text:
'I': saakshi chaitanya – my 'truth'
i : reflection of the 'truth', vyaavahaarika Chaitanyam. The 'I' which is covered by ignorance and appearing as if it is a separate entity.
'I', which appears as i is ever existent all-knowing, all pervading, undifferentiated chit, Pure knowledge. i am non different from 'I'. Whenever 'I' connect Myself with My adjunct 'maayaa,
'I' appear to Myself as a seprate entity – i.
'I' appear to Myself as a seprate entity – i.
1. Always existent: 'I' appear in all the three states of existence, viz. jagrat svapna sushupti – i.e. waking, dream and deep sleep. These three states keep changing always, one coming after another. The knowledge existing in one state does not remain in another state. Yet i as 'I' know that 'I' existed in all the three varying states continuously without change. If it was not so, i who am a separate entity in this waking state will not be able to state with conviction that i slept well or that i dreamt while i was asleep.
2. Always aware: My knowledge and My existence as Pure Consciousness are non different from each other. Even though for the sake of clarity 'I' am known as 'sat' (Truth) and chit (Intelligence) differently, there is no differentiation in 'Me'. 'I' am ever existent awareness.
3. Always undivided : 'I' in this waking state appear as i with several other i's subject to various divisions and appearing as separate from each other. Similarly in dream state also even though 'I' appeared with body and limbs, 'I' know that 'I' existed in the form of pure knowledge only and appeared to myself as many. From this 'I' as 'I' know that there is no change whatsoever in me even though 'I' appeared to myself as being many. 'I' am therefore always undivided.
4. Chit: In the dream state, the usually known lighting equipment like lamps or the knowledge through which we learn about things in the waking state are not there. Yet remaining as 'I' and without such equipment and tools of learning in the dream state, 'I' saw and knew the things in the dream state. How was 'I' able to do this? It is because 'I' am self effulgent, always illumining knowledge – chit, through which 'I' saw and understood things in the dream state.
5. All pervading : From the foregoing we understand that i is undifferentiated and pure and all pervading, as 'I'. Covered by ignorance i think that i am bound within this body.
6. Pure knowledge: in my three states of existence viz. jagrat svapna sushupti, all activities taking place here do not affect 'Me' because 'I' merely remain as a support for the three states and exist unchanging as Pure knowledge in all these states.
Since 'I' am chit – Intelligence, 'I' imagine all things other than myself within Myself by Myself. Since all things are subject to My imagination, these things do not have a separate existence by themselves. Even though non existent, these things appear to exist only when 'I' imagine their existence.
In the states of dream and waking, inside and outside my body, it appears as though i see and understand various things with the help of my indriyas (sense organs). During all such times when i see things and know things, i becomes 'I'. How? If i do not remain as 'I', i will not be able to exist as i or see or know anything round me at all. Why? Because i am only a projection of 'I' in My own imagination. If 'I' am not there how can My projection which is i exist? A thing which is imagined cannot in reality exist. Since in reality it is non existent, it cannot see or understand things. Yet i exist. How? Because i am none other than 'I' cit – Intelligence. Since i am cit, i appear to be seeing and knowing things around me. When i see this body i know it is myself.
Through the sense organ 'eye', i see this body which appears to be mine. Eyes are a part of the body which is itself an imagined entity. Since it is a part of the imagined body, the eye too is a false entity. But as 'I', i now and see this body.
Just as 'I' appears as i in this waking state, 'I' appear as i in the dream state also, in which state i saw myself and others in dream without the sense organ eye in that state. 'I' saw then because of My own effulgence – 'I' know this now. But i as i in this waking state do not know this. Why? Because i was sleeping at that time. Yet i, at that time in dream state or now in waking state, am non different from 'I'. because 'I' alone exist. 'I' alone exist during the dream state or during the waking state or at any other time (i.e. when 'I' do not imagine my existence at all.)
In the state of deep state (during which period either the i which exists along with body in jagrat state or the i which exists without the body in dream state is not there. 'I' existed and 'I' know now that 'I' existed then. Is it not so?
i appear and disappear, appear and disappear, but i as 'I' exist permanently always with knowledge. i is not different from 'I'. if i am different from 'I' how and where can i really exist? Since 'I' alone exist i must be existing only in 'I'. since 'I' am indivisible 'I' cannot in reality exist as i and 'I' separately and simultaneously at any time. Therefore 'I' alone appear to Myself as i at different times. Even though in reality 'I' am always 'I', 'I' appear to Myself in My imagination as though 'I' have converted Myself as i with body and limbs.
Though because of the connection with unexplainable ignorance (anirvacanéyä mäyä) which 'I' have sheltered in Myself, 'I' appear as i. i always remain as 'I' since i a ever existent pure knowledge. i and all that i comprehend through my sense organs are the product of ignorance and therefore false. This 'I' know for certain. Whether as i or as 'I', 'I' alone am the seer of everything, knower of everything. What do 'I' see? what do 'I' know? Existing as pure knowledge, 'I' see and know all those things which 'I' imagine within Myself. 'i'know that all these things are false (because these are merely My imaginations). Further as pure knowledge, 'I' know that 'I' am the source for all that is seen and known including the i with body and limbs.
'I' am 'bhumaa' (immensity). Ignorance is alpam (small). When ignorance manifests, it covers a very small portion of Myself. When thus covered, 'I' appear as i. since 'I' am ever existent cit, with My own knowledge i think that i am different from 'I'. but as the remaining limitless bhumaa, 'I' know Myself as pure chit. Since i alone exist, whether covered with ignorance or uncovered as Myself, i consider myself as 'I' pure cit. 'I' know that 'I' exist as bhumaa. When covered by the alpam – ignorance, 'I' Myself become the ignorant i. An ignorant i. who does not know its true svaroopa. (How wonderful!)
Sisnce this matter is proved only by experience, it has to be accepted as long as 'I' remain as i. i think that i am subjected to dvaita whenever 'I' appear as i ('I' covered by ignorance). But since i am not different from 'I', when i enter into my bhumaa' position, i remain only as 'I'.
Did 'I' really exist as i? no. 'I' existed as i only in My imagination. Why? Since 'i'am indivisibl;e how can 'I' be different from Myself? So it has to be an imagination only.
i shall now remain as 'I' and analyse if, in reality, i am different from 'I'. as the limitless bhumaa, my real svaroopa – pure knowledge – cit – i shall now investigate myself remaining as 'I'.
As the limitless bhumaa and existing as pure knowledge and knowing that 'I' am all this, what do 'I' see? not with this sense organ 'eye' but by My knowledge and by Myself? 'I' see Myself in a portion of Myself as i, i1, i2, i3, i4, world.
Do i not see this? Yes, i see it. Even though i think that i see, i actually see them remaining as 'I'. Why do i think that i see? Because of My imagination. i think like that. When 'I' see Myself through this veil of imagination, 'I' appear to Myself as i, i2, i3, world etc. In reality, 'I' do not exist as several i's. Since these are images produced in My imagination, they are all false. However, when i exist as a projection of cit through the veil of ignorance i appear as a separate entity to me. In reality such existence is not there at all.
How can i know about this with certainty? If 'I' investigate My three states – jagrat svapna sushupti ( waking, dream and deep sleep) i will know about this with certainty. For example in the dream state 'I' existed as i. Moreover i saw several i's there. Yet 'I' knew that i existed in dream state only as an appearance. Not only this i but also other i's seen in dream state were also only appearances and 'I' know this for sure. The appearance of i in the jägrat state also is of similar kind. (i have no knowledge that it is 'I').
i consider myself to be i. but in reality i am 'I'. even when 'I' exist as i, i1, i2, i3, 'I', know that these are mere appearances and that these are false. Only when 'I', exist as a separate entity i, i1, or i2, 'I' am subjected to grief and sorrow. Instead of seeing as a separate i, if 'I' see Myself in My real svaroopa as the Seer and knower of everything then for this i there is no delusion of mind and there is no sorrow since i then attains self knowledge and knows it is and becomes 'I', ekatvam adviteeyam, 'I'.
Mananam Pages
The Aha Experience:
Ultimate Reality
Experience of Self
Self Awareness
Competency for Vedanta
My duty
Reap what you Sow
Conscious Witness


text:
Tomson Highway's Cree opera Pimooteewin: The Journey is touring northern Ontario April 22-May 7 with upcoming stops in Thunder Bay, Atikokan, Chapleau, Wawa, Marathon and Red Rock.
"Pimooteewin: The Journey is culturally provocative and profoundly Canadian," said Lawrence Cherney, artistic director of Soundstreams, the organization bringing the opera to northern Ontario. "It is a true reflection of Canadian culture and society in 2009. Pimooteewin celebrates universal themes of life and death and weaves together music and ideas from globally diverse genres, artists and traditions."
Choreographed and directed by Cree actor, choreographer and dancer Michael Greyeyes, the opera was written by Highway and the music created by award-winning Canadian composer Melissa Hui.
The opera features two Aboriginal mythology characters, the Trickster (Weesageechak) and the Eagle (Migisoo), as they journey across a river to the magic island where the Spirits of the Dead perform a nocturnal dance in the moonlight. The Trickster and Eagle capture the Spirits in a basket, but on their triumphant journey home, the Spirits escape.
"Trickster serves a tremendous role through our Aboriginal culture because through his mischief, joy and machinations he teaches us humanity about ourselves," Greyeyes said.
The opera, which tackles the sensitive subjects of life and death with the profound wisdom and humour typical of Tomson Highway's writing, has already been performed in Red Lake and Sioux Lookout.
Traditionally, I was told that life was without dysfunction and all peoples embraced their individual, family and community moments, with language and...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The above exhibition is going off like a prawn on a radiator this week. HLD TGHT presents Joyride Playground. An exhibition of 30+ (I think) artists making stuff on site in the Soup Kitchen Basement, in the belly of Good Grief!, it's just underneath the shop. You can't miss it. Lots of good people involved, and me, including shop faves Dylan Hughes, John Butcher and Alison Forde. The idea is that you can come down and watch people creating during the open studios of today til Thursday then taste the finished fructose on Friday during the launch party on Friday 17th December 7pm - 10pm. And why wouldn't yow? Highly advisable.
Monday, 13 December 2010
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
If it hasn't become abundantly clear to those that view my blog with any regularity, I fancy myself to be a writer. In all seriousness, I make part of my living with words. My only complaint is that I cannot yet sustain myself on these earnings.
Recently, I wrote a piece called "I don't want kids." The post was, to oversimplify, about how monumentally frustrating it is to have people try and tell you how to live. I have made a sound decision and it is not one that I should have to justify.
The response to this post was surprising. I received feedback from like-minded individuals with their stories and frustrations. I received private notes about sticking to my guns. I had one person tell me it made her think about her conduct in the past. The post made people reflect, emote and share.
I couldn't ask for more.
It's moments like those that remind me why I love writing.


text:
Join me
@ IBOtoolbox for free.
Mike Larson
Member Since: 2/14/2013
performance / stats
United States
Likes Received:
Featured Member:
0 times
Wall Posts:
Comments Made:
Press Releases:
profile visitor stats
are we ibo associates?
recent press releases
1 Cent FB Clicks Review
Best Aion Guide Of All Aion leveling Guides!
business links
How Much Does It Cost To Build...
recent videos
Aion Guide
Mobile Blog Money
My Vegas Business
member advertising
active associates
Mark Turnbull
Last logged on: 6/20/2019
Ann Moses
Last logged on: 6/19/2019
Constance Hammond
Last logged on: 6/19/2019
Brandon J Urquhart I
Last logged on: 6/18/2019
Zakariyya Spain
Last logged on: 6/17/2019
howie martell
Last logged on: 6/15/2019
IBOtoolbox Admin
Last logged on: 6/7/2019
Thomas Mueller
Last logged on: 5/24/2019
Marc Shamus
Last logged on: 5/21/2019
Silvia Shamus
Last logged on: 5/8/2019
Gregory Fox
Last logged on: 4/19/2019
Nikko Farr
Last logged on: 4/8/2019
Oleksandr Nedbaylo
Last logged on: 4/7/2019
Dwight Walker
Last logged on: 3/11/2019
Joel Benton
Last logged on: 12/21/2018
other ibo platforms
view advertiser
social wall
my businesses
press releases
learn more
Mike Larson
My Press Releases
Best Aion Guide Of All Aion leveling Guides!
Published on 2/15/2013
For additional information
Click Here
Aion, a Game that we all love, although some find it hard to evolve and succeed, and for most of the players the Hardest task in game is gaining Kinah (In-game currency). In my opinion the best solution to this issue is a simple Aion Guide, so forget about buying Kinah on the internet, it will get your account banned! trust me i know it will happen... so you can simply get a game guide, but don't just get any guide, i've read pretty much all of them for this game and for Aion only two were good, but one of those two was perfect, well 4 out of 5. Get the aion leveling guide at: http://bit.ly/15hShzX So What Can This Aion guide Offer you? To start With ranking in Aion will be So much easier with this aion leveling guide, detailed step-by-step instructions are provided so you won't have to waste your time doing unnecessary things and tasks to Get EXP, forget about bots because you won't even need them, besides bots are as illegal as buying kinah online. Special Hidden Quests are revealed for every level, These Quests will grant you Extremely rare Armors, Weapons & Items, that are untradable and to be honest Much better than the ones you can get from the Broker, so you will be guaranteed Excellent and Updated Gear Saving you Millions In Kinah, and guaranteeing your success on PVP and PVE Battles! An All Time Exclusive And By Far the best point of this guide, How to make Amazing amounts of Kinah, yes we are talking about Millions of Kinah Everyday, i was blown away by how sneaky these methods are, here you will discover how to make potentially 30 to 50 Million Kinah With Very Little work very night... this will grant you a huge advantage over other players, my friends Could Not find out how i managed to get the same amount of kinah that my friends have been saving up through out their hole leveling experience, within 2 days! An Incredible system on how to Win over 95% of your PVP battles, this will really annoy your enemies, and make you a Very Valuable member of a clan. How To create and build an amazing clan that will pay you weekly kinah just to be in the clan! This part was setup by the creators of the Top 2 clans in aion at the time, they will unveil to you how they created a responsive, helping and cooperative clan and how you can do it yourself . Overall this is an incredibly simple step-by-step guide that can assist everyone, no matter what level you are the potential in this is incredible this guide is truly a Master Piece of the Aion Community, and is Updated almost Weekly ! Check out their guide at: http://bit.ly/15hShzX
Aion Guide
Aion Guides
Aion leveling guide
Member Note: To comment on this PR, simply click reply on the owners main post below.
Copyright 2016 IBOsocial
Part of the IBOtoolbox family of sites.


text:
"Celebrate life's beautiful detours, create your everyday miracles, and keep your hunger alive."
Amy Oestreicher
Westport, Connecticut
Price Range
Materials Uploaded
Fee range: sign in to view
Amy Oestreicher | Westport, Connecticut
Expert Speaker on
Amy Oestreicher can speak in Keynote, Workshop, Panel and Webinar sessions.
Amy Oestreicher is a 28 year old actress, musician, teacher, composer, dancer, writer, artist, yogi, foodie, and general lover of life. Surviving...
Sign in to view this entire profile.
Videos & Presentations
Sign in to see the rest of this profile.


text:
Status: Under Implementation
Promoter: Shangri-la Hotels & Resorts
Project: Constructing the 'Shangri-La Palm Retreat', a 300 rooms hotel
Location: Outer Ring Road, dist. Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Contractor: Adarsh Developers.
Project Details: The hotel will consist of amenities like health club, swimming pool, business centre, banquet and conference rooms, restaurant, bar, etc. According to media reports, the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has signed a management contract with Adarsh Developers which has invested Rs. 5.5-6 billion (excluding land) in developing a 397-key Shangri-La Hotel in Bangalore.
Current Status: Civil work is in progress. The project is scheduled for completion in 2016.


text:
Tag Cloud
Opera Hunter is committed to the new Australian privacy legislation in the way it collects, uses, secures and discloses personal information.
The Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 requires companies to comply with the National Privacy Principles (NPPs). This document describes Opera Hunter Privacy Policy.
The information we collect
We lawfully collect personal information that is necessary for our business to function. The information we collect and hold will depend upon the products and services you request from us and may include:
The use of the facilities and services available through our website will determine the amount and type of information we collect. The only personal information we collect when you use our website is what you tell us about yourself, for example, by completing an online form when you request product information, or when you send us email we will record your mail address.
How we use your information
We use the information we collect for the purpose disclosed at the time of collection or otherwise as set out in this Privacy Statement. We will not use your personal information for any other purpose without first seeking your consent, unless authorized or required by law. Generally we will only use and disclose your personal information:
If we contact you in this way without obtaining your prior consent, we will provide you with the opportunity to decline any further marketing communications. If you at any time receive any communication from Opera Hunter which you would not like to receive, please contact us and we will remove your name from our mailing list.
Access to your personal information
In most cases, you can gain access to the personal information that Opera Hunter holds about you, subject to some exceptions allowed by law. If you would like to check or amend your contact details, please contact us. We will deal with all requests for access to personal information as quickly as possible.
Opera Hunter will take reasonable steps to keep secure any personal information which we hold and to keep this information accurate and up to date. Personal information is stored in a secure server or secure files.
The Internet is not always a secure method of transmitting information. Accordingly, Stockman's Sheepskin Factory cannot accept responsibility for the security of information you send to, or receive from us over the Internet or for any unauthorized access or use of that information
Changes to this Privacy Policy
It may be necessary for us to review and revise our Privacy Policy from time to time. An amended version will be posted on this page. We suggest that you visit our website regularly to keep up to date with any changes.
Contact Us
If you would like any further information, or have any queries, problems or complaints in relation to this Privacy Policy or our information handling practices in general, please contact us on email@example.com.


text:
fitness device
now browsing by tag
New Exercise Applications For 2009 – Modern Equipment For Weightloss
Abdomen fats are the consequence of your life-style that you've got selected. Feeding on different types of food items without having getting chosen restrictions will honestly trigger your bellies to protrude. An example of this can be the too significantly usage of carbohydrate based totally foodstuff although not any physical pursuits that could utilize them. Some useful questions on fundamental issues in fitbit charge hr vs surge. Being a consequence, stomach fats are starting to arrive out and bodyweight boosts promptly.
The cheapest upright is the Weslo Pursuit two.0 DS bicycle – product WLEX0901 – that retails for under 100 dollars. It will come with cross-training arms to help you operate the upper system for the duration of a exercise session; that is relatively similar to the Schwinn AirDyne bike besides that it truly is one-tenth the cost. So, what does 80 bucks get you? Perfectly, you obtain an extremely, really modest console that tracks your speed, time, distance, energy burned and tests your eyesight. The resistance could be manually altered as well as the arms can be used in and out of conjunction along with the pedals.
Initially I am going to discuss a bit bit with regard to the Tower 200 and why it has obtained a lot of focus, then I will talk about many of its key characteristics to help you make decide irrespective of whether or not this item is correct for you personally. Last but not least, I'll wrap up my Human body By Jake Tower 200 assessment with insider details on exactly where to have the very best deal within the Tower 200.
All those of you which have households recognize that summer months is one of the busiest instances from the year. The children are household from university and so they have nothing to accomplish for months on close – so it's your obligation to keep them occupied and out of difficulty. Does that audio like the sort of plan that permits for a good exercise session?
With the male on your own list, the TRX Training Process remains 1 from the best physical fitness traits of 2010. Use this overall entire body exercise device at the health and fitness center, or acquire it for a friend or family members member to use at your home. Right now, appreciate 15% off and free shipping over the TRX Professional Pack. Think about incorporating a session or two using a Twin Metropolitan areas individual trainer that can help your present receiver start out on the correct keep track of.
Many people like socializing with pal although dining out in dining establishments. Yet, eating places ordinarily provide quite major part measurements which gave lots of additional energy than the usual regular food eaten at your house. The wise factor to accomplish below is prevent taking in just before you think you might be complete, or consume within a gradual fashion to permit your tummy to find out it truly is whole. Or else you can just get smaller food dimensions as the majority of enough time it will eventually be ample. If you're famished, you always conclude up ordering also substantially food stuff and then you can not finish everything.
You're able to change the resistance of one's individual bicycle for being ready to target just the degree you involve to remain ideal inside your training zone. And perhaps in the event your own private exercising bike is actually a significant element within your exercising system, it is possible to mix all other forms of exercise. Pace wander, jogging, hike, row, virtually any cardio health and fitness work out that actually functions with your behalf is really transfer to create. And certainly alter matters close to. Do all kinds of different exercise sessions and you are much less possible to obtain bored. Monotony is without a doubt a killer of doing exercises programs. Get fed up therefore you will possible throw within the towel.
Whilst it really is not important to be part of a gym to shed weight, lots of people do nicely with this type of environment. In case you are undecided whether the gym could be the right option, visit a nearby facility and ask for for your free demo membership, then attract your conclusions. I for a person thrive within this style of environment, so how about you?


text:
- Health
Patient Care
I Want To...
I Want To...
Find Research Faculty
Enter the last name, specialty or keyword for your search below.
School of Medicine
I Want to...
Apply for Admission
Or find a doctor at another Johns Hopkins Medicine Member Hospital:
Lauren M. Sauer, M.S.
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Research Interests: Disaster impact assessments; Volunteerism in disasters; Quality of aid in disaster response; Hospital surge capacity
Lauren Sauer is the director of Operations with the Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR). She is also a research associate in the Department of Emergency Medicine and a doctoral candidate in health and public policy in the Johns Hopkins Department of Health Policy and Management, where she studies quality of aid in response to disasters and the effects of disasters on health care infrastructure. She joined the department in 2005 and became a research faculty member in 2011. Sauer is also the program manager for the National Center for the Study of Preparedness and Catastrophic Event Response (PACER), a Department of Homeland Security Emeritus Center of Excellence. She is the current chair for the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's Disaster Interest Group and the co-director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine disaster course.
She is a core team leader on the Johns Hopkins Go Team, a deployable medical asset. She has worked remotely and on the ground for several disaster responses, including Hurricane Katrina, the 2009 California wildfires, the Haiti earthquake, the Pakistan floods and, more recently, the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa.
Sauer has spoken both nationally and internationally on a variety of disaster medicine topics. She has also participated in the U.S. Navy's Continuing Promise missions in 2010 and 2011 and its Pacific Partnership mission in 2012. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications in disaster medicine, public health preparedness and surge capacity metrics. She sits on the editorial board of the American Journal of Disaster Medicine.
- Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Departments / Divisions
- B.S., Boston University (Massachusetts) (2005)
- M.S., Towson University (Maryland) (2009)
Research & Publications
Selected Publications
Kelen G.D., Sauer L.M., Clattenburg E., Lewis-Newby M. Pediatric Disposition Classification (Reverse-Triage) System to Create Surge Capacity. Dis Med and Pub Health Prep J. Epub 2015 Mar 27
Jalali S., Sauer L.M. Improving Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patients in the Emergency Department. Annals Emerg Med. 2015 March. Epub ahead of print.
Epstein J.M., Sauer L.M., Chelen J., Hatna E., Parker J., Rothman R.E., Rubinson L. Infectious disease: Mobilizing Ebola survivors to curb the epidemic. Nature. 2014 Dec 18;516(7531):323-5
Sauer L.M., Catlett C., Tosatto R., Kirsch T.D. The utility of and risks associated with the use of spontaneous volunteers in disaster response: a survey. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2014 Feb;8(1):65-9.


text:
Kathleen from Charm Bracelet Diva {at Home} was inspired by Pottery Barn's beachy summer vases to create her own. Kathleen gathered items from around her home, including sand and shells from a beach vacation, to pull together her summertime hurricane. She says, "I just love it when I can make something inexpensively that sells for beaucoup bucks somewhere else, don't you?" You know I sure do!
Kathleen was inspired by the Aegean Hurricanes from Pottery Barn.
Read more at Charm Bracelet Diva {at Home}.


text: 04/04/2018 We are conducting a major upgrade to the content management system that runs the website. From April 4 to April 16, the UW Bothell website will not be updated. In the event of an emergency, information will be available on our back-up site at www.uwbalert.com. This is a major advance with significant benefits: • During this upgrade we will move the UW Bothell website into its new home in the cloud, hosted by Amazon Web Services. This will make our website more reliable and improve performance for website editors. • We've done a great deal of infrastructure work to ensure future Kentico upgrades will be faster, better and cheaper. • The website will be more accessible to users with disabilities. We are indebted to the Information Technology Enterprise Services Delivery Team and the Advancement & External Relations Web Team for their dedicated work on this project. Read more about the Kentico upgrade on our project page. Share this article on Twitter Facebook LinkedIn


text:
Date of release: Tuesday, January 12, 2016
The gender pay gap and the impact upon women of a changing labour market will be discussed at a University of Greenwich seminar on Wednesday 20 January.
"While the gap between women's and men's pay has been narrowing, in the last few years there have signs that progress has slowed," says Professor Sian Moore, Director of the university's Work and Employment Research Unit, part of its Business School. "In particular, the gap in the public sector has increased for two years running.
"This seminar offers an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in equality issues to understand what is happening to the gender pay gap in a period of austerity, when we're seeing changes to women's employment and cuts in public sector jobs."
The event is open to all and will feature talks by three experts from, respectively, the Office for National Statistics, the TUC and the Institute for Fiscal Studies. There will be the opportunity for those attending to ask questions.
David Freeman, from the Office for National Statistics, will look at long-term trends in the gender pay gap and in women's participation in the labour market, focusing on the impact of the recent downturn and recovery. He has worked as a statistician at ONS in a number of roles including business prices, production statistics and earnings.
Sally Brett, Senior Employment Rights Officer at the TUC, will examine the government's proposals for gender pay gap reporting and the impact this is likely to have on achieving greater equality.
Dr Monica Ciosta Dias, a senior research economist at the Institute of Fiscal Studies, will speak about her studies of human capital dynamics and the wage gap. Her current research is assessing the role of education and employment policies in ensuring economic wellbeing.
For further information please contact Professor Geoffrey K.White, Business School, University of Greenwich, at firstname.lastname@example.com
To find out more about studying business subjects at Greenwich: http://www2.gre.ac.uk/about/faculties/business
Greenwich Research & Enterprise: http://enterprise.gre.ac.uk/


text:
Ground Mounted Solar
With an impressive portfolio of ground mounted solar PV projects, from small installations to large scale ground mounted PV solar farms, JPCS delivers ground mounted PV services in UK for the private and public sectors – with unbeatable construction programme timescales.
JPCS is the largest UK based specialist contractor of ground mounted PV systems – having completed over 10MWp of ground mounted solar PV projects in 2011 alone, and a total of 20MWp to date, since the first installation trials with Groundscrew® in 2010. We have the capacity to deliver over 1.5MWp of ground mounted solar PV installations per week and the ability to meet any demand.
Our service delivery is focused on client requirements, quality outcomes and exceptional customer care. All our ground solar installations are undertaken by a highly skilled workforce, combined with effective resource and project management, and superior products. In addition, we have a track record of prompt mobilisation and even faster construction programmes for any ground mounted PV system.
For more information, download our ground mounted solar pv brochure.
Innovative PV mounting systems
Exclusively distributed and installed in the UK by JPCS, the innovative Groundscrew® and FLEXIII® systems are designed to maximise productivity, sustainability, and value for money.
Our Groundscrew® has been tested and used for over 10 years across Europe as a ground mounted PV system foundation and was used to install 200MW in 2011 alone. Groundscrew® is widely used across the world market and by playing a leading role in the ground mounted solar industry is the UK system of choice.
An ISO certified ground mounted PV system, Groundscrew® is structurally tested and certified to stringent guidelines. As well as a full two year warranty on all ground mounted PV installations with subsequent inspection, Groundscrew® and FLEXIII® also benefit from a 20 year Krinner manufacturers' warranty on manufacturing faults and material failure.
Some of the benefits of Groundscrew® solar photovoltaic include clean, fast and easy installation and removal, no excavation or concreting, as well as no landfill. Although it has a life span of up to 50 years, Groundscrew® can be completely and easily removed as required, with minimum impact to the surroundings, so that the land used for solar farming can be quickly returned to its original use.
FLEXIII®is a lightweight, high strength, modular panel support for solar PV mounting systems, specifically designed as a connection between the Groundscrew® and the solar PV panel. Some of the benefits of FLEXIII®include simple and fast installation, flexible rail positions to suit solar panel size, and flexible support frame spacing to suit wind loading.
Impressive scale and unbeatable construction programme timescales
The Groundscrew® and FLEXIII® ground mounted PV system foundation has been used to build two of the UK's largest solar farms.
A typical 50kW solar installation using the Groundscrew® and FLEXIII® system takes two and a half days to complete – a significant time reduction when compared to traditional concrete foundations for PV mounting systems – with uncompromising quality.
Ground mounted solar PV installation
Since 2011, we have installed some of the UK's largest solar farms, including a 4.1MWp project for British Gas in Derbyshire at the Toyota car plant, and a 5MWp project for Anesco at the Cadland Estate in Fawley. Visit our case studies area for more information about our ground mounted solar projects.
The short video below illustrates the process and some of the benefits of using Krinner ground screws for ground mounted solar projects.
About solar PV
Solar PV is a low carbon renewable technology that generates electricity directly from sunlight, using photovoltaic cells. Solar photovoltaic installations are a popular choice of renewable energy technology due to legislation, regulation, and environmental concerns.
Photovoltaic technology brings significant savings to users by generating electricity on site, other than relying on electricity from the grid. Photovoltaic technology can also provide a cost effective solution in areas where connection to the grid is more expensive or less practicable, such as remote locations.
"We were one of the first ground mounted solar projects in the UK. We are very pleased with the system and the installation."
Shaun Hawkey, The Olde House


text:
I have written a number of book, movie, and game reviews for this blog and it is easy to lose track of them. I decided to create a page to help me keep track of them.
Caddie Woodlawn
Caddie Woodlawn's Family
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House in the Ozarks: A Laura Ingalls Wilder Sampler: The Rediscovered Writings
A Little House Traveler: Writings From Laura Ingall's Wilders Journeys Across America
Early Readers:
Bread and Jam for Frances
Eary Chapter Book Series:
Wright on Time Arizona
The Best Kind of Different
English Language Picture Books to Teach: Idioms, Parts of Speech,etc.
Brian Cleary's Language Series
Compound Words
If You Were A Contraction
The King Who Rained
English Non-fiction Resources:
Punctuation the Write Stuff
Colonial America:
The Dreadful Smelly Colonies
The Pilgrims of Plimoth
The Pilgrims of Plymouth
Samuel Eaton's Day
Sarah Moton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl
The Story of Jamestown
Tapenum's Day: A Wampanoag Indian Boy in Pilgrim Times
Three Young Pilgrims
The Voyage of the Mayflower
You Wouldn't Want to be an American Colonist
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Mayflower a Trip that Took Entirely Too Long
American Revolution:
The Battle of Bunker Hill and Interactive History
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre and Interactive History
Let it Begin Here! April 19, 1775 The Day the American Revolution Began
Let it Begin Here! Lexington and Concord First Battles of the American Revolution
Paul Revere's Midnight Ride
The Revolutionary War an Interactive History
You Wouldn't Want to be at the Boston Tea Party
World History:
Ancient Egypt: A Guide to Egypt in the Time of the Pharoahs (Sightseers)
Other History:
Usborne Time Traveler
Historical Fiction:
Ben and Me
Day of Glory The Guns at Lexington and Concord
Dectectives in Togas
Minute Boys of Bunker Hill
The Minute Boys of Lexington
Mr. Revere and I
Snow Treasure
Usborne Time Traveler
Math Literature:
If You Were a Fraction
Key to the Treasure
Picture Books
Believe Me Goldilocks Rocks
Cinderella is So Annoying
Frog and Toad are Friends
Goldilocks Returns
Honestly Red Riding Hood Was Rotton
Make Way for Ducklings
Hailstones and Halibut Bones
The Brass Family on Parade
Realistic Fiction
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Eyes and Ears
Science Fiction/Fantasy:
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarian
Alcatraz Versus the Scriverner's Bones
Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia
Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens
Chronicles of the Red King
The Secret Kingdom
Cricket in Times Square
Rise of the Evening Star
Grip of the Shadow Plague
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
Keys to the Demon Prison
Frog Princess
Frog Princess
Dragon's Breath
Once Upon a Curse
No Place for Magic
Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow
Jane Austen Parodies:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
The Name of the Book is Secret
Percy Jackson Series:
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
Battle of the Labyrinth
The Last Olympian
Heroes of Olympus
The Lost Hero
Kane Chronicles
The Red Pyramid
The Throne of Fire
Peter and the Starcatchers
Sisters Grimm
The Fairytale Dectectives
Unusual Suspects
The Problem Child Book 3
Once Upon a Crime Book 4
Magic and Midemeanors Book 5
Tales From the Hood Book 6
The Everafter War Book 7
The Inside Story Book 8
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Dance on Broadway
Just Dance
Beyond the Prairie The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Science Fiction/Fantasy:
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Voyage of the Dawn Treader


text:
It's rare for a miniseries to end as strongly as it began, and "Haunted Tank" has slowly declined, issue by issue, but only slightly. Henry Flint's art looks a bit less elegantly detailed here, and Frank Marraffino's script is a little less fresh (it's surely difficult to surprise after beginning this incarnation of "Haunted Tank" with such a nice contrast between the blissfully ignorant ghost of J.E.B. Stuart and his postmodern and distinctly multi-racial descendent), but here's the trap that the creative team smartly avoids with this series:
It doesn't become about the racist ghost of a confederate soldier learning to accept the ways of the world today, and it doesn't become about the soldiers of today learning to live with this charming old racist codger.
In other words, it's not "Gran Torino: Iraq."
The tension between (the dead but ghostly) General Stuart and the (very much alive, and black) Sgt. Stuart doesn't dissipate as the story progresses. Marraffino and Flint provide more flashbacks to provide context for General Staurt's own failings as a living human, but that doesn't make the character sympathetic, necessarily. They don't seem to be interested in justifying his racism some kind of historical force that excuses him because of when and where he lived. Instead, they show a man, a flawed man, and the mistakes he made then which correspond to the mistakes he makes (even in ghostly form) today.
Because General J.E.B. Stuart is a man who takes what he wants. He makes war out of a sense of conquest, because he loves the thrill of the battle, the satisfaction of defeating an enemy and taking what once belonged to someone else. Marraffino makes this characterization explicit, as Sgt. Stuart reacts to a reminiscence by the general with words that call out his ancestor as the greedy rapist that he truly is: "You galavant around recklessly with no regard to the cost," he shouts at his spectral companion. And Sgt. Stuart realizes that the "curse" placed upon J.E.B. -- the one that forces him to haunt the wartime exploits of his descendents -- is nothing of the story. General Stuart loves the heat of combat, and his supposed curse is a wish-fulfillment, giving him a chance to fight in an endless war.
It's a spot-on bit of characterization, but it also verges into allegory, as this comic addresses the war in Iraq in a way no other DC comic has. This may be a sanitized version of events -- it certainly is, and a radically abbreviated one as well -- but this comic directly confronts the war in which so many Americans have lost life and limb. And it doesn't trivialize that sacrifice, but it does imply that the thirst for war -- the thirst that drives this ghost of the Confederacy who prances around on his magical spirit horse -- is the thirst that led to the taking of Baghdad and while the generals and politicians might be all to eager to make those kinds of decisions, it's the men and women on the ground who have to deal with the consequences.
It may be an overly simplistic view of the war -- of any war -- but at least it confronts it and raises a voice in protest. You may think a "Haunted Tank" series may not be the right avenue for addressing such a heated political issue, but DC has a history of using war comics to tell anti-war stories, and maybe it's time this one was told.
And the dead guy on the ghost horse was just one way to get the message across.


text:
SenegalRegarded as an example for successful democracy in Africa, Senegal has made significant progress in improving the health of its people, including reductions in measles and malaria causes of death and disability. However, Senegal's prevalence of undernutrition, diarrhea, preterm birth complications, neonatal infections, and HIV&AIDS require increased attention and action.
JSI has worked in Senegal since the mid-eighties, bringing health services and commodities to rural communities. Partnering with projects including the International Trachoma Initiative and the Global Reproductive Health Commodity Security Project, JSI has innovated and improved systems of supply chain management and commodity procurement.
In recent years, Senegal's Ministry of Health has received support from JSI-managed programs to strengthen routine immunization and prepare for new vaccine introduction. JSI also assisted in distributing 790,000 bed nets as part of Senegal's malaria control program.
JSI is also delivering both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions targeting pregnant and lactating women and children via the USAID Feed The Future Initiative health, agriculture, and food security programs through Strengthening Partnerships, Results and Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING) project, focusing on increasing awareness of and demand for good nutrition-related practices and facilitating access to key inputs and services essential for good nutrition.
In alignment with USAID Forward, JSI is the lead implementer on the Live Learn & Play project, a public-private partnership between USAID and the National Basketball Association (NBA), which promotes youth development and leadership by using basketball as a platform to teach life skills, promote education and literacy, encourage inclusion and gender equality, and foster social responsibility among Senegalese youth.
Subcutaneous DMPA Access Collaborative
PATH and JSI are collaborating with ministries of health and country implementing partners to coordinate DMPA SubQ country introduction and scale-up planning and implementation.
Procurement efforts by the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT help diagnose malaria in Senegal
The USAID DELIVER PROJECT supplies a facility in Senegal with teaching microscopes, allowing a core of laboratory technicians to train in recognizing and correctly treating malaria.
Live, Learn, and Play - Senegal
Live, Learn, and Play trains young people between the ages of 13 and 18 in leadership, gender awareness, and equality, as well as community participation through basketball.
Advancing Partners & Communities
JSI is supporting and advancing community programs in more than 30 countries that seek to improve local health services, especially those related to family planning.
Landscape Analysis Synopsis: An Initial Investigation of the Drivers of Routine Immunization System Performance in Africa
Strengthening Partnerships, Results and Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING)
SPRING is scaling up high-impact nutrition practices and policies by providing technical support on preventing stunting and maternal and child anemia, linking agriculture and nutrition, and changing behavior through communication.
USAID | DELIVER PROJECT: Malaria
From 2006 to 2016, JSI procured $923 million worth of safe and effective malaria commodities; delivered them to 27 countries; strengthened malaria supply chains; improved supply chain visibility and accountability; and built local capacity.
Global Reproductive Health Commodity Security for UNFPA
JSI provided technical assistance to UNFPA offices and local counterparts to enhance in-country capacity to forecast, finance, procure, and distributed reproductive health commodities and promote RH commodity security policy dialogue.


text:
49ers threaten to block Joe Montana's project over parking
The 49ers need more parking for their new stadium- and are threatening to block Niners great Joe Montana's plans to build a hotel and entertainment center next door unless they get it.
With Levi's Stadium set to open in August, the team is in a sprint to try to figure out where people will park not just on game days, but when non-football events are held during the week.
Under terms of the 2012 stadium deal, the 49ers are entitled to 789 parking spots on land where Montana's company intends to build a hotel, stores and office space. The site is just across the street from the stadium.
"Their position has been that unless we find other parking acceptable to them, they may not allow the project to go forward," said City Manager Julio Fuentes.
Just sharing parking spaces with the development won't do, the team says. Niners President Larry MacNeil told city officials in a letter Feb. 10 that if Montana's $400 million project goes ahead, Santa Clara needs to come up with 8.5 acres of replacement parking free of charge.
So far, the team has rejected most of 4,000 spaces that the city has proposed as too distant, too waterlogged or beset by other problems.
One suggestion the team has informally floated is to use nearby youth soccer fields as a parking lot on game and event days - something the City Council says is out of the question.
"This is the beginning of the discussion,' said Mayor Jamie Matthews. "I'm sure we will work through the issues."
Robert Mezzetti, an attorney who represents Montana Property Group, did not return calls for comment.
It's a high-stakes game for the politicians who sold the stadium to voters in part by touting the development projects it would attract - just like Montana's - and promised that their kids' soccer fields would be safe.
Call forward: The state Senate's passage of the kill-switch bill was as much about the legislative body's reputation as it was about smartphones.
The point was driven home by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, right after the bill proposed by San Francisco Democratic Sen. Mark Leno initially fell two votes shy of passing. That vote happened after lobbyists from the phone and tech industry worked the Capitol hallways hard.
In a closed-door meeting, Steinberg made it clear to fellow Democrats that - while he wasn't telling anyone how to vote - the bill was going to clear the Senate.
It's no secret that the Senate is under the gun because of ethics and "pay to play" allegations, with one of its members convicted of perjury and two more facing corruption charges.
In fact, Steinberg canceled the annual President's Cup golf tournament last month at the Torrey Pines resort in La Jolla (San Diego County) - where lobbyists contribute $30,000 to $65,000 for a weekend of golf with lawmakers - because of appearances.
Although the Democrats still took the money.
Apparently Steinberg was following the old Jesse Unruh adage that "if you can't drink their booze, take their money, sleep with their women and then vote against 'em, you don't belong in politics."
Oakland pulse: A new poll shows Oakland Mayor Jean Quan narrowly leading a pack of declared and potential challengers - but with just 20 percent of the vote, she's still trailing "undecided."
The David Binder Research poll, commissioned by Oakland's corporate-sponsored Jobs and Housing Coalition, surveyed 400 likely voters from April 28-30. Quan's 20 percent was followed by City Councilwoman Libby Schaaf at 15 percent, with former Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente - who has run twice for mayor but given no hint he plans a third bid - at 13 percent.
All the other candidates placed in single digits, led by political communications professor and TV analyst Joe Tuman at 8 percent, Port Commissioner Bryan Parker at 7 percent, attorney Dan Siegel at 5 percent and City Auditor Courtney Ruby at 4 percent.
With six months to go before the November election and 25 percent of voters still undecided, the race remains wide open.
The survey's margin of error was 4.9 percentage points.
"This is just a snapshot in May," said Greg McConnell, president of the Jobs and Housing Coalition.
McConnell said the pollsters tossed De La Fuente's name into the mix as "a stalking horse" to gauge the possible effect of any well-known latecomer jumping in.
In November, a Binder poll showed Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan - who hasn't said she's running - in first place with 26 percent, compared with 20 percent for Quan. Kaplan wasn't included in the latest poll.
Incidentally, the poll also found that former KPIX-TV anchor Dana King is making a strong showing in her District Two council race, leading Peralta Community College District board President Abel Guillen, 27 percent to 7 percent. Most people, however, haven't made up their minds - 53 percent were undecided.
Why Walmart? State Democratic Party Chairman John Burton joined the chorus of Democrats and labor fans who were not at all happy that President Obama picked Walmart as the place to make a point about solar energy.
"I want to convey my deep disappointment in the decision to highlight one of the most anti-worker, anti-women corporations," Burton wrote in a note to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.
"It's quite embarrassing for us as Democrats."
San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Posts Tagged 'torture'
UN Human Rights Council to Investigate Iran: What it Means
The U.N. Human Rights Council agreed on Thursday to a U.S.-backed proposal to establish a U.N. human rights investigator for Iran, the first in a decade.
The 47-member Geneva forum approved the resolution by 22 votes in favour, 7 against and 14 abstentions, its president, Thai Ambassador Sihasak Phuangketkeow, announced.
The resolution, the text of which is here, essentially will just allow a credible report on human rights abuses in Iran. It will not be enforced actively by the UN – effectively it is a 'name and shame' operation.
I. Internal Effects
In her recent book, Mobilizing for Human Rights, Beth Simmons framed the chances of political mobilization as a function of how much citizens value a right versus the chance they have of achieving their goal. In fact, for Simmons, human rights treaties are primarily about the relations between a state and its society, not between states (as in traditional reciprocal treaties – we won't charge your companies tariffs if you won't charge ours, etc. ).
Simmons argues that even if regimes choose not to enforce human rights treaties, the consequences of signing them locally can be profound as citizens are exposed to different concepts of rights; this is even more true in an even more connected world, given the omnipresence of social media. And while Simmons was referring to treaties, a special investigator (or Rapporteur) may have that same sort of effect – which is why the Iranian regime feared and fought this resolution.
What does this mean for Iran? Potentially a direct shot in the arm of the reform movement. But it's worth noting these things only go so far as people take them. The United States tortured under George W. Bush and hasn't prosecuted anyone for it because there's no political will to do so. Sometimes exposure to rights treaties takes time to manifest (if it ever does at all). It's entirely possible greater exposure of abuses in Iran won't enlarge the size or resolve of the movement because the population of Iran already values these rights as much as they could possibly ever. But I doubt that – these rights are too basic and too many people are being repressed.
Indeed, (in an extraordinary statement) the Iranian delegation to the HRC itself did not all take itself seriously:
"The human rights team at the HRC session is an entirely political team and is not very familiar with human rights topics," said a member of the Iranian delegation on condition of anonymity. "All efforts are focused on attacking the U.S. If they had asked the experts accompanying the delegation, they could have drafted better statements. But they don't trust anyone other than themselves."
We should be loathe of making grandiose predictions because of one lone Rapporteur, but today is certainly a better day than yesterday for the reform movement in Iran.
II. External Effects
There are uses for that though. One is that it cements Iran's status as a semi-pariah state. (This is an ad-hoc category, so don't look too much into that term. I would consider North Korea a full fledged pariah state in the analogy.) One such good sign is who voted for this resolution: Brazil did, after years of supporting extensively oppressive regimes, including being one of the first countries to recognize the fraudulent elections of Ahmadinejad. It's unclear if this is in any way a result of Obama's recent visit, but it is surely a welcome change in approach.
This also may be an instance where the Saudi-Iranian escalation in relations happened at an opportune moment – one group Iran looked to for support was the Organization of Islamic Countries, but with basically no allies left in the Islamic world (hard to see Arab countries, Turkey, or Indonesia riding to Iran's defense right now) and countries being scared of seen supporting that repression, it's not surprising the cavalry never came.
According to attending diplomats, the Iranian delegation's lobby efforts have not been limited to Geneva. A diplomat who asked for anonymity said that Iranian authorities have dispatched several delegations to other countries prior to the session in order to ascertain their vote. One of the reasons Iran is seeing less cooperation this year despite its lobbying efforts is the Middle East developments from Libya to Bahrain. Some countries are afraid that as the human rights situation deteriorates and change appears inevitable in those countries, association with Iran may give any state siding with it a bad image.
As it turns out, Iran ignoring the supposedly toothless UN Human Rights High Commissioner may have antagonized countries.This underscores why the procedures can be helpful in the long run, even if incredibly frustrating on an ongoing basis:
Another point that has further caused Iran's isolation is Iran's lack of cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms. Out of more than 80 communications to Iran by the different UN special procedures, only 8 have been answered. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also spoken up about Iran's lack of attention to the different requests raised by different human rights resolutions. Since 2005, Iran has prevented the presence of UN special rapporteurs in Iran and the 14 March report of the UN Secretary General indicates that dozens of people have been executed secretly by the Iranian government. According to a diplomat from an African nation, the Iranian government has portrayed such an image of itself that supporting Iran appears as a liability for other countries.
Lastly, it's yet to be seen what this will do, but this is an example of what happens when you have an administration that takes international diplomacy seriously instead of just whining that the council isn't doing this on its own. Diplomacy takes work.
"The new human rights body started on a very weak footing without the U.S. leadership," Dokhi Fassihian, the Director of Washington-based Democracy Coalition Project that oversees the implementation of multilateral human rights strategies through the United Nations, told IPS. But Obama administration's initiative against Iran indicated that things would change, he added.
New DOJ Regulations Pretend Torture Never Happened
If a detainee falls in the woods, and you as his military appointed lawyer are not allowed to ask him the circumstances around him falling, could it ever be torture?
Defense lawyers were given until Monday to sign the new rules, prompting a protest by the Chief Defense Counsel Marine Col. Jeffrey Colwell, who said Friday afternoon the Pentagon was delaying implementation. Broadly, Colwell wrote, the document "unreasonably and unlawfully interferes with the attorney-client relationship" between the captives in the Guantanamo camps and American defense lawyers in uniform of their enemy.
Specifically, in one instance, he noted the "absurd" requirement that lawyers tell the military beforehand what language they will speak with the captive.
It suggests "the government is monitoring our communications," the Marine colonel wrote, "which paragraph 87e says you are not."
. . .
Now paragraph 29, for example, says a lawyer needs the CIA's blessing simply to ask a captive about a confession the CIA claims he made at a secret overseas interrogation site, before the prisoner ever saw the Red Cross delegate or a lawyer. "Statements of the detainee that detainee's counsel acquires from classified documents cannot be shared with the detainee absent authorization from the appropriate government agency authorized to declassify the classified information."
. . .
Military lawyers not assigned to the Nashiri case said the rules mean his defense attorneys can ask him broad questions — for example, Tell me about your time in U.S. custody before Guantánamo? — but not specifically about any classified documents created while he was at a CIA black site.
Paragraph 31 forbids the defense lawyers from saying, "That's classified," as an explanation for why they can't answer a question.
The Pentagon's top lawyer, Jeh Johnson, told Congress members Thursday that the order was meant to align the oversight of military lawyers with the "protocol" already imposed on civilian lawyers who travel to Guantánamo to meet captives suing in federal court for unlawful detention.
"As you can imagine, the defense counsels are not to happy about it," Johnson said, adding that they were given an advanced copy to give them a chance to complain. Colwell said the military criminal defense lawyers were "extremely troubled" by the new oversight regime.
It does not let an attorney use discretion on what constitutes legal reading material. A Pentagon lawyer gave Guantánamo's youngest captive, Omar Khadr, a copy of Lord of the Rings some years ago — until guards confiscated it.
So basically the administration line is that it brings protocol into line, but doesn't feel the need to even defend that protocol in public. What's worse, is that this is widely accepted.
And yes, apparently it's in the vital national interest of the United States to prevent a teenager who got caught up in a war zone largely because of the deplorable acts of his father from reading about the friendships the develop between elves, dwarves, and little people. Peter Jackson is clearly a member of a sleeper cell, after all.
The bottom line:
"It's going to slow everything down, tie our hands," said Colwell. "Getting information to our clients is now going to take weeks instead of days."
South Africa Values Independent Investigations
Can anyone imagine this sort of political courage in the United States?
South Africa's highest court has struck down the 2008 law that disbanded the independent crime investigating group known as the Scorpions.
The legislation to disband the Scorpions followed an investigation into now-president Jacob Zuma's alleged involvement in a major arms deal. The Scorpions were replaced by a police-run unit known as the Hawks.
The Constitutional Court ruled on an amendment to the policing act that brought about the demise of the Scorpions, the Directorate of Special Operations, and the birth of the Hawks, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation. It says the amendment is unconstitutional because it does not ensure the independence of the Hawks.
The Scorpions undertook many investigations of alleged government corruption and other alleged crimes by senior government officials. The unit's conviction rate was well over 90 percent.
One of its most prominent cases was its investigation of Mr. Zuma on corruption and other charges. But those charges were dropped shortly before he was elected president. There were accusations by both sides that the actions were politically motivated.
Being part of the police department, the Hawks do not have the same independence as their predecessors. The Constitutional Court has given the government 18 months to ensure that they are independent of undue government influence or control.
The majority opinion read in part that the Hawks are "insufficiently insulated from political influence in its structure and functioning…because…activities must be coordinated by the Cabinet."
It sounds like this Scorpions unit is essentially what would happen if ProPublica was a unit of the DOJ.
We live in an era where political parties cannot investigate each other (unless someone got some in the Oval Office) for fear of 'looking backwards.' Meanwhile, South Africa courts go against the legislature to uphold an independent group that investigated the President? Wow.
I quoted this at some length because I am just amazed that a Supreme Court can stand up to a President on rule of law issues when it's that personal. (Granted, the DOJ is already insulated from a lot of political pressure) The closest analogue in the United States lately might be the line of cases striking down certain detention practices of the Bush Administration. But that was not as personal or as thorough as the ruling here (as evidenced by Guantanamo still being open).
Not to mention that South Africans have great taste in naming their law enforcement operations. Suck on that, American Joint Task Forces.
Who Is Enforcing the Convention Against Torture?
Civil liberties advocates are upset that the Obama administration, contra campaign promises, is not prosecuting cases under the Convention Against Torture. Daphne Eviatar writes:
Marcy Wheeler made a great point on Friday that's worth following up on. President Obama's declaration to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention Against Torture tosses the responsibility for developing "effective policies and programs for stopping torture" to the State Department, asking it to "solicit information from all of our diplomatic missions around the world …"
But the President's speech seemed primarily aimed at stopping torture abroad, which is presumably why he's called on the State Department to get involved. But what about torture committed by our own government?
I know some are still debating which techniques constitute "torture" — such as in this scolding piece from The Washington Times — but because the Convention Against Torture, which the president was commemorating, prohibits torture AND cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as I've noted before, at this point we can put that debate aside. There's little question that the sort of techniques engaged in by U.S. government officials — whether partial drowning, "walling," weeks ofsleep and food deprivation or locking detainees inside a tiny box with what were believed to be deadly insects is, at the very least, cruel and degrading.
It's odd, therefore, as Marcy points out, to see the president — who vowed on his third day in office to end torture — refusing to prosecute those who engaged in acts that clearly violate the anti-torture convention he commemorated on Friday.
The answer to the question strikes me as rather obvious: Obama is concerned not with proseecutions, but with prosecuting the war on terrorists (or whatever silly abbreviation is now en vogue) in a responsible way without using terrorists, and not prosecuting past offendors. This is obvious because that is what Obama has said.
The key excerpt from his address to the CIA:
What makes the United States special, and what makes you special, is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and our ideals even when it's hard, not just when it's easy; even when we are afraid and under threat, not just when it's expedient to do so. That's what makes us different.
So, yes, you've got a harder job. And so do I. And that's OK, because that's why we can take such extraordinary pride in being Americans. And over the long term, that is why I believe we will defeat our enemies, because we're on the better side of history.
So don't be discouraged by what's happened in the last few weeks. Don't be discouraged that we have to acknowledge potentially we've made some mistakes. That's how we learn. But the fact that we are willing to acknowledge them and then move forward, that is precisely why I am proud to be president of the United States, and that's why you should be proud to be members of the CIA.
Essentially Obama is arguing that the benefits of prosecution are also gained by admitting mistakes, that essentially the torture was the fault of the state and not individuals. There's no real legal basis for this, as far as I can tell, outside of normal prosecutorial discretion.
Moreover, it's easy to sit on the sidelines and say that Obama should start prosecuting people that he's counting on to protect the country. But its difficult for a President to pull that trigger – one terrorist attack and the rest of Obama's agenda is down the tubes for a long time.
In related news, a left-leaning government in Spain is abandoning universal jurisdiction – in which their courts were able to investigate anything – and towards jurisdiction that appears to be based on the passive personality principle, in which a connection to the country in required:
In parliament, [the left-leaning Spanish government] is sponsoring a controversial change in the law, which would limit the future scope of universal jurisdiction to cases in which (i) the victims are Spanish, (ii) the alleged perpetrators are in Spain, or (iii) some other clear link to Spain can be demonstrated. On Thursday, the proposal was approved by lawmakers in the lower house by an overwhelming 341-2 vote, with three abstentions. Senate approval is seen as a formality.
"Without a connection to Spain, it presents problems of obtaining proof and co-operation from other states. And then the cases do not conclude."
He has a point. All too often, inquiries by the Audiencia Nacional have produced complex legal arguments with the states concerned, filling pages of court documents but rarely the dock. Only Rodolfo Scilingo, an Argentine former naval officer, has been convicted in Spain under universal jurisdiction – although the court's defenders point out that a second Argentine, Ricardo Cavallo, was extradited from Spain to face trial back home.
The government's approach has appalled campaigners who argue that, with or without convictions, the Audiencia Nacional has commendably shed light on dark acts committed by closed regimes.
"Universal jurisdiction doesn't necessarily work," argues Angel Lossada, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, explaining the government's policy.
This is relevant, since the argument by some here in the US favoring prosecutions is that under the Convention Against Torture, states are required to exercise universal jurisdiction.
Glenn Greenwald, just over a month ago:
The views that Ronald Reagan not only advocated, but signed a treaty compelling the U.S. to adhere to, are ones that are now — in the view of our dominant media narrative — the hallmarks of The Hard Left: torture is never justified; there are "no exceptional circumstances" justifying it; it must be declared to be a serious criminal offense ; and — most of all — the U.S., as Ronald Regan put it, "is required either to prosecute torturers who are found in its territory or to extradite them to other countries for prosecution." Reagan's explicit view that the concept of "universal jurisdiction" permits signatory nations (such as Spain) to prosecute torturers from other countries (such as the U.S.) is now considered so fringe that it's almost impossible to find someone in mainstream American debates willing to advocate it.
My emphasis.
Greenwald was arguing for universal jurisdiction, but now with Spain yet another advocate of that view is going out. It's not just countries. International tribunals like the International Court of Justice have viewed exercise of that type of jurisdiction skeptically in recent decisions. The wikipedia listing of universal jurisdiction seems mostly accurate (though a bit unnecessary to have Henry Kissinger as the main opponent of it gives how it's fallen into disrepute.
As it exists, the legal framework allows states like the US to flaunt the convention. As it is, a country is on an honor system to obey the convention, with the only check of international tribunals to enforce it – and those international tribunals are voluntary (and using a realist lens, they're representative of a global coalition exerting pressure). Of course, the US is likely in an unseemly group in countries flaunting the convention as it is, and I'm no happier than that than you are (really, I'm anti-torture … I also have a realist/pessimist streak depending on your point of view). But there's essentially a giant gap in the legal framework that exists, and Obama is steering the country through that gapto save the rest of his agenda.
I want to spend more on this topic in future posts as well, to hopefully refine my position a bit more and make it more clear. For the moment, I'd just appreciate if no one called me a pro-torture sympathizer. I just don't see any realistic option for prosecutions being in Obama's interest. And if you can't make a legal system that makes prosecuting in your best interest, you failed at building a system for the times.
The legal framework for the new wwar – whatever you want to call it – is still being figured out. That's the most important thing happening right now, and whether person X is prosecuted or not for torture is a small part of that.


text:
It was a couple of weeks ago now, but back on February 7, I went out to Imatra for the Finnish Winter Swimming Championships. It was a completely ridiculous distance to travel in order to swim two 25m races but I'd always wanted to go to Finland and their competition was the inspiration for Tooting to start the UK champs. It was really another trip lead by Emily's swimming, but one that I could get into and one that gave me the chance for a cheeky snow ride too.
The venue was at the leisure centre in Imatra where a pontoon had been put into the river before it froze. The "pool" was then the 25m inside the pontoon which had been kept clear of ice by constantly agitating the water. During the competition, however, there was a man going around with a net. Normally, you might expect him to be fishing out leaves. Actually, he was taking out small lumps of ice. Icicles hung off the lane ropes, and the steps (insulated with pipe lagging) were encrusted – crunching under your hands as you got in or out. And to add the icing (ho-ho) to the whole thing, just outside the bounds of the pontoon were some guys ice-fishing with their little holes and little chairs.
There was a great atmosphere from the start. Even though we went straight to the pool and missed the opening ceremony, there were plenty of other people on the grandstand. It was a long wait until we got our turn to swim, but it was fun to be in such a supportive crowd and we did get the chance to witness a Swimtrek cap-wearing, thong-sporting nut-case.
Unlike Tooting, the pre-race preparation was indoors. For some reason, it's always really hot in Finnish buildings. Far warmer than I'd keep my house in an English winter (16C for me). So, as I waited, I couldn't bear to have my coat on and was even sweating a bit. Maybe some of that was anticipation. I'm not that great a swimmer and a terrible sprinter at any sport, but I can't avoid feeling competitive. I was nervously trying to remind myself to go fast, not just the loping pace I normally do things at. Knowing that you're about to get into the cold does always bring a lump to the stomach, but it just as surely brings a buzz afterwards.
The race itself was breaststroke. The Finns have traditionally used head-up breaststroke for cold water because putting your head under takes your breath away. And with head-up you can wear silly hats. But, this time they experimented with normal breaststroke. Until a masters session a couple of weeks ago, I hadn't done breaststroke since I was a kid so it wasn't an ideal choice. Into the water I went, though, eyeing the others for clues about when to do what as the instruction were in Finnish. Once everyone's shoulders were under, we were off. Seconds later, we were out again. It was a fleeting series of images: brown tinged water, another swimmer out of the corner of my eye, my breath bursting a bit, no real time to feel conventionally cold. At least I'd remembered to try to go fast.
Impressively, and stylishly in her flowery hat, Emily took first place in the international category. Sadly, I couldn't see the race as it was only minutes after mine.
The evenings are one of the main reasons to go cold water swimming. Everyone parties and has a good time. It was organised fun here though. A few dancers and entertainers before the band started; then there was the Finnish approach to dancing. Everything in a Waltz style, whatever the music. I'm not the greatest or most enthusiastic dancer, but it was a weird sight and a weird dance-floor to share. At some point during the night, we met the other member of our relay team. It was thong-man, Nigel.
The relay was very much more of the same, except this time with team spirit. So the racing was more fun, the swimming experience was pretty much the same, and I had the surprise sight of a steward taking my clothes away thinking they should be at the other end for a team-mate. Fortunately, I stopped them!
After the swimming, we headed up to Ruka – where the Finns go for skiing and I was hoping to ride my bike a bit. Having carried it with me this far, I was going to make sure it saw some snow action. I set off for their snowmobile trails with high hopes. The first section was on snow-covered roads which whizzed by until I saw the distinctive "two skis and a caterpillar" track that I was looking for. Checking behind, I swung off the road and onto the trail.
It started with a little 2ft hump, and stopped immediately after. As I came down the hump, my front wheel sank way down into the snow, pitching me over the bars. Arms outstretched, I flew and landed face down with both arms sunk up to the shoulders. Huh – I wasn't expecting that. I had noticed that the snow was too powdery for snowballs but I had hoped the trail would pack down. I was dead wrong. Every time I tried to ride, my rear wheel just dug a little hole. Even pushing, my feet would occasionally go straight through the tracks and up to my thighs. The "ride" was a 5 hour push. Objectives were made though: it was nice and remote, the trail mix went down well, and I got back exactly on time with a little water and a little food left. For scenery, though, Alaska's better 🙂