text:
By Father John Flynn, LC
ROME, AUG. 3, 2012 (Zenit.org).- On Monday, the U.S. Department of State released its "2011 International Religious Freedom Report." "This report details increasing intolerance against a range of religious communities," commented Suzan Johnson Cook, the ambassador at large for international religious freedom, on presenting it to the media.
Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and Burma were among the countries she singled out for criticism.
"There was a marked deterioration during 2011 in the government's respect for and protection of religious freedom in China," the report commented.
The Department of State noted that the Chinese government and the Holy See do not have diplomatic relations, and that while the authorities have allowed some Vatican input on the selection of bishops in some instances local authorities have reportedly pressured unregistered Catholic priests and believers to renounce all ordinations approved by the Holy See.
The report noted that there were some improvements in Cuba, "although significant restrictions remained in place and the Cuban Communist Party, through its Office of Religious Affairs, continued to wield regulatory control over most aspects of religious life."
Weekend church attendance has improved and it is now easier to bring into the country non-Cuban religious workers. Religious organizations also reported less discrimination of their members and a greater freedom to conduct educational activities, the report stated.
The news was not so good about Iran where according to the report: "Religious freedom in Iran deteriorated further from an already egregious situation."
Imprisonment, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination based on religious beliefs were common in 2011. Authorities continued to threaten nearly all non-Shia religious groups, the report observed. Even Shia adherents who did not share the government's official religious views faced harassment, the report added.
Arrested and even executed
The Department of State had even harsher words for North Korea, where it said: "Religious freedom does not exist in any form."
Those who attempt to engage in religious activity as missionaries are arrested and harshly treated. The report also said that some Christians have been executed in recent times, although the scarcity of information from North Korea makes it difficult to know exactly what is going on.
In the capital of Pyongyang there are four state-controlled churches, one of which is designated Catholic, but it is not known how many people worship at them.
The government-established Korean Catholic Association (KCA) provides basic services at the capital's Changchun Church, but according to the report it has no ties with the Vatican and there are no Catholic priests residing in North Korea.
The situation in Pakistan, which has been a country with numerous violent attacks on Christians, is continuing to deteriorate according to the report.
There are restrictions on freedom of speech and abuses have continued under the blasphemy law and other discriminatory laws, the report noted. Moreover, the government has not taken adequate measures to prevent such abuses or to change the laws.
In fact, the number of extremist attacks on religious minorities has increased and the perpetrators of this aggression continue unpunished.
"There were instances in which law enforcement personnel reportedly abused persons belonging to religious minorities in custody," the report added.
Saudi Arabia, the Department of State commented, "does not recognize freedom of religion and prohibits the public practice of any religion other than Islam."
In addition those Muslims who do not adhere to the government's interpretation of Islam are subject to discrimination, while some non-Muslims face detention and even death.
"The government generally limited public religious practice to activities that conform to the official interpretation of Islam," the report commented.
The content of school textbooks, which have been the subject of criticism for some time, still contain intolerant content regarding Jews, Christians, and some Muslim groups the report observed.
For example, the report said that textbooks state that apostates from Islam should be killed if they do not repent within three days of being warned and that treachery is a permanent characteristic of non-Muslims, especially Jews.
At the start of 2011 Pope Benedict XVI's message for the World Day of Peace on January 1 took as its theme religious freedom. "At present, Christians are the religious group which suffers most from persecution on account of its faith," the Pope commented.
"Religious freedom expresses what is unique about the human person, for it allows us to direct our personal and social life to God, in whose light the identity, meaning and purpose of the person are fully understood," Benedict XVI stated.
"I implore all men and women of good will to renew their commitment to building a world where all are free to profess their religion or faith, and to express their love of God with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their mind," the Pontiff said. A plea as relevant as ever, and unfortunately often disregarded during the past year.


text:
James VI of Scotland/James I of England and Ireland (Charles James Stuart) (June 19, 1566 – March 27, 1625) was King of England, King of Ireland, and was the first to style himself King of Great Britain. He ruled in Scotland as James VI from July 24, 1567, until the death of Elizabeth I of England in 1603. Then from the "Union of the Crowns," in England and Ireland as James I, from March 24, 1603 until his death. He was the first monarch of England from the House of Stuart, succeeding the last Tudor monarch, Elizabeth I, who died without children.
James was a successful monarch in Scotland, but the same was not true in England. He was unable to deal with a hostile Parliament; the refusal on the part of the House of Commons to impose sufficiently high taxes crippled the royal finances. His taste for political absolutism, his mismanagement of the kingdom's funds and his cultivation of unpopular favorites established the foundation for the English Civil War, during which James' son and successor, Charles I, was tried and executed. During James' own life, however, the governments of the kingdoms of England and the Scotland were relatively stable.
Along with Alfred the Great, James is considered to have been one of the most intellectual and learned individuals ever to sit on the English or Scottish thrones. Under him, much of the cultural flourishing of Elizabethan England continued; science, literature and art, contributed by individuals such as Sir Francis Bacon and William Shakespeare grew by leaps and bounds during his reign. James himself was a talented scholar, writing works such as Daemonologie (1597), The True Law of Free Monarchies (1598), Basilikon Doron (1599) and A Counterblaste to Tobacco (1604).
Early life of King James
James was the only child of Mary I of Scotland and of her second husband, Henry Stuart, Duke of Albany, more commonly known as Lord Darnley. James was a direct descendant of Henry VII of England, through his great-grandmother Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII. James' mother was an insecure ruler, as both she and her husband, being Roman Catholics, faced a rebellion of Protestant noblemen. Their marriage, furthermore, was a particularly difficult one. While Mary was pregnant with James, Lord Darnley secretly allied himself with the rebels and murdered the queen's private secretary, David Rizzio.
James was born on June 19, 1566, at Edinburgh Castle, and automatically became Duke of Rothesay and Lord High Steward of Scotland, for he was the eldest son of the monarch and thus the heir-apparent. He received the name Charles James, the first name in honor of his godfather Charles IX of France, thus becoming the first future British monarch to have more than one forename. James' father was murdered with his rider and lover at the time on February 10, 1567, at the Hamiltons' house, Kirk o' Field, Edinburgh, most likely to avenge Rizzio's death. Mary's marriage on May 15 of the same year to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, who was widely suspected of murdering the Duke of Albany, made her even more unpopular. In June 1567, the Protestant rebels arrested Mary and imprisoned her in Loch Leven Castle. Mary was forced to abdicate the throne on July 24, giving it to James, then only 13 months old.
James did not know his father and so relied on male courtiers throughout his life, beginning with his older relative Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox. James was a self-absorbed man and not much interested in his wife, possibly due to emotional scars about his mother supposedly conspiring with Bothwell to murder his father. Nonconformists said "Elizabeth was King: now James is Queen," and this quote has survived [1]. Intent on strengthening the Church of England and reaffirming the Buggery Act 1533, James adopted a severe stance towards sodomy. His book on kingship, Basilikon Doron, lists sodomy among those "horrible crimes which ye are bound in conscience never to forgive."
James was formally crowned King of Scotland at the Church of the Holyrood, Stirling, on July 29, 1567. In deference to the religious beliefs of most of the Scots ruling class, he was brought up as a member of the protestant Church of Scotland and educated by men with Presbyterian sympathies. During James VI's early reign, power was held by a series of regents, the first of whom was James Stuart, 1st Earl of Moray, his mother's illegitimate half-brother. Mary escaped from prison in 1568, leading to a brief period of violence. Lord Moray defeated Mary's troops at the Battle of Langside, forcing her to flee to England, where she was captured and imprisoned by Elizabeth I.
Lord Moray was assassinated by one of Mary's supporters in 1570. He was succeeded by James' paternal grandfather, Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, who suffered a similar fate in 1571. The next was James VI's guardian, John Erskine, 1st Earl of Mar, who died in 1572. The last of the regents was James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, who, during the two previous regencies, had been the most powerful Scottish nobleman, more so than the previous regents. Historian and poet George Buchanan was responsible for James' education.
Lord Morton was successful in finally crushing the families who continued to support Mary. His fall was brought about not by Mary's supporters, but by the King's closest courtiers, who impressed upon the young monarch the extent of the royal powers, thereby encouraging him to take control himself. The courtiers accused Lord Morton of participating in the murder of James' father. Lord Morton was consequently tried, convicted and then executed in 1581; power was thenceforth held by the King himself, rather than by a regent.
Nevertheless, James VI did not rule by himself, relying instead on the advice of his closest courtiers. One of the most important noblemen at the time was James VI's cousin, Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, who had come from France in 1579, and who had been made Earl of Lennox. Another powerful courtier at the time was James Stuart, 1st Earl of Arran, who was created Earl of Arran as a reward for his testimony against Lord Morton. As Lord Lennox was a Catholic, and Lord Arran leaned towards Episcopalian, the Presbyterian Scottish Lords found the government distasteful. In the Raid of Ruthven (1582), some Presbyterian nobles, led by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, captured James and held him captive for almost a year at Ruthven Castle, now known as Huntingtower Castle, in Perthshire. Lord Arran was also detained, and Lord Lennox was banished to France. The king and Lord Arran escaped in 1583; Lord Gowrie was executed, and the rebels forced to flee to England. The Parliament of Scotland, loyal to the king, passed the Black Acts, putting the Church of Scotland directly under royal control. These Acts were extremely unpopular; his clergy opposed and denounced him, attempting to keep his influence under control, lest he grow so powerful as to be bold enough to disestablish Presbyterianism.
English succession
James VI and Elizabeth I became allies under the Treaty of Berwick. James sought to remain in the favor of the unmarried Queen of England, as he was a potential successor to her Crown. Henry VIII had feared that the English crown would go to a Scot: in his will, he excluded Margaret Tudor, James' grandmother, and her descendants from the line of succession. Although technically excluded by the will—which, under an Act of Parliament, had the force of law—both Mary I of Scotland and James were serious claimants to the English crown, as they were Elizabeth I's closest relatives.
Also in 1586, Mary was implicated in the Babington Plot, a scheme that sought to put her on the throne of England after murdering Elizabeth. Elizabeth had previously spared Mary's life after the Ridolfi plot, but could no longer tolerate the danger she posed. Consequently, Mary was executed for her crimes in 1587; but for the will of Henry VIII, James was now the Heir Presumptive to the English Crown.
Following her execution, Mary's Scottish supporters became weak; James managed to significantly reduce the influence of the Roman Catholic nobles in Scotland. He further endeared himself to Protestants by marrying Anne of Denmark—a princess from a Protestant country and daughter of Frederick II of Denmark—by proxy in 1589. Another marriage, this time with both parties personally present, occurred on November 23, 1589, in the Old Bishops' Palace in Oslo during James' visit to the Kingdom of Denmark. Soon after his return via Leith on May 1, he attended the North Berwick Witch Trial, in which several people were convicted of having used witchcraft to create a storm in an attempt to sink the ship on which James and Anne had been traveling. This made him very concerned about the threat that witches and witchcraft were posing to himself and the country. During this period, he wrote the aforementioned treatise on demonology. As a result, hundreds of men and women were put to death for witchcraft; their bodies were later found in what was then called Nor Loch (now Princes Street Gardens).
At first, James and his new queen were close, but gradually drifted apart. The couple produced eight children, three of whom survived infancy and one who was stillborn. They decided to live apart after the death of their daughter Sophia.
James faced a Roman Catholic uprising in 1588, and was forced to reconcile with the Church of Scotland, at length agreeing to the repeal of the Black Acts in 1592. James, fearing that dealing too harshly with the Catholic rebels might anger many English Catholics, agreed to pardon some of his opponents, which angered the Protestant Church. In 1600 a conspiracy was formed by John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie (son of the Earl of Gowrie, executed in 1584). Upon the failure of the plot, Lord Gowrie and his associates were executed, and even Protestant nobles began to be repressed by the king.
Upon the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, under the terms of Henry's will, the crown technically should have passed to Lady Anne Stanley, a descendant of Henry VIII's sister Mary Tudor (queen consort of France). (Elizabeth's second cousin once-removed, Viscount Beauchamp, son of Lady Catherine Grey, was more senior, but he was considered illegitimate because his parents' marriage was annulled.) Nevertheless, James was the only serious claimant to the English crown: neither Beauchamp nor Lady Anne nor any other was powerful enough to defend a claim. Thus, an Accession Council met and proclaimed James King of England. He and his wife were crowned on July 25, 1603, at Westminster Abbey. Scotland and England remained separate states; it was not until 1707 that the Acts of Union merged the two nations to create a new state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Early reign in England
James' chief advisor was Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury (the younger son of Elizabeth I's favored minister, William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley), who was created Earl of Salisbury in 1605. James was an extravagant spender; only the skill of the Earl of Salisbury could avert financial disaster. He created numerous peerage dignities to reward his courtiers. In total, James, contrasted to his predecessor, Elizabeth, who had only created eight new peers during her 45-year reign, raised 62 individuals to the English Peerage. James also embroiled himself in numerous conflicts with Parliament. Being accustomed to a timid Parliament of Scotland, he did not like working with its more aggressive English counterpart. Before his accession to the English throne, he had written The True Law of Free Monarchies, in which he argued that the divine right of kings was sanctioned by the apostolic succession, and which illustrates James' difficulty in sharing the power of his government.
Upon his arrival in London, James was almost immediately faced by religious conflicts in England; he was presented with the Millenary Petition, a document which it is claimed contained one thousand signatures, by Puritans requesting further Anglican Church reform. He accepted the invitation to a conference in Hampton Court, which was subsequently delayed due to the Bubonic Plague. In 1604 at the Hampton Court Conference, James was unwilling to agree to most of their demands. He did, however, agree to fulfill one request by authorizing an official translation of the Bible, which came to be known as the King James Version.
During this year, James broadened Elizabeth's Witchcraft Act to bring the penalty of death without benefit of clergy to any one who invoked evil spirits or communed with familiar spirits. That same year, he ended England's involvement in the twenty-year conflict known as the Anglo-Spanish War by signing the Treaty of London, 1604.
On October 20, 1604, James proclaimed himself styled "King of Great Britain," the first monarch to do so [2], although the United Kingdom of Great Britain would not exist until the Acts of Union, 1707.
Though James was careful to accept Catholics in his realm, his Protestant subjects ensured that they would not get equal rights. In the early years of his reign, many of his subjects did not know his policies—only that he had an extreme Protestant background—there were a number of plots to remove him from power, such as the Bye Plot and the Main Plot.
In 1605, a group of Catholic extremists led by Robert Catesby developed a plan, known as the Gunpowder Plot, to cause an explosion in the chamber of the House of Lords, where the king and members of both Houses of Parliament would be gathered for the State Opening of Parliament. The conspirators sought to replace James with his daughter, Elizabeth of Bohemia, whom, they hoped, could be forced to convert to Catholicism. One of the conspirators, however, leaked information regarding the plot, which was consequently foiled. Terrified, James refused to leave his residence for many days. Guy Fawkes, whose responsibility had been to execute the plot, was tortured on the rack until he revealed the identities of the other conspirators, all of whom were executed or killed during capture. Fawkes is still annually burned in effigy during Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night), celebrated in the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, to commemorate the failed plot. James' care not to strongly enforce anti-Catholic doctrine thereafter ensured that there were no more plots after 1605.
Conflict with Parliament
In 1605, Parliament voted four subsidies to the king, who still considered this to be inadequate revenue. He imposed customs duties without parliamentary consent, although no monarch had taken so bold a step since the reign of Richard II of England (1377-1399). The legality of such an action was challenged in 1606 by the merchant John Bates; the Court of Exchequer, however, ruled in the king's favor. The decision of the court was denounced by Parliament. Relations between James I and Parliament were also soured by the latter's refusal to pass the king's plan to allow free trade between England and Scotland.
In the last session of the first Parliament of his reign (which began in 1610), Lord Salisbury proposed the Great Contract, which would have led to the crown giving up feudal dues in return for an annual parliamentary subsidy. The plan, however, failed because of political factionalism in Parliament. Frustrated by the members of the House of Commons and by the collapse of the Great Contract, James dissolved Parliament in 1611.
With the crown deep in debt, James blatantly sold honors and titles to raise funds. In 1611, he used letters patent to invent a completely new dignity: that of Baronet, which one could become upon the payment of £1,080. One could become a Baron for about £5,000, a Viscount for about £10,000, and an Earl for about £20,000.
In 1607, at a royal jousting contest, seventeen-year-old Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset, the son of Sir Thomas Carr or Kerr of Ferniehurst, was knocked from a horse and broke his leg. According to the Earl of Suffolk, Thomas Howard, James fell in love with the young man, and taught him Latin, and helped nurse him. His relationship remained strong with Carr for a number of years.
Lord Salisbury died in 1612. Carr, another of the King's closest advisors, was forced to leave office after being disgraced by the Overbury Scandal. Thomas Overbury (1581-1613) was a poet whose The Wife (1614) embroiled him in a controversy about an affair between Carr and the Countess of Essex leading to his own imprisonment. In 1615, Carr and James had a falling out. James wrote a letter that year detailing a list of complaints he now had against Carr, including Carr withdrawing himself from James' chamber despite the King's "soliciting to the contrary." The following year Carr and his new wife were convicted of poisoning a prisoner in the Tower of London and sentenced to death, though the King later commuted the sentence to six years and then pardoned them and granted the pair a country estate.
Following the loss of his closest advisors, James began to involve himself in matters previously handled by his ministers. James' personal government was disastrous for his finances, and a new Parliament had to be called in 1614 in order to obtain the imposition of new taxes. This Parliament, the second of James' reign, was known as the "Addled Parliament" because it failed to pass any legislation or impose any taxes. James angrily dissolved Parliament shortly thereafter, when it became clear that no progress could be made.
Later Years
Following the dissolution of the Addled Parliament, James ruled without a Parliament for seven years. Faced with financial difficulties due to the failure of Parliament to approve new taxes, James sought to enter into a profitable alliance with Spain by marrying his eldest surviving son, Charles, Prince of Wales, to the daughter of the king of Spain. The proposed alliance with a Roman Catholic kingdom was not well-received in Protestant England. James' unpopularity, furthermore, was augmented by the execution of Sir Walter Raleigh. In Scotland, James' attempt to move the church, whose form of worship tended to be based on free-form Calvinism, in a more structured High Church direction with the introduction of the Five Articles of Perth, met with widespread popular resistance. Always the practical politician in Scottish matters, the king, while insisting on the form of the law, did little to ensure its observance.
James's paternalism (he was called the "Scottish Solomon" by Henri IV of France: a reference to James's wisdom, but also to the gossip attributing his paternity to David Rizzio, a secretary of James' mother) was based upon the Tudor model and seen as the most basic source or building block of political absolutism. This was consistent with the Tudor tradition of breaking with the old families of England, in order to sever the traditional Catholic ties in public affairs. The king saw himself superior in position to every subject, favorite or not—but did not hesitate to make unaligned people (those without special interests) feel special for the sake of getting potential allies into his favor. This philosophy is what earned the king his epithet "the wisest fool in Christendom" (Baldwin Smith).
From 1618 onwards, the religious conflict known as the Thirty Years' War engulfed Europe. James was forced to become involved because his daughter, Elizabeth of Bohemia, was married to the Protestant Frederick V, Elector Palatine, one of the war's chief participants. He was also put under pressure to join the religious war because England, at the time, was one of the major protestant nations. When James' Spanish marriage plot failed, a humiliated Prince Charles and George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, urged James and his parliament to go to war. From a financial perspective, James could not afford to go to war with Spain. James told Parliament that if they granted him the huge subsidy of £1,000,000, he would go to war. England eventually joined the war after James had died. During the conflict between Protestants and Catholics, James' attempt to ally himself with Catholic Spain via the Spanish Marriage plot fostered much distrust.
James' wife, Queen Anne, died on March 4, 1619, at Hampton Court Palace and was buried at Westminster Abbey.
The third and penultimate Parliament of James' reign was summoned in 1621. The House of Commons agreed to grant James a small subsidy to signify their loyalty, but then, to the displeasure of the king, moved on to personal matters directly involving the king. Villiers, by now James' primary adviser, was attacked for his plan to have the Prince of Wales marry the Spanish Infanta. The practice of selling monopolies and other privileges was also deprecated. The House of Commons sought to impeach Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St. Albans, who was implicated in the sale of such privileges during his service as Lord Chancellor, on charges of corruption. The House of Lords convicted Bacon, who was duly removed from office. Although the impeachment was the first in centuries, James did not oppose it, believing that sacrificing Bacon could help deflect parliamentary opposition. In the end, James released Bacon from prison and granted him a full pardon.
A new constitutional dispute arose shortly thereafter. James was eager to aid his son-in-law, the Elector-Palatine, and requested Parliament for a subsidy. The House of Commons, in turn, requested that the king abandon the alliance with Spain. When James declared that the lower house had overstepped its bounds by offering unsolicited advice, the House of Commons passed a protest claiming that it had the right to debate any matter relating to the welfare of the kingdom. James ordered the protest torn out of the Commons Journal, and dissolved Parliament.
In 1623, the Duke of Buckingham and Charles, the Prince of Wales, traveled to Madrid in an attempt to secure a marriage between the latter and the Infanta. They were snubbed, however, by the Spanish courtiers, who demanded that Charles convert to Roman Catholicism. They returned to England humiliated, and called for war with Spain. The Protestants backed them and James summoned Parliament, which granted some funding for the war. Parliament was prorogued, on the understanding that it would later return to grant more funds.
Parliament, however, never actually met when scheduled. Charles had promised that even if he would marry a Roman Catholic, he would not repeal political restrictions that applied to Roman Catholics. When, however, he agreed to marry the Catholic French Princess, Henrietta Maria, he reneged on his earlier promise and undertook to abolish the same religious qualifications. Charles then ensured that Parliament did not actually meet, in order to avoid a confrontation over the diverging promises.
James lapsed into senility during the last year of his reign. Real power passed to Charles and to the Duke of Buckingham, although James kept enough power to ensure that a new war with Spain did not occur while he was King. James died at Theobalds House in 1625 of 'tertian ague' (fever one day in every three), probably brought upon by kidney failure and stroke, and was buried in the Henry VII Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey. Charles, Prince of Wales, succeeded him as Charles I. James had ruled in Scotland for almost sixty years; no English, Scottish or British monarch, with the exceptions of Victoria and George III, has surpassed his mark.
Almost immediately after James I's death, Charles I became embroiled in disputes with Parliament. The disputes escalated until the English Civil War began during the 1640s; the monarchy was overthrown, and a military dictatorship established. The Stuart dynasty, however, was later restored in 1660. Some historians, particularly Whig historians, blame James for the Civil War. However, the general view now is that Charles I was more responsible for the state of affairs in 1640 than his predecessor.
In the Virginia Colony in the New World, the Jamestown Settlement, established in 1607, and the James River were named in his honor.
Revisionism and Criticism
Traditionally, historians such as Samuel Rawson Gardiner and D. H. Wilson viewed James I as a poor king. This interpretation on James I had almost solely depended on the writings of Sir Anthony Weldon. James had previously dismissed Weldon for his writings against Scotland. Furious, Weldon wrote The Court and Character of King James, a book which would be notorious for influencing early twentieth-century historians who overlooked Weldon's bias.
William Roughead (1946) summed him up unkindly, but not unfairly: "He was the son who abandoned to her fate his mother Mary Stuart; the kinsman who held his cousin Arbella Stuart captive till she went mad and died; the prince who repaid England's debt to Raleigh by spoliation, imprisonment and death; the guest who caused his hosts the Ruthvens to be butchered in their own home, and immured their child brother in the Tower for forty years; the friend who, Judas-like, betrayed his discarded Pythias with a kiss."
Miriam Allen deFord, writing in her study, The Overbury Affair, picked up this same tune:
This slobbering, lolling King, who never washed his hands least the delicacy of their skin be inured, who was unable to stand upright without leaning on the nearest courtier, who wore padded clothing for fear of stabbing, who was a glutton and a spendthrift (of other people's money), had a keen and devious mind…he came to England as a man comes to a banquet; he left government to others and occupied himself with processional visits, routs, and masques. And freed from the firm hand of Elizabeth, the courtiers ran riot, and provided under James' influence one of the most corrupt and dissolute courts in English history. (5)
Recent historical revisionism has argued that James I was not a terrible king, contrary to popular belief. This revisionism effort originated from a study of James' ruling in Scotland by historians such as Gordon Donaldson and Jenny Wormald. Their argument was based on how James was so successful in Scotland, yet apparently quite unsuccessful in England. Revisionism of King James has restored his reputation as an unfortunate king who simply fell short of some of his greatest achievements. It was not until the 1970s that British and U.S. scholars began accepting this new outlook on James.
Style and arms
Formally, James was styled "James, King of England, Scotland, Ireland, Fidei defender (Defender of the Faith), etc." (The claim to the Throne of France, which had been maintained since the reign of Edward III, was merely nominal.) By a proclamation of 1604, James assumed the style "James, King of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc." for non-statutory use.
James' English arms, whilst he was King of England and Scotland, were: Quarterly, I and IV Grandquarterly, Azure three fleurs-de-lis Or (for France) and Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or (for England); II Or a lion rampant within a treasure flory-counter-flory Gules (for Scotland); III Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (for Ireland). James also introduced the unicorn, a symbol of Scotland, as a heraldic supporter in his armorial achievement; the other supporter remained the English lion. In Scotland, his arms were: Quarterly, I and IV Grandquarterly, Or a lion rampant within a treasure flory-counter-flory Gules (for Scotland); II Azure three fleurs-de-lis Or (for France) and Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or (for England); III Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (for Ireland), with one of the unicorns of Scotland being replaced as a heraldic supporter by a lion.
Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales | February 19, 1594 | November 6, 1612 | |
Elizabeth of Bohemia | August 19, 1596 | February 13, 1662 | married 1613, Frederick V, Elector Palatine; had issue |
Margaret Stuart | December 24, 1598 | March 1600 | |
Charles I of England | November 19, 1600 | January 30, 1649 | married 1625, Henrietta Maria; had issue |
Robert, Duke of Kintyre | February 18, 1602 | May 27, 1602 | |
Unnamed son | May 1603 | May 1603 | |
Mary Stuart | April 8, 1605 | December 16, 1607 | |
Sophia Stuart | June 22, 1606 | June 28, 1606 |
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Baldwin Smith, Lacey. This Realm of England 1339-1688. Eighth edition, 2000. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0618001026
- Chambers, Robert. (1856). Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen. "James VI." London: Blackie and Son.
- The Descendants of James VI & I of England & Scotland.
- deFord, Miriam Allen. The Overbury Affair. New York: Avon, 1960. ASIN B0007FIF28
- Fraser, Antonia. King James VI of Scotland and James I of England. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1974; American ed., New York: Random House, 1975. ISBN 0394494768
- Lee, Maurice. England's Solomon: James VI and I in his Three Kingdoms. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1990. ISBN 0252016866
- Roughead, William. Nothing But Murder. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Sheridan House, 1946. ASIN B0007E79SA
- Stewart, Alan. The Cradle King. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003. ISBN 0312274882
- Williamson, D. The Kings and Queens of England. New York: National Portrait Gallery, 1998.
- Willson, David Harris. King James VI & I. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1956. ASIN B0007DM9FY
External links
All links retrieved March 16, 2018.
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
DID you ever ask yourself how it happens that government and capitalism continue to exist in spite of all the evil and trouble they are causing in the world?
If you did, then your answer must have been that it is because the people support those institutions, and that they support them because they believe in them.
That is the crux of the whole matter: present-day society rests on the belief of the people that it is good and useful. It is founded on the idea of authority and private ownership. It is ideas that maintain conditions. Government and capitalism are the forms in which the popular ideas express themselves. Ideas are the foundation; the institutions are the house built upon it.
A new social structure must have a new foundation, new ideas at its base. However you may change the form of an institution, its character and meaning will remain the same as the foundation on which it is built. Look closely at life and you will perceive the truth of this. There are all kinds and forms of government in the world, but their real nature is the same everywhere, as their effects are the same: it always means authority and obedience.
Now, what makes governments exist? The armies and navies? Yes, but only apparently so. What supports the armies and navies? It is the belief of the people, of the masses, that government is necessary; it is the generally accepted idea of the need of government. That is its real and solid foundation. Take that idea or belief away, and no government could last another day.
The same applies to private ownership. The idea that it is right and necessary is the pillar that supports it and gives it security.
Not a single institution exists to-day but is founded on the popular belief that it is good and beneficial.
Let us take an illustration; the United States, for instance. Ask yourself why revolutionary propaganda has been of so little effect in that country in spite of fifty years of Socialist and Anarchist effort. Is the American worker not exploited more intensely than labor in other countries? Is political corruption as rampant in any other land? Is the capitalist class in America not the most arbitrary and despotic in the world? True, the worker in the United States is better situated materially than in Europe, but is he not at the same time treated with the utmost brutality and terrorism the moment he shows the least dissatisfaction? Yet the American worker remains loyal to the government and is the first to defend it against criticism. He is still the most devoted champion of the "grand and noble institutions of the greatest country on earth." Why? Because he believes that they are his institutions, that he, as sovereign and free citizen, is running them and that he could change them if he so wished. It is his faith in the existing order that constitutes its greatest security against revolution. His faith is stupid and unjustified, and some day it will break down and with it American capitalism and despotism. But as long as that faith persists, American plutocracy is safe against revolution.
As men's minds broaden and develop, as they advance to new ideas and lose faith in their former beliefs, institutions begin to change and are ultimately done away with. The people grow to understand thee their former views were false, that they were not truth but prejudice and superstition.
In this way many ideas, once held to be true, have come to be regarded as wrong and evil. Thus the ideas of the divine right of kings, of slavery and serfdom. There was a time when the whole world believed those institutions to be right, just, and unchangeable. In the measure that those superstitions and false beliefs were fought by advanced thinkers, they became discredited and lost their hold upon the people, and finally the institutions that incorporated those ideas were abolished. Highbrows will tell you that they had "outlived their usefulness" and that therefore they "died." But how did they "outlive" their "usefulness"? To whom were they useful, and how did they "die"?
We know already that they were useful only to the master class, and that they were done away with by popular uprisings and revolutions.
Why did not old and effete institutions "disappear" and die off in a peaceful manner?
For two reasons: first, because some people think faster than others. So that it happens that a minority in a given place advance in their views quicker than the rest. The more that minority will become imbued with the new ideas, the more convinced of their truth, and the stronger they will feel themselves, the sooner they will try to realize their ideas; and that is usually before the majority have come to see the new light. So that the minority have to struggle against the majority who still cling to the old views and conditions.
Second, the resistance of those who hold power. It makes no difference whether it is the church, the king, or kaiser, a democratic government or a dictatorship, a republic or an autocracy-those in authority will fight desperately to retain it as long as they can hope for the least chance of success. And the more aid they get from the slower-thinking majority the better the fight they can put up. Hence the fury of revolt and revolution.
The desperation of the masses, their hatred of those responsible for their misery, and the determination of the lords of life to hold on to their privileges and rule combine to produce the violence of popular uprisings and rebellions.
But blind rebellion without definite object and purpose is not revolution. Revolution is rebellion become conscious of its aims. Revolution is social when it strives for a fundamental change. As the foundation of life is economics, the social revolution means the reorganization of the industrial, economic life of the country and consequently also of the entire structure of society.
But we have seen thee the social structure rests on the basis of ideas, which implies that changing the structure presupposes changed ideas. In other words, social ideas must change first before a new social structure can be built.
The social revolution, therefore, is not an accident, not a sudden happening. There is nothing sudden about it, for ideas don t change suddenly. They grow slowly, gradually, like the plant or flower. Hence the social revolution is a result, a development, which means that it is revolutionary. It develops to the point when considerable numbers of people have embraced the new ideas and are determined to put them into practice. When they attempt to do so and meet with opposition, then the slow, quiet, and peaceful social evolution becomes quick, militant, and violent. Evolution becomes revolution.
Bear in mind, then, that evolution and revolution are not two separate and different things. Still less are they opposites, as some people wrongly believe. Revolution is merely the boiling point of evolution.
Because revolution is evolution at its boiling point you cannot "make" a real revolution any more than you can hasten the boiling of a tea kettle. It is the fire underneath that makes it boil: how quickly it will come to the boiling point will depend on how strong the fire is.
The economic and political conditions of a country are the fire under the evolutionary pot. The worse the oppression, the greater the dissatisfaction of the people, the stronger the flame This explains why the fires of social revolution swept Russia, the most tyrannous and backward country, instead of America where industrial development has almost reached its highest point - and that in spite of all the learned demonstrations of Karl Marx to the contrary.
We see, then, that revolutions, though they cannot be made, can be hastened by certain factors; namely, by pressure from above: by more intense political and economical oppression; and by pressure from below: by greater enlightenment and agitation. These spread the ideas; they further evolution and thereby also the coming of revolution.
But pressure from above, though hastening revolution, may also cause its failure, because such revolution is apt to break out before the evolutionary process has been sufficiently advanced. Coming prematurely, as it were, it will fizzle out in mere rebellion; that is, without clear, conscious aim and purpose. At best, rebellion can secure only some temporary alleviation; the real causes of the strife, however, remain intact and continue to operate to the same effect, to cause further dissatisfaction and rebellion.
Summing up what I have said about revolution, we must come to the conclusion that:
1. a social revolution is one that entirely changes the foundation of society, its political, economic, and social character;
2. such a change must first take place in the ideas and opinions of the people, in the minds of men;
3. oppression and misery may hasten revolution, but may thereby also turn it into failure, because lack of evolutionary preparation will make real accomplishment impossible;
4. only that revolution can be fundamental, social, and successful which will be the expression of a basic change of ideas and opinions.
From this it obviously follows that the social revolution must be prepared. Prepared in the sense of furthering the evolutionary process, of enlightening the people about the evils of present-day society and convincing them of the desirability and possibility, of the justice and practicability of a social life based on liberty; prepared, moreover, by making the masses realize very clearly just what they need and how to bring it about.
Such preparation is not only an absolutely necessary preliminary step. Therein lies also the safety of the revolution, the only guarantee of its accomplishing its objects.
It has been the fate of most revolutions -- as a result of lack of preparation -- to be sidetracked from their main purpose, to be misused and led into blind alleys. Russia is the best recent illustration of it. The February Revolution, which sought to do away with the autocracy, was entirely successful. The people knew exactly what they wanted; namely the abolition of Tsardom. All the machinations of politicians, all the oratory and schemes of the Lvovs and Miliukovs - the "liberal" leaders of those days could not save the Romanov régime in the face of the intelligent and conscious will of the people. It was this clear understanding of its aims which made the February, Revolution a complete success, with, mind you, almost no bloodshed.
Furthermore, neither appeals nor threats by the Provisional Government could avail against the determination of the people to end the war. The armies left the fronts and thus terminated the matter by their own direct action. The will of a people conscious of their objects always conquers.
It was the will of the people again, their resolute aim to get hold of the soil, which secured for the peasant the land he needed. Similarly the city workers, as repeatedly mentioned before, possessed themselves of the factories and the machinery of production.
So far the Russian Revolution was a complete success. But at the point where the masses lacked the consciousness of definite purpose, defeat began. That is always the moment when politicians and political parties step in to exploit the revolution for their own uses or to experiment their theories upon it. This happened in Russia, as in many previous revolutions. The people fought the good fight-the political parties fought over the spoils to the detriment of the revolution and to the ruin of the people.
This is, then, what took place in Russia. The peasant, having secured the land, did not have the tools and machinery he needed. The worker, having taken possession of the machinery and factories, did not know how to handle them to accomplish his aims. In other words, he did not have the experience necessary to organize production and he could not manage the distribution of the things he was producing.
His own efforts -- the worker's, the peasant's, the soldier's -- had done away with Tsardom, paralyzed the Government, stopped the war, and abolished private ownership of land and machinery. For that he was prepared by years of revolutionary education and agitation. But for no more than that. And because he was prepared for no more, where his knowledge ceased and definite purpose was lacking, there stepped in the political party and took affairs out of the hands of the masses who had made the revolution. Politics replaced economic reconstruction and thereby sounded the death knell of the social revolution; for people live by bread, by economics, not by politics.
Food and supplies are not created by decree of party or government. Legislative edicts don't till the soil; laws can't turn the wheels of industry. Dissatisfaction, strife, and famine came upon the heels of government coercion and dictatorship. Again, as always, politics and authority proved the swamp in which the revolutionary fires became extinguished.
Let us learn this most vital lesson: thorough understanding by the masses of the true aims of revolution means success. Carrying out their conscious will by their own efforts guarantees the right development of the new life. On the other hand, lack of this understanding and of preparation means certain defeat, either at the hands of reaction or by the experimental theories of would-be political party friends.
Let us prepare, then.
What and how?


text:
Miniland doll with Hispanic features. This doll belongs to our Miniland Dolls collection that promotes the value of equality within kids regardless of their origin, gender or condition and allows them to also learn about the diversity in all of us and how to develop social skills such as empathy and tolerance. Made of high-quality soft vinyl with a light vanilla scent.
This doll is also recyclable
Made in Spain
Anatomically correct doll with realistic differences between boy and girl dolls
Articulated head, arms and legs that can fully rotate allowing the doll to sit, stand or lie down
Doll is washable and it will not affect their quality and durability
It is 8¼ inches long
Can be dressed with our Miniland's clothing collection to complete its look
This model comes in an open-faced box with underwear.


text:
【M17】24Pcs Press on Nails
【M17】24Pcs Press on Nails
24 Pcs Purple Matte Medium False Nails, Almond Stick on Nails for Women
About this item:
【High-Quality Press On Nail Kit】- You will get 24 pcs fake nails per set (different sizes, 1 set can fit all sizes) ,1 Pcs jelly glue,1 Wooden manicure Stick to push your cuticles down and 1 nail file,10 sizes(0-9 on the back), long false nails for your everyday needs to get beautiful fast, make yourself a nail art in few minutes.
【Long-lasting Nail】-Artificial fake nail made with high-quality ABS material, Not easy to chip or break, strong enough to last for 1-3weeks. This reusable nail set can be trimmed, filed, or polished to your liking.
【All-new Design】-Fake nails stick on a fingertip design ,adapt nude false nails with glue,embellished with diamante patterns,It's charming and help you to express confidence in your daily life and work. It's your perfect selection in the autumn and summer .
【Fake Nail As a Gift】- Acrylic false nail perfect your nail art at home, also good for professional nail salons, suitable on party, prom, dating and wedding ect. Also a wonderful gift for girlfriend and women. You can give it to your mother or sister and other people your love.
【Brand Promise】- Any problem, kindly contact seller first.we strives to bring you the quality nails. If for any reason,you're unhappy with your purchase,feel free to contact us.


text:
ExCom Meeting: Top UNHCR official urges improved protection for the displaced
ExCom Meeting: Top UNHCR official urges improved protection for the displaced
GENEVA, October 5 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency, faced with full-blown displacement crises across West, North and East Africa, on Wednesday urged the international community to have another look at how to ensure protection for the world's refugees, internally displaced and stateless.
In a speech to the annual meeting of UNHCR's governing Executive Committee, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Erika Feller said that while the world had responded to displacement emergencies in 2011 with extraordinary acts of generosity, improvement was urgently needed in three broad areas - refugee protection in emergency situations; burden sharing among states; and tensions between national interests and international responsibilities.
Feller focused on emergencies in Libya, Côte d'Ivoire and Somalia, each of which has seen hundreds of thousands of people being forcibly displaced, and often into inherently unsafe locations where humanitarian efforts are difficult or dangerous to mount and can quickly become overstretched.
"It is not unsurprising, in such circumstances, that it is the life-saving imperatives which present themselves up front," she said. "The result is that core protection concerns, like sexual or gender-based violence, trafficking and recruitment of children, family separation or the needs of the disabled, may not be identified sufficiently early to prevent them becoming endemic in an operation when it settles."
Feller said UNHCR would be looking at how it and its partners can better identify such risks and respond more quickly. She said UNHCR would be focusing on improved help for the disabled and launching, next year, a new initiative to better help refugee children. However, she also urged states to recognize the need for funding these and other lesser recognized aspects of protection, plus to consider faster resettlement mechanisms for refugees during crises.
The need for improved burden- and responsibility-sharing among the international community has become acute in recent years, with around 80 per cent of the world's refugees living in developing countries. Faced with difficulties in achieving broad international consensus on addressing this imbalance, UNHCR has been promoting improved responsibility sharing at the regional level, including in Central and Southeast Asia.
Feller urged countries to expand resettlement possibilities. Worldwide, there are more than 10.5 million refugees of concern to UNHCR, but just 80,000 resettlement places available each year. Where people are unable to integrate locally or return home, millions are consequently at risk of becoming stuck in protracted displacement - often in camp situations where access to services and other help is limited.
The Assistant High Commissioner spoke of the need to improve the lives of people in such situations, children in particular, and announced that UNHCR would prepare a five-year education strategy.
Feller reserved her more critical comments for the mistaken tendency to conflate asylum issues with migration, which she said was resulting in more asylum-seekers being placed in detention, or through increased deterrence measures making asylum-seeking itself more risky. In 2011, tens of thousands of people have taken to boats in desperate bids to flee conflict or persecution, including in the Gulf of Aden, between Asia and Australia, and from Africa across the Mediterranean - hundreds have paid with their lives.
"Deterrence measures have not stopped boat arrivals, only made them more deadly when they go wrong," she said. "And the time-honoured tradition of rescue of those in distress at sea is seriously itself now in distress."
The Assistant High Commissioner also cautioned against viewing UNHCR's responsibilities as being a substitute for those of states themselves, as well as what she described as some countries' minimalist approach to refugee protection.
"This has led, for example, to UNHCR having to carry out refugee status determination under its mandate in some 57 countries… In some circumstances this 'hands off' approach to fulfilling protection responsibilities includes a requirement that UNHCR resettle all recognized refugees, often within tight time frames and in disregard of the fact that resettlement is a solution available to very few," she said. "This is just not workable."
Refugee status determination is the process by which an asylum-seeker has her or his claim to international protection assessed.
UNHCR launched a campaign earlier this year to tackle statelessness by encouraging more states to accede to the key statelessness conventions. By some estimates, statelessness affects as many as 12 million people worldwide - depriving people of the right to citizenship and jeopardizing associated rights such as access to education, health care and other state services.
Feller described this as "one of the most glaring deficits when it comes to acceptance of state responsibility." She said she hoped that progress on this and other issues would be seen later this year at a ministerial meeting UNHCR is organizing in December.


text:
France's Macron slapped in face during walkabout
French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face on June 8 by a man in a crowd of onlookers while on a walkabout in southern France, video of the incident showed.
Macron's security entourage quickly intervened to pull the man to the ground and move Macron away from him. Two people were arrested in connection with the incident, broadcasters BFM TV and RMC radio reported.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the incident was an affront to democracy.
The incident took place while Macron was on a visit to the Drome region in south-eastern France, where he met restaurateurs and students to talk about how life is returning to normal after the COVID-19 epidemic.
In video circulating on social media, Macron, dressed in shirt sleeves, could be seen walking towards a crowd of well-wishers who were behind a metal barrier.
The French president reached out his hand to greet one man, in a green T-Shirt, with glasses and a face mask.
The man could be heard shouting out "Down with Macronia" ("A Bas La Macronie") and then he delivered a slap to Macron's face.
Two of Macron's security detail tackled the man in the green T-shirt, while another ushered Macron away. But Macron remained in the vicinity of the crowd for a few more seconds, and appeared to be talking to someone on the other side of the barriers.
The presidential administration said there had been an attempt to strike Macron, but declined further comment.
The identify of the man who slapped Macron, and his motives, were unclear. While slapping the president, he could be heard shouting "Montjoie Saint Denis," which was the battle cry of the French armies when the country was still a monarchy.


text:
Meet David Bossie
David N. Bossie has served as president of Citizens United and Citizens United Foundation since 2001. Beginning in August 2016, Bossie took a five month leave of absence to serve as Deputy Campaign Manager for Donald J. Trump for President. He was then named Deputy Executive Director for the Trump Presidential Transition Team.
In 2015, Bossie was ranked number two in Politico's top 50 most influential people in American politics and in 2016 was elected to serve as the Republican National Committeeman from Maryland. In 2010, under Bossie's leadership Citizens United won a landmark First Amendment decision at the United States Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The case, which saw the government assert during oral arguments that it had the Constitutional authority to ban political books, struck down two decades of unconstitutional restrictions on free speech.
As president of Citizens United Productions, Bossie has produced 25 documentaries since 2004. Bossie has co-produced six feature length films with Steve Bannon, most recently Torchbearer starring Phil Robertson in 2016. Some of Bossie's other titles include Rocky Mountain Heist, hosted by Michelle Malkin, Occupy Unmasked featuring the late conservative icon Andrew Breitbart, Our Sacred Honor with Senator Rick Santorum, The Gift of Life with Governor Mike Huckabee, and the award-winning films on Pope John Paul, Nine Days That Changed The World and Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, hosted by Callista and Newt Gingrich.
Bossie is the former Chief Investigator for the United States House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. During Bill Clinton's two terms as president, he led investigations ranging from the Whitewater land deal to the transfer of dual-use technology to China and to foreign fundraising in the 1996 Clinton re-election campaign. He has authored four books, including the best-selling Intelligence Failure: How Clinton's National Security Policy Set the Stage for 9/11.
Born in Boston, Bossie attended the University of Maryland. He proudly served for 20 years as a volunteer firefighter in Montgomery County, Maryland where he resides with his wife, Susan, and their four children.
Citizens United was founded in 1988, and is the leading conservative advocacy group in the country with over 500,000 members and supporters. Through its films, op-eds, videos, and grassroots organizing, Citizens United seeks to reassert the traditional American values of limited government, freedom of enterprise, strong families, and national sovereignty and security.


text:
Donatella Rovera, senior researcher on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories said,
"Israel allows the Palestinians access to only a fraction of the shared water resources, which lie mostly in the occupied West Bank, while the unlawful Israeli settlements there receive virtually unlimited supplies. In Gaza the Israeli blockade has made an already dire situation worse."
The report, "Troubled Waters: Palestinians Denied Fair Access to Water," says Israel uses more than 80 per cent of the water from the Mountain Aquifer, the main source of underground water in Israel and the OPT, while restricting Palestinian access to 20 per cent. Israel takes all the water from the Jordan River, the Palestinians get none.
In the Gaza Strip, 90 to 95 per cent of the water from its only water resource, the Coastal Aquifer, is contaminated and unfit for human consumption. Yet, Israel does not allow the transfer of water from the Mountain Aquifer in the West Bank to Gaza. And because of the blockade on the Gaza Strip and the stringent restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry into Gaza of material and equipment necessary for the development and repair of infrastructure have caused further deterioration of the water and sanitation situation in Gaza, which has reached a crisis point.
A 12 page digest, "Thirsting for Justice: Palestinians access to water restricted" and the feature story of West Bank farmer, Mahmoud al-'Alam, about the day Israeli bulldozers came and destroyed his water supply and his livelihood can also be found on the Amnesty International website along with the main report.


text:
Pau Ferro is a very versatile wood providing a wide range of tonal options for every style of instrument and music.
- Minimum Dimensions
- Back halves: 8" x 21" x 0.155" (203mm x 533mm x 3.9mm)
- Sides: 4-1/4" x 31-1/2" x 0.130" (108mm x 800mm x 3.3mm)
Pau Ferro -- sometimes known as Bolivian Rosewood, Morado, or Palo Santos -- is grown in the Atlantic coastal region of Brazil and Bolivia.
And while it's sometimes referred to as a "rosewood" it is not a true dalbergia.
Pau Ferro is a dream to work with. It bends like butter, and being a close pore wood it doesn't require grain fillers and virtually any finish adheres to it with very little difficulty.
Tonally it's closer to Oregon Myrtle or Maple than a true rosewood. It has a clear, focused tone that's well balanced without overtly leaning toward the bass or treble spectrum. This makes it extremely versatile and builders have had success with it for virtually every style of music.
It also makes a strong visual statement with rich golds, browns and sometimes green shades with strong black grain lines and striking variegation in the higher grade sets. Additionally, it currently does not have any export restrictions making it a great choice for builders with international clients.
All WOODSTAX items come with our 100% satisfaction promise and no-hassle returns. If you are unhappy with the wood once you get it, simply return it in its original, unworked condition for a full refund or exchange.


text:
Use of this site is provided by Friends of the Earth Europe subject to the following Terms and Conditions.
1. Your use constitutes acceptance of these Terms and Conditions as at the date of your first use of the site.
2. Friends of the Earth Europe reserves the rights to change these Terms and Conditions at any time by posting changes online. Your continued use of this site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of this agreement as modified.
3. You agree to use this site only for lawful purposes, and in a manner which does not infringe the rights, or restrict, or inhibit the use and enjoyment of the site by any third party.
4. This site and the information, names, images, pictures, logos regarding or relating to Friends of the Earth Europe are provided 'as is' without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied. In no event will Friends of the Earth Europe be liable for any damages including, without limitation, indirect or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever arising from the use or in connection with such use or loss of use of the site, whether in contract or in negligence.
5. Friends of the Earth Europe does not warrant that the functions contained in the material contained in this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or represent the full functionality, accuracy and reliability of the materials.
6. Copyright restrictions: Commercial use or publication of all or any item displayed is strictly prohibited without prior written authorisation from Friends of the Earth Europe. If you require further information about the use of content please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
7. Friends of the Earth Europe takes no responsibility for the content of external Internet Sites.
8. Any communication or material that you transmit to, or post on, any public area of the site including any data, questions, comments, suggestions, or the like, is, and will be treated as, non-confidential and non-proprietary information.
9. If there is any conflict between these Terms and Conditions and rules and/or specific terms of use appearing on this site relating to specific material then the latter shall prevail.
10. If these Terms and Conditions are not accepted in full, the use of this site must be terminated immediately.
Brussels, Belgium, February 2012


text:
- Requisition Number: 1007
- Position Title: Senior Financial Investigator (SFI)
- Location: Boston, MA
- Status/Hours: Full-time/40 hours per week
- Clearance Level Required: Top Secret
Minimum Qualifications:
A minimum of ten years of law enforcement experience in planning, conducting and participating in complex financial investigations with a minimum of five years in a specialized area of expertise such as Forfeiture, Organized Crime, White Collar Crime, Fraud, Drug, Money Laundering, or similar areas of criminal activity is required. An undergraduate degree is required. The SFI must possess working knowledge of current financial investigative techniques, including the use of commercial databases and other sources of information, and a valid driver's license. Foreign language skills are preferred.
Description of Duties:
(The following list is to show the typical services and support for the specified labor category. The list is designed to show typical projects, the list is not all inclusive, and other types of services may be required):
- Provide advice and guidance to fully develop the forfeiture aspects of an on-going investigation. Advice and guidance include, but are not limited to, education of Investigating Agencies' agents on specific tools and techniques utilized to analyze financial information.
- Analyze financial records obtained by the Investigating Agencies through internal and external databases and submit reports documenting the results, when requested. Specifically, the contractor will review bank statements; deposits; and debit transactions, including checks, letters of credit, Currency Transaction Reports (CTR), loan applications, and related records that are obtained pursuant to Federal and State subpoenas and search warrants executed by the Government. The contractor will review the documents to determine hidden assets and false statements that are used to hide illicit assets from investigators and to make the assets appear to be legitimate.
- Review, process, and analyze information sufficient to 1) assist in determining the amount to seek for forfeiture; 2) identify and trace assets during the course of investigations; and 3) assist the Government in perfecting its interest in the property.
- Assist in the location and repatriation of assets that are subject to forfeiture.
- Identify the individuals and entities making deposits and all related bank accounts, properties, investments, and any other assets that may be identified from the documentation.
- Maintain detailed case documentation and database files of financial investigative research to trace proceeds of criminal activities and investigative interests in targeted property.
- Research and analyze information derived from various investigative and business-related automated systems including, but not limited to, Choice Point, Autotrack, TECS, FINCEN, CLEAR, THREADS, Accurint, ISYS, Lexis-Nexis, PACER, CourtLink, West Law, NADA, Used Price.com, and other Internet capabilities (e.g., law enforcement databases to provide forfeiture specific case support to the Government in civil and criminal forfeiture matters). Examples of research and analysis activities include: analyzing and documenting the ownership interests of targeted properties; analyzing financial records to trace the proceeds of criminal violations to their current form; creating a database from financial records to document the source of targeted property; preparing seizure warrants, civil complaints, and forfeiture counts; preparing exhibits on the source and ownership of targeted property; documenting and cataloguing evidence on the source and ownership of targeted property; and identifying, analyzing, and documenting potential substitute assets.
- Research and identify assets utilizing various Social Media and Cyber research tools.
- Provide additional services, including the parsing of dialed number strings, to identify amounts and property that may be subject to forfeiture in a particular investigation and to perfect the Government's interest in forfeitable property.
- Organize and conduct detailed examinations of information generated during complex criminal/civil investigations as well as alternative sources for the purpose of conducting financial analyses of personal/business assets of targeted organizations/individuals.
- Assist with the development of sufficient probable cause to enable the Government to pursue seizure warrants, temporary restraining orders, civil complaints, and forfeiture counts against targeted property and parties.
- Provide investigative support to the Government with coordinated planning to mitigate excessive risks in seizing targeted property. This includes assessing impacts on the local community. An example would be the seizure of an occupied apartment complex.
- Prepare documents and catalog case exhibits on the source and ownership of targeted properties.
- Perform analytical research to identify and record potential substitute assets.
- Identify witnesses and subjects and assist the case agent/attorney during interviews and courtroom proceedings regarding the ownership and source of targeted property of ongoing case investigations.
- Provide courtroom testimony and depositions regarding their investigative analysis and identification of assets derived from specific unlawful activities.
- Conduct detailed link analyses, specific to Forfeiture, utilizing the results of financial analysis and other investigative techniques, such as Title III's surveillance to determine relationships between the subjects of the investigation and the events that lead to the alleged forfeitability of property and proceeds.
- Research and identify assets utilizing data amplification programs/systems and through various forms of crypto-currencies (e.g., Bitcoin).
Apply here: https://prmusa.net/careers/


text:
There has been a lot of chatter in the blogosphere and this Conference about the future health of the public relations industry and how the definition of our industry is evolving. I think the key to our future is in understanding what is being taught to the future generation of public relations practitioners. As an educator and a person extremely concerned about the health and growth of public relations, I was excited to attend the Educators Academy Research Session, Saturday evening, November 7.
The overwhelming theme among the 10 research paper presentations was the study of leadership in the public relations industry and discovering our industry is truly lacking great examples of leadership and must look to other industries for guidance. In addition to the paper presentations and roundtable discussion, 16 pedagogical poster presentations focused on putting theory into practice through service learning programs and student-run agencies. Attendees walked around the roundtable and poster presentations at their own pace, discussing best teaching practices, research and strategies with the panelists.
Unfortunately, while the session was open to everyone, the majority of attendees I met were other educators and not practicing practitioners. Yes, it's great there is peer to peer networking and learning among the academics at this session, but practitioners could learn so much from academia research, and vice versa. We should foster dialog between the academic and professional practice worlds. Such discussions might shed light and solutions on the identity crisis our industry faces today.
Visit the Educators Academy for more information on the proceedings of the session and Conference.
By Lauren Vargas is a community manager at Radian6, based in Boston, Mass. She is a well-known public relations blogger and speaker who specializes in integrating social media tools into communications/marketing and business strategy. Vargas is a multi-faceted communications professional with experience in internal and external corporate communications, governmental affairs and community relations. Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn and Twitter.
For coverage of the PRSA 2009 International Conference: Delivering Value, visit our Conference blog or follow the conversation on Twitter at hashtag #prsa09.


text:
Daikin Thermostats & Controls
Peace of mind. That's what a Daikin indoor comfort system offers. Control the temperature of your home from anywhere with an internet connection and know that your home is under control no matter where you are.
A thermostat for your home's HVAC system can range from basic and functional to sophisticated and feature-rich. It all depends on what your specific needs are for your home. Generally speaking, the thermostat controls the operation of your entire HVAC system and provides temperature regulation. New, digitally programmable thermostats, such as a ComfortNet™ Thermostat, feature both comfort and efficiency-enhancing functionality with their smart technology and remote access.
Standard features of the ComfortNet™ communicating thermostat include dual fuel compatibility, outdoor temperature display, dehumidification, advanced diagnostics, a programmable continuous fan control, and more. A wide assortment of wireless features are available making the CTK04 one the most user friendly controls available.
- Pre-programmed indoor and outdoor control boards automatically determine the proper system setup and properly manage airflow and system capacity settings
- Advanced active diagnostics simplifies system troubleshooting today and for the life of the system
- Wireless remote control system management from any personal computer iPad iPhone or Android device (with Honeywell RedLINK Internet Gateway)
The Daikin ENVi Intelligent and programmable Thermostat is the newest addition to Daikin's residential controls offerings. This wall mounted controller features a backlit LCD display and easy to understand menu items for all of your personal comfort settings - temperatures, weekly scheduling, vacation schedules, and even your weather forecast. Best of all ENVi is a WiFi programmable thermostat, so you can access it via the web using your tablet, smart phone or computer. You get your own personalized secure web interface to make any changes you want, from anywhere you may be.
The Daikin ENVi is Wi-Fi enabled, so you can make adjustments to your thermostat away from home using your tablet, computer, or smart phone. The ENVi has an easy-to-read high-resolution color display and user-friendly interface that makes it easy to setup your personalized program, adjust your settings and create new vacation events, anytime and from anywhere.
Did you know that using your ENVi thremostat's weekly schedule can provide energy savings for you? It is one of the easiest ways to reduce your energy consumption and save money on your utility bills.
When you get a Daikin ENVi thermostat, we'll also provide you with access to your own personal and secure web page to manage all aspects of your ENVi thermostat. And if you like that, there's also no annual fee which you're sure to love
The ENVi has a built-in live weather function and uses advanced algorithims so you can be sure your thermostat is always saving the most energy possible. Automatic alerts and reminders notify you when your Daikin equipment is due for service, if there is an equipment malfunction or when its time to change your filter.
- Easy-to-use
- Access to your own personal and secure web page to manage all aspects of your ENVi thermostat
- Built-in live weather function and uses advanced algorithims so you can be sure your thermostat is always saving the most energy possible
Daikin Comfort Control App
It can happen to anyone. You forgot to change the temperature of your heat pump system or air conditioner before leaving the house, or you will be delayed returning home and wish to avoid needlessly heating or cooling your home. What in the past would have resulted in wasted energy is no longer a problem. With the new Daikin Comfort Control App, you are always in control. You can use your tablet or smartphone to access your Daikin system via the internet. Fault conditions can also be detected remotely, allowing a quick response to problems.
- Easy Installation
- Adjust or set a schedule remotely


text:
University of Notre Dame entomologists are part of a team of researchers that recently discovered a potentially dangerous new malaria-transmitting mosquito. The as yet unnamed, and previously unreported, mosquito breeds in the western areas of Kenya and has an unknown DNA match to any of the existing malaria-transmitting species.
The Anopheles species of mosquitoes which transmits malaria in Africa is already widely studied by researchers. It prefers to rest indoors during the day and feed on humans during the night. Current malaria control programs, including spraying of insecticides and using insecticide-treated bed nets, are designed with these behaviors in mind.
Although the new species has never been implicated in the transmission of malaria, new discoveries in its biting habits pose a threat because it was found to be active outdoors and prefers to bite people earlier in the evening, soon after sunset, when people are not protected by current malaria control techniques.
Neil Lobo, a Notre Dame research associate professor and Brandy St. Laurent, a former Notre Dame doctoral student, joined forces on the team of researchers that made the discovery. y Frank Collins, Notre Dame's George and Winifred Clark Professor of Biology, Collins was principal investigator of the Malaria Transmission Consortium effort funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The discovery was announced in a paper whose lead author was Jennifer Stevenson of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "All of the sequencing and analysis was done on campus at Notre Dame," Lobo said.
Malaria is the leading cause of death in Kenya where 25 million out of its population of 34 million are at risk.
Lobo and Collins are members of Notre Dame's Eck Institute for Global Health and the Department of Biological Sciences. The Eck Institute for Global Health believes that health is a fundamental human right. It endeavors to promote research, training and service to advance health standards for all people, and especially for people in low and middle-income countries, who are disproportionately impacted by preventable diseases.