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Centres for Femenist Legal Research
The centers and organizations that are dedicated to Feminist Legal Research all over the world, base their work on the fundamental human rights like the right to freedom of speech, the right to freedom of religion, the right to equality and sexual autonomy, which are examined from the feminist perspective.
Post colonial Approach to Human Rights
The issues of discrimination are now globalized and have to be looked on through the whole world perspective. Post colonial studies contain the descriptions of many past and nowadays injustices and many terms that are considered contradictory today. Neocolonialist means that colonial time has ended but still this colonial past can not be forgotten and should be always examined in human rights research.
Freedom of Speech and Expression
Hate speech and sexual speech are distinguished and are two separate laws. Hate speech contains hatred towards different race, religion or caste. This issue is getting addressed in courts but remains highly controversial.
Sexual expression is very limited in India by its Hindu culture, specific political groups and media. This causes deeper division between Western and Eastern world.
Right to Freedom of Religion
This right is one of the fundamental ones and all religious minorities should be protected and made aware of their rights. If a country has its own state religion,the freedom of religion in this country is achieved by permitting other religions and sects and not harassing or punishing them in any way.
Right to Equality
India is filled with huge inequalities but it should be noted that ancient Indian civilization created many inequalities then like caste system. This historical disadvantage should be diminished by implementing state and legal measures.
Sexual rights mean that people can choose freely their sexual orientation, are not being prosecuted for their sexual orientation, the style of clothes( sexy dresses, discount corsets, sexy lingerie) are free of violence, have access to sexual and reproductive information and service. These rights are required to be protected in every country.
Violence toward women and rape is a major problem in India. Sexual crimes against women have increased significantly. Due to historical and cultural influence the victims are often blamed for their crime and made believe that they dressed or acted inappropriately that caused them to be raped or harassed. Due to this social pressure, lack of law enforcement and protection many victims do not report sexual crimes committed against them. Such victims are often considered to be unfit for marriage and face public blame.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Hardback | 296 pages
- 245 x 295 x 30.48mm | 2,177.24g
- 28 Feb 2018
- 130 colour, 52 b&w
A jewel is more than an arrangement of precious stones – it is a story. This is the principle on which Vincent Meylan, author of 'Christie's: The Jewellery Archives Revealed, Boucheron: The Secret Archives, Van Cleef & Arpels: Treasures and Legends', and 'Mellerio: Jewellers to the Queens of Europe', has written his latest book. Now, with unparalleled access to the Bulgari archives, Meylan guides us on an intimate journey through the lives of the clients, both famous and infamous, who have given this pre-eminent Mediterranean jeweller their patronage.
Paris may be the traditional home of the jeweller elite, but Bulgari embraces its Roman origins. From their early creations, inspired by Byzantine and Islamic architecture, to designs like the 'Trombino' ring and 'Serpenti' bracelets, which are still relevant today, Bulgari gracefully navigates the line between contemporary and timeless.


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Barack Obama on Health CareDemocratic nomine for President; Junior Senator (IL) |
McCAIN: I think it�s a responsibility, in this respect, in that we should have available and affordable health care to every American citizen, to every family member. And with the plan that I have, that will do that. But government mandates I�m always a little nervous about. But it is certainly my responsibility. It is certainly small-business people and others, and they understand that responsibility. American citizens understand that.
OBAMA: Well, I think it should be a right for every American. In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can�t pay their medical bills--for my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and have to spend the last months of her life in the hospital room arguing with insurance companies because they�re saying that this may be a pre-existing condition and they don�t have to pay her treatment, there�s something fundamentally wrong about that.
McCain misstated Obama�s health care plan, claiming it would levy fines on �small businesses� that fail to provide health insurance. Actually, Obama�s plan exempts �small businesses.�
OBAMA: I make sure that we have a health care system that allows for everyone to have basic coverage. McCain talked about providing a $5,000 health credit. Now, what he doesn�t tell you is that he intends to, for the first time in history, tax health benefits. So you may end up getting a $5,000 tax credit. Here�s the only problem: Your employer now has to pay taxes on the health care that you�re getting from your employer, and if you end up losing your health care from your employer, you�ve got to go out on the open market and try to buy it. It is not a good deal for the American people.
Obama said, �You may end up getting a $5,000 tax credit. Here�s the only problem: Your employer now has to pay taxes on the health care that you�re getting from your employer. McCain�s plan doesn�t call for taxing employers on health care benefits; it would instead tax employees. As the law stands now, employees don�t pay taxes on the dollar value of their health insurance benefits. Under McCain�s plan, they would.
McCain also misrepresented Obama�s plan when he said that his opponent favored �handing the health care system over to the federal government.� McCain made a similar claim in his acceptance speech, when he said that Obama�s plans would �force families into a government run health care system.� We called it false then and we stand by that. Obama�s plan mandates coverage for children, but not for adults, and it does not require anyone to be covered by a nationalized system.
A: I believe in everybody having a living will so that their views on these issues can be factored in by family members. I don�t think that it�s appropriate to empower doctors themselves to make that decision. But I think that it is important for us to be able to allow people who are terminally ill, in excruciating pain, to get the medicine they need to relieve that pain.
Q: By �relieve that pain� you mean hasten the end of life if they choose to?
A: I think that there has to be very strict guidelines to ensure that somebody who is making a decision to relieve their pain [is acting appropriately]. That is distinguished from euthanasia in which someone else is making the decision for them.
Source: 2008 Democratic Debate in Cleveland Feb 26, 2008
�I�ll be a president who finally makes health care affordable to every single American by bringing Democrats and Republicans together. I�ll be a president who ends the tax break for companies that ship our jobs overseas and put a middle class tax cut into the pockets of working Americans. And I�ll be a president who ends this war in Iraq and finally brings our troops home. We are one nation and our time for change has come.�
Obama got this claim from a �candidate briefin book� put out by the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank run by former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta. CAP cites the CDC & the Commonwealth Fund as sources for the estimate, but representatives from both organizations told us that the claim was unfamiliar to them.
We worked up our own back-of-the-envelope estimate: The CDC officially estimates that obesity cost $75 billion in 2003; & that approximately half of the cost burden for both overweight and obese people is borne by Medicaid and Medicare; & obesity rates doubled between 1980 and 2000. So if obesity rates returned to �rates that existed in 1980� they would be cut in half, and Medicare & Medicaid would save about a quarter of $75 billion, or roughly $18.75 billion per year.
A: It shouldn�t be. And it�s wrong. You know, my mother died of ovarian cancer when she was 53 years old. And I remember in the last month of her life, she wasn�t thinking about how to get well, she wasn�t thinking about coming to terms with her own mortality, she was thinking about whether or not insurance was going to cover the medical bills and whether our family would be bankrupt as a consequence. That is morally wrong. It�s objectionable. That�s why I put forward a comprehensive legislation for universal health care so that all people could get coverage. My attitude is, that since you are paying my salary as taxpayers, you should have health care that is at least as good as mine. And the key to that is not only a good plan, but we�ve also got to overcome the drug & insurance company lobbies, that spent $1 billion over the last 10 years to block reform. As president, I am going to take them on.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the pharmaceutical and insurance industries spent $1.2 billion and $949 million, respectively, on all lobbying efforts since 1998. Moreover, the two industries combined shelled out about $193 million in political donations and expenditures backing Republicans, about twice as much as they spent supporting Democrats. So it is reasonable to conclude that the pharmaceutical and insurance industries have indeed spent at least $1 billion combating legislation that Obama favors.
A: I think that local communities are making enormous strides, and I think they�re doing the right thing on this. If it turns out that we�re not seeing enough progress at the local level, then I would favor a national law. I don�t think we�ve seen the local laws play themselves out entirely, because I think you�re seeing an enormous amount of progress in Chicago, in New York, in other major cities around the country. And because I think we have been treating this as a public health problem and educating the public on the dangers of secondhand smoke, that that pressure will continue. As I said, if we can�t provide these kinds of protections at the local level, which would be my preference, I would be supportive of a national law.
Q: Have you been successful in stopping smoking?
A: I have. You know, the best cure is my wife.
A: One of the biggest reasons that there are disparities is that African-Americans & Latino Americans are much more likely not to have health insurance. And so if we set up a system in which everybody�s got health insurance, some of those disparities are immediately going to be reduced. Folks who are working but don�t have health care benefits- those groups are disproportionately minority. [Covering them via their employer] would be the first step. There are some particular issues within the minority community that I think we can address in a targeted way. Lead paint may seem like an ancillary issue except for the fact that incidence of lead poisoning among African-American & Latino youths is sky high. It has huge ramifications in terms of their long-term health. Obesity and diabetes in minority communities is more severe.
A: It was fundamentally flawed as a piece of legislation. The central premise of this prescription drug bill that was passed by Bush was that the federal government, through the Medicare program, and senior citizens could not negotiate for the best possible price with the drug companies, so that they could actually get the kinds of discounts the Canadians enjoy for the drugs that are manufactured here in the US. That was done because the drug companies didn�t let it happen. What we have is a bill that�s bad for taxpayers and bad for senior citizens. Taxpayers are hit with a half-a-trillion-dollar tab that was originally estimated at three hundred billion. And about 3 weeks later, seniors have a big donut hole in the middle of their benefits. What I would do is I would say that senior citizens, through the Medicare program they can go and negotiate the best possible price as a consequence of being bulk purchasers.
A: When Michelle and I were traveling in Kenya, we took an AIDS test. I compliment George Bush on the PEPFAR program [President�s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief]. My view is that we should use whatever the best approaches are, the scientifically sound approaches are, to reduce this devastating disease. Part of that should be a strong education component and I think abstinence education is important. I also think that contraception is important; I also think that treatment is important; I also think that we have to do more to make antiviral drugs available to people who are in extreme poverty. So I don�t want to pluck out one facet of it. Now, that doesn�t mean that non-for-profit groups can�t focus on one thing while the government focuses on other things. I think we want to have a comprehensive approach.
BIDEN: You�re asking, how do we prevent these 17-year-olds from getting HIV? All the things that were said here [by other candidates] are good ideas; but they don�t prevent that. I spent last summer going through the black sections of my town, trying to get black men to understand it is not unmanly to wear a condom, getting women to understand they can say no, getting people in the position where testing matters. I got tested for AIDS. I know Barack got tested for AIDS. There�s no shame in being tested for AIDS.
OBAMA: I just got to make clear--I got tested with Michelle, when we were in Kenya in Africa. I don�t want any confusion here about what�s going on.
BIDEN: And I got tested to save my life, because I had 13 pints of blood transfusion.
OBAMA: I was tested with my wife. In public.
OBAMA: Here�s your fine--zero.
McCAIN: Zero?
OBAMA: Zero, because as I said in our last debate and I�ll repeat, I exempt small businesses from the requirement for large businesses that can afford to provide health care to their employees, but are not doing it. I exempt small businesses from having to pay into a kitty. But large businesses that can afford it, we�ve got a choice. Either they provide health insurance to their employees or somebody has to. Right now, what happens is those employees get dumped into either the Medicaid system, which taxpayers pick up, or they�re going to the emergency room for uncompensated care, which everybody picks up in their premiums.
McCAIN: I want to give every family a $5,000 refundable tax credit. Take it and get anywhere in America the health care that you wish. [For employers], if you want to do the right thing with your employees and provide them health insurance, we�ll give you a 50% credit so that you will actually be able to afford it.
A: Here�s what I would do. If you�ve got health care already, and probably the majority of you do, then you can keep your plan if you are satisfied with it. You can keep your choice of doctor. We�re going to work with your employer to lower the cost of your premiums by up to $2,500 a year. And we�re going to do it by investing in prevention. We�re going to do it by making sure that we use information technology so that medical records are actually on computers instead of you filling forms out in triplicate when you go to the hospital. That will reduce medical errors and reduce costs. If you don�t have health insurance, you�re going to be able to buy the same kind of insurance that Sen. McCain and I enjoy as federal employees. Because there�s a huge pool, we can drop the costs. And nobody will be excluded for pre-existing conditions, which is a huge problem.
Announcer: Hillary Clinton is attacking. But what�s she not telling you about her health care plan? It forces everyone to buy insurance, even if you can�t afford it. And you pay a penalty if you don�t. Barack Obama believes it�s not that people don�t want health care. It�s that they can�t afford it. That�s why the Obama plan reduces costs more than Hillary�s, saving $2,500 for the typical family. For health care we can afford, vote for change we can believe in.
OBAMA: Well, look, I believe in universal health care, as does Sen. Clinton. And the point of the debate, is that Sen. Clinton repeatedly claims that I don�t stand for universal health care. And, you know, for Sen. Clinton to say that, I think, is simply not accurate. Every expert has said that anybody who wants health care under my plan will be able to obtain it. President Clinton�s own secretary of Labor has said that my plan does more to reduce costs and as a consequence makes sure that the people who need health care right now, all across America, will be able to obtain it. And we do more to reduce costs than any other plan that�s been out there.
CLINTON: [Leaving out a mandate is the same as saying] that we shouldn�t try to get everyone into health insurance.
CLINTON: And under my plan, it is affordable because, number one, we have enough money in our plan. A comparison of the plans like the ones we�re proposing found that actually I would cover nearly everybody at a much lower cost than Sen. Obama�s plan.
CLINTON: [Obama�s plan] would be as though Franklin Roosevelt said let�s make Social Security voluntary --let�s let everybody get in it if they can afford it--or if Pres. Johnson said let�s make Medicare voluntary. Now, if you want to say that we shouldn�t try to get everyone into health insurance, that�s a big difference.
OBAMA: I believe that if we make it affordable, people will purchase it. In fact, Medicare Part B is not mandated, it is voluntary. And yet people over 65 choose to purchase it, Hillary, and the reason they choose to purchase it is because it�s a good deal. And if people end up seeing a plan that is affordable for them, I promise you they are snatching it up because they are desperate to get health care. And that�s what I intend to provide as president of the United States.
OBAMA: I have no objection to Sen. Clinton thinking that her approach is superior. But we still don�t know how Sen. Clinton intends to enforce a mandate.
CLINTON: Sen. Obama would enforce the mandate by requiring parents to buy insurance for their children.
OBAMA: This is true.
CLINTON: If you have a mandate, it has to be enforceable. So there�s no difference here.
OBAMA: No, there is a difference. I do provide a mandate for children, because we have created programs in which we can have greater assurance that those children will be covered at an affordable price. But we don�t want to put adults in a situation in which, on the front end, we are mandating them, we are forcing them to purchase insurance, and if the subsidies are inadequate, the burden is on them, and they will be penalized. And that is what Sen. Clinton�s plan does.
OBAMA: Which is why I cover them.
CLINTON: Except when the illness or the accident strikes. And what Sen. Obama has said, that then, once you get to the hospital, you�ll be forced to buy insurance, I don�t think that�s a good idea. We ought to plan for it, and we ought to make sure we cover everyone. That is the only way to get to universal health care coverage. But if we don�t even have a plan to get there, and we start out by leaving people, you�ll never ever control costs, improve quality, and cover everyone.
OBAMA: With respect to the young people, my plan specifically says that up until the age of 25 you will be able to be covered under your parents� insurance plan, so that cohort that Sen. Clinton is talking about will, in fact, have coverage.
Hillary�s health care plan forces everyone to buy insurance, even if you can�t afford it... and you pay a penalty if you don�t.
Punishing families who can�t afford health care to begin with just doesn�t make sense. Bill Clinton�s own Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, wrote, �I�ve compared the two plans in detail... But in my view Obama�s would insure more people, not fewer, than HRC�s.�
The mailer focuses on the primar difference between the two candidates� proposals: whether they would require everyone to obtain coverage. Clinton�s plan would require all Americans to get insurance, though she hasn�t said what will happen if they don�t. Obama�s plan would require insurance for all children but not for adults.
The Obama campaign is trying to shift the focus to some unspecified �punishment� that Clinton�s plan would mete out for those who didn�t obtain coverage. It�s true that a �mandate� implies penalties for noncompliance, and Clinton�s campaign has yet to outline what those would be. But Obama�s plan, which would mandate coverage for children, would presumably also have some enforcement mechanism, and he doesn�t make explicit what that would be, either
OBAMA: About 95% of our plans are similar. We both set up a government plan that would [cover] pre-existing conditions. We both want to emphasize prevention. But I emphasize reducing costs. If we provide subsidies to those who can�t afford it, they will buy it. Sen. Clinton has a different approach. She believes that we have to force people who don�t have health insurance to buy it, or there will be a lot of people who don�t get it. But if you are going to mandate the purchase of insurance & it�s not affordable, then there�s going to have to be some enforcement mechanism that the government uses. And they may charge fines to people who already don�t have health care, or take it out of their paychecks. And that, I don�t think, is helping those without health insurance. That is a genuine difference.
But Obama�s denial doesn�t hold up. In a speech in June 2003, Obama said: �I happen to be a proponent of a single-payer health care program. I see no reason why the US cannot provide basic health insurance to everybody. A single-payer health care plan, a universal health care plan. And that�s what I�d like to see.�
After his election, Obama tempered his position, saying in May 2007, �If you�re starting from scratch, then a single-payer system would probably make sense. But managing the transition would be difficult. So we may need a system that�s not so disruptive.
In a 2007 Kaiser Family Foundation report comparing the health care spending of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries, the United States came in first at $5,711 per capita. But Luxembourg spent $4,611, only $1,100 less per capita than the U.S. The next biggest spender, Switzerland, spent $3,874, also far more than half of U.S. spending. KFF noted, however, that the United States� spending was �over 90% higher than in many other countries that we would consider global competitors.�
[Female announcer]: Here�s what the experts say. President Clinton�s own Labor Secretary Robert Reich says, quote, �I�ve compared the plans in detail. Obama�s plan would insure more people than the others.� The Pioneer Press confirms Obama guarantees coverage for all Americans.
[Male announcer]: But here�s the real difference on health care. Senators Edwards and Clinton favor mandates which the Daily Iowan says would, quote, �force those who cannot afford health insurance to buy it, punishing those who don�t fall in line.�
[Female announcer]: Barack Obama believes the solution isn�t making it illegal not to have health care. It�s making it affordable.
[Male announcer]: And that�s why his plan cuts costs for a typical family by twenty-five hundred dollars.
[Female Announcer]: As the Concord Monitor says, when it comes to honesty about health care, Obama has the edge.
A: The president can do everything to address this and can afford it if we are able to bring people together to get it done. And this is something that I am committed to doing as president. But it is indisputable that if you are poor in this country that is hazardous to your health, if you are black or brown, too, and poor, it can be downright deadly. Right now, even when blacks or Latinos have the same health insurance as whites, they are not receiving the same quality of care. And that means that we�ve got to have more black and brown doctors and nurses; we�ve got to have studies in terms of making sure that we are eliminating these disparities; we�ve got to make sure that we are doing outreach in these communities ahead of time to prevent disease.
Clinton uses a dubious statistic when she claims Obama�s plan would leave out 15 million of the uninsured. But Obama�s statement that his proposal provides �universal� health care is also suspect. Clinton based her claim on a column by The New Republic�s Jonathan Cohn, who loosely estimated Obama�s plan would leave 15 million uninsured. Cohn offered an estimate based on the best information available, not a hard and fast calculation. The best available information says that Obama�s plan would leave between 8.5 million uninsured, up to 18 million people uninsured if Obama has no individual mandates. The Obama plan does include limited mandates, including a requirement for employers to either provide health insurance or pay into a public fund.
You can see these tendencies in Obama�s healthcare plan, which bars insurers from refusing coverage to anyone, lets people choose between private plans and a public one, and offers subsidies to those who cannot afford the rates. This approach borrows heavily from John Edward�s much-praised scheme, but it falls short of his call for universal coverage. At any rate, The New Republic estimates that Obama�s plan would leave about fifteen million American uninsured.
It can be argued that an incremental attitude is the best way to pass liberal legislation these days. Obama has said as much. �For a political leader to get things done, he or she ideally should be ahead of the curve, but not too far ahead.�
A: That�s correct. Part of the reason that you�re confused about the candidates� differences is because the differences probably matter less than the commonalties. All of the major Democratic candidates are advocating some form of universal health care. The question is, how do we get there? My proposal says:
It goes further than any other proposed plan in cutting the cost of health care by investing in technology and preventive care so that children are getting regular check ups instead of having to go to the emergency room for treatable illnesses like asthma, and by breaking the stranglehold of the drug companies and the insurance industries--we are tired of them dictating our health care markets--and helping businesses and families shoulder the cost of the most expensive conditions so that an illness doesn�t lead to bankruptcy. And I promise you this: I will sign a universal health care plan that covers every American by the end of my first term as president.
Given the money we spend on health care, we should be able to provide basic coverage to everyone. But we have to contain costs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
The market alone cannot solve the problem--in part because the market has proven incapable of creating large enough insurance pools to keep costs to individuals affordable. Overall, 20% of all patients account for 80% of the care, and if we can prevent disease or manage their effects, we can dramatically improve outcomes and save money.
With the money saved through increased preventive care and lower administrative and malpractice costs, we would provide a subsidy to low-income families and immediately mandate coverage for all uninsured children.
There is no easy fix, but the point is that if we commit to making sure everyone has decent care, there are ways to do it.
OBAMA: Absolutely it does. John and I have a disagreement. John thinks that the only way we get universal coverage is to mandate coverage. I think that the problem is not that people are trying to avoid getting health care coverage. It is folks like that who are desperately in desire of it, but they can can�t afford it.
Q: [to Edwards]: Does Sen. Obama provide universal coverage
EDWARDS: No, because the only way to provide universal coverage is to mandate that everyone be covered. Sen. Obama�s made a very serious proposal, and I�m not casting aspersions on his plan. It just doesn�t cover everybody. The only way to cover everybody is to mandate it. We have talked about it too long. We have got to stand up to the insurance companies and the drug companies. It is the only way we�re ever going to bring about real change. We should be outraged by these stories.
SUPPORTER'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING YES:Sen. ENSIGN: This amendment is to means test Medicare Part D the same way we means test Medicare Part B. An individual senior making over $82,000 a year, or a senior couple making over $164,000, would be expected to pay a little over $10 a month extra. That is all we are doing. This amendment saves a couple billion dollars over the next 5 years. It is very reasonable. There is nothing else in this budget that does anything on entitlement reform, and we all know entitlements are heading for a train wreck in this country. We ought to at least do this little bit for our children for deficit reduction. OPPONENT'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING NO:Sen. BAUCUS: The problem with this amendment is exactly what the sponsor said: It is exactly like Part B. Medicare Part B is a premium that is paid with respect to doctors' examinations and Medicare reimbursement. Part D is the drug benefit. Part D premiums vary significantly nationwide according to geography and according to the plans offered. It is nothing like Part B.
Second, any change in Part D is required to be in any Medicare bill if it comes up. We may want to make other Medicare changes. We don't want to be restricted to means testing.
Third, this should be considered broad health care reform, at least Medicare reform, and not be isolated in this case. LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Amendment rejected, 42-56
Proponents support voting YES because:
This legislation is an overdue step to improve part D drug benefits. The bipartisan bill is simple and straightforward. It removes the prohibition from negotiating discounts with pharmaceutical manufacturers, and requires the Secretary of Health & Human Services to negotiate. This legislation will deliver lower premiums to the seniors, lower prices at the pharmacy and savings for all taxpayers.
It is equally important to understand that this legislation does not do certain things. HR4 does not preclude private plans from getting additional discounts on medicines they offer seniors and people with disabilities. HR4 does not establish a national formulary. HR4 does not require price controls. HR4 does not hamstring research and development by pharmaceutical houses. HR4 does not require using the Department of Veterans Affairs' price schedule.
Opponents support voting NO because:
Does ideological purity trump sound public policy? It shouldn't, but, unfortunately, it appears that ideology would profoundly change the Medicare part D prescription drug program, a program that is working well, a program that has arrived on time and under budget. The changes are not being proposed because of any weakness or defect in the program, but because of ideological opposition to market-based prices. Since the inception of the part D program, America's seniors have had access to greater coverage at a lower cost than at any time under Medicare.
Under the guise of negotiation, this bill proposes to enact draconian price controls on pharmaceutical products. Competition has brought significant cost savings to the program. The current system trusts the marketplace, with some guidance, to be the most efficient arbiter of distribution.
Status: Cloture rejected Cloture vote rejected, 55-42 (3/5ths required)
HIV/AIDS Initiatives
The CBC�s Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative will focus on those areas hardest hit by the epidemic, many of which are in districts that we represent. The initiative will focus on prevention and treatment and we will also seek to re-direct and/or increase funding levels based on a detailed review of the implementation of the initiative. In addition, the CBC recognizes the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on the global workforce, specifically in Africa, and on the allocation of resources of developing countries. Therefore, the CBC will continue its efforts to support a comprehensive global policy aimed at ending the scourge of HIV/AIDS around the globe.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to:
Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007 - A bill to advance medical research and treatments into pediatric cancers, ensure patients and families have access to the current treatments and information regarding pediatric cancers, establish a population-based national childhood cancer database, and promote public awareness of pediatric cancers.
A bill to preserve access to Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program during an economic downturn.


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13 Women Reveal The Adult Film Stars They Love Watching
To many men, porn is more widely regarded as a guy thing. But as recent research shows, a ton of women watch porn, and this number is growing. In fact, according to research gleaned from the world's largest porn streaming website, Pornhub, as many as one in four viewers are female. And with over 60 million viewers each day on Pornhub alone, that works out to a lot of women.
For this reason, I decided to reach out to Adult Empire (NSFW), an award-winning retailer of streaming porn, to put a call out to their own dedicated and fanatical following so we could determine which porn stars women are most turned on by.
As you'll find, most women tend to enjoy watching other women in the act, which is interesting (and could prove quite beneficial for viewing as a couple!). These results (make sure you see their comments) also prove to be in line with previous Pornhub research that found women are 132% more likely to view lesbian porn than men. So if you were ever curious about which porn stars the ladies in your lives type into their search bars, the answers can be found below — as well as their reasons why.
1. Kendra Lust
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"My favorite porn star is Kendra Lust because she's not your typical, young, 20-something star. She didn't start in the adult industry right after high school or college like most girls do. Kendra worked as a nurse for seven years before she decided to join the XXX business. She then climbed to the top of the adult charts, launched a sex toy line molded from her body parts, started a talent agency and owns a production company. She's also been awarded both AVN and XBIZ awards." – Jennifer, 30
2. Dana DeArmond
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"She's a seasoned vet, has a goofy personality, and is willing to push boundaries from time to time. She has a modern Belladonna vibe, who is truly a hard lady to live up to. I think it's also helped me like her more since she shot with Evil Angel so much, and Evil Angel does the After/Before scene filming where you can truly see how the girls/fellas are as they just chill out and talk to the camera. With all that, Dana just gives me the vibe of someone I would want to sit and eat sh*tty food with and joke about inappropriate things. Second runner-up would have to be Nappi Valentina. She's just plain sultry looking with a nice bum." – Chelsea, 28
3. Alexis Texas
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"Being from Texas, when any talk of pornography occurs, Alexis Texas gets mentioned. Being a curious girl I had to look her up and although usually blonde hair isn't my thing, her booty was amazing. I think first I envied it and then I watched her more and more and it became a total turn on! She is the queen of ass in my opinion and has a great, not-overdone look." – Lisa, 25
4. Skin Diamond
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I love her edgy, artsy vibe. I am more into her lesbian movies, but no matter what I've seen her in, she always adds something to it with her unique look and style. She also always looks great in lingerie or hardcore dominatrix-style clothing. Totally hot!" – Shawna, 31
5. Nina Hartley
"Classic. Classic. Classic! A true gem in the adult industry. Beautiful, still filming and well educated. Very respected in my opinion." – Rosie, 52
6. Mia Malkova
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"The main reason I like Mia is because when I go to watch her, I have a diverse amount of styles to pick from. She has the total girl next door vibe, but I love seeing her in everything from rougher scenes, to the softer more romantic ones, and everything between. Whatever I am in the mood for that day, Mia has me covered. Her ass is amazing, but that is obvious!" – Jenna, 29
7. jessica drake
Instagram embed
"jessica drake is my go-to girl because she's always in movies that have somewhat of a storyline. I have a hard time with just straight porn, but if there is a normal movie aspect to it, I love it! Needless to say I'm totally into cosplay, so when someone as hot as jessica acts different each time I log on to see her in action, it's a great thing. Classy and classic!" – Amber, 36
8. Ramon Nomar
"My favorite fellas in porn tend to be the ones with an accent – specifically Ramon Nomar and Danny Mountain. Ryan Driller is up there too; he looks like a real-life Prince Charming, how could you not love that? As for the ladies, I tend to like the girls from the glory days of gonzo porn – Tori Black, Alexis Texas, Asa Akira, and the original dirty girl Kristina Rose." – Megan, 31
9. Keisha Grey
Instagram embed
"Just the right size boobs. Just the right size ass. I like that she has that young innocent look yet you know is completely filthy. That sounds like a total guy answer, but I must add that she is someone I would LOVE to get a lap dance from. She has a good tease vibe. Especially with the tooth gap. Adorable!" – Hope, 28
10. Sara Jay
Instagram embed
"Sara Jay has helped me and my husband's love life sooooo much. He loves her big ass, so I offered to watch some of her work with him and ever since the sparks are flying! I enjoy her just as much as him and I've even taken some tips from her to work my magic on my fella." – Barb, 48
11. Vicki Chase
Instagram embed
"I always liked girls with an interesting look. Ones that you can't really explain why you find them attractive, but you do. Vicki Chase is exactly that for me. She has a sexy interesting feel and her lesbian scenes are super sensual." – Tabitha, 35
12. Julia Ann
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"The little heart tattoo on her breast is a TOTAL turn on. Julia Ann's MILF-ness has been sending me in a tizzy for years! She always reminded me of my friends hot mom which always heightened my love and fantasy for Julia." – Bianca, 33
13. Sunny Leone
Instagram embed
"Hands down favorite, Sunny Leone! Her body is absolutely beautiful and she has an exotic face. I enjoy now that she has branched into the directing direction because as a Sunny lover, I like to think that what she films are her actual fantasies, which is a total turn-on." – Rachel, 44
What Women Want


text:
Frontline International—whose Smart Oil Management systems help foodservice establishments protect their brands, monitor their cooking oil usage, and get more value out of their fresh and waste cooking oil—announces the launch of its newly revamped website at www.frontlineii.com.
With an all-new look, easier navigation, product descriptions, graphic interfaces, videos, and more, the new site demonstrates how Frontline's solutions for fresh oil, filtration, and waste oil can help customers manage their fresh oil supply, extend the life of fresh oil to save money, and turn their waste oil into a profit center, all while reducing risk and improving safety in their kitchens.
An expanded product section gives details and SKUs for every piece of Smart Oil Management equipment.
Frontline's modular equipment lineup represents the company's unique ability to offer customers customized, flexible, right-sized solutions for many specific needs versus global implementation plans that appear to offer economies of scale but don't consider volume, geography, and "buy-versus-lease" savings.
A password-protected client portal lets customers log in from anywhere to use Frontline's user-friendly, Web-based M3 Data Management System to Monitor, Measure, and Manage oil usage and create detailed reports.


text:
TechRadar Verdict
At $159.99 (about £97.27/AUS $179.56) it's a bit of a niche product, but for the right audience the Sensei Wireless is a great all-around ambidextrous mouse that you'll likely love for the next few years.
- +
Wired charging pad doubles as a transmitter - a very, very good transmitter
- +
The SteelSeries Engine 3 is educational and offers deep customization
- +
Its battery is tough to run down
- -
The wireless functionality comes with a premium price tag
- -
No on-board profile storage or bottom LCD
- -
Setting up macro profiles takes a bit of elbow grease
Why you can trust TechRadar
Ten years ago, calling something a "wireless gaming mouse" was an oxymoron. The technology just couldn't support a wireless connection, at least with the precision and speed needed for competitive play.
Well, 10 years and dozens - if not hundreds - of iterations later, the SteelSeries Sensei Wireless mouse is here to show us that wireless convenience and razor-sharp gaming functionality don't necessarily need to be mutually exclusive.
First impressions and wireless mode
Right out of the package, the Sensei is startlingly simple to set up - plug the wired charging pad into an open USB port and you're good to go. The wired charging pad not only serves as a futuristic way to refuel after a long gaming session, but also works as the mouse's wireless receiver.
The biggest reasonable concern about choosing a wireless mouse over a wired option (not that you'll need to choose, but more on that in a second) is input lag. Although the Sensei didn't perform as quite as well using the wireless mode as it did while in wired mode, the results are incredibly close.
Using HumanBenchmark.com I found that the wireless response times were slower, but only by about 20ms. Here were my results:
Wired: Trial 1 275ms, Trial 2 262ms, Trial 3 257ms
Wireless: Trial 1 284ms, Trial 2 283ms, Trial 3 278ms
I ran three trials for each mode, and took the average of five reaction times per trial.
Because this tests human reaction time and not the true mouse's reaction speed there's some slight ambiguity to it, but I feel justified saying the wireless mode isn't quite as fast as when it's wired-in via USB.
Battery life
SteelSeries promised a 20-hour battery life with, I assume, fully glowing display and using the default power saver mode that shuts the mouse down after 15 minutes of inactivity. They over-delivered. It's not rare that this happens, but without the power saving mode I found the battery to be quite difficult to drain. It lasted as long as promised, and even close to low power, it performed without noticeable lag.
Going from zero charge back to full juice takes a bit of time - 3.5 hours to be exact - but if you're not keen on waiting all you'll need to do is swap the micro USB cable from the charging dock to the interlocking front USB port on your mouse and voila! Now you have a speedy hard-wired mouse while your rechargeable battery gets some much-needed love on the electricity front.
Wired and weight
Stated simply: wired mode feels fantastic. This makes sense considering the Sensei Wireless comes from the company known for the original award-winning wired Sensei.
For those currently using the Sensei proper, know that the Sensei Wireless weighs in at 120g compared to the Sensei proper's much lighter 102g. It's a considerable change, but it's something you can adjust to within a few days of game time.
Also missing was the bottom LCD – still available in the $79 Sensei – that allowed for swapping profiles on the fly. It's sorely missed, however the Sensei Wireless makes up for in other ways (see: rechargeable battery and wireless transmitter).
It helps, though, that SteelSeries Engine 3, SteelSeries' customization software, is still as functional as it's ever been. Macro commands are simple to map to one of the four side buttons and can be stored in unlimited profiles that save to the cloud. It's not as convenient as on-board storage - as this requires you to download the software on every computer you use - but cloud storage is a practical, cost-saving solution that's worth setting up. Trust me. Failing to do so caused my unit to form a somewhat…uh, schizophrenic personality.
In it you'll find ways to customize every setting from lift distance to acceleration, from polling rate to macros. You can even toggle handy explanations of what each of these terms mean should you need a refresher – or crash – course in Gaming Mice 101.
My only complaint is that without a fully populated macro library that you would find in, say, Roccat's or Logitech's gaming software, customizing the mouse for your favorite game takes a bit of elbow grease.
And stringent, must-control-everything gamers may not enjoy that its natural acceleration (an increase in DPI relative to speed of the movement of the mouse) can't be turned off. It can, however, be modified so that you can increase acceleration even further – up to 2x the base 30G – or increase deceleration to effectively make the mouse steadier and require more hand movement to get the pointer to move.
Despite everything I just said, I still managed to set up a web browsing macro profile – featuring back, forward, volume up / down key mappings - within 15 minutes of opening the box.
Form and function
A single DPI switch located south of the scroll wheel achieves what it sets out to do, and though it may not offer as many options for DPI shifting as other mice (I'm looking in your direction Logitech G502…), the two options should suffice for most first-person shooters.
Speaking of the scroll wheel, it also has average scrolling action - and I found it a pleasant mix between smooth and "click-to-click" scrolling. It tracks on the lower side, which may require you to up its correlated option in your system settings, but afterwards you should be set for the life of the mouse.
Unfortunately all these features add up to its $159.99 (about £97.27/AUS $179.56) price tag and will likely be more than the average gamer would be willing to spend. This shouldn't be surprising considering the amount of features you get, but regardless, it puts the Sensei Wireless in a slightly higher-paying, niche audience.
The Sensei Wireless demonstrates SteelSeries' commitment to quality. Small touches like having the LEDs' color indicate battery level and a locking mechanism that keeps the micro USB in place while in wired mode are appreciated, and functionality both in wired and - more impressively, wireless - is top notch. Its battery life consistently impressed and the accompanying software, the SteelSeries Engine 3, educates while offering a wide array of options. But at $159.99 (about £97.27/AUS $179.56) it's a bit of a niche product and even lost some functionality from its wired, $79.99 predecessor. Still, it's a great all-around ambidextrous mouse that you'll likely come to love for the next few years.
Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.
WhatsApp working on a way to stop users from screenshotting your profile pic
Quordle today – hints and answers for Wednesday, February 21 (game #758)
'Virtually unhackable' chip could make GPU more power efficient and much faster at AI - by combining light and silicon for a fundamental mathematical operation


text:
Professor: Arrest of Pakistani Girl for Blasphemy Part of Decades-Old 'Witch Hunts'
A Duke University professor has stated that the recent arrest of a disabled Pakistani Christian girl in the Islamic Republic is part of a decades-old trend in "witch hunts."
Ebrahim Moosa, professor of Religion & Islamic Studies for Duke's Department of Religion, said in comments published by Duke on Monday that the practice had "ruined Pakistan's reputation for decades."
In an interview with The Christian Post, Moosa explained that in Pakistan from 1986 to 2007 there were 647 charges filed against people on the charge of committing blasphemy. About half of those charged were Muslim.
"Twenty suspect blasphemers have been assassinated by vigilantes. Scores of accused languish in jails for years until the charges are withdrawn or prosecutions fail," said Moosa.
"The national and international media have repeatedly highlighted these events. Several moderate parliamentarians, governors and cabinet ministers have called for a review of the blasphemy laws."
According to Moosa, Pakistan's blasphemy laws go back to when the British Empire ruled the region. After independence in 1947 they were kept and later updated under the martial presidency of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
"Pakistan needs a serious national conversation about the public role of religion, before warring religious fanatics and their political handlers turn that society into an inferno of inquisitions," said Moosa.
"The greatest tragedy is that moderate religious voices are not sufficiently forceful to stop this madness and have been cowered into silence by militants."
Moosa's remarks come in response to the news of an 11-year-old Christian girl once diagnosed with Down syndrome being arrested for allegedly desecrating an Islamic booklet.
The arrest of the girl, who was identified as Rifta Masih from a neighborhood near Islamabad, sparked denunciations from human rights groups and prompted Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to order an investigation of the case.
Moosa told CP that the charges against Masih "appear to be 'dubious' by several accounts inside Pakistan, as it is with most of these blasphemy charges."
"There is sufficient evidence to indicate that she might not even have torched any scripture. It might have been newsprint with Arabic or Urdu," said Moosa.
According to Jon Boone of The Guardian, the incident has exacerbated tensions between Muslims and Christians in and around Islamabad. In the community where the accusation took place, the Christians are primarily low income families and rent from Muslim landlords.
"Relations between the communities had been simmering for months after complaints were made about the noise coming from three churches in the area during religious services," wrote Boone.
"Two of the landlords who owned the buildings had already ordered an end to worship and some services were forcibly broken up."
Amnesty International reported last month that a homeless man in Pakistan's Punjab province was accused of burning the Quran by a mob. After dragging him out of a police station, they proceeded to beat the unidentified man to death and set his corpse on fire.


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The first ensign for the Christian church was the lavarum of the Roman Emperor Constantine I, who saw, in a dream, the Cross of Our Lord in the sky and beneath it, the words 'En touto, Nika (in this, conquer). Constantine ordered the symbol of the Cross to be placed on the standards of the Empire - either as the finial (the metal piece at the tip of a flagpole), or emblazoned on the banners themselves. This took place at the time of the battle of the Milvian Bridge, in the year 312. Constantine won the battle, and his interest in Christianity continued until, on his deathbed, he was baptized into the Church (he wanted to avoid committing sins after baptism). Constantine's interest in the Church meant that Christianity gained approval from the government, and thousands of persons began to join the Church. Some show the Greek words, 'En touto, nika' as well as the Cross on banners. Later, not replacing the cross, but added above it, were the abbreviations for the name "Jesus Christ," IC XC, and then in the corners of the cross, 1) IC 2) XC 3) NI 4) KA. At this time, most 'flags' were lavarums, or flags or banners attached to a bar which was suspended from the tip of a spear or flagpole. The lavarum, in contemporary usage, is also a plaque at the top of a pole, on which some symbol may be painted or carved. In the Eastern Christian Church, icons are often painted on lavarums, and carried in procession as a form of flag. Another early Christian symbol, abbreviating the name "Christ", was the letters X and P superimposed. This also was used as finials and on flags. These symbols were used throughout Christian history from that time forward.
Many Christian countries began to use the cross as their country's flag, and, in research on this question, I've found more than 1300 flags with crosses on them (in one form or another), and I'm sure there are more which I haven't found.
In the time of the Crusades, in an agreement in 1188, various countries were assigned symbols with crosses on them, with different colors to indicate the country of origin. Red on white for France, White on red for England, Yellow on white for Italy, a white cross on black for Brittany, green cross on white for Flanders. A black cross on white was used by the Teutonic Knights and the Germans. In about 1400, the colors of France and England were exchanged, and England's flag, to this day, is the red cross on white, the Saint George's Cross. (See Crusader Cross Flags 1188).
The whole point of the above is to show the importance of the symbol and sign of the cross for Christians.
The Eastern Christian Roman Empire, having been overrun by Moslem invaders, did not develop flags for itself until various independence movements began.
Still, there were no flags for the Church.
However, as time went by, the Orthodox Christian Churches did begin to use flags for themselves. The web page for "Flags of the World" "Greek Orthodox Church"
The page Ecum. Patriarchate of Constantinople and Autonomous Church of Greece
has the following paragraph "In the Orthodox Church there are 15 independent
church units (Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Russia, Greece,
Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Poland, USA,
Cyprus, Georgia), each with his own Patriarch or Archbishop. There is no
subordination between these independent churches. The Church of Constantinople
and his Patriarch (the Patriarch of Constantinople or Oecumenical Patriarch) has
only a status of "first among equals", nothing more. This status means nothing
more that the Patriarch is the president of all Orthodox conferences, but he has
no kind of power over other church units. He is the leader of only his own
church unit, the Church of Constantinople." This is accurate except that it
should be noted that there are 15 independent (autocephalous) churches - and two
independent (autonomous) Churches - Finland and Japan. One might also add that
China was and the Ukraine is an autonomous church as well. It should also be
noted that the list below is not in order.
Fr. John Udics, 8 May 2003
1. The Patriarchate of Constantinople uses a white flag with deep red - on the face, in a red circle with gold outlines, a double-headed eagle, with a crown on each head, and a crown over both, and the abbreviation "OIK" and "P" for 'Oecumenical Patriarchate', and in the right claw of the eagle, a cross, and in the left, an orb with a cross on its top. Below the eagle is an arc of wreathed branches - which may be of the same sort of tree. Below the tail, there is the outline of a closed book, atop of which are two keys, crossed. On either side of that, there are the letters "K" and "P" for "Constantinople." On the reverse of the flag, a deep red equal-armed cross, with the abbreviations 'Barth' in the first quarter, 'lms' in the second (for Bartholomeos) and in the third quarter P with T, R, and X superimposed to form one character, and in the fourth quarter, KPS (for Patriarch and Constantinople). There is a thin deep red circle around this, and the words "Oikoumenikon Patriarcheion" in gold, and in the base of the circle, a branch in deep red, and above it in small golden characters, the Greek numbers 'a' 'xsi' 'ts' 'a', indicating the date 1991. All this is surrounded by two thin deep red circles.
Note that the two keys, crossed, found on this flag and that of other patriarchates, indicates the Orthodox Christian belief that Christ gave "the keys of the Church" to all the apostles, and hence, to all bishops, and not only to Peter.
2. The Patriarchate of Alexandria uses a white lavarum with an equal armed white cross, "Maltese" style but with rounded ends, outlined in gold, surrounded by a thin gold circle. Superimposed is a winged lion holding an open book, facing the viewer, and on a rectangular base, outlined in black. Surrounding this is a motto on a scroll outlined in gold, the words being "Patriarcheion Alexandreias," in Greek, in black. Around this is a wreath of two branches (different branches) and above it all, a crown, the branches and crown being gold outline. The obverse is a white equal armed cross "Maltese" style but with rounded ends, outlined in a double gold outline, and the outline of the winged lion holding an open book, on a rectangular base, outlined in black. The Cross and Lion on the Reverse are larger than they are on the face.
3. The Patriarchate of Antioch uses a white lavarum with the outlines of Saints Peter and Paul holding up a church building. Below it is two keys crossed and tied with a little ribbon, above which is a small cross, equal armed. In an oval form, this is surrounded by the words, "Patriarcheion Antiocheias" in Greek. Centered between these two words and above the church, is a dove displayed, flying head downward, and surrounded by rays. All this is in outline form, black on white.
4. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem uses a lavarum of white with a church building with two towers with two onion-shaped domes, each with a cross atop it. Above and to the right (on the left as we view it) of the Church is a dove, flying with a twig in its beak, and to the left, a sun with rays. To the right of the Church is a palm tree, and below the church are two keys, crossed. This is all on a mantle with a crown above it, a cross on the top of the crown. Behind the mantling is, crossed per saltire, a Bishop's staff (in the style of the Greek Church) and a staff with the cross on it's top. Below the mantling are the words "Patriarcheion Ierosolimion" The church and keys are outlines of black, while everything else is an outline of deep gold.
4 (bis). The Patriarch of Jerusalem uses the above, without the words beneath, and on either side of the arms, at the top, are the outline in black of a crescent moon facing center, and a sun with rays. Surrounding this are on the right, the letters DI and below that OD and on the left OR and below that OS (Diodoros) and below that, on the right again, PT and on the left XS (Patriarch) and on the right IRS and on the left LMN (of Jerusalem). In base is the date 1981. All this is in gold. And it's all surrounded by a thin octagon of red, and then a thicker outline of that.
5. Russia's first flag was the face of Christ embroidered on a white flag - similar to the so-called 'Veronica's Veil' but without the crown of thorns. The Patriarch of Moscow has his own flag, of green, with his initials, e. g. P A for Patriarch Alexis. However, the church does not have a flag of its own.
6. The Orthodox Church of Serbia - the Patriarchate of Beograd, uses the Serbian flag, on which is superimposed a cross with the letters SSSS ('C' in Cyrillic) or a stylized BBBB, in gold. The letters in the first and third quarters face the staff, while those in the second and fourth quarters face the fly. For an explanation of this, see the page of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
7. The Orthodox Church of Greece uses the Byzantine symbol of a double headed eagle on a gold lavarum or flag. The eagle holds in its right claw a scepter, and in the left claw, an unsheathed sword. The heads of the eagles support one royal crown, with a cross atop it. All this is in outline form, outlined in black. Surrounding this are the words "Ekklisia tis Ellados Iera Archiepiskopi Athinon" in black lettering. The flag also sometimes appears without the words. It is frequently used in the United States by Greek Orthodox Churches (see editorial note).
8. The Greek Orthodox Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem uses a flag which is a red cross on white defaced with the Greek letters Tau and Phi superimposed, in gold letters. An alternative of this is a white cross on red, defaced with the Greek letters Tau and Phi superimposed (abbreviation for 'taphos' or 'Sepulchre'), in red letters [see same page].
9. The various monasteries on Mount Athos frequently fly the old continental Greek flag, of a white cross on blue, One particular monastery, opposed to the Ecumenical Patriarchate's 'liberalism', 'ecumenism' and 'modernism', sometimes uses the white cross on blue with the words "Eleutheria I THanatos" ('Freedom or Death') added.
10. The Orthodox Church in Japan uses the early Christian symbol, the Chi Rho (X and P) superimposed. As many "mon" or "seals" represent various clans in Japan, and now corporations, this is not surprising. The seal is usually red and arranged in a circle or centered in what would be a circle, to take the place of the red sun in the Japanese flag (on white). So the Orthodox Church in Japan uses the letters X and P with an additional horizontal bar, fit into a circle - in red on white, as their flag.
11. Since there is no unity in the Orthodox Christian diaspora, and since there is a movement for administrative unification of the various emigrant Churches in the United States, and since I'm a member of NAVA and would like to see administrative unity of the Orthodox jurisdictions in North America, I designed a flag for Orthodox Christians in this hemisphere, or at least, on this continent. It was accepted as the flag of the Brotherhood of Orthodox Christians of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. It was submitted to the Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, but we have not heard their reaction to the flag proposal.
The flag was designed with the thought of the Fort Mifflin flag (American revolutionary war) in the back of my head. So the flag is based on the width of stripes in the flag of the USA, 1/13 of the height of the flag. After designing it, I realized that it could be interpreted as the superimposition of the flags of two major Orthodox Christian milieu - the Byzantine and the Slavic - a white cross on a blue field as used in Greece and a white cross on a red field as used in Russia. Describing it, one could say that there is a white cross at the center, with a red cross behind it, and behind that another white cross with a blue cross behind it, all on a white field. It's easier to show it than it is to explain it.
Also, if desired, the flag can be used in Mexico, changing the blue cross to green, and in Canada, changing the blue cross to red. In the first quarter of the flag, various symbols can be added to indicate a diocese or ethnic diocese, or even to indicate a particular jurisdiction. For example, the SCOBA (Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of America) uses the Chi-Rho symbol on its letterhead - and it could be used in the proposed flag for North American Orthodox Christians either in the center, or in the first quarter of the flag (or canton - though it's kind of small for a canton).
Illustrations of the flags of the Churches of Constantinople, Alexandria,
Antioch, Jerusalem, and Greece are found in the publication "Ellenikes Simaies.
Simata - Emvlimata" Elias Kokkonis. Athens. 1997.
Fr. John Udics, 8 May 2003
Some comments (basically from my article Schmöger (2002) on vexillum and labarum):
John wrote, "The first ensign for the Christian Church was the lavarum
of the Roman Emperor Constantine I, who saw, in a dream, the Cross of Our
Lord in the sky and beneath it, the words 'En touto, Nika (in this,
The name of the flag was "labarum", not "lavarum", however it
would be pronounced like "lavarum" in modern Greek. The labarum
was a purely military/emperor flag, and definitely not a flag for the church.
John also wrote, "Constantine ordered the symbol of the Cross to be placed on
the standards of the Empire - either as the finial (the metal piece at the tip
of a flagpole), or emblazoned on the banners themselves. This took place at the
time of the battle of the Milvian Bridge, in the year 312."
The whole story of the battle at the Milvian Bridge, and the origin of the
"labarum" is somewhat difficult, as our main sources (Eusebius' Vita
Constantini and Lactantius' De mortibus persecutorum) differ widely.
Furthermore the text of Eusebius was written almost 30 years after the battle.
The usual story follows Eusebius, though: Constantine (the Great) had a
vision, seeing the "victorial sign of the cross upon the sun, made from light,
and on this the inscription "with this conquer" (touto nika)". After a
dream (Christ explaining the vision), Constantine ordered the special flag with
the cross (labarum) to be made.
The older story by Lactantius tells us, that he ordered the sign to be
written on the shields as a transversal letter X with a bended tip.
Most probably the prototypic labarum (as we know it, or as we think we
know it) was made as a flag proper several years after the battle at the Milvian
bridge. How the original labarum looked like, is not really clear,
either. Most reconstructions (e.g. in Smith (1975)) agree on the following
1. a flag of the vexillum-type (i.e. a square piece of cloth hanging from a
crossbar, the crossbar attached to a spear)
2. the monogram of Christ (X and P superimposed), either as top of the
flagstaff, or on the flag cloth proper
3. images of the emperor (Constantine) and (later?) his sons, either on the
cloth or as disks on the staff. Th first image of the labarum that we have is on
a coin from 327. There we see a flag cloth with three disks on it, and on the
top of the flag the "XP". All sources agree that there was no cross in a strict
sense on the labarum (be it a Greek cross or a Tau cross etc), the only
cross-like symbol being the "X" (a saltire) in the Christus monogram.
John wrote, "Constantine won the battle, and his interest in Christianity
continued until, on his deathbed, he was baptized into the Church (he wanted to
avoid committing sins after baptism). Constantine's interest in the Church meant
that Christianity gained approval from the government, and thousands of persons
began to join the Church."
Nowadays it is assumed that neither Constantine was really a Christian (most
of his politics was not really "love each other") nor the labarum carried
proper Christian symbolics. The "XP" monogram was rather a symbol for the
synthesis of Christian and pagan ideas, especially of the cult of the "Sol
invictus" (invincible sun), Constantine's family was adhering to.
John wrote,"Some show the Greek words, 'En touto, nika' as well as the
Cross on banners. Later, not replacing the cross, but added above it, were the
abbreviations for the name "Jesus Christ," IC XC, and then in the corners of the
cross, 1) IC 2) XC 3) NI 4) KA. At this time, most 'flags' were lavarums,
or flags or banners attached to a bar which was suspended from the tip of a
spear or flagpole."
We do not know much about the flags of this era (let's say 300-600 AD). Most
of the flags, especially religious flags proper, are conjectural. The type of
flag called "labarum" here, was known for centuries as "vexillum"
already. I'm absolutely unsure, when real "church banners" came into existence.
Bock (1871) claims that church banners have been put to use only in the second half
of the Middle Ages.
Lastly John noted, "The Eastern Christian Roman Empire, having been overrun
by Moslem invaders, did not develop flags for itself until various independence
movements began."
Of course the Byzantine empire used flags of different kinds, military
banners (the bandon) as well as naval flags (see for instance two articles on a
surviving Byzantine naval flag: Serra (1919)
and Martinelli (1996)).
Marcus E.V. Schmöger, 17 May 2003
Ukrainians in Canada developed a flag about 25 years ago, which had (predictably) Ukrainian patterns, and a cross, but it did not "catch on." For the past 20 years, the Maple Leaf with the line icon of Christ the Life-giver has been used by some parishes that identify themselves as Canadian Orthodox - regardless of jurisdiction. The emblem was originally the corporate seal of our monastery..." Archbishop Lazar
"There had been an Old Calendarist one with the Xi Rho symbol put forth at a
meeting in Astoria New York about 15 years ago, and it was quite attractive. The
only other one I had seen was a white field with a Greek/Serbian (trefoil) cross
superimposed with a Russian cross; the trefoil in gold and the Russian cross in
red. It was also very attractive." Archbishop Lazar.
Fr. John Udics, 4 June 2003
Editorial note: Due to the ambiguity of the designation "Greek Orthodox" there have been misdirections and misunderstandings concerning the Byzantine imperial flag (black Paleologan eagle on yellow) which we display on Patriarchate of Constantinople and Autonomous Church of Greece. Note that this flag doesn't have official status as the flag of the autocephalous Church of Greece, of any other Orthodox church, or of Orthodox Christianity as a whole. Its shape is neither determined, there are different formats in use. Its neither the flag of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is described on this page under point 1 (red eagle on white). The information below should serve to differentiate between different groups within Greek and worldwide Orthodoxy and should also make easier the assignment of their respective flags.
"Greek Orthodox" is not a unique identifier which can
unambiguously identify a single church- it can mean:
1- The Church of Constantinople (including dioceses
in the Greek diaspora, and in areas added to Greece
or 2- The autocephalous Church of Greece,
or 3- The autocephalous Church of Cyprus,
or 4- All three Orthodox churches, 1, 2, & 3 above,
serving ethnic Greek congregations,
or 5- in some contexts Orthodox churches serving
predominately non-Greek communities in the Middle
East, but historically under Greek influence, and often
with Greek hierarchies, for example "Greek
Orthodox" churches of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan
or Egypt (the Orthodox churches of Antioch, Jerusalem,
Alexandria, and St. Catherine's at Sinai),
or 6 - sometimes any Orthodox Christian.
Unofficial usage of the
Byzantine flag with the black double-headed eagle on
gold has been reported from individual parishes in
each of the first three categories above, i.e. the
ones with ethnic Greek populations, not surprisingly.
But does anybody know of instances where churches or
parishes in categories 5 and 6 have used the flag?
Ned Smith, John Udics, 13,15 February 2006
Legitimate Orthodox churches which are independent from Constantinople do
not call themselves Greek Orthodox, but by the adjective referring to their
administrations (Bulgarian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox,
Antiochian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Japanese Orthodox, Chinese or Korean
or Mexican or Canadian or Czech or Slovak or Polish or American Orthodox),
and pointedly NOT call themselves Greek. They may be identified as "Greek
Orthodox" by others (including Greeks), but would not call themselves "Greek
Orthodox", nor would they use the (former) Byzantine (Imperial) flag (to
identify or signify themselves).
[If there are churches independent from Constantinople but nevertheless call themselves
"Greek Orthodox", they could be] a sub-category of 1 or 2, identifying them
as Greeks, but of "independent administration" (i.e. vagantes).
There was an attempt to encourage the 'umbrella' name "Eastern Orthodox" for
all Orthodox Christians. "EO" was even used on dog-tags by the US military
(and may still be, for all I know). My point is that some persons use the
term "Greek Orthodox" to indicate "Eastern Orthodox" - but non-Greek Eastern
Orthodox do not identify themselves with the "Greek" Byzantine Church.
John Udics, 16 February 2006
image by Ben Cahoon, 23 February 2009
At the beginning of the present century the logo of the Greek Orthodox
Diocese redesigned its logo and issued instructions for the development of a new
Archdiocesan flag. Clicking on this link and then scrolling down will bring one
to the archdiocesan statement that the new flag should be sent to every church
in the Archdiocese by November 2003:
A further explanation is
provided in the second link, which states that the Archdiocesan flag would carry
the new archdiocesan logo. However, there is no mention of the field upon which
this logo is to be displayed:
Ron Lahav, 12 January
I searched some; in photos all churches seem to fly only the US and Greek
flags, also the practice at the nearby Greek Orthodox church in Irvine. However
this photo
http://www.photos.goarch.org/main.php?g2_itemId=1799 would seem to suggest
that the flag is the logo on white; and then I came across this
confirming that theory. In that photo, the flags include US, Greece, Cyprus, a
yellow UFE, and the archdiocese; the latter is amazingly enough upside-down (!).
Eugene Ipavec, 12 January 2009


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text:
Univers Next®
By Linotype
The original Univers design was licensed to a wide variety of metal and phototype font providers. While each attempted to maintain absolute accuracy to Frutiger's original drawings, because of the various and different requirements of the typesetting equipment that used the fonts, perfect replications were not possible. In 1995, a German finance company with worldwide branches decided to use the semi-bold Univers 65 in its original form. But the exact design was not available in every country and this posed a problem in creating a consistent, worldwide corporate design.
Linotype's solution was to create a "new" version of the typeface that was a more accurate interpretation of the original metal typeface. In the process, the company approached Frutiger to approve the design and to create new weights for the family. "Linotype planned to extend the Univers family, as had already been done with Neue Helvetica," recalls Frutiger. "They asked me if I would like to help them with the drawings for additional designs. Of course I accepted the offer with enthusiasm. It filled me with joy to feel once again how these forms completely match my deepest imaginings." These new designs eventually became the Univers Next, a typeface family that has grown to over 75 members.
Sony has an e-book reader with six font styles available, one of them is the Univers Next. Because of its legibility you will find the font on many POP stands and other retail-related signage.


text:
Home | Reviews | Extras | Forums |
Infinite RyviusSynopsis(Partially taken from the DVD description at Rightstuf.com) Prepare for the journey home. ReviewTo start off this review right, let me just say that there are many titles out there, both animated and not, that have a great deal of similarity to this title OTHER than the one that I see touted the most: Lord of the Flies. Honestly, that comparison almost made me not get this anime, a decision that would've been a big mistake, making me miss out on a very enjoyable title. With that said, we continue on: I think this review must necessarily be devoted to two crowds: Those who have read Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game and those who haven't. Those who have read it will have a lot to relate to: Imagine the space training section of the book without the structure or the instructors, and the station in trouble. There is no Ender, no natural leader, only certain children who can temporarily control the population of the Ryvius long enough to be considered the "figurehead" until the children become restless, dissolving time and again into unrest and chaos. For both crowds though, it is a very well-done show. The ebb and flow between stressfully urgent crisis and down-time antics is well spaced, timed just right to keep the viewer on the edge and wanting to know what comes next. The group psychology of this title is also very thought-out, with the initial incident causing the large group of children to split into smaller "cliques" in response to the stress, and then later the total dissolution into chaos until temporary leadership is established. It's a roller-coaster ride on the social/interpersonal level as you watch these kid's friendships and social structure wax and wane in response to situations, events, and each individual's sense of duty and loyalty. Another aspect of this series is that there are so many characters in this series it's difficult to find one that you don't like, especially since all of these characters are human CHILDREN to the smallest detail. It gives the series a much-needed audience-relation point that not many stories like this have. Now, the side elements to this series: The music is engaging techno/hip-hop that I found myself nodding to every now and again. It doesn't take away from the series for sure, and in sections is definitely pleasing to the listener. The animation quality is nothing to drool over, as it's mainly a medium used to convey the story, but it's nothing to scoff at either. The voice acting is also pretty appropriate, with no voices that I can remember being terribly out of place. If you have a favorite American V.A. though, you should check the cast list because with a cast this big, he/she's probably in there. Last, but definitely not least, we come to my favorite: The DVD extras. Or, to be more specific, the Omake Theater excerpts! Now, I don't know how these were aired in Japan, if they were originally commercials, or mid-week teasers or what, but whenever a DVD in this series was just getting too heavy, the Omake Theater would be there waiting for you in the extras. Yes, I'll admit, it's a pretty shallow way to review the actual anime (by including a review on the DVD extras) but to be honest, I don't think that this anime would really be complete without these little blurbs. Think: Just when the main character has an episode where he gets especially whiny, on that same disk there would be an entire Omake section devoted to the chibi version of his brother beating the "whine" out of the chibi main character. (It's freakin' awesome!) That right there was worth the extra time needed to watch them (even though they're not dubbed like the rest of the series.) Extras or no though, I definitely think that this title is worth a watch. And, while it may not be the best anime out there, it is still at the top of the barrel of "good" anime out there that are worth your time and money - though the length of the series may make it necessary to wait until it's on sale. : ) A solid, solid release. Add one star immediately if you like Omake Theater excerpts half as much as I do, and don't mind a comedic break in your drama. They're definitely high-quality. — Isaac Cynova Recommended Audience: No real adult situations or language to speak of, just the rating for some intensity. Version(s) Viewed: R1 DVD, bilingual. Review Status: Full (26/26) Infinite Ryvius © 1999 Bandai Visual / Sunrise / TV Tokyo / Yomiko Advertising, Inc. |
© 1996-2015 THEM Anime Reviews. All rights reserved. |


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The Last Stand: Kickstarter
From Con Artist Games, creators of the wildly popular Last Stand series of games, comes an all-new premium title. The end of the world has come and gone, but humanity is still scraping out an existence. What would you do if you knew your days were numbered in the single digits? Would you give up, or would you try to make a difference? The Last Stand: Aftermath is a single-player rogue-lite action-adventure that's coming to Steam next year, but you can back it on Kickstarter right now for rewards like beta access. Check it out below!
- Back The Last Stand: Aftermath on Kickstarter
- Wishlist The Last Stand: Aftermath on Steam
- Follow Con Artist Games on Twitter
- Check out The Last Stand: Deadzone
In The Last Stand: Aftermath, you'll take control of a person who has already been infected by the zombie virus, and is leaving the enclave to make the most of their remaining days. You'll need to sneak, scavenge, and fight your way across a series of randomly generated maps that make up the post-post-apocalyptic landscape. How far they go and what they accomplish – be it finding more supplies for the others or perhaps discovering the truth beneath the virus – is up to you. But when they die, you'll take up the journey with a new character who benefits from the progress of the last.
The Last Stand: Aftermath is coming to PC next year, but by backing now, you can nab a spot in the betas. Due to start later this year, this will give you the chance to both play the game early and provide feedback to the team to help shape it, as well as interact with other players and the developers in a private Discord channel. A large chunk of the game is already playable, and since this is the biggest title in the series yet, we're excited to help bring this to life with the support of the players.
Visit the Kickstarter for more details, and help us spread the news!
Check us out on our website for more details on our announced and existing titles. Follow us at Armor Games on Twitter, Facebook, or on our Discord for all our future updates and announcements!


text:
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Warsaw (Polish: Warszawa, [varˈʂava] (listen)), officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland and its population is officially estimated at 1.8 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 3.1 million residents, which makes Warsaw the 7th most-populous capital city in the European Union. The city area measures 517 km2 (200 sq mi) and comprises 18 boroughs, while the metropolitan area covers 6,100 km2 (2,355 sq mi). Warsaw is an alpha− global city, a major cultural, political and economic hub, and the country's seat of government. Its historical Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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text:
Consider Monday's news conference. The last presser of President Barack Obama's first term spanned 53 minutes. Seven reporters asked questions -- after Obama called on them as if according to script. In his fashion, Obama answered a couple.
There's a law of verbal physics: The longer the question the less likely it is to be answered. Yet White House reporters rehearse these paragraph-length sentences, adding context the president doesn't need and clauses that bury the lead. Many such questions are so complex that the questioner cannot reasonably expect an answer.
Julie Pace of The Associated Press lobbed the first softball when she asked Obama about gun violence and whether the White House will push for an assault weapons ban. Mistake. For the past month, reporters have been asking the president about guns. He has a library of stock "gun violence" phrases -- "stakeholders," "common-sense steps," "focus on what makes sense." He can answer on autopilot.
Besides, no way was Obama going to answer that question before the vice president could roll out his plan in response to the Newtown, Conn., shootings, which is expected this week.
Major Garrett of CBS noted that as a senator, Obama had voted against raising the debt ceiling. Great point. I wish he had stopped there and asked why it was OK for Obama to oppose a debt hike then and why it is OK for him, when Republicans do the same thing now, to accuse them of kidnapping for ransom.
Instead, Garrett added that Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush agreed to deals that combined raising the debt ceiling and curbing the deficit. Could Obama's refusal to negotiate with Congress lead to default?
And the autopilot kicked in: He's happy to talk, but Republicans expect to win 100 percent.
Also in the "nice try" category, Jackie Calmes of The New York Times asked Obama about his four white, male Cabinet picks -- not very diverse -- and whether this White House has become too insular.
Obama answered that his first Cabinet was diverse; people should wait and see his next Cabinet. And: "We invite folks from Congress over here all the time. And when they choose to come, I enjoy their company." Really? The president said Washington's big problem is that no one will go to the White House, and there were no audible groans from the press gallery.
The pack is out of gas. When reporters ask follow-up questions, you can see they do not expect real answers.
They rarely ask short questions, which are harder to evade. They rarely ask unexpected questions, for which autopilot sound bites cannot hide a non-response. They don't talk out of turn.
It's: Ask a long-winded question. Get a long-winded non-answer.


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A hot day in Texas (108) on REDnesday. Trust wherever you are it is much cooler. Sue would be delighted for you to drop by for a cool , refreshing sharing of reds. She can be reached at http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com or click her image.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
A hot day in Texas (108) on REDnesday. Trust wherever you are it is much cooler. Sue would be delighted for you to drop by for a cool , refreshing sharing of reds. She can be reached at http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com or click her image.
Posted by LV at 4:00 PM 15 comments
Tuesday With MeMe
Posted by LV at 12:00 AM 13 comments
Labels: Funday
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Blue Monday
Trust me the temperature here is not 80 degrees. We are literally burning up in Texas. All this next week supposed to be from 105 up.
The flowers no longer look like this. So sad seeing everything just drying up. Not possible to water enough on restrictions.
Posted by LV at 11:00 PM 27 comments
Labels: Blue Monday
Friday, July 27, 2012
Pink Saturday Birthday Lady
Today is a very special occasion on Pink Saturday. We are honoring our hostess, Beverly on her birthday. No doubt there will be many blessed wishes for her at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog
Posted by LV at 2:00 PM 36 comments
Labels: Pink Saturday
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Vintage Hand/Ring
My Vintage Thingies for Thursday is a little different today. I rarely share personal things in my life. However, wanted to warn you never wear something that you cannot get off. I do recommend you stop Coloradolady's place and see some great vintage things. You can go to http://coloradolady.blogspot.com or click her button.
Most of us have one hand or foot larger than the other. In my case, my right hand is a whole size larger than my left. Back in the 80s, I had several rings that fit my left hand, but none for the right. So I decided I would put one on my right hand ring finger. The knuckle on that ring finger was much larger than the others. When I was a young girl playing ball, that finger was hurt is why the knuckle is bigger. With a lot of soap and lotions, I manged to it get on.
I am not one of those that takes their jewelery off when you should at times. I felt that was fine, it was very special to me and had no intention of removing it. I had several other rings that fit my left hand that I wanted to wear.. Bear in mind, I have worn this ring working in the yard or any other dirty work for several years.
In the event some of you do not think the ring is vintage enough, the hand that wears it definitely is. This is the hand I wore the ring on. My thumb did not get into this shot. If you will notice, my ring finger( third from the left) is red just below the knuckle. This is the result of a major procedure. It stayed red and black for several days.
Far an hour and half I went through this nerve wracking experience. He had to use this tool to cut the ring off.
He put the cutter under my ring and twisted the saw by hand until he could not turn it anymore. That round thing is a saw. He asked another employee to take over far a few minutes. The band on my ring was so heavy and thick, it took forever to cut through it.When they slid the plate under my ring, and started cutting process, it made the ring tighter on my finger. Which was very painful. Since I was not freaked out enough, the second fellow using the saw, slightly nicked my hand. If you look close, you will see a red spot on my hand. Needless to say, I was really stressed after this ordeal. Took me and hand a couple of days to get over this.
A loud "pop" sounded when they finally cut through the band. However, it still would not go over my knuckle. They had to take these type pliers and pull the band wide apart to get it off my finger.
Posted by LV at 8:00 PM 25 comments
Labels: VTT
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Outdoor Wednesday
Posted by LV at 4:00 PM 4 comments
Labels: outdoor Wed.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Blue Monday
Sorry I missed the blues for last Monday. Nice to be on Blue Monday with Sally and her friends.
Posted by LV at 11:00 PM 13 comments
Labels: Blue Monday
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Shadow Shot Sunday 2
Me and my shadows are back this week. I regret I have missed s few Shadow Shot Sunday2, but things just happen and puts a clog in your wheel. Drop by http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com and let our hostesses, Magical Mystical, Gemma Wiseman and Rose (Chubskult), know what a great job they do each week.
Posted by LV at 3:00 PM 22 comments
Labels: SSS
Friday, July 20, 2012
Pink Saturday
Posted by LV at 2:00 PM 24 comments
Labels: pink Sat.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Vintage Thursday on Camp Bowie/Fort Worth, Texas
We are really going back in time today with Coloradolady. I recently saw these murals on a building depicting the history of a well known street in the city where I live, Fort Worth, Texas.. I found it so interesting and rather fascinating. If you go to http://coloradolady.blogspot.com., you definitely will find many Vintage Thingies.
Construction of Camp Bowie began as a camp about three miles West of downtown Fort Worth. It was established to give training to the Third-sixth Infantry Division This Division remained at Camp Bowie for ten months. At that time, they were sent to France. The camp continued to function as an infantry replacement and training center until August 15,1919. It was closed, demobilized, and quickly converted to a residential area. Today, it is one of the busiest areas West of downtown Fort Worth.
Posted by LV at 8:30 PM 17 comments
Labels: VTT


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Howard "Ford" Sypher specializes in chaos. A former member of the elite Army Rangers, he served three tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. Now a civilian, he and a team of war veterans chase disasters—tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, hurricanes in New York—to help people in the aftermath. He is used to the unexpected.
And so he was ready for action this week in Washington, D.C., when he came upon a sudden crisis on a busy city street. A car had swerved out of control, plowing into two other cars, then smacking into several people on the sidewalk. One woman was hit so hard, he says, "it blew her shoes and socks off."
Sypher was in town for Newsweek and The Daily Beast's inaugural Hero Summit, honoring military leaders and other people of courage. He had spoken at the summit about how veterans are coming together by the thousands through his nonprofit group, Team Rubicon, to serve as volunteers in disaster zones.
He didn't expect to find himself in the middle of a disaster on the streets of the capital city. But when it happened, he knew what to do.
In a taxi on Friday when the accident occurred, he jumped out and ran to the people lying sprawled on the sidewalk. "I thought I was gonna find people in pieces," he says. "I expected to find hamburger all over the place. Luckily, no one was dead."
Sypher, who had trained as an emergency medical technician in the military, performed an immediate triage on the two people who'd been struck, checking them for injuries and broken bones; then he calmed the shocked group of bystanders. The paramedics came and whisked the victims away; it was unclear why the driver had lost control.
At the scene, he says, a homeless veteran walked up and offered to help. Sypher handed him his card.
"It just happens like that," he says.
Sypher went back to his hotel, washed off the blood, and ate a slice of apple pie. That night, he boarded a train for New York, to resume his work in the Rockaways, the Queens neighborhood decimated by Hurricane Sandy. He has been working there for weeks, living in a van. Before the summit, he says, "I hadn't showered or shaved in a week and a half."
Sypher, a 26-year-old Kansas native, has a wild life story, beginning with a teenage adventure in South America. After high school, he moved to the jungles of Peru, working and studying with a professor he knew from the University of Kansas. His parents were both academics, and he had "grown up on college campuses," he says. In Peru, he saw an opportunity to learn about indigenous tribes—and much more.
"I saw it all—tribal warfare, violence, illegal mining, illegal lumber training, human trafficking," he says. "I gained a passion for human rights, indigenous rights, conflict resolution."
The jungles, he says, were "completely devoid of white Western influences." He remembers asking the tribesmen if they knew about how the Twin Towers had been hit by terrorists. The men produced an old calendar with a dusty image of the World Trade Center, probably given to them by a missionary. The towers didn't seem real to them, he says; the image was from another world. "Their perception of life and history is all very fluid," he said. "It was too difficult for them to understand."
He moved back to the States to study anthropology and global studies at the University of Kansas, but quickly found that he didn't fit in. Students were speaking academically about human rights and conflict, with no real-life experience, he says. When he tried to talk about his life with the tribes of Peru, he says, "It was like teaching a young child about sex by forcing him to watch porn." He adds, "I didn't hold it against them, by any means. But I knew I was different. I needed to be on the ground."
In 2006, when he was around 20 years old, he withdrew from the university and enlisted in the Army. "Every generation of my family has served in some capacity—through teaching, public service, the military," he says. In the Army, he began to understand his own country, he says: "I met people from all over the country. It was great. These people become your family. You support one another. It's emotional to even talk about it."
He joined the Rangers, the elite special-operations unit of the Army. "We like to compete with the Navy SEALs," he says. "They can play in the water. We're better on the land." He jokes that the SEALs are more well-known because "they have a better propaganda machine. We don't talk about it."
After five years in the Army, with multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Sypher needed a change. For one thing, he had fallen in love, and was planning to get married. "We had been dating for two years," he says. "She was a nurse. It was a classic love story."
However, when he returned home, life became less clear. He remembers sitting at the sprawling Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee with his girlfriend and thousands of revelers, thinking, "A week ago I was getting shot at in Afghanistan." That day, his father had a massive heart attack.
He went home to spend time with his dad, and found himself questioning his future, his plans for marriage, everything. In the military, he says, "I'd been so focused—I had purpose, drive, mission." He began to think about possibly reenlisting. He told his girlfriend that he needed some time to clear his mind, a concept she didn't fully understand.
He "packed a bag and went to South America," he says, working on a documentary film with a friend in Venezuela. His relationship with his girlfriend back home dissolved. Weeks of soul-searching followed. And then, he connected with one of his father's former students, a man who was starting an aid group with a unique goal, enlisting vets to serve as volunteers—Team Rubicon.
Sypher liked the sound of that. In the spring of 2011, he went with the group to tornado-ravaged Alabama. He remembers seeing the guys on that trip "getting their gear ready for the mission," just like in the war zones. They were preparing to clear debris, to bring people to safety, using the skills they'd learned in the military. Suddenly he had found his place.
Since then, Sypher, now director of field operations, has been across the country, and to the other side of the world in the refugee camps of South Sudan. "There's a dual-service angle," he says of his work, as he prepares for a day in the Rockaways, where Rubicon has galvanized some 5,000 volunteer veterans. "We're providing service to those most in need—while helping save ourselves."