diseases—correlates with the patterns of dietary changes that we've been seeing, perhaps delayed by 20 or 30 years for the results of the dietary changes to actually manifest themselves. But I think there's a strong link between diet, metabolism, and all of the chronic diseases of aging, including neurodegenerative diseases. Not everybody agrees that diet is a major contributor to this increase in neurodegenerative disease. A more widely held medical theory is called the hygiene hypothesis. It says autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases are increasing because our world has gotten too clean. We don't have enough germs and dirtiness in the world, we have more vaccines and antibiotics used. RON ROSEDALE I recall hearing that at least 20 years ago, and I totally agree with it. I see no fault with that argument. The only fault I see is that that's the only reason. I think there's ample evidence to show that the dietary changes, exclusive of cleanliness, have a huge impact on neurodegenerative diseases in addition to our lack of early exposure to antigenic stimuli for our immune system. So I think that that certainly plays a role. I think when you're exposed early in life to the typical antigens, the typical bacteria and viruses and other immune stimulating effects, it does program our immune system to do what it evolutionarily is supposed to do and therefore help fight disease and not fight itself, not fight your own body. In other words, it helps the body to become less confused as to what is self and what is non-self. That's a very, very important bit of information that the body requires for its immune system, so the regulatory T cells and inhibitory T cells that prevent overactivity of the immune system are properly developed. Leptin "Spikes" Increase Risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) But I think there is at least as much evidence to show that the regulatory T cells and the immune system are also very much affected by dietary changes and that these effects can occur almost from day to day, but that metabolic diseases such as leptin resistance have a huge impact on the immune system. Studies show that autoimmune diseases such a animal models of MS almost uniformly show a big rise in leptin prior to the clinical onset of the disease. When you mentioned that there's a big rise in leptin before the onset of the disease, I'm trying to picture that. Does that mean that there is a sudden spike one day where leptin levels go 100 times higher than usual? Or does that mean that over time, if you check the fasting level of somebody, that their leptin levels, that hormone in their blood increases consistently and stays high? RON ROSEDALE I've seen studies to show both. (see If you have a chronically high leptin level, your instance of autoimmune neurological diseases such as MS is greatly increased, and if you suppress leptin chemically, although I would recommend doing it dietarily, you can reduce the risk of onset by a great deal of MS. But I've also seen articles that showed a sudden spike, it was 100 times as much, but certainly a several-fold spike in leptin in the weeks prior to the onset of MS, even with a consistent diet. All of the knowledge, all of the pieces have not been put together, but what it does show is a powerful connection between leptin and autoimmune disease, especially MS. I'm trying to picture how scientists were able to figure out that a leptin spike could make a difference in this autoimmune disease MS. Very few people get their leptin levels checked very often. How did they figure this out? I don't know what was the light bulb initially, other than perhaps the fact that scientists now have been linking leptin with virtually all chronic diseases, so why leave out autoimmune diseases? In addition, leptin levels have been linked with longevity, signs of aging, and certainly autoimmune diseases are a big part of that. Most of the studies on aging, of course, are done on animals, very difficult to do lifespan studies on humans, because they take such a long time. But two of the main causes of death in laboratory animals are cancer and autoimmune disease, so both of those diseases have been studied quite intensively with leptin. Another piece of information that was discovered is that regulatory T cells, part of the white blood cells that tend to regulate the immune response, regulate information, basically keeps it from being like a fire burning out of control, you want a controlled fire, not one that just burns down the forest. Regulatory T cells have receptors for leptin and it has even been found that they can secrete leptin, that the immune system and leptin have a power connection. T cells I think of as the ones you hear about, attacking the wrong thing when somebody has an autoimmune disease. You hear that their T cells, instead of going after invaders in the body go after the body. RON ROSEDALE Right. It gets confused as to what is yourself that should not be attacked and what is something foreign that ought to be attacked. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish to two, especially when some of the foods we're eating are so similar to ourselves. All life, really, is quite similar genetically, and all the cells are quite similar, so it actually takes a very, very acutely intelligent immune system to figure out what is you and what isn't once things are actually digested. It's a very important piece of the puzzle in autoimmune diseases, and certainly antibiotics, I feel, play a huge role. Their use is wildly out of control. Everybody's getting antibiotics. If you get a sore throat, you'll get an antibiotic, even though 90% of those sore throats are caused by viruses, and the antibiotic, if it does anything, will make it worse. That antibiotic will not just kill so-called pathogenic, disease-causing bacteria, it will also kill the good bacteria that inhabit your throat and your gut and your sinuses and your skin. We need those bacteria. We have evolved with those bacteria. The majority of people don't realize that in a normal healthy state, we have four times as many bacteria inhabiting our bodies as we have cells. So we're not talking about a small amount. We're talking about the majority of cells that actually are part of us, are beneficial bacteria, that we end up at least partially killing when we take antibiotics. And when we kill those bacteria, they don't necessarily come back as they were. It allows other pathogenic bacteria to permanently become part of our flora and cause continual problems in our gut, for instance. It's quite known that when you take antibiotics, you can have an intestinal yeast infection, although many times it's sub clinical. If it's bad it'll cause diarrhea and bloating and gas and somebody will speak up and they still generally don't find it. But many times you don't have those overt symptoms, but you can have various stomach aches and pains, or food tolerance becomes less. What it does do is impair, permanently alter your immune system and immune response until you change that bacterial flora, you reduce the amount of yeast, kill off some of the pathogenic bacteria that inhabit the gut secondary to the use of antibiotics and then reintroduce some of the more beneficial bacteria. But that's, again, just one small portion of the story. Then you have the dietary impact on insulin and leptin and their impact on the T cells and other immune modulators and its effect on bone and the effects of bone on the immune system, as we've talked about in the past. There's a huge connection between autoimmune disease, the immune system, and survivability, disease, and diet. The reason, really, is that diet is important. You can't live without eating, you can't reproduce without eating, and that's what nature wants. Nature wants you to be able to at least reach reproductive age. Nature has all sorts of mechanisms to try and ensure that at least we get to reproductive age. After that it doesn't really care that much. That's why some of these autoimmune diseases are so troubling, because some of them right now, more frequently than ever before, are disabling and killing people in their reproductive years. RON ROSEDALE That's why it's becoming more known, I think if a person gets a disease when they're 90 years old, we say, "You're 90 years old, what do you expect?" Now that they're starting to get these diseases at a younger age, during and even before reproductive age, it starts raising alarms. We have so many different adverse lifestyle changes now that are extremely unnatural, we've not seen in our evolutionary history until recently. Some of what you mentioned before, the cleanliness, we're just not exposed to the proper antigens, adverse bugs, that we should be when we're young so our immune system doesn't develop properly. And then we have chronically high levels of glucose, of insulin, of leptin, all of which then further impair the ability of our immune system to properly function. And all of these things are coming together to cause disease such that for the first time in mankind, its predicted lifespan is going to decrease, as opposed to constantly increasing throughout our known history. You mentioned one way that we might be able to reduce this tide, and that is what we put in our mouths. If we can reduce the amount of antibiotic we put in our mouths, that might give our guts a better chance to be healthy for when we digest food, so we don't end up with a confused immune system because of poor digestion. That's one side that you've described. But you're also saying that the actual food that people eat and how it affects the hormones in our bodies will also affect how well our immune system makes sense of what's going on. What is it that makes leptin levels go up? What makes insulin levels go up? RON ROSEDALE Let's talk about insulin first. It actually is a bit simpler. What we know makes insulin go up are glucose levels in the blood. When they go up, insulin goes up to store the excess, not to lower the blood sugar. That's a huge misconception not just among the public but among almost all physicians. We're taught in medical school that the purpose of insulin is to regulate blood sugar, and that couldn't be further from the truth. The purpose of insulin is to store excess nutrients for a future time of need. That's even a minor purpose of insulin. We can get into the major purpose of insulin later. When sugar goes up in your bloodstream, when it spikes up, you have food that increases blood sugar, which might be an innocuous as a potato, or rice, which the whole world seems to be eating in overabundance, bread and pasta and cereals, Breakfast of Champions, all of these things will cause the body to manufacture a lot of sugar from the food. Starch in your mouth will be broken down by the amylase in the saliva into blood sugar, and the blood sugar will rise quite rapidly. You won't be able to burn it as rapidly, unless you're sprinting while you're eating, and then you will raise your blood sugar, and that's a sign that you've got more nutrients available now than you can burn, so your body wants to save that. We come from a history of feast and famine, and your body is not going to want to waste those nutrients, so you'll save it for a future less opportune time when food might not have been available. Tomorrow you might have to fast. In our evolutionary history, food wasn't available all the time. It was feast or famine. If it was famine tomorrow, you wanted to save those excess nutrients from today. You'll store them. You'll store a little bit as a biological starch called glycogen, but mostly you'll convert it into fat, which is our major energy supply and major energy storage, or it least it's supposed to be our major energy supply. The signal to do all these physiologic things with the excess nutrient is mostly insulin. Insulin will go up and change the way that your genes are being read and it will say, "Hey, you've got a bunch of fuel right now. Let's take the excess and store it and let's do something with what we've got." In our evolutionary history, when there was an overabundance of food or just an abundance of food, it'll say that cells should reproduce. You've got enough energy now that you can reproduce, make a new you, make a new cell. So when we talk about reproduction here, we're not necessarily talking about making a new person, we're talking about making a new cell. You've got energy available. You can now make cells to replace old damaged cells, but it will do so by changing certain genetic pathways, turning the switch to on, which when left unregulated because of impaired immune system, let's say, will lead to cancer. So not only are you giving a switch that is telling cells to reproduce, but you're also then damaging the control of that reproduction from the immune system and the end result is an increase in cancer. Now we know, and I mentioned this at least 20 years ago, that when insulin levels are high, you will have an increase in cancer, and that's proving to be somewhat prophetic, because now they're showing that many different kinds of cancer are related to glucose and insulin levels, and leptin levels, too, by the way. They're all related. Nerve Attack in MS – Image from Wikicommons It's very, very important not to let glucose and insulin levels spike by the foods that will generally raise those, which are sugars, obviously, and starches. When I mention the sugars, it has to be recognized we're not just talking about the glycemic index here. The glycemic index just measures glucose, it just measures sugar. So many people now feel that they can have fructose, things like agave are being espoused on talk shows as a wonderful thing to have, when in fact agave is 90% fructose, and fructose doesn't raise blood glucose, it raises blood fructose. And so it doesn't have a high glycemic index, which is why they're saying it's healthy, but it does many other really adverse things, such as cause the liver to produce fat, some of which then ends up standing in the liver and causing a fatty liver, so that your liver actually gets obese and it can't then have proper blood circulation and can't receive proper hormonal signals from insulin, which normally tells the liver to stop manufacturing sugar, so the liver overmanufactures glucose so you wake up in the morning and your sugars are high, even though you haven't eaten, and that's what you see in diabetics. We're talking about diseases such as diabetes and cancer and heart disease, too, which have these kinds of connections. How does this tie in with autoimmune diseases, with the fact that T cells can get confused and other hormonal signals in the body can get messed up so that, for instance, nerves in the body start to be attacked by the body and don't get repaired? Our Body Works Best Like an Orchestra RON ROSEDALE The way the body functions really is, I guess, more akin to the music being played by an orchestra. If you impair one part of that orchestra, some of the signaling from the violins, all the rest of the music becomes impaired. But especially if the conductor starts having a twitch in his arm, you're going to have a real problem. That conductor to me right now is leptin. I was one of the first people to talk about the importance of insulin decades ago, and insulin is still extremely important, but leptin, in humans, anyway, perhaps might even be more important. It's so universally dysfunctional in people that it then trickles down to every biological process in the body, including the way the liver functions or diabetes. It controls insulin production and reception. It controls bone growth and repair. It controls the vascular function, having to do with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. It has a lot to do with cancer. And as we've talked about previously, it has a whole lot to do with autoimmune disease in many different ways, part of which is the regulation or at least partial regulation of the regulatory T cell by blood cells, which help keep the immune system from going overboard. Ron Rosedale, I'm confused. I've done a very light look at some of the medical treatments for autoimmune diseases. For a lot of diseases there are anti-inflammatory drugs given. Lots of steroids are used in treating autoimmune diseases. Also different drugs that either boost or tamp down on a neurotransmitter kind of signal that goes to the nerves. I don't see very many medical treatments that have to do with cooling off leptin. RON ROSEDALE No, there aren't, and the reason for that is, there's no money in it. It might sound kind of a simple and flippant remark, but it's true. The only therapies that make their way into standard medical care are those that can be patented and profited from, huge profits. It takes quite a bit of money to get FDA approval for something, and you have to make money off o it. All of these are corporate-sponsored and corporate-controlled, and the purpose of corporations is to make money. You might be right about that. But I can't go to a pharmaceutical company and ask them about their motivation. It's not something that I can double-check with them to see what they say about that. But one thing that I can do is look at what some of the treatments are for some autoimmune diseases and start to compare them. What if I pretend that I'm a consumer who wants to make an informed decision, and I want to look at what the treatments out there are and what some of the alternatives are. What if we focused on something like multiple sclerosis, for instance, MS? It's a disease that's on the rise in the U.S. It's hitting people at younger ages. There are a lot of different ways it can be treated. There are drugs called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that are one of the common treatments for MS, I believe. Steroids are another. There are different interferons that are given. I don't know exactly what all these things are. Is it worthwhile to explain some of them? RON ROSEDALE The real short answer is no, because none of them work. If somebody wants to take these kind of medication because they're desperate or worried or they've been told they might work, what's the harm? Shotgun Hit RON ROSEDALE The harm is that they have adverse side effects. Most of these medication inhibit the immune system. They're kind of shotguns. They don't just inhibit the immune system attacking the myelin sheath of nerves, which is what causes MS, so some of the bigger nerves have a fatty layer above them basically as an insulator, just like when you insulate an electrical wire. If you don't have that insulation, the electrons can just go everywhere instead of to the intended target. That's one of the major purposes of the myelin fatty sheath that's around the major nerves. It also can aid in the speed of transmission to the nerves. So the myelin sheath is quite important. What happens in MS, for instance, is that the immune system attacks that myelin sheath, basically pokes holes in it, and that interferes with electrical connectivity in those nerves. You make it sound like the nerves get frayed, just like an electrical wire. RON ROSEDALE The sheath of the nerves gets frayed, you might say. They have holes in them. It's I think fairly accepted that it's because of the overactive immune system that a person's own immune system attacks the myelin sheath, so it's in the class of disease we call autoimmune disease. When you say that the problem is that it's an overactive immune system, that puzzles me, because a number of the treatments for these kinds of diseases and other diseases is to look at the disease and say, "These nerves are not working as well, so we need to boost the signal, push them harder, because the signal isn't getting through." Someone with MS, for instance, may have trouble walking, using their hands. In more severe cases, they may have trouble breathing, and it's because the nerve signal isn't getting through. So one logic of medical treatments can be to figure out whatever way they can to boost the signal, because the instruction isn't getting through to the nerves, so why not push the signal louder? RON ROSEDALE The problem with that is, global movements, instead of fine-tuned movement, it takes a hammer and just pounds away at the piano instead of nicely playing tunes with one's fingers. When you just increase nerve signals, you're not just increasing it in those areas of the nerves that require it. You're increasing it everywhere. You might benefit a couple nerves that maybe have a big of slow transmission because of myelin damage, but then what about all the other nerves that have the right transmission that you're now overaccelerating? This is how people die in most cases of severe snakebite and other toxic animal bites. What these venoms do is inhibit our ability to break down that neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, so when your nerves produce acetylcholine, it goes from one nerve to the next as kind of a messenger, and it tells the next nerve to go ahead and transmit your signal. But then you have to get rid of that acetylcholine or it keeps telling the same message over and over again long after it shouldn't. You have to then break that acetylcholine down, and the body does it through a chemical called a cholinesterase. The toxins that nature produces for animals to kill other animals is called an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. I've seen that as the mechanism of action for drug treatments that are designed to treat these nerve-destroying conditions. RON ROSEDALE Right. And the problem is that it won't just do it in one particular nerve, let alone one particular place or a few different places on a particular nerve or even a few nerves. It does it everywhere, because that acetylcholine is universal throughout the body, it's one of the major neurotransmitters, and it's used everywhere. So by increasing the message in one place that maybe you need to increase the signal in that place because it's damaged, you don't want to increase it everywhere else because you're doing the same thing, then, that a venomous snakebite does. You're damaging the other nerves and the other signals and that actually then will ultimately cause resistance to acetylcholine, so it first will cause damage from too much and then you cause damage from too little. We don't know enough to specific exactly where, when, and how to place a signal. Not just in this disease, but in any disease. The problem with diabetes, for instance, is the orchestration of the signals. People take insulin when their insulin resistance—for instance, the vast majority of diabetics are diabetic because their cells are not able to listen to insulin. They have enough of it. In fact, most of them have too much of it. But certain cells are not able to listen to it. Other cells are getting too much. Not all the cells in the body are equally resistant. The liver might be more resistant than the cells that line the arteries. So then when you give the person more insulin so that the liver gets the message to stop making excess sugar, that same more insulin is going to expose the cells that line the arteries, the endothelial cells, to even more insulin signal, which will cause the endothelium to proliferate, it is a signal for the endothelial cells that lines the arteries to multiply, high insulin is a signal to reproduce, the signal that you've got lots of nutrition available and it's a good time to reproduce. The endothelial cells will reproduce, it'll produce fat and plaque and it will plug your arteries. And that's just one simple example. And it's not a hypothetical example, it's a real example. So when you take excess insulin, when you're taking insulin for a type 2 diabetic, it might lower your sugar, but it's causing all these other effects that are adverse because of the high insulin effects on the cells that are already exposed to high insulin. And that's the problem with a lack of orchestration. That's just uniform. We are not advanced enough in medicine to treat a particular signal in a particular spot at a particular time. That's what it required for health. That's how you play music. You don't just constantly press one key all the time. You've got to press it now and then let, and then press a different key now and then let go. And then you get a musical score. And that musical score you might consider to be health. A lot of medical doctors and pharmaceutical companies would say that they have very finely calibrated their medications for diseases such as autoimmune diseases so they're at just the right level that they don't cause harm but instead cause benefit in the same way that a signal from our own body is able to go in and get a signal to the nerves to do some kind of action and then step back. The rationale that I've heard from medical researchers and doctors about why to give these kinds of medications is that overall, on the balance, the whole body is pulled back from where it should be in sending out signals, for instance in someone with MS, so what else can they do but use their very finely calibrated, very carefully played drug applications to improve the signal to those nerves? RON ROSEDALE None of the drugs for MS work. They have no cure for MS. They have no help for MS in standard medical care. That's not what I hear from people who support these kinds of applications, this kind of medication. RON ROSEDALE That's what the studies will say. In fact, a friend of mine was just diagnosed with MS and is seeing one of the top MS doctors, supposedly, in the world, who is going to put her on one of the newest and bestest drugs for MS called Copaxone. The generic name is glatiramer acetate. Very expensive, I think it costs in the neighborhood of $10,000 or $20,000 a month. It's ridiculous. It's given by injection only. And that's one of the newest and bestest drugs for MS, given by one of the top experts in the field. Here is a summary from the Cochrane Report. The Cochrane Collaboration is a group that synthesizes all of the known information and they make a report. They take all of the studies and reports of drugs and look at it all together and they essentially give their opinion as to the effectiveness of this drug. Here is what it says about glatiramer acetate, one of the supposedly best drugs for MS. It's a very long report. At the end there is a plain-language summary: "The data show no beneficial effects on disease progression in both MS forms." Period. Both MS forms is, there's a relapsing-remitting form and a progressive form of MS, otherwise known as RRMS and PMS. I will repeat that. "The data show no beneficial effects on disease progression in both MS forms. Adverse effects such as flushing, chest tightness, sweating, complications, anxiety, and local injection site reactions occurred quite frequently." And I would add, after looking at that drug a little bit more, that what you will see, although they can't show it in a short period of it, is a great increase in cancer due to its adverse effects on the immune system. (Editor's Note: Here is a link to the Cochrane Collaboration Report on Glatriamer Acetate for Multiple Sclerosis) T Cells attack cancer – from PNAS If there's no benefit, why is it out there on the market? RON ROSEDALE It essentially works by reducing the immune system, by reducing T cell activity. It reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and therefore it will supposedly reduce the immune system's effect on the myelin sheath. But the problem is, it doesn't just reduce the effects on the myelin sheath, it reduces the effects on everything. Everything the immune system is for, to protect you from infections, from cancer. I didn't say that early, but you require a very powerful immune system to protect yourself from cancer. Cancer, if it gets by other regulatory systems in the body, is hopefully recognized as a foreign agent like a bacteria or a virus, and that cancer cell will be mopped up by your immune system and won't give you overt kinds of cancer. You won't come up with what we call cancer, even though you might have millions of cancer cells in your body. People are getting cancer every five minutes, every hour, I don't know. Cancer is very common. The body has mechanisms to keep it in check or even succumb to it or even know that we have had it. But that requires a very powerful immune system. Most of the treatments for cancer basically wipe out the immune system, such as chemotherapy, and then people end up dying. That's why I say that unfortunately our medical system really is in an infantile stage, and we're going to be looked at by future generations just like we look at medicine from the medieval ages. We are no more advanced, perhaps less advanced now, then we were then. I can sympathize with a doctor who rationalizes that cancer tends to kill people slowly, further out in time. Severe incidents of MS can kill someone quickly. Can it be that this drug is suggested as a way to buy somebody more time by increasing the risk of a disease that might happen later to stop a disease that's happening right now? RON ROSEDALE No, not if it doesn't help the disease. This isn't saying that the drug just has side effects, it's saying that it doesn't help MS. It doesn't help MS, but has bad side effects. There's no excuse for that. Doctors when they get their licenses take a Hippocratic oath, the joke goes that it's a hypocritic oath. And it really is a hypocritic oath, because the doctors take the oath and throw it away. The first thing they'll do is forget about it, because virtually every drug they prescribe has adverse effects. So the Hippocratic oath, paraphrased, "At least do no harm." And doctors do harm all the time, but they're trying to weigh, like you just mentioned, the benefits versus the risks. Unfortunately, the risk generally far outweighs the benefit, or the benefit is short-term or a long-term, even more detrimental adverse effect. We're supposed to have a whole system of checks and balances to try to keep the risk-benefit ratio in the favor of the patient who needs better health. We have the FDA that's supposed to safeguard people against drugs that aren't supposed to be—that might harm them. We have a huge layer of different agencies and different regulations to try to prevent a drug that is not going to be useful and might cause more side effects that are harmful than it causes benefits. RON ROSEDALE We could talk for hours about how the system is broken. And then there's the way that the pharmaceutical companies do studies. There's many way to statistically twist results or even when they design the study to begin with, they'll design it basically for deceptive purposes. They'll design a study to show benefit and mask the side effects. For instance, if you knew it took so many patients so many years to show a positive cancer effect, you'll make s you're that you use fewer years and fewer patients so that that cancer effect doesn't show up, and so that the positive effect might show up in a particular age group after the results are done, and then you can throw away the results of all the other age groups, because you're not required to show negative results. So you're not in favor of medications that knock out the immune system's T cells? You don't think that's the way to go. What about ones that—and you're not in favor of medications that boost the signal of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. You're not in favor of medications that either repress how quickly the body recycles or just simply rev up that signal, because that can end up ripping up a lot of the nervous system. How about steroids? RON ROSEDALE Steroids are known to impair the immune system, and yes, they definitely are a common treatment, and it's been shown over many decades that the negative side effects there far outweigh the benefits. Steroids will impair your immune system, so we know that it increases your risk of infection, of cancer. We know that it also increases blood sugar and can actually cause overt diabetes. It also breaks down protein tissues that can make you more osteoporotic, make you weaker. There are so many adverse effects of taking corticosteroids that it really is almost beyond the scope of this discussion. One should totally forget that as a treatment for any type of chronic disease. What you do see are certain treatments being totally ignored because there is no money behind it. A pharmaceutical company is not going to be going around to doctors and saying that there is a key role of leptin in the control of regulatory T cell proliferation. And that is the title of an article that came out quite a while ago that when leptin is high, it reduces regulatory T cells. Really one of the Holy Grails of autoimmune diseases is to increase regulatory T cells, not reduce the immune system, but reduce the part of the immune system that is attacking one's own tissue. That is the function of the regulatory T cells. They regulate T cell function, as their name implies. They prevent out-of-control burning, you might say, of tissues by the immune system. Regulatory T cells are a real hot topic in autoimmune disorders. It's been known now for several years that one of the major regulators of regulatory T cells is leptin. When you inhibit leptin, it increases regulatory T cells. There have been many more than one study that have shown this. But the key there is that leptin levels change with every meal. So if you eat a meal to keep your leptin levels low, you will up-regulate your regulatory cells. And that's what you want for autoimmune diseases, that's what you want for cancer, that's what you want for virtually anything that has to do with proper functioning and health. That's very important. And then there's another article, "The interface between immune and metabolic regulation: a role for leptin in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis." It's not just in the treatment, but it shows that disregulation [?] of leptin might be a major cause of multiple sclerosis in the first place. Why not go right to the source. Ron, would you be comfortable if I posted on the Internet not only the title of those articles but the authors and a way to find the citation? RON ROSEDALE No, that'd be fine. Here's my hope. Today there's enough information that's available to people that they can do their own checking to see what makes sense to them. It's also my hope that if something makes enough sense, it might actually be worth doing and it might make a difference. Perhaps we're in a time where people look for a path of information that they can check out for themselves, and they might find some good answers. RON ROSEDALE They might. People really have to start taking their health into their own control, because unfortunately, standard medical care really is controlled by large corporations. No, you can't necessarily look into their minds, but I think most people understand what the major purpose of large corporations is, and it has very little if anything to do with health and much more to do with wealth. Another thing I want to mention is, when you get a lot of different lines of research intersecting at one point, you really have to start paying attention. Another line of research, for instance, is just showing how sugar itself, high glucose, is associated with multiple sclerosis, and when you prevent high glucose, MS can be reduced. Again, that gets you back to insulin and gets you back to leptin and metabolic control in general. The two major metabolic hormones are insulin and leptin, and they're called metabolic hormones because their major influence is what you eat. So it's extremely important—and there's mechanistic actions. We even know why. There's good scientific physiology as to why this even might be so. It's not just hocus-pocus. With glucose, for instance, they talk about the glycation of cholinesterase and cholinesterase inhibitors. We've known about glycation for quite some time. We've talked about it before. Glycation can really mess up proper functioning of proteins. I think I hear you saying that if you make acetylcholinesterase, which is the nerve transmitter, get too sticky and gummed up with sugar stuck to it, it's going to do some things that it shouldn't, and it's not going to work in some places that it's needed. If you glycate, if you gum up acetylcholinesterase, the stuff that inhibits and recycles the nerve transmitter, then it may not be there to act when it's needed, or it may bungle into something else because it's all gummed up and hurt it just because it's all gummed up. RON ROSEDALE And even more so the receptors. The receptors are proteins, too. They can get glycated or, as you mentioned, "gummed up" by glucose, "caramelized," another scientifically colloquial term for glycation is "caramelization." It's not just a picture but it's true. Caramel is basically caramelization of cream. So if you add glucose and cream, you get caramel. The same thing happens in your body. It's one of the major mechanisms that is studied in the biology of aging. We know that glycation can came damage and that damage will accrue, and a lot of that accrual we see as the damage or senescence associated with getting older. So wrinkles and cataracts and all these things we know are directly attributable to glycation or caramelization. But other things caramelize, receptors or hormones, even the neurotransmitters are a type of hormone like acetylcholine. They glycate and the acetylcholine itself can glycate, but that may not be as important because it doesn't last that long, so it gets mopped up. What does happen is, whenever anything glycates, the body has to get rid of that glycation. That's now a damaging protein, so we know that it stimulates the immune system and stimulates macrophages, which are part of the immune system, to clean up that gummed-up, caramelized protein, so it will then attack the caramelization, which could be one of the causes also of MS. So when you glycate nerves, you stimulate the immune system to have to clean up that caramelization, and it might go a little overboard and damage some of the nerves even more so as a result of having been glycated. So there's a lot of damaging effects of the glucose itself, but glucose's effects on other very powerful hormones such as insulin and leptin, which then have global effects throughout the body on all of the chronic diseases of aging because of their effects on the actual biology and rate of aging itself. And that aging then has symptoms that we know of as the damage associated with aging, such as autoimmune disease and cancer and obesity and diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. All of these are symptoms of getting older that are accelerated, we know, when insulin and leptin and certain other metabolic signals are elevated. Ron Rosedale, you have spent your career looking at these diseases and focusing on the disease initially as insulin. Does it surprise you to see a resonance of some of the mechanisms you've seen for what causes a disease like diabetes happen in a disease such as multiple sclerosis? RON ROSEDALE It just makes sense. I went out on a limb many year ago and predicted a lot of these things, but there was no real science behind it. Now, 20 years later, a lot of the science is supporting it. But it made sense then, and it makes more sense now. The science was just so powerful and in some cases so obvious that it really is frustrating that it is not being utilized. It's very basic. When I still see studies coming out that low-carbohydrate, so-called ketogenic diets can help epilepsy or be beneficial for diabetics as if it's new information, when 20 years ago I started talking about this, we've talked about this before, too, but when I first started talking about this, I was very shy to talk about it. I started treating my patients, I was working in basically a practice that had lots of cardiovascular patients, they were there to treat their cardiovascular disease, and many of these people also had diabetes. I was treating them with a diet that I will maintain to this very day hasn't changed one bit, not anything about this diet has changed. All I did literally, probably in an hour, I sat down, thought of a diet that would not raise blood sugar. In grade school we're taught that starches turn to sugar. So there go the starches. A little research showed that we don't need any in the diet, that the minimum daily requirement of carbohydrate is zero. So I just wiped those out. I knew that proteins could turn to sugar, but we needed some protein, it is required, so I moderated the protein and figured out how much protein a person should have depending on their lean mass and realized that what you have left is fat. A little research on fat showed that it was metabolized differently, was actually a much cleaner fuel, and that the medical degradation of fat, what's the word? desecration of fat was totally wrong. We were being told to eat a low-fat diet, when in fact it should be quite the opposite. That should be our major source of fuel. So I started people on essentially a higher-fat, very low-carb, very low starch, moderate-protein diet. All the other low-carb diets are kind of going towards what I was espousing originally. And it shows up in many places in surprising ways. I'm hoping to talk to some researcher who are close to Johns Hopkins who have been doing some studies with rodents where they poison the rodents with something called soman poisoning. It basically does what a snakebite does. It's a poison that was used in wars. Interestingly enough, in this study, the rodents that they had on a glucose diet died very quickly, the ones on a standard died about half as fast or as slowly. But they put some of these rodents on a ketogenic diet, high-fat, adequate protein, very low-carb. Those rodents for the most part survived the poisoning. It was very interesting to read some of the possibilities. They talked about glycation, about the fact that basically the body stayed cooler, and they didn't use quite that word, but they described a situation where the toxic effects were able to be processed out more efficiently. There were some interesting things about that. If I were to be persuaded that the kind of diet that you recommend might be therapeutic, that would be a scary step for somebody who's at the point of one of these diseases where it's threatening their health, it's painful, it's threatening their mobility or maybe even their life. If I put myself in the shoes of someone like that, that would be a very scary time to try to raise my hopes towards changing how I eat to see if it could make a difference. Is there's a point where it's too late to even try?) RON ROSEDALE No, no, there's never a point where it's too late to try, until they're basically beyond dead. Even in the study of the rodents that was done close to Johns Hopkins at an Army Institute, what they noticed was that if they shifted animals to this kind of diet for just 24 hours, they got sicker. They showed more signs of illness. If instead they had been accustomed to this diet for 48 hours, just another day, they did much better. I don't know whether they poisoned the rodents after they were adapted for 48 hours or if they tried to switch them. I don't know what would happen if someone sick and you switched their diet in the middle of them being sick to something that's different— IRON ROSEDALE I can virtually assure you that the adverse feelings that one gets by switching their diet will be far less than what they would feel with chemotherapy or with a drug akin to snake venom. The adaptation to this type of diet exists. One must adapt. In humans it takes between two and three weeks to adapt to this form of diet. But with adaptation, we know that when you adopt and adapt to this diet, you will lose excess fluid that you've been retaining perhaps for decades because of high insulin, one of the ramifications being fluid and sodium retention, so when your insulin goes down, you'll lose that fluid loss, and with fluid loss you lose potassium, and many people who adopt this diet and who do not supplement with potassium, just like you would do if you had a diuretic, you have to do the same thing, if you do that, the adaptation really is much less. Most of the adverse side effects one gets when they adopt this sort of diet is that they don't take certain supplements that should be taken to ease that transition. But they don't really notice great improvement for several weeks, as your body starts learning how to burn fat. Basically, the mechanisms to burn fat have been hibernating for so long that it takes a while to wake up that genetic machinery to manufacture the enzymes and other chemicals necessary to process fat as fuel. The adaptation is so much less, and the benefits are so great, as opposed to the side effects and lack of benefits when they take some of the ___ treatment for MS or cancer or any of the things that basically are really treated inadequately at best. Medicine is pretty much held on a pedestal. You have all this fancy machinery and you walk around in white coats and you get something that's $10,000 to $20,000 a month therapy, it's got to be doing something. You can't believe that it really does nothing and it's more harmful than not. People want some sort of hope. They want to do something. And when you have supposed experts telling you to do something, that this will be good for you, you listen to them, because you figure you're not an expert and they're more of an expert and they know what they're doing. They might have very nice personalities. Maybe they're even great people. Maybe they want to help. Maybe they even believe that they're helping. But the cold, hard, scientific facts are that they're not, and the vast majority of chronic diseases, including heart disease, the control of cholesterol and cancer therapies and the treatment for diabetes, all of these things really are causing much more harm, not just a little bit more harm, but much more harm than if they did nothing. And I'm not even saying do nothing. I'm saying, just change your diet. Diet is really, really powerful. I know that everybody says, "OK, we know that eating well is helpful." If you eat just right to control really powerful hormones such as leptin and insulin, you can make huge changes in your health. You can not just help prevent disease, we're not talking about preventive medicine here. We're talking about therapeutic medicine. We're talking about treating cancer, treating autoimmune disease, reversing heart disease and high blood pressure and diabetes and obesity. We're doing that by really getting much further to the root of those diseases, because we're delving into the actual aging process and therefore the symptoms of aging, because we know that these hormones are not just—probably control the rate of aging. It's been shown now in many species of laboratory animals that there's a genetic mechanism that actually regulates the rate of aging, which has to do with nature's desire to have animals live long enough to reproduce. There's a strong synergy between diet, reproduction, and rate of aging. All animals that are on earth today evolved with that synergy in mind. So diet, what a person eats, controls and expresses, changed genetic expression of very powerful genes that then essentially affect every process in the body. It basically boils down to one thing. If you just have to summarize all of this stuff we've been saying, you can make huge changes in your health if you switch from burning sugar to burning fat. The body functions really, really differently. You will be much healthier, you will improve your immune system function, not just in fighting infections and fighting cancer, but also preventing it from overfighting, which would manifest as autoimmune diseases, by burning fat. It's a totally different type of fuel. The body functions extremely different when you burn fat from when you burn sugar. We were never designed to burn sugar extensively. It's a major problem with the diseases of civilization. The whole world is not primarily burning sugar as its primary fuel, and that has to do with what people are being fed and what the medical profession has told people to eat. The medical profession told people, "Don't eat fat. Eat carbohydrates. Eat a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet." That's been their mantra over half a century. That's been a killer. There has never been in the history of mankind worse advice than that. It was actually based on nothing. You don't get any nutritional training in medical school, so why they said that in the first place is really beyond me. It was what I would call "kindergarten medicine." They noticed fatty fats in arteries, so they said, "If you eat fat, it's going to stick to your arteries and kill you." And that's literally what caused fat to be blamed for heart disease. No scientific merit, no studies, nothing really of substance to implicate that. The body doesn't work that way. The body is far more complex than that. The body is regulated by instructions and by signals, and if you have signals to build up plaque in your arteries, you'll do it. If you have signals to burn fat or to burn sugar, you'll do that. Your cells are living that line your arteries, and they can burn fat or sugar, too. If they're burning fat, they're going to keep themselves clean. Whether you burn fat or sugar is regulated by the same powerful hormones that regulate aging, leptin and insulin. It regulates all of the—since it affects and even controls, to a great extent, the rate of aging, it will affect those processes that also affect the rate of aging, such as immunity, autoimmunity, cancer, diabetes, overabundance or not of fat. Everything that we notice detrimental that happens when we age is going to be controlled by those hormones that are controlled by what we eat. Finally — — — plus just 15 minutes of daily exercise. Great interview with the amazing Jimmy Moore. Thank you Jimmy for the article, graphics and the interview below. You can learn more about Jimmy and his passion for exposing the truth in health at his website, Click the Audio button below to listen to the interview with Dr. Rosedale and Jimmy Moore. Hello and [...] Great interview with the amazing Jimmy Moore. Thank you Jimmy for the article, graphics and the interview below. You can learn more about Jimmy and his passion for exposing the truth in health at his website, Click the Audio button below to listen to the interview with Dr. Rosedale and Jimmy Moore. Hello and welcome back to The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore! Today we are lucky enough–at long last–to bring you an interview with a true pioneer in the study of the low-carb way of eating and its implications for weight and general health. His name is Dr. Ron Rosedale. Dr. Rosedale worked with the Eades early on and has continued with his career ever since espousing the benefits of a controlled-carb nutritional approach. Sit back and listen to a LONG and in-depth conversation that may be controversial at times but will surely be highly informative and engaging to this audience! ]]> Bones, the true story you are not being told. 15 Nov 2011 07:20:40 +0000Ron Rosedale, M.D. Here's an in-depth conversation with Ron Rosedale about how bones [...] Here's an in-depth conversation with Ron Rosedale about how bones evolved, and what kind of hormone signaling helps bones stay healthy. Ron Rosedale, recently, health news has featured many articles that have to do with bone. I'm wondering if you can help me with this. The three questions I have are: 1. Calcium supplements that people take to make their bones strong, have been associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular problems. 2. Drugs designed to strengthen bones are in some cases leading to an increased risk of bone fractures, especially in the thigh bone, rare but documentable. 3. More and more evidence is showing that hormones may influence healthy bones more than taking calcium. And healthy bones may influence hormones, such as insulin and leptin, meaning sick bones may increase the risk of diabetes and messing up the leptin signals can mess up your bones. RON ROSEDALE Nothing surprising. Before we get into how you would answer those questions, I'm also thinking of a young man who has a disease where his bones are very thin and very prone to breaking. Maybe in looking at these more newsworthy topics, we'll figure out something to do for this young man. Let's start by talking about bones. I brought with me two show-and-tells that are bones. These are soup bones for cooking. They're the kind of bones that you can give to dogs that they love to chew on. One thing that struck me, if you look at this one that's cooked, is it mostly bone or mostly hollow? RON ROSEDALE The one that's cooked, I'd say about half of each. It's mostly hollow, if I had to do volume. It's a trabecular bone, so there would be more air than bone in this piece. That's right, we think of bones as these very strong, sturdy things, but even this, which I'm guessing was maybe a cow's thigh bone— RON ROSEDALE —and probably would not be considered osteoporotic at all. It's got this thick outer bark that's the bone, but most of what you'd see that you think is solid is actually a hole in the middle. That's the cooked one, where the hole in the middle has been taken out. But this bone here has not been cooked. RON ROSEDALE In so-called Paleolithic times, this would be a real gourmet feast. I've heard that in Paleolithic time and in hunter-gatherer cultures, they loved to eat the marrow of a bone. RON ROSEDALE Yeah. Some of the scientists who study such things have proposed the theory as how brains might have evolved, and one of those is, as brains evolved and became a little bit smarter, and human ancestors were scavengers, smart enough to know not to compete with lions and tigers for a kill, they'd let the lions and tigers kill and have their fill, and then try to eat what was left over, as we became a bit smarter and more adept at the use of tools, we could break open bones, and what was left is the commodity that is revered in animal cultures, and that is fat. Is fat what's inside of this bone? RON ROSEDALE It's mostly fat. Bone marrow is very high in fats. The Mediterranean diet is bone marrow, it's mostly mono-unsaturated fat and a lot of other good nutrients. It's a very nutritious meal, also some protein. So bone marrow is an excellent meal for especially a scavenger, to have something like that left over. Our ancestors may have become more human-like because they could crack open a bone and eat the inside of it when other creatures couldn't get to it, because they used tools. I wonder how long ago that could have happened. Could it have been 2 million years ago, 15 million years ago? RON ROSEDALE Probably longer than 2 million years ago. Probably not as long as 15 million years ago. I think that's a pretty good range right there, somewhere between 15 and 2 million years ago, as we evolved a bigger brain. The 15 million years is an interesting moment, because it is a time when primates lost some ability to process uricase, and it's a possibility that it was just a random mutation that gave them more ability to store fat through fructose. I've always wondered, when I've heard that, though, whether if there were primates that had gone to Europe and then they got caught in an Ice Age kind of cold, if some of them survived because they ate bone marrow, and if they ate bone marrow and fats, maybe that ability to process some of the byproducts of eating a lot of fruit, because they were fruit-eating primates that went north, maybe they lost that ability to process fruits because they were eating so much bone marrow they didn't need it any more. RON ROSEDALE Yeah, bone marrow is a great meal. I think it perhaps initiated a very beneficial cycle where the more bone marrow they were able to acquire, as they got smarter, the smarter they got, because they were able to fuel then the very high-energy needs of a growing brain. That's a question that would take some paleoanthropologist to figure out. We'll just leave that as a question for now. You're saying that this is actually pretty nourishing stuff here in the middle. But I'll bet that's not why this animal made this stuff in the middle of its bone. It didn't just make it just so we could eat it some day. RON ROSEDALE I don't think any animal makes anything so that somebody else can eat it. Well, maybe bees make honey. No, I don't think they made marrow for us to eat. Instead of being hard, why do our bones have this stuff in the middle of them? RON ROSEDALE The typical function of bone marrow is to make red and white blood cells. It has a very good energy store to fuel the constantly replicating cells that are necessary for that animal's life. Why did they make it inside of their bones? RON ROSEDALE Because they can, [laughs] more than anything. It's a good place for it. I think nature likes to have dual uses. It's also very well protected, so it's a very well-protected place to make very, very vital components of our physiology. The immune system is extremely important, making blood, red cells, is extremely important. This is a very safe place to make it that is kind of out of the way. It's out of the way, in a safe place that's avoiding free radicals and all of those insults. Does it make bone any stronger to have it be solid, or is it just fine to have it in the middle of it like that? RON ROSEDALE One of the major endeavors of any type of architecture is to weigh strength versus weight. It could certainly be solid. You could make bones solid, but they then would be much heavier, which would entail greater musculature to stand upright. It wouldn't be a very architecturally sound way of making any type of structure. We could make a building, a house, with a solid framework, but instead they have 2×6's or 2×4's to hold up a frame that's hollow in the middle, very much like our bones. So it's a good balance between strength and weight. When you said hollow in the middle, it reminded me of this book I have here called Inside the Body. It has beautiful pictures that start out showing things like the skeleton and what different bones look like in the skeleton, and then it gets closer and closer to the actual bone cells. At some point, it actually shows the structure of bone cells. One thing that's quite amazing to look at with these is that bone cells, side by side, they have all this hard stuff around them, but the bone cells start with a hollow core. Even the cell starts with a hollow core. Aren't those beautiful? RON ROSEDALE Yeah, they are beautiful. Nature is incredibly wise. That's why I think we really have to listen to nature, both in healing and treating people. Listen to what nature does, what nature's ideas are for healing, for structure, for life, and then don't fight them, go along with them. Looking at these pictures where there's a hollow center and lots of layers of hardness around them reminds me of a story you told me about how nature doesn't say, "Some day, we need creatures that have bones in them, so let's plan to make bones." You told me that bones started because sea organisms were spitting out a lot of calcium. Sea creatures started out by being soft-bodied animals that had a lot of calcium to spit out. It's not that they even wanted to make shells, they just wanted to spit out calcium. And in a way, it almost looks like in our bone cells that spitting out of calcium is still going on. There's a hollow center and then there's all this hardness around them. Can you tell the story about seashells? RON ROSEDALE A simplified version evolution, how life came to be as it is. We're fairly certain that life started with single-celled organisms. We could start even earlier, but that's close enough. As cells divided, they formed colonies of cells, families of cells that were fairly identical. From a very, very early age, it was critical that once life began, once life evolved, one of the requisites of staying alive was to get rid of calcium. Not to acquire calcium, but actually to get rid of it. Top biologists to this day will know that if cells start accumulating calcium on the inside, if calcium levels start rising on the inside and the intracellular calcium isn't kept extremely low, cells start dying. This began almost at the beginning of life. The cell started excreting calcium, and as you had colonies of cells grouping together, and they all were excreting calcium, it would mix with certain elements in the oceans and precipitate from rocks, kidney stones, you might say. These rocks would form adjacent to these columns of cells. Nature is quite smart, all animals are quite smart, and they have to be, or you're not going to survive in a world that is not easy to survive in, especially back when life was evolving. It was actually much refer than it is now. We have a few tsunamis now, a few hurricanes and volcanoes. Well, life back then was infinitely more treacherous, with much more severe hurricanes and tsunamis. It wasn't easy. You had to be pretty ingenious to survive, and you didn't want to waste things. So these colonies found, quite naturally, that the precipitated calcium that was adjacent to them could be used as protection, as a structure to protect themselves. So perhaps initially some of them spitting out this calcium, it smothered them, they died in their own calcium, but every now and then one of them survived in that they ended up spitting out the calcium in a way that protected them. RON ROSEDALE Exactly. This is kind of the leading theory of how shells evolved. The shells didn't just happen from the ocean, they actually emanated from within, that the colony of cells would excrete the calcium, it would precipitate, form a nice protective shell-like layer that then became part of the organism. And here in this picture of the bone cell, it has that look of spitting out calcium in a very specialized way. It's an organized way to spit it out. The center stays hollow. It's almost like a reminder of that initial creature that wanted to get the calcium out of it in a way that was not going to hurt it and might even help it. RON ROSEDALE All life is incompatible with high calcium. There are reasons for that. If calcium is so bad, why does a cell let it into itself in the first place? RON ROSEDALE It has no choice. [laughs] For that matter, calcium is one of the common elements that surrounds the world, so there will be calcium. But calcium has advantages, too. It isn't a matter of just getting rid of it and not wanting to ever see it again. It can form a very hard structure, calcium carbonate, and you can use that hardness for protection. Is that why cells let it in? There's things where cells say, "I don't even want this in. I'm going to keep it out." Why do cells let calcium in? Is it helpful in some way to have it inside the cell? RON ROSEDALE Calcium is used in many different chemical processes. One of the major chemical processes that calcium is used in is as a signal. It's kind of an intermediary hormonal signal. When the hormone tells a cell what to do, it doesn't tell it directly. It usually kind of knocks on the door of the cell and says, "I'm here." The cell then has to hear the doorbell. And just like somebody coming to the door in your home, it'll ring the doorbell, and then wires will take it to a bell and allow you to hear it, and you know something's happening. You have maybe a delivery. Maybe the mailman is here, maybe UPS came to deliver a package that's quite important, a new hard drive for your computer, and if you don't pick it up, you're out of luck in doing your further work. One of calcium's major uses is as a messenger that when the hormone arrives at your cell, a little trickle of calcium is released, which then sets off a cascade of chemical reactions with calcium being involved in most of those, that then go to the nucleus of the cell and tell certain genes to be read. So the message from a particular hormone can tell a cell what to do. That's how it works. So it's important for the proper concentration of calcium to be there so that the message can get across. I'm imagining it as the sound of the doorbell ringing discreetly to let the whole cell know, "Here comes the message." And if there's too much calcium, it would be like a thousand doorbells all ringing at once. RON ROSEDALE Or like a rock band playing inside the house, and the doorbell rings and it sounds like part of the music, and you have no idea that somebody's at the door and you don't answer it. So all of these are reasons why it's important to clear the calcium out after it's done it's job to get the doorbell rung? RON ROSEDALE Yeah. And cells have very interact ways to make sure that the calcium remains silent, a very low concentration of calcium, until it's needed. So the two major mechanisms are, number one, we're going to extrude calcium from the cell to keep the intracellular calcium really low, and the calcium that remains in the cell gets sequestered in a membrane complex called the endoplasmic reticulum, so that that calcium which isn't excreted is sequestered so that the space inside the cell, the cytoplasm, has an extremely low calcium concentration. The intra- to extracellular calcium concentration, that gradient, is greater than any other mineral, any other chemical, really, in the body. It takes a lot of energy to maintain that gradient. So our cells have a whole bunch of sump pumps that keep pumping the calcium out, because the cell says, "We don't need too much calcium. We need to keep it cleared out of here." RON ROSEDALE "We're going to die if we don't do that." Exactly. Here I see it, in these pictures of these bone cells. It looks like the calcium got spit out in a very organized way, and there's this hole in the middle each time. We've been talking about seashells, but then we go to us, where our shells are not on the outside, they're on the inside. That's interesting because I gather that the ability to make bone concedes evolutionarily with the hormone leptin? RON ROSEDALE It apparently does. You can probably educate me a lot more on that, even, and why that might be so, because I'm not sure. I know that what occurred, and it had to do with fat-burning also, the ability to burn fat, which leptin is critical for, in taking our story a little further about shellfish and shelled organisms, in the ocean, you don't have to withstand gravity. You're pretty weightless. You don't need rigidity. You need protection more than rigidity. The shells weren't there to be necessarily rigid and to stand up against gravity. The shells there were protection almost entirely, some of them actually were used as weapons, spikes, also sometimes for protection, but also as weapons, to get prey. Swordfish! RON ROSEDALE Yeah, swordfish and things like that, right. Teeth in general, which is kind of an offshoot of bone. But as we went from the oceans to land, as we sought different niches for different organisms and species, the environment changed quite a bit. Certainly one of the big changes as we left the ocean is that we encountered gravity. It's always been a rule in evolution that bigness afford protection. It's much easier to get eaten if you're little than if you're big. The big eat the little, not the other way around. For animals to grow on land, they had to become more rigid, and that distinction really has to be recognized between rigidity and strength. The two are not the same at all. Internalizing our external shells, which is a relatively easy thing to do, we already had bone, sort of, and we were using it as shells on the exterior to make bone. We just had to bring it inside. That allowed us greater rigidity, so that we could then grow bigger and stand up and become mobile against gravity. You're making me think that perhaps our internal bones have a little different structure than shells, because shells can be just these hard, concrete-y things. But our bones have to be able to move with us. Most shelled creatures stay put, so their bones are dealing with weight and impact, they aren't dealing with having to flex. RON ROSEDALE They basically weren't dealing with having to be strong. They just had to be rigid. And they didn't even have to be alive. They were just the walls of the fortress. RON ROSEDALE Exactly. And that brings us into a philosophical argument or discussion of what life is, because all life, really, is mostly dead. [laughs] You can't really distinguish between the two. But our bones inside of us are a little bit more alive than the shells? RON ROSEDALE They're definitely more alive than the shells we see in shellfish. The live part confers the strength, and that part doesn't have to do with calcium. There are some pictures in this book that show in some of those holes that go through bones, there are things called osteoclasts and osteoblasts, those kind of little scrubber things that are alive that go through and either chew up only bone or get room to make new bone cells they can spit out calcium again. There's, like, these little Pac-Men going through the bones, scrubbing and cleaning it out. I don't think that happens in seashells, but it happens in our bones. RON ROSEDALE You bet. We have living architects in our bones that model and remodel our bones, that make the bones the shape that they're in so that they can be much more conducive to mobility, to joints and strength. So we have cells that actually eat up bone like a sculpture. You take a big lump of clay and then you take away some of that clay to make a shape. Those are the osteoclasts. Clasts like "clear away." C for clear away. RON ROSEDALE And then we have another type of cell that also make a sculpture, but by adding clay, you might say, in this case not clay, in this case, actually, it's protein. So we have osteoblasts that make bone, but not by putting down calcium, but by putting down protein. So osteoblasts B for "build" the bone. RON ROSEDALE The osteoclasts and the osteoblasts model the bone. They take a piece of clay and they make a sculpture out of it which we know as a femur or a humerus, a particular bone such that it can perform a particular function in the body, be an arm, a leg, have a joint so it can be mobile and convey strength. What is protein doing in there? Why not just make it be calcium? RON ROSEDALE That's a great question, and I think it's a question that goes to the heart of the fallacy and myth of how we're treating osteoporosis. One has to distinguish between rigidity and strength. They are not the same thing at all, and they're mediated by totally different mechanisms. The strength is mediated more by flexibility, and the strength is mediated by the protein content of the bone, just like your muscles are strong. You can get nice strong muscles. Protein is what conveys strength and flexibility. So you have a green stem of a tree that's bendable, and it's going to survive a hurricane with a higher probability than an older, rigid oak tree that might be much thicker, and if you took an x-ray of it, you would say, "This is much thicker, that means it must be much stronger," and the hurricane took it out like it was kindling. I was hiking recently and saw some people fly-fishing. They do these wonderful bends of their rods. It's just gorgeous to watch the string and the rod bend and flex. I think those rods are probably hollow, and I think they're made of something that has some fibers that can bend and flex. I don't think those rods are made strong because they're made of thin pieces of stone. I think they wouldn't work very well then. RON ROSEDALE No. If they were made rigid, they would crack with any type of pressure. So you'll see all fishing rods being flexible, the more flexible the better, and that way they're much stronger and they don't fracture under pressure. Fracture under pressure. That's not what we want to have happen to any bone. RON ROSEDALE No, that's not what we want to have happen, but that is what happens. It will happen even more, or to a greater extent, if you have more calcium than the bones should have and less protein. So you can have, for instance, a six-month-old, I remember we did this in medical school, we took a nice little six-month-old infant who at least did say we couldn't do this, and the medical students were able to bend the forearm of this child, who, by the way, liked the attention, it doesn't hurt, but you could very visually see that the forearm bent considerably. And it was a very strong bone. That six-month-old has stronger bones than I have, and I think I've got pretty strong bones. The reason was because of the flexibility. And yet if you did a test for osteoporosis— You know, I just recently had one, because I'm at that age where I'm supposed to— RON ROSEDALE You measure the mineralization of the bone, is what they do. They measure the calcium content, not the protein content. They do not measure the protein content of the bone when you go for a test for osteoporosis and you have a bone scan. Calcium content, however, does not reflect on strength. After I was done with my bone scan, I've got a very light frame, I don't have very big bones, they said that I wasn't osteoporotic but I was pretty close. I said, "Hmm, what would that mean? Is it because I have a light bone frame?" I was told, "No, you just don't have that much calcium in your bones." Now that I am at the age where I will probably be starting into menopause at some point, they said, "It's going to get worse." RON ROSEDALE And if they compared your bone to that of a six-month-old, they'd find it was much closer than if they compared somebody who had a so-called "good" bone scan study and had less osteoporosis, supposedly, to a six-month-old. Those bones would look much different. In other words, if you did a bone scan on a six-month-old, it would look like the worst case of osteoporosis ever recorded, because their bones haven't classified very much, which is why they're flexible and which is why they can actually maintain themselves with all the falling that six-month-olds are doing. They're flexible. They're not going to break. They're much harder to break than somebody who had a perfect bone scan study. If my bones ever get thin enough and lacking in calcium enough, I'll be told to take a drug that's called a bisphosphonate, like Fosamax, which is designed to make sure that my bones will look really good on a calcium bone scan. RON ROSEDALE Virtually all of the medical treatments right now for osteoporosis do so by inhibiting osteoclasts. I'm looking at this picture here in this book which shows a very elegant hole in the middle of the bone and a little—it really does look like a little scrubber that you'd use on a pan to get the messy stuff off of a pan when you burn things, and it's scrubbing away. These drugs take all of those little scrubbers and keep them from scrubbing. RON ROSEDALE Yeah. Gives you a very false sense of security. What you're doing is, you're inhibiting a very vital part of bone physiology, which is to get rid of old, damaged, brittle bone and replace it with new, flexible bone. That's why we have both osteoclasts and osteoblasts that are active throughout our life, not just when the bone is being formed, as we're a fetus, but after we're alive up until so-called old age we have very active osteoblasts and very active osteoclasts, and we need both of them for healthy bone. We need the osteoclasts to break down our old bone so that it can be replaced with newer, fresher, stronger, more flexible bone. And that means bone that isn't just calcium, it has protein and other minerals in it, it has a live, active process, so it's bendy. RON ROSEDALE So it's bendy, and even the calcium has something to stick to. If you just have calcium, which is basically what they're causing you to do by taking away osteoclasts and by not paying attention to the processes that allow protein to actually build up in bone, which is a totally separate story on how you get protein into your bone, if you are just concerned about calcium, like the medical profession right now, try taking calcium carbonate or calcium phosphate or any type of calcium you want and making a bone out of it. Take that dust and squeeze it together and make bone out of it. What happens when you let go? Whssst! It's like sand. And even if you could squeeze it together, I could just flick it with my finger and it would fracture all over the place. It would be like glass, very much like silica carbonate. X-ray technologists, radiologists will tell you that patients who are on these drugs who fracture their bones have a different structure of that fracture. It's a much more severe fracture. No longer will you get a so-call "green stick" fracture, which looks just like that. If you take a green stick, the green twig we were talking about before, and you bend it enough that it breaks, it's that little fine break in the middle, and you really don't have to do anything to it. It'll just heal itself. It won't be in a bunch of pieces. I have a friend who, her love Weimaraner dog is known with being clumsy. The dog's name was Grace. RON ROSEDALE Good name for a clumsy dog. [laughs] So Grace was following her down the stairs and got clumsy and walked in front of her and she fell down the last stair. Her ankle was shattered like if you dropped a teacup on a marble floor. It took a long time to heal a lot of pieces. RON ROSEDALE Right. And that's what happens in the bone that doesn't have the proper protein function, it doesn't have proper osteoblastic functions, where you've inhibited the osteoblasts to get rid of that brittle bone. In other words, all medical treatment right now for osteoporosis, whether it be taking estrogen or Fosamax or any of the other—the injectable drugs that they're giving that will last for six months that have all sorts of side effects that you can't do anything about because it's going to last in your body for six months once you've taken it, it costs $2,000 or some ridiculous amount of money that you'll be out, they all work the same way, by inhibiting the osteoclastic activity so that you cannot reduce the brittleness of your bone. Your bones become thicker, they look great on an x-ray, but they're extremely brittle, and if you do fracture them, they fracture like glass. One thing that happens is that if somebody's lost calcium in their bones, it is the case that they're not able to carry as much weight on their bones. Pelvises and spines can start to compress because there isn't enough stuff to make the bone be able to hold a steady pressure on it. I've heard that for somebody who has that kind of weakness, it does help to inject some kind of cement, some calcium in some way. RON ROSEDALE The cement, actually, is the protein. The calcium would be like the bricks. That's right. If you have a whole bunch of just the sandy stuff, it takes the glue to make it be concrete. You're saying that the protein is kind of like the glue? RON ROSEDALE The protein actually has the glue. There are certain types of proteins called GLA proteins that essentially glue the calcium to it so the calcium has something to stick to. That's what, for instance, vitamin K is necessary for, to increase the quantity of GLA proteins that allow calcium and magnesium and other minerals to actually stick to that bone. But there's heart disease, and everybody knows that vitamin K is a vitamin that if you're losing a blood thinner, to have a lot of vitamin K in your blood— RON ROSEDALE That's why they say that many heart patients and many people that are taking blood thinner, they'll go to the extent not only to not take vitamin K, but to not eat green vegetables any more. "Don't eat green vegetables, because we don't want you to have vitamin K. That would be horrible." Because they've got heart disease, and a lot of times they've got heart disease because they had too much calcium in their arteries, and they have too much calcium in their arteries, not because they're taking too much calcium, but because the calcium doesn't know where to go. You'll find that those people who have lots of calcium in their arteries also have osteoporosis. It's almost a one-to-one correlation. So somebody could have calcium blockages in their arteries, they could have arthritis, all things with too much calcium in the wrong place, and they can still have thin bones? RON ROSEDALE They generally do. And they'll be told, then, to take more calcium, even though the calcium is going in their arteries and in their gall bladder and in their kidneys and all the wrong places, they're told to take at least two grams of calcium a day, even though it's well documented that the calcium physiology is totally messed up, the body has no idea what to do with that calcium any more. More of it is going to go into their arteries, into the kidneys, into the gall bladder. Some of it, almost by default, is going to end up in your bones because that's where we put excess calcium. That's one of the reasons we put it there, because we're trying to get it out of our cells and we have to put it somewhere. It'd be great if it could stick in our bones, because then we could take something that's harmful, actually, to the cells and give it some use. The use isn't, however, to make strong bones. That's a misnomer, a misconception, I should say. The use is to give the bones rigidity. The strength, again, is conferred by the protein. But if we only had protein, which would essentially be cartilage, if our bones were 100% made of cartilage, if we retained our six-month-old bones into adulthood, for instance, we'd still have really strong bones, maybe stronger than they are now, but we'd be like gummy dolls. As we tried to grow up and become five feet or six feet tall, we would just bend over. We wouldn't have enough rigidity to withstand gravity. So we put minerals in our bones to make them more rigid, not to make them more strong, so that they'll remain straight and allow us to walk upright. Minerals like calcium, a little big of magnesium? RON ROSEDALE Boron, silicon. There's a lot of minerals that go into our bone, not just calcium. But like anything else, health—I think we've talked about this in the past numerous times—health is not in the parts. It's in the instructions given to the parts. So in us talking here, you've answered my first two mysteries, and it sounds like it was no surprise to you that calcium supplements are now being associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. That's more and more documented, it's shown as a small risk, but there is a risk there. You're saying, "Well, of course." RON ROSEDALE There's even a greater risk. It's been shown, it was shown 15 years ago by Swedish researchers that people who had high normal serum calcium levels had a much higher rate of mortality. So if you really want to use, I think, a better index of health, which is mortality, your mortality goes up if your serum calcium goes up. So there that is with calcium supplements, high levels of calcium in the blood are maybe not such a great thing. The other question you've answered is that drugs designed to strength bones in some cases lead to an increased risk of bone fractures, especially in the pelvis and the long bones of the legs. That would make some sense, because those are areas which need to flex, and if what's happening is that the supplements are keeping the osteoclasts from clearing out the old bone— RON ROSEDALE The old dry, brittle bone. The medications being used right now for osteoporosis are inducing in people really dry, brittle bones, very, very susceptible to severe multiple fractures. As you mentioned, like glass or like a teacup breaking, in multiple pieces that are very difficult, certainly almost impossible for the body to heal itself. If it's going to heal, it's going to require surgery and multiple pins and most of the time it won't be able to mend properly because the tools to mend bone and the ability to manufacture protein are being impaired by the treatment. So the treatment, once again, is actually becoming the disease. let's go through a quick list of the things that help bones and don't, and then we'll get to the cool stuff about how hormones influence the health of bones and how bones influence the health of hormones. The quick list would be, if somebody takes a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug to reduce pain, will that improve bone strength or hurt it? RON ROSEDALE It'll hurt it, for sure. Taking calcium without the proper protein matrix won't allow the calcium really to incorporate itself into the bone properly. It's just there, so it looks good in an x-ray, but it really has no positive function as far as even rigidity is concerned. But the detriment is that as we age, cells have a harder and harder time keeping calcium out. As you mentioned, we have calcium sump pumps that constantly have to pump the calcium out. As we age, our ability to do that decreases. But then what they say is to take more calcium, which is like having the sump pump in the basement and making sure that it's raining all the time. And as the sump pump is getting a bit older, and it's really not as affective at keeping water or calcium out, and then you're making sure that it's raining all the time, you're saying, "Make sure you take two grams of calcium a day," which to your cell is like raining calcium, the ability to keep calcium out becomes much more difficult. Intracellular calcium rises, and when that happens, virtually all signaling processes in the cell, of all kinds of cells, not just bone-forming cells, we're talking about heart cells, nerve cells, kidney cells, every cell that you're made of this is relevant for. As calcium starts building up in cells and cells start losing signals because there's too much static inside the cell, they can't hear the right messages, everything becomes impaired, and you die. Which is why the Swedish study showed that mortality rate increases as serum calcium goes up. The American Dairy Council is not going to like this interview. RON ROSEDALE Oh, nobody likes me. I'm not just focusing on them. I focus on everybody. Although there is some evidence that taking calcium supplements is actually more problematic than eating foods that are higher in calcium. Perhaps that's because if you take a supplement that has something that your body doesn't need, it's harder to get rid of it than when it's packaged with other nutrients. RON ROSEDALE And it might not even probably get absorbed as well. There's no way to get rid of it. It goes in and out. Walt Willett is with the Harvard School of Nutrition, and he says, "If you really want strong bones, don't milk your cow, take your cow for a walk." RON ROSEDALE [laughs] That sounds good. Walking and exercise really do help our bones, because it helps them flex, which makes them wake up and say, "Oh, my gosh, it's time to—" RON ROSEDALE "We need more strength." "And we need to clear out some stuff that's not flexing well and get those osteoblasts and osteoclasts going." All of that works as long as you haven't taken an anti-inflammatory that means that the bones don't get the signal to be repairing themselves. RON ROSEDALE That's exactly right. It's like, if you want to build your muscle, you exercise your muscle. If you want to build the strength of your arms, you'll do arm exercises. If you want to build the strength of your bone, you need to do bone exercise your bones. I've got an idea. Since bones have protein in them, how about if people eat more protein? RON ROSEDALE It boils down to what we just said a little while ago. It's not so much the parts that even make life, it's how they're integrated, it's the organization of those parts. So if you have hormones that tell your protein what to do, if you have hormones that tell calcium where to go, then you're going to be healthy. If you don't, you can take all the calcium you want and there's not going to be a homing pigeon attached to that calcium that tells it to go to your bone. The calcium has no idea if it's supposed to go to your bone or your artery or your kidney or your gall bladder. It's just calcium, it doesn't have the knowledge. We have to give it the knowledge of what to do. Same with protein. You can't just take protein and sit on a couch and watch television and expect your muscles to grow. That's not going to happen. If you don't have signals to build muscle, you won't. If you don't have signals to build the strength of the bone, essentially conferred by the protein content of the bone, then it's not going to happen. You can take all the protein you want, it's not going to end up in your bone. You're going to end up burning it as fuel, and that's going to be detrimental. Burning protein as a fuel source is highly unhealthy. All right. That's a quick primer in some things that can help your bones be stronger and some things that can interfere. RON ROSEDALE Eat your meat and vegetables and take very vitamin K. Don't listen to your doctor. How about the hormones that may influence healthy bones and the healthy bones that can influence hormones, such as insulin and leptin? Gerard Karsenty gave one of the leading lectures at the American Association for Advancement of Science because of his remarkable research where he discovered that serotonin in the brain, the feel-good hormone, if it's coming from the brain, send signals to strengthen bones. Lepton from the brain sends signals to strengthen bone. Serotonin created inside of our intestines, inside of our duodenum, which is just down below the stomach, if serotonin is being created there, it actually interferes and dampens down how much healthy bone the body will be making. What he has discovered is that these hormones, not only do they make a difference in how the body's building bone, but it depends on where in the body the hormone comes from. This is very confusing. How would you unconfuse it? RON ROSEDALE I'm not sure I can, particularly. The body is extremely interact in its information-disseminating orchestration. One of the keys to health is really how signals are orchestrated, not whether you have them or whether you don't or how much you have or how much you don't have, but how they're orchestrated. An example would be antioxidants. Everybody wants to take antioxidants these days. The University of Colorado did a whole institute of antioxidant research. But I think they're all missing the boat, in that it's not how much antioxidant capacity you do. They do ORAC studies that measure how powerful the antioxidant capability is of a particular supplement, for instance, and if it has a really high ORAC score, it becomes promoted, pomegranate juice. Acai is really popular because it's very high in antioxidants. You hear that all over the place. It's totally fallacious. It has nothing to do with health. We need oxidation. Breathing is oxidation. You can't kill cancer without oxidation or viruses or bacteria. It's not whether you have it or whether you don't, it's where, when, and how you have it. It has to be orchestrated. So you want it here and you don't want it there. You want it now and you don't want it then. The orchestration is through proper hormones, and those hormones more often than not have to do with nutrient availability and reproduction, because that's what life is about. For life to perpetuate, you need to know when it's the proper time to reproduce and what the nutrient availability is, because that's necessary to reproduce. So the hormones that are essential in indicating nutrient availability and nutrient use and its integration with reproduction then have its fingers in everything else. Gerard Karsenty I believe would agree with that when it comes to bone. He's not talking about making lots of baby bone, but I guess in a way he is. We think about reproduction as babies and offspring, and with bone he is saying that it's an energy-intensive process to make bone, so if the body doesn't have enough resources, if it's low on energy, it's not a time to put into building and refreshing bone. If the energy resources are sending signals that there aren't enough, then bone will get weaker, is part of what he's saying, and that has to do with the signals from the brain that there's enough of resources to make more bone. That's one thing he's saying. It's very energy-intensive to make bone, and that's one reason he thinks that leptin evolved at the same time as our internal bones did, because it was important to have an overall energy balance resource looking at this to say, when can we build bone? RON ROSEDALE Yeah. Leptin is really a crucial hormone having to do with virtually all facets of health disease. I've maintained for quite a few years that unless leptin is acting properly, if it's not being signaled correctly, not necessarily high, not necessarily low, but signaled properly when to be high, when to be low, there is no other modality that one can do to be healthy. You have to get leptin right first, and then other things can help. And the only way you can get leptin right is to eat properly. That's why proper dietary nutrition is so important to me, because it affects the hormones that are instrumental in indicating to the body and brain what the nutrient availability is and therefore, then, what the genetic expression is of maintenance, repair, or reproduction. All of that is extremely critical in all aspects of health. For instance, if it's deemed that the body has to live longer to be able to reproduce at a more opportune time, it's probably going to want stronger bones. If you essentially have been given your opportunity to reproduce, then your body doesn't care so much whether your bones are stronger and whether you have osteoporosis. Then we have to go essentially to what I would call unnatural modalities, not necessarily following nature, but seeing how nature gave us strong bones to begin with and then maintain it. It's not that nature wants us to die after the reproductive age, it just doesn't care whether we do or not. If we do, great. If we don't, great. But we can use nature's tricks to be able to live a very long, healthy, happy, post-reproductive lifespan if we follow what nature is telling us to do. Maybe nature does want us to live a longer time even after reproduction, because we're not like salmon. We don't just get to the point where the male and female salmon work hard to swim upstream and they live just long enough to mate and lay the eggs. RON ROSEDALE There is parenting, so there is a certain post-reproductive span that might be necessary, even for grandparents. But we're talking about even beyond that. Maybe we can live longer than what nature has thought we were necessary for. And maybe if we do, maybe that will be an evolutionary advantage because of all of the wisdom that comes from experience if people are healthy. So maybe there's a real benefit to society. So to get there, when it comes to our bones— RON ROSEDALE Mobility is certainly one of the sine qua nons of health. Mobility was definitely required for our evolutionary adaptation. And for mobility, we need good bones. Leptin is an interesting detail, because there is evidence that very overweight people can have very strong bones. People who are very overweight often have very high levels of leptin. On the other hand, there's also evidence that having very low levels of leptin, if a person's cells are leptin-sensitive, it's one of the best possibilities for building and strengthening bones that are too weak. So this is a paradox here? RON ROSEDALE Not so much a paradox. It's important not to confuse a hormone level with the strength of the signal. So for instance, we know that in the vast majority of diabetics classified as type 2, they have high insulin, but the activity of insulin is very low. Actually, that's not exactly correct. It's low in the so-called blood glucose-controlling aspect of it, high in the ___ aspect. Actually, you lose the orchestration, which is what the problem of debates is. In other words, the high insulin generally means in the liver, the liver is not listening as well. It's lost its hearing from noise exposure. It's being exposed to so much noise you can't hear it any more. The same happens in muscle tissue, the muscles can't hear insulin properly, so they can't burn sugar properly, since the liver is not listening to insulin properly, it makes too much sugar, all these contributing to high blood sugar, so a person becomes diabetic. But the high insulin is not toned down in certain processes that instigate cell division, so the high insulin is then a risk for increased cancer. So for our cells that multiply a lot, like our gut lining, and in women, breast tissue, linings of things, all of those epithelial cells, they're more prone to cancer when insulin levels are high— —prostate— Prostate, because that has to do with tubes with linings of cells that never become insulin-resistant, so they're just sittin' ducks. RON ROSEDALE They're sitting ducks. And even in the same cell now, we know that certain processes, like the metabolic processes of insulin, are toned down with insulin resistance, but other processes, the ___ process, which has to do with cell division, are not toned down. So even the same cells in the same organ have different processes. So it's the orchestration that's lost, and this is really kind of a sine qua non of ill health, what you'll see. One must look way beyond just hormone levels. You have to look at the strength of the hormone signal and where. As you were saying, with serotonin, the strength of the hormone signaling in the intestines or the brain? Where is it going to? If levels are high in people that are obese and their bones may be stronger, it's hard to tell, because the high signal means that part of their body is leptin-resistant, it's not understanding, it's thinking it's starving. It may be helping the bones, but if a signal of leptin is low and the cells are sensitive to the signal, that can be enough signal to tell the bones there's enough energy to go ahead and build more bone, without all of the other mess that comes from being leptin-resistant. RON ROSEDALE And we know that there is a dichotomy in leptin signaling, just like insulin signaling, where high leptin generally indicates leptin resistance, and much of the end organs for leptin become resistant, and many of these end organs are in the brain. But the synthetic nervous system which is at least partially controlled by leptin doesn't become resistant. And so the parts of the hypothalamus, for instance, that indicate or that regulate hunger and obesity become resistant to leptin, so you have high leptin, but the ___ nucleus and the hypothalamus is hearing low leptin, which would keep a person hungry and tell a person that they're too skinny even though they're fat and make a person make more fat and not burn what they have, which is one of the major causes, if not the major cause of obesity in the world. You have too much leptin, your body's trying to tell your brain you've got too much fat, that you're going to get eaten by a lion, you're not going to be an effective hunter, you're not going to be able to run away from a saber tooth tiger, you'd better lose some of that fat or you're going to die. But the brain is hearing a different message. The brain, then, at least that portion of the brain, the ___ nucleus, is hearing that you're too skinny, you're not going to be able to survive a famine, you'd better be hungry, you'd better make more fat, and you'd better conserve the fat that you've got. So there's a disconnect. Those two parts of the brain are sitting pretty much side by side and they're hearing totally different messages? RON ROSEDALE And the worst part is, in any type of communication, what's important is what you hear and not what's being said. And so that portion of hearing that you have two little leptin, even though you have too much, is going to make you fatter until you make more and more and more leptin, so that it can scream then to the ___ nucleus, which gets the message that you've got enough fat. Not too much. You have 200 pounds of extra fat now, and the ___ nucleus is saying you've got just enough. But you're producing massive amounts of leptin, which is telling other areas of your brain, that regulate the sympathetic nervous system, for instance, that your heart's going to beat too fast, you're going to have high blood pressure, and that's going to increase your risk of cancer and diabetes and make you produce a lot more blood sugar through the vagus nerve that goes through the liver so that your liver produces way too much sugar. It then controls insulin in your thyroid and causes all sorts of reproductive problems. Everything gets more extreme. Some of the feedback loops that rev things up rev up more. Some of the feedback loops that rev down rev things down more. It all gets out of balance. RON ROSEDALE It gets out of balance, and that out-of-balanceness is extremely complicated. Medical knowledge is nowhere close to the point where they could regulate all of those imbalances correctly. Translated, you're saying you don't think a drug is going to solve this? RON ROSEDALE [laughs] Translated correctly. In fact, a drug is going to make it worse, almost for sure. Serotonin is what most people think of when they think of antidepressants, that if your serotonin levels are low, supposedly, that's what makes somebody feel depressed, even though there's some data that says it's not that they're low, it's that if your cells are resistant to the influence of serotonin, you can feel depressed. Whether or not it's the signal or whether the signal is heard, there's a debate about that. But most people know serotonin because of drugs that can make you have more serotonin in your body. Serotonin is also known as something that helps during labor for women, because it causes pretty strong muscle contractions. But serotonin causing better bone growth? It turns out that serotonin from the brain improves the likelihood of strong bones, but serotonin in the digestive tract reduces the chance of strong bones. RON ROSEDALE I don't know what to say. This is weird. Here's some things that Gerard Karsenty I believe is saying, which I'd like to ask him about some day. I'm curious what you think about it. One is that when someone takes an antidepressant, it can actually interfere with bone strength. It's a slight effect, but it's there. RON ROSEDALE And I don't doubt it. Nature is really thrifty. There are literally thousands of—in fact much more the rule than the exception, where a particular chemical or signal or hormone is used for a wide variety of different functions. It's much easier to take something that's already there and give it a new function than create something totally new. So having serotonin from the brain do one thing and serotonin from the intestines do something else would not be surprising in the least. And I think the rules of hormone resistance are universal in most cases. You could probably make a case that any hormone one can develop resistance to if it's not used properly or if it's overused, in particular. So if you have constant high levels of estrogen, you're going to become estrogen resistant. But that resistance isn't going to be uniform. Some tissues are going to become more resistant than other tissues, and that's really why it is impossible to treat medically, because you can't then just take more estrogen or you can't just take more insulin, because then you can't orchestrate it. For instance, one of the problems in type 1 diabetics, they'll say you can always take the insulin even though your body's not producing it. Well, not exactly, because when your own body produces insulin, your pancreas will produce it, and there is a direction to where that insulin goes. So there's a big bolus from the pancreas directly to the liver to shut out glucose production, and then from the liver it goes to the rest of the body. When you take insulin by shot, it's going right under the skin, and you lose that direction first to the liver, so the liver gets no higher a dose than anywhere else. The same is true for any type of hormone. It isn't just how much you have, it's where you have it. If it's produced by the brain or if it's produced by the intestines, there's going to be a different direction of circulation, a different direction of where it goes and therefore what it does. Let's look at the serotonin paradox. I've wondered whether if it's coming from the brain it's a signal that has to do with telling the whole body to do something, but if it's coming from the gut, I find myself wondering, why is the gut, why is part of the digestive tract producing serotonin? I'm wondering if it's a stress signal, if the intestines produce serotonin when for some reason they're stressed because there is a stress component to serotonin production, and maybe if the digestion is stressed, that's a signal to the rest of the body, "We need to repair the digestion." It's not a time to allocate resources to building bones. That's a guess. RON ROSEDALE And it's a very good best. People have heard the adage, "I've got a feeling in my gut." I think there was a book written a number of years ago that talks about the "gut's brain," your gut as having its own brain. So serotonin might be one of the brain neurotransmitters in the gut that allows it to have a gut feeling. Maybe then that's a question—if I were to dream of asking Gerard Karsenty some questions about these discoveries of his, maybe that would be one: why does the gut produce serotonin? What is the advantage to it of having this hormone produced? What kind of questions would you want to have him asked? Why there would be a kind of an opposite action on bone. Why would serotonin from the gut produce a detriment in bone formation as opposed to serotonin from the brain He's wondering that, too. Having heard a speech that he gave, I believe that he said that to his knowledge, this is the first example of a hormone where its action is different when it's produced in the brain versus when it's produced below the brain. Does that mean that as we look, we'll find no other hormone where this happens? Or does it mean that as people start looking for differences between brain and body hormones, that we will see more and more that have opposite actions?) RON ROSEDALE I think it'll probably be more the rule than the exception, knowing how the body works. It's just really interact, which is why it's much easier to deal with it from it's root than trying to get all the tentacles correct. That would just be impossible, I would think. That's why drug therapy for this is really a hopeless cause. If somebody wants to build bone, you would want them to eat a diet that has their hormone signals nice and clear without getting them resistant in any way, and exercise would be fine. Since serotonin is a stress hormone, maybe finding ways in addition to diet to reduce stress? RON ROSEDALE Going back to that, it even gets more complicated than we're making it out. For instance, we know that serotonin and dopamine kind of work together, and that dopamine-to-serotonin ratios are important in the brain and I would assume elsewhere also. If you take so-called SSRI drugs like Prozac that raise serotonin by preventing their breakdown, one of the major problems with it is, number one, you develop resistant to serotonin, which makes it worse than when you started, and number two, you mess up the serotonin-to-dopamine ratios, which then messes up dopamine function, too. Dopamine is extremely important in all sorts of things, the pleasure center, getting enjoyment out of life, addictions. Until we can know what we're doing with all aspects of the effects of all hormones, know basically how it's affecting the entire orchestration of the music that our body is playing, we shouldn't be messing with it, because we're going to make it worse. When I think about drugs that change the hormone ratios in the body, it's interesting to me that our bodies work so hard just to use a little bit of these hormones and then clear them out as quickly as they can. They just send a puff of one of these hormones into the body, and then the body works very hard to clear it out. I don't know if it's whether too much is dangerous, or if it's not good for the body to have stale hormones hanging around. If the hormones are in the bloodstream for very long, they get oxidized, they get dinged up, they may not act as well. So the body's always working to put them in and then quickly take them out so that their half-lives are just a few minutes, quite often. It's not like these hormones are there for hours on end. And antidepressants are often selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which means that they slow down how long those hormones are in the body. They make them be stale hormones. I don't know whether that means that their actions can be messed up a bit because they've been there too long, or if they're there very long, there are certain cells that start to burn out on them or get hurt by having too much of it there. RON ROSEDALE I'm sure that's all correct, but it has to do, I think, with the language that the body speaks. We're talking right now. The voice is determined as much by the silent areas as the noisy areas. So if I'm trying to say a wooooooooord [stretches it out] but I don't shut it off and it just merges right into the next, we're not going to be able to hear that sentence very well. In any type of language, it's important to have a noise and then shut it off, have it here and not have it there. That's what communication is. You're a fan of high-fat, low-carb diets. Do you think that kind of way to eat, high fat, low carb, adequate protein, what would that do to bones? RON ROSEDALE I think it does to bones what it can do everywhere else, and that is make them healthier. The reason for that is, I've measured thousands of leptin level and insulin levels and found that that sort of diet maximizes the accuracy of insulin and leptin signaling. Now we know that other signals pertaining to protein, such as ___, are going to be maximized also. And when I say "maximized," I don't mean levels. Actually, you're lowering them. By lowering all three of them, you keep the signal and keep the communication. What that accuracy tells the body is to up-regulate genetic expression of maintenance and repair, which amounts then to longevity. The body will do what it can to live longer because it thinks it's necessary. It gives the body what it deems to be a purpose to live longer, and strong bones are a part of that. And that means that those osteoblasts and osteoclasts can get in there and do the job they're meant to do. RON ROSEDALE Right. I think there's very robust science now that shows how relevant leptin is in bone formation and strength. In the Journal of Science maybe eight or nine years ago, they showed that proper leptin signaling in the brain, meaning reduced leptin resistance, the way you reduce leptin resistance, if you have it, as indicated by high leptin, is by lowering the leptin, not by raising it more. As you lower it, you increase the leptin sensitivity of significant areas of the brain, which then through the central mechanism and through nerves, actually, stimulate osteoblastic activity so that bones make more protein, and that gives it more flexibility, which conveys strength and also allows the calcium to accumulate in the bone so that it doesn't accumulate—and this is kind of a simplistic view—as much in the arteries. Or in the joints— RON ROSEDALE —or elsewhere in the body. Just as a hypothetical, every now and then there's a child born who does not make bone very well. It's somewhere of a genetic condition. RON ROSEDALE It's called osteogenesis imperfecta, that's the name of that condition. They get fractures very, very similar to the type of fractures that women are getting on all the osteoporosis drugs. Their bones are like glass. So we can assume a child like that, they don't make as good a protein matrix for the bone to build onto? RON ROSEDALE That's what it is. It's a specific genetic defect and an enzyme necessary to manufacture bony protein. Their condition is exactly like you would see in women taking osteoporotic drugs, where it's great on x-rays, they have the minerals, but they don't have the protein there to hold those minerals together, so their bones are almost like glass. They fracture their bones very repeatedly, which isn't the bad part, but the kind of fractures that they get are bad, very difficult to heal, not a single fracture. They're almost always multiple, compound fractures. That sounds like one where the ideal solution would be to somehow get that child more of that enzyme? RON ROSEDALE In that particular case, that would be exactly what one would have to do, a genetic modification, increase the enzyme. But in the average person, it generally isn't a defect in one's ability—they didn't inherit an inability to manufacture the enzyme. That enzyme is not getting the signal to become active. Could that be also the case in these kids? If they ate differently, is there anything they could do to perhaps give them a little bit more margin for not breaking bones? RON ROSEDALE I would think that the would be the case, following the diet that you're familiar with that I've recommended to improve leptin signaling. It improves testosterone signaling. Testosterone, by the way, is also very important in bone growth, and that's one of the reasons why obese women, or men, have stronger bones. It has nothing to do, at least not totally, but also other hormones that leptin very much affects, such as estrogen, and if a person is fact, they make more estrogen, because the fat cells themselves make more estrogen, and that estrogen can turn into testosterone, which is good for the bone, but not so good for everything else. They increase their risk for certain cancers and things like that. Again, you lose the orchestration, but not everything is bad. As a byproduct of some of the mess-up in hormone signaling, they get stronger bones, almost by luck, actually. Better yet would be to have better hormone signaling and stronger bones. There may be a pathway for that. RON ROSEDALE That way you get thinner with stronger bones. You don't have to be fat and produce all sorts of extraneous exogenous estrogen. That wouldn't be so great From the FDA Press Release on September 23rd: "The U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFrom the FDA Press Release on September 23rd: "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration." Now, why doesn't the FDA suggest something BETTER than medications to control their blood sugars? And why does Avandia work in such a risky way? To find out more, see these stories from our archives, from Ron Rosedale and from Eric Westman and Mary Vernon. And for more detail about the FDA decision, and commentary about it, here's a summary from David Mendosa Download Audio MP3 version Ron Rosedale A long time ago, maybe 15 years ago, when I wasRon Rosedale A long time ago, maybe 15 years ago, when I was in Asheville, North Carolina, before leptin was discovered, I was doing a lot of research on my patients about insulin, to see what lowered it, what raised it. I remember one boy who came in, brought in by really nice parents. He was a rolly polly 11-year old. They were both thin, and they were wondering why he was getting fat. He was starting to get ridiculed by his classmates and it was affecting him. His fasting insulin was quite low. So I said, well, let's see what happens. Let's feed him half a piece of toast. I had done this to other people, too. I knew that most people who have toast, it'll cause their insulin to go from maybe a baseline of 5, which is quite good, to maybe the 30s or 40s, which is somewhat high. (Note-This rise happens during a 2-hour test) I measured his insulin level, after he ate a piece of toast, and his insulin levels went into the hundreds. That is like the Dogrib Indians in Canada who were tested by Emoke Szathmary in the 1980s. During a glucose tolerance test where she measured insulin levels, she noticed an extremely high rise in insulin response among a subgroup of the Dogrib who, over time, proved to be much more prone to develop diabetes when they're eating the American diet. (When eating their traditional diet of fish and game meat, they did not get diabetes) They just become hyperinsulinemic very easily. People will say well, there are differences among people. I say, well there are differences, but the direction is the same. If you feed a piece of toast to anybody, their insulin will go up. That's the response to sugar. Insulin will go up. I don't know any organism currently alive where they would eat sugar, glucose or anything starchy, where insulin goes down. It goes up. The genetic difference is how much insulin goes up. Some become much more hyperinsulinemic than others. They're the ones who will become more rapidly insulin resistant. Because they do have a high spike, and it's going to stay high for a longer period of time. It's more extreme. The response is in the same direction, but more extreme. And the previous generation's exposures to sugar may predispose the next generation to the more susceptible to having this extreme response. That may be why one generation, such as thin parents, can drink sodas and eat french fries, and the next generation, which shows up as more overweight on the same food, is the one that has problems from those foods. RON ROSDALE One of the things scientists are finally coming to grip, hopefully sooner rather than later, is the importance of genetics are not the genes you have but how they're expressed, and genetic expression can change from meal to meal. You don't have to wait a hundred thousand years for your genes to change. We need to concentrate on regulation on genetic expression and not paying so much attention to what genes a person has, which is where the focus has been for the last 50 years. Editor's note – The reason this post is interesting to me is that many diabetics, wisely, don't like to do a 2-hour glucose tolerance test because the overall load of sugar is so high – around 80 grams of sugar all in one gulp. In fact, it's not a test that's recommended for someone who's diagnosed as diabetic. It's considered too harsh for a body that's already stressed. Additionally, most glucose tolerance tests are not done while measuring insulin, so a key variable is completely overlooked. Ron Rosedale's toast test seems an unorthodox, but informative alternative test for people who are curious about how they might fair, in terms of their blood sugars and insulin levels, with a glucose challenge. After all, a piece of toast does have carbs, which will turn into sugar. But it's more like 25 grams of carb, so it's not as brutal a hit to the body as a glucose tolerance test is. By measuring insulin levels along with the glucose levels, it gives a clearer idea of how much insulin resistance is part of the picture. The higher the insulin response to the toast, the more likely that insulin resistance is in play. But it also might be a warning sign of someone whose body is more susceptible to high responses to sugar . . . which would be an early warning sign that this person is more likely to become insulin resistant from eating high carb foods, OR that this person's pancreas works so hard in response to sugar, it might be more prone to burning out. Or both. INTRODUCTION: Avandia is a drug that's been used for over a decade to lower blood [...] INTRODUCTION: Avandia is a drug that's been used for over a decade to lower blood sugars in people with diabetes. The reason that made Avandia important is that, in diabetics, blood sugars levels can go dangerously high. They can hurt your heart, your kidneys, your eyes, every part of you. High blood sugars can kill you. And if you think this won't ever happen to you, are you overweight? Do you wish you had more energy? Do you need to urinate a lot — especially after eating something sweet? How about high blood pressure? Those all can be symptoms of diabetes. And if a checkup reveals that your blood sugars are high, you might need to bring them down–with daily insulin shots. Or exercise. You could change your diet. Or, how about taking a little pill? Such as Avandia? In 1999, the FDA approved this blood sugar lowering drug. It has earned billions of dollars for its maker, Glaxo Smith Klein. Fast forward to 2010. This summer, the FDA nearly banned Avandia, due to growing safety concerns. Critics charge that during the last decade, Avandia caused 100,000 more heart attacks and deaths than the U-S would have experienced if Avandia had never been for sale. Over 10,000 people have sued Glaxo charging that the big pharma company raked in profits while hid the dangers their drug, and hurting the people who swallowed it. Sales of Avandia have slowed to a trickle. Sales of a different sugar-lowering drug, Actos, have surged ahead. Is Actos safer than Avandia? Up next, we'll hear some strong opinions on that topic — and more, by talking with Dr. Ron Rosedale. Dr. Rosedale is an expert on reversing diabetes and other diseases of aging. He recommends using a dietary approach to heal heart disease, arthritis and diabetes and more. Dr. Rosedale is not a fan of Avandia. For over ten years, he's been warning people about its health risks. RON ROSEDALE: It's old news. The only new news is that they're looking at it again, and that it took so long The real story is why is it on the market, and why did it get on the market to begin with? And it goes much deeper than that, into the workings of the entire medical system. The fact is there has not ever been a diabetic drug that doesn't cause such significant side effects than it might be worse than the benefit of lowering the blood sugar. Metformin might be an exception. But every other drug, the sulfonylureas, the Troglitazone drug class that Avandia and Actos are in, the newer DDP-4 class, such as Januvia, the fact is, they probably cause more harm than they help. Ron Rosedale says he figured out that Avandia was dangerous by studying how Avandia interacts with our body's cells–and especially a special protein that carries instructions from our DNA. This protein is called PPAR-gamma, and drugs such as Avandia work by forcing our cells to get a louder dose of instructions that come from PPAR-gamma. Ron Rosedale says it's predictable that forcing a cell to take on more PPAR-gamma orders than it's really able to handle can hurt the cell . . . . and also, hurt us. He says the proof lies in what's happened with this whole class of blood sugar lowering drugs, which are called – get ready for this, the Troglitazones. RON ROSEDALE: With the Troglitazones such as Avandia, if you actually just go into their mechanism of action, you could predict that they will kill people. There was a drug that was withdrawn from the Market called Rezulin, prior to Avandia being approved.. Rezulin was the first of this class of diabetic medications that was on the market in 1997 and then later was taken off the market because it killed people. The so-called PPAR gama agonists. they stimulate a certain receptor on the nucleus of cells called PPAR Gama which is involved in fat metabolism. Before it was even approved for market, I read up on PPAR gamma to see what it was. At the time, it was a newly discovered receptor, a newly discovered part of our metabolism that certainly doctors had never heard of, and most researchers had just started doing experiments with. Their experiments were showing that Avandia and similar drugs could push a body's cells to take in more sugar, which did reduce blood sugars. Because of this ability, Avanida became known as an insulin sensitizer. So was it? Is it? Ron Rosedale: RON ROSEDALE: Well, Not really. Not really. Many other experts call Avandia an insulin sensitizer, including many scientists, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the maker of Avandia — Glaxo-Smith Klein. Ron Rosedale remains stubborn: RON ROSEDALE: That's how it reads and that's how the drug companies presented it to the community. You have to understand, and people have to understand that drug companies are there to make money. They'll spin the information. They'll hire statisticians, PR departments. The vast majority of money the drug companies spend has not to do with research but with very elaborate ways of marketing. In case you're wondering whether the words "insulin sensitizer" really even matter, imagine you're a doctor, treating someone whose blood sugars are way too high. Let's make the doctor's patient an insulin-resistant diabetic. After all, most diabetics produce plenty of insulin. That's a hormone that is so powerful, usually, just a little insulin, easily get cells in our bodies to take in excess blood sugar . . . IF those cells are insulin sensitive. But, most diabetics are insulin resistant, which means their cells don't hear the message to take in more sugar. So an insulin-resistant diabetic often has high insulin levels AND high blood sugars. If you're a doctor with an insulin resistant patient, wouldn't you want their cells to be more insulin sensitive? Wouldn't you think that an insulin sensitizer might do the trick? That's a big reason why thousands of doctors prescribed Avandia . . . without realizing that in many cases, this so-called insulin sensitizer was doing more harm than good. So, why did so many patients allow themselves to take so much Avandia, even though, today, we know this drug was causing many of them harm? Looking back, it's likely that their doctors told them that the drug would help them. And for another thing, if you're an insulin resistant diabetic–and most diabetics are–then you're likely to be overweight — even obese. You probably feel drained of energy. You may have a round belly and high blood pressure. And because you've been told those conditions involve being insulin resistant, then wouldn't you like to be more insulin sensitive? And if you take a little pill that's advertised as an insulin sensitizer, and you're told it lowers the high blood sugars that cause so many problems . . . wouldn't you expect that maybe that insulin sensitizer would also make it easier to lose the extra weight. It'd be easier to have more energy. The 2010 Congressional hearings have highlighted how much Avandia has NOT lived up to these expectations. In reality, taking Avandia may have killed more people than it's helped. As for hopes of weight loss, people who take Avanida are more likely to gain weight. And not only do they often feel more tired . . . in scientifically measurable ways, their body's cells are more tired. Their muscles may not work as well. Their hearts might not pump as well. So, how did so many doctors, and patients, overlook these potential problems with Avandia? Dr Rosedale: RON ROSEDALE: People are very good at following, and that's what the drug companies taught the doctors, and that's what the doctors taught the patients. It took me literally no more than five minutes back in 1996 to discover what the PPAR agonists do, like first Rezulin, then Avandia and Actos. Ron Rosedale does not call these insulin sensitizers because they don't give cells the room to be more insulin sensitive on their own. For Dr. Rosedale, helping a cell be more insulin sensitive means creating the right conditions so that insulin levels in the body can naturally go down to just a tiny bit of insulin, while the cells become so sensitive to hearing insulin's instructions that that tiny bit of insulin guides them to take sugar out of the blood and use it for things like making energy. With the kind of insulin sensitivity that Dr. Rosedale recommends, excess fat does tend to melt away. People generally do have more energy. Their blood pressure often goes down naturally. For Dr. Rosedale, a health change isn't an insulin sensitizer unless it achieves all these things. His issue with drugs such as Rezulin and Avandia and Actos is that they strong-arm a cell into taking in more sugar. Dr. Rosedale says these drugs don't make a cell more sensitive to insulin, and to taking in sugar. They bludgeon cells into doing these things. RON ROSEDALE: And I spoke out against Rezulin before it ever came on the market. And then it was withdrawn for safety reasons. But they all work the same way. Rezulin is the most powerful of the three. It works has nothing to do with resensitizing the cells to insulin. It does one thing only. It causes cells to turn into fat cells. it makes more fat cells. Perhaps you've never thought of Avandia as a way to make a heart cell become less able to pump your blood — because it's being forced to become more of a fat cell than a heart muscle cell. Ron Rosedale says that Avandia can do this to any muscle cell. It can make it take on more fat than it's really designed by Nature to handle. it can make liver cells store more fat than they're designed to take. As to your body's fat cells–Avandia can make them fatter. And that's ironic. You see, many doctors and health agencies blame diseases such as diabetes on people "letting themselves" get overweight. So, why, for so many years, did so many of these health experts recommend a pill that would increase the chance of people getting fat? Well, actually, what these former fans of Avandia might not have known is that the drug was basically putting into hyperdrive a natural sort of emergency choice that the body uses, on its own, for protecting itself from high blood sugars. That protective action is called getting fat. Here's Ron Rosedale: RON ROSEDALE: It helps to understand a little more background about diabetes. You can consider most people obesity to be the price one pays to keep people from becoming a diabetic. As long as you can make fat out of the sugar, it keeps the sugar levels low. If you simply define diabetes by blood sugar levels going high, which is how it's done today by most doctors, then getting fat becomes a healthy event because it prevents our blood sugar from going too high. Ron Rosedale says that cells in our bodies can take on excess sugar for a little while. But they have other jobs, and our lives depend on them doing those jobs. So over time, those cells start to resist the signal from insulin to take in even more sugar. Dr. Rosedale says that muscle cells and liver cells tend to get insulin resistant first. Over time, even fat cells will start to resist the taking excess sugar in. RON ROSEDALE: When fat cells get resistant to insulin, they can no longer make more fat out of the sugar, then blood sugars do start to go up, and that's when someone is diagnosed as a diabetic. That's when it gets diagnosed, but in reality, the diabetes diagnosis was preceded the onset of the actual diagnosis of high blood sugar by decades. Ron Rosedale says that before a baby is even born, it can be affected by high blood sugars. RON ROSEDALE: When you're a fetus, you can start developing insulin resistance, which is really a disease, so if a mother eats a diet that largely turns into sugar, the fetus becomes insulin resistant. While becoming insulin resistant does protect the inside of our cells from being as damaged by excess sugar, Dr. Rosedale says it also leads our bodies to become increasingly confused. For instance, our livers have the natural ability to send out instructions to make sugar from our own body — by harvesting protein from our muscles and our bones then turning that protein into sugar. This allows our bodies to make more sugar even when we aren't eating foods that turn into sugar . . . . but if a body's insulin resistant, and blood sugars are already high, the liver can be so confused, it sometimes keeps making sugar. It gets stuck in overdrive, dissolving muscles and bones to make MORE sugar, and in this way, making blood sugars even higher. RON ROSEDALE: As the liver becomes more insulin resistant, then insulin cannot do its job which is to put the breaks on the liver manufacture more sugar, So the pancreas produces more insulin when the liver becomes resistant, there's a disconnect. Your liver can't hear it and it starts making too much sugar. That happens in almost all diabetics. The liver produces too much sugar. The muscles can burn some of that extra sugar. So you're still not being diagnosed as a diabetic because you're burning off the excess sugar. This is a kind of simplification. Leptin regulates the ability of the body to do many things. As does insulin. As your muscles become more insulin resistant, they can no longer burn the sugar, and they go to your fat cells. And you become fatter, you still have a garbage can to put the excess sugar. As your fat cells increase, you become 10, 20 100 pounds overweight, your fat cells will start to be insulin resistant, and the sugars will build up in your blood. You actually became a diabetic when you were a fetus, but now you're being diagnosed as a diabetic, and now you have nothing you can do with it. And it starts accumulating and you're diagnosed as a diabetic. So they put you on Avandia. Avandia stimulates PPAR receptors on cells. It's a chemical that was artificially manufactured to do that, period. What PPAR gamma does is make fat cells. So it doesn't improve the receptors on cells that have anything to do with insulin. it is not an insulin sensitizor– that has been a big fat lie, one of many that has been perpetrated by drug companies in their marketing efforts, and doctors believe this . . .. stuff. Now, despite all these explanations, it may still be hard to swallow that a little pill that's supposed to help people's health can turn something as important as a heart cell into a fat storage cell. But Ron Rosedale holds firm that this is what Avandia does. RON ROSEDALE: It causes them to turn into fat. it causes liver cells to turn into fat cells. It causes bone cells to turn into fat cells. Those classes of drugs can multiply your risk of bone fracture. it smothers your heart with fat and can turn your muscle cells into fat which can cause heart failure it turns liver cells into fat cells. there's a lot of adverse effects. that's the last thing you want as a diabetic. The vast majority, because the underling disease is a metabolic disorder, not the least of which is the inability to properly burn fat. The last thing they need is to become more obese. The last thing they need is further dis-regulation in their fat metabolism, which is what Rezulin, and Avandia and Actos do. Here's more from Ron Rosedale about why it's not beneficial to force the highly specialized cells in your body to take on the additional function of storing excess amounts of fat — which he says drugs such as Rezulin and Avandia and Actos make them do: RON ROSEDALE: They have trouble performing their job because heart cells stop performing like heart cells and they start performing like fat cells. Bone cells stop performing like bone cells. There's a disorganization of the orchestration of division of labor in the body. And it goes even further. Up next, Ron Rosedale is going to talk about another problem with PPAR agonists such as Rezulin, Avandia and Actos. That problem is that, in addition to pushing the body to store more sugar as fat, these drugs also reduce a body's ability to burn the fat for energy. Picture a vault full of gold bars that's bursting at the seams, and contraption is still adding more gold to it. Meanwhile, picture a desperate family that really needs some money to spend, but the vault is locked up tight. Well, that's similar to what happens in the body when the levels of instruction proteins, such as insulin and PPAR agonists go too high: They push the body to store sugars as fat, and they lock up the ability to burn that stored fat as energy. Ron Rosedale: RON ROSEDALE: There are studies from many years ago that shows the rate of aging in laboratory animals can be determined by the proportion of activity between PPAR gamma and alpha. Alpha initiates the ability to burn fat. Your body can burn sugar or fat and byproducts of fat called ketones. Health is determined by which fuel you burn. They more fat you burn the healthier you'll be. the rates of aging studies have concincingly shown that as you burn fat as your primary energy source, your rate of aging, and the symptoms of aging, will go down. Avandia and Actos and Rezulin before them go exactly the opposite, and so it should be zero surprise that these actually increase the rate of death, which is what these studies are finding. At this point, perhaps you're thinking that drugs such as Avandia can be a bad idea. Or, maybe you're thinking that the mistakes made by our body's cells are where the problem lies. After all, if our cells would just take in blood sugars and burn them as energy in the first place, they wouldn't end up being insulin resistant. So, you might wonder, why are our bodies' cells so stupid that they start to resist the signals sent by insulin? Ron Rosedale: You see, that's the problem. Yes, it hurts cells to have too much sugar touching their outer surfaces, burning and gumming them up what is basically, their "skin". But if high sugar levels can do this outside of a cell, think of how much more damage excess sugar could do if it was forced inside a cell, where everything is even more delicate. Just what kind of damage can a little bit of sugar do? Dr. Rosedale says sugar molecules really can gum things up – in a process known as glycation. RON ROSEDALE: Glycation enables sugar molecules to attach to other molecules such as proteins and DNA. Proteins exist in a certain shape and it's the shape that determines its information. When sugars glycate a protein, they change its shape which prevents them from delivering the information they're supposed to. Glycation is one of the major damages that occurs in the body and this ultimately will accumulate and accrues and cause your death. It's well known in research but not as much in medical practice. When cells glycate, when molecules glycate, they can form advanced glycated end products, and the acronym for that is ages, and they know it's a measure player in the damages and rate of aging. Therefore, having elevated blood sugars is not healthy. But how you lower the blood sugars is very important. We don't want to substitute a worse evil than the elevated blood sugar. If you're lowering sugar by raising insulin, then you're mimicking the conditions that cause diabetes in the first place. When cells become insulin resistant, they're not being stupid. Cells become very smart because they let less sugar in. That's worth repeating. The insides of cells are very delicate. Yes, they need some sugar. But not too much. Look at it this way. If you want a little bit of honey in your kitchen, maybe you store a little in a jar, so you can use it when you choose to use it. Now think of what would happen if someone came to your front door with a fire hose and started blasting your kitchen full of honey. Wouldn't you want to protect yourself from getting way too much that way? Wouldn't you want to resist this strong-arming . . . this, basically, this assault? Dr. Rosedale says it's somewhat similar in cells. Although, if you shut your front door and keep out the blast of honey . . . well, it would still cause problems. Dr. Rosedale: RON ROSEDALE: By cells becoming insulin resistant, it keeps excess sugar out of those cells. But the excess sugar outside the cells can cause problems to molecules external to the cells. Thus kidney tubules becoming damaged, nerves becoming damaged. Ron Rosedale says a deeper, more fundamental problem with being diabetic is confused instructions multiplying throughout the body. And most of those confused instructions can't be solved by taking a pill. RON ROSEDALE: The major problem in most diabetics, certainly Type 2 diabetics, is secondary to a hormonal regulation. When a person becomes insulin resistant, it's not a disease of blood sugar at all, it's a disease of insulin signaling. It produces too strong a signal in some cells, and that's what causes the death and major problems, And any drug has nothing to do with that. it doesn't treat the underlying cause of the disease. Ron Rosedale adds that it's impossible to really improve the body's signaling instructions simply by adding more of the signaling instructions. For instance, adding more insulin will generally just lead to greater insulin resistance . . . . meaning it takes more insulin to do what used to just take a little bit of insulin. And all that extra signaling creates another problem. RON ROSEDALE: well it's too noisy. If I were to start screaming into the microphone here, not a whole lot of listeners would consider listening. It's how loud it's being spoken, and if it's being spoken too loud, your cells lose their hearing, just like you would, or I would. You burn out, at least, temporarily. the best way to treat it is to reduce the smell, not to increase it. All you're going to do is to perpetrate the cause of the disease in the first place. He says that Rezulin, Avandia and Actos are one style of medication that doesn't solve the underlying problems of diabetes and actually can make health worse. Dr. Rosedale warns of problems with other diabetes drugs, such as Glipizide and Glimepriride, which are Sulfonylureas that push the pancreas to produce more insulin in a region of the pancreas known as the islet cells. Some people have incredibly strong islet cells. While a normal person who's insulin sensitive may have islet cells that produce say, 15 units of insulin a day to keep their blood sugars normal, a person with a very strong pancreas, who's insulin resistant, might be producing 1,000 units of insulin a day to keep their blood sugars at the same, "normal" level. That incredibly high insulin level might be increasing the likelihood that person is overweight, or has high blood pressure, or heart disease, or cancer, or arthritis. High insulin levels have been linked to all of these. But, at least, their blood sugars will be normal, so they won't be called a diabetic. A person only gets called a diabetic by the medical community if their pancreas is so stressed, islet cells have been burning out. They've been pushed so hard to make more insulin that they've been dying. Then, blood sugars do start going up. So, what happens Dr. Rosedale asks, when you give someone with a worn-out pancreas a drug that makes the pancreas work even harder? He says they take an insulin resistant diabetic –called a Type II diabetic, and kill off enough of their pancreas that their bodies' really can't produce enough insulin period — a condition known as Type 1 diabetes. RON ROSEDALE: The Sulfonylureas cause the islet cells to make more insulin. They took drugs that basically whipped a horse at the end of a race. They whipped the islet cells to make more insulin and once the islet cells died, they needed more insulin. They basically converted Type 2 diabetics into type 1 diabetics, and it's due to how diabetes is being treated. it's an iatrogenic disease. What I would call malpractice. Speaking of malpractice, right now, over ten thousand patients are suing the makers of Avandia, Glaxo Smith-Klein. These patients accuse Glaxo of fooling them into taking a dangerous drug. Ron Rosedale has this to say about the lawsuit: RON ROSEDALE: The basis of the suit is not going to be that they took a drug that caused harm. You could do that with virtually any drug. what's more alarming is the drug company got caught trying to cover up adverse side effects. I could go after drug after drug, whereas if you just looked at the science behind them, you could have predicted the adverse side effect. Before the drug was ever approved, in 1999, they hid evidence that the drug Avandia causes heart disease. Dr. Rosedale says the increase of heart disease was predictable because of how PPAR agonists such as Avandia stimulate any cell to take on more tasks of storing fat . . . including heart cells. And he says that fat storage focus of drugs such as Avandia . . . and Rezulin . . . also made it predictable that these drugs would cause people to become more overweight. RON ROSEDALE: What I did . . . in the time of Rezulin, before it came on the market, so 1995, I calculated how much fat would have to be manufactured in order to lower the blood sugar. If you took that amount, and you multiplied it by the number if liters in the body and the number of days, how much fat would be formed, and I calculated it would be 5 pounds, and that would account for the blood lowering effects of these drugs. I asked the drug rep, because at that time I was praciticing conventional medicine and the drug reps were there every single day, when I was done seeing patients, to push drugs on me. So I asked the drug rep, do these drugs cause weight gain, because theoretically by the way they work, they would have to, and she said, yes, about 5 pounds a year. RON ROSEDALE: Ron Rosedale goes on to say that if he predicted these problems about drugs such as Avandia, over a decade ago, why didn't the FDA regulators? Why did we have to wait until 2010 to have such strong warnings about Avandia? And why not go further? Why not ban it? RON ROSEDALE: They should never have been on the market. There was a lot of evidence about its faults and its danger before it was ever accepted for distribution in 1999. And Dr. Buse, I think, was threatened with a huge lawsuit. the University of North Carolina was also threatened with a huge lawsuit that they could ill afford, and so they had to keep their mouths shut. In terms of simple math, Ron Rosedale says you can accomplish the same benefits of taking Avandia, with fewer side effects, with a very simple dietary change: RON ROSEDALE: A person could eat one slice of bread less a day, and have a greater effect on blood sugar than every drug on the market. If they stopped eating foods that are well known to turn into glucose, the diabetes can be reversed. It's an easy disease to reverse, without the use of drugs. The drugs cause more harm than good. They make my job harder, rather than easier. I hate to say it, and it sounds like I'm way out in left field. But if you look at the science behind them, that is the case. Those people will have to take injections of insulin, if it can't be reversed quickly. Type II strictly by not eating foods that turn into sugar. Ron Rosedale's recommendation that people who are prone to diabetes NOT eat foods that turn into sugar goes against the grain of many well-respected health organizations. The American Diabetes Association websites and the USDA food pyramid guidelines both recommend that the majority of calories in the American diet should come from sugars and starches such as bread, pasta, potatoes, cereal. RON ROSEDALE: And they've done a great job, and they've been extremely effective at reducing the number of diabetics, over the years, in this country. The number of diabetics is accelerating and becoming far worse as people are adhering to the guideline of the American Diabetes Association. Not only are more people becoming diabetic today . . . more people are getting diagnosed at much younger ages. Because of this, Ron Rosedale predicts that for the first time in our history, average lifespan may start going down. RON ROSEDALE: Children now are starting to behave as adults as far as disease is concerned. So many children now are getting so called adult onset diabetes. The insulin resistance that used to take decades to accrue is now occurring in a few years. With all these problems happening through standard health recommendations and the use of drugs such as Avandia, Ron Rosedale says that it's time to change: RON ROSEDALE: If we were a stupid mouse in a maze, and we're trying to reach a goal which in this case, would be health, if you hit a wall, you at least go a different way. what we've been doing isn't right. That is virtually proven, that people are getting worse. The rate of diabetes is going up. the rate of cancer certainly isn't going down. If we're not doing something right, then we must do something different. The key thing Ron Rosedale says to do differently is to eat differently. RON ROSEDALE: What you eat is going to determine your health more than anything else you're going to do. Well let's eat something else let's do something different. But we all know that it's challenging for people to change what they eat. So, why even try? Ron Rosedale. RON ROSEDALE: Hmm. Well, because it might not be a simple thing to do, it doesn't mean we can't start making some changes so it will be more simple in the future. You could say the same thing about cigarette smoke. It's not easy to quit smoking cigarettes. Cigarettes. the incidence of cigarette smoking has gone down, as long as the government stood behind us. Ron Rosedale warns that many groups have a vested interest in making money from rate of diabetes going up. But as a nation, he says we can't afford to let that happen. RON ROSEDALE: Yes. It has to be done, and it has to be recognized that the forces that wish to prevent this are not concerned about the health of people. They are afraid of their profits being lost. billions, even trillions of dollars that are being spent on health care and wish it to stay the same, and they'll make bogus studies, they'll do whatever they can. They'll cover up information, they'll publish wrong information, and they'll spend lots of money on public relations and advertising. I'm really happy that Some of this is being exposed, it's the tiny tip of an iceberg, what's going on with the Congressional Hearings that have to do with Avandia. It has essentially dominated medical care for the last few decades. The real problem is that real science is not being looked at. the science is plain to see by anybody that has an open mind to science. For a true scientist, the evidence is simple and clear, and the only thing clouding the picture are special interest groups that wish it to be hidden. Now, so far, we've focused on Avandia as the drug that's under fire for causing more harm to people's health than benefit–especially to their hearts. You see, a close analysis of the research studies involving Avandia have shown the it can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Meanwhile, in this year when Avandia's been under so much pressure, the makers of Actos have been running full page ads in newspapers, with headlines such as this: "Actos has been shown to lower blood sugar without increasing your risk of having a heart attack or stroke." Ron Rosedale says the key words to remember in this statement are "has been shown" RON ROSEDALE: It doesn't mean it doesn't do it. It means the company wasn't so audacious as to try and show its benefit, which might otherwise have revealed its detriment. to show the 60% increase in risk of cardiac deaths. That's huge. But it wouldn't show with a single study. What they've done with Actos is just not do studies. Dr. Rosedale says his look at the biological workings of Actos makes him view it in the same way that he does Avandia. RON ROSEDALE: Metabolically, it's virtually identical. it is there specifically to stimulate PPR receptors, it's in the same class of medication, it will do exactly the same thing, and over time as more data is gathered and looked at in an objective manner, that will come out, too. And that means all the problems with Avandia, including cells being forced to take on more fat. He adds that you really could get the same benefits by throwing away these pills and eating one less slice of bread. And if a person wants to get even healthier, Ron Rosedale says eat even fewer foods that turn into sugar. RON ROSEDALE: Anybody can eat one slice of bread less a day. If they want to have the benefit that they have on the drug, that's all they have to do. if they want to get rid of their diabetes, that would require a little more modification. But when they do that, it modifies additions and desires and hunger. You greatly improve the ability of leptin to work properly. Leptin regulates the ability to sense sweetness. Virtually everything changes for the better. You're allowed to burn fat. You store less of it. You're not hungry. Your desires and cravings to eat, and especially to eat carbohydrates and that little bit of time can be just a few weeks. All they have to do is make the attempt. Even if they do it partially, they'll still affect their body in a much more positive way than the medications would ever dream of doing. Dr. Rosedale suspects that the current headlines about Avandia are not simply motivated by protecting consumer health. He says they might be part of a carefully orchestrated marketing campaign that will clear the way for a new class of diabetes medications that will be sold in greater numbers very soon. He suspects that big pharma agreed to the grilling regarding Avandia because of their future plans. RON ROSEDALE: It's actually being allowed by the forces that be and the committees are on the payroll of the pharmaceutical industry. Another drug, probably in the DPP4 antagonist class that can take its place, and I think that's what's happening, absolutely. The DPP4, there's like four or five of them now, Januvia was the first one. They're taking over now, and then it'll take another ten years, or even longer, because the downside of them is that they will cause cancer. DPP4 most of which have to do with inhibiting cancer. It's one of the major ways that your body identifies cancer cells. You're lowering your body's ability to recognize cancer. The drug companies are going ahead anyway, because the hardest disease to pin on something is cancer, and it'll take five, ten years for people to start dying of cancer and another five to ten years of uncovering the truth. Well, it can be a long time. Rather than wait a long time to find out what the side effects, and harms, of the next group of diabetes drugs will be, Ron Rosedale says just change how you eat. You can find his suggestions at his website: drrosedale.com. Or, at the very least, he says, beware taking drugs like Avanida. RON ROSEDALE: My biggest beef with all this is if they did nothing, they probably would be healthier, with the higher blood sugar. I think the drugs are worse than their benefit in lowering the sugar. I'm Shelley Schlender. Our guest has been Ron Rosedale. Dr. Rosedale is not a fan of the diabetes drug, Avandia. For over ten years, he's been warning people about its health risks. He recommends using a dietary approach to reverse problems such as heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. You can find out more from his book, The Rosedale Diet. Or check his website: drrosedale.com. A day in the life as a patient visiting Dr. Rosedale for the first time. Thank [...] A day in the life as a patient visiting Dr. Rosedale for the first time. Thank her website, Magdalena had diabetes and congestive heart failure. This is a true story, and this is a real transcript of a checkup that Magdalena and her family agreed for me to record, with Dr. Ron Rosedale in 2004. We have changed some names to hide identities. It's a hard story to begin sharing because these are people I know and care about. We share this interview in hopes that it will provide information useful to other people facing challenging illnesses. DR. ROSEDALE: We are going to start with Magdalena . . . MAGDALENA: Mmhmm. DR. ROSEDALE: Right? I'm Shelley Schlender. We're listening to Ron Rosedale in the summer of 2004, in his Denver office with 67-year old Magdalena. She had diabetes and congestive heart failure. That constant hiss is the sound of the oxygen that was sent from a small green tank into the tubes that sat in Magdalena's nose, to feed her lungs with air. DR. ROSEDALE: And you're how old? Magdalena's daughter, Carmen, translated this question into Spanish for her mother, and for a moment, Magdalena seemed to pause, confused, before she finally answered. A rapid exchange in Spanish followed between Carmen and her mother. Magdalena's weary face grew lively. Her eyes twinkled, and her voice lilted with a teasing chuckle as she said something that made her daughter laugh. Carmen translated for Dr. Rosedale. CARMEN: That's why she didn't understand the first time, and she's 67. In mid-July of 2004, Carmen was worried about her mom. Magdalena had been in the hospital several times that year. She had been in the Intensive Care Unit just two weeks before this visit to Ron Rosedale's office. At the ICU, hospital staff had taken Carmen aside and warned that, the way things were going, it was time to get her mom's papers in order. At that time, Carmen had been using Dr. Rosedale's nutritional approach for over two months. Dr. Rosedale had been leading the group for free, as part of a small community project that had invited him to help them, as they checked out his dietary ideas of low-carbohydrate, adequate protein, and high quality, high fat eating. Carmen had seen a big improvement in the health of the entire group that was following Dr. Rosedale's approach, including hers. Because Ron Rosedale's nutritional approach had been helping Carmen, she wondered if it would help her mother. But Carmen's mom had so many health problems going on, and was taking so many medications; Ron felt that she needed more attention than he could give if she simply attended the small community group. And while the entire group had been urged to consult their doctors about their changes in diet, so they could have assistance in being monitored and adjusting medications, most of the community members had hesitated to actually talk with their doctors. Of those who did, the responses from their regular physicians were not always helpful or encouraging. Several people reported to the group that when the labs on their medical exams had shown big improvements in weight, cholesterol, blood pressure or other standard markers for health, their doctors had congratulated them on finally switching to a low-fat diet. And most of the community participants, when told this by a doctor, didn't explain that they were now doing a HIGH-fat diet. In some cases, when one of the community members got up the courage to correct the doctor and explain what Dr. Rosedale's diet is, their regular doctor said it was a bad idea. Not always. Sometimes the doctor had been enthusiastic, and those members of the little community group came back glowing from the praise and validation. But that kind of response was the exception, rather than the norm. So, Carmen had been uncertain that Magdalena's doctors would be comfortable teaming up to help her change her diet to Dr. Rosedale's approach. And Dr. Rosedale was concerned that Magdalena would need some medical monitoring. So that's why she was here today. Dr. Rosedale had agreed to see her in his office, as a special situation. She had arrived there exhausted, using a walker, plus Carmen's arm around her, so she could walk a few steps before resting again, her wheeled green oxygen tank trailing her, because of the problems in her lungs. It had taken 15 minutes to go from the parking lot and up the elevator. But now she was in Dr. Rosedale's office for a checkup. DR. ROSEDALE: And the major reason you're here, I understand, is because of congestive heart failure? There was a moment of silence, as Magdalena looked with confusion at her daughter. DR. ROSEDALE: You don't speak English very well? MAGDALENA: No DR. ROSEDALE turned to Carmen: You're going to translate. CARMEN: Yes, I'll translate. DR. ROSEDALE: Anyway, congestive heart failure is a major problem? CARMEN: Yes Congestive heart failure happens when the heart loses the ability to pump blood properly. This leads to many problems, including a very increased risk of heart attack, lack of oxygen, and fluid building up in the lungs. That fluid can build up so much, a person basically drowns. In the early 1970s, perhaps 2 million Americans suffered from congestive heart failure. By 1994, that number had grown to nearly 5 million. There are many possibilities as to why. Diabetes is one of them. Some medical researchers are concerned that the statin drugs that are given to reduce heart attacks might have a side effect of increasing the risk of congestive hearts. But that's a very controversial theory. More commonly agreed is that diabetes increases the risk. And, indeed, as diabetes increases in the United States, so does congestive heart failure. Here we are in Ron Rosedale's office, with, Magdalena, age of 67, one of these congestive heart failure statistics. DR. ROSEDALE: Blood pressure? And has Magdalena had any heart attacks before? CARMEN: No. DR. ROSEDALE: No heart attacks. Other than congestive heart failure, any other problems with her heart? Do they know why it has congestive heart failure? Sometimes there's outside reasons. Sometimes it can be lung disease that makes your heart have to work too hard. Does Magdalena have lung disease? DR. ROSEDALE: COPD. So that's probably what's causing the congestive heart failure. Now, there are two major divisions to the heart. There's kind of a left heart and a right heart. Left ventricle and right ventricle. Do you know which one is in failure? Carmen and Magdalena didn't know. So Dr. Rosedale took a closer look at Magdalena. DR. ROSEDALE: Looks like fluid is building up in her belly. Is that where the build up is? In her belly or her lungs? CARMEN: They have never said anything about fluid in her tummy. She has hernias in her tummy. That's one of the cause of her fluid. DR. ROSEDALE: It's her left ventricle that would be failing if it's her lungs that are filling up. You're not sure of that? Do you have any of her old records? CARMEN held up a thin beige manila folder: No. I have only a list of medications she's been taking. DR. ROSEDALE started writing on a doctor's memo pad: This is going to be a list of instructions. One is going to be to have last hospital discharge summary and tests faxed to my office. Okay? That would be important. The discharge summary in particular. It will describe everything that went on in her last hospital admission. What they did and all the medications she took and was left on and all that stuff. CARMEN frowned slightly, as she thought about what the document that Dr. Rosedale was requesting: That's the summary that's not usually given to the patient. They gave us two sheets that is just the list of medications. DR. ROSEDALE nodded: So this is your followup stuff. This is something you would get from the doctor or the hospital, and just have them fax it over here. Okay? And when did you get out of the hospital? CARMEN translated, and MAGDALENA replied: La semana pasada? CARMEN: Two weeks? DR. ROSEDALE: Almost two weeks ago. So the discharge summary should be done. It's done by the doctor in charge, and it should be ready by now. That would be a good thing to look at, so I don't have to start from square one. Having the discharge summary will mean that I can see what they've prescribed, what tests have been done. Right now I'm guessing a little bit as to what's been happening. But with the thin sheet of papers that Carmen had obtained, there was at least a short history of Magdalena's past conditions. Ron Rosedale looked it over now. DR. ROSEDALE: Congestive heart failure diagnosed seven years ago. Diabetes. How long have you had diabetes? Thirty years? Twenty years? He tapped his pencil crisply, thinking of how to ask a medical question in a simple way. What he would be asking about next was a condition known medically as "Intermittent Claudication." It's a sort of angina of the legs. According to the National Institutes of Health, "Angina," also known as chest pain, is discomfort that occurs when an area of the heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen-rich blood. This can be caused by plaque buildup or constricted vessels, meaning vessels that have narrowed or grown stiffer because they're puffed up and inflamed. While angina is a condition that doctors commonly check and monitor, there's another place where constricted vessels can cause muscle pain—that condition known as "intermittent claudication." DR. ROSEDALE: Do you have pain in your legs when you walk? Carmen translated and her mother blinked at this question that wasn't asked very often in a medical checkup. The look on her face made it seem as though it had not occurred to her that a constant pain she lived with in her legs was something a doctor would want to talk about. MAGDALENA: Yeah DR. ROSEDALE: Where? In your calf? CARMEN translated, and her mother replied in Spanish, and Carmen then explained: Her lower back legs. DR. ROSEDALE: That's what hurts when you walk? MAGDALENA: Esto y aqui . . .en la noche . . CARMEN: The back of her knees, and at night her veins are altered. Enlarged. DR. ROSEDALE: When she walks. Let's just talk about the pain when she walks right now. CARMEN: Quando caminas . . . MAGDALENA explained in Spanish, then CARMEN said: It's the pain when she walks. DR. ROSEDALE: When it hurts after she walks, and she stops walking, does the pain go away? CARMEN: It gets a little better when she stops, but then she says that it affects her. Her chest starts hurting when she stops walking and then her neck also hurts, and her arms feel very tired. DR. ROSEDALE: Does it go away when she stops? MAGD. Si . . . CARMEN: It goes a little bit away when she stops, and if she sits down she feels much much better. DR. ROSEDALE was asking these questions as a detective might ask questions, trying to solve a case, and now, he seemed to relax and be pleased, as a detective might when they have a clue that was helpful. Indeed, in other conversations, Dr. Rosedale had shared that sometimes, he's seen patients where they've seen neurologists due to the pain in their legs. They've seen physical therapists and other specialists. They've had back surgery recommended, or pain killers in high doses, and yet the pain doesn't go away. But if he puts them on his diet, the pain in their legs goes away in less than a week, and usually, so does any angina – chest pain around the heart. He didn't say all these things at this moment, in this medical checkup with Magdalena. He was still gathering information. But he did look at the list of medications, and as he did, his face grew hard and angry. He spoke crisply though, and kept his voice neutral: Okay. So she's on these and these? Two pages of drugs? CARMEN: Yes DR. ROSEDALE: Okay. And these were done before the hospital admission. CARMEN: Yes, There's one I think that was done in the hospital. There's some the doctor wrote down. Dr. Rosedale turned his attention from the list of medications and started writing on the notepad again, full of concentration as he combined steps for action with explanations about medical conditions that are often overlooked, such as diabetes caused by insulin resistance. Insulin resistance happens when the body's cells resist the signal of the hormone, insulin. Insulin Resistance means, in a way, that a person's basically eating a diet too high in sugar and carbohydrates, and their doctor is prescribing TOO MUCH insulin and medication for what their body would need if the person simply changed their diet. The combination of the wrong diet and the high doses of medication often create a vicious cycle, and the insulin resistance gets worse and worse. Now, that's a description that's contested by many standard doctors and diabetes experts. They would argue that there's no harm in giving a person extra insulin, to keep blood sugars lower. But, that kind of "what's the harm in more medication" overlooks a number of side effects. That's all background about what Dr. Rosedale may have been looking for in this checkup, and what he said to Carmen and Magdalena next. DR. ROSEDALE: This set of data was done in May. OK. There's one lab that has not been done that we're going to need, and I'll write that on here. Needs C-Peptide. Serum. Okay? That needs to get done. It has to do with her diabetes. It lets us know how much insulin her own pancreas is still able to produce, if anything. Okay? And that's very important. We need to find out if she's still capable of producing insulin on her own. And if so, then the need for insulin by shot is much less important. In fact it would be desirable not to take it. If a person has too much insulin, most of the time diabetes, and I definitely suspect that in Magdalena's case, this was the case, that her diabetes arose not because of too little insulin but because her cells weren't listening to insulin. And her pancreas was actually producing too much insulin. The excess insulin causes fat to be stored around the arteries and makes asthma worse and all these other bad things. Now she didn't need that. It didn't make her smoke. Smoking caused a lot of damage, and that certainly contributed to her congestive heart failure, but so did the high insulin. And if we can get her off some of that insulin, it will help her a great deal. High amounts of insulin that she's giving herself and that she might be producing on her own causes fluid retention. It causes excess fluid. That's why she had high blood pressure. High blood pressure was actually caused by the insulin she was taking. And the extra fluid puts a greater burden on her heart. Got too much fluid floating around. It makes it harder for your heart to handle all that fluid. That also contributed to the congestive heart failure. A lot of that fluid ends up in her lungs. Now, she's taking a bunch of diuretics to try and get rid of that fluid. We can't change that right now. But the diuretics cause then further insulin resistance, and greater insulin requirements, which causes then fluid retention. So then she's in this horrible vicious cycle where basically driving with the accelerator and the brakes on at the same time. And that's not very good for her health. We need to break that cycle. We're going to start breaking the cycle with diet. And then we're going to start working on some of these medications. Because they're getting in the way, more than they're helping, actually. They treat the symptom, but they make the underlying disease worse. So you take one step forward, two steps backward. Or three or four or five. And we don't have very far to step backwards, as you're aware at this point. We don't have time to step very far backwards, so we need to make these changes as fast as we can. Dr. Rosedale now turned his attention back to the long, two-page list of medications of Magdalena. And now, his voice carried a tone of anger. DR. ROSEDALE: Some of the writing I can't quite read. Is that Glucophage? No, Glucovance. Okay. That's dumb. Get off of that. Lasix we have to be on right now. Propranolol is a Beta blocker. Predinisone. is that for her asthma? Insulin 70/30, we're going to change that, provided that Magdalena will adhere to the dietary changes. It's going to be really important, because otherwise we can't change her insulin. So we're going to be making changes based on the assumption that she will be changing her diet. Okay? With a look of determination, Carmen nodded. And since she had been eating the way that Dr. Rosedale recommended for over two months, she knew what he was talking about, when it came to how he'd recommend that her mother would eat. Magdalena didn't know yet what this diet was. But watching her daughter, Magdalena nodded, too. Dr. Rosedale continued looking down, and reading from the list, his face a mask, and yet, still seeming angrier the more he read. DR. ROSEDALE: Advair is for asthma. Verapamil is another thing for blood pressure. Calcium Blocker also makes her diabetes worse. Next one, Trazidone, she takes for sleep. The next one, I can't quite make this last one. Says for her stomach. Preva? I can't quite read that. Maybe you can. Do you know what this is? CARMEN: Prevacid. DR. ROSEDALE: OK, that's an acid blocker. Of course, the universal statin drug, which right now, she should probably get off of. I'm going to go out on a limb on that one. CARMEN: Which? DR. ROSEDALE: Lovastain. It's a statin drug. It makes it harder for her heart to beat. It's the last thing she needs right now. Okay? They're worried about long term cholesterol, which has nothing to do with her heart disease, number one. But the immediate effect of it is that it weakens her heart. She's got heart failure. We need as strong a heart as we can. She's got to get off of it. Hydrazaine is another thing for her blood pressure. Aspirin. And Prozac. So I'd say she's taking her fair amount of drugs, making money for a lot of people. He said that last statement with bitter humor. At this point, I spoke up, saying, "There's a chance that the doctor involved might be receptive to talking with you." I said this with hope, not knowing that, like most other doctors who our community group had interacted with, Magdalena's doctor was NOT going to be in favor of this change in diet. Ron Rosedale, with years more experience explaining his unconventional diet to other medical professionals, sounded cynical as he responded to me. DR. ROSEDALE: Great. I'd be happy to. I caught the cynicism and decided to defend Magdalena's regular doctors, who I was certain were well-intentioned, and wanted to see Magdalena healthier. "My guess is that they're following protocol." DR. ROSEDALE: I'm sure. They definitely are. There's no question that everybody gets put on statin drugs, but there's a down side. And right now, I'm just more concerned about, um, trying to save your life, really than I am about politics in medicine. One of the things that Lovastain, the cholesterol drug does, is it depletes the body of something called Co-Enzyme Q 10, which is necessary for muscle function. Your heart is a muscle. Probably the most important muscle. We're going to do the opposite. We want to put her on a lot of Q 10. So we don't want to put her on something that something else is trying to get rid of. That's not really a good thing to do. So, we're going to have a supplement list of things we're going to go on. But the most important thing at this point is going to be diet. And diet will allow her to lose more fluid than any of these drugs will. And then I would say in a short period of time, we're going to try and reduce that Lasix. Lasix also gets rid of magnesium. Magnesium is necessary for her cells to listen to insulin. So, having low magnesium makes her diabetes worse, which makes her need more insulin, which causes fluid retention. Which is what the Lasix is trying to get rid of. So again, it works into this horrible, vicious cycle. So we're going to need to get as much magnesium into her as we can. But there's only a certain amount that your intestines can handle at a time, otherwise it gives you diarrhea. We'll spread it out and try and see if we can reduce that Lasix as soon as we can. Dr. Rosedale was writing rapidly as he spoke, and soon he focused simply on looking at the medications and writing, and tapping his pencil furiously. Watching as he concentrated, it was like watching a bomb specialist trying to sort through a tangle of wires that are connected to a ticking bomb. To stop the bomb from going off, some of the wires had to be disconnected. But if the wrong wires were taken off too soon, the bomb would explode, right there in his hands. That image reminded me that right now, Magdalena's congestive heart failure was a ticking bomb. Her doctors had told Carmen to get Magdalena's papers in order. She was a half a step away from death at every moment. By trying to help her, by trying to turn this whole situation into a healthier result, Dr. Rosedale was fencing with Death. DR. ROSEDALE: We're going to have so see Magdalena again pretty soon because of all these changes. Because of all the drugs that you're on. Okay? And we'll talk about diet first, but don't let me forget to listen to her heart and lungs before she leaves. DR ROSEDALE (turning to Magdalena): Do you weigh yourself every day? MAGDALENA: No? DR. ROSEDALE: You need to. CARMEN told her mother in Spanish, "You Have to": Necesitas hacer. MAGDALENA: OK DR. ROSEDALE: It's one of the ways to know whether you're accumulating fluid. Initially when the weight comes down, most will be water, not so much fat. But that's good. We want you to lose some of this excess fluid. Reducing the excess fluid makes it easier on your heart. But we want to do it without the diuretics as much as we can. The diuretics will cause most of that fluid to come out of your bloodstream. So it's making your heartbeat fast. Even though you have all this fluid in your tissues, you don't have it inside your arteries. And that's not such a good thing. Okay? So I want you to weigh yourself every day. And write it down. CARMEN translated, and MAGDALENA said: OK. DR. ROSEDALE: That'll be good for your other doctor too. When are you supposed to have another chest x-ray. CARMEN translated, and MAGDALENA said: Con Paula. CARMEN: She's going to try to go to the doctor every Friday, because the doctor also told her to go there often. She wants to keep an eye on her. DR. ROSEDALE: Good. Okay. Well, it will be something that's difficult to listen to her lungs because of her emphysema. And to be able to see how clear her lungs are, about the only way to do it will be with a chest x-ray. I imagine she had a chest x-ray when she was discharged from the hospital. I suspect they'll want another one very soon. Has Magdalena been on oxygen for a long time? CARMEN: It's been probably a year. MAGDALENA: Poco menos. CARMEN: Less than a year. Probably eight months. DR. ROSEDALE: Okay. The diabetes we can certainly help, and we can certainly help the blood pressure without using all these medications and can help the congestive heart failure up to a point, because a lot of that is from the damage that's occurred to her lungs. The damage to her lungs can be reversed maybe a little bit but not very much. It's kind of a structural thing. The tissue has kind of died, and we can't reverse that too much, but we can make it a little bit better. So that's kind of what we're dealing with. And the blood pressure, we can, I think, certainly improve upon. So those are our endeavors. We want to help the diabetes and in that way we can reduce the blood pressure. And get rid of some fluid without having to use these drugs which has some long-term side effects. And even some circular side effects. How often is Magdalena's blood pressure taken? CARMEN translated, and MAGDALENA said: Quando voya. CARMEN: Every time she goes to the doctor, every week or two weeks. DR. ROSEDALE: She doesn't take it herself. Do you have a way to do that? CARMEN: Yeah. We can get one of those. DR. ROSEDALE: Good. That would be important, because blood pressure can change very rapidly within the week. And then we need to reduce the blood pressure medications, or she'll get very faint. Now, How much insulin is she taking? CARMEN: She takes 24, 25 units in the morning, sometimes nothing at night because her sugars get very low during the night and she's afraid. Sometimes she just uses 4 or 5 at night. DR. ROSEDALE: And she's using 70/30 insulin. About 24 units in the AM and 0 to 5 units PM. And that's it? Okay. How often does Magdalena check her blood sugars? Here, there came another issue that wasn't clear to Dr. Rosedale at that time, and which Carmen and Magdalena didn't mention. You see, Magdalena was retired, and lived on a very tight budget. She had a small apartment in low income housing, and she relied on government health care plans to pay her medical bills. But the state's computer system for government payments was not working properly, and so it was not paying for her regular healthcare needs, such as for the daily supplies needed for taking blood sugars. Taking insulin shots, which Magdalena did, can cost at least a dollar a day. Taking blood sugar measurements at least four times a day, which is a wise idea for someone like Magdalena, can cost two dollars a day. And right now, Magdalena's insurance wasn't paying for any of this. So she was "guessing" on the right amount of insulin to be taking, and she was saving her money by not checking blood sugars at all. Magdalena didn't explain all this at the moment, and at this time, Carmen may not have realized the extent of Magdalena's medical payment problems either. So Magdalena simply said she hadn't been checking her blood sugars, and her daughter translated. And so, in this exchange, it just sounded like Magdalena had gotten casual about checking her blood sugars. It didn't occur do Dr. Rosedale that finances were actually what stood in the way. He was doing his part. He was seeing Magdalena for free in this office visit. It wasn't obvious to him that other financial issues could still stand in the way. CARMEN: She hasn't checked her blood sugars recently, or lately, like probably the last two days. DR. ROSEDALE: Does she have a blood sugar monitor? CARMEN: Yeah, she does. DR. ROSEDALE: And she knows how to check it? CARMEN: Yes. We just need to get the strips. DR. ROSEDALE: Okay, so we need to . . . uh. Okay. Check blood pressure daily. We're going to be making some changes, and some of the changes will be fast. So monitoring by her regular physician once a week, which I'm sure is all they could do. That's actually pretty good, and they're not to be faulted for that. But it's not going to be enough. So we need to do some self-monitoring everyday. So that will be weight, blood pressure, blood sugar. Check blood sugars every day, before breakfast and before bedtime. Okay? (WRITING ALL THIS DOWN) I want you to keep chart of blood sugar, blood pressure and weight daily. FAX to office every two days for now. Okay? You have a FAX machine? CARMEN: Yes DR. ROSEDALE: Because we're going to have to make adjustments in the medications. In the insulin. In the blood pressure medications. So we'll have to stay in contact. But we'll give you a few guidelines right now. If blood pressure goes low, do you have an idea of what it usually runs? CARMEN: Sometimes it's . . . . 140 over 90, or 68. I just remember some of the numbers I saw at the hospital, and it went too high, like 220 over 60. I don't even remember, but it was too high, like 240, 220, and I think she's always probably around 135. DR. ROSEDALE: (TAPPING PENCIL) We'll reduce the Verapimil. That'll be the first one, if the blood pressure goes low. That means less than 110 over 70 for her. If the blood pressure goes less than that, reduce the Veratimil . . . right now it's 360 Milligrams. If it's low, reduce to ½ tablet. If it stays low, stop altogether. Okay? If blood pressure—I'll call it BP for blood pressure. If blood pressure continues low, you'll reduce something else. Some of the blood pressure medications have dual roles. So I think we'll reduce the hydralazine to ½ dose, or altogether if you can. Okay? (Flipping page.) My next thing I'm going to want to lower over time is going to be the Lasix. But it doesn't just lower blood pressure, they're using it to get rid of the excess fluid. That's why it's going to be very important to take daily weights. Because when we start reducing that fluid buildup, I want to make sure the weight is not coming up, indicating that she might be retaining fluid. Okay? The Glocovance is a combination drug. It has Glucophage and probably glyburide. . . I'd rather she just took the glucophage without the other half. That's all we can do to reduce the insulin for now. It would be better to . . change insulin to MPH from 70/30. We're going to have to change the insulin. OK? CARMEN: OK DR. ROSEDALE: If she changes her diet, she won't be able to stay on that insulin. Her sugars will crash. We need to go on a different kind of insulin. Part of which, you're already taking. But it's combined . . . The insulin Magdalena is taking a combination of fast acting and a slow acting. We only want the slow acting. The fast acting is to bring down spikes of sugar from eating carbohydrates. If we're not going to be eating the carbohydrates, we won't be spiking the sugars. And then, if you took that fast-acting inuslin, it would cause her sugars to go low. She cannot take that. So, how can you get insulin? CARMEN: She gets it from pharmacy in Boulder, and they give her a discount. DR. ROSEDALE: Do you have to pay for it? CARMEN: Yeah. We have to pay for it. DR. ROSEDALE now relaxed, now that he had an action plan in place. And perhaps the fact that Magdalena was paying out of pocket for her insulin touched him in a way that connected him back to Magdalena and Carmen. So in a light-hearted, friendly way, he explained: The type I'm switching to is not a particularly expensive one. So hopefully you won't have to waste too much of what she's already bought. But, before you leave, we need to get you a prescription for it. Okay? Or I probably should do it now. Or I'll forget! After Ron Rosedale left the room to get the prescription ordered, Magdalena explained her hopes, with her daughter translating. CARMEN: She really wants to feel better, to feel well. She's willing to make the changes. She says that the only thing that could happen is, if she gets ill and she has to go to the hospital, they will make changes and how will that work? That's a question that she has. RON (RETURNING WITH PRESCRIPTION) Okay. That's for the new "old" insulin. And you have to kind of monitor . . . you need to monitor your blood sugars. Are you going to be involved in her care? CARMEN: I can be with her in the morning and also in the afternoon. During the day my daughter is with her. And I can talk with her. She'll be able to help. DR. ROSEDALE: That would be great. She might need help with changing her insulin requirements. I'm going to change the glucovance into glucophage. That will lower her insulin production. One of the components of the glucovance causes her own pancreas to produce more insulin. But in so doing, it stresses out the cells that make the insulin and causes them to die over time. We don't want that. Long-term it's not good. And that certainly would be one way to lower her insulin. Although it won't be apparent in the insulin she's taking. Her total insulin is determined by how much her own pancreas is producing and how much she'd taking by shot. I don't want her to take the kind that is trying her to whip her own pancreas into producing more insulin. That is stressful to the pancreas. She doesn't need any more of that. So we're going to take off one of the components of the drug that she's taking and use the other component. Similar to what we're doing with the 70 30 insulin. We're just going to use the 70 portion and not the 30. And the glucovance, we're going to use the glucophage portion and not the glyburide. Okay, you're going to use a whole bunch of Co-Q10. You'll stop the lovastatin for now. Okay? I said for two months. I'm being politically correct, then we'll reevaluate it. Right now, we want her heart to beat as powerfully as it can, and the lovastatin's getting in the way of that. OK. We're going to change glucovance to glucophage. Oh, wait a second here. Her creatine's doing pretty good? Let's see. I would need updated laboratory work. I need the laboratory work that they did in the hospital. The only laboratory data here from the hospital is her blood count, but not the chemistry. Basically what I need here is the creatine. For now. Okay, the glucophage, one, 1 three times per day with meals. So you have to stop the glucovance. I'm going to circle it. So you'll know. And we're changing the insulin, too. That's what we're changing right now. And then you might change, I'll put a square around verapamil, and I'll put a square around hydralaine. Those are the two blood pressures you might have to lower, depending on what happens with her blood pressure. CARMEN: So if her blood pressure goes low, then we are going to lower both at the same time. DR. ROSEDALE: You're going to do first the Veratamil. I wrote it down. And then the Hydralazine. CARMEN: If we go to that pharmacy, she gets a discount, and I think she was referred by her regular clinic, so I think it will work with any prescription it brings and we will get the discount. DR. ROSEDALE: It's really important that she does not take the glucovance and glucophage together. Okay? That would be a bad mistake. Okay, now Magdalena's going to have to change her diet. You already know what to eat. CARMEN knew this question was for her. And she answered with confidence: Yes. DR. ROSEDALE now turned to Magdalena, as her doctor translated his next question: OK. What would be a typical breakfast? MAGDALENA: Una tortilla, triga. CARMEN: One egg, some cereal, and one wheat flour tortilla, and the milk with the cereal. DR. ROSEDALE: Okay. Anything to drink? MAGDALENA: Agua. CARMEN: Just water. DR. ROSEDALE: Okay. That's good. That's the one good thing. Egg not so bad. How's the egg cooked? CARMEN: Poached egg with very little grease, and she uses canola oil. DR. ROSEDALE: Okay. The tortillas she uses, you're going to switch tortillas. To La Tortilla tortillas. You can get them at Vitamin Cottage. Those are the only ones that Magdalena can use. Are you familiar with those kind. CARMEN nodded, thinking of the low carb tortillas that didn't taste as good as regular tortillas, but at least were shaped like them: Ah, yes. DR. ROSEDALE: Do you use them? CARMEN: I don't use them, because I don't like them. DR. ROSEDALE: But you know what they are? CARMEN: Yes. DR. ROSEDALE: Those are the only ones that Magdalena can use. CARMEN translated, then when Magdalena nodded, looking confused but trusting of her daughter, DR. ROSEDALE said this: And only half a tortilla at a time. As Carmen translated this dietary restriction, along with others to bring her carbohydrates much, much lower, Magdalena started laughing . . . as sound that transcended language barriers as "You have GOT to be kidding me!" DR. ROSEDALE: For Magdalena, We have to go to more extreme measures here. CARMEN: She's asking about fruit and jello, because she knows I was not eating fruit. DR. ROSEDALE nodded, adding: She cannot eat cereals. She can eat two eggs and half a tortilla. That would be a breakfast. Okay? CARMEN: That was one of her questions. Since the beginning when I told her about the diet. She says if her sugar level goes too low, what should she drink to bring it up. Because she usually uses orange juice. DR. ROSEDALE: We will be trying to prevent high and low blood sugars. It will be less likely by changing the type of insulin we're using and changing the diet. But if it does happen, two swallows of orange juice. CARMEN: She says just not getting to that level of . . . but she says, it's fine. If she's not going to require a lot of the juice, and her sugars are not going to go that low, because she feels really bad when that happens. DR. ROSEDALE: OKAY. Then after we change the diet, we're already reducing her total insulin by changing from the glucovance to the glucophage. She might still need to take less insulin. Now the insulin we're changing her to is a long-acting insulin. I'm going to hope that she can get off of it totally over the next month or two. We're just going to have to wait and see. So, if her sugars are running low all day long, then the next day she should take less. There should be a gradual decline in her blood sugars, in which case, you can reduce her insulin requirement. I'm going to say start with the same you're using now, 24 units of NPH insulin. Reduce, depending on how low her sugars might go, reduce insulin if sugars . . . now when Magdalena gets a sugar reaction, when it goes low. . . how low does it go? CARMEN: 52, and I remember one, 74. Sometimes, she's 29. DR. ROSEDALE: Okay, 74 wouldn't be so bad, unless she gets symptoms. If you're healthy your sugars will run 74 anyway. I'm going to say, reduce insulin if the sugars go under 80. And then reduce by 5 units at a time. If it's staying low, you might have to reduce. You might have to go off of it. Great! How fast is hard to guess. So you just have to check the blood sugars and see what happens. Do we have her weight recorded today? CARMEN: 175 and some ounces. DR. ROSEDALE looked again at Magdalena, who is just barely five feet tall, and he calculated her likely lean body protein mass: No more than 50 grams of protein per day, and not more, and remember, it's not a high protein diet. No more than 15 grams protein per meal. That would be about the size of a deck of cards for a piece of meat. So half of a half of a chicken breast. Does she like nuts? CARMEN: Yes DR. ROSEDALE wrote more instructions on the pad: Good. If hungry, she can snack on a few nuts. Almonds, walnuts, pecans. Not peanuts. She can eat some cashews, but not many cashews. Not peanuts, not cashews. Other nuts are fine. Nuts are not the same as seeds, so don't eat seeds such as sunflower seeds. I don't care where she gets her protein. I prefer she doesn't eat a lot of red meat until I see her other laboratory level and we see how much iron she's been storing. If we know how much iron she's storing, we'll know whether she needs to reduce iron-containing foods. If she hasn't had a ferritin level checked, we need to check it. CARMEN explained all this for Magdalena, and then explained that her last check showed normal ferritin levels. DR. ROSEDALE: Oh, good. So her ferritin is probably not a problem. So no . . . and I capitalized, DO NOT EAT TORTILLA OR STARCHES. So do not eat sugar or starches, and I capitalized it. Other than La Tortillas. That is her only bread like product. No rice. No cereal. No potatoes. CARMEN: But oatmeal. She loves oatmeal. DR. ROSEDALE: No oatmeal. It all turns to sugar. Really quickly. If she eliminates that stuff, we might get her off the insulin totally. And getting her off the insulin totally, her fluids are going to come down. And then we can get her off the Lasix. And that'll help her heart beat harder. And then we can start reversing these vicious cycles that are taking place in her right now. Take a medication for one thing then it ends up causing something else that she need to take a medication for. It's gone on now for a long time and therefore you have lots of medications. We can start reversing that. Ideally, when we're all set and done, maybe a little for her lungs, and I don't know if we'll need anything for blood pressure or not. If we do, maybe the Imdur and that might be it. It helps to dilate the arteries of her heart a little bit. But other than that, I'd like to see her off of almost everything else. Now we'll see how close we can come to that accomplishment. I don't know. Now, certainly, we can help the diabetes, and diabetes underlies a lot of everything else. Her numb feet will get better over time. But will take a long time. Probably several months or a year even. But that'll get better too. A lot of things are going to get better. She can pick up her energy a little bit. And then there's some supplements she's going to be taking. You know the diet pretty well. We'll give you, see if they have that done yet, and we'll copy these instructions to pin on your refrigerator or wherever you want. And, make sure that you do that chart of blood sugars, blood pressure and weight and fax it over. Make sure that you replace the glucovance. if you don't take the glucophage, I don't care that much, but do not take the two of them together. That would be a severe problem. Carmen nodded as Dr. Rosedale told her all this. Her look of determination said she was going to work to make this happen. DR. ROSEDALE: Change the insulin today. Probably do that today. She's already had her shot this morning. If she starts the diet today, she won't need a shot tonight. The changes take place rapidly if you don't eat sugar. Obviously if you don't eat sugar, the sugars go down. Also, we just got through breakfast. What would be a typical lunch? CARMEN: Chicken, salad. She's eating a little because she doesn't have good appetite since she left the hospital. So she just eats a piece of chicken and a salad. DR. ROSEDALE: And how about dinner? CARMEN: Sometimes the same thing she ate for lunch. DR. ROSEDALE: Those will be fine. Chicken, chicken salad. Teach her what to eat, and we'll give a list of food that she can and can't eat. CARMEN: For her tea she uses the sweetener, Nutrasweet. Can she continue taking that. DR. ROSEDALE: I would not use sweeteners. She'll crave the sweets more and that's when she'll want the yogurt, that's when she'll want to fruit. I would just stay away from sweets for now, and then it's easier. If you're not constantly reminded of sweets, you won't miss it. MAGDALENA as this was translated, again gave that almost-panicked laugh of disbelief, her voice registering, "You're kidding?!?" DR. ROSEDALE: It's very important that she doesn't cheat. Especially not for the first three weeks. After three weeks it becomes a lot easier to follow the diet if you've been strict from the very start. CARMEN translated. DR. ROSEDALE: Keep some almonds around. Either dry roasted or raw. MAGDALENA: Okay DR. ROSEDALE: Does she like guacamole? CARMEN—Yes she does. DR. ROSEDALE: Some people cut the la tortilla into smaller segments and then bake it in the oven to make kind of crackers to dip into the guacamole. Carmen and Magdalena talked about this, and Magdalena seemed to like the idea. DR. ROSEDALE: OK. We do have a ferritin of 25. Good. Now we will write down a list of supplements. One, I will be sorry to inform you will be expensive and long term. We'll see what we can do short term, but it is something she'll need to stay on it indefinitely. That'll be Co-Q10. The raw price at the factory that makes it in Japan has gone way up. They are starting to charge a lot more because they can. There are only two factories that make it. Unfortunately. But that doesn't change the fact that she needs it. Whereas you and I take one, she's going to take 6 a day. And if it weren't so expensive, I'd have her do twice that. It's vital to her health right now. Two at breakfast, two at lunch and two at dinner. She'll take Diabest. Arginine. CARMEN: TRANSLATES DR. ROSEDALE: Okay. This is what she will need, for right now, and that's actually keeping it as simple as I can. And on here, right here is what she should be taking, and this will say something else on the bottle, so I'll write that here. Thiacid, I think. Take Co-Q10 2 at breakfast, 2 lunch, 2 dinner. Diabest. Arginine. That means empty stomach. Thiacide, Lipoic acid. Acetl Carnitine. Potassium. Ascorbic Palmitate, a form of Vitamin C. Vitamin E. For 6 weeks. Okay? DR. ROSEDALE: Now, the Lasix, is Magdalena also taking Potassium? CARMEN: Yes DR. ROSEDALE: Even so, I'm putting her on other potassium with magnesium also. And that's not a mistake. In addition to the potassium she's taking for the Lasix, she'll take this other for 6 weeks, and I am hopeful that in a couple of weeks, we're going to start getting her off that Lasix, or at least greatly lowering the dose. Okay? So, we need to, let's find out if she's going to have another chest x-ray and see how clear that looks. If there's no fluid in her lungs, we can start weaning her off the Lasix. I don't need to see the actual x-ray. I'll take the radiologist's word for it. Thanks. DR. ROSEDALE: Copy those . . . This ends Magdalena's first appointment with Dr. Ron Rosedale, two weeks after she left the Intensive Care Unit congestive heart failure that was getting worse each time she ended up being hospitalized. Carmen and Magdalena talked with Dr. Rosedale about how to connect up with her regular doctor. Magdalena said that she would talk about all this at her next regular appointment, depending on if she could get a car ride to it, since she doesn't have a car. Checking blood pressure, we would later find out, was also somewhat complicated, since the nearest blood pressure checking place was at an Albertson's supermarket several blocks from where she lived, and she didn't have a car, and she had hardly the energy to walk from her bedroom to the bathroom. And, there was the new diet. Many, many things to see about and do. But at least, there was a new possibility. Magdalena left, talking about how if she got better, she'd be able to teach other people about how to be healthy as well. The key would be HER getting healthy first. This concludes this special program about Magdalena—part 1. There are other episodes to follow. Always remember to consult with your physician before changing your medications, and also tell your doctor about dietary and supplement changes you make says to keep your cells sensitive to leptin, insulin and other hormonesSPEAKER'S INTRODUCTION: Dr. Ronald Rosedale is an internationally renowned expert on the biology of aging. He was at the International Conference on Aging Medicine at Rio de Janiero, and the first European Conference on Longevity Medicine and many more. He is the author of The Rosedale Diet: Insulin and its metabolic effects. He will be speaking to us this morning on the detrimental effects of too much protein. Please welcome Dr. Ronald Rosedale. We might give a different view on protein intake and nutrition and actually health in general. First, you hear a lot about paleolithic nutrition, the idea being that ancient man can tell us how to be healthy. That we need to go back to our ancient roots and eat like they did, and then we'll be healthy. But you have to go back even further and understand what Nature is after. And there are two prime prerogatives of all life, since the beginning of life. And they both involve making more life. How do you make more life? Reproduce. What do you do to reproduce? You have to eat. You have to eat and reproduce. It's all life does, and we evolved with those dictums. We can't use Paleolithic Man. We evolved with a diet to not allow a man to live a long healthy life. Nature does not care about us living a long healthy life, or any life, for that matter. Nature wants "Life" to live. It's like, you don't care if there's a little cell on your hand that dies, as long as the whole remains. Nature doesn't care if you or I dies, or if all mankind dies. Nature wants life to live. The diet that ancient man grew up with was to maximize reproductive sense. Not necessarily the life of each individual. We do know, there is a powerful connection between energy stores, reproduction and longevity. Certainly, we know that it takes a lot of energy to make babies. And if there was not a lot of energy around, Nature would put off reproduction, and it is that trick that we want to use. It puts off reproduction by allowing the organism to live longer. It appears that all organisms have genetic mechanisms to delay aging, to delay dying so that the organism can reproduce at a future more opportune time. And generally this is genetically controlled, and it's controlled by the availability of nutrients, whether it's good to reproduce now or put off reproduction into the future. Because of this, we know now that there are nutrient sensors that tell the body and tell the genetics how much nutrition is available right now, and it is a liaison between nutrient stores and genetic expression that determines whether the body will move toward reproduction or maintenance and repair. This is on an organism level and on a cellular level. On a cellular level, increasing reproduction might not be such a good thing because when you push growth and reproduction too far, you stimulate cancer. We'll talk a little about diabetes because it's the quintessential disease of nutrient stores. Ask anyone what is diabetes, and they'll say it's a disease of blood sugar. Diabetes is not a disease of blood sugar. If you get nothing else out of this talk today, realize that diabetes is not a disease of blood sugar. It is a disease of insulin signaling. What we have hear is a failure to communicate. Insulin tells the body a very vital message. Not how much sugar to have. The real purpose of insulin has to do with being a switch, a nutrient sensor, that is one of the pathways that will dictate whether a cell reproduces or whether it lives. Caloric restriction, metabolism, IGF and insulin are integrated into this longevity pathway, and this pathway appears to be conserved through all of evolution. It's found in yeast and flies and worms. Everything down to yeast. Not bacteria. Bacteria has a different definition of life. In fact, it never dies. It just keeps reproducing. So you can't throw bacteria in there. But yeast, flies, worms, rodents, primates, and certainly humans, it appears. Since the discovery of insulin, most studies have focused on the role of insulin in the metabolism of glucose, however a failure of insulin signaling is certainly associated with a shorter lifespan. What we're seeing over the last decade is a central role of insulin signaling in lifespan. The discoveries indicate that aging is a programmed and well controlled process regulated by the same pathways that affect growth, metabolism and lifespan. It is an evolutionarily conserved process, so you can extrapolate, it appears, to humans, since it appears ubiquitous. There's also a connection between calorie restriction and chromatin structure. Genes are wrapped around chromatin, and their expression is often dictated by how well they're wrapped. Basically, you uncover the genes to read them. Genetic expression is really the importance of genetics. It's not the genes you have. Every cell in your body other than your sperm and eggs have the same genes. What makes a heart cell a heart cell and a kidney cell a kidney cell depends on which genes are read. That depends on chromatin structure and other molecular mechanisms such as methylation and acetylation and things like that. This is talking about an important part of genetic expression dictated by a gene called SIR-2 which in the humans, the homologue is SIRT-1, and research at MIT and Harvard has looked and determined this pathway is NAD and NAHD dependent, meaning energy stores, and when SIRT-1 in humans and SIRT 2 in so called lower forms of animals goes up, animals tend to live longer, and it appears it does this by turning off detrimental pathways that can accelerate aging and turns on maintenance and repair pathways that extend lifespan, and at least partially, you can up-regulate SIRT expression and therefore, by suggestion, lifespan, by amino acid restriction. Interestingly also, SIRT-1 protein binds to and represses genes controlled by the fat regulator PPR. Where have you heard that before? That's Avandia, Actos. The first one was Rezulun but they had to take it off the market because it killed too many people. They still kept the other drugs on the market. These are supposedly insulin sensitizers. They are NOT insulin sensitizers. That's just marketing hype. These PPR agonist drugs such as Actos and Avandia actually work by increasing fat mass. They multiply fat cells. They give you a bigger dumping ground to put sugar. So yes, it lowers blood sugar. Only because you turn it into fat. But is that a healthy thing to do? Okay? You have to ask the right questions. Is reducing kidney disease a healthy thing to do? If I could snap my fingers and create a pill that cuts heart disease in half. Is that a healthy thing to do? Well not necessarily if it increases cancer. You have to look at mortality rate. What is the end result? If you dig deeper into the answers, you always end up face to face with the biology of aging. Because it will give you the answers. If you slow the again process, and that doesn't mean getting older, longer. that means staying younger longer, it's probably a good thing to do, and then you're going to repress the symptoms of aging. You're going to repress diabetes and obesity and osteoporosis and cancer and arthritis. The diseases and symptoms we associated with aging. The only way we can really make a dent in that is to treat the underlying disease. And that is aging and that is a disease. In laboratory animals we can manipulate the process of aging to step back in time to a time when it no longer had diabetes. So it isn't just to prevent disease. You treat disease this way. Insulin/IGF represents a family of growth factors that regulate metabolism, growth, cell differentiation and survival. It links insulin action to the map-kinase pathway of cell division. Here's a very important gene, one of the first genes that was discovered that can extend lifespan is DAF-2 discovered by Cynthia Kenyon at University of California in San Francisco that amazed everyone. They didn't know at the time what it did, but they did know that DAF-2 mutants can live four times longer. They found a moderate decrease in insulin IGF-1 signaling has been shown to extend lifespan in mice. It's associated with lower levels of insulin, and it's similar to the improved insulin sensitivity that you see in caloric restriction. In mouse models, decreased food intake can extend lifespan, and there's a special role for insulin signaling in fat in the longevity process. Reduced fat tends to lower insulin and protects you from diabetes. They found, by testing various tissues that if you just reduce fat levels, and you enhance insulin sensitivity while reducing fat levels in fat tissue, you extend lifespan. So it doesn't have to be all over. Fat tissue is a particularly important part of this process. Just a moderate decrease in insulin and IGF signaling has been shown to extend lifespan in mice. This was done by a friend of mine, Andre Bartke and he's done a lot of studies in mice and shows that if you down regulate insulin and IGF signaling, and you increase insulin sensitivity, you can increase lifespan in mice. A couple of years ago he won the Methusula award. It's given to the researcher who can extend the life of a mouse the longest. I think he's extended lifespan about six years now in mice. The normal lifespan is two years. What they're doing in these laboratories is amazing. They're tripling lifespan. They're doing it by the same pathways of genetics that we have in humans. They're going into the genetics of it, which we can't quite do in humans yet. The genetics are altered by nutritional stores and nutrient sensors. We do have a way to dig into these genes. Maybe not with pliers yet, but by what we put in our mouths. Centenarians, people who live to be 100 or older, have lower insulin and IGF levels. One of the nice ways to study aging in humans is on centenarians. Centenarians, they've been showing now for quite a few years that there are differences among centenarians. They eat different diets, they smoke and have different personalities. There are not a lot of similarities between centenarians. But they universally have lower IGF, lower insulin, lower temperature and lower thyroid levels. Those go together. Conclusions: Strong similarities exist between insulin and IGF systems. Maybe linked to oxidative stress, lifespan. It suggests that the Insulin-IGF system arose early in evolution and it is an essential component of anti-aging systems which is conserved from yeast to humans. Now let's look at a slightly different view on how insulin works. The typical thinking is that the most important organs that will determine whether a person will become diabetic is how insulin sensitive the muscles, fat and liver are. But that doesn't seem to be the case. In mice, they turned on and off genes of insulin receptors in different tissues of the body. They determined that the two organs most important by far in determining whether an organism will be diabetic or not are whether it has insulin sensitivity in the brain and liver. Two big keys in determining health and diabetes. These researchers say that we've overestimated how important insulin is in muscle and fat and underestimated its importance in other tissues. This is where we get to leptin. How many people have heard of leptin? Unfortunately there hasn't been as much publicity on leptin as there probably should because there aren't yet any drugs to control it. But leptin is very critical to your health. We're going to spend time talking about it and its connection to the diseases of aging and actually aging itself. It has a key role in regulating glucose. We get to the brain-liver circuit, which regulates glucose. Brain will tell the liver how much sugar to make. About half the sugar you have floating around in your body on a day to day period depends on how much your liver manufactures. The other half is how much sugar you put in your mouth. I agree with Mike and Mary Dan Eades and many other people about the importance of not putting a bunch of sugar in your mouth. If you want to keep your insulin and sugar low, it doesn't take an Einstein to figure out, just don't eat it. You want to keep low the amount of sugar you put in your mouth. That means all the foods that turn into sugar, even rice, potatoes, cereal, pasta, bread. Those are just other names for sugar. Bread is just a slice of sugar, potatoes are just a lump of sugar. Within minutes after swallowing it you just digest these foods into sugar. Fastest way to up-regulate IGF and insulin and sugar and accelerate aging and all the diseases associated with aging is by eating sugar. We're not going to go there. The mountains of evidence that show that a high carbohydrate diet is bad could fill this room. We're going to assume we're on common ground, that eating sugar is bad for you. One of the reasons is because of the up-regulation of insulin and IGF which accelerates aging. One of the ways you up-regulate sugar is that your brain takes signals and tells your liver to manufacture a bunch of sugar. That's why diabetics can wake up and find their sugars are higher than when they went to bed. They haven't eaten for twelve hours and their sugars are high, sometimes higher than when they went to bed. It's because the liver is pumping out glucose. The major control of the liver is the brain. What controls the brain? The hypothalamus. There is cross talk between the brain and liver that couples central nutrient sensing to peripheral nutrient production, ie, glucose. Disruption may lead to hyperglycemia, and that crosstalk between the brain and liver, and the central nutrient pathway involves leptin, your fat. Leptin modulates the meal regulated food intake. It leads to Increased vagal outflow to the liver which produces more sugar. Your fat speaks to the brain via leptin, and is supposed to tell it how much sugar to produce. We go back to the beginning. What we have here is a failure to communicate. That's how you get sick. We're ten trillion cells. They have to communicate with one a other. We think of ourselves as a single individual. Well, we're not. We're more like a beehive or an ant colony. There has to be constant and really harmonious signals hitting each and every cell, all the time, and when the communication goes awry, you get sick. That's the difference between life and death. If I died right now, I'd have the same parts. But they wouldn't be speaking to each other properly. Leptin modulates glucose by acting as an insulin-sensitizing factor in most insulin-target tissues. Leptin can modulate, in an inhibitory manner, insulin sensitivity, Directly as an autocrine signal and indirectly through neuroendocrine pathways. These pathways may be relevant to conditions caused by hyperleptinemia, such as in aging. As we get older, and as indicated in accelerated aging, and in people who are older chronologically, they have higher levels of leptin, due to leptin resistance. Almost all fat people have high levels of leptin. Fat is associated with diseases of aging. Leptin is a pro-aging hormone. You want to keep it down. Not up. Are people here familiar, cause I'm skipping over and assuming people are familiar with what leptin usually does. Here's a very brief review. Leptin was discovered about ten years ago. Produced by fat. It's supposed to tell your hypothalamus how much fat you've got and whether to produce more fat. And whether you should keep eating to produce more fat or get rid of some excess. In our evolutionary history, it was good to store some fat. All of our ancestors encountered a famine. You needed to have a good energy source. Fat's a good, efficient energy source, but it wasn't good to be too fat, because if you were too fat, you were going to end up as a meal for another organism. Because if you are running from a lion in a group of people, which one is it going to catch? If you got too fat, the lion catches you, because you can't run up a tree. And those genes would have been eliminated from the gene pool. Leptin tells the brain how much fat there is, and whether you should get more fat or you shouldn't.. Which means, leptin controls whether or not you're hungry. It, leptin, knows people are only going to do what they feel like doing. The only way to get people to lose weight is, which means to lose fat, is to get people to not eat too much. That means they can't be hungry. Trying to not eat in the face of hunger is an impoosibility, it's bound to fail. That's why you see this yo yo dieting. If you're hungry, ultimately, you're going to eat. It's like holding onto a cliff. You look down two miles, and you know if you let go, you're going to die. Gravity is unrelenting. So is hunger. Therefore, there are signals to the brain that will tell you how hungry you are. These are the same things that will control, also fat storage. The same master signal that controls hunger also controls your ability to store and burn fat. It also controls how much sugar is available. It also controls through the nutrient sensing pathways, the rate of aging, and therefore the diseases associated with aging. I can't stress how important that is, because no drugs control it. You can control it by what you eat. Very important, because you dig right into the same genes that are regulating all these aging process in all these laboratory animals. If you inject leptin into the brain, right into the hypothalamus, you increase glucose uptake. All those people who are hyper-leptinemic, they have high levels of leptin because their brains can't listen to leptin. If your hypothalamus can't hear the leptin signal. If you're a fat slob, and the fat signal's trying to yell, quit eating, and the brain can't hear the signal, it's getting a whisper, and it's not hearing the signal to stop being hungry. It's hearing that you're too skinny and there's a famine and you need to eat more fat, and so that's what you'll do. There's a disconnect. A failure to communicate. So you make more fat, you make more leptin, until finally the volume goes high enough that your hypothalamus can hear it, but in the meantime, you've increased your set point for how much leptin it takes, and how much fat you have,df before your hypothalamus can hear the signal. You've got much more fat than you should have had, if your thalamus had better hearing. You have to restore that hearing. It appears that with insulin resistance, that's because your cells can't listen to insulin, so your pancreas produces more insulin so your pancreas can yell at your cells. Because speaking normally wasn't getting the message through, so your pancreas has to yell. That's not a good thing because you raise insulin and accelerate aging. Same thing appears to happen with leptin. Hypothalamus can't listen to leptin. You have to yell at it. Well, Increasing leptin so it can be heard has detrimental effects. One of the things is increased glucose. Leptin prevents triglyceride accumulation, provided it can be heard. Well, fat regulates insulin sensitivity. Leptin also regulates glucose homeostasis independent of energy balance. Leptin has a direct effect in promoting glycemic control. It acts directly on insulin production by the pancreatic beta cells, apparently through signals sent through the vagus nerve. Leptin goes up, you make more sugar. Just remember, your fat apparently is in charge of your brain. We kind of thing of the brain as being in control. Fat influences your brain. It's not just an ugly energy storage tissue you've got to get rid of. With the discovery about ten years ago that fat is an endocrine organ that produces hormones that regulate lots of important processes in the body, we now know that your brain listens to fat. When I say we're ten trillion cells that need to listen to communication signals, it's kind of like the military. You've got generals and colonels and lieutenants and captains. It appears from what we know thus far, that leptin is a four-star general. I put insulin as a three star general. Reproductive hormones and insulin listen to leptin. Thyroid listens to leptin. And ovarian hormones. They listen to instructions from above. Leptin appears to integrate everything, including aging. Your lifespan will be determined by the communication of hormones, primarily insulin and leptin. Deficits of leptin activity in certain regions of the central nervous system might underlie type 2 diabetes. We think of diabetes being a disease of blood sugar. No. Insulin signaling? That's what I thought. Now, It appears that leptin might actually supercede insulin in causing or treating diabetes. Here's a study that raised eyebrows. After you're born, everybody thought your brain had fixed neuron connections and they showed that leptin actually changes nerve endings in the brain to do its bidding. If it wants to make you hungry, it doesn't just do it by neurotransmitters. The "fat brain" actually changes the anatomy of the brain, and leptin is a crucial regulator, including synaptic plasticity and axon guidance within the hypothalamus. Links between nutrition and adipocyte driven instructions from leptin . . . leptin makes you hungry, it actually changes the anatomy of the brain. It's talking about the fat brain accesses a new dimension in the journal science. Axon guidance within the hypothalamus. Very important clinical implications. Leptin controls not only how fat your are, but where you're fat. For a long time we've heard about the apple shape versus the pear shape. The apple shape is associated with much more detrimental physiological processes. The pear shape might look ugly, but it's not particularly unhealthy. It's visceral fat versus subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat is a totally different organ than subcutaneous fat. It produces different hormones. Visceral fat is really bad for you. If you've got visceral fat, it's because of leptin resistance. Islets within the pancreas can get fat. We think of ourselves as a single individual. We have to think that we're 10 trillion cells, and cells can get too fat. Just as getting fat is not good for us, being fat is not good for cells. Beta cells in the pancreas can get fat, and when they do, they can't produce insulin properly. That's another way that leptin controls glucose and determines whether you're a diabetic or not. Whether the cells are getting fat or not is being proposed to be caused by leptin. We propose the signal is leptin and its function is to create for adipocytes a monopoly on fat storage, to maintain a constancy of intracellular triglycerides and adipocytes. So when things are working properly, you store fat in fat cells. When the signals or getting messed up, you start storing fat in other places,and it's when you start storing fats in other places you get really unhealthy. Bears get really fat prior to hibernating. But bears don't get heart disease, because their fat is stored almost all in subcutaneous fat, not in visceral tissues. So being fat doesn't make you sick. Being fat in the viscera makes you sick. Being fat in places other than the subcutaneous tissue makes you sick. And that's determined by leptin. The other tissue that's very importantly regulated by leptin is the liver, via the vagal nerve from the hypothalamus, but it also determines how fat the liver is, and a few studies here talk about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fatty liver is grossly under-diagnosed. It affects at least two thirds of obese people, perhaps more, and also some people who are not obese. It almost totally parallels the incidence of the so-called metabolic syndrome, and many people believe that metabolic syndrome is actually caused by fatty liver. Which is determined by leptin. Fatty liver disease is strongly associated with diabetes. High cholesterol. Hypertension. The process starts when there's so much dietary fat in the blood it can no longer be stored in normal places such as fat cells. Leptin treatment decreased visceral fat specifically, supporting the role of leptin in determining fat distribution. That's a very important role of leptin. Determining not only whether you're fat, but where you're fat. Perhaps more important. We're talking about cardiovascular disease now. There's a link between insulin action and cardiovascular disease. And Insulin resistance in the development of diabetes can be reduced by preventing the age-dependant accumulation of visceral fat. When you do liposuction, it doesn't really help health by taking out subcutaneous fat. It didn't really help diabetics. But if they took out the omentum in mice, they could totally reverse diabetes in mice. So they're starting to do this in humans, at Vanderbilt. Leptin activity increases aromatase activity, in visceral fat (not subcutaneous), which converts testosterone and estrogen, which is why you see all these overweight men with breasts. That's because of an increase in aromatase, and that's not good because it's also a powerful increaser of cancer, particularly prostate cancer. Leptin is linked to autoimmune diseases. Some of this has to do with how it promotes hypoandrogenicity. Leptin is also a powerful pro-inflammatory agent. You've heard of the link between chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Leptin is itself an inflammatory cytokine. But it also dictates the production of interleukins and TNF alfa, Which are pro-inflammatory agents linked to heart disease and diabetes. Leptin is a novel independent risk factor for coronary heart disease. Leptin enhances the calcification of vascular cells. This was new to people. Leptin also helps control osteoporosis. It helps control where you put calcium. We think of osteoporosis, and women are being given the dictum to take a bunch of calcium. As if osteroporosis is caused by a lack of calcium. That is ridiculous. That's like saying, I'm going to put a bunch of bricks on an empty lot, and stand back and watch a house be built. I could take a cup calcium carbonate or coral calcium, any type of calcium you want, and dissolve it in a bucket of your blood and stand back and watch for the better part of eternity and I would never see a bone form. And you won't see a bone form. It won't happen. You have to have the right signals to make bone. And there's a powerful correlation between ostereoporosis and calcium buildup and plaque in arteries. You've got the calcium but you're putting it in the wrong place. Just as you can end up with fat in the wrong place, with calcium, whether it's put in the right place or the wrong place, lot of it is apparantly controlled by leptin. Leptin kind of dictates where you put calcium. How can one hormone make a difference in all these different things? It has to do with leptin's ability to control the rate of aging. Aging, or the lack of it, is determined by proper communication. When that communication goes awry, all kinds of things go wrong. They have shown leptin inhibits bone formation. Leptin controls osteoblastic activity in bones and vascular cells. High leptin inhibits bone formation via the hypothalmus. And the arterial wall may be an inportant target for leptin action. All the treatment for osteoporosis has to do with osteoclastic activity. Osteoclasts break down bone. They want to prevent the breakdown of bone. The drug treatments don't make new bones. But bone strength is determined by the protein content, not the calcium content of bone. It's the flexibility of bone, which has nothing to do with bone density. It's the protein content of bones. You want to have protein, you need protein, but you want it in the right places, and you want it in the right amount. High leptin levels are a potent inhibitor of bone formation. Life is not in the parts. We're all made of the same stuff. it's what you, or more accurately, your hormones, do with the parts, that will will determine whether you're healthy or not. That's really the way to think. By changing leptin sensitivity, the Hypothalamic set point can be reversed. In regards to leptin levels, there's a Possible role of protein. You know, leptin controls sweetness. I'm just recognizing that this is my next talk. It doesn't matter. The problem was, they're both so linked. You got off easy. I really blast protein in the next one! I just talked about leptin regulating inflammatory responses. So this is a talk about hormones and aging. The next talk is going to go into problems with proteins and aging. And we'll go a bit deeply, through a pathway called the M-TOR pathway. How many people have heard of M-TOR? A couple of people. Not too many. It's extremely important. It's another nutrient sensing pathway. You have insulin that senses sugar stores, and leptin that senses fat stores. M-TOR senses the amount of amino acids available and also regulates aging similar to insulin but using amino acids as the key to energy stores. The two major sources of nutrition that determine whether an organism will reproduce or live longer, you have to have fuel available and you have to have parts available. The fuel early on was glucose and not fat. These signals arose in evolution was very long ago. It's a very ancient mechanism when there wasn't oxygen in the atmosphere. Life had to flourish before there was oxygen in the atmosphere. Plants had to flourish before they put out oxygen, so these pathways arose with glucose as the fuel availability, and amino acids for the parts availability, and those are the two things you need to make more cells. So the next talk, we're going to talk about the MTOR pathway that dictates the amino acid availability and how it plays into the aging process. Getting back to hormones — Reduced leptin concentrations lead to reduced temperature. You live longer. Temperature kills. You heat something up and it disrupts molecules. It denatures proteins. If you're going to live longer, one of the ways is by toning down the temperature. In dietary restriction, there may be diverse mechanisms, often known as calorie restriction. How many people have heard of caloric restriction as a way to enhance lifespan. The dictum has been that it's strictly a reduction of calories. It doesn't matter where they come from. As long as you restrict them, you'll live longer. What they're showing in more recent studies is that is not true. There are specific nutrients that you can restrict that mediate the effects of dietary restriction. In this particular study by Linda Partridge in London, who's done a lot of work with aging, the reduction of either dietary yeast or sugar can reduce mortality and extend lifespan by an amount that's unrelated to the calorie content of the food, with yeast having a much greater effect per calorie than sugar. Get that. Yeast having a much greater effect per calorie than does sugar. Yeast was the form of protein they were feeding these animals. So when you reduce protein, you live longer. Here, they're showing that a fall in leptin is one of things that mediates dietary restriction. If leptin doesn't fall, you're not going to live longer. In normal men, a fall in leptin in fasting may be both a necessary and sufficient physiological adaptation of these axes, which has to do with hypthalaumus, pituitary, gonads, IGF, thyroid. You have to drop leptin, or dietary restriction is not going to help. Dietary restriction explained from an evolutionary viewpoint is an adaptive response by the neuroendocrine and metabolic response systems to maximize survival during times of food shortage. Adipose tissue is recognized as an endocrine organ, and leptin secreted by the adipocytes seems to be an especially important factor for the adaptive response to fasting and neuroendocrine response under caloric restriction. The one known way to extend lifespan of every species studied since 1933 has been to reduce calories. Since that time, the emphasis has been to figure out why. Ten years ago, they discovered a gene that can control aging, Age-1 gene, discoered by Tom Johnson at the university of Colorado, and Cynthia Kenyon with DAF-2 expanded on this. These all link to nutrient sensors and it all links into a pathway that governs maintenance and repair or growth. They're all linked to nutrient receptors, and it appears that in mammals, leptin plays a key role, and those animals that use fat as a prime energy store, leptin plays a key role in the aging process. Prior to leptin, and it appears that they're cousins, it was Insulin and IGF. Insulin and IGF in ancient organisms, insulin and Insulin like Growth factor were the same. Over time they evolved to have separate duties. Now insulin is more metabolic, and IGF is more anabolic. Leptin has been proposed as a potential candidate for the adaptive response to Caloric restriction. This was a longer talk than the other one. So we'll have to hurry. A hypothesis for interpreting the extension of life from caloric restriction posits that normal food intake is geared toward optimizing the internal milieu for reproduction. That's what Nature is after. Not after health. Nature doesn't care whether you're healthy or not. We have to use this trick, however. Nature wants us to live long if it thinks we can reproduce better in the future. In our ancient life, that was dictated by fuel availability. We can use the science to regulate the nutrient sensing pathways to improve our lifespan and our health. Here it's showing that leptin is very much involved in reproduction. Skinny women, women marathon runners stop ovulating. Inject them with leptin and they'll start ovuating again. Reproduction and eating are the two main endeavors or all life, and they're both controlled by leptin. DAF-16, I don't have the time. Here, it's showing that Daf-16 is one of the genetic components that mediates caloric restriction. They're finding that just activity in the intestines — In C-elegans, the intestines is where it stores fat. DAF-16 in fat, Determines lifespan in the worm. Signals from fat regulate genetic expression. Here again, talking about the importance of fat tissue in longevity. Leptin controls whether you're satiated or not. It also has to do with life extension. With PPAR alpha. Not PPAR gamma. PPAR gamma is what people are taking drugs for. PPAR gamma accelerates life and reduces lifespon. PPR Alpha enhances lifespan. Exactly the opposite. Leptin modulates this through the PPR system because PPR gamma influences a lot of what happens in fat. Failure of leptin suggests leptin plays a major role in dietary restriction. There's a link between leptin concentration, with higher levels linked to telemere shortening, which is another theory for aging, that shorter telomeres reduces lifespan, and telomere shortening is controlled by leptin. Waist-to-hip ratio correlates with leptin levels. Centenarians have lower waist to hip ratio. Longer lifespan was predicted by lower levels of leptin. Here, they're showing that a bunch of amino acids stimulated leptin production. One of the ways that leptin is elevated that causes hyperleptinemia is caused by high levels of amino acids. Whereas a high fat diet is associated with low leptin. In membrane composition, insulin and leptin regulate the types of fat found in membranes. Talking about IGF again and membranes, that omega three fatty acids improve leptin sensitivity. This is a study that hasn't been published yet, that is a collaboration between myself and Eric Westman and John Konhilas. What we're showing is that a high fat, adequate protein, low carbohydrate diet with nutritional supplements in an outpatient setting, resulted correlates of aging. There were reductions in body weight, triglycerides, insulin, glucose, leptin, free T3 The same things you see with caloric restriction. But we were not restricting calories. The reduction in insulin and leptin levels was strongly correlated with reduction in weight, but the reduction in leptin levels was far greater than the initial weight loss. In other words, leptin is not dictated by how fat you are. It's dictated by what you eat. Sugar increases leptin output, and amino acids increase leptin output. You don't have to have any sugar, but you have to have some protein. But you don't want too much. Too much protein raises leptin and accelerates aging. Your brain is a servant of your fat, your brain is what fat uses to do its bidding, and your fat's bidding will determine your lifespan. Special thanks to Greg and April at Instatapes for helping to track down the audio of this talk, and to Ron for permission to post the audio, transcript and PDF of the citations used in the talk. Drug companies are increasingly obliged to publish details of payments to doctors. The United States is leading the charge, but are we getting the full story in Europe? Andrew Jack reports.. When the drug company Cephalon took 13 British doctors to the European pain congress in Lisbon in September 2009, the expenses it provided did [...] Drug companies are increasingly obliged to publish details of payments to doctors. The United States is leading the charge, but are we getting the full story in Europe? Andrew Jack reports.. When the drug company Cephalon took 13 British doctors to the European pain congress in Lisbon in September 2009, the expenses it provided did not stop with travel, fees, and accommodation—and its presentations were not limited to a balanced scientific explanation of its products at a day time satellite meeting. An internal feedback document circulated to the sales team at the company (now owned by Teva) described one evening's festivities that it funded for staff and doctors: "Dinner was fantastic . . . we then went to a few bars and to a club till 3am. All the customers were really looked after and spoke positively about Effentora [fentanyl]—let's make sure they start Rxg [prescribing] now!" It was a complaint from a former Cephalon sales representative that triggered an inquiry by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority, the self regulatory arm of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. That led to a sharp public rebuke for the company, while providing a rare public insight into the tactics and motivations behind corporate links to doctors. Such incidents—and many far more troubling and extensive ones exposed and penalized through lawsuits in the US in recent years—have led to increasingly tough codes of conduct being introduced by drug companies around the world, and to calls by politicians and regulators for far greater "sunshine" to highlight their activities. Similar pressures are now building in Europe. Since 2008, Denmark has required companies to disclose to the Medicines Agency any payments they make to doctors, and even details of extensive "unpaid involvement" such as unremunerated work on advisory boards.1 There have been calls for a similar approach in the Netherlands, and politicians in France recently drafted legislation that requires companies to release details of payments to doctors, drafted in response to concerns over the marketing tactics of Servier that were exemplified by the scandal around its drug benfluorex.2 "I think sunshine in Europe is both desirable and inevitable," says Richard Bergstrom, head of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, the Brussels based industry trade body that represents companies across the EU. But he stresses the need to take into account the varied approaches and interactions between doctors and companies in different countries. US LEAD With widespread direct to consumer television advertising of medicines, free product samples, and extensive support of continuing medical education, the US has led the world in the aggressive marketing of pharmaceuticals. Not coincidentally, it is now also leading the way in the provision of information about such activities. Twelve drug companies have recently begun publishing details on their websites of the payments they make to physicians in the US, declaring payments or expenses incurred for meals, travel, consulting, and research to each of thousands of named doctors. While far from complete and difficult to compare, the records are starting to reveal the extent of the links between the two, and shifting practices as a result. According to an analysis by the Financial Times, conducted with the US based consultancy PharmaShine, in the first quarter of this year alone payments amounted to more than $110m (£71m; €84m).3 Last year, they totaled $437m, paid to 262 000 doctors across the country. Some doctors received more than $100 000 each in 2010, and one got $234 000, most of which was speaker fees from Cephalon. The companies often claim they are championing an ethical stance in releasing the data, and all stress that such links with the medical profession are essential for the development and uptake of innovative drugs to improve patient outcomes. In practice, most have been forced to provide the information because of legal settlements, often "corporate integrity agreements" imposed by the Department of Justice. Some of the drug companies are yet to provide the data in the US, including Shire, Sanofi, and Bayer. They point to the enormous complexity and cost of compiling all the information from a wide range of internal computer systems and the lack of any legal obligation to do so. Yet companies will soon have no choice. As part of President Barack Obama's healthcare reforms, putting "sunshine" on physician payments—fueled by public pressure and exposure of past practices—becomes compulsory in 2013. The new regulations may provide some much needed consistency. Currently, each company has published different types of data in different ways, making the information hard to access or compare. The differences may reflect particular legal requirements in each case reached in negotiations with prosecutors, but they leave the impression that the companies are doing their best to make the information as inaccessible as possible. Few allow their data to be easily searched, ranked, or extracted for analysis. Each has different thresholds below which they do not provide information. Some publish only ranges of support rather than providing specific figures. Some companies' figures are inflated by the sums they provide in research funding to prescriber's academic institutions, while others are limited to personal payments to doctors. The result has been periodic and labor intensive efforts by external organizations to make comparisons from the data. ProPublica, a US nonprofit journalism organization, has recently updated its analysis of the figures, "Dollars for Docs," which allows anyone to search by company, state, or doctor.4 The project, and the sunshine data on which it draws, has met with mixed reviews. "Our once proud profession has been totally corrupted by the insurance cartel and PhARMA [the US industry association]," wrote one retired doctor on the ProPublica site. "No longer is the Hippocratic Oath the ethical basis of medical care . . . by [and] large making money has become the ideal." Yet others—both doctors and drug companies—defend the financial connections, stressing that the payments to most physicians are modest; that they can legitimately provide information without distorting prescribing practice; and that connections are essential between top disease specialists and companies developing new drugs. Eli Lilly said in a statement: "Lilly is committed to ensuring that our relationships with healthcare providers are conducted in a manner that complies with applicable legal and ethical standards. Our collaboration with healthcare providers is essential to our ability to provide innovative medicines, improve health education, better understand patients' needs and improve individual patient outcomes." BEHAVIOR CHANGE It is difficult to tell what impact sunshine has had on drug industry practices. Though the data remain incomplete and the timescales are still short, some companies seem to be providing less support than in the past. But the entire sector is also under broader financial pressure to save costs by cutting back on marketing expenses, reducing the number of sales staff they employ in the US and cutting support to prescriber's. Following recent legal settlements, drug companies have also introduced tougher ethical codes. Travel and entertainment expenses have been pared back and the maximum value of gifts sharply reduced. GlaxoSmithKline this year removed any direct bonus for its sales staff linked to the volumes of prescriptions by the doctors they target. AstraZeneca has introduced a ban on paying doctors' travel expenses to international medical conferences. Allan Coukell, head of the Pew Prescription Project, a US drug safety watchdog, says: "Sunshine has certainly heightened awareness of the concerns. Many individual companies have changed this or that practice. I don't think we have data yet that really lets us say there are measurable trends." But there are already some indications of the impact of the public data. With more information on the totals paid by companies to physicians some have since set—or made public—annual caps. Others have ceased payments to doctors whom ProPublica has highlighted were the object of disciplinary action George Dunston, founder of PharmaShine, which sells its own constantly updated database derived from the disclosures, says his clients include academic and medical institutions that are keen to see whether the figures provided by industry tally with the declarations made directly by their staff. For now, the pressures for greater disclosure in the UK and much of the rest of Europe have been more limited. The principles to limit conflict are clear, but the evidence of abuse is limited. In its 2009 report Innovating for Health, a working party convened by the Royal College of Physicians concluded that there was mistrust in the relationship between industry and doctors and called for changes, including the elimination of drug company funding of medical education.5 So far, progress has been modest. Article 74 of the General Medical Council's good medical practice guidelines states: "You must act in your patients' best interests when making referrals and when providing or arranging treatment or care. You must not ask for or accept any inducement, gift or hospitality which may affect or be seen to affect the way you prescribe for, treat or refer patients. You must not offer such inducements to colleagues."6 The body says it has no record of any recent action against a doctor for violating this clause. The UK's Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority, which polices a code of conduct that has been tightened considerably in recent years, does periodically clamp down on abuses, from Cephalon's conference entertainment to Abbott's excesses in hiring lap dancers during an evening for prescribers. It relies on tip-offs, which often come from rival drug companies or former employees as well as prescribers. It has limited powers of investigation, largely relying on cooperation and honesty from those it questions. In Scotland, doctors working for the health service are already required to declare any conflicts of interest with drug companies, although accessing—let alone policing—the information is difficult. A parallel requirement by companies to disclose what they are paying to prescribers would allow government officials, health service administrators, patients, journalists, and prosecutors the chance to compare the two sets of data. Meanwhile, the external scrutiny of industry support for doctors is stepping up. US investigators are now increasingly looking to pursue cases under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act that take place beyond its own shores, including a $70m settlement against Johnson & Johnson reached earlier this year. The UK's Corruption Act also scrutinies bribery within and beyond the UK. Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, points to her organization endorsement of the industry code and stresses the importance of "making sure there is as much declaration of interest as you can possibly make." She adds that she would "not object to more statutory declarations, but given there's already so much bureaucracy, so much already declared, people want to make sure it is useful and does not just cloud the issue." Companies seem resigned to greater transparency ahead, while also cautioning about the costs of disclosure. David Brennan, head of AstraZeneca, which has released data for the US (showing payments of $32m last year) but not so far for Europe, says: "We're not afraid to be transparent. The difficulty is our ability as a company to systematically capture that data across multiple physicians and markets." Up till now, transparency has normally been a result of legal actions rather than voluntarily introduced by companies or doctors. Sunshine alone cannot in any case guarantee honesty. But in the current climate of suspicion, pressure for greater disclosure seems likely to grow. NOTES Cite this as: BMJ 2011;343:d6459 Previous Section Next Section FOOTNOTES • Competing interests: The author has completed the ICJME unified disclosure form at (available on request from the corresponding author) and declares no support from any organization for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organization that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; and no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. • Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; not externally peer reviewed. Amazing low carb New York Ricotta cheesecake. Light, super creamy, delicious.. with treats like this the Rosedale lifestyle is a pleasure! Ingredients: If you prefer a lighter cheese cake, then using Ricotta is perfect. If you want a heavier NY dense style cheese cake then add more cream cheese and pass on the ricotta. 24 ounces [...] 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (some people like to add a little zest as well) 2 eggs 3 egg yolks 1 teaspoon of Nutmeg (if you like nutmeg) 1/8th teaspoon salt Special Equipment: 1 (8-inch) springform cake pan Crust Ingredients: Can also be made without a crust. 1/4 cup Finely Chopped pecans 1/4 cup Finely Chopped almonds 1/4 cup Finely Chopped walnuts 3/4 cup almond meal (almond flour) 2 Tablespoons butter (melt in microwave) Depending on your sweetness desires, some might add a little bit of sugar substitue to the base. Directions: Crust. Mix all nuts and almond meal with melted butter and press into a springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the pan, set aside to mix filling. You can bake this for 15 minutes if you like it a little crunchier. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a shallow roasting pan big enough to fit the cake pan, pour about 1-inch of water and place it on the center rack of the oven to preheat. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream and sugar substitute on low speed for about 1 minute until well blended. In a separate bowl, using a wire whisk, mix heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, eggs, and egg yolks until blended. Turn the mixer on medium speed, and slowly pour the egg mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Beat just until blended and then turn off; be careful not to over-whip. Tip. whipping the egg whites from the 3 yolks used and fold in at the end of mixing. Cake is lighter. Pour batter into the crust base in the springform pan. Place pan into the heated water bath. Bake for 15 minutes, and then lower the oven temperature to 275 degrees F. Continue baking for 1 1/2 hours, or until top is light golden brown and cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Turn the oven off when finished cooking and leave the cake in the oven to cool for 3 more hours. (This will keep the cake nice and tall, though I have taken it out after an hour then let it sit on the counter and was fine as well). Then remove cake and refrigerate before serving. Serve chilled. It does to get better over time so don't be tempted to eat it all so quickly. New yorkers will also put a topping of fresh sour cream on top, others might add blueberries and whipped cream. Enjoy and add your own topping in keeping with the Rosedale Rules, or just naked as it is is perfect. Thanks for part of the recipe above, then we added our Rosedale twist and a base. Creamy, tasty smoothie ~ the perfect breakfast to start your day off with the correct amount of protein and fat. Ingredients: 1 scoop whey protein powder (or 15 grams of protein) – comes in all kinds of great flavors – check the label that there are no hidden unnecessary ingredients. Also keep in mind your [...] Creamy, tasty smoothie ~ the perfect breakfast to start your day off with the correct amount of protein and fat. Ingredients: 1 scoop whey protein powder (or 15 grams of protein) – comes in all kinds of great flavors – check the label that there are no hidden unnecessary ingredients. Also keep in mind your protein requirements for the day, so if the scoop size is for 30 grams of protein then use half a scoop only. ½ avacado 8 oz. water, or some ice if desired. The ingredients above is really creamy and nice, but if you want to get a little more creative, you can try some of the options below; 1-2 Tbs. almond or cashew butter or 10-15 raw nuts. 1/3 cup (fresh) frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.) Add the fruit for a treat, we would have this everyday without the fruit. Pass on this option if you are diabetic. For a treat if you can add some whipped cream on top sweetened with xylotol. Amazing muffins, and the same recipe for the cookie with slight adjustments listed below. We often take these on trips, easy snack, tasty treat, very filling. Add a few blueberries on the top and even more delicious! Ingredients: 2 cups almond flour 1/2 cup xylotol (or sugar substitute you like) you can reduce this to 1/4 cup [...] Amazing muffins, and the same recipe for the cookie with slight adjustments listed below. We often take these on trips, easy snack, tasty treat, very filling. Add a few blueberries on the top and even more delicious! Ingredients: 2 cups almond flour 1/2 cup xylotol (or sugar substitute you like) you can reduce this to 1/4 cup as you like. 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter (half stick of butter) Pinch of salt Pinch of baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 full fat cream (or little less for more of a cookie, it also works without it) Sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon to your liking. I use about a teaspoon of each. 2 eggs (if you like them a little more dry, cut it back to one, or more muffin like add 3 or 4 eggs) Other options.. We always throw in a half cup of almond chunks for crunch, half cup of coconut unsweetened flakes, spoonful of almond butter. Another option is to put 3-5 blueberries on the top just before they go in the oven. Whey protein is something else you can add as well, or 78% sugar free cocoa/chocolate chips. Once you have the base down, you can get really creative here. Directions: Preheat the oven at 400. In two separate bowls, mix all the dry stuff together, and then all the wet stuff together. If you are going to add some of the almond butter, heat it a little so it mixes easier with the wet stuff bowl. If the mixture is a little runny then use a muffin tray, or you can add a little more almond meal to thicken it up a little. Melt the coconut oil or butter first so that it all mixes well. Then pour the wet stuff in to the dry stuff, and keep stirring till it is all mixed pretty well. Grease with butter the cookie sheet or muffin tray. My mixture is always a little runny so a muffin tray works great and I fill each pod about 3/4 full. If you opt for the thicker mix, then use a table spoon and dollop the mix leaving some space around, on a try you should be able to get about 12 cookies, unless you want to make mini cookies. Cook for about 15 minutes, keep and eye depending on how big your cookies/muffins are, small will need less time, larger a little more. Light golden brown on top. This time is with a convection oven. Will make around 12 nice sized muffin/cookies. I am guessing around 6-7 grams of protein, and with great fats, and really low carbs . We always have some with us when we travel and other healthy food options are slim pickings. For the muffin, the mix will be this runny (see below). The middle tray you can see almost 3/4 filled and ready to go in the oven. After 15 minutes, they were nicely browned but because they are quite deep, I placed a sheet of foil over the top so they would not brown any more, but gave them another 4-5 minutes, you can see the middles were still a little moist on a few of them. Yummy, moist, soft. Once cooled if there are any left, I store in a plastic sealed tub to stop them from drying out, they would last for a few days… but they never make it that long. Deviled eggs make a nice starter or perfect at a buffet or party. You can add your own flavors, curried deviled eggs are especially nice and the curry flavor goes really well with the egg taste. You can add a bit of sweet relish or chopped mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, the options are endless. You [...] Deviled eggs make a nice starter or perfect at a buffet or party. You can add your own flavors, curried deviled eggs are especially nice and the curry flavor goes really well with the egg taste. You can add a bit of sweet relish or chopped mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, the options are endless. You might also want to add a couple of drops of Tabasco sauce or a bit of Dijon mustard to spice your deviled eggs recipe up. If you prefer plain deviled eggs then this is the base recipe below. Ingredients: 2 hard-boiled eggs 1 tsp. prepared mustard 1 Tbs. full-fat cottage cheese 1 tsp. chopped parsley Paprika as a garnish See other variations below, but you have the base and add whatever takes your fancy of the approved Rosedale foods. Directions: Peel eggs and slice lengthwise, removing yolks and putting them into a small mixing bowl. Using a piping bag to pipe the egg yolk filling back into the egg whites will give your deviled eggs a more professional finish. Variations. Mixing in a little curry powder, little tomato puree, spring onions, little salt and pepper to taste makes the egg yolk filling a more appetizing shade of yellow and the flavors go together beautifully in this easy starter recipe. Tip: The best way to hard-boil your eggs is to simmer them for seventeen minutes, then put them in a bowl of ice water. This shrinks the egg away from the shell. Put them back in simmering water for ten seconds to expand the shell from the egg, then chill them in the fridge. They are easier to peel when they are cold.
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My name is Merillia Feldreth. I am a Dunmer, a Dark Elf. In the land of Skyrim, my kind is not particularly welcome. The Nords have their customs and ways which I admit I do not favor in my heart, but I respect in my actions. The favor is not returned, but I do not expect it to be. However, it dawns on me that perhaps there is another problem with Skyrim's inhabitants. Or more accurately, there is a problem they perceive to be within me: My sex. There are a great many things I have seen in my travels through Skyrim. I have seen ancient secrets and dead gods uncovered. I have explored decrepit ruins and labyrinthine caves. I have even witnessed the bringer of death, Alduin, in the flesh. It was, in a word, terrifying. But there is one thing I have yet to see, other than perhaps in myself: a strong female leader. -------------------- It is almost impossible to describe the mind-boggling immensity of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In its simplest form, we could describe it as a fantastic, fun game worth checking out. At its highest accolades, we call it a trend-bucking win for gamers, and for the industry. But if you peel back the praise showered on this game for its detailed environments, exciting combat, engaging plots, and freedom of choice, the issue of sexism begins to come forth. Interestingly however, Skyrim itself isn't the problem. We can see sexist tropes and memes present throughout its design, but to call out this single game would be to misplace our focus. So let us instead observe the true issue of sexism, through the lens of Bethesda's masterpiece. Let's look at how, while Skyrim didn't create this hostile mindset, it hasn't done much to challenge it. Let's look at the game's community as a representative sample of our subculture at large. Let's not blame Skyrim, but observe it and learn from it. In his review of Skyrim, Tom Bissell commented, "If you have no idea what the Elder Scrolls franchise is, you are probably either (a) an adult woman, or (b) the sort of person who once beat up the sort of person who likes the Elder Scrolls franchise." It was intended as a joke, but to some it wasn't funny, and I count myself among that crowd. Because it isn't funny to me when, even as a joke, my entire gender is dismissed. I don't laugh when people assume that, because of what rests between the legs, women must inherently be opposed to things like Skyrim. It's an attitude equivalent to a "No Girls Allowed" club, and if I can let you into my life as a child for a moment, I confess I never really had a fondness for those, either. But my frustration doesn't come from one critic making a bad joke. It comes from both his assumptions and Skyrim's content being so status quo, so utterly representative of a patriarchy that pervades all of this industry we so love. Right about here is where you say I'm crazy. Right about now is where you say, "Fuck this, I'm not reading a stupid feminist rant. She's making a big deal out of nothing." Well, I'm not crazy. And neither is any other woman who is offended when someone makes a "joke" about what she should or shouldn't enjoy, video games included. Sexism is a problem within the video game subculture, and anyone willing to actually look around will notice. It's not hidden. It's not hard to find. The most popular Skyrim mod on Curse right now is for nude females. By a 5 to 1 margin it beats out the better performance mod, meaning the subculture you and I belong to would rather see tits than see a game run better. -------------------- Somewhat... miffed at my mistreatment by the Nords and Imperials alike at the execution block, stuck in a land of unforgiving snow and fierce predators, I sought to soothe my troubled mind. Having some skill with a bow and practice as a pickpocket, I knew I could make an excellent addition to the Thieves Guild. Here, Brynjolf and the others welcomed me, though not with eager, open arms. Through time and dedication, I proved myself to them. The word of a thief is no word at all, but the skill is something to respect. So it was that I uncovered a plot by then-guild leader Mercer Frey to steal all of the thieves' belongings, leaving them high and dry. Karliah, whom Frey had labeled a traitor of the Thieves Guild, was found to be innocent, and with her guidance, Brynjolf and I were shown into the fold of the Nightingales. We defeated Mercer and rescued the guild from the brink of destruction. What's more, thanks to Karliah, we were now servants of Nocturnal, gifted with extraordinary resources and abilities. I was honored to have served under Karliah. She was capable and strong. She had experience and knowledge that I had not. Now that her betrayer was slain and the guild was once more stable, I assumed Karliah to be the one to head the Thieves Guild. Not so. Instead, she relinquished control to Brynjolf and I. To think myself a leader of the Thieves Guild was impossible; I had barely just met many of the Riften misfits, many of which I had not so much as spoken to. Surprised but honored, I left Karliah, never to see her again, and worked instead with Brynjolf to restore the Thieves Guild even further, elevating them from common thugs to reputable and honorable folk. I sometimes find myself wondering about Karliah and what she does, out in Nightingale Hall by her lonesome. I wonder about her wellbeing, and I wonder why; Why did she not come back with us? Why did she give up the honor and respect she had been fighting to retrieve from Mercer Frey? Any thief can steal a trinket. Frey had stolen Karliah's entire life. Why was she not returning to it now that she could? It is a question I cannot answer. -------------------- When I asked my friends if I should write this column, if they felt the same way or saw things the same way as I did, they suggested I try to see the game through the eyes of someone else; of someone detached from our modern conceptions of sexism and fairness of gender portrayals. What I found was a game that wasn't as offensive as I originally thought. Plus let's be honest, it's hard to stay mad at a game that lets you dual-wield magic and swords. So let's make this absolutely clear: I say none of this with contempt in my heart. I'm having a blast with Skyrim. I think it's a great game. I'm not mad, I'm disappointed.. I'm disappointed because Merrillia has no role models. And growing up, neither did I. When I was little, my brothers got me a screen printed t-shirt that read in great, bold letters, "I SUCK." It was required attire if I ever wanted to play the NES or Genesis. I was never to think of myself as a player on the same level as they, and there was no way that tight, itchy shirt would ever let me forget it. Each member of my family was an athlete: my father a weightlifter and wrestling coach, my mother a cross-country runner, one brother a basketball player, the other a baseball star. And I liked video games. My concern with the video games of yesterday and today, as exemplified by Skyrim and countless others, is that they aren't doing anything for the girls stuck in the same situation now as I was then. That girls don't have enough role models in the gaming community. I don't want girls to see this hobby as something that excludes them. They are valuable additions to our community, not something to be taken for granted, mocked, or turned away. You and I know that the Dragonborn can be male or female. You and I understand that Shepard can be hero or heroine. But is that something readily apparent to everyone? Is it as obvious to the girl picking up a controller for the first time as it is to us? I don't think so. I think there's still something to be said. I think there are still paths to be traveled, people to witness to. -------------------- Having set the thieves straight on their feet, I set my sights on the Companions next. A hardy group of warriors, steeped in lore and legend of the Nords, I was expecting them to be a bit more... hesitant to allow a Dunmer amongst them. Yet it was relatively easy to prove myself even to these sturdy warriors, and soon Kodlak, leader of the Companions, honored me with acceptance. The Companions have a secret, however, and it is one I shall not journal here, for fear of its finding. I will only say instead that this secret causes great conflict with a band of zealous mercenaries that roam the Skyrim mountains and valleys. This secret, and in turn the conflict, eventually led to Kodlak's death. Jorrvaskr came under siege and not I, nor anyone else could protect our wisened leader. We set upon a bloody quest for vengeance at first, furious and angered by our loss. We soon realized however that we had to turn our attention inward, turn it towards helping Kodlak's passage in death to Sovngarde. A great many dungeons and fortresses lay in our path to salvation, and one by one my closest Companions left my side, staying behind. Except for Aela, the Huntress. She had been the one to share the Companions' secret with me, and was a fiercely determined woman. It was she who led a great many of the attacks against our rivals, and it was she who stood by me to the end of our journey. At the innermost sanctum of Ysgramor's Tomb we found his restless spirit and calmed its bestial passions. And once again, I found myself... admittedly shocked. Though Aela had been with me throughout all of my ordeals, though she had superior skill and seniority within the Companions, Kodlak's spirit bestowed upon me the title of Harbinger. I was now what could be considered a leader of the group, though once again I felt a great, misplaced weight, as I did when Karliah left the Thieves Guild to Brynjolf and myself. After reconvening with my fellow warriors, I set them, as I had the Riften thieves, on their way. They were fully suited to carrying on without me, and my destiny still waited amongst the snowy peaks. My destiny as a Dragonborn. -------------------- Ah yes, the Dragonborn. Despite a major feature of the game being the ability to customize one's race, gender and appearance, in Skyrim's advertising, parody videos, and machinima, we see the horn-helmed male figure who stunned us all as star of the game's first gameplay trailer representing the hero. It was assumed, even before we knew what this new hero so much as looked like, that it would be male. Recall the final, spine-tingling words of the very first teaser: "...there is one they fear. In their tongue, he is Dovakhiin. Dragonborn!" Whenever a game is released that features the ability to customize a character's gender, the prominent presence associated with its ad campaign is almost universally the male one. This was the case in Mass Effect from the very beginning, as it was with Dragon Age, Saints Row, and Skyrim. But it's really just marketing bullshit. It doesn't have to be that way. Take a look at these stats from the Entertainment Software Association: 42 percent of players are women 48 percent of purchasers are women 37 percent of the entire gaming population is made up of women 18 years or older Now if those numbers were in the twenties, I could understand not catering to a female audience. But that's not the case, and when I look around I see too many great women doing great things for this industry to ignore our sex. I see too many talented gamers, industry personnel, personalities, forward-thinkers and writers. I read too many female commenters here on Destructoid. I hear too many distraught voices. We are not small. We are not insignificant. But we are not being treated equally. The year 2011 did nothing to change that, and while Skyrim was in prime position to do so, it didn't. It challenged the industry's standards on what we as gamers have been told to expect from games – particularly over the last five or so years – such as online passes and a need for multiplayer, but it doesn't deny what we as women have been told to expect from our games for most of our lives, which are namely: Women are not the heroes. They are designed to highlight form over function. They are sidekicks and lovers, but not heroes. Women are not to advertise games, even if the game features customizable player-characters. The predominantly male consumer can only identify with another of his sex, so women do not represent the games in the public eye. Women do not lead the hero. Men can make demands of the hero or lead them, but a woman may only ask for help. Women are not in a position of power or respect. If both king and queen sit before you, each with seemingly equal power over their citizens, it is to the king you will speak. This is not to negate the likes of Samus Aran, FemShep, Claire Redfield, or other strong female heroes, or even a female Dragonborn in Skyrim. But for every well-written, thoughtfully-designed, independent lady out there, we find ten pieces of vapid eye candy, the kind of empty personalities that populate utterly base, degrading, stupid shit like this Maxim list, The Top 9 Video Game Vixens. Here's a sample of how video game heroines are perceived, courtesy of the entry on Lei Fang from Dead or Alive: "...you're hoping she might kick you again, if only to get just one more glimpse of those white cotton panties she's wearing." If you're thinking to yourself, "Well duh, that's Maxim, they're paid to be pervs. The rest of us aren't like that," I'd like to once more point you to the nude mod for Skyrim. Five to one over better performance. Now, the women of Skyrim are far less likely to wind up on such a list, and at first may even seem admirable by comparison. Maven Black-Briar runs the organized crime in Riften and has no qualms about pushing you around. Three of the nine Jarls are women, and Astrid, a woman, leads what may be the deadliest guild in Tamriel's lore. But even these come with the typical backhanded stereotypes of women attached. Maven is, frankly, a huge bitch. The female Jarls are completely optional in terms of interaction, unimportant to the main quest. Astrid is a traitor who gets everybody fucking killed because she is scared of the guards, and cries over the fact. If you've been reading the prose interspersed throughout this column, you'll notice a running theme: Merrillia saves the day, assisted by a strong female, who at the last minute is bafflingly shoved aside to make way for a male or Merrillia herself to take power. I understand player empowerment, but there comes a point where a sense of progress is impeded by the game handing heaps of praise and awe onto my character without reasonable justification. It forces characters whom I once viewed favorably, such as Aela and Karliah, to act out of character; they must suddenly be disempowered so that I may take their place. The easiest way to do that, of course, is to fall back to gender stereotypes, i.e. sexism. Think back to Metroid: Other M. A character initially thought to be a strong, resilient soldier and all-around space badass, Samus is reduced to -- literally -- a weeping little girl in the face of danger. Can you imagine Master Chief stopping to wipe a few tears in the middle of a Covenant invasion? Can you imagine any male character being so scared by his enemy that he breaks down into sobs? SPOILER ALERT: Dom fucking dies in Gears of War 3, and Marcus doesn't shed a tear. He does the stereotypically masculine "Noooo!" and then threatens to rip out the throat of anyone who brings it up. END SPOILER. In order for our subculture to progress, we must defy the stereotypes. We must say no more. And we can do that, by simply not buying products we feel have let us down, by writing to developers, by standing up for what we think is important. You could even write something on, oh I don't know, a video game website like this one? Because once you've done your part, The challenge falls to game designers and writers. It's up to them to play against the stereotypes of women being emotionally fragile and men being incapable of any emotion but rage (a stereotype as equally offensive, but I'll leave it to the males out there to express their distaste of that portrayal of their gender) to create well-rounded characters we can still relate to. So, you know: Their jobs. Here's an oft-discussed example: Alyx Vance from Half-Life 2 is frequently praised for her strength and personality. And to a point, I agree. She's certainly well-written, strongly voiced, and superbly animated. She's also of great use to the player by possessing useful combat AI and warning us of dangerous surroundings. But she's not your equal. Nor is Elena Fisher from Uncharted. Nor is Mona Sax from Max Payne. Nor is Sheva Alomar from Resident Evil 5. The spotlight is always squarely on the male protagonist, lovable and/or useful though the women may be. In order to have the spotlight shine on a strong female, one almost has to go so far as to write fan fiction. -------------------- I cannot even know how such a thing as me being a Dragonborn could be true, but it is. After fending off a dragon attack from the hold of Whiterun, the same township that held the Companions' meeting hall, I could feel the dragon's power... melding with mine. I absorbed its strength as the flesh seared into ash and fluttered away in the wind, leaving only sand-white bone. I was Dragonborn, the only kind of person who could permanently slay a dragon. I was, however, untrained. I had seen writing in the ancient dragon language throughout my adventures, but never knew how to speak them, nor how to control their power. I was instructed to meet with the Greybeards on High Hrothgar, and they in turn would teach me the power of the Voice, the way to control dragon power. With training and confidence in my newfound abilities, I set forth on an adventure that would take me from the deepest dungeons to the farthest holds, gathering allies and artifacts along the way. I would encounter the Thalmor and the Imperial Legion, as well as Ulfric Stormcloak himself. I would destroy those that came against me while turning a diplomatic cheek to the civil war of Skyrim. In none of my adventures however, did I find another like myself. Nowhere amongst the citizens did I find a female who not only took charge, but did so commendably and respectably. I may be the latest – and perhaps last – Dragonborn, but it is just as disheartening that I may be the first of my female kind. -------------------- Skyrim isn't the root of these problems. It's not the sole offender. It is simply the most recent, relevant example. It is emblematic of the problems that have persisted in gaming, even through the year 2011. It was also the game I most hoped to see change that pattern. I was sadly disappointed. Yet I don't blame or hate Bethesda for the way they've designed Skyrim. I don't believe there's any malice behind it. I don't think they thought of making the Greybeards some kind of sisterhood and then said, "What are you kidding me? Women as the wise old masters? Fuck no!" So try not to rush to Skyrim's defense with, "But it's based on patriarchal Norse mythology, so it's realistic!" A game based in a completely fictional world crafted by dozens of designers where you can run around as a humanoid cat, wielding a flaming sword in the absolute nude (with mods) is not going to carry that argument. Similarly, I'm not saying Bethesda condones sexism, merely that they passively stood by while it took place when they could have actively worked to change the course of gender politics in video games. But instead,I would wager the same thing happened with Skyrim that happens with most fiction writing: they didn't even consider strong, respectable female roles as a possibility in the first place. I wouldn't blame them. They'd be traversing largely unexplored territory. It's rare for a game where gender is chosen to have a trailer featuring the one with tits. It's rare to see a respectable female give you orders. It's rare to see a female partner to be considered an equal. Hell, so few developers have made a game featuring a main female character at all. Every one of the major, negative trends listed above is seen within the game and its advertising. While Skyrim should be applauded and held aloft as an example of goodness for all it does different, we can see that there are still a great many attitudes to change, a great number of paths to forge, and we should just as well hold Skyrim – and the industry that birthed it, as well as the community that supports it -- accountable for what hasn't been done differently. The reason sexism is a problem isn't because there are malicious designers conspiring around tables to exclude women from games. It's a problem is because we haven't demanded that this change. It's a problem because we're complacent with this concept that is so ingrained, so expected for men to fill Role A while women fill Role B that not even Skyrim, a monumental testament to human innovation and imagination that sparked the excitement of millions would truly challenge it. -------------------- *The journal ends here. You set it down, across the cold, stone tablet covering the grave of Merillia, the legendary Dragonborn who slew Alduin and saved not only Skyrim, but all of Tamriel. A statue of the lady elf stands towering before you as a monument to her heroic deeds. You look around you at the snowy peaks and evergreen pine. The wind blows hard through your clothing, a chill that cuts to the bone. You step away, assured that your own bard-worthy adventures lie ahead.* Dear Merillia Feldreth. You need to heal your scars from the past, because there's a bit of bias in your words. You'd be a happier gamer if you concentraded on having fun instead on pandering about what's wrong in this world. Because, sadly, most ppl these days do mostly the latter. I'd like to point out a few things on a slightly humorous note. Sexes can not be equal. You can give birth, and I can not. Life is not fair. It never was, and most likely never will. And walking on ancient Tamriel lands won't make it any easier for a female character. With games set in modern times, I can agree though. Crying men on the battlefield don't live long enough. Marcus ain't a frakin' rookie crybaby either, nor Gears a soap opera. Also what @Magnalon said If you played as a female, and another female didn't get promoted ingame because you were...how is that sexism? ;) If cliche jokes are this easily getting into you, how is that going to help you portray a strong woman image you so crave? And no one likes dark elves. BTW, the idea of women as wise old masters is pretty awesome. Why hasn't that happened? I love this idea. I love it to death. This brings up another point. What about the elderly in games? Elderly people in games are generally quest-giving machines that don't even get to move. Really? Skyrim? That's the game you use to "study" sexism? Not Duke Nukem Forever? It needs to be a game that will provoke enough people due to its universal good will people feel toward it. How left-of-center of you. Many first time female players don't know that you can create a female avatar in Skyrim or ME? They probably also don't know that you can equip different weapons and level up skills. That's not sexism, that's fictional first-time gamers learning the ropes. The #1 mod for Skyrim is a nudity mod because most people ARE dogshit. Many guys are very on board with female equality and the kind of people who would download the mod and find it to be "totally awesome" are shitheads who will remain shitheads until the day they die. This was a long, contrived walk to the well to prove some kind of point maybe. Claiming sexism in video games is nonsense when men do it, and completely hypocritical when women do it. Booth babes? Yeah, these aren't slaves, they're women that choose to pedal their flesh. Gamecrush.com? I'm sure men could also charge about $5 a minute to play games with women.... right? pwnedbygirls.com? LOL! As an older male, at first I was like "this sounds like an anger piece from someone who looks for this stuff in every nook and cranny". At first I thought that it was partially invented. As I read on however, I discovered that it's well thought out, more dissertation than diatribe. I can't possibly understand what it means to be a woman, but as a christian I'm forced to endure "acceptable" jabs all the time. Comparable? Probably not. But this is a great article that really made me think. It's funny you mention it, but men actually do complain about that. Case in point: every Final Fantasy game and JRPG ever. What do "guy's guys" complain about in JRPGs? Male characters they disapprove of. Beefcake, in other words. We just have a different language to complain about it. Regardless of merits or nonmerits of this article.. If you want to talk solutions, i see one major one... More female game designers. If the lack of deep female protaganists is an indication of anything it is not of sexism in game design but of unequal representation in the design and writing parts of the industry. The majority of protaganists designers create will ALWAYS be those that they relate to in some fashion or fantasize about being. That's not sexism, that's a fact of human psychology. While there are more male designers/writers, there has to be more male protaganists. I think the author may have missed the fact that Skyrim is not only poorly written in regards to female characters, it is just generally poorly written. The quest line stories are generic fantasy cliches with obvious twists, transparent characters (often due to the voice actors unfortunately) and the endings often put the player character in a place of 'unreasonable' power with an influence that only extends as far as the NPCs related to the questline/in the area. The Mages College, The Companions and the aforementioned Thieves Guild are good examples. Even the loading screen quips often lack any context as they use names of things you may never have even seen or heard of early in the game. It's a lost opportunity to allow the player a better understanding of a world their character would already have to some extent. Your confusion at the actions of some of the characters is not unwarranted. Skyrim is a great game, but it is not well written. It's unlikely a game of it's scope ever will be. If you were looking for a catalyst to buck the trend of male-dominated writing in the industry, you might want to look elsewhere. Stupid article. The game is based off medieval/ancient Nordic mythology, which was a Patriarchal and male dominated society. The whole modification point is stupid as well for already mentioned reasons. How does what a bunch of (probably) male gamers download have anything to do with the game itself? Answer: it doesn't. My girlfriend has the nude male mod, and you can have that too if you want. I never understood what feminist hate about women crying in stories. I mean big boss cryed over the boss. or do you forget about metal gear because of something. Keep campaigning the cause tho, someday every game character can be a faceless blob so as to please everyone.. Am I the only person who doesn't draw major issue with the argument (other than skyrim probably being a poor choice for the topic) but to whom it is directed? I see no reason why big established game companies need to change their game philosophies to show better equality. Sometimes games simply are not about that (most of the time) and honestly the macho big manly men character is fairly sexist towards men as well... but i guess since men dominate the industry it must not be.... Anyways what needs to be done is to support and encourage OTHER PEOPLE to make games for the demographics that are under represented. It is a wide open industry these days more than ever before, so instead of pointing at games and blaming them for not showing equality (as if that was their message) how about getting people together to make ACTUALLY MAKE GAMES that show these themes that some people want? Don't waste your time telling people how things should be, go out and do it, and if you aren't in a position to do it then try and help others that can. Actions people, actions. Yes, won't those male developers ever understand that women players are helplessly in need of those manly male developers to create games the way women like them? I mean it's not like women could ever possibly create a game by themselves so it would be exactly the way they want it to be, right? That'd actually require leadership and skill and knowledge and all those things that you demand fictional female characters to have and that apparently real-life women don't actually have. But then again, we know what happens when women are allowed to create things: they end up with Twilight. You know that one? That's the favorite book/movie series of millions of women about a helpless, useless woman who falls in love with cartoonish hunky/heroic male monsters. Apparently, that's what women want to see. TL;DR version: stop complaining about the lack of heroic female characters, stop complaining about men not writing enough heroic female characters, and start creating those heroic female characters on your own. This is the new millennium, you're allowed to do such things, you know. I'm not bothered by the fact that video game makers don't think about stuff like "gender politics" when making video games, i'm glad that they leave that stuff to feminists and politicians and just focus on making fun games. If women want games about feminism and gender politics then they should create them themselves, its not Betheda's responsibility or duty to play gender politics, only making fun games. There are certainly games with suspect female characters (Bayonetta comes to mind), but Skyrim certainly isn't one of them. Aside from the fact that Skyrim's characterization isn't its focal point, the female characters are human. They are flawed, just like the male characters. It's those flaws that make them interesting. I don't want women to be paragons of righteousness. It's boring. I'm not bothered by the fact that video game makers don't think about stuff like "gender politics" when making video games, i'm glad that they leave all that stuff to the feminists and the politicians where it belongs and just focus on making fun games, as it should be. If women want games about feminism and gender politics then they should create them themselves, its not Betheda's responsibility or duty to play gender politics, nor is it in their monetary interest, only making fun games is in their interests, again, as it should be. Great read! My only problem may be just a point of view thing(or because I'm male and identify with the male character take it as you will), but if not for the Dragonborn, I think Vilkas would have been the more logical choice. Aela may have been from a long line of female Companions, but from what I saw in the quest line, Vilkas was the cooler, wiser head of the two. Not that Aela wouldn't be a very capable leader, but as far as who Kodlak would pick as his successor I think it would be Vilkas. Kodlak's spirit was bestowed upon you because you are the fucking player of the game. That is the point of the Elder Scrolls; the player is to be a fucking Messiah. Jesus, all people do is bitch about stupid shit like this now. Oh wait, only white women in first world countries do this stupid shit, along with all the perpetually aggrieved 'minorities'. She dosen't have anything else better to do than bitch about representation, in a fucking videogame no less. We made progress with porn, right? Now guys can just go online instead of giving a shit. Should also we make penises optional? I don't care how laggy/glitchy/buggy Bethesda's next one is, I'll buy one for me and for all my siblings and cousins if it gets this bitch off again. Jesus, also cocks. I get your points...kind of. Im stoned so that took me at least 3 reads to fully grasp the points you were making, and i agree, to a degree. Im not going to go into that degree, but well done. I think. I'd be interested in a breakdown of Entertainment Software Association's figures. If they're lumping in purchases of smartphone games, or social media game transactions, then the numbers are a bit skewed. Totally dig the writing style and the righteous umbrage, but I don't really agree with the example game as being that great of a violator of equality, as Skyrim has loads of strong female characters, many of whom are less flawed and more relatable than male counterparts. There are women who are jarls, priests, mages, thieves, merchants. All races and backgrounds (but only one body type, so yeah) are represented. The surviving members of the Dark Brotherhood are led by a woman, Karliah was badass as you pointed out, the last surviving Blade is a woman, and the PC is allowed to be whatever (though the consequences for that are minor). I totally agree that there aren't nearly enough strong leading ladies in gaming, and that's why I always build a chick in Bioware/Bethesda games (my imagination won't allow me to really relate to the character anyways, so playing as a dude would be just as artificial), but at least Skyrim gives you the option to be a strong chick and not just a bald space marine. So while I totally agree there should be more Jades or femSheps (why doesn't she get a toy if baldie does? C'mon!) or Samus' (pre-Other M) hating Skyrim because it doesn't have any females as strong as the one you created seems a little moot since there's a good variety of women characters represented. I personally hate Skyrim cus I can't boot up my Dunmer without the game dying. My chick will never get a statue because it would appear that Alduin already ate time, freezing the world forever. There are plenty of franchises that deserve your ire, but for all the faults Skyrim has, under representing women isn't one of them. They're just as weird and robotic and exaggeratedly badass as the dudes. Well going to be hard to argue with this without coming off as a sexist prick but I can't hold my togue. I have been a reader of Destructioid for a few years now and NEVER has an article left me so frustrated and utterly flabbergasted by the complete ignorance of it. People before me have already commented and you yourself put it in your article, men are still the MAJORITY. Gamers could be made up of 10 20 30 even 49.9% of the gaming population and it still wouldn't matter. "Its all marketing bullshit" you answered your own question. If I am a marketer and my boss tells me I need to sell a video game, and I come back to him with the cover of "a strong female lead" do you think he is going to like it? Probably not because it doesn't fit the "target audience". Your nude mod argument also does not stand at all. If wanting to see nude women is sexist then your fighting a losing war because every straight man enjoys seeing a naked woman. Comparing that to the performance mod doesn't make sense its apples and oranges. If I spend more time having sex and jerking off than eating doesn't mean I'm sexist. Probably just means I'm in shape. Also a side note using Gears of War in a "video games are sexist" argument is practically cheating. Yes Gears of War is for men get over it I'm okay with the Notebook being a "chick flick". I have much more I can say in person I fear if I try to type it all out I will stay up all night. All I can say is I'm disappointed to see stuff like this on Destructoid. Also other side nitpicking sidenote, chill out with the fucking bold text, your trying to get a point across I get that :). 1. You're a prude. 2. You didn't play this game there are plenty of strong females in it. 3. This is fantasy with a medieval setting why would you speak to a queen if there is a king? let me just go back in time and introduce gender equality in that setting. 4. You don't speak for all women, and the women I know who I've spoke to and have played it have no problem with it as well. I agree with the general point of this article that the reason for the inequity and poor characterization in game storytelling isn't likely out of malice, but more from a lack of good models to follow. You almost imagine that, when writing these stories, they figure out the gender of the character first, and then write the character to suit the gender-driven image in whatever role they want them to play in the plot. In that sense, gender becomes a character-defining trait like "species", rather than just an "attribute toggle". I think this is because people struggle to escape the gender stereotypes in their head. If they set out to write a "strong, assertive female heroine", what does that look like? But, instead, they should focus on writing just a "strong, assertive character", and gender will fall where it may. That isn't to say that all games should consist of neutered characters where gender has absolutely no impact on anything but the physical appearance (and physical appearance has no impact on anything else)... but that's the sort of concept that would be needed on a wide scale to push the medium forward. It would provide a base for others to draw inspiration. Games that allow you to toggle the gender of the protagonist are a good start, but it will take a lot more to extend that sort of thinking throughout an entire game world. (And, to be fair, I suppose it doesn't help when a game is being modelled after a time period and culture that wasn't very open to gender equality in the first place.) That aside, I was sort of shocked by the "I Suck" T-shirt story. In my family, both of my little sisters were gamers growing up, and it never occurred to any of us that someone would be worse at games just because they were a girl (in fact, my littlest sister can kick anyone's butt at just about any fighting game you throw at her). This reminds me a bit of when I hear older generations make comments about "multiculturalism" and realize that they still don't get it; growing up around here, your race or cultural background didn't matter to the point where no one even thought about it. That didn't mean everyone was exactly the same, but it wasn't a big deal. Paying so much attention to our differences is what leads to inequality. When we get to the point where it stops being remarkable to have games with strong female leaders and role models (and it becomes just a "so what?"), that's when we'll know we've arrived. I am very upset that you ruined the plot twist of the dark brotherhood for me before I could reach it. The game is still very new, and you did not need to describe Astrid in the way you did considering you managed to avoid such magnificent spoilers with the other female characters. There are literally hundreds more I could list, but for the sake of my fingers and the thread length I will refrain. It's not so much the games, but the gamers who are juvenile about females in terms of games and gaming. As of now this just sounds like something my ex would say while on her period. Look, I'm in the game industry myself. I'm 25, male. I'm currently working on co-developing a video game with a badass female designer with a game staring a very strong female character... and we created her as female from the ground up because we, and our design team, realized that there IS a damn annoying problem with gender roles, not just in general but ESPECIALLY in the video game industry. The first goal is to make a great game, but our secondary goal is take the stereotypes that girls and girl gamers deal with and punch them square in the face. I hope the game pans out to follow that vision, because if it does, it's going to make a LOT of people talk, and it'll probably infuriate a fair number of people who don't want to see a woman presented in a way that is clearly superior to the men in the story. Some people just aren't secure enough in their own skin to accept something like that. But I'm willing to deal with some heat if it means doing something about it and making a good game in the process. Okay, guys, it's one thing to disagree, but it's another thing entirely to retaliate. She only expressed her opinion, and while it clearly indicates that she has deeper concerns than just misrepresentation in video games, that's no reason to become hateful in return. It still takes bravery to express these feelings in a public forum, even with the safe anonymity of the internet, and she should be treated with respect and compassion, and all disagreements should be phrased rationally, otherwise she'll just come to the conclusion she's approaching in that all men are as hateful and shallow as her experience has led her to determine. She needs to be proven wrong, not brushed aside. People suck, but not all the time. Let this be the time that people don't suck, so that she may have background to build a better perspective on what she views as the rival sex, not just another. I guess I see the point you're trying to make, but the way you went about it is kind of ugly. The Silent Protagonist made some very good points, but I'm going to try coming at this from a different angle. I like to view most issues like this as a pendulum that swings back and forth, on one end we have sexism, and on the other end we have....more sexism. It just changes which gender is being put beneath at any given time. And in the process of defending one we cannot allow ourselves to push the pendulum to the other side, that would make us just as "bad" as those whose opinions we are trying to change. But I think if you are trying to attack sexism (towards females) you may want to find examples of men actually attempting to put women down, but while you do it, do now allow yourself to put men down either. Gears of War 3, for example, can be a go-to example for sexism towards men AND women. Their male characters are drastically unrealistic and should be treated as such, men don't get offended that the characters in that game are super men that can tear concrete apart with their hands. Men know that is unrealistic and the thought that someone thinks that is how we're "supposed" to be doesn't even enter the arena. If I were to make you see through a male-eyed version of this argument, it would be a guy hearing some girl squealing about god damn Edward Cullen and calling that sexist. No it's not sexist, it's just a feminine fantasy that a woman dreamed up. Just like Beyonetta is some fantasy chick that a dude dreamed up. That does NOT make it sexist. Also, citing user-made mods as a critique for a game's gender bias is in absurdly bad form. Bottom line: you can't force people to conform to what you think characters should "be like". My questions to you are: what exactly would make you happy in a game? How do you measure gender bias in a game? Is it just the fact that games with gender options are generally marketed with a generic male character that bothers you? Why is that? How is that complaint NOT sexist? Simply because it is about men and not women? Please take a very very close look at your own sexism before calling others out on it. That said, I am appalled that your brothers treated you that way as a child. It was wrong and I hope they see their mistakes. No, you see it ceases to be an "opinion" when the author chooses to use words in the English language containing possessives and finalities. Using phrases such as "this is", "this is why it is like this", "It is this way" ETC without proper sourcing or reference just make you sound like an ass and people who do that need to be called out. Or else we will sit in the same situation the author is defending, a pool of ignorance and a world where anyone can spout anything Skyrim Skyrim's Dawnguard beta invites are out, and now you can live out your wildest Tom Cruise Interview With a Vampire fantasy in the world of Tamriel (sans Brad Pitt of course). According to this great, cautious preview from our...more Have you upgraded your computers yet? I admit that I haven't, and I'm unfortunately a snobby Elder Scrolls purist who insists on playing these titles on the PC. In any case, I'm greatly looking forward t
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http://www.destructoid.com/studying-sexism-with-skyrim-fus-ro-va-gina--219799.phtml?s=100